Who are your top 3 FF charecters and why

[SaveOurSeeker]

For me in no particular order it would be Zidane because he was my first:erm:, he seemed a cool mellow sort of guy who would help any Tom Dick or Harry who needed it. Those are good credentials for a hero right. He also had a tough side which he only showed when he needed it, all round good guy in my view. Next up it is Fang, During my 1st play through I didn't warm to her at all, found her be arrogant etc. On my 2nd play through I got the impression that she had to be the tough girl to protect her self and Vanille. When I started to use her in battle I really got to like her as she took pleasure in stomping even the smallest flan back in to the ground. I thought her in-fight dialog was the best of all the VA dialogs we have heard in battle. Next up is Auron the toughest dead guy you will ever meet. Cool as a cucumber and hard as nails this guy could kick some serious arse. Also ranks in 2nd in my in fight dialog poll. I love the way he strolls in to the party and in stills a real work man like attitude to the game, puts a stop to crazy Yuna and Tidus laughing as well for that alone he makes the top 3:) How about you?

[VeloZer0]

1 Delitia, - FFT
I firmly believe he was a hero who saved Ivalice at the expense of his own soul. The fact that people debate if he is one of the games heroes, major villain or something in between just shows how complex his action are to judge.

2 Lightning - FF13
Wow, I never would have guessed she would be in a top #10 list, but when I started going through the characters I really like here she is. I liked her always pissed off attitude. How when she felt she was getting jerked arround by the Fal'Cie she just wanted to take the fight to them and kick their asses or die trying. And, most importantly of all I think her character animation are just amazing. For me FF13 was a fairly mediocre title, seeing her rip it up in battle just might have been what pushed the title into enjoyable

3 Cid - FF7
I like him for the same reasons just about everyone else thinks he is awesome. Nuff' said.

And after this it becomes a huge jumble and I am glad I don't have to keep ranking them.

[Flying Arrow]

In no particular order:

Cloud: He's awesome for all the reasons he's not hyped about. He's got a great story and great character arc. Also, he was a real main character before FF leads started being picked out of a hat and matched up with plots on a dart board.

Aeris: I guess she's the stereotypical mystic healer girl, but she fits in so well with FFVII's setting that I can't possibly hate her for being a cliche. I also like her because she comes off like an actual 20-something-year-old girl from a big city. Her limit breaks make her a unique addition to the party. Her death was actually moving back before every gaming website's mandatory and creepy 'Has a video game ever made you cry' thread made it into a huge joke.

Vivi: One of the few characters from FFIX who isn't stupid, predictable or Disney. Great storyline, too. Should have been the main character. I smurfing love his floppy hat.

Runners-up!: Tifa, Balthier and FFVI's cast as a collective

[ChickenHeart]

This is gonna require some thinkin'!

1st-Selphie
I know alot of people cannot stand her but, i just love her! When FF8 was released she was the person who was nearly constantly in the party, never in the warm up bench! I liked her dark sense of humour, and the fact she tried her best to keep on smileing whatever happened. I sorta wished she played the lead female instead of Rinoa, but that's another topic, for another day!

2nd-Vivi
What's not to love about Vivi? He is the cutest ff character ever made. His personaility is one of the reasons that made me enjoy the game as much as i did. Hes a loveable character, mature for his age and a complete badass.

3rd- Basch fon ronsenburg!
He should of been the main lead! But for some reason square thought it would help adding a winey child in. His story with his brother was really nice. He was just so manly aswell! Baring shame and all that.

Honorable mentions:
Tifa,Eiko,Balthier,Fran,Zidane,Cloud,Red,Barret,Penelo,Squall,Freya,Lightning and Sazh

[Vermachtnis]

1. Faris
She's a pirate. What's cooler than I pirate? And she always gets first dibs on all the cool jobs.

2. Gilgamesh
FOOLS! You face the mightiest swordsman in all Ivalice! You face ME! GILGAMESH! Long have I sought the blade of legend, scoured have I the furthest marches, east and west! And now my search brings me HERE! To YOU! Your weapons are forefeit to me!!!

3. Ashe
I like Princesses who aren't useless and she's far from useless.

[Clo]

This is HARD.

1. Ramza. I liked his conflict, and though Delita was also an amazing character, I am going to say Ramza.

2. Lightning. I can't believe people hated her! I thought she had pretty good reason to be a bitch.

3. Barret. Because. :)

[Depression Moon]

Zidane Tribal: Out of all the FF games Zidane is my compadre. Zidane is a man unlike that can take things less seriously when he needs to and doesn't let the tragic and troubling events around him to hinder his composure. He is also a character with much personality. During the times when he needs to be serious he is empathetic, courageous, and determined. He is also quite skilled with blades and is stealthy as well.

