Well, in the beginning, there was a mysterious person in black you followed into a bar (Cafe, what a joke) in South Figaro. He's so tough he'd "slit his mama's throat for a nickel." If you approach his dog he warns you that it eats strangers. This is Shadow and his faithful dog Interceptor. Strangely enough, in the drawings I've seen of Interceptor and Shadow, Interceptor is big enough for a small person (or moogle) to ride on. Anyhow, you leave him in the bar and go on with your business.
He next shows up in Sabin's scenario and offers to accompany him to South Figaro. He goes with Sabin through the Imperial Base and is there to meet with Cyan. Cyan is in a frenzy over the death of his family and his people, yet Shadow is strangely silent(1). After the Phantom Train scenario, when Cyan is grieving over his wife and son, who had just departed on the train, Shadow tells Sabin to let him be.(2) When you make it to Baren Falls, Shadow takes off from the party(3).
The next appearance of Shadow(4) is Kohlingen where he offers to join your party if you give him 3000 GP so he can feed his dog (5). He'll go with you unless you go to Narshe, where he'll leave stating that he doesn't feel welcome(6). If you don't go to Narshe, he'll go with you to Zozo until after you meet Terra, and the party is going to split up. Locke asks him whether he's going to help them, but Shadow says, "There's no need for me to remain with you." and leaves. (Thanks to Daniel for Shadow's line)
If you wait until after Zozo to get him from Kohlingen, he'll follow the party through Jidoor and into the opera house on the party's way to the empire. He will, however, take off after the first act. The Impresario will tell you that he left a message saying that if he were there for another five minutes, he would have fallen asleep.(7) This leaves you with only three characters in your party, which results in only two characters after you lose Celes before the mine cart.
His most interesting appearance happens soon after this when Locke and Terra, led by General Leo, are working for the Emperor to make peace with the espers. He is hired by the empire to work alongside Locke and Terra with Celes showing up as well. During the boat ride, Terra is into her annoying "I wanna know what love is" stage. Shadow converses with her, on the deck since he'd rather sleep under the stars(8), warning her that "There are many others in this world who have killed their emotions like me." Later, Locke does his cool seasick scene, and Shadow promises not to tell anyone about it.
After they land on Crescent Island, you have the first time in the game where you can fight without worrying about Shadow deserting. In Thamasa, you meet Strago and Relm. Interceptor takes a liking to Relm, and Shadow seems surprised that Interceptor is so friendly to her(9). After the conversation, where Shadow is kind of blunt and commands Interceptor to come wih his, he says "Don't misunderstand me, I just wanted my dog back"(10)
At night, a house catches on fire with Relm inside. Locke tries to get Shadow to go with them to help, but he appears to be heavily asleep. Interceptor, however, follows Locke and Terra. Shadow then wakes up and calls for Interceptor, but he's not there.(11)
In the house, after you find Relm and Interceptor, some flames begin to attack. Shadow drops in from the roof and destroys them. He then saves the party using a Smoke Bomb.(12)
In the morning, the party meets with Strago and Relm. Interceptor plays with Relm while the adults talk. Shadow says he'll go off on his own, and the party nods. He calls to Interceptor and goes off.(13)
After General Leo is killed by Kefka, the party is paying their respects at his grave. Interceptor shows up wounded, and the party assumes that Shadow is dead. Fortunantly, Shadow shows up on the Floating Continent saying that the Empire betrayed him, as they did to all. The party wants him to join them, but he just asks whether Interceptor is alright, and tells them to leave him. The party refuses, so he joins up.(14)
After Atma is defeated, Shadow does his little disappearing act once again(15). Kefka is pushing the statues around as part of his med delusions The party is paralyzed by a a spell, but surprisingly, Shadow comes jumping in and traps Kefka in the statues. He tells the party not to worry about him and to get out, he'll be right behind.(16) The party gets to the edge with the continent shattering behind them and waits... and waits... and waits... and finally he shows up joking(?) about how he has to survive or he'll never get his pay.(17)
In the World of Ruin, Interceptor shows up in the Veldt cave and leads you to a wounded Shadow. The party takes him to Thamasa to recover(18), and when the return, they find that he has left for the Colluseum.(19) At the colluseum, they bet the Striker, a weapon found in the Veldt cave, that apparently Shadow had been searching for.(20) They fight Shadow and beat him. He then joins the party and says that he wants to find how far he can go in the Colloseum.
During the talk-showy soul-searching, stomach-wrenching talk with Kefka, Shadow's statment is how he's been taught the meaning of friends... and family.(21) During his ending, he splits off from the party and sits down in a remote corner of Kefka's tower. He tells Interceptor to leave him and says, "I'm not going to run away this time, Baram."(22)
Footnotes1. Either he doesn't care, is unable to figure out how to cope with the situation, or is harboring emotions of his own.
2. He seems to know that Cyan needs grieving time for the death of his wife and son.
3. This may have to do with his and Baram's flight from ?? (Take a look at the area where you land, and look where dream #3 takes place.
4. If you didn't meet him in South Figaro, the first time you meet him anywhere else, he says "the reaper is always a step behind me"
5. He shows a strange sense of humor in this game.
6. Maybe he's been here before...
7. Either way you play it, he still knows of the plan to get to Vector... Also, is this the real reason he left?
8. Maybe a dislike of enclosed spaces. (Jail?)
9. Interceptor has never shown any friendliness to anyone in this game. Even with Shadow it seems to be only loyalty. Except in the ending and dream #5...
