Rival: Squall Leonhart

Seifer and Squall have one of those rivalries that feels like it goes far beyond simply wanting to beat the other in a fight. They are very different in many ways, yet there is also something strangely familiar about the two of them. They understand each other in a way that neither of them would probably ever admit.

Both are exceptionally talented Gunblade users, both grew up as orphans at Balamb Garden, and both have their own ways of dealing with loneliness. The difference is in how they choose to handle it. Squall retreats into himself, keeps people at a distance, and rarely says more than he has to. Seifer does almost the exact opposite. He is loud, impulsive, and constantly pushing against anyone who tries to tell him what to do.

Their rivalry is therefore about more than who is the better fighter. In many ways, it is a clash between two completely different ways of dealing with the same things. Squall finds security in discipline and following the path laid out for him, while Seifer refuses to accept that path and wants to create one of his own. Seifer sees Squall's reserved nature and obedience as weakness, while Squall sees Seifer's constant recklessness as nothing more than foolishness.

And yet, I think they probably understand each other better than either of them realizes. They both want to be strong. They both struggle with letting other people get close. They simply go about it in completely opposite ways. Perhaps that's what makes their rivalry so fascinating - Seifer isn't just fighting Squall because he wants to defeat him. In a way, he's constantly fighting against the parts of himself that he sees reflected in Squall.

Competition

From the very beginning, Seifer takes every opportunity to provoke Squall. He constantly challenges him and treats him as his greatest rival. Their first duel at the beginning of Final Fantasy VIII is one of the most memorable moments between them, leaving both of them with matching scars and setting the tone for their rivalry.

Even after Seifer turns against Garden and later becomes involved with Edea and Ultimecia, his rivalry with Squall never really disappears. Their encounters continue to feel deeply personal, as if Seifer still needs to prove himself against the person he has always seen as his equal.

What makes their rivalry so interesting is that it goes beyond simply wanting to be the better fighter. Seifer and Squall are very different people, but they also share several similarities, and Seifer seems particularly determined to establish himself as someone who can stand above Squall. Whether that comes from genuine rivalry, wounded pride, or simply his need to prove himself is left open to interpretation.

Respect

Despite all their clashes, there is a certain understanding between Seifer and Squall that never completely disappears. Seifer clearly recognizes Squall as someone worth challenging, while Squall, even when he appears indifferent, never treats Seifer as someone he can simply ignore. Their rivalry remains important to both of them throughout the story, even as everything around them changes.

What I find especially interesting is what happens after Seifer's downfall. By the end of the game, he has lost the dream he spent so much of his life chasing, and yet Squall never seeks to humiliate him or hold his past actions over him. Their rivalry simply comes to an end.

The final scene with Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin quietly watching Balamb Garden from afar makes this feel especially bittersweet. Seifer is still there, but the grand future he imagined for himself is gone. There is no dramatic confrontation with Squall, no final attempt to prove who was right. Seifer simply watches from a distance and, eventually, walks away.

In a strange way, it feels like the end of their rivalry isn't marked by one of them defeating the other. Squall simply moves forward, while Seifer is left to figure out where he goes from there. And perhaps that's fitting for a rivalry that was never quite as simple as Seifer versus Squall.

Reflection

Seifer and Squall's relationship is more than just a rivalry. In many ways, they feel like two people who could have turned out very differently if they had taken another path. They have so much in common, yet they handle things in completely opposite ways, constantly pushing against each other because of it.

Sometimes I wonder what they might have been like if they had met under different circumstances. Maybe they could have been friends. Instead, they became rivals, and that rivalry followed them through almost the entire story.

In the end, though, their rivalry is only one part of who they are. Both Seifer and Squall have to find their own way forward, and perhaps that's what makes their relationship so interesting. They may never become friends, but they leave a lasting mark on each other.


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