Characters of Final Fantasy V



Final Fantasy V, a video game with a setting that spans two worlds and a back-story spanning a millennium, features an array of characters. The game has five player characters, with as many as four in the party at a time. The game contains a number of the Final Fantasy series' recurring characters, such as Cid, and even chocobos play some major roles. Many other Final Fantasy V characters share similarities with those in other installments. As with the characters of Final Fantasy VI and other games in the franchise, the concept art for Final Fantasy V's came from Yoshitaka Amano, who has received praise for his contributions to the series. However, the characters in Final Fantasy V and other aspects of the game are matters of conflicting opinions.

Bartz
Bartz Klauser (バッツ・クラウザー) is the protagonist of Square-Enix's Final Fantasy V. He is a twenty-year-old wanderer with a fear of heights, and becomes entangled in the quest to protect the Crystals when he helps Princess Lenna and Galuf escape a goblin-filled area on their way to the Wind Shrine. Bartz is connected to the element of Wind.

Bartz was born in the small town of Lix to Dorgann Klauser, one of the Warriors of Dawn from the second world, and a local woman named Stella (her maiden name is unknown). Stella died of an unknown illness when Bartz was three (she said that she had been suffering from spasms, and collapsed after walking offscreen), leaving him to be raised by his father. Dorgann died when Bartz was seventeen, and it is implied from his dying wish to be buried in the village that he died outside of the village. His parting advice to his son was to wander the world.

Three years later, Bartz is traveling in the Tycoon area when he rescues a young woman being attacked by goblins. She thanks him and tells him that she is looking for her father at the Wind Shrine. Not long afterwards, a meteor crashes and an amnesiatic old man emerges. He and Lenna decide to travel to the Wind Shrine together, but Bartz decides to continue his wanderings. His chocobo stops him, however, and he goes back to help the pair fight off goblins again. It is at that point that Bartz decides that his father would have wanted him to find out what was happening to the Crystals, and joins Lenna and Galuf.

From there, Bartz travels with the party, which is later augmented by the pirate Faris. It seems unclear as to why he is the apparent leader (or at least the character present on the world map) of the group until he beats Kelger's Lupine Attack, something that his father, Dorgann, had taught him. It is revealed to him then that his father was one of the Warriors of Dawn, though he had never told his son (however, a young Bartz overheard his parents talking, with his father asking Stella to promise not to tell Bartz about what he did to protect the Crystals). Bartz's direct descendant became one of the new Warriors of Dawn 200 years later.

In the original 1992 release of the game, the official Japanese guides romanized his name as Butz. In the Anthology release, much criticized for its translation quality, he was named Bartz. The Advance release saw significant improvement in the translation and a restoration of many of the 1992 romanizations, but the character's name remained Bartz. Though no reasons have been given, the Anthology spelling does avoid the possibility of pronouncing his name the same as "butts." However, unlike the other characters, Bartz can be renamed if the player so chooses.

Bartz is the hero representing Final Fantasy V in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, where he is voiced by Sōichirō Hoshi in the Japanese version, and Jason Spisak in the English version.

Lenna
Lenna Charlotte Tycoon (レナ・シャルロット・タイクーン) is the young princess of Tycoon, and begins the story as her father, King Alexander Tycoon, leaves to investigate the Wind Crystal. She follows him after he does not return and meets Bartz, starting the quest to save the Crystals. Lenna displays many traits of an archetypal video game princess: she is beautiful, kind, and she also has a self-sacrificial streak that puts her in danger several times during the game (all characteristics that liken her to the "damsel in distress" Final Fantasy characters such as Terra, Aerith, Rinoa, Garnet, and Yuna). However, she also breaks this mold: she is very impulsive, and often does not think before she acts (both characteristics that liken her to the "strong lead female characters" of Final Fantasy, a role that was never seen again until it was finally succeeded by Ashe and Lightning). She is connected to the element of Water.

Lenna is the first character the player meets. She is on her way to the Wind Shrine after her father fails to return from it, but encounters some goblins from which Bartz rescues her. After thanking him, the pair meet an amnesia-stricken old man that is, apparently, from the recently-crashed meteor. He identifies himself as Galuf, and he and Lenna continue to the Wind Shrine before being attacked by goblins and rescued again by Bartz. At that point, the three decide to travel together.

When they discover a pirate ship that moves without wind, Lenna suggests simply asking them for a ride, an idea discarded when Galuf proposes simply stealing the ship. When they are captured by the captain, Faris, Lenna reveals that she is the Princess of Tycoon in hopes of persuading him to take them to the Wind Shrine, but it only results in Faris considering the prospect of holding her for ransom - but when Lenna displays her royal pendant, Faris decides to join them. It is later revealed that Faris is actually Reina's long-lost sister, Princess Sarisa. When they reach the Wind Shrine, Reina is shocked when her father seems to disappear. She has no time to mourn, however, when it is revealed that she is one of the four Warriors of Crystals, fated to protect the crystals.

