The Seven Most Interesting NPCS - Voting

[Jason Tandro]

Okay here are all the candidates that received two or more votes. I am officially "pardoning" Vossler, Regent Cid, General Leo and Larsa to make things simpler.

Shown here are the nominees and their official vote counts.

1. Choose SEVEN of these to appear on the final article.
2. Please include your reason for voting for them (or copypaste). Make it quote-worthy and sound-bitey enough and it may appear in the final article!
3. Post your votes below. You are free to PM your vote if you would prefer, and I would list your reasoning - if provided - as "Anonymous".
4. You have until October 8th.

All Nominees

Train Man (VII) - 5

Bugenhagen (VII) - 4
Judge Zargabaath (XII) - 4
Marquis Ondore IV (XII) - 4

Xu (VIII) - 3
Ellone (VIII) - 3
Moguo (IX) - 3
Vossler (XII) - 3
Hildibrand (XIV) - 3

Lone Wolf (VI) - 2
General Leo (VI) -2
Retired Junon Soldier - 2
Seto (VII) -2
Shinra Middle Manager (VII) -2
Morrid (IX) - 2
No 288 (Black Mage Village Leader) (IX) - 2
Regent Cid (IX) -2
Montblanc (XII) - 2
Larsa (XII) - 2
Yeul (XIII-2) - 2
Lumina (Lightning Returns) -2
Harchefaunt (XIV) - 2
Alphinaud (XIV) - 2

 

[Clement Rage]

I think there's been a misunderstanding re nameless squad leaders. My original nom was for the one that shoots Zack, who was not in Junon.

Then I nominated an old retired SOLDIER in Junon, who was currently running a third floor shop over the inn. But he wasn't leading a squad.

There is a nameless squad leader in Junon that deserves a nom, but I don't think anyone brought him/her up in the threads

 

[Jason Tandro]

Uh interesting, then it would appear that none of them made the list if that's the case. I suppose that's the problem with being "nameless".

Edit: Upon reviewing none of the squad leaders made 2 votes the Retired Junon guy was nommed and seconded.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Bump

 

[Flintlock]

How long do we have to vote?

 

[Roger]

Lone Wolf - the Anti-Locke, proudly boosts about his status as THE pickpocket, hero to all miscreants. I think a lot more could be done with this character and the robbing and plundering trade that the characters are forced to associate with to stay out of the Empire's cluthes.

General Leo - One of my favourite FF characters. Hero and role model to the soldiers you've been killing through the game, incredibly loyal to Emperor Gestahl, just all on it's own making you think at one point the guy did something to earn it. And talks to Kefka as though he knew him as a sane person once. He made the world make sense. So I can't object that he died shortly before the World of Balance ended.

Junon Ex-SOLDIER - The only living character in the FFVII that was at some point a SOLDIER, you'd think that would be a bigger deal. He feels the urge to become Sephiroth Clone but resists it. I'm hoping that this idea will figure into the remake, that half the active SOLDIERs (cause there ought to be actual SOLDIERs around this time) take Sephiroth's side and they have to fight brother against brother at one point, thus destroying Shinra Corps best hopes against the WEAPONS so it falls too Cloud and AVALANCHE to do everything.

Seto - I like the anachronistic insight he gives into the FFVII's pretty recent past. Just before Mako energy connected the Planet, there was a war between wolf-creature warriors and the Gi Tribe not that far from Nibelheim.

Shinra Manager - He's valuable to the FFVII world because the most ludicrously sane person in it. If I could pitch a FFVII sequel it'd be a co-op adventure with him and Barret.

Morrid - Mostly I just identify with the interest in coffee. Should've been a more involved minigame in which you helped him make the coffee.

Black Mage No. 288 - I think it's brilliant to have the most adult subject matter (death and the fear and acceptance of the inevitability thereof, letting his brethren stay in blissful ignorance to make them happy and such) you get in the Final Fantasy series come out of characters that look like the iconic cartoonish Black Mage of FFI. More then anything 288 (and Vivi) prove what the franchise is capable off and doesn't need insane high-res graphics to do it.

