The Final Fantasy series boasts some of the most recognizable main protagonists in the history of gaming, with many of them even going on to appear as guest characters in other big titles. Part of the reason for this is how well realized the series' heroes are and how much detail goes in to defining their characters and their often elaborate backstories. This isn't always the case though.
When the series' first entry debuted back in 1987, its four main protagonists were but nameless Warriors of Light. What's more, recent online offerings like Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV allow players to customize their characters; effectively meaning that there are no canon heroes in these games. Aside from these exceptions though, each mainline Final Fantasy title has had its own unique main protagonist who has played a vital role in bringing their game's story to life.
12 Firion (Final Fantasy II)
Age: 18
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'11" (Estimate)
Ultimate Weapon: Ragnarok
Firion was born in the town of Salamand and lost both of his parents at a very young age. He was taken in by a new family shortly after their passing, but his adoptive parents are once again taken from him when the town is subsequently invaded by the evil Emperor Mateus' forces. Seeking to avenge their deaths, Firion joins the rebel movement and sets out on an adventure that will forever change his life.
11 Luneth (Final Fantasy III)
Age: 14
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 4' 3" (Estimate)
Ultimate Weapon: Ragnarok
Although the main protagonist of the original release of Final Fantasy III was nameless, the game's 3D remake gives him both a canon name and a real backstory. Much like Firion, Luneth is orphaned at an early age after the airship on which he and his parents were travelling crashes into the floating continent. He later becomes one of the four Warriors of Light after speaking with a magical crystal and, together with his new companions, is given the task of saving the world from the evil sorcerer Xande.
10 Cecil Harvey (Final Fantasy IV)
Age: 20
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'10"
Ultimate Weapon: Lightbringer
Cecil is the first of the series' main protagonists to be given a fully fleshed out backstory and this plays a huge part in the narrative of Final Fantasy IV. His relationship with Kain is one of the driving factors behind the game's plot, as too is his mysterious ancestry. Although he was raised by the King of Baron, his true parents are not revealed until he nears the end of his journey. Due to its shocking nature, the revelation perhaps comes as just as big a shock to players as it is to Cecil himself.
9 Bartz Klauser (Final Fantasy V)
Age: 20
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'9"
Ultimate Weapon: Ragnarok / Brave Blade*
Bartz (or, Butz, as he's known in Japan) lost his mother when he was just a few years old and his father around the time of his seventeenth birthday. Together with his faithful Chocobo companion, Boko, he sets out on the path of adventure and soon stumbles upon it when a meteor comes crashing down to the west of Tycoon. Upon investigating the impact site, he meets a young woman named Lenna and together they set out to repair the four elemental crystals and save the world from an extra terrestrial villain.
8 Terra Branford (Final Fantasy VI)
Age: 18
Birthday: October 18th
Height: 5'3"
Ultimate Weapon: Apocalypse
Little is known about Terra when players first assume control of her in the caves of Narshe. As the game's narrative begins to unfold, however, they soon learn that she is one of a small number of humans capable of using magic and has been controlled by the empire for much of her life. It's later revealed that her abilities are the result of her being the daughter of a magical creature and, together with the rest of Final Fantasy VI's huge cast of playable characters, she sets out to protect her fellow Espers from the evil empire and bring an end to Kefka's reign of terror.
7 Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII)
Age: 21
Birthday: August 11th
Height: 5'8"
Ultimate Weapon: Ultima Weapon
While growing up in the town of Nibelheim, Cloud dreamed of becoming a member of Shinra's elite fighting force, SOLDIER. Unfortunately, however, he lacked the skills required and instead became a nameless Shirna grunt. Things only get worse for the spiky-haired hero when he's subjected to a series of unethical experiments and then can only watch as his best friend is killed as the pair attempt to flee. Upon returning to Midgar, a childhood acquaintance offers him some mercenary work and this leads to him joining the group full time. Together, they embark upon a dangerous quest to bring down Shinra and Cloud's former idol Sephiroth to save the people of Gaia and the very planet itself.
6 Squall Leonheart (Final Fantasy VIII)
Age: 17
Birthday: August 23rd
Height: 5'10"
Ultimate Weapon: Lion Heart
Final Fantasy VIII's main protagonist Squall is just seventeen years old when he first signs up for SeeD and while his training starts out slow and steady, he quickly becomes embroiled in an inter-dimensional plot to take over the world. First, he must work together with his new friends to take down former allies Seifer and Edea, but this is only the beginning of their struggles. The game's true villain, Ultimecia, later enters the fray and it's here that Squall must overcome his toughest challenge yet.
5 Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy IX)
Age: 16
Birthday: September
Height: 5'8"
Ultimate Weapon: Ultima Weapon
Not only is Zidane one of the series' youngest main protagonists, but he is also the only one that has a tail; a telltale trait of the Genome race. Born in the regency of Lindblum, the blond-haired womanizer begins life as an Angel of Death, but goes on to become Gaia's savior after he and his fellow party members take down the evil Necron and prevent the Lifa tree from destroying the entire world.
4 Tidus (Final Fantasy X)
Age: 17
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'9"
Ultimate Weapon: Caladbolg
Born in the futuristic, yet somehow ancient city of Zanarkand, Tidus finds himself transported to Spira following a surprise encounter with the monster, Sin. There, he makes new friends and together they set out to defeat Sin once and for all. He's an all-star Blitzball player with some serious Daddy issues, but most players will remember him for his awkward and off-putting laughter more than anything else. His story is an incredibly tragic one, but is expertly told and accompanied by one of the series' very best soundtracks.
3 Vaan (Final Fantasy XII)
Age: 17
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'7"
Ultimate Weapon: Zodiac Spear
Vaan is a street urchin who hails from the Royal City of Rabanastre. The seventeen year old lives a challenging life on the streets, but things become a whole lot more difficult for him when he finds himself entangled in a political plot that's threatening to bring war and death to the realm of Ivalice. His quest to save his homeland forces him to do a lot of growing up and this leads to him becoming a competent and capable leader in a relatively short amount of time.
2 Lightning Farron (Final Fantasy XIII)
Age: 21
Birthday: Unknown
Height: 5'7"
Ultimate Weapon: Omega Weapon
Lightning often catches a lot of flack due to the linear nature of Final Fantasy XIII. As a character though, she is arguably one of the most well realized in the history of the franchise. A lot of this is down to her having appeared in three different games, but it's also the result of her close personal connection to the games' stories. She's best known for her badass combat skills and sullen personality, although she has also done a bit of modelling work since her Final Fantasy debut.
1 Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV)
Age: 20
Birthday: August 30th
Height: 5'9"
Ultimate Weapon: Ultima Blade
When Final Fantasy XV first begins, Noctis is the crown prince of the kingdom of Lucis, although this changes pretty quickly when his home land is invaded by the Empire of Niflheim. Together with his three friends, he sets out to reclaim the kingdom, although his role in the story is far more significant than he or any of his companions could ever have guessed. More than ten years on from the death of his father though, he finally realizes just how important to the game's story he really is and is faced with an incredibly difficult choice.