Quotes from Zidane

You don't need a reason to help people.
Cheesy, but the message relies in good intentions.

Ooh, soft!
Personality shown here.

Vivi Orunitia:Often mentioned by IX fans even before Zidane and I can understand the reason for that. Vivi's art design automatically makes him stand out the most. It is unique, odd, and cute all at the same time. The primary reason I value Vivi though is because of his involvement in the story. He is only a small child venturing across the world on his own until he arrives to Alexandria and decides to see a play. I'm not going to describe the whole plot here since you all already know it, but what can be said in short here that Vivi's journey from questioning his existence to coming into terms to his fate is astonishing and touching to the heart.


"Vivi... Do you really know what you're doing? The answer you seek may forever change your life for the worse." (Freya)
"Um...... Y-yeah... But... But I have to... I have to find out who I am... I'm scared... What if I'm not even human...?"
"Vivi..." (Freya)


"Maybe we are just puppets created to serve humans..." (Black Mage 288)
"I was very confused when my grandpa died. He told me, 'Vivi, no need be sad.' So I told myself I can't be sad. That's why I felt confused when I heard everyone was stopping around here. I didn't know what to do or what to feel... But when I saw Dagger crying when her mum died, I wasn't confused anymore. I was sad... If I were just a puppet, I never would've felt that way. Mr. 288... we aren't puppets. I know we aren't. I hate him. I hate Kuja!! He's turning everyone into puppets just to kill people!!! If it weren't for him, I know everyone would understand someday. It's not fair."

Garnet Til Alexandros XVII: My favorite of the series' summoners. Garnet wasn't like the typical princess told in stories. She wasn't a damsel in distress waiting for her knight to carry her off. She was determined to change things by her own cause. A bit naive, but she was also kind and her personal back story is a surprising and interesting tale.


Queen Brahne: I... I... can hear... my daughter's voice.
Garnet: Yes, Mother! I'm here! Right here...
Queen Brahne: I... I am empty now... Free... Free... of that... terrible... greed.
Garnet: Mother...
Queen Brahne: I haven't... felt this way... since I saw that play... with you... and your father. I led... Alexandria... down... the path... of ruin... The people... will be... happier... with you... on the throne...

Garnet: No... I can't... I can't let anything happen to my mother.
Zidane: Dagger?
Garnet: Zidane, I... I have to save her!
Zidane: Uhh, Dagger? She extracted eidolons from you and started a war!
Garnet: I still don't want her to die!
Zidane: But she didn't care one bit whether you lived or died! You don't have to call her "Mother" anymore!
Garnet: She's my only mother! I don't care if you don't understand!

[Evastio]

Cecil Harvey: I know most people think of him as bland, but I find him to be the exact opposite, seeing how he constantly tries to redeem himself for his past actions, and how he abandoned his life in Baron, the only one he knew, to do the right thing. Also, it was because of Cecil and his friendships that he made with so many people, that both the Giant of Bab-il and Zeromus were defeated.

Golbez: He's one of the few FF Villains that aren't all "lol, destroy/rule the world". Sure, he's like that for most of the game, but he was mind controlled because of the darkness stained in his heart (and it's not like he did anything really bad that stained his heart. Also, it's not like he was mind controlled because he succumbed to his feelings of jealousy and envy, unlike someone I know). What I really like about Golbez is that he knows he'll never be forgiven and he'll hever be able to redeem himself, yet he never stops trying, whether it's in FFIV's ending, Dissidia Final Fantasy, or FFIV: The After Years. The fact that he's in the middle when it comes to being a hero or villain (to quote Golbez from Dissidia: "I could not accept the darkness, yet I do not belong to the light.") makes him a really interesting and deep character.

Cyan Garamonde: The fact that he's able to fight to the best of his ablility and keep a strong face, with the death of everyone from his nation weighing heavily on his soul, makes him a really admirable character to me. He arguably has the biggest emotional burden to bear (especially the death of his king, wife, and son), yet he's able to keep it soley to himself and press on.

[PeneloRatsbane]

Aeris: she's quirky, funny and friendly. I love how she lives in the slums and gets harrassed by turks and it just a normal day for her. Her Relationship with Cloud while she was alive was fun and they had great chemistry, her friendship with Tifa is great as well, there isn't petty triangle competition between them. I always actually miss her.

