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"A Garden in the Galbadia Republic. It is the largest Garden of the three. Galbadia Garden's master, Martine, who is also the headmaster, has setup a program to recruit Balamb graduates into the Galbadian Army."

—FFVIII Info Corner

Galbadia Garden (ガルバディアガーデン, Garubadia Gāden^?), also known as G-Garden, is a location in Final Fantasy VIII, located near Timber on the Galbadian continent.

It is one of the three Gardens. Martine is the Headmaster and Garden Master of Galbadia Garden, and Irvine trains and lives there. Quistis also spent a brief time at Galbadia Garden taking lessons. Like Balamb Garden, it is built on top of an ancient Centra structure, which allows the Garden to fly. Unlike Balamb Garden, Galbadia Garden doesn't train SeeDs, but instead focuses on advancing weapon technology and as a military academy for the nation of Galbadia.

StoryEdit

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

Twelve years before the start of the game, Cid Kramer and his wife, Edea Kramer, founded the first Garden. They constructed Balamb Garden on the continent of Balamb, and Galbadia Garden was built shortly thereafter. The Galbadian installation decided to focus its training program on technological aspects of combat rather than magic. Unlike Balamb Garden, which attempts to maintain political independence, Galbadia Garden has long enjoyed a close association with the Galbadian government and its military.

When the party first arrives at Galbadia Garden, Martine orders them to report to Deling City, the capital of Galbadia, and assassinate sorceress Edea (unbeknown to the world of being possessed by another sorceress, Ultimecia) during her induction ceremony. To help them, Martine assigns the Garden's master sharpshooter, Irvine Kinneas, to do the job. Martine's plan is to save Galbadia Garden from the sorceress's hands, as Martine is well aware that the sorceress wants to take over his Garden. He uses the group of Balamb Garden SeeDs as a ploy, in order for the sorceress to retaliate against Balamb instead of Galbadia Garden, in the case the plan would fail (which it does).

After the failed attempt on her life, Edea (as possessed by Ultimecia) takes control of the Galbadian government, and claims Galbadia Garden as her main base of operations, assigning Seifer Almasy as the commander. Martine flees to Fishermans Horizon in disgrace. The Garden is transformed into its mobile form and taken to the Centra continent. Balamb Garden, under the command of Squall Leonhart, runs into it on their quest to Edea's Orphanage and launches a full-scale assault. The two Gardens literally butt heads as their pilots ram the two hulls together, effectively tangling the structures. Balamb cadets and SeeDs engage Galbadian soldiers in combat while the remaining Galbadian cadets either join their Balamb counterparts or take refuge in empty classrooms.

The party manages to board Galbadia Garden and, with the help of Fujin and Raijin, tracks the sorceress and her knight, Seifer Almasy, to the Headmaster's Office. The party defeats Seifer in battle, while the sorceress escapes to the Atrium below. The party chases her and engages her in combat. After she is defeated, Ultimecia is forced out of Edea's body, because Edea unknowingly transfers her Sorceress Power to Rinoa Heartilly, forcing Ultimecia to possess her instead. Ultimecia awakens inside Rinoa, and implores Seifer to raise the Lunatic Pandora from the sea before she forces Rinoa into a comatose state.

After the Battle of the Gardens Galbadia Garden is never seen again during the course of the game.

Spoilers end here.

LayoutEdit

Galbadia Garden's layout is more enclosed than Balamb's; although it retains the basic circular design surrounding a central lobby, main sections are reached by enclosed hallways running around the perimeter rather than accessed through open-air corridors extending out from the center. It has two main floors accessible by stairwells, plus a headmaster's suite on the third story reached only by a special elevator. The first and second floors are accessible to the entire Garden population, while the third floor requires key card access to the elevator.

First Floor:

Front Gate

The Front Gate is the main entrance to the Garden. Upon entering the outer part of the gate, visitors travel down a large paved walkway before proceeding to a security checkpoint at the inner gate. SeeD, students, and visitors must present their IDs for inspection in order to pass and enter the inside of the Garden.

Garden Lobby

The front gate entrance leads directly to the lobby. The only access to the rest of the Garden, the lobby is guarded by the powerful Guardian Force Cerberus, who stands watch on a small risen platform at the lobby's center. A Save Point rests by the right of the entrance. The lobby itself forms a perfect circle in which four corridors branch off in the cardinal directions, with the main gate at the southern point.

Draw points: Haste (hidden)

Classrooms

The classrooms are located off various corridors on the first floor, arranged lecture-hall style with desks leading down a slope to a teacher's podium at the bottom. Students are obliged to be present in classes five minutes before the bell rings.

