Ooooh, I always get chills from this theme. Easily one of the most haunting themes in the series, way more than the original's FFII incarnations over the years when they're much more bombastic.
One of the biggest ball drop was not having this theme when fighting Garland. It sets the tone of the fight with him and would probably leave a bigger impression of Garland and the scene that transpired.
[Garland floats to a new screen. Zidane follows] Garland "His ambition was unbecoming of a Genome, but it was perfect for the mission I gave him." "To bring war and chaos to Gaia... That was what I sent him to do." "To induce an unnaturally chaotic flow." Zidane "So then, why-" Garland "The disruption of the flow of souls is best brought about by war." "And what he did for me far exceeded my greatest expectations." Okay, to make this clearer, here is a quote from the FFWiki: " Soulcage's goal was to halt the flow of souls in Gaia and replace them with the souls of Terra, eventually transforming Gaia into a new Terra when enough of Gaia's spirit energy has turned into Terran energy. The stagnant Gaian souls that could not be reincarnated turned into Mist as a byproduct of this process, which was used to spark war among Gaians to increase the rate at which they died, thereby allowing the Terran souls to replace the Gaian souls faster." "Garland's ultimate plan is for Terra to assimilate the planet of Gaia via replacing the Gaian souls with Terran ones. To accelerate the process Garland created Kuja and sent him to Gaia to incite war so Gaian souls would be replaced faster. However, Garland initially deemed Kuja a failure. According to the Final Fantasy IX Ultimania, Kuja was created as he is and never experienced a childhood. Thus he never developed full human emotions and would never be able to enter Trance, the world's ultimate power." But here is a big question, why did Garland even need to make Zidane and Kuja in the first place when he could have simply just used the INVINCIBLE to cause death on Gaia? This is what I meant back in Alexandria a few chapters ago when I said that the Invincible causes some of the biggest plot holes in the story. The Invincible is really overpowered, it devastated an entire settlement of the summoners with no struggle, it can enslave Eidolons easily like we saw with Bahamut, and not even Alexander, the most powerful Gaia Eidolon, could stand up to it and got blown up easily. Why does Garland need an "Angel of Death" when he can just take the Invincible and blow up every city and densely populated area on the Mist Continent to speed up the soul switching process? Zidane "What about me!? How did I end up on Gaia?" Garland "When you received the gift of life in Bran Bal, Kuja could not bear it." "He could not bear to see a Genome with more power than his own; he felt threatened." "Kuja discarded you. He dropped you onto Gaia, the world he would destroy." And yet you still let Kuja have control over the Invincible after that? When really, you shouldn't even have let him be within a mile radius of it. What the heck is up with that? Zidane "So I was to be your slave, just like Kuja, to start a war on Gaia?" Garland "That is correct." "I did not expect Kuja to abandon you, but I believed it was his nature." What, you didn't expect that Kuja would abandon Zidane? That a whiny narcissist would try and sabotage his replacement that is supposed to be superior to him? Is your head screwed on right, Garland? Garland "And to him, bringing war to Gaia would prove his victory over you." "Perhaps it is because of his desire to justify his existence that he let you live as well." Yeah sure, let the boy who is supposed to be superior to you, live, so that his true powers awaken to kick your ass. This all boils down to dumb egotism from Kuja. Unless that Kuja really did care about Zidane, but just wouldn't admit it. But that's hard to buy because most of the game is just Kuja being a cartoon villain with no development, depth and sympathy… until the last minute where it is really forced. (Will be getting to that soon at the ending) Zidane "So, that is why the blood of thousands had to be spilled?" Garland "Are you referring to Kuja's ambition? Or to our plan to disrupt the cycle of souls?" Zidane "Both! And what exactly do you gain by disrupting that cycle of souls, or whatever..." Garland "We must sort the souls." "I want to disrupt Gaia's cycle and drain its souls, filling the void with the souls of Terra." "To speed the cycle of souls is to speed the work as a whole. Thus, war..." "And in time... Gaia's souls are gone, and Gaia becomes