Shadow (Final Fantasy VI)
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| Japanese name | Shadow (シャドウ) |
| Job / class³ | Assassin |
| Skill | Throw |
| Desperation Attack | Shadow Fang |
| Age¹² | unknown |
| Height² | 5'10" (1.78 m) |
| Weight² | 145 lb (66 kg) |
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¹as of unknown time | |
Shadow is a fictional character in the video game Final Fantasy VI. He is a paid assassin. The aggressive dog Interceptor is his companion.
"He owes allegiance to no one, and will do anything for money. He comes and goes like the wind..."
Shadow can be encountered many times throughout the World of Balance. The first time is in South Figaro's cafe; the second, outside the house near which Sabin ends up after falling in the Lete River (where he can temporarily join the party); the third, in Kohlingen (where he joins the party for a price); the fourth, on the boat to Thamasa (after which he briefly joins the party); and the fifth, on the Floating Continent (after which he can again join the party).
When the Floating Continent is falling apart, the player may save Shadow by choosing to wait for him rather than to immediately jump onto the airship (he arrives with 4 seconds left on the clock). If saved, Shadow can be found lying wounded after defeating the Sr. Behemoth in the cave in the Veldt. After that, he recovers at Thamasa, then can finally permanently join the player's party if the player wagers a Striker at the Colosseum and wins the ensuing battle against him.
If Shadow is not saved, Relm will be in the Veldt cave. Shadow was originally not supposed to survive the Floating Continent, but the programmers changed this late in development, and missed changing the text that mistakenly uses the "her" pronoun. Since Shadow is never seen without his helmet (except in flashbacks; see below), it's no surprise that some players could be confused into thinking Shadow was female.
At the end of the game, Shadow dismisses Interceptor, and evidently remains in Kefka's Tower as it crumbles. As further proof, he is not visible on the Falcon in a later scene (in a split second as the airship pulls away, all the characters on board are seen, including optional ones). Interceptor, however, is seen with Relm in Strago's section of the ending.
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Dreams
If Shadow is in the party when they sleep (either at an inn or in a number of specific beds), there is a chance that Shadow will "dream" of one of five specific events in his life before he became Shadow.
Shadow's dreams show the story of the train robbers Baram and Clyde. After a successful robbery, Baram suggests the name Shadow for the duo. In another dream, Baram is apparently mortally wounded and asks Clyde to deliver his coup de grâce, but he runs away instead. Clyde makes it to Thamasa, where an unknown woman invites him to stay. Along with a dog, he is seen leaving the house where Strago and Relm live.
Shadow shares two notable similarities with Relm: first, the two are the only characters who can equip the Memento Ring (which has the description "Departed mom's love protects against fatal magic attacks"). Second, they are the only two people that Interceptor likes. These facts, along with Shadow's dreams, lead many players to conclude that Shadow was once Clyde Arrowny, father of Relm Arrowny.
Throw
Shadow's special command, Throw, allows him to throw any weapon in the inventory, such as swords, magic rods, shurikens, and skeans/edges (which affect multiple foes). This attack ignores physical defenses and often hits for high damage.
Sometimes, when Shadow is struck in battle, Interceptor will "intercept" the attack and counterattack. If the player does not save Shadow from the Floating Continent, Interceptor will become Relm's companion in the World of Ruin. Interceptor is technically a more-or-less permanent status effect, and can be traded around between characters with the Rippler spell (though you have to manipulate enemies into using it...Jump Frogs are the best options).
Quotes
- "Get away. The dog eats strangers..." - A cold shoulder in his first scene (South Figaro, World of Balance)
- "No problem. The dog doesn't usually like strangers, though." - A similar line regarding Relm and Interceptor (Thamasa, World of Balance)
Music
In "Final Fantasy VI: Original Sound Version," Shadow's theme is called "Shadow" -- disc 1, track 11. His leitmotif is also found in the track:
- Ending Theme [Character Medley] -- 3, 15
External links
- Shadow's Dreams
- Shadow's Secret (editorial about Shadow's identity)
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Player characters:
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