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EspañolMONSTERS OF FINAL FANTASY
(Redirected from Four Fiends)
In the best-selling ''Final Fantasy'' series of console role playing games by Square Enix (formerly Square), monsters are common antagonists to the playable characters, with usually no relevance to the storyline. Most monsters come from folklore and literature from around the world, such as Greek mythology.
The following are common names for each monster. Varying names have appeared throughout the series, but most are related to each other bearing a similar name. This list only covers the most prominent monsters seen throughout the series; for further details, please visit the external links provided.
The original ''Final Fantasy'' borrowed several monster types from the Dungeons & Dragons RPG; these monsters appear throughout the series (see section). Although the original ''Final Fantasy'' had a handful of humanoid bosses and pirates, ''Final Fantasy II'' expanded the humanoid bestiary with soldiers and other servants to the Empire; this expanse into humanoid enemies can be seen in the remainder of the games in the series. Beginning in ''Final Fantasy III'', some enemies and bosses talked during battles.
Several entries in the series provide backstories on the origins and motives behind monsters. In ''Final Fantasy VIII'', monsters are sent to the game world from one of its moons via a burst of energy from the moon called the "Lunar Cry".[1] In ''Final Fantasy X'' and ''Final Fantasy X-2'' these hostile monsters are better known as 'fiends', which are monsters manifested from the restless spirits of the dead and driven by malice to devour those alive.[2] In FFX-2, these Fiends are classified by type.Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 315 In ''Final Fantasy XII'', the monsters have differing origins; however, most are the result of a mutation caused by an overdose of any exposure to the Mist.
The 'Adamantoise', sometimes simply named 'Land Turtle', is a large tortoise. Its shell provides it with a strong defense to its body. Its name is a portmanteau of the words tortoise and adamant, referring to the resistant material composing its shell. The Adamantoise is often explicitly related to Adamantite, otherwise known as Admantium, one of the strongest metals in several games of the series, which is used to make strong weapons such as Final Fantasy I's Excalibur. Such a metal is often found in many other games, console and computer alike. Traditionally the Adamantoise is a mid to high level solitary monster appearing on beaches or in the final dungeon.
The Adamantoise and sometimes other variously named turtle monsters have appeared in all numbered installments of the series except the first and the sixth, in addition to ''Mystic Quest'', ''Tactics Advance'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'' and ''. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable'', and are featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Other names include Adamantaimai, Adamantortoise, Grass Turtle, Land Turtle, Tortoise, Carapace, Turtle, etc.[3][4]
The 'Ahriman' traditionally appears as a floating creature with a predominant single eye. The appearance of the monster leads to alternative names such as 'Evil Eye' or 'Float Eye'. The word ''Ahriman'' is an alternative name of ''Angra Mainyu'', a spiritual foundation in Zoroastrianism,Boyce, Chap. 2 which appeared in ''Final Fantasy X-2'' as a superboss.Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 94
Ahriman first appeared in the series as one of the final bosses in ''Final Fantasy III'' for the Nintendo.Final Fantasy III Guide, 136 In ''Final Fantasy IV'', an alternate form of Ahriman appears in the final dungeon as a boss. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a monster named 'One Eye' can be created through the ''Monster Arena''.Final Fantasy X Guide, 172-174In the ''Final Fantasy'' remake '', the Ahriman from ''Final Fantasy III'' was selected with the other three ''Black Crystal Guards'' as optional bosses in one of the new special dungeons added to the game. Lastly, Ahriman appears as a ghost-like boss in ''Final Fantasy XII''. Ahriman has appeared in all numbered games in the series except ''II'', ''V'', and ''VIII''. They have also appeared in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. They are featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Alternative names include Buer, Float Eye, Evil Eye, Veteran, etc.
The 'Behemoth' is named after a Biblical creature from the Book of Job. In many of the ''Final Fantasy'' games, the Behemoth is a large, purple beast that uses its horns and magic to kill its opponents. It first appeared as a boss in ''Final Fantasy II's'' Coliseum, and has been a series staple ever since. Behemoths are estimated to be ten to twelve feet tall when standing. When attacking, it normally dashes on all fours, but when returning to an idle state it will usually stand upright. In battle, it will counterattack with a powerful horn rush and ''Thunder'' magic attacks. A more powerful version of the Behemoth, 'King Behemoth' (Sr. Behemoth in the original US translation), is a major enemy in the latter stages of many ''Final Fantasy'' games; they are often characterized by their large size (25ft when standing) and grey color. Behemoths are noted in later games as having a final powerful strike, usually ''Meteor'', that is performed as they die.
In ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'', Behemoth is uncharacteristically the opponent in the game's introductory battle. In ''Final Fantasy VI'', the 'Intangir' is an invisible variation of Behemoth that cannot be attacked physically; moreover, the creature uses ''sleep'' magic, because its name denotes a creature of sleep. In the same game, 'Behemoth King' (known as SrBehemoth in the previous American SNES version) is a boss in the World of Ruin that will continue to fight in zombie form after its defeat. In ''Final Fantasy VIII'', the boss 'Catoplebas' is a variation of Behemoth, and in ''Final Fantasy X'' a special monster called 'Catoblepas' could be created through the ''Monster Arena''. In ''Final Fantasy II: Soul of Rebirth'', a secondary story for ''Final Fantasy II Dawn of Souls'' on the ''Game Boy Advance'', A palette swap of Behemoth is used for the 'Ultima Weapon', which guards the ''Ultima Tome''. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', Behemoths are a class of monsters, generally similar to previous incarnations except that they are bipedal and more humanoid looking. Only the Behemoth King and Fafnir bear similarity to the previous games' depictions. In '', we encounter ''Azul the Cerulean'' as the Arch Azul in the underground world of Midgar, who transforms into a form similar to a Behemoth. Behemoth has been seen in all numbered installments except the first one, in addition to ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Chocobo Racing'', '', '', ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Alternative names include King Behemoth, Alteci, etc. The Behemoth makes an appearance in the opening movie of ''Final Fantasy XI'' and it also appears in the game as a Notorious Monster. The Behemoth is one of the largest Heartless in ''Kingdom Hearts''.
In ''Final Fantasy IV'', Behemoths guard Bahamut and Zemus, appear to more closely resemble Eastern Dragons. They rarely attack the party, but counter-attack with devastating power to any melee or magical attack.
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The 'Bomb' and its counterparts' names are related to similar real-world explosive or explosive-esque items. Their trademark skill is a self-destruct attack; after the ''Final Fantasy'' series moved to a 3D engine, the Bomb picked up a new habit of growing and becoming more powerful each time it is attacked until finally exploding.
In ''Final Fantasy IV'', Bomb was a secret summon for Rydia. There also exists a dummied sprite nicknamed 'K. Higuchi' after one of the game's battle programmers, Katsuhisa Higuchi, identical in appearance to the regular Bomb seen in the hidden Developers Room as an Easter Egg. In Final Fantasy IV, the 'Mom Bomb' (in the English version) is a boss that consists of several bombs fused together. In ''Final Fantasy V'', the boss 'Byurobolos' is a Bomb variation with teamwork traits. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a special monster called 'Bomb King' could be created through the ''Monster Arena''. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', the 'Bomb King' also returns as a boss, and a bomb is used as an icon for the berserk status. In this installment of the Final Fantasy series, Bombs introduce a new devastating self-destructs called, "Chain-Reaction" where one bomb can make all the surrounding bombs self-destruct also. The first time the origin of the Bomb is given is also in FFXII, where it is described as a creature created specifically to fight wizards. Bomb has appeared in all ''Final Fantasy'' installments except for the first one. as well as in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. It was also an obstacle in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'', and was featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Alternative names include Balloon, Purobolos, Grenade, Mine, Pineapple, etc.