Terra." Sorry, but this doesn't make any sense either. According to this logic, during these five thousand years, a good half of the souls of Gaia should have already been replaced by the souls of Terra. What changed? How will Gaia ever turn into Terra, even if the poor souls of the terrans were possessed by the freaking rat people from Burmecia and Cleyra? Also, the writers couldn't have just made it "two thousand years" to go with Garland and all the FFI references? Zidane "But...how!?" Garland "You saw it with your own eyes. You saw the Iifa Tree and the Mist it emits." "The role of the Iifa Tree is that of Soul Divider. The Mist you see comprises the stagnant souls of Gaia..." Which pretty much confirms that the Black Mages that come from the Mist are actually Gaia people resurrected into artificial bodies, but even after this revelation, the game won't really explore this more interesting path, and will instead keep doing the pretentious Blade Runner allusions that don't really fit with the Black Mages. Not to mention the other implications like how Gaia machinery ran on the Mist, meaning that they were unknowingly using souls as a fuel source, but that is also never explored. Zidane "Oh yeah? But we stopped the Mist! So much for that!" Garland "All you saw was the back of the tree..." These words will lead to some players making up theories about Necron that are ultimately jossed by the Ultimania. (Will be getting to that infamous moment when that video comes up)
0:40 [Zidane goes up the stairs. The word "Pandemonium" appears on the screen. The screen changes to a room where Zidane finally catches up to Garland] Zidane "Stop!" "Now, tell me everything!" Garland "I constructed the Genomes to be vessels for the souls of the people of Terra when they awaken." "But 24 years ago, I gave life to a Genome that was very much like you." "His will was too strong to make him into a proper vessel, and I even considered discarding him." "But then I thought that I should put his strength to use." "I sent that Genome as my servant, to disrupt the cycle of souls on Gaia." Garland's dialogue here suggests that Kuja was never made to be a super weapon like Zidane was. He was just supposed to be a regular Genome. Which, if that is the case, then why was Kuja so ridiculously powerful (aside from Garland) and could tank a hit from freaking Bahamut's megaflare attack? Also, what do you mean "his will was too strong"? You were the one that made him! You couldn't have simply not give him a soul? Actually, how did Kuja get a soul anyways? Did the red crystal manage to give him one despite it's weakened state? The Ultimania also contradicts this dialogue by saying that Garland had intentionally made Kuja to help speed up the disruption process, either what Garland said here is a mistranslation, or the writers had no idea what they were doing and what was said in the Ultimania was a retcon. With everything we have seen these past three disks, the latter is more likely. [Garland walks to the left side of the screen. Zidane follows him] Zidane "Yeah, so tell me who he is already!" Is it really that hard to figure it out yourself, Zidane? Who was the one who literally sent you to Oeilvert which talks about Terra? Garland "Do you not yet know? You and he are so much alike." Zidane "Alike? I've never met anyone like me..." Garland "You judge only be appearances. I mean someone with a soul similar to yours." "The one I sent to Gaia might also be called your brother..." "And his name is Kuja." How exactly are Zidane and Kuja brothers? Do they have the same DNA? Also, yeah, this is pretty much stealing from FFIV with Cecil and Golbez. (except that Golbez was at least more sympathetic and was being controlled and manipulated by Zemus, the DS Remake of IV expanding on that more. While Kuja is just a narcissistic man-child) Heck, Garland here is pretty much Fusoya, but more extremist. FFIV seems to be one of the FFs that IX rips off the most from, it also rips off FFI a lot. Zidane "Kuja!? He's a Genome!? Impossible! He doesn't even have a tail..." Garland "He is only hiding it. He denies his own identity." How the heck is Kuja able to hide his tail in that man-thong of his? Actually, I might not like the answer. Garland "He rejects the meaning of his existence and tries to assert his own individuality." "Don't you see the resemblance?" Zidane isn't a hyper-individualistic asshole like Kuja is though. Zidane "Shut up! I'm not like him at all!" Garland "He said the same thing when speaking about the other Genomes: 'I'm not like these guys.'" So Kuja just has special snowflake syndrome.
