Summary
- Characters in Final Fantasy span from relatable personal struggles like grief and family dynamics to grand fantastical adventures.
- Tifa and Vaan showcase grounded, realistic characters living in poverty and seeking escapism through adventure.
- The relatability of Final Fantasy characters lies in their diverse struggles, from existential crises to the simple desire for revenge.
Final Fantasy began in 1987 in Japan on the NES, and it didn’t feature many memorable characters. Over time, the stories got more intricate, unlocking a plethora of characters to root for, from the cool cucumber Auron to the hot dog-loving Zell. Technology improved a lot, too, adding CG cutscenes that were movie-quality and pushing the medium forward with every new release.
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While these stories featured world-ending events, magic, monsters, and more fantastical machinations, there were plenty of things players could relate to. Let’s start with the Final Fantasy characters, who have become more and more relatable as the series has evolved, resulting in some of the most engaging character arcs in gaming.
Spoilers Ahead For Final Fantasy 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 16
8 Hope (Final Fantasy 13)
Too Much For A Kid
Final Fantasy 13
- Released
- March 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Hope is not exactly everyone’s favorite character from Final Fantasy 13, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a young kid who is afraid of what’s going on, plus he lost his mom and is upset about it.
It doesn’t make for a great playable character because no one likes a 24/7 complainer, but fans can at least relate to what Hope was going through. As cool as it is to imagine using magic and fighting evil, it must be pretty scary too, and only becomes more so the younger the person is.
7 Tidus (Final Fantasy 10)
Daddy Issues
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Tidus from Final Fantasy 10 has a similar attitude to Hope, as he likes to complain a lot. Tidus’ issue is his dad, who didn’t seem to raise him with affection, although Tidus ultimately turned out okay and even became a Blitzball star, which is no small feat.
Jecht left Tidus at a young age, which led to his mom dying, and that’s why Tidus is so angry at him. Abusive fathers are definitely something a lot of people can relate to, but having to hear Tidus say “old man” every other line becomes a bit grating.
6 Cyan (Final Fantasy 6)
A Tragic Loss
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Cyan is from Final Fantasy 6, and he was a noble warrior from the kingdom of Doma. During the game’s story, Cyan fails to save a single person from the poison Kefka dumped into the waters around his castle.
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This included his men, King, wife, and child. That’s a lot to process for anyone, and most players will probably not mess up so badly that they kill their entire nation. They can relate to the pain of losing a spouse and child, though, and feeling guilt from failing to stop it.
5 Clive (Final Fantasy 16)
Revenge Most Heated
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
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Clive from Final Fantasy 16 goes through some grief, much like Cyan does. As a young teen, Clive witnessed a beast, Ifrit, kill his brother Joshua. Then, he discovered that his mom sold out both Clive and his kingdom. That’s when Clive becomes a warrior slave, but he does not give up on getting revenge on those who wronged him.
What makes this worse for Clive is that he soon realizes that he was the one who killed Joshua as Ifrit, and he had blacked out during the act. Feeling guilt over the loss of a dead brother or being blinded by revenge are two things that ground Clive even with all of the action going on around him. The good news is that Joshua is actually alive, but that doesn’t fix Clive’s complicated feelings.
4 Irvine (Final Fantasy 8)
Choking On The Big Day
Final Fantasy 8
- Released
- February 11, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Moving beyond feeling guilty over dead family, there is Irvine from Final Fantasy 8. Irvine comes into play about a third of the way through the game, hired to be a sniper to kill a sorceress. Irvine is a smooth talker with the ladies, always trying to win their favor, and he is confident in his gunslinger skills.
However, when it comes time to execute the assassination attempt, Irvine chokes. It’s one thing to talk a big game, and it’s another to walk the walk, which is a valuable lesson players can learn even from an RPG. It's also a very relatable feeling, to feel the pressure mounting and have it upend a long-awaited moment.
3 Vivi (Final Fantasy 9)
Having An Existential Crisis
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Vivi is from Final Fantasy 9 and his story is quite dark. Vivi is a relatively young kid who doesn’t exactly know where he comes from. Early in the game, players will discover the village of Dali, wherein Vivi will learn that Black Mages like himself are not born but created as puppets.
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Vivi also learns that the lifespans of Black Mages are incredibly short, leading him into an existential panic. No matter how rich or healthy one is, eventually, death comes for everyone. It's something everybody has in common, which makes that existential feeling Vivi suffers from particularly relatable.
2 Vaan (Final Fantasy 12)
Dreaming Of Adventure
Final Fantasy 12
- Released
- October 31, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Vaan represents the lighter side of life, hailing from Final Fantasy 12. He’s like the surrogate of players, living in the fantastical world of Ivalice as a commoner from the streets alongside his gal pal, Penelo.
Together, they dream big about going on adventures as sky pirates, but most importantly, they just want to escape from poverty and a life of crime. They get their wish in the game and are thrust into one crisis after another, which can be a bit much, but Vaan handles it well, as he is determined to see his adventure through.
1 Tifa (Final Fantasy 7)
Managing A Life
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Tifa from Final Fantasy 7 is a bit like Vaan in that she lives in slums. She’s not a big dreamer, though, and instead she just goes to work every day in her bar, Seventh Heaven, while trying to raise a young girl alongside her friend Barret.
Tifa definitely has some aspirations, though, especially when Cloud, her childhood crush, comes back into her life, and she wants to free the planet from toxicity, just like Barret. She’s an environmentalist, stuck in a dead-end job, who is basically a mom to a kid and a bunch of adults, as their maturity levels aren’t particularly developed. How much more grounded could Tifa get? Her life is an incredibly human one, as are her dreams of a greater purpose.
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