The name 'Cactuar' is the western localization of the original Japanese 'Sabotender', a portmanteau of "Saboten Pretender", "saboten" meaning "cactus" in Japanese. The Cactuar are a race of creatures that physically resemble ''cacti'' and are typically depicted in a distinct running pose with stiff arms and legs, three black dots on their faces (representing two eyes and an oblong mouth) and three yellow quills at the top of their heads. According to an article in the 15 February 1997 issue of V-Jump, Cactuar was designed by Tetsuya Nomura based on a doodle he drew on a notebook when he was a highschool student. They bear a resemblance to Japanese clay figures called "Haniwa", a type of clay figures made for ritual and funerary uses.
The Cactuar is known for its characteristic "1,000 Needles" attack, able to bypass an opponent's defense stat and which always deals exactly 1,000 points of damage. Cactuars are usually worth a substantial amount of currency, ''experience points'', ability points (there are a lot of variations) or a special item and have generally low HP, but their high evasion and defense stats and tendency to flee make them difficult prey. There is sometimes a giant variety of Cactuar that displays a characteristic mustache. "Jumbo Cactuars" as they are called also have a "10,000 Needles" attack which has the effect of causing instant death being one point higher than a character's maximum possible Hit Points. Another variant of the attack is basically "1000 Needles" ten times consecutively, to multiple targets. This variant is especially deadly, as it can decimate an already weakened party, and, when done effectively, can even take out fairly high level party members.
Cactuars appear in ''Final Fantasy VI'' (actually called "Cactrot"), ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy IX'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy XII'' (with the alias 'Cactoid'), ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles'', ''Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited'', and ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2''. Cactuars appear as a summon in ''Final Fantasy VI'' remade for the Game Boy Advance, and ''Final Fantasy VIII''[5]. Cactuars appear as a stuffed doll in ''Final Fantasy X'' and ''Final Fantasy X-2''.
Cactuars also appear in ''Chocobo Racing'', ''Chocobo World'', '', ''Itadaki Street Special'', ''Itadaki Street Portable'' and ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3''. In ''The Bouncer'', Volt Krueger has a Cactuar on the back of his jacket with a red line through it. "Cactuar" is a featured Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. When the cactus opponent in ''Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime'' gets run over by a cart, it resembles a Cactuar. It features the eyes, mouth and the position the Cactuar usually has. A cactuar starred alongside a Tonberry in series of Flashplayer animations made by a man known as Crazy Boris, such as ''Final Fantasy Gil Quest'' and its sequels, ''Final Fantasy Fugitive'' and ''Resident Cactuar''. A Cactuar named Cornwall is the main character of the comic strip "The Lesson Of The Day". A Cactuar appears in the webcomic called Origami Lad's Superhero Society as a main character alongside his best friend Foldman and a group of other superheroes. The Ironclaw April Fools' Day supplement "Time of Monsters" includes a monster named 'Millaghi Moltogrande, the Mysterious Merchant.' The character is physically identical to a Cactuar, although he dresses in a period-appropriate outfit with a hat impaled on his head-quills and a mustache. He has his "1,000 Needles" attack, and his motivations are listed as "1. Survive; 2. Make money." The listing for the character appears reprinted in the supplement "Onandon," along with the rest of the "Time of Monsters" material.
The 'Chimera' is usually based on the monster from Greek mythology or the science term denoting of an artificial being created from combining organisms.[6] In the series, it is usually depicted as a beast with the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat, and the tail of a dragon or serpent, sometimes with multiple heads. Each head had access to a different element of spell.
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In ''Final Fantasy V'', the Chimera sprite called 'Kimaira' was dummied out in the final version, leaving three other monsters ('Chimera Brain', 'Quadrharpy', and 'Maximus') as the only Chimeras actually featured in the game. In ''Final Fantasy X'' a powerful monster called 'Chimerageist' can be created through at ''Monster Arena''. In "Final Fantasy XI" and "Final Fantasy XII", Chimeras were created by combining humes with monsters, especially Cockatrices. In ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'', 'Gidrah' was renamed Chimera during its Japanese localization. The monster appears in all core Final Fantasy games, as well as Mystic Quest and Crystal Chronicles. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Its variations include Chimera Brain, Gorgimera, Chimera Mage, etc.
The 'Cockatrice' is a legendary creature about the size and shape of a dragon or wyvern, but in appearance resembling a giant rooster, with some lizard-like characteristics, although they were chameleon-like in Final Fantasy III. It was supposed to be a combination of a Cock and a toad or serpent.[7] A baby Cockatrice is, by analogy, sometimes termed a 'Chickatrice'. Its reputed magical abilities include turning people to stone by either looking at them, touching them, or sometimes breathing on them, like a dragon breathing fire. The Cockatrice is similar to another legendary creature, the Basilisk. Its name may come from a folk etymology for ''crocodile''.
In early ''Final Fantasy'' games, the Cockatrice looks far more like an eagle than it does a cockerel and attacks from above using petrifying touches; however, in later games it resembles the legendary cockatrice. A fan-translation of ''Final Fantasy III'' gives a similar Basilisk sprite the name Cocktrice. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a special monster could be created called 'Pteryx' through the Monster Arena, which is a variation of the bird-specie monsters that can petrify sometimes. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', Cockatrice are a species of birds with the habit of moving around by rolling their bodies into a ball. There is also an optional mini-boss in ''Final Fantasy XII'' called 'Cluckatrice'. Cockatrice and its variations appear in all numbered Final Fantasy games, in addition to ''Tactics'', ''Mystic Quest'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', as well as in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Dice de Chocobo'' and ''. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
In addition to the Cockatrice, other creatures have the power to petrify. For instance, the 'Basilisk', which appears in every Final Fantasy except ''XI'', and Crystal Chronicles is based on a creature in European folklore that was said to be able to kill with a simple glance. In ''Final Fantasy'', the petrify-inflicting Basilisk traditionally appears as a horned lizard with large chameleon-like eyes; however, it sometimes appears more serpentine, particularly in later titles.
The 'Flan', also called 'Pudding', is a small, magical creature, which moves with motion comparable to the Spanish dessert of the same name. They usually possess an affinity to a certain element, making them vulnerable to opposing elemental magic. Physical attacks seem almost worthless in breaking the ''Flan''' s squishy defense. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a special flan called the Jumbo Flan could be created via the Monster Arena. In ''Final Fantasy X-2'', the ''Flan''' s names are accompanied with a Spanish name relating to its color and element. They are ''Amarillo'' (yellow), ''Azabache'' (jet [black]), ''Azul'' (blue), ''Blanco'' (white), ''Palido'' (pale; "pearl" in the Japanese version), and ''Rojo'' (red).Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 325 They bear the same appearance as their respective counterparts in ''Final Fantasy X'' based on color. In the remake ''Final Fantasy IV Advance'' for Game Boy Advance, an optional boss has been added named ''Master Flan'' who will summon other Flans to her aid in battle. On the whole, Flans have appeared in all numbered Final Fantasy installments, as well as in ''Tactics Advance'', ''Mystic Quest'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', ''Chocobo World'', and ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2''. Variations include Jelly, Cream, Mousse, Slime, Ochre Jelly, etc.
The 'Four Fiends' are a set of four stock demons used in several ''Final Fantasy'' installments. They represent the negative aspects of the classical elements and are usually summoned by the main villain as part of an attempt to destroy the world. They are associated with the Four Crystals that appear in some ''Final Fantasy'' games and the Fiends either guard them or attempt to destroy them.
In ''Final Fantasy'', the Four Fiends are Lich, Marilith, Kraken and Tiamat of Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, respectively. The Heroes of Light must seek out each of the Fiends and destroy them so balance can be restored. These Fiends reappear in ''Final Fantasy IX'' as the Chaos Guardians who protect the gate to Terra,Final Fantasy IX Official Guide, 173-174 and again in Memoria. They also appear in ''Final Fantasy Tactics Advance'', as the "Falgabirds". Tiamat also appears in Final Fantasy VIII as a corrupt Guardian Force serving the final villain, but the other fiends are absent.) Tiamet makes another appearance in "Final Fantasy XII" as an early boss.