0:00 [The "Old Man" that Zidane saw when first arriving in Terra suddenly appears in front of him] Zidane "Who are you!?" Old Man "Twelve years ago, I lost one of my most prized Genomes." "I created him and sent him to Gaia to disrupt the cycle of souls there." Okay the "sent him" part is incorrect. It was Kuja who stole Zidane away and dumped him on Gaia, which you should clearly know about, Garland. Old Man "You are that Genome... I am glad you have returned." Zidane "Shut up! Nobody tells me what to do!" And how has that been working out for you, Zidane? This is also ironic, considering that you pretty much did exactly what Mikoto told you to do. Also, are you sure that Garnet isn't an exception to that rule? Zidane "And I didn't come here to answer to you!" "Lemme guess... You must be Garland!" Garland "And what if I am?" Zidane "Then you're goin' down! And what is your strategy to do that, Zidane? Just pull a Leeroy Jenkins on him? Zidane But first, you're gonna tell me everything!" "Like, why did I grow up on Gaia, and why do you want to destroy it!?" [Garland dissapears, and reappears behind him] Garland teleports a lot during this scene, but afterwards, even in battle against him, the whole teleporting thing just stops for no reason.
Zidane "My home is with them in Gaia!" "If you say I have a motive, then it's to punish all of you who brought pain to my friends!" "I'll destroy Terra! That's reason enough for my birth here as a Genome!" …Wow, how "heroic", Zidane. "I am a benefactor, so I will now arrange genocide for all my people." Way to demonize an entire group of people for the actions of two individuals (Garland and Kuja), one of whom was more well intentioned, even if the methods were extreme. (The other was just a narcissistic d-bag) Terra and Gaia are also supposed to be consciousnesses. This is one of the things that I hate most about IX. All this stuff with Gaia and Terra is actually some of the most interesting stuff in IX, but it all happens way too late into the game and is thrown so forcefully in, it's presented as some momentous revelation, and then ends up having all the impact of a badly-timed non-sequitur (It's like in Chrono Cross with the revelation that Lynx is Serge's father, it happens so late into the game that you wonder why the writers even bothered), doesn't really go into details about Terra's culture and lore, and it's just disgustingly reduced to this black and white "us or them" bullshit, especially with how Zidane's and Garnet's love story could have factored into all this, but I will be explaining that during the ending. Even 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds', did this whole thing better with Hyrule and Lorule, and that game's story didn't even have that much depth and complexity. Heck, the FFVII Remake seems to be doing this better with what Rebirth revealed about the Gi. Garland "Regrettable... I thought your soul would be perfect for a new angel of death..." Okay, how did you even get Zidane's soul? Why and how did you pick that one out? Is Garland able to influence the Terra Crystal a little bit or something? Zidane "I AM the new angel of death! Yours!" Garland "Don't you know what it means to meet your maker?" Zidane "Shut up! I've heard enough of your crap! I'm taking you out, right here, right now!" Uh huh, and how are you going to do that then, Zidane? Garland "Foolishness..." "The body becomes a vessel, which greets a new soul..." Zidane "What's happening!?" [Zidane falls down] Garland "He's too good to make into a regular Genome..." "But I have no choice." What's happening here is that Garland is apparently removing Zidane's soul from his body. How? Never explained. But here is another question, if Garland could do that this whole time, why didn't he just do this to Kuja after the whole Alexander fiasco? Garland "...Then show me! Lecture me again when you are on the verge of death!" [A Silver Dragon descends between Garland and your team of characters: Battle vs. the Silver Dragon. It gets defeated and destroyed. The screen returns to the group] This is apparently the same Silver Dragon that we have seen Kuja riding before, unless it's a different one, but considering how the dragon that Kuja rides on disappears after disk 2 and Kuja has to use an airship by that point, I'd say that this is definitely that same dragon. Which just raises a question about the dragon that isn't really answered.
![[Video Soundtrack] Not Alone [FINAL FANTASY IX]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eqw0yS7W06U/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Video Soundtrack] Not Alone [FINAL FANTASY IX]](/img/tr.png)
![[Video Soundtrack] The Extreme [FINAL FANTASY VIII]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WFjHWw_w91Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Love the Final Fantasy II Pandemonium Castle Theme on the background, so sneaky, beautiful work ❤
It sets a very different mood than the original Pandemonium
ＦＦ２パンデモニウムのテーマも好きだったなー
FF2's is better I'd say.
そのパイプオルガンアレンジがこれ?
la hora perfecta del día para escuchar esto.
Ooooh, I always get chills from this theme. Easily one of the most haunting themes in the series, way more than the original's FFII incarnations over the years when they're much more bombastic.
Bombastic is more fitting for the FFII Emperor who is basically a cross between Napoleon and Genghis Khan.
@@PaulvonOberstein Yes.
