This article features heavy SPOILERS for World of Final Fantasy

The Final Fantasy franchise has been around for a long time, and with the release of Square Enix’s latest entity: World of Final Fantasy, Square Enix has brought back the multitude of heroes and monsters from its storied franchise in one celebratory game. Let’s take a look at the returning heroes featured in World of Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy characters

Warrior of Light: The Warrior of Light started it all. The first hero out to destroy four fiends and restore light to the legendary crystals. Much of the first Final Fantasy has carried over to many titles in the franchise but the Warrior of Light himself has been depicted in many different forms. In the MMO FFXIV you are the Warrior yourself but in the case of World of Final Fantasy the game borrows the warrior knight for its look; much like the one seen in the fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy.

Princess Sarah: Princess Sarah has been depicted in multiple Final Fantasy games including Final Fantasy IX, but World of Final Fantasy takes the leader of a kingdom called Cornelia. In the original Final Fantasy Princess Sarah is kidnapped by Garland and later rescued by the Warrior of Light.

Final Fantasy III characters

Refia: The original Final Fantasy III took a long time to officially release outside Japan. Bringing with it an interesting job system. Refia isn’t exactly a well known character due to the fact FFIII wasn’t one of the more popular titles in the franchise. Refia runs away from home to escape having to follow in her blacksmith lineage. She finds her way onto Cid’s ship where she embarks on a journey when she is chosen as a warrior of light.

Final Fantasy IV characters

Rydia: In Final Fantasy IV, Rydia is introduced as a seven-year old girl. After a massive battle with Leviathan she falls into the ocean and is thought to have perished, but Rydia returns as an older woman revealing she was taken to the land of Feymarch by Leviathon, where time flows differently. She goes on to play a pivotal role in the story of FF IV.

Final Fantasy V characters

Bartz and Boko: Bartz is the hero of Final Fantasy V. Following his father’s dying wish to explore the wonders of the world, Bartz befriends Boko: a chocobo separated from its flock . Boko would go on to become best friends with Bartz and joins him on his journey to stop the powerful wizard Exdeath from destroying his world.

Faris Scherwiz: Faris is the leader of a band of pirates. She was found as a child pirates who went on to raise her in secret as a boy. She quickly rose through the ranks and became the youngest pirate captain in history. Bartz and his crew encounter Faris as they are trying to steal her pirate ship. Faris is accompanied by a large sea dragon called Syldra. She eventually joins the party. During the quest she discovers her true identity and her connection to the heroine Leena.

Gilgamesh: Making his full true debut in FInal Fantasy V where he works as the right hand man of Exdeath and declares Bartz as his rival. Gilgamesh serves as a comic relief in the game never really posing much of a threat to Bartz and his party. He appears in numerous Final Fantasy titles and is portrayed as a wandering sword collector. In Final Fantasy XII he even battles the party using famous swords such as Clouds Buster Sword and Squall’s Gunblade.

More World of Fantasy classic characters overleaf…

@page

Final Fantasy VI characters

Terra Branford: As much as Square continues to deny the fact. Terra is the first female protagonist in the Final Fantasy franchise. Terra is controlled by the Imperial General Kefka Palazzo using what is known is a slave crown. During a mission to capture an Esper Terra, her team are overwhelmed and killed by the Esper. Terra is left unconscious and rescued Arvis who nurses her back to health. Terra is known for being one of the most beloved Final Fantasy characters and is easily recognizable due to her green hair and red garbs.

Edgar Roni Figaro: King Edgar takes it upon himself to hide and harber Terra who is on the run from Kefka. During a visit to his desert castle Kefka doesn’t believe Edgar when he tells him he hasn’t seen the girl and sets his castle on fire. Edgar escapes the fires and along with his brother Sabin they seek out to help Terra and discover who poisoned and killed their father.

Celes Chere: Celes is a genetically enhanced Magitek Knight. Working for Kefka and the Gestahlian Empire, Celes becomes disillusioned with the empire and turns her back on them. While defending a town from Gestahlian forces trying to overrun she encounters Terra and recognizes her as a formal Imperial.

Final Fantasy VII characters

Tifa Lockhart: A childhood friend of Cloud, Tifa runs a bar in Midgar and knowing Cloud has lost a lot of his memory, she decides to recruit him into AVALANCHE to put a stop to the evil Shinra Electric Power Company. Sharing Clouds hatred for Sephiroth for destroying their hometown of Nibelheim, she joins her childhood friend and stopping him and Shinra at all costs.

Cloud Strife: Cloud’s history is a complicated one. Losing most of his memories during the events of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Cloud considers himself a mercenary who was part of an elite unit called SOLDIER. As the game progresses Cloud begins to remember what happened to him during the events of Nibelheim and his closest friend Zach. Cloud and his nemesis Sephiroth are easily the most recognizable characters in Final Fantasy history.