''Final Fantasy IV'' includes a new set of Four Fiends, this time serving Golbez. They are Rubicante of Fire, Barbaricca of Wind, Cagnazzo of Water, and Scarmiglione of Earth. However, unlike the original Four Fiends, they are given more characterization and are not depicted as demonic creatures craving for chaos. They are named after demons in The Divine Comedy. ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'' introduces another set of Four Fiends called the Vile Evils, who serve the Dark King. They are the Flamerous Rex of Earth, Ice Golem of Water, Duelhead Hydra of Fire, and Pazuzu of Wind. Like the original Four Fiends, they lay waste to the planet by draining the energy of the crystals. In Doom Castle, their doubles—Skullerus Rex, Stone Golem, Twinhead Wyvern, and Zuh—make an appearance.
'The Garuda' is an enemy depicted as an avian humanoid in the Final Fantasy Series. It first appeared in ''Final Fantasy III'' as a boss monster.Final Fantasy III Guide, 173 As with other bird enemies like 'Zuu' and 'Cockatrice', Garuda isn't always featured as a boss, but is more commonly a regular enemy, such as in ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''IX'', ''X'' and ''X-2''. In most of the encounters against Garuda it is usually an easily defeated enemy. There is an exception in ''IX'' with a "friendly" version in addition to the standard hostile monster.Final Fantasy IX Official Guide, 199 The former is one of a number of "friendly" monsters that appear in ''Final Fantasy IX'' and which do not attack on encounter but instead ask to be "fed" various gemstone items for considerable AP (Ability points - see Final Fantasy IX gameplay for more details). The two look the same except for the colour: the regular Garuda is predominantly red and green, while the friendly version in rainbow-coloured. In ''X/X-2'' it has a new attack called ''Sonic Boom'', which it uses often, and is highly similar in appearance to a number of other bird monsters.Final Fantasy X Guide, 232 In ''XI'' Garuda is a summonable avatar (summon) if the player completes certain quests and defeats her in battle. Garuda is the avatar of the element "wind", and as such all of her abilities are wind-based. In ''Final Fantasy XII'' it appears first as a boss and then later as a regular enemy, by the name of Garuda-Egi.
The 'Iron Giant' appears as a towering, oversized armor who often possesses an equally oversized sword. In ''Final Fantasy Tactics'', 'Iron Giant' makes its appearance under the name 'Steel Giant', sharing the same appearance with the characters 'Worker 8' and 'Worker 7 - New' whose character class is Iron Giant. There is also 'Wolfmeister' who is a red-plated version of Iron Giant. A boss variation of this form was used in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', under the name 'Red Giant'. The Iron Giant has appeared in ''Final Fantasy II'', ''III (DS)'', ''IV'', ''V'', ''VII'', ''VIII'',''IX'', ''X'', ''X-2'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', ''Tactics'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
The 'Malboro' (Japanese モルボル ''Moruboru''; rarely also localized 'Molbol') is a mutanous form of plantlife that lacks the ability of photosynthesis and must feed on other creatures to survive. The Malboro is a fearsome foe most despised due to its horrible "Bad Breath" attack which inflicts a vast amount of status effects, capable of obliterating an entire party in a matter of seconds. The Malboro as seen in the various ''Final Fantasy'' titles developed by Square Enix is a powerful enemy often encountered in middle to late parts of the game. (The name 'Malboro' may be a joke within the Final Fantasy series, naming it after the cigarette brand Marlboro as it uses the ability 'Bad Breath'. It is also possible it was comprised from Latin 'Mal', meaning bad, and Greek 'Boros', meaning breath.)
Malboros have appeared in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''II'', ''IV'', ''VI'' through ''XII'', ''Tactics'', ''Tactics Advance'', and ''Crystal Chronicles''. They also appear in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', in ''Chocobo Racing'', in ''Dice de Chocobo'', in '', in ''Legend of Mana'', ''Itadaki Street Portable'', in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' during the 'Malboro Garden' stage, and as a "Marboro Stew" in episode six of ''Final Fantasy Unlimited''. In the GBA remake of Final Fantasy VI, there is an optional boss in a hidden dungeon called "Worst Marlboro", which, in addition to normal Malboro attacks, uses Blaster, an instant kill move, and later, in the battle, the player has to battle four at the same time (due to the monster dividing whenever the party "defeats" it until that point).
A , also localized as ''Dingleberry'' or ''Pug'', is quite small, usually no larger than two or three feet (sixty to ninety centimeters) tall. It has green skin and a round head with a small snout and round yellow eyes; it walks on two legs and resembles, to some small degree, a bipedal lizard. However, it always wears a hooded cloak, usually plain brown or grey in color, and its dolphin-like tail can be seen peeking out from beneath the hem.
A Tonberry always carries two things: a lantern in one hand to light its way through the caves, and a long, sharp chef's knife in the other.
While a Tonberry's foes are attacking it, it will walk slowly towards them. Once the Tonberry has come close enough to its enemy, it will then attack with its knife. Most of their incarnations possess the ability to deal extreme damage or instant death (usually by a short stab, accompanied with the "Doink" sound effect) to one or all members of the player's party. This, combined with their weak appearance, has earned them their notorious reputation. They sometimes also use abilities like "Karma" (also referred to as "Everyone's Grudge") that deal damage based on the number of enemies slain throughout the game, either by the party or the individual party member targeted. Tonberries are often found in caves or ruin structures. Generally Tonberries drop very small amounts of EXP or Gil, but in some games have been known to have large amounts of EXP or Gil and sometimes drop the most rare or powerful items in the game. Powerful versions of the Tonberry include Tonberry King, Master Tonberry and Don Tonberry.
Tonberries have appeared in ''Final Fantasy V'', ''Final Fantasy VI'', ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy IX'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy Tactics Advance'', ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Tonberries have appeared as a summon in ''Final Fantasy VIII'' and ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited''. In ''Final Fantasy X-2'' Paine's Mascot Dresssphere is a Tonberry costume holding a Cactuar doll. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', there are no Tonberries, however one of the Imperial ''Remora'' gunships seen during the tutorial has the callsign "Tonberry." "Tonberry" is also a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. In the Satellaview-exclusive game ''DynamiTracer'', a Tonberry is featured as one of the playable characters.
The or 'Ultimate' creatures and 'Omega' are entities (some biomechanical and others entirely organic) in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. They have been a main feature in the series since the fifth installment. They are generally very powerful and have massive amounts of hit points, sometimes numbering in the millions, and are usually presented as powerful optional superbosses.
Weapons have appeared in the first ''Final Fantasy'' of ''Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls'', the Game Boy Advance remake of ''Final Fantasy II'', ''Final Fantasy V'', ''Final Fantasy VI'', ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy XII'', ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited'', and ''. WarMech, a powerful and rare enemy from the NES Final Fantasy I, shares characteristics with Weapon.
'Omega' and 'Ultima' weapons are more often than not side quests that can be followed late into the games. ''Final Fantasy VII'' and ''Final Fantasy VI'' are two of the few titles in the series that breaks this rule as the player has to fight the Ultima Weapon in order to progress the story.
Ultima Weapon will generally drop (or lead to) one of the most powerful weapons available in the game. ''Final Fantasy XII'' varies slightly, with Omega MK XII dropping a medallion that, when sold with two others, allows the player to buy one of the most powerful swords in the game through the bazaar.
