The metaphor for FF7 Remake was EXACTLY what I had thought as well! I *love* this sort of meta-interpretation for these games, while also enjoying the game(s) for what they are.
My top villains not mentioned are from Suikoden II (There's the obvious choice, but there's also the strategist pulling the strings from behind the scenes). And Lunar The Silver Star on the Sega CD. The main villain of that game had much more impact, and was more personal than in the remakes.
I think my favorite "villain" from the past few years (of games I've played) was the antagonist from Trails in the Sky FC. Not going to name this person since it's a spoiler. The way the first story was grounded and totally believable was a breath of fresh air. The "coziness" of the game leading up to the final act really made the last handful of hours hit hard. That's something the Trails series does really well; giving you dozens of hours to get comfortable with a city or world, then let the excrement hit the fan. Anyway, that antagonist from FC had a good reason for what he was doing, even if it was misguided. His conclusion at the end of FC was great, and I really love how they conclude/continue his story in the overarching world as well. Personally I have a hard time considering the whole of Ouroboros on the same level storytelling-wise because we still don't really know their motivations. They've got a little bit of a Team Rocket vibe to me where they show up and "blast off" a little too often. At the end of the series when we learn what their end goals are, I could see my opinion on this changing because they do have a lot of good and interesting characters.
Villains make the story! Especially when villains (pr antagonists as I like to all them) have a moral code and make you think twice if their ultimate goal is really that bad.
Hey Brandon - I think you are absolutely right about the Whispers in FF7 Remake. That is exactly how I interpreted it too - and I think is also exactly what the writers were saying. You're spot on about it being the meta narrative. Once I realized what they were doing (how they were only showing up when we deviated from the PS1 Canon) I started to accept/enjoy the deviations too. But I think youre 100% on point with that analysis and I'm pretty sure that is what the writers were going for, too.
Kefka is such an amazing villain, and how they managed to do that with a 16-bit sprite and a laugh is beyond me. Others that I can think of: - Luc from Suikoden 3: I thought it was such a neat twist since he was part of your group in Suikoden 1 & 2, and he's kind of your classic tragic character whose actions will bring about mass destruction even though he has a point. And it was set up in the first two games as well, since he's kind of a brat, although a useful brat in combat. :) - Guildenstern from Vagrant Story: Just a real bastard. A great personification of a dogmatic faithful zealot.
Oh wow! That's an interesting list of baddies! 😂❤ Out of Ouroboros, McBurn is my favorite!✨️ Independent, Sassy and diabolically strong. My list for top 10 villains / antagonists : 1.) Emperor Mateus-FFII 2.) Flowey-Undertale 3.) Handsome Jack -Borderlands 2 4.) King Dedede -Kirby 5.) Raiko the Sage -Utawarerumono Mask of Truth 6.) Junko Enoshima-Danganronpa 7.) King Valentine-Odin Sphere Leifthrasir 8.) The Ancestor-Darkest Dungeon 9.) Brandelis-World of Final Fantasy 10.) Vaas Montenegro-Far Cry 3
Lavos and Gygas are likely 2 of my top 5 villains. As Trails has not ended or that we know its story fully, I have a feeling 2 of the other 5 spots will be Trails characters. Who the remaining one is I have no idea. There are a lot of GREAT villains. I like the idea of this list, there is a ton of meat on the bone for options here. Thanks Brandon, happy to hear you guys had a great time at AX btw!
