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The real Kefka.

Posted: 19th January 2017 18:52

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Black Waltz
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This is the line I am speaking of in this thread.

"KEFKA: Then I'll destroy those too. Why do people rebuild things they know are going to be destroyed? Why do people cling to life when they know they can't live forever? Think how meaningless each of your lives is!"

I never realized it till now, but Kefka has, for the first time in the entire story, said something rational. It may be a horrible and negative viewpoint, but at least he is conceptualizing reality and making a point.

This is the real Kefka, the one buried and walled up deep inside him like Fortunato in The Cask of Amontillado, the sane Kefka that still cries out from his center for him to stop what he's doing. The good Kefka is saying this.

The unspoken addendum to what he's saying is "Why do I keep trying to rebuild my identity when I know that it cannot be salvaged? Please, let me stop this now. Let me die, please."

He is, without really knowing it, asking to be shown the truth of existence; he is asking for death.

Of course, this sentiment is buried so deep in his psyche, because of his megalomania, that it never really reaches his cerebral cortex, and gets expressed as a desire to end all existence. If he can't live, nobody else gets to either!

But Kefka asks a legitimate question for the first time in the game, and Terra's response is the absolute truth of existence itself:

"TERRA: It's not the net result of one's life that's important! It's the day-to-day concerns, the celebration of life, and love! It's enough if people are able to experience the joy each day can bring!"

If she weren't so angry with this horrible psychotic murder clown, and her tone of voice were different, it would almost begin to sound like Terra is trying to talk Kefka out of suicide. That her words would fall on deaf ears is not the point. It is simply all she knows and can think of to say after what she has been through, and based on the context, she is really intending to berate Kefka as badly as she can. She scolds him and tells him exactly why he is insane. She finds the secret human side of Kefka deep within him, and explains what's wrong.

The outer Kefka smashes this idea to bits in his head immediately, because let's face it, the guy is broken to bits inside, there's really no chance of his humanity ever being restored.

"KEFKA: And have you found your joy, in this dying world of ours?"

He asks Terra to prove that what she is saying is true, and with a sneer. He does not expect her to be able to provide any proof of what she is saying through her own experience. He thinks he's won the argument at that point.

Then the entire party does what Terra is doing, and explains the joy they have found in even a messed up, dying world.

And we all know what happens next. You challenge a violent crazy's delusions hard enough...

Well, the violent crazy gets violent with you. Hope you packed a few Turbo Ethers, this one's gonna get rough! biggrin.gif

Excelsior!

~ Spoony

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Posted: 3rd March 2017 05:40
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Returner
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Wow...

You were so close to the best quote in the game too.

"Life.. Dreams... Hope... Where'd they come from? ...And where are they headed? These things... I am going to to destroy!"

:-D

Can you break that down?
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Posted: 26th September 2017 18:40
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Quote (Bestia455 @ 3rd March 2017 00:40)
Wow...

You were so close to the best quote in the game too.

"Life.. Dreams... Hope... Where'd they come from? ...And where are they headed? These things... I am going to to destroy!"

:-D

Can you break that down?

See Children, this is exactly why you don't drink alcohol and attempt to be part of the world...
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Posted: 27th September 2017 02:17

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Black Waltz
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Ain't it the truth. Apply your statement to this thread too

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Posted: 29th September 2017 16:20

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Onion Knight
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I can't say that I see your interpretation with clarity. It is definitely an interesting viewpoint, but I am not sure I agree with it. That is to say, I think that Kefka is just a crazy loon with no "good side" to him.

Reading your post made me think of the ending of "The Killing Joke." How Batman is trying to reason with Joker.
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Posted: 17th December 2017 06:48
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Son of a gun.

Brilliant analysis, Spooniest.

JTrigger has a point... "Good side" may be a stretch. But I think I get the main point, which is, in my own words, that underneath every craziness is a sanity that drives it. Is that in the right ball park?

'Cause if it is...yeah, mass murder really does tend to come from suicide. But where was the motivation to go that route in the first place...?

Just because he's an unmitigated ball of hate doesn't mean there's no complexity to him...
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Posted: 17th December 2017 14:31

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Behemoth
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Quote (JTrigger)
I think that Kefka is just a crazy loon with no "good side" to him.