 

[Fangu]

Bump

Dude it's only been a day

 

[Splintered]

Just a question, I thought Kunsel got two votes, did he get disqualified?

Also I can't believe I didn't nominate Tseng, I totally forgot, damn. I would have put him in here.

i. Train Station Guy:

Spoiler

I've talked about this guy at length, and since I am too lazy just to write it: here it is

FFVII, my first RPG I was hooked almost immediately.

But if I had a memory of the first time I got blown away, it was the destruction of the sector 7 pillar. Or more specifically, talking to the train guy.

I was 10/11, the games I played before were arcade-ish in nature, I wasn't really into movies, had little access to tv, and the books I read were popcorn entertainment in nature. In general, I didn't really get into anything that made me think or inspire me.

So I come into FFVII, and there's this trainstation guy, and he's talking about how he feels nothing because his job made him numb, but now even if he is going to die- he can't bring himself to leave. And as silly as it sounds, because I hadn't read or watched anything really challenging, this blew my mind in a way no medium had before. I remember thinking, "wow, I wonder if this really happens to people."

I know I said this before but I'll say it again, I've played VII many times with different kind of playthroughs, but I always talk to the trainstation guy.
__________________

So going more on this, I have told people that train station guy was one of my favorite characters before. I still find him to a great example of why games as a medium of storytelling is so unique.

Because you don't need to talk to trainstation guy. You don't even really know him, outside of a few text boxes about his job. You don't know his name. You'll never know his fate because he isn't important enough to establish. But the fact he was recommended so many times shows you how even strangers in videogames makes an impact. That a face in the crowd has a story, even told in barely a paragraph, can make Midgar and the people around it fully realized is something only video games can do, and this guy proves it.

And like, when I was younger I kept wondering, did he make it out alive? If he did, did he ever find happiness? And I think it's great that we never get an answer, because that's what happens in real life too.

ii. Larsa Ferrinas Solidor

Spoiler

It almost feels like cheating but the way Larsa's character was written almost makes him like just as a main character in FFXII than the party. I've played a few games where royalty is a main part of the story, but is not actually in the party, but FFXII does it best.

Larsa's character is dynamic, interesting, and proactive enough that he shapes the events of the game. He has a relationship with not only many of the party members beyond the generic friendliness, but also the final villain.

Larsa's relationship with Vayne also serves to deepen the villain, here is a man who ruthlessly killed his own family, but has not touched a hair on Larsa. Larsa is a boy who actively seeks the truth but he also holds his brother in high respect. Even so Larsa understands what he must do after Vayne goes to far, so when Larsa accompanies you in that final battle, you couldn't imagine it any other way. He deserves to be a huge part of the ending.

Larsa is respectful, likeable, and so intelligence that it's hard to imagine him as a twelve year old. However, I feel like him being young isn't ignored, for a character in the midst of political struggle, Larsa is refreshingly uncomplicated, he knows what he wants and you as the player knows what he wants, and he moves around in politically savvy ways to get his means. His youth doesn't across as nativity, but idealistic, and he's smart enough that it doesn't frustrate the viewer as sometimes over idealistic character can.

He's just... a really good character, who is just are responsible as ending the war and establishing peace as much as Ashe is, despite being pretty much foils of each other. You know at the end that he will lead Arcadia well because of the strength of his character throughout the series.

iii. Lumina

Spoiler

I hold by the statement that I think Lumina carries a good portion of the game on her charisma alone. While her final reveal was in the end, disappointing, the execution of her character brought life to her.

Lumina is such a contrast with the somber, depressed main character in LR that she makes every scene better just by being there. In between her exaggerated, childlike movements, and a phenomenal voice acting job by Jessica DiCicco, she's just really fun to watch.

Lumina is something between a twisted version of a spiritual guide, and a consummate troll. You know that she pushing for something from Lightning, and she isn't evil, but she also antagonizes, puts people in danger, and lies to the characters, stressing them into situations where they have to either break or rise above their problems. And does it all while being a cheeky shit.

