40 to 31.

                Last week, we saw the ten characters who only just managed to slip into the top half of the list. This week, we have ten characters that were a little more secure in their positions (including two princesses who are just asking to be kidnapped . . . literally). Let’s get into it, numbers 40 to 31.

40. Oerba Dia Vanille (Final Fantasy XIII)

"All of Cocoon was against us. With us dead, they were sure everything would go back—back to the way it was before."

Good to see Australian accents in Japanese games. Five hundred years prior to the game, Vanille and Fang became l’Cie and were given the Focus of becoming Ragnarok to destroy Cocoon. Vanille couldn’t do it, so Fang became an incomplete Ragnarok. However, she only managed to scar it. The two were soon crystallised, and when they awoke five hundred years later found that Fang had almost no memories of what happened. Vanille has retained her memories, but pretends to have none in the hope of preventing other innocent people getting hurt. Unfortunately, Serah and Dajh also get marked as l’Cie.

39. Kuja (Final Fantasy IX)

“What comedy! Zidane, isn't it hilarious!? I'll die just like the black mages I so despise! I single-handedly brought chaos unto Gaia, but in the end, I'm nothing but a worthless doll! ... I won't let it happen. I won't... I won't let this world exist without me!”

When Sisqo sang “The Thong Song”, he didn’t have this in mind. Kuja was originally created by Garland to be an Angel of Death; however he was deemed a failure because he couldn’t go into Trance Mode by himself. When Kuja found out Garland made Zidane to replace him, he kidnapped and abandoned him. When Garland banished Kuja from returning to Terra, Kuja began scheming against Garland. He knew Garland feared eidolons, and desired to gain the most powerful of these (Alexander) to defeat him. When he learned he was only mortal, he destroyed Terra and attempted to destroy Gaia.

38. Seifer Almasy (Final Fantasy VIII)

“This is great... I have a Chicken-wuss and a guy who just reached puberty in my squad...”

“You’re going down Squall”. “Whatever”. Seifer is Squall’s rival and Rinoa’s ex-boyfriend. Even though he’s considered to be an antagonist in the game, he’s not exactly evil. Seifer has tried several times to become a member of SeeD, but his wild behaviour keeps preventing him from doing so. After he hears Squall, Selphie and Zell were on a mission to liberate Timber, he tries to help them by holding the Galbadian President hostage. Ultimecia convinces him to come with her when it becomes apparent this was a bad idea. He was assumed dead until the party were in Deling City.

37. Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca (Final Fantasy XII)

“You're sky pirates, aren't you? Then steal me! Is that too much to ask?”

Finally, a princess so tough she has to ask to be kidnapped. At the age of seventeen, Ashe married Lord Rasler in a political marriage, so that Dalmasca and Nabradia would have a stronger bond against the attacking Archadian Empire. Unfortunately, Rasler was killed soon after wards, and Ashe’s hatred for the Archadian Empire grew. After Basch was framed for her father’s death, Ashe assumes the name Amalia and makes an alliance with Vaan’s team. She is appalled when she finds out Basch is still alive, but teams up with him when Ghis decides to execute her as an “impostor”.

36. Jecht (Final Fantasy X)

"You can't do it, kid. But don't worry, my boy. You're not the only one. No one else can do it. I'm the best!"

He’s manliest man on this list. I mean, in Final Fantasy. I mean, in the universe. Jecht is a star blitzball player in the Dream Zanarkand created by Yu Yevon. One day, while training out at sea, Jecht accidentally went too far out and encountered Sin. Sin dragged him to Spira, where he was arrested as a crazy drunkard. Braska visited him in prison and asked him to become his guardian and offered him a way home if he could find one, ignoring Auron’s protests. Along their travels, Jecht constantly got them into trouble; however he matures along the journey.

35. Ramza Beoulve (Final Fantasy Tactics)

You don't know the truth. You don't realize you're just pathetic puppets, dancing for the bad guys!

*shuffles through papers* I can’t find any records of you from the fourteen games. Ramza wants to be a hero and keep the Beoulve name honourable. He attends the Academy in Gariland with his friend Delita. He gets drawn into a struggle against a group of rogue knights called the Corpse Brigade. While fighting them, Ramza and Delita start to question their country’s actions. Ramza is branded a heretic, and as such is refused to be buried by the church. The point of his character is to show people will do things for justice, whether there’s a reward or not.

Please note: Of the four Tactics characters to make the list, Ramza ranked the highest.

34. Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (Final Fantasy IX)

“Mother... Zidane... No... I can't depend on them anymore! As the queen of Alexandria, I must protect my kingdom.”

Introducing, Sarah. Sorry, Garnet. Sorry, Dagger. MAKE UP YOUR MIND! Which one are you? Garnet was originally born under the name Sarah in the summoner tribe of Madain Sari. Her mother tried to escape with her by boat when the Invinsible attacked the town. However, the boat was destroyed and her mother died. Sarah washed ashore where she was found by the king. Since she looked so much like the deceased Princess Garnet, she was made the replacement princess. She adopted the alias Dagger after Zidane’s weapon, to avoid attracting attention (though her grand speech patterns almost blew that cover).

33. Locke Cole (Final Fantasy VI)

“Hey! Call me a treasure hunter, or I'll rip your lungs out!”

And now, a thief. Sorry, Treasure Hunter. Before the game, Locke lived happily with girlfriend Rachel in Kohlingen. However, Rachel’s father did not approve. It didn’t get much better when Rachel saved Locke from nearly dying and got amnesia in the process. Locke left the town when she told him to leave, feeling guilty for what happened to her. Rachel regained her memory and declared her love for Locke, but she was soon killed in an Imperial invasion on the town. When Locke heard about this, he joined the Returners. While escaping South Figaro, he meets his next love, Celes.

32. Beatrix (Final Fantasy IX)

“I once killed a hundred knights single-handedly... To me, you two are nothing more than insects.”

This woman killed a hundred men and silenced a crying baby. She is NOT to be pissed off. Little is known of Beatrix’s life prior to the game, except that she has shown a great talent in swordsmanship since she was young. She never backs down from any opponent who poses as a threat to the Alexandria Royal Family. During the game Beatrix defeats the player’s team several times, but sides with them because she realises Queen Brahne is evil. At first, she considers Steiner a rival, but part way through the game the two of them fall in love.

31. Shadow (Final Fantasy VI)

“In this world are many like me who've killed their emotions. Don't forget that.”

I didn’t realise a ninja could get beaten up that many times. Prior to the game, Shadow was a train thief with another guy named Baram. However, after pulling off a huge heist, Baram is wounded and begs Shadow to kill him. Shadow can’t do it and flees, eventually reaching Thamasa where he fell in love with a woman and fathered a child. However, he couldn’t escape his past, and left the town with a dog named Interceptor. During the game, he can be met seven times, join the team up to five times, and is found wounded two times.

Well, that’s it for this week. Next week, we cross into the top quarter of the list, as well as about half the cast of FFVII (in case you weren’t expecting them to dominate the list). I’ll see you next week.

50 to 41.

Halfway there folks. Last week we saw the characters who just missed out on making the top half of the list, this week we check out the characters that just made it to the top half. Here we go.

                                        

50. Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy VII)

“Alright, who's been touching my materia?”

Where the hell is my Materia? Yuffie was born around the end of the Wutai War, and grew up while Wutai turned into a tourist attraction. Yuffie has an obsession with Materia, which stems from learning what it is in Before Crisis. In Crisis Core, she steals Zack’s Bahamut Fury Materia, but sends it back because she doesn’t know how to use it. In Final Fantasy VII, she steals the party’s Materia and she must be chased and saved before you get it back. She is one of the characters Cloud can date, and the only one to kiss him.

49. Galuf Halm Baldesion (Final Fantasy V)

“Whose idea was it to steal that pirate ship, anyway?”

Okay old man, remember, you’re a king. Galuf is Final Fantasy V’s oldest playable character (out aging any three of the others). Thirty years prior to the game, he and three other warriors sealed Exdeath in crystals on the First World. When he heard that the crystals were weakening, he returned in a meteor. Upon landing, his weapons and armour were destroyed and he had amnesia. His only memory is that he had to get to the Wind Shrine. Together with his new friends Bartz, Lenna and Faris, they become Warriors of Light and work together to stop Exdeath’s revival.

Please note: Of the four characters from Final Fantasy V to make the list, Galuf is the highest of them.

48. Snow Villiers (Final Fantasy XIII)

“"The heroes never die. Come on. We've got a world to save."”

He may not be the main character, but that doesn’t make him any less of a hero. Snow is the leader and founder of NORA, and SerahFarron’s fiancée. Lightning has a great dislike of Snow, which grows even more when Serah is crystallised. Despite how bleak any given gets, Snow always remains optimistic, sometimes to the point of obnoxiousness. He also has a tendency to “act first, think later” (Lightning even says his best quality is that he’s “too stubborn to die”). Hope blames him for the death of his mum, but forgives him when he saves his life.

