From the start, Zidane and Vivi's relationship is one built upon brotherly love. Zidane is the optimistic, strong-willed, confident young man that the meek, unconfident Vivi can look up to. Like an older brother, Zidane reaches out to Vivi and helps him grow to become a strong young man himself.

Zidane is the first to recognise Vivi's inner troubles and to also decide to try to help him through them. He takes every opportunity to praise Vivi's abilities, hoping the compliments will get through to the clearly unconfident Vivi. He goes out of his way to make Vivi feel included, but in subtle ways, such as when he's just about to jump into battle and calls out not just to the group, but Vivi in particular. Zidane seems to have a good understanding of what Vivi needs to hear.

Even so, he's not always in tune with Vivi's emotional state. Vivi doesn't react how Zidane expects him to when the monkey boy praises his abilities after Vivi's lack of using them has resulted in Garnet's disappearance. Vivi becomes silent very quickly, causing Zidane to be overly concerned about a comment he made concerning the little black mage's littleness — the wrong issue to be concerned about. Zidane doesn't seem to realise that Vivi is more upset about not using his great powers to help save Garnet than a comment on his short stature.

Zidane § Come to me if you have any girl trouble, okay?

Zidane genuinely wants to help Vivi. He may joke around with talk of girls, but his goal is to loosen Vivi up, get him to open up more and perhaps not be quite as shy as he is. Zidane's free-spirited nature inspires Vivi, who wants to be more like him.

Zidane § You don't have to do everything my way, you know?

Vivi tries very hard to live up to Zidane's ideal. From his actions, way of speaking, outgoingness and boisterous — Vivi tries in small ways to emulate it all. Zidane is someone Vivi looks up to, like a younger sibling to his older brother. Zidane advises Vivi, and Vivi takes his advice quite seriously, much to Zidane's beguilement. Once he realises how deeply Vivi holds his regard, Zidane tells him to not only listen to what he has to say, but search for answers himself, and trust his own judgment.

Much later, Zidane realises that Vivi has had a profound effect on him as well. Zidane finds himself inspired by the importance Vivi places on life. His strength of will provokes Zidane to start dealing with the things that happen to him in a much more serious way. Drawing from Vivi's strength of will, Zidane faces his own fears while making the monumental decision to save a dying Kuja despite the protests of everyone else — and his own heart.

A place to call home

Zidane and Vivi share more than a bond of friendship or brotherhood: they also share the same wish to find a place they can call home. For Vivi, finding a home means creating one, wheres for Zidane, it means discovering what was lost.

Vivi became aware, and shortly after began to think about where he came from. His quest to discover his identity and ultimately his origins leads him to the Black Mage Village. But the black mages of the town are both similar and frighteningly different: Vivi is dismayed to find that special place called "home" still out of reach.

Zidane has only dreams of his birthplace, mere fragmented memories of a city he can't truly remember. Though he'd been carefree and seemingly at home with Tantalus in Lindblum, Zidane secretly yearned to discover his true home. Like Vivi, Zidane had set out on a quest, only to come up empty in his search. When he returned, a swift beating from his adoptive dad and a sure smile afterward made him realise where home truly was.

Zidane § It's the same for Vivi. He's looking for a place to call home.

Zidane understood Vivi like no one else. He could all but feel the little black mage's dearest wish to discover his home, the place where he belonged. Because it was Zidane's wish as well. When Vivi discovers what could be called his 'hometown' and is given the opportunity to stay there with others of his kind, Zidane let's him make his own choice. Ultimately, Vivi realises what Zidane did — home is where the heart is, and his heart is with his friends.

Made, not born

It's not until nearly the end of the story that Zidane discovers he and Vivi have yet another thing in common: the circumstances of their existence. Like Vivi, Zidane learns he's not human, not even born from traditional means. Just as Vivi is of an artificial race, so is Zidane. Zidane is a Genome, created as shells meant to harness the souls of the planets they take over. The Genomes are eerily similar to the black mages in their zombie-like disposition and lack of true self-direction.

Zidane § [Vivi] also said...If you guys can get along with the Genomes, maybe humans and black mages can live alongside each other someday...
Black Mage No. 288 § Like you and Vivi...
Zidane § I don't even know if I truly understood him until recently.

In discovering his heritage and in knowing about Vivi's own, Zidane comes to a new understanding about himself. Like Vivi, he wants to see his bretheren grow to be individuals who can feel and think like he can. Suddenly, he's feeling all of the complex emotions that Vivi's been feeling since he discovered the Black Mage Village. He'd thought he understood how Vivi was feeling, but he realises he'd had no clue.

Further, Zidane falls prey to the fear and doubt of what his being a Genome represents. He becomes deluged in depressing thoughts of having possibly been Garland's "Angel of Death" — of the very real possibility of potentially having been in Kuja's place. It takes the protests and struggles of his friends to turn him from his doubts.

Zidane garnered a huge respect for Vivi after that ordeal. All the while, he'd been flippantly advising Vivi to take everything in stride, to believe in himself and seek his own answers. And here he was, in the same position as Vivi but unable to take his own advice.

Zidane § ...I might not be doing this if it weren't for you. You've definitely taught me to take life more seriously.

Zidane recognises just how similar he and Vivi are now, and finally understands why Vivi struggled so much with the reality of his existence. He sees the great importance in Vivi's struggle to bring the black mages freedom and individuality, and is greatful to Vivi for giving his people the same opportunity.

Zidane image ⁶

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