I think that we've got to remember that, whether he was good or evil before the botched Magitek infusion, it changed him. But what Spooniest is saying is that this quote reveals that Kefka still has a rational side, though it may be buried deep. His quote is nihilistic and sociopathic, but it shows his capacity for rational thought.

What I find interesting about this quote is the timing. They could have done this quote, or something similar, much earlier in the game. There was time on the Floating Continent, or even earlier in the Magitek Research Facility. But they chose to reveal this side of Kefka in the end after he has achieved ultimate power, while portraying him as crazy throughout the rest of the game. This goes along with Spooniest's analysis, that Kefka is crying out for help. Except he has given up, as you can see with his dismissal of their "self-help" with the infamous line.

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Posted: 18th December 2017 08:50

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Cactuar
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To break the forth wall.

Terra to Kefka: "Not only has Eagle Caller aka Greatermaxim beat the game in a variety of ways he's done it at level 19. He's finding challenges all the time. It doesn't matter how dire or dim life might seem as long as you strive for something."

Continuing... "You might be a clown by life is no circus. In your position you must go all in and destroy the world and not wait for us to stop you. Since you doubt your own convictions I don't believe you hate life or have given up hope."

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Post #214218
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Posted: 19th December 2017 00:25

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Behemoth
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Quote (Eagle Caller @ 18th December 2017 04:50)
To break the forth wall.

Terra to Kefka: "Not only has Eagle Caller aka Greatermaxim beat the game in a variety of ways he's done it at level 19. He's finding challenges all the time. It doesn't matter how dire or dim life might seem as long as you strive for something."

Continuing... "You might be a clown by life is no circus. In your position you must go all in and destroy the world and not wait for us to stop you. Since you doubt your own convictions I don't believe you hate life or have given up hope."

I love how in your 4th wall that Terra went from talking about finding the personal things that keep everyone going to personal narcissism!

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Posted: 22nd December 2017 17:45

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Magitek Soldier
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Quote (Eagle Caller @ 18th December 2017 09:50)
To break the forth wall.

Terra to Kefka: "Not only has Eagle Caller aka Greatermaxim beat the game in a variety of ways he's done it at level 19. He's finding challenges all the time. It doesn't matter how dire or dim life might seem as long as you strive for something."

Continuing... "You might be a clown by life is no circus. In your position you must go all in and destroy the world and not wait for us to stop you. Since you doubt your own convictions I don't believe you hate life or have given up hope."

I'm sorry, what? This is either grade A trolling, or you really are a pretentious asshat. Either way, I'm not sure I follow your point.

Also, I think you mean fourth wall. The Forth wall is, I imagine, part of the Forth Bridge in Scotland.

Back on topic, I've gotta agree with Spoony and Blitz - Magitek may have scrambled his mind completely to the point of wanton insanity and destruction, but somewhere in there are still the remnants of the real Kefka - and the nihilistic cry for help is inevitable.


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Posted: 23rd December 2017 03:15

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Cactuar
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You win this time. I'll go back to enjoying the game for what is it originally and not what I want it to be. I should be lucky to be born at the right time and place to experience anything this good. Anytime sooner or later I'd miss this game entirely.

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Terra - LV 99 - HP 9999 - MP 999

Equipment - - - Abilities

Illumina - - - - - Fight
Genji Shield - - Morph
Oath Veil - - - - Magic
Minerva - - - - - Item
Ribbon
Economizer
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Posted: 24th December 2017 02:13

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Behemoth
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Quote (Eagle Caller @ 22nd December 2017 23:15)
You win this time. I'll go back to enjoying the game for what is it originally and not what I want it to be. I should be lucky to be born at the right time and place to experience anything this good. Anytime sooner or later I'd miss this game entirely.

You should work on a patch that changes the dialogue to praising your gaming skills. tongue.gif

Speaking of pretentiousness though, it's also telling that Kefka waits until the end, when the Returners have gathered in front of him. It's not enough for him to believe in a nihilistic vision. He has to make the world know it. His need for fame, and recognition of his ideas--it's hard to tell whether that means he's resigned himself to his fate or not. I think it's a sign that he is prepared for, and is longing for, his death, and the final battle is his curtain call.

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Post #214299
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Posted: 13th January 2019 13:53
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What name do you prefer for TERRA. or KEFKA.

yeah.


hmm makes me wonder why everyone fights over Aerith or Aeris itsaerisbtwbye
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