Misunderstood Love

Quistis: I...remember. Yes, I remember now. Things didn't work out too well at my new home. So I came to Garden at the age of 10. That was when I first noticed Seifer and Squall. Seifer and Squall were always fighting.

Squall: Yeah... Quistis always used to break us up.

Quistis: Yes! That's right! Seifer was a kid who always needed to be the center of attention. But Squall always used to ignore him... But eventually they would end up fighting. Squall could have easily walked away from it, but always took up the challenge. He should've just ignored him, but Squall, almost in tears, would say... 'I gotta do my best by myself. Or else I won't be able to see Sis'. I guess I was trying to take Sis... I mean, Ellone's place. I tried, but to no avail... That's probably it! Even after becoming an instructor, I couldn't stop thinking about Squall. I thought it was...love. I have to hide my feelings because I was an instructor, but I've come to realize it wasn't. It was my childhood feelings as a big sister that lingered... Oh well...

Quistis: (A misunderstood love...?) (Actually, I had completely given up when Rinoa came into the picture.) Hey! It must be the same for Seifer! I'm sure Seifer has forgotten his childhood, too.
After Squall and co. find out about their childhood at the orphanage, Quistis immediately links her prior feelings for her student Squall with that of an older sister looking out for her brother. She blames her feelings on her sister complex - her innate need to act as the guide, protector, and older sister; although this identity has served its purpose in the larger scale picture of liberi fatali, this time it acts as her downfall. Do I really believe that the feelings she held, or still holds by the end of the game, are what she calls a "misunderstood love?" No.

To me, Quistis' continuing and desperate need to be recognized by Squall as anything other than his instructor says much. Take, for instance, the infamous Secret Area scene. After being demoted from the position of Instructor, Squall is the first person who she reveals her fall too; now that they are equal in status (but not necessarily rank at the time), Quistis wants Squall to perhaps recognize the "chance" he has with his prior Instructor. Also, by the time the Orphanage Gang finally realizes their historic past, a state of comfort between all of them (sans Seifer, of course) had developed, and everyone subconsciously looked to the elder and more mature Quistis for consolation and advice. As an older sister, wouldn't you be happy with the situation? But instead

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