Final Fantasy IV: Difference between revisions

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Have you noticed something strange already? Yes, this was the first ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' game to have an actual ''plot'' beyond a generic "[[An Adventurer Is You|you are heroes]], [[Saving the World|go save world]] [[Card-Carrying Villain|from evil]]" story that was pretty much the standard for most RPGs at the time. As strange as it may seem to be to people who are used to the idea of an RPG [[Story to Gameplay Ratio|beginning with twenty hours of real-time cutscenes]], this was ''huge'' at the time of release.

Since the [[Final Fantasy II (Video Game)|second]] and [[Final Fantasy III ~~(Video Game)~~|third]] ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' games hadn't been released in the US when ''Final Fantasy IV'' came out, the US release of ''FFIV'' was titled ''Final Fantasy II''. The US ''FFII'' was easier than the Japanese version; before the US version was released, it spawned another Japanese version, "''Final Fantasy IV Easytype''", whose difficulty level was scaled down even farther. (Thus, the US version was less difficult than the original Japanese version, but significantly harder than ''Easytype''.) The US ''Final Fantasy II'' also suffered from severe [[Bowdlerise|censorship]]. ("[[Spoony Bard|You spoony bard!]]", anyone?) Many of the [[Good Bad Translation|fan-favorite lines]] were kept in the re-translated re-releases.

Since the [[Final Fantasy II (Video Game)|second]] and [[Final Fantasy III|third]] ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' games hadn't been released in the US when ''Final Fantasy IV'' came out, the US release of ''FFIV'' was titled ''Final Fantasy II''. The US ''FFII'' was easier than the Japanese version; before the US version was released, it spawned another Japanese version, "''Final Fantasy IV Easytype''", whose difficulty level was scaled down even farther. (Thus, the US version was less difficult than the original Japanese version, but significantly harder than ''Easytype''.) The US ''Final Fantasy II'' also suffered from severe [[Bowdlerise|censorship]]. ("[[Spoony Bard|You spoony bard!]]", anyone?) Many of the [[Good Bad Translation|fan-favorite lines]] were kept in the re-translated re-releases.

Received a cell phone sequel called ''[[Final Fantasy IV the After Years|The After Years]]'' (also available on [[Wii Ware]] and the [[Play Station Portable|PSP]]), which stars the old cast and some of their children teaming up again to prevent the same catastrophe from happening again. It, along with ''Final Fantasy IV'' itself, was released on the PSP in March 2011 in Japan and April every where else. Also includes a Midquel called Interlude to connect the plots better. Both games use new graphics and is the largest 2D graphical change to the original other then the cellphone version. This version is heavily based on the GBA version, only thing taken from the DS version is translations of terms (e.g. Carnellian Signet rather then "Bomb Ring").

''Final Fantasy IV'' is considered by many to be one of the best of the series, partly because it was first released before the series developed an [[Unpleasable Fanbase]]. It's been remade/ported numerous times; this has garnered some distaste for the game as [[Seinfeld Is Unfunny|its story and battle system haven't aged well]]. In addition to being half of the ''Final Fantasy [[Chrono Trigger ~~(Video Game)~~|Chronicles]]'' compilation on the [[PS 1]], ''FFIV'' has been ported to the GBA, and was the second game (after [[~~Final Fantasy III (Video Game)|~~Final Fantasy III]], [[No Export for You|which didn't make it over beforehand]]) to be remade with 3D graphics on the Nintendo DS. It's also the first remake to add voice acting, if only for key scenes.

''Final Fantasy IV'' is considered by many to be one of the best of the series, partly because it was first released before the series developed an [[Unpleasable Fanbase]]. It's been remade/ported numerous times; this has garnered some distaste for the game as [[Seinfeld Is Unfunny|its story and battle system haven't aged well]]. In addition to being half of the ''Final Fantasy [[Chrono Trigger|Chronicles]]'' compilation on the [[PS 1]], ''FFIV'' has been ported to the GBA, and was the second game (after [[Final Fantasy III]], [[No Export for You|which didn't make it over beforehand]]) to be remade with 3D graphics on the Nintendo DS. It's also the first remake to add voice acting, if only for key scenes.

* [[Advancing Wall of Doom]]: The Demon Wall in the [[Scrappy Level|Sealed Cave]].