Basch: He got wrongly imprisoned in a cage for three years and remained cheerful and loyal to Ashe even after she smacked that!

Yuffie: i think she has the most outfit changes of any of the characters lol. she is a pain in the ass but she kicks it in equal amount

[MJN SEIFER]

Just three? Tough, even though I know my main two for years, I had to think about my third. (Mayve I'll do a full list one day)

1. Squall - I really connect with his storyline, partly becuase I went through a Squall-like phase when I was younger, so I guess i related to him. I loved how he always appeared like he didn't care but secretly did, and was just avoiding making any connections to anyone purley becuase he has been alone all this time - his romance with Rinoa was beutifully written, and one of the more belivable FF romances, I love the two of them as a couple, I could tell from disk 1 they would end up together. I loved how they kept showing us Squall's thoughts as that really helped me understand why he acted the way he did, and how he really does care about Rinoa (look at the dialogue during the FH scene in his thoughts). The EYES ON ME scene still rates as being one of my top tear-jerking moments in media.

2. Rinoa - You probably saw that coming. Not only did I find Rinoa to be perfect for Squall, but I also found her to be a very interesting character; she's the outsider of the group, but she keeps with them, becuase they meen something to her, she feels weak, but keeps fighting (of course, since she's always in my team, she's usually one of the better characters) he backstory, as well as her tragic scenes in becoming a Sorceress were beutifuly done - I loved how the scene between her and Squall were handled, I could tell that love was developing form disk 1, but was confirmed it more later - I would have loved to have known someone like Rinoa in real life - she seamed the kind of person who'd be good to see when you've been having a bad day.

3. Aeris - Not only was she one of my top tier charcters on FFVII, but I found her a very likable character, she was supportive to the others, and always seemed to be the one who kept thing going her death is still one of the saddest moments in FF history for me,and I really loved the way she connected with the other characters, and I loved how there was a touch of ambgiuity towards how she intended to save the plantet, I was always facinated by her background as an Ancient, and I loved how she was such a nice person, despite having a difficult life when you think about it.

Yeah, I need to do a full list one day :cool:

[black orb]

>>> 1- Garland: First FF villain..
2- princess Luca: Fav NPC..
3- Tidus: Mr Ritalin..:luca:

[Pete for President]

Wakka. His character development is just amazing, going from die-hard Yevon believer to taking part in killing a maester and realizing he has been betrayed by the one thing he'd always believed in. That's harsh.

Tidus. I just really like the fact that he gets introduced having everything he'd ever want - fame, blitzball skills, girls etc. And within 5 minutes he loses all that, going back to having nothing, lost in some strange place called Spira.

Delita. It takes a serious strongwilled mind and heart to do everything he does, working his way up to finally bring order to Ivalice.

[Jessweeee♪]

I'll keep it short and sweet. Lightning, Tidus, and Zell! I like how Lightning and Tidus develop throughout the game, and Zell I just find funny. He's the perfect action manga hero parody.

[Mercen-X]

I'm bad about this. I'm always tempted to just say Cloud, Zack, and Vincent.
But they're all almost the same character by some standards.

Then I'm tempted to say Squall and Noctis... but above applies.

Tidus felt like a new character to me and he had some cool moves.
Then Balthier, I guess. He reminds of James Marsters

[Dark Angel Kira]

1. Zidane from ff9 is my number one just for being him

http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/98554369/25683973

2. Both Yuna and Rikku from ff10-2 cos they are both fun characters

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/087/f/e/Yuna_and_Rikku_Icon_by_YRPT.jpg

3. Sephiroth from ff7/ac/cc/ cos he's just plain evil ooo great :D lol

http://www.ffotaku.com/images/crisis-core/characters/sephiroth.jpg

[Rocket Edge]

1. Squall - I loved how you could read this thoughts and see where his actions would come from. I really got involved with the character, and for that the game.

2. Zell - I remember thinking he was just stupidly funny, and very likeable.

3. Auron - Cool old guy.

Honourable mentions: Basch, Rinoa, Lulu

[Hot Shot]

Barret: The best and most underrated character. He was a cool tough guy who had a heart of gold. He cared about Marlene and his AVALANCHE buddies a lot. VII was the first FF (and proper RPG) and Barret stood out the most. His gun-arm was unique and awesome and he was a black guy (he's the first black guy I can remember in a video game) And he looked like Mr. T too :D

Steiner: The goof-ball of IX. He represented justice and all that is right but also brought I light-heartedness and idiocy which was quite endearing. And throughout the game, you actually see him grow as a character (even though it might not be as obvious as the other characters throughout the series).

