I've spent well over 1000 hours playing Final Fantasy, so here are my most unforgettable 15 characters across the series

What makes the best Final Fantasy characters? For me, it's not necessarily the ones I liked playing as the most, or even which ones have become the most iconic – it's about the character writing and how they contribute towards spinning these fantasy yarns. Some heroes might work well as a member of the party but not be truly great on their own, and some villains may be thrilling to fight but lack the depth to really feel additive. Below, I've taken on the brutal task of combing through the best Final Fantasy games in order to pick out my own personal favorite characters who really exemplify this long-running series.

It hasn't been easy. Some characters close to my heart, such as Final Fantasy 9's Quina or, of course, Kid G from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, just didn't make the cut. I'm also aware that, though I've spent well over 1,000 hours playing Final Fantasy, I have some blind spots – I've not played much of Final Fantasy 11 at all, some I've replayed more than others, and some older titles I've not revisited in a long time. The best RPG games always have fantastic characters, so narrowing down who really stands out in Final Fantasy hasn't been easy for me.

Below is my list of the best Final Fantasy characters, from heroes to villains, mostly focusing on the main series.

My best Final Fantasy characters, starting with...

15. Jack Garland

Game: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Release: 2022

You might scoff at seeing Jack 'Chaos' Garland on this list after I was just writing that I struggled to find space for all my faves. But you can't leave off this powerhouse. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, as an action-centric spin-off, might have less to offer narratively than the rest of the series, but the core of Jack's character really is a standout. On the surface, he's single-minded almost to a fault, just wanting to "kill Chaos" (and listen to nu-metal). But by the end, you see what lies beneath, and go with him on a selfless journey that sees him willing to sacrifice everything, including the way he's remembered, to save what he loves.

14. Sephiroth

Game: Final Fantasy 7, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 7 Remake series
Release: 1997, 2007, 2020-present

Sephiroth stands out as one of the few villains to make my list, though a lot of the series' most devious were close contenders (sorry, Kefka). The best thing about Sephiroth is how much he really does hang over the events of Final Fantasy 7, the party always one step behind him while feeling in awe of the power he wields – every brief encounter makes you feel like you'll never match up.

Learning about his past is also genuinely quite emotional too. Every time I see it, I always hope things will go a different way for him. There's a real sense of tragedy and the feeling that if things had just gone slightly differently, and he could trust his friends more closely, he could've gotten through it. This is added to in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, which expands on his turn from venerated hero to planet killer – and we've yet to fully grasp his situation in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy.

13. Cidolfus Telamon

Game: Final Fantasy 16
Release: 2023

Founder of the Hideaway, what's so great about this Final Fantasy 16 version of Cid isn't just himself, but what he's able to inspire in others. The Dominant of Ramuh, he wields plenty of power, yet unlike others, has been able to free himself from using those world-shaking abilities not only to serve, but instead to save the downtrodden. His life's work is to give that freedom to all, focusing on liberating 'bearers', who are often enslaved and branded for their magical powers. Cid's rapport with protagonist Clive and the rest of the gang is fantastic, and I only wish I could spend more time with him. Still, with the huge impact he has on Clive, who carries Cid's dreams forward, Cid echoes throughout the whole game.

12. Ignis Scientia

Game: Final Fantasy 15
Release: 2018

Final Fantasy 15 centers on its party of four tight bros so tightly that it's both a strength and a detriment. It's also hard to have any of them stand out. Except, of course, Ignis Scientia. Though they're all there for Prince Noctis, Ignis is the real rock, able to do it all – cook meals, make camp, take the wheel of the car, he always has your back. He's handy in a scrap too, with quick daggers and the ability to come up with mid-brawl strategies. His own story DLC, Episode Ignis, even features the bizarre choice to introduce an alternate ending to the base game's tragic climax, proving that if Ignis really locked in everything bad that happened could have been averted. I find that both funny and charming, just like him. He's the real MVP of the whole game.

