Help wanted with Final Fantasy VIII fridge logic

[Lheticus]

Something's bugged me about the first Laguna flashback in Final Fantasy 8 for a long time now, and for reasons unknown even to me, I've never put it to words until now. Basically...

It never made sense to me how Laguna...STAYED ALIVE after running out on the fight against Timber. I mean ffs, he's a deserter of the army of a fascist power! How was he even able to SET FOOT IN DELING CITY without getting ****ING SHOT TO DEATH, much less able to chat up the daughter of a Galbadian general after?!

[DiscipleofBob]

Something's bugged me about the first Laguna flashback in Final Fantasy 8 for a long time now, and for reasons unknown even to me, I've never put it to words until now. Basically...

It never made sense to me how Laguna...STAYED ALIVE after running out on the fight against Timber. I mean ffs, he's a deserter of the army of a fascist power! How was he even able to SET FOOT IN DELING CITY without getting ****ING SHOT TO DEATH, much less able to chat up the daughter of a Galbadian general after?!

IIRC, he didn't desert the army. He just got lost. Yes, he's that pathetic. Also, we never really get a straight idea on how 'fascist' Galbadia really is. They have a president after all. For all we know, they're fairly lax on military standards. Or they really needed the troops against Esthar. Hell, when we meet the supposed leader of the military, General Caraway, he's helping the party to assassinate the sorceress, so he seems pretty on the level.

Also, Laguna didn't chat up a general's daughter. Julia ended up marrying General Caraway and having Rinoa for a daughter, after Laguna never came back after their initial meeting.

[Lheticus]

IIRC, he didn't desert the army. He just got lost. Yes, he's that pathetic. Also, we never really get a straight idea on how 'fascist' Galbadia really is. They have a president after all. For all we know, they're fairly lax on military standards. Or they really needed the troops against Esthar. Hell, when we meet the supposed leader of the military, General Caraway, he's helping the party to assassinate the sorceress, so he seems pretty on the level.

Also, Laguna didn't chat up a general's daughter. Julia ended up marrying General Caraway and having Rinoa for a daughter, after Laguna never came back after their initial meeting.

Oh yeah, got my characters muddled there sorry. And it has occurred to me since posting that thought that whoever was ostensibly in charge of them probably just assumed they got their asses killed like Galbadian mooks are wont to do in that game. FYI though, I didn't mean he deserted the army, I meant he deserted the battle, by going back to Deling City. That does count as desertion right?

[DiscipleofBob]

Oh yeah, got my characters muddled there sorry. And it has occurred to me since posting that thought that whoever was ostensibly in charge of them probably just assumed they got their asses killed like Galbadian mooks are wont to do in that game. FYI though, I didn't mean he deserted the army, I meant he deserted the battle, by going back to Deling City. That does count as desertion right?

Depends. Was the battle already lost? Was there anyone to order them to hold the line or retreat? If only the three of them were left, does that make Laguna the commanding officer? They did go straight back to headquarters though, so I imagine they'd get some sort of punishment, but I also imagine their superiors are probably used to their shenanigans. Think MASH or F-Troop.

It's worth noting that they do seem to get more and more demoted over time. Well, until they get to Esthar, but that's a different story.