History Recap / FinalFantasyVIII

The Battle of the Gardens involves chaos, bedlam, aerial maneuvers, boarders riding motorcycles, plans and counter-plans, Rinoa almost getting sliced in half by the Gardens' hover drives, and (if the player chooses) an order to make sure Zell's TrademarkFavoriteFood is safeguarded. There is also some (rather non-professional) contretemps as Zell attempts to borrow Squall's favorite ring, as Rinoa has asked him to make a copy of it for her. She keeps it for the rest of the game, after the player is allowed to [[HelloInsertNameHere name it Griever]]. After repelling the boarders, Squall & Co invade Galbadia Garden, where they encounter a BonusBoss called "Cerberus" which turns out to be a SupportPower GF. Then it's on to fight Seifer and Edea, Edea pointing out Squall as [[TheChosenOne the legendary SeeD]] destined to face her. After stealing the LightEmUp "Alexander" GF from Edea, the [=SeeD=]s defeat the SwordAndSorcerer combo, leaving them collapsed on the floor. Rinoa begins acting strange and revives Seifer, who departs, before falling unconscious herself.

** The first has actually been available for some time: When sending you off to aid the Timber Owls in Disc 1, Headmaster Cramer will give you a Magic Lamp. Inside hides "Diabolos," a CastingAShadow BonusBoss that is pretty difficult when your combat abilities are as limited as they are back then. You can prove your mettle by conquering it immediately, or just carry around the lamp until later.

** "Eden" is found in the same place. It is hiding in Ultima Weapon, a major BonusBoss. In addition to the "Devour" ability that lets you convert monsters into rare items, it takes "LimitBreak" to a new and literal level by being one of the first abilities in the franchise that can explicitly deal 5 digits of damage. The other is Quistis's strongest Blue Magic, Shockwave Pulsar. (The "Break Damage Limit" concept will not be revisited until ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', though it has since been {{retcon}}ned into remakes of earlier games. Additionally, you could in fact inflict 5 digits of damage in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII'', but the game would incorrectly display "9999" if you did.)

Squall resolves to take Rinoa to Esthar himself. He debarks the Garden at Fishermans Horizon and begins to walk, carrying her on his back, to the other side of Horizon Bridge -- literally, [[{{Determinator}} partway around the world]]. His friends and Edea follow him, Edea explaining she wants to go to Esthar to see the famed scientist Dr. Odine -- said to have studied sorceresses -- due to her fear that Ultimecia may possess her again. She also joins the party as a GuestStarPartyMember, using ice magic to attack and LimitBreak. (Despite no longer being a puppet for the BigBad, she still wears her EvilIsSexy catsuit. No {{Watsonian}} explanation is given.) On the other end of the bridge, the party discovers Esthar City is camouflaged behind an InvisibilityCloak. Esthar is Galbadia's major political rival and its territory spans the entire eastern continent. Since the end of the Sorceress War, Esthar's President has used its advanced technology to keep it isolated from the world.