During the game, Lenna puts her life in danger twice to save a wind drake; these incidents illustrate her compassion, but also show that she can often be naïve (as when she tried to get Faris and her crew to help them) and impulsive. The first time, she traverses a field of poison flowers to bring an ailing drake a piece of Dragon Grass to cure it. The second time, she takes a bite out of some Dragon Grass (which is toxic to humans, a fact she almost certainly knew) to encourage it to eat. In both cases, she succeeds in helping the wind drakes, but she is poisoned in the process; in the first instance, the wind drake heals her. Her affection for dragons is explained in a flashback immediately after the dragon sacrifices itself to become the Phoenix Summon. While Lenna was a child, her mother fell ill, and the only cure would have been the tongue of a dragon. Desperate to see her mother cured, Lenna seized a knife and rushed to the last remaining dragon to cut out its tongue; the dragon would have died from losing its tongue, or would Lenna would have needed to kill it to obtain it. The player, viewing the scene in a flashback, has a chance to make Reina say whether her mother's life is worth killing the dragon; if the player says no, Lenna will relent, but if the player says yes, her father will angrily knock her aside. No other cure for Queen Tycoon's illness could be found in time, and she died. After that painful experience, Lenna learned the value of self-sacrifice; her mother had loved the dragon, and, as was explained, would have allowed herself to die in order to protect it.

After Exdeath's defeat, Lenna and her sister Faris return to Tycoon Castle. Despite her younger age, Lenna becomes the Queen when Faris abandons the throne to rejoin her pirate crew. Her descendants continued to rule for the next 200 years with Queen Lenna as the current ruler in her ancestor's place.

Faris
Faris Scherwiz (ファリス・シュヴィルツ) is the crossdressing captain of a pirate ship. She is revealed in the game to be Lenna's long lost elder sister Sarisa Highwind Tycoon (サリサ・ハイウィンド・タイクーン) (Salsa Charlotte Tycoon in the Anthology version), making her father King Alexander Highwind Tycoon of Tycoon Castle and herself the rightful Queen of Tycoon, a position she does not accept. According to the game, she is the youngest known pirate captain. She is physically the strongest member of the party, and is the only female member to be the physically strongest character in a coed party in Final Fantasy. Her physical, mental, and emotional strength make her one of the first "strong, serious female" characters of the series, a role that would later be succeeded by Celes, Tifa, Quistis, Freya, Lulu, Fran, and Fang. Faris is connected to the element of Fire.

Faris' first appearance in the game is in a cave where she and her crew apprehend Bartz, Galuf and Lenna as the three try to steal the pirates' ship. At this point, Faris is thought to be male. Though Faris' initial plan is to hold Lenna for ransom, Faris decides to help the three travelers to the Wind Shrine when she discovers that Lenna's pendant is identical to one that she possesses. She also reveals that her ship is pulled without wind by a water dragon called Syldra (originally translated as "Hydra" in the PS1 English translation), a creature that Faris met after jumping into a whirlpool, and who Faris describes as being "like a sibling" (though older translations replaced "sibling" with "brother", indicating that Syldra was male, but in subsequent versions Syldra is specifically referred to as "she") since the two grew up together. She is in no small amount of distress when Syldra loses the fight against Karlabos and uses her last strength to rescue the party after the destruction of the Water Crystal.

Faris joins permanently after King Tycoon's speech and becomes one of the Four Warriors of Crystals. Her true gender is unwillingly revealed in the Ship Graveyard when Bartz and Galuf try to take "his" clothes off to dry by the fire. She explains that she was found by pirates when she was very young, and had disguised her sex so she would not be taken advantage of on board. Some of the pirates may suspect her true sex, and one even professes love for "him." Though she realizes that she is Lenna's sister because they have the same pendant (partly because the illusion of her father overpowers her, and she steps forward shortly before he disappears in the Wind Shrine), she does not reveal it until King Tycoon later addresses Faris as his daughter, immediately before they fall into the ruins beneath Ronka.

Faris is protective of her sister, Lenna, and she is also bold and assertive, in clear command over her crew. Faris also has a strong dislike of being excluded or left behind. This may stem from a childhood incident when she fell into the sea and was separated from her father (King Tycoon) and sister. In turn, she was found by pirates and raised as one of them (she was named "Faris" by one of the pirates due to her mispronouncing her own name as "Farifa"). When the party returns to Tycoon Castle, Faris is dressed as a princess, but is very vocal in her dislike of her new, feminine clothing and she runs away from the castle reception to rejoin Bartz and Krile not long afterwards.

In the Final Fantasy Anthology localization, Faris' true name is mistakenly translated as Salsa. Faris also has a pronounced pirate accent (a translation decision some fans were displeased with) and a distinct lack of manners. This accent is not present in Final Fantasy V Advance; however, she speaks in a somewhat less formal and more blunt tone than in some translations (she says "Piratin's more my style", and sometimes refers to Galuf as "old man") and tends to use piracy or sea-related analogies or expressions; when Bartz leaps out of bed while half-asleep, she says that he is "a few men short of a full crew."

