The Final Fantasy franchise has been lauded for its epic adventures and gut-wrenching stories over the years, and much of that stems from its memorable characters. Each game takes players on a journey alongside a cast of eclectic party members, each with their own personality and associated abilities. Their interactions and motives keep the story going and, in turn, motivate players in turn to keep ploughing through these longer RPGs.
With each game comes a different tone and setting, which are often represented by a given title’s main protagonist. Party leaders may not have the flashiest characterization, but more than suffice when it comes to leading the charge and creating interesting plot twists. With Final Fantasy 16 and the next Final Fantasy 14 expansion just around the corner, now is a good time to look back at some of the standout protagonists Final Fantasy has had over the years.
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It should come as no surprise that Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud is front and center when discussing Final Fantasy’s great protagonists. Cloud Strife presents himself as a first-class ex-Shinra mercenary who’s up for some extreme lawbreaking when a pay check is on the line. That persona stays firm for about half an hour in both the original and the remake. As it turns out, not only is Cloud meant to be the character the audience projects themselves onto, Cloud is also projecting his aloof, macho persona onto himself. What follows is a never-ending spiral of comedy and tragedy, as the very-much-capable Cloud comes up short in his own eyes again and again. Combined with recurring migraines and some rather odd gaps in his memory, and what seems like a straightforward merc at first, gradually unravels into something much more.
That’s not without the player coming along for the ride, however. Final Fantasy 7 despite having predefined characters, is well known for its dialogue options and primitive relationship system. Players can push Cloud into being sillier than normal, and even affect who he takes on a date. This level of control over the protagonist’s personality and relationships was new to the franchise at the time, and while it has persisted over the years, it has never felt quite as organically implemented as the curious case of Cloud Strife.
While he isn’t the first Final Fantasy protagonist with a real personality, Final Fantasy 4’s Cecil Harvey is the first Final Fantasy hero with a strong personality. Raised by the king of Baron, the Dark Knight Cecil is the head of Baron’s army and captain of the Red Wings fleet. However, uncertainty when ordered to attack other nations leads him to becoming demoted and ashamed, and he leaves to find a purpose. After making some new friends and being clued in that foul play is afoot, Cecil completes his personal journey of redemption and becomes a Paladin, now unwavering in his quest to protect the world from dark forces.
Cecil’s dynamic adventure represents some of the best mechanical storytelling of its age. While Cecil’s Dark Knight job is focused on ferociously attacking at the expense of his health, Cecil as a Paladin can defend other party members and even heal them with limited White Magic. This mirrors his evolution from being a soldier who does what he’s told and an avenger who doesn’t understand himself or the world around him, into a hero who seeks to save people from destruction. While his personal storyline climaxes somewhat early in the game, Cecil also does a good enough job bouncing off his rotating party members and providing an effective emotional core for endgame plot twists.
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Of course, no Final Fantasy hero is complete without his companions, yet nowhere is this more apparent than in Final Fantasy 15 with Noctis. Noctis Lucis Caelum is a sheltered young man who is rapidly thrust into the role of a globally important adult. Betrothed to a childhood friend and with all other roads cut off by the death of his father and the fall of his city, Noctis is left to soldier onward through trials and uncertainty with his three best friends. This deep friendship forms the emotional core of Final Fantasy 15, especially when the party is in the middle of the wilderness with no one to talk to but themselves.
Noctis may look quiet and moody at first glance — and to some extent, he is. However, he still has human needs and interests, and those are highlighted through interactions with his friends. He encourages them to pursue their hobbies, whether that be cooking, photography, or hiking, and appreciates when they do the same for him. He has a passion for fishing, but doesn’t really like to do it alone. Noctis’ friends help him to make decisions and continue moving forward, and prove there’s no shame in accepting a helping hand.
Last, but not least, is a stranger example than the rest: the player insert Warrior of Light from Final Fantasy 14. As with most MMORPG protagonists, this character isn’t usually much of a character at all. They are customized by the player down to their race and gender, they often nod or stare when spoken to, and unlike many of the other major characters, they have no voice acting. However, that isn’t always the case. Final Fantasy 14 does more than any other MMO to make its lead hero a real character.
As the story progresses through the various expansions, a tone starts to color what few player-selected lines the Warrior gets. They begin to notice the repetition inherent to the MMO genre, having undergone constant battles and quests at the behest of everyone under the sun. Combined with the loss of various allies and close friends, this leads to the Warrior gradually becoming world-weary and reluctantly resigned to their role in life. A special set of job sidequests even give the Warrior direct characterization, confronting their frustration and regrets in a very physical manner. This all culminates with the climax of the recent Shadowbringers expansion, providing a moment that is too good to spoil. Suffice it to say, all other MMO protagonists have something to prove when measured up against FFXIV’s Warrior of Light.
After all of these heroes, it’s no wonder that Final Fantasy has become the poster child for Japanese role-playing games. A strong leader can do wonders at enticing people into the bulk of a story. It is good to see that Square Enix can still muster strong writing for its heroes in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, keeping the aforementioned Cloud as fun and multifaceted as ever. There are sure to be many more compelling protagonists coming from that game line and the franchise at large in the future.
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