Final Fantasy: Oldest Villains, Ranked

The Final Fantasy series has no shortage of legendary villains (many of which strangely resemble God in one form or another), from power-hungry warlords to diety-tier beings that transcend physical space and time. While some antagonists are mere mortals with a whole lot of motivation and bloodlust, others have existed for centuries or even eons, shaping the world long before the party arrives.

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Their immense age often grants these Final Fantasy villains near-infinite power, unmatched knowledge, and a deep-rooted grudge against existence itself, making the eldest unimaginably dangerous. Speaking of danger, beware of spoilers for several Final Fantasy games ahead.

8

Exdeath – Final Fantasy 5

Age: Over 500 Years Old

Released

December 6, 1992

ESRB

T For Teen due to Mild Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity

This evil tree sorcerer, whose life began when the evil spirits of the world entered his wooden body (hence the Latin, “of death”), would have more than a few rings in his trunk if he were ever sawn in half. That being said, 500 years isn’t so old, and Exdeath would likely disperse the hapless lumberjack who might try to fell him without the power of magical crystals at his back.

Exdeath tends to strut around as an armored dark knight, but he is still magically rooted to his tree form. Although Exdeath had 500 of life prior to the story of Final Fantasy 5, he was trapped for 470 of them, but he gets his experience (and therefore, his power) from the evil ghosts that formed him.

7

Yu Yevon – Final Fantasy 10

Age: Around 1,000 Years Old

Systems

Released

December 17, 2001

ESRB

T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence

While Sin serves as the face and orchestrator of destruction during Final Fantasy 10, Yu Yevon, the undying leader and powerful summoner of Ancient Zanarkand, is the one perpetuating the cycle of Sin’s defeat and rebirth, using the soul of the last victorious summoner’s aeon to create the monster anew.

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The cycle started 1,000 years before Tidus seemingly finds himself sucked into the future. Yu Yevon is no longer a human being but an insectoid parasite, Yu Yevon not only uses his power to summon Sin but Dream Zanarkand; an idealized state of the real metropolis and Tidus’ true origin. As Yu Yevon’s daughter, Yunalesca would also be around 1,000 years of age, making her comparatively as old.

6

Ardyn Izunia – Final Fantasy 15

Age: Around 2,033 Years Old

Released

November 9, 2016

ESRB

T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence

Ardyn was once an altruistic healer of Starscourge before his soul was trapped and his body transformed into an immortal vessel the day he attempted to ascend to become the leader of his people. By the time of Final Fantasy 15, and after 2,000 years of psychic torture, his mind had become deeply twisted.

The darkness he once absorbed to help save people gave him monstrous power and a desire to see the world burn. He was driven mad by two millennia of loneliness and phantasms, and empowered by his ability to command daemons, he becomes obsessed with toppling the Lucis line.

5

Ultima – Final Fantasy 16

Age: Over 5,000 Years Old

Systems

Released

June 22, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

Ultima is the manipulative master of magic behind much of the strife in Valisthea. He belongs to and, in many ways, embodies a race of beings that long-predate humanity, having taken their name as his own.

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After putting events in motion that would allow him to effectively terraform the world by using a mortal catalyst (a Mythos) to cast Raise, a powerful spell, Ultima goes dormant with the rest of his people, sleeping for millennia until his plans come to fruition.

4

Zemus – Final Fantasy 4

Age: Possible Many Thousands Of Years Old

Released

July 19, 1991

ESRB

e

It is unclear exactly how many thousands of years Zemus is in age, but in Final Fantasy 4 it is said that he and his species arrived before humanity had “evolved” on the planet of which their artificial moon orbits. Whether the Lunarians were referring to biology or knowledge and culture is unknown, but it would have taken many thousands of years.

Zemus was not interested in waiting around for humans to evolve to come to par with his species and instead wished to enslave the native population. He was put away to sleep for his evil machinations. However, using his powerful psychic abilities, he influenced the planet below and spread evil for his sinister purposes.

3

Bhunivelze – Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13

Age: Predates Mortal History

5/10

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13

Released

November 21, 2013

ESRB

t

It’s a staple of Japanese RPGs to fight an entity that resembles god or perhaps God at the end of the game, and the end boss of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13, Bhunivelze, fits this to a tee.

Bhunivelze is not the creator god of the universe but the son of the creator goddess. This may not make him older than the universe, but he is likely at least as old.

He originally killed her once creation had been spun into motion to take control. However, once he did, he realized that mortals had been tainted by chaos. Believing his mother to be the source, he schemed to find a way into the Unseen World, the afterlife. However, upon succeeding, he flooded the world with chaos, kickstarting a universe-wide apocalypse that Lightning must clean up.

2

Chaos – Final Fantasy

Age: Seemingly Eternal, Trapped In Time Loop

Released

December 18, 1987

ESRB

e

Chaos is the end boss of the original Final Fantasy but the theme of chaos has also been running through the series’ tapestry since. As Chaos first appeared, it was within a time loop. The four heroes of light managed to break the paradox and defeat the demon.

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However, he has also been referred to as the “King of Reincarnation,” meaning that his death is always a temporary setback. Chaos is an ancient, primordial entity that produces and feeds on darkness. While its exact age is uncertain, it is somewhere between “ancient” and “eternal.”

1

Cloud Of Darkness – Final Fantasy 3

Age: Borne Of The Void, Older Than The Universe

Released

November 14, 2006

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes

This entity is less of a sentient being and more like a force of nature. The Cloud of Darkness, first appearing in Final Fantasy 3, and later (in a possible hint of a connected Final Fantasy multiverse) in FF11 and FF14, is a creature from outside time and space.

It is a being that desires a return to nothingness and appears when the balance of light and darkness is broken. It is arguable that it could have an age if it is born outside a reality that has a fourth dimension, but it is also known that the Cloud of Darkness never dies and eternally returns wherever there is a cosmic imbalance.