friends

family

Wakka

One of the first people Tidus came to trust as a friend was Wakka. Wakka thought Tidus was an amazing blitzball player and asked him to join his team, without even really getting to know him first. But to Tidus, having someone who trusts him is important, especially since he was in a foreign land. Not to mention everyone thinking he was sick or ill, and didn't really want to go near him. And why not? Tidus loves blitzball and here is someone offering him a spot on their team. A losing team, but Tidus didn't know that at the time.

The two meet on the shores of Besaid Island, where Wakka was training with his blitzball team and Tidus was washing up on shore after falling overboard off the Al Bhed ship. A blitzball hits Tidus on the head, which is what wakes him up from unconsiousness. The blitzball reminded Tidus of his home so far out of his reach now, and excitedly, he couldn't help but show off some of his moves, which impressed Wakka (although later on, we discover anything impresses the easily impressed Wakka) so much that he asks him to join his team on the spot.

Wakka's blitzball team has never won a game in all the years that Wakka's been on the team (ouch). Since he was retiring from the sport soon, he really wanted to win the Luca Tournament that year, or at least not come in last place. Admitting something like your team being a loser every year takes serious guts. Wakka did not appear ashamed of it, rather, it was just a sad fact.

Wakka has a heart of gold and although he does not come off as an intelligent person, he's kind and honest. He admits to Tidus that although it appears as if he is using him to win the tournament, he truly wants to help the poor guy out. Tidus seemed like a nice fellow, and he was volunteering his time to play on Wakka's team. Never mind the fact that Tidus doesn't have anything better to do, but Wakka appreciates kindness. Tidus can clearly see that this Wakka person is a good person and when you are alone in an unknown land, you latch onto the first kind person you see. Somewhere inside of him, Tidus just knows Wakka's a good person. He doesn't take advantage of people.

Another reason Wakka was so kind to Tidus without really getting to know him is because Tidus looked an awful lot like his deceased brother Chappu. Wakka an honest person and even tells Tidus that he reminds him a lot of his brother. Tidus finds this fact interesting, but nothing more of it. Wakka looks after Tidus as if he is his younger brother Chappu -- I think somewhere inside of him, the tragedy of losing Chappu just never quite left and Tidus coming to Besaid was like a chance to redeem himself. Thanks to Lulu though, he does realize that Tidus can never be a replacement for Chappu and the dead can never return to the living. Still, he and Tidus have a brotherly bond that cannot be broken very easily.