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This was supposed to be my own little way to celebrate "Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered" coming out later this year. Seriously, I love FFVIII. I love everything about it, from the story, to the characters, to end it all with the Junction System. Yes, I love the Junction System too! It also has a very special place in my heart, being my very first JRGP and all. I was literally crying when they annouced the Remaster. So, I wanted this drawing to come out right and the sketch was quite decent. Then my brain decided that it was time to be stupid and said: "Why not experiment with those new oil pastels you bought the other day? If it all goes well, it'll be really nice!". But, you know... I'm NOT good at colouring and I don't even particularly like it. Colours can bring a picture to life if done right, but they end up flattening everything if done wrong. And I definitely did it wrong: couple me being not good at it, plus stupid me using an instrument I'm not familiar with, and the result is something that a baby could have done better that I did. Then I tried to fix it and made it worse; and, in the end, the paper got dirty (I hid the worst of it by editing the image) and I gave up.
I still decided to upload it, since I put so much effort into it, but I'm not satisfied. Not in the least.

Anyways...

Squall Leonhart is and -unless something dramatically changes in the future - always will be my favourite Final Fantasy protagonist. Other main characters in other games of the series - like Cloud, Tidus, Cecil, etc. - are all awesome in their own way, but they always felt like "characters", if you know what I mean. I liked them, I rooted for them, I was behind them all the way in their quests, but that's it. Squall... well, Squall felt like a "person". Not necessarily a "nice person", mind you. He's extremely unlikeable at first and, if someone hated him because of it, I would understand. He is distant at best and a jerkass at worst. The only things going for him were his extreme badassery and his general prettiness (and fashion sense. I love his clothes!).
BUT! It only made him more real to me, you know? He's proof of what certain places and circumstances can do to make people emotionally stunted - without really spoiling anything, he's a child soldier and considers it NORMAL! And this is only the top of the top of the top of the iceberg!
He's forced to face these circumstances, and no, he doesn't face them bravely like a hero, but as a 17-year-old kid would. He complains, gets angry, tries to do what he was taught and finds out it's not enough. He feels powerless, insecure and makes mistakes because of it. He even considers running away and stays just because he has no idea what he would do afterwards. He's driven into a corner so many times, both by other people AND by his own inner conflicts. And he faces them all. Reluctantly at times, but he always does. And he grows up, becoming a better person overall.
Well, these are the kind of heroes I like: the ones that are not heroes. The one that are vulnerable and messed up, the ones whose flaws are sometimes more noticeable their virtues. The ones that feel real. Because, when their virtues will finally shine, they'll appear so much brighter.

So, that's it! Rant's over and thank you if you kept up with it until now!

Description
This was supposed to be my own little way to celebrate "Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered" coming out later this year. Seriously, I love FFVIII. I love everything about it, from the story, to the characters, to end it all with the Junction System. Yes, I love the Junction System too! It also has a very special place in my heart, being my very first JRGP and all. I was literally crying when they annouced the Remaster. So, I wanted this drawing to come out right and the sketch was quite decent. Then my brain decided that it was time to be stupid and said: "Why not experiment with those new oil pastels you bought the other day? If it all goes well, it'll be really nice!". But, you know... I'm NOT good at colouring and I don't even particularly like it. Colours can bring a picture to life if done right, but they end up flattening everything if done wrong. And I definitely did it wrong: couple me being not good at it, plus stupid me using an instrument I'm not familiar with, and the result is something that a baby could have done better that I did. Then I tried to fix it and made it worse; and, in the end, the paper got dirty (I hid the worst of it by editing the image) and I gave up.
I still decided to upload it, since I put so much effort into it, but I'm not satisfied. Not in the least.

Anyways...

Squall Leonhart is and -unless something dramatically changes in the future - always will be my favourite Final Fantasy protagonist. Other main characters in other games of the series - like Cloud, Tidus, Cecil, etc. - are all awesome in their own way, but they always felt like "characters", if you know what I mean. I liked them, I rooted for them, I was behind them all the way in their quests, but that's it. Squall... well, Squall felt like a "person". Not necessarily a "nice person", mind you. He's extremely unlikeable at first and, if someone hated him because of it, I would understand. He is distant at best and a jerkass at worst. The only things going for him were his extreme badassery and his general prettiness (and fashion sense. I love his clothes!).
BUT! It only made him more real to me, you know? He's proof of what certain places and circumstances can do to make people emotionally stunted - without really spoiling anything, he's a child soldier and considers it NORMAL! And this is only the top of the top of the top of the iceberg!
He's forced to face these circumstances, and no, he doesn't face them bravely like a hero, but as a 17-year-old kid would. He complains, gets angry, tries to do what he was taught and finds out it's not enough. He feels powerless, insecure and makes mistakes because of it. He even considers running away and stays just because he has no idea what he would do afterwards. He's driven into a corner so many times, both by other people AND by his own inner conflicts. And he faces them all. Reluctantly at times, but he always does. And he grows up, becoming a better person overall.
Well, these are the kind of heroes I like: the ones that are not heroes. The one that are vulnerable and messed up, the ones whose flaws are sometimes more noticeable their virtues. The ones that feel real. Because, when their virtues will finally shine, they'll appear so much brighter.

So, that's it! Rant's over and thank you if you kept up with it until now!