Kefka is Heath Ledger's Joker from the Dark Knight: motivated by nihilism and nothing else. Swap Kefka in for that iconic image of the Joker burning down the pile of money and saying "it's not about the money, it's about sending a message" and the scene still makes complete sense. Why are the heroes able to finally defeat Kefka? For the same reason the Joker is always fated to ultimately fail: they're nihilists, nothing matters, not even their own lives or their own accomplishments. Kefka was the villain who won, he achieved everything he set out to achieve; the heroes were able to defeat him in the end because achieving everything he ever wanted meant nothing to him. Why fight? Why struggle? Why build anything? He became a god and destroyed the world, but in the end, why continue fighting? The heroes beat him because he couldn't think of a reason. I would classify the society from the Trails series as more antagonists than they are pure villains. The single thing that separates the society from the heroes of Zemuria, in every single instance, is that the society is filled with people who believe that the ends justify the means. Weissman was an evil person who hurt so many people and committed so many atrocities. It's stated, repeatedly, that no one in the society actually liked him. Why did they put up with him? Because he had the perfect skill set to take on and accomplish the gospel plan. He was pure evil, the society kept him around only so long as he was useful, and the instant that he wasn't useful anymore, and the instant they got what they wanted, they allowed Kevin to, you know, un-alive him. The ends justify the means, a statement that has been used to justify so much tragedy in human history. The society kept Weissman around so long as keeping him around served their purposes, and as soon as the ends were achieved and the means were no longer necessary, they discarded him. Weissman might have been pure evil, but regarding how the Grandmaster just tossed him away, to quote the Joker from the Dark Knight: "even for a guy like me, that's cold."
Yeah, I agree about the antagonist vs. villain distinction. For the purposes of this, I'm just sort of counting both as being equal, just people "opposed" to the protagonists. But honestly it's the depth and complexity of Ouroboros that makes me like them so much!
Great list!. Here are my top villains: Ghaleon from Lunar 1 & 2 (very hammy in the Working Designs dub, but that just adds to his charm), Dark Force from the Phantasy Star series, Delita from FF Tactics and of course, Luca Blight!
I wouldn't say Delita is a villain. Antagonist yes, but villain no, if that makes any sense. FFT is interesting when it comes to villains, because it's a bit hard to nail down the main baddie, because in a way it's "the church", but in terms of a character it would have to be Vormav (or Folmarv in the updated translation).
Pretty good list. Some on this list I agree on, some I disagree on, but that´s of course subjective :) Some of my favorite JRPG villains (mild SPOILER WARNING): - Emet Selch and Zenos (FF14). One for the writing and one for the power and rivalry with the WoL - Kuja (FF9). To me the peak of classic JRPG villains: He has a melancholic past, has reasons to do what he does, is somehow relatable, has a (still) unused design and is really powerful, a real threat. - Bailo and Sunder (BoF3). I often like minor villains and Bailo and Sunder hit my sweet spot in that regards. They are annoying, more evil than hilarious (which is why I prefer them over Ultros e.g.) and I enjoyed when I was finally able to put them in their place. - Alvis (Xenoblade saga): The tragic of what happened to Alvis hit me at the end of Xenoblade 3 but first and foremost he (and the whole future redeemed dlc) redeemed the huge disappointment XBC3 main game was. - Nier (Nier): The fact you are playing the villain all along and are dooming humanity was something unique and everything after route A is just superb storytelling. Although you could say it was already done in Drakengard 1 in a comparable way. - Suguru Kamoshida (P5/P5R): To me the best villain of this Persona entry, just everything about this guy is so believable and I could see this happening in reality. Rarely it felt so comforting to cross a villains plans. - Jenova: Cosmic horror done right and to me always the true villain of FVII. The atmosphere in the shinra building in the OG FVII when you leave the cell was just peak lovecraftian horror as well as the whole Nibelheim incident. Didn´t feel much with Sephiroth but Jenova was the real deal.
So mine: spoilers! 1. Alexander Cherenkov from Xenosaga...good God what a backstory. 2. Lucas Blight is a favorite to write about, but the best villain of Suikoden II is Jowy and it's not close. Luca is a terrifying monster, but Jowy is actually capable. 3. Klaus/Manado/Zanza: the guy is a terror...he is a bit disappointing in terms of behavior...he's not wise or understanding in his evil...actually pretty cartoonist, but his power and willingness to play parts for terrible betrayal are terrifying 4. Luc from Suikoden III...still one of the better epilogue stories in JRPG's 5. Nimzo, DQ V. There's something about a villain that threatens several generations of the hero's family I probably have a lot more, but that's what comes to mind. A lot of the more recent RPGs do the "Godlike" being route that I found a bit boring...I guess that's why I like Zanza...he's a godlike being that's acts like a street villain.
