Since the beginning of the Final Fantasy series, there has been some iteration of the Warriors of Light, a group of adventurers chosen by the Crystals in order to bring balance to the world. Naturally, the group has since appeared in every mainstream Final Fantasy entry as well as in spinoffs, such as the Dissidia series.
The Warriors of Light have made their most recent appearance in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Much like their iconic predecessors, this iteration of the Warriors of Light can harness the power of the Crystals while still making their own mark on the series. These eight traits are what set the Final Fantasy Origin party from the other Warriors of Light in the series.
8 The Group Is Playable As A Party Of Three
In every game in which they have appeared, the Warriors of Light consisted of exactly four people. Some party members would be replaced by other characters for some reason or another, but the group would ultimately remain a quartet for the rest of the game.
In Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the Warriors of Light starts out with three people: Jack, Ash, and Jed. Although there are five party members in all, the gameplay only allows three characters while in combat. Even the King of Cornelia and his court were confused by this iconic group initially being a trio as opposed to a quartet.
7 This is The Group's Most Modern Incarnation
True to the medieval setting on which the universe is usually based, the Warriors of Light would usually wear clothes that reflected this. In the first three Final Fantasy games, tunics, robes, and mantles were the norm for each party member's default attire.
Although the medieval setting has been retained for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the same cannot be said for the attire. Aside from their uniforms which signifies their jobs, medieval attire has been replaced with clothes one would see today, such as jeans, tennis shoes, and button-up T-shirts.
6 They Carry Dark Crystals
The Warriors of Light in Final Fantasy Origin are unique in the sense that they carry around their own Crystals at all times. While carrying one's Crystal has not seen much use in the main series, it has gained some traction in spin-offs, namely in the Dissidia and Crystal Chronicles series.
Furthermore, unlike in the past, the crystals that Jack and his party possess are rather dark and foreboding in nature. As it turns out, these dark crystals possess the ability to contain darkness exerted by monsters, which will restore the holder's memories in time.
5 Most Of The Party Are Not Human
Although their appearances may suggest otherwise, to say that the main party of Final Fantasy Origin is out of this world would be pretty accurate. In fact, the majority of the party does not hail from Cornelia at all.
As revealed later in the campaign, Jack, Ash, Jed, and Sophia all hail from Lufenia; they have simply offered their services to Cornelia in order to defeat Chaos. The only human in the playable party is Neon, who is the only survivor of the previous iteration of Warriors of Light who challenged Chaos.
4 One of Them Would Become the First Villain
From the kingdom of Cornelia to the Chaos Shrine, it is no secret that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is heavily based on the very first Final Fantasy game. By that same token, Jack Garland, the main protagonist of the game, is also connected to Garland from the original Final Fantasy.
In Final Fantasy Origin, it is revealed that time is stuck in a cycle until the fabled Warriors of Light arrive to defeat Garland. Based on the ending scene, in which Jack is sitting on a throne surrounded by his friends, it is heavily implied that Jack would become the original Garland from the very first Final Fantasy.
3 Jack Possesses a Unique Ability
There is no denying that Jack is one of the more mature Final Fantasy protagonists. From his brusque appearance to the way he brutally finishes off monsters, Jack certainly has a menacing and berserker-like air about him, which befits his serious and taciturn personality.
But even among the party, Jack possesses some abilities unique to himself. In particular, he has the ability to crystallize what looks like the blood of monsters shortly before he kills them. He is the only party member that has this ability, and why he alone has it still remains to be seen.
2 Defeating Chaos is Not Their Only Task
As shocking as it may sound, Jack and his party are faced with another daunting task in Final Fantasy Origin that has little to do with defeating Chaos. This task was given to them by King Cornelia after the party's first battle at the Chaos Shrine.
After defeating the Chaos Advent, which later turned out to be Neon, the four of them return to Cornelia, where the minister is shocked to hear that the shrine was empty. It is here where the King assigns the Warriors of Light their second task: to restore light to the Four Crystals, a task that mirrors the quest from Final Fantasy 3.
1 The Group is Known By a Different Name
As it turns out, the group (except for Neon) hailing from Lufenia is not the only thing that makes Jack and his party tick. After procuring the Four Crystals and finding Cornelia ruined by darkness, the party confronts the Dark Elf King Astos, who reveals the truth behind the group's origins.
According to Astos, Jack and his party are actually a group of Lufenians known as Strangers, who have been masquerading as the Warriors of Light. Their true goal is to monitor the balance between light and darkness as well as to destroy any excess of the latter. This prompts Jack and his friends to join forces with Astos in an attempt to sever the link between Lufenia and Cornelia.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin was released on March 18, 2022, and is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. On July 20, 2022, the game will release the Trials of the Dragon King DLC.