Summary
- Final Fantasy contains a variety of direct Star Wars references, especially with characters like Biggs and Wedge.
- Indirect Star Wars references can also be found in Final Fantasy, such as character arcs reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker.
- Final Fantasy pays tribute to Star Wars through dialogue, quests, character relationships, and parallels in its narratives.
Square Enix's Final Fantasy series is one of the biggest franchises in gaming, as it generally offers players quality in both narrative and gameplay that many other JRPGs can't match. However, despite its original and inventive ideas, much like almost anything else, Final Fantasy has been influenced by other media during its lifespan, with one of those most prominent influences being none other than Star Wars.
The Final Fantasy series is chock-full of Star Wars Easter eggs, direct and indirect references alike. Many of the series' links to Star Wars are going to be clear to those who are fans of both IPs, but some other references do their best to be as obscure as possible in order to encourage further investigation.
The Origins of Final Fantasy's Tonberry Explained
The Tonberry is one of the most iconic recurring monsters in the Final Fantasy series, known for its simple yet terrifying design and combat approach.
The Biggest Star Wars Easter Eggs in the Final Fantasy Series
Biggs and Wedge Pay Homage to the Star Wars Characters of the Same Name
The most well-known Star Wars references found in the Final Fantasy series are Biggs and Wedge — two recurring characters who have filled a variety of roles, but most consistently soldiers, guards, or engineers. As their names indicate, Biggs and Wedge are a direct tribute to Rebel pilots Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles from the original Star Wars trilogy, though they are only a reference to the pilots in name.
Here is every Biggs and Wedge appearance throughout the Final Fantasy series, along with their roles in each appearance:
- Final Fantasy 6 (1994): Imperial Soldiers
- Final Fantasy Tactics (1997): Knights (Viggs and Wezaleff)
- Final Fantasy 7 (1997): Members of AVALANCHE
- Final Fantasy 8 (1999): Galbadian Soldiers
- Final Fantasy 9 (2000): Airship Crew Members
- Final Fantasy 10 (2001): Luca Stadium Guards and Blitzball Players
- Final Fantasy 10-2 (2003): Blitzball Players
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2003): Random Unit Names
- Final Fantasy 12 (2006): Archadian Soldiers (Gibbs and Deweg)
- Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 (2006): Mentioned in Dialogue
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 (2007): Names of Enemy Machines
- Final Fantasy 4: The After Years (2008): Red Wings Soldiers
- Final Fantasy 13 (2009): Shop Name Reference
- Final Fantasy Dimensions (2010): Castle Guards
- Final Fantasy 14 (2010 - Present): Engineers in Garlond Ironworks
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 (2013): Hosts of the Death Game
- Final Fantasy Explorers (2014): Gartian Army Soldiers
- Final Fantasy Record Keeper (2014): Enemy Units or Allies
- Final Fantasy Brave Exvius (2015): Recruitable Units
- Final Fantasy 15 (2016): Niflheim Soldiers
- World of Final Fantasy (2016): Writers of Occult Fan Magazine
- Dissidia Final Fantasy NT (2018): NPCs in Story Mode
Biggs and Wedge have also been used in several installments of Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts series.
Final Fantasy Has Made Many Direct References to Star Wars
Biggs and Wedge may be the most prominent references to Star Wars in the Final Fantasy franchise, but the series has gone out of its way to ensure there are plenty of clear, direct references to Star Wars hidden in its dialogue, quests, and other characters as well. Final Fantasy 9, for example, incorporates direct quotes from Star Wars into its dialogue. The final boss, Necron, quotes Yoda when it says, "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." Furthermore, Kuja quotes Emperor Palpatine when he says, "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 features quests with titles like "It's a Trap" and "I Got a Bad Feeling," directly referencing Admiral Ackbar's famous line and the well-known and much-repeated Star Wars phrase, "I have a bad feeling about this," respectively. In Final Fantasy 6, Locke disguises himself as an enemy soldier to rescue Celes. Upon rescuing her, she says to him, "You're awfully short for a soldier." This scene is clearly a reference to Princess Leia's comment to Luke Skywalker during her own rescue in A New Hope.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3's Stepping Out Moment May Already Be Clear
'Stepping out' moments have become a popular trope for open-world video games, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3's could be a great one.
Many Indirect Star Wars References Have Also Been Made in Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy has made a lot of indirect references to Star Wars as well, with most of them being subtle literary nods more than anything else. For example, Final Fantasy 2's Leon, Maria's brother, becomes the Dark Knight serving the emperor, which bears resemblance to Anakin Skywalker's transformation in Star Wars. Final Fantasy 4's Golbez is the antagonist who is eventually revealed to be the protagonist Cecil's brother, serving as a parallel to Luke Skywalker's relationship with his father, Darth Vader.
Biggs and Wedge may be the most prominent references to Star Wars in the Final Fantasy franchise, but the series has gone out of its way to ensure there are plenty of clear, direct references to Star Wars hidden in its dialogue, quests, and other characters as well.
Final Fantasy 6 features a moment where Kefka betrays Emperor Gestahl by throwing him off the Floating Continent, effectively mirroring Darth Vader's betraya l of Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi. In Final Fantasy 4, FuSoYa vanishes upon death, leaving only his robe behind, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi did during his duel with Darth Vader in A New Hope. Finally, the character Red XIII from Final Fantasy 7 has the real name Nanaki, which is an anagram of "Anakin," Darth Vader's true name.
Final Fantasy 12 also draws significant inspiration from Star Wars with some of its characters:
- Princess Ashe: A leader of a rebellion, similar to Princess Leia.
- Vayne Solidor: A manipulative figure controlling the senate, much like Emperor Palpatine.
- Balthier and Fran: A duo resembling Han Solo and Chewbacca, complete with a ship called the "Strahl" — a parallel to the Millennium Falcon.
The Final Fantasy series may stand as one of the most original and influential franchises in gaming, but its connection to and love for Star Wars is undeniable. From direct nods like Biggs and Wedge to subtle parallels integrated into its narratives, Final Fantasy often pulls out all the stops to pay tribute to the galaxy far, far away in ways that both casual players and longtime fans can appreciate. These references aren't just clever Easter eggs, however, as they ultimately show just how much Star Wars has influenced storytelling across all forms of media, including one of gaming's most beloved RPG series. As Final Fantasy continues to evolve, it's safe to assume that its love for Star Wars won't fade anytime soon.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- February 29, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- PC Release Date
- January 23, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 29, 2024
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
