Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
- Heroes Of Light – Final Fantasy
- Luneth – Final Fantasy III
- Vaan – Final Fantasy XII
- Firion – Final Fantasy II
- Bartz – Final Fantasy V
- Squall – Final Fantasy VIII
- Noctis – Final Fantasy XV
- Zidane – Final Fantasy IX
- Lightning – Final Fantasy XIII
- Terra – Final Fantasy VI
- Tidus – Final Fantasy X
- Cloud – Final Fantasy VII
- Clive – Final Fantasy XVI
- Cecil – Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy has been around for over three decades. The series as a whole has had monolithic highs, and lows that are so overblown that the drama surrounding them has eclipsed the games themselves. One thing that has tied them all together, however, is their riveting cast of characters.
With 16 mainline entries, there is a lot to cover here, and we are going to hit them all up with the notable exception of the eleventh and fourteenth entries. With a series this expansive, we’ve tried to consider the impact older characters had as to not have them completely overshadowed by their more defined modern cousins.
More Final Fantasy content:
Final Fantasy XVI Guides & Walkthroughs | How To Unlock Sephiroth’s Sword | What Do You Unlock After Beating Final Fantasy XVI | Where To Find Electrum | Best Eikon Abilities
Heroes Of Light – Final Fantasy
Despite being the game that started it all, Final Fantasy does get the short end of the stick on this list for one very simple reason – the Heroes Of Light don’t have personalities. They have no dialogue, they barely interact with the NPCs that litter the world, and even in its various rereleases, they’ve barely been expanded upon.
These are four empty shells for you to put yourself into, which is all well and good, but compared to the rest of the series, it’s clear that Final Fantasy can’t hold a candle to its offspring in this regard.
Luneth – Final Fantasy III
Similar to Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy III had you running around with 4 unnamed heroes. They had very little development throughout their game, although there is a noticeable bump in the narrative. Of course, Final Fantasy III got a full DS Remake way back when, and this changed things slightly.
All four Heroes gained names, with the leader of the party being Luneth. Sadly, the game continued to be pretty bare-boned narratively, and putting too much stock on revised and expanded material feels a bit like cheating. As a result, Luneth can linger near the bottom.
Vaan – Final Fantasy XII
Time to jump forward nine entries and look at Vaan from Final Fantasy XII. There have been a lot of rumours surrounding Vaan’s origins because Vaan doesn’t feel like a protagonist. He feels like a side character who was ungracefully elevated at the last moment.
Vaan’s biggest flaw is that he is woefully unremarkable at best, and irritating to the core at worst. He is trapped in a game where every other character around him is far more interesting, has far more development, and has a reason to exist at all. We would put him lower if we could, but at least he has a name, which is something.
Firion – Final Fantasy II
Firion is one of the most important characters in Final Fantasy’s history. Firion was the first named protagonist the series ever had, and he starred in a game that had an actual substantial plot behind it. This is something that was lacking not only in Final Fantasy but also in the following game, Final Fantasy III.
Whilst not a particularly deep character, Firion does have some nuggets of character to him that make him stand out from the nameless crowd. Namely, Firion has an unflinching sense of justice. Despite being impaled and left for dead, Firion picks himself back up, joins the rebellion, and helps take down an evil empire.
Bartz – Final Fantasy V
From this point onwards, every character is genuinely great. Unfortunately, we still have to measure that greatness and Bartz manages to draw the short straw. Similar to the previously maligned Vaan, Bartz has a great supporting cast of characters. Unlike Vaan, Bartz manages to be elevated instead of smothered.
Existing in an interesting take on the classic “coming of age” story, Bartz manages to be stoic against all odds and faces down calamity with a calmness that whilst unrelatable (probably), helps him stand out. He is a wall that stands against the darkness whilst his friends man the battlements.
Squall – Final Fantasy VIII
Squall is interesting because he is so underdeveloped for so long. Squall takes what was established in Final Fantasy VII, and runs with it so hard that you might forget Squall is a character and not just an edge lord with a jacket and sword. Stick with him, however, and Squall opens up and shines bright.
Well, as bright as a character who is ravaged by trauma and unresolved issues can be. Squall is propped up by a great supporting cast, with Rinoa carrying the brunt of the load until Squall can stand on his own feet as a leader, friend, and hero. Anything else could be a spoiler, so we’ll just leave it there.
Noctis – Final Fantasy XV
Noctis is a tricky chap to rank because Noctis, on his own, is an insufferable pain in the butt for a huge chunk of his game. Noctis is entitled, lazy, whiny, and not worthy of inheriting the shattered throne of his now-destroyed kingdom. Which is the point of Noctis of course, but it doesn’t mean that makes him a compelling lead.
