Summary
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 Fantasyis 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.
This can lead to certain situations where characters inFinal Fantasyend 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.
There’s no denying that Cecil is one of the most beloved party members inFinal 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.
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.
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.
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.
Steiner is a paragon of justicewho 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.
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.
One ofthe most hated characters in all ofFinal 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).
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.
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 whilekilling 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.
Ultima is the true antagonist ofFinal 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 realizewhy 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.
