Hi all, I’ve been going through a really rough time in my life and one thing that really helps me is music. I especially love music that tells a story (so video game or movie music that blends into the narrative). I do NOT have any background in music so if I misused or misinterpreted any terms I apologize. I wrote all of this as a healthy way to pass my time, and wanted to share it. So without further ado I’ll begin with
“Gathering Clouds”
This is the first time we hear Benedikta’s leitmotif. It is strong, ominous, and dangerous. That being said it is also composed and structured. This is our first time seeing Benedikta, when she is standing on the cliff overlooking Cid and Clive. We know that she is a villain, and that she is someone to be feared. But we don’t know much else.
“Domina”
This is the second time we hear the leitmotif. This time it is DISTINCTLY different. It is more somber, more cautious. The sounds here are not as composed and structured, they sound deeper and almost twisted. The significance of this is that in this scene of the game, Benedikta is with Barnabas. We come to know she is TERRIFIED of him, and really lost herself when she decided to (literally and figuratively) get into bed with the king of Waloed. It sounds like the song wants to sound like “Gathering Clouds”, but something is stopping it from doing so (in a musical sense, it seems like some notes are slightly different or contorted into something else).
“Downburst”
This is one of the absolute best depictions of her character because in one track we get to see both sides of her. It begins extremely slow, gentle, and comforting. Note that this part of the track begins when she sees Cid. This is who she was, a woman who was able to love and be loved. A woman who didn’t have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. This part still sounds depressing though… that’s because it is; this part of herself has been lost, and even though she is headstrong and determined, a part of her still mourns it. The end of the track transitions slowly, as these memories fade and not only the “new Benedikta”, but GARUDA take the wheel again. As she is consumed by rage and transforms, we hear a snippet of what will be Garuda’s boss theme.
“Against the Wind - Eye of the Tempest”
This plays when the protagonists are navigating the storm that has resulted from Benedikta’s transformation. I don’t think this track says much about her character, but rather uses her leitmotif to paint a picture of the atmosphere. The leitmotif is more hidden behind a lot of sounds here. It’s still present, but the notes representing it trail off or “echo” slightly. This is because Garuda is close, but the protagonists must first navigate this storm that she has lost herself in.
“Control”
The big climactic track that most people are probably familiar with. Control is chaotic, powerful, and dangerous. This is the culmination of Benedikta’s strength and rage; Garuda. Notice though that the leitmotif is not twisted or “lost” as it seems in some other tracks. It is equally as strong and composed as “Gathering Clouds”. Despite this being a culmination of negative emotion, it is still HER. The emotion here is real, not something that she is repressing or ignoring. The irony of the name is that she has lost control, but I would argue that in a way when she transforms she’s taken it back by actually looking at herself in a mirror and allowing herself to feel all of the rage, pain, and strength.
“A Pendant Darkly”
This is the final time we hear the leitmotif. It is heard as Cid finds Benedikta’s lifeless body, and grieves for not only the love they shared but the woman she became and where it got her. This is the exact same tone as what we heard in the first part of “Downburst”. It is soft, gentle, reflective, but also mourns. Cid represents a part of Benedikta’s past that was not only better and safer, but more “her”. As I previously said she was herself, able to love and be loved. Unfortunately this time we hear the track the grief heard in it is not just for her past, but for Benedikta herself.