Galuf
Galuf Halm Baldesion (ガラフ・ハルム・バルデシオン), known as Galuf Doe at the beginning, is the King of Bal and one of the four original Warriors of Dawn that sealed Exdeath thirty years prior to the beginning of the game. He is the oldest character in the party and displays great courage, an indomitable spirit, and a sense of determination to protect the Crystals at all costs. These characteristics, particularly him being the oldest in the party, make him one of the first of Final Fantasy's "older male warrior" characters, a role that would later be succeeded by Cyan, Cid (Highwind, Final Fantasy VII), Steiner, Auron, and Basch.

Galuf is first encountered near the meteor by Bartz and Reina. Initially, Galuf suffers from amnesia, being unable to remember anything except for his first name. When Lenna mentions that she is heading to the Wind Shrine, Galuf offers to go with her, feeling compelled to do so despite not knowing why. He and Lenna leave, and Bartz joins them when he saves them from goblins.

When the road is blocked by an earthquake, the party enters a network of caves and sees a pirate ship sailing in despite the lack of wind to push it. As they need to get to the Wind Shrine quickly, Galuf suggests stealing the ship. After they are captured, however, Galuf complains about the plan and then claims he doesn't remember when Bartz points out that it was his idea. Upon reaching the Wind Shrine, the party discovers that it has been overrun by monsters. The Crystal itself shatters and they receive the first set of Job Crystals.

Later on near the Ship Graveyard, the party is attacked by a soul-stealing Siren who presents each character with the illusion of a loved one. Bartz, Faris, and Reina all succumb to the spell. However, Galuf does not remember the young woman in his illusion despite the fact that she (later revealed to be his granddaughter) addresses him as "Grandpa." He is not taken in and slaps the others to bring them back to consciousness so that they can defeat the Siren.

After the Water Crystal in Walse shatters and gives the party their second set of Job Crystals, a warrior addresses Galuf as "Sir Galuf," ("Lord Galuf" in the GBA translation) but dies as Galuf asks him about his identity. When the Fire Crystal in Karnak is destroyed, a character called "Fang" (Tsuze in the GBA version, as is revealed in Quelb, or the werewolf town) also recognizes Galuf, but he, too, dies to help the party escape from the heat of the crystal room. It is when Mid beats his grandfather Cid around the head to stop moping that Galuf remembers his granddaughter Krile doing the same thing. With that, he recovers some of his memory, and remembers his mission.

After failing to protect the Fire and Earth Crystals, Galuf realizes who he is when Krile arrives, and plans on leaving for his world with the party, reluctant to involve them, as he regrets sealing Exdeath in their world. However, when they travel through and are captured, he sees Exdeath project their images to him on the Big Bridge, and rescues them from the castle. When he returns to Bal Castle, he is greeted as a king, which is the first point at which the party discovers that he is royalty.

Galuf's former Warrior of Dawn comrades prove useful in his world. Kelger (known as Kelga in the Anthology Edition) opens his village's gates after Bartz resists his "Lupine Attack," and eventually dispels the illusions in Exdeath's castle with the last of his life; he was dying, presumably of the wound that Bartz gave him during their fight. Xezat (known as Zeza in the Anthology Edition) also helps Galuf enter one of the towers that powers the barrier protecting Exdeath's castle, and sacrifices himself to destroy the power source.

In the Moore Forest, the party destroys the seal guardians, and Exdeath attacks and immobilizes them with the power of the Crystals. Krile comes to save them, but Exdeath traps her in a ring of fire. Galuf breaks free from the Crystal's power, shattering it, and enters the ring while pushing Krile out. He fights with Exdeath and resists him, powered by an emotion that was neither anger nor hate—this emotion is likely love, the love that Galuf has for his granddaughter and the rest of the party. He eventually dies, despite the party's attempts to heal and revive him. However, he appears to Krile shortly afterwards, giving her all of his powers and abilities and assuring her that he will always be with her.

Strangely enough, though the official artwork and its various incarnations (see picture) show Galuf as being clean-shaven with grayish-white hair and a moustache, his sprite depicts him with brown hair and a beard.

Krile
Krile Mayer Baldesion (クルル・マイア・バルデシオン) is Galuf's granddaughter. She has the unique ability to speak with moogles, dragons, chocobos, and other animals, including the spirit of Syldra. She is the youngest party member. Krile is an energetic and determined girl, and this, as well as her ability to make light of a serious situation, makes her one of the first "perky young girl" characters in Final Fantasy, setting the stage for the characters of Relm, Yuffie, Selphie, Eiko, Rikku, Penelo, and Vanille. Krile is connected to the element of Earth.

