Did he or didn't he? (Ending Spoilers beware)

[~FANTASY-ENDER~]

He didn't die, i haven't beaten 8 yet, but i saw my brother finish the entire game, and no he didn't die.

[Kaos_Dragon]

I totally agree with what cetra_aeris said. I have played enough Square games to know that they love symbolism.

The whole thing of Squall running around on a tiny piece of land. The memories that flashed before him. How he couldn't clearly see Rinoa. That was all him. The group was supposed to get out of that place by using their will to go to the time and place they want. Meaning they wanted to go home. But for some reason Squall couldn't keep up. Like maybe he still had doubts?

He started to freak out and then he really did fall unconscious. But then the rest with everyone said, I agree with. That because Rinoa was a sorceress...because she loved Squall deeply...she was able to find him no matter where he was. That she had to save him and bring him to the place that they promised. She called him back from the darkness of his solitude. He never actually died....it's just all symbolism. :3

[Momo Mastermind]

Originally Posted by Masasume

If EVERYTHING suddenly comes to life... then dont you think that squall who WAS dead would come back to life too. Rinoa IS a sorceress...thats in love... Now if the person she is in love with just died...and she wanted him back enough. Then is it really so hard to consider that she used her magic to bring him to life, and her magic was so powerfull that it not only revived squall but the whole entire desert too, and even cleared away the dark clouds?

I'm just jumping into this thread, I didn't read the entire thing just yet, so I don't know if anyone pointed this out, as I just thought of it... so before I lose this thought, I decided to post about it:

The clouds clearing and the flowers blooming could very well be magic, but it is not Rinoa's. Think -> The whole purpose of them meeting in that field at that place is so they can go back to their own time, during this wayward state where the world is thrust into Time Compression, right? Well, after Rinoa had found Squall, most likely passed out and exhausted from searching so much, together they had found eachother and had found the way back to their own time. The flowers blooming and the clouds clearing very well could have just been the transition back from the future, to the past. Think: Over time, don't all plants die? The future was a sad and barren one, was it not?

Past: flowery field with clear skies

Future: barren land with dark skies

Now, wouldn't a sudden violant transition from the future [barren] to the past [full of life] seem like flowers were bursting from cracks, and clouds were washed away? Together they found a way back to their time, Rinoa doesn't have enough power to bring an entire field back to life, let alone a person. If she did have that measure of power, the game would be pointless.

[David]

Originally Posted by Oathkeeper13

I don't know how this rumor came about but Squall did not die period.

I saw the ending, theres no way in hell that he died.

Whatever rumor you guys might of heard or read, its trash don't listen to them. Everyone in Final Fantasy 8 was happy in the end. Trust me Squall is fine.

*thumbs up*

That's absolutelly true. I spoke to him few days ago ...Squall IS OK and still is cool as always.
I really don't see how could he died (pople are borred and talk too much nonsense )

[ash2k]

Right if Squall died then who is that at the end???????????????????????

I never thought he died,he became lost in his world and I think he just gave up hope seeing that scene again with Rinoa must have broken his heart and he might have just given up I don't think Rinoa revies him I think she just enters his world and adds happiness to it maybe the desert represents Squalls heart? I dunno I just don't think he died at all I mean what did he die of? and someone made a good point earlier that he catches the feather

Squall was a legend he is my favourite character of all time I would have got almightly pissed off had he died and plus if he had died they would have made a sequel anyways heheh

[Maridia]

Here's how I look at it. Squall walks in the desert for god knows how long and he either passes out or dies. I like to think he passes out but for drama and what the writers were thinking I bet he was supposed to die. But due to Rinoa's true love it somehow gave him the strength to come back to life and voila he's on the deck kissing her at the end of it all.

Though thinking of it, he could have his weird flash back due to how gf's wipe the memory...so maybe that and exhaustion were setting in til he passed out and he just ended up being okay in the end...not too sure.

[evilyuna]

well , i thought he died while i was viewing the ending cuz he fell down and looked dead to me 0.o.
but if u watch the credits roll ...after there's a scene where he's there in the floating garden....so i doubt he's dead

[Tiger Lily]

Why does everyone say "Oh, yeah, if you watch to the end of the credits then you see Squall's alive"? I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but it's common knowledge.

Anyway:
I believe he died. Logically, for him to be walking through wasteland for that amount of time, tired to the point of staggering around and his eyes dull, it seems to me that he should be dead. And add to that the fact that he was delusional about reality and Rinoa, it seems his mental health was in serious disrepair. Set in a world of magic and sorceresses - with his girlfriend being one of the latter - it doesn't seem unlikely that he could have died and come back to life.