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* [[Author Appeal|Artist Appeal]]: This game contains more or less all of Amano's favourite art trends...Cecil is the typical pale willowy man with frizzy white hair, blue lips, and very pale skin. He also has what Amano ''loves''...spiked armour and a cape. Rosa and Rydia meanwhile are clad in catsuits, and as for capes...it's probably more efficient to list the main characters who do ''not'' wear a cape (Cid, Kain, Yang, and arguably FuSoYa, who wears a robe).

* [[Ascended Meme]]: "You [[Spoony Bard]]!" is the [[Trope Codifier]] for the series, being kept in all releases of the game when the rest of the script has been re-translated. It has even worked its way into other ''Final Fantasy'' games and beyond.

* [[As Long As There Is Evil]]: The [[Trope Namer]] is {{spoiler|Zeromus'}} [[Final Speech]].

* [[As Long as There Is Evil]]: The [[Trope Namer]] is {{spoiler|Zeromus'}} [[Final Speech]].

** {{spoiler|He makes good on this promise in ''[[Final Fantasy IV the After Years]]''.}}

* [[The Atoner]]: Cecil, Kain, {{spoiler|Golbez at the end of the game and in ''The After''.}}

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* [[Boring but Practical]]: The game's stinginess with MP recovery items (see below) means that you'll be relying on regular weapon attacks quite a bit. Not to mention that many characters use little or no magic to begin with.

** This is fixed in the DS remake. Rosa's 'Pray' ability has a much higher success rate than the original game and heals MP as well as HP. It is also possible to teach a character 'Bless', which is an MP regen spell. Quite useful, considering how much more important MP is in the remake (in the end-game your mages are double-casting every turn, and the 'Phoenix' skill which revives fallen allies heals them equal to the percentage of MP the Phoenix-caster has.

* [[Bowdlerise]]: The "spoony bard" line is actually one of the least blatant examples in the SNES version. Much worse are the recurring [[Never Say Die]] elements, leading to lines like "A girl from Baron was kept from falling down", or the total elimination of anything remotely religious like references to Hell. The latter manifests itself in cringe-worthy lines like "Fall flat into the deep ravine!" or "Come with us, Edge... To the Dark World!!" Cecil's Dark Knight equipment was also changed, with Hades armor becoming "Black" and the Deathbringer sword becoming simply the Black sword.

* [[Bowdlerise]]: The "spoony bard" line is actually one of the least blatant examples in the SNES version. Much worse are the recurring [[Never Say "Die"]] elements, leading to lines like "A girl from Baron was kept from falling down", or the total elimination of anything remotely religious like references to Hell. The latter manifests itself in cringe-worthy lines like "Fall flat into the deep ravine!" or "Come with us, Edge... To the Dark World!!" Cecil's Dark Knight equipment was also changed, with Hades armor becoming "Black" and the Deathbringer sword becoming simply the Black sword.

** "Spoony" is actually an archaic term meaning "foolishly lovestruck," {{spoiler|which fits Edward perfectly,}} so it's less bowdlerization and more "who even says that anymore?"

** The blade above Rosa's head during her captivity is changed to a metal sphere. At least that's roughly as deadly as the original item.

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** As noted above, {{spoiler|Tellah}} [[Cast From Hit Points|attacks Golbez with his most powerful spell]], and only succeeds in weakening him enough to {{spoiler|break his hold on Kain while [[Killed Off for Real|dying in the process]]}}.

* [[Cartography Sidequest]]: Given to you by <s>Naming</s>way in the remake.

* [[Cast From Hit Points]]: {{spoiler|Tellah}} does this with [[Cutscene Power to ~~The~~ Max]], but it [[Killed Off for Real|comes at a very high price.]]

* [[Cast From Hit Points]]: {{spoiler|Tellah}} does this with [[Cutscene Power to the Max]], but it [[Killed Off for Real|comes at a very high price.]]

** Cecil's Dark Wave/Darkness is a gameplay example, as it saps his health either to attack all enemies on screen or to power up his normal attack, depending on the version.

* [[The Cavalry]]: Just as the {{spoiler|Giant of Babil}} awakes to raze the planet, the heroes stand horrified and at a loss as to what to do. Cue the ''entire armed forces of the world'' arriving to [[Hold the Line]].

