Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, alias Dagger, is a character in the Final Fantasy series and one of the main cast of Final Fantasy IX. She is the princess of the kingdom of Alexandria and one of the lead characters. In this game, she is trying to escape her kingdom and joins with her kidnappers, including protagonist Zidane Tribal, to do so. She assumes the pseudonym Dagger and cuts her hair, at which point the writers began to treat her as a different character while writing her. In time, she discovers herself adopted, having come from a village of summoners.
Her original concept art was created by Yoshitaka Amano, while the final version was handled by Toshiyuki Itahana, as well as Shukou Murase and Shin Nagasawa, who handled the in-game version of the character. Her design was meant to strike a balance between realism and a comic-like style, taking inspiration from the characters in the film The Dark Crystal. She appears in multiple other Final Fantasy games, including Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, and Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia. Garnet received praise from critics as a standout of Final Fantasy IXs cast, ranking highly as a female character in the Final Fantasy series. Her romantic and familial relationships have also been the subject of discussion from critics, both positively and negatively.
Concept and creation
Garnet was created for the 2000 video game Final Fantasy IX. The original concept art for Garnet was created by Yoshitaka Amano, and the final version was created by Toshiyuki Itahana, as well as Shukou Murase and Shin Nagasawa, who also handled the in-game version of the character. Her character design was meant to strike a balance between realism and a comic-like style, while taking inspiration from the style employed for the characters in the film The Dark Crystal. Composer Nobuo Uematsu was asked to compose Garnet's theme song, among others.
At one point in the game, Garnet cuts her hair, a scene which event designer Kazuhiko Aoki felt was an important one in the story of Final Fantasy IX. Garnet was first revealed in a Coca-Cola advertisement featuring other characters from FFIX.
Appearances
left|thumb|256px|Garnet cuts her hair at some point; this appearance was treated as "Dagger" by designers.|alt=Garnet faces the camera, hair cut to chin level, with a light smile.
Garnet first appears in the video game Final Fantasy IX as one of its lead characters. She also appears in the video games Final Fantasy: Record Keeper and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia.
Garnet's story arc is referenced in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail through the character Sphene Alexandros XIV. Initially, players are introduced to Endless Sphene, also known as Queen Eternal, who serves as the expansion storyline's main antagonist. She is a digital copy of the real Sphene, who was believed to have succumbed to illness four centuries prior, but was also programmed with a directive to keep the citizens of Alexandria happy at any cost by plundering other worlds of their aether to sustain other simulacra of deceased Alexandrians like herself, coming into conflict with the player's Warrior of Light who defeats her. Later story patches reveal that Endless Sphene was created to further the goals of the scientist Calyx, the overarching antagonist of Dawntrail and the main antagonist of its post-launch story. Players are also introduced to the real Sphene, who was locked in cryostasis for four centuries but was released following the death of her Endless copy, with the Warrior's allies curing her of her illness. During the game's backstory and in the expansion story proper, Sphene undergoes much of the same beats of Garnet's character development, such as being forced to ascend her kingdom Alexandria's throne and her initial reluctance to do so, as well as gaining the strength and resolve to lead and protect her people in the process. Like Garnet, her appearance was designed by Toshiyuki Itahana, including her modern look being vaguely based on Garnet's white mage disguise in the introductory cutscene to Final Fantasy IX. Additionally, she carries a grimoire called Melodies of Life which she uses in battle.
Reception
Since her appearance in Final Fantasy IX, Garnet has received generally positive reception. In a poll of fans of Final Fantasy, Garnet was ranked eighth on the list of greatest female Final Fantasy characters. USgamer found Garnet to be one of the best-written role-playing game characters. Jef Rouner of the Houston Press found her more likable than protagonist Zidane based on her more notable character arc, while Touch Arcade writer Shaun Musgrave found the story of the game at its strongest when Garnet or Vivi were the focus. Writer Daniella Lucas initially did not like Garnet, stating that she saw Garnet as just a damsel in distress. However, once Lucas acquired more life experience, she began to relate to her more, citing Garnet's struggles with her mother and guilt over what happened to Alexandria. Ashley Barry, writing for The Mary Sue, felt similarly; Barry grew up seeing Garnet as weak, due in part to her "traditional femininity", but discovered that they only thought this because they were raised to see femininity as weak. They noticed Garnet seeming happier when she had control of herself and defying the limitations put upon her.
The subject of Garnet's relationship with other characters has been a topic of discussion among critics. RPGSite writer Natalie Flores found Garnet's relationship with her mother intriguing, praising Brahne's passing and apology to Garnet as one of the series' most touching moments. Flores noted that it portrays a complex relationship, one that writers of later Final Fantasy titles should refer to when they portray motherhood. Writers Mikel Reparaz and Jason Wojnar of GamesRadar+ and Screen Rant respectively felt that the relationship between Garnet and Zidane was poor, with the former citing a lack of chemistry between the two characters as the cause. IGN writer Leah B. Jackson was more positive towards their relationship, finding the early premise that Garnet wanted to be kidnapped by Zidane intriguing. Author Sean Atkinson discussed her musical theme, "Melodies of Life", and how it is used to represent particular relationships, namely those with Zidane and Eiko. Atkinson noted that it combines two themes heard throughout the game which are important to Garnet, suggesting that the execution of the two component themes and the complete theme is meant to show that Garnet and Zidane are destined to be together.