Why is Sephiroth praised as one of the best villians?

[KingArachnis]

Hes Gay. Not worth any notable mentioning as far as villains go in pop culture. I will never understand why people were so obsessed with final fantasy games. I for one cant stand lady boy one dimensional Mary-sue characters.

[Albert the fish]

i think appropriately instilled the sense of fear in the player that a good villain is supposed to do. Kefka was effective, but he never really made me sit and think "man, his fight is just going to be fucking hard" the entire game like Sephiroth did. ok i was wrong and his fight was annoyingly easy, but that doesn't change the fact that you felt the sense of power and fear from his character most of the game. Kefka was a brilliantly written character and you knew he was dead evil and a madman, but never really was afraid of him, usually just highly annoyed at the shit he got in your way and his ability to get away from you.

at least the way i see it.

[Lakrin]

Keep in mind that Sephiroth had great presence in the world. He was the hero, perhaps even the savior, that went wrong. I think there have been other, more compelling villains in video games before and since, but Sephiroth was the first big bad from a best-selling hit from an RPG game, if I remember correctly.

[Deleted]

Hes Gay. Not worth any notable mentioning as far as villains go in pop culture. I will never understand why people were so obsessed with final fantasy games. I for one cant stand lady boy one dimensional Mary-sue characters.

A very detailed and instructive post, I cannot wait to read your other 53 posts /sarcasm.

Quick question.

Back when I was a kid and played FF VII on the playstation with 3 CD's ( lol ), I quit after I went back to my starting village or something. Where I think I had to climb up to Sephiroth. How far was I ingame?

Because some CD broke and I never got to play again.

Believe you was close to the end, you was in Nibelheim where things started to unravel, you had a few more hours to go though.

[DemoBytom]

Kefka - Amazing and interesting antagonist. Also insane but him being a joke for a chunk of the game detracts from his epic-ness sometimes

That is the best thing about Kefka IMHO. He's not just an OMG HALF GOD UNSTOPPABLE DUDE WITH 3m sword.. He's just as strong as player most of the time (sometimes even weaker). he's getting stronger and stronger along player.
And I'm sorry but Kefka was just freakin insane.. he didn't want to become new god, he didn't want to reshape world, he just wanted to murder everyone around. Pure chaotic evil character who lived just to kill others, enjoyed it like noone else.
Only great thing about Sephiroth was that he was so strong nobody could face him (untill Claude got stronger)
Kefka was insane murderous maniac.. I still have chills run down my spine when I hear his laugh, his music theme.. That is the villian you'd be afraid IRL the most IMHO.

[satty]

Probably because he was the first villain in FF series that had a real story behind him who didn't feel like just another 'evil guy' that you have to kill in order to save world. All previous villains were just plain evil and didn't even felt much as an actual people. Just an incarnation of destruction. Even awesome Kefka didn't have too much story about him. But in case of Sephiroth you wanted not only to beat him, but to also learn about him. You wanted to know more and more about him, to know why he acts like that and what drives him toward his goal. You never had a chance for that before FF7. Add to this a pretty cool looks and aura of awesomeness and you have a recipe for great villain that Square didn't manage to repeat ever again (at least in main series) - unless you decide to include a certain dad from FFX, but personally i never thought about him as a villain.

Like someone earlier said, FF series never had much luck with their villains. First they were all plain evil (FF 1-6), then you couldn't care too much about them (FF8) only to end as a complete failure in every possible aspect (FF9, FFX-2, FFXIII). The only titles that had any luck were FF7, FFX, while FFXII didn't have as much luck in those terms but it wasn't as bad as previous titles.

[OrcsRLame]

It's everything about the character. It's design, how he's portrayed, his soundtrack, his deeds, his abilities, everything. Even the fact that he was Cloud's villain made him more popular. Before you even see Sephiroth he's established as a total badass when he massacres the Shinra building. Then you get an in depth look at him in Cloud's flashback. The first time you see him fight, Cloud gets one shotted by a dragon, and Sephiroth wtfpwns it with no difficulty. Cloud then describes his fighting as mesmerizing. This is early in the game, so the player isn't used to seeing high level abilities, and in any random battles you get in Sephiroth throws out max level all hitter spells.

