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FFVIII Drain

Rinoa casts Drain, a type of Para-Magic.

Magic" used by ordinary people is actually "para-magic." In essence, it is a technique which involves controlling energy.

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Para-Magic (疑似魔法, Giji Mahō?, lit. Para-Magic) is the term used to define the "magic used by regular humans" in Final Fantasy VIII. Magic can otherwise only be used naturally by a sorceress, or via a Limit Break or a summoned Guardian Force ("GF").

Because ordinary people cannot usually use magic, Dr. Odine developed Para-Magic. By studying a sorceress, he devised a way to manipulate energy to replicate spells. The would-be spellcaster must "draw" a spell from an enemy or from a draw point. Using this drawn energy, the person can manipulate the energy in the battlefield to cast the spell.

Drawn spells can be junctioned to a GF to enhance battle prowess. Balamb Garden uses this method, teaching it to its SeeD cadets. Galbadian military, meanwhile, appears to use para-magic without equipping a GF, through their weapons.[1]

Etymology[]

"Para-" a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, most often attached to verbs and verbal derivatives with the meanings "at or to one side of, beside, side by side" (parabola; paragraph; parallel; paralysis), or "beyond, past, by" (paradox; paragoge). By extension "para-" came to designate objects or activities auxiliary to or derivative of that denoted by the base word, and hence abnormal or defective.

In Final Fantasy VIII the name is used to differentiate magic developed by Dr. Odine, which is used by ordinary humans (SeeDs, Galbadian troops, etc.) from natural magic (wielded by sorceresses and monsters).

Magic or sorcery is an attempt to understand, experience and influence the world using rituals, symbols, actions, gestures and language that are believed to exploit supernatural forces.

Citations[]

  1. Final Fantasy VIII, Scan description for a G-Soldier: "Galbadian soldier that uses magic with a sword. Strong enough, but nowhere near as strong as any SeeD member."
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