Six months since I adopted Vivi. Still too small to eat?
Writings on Quan's wall
Quan was Vivi's adoptive grandfather in Final Fantasy IX. He was a Qu, and adopted the black mage Vivi after catching him while fishing in the Mist (and, according to markings on the wall in Quan's Dwelling, was raising him to eat him). After he died Vivi left for Alexandria.
Quan was a gourmand like all Qu. Quan is the only Qu in the game referred as a "he", instead of "s/he", like Quina and Quale.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Quan's clothing resembles an ancient Chinese scholar. This may be on purpose, as he taught Vivi many things about the world. Quan wears a rose-colored patterned shirt with dragon symbols with long sleeves, lavender trousers and shoes fashioned with pink ribbons. He wears an ornate hat with tassels. Unlike the other Qu, he has a black mustache.
Personality[]
Quan was a master gourmand and passionate about his craft, placing imagination at the core of his love of food. He praises Quina for having the imagination needed to become a champion gourmand. In spite of his intent to eat Vivi, it is not beyond likelihood Quan harbored a parental affection for the black mage. Otherwise, Quan may not have bothered to teach Vivi of the ways of the world and on his last moments encourage Vivi to go out and live out his life. This could suggest Quan had either decided not to eat Vivi by the time of his death, or that he vacillated as to whether he would or not.
Story[]
Quan had an apprentice called Quale whom he was supposed to tutor in the art of food, but became exasperated with his pupil's lack of imagination, viewing it as an essential quality for a master gourmand. Quan and Quale did not part ways amicably, Quale later denying even knowing Quan.
Quan fishing.
Quan made his abode in a cave with a hot spring outside Treno where he lived alone until one day, while out fishing on the ledge of his dwelling, instead of fish, Quan caught a black mage: Vivi. Quan had Vivi move in, and though Quan planned to eat him once Vivi would grow bigger, he named him and taught him many things about the world.[3] It is possible that Quan's caring for Vivi allowed the latter to become sentient and emphatic, unlike the other black mages who initially act like automatons. Vivi became so endeared to the Qu he began to call Quan "grandpa".
When Quan passed away January 1st 1800, Vivi was left alone. Having gained a curiosity about the outside world due to his grandpa's stories, Vivi sets out to Alexandria where he joins Zidane's party, and Quan's dwelling is left abandoned.
When the party visits Quale in Qu's Marsh, Vivi remarks the Qu leader resembles his "grandfather". When Vivi asks Quale about his relation to Quan, Quale lets loose that he considered Quan a "bigot", then does a horrible job of covering up his blunder, pretending he has never heard of Quan.
Later, Vivi and Quina can visit the dwelling to learn more about Vivi's history and examine the broken clock out on the ledge from where Quan used to fish. Zidane observes the clock stopped "about a week before we kidnapped Garnet".
During Quina and Vivi's visit to the dwelling, Quan's ghost appears to the two. Quale arrives at the abode and Quan reprimands him for his myopia. He commends Quina, implying Quina has already surpassed Quale in the ways of the gourmand. Quale praises Vivi for his open-mindedness, expressing pride in what Vivi had accomplished on his own. As Quan's ghost fades, Zidane is left wondering who they are all talking to.
Gameplay[]
Quan's Dwelling is an optional location. If the player visits they can find Stellazzio coins at the springs and Running Shoes in the grandfather clock. During the party's visit to Treno they split up around the town and the player can have Vivi leave the city to go visit Quan's Dwelling, and then follow him and meet him there where Vivi talks about his life with his grandpa. After obtaining the airship, the player can visit the dwelling with Vivi and Quina in the party to trigger a scene with Quan.
Gallery[]
Etymology[]
All of the Qus' names begin with "Qu".
Quan and Quale's full names are given as Quina Quan and Quina Quale respectively, which would suggest that "Quina" is a clan name, rather than a personal name.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive, Volume 2', p.247
- ↑ Final Fantasy 25th Memorial Ultimania vol.2 p.247
- ↑ Final Fantasy IX Ultimania p.010-011