Why Final Fantasy VI’s Kefka is the Ultimate Villain

We all have our favorite antagonist in video games. They are easily the most important part of the story. The hero is only as good as the villain they oppose. The greatest heroes requires the greatest villains to fight.

[Godmars290]

Because out of all of them, he won.

In the end he may have ultimately been defeated, but he did not only destroy the old world but reshaped the new one into his own image first.

[iamtehpwn]

To be fair, Caius also 'won', yet you probably won't see him ranked as #2 to Kefka..I wonder why. lol

Personally I think Kefka is sort of Overrated, people say that they like him for the same way I feel that way--and that is, he's evil for no damn reason really and that detracts from what makes a good villain. I think a good villain should've an incredibly well thought out reason as to why they're evil. Traumatic events that turn someone noble to evil. And to be blunt, that's why Sephiroth is a better villain.

[Godmars290]

There is nothing to Caius. He's just "there" because the narrative needs a villain. Menacing people outside of time and space with real no explanation. Just like Lightning is an unknown factor who just happens to board a train - which gets derailed out of bum-f**k nowhere - takes on and take out all guards in sight then battles a damaged war mech all before she gets any magical powers.

Kafka on the other hand is the result of organic narration. Someone who's been in their position for years, has used court politics and intrigue to get where he is, and now that he's achieving his true goals his psychotic madness just begins to overflow. Just like Sephiroth was the prized result of a special training program before he lost his s**t.

[Pozzle]

I don't think every villain needs a traumatic event to trigger their "evillness" tbh. People like to think there is always a reason that bad people become bad; they find comfort in the idea that there must be an *explanation* as to why someone would intentionally hurt others. But let's face it, even in the real world there are people who do bad things for no reason (e.g. psychopaths). Some people are born with chemical imbalances, or parts of the brain are underdeveloped, or they have a lack of empathy, etc. Or they're just.....dicks.

That's part of the reason Kefka is such a great villain imo. He doesn't have a tragic backstory, a bad childhood, or a lost love like a lot of JRPG villains do. He doesn't go on big lamenting speeches about his tragic past or the things he has lost. He is just a bad person who enjoys being bad. And sometimes that can make for a really, really fun villain! :D

[Baka-akaB]

I personally dislike it when they try to paint the evil one as a poor sap who got a raw deal and got screwed over . Sometimes it works as good fuel , other times its just good to create some "vegetas" or Spikes (aka former villain neutered , reformed and included into the hero's posse) and most times it just doesnt work .

Either way i dont feel that's why Sephiroth is memorable . It's mostly because for most of his appearances , he was that menacing cool figure with a kick ass sword , surnamed the strongest that went rogue and wrecking havok , with the coolest possible soundtrack . Hardly his "momma's boy" (yes i know i'm exagerating) trauma and backstory . Sephiroth wasnt even the true villain of his own game , he merely was a byproduct of Shinra and reacted to their antics .

Kefka was awesome , he was basically chaos personified and the Joker turned videogame character , and like many said , his accomplishments fuel the legends .

Another highly memorable and insane villain , was imo Lucas Blight 'Suikoden 2) . Especially how much of a force of nature he was , and how many people of your party he required to finally be killed . And he still died with a big smile and his pride intact .

Jowy (still from suikoden 2) and Delita Hyral from FFT, were great too as somewhat villains . Here were smart guys who took opportunies to rise from the rank and close proximity of insane kings , to take their place , and to try creating a better unified empire through treachery and cruel acts . Now that's what i'd call villain with nuances .

[hay]

@Pozzle: Actually most of the brain damage along psychotic and angry thoughts are caused by routine check(*cough* medical malpractice *cough*) on Atlas at one's birth, causing momentary pressure on nervous and bloodstream system which leads to underdevelopment of one's brain and broken nervous path for system to operate properly.

This leads to various pains and constant psychological stress. There's also slew of so called environmental variables, which are in stronges effect during first years of our lives(when we're in "soak" mode, constant hypnotic suggestion) and continue to define us until we die or re-define our expectation system. We become what we eat, think and do.
This concludes that there is no "no reason", everything has it's point of origin and purpose. One just needs to go deepah.

@Concluding on topic: What about Hojo? He MADE Sephiroth, had a purpose, succeed, was always in the shadow, all he cared was the result even at the cost of own life. Hojo was always the true villain of FF7 for me, much more enojyable than Kefka IMO, but at the same time much, much deeper in his crazy way.

[goldwyncq]

He is overrated and the only reason he got this popular is because of the similarities with The Joker. The perfect definition of a generic doomsday villain.

[Baka-akaB]

Hojo was one of the true villain indeed ... but so far deep in the shadow , cowardly and so pedestrian looking , i dont think he can outclass Kekfa .