If you set it to 2x speed, it sounds almost the exact same as the FF2 original. Uematsu's genius is awe-inspiring.
明かされる真実、そして・・・
この曲がなかったらきっとFF2に興味を持つということもなかったと思います。どっちの作品も本当に自分の中で最高に大好きです。
パンデモニウム、2のGBA版も聞いてくれ（切実）
Epic
Sinister
Cold
I could totally see Uematsu-san playing this on an actual church organ. 😅
It's kinda Garland's Theme №2.
got some of that castlevania castle organ vibes, which who is playing them organs?!
it's been a minute
よーく意識するとFF2のパンデモニウムのアレンジである?
One of the biggest ball drop was not having this theme when fighting Garland.
It sets the tone of the fight with him and would probably leave a bigger impression of Garland and the scene that transpired.
Master of Time. Part 2.
I actually didn't even know that it was a different song. Probably my least favorite ones in the game. :/
@@IcyAuron I thought so too, now listening to the two themes side by side they sound slightly different
Awesome [Video Soundtrack] Pandemonium [FINAL FANTASY IX] Video.
[Garland floats to a new screen. Zidane follows]
Garland "His ambition was unbecoming of a Genome, but it was perfect for the mission I gave him." "To bring war and chaos to Gaia... That was what I sent him to do." "To induce an unnaturally chaotic flow."
Zidane "So then, why-"
Garland "The disruption of the flow of souls is best brought about by war." "And what he did for me far exceeded my greatest expectations."
Okay, to make this clearer, here is a quote from the FFWiki: " Soulcage's goal was to halt the flow of souls in Gaia and replace them with the souls of Terra, eventually transforming Gaia into a new Terra when enough of Gaia's spirit energy has turned into Terran energy. The stagnant Gaian souls that could not be reincarnated turned into Mist as a byproduct of this process, which was used to spark war among Gaians to increase the rate at which they died, thereby allowing the Terran souls to replace the Gaian souls faster."
"Garland's ultimate plan is for Terra to assimilate the planet of Gaia via replacing the Gaian souls with Terran ones. To accelerate the process Garland created Kuja and sent him to Gaia to incite war so Gaian souls would be replaced faster. However, Garland initially deemed Kuja a failure. According to the Final Fantasy IX Ultimania, Kuja was created as he is and never experienced a childhood. Thus he never developed full human emotions and would never be able to enter Trance, the world's ultimate power."
But here is a big question, why did Garland even need to make Zidane and Kuja in the first place when he could have simply just used the INVINCIBLE to cause death on Gaia? This is what I meant back in Alexandria a few chapters ago when I said that the Invincible causes some of the biggest plot holes in the story. The Invincible is really overpowered, it devastated an entire settlement of the summoners with no struggle, it can enslave Eidolons easily like we saw with Bahamut, and not even Alexander, the most powerful Gaia Eidolon, could stand up to it and got blown up easily. Why does Garland need an "Angel of Death" when he can just take the Invincible and blow up every city and densely populated area on the Mist Continent to speed up the soul switching process?
Zidane "What about me!? How did I end up on Gaia?"
Garland "When you received the gift of life in Bran Bal, Kuja could not bear it." "He could not bear to see a Genome with more power than his own; he felt threatened." "Kuja discarded you. He dropped you onto Gaia, the world he would destroy."
And yet you still let Kuja have control over the Invincible after that? When really, you shouldn't even have let him be within a mile radius of it. What the heck is up with that?
Zidane "So I was to be your slave, just like Kuja, to start a war on Gaia?"
Garland "That is correct." "I did not expect Kuja to abandon you, but I believed it was his nature."
What, you didn't expect that Kuja would abandon Zidane? That a whiny narcissist would try and sabotage his replacement that is supposed to be superior to him? Is your head screwed on right, Garland?
Garland "And to him, bringing war to Gaia would prove his victory over you." "Perhaps it is because of his desire to justify his existence that he let you live as well."
Yeah sure, let the boy who is supposed to be superior to you, live, so that his true powers awaken to kick your ass. This all boils down to dumb egotism from Kuja.
Unless that Kuja really did care about Zidane, but just wouldn't admit it. But that's hard to buy because most of the game is just Kuja being a cartoon villain with no development, depth and sympathy… until the last minute where it is really forced. (Will be getting to that soon at the ending)
Zidane "So, that is why the blood of thousands had to be spilled?"
