Square's role-playing video game Final Fantasy VI, which was released as Final Fantasy III in North America, features fourteen permanent player characters, the largest number of any game in the main Final Fantasy series, as well as several characters who are briefly controlled by the player.

Concept and design

Final Fantasy VI was the first game of the series to feature character designers other than Yoshitaka Amano. While Amano drew most character artwork, monster designer and graphic director Tetsuya Nomura created the original designs and many story episodes for Shadow and Setzer Gabbiani,[1] and field graphic designer Kaori Tanaka created the original designs of Edgar Roni Figaro and Sabin Rene Figaro.[2] A character named Angela was developed, but was ultimately cut from the game.[3] She was to be like a "big sister" to Cyan and wield a whip, allowing the story to explore Cyan's vulnerability and private side.[3]

Co-director Kitase wanted to create many characters that could stand up to be main characters and ensure the story did not revolve around one character, so each character could have something to bring to the table.[4] According to Yoshinori Kitase, one of the game's two directors, one of the themes of production was "everyone is the main character".[5] Kitase also believes that this approach with the game's characters is one of its lasting appeals.[5] Despite having a large cast of playable characters, the game is well known for its subtle revealing of character relationships and backstories over the course of the story.[6] Cut scenes of character interaction also feature simulated "camera movement", with a similar emotional effect found in movies.[6] During the game's development, the whole team contributed to the stories of the game's characters, which were then adjusted for consistency with the story by Kitase.[5] Instead of just being "ciphers for fighting, players would have more choice in what the characters would do, and how that would alter the narrative and invest the player more deeply in the story".[7] To make the characters more distinct, their fighting styles and abilities were made different.[7] Balancing so many characters was a challenge, and as a result Celes and Kefka became bigger characters than initially planned.[7]

Main playable characters

Terra Branford

Terra Branford, known as Tina Branford (ティナ・ブランフォード, Tina Buranfōdo) in Japanese media, is the first introduced character, a mentally-enslaved Imperial super-soldier gifted with devastating magic. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the Final Fantasy series, greatly influenced the character's creation.[7] Originally, Terra was to disappear along with the other Espers at the end of the game, but the developers decided it would be a "waste" to have her discover her humanity only to be erased, so she instead lost her powers.[3]

Locke Cole

Locke Cole (ロック・コール, Rokku Kōru, also romanized as Lock Cole) is a thief who prefers to identify as a "treasure hunter".[8][9] Like Terra, Hironobu Sakaguchi was also a major contributor to the character's creation.[7]

He bears a personal vendetta against the Empire for assaulting his hometown, which killed his amnesiac love interest Rachel.[10] Her last word is Locke's name.[11] Driven by the conviction that failing Rachel led to her death, Locke seeks to protect Terra and Celes as he fights with the Returners against the Empire;[12] Locke seeks a means of resurrecting Rachel as a way to right his greatest wrong. This takes him to the depths of the Phoenix Cave to acquire the "rebirth" power of the esper Phoenix. Although some of the treasure chests here are empty, though Locke will give the contents to the party once the dungeon is cleared. In the end, Rachel urges him to move on to find someone new to protect, giving Celes her blessing to watch over him before departing for the afterlife.[13] He is also featured in the rhythm game Theatrhythm Final Fantasy as a subcharacter representing Final Fantasy VI.[14] Locke also appears in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, where he is voiced by Yūki Ono in Japanese and Jonathan von Mering in English.[15]

IGN praised Locke as being the connection between Terra and Celes, helping tie the plot together, and having a unique ability to steal from his enemies.[16]

Celes Chere

Celes Chere (セリス・シェール, Serisu Shēru) is a former general of the Empire, who was genetically and artificially enhanced into a Magitek Knight following a magic infusion.[17] Co-director Yoshinori Kitase revealed that he put much effort into creating Celes, and that she is his favorite character in the game.[4][7]

Celes is first encountered in the dungeons below South Figaro, where Locke rescues her before her impending execution over protesting the poisoning of Doma Castle. Later in the journey, Celes is used as a body double for the opera diva Maria to fool Setzer into providing transport in his airship to the Empire's capital of Vector. Within Vector's Magitek Research Facility, Kefka and an elite contingent of Magitek-armored troops attack the party – prompting Celes to warp herself and them away, saving her friends. Kefka's claims of Celes operating as a double-agent create a schism with her and Locke, though their mutual trust is restored at the conclusion of the events on Crescent Island. On the Floating Continent, Celes again rejects the Empire's plans, denying Gestahl's lust for power and impaling Kefka with her blade after being ordered to slay her comrades for amnesty. Despite this, Kefka succeeds in ravaging the surface of the planet by loosing the divine power of the Warring Triad.

