Here's a theory, not about Necron's role in the game in terms of plot, but as a thread to other games. I don't, of course, refer to a literal connection (we've discussed this before), but rather to the myriad references to previous Final Fantasies that occur in FFIX. While all the explicit references, in terms of name, story, and facility, have likely been identified and/or explored, there may be certain implicit references to previous FF's that are not so easily determined.
In my view (or at least for the speculative purposes of this post), I would interpret Necron as homage to the ideas of Zeromus and Neo Ex-Death. In previous contentions on behalf of Necron's role in FFIX in this thread, similarities to the dialogue of Zeromus were pointed out.
Originally Posted by
Squall of SeeD
(Zeromus' final words.)
Quote:
Zeromus: I will not...perish...so long as evil...dwells in the hearts...of mankind. G...gh... GRRRAAGH!
(Necron's final words.)
Quote:
"This is not the end."
"I am eternal..."
"...as long as there is life and death..."
Such a similarity should not be ignored, particularly in light of the multitude of clearly intentional references to previous Final Fantasies that were placed in the game. In fact, Zeromus' words could be Necron's: if evil exists in the hearts of men, then the possibility of one or more individuals seeking some ultimate destruction or negation also exists. Thus, as long as evil is perpetuated, so is the potential for Necron to see reason to perform his nullifying work.
Furthermore, in saying "nullifying", I suggest that Necron's purpose was more than to kill, to turn life to death. Rather, Necron sought something more profound and more horrible: the negation, the very dissolution of existence as we understand it.
(Necron): "I exist for one purpose..."
"To return everything back to the zero world, where there is no life and no crystal to give life."
"In a world of nothing, fear does not exist. This is the world that all life desires."
Necron, according to the dialogue, desires to return "everything" to the "zero world." Not only is this zero world a place with no life, it is also a place with no crystal. If the crystal, which gives life, disappears, then theoretically even the possibility of life also vanishes. Also, the crystal deals heavily with the idea of memory.
Voice of Garland: You have entered a new realm. There are no more
words. There is no more space... Follow your memory, and march forth...
Zidane: Garland, what exactly is our memory!?
Voice of Garland: .........
Zidane: Why can I remember other people's experiences and events that
happened before my time?
Voice of Garland: .........
Zidane: Garland, please! Tell me!
Voice of Garland: ...Do not limit memory to just one individual's
experiences from birth. That is only the surface. Every life born into
this world, whether natural or artificial, requires a parent. And that
parent also requires a parent. Life is connected, one to another... If
you trace the root of all life, there exists one source. The same can
be said for memory. All life constitutes an intelligence that holds
memory beyond experience. Memory is not isolated within individuals. It
is an accumulation of generations of memories that continues to evolve.
You can say that memory and evolution go hand in hand. But most life-
forms do not understand the true nature of memories... ...which explains
why most memories never cross paths.
Zidane: ...So, what am I gonna find by tracing back our roots?
Voice of Garland: ...A presence that presides over all life and memories.
The crystal...
Zidane: Crystal...
There is clearly a difference between dying and having never existed. But if both life and memory are so intimately tied to the crystal, and memory is a quality that transcends individuals (for the purpose of the game), then eliminating the crystal obliterates all memory. Gven that the crystal gives tangible form to life, this effectively voids everything that had ever happened.
As noted in a previous post, it's possible that the zero world doesn't necessarily imply total negation. However, it is a possibility. What's really relevant, however, is this: the idea bears striking similarity to a previous FF concept. Note that I managed to sneak in the word "voids." Clearly, negation and nothingness are not new concepts to the series. Neo Ex-Death, the final boss of FFV, is the very embodiment of the Void. Similarly, Necron can be interpreted as the embodiment, or more accurately the will, of negation. However, even if you find these ideas difficult to accept, the fact remains that Necron bears a clear resemblance to Neo Ex-Death.
Furthermore, "Necron" was not the original name for this entity. The Japanese version of the game calls it the "Darkness of Eternity", which still appears in the dialogue.
Zidane: U-Ugh... What happened to the crystal...? ...Where is this?
Unknown Voice: You stand before the final dimension, and I am the
darkness of eternity...
Zidane: Wh-Who are you!?
Necron, the Darkness of Eternity, is just that. He is the force that would remove the light, the crystal, from existence. And who's to say that, at least in theory, the crystal is not responsible for time? If the crystal disappears, taking with it time, then the darkness of eternity (you can, for fun, compare this to Chrono Cross' Darkness of Time if you like) becomes a chilling reality. Neo Ex-Death, should it prevail against Bartz and company, would seem to signify the victory of the Void over that which currently exists. The Void is a plot device, and can be interpreted in different ways, but I don't think it's too great a stretch to compare the darkness of eternity idea.
Throughout this post, I've constructed a view of Necron as a force to essentially dissolve existence. That can be argued from a number of postions, but such a theory was not my
main intent. Rather, I hoped to point out similarities between Necron and Zeromus and Neo Ex-Death. Necron is a plot element, certainly, but it is also more than that: Necron recalls FFIV and FFV, allowing veteran gamers to once more recall their past experiences.