No. 80 to 71.

Week three of the countdown, where we not only pass the quarter of the way mark, but this week there are characters from the oldest and (one of) the newest Final Fantasy games. Who are they? Find out as you read numbers 80 to 71.

80. Rufus Shinra (Final Fantasy VII)

"I'll control the world with fear. It takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them."

Who would have thought the president of a large organisation would be evil? Rufus Shinra is the president of the Shinra Electric Power Company (as of part way through Final Fantasy VII) and major character of the entire Final Fantasy VII arc. In Before Crisis, he is secretly funding AVALANCHE, but only because he can seize power from his father (current president of Shinra). In Final Fantasy VII, he takes control of Shinra after Sephiroth kills nearly everyone at the headquarters. In Advent Children, he is hiding Jenova’s head under a sheet he was wearing, taunting Kadaj when it’s revealed.

79. Wakka (Final Fantasy X)

"There's something I wanna say before the fight. I... I guess I didn't know anything about the Al Bhed. Didn't know anything, didn't wanna listen to anything. I was a big jerk. So, I... Well, uh... I'm sorry, ya? Please forgive me."

This man has a lot of balls, ya? Wakka is the coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs blitzball team, and one of Yuna’s guardians. He is first seen on Besaid beach when Tidus washes up there. He takes him to Besaid village, and agrees to take him to Luca because of his blitzball talent (and he looks like his dead brother Chappu). He has a hatred of the Al Bhed, because they don’t follow the teachings of Yevon (though he gets along with Rikku until he finds out). In the sequel, he’s married to Lulu and expecting a child.

78. Shiva (Various)

"I am the ice Esper Shiva... Are you to be my masters? Let's find out!"

When she gives you a cold shoulder, it really is a cold shoulder. Shiva is one of the most commonly recurring summons, appearing in almost every Final Fantasy game since the introduction of summoners. Being a summon means Shiva doesn’t haven’t much of a back story other than being heavily affiliated with ice. In all her appearances Shiva appears as a woman with blue hair, and in most appearances blue skin. In Final Fantasy XI, she was the ruler of a small kingdom before her uncle usurped her. In Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, she has a lover and child.

77. Amarant Coral (Final Fantasy IX)

“I'd rather die as a warrior than live as a beggar.”

You couldn’t kill a child and steal a girl’s pendant? You are either really weak, or you have a moral compass. Amarant is a playable character in Final Fantasy IX, who is introduced as an antagonist at first. He was hired by Brahne, as well as Lani, to steal Garnet’s pendant and kill Vivi. Amarant, who’d been robbed by Zidane at some point, asked if he could kill him too, but Brahne told him to take care of her orders first. When Lani takes Eiko hostage in exchange for the pendant, stops her because he doesn’t approve of taking hostages.

76. Bartz Klauser (Final Fantasy V)

"Me and my chocobo just go wherever the trail leads us..."

This must be the only example of a guy hanging around with three girls and not being a pimp. Bartz is the son of Dorgann, one of the Warriors of Dawn. Dorgann didn’t want Bartz to know about his roots, and instead told him to go travelling. On his travels, Bartz found a chocobo that had been abandoned by its flock. He named it Boko, and the two became travel buddies. Bartz starts off the game dedicated to just being a wanderer, however he eventually comes around and helps defeat Exdeath for good. He also has a fear of heights.

75. Sabin Rene Figaro (Final Fantasy VI)

“You think a minor thing like the end of the world was gonna do me in?”

You can dive-bomb a train, but not a clown? Sabin is Edgar’s twin brother; both of them are the heirs to the throne in Figaro. After the Gestahlian Empire poisoned his father, he gets upset that no-one seems to care. He encourages Edgar to run away with him, who doesn’t want to leave because it’s not what their father would want. Edgar flips a coin on the matter, if it was heads, each brother would choose his own path (unknown to Sabin, it was a double headed coin). For the next ten years, Sabin trained with a man named Duncan.

74. Cidolfus Orlandeau (Final Fantasy Tactics)

"Long ago, I was taught to strike from behind and keep my back to the wall."

Even in the side games, the Cid trend continues. At the start of the game, Cid is a general of the Order of the Southern Sky in the Fifty Years’ War. However, after a while he is replaced by Duke Goltanna. When Ramza hears about the Order of the Northern Sky heading to the Fort Besselat, he heads there to find Cid and stop the fighting. Meanwhile, the Church of Glabados accuse Cid of being a traitor and arrest him. Fortunately for him, Ramza comes and busts him out. His ultimate fate at the end of the game is unknown.

73. Genesis Rhapsodos (Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-)

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey, in my own salvation and your eternal slumber."

Who says villains can’t have a love of poetry? Genesis was created in Dr. Hollander’s “Project G”, by injecting Gillian Hewley with Jenova cells. However, Professor Hojo’s “Project S” (which created Sephiroth) was deemed superior. Project G was scrapped, and Genesis was given to a rich man in Banora. Genesis grew up there and was close friends with Angeal Hewley. Genesis envied Sephiroth’s fame, and soon joined SOLDIER with Angeal. They became 1^st class, and befriended Sephiroth. During a training session between the three, Sephiroth accidentally wounded Genesis, a wound which gradually got worse, and Hollander said he could heal.

72. Caius Ballad (Final Fantasy XIII-2)

"I shall remember your pain. It will be carved in my heart. Together with the memories of every other Yeul, cursed to die this way."

Why are you evil? You have eternal life and a new girl every few years. Caius is the villain of Final Fantasy XIII-2, born in the distant past. He’s a member of a tribe led by a seeress named Paddra Nsu-Yeul who has the power to see changes in the timeline. Caius defeats Yeul’s guardian and becomes the new one. While fighting a more powerful opponent, an army invaded them looking for the seeress. While his opponent sacrificed himself, Caius became one with his eidolon. Etro is moved by this, and gives him the Heart of Chaos, making him immortal.

71. Garland (Final Fantasy)

"I, Garland, will knock you all down!!"

You may knock me down, but I’ll get up again, because you’ll never keep me down. Garland is a lot of firsts for Final Fantasy: he’s in the first game, he’s the first boss of that game, the first character to have any amount of personality. Hell, he’s the first character to have an actual name. Prior to the game, Garland was a powerful knight and beloved by the kingdom. However, he kidnapped Princess Sarah and demanded the king hand over power to him. The Warriors of Light challenged and defeated him, however Garland managed to escape into the past.

Please note: Garland is the first, last, and only character from the original game to make it on to the list.

That’s it for this week. Next week, we have numbers 70 to 61. Who managed to score every typical male’s favourite number? Find out next week, until then, seeya.