Emperor Mateus

[Yar]

Apparently, the Emperor is a very popular character for Final Fantasy fans in Japan. His bad-assery brings him up into contention with Kefka and Sephiroth as best villain.

This guy has fan clubs and everything.

I have to say that I am rather fond of this guy as well. The fact that he can take over hell is pretty awesome.

[Jiro]

I think he's overlooked because II isn't as popular. I mean the guy does conquer basically everywhere and then takes over hell. Just because he's not flashy and blowing up doesn't mean he's not good (at being bad).

[Hollycat]

Mateus? I thought his name was palmacia

[qwertysaur]

Mateus? I thought his name was palmacia

Palamecia is the name of his kingdom. Mateus is his actual name.

His popularity in Japan also likely comes from the fact that his backstory was greatly expanded in a Japan only novelization. Also a lot of what makes other villains popular he did as well.

For example, like Kefka he poisoned an entire kingdom.

Also he not only takes over Hell, but Heaven as well at the same time.

Finally "Uboaaa!"/"Ungaahhhh!"

[Evastio]

I always felt he was really underrated as a villain.

One of the things I really like about him is that unlike Kefka and Sephiroth who I felt were getting in my way in the story, I knew that I was getting in the Emperor's way, since his presence weighs much heavier in the game than the former two (seeing how at the start you know well enough who he is from the intro alone and the fact that he's much closer to achieving his goals at the start than other villains). Also, I don't really know how to explain it, but how he carries out his actions, his calmness, and his ingeniousness almost made villainly look like a virtue, in contrast to Kefka acting like nothing but a spoiled child or Sephiroth who relied solely on power and was insanely uninteresting as a result (you take all his power away and he's literally nothing. He doesn't even have the cunning that other FF villains do).

[mashowasho]

I rank him up there with Kefka and Kuja in terms of theatrical villany. I actually prefer Firion over Mateus, but props to a guy who to takes over Hell and then Heaven XD

[Hollycat]

actually, he is split into two different beings, one who takes over hell, and the other who takes over heaven, they are not the same creature at that point

[Darth Cid]

Still the stuff he did before that, he ran over cities with a freakin' cyclone! A cyclone, and he chose to oversee the damage by stationing himself in a building in the center of the cyclone, either that or he being in the building was the only way to control it, but I digress. "I'm taking over! You don't like it? I'll run you over with my cyclone!"

[black orb]

>>> From underrated to overrated, because thanks to Dissidia the guy is popular everywhere now..

[Benjirino~!]

As far as what he managed to achieve and his overall power plays, he's probably one of the best villains in the series. As far as the actual character goes, he's not bad, but considering the strength of villains like Sephiroth, Kefka, Chaos/Garland, Kuja, and all the others, he's not actually so great. It may well be that he was the villain of one of the undeservedly most disliked in the series that sours many people on him, but there's nothing fundamentally crappy about him, he's just up against some tough competition.

[LadyJuxtaposition]

Oh, why do I love
Mateus, The Emperor of
Palamecia? Why?

Why is it that so?
It seems I highly adore
his fashion statements.

When looking at him,
I was spellbounded by those
yellows and violets
that colored him dark,
handsome and mysterious.
Gods, he's beautiful.
Even without his
signature eyeliner look
he 's still beautiful.

There must be something
about the Emperor that
I am not seeing.

Look closer, I did.
I only see the color
scheme of his garments.
Why am I appealed
to complementary hues,
yellows and violets?
Yellow, the hue of
light and heaven in the sky;
Violet, the hue of
vast darkness and pure evil
in the underworld.

If I apply hues
to knowledge of colorful
symbolism, then
they would make clear sense:
I love the Emperor of
Palamecia, due
to those artistic
assumptions of mine and my
own understanding.

Yep, this little Haiku poem should describe my thoughts about the Emperor. He is one of the awesome villians of the Final Fantasy series, and one of my personal favorite villians too!

[Jowy]

Such a shame he dies after three hits from a Blood Sword though...

[Bahamut2000X]

From my experience many of the pre-PS1 era villains were quite amazing and blow all the more contemporary villains out of the water in terms of evilness and generally badassery.

[noshowmillk]

I liked the Emperor before Dissidia. I've always thought he was an awesome villain. He is definitely one of my favorites.

[Fynn]

Plus, he's got this David Bowie thing going.