One of the most over-the-top JRPG franchises of all time, the Final Fantasy series has witnessed its fair share of powerful characters.

JRPGs are generally considered to be over-the-top adventures, featuring a bunch of colorful characters as they romp through a 75+ hour journey — on an average — as they destroy seemingly unassailable evils, save the world from an approaching calamity, rescue the princess and bring light back to the world, or whatever cliched objective they need to achieve. And when one talks about such JRPGs, it goes without saying that Final Fantasy is one of the most prominent franchises that truly encompass this genre as a whole. The sheer level of importance that this franchise has when it comes to representing the JRPG genre as a whole is nothing short of astounding, and the fact that the recent Final Fantasy VII remake has left fans salivating for more should be proof enough of just how relevant this series actually is.

Final Fantasy as a whole is known for sporting amazing and powerful characters that redefine the entire concept of power itself. Everything from superhumans, genetic anomalies, to straight-up gods have been featured in the series, and the sheer strength exhibited by these characters is nothing short of astounding. Even in a series where levels and experience tend to govern the power levels of most — if not all — characters, the twenty-five characters mentioned on this list have been nothing short of astounding when it comes to exhibiting just how over the top the series can get at times. So, without further ado, let us kick this list off with a bang.

25 Sabin (FFVI)

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There were many people who could've started off this list. After all, the sheer wealth of characters that are present in Final Fantasy are truly innumerable, and quite a few of them were worthy of this position.

But none of these people suplexed a friggin' zombie train.

It's one of the most iconic moments in Final Fantasy history — the sight of Sabin picking up the Phantom Train with seemingly no effort whatsoever is one of the most enduring sights in gaming history, without a shadow of a doubt.

24 Squall (FFVIII)

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A person that sports perhaps the most impractical sword ever in Final Fantasy history — trust me, that's saying something — Squall's power might seem puny compared to the other people on this list.

However, he's carved his place because of one game-breaking move.

The Lion Heart is one of the best limit breaks in Final Fantasy, no question about that. One need only look at the damage output of this move to realize why this character has made the list in the first place.

23 Cecil (FFIV)

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Cecil Harvey had perhaps the best character development out of any character in Final Fantasy. Sure, this statement might be debatable by the majority of fans, but that doesn't take away anything from his power level.

His transformation from a Dark Knight to a Paladin is quite memorable.

Final Fantasy IV was perhaps one of the first games in the series that truly molded the story elements with the gameplay mechanics in expert fashion, making it a landmark it the series... and Cecil was at the forefront of this change.

22 Jecht (FFX)

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Perhaps one of the most complex characters in Final Fantasy history, it's a shame that we never really got to play as him. If we did, we might've witnessed at least a glimpse of the power and intellect that this character boasts.

After all, no ordinary character could've warped reality itself and brought his own son from the afterlife — not really, but you get my point — and prepare him for a journey that would end with his deformed form's demise. All of this was premeditated, which goes to show the sheer level of power that Jecht boasted.

21 Cloud (FFVII)

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There's no way that we could talk about some of the most powerful characters in Final Fantasy history and not mention the most iconic protagonist of the series. Wielding a sword in one hand that most people couldn't even lift with two, Cloud's personal story is a rollercoaster ride in itself.

The fact that his Omnislash was powerful enough to take care of the final image of Sephiroth (who'd ascended to godhood shortly beforehand, mind you) just goes to show just how powerful this character is.

20 Gilgamesh (Multiple FFs)

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A staple of the series, Gilgamesh has made his appearance across a host of Final Fantasy games. From being an antagonist in Final Fantasy V, all the way to becoming a Summon in Final Fantasy VIII, his appearances have always been memorable.

While his power levels might've been varying across multiple games in the series, it definitely doesn't take away from the fact that Gilgamesh is a force to be feared no matter where he might be featured.

19 Godbert Manderville (FFXIV)

Trying to select a powerful character in an MMORPG might be somewhat stupid, especially since the people who've maxed out their characters are perhaps the clearest winners in this regard. However, in Final Fantasy XIV, there is definitely one such character who deserves this honor — Godbert Manderville.

The fact that he can destroy full-blown chimeras in his underwear with nothing but a Goldsmith Hammer goes to show just how powerful this character is.

But there is one person against which he pales in comparison...

18 Julyan Manderville (FFXIV)

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Yep, we're talking about none other that Godbert's wife, Julyan Manderville.

At a glance, Julyan might seem like nothing more than your run-of-the-mill housewife. However, a closer look brings to light the sinister nature of her personality and the immense level of power she boasts as well.

The fact that she can take care of the powerful Godbert Manderville with one shot of the frying pan while being a Culinarian (a crafting job, for the ones in the dark) should be enough to prove our point that Julyan should definitely not be messed with.

17 Terra (FFVI)

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Final Fantasy VI is considered to be one of the best games in the series, and for good reason. The game was the epitome of the 2D era Final Fantasy games, featuring a story that was epic in every sense of the word. And the person in the center of all that epicness was none other than Terra.

Her powers as a Black Mage were already quite powerful enough as is, before she turned into a freakin' Esper and enabled a whole new level of awesomeness when it came to the magic in the series.

