“If it weren’t for you, I probably would’ve led a meaningless life. With you, I was able to see so much of the world and meet so many people.”
This is our list of the top 25 female characters of all-time.We’re counting down one by one until we reach the best of the best on Sept. 30.
15) Garnet til Alexandros (Final Fantasy IX) – 2 votes/150 points
Chris: It would have been simple enough for Garnet to be a JRPG staple. You know the one: sheltered princess who’s never seen anything outside of her castle (usually, this means the ocean is especially amazing), but is super book smart anyway! You’ll need more than just your fingers to count the number of times we’ve seen that character in action.
Garnet has something of a carefree attitude in the beginning, and that’s okay. Stealing her fake name from Zidane’s weapon is cute. And she undergoes plenty of development even in the early parts of the game, struggling to overcome her fear of Eidolons and dealing with the fact that her mother is the worst person in the history of everything.
To me, though, Garnet becomes great once she’s about to become queen herself. She’s just dealt with the death of her mom, and now she has to defend her kingdom tooth and nail. But despite her best efforts, she fails. After some (understandable) time to think things through, she emerges with more resolve than ever, pledging to help Zidane and her kingdom no matter what it takes. When she cuts off her hair, it’s symbolic of the apex of her personal transformation, much like Luke in Tales of the Abyss. Good stuff.
Shaun: Okay, I’ll get this out of the way upfront — yes, Garnet is definitely suffering from Princess Jasmine syndrome. She’s a fun loving yet naive princess who is tired of her duty and wants to see the world.
Thankfully though, the similarities end there. And, unlike Jasmine, her desire to be free of her duties actually help paint the true intrigue of her character — as the story of IX unfolds, “Dagger’s” carefree spirit must be shed as she is forced to accept the responsibilities of her fate. Garnet has to overcome some serious s*** in this game, and yet the strength of her spirit leads to some of the best moments of the entire title. If the overall main theme of IX is the power of will and finding your own purpose in this cruel world, Garnet is one of the central pieces of this, and it has made her an enduring character among the legions of RPG females.
Michaela: Garnet’s growth throughout Final Fantasy IX is extremely compelling and complex. She’s not a typical princess in that she accepts her duties with grace and will stand by her convictions as a member of the royal family. She has a fun, reckless side (the one that demanded to be kidnapped), but can be plenty serious and devious when the occasion calls for it (like when she slipped the party sleeping medicine during a huge feast). Throughout the game, her identity and everything she knows is shattered through one crazy revelation after another, but regardless of the pain it causes her, she ultimately comes to terms with these changes, never forgetting her duty but also accepting that she is not who she thought she was. Her character transformation is one of the greatest I’ve seen in gaming.
TOP 25 FEMALE CHARACTERS
Introduction/Honorable Mention
Gray Areas 