The weird thing about Ultima in FFXVI (and a lot of the cosmology and sociopolitical structure of the world, honestly) is he only ever refers to Valisthea, Storm and Ash. His dominion and schemes seem to end there. And yet we know from some incidental dialogue in sidequests that there are other continents in the world. Did he seed the lifeforms there as well? The mothercrystals scheme doesn't seem to extend there, nor does his endgame plot. Perhaps it would have been better to not mention anyplace outside Valisthea, or imply that the humanoids there are somehow inherently different from Valistheans.
Yeah, the "outside" world is a bit confusing. My interpretation was that life was seeded on Storm and Ash, and people eventually migrated away from there during the period Ultima was asleep, but who can say for sure!
Xenogears spoiler: but one villain/scene that messed me up when i first played the game and still hurts me when it happens when I playthrough again is when Miang takes over Elly's body
Great list. I've always liked Lavos and Kefka, so nice to see them at the top of the list here. Ones that aren't on your list that come to mind are: Golbez (although I do feel the plot lessens his villain status by the end). I feel like FFX has a lot of interesting ones Yo Mika, Seymour, and Sin are all super interesting in their own way. Super Hero Aurum from Disgaea 3 - It's a fun twist to a villain when the game follows a bunch of demons. Cain Fact from Ys Origins
Persona 4’s villain had much less impact for me compared to p5 royale’s villain. I also always loved Wart from super Mario brothers 2 for similar reasons you talked about Smithee. I’m still waiting for him to make a glorious return from the dream world.
2 things. I may have spoiled a villain in Trails to Azure watching your vid. This comes after spoiling the main villain for Trails to Zero. That's on me tho, as this video is a spoiler video. Also, if you haven't played Radiant Historia, play it. I can't speak for whatever changes are in Perfect Chronology, but in the original, the secondary main villain comes out of nowhere and is one of the best foils I've ever fought against in a JRPG. That guy is a big part of why Stocke is my favorite JRPG character ever.
Great list! I was thinking Krellian right when you got to him and it made me chuckle. I like your take on Lavos too since it's been so long since I've played CT and failed to see it as the Lovecraftian, uncaring, cosmic eldritch horror that it is. I personally hate Kefka. (not too big on VI...or most FFs tbqh...) pretty much for the reason you give: too little nuance. It was of course a feature of the era, but my mind never filled in the necessary blanks to make him a really cool villain. For me, I would add Fou Lu from BoF IV. I think you would really like him if you haven't played it yet. You mentioned him in passing, but Luca Blight is pretty great -- especially when you factor in the backstory revelation that only gets revealed via Suikogaiden 1. Not to be coy, but both sets of villains in Daybreak 1 and 2 are exceptional. One in 2 is so good he made my skin crawl in the best possible way.
Chum chuminny, chum chuminny, chum chum, chumroo, here to boost the algorithm for you! One of the villians I always thought was kind of cool was Sin from Final Fantasy X, because it's more an unstoppable force of nature than an actual villain. Also Roger Bacon from Shadowhearts, because he's an actual person from History, and c'mon, he's got Bacon in his name.
I love list videos. And I love your videos. Combine the two and I'm a happy camper. Kefka is the best villain in any final fantasy and maybe every game. Such a tragic figure. Driven insane by an untested process of infusing magic into someone. If Celes had gone first she would have been the villain and Kefka would've joined us. Would be a very cool alternate reality to play in. "in place of a dark Lord you will set up a queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the morning and the night!"
I disagree with Ouroboros being a villain. If you really want the best written Trails villain, which is the best written villain imo is Gilliath Osborne from Trails of Cold Steel.
