Final Fantasy VI/Characters/Locke Cole


 * Class: Adventurer
 * Skill: Steal
 * Special Attack: Mirage Dive
 * Special Attack type: Desperation Attack
 * Age: 25
 * Height: 5'9" (1.75 m)
 * Weight: 147 lb (67 kg)

Locke Cole (ロック・コール) is one of the party members in Final Fantasy VI. He is a thief, but to avoid any ill repute he insists on being referred to as a "treasure hunter."

Biography
Locke is a daring thief, who uses the term "treasure hunter" to describe himself, perhaps in an attempt to justify his thievery and plundering. Locke is generally liked by many of the characters, but exhibits a constant desire to protect the female characters in the game, particularly Terra and Celes. This complex stems from an incident in his past involving his love, Rachel.

During a treasure hunt expedition with Rachel (from the flashback in the game, this expedition took place at Mt. Kolts), Rachel fell a great distance from a collapsing bridge, while trying to save Locke from the same fate. Locke pulled Rachel back from the abyss, and took her back to Kohlingen, where she was in a coma. During her coma, she became amnesic, and when she awoke to see Locke, Rachel did not remember him. Rachel's father told Locke to leave her following her amnesia, and a heartbroken Locke could only obey. One year later, Empire attacked Kohlingen, and Locke learned that Rachel had died in the attack. Her dying words were "If Locke ever returns, please tell him I love him." Since hearing the news, Locke became heartbroken and consumed by memories of her death, and continued to blame himself for not having the power to protect Rachel. Since being consumed by these memories, Locke travels the world to find the ancient relic, Phoenix, in a last-ditch effort to bring Rachel back from the dead. Until that time, though, Locke has a herbologist (known only as "Patriarch") use herbs to keep Rachel's body in suspended animation in the basement of a house in Kohlingen, to keep it from deteriorating.

In his travels, he meets Terra in the mines of Narshe, saves her from pursuers who want to return her to the Empire, and vows to protect her until her memory returns. Locke learning that Terra has amnesia likely triggers his memories of Rachel, and thus strengthens his conviction to protect Terra. Locke also helps rescue Celes from certain persecution in South Figaro, and swears to protect her as well. Celes has her suspicions as to why Locke wants to protect her, because all her life she has been used only as a weapon of the Empire, and wishes only for someone to accept her for who she really is. In their travels, Locke becomes attached to Celes, but Locke has doubts about Celes's loyalty to the Returners in the Magitek Research Facility, when Cid presents the possibility that Celes brought them there, "seeking to cause an uprising". This causes great discontent in Celes, and in an effort to prove her truth to her word, she heals Locke and his companions after they are attacked by Kefka, and attempts to keep Kefka at bay. After that incident, Locke feels bad for doubting Celes's motives, but Locke's previous doubt hurts Celes deep, and she in turn distances herself from Locke during their journey to Crescent Island with General Leo. Although frustrated, Locke continues to protect Terra.

In the World of Ruin, Locke continues his search for the elusive Phoenix, which further shows his inability to let go of his past. When he finally finds the Phoenix magicite, he returns to Kohlingen to attempt to use Phoenix on Rachel. When he tries to use Phoenix, the magicite shatters, but the Phoenix's power revives Rachel for only a little while. In the little time Rachel has, she tells Locke that she loves him, to let go of his past, and to "learn to love [him]self again". Rachel's spirit in turn reforms the magicite Phoenix, and after being able to talk to Rachel again, Locke gains a new sense of hope, and rejoins the rest of the party to fight Kefka.

Locke was born on, making him a Sagittarius.

Abilities
Locke's special skill is Steal, which allows him to steal an item from an enemy. Later in the game, the player can equip him with a Sneak Ring, which doubles the success rate Steal, and the Thief Glove, which changes his Steal command into Capture. The Capture command steals from an enemy and also attacks it in the process. Later games refer to this attack as Mug.

Locke also has a 4 hit version of Capture. If Locke is equipped with both a Thief Glove and an Offering, his Capture ability will hit up to 4 times in a similar fashion to Cyan's Quadra Slam and Quadra Slice skills. However, the actual theft will only occur once, even if the game informs the player that multiple thefts occurred; only one of the mentioned items will be in the player's inventory.

Locke's Deathblow (later known by its common title of Limit Break in Final Fantasy VII) is called Mirager (or Mirage Dive in the Japanese version). He performs a leaping attack with afterimages trailing him. The attack is very similar to Sabin's Bum Rush, only much more powerful.

Music
In Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version, Locke's theme is called "Lock" -- disc 1, track 4. His is also found in the tracks:
 * Forever Rachel -- 2, 4

Trivia

 * Unlike most thieves in the Final Fantasy series, Locke can equip heavy armor and wield the most powerful swords in the game. This may be due to his Adventurer class, which could be considered an advanced version of the Thief class.
 * Locke is one of three Final Fantasy VI characters (the others are Celes and Shadow) who appeared in the Final Fantasy VI SGI Demo.
 * Locke's name (English versions) may be taken from John Locke, an English philosopher famous as a proponent of the or the "blank slate", the idea that the mind contains no innate ideas. Locke's name can also be seen as an English-language pun; in addition to being similar to the word "lock", Cole is an American lock brand. It is also similar to the name of the Norse trickster god, Loki, which is fitting due to his personality as a thief/treasure hunter.
 * Final Fantasy IX ' s Zidane Tribal is very similar to Locke: both characters are thieves who share a heroic personality and an impulse to protect others. They look alike, too, sporting dirty blonde hair and wearing blue- and white-colored clothing. Moreover, they share similar attack stances, in which they stretch their hand towards the enemy before striking.
 * Final Fantasy XII ' s Vaan is also very similar to Locke. Both characters are thieves, have blonde hair, and wear a blue vest. Locke's fireball ability in the Final Fantasy VI SGI Demo is also extremely similar to Vaan's Pyroclasm.
 * Because of his past and his actions while playing the game, Locke can be easily be considered a Byronic hero, despite the fact the he doesn't have a self-destructive attitude. (Later heroes Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart are better examples of this.)
 * Locke is often considered the main male character of Final Fantasy VI due to his role in the World of Balance. The only detractor to this claim is that he was an optional character during the World of Ruin. However, Terra, whom most fans see as the true main character in the game, was optional as well, only having to participate in the final battle if not recruited.