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Dragons, legendary creatures traditionally depicted as large and powerful reptiles or serpents with magical or spiritual qualities, are featured in all of the ''Final Fantasy'' games in the main series as well as most spin-offs and related material. ''Final Fantasy VI'' includes the dragon as a subplot; eight Dragons exist in the ''World of Ruin'', without counting some ordinary Dragons encountered on the field. There was a Dragon called ''CzarDragon'' intended to be in ''Final Fantasy VI'', but it was eventually cut out of the game; however, they left the sprite in the game. The CzarDragon was renamed the Kaiser Dragon (and given wings) and made a superboss for the Gameboy Advance version. In ''Final Fantasy V'', two dragons serve as means of transportation: Hyruu, which transports the party through the air, and Syldra (Hydra) who is a sea dragon who initially serves as transportation, but is heavily injured later on. He later rescues the party when the Walse Tower sinks into the sea, where he soon dies due to his injuries. Both dragons will turn into optional summons late in the game.
Other creatures rooted in folklore include the Lamia (a being from Greek legend, featured in ''Final Fantasy I'' through ''V'', ''IX'', ''XI'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', ''Mystic Quest'', ''Tactics Advance'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', and as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''), Cerberus (a three-headed beast appearing Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls, III, VIII, IX, XI, Mystic Quest, and Crystal Chronicles), Catoblepas (an Ethiopian hybrid of buffalo and boar featured in most games in the series), and the Minotaur (a bull-headed humanoid appearing in Dawn of Souls, III, V, VIII, XI, Tactics, and Mystic Quest, sometimes named Sekhmet, from the name of the lion-headed Egyptian goddess). Additionally, Zu, a Akkadian bird god, has appeared as a flying or Griffin-like enemy in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''IV'' through ''VII'', ''IX'' through ''XII'', ''Mystic Quest'' and ''Crystal Chronicles'', as well as in ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Giant demihumans, such as Gigas and Ogres, are also common in the series; in ''Final Fantasy XI'', they appear as a race of beastmen. Mandragorgas (plantlike enemies appearing in all installments except I and VIII), are small, manlike plants based on Mandrakes (See also Mandragora). 'Tiamat', a primeval goddess in Babylonian mythology and a central figure in the ''Enûma Elish'' creation epic,[8][9] appears as a dragonic being in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''IV'', ''VIII'', ''IX'', ''XI'', ''XII'', and ''Tactics''. Lastly, the Biblical Abaddon appears under several distinct designs in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''IX'', ''X'', ''XII'', and ''Chrystal Chronicles''.
Final Fantasy creatures are also influenced by folklore and science-fiction. The Dullahan, featured in Irish folklore, is an undead, headless monster featured in Final Fantasies III, VI IX, XII, and Mystic Quest. Imps (and their incarnations) are sprinkled throughout the series as flying, magic-wielding monsters. Goblins, Golems, and Gargoyles — three legendary monsters — make several appearances in the series; their appearances do not change significantly from their real-life counterparts. The Goblin from ''Final Fantasy V'' also appears under its typical design in the Square title ''Romancing SaGa 3''. The Bandersnatch, taken from Lewis Carroll's poems ''Jabberwocky'' and ''The Hunting of the Snark'', appears as a canine monster in ''Final Fantasy V'', ''VII'', ''VIII'', ''IX'', ''X'', and ''XI''. The Coeurl (a panther-like alien predator appearing in all Final Fantasies except the first, in addition to ''Itadaki Street Portable'') is a near carbon copy of a race of predators featured in works by science fiction author A. E. van Vogt.
Several desert-dwelling creatures have made appearances throughout the series. The Sand Worms in Final Fantasy (appearing in all games in the series except ''XII'') are similar to the Sandworm in Frank Herbert's Dune series in that they swallow and regurgitate characters (in this case, party members). The ''Antlion'', an oversized arthropod-based on the smaller legendary creature called Myrmecoleo, have appeared in all numbered games in the series except ''I'', ''VII'', ''VIII'', ''X'', and ''X-2''. Antlions attack from underground sand traps, much like the Mandragorgas of ''Final Fantasy X''.
Other monsters are based on creatures in the real world, such as wolves (seen in most installations in the series), wasps (the Bite Bug in ''Final Fantasy VIII'' and the wasp and bird classifications in ''Final Fantasy X''), and deadly fish (Piranha in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''VI'', ''X'' and ''XII''). In a dissertation study by Glen Spoors about ''Final Fantasy X'', he states that these monsters rooted in nonfiction are "physically excessive"; that is, they appear larger than their real-world counterparts.
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''Final Fantasy'' borrows four creature types directly from the original Dungeons and Dragons RPG: Beholder, Mindflayer, Ochu, and Sahagins. Although Beholders (green, tentacle-laden creatures similar to Malboros) appeared as such only in the first Final Fantasy's Japanese version and in Mystic Quest, it is similar to the Ahriman monster seen in the other installments. The other three creatures borrowed from Dungeon and Dragons have appeared in numerous titles. Mindflayers (also known as Illithids) are squidlike mages who have appeared in Final Fantasies I, IV, V, IX, XI, XII, and Tactics. Ochu (also called Otyugh) are subterranean plant-like creatures with large, whiplike tentacles who have appeared in Final Fantasy I, VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, and Tactics. Lastly, Sahuagins (water-dwelling creatures, originally from Dungeons & Dragons, based on sea hags from European folklore) have appeared in Final Fantasy I, III, IV, V, VII, IX, X, X-2, XI, Crystal Chronicles, Mystic Quest, ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', as well as in ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
Other creatures are not necessarily harmful, such as the Magic Pot and the Mover. The Magic Pot is the name of the creature which inhabits a pot and chooses to fight inside the pot using it to its defense. Because of it's general immobility, it favours magical attacks. Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI use the same sprite for this monster. Most incarnations of the Magic Pot reward the player with bonuses in exchange for items or luck. Magic Pots have appeared in Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, X, XI, XII, ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Dice de Chocobo'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. The Movers, on the other hand, are extremely powerful but rare and tend to avoid battles; they appear in Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, IX and XI in groups of three units and provide significant monetary or experience bonuses for the player.
★ Ong, Alicia. The Religions Behind Final Fantasy. March 22, 2001.
★ Spoors, Glen. Meaning and Emotion in Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy X: Re-Theorising “Realism” and “Identification” in Video Games. Page 96. January, 2005.
★ History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I, , Mary, Boyce, Brill, 1975,
★ Final Fantasy III Official Strategy Guide, Schmidt, Ken, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0744008484
★ Official FINAL FANTASY VII Strategy Guide, Cassady, David, , , Brady Publishing, 1997, ISBN 1-56686-714-2
★ Official FINAL FANTASY VIII Strategy Guide, Cassady, David, , , Brady Publishing, 1999, ISBN 1-56686-903-X
★ FINAL FANTASY IX Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , Brady Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0744000416
★ Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2001, ISBN 0744001404
★ Final Fantasy X-2 Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0744002850
1. 'Controller:' The lunar world is a world of monsters. Didn't you learn that in school? As you can see, the monsters are gathering at one point. History's starting to repeat itself. The Lunar Cry is starting. (''Final Fantasy VIII'')
2. 'Lulu:' The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it? The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace. (''Final Fantasy X'')
3. Final Fantasy VII Official Guide, 194-211
4. Final Fantasy VIII Official Guide, 197-238
5. Final Fantasy VIII Official Guide, 135-153
6. "The Twin Inside Me: Extraordinary People" Channel 5 TV, UK, 23:00 9 March 2006
7. The Evolution of the Basilisk (Greece & Rome, Second series, 10:2 (October), 1963, 170-181)
8. Enuma Elish creation epic by Keller, Catherine
9. Tiamat. GalbadiaX. Accessed February 21, 2007.
★ Final Fantasy X Bestiary
★ Final Fantasy XI Vault Bestiary
★ Final Fantasy XII Enemies category at the Final Fantasy Wiki
In the best-selling ''Final Fantasy'' series of console role playing games by Square Enix (formerly Square), monsters are common antagonists to the playable characters, with usually no relevance to the storyline. Most monsters come from folklore and literature from around the world, such as Greek mythology.
The following are common names for each monster. Varying names have appeared throughout the series, but most are related to each other bearing a similar name. This list only covers the most prominent monsters seen throughout the series; for further details, please visit the external links provided.
