Final Fantasy has been making nods to Star Wars since nearly its starting. Longtime fans have come to expect a combination of overt references and stylistic inspirations in each game; Square Enix wears its appreciation of A Galaxy Far, Far Away on its sleeve. In a wierd way, this blatant reverence has only deepened Final Fantasy’s own distinct identity.
Among the Star Wars references in Final Fantasy are so sharp, that only essentially the most oblivious non-fans will miss the purpose entirely. Others are clever, almost delicate, of their implementation. Truth be told, most hew closer to the previous than the latter, but let’s explore ’em all.
7
Nida, Piet, Martine
This one’s clever as heck, and as such, remarkably well-hidden. In Final Fantasy 8, there are several characters whose names are linked to Star Wars. While essentially the most obvious pair will probably be addressed later on this list, three others – Nida, Piet, and Martine – are far quieter by comparison.
Nida is a SeeD candidate who graduates alongside FF8’s heroes. Piet is a researcher for the technologically-advanced nation of Esthar. And Martine is the headmaster for Galbadia Garden, Balamb Garden’s rival school and merc-churning powerhouse.
If Nida’s name being so near Star Wars’ Captain Needa was the one instance here, I won’t be entirely convinced that it was intentional. Piet is similarly near Captain Piette, nevertheless. As for Martine, well, that is a bit more complicated.
You see, Martine is not a Star Wars reference. Somewhat, in several non-English languages – including Japanese – his name is Dodonna. I lament that the English localization nixed this nod to a capable leader inside Star Wars’ heroic Rebel Alliance.
6
Gibbs And Deweg
One other clever Star Wars reference deployed via character names – and once more, that is closely related to that aforementioned “obvious pair” – Gibbs and Deweg are two soldiers of the Archadean Empire in Final Fantasy 12.
The pair are stationed at Nalbina Fortress in an effort to block easy entry to the nearby Mosphoran Highwaste. Their names are scrambled variants on “Biggs and Wedge”, two characters from the unique Star Wars film who will indeed make a more thorough appearance toward the tail end of this text.
Interestingly enough, this particular reference has its origin on the English side of the equation. In Japanese, they’re given honorifics reflective of a superior and inferior work relationship. Final Fantasy 12’s English translators clearly felt it inappropriate to ship a game’s localization without Biggs and Wedge in there somewhere. Well, close enough, at any rate.
Final Fantasy 12 is bursting on the seams with Star Wars references big and small, but they’re largely thematic – and thus, difficult to pinpoint as their very own unique entries on the list.
From Vaan’s parallels to Luke as an orphan with dreams of skybound freedom, to Ashelia’s royal struggle against a nefarious empire, to the princess’ own breakout mission, Balthier’s and Fran’s strangely similar vibes to Han Solo and Chewbacca, and more, FF12 is an epic ode to A Galaxy Far, Far Away. It just tends to be much more indirect about all of it.
5
“It’s A Trap” And The Light Saber
Naming a mission “It’s A Trap!” after Return of the Jedi’s Admiral Ackbar’s infamous declaration is hardly what I’d label subtle, but Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift conceals it reasonably well by virtue of the incontrovertible fact that the sport sports a whopping 300 missions in all.
What’s more, the weakest of FFTA2’s eight saber-class weapons is named a Light Saber. Actual lightsabers inside Star Wars canon mix the 2 words more elegantly, and I guess it’s possible that this is not a Star Wars reference. Just the identical, in a franchise so flush with them, it could be.
Speaking of references-that-might-not-be-references, this seems nearly as good some extent as any to say that I won’t be including Final Fantasy VII’s supposed “Nanaki = Anakin” nod. Red XIII’s real name, Nanaki, is steadily cited as an anagram of Anakin, Darth Vader’s own real name. While it’s possible, there’s sufficient reason to solid doubt on it.
4
“Fear Leads To Anger…”
“…anger results in hate. Hate results in suffering.” So the old saying goes. And by ‘old’, I mean 1999. Yoda delivers the complete line in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Just over a 12 months later, the English script for Final Fantasy 9 elects to reuse it.
Necron, the reasonably surprising final boss in a story that’s otherwise largely dedicated to the struggle against antagonists Kuja, Garland, and Brahne, cites the sensible Jedi Master’s observations on the emotional spectrum. It is a direct lift, to be certain, but I figure, hey. It comes about 45 minutes before the credits roll on a 40-plus-hour JRPG. Loads of players aren’t going to achieve it. It’s less obvious by default.
3
The Falcon
Two airships bear the name Falcon in Final Fantasy. The primary appears in Final Fantasy 4; the second in Final Fantasy 6. This particular Star Wars reference fancied the SNES and the SNES alone, I suppose.
Falcon is, after all, not Millennium Falcon. There may be, in truth, a word missing. However it’s actually intentional that the 2 skyward aircraft, which each symbolize freedom of their respective narrative methods, come as near the complete two-word term as I believe Lucasfilm would ever allow.
In any case, this is similar series that uses the name Enterprise in Final Fantasy 3, 4, and 14. Real-world historical Enterprise space shuttle and naval vessels aside, they don’t seem to be exactly hiding their love of Star Trek here.
2
Is not Locke A Little Short…?
There are a pair of how for Locke Cole to avoid wasting Celes Chere when the previous imperial general is being held captive in Final Fantasy 6. Or reasonably, a pair of various disguise uniforms which Locke can still be wearing when the dashing rogue meets the down-on-her-luck Rune Knight.
For those who keep Locke within the imperial uniform he’ll must have pilfered from a Gestahlian Empire grunt during his traipse through occupied South Figaro, Celes will query the mysterious arrival’s appearance with the next line:
Aren’t you slightly short to be an imperial trooper?
For the uninitiated, this is sort of verbatim what the captive Princess Leia Organa asks a stormtrooper-disguised Luke Skywalker when he busts into her prison cell. What’s more, in later translations, Locke responds with: “What? Oh, the uniform.” That is Luke’s line. Straight-up. That is about as on-the-nose because it gets.
1
Biggs And Wedge
After all, for as blunt a line reading as Celes and Locke occur to share, one short scene is hardly as prolifically transparent because the repeated appearances of two characters whose names mirror Luke’s two key allies throughout the Battle of Yavin IV (and in Wedge’s case, beyond). Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles, Square sure does honour you so.
The primary time a Biggs and a Wedge appear in a Final Fantasy game is the sixth mainline installment, where they accompany protagonist Terra Branford on the very starting of her strange and epic journey. They do not last long before death claims the each of them.
But boy, they do not know when to quit. They appeared again in Final Fantasy 7 as two founding members of Avalanche – and, er, died again – before having much better luck with their FFs 8, 10, 12 (sorta; I covered this already) 14, and 15. The duo survives each of those quasi-reincarnations. The names also pop up in quite a few spinoffs, starting from Final Fantasy Tactics to Final Fantasy Record Keeper and beyond.
The longest-“lived” Biggs and Wedge within the canon are surely FF14’s. Cid Garlond’s two most treasured subordinates have had fresh dialogue for 15 years and counting. Good on them.