Much of Krile's past is unknown, but it is mentioned by a soldier in Bal Castle that her parents died while in search of a dragon in the Groceana desert, and it is reasonable to assume that she was raised by Galuf in Bal Castle. Before Galuf's death, Krile aids the party by holding off a possessed King Tycoon, giving them a ride on her dragon, and giving Reina an elixir after she is poisoned after eating Dragon Grass. However, she does not become a playable character until after Galuf sacrifices himself in the fight against Exdeath. Although she is greatly distressed by his falling, his ghost comes to her and tells her that she must take his place among the Warriors of Crystals. She becomes a member of the party immediately thereafter and inherits all of Galuf's jobs and skills.

After the party is mysteriously sent to Castle Tycoon, Krile has an odd feeling that Galuf wants her to hurry somewhere. She and Bartz leave while Reina and Faris are celebrating in Tycoon Castle to find out what has happened, and are joined by Faris (who has abandoned the ceremony) shortly afterwards when they are trapped in a cave. She has a mysterious splinter in her hand, which turns out to have been Exdeath in disguise, who reveals his plans after the group learns of the world being split in two to seal the Void. When the party enters the Rift, Krile guides them around the various areas until they meet Exdeath and Neo Exdeath in the final confrontation of the game. She is also the first to be lifted by the power of the Crystals after the battle.

At the end of the game, it is indicated that Krile eventually claims the vacated throne of Bal as Galuf's granddaughter, although she seems to joke about the possibility. She narrates the ending of the game (provided everyone survived) through a letter to Mid and reminisces about Galuf, the Crystals, and their adventures. She returns to the place in the Ancient Forest where Galuf died, feeling a bit sad and lonely about his death, but she is surprised by Bartz, Faris and Reina, who cheer her up.

Dorgann
Dorgann Klauser (ドルガン・クラウザー) (Drogan Klauser in the Anthology version) protested against sealing Exdeath on the first world, believing it unfair to its inhabitants. However, he and the other warriors could not find any other alternative. As a result, Dorgann made the decision to remain on that world, knowing that he would not be able to return on his own. After some years there, he married a woman named Stella and had a son, Bartz Klauser. His wife died three years afterwards, and Dorgann himself died when Bartz was seventeen, presumably while he and Bartz were traveling (he asked to be buried in the village of Lix, the townspeople seem to have only just heard of his passing, and Bartz carves his name into his wife's tombstone in an optional scene). Dorgann's only appearances in the game are during flashbacks and just before the final battle, when he and the other original Warriors of Dawn encourage the Warriors of Crystals against Exdeath, and depart after his defeat.

Kelger
Kelger Vlondett (ケルガー・ヴロンデット) (Kelgar Vlondett in 1992 transliteration and the Anthology version) was the leader of the town of Quelb, whose population consisted of werewolves. He returned to his homeworld after sealing Exdeath. After the Wind Crystal shatters, he sends a werewolf named Tsuze to help in the battle with the possessed Queen Karnak. The werewolf will speak to the party and attempt to keep the Fire Crystal from shattering long enough for them to flee, but is incinerated as the Fire Crystal shatters. Kelger himself appears later, challenging Bartz to a battle, in which the result is Bartz learning the truth about his father. Finally, while the party is in Exdeath's Castle, he helps the party one last time by dispelling the illusion that hides the way forward at a critical point, and then dies; he did not have long to live when he learned of Galuf's death. He returns as a spirit before and after the final battle, helping to free the party from the Void.

Xezat
Xezat Matias Surgate (Zezae Matias Surgate (ゼザ・マティアス・サーゲイト) in original Japanese language versions and Zeza Matias Surgate in the Anthology version), sometimes called "Xezat of Ice" for his cool reasoning, was another of the original Warriors of Dawn. He was known for his talent in both swordsmanship and magic. Xezat leads the fleet of ships during the second assault on Exdeath's castle and meets the party there. The ship is attacked by Gilgamesh, who is defeated. Xezat leads the party to one of the real attack ships: a submarine. They enter the secret tunnel under one of the Barrier Towers, and Xezat sends Galuf and the others to destroy the antenna while he disables the power. While they are in there, Xezat is attacked, and the equipment in the reactor room of the tower is damaged. Xezat is trapped, but tells the party to go back to the submarine, even though he knew that he would not be able to escape. Xezat perishes in the explosion, but returns as a spirit before and after the final battle.

The name Xezat Surgate was used in Final Fantasy XII as the name of the Dalmascan Resistance flagship.

Cid
Cid Previa (シド・プリヴィア) was an engineer working for the kingdom of Karnak, who designed the machinery used to extract power from the Fire Crystal. However, he eventually found that it was damaging the Fire Crystal, and tried to warn the Queen. Unfortunately, the Queen, who was under the influence of Exdeath, put him in the prison, where he meets the party when he blows through the wall to their cell in an escape attempt. He agrees to help the chancellor try to save the crystal when the chancellor confirms his suspicions, and secures the party's release by refusing to cooperate unless they are allowed to help him. He assists the party afterwards several times, such as giving them the Steamship he invented, making a path through a desert, fixing an ancient airship, opening a portal to the Second World, and helping the airship travel underwater.

