The Final Fantasy series is home to some of the most terrifying villains in video game history. Depending on the entry, most of what makes these villains so compelling is how they are incorporated into the plot. Some spend a great deal of time evoking fear because they are clearly evil, but a select few attempt to conceal their intentions from the protagonists and only reveal their goal when the time is right.
Some of these particular Final Fantasy villains take great pride in their ability to appear innocent, with some even going as far as to join the party for brief periods.
5 Vossler - Final Fantasy 12
Final Fantasy 12 tells the story of an unlikely group of companions on a quest to reclaim their homeland from the Archadian Empire. Set in the war-riddled land of Dalmaca, all those who inhabit the once welcoming land have spent two years being persecuted by the Empire, but things begin changing when Vaan sneaks into the Royal Palace of Rabanastre, where he makes a strange assortment of friends.
The group eventually decides to work together to achieve their goals, which leads them to meet the Resistance, a large group of freedom fighters who wish to loosen Archades' grasp on their home. There, Basch reconvenes with his old friend, Vossler, and the two begin working together again. Though Vossler and Basch share similar goals, Vossler believes that aligning with Archades is the only way to achieve them. He spends a great deal of Final Fantasy 12's first half aiding the party in its pursuits, before eventually betraying them aboard the Leviathan.
4 Gilgamesh - Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 5 follows Bartz on his quest to prevent the world from falling into darkness. Tasked with defeating Exdeath, a warlock in search of the world's crystals, Bartz is forced to team up with an unlikely group of companions as he sets off on a journey wrought with danger. With the power of the crystals, the game's antagonist, Exdeath, hopes to obtain the power of the Void, and in doing so, return the world to nothingness. Exdeath commands great respect from all those who follow him, especially Gilgamesh, his ever-loyal servant.
Bartz and his companions are forced to battle Gilgamesh several times throughout their adventure, but it is only during the final moments of the game that Gilgamesh becomes their ally. Believing he would not be remembered fondly if he chose not to aid the Light Warriors during their attempt to save the world, Gilgamesh joined to party and sacrificed himself in order for them to reach Exdeath.
3 Aranea - Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15 tells the story of a young prince named Noctis who embarks on a quest to reclaim his homeland. Shortly after leaving the Kingdom of Insomnia, Noctis and his friends learn that the Niflheim Empire has taken over his home, forcing the party to explore Eos in search of the power needed to defeat their enemies. On their journey, the group meets an array of unfriendly faces, but Aranea is arguably one of the most intimidating.
Noctis first meets Aranea during his attempt to infiltrate a Niflheim military base. While inside, the famed Dragoon lunges down from the sky and clashes her iconic Stoss Spear weapon against the young prince's blade before the two engage in a rather intense battle. Once the fight concludes, Aranea accepts defeat and leaves. Later, while attempting to acquire mythril in the Vesperpool dungeon, Ardyn assigns Aranea to accompany Noctis on his search. Though she is reluctant at first, she slowly comes to tolerate the party before eventually leaving the Niflheim Empire for good.
2 Seymour - Final Fantasy 10
Upon arriving in Luca in Final Fantasy 10, Tidus and his companions will meet Seymour Guado, a maester of Yevon. As such, he commands a great deal of respect from all those who follow the teachings of Yevon, but there is something off about the way he is first introduced. Accompanied by a rather unnerving theme, Seymour's screen debut can feel quite unsettling, especially due to the monotonous way he addresses the crowd.
After leaving Luca and proceeding along the Mi-ihen Highroad, Tidus and the party meets Seymour once more, but this time, he seems slightly more approachable. Hoping to defeat Sin without the Final Summoning, the group elects to watch the Al Bhed attempt to destroy it with machina. Sadly, Sin proves to be too powerful and manages to withstand the blast, while also destroying the machina weapon in the process. When the dust settles, Yuna, Auron, and Seymour all team up to vanquish a Sinspawn left behind in the wake of the battle. As is expected, Seymour is quite powerful, which makes him even more intimidating when he reveals his villainous intentions later in the game.
1 Sephiroth - Final Fantasy 7
Unlike his role in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Sephiroth spends the opening of the original Final Fantasy 7 mostly unseen. It is only upon infiltrating the Shinra Building that Cloud and his companions begin to suspect that the famed One-Winged Angel still lives, which later prompts Cloud to detail his time working with him when he was in SOLDIER. According to Cloud, Sephiroth wasn't always the villainous being fans will most commonly know him as.
During the flashback sequence, players are given control of Cloud during his visit to Nibelheim. Before he reaches his quaint hometown, however, he and Sephiroth are attacked by a bafflingly powerful Green Dragon, which prompts Sephiroth to join the party. What makes this villain's presence in the party so memorable is how powerful he is; he can deal 3,000 points of damage, but Cloud will struggle to hit triple digits. Sephiroth's inclusion in the party is used to make him appear even more powerful, thus evoking even more fear in all those who witness how he fights.