Psychology of the Sharpshooter
It's about time I put my otherwise worthless Psychology degree to some sort of use. I've gotten a few offhand comments about Irvine's background, which I admit I really made up much of it. I hate there being no filler when playing a character that's got so many obvious and glaring faults. Where did he get them? Why did he freak out when it was time to assassinate the Sorceress? How did he remember the Orphanage when the others obviously had not? Why was he such a loner/ladies man? Who adopted him and what were they like?
So, I sought to answer some of those questions in the background I provided on the previous page. Now comes the more tricky part of it: The psychological evaluation of our young Irvine. We all know he's a braggart and an overly egotistical flirt on the outside. We learned that the moment he was first introduced to Squall et al at Galbadia Garden. Referring to his former Orphanage-mates (excluding Rinoa, mind you) as 'clowns', he proceeded to establish right away that he was the best they'd ever see with a gun and proceeded to walk off with whichever females were in the party at the time. (Of course, we later discover that Irvine bit off more then he could chew.) On the train, he asserts himself mostly to the girls, ignoring or barely acknowledging Zell and Squall. At Quistis' admonishment, he reveals a wee bit more about himself, calling himself a loner and hinting at his inner turmoil. The others, naturally, don't really pick up on it, except perhaps for Squall, who really endulges himself in being alone and somewhat admires (my assumption from later thoughts from Squall) Irvine for being that way. However, unlike Squall, Irvine needs attention. He's a loner only in name, not in action. Uncertain of himself, he seeks to reassure his own ego through constant reinforcement from those around him, even if it means irritating them with his constant bravado.
Of course, that leads me to ask next, why is Irvine so terrified? What has happened to him before to cause him to fear the very thing he loves so much. I once heard an old saying that went something like: Your greatest love is always your greatest fear. It made sense. Irvine was a student, not a fully graduated SeeD like the others. It leaves one to wonder why he hadn't been promoted yet, even taking into consideration his age. (Being born in November leaves him the youngest member of the party.) Obviously his sharpshooting skills make him valuable enough to keep him in hopes he'll eventually be SeeD, but what could possibly have traumatized him so much that he trembles at the thought of the world being left on his shoulders?
That's quite a few questions so far, and I attempted to give a few reasons why this might be in the background I created. Yet, the more I look at it, the more I realize Irvine's got more back there then I first thought. I may, in the future, update his background to touch on these issues that remain unresolved by the original SquareSoft game. Then again, maybe I'll leave it as it stands and let there be some mystery. But, I digress...
The most defining moment of Irvine's life was his role in the assassination attempt on Edea. I had to ask myself, would he recognize her? It seemed obvious that he should, but after viewing the game again, I'm starting to believe that no, he didn't recognize her until the moment he was aiming at her, able to see her face through the scope. He already had issues with the assassination, as already noted he has a problem accepting responsibility (which I believe leads to his seemingly frivolous and irritating personality). Realizing he's about to kill the very woman who had soothed his fears and bandaged his scrapes as a young child would be more than enough to throw him into a panick attack. Even worse would probably be the realization that Squall didn't know who Edea was either. Now what does he do? Time is ticking, the Sorceress is trapped, the whole world is resting on that single bullet from his gun, Edea is the mother he remembers most of all, and Squall doesn't know who she is and there's no time to prod his memory. The result? Meltdown. Irvine crashes hard.
Afterward, he tries to make up for his obvious weakness, ashamed that Squall saw it. He easily slips back into the comforting retreat of his outward personality, the gunslinger, the loner. It's almost palpable how he pulls himself inward to heal from the experience, letting another facet of his personality come forward a little while to let his psyche recooperate.
The Cowboy Identity
All the males of the Final Fantasy 8 set seem to have some sort of identification crisis. (Excepting perhaps Zell.) Seifer latches onto the ideal of the Knight. Squall is the Sleeping Lion. And, much more immediately obvious, Irvine is the quintessential cowboy. Irvine boasts all the trappings of the lone ranger, the gunslinger. The cowboy hat, the duster, the chaps and, of course, the gun. But, more then that, he really _tries_ to act up to the part, but fails miserably in the end. Irvine's about as likely to enjoy being alone as Squall is to enjoy being a social butterfly. It's been theorized that he uses the 'loner' image to get the chicks, but I think that's not exactly true. Irvine needs ego boosts and constant reinforcement, but I think deep inside he does identify with the image of the cowboy, and wishes he possessed that rugged self reliance.
In fact, it's almost like a crutch. When his ego is wounded, he retreats into the stereotype of the cowboy. He doesn't need anyone, he's a loner, he relies on the bullet to get him by. Sure he does, for so long as his ego needs time to heal, or until someone plays up to his drama and reassures him.
Flirtation/Love/Selphie
Irvine's not just reputed for his talent as a sharpshooter. Apparently he also embodies the obligatory SquareSoft male flirt/ladies' man. He's fearless and relentless when it comes to women, even if they do turn him down (which is rare from the impression I got). This goes back to the reckless cowboy/loner/gun slinger image he's always trying to portray. It's an act, if you will, a quick thrill, a means of convincing himself that he really is everything he claims to be.
He is good looking, in a prettyboy kind of way, which explains the initial attraction many women have toward him. More then likely the suave smug manner developed over time, after hearing over and over again how handsome he is. And, let's face it, when your self esteem's low to begin with (as I truely believe Irvine's is) you'll latch onto anything positive to feel worthwhile. Irvine discovered that women flocked to him and guys distained him, more then likely, out of jealousy. Hey, not everyone can have that kind of beauty bestowed upon them, or so Irvine's arrogance convinced him. He took advantage of it.
But, what about love? How about Selphie? I think it was all his usual act to begin with, telling her on the train that they were meant for each other. He was still uncertain of the group he'd been handed over to, maybe even resentful that they acted as if they didn't know him when he so easily recognized them. He might have been hinting at her too, seeing if he could jog her memory, as a second theory.
Over time, that changes, however. A sort of real affection towards Selphie starts to develop over the falseness of his original flirtations. He wanted her to be happy, finding ways to cheer her up. Of course, falling in love with her for certain may produce some problems. It means a degree of honesty, and Irvine's outward bravado is anything but, it's a false persona he wears like the duster shrugged over his shoulders. Hence, out will have to emerge the real Irvine, sedate, serious, and sensitive.
Selphie is probably the best thing that could ever happen to Irvine. Her innocence and downright honesty, as well as her upbeat personality, leave him with no doubts about her. Still, old habits die hard and Selphie might have her hands full keeping her cowboy in line. My advice to Selphie: Invest in a set of blinders.