… my story
I started playing FFX on 2 January, 2021. In the introductory cutscene there was this intimidating-looking man wearing a big red robe. I thought to myself, who is this guy? Could he be a bad man?
At some point over the following month or so I became completely besotted with Auron. I don’t know when or how this happened; all I know is that he is thoroughly deserving of the title “all-time fave”. I’ve had similar feelings about fictional characters and celebrities before and since, and yet none has lasted as long as this has. I just really, really like Auron.
Why do I love him so much? I find his entire character arc incredibly compelling. We see in the flashbacks to Braska’s pilgrimage that the younger Auron was deeply irritated by Jecht’s constant irreverence and, we can assume, fastidious about following Yevon’s teachings. As the pilgrimage goes on, though, he ends up far more concerned about keeping Braska alive. Whether or not you ship them (spoiler: I very much do), it’s a very powerful story about how the power of love can alter a person’s entire sense of morality. And then, after the pilgrimage ends, Auron is so moved to fight against the system he’s followed all his life that he not only gets himself killed but comes back from the dead to fulfil his friends’ requests and avenge them. By the time of Yuna’s pilgrimage, Auron’s trauma has morphed him into a mysterious, sarcastic, taciturn man who hates everything he used to believe in. Everyone has so much respect for him, and yet he has a deep loathing for who he was as a younger man, and is determined to ensure the next generation avoids repeating his mistakes.
In 2023, I experienced a brief FF16 obsession, and realised my fave from that game, Dion, had a weirdly similar story to Auron:
A brown-eyed man in his mid-to-late twenties has made a name for himself for reasons related to his superior combat skills. He is widely respected and praised. However, because of his strong moral principles he ends up rejecting the role ordained for him by the theocratic, hierarchical society in which he lives, and is cast out by those who once supported and loved him. His deep devotion to the most important man in his life, who supports him unconditionally even when others may not, gives him a sense of purpose, but tragic events follow and they are forced to part; at around the same time, he makes a terrible mistake with long-lasting consequences that he cannot allow himself to forget.
He promises to help our protagonist, and on two separate occasions, arrives just in time to help see off rampaging monsters that would otherwise have done significant damage. This proves he is still a highly skilled fighter, but he nonetheless becomes withdrawn and quiet, staying on the periphery and speaking only when he must; because of his demeanour, others are sometimes reluctant to engage him. Despite this, his few words are very important and he offers much-needed support to our protagonist, who, having been granted a vision of his memories, understands the strength of his loyalty. When the climax approaches, he matter-of-factly makes it known that he is ready to die; and as we come to the final scenes, he says his farewell, at last content that he has fulfilled his promises.
So maybe that’s an incredibly specific combination of things that I’m into. On a more superficial level, I think grey hair and brown eyes are hot, and there's something about a ponytail on a man, soooo …
And now for some more controversial opinions
- I really dislike Auron's Kingdom Hearts design. There’s something indescribably irritating about it.
- I’m pretty sure Chuami from FFX-2 ~Will~ is wrong about Auron being her father. I find it very difficult to believe he would willingly have relationships with women.
- Having said that, I don't have any hardline NOTPs involving Auron, and will read any fanfiction in which he is a major character.
- Having said that, my least favourite Auron ship is Auron/Lulu. (But I’ll still read it.)