Sephiroth, Kefka, Luca Blight, Lavos - the obvious ones Ardyn - don't like FFXV much but they did a great job here. now that I think about it, I feel like a lot of JRPGs are kind of lacking in the villain department... but definitely not Final Fantasy the killers in P4 and P5 - they're honestly a ton of fun and also reasonably complex a certain villain from Bravely Default - if you've played it you know what I'm talking about. best. villain. reveal. ever!!! whoever you go against in FE3H - you wanna talk complex? none of these are truly villains the villains in Xenoblade 1 - they are so evil and loving it. have so much charisma. this is definitely an unpopular opinion but none of the series' other villains hold a candle to them Lusamine from Su/Mo only - genuinely chilling and almost too dark for Pokemon I have not played FFXIV but I know I would be OBSESSED with Emet-Selch. also lol I just got to the end of the video when I typed this list out as I was going through it, I promise I am not typing "LUCA BLIGHT!!!" just to type it
Almost all of the villains in the Trails series works for me, in part because the somewhat light tone of the games (generally) allows you to have interesting conversations or confrontations (the heroes get spared by the villains' whims so many times it becomes a meme), but also because every major villain is either interesting, scary or useful. CS2 main villain is clearly the weakest of the series but he works perfectly as a jobber for the main villain of the CS arc.
Albedo is a great villian as well as an annoyingly difficult one. Also I love Malos from Xenoblade 2 as he isn't a true villian. He's only a villian because of his driver
I am about 2/3 rd of the way through Cold Steel IV... and as far as Ouroboros goes, I think some of them are kind of more on the ridiculous side more than being a villain (plus how many times to I have face (insert Ouroboros villain here) again in a boss fight? Will this person learn that they won't win?). I think the former 3rd Anguis was the most menacing.
#10 just a nothing burger villain honestly. They squander the very source of their own power that could have fulfill their plain quicker. #9 100% agree with this, how absolutely grounded the writing is for their abilities, harsh reality that comes from it. #8 mad respect not to spoil 16 year old game 🤘 #6 hate it their addition to the story as a whole. I am not a diehard fan of the original game (barely played it tbh). I am totally ok with other changes and additions made even for the better, but just not those things. #1 they actually destroyed the world too
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If you ask me, Miang is the real villain of Xenogears and quite possibly one of the best too.
She's definitely among the highest on the "villain food chain" for sure!
I have to throw Caius Ballad in here, perfectly written character with awesome themes.
The metaphor for FF7 Remake was EXACTLY what I had thought as well! I *love* this sort of meta-interpretation for these games, while also enjoying the game(s) for what they are.
I think it adds to the experience too! I know some people are bothered by it, but I love it.
Emet Selch is the ultimate villain. Kefka used to be my top baddie but Emet Selch is god tier
My top villains not mentioned are from Suikoden II (There's the obvious choice, but there's also the strategist pulling the strings from behind the scenes). And Lunar The Silver Star on the Sega CD. The main villain of that game had much more impact, and was more personal than in the remakes.
I think my favorite "villain" from the past few years (of games I've played) was the antagonist from Trails in the Sky FC. Not going to name this person since it's a spoiler. The way the first story was grounded and totally believable was a breath of fresh air. The "coziness" of the game leading up to the final act really made the last handful of hours hit hard. That's something the Trails series does really well; giving you dozens of hours to get comfortable with a city or world, then let the excrement hit the fan.
Anyway, that antagonist from FC had a good reason for what he was doing, even if it was misguided. His conclusion at the end of FC was great, and I really love how they conclude/continue his story in the overarching world as well. Personally I have a hard time considering the whole of Ouroboros on the same level storytelling-wise because we still don't really know their motivations. They've got a little bit of a Team Rocket vibe to me where they show up and "blast off" a little too often. At the end of the series when we learn what their end goals are, I could see my opinion on this changing because they do have a lot of good and interesting characters.
Villains make the story! Especially when villains (pr antagonists as I like to all them) have a moral code and make you think twice if their ultimate goal is really that bad.
100%! If they make you think, then the writer is doing their job!
@@JustTheGems Absolutely!
Hey Brandon - I think you are absolutely right about the Whispers in FF7 Remake. That is exactly how I interpreted it too - and I think is also exactly what the writers were saying. You're spot on about it being the meta narrative. Once I realized what they were doing (how they were only showing up when we deviated from the PS1 Canon) I started to accept/enjoy the deviations too. But I think youre 100% on point with that analysis and I'm pretty sure that is what the writers were going for, too.