10. He seems to feel uncomfortable with the whole situation.
11. Shadow may not have been sleeping. Lack of caring, or does he have a different plan?
12. He doesn't go through the whole house. Was this his plan? In and out in under a minute. Sounds good...
13. The party seems to understand how uncomfortable he is with Interceptor playing with Relm.
14. He doesn't care about himself, just his dog.
15. Ta-taa! I've helped you guys, now I'm going to go. Or is he planning an escape route ahead of time?
16. He assumes he'll be able to hold Kefka (with the powers of the goddesses) and be able to escape in time.
17. He does make it. And his strange humor shows up again. Another joke about money. Hmm...
18. Why Thamasa? Dream #5 shows up here
19. On another mission?
20. That's why he was in the cave, although he seems to pass right by a seemingly obvious treasure chest. Actually, he passes by all of them. He actually stays with the party from now on, though.
21. What friends? He just works for the money, doesn't he? What family?
22. Run away this time?
Dreams1. Dark, nightmarish. Two guys, Baram and Clyde. Baram tells Clyde to come and save him. Clyde asks Baram where he is. Blasting sound. Dream ends.
Dream 2:
Setting: Forest (looks like the Phantom forest) with a train in the background. Baram and Clyde walk down from the train area
BARAM: Yahoo!
We did it, Clyde!
CLYDE:A million GP!
What a blast! I love this!
BARAM:Guess it's time to
change our name.
CLYDE:Our name?
BARAM:We need something
more...appropriate.
BARAM:Such as? - this line is a F***up. This should be Clyde.
BARAM:...Shadow!
Not bad, huh?
The background disappears as does Baram. Blasting sound.
CLYDE:Great train robbers of
the century...
Shadow...?
Dream ends.
(Note: Shadow: Great train robbers - plural as in "we are Shadow.")
Dream 3:
All is dark. Baram is lying down, Clyde is standing next to him. They are both drawn as if under the effects of a Vanish spell.
CLYDE:Open your eyes!
BARAM:I'm scared...hack,
cough...
Is...is this MY blood...?
CLYDE:You're gonna be okay!
Background appears and character's full sprites are visible. It looks like the place where you meet Gau after falling off Barren Falls.
BARAM:I've let you down...
I'm sorry...
CLYDE:Save your strength,
we're almost to a town.
BARAM:You don't have to
pretend. I know. I've lost...too
much blood.
Clyde takes a step back
BARAM:Get going!
I'm gonna slow you down.
CLYDE:But...!
BARAM:You wanna get caught?
Clyde steps back forward and looks down at Baram. He looks back up and starts to walk away.
BARAM:Before you go...
You have to use your knife...
Clyde turns back toward him.
CLYDE:WHAT!!!!
BARAM:Think what they'll do to
me if I get caught.
I don't want to go through that.
Do me this favor
Clyde walks slowly up Baram and turns toward him.
BARAM:Are you...shaking?
I can't believe it!
You're acting like a coward!
Come on, you weakling!
Grab a knife and...
CLYDE:I CAN'T!
Clyde starts to run away
BARAM:Clyde!!!
Clyde looks back
CLYDE:I'm sorry...
Clyde runs away. Blasting sound
BARAM:Clyde!
How dare you!?
Dream ends.
4. Clyde is wounded, he is in a town. A dog barks and goes up to him. A woman approaches his to tell him that she'll help him out, and that he's in a town called Thama... He is in an area that looks like the center of Thamasa. (As noted in a previous article, it seems like she's going to say Thamasa, but trails off when she sees how badly he's wounded.)
5. Clyde is leaving a house. A dog follows him out. He tells the dog to go back and stay with the girl. The dog follows him. Dream ends.
If you let Shadow die on the Floating continent, you'll find Relm in the Veldt instead. Although Interceptor's still there...
Relm's dream: Strago and Relm are at home. Interceptor goes out the door. Relm asks Strago "When's daddy coming home?" Strago doesn't know. Dream ends.
Other cluesMemento ring: Can only be use by Relm and Shadow. Works on love of Relm's departed mother.
Person in Thamasa: Tells of rumor that Relm isn't Strago's real granddaughter. He's just taking care of her for a friend. (NOT Gungho).
ThoughtsShadow is an interesting character. He seems to have his own plans in life, even while working for others. He know that the others are going to Vector. He shows up there on his own after leaving the party. He shows up to save Relm, using his own more direct route. He scouts ahead to find the escape from the Floating Continent. He stays to make sure that Kefka won't escape. He has his own agenda, which seems to differ from time to time.
He cares more for his dog than himself, and at times puts others ahead as well. He's not completely selfish, and seems to get better near the end of the game. Maybe he wouldn't slit his mama's throat for a nickel :). Interceptor's his only constant companion, and he wants to keep him close. Indeed, Interceptor does follow closely throughout the whole game.
He seems to have some past grief and doesn't cope with it. This seems to be the death of his wife, Relm's mom. This idea is reinforced throughout the game. He understand's Cyan's grief at the loss of his wife and son. He may have "killed his emotions" to avoid grieving over his wife. He probably left Thamasa to disassociate himself.
Puzzling, however, is his sudden ability to kill with apathy. Maybe he killed his conscience along with his emotions. Also, why is he surprised that Interceptor is friendly to Relm? He seems to be the dog that met Clyde in Thamasa. Maybe Shadow lost his memory. Killing his emotions may have driven him mad temporarily and fried his memory.
At the end of the game, he is searching for the Striker, and almost gets killed. The Striker has the extra ability of killing instantly. Does he want this just to help his assasination or for other purposes. Perhaps he wants to use it to try to make up for his inablility to kill Baram
He stays with the party at the end. I think he wants to kill Kefka and is helping the party to accomplish that. He may want the Striker to kill Kefka...
These are my thoughts, and more may follow. In case you're wondering, I wanted to write for Shadow in the FFRPG, and delved into his past for this. E-mail me with your thoughts, or just post them. It doesn't really matter.
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