The 10 Most DISTURBING Deaths in Final Fantasy Games

Biggs, Wedge, And Jessie

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

If you’ve been living under a JRPG rock, the early story of “Final Fantasy VII,” revolves around AVALANCHE, a small eco-terrorist group fighting Shinra’s exploitation of the planet. Alongside Cloud, Barret, and Tifa are three memorable members: Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Though they aren’t playable characters, they play an important role in the opening bombing missions and quickly become part of the game’s heart, but even games can have heart attacks. Their fate arrives during one of the game’s most devastating events, the destruction of the Sector 7 plate. As Shinra drops the massive structure onto the slums below, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie are mortally wounded while trying to stop it. Cloud and the others escape at the last second, but the three remain behind and perish when the plate collapses. A Japanese spin-off novel adds an even darker layer. In the Lifestream, Aerith encounters them trapped in a limbo-like state, unable to move on because of the guilt they feel for the lives lost during their bombings.

Tellah

“Final Fantasy IV” (1991)

Tellah’s death in “Final Fantasy IV” is one of the most tragic moments in the game, and honestly the whole series. Once a legendary sage, Tellah has grown old and forgotten many of the powerful spells he once commanded. His life changes forever when his daughter Anna is killed and he dedicates himself to avenging her death. After reaching Mount Ordeals, his memories return and he recalls how to cast Meteor, the most powerful black magic spell in existence. The problem is that Tellah knows his aging body cannot survive casting it. Take a guess what happens next, he certainly doesn’t walk away thinking it’ll be too rude to the player to die. With his final breath, Tellah asks the party to avenge Anna, a task he can no longer complete.

Cyan’s Family

“Final Fantasy VI” (1994)

In “Final Fantasy VI,” Kefka begins as what looks like a joke villain. He's literally dressed like a jester. That perception however, shatters completely during the siege of Doma Castle. The castle is being defended by Cyan and his soldiers, but Kefka decides he doesn’t have the patience for a proper battle. Move over Jenova, hello Geneva. Kefka poisons the kingdom’s entire water supply. The result is horrifying, nearly everyone inside the castle has died from the poison. Cyan returns to discover that the victims include his own wife and young son. The moment is devastating, but the game pushes it even further during the Phantom Train sequence where Cyan is forced to watch their spirits depart for the afterlife, saying goodbye one final time. F**k you, Kefka.

Class Zero

“Final Fantasy Type-0” (2011)

“Final Fantasy Type-0” builds its story around the brutal reality of war, showing the conflict through the eyes of Class Zero, students who are trained from the beginning to fight and die for their nation. Throughout the game, it becomes clear that these teenagers are treated less like people and more like expendable weapons in a war that seems destined to repeat forever, seems like an allegory. The tragedy reaches its peak during the finale. After a massive final battle, Class Zero finally manages to break the endless cycle and secure peace for the world. But the victory comes at a devastating cost. Nearly every member of the group dies together shortly after the fight. What makes the moment so heartbreaking is what comes before it. The characters talk about the lives they hope to live once the war ends. Are you kidding me!?

Dyne

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

We’re back with “Final Fantasy VII”, and not for the last time on this list. Let’s take a look at Barret. At first, the game offers no explanation for why he has a prosthetic weapon, instead of an arm. That story unfolds later in the Gold Saucer arc. Enter a tale of heartbreak, betrayal, anger and friendship that we don’t have time for. Barret loses his closest friend, Dyne, but that death turns out to be a fakeout. Now, years later, Barret discovers Dyne survived, also with his own gun-arm and consumed by grief. After their confrontation, Dyne refuses redemption and takes his own life, unable to live with the guilt of his actions. It’s dark, and it plays out perfectly in the remake as well.