11. Lightning

Game: Final Fantasy 13 trilogy
Release: 2009-13

Final Fantasy 13 definitely isn't my favorite in the series (I respect the defenders, though, truly), but lucky for this list, one area it excels in is its characters. While many rightly compare lead protagonist Lightning to Final Fantasy 7's Cloud, she actually reminds me more of Final Fantasy 8's Squall. You might mistake her for being a bit of a blank slate, but as the game progresses, it becomes clear she has a heck of a lot of interiority going on; it's just that, unlike Squall, we don't get to see it as players, it's something we gradually learn. There's a real sense of scale to all things in Final Fantasy 13, which is why her massive quest to tear apart the world all for the sake of her sister feels as powerful as it does. If that's not enough, she looms large over Final Fantasy 13-2, and carries the whole of the underrated Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 (the third game) on her shoulders as its solo lead.

10. Balthier

Game: Final Fantasy 12
Release: 2006

This cocky, self-assured sky pirate in Final Fantasy 12 constantly refers to himself as the "leading man", despite the fact that the early game is mostly from young streetwise orphan Vaan's perspective. Even so, he's not wrong. Alongside his partner-in-crime Fran, the game immediately becomes more exciting when he arrives on the scene, bumping into Vaan as they both try to steal the same treasure and quickly end up having to join forces to get out of trouble. As the plot drives the party towards confronting the Archadian Empire who have invaded the Kingdom of Dalmasca, he must face up to the past he ran away from and finally begin to choose sides in the conflict, even if that simply means choosing to be a bit more selfless and to stick alongside his friends.

9. Fran

Game: Final Fantasy 12
Release: 2006

You can't have Balthier without Fran, and it felt cheap to combine them, so I won't. Fran gets the honor of coming out ahead of her partner in sky piracy crimes in part because it's what he would want, and also because, as the sole non-hume in the Final Fantasy 12 party, her relationship with the rest of the Viera is incredibly interesting. Leaving her people behind, she accepts exile in order to explore the world of Ivalice, which has also stripped her of some of the viera's natural abilities. Reserved, quiet, and mysterious at first, it becomes clear that she values the new connections she's made a great deal, primarily with Balthier, and over time, the rest of the party as well. But, even in the worst of danger, she never thinks of leaving Balthier behind. These two are part of the reason Final Fantasy 12 is one of my favorite games in the series.

8. Zack Fair

Game: Final Fantasy 7 / Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
Release: 1997 / 2007

Ah, the man Cloud Strife wishes he could be (well, sort of). Of all Final Fantasy 7's characters, it feels like Zack Fair has benefited the most from the extensive Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. While most of his story happens before the events of the main game, we're given just enough in that original release for Zack to be an intriguing character, with games like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 centering on him to give us much more. Surprisingly well connected to a lot of the series' key players, he's affable, capable, and – tragically – in over his head. Thanks to the dramatic irony of knowing his fate, I connected even more deeply with his journey, though the remakes still leave me wondering how things will go for him in the future. Despite it all, that doesn't stop him from giving his all to do what's right, even if that means having nothing left.

7. Cecil Harvey

Game: Final Fantasy 4
Release: 1991

Final Fantasy 4 is where the series really began to push more ambitious narratives, and what a fantastic game to do it with – Final Fantasy 4 is filled with complex characters that you won't forget about once you play. Main protagonist Cecil Harvey begins as a dark knight, grappling with his loyalty to his king and the evil deeds he's forced to carry out, quickly going rogue against him. His inner conflict doesn't just make for a great driving force throughout the narrative, but has mechanical implications too, as he later changes his job class from dark knight to paladin after undergoing trials. In many ways, he feels like a more complete execution of Leon from Final Fantasy 2. I'm always a sucker for whenever narrative and gameplay intersect in this way, and Cecil's arc makes Final Fantasy 4 one of the best to do it.

6. Terra Branford

Game: Final Fantasy 6
Release: 1994

Though Final Fantasy 6 does its best to ensure every party member gets their time to shine, Terra is the real standout thanks not only to how we start the RPG playing as her, but how connected she is to the events that unfold, even if unwillingly. The magitek power the Gestahlian Empire wields to conquer new lands is drawn from her own, and in that opening, she's brainwashed and fighting on that side. Breaking ranks, she joins up with the Returners to fight back against the empire. Remembering more about who she is and coming to accept her powers underscores many of Final Fantasy 6's emotional beats.