Garland "Are you referring to Kuja's ambition? Or to our plan to disrupt the cycle of souls?"
Zidane "Both! And what exactly do you gain by disrupting that cycle of souls, or whatever..."
Garland "We must sort the souls." "I want to disrupt Gaia's cycle and drain its souls, filling the void with the souls of Terra." "To speed the cycle of souls is to speed the work as a whole. Thus, war..." "And in time... Gaia's souls are gone, and Gaia becomes Terra."
Sorry, but this doesn't make any sense either. According to this logic, during these five thousand years, a good half of the souls of Gaia should have already been replaced by the souls of Terra. What changed? How will Gaia ever turn into Terra, even if the poor souls of the terrans were possessed by the freaking rat people from Burmecia and Cleyra?
Also, the writers couldn't have just made it "two thousand years" to go with Garland and all the FFI references?
Zidane "But...how!?"
Garland "You saw it with your own eyes. You saw the Iifa Tree and the Mist it emits." "The role of the Iifa Tree is that of Soul Divider. The Mist you see comprises the stagnant souls of Gaia..."
Which pretty much confirms that the Black Mages that come from the Mist are actually Gaia people resurrected into artificial bodies, but even after this revelation, the game won't really explore this more interesting path, and will instead keep doing the pretentious Blade Runner allusions that don't really fit with the Black Mages.
Not to mention the other implications like how Gaia machinery ran on the Mist, meaning that they were unknowingly using souls as a fuel source, but that is also never explored.
Zidane "Oh yeah? But we stopped the Mist! So much for that!"
Garland "All you saw was the back of the tree..."
These words will lead to some players making up theories about Necron that are ultimately jossed by the Ultimania. (Will be getting to that infamous moment when that video comes up)
0:40 [Zidane goes up the stairs. The word "Pandemonium" appears on the screen. The screen changes to a room where Zidane finally catches up to Garland]
Zidane "Stop!" "Now, tell me everything!"
Garland "I constructed the Genomes to be vessels for the souls of the people of Terra when they awaken." "But 24 years ago, I gave life to a Genome that was very much like you." "His will was too strong to make him into a proper vessel, and I even considered discarding him." "But then I thought that I should put his strength to use." "I sent that Genome as my servant, to disrupt the cycle of souls on Gaia."
Garland's dialogue here suggests that Kuja was never made to be a super weapon like Zidane was. He was just supposed to be a regular Genome. Which, if that is the case, then why was Kuja so ridiculously powerful (aside from Garland) and could tank a hit from freaking Bahamut's megaflare attack?
Also, what do you mean "his will was too strong"? You were the one that made him! You couldn't have simply not give him a soul? Actually, how did Kuja get a soul anyways? Did the red crystal manage to give him one despite it's weakened state?
The Ultimania also contradicts this dialogue by saying that Garland had intentionally made Kuja to help speed up the disruption process, either what Garland said here is a mistranslation, or the writers had no idea what they were doing and what was said in the Ultimania was a retcon. With everything we have seen these past three disks, the latter is more likely.
[Garland walks to the left side of the screen. Zidane follows him]
Zidane "Yeah, so tell me who he is already!"
Is it really that hard to figure it out yourself, Zidane? Who was the one who literally sent you to Oeilvert which talks about Terra?
Garland "Do you not yet know? You and he are so much alike."
Zidane "Alike? I've never met anyone like me..."
Garland "You judge only be appearances. I mean someone with a soul similar to yours." "The one I sent to Gaia might also be called your brother..." "And his name is Kuja."
How exactly are Zidane and Kuja brothers? Do they have the same DNA?
Also, yeah, this is pretty much stealing from FFIV with Cecil and Golbez. (except that Golbez was at least more sympathetic and was being controlled and manipulated by Zemus, the DS Remake of IV expanding on that more. While Kuja is just a narcissistic man-child) Heck, Garland here is pretty much Fusoya, but more extremist. FFIV seems to be one of the FFs that IX rips off the most from, it also rips off FFI a lot.
Zidane "Kuja!? He's a Genome!? Impossible! He doesn't even have a tail..."
Garland "He is only hiding it. He denies his own identity."
How the heck is Kuja able to hide his tail in that man-thong of his? Actually, I might not like the answer.