But my theory is somewhat less logical and more of an interpretation.
I think that he was dead, and that the 'wasteland' he was walking through without question or pause, his memories of what he cares for slowly slipping away, I believe that this is his personal hell he visits in his insanity, or perhaps just a representation of the agony he goes through before he dies. Now, I'm sure we've all seen movies where people get shot and their pupils dilate and then they fall down dead - well, this is what the scene depicted, isn't it - minus the bullet? Note that he was crying as he fell. Seems to me that the guy hasn't got a hope in hell of survival or of finding his love.
Yep, he's dead. Gone. Popped his clogs. Deceased. Six feet under. An ex-human. A corpse.

Now, take Rinoa, the sorceress who wants to do good in the world, who doesn't want to be a monster, and who wants to find Squall. Does it seem unlikely that if Ultimecia had the power to create a compressed time, that with that same level of power, Rinoa wouldn't be able to bring back lover-boy?
Yeah, that's what I thought.

Thesis: Squall died.
Thesis: Squall came back to life.
Seem improbable?

[Gang Drama]

Looks like he died
To be honest with you I'm not pretty sure about it !

[Phantom]

If you look closely at the ending credits Squall is there with Rinoa on the pouch in a embrace, he is alive.

[SailorCallie]

Originally Posted by Lady Cid

Okay this is to clear up the thread where a member raised the theory of whether of not Squall died at the end of the game (See "The Sacrfice of Squall" thread).
So, did he or didn't he.
He didn't, I think.

Spoiler: Squall lives, and even kisses Riona.

[Priscilla]

He lived.
If everyone watched the ending credits. He is there with Rinoa.
I guess it's personal opinion if he died or not though.
But personally and from seeing him alive at the end I say he's alive.

[Tiger Lily]

For the love of Smeg. Will people stop simply posting: "Squall lived. I saw him at the end with Rinoa. They were kissing."
Could we have a little depth here? We've established the fact that Squall is alive at the end of the game - the debate is really whether he died or not in the meantime.
So, if you please, could we have a little more than "He lived"?
Peace out.

[alpha904]

i had to say no. i love squal why to much to think that he died. plus the look on rinoa's face right befor it goes off of them says he lived. i would really love to know the real answer though. or maybe not?

[kennedyfan]

yeah, i could go for a FF8 movie. also, if you wait till the end of the game credits, you see squall standing there, with rinoa, and they kiss on the balcony. so, i think maybe squall was just sleeping, or day-dreaming, and then rinoa found him and rescued him.

[*Yesha*]

Nope.. he didn't died, actuaLLy he was with Rinoa 'tiL the ending and their scene is quite romantic.. which is nice. :-)

and..

LoL. It wouLd not Look great or right if SquaLL died, right?

[Gypsy Elder]

Um, you see him at the end of the game with Rinoa, after the credits.

He lives. at 7:58 min.

YouTube - Final Fantasy VIII Ending

[Dodie16]

He nearly died when he was stuck in the compressed time world, but somehow Rinoa arrived in time for him to be saved. It would have been nice to know how the hell she got there, and how the hell they both got back to thier world. Granted, Rinoa is a sorceress, so maybe she just used her sorceress powers.

That's just one of the plot holes/unexplained events that makes me not care for this game as much as other entries in the series. Another one would be how the hell he survived getting an ice spell jabbed through his chest at the end of disk one.

[Xanatos]

He clearly didn't died, you can see him with Rinoa at the very end so I was wondering why is there actually an option "yes" in this poll.

[cenarius]

Well, i think he didn't die. In disk three, when they go to the future to defeat Ultimecia, they only send their soul/ their memory to the future, like Odine said, not their body, so i wonder how a soul can die ??
My theory is: Squall' soul is lost to the forgotten island, he become despair, down.
5 of 6 members return to their time, but Squall'soul didn't return. Rinoa took his body to the field of flower, alo she sent her memory/soul to find Squall, ofcourse she found him, and with the promise, she took him back to the place ( the field of flowers near the orphanage where they made their promise). In disk 3, before attacking Lunantic Pandora, Laguna advised them to remembered their friend, the love, family, ..etc. Only their love can bring their's memories/ soul back to their time.

After that Squall moved( his head moved), which make the happiness on Rinoa's face. The ending we'd already know.