History
The original ''Final Fantasy'' borrowed several monster types from the Dungeons & Dragons RPG; these monsters appear throughout the series (see section). Although the original ''Final Fantasy'' had a handful of humanoid bosses and pirates, ''Final Fantasy II'' expanded the humanoid bestiary with soldiers and other servants to the Empire; this expanse into humanoid enemies can be seen in the remainder of the games in the series. Beginning in ''Final Fantasy III'', some enemies and bosses talked during battles.
Several entries in the series provide backstories on the origins and motives behind monsters. In ''Final Fantasy VIII'', monsters are sent to the game world from one of its moons via a burst of energy from the moon called the "Lunar Cry".[1] In ''Final Fantasy X'' and ''Final Fantasy X-2'' these hostile monsters are better known as 'fiends', which are monsters manifested from the restless spirits of the dead and driven by malice to devour those alive.[2] In FFX-2, these Fiends are classified by type.Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 315 In ''Final Fantasy XII'', the monsters have differing origins; however, most are the result of a mutation caused by an overdose of any exposure to the Mist.
Common monsters
Adamantoise
The 'Adamantoise', sometimes simply named 'Land Turtle', is a large tortoise. Its shell provides it with a strong defense to its body. Its name is a portmanteau of the words tortoise and adamant, referring to the resistant material composing its shell. The Adamantoise is often explicitly related to Adamantite, otherwise known as Admantium, one of the strongest metals in several games of the series, which is used to make strong weapons such as Final Fantasy I's Excalibur. Such a metal is often found in many other games, console and computer alike. Traditionally the Adamantoise is a mid to high level solitary monster appearing on beaches or in the final dungeon.
The Adamantoise and sometimes other variously named turtle monsters have appeared in all numbered installments of the series except the first and the sixth, in addition to ''Mystic Quest'', ''Tactics Advance'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'' and ''. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable'', and are featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Other names include Adamantaimai, Adamantortoise, Grass Turtle, Land Turtle, Tortoise, Carapace, Turtle, etc.[3][4]
Ahriman
Ahriman (Final Fantasy XI - PC)
The 'Ahriman' traditionally appears as a floating creature with a predominant single eye. The appearance of the monster leads to alternative names such as 'Evil Eye' or 'Float Eye'. The word ''Ahriman'' is an alternative name of ''Angra Mainyu'', a spiritual foundation in Zoroastrianism,Boyce, Chap. 2 which appeared in ''Final Fantasy X-2'' as a superboss.Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 94
Ahriman first appeared in the series as one of the final bosses in ''Final Fantasy III'' for the Nintendo.Final Fantasy III Guide, 136 In ''Final Fantasy IV'', an alternate form of Ahriman appears in the final dungeon as a boss. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a monster named 'One Eye' can be created through the ''Monster Arena''.Final Fantasy X Guide, 172-174In the ''Final Fantasy'' remake '', the Ahriman from ''Final Fantasy III'' was selected with the other three ''Black Crystal Guards'' as optional bosses in one of the new special dungeons added to the game. Lastly, Ahriman appears as a ghost-like boss in ''Final Fantasy XII''. Ahriman has appeared in all numbered games in the series except ''II'', ''V'', and ''VIII''. They have also appeared in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. They are featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Alternative names include Buer, Float Eye, Evil Eye, Veteran, etc.
Behemoth
Behemoth (Final Fantasy XI - PC)
The 'Behemoth' is named after a Biblical creature from the Book of Job. In many of the ''Final Fantasy'' games, the Behemoth is a large, purple beast that uses its horns and magic to kill its opponents. It first appeared as a boss in ''Final Fantasy II's'' Coliseum, and has been a series staple ever since. Behemoths are estimated to be ten to twelve feet tall when standing. When attacking, it normally dashes on all fours, but when returning to an idle state it will usually stand upright. In battle, it will counterattack with a powerful horn rush and ''Thunder'' magic attacks. A more powerful version of the Behemoth, 'King Behemoth' (Sr. Behemoth in the original US translation), is a major enemy in the latter stages of many ''Final Fantasy'' games; they are often characterized by their large size (25ft when standing) and grey color. Behemoths are noted in later games as having a final powerful strike, usually ''Meteor'', that is performed as they die.
In ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'', Behemoth is uncharacteristically the opponent in the game's introductory battle. In ''Final Fantasy VI'', the 'Intangir' is an invisible variation of Behemoth that cannot be attacked physically; moreover, the creature uses ''sleep'' magic, because its name denotes a creature of sleep. In the same game, 'Behemoth King' (known as SrBehemoth in the previous American SNES version) is a boss in the World of Ruin that will continue to fight in zombie form after its defeat. In ''Final Fantasy VIII'', the boss 'Catoplebas' is a variation of Behemoth, and in ''Final Fantasy X'' a special monster called 'Catoblepas' could be created through the ''Monster Arena''. In ''Final Fantasy II: Soul of Rebirth'', a secondary story for ''Final Fantasy II Dawn of Souls'' on the ''Game Boy Advance'', A palette swap of Behemoth is used for the 'Ultima Weapon', which guards the ''Ultima Tome''. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', Behemoths are a class of monsters, generally similar to previous incarnations except that they are bipedal and more humanoid looking. Only the Behemoth King and Fafnir bear similarity to the previous games' depictions. In '', we encounter ''Azul the Cerulean'' as the Arch Azul in the underground world of Midgar, who transforms into a form similar to a Behemoth. Behemoth has been seen in all numbered installments except the first one, in addition to ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Chocobo Racing'', '', '', ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Alternative names include King Behemoth, Alteci, etc. The Behemoth makes an appearance in the opening movie of ''Final Fantasy XI'' and it also appears in the game as a Notorious Monster. The Behemoth is one of the largest Heartless in ''Kingdom Hearts''.
In ''Final Fantasy IV'', Behemoths guard Bahamut and Zemus, appear to more closely resemble Eastern Dragons. They rarely attack the party, but counter-attack with devastating power to any melee or magical attack.
Bomb
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Bomb (Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - GCN)
The 'Bomb' and its counterparts' names are related to similar real-world explosive or explosive-esque items. Their trademark skill is a self-destruct attack; after the ''Final Fantasy'' series moved to a 3D engine, the Bomb picked up a new habit of growing and becoming more powerful each time it is attacked until finally exploding.
In ''Final Fantasy IV'', Bomb was a secret summon for Rydia. There also exists a dummied sprite nicknamed 'K. Higuchi' after one of the game's battle programmers, Katsuhisa Higuchi, identical in appearance to the regular Bomb seen in the hidden Developers Room as an Easter Egg. In Final Fantasy IV, the 'Mom Bomb' (in the English version) is a boss that consists of several bombs fused together. In ''Final Fantasy V'', the boss 'Byurobolos' is a Bomb variation with teamwork traits. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a special monster called 'Bomb King' could be created through the ''Monster Arena''. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', the 'Bomb King' also returns as a boss, and a bomb is used as an icon for the berserk status. In this installment of the Final Fantasy series, Bombs introduce a new devastating self-destructs called, "Chain-Reaction" where one bomb can make all the surrounding bombs self-destruct also. The first time the origin of the Bomb is given is also in FFXII, where it is described as a creature created specifically to fight wizards. Bomb has appeared in all ''Final Fantasy'' installments except for the first one. as well as in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. It was also an obstacle in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'', and was featured as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''. Alternative names include Balloon, Purobolos, Grenade, Mine, Pineapple, etc.
Cactuar
Cactuar (Final Fantasy VIII - PS)
The name 'Cactuar' is the western localization of the original Japanese 'Sabotender', a portmanteau of "Saboten Pretender", "saboten" meaning "cactus" in Japanese. The Cactuar are a race of creatures that physically resemble ''cacti'' and are typically depicted in a distinct running pose with stiff arms and legs, three black dots on their faces (representing two eyes and an oblong mouth) and three yellow quills at the top of their heads. According to an article in the 15 February 1997 issue of V-Jump, Cactuar was designed by Tetsuya Nomura based on a doodle he drew on a notebook when he was a highschool student. They bear a resemblance to Japanese clay figures called "Haniwa", a type of clay figures made for ritual and funerary uses.
