The Final Fantasy franchise is known for its memorable characters, each with their own stunning design, diverse skill set and, most of all, intriguing backstory. Few characters draw fans as well as Sephiroth, the iconic villain from Final Fantasy VII.
The story of how Sephiroth becomes a formidable villain is a sad one, full of betrayal, questionable science and corporate greed. Sephiroth may be the franchise's poster child for suffering, but he's not the only character with a tragic backstory. Standing just outside the spotlight are many more characters that will have your heart breaking for them. Watch out for spoilers if you haven't played these games yet!
10 Final Fantasy 15: Cindy Aurum
Final Fantasy XV's Cindy is a happy-go-lucky mechanic that Noctis and company meet on their first mission out of Insomnia. She is the granddaughter of Cid Sophiar, owner of the Hammerhead Service Station, and, although she's an orphan working in a daemon-overrun wasteland, she's endlessly upbeat.
Cindy's parents were killed by daemons while they drove at night, as Cid explains to Noctis. Cindy later tells a story of seeing a car be overrun by daemons at age six, saying she will never forget it. She doesn't confirm it, but the rare emotion in her voice during that scene makes it likely that Cindy was recounting witnessing her own parents' deaths.
9 Final Fantasy VII: Shera
Shera is the partner of the pilot Cid Highwind and an engineer on the Shinra No. 26 rocket. When Cid discovered that she was still in the engine room checking a faulty oxygen tank, he was forced to abort the launch or risk burning her up. As a result, the Shinra Space Program was canceled, destroying his dream of traveling to space.
Shera's story is one of those original Final Fantasy VII moments that has proven very controversial with fans. She is endlessly berated by Cid for having ruined his dreams, with her pesky insistence on existing and doing her job properly. Shera should have up and left him, but she's later confirmed as his wife in the Final Fantasy VII follow-up game, Dirge of Cerberus. Shera deserves better and is a quietly tragic character in this game.
8 Final Fantasy 8: Julia Heartilly
Final Fantasy VIII's Julia Heartilly is a pianist and singer and the mother of Rinoa Heartilly. She appears as the object of Laguna Loire's affections, when he visits the Galbadian Hotel bar to watch her play.
Although Julia and Laguna express their mutual feelings for one another, he is called away to war before their relationship fully develops. She says she will wait for him, but, sadly, Julia never sees Laguna again. She marries General Caraway of the Galbadian army and gives birth to Rinoa. Julia never gets to see her daughter grow up, tragically dying in a car accident when Rinoa is just five years old.
7 Final Fantasy 10: Chappu
Chappu is Wakka's younger brother and he appears only briefly in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy 10-2. He is an upbeat young man dedicated to fighting Sin using forbidden machina. Although in FF10-2 Wakka and Lulu are married and expecting a child, Lulu was originally Chappu's fiancée.
He joined the Crusaders to protect Lulu but ended up dying tragically young, killed by Sin during Operation Mi'hen. He leaves behind a video sphere (fans will be familiar with the excellent Sphere Grid system) pleading with Wakka to stop berating him and asking him to just be his brother; a sphere that Wakka only finds after Chappu's death.
6 Final Fantasy XII: Balthier
This cocky, well-dressed sky pirate is fond of proclaiming his status as Final Fantasy XII's "leading man." Balthier's real identity is an Archadian noble named Ffamran mied Bunansa. Ffamran is the son of Cidolfus Demen Bunansa, aka, Dr. Cid, the Archadian empire's resident scientific genius.
As Ffamran, he was such an asset to the Archadian army that he was promoted to the high-ranking army status of Judge at the tender age of 16. As Dr. Cid began to use his power in unethical ways, however, Ffamran eventually cut off all ties with his father and deserted the army, opting to live as an outlaw with a bounty on his head. He never reconciles with his estranged father and is eventually forced to eliminate Dr. Cid.
5 Final Fantasy IX: Vivi Ornitier
Vivi is one of the most beloved characters in all of Final Fantasy. Vivi starts off in Final Fantasy IX with low self-confidence in his abilities as a mage, but along his journey through the game, he discovers hidden inner strength.
Vivi begins life as a prototype of a manufactured black mage doll. While being transported to Alexandria for use in Queen Brahne's army, he falls out of a cargo ship. Vivi is then discovered by a Qu named Quan, who takes him under his wing. Little does Vivi know that Quan is actually raising him to be eaten, only abandoning that plan when Vivi refuses to grow any bigger. Even the care of this dubious "Grandpa" is lost when Quan dies, leaving Vivi to fend for himself.
4 Final Fantasy XV: Prompto Argentum
Prompto is one of Noctis' guard and companions on the group's quest-filled road trip across Eos. He was originally a clone of an imperial magitek engineer, created to be part of an army of clones used in the war against Lucis. However, he was kidnapped as a baby and raised by a Lucian family. He has a barcode tattooed on his wrist as proof of his clone status, which he covers with a leather wristband.
Prompto expresses to Noctis that he feels inferior to the rest of the group, due to his history. The heartbreaking part of this revelation is that it comes after Noctis himself, mistakenly believing he's pursuing an enemy, attacks, belittles, and nearly kills Prompto, feeding into his inferiority complex.
3 Final Fantasy VIII: Raine Loire
Raine is Laguna Loire's wife and second love interest, as well as the mother of Squall Leonhart. She meets Laguna when the latter is transported to her village of Winhill after being injured in the Sorceress War. She nurses him back to health and the two fall in love.
Raine becomes pregnant with Squall, but before she can tell Laguna, their adopted daughter Ellone is kidnapped. Laguna goes after her and, while he is away, Raine dies. Both Ellone and Squall are sent to be raised in an orphanage and Laguna returns to Winhill only to visit Raine's grave. Squall never explicitly acknowledges Raine as his mother in the game, a tragic missed opportunity for them both.
2 Final Fantasy 10-2: Lenne and Shuyin
Lenne and Shuyin both lived in Zanarkand a thousand years before the engrossing beginning events of Final Fantasy X, during the Machina War that led to the destruction of Zanarkand by Bevelle. Lenne was a popular singer and summoner, and Shuyin was her lover. As Zanarkand started to fall, all summoners were called to the front lines, including Lenne.
In a desperate attempt to save his lover, Shuyin snuck into the tunnels beneath Bevelle and activated their ultimate weapon, Vegnagun. Before he could use it, Lenne appeared in front of him to stop him, knowing Vegnagun could not be controlled. The two lovers embraced, as Bevelle soldiers finally caught up to them, opened fire, and killed them both.
1 Final Fantasy 7: Dyne
Dyne is the ever-entertaining Barret Wallace's best friend from Corel and Marlene's father. When the Shinra Company comes to build them a reactor, Dyne is the only one who opposes them. While Barret and Dyne are away from town, Shinra destroys Corel and murders its residents including Barret and Dyne's wives. Dyne's daughter Marlene also survives, but Dyne and Barret are separated before he can learn this.
Assuming that Dyne has died, Barret adopts Marlene. When he eventually returns to Corel, Barret learns of a one-armed gunman who has committed a string of deadly attacks. He confronts Dyne, who has gone mad with grief, and explains that Marlene is still alive. Dyne is too far gone to save, and although Barret attempts to reason with him, he jumps from a cliff to his death.