The game tells you he's a badass, and then it shows it immediately. He also just kind of owns you anytime you run into him. Then there's killing Aeris, I don't even need to explain that. And Aeris dying sucks your first time through, because you were probably using her as a healer/caster because her stats/gear/limits are very good for that role. You kind of notice when someone mercs your healer. Also, I could give the slightly trollish answer of saying he's the only villain smart enough to take out your healer first, in a cutscene where you can't defend her no less.

His soundtrack is awesome, and just further reinforces that he's a badass. Then the actual final fight against him is rather insane. Supernova = badass. The game basically shoves the fact that he's a badass down your throat at every opportunity.

And to anyone saying Kefka, I still maintain that he didn't, "destroy the world" because he was a good villain. It's more of just the fact that the heroes failed at every opportunity, usually due to very very poor decisions. All the chances your characters have to kill or otherwise stop him just grates on me whenever I try to play 6. It's like, "Guys, he's right there. He's low on HP. He's getting away... Sabin, you could probably still catch him, you're fast and he's gonna be running slow from that last battle. Terra, Cyan, anyone? NO! DO NOT GO CHECK ON BANON, KILL THE CLOWN GUY!!!"

[Deleted]

Always hated him.

He's got nothing on Nemesis, Venom, Kain, or THE JOKER!

Or Deathwing, Illidan, Kil'jaeden, Arthas, Purtresss...

Old Gods...

Horus, Orks, Chaos gods...

Even this guy is better.

Care to explain why instead of coming to boost your post count?

[OrcsRLame]

Always hated him.

He's got nothing on Nemesis, Venom, Kain, or THE JOKER!

Or Deathwing, Illidan, Kil'jaeden, Arthas, Purtresss...

Old Gods...

Horus, Orks, Chaos gods...

Even this guy is better.

Pretty sure he'd WTFpwn most of those guys. ^_^

[Deleted]

Sephiroth is considerer one of the best villain because his game was one of the first RPG that have great popularity. almost everybody that play FF7 (and claim as the best RPG ever) it was their first RPG game or play it ant a early age (11-17 yrs), so they see it with nostalgia.

in my opinion the best RPG ever was shining force 2, a simple tactical RPG from 1993, if i you see it now (without my nostalgic view), it have a bad storyline and graffics, not a long list of stats (HP/SP/ATK/DEF/AGI/Movement) that goes up randomly when you lvl up, you can equip only 1 weapon and an accesory (rings), and each character can carry only 4 items (weapon an accesory equiped included).

But i played it when i was 12, so i see it with the eyes of a 12 yrs old kid.


In my oppinion kafka were better, or magus from chrono trigger (the first battle with him is epic and his music theme), and one of the best villains is Lezard valeth from Valkyrie profile games (a very unknown villain that deserver a place in the rpgs villain list)

[satty]

That is the best thing about Kefka IMHO. He's not just an OMG HALF GOD UNSTOPPABLE DUDE WITH 3m sword.. He's just as strong as player most of the time (sometimes even weaker). he's getting stronger and stronger along player.
And I'm sorry but Kefka was just freakin insane.. he didn't want to become new god, he didn't want to reshape world, he just wanted to murder everyone around. Pure chaotic evil character who lived just to kill others, enjoyed it like noone else.
Only great thing about Sephiroth was that he was so strong nobody could face him (untill Claude got stronger)
Kefka was insane murderous maniac.. I still have chills run down my spine when I hear his laugh, his music theme.. That is the villian you'd be afraid IRL the most IMHO.

Sorry, but even if i think a part of what you say is true (that it is probably the villain you should be afraid IRL the most), as a character in game he is way too one-dimensional. It is almost certainly a personal thing, but i never felt much after killing him. Just standard, 'yay, i've finally killed the boss', while when i was trying to beat Sephiroth i actually felt that i'm completing something. I felt that i'm giving some story a closure (until they ruined it with AC, BC, CC, DC and god knows what more...) and i was actually sad that it was already the end. Did you really felt something like that when you had killed Kefka?

