Highlights
- Characters in Final Fantasy 9 undergo significant transformations, finding resolution in their backstories and returning to their roots with purpose.
- Garnet becomes queen, Zidane miraculously returns, and Eiko gains a new family, showcasing happy endings for beloved heroes.
- Relationships evolve, with Freya reuniting with her lost love, Steiner loosening up, Vivi leaving a legacy, and Quina returning to the kitchen.
Like in any RPG, players will spend hours with the characters in Final Fantasy 9. They accompany these protagonists on an epic journey across a fairy tale landscape. It's hard not to grow attached to the heroes in that time.
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Naturally, fans may wonder what happens to their favorites. Their concern endures throughout the story and even extends beyond the end. Thankfully, most of the characters get happy endings. In fact, many of their resolutions stem from their backstories, as they return to their roots with a renewed sense of purpose. Bringing their arcs full circle makes the adventure all the more satisfying.
9 Garnet
The Alexandrian Heir Takes Her Place On The Throne With A Boyfriend In Tow
This heroine goes through perhaps the most visible change. She begins as a pampered princess and ends as a hardened leader. This transformation is doubtless due to her adventures with Zidane and his band of ne'er-do-wells. That doesn't mean she abandons her duty.
The game actually concludes with her as a queen. The death of her adoptive mother, Queen Brahne, leaves Garnet as the sole heir to the Alexandrian throne. It initially looks like she'll occupy that throne alone. Thankfully, that's not the case, which ties into another character's fate.
8 Zidane Tribal
The Monkey-Tailed Hero Ignites An Endearing Romance With The Proper Princess
This monkey-tailed thief is the main protagonist of the tale, meaning that players spend the most time with him. Toward the end, it appears that Zidane will perish in a heroic sacrifice. While the other characters scramble to escape the dying Iifa Tree, he goes back to rescue the villain, Kuja. They're both biological weapons used by an alien despot. Likewise, they both seem to die. That is, until the final scene.
During the theater troupe's performance in the epilogue, Zidane miraculously returns. Garnet swiftly embraces him with love and hysterical anger. Audiences assume they live happily ever after in the castle. Truly, it's a fairy tale finish.
7 Eiko
The Orphaned Summoner Gains A New Family
Despite her colorful appearance and upbeat personality, Eiko has a tragic background. Namely, she's the sole survivor of a slaughter. Her native village of summoners was destroyed by the aforementioned alien despot, Garland. A band of Moogles then raises the child, but she still can't fight her sense of isolation.
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Luckily, she gains a new family in the form of Cid and Hilda. The rulers of Lindblum take the girl in as their adopted daughter. One of the final scenes sees her refer to Cid as "Father" for the first time. It will definitely take a whole kingdom to contain her energy.
6 Freya Crescent
The Exiled Dragoon Returns To Her Post And Her Lost Love
Another survivor of a victimized people, Freya is a former dragoon knight of Burmecia. She left her home five years prior to the game's events. Sadly, she regrets that decision when the kingdom falls under attack from Brahne and Kuja. She's especially heartbroken when her lost love, Sir Fratley, suffers from traumatic amnesia and doesn't remember her. At least he's alive.
That fact provides some cautious hope for Freya's future. The two knights rekindle their relationship by the story's end. Fratley may not remember the details, but he still feels an unspoken connection to Freya. This is enough to unite them. In the same vein, the couple sets about rebuilding Burmecia. Of course, Freya isn't the only knight to find love.
5 Steiner
The Rigid Bodyguard Loosens His Morals For The Better
Steiner is a knight of Alexandria. He has an unyielding sense of duty and decorum. Thus, he guards Princess Garnet with his life and is reluctant to accept any outside help. He also frequently competes with Beatrice - a fellow knight, part-time adversary, and occasional guest character. As bothersome as he is, Steiner eventually relents and sees the quality of character in the most unscrupulous outlaw.
He continues guarding Garnet, this time during her reign as Queen of Alexandria. However, he's not nearly as overbearing or stuck-up, leading to happier times all around. He also carries out his duties alongside Beatrice, who's touched by his respect, courage, and a love letter mistakenly delivered to her. This implies that they remain together as fellow knights and lovers.
4 Vivi
Though His Fate Is The Same As Other Black Mages, Vivi's Legacy Lives On
Perhaps no character has as much growth as Vivi. He starts as a timid kid who's thrust into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination. The journey carries an unsettling revelation: he hails from an assembly line of black mages. The villains engineer these mages as mindless drones for the Alexandrian army. A handful of them defect and establish a remote community, but this solace is bittersweet. They only have a lifespan of one year. Fans naturally wonder if this untimely end befalls Vivi.
Sadly, he indeed dies after the game's events. The epilogue details his final farewell to Zidane through narration. On the upside, his children attend the theater troupe's performance in the finale. They and the other black mages are free of tyrannical control and live in peace thanks to Vivi's deeds.
3 Quina
The Giggling Goofball Goes Back To The Kitchen
This thing is among the oddest companions in the whole series. Quina is a chef and a blue mage, but fans aren't sure of its gender or even if it's totally sentient. Despite dwelling in a swamp, Quina is apparently famous enough to warrant hiring by the Alexandrian royal kitchen. The creature displays a childlike innocence throughout these inexplicable exploits. It probably joins the heroes because they have its attention at the moment. Nevertheless, it remains a regular recruit in the ragtag group.
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Fans see this bizarre figure with the others during the epilogue. Not only does it stay in touch with its newfound friends, but it also resumes working in the royal kitchen. Quina is a thing of many culinary talents. Who knew?
2 Amarant
The Cynical Loner Becomes A Team Player Thanks To Zidane
The mysterious Amarant is certainly an unexpected ally. He's originally a bounty hunter hired by Brahne to track the heroes. However, Zidane spares his life and even risks his own to save it. Amarant doesn't know what to make of these selfless actions. His sense of debt leads him to aid the party members and gradually develop a kinship with them.
Like those party members, Amarant attends the theater troupe's epilogue performance in Alexandria. No longer is he trying to settle a score; he genuinely wants to be there. This new lease on life means he'll likely keep in contact with his friends for the foreseeable future.
1 Tantalus Theater Troupe
These Unscrupulous Thieves Reform By The Tale's End
Members of the Theater Troupe fill out the party before the mainline heroes assemble. They occasionally return to fill in the gaps, but they're never more than guest characters to bolster the ranks. They're accustomed to combat in their profession, as they moonlight as thieves. Because of that, they must always stay one step ahead of the law. That dangerous lifestyle sometimes comes back to bite them, such as when Blank is petrified in the Evil Forest. Regardless of these misfortunes, the thieves have an ironclad sense of brotherhood. They demonstrate that bond by aiding Zidane even after he leaves. That mindset leads them to a nobler cause.
The troupe turns over a new leaf, albeit with the same unscrupulous facade. They put their passion to work rebuilding Lindblum. Later, they put on the very performance that serves as the epilogue's centerpiece. To top it all off, Blank returns to normal. This chaotic crew soon becomes famous for heroism rather than theater or thieving.
