Hello from Mysterious Munchkin,
Last week I touched on Final Fantasy. Well if you don't know Final Fantasy is the best selling RPG (Role Playing Game) franchise in the world and one of the best selling video game franchises in the world.
Most Final Fantasy games are independent stories with different settings and main characters, but they have identical elements that define their franchise such as some common character stereotypes. Before I introduce those however, I would like to say that the plots of Final Fantasy games center on a group of heroes (mostly teens or characters in their early 2o's with a few middle aged characters thrown in or immortals that look 20 ish) that are battling a great evil while exploring their internal struggles and relationships. Character names are usually derived from history, languages, and mythologies from cultures world wide.
Going back to character stereo types. Not all Final Fantasy games have these, in fact, the newer games are slowly shifting away from these stereotypes but, still they have had an enormous impact on FF games and the best selling FF games (the legends) all have these stereotypes. So what better way to introduce you all to the beautiful world of Final Fantasy than by giving you common character stereotypes?
The Perky Idiot
Examples: Yuffie, Selphie, and Rikku
Oh, man! We're totally going to take on the badguys and it's gonna be like, sooooo cooooool! And look, there's a train! Let me sing a song about those! Maybe I'll do that while jumping up and down a bunch for your lecherous edification, even though I'm obviously way underage and edification is way too big a word for me! Or, if the entire cast happens to be underage, I'm even more underage than that! Did I mention how totally psyched I am about everything, even though I may get a little bit of semi-tragic backstory to put my youthful enthusiasm in stark contrast? Never mind, I have braids and/or pigtails and everything is awesome! Don't mind me, though! You have an utterly blank female love interest who didn't even make this list because she has even less personality than I do! Maybe I'll make a few sideways comments about how obviously in love you are! Then you can look all uncomfortable while all your friends knowingly laugh about it!
Yuffie (Final Fantasy VII): Tragic Back Story- Homeland once at war because of natural resources. Daughter of the chief but never given any attention by father. Hyper, annoying, ninja, likes to steal from her own party members...there is a trust issue here.
Last week I touched on Final Fantasy. Well if you don't know Final Fantasy is the best selling RPG (Role Playing Game) franchise in the world and one of the best selling video game franchises in the world.
Most Final Fantasy games are independent stories with different settings and main characters, but they have identical elements that define their franchise such as some common character stereotypes. Before I introduce those however, I would like to say that the plots of Final Fantasy games center on a group of heroes (mostly teens or characters in their early 2o's with a few middle aged characters thrown in or immortals that look 20 ish) that are battling a great evil while exploring their internal struggles and relationships. Character names are usually derived from history, languages, and mythologies from cultures world wide.
Going back to character stereo types. Not all Final Fantasy games have these, in fact, the newer games are slowly shifting away from these stereotypes but, still they have had an enormous impact on FF games and the best selling FF games (the legends) all have these stereotypes. So what better way to introduce you all to the beautiful world of Final Fantasy than by giving you common character stereotypes?
The Perky Idiot
Examples: Yuffie, Selphie, and Rikku
Oh, man! We're totally going to take on the badguys and it's gonna be like, sooooo cooooool! And look, there's a train! Let me sing a song about those! Maybe I'll do that while jumping up and down a bunch for your lecherous edification, even though I'm obviously way underage and edification is way too big a word for me! Or, if the entire cast happens to be underage, I'm even more underage than that! Did I mention how totally psyched I am about everything, even though I may get a little bit of semi-tragic backstory to put my youthful enthusiasm in stark contrast? Never mind, I have braids and/or pigtails and everything is awesome! Don't mind me, though! You have an utterly blank female love interest who didn't even make this list because she has even less personality than I do! Maybe I'll make a few sideways comments about how obviously in love you are! Then you can look all uncomfortable while all your friends knowingly laugh about it!
Yuffie (Final Fantasy VII): Tragic Back Story- Homeland once at war because of natural resources. Daughter of the chief but never given any attention by father. Hyper, annoying, ninja, likes to steal from her own party members...there is a trust issue here.
Selphie (Final Fantasy VIII): Tragic Back Story- Her home gets bombed...She lost her memories of her childhood, but regained them...but then again everyone in Final Fantasy VIII did with a few exceptions.
Rikku (Final Fantasy X and X-2): Tragic Back Story- Her mom died when she was young, she was struck by lightning as a child and has ever since being afraid of it, and she and her race of people (the Al-Bhed ) have been prejudiced against since forever. She is a thief, alchemist, mechanic, and the younger cousin of the heroine of FFX and FFx-2 Yuna.
Out of all the hyper FF girls, Rikku is my favorite.
Rikku Age 15 in FFX
Out of all the hyper FF girls, Rikku is my favorite.
Rikku Age 15 in FFX
Rikku Age 17 in FFX-2
Girl in back with black on is her team member Paine and girl with shorts and brown hair is cousin Yuna.
Girl in back with black on is her team member Paine and girl with shorts and brown hair is cousin Yuna.
