Love stories in video games come aplenty. That said, only a few of these stories stick to players’ minds. Unlike in movies, the feeling of love isn’t as effectively conveyed in video games. It is less effective and less memorable…apart from a select few. Such is the case with Final Fantasy X’s Tidus and Yuna. In the sea of video game love stories, none has made an impact on us as profound as these two’s.
Here is what we believe is the greatest love story in Square Enix‘s storied franchise, if not the whole video game industry as a whole.
The Beginning of Their Story
To fully understand how their story captivated the hearts of millions for years, we must first recall how they met and how their relationship ultimately came to be.
Tidus, the game’s protagonist, is a young man who grew up in Zanarkand, an enigmatic and legend-filled city. He is a star Blitzball player, and he loves nothing more than playing the game he loves. He is quirky and extremely easy to get along with. However, his life is turned upside down when a giant monster known as Sin attacks.
Sin permanently destroyed Zanarkand, cementing it as the main antagonist of Final Fantasy X. Mysteriously, Tidus got transported to the world of Spira after this as perhaps the only survivor from the attack. He now finds himself lost in a brand-new world. Along the way, he will meet several characters, both friends and foes, that will lead him to his final destination and true purpose in this new world.
In Spira, Tidus meets Yuna, a young woman tasked with the ultimate goal of defeating Sin. Yuna is a summoner, and she believes that by defeating Sin, she can bring peace to Spira finally ending its reign of terror. Seeing as their goals align, Tidus joins summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage. Together they travel across Spira, fighting Sin and its minions, along with their friends.
Pretty standard stuff. However, the game’s most interesting part (their love story) is only just beginning.
A Love Forbidden: Tidus and Yuna
Tidus and Yuna quickly became fond of each other. Their personalities easily gelled and they both enjoyed the company of one another. This companionship, however, eventually turned to affection and love. Unfortunately, such is forbidden in their current circumstances.
Tidus is a mortal while Yuna is the designated summoner to defeat Sin once and for all. As much as they want to stay together, it is not meant to be. If things continue this way, it will only lead to both of their demise.
At one point, Tidus even led a wedding crash to save Yuna from falling into the hand of the enemies! And believe us when we say this, there are still several story beats in the game that will prove that Tidus and Yuna’s story is indeed the stuff of legends.
Ultimately, Yuna succeeds in defeating Sin with the help of Tidus and their merry band of friends. However, seeing as his purpose for being transported to Spira is now done, Tidus must return to his own world. He is to leave his friends and the love of his life for good. We personally are still heartbroken by their tragic conclusion.
The aftermath of this tragic parting ways is further explored in Final Fantasy X-2. It is the direct sequel to FFX and is the first dedicated sequel in the history of the FF series.
Final Remarks
At the end of it all, Tidus and Yuna’s story is all about love, loss, and hope. It is a testament to the power of love to overcome even the most difficult challenges. It is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished playing the game.
Of course, we left some details to give you the chance to take in their truly interesting story by yourself. There are still several complexities and character arcs that you must personally experience to fully comprehend how impactful Tidus and Yuna’s forbidden love story is. Believe us, it is one for the books! Now excuse us as we replay their truly romantic and iconic first kiss scene on YouTube.