47. Paine (Final Fantasy X-2)

"The hardest person to know is yourself."

This is what Lulu would look like if she used a sword. During the events of Final Fantasy X (though unknown to the player), Paine was a recorder for the Crimson Squad in the Den of Woe. No-one was meant to survive this; however she escaped alongside Baralai, Gippal and Nooj. When the group decided to split up, Nooj shot each of them (while being possessed by Shuyin), leaving the group for dead. Two years later Paine joined the Gullwings in hopes of finding out what happened two years ago, claiming that she “always wanted to fly on [the Celsius]”.

46. Noel Kreiss (Final Fantasy XIII-2)

"You want her? Then you're gonna have to go through me!"

Did nobody tell Noel screwing with time is a BAD idea? Noel was living in a world where there were three people left: himself, Yeul, and Caius. Noel was Caius’s student, and once Noel proved himself to be strong enough he was to become Yeul’s new guardian. However, this meant killing Caius, which Noel refused to do. Caius fights Noel and wins, before heading to Valhalla. Noel follows a while later, and teams up with Lightning to fight Caius. Lightning tells Noel to find her sister and bring her to Valhalla. As he escapes he loses most of his memory.

45. Freya Crescent (Final Fantasy IX)

"What irony. To find the man about whom I have dreamt endlessly... only to discover that he cannot even remember who I am!"

Stalking someone you like? Not creepy at all. Freya is a friend of Zidane’s who’s on a quest to find an old flame of hers, Sir Fratley. The party meets her in Lindblum where she joins the Festival of the Hunt, and encourages Zidane to do the same. When a Burmecian soldier tells them of a black mage attack, she travels with Zidane and Vivi (and later Quina) to help them. She does eventually find Sir Fratley, however he’s suffering from amnesia and doesn’t remember her. Regardless, the two grow close to each other at the end of the game.

44. Zell Dincht (Final Fantasy VIII)

"Why don't you try to show a little more passion...? You know, like me!"

“Hey Squall, want a hotdog?” “Whatever.” Before he was adopted, Zell was at the same orphanage as Squall and Selphie. Because his adoptive grandfather was a legendary soldier, Zell wanted to be like him. At the age of thirteen, he joined Balamb Garden to train. After passing the SeeD field exam, Zell, Squall and Selphie are made to assist the Forest Owls to liberate Timber, an order they reluctantly follow. Unlike the other members of the party, Zell doesn’t use a weapon, preferring to punch and kick his opponents. His personality is basically the exact opposite of that of Squall.

43. Basch Fon Ronsenburg (Final Fantasy XII)

"If I could protect but one person from war's horror... then I would bear any shame. I would bear it proudly."

Ondore, you said he was dead. Basch was born and grew up in Landis with his twin brother Noah. Seventeen years later, Archadia attacked and Basch fled to Dalmasca where he became a soldier. Basch loyally served Dalmasca (even foiled an Archadian assassination on King Raminas). Archadia soon launched a devastating attack on Dalmasca. Basch went to defend Raminas, but was attacked by Noah (thought to be dead). Noah told him he only answered to Gabranth, before defeating Basch and killing Raminas. Framed for the murder, Basch remained imprisoned for two years, before being broken out by the player’s party.

42. Serah Farron (Final Fantasy XIII)

"Running away and leaving behind the people you care about? That isn't love. Though you might just want to keep them safe, shutting them out of your life only hurts them more. The point is, I have people I can count on. I'll make it through."

Little sisters.Always trying to outdo their older siblings.SerahFarron is Lightning’s little sister and Snow’s fiancée. In Final Fantasy XIII she is a non-playable character, but still plays a major role in the plot. Serah is turned into al’Cie by Pulse fal’Cie Anima, and after she crystallises Lightning and Snow make it their mission to save her. In Final Fantasy XIII-2 she becomes the main character, travelling through time with Noel and Mog to correct many paradoxes and save Lightning. Despite having very little (if any) battle experience prior to the game, Serah is a competent fighter.

41. Kimahri Ronso (Final Fantasy X)

"Yuna needs Kimahri. Kimahri protect Yuna."

Wasn’t this guy in Avatar? The six and a half foot tall blue mage (get it, BLUE mage) is Yuna’s longest serving guardian, taking up the job after a dying Auron pleaded with him to take Yuna to Besaid and fulfil his promise to Braska. When his job was done, he tried to leave, but Yuna begged him to stay until he agreed. He initially takes a dislike to Tidus, after he burst into the temple without being a guardian. Kimahri is thought of as an inferior Ronso, due to being short (by Ronso standards) and having a broken horn.