Garland "He rejects the meaning of his existence and tries to assert his own individuality." "Don't you see the resemblance?"
Zidane isn't a hyper-individualistic asshole like Kuja is though.
Zidane "Shut up! I'm not like him at all!"
Garland "He said the same thing when speaking about the other Genomes: 'I'm not like these guys.'"
So Kuja just has special snowflake syndrome.
0:00 [The "Old Man" that Zidane saw when first arriving in Terra suddenly appears in front of him]
Zidane "Who are you!?"
Old Man "Twelve years ago, I lost one of my most prized Genomes." "I created him and sent him to Gaia to disrupt the cycle of souls there."
Okay the "sent him" part is incorrect. It was Kuja who stole Zidane away and dumped him on Gaia, which you should clearly know about, Garland.
Old Man "You are that Genome... I am glad you have returned."
Zidane "Shut up! Nobody tells me what to do!"
And how has that been working out for you, Zidane? This is also ironic, considering that you pretty much did exactly what Mikoto told you to do. Also, are you sure that Garnet isn't an exception to that rule?
Zidane "And I didn't come here to answer to you!" "Lemme guess... You must be Garland!"
Garland "And what if I am?"
Zidane "Then you're goin' down!
And what is your strategy to do that, Zidane? Just pull a Leeroy Jenkins on him?
Zidane But first, you're gonna tell me everything!" "Like, why did I grow up on Gaia, and why do you want to destroy it!?"
[Garland dissapears, and reappears behind him]
Garland teleports a lot during this scene, but afterwards, even in battle against him, the whole teleporting thing just stops for no reason.
Zidane "My home is with them in Gaia!" "If you say I have a motive, then it's to punish all of you who brought pain to my friends!" "I'll destroy Terra! That's reason enough for my birth here as a Genome!"
…Wow, how "heroic", Zidane. "I am a benefactor, so I will now arrange genocide for all my people."
Way to demonize an entire group of people for the actions of two individuals (Garland and Kuja), one of whom was more well intentioned, even if the methods were extreme. (The other was just a narcissistic d-bag) Terra and Gaia are also supposed to be consciousnesses.
This is one of the things that I hate most about IX. All this stuff with Gaia and Terra is actually some of the most interesting stuff in IX, but it all happens way too late into the game and is thrown so forcefully in, it's presented as some momentous revelation, and then ends up having all the impact of a badly-timed non-sequitur (It's like in Chrono Cross with the revelation that Lynx is Serge's father, it happens so late into the game that you wonder why the writers even bothered), doesn't really go into details about Terra's culture and lore, and it's just disgustingly reduced to this black and white "us or them" bullshit, especially with how Zidane's and Garnet's love story could have factored into all this, but I will be explaining that during the ending.
Even 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds', did this whole thing better with Hyrule and Lorule, and that game's story didn't even have that much depth and complexity.
Heck, the FFVII Remake seems to be doing this better with what Rebirth revealed about the Gi.
Garland "Regrettable... I thought your soul would be perfect for a new angel of death..."
Okay, how did you even get Zidane's soul? Why and how did you pick that one out? Is Garland able to influence the Terra Crystal a little bit or something?
Zidane "I AM the new angel of death! Yours!"
Garland "Don't you know what it means to meet your maker?"
Zidane "Shut up! I've heard enough of your crap! I'm taking you out, right here, right now!"
Uh huh, and how are you going to do that then, Zidane?
Garland "Foolishness..."
"The body becomes a vessel, which greets a new soul..."
Zidane "What's happening!?"
[Zidane falls down]
Garland "He's too good to make into a regular Genome..." "But I have no choice."
What's happening here is that Garland is apparently removing Zidane's soul from his body. How? Never explained. But here is another question, if Garland could do that this whole time, why didn't he just do this to Kuja after the whole Alexander fiasco?
Garland "...Then show me! Lecture me again when you are on the verge of death!"
[A Silver Dragon descends between Garland and your team of characters: Battle vs. the Silver Dragon. It gets defeated and destroyed. The screen returns to the group]
This is apparently the same Silver Dragon that we have seen Kuja riding before, unless it's a different one, but considering how the dragon that Kuja rides on disappears after disk 2 and Kuja has to use an airship by that point, I'd say that this is definitely that same dragon. Which just raises a question about the dragon that isn't really answered.