The Jock
Examples Zell and Wakka
Oh, man, we are going to DO THIS! Some fancy boy thinks he's going to destroy/enslave/whatever the world? I've got a thing or two to say to him. Those things are my fists, and by "say to him" I mean "hit him with." Right after the ball game, anyway. I've been training for that all season, and if we put off our sports then the terrorists have already won. Unless we're the terrorists. It's hard to keep track. Oh, dude! Is that a train over there? I am SO going to body slam that thing!
Zell (Final Fantasy VIII)
Examples Zell and Wakka
Oh, man, we are going to DO THIS! Some fancy boy thinks he's going to destroy/enslave/whatever the world? I've got a thing or two to say to him. Those things are my fists, and by "say to him" I mean "hit him with." Right after the ball game, anyway. I've been training for that all season, and if we put off our sports then the terrorists have already won. Unless we're the terrorists. It's hard to keep track. Oh, dude! Is that a train over there? I am SO going to body slam that thing!
Zell (Final Fantasy VIII)
Wakka (Final Fantasy X): He is the one with the orangish hair and blue head band. The other guys are his team. Go figure.
The Wacky Throw Away
Examples: Cait Sith abd Quina
Who am I? What am I? What cruel cosmic joke brought me into this world? I can't even figure out what gender I'm supposed to be. And who are all these kids running around insisting that I help them defeat some kind of half-god before he smacks the planet with a giant rock? I mean, the closest things I have to weapons are a pair of dice and a gigantic spork. Maybe the badguys will laugh themselves to death. I mean, if there were the slightest chance that anyone would actually put me in their active party. Which they won't.
Cait Sith (Final Fantasy VII): Isn't it adorable? But this manipulative kitty sucks at fortune telling...it once said Cloud and Aerith were meant to be....? haha
Examples: Cait Sith abd Quina
Who am I? What am I? What cruel cosmic joke brought me into this world? I can't even figure out what gender I'm supposed to be. And who are all these kids running around insisting that I help them defeat some kind of half-god before he smacks the planet with a giant rock? I mean, the closest things I have to weapons are a pair of dice and a gigantic spork. Maybe the badguys will laugh themselves to death. I mean, if there were the slightest chance that anyone would actually put me in their active party. Which they won't.
Cait Sith (Final Fantasy VII): Isn't it adorable? But this manipulative kitty sucks at fortune telling...it once said Cloud and Aerith were meant to be....? haha
Quina (Final Fantasy IX): No comment except it loves to eat the bad guys with his giant spork and his favorite food is frogs...
The Sullen Asshole
Examples: Celcil, Cloud, and Squall
God, why do you people keep talking to me? Shit flows downhill, and I'm obviously at the bottom. Do you have some more shit for me? Maybe the world is in peril, or maybe you just have some kind of unresolved issue with your parents that we should cross a couple continents to resolve by conveniently killing a few monsters? Or maybe you just want to express some sincere but inexplicable affection for me, which will instantly transform me into somewhat less of a jerk on account of that scene will be accompanied by a not-entirely-great pop song that supposedly captures the emotional center of all the crazy bullshit going on around us. Whatever. Go talk to a wall. Except don't really, because I need someone to listen to me go on at length about how much adolescence sucks.
Cecil (Final Fantasy IV): Don't know much about him except he is pretty hunky and sullen.
Examples: Celcil, Cloud, and Squall
God, why do you people keep talking to me? Shit flows downhill, and I'm obviously at the bottom. Do you have some more shit for me? Maybe the world is in peril, or maybe you just have some kind of unresolved issue with your parents that we should cross a couple continents to resolve by conveniently killing a few monsters? Or maybe you just want to express some sincere but inexplicable affection for me, which will instantly transform me into somewhat less of a jerk on account of that scene will be accompanied by a not-entirely-great pop song that supposedly captures the emotional center of all the crazy bullshit going on around us. Whatever. Go talk to a wall. Except don't really, because I need someone to listen to me go on at length about how much adolescence sucks.
Cecil (Final Fantasy IV): Don't know much about him except he is pretty hunky and sullen.
Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII): Do I even need to explain? Well to make a long story short he saw his best friend and his lover/friend Aerith die and he couldn't save them, his entire town was burned down and massacred by his hero Sephiroth, and he has a major identity crisis and self esteem issues yet he is the most iconic Final Fantasy hero ever....
Squall Leonhart (Final Fantasy VIII): He is my favorite Final Fantasy character ever. Aside the goofy name, he's probably the biggest jerk ever. Over the course of the game he turns somewhat sincere thanks to Rinoa. His mom died giving birth to him, his father never knew he existed because he was off fighting a war, and his step sister was taken away from him. He grew up in an orphanage and trained to become a mercenary. He meets Rinoa. She annoys the hell out of him. The fall in love over the course of their journey. She turns in to a sorceress and it turns out the future Rinoa is the main bad guy...girl..villain trying to enslave the world because she goes crazy in the future with her sorceressness. Squall promises to protect her and prevent her from turning all evil but she is immortal and all so I really don't know how all that will work out..but oh well they are both my favorite Final Fantasy characters ever!