Tidus: The most well-rounded character imo. He's not like those idk emo 'cool' guys (Cloud and Squall obviously). He's a bit hopeless and clueless throughout the game and I felt the most connected to him than most other FF characters. I liked the fact that he narrated the game and he is one half of my favourite FF couple ever. When Tidus and Yuna kissed, I was like "Yes, finally!". And out of all the main protagonists, I feel they developed him the best.

Cloud and Squall weren't developed that well. With Cloud, he's all " I don't give a :bou::bou::bou::bou:" and within the first couple hours he's like "Let's save the planet!" And Squall was all emo throughout the game and then he just suddenly changed, there was no progression and development imo, he just changed instantly at one point.

Zidane, Red XIII, Edgar and Setzer get honorable mentions.

[MJN SEIFER]

And Squall was all emo throughout the game and then he just suddenly changed, there was no progression and development imo, he just changed instantly at one point.


No offense, but you really missed the point on this one. For starters, Squall is not emo, and while we're on the subject being depressed about something does not automatically make you an emo, and emos aren't always depressing either, it's just a culture nothing more.

Squall is a very well developed character. He has lived a life full of despair and loss, he is not just acting that way to fit into a culture, he never had a family (that he can remember) he has spent his life in an orphanage, and from then on everyone ever mattered to him left in some way - he grew up surrounded by disappointment, and had no one around to support him, he wasn't emo, he was genuinely angry about all that had happened in his life. Because he knew how much it hurt to lose someone important to you, he eventually just gave up on the whole thing and decided that he wasn't going to get close to anyone anymore, if they just leave you (be it through death, or desertion, or whatever) then what's the point of being friends with anyone? However, he still has his emotions deep down, which is why we see his thoughts on screen.

Also he didn't "suddenly change at one point" - he stayed the exact same person throughout, he just became more open. When Rinoa comes on to the scene, Squall is in love, he may not realize it at first, but that is what's happening, and can be seen as early as disk 1. Throughout their scenes together, we can see from his thoughts that the more he gets to know her, the more he wants to open up to her, to tell her he loves her, but he can't, because he's afraid, simple as that, he's afraid that something will happen again that will pull them apart. The whole thing goes on while he is still the Squall that you wrongly describe as emo; he can't risk getting close to her, because he knows how painful it will be when he loses her.

If you look, during the FH scene, he is trying to open up more (again look to his thoughts for this) but the personality he has given himself is stopping him from doing so. You may also notice that he becomes slightly more open after the orphanage scene, it's like he feels more connected to the others now, seeing as they've had the same experience he has, and have all turned out alright, and furthermore, he hasn't lost anyone after all - they're all still here. The scene were Rinoa goes into a coma is also a revelation for Squall - he realizes that even when he refuses to allow Rinoa into his life, he still cares about her, and it will still hurt if she dies, and furthermore if she does it will be far worse than it would have been if he had allowed her into his life, at least then he would have had something out of it, to remember when she's gone.

Finally there's the "Eyes On Me" scene where he finally opens up about everything - this is one of the most powerful moments in Final Fantasy, and if you listen to the lyrics they actually match Squall and Rinoa's relationship perfectly (even though in storyline the song was written by Julia, it was written by someone in our world, so they may have intended this) I didn't see it as sudden at all, I felt like the whole game was building up to it, it just made sense to me.

Sorry to go off topic, but I needed to say this.

[Jiro]

Balthier, Edgar and Vivi.

Balthier is the leading man. He's just cool. But then you learn about him and it's even cooler.

Edgar is a king and a kickass mechanic and he has all the ladies! What's not to love?

Vivi is a character who struggles with deep concepts earlier than most. It's a bittersweet story but I do love his courage.

[Jaffer]

Cloud Strife
Edgar Figaro
Cecil Harvey

[hhr1dluv]

This is a difficult one...

Well, Yuna is my clear favorite. You spend two whole games with her and I just grew really attached to her and her story of love found, lost, and found again. Oh, and you know, her journey and all that. ;)

Otherwise, there aren't many characters that really stick out to me. That's not to say that there aren't characters that I love, but no one is really stepping up to that plate as "favorite character."

I suppose if I had to choose...maybe Quistis at number two (I want to BE her) and...er...Bartz at number three. He was kind of roguish in a cute way (or cute in a rogue way) and it was fun to adventure with him.

