Since its inception in 1987, the Final Fantasy franchise has been creating some of the most iconic characters in gaming. Each entry in the series, aside from the spinoffs, features a unique selection of protagonists for players to fall in love with, but what is it that makes them so endearing?

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Much of a Final Fantasy game's charm will stem from its characters and how they are presented. Some will rely solely on comic relief to convey their personalities while others will feature emotional and compelling backstories to tug at the player's heartstrings. Characters like this will usually remain in one's mind longer than others, but there is something to be said about the franchise's most honorable characters.

7 Shadow - Final Fantasy 6

Shadow and Interceptor in Final Fantasy 6

Shadow is arguably the most mysterious character in all of Final Fantasy 6. He is first encountered in a tavern with his dog where he makes it clear to the party that he has no interest in conducting business with them, only to reappear later and offer his services as an assassin. Not much is revealed about this elusive sword-for-hire until the second half of the game when the player is given the chance to witness brief glimpses of his past.

Before becoming an assassin, Shadow made a living out of robbing trains with his partner Baram. The two performed countless robberies until, one day, Baram was caught by the authorities. Shadow spends the rest of his life feeling tremendous guilt for abandoning his friend but eventually achieves redemption by saving the world. He sacrifices himself in Kefka's Tower as a means of honoring his deceased friend and returning to his side.

6 Noctis - Final Fantasy 15

Tekken 7 Noctis  victory pose

The opening of Final Fantasy 15 sees Noctis and his three loyal friends setting off on a journey to Altissia. In their absence, however, the Niflheim Empire launches an attack on the kingdom of Insomnia and murders King Regis, Noctis's father.

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Noctis is left devastated after learning the news of his father's passing, but there is no time for him to grieve. Instead, he must scavenge the world in search of the legendary royal arms, ethereal weapons only he is capable of wielding. When the world is plunged into darkness, Noctis learns that the only way to restore it is to sacrifice himself. The game's climax sees him embracing this destiny without hesitation, proving him to be a prince worthy of great respect.

5 Yuna - Final Fantasy 10

Yuna dancing to perform the sending

To honor the sacrifice her father made, Yuna embarks on a pilgrimage across Spira to gain the necessary power to defeat Sin once and for all. The closer she draws to the story's climax, however, the more she begins to reevaluate her purpose in life.

She knows that the final battle with Sin will result in her death, but this knowledge never dissuades her from continuing her journey. It is only when she realizes that Sin is eternal that she gives up her pilgrimage and vows to discover a permanent way to vanquish it. If not for her dedication, Sin would have never been destroyed.

4 Garnet - Final Fantasy 9

final fantasy 9 princess garnet white mage

Princess Garnet sets off on a journey to distance herself from the kingdom of Alexandria after noticing a sinister shift in her mother's character. Luckily for her, a group of bandits disguised as theater actors arrive in Alexandria on her sixteenth birthday to kidnap her.

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Garnet jumps at the opportunity to leave her life as a princess behind and decides to embark on a perilous journey to uncover who she really is. Her mother pursues her every step of the way, however, and regularly attempts to murder her. Garnet isn't one to hold grudges though, evident through her final moments with her mother. She is perhaps the purest character present in Final Fantasy 9, a trait made even more commendable due to the crumbling state of the world around her.

3 Zack - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7

final-fantasy-7-remake-part-2-zack

Before Cloud borrowed his identity in Final Fantasy 7, Zack was one of the noblest members of SOLDIER to ever exist. He idolized his superiors and dedicated his life to trying to replicate their strength. He was a proud SOLDIER, but his devotion to the organization's cause was eventually met with mass betrayal.

Even after being abandoned by the people he once held dear, Zack never sways from his role. His heroic actions during the climax of Crisis Core see him sacrificing himself to protect Cloud, a Shinra foot soldier who Zack regards as his living legacy.

2 Basch - Final Fantasy 12

Basch in FF12

The beginning of Final Fantasy 12 sets out to depict Basch as a villain who betrays an entire nation. During the Battle of Nalbina Fortress, he reveals himself to be acting as a double agent and murders the newly appointed Lord Rasler to further the Archadian Empire's agenda.

It is later revealed, however, that Basch never committed these atrocities and that his twin brother, Noah, used their shared likeness to frame him. Though this betrayal left Basch feeling bitter and rage-filled, he evolves throughout his journeys and eventually finds it in himself to forgive Noah for his actions.

1 Auron - Final Fantasy 10

Auron (Final Fantasy 10)

Auron is possibly one of the most honorable fictional characters to ever exist. He is renowned throughout Spira as one of the greatest Guardians to ever defeat Sin, a description he proves to be accurate time and time again. If not for his actions in Final Fantasy 10, Tidus would never have found his way to Spira and Sin would have thus never been defeated.

Auron embarks on two separate pilgrimages during his time in Spira, with his final venture seeing him putting an end to Sin's reign once and for all. He is the only character in the game to have been a part of Sin's demise on two separate occasions, making him one of the most honorable characters in the entire franchise.

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