Have: Emotion

by Barak Michener

Original Editorial: Wanted: Leading Ladies

I recognize that the character that is mainly CONTROLLED in each of the seven Final Fantasy games* is indeed male. However, consider the following -

1) The controlled character is not always the main character

This is how I look at FFX. Tidus is an outsider, telling the story to the audience, from his perspective. As he finds out more about Spira, so too does the player. I would argue that the "main" character of FFX is in fact Yuna -- the entire story is about HER pilgramage, HER guardians, HER fight against Sin (and Yevon).... the fact that it's told from Tidus's point of view doesn't diminish that. From a literary analogy, it's a bit like how Bromden tells the story about McMurphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

2) You're dismissing FF6

Although, true, there was a multi-character lead in FF6, think on which characters were the most important, and which ones had the most character development (Gau and Mog, for instance, lack the depth of the development of the other characters).

Though it may be my opinion only, I think there is a strong contingency who will agree that the top two characters in that game are Terra and Celes. And, try to pinpoint a male lead in that game -- the closest is perhaps Locke, but his lead isn't nearly that of Terra and Celes.

Which leads me into the next point:

3) The women have the most memorable scenes

*FF4: Rydia, for her skills and struggle (and, she saves Cecil if I remember right....) *FF6: Terra/Esper duality *FF6: Celes's Opera *FF6: Terra's search for meaning (Think "self-help booklet" speech) *FF6: Celes's attempted suicide (made me really sad...) *FF6: Celes and Locke (more Celes than Locke) *FF6: Celes vs. Empire (think Floating Continent) ...(let's move onto FF7) *FF7: Aeris (need I say more?) *FF7: Tifa's role in Cloud's memory (think Crater and Lifestream) *FF7: Yuffie and her father *FF7: Lucrecia *FF8: Julia and Laguna (my favorite scene :)) *FF8: other important factors: (ie: Succession, Ellone, Quistis (not as romantic as Rinoa-"Talk to a wall")) *FF9: Beatrix *FFX: Yunalesca (skimpy clothes, VERY important role) *FFX: as with the first point, Yuna *FFX: Rikku - as a counterpoint (an Al Bhed 'heathen' - especially when arguing with Wakka ^_^)

Conclusion: I'd wager that the Final Fantasy series is more feminine in spirit and emotion than most guys will want to admit. Even guys cry at some points -- which, by the societal stereotypes you bring up, should never happen.

Square-Enix will make a female control character when the story calls for one. In the meantime, look at what we have already -- some of the strongest female characters and some of the most memorable scenes in video game history; don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Barak Michener Barak@Mich~NOSPAM~ener.com

*I am not counting FF1-3, or X2 either -- and I'm leaving FF5 out due to lack of defendability (imho, it wasn't the best).