What Noctis has, however, is a trio of friends who go on a bromance-fuelled road trip where everyone grows. Overtime Noctis goes from annoying brat, to a man worthy of his line – worthy of your time. Many protagonists are elevated by their mates, but few are propped as blatantly as Noctis.
Zidane – Final Fantasy IX
Zidane is sadly overlooked far too often for our liking. Coming from the underrated gem that is Final Fantasy IX, Zidane helped introduce a whole new kind of character at a time when brooding, grunting men dominated not only the series but the industry.
Zidane is a breath of fresh air that makes Final Fantasy IX a joy to play. He is jovial, and loyal, and comes packaged with a fascinating backstory we won’t spoil here. He is a bit of a ladies’ man, but that’s all part of his charm. Zidane stands out in a game with some of the best supporting characters the series has ever seen.
Lightning – Final Fantasy XIII
In recent times, Final Fantasy XIII is seeing a resurgence of love from fans of the series. The game languished in the pits of irrelevance for years as the worst game to grace the series, which is a bit harsh in our opinion.
Lightning is rarely seen as a negative in her game, however, and in fact, she manages to be a high point. This is in part due to the supporting cast in Final Fantasy XIII being surprisingly weak, but also because Lightning’s progression and character are a joy to behold. She’s stoic, but there are enough cracks in her harsh exterior allowing her personality to slowly shine through.
Terra – Final Fantasy VI
Terra is one of our personal favourite characters in all of Final Fantasy. Whilst she is heavily supported like Bartz, Terra is far more relatable. Terra’s personal story is one of regaining independence. At the start of the game, she is a slave to the Empire. A pawn with no free will and no way out.
As the game progresses, however, Terra grows. She slowly claws back her power – he agency – and overcomes everything from tragedy to revelation. The essence of Terra – her growth despite trauma – is seen sprinkled over many protagonists after her debut and for good reason. She was also the first female protagonist the series had seen, a move which was still relatively uncommon at the time.
Tidus – Final Fantasy X
Tidus is the butt of every Final Fantasy joke – mostly by people who haven’t played Final Fantasy X. Tidus’s story hits every “fish out of water” trope imaginable – heck, considering his chosen sport, we mean it both metaphorically and literally. He is also supported by a phenomenal cast.
What makes Tidus so damn special is his refusal to the status quo if that means the people he cares about could get hurt. Throw in his struggles when coming to terms with his father, and a heartbreaking romance with Yuna, and Tidus simply goes from strength to strength.
Cloud – Final Fantasy VII
Not having Cloud at number one is probably considered a sin by most of the Final Fantasy fandom. We think he fits in perfectly at number three, however. Cloud is easily one of the most recognisable characters in gaming, whilst starring in one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time. Cloud simply can’t be ignored, especially when he is in the midst of a remake cycle.
Cloud starts very quiet – very reserved. He is chillier than a mountain wind and there is an air of mystery that surrounds him for the length of the game. The beauty of Cloud, in our opinion, is how his story is told, and not necessarily the story itself (although it is also excellent). Cloud is an unreliable narrator, and this opens up so many interesting twists and turns that define our young SOLDIER just as much as his rivalry with Sephiroth.
Clive – Final Fantasy XVI
Clive is the new face on the block and we are comfortable slotting him here because Clive is fantastic. Clive has the honour of having multiple periods of his life covered in-game, which gives an unprecedented perception of growth as you play through his tale.
What makes Clive truly outstanding is how he represents men. He is a man who suffered through parental abuse, the burden of unmet expectations, and the fear that his failures have doomed the ones he loves. Clive, like many men, doesn’t (or can’t) deal with these emotions and breaks down, damaging not only himself but everyone around him.
Clive’s strength is in his acceptance. He is not perfect, he spent years torturing himself whilst living in denial, but in the end, he accepted his childhood – took ownership of his actions – and became someone worthy of leadership. Clive is not afraid to cry or seek help, and those are traits that need to be pushed far more than cold shoulders and bottled emotions.
Cecil – Final Fantasy IV
Cecil is the turning point for Final Fantasy. Whilst Cloud ushered the series into the mainstream, Cecil lay down the foundations that every other protagonist would walk upon. He is the first character whose story is front and centre – a character with actual character.
Cecil’s story is one of redemption. Cecil commits heinous crimes in the name of a Tyrant. His loyalty perverted to the fullest. Seeing Cecil rise above his past, face down his inner evil, and ascend from Dark Knight to Paladin is narratively and mechanically poignant and elements of it can be seen across the series even to this day. He may not have the most pixels, and his story may not be as long, but Cecil’s personal growth and interactions within his world have kept Final Fantasy IV relevant for decades. Without him, we would have nobody.
That’s all we have on Final Fantasy for now. Be sure to check out our other lists and guides for more Street Fighter content.
