Balthier » Relationships

Okay, quite honestly, Final Fantasy XII sucked at the character interactions. So this section is brief.

Vaan

Obviously, Vaan looks up to Balthier because Balthier has a giant airship. It's like comparing penis sizes, only more subtle. Balthier obviously likes Vaan enough to disciple him in the ways of the sky pirate, and entrust the Strahl to him before the endgame should anything happen to him. But apparently he didn't like him enough to let him keep it indefinitely.

In Revenant Wings, the sequel, Balthier seems to take on a very different approach. Not only does he concede the "leading man" position to Vaan, he actually takes on a semi-antagonistic role towards Vaan in the first part of the game.

Penelo

Balthier and Penelo don't talk much, if at all. Penelo's body isn't that great, so obviously Balthier will be focusing his eyes on Fran instead. And I think Penelo likes girly boys, too, so obviously her eyes will be on Vaan.

Fran

Fran is Balthier's bed bunnie, with all of the benefits. Fran obviously likes Balthier enough to follow him around and sate his male fantasies by wearing that uncomfortable piece of butt-floss and pointy stillettos. Balthier also obviously likes Fran a lot; he doesn't look at any other woman aside from her, and in the ending montage we see him kissing the forehead of a child... hopefully it wasn't born out of wedlock as a product of infidelity.

It has also been suggested that the aforementioned image is actually of Balthier's father and a baby Balthier.

Basch

Okay, my friend showed me a lot of shounen-ai pictures between these two. How wrong is that? Balthier is a well-groomed gentleman, not uke. Besides, we all know that Basch is really after Ashe, because everyone wants to land a princess. Except that bunnie dominatrixes top princess any day of the week. Aside from that, you can tell Basch has a mild distaste for Balthier and his sky pirating ways, and Balthier doesn't waste his time on ill-groomed unhygienic barbarians.

Ashe

Balthier and Ashe have a weird relationship. I mean, why else would Balthier demand the ring she got from Rasler as payment for his services? Balthier also seems to trust Ashe, since he lets her know the biggest secret in his past as an Imperial Judge. Ashe is also the person who communicates with Balthier as he's saving Rabanastre from the falling Bahamut. Oh well. At least Balthier returned the ring in the game's ending.

Dr. Cid

The crazy daddy. At least he's not as much of a fruitcake as Al-Cid. They don't like each other.

In all seriousness, Balthier and his dad don't get along because Balthier feels cheated that once his father got obsessed with nethicite, that was all he cared about; enough to even coerce Balthier to become an Imperial Judge in order to improve his own power. Balthier must have loved his father to some extent, considering how hurt he was once he lost him.

Ba'Gamnan

Ba'Gamnan is just there to give the party a hard time. He's pursuing Balthier's sizeable bounty, and never gets it. Poor lizard man. I think he just secretly wants Balthier's attention. Too bad Balthier doesn't go for dudes.