Final Fantasy VIII characters

Squall Leonhart: Squall is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII and wields the iconic Gunblade weapon. Squall is considered a lone wolf up until he is made commander of his own SeeD unit. Squall is tasked with protect Riona but as every Final Fantasy will teach you, nothing is as simple as it seems. Quie evil sorceresses and plenty of flashback moments later and you get the complete story and evolution of Squall.

Quistis Trepe: Quistis is a childhood friend of Squall and his rival Seifer. All three were unadopted orphans who joined Balamb Gardens where she quickly rose up to instructor at the age of 18. She mostly acts a an older sisters to Squall and Seifer. After a disastrous field exam Quistis is removed from her position and instead put in charge of tracking down her friend Seifer after he escapes from his disciplinary room.

Final Fantasy IX characters

Vivi Ornitier: Vivi is a black mage created by the kingdom of Alexandria from technology provided by the game’s villain Kuja. During shipping, Vivis container falls out of a cargo plane and lands in a forest where he was discovered and cared for by Quan After the death of the man he called grandpa, Vivi sneaks into a play in Alexandria where he is discovered and chased throughout the theater. During the chaos he casts Fire and sets the stage on fire. During the chaos Vivi finds himself on a ship which crash lands and sets out to help find a missing princess with the knight Steiner.

More World of Final Fantasy characters overleaf…

@page

Eiko Carol: Eiko is a child summoner who survives an attack on her village and joins up with Zidane after her entire village is almost destroyed and lives alone with only moogles to keep her company. She falls in love with Zidane and tires to win his affection by helping him on his quest.

Final Fantasy X characters

Tidus: Tidus is a rising star in blitzball. During one of his matches, the city of Zanarkand land is attacked by Sin. Joining forces with Auron, Tidus sets off to confront Sin only to be transported to the world of Spira where he encounters a young summoner named Yuna and joins her on her pilgrimage to stop Sin once and for all and along the way find his way home.

Yuna: Seventeen year old Yuna is a descendant of a long line of summoners. After her father sacrificed himself to stop Sin the world of Spira experienced a year of peace. Sin returned after a year and Yuna decides to follow in her father’s footsteps. Setting off on a pilgrimage to stop Sin she quickly learns that there is more to life then simply sacrificing herself much like her father did.

Rikku: Rikku is a kind-hearted teenager working on a salvage ship. She encounters Tidus in some underwater ruins where she spares his life. Soon after Sin attacks and the two become separated. Rikku later joins Tidus and Yuna on their pilgrimage while concealing that she is of Al-Behd origin to not cause any problems for the rest of the team especially Wakka who doesn’t trust Al-Behdians.

Final Fantasy XI characters

Shantotto: A black mage, Shantotto was never supposed be featured in such a prominent role in the first Final Fantasy MMO. She became so popular that in the game’s third expansion she took a more prominent role in game. Shantotto is also the the character chosen for any Final Fantasy XI crossover events or characters such as World of Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy XIII characters

Snow Villiers: Snow is the fiancee of Serah: Lightning’s sister. He has his disagreements with Lighting but will do anything to help her and her family. Snow is determined to save Serah from being a l’Cie. Snow goes on to cameo in the game’s sequel XIII-2 and again returns in Lightning Returns still waiting for Serah to return to him.

Lighting: The main protagonist in Final Fantasy XIII, Lighting is determined to save her sister Serah from completing her focus as a l’Cie which will see her life ended. After failing to do so she decides she must escape from her own home of Cocoon before the military closes in on her. Lighting is featured as a guest character in XIII-2 where she is shown battling Caius Ballad while protecting the goddess Etro. Lighting returns as the sole playable character in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII which also brings back the coveted job system allowing her to change her class at will.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 characters

Chocolatte: She first appeared as the small baby chocobo chick living in Sazh’s hair. During Final Fantasy XIII-2 it is revealed that the goddess Etro has given the chocobo chick human form to allow her to sell you items. Playing the vender in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns her original name was Chocolina but is referred to Chocolatte in World of Final Fantasy where she again returns as the games vender.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time characters

Sherlotta: Sherlotta has the power to transform into a cat at will due to the power of a crystal that appeared in a forest near her village. When interacting with the crystal it fuses with her heart giving her immortality. Crystal Chronicles was released on the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii and featured some online co-op. This is the first time that Sherlotta or anyone from the title have appeared on a different console.

Special Appearance

Cid: Cid has appeared or has been mentioned in every Final Fantasy including its spin offs. Portrayed in various forms throughout his existence. The Cid from World of Final Fantasy is not any of the classic Cid’s but is instead an original design.

Who are your favorite Final Fantasy characters?

World of Final Fantasy features a plethora of classic Final Fantasy characters. Who are your favorites, and which characters were you disappointed didn’t make it into the game? Let us know in the comments below.