STRONGEST Final Fantasy Villain?

[Zteriku]

I know people have there favorite villains, and I know most people know about those super hard hidden enemies in every Final Fantasy, but I've yet to see a poll or a post where people talk about the all around strongest Villain out of them all! Vote in the poll, then write a forums response giving the reasons why you believe they would beat out all of the others.

NOTE: Don't just choose one out of sheer love of them. Think of each games lore, each villain's background, each motive they have for being so evil. (Example: "I pick sephiroth cause he haz a long sword and purty hair!!!").

Make your choice logical!

Now then, I'll give mY choice. Ciaus Ballad is one evil mofo. His motives are actually really sweet, since he's trying to save the girl he's been protecting for hundreds of years. But the fact that no matter what he does Yuel dies from all of the visions she see's, basically makes him snap and builds all of his hate. The Heart of Etro makes him practically invincible, and the sheer hate he has for existence is unfathomable. He would want nothing more than to destroy anything, everything, everyone, AND everytime.

In battle, he would smash EVERY other villain. Think about it. He has been fighting and protecting Yuel for years. His fighting skills rival that of Lightning, who is the guardian of the Godess Etro herself. He has the power to manipulate time and, in the end, he wins. The world is merged with Valhalla and he essentially wins the battle. (Even though he does die.)

So that's my input! I'd love to see what everyone else thinks!

[Rowan]

I know people have there favorite villains, and I know most people know about those super hard hidden enemies in every Final Fantasy, but I've yet to see a poll or a post where people talk about the all around strongest Villain out of them all! Vote in the poll, then write a forums response giving the reasons why you believe they would beat out all of the others.

NOTE: Don't just choose one out of sheer love of them. Think of each games lore, each villain's background, each motive they have for being so evil. (Example: "I pick sephiroth cause he haz a long sword and purty hair!!!").

Make your choice logical!

Now then, I'll give mY choice. Ciaus Ballad is one evil mofo. His motives are actually really sweet, since he's trying to save the girl he's been protecting for hundreds of years. But the fact that no matter what he does Yuel dies from all of the visions she see's, basically makes him snap and builds all of his hate. The Heart of Etro makes him practically invincible, and the sheer hate he has for existence is unfathomable. He would want nothing more than to destroy anything, everything, everyone, AND everytime.

In battle, he would smash EVERY other villain. Think about it. He has been fighting and protecting Yuel for years. His fighting skills rival that of Lightning, who is the guardian of the Godess Etro herself. He has the power to manipulate time and, in the end, he wins. The world is merged with Valhalla and he essentially wins the battle. (Even though he does die.)

So that's my input! I'd love to see what everyone else thinks!

Have you played any other final fantasy?

Sephiroth is probably the strongest. Just look at what he did. He stabbed a 18 year old flower girl in the back, hes obviously the strongest.

[Rhaps]

I'm going to say Mateus Palamecia. Not only was he a great boss fight, but his intellect kept him from being defeated, instead expanding his power at his "demise."

SPOILER!!:

I'm referring to where he is defeated by Firion and the gang and his soul then splits into two entities- One proceeds to conquer hell, and the other conquers heaven. This means that he became God. The one plan of most FF villains, and he did it all the way. If that's not strength, I don't know what is.

[loaf]

Kefka, Kuja and Exdeath usually hit the tie breaker for me.

Kefka accomplished most of what he wanted to do. He eventually got stopped but the power he had at his fingertips was powerful.

Kuja was strong enough to destroy an entire section of a planet and even the crystal for life itself.

Exdeath is one with the void, made out of pure evil. That is most of what I have for him actually.

To me Sephiroth is just a really badass swordsman and that's it. He just summoned a meteor...really.

I still to this day actually like how good of a swordsman he is. Just, not as powerful as at least Kuja and Kefka.

[Freya]

If you compare the amount of destruction, Kefka will win. (Though Exdeath was also really badass when it came to killing a looot of people.)

I mean, really:

SPOILER!!:

He destroyed half of the world!

