Let’s celebrate the antagonists of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH!
Sephiroth is a formidable foe for the heroes of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – but he’s not the only threat they face. Cloud and company are confronted by a who’s who of rivals, criminals and ne’er do wells as they explore the regions of the world, each one an incredible character in their own right. Infatti, it’s a real strength of the game that each one is a strong and memorable character in their own right.
So today, we wanted to take the spotlight off Sephiroth and pay tribute some of the other awesome antagonists in the game.
Which one is your favorite?
Scarlatto
- Doppiatore: Erin Cottrell
As the head of Shinra’s weapons division, Scarlet is responsible for the design and deployment of tools of destruction. It’s a job she takes to with disturbing relish.
You see the toll of her work throughout FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH. It’s in the mental and physical scars that affect Barret, the devastation of Wutai and the traumatic events Yuffie went through in FF7 EPISODE INTERmission (the DLC for FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE).
But what truly makes her one of the great villains of the game is her cruelty. She’s a hands-on boss and all too happy to take direct command of her troops or jump into a mech to cause some destruction.
And the smile on her face when she causes pain and suffering can be genuinely disturbing…
Mayor Kapono
- Doppiatore: Mick Wingert
The mayor of Costa del Sol uses his position to wheel, deal and make a comfortable life for himself at the expense of others. He takes advantage of Johnny’s… let’s politely call it ‘naiveite,’ to con him into buying a wreck of a hotel, and into a life of indentured servitude.
Later in the game, he recruits Cloud to help him deal with a problem in a way that demonstrates his lack of moral scruples even further.
You could argue that in a world of world-threatening villains, evil corporations, and other formidable foes, he’s a minor nuisance at best. Ancora, it sure would be nice if someone would teach him a lesson…
Don Corneo (and Scotch and Kotch)
(Screenshot from FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE)
- Doppiatore (Don Corneo): Fred Tatsciore
- Doppiatore (Scotch): Greg Chun
- Doppiatore (Kotch): Chris Jai Alex
The former Don of Wall Market is like a bad case of piles – just when you think he’s gone, he pops up again to be a pain in the butt.
Corneo returns in FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH and he’s just as hilariously sleazy and repulsive as in the previous game. Questa volta, he’s set his sights on the Gold Saucer, which once again puts him on a collision course with Cloud and company.
Come ti aspetteresti, he makes for a delightful villain. While you can feel a certain level of sympathy for villains like Sephiroth, the Don is a slippery scumbag through and through. It makes it all the more delightful when you rub the smile off his face.
And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention his faithful entourage Kotch and Scotch. For all their toadying to the Don, you can’t deny that the pair bring flair!
Roche
- Doppiatore: Austin Lee Matthews
In truth, we’d hesitate to call Roche a true villain. He’s antagonistic to be sure, but he’s not committed to any grand evil schemes, or the Shinra Creed. He just really, really likes Cloud, and wants to beat him in a fight.
As part of Shinra’s mobile division, Roche lives life in the fast lane. He fights hard, rides hard and lives loud – so when he finally meets someone who can keep up with him, it’s a life-changing experience for him.
After crossing swords (and bikes) in FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, Roche returns in REBIRTH to face off against his rival once more. It’s quite a show, and one that makes his admiration for our spikey-haired hero grow all the more – and his desire to be stronger.
Let’s hope that doesn’t lead to any rash decisions…
Palmer
- Doppiatore: William Salyers
You have to feel a little for Palmer. His Space and Aeronautics Division within Shinra has essentially been mothballed, his subordinates visibly dislike him, his hotel bookings are canceled by Cait Sith…
It’s one thing after another – and often entirely self-inflicted. You get the sense that for Palmer, dignity is as far off as the stars themselves.
He tries to claw back some respect by taking on the team in a giant mech, but unlike his colleague Scarlet who approaches the fight with grace and skill, he takes a more pathetic and petulant approach.
It doesn’t go well for him, but his loss is our gain. Palmer may be a perpetual sad sack, but it’s very entertaining to watch him fail.
Gi Nattak
- Doppiatore: Bruce Thomas
The Gi Tribe play a prominent role in the story of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – one that we’re not going to spoil here. But during the adventure, you get to talk to their leader Gi Nattak, and find out why these undead antagonists are so angry and dangerous.
He offers some fascinating revelations – particularly for fans of the original FINAL FANTASY VII – and some questions, troppo. Are he and his people evil, or just desperate? Were the Ancients – the mostly extinct stewards of the planet – as benevolent as we assumed?
He’s a memorable character who adds some intriguing moral complexity to the world of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH.
Rufus
The new President of Shira is cold, calculating… and insanely busy.
The dramatic conclusion of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE has left a lot on his plate – the damage to Midgar, an ongoing conspiracy to reignite war with Wutai, his inauguration, the re-emergence of Sephiroth and much more.
All this means that he takes a surprisingly measured approach to Cloud’s and his friends – but don’t mistake pragmatism for morality. He’s ruthless, decisive, and willing to do anything to further his goals. Infine, and all-round great villain – and a serious threat to our heroes.
Professor Hojo
If there’s one positive thing we can say about Hojo (and even that’s a struggle), it’s that the man really loves science.
Naturalmente, in his case that’s not a good thing. The sinister scientist is twisted to his core. He’s willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the pursuit of knowledge, especially when it comes to Jenova and Sephiroth.
His dark machinations are unsettling enough, but REBIRTH also sheds more light into his abuses beyond, and the pain and suffering he has caused to both our heroes and the world itself. Red XIII and Aerith in particular have suffered at his hands, and their scars are on full display in this story.
It’s telling that in a world where you fight literal fiends, Hojo is probably the greatest monster of all.
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is blessed with one of the greatest casts of characters in gaming, and the people on this list are a perfect example why. They may be weird, malicious, or just utterly awful, but we love them anyway for what they bring to the game!
If you’re yet to meet any of them, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is available now for PS5, either standalone or as a twin pack also containing FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE!
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