likeness

If there's one thing that ties the seemingly dissimilar episodes of the Final Fantasy series together, it's the well-defined character archetypes. Comparing each of the games, similarities can be found to repeat through' a number of characters along the line. There's the dark, mysterious, tough heroine -- Faris, Lulu, Paine -- the sword-wielding antihero -- Cloud, Squall -- the cute, cheeky, little girl character -- Relm, Yuffie, Rikku, Panelo -- the suave, really-should-be-the-hero sidekick -- Leon, Edgar, Balthier -- and many more. Terra's character is no exception.

the archetype

Terra's archetype would best be described as the homeless amnesiac with mysterious abilities. Not knowing his or her past or who she or he is, this archetype at first seems lost, confused, and perhaps even a bit weak. Everything may frighten him or her. Everything might seem new. She or he carries a gift the other characters don't have -- and generally a very powerful and rare one, at that. The character eventually recovers his or her past and is empowered by the discovery, emerging far more powerful and confidant than when he or she set out on the adventure.

archetypes: bad or good?

When something repeats itself, particularly more than once, it's generally good to ask the question: is this a good thing? The answer is dependant on a variety of factors, but in the case of characters in a discontinuous series, I'd argue the top three are: how well the archetype is designed, the fan and critical reaction to the archetype, and how original the characters that represent the archetype are in comparison to each other.

Given Terra's character, I believe her archetype is well-designed and memorable. Having lost her home and family, and even further having lived most of her life as a slave to a terrible cause, Terra represents a classical trait of the hero[ine] character. We humans, being curious creatures, can appreciate the mystery that surrounds her due to her amnesia. Giving her an enigmatic power gives Terra an edge of importance, and further develops her mystery. The basic properties of her archetype -- homelessness, loss of memory, and a mysterious ability -- can be developed and explained in a variety of ways, which allows this archetype to survive through many different incarnations.

Fan and critic opinion has had an impact on the series and what archetypal characters the creators choose in later games. Taking a look at the character trends as the series has grown gives insight on process. Take Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, for example: after the massive success of that title, and in particular critical and fan praising of his character, Cloud's antihero archetype was extended through Squall Leonhart, the main protagonist in the next title of the series. The same occurred for Terra's archetype: she was preceded by Rydia of FFIV and followed by Aerith of FFVII and Vivi of FFIX, and inspired to a lesser extent other characters in the series as well.

The level of originality across Final Fantasy characters who carry the same or similar archetype has its highs and lows -- but mostly highs!

Rydia Rydia began the trend; she was the first experiment with the archetype, a "beta version", if you will. Rydia's hometown is destroyed and her family, friends and neighbours killed. Unlike Terra, only one of those who caused the incident continued to be her enemy for much of the game, whereas the other, Cecil, became a trusted companion. Rydia doesn't loose her memory, but does have mysterious powers she doesn't understand. After time and experience take their toll, Rydia, like Terra, comes to know and master her powers, becoming a stronger person in the process.

Aerith Like Terra, Aerith carries an aura of mystery around her. Although she didn't necessarily suffer from amnesia, much of her past is unknown to her due to having been adopted at a young age. Aerith lives with her adopted mother, but knows she's lost her family and is the last of her race. Unlike Terra, Aerith has been completely aware of her special abilities -- in particular, her ability to talk to the planet and lifestream -- and isn't at all frightened of it. When she comes to realise the true extent of her abilities, Aerith makes a hard choice and faces her imminent death with a strength unparalleled by most characters in the history of ever.

Vivi Although not female and not human (or esper, or any other material equivalents), Terra's archetype shows through most strongly in Vivi. Lost, confused and shouldered with strange abilities, Vivi is an amnesiac who yearns to find out who -- or what -- exactly he is. Vivi embarks on a journey of self-discovery, eventually finding his "hometown" and other members of his "race". Like Terra, Vivi's struggle through most of his story is with finding out who exactly he is and where he fits in the grand scheme of things. When he makes that discovery, his fears are lost and he emerges a much stronger individual.

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