Notes:

Yuna's marginality is almost completely opposite that of Tiida's. While he is an outsider, she, as a Summoner, holds a position central to the social organization of Spira. Yet in opposition to her centrality is marginality because she is associated with death when she must perform Sendings to put the souls of the dead to rest. She is also marginal because she is half Al Bhed, but because she has fully embraced her human heritage, this is not a very big issue. She plays a role similar to that of the marebito, or visiting gods, in ancient Japanese folklore. These deities, appearing in the form of wandering priests or performers, visit villages and cleanse impurities and bring new life. However, the marebito are still outsiders, and are sometimes an unpredictable force to be feared (Yoshida, 87-99). Similarly, although Yuna sometimes seems to be followed by Shin and therefore brings destruction with her, she also purifies the villages from the death and taint that Shin brings. Clearly, the tradition of wanderers bringing both purification and destruction is an important cultural influence even today.