Despite this there are hints of more to her, going out and interacting with other NPCs shows that Lumina is actually an active presence in the world, hiding things and turning people into cats, but unlike your deliberately almost hostile relationship- most of these NPCs actually really enjoy her presence. And despite her attitude of never quite being serious, she has shown to really want something from Lightning, and even expresses frustration when Lightning doesn't.

She's an uncomfortable mix of mysterious and guiding, but childish and attention seeking, and I think that the role she plays in the game is not just fun, but incredibly memorable. Even if her foregone conclusion didn't live up to such a good character.

iv. Paddra Nsu-Yeul

Spoiler

I put her write after Lumina because of how opposite these character are in terms of story. Yeul isn't interesting to watch nor is she executed well. Instead, what makes her interesting is her story and conclusion, she's more engaging to talk about than she is to listen.

Yeul is a very subdued character, almost boringly mysterious and infuriatingly cryptic, but as her story is revealed and the impact of her life on the people and world around is revealed, it's hard not to take notice.

Seeing the future shortens her life but also makes her a risk because manipulating events in time causes distortion, so she is revered but also forced to live away from others. The end result? Yeul dies young, she dies having lived a life not worth living, and she dies pointlessly, because she is not allowed to change the future. This drives the people that in turn love her, Caius and Noel, to grief. Her tragedy isn't that she accepts this, it's that Caius and Noel can't. Yeul is a passive character that doesn't wish harm to anyone, and ends up being the catalyst for the destruction of the world.

Yeul's nature is also kind of interesting to delve to, she is one girl, but she is also many individuals, the souls being obviously the same person with the same personality, but with different ideas, experiences, and quirks. This ends up most apparent in the novels, which goes into her thinking, and how seeing different things caused her to adopt certain traits, even going so far as a nihilistic attitude of one having had her first vision being the end of the world.

It's also noticeable when talking of Caius's fate, and how while all Yeul's love him and are dependent on him, some want him to be saved, and other want him there with them. It's this emotional dependency and love that ended up destroying the world. While one of her does get her happy ending, most of them have simply accepted their fate, and there is something poetic about them staying behind to be the next Etro.

v. Black Mage Village Leader

Spoiler

Does anyone not feel emotionally terrorized by what FFIX did to their feelings?

The plight of the Black Mages are probably one of the most memorable themes in FFIX, if not for FF games in general. Not only is it a fascinating contrast to Kuja's own journey, and further fleshes out of the of the best characters in FF history, Vivi, but even standing on its own is heartbreaking but still offering up hope in its tragedy.

And really, the Village Leader personifies it best. Imagine taking your people away from those that use and abuse them, to their own safe haven, only to have many of them die from shortened life spans. Now imagine being the only person who understands what is happening.

Most of the Black Mages are childlike in behavior and reasoning, I would think that he leads them because he is the one of the few that are matured enough to understand and operate in this world. It's a hard burden, and one he doesn't complain, but I do think affects him.

Even after all the other black mages leave for Kuja in confusion and fear, and even if 288 feels the same, he stays behind because he also understands another thing, that experiencing and nurturing life is more important that staving death, like the last two black mages, he stays behind for the Chocobo Egg. And honestly, that is both a little heartbreaking and adorable.

I also think it's pretty fitting for him to welcome in the gnomes, not just being like the black mages, but also because he can explain parts about death and life to them, leading them into humanity as well.

There's just... LOTS OF FEELINGS.

vi. Cid Fabool IX

Spoiler

Oh hey another "royal character not in the party but actually takes part of the plot" character, I don't think he's quite as well done as Larsa, but he's still pivotal in his own way. I kind of view him as the big good, he is the king that supports the players all the way. It's his actions that spur the plot in place, with his request to get Garnet, and he's determined to see it go further.

Cid's area always good go to characters, he gives you an airship, which actually is one of the great milestones of (earlier) final fantasies, opening up their world and bringing to the game a sense of empowerment and freedom.