Compared to the one girl Sephiroth killed - even if she was in your party, which made the scene so dramatic - that's a LOT more!

Caius did nothing, actually. His motives weren't evil at all. He was insane, but that's nothing special as ALL villains of FF are purely insane. Even Vayne was totally insane - and he just sat there and did nothing at all.

[Xanatos]

I'm going to say Mateus Palamecia. Not only was he a great boss fight, but his intellect kept him from being defeated, instead expanding his power at his "demise."

SPOILER!!:

I'm referring to where he is defeated by Firion and the gang and his soul then splits into two entities- One proceeds to conquer hell, and the other conquers heaven. This means that he became God. The one plan of most FF villains, and he did it all the way. If that's not strength, I don't know what is.

Interesting choice, definitely one of the most underrated villains as far as Final Fantasy goes.

Even Vayne was totally insane - and he just sat there and did nothing at all.

Compared to other villains in franchise Vayne is sane as it gets, he pulled all major strings or simply manipulated others to do his bidding, he's to this day only villain who managed to accomplish his goal and not for a short notice like Kefka or Kuja so I wouldn't say he did nothing.

If I had to chose by what makes one a real villain I would go with Vayne, in this case though I chose Kuja as he's perfect mixture of power and intellect. He only blew half a planet apart, overthrew his own creator and manipulated others to go into war for him, and that's just the gist of it.

[T.G. Oskar]

Quote me, but don't debate me. Savor this brief moment.

If you wish to calculate the most powerful villain overall, in terms of execution, personal power, planning, manipulation...look no further than Ultimecia.

In terms of execution, nothing shows more muscle than Kefka's virtual annihilation of the World of Balance (and its turn into the World of Ruin) or Exdeath's consumption of the world into the Void. However, Time Compression beats all. It's less "raw power" and more "subtle yet devastating", as it had more than one purpose: to collapse time into one point, gather the power of all Sorceresses (essentially drawing on the power of the god Hyne itself) and vanquish her opposition in a single blow. No plan is without its flaws, and it was through the Junction Machine Ellone (and its "prototype", Ellone herself, so to speak) that the heroes had a chance to succeed.

Personal power...that's hard to measure. Each villain held the most devastating power in their universe (sans Xande because he was just a way for the Cloud of Darkness to manifest, Golbez because he was a pawn of Zemus, and Zemus because the Creator is evidently more powerful if he can cross dimensions and vanquish people). Garland had the power of the Four Fiends, Emperor Paramecia held power over Hell (and Heaven, if you consider Dawn of Souls), the Cloud of Darkness was the necessary result of an abundance of Light or Darkness and the imbalance therein... Thus, you have to consider which of those powers would be inherently more powerful; hence, consider which of those powers is an eventual inevitability. The three most powerful forces that are inevitabilities are Time, Death and Oblivion (the powers held by Ultimecia, Necron [...ugh] and Exdeath). While the latter two are destructive forces by themselves, Time is a force both inevitable and of a fluid nature. Time, if tightly controlled, could vanquish even Death and Oblivion by not allowing them to flow. Hence, you may consider Time as the greatest power of them all, with Ultimecia having the keenest control over it. Yet, it is one riddled with mistakes; one false move, and Death, Oblivion, and any of the other greater powers could finish it. Considering that Ultimecia then absorbed the power of the other sorceresses...

Planning...well, we have master planners, and master actors. Garland, Xande, Zemus, Sephiroth, Ulty, Yu Yevon and Barthandelus are master planners, because they have an obvious plan; the Emperor, Kefka and Kuja are capable of improvising on their plans, whereas Exdeath is a good planner but doesn't hesitate into hands-on approach (unlike most of the other villains). Only Garland and Ultimecia, however, have plans that are closed loops, thus ensuring that their existence will always remain (chalk that one to Sephy as well, but he made no closed loop; he made himself an element of existence, but a master of Time can erase that). Both Garland's plan and Ultimecia's plan essentially duped the heroes into collaboration (chalk Kefka and Emperor Gestahl into that as well, because the Empire goaded the heroes into leading them into the world of Espers and opening the door, then making peace with the Espers; however, finding out how Espers freely grant their power was an unexpected discovery). In this case, both Garland and Ultimecia have the edge.