Honorable mentions: Ingus, Rydia, Faris, Terra, Celes, Kefka, Aeris, Tifa, Cloud, Squall, Zell, Seifer, Zidane, Garnet, Beatrix, Kuja, Freya, Tidus, Rikku, Lulu, Paine, Gippal, Basch, Ashe, Fran, Balthier, Lightning, Jihl

[Carl the Llama]

Cloud Strife - what can I say... his swords, his limits, his awesome spiky hair, and he started off as a run of the mill grunt working for Shin-Ra and goes on to fight 1 on 1 with probably the toughest SOLDIER 1ST class ever in Shin-Ra's history, a true role model for the underdog.

http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/19020-bigthumbnail.jpg

Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca - Strong willed, committed, knows how to achieve her goals no matter what the cost, bears well under the loss of her husband.

http://www.411mania.com/siteimages/final_fantasy_xii_rasler_ashe_2_27847.jpg

Aerith Gainsborough - Died while trying to save the world... I honestly don't get why people hate her so, to me she was kind, committed and she has (to me at least) the most moving moment in any game I have ever witnessed. She saved the world from destruction.

http://akiba.sub.jp/img/ic20051009aerith.jpg

[Hollycat]

cid- nuf said
basch- nuf said
zack fair- he is god!

edit: to kaiserdragon
cloud never fights zack. I'm guessing u meant sephiroth, but if you look at it, cloud beat sephiroth, but can no way beat ruby alone. Zack beat sephiroth, and he beat angeal, and he beat genesis, and he went on to beat minerva, who created every beast, including ruby and emerald, and is considered by many the toughest superboss eveer created.

Sorry for my rant, I am the biggest Zack Fair fan ever born

[Carl the Llama]

cid- nuf said
basch- nuf said
zack fair- he is god!

edit: to kaiserdragon
cloud never fights zack. I'm guessing u meant sephiroth, but if you look at it, cloud beat sephiroth, but can no way beat ruby alone. Zack beat sephiroth, and he beat angeal, and he beat genesis, and he went on to beat minerva, who created every beast, including ruby and emerald, and is considered by many the toughest superboss eveer created.

Sorry for my rant, I am the biggest Zack Fair fan ever born

In the original FFVII Zack was defeted by Sephiroth, it was only after squeenix decided to milk the ffvii cow that they suddenly decided to change all that, oh and IMO Ruby was much harder then Minerva (who I beat having an easier time then I did with Ruby).


A week later, Sephiroth sets Nibelheim's town ablaze and goes to the Mako reactor to take Jenova's body. While Zack fails to stop Sephiroth, Cloud throws Sephiroth into Mako, causing his body to disappear.

As I said, Cloud beat Sephiroth no doubt about it, hell you even get to see it happening in FFVII, also I submit this:


Nomura later called Sephiroth "the ultimate antagonist in the Final Fantasy VII saga. There can't be anyone else." and regarded him as an enemy from a previous generation in contrast to his "remnants" that later appear.

I would also like to point out that even if that were not so Sephiroth gained considerable power while surfing the Lifestream, thus no comparison can be made between Zack Fair and "the ultimate antagonist in the Final Fantasy VII saga" Cloud beat Sephiroth when he was at his absolute peak, Zack did not.

My source Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephiroth_%28Final_Fantasy%29)

[Hollycat]

cloud just stabbed a weak sephiroth

[Carl the Llama]

cloud just stabbed a weak sephiroth

How was he weak? from his fight with Zack? all 30 seconds of it? mere moments pass in the flashback, you will also take into consideration that Sephiroth used to spar with both Angeal and Genesis and hold both of them back with ease, to Sephiroth Zack was just a mid afternoon snack, Cloud on the other hand beats Sephiroth at his most powerful (FFVII:AC), Cloud get stabbed by Sephiroth and then goes on to pick up Sephiroth with a massive sword sticking through his chest and throw Sephiroth the way Sephiroth threw Zack against the wall in the original flash back.

Don't get me wrong, I think Zack was an awesome character and I loved playing CC but he isn't as strong as Cloud IMO.

If you wish to discuss this further can I suggest we take it into PM, don't want to derail this thread.

[Rocket Edge]

And Squall was all emo throughout the game and then he just suddenly changed, there was no progression and development imo, he just changed instantly at one point.


No offense, but you really missed the point on this one. For starters, Squall is not emo, and while we're on the subject being depressed about something does not automatically make you an emo, and emos aren't always depressing either, it's just a culture nothing more.

