The first mainline Final Fantasy game to include voiced dialogue was Final Fantasy 10 in 2001 for the PS2. The franchise began on the NES in Japan in 1987, so voice acting was achieved within just over a decade. However, just because voice acting was now more common in Final Fantasy games, that didn’t detract from the scripts that came before; after all, a well-written line, no matter if it is voiced or seen through text, can be powerful.
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Square Enix has had some amazing writers on staff over the past few decades, so it’s hard to narrow down the best of the best in the Final Fantasy franchise. From spinoffs to mainline games, these are the dramatic, funny, and powerful lines that stick out the most. These quotes will be ranked based on how cool they sound, the comedy value, or how relevant they are to real life.
There will be some spoilers.
10 “Cloaked In Gloom And Veiled By Shadow, We Await That Fateful Day When The Warriors Of Light Arise.”
Jack Garland (Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin)
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Released
- March 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is a prequel set before the first game, starring Jack and his fellow warriors. Throughout the course of the game, the characters slowly find out they are not the destined Light Warriors and are instead trapped in a loop. This quote is said at the end of the game as Jack decides he will become the darkness to usher in a new era of light. It’s a fitting quote as this is essentially the beginning of the series, so it is important to the franchise. Also, at the time, this was a surprising revelation as it was not fully known that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin was a prequel. That’s why this quote could hit so many fans to make it memorable.
9 “Don't Listen To Ondore's Lies!”
Vaan (Final Fantasy 12)
Vaan is the protagonist of Final Fantasy 12, a rogue who dreams of one day becoming a sky pirate. In one early area of the game, players have to walk around as a distraction to get the attention of the citizens. Vaan is tasked with pretending he is Captain Basch, a warrior who fell in battle through a deceitful manner. This quote is just one thing players can shout along with, “I'm Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg of Dalmasca!.”
It’s a funny mini-game and scene in the game, as players actively have a role in what they say. Because it’s repetitive, the lines will be easier to memorize, which is what gives them power. Repetitive lines don’t automatically win awards, but how Vaan delivers these quotes is also another reason why they rank so high.
8 “Whatever.”
Squall Leonhart
Squall is from Final Fantasy 8 as the lead, and he is as nonchalant as characters get. His catchphrase in the game is “Whatever,” so much so that several times, characters predict he’s going to say it. It becomes a running joke, but at the very least, Squall does change as a character. He learns to be a leader and to accept love and friendship in his life instead of being an early example of a kid saying “Whatever” to anything that life threw his way.
Also, while "whatever" became something of a meme, the phrase makes sense for Squall, as he mostly uses it as a defense mechanism rather than just a catchphrase or to be edgy.
7 “Nailed it, I know, Thank You…Moving On.”
Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7 Remake)
- ESRB
- T for Teen due to Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
This quote from Final Fantasy 7 Remake is from the protagonist, Cloud, and it’s another example of something funny. In one section of the game, players have to dress up as a woman to attract a crime boss, Don Corneo.
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In the dungeon of Don Corneo’s manor, Tifa, the woman Cloud was trying to rescue, recognizes that the woman before her eyes is indeed her childhood friend. Before she can say anything, Cloud confidently says this quote, which is funny considering that Cloud is also an antisocial character like Squall in the beginning. Who knew he was so proud of his womanly disguise?
6 “Had They Been With Their Own Kind Supping On Broth Of Bean, She Would Yet Live!”
Argath Thadalfus (Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles)
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
- Released
- September 30, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Fantasy Violence, Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Language, Drug Reference
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, RPG, Strategy
Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles is a re-release of a classic Final Fantasy spinoff with an updated translation and a fully voiced story. This quote, said by Argath, is just one of many examples of how poetic the simplest statements can be. During a battle, after seeing to the death of Delita’s sister, Argath spouts to Ramza that it’s not his fault that she is dead. It’s because Tietra and Delita were trying to rise above their upbringing, which involved eating what is assumed to be bean soup. It’s a remarkably cold statement, but again, beautifully well-delivered.
