Squall Leonhart

Squall Leonhart is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII. He is a student at Balamb Garden military academy, perceived as a stoic and focused loner. Squall is later given the title of Commander due to his outstanding skills. His signature weapon is the gunblade. Squall idolizes the mythical angel-winged lion Griever, holding it as an idol of courage and strength, traits he strives to achieve himself. Throughout the game, Squall gradually transforms from a loner to an open and caring person, largely due to his relationships with his comrades and his love for Rinoa Heartilly. Squall's character development and relationships are central to Final Fantasy VIII. He is also designed to contrast with his friend Laguna Loire, who is outgoing and friendly, while Squall is silent and reserved. Squall appears in the Kingdom Hearts series as "Leon", a mentor figure for Sora. His design was inspired by the actor River Phoenix and underwent modifications to make him more masculine. Squall's catchphrase "whatever" in the English version is notable, while in Japanese, he often says "well, excuse me".