It's no secret that I’m a Final Fantasy fanatic, though I'm not an apologist. (Final Fantasy XII was terrible, XIII was uninspired and Mystic Quest NEVER HAPPENED.) I've played the series from its humble beginnings in the 1980's until now, and consider myself somewhat of an expert on it. So, just for fun I thought I’d make a list of my top 100 (yes, 100) favorite Final Fantasy characters.

Unfortunately, I couldn't fit everyone onto the list, but I guarantee there are a few fun surprises along the way (including characters from games I didn’t like) and hopefully most of you will agree with my choices. At any rate, here is #19-01. Enjoy!

* Heads-up for spoilers.

My Top Final Fantasy Characters 100-80

My Top Ten Final Fantasy Characters 79-60

My Top Final Fantasy Characters 59-40.

My Top Final Fantasy Characters 39-20

19) Sazh (Final Fantasy XIII)

I feel bad for Sazh. He’s the kind of character that deserved to be in a better game. Sazh is the only sensible person in Final Fantasy XIII, the only one to keep things in perspective. He’s also the one with the most to lose: his son is caught in the middle of a huge battle that involves two worlds, and in order to save him Sahz either has to kill a lot of people…or himself and his companions. But "the bird says no," and so Sazh tries hard to find a way to save both his son, his friends and the world he lives in from destruction. A man who isn’t looking to be a hero, just a good father? Yeah, Sazh deserves to be on this list.

18) Ashe (Final Fantasy XII)

I used to HATE Ashe. Hate, hate hate her! I hated her snobby attitude, her inability to make friends and her high-handed behavior. But as Final Fantasy XII’s story unravels, it becomes clear that Ashe has had to overcome a LOT of odds, and she’s done so by being smart and staying tough. For years she manages to hide from the empire while creating a rebel group and waiting for the right time to reclaim her throne. Once she finds an opportunity to strike she isn’t afraid to shed blood to get what she wants. As the story progresses there’s real uncertainty as to what Ashe will do when presented with the opportunity to blow her enemies sky high using nethicite, but after much self reflection Ashe realizes that it’s better to honor her country by looking for peace instead of war. The decision not to use a destructive weapon on her enemies proves that Ashe has grown from a vengeful rebel to a just and noble princess.

17) Basch (Final Fantasy XII)

Basch fon Rosenburg of Dalmasca was supposed to be the main protagonist in Final Fantasy XII. The story was supposed to be about his struggles as a disgraced knight fighting a giant empire alonside a rebel army. In short, Final Fantasy XII’s story was SUPPOSED to be awesome. Unfortunately what happens instead is Vaan and Penelo are tacked on to appeal to younger gamers right in the middle of production, shifting the PoV of the story and creating a bunch of nonsensical story threads that end up confusing the already complex plot. Essentially XII goes from being Vagrant Story awesome to incomprehensible hard to enjoy. Yet somehow Basch still comes out of it all smelling like a rose. His chivalry and courage never waiver, and no matter how much Vaan berates him, Gabranth mocks him or Ashe slaps him, Basch patiently endures. I hated XII (mostly because I hated the gameplay and the fact that the story loses focus halfway through) but I absolutely LOVE Basch.

16) Squall (Final Fantasy VIII)

I have real issues with Final Fantasy VIII, but not necessarily with Squall. Although his moping and sulking can get tiresome, his flat deliveries can also be amusing (especially when he tells poor Quisitis to go talk to a wall). Squall is somewhat of an underdog, but he quickly proves he's more than capable in battle and missions and soon gets the upper hand against his enemies, including Seifer. He also learns to stop being quite so antisocial and to care for others. Squall has some cool moves in battle, a good story and a few good lines, and that’s what cements him on the Top 100.

15) Cid (Final Fantasy VII)

Cid is in just about every Final Fantasy game there is, but it's his Final Fantasy VII persona that makes him super cool. Cid is the leader of the people of Rocket Town, and dreams of becoming the first man in orbit. He's not some nerdy scientist though. He's a chain smoking, a$$-kicking astronaut! Too cool.

14) Kain (Final Fantasy IV)

Kain is a Dragoon and frenemy of Cecil. He starts off as Cecil’s best friend, but later it’s revealed that the Dragoon is jealous of Cecil and Rosa's relationship and is struggling to understand his place in the world. This makes him the highly suggestible type, and so it's easy for Golbez to put Kain under a spell that makes him turn on his friends (twice!). Luckily Kain is finally able to shake his demons off and the last we see of him he’s making his way to the top of Mt. Ordeals to become a Paladin. But Kain isn’t just on this list because he’s a complex character. He’s also extremely useful in battle, able to leap out of the way of incoming attacks and bop the enemy on the head on the way back down, He's also handy with a spear. For all these reasons, Kain Highwind makes the list.

