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Why Leo?
Moogle
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I want to ask and answer the same question with a different tone.
Why Leo? His story is one of hubris that's brought full circle by his death. Without that, his story loses it's true meaning and Leo becomes a two-dimensional character. Hubris is kind of a two-part concept that's one-part character flaw and one-part plot outcome. The modern definition of hubris, involves a mixture of pride and arrogance that causes a character's downfall.
Leo possesses a warped concept of honor and loyalty that causes him to blindly trust in and remain ignorant of a blatantly corrupt fascist bent on world domination. During the opening shot of the game Leo is established as one of three Generals in Emperor Gestahl's army. At this point, Gestahl has invaded the world of the Espers, enslaved it's people, tortured them, in some cases to death, in order to magically power an army to conquer the world by force. He willfully chooses ignorance by turning a blind eye to not only these events, but he later reveals that he's also aware of the events of Terra's origin and enslavement. When we actually first meet him, he's just been recalled from the prolonged siege of Doma. A country, who's only crime was resisting the unlawful subjugation of their country the foreign Gestahlian Empire. Leo is seen "ordering" (more like begging) Kefka, who is assuming command by the Emperor's order, not to poison the Domans. This establishes that Leo knows about Kefka's plans and that he chooses to, once again, turn a blind eye to the ever worsening situation, and allows Kefka to do the dirty work that he can't bring himself to do.
Allowing Leo to survive ultimately changes the narrative and sets him up for a redemptive story. It's the story of an ignorant general who comes to understand how his choices and failures have hurt not only the people he now cares about, but the enitre world. It's actually a great story arc. I'm sure that's why they gave it to Celes. Bringing him back from the dead instead of killing him only makes it more cliche.
Ultimately, the sense of strength and honor that makes Leo interesting is nothing more than a cloak of ignorant hubris, that literally leads to his downfall, Kefka's godhood, and the destruction of the entire world. Killing him is non-negotiable, it's the ultimate conclusion to a story of hubris. His death is necessary and best serves as a betrayal of his own bllind ignorance by Kefka's hand disguised as the Emperor Leo blindly serves. It's poetic and powerful and to undermine it is hot fanservice garbage.
Seriously, why Leo?
Why Leo? His story is one of hubris that's brought full circle by his death. Without that, his story loses it's true meaning and Leo becomes a two-dimensional character. Hubris is kind of a two-part concept that's one-part character flaw and one-part plot outcome. The modern definition of hubris, involves a mixture of pride and arrogance that causes a character's downfall.
Leo possesses a warped concept of honor and loyalty that causes him to blindly trust in and remain ignorant of a blatantly corrupt fascist bent on world domination. During the opening shot of the game Leo is established as one of three Generals in Emperor Gestahl's army. At this point, Gestahl has invaded the world of the Espers, enslaved it's people, tortured them, in some cases to death, in order to magically power an army to conquer the world by force. He willfully chooses ignorance by turning a blind eye to not only these events, but he later reveals that he's also aware of the events of Terra's origin and enslavement. When we actually first meet him, he's just been recalled from the prolonged siege of Doma. A country, who's only crime was resisting the unlawful subjugation of their country the foreign Gestahlian Empire. Leo is seen "ordering" (more like begging) Kefka, who is assuming command by the Emperor's order, not to poison the Domans. This establishes that Leo knows about Kefka's plans and that he chooses to, once again, turn a blind eye to the ever worsening situation, and allows Kefka to do the dirty work that he can't bring himself to do.
Allowing Leo to survive ultimately changes the narrative and sets him up for a redemptive story. It's the story of an ignorant general who comes to understand how his choices and failures have hurt not only the people he now cares about, but the enitre world. It's actually a great story arc. I'm sure that's why they gave it to Celes. Bringing him back from the dead instead of killing him only makes it more cliche.
Ultimately, the sense of strength and honor that makes Leo interesting is nothing more than a cloak of ignorant hubris, that literally leads to his downfall, Kefka's godhood, and the destruction of the entire world. Killing him is non-negotiable, it's the ultimate conclusion to a story of hubris. His death is necessary and best serves as a betrayal of his own bllind ignorance by Kefka's hand disguised as the Emperor Leo blindly serves. It's poetic and powerful and to undermine it is hot fanservice garbage.
Seriously, why Leo?
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The following 2 users say Thank You to Timbo for this post:• Kugawattan (05-11-2017), SSJ Rick (05-11-2017)
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2017