Well, that’s it for this week. Stay tuned for next week, when I’ll reveal numbers 40 to 31 (couldn’t think of a better cliff-hanger than that). Until then, seeya.

No. 60 to 51, or, the completion of the bottom half.

Alright, here we are at the halfway mark . . . or is it halfway at the end of this post? In any case, today we round out the bottom half of this list. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, I’m gonna do a recap of the Honourable Mentions and numbers 100 to 61 before getting into today’s characters.

Honourable mentions
Angeal Hewley (CC)	Brother (X)	Jenova (VII)	Chocobo (Various)
Tellah (IV)	Paddra Nsu-Yeul (XIII-2)	Edward Chris Von Muir (IV)	Barthandelus (XIII)
Luneth (III)	Gippal (X-2)	Al-Cid Margrace (XII)	Penelo (XII)
The list so far . . .
100. Emperor Mateus (II)	90. Leo Cristophe (VI)	80. Rufus Shinra (VII)	70. Firion (II)
99. Agrias Oaks (Tactics)	89. Odin (Various)	79. Wakka (X)	69. Adelbert Steiner (IX)
98. Rosa Joanna Farrell (IV)	88. Selphie Tilmitt (VIII)	78. Shiva (Various)	68. Bahamut (Various)
97. Cait Sith (VII)	87. Cid (X)	77. Amarant Coral (IX)	67. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa (XII)
96. Barthello (X)	86. Rude (VII)	76. Bartz Klauser (V)	66. Irvine Kinneas (VIII)
95. Garland (IX)	85. Ultros (VI)	75. Sabin Rene Figaro (VI)	65. Faris Scherwiz (V)
94. Hope Estheim (XIII)	84. Cid Fabool IX (IX)	74. Cidolfus Orlandeau (Tactics)	64. Vaan (XII)
93. Ultimecia (VIII)	83. Cid Raines (XIII)	73. Genesis Rhapsodos (CC)	63. Quistis Trepe (VIII)
92. Anima (X)	82. Golbez (IV)	72. Caius Ballad (XIII-2)	62. Edge Geraldine (IV)
91. Eiko Carol (IX)	81. Mog (Various)	71. Garland (I)	61. Cyan Garamonde (VI)

And with that done, here’s the next ten characters.

60. Quina Quen (Final Fantasy IX)

"Aiya! What big stone! Why you all watch stone? Is stone edible? Or is for barbecue? No answer... I think I lick it."

QUINA! NO! That isn’t food. Quina is a member of the Qu tribe, and seemingly has no gender. Its first appearance was in the Alexandria Castle, but isn’t recruitable until after the Festival of the Hunt, in the Qu Marsh (as an optional character). It travels with the party to Cleyra, but when the rest of the party teleport to the Red Rose, Quina stays behind. Quina is believed dead when Cleyra is destroyed; however Quina manages to get back to the Qu Marsh. Quina is the least involved in the quest, more interested in finding new things to eat.

59. Delita Heiral (Final Fantasy Tactics)

"'Tis your birth and faith that wrong you... not I."

The best friend of the main character of the game. Surely he can’t be evil. Delita and his sister Tietra were born to farmer parents, but were adopted by Barbaneth when his parents caught the Black Death. He made friends with Ramza and attended the Royal Military Akademy with him. Throughout the game, Delita is shown to be easily manipulated. After the death of his sister, Delita decides to be the manipulator for once. He becomes an Order of the Southern Sky knight and answers to the Church of Glabados, but plans to betray both to get what he wants.

58. Seymour Guado (Final Fantasy X)

"I have saved him. He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared losing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see... Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away... Ah, yes. Don't you see... if all life were to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Don't you see? Do you not agree?"

You don’t have to be the final boss to be the most evil person in the game. Seymour was born to Guado leader Jyscal and a human woman in an effort to foster a better relationship between the two. However, he was viewed as an abomination, and he and his mother fled to Baaj temple. Seymour’s mother becomes the Fayth for the aeon Anima hoping Seymour would use it to defeat Sin and be accepted by the world. This only increased his bitterness. He devised a plan to destroy Spira in order to save it from the suffering Sin brings.

57. Edea Kramer (Final Fantasy VIII)

"You must fight to the end! Even though it may bring tragedy to others!"

