But what exactly makes a great world that you want to visit it over again? Well, the characters of course. Final Fantasy IX has such an incredible cast of characters and I want to rank some of my favorites in this list. I’m making this based on personal and storyline favorites whether they’re heroes, villains, or even NPCs (since NPCs seem to make up like 70% of the world of Final Fantasy).
10. Doctor Tot
Everyone needs help and support when they go on a grand adventure with many turns and twist. That is why the loyal tutor of Princess Garnet makes the list. An NPC with features of a bird, gigantic glasses, and thoughts for days on end. He helps the gang out when he can even if it is in small ways like helping to write a letter. Plus this card-playing scholar does look adorable when he meets up with the Princess again.
9. Brahne Raza Alexandros XVI aka Queen Brahne
Another NPC to add to this list is one of the most colorful and outlandish ones who goes by the name “Queen Brahne Raza Alexandros the XVI”… Also known as Queen Brahne for short. She is a large lady with heavy make-up, ponytails, and who actually has two significant times of character development. One happened before the game even starts. Before the start of Final Fantasy IX she ruled with gentle hands but that changed to power hunger and greed hands after the passing of her husband when another character Kuja came into the picture. The second large event can be seen as being fairly heart-wrenching. It is not too often that characters go through two character developments on such a grand scale, especially for NPCs. I won’t spoil it but it really makes this Queen a very fleshed out and interesting personality.
8. Baku
This NPC is the first character that you fight in Final Fantasy IX, but he is not really a villain. Instead he is the leader(and the main actor) of the Tantalus Theater Troupe and a somewhat father figure to lead Zidane. The game throws you right into a fight to introduce new players(some people can start counting at nine for some odd reason) to the turn-based battle style. It’s a tutorial, basically. This chubby, gray rabbit with a purple beard and hair looks good on screen and although his methods of leadership(fighting his crew for when they want to leave the troupe) can be seen as… odd, he seems to have a good heart sending a map to Zidane as his journey starts.
7. Kuja
Every hero or team of heroes needs villains. And what is a better villain than one that is found in the shadows of someone with a lot of political power, urging them to do the deeds while still going along to their own plan? This is how Kuja, one of the main antagonist of Final Fantasy IX, starts. But as the game goes he comes out more and we get to see his full powers and his inability to care. This sliver long-haired ‘embarrassed to be known as a Genome’ sorcerer never had a childhood; literally, he was created as an adult by Garland. He was like a guinea pig that began to learn that someone better was coming to take his place. He has a big ego to hide his fear and is pretty petty looking for power. But his story is actually kind of sad. This is a character with complex emotions who wants to break away from the one that created him. It’s a person that probably does not understand his own emotions, even though his narcissistic nature will tell everyone otherwise.
6. Freya Crescent
Moving on to the playable characters here we have Freya Crescent. A woman with cute rat features, who is a very talented and worthy dragon warrior in search of her true love. She has met him and they did know each other so she is not a crazy stalker. A friendly character that likes to joke around, she’s a joy and certainly one of my favourite party members. She can jump fairly high and deal a good amount of damage (once you build her up). Plus, who can resist seeing the end of a love story? To be warned for those who haven’t played, the ending may not be what you would expect.
5. Amarant Coral
Amarant Coral is a tall, pale man with red dreadlocks who starts off as a boss fight. He comes across as arrogant but also naive with the ways of Zidane. And with time he learns to view Zidane as a friend even though they had a bad history since Zidane did steal from him. Amarant is closed off but a skilled warrior with his methods of flair and throw helping the team out more than once, depending on if you like him or not. This is a character with an unusual human look, but still a lovable guy nonetheless. The back and forth between him and Zidane can be a real hoot to watch.
4. Captain Adelbert Steiner
You can’t go on a fantasy adventure without a strong knight like Captain Adelbert Steiner by your side. The big man starts off as being the comic relief of the team, but he grows to expand his narrow view and sees that the Queen is not always right. Although he keeps his loyalty to Princess Garnet and would protect her at all cost. Someone who you would have thought was a background character in a cut-scene is more and becomes more than he appears as he learns and accepts not only people he once thought low of, but himself as well.
3. Vivi Ornitier
Vivi Ornitier is a black mage and they only have a year to live as all of them do. He’s also quite popular in the Square-Enix games thanks to his appearance in various FF spinoff titles, and his big cameo in Kingdom Hearts II. He questions his short life and starts off as a clumsy character who finds it a bit difficult standing up for himself. He is the second playable character you get in your party as you explore the town of Alexandria. Over time he grows more confident and learns to have better control over his powers. As a person he’s a friendly little guy that you really can’t help but love.
2. Princess Garnet
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, AKA Dagger (named after Zidane’s dagger) has been sheltered her whole life. Not only from the world outside her castle, but her own history as well. She was found by Doctor Tot and had no memory of who is was so Queen Brahne took her in. She is not the birthright heir of the throne but ends up being a great one as Queen Brahne wanted. As the journey goes on she learns to become more like a common folk, as well as developing street smarts. This is a huge part of the game’s entertaining storyline and it’s one reason Garnet ranks so high on my list.
1. Zidane Tribal
The lead of this story is Zidane Tribal. He’s a Genom who likes to have his tail out and his thieving skills ready to go. A friendly young man who knows what needs to be done. And even though he is a thief, he knows how far to push things and where not to go. He risks his life for his friends and shows mercy when needed. I think the only way to truly appreciate Zidane is to play through FF9 and see just how much he fits into the game’s central storyline.