It's really cool to feel the hand of the author in this. I appreciate that sort of thing way more now than I think I would have when I was younger.
I initially skimmed through this looking for Albedo and I was not disappointed, actually surprised to see him mentioned so soon in the video!
Gotta rep albedo
Kefka also has the best theme song ever.
Fact.
I'm so happy to see some love for Xenosaga. To this day it remains my favorite rpg series. Albedo struck such a chord with me.
Fantastic video! You listed some awesome picks - really enjoyed your commentary on them! :)
Thanks Paige!
Kefka is such an amazing villain, and how they managed to do that with a 16-bit sprite and a laugh is beyond me.
Others that I can think of:
- Luc from Suikoden 3: I thought it was such a neat twist since he was part of your group in Suikoden 1 & 2, and he's kind of your classic tragic character whose actions will bring about mass destruction even though he has a point. And it was set up in the first two games as well, since he's kind of a brat, although a useful brat in combat. :)
- Guildenstern from Vagrant Story: Just a real bastard. A great personification of a dogmatic faithful zealot.
No Luca Blight but yes to Kefka? I can't rn. (Yes saw the disclaimer in the end, still no excuse)
Oh wow! That's an interesting list of baddies! 😂❤ Out of Ouroboros, McBurn is my favorite!✨️ Independent, Sassy and diabolically strong.
My list for top 10 villains / antagonists :
1.) Emperor Mateus-FFII
2.) Flowey-Undertale
3.) Handsome Jack -Borderlands 2
4.) King Dedede -Kirby
5.) Raiko the Sage -Utawarerumono Mask of Truth
6.) Junko Enoshima-Danganronpa
7.) King Valentine-Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
8.) The Ancestor-Darkest Dungeon
9.) Brandelis-World of Final Fantasy
10.) Vaas Montenegro-Far Cry 3
Great list, and I concur about McBurn. Love that guy!
I never heard about the theory of Baram being Kefka, until you said what you said. LMAO!
I'm surprised that the Dark Genie from the two Dark Cloud games aren't in this list.
I'll get around to those one of these days!
Lavos and Gygas are likely 2 of my top 5 villains. As Trails has not ended or that we know its story fully, I have a feeling 2 of the other 5 spots will be Trails characters. Who the remaining one is I have no idea. There are a lot of GREAT villains. I like the idea of this list, there is a ton of meat on the bone for options here. Thanks Brandon, happy to hear you guys had a great time at AX btw!
Kefka is Heath Ledger's Joker from the Dark Knight: motivated by nihilism and nothing else. Swap Kefka in for that iconic image of the Joker burning down the pile of money and saying "it's not about the money, it's about sending a message" and the scene still makes complete sense. Why are the heroes able to finally defeat Kefka? For the same reason the Joker is always fated to ultimately fail: they're nihilists, nothing matters, not even their own lives or their own accomplishments. Kefka was the villain who won, he achieved everything he set out to achieve; the heroes were able to defeat him in the end because achieving everything he ever wanted meant nothing to him. Why fight? Why struggle? Why build anything? He became a god and destroyed the world, but in the end, why continue fighting? The heroes beat him because he couldn't think of a reason.
I would classify the society from the Trails series as more antagonists than they are pure villains. The single thing that separates the society from the heroes of Zemuria, in every single instance, is that the society is filled with people who believe that the ends justify the means. Weissman was an evil person who hurt so many people and committed so many atrocities. It's stated, repeatedly, that no one in the society actually liked him. Why did they put up with him? Because he had the perfect skill set to take on and accomplish the gospel plan. He was pure evil, the society kept him around only so long as he was useful, and the instant that he wasn't useful anymore, and the instant they got what they wanted, they allowed Kevin to, you know, un-alive him. The ends justify the means, a statement that has been used to justify so much tragedy in human history. The society kept Weissman around so long as keeping him around served their purposes, and as soon as the ends were achieved and the means were no longer necessary, they discarded him.
