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Thread: Maybee's Ranking of the FF heroes

  1. #1

    Default Maybee's Ranking of the FF heroes

    This is my first time doing this sort of thing, so sorry if there's any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes.

    13 th Place Light Warrior Final Fantasy



    Unfortunately, the original star of the game that started everything had to be the last place as there's no written personality given to the poor man as his game came out almost three decades ago. While the game is impressive for its time and even today, they just weren't at the stage yet of giving main RPG heroes strongly developed personalities just yet. While Light Warrior is not a terrible character by any means, there's just no ground and depth to him. In Dissidia titles, he is given something more to work with- though he still feels empty and flat.

    12th Onion Knight Final Fantasy III


    In the original game, it's hard to tell what Onion Knight is the lead one. It could be any of them. However, in Dissidia, the lead one, whatever that one was is given a rather obnoxious character. We get it. You are younger than everybody else and you are SO smart. Also the fact that Square made a young boy fight and defend Terra ( FF VI ) rather insulting and seemed to just be there to guard her. It's not cute by any means. smurf you SE.

    11th Lightning Farron Final Fantasy XIII



    Lightning is a " strong, badass female character " gone wrong. Which is tragic because Square knows how to write beautiful and remarkable strong female characters. Celes, Yuna, Rydia, Tifa etc the list goes on. Even Maria from FF II whom is in a game from 1988 and she bravely joined Firion in his fight against the evil empire. Square has even done great asocial and cold-hearted characters before as well- Celes again, and Squall Leonhart. However Lightning fails at both. She's horribly short-tempered, aggressive, fails to control her emotions at the same level as a thirteen-year-old and is horribly immature. " Worst Birthday Ever " Lightning replies, like somebody just beginning High School.

    Though where Lightning fails most is how she treats her friends and people around her- pushing, shoving, neglecting them and even giving them a slap or punch when they have upset her the most. This not " strong badass female character " This is what you call a " Horrible Person ". Remember in Final Fantasy VII and when Cloud hit somebody and gave away the Black Materia to Sephiroth and was scared to move on and what he was going to do next? Yeah, none of that here.

    However, where does Lightning's character excel? Her design is just stunning and how she desires to protect her younger sister is neat; however, she spends most of her game acting like an upset 13-year-old.

    10th Vaan Final Fantasy XII



    Vaan a is a very cute boy and the world of Final Fantasy XII in a way is told through his eyes, however just not as well done as FF X's Tidus and therefore Vaan just feels like a stuck on sticker within the game that is.... just there. Vaan feels like he should be a DLC add-on and somebody who should be more in the background because he's just not developed enough. All we know about Vaan is his ambition and while a cute one, it's rather shallow compared to Final Fantasy heroes before him.

    I heard that the main hero of Final Fantasy was supposed to be Basch, but they felt that he wouldn't gather the fan-girls with him so they quickly scribbled in Vaan. Which is a shame because Vaan could've been a highly interesting character if given more thought and care than just fangirl bait. I highly recommend playing Tactics A2 as it gives Vaan some more time to actually be a character and grow. Though there's a big reason why people see Ashe as the true main character of Final Fantasy XII.

    9 th Firion Final Fantasy II



    Firion feels like a rather strong character for somebody created such a long time ago. You can easily tell that Firion is a kind, caring, determined brave and forgiving young man. Example ? His meeting with the Lamia Queen is a right step in the right direction because while small, it gives us and tells us something- Firion is awkward and shy around women. Another good example is with Leon, we can tell that he's a very forgiving person and is willing to give others a second chance. And again, with Firion joining the rebel group- the game shows us how nobly brave and strong he is. Firion's character development is so small, but it feels so huge. Very impressive. While Final Fantasy II fails at some points, it doesn't fail with Firion!

    8th Prince Noct Final Fantasy XV


    Upon first look at Noctis, you probably think that he was going to be a "Sasuke Uchiha " character. Just very "edgy " and fails to care about his friends, even though they care way too much about him. But Noctis was a big refreshing surprise. Noctis was a bit child-like, though he cared deeply for his friends and he loved them like they were his very own brothers like a good main character should. Noct was a loveable step-forward. You really cared about him and his story and his emotions. You just wanted him to be happy with his friends. No. With his brothers.