The Cactuar is known for its characteristic "1,000 Needles" attack, able to bypass an opponent's defense stat and which always deals exactly 1,000 points of damage. Cactuars are usually worth a substantial amount of currency, ''experience points'', ability points (there are a lot of variations) or a special item and have generally low HP, but their high evasion and defense stats and tendency to flee make them difficult prey. There is sometimes a giant variety of Cactuar that displays a characteristic mustache. "Jumbo Cactuars" as they are called also have a "10,000 Needles" attack which has the effect of causing instant death being one point higher than a character's maximum possible Hit Points. Another variant of the attack is basically "1000 Needles" ten times consecutively, to multiple targets. This variant is especially deadly, as it can decimate an already weakened party, and, when done effectively, can even take out fairly high level party members.
Cactuars appear in ''Final Fantasy VI'' (actually called "Cactrot"), ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy IX'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy XII'' (with the alias 'Cactoid'), ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles'', ''Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited'', and ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2''. Cactuars appear as a summon in ''Final Fantasy VI'' remade for the Game Boy Advance, and ''Final Fantasy VIII''[5]. Cactuars appear as a stuffed doll in ''Final Fantasy X'' and ''Final Fantasy X-2''.
Cactuars also appear in ''Chocobo Racing'', ''Chocobo World'', '', ''Itadaki Street Special'', ''Itadaki Street Portable'' and ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3''. In ''The Bouncer'', Volt Krueger has a Cactuar on the back of his jacket with a red line through it. "Cactuar" is a featured Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. When the cactus opponent in ''Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime'' gets run over by a cart, it resembles a Cactuar. It features the eyes, mouth and the position the Cactuar usually has. A cactuar starred alongside a Tonberry in series of Flashplayer animations made by a man known as Crazy Boris, such as ''Final Fantasy Gil Quest'' and its sequels, ''Final Fantasy Fugitive'' and ''Resident Cactuar''. A Cactuar named Cornwall is the main character of the comic strip "The Lesson Of The Day". A Cactuar appears in the webcomic called Origami Lad's Superhero Society as a main character alongside his best friend Foldman and a group of other superheroes. The Ironclaw April Fools' Day supplement "Time of Monsters" includes a monster named 'Millaghi Moltogrande, the Mysterious Merchant.' The character is physically identical to a Cactuar, although he dresses in a period-appropriate outfit with a hat impaled on his head-quills and a mustache. He has his "1,000 Needles" attack, and his motivations are listed as "1. Survive; 2. Make money." The listing for the character appears reprinted in the supplement "Onandon," along with the rest of the "Time of Monsters" material.
Chimera
Chimera/Proto Chimera (Final Fantasy X/X-2 - PS2)
The 'Chimera' is usually based on the monster from Greek mythology or the science term denoting of an artificial being created from combining organisms.[6] In the series, it is usually depicted as a beast with the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat, and the tail of a dragon or serpent, sometimes with multiple heads. Each head had access to a different element of spell.
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Harpy (Final Fantasy VII - PC)
In ''Final Fantasy V'', the Chimera sprite called 'Kimaira' was dummied out in the final version, leaving three other monsters ('Chimera Brain', 'Quadrharpy', and 'Maximus') as the only Chimeras actually featured in the game. In ''Final Fantasy X'' a powerful monster called 'Chimerageist' can be created through at ''Monster Arena''. In "Final Fantasy XI" and "Final Fantasy XII", Chimeras were created by combining humes with monsters, especially Cockatrices. In ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'', 'Gidrah' was renamed Chimera during its Japanese localization. The monster appears in all core Final Fantasy games, as well as Mystic Quest and Crystal Chronicles. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Its variations include Chimera Brain, Gorgimera, Chimera Mage, etc.
Cockatrice
Cockatrice (Final Fantasy XI - PC)
The 'Cockatrice' is a legendary creature about the size and shape of a dragon or wyvern, but in appearance resembling a giant rooster, with some lizard-like characteristics, although they were chameleon-like in Final Fantasy III. It was supposed to be a combination of a Cock and a toad or serpent.[7] A baby Cockatrice is, by analogy, sometimes termed a 'Chickatrice'. Its reputed magical abilities include turning people to stone by either looking at them, touching them, or sometimes breathing on them, like a dragon breathing fire. The Cockatrice is similar to another legendary creature, the Basilisk. Its name may come from a folk etymology for ''crocodile''.
In early ''Final Fantasy'' games, the Cockatrice looks far more like an eagle than it does a cockerel and attacks from above using petrifying touches; however, in later games it resembles the legendary cockatrice. A fan-translation of ''Final Fantasy III'' gives a similar Basilisk sprite the name Cocktrice. In ''Final Fantasy X'', a special monster could be created called 'Pteryx' through the Monster Arena, which is a variation of the bird-specie monsters that can petrify sometimes. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', Cockatrice are a species of birds with the habit of moving around by rolling their bodies into a ball. There is also an optional mini-boss in ''Final Fantasy XII'' called 'Cluckatrice'. Cockatrice and its variations appear in all numbered Final Fantasy games, in addition to ''Tactics'', ''Mystic Quest'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', as well as in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Dice de Chocobo'' and ''. They also appear in ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
In addition to the Cockatrice, other creatures have the power to petrify. For instance, the 'Basilisk', which appears in every Final Fantasy except ''XI'', and Crystal Chronicles is based on a creature in European folklore that was said to be able to kill with a simple glance. In ''Final Fantasy'', the petrify-inflicting Basilisk traditionally appears as a horned lizard with large chameleon-like eyes; however, it sometimes appears more serpentine, particularly in later titles.
Flan
Flan (Final Fantasy IX - PS)
The 'Flan', also called 'Pudding', is a small, magical creature, which moves with motion comparable to the Spanish dessert of the same name. They usually possess an affinity to a certain element, making them vulnerable to opposing elemental magic. Physical attacks seem almost worthless in breaking the ''Flan''
Four Fiends
The original Four Fiends, top to bottom: Lich, Marilith, Kraken, Tiamat
The 'Four Fiends' are a set of four stock demons used in several ''Final Fantasy'' installments. They represent the negative aspects of the classical elements and are usually summoned by the main villain as part of an attempt to destroy the world. They are associated with the Four Crystals that appear in some ''Final Fantasy'' games and the Fiends either guard them or attempt to destroy them.
In ''Final Fantasy'', the Four Fiends are Lich, Marilith, Kraken and Tiamat of Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, respectively. The Heroes of Light must seek out each of the Fiends and destroy them so balance can be restored. These Fiends reappear in ''Final Fantasy IX'' as the Chaos Guardians who protect the gate to Terra,Final Fantasy IX Official Guide, 173-174 and again in Memoria. They also appear in ''Final Fantasy Tactics Advance'', as the "Falgabirds". Tiamat also appears in Final Fantasy VIII as a corrupt Guardian Force serving the final villain, but the other fiends are absent.) Tiamet makes another appearance in "Final Fantasy XII" as an early boss.
''Final Fantasy IV'' includes a new set of Four Fiends, this time serving Golbez. They are Rubicante of Fire, Barbaricca of Wind, Cagnazzo of Water, and Scarmiglione of Earth. However, unlike the original Four Fiends, they are given more characterization and are not depicted as demonic creatures craving for chaos. They are named after demons in The Divine Comedy. ''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest'' introduces another set of Four Fiends called the Vile Evils, who serve the Dark King. They are the Flamerous Rex of Earth, Ice Golem of Water, Duelhead Hydra of Fire, and Pazuzu of Wind. Like the original Four Fiends, they lay waste to the planet by draining the energy of the crystals. In Doom Castle, their doubles—Skullerus Rex, Stone Golem, Twinhead Wyvern, and Zuh—make an appearance.
