Terra Branford is a fictional character in Square Co., Ltd.'s computer role-playing game Final Fantasy VI. She is a girl of mysterious origins born with the power of magic, long thought lost. Although Final Fantasy VI has no definite main character, many players consider Terra as such since she is the first character to be introduced, her theme is used as the music for the overwold in the first half of the game, and she is featured in the game's original Japanese logo and box art. (The original American release features Mog as the box art.) Although her background can be said to be the driving force in the first half of the game, she is optional in the second half of the game, sharing importance with many other characters.
| Terra Branford | |
|---|---|
| 'Final Fantasy series character | |
| File:Ff6 amano tina.jpg | |
| First game | Final Fantasy VI |
Biography
Terra is the daughter of the Esper Maduin and a human mother, Madonna, who, disgusted with the world of humans, wandered to the Esper world. Her heritage as a magical being is the source of her powers. She has natural fire- and curative-magic alignment. Much of the turmoil involved with her stems from the dichotomy of her origins. She is neither fully human nor fully esper and therefore, though she can identify with both groups, she does not "belong" in either. Later in the story Terra finds purpose in the innocence of a group of children who are indifferent to her dual origin[1]. She serves as the portal between the esper and human worlds[2].
Terra was reared by the Empire as a soldier after the Empire, including Emperor Gestahl himself, attacked the Espers' home and captured several, including Maduin. Her potential was quickly realized and she's said to have once destroyed fifty Magitek-equipped Imperial soldiers in an exercise[3]. When the game begins, Terra is wearing a Slave Crown, suppressing her free will and giving the Empire complete control over her[4]. An encounter with a frozen Esper later identified as Tritoch in the mines of Narshe freed her of the Slave Crown, causing amnesia. Terra was left a confused young woman, a much-desired asset for wars she knew nothing about who bears inhuman powers of unknown origin.[5]
Terra was rescued by the Returners, an underground anti-Empire resistance movement, and eventually made her way to join it. Agreeing to help the Returners in the hopes she might begin to understand her own powers more, this eventually brought a confrontation with the Esper Tritoch (see below for more information), and first awakened Terra's dormant Esper-half, but her transformation frightened her so badly, she screamed and flew away out of terror. She is tracked to the town of Zozo, where an Esper named Ramuh says she is neither Esper nor human[6]. After a trip to Vector to rescuse more Espers, it is revealed that Terra is half-human, half-Esper. At this point, Terra is trusted with opening the Sealed Gate to the Esper World, and bringing peace with the Espers that came from within.
Terra succeeds in opening the Sealed Gate, however, in doing so, she released a group of Espers who went on a rampage and destroyed the Imperial capital of Vector. The Returners have a banquet with Gestahl, who at this point seems to have given up on his war. Gestahl asks Terra to deliver his offering of peace to the Espers, and she agrees. However, she eventually finds out that the peace was a scheme by Kefka and Gestahl to obtain Magicite, the remains of dead Espers, which are very useful for obtaining vast magical power[7].
Terra, after falling from the destroyed Enterprise, is found in the World of Ruin in the ruins of Mobliz. The adults of the town died protecting their children, and Terra now cares for them. Earlier in the game, Terra has a long talk with General Leo about her desire to be loved[8], and it is speculated (and later proved)[9] that she finds this unconditional love with the children. Due to this love, she defends them from the occasional attack by Phunbaba, but her fighting skills have begun to slip, and thus, she refuses to join the party on the grounds she can no longer fight[10]. Later, Phunbaba attacks again, and Terra begs the party to fight in her place. After Phunbaba uses an attack called BabaBreath to chase away two party members, Terra rushes to the scene, transforming into her Esper form. With Terra's help, Phunbaba is vanquished once and for all. In the aftermath, the children of Mobliz are terrified of Terra, but after a moment, recognize her as their 'Mama'[11]. Terra decides to join the fight against Kekfa to ensure the children can grow up in a peaceful world[12].
In the final credits, the destruction of the Three Goddesses and Kefka causes espers and magic to disappear from the world. Consequently, Terra also begins to lose her esper powers. However, the Magicite of her father Maduin says that if her human side has a strong connection to some part of the human world, Terra will be able to survive as a human[13]. Terra uses the last of her strength to lead the party to safety in the airship, then flies out of the tower. As her power finally fades, she falls from the sky, but Setzer dives the ship and catches her. Terra awakens aboard the airship, alive and fully human, due to her love for the children of Mobliz and her care for Katarin, who went into labor while Terra was fading. It should be noted that, even if the player decided not to recruit Terra, she flies to Kefka's Tower to help the party escape anyway.
Abilities
Morph
Later contact with the esper Tritoch brought Terra's quest for identity to an abrupt end as she turned into her hitherto unknown half-Esper form: a flying, glowing pink figure with wild hair. The experience also temporarily sent her into shock, but after recovering her senses, she discovered she had the power to alternate between her human and Esper forms. The player is henceforth able to access her Morph command in battle. When in Esper form, Terra's physical and magical power and magic defense all double; she can only retain this form for a short period of time, however (determined by the number of "Magic Points" accumulated so far by the party), and is subsequently unable to utilize her Morph ability again for a substantial interim. Hence, this command is best used only in dire circumstances.
Magitek
Terra's Magitek command, which is only available during the game's introduction and Cyan's dream when Terra is piloting Magitek Armor, gives her access to several additional actions: the generic Magitek Bolt Beam, Fire Beam, Heal Force, and Ice Beam, and her own unique attacks Bio Blast, Confuser, TekMissile, and X-Fer.
Natural magic
Like Celes, Terra learns some magic automatically without the aid of Espers; Terra's natural spells are predominantly fire-based.
Trivia
- Terra is named after the Roman goddess of the earth.
- Terra's birthday is October 18.
References
- ^ Katarin: "Terra's been our only hope for survival."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Terra: "I am the product of an Esper and a human. I am proof that such a bond can exist."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Vicks: "And this woman...this...sorceress...why is she here? I heard she fried fifty of our Magitek Armored soldiers in under three minutes!"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Arvis: "Easy, it was a Slave Crown. The others had complete control over you while you were wearing it."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Edgar: "Banon! She doesn't remember ANYTHING!"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Ramuh: "No, actually, Terra is quite different."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Gestahl: "My only purpose was to acquire Magicite, and grow powerful."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Terra: "But, I want to know what love is, NOW!"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Terra: "Finally, I understand that feeling, even though I kept it buried for so long. I'm sure it's called... 'Love!'"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Terra: "Ever since I arrived here, I discovered a new part of me that I cannot understand. And the more I try to understand it, the less inclined I am to fight."(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Girl in Mobliz: "Mama, it's you isn't it. I can tell!"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Terra: "I'm sorry, children, but your "Mama" has to go away for a while. I'll return when I feel your future's guaranteed!"(Final Fantasy VI)
- ^ Maduin: "Terra...We must part now. We espers will disappear from this world...forever. But if the human part of you is very strongly attached to something or someone...You will probably be able to remain in this world as a human being..."(Final Fantasy VI)