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** This seems to be a trait of the old characters in the game, because FuSoYa also never gains anything in MP, no matter how many times he levels. At least until Level 70, but by that point you probably won't have him in your party any more.

* [[Cute Monster Girl]]: Higher-resolution graphics in the DS and PSP releases result in some female monsters becoming this. Meet [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110404151850/finalfantasy/images/8/8d/FF4PSP_Lamia.png the Lamia] for example.

* [[Cutscene Power to ~~The~~ Max]]: The Titan summon. When seen in a cutscene, it causes an earthquake that permanently alters the world map. In later use, it's a normal summon spell. Not to mention that Rydia's level 1 at the time and doesn't even have enough mana to summon it yet.

* [[Cutscene Power to the Max]]: The Titan summon. When seen in a cutscene, it causes an earthquake that permanently alters the world map. In later use, it's a normal summon spell. Not to mention that Rydia's level 1 at the time and doesn't even have enough mana to summon it yet.

** Also, Cure spells used in cutscenes manage to completely heal the whole party, even when they barely hit double digits when multi-targeted in battle.

*** Not to mention that they seem to be able to revive a fallen character, a trait normally reserved for the Raise spell.

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* [[Dark Reprise]]: "Final Battle," the [[Department of Redundancy Department|theme of the final battle]] against Zeromus, contains haunting echoes of "Airship" and "Overworld."

* [[Defeat Means Friendship]]: Most of the more powerful Eidolons must be defeated before you can summon them.

* [[Depending On the Artist]]: The designs of the entire cast vary greatly between sprites, artwork and renders. Look no further than [[The Hero]] -- Cecil's Super NES field sprites have him in blue as a Dark Knight and gold as a Paladin with purple hair, but in battle his Paladin armor is white and his hair is blue-purple, while it's white in his portrait. This is even carried over to re-released with refined character designs -- in the PSP release Cecil's battle sprite has spiked white hair with a tiara-like headpiece covering it, but his portrait has flowing white hair with a headband ''under'' the hair.

* [[Depending on the Artist]]: The designs of the entire cast vary greatly between sprites, artwork and renders. Look no further than [[The Hero]] -- Cecil's Super NES field sprites have him in blue as a Dark Knight and gold as a Paladin with purple hair, but in battle his Paladin armor is white and his hair is blue-purple, while it's white in his portrait. This is even carried over to re-released with refined character designs -- in the PSP release Cecil's battle sprite has spiked white hair with a tiara-like headpiece covering it, but his portrait has flowing white hair with a headband ''under'' the hair.

* [[Developer's Room]]: Hidden in the Lali-Ho Pub in the Dwarven Castle. Interesting in that it includes some of the developers as random encounters in the area. It was removed from the American SNES release and restored in the [[PS 1]] and GBA release. The Developer's room showed up again in the DS re-rerelease in the same place, with a completely new set of author avatars and in-jokes, because it's a different team this time around.

* [[Different As Night and Day]]: Palom and Porom.

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* [[Disney Death]]: {{spoiler|Yang, Palom, Porom, Cid.}}

* [[Disney Villain Death]]: This is what happens to {{spoiler|Scarmiglione}} after battling him.

* [[Distressed Damsel]]: Rosa, for a while. It might be [[Justified Trope]] that she can't get herself out, since she has [[Big Bad|Golbez]] and [[Brainwashed and Crazy|Kain]] guarding her, and unless you've been doing some serious [[Level Grinding]], she doesn't know Teleport. Not that she could cast it, since she's [[Chained to A Rock|chained to a wall]].

* [[Distressed Damsel]]: Rosa, for a while. It might be [[Justified Trope]] that she can't get herself out, since she has [[Big Bad|Golbez]] and [[Brainwashed and Crazy|Kain]] guarding her, and unless you've been doing some serious [[Level Grinding]], she doesn't know Teleport. Not that she could cast it, since she's [[Chained to a Rock|chained to a wall]].

* [[The Doll Episode]]

* [[Dope Slap]]: Porom, to Palom, many times.

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* [[Dummied Out]]: Many commands, status-ailment-healing items, and one-use spell-casting items were removed from the original North American version of the game.

** One was Cecil's Dark Wave, but his mirror image can cast that without a problem. This led to a lot of confusion and a bit of resentment on the part of SNES players when their shadow-self attacked exclusively with a power they themselves never had access to. It also made the resulting puzzle (ie, letting him attack with the HP-depleting spell and defeat himself without you attacking) more difficult to figure out.