Garuda
Garuda Friendly (Final Fantasy IX)
'The Garuda' is an enemy depicted as an avian humanoid in the Final Fantasy Series. It first appeared in ''Final Fantasy III'' as a boss monster.Final Fantasy III Guide, 173 As with other bird enemies like 'Zuu' and 'Cockatrice', Garuda isn't always featured as a boss, but is more commonly a regular enemy, such as in ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''IX'', ''X'' and ''X-2''. In most of the encounters against Garuda it is usually an easily defeated enemy. There is an exception in ''IX'' with a "friendly" version in addition to the standard hostile monster.Final Fantasy IX Official Guide, 199 The former is one of a number of "friendly" monsters that appear in ''Final Fantasy IX'' and which do not attack on encounter but instead ask to be "fed" various gemstone items for considerable AP (Ability points - see Final Fantasy IX gameplay for more details). The two look the same except for the colour: the regular Garuda is predominantly red and green, while the friendly version in rainbow-coloured. In ''X/X-2'' it has a new attack called ''Sonic Boom'', which it uses often, and is highly similar in appearance to a number of other bird monsters.Final Fantasy X Guide, 232 In ''XI'' Garuda is a summonable avatar (summon) if the player completes certain quests and defeats her in battle. Garuda is the avatar of the element "wind", and as such all of her abilities are wind-based. In ''Final Fantasy XII'' it appears first as a boss and then later as a regular enemy, by the name of Garuda-Egi.
Iron Giant
Iron Giant (Final Fantasy X/X-2 - PS2)
The 'Iron Giant' appears as a towering, oversized armor who often possesses an equally oversized sword. In ''Final Fantasy Tactics'', 'Iron Giant' makes its appearance under the name 'Steel Giant', sharing the same appearance with the characters 'Worker 8' and 'Worker 7 - New' whose character class is Iron Giant. There is also 'Wolfmeister' who is a red-plated version of Iron Giant. A boss variation of this form was used in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', under the name 'Red Giant'. The Iron Giant has appeared in ''Final Fantasy II'', ''III (DS)'', ''IV'', ''V'', ''VII'', ''VIII'',''IX'', ''X'', ''X-2'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', ''Tactics'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
Malboro
Morbol (Final Fantasy XI - PC)
The 'Malboro' (Japanese モルボル ''Moruboru''; rarely also localized 'Molbol') is a mutanous form of plantlife that lacks the ability of photosynthesis and must feed on other creatures to survive. The Malboro is a fearsome foe most despised due to its horrible "Bad Breath" attack which inflicts a vast amount of status effects, capable of obliterating an entire party in a matter of seconds. The Malboro as seen in the various ''Final Fantasy'' titles developed by Square Enix is a powerful enemy often encountered in middle to late parts of the game. (The name 'Malboro' may be a joke within the Final Fantasy series, naming it after the cigarette brand Marlboro as it uses the ability 'Bad Breath'. It is also possible it was comprised from Latin 'Mal', meaning bad, and Greek 'Boros', meaning breath.)
Malboros have appeared in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''II'', ''IV'', ''VI'' through ''XII'', ''Tactics'', ''Tactics Advance'', and ''Crystal Chronicles''. They also appear in ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', in ''Chocobo Racing'', in ''Dice de Chocobo'', in '', in ''Legend of Mana'', ''Itadaki Street Portable'', in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' during the 'Malboro Garden' stage, and as a "Marboro Stew" in episode six of ''Final Fantasy Unlimited''. In the GBA remake of Final Fantasy VI, there is an optional boss in a hidden dungeon called "Worst Marlboro", which, in addition to normal Malboro attacks, uses Blaster, an instant kill move, and later, in the battle, the player has to battle four at the same time (due to the monster dividing whenever the party "defeats" it until that point).
Tonberry
A , also localized as ''Dingleberry'' or ''Pug'', is quite small, usually no larger than two or three feet (sixty to ninety centimeters) tall. It has green skin and a round head with a small snout and round yellow eyes; it walks on two legs and resembles, to some small degree, a bipedal lizard. However, it always wears a hooded cloak, usually plain brown or grey in color, and its dolphin-like tail can be seen peeking out from beneath the hem.
A Tonberry always carries two things: a lantern in one hand to light its way through the caves, and a long, sharp chef's knife in the other.
While a Tonberry's foes are attacking it, it will walk slowly towards them. Once the Tonberry has come close enough to its enemy, it will then attack with its knife. Most of their incarnations possess the ability to deal extreme damage or instant death (usually by a short stab, accompanied with the "Doink" sound effect) to one or all members of the player's party. This, combined with their weak appearance, has earned them their notorious reputation. They sometimes also use abilities like "Karma" (also referred to as "Everyone's Grudge") that deal damage based on the number of enemies slain throughout the game, either by the party or the individual party member targeted. Tonberries are often found in caves or ruin structures. Generally Tonberries drop very small amounts of EXP or Gil, but in some games have been known to have large amounts of EXP or Gil and sometimes drop the most rare or powerful items in the game. Powerful versions of the Tonberry include Tonberry King, Master Tonberry and Don Tonberry.
Tonberries have appeared in ''Final Fantasy V'', ''Final Fantasy VI'', ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy IX'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy Tactics Advance'', ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Tonberries have appeared as a summon in ''Final Fantasy VIII'' and ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited''. In ''Final Fantasy X-2'' Paine's Mascot Dresssphere is a Tonberry costume holding a Cactuar doll. In ''Final Fantasy XII'', there are no Tonberries, however one of the Imperial ''Remora'' gunships seen during the tutorial has the callsign "Tonberry." "Tonberry" is also a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. In the Satellaview-exclusive game ''DynamiTracer'', a Tonberry is featured as one of the playable characters.
Omega and Weapon
Ultimate Weapon in FFVII.
The or 'Ultimate' creatures and 'Omega' are entities (some biomechanical and others entirely organic) in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. They have been a main feature in the series since the fifth installment. They are generally very powerful and have massive amounts of hit points, sometimes numbering in the millions, and are usually presented as powerful optional superbosses.
Weapons have appeared in the first ''Final Fantasy'' of ''Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls'', the Game Boy Advance remake of ''Final Fantasy II'', ''Final Fantasy V'', ''Final Fantasy VI'', ''Final Fantasy VII'', ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''Final Fantasy X'', ''Final Fantasy X-2'', ''Final Fantasy XI'', ''Final Fantasy XII'', ''Final Fantasy: Unlimited'', and ''. WarMech, a powerful and rare enemy from the NES Final Fantasy I, shares characteristics with Weapon.
'Omega' and 'Ultima' weapons are more often than not side quests that can be followed late into the games. ''Final Fantasy VII'' and ''Final Fantasy VI'' are two of the few titles in the series that breaks this rule as the player has to fight the Ultima Weapon in order to progress the story.
Ultima Weapon will generally drop (or lead to) one of the most powerful weapons available in the game. ''Final Fantasy XII'' varies slightly, with Omega MK XII dropping a medallion that, when sold with two others, allows the player to buy one of the most powerful swords in the game through the bazaar.
Other monsters
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A Dragon from ''Final Fantasy VII''
Dragons, legendary creatures traditionally depicted as large and powerful reptiles or serpents with magical or spiritual qualities, are featured in all of the ''Final Fantasy'' games in the main series as well as most spin-offs and related material. ''Final Fantasy VI'' includes the dragon as a subplot; eight Dragons exist in the ''World of Ruin'', without counting some ordinary Dragons encountered on the field. There was a Dragon called ''CzarDragon'' intended to be in ''Final Fantasy VI'', but it was eventually cut out of the game; however, they left the sprite in the game. The CzarDragon was renamed the Kaiser Dragon (and given wings) and made a superboss for the Gameboy Advance version. In ''Final Fantasy V'', two dragons serve as means of transportation: Hyruu, which transports the party through the air, and Syldra (Hydra) who is a sea dragon who initially serves as transportation, but is heavily injured later on. He later rescues the party when the Walse Tower sinks into the sea, where he soon dies due to his injuries. Both dragons will turn into optional summons late in the game.
