Final Fantasy VII versus... Final Fantasy XIII?

[Carl the Llama]

Just because Terra doesn't start out strong doesn't make her weak either

First off I'll thank you for not putting words into my mouth, I never said she was weak.

If anything you're denied character progression with Lightning because she's already the badass warrior, with Terra you actually see some progression

As to Lightning's progression, she started off cold hard and doesn't care for anything other then her goal, throughout the game you see soften her will as she eventually begins to realise that things are better with a team of people who you can rely upon.

so what if she couldn't work up the nerve to face Kefka right away?

So what? You are answering me with so what... let me tell you about that what: People around her were suffering, being dominated by Kefka, being killed by Kefka allowing Kefka to impose his will on the world. Terra has the ability (note I don't just point my finger at Terra alone, but the entire crew who were languishing about after Kefka's victory) to do something about it but... doesn't and you can even complete the game without the rest of the languishing heroes... think about it, they set out to do something about the empire they got to the finishing line... then gave up. Tell me what was so different about Kefka from the time he played about with the statues to the time the heroes got off their asses and decided to stop the tyranny? The answer should be obvious: smurf all. Yes, I went there. I don't know about you but I always found this smurfing huge gaping hole to be one of the main reasons I don't even consider the game to be a great Final Fantasy game, let alone:

the sixth installment of the Final Fantasy series which ranks up there with the greatest video games of all time.

They can save the world right before the "World of Ruin" but instead they let the world go to trout, they decide that they don't need to stay together, this crack team of heroes, they decide once the airship has landed upon the following:

Terra: So... what do we do now? *watches vacantly while people around her disappear in some holy beam of light*
Locke: I don't know about you guys but I need to go treasure hunting! BYEEEEE!
Sabin: I need to go to a random village and wait for it to catch fire! YAY Vacation! YAY Fire!
Terra: That sounds awesome, after careful consideration, I am going to go to a random village and wait for all the parents in the village to disappear so I can become the unofficial mummy to everyone
Edgar: I think I'm going back to my castle for a while, I need a long rest after all that attempted world saving.

*few months later*

Celes: Hey guys, fancy going to beat up kefka?
Terra: I dunno, I got all these kids to look after
Sabin: Oh! Beating up Kefka! What an amazing idea! Count me in!!!
Locke: Oooo... I wonder what treasure he has?!?
Terra: Oh sure... I guess I should do something about him...

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.

Yes I do say she is not strong, I mean, had it been Lightning in Terra's position she would not have waited to go and save the world, she would have gone off alone and damned her fear and the consequences and saved the world... THAT is a strong character, a strong protagonist who would have saved the world no matter what the cost.

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.

When I say strong, I don't mean "physically strong all the time and beats people up" I mean strength of will, the determination to set something to right, ya know; like Lightning does right from saving her sister to fighting an endless battle against a foe who can never die?!?

Let's just have cardboard cutouts of former characters turned female who beats up everyone, that's a much better story.

Now your just being ridiculous, when did I ever say anything like that, again I will thank you for not trying to make me seem like this crazy fanboi you seem to be trying to make me out to be.

Allow me to state some fact about my opinion about the Final Fantasy XIII series: I don't think its a great series, sure I like Lightning, but to be some crazy defender of her the way you are about Terra... that's just totally wrong. I don't think XIII was that great, but then I don't think VI was the epic game you seem to believe it is.