Tidus

Tidus is the main character in the RPG Final Fantasy X. The story revolves around Tidus, a Blitzball player from Zanarkand, who is transported by Sin to the world of Spira, where Zanarkand lies in ruins. In reality, the Zanarkand from which Tidus comes from is just a "dream" world created by the faith in order to preserve their image of the real Zanarkand from a thousand years past. The game follows Tidus' journey with the Summoner Yuna and her guardians Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri, Rikku and Auron to defeat Sin and bring the Calm to Spira.

Because he is never directly referred to by name in any Final Fantasy games, the pronunciation of his name among fans is sometimes unclear, although the expected Japanese pronuciation should be Tee-das/Tee-dus. This was confirmed in dialogue from Kingdom Hearts, which featured him in an unusual cameo. In the original Japanese version his name is Tiida (ティーダ, approximately "tee-dah"). "Tiida" is Okinawan for "sun".

Tidus has a strained relationship with his father Jecht, also a blitzball champion, who disappeared while on a blitzball training expedition out at sea. Coincidentally, around that same time, a man named Jecht appeared in Spira, where he eventually became one of Lord Braska's guardians and helped to usher in the Calm. This rickety father-son relationship is the main theme of the game.

In the American version of Final Fantasy X, Tidus' voice acting by James Arnold Taylor is sometimes regarded as annoying, and too high-pitched for a 17-year-old. Even though Tidus is disliked by many Final Fantasy fans, some also consider him an interesting, unconventional hero and a refreshing break from the clique of broody RPG protagonists. Tidus also features as a minor character in Kingdom Hearts.

The game starts with an in-game cutscene showing the party around a campfire, backdropped by the wreckage of Zanarkand and Nobuo Uematsu's "To Zanarkand" playing in the background. Tidus climbs a small hill and looks out over the devastation. Listen to my story. This may be our last chance. Just before Tidus is sucked out of Zanarkand by Sin, the theme is repeated: "This is your story," Auron tells him, looking down at him.

Tidus accompanies the party to Luca and the annual Blitzball World Championship; here he meets Auron, who offers his services as guardian to Yuna, who accepts them; she also accepts Tidus into her party. Tidus, of course, has little idea of what is involved by the Summoner's pilgrimage; he knows it involves traveling to shrines, praying to Fayth and gaining the allegiance of the Aeons they control, and eventually summoning the Final Aeon to defeat Sin; he knows that Yuna's father, Lord Braska, managed this ten years ago (with the help of Jecht and Auron), but for some reason can't do it again. And other than that, he has only a cryptic warning from Lulu, who tells him not to fall in love with Yuna. Auron later confirms to him after the disastrous operation Mi'ihen, something Tidus had not wanted to admit: that Sin is actually Jecht.

On the group's travels, Tidus gradually wins the respect and friendship of his companions, most notably Rikku and Wakka. Always, though, lurks the knowledge that there is something he doesn't know. Why is Jecht Sin? Why is Sin back if it was defeated earlier? Has Jecht been Sin all this time? Why is everyone so sad about the idea of Yuna defeating Sin? Eventually the truth comes out: in order to summon the Final Aeon, Yuna will have to give her life. As the party approaches Zanarkand, another disquieting fact is revealed: neither Tidus nor Jecht are actually real. They, and the Zanarkand they hail from, are merely dreams of the Fayth, ordered into existence by Yu-Yevon after he destroyed the real Zanarkand with the formation of Sin. The Fayth want Tidus to defeat Sin permanently, so that they can finally rest in peace. Unfortunately, if he does that, the dream will end and Tidus himself will disappear. However, all is not lost, as the player is left with these words, as said by Bahamut's Fayth: "You have been touched by Sin... you're more than just dreams now."

When the party reaches Zanarkand, they are presented with yet another bizarre revelation by the Lady Yunalesca, and the last questions are answered: Jecht is Sin because the Final Aeon is dead, and a guardian will have to sacrifice him or herself to become a new one, as Jecht did. Unfortunately, the question of how to defeat Sin/Jecht becomes murkier: he's an Aeon, he's somehow Sin, and Yuna doesn't wish to sacrifice any of her guardians. Yunalesca becomes dismayed at the party's unwillingness to follow the ritual and offers to end their suffering through death. A fierce battle ensues, and Yunalesca is defeated. Unfortunately, without Yunalesca, the Final Aeon cannot be attained. The party leaves Zanarkand without the Final Aeon, but still convinced that there is a way—another way, besides the Final Aeon—to defeat Sin.

Further investigation explains exactly how Jecht became Sin. Sin is actually the protective armor for an entity named Yu Yevon, the ruler of what was once Zanarkand, whose skill in summoning was so great that he could actually possess the aeons he called. Every time the current Sin is defeated by a Final Aeon, Yu Yevon simply possesses that Final Aeon, corrupting it, and making it into a new Sin. If Yuna can defeat the current Final Aeon, Yu Yevon will take whatever's nearest to hand—the normal Aeons; they can then be defeated and Yu Yevon left spiritually and ecumenically naked, which is when the party will destroy him.

This they do. They invade the gigantic hulk of Sin's body and encounter within it the man called Jecht, the man who was Braska's Final Aeon. He is defeated, and he urges Yuna to summon her remaining Aeons and defeat Yu Yevon once and for all. This they do. The Fayth depart, relieved and thankful... but so must Tidus. The dream is at an end. As he disincorporates, he apologizes to his friends, bids a tearful farewell to Yuna, and takes a running leap off the deck of the airship. But as he falls into the farplane, he sees the faces and forms those who have also passed on, and he has just enough time, as he passes, to give his father a high-five.

Final Fantasy X-2

Tidus also figures into the plot of Final Fantasy X-2, in which Yuna sees a sphere that apparently shows what appears to be Tidus locked up, demanding to be let out. It is this sphere that compells Yuna to join the Gullwings and become a sphere hunter in the hope that she could discover what really happened to Tidus.

Because at the beginning of Final Fantasy X the user can choose to name Tidus whatever they want, Tidus is exclusively referred to with personal pronouns in Final Fantasy X-2. For example, instead of someone saying, "What happened to Tidus?" they would always ask "What happened to him?" In the original Japanese language, Yuna refers to him with the friendly terminology for 'you', kimi.

Despite the fact that the person seen in the sphere turns out to be not Tidus, but Shuyin from the Bevelle-Zanarkand war, and that Yuna's quest to find some clue to Tidus' whereabouts is put on hold, when all is completed the fayth reveal just how Yuna can find Tidus...

To get this opportunity, and see an extra movie at the end, once you have defeated Shuyin and watched the movie, press X when Yuna is in the farplane Abyss (flowery area) repeatedly, util you hear Tidus's whistle, Bahamut's fayth will appear, say YES when he asks if you want to see Tidus again. Wait until the credits have finished and you will see a short movie of Yuna and Tidus meeting up at last!

External links

• Picture of Tidus in battle