13) Porom/Palom (Final Fantasy IV)

The adorable twins are best known for their heartbreaking sacrifice in Final Fantasy IV, but that’s not the only reason they’re on this list. Palom and Porom are also a fun and formidable duo, teaming up to rain magic down on their enemies and breaking up tense moments in the game with comic relief. They're not in Final Fantasy IV for that long, but their sunny personalities, adorable theme music and selfless behavior earn them a very high spot in the Top 100.

12) Tidus (Final Fantasy X)

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I know that some of you didn’t like Tidus, but I felt that his character progression is significant. Tidus is confused and whiny at the start of Final Fantasy X, but by the end he’s not only a full-fledged Gaurdian but a reliable leader. He learns to stop complaining and think of solutions to help both Yuna and Jecht, though he never loses his upbeat attitude. In short, I like Tidus. He’s young and adventurous and he grows tremendously as a person by the time Final Fantasy X ends.

11) Tifa (Final Fantasy VII)

She’s a fierce martial artist, she’s the popular girl who everybody likes, and she's 100% loyal to Cloud. What other reasons do I need to put Tifa on this list?

10) Terra (Final Fantasy VI)

Terra is the quasi-main protagonist of Final Fantasy VI and easily the most memorable character, with her green hair, big eyes and crazy magic abilities. In battle Terra can turn into her Esper form, which increases her attack skills and makes her even cooler. Terra also has a big heart, and spends much of the game trying to find love. Happily she finally finds it both in General Leo and in adopting a group of orphaned children at the end of the game. Terra's large heart and strong will make it easy for me to include her on my list.

9) Cyan (Final Fantasy VI)

You didn’t think I’d forget Cyan, did you? How could I forget the noble and eloquent knight of Doma Castle? The gentle family man pushed to the brink when his wife and daughter are poisoned by Kefka? The shy and gentle soul who writes letters to a lonely girl posing as her deceased boyfriend so that she won’t feel the same sorrow that he does? Or how about the AWESOME swordsman who can slice and dice his opponents in the blink of an eye? Never! "Mr. Thou" is one of my all-time favorite Final Fantasy characters for all of the above reasons, and so of COURSE he’s not only in the Top 100, he’s in the Top 10.

8 Auron (Final Fantasy X)

Tall, dark and handsome. That is the best way to describe Auron. Or perhaps tall, dangerous and gruff is a better description. He is a man of few words, but what he lacks in social skills he makes up for in strength. Auron, you see, is THE tank in your Final Fantasy X party, his gigantic sword able to slice through just about any armor. Auron is also well-versed in the fight against Sin, and offers the younger party members sage advice on their journey to Zanarkand. He’s fearless, but that might have something to do with his unique status as an Unsent. He’s also got a wry sense of humor, and will laugh or chuckle at unexpected times. In conclusion, I love Auron, I love that sexy scar and I love Matt Mckenzie for giving Auron an awesome voice.

7) Rydia (Final Fantasy IV)

You may have noticed that I’m a big Rydia fan. That’s because Rydia is an amazing character who’s had to endure a LOT in her young life. First Cecil and Kain kill her mother and destroy her village (though it was an accident), then she is forced to confront her fears on a daily basis by fighting monsters and mages with fire (which she hates), and finally she gets swallowed by Leviathan while on a ship. In short, she’s already a grown-up before she ever steps foot in the Land of Monsters. When she returns to Cecil as a full-fledged adult, it's not that's she emotionally more mature, because she's already faced so much. It's that she's grown physically and magically, able to call on VERY powerful monsters and also able to weild powerful black magic, which includes the always amazing Meteor. Rydia's abilities as a black mage and her impressive powers as a Caller land her high on my Top 100 list, but it's her strong will and willingness to confront her fears and forgive her enemies that cements it.

6) Aerith (Final Fantasy VII)

Aerith is not the first Final Fantasy character to sacrifice her life in order to save her friends or save the world. There are other characters on this list who did that before her (Palom and Porom, Gilgamesh, Galuf). But Aerith’s death is a real moment of pathos for Final Fantasy players around the world because she isn't just a side character. She's a MAIN character, and an important one at that. Aerith is able to heal your party members in battle with Cure spells, is one of two love interests for Cloud, and is key to saving the planet from JENOVA and Sephiroth. Thus her sudden and violent demise in VII is shocking and heartbreaking to watch, and to this day the first few notes of "Aerith’s Theme" make me cry. Luckily she reappears in games like Kingdom Hearts and Crisis Core, so you get to team up with Aerith again which is really cool. Aerith's mix of naïve and world weary, kind and humorous make her endearing. For that Aerith makes not just the Top 100, but the Top Ten.

