FFXIV Villains

[OMEGA_HACK]

So I was discussing with with a couple friends about the current state of the villains in Final Fantasy XIV. The conversation came up because I am (in between waiting for gathering nodes, and the DF) playing a bit of Xenoblade Chronicles 3DS--loved the game on Wii and replaying it again--but I digress; the point was that Xenoblade Chronicles villains were for the most part bat $#!@ crazy, and we noticed that XIV really doesn't have a villain that fits that mold. In fact all the villains have been "scheming" Sherlock Holmes-like super villains.


I give you the list:

Gaius Van Baelsar - Extreme patriot and tactical genuis. He took over 5 city-states and spearheaded the original invasion of Eorzea)

Nero Tol Scaeva - Scientist and loyalist to Garlean Empire. He is cold and calculating always trying to seize power at every turn.

Livia Sas Junuis - Extreme patriot and loyalist to Gaius (his adopted daughter)

Rhitahtyn Sas Arvina - Former merc. was from an annexed country; not much else is known save for the fact now he dies faster than he can say his own name.

Nael Van Darnus - Fanatic diviner/religious zealot; becomes possessed by Dalamud/Bahamut and gets boobs (he is probably the closest we have to bat $#!@ crazy villain)

Lahabrea - Schemer opposition to Elidibus

Elidibus - Schemer opposition to Lahabrea

Varis Zos Galvus - not much is known but he is already scheming, as he used that tactic to become the next Emperor.

So only one villain has come close to fitting the bill however they have already died, my god they better be officially dead or the story telling is going to become as campy as G Gundam (if you are not familiar with the anime...no one really dies...ever...even when they die they don't die...)

Anywho, this post is asking for a bat $#!@ crazy villain that impedes us on our every move, for nothing more than the sake of harassing us or to generally be bat $#!@ crazy; so some notable examples:

Metal Face (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Xord (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Albedo (XenoSaga Ep 1 and 2)
Sephiroth (FFVII)
Seymour Guado (FFX)
Kuja (FFIX)
Kefka Palazzo (FFVI)
Vaas Montenegro (Far Cry 3)
Pyramid Head (Silent Hill)
Handsome Jack (Borderlands series) (This one is more or less crazy but its BL so he is more comedic crazy)
Majora (Zelda: Majora's Mask)
The Joker (Batman series)
Albert Wesker (Resident Evil series)
Caius Ballad (FFXIII-2)
The Watchers (Drakengard series)
Luca Blight (Suikoden 2)
Revolver Ocelot (Metal Gear series)
Vladimir Makarov (CoD: MW2)
Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)
Ansem (Kingdom Hearts)
Calypso (Twist Metal series)
Alma (F.E.A.R. series)
GLaDOS (Portal series)

Can we have a villain like that? Less schemers, I want more crazy. I know its a Teen rated game, but you can still pull off crazy with a Teen rating, I mean lots of the FF villains are listed, however it seems that with the two MMOs Square-Enix has out, they have failed to capture that crazy villain essence (XI doesn't really have one either). Anywho, if you read all this congrats because its the end, and if you like this idea or support it, comment and/or like this post! Thanks!

[kyuven]

The problem is a lot of "crazy" villains tend to be extremely one-note.
There should never be a question of how a character managed to rise to the position they did.
For example, Bahamut himself actually IS like this. Due to...circumstances...he's literally bottled rage and madness made manifest, as well as subjected to endless torment.
However, Bahamut is treated like a natural disaster. He's not a schemer, being akin to a massively more destructive Alma.
Schemers simply make for better long term villains. We've had plenty of psychos, but they usually die rather faster since being unable to plan ahead is a good way to get yourself offed in the FFXIV universe. Take a look at Nabriales if you want an example of that.

[Chambers]

I thought Edda was kinda crazy, though she's not part of the main story.

[myahele]

Livia is Gaius adopted daughter!?

[kyuven]

Livia is Gaius adopted daughter!?

My thoughts exactly. I was always under the impression she was just his subordinate.
Also, she's REALLY off her rocker.

[Kahnom]

Pyramid head ? Seriously ? That thing ain't even human !

[Gralna]

My thoughts exactly. I was always under the impression she was just his subordinate.
Also, she's REALLY off her rocker.

I got impression they were lovers, from part of dialogue in which he tells her to meet him in his chambers later, also in the way she seems completely obsessed with him.

[OMEGA_HACK]

Contains Spoilers about FFXIV 2.55 (you've been warned)

Livia is Gaius adopted daughter!?

Yeah, she was orphaned as a child and Gaius took her in and made her a Legatus. She was a bit crazy now that I think of it, but I feel that she was short lived. The information can be found here (LINK). (Well it won't let me link the part to her description directly, just find the number associated with "Threats" and click her name) There is also hints of a fanatical love/devotion towards Gaius that implies they (or at least she) wanted "daddy" for more than just his parental love; however that was never really delved into because...Teen rating.

I mean my top choice of crazy is Albedo from Xenosaga, that guy was absolutely, no questions asked, crazy. I mean he pops his head off to prove a point in one part of the game. Not to mention his crazy laugh (him and Kefka share some similarities).

While Pyramid Head isn't human, it is still crazy, and invokes a certain emotion when encountered by the player; that is the problem with Sherlock Holmes-like villains, they are in a nut shell "cool collective super villains" and don't really invoke any kind of emotion save for 'your plan won't work on me'. Teledji(sp?) at the end of his life is a good example of a crazy villain in this game, but sadly he was crazy because he 'snapped' I would've liked to see more of his "crazy" side earlier and not just at the end. Livia also, same with Nael, all show crazy just in their-more or less-final moments. I'm asking for crazy from the get-go. No Strings Attached crazy.

[Kiroh]

Frankly I think batshit crazy villians, who are enemies for no other reason than "of course they are I mean look at that face that is not a sane human being" are vastly overdone already in the genre. Final Fantasy especially has already done this theme to death and back. (And death again, and on occasion back again)

[Yamimarik]

Not to get too off-topic here OP, but I really wouldn't consider Pyramid Head an actual villain so much as a... well it depends lol.

SPOILERS(for those that haven't played Silent Hill anything... GO PLAY THEM!)

Considering Pyramid Head doesn't even show up in every Silent Hill, depending on which game it is, who you're playing as, and what's going on in the story I really wouldn't consider him an actual villain. He's more like an executioner, or maybe a vigilante trying to bring "justice" to those who "deserve it" in his eyes, also... he's more than likely following orders. It depends also on where the story is at, and which ending you're going for, for the games he's in as well... that can have a lot of proper insight on who Pyramid Head truly is and "can be".

If I was to pick an actual villain from the Silent Hill series depicted as "bat-&$^# crazy" as you said... I'd have to truly give to Dahlia Gillespie or Claudia Wolfe. Now those two women are truly fanatically bat-**** crazy!

As far as FFXIV:ARR having more crazy villains, I think one per expansion is enough healthy dose... so I'm hoping we see one in Heavensward (I have a sneaking suspicion we just might.)