Fieldhouse

The fieldhouse is located off the northern corridor, and is home to a large indoor track as well as what appear to be tennis and basketball courts, reflecting Galbadia Garden's love of sports.

Draw points: Shell

Skating Rink and Locker Room

The skating rink is located off the eastern corridor, and sports a large ice arena for the Garden's hockey and skating teams to practice and compete. A locker room is attached for cadets to change and store their equipment.

Draw points: Protect (ice rink, can only be accessed during the Battle of the Gardens), Life (in the locker room).

Second Floor:

Dormitory

Dormitories are located off of various corridors on the second floor. Unlike the connected suites enjoyed by pairs of cadets at Balamb Garden, Galbadian cadets bunk four to a room. One wall is lined with individual sleeping berths, while the opposite wall contains four desks with computer terminals and rolling chairs.

Reception Room

The reception room is a parlor located off the northern corridor on the second floor. Here, visiting dignitaries and other guests wait prior to meeting with the Garden Headmaster.

Auditorium

The auditorium is a large arena located off the southern corridor on the second floor. Stadium seats surround a large elevated podium at the front, and large video screens hang on either side. The auditorium is generally used for Garden assemblies and as a forum for guest speakers, although the location may also cater to entertainment-related events.

Draw points: Double (hidden)

Third Floor:

Headmaster's Office

The Headmaster's Office is located on the third floor, only accessible by those with the clearance to activate a special elevator on the second floor near the reception room. Students may only visit the Headmaster's Office when summoned by Headmaster Martine.

LocationEdit

Galbadia Garden is located within the country of Galbadia to the north of Monterosa Plateau. Like Balamb Garden, once the Garden becomes mobile its location becomes unfixed and is next encountered at Balamb where Galbadian troops use it as a mobile platform from which to launch an invasion and occupation of the town in their search for Ellone. It is later encountered once again over the forest near Edea's Orphanage where the Battle of the Gardens takes place. Following this (and from Disc 3 onwards), Galbadia Garden disappears from the world map altogether.

Triple TriadEdit

Galbadia Garden uses the Galbadia region rules, where Same is the sole starting rule. Notably, there is a Trabian student in the Galbadia Garden locker rooms who plays with the Trabia region rules. There are no rare cards to be won at the Garden, but after disc 1, Galbadia Garden can no longer be accessed. If the player lost any rare cards to the Galbadia Garden students, Martine, who will be encountered in Fishermans Horizon, will be in possession of them.

MonstersEdit

During the Battle of the Gardens EventEdit

People Associated with Galbadia GardenEdit

Martine - Former Headmaster
Sorceress Ultimecia - Sorceress
Seifer Almasy - Sorceress' Knight and Commander of Garden
Irvine Kinneas - Sharpshooter
Raijin and Fujin - Sorceress' Guards

Musical themeEdit

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"Galbadia GARDEN"

Trouble with the audio sample?

"Galbadia GARDEN", the seventh track of the OST's second disc, is the eponymous theme of the location. The introduction begins with a distinctly militaristic feel, but then descends into a more mysterious tune. This track is first played whilst Squall and his party explore the Garden on their first visit after the preceding events in Timber. "Unrest", the eighth track of the OST's second disc, is also associated with Galbadia Garden; it is heard when Quistis announces to the SeeDs in the Reception Room that Seifer is believed to be dead.

GalleryEdit

Gallery

Garden entrance conceptual sketch.

Galbadia Garden.

Top of Galbadia Garden, concept art.

Hallway concept.

Hallway concept.

Foyer concept.

Dorm room concept.

Ice rink concept.

Changing room concept.

Class room concept.

Waiting room concept.

Auditorium concept.

Auditorium concept.

Auditorium concept.

Local ice hockey team's logo.

Galbadia Garden.

Squall, Selphie, Rinoa, and Zell.

Galbadia Garden.

Galbadia Garden.

Squall and his party.

Galbadia Garden.

TriviaEdit

If Zell is left out of the party (specifically when Squall walks off alone) while in the Garden he ends up getting caught by one of the staff and forced to perform push-ups in the hall along with three other Galbadian students, one of whom's intentions for doing push-ups are more perverted than altruistic.
The red banner in the ice rink reads; "Keep on rockin' in Galbadia!!". This slogan would later be alluded to in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children with the memorial plate in Edge reading "Keep on rockin' in Midgar!!".
Unlike Balamb Garden, Galbadia Garden's distinctive base and foundation remain in place at its original location after the Garden itself had become mobile and moved away.