The Final Fantasy series, despite its numerical sequentialism, is not an endless series of sequels. Each new number defines a new universe, independent of the others. There are intentional references and homages, of course, across games. Recurring elements, repeating names, and reused themes. As the franchise has gotten more popular, however, the walls between the games have broken down. The connections between all Final Fantasy games are more defined than one might think. While the canonicity of connections is debatable at best, they do exist. Let’s go over the myriad connections and how they function.
Shared Aspects
From the beginning, Final Fantasy has established things that the developers would reuse. The original game features four elemental crystals that would recur again in the third, fourth, fifth, and beyond. Even when the crystals are absent, the concept of the four classical elements is a common motif. Creatures like Chocobos and Moogles would keep reappearing after they made their first appearances. After a character named Cid appeared in the second installment, new Cids would appear in most future games. Square could not help but ensure that things like jobs, locations, and even weapon names would be reused.
All of this creates a cohesive idea of what a Final Fantasy game is. Magic spells are named things like Fire and Blizzard. Characters can be Paladins or Dark Knights. Chocobos and airships provide travel opportunities. And of course, protecting the crystals from evil is a tried and true goal. Even as crystals took on new forms like magicite and materia, the core concept remained in place. While the games could still claim to be separate, we all knew what it meant when a Final Fantasy game would come out. Mages didn’t suddenly have all new spells to cast! Consistency was part of creating a franchise identity. All Final Fantasy games felt like part of one series.
Deeper References
However, developers would not stop there. Certain direct crossovers would start to appear as developers couldn’t help themselves. An early example can be seen in Final Fantasy’s V and VI. A mimic named Gogo, seemingly the same character, appears in both titles. A secret boss in FFV, they could be found in an interdimensional space in FFVI and become a party member. While many debated their true identity, the developers confirmed it was intended to be the same character in essence. Another example from FFV is the character of Gilgamesh. This boss becomes lost in the space between dimensions and would show up in other games seemingly as a direct traveler across worlds.
In Final Fantasy X-2, the franchise’s first (but not last) direct sequel, a character named Shinra appears. Not only is this the same name as the villainous family from FFVII, but further implications are made. Shinra talks about wanting to harvest energy from planets and go to space, sounding a lot like the goals of the Shinra Corporation. Developers would confirm this was intended to be interpreted as Shinra going to another planet and beginning the events of FFVII. While many consider this non-canon, it shows the developers were thinking about more connections. Even FFIV: The After Years implies its villain has destroyed the other NES and SNES games and is coming for FFIV next.
Crossover Games
The concept of crossing over the characters for real started to happen in ancillary media. The fighting game franchise Dissidia was a bridge to bring all Final Fantasy games and their characters into one place. Further spinoffs of Dissidia in the mobile world would continue this trend. Other mobile games would also see characters get used as interdimensional travelers brought together to fight. As a company focused on storytelling, many of these crossover games would see characters bond and talk. This was more than cheap fanservice, and the intent was to see what these characters are like when they meet. For some, this was how the franchise should be treated.
Many consider Final Fantasy XIV, the second MMORPG in the franchise, something of a Final Fantasy theme park. The idea is that all Final Fantasy games will be referenced within it. While it has its own plot, characters directly taken from other games serve as major characters or boss encounters. Krile from FFV is translated into a main companion, and bosses from FFV and FFVI serve as wings of the Omega raid series. Cities and dungeons are named after locations from throughout the franchise. At its core, the game tries to balance its ideas with delightful fanservice and references. This makes it a well-regarded game for those who want to see their favorite games referenced and revisited.
Final Thoughts
Final Fantasy works well by making each installment its own story. Someone can pick up Final Fantasy XVI, the most recent game, as its own experience. Remakes and remasters of old games can stand on their own as a way for someone to experience one particular game. Without being stuck in a sequel mindset, the company gets to explore new ideas more freely. And yet, the idea of a crossover between the games is appealing. Seeing characters together feels great. Watching them explore their similarities gives ideas for character growth not possible in the solo installments. All Final Fantasy games do belong together, whether it’s in crossover or as their separate experiences.
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