5) Yuna (Final Fantasy X)

Yuna is my hero. Anyone who can bravely sacrifice themselves to save the world and smile through their fear and pain is an absolute role-model. And that’s what Yuna does throughout the entirety of Final Fantasy X. Never once does she let the genuinely nice but clueless Tidus in on her fate, thus shocking the audience when it’s finally revealed that any Summoner who fights Sin will die after they defeat it. Yuna actually isn’t so much afraid as she is sad, sometimes wishing she could just live care free without such a heavy burden on her shoulders. But Yuna doesn’t get caught up in herself. She knows that somebody has to stop Sin, and that it is up to her to try. Luckily Yuna is able to defeat Sin WITHOUT sacrificing herself, and even gets to go on her very own (silly) adventure in Final Fantasy X-2. But Yuna is not on this list because she’s a Gullwing. She’s on this list because she’s a selfless and courageous Summoner who cherishes the lives of those she loves more than her own. Go Team Yuna!

4) Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)

I know that some of you are tired of Sephiroth fanatics, but Sephiroth is iconic for a reason: hes a strange blend of evil and pitiful, of smart and naïve, and on top of that he’s completely crazy. Plus, he's UBER HAWT! There’s something sexy about that long hair, long sword and enigmatic smirk. And so here he is on the list.

3) Kefka (Final Fantasy VI)

Kefka over Sephiroth? How is that possible, you think to yourself. But why so surprised? After all, Kekfa initially WON. After using mind control on Terra, poisoning Doma Castle, manipulating the emperor (then killing him), and finally obtaining incredible power, Kekfa turns himself into a living god and basically DESTROYS THE WORLD. By the time you recover from the events on the Floating Continent, Kefka lives in a tower of ruins and is worshiped by a group known as the Cult of Kefka. Kefka is hands-down the most evil villain ever to appear in a Final Fantasy game, although strangely he is also the funniest. Kefka has a real warped sense of humor, and his declaration that the heroes sound like walking self-help books cracks me up to this day. In short, Kefka is a super facinating character, and thus makes the list at a strong #3.

2) Cloud (Final Fantasy VII)

Cloud starts off as an awkward, unpopular kid who nobody likes and nobody respects. But by the end of Final Fantasy VII Cloud is a kick-a$$ swordsman and a fierce leader that everyone admires and everyone respects. His journey is long (and confusing), but Cloud triumphs over heartbreak and adversity and becomes a true hero. His place on this list at #2 is no accident.

1) Cecil (Final Fantasy IV)

For me, Cecil is the quintessential hero. He starts out as a Dark Knight, fiercely loyal to his king, until one day the king orders him steal a crystal from the mage city of Mysida, where several innocent people die trying to protect it (the reason they do, as one Black Mage points out, is because the crystal is “not just jewelry.”) After this terrible incident Cecil begins to question his own actions, and after being tricked into destroying the village of Mist,Cecil vows to never again go against his conscience. He has a hard time wherever he goes however, due to his past actions and reputation as a fearsome Dark Knight. It’s not until Cecil confronts his demons and turns into a Paladin that he is able to gain people's trust. Cecil is capable of deep love and compassion, both symbolized in his relationship with Rosa and his friendship with Rydia, whom he protects even though she (understandably) hates him in the beginning of the game. He is also quite empathetic, willing to help other people at the drop of a hat and also willing to forgive his best friend Kain’s (many) betrayals. For all of this, Cecil is #1 on my list of Top 100 Final Fantasy Characters.

Author's Note: Now, I know what you're thinking. Where is Rinoa!? Where is Lightning? What about Eiko? Or Ingus? Where is GoGo, or the lovely citizens of Zozo? Alas, some of these names originally appeared on my list, but were either bumped down until they fell off of it or were yanked off to make way for somebody else. So I apologize if you're a fan of Maria from Final Fantasy II, or a Lenna fan from Final Fantasy V, if you like Guy or Edea or Amarant. There are only 100 places for hundreds of Final Fantasy characters. If you don't like my list, I strongly encourage you to make your own. At any rate, I hope you've enjoyed my efforts; it took me hours to do all of this and I tried really hard to please both myself and the readers.