If you grew up in the late nineties, the image of a Final Fantasy protagonist was pretty set in stone. You had Cloud Strife, the brooding mercenary with a sword too big for his own good, and Squall Leonhart, the leather-clad introvert who basically invented the "whatever" reaction gif. Then came 2000. Suddenly, we’re playing as Zidane Tribal, a pint-sized thief with a monkey tail and a personality that actually... liked people?
It was a shock. Honestly, it still is.
Even now, in 2026, as rumors of a Final Fantasy IX remake refuse to die, Zidane stands out as the weirdest, most refreshing lead Square Enix ever cooked up. He doesn’t spend thirty hours moping in a corner. He’s not a "chosen one" until the very end, and even then, he kind of hates the title. He’s just a guy from a theater troupe who wants to help a girl and maybe steal some rare wristbands along the way.
The Anti-Edge Lord
Zidane Tribal was a massive gamble. After the massive success of FF7 and FF8, the "brooding teen" was the industry standard. Hiroyuki Ito, the director of Final Fantasy IX, decided to throw that out. He wanted a protagonist who was flirtatious, outgoing, and—dare I say it—emotionally intelligent.
Most people get Zidane wrong. They see the "lady-killer" persona and the goofy tail and think he’s shallow. But if you actually pay attention to his dialogue with Vivi or Dagger, he’s basically the party’s therapist. While Cloud was trying to figure out who he was, Zidane was busy telling a terrified little black mage that "you don't need a reason to help people."
That’s his core virtue. It’s even his official "virtue" in the game’s Japanese manual: Virtue: You don't need a reason to help people.
It’s a simple philosophy, but it’s the backbone of the entire game. In a world where everyone is obsessed with their "purpose" or their "destiny," Zidane just acts. He sees someone hurting, he steps in. Whether it’s kidnapping a princess (at her own request, mind you) or fighting a literal god of death, his motivation remains remarkably human. He's the guy you want in your corner when the world is ending.
Why the Tail Matters (No, Seriously)
The character design by Hideo Minaba and Toshiyuki Itahana is iconic for a reason. Zidane looks like he belongs in a fairytale, not a sci-fi epic. That prehensile tail isn't just a quirk; it’s a constant reminder that he is an outsider.
Gaia is a world of humans, rat-people, and whatever Quina is. Zidane, with his tail and his weirdly high physical strength, never quite fits in. He spends the first half of the game as a charming mystery. He doesn’t know where he came from, and for a long time, he doesn't care. His "home" is the Tantalus theater ship.
But when the truth drops? It’s brutal.
Finding out you’re an "Angel of Death" manufactured in a lab on a dying planet called Terra would break anyone. It definitely broke him. The "You're Not Alone" sequence in Pandemonium is arguably the best-written moment in the entire franchise. Seeing the guy who spent the whole game propping everyone else up finally collapse under the weight of his own existence—and then watching the friends he helped come back to save him—is pure storytelling gold.
Zidane’s Playstyle: More Than Just a Steal Bot
If you’re playing Final Fantasy IX today, you know the drill. You spend every boss fight ignoring the "Attack" command and mashing "Steal" until you get that Fairy Flute or Holy Miter. It’s frustrating. It’s tedious.
But it’s also perfectly in character.
Zidane isn't a soldier. He’s a thief. His toolkit is built around utility.
- Steal: Obviously. It’s how you get the best gear early.
- Dyne: His Trance form turns him into a literal powerhouse with pink fur.
- Thief Swords: Those weird double-bladed swallow blades that look cool but make no aerodynamic sense.
His Trance is particularly interesting. Unlike the "Limit Breaks" of previous games, Trance is an emotional explosion. For Zidane, it’s a physical manifestation of his Genome nature—the "hidden power" Garland built into him to destroy worlds. Using that power to save his friends is the ultimate middle finger to his creator.
The Remake Rumors: 2026 and Beyond
We’ve been hearing about the FFIX remake for years. The Nvidia leak started it, and industry insiders like Jeff Grubb have doubled down on it being a "mid-scale" project. Unlike the FFVII Rebirth trilogy, which changed the story and the combat entirely, word on the street is that a Final Fantasy IX remake would stay closer to its roots.
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Think Dragon Quest XI meets the "Memoria Project" fan demo.
If this actually happens, Zidane is the one who benefits most from modern tech. His facial expressions in the original PS1 game were already surprisingly nuanced (the way he wiggles his eyebrows at Dagger is classic), but seeing his emotional breakdown in 4K? That’s going to hit different.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s a common misconception that Zidane survived the Iifa Tree collapse because of "plot armor." Honestly, if you look at the lore, it’s more about his biological resilience as a Genome. He was built to be superior to Kuja. Kuja was a "short-lived" prototype; Zidane was the finished product.
When he goes back into the collapsing tree to save Kuja, he’s not doing it because he’s a hero. He’s doing it because he recognizes himself in the villain. They are both manufactured tools who were told their lives didn't matter.
Zidane’s return to Alexandria at the very end of the game, throwing off his cloak during the I Want to Be Your Canary play, is the perfect closure. He didn't find his "purpose" in a grand destiny. He found it in a girl, a theater troupe, and a world he decided was worth saving.
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How to Get the Most Out of Zidane in Your Next Playthrough
If you're jumping back into FFIX on Steam or modern consoles, don't just treat Zidane as a damage dealer. He's your ticket to the best gear in the game.
- Prioritize the Bandit ability: This is non-negotiable. It boosts your steal success rate significantly.
- The "Thievery" Grind: If you want Zidane to hit for a guaranteed 9,999 damage, you need to steal. A lot. The formula for the Thievery skill is $(Speed \times Steals) / 2$. It takes work, but it turns Zidane into a god-slayer.
- Don't ignore the daggers: While Thief Swords have higher attack power, some daggers have better secondary effects or allow you to learn key abilities faster.
- Watch the ATEs: Active Time Events are where Zidane’s character shines. If you skip them, you’re missing out on half the story.
Zidane Tribal isn't just a relic of the year 2000. He’s a reminder that being a hero doesn't have to mean being miserable. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is crack a joke, flirt with a princess, and help a friend find their way home.