Summary
- Zemus manipulated characters and was revealed as the main villain near the end, satisfying to defeat.
- Ultima overshadowed more compelling villains in FF16, disappointing players in the endgame.
- Hojo's unethical experiments in FF7 led to threats to Gaia, making him a truly evil character.
Final Fantasy is a series full of memorable villains that steal the show. Some of these characters end up being enjoyable in their own way, even if they may be working against the heroes.
However, some villains in the series are incredibly heinous and easy to hate. These despicable characters have stooped to great lows to try and stop the heroes, which is why making them pay for their crimes is so satisfying.
8 Zemus
This Heinous Lunarian Was Manipulating Events Behind The Scenes
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy 4
- Released
- July 19, 1991
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Some games have an odd habit of introducing the main villain near the end of the story, which can take the wind out of their sails. Such is the case with Zemus, a powerful Lunarian who had somehow mind-controlled characters like Golbez to serve his will and bring ruin to the world.
Once players reach the moon, Zemus' villainy is revealed by Fusoya as players embark on one final journey to face off against this foe once and for all. It's a satisfying moment to beat Zemus, even if his inclusion as the true main villain of Final Fantasy doesn't sit right with many.
7 Ultima
Stole Every Villain's Thunder Who Were Infinitely More Compelling Than Him
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
Final Fantasy 16's political intrigue is a huge part of what makes the story so special in the early going. However, all of this careful worldbuilding is unceremoniously dropped when Ultima steps into the picture.
This godlike being is a representative of a race that had sucked the world dry and created humans to help restore the world until it was fit for them to capture again. Despite how powerful he is, the fact that other compelling villains have to take a backseat to this boring character leaves a bad taste in many players' mouths as they power through the endgame of Final Fantasy 16.
6 Emperor Gestahl
Unlike Kefka, This Tyrannical Emperor Is Nowhere Near As Charismatic
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
Kefka is one of the most charismatic and enjoyable villains in Final Fantasy 6. In contrast, Emperor Gestahl is the quintessential tyrant who wants to take over the world for reasons that are poorly explained.
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After the events of the Floating Continent, Gestahl gets a taste of his medicine as Kefka betrays him and unleashes chaos upon the world. The fact that players cheered the death of this inconsequential villain is a testament to how uninteresting Gestahl is, especially when compared to Kefka.
5 Yu Yevon
Trapped Spira In A Cycle Of Violence For Ages
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2
The first Summoner who caused Sin to appear and has trapped Spira in a cycle of violence ever since, Yevon is far from the noble figure that religious texts portray him as. Players will attain a sense of satisfaction after finally reaching this mythical being and pummeling it into the ground.
This boss fight should feel epic, but the permanent Reraise ensures that players will face no challenge whatsoever when taking on Yu Yevon. This can take the wind out of the player's sails in the climax and make Yevon even more unlikable as a villain.
4 Exdeath
Does Several Heinous Things Throughout The Game
Final Fantasy 5
- Released
- December 6, 1992
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Mild Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Exdeath is one of the few Final Fantasy villains who is thoroughly unlikeable yet intensely captivating in his own way. Fans will feel a palpable sense of fear whenever this villain makes an entrance, causing death and destruction wherever he goes.
It's no surprise when players find out that Exdeath is the embodiment of evil itself, who must be stopped at the source. Given how beloved characters like Gilgamesh and Galuf faced at Exdeath's hands, players will love to unleash a beatdown for the ages in the final fight against Neo Exdeath.
3 Seifer Almasy
Squall's Rival Is A Pain In The Butt
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
Seifer and Squall's rivalry makes the former easy to hate from the get-go. It doesn't help that he insults Zell for no reason and joins Edea, even if this happened because of Ultimecia's brainwashing.
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By the time he redeems himself and helps the party out, it's too late. Fans develop a strong hatred for this character and find it hard to look at him without experiencing feelings of pure disdain.
2 Seymour Guado
Almost Forces Yuna To Marry Him And Traps The Party In An Intense, Frustrating Boss Fight
Everything wrong with the teachings of Yevon is personified by Seymour. This Maester should be a paragon of virtue, but it turns out that he was turning a blind eye to the atrocities of his faith and became blind in his quest to seek power.
The fact that Yuna was almost forced to marry him makes him an easy character to hate, with this villain coming back even after he should've died. The battle against Seymour Flux is the final straw for most fans, who will hate how tough this unfair boss is. This is especially the case when there are four different boss fights against him over the course of the game.
1 Professor Hojo
His Experiments Are The Entire Reason Why Gaia Is Threatened By Meteor
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PC, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4
The mad scientist trope is replicated in many forms of media, and video games are no exception. When fans talk about evil professors in video games, it's only a matter of time before Hojo's name comes up.
He forced Vincent's bride to take part in an unethical experiment, refused to give Sephiroth the guidance he needed, and conducted horrible experiments that added his memories for good. A lot of the bad things that happened in Final Fantasy 7 can be traced back to Hojo, proving how evil he is.
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