Manipulation...that's an adquired taste. Not everyone will desire manipulating enemies as they may find their "sudden" appearance after remaining a while under the shadows a flaw in their popularity or despise (aka, they produce bad heat, making them "inferior" villains), but manipulation involves careful planning and the idea that anyone could be a villain. The villains that have manipulated others defuse heroic anger into their puppets, and create false allies that can eventually become enemies, or cause heroes to disregard former enemies because of how they have acted. Zemus and Ultimecia did exactly this, and their manipulating traits do not make them any stronger or weaker (Emperor Paramecia did this as well, but to a minor extent, with Leon/the Dark Knight). Being a manipulating villain will seem cheap, but it requires an extensive control, akin to a chessmaster moving its pieces. Whatever your opinion is, Ultimecia showed a finer control of her puppets than Zemus did, though it's quite a shock to reveal that Golbez isn't really evil and how he used Kain is, in a villainous sense, admirable. However, that Ultimecia eventually, in her loop, controls Edea, the very founder of SeeD, with her previous knowledge really deserves street cred, particularly when adding Seifer to the mix (who isn't really evil but rather following his dream).

The key point, however, is how, in a way, Ultimecia is the culmination of all earlier bosses. To point:

• As Garland, Ultimecia creates a loop that ensures her events in the world will always happen, tampering with Time to do so.
• As Xande, her plan in compressing time (note that Xande, in a way, held time still for ages) fulfilled a superior purpose. Xande had staving off mortality, Ultimecia had the idea of removing her enemies once and for all with the power of all Sorceresses in her command.
• As Emperor Paramecia, she directly manipulated someone who, ironically, was very important to them. All of the heroes (sans Squall, and Rinoa as she's not orphaned until later on and isn't part of the orphanage), because of their use of GFs, forgot that Edea cared for them and thus are orphans, and it was Edea who took care of them (in the case of Squall, later on). Furthermore, her master plan involved having absolute control of a Time-Compressed world, considering that in her future, she already had control over her time (or else, you wouldn't see that badass castle and the White SeeD slain all over the floor).
• As Zemus, she is a master manipulator, using allies and enemies against the heroes and even tampering with their lives. That she granted her powers to Edea was the ultimate expression of how she tampered with the lives of the heroes before they were even born.
• As Exdeath (and Necron!), she holds power over an inevitable, as I mentioned with Time, Death and Oblivion.
• As Kefka, she fulfilled her purpose. Even if that purpose was eventually reversed, the fact that she pulled off Time Compression successfully is a testament to her personal power and the end result of her careful planning. Considering that the heroes inevitably had to allow Time Compression to happen (in order to actually REACH her palace) makes it all the more insulting.
• And regarding Sephiroth...one point I've always heard from his more intellectually-inclined fans is that he never really lost, that he's just biding time in order to return, and that it's inevitable (his power, however, isn't an inevitable power). Ultimecia did the same. If the heroes had a way to break the loop, it has to consider the fact that without the loop, there's no SeeD, and thus no way to stop Ultimecia at all, so it has to consider NOT being a self-defeating plan.

Now, don't be saying this is because of fanboy-ism. Most of you guys know I'm not exactly an Ultimecia fan (I always vote for Kefka because I hate him, in the "good heat/love to hate him because he does his frickin' job" sense), but even I have to recognize all of that. I apologize if I left Vayne/the Undying and Barthandelus/Orphan outside, but it's been a while since I've played a core FF game, I sadly lack FF 12 because of money issues, and I refuse vehemently to play FF 13, regardless of reasons (and the sequel even less!). Even then, consider these points and determine if Ultimecia is, or isn't, the strongest FF villain overall.

I now leave you again to resume my lurking. Good morning/evening/night.

