A few points I shall try to counter, since most of it is pretty spot on.

1) Faris, from Final Fantasy V. I don't think you were at all fair saying that she was somewhat legitimatized by having to pretend to be a man. She was in a world that didn't take the females as seriously, as you said, so had to dress like a man. This is not an enforcement of Stereotypes. It's drawing attention to the fact that, regardless of teh fact the world see's her and refuses to take her seriously, she is still very capable of doing what it is she does. If anything the story of Faris is there to draw people away from the stereotypes, especially considering the roles of females in RPG's at the time. (BoF 2's Katt being one of the only real exceptions at the time.

2) In regards to Final Fantasy VI, I actually think Terra losing her Will to fight and Setzer's alcoholism are pretty on par with one another. Both had their wills practically crushed, and simply had different ways to go about it. If anything they are showed to be similar on an emotional level then any distinct differences. In addition, while the kids trope still stands in the case of Terra here, it can easilly be argued that it took more effort to get her back on the basis that she would be leaving behind a lot of these kids with only two people to look after them. At the very least it's a valid reason to stay behind. However I do still agree that it's a bit silly that it's her love of the children that inevitably get's her back in the fight.

3. Celes attempting Suicide. That I also feel wasn't really an enforcement of Gender Rolls. She was in a position no one else was. She may well have been the only survivor. Unlike the others, she was faced with the possibility of being the last person alive in the world after watching the only one she knew was left die. She is under some extreme circumstances here. True, it's Locke's bandana that snaps her out of it and gives her hope, but I think it plays up that it's more about it being proof that others are out there rather then the fact they are all lovely lovely.


...Also the upgraded white mage is quite obviously a dude in FF 1.