    7 th Tidus Final Fantasy X


    Tidus is somebody that you either love or hate. However, in my eyes, Tidus is great. Tidus may act obnoxious and loud at first- though a lot of players seem to forget that Tidus is a young seventeen-year-old boy who's grown up with a mentally abusive father and is now trapped within a new world that seems to have mostly everybody people brainwashed within a cult. You would be angry, frustrated and confused as well.

    Tidus also acts so well with somebody who hasn't grown up within a healthy home life, as he could've easily been a villainous character, instead Tidus grows and matures and wants to protect Yuna and be a good guardian.

    Tidus is a good main lead because he has flaws at first but works on them and improves throughout the game, but he doesn't become a completely different character. Tidus still keeps some of his selfish and childlike traits by endgame. Because nobody really completely changes who they are. And it's good to keep some of a character's negative traits, so they don't become a Mary Stu/ Gary Stu and they still stay real.

    Tidus feels very human and feels like a real confused seventeen-year-old boy, and is written well.

    6th Bartz Klauser Final Fantasy V



    Bartz is a refreshing breath of fresh air. Bartz is friendly, silly, outgoing, charming, and makes you laugh. While he does have a tragic past, it's more realistic and easy to relate too. Bartz feels human and somebody that just makes you smile. Bartz is somebody that you want to see on screen and leading the group. Bartz is warming touch of sunshine.

    What stops Bartz from being higher on the list though however is that his game focuses more on gameplay than story, and thus Bartz's character suffers and this can worsen depending on the translation.

    5th Terra Branford Final Fantasy VI


    While Final Fantasy VI says that the main character is whomever you want, there is no doubt that Terra holds a strong part of the game and the beginning of the game starts with her. Terra fails to understand love and this easily could've been used as a romantic plot as she discovers a love for one of the other male main characters, in fact, it seemed to be heading in this path with Locke Cole and maybe General Leo. Instead, Terra learns about love, by wanting to care for the young orphans that had their parents taken away by the game's big bad's evil destruction. Terra just feels very before her time.

    Terra has gone through being Kefka's puppet to breaking free and gaining memory loss and relying on Locke and King Edgar to help- to becoming a strong and independent female character, that knows what she wants in life, and knows that she wants to protect the young orphans from Kefka and knows that she can't let Kefka harm them or her friends.

    Terra is a brave girl and it's not surprising that she's been chosen to be the lead of FF VI- because she's a lead FF female main lead done right. Three Moogle dance cheers for Terra!

    4th Cecil Harvey Final Fantasy IV



    Cecil is one of ( if not the ) most interesting characters in Final Fantasy. Again, like Tidus, he could've easily taken an evil path and could've easily fallen down the wrong path- instead, Cecil goes on the road to redemption and makes it. In fact, Cecil starts his game taking a wrong path, and his game starts with him murdering innocents. Something you would never picture a main hero doing.

    Cecil's story is about his regrets, and overcoming thoughts of his regrets and becoming a better person. Cecil stands up towards his own King ordering the bloody missions to him and goes on the road to remove his sins that he's made.

    Cecil's story and character is very deep and very beautiful. It's very rare that we see a hero stopping himself from becoming a villain and his thoughts that he's becoming a villain and overcoming it.

    3rd Cloud Strife Final Fantasy VII


    Just like Cecil, Cloud is an interesting character. Cloud is more complexed than Cecil and is more lost and confused and almost insane. Cloud spends most of his game, just being the villain's puppet, his toy. Cloud's revenge desire is just him being manipulated by Sephiroth. Cloud thoughts and worries- a big delicious ticket for manipulation. Cloud isn't even himself for most of the game, as he's basically pretending acting what he thinks is awesome/ cool and his memories have been mixed with one of his friends Zack Fair. Cloud is a mess, though a good mess.

    Cloud feels an inspiration for those who don't know themselves yet and may act like somebody "cooler " and put on a act, though he's also a better inspiration because you learn and he learns that he's better and stronger than what he originally thought that he was, as the real Cloud is just a small marshmallow with low self- worth and self-esteem. It's no wonder that Cloud is so loved by many players.

