Final Fantasy 17’s Protagonist Has a High Bar to Clear

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 14, 2025 3 Views 6 Min Read
Final Fantasy 17's Protagonist Has a High Bar to Clear

Summary

  • Final Fantasy 17’s protagonist faces high expectations set by recent iconic characters like Noctis and Cloud.
  • Clive from Final Fantasy 16 is considered one of the series’ best protagonists due to his unique character development.
  • Square Enix’s recent successful character arcs indicate Final Fantasy 17’s lead will likely impress fans.

There is still no news from Square Enix about Final Fantasy 17, but the developer is unlikely to put its most beloved series to bed anytime soon, especially as it continues to impress with Game of the Year contenders like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Nevertheless, the lack of any news surrounding Final Fantasy 17 also means its protagonist is still under wraps, who now has a high ceiling to shatter that was left there by the series’ most recent protagonists.

Final Fantasy has seen plenty of memorable protagonists over its decades-long lifespan, like Final Fantasy 8‘s Squall Leonhart, Final Fantasy 9‘s Zidane Tribal, and Final Fantasy 4‘s Cecil Harvey. However, the characters who have led the last few Final Fantasy installments have effortlessly taken over the scene by delivering compelling character arcs and personalities, making them all tough acts to follow and therefore putting Final Fantasy 17‘s protagonist to the ultimate test.

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Final Fantasy 17’s Protagonist Has a High Bar to Clear

Final Fantasy 15’s Noctis Is a Relatable and Grounded Protagonist

Of the last few Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy 15‘s Noctis Lucis Caelum isn’t the most well-received protagonist, but that doesn’t mean he is a bad one by any means. One of Noctis’ best characteristics, in fact, is his relatable journey and grounded personality. Final Fantasy has featured numerous stoic protagonists over the years, and Noctis makes for yet another one on that list, but unlike previous Final Fantasy protagonists, Noctis shows a surprising amount of vulnerability, frustration, and growth throughout Final Fantasy 15‘s story, making him feel more human. His character arc, which sees him growing from a reluctant prince to a self-sacrificing king, is also one of his strongest aspects as a protagonist.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake/Rebirth’s Cloud Shows Emotional Range and Vulnerability

Then there’s Cloud Strife, who initially appeared in the original Final Fantasy 7 in 1997 but whose character has been more recently expanded on in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Due to technological limitations at the time, the original Final Fantasy 7 was unable to fully express Cloud’s emotions in a way that only detailed animation, voice acting, and modern storytelling techniques can, which makes his portrayal in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy the new standard for his character. In both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, Cloud’s insecurities, guilt, and struggles with his identity are put on full display, each of which works together to produce one of the more compelling Final Fantasy protagonists as of late.

The characters who have led the last few Final Fantasy installments have effortlessly taken over the scene by delivering compelling character arcs and personalities, making them all tough acts to follow and therefore putting Final Fantasy 17‘s protagonist to the ultimate test.

Final Fantasy 16’s Clive Has Become One of the Series’ Best Protagonists

Finally, there’s Final Fantasy 16‘s Clive Rosfield, who is arguably one of the best protagonists the Final Fantasy series has ever seen. Clive’s character arc is one of his best qualities, which sees him maturing from a guilt-ridden and troubled warrior on a quest for vengeance to a soft-hearted, compassionate, and kind hero who is willing to put his life on the line for others. His kindness, in fact, is perhaps is standout quality when it comes to Final Fantasy protagonists. While the series has featured kind heroes before, the warm nature that Clive eventually adopts is on an entirely different level than almost any other protagonist in the series, and this is all the more realized in an impeccable performance by his voice actor, Ben Starr.

Needless to say, Final Fantasy 17‘s protagonist has big shoes to fill, following the acts of Final Fantasy 15‘s Noctis, Final Fantasy 7 Remake‘s Cloud, and Final Fantasy 16‘s Clive. Even so, should Square Enix continue treading the path it has been on over the last several years, whoever ends up being Final Fantasy 17‘s lead character is likely to impress, just as the series’ most recent protagonists have in their own ways.

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