“Don’t kill me Squall, I’m being possessed”. “Whatever”. Edea is the matron of Edea’s Orphanage and the wife of Cid Kramer. Thirteen years before the main plot of the game, Edea meets Ultimecia and a teenage Squall. Ultimecia passes on her powers to Edea, and Squall tells her about SeeD and the Gardens. Eventually, she separated from her husband, but not before establishing SeeD. During the course of the game, Edea is possessed by Ultimecia. However, once the party defeats her Edea’s sorceress powers and are passed on to Rinoa. She joins the party for a brief time after this.

56. Gabranth (Final Fantasy XII)

"Silence! All was stripped from me. Only hatred for the brother who fled our homeland remains mine!"

This guy must have been the evil left twin. Gabranth (real name Noah Fon Ronsenburg) is the twin brother of Basch Fon Ronsenburg. The two lived with their mother in Landis until it was invaded by The Empire. Basch fled to Dalmasca, and Noah took his mother to Archadia. He took his mother’s maiden name (Gabranth) and joined the military. He rose through the ranks, and soon became a Judge Magister. His main job was to gather and spread information for The Emperor. About two years before the events of the game, Gabranth murdered King Raminas pretending to be Basch.

55. Cid Pollendina (Final Fantasy IV)

“He ordered me to make an airship, but I don't want it used as a weapon!”

Here he is, the OTHER playable Cid. Cid is the airship engineer of Baron, and long time friend of Cecil’s. Upon hearing of Cecil’s dismissal, he’s very apologetic. He was working on a new airship, “The Enterprise”, when he realised the king was acting strangely. When the king asked if he could see The Enterprise, Cid refused, afraid of what the king might do with it. Cid was arrested, but soon released by Cecil and his team. From this point on, he frequently helps Cecil, especially with airships. In “The After Years”, despite his old age, he refuses to retire.

54. Setzer Gabbiani (Final Fantasy VI)

“A two-headed coin..? How low can you get? I love it!”

Wonder if he bet on himself being on the list? Setzer is Final Fantasy’s resident Gambler, with no other character as an exclusive Gambler. Before the game, he flew airships with a girl named Darill. She promised him her airship if she couldn’t fly it anymore. Setzer said he would never do that, so when Darill died in an airship crash, Setzer stored her airship in a cave under the sea. Towards the start of the game, he’s infatuated with an opera singer named Maria, and plans to marry her. However, he kidnaps Celes (who was standing in for her).

53. Reno (Final Fantasy VII)

“Don't misunderstand. We have no intention of joining you. But for now, we'll agree not to bother each other. That's all.”

Yo, why are you still not playable? Reno is one of the top members of the Turks, being third in command until Veld left which bumped his position up to second. In Final Fantasy VII he can be fought several times, most of them because he’s trying to detain Cloud’s party. By the end of the game Reno simply can’t be bothered fighting them anymore. In Advent Children, Reno has actually switched sides, helping Cloud and friends in the fight against the Sephiroth remnants. He and Rude take out Yazoo and Loz for a while by blowing up a freeway.

Please note: Reno is the highest character on this list to never be playable in ANY game.

52. Gilgamesh (Final Fantasy V)

"Enough expository banter! Now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men! For Gilgamesh... it is morphing time!"

Where do you keep coming from? Gilgamesh is Final Fantasy’s most recurring comic relief boss, appearing in many Final Fantasy games. He debuted in Final Fantasy V. He first appears guarding Bartz, Lenna and Faris, but was easily beaten by Galuf. They were then ambushed by Gilgamesh during their escape. After two more losses to the party (including one with Enkidu and one with a fake Excalibur) Exdeath banishes him to The Void. He’s fought one more time in The Void, before he protects the party from Necrophobe. Gilgamesh now uses The Void to go between the Final Fantasy universes.

51. Edgar Roni Figaro (Final Fantasy VI)

“First of all, your beauty has captivated me! Second... I'm dying to know if I'm your type... I guess your ...abilities... would be a distant third.”

Hmm, ladies’ man who has a lot of gadgets? Not creepy at all. Edgar is the king of Figaro and twin brother of Sabin, taking the role from his father who was poisoned by the Gestahlian Empire. Before he died, he asked that both his sons rule together, however Sabin left because of the lack of care that his father died. Edgar became friends with the Empire, but also secretly became friends with the Returners, to help them bring the Empire down. True to character, when Locke comes to him with Terra, his first instinct is to hit on her.

And now we’ve arrived at the halfway mark. Next week we continue down the list with the characters who just made it into the top half. Until then, seeya.