I dont think Squall intended to rescue Rinoa in the first place. He had been told about what happened to her, but continued on past the second floor bridge to help that kid.
I think by assuming control of that Galbadian Hovercraft, he just thought what the heck, and decided to swoop down whilst he had the chance. Im sure he always intended to find a way, but it wasnt top on the list.
But who puts a 17 y.o in charge of that many people anyway? Could only be Cid...

By the time Squall went to go save Rinoa, the two Gardens already had crashed into each other and the SeeDs were already fighting. So eventually, he would have to go outside. He just saved Rinoa in the process XD

With Squall saving Rinoa it showed that he finally did care about someone and he didn't want to lose that person. That was what Squall was afraid of the whole time. He didn't want to get close to people because he was afraid of losing them. The rest of the party knew that and they could have handled the troops while Squall was gone. It isn't that big of a deal that he "left command". At least he didn't completely abandon them like Cid did. The whole point was to show that Squall would do anything for someone he loved.

I think through rescuing Rinoa, he realised he loved her, and that feeling came into effect when he saw her faint in the Galbadian Auditorium.
Later, he risked his life for her.

Following a discussion in the Character Design thread, I thought I should direct the topic to a much more relevant thread:

quote EdwardTheBard

If they had hired a good mercenary to do the job [ Hm, Squall as a Seed is a mercenary ], he would do the job. So his job weren't very unique. Squall's rescues could have pulled out by anyone in the right time and with efficient abilities.

I think in the beginning Squall saved Rinoa only out of his responsibility to her, since it was she who hired him. I think though by the time Rinoa went into a coma in the Auditorium Squall had fallen for her, and the longer he had to wait to "hear her voice" the more he realized he loved her.

It was not as a mercenary that he undertook the physical journey of travelling to Esthar to find help for her. It was not as a mercenary that he travelled into space to find help for her. It was not as a mercenary the he jumped into space to save her against all odds. It was not as a mercenary that he rescued her from the Sorceress Memorial. It was as a man who loved her.

The further the plot goes, the more Love we see Squall having for Rinoa in his actions to the point of risking his own life to be with her. I don't know if he jumped into space thinking he could save her, but I know he just wanted to be with her to the end.

quote Topaz Weapon

It was not as a mercenary that he undertook the physical journey of travelling to Esthar to find help for her. It was not as a mercenary that he travelled into space to find help for her. It was not as a mercenary the he jumped into space to save her against all odds. It was not as a mercenary that he rescued her from the Sorceress Memorial. It was as a man who loved her.

Rinoa forced Squall to like her Go to the user reviews for a minute, Neto, and scroll down a bit xD A screen in particular...

Wow, where was I during this thread's development. It went 16 pages without me...bah. Anyways, this relationship was quite moving, great development and such. It was part of the reason why I played it all night, heh.

I agree, that speech was beautiful, Topaz

quote Storm

Rinoa forced Squall to like her

quote EdwardTheBard

I did find that the change was too fast. A fact that I didn't like about Squinoa was Rinoa's pressure. He pushed him too much.

I am going to disagree with you.

I dont think Rinoa pushed him to chage. The events that happened to squall made him change. Rinoa was a huge part of it, but it was her role in the events that played out around Squall that made him change. Rinoa was good for Squall and in turn i think he made her more mature.
Also everyone tried to push squall, not just rinoa. And squall was very strong willed, he couldnt be forced to change if he wasnt conciously or subconciously willing, i think he really did have feelings for Rinoa.

I already commented on the speed of his change here, so I'll now respond to the pressure part.

Like BG said, Rinoa was not the only one who pushed Squall. Quistis did the exact same thing in the beginning. But the difference is that Squall didn't have any feelings for her.

And I'm not sure whether Squall would change if he knew the truth about Ellone. He needed a stronger shock / push than that, I feel.

Rinoa loved or at least liked Seifer originally maybe Squall just fills the place that Seifer was supposed to fill for her.


No innuendo intended.

With seifer, although Rinoa says she thought she loved him, i dont think she really did. I think there attatchment was much more shallow then hers with squall. I think rinoa was more in awe of seifer than in love with him.

You could ask the same question of Laguna and Julia as well I suppose.

Laguna and Julia. Lagulia!!!

We dont know about seifer and Rinoas relationship and how good it was for the pair of them or even how long it lastet i dont think. It obviously ment a lot to Rinoa, which means I think Rinoa loved seifer.