Kefka: What was his job?

[nik0tine]

Okay, we all know that Kefka is some high ranking official in the imperial government, but does anybody know his exact job or status? He obviously had some important status, but what was it exactly? Anybody know?

[TheAbominatrix]

It's never said. He's Gestahl's right-hand man, but I dont believe he has a title. His rank is questionable, given that he's forced to bow to the whims of General Leo (or at least pretend to) at the base outside Doma... though he may have been backing down just to avoid conflict with Leo. I'd say he's probably a general like Leo and Celes, though a clearly favored one.

[Gwelenguchenkus]

I personally think he is of the same ranking as General Leo. He can command an army to attack cities. Also, he was taking over for General Leo at Doma.

I think that the only reason that it would look like Kefka was Gestahl's right-hand man is because he was the only person willing to support the emperor in the slaughter of all those people/espers. Gestahl knew General Leo had too good of a conscience to support his cause in the end, so he probably had Kefka dispose of him.

[strawberryman]

so he probably had Kefka dispose of him.

In fact, he did.
Well, In some aspect.

[beema]

He was one of the Empire's 3 generals. The other two being Leo and Celes. I'm pretty sure that was stated somewhere.

He just wasn't given as much importance/respect and was kept out of the way, so to speak, because well...he was insane. He was however, the only one of them that lacked a conscience. So he is given a lot more free-reign later on by Ghestal because he knew Kefka was the only one of his generals evil enough to go through with his ultimate plans. This of course, proves to be Ghestal's own undoing.

[Llanowar]

If he was truly a general then why at the Imperial camp near Doma does the soldier make a comment to the effect of "if Kefka becomes the next General I am leaving." That makes me think that he is there as an observer from the emperor's inner circle, but not truly in the capacity of a General. Now maybe later on after Celes joins the Returner's and Gestahl realizes Leo will never aid him in fulfilling his goals maybe he makes Kefka a General, but I don't think so. I believe Kefka is simply a high(well highest) advisor to Gestahl and most trusted of all Gestahl's people.

[Gwelenguchenkus]

Soldier 1: Hey, have you heard?
Soldier 2: Oh, you mean...
Soldier 1: Shhh! Quiet down. If Kefka catches us, we're toast.
Soldier 1: If he drives General Leo out of our battalion, he'll probably
become the next general!
Soldier 2: Don't make me laugh! If someone like him becomes a general, I'll
go home!
Soldier 1: Shhhhh! What if he hears you? You'll be jailed!

You're absolutely right Llanowar, I can't believe I forgot about that.

[TheAbominatrix]

They could be refering to him becoming the next general of the camp... like if Leo left, Kefka would take over command and be the 'general'/commander.

And no, the game never states that he's one of three generals with Celes and Leo.

[Destai]

General of the camp? Im pretty sure a general has power over more than one or a large group of camps. Considering there was only three people at a rank equal or close to Kefkas (leo, Celes) I think he would have had a high authority over the whle army. I think he was seen as a lieutenant which has less power than a General if Im not mistaken or a captain of a particular Squad. Thered probably be a lot of Captains in the empire but I think he had wormed his way into Gestahls good books.

[Sasquatch]

Actually, if he was just below a General, he would be a Colonel. At least, in American military. Or, in our Navy, just below an Admirable would be a Captain, but still the same rank as a Colonel, just different title. A leutenant, however, would be a very low-ranking Officer.

And most games refer to "Generals" as simply high-ranking unit commanders.

I could be wrong here... I believe it was when they were describing their invasion of the Esper World. But in one scene, the camera pans up, and Gestahl is talking to a bunch of his troops, and behind him are Kefka, Leo, and Celes, in the same row.

[Strider]

He was the first Magitek Knight, as homeboy in the Vector cafe will tell you when you first venture down that way.

Beyond that, it's all speculation. Celes was a Magitek Knight, too, but it was also clearly stated that she was a general during her time with the Empire. The same can't be said for Kefka.

[abrojtm]

I've always figured that he was a Chancellor-esque figure to the Emporer, except with slightly less political power.

