Final Fantasy 8 [Squall]. Squall is... difficult for me. I think that it fits Final Fantasy 7's rock motifs, but more heavily and more consistently. In fact, I see pretty much all of FF8's tentative musical score as a heavy rock influence with maybe a few poppier songs here and there (for moments like "Eyes on Me".)
Let me start by saying that I am absolutely in love with the song "Maybe I'm a Lion."
Next, let me confess I never really enjoyed FF8 all that much. It seemed a bit trite to me at first, but as I've been exploring and researching it more and more recently, I'm starting to see some silver lining. I think that while Squall gets a real bad rap for being kind of Cloudish in nature, I actually think Squall was a MORE developed character than Cloud, even though Cloud now has every spin-off and sequel in the book to help his cause. Squall was only cliche to me because characters after him drew cliches that were original to him. So... well, I kinda dig him now.
Anyway, as far as musical ideas, I'm admittedly having a lot of trouble, haha. While I tried to distance him from Cloud, his voice type and scenario seems a bit similar. Rock-tenor (or so) with a loner attitude. Luckily, Squall has the romance story working for him with Rinoa. I don't know if I could rival "Eyes on Me," though. The song that takes the place of that MUST have allusions to Eyes on Me or I'll be unhappy.
Now, bear with me here, and this may be a bit of stretch.
Opening number (probably following a somewhat cryptic sword fight with Seifer, or maybe that fight would just be implied), titled something like "Whatever," seeing as that's pretty much Squall's catchphrase in the game. Just follow this train of thought. Squall leaves the infirmary with a brand new facial scar, and proceeds to walk through the otherwise cheery and loquacious Balamb Garden. Squall, quite the opposite of the atmosphere, would traverse the grounds, dismissing every friendly attempt made toward him, as well as his whole lonely situation with several cold "Whatever"s throughout the song. A kind of grungy-rock feel, but being upbeat enough to captivate the audience as a successful opening number. At the end he'd likely bump into Quistis and the narrative would start from there, but before Squall has sufficiently "Whatever"ed his way through the garden, coldly attacking anything in his way. Obviously, it hasn't been a great start to the day (considering his wonderful new face-tattoo), and he seems like the type that'd make it known.
It'd be a group number, sort of, in that he'd Whatever his way through all sorts of crowds, but the song would focus mainly on him and be sung primarily by him, with little interjections that he proceeds to dismiss. Maybe Quistis could have a minor part at the end, and he'd answer her with one final "Whatever" as the button to the song.
Well, at least it was something, haha!