I told you I am in love with him!
Squall and Rinoa
Squall and Rinoa
and Lastly
The Kickass Quiet Guy
Examples: Vincent and Auron
The awesomeness of a Final Fantasy character is inversely proportional to how much he actually speaks through the course of the game. Well, unless he's some kind of yeti or something. Anyway, I'm just going to shut the hell up, outside of some occasional Silent Bob-ish bits of not-really wisdom, and let you just extrapolate from my outfit how awesome I must be. I mean, I've got a cape and probably claws. Hell, I may even be some kind of noble but misunderstood beast-man. I have to be the serious badass counterpoint to all these save-the-world teenagers.
At least, until you read all the fanfiction about me, or glorified fanfiction in the form of a spinoff-sequel, and decide that I'm just a convenient projection point for a bunch of emo losers who chose not to identify with the main character because he doesn't have the good sense to keep quiet. You're all a bunch of idiots, anyway. Otherwise I might actually have more than three things to say.
Vincent Valentine (Final Fantasy VII): yum Vincent. What a sexy beast....no really. He can transform into this beast thing known as Chaos. He was once in love with a woman scientist named Lucrecia Crescent whom he was assigned to protect. She loved him too but she had one little dark secret...she accidently killed his father during an experiment in the past...or she thought she did but she really didn't. She felt guilty and left him, then got raped by another scientist (hahaha the Rape of Lucrecia get it?) named Hojo who impregnated her with Sephiroth. He then conducted experiments on her when she was pregnant and Vincent found out and tried to save her but he got fatally shot. She tried to save him but the only way she could was by putting this thing called protomateria in his body which made him immortal and have beastly powers but it took him months to recover. During that time she gave birth and her son, Sephiroth whowas taken away by Shinra scientists to conduct more experiments on him to make him into a super solider. She then felt super guilty, tried to commit suicide but she wouldn't die because of all the experiments done to her so she trapped herself in this giant crystal. Vincent awoke but it was too late. Thirty years later, Vincent meets Cloud who is trying to stop Sephiroth from blowing up the planet and feels like he owes it to Lucrecia to stop her crazy evil son and he wants revenge on Hojo so he joins the crew of FF7. He is not a vampire and he likes to drink wine.
Vincent (After being experimented on and thirty years later; he is immortal and will forever remain physically 27)
The Kickass Quiet Guy
Examples: Vincent and Auron
The awesomeness of a Final Fantasy character is inversely proportional to how much he actually speaks through the course of the game. Well, unless he's some kind of yeti or something. Anyway, I'm just going to shut the hell up, outside of some occasional Silent Bob-ish bits of not-really wisdom, and let you just extrapolate from my outfit how awesome I must be. I mean, I've got a cape and probably claws. Hell, I may even be some kind of noble but misunderstood beast-man. I have to be the serious badass counterpoint to all these save-the-world teenagers.
At least, until you read all the fanfiction about me, or glorified fanfiction in the form of a spinoff-sequel, and decide that I'm just a convenient projection point for a bunch of emo losers who chose not to identify with the main character because he doesn't have the good sense to keep quiet. You're all a bunch of idiots, anyway. Otherwise I might actually have more than three things to say.
Vincent Valentine (Final Fantasy VII): yum Vincent. What a sexy beast....no really. He can transform into this beast thing known as Chaos. He was once in love with a woman scientist named Lucrecia Crescent whom he was assigned to protect. She loved him too but she had one little dark secret...she accidently killed his father during an experiment in the past...or she thought she did but she really didn't. She felt guilty and left him, then got raped by another scientist (hahaha the Rape of Lucrecia get it?) named Hojo who impregnated her with Sephiroth. He then conducted experiments on her when she was pregnant and Vincent found out and tried to save her but he got fatally shot. She tried to save him but the only way she could was by putting this thing called protomateria in his body which made him immortal and have beastly powers but it took him months to recover. During that time she gave birth and her son, Sephiroth whowas taken away by Shinra scientists to conduct more experiments on him to make him into a super solider. She then felt super guilty, tried to commit suicide but she wouldn't die because of all the experiments done to her so she trapped herself in this giant crystal. Vincent awoke but it was too late. Thirty years later, Vincent meets Cloud who is trying to stop Sephiroth from blowing up the planet and feels like he owes it to Lucrecia to stop her crazy evil son and he wants revenge on Hojo so he joins the crew of FF7. He is not a vampire and he likes to drink wine.
Vincent (After being experimented on and thirty years later; he is immortal and will forever remain physically 27)
Lucrecia
Auron (Final Fantasy X): Well he use to be a monk..and he is dead but he is traveling with the party and no one knows it. I will talk more about Final Fantasy X some other time since it is one my favorite FF game ever.
Well I am done ranting. Do you have any favorite characters from what info I gave you?
Sincerely, Munchkin.
Sincerely, Munchkin.
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