Celes is the initial character in the World of Ruin, awakening a full year after the global devastation caused by Kefka's actions. Having been nursed back to health by Cid, the player has the chance to return the favor, either resulting in his death, which leads to a scene of attempted suicide and the discovery of Locke's bandana upon an injured seagull, or his survival, prompting reaffirmation in the belief her friends remain alive. Either outcome results in her departing the island aboard a home-made wooden raft. Over the remaining course of the game, Locke and Celes gradually develop a relationship.

She is also featured in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which features her theme, "Celes's Theme", as a subcharacter representing Final Fantasy VI. Celes also appears in World of Final Fantasy, where she is voiced by Houko Kuwashima in Japanese and Christina Rose in English.

Edgar Figaro

Edgar Roni Figaro (エドガー・ロニ・フィガロ, Edogā Roni Figaro) is the young king of Figaro. Edgar was originally supposed to be a womanizer, but this was considered to be cliche and evolved into him having lost his mother as an infant.[3] He later fell in love with an older woman who was killed in a "political rivalry", and she remained his version of an ideal woman.[3]

Years before the game's events, neither he nor his twin brother, Sabin, bore desire for the crown. Edgar determined the succession with the flip of a double-sided coin to grant his brother's deeper wish for a free life, relegating himself to the burden of rule.[18][19] Edgar later reveals the facts of this rigged gamble to Sabin. As Figaro's monarch, Edgar publicly maintains a strong alliance with the Gestahlian Empire, but secretly provides support and aid to the Returners, a rebel group seeking the liberation of conquered city-states. He fancies himself a ladies' man, earning a reputation as a die-hard womanizer.[20] While attempting to arrange a meeting between Terra and the Returners' leadership, the Empire's court mage, Kefka, makes a surprise inspection of Figaro, seeking Terra. With Kefka's subsequent torching of Figaro, the alliance between the two nations is broken. Edgar helps Terra make contact with the Returners, reuniting with Sabin along the way, and later helps the party reach the western portion of the northern continent after the Narshe assault by means of Figaro Castle's submerging capability. During the World of Ruin, he appears disguised as a mercenary thief-for-hire named Gerad, an anagram of Edgar, to get back into the sunken wreck of his castle.[21] Thereafter he returns to the player's control.

IGN described Edgar as flirtatious but heroic, providing comic relief but a strong leader in fighting for the rebels.[22] Edgar also appears in World of Final Fantasy, where he is voiced by Shin-ichiro Miki in Japanese and Ray Chase in English.

Sabin Figaro

Sabin Rene Figaro, whose name is Macias "Mash" Rene Figaro (マシアス『マッシュ』・レネ・フィガロ, Mashiasu "Masshu" Rene Figaro) in the Japanese version, is Edgar's younger twin brother.[23] Soraya Saga, the co-creator of Xenogears, also helped shape Sabin's character.[7]

Disgusted by the cold arbitration of his royal succession, Sabin leaves his heritage behind after winning a rigged coin toss to determine whether he or Edgar would not inherit Figaro's throne. He initially trains under the world-famous martial arts master Duncan Harcourt along with his son, Vargas. Over time, Vargas grows increasingly jealous of Sabin's martial prowess, seemingly slaying Duncan in a wrathful fit and fleeing to the mountains, with Sabin in pursuit.[24] It is during these events that the Returners, accompanied by Sabin's brother Edgar, encounter him. After Vargas' defeat, Sabin is prompted to join the cause against the Empire, and after a period of separation where he meets Shadow, Cyan, and Gau following the Imperial siege of Doma, he participates in the defense of Narshe.

After the world's devastation, Sabin is the first ally Celes is led to encounter, found supporting the crumbling wreck of a mansion in Tzen after an attack by Kefka's 'Light of Judgment'. In this event, Celes has to rescue a child still inside the mansion and escape in six minutes. If time runs out, Sabin will lose his grip, causing a Game Over. However, according to an interview with the developers, originally, letting time run out in this event would cause Sabin's death, and returning to the town later with Edgar in the party and sleeping there would trigger a night-time cutscene where he digs among the rubble to find his twin brother's body, but they changed it because the World of Ruin was already dark. He later finds Duncan alive and well in the World of Ruin, somewhere east of Narshe, having survived Vargas' attack. From him, Sabin learns his final martial technique, the Phantom Rush.

