Summary
Final Fantasygames are known for being packed full of dialogue, which makes sense considering how long and complex many of the stories are, alongside the characters who always embark on their own lengthy personal arcs throughout the narrative. However, while mostFinal Fantasygames feature incredible endings that tend to stick with players long after the credits roll, the final line can make them all the more emotional and memorable when done right.
This can’t just be any old comment though, as a final quote needs to say something about the game’s themes, narrative, and characters, whether it be a hopeful reflection on the adventure, or a slightly more pessimistic one. Either way, there have been plenty of iconic final lines seen in the series, but which is considered the most impactful of them all?
Before jumping in, this list will only count the final lines said by characters before the credits officially roll, so post-credit or mid-credit quotes won’t be considered.
Final Fantasy 8has one of the strangest endings in the entire series, showing Squall trying to find his way through a large open deserted area afterUltimecia’s time compressionbegins to distort reality. Before he winds up here though, Squall lets out a final line which is actually quite emotional given how he was known to be a very lonely protagonist for much of his life, asking himself whether he can really go through that kind of experience once again after being separated from his friends.
Thankfully, this rather troubling line is soon after paired with a visual of Rinoa finding Squall and reuniting with him in the ballroom, showing that he doesn’t need to be alone any longer thanks to the many friends he’s made along the adventure. While it therefore highlights a core aspect of Squall’s character, it also amplifies the bizarreness of8’s ending in general.
For the first half ofFinal Fantasy 16, all Clive can think about isseeking revengeon the ones who took his younger brother away from him. However, while he is initially fueled by his anger and rage, Clive eventually comes to learn the importance of moving on and trying to save those that he is still capable of helping. By the end of the game, after managing to have a final few words with his brother, who survived the attack, Clive promises that he will change the world, but this time, on “our” terms.
What he means by this is getting rid of the systems and ideologies that drove the world into chaos to begin with, including Dominants, Bearers, and magic. Considering the relationship between Clive and Joshua is very much at the heart ofFinal Fantasy 16’s story, it only seems fitting they would also be the focus of the final line, which sees them changing the world for the better.
Noctis' mission inFinal Fantasy 15is pretty simple: make the journey to his bride-to-be, Lunafreya, so that the arranged marriage can take place to bring peace between warring kingdoms. In classicFinal Fantasyfashion though, the journey is packed full of twists and turns that take a massive toll on Noctis, though thanks to his friends always pushing him on, he eventually grows powerful enough to put an end to the evil Ardyn, using up the rest of his life force as a result.
As he crumbles away into the afterlife, Noctis exclaims with his final breath that the adventure is “finally over,” allowing him to reunite with Lunafereya as they can be seen sitting on the throne together as king and queen. Hearing this from Noctis puts into perspective just how much hardship the prince had to go through to reach Luna and the many sacrifices he made to get there.
Zidane is the fun-loving protagonist ofFinal Fantasy 9who is always getting up to all sorts of mischief in his spare time, and despite how much he matures throughout the game, his goofy side shows itself one final time in the last scene. Disguised as a hooded performer, Zidane begins waxing poeticas if he’s Shakespeare himself, throwing players off before he eventually throws off his cloak and reveals himself to be the one and only Zidane in the flesh.
No fan can ever forget the first time they saw Zidane surprising Queen Garnet for the final time at the end of the game, but this monologue from the plucky protagonist sure did an excellent job at hiding his identity until he was ready to spill the beans.
ThoughFinal Fantasy 13often gets treated like the black sheep of the series due to its linearity and straightforward battle system, one aspect that many fans agree was top-notch and truly impactful was the ending. To prevent Cocoon from being destroyed, Vanille and Fang, two Gran Pulse natives who becomemainstays in the party, become Ragnarok to protect the planet from falling, therefore fulfilling their Focus.
This specific line, which is said by Vanille as the rest of the party look on in amazement, is an unusually serious quote from the often carefree medic of the group, which shows just how much she’s matured throughout the story. It’s also just a poetic note to end on, and an emotional goodbye to some of the game’s most lovable characters.
Cecil,the main protagonistofFinal Fantasy 4, has a pretty unusual relationship with his brother, Golbez. After Golbez becomes corrupted and attempts to steal the Crystals as part of his master plan to take over the world, Cecil and his newfound party of friends are forced to do battle with his cronies until they finally get the chance to take him on one-on-one at the very end. After Golbez’s defeat, the final sequence of the game shows Cecil getting ready for his wedding, but before he says his vows, he decides to reflect on his brother for just a moment while he has a spare minute to himself.
Cecil remarks that he wasn’t simply imagining things when he thought he had heard his brother say “so long” as a parting gift to him before the two separated. It’s a real gut punch of a quote that will catch a lot of players off guard if they don’t have a box of tissues at the ready.
Throughout theFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, it gradually becomes clear that Aerith knows a little more than she’s letting on as if she’s aware of where the party is heading, and the danger they are putting themselves in by embarking on their quest to chase downSephiroth. This is summed up perfectly in this thought-provoking final line of the game where, after feeling a few drops of rain, Aerith comments that she misses the “steel sky,” as if she felt some kind of safety and familiarity being trapped inside the walls of Midgar.
Despite how much the characters complain about Midgar and the way its citizens are treated, this line creates a sense of unease since it gets players to wonder what exactly Aerith is referring to, and how the outside world could possibly be any more dangerous.
At the very end ofFinal Fantasy 10, after a long and arduous pilgrimage, the world of Spira is saved once again from the oncoming threat of Sin, thanks to the sacrifice made by Tidus. As Yuna stands up to give a grand speech to the people of Spira, she ends her hopeful proclamation by encouraging her friends to never forget the memories and friends that may have been lost over time.
On the one hand, this is a heartfelt way for Yuna to tell her people that they should always keep Sin’s victims close to their hearts since maintaining their memories of them allows them to live on spiritually. At the same time, it also feels like Yuna is speaking to herself, ensuring that she will never forget Tidus and the wonderful journey the two embarked on, which created many happy memories that she will never forget.