Mid
Mid Previa (ミド・プリヴィア) is the grandson of Cid. Like his grandfather, he is a genius with mechanics. He admires Cid for never giving up and tells him that when Cid is moping about his Crystal amplifying machines having been responsible for breaking the crystals. After that, he travels along with his grandfather to assist the party. His father died in an accident three years before the events of the game.

King Tycoon
Alexander Highwind Tycoon (アレクサンダー・ハイウィンド・タイクーン) is the King of Tycoon and Lenna's father. At the beginning of the game, he leaves Tycoon Castle on a dragon to investigate an anomaly with the Wind Crystal. He disappears, causing Lenna to go and look for him and start the adventure.

After his initial disappearance, King Tycoon appears several times throughout the game. His image is used by the Siren to lure Lenna and Faris, he drops the party into the ruins beneath Gohn when they see him in the town, and he finally appears in the Flying Fortress of Gohn to shatter the Earth Crystal. Krile arrives from the Second World and knocks him out with a Thunder spell after he does this, breaking Exdeath's control. He awakens, and as the Crystal Shards are attacking the party, protects the party from them. However, he is mortally wounded by the shards and dies shortly thereafter. During the sequence following the final battle, his spirit can be seen along with the Warriors of Dawn, encouraging the party to live on.

Ghido
Ghido (ギード) is a great sage residing in the Second World, who also happens to be a turtle. Hundreds of years old, he is very knowledgeable about many events and items, and it is he who assists the party in acquiring and reading the Book of Seals. He appears to be quite skilled in battle, being able to fight against Exdeath. Unfortunately, he, along with most of the Scholars in the Ancient Library, are eventually pulled into the Void. He may have survived, however, since Moogles, who were pulled into the void shortly after he was, appear in the ending.

In the GBA translation, Ghido is noticeably condescending toward Bartz, partly because Bartz made a bad first impression by poking him repeatedly before realizing that he was the sage.

Syldra
Syldra (シルドラ) (Hydra, meaning "Sea Serpent," in Anthology) is the name of Faris's water drake. She is gentle and accompanied Faris since childhood and pulls Faris's ship while the wind has ceased blowing. She is thought to be dead after being dragged underwater by the lobster-like monster Karlabos; Syldra attacks the monster with a basic bite method but her true power is Raigekidan (Thunder Attack Bullet or Lightning Strike), a powerful blast of lightning that does wind damage.

Syldra uses the last of her strength to save the group when Walse Tower explodes; she becomes a summon late into the game when her spirit is revived. Some sources suggest Syldra is male; in-game dialogue is ambiguous as Faris describes the two as the gender-neutral "siblings" but introduces her as "she."

Boko
Boko (ボコ) is the name of Bartz's chocobo. Boko seems to be intelligent and good-natured. He nearly bucks Bartz off to motivate him to go back and help Reina and Galuf when they are attacked by goblins. Boko is left to his own devices near the pirate hideout when Bartz decides to travel with Reina and Galuf. During an optional event, Boko is wounded and taken inside the hideout, where an old man treats his injuries. He meets up with Bartz later in the game, now with a wife named Koko.

Koko
Koko (ココ) is Boko's wife. She appears at a later point in the game, and is said to be pregnant with Boko's children. Though she does not have much significance in the story itself, her presence does suggest that chocobos mate for life, as she and Boko are "married."

Wind Drakes
There are two wind drakes (飛竜) in the game. Hiryu is Tycoon Castle's wind drake; Lenna had planned to cut out its tongue when she was younger in order to save her mother, but Jenica convinced her that her mother loved the drake enough to die rather than sacrifice it. The party finds it on the Northern Mountain and treats its wounds with Dragon Grass, then uses it as a means of transportation; the dragon can land on flat grass, but cannot fly over mountains. Although Hiryu is sucked into the Void, it manages to save Lenna, and seemingly sacrifices itself when Lenna is possessed by a monster from the Void called Melusine (Mellusion in Anthology). It, however, barely makes it to the Phoenix Tower, and later sacrifices itself to become a Phoenix (which can be used as a summon in battle).

A second wind drake lives in Galuf's world. It helps Galuf infiltrate Exdeath's castle to save Bartz,Lenna and Faris, and later helps carry the four from Gloceana to Bal Castle. However, doing so strains the already wounded dragon, and the party must treat it with Dragon Grass to use it again. The wind drake survives and helps the party escape the Void in the ending after it is sucked in just before the final battle.