Reks

“Final Fantasy XII” (2006)

The opening tutorial of “Final Fantasy XII” places players in control of Reks, the older brother of the game’s eventual protagonist, Vaan. Reks is a young soldier serving under Captain Basch during an assault on Nalbina Fortress. The mission seems straightforward at first, but during the chaos of the battle, Reks becomes separated from the rest of his unit and discovers the aftermath of the ambush, his comrades and the king already dead. Moments later, he encounters Basch and watches in horror as the captain appears to murder the king himself. Believing his commanding officer has betrayed their nation, Reks is stabbed and left dying. What he never learns is the truth: the killer was actually Basch’s twin brother, Gabranth, framing him for treason. Reks dies believing he exposed a traitor. It’s disturbing for the player in many ways.

Joshua

“Final Fantasy XVI” (2023)

Joshua’s death at the end of “Final Fantasy XVI” is pretty disturbing because of how personal and quiet it feels compared to the game’s otherwise colossal battles. Don’t make us slow down and feel, you absolute bastards. Throughout the story, Joshua fake dies, comes back, carries the burden of being the Dominant of Phoenix, and constantly pushes his body beyond what it can endure. By the finale, he is already weakened from years of strain and sacrifice. During the final confrontation, Joshua uses the last of his power to save Clive and help defeat Ultima, fully aware that doing so will kill him. The scene is painful because Joshua is calm, almost peaceful, as he fades. Clive desperately tries to save him, but there is nothing left to restore. For a moment the world-saving victory feels hollow, because it cost the life of someone who spent the entire game trying to protect others. There is debate on whether his death is final, but we don’t have time to get into it, let’s just say he’s dead so I don’t have to pick a different entry.

Galuf

“Final Fantasy V” (1992)

“Final Fantasy V” contains one of the series’ most powerful death scenes with the sacrifice of Galuf. In many RPGs, character deaths raise an awkward question: why don’t the party simply use healing magic or a Phoenix Down to revive them? Galuf’s final moment answers that directly. During the battle against Exdeath, the rest of the party is quickly defeated, leaving Galuf alone. Despite being reduced to zero hit points, he somehow forces himself back to his feet and continues fighting. It becomes a desperate one-on-one struggle where Galuf keeps attacking through sheer f**k you-power, refusing to fall even though he should already be dead. Exdeath is stunned that someone with no life left can still fight, and eventually retreats. When the party regains consciousness, they rush to save Galuf, using every healing spell and revival item they have. None of it works. Galuf pushed his body past its absolute limits, leaving nothing left to restore. This adds an interesting lore element to the series that fixes a pretty huge plot hole. You can’t go to the local cemetery and start dropping Phoenix Downs, thank god.

Zack

“Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII” (2007)

One of the biggest twists in “Final Fantasy VII” is the revelation that Cloud was never the elite SOLDIER he claimed to be. His memories are fractured, with Zack Fair actually being the focus of a lot of the moments he believed involved him. In reality, after escaping together, Zack sacrifices himself to protect the weakened Cloud, with this being the event that forced Cloud’s brain to retcon his own memories. The PSP spin-off game “Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII”, expands that moment into one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the series. Knowing his fate makes the entire story feel tragic from the start. But in the final battle, we learn that we know nothing about tragedy. Zack faces an entire Shinra army alone, and as he is gradually overwhelmed, flashes of the friends he made (including Aerith) appear in his fading memories. With his last strength, Zack entrusts the Buster Sword to Cloud, setting up the main game through my tears.

Aerith

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

The death of Aerith Gainsborough in “Final Fantasy VII” was designed to be one of the most shocking moments in video game history. While the twist has become widely known over the years, the scene still carries emotional weight for players who grow attached to the flower seller from the slums. After the events at the Temple of the Ancients, Aerith leaves the party on her own mission. Cloud and the others eventually track her to the Forgotten Capital, and it’s there that we lose her in the most disturbing way possible: Instantly. Just as Cloud reaches her, a figure resembling Sephiroth descends from above and drives a blade straight through her, killing her instantly.