Cyan Garamonde

Cyan Garamonde, whose name is Cayenne Garamonde (カイエン・ガラモンド, Kaien Garamondo) in the Japanese version, is a retainer to the king of Doma, a nation at war with the Empire. He feels immense shame and guilt for failing to protect the people of Doma, particularly the king and his wife and son, and later on for failing to stop Kefka from destroying the world. His name is pronounced Kaien, as the term kaien (海燕), which means "sea swallow", is typical of samurai, and Cyan is a samurai himself. This also fits with his Desperation Attack, Tsubame Gaeshi, but this reference was lost in the Western translation because in-game names cannot be longer than six letters and the translators mistook his name for the pepper of the same name. While the limit was removed in the ports to Game Boy Advance, PC and mobile devices, his name in the West was unchanged.[25] Cyan speaks in a style resembling Shakespearean English, often using words and phrases such as "thou art" and "shalt not", and usually calling his companions sir and lady. He also speaks using the archaic copula verb "gozaru" in the Japanese version, a common feature of the faux-historic dialect used by samurai and ninja in contemporary Japanese media. During the Empire's assault, he was able to defeat the enemy commander, but Kefka poisoned Doma's water supply, killing everyone in the castle except for him and a sentry. After discovering that his wife Elayne and his young son Owain were among those killed, Cyan launched a suicidal attack on the Imperial siege encampment, being assisted and rescued by Sabin.[26][27] Soon after, he encounters the spirits of his loved ones aboard the Phantom Train, sending him into a depressed spiral that persists until the game's second half. Cyan later grows close to Gau after finding him on the Veldt, taking a protective, almost fatherly role to him.

During the World of Ruin, Cyan exiles himself atop Mt. Zozo, writing pseudo-love letters under the guise of a deceased Imperial soldier to Lola, a woman in Miranda. This soldier had previously requested that Cyan and company write to Lola on his behalf upon meeting him in Mobliz before the planet's destruction.[28] Later, the player has the chance to bring Cyan to the ruins of Doma Castle, with sleeping here with him in the party will trigger a sidequest. Cyan will have a nightmare and will not wake up the next morning and three demon triplets called the Three Dream Stooges, named after the Three Stooges, invade his soul to devour it, with the rest of the party going to save him. Cyan's soul is represented as a four-stage dungeon, with the party being unable to backtrack to a previous stage upon clearing one. The first stage is an area where one party member must find the other two team members and then fight the Three Dream Stooges. The second stage of the dungeon is based on the Phantom Train, the third stage is based on the Narshe mines, and the last stage is based on Doma Castle. It is where the party can view some of Cyan's fondest memories, such as teaching Owain how to use a sword. The fourth part contains the dungeon's final boss: Wrexsoul, a demon composed of the souls of those who died in the War of the Magi that latches onto Cyan, feeding off the negative emotions that he felt from the poisoning of Doma, and brainwashing him. After Wrexsoul is defeated, Cyan is freed and overcomes his guilt, restoring his faith in himself and his ability to live life. Elayne and Owain also appear and give him the Masamune katana. .

Shadow

Shadow (シャドウ, Shadō) is an assassin and mercenary for hire, who is always accompanied by his faithful dog, Interceptor. During the first half of the game, Shadow operates on a freelance basis, at times available to the player for a fee and at times appearing in the employ of the Gestahlian Empire. In the Crescent Island and the Floating Continent areas of the World of Balance, Shadow is forced into the player's party. Shadow's fate is determined by player action on the latter area; if they have enough time to wait before leaping to the airship, Shadow will eventually accompany the party aboard the Blackjack and be available for permanent recruitment in the World of Ruin.

In the second half of the game, Shadow is, if rescued, found injured within the Cave on the Veldt and is returned to Strago's home in Thamasa to heal. Later on, he can be acquired by betting on an item he seeks at the Dragon's Neck Coliseum and winning the ensuing match. When Shadow is in the party, his backstory is revealed through dreams and nightmare sequences by using a Tent or resting at an Inn. Shadow's true name is Clyde; he once lived a life of crime with his partner, Baram ("Billy" in the Japanese version). The pair were infamous in the pre-war period prior to the game's events as a duo of train robbers known as the Shadow Bandits, but Baram eventually suffered mortal wounds during a failed railway heist. Baram asked Clyde to finish him off, but Clyde instead panicked and fled, leaving him to die. Some time later, Clyde collapsed from exhaustion upon reaching Thamasa and was found by a young woman and her dog. It is heavily implied, and confirmed in a 1995 interview with the game's developers,[29] that Clyde had a child named Relm, another character from the game, with this woman, eventually departing Thamasa under the guise of Shadow to escape his guilt over abandoning Baram.

