Appendix Two – Breakdown of Opening Sequences of FFX


The following is a breakdown of the title sequence and the opening sequences at Zanarkand and the Underwater Ruins. Setting and scene letters and numbers match those in Appendix One, with additional numbers to nominate lexies that are referred to in Chapter Three (hence 1.1.1 for Zanarkand, opening sequence, opening shot).


SETTING 1 – ZANARKAND


Scene 1 – Title sequence

  1. Close up of bladed swords and other weapons planted in a group against a ruined background.
  2. Pan across the characters (Tidus, Rikku, Auron, Lulu, Kimahri and Yuna) camped around a fire, seemingly exhausted or sad.
  3. Tidus places a gloved (black) hand on Yuna, who seems to respond sympathetically.
  4. Tidus walks off alone, flashes of light in the background like some cosmic battle.
  5. Tidus' voice over: “Listen to my story. This may be our last chance”
  6. Title: “Final Fantasy X.”
  7. Fade to black.

Scene 2 – Meeting the Fans


  1. Party scene and music by neon pillar. People run off screen. A boy appears from nowhere, like a ghost, and follows them.
  2. Tidus' (yellow) boots approach; he greets his fans. (The player briefly, and intermittently, takes over control of him, guiding him to particular fans.)
  3. Tidus signs a few blitzballs.
  4. Young boy: “Good luck tonight.”

    5. Tidus: “Nothing to worry about.”

  5. Tidus speaks casually to his fans (“No prob!” “All right!”). He promises to make a sign when he scores to show the kids “it's for you.”
  6. The children ask Tidus to teach them blitzball. He promises to do so but the ghost boy warns: “Not tonight,” and Tidus acquiesces: “You're right. Tomorrow. I promise.”
  7. The children offer a solemn, blitzball bow, which Tidus returns, then departs.

Scene 3 – The Lonely Road of the Celebrity/Hero

  1. Panoramic shot of Zanarkand: a futuristic city.
  2. Image of Jecht on the side of one of the larger buildings, looking down.
  3. Tidus walks down the road.
  4. A voice over reminisces about Jecht, who disappeared, then mentions the up-coming game and “Jecht's blood.”
  5. The player guides Tidus along the Causeway. If he is directed to talk to passers-by they variously say that they support him or that he better win. Tidus is guided over a rise in the road towards a spectacular background of Zanarkand

Scene 4 – The Game/The Coming of Sin

  1. High shot of Tidus walking through the crowd towards what appears to be an enormous mirror, force field, or wall of water.
  2. Tidus lies in wait before the game in a bath, with water-reflected light playing over him.
  3. He enters into the spectacle of the stadium (high, panning view). A rock and roll song plays over the top: “Don't give up . . . If you want it! (etc)”
  4. We see Auron standing atop a high beam. A dome of water rises from the sea. Auron approaches.
  5. Two blitzball players slap hands. Tidus leaps out of the top of the blitzball dome, kicks a ball, then (upside down) sees the approaching dome of water. Fireballs approach, then strike and create devastation. Tidus grabs an overhanging strut, looks at the chaos below, then falls.
  6. Flash to white.

Scene 5 – Battle on the Ruined Road

  1. Shot of the “broken mirror.”
  2. Tidus approaches Auron, who waits to one side.

    Tidus: “What are you doing here?”

    Auron: “I was waiting for you.”

  3. We see the road in chaos; the city floods and burns in the background, overwhelmed by the elements. Suddenly Tidus sees the ghost-boy. Tidus looks around and sees that time is frozen.

    Boy: “It begins.”

    Tidus: “Wha?”

    Boy: “Don't cry.”

    Time returns to normal, the boy is gone.

  4. Tidus reaches Auron and sees the globe of Sin suspended in the air.

    Auron: “We called it ‘Sin'.”

    Sinscales strike the buildings; smaller ones land on the road in shells and then open up to reveal insect-like monsters.

  5. Auron: [gives Tidus a sword] “Take it. A gift from Jecht. I hope you know how to use it.”
  6. Running battles with the Sinscales which only require selection of the “Attack” menu option.
  7. Sinspawn Ammes stands in the way like a giant crustacean with glowing lights on its tentacles. During the battle, text information for the player about Overdrives appears. The player's first use of Overdrive occurs in this battle. The player is likely to need to use a healing potion by accessing the “Item” menu option. Sinspawn Ammes explodes when killed. Tidus then passes the first Save Point.
  8. Tidus passes the image of Jecht again. (“What are you laughing at old man?”)
  9. A forest of Sinscales lands around them. During the battle Auron says that they should attack a nearby machine. When it is destroyed there is an explosion, and the bridge collapses in flames, freeing them.
  10. Tidus jumps into space and just catches on. As Tidus hands there, Auron looks down, with his greying hair, dark glasses, monkish robes, scarred eye.

    Auron: “This is it. This is your story. It all begins here.”

  11. Tidus is sucked inside of Sin.

Scene 6 – The Dream City

  1. Whiteness. A voice: “Hey!”
  2. Tidus floats in the night sky over Zanarkand. When the player moves the controls Tidus swim as if through water. The city is brightly lit but deserted.
  3. Tidus can only swim down towards a platform on which stands a figure. It turns out to be a young boy.
  4. Tidus: “I felt light-headed, then sleepy. I think I had a dream. A dream of being alone.”

SETTING 2 – THE UNDERWATER RUINS


Scene 7 – “Lost in the Ocean Ruins: Geosgaeno”

  1. Tidus is alone in the ruins, except for a bird. He calls out and the bird flies away.
  2. The player guides Tidus through the underwater ruins.
  3. Tidus passes a pillar upon which is writing that he cannot read.
  4. The player guides Tidus along a long, narrow walkway over the water. To one side is a walkway that leads to a chest containing a Hi-Potion.
  5. Tidus spots something moving underwater. The bridge collapses. Three weird, over-sized fish attack Tidus.
  6. After killing two of these fish, Geosgeano appears. Tidus gets in two strikes before Geosgaeno tries to swallow him, and then he escapes to the ruins.
  7. Tidus walks into the ruins. (“I thought I was going to die in this place.”)
  8. Light flashes, like lightning, revealing a statue of what seems a monster or god. The scene pans to reveal an enormous cavern.
  9. Tidus: “Cold. Need fire.”
  10. The player must control Tidus and find a way to make a fire.