But beyond that, they could have made him boring and generic. But this is Final Fantasy IX, so instead they gave him his own little story and quirks, making him a charming part of the cast. Him being cursed into an oglob and then a frog with a (ridiculous and awesome) mustache with his own minigame was amusing and let him stand out a little from others Cid/royalty.

He is cunning and supportive, but he's got to be a bit of a fool if he cheats on his wife, who just so happens to know magic and has no problem cursing him. He's industrious enough to have maintained probably the most industrial forward city in FFIX, but also strong enough that the attack did not stop him from moving forward.

Also, it needs to be reiterated. That's a bitchin' mustache.

vii. Alphinaud Leveilleur

Spoiler

I'm sorry to say I don't have much to say here. I sped through most of the plot in FFXIV, but I really felt that the game needs to be on here, because they do have the best NPCs, partly because MMOs are built to have alive, fascinating, engrossing worlds.

I chose him because I liked him since his first appearance. Out of all the scions, he's the one that left the biggest impression of me, and I don't know if it was because he was so likeable or because he has a pretty strong presence in the story, he's got kind of an ego and is seemingly amused by a lot of things, but also someone who is serious when he needs to be.

Ah someone will say it better, but it's something to say that this character sticks out when in a world that is filled to the brim with interesting characters all doing their own thing.

 

[Jason Tandro]

@Flintlock: I'm going to let it run til the end of the month, though I mentioned that in the initial post, let me add it.

@Fangu: Yeah I saw that after I bumped - with this night shift of mine sometimes time feels longer than it actually is. If you ask me on any given day when I did something I honestly couldn't tell you. I barely know what day it is.

@Splintered: Unless I overlooked something (entirely possible) at no point in my tabulation did Kunsel ever get more than one vote. However he was never up for disqualification.

 

[Ite]

End of the month? I should have my computer by then. It's hard to type long stuff on phone.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Just a reminder to have your final seven votes in by October 1st guys!

 

[Clement Rage]

8

Spoiler

1. Judge Zargabaath

Reason 1: Simon Templeman's amazing voice.
Reason 2: He's the personification of the game's main theme, peace over wholesale destruction, 'we need not fight the entire empire to win'. Despite being an enemy commander, most of his dialogue is about minimising conflict and death, telling Drace to shut up to save her, and then begging Vayne not to execute her. He's upset when the troops he transfers to Bur-Omisace start killing everything, and in the endgame shows himself to be incredibly brave in being willing to sacrifice his entire ship (his ship, not any of the other ones he could command.) to save Rabanastre, most of the inhabitants of which hate him and his empire. The other Judges protect the Solidors or serve their own interests, this guy protects the empire, all of the empire, regardless of what it costs him.In the new empire, Basch will be guarding Larsa, but Zargabaath will be guarding the empire.

Vossler

Another fighting man that believes in peace, Vossler has spent two years in the Dalmascan resistance, and has learned to realise just how hopeless the fight is. He retains his loyalty to the Dalmascan crown, and enables her as best he can, but ultimately gets tired of fighting a futile war and makes the best deal he can in difficult circumstances. It was the best option to keep Dalmasca intact if not for a super complicated chain of events he couldn't possibly know about. He knows the right path better than Ashe, but hasn't the means to achieve it.


Junon Ex-Soldier

We hear a lot about SOLDIER in the game, but this is the only guy we get to meet, trying to sell you accessories. 'Interesting' certainly qualifies for this guy, because there's surely a complicated backstory as to how he got there, but we hear none of it. He feels the call to the North Cave, but fights it off, which is an interesting counterpoint to what we know-why and how could he resist it? It's actually very important, because it drives home that SOLDIER are not necessarily slaves to JENOVA, it is possible to choose to defy her, which puts a different slant on Cloud and Sephy's decision from this NPC with two lines.

Morrid

Now for a new one, Morrid from FF9. Utterly fearless, with some glorious dialogue

Steiner: Telll meee!

Morrid: You're not a very creative interrogator.
(Don't forget, Steiner is a decently high ranked Alexandrian official, if one not kept in the loop, so the threat of eviction might not be empty) But Morrid doesn't care at all. His sole ambition is to taste good coffee before he dies, and die he does in Disc 4, so it's down to the player whether he fulfills that dream or not.

