Originally posted by TacDavey
I never said he didn't do anything to earn the title, but the title itself means nothing because it was created just for him. Now, if you have someone who is a Soldier first class, it says something about them because everyone knows what it takes to become a Soldier first class, so to become one you can guess just how powerful someone is. But with Squalls title, you don't get that, since it was made just for him. So to say, "Squall is awesome because he's a SeeD commander" doesn't actually say anything about Squall at all. Since the title of "commander" is one for him and only him. It's the same as saying "Squall is awesome because he's Squall."
Originally posted by TacDavey
They are made before hand and people work their way up into them. It seems Squall's rank was created just for him, as there never was a commander before him. So obviously, it wasn't very hard for Squall to get into that rank, since it was made just for him.
Well trust me, it is well indicated that you meant he basically did nothing.
Getting into SOLDIER is just mainly a matter of surviving and the body reacting correctly to the mako infusion.
Getting into SeeD was a matter of training, tests, taking on a pre-requisite mission for the exam and then passing battle field exams. From there on they pretty much grow the same for rank except for SeeD is also measured on multiple other things aside from just accomplishing the mission.
So far it seems harder just to get into SeeD, then rise in the ranks.
Once again Squall got the rank due to his prior accomplishments in the little time he has been in SeeD, there are probably some rank A, 1, 2, 3, etc... SeeD running around somewhere or in the garden but, Cid chose Squall so obviously he was the most powerful out of all of them otherwise he would've called up another class A which I am guessing Xu and Quistis probably achieved. Besides he told anyone who had a problem with it they could go speak to Cid, as far as we see no one spoke with Cid and no one in the garden questioned it.
Originally posted by TacDavey
I'm not biased at all. The Soldier classes have prerequisites for being in them, so you can rationally tell how powerful someone is if they are Soldier first class. But the same can't be said about Squall's rank, read above.Also, aren't the SeeD ranks just a game mechanic they put in for a side thing to make money or something? Didn't Indridcold say you could technically be the lowest ranked SeeD and still be Squalls strength if you did nothing to raise your rank?
Pre-requisite to get into SOLDIER, train some and pass the mako infusion, which is the only thing you really need. After that the pre-requisites for raising in the ranks aren't much different from SeeD.
SOLDIER just have to complete the mission.
SeeD have to finish the mission and are still graded by their field conduct.
That is a nice contradiction on the last paragraph. The SeeD ranks are real, how they are earned after the exam is nearly all game mechanic. Besides if you wanted to say Squall is the lowest ranked SeeD that is just saying a lot about all the other SeeD in skill then, anyway it is hard to stay the lowest rank SeeD you would have to run out of every battle yet still after one boss fight you pretty much guaranteed a rise from rank 30. Canon wise he was more than likely up at the top 5 at the least in rank, once again you wouldn't name a rank 30 SeeD as commander cause Cid would've still had multiple other better choices as the SeeD commander.
Originally posted by draxx_tOfU
actually the prerequisites you mentioned such as conduct etc, that's only for the INITIAL SeeD rank you gain once you complete the field/final exam...succeeding ranks are only attained via gameplay through academic exams accessed in the tutorial section of the menu..
He was speaking of obtaining the ranks canonically I believe. They continue raising the same way canonically. During gameplay they raise through the academic exams (to a certain point) and doing multiple battles and summoning GFs less before your next paycheck.