Final Fantasy XII (2006 Video Game)

Gideon Emery: Balthier

Quotes 

• Balthier : I'm only here to see how the story unfolds. Any self-respecting leading man would do the same.

• Balthier : [after Fran goes into berserk mode]  I always knew Fran didn't take well to being tied up. I just never knew how much. How about you?

• Vaan : You can't have it! It's mine!

  Balthier : ...And when I take it, it will be mine.

• Balthier : Quite a performance.

  Vaan : Who are you?

  Balthier : I play the leading man, who else? Fran, the magicite.

  Fran : Now then, I'll take that.

  Vaan : No you won't! I found it, it's mine.

  Balthier : And when I take it from you, it will be mine.

• Balthier : Call me old-fashioned, but I was hoping for a treasure whose worth we could measure.

• Balthier : So I ran. Free at last... Then I met you. All that running and i got nowhere.

• Vaan : Baltheir, are you and that Jules guy close?

  Balthier : Close enough for fistcuffs... driver! Faster, if you please. I would loathe to expend any of the violence of my present mood on my companions.

• Balthier : Consider your bones old man. You're out matched.

• Balthier : What is the going rate for rescuing princesses these days? Food would be a good start. The good stuff, mind you.

• Fran : I do believe we can trust him.

  Balthier : No one knows men like Fran does.

• Balthier : With each passing day, the world finds new and exciting ways to kill a man.

• Balthier : [to Cid Bunansa]  You made your Nethicite for this? You mimicked the Occuria's stone for what? To become a god *yourself*?

• Balthier : Exit stage right.

• Balthier : Bah. Forget it. Even if we could fly, the Ifrit's playing with fire and I'd rather not get burned. We'll go the old-fashioned way.

• Vaan : Pirates? You're sky pirates? So you have an airship?

  Balthier : It's Balthier. Listen thief - Vaan. if you ever want to see your home again, you'll do exactly as I say. Myself, Fran and you, we're working together now. Understood?

• Vaan : [holding the Goddess' Magicite]  Don't even think you're getting this.

  Balthier : The thought never crossed my mind.

• Fran : [after Vaan catches Amalia]  Our ranks grow by the hour.

  Balthier : And our troubles with them.

• Ashe : They think me a common thief!

  Balthier : Better than a common assasin.

• Balthier : [handing his handkerchief to Penelo]  Hold onto this for me would you? Just until I bring Vaan back.

• Balthier : [to Vaan, after he jumps at a corpse]  Relax, it's just a corpse. Jump at every little thing down here and you'll wear yourself out.

• Balthier : Remember what curiosity killed. Just a friendly word of advice.

• Balthier : Something stinks down here alright. I've changed my mind. This is no dungeon, it's a sty! I said *you're* the one who stinks hamshanks! Hear me now?

• Balthier : If you ask me, they're more executioners then judges.

• Balthier : Time for the hare to follow the fox.

• Vaan : How's going deeper into this place...

  Balthier : [interrupting]  What's wrong? You don't trust her? Vierra's noses are sharp. If she says there's a way out, there's a way out.

• Balthier : Ah! The prison repository of wrested relics and raiments!

  Vaan : So our things are in here?

  Balthier : That's what I said.

• Balthier : There are more turnkeys than cutpurses down here. I've had my fill of chains. Lets thread lightly, shall we?

• Balthier : It's against my policy to speak with the dead! Especially when they happen to be kingslayers.

  Basch fon Ronsenberg : I did not kill him!

  Balthier : Is that so? Haa, glad to hear it.

• Balthier : Pirates without a sky.

• Balthier : Nice moves there, Captain.

  Vaan : You mean traitor.

  Balthier : So they say. But I didn't see him kill anyone.

• Balthier : [after the Goddess' Magicite glows]  Oh now isn't that impressive?

  Vaan : Don't get any ideas. I told you, it's mine.

  Balthier : ...I'm sorry but the jury's still out on that one.

• Balthier : Lights out, and it's worse in the dark

• Balthier : [to Basch]  A twin brother... fancy that. But still the pieces fit, I'll give you that.

• Vaan : What's up with her?

  Balthier : You have a lot to learn before we even get started on your thievery.

• Balthier : [to Vaan]  Believe what you want to. Whatever it takes to make you happy...

  [Turns to Basch] 

  Balthier : what's done is done.

