Summary
- Character evolution in Final Fantasy games may involve hypocritical actions that lead to eventual transformation.
- Players may question the actions or decisions of beloved Final Fantasy characters before pivotal events in the game.
- Hypocritical behaviors displayed by characters in Final Fantasy can lead to personal growth and significant plot developments.
Writing in video games has evolved considerably over time, with players loving the idea of exploring a conflict that is built up brilliantly before it eventually pays off. Final Fantasy is no exception here, with this long-running JRPG series featuring numerous games with larger-than-life plots that can take a while to wrap one's head around.
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This can lead to certain situations where characters in Final Fantasy end up exhibiting hypocritical behavior that may not sit right with fans. For the most part, the contradictory actions of these characters build up to their eventual evolution, barring a few exceptions.
8 Cecil Harvey
Should've Questioned His Actions Long Before The Events Of The Game Kicked In
Final Fantasy 4
- Released
- July 19, 1991
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
There's no denying that Cecil is one of the most beloved party members in Final Fantasy, but fans can't help but wonder what he was thinking before the events of the game started. His crisis of faith should've started from the very moment his adoptive father ordered the Dark Knight to raid other kingdoms and steal their crystals.
Instead, it's not until he has enacted several tyrannical acts that he finally decides to raise his voice against the King of Baron. For what it's worth, this eventually leads to him transforming into a paladin who stands against the forces of injustice and uncovers the imposter pretending to be king, so all is forgiven.
7 Tidus
He Hated Being In The Dark About Yuna's Fate But Kept His Imminent Disappearance Under Wraps
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Both Tidus and the player feel betrayed once Rikku reveals that the pilgrimage they're on will end with Yuna's death. It's a sacrifice that must be undertaken to save the world, but Tidus can't contain his rage at the fact that his friends hid something so important from him.
Eventually, the heroes decide to fight against this cycle of destruction, save Yuna, and defeat Sin by any means necessary, but Tidus learns that he's a dream of the fayth who will disappear after Yu Yevon is defeated. So, it's somewhat hypocritical that Tidus decided to hide this fact from the party after getting angry for being lied to for what is essentially the same thing.
6 Squall Leonhart
For Someone Who Complains About Others, He Takes A Long Time To Pull Himself Together
Final Fantasy 8
- Released
- February 11, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Squall is a protagonist that everyone either loves or hates. He's a moody teenager who doesn't want to carry the burden of responsibility on his shoulders and hates it when people rely on him for anything.
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However, he has also shown a penchant for complaining and deriding others when they don't do the right thing, something that he could've easily rectified by being a competent leader. He eventually steps up to the plate and gets rid of his self-doubt, but that doesn't change the fact that the protagonist is more hypocritical than he has any right to be.
5 Adelbert Steiner
The Paragon Of Justice Can't See The Malice Of Queen Brahne Under His Very Nose
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Steiner is a paragon of justice who leads the Knights of Pluto and fights against criminals and other underworld scum. He hates any form of injustice, leading to him forming a rivalry with the thief Zidane, with whom he's forced to team up during his travels.
However, for someone who walks the path of good, it's odd that he never stood against Queen Brahne and her atrocious actions for the longest time. If he was the valiant knight he proclaimed himself to be, Steiner would've raised a voice against Brahne regardless of the consequences he faced.
4 Seymour Guado
Personifies The Hypocritical Teachings Of Yu Yevon
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
While everyone who pushes the teachings of Yu Yevon can occupy a spot here, Seymour deserves a mention for being so ardent about the teachings of a flawed religion. A great example of the same is how everyone who follows this religion preaches about the evils of machinery while utilizing these man-made creations for their gain.
This hypocrisy is highlighted by Wakka, who questions why this Maester is allowing the use of machina weapons against Sin. Seymour's responses are far from satisfactory and make it clear that this antagonist and the other followers of the Church of Yevon aren't as clear-cut as they make themselves out to be.
3 Anabella Rosfield
Her Hypocrisy Lends To Her Evil Nature
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
One of the most hated characters in all of Final Fantasy, Anabella wasted no time in displaying her hatred for Clive after he failed to become Phoenix's Dominant. However, if this weakness is what irritated her, then it's odd that she didn't hate her husband for sporting the same weakness (something that is addressed by Elwin himself).
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After she remarries Emperor Sylvestre, she dotes on her son Olivier despite his lack of any Dominant powers. Meanwhile, her stepson Dion is literally the Dominant of Bahamut but is consistently ignored by Anabelle, highlighting her hypocrisy even more.
2 Barret Wallace
The Leader Of AVALANCHE Can Get Quite Hypocritical At Times
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
For a man hell-bent on saving the Planet, one has to point out Barret's hypocrisy in this regard. He carries out dangerous missions that endanger the people around him, with his acts of eco-terrorism being hard to justify when so many people are caught in the crossfire.
This criticism extends to all of AVALANCHE as well, with this group striving to save the environment while killing the planet's creatures by the thousands. Self-defense can only be used as a justification for so long before one makes the argument that AVALANCHE's actions also harm the environment in their own way, even if the scale may be substantially lower than the damage caused by Shinra's mako reactors.
1 Ultima
A Godlike Being Who Failed To Understand How Similar His Race Was To Humans
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Ultima is the true antagonist of Final Fantasy 16, with this otherworldly figure representing a race of gods that had to go into hibernation after their relentless abuse of magic caused the planet to almost die out. They decided to create humans to help the world restore itself while staying on the sidelines.
However, for someone who understood how desperate his race was to survive, Ultima failed to realize why humans didn't just give up and let themselves be eradicated. This hypocrisy hurts his impact as an antagonist, especially since the game's political intrigue was done away with to give this character the spotlight.
- Creation Year
- 1987
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix