Highlights

  • A Final Fantasy 9 remake could take creative liberties with the original story, similar to what was done with Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
  • Necron, the true final boss in Final Fantasy 9, could benefit from more lore and development in a potential remake.
  • The rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake should address Necron's minimal backstory to enhance the narrative for a modern audience.

In light of the ongoing success of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, many fans have been wondering where Square Enix will go once Part 3 launches, and whether the developer will remake another classic Final Fantasy game in the same way it has remade Final Fantasy 7. As it turns out, some recent rumors suggest a remake of Final Fantasy 9 is in development, with those rumors even being fueled by Final Fantasy 14's Naoki Yoshida, who said the reason the hugely popular MMO's upcoming Dawntrail expansion has so many Final Fantasy 9-themed extras is a "secret." To be fair, rumors of the remake have been in circulation for a few years now, thanks to an Nvidia leak of upcoming titles. Regardless of if it eventually happens, when examining what Square Enix has been able to accomplish with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series, it's interesting to consider what it might be capable of doing with Final Fantasy 9.

If Final Fantasy 9's rumored remake is real, it has the potential to take some creative liberties with the original game's story, much like the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series has done so far. In fact, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has shaken things up considerably, changing some of the game's most foundational story beats, though the overarching narrative remains intact. Using the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series as an example, it might do well for the rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake to address one of the original game's most common criticisms by adding the story elements essential to fixing it.

Final Fantasy 16 young clive and chocobo
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The Rumored Final Fantasy 9 Remake Should Give Necron a Bigger Stage

Necron Is Final Fantasy 9's True Final Boss

Final Fantasy 9's story is largely driven by its main antagonist, the sorcerer Kuja who desires to rule Gaia with the combined power of the Eidolons. Alongside Kuja are other antagonists, such as Garland, who eventually becomes an ally to the party, and Queen Brahne, the queen of Alexandria. One other antagonist finds his way into the game much later into its story — much, much later. In fact, this antagonist doesn't make an appearance until the game's final moments.

After players finally defeat Kuja, the battle isn't over. Necron, otherwise known as "death itself," unexpectedly appears in the Hill of Despair area and players are tasked with defeating it in what is Final Fantasy 9's true final battle. To this day, Necron's appearance is largely a mystery, despite the occasional Reddit thread here and there where players have gone to discuss their theories. However, enemies as critical as final bosses arguably shouldn't rely on players' theories to explain them, nor a minimal amount of lore. Herein lies the issue that a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake could address and repair.

A Final Fantasy 9 Remake Could Delve Deeper Into Necron

Much like Square Enix has been able to do with Final Fantasy 7's characters in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy in giving them far more character development than they received in the original game, the rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake shouldn't neglect to give Necron the same treatment. To really sell the final boss fight, the Final Fantasy 9 remake could begin delving into who Necron is much earlier in the story. Apart from Necron's desire to reduce existence to a void of nothingness, not much is known about it, so it could use quite a bit more lore in the rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake to build anticipation for his appearance.

Final Fantasy 9 isn't perfect by any means, but it has been one of the franchise's games at the top of many fans' lists for desired Final Fantasy remakes. If it is remade, something undoubtedly needs to be done about Necron. It would not only help the remake's narrative but also fill in the gaps that many fans have discussed for the last two decades.