Summary
- Final Fantasy games often feature heroes defeating powerful foes they realistically shouldn't have been able to defeat.
- Battles against gods like Kefka, Bhunivelze, and Ultimecia reveal unrealistic victories by the heroes.
- Despite the odds, heroes in Final Fantasy games consistently manage to prevail against overwhelmingly powerful enemies.
Final Fantasy is one of the most popular JRPG franchises around that needs no introduction. Watching a group of adventurers transform into powerful warriors capable of defeating gods is a satisfying journey that fans love to witness every single time.
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Given the need for the heroes to survive till the end of the tale, there are times when players win fights that they realistically should've lost. Fearsome foes are nerfed in the nick of time to let players enjoy a cathartic victory instead of a crushing (and likely) defeat.
8 The Heroes VS Kefka
The Person Who Became A God And Could Raze Villages To The Ground Should've Been Stronger
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
No matter how strong the heroes got in Final Fantasy 6, they still had to go up against a villain who had become a god. After disturbing the balance of the Warring Triad, Kefka absorbed their powers and was able to smite dissenting villages with his Light of Judgment.
So, it was odd to see him not reveal a single iota of this power against the heroes when they took him on in battle. Instead, he just looked like a chump who was handily thrashed and didn't do anything to justify his presence as the god of the new world.
7 Lightning VS Bhunivelze
Lightning Defeats The God Who Chose Her In The First Place
Final Fantasy 13
- Released
- March 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
When Lightning comes back to save the world in the third Final Fantasy 13 game, fans didn't know what to expect. She was a powerful hero who could explore the world solo and change Lightning's garbs to let her enjoy unique benefits in combat.
After being brought back by the god Bhunivelze, it turns out that he was just using Lightning to achieve his twisted goals. Somehow, Lightning becomes so strong that she can take on this god solo and gives him the thrashing of a lifetime, even though he should've outclassed him in power at this point.
6 The Warriors Of Light VS Chaos
Fighting A Malevolent God Shouldn't Have Been So Straightforward
Final Fantasy (1987)
- Released
- December 18, 1987
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Entertainment System, PC, PS1, PS4, PSP, WonderSwan, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Android, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Chaos is one of the most iconic villains in Final Fantasy history, who was born from Garland's hatred. The Dark Knight refused to admit victory after being smited by the Warriors of Light, with his malice causing him to travel back in time and become the embodiment of evil itself.
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As a result, the heroes must travel back to his realm and fight him on his home turf. This should've been an impossible task for the heroes, but they somehow managed to win against this godlike figure and save the world from the cycle of evil that it was trapped in.
5 The Heroes VS Sephiroth Reborn
The Party Should've Been Weak When They Faced Off Against This Super-Charged Sephiroth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Fans of the original Final Fantasy 7 remember the final boss gauntlet in the game, with players fighting Bizarro Sephiroth midway through this battle. This boss can be fought from multiple sides and is clearly tailored for high-level parties.
However, when Sephiroth Reborn comes with the same design at the end of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Cloud and Co. Are somehow able to deal with this foe even though he should've been way out of their league. Final Fantasy 7 purists find it hard to believe that a story that has just reached the end of disc one somehow features a party of heroes strong enough to take out late-game Sephiroth.
4 Clive Rosfield VS Ultima
A Godlike Being Is Defeated By A Punch And A Random Powerup
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Clive Rosfield is one of the strongest protagonists in Final Fantasy history, but even he should've been hopelessly outmatched by Ultima. Throughout multiple confrontations, Clive is beaten to a pulp by this godlike being who wants to bring an end to the age of humanity.
Instead, after Joshua gives Clive the last remnant of his powers, the hero somehow manages to bring out the patented power of friendship featured in most RPGs. This surprises Ultima, who is beaten down and punched in humiliating fashion as his evil plans come to a sudden end.
3 The Heroes VS Ultimecia
Fighting On Ultimecia's Turf Didn't Do Anything To Strengthen This Powerful Sorceress
Final Fantasy 8
- Released
- February 11, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The idea of fighting a powerful time-bending sorceress in her domain didn't really seem like the smartest plan. While this made for a cool final dungeon with surreal visuals, it also caused a bit of a headscratcher when Squall and his friends somehow managed to best Ultimecia in her castle.
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It's the ultimate humiliation for a villain who was introduced out of nowhere at the end anyway, further diminishing her allure as an antagonist. This fight should've ended with the SeeD operatives being lost in the time compression Ultimecia caused, but everything turned out okay in the end, as one would expect from a classic Final Fantasy game.
2 Ignis Scientia VS Ardyn Izunia, AKA Ardyn Lucis Caelum
Even With The Power Of The Ring Of The Lucii, Ardyn's Might Should've Been Overwhelming
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Episode Ignis sows the seeds for an alternate timeline where Noctis survived after his final battle against Ardyn. The original path sees Ignis using the Ring of the Lucii to imbue himself with powers and take on Ardyn in a scintillating battle, where the rejected prince holds back in this battle.
However, in the alternate ending, Ignis somehow faces off against an Ardyn who's at full power and survives. Even if he was using the Ring of the Lucii, Ignis was an impostor at the end of the day and shouldn't have matched Ardyn blow-for-blow in this battle.
1 Clive Rosfield VS Hugo Kupka
Titan Was So Massive That Clive Should've Been Crushed To A Pulp
- Final Fantasy 16
Hugo Kupka is a compelling villain who's fooled into thinking that Clive desecrated his beloved's corpse. He hunts down Clive in their first battle, where his hands are cut off, before a rematch for the ages ensues.
Given how massive Titan was in this set-piece, there's no way Clive should've succeeded in this battle. Instead, he somehow manages to overpower Kupka despite being less experienced at channelling Ifrit's power and unleashes a resounding beatdown.
- Creation Year
- 1987
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Creator
- Hironobu Sakaguchi
- Latest Release
- Final Fantasy 16
- Creator(s)
- Hironobu Sakaguchi