Xu

Xu is basically the only member of the Garden that does any real work. When Squall completely abandons all his responsibilities at the start of disc 3, she's the one that stays running everything. She's running Cid's side of the Civil War for him, overseeing the SeeD exam, even running the damned Card Club. If you wanna get shit done, talk to Xu.

Cid

Another very on the ball, politically aware leader, even with the mind of an Oglop. It's not that often you get a powerful head of a nation on your side that actually gets stuff done, he's politically skilled, skilled in engineering, runs his nation as an Oglop frog extremely well even though in canon that has negative effects on his mind.

Yeul

The most powerful line in FF13-2 for me, comes in the final confrontation.
"I've known hundreds of Yeuls, and all of them were unique!" We don't get to know any one Yeul very well, but there's so much to know about her, and the massively raw deal she got from Etro. Her nation was destroyed because of her own prophecies, the more she does, the shorter her lifespan, which shortens the span of other Yeuls because. So she has the gift of prophecy but there's such a massive price for using it that only somebody extremely selfless would even try. And we spend the game screwing up dozens of Yeul's lives and she doesn't appear to hold a grudge.

Edit: Oh, and to correct the record, Minato first suggested the retired SOLDIER.

Seto would be next if there was 8

 

[Flintlock]

• Train Man. I explained my reasons in some detail here.
• General Leo. What can I say? I'm a sucker for good guys on the bad side, I guess. Leo is honour personified, and he stands toe-to-toe with Celes and Kefka (until... you know) without magitek enhancement, because he's just that damn good.
• Seto. He's hardly in the game, but his one scene makes me feel more emotional than 99% of the Final Fantasy series.
• Black Mage No. 288. As one of the first Black Mages in Alexandria's army to gain sentience and the de facto leader of Black Mage Village, No. 288 has more to think about than most. He's one of the few to understand his kind's limited lifespan and what it means to "stop"; his conversation on that subject with Vivi is particularly touching.
• Montblanc. "How fares the hunt, Kupo?", he asks for the hundredth time, but beneath the typical Moogle charm lies an interesting character, who eventually reveals the reason he started Clan Centurio, which I won't spoil here. Also appears in Tactics Advance and Tactics A2.
• Larsa. Splintered already said everything I wanted to say.
• Bugenhagen. His understanding of the planet is remarkable. As well as the impressive demonstration he gives the party when they first arrive in Cosmo Canyon, I've always liked his scenes on disc two: the way he shakes his head in silence after Shinra No. 26 collides with Meteor; the way he "communicates" with the huge materia; the way he gets excited about leaving the Canyon for a change and getting to ride the Highwind; the way he keeps laughing even when faced with the end of the human race:
  

  Ho Ho Hoooo. Meteor, Weapon, everything will disappear. Perhaps, even ourselves.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Spoiler

1. Hildibrand

I feel like Hildibrand is perhaps the greatest NPC character I've seen in the later
Final Fantasy games, no less so for being in an MMO. When he takes over your quest
log the moderate levels of humor in the main game get kicked into overdrive and you
are playing an extremely Japanese, extremely goofy interactive anime episode. And
who doesn't love that dapper attire?

2. Bugenhagen

A character that exemplifies the sage role - wise and humble, yet warm and inviting.
He balances his intellect with his delightful personality to become a rather unique
specimen of a character.

3. Ellone

A somewhat tragic character who is trying her best to change the past in order to
protect people she loves and cares about. Her plight is, in some ways, actually more
moving than that of the main characters of VIII, which says a lot about both.

4. Alphinaud

Alphinaud is an interesting one because through the course of FFXIV you see him grow
and develop, from a young man to a leader of men. You see him experience heartbreak,
betrayal and countless other woes and yet he is still able to rally himself for the next
time he is needed. He's a strong character that deserves recognition.

5. General Leo

A shining example of the good guy forced to do bad things trope. Leo tries to change
the Empire from within, using his power and leadership for good whenever and wherever
he can.