At the game's conclusion, Shadow remains within the crumbling ruin of Kefka's tower, leaving the party and encouraging Interceptor to flee with the others. His final words are directed to Baram: "It looks like I can finally stop running... Come and find me all right?" (Japanese version: "I don't need to run away anymore. Embrace me warmly"). Interceptor is later seen with Relm in Strago's section of the ending. Final Fantasy VI Advance implies that Shadow remained behind in Kefka's tower as it collapsed, allowing himself to die. Despite appearing in only one major role, he was well received, including being voted at number seven in a popularity poll for Final Fantasy series characters by V Jump in 1995.[30]

Gau

Gau (ガウ) is a thirteen-year-old feral child who lives among the animals on the Veldt. Yoshinori Kitase, one of the game's two directors, spent the most time developing Gau, stating that stories like Flowers for Algernon and tales about children raised by wolves were the inspiration and origin for Gau.[5][7]

His capabilities of speech are poor, as he struggles to communicate with others and speak in complex sentences. He first appears when Sabin and Cyan encounter him and tempt him into joining the party with a slab of dried meat; he later returns the favor by giving them Mobliz' missing Diving Helm, enabling them to survive the Serpent's Trench's underwater currents and reunite with the Returners. He quickly bonds with Cyan, calling him "Mr. Thou". He has the ability to assume the powers and elemental resistances of any monster fought previously with his Rage techniques. For example: the Rhinotaur Rage technique grants him the ability to absorb lightning damage and use lightning attacks.

Gau is again encountered on the Veldt in the World of Ruin, where his origins are explored. By taking him and Sabin to the old man in the lone house west of the Veldt where Sabin's subplot first began in the World of Balance, it is revealed that the man is Gau's father. He abandoned him in the wilderness shortly after the death of his wife in childbirth, consequently labeling Gau a "demon child". This was mentioned when Sabin first visits the port town of Nikeah, when he talks to a woman who says a man had tossed his child out of his home thirteen years ago.

Setzer Gabbiani

Setzer Gabbiani (セッツァー・ギャッビアーニ, Settsā Gyabbiāni) is a gambler who owns the Blackjack, the only known airship in the world. The party first encounters him after being tricked into kidnapping Celes Chere instead of Maria, the opera diva whom he is enraptured with. Capitalizing on Setzer's love of gambling and chance, Celes coerces him into a bet using Edgar's double-faced coin; as a result, he joins the Returners and commits his airship to their service. His ship, is torn apart when Kefka unleashes the divine power of the Warring Triad. In the World of Ruin, Setzer is found lamenting the loss of his ship in the pub of Kohlingen. After being reminded of his former bravery, he elects to lead his comrades to the tomb of his long-deceased friend, Daryl. In the depths of the crypt, Setzer relives his memories of his and Daryl's romantic rivalry, revealing the restored hulk of her airship, the Falcon, which is turned over to player control.

Setzer also appears in Kingdom Hearts II as the reigning champion of the false Twilight Town's Struggle tournament, where he fights with Roxas. In Kingdom Hearts, he is voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu in Japanese and Crispin Freeman in English.

The character was created by designer Tetsuya Nomura, who helped give him personality, look, and background.[5]

Strago Magus

Strago Magus (ストラゴス・マゴス, Sutoragosu Magosu, Japanese name Stragos Magus) is an elderly gentleman living in the village of Thamasa.[31] He is Relm's grandfather and, along with the other inhabitants of Thamasa, a descendant of the ancient Mage Warriors who fought in the War of the Magi. Through his magical ancestry, Strago is able to learn techniques used by enemies, known as Lore (Blue Magic). He joins the Returners as thanks for saving Relm from a burning building, helping them seek the Espers on Crescent Island. He later departs Thamasa with Relm, joining the party permanently, after Kefka's attack on his village. Convinced of the worst for his granddaughter in the World of Ruin, Strago enthralls himself to the Cult of Kefka in a fit of depression, snapping out of his trance only after Relm confronts him. Strago later returns to Thamasa with Relm, confronted by an old friend with whom he once hunted the legendary beast, Hidon, and is compelled to seek out and destroy the monster. Undertaking this side quest enables Strago to learn the ultimate Blue Magic. Early on in the development of Final Fantasy VI, there was an idea of Strago developing his own village in the style of SimCity, but this idea was scrapped due to lack of time in the development schedule.[5]

Relm Arrowny

Relm Arrowny (リルム・アローニィ, Rirumu Arōnii) is a ten-year-old artist from the village of Thamasa and Strago's granddaughter. She is the youngest playable character in the game. When the group arrives in Thamasa, she meets them briefly, and they later save her from a burning house. She joins the party after tailing the player in the Esper Cave, despite complaints from Strago, and saves them during a scripted battle against Ultros. In the World of Ruin, Relm is either first found unconscious in the Cave on the Veldt if Shadow is not rescued, or tasked with a commissioned painting by the grossly-deformed Owzer. After Relm is recruited in the second half of the game, her presence in the party will snap Strago out of his trance at the base of the Cult of Kefka's tower.

Scenes with Relm and Interceptor upon the party's first meeting imply that she is Shadow's daughter, as do supporting flashbacks during Shadow's dream sequences. A relic special to Relm, the Memento Ring, directly references her departed mother – Shadow is the only other character capable of equipping this item.

