Final Fantasy Protagonists Who Are The Best Leaders, Ranked

Final Fantasy is a lauded JRPG series most people are already familiar with. The franchise made huge waves in Japan before Final Fantasy 7 attained immense international fame courtesy of a huge marketing campaign that paid off. It turned into SquareSoft’s most popular IP in no time, churning out hit after hit. However, after the colossal failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, a merger with Enix followed to recoup losses that marked a permanent shift in Final Fantasy‘s approach.

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While the franchise has faced a bit of an identity crisis following this event, every Final Fantasy game attracts a ton of interest in no time as players flock to see what their favorite JRPG franchise has to offer. The bulk of these games focus on epic adventures with numerous party members, with the protagonist usually being placed in the role of the team leader. Sometimes, these characters fail to do justice to their position, while others become reliable over the course of each game and save the world with their inspiring leadership.

5

Ace

The Most Mature And Capable Member Of Class Zero

Systems

Released

October 27, 2011

Class Zero is full of competent individuals who bring something unique to the table. However, if players had to choose one of them as the protagonist, then Ace is an easy fit here. He narrates most of the story’s events and is trusted by their professor the most.

It’s easy to see why this is the case, with Ace’s mature attitude letting him think things through and leading his classmates to complete death-defying missions. His leadership skills may not be all that prominent given the story structure, but that should take nothing away from Ace’s strengths as a person others can depend on.

4

Cloud Strife

Has An Addled Mind But Eventually Wills The Party To Mosey After Recovering

Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most important games in the series, ushering in a new era for SquareSoft as JRPGs became the hottest genre on the PS1. Cloud Strife’s adventures feel great to play through as this ex-SOLDIER leads a crew to stop Sephiroth by any means necessary. However, as the game progresses, Cloud’s leadership is called into question when it’s made abundantly clear that not everything is right with his mind.

After he falls into the Lifestream, his mind is warped for good and he becomes unfit to lead the party. However, a second dip into the planet’s essence revealed everything to Tifa, with Cloud finally accepting his failures and recognizing Zack’s importance in his life. After Tifa helps him recover, he becomes a reliable leader for the party once again, culminating in an endearing moment where he’s called on to motivate the party. This leads to the iconic “let’s mosey” line that cemented Cloud as an effective leader despite the missteps he made along the way, even if a lot of it was caused by the acute Mako poisoning he’d suffered from.

3

Squall Leonhart

Overcomes His Self-Doubt To Become A Reliable Leader And Express His Love For Rinoa

It’s easy to label Squall as an unlikeable protagonist, especially given how he bad-mouths and ignores his friends more often than not. This angst stems from his self-doubt, with Squall hating the idea of being a team leader who’s responsible for more than his own life. However, his friends don’t give up on him, leading to a heroic moment when Balamb Garden is assaulted by Galbadia.

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Squall steps up to the plate after witnessing everyone’s belief in him, issuing orders, and helping the school survive this heinous assault. This moment clears any doubts he has, eventually letting him open up to Rinoa before mounting an assault through space and time itself as he steps up to stop Ultimecia’s diabolical plan from coming to pass.

2

Cecil Harvey

After Winning Against His Demons, He Becomes A Righteous And Selfless Paladin

It took a long time for Cecil to establish himself as a competent leader, but he stepped up to the plate after transforming into a Paladin. His journey as a Dark Knight was mired in self-doubt, with Cecil questioning the barbaric commands of a man he considered to be his father. He acknowledged the worries of his subordinates and decided to question the King of Baron after another successful endeavor to acquire the Water Crystal.

He is dismissed from his position as the leader of the Red Barons and is sent on a quest to Mysidia where he unwittingly unleashes bombs on the town. Over time, he realizes that his path needs to change, and he overcomes the trials on Mount Ordeals to become a noble Paladin. With the fog surrounding his mind finally being cleared, Cecil can step up to the plate without any worries and becomes a stalwart leader who guides his group to save the world in one final fight against Zemus.

1

Clive Rosfield

Takes On The Mantle Of Cid And Helps The Rebellion Succeed

Systems

Released

June 22, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Clive Rosfield is a protagonist who has suffered his fair share of tragedies in life, being ostracized by his mother and blaming himself for the death of his younger brother after the fight against Garuda. However, as the plot develops and Cid succumbs to Typhon’s attack, Clive steps up to the plate and takes on the mantle of Cid.

He serves as a leader for the resistance, helping them out however he can and slowly transforming into a reliable leader everyone can count on. His selfless nature leads to him embarking on a final fight to defeat Ultima and eliminate magic from the world, even if it comes at the cost of his own life.

Final Fantasy

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Creation Year

1987

Publisher(s)

Square Enix