It was sixteen years ago… sixteen years since I first played Final Fantasy IX. The deep characters, bold style, whimsical yet dramatic universe; it quickly became my favorite JRPG of all time. But for all the love I had for the game, I never actually beat it. After four complete play-throughs, the final boss always proved too difficult. The game always ended with the known universe destroyed, the crystal of all life gone and their memories forgotten. I never got closure.

Until tonight. Nearly twice my age from my first attempt, I defeated Necron and for the first time ever, I saw the true ending. I saw a world saved, I saw a petty thief find love and meaning, I saw a villain find forgiveness, I saw their memories live on. I cried. I felt an emptiness that had always lingered lift from my shoulders. And perhaps the most important thing I brought away from it all is this:

We all find ourselves in our stories. These books, these shows, these games, they are all art and it’s that art that shapes us. I don’t often think about how these characters influenced my teenage self but I honestly do not believe that I would be the same person without them. So to those who create art, who tell stories, we thank you. We are the lovers, the believers, the hopeful and the desperate and we thank you.