Mog

Mog (モグ, Mogu) is a moogle who lives within the caves of Narshe with the rest of his species. He is distinguished from other moogles in his ability to speak human language, which was taught to him by the Esper, Ramuh, in his dreams. During the game's introductory sequences, he and other moogles help Terra and Locke escape from Narshe. Later in the story, Mog can be saved from a villainous thief, Lone Wolf, or abandoned toacquire of an item. Either way, Mog is again encountered in the depths of the moogles' abandoned hollow in the World of Ruin. His class is "Geomancer", which has skills learned based on the terrain and attacks that incorporate it, such as landslides, sandstorms, avalanches, and forests.

Gogo

Gogo (ゴゴ) is the first of two hidden characters in the game, who is encountered should the party be engulfed by a creature on Triangle Island called the Zone Eater. In the game's development stage, Gogo would wander between different pubs in the World of Ruin, disguised as characters that had not yet been re-recruited.[3] After players found them, they would return to the fake one and they would reveal themselves and be recruitable.[3]

Gogo is a self-described "master of simulacrum", who opts to mimic the party's desire to save the world and accompanies them. Gogo's gender is unknown, as their body is shrouded under their clothing. A boss named Gogo previously appeared in Final Fantasy V as a boss at the depths of Walse Tower, guarding the final crystal shard, which granted the Mime job class.

Another version of Gogo appears in Final Fantasy XIV as a mime gifted with mimicking others, to the point of turning his performance arts into combat skills. After the Garlean crown prince Zenos yae Galvus crushed Lord Kaien's rebellion against the Garlean Empire, he was no longer allowed to perform his mimicry in occupied Doma. He later found employment at the Fukumen Fighting Festival in Kugane under the stage name Golden Goliath and a benefactor in Kageyama. During the player character's Warrior of Light and their Blue Mage mentor Martyn's stay in Kugane, they investigate the festival to see if the Golden Goliath's blue magic is a fraud. Martyn later challenges the Golden Goliath, who easily defeats him. The Warrior of Light later challenges him, by which point he has taken on the new stage name "Gogo" and a costume resembling his original appearance, under their benefactor Royse's permission. Whoever won would take ownership of both the festival and the Masked Carnivale. The Warrior emerges victorious, though Gogo begs Royse to reconsider and continue operating the festival under her management, to which she agrees.

Umaro

Umaro (ウーマロ, Ūmaro) is a yeti and the second hidden character in the game. In the World of Balance, citizens of Narshe reference him and he can be seen peering out of a cave above the entrance to the mine shafts. He is encountered later in the game during the World of Ruin, after the group fights him over a Magicite shard. If Mog is in the party, he will convince Umaro to join the group.

Umaro cannot be controlled during battle and can only equip relics. However, two of these relics, which only he can equip, grant him powerful special attacks that are usable even in the Cult of Kefka's Tower, where other party members can only use magic unless the "Berserk" spell is cast on them. One of these attacks, granted by the Rage Orb, allows him to fling a party member at an enemy: this does not hurt the thrown party member and can even damage an enemy a fair amount. The second attack, granted by the Blizzard Orb, allows him to strike all enemies for ice-based damage.

Other major characters

This section covers other characters who either play a major role in the plot, or are briefly controllable by the player, but without the full range of options that playable party members have.

Kefka Palazzo

Kefka Palazzo (ケフカ·パラッツォ, Kefuka Parattso, Cefca Palazzo in Japanese materials) is the main antagonist of the game. He is a sociopathic nihilist who served the Gestahlian Empire as Court Mage until he used the Warring Triad to devastate the world. IGN describes him as "dominating" the history of the Final Fantasy franchise for his maniacal representation of evil.[22]

Ultros

Ultros (オルトロス, Orutorosu), whose name is Orthros in the Japanese version, is a carnivorous octopus who appears multiple times as both an antagonist and comic relief.[32] Each time he appears to fight the party, he is bent on making a meal out of them, making him the first, and, so far, only, carnivorous antagonist in the Final Fantasy series. IGN called him "unintentionally hilarious", noting his lack of any real motivation to follow the heroes and fight them.[22] Ultros appears in Dissidia: Final Fantasy as a summon, again using the name Ultros. Ultros also appears in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Typhon

Typhon (テュポーン, Tyupōn), whose name is Chupon in the original North American Super NES version, is a two-headed monster who appears as Ultros' "friend" while fighting the party as they are going to the Floating Continent, the final stage of the World of Balance. Typhon does not speak often, but according to Ultros, has a volatile temper. After the game shifts to the World of Ruin, they end up working as a receptionist and combatant in the Colosseum. Ultros, sometimes under the name Orthros, and Typhon have since appeared in other games. They appear as optional bosses in Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls under the names Orthros and Typhon, as well as in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Ultros appears as a boss in Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and Chocobo's Dungeon 2, as well as in Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics A2. Typhon appears in Final Fantasy VII as a summon. Ultros and Typhon appear in Final Fantasy XIII-2 as downloadable content.

