Summary
The characters of everyFinal Fantasygame form a huge part of what makes these games such a blast to play through. Almost every game has a well-defined protagonist with motivations that tie into the main narrative,placing them at odds with the main villainwhich builds up to a resounding climax.
However, most fans can agree that some of the games in the series haven’t exactly placed the greatest protagonist at the helm of things. This has led to situations where other party members steal the thunder and end up being more memorable for a whole host of reasons. In fact, some people have gone so far as to argue that these games could’ve been more fun to play with a different party member as a protagonist for several reasons, ranging from their likeability to how important they are to the story each game is trying to convey.
No matter what people may think aboutFinal Fantasy 12, one common sentiment fans share is thatVaan is one of the most annoying protagonistsin the series who is way too bubbly and positive for no reason. There’s little to no reason to be invested in his goal to become a Sky Pirate, and most players would prefer to take him out of the party and focus on another character to take his place instead. Balthier’s boundless charisma makes him a nice fit here, but one character who deserves to be the protagonist of this tale is Ashe.
The princess of Dalmasca is presumed to be dead after the invasion led against her homeland, but she quietly leads a resistance against the powers that be to deliver justice to her kingdom. The majority of story events inFinal Fantasy 12revolve around her empire, making it downright puzzling why she wasn’t given the responsibility of being the protagonist instead of Vaan.
While the love story of Zidane and Garnet may make for a blockbuster finale to one of the greatestFinal Fantasygames of all time, this character arc is far from the best in this title. Rather, that honor goes to Vivi, a quintessential Black Mage with mysterious origins who wants to find out why he looks so different from the rest of the inhabitants of Gaia. These questions are answered when the party visits the Black Mage Village, where Vivi finally finds more people who look like him.
However, the answers he finds regarding his origin are far from perfect. He was supposed to bea mindless magic-casting machinewho gained sentience but only boasts a lifespan of one year. It’s a cruel revelation, and it’s heartbreaking to see Vivi struggle to come to terms with the limited time he has. However, he decides to accept this reality and aids the party to stop Kuja in his tracks, leading to a melancholic conclusion for Vivi who died on his terms and established a legacy as a hero who saved Gaia from certain destruction. With him as the protagonist, the story ofFinal Fantasy 9could’ve been way more emotional for the player, even if Zidane is a competent main character.
Both Terra and Celes play a major role in the World of Balance and Ruin respectively. It’s easy to see why these magic users are portrayed as protagonists in a way, but there’s another member of this ensemble cast who deserves his time in the spotlight. A lovable thief who’s more complicated than most people would assume, Locke channels a lot of Zidane’s energy, which could’veled to him being a charming protagonistwho brings a lot of energy to the table.
Despite his jovial nature, Locke’s personal woes are explored later on in the game when issues with his past love come to light. This makes his chivalrous nature easier to understand and adds a ton of depth to his character. While both Terra and Celes have ties to the Gestahlian Empire that make their hatred for Kefka more believable, that shouldn’t take anything away from Locke’s potential as a protagonist who could’ve played a bigger role in the World of Ruin too.
Bartz may be a happy-go-lucky protagonist who can serve as a blank slate of sorts for the main character, but his importance in the main plot is far lower than that of the other party members. Galuf turns out to be a Warrior of Light from another world, with his granddaughter taking his placeafter a heroic sacrifice. Faris is the older sister of another party member and her character arc is far more riveting than that of Bartz. However, if another party member could’ve taken Bartz’s place as a protagonist, it’s none other than Lenna.
The princess of Tycoon goes through her fair share of strife in the series, eventually becoming a Warrior of Light who decides to stand against Exdeath and prevent him from using the Void to destroy the world. The revelation that Faris is her sister was quite enthralling, and one can’t help but feel that her presence in the main story would’ve been more engrossing had she replaced Bartz as the main character ofFinal Fantasy 5.
Final Fantasy Type-0is a great spinoff that combines the classic goodness of the series with a real-time combat system that’s pretty riveting. Players control fourteen students, with twelve of them being stalwart members of Class Zero who are named after a deck of cards. Ace is poised as the protagonist in this tale, but the two late joiners of this class are way more relevant to the plot.
Not only are Machina Kunagiri and Rem Tokimiya the narrators of this tale, but they could’ve also served as the player insert as they’re slowly fed the lore of the world while being introduced to the members of Class Zero. Instead,the plot can feel rather convoluted at times, and this issue could’ve been avoided if Ace had been removed from his position as the protagonist by these newcomers.