• Balthier : A fine bloody banquet. Oh, now I've gone and soiled my cuffs. If a dungeon is our fate, I do hope it contains a change of wardrobe.

• Fran : I would say that you're more like a... 'supporting' role.

  Balthier : Fran, please.

• Vaan : What are we waiting for?

  Balthier : [holding him back]  For *you* to calm down.

• Basch fon Ronsenberg : [about Vaan]  So you were carrying it all along... the Fate's Jest.

  Balthier : Tell these fates of yours to leave me out.

• Penelo : Balthier, your handkerchief. I thought you might want it.

  Balthier : I shall wear it close to my heart.

• Balthier : Incidentally, what is the going rate for rescuing princesses these days? Food would be a nice start... the good stuff mind you.

  Marquis Halim Ondore IV : That can be arranged, in time.

  Balthier : Time enough for a bath I hope. Better set out a change of clothes as well.

• Basch fon Ronsenberg : Kidnapping royalty is a big offense. It won't help lower the bounty on your head.

  Balthier : How much is the bounty on your head these days I wonder.

• Ashe : This come in handy often?

  Balthier : It's tough being popular... wouldn't want any admirers dropping in while we're away.

• Balthier : At least we thought to bring entertainment.

• Ashe : [trying to rope Balthier into going in with them]  But you must think about what lies within-the Dawn Shard, and Raithwall's treasure.

  Balthier : And here was I thinking this was going to be hard!

• Balthier : [while a sword is pointed at his neck]  Well, at least your sword is to the point.

• Balthier : Nothing couldn't be further from my mind. Should I swear by your sword or some such?

• Balthier : Empires walk through streets while refugees walk barefoot through the snow.

• Ashe : This is the sword... the nethecite destroyer.

  Balthier : Should it find its mark.

• Balthier : Getting there should be only half the fun.

• Balthier : The best intentions invite the worst kind of trouble.

• Balthier : It's time to end this - cut my ties to the past.

• Vaan : ...Hey, you sure this rabbit hole's the way into Archades?

  Balthier : Better a hare unseen then a rat in a trap. Then again, if you'd prefer to go knocking on the front gates of the city, be my guest.

  Penelo : But what about once we're inside? Won't the city watch find us?

  Ashe : We'll do what we can to blend into the crowd. Our names may be notorious, but our faces are not far-known.

  Vaan : True, true. You're our princess, and we didn't even recognize you.

  Ashe : I noticed.

• Balthier : The mighty who have fallen and the fallen who would be mighty.

• Balthier : Oh to be sure. Archades reeks of a different filth. Let's be off! We can follow our noses to Draklor.

• Jules : Well, well, well... there's a sight for sore eyes. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again. Not here.

  Balthier : Oh wonderful. Enter the streetear.

  Jules : A pirate would do well to smile. Wouldn't want to sour his reputation.

• Balthier : Ah, a deal, brokered in true Archades fashion. Why, it's just like old times, Jules. Brings a tear to my eye.

• Balthier : Passing strange. there are *supposed* to be guards here.

  Vaan : Maybe... we're just lucky huh?

  Balthier : Maybe *you're* just optimistic.

• Balthier : Treasure. What else would a pirate want? We'll take the Dusk Shard.

• Balthier : How could you do this? How could you fall this far?

• Balthier : Always hiding behind your toys. Pity if anything were to happen to them.

• Balthier : And I should have realized by now. He never came. He laid out the bait, and we bit.

• Balthier : I'd rather stay out of *that* sky pirate's debt, thank you.

• Balthier : Easy, Fran

  Fran : [Touches his cheek]  Haven't you best be off? That's what a sky pirate does. You fly, don't you?

  Balthier : [Touches her hand on his cheek]  I suppose you better hang on then.

• Balthier : Yes, the man's last great accomplishments I fear. And so it comes to me to put an end to this thing.

• Balthier : We're relying on you for fire support. Give them something to think about. We'll pick our moment, and make our move.

• Fran : [Talking about a ship]  One follows.

  Balthier : Ah, you want to dance?

  [pause] 

  Balthier : Then lets dance.

  Fran : A new partner?

  Balthier : It's not easy being this popular you know.

• Basch fon Ronsenberg : A queen can always 'run away' with the help of a sky pirate who wishes to raise his bounty.