[JamesLomax]

I'm gonna say Ultemecia, not only did she have control over time. She managed to control many powerful sorceresses as well - Edea, Rinoa, Adel, and the sorceresses of the past. Managed to junction herself to a gf, and was pretty much mad with power as well. Although Yu Yevon as well, managing to turn summons into sin, taking control of Jecht etc.

[Kyrel]

I'm gonna say Ultemecia, not only did she have control over time. She managed to control many powerful sorceresses as well - Edea, Rinoa, Adel, and the sorceresses of the past. Managed to junction herself to a gf, and was pretty much mad with power as well. Although Yu Yevon as well, managing to turn summons into sin, taking control of Jecht etc.

You are mistaken, Ultimecia can't control time, she even needed to use Dr. Odine's Junction Machine Ellone to send her consciousness to the past. She is only shown being able to control time in Dissidia, but Dissidia also ruined a lot of other things.

The Emperor is probably the most powerful out of all the villains' normal states.
In their ultimate forms, Kuja and Exdeath are also top-tiers.
However, if all the villains were to attain their goal, I think Ultimecia would be the most powerful.

[Lacquer Head]

Well, it really depends. They were all defeated in combat by angsty teenagers...but Ultimecia kind of destroyed the universe...

Chaos: ...managed to stay alive by time travel...once.

Paramecia: Defeated Satan and became God and Satan...some how. He sure didn't seem very powerful though.

Xande: Weeeeeeeak. Cloud of Darkness is a contender though, considering she kinda almost destroyed all of existence as well

Zemus: Nope.avi

Exdeath: A tree that controlled some massive power and then got defeated by it...NEXT

Kefka: Well, he became the ruler of the world. He caused the apocalypse and stuff, but still didn't really have much power.

Sephiroth: ...he was pretty good with a sword

Ultimecia: DESTROYED EVERYTHING EVER

Kuja: Destroyed a planet and destroyed existence...but the method isn't all that impressive.

Sin: Giant whale that could destroy anything in it's path with a kamehameha out of its mouth. Didn't accomplish much more than genocide though. Also had it's ass kicked a lot.

Vegnagun: Had the power to destroy all of Spira, kinda powerful I guess. Still just a canon though.

Ok, Ultimecia had her fair share of help as well, but she came the closest to ending everything ever herself. Maybe CoD as well.

[C.A.]

Well, it really depends. They were all defeated in combat by angsty teenagers...but Ultimecia kind of destroyed the universe...

Not it isn't depends. All were defeated. Half of protagonist were teens except I, IV, VI, VII, XII, and XIII.

Chaos: ...managed to stay alive by time travel...once.

That's Garland,not Chaos. But he did died.

Paramecia: Defeated Satan and became God and Satan...some how. He sure didn't seem very powerful though.

Ugh. Beginning in II, he is already taken over the towns and villages. P.S. He took over Hell and HE WASN'T GOD. He was the Emperor. Powerful one

Xande

: Weeeeeeeak. Cloud of Darkness is a contender though, considering she kinda almost destroyed all of existence as well
Can't say about III because I haven't finish it. Either way, she is a powerful entity.

Zemus: Nope.

Ha. How? ...
His spirit "Zeromus" lives in the hatred of humans. His physically body gone but not his spirit. He can reborn again.
Powerful

Exdeath: A tree that controlled some massive power and then got defeated by it...NEXT

However, He IS STILL POWERFUL. Of course he will get defeated. That's what the protagonist do in every FF story. They save the world.

Kefka: Well, he became the ruler of the world. He caused the apocalypse and stuff, but still didn't really have much power.

