Since I'm replaying VIII for the Anniversary(and doing all the Steam achievements) I was thinking about the fact people still spread around that Squall is a major asshole who doesn't show signs of growth until Rinoa's coma which is so blatantly wrong right from the first part of the game. Squall has moments of being abrasive but when he is confronted over his behavior being rude he is generally apologetic and we always get insight into his views when he goes into his thoughts. Not only that but the most interesting part is seeing how often Squall questions his mission and role in the game especially knowing Cid is forcing responsibility on him purely because of the future Squall Edea met.
I wanted to post some examples of how the game allows players to make Squall even kinder and more understanding with just simple choices and scenes that are in the game normally. Some will be imageless.
1. Meeting Selphie. You bump into her and can ask if she is okay and then agree to show her around.
2. Joining the Garden Festivel. This can happen either at the dance after she asks Zell or at the beginning of the game if you head to the Quad in which case she just says hello to Squall at the dance since he already joined. I prefer the first since if you agree he will compliment her efforts.
3. Squall dancing and enjoying himself with Rinoa is an obvious one.
4. When Squall is in Timber he is blunt about what might have happened to Seifer since that is the kind of situation expected for mercenaries. He laughs at the thought of Seifer hearing people feel sorry for him unknowingly to the others who take it as him laughing at Seifer potentially being dead and Rinoa gets angry. He doesn't realize how his behavior is coming across and continues to talk normally about the situation causing Rinoa to get angry. He apologizes.
5. When Squall reunites with Rinoa after the Iguion attack, he informs her about Seifer being alive but being on the side of the sorceress. He understands Seifer is important to her and warns her that he might have to kill him which obviously does bother him. He initiates the conversation and Rinoa understands. He then comforts Irvine into taking the shot and never blames him even after he misses.
6. Squall worries about whoever is sent to the missile base. When he reunites with the group, he is extremely happy they are okay. If Rinoa is on the missile team she says she missed him and he can respond that he missed her as well. If she isn't with the group he can respond that he would have worried about her too and then get embarrassed
(I didn't screenshot my dialogue so I found an image which is closest just replace Irvine with Rinoa because I prefer the dialogue from Rinoa in missile base run.
7. Irvine asks Squall to cheer Selphie up and he doesn't question helping her because she is upset over the missiles going to Trabia.
8. The concert date can go poorly or great depending on the song. If you pick Eye's on Me it ends in a fight but if you pick Irish Jig the game has Squall seriously contemplating Rinoa's questions and then it can be assumed they spend the night talking since neither storm off.
9. If Quistis waking Squall up triggers(Rinoa should be on missile team for this) she asks if he wants to talk. He is hesitant but she points out that now he understands her previous feelings over the training center scene. He says he does understand and then Quistis tries to convince him it is worth talking. You can agree and she says to do it over tea. Prior to all of this he thinks about the fact that no matter what he still depends on others to get where he is showing that he is questioning his outlook.
There is a lot more such as Squall being concerned when Seifer tells him everyone is at the prison, apologizing for going too far when getting angry at Rinoa for the Timber Owls lack of professionalism, wanting to save Garden from the missiles and calling it his home, being apologetic whenever they cause trouble, etc. There is more but considering I'm stopped right after Squall becomes commander I would rather play through it before posting things that happen after.
