On the Nature of Heart’s Light
I was curious about what triggered the characters to regain their Shadows in Disc 3. Separated into general statements about Shadows and character specific Heart Lights.
“A Light Shines in (Character’s) heart.”
Quoted, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village, text displayed when Party members find their reasons to regain their Shadows.
“The light of your heart cast a Shadow.”
Quoted, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, text displayed when Party members reach full Tension fighting their Shadow.
“Our magic lies in our hearts! Our hearts are creating the magic for us…”
Quote from Shu, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
“It’s the power of our hearts.”
Quote from Shu, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
“Well, you see, we felt that we couldn’t let Nene get away with everything. While we were separated, we went to other villages. In all these places, Nene did terrible things to the people. We had to stop him. We had to save everybody! We wanted strength. And all that made me feel so… eeeaaggaahh!” - Shu...
“We couldn’t hold our anger back. And then, everyone’s magic returned.”- Kluke...
“I heard from King Jibral that the Ancients referred to magic as ‘the light that lies within oneself.’” -Zola
Quote from Cutscene , Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Glass Spires.
Important Dialogue from when Party Members actually regain their Shadows, Kluke, Jiro, Marumaro and Shu.
Shu confronts Sahlia as she attempts suicide. She tells him that when people say don’t give up that it is nothing but words and he’s just like everyone else.
“I don’t care if you want to throw it all away. I could never give up like that. But hey, that’s just me, I guess… I’ll never give up. I’m not gonna sit around here, waiting to be eaten by some tree! I won’t!”
“It sucks to give up and die. It’s easy to say: ‘Don’t give up.’ But unless you turn those words into strength, you won’t get strong. You can’t even live. But now, after all we’ve been through, I know what it takes to say: ‘I won’t give up!’”
Quote from Shu, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Devour Village.
Jiro finds a family of three separated from each other and desperate to be reunited.
“Families do what they can to save each other. My parents were the same way. When I was dragged underground by a Land Shark, my parents kept digging until their hands were bloody. This isn’t just my battle. But I have to be strong to make things happen!”
Quote from Jiro, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
A Light Shines in Kluke’s heart while talking with a Young Girl Waiting in Noluta Village. The girl is waiting for her parents to return; they left for Devour Village and the Freezing stops anyone from leaving their homes in Noluta Village, so the girl is still waiting.
“I can’t watch the same sadness as mine spread in the world. I have to fix things, not just for myself, but for people like this child as well!”
Quote from Kluke, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
Marumao finds the village children trapped and miserable in the ice.
“If we don’t do anything about Nene, Maro’s brothers and sisters will end up the same way! Gonna get him. No matter what it takes, we’re gonna get him. So, Maro’s gotta get Shadow back. Maro’s true Shadow!”
Quote from Marumaro, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
“It’s the same thing! Nene goes from village to village, doing whatever he can to stir up fear, and then he enjoys it as people get more and more afraid!” - Jiro
“It’s awful! Nene’s so mean!” - Marumaro
“I can’t take this anymore. There’s no way this can go on. I won’t let this happen!” - Kluke declares and her Shadow starts appearing.
Jiro is looking at Kluke and his Shadow starts to appear.
“Everyone! We’re going to help you!” Kluke promises, haloed in blue light.
“I need to get my power back!” Jiro says as blue light started to gather around him.
“Magic! Come back to us!” Marumaro calls as he gains a blue-light outline, lifting his face to the sky, his Shadow beginning to appear.
Quoted from Cutscene, Blue Dragon, Disc 3, Noluta Village.
It seems regaining your Shadow requires you to find your resolve, to feel it and fight for it.
I think the resolves that they express reaffirm or build upon the reasons that led to Nene giving them their Light Spheres in the first place. Marumaro’s desire to save and protect his family and village. Jiro’s desire to support his friends and protect the people he loves. Kluke’s desire to keep those she cares about safe and avenge her parents’ deaths. Shu’s stubborn determination to try even in the face of death and refusal to believe that he will not succeed if he doesn’t just try harder.
And also ways that they have grown. Shu is learning that he can’t solve everything by fling himself at something to fight, that sometimes you have to retreat and reposition yourself before trying again. Kluke turning her grief from something that distances her from others and is focused on her pain, from vengeance into an empathy that reaches out and connects her with others, that drives her to save them. Jiro that if he wants to plan battles and work alongside his friends he can’t just rely on their power, he needs his own power too. Marumaro learning that you can’t just treat the symptoms you have to seek out the root cause, that which harms other people will likely harm your own too.
Why a character regains their Shadow isn’t the most important thing about them but it does tell you something important about them and what motivates them.
