Final Fantasy 8 released for the PlayStation in 1999 to critical acclaim and is often regarded as one of the best Final Fantasy titles ever made. The game follows a mercenary named Squall, and his comrades, as they fight against the Galbadia invasion and seek to save the world from an evil sorceress.
A stereotypical loner, Squall Leonhart is quiet and aloof, but players get to see him open up & accept his relationships with those around him as the game progresses. Though fans already received a brooding protagonist in the previous title, Final Fantasy 7, this game offered players new insight into what their quiet main character was thinking with on-screen thought bubbles. Whether you think you know all there is to know about Squall or not, there might be a fact or two below that might surprise you.
10 Initial Design
Tetsuya Nomura designed Squall, the first character designed for Final Fantasy 8. Originally, Squall had longer hair and was more effeminate (left image), but the game's director, Yoshinori Kitase, didn't like this initial design and asked for it to be changed.
As a result, Squall's hair was made shorter and he became the character we know and love today. However, Squall's appearance as "Leon" in the Kingdom Hearts series appears to pay tribute to the initial longer-haired design (right image).
9 Name
"Squall" is another word for an intense storm and likely alludes to Squall's tempestuous inner feelings and emotions that he keeps bottled up inside. This storm theme is apparent in other areas of the game too, such as when Squall uses a car called the "Tempest" in Deling City while he is pursuing Sorceress Edea.
His surname "Leonhart" is a variation of the more common "Lionheart," which alludes to someone strong and courageous. This is a quality that Squall holds in high regard, as well as lions in general as the embodiment of strength and courage– apparent from his idolization of Griever, the lion-like GF that is etched on his Gunblade and shown on his necklace.
8 Scar
Squall's iconic scar was a design element that Nomura added as a spur of the moment to make sure his character stood out from the others. Once included in his design, it was up to the game's scenario writer, Kazushige Nojima, to decide how Squall received his scar.
This, of course, led to the opening battle scene between Squall and Seifer where they give each other mirrored scars. Nomura helped to storyboard this particular sequence, basing it on the Japanese tradition of "morning practice" for various clubs. The idea was to give players the initial sense that the fight was real, for it to then later be revealed that the two characters were practicing and took things too far.
7 Birthday
Squall's birthday is the 23rd of August, which is rather fitting as it is the eighth month of the year and this title was the eighth main installment in the series. Going by the sidereal zodiac calendar, this would make Squall a Leo, which is in keeping with his idolization of lions and what they represent.
According to the tropical zodiac calendar, Squall is on the cusp of Leo and Virgo, falling into either depending on the year and likely representing how his character has signature traits of both signs. Virgos are thought to be orderly, methodical, and disciplined, whereas Leos are born leaders who are generally confident and courageous.
6 River Phoenix Influence
Squall shares his birthday of August 23rd with the late actor River Phoenix, which is likely no coincidence as in 2000 Nomura stated during an interview at the Square Media Tour that River Phoenix heavily inspired his design for Squall's character.
It was decided early on in development that the game would have a "foreign" feel to it and as such, the environments and the characters would have western influences in their design. It's no surprise that its title character was based on an American.
5 Catchphrase
Squall's catchphrase in the western version of the game is "whatever," with several of the other characters mocking him for this at various times. However, in the original Japanese version, his catchphrase is translated as "well, excuse me," which should be taken as a colloquial term, such as our version of "my bad," Additionally, his Japanese catchphrase is used more often throughout the game.
The difference in the catchphrase is largely due to cultural differences, and as Squall is meant to be a stand-offish character, each region represented this according to their own cultures.
4 Sleeping Squall
As Squall is the protagonist, players generally control him throughout most of the game, with him always being the default character if he is part of that story section. However, there is one moment where you are in control of the other characters and can see Squall when he is not in the active party.
When the player is choosing which instruments the side characters should play in Balamb Garden, instead of progressing with the festival band choice, you can head to Squall's dorm and find him asleep on his bed.
3 Guest Appearances
Squall has become one of the most popular characters in the Final Fantasy franchise and is also one of the most recognizable, along with his Gunblade. Therefore it's no surprise that he's turned up in other games and media, not only with references in other Final Fantasy titles but other franchises too.
Squall has appeared in other game series such as Kingdom Hearts, Yo-kai Watch, and Puzzle & Dragons. Additionally, both Squall and Rinoa appeared in a recreation of the dance scene from Final Fantasy 8 as part of the PlayStation 2 tech demo.
2 Secret Character
Many players don't realize that Squall is a secret unlockable character in the spin-off titleChocobo Racing. This cute chibi version of Squall comes complete with a mini version of the blue "Tempest" car from Final Fantasy 8.
To unlock Squall as a playable character, the player must complete the entire game twice and then beat Squall in a challenger race, specifically on the Final Fantasy 8 circuit. After that, you'll have your own little brooding guy to play as.
1 Squall Is Dead Fan Theory
There is a popular fan theory that Squall actually dies when he is attacked by Sorceress Edea during the Deling City parade and that everything that happens afterward is just a dream that Squall's soul conjures in death.
The director of the game, Yoshinori Kitase, has actually debunked this theory and explains that Squall is only injured in the shoulder area, but the theory still persists nonetheless. Kitase has said that if there is ever a remake of Final Fantasy 8, he "might go along with that story in mind," though chances are he was joking.