So then: Sephiroth and Kefka.

[CloakedSchemerX 1,011]

Yes, the two most BELOVED villains of all Final Fantasy times.Sephiroth-- His main accomplishment is being just plain bad*ss and killing a beloved party member.Then there's Kefka-- He had a psychotically awesome personality, great quotes, and successfully pulled off part of his plan. He wrought the world into a wasteland.Also, they both have awesome themes.But I'm not comparing and contrasting them, no, no. I'm just here to ask why are those two the most beloved?For example:EXDEATH. He came before both Kefka and Sephiroth, and guess what? He was bad*ss. He killed off a beloved party member. And most of all: He banished most of the world to the void-- YEAH, KEFKA WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO SUCCEEDED.So tell me: why are Sephiroth and Kefka so much more beloved?And similarities with Exdeath aside, there's also Garland who turned to Chaos to live in a never-ending time loop.Mateus as well, who once ruled Earth-- soon to rule both Heaven AND Hell. 

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

I think they're the most beloved because they were the most memorable.  Whenever a person thinks of a Final Fantasy villain, they're bound to think of either of these two.  Not to mention they both have much more development than most villains in the Final Fantasy franchise, which I do think plays quite a contributing role.  For me, I just prefer them because they're rather interesting individuals in comparison to other villains.  They truly had a purpose for being villains; they weren't just thrown in the game for the sake of having an antagonist.

[Hei 3,233]

But in all seriousness, it's probably due to how popular the games were

[Silvia Kuroi 1,480]

It's probably Kefka's personality that he is so memorable. I mean, when most fantasy games have a stereotypical villain; an insane clown with god powers is probably a really neat thing for a change.

[xxClouDxxmoon 901]

Sephiroth seems to just represent evil.

[catmaster0116 2,676]

Maybe its because Kefka and Sephiroth have a definite and recognised character forms with relatively well developed histories.

 

Garland: Villain if FF1 who became chaos is always known as a hulking knight who fell from grace - but why did he kidnap Sarah in the first place? And his appearance is inconsistent throughout the games - his most notable form is probably his Dissidia Attire.

 

Mateus: Again similar to Garland with inconsistent appearances between the older and newer remakes PLUS from memory he didn't have much character development...it kinda sounded like he was just an evil emperor to be overthrown and without any explanation how or why he rose to power. But him ressurected as god of heaven and purgatory was pretty awesome.

 

Cloud of Darkness: She/it gets screen time as the final boss...otherwise she/it doesn't have much of a story behind her

 

Golbez and Zemus: Golbez is one of my favourite villains with a solid story behind his - but it turns out Zemus is the true enemy with very little character development (he is almost comparable to Cloud of Darkness appearing only at the end with no mention throughout FFIV)

 

Exodus/Exdeath: Good character development, nobody likes him because he is in essence an ugly tree with an ugly name...indeed an ugly tree with a badass plan to reduce the world to the nothingness. If Exdeath had a different appearance then things may have been different. And nobody probably has heard of him due to him being from the 'older FF series'.

 

I personally love Kefka, Kuja and Sephiroth, if I should one day fall into the pits of insanity - I'd very much like to become like them. These characters have good character development (Although Kefka's isn't obviously stated in the game unlike Sephiroth's unfortunate birth history and Kuja's story)

 

 

Thats my 2 cents worth of why I think people love Kefka and Sephiroth

[axele 151]

Sephiroth is popular because he's in FF VII if he was in a more less known FF like FF V or FF III then most fans would be like " Sephiroth... who ? "

 

Plus he's a Draco in Leather Pants, a attractive bad guy so the fangirls want him.

 

Kefka is popular because the FF 6 fans got together and pushed him up there. They all used their voices to give Kefka attention and it worked.

[I♥KH 1,280]

They popular, because they desing is a not typical, clise. 

They fans is made they popularity too: 

 

I think they not not typical vilains, The1,2, and the 4. 5. FF vilians is just armored characters, followed the european fairy tales villians design.

The 4, was the Cloud of Darkness--She's design is boing,and she like a "evil witch". 6-Kefka like a Mad Clown . When the game is released, this wasn't tipical evil.:

/wikipedia:While previous villains in the Final Fantasy series were distant, cold, ruthless, and bent on their goals, Kefka is loud, short-tempered, maniacal, and destructive. His popularity among Final Fantasy fans as a villain is rivaled only by Sephiroth./

And Sephi: : everyone loves Nomura's desigh.....

[Hardrada 117]

Eh, I always thought jecht was the best ff antagonist. He had the most personal connection with the party of all the games, and isn't actually an evil guy.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Hardrada

[Dave 5,715]

In the case of Exdeath and the Emperor, I think one of the big reasons that they never got to be as famous is because FF II and V weren't released in North America for a very long time, so a good many people never became as familiar with them as the other Final Fantasy characters.

