Key Takeaways

• Final Fantasy games often feature party members turned bosses, creating emotional and challenging encounters for players.
• Key characters in the series, like Seymour and Noctis, transition from ally to boss, adding depth and intensity to the gameplay.
• The series continues the trend of controlling familiar characters in boss fights, adding a unique twist to the storytelling and gameplay experience.

Final Fantasy is a series full of story-heavy games that tick almost every JRPG cliche in the book, but this isn’t a bad thing. The classic titles are perfect for players who want to enjoy the glory days of this genre, while the modern titles do a great job of doing justice to the series’ esteemed legacy while integrating enough modernizations to attract new fans.

One trope that Final Fantasy has implemented time and time again is when party members who can be controlled by the player return as bosses to add a ton of emotional weight to these encounters. When executed correctly, this can make for memorable boss fights where players will be left flabbergasted as moves they’re familiar with are used against them in these cinematic encounters.

7 Kain Highwind

Fights The Party After Being Brainwashed And Manipulated

At the start of the game, both Cecil and Kain are essentially Dark Knights who don’t know they’re being manipulated. While Cecil manages to find his way and become a paladin, Kain is subject to manipulations from forces unknown, causing him to turn against the party when encountered at Fabul’s crystal chamber.

It takes a Herculean effort, but Kain is finally able to shake off this brainwashing and fight with Cecil once again. However, at that moment, seeing someone players could control briefly in the beginning re-appear as a boss was new for Final Fantasy fans and established a trend that fans couldn’t get enough of.

6 Sephiroth

Present In A Flashback That Highlights His Immense Power

The flashback where Cloud recounts his adventures in Nibelheim with Sephiroth makes for a huge moment in the game. Not only do players see Cloud’s mental state fracturing as Tifa questions his recounting of events, but players also get to see Sephiroth’s immense power in action for a few fights.

The strength this SOLDIER wields is otherworldly and makes it clear why he’s such a fearsome antagonist in Final Fantasy 7. The final fight against him consists of two phases, his body being augmented by the Lifestream and mako to become even more powerful than anyone could’ve expected.

5 Seifer Almasy

After The Dollet Mission, He Switches His Allegiance

The Mission in Dollet is one of the best action-packed set-pieces in Final Fantasy 8, showing the growing rift between Squall and Seifer when they both are forced to work in the same team. Fans get to control the protagonist’s rival for a few fights, using a gunblade of his own known as the Hyperion.

After Seifer switches sides, players encounter him multiple times as a boss fight who’s not to be trifled with. It’s revealed later on that this character was being brainwashed by Ultimecia, and he seems to have turned over a new leaf near the end of Final Fantasy 8‘s epic journey.

4 Seymour Guado

A Deranged Nihilist Whose Dark Ways Are Hidden When He Joins The Party Early On

From the get-go, fans notice something odd about Seymour that’s hard to pinpoint. His unnerving presence makes it all the more shocking when he aids Yuna during Operation Mi’ihen, showing off his power for a split second before certain revelations come to light about this character.

His nihilistic goal to decimate all of humanity is horrifying, making him a great secondary antagonist who hounds the party every step of the way. He’s fought numerous times throughout the series, with two notable encounters coming in the form of Seymour Flux (a huge difficulty spike that takes players by surprise) and Seymour Omnis (a fight accompanied by one of the greatest Final Fantasy tracks ever composed).

3 Noctis Lucis Caelum

Serves As Ignis’ Ultimate Challenge In His Episode

Most people would be surprised to know that Noctis appears as a boss in Final Fantasy 15. This is hard to believe, especially since no such battle appears in the main story. However, players who finish Episode Ignis and check out the DLC’s hardest encounter will be treated to a showdown between the prince and his advisor.

Suffice it to say, Noctis is no joke and can deplete Ignis’ health bar in a flash if players aren’t careful. Using different elemental strikes and knowing the best way to make use of Ignis’ technical moveset is the difference between victory and defeat here.

2 Joshua Rosfield

After A Short Playable Stint, An Out-Of-Control Clive Fights Him In Battle

For a game where players only control Clive throughout its lengthy runtime, fans will find it rather odd that the beginning of the game lets players control a young Joshua for a few minutes. After the ambush on his family causes Clive to go off the deep end, Joshua tries to stop him and transforms into Phoenix, triggering the first Eikon battle in the series.

It’s a bombastic spectacle for the majority of this battle, only for Ifrit to go off the deep end and brutally tear this boss apart. Clive is barely conscious and sees himself slowly killing his younger brother, making for a traumatic sight that haunts him for the rest of his life.

1 Jack Garland

Takes On The Identity Of The Antagonist To Help The Warriors Of Light Save The World

What makes Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin such a fascinating title is its unique take on the events of the first game. It’s no secret that the first Final Fantasy game isn’t nuanced with its depiction of good and evil, making it the perfect title for Square Enix to try and build upon with a spinoff.

Players control a group of friends who try and save the world from Chaos, only to be manipulated by darkness and slowly turn into villains. However, Jack willingly takes on the role of Garland and rewinds time to the point where he can bring the world back to normal, willingly serving as the antagonist and the representative of darkness who wills the Warriors of Light to become stronger and save the world in the first game.