Originally Posted by
Masamune∙1600
Tidus, as is commonly known, was 17 years old during the events of FFX. However, some people have assumed that he is really ~1000 years old, having existed since Zanarkand was destroyed by Sin at the end of the Machina War. This stems from a misunderstanding of dialogue that takes place early in FFX.
Early on, Rikku tells Tidus that Sin destroyed Zanarkand a millennium before the events of FFX.
Rikku: Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your head gets
funny when Sin is near. Maybe you just had some kind of dream?
Tidus: You mean I'm sick?
Rikku: Because of Sin's toxin, yeah.
Tidus: You sure?
Rikku: Yeah, there is no Zanarkand anymore. Sin destroyed it a thousand
years ago. So...no one plays blitzball there.
Tidus: Huh? What you do mean a thousand years ago? But I saw Sin attack
Zanarkand! You're saying that happened a thousand years ago? No way!
Later, after Tidus washes up near Besaid, Wakka confirms Zanarkand’s death long ago.
Tidus: It's true Zanarkand was destroyed, right? A thousand years ago?
So it's just a big pile of rubble now, isn't it?
Wakka: Long time ago, there were a whole lot of cities in Spira. Big
cities with machina-machines-to run 'em. People played all day and let
the machina do the work. And then, well, take a look. Sin came, and
destroyed the machina cities. And Zanarkand along with 'em. Yeah, that
was about a thousand years ago, just like you said.
As a result of this and similar information, many people have assumed that Tidus was thrown ~1000 years forward by his encounter with Sin. However, such is not the case. Dream Zanarkand, summoned by Yu Yevon from within Sin, has basically existed since the “real” Zanarkand was destroyed. While the city itself is relatively static, architecturally unchanging, and with its Aeon citizenry unaware of what lies beyond the waters, its population is static, in flux like any human population found elsewhere in Spira. Time passes in identical fashion in Dream Zanarkand as it does anywhere else; hence, the residents of Dream Zanarkand are born, live out their lives, and eventually die.
In-game dialogue supports this idea that time passes in Dream Zanarkand in the same way it should in the rest of Spira.
Man's Voice: I was in the coffee shop, running away from home when I
heard the news. Our hero, Jecht, gone. Vanished into thin air! My dad
must have been his biggest fan. I knew how sad he'd be. Heck, we all
were that day. "Zanar", I say to myself, "What are you thinking?" I went
running straight back home. We sat up talking 'bout Jecht all night. My
dad and I never talked so much. Whoa... Didn't mean to reminisce, folks.
Anyway... Ten years later, the Jecht Memorial Cup tournament is today!
The two teams that have won through to the finals are...of course, the
Abes from A-East, and the Duggles from C-South. I know there's a lot of
people out there today to see the star of the Abes! In just one year,
he's become the team's number one player! He's Jecht's blood, and the
new hope of blitzball! What kind of super play will he show us today?
Will we see father's legendary shot? I don't think I'm the only one
excited here, folks!
Priest: Ten years have passed since Lord Braska became high summoner.
And finally we receive a statue for our temple.
Realize that Jecht accompanied Braska on his pilgrimage for the Final Aeon. According to the dialogue, ten years have passes in Spira since this event. According to the man from Dream Zanarkand, who calls himself Zanar, ten years have also passed in that place. For every year that passes in Spira, a year passes in Dream Zanarkand. This also suggests the dynamic reality of events there; it does not reset to Jecht again excelling in Blitzball. Rather, the torch has passed to the next generation.
Driving the point home even further, we later observe a discussion between Tidus and Yuna where we are left with no doubt that the times correspond.
Yuna: You're a blitzball player, aren't you? From Zanarkand, right?
Tidus: You hear that from Wakka? Wakka doesn't believe me at all.
Yuna: But I believe you! I've heard, in Zanarkand...there is a great
stadium, all lit up even at night!
Tidus: Huh?
Yuna: Great blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are
always full!
Tidus: How do you know that?
Yuna: A man named Jecht told me. He was my father's guardian.
Tidus mumbles "Jecht" to himself in an unhappy way.
Tidus: My father...his name is Jecht!
Yuna: Amazing! You know, our meeting like this must be the blessing of
Yevon!
Tidus: Sounds like him, but it can't be him.
Yuna: Why not?
Tidus: My old man, he died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand.
Yuna: I'm sorry.
Tidus: He went out to sea for training one day...and never came back.
And no one's seen him since then.
Yuna: Why, that's the day that Jecht came to Spira. It's true! I first
met Jecht ten years and three months ago! I remember, that was the day
my father left. The date fits, doesn't it?
Furthermore, we repeatedly see that Tidus himself has changed as time has passed. In several instances, we see flashbacks of a young Tidus, a child in Dream Zanarkand.
Jecht: You with a woman? You can't even catch a ball! Oh, what's the
matter? Gonna cry again? Cry, cry. That's the only thing you're good
for!
Young Tidus: I hate you.
Jecht: Huh? What'd you say?
Man: But, it's been nearly... It's been nearly a day already.
Woman: Perhaps you could go look for us.
Man: People are searching for him now.
Woman: Thank you.
Young Tidus: Who cares whether he comes back or not?
Woman: But he might die!
Young Tidus: Fine, let him!
Woman: Do you... Do you hate him so?
Young Tidus nods "yes".
Woman: If he dies, you'll never be able to tell him how much you hate
him.
Jecht: See? I told him what I thought of him, right there!
Tidus' Mom: Really?
Jecht: 'Course!
Tidus' Mom: I suppose, but...
Young Tidus: Mommy...
Tidus' Mom: Just a sec, dear.
Again, we see the change wrought by time. Ten years ago, Tidus was a child. Presently, he is a young adult.
Thus, while they are dependent upon the fayth and the Summoning within Sin for substantiation, the citizenry is entirely different from the residents that the fayth Dreamt to originally populate Dream Zanarkand. However, this citizenry is unaware of the Spira that exists outside the borders of Dream Zanarkand. Tidus had never heard of Bevelle, or Luca, or the actual Zanarkand, or any other location in Spira. As a result, he interpreted the Zanarkand long destroyed to be the same as Dream Zanarkand, his Zanarkand. This led many to the mistaken assumption that Tidus had been Dreamt 1000 years ago, the memory of Shuyin. However, realizing that Tidus really is only 17, we can see that the temporal distance between Shuyin and Tidus is massive. Tidus is certainly many generations removed from the original memories of Dream Zanarkand, and thus has no link of this manner to Shuyin.
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