LogFAQs > #927265213

When we return to Caraway's mansion, it's time to split into two teams. The sniper and the leader of the operation form the sniper team, and everyone else makes up the gateway team. The leader's role in the mission is vital because if the plan fails or the sniper misses, he basically has to go Leeroy Jenkins and lead a direct assault against the sorceress. Ideally, the operation is to be covert, but they need to eliminate the sorceress regardless, whatever the cost, so even if they get found out, so be it. Of course, the fact that Caraway spends all this time telling us about it means we'll surely never need to resort to it...!

When Caraway asks who's going to lead the operation, all eyes immediately turn to Squall, and he in turn volunteers for the role. For as much as Squall doesn't wish to stand out and just be a grunt, everyone around him recognizes his talents. He might not want to lead the mission, but he'll also be a good soldier and go along with the mission whatever his role is without complaint.

Then Selphie asks who's going to lead the gateway team, and Zell starts psyching himself up, thinking it's gotta be him. In his mind, Squall apologizes to him before selecting Quistis as the leader (He even calls her "Instructor" initially before catching it and correcting himself. Once again, he has a hard time seeing her as anything else). The fact that Squall feels sorry for not choosing Zell shows that he's actually starting to care about his feelings, but at the same time, he's able to make the logical decision despite that (unlike, well, virtually everyone else involved in the mission, as we'll soon see...!).

The great irony here is that Zell wants everything Squall has but can't get it, while Squall doesn't want it for himself. Zell wants to be the big hero everyone admires and respects, and yet he's almost always relegated to the sidekick role (although he comports himself rather well on the couple of occasions he does get to be the leader, so he does seem to have the skills for the job). Squall would be perfectly content to be the guy taking the orders, and yet he almost always seems to wind up being the guy who gives them. Final Fantasy VIII is full of foils like this, and it's one of the reasons it's my favorite game because I love me some foils.

As everyone makes to leave, we take control of Quistis. Before we can head out, Rinoa barges in to show off the fancy new gadget she's found. It's an Odine Bangle, which is designed to suppress a sorceress's powers, although its effects are still unknown, which is why it isn't being used for the mission. Zell recognizes the name Odine and says it should be pretty effective if he's the one who made it.

At this point, Quistis can't stop herself from laughing and pointing out all the flaws in Rinoa's idea. How exactly does she plan to get it on the sorceress? Is she just supposed to casually give it to her for her to put on? Rinoa says that's what they need to discuss, but Quistis has exhausted her patience and says that they don't have time for this. Squall and Irvine are already waiting for them, and they've got their own job to do. This is more than some father-daughter quarrel. It isn't a game. With that, she turns around and leaves, with Zell and Selphie awkwardly following behind. Quistis may have been a bit harsh, but she was right. Rinoa wants to do things her own way, but that's not how things work when you're a SeeD. You can't just improvise and fly by the seat of your pants (well, theoretically anyway...!).
---

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/080/145/638.png
https://imgur.com/WqDcNNq