They dont play in the same league anyway

[MightyNoX]

I highly suggest you check out the socksaresexy recap of the Final Fantasy games. One quote (paraphrased) stuck to me was this description of Kefka "Most villains are puppets for some divine power...but Kefka? He's nobody's Clown. He masters the power and destroys the world."

[cyguration]

Holy snaps! Your comments are perfect dude, well said!

I completely agree with your summation of Kefka and why he is the legend that he is.

[zalanis]

about time someone got it right. kefka would destroy every ff villain one on one combat. he'd also use sephiroths long ass sword as a tooth pick. i really wish they'd re-do this game instead of always talking about a ff7 remake. this is the ultimate game, complemented only by an even greater villain. kefka all the way. ff6 all the way. best motley crew ever

[Malice-Flare]

he was the Joker before Mark Hamil and Heath Ledger...

[goldwyncq]

Kefka's becoming as overrated as Sephiroth. Just for clarification, he did NOT destroy the world, he damaged it drastically. Destroy would imply that the world would cease to exist. It wasn't the case here. The fact that his only piece of backstory is in an optional conversation with an NPC that can be easily missed disqualifies him from being the greatest FF villain. Despite all that he has a kickass final boss theme though.

[Baka-akaB]

Semantics , he ruined almost all of it and reshaped the rest . However we cut it , it was an impressive and still unparalled feat in the Final Fantasy series . Except maybe Yu Yevon and Emperor Delita from FFT . Only Yu Yevon did it longer than Kefka and he wasnt even really a villain merely a force of nature .

Kefka's goal was not even necessarily the destruction of all life and hope. He simply says that in response to the party's statement that life will go on as long as there is hope as a sort of "oh yeah?" comeback. Up until that moment, Kefka was pretty happy just sitting in his tower and tormenting the world at his whim. If he had wanted to destroy everything, he had an entire year to do it before Celes came around.

Kefka didn't have any long-term goals. That's what makes him Kefka. He simply went with whatever fancy drove him at the moment, and his path of destruction and desire for power eventually led him to the god-like state we find him in at the end of the game.

Kefka's goal was to revive the statues, and gain absolute power, such that he could rule however he wanted.

He succeeded at this very much so. Its only AFTER he achieves this that he decides the next step .

Anyway so he didnt have a much fleshed out backstory ... i dont see how it makes him a lesser villain actually , but it's a matter of having different taste in villains . It's his defaut villaineous state , with no "sob story" reasons , in an actually story driven game , that makes him that interesting and different for a change . Alongside his epic feats .

[goldwyncq]

Caius in FFXIII-2 destroyed time itself permanently and is the only FF antagonist to be never beaten by the protagonist at any time. Not even in the sequel. Kefka became an all powerful mad god and was still beaten at the end. If were judging villains based on achievements alone then Caius would take the crown as the best FF villain ever.

[Baka-akaB]

And i obviously didnt just with feats only , as we gave other example . Caius is a very bland and forgettable villain . Much a device of circumstance than some mastermind imo . He is for a while mostly the "misguided hero" type .

Also people forget that kefka's damages arent even reversed and reversible even if ultimately defeated . He leaves behind a badly damaged and reshaped world

Again Yu Yevon control the world even longer than kefka . And Delita Hyral managed to win everything in FFT , write and control history , then be revered as a Hero and benevolent king through the ages and revised history for a immensely long time .

i'm not even arguing Kefka is the best , mind you . I just dont see him as overrated ... he was a great mixture of epic feats and a compelling on hiw own villain . Few from the serie can claim that imo

[goldwyncq]

The only thing that made Kefka memorable was his whimsical demeanor similar to The Joker. Replace him with an evil emperor or a sorcerer and there would be no question that he's just another generic doomsday villain.

[Baka-akaB]

Then i guess we'll just agree to disagree .

[e-p-ayeaH]

Kuja in FFIX destroyed a planet and severaly damaged all the big cities in the game.

[Baka-akaB]

Terra was LARGELY destroyed. Implying the planet was devastated, not blown apart. Kuja isn’t a planet buster, he’s a life-wiper.Kuja never actually destroyed a planet. He destroyed the city on Terra using multiple blasts, but he did not actually destroy the planet itself. At the very end of the game after the credits it still shows the two worlds merging, which could not occur if Terra was destroyed. of course he still killed off the entire population of genomes .

And again it's not just about who does the most damage . Otherwise Sephiroth wouldnt rank high at all among villains , and in people's memories . And otherwise people would mostly love folks like Yu Yevon and Sin , Ultimecia or Caius over the most popular FF villains .

[e-p-ayeaH]

Badass insane vilan with crazy laugh!