Squall is a very well developed character. He has lived a life full of despair and loss, he is not just acting that way to fit into a culture, he never had a family (that he can remember) he has spent his life in an orphanage, and from then on everyone ever mattered to him left in some way - he grew up surrounded by disappointment, and had no one around to support him, he wasn't emo, he was genuinely angry about all that had happened in his life. Because he knew how much it hurt to lose someone important to you, he eventually just gave up on the whole thing and decided that he wasn't going to get close to anyone anymore, if they just leave you (be it through death, or desertion, or whatever) then what's the point of being friends with anyone? However, he still has his emotions deep down, which is why we see his thoughts on screen.

Also he didn't "suddenly change at one point" - he stayed the exact same person throughout, he just became more open. When Rinoa comes on to the scene, Squall is in love, he may not realize it at first, but that is what's happening, and can be seen as early as disk 1. Throughout their scenes together, we can see from his thoughts that the more he gets to know her, the more he wants to open up to her, to tell her he loves her, but he can't, because he's afraid, simple as that, he's afraid that something will happen again that will pull them apart. The whole thing goes on while he is still the Squall that you wrongly describe as emo; he can't risk getting close to her, because he knows how painful it will be when he loses her.

If you look, during the FH scene, he is trying to open up more (again look to his thoughts for this) but the personality he has given himself is stopping him from doing so. You may also notice that he becomes slightly more open after the orphanage scene, it's like he feels more connected to the others now, seeing as they've had the same experience he has, and have all turned out alright, and furthermore, he hasn't lost anyone after all - they're all still here. The scene were Rinoa goes into a coma is also a revelation for Squall - he realizes that even when he refuses to allow Rinoa into his life, he still cares about her, and it will still hurt if she dies, and furthermore if she does it will be far worse than it would have been if he had allowed her into his life, at least then he would have had something out of it, to remember when she's gone.

Finally there's the "Eyes On Me" scene where he finally opens up about everything - this is one of the most powerful moments in Final Fantasy, and if you listen to the lyrics they actually match Squall and Rinoa's relationship perfectly (even though in storyline the song was written by Julia, it was written by someone in our world, so they may have intended this) I didn't see it as sudden at all, I felt like the whole game was building up to it, it just made sense to me.

Sorry to go off topic, but I needed to say this.
Great post. You summed up his progression perfectly. :)

[Roogle]

1 Delitia, - FFT
I firmly believe he was a hero who saved Ivalice at the expense of his own soul. The fact that people debate if he is one of the games heroes, major villain or something in between just shows how complex his action are to judge.

Is Delita really a hero? The story of the game shows us that it was Ramza who prevented the supernatural threat from encompassing all of Ivalice. Delita only took advantage of the ensuing chaos to set himself up as a monarch at an incredible personal cost. I guess, in the end, he led Ivalice into a new era, but this is not what we see during the game.

[Hollycat]

1 Delitia, - FFT
I firmly believe he was a hero who saved Ivalice at the expense of his own soul. The fact that people debate if he is one of the games heroes, major villain or something in between just shows how complex his action are to judge.

Is Delita really a hero? The story of the game shows us that it was Ramza who prevented the supernatural threat from encompassing all of Ivalice. Delita only took advantage of the ensuing chaos to set himself up as a monarch at an incredible personal cost. I guess, in the end, he led Ivalice into a new era, but this is not what we see during the game.

He never got to lead, the princess stabbed him

[AstonMartin]

well you can just about classify this as rocket science. but I have to say
#1 lighting. because she is awesome and its funny when she slaps people in the face.
#2 cloud. everybody likes cloud! duh! hes just awesome like that ya know
#3 sephiroth. i couldn't put him before cloud cuz cloud beat him. twice. burn.
then theres zack, genesis, squall, snow, hope, tidus, yuna, angeal, vincent, aerith, tifa, cecil, zidane, and vaan that i will point out that i also like

[Raistlin]

1. Delita: the most complex and interesting character in FF history. No contest.

2. Ramza: I really struggled not to give two spots to the same game, but I couldn't come up with anyone else that came close to Ramza. Ramza's development and conflict made him engaging and realistic. Definitely the best hero of all the FF games.

3. Cid Highwind: a cursing, entertaining badass. What more needs to be said? Now sit your asses down and drink your goddamn tea.

[Jiro]

Every time I come back here I want to change my answers xD

[Jentleness]

1) Zidane - He had a fun personality and cared about people.

2) Auron - He returned from the dead to set things right in Spira.

3) Chocobo (Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon) - I really enjoyed getting to play a completely different type of hero. :choc:

[Foo]

And Squall was all emo throughout the game and then he just suddenly changed, there was no progression and development imo, he just changed instantly at one point.