5 “The Reaper Is Always One Step Behind Me…”
Shadow (Final Fantasy 6)
Shadow is a temporary party member in Final Fantasy 6 who first joins during Sabin’s solo mission at the game’s start. When Sabin is recruiting him, Shadow says this line nonchalantly, and he’s full of cryptic and cool quotes like this. The best part about Shadow, which is hard to convey through text, is that he delivers his best lines to his theme song, which is just a cool whistle and guitar combo.
Along with being just an awesome quote, this single line also perfectly encapsulates Shadow's identity, showing that he expected to die but does not fear it. Among the many characters in Final Fantasy 6, Shadow is definitely among the best, for as quiet and brooding as he is.
4 “Guard Your Emotions First, Then Guard Your Summoner.”
Auron (Final Fantasy 10)
Auron is from Final Fantasy 10, and like Shadow, he only pipes up when he has something wise or biting to say. One great example is in Macalania Woods when one of the party’s rival Summoners, Dona, goes missing. Her beef-headed guardian, Barthello, is in a panic, but even though the two parties argue, Auron sees through the bickering and offers Barthello sound advice that players can take to heart. Essentially, this quote is telling players that nothing can be done when someone is panicked.
3 “To Hell With Looks, It's What's Inside That Counts.”
Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy 9)
Zidane is the protagonist of Final Fantasy 9, a cool-headed rogue with a heart of gold, even though he also likes to pull pranks. The great thing about Zidane is how he takes a liking to Vivi right away, who is constantly going through a bit of an identity crisis.
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A great example scene is right after the theater ship crashes in the woods, and the two have a heart-to-heart. Vivi doesn’t know what he is, where he came from, or if he looks weird, but that’s why Zidane says this line. While Vivi may indeed look off, his actions are what matter. If Vivi uses his black magic for good to help people, then Vivi will be a hero.
Vivi's “How do you prove that you exist…?” Is also a great quote that ties into the above.
2 “My Honor, My Dreams... They're Yours Now.”
Zack Fair (Crisis Core)
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation Portable
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is a prequel to the original game, and Zack, a very minor character in said game, is the protagonist of this spinoff. The story showcases Zack’s rise through the ranks of Shinra’s SOLDIER program, and how, eventually, his beloved organization betrays him and his friends. This leads to Zack escaping with a younger version of Cloud, and in the end, Zack fights hundreds of soldiers and gives his life to save Cloud. In his final breath, he says this line about passing on his dreams to Cloud, along with his sword. It’s a gut-wrenching and powerful scene to say the least.
Throughout Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, the passing of dreams is a theme. Zack has dreams, as does Cloud, and other heroes Zack interacts with along the way. So, when Zack says this line to Cloud in his dying breath, it’s almost like coming full circle. Also, it gives a bigger meaning behind what Cloud does in Final Fantasy 7 and why he has the Buster Sword, even though he has amnesia throughout most of the adventure.
1 “You Spoony Bard!”
Tellah (Final Fantasy 4)
Lastly, the most famous line of Final Fantasy has to go to a temporary party member, Tellah, from Final Fantasy 4. Tellah joins the party to find his daughter, Anna, and once they reach the throne room, where she supposedly eloped with Prince Edward, they find her dead and Edward cowering. That’s when Tellah delivers this line and several others, berating Edward because Tellah is so upset that this coward got to live and his daughter had to die. Edward is a Bard class in the game, which is something Tellah doesn't repect much. Also, "spoony" is essentially another way for Tellah to call him dumb, or as an insult to his class as being poetic in a time of war saves no one.
For such a sad scene, this line lies in infamy, almost like a weird outlier. Why say something so silly in this dramatic scene instead of using a word more cutting and easier to understand? Whatever the case may be, "You Spoony Bard!" Has taken on a life of its own, appearing in other Final Fantasy games almost like a fourth-wall-breaking quote to wink at the audience, and it's great whenever developers can be playful. Players can say this line to anyone as a test of their Final Fantasy knowledge.
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