Summary
Over thirty years, theFinal Fantasyfranchise has given fansplenty of iconic characters, both heroes and villains. However, the franchise is also full of underrated characters who have never quite gotten the respect they deserve.
MostFinal Fantasygames feature not just a fairly large cast of playable heroes but also plenty of supporting characters. Naturally, some of them fall through the cracks when there are icons like Cloud, Zidane, and Squall stealing the spotlight. These unsung heroes deserve their time in the sun, both for their contributions to their games and the franchise as a whole.
It’s easy to dislike a fair few ofFinal Fantasy 8’s characters. Because of this, Selphie often doesn’t get the love she deserves, despite being one ofthe best femaleFinal Fantasycharacters. In a game that can be pretty dark and depressing (thanks to Squall), Selphie is a bright, cheerful breath of fresh air.
She offers a fair amount of comic relief without being as cringe-worthy as Zell and lightens every scene she’s in. Her brightness is all the more likable, considering that out of all the characters, she’s on the receiving end of some of the worst heartbreak. Her Garden, Trabia, was destroyed, and the scene where she visits her friends' graves is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, Selphie is also one of the weakest characters in not just her game, but all theFinal Fantasygames.
Final Fantasy 12has a reputation for having boring characters. That’s likely due to it having one ofFinal Fantasy’s lowest-tier protagonists, boring Vaan. The truth is, some of the game’s other heroes are pretty awesome and deserve more respect, like Basch.
Basch has a fascinating, and tragic, backstory. He was framed for the murder of King Raminas by his twin brother, Gagranth, and became known as the king-slayer. Hated by everyone, Basch has known nothing but despair, yet he fights on, determined to do the right thing. One of the most interesting characters in the game, he all too often gets sidelined by the more charismatic Balthier. In any other game, Basch would have been the protagonist.
Despite being an underrated entry in the franchise,Final Fantasy 9has some of the most likable characters. Everyone recognizes the likes of Zidane, Vivi, and even the bumbling knight Steiner, but unfortunately, Freya tends to go unsung.
That’s a shame becauseFreya is one of the most badass women inFinal Fantasy. She’s a Dragon Knight and the last of the Burmecian race, devoted to avenging her people and finding her lover, Sir Fratley. Freya is defined by her honor, loyalty, and strength and arguably makes a better knight than Steiner. Maybe it’s her slightly underwhelming character design, or maybe it’s because her story tails off toward the game’s end, either way, Freya deserves more love.
Since they started as villains in the originalFinal Fantasy 7, calling the Turks unsung heroes might sound a little strange. However, in the eyes of most residents of Midgar, the Turks are heroes, or at least they would be if they weren’t members of one ofFinal Fantasy’s best secret organizations. In a certain light, the Turks aren’t villains; they’re heroes fighting an eco-terrorist group.
Yes, they work for Shinra, but so do a lot of people. Furthermore, bothFinal Fantasy: Crisis Coreand the recent remakes have done a lot to flesh out the characters. Tseng clearly cares for Aerith and thinks he’s doing what’s best for her (even if he’s mistaken). Reno also believes he’s fighting for the right side. InCrisis Core, the Turks, especially Cissnei, fight to try and save Zack, even after he’s been labeled a traitor. Sometimes, being a hero or villain is a matter of perspective, making the Turks unsung heroes.
Sazh stands out for a handful of reasons. For a start, he’s one of the few black protagonists in aFinal Fantasygame, and unlike the original Barret, his depiction doesn’t rely on cliché stereotypes. Second, he’s one ofthe best fathers inFinal Fantasy. Third, he’s one of the most likable characters inFinal Fantasy 13.
Sazh joins the party because his son, Dajh Katzroy, is an l’Cie, and he wants to save him. He’s warm-hearted, funny in an awkward uncle kind of way, and is often the party’s voice of reason. He goes unsung because of flashier members of the party, like Lightning and Snow, and becauseFinal Fantasy 13itself wasn’t that well received by fans.
6Laguna - Final Fantasy 8
The Retired Hero
One of the coolest aspects ofFinal Fantasy 8was how, throughout the story, it skipped between two different periods. Everyone remembers the section with Squall and Co., but the sections with Laguna, Kiros, and Ward tend to be forgotten. That’s a pity because Laguna is one ofFinal Fantasy 8’s best heroes.
Unlike the main party, he joined up to fight out of duty for the Galbadian army, not as a mercenary. Unlike the moody Squall, Laguna is a goofball with a sense of humor, leading Squall to declare, “I dreamt I was a moron…” after his first dream of him. Laguna fought bravely during the war and afterward spent his life caring for Ellone. When she was held captive in Esthar, Laguna not only went to save her but ended up becoming president and helping to free the city from the evil Sorceress Adel. Not bad for a guy who gets leg cramps around pretty girls.
Tellah is pretty much the definition of a glass cannon. He’s a very powerful mage, with access to all ofFinal Fantasy 4’s best spells, but he also has cripplingly low HP and MP, meaning a lot of players didn’t like being forced to use him.
When people talk aboutFinal Fantasy 4’s characters, they tend to focus on the likes of Cecil, Kain, Rydia, and Palom, forgetting Tellah. That’s probably because he can be a pain to use and because, as an aging hero, he’s not very glamorous. What people tend to forget, however, is that Tellah is responsible for one of the game’s most emotional moments - sacrificing himself to take out Golbez. While his sacrifice is ultimately for naught, it is heroic and makes him one of the few playableFinal Fantasyheroes to die and stay dead.
While this spot ultimately went to Wedge thanks to his heroic sacrifice towards the end ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, it could have just as easily gone to Biggs or Jessie too. As loyal members of Avalanche, all three characters made great personal sacrifices to save the world. While Cloud initially got involved because he was paid to, Tifa because of what happened at Nibelheim, and Barret because of the events at Coral, these three joined because it was the right thing to do.
Wedge stands out, though, because he’s just so sweet and likable.Remakedid a great job of turning him into a full-fledged character, and it was heartbreaking to discover he survived the plate collapse just to be thrown out of a window at Shinra Tower. While Cloud and their friends will doubtless go on to save the day, Wedge sacrifices himself to help them and is labeled a terrorist by Shinra in the process.
9Edea & Cid - Final Fantasy 8
Background Heroes
Both Edea and Cid play vital but understated roles inFinal Fantasy 8. Pivotal to the overarching narrative, Squall and his friends would never have had a chance of defeating Ultimecia without them.
As a married couple, Edea and Cid were responsible for running the orphanage that originally brought the party together. As Matron, Edea’s nurturing of the party laid the emotional foundation and strong bonds that keep the party together. Cid, on the other hand, set up the entire SeeD program to try and defeat Ultimecia. Both Cid and Edea spent their entire lives (except when Edea was possessed) watching out for the party and fighting against Ultimecia.
10Blank - Final Fantasy 9
No Story Without Him
Final Fantasy 9has one ofthe best endings in the series, but it would have been very different if it wasn’t for one unsung hero, Blank. Blank is a thief and a leading member of the group Tantalus. Much like Zidane, despite being a thief, Blank is a hero at heart.
Early in the game, Tantalus and several of the game’s heroes find themselves stranded in the Evil Forest, with Garnet being held hostage by the forest’s beasts. After the group rescues her, the forest begins to petrify, and the party only escapes because Blank sacrifices himself. If it weren’t for Blank, Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, and Steiner would have all perished in the Evil Forest, bringing the story to an early end. While Blank is later revived using a Supersoft, he never really gets the thanks he deserves, returning to his life as a thief and actor.