No offense, but you really missed the point on this one. For starters, Squall is not emo, and while we're on the subject being depressed about something does not automatically make you an emo, and emos aren't always depressing either, it's just a culture nothing more.

Squall is a very well developed character. He has lived a life full of despair and loss, he is not just acting that way to fit into a culture, he never had a family (that he can remember) he has spent his life in an orphanage, and from then on everyone ever mattered to him left in some way - he grew up surrounded by disappointment, and had no one around to support him, he wasn't emo, he was genuinely angry about all that had happened in his life. Because he knew how much it hurt to lose someone important to you, he eventually just gave up on the whole thing and decided that he wasn't going to get close to anyone anymore, if they just leave you (be it through death, or desertion, or whatever) then what's the point of being friends with anyone? However, he still has his emotions deep down, which is why we see his thoughts on screen.

Also he didn't "suddenly change at one point" - he stayed the exact same person throughout, he just became more open. When Rinoa comes on to the scene, Squall is in love, he may not realize it at first, but that is what's happening, and can be seen as early as disk 1. Throughout their scenes together, we can see from his thoughts that the more he gets to know her, the more he wants to open up to her, to tell her he loves her, but he can't, because he's afraid, simple as that, he's afraid that something will happen again that will pull them apart. The whole thing goes on while he is still the Squall that you wrongly describe as emo; he can't risk getting close to her, because he knows how painful it will be when he loses her.

If you look, during the FH scene, he is trying to open up more (again look to his thoughts for this) but the personality he has given himself is stopping him from doing so. You may also notice that he becomes slightly more open after the orphanage scene, it's like he feels more connected to the others now, seeing as they've had the same experience he has, and have all turned out alright, and furthermore, he hasn't lost anyone after all - they're all still here. The scene were Rinoa goes into a coma is also a revelation for Squall - he realizes that even when he refuses to allow Rinoa into his life, he still cares about her, and it will still hurt if she dies, and furthermore if she does it will be far worse than it would have been if he had allowed her into his life, at least then he would have had something out of it, to remember when she's gone.

Finally there's the "Eyes On Me" scene where he finally opens up about everything - this is one of the most powerful moments in Final Fantasy, and if you listen to the lyrics they actually match Squall and Rinoa's relationship perfectly (even though in storyline the song was written by Julia, it was written by someone in our world, so they may have intended this) I didn't see it as sudden at all, I felt like the whole game was building up to it, it just made sense to me.

Sorry to go off topic, but I needed to say this.


Very well said. I wholeheartedly agree.

[Mo-Nercy]

1. Squall - for reasons already far better articulated by MJN than I could hope to explain. Also, I really like his design. I don't think I could like anyone who wore black leather and fur head to toe in real life, but hey, it's a video game and Squall pulls of the look well. And I still think gunblades are cool.

2. Balthier - charming, articulate, dashing good looks, flies an airship, has a gun, hot girlfriend that will look young forever (or at least for as long as he's alive). He's everything I wish I was and that I wish I had.

3. Zidane - a refreshingly different take on protagonist personality from Square compared to it's other recent games at the time, and with great results. The subject of a very memorable twist.

[Lamia]

Terra
Celes
Lightning

Terra and Celes are badass. They have all-around stats and can wear the best armor in the game. Magic knights win.

Lightning because she is another female not stuck in a healer or mage archetype. She is an all-around badass.

[WhiteStorm]

Number 1 is not tough at all: Squall is definitely my fav character of all times. He begins being "Mr. By the Book" and reaches a point where his whole motto is questioned and he starts to act rather than react to what happens around him. He doesn't like being in teams, but when the whole responsability of the Garden (and the students) falls over his shoulders, he just sucks it up and does what needs to be done. He might not like it, but he still does it, and I think that is something to admire.

I think second place would go to Kefka, the best villain FF has. He's a selfish, derranged, kill-crazy bastard with a very dark sense of humor... like the Joker but with a more suiting outfit :D

Third would go for Yuna AND Vivi. Both of their journeys are both sad and joyful, full of self-discovery and of bonding with those around them.

[Rostum]

1. Sazh - The only redeeming factor of the game, and I could feel a lot of empathy towards him and his story.
2. Steiner - Best comical relief in the series, good old rusty.
3. Barret - I loved his extreme attitude and his heart of gold.

[black orb]

>>> Well, Tidus is my fav main ff character.. The other 2 would have to be NPCs Princess Luca from ff4 and any other from FF1 I guess..:luca:

[-JJ-]

Revive!

