Final Fantasy XII
Balthier first appears in Final Fantasy XII. Along with his companion Fran, he attempts to steal the Dusk Shard from the Dalmascan Royal Palace. Things go awry when Vaan, a young street urchin, steals it first and the rebels assault the Palace. It is through this series of coincidences that Balthier and Fran fall in with Ashe, Basch, Vaan and Penelo and the wider conflict over Dalmasca.
A notorious sky pirate, Balthier has a considerable bounty on his head. This impacts the party’s quest as bounty hunters such as Ba’Gamnan are constantly in pursuit.
Eventually it is revealed that Balthier was once a Judge, but left it all behind for the life of a sky pirate after falling out with his maniacal father, Dr. Cid.
In the final battle on the Sky Fortress Bahamut, Balthier and Fran are trapped on board when it crashes to earth. Although seemingly dead at first, it is revealed at the end of the game that Balthier and Fran survive, retrieving the Strahl from Vaan and Penelo and leaving a note for the now Queen Ashe.
Family
Balthier shares a distant and bitter relationship with his father, the evil
Dr. Cid ( Cidolfus Demen Bunansa), an Arcadian scientist.
Airship
Balthier is the captain of an
airship called the
Strahl. Airships feature in virtually all Final Fantasy games and are nearly always supplied by a character called Cid. In this case, it is Cid's son who provides the airship.
"
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
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