Leo Cristophe

Leo Cristophe (レオ・クリストフ, Reo Kurisutofu) is one of the three top generals of the Empire, the others being Celes and Kefka. Unlike his compatriots, Leo refused to undergo Magitek infusion. He is fiercely loyal and possesses a strong sense of personal honor, and conducts himself with a measure of restraint otherwise absent in the Empire. His siege of Doma sought to minimize casualties on both sides of the fighting until Kefka poisoned the water supply, and he is the first to espouse the Emperor's desire for an end to the war. Leo later leads the Imperial mission to seek a truce with the Espers on Crescent Island, accompanied by both the Returners and the troops loyal to him. This turns out to be a ruse meant to lure the Espers into a trap and reduce them to Magicite to collect for the Empire, but to also eliminate Leo and other Imperial dissidents who might threaten Gestahl's plans. Leo is eventually killed after Kefka masquerades as Gestahl, playing on Leo's unswerving loyalty to kill him. He is then buried by the Returners and surviving villagers of Thamasa.

He is temporarily controllable only during Kefka's assault, and has a special ability called 'Shock' that deals heavy damage to all foes around him. He possesses powerful equipment and Relics the player is unable to acquire until much later in the game.

Banon

Banon (バナン, Banan) is the leader of the Returners, a group of rebels that opposes the Empire's harsh oppression. The party first meets him in the Returners' secret base, where he plans to have Terra try and speak with the frozen Esper in Narshe. He later accompanies them to the imperial capital of Vector when Gestahl proposes a truce, which turns out to be a ruse. He is last seen among the ruins of Vector after the Espers destroy it. His fate after Kefka's rise to power is unknown. Banon is temporarily controllable during a mission to transport him from the Returners' secret base to Narshe. His special command, 'Pray', is a powerful healing ability that targets the entire party and does not consume magic points.

Cid Marquez

Cid Del Norte Marquez (シド・デル・ノルテ・マルケズ, Shido Deru Norute Marukezu) is the chief magical researcher of the Empire. His pursuits lead to the creation of the Magitek labs and production facilities, along with the development of Magitek armor and soldiers. He is very close to Celes, and turns against the Empire upon witnessing her fight against Kefka. In the World of Ruin, he washes up on the same island as Celes and cares for her throughout the duration of her coma. The others who washed up along with them eventually fall to despair and commit suicide before she awakens. Celes is turned over to the player's control at this point, and Cid's ultimate fate is left to the player's ability to care for him in the sequence that follows. Should Cid die, Celes will discover a letter and the key to Cid's raft after attempting suicide herself. If Cid is nursed back to health, he will provide the raft for Celes of his own accord, wishing her farewell.

Emperor Gestahl

Emperor Gestahl (ガストラ, Gasutora, Gastra) is the power-hungry dictator of the militaristic Empire.[33] He is obsessed with the legends of magical power dating from the ancient War of the Magi. Prior to the beginning of the game, he sought the sealed world of the Espers. To this end, he ordered the capture of dozens of Espers, with Terra and her father among them. Those who were captured would form the basis for the Empire's Magitek in the years to come, the fruit of this research enabling Gestahl to crush the city-states on the southern continent and expand northward. Later in the game, his second attempt to enter the Esper world proves largely successful, though the culmination of these events lead to his death at the hands of Kefka and the destruction of the world. Gestahl appears in Final Fantasy XIV as a dog minion, as a reference to his sprite resembling one.

Maduin and Madeline

Maduin (マディン, Madīn), an Esper, and Madeline (マドリーヌ, Madorīnu, Madonna in US SNES version), a human woman, are Terra's parents. They meet after Madeline accidentally stumbles into the Esper world, and Maduin nurses her back to health. Though other Espers do not trust her, Maduin defends her, and they soon conceive Terra. Eventually, Gestahl invades the area, captures Maduin, kills Madeline, and takes Terra with him. Maduin is drained of his magic for twenty years before he is finally reduced to Magicite. Maduin also appears as an Eidolon used by Eiko Carol in Final Fantasy IX and as a summon in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, where she is known as "Madeen". He also appears as an Esper in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 and as a transfiguration of Titan in World of Final Fantasy.

