Best Dressed Villains In Final Fantasy

Every one of the major villains seen throughout the Final Fantasy series is iconic in their own way, but while there have been a plethora of conversations over the years about who is the most evil and terrifying among them, there hasn’t been as much attention directed towards their designs and fashion sense. Considering that each of the games is set in a fantasy world, it makes sense that the antagonists would be sporting some vibrant and very eye-catching outfits, but there are a select few that SquareEnix decided to go above and beyond with when it came to their overall appearance.

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Of course, for a villain to be memorable, they need to have an imposing presence in the story and a captivating personality, but their clothing also feeds into this, granting a visual insight into who they are, and how much they care about their appearance. It should be noted that this topic will primarily focus on the outfits that the villains wear for the majority of their respective games, so while some do change their clothing at some points, their main get-up will be the one that is taken into account.

1 Sephiroth

Long Black Trench Coat Gives Him A Very Eerie And Menacing Aura

Arguably the most recognizable part of Sephiroth’s design is his long flowing silver hair, but his large black trench coat has also become a very notable part of the character, lending him a very menacing aura that perfectly suits his personality. His style of clothing is especially dazzling when he’s floating in the air as the coat slowly flaps behind him, giving him the image of some sort of grim reaper coming down to unleash terror on his enemies.

Another very clever part of his clothing is the silver shoulder pads that are in stark contrast to the rest of his outfit, calling back to his time as a SOLDIER working for the Shinra Organisation. Many people are well accustomed to Sephiroth’s appearance by now since he’s popped up in so many games and movies, but it’s still an iconic look fitted with a few small details that help to personify the character.

2 Caius

Undoubtedly Has The Most Memorable Appearance From Final Fantasy 13-2

Caius is an incredibly layered and complex villain who made quite an impression on players when he first appeared in Final Fantasy 13-2, and one reason for this was his very unique clothing. Considering that he’s always fighting on behalf of Yeul, Caius wears a tactical deep purple skin suit which has been decorated with various ornaments to show that he’s much more than just a regular soldier.

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The long pink strands that run down from his neck are an especially vibrant addition, and it’s hard to ignore the purple and black headband that is combined with feathers and beads to give him a more traditional look. Yeul may not have been that visually interesting as a villain, but Caius is a whole different story.

3 Ardyn

Decorative Coat And Iconic Top Hat Feed Into His Mysterious Persona

One of the many issues people had with Final Fantasy 15 was the lack of originality in the NPCs, as a lot of them looked almost identical and had no real flair or style to their appearances. Because of this, it meant that by the time Ardyn shows up a few hours into the game, he immediately stands out for his exaggerated outfit, sporting a large opened jacket paired with a casual patterned red scarf.

What is undoubtedly the most memorable part of his outfit is the black cap that he will often use to cover his eyes, feeding into Ardyn’s mysterious aura, yet not giving away anything about the villain’s true intentions or goals. Ardyn only starts to develop this fashion sense after his traumatic backstory which was shown in the DLC, so while it did make him much more malicious, there’s at least something good that came out of his horrible backstory.

4 Emperor Mateus

Proves How Gigantic His Ego Is Just Through His Fashion Sense Alone

Since many of the early Final Fantasy games were a lot more basic in their story and characters, it meant that the bosses also felt a little undercooked in their personality and appearance, but a particular exception is Emperor Mateus, who is the main antagonist of the second game. Mateus genuinely believes that he is the true and rightful master of the world, and his choice of clothing is a clear demonstration of just how gigantic his ego is.

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The shimmering golden armor, rose-colored robes, and multicolored jewels that cover his face all give the impression of someone who feels that they are above everyone else, not only in terms of status but also looks-wise. It’s an outfit that screams luxury and a perfect fit for an emperor as maniacal as this one.

5 Rufus

Altered His Professional Outfit With A Few Stylish Additions

Rufus’ father, President Shinra, might just look like any other businessman with his standard suit and tie, but Rufus decides to toy around with his professional clothing a bit, which makes him far more visually interesting as a character. Rufus’ white buttoned-up coat still fits into his professional status in the Shinra Company, but his hakama-styled pants which stretch out from the bottom still remind players that he is very much someone who plays by his own rules, especially with how drastically different his outfit is to his father’s.

Rufus already had a very distinctive look in the original Final Fantasy 7, but it’s clear that SquareEnix spent a lot of time and effort making his appearance as interesting and memorable as possible for the remake, perfectly merging a professional and unorthodox design into one.

6 Ultimecia

Luxurious Fashion Sense Is Partly Why She Is So Beloved By Fans

There are so many small details and unique design choices in Ultimecia’s outfit that it is difficult to know where to even look upon seeing her for the first time. However, while she might be a mad sorceress who’s obsessed with compressing all of time and space, she still somehow has plenty of time to dress up in one of the most vibrant and stylish outfits ever seen in the entire series.

Her glossy red gown paired with a fur collar is immediately recognizable, with the choice of combining black and red going a long way in emphasizing how dangerous and dark she is as a character. The way that the pitch-black fur merges with her wings is also a standout feature of her design, along with the many artistic tattoos that cover her skin. Ultimecia is a villain who can put her terrifying personality on full display, just through the way she looks.

7 Kefka

Bright Colors And Silly Patterns Represent Just How Carefree And Expressive He Is As A Villain

Considering that Kefka is inspired by the jester archetype from old folktales and stories, it’s understandable that he would wear some theatrical and colorful clothes, but the dancing mad joker himself takes this to a whole new level. What immediately stands out about Kefka’s dress sense is just how many colors he likes to use, sporting red baggy pants, alongside a yellow cape, black and pink boots, and of course, his white face paint, which features a very unnerving purple smile.

If players look closely, they’ll also be able to spot a few smaller details that represent just how carefree Kefka is as a character, such as the polka dots covering his one-arm band. SquareEnix did an amazing job at making Kefka seem like an unhinged villain from his appearance alone, and the fantasy-inspired take on the typical jester uniform is truly unique and helps to bring the character to life.

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