* [[Dying As Yourself]]: {{spoiler|Edge's parents.}}

* [[Dying as Yourself]]: {{spoiler|Edge's parents.}}

* [[An Economy Is You]]: Played perfectly straight, but especially notable in that the weapon/armor shop in the first town is ''locked'' until you return there later in the game and obtain the key. Not exactly the best business model...

* [[Elemental Embodiment]]: The 4 Fiends of the Elements.

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* [[Magic Music]]: Pretty much Edward's whole purpose as the prototypical ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' Bard.

* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: At first, it looks like the King of Baron's the [[Big Bad]], however it turns out that {{spoiler|he was [[Dead Person Impersonation|killed and replaced]] by the [[Shapeshifting]] Cagnazzo, a minion of Golbez, the king's supposed [[The Dragon|Dragon]].}} Late in the game, it's revealed that {{spoiler|Golbez is the [[Brainwashed and Crazy]] victim of [[More Than Mind Control]] just like Kain and the real [[Big Bad]] is Zemus.}}

* [[Meaningful Name]]: The [[Four Is Death|four Elemental Fiends]] are all named after demons in Dante's ''[[~~The Divine Comedy (Literature)|~~The Divine Comedy]]'' - Scarmiglione, Cagnazzo, Barbariccia, and Rubicante.

* [[Meaningful Name]]: The [[Four Is Death|four Elemental Fiends]] are all named after demons in Dante's ''[[The Divine Comedy]]'' - Scarmiglione, Cagnazzo, Barbariccia, and Rubicante.

** Don't forget [[Creepy Doll|Calcabrina]]!

** The Tower of Bab-il and Kain are names that should ring a bell for anyone at least mildly familiar with [[~~The Bible (Literature)|~~The Bible]]. Kain even gets Abel's Lance in the GBA remake [[Incredibly Lame Pun|to drive the point home]].

** The Tower of Bab-il and Kain are names that should ring a bell for anyone at least mildly familiar with [[The Bible]]. Kain even gets Abel's Lance in the GBA remake [[Incredibly Lame Pun|to drive the point home]].

* [[Monster Town]]: Feymarch and the town of Mythril. The former hosts various enemies you fight in the game and several Eidolons, while the latter features townsfolk based off the Toad, Pig, and Mini status effects.

* [[My God, What Have I Done?]]: Cecil and possibly Kain, after the massacre at Mist.

* [[Near Villain Victory]]: Right before the final battle.

* [[Never Say Die]]: This trope is in full effect in the SNES translation, to the point of [[Bowdlerise|bowdlerization]]. However, in a [[Sturgeon's Tropes|rare]] [[Tropes Are Not Bad]] way, this actually makes the game's many [[Disney Death|Disney Deaths]] more believable. After all, why should the player believe that such-and-such is dead if the characters don't believe it either?

* [[Never Say "Die"]]: This trope is in full effect in the SNES translation, to the point of [[Bowdlerise|bowdlerization]]. However, in a [[Sturgeon's Tropes|rare]] [[Tropes Are Not Bad]] way, this actually makes the game's many [[Disney Death|Disney Deaths]] more believable. After all, why should the player believe that such-and-such is dead if the characters don't believe it either?

** Also manifests in spells like "Fatal" instead of "Death," or "Swoon" for "dead" characters.

*** Even before the translation, this was the first Final Fantasy to have the loss of all HP count as a [[Non-Lethal KO]] instead of actual death. [[Gameplay and Story Segregation|Otherwise]] the cast's now-frequent cutscene performances [[Our Zombies Are Different|would be awkward]]. Especially if you were planning on giving them [[Revive Kills Zombie|phoenix downs]].

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* [[Not His Sled]]: Gameplay variation. Many bosses in the original game had a particular weakness or strategy associated with them that made them easier to beat. The developers remembered these when it came time for the DS remake, and players trying those old tricks found the bosses had been programmed to punish them for trying it again.

* [[Not So Harmless]]: Dr. Lugae initially appears to be a harmless nutjob with a malfunctioning Frankenstein-type robot, before turning into a fairly dangerous boss. Only after Lugae dies do you discover how monstrous he truly was, with what he did to Edge's parents.

