Square Enix’s Final Fantasy franchise is responsible for some of gaming’s greatest protagonists. Which ones are the best in the JRPG series?
Since the release of its first entry in 1987, Final Fantasy has grown into one of gaming’s largest and most successful franchises. It’s sold more than 160 million units and generated over $12 billion in revenue. It is a series that is best known for its innovation, its intricate stories, and, perhaps most of all, its wonderful cast of characters.
Although there are plenty of visual similarities between the series‘ main protagonists, beneath the surface there are some wildly contrasting personalities. Some are driven by vengeance while others are fighting for what they consider to be just and noble causes. Whatever their motivations though, they invariably leave quite the impression on players.
Updated July 1, 2022, by Tom Bowen: After a seven-year wait, Final Fantasy 16 has finally arrived and is proving to be one of the series‘ most divisive installments to date. Although most seem to be in agreement that the new combat system is a huge leap forward for the franchise, many feel as though some of the other big changes stray a little too far from the series‘ tried and tested formula. It’s easy to see why, really, with games like Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok arguably doing a much better job of incorporating their RPG elements than Final Fantasy 16 does. That said, one area where the game doesn’t disappoint is through its main protagonist Clive, who gets a lot more time in the spotlight than many of his predecessors ever did. Whether or not he ranks among the very best main protagonists in Final Fantasy games is perhaps a matter for debate though, as there have been some truly fantastic Final Fantasy heroes over the years. 14 The Warriors of Light (Final Fantasy)
Rather than a single main protagonist, the very first Final Fantasy game ended up boasting four. They weren’t actually given canon names in the original release but were eventually dubbed Setro, Zauver, Flora, and Teol in a book of short stories that was released in Japan some two and a half decades later. Much like Link in a lot of the earlier Zelda games, the four heroes were designed to be blank slates onto which players could project themselves.
Although this does make for some pretty forgettable protagonists, it worked surprisingly well within the confines of the game itself. As well as being more immersive and helping to showcase the series‘ revolutionary job system, it also played into the game’s narrative, with four crystals, four fiends, and four elements also playing an important role in the story. Some pretty major changes were made for the game’s 2022 reimagining, Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin, with Chaos-obsessed Jack serving as the main focal point in a newly-designed cast of characters. 13 Luneth (Final Fantasy III)
Like the four Warriors of Light in the series‘ very first installment, Luneth wasn’t given a name in the original release of Final Fantasy III, nor did the game have a single main protagonist. This all changed with the game’s 2006 Nintendo DS remake, however, with players starting out with only Luneth and having to recruit the other three members of the game’s four Warriors of Light as they make their way through the early stages of the story.
Were it not for the DS remake, Luneth would be just as forgettable as some of her predecessors, if not more. However, Director Hiromichi Tanaka and his team did a pretty decent job of fleshing out the character and her fellow orphans without having to alter the tone of the story all that much. They are still held back a little by the confines of the original narrative but are a whole lot more interesting than they were in the original release. 12 Vaan (Final Fantasy XII)
Final Fantasy XII is a much better game than a lot of people give it credit for. That said, it’s easy to see why it’s not talked about anywhere near as much as some of its peers, and a big part of this is down to its main protagonist, Vaan. Much like Tidus in Final Fantasy X, there are times when Vaan doesn’t feel like the main protagonist of his own game, though his excuses for fading into the background are a lot flimsier than those of the iconic Blitzball star.
While there are more than a few times when Tidus is overshadowed in Final Fantasy X, this is more a testament to the strength of the characters that surround him than a sign of his own weakness. In the case of Vaan, however, he’s really just a largely forgettable character with motivations that are best described as tired and uncompelling. To his credit, Vaan does have a pretty unique design, though whether or not this is a good thing is definitely a matter for debate. 11 Firion (Final Fantasy II)
Firion was the first of the series‘ main protagonists to be given a name and has a fairly interesting backstory too. His decision to join forces with the rebels is a gallant one for someone so young and the energy that he brings to the cause is invaluable.