5. Emet-Selch

Game: Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers
Release: 2019

Though each Final Fantasy is a long adventure, the pacing of most of the games means they can struggle to get their villains completely right, like leaving them off-screen for too long or lacking in character development. Leave it to Final Fantasy 14, then, as a long-running MMO that features a complex storyline, to provide one of the series' greatest in Emet-Selch. He appears throughout the game, but comes to the fore in Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers, where the expansion's new world gives him plenty of space to guide you through finally learning about the history of the Ascians. He's carrying a lot of complex baggage and, as the MMO must continue, the climax of his own character arc is allowed to shine even as the story goes on. But you will remember the past.

4. Yuna

Game: Final Fantasy 10 / Final Fantasy 10-2
Release: 2001 / 2003

While Tidus is the lead protagonist of Final Fantasy 10, he ends up acting as the bodyguard for Yuna, a summoner on a rite of passage, aiming to protect the world. It's clear from the set-up that Yuna is the real star of the show, the center the whole party revolves around as they escort her to her ultimate destination, even as the whole world of Spira crumbles around them. She grows throughout the journey, but always remains true to her compassionate core. What's great is that, through Final Fantasy 10-2, we even get to see what comes next, what happens when she's unburdened by the weight of the world and can follow her heart, all while doing battles alongside amazing pop concerts. She slays, simple as.

3. Barret Wallace

Game: Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 7 Remake series
Release: 1997, 2020-present

Sure, Barret has a customizable minigun for an arm, but outside of that, what I love about him is that he feels like a regular guy willing to push himself to extraordinary limits to do what's right, no matter what anyone else (bar perhaps his daughter Marlene) may think of him. As the world of Final Fantasy 7 is being drained of its life energy by selfish corporations and villainous intentions, he understands that the only way to make a difference when the world takes away your other options is through action. His acts of ecoterrorism are textually always justified, the lengthy opening of the game revolving around his plans to blow up reactors to ease the strain on the planet. Even when taking the fight further means striking out on a larger quest, he doesn't hesitate to fight for a better future for his daughter. I love how the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy gives him even more time to shine.

2. Squall Leonhart

Game: Final Fantasy 8
Release: 1999

Some Final Fantasy games have party members who feel more like leading protagonists than others, but as far as I'm concerned, no game in the series goes as far to center a character as Final Fantasy 8 does for Squall. This story feels like a young adult novel at times – and I mean that as a big compliment – as it revolves around military school cadets in this fantasy world coming of age tale through troubled times. Throughout it all, Final Fantasy 8 makes the unique choice to give us frequent inner monologues for Squall. This means we're always a little bit on his side, as even though we may disagree with his thoughts, we always understand him. Sometimes, the most moving sequences are about what Squall doesn't say, and just how he feels. Stop, stop, I'm already tearing up! If that's not enough, he's fantastic across the first two Kingdom Hearts games as well.

1. Vivi Ornitier

Game: Final Fantasy 9
Release: 2000

Few RPGs have an emotional core as affecting as Vivi Ornitier. While kingdoms are thrown into turmoil and Zidane and Dagger grapple with royal schemes, it'd be easy for a little black mage like Vivi to feel overshadowed. But, quite to the contrary – playing as Vivi briefly in the game's opening, we resonate with the character strongly as he's thrown into the mix essentially by accident. As other black mages try to hunt the party down, Vivi must confront his complicated relationship with his origins, how he fits in among his people, and what it is that makes life worth living, no matter how short it may be. Vivi's perspective bookends Final Fantasy 9, making for one of the most moving game endings ever (Final Fantasy or otherwise).

Honorable mentions

To ease my conscience, here's a few more that almost made the cut! When I come out with the Remake version of this list, maybe some of the below will push through the cloaked ghosts in order to change their fate.

• Faris Scherwiz (Final Fantasy 5)
• Leon (Final Fantasy 2)
• Agrias Oaks (Final Fantasy Tactics)
• Kefka Palazzo (Final Fantasy 6)
• Tifa Lockheart (Final Fantasy 7)
• Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (Final Fantasy 9)
• Mog (Final Fantasy 6)
• Jill Warrick (Final Fantasy 16)
• Rydia (Final Fantasy 4)
• Auron (Final Fantasy 10)

25 years later, Final Fantasy 9's stylized visuals have ensured it's aged brilliantly without a remake