* [[Oh Wait]]: Golbez insults Kain this way at one point.

* [[Oh, Wait!]]: Golbez insults Kain this way at one point.

* [[Ominous Floating Castle]]: The Tower of Zot, which seems to be well outside of Earth's atmosphere.

* [[One Steve Limit]]: Averted. First, you meet the [[Spoony Bard]] Edward Chris von Muir. Later, you meet the [[Highly-Visible Ninja]] Edward Geraldine. To make sure the player doesn't get confused with this, '''Ed'''ward '''Ge'''raldine goes by the alias Edge.

** Actually an unintended result of the translation. Edward was originally named Gilbert (with his [[Anne of Green Gables ~~(Literature)~~|red-haired love interest Anna]]), while Edge was still Edward "Edge".

** Actually an unintended result of the translation. Edward was originally named Gilbert (with his [[Anne of Green Gables|red-haired love interest Anna]]), while Edge was still Edward "Edge".

* [[One-Time Dungeon]]: The Tower of Zot which collapses once finished with.

* [[Omniscient Morality License]]: Leviathan shows up to crash your entire ship in order to abduct your summoner, destroying the mission to stop [[The Empire]], and possibly jeopardizing the fate of the world. The aftermath leaves one party member an amnesiac pawn of said empire, another bedridden until the very end of the game, [[The Hero]] stranded alone on a continent that [[Humiliation Conga|hates]] [[Karma|him]], and presumably [[Red Shirt|all the ship's crew]] dead. Everything [[All According to Plan|works out uncannily]] in the end, despite (or even [[In Mysterious Ways|because of]]) debilitating injuries to plot-important characters. Nobody ever brings up the whole, murderous [[Sea Monster]] thing.

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* [[Outside the Box Tactic]]: The Wall (Reflect) spell is integral to defeating Asura, who heals herself twice, at the end every round, in addition to attacking your party. The catch? You have to cast Wall on her. That way, when she attempts to heal herself, Wall reflects it heals your party instead. Asura inflicts insane amounts of damage and recovers 2,500-3,300 HP per recovery spell, making her borderline impossible to defeat without this trick.

* [[The Paladin]]: Cecil.

* [[Parental Abandonment]]: A couple of playable characters lose their parents due to the villains (and one loses hers because of the heroes). [[Death By Childbirth]] is added to Cecil and Golbez's background in the Nintendo DS version.

* [[Parental Abandonment]]: A couple of playable characters lose their parents due to the villains (and one loses hers because of the heroes). [[Death by Childbirth]] is added to Cecil and Golbez's background in the Nintendo DS version.

** It's actually sort of present in the original version as well, just not explicitly spelled out.

* [[Parental Bonus]]: During the new Namingway quest in the DS remake, he asks the characters for some Rainbow Pudding to give his new girlfriend. When they next see him, he complains about how, upon going to give her the pudding, he found another guy "giving her a present of his own."

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* [[The Power of Love]]: Several moments, such as Edward defeating the Sahagin and Kain {{spoiler|defeating Zemus's last attempt at mind control}} come from their love for a certain person. In addition, giving Twincast to [[Official Couple|Cecil and Rosa]] yields Ultima, strongest attack in the entire game bar ''none''.

* [[The Power of Rock]]: Turns out the Dark Elf is weak to this. Or at least harps.

* [[Powers As Programs]]: The Augments from the DS version.

* [[Powers as Programs]]: The Augments from the DS version.

* [[Professor Guinea Pig]]: If you destroy Balnab/Barnabas before Dr. Lugae, Lugae merges himself with his creation to attack.

* [[Punched Across the Room]]: Or as it occurs in the Tower of Bab-il, "Punched across the room, through the door, and landing several tiles away."

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* [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]]: Tellah tried, but just didn't quite pull it off, though he ''did'' whip out the most powerful [[Black Magic]] spell known.

* [[Royals Who Actually Do Something]]: Quite a few of your party members are nobility, or promoted to such by the game's end.

* [[Screw You Elves]]: This (sort of) happens with Edge and Rubicante. Not so much of a Screw You to the archfiends, but more to their way of thinking.

* [[Screw You, Elves]]: This (sort of) happens with Edge and Rubicante. Not so much of a Screw You to the archfiends, but more to their way of thinking.