    Here's praying that the upcoming FF VII remake shows this side of Cloud than his newer " 2005 Linkin Park- y I can't help anybody " Advent Children version.

    2nd Squall Leonhart Final Fantasy VIII



    While Tidus feels real, Squall just feels even more real. In fact, Squall at times just feels too real. Final Fantasy VIII lets us hear Squall's thoughts and it's a welcome addition as we are able to learn more about him. What he thinks, his ideas, his views on the world and how he feels. Not to mention Squall is a good example of somebody who suffers from Separation Anxiety- Squall refuses to let people in and pushes them away coldly, so won't get close to people and get hurt when they have to leave him. We also see Squall's main reason for his Separation Anxiety as growing up in the orphanage, he saw the older Ellone as his sister, only to leave him one day without one single reason why or answer given to him at about age 5. No answer- she just leaves. Ouch. However, Squall is a great character because he overcomes his fears and scars of his past and becomes a stronger person, his game is him slowly and carefully letting his friends in and him knocking down his walls. Squall is an emotional and impressive main lead.

    1st Zidane Tribal Final Fantasy IX



    Yes, Zidane is the best. Zidane is simply the best. Why ? Because like Tidus, Cloud, Cecil, Terra and Squall before him he starts out a little rough around the edges, he's a playboy, a flirt and is not afraid to sexually harass a young Princess that has a good butt. However as the story goes on, Zidane becomes a better character. Zidane is the best though, because he becomes what truly feels like a good hero should be, and a good friend and good leader and why I hate characters like Lightning and rank them so low. Zidane cares about the ones looking up to him, following him and see him as a role model. Zidane gives them his best support and advice that he can possibly give, and is even willing to die if somebody else is in danger. Even if Zidane clashes with somebody or isn't good friends with the other person- Zidane will do whatever he can to help that person in need. It's warm- hearted and inspirational and unlike the other main leaders in the FF series, Zidane taught be somebody powerful. Help somebody if you can, because you may be the only person who does. We need more characters like Zidane who truly care about the others around him.

    Thanks for reading ! Agree, disagree ??
    Last edited by maybee; 05-07-2017 at 07:38 PM.

  2. #2
    Huh? Flower?! What the hell?! Administrator Psychotic's Avatar
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    I agree with your views on the whole! I agree on a couple of your lower ones Lightning and Vaan. I think Vaan isn't a dislikeable character but as you say, he's just kinda there. I'm also glad Cecil is high, I think he's a really underrated character. The only one I'd really liked to see significantly bumped up (I am a massive Cloud fanboy of course but #3 is a fine spot) is actually Noctis. The wider story of XV is kind of eh but the four bros are all wonderful. XV ENDING spoilers!The last emotional line to his bros around the campfire is probably one of the most powerful and, well, as I said, emotional moments in FF history.

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    Same as Psychotic, I agree with most of these! I also would have bumped up Noctis (him and Cecil are my two favorite main heroes).

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    Thirding that I would've ranked Noctis a bit higher, though I don't know how much. I seem to enjoy XV a lot more than most of the people here from discussions I've read, and he was a big part of that.

    Terra and Cloud are probably my favorites.

    Vaan is so blatantly there just to have a pretty boy protagonist that it loops back around from being annoying to being amazing. There's a part in the game when his party is facing off with one of the major villains (I think Gabranth, but I can't recall perfectly since it's been a while) and he's trying to furiously shout about how much he wants revenge on them, but nobody on either side even acts like they hear him and they just keep talking. It's smurfing hilarious.

  5. #5
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    Good list, I'd probably shift a few people like Cloud and Tidus a bit lower, but I'm aware of the fact I'm in the minority of people who don't care for them. I also consider Ashe the MC of XII, but Vaan is the POV character and I feel your assessment isn't too far off, though I like the fact that Vaan is probably a good case of a main character who gets character growth but still ends his story with a need to grow.

    Overall, cool job.

  6. #6
    Untalented Game Designer FFNut's Avatar
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    Very nice job. I enjoyed reading your take on the hero's and agree with what you said. Great job Maybee.

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