  Balthier : I doubt our queen will need the help of any sky pirates.

• Balthier : Hasty, aren't they? I think it's a little early to be throwing away our lives just yet.

• Ashe : Balthier! Do you understand exactly what it is you're doing?

  Balthier : Princess! No need to worry. I hope you haven't forgotten my role in this little story. I'm the leading man. You know what they say about the leading man. He never dies.

• Balthier : Lets fly! Fran! Power to the Glossair rings.

  [after no answer] 

  Balthier : Fran?

  [Sees Fran under some rubble and walks to her] 

  Balthier : Do I have to do everything around here?

• Balthier : Vaan! The Strahl is in your hands you hear? If there's one scratch on her when I get back...

  Vaan : Roger that. We'll be waiting for you.

• Fran : The gods are toying with us.

  Balthier : ...ugh...

• Bergan : [as he notices Ashe]  Ah, our vagrant princess. Swift has your lust for revenge led you to the Sword of Kings.

  [Steps to the side and reveals Anastasis's dead body] 

  Bergan : You will surrender it to me. Too late and to their sorrow do those who misplace their trust in gods learn their fate.

  [as Bergan approaches, Venat appears behind him] 

  Vaan : There it is again!

  Balthier : [as Bergan begins to radiate Mist]  Fran, I don't like the look of that.

  Fran : This Mist-he holds a Stone! It controls him as it did Mjrn!

  Bergan : [Chuckles]  No. No, the power of Manufacted Nethicite is the power of Man! A weapon forged by his wisdom... who would challenge the gods themselves!

  [holds up his sword] 

  Bergan : A fitting blade for a true Dynast-King! Raithwall did but pretend the title... a cur begging Nethicite scraps from his Master's table! Hark! Ivalice hails her true Dynast-King, Vayne Solidor! He shall defy the will of the Gods and see the reins of history back in the hands of Man! His time is Nigh! The new Ivalice holds no place for the name Dalmasca.

  [Draws his other sword] 

  Bergan : The stain of Raithwall's Blood shall be washed clean from history's weave!

• Balthier : [regarding Marquis Halim Ondore]  The men he's been funding bear little love for the Empire.

  [regarding Captain Basch] 

  Balthier : They won't be thrilled to discover that rumors of your death were, in fact, greatly exaggerated. If we were to raise a clamor to that effect, we might just get their attention.

  Vaan : Nothin' to it! I'll just go around town spreading the word. How 'bout this?

  [Vaan jumps onto a stone railing. The player hits the "Square" button, triggering...] 

  Vaan : I'm Captain Basch Fon Ronsenburg of Dalmasca!

  [Civilians stop and stare. Vaan turns to the others] 

  Vaan : Well? Whaddaya think?

  Balthier : That certainly qualifies as a clamor. All right, Vaan, get to it. For the girl's sake, eh? Oh, and the more people around to witness your little performance, the better. If we're going to reach the Marquis, it's up to you. We'll be waiting here, if you need us.

• Ashe : Lusting for ever greater power, blinded by the Nethicite. Is that how you see me?

  Balthier : That does sound like someone I know. He was obsessed with Nethicite. It was all he cared about. He'd babble nonsense, blind to aught but the Stone's power. He'd talk about some 'Eynah,' or was it 'Venat'? No matter. Everything he did, he did to get closer to the Nethicite, to understand it. He made airships, weapons. He even made me a Judge.

  Ashe : You were a Judge?

  Balthier : Part of a past I'd rather forget It didn't last long. I ran. I left the Judges... and him. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. Draklor Laboratory's very own Doctor Cid. That's when he lost his heart to Nethicite, lost himself. And I suppose that's when I lost my father.

• Cidolfus Demen Bunansa - Cid : Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca! Just how far will you go for power? Does your lust for Nethicite consume you?

  Ashe : [gasps] 

  Cidolfus Demen Bunansa - Cid : Am I right? I am, aren't I? A worthy daughter of the Dynast-King! You would do well to go to Giruvegan. Who knows? You may receive a new Stone for your trouble.

  Ashe : Your words mean nothing to me!

  Cidolfus Demen Bunansa - Cid : The reins of History back in the hands of Man. I too make for Giruvegan. Give chase, if you dare it!

  [boards a hover drone and flies away] 

  Balthier : Hate it when he does that.