Weissman might have been pure evil, but regarding how the Grandmaster just tossed him away, to quote the Joker from the Dark Knight: "even for a guy like me, that's cold."
Yeah, I agree about the antagonist vs. villain distinction. For the purposes of this, I'm just sort of counting both as being equal, just people "opposed" to the protagonists. But honestly it's the depth and complexity of Ouroboros that makes me like them so much!
Just finishing up Octopath Travler 2. Won't name names but there are some really evil villains in that game for some of the storylines.
Great list!. Here are my top villains: Ghaleon from Lunar 1 & 2 (very hammy in the Working Designs dub, but that just adds to his charm), Dark Force from the Phantasy Star series, Delita from FF Tactics and of course, Luca Blight!
Not Ghaleon, dear rushdawg-vg5ce, MAGIC EMPEROR GHALEON!
I wouldn't say Delita is a villain. Antagonist yes, but villain no, if that makes any sense. FFT is interesting when it comes to villains, because it's a bit hard to nail down the main baddie, because in a way it's "the church", but in terms of a character it would have to be Vormav (or Folmarv in the updated translation).
Very surprised you didn't include sephiroth, but I don't hate it.
He's great, but all the villains around him out-evil him in my mind
Pretty good list. Some on this list I agree on, some I disagree on, but that´s of course subjective :) Some of my favorite JRPG villains (mild SPOILER WARNING):
- Emet Selch and Zenos (FF14). One for the writing and one for the power and rivalry with the WoL
- Kuja (FF9). To me the peak of classic JRPG villains: He has a melancholic past, has reasons to do what he does, is somehow relatable, has a (still) unused design and is really powerful, a real threat.
- Bailo and Sunder (BoF3). I often like minor villains and Bailo and Sunder hit my sweet spot in that regards. They are annoying, more evil than hilarious (which is why I prefer them over Ultros e.g.) and I enjoyed when I was finally able to put them in their place.
- Alvis (Xenoblade saga): The tragic of what happened to Alvis hit me at the end of Xenoblade 3 but first and foremost he (and the whole future redeemed dlc) redeemed the huge disappointment XBC3 main game was.
- Nier (Nier): The fact you are playing the villain all along and are dooming humanity was something unique and everything after route A is just superb storytelling. Although you could say it was already done in Drakengard 1 in a comparable way.
- Suguru Kamoshida (P5/P5R): To me the best villain of this Persona entry, just everything about this guy is so believable and I could see this happening in reality. Rarely it felt so comforting to cross a villains plans.
- Jenova: Cosmic horror done right and to me always the true villain of FVII. The atmosphere in the shinra building in the OG FVII when you leave the cell was just peak lovecraftian horror as well as the whole Nibelheim incident. Didn´t feel much with Sephiroth but Jenova was the real deal.
I appreciate the depth of bringing up the real biggest villain of all before the top 10 even begins: the economy
It cast Drain on us all!
So mine: spoilers!
1. Alexander Cherenkov from Xenosaga...good God what a backstory.
2. Lucas Blight is a favorite to write about, but the best villain of Suikoden II is Jowy and it's not close. Luca is a terrifying monster, but Jowy is actually capable.
3. Klaus/Manado/Zanza: the guy is a terror...he is a bit disappointing in terms of behavior...he's not wise or understanding in his evil...actually pretty cartoonist, but his power and willingness to play parts for terrible betrayal are terrifying
4. Luc from Suikoden III...still one of the better epilogue stories in JRPG's
5. Nimzo, DQ V. There's something about a villain that threatens several generations of the hero's family
I probably have a lot more, but that's what comes to mind. A lot of the more recent RPGs do the "Godlike" being route that I found a bit boring...I guess that's why I like Zanza...he's a godlike being that's acts like a street villain.
