The Fates Of Every Playable Character In Final Fantasy 9

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, especially given how many people consider the ninth mainline entry to be one of the best PS1 JRPGs of all time. Paying homage to the series' roots while retaining all the improvements made during the franchise's golden era was a stroke of genius that helped Final Fantasy 9 stand out as one of the greatest video games ever made, with its eclectic and colorful cast of characters serving as a bonus that fans loved to interact with.

Naturally, fans may wonder what happens to their favorite party members. Their concern endures throughout the story and even extends beyond the end. Thankfully, most of the characters get happy endings. 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 and is one of the many reasons why players can't get enough of Final Fantasy 9's timeless charm and undeniable brilliance as one of the best games in the series.

Updated on July 11, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra:The Final Fantasy series continues to occupy a healthy spot in the mainstream, with many people loving the larger-than-life adventures and mainstays of the series that they're quite familiar with at this point. The modern titles may have forsaken the turn-based roots of the series to focus on action, but players can always revisit the classics if they want to channel the nostalgia they feel for the best games in the series, with Final Fantasy 9 being a shining example of the same. The fact that many people consider this title to be the best PS1 Final Fantasy game of all time is huge praise, with the lovable cast of characters being as endearing as they come and compelling many players to be invested in each character's arc until the very end.

Garnet Til Alexandros XVII AKA Dagger

The Alexandrian Heir Takes Her Place On The Throne With A Boyfriend In Tow

• Class: Summoner
• Trance: Eidolon

Garnet is the heroine of this tale, a princess who is disillusioned by royalty and joins Zidane in his roguish adventures to escape her dark future. She goes through perhaps the most visible change, starting as a pampered princess before becoming a hardened leader. This transformation is doubtless due to her adventures with the gang.

At the end of Final Fantasy 9, it's clear that this princess doesn't abandon her duty. The game 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, as players find out when a character makes a surprise appearance at the end.

Zidane Tribal

The Monkey-Tailed Hero Ignites An Endearing Romance With The Proper Princess

• Class: Thief
• Trance: Dyne

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 as one of the most beautiful Final Fantasy songs of all time caps off this emotional sequence. Audiences assume they live happily ever after in the castle. Truly, it's a fairy tale finish.

Eiko Carol

The Orphaned Summoner Gains A New Family

• Class: White Mage
• Trance: Double White

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.

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, which is a tear-jerking moment since players have already witnessed how sad she is to not have her parents around when she needs them the most. It will take a whole kingdom to contain her energy.

Freya Crescent

The Exiled Dragoon Returns To Her Post And Her Lost Love

• Class: Dragoon
• Trance: Continuous Jump

Another survivor of a victimized people, Freya is a former dragoon knight of Burmecia. She left her home five years before 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.

Adelbert Steiner

The Rigid Bodyguard Loosens His Morals For The Better

• Class: Knight
• Trance: Tripled Physical Attack Power

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, letting this beloved character enjoy a happy ending that fans are more than glad to witness.

Vivi Ornitier

Though His Fate Is The Same As Other Black Mages, Vivi's Legacy Lives On

• Class: Black Mage
• Trance: Double Black

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 via an emotional 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, which adds a melancholic touch to a person many people consider to be the best character in Final Fantasy 9.

Quina Quen

The Giggling Goofball Goes Back To The Kitchen

• Class: Blue Mage
• Trance: Cook

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 sentient. Despite dwelling in a swamp, Quina is 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.

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. Given how much she loves cooking enemies in the middle of battle, it isn't a stretch to assume that Quina is a person of many culinary talents. It's the perfect fate for a character who is nowhere near as complicated as some of the other party members in Final Fantasy 9.

Amarant Coral

The Cynical Loner Becomes A Team Player Thanks To Zidane

• Class: Monk/Ninja
• Trance: Elan

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, helping him finally enjoy the good things in life instead of being surrounded by a life of bloodshed and violence.

Tantalus Theater Troupe

These Unscrupulous Thieves Reform By The Tale's End

• Job:Thief (All)
• Trance: None

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. Given the fun introduction to the events of Final Fantasy 9, it's easy to see why fans were more than elated to see these jolly rogues enjoy a happy life at the end of this grand adventure.