Final Fantasy VII versus... Final Fantasy XIII?

[Ayen]

Did they forget about Terra?

The fact that you consider her strong doesn't mean that she is.

For example she has this power that during the world of ruin she hides even though she has the strength to do something about Kefka even by herself but she doesn't... why? Because she lacks the mental conviction to do something about it... I mean sure she builds her strength up over time but... what final fantasy character can this not be said about?

Lightning however was a powerful warrior right from the get go. The story portrays her as the remorseless soldier who will not slow down for anything or anyone. She sets out to save Serah and she stops at nothing to see he will put into motion.

At the start of VI Terra is enslaved, then she needs rescuing by Locke, then the Returners seek to use her power and she isn't all "OMG I hate the Empire for using me I wanna get revenge on them" she is more "Do I really want to be used by these people after just being used by the empire?" ask yourself seriously if that was Lightning in that situation she would not have needed to be convinced by Locke/Edgar to join their noble fight.

The simple fact is Terra can be easily led into this situation by Locke and easily convinced to help the Returners portrays the fact that at the start of the game she is not strong in her decisions, nothing to do with her powers or how she ends up being an adoptive mother to many children.

I do not consider her a strong female protagonist. That said I do think she was a great protagonist.

Just because Terra doesn't start out strong doesn't make her weak either. If anything you're denied character progression with Lightning because she's already the badass warrior, with Terra you actually see some progression and so what if she couldn't work up the nerve to face Kefka right away? You've never been scared before even though there was no reason to be? I'm going to assume you were because fear is an instinct that's impossible to shed. It's natural to be scared. The fact she found the courage near the end speaks volumes to me. You say yourself she builds her strength over time so already you contradict the claim she's not a strong protagonist.

Oh, but I forget. It only counts if you're physically strong all the time and beat people up. A character isn't allowed to show weakness, to be afraid, to need support from people, to be... human. Let's just have cardboard cutouts of former characters turned female who beats up everyone, that's a much better story.

Here's a perfect blog on the subject: http://dkoeker.wordpress.com/2013/07...le-characters/