The weird thing about Ultima in FFXVI (and a lot of the cosmology and sociopolitical structure of the world, honestly) is he only ever refers to Valisthea, Storm and Ash. His dominion and schemes seem to end there. And yet we know from some incidental dialogue in sidequests that there are other continents in the world. Did he seed the lifeforms there as well? The mothercrystals scheme doesn't seem to extend there, nor does his endgame plot. Perhaps it would have been better to not mention anyplace outside Valisthea, or imply that the humanoids there are somehow inherently different from Valistheans.
Yeah, the "outside" world is a bit confusing. My interpretation was that life was seeded on Storm and Ash, and people eventually migrated away from there during the period Ultima was asleep, but who can say for sure!
Xenogears spoiler: but one villain/scene that messed me up when i first played the game and still hurts me when it happens when I playthrough again is when Miang takes over Elly's body
It’s been so long since I beat FF7 that I have no idea what the changes in the story of Remake are.
Great list. I've always liked Lavos and Kefka, so nice to see them at the top of the list here.
Ones that aren't on your list that come to mind are:
Golbez (although I do feel the plot lessens his villain status by the end).
I feel like FFX has a lot of interesting ones Yo Mika, Seymour, and Sin are all super interesting in their own way.
Super Hero Aurum from Disgaea 3 - It's a fun twist to a villain when the game follows a bunch of demons.
Cain Fact from Ys Origins
Yeah, I agree about Golbez, he was a great villain until some late-game revelations really change things around.
Really solid list, Kefka is absolute chaos 🤣
Persona 4’s villain had much less impact for me compared to p5 royale’s villain. I also always loved Wart from super Mario brothers 2 for similar reasons you talked about Smithee. I’m still waiting for him to make a glorious return from the dream world.
2 things. I may have spoiled a villain in Trails to Azure watching your vid. This comes after spoiling the main villain for Trails to Zero. That's on me tho, as this video is a spoiler video.
Also, if you haven't played Radiant Historia, play it. I can't speak for whatever changes are in Perfect Chronology, but in the original, the secondary main villain comes out of nowhere and is one of the best foils I've ever fought against in a JRPG. That guy is a big part of why Stocke is my favorite JRPG character ever.
Great list! I was thinking Krellian right when you got to him and it made me chuckle.
I like your take on Lavos too since it's been so long since I've played CT and failed to see it as the Lovecraftian, uncaring, cosmic eldritch horror that it is.
I personally hate Kefka. (not too big on VI...or most FFs tbqh...) pretty much for the reason you give: too little nuance. It was of course a feature of the era, but my mind never filled in the necessary blanks to make him a really cool villain.
For me, I would add Fou Lu from BoF IV. I think you would really like him if you haven't played it yet.
You mentioned him in passing, but Luca Blight is pretty great -- especially when you factor in the backstory revelation that only gets revealed via Suikogaiden 1.
Not to be coy, but both sets of villains in Daybreak 1 and 2 are exceptional. One in 2 is so good he made my skin crawl in the best possible way.
Chum chuminny, chum chuminny, chum chum, chumroo, here to boost the algorithm for you! One of the villians I always thought was kind of cool was Sin from Final Fantasy X, because it's more an unstoppable force of nature than an actual villain. Also Roger Bacon from Shadowhearts, because he's an actual person from History, and c'mon, he's got Bacon in his name.
Sin is another great one in the cosmic horror category. And Roger Bacon is fantastic too! Anybody who can pull off a top hat gets top billing from me.
Best "villains" ever Saturos and
Menardi from Golden Sun. Also i like SIN a lot from ffx the most unique ff villain
I want to watch this but also want to avoid spoilers. Take this like as payment for I’m assuming another awesome vid!
Haha thank you!!
We always love a good baddie 💪🏽
Baddies for life!
Havent watched yet, but one of my favorites is still Psaro the Manslayer from DQ4 and now DQ Monsters: The Dark Prince
of course he is the protag in DQ Monsters:TDP
I love list videos. And I love your videos. Combine the two and I'm a happy camper.
Kefka is the best villain in any final fantasy and maybe every game. Such a tragic figure. Driven insane by an untested process of infusing magic into someone. If Celes had gone first she would have been the villain and Kefka would've joined us. Would be a very cool alternate reality to play in. "in place of a dark Lord you will set up a queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the morning and the night!"
