Freedom
It's time to end this--cut my ties to the past
Understatement of the Year: freedom is a reoccurring theme in Final Fantasy XII.
On the most basic level, the story tells of a fallen kingdom's struggle to break away from its occupying empire. However, talk of freedom is not limited to political strife; it carries over to the personal pursuits of each of its characters--friends and foes alike. As the Lady Ashe declares when staring down the finale, "I am simply myself -- no more and no less -- and I want only to be free."
The lifestyle of the sky pirate comes to epitomize this desire in young Vaan's eyes, and understandably so. The sky pirates are lawless by profession, and the sky they travel is the only truly open road in a world divided between hostile empires. Having already established themselves as aerial swashbucklers, Balthier and Fran are introduced as two people who have achieved everything Vaan -- or any member of the cast -- could have hoped to achieve. And they did it in style.
Although we are only given a brief glimpse of Balthier and Fran's individual histories, it's safe to say they adopted this profession, partnership under a similar desire. She wanted to experience life beyond the confines of the Wood; he wanted nothing to do with his father or his life-consuming work. Referring back to their introduction, it would seem they've made great steps to shed their respective shackles, taking a fairly literal interpretation of the phrase "free as a bird".
However, as their current adventure forces them to revisit the very obstacles they fled, we find that even the sky pirates are bound by the confines of their pasts. Balthier is particularly troubled when he finds his father at the center of it all, surprising the Lady Ashe with a confession and resolution to cut any remaining ties to his deranged family.
It should be noted that the good doctor's insanity is fueled in part by his own desire for freedom. Both Dr. Cid and despot Vayne justify their war by claiming back the "reigns of history" for their fellow man. Likewise, both men are felled by the heroes as a result of their cause. This further complicates this otherwise universal theme; freedom is something everyone longs for, but when does such a desire become corrupt?
A desire for freedom is natural -- expected, even -- but it is a desire deeply rooted in self-preservation. Characters like Balthier and Fran sought freedom in the sky pirate lifestyle to better themselves and no one else, forging their bond as a side effect. Even for the Lady Ashe -- descendent of the Dynast-King and crusader to restore her kingdom -- it boils down to being herself; she is the one who only wants to be free. On the most basic level, these desires could be viewed as selfish, but it's an act of selfishness of which everyone is equally guilty.
...at least to a degree. Dr. Cid's plight is presented as a personal quest gone afoul; it's selfish in the worst way possible. He had used his own son in an attempt to advance his research and continues to urge the empire to war, sacrificing hundreds of lives caught in the middle. Unlike heroes that bluntly admit their personal desires, Dr. Cid claims his pursuit of freedom is one for all of mankind. Whether it be the civilian's sovereignty or the soldier's right to life, it is a necessary sacrifice to better the whole. But who is he to decide this for the hundreds directly affected by his decisions?
This issue is never clearly addressed in the game and treated as more of a gray area, in part in its brief comparisons between Balthier and his father. When comparing Balthier's selfish, arrogant, and generally cocky bastard of a persona to Dr. Cid's crusade for mankind, it would seem that the misguided son is at fault; young and brash, he thinks of no one but himself. However, it is Balthier who swoops in to save the day, supporting his friends -- more accurately, his partner -- and doing his Leading Man thing. Dr. Cid, on the other hand, borders dangerously close to villain status, babbling like a maniac and challenging the party to the death.
Granted, having gone off on such a tangent, I honestly don't think Final Fantasy XII aims to educate in terms of right and wrong, hence the aforementioned focus on ambiguity. However, if there is one consistency within this running theme of freedom, it is the need to move from the past. Characters learn from yesterday, but they ultimately make their own decisions; they are not confined to their ancestors' footsteps. This is also addressed (perhaps more directly) in the juxtaposition of Balthier and Dr Cid's respective desires; where Balthier is looking to the future, the doctor always has one foot planted in the past,even addressing his son by his since-forsaken given name, Ffamran*. Dr. Cid refuses to break away from the past -- mistakes and all -- thus setting the stage for his downfall.
Fran helps to enforce this theme in a slightly different, more subtle light. Several decades Balthier's senior, Fran has had more time to understand her stance, even if she still seeks the freedom of open skies. Returning to her native village is a painful reminder of her past to be sure; she knows she is no longer welcome there. However, she also knows that it was her choice to leave the Wood, and she is no longer suited for it. Her past experiences have helped her see her exile from the viera as an acceptance among the humes, but said past experiences were painful enough to know that this is not a choice for everyone. Thus she is able to offer her more delicate younger sister -- Mjrn -- the insight not available to her when making her life-changing decision.
*Upon (re-)watching several cut-scenes with Chloe, the first thing she commented on was Cid's use of Balthier's given name. She could not recall him ever using it in the Japanese version where he pronounces it with flare in English. This may make that particular aspect of the "past" argument a bit of a moot point, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway.
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