Zok
Zok (ゾック) is an old friend of Lenna's living in Tule, who owns the key to Torna Canal. He is concerned about Lenna's safety and claims to have lost the key when she asks at first, but gives it to Bartz in the middle of the night as well as a request to keep Lenna safe when he hears Lenna talking in her sleep about protecting the crystals.

King Walse
The King of Walse (ウォルス王) is on good terms with Lenna but refuses her request to shut down the Crystal machine, as his subjects have become used to the comfort and convenience it provides. He does begin to reconsider when he recalls what happened to the Wind Crystal, and goes to the Tower when a meteorite lands near it. However, he is wounded by a possessed Garula (a monster which is normally tame), and is forced to recover in Walse. He is sucked into the Void, but may have survived.

Queen Karnak
The Queen of Karnak (カルナック女王) had been possessed by Exdeath before the party's arrival in Karnak. It was she who ordered the arrest of Cid. She is possessed by a monster called Liquid Flame that fights against the party, and it is defeated. Afterwards she is bedbound and delirious in the Karnak inn.

Jenica
Jenica (ジェニカ) is Faris and Lenna's nurse from when they were children; she is also seen tutoring Faris in magic spells. Jenica is the one who convinced Lenna not to kill the last wind drake to save her mother.

Siren
Siren (セイレーン) is a demon whose own wanton destruction had created the infamous Ship Graveyard. She attacks the party after they cross through the area, and tries to steal their souls to make them serve her. She distracts Bartz with an image of his mother, Stella, and then both Lenna and Faris with an image of King Tycoon. Siren attempts to lure Galuf with an image of Krile, but he does not recognize it. Galuf then realizes that his companions are being drained of life, so he wakes them up, shattering Siren's magic. Siren then attacks the party, switching between a "living" phase and an "undead" phase. Siren appears in subsequent Final Fantasy titles VI and VIII as a summon monster.

Magissa and Forza
A team of dragon hunters who attack the party en route while tracking Hiryu on North Mountain. Magissa (マギサ) lures an unsuspecting Lenna with King Tycoon's helmet, then fires a poison arrow at her, while Forza (フォルツァ) (unseen) demolishes part of the cliff separating Lenna from the party. Magissa suggests holding Lenna for ransom, while Faris' quick thinking allows her to make a rope-line to the opposing cliff so the party can get to their fallen friend. During the battle, Magissa assaults the party with her bow & arrow, and a considerable repertoire of magic attacks. Later in the battle, she summons Forza, who relies solely on brutal physical attacks. It is entirely possible for advanced players to defeat Magissa before Forza is even summoned.

Gogo
Deep within Walse Castle, one will find a mimic, Gogo, with a piece of crystal. If one goes into battle with Gogo, and does not make an action, then he will commend you for mimicking his actions (or lack thereof), use the attack "X-Zone" on himself and grant your party the Mimic class. Gogo is also an optional character in Final Fantasy VI, being portrayed as a mysterious stranger shrouded in multicolored fabrics. Some claim that Gogo in Final Fantasy V is the same mime in Final Fantasy VI.

Exdeath
Exdeath (エクスデス) is a powerful warlock, would-be ruler of a parallel world, and the antagonist in Final Fantasy V.

Exdeath was originally a single tree deep in the Moore Forest, which the people of that world had used to seal countless demons and evil spirits in for centuries, until about 30 years ago, when the tree developed its own sentience from all the evil it had contained and assumed a human-like form. This was Exdeath. After being defeated by the four Dawn Warriors (Galuf, Xezat, Dorgann, and Kelger), Exdeath was imprisoned within the first world, sealed by the power of the crystals, some 30 years before the events in the game. At this time, he shatters the four crystals one by one, just before the heroes are able to save them. After the fourth crystal is destroyed, Exdeath is released and returns to his (and Galuf's) home world.

Here, he returns to his castle. Bartz, Lenna, and Faris are captured shortly after warping to his world. They are used as hostages to keep Galuf and his army from attacking. It is protected by a powerful barrier that is generated by four towers surrounding the castle; Exdeath activates the barrier while the four are on the Big Bridge, which catapults them to Gloceana and would have killed any of Galuf's soldiers on the bridge. To attack the castle and defeat Exdeath, the heroes must destroy one of the towers to disable the barrier. In Exdeath's world, the four crystals are contained in the Elder Tree in Moore Forest. Exdeath destroys these crystals, because they are holding the two worlds apart, as they were once a single world, but were separated. He kills Galuf, who tries to defend the crystals and his friends. By doing so, the two worlds recombine, and Exdeath gains access to the power that was sealed by the separation of the worlds, the Void (無).

He utilizes this power to great destruction, effectively annihilating Tycoon Castle, Lix, and other locations. When the Warriors of Crystals challenged him, he attempted to use the Void on them. However, in the ensuing fight, in which Exdeath reveals his true form as a tree, Exdeath became a victim of his own instrument. He emerged as Neo Exdeath (ネオエクスデス), a chaotic vessel of the Void itself composed of the various evils that gave Exdeath life protruding from its body. Now nothing more than a host to the very power he sought, Neo Exdeath desired to turn all to nothingness, presumably so that it, too, could disappear. But the warriors destroyed Neo Exdeath, recreating the four crystals that restored all the damage caused by the Void.