16 Exdeath (FFV)

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Final Fantasy V is a great game in its own right, although most people might find it inferior to the games that preceded and succeeded this particular entry. However, there's one thing no one can deny — Exdeath is pretty rad.

He's actually a tree from the Great Forest of Moore, and his power is so immense that he simply swats away Bartz and group because he doesn't consider them to be worthy in the slightest. Even after his supposed demise, his hatred is so all-encompassing that he actually comes back in the form of Neo Exdeath!

Sheesh.

15 Kefka (FFVI)

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But when it comes to the topic of big bads, one of the best and most memorable villains in the entire series has to be Kefka. His maniacal need to destroy the world simply because he wants to is inexplicable — he really is that mad!

Once he establishes himself as the de facto ruler of the World of Ruin, his power reaches unbelievable heights. He basically ascends to godhood by the end, and it takes a herculean effort from the heroes to finally put him away for good.

14 Sephiroth (FFVII)

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But there's only one person that comes to the minds of everyone who thinks about the most iconic and evil antagonists in Final Fantasy history — Sephiroth. His sword is so stupidly long that balancing it should be impossible, and yet he makes it look oh-so-easy.

Oh, and there's also the fact that he's simply genetic superior to every other person on Earth, since he was technically an experiment by Hojo to create the perfect SOLDIER. Again, like Kefka, he also becomes a pseudo-god by the end of the series.

13 The Warrior Of Light (FFI)

Warrior Of Light Final Fantasy I Dissidia
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The one that started it all — the Warrior of Light is on this list simply because he personifies all the heroes from the original Final Fantasy, making him a force to be reckoned with.

In a way, if you think about it, the Warrior of Light represents all the jobs and abilities that the heroes could utilize in the original Final Fantasy. If that doesn't make him powerful in your books, then nothing we say will convince you otherwise.

Also, he's a pretty beast character in Final Fantasy Dissidia as well.

12 Kuja (FFIX)

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A wizard with purely evil intentions, Kuja is a truly despicable human being. Don't let the cheery nature of Final Fantasy IX fool you about the true nature of the antagonist — there's nothing even remotely redeemable about this character.

In fact, Kuja is so powerful that he was able to decimate the entire surface of a planet with ease, making him one of the biggest threats in Final Fantasy. It's a wonder how Zidane and gang were able to decimate this being.

And no — we're not going to talk about Grand Necron because he (it?) sucks.

11 Noctis (FFXV)

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The latest Final Fantasy game introduced us to the Prince of Lucis — the man who's quite fittingly named Noctis Lucis Caelum. Many fans have discussed the possibility of Noctis being the most powerful Final Fantasy protagonist of all time, and it's easy to see why this discussion has come up.

He's perhaps the only Final Fantasy protagonist with the ability to wield each and every weapon class with ease. This, compounded with the game-breaking Armiger Unleashed (released in the Royal and Windows editions) contribute to the notion that his power is incredible in every sense of the word.

10 The Emperor (FFII)

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Final Fantasy II might be one of the most forgettable games in the franchise, but don't let that take away from the fact that the game features an antagonist with power that very few can rival.

After all, how many Final Fantasy antagonists do you know who became so powerful that they actually became the lords of both Heaven and Hell? The answer to that is no one, which goes to show just how powerful this antagonist becomes in the later stages of the game.

It's a shame that the game itself is fundamentally flawed.

9 Shantotto (FFXI)

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We delve into the realm of MMORPGs again — this time in the world of Final Fantasy XI. The first mainline multiplayer Final Fantasy game, the game definitely didn't disappoint.

One of the characters introduced in this game is Shantatto — an innocuous-looking Black Mage with immense power that can't even be imagined. Even if you manage to beat her in Dissidia, it turns out that she was just using a puppet with a fraction of her real power, which is certainly... something, to say the very least.

8 Ardyn (FFXV)

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We've already talked about Noctis at length from Final Fantasy XV. Now, it's time to focus our attention on the antagonist of the series — Ardyn Lucis Caelum. One of the most mysterious characters in the game during the early going, Ardyn ends up establishing himself as the clear-cut villain once the story truly gains its footing — a statement that's a bit of stretch from our part, to be honest.

The fact that he apparently absorbed all the evil in the world should be proof enough of the fact that this man's power was beyond anything one could ever imagine.

7 Zemus (FFIV)

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If there's one thing that Final Fantasy IV can be faulted for, it's the fact that the main antagonist of the series isn't really clear up until the very end. Most people might assume that Golbez is the main villain, but the game pulls a fast one by stating that Golbez was having his mind controlled all along by a Lunarian called Zemus.

As is the case with Exdeath, Zemus' sheer hatred was so immense that, even after his demise, he took on a new form called Zeromus. It was only through the collective effort of all the heroes who accompanied Cecil that this malignant being finally met his definitive end.

6 Lightning (FFXIII)

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Most people might not consider Final Fantasy XIII to be anywhere near the quality of the other mainline titles, but this doesn't take away from the sheer power of Lightning. Her character starts out somewhat normal during the early goings, but gains a ton of power over time.

Take into account the fact that, by the end of the series, Lightning is so stupidly powerful that an actual god chooses her to represent his will, following which she reverses the entire timeline and prevents Earth's impending doom.