The Worst Fathers in Final Fantasy

Father’s Day in the UK was on the 16th of June, so what better way to celebrate it than by discussing the absolute worst fathers in the Final Fantasy series? You may have seen my article on the Worst Mothers in Final Fantasy following the release of Final Fantasy XVI, but now it’s finally the Dads turn. So, let’s get to it!

Warning in advance, we’ll have some spoilers ahead for several Final Fantasy games over the years. So, read ahead at your own risk!

Tellah

Final Fantasy IV

I admit, Tellah isn’t outright the worst father, but he was an asshole. While he loved his daughter, Anna, he absolutely couldn’t stand her fiance, Edward. So, Anna ended up running away with Edward, because heaven forbid his daughter be in a relationship with a bard. When Anna takes some arrows intended for Edward to save him, she ends up mortally wounded and dies, but not before hearing her father call her fiancé a spoony bard. Then he dedicates the rest of his time to revenge, but honestly, if he just didn’t hate Edward so much, Anna would most likely still be alive.

Gau's Father

Final Fantasy VI

When Gau was born, his mother died in childbirth, and so Gau was left alone in the wilderness because Gau’s dad hated his son so much for apparently killing his wife. Years later, when Gau meets his father for the first time, Gau’s dad denies that he ever had a son. Naturally, everyone else is pissed about this, but Gau is surprisingly chill and just glad that his father’s okay. This is a testament to Gau because, wow, his dad’s a dick.

Professor Hojo

Final Fantasy VII

Okay, we had Lucrecia on the list before for using her unborn child for an experiment, but let’s never forget the truly worst father of all time: Professor Hojo. Oh sure, you could say that Hojo is just an atrocious human being, of which Vincent Valentine is the leading member of his hate club, but Sephiroth wouldn’t even call Hojo his father. We all know Hojo is his dad, but the guy spent his son’s entire life using him as an experiment and saying his mother is Jenova. So, because of everything Hojo did, Sephiroth went a wee bit homicidally manic. God damn it, Hojo.

Fury Caraway

Final Fantasy VIII

After Hojo and Gau’s dad, Fury’s not that bad, but he wasn’t a good dad to Rinoa. Sure, he loved her, but their relationship was pretty damn strained. Rinoa doesn’t use her dad’s surname, despite having been raised by him, and instead opts to join a freedom-fighting organisation against the exact government he works for. So, while not the worst, you have to wonder what went on behind the scenes and just how neglectful he was that his daughter doesn’t acknowledge him at all.

Garland

Final Fantasy IX

At this point, if you ever hear that a character in Final Fantasy was created by someone through unnatural means, then it probably means there wasn’t anything good going on. Zidane was created by Garland to specifically destroy Gaia. Zidane, naturally, did not want to do this. Considering Garland is also an antagonist of Final Fantasy IX, you know that there’s no love lost between our hero and his birth father.

Jecht

Final Fantasy X

Okay, we all know Jecht’s an asshole to his son. It’s something that Tidus never lets anyone forget, so we knew he would have to be on the list. Of course, we all know that Jecht was secretly proud of his son, but you know what, Jecht? Maybe you should have told Tidus that when you were around. But yeah, we won’t go into too much detail about Jecht since we all know what he was like.

Dr Cid

Final Fantasy XII

Ah, yes, the worst of all Cids. The lesser Cid of them all. The only evil Cid. Dr Cid is another mad scientist, and naturally, you know that’s not a good mix for a good relationship with your kids. Now, you may be wondering, hold up. Dr Cid has a kid? Why, yes! Do you remember our good ol’ sky pirate, Balthier? Well, he wasn’t a fan of his father’s insane plans and gave up his career as a Judge to roam the skies and change his name because that’s how much he started to hate his father. Dr Cid didn’t hate his son, but considering the extent to which Balthier went to get away from him, you can tell that he wasn’t great later.

Verstael Besithia

Final Fantasy XV

Surprisingly, Final Fantasy XV isn’t a game that’s rife with daddy issues. In fact, it also comes with Regis, who is, by all accounts, a wonderful father to Noct. But good fathers are still hard to come by in Final Fantasy. In fact, Verstael is another mad scientist who made a clone of himself. You know where this is going, don’t you? So, he made Prompto as a clone to become a Magitek soldier for Niflheim. Then, when Prompto got older after getting kidnapped away from him to live a normal life, Verstael was notably unimpressed that Prompto wasn’t a daemon.

Sylvestre Lestrage

Final Fantasy XVI

I originally wanted to choose that guy who has a “dog” that he pretends is attacking his son to kill bearers, but then I remembered Dion’s Dad. So, Sylvestre Lestrage went so far as to kill Dion’s biological mother, a courtesan, to ensure no one knew that he wasn’t the Queen’s son. Then, he married Anabella, and if you’ve read my Worst Mothers in Final Fantasy article, you’ll know that’s a crime in itself. Sylvestre then got possessed by Ultima, and, naturally, ruined Dion’s life further. Because let’s be honest, it’s not Final Fantasy XVI without crippling depression.

Tell me, have I missed out any fathers who should’ve been on the list? Let me know in the comments!