The Warring Triad

The Warring Triad (三闘神, Santōshin), individually known as Fiend (鬼神, Kishin, Doom in US SNES version), Demon (魔神, Majin, Poltergeist in US SNES version), and Goddess (女神, Megami), are the beings responsible for the War of the Magi and the creation of Espers. After the period of near-apocalyptic destruction their conflict caused, the Triad willfully cease their battle and mutually seal away their abilities, reducing themselves to stone statues. It is the magical balance between them that maintains harmony throughout the world. However, Emperor Gestahl, obsessed with power, seeks the Triad to further his own desires. Gestahl is later betrayed and slain by Kefka, who gains control of the Triad and upsets their balance, virtually annihilating the planet's surface and reducing it to a wasted, chaotic shadow. After being drained of their power by Kefka in the time following his ascension, they are awakened as mindless husks that attack the party as they traverse the mangled spires of Kefka's tower.

The Warring Triad appear in Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward in the form of statues on the floating continent Azys Lla, who are virtually identical to the original sprites in appearance. A series of side quests allows players to fight them to earn powerful weapons. In this appearance, they are depicted sa elder primals awakened by the expansion's antagonist Thordan VII, who sought their power after becoming a primal himself. They are given names based on notes from original concept artwork that ended up unused in Final Fantasy VI. The Fiend is named Sephirot, the Goddess Sophia and the Demon Zurvan.

Reception and legacy

In its review of the Game Boy Advance release, IGN says Final Fantasy VI's "cast of characters is huge and varied, and though several of them do draw from traditional RPG archetypes, this was the game that helped define those archetypes in the first place".[34] In the GameSpy review of the Game Boy Advance version, it is said that "the large cast of characters, that is one of this game's hallmarks, is most impressive because of their individuality, both from a story and from a gameplay perspective, as well as the amount of effort that was put into exploring their personalities, motivations, and histories".[35] Nintendo Power described the characters as some of the more memorable Final Fantasy protagonists ever, citing the ending's great character moments.[36]