He wasn't the ruler of the world. He destroyed life's existence and built a tower. He was powerful mage because all the magic he sucked but compare to the others he is weak.
(don't kill me VI fans. Just being logic)

Sephiroth: ...he was pretty good with a sword

whut?. HELLO...JENOVA. HE SUMMONS A FREEAKING METEOR. Most offensive spell in FFVII and I think FFIV? Anyway, it almost destroy the world and it's affects hurt the planet and the people.
Also, he can do shaft-shifting, black magic, and telepathy. plus, an excellent swordsman, a rare in most FF villains which they only can do to cast magic -_-. Like Zemrous, he can reborn again like he did in FFVII:AC. However, according the the FFVII Ultimana, he DID hold back which it's sucks.
Powerful

Ultimecia: DESTROYED EVERYTHING EVER

Wrong. No, she didn't. But she is powerful but compare with other FF villains, she is weak.

Kuja: Destroyed a planet and destroyed existence...but the method isn't all that impressive.

Wrong. He just destroyed Terra not Gaia. Who cares about his methods. He's powerful mage although he is not the true Angel of Death.
However, he isn't a villain. He wasn't evil. Main Antagonist,yes, but not a villain.

Sin: Giant whale that could destroy anything in it's path with a kamehameha out of its mouth. Didn't accomplish much more than genocide though. Also had it's ass kicked a lot.

lol WHA?! Sin was just a tool. Final Fantasy X don't have a main or true antagonist at all. Really X don't have a villain. Well, Semyour and Jecht are personal antagonist for Yuna and Tidus, but not the main antagonist in X.
Skip X.

Vegnagun: Had the power to destroy all of Spira, kinda powerful I guess. Still just a canon though.

Skip X-2

Skip XII because Vanye don't cut as the strongest FF villains.

I didn't pay attention to XIII series but I will add Bhunivelze instead of Cauis because of Lighting Returns. Cauis isn't a villain. He isn't evil.

Most strongest FF villains.
Paramerica
Chaos from Dissidia and maybe original Final Fantasy
Zemours
Sephiroth
Bhunivelze
Exdeath

in my opinion.

[Xanatos]

Not it isn't depends. All were defeated. Half of protagonist were teens except I, IV, VI, VII, XII, and XIII.

Certain villains were defeated but still managed to end up victorious. Take Vayne for instance, despite defeat he managed to accomplish his goals and not for a short notice like some villains.

He wasn't the ruler of the world. He destroyed life's existence and built a tower. He was powerful mage because all the magic he sucked but compare to the others he is weak.
(don't kill me VI fans. Just being logic)

The fact that no one opposed Kefka for quite some time and that he did whatever he pleased, kill masses at a whim, means he did in fact rule over the world, albeit in constant tyranny and fear

whut?. HELLO...JENOVA. HE SUMMONS A FREEAKING METEOR. Most offensive spell in FFVII and I think FFIV? Anyway, it almost destroy the world and it's affects hurt the planet and the people.
Also, he can do shaft-shifting, black magic, and telepathy. plus, an excellent swordsman, a rare in most FF villains which they only can do to cast magic -_-. Like Zemrous, he can reborn again like he did in FFVII:AC. However, according the the FFVII Ultimana, he DID hold back which it's sucks.
Powerful

Even if Meteor was to hit Gaia it would only create damage similar to that of Northern Crater, perhaps bigger. Sephiroth needed planet to be badly wounded to execute his plan not nearly destroyed.

Wrong. No, she didn't. But she is powerful but compare with other FF villains, she is weak.

She did not destroy everything per se, though according to FF VIII Ultimania Ultimecia's dimension was nothing but a mere dust, no towns, no life, not a single soul but her.

Wrong. He just destroyed Terra not Gaia. Who cares about his methods. He's powerful mage although he is not the true Angel of Death.
However, he isn't a villain. He wasn't evil. Main Antagonist,yes, but not a villain.

Kuja tear only half a planet apart, there's even a photo of what Terra looks like after what Kuja did. Kuja's a classic text book villain, albeit a lot more cunning and intelligent, while he did redeem himself to say Kuja is not evil after all he did on his own accord is insane to say the least, and this comes from biggest Kuja fan.

Skip XII because Vanye don't cut as the strongest FF villains.

Certainly not the strongest, though most determined for sure. Vayne sacrificed and lost more than any other villain to achieve his goal, to be honest he's more of an antihero than a villain.