6. Lumina

Lumina is a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in jailbait. Her "kitsune"-eque
personality makes her difficult to read and makes scenes with her a strange combination
of delightful and uneasy.

7. Train Man

An NPC in the truest form of the word and a good character. I'll throw my last vote
behind him.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Votes are due tomorrow and we've had only 5 responses. Should I extend the voting window?

 

[Splintered]

Votes are due tomorrow and we've had only 5 responses. Should I extend the voting window?

probably, this isn't really enough to make a definitive list.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Okay, I have pushed this back until October 8th.

 

[Flare]

Omg I finally have enough time (and remembered) to do this. I was gonna suggest extending the voting for a week; hopefully more people can write up a post.

As for mine...

Spoiler

1. Judge Zargabaath.
He's one of the 5 Arcadian Judges, and though he gets possibly the least amount of screentime of them all, he's always stuck out as a character I remember. Not just because he has the coolest Judge helmet, either.
He's a voice of reason towards the other Judges. While not giving outspoken opposition against Vayne's actions, he does not condone it either; he knows when to hold his tongue to keep his life, and commits to being loyal to Arcadia rather than one person or the rulers of the country.
He nevertheless feels remorse for leading a fleet to attack the Holy Mountain, and when the Sky Fortress Bahamut begins to fall towards Rabanastre, he offers to ram his airship into it, sacrificing himself and his crew, to save the city and the people inside it. Is it because he simply cares for innocents? Or is it a way for him to atone for the actions that Arcadia has committed?

2. Moguo.
"I'm sharpening my knife, kupo!"
Seriously, have you ever heard a moogle utter a more bloodthirsty line?
Despite him carrying knives around and using them to threaten those that annoy him, he's quite a handy guy to know, allowing you to save your progress on the map of Gaia! He will find you anywhere. No, really. So long as it's on land. All you have to do is blow a rather mystical and cheerful whistle, and there he is. He can be quite literally a life savor (and rescues you from perhaps some rage quits born from not saving). I do wonder where he carries the knives and the save book, though...

3. Yeul.
When I first saw Yeul, I wasn't sure how well I'd like her. As I played through FF XIII-2 more and more, however, she kept appearing. Each time she seemed different, each time mysterious, with her low rasping voice as she talked to you and warned you.
What fascinates me the most about Yeul is her many different incarnations. Sometimes it was confusing to keep track of who was new and who was a reappearing Yeul, but despite her perpetually same appearance, you actually do learn how to tell them apart the more you play the games.
In Lightning Returns, I really enjoyed seeing more variations of her and her fixation on Caius that cursed him. From the selfless one's that loved him and wanted him to be happy no matter what they wanted, to the ones that selfishly clung to him with their love, desiring him to stay forever. In essence, to me it really reflected the inner feelings just a single person can have. The feeling of loving someone so much that you sometimes struggle with wanting them to be happy and free vs. wanting them to be with you and keep you happy.

4. Seto.
A figure only known by the stories about him, Seto has always struck me as a character I would love to actually see more of. He plays an important and poignant role in his son's development and maturity, originally viewed (mistakenly) as a coward who ran away from a war, to his son finding out the truth of him and learning what an unsung hero he was, so much that he saved a village and prevented future attacks just by his petrified presence alone.
What a fearsome visage he must've been when he was alive.

5. Larsa.
(Splintered wrote a good piece on Larsa that I agree with, but I'll add my own words to it)
You would not think Larsa is a 12 year old boy when you hear him talk. He speaks with a calm maturity, assuring his knowledge on politics, and is willing to learn and dedicated to finding the truth. Truly a bright personality and idealistic, I can only imagine him becoming a man that others flock to and follow, because of all that he is. He represents peace and knowledge, respect and determination.
It's surprising, then, to learn that he is Vayne's younger brother. Larsa represents the contradiction inside Vayne, a man who killed two of his brothers already in cold blood, yet seems to want to cherish Larsa. Their relationship seems to be nothing but respect and love from both of them, yet their paths through the game eventually set them against one another. In the end, Larsa sees that he must help to end Vayne's quest, and participates in one of the battles against his brother.
Larsa represents one of the best relationships with a main FF villain, from my point of view.

