Game:

Final Fantasy IV (1991)

Duration: 3:10:22

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Final Fantasy IV (Final Fantasy II in North America) was originally released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in July 1991, the first Final Fantasy title to be released on this console.

In the last episode, after we see Cecil and Kain be dismissed with the task of delivering a ring to the town of Mist, we find that the ring is actually cursed, and releases bombs into the village to destroy it. In the conflagration, Cecil and Kain find a small girl with the body of her mother - the Summoner who called the Mist Dragon the pair had recently defeated in the Mist Cave. The girl tries to flee from Cecil and Kain, the former wants to help the girl, while the latter feels he needs to finish the job... The girl calls forth the Eidolon, Titan, in her fear, but because of her youth and lack of discipline, causes a massive landslide that separates Kain from Cecil, and blocks access to Mist. Cecil, finding the girl unconscious and Kain nowhere to be found, takes her with him to the next closest town, the desert oasis Kaipo. While recovering at the inn, a squad of Baron's soldiers comes to take the girl away. Cecil intervenes to protect her, and once defeating them, wins her trust. She reveals her name is Rydia, and joins the party from here on, helping Cecil with her ability to use White Magic, Black Magic, as well as Summoning Magic - the only character who can wield all three magics.

Cecil also finds that his love, Rosa, followed him when he left the castle, and has fallen ill, and only a Sand Ruby taken from the Antlion's Den of Damcyan will cure it. Cecil and Rydia must travel through the Waterfall Cave to get to Damcyan, and on their way meet up with the Sage, Tellah, who is also on his way to Damcyan to bring his daughter back, who had run off with a bard. Tellah was once a powerful mage who can wield both White and Black magics, though he has forgotten a lot of his spells. The trio make their way through the caves, and face off against the Octomammoth, a giant octopus-like creature that bars their way. Their path to Damcyan castle now clear, they leave the caves, only to find the Red Wings on route to attack the castle.

Cecil, Rydia and Tellah arrive once the fighting is already over, to find most of the population slain or fled, the ruined castle lies quiet. They look for survivors, only to find Tellah's daughter, Anna, laying dying on the floor, the worthless bard she ran away with cowering nearby... Tellah attacks the bard out of rage, only for Anna to plead for him to stop, that she took the deadly arrow because she was protecting her lover. The bard reveals that he is Edward Chris von Muir, the prince of Damcyan, and tells the party that the Red Wings are now under the command of a man named Golbez, and they claimed Damcyan's Crystal of Fire. Tellah storms off, a new target for his rage clear, as Edward sinks into depression over the loss of his kingdom and Anna. Rydia snaps him out of this, telling him that she has recently lost everything herself, and that Cecil is going to put a stop to Baron's evil, and they find out that a member of the royal family is needed to enter the Antlion's den. Edward joins Cecil and Rydia, and reveals that the Damcyan people have a hovercraft, needed to cross the shallows to get to the Antlion's Den.

After clearing out the Den, and making their way to the nest of the Antlion, Edward is shocked by the fact that the Antlion attacks, as it is normally a docile creature. The party defeat the Antlion, and claim the Sand Ruby, quickly returning it to Kaipo to cure Rosa's fever. While resting for the night, Edward sneaks out to play his music and grieve, only to be attacked by a wandering monster. Anna's spirit appears and urges him on, giving him the courage to fight back and to continue his journey with Cecil, Rydia, and now Rosa, who reveals that she left Baron when she overheard the King and Golbez plotting to take more Crystals, and hearing that Damcyan had already fallen, they realise that the next target is the kingdom of Fabul and their Wind Crystal.

Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster (2021) Square Enix. Original image by Yoshitaka Amano.

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