Mog - Playable Moogle, Hell Yeah!
Freya - I find Freya to be more awesome than Kain. More so when she wields his Lance
Balthier - I know Vaan or Basch are better Fighters, but This is Balthier, stats are void in his presence.

Another 5,
Zidane - Calm, Cool, Honest all round Good Guy.
Terra - Awesome, Strong Female Warrior with Green Hair!
Tifa - A female Fighter. ^.^
Irvine - Calm, Collected Gunslinger with a Trench coat, Awesome!
Edgar or Locke - I can't Decide!

[LikeaLion]

Revive!

*uses Phoenix Down*

I'm reviving this as well. :)

There's so many great and interesting FF characters. It's hard to pick just three of them. Argh!

1. Lulu - Coolest black mage! Smart and sexy! Eventually, you see that she is quite tenderhearted. Play a Lulu only FFX challenge! It's very fun!

2. Agrias Oaks - My favourite FFT character! Strong and cool!

3. Terra and Celes (tie) - Two favourite characters from FFVI!

Princess Ovelia Atkascha oughta to be in the list as well! She'll be #4. I'll add Reis Dular for #5.

Well, with the tie for third that actually makes 6 listed characters. XD

Also, wanted to add honorable mentions for Ravness Loxaerion, Deneb Rove, Ocionne Rabine, Cressida Obdilord, Iuria Wolph, Ozma Moh Glacius, & the four Phoraena sisters.. But, alas! They are from the wrong game. And, the list would get way too long! ;)

[Caelheim]

1st - Gabranth, Final Fantasy XII

2nd - Beatrix, Final Fantasy IX

3rd - Delitia, Final Fantasy Tactics

I've always preferred morally grey characters, and those three fit that role exceptionally well, in my opinion. They're also rather tragic, without coming across as whiny or overly excitable - a trait that tends to put me off the likes of Zidane, Vaan and Rikku. They've also firm reasoning behind their behaviour and actions.

[Fynn]

1. Vivi. I just can't help but feel sorry for this guy. And he still gets up and tries to keep living. The ending made me feel for him all the more.
2. Minwu. It's hard to actually pinpoint what's so great about him. Is it his sacrifice? The air of mystery? Or maybe it's just the fact that he's a white mage who kicks so much ass?
3. Agrias. I've always liked the strong female characters. Though it's sad she isn't that involved after she permanently joins your party, she still manages to be badass.

Still, none of them can top my favorite VG character of all time, that is Heat from Digital Devil Saga, but that's not FF, so...

[Pumpkin]

1. Vivi - because he's cute and clumsy but can keep major butt if built up properly.

2. Quina - because s/he is just a big bucket of awesomeness.

3. Red XIII - because I think he is a fasinating character and very underrated

[Laddy]

I'll do a top 5 because I can.

1. Sazh-He's an ordinary dude, basically. He's not an experienced warrior, he's just a guy looking for his son. He has a kindness beyond any other FF character, an intelligence and wisdom beyond others, and an incredible sense of courage to save his son.

2. Terra-She's great. Her past is very sympathetic, but she's also strong in battle and having a very kind soul as well. She grows into a strong young woman and a real excellent protagonist.

3. Aerith-The Compliation ruined her for me. In FFVII, Aerith was fun-loving, often sarcastic, and charming. She was courageous, kind, and strong-willed while having a good sense of humor throughout the whole thing. The COmpilation made her none of those thngs, though. :(

4. Vivi-This little twerp is just adorable! He's got a real sweet nature and a very strong character development. Not only that, but he's a lot of fun to play as in comparison to other characters.

5. Lightning-This bitch is just awesome. 'Nuff said.

I also like Faris, Cecil, Sabin, Red XIII, Zidane, Freya, Rikku, Balthier, and Vanille. So :).

[Dreddz]

1. Don Corneo - Creepy

2. Reno - Badass

3. Zidane- Likable

[Mercen-X]

Tidus felt like a new character to me and he had some cool moves.
Then Balthier, I guess. He reminds me of James Marsters

I forgot my third... I liked Blanc (though he's not a main character)... I don't really remember why he's cool.

[reinward]

1. zidane
2. garnet
3. sabin

honorable mentions: edgar, kuja, tidus, steiner, seymour

[Meltdown]

Squall - Looks like me (apparently) face scar included (except mine's smaller).
Freya - Strong and noble, with a secretive tender side.
Lulu - Kick ass character design (despite common criticisms).