6. No. 288 (Black Mage Village Leader)
The leader of this village is a character that seems to exist with contradictions. So young and still with much to learn, yet so wise already by what he's witnessed and his experiences. He lives with a strange clarity that one with a random time limit may only be able to. Cherishing life, he acts as a mentor to many of the villagers and also to Vivi, teaching him a great deal about Black Mages and giving reflections on what it means to exist.

7. Montblanc
Creator of the famous Clan Centurio, and the players gateway into the most enjoyable batch of side quests in XII, Montblanc acts as your leader, teacher, friend, guide, and job collector, all in one. He hands out Elite Marks that only he can obtain, giving you info on all of them and slowly but surely opening up to you. You start to gain a story from him, a story about his own adventures, and eventually it all leads to one final, terrifying Hunt.
Montblanc is a skilled leader, and quite possibly my favorite. You feel right at home in the clan under his leadership; it's because of him that all of the others are there, ready to accept Hunts any time, no matter the danger.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Obviously my choices are determined by the games I've actually played and my feelings about those games - if I find the game interesting, I'm more likely to find the NPC interesting. For example, since I never engaged with X, it's hard for me to care much about any of the NPCs in that game. So, with that caveat, here are my choices

1. Train Man (VII) - 5 There's a reason why he's so popular. You only have one conversation with him, but it makes a huge impact and you wish you could see more of him. A whole life and personality are contained within that one conversation.

2. Bugenhagen (VII) - 4 Sometimes a bit of a deus ex machina, but crucial to both exposition and plot. His macabre jolliness - "We're all going to die, hoo hoo hoo" - makes me want to slap him.

3. Marquis Ondore IV (XII) - 4 Sexy older man, the Reeve of FFXII.

4. Ellone (VIII) - 3 Vital to the game; I didn't play far into it to really get to know this character

5. Shinra Middle Manager (VII) -2 He was my original top nomination. He has an entire story line; as I said before, from a different angle, FFVII could be about him. He is hates Shinra but wants to climb the corporate ladder; he's courageous but he's also a complainer. He's Everyman.

6. No 288 (Black Mage Village Leader) (IX) - 2 The whole Black Mage story arc, and their village hideaway, are some of the most moving parts of this game.

7. Regent Cid (IX) -2 Come on, what's not to love? He's an inventor, a ruler, a man who cheated on his wife and gets turned into a cute oglop.

 

[Joe]

Don't have a lot of time to write stuff up but wanted to vote before I forget. Will likely come to edit in my reasons later:

1: Judge Zaargabath
2: Haurchefant
3: Regent Cid
4: No 288
5: Larsa
6: Lumina
7: Alphinaud Leveilleur

All awesome characters to me

 

[Fangu]

How about postponing to Oct 3rd? Leaves the entire weekend to vote.

I want to vote but not sure I'll have time to write much.

 

[Jason Tandro]

How about postponing to Oct 3rd? Leaves the entire weekend to vote.

I want to vote but not sure I'll have time to write much.

It's been postponed until the 8th.

 

[Jason Tandro]

3 days left to get ya'lls votes in.

 

[RedFFWolf]

I'm gutted I was so slow to respond to the previous thread for nominations; I had a few unmentioned names in mind - but a pox on hindsight, so let's go! I might not get around to providing reasons later, but in the meantime at least here are my votes:

1. Train Man (VII)
2. No. 288 (IX)
3. Ellone (VIII)
4. Larsa (XII)
5. Shinra Middle Manager (VII)
6. Retired Junon Soldier (VII)
7. Vossler (XII)

Honorary mentions to Xu and Seto (who, being who he is, made me want to place him as No. 1 but I had told myself to cop on - kinda the same with FFVI's Lone Wolf, too ).

 

[Jason Tandro]

Last call folks. I'll be tallying the votes tonight during my night shift (something like 2 AM EST). Probably will have the article up this weekend. Thanks all for your participation!