[beema]

Or, in our Navy, just below an Admirable would be a Captain, but still the same rank as a Colonel, just different title. [/SPOILER]


Admirable? Was that an intentional slip? :p

I suppose Kefka could've just been a highly esteemed advisor to Ghestal like someone suggested. That's a pretty widely used character type-- the sneering cowering advisor who the king trusts, but who the people/soldiers hate, who secrectly is bent on domination and suberversivley corrupts the king's will. (like Rasputin... or Grima wurmtounge in LOTR)

but for some reason I have this thought engraved in my mind that he was definitley one of the empire's generals from the start.... :-\

I had always thought that he technically shared the same rank as Leo and Celes, but that he was purposley given unimportant "back-shelf" tasks so that he would stay out of the way and be fooled into thinking he had a lofty respectable position. (like that Simpsons where Mr. Burns gives Homer and the other 2 morons at the plant the "important task" of guarding the bee in the basement so that they would stay out of his way and not embarass him).
Leo and Celes were given the more important assignments and commands because they had a good repoire with the soldiers and the people of the Empire (probably the human touch) and they were level headed strategists and tacticians. They were actually respected and held with higher regard than Kefka by Ghestal and everyone else.
But like any paranoid dictator, Ghestal feared their popularity and honorable/moralistic ways would mean danger for his career, and so let Kefka's deceitful tounge worm its way into his thoughts.

in case you haven't noticed, it's 4/20, and I think I might be rambling under the influence...
lol

[TheAbominatrix]

General of the camp? Im pretty sure a general has power over more than one or a large group of camps. Considering there was only three people at a rank equal or close to Kefkas (leo, Celes) I think he would have had a high authority over the whle army. I think he was seen as a lieutenant which has less power than a General if Im not mistaken or a captain of a particular Squad. Thered probably be a lot of Captains in the empire but I think he had wormed his way into Gestahls good books.

Yes, but given the looseness in translation, general could be used just the same as Commander or Captain of that particular camp. And yes, generals have power in general (excuse the pun) over everything, but there are certain people in charge of certain places. If one general comes into another's camp, the general in charge of that camp still has the most command of his own place.

[theundeadhero]

General of the camp? Im pretty sure a general has power over more than one or a large group of campsNot really. Depends on the rank of the general in the American Army. There are 4 types of Generals. Each camp is lead by a General.

It's my personal belief that Kefka wasn't truly a general. He was a high ranking government official who earned his office through military action. The process of trying to become a magitek knight is actually what drove him insane. As far as Doma was concerned, I believe that with General Celes being kicked out for being a traitor, that left Leo as the General of the Army. Kefka was like the next in line to be a general. If Leo left, then Kefka, being next in line, would naturally be in charge.

[TheAbominatrix]

This isnt the American Army, and I'm aware of the ranks of generals. However, if two generals were of the same rank, command of a camp is usually conceeded to whoever is in command first, that usually goes for any rank.

edit: And I'm using a very simplified version for a reason, mainly because of the fact that it's a Japanese game. I know there's all sorts of circumstances and whatnot, but the given that it's a video game, and from another country to boot, I doubt those things matter.

[Sasquatch]

Or, in our Navy, just below an Admirable would be a Captain, but still the same rank as a Colonel, just different title.


Admirable? Was that an intentional slip? :p

I suppose Kefka could've just been a highly esteemed advisor to Ghestal like someone suggested. That's a pretty widely used character type-- the sneering cowering advisor who the king trusts, but who the people/soldiers hate, who secrectly is bent on domination and suberversivley corrupts the king's will. (like Rasputin... or Grima wurmtounge in LOTR)

Umm, yeah...yeah, I did that on purpose. (Whoops.)

I thought of the guy from Mulan that was supposed to be an advisor to the Emperor but instead just wanted what's-his-face relieved of his command.

[Destai]

Now Im thinking of the man who attempted to have Crono executed in Chrono Trigger. His role strikes me similar to Kefkas. I wouldnt compare Generals captains etc. to any real life army because of how Kefka, Leo and Celes stood beside Gestahl as he made his speech in the beginning of the game. There would be far more people at there rankings in real life.

[theundeadhero]

Im thinking of the man who attempted to have Crono executed in Chrono TriggerDalton?

What exactly does ooc stand for anyway

[TheAbominatrix]

The Chancellor. I doubt Kefka is a Chancellor, because of that scene at the base we're hinted that he's military.

And ooc = Out Of Context.

[Tama2]

I always thought of Kefka as an adviser to Gestal. He had military power maybe couse of the fact that Gestal just thought it was better for him to since Kefka could destroy and take over a lot with that diabolical brain of his. But I could be wrong.

[Devourment]

Kefka is a part-time ladyboy employed by the Emperor.

[TasteyPies]

Kefka is Jaffar!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/Tasteypies/Kefka.bmp = http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/Tasteypies/Jaffar.bmp

K=J!!!!!!!!11111one onetwo

[nik0tine]

So he's the Royal Vizier?

[Martyr]

Kefka was a Jester.

Obviously.

[TasteyPies]

So he's the Royal Vizier?

Bingo

[theundeadhero]

Disney ripped us off :(