[Sammonoske]

I find it funny how many people here would say any other villain over Sephiroth when they don't even know his lore. Your opinion becomes invalid when you say something stupid like Jenova is pulling Sephiroth's strings.

For me, one thing that separates Sephiroth from the others is that in death Sephiroth can will himself to remain intact in the Lifestream and create avatars for himself. If he wanted to he can re-create another Stigma. Grated if he is given a chance, he can always come back. Not something any other villain can do.

[sef24]

I find it funny how many people here would say any other villain over Sephiroth when they don't even know his lore. Your opinion becomes invalid when you say something stupid like Jenova is pulling Sephiroth's strings.

For me, one thing that separates Sephiroth from the others is that in death Sephiroth can will himself to remain intact in the Lifestream and create avatars for himself. If he wanted to he can re-create another Stigma. Grated if he is given a chance, he can always come back. Not something any other villain can do.

I had that thought that it was Jenova pulling strings till today, if its something I believe is true, why would I research what I "know" is true (although it wasnt)
I appreciate Sephiroth more now...

But I do find it funny that you dont go through the progression of this thread, and go off of the 1st post

[Naturae]

For the same reason people think Hideo Kojima, Masato Kato, and Michael Bay are anything except talentless hacks.

lol'd. Love the Michael Bay part especially.

If Sephiroth ever obtained a Green Lantern's ring, he'd be invincible. His willpower alone makes him a remarkable, almost heroic but not, character.

[Deleted]

I find smart villains a lot better than strong villains. More dept in stroy insted of just godmoding all over the place. All final fantasy characters look rather boring to me.

[Torne]

I love FFVII.... It is what brought me into the FF games. I have beaten it multiple times over the past 8-10 years. On many top villian polls/rankings, I find Sephiroth very often. But I do not get why....

HUGE Spoilers!
-----------------
You first see Sephiroth very early in the game, but in the past. He is looked to be a "good guy" but as the story continues he learns what his true origins were. He becomes mad and filled with rage, killing innocents and burning a town to the ground, only to have the truth of what happened to be hidden by Shinra.
Yea, that is pretty big, and a great part in the game, but look at present time..... You see what looks to be Sephiroth multiple times in the game, but you later find out that it really isnt him, but Jenova disguised as Sephiroth. You really don't see the real Sephiroth till your very deep in the game. He doesnt move, he doesnt say anything during the present time at all if I remember right.

Even when you fight him at the end of the game, he doesnt say 1 word. The only time a "Sephiroth" talks, is when it is really Jenova!

So shouldn't Jenova take Sephiroths place as one of the best villians on gaming history?

It isn´t Jenova, but Sephiroths manifestation through Jenovas Power.
It is confirmed (at least i read somewhere) that Sephiroth has managed to completely absorb Jenova (after the theory came up that sephiroth is in fact only a weak puppet and Jenova is the main villain, only controlling Sephiroth. In response to this some dev apparently said that it is in fact the other way round). When we fight him in the very end, he is the incarnation of himself through the power and cells of Jenova. The part that Cloud fights alone in his "dream" is the true being of Sephiroth.

[Veyne]

Sephiroth is praised as one of the best villians of all time? Really? I wasn't aware of this. I always thought he was just a whiny emo kid with mommy problems.

[turlyonlost to tirion wtf]

Does anyone of you know what happened to everyone at the end of dirge of Cerberus after genesis woke up and saved weiss did sephiroth or genova comeback or some thing?

[Ausr]

Kefka was the best FF villian. Actually succeeded in doing what he wanted to do. Wish they'd design more bosses like that.

[Herecius]

Primarily because while Kefka was arguably the better villain, Sephiroth was one of the first awesome villains that many of the first BIG generation of gamers was introduced to. He had a serious air of malevolence in the game, something that was unequivocally evil. Kefka was dangerous and evil for sure, very awesome in his genius scheming, but Sephiroth was just straight up menacing. It's hard to make a villain seem genuinely threatening simply by their presence alone.

Even bigger, Sephiroth succeeded in a lot of his goal - he essentially obliterated Shinra and Midgard, caused huge amounts of planetary devastation, and very nearly succeeded in becoming a god.

All that said though, Kuja is still my favorite FF villain, though that's just because I adore FFIX.