Exdeath is the villain representing Final Fantasy V in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, where he is voiced by Tarō Ishida in the Japanese version and Gerald C. Rivers in the English version. He is also referenced in Ivalice-set titles Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift as a summonable entity (known as an "Esper" in the first, a "Totema" in the second and a "Scion" in the third) by the name of Exodus, an alternative translation of Exdeath..

Gilgamesh


Gilgamesh (ギルガメッシュ) is one of Exdeath's generals, and a recurring boss in the storyline. He is perhaps most noteworthy for being the first recurring miniboss in the Final Fantasy series. Although high on determination, he tends to be incompetent and short on courage. He fights the party a total of five times. During the fourth encounter, Gilgamesh transforms using his "Gilgamesh Change" attack, in which he takes on the form of an eight-armed samurai, carrying an axe in his second top left arm, a giant spear with a sword on the end in his first top left arm, a mace in his first bottom left arm, and the next one is unarmed. In his right arms, he wields a claw on his knuckles, as well as a large, double-edged sword that may be Excalibur or Excalipoor, which he carrys with two hands. The final arm is unarmed. Genji equipment can be stolen from him during battle. He has a winged underling named Enkidu, the beast-man, who only fights alongside him once, supporting Gilgamesh with the White Wind ability. One of the most famous moments with Gilgamesh is when he finds a sword he thinks is the Excalibur, but is in fact a fake known as Excalipoor. Over the course of the game, he develops from an enemy into a friendly rival, respecting the party's power and enjoying their battles. After being cast into the Void by Exdeath, he is encountered by the party when they too enter the Void. Bartz directs him to the exit and Gilgamesh nearly refers to them as "friends" even suggesting that when they leave the Void, they should go on some "spectacular adventures, just the five of [them]." Shortly after this, Gilgamesh optionally returns (if the player touches the light and fights Necrophobe) and aids the party in their battle against Necrophobe, refusing to be remembered as a weak coward. He gives kind words and advice to each party member, heals them, then sacrifices himself to defeat Necrophobe (although it is possible for a powerful party to defeat Necrophobe before Gilgamesh appears, effectively making Gilgamesh survive).

Demons of the Rift
A variety of Exdeath's minions are released from the seal, and attack the party constantly during the game. Some of the more notable ones who appear in boss battles include:


 * Byblos (ビブロス) (Biblos in Anthology) is a bull-like demon who was long-since sealed in a book in the Ancient Library. His powers have deteriorated apparently during his incarceration, but he is still challenging so early in the game, long before the other Demons of the Rift start appearing.  Byblos' deadliest attack is Wind Slash, which hits the whole party for considerable damage.  Byblos also tries to inflict several negative statuses during the fight.


 * Atomos (アトモス) is a large demon charged with protecting the antenna of the Barrier Towers outside Exdeath's Castle.  When the party enters the south eastern one with Xezat to disable the barrier, Atomos is there to stop them.  It resembles a large gaping mouth with a galaxy visible inside and relies on a very simple yet deadly strategy.  It will defeat a character using its Comet spell, and slowly suck in the KO'ed character.  When one character is sucked in, they cannot be revived until after the battle.  Atomos will then turn to another party member to repeat the process.  He is also known to cast Gravity and Slowga to make the process of defeating him take longer.  Atomos makes a cameo appearance in Final Fantasy IX as an Eidolon. Furthermore, there is a Gummi Ship bluprint named "Atomos" in Kingdom Hearts.


 * Melusine (メリュジーヌ) is the first of the demons the heroes come in contact with after the worlds merge. Melusine is a beautiful woman riding a monstrous serpent creature. She was able to apprehend Lenna and possess her after Tycoon Castle was sucked into the Rift, but as the wind drake Hiryu made an attack on her, she lost control of Lenna. She has the power to change her elemental weaknesses and immunities with the ability Barrier Change.


 * Wendigo (ストーカー) ambushes the heroes in the Island Shrine after they reach the Tablet there. He is completely encased in blue flames and has the ability to multiply and create clones of himself. Wendigo's favorite special attack is Mind Blast, although he will counter an attack at one of his "images" with a Blaze spell. In the GBA translation, he is also a bit sexist, having been unimpressed with the party because it is mostly female.


 * Triton (トライトン), (Nereid (ネレゲイド) in the original Japanese language version and Nergade in Anthology) and Phobos (フォーボス) are three undead brothers who attack the heroes while they search for the Tablet in the Great Sea Trench. Each uses its own element, and while not individually powerful, the entire group must be defeated or they can respawn.