 

FF VI and VII were in the right place at the right time. Both latched onto console RPG's when they were at their biggest during the mid nineties. Kefka had the benefit of being marketed through the very popular SNES, and Sephiroth was, of course, part of the Playstation revolution. As for why they have stayed popular, I believe it is through strength of character and durability of the stories they inhabit.

[dusk 910]

In the case of Exdeath and the Emperor, I think one of the big reasons that they never got to be as famous is because FF II and V weren't released in North America for a very long time, so a good many people never became as familiar with them as the other Final Fantasy characters.

 

FF VI and VII were in the right place at the right time. Both latched onto console RPG's when they were at their biggest during the mid nineties. Kefka had the benefit of being marketed through the very popular SNES, and Sephiroth was, of course, part of the Playstation revolution. As for why they have stayed popular, I believe it is through strength of character and durability of the stories they inhabit.

It is all thanks to extremely nice coat of Sephiroth

 

But yeah, ExDeath is really nice villain, but he kinda lacks that personality what made everyone love Kefka

and he doesn't have nice coat

[CloakedSchemerX 1,011]

Maybe its because Kefka and Sephiroth have a definite and recognised character forms with relatively well developed histories.Garland: Villain if FF1 who became chaos is always known as a hulking knight who fell from grace - but why did he kidnap Sarah in the first place? And his appearance is inconsistent throughout the games - his most notable form is probably his Dissidia Attire.Mateus: Again similar to Garland with inconsistent appearances between the older and newer remakes PLUS from memory he didn't have much character development...it kinda sounded like he was just an evil emperor to be overthrown and without any explanation how or why he rose to power. But him ressurected as god of heaven and purgatory was pretty awesome.Cloud of Darkness: She/it gets screen time as the final boss...otherwise she/it doesn't have much of a story behind herGolbez and Zemus: Golbez is one of my favourite villains with a solid story behind his - but it turns out Zemus is the true enemy with very little character development (he is almost comparable to Cloud of Darkness appearing only at the end with no mention throughout FFIV)Exodus/Exdeath: Good character development, nobody likes him because he is in essence an ugly tree with an ugly name...indeed an ugly tree with a badass plan to reduce the world to the nothingness. If Exdeath had a different appearance then things may have been different. And nobody probably has heard of him due to him being from the 'older FF series'.I personally love Kefka, Kuja and Sephiroth, if I should one day fall into the pits of insanity - I'd very much like to become like them. These characters have good character development (Although Kefka's isn't obviously stated in the game unlike Sephiroth's unfortunate birth history and Kuja's story)Thats my 2 cents worth of why I think people love Kefka and Sephiroth

I agree with all this. Sephiroth and Kefka do have more than Exdeath on certain aspects too, but its the major things that made Exdeath a villain that he DID have. The fact that he succeeded, and that he killed a beloved friend and party member.

It is all thanks to extremely nice coat of SephirothBut yeah, ExDeath is really nice villain, but he kinda lacks that personality what made everyone love Kefkaand he doesn't have nice coat

But does Exdeath need a coat? No. Because he has what Sephiroth doesn't.

A tree trunk.

Which brings me to my final point I neglected to bring up in the first post: Exdeath's personality paling in comparison to Kefka's. Don't get me wrong here, I LOVED Kefka's personality and character development, but they would and could NEVER be with Exdeath. Exdeath with a caring compassionate personality then changing into a cruel evildoer because of life's unfairness? NO. Exdeath having a tragic childhood? NO. WHY?!BECAUSE HE'S A TREE!!!Now WHY on Earth would they give a tree of a villain such reasons to be evil? It just doesn't work. But I REALLY like the fact that he IS a tree. Not only does it basically symbolize life and death, but he is just evil in general.This is how I like to see it. See spoiler below:

Long ago, in this galaxy we live in, according to the Bible reads the tales of Genesis amd the creation of the Earth. Adam and Eve are forbidden to eat an apple-- the Apple of Enlightenment. The apple must have come from a tree, right? Where the true knowledge is-- the Tree of Knowledge and Light.Now STOP RIGHT THERE AND GO TO FINAL FANTASY V. There's no Adam, Eve, or apple involved, but in Final Fantasy V you end up going to an alternate-ish dimension with a world similar their's in terms of landscape. This is where the Forest of Moore is-- where Exdeath is truly from. With great knowledge and the fact he is just demonically magical shows that he can very well be an incredibly knowledgeable tree. Per sè, a "Tree of Knowledge and Darkness." This is why, Exdeath appears just plain awesome to me.

Edited April 14, 2013 by CloakedSchemerX

[Dave 5,715]

 

It is all thanks to extremely nice coat of Sephiroth

 

But yeah, ExDeath is really nice villain, but he kinda lacks that personality what made everyone love Kefka

and he doesn't have nice coat