Several characters from the game have received standalone praise, such as Kefka who has been repeatedly named one of the franchise's greatest villains. In 2008, IGN placed him sixth on their list of the "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters" with similar sentiments,[37] but also included several other characters from Final Fantasy VI on the list. Ultros, who placed twenty-fourth, was praised for bringing "much needed" comic relief for the title, described as being augmented by Ted Woolsey's translation for the North American localization.[38] Celes placed fourteenth, and was stated as providing one of the greatest memorable scenes and musical pieces in the game through the impromptu opera scene.[39] Setzer placed twelfth, described as having "that most crucial of qualities in a hero, an unshakable sense of humor", as well as introducing the Gambler job class that would appear in later titles in the series.[40] Nintendo Power listed Shadow as one of the best ninjas on Nintendo consoles.[41] In an article on Dissidia Final Fantasy, IGN editor Ryan Clements called Terra one of the most recognizable and well-loved characters to join the army of Cosmos.[42] In another poll the same year, eight of the characters – Locke, Edgar, Celes, Setzer, Terra, Shadow, Sabin, and Relm – were named among the fifteen most popular characters in the Final Fantasy series.[43] In 2012, IGN made a list of their all-time favorite Final Fantasy characters, and included Celes, Edgar, Kefka, Locke, and Ultros.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "The Making Of: Final Fantasy VI". Edge. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Reflections With Soraya Saga Part 1 // Siliconera Archived 12 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Siliconera.com (4 June 2010). Retrieved 2011-01-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Schreier, Jason (28 November 2016). "Final Fantasy VI Once Had A Character Named Angela (And Other Little-Known Facts)". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 11 February 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  4. 1 2 Final Fantasy: Kitase's Inside Story from Archived 10 January 2013 at archive.today. 1UP.com. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Juba, Joe (2 April 2019). "The Best of an Era: Looking Back on Final Fantasy VI After 25 Years". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  6. 1 2 Schreier, Jason (15 February 2017). "Final Fantasy VI Retrospective: Simply the Best". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Edge Staff (8 May 2015). "The making of... Final Fantasy VI". Games Radar. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  8. ↑ Arvis: Took you long enough! Busy with all that robbing and plundering, I presume? [...] Locke: I prefer the term "treasure hunting"! Arvis: Ha! Semantic nonsense! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  9. ↑ Studio BentStuff, ed. (31 January 2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (in Japanese). Vol. 1: Character. Japan: Square Enix. pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-4-7575-2206-0.
  10. ↑ Father: Get out of my house! It's your fault Rachel lost her memory! Locke: Wait! Just let me talk to her...! Rachel: Please, just go away! I don't know who you are, but my parents get upset whenever you come here! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  11. ↑ Locke: A year went by... When I finally returned, I found out that Rachel had been killed in an Imperial attack. Her memory had returned just before she died. The last thing she said was...my name. I never should have left her side. I... I failed her... Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  12. ↑ Celes: Why are you helping me? Locke: You remind me a lot of someone... What's it matter, anyway? I'm helping you because I want to! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  13. ↑ Locke: You're all safe! Behold... The legendary treasure that can undo death itself... Player character: Is that... magicite? Locke: It is. Legend has it that the Phoenix turned itself to stone ages ago. Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  14. ↑ "Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy's Second Tier Stars". Siliconera. 12 November 2011. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "Jonathon Von Mering". IMDB.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  16. ↑ Clements, Ryan; Moriarty, Colin (10 January 2012). "The Best Characters of Final Fantasy". IGN. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Celes: I was raised to be an Imperial Magitek knight. When I was still very young, I was artificially infused with magic. Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  18. ↑ Sabin: Let's leave this place! Let's forget this crazy kingdom, and live our lives how we want to! You said you didn't want to be a king, right? Edgar: A life of freedom, huh...? Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  19. ↑ Edgar: Sabin... Let's settle this with the toss of a coin. Dad gave me this one. If it's heads, you win. Tails, I win. The winner chooses whichever path he wants...no regrets, not hard feelings. Okay? Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  20. ↑ Locke: Terra... Wait for me... I won't be gone long. ...And watch out for a certain lecherous young king who shall remain nameless. The guy moves in like a hawk! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  21. ↑ Gerad: Look, I'm kind of busy here. I have to get ready. We're leaving for Figaro on the ferry soon. Celes: Don't play dumb with me! Edgar? ...You didn't lose your memory, did you? Gerad: Listen... It grieves me to have to disappoint such a beautiful lady, but I've been Gerad since the day I was born! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  22. 1 2 3 4 Clements, Ryan; Moriarty, Colin (10 January 2012). "The Best Characters of Final Fantasy". IGN. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  23. ↑ Studio BentStuff, ed. (31 January 2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (in Japanese). Vol. 1: Character. Japan: Square Enix. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-4-7575-2206-0.
  24. ↑ Sabin: Why, Vargas? Why did you kill Master Duncan? How could you kill your own father!? Vargas: The fool snubbed me, his only son! He chose you as his successor! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  25. ↑ Studio BentStuff, ed. (31 January 2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (in Japanese). Vol. 1: Character. Japan: Square Enix. pp. 160–161. ISBN 978-4-7575-2206-0.
  26. ↑ Sabin: The Empire killed everyone in Doma, down to the last child... Cyan: Kefka...poisoned them... Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  27. ↑ Cyan: I am in thy debt! Sabin: No need for thanks! I'm Sabin, from the kingdom of Figaro. We should get out of here! Cyan: But I must avenge my family and my countrymen...! Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  28. ↑ Cyan: I wondered what had become of that poor girl, always waiting for word of her beloved. I decided to pay a visit to Maranda. I learned that she had long since stopped receiving replies, but still sent a letter each day. I could not bear to stand by and do nothing... Square Enix Final Fantasy VI Advance (in English) 5 February 2007
  29. ↑ Concelmo, Chad (5 December 2011). "The Memory Card .90: In her father's Shadow". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  30. ↑ "人気投票" [Popularity Poll]. V Jump (in Japanese). Shueisha. December 1995. p. 184187.
  31. ↑ Studio BentStuff, ed. (31 January 2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (in Japanese). Vol. 1: Character. Japan: Square Enix. pp. 166–167. ISBN 978-4-7575-2206-0.
  32. ↑ Nintendo Power, ed. (7 November 2004). Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Player's Guide. Nintendo of America. ISBN 978-1-930206-55-7.
  33. ↑ Studio BentStuff, ed. (31 January 2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (in Japanese). Vol. 1: Character. Japan: Square Enix. p. 176. ISBN 978-4-7575-2206-0.
  34. ↑ Dunham, Jeremy (15 February 2007). "Review of Final Fantasy VI Advance". IGN. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  35. ↑ Turner, Benjamin (9 May 2006). "Review of Final Fantasy VI Advance". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  36. ↑ Nintendo Power 250th issue!. South San Francisco, California: Future US. 2010. p. 46.
  37. ↑ Smith, Dave (15 May 2008). "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters – Day IV". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  38. ↑ Smith, Dave (12 May 2008). "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters – Day I". IGN. p. 3. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  39. ↑ Smith, Dave (14 May 2008). "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters – Day III". IGN. p. 2. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  40. ↑ Smith, Dave (14 May 2008). "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters – Day III". IGN. p. 4. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  41. ↑ Nintendo Power 250th issue!. South San Francisco, California: Future US. 2010. p. 47.
  42. ↑ Clements, Ryan (30 July 2009). "Dissidia Final Fantasy: Terra". IGN. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  43. ↑ "人気投票" [Popularity Poll]. V Jump (in Japanese). Shueisha. December 1995. pp. 184–187.
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