Why do we love black mages so much?

[Godefridus]

This is not specifically about BM of 8BT, but that's definitely an element. I'm curious as to the mysterious appeal of Square's black mages. Not just the fact that they can cast "black magic"; but everything else about them, from the pointy straw hat to the shoes. The kind of appeal that makes an FF1 player think, "Gee, if only I wouldn't get ripped apart by imps and wolves, it would be damn cool to play the whole game with four black mages." The stuff that makes any FF Tactics player without a black mage in his party certifiably insane (whatever their merits in battle).

I mean, it's the certain something that made Vivi the only redeeming feature of Final Fantasy IX; the special whatever that made Lulu not interesting (not having a pointy straw hat, after all).

I have a couple of ideas.

First, with regard to the costume, it exemplifies two (or three) features that have a certain fantastical appeal on us: anachronism, eccentricity, and possibly asceticism. It is anachronistic in that the robe and hat appear to have been ripped out of a forgotten age, a time before our modern banality and boredom--this is the same sensation one gets when seeing authentically ancient European churches and artwork. It evokes a strong sense that, "in all history, only this has not changed." The black mage costume, in context, plays with our imagination, suggesting that we associate it with tapping into timeless truths, reaching out to us from forgotten depths. For that very reason, it implies a separatedness from the world. This is a people "set apart".

It is also somewhat ascetic, as opposed to the Red Mage who looks more like an aristocrat. The hat is straw, not expensive fabric; the robes (which we freely imagine are frayed at the edges) convey a sort of pilgrim or wanderer. Everything comes together to evoke an "otherworldliness"--a person or being not quite at home in this world, and yet uniquely expressive of its mysteries and adaptable to every corner of it.

The shadow face, I'm going to go out on a limb and say, is not so much a matter of evil or even obscurity/mysteriousness. Rather, it is that the mortal person underneath the robes of the black mage literally fades or withers in the presence of the timeless forces he calls to his service. Just as the broad straw hat casts a shadow over his face, the sources of Being he summons and manipulates casts a shadow over his very self. He is as nothing before his own power. Thus no part of his flesh may show--neither his face nor his hands. Consider the fact that the Final Fantasy Origins "black wizard", unlike the original NES version, retains the obscured face and the point hat. The NES black wizard looks like a Benedictine with a bad haircut.

Importantly, black mages in the Final Fantasy worlds wield a power which is indifferent to purpose or value. It is in this sense absolutely analagous to what we regard as technology. Yet unlike machines, which demand newness and cutting-edge technology, magic increases in power and terror as its sources become older and closer to the origin of being.

Note the flavor text of Final Fantasy Tactics' BM's (Wizard's) spell "Flare": "Inscript a dark god on a rotting body! Flare!" Flare is BM's most expensive and powerful spell, and accordingly it is the only one associated with divinity, implying an absolute origin.

The presence of the White Mage's (Priest's) spell, "Holy" implies that the assumed theology of Final Fantasy worlds is essentially Manichean--the early Christian heresy that the world is created and ruled by two equal and opposite spirits, one good, the other evil. There is no room in Final Fantasy for the Augustinian association between goodness and being (where evil is regarded as merely the absence of good, as cold is to heat and darkness to light). Rather, destruction is regarded as a positive and competing force.

Thus black mages may be heroes or villains according to their disposition. This is not surprising to anyone here, obviously; but consider the converse: white mages may also be villains, without necessarily casting any different sorts of spells.

Comments?

[kam_islash]

They're just cool is all.
People likes the spells that makes the people fall down.
Plus Lulu is full of fanservicey goodness

The only difference as far as spells goes between black and white is the usage, one for offense, one for defense. Neither is inherintly evil....it depends on the user.


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[Wetflame]

Lulu is VERY interesting. Take that back :P

Damn Goth haters...

[Godefridus]

She's interesting because she has big boobs, not because she's a black mage. And the boobs aren't even that interesting; damn pale skin looks like you're oggling a dead person.

[Dynamite220]

Ignoring these shallow minds, I have to agree with you, but not on the same level. I play Magic the Gathering, and I was reading some articles by one of the card makers, Mark Rosewater. The articles were about the philosophies used to make cards of any particuler collor. Here is what he said. Some people mistake Black for evil, but black is not immoral, it is ammoral. It does not break morals out of malic, it just doesn't believe in them. It sees the world in terms of what it needs to do to stay alive, even if that means taking the lives of others. It is my belief that all humans are inherantly black. That is what Black Mage represents. He is the embodiment of the human soul.

[Silly Kitty]

Originally Posted by Godefridus

She's interesting because she has big boobs, not because she's a black mage. And the boobs aren't even that interesting; damn pale skin looks like you're oggling a dead person.

Thats not very nice!!

We love them beacuse they stab things. Everyone likes to stab things. Evil is fun.

I loved Black Mages because they were very cute, the I saw Vivi and Cuteness mixed with Mass Destruction, making them even better. Now BM has the cuteness, the mass destructive power and he is evil and funny n_n

[Killer_Nacho]

I like :bmage: for three reasons:

1) Stab. Stab. STAB!

2) Has the worlds greatest magical spells.

3) I feel sorry for him. :wmage: is too harsh Poor poor :bmage: ....

But just for the record BM IS NOT cute. You don't even know what he looks like...

[Squall Leonhart]

Lulu is an intresting character, dammit! Weather you like her or not does not make your opinion universal. I agree, however, that she didn't get as much character developtment as the other main characters, which was kinda dissapointing. Vivi was a major character in his game, developted, and that's why he was a big hit too.

[Silly Kitty]

Originally Posted by Killer_Nacho

But just for the record BM IS NOT cute. You don't even know what he looks like...

Ok that seals it. BM is now very very cute.

Now i like BM cuz he stabs and hes adoreable.