Man, I would love an alternate reality remake of FF6 like that.
I disagree with Ouroboros being a villain. If you really want the best written Trails villain, which is the best written villain imo is Gilliath Osborne from Trails of Cold Steel.
Emet-Selch
Emet-Selch or the writing and Zenos for the power and rivalry with WoL.
Sephiroth, Kefka, Luca Blight, Lavos - the obvious ones
Ardyn - don't like FFXV much but they did a great job here. now that I think about it, I feel like a lot of JRPGs are kind of lacking in the villain department... but definitely not Final Fantasy
the killers in P4 and P5 - they're honestly a ton of fun and also reasonably complex
a certain villain from Bravely Default - if you've played it you know what I'm talking about. best. villain. reveal. ever!!!
whoever you go against in FE3H - you wanna talk complex? none of these are truly villains
the villains in Xenoblade 1 - they are so evil and loving it. have so much charisma. this is definitely an unpopular opinion but none of the series' other villains hold a candle to them
Lusamine from Su/Mo only - genuinely chilling and almost too dark for Pokemon
I have not played FFXIV but I know I would be OBSESSED with Emet-Selch.
also lol I just got to the end of the video when I typed this list out as I was going through it, I promise I am not typing "LUCA BLIGHT!!!" just to type it
Ardyn is slept on i agree that dlc did him justice. Damn you Somnus.
Oh dang, I'd almost forgotten about that twist in Bravely Default!! 🤯 yes!
Almost all of the villains in the Trails series works for me, in part because the somewhat light tone of the games (generally) allows you to have interesting conversations or confrontations (the heroes get spared by the villains' whims so many times it becomes a meme), but also because every major villain is either interesting, scary or useful. CS2 main villain is clearly the weakest of the series but he works perfectly as a jobber for the main villain of the CS arc.
I tend to call Red XIII/Nanaki's race "Calines" - a portmanteau of Canine and Feline. 😀
Haha love it!
@@JustTheGems Thanks!
Does Waltequin from DioField Chronicle count? Because she was AWESOME! In a crazy kind of way 😂
I've heard! I'm actually really looking forward to DioField, it sounds pretty cool
Albedo is a great villian as well as an annoyingly difficult one. Also I love Malos from Xenoblade 2 as he isn't a true villian. He's only a villian because of his driver
Yeah, Takahashi definitely has kept up the complicated villain stories!
What about Osborne, Xehanort , Ghaleon and Albert Simon?
Personally liked Ardyn the most of the FF villains even if the game was so-so.
Honestly I liked him a lot too
I am about 2/3 rd of the way through Cold Steel IV... and as far as Ouroboros goes, I think some of them are kind of more on the ridiculous side more than being a villain (plus how many times to I have face (insert Ouroboros villain here) again in a boss fight? Will this person learn that they won't win?). I think the former 3rd Anguis was the most menacing.
Ayla's word. "La" means fire. "Vos" means big.
Neuga, ziena, zieber, zom dude.
@@JustTheGems Exchange this world for....!
Emet Selch!
I would write a list like this without including Kefka.
Who would be your number one?
Kefka was a great villain - psycho megalomaniac clown.
Very cool video topic.
Thank you!
Hey Brandon, great list, well beside Kefka, my favorite vilain is Ghaleon from Lunar!
No giliath osborne?
Someone hasn't played Suikoden 2
Haha yeah I have, I mentioned it at the end. It's just been so long that I remember very little.
Zagi (Tales of Vesperia) seems custom made for this list
Xenogears deserves an hd remake
100%.
#10 just a nothing burger villain honestly. They squander the very source of their own power that could have fulfill their plain quicker.
#9 100% agree with this, how absolutely grounded the writing is for their abilities, harsh reality that comes from it.
#8 mad respect not to spoil 16 year old game 🤘
#6 hate it their addition to the story as a whole. I am not a diehard fan of the original game (barely played it tbh). I am totally ok with other changes and additions made even for the better, but just not those things.
#1 they actually destroyed the world too