An Imp from ''Final Fantasy X''
Other creatures rooted in folklore include the Lamia (a being from Greek legend, featured in ''Final Fantasy I'' through ''V'', ''IX'', ''XI'', ''Crystal Chronicles'', ''Mystic Quest'', ''Tactics Advance'', ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', and as a Gummi Ship model in ''Kingdom Hearts''), Cerberus (a three-headed beast appearing Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls, III, VIII, IX, XI, Mystic Quest, and Crystal Chronicles), Catoblepas (an Ethiopian hybrid of buffalo and boar featured in most games in the series), and the Minotaur (a bull-headed humanoid appearing in Dawn of Souls, III, V, VIII, XI, Tactics, and Mystic Quest, sometimes named Sekhmet, from the name of the lion-headed Egyptian goddess). Additionally, Zu, a Akkadian bird god, has appeared as a flying or Griffin-like enemy in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''IV'' through ''VII'', ''IX'' through ''XII'', ''Mystic Quest'' and ''Crystal Chronicles'', as well as in ''Itadaki Street Portable''. Giant demihumans, such as Gigas and Ogres, are also common in the series; in ''Final Fantasy XI'', they appear as a race of beastmen. Mandragorgas (plantlike enemies appearing in all installments except I and VIII), are small, manlike plants based on Mandrakes (See also Mandragora). 'Tiamat', a primeval goddess in Babylonian mythology and a central figure in the ''Enûma Elish'' creation epic,[8][9] appears as a dragonic being in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''IV'', ''VIII'', ''IX'', ''XI'', ''XII'', and ''Tactics''. Lastly, the Biblical Abaddon appears under several distinct designs in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', ''IX'', ''X'', ''XII'', and ''Chrystal Chronicles''.
A Coeurl from ''Final Fantasy XI''
Final Fantasy creatures are also influenced by folklore and science-fiction. The Dullahan, featured in Irish folklore, is an undead, headless monster featured in Final Fantasies III, VI IX, XII, and Mystic Quest. Imps (and their incarnations) are sprinkled throughout the series as flying, magic-wielding monsters. Goblins, Golems, and Gargoyles — three legendary monsters — make several appearances in the series; their appearances do not change significantly from their real-life counterparts. The Goblin from ''Final Fantasy V'' also appears under its typical design in the Square title ''Romancing SaGa 3''. The Bandersnatch, taken from Lewis Carroll's poems ''Jabberwocky'' and ''The Hunting of the Snark'', appears as a canine monster in ''Final Fantasy V'', ''VII'', ''VIII'', ''IX'', ''X'', and ''XI''. The Coeurl (a panther-like alien predator appearing in all Final Fantasies except the first, in addition to ''Itadaki Street Portable'') is a near carbon copy of a race of predators featured in works by science fiction author A. E. van Vogt.
Several desert-dwelling creatures have made appearances throughout the series. The Sand Worms in Final Fantasy (appearing in all games in the series except ''XII'') are similar to the Sandworm in Frank Herbert's Dune series in that they swallow and regurgitate characters (in this case, party members). The ''Antlion'', an oversized arthropod-based on the smaller legendary creature called Myrmecoleo, have appeared in all numbered games in the series except ''I'', ''VII'', ''VIII'', ''X'', and ''X-2''. Antlions attack from underground sand traps, much like the Mandragorgas of ''Final Fantasy X''.
Other monsters are based on creatures in the real world, such as wolves (seen in most installations in the series), wasps (the Bite Bug in ''Final Fantasy VIII'' and the wasp and bird classifications in ''Final Fantasy X''), and deadly fish (Piranha in ''Final Fantasy I'', ''VI'', ''X'' and ''XII''). In a dissertation study by Glen Spoors about ''Final Fantasy X'', he states that these monsters rooted in nonfiction are "physically excessive"; that is, they appear larger than their real-world counterparts.
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An Ochu from ''Final Fantasy VII''
''Final Fantasy'' borrows four creature types directly from the original Dungeons and Dragons RPG: Beholder, Mindflayer, Ochu, and Sahagins. Although Beholders (green, tentacle-laden creatures similar to Malboros) appeared as such only in the first Final Fantasy's Japanese version and in Mystic Quest, it is similar to the Ahriman monster seen in the other installments. The other three creatures borrowed from Dungeon and Dragons have appeared in numerous titles. Mindflayers (also known as Illithids) are squidlike mages who have appeared in Final Fantasies I, IV, V, IX, XI, XII, and Tactics. Ochu (also called Otyugh) are subterranean plant-like creatures with large, whiplike tentacles who have appeared in Final Fantasy I, VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, and Tactics. Lastly, Sahuagins (water-dwelling creatures, originally from Dungeons & Dragons, based on sea hags from European folklore) have appeared in Final Fantasy I, III, IV, V, VII, IX, X, X-2, XI, Crystal Chronicles, Mystic Quest, ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', '', '', as well as in ''Itadaki Street Portable''.
Other creatures are not necessarily harmful, such as the Magic Pot and the Mover. The Magic Pot is the name of the creature which inhabits a pot and chooses to fight inside the pot using it to its defense. Because of it's general immobility, it favours magical attacks. Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI use the same sprite for this monster. Most incarnations of the Magic Pot reward the player with bonuses in exchange for items or luck. Magic Pots have appeared in Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, X, XI, XII, ''Chocobo's Dungeon 2'', ''Dice de Chocobo'', '' and ''Itadaki Street Portable''. The Movers, on the other hand, are extremely powerful but rare and tend to avoid battles; they appear in Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, IX and XI in groups of three units and provide significant monetary or experience bonuses for the player.
Reception and criticism
References
★ Ong, Alicia. The Religions Behind Final Fantasy. March 22, 2001.
★ Spoors, Glen. Meaning and Emotion in Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy X: Re-Theorising “Realism” and “Identification” in Video Games. Page 96. January, 2005.
★ History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I, , Mary, Boyce, Brill, 1975,
★ Final Fantasy III Official Strategy Guide, Schmidt, Ken, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0744008484
★ Official FINAL FANTASY VII Strategy Guide, Cassady, David, , , Brady Publishing, 1997, ISBN 1-56686-714-2
★ Official FINAL FANTASY VIII Strategy Guide, Cassady, David, , , Brady Publishing, 1999, ISBN 1-56686-903-X
★ FINAL FANTASY IX Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , Brady Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0744000416
★ Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2001, ISBN 0744001404
★ Final Fantasy X-2 Official Strategy Guide, Birlew, Dan, , , BradyGAMES Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0744002850
Notes
1. 'Controller:' The lunar world is a world of monsters. Didn't you learn that in school? As you can see, the monsters are gathering at one point. History's starting to repeat itself. The Lunar Cry is starting. (''Final Fantasy VIII'')
2. 'Lulu:' The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it? The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace. (''Final Fantasy X'')
3. Final Fantasy VII Official Guide, 194-211
4. Final Fantasy VIII Official Guide, 197-238
5. Final Fantasy VIII Official Guide, 135-153
6. "The Twin Inside Me: Extraordinary People" Channel 5 TV, UK, 23:00 9 March 2006
7. The Evolution of the Basilisk (Greece & Rome, Second series, 10:2 (October), 1963, 170-181)
8. Enuma Elish creation epic by Keller, Catherine
9. Tiamat. GalbadiaX. Accessed February 21, 2007.
External links
★ Final Fantasy X Bestiary
★ Final Fantasy XI Vault Bestiary
★ Final Fantasy XII Enemies category at the Final Fantasy Wiki
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