Final Fantasy is one of the most popular JRPG series that needs no introduction. The franchise focuses on quality single-player experiences with epic stories and memorable characters.
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The high-stakes plotlines mean that the death of major characters is a distinct possibility. However, there are times when some deaths are hard to digest, especially if players feel like this grisly fate was avoidable.
8
Shadow
Can Be Saved If Players Stay On The Floating Continent Until He Comes Back, But He Willingly Chooses To Die Later On
- Released
-
October 11, 1994
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
When Shadow leaves the party to try and stop Kefka on the Floating Continent, players must wait until there are only five seconds on the clock before the ninja appears. This ensures that he doesn’t die and can be recruited into the World of Ruin.
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It’s here that players get to see flashbacks with Shadow in the party if they decide to rest at an inn. It depicts his life before he became a masked assassin, with this troubled character finally finding peace after choosing to sacrifice himself at the end of the game. However, this death felt a bit too sudden, and Interceptor himself finds it puzzling that his master decided to give up on life after defeating the final antagonist.
7
Aerith Gainsborough
Could’ve Survived Had She Just Stuck With The Party Instead Of Running Away On Her Own
- Released
-
January 31, 1997
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
After realizing the importance of the Holy materia, Aerith decides to split off from the group to reach the Temple of the Ancients. She wanted to learn about her history all by her lonesome, but this turned out to be a death sentence.
Right when Cloud and Aerith reunite, Sephiroth appears and impales her. It’s a tragic moment that could’ve been avoided had she just stuck to the party, but there’s no denying that this moment helped Final Fantasy 7 become one of the most iconic PS1 games ever made.
6
Tellah
The Old Sage Would’ve Survived If He Didn’t Push Himself Too Hard
- Released
-
July 19, 1991
- ESRB
-
e
A Sage who’s past his prime by the time he joins Cecil’s party, Tellah’s magical attacks are decent early on before his low MP pool ends up becoming unacceptable. However, that doesn’t stop him from going out with a bang as he hunts down his granddaughter’s killer.
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After facing off against Golbez, Tellah draws from his life energy to cast Meteor in quick succession, inflicting grievous harm on the villain but failing to end his life. The strain is too much for his old body to bear, and Tellah passes away not long after. It’s a saddening death made even worse by how avoidable it was, especially since Tellah’s sacrifice didn’t have the intended result.
5
Odin
Players Can Acquire Him After The Battle Against Seifer To Keep Him Intact
- Released
-
February 11, 1999
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
The powerful Odin is a summon who appears in several Final Fantasy games, including the eighth mainline entry. Players duel him on a timer to acquire his services, only for this Guardian Force to meet a grisly end at the hands of Seifer.
Squall’s rival manages to reverse the Zantetsuken, not realizing that this act sent the blade hurtling toward Gilgamesh. However, players can avoid this death altogether by fighting Odin after the battle against Seifer, although this will prevent them from enlisting Gilgamesh’s services.
4
Noctis Lucis Caelum
Hajime Tabata Had Plans For An Alternate Story Route Where Noctis Survived
- Released
-
November 9, 2016
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence
Final Fantasy 15 had its problems, but the strong sense of camaraderie ensured that players would be invested in this title until its tragic end. Watching Noctis having to sacrifice his body and soul to seal away Ardyn’s evil is a harrowing sight that will cause players to tear up.
Given how Hajime Tabata wanted to develop an alternate conclusion to the story with the DLCs he’d greenlit, it was clear that this tragic death could’ve been avoided. Instead, his vision was left incomplete as he left Square Enix before all his planned DLCs could see the light of day.
3
Zack Fair
A Hero Who Chose To Save His Friend Instead Of Looking Out For Himself
- Released
-
December 13, 2022
- ESRB
-
T for Teen due to Blood, Violence
By all accounts, Zack was healthy and could’ve given the Shinra infantry the slip if he wished. However, he was simply too noble and didn’t want to condemn Cloud to a brutal death.
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So, he decided to sacrifice himself in a tragic final fight, cutting down wave after wave of Shinra troopers who slowly gunned him down as his DMW broke. He’s left a bloodied mess and leaves Cloud with some heartbreaking final words before passing away.
2
Anabella Rosfield
A Despicable Character Who Went Into A Manic State And Took Her Own Life
- Released
-
June 22, 2023
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
Final Fantasy 16‘s plot has its fair share of issues, but the writing made it pretty easy to hate Anabelle Rosfield. However, after the fight with Bahamut where her ward is revealed to be Ultima’s tool, she loses her mind and decides to end her life.
It’s a sudden moment that catches everyone off-guard, preventing them from stopping this mad woman. It’s a demise many people would consider to be unsatisfactory and could’ve been avoided for a better narrative payoff further down the line instead.
1
Cid Del Norte Marguez
The Player’s Actions Determine Whether He Lives Or Dies
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
- Released
-
February 23, 2022
- ESRB
-
Teen // Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
The introduction to the World of Ruin is a terrifying one as Celes wakes up in a house where Cid has been taking care of her. He falls sick not long after and must be taken care of with a decent supply of fish.
The catch here is that players can kill Cid if they feed him the slower and sicker fish. It’s a tragic death that players would prefer to avoid, even if it leads to one of the most powerful cinematics in the entire game as Celes accepts the death of her father figure and soldiers on to reunite the band and defeat Kefka.
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Final Fantasy
- Creation Year
-
1987
- Developer(s)
-
Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
-
Square Enix