 * Calofisteri (カロフィステリ) resides in the forest of the Rift. She tricks the party into thinking she is a tree spirit like those found in Moore Forest.  Calofisteri carries a big green crystal ball of energy, which is her main power source.


 * Apanda (アパンダ) is quite clever, biding his time in the Rift's library. He attacks the heroes when they triggered the dimensional switch they needed to proceed. Like Byblos before him, he also fears Ifrit, due to the fact that he turns his back and trembles in fear when Ifrit is summoned.  Apanda is even a palette swap of Byblos and casts similar spells.


 * Azulmagia (アポカリョープス) is the wizard of the Rift who guards a save point in the Dimension Castle. He asks the party if they are the Warriors of the Crystal; if they say no, he will not actually not attack them, but he should probably be fought anyway to allow access to the save. He is notable for using almost every Blue Magic in the game, hence his name "Azul" (Blue) "Magia" (Magic), allowing players to possibly pick up any missed spells in one fight.


 * Catastrophe (カタストロフィ) is a brown demonic creature that looks very similar to a beholder.  It charges the party as they approach its holding cell and runs them down the jail hallway.  It has devastating powers over the earth and summons them at will with the ability Earth Shaker.  Catastrophe is also capable of petrifying characters.


 * Halicarnassus (ハリカルナッソス) is the king of the Dimensional Castle in the Rift. He disguised himself as a beautiful woman being held prisoner in the dungeon of the castle, when Bartz came to "her" rescue.  Kissing him and scurrying off, he revealed his true form when he claimed that he gave Bartz the "Kiss of Death". In battle, his Ribbit ability immediately turns the party into frogs, as well as attacking them with powerful magic.


 * Twintania (ツインタニア) is the guardian of the Void's entrance known for her Giga Flare attack. Since Giga Flare casters are defenseless when charging it, she can be killed instantly by using instant-death magic or summon when doing so.


 * (Necrophobe (ネクロフォビア) is the last of the demons the heroes meet on their quest. He is surrounded by four barriers which protect him at all times and cast powerful magic.  He is ultimately destroyed when Gilgamesh sacrifices himself to destroy him; however, it is possible for the player to defeat him before Gilgamesh arrives.  It is important to note that while he is optional, defeating Necrophobe will cause the final save point on the way to the final boss to appear.


 * Omega (Omega (オメガ) is an ancient war machine that descended from the sky, from a by-gone era still operating. It moves about by its own volition, unlike other boss enemies encountered in the Rift.  Omega can be found meandering aimlessly around a waterfall somewhere in the Rift.  Thankfully, Omega is an optional enemy, because it is incredibly powerful and requires substantial preparation to defeat.  Defeating Omega earns Bartz and his team the Omega Badge, which serves no purpose other than bragging rights.  An even stronger version called Omega Mk. II can be found in the new dungeon, bequeathing the Force Shield to anyone who would defeat it.


 * Shinryu (Shinryuu (神竜) is an immensely powerful dragon charged with protecting a particular chest near the end of the Dimensional Rift. It is mentioned as being the Lord of the Dragons, a title generally reserved for Bahamut in other games of the series.  It is the second super-boss in the game, and actually grants the player something worthwhile, the Ragnarok Sword, as well as the Dragon Seal, its own bragging rights item.  His name literally means "God Dragon".  Neo Shinryu, a stronger version without any status vulnerabilities, appears in the new dungeon and holds the Ultima Weapon.

Enuo
Enuo (エヌオー) is a powerful necromancer who originally existed one thousand years before the events of the game. According to legend, Enuo tried to take over the world using the power of the Void, and was willing to trade his own immortality in exchange for such a power. The people of Earth used this to their advantage, and Enuo was eventually defeated by a group of warriors who wielded the 12 Legendary Weapons. Having been defeated, Enuo was sealed in the tree that would eventually become Exdeath. However, Enuo himself appears in the Game Boy Advance remake, designed by Tetsuya Nomura, as the final boss of the Sealed Temple, a dungeon unique to this version. His defeat unlocks the Necromancer job.

Commentary and criticism
Final Fantasy V ' s plot was not considered a particular strength of the game to most reviewers. This lukewarm reception applied to the characters as well, who were seen as basic stock characters lacking in originality. An RPGFan review said "While Yoshitaka Amano's artwork is great and the characters are memorable-looking, their personalities are the only things they have going for them, and there is no character development for the most part." GameSpot called the characters "paper-thin" and that they "don't seem all that likable at first." This portrayal is not universally shared; IGN, for instance, calls the main characters "cool" and the pacing and characterization "pretty good." Their review of the Anthology version notes that each of the main characters does have "a fully fleshed out personality, complete with individual histories and heritage."

While opinion was somewhat split on the playable characters, Exdeath was widely considered a generic dark lord with no particular motives of interest. As the RPGFan reviewer put it, "The antagonist is just pure evil, nothing more. No motives are really explained. That bothered me; since the cast is so static, why does the villain have to be?"