{{quote| '''Rubicante:''' "I respect men like you. Men with ... courage. But ''you'' are a slave to your emotions, and so will never know true strength.<br />

'''Edge:''' "You think our rage ... a weakness? Then let me show you ''how wrong you are!''" }}

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* [[Shoulders of Doom]]: Golbez. So. Very. Much.

** Both of Cecil's forms and Rosa have spikes on their shoulder pads.

* [[Shout-Out]]: A lot. [[Final Fantasy IV ~~(Video Game)~~/Trivia|See the trivia page.]]

* [[Shout-Out]]: A lot. [[Final Fantasy IV/Trivia|See the trivia page.]]

* [[Single-Stroke Battle]]: Odin, when summoned.

* [[Sinister Geometry]]: CPU.

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* [[Slapstick]]: Yang's wife and her... unorthodox method of dealing with enemy soldiers and amnesiac husbands. {{spoiler|All get bashed over the head with her frying pan.}}

* [[Small Name, Big Ego]]: Edge, he's the first ladies' man to ever appear in the series!

* [[So Long and Thanks For All ~~The~~ Gear]]: A frequent occurrence on one's first playthrough, thanks to all the party members that leave your party or (apparently) meet their demise without much advance warning.

* [[So Long and Thanks For All the Gear]]: A frequent occurrence on one's first playthrough, thanks to all the party members that leave your party or (apparently) meet their demise without much advance warning.

* [[Space Whale]]: Doubles as a spacecraft, capable of flying the heroes to the moon.

* [[Spirit Advisor]]: Kluya for Cecil, Anna for Edward.

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** This line even gets a [[Shout-Out]] in the Developer's Room: "But the bard ''was'' spoony! We checked!"

* [[Squishy Wizard]]: Rydia. She has the worst HP out of your final party, but [[Glass Cannon|she can slaughter enemies in no time]], even before she gets spells like Meteor, Leviathan, or Bahamut.

* [[Stay in ~~The~~ Kitchen]]: After all of his travels with the [[White Mage]] / [[Combat Medic]] keeping the party healthy and the [[Lady of Black Magic]] / Master of [[Summon Magic]] laying waste to all that stood in their way, Cecil suddenly decides the women are a liability and orders them off the Lunar Whale before the [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon]]. Thankfully, Rosa and Rydia are not amused and they stow away to the Moon with them anyway.

* [[Stay in the Kitchen]]: After all of his travels with the [[White Mage]] / [[Combat Medic]] keeping the party healthy and the [[Lady of Black Magic]] / Master of [[Summon Magic]] laying waste to all that stood in their way, Cecil suddenly decides the women are a liability and orders them off the Lunar Whale before the [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon]]. Thankfully, Rosa and Rydia are not amused and they stow away to the Moon with them anyway.

* [[Stripperiffic]]: Suffice to say the female mages do ''not'' wear the concealing robes of their predecessors.

** [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/ff4ds/swf/dl_images/3dcg_3s.jpg Rosa] has wardrobe problems. Never knew that underwear goes under your clothes or just simply does not like to wear a dress or skirt? You be the judge.

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** Any "dummy" item.

* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Cecil. {{spoiler|After he becomes a paladin, he becomes significantly stronger in every stat, can wield much stronger equipment and can destroy anything that made you cry tears of frustration when he was a Dark Knight.}} The best part? {{spoiler|This is when Paladin Cecil is level 1, compared to Dark Knight Cecil who's anywhere from 15-20.}}

** The same can be said for {{spoiler|Tellah and Rydia, possibly Edge,}} although {{spoiler|his is much more [[Cutscene Power to ~~The~~ Max]].}}

** The same can be said for {{spoiler|Tellah and Rydia, possibly Edge,}} although {{spoiler|his is much more [[Cutscene Power to the Max]].}}

* [[Took a Shortcut]]: Namingway in the DS version.

** Also Rydia when she comes back... the normal route going through a cave infested with monsters and over seas of lava that even the airship can't cross at that point in the story.

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* [[Traumatic Superpower Awakening]]: Inverted with Rydia: she has an innate talent for magic, but the trauma of watching her village being burned to the ground makes it difficult for her to use fire spells.

* [[Trick Boss]]: Calcabrina, Lugae.

* [[Two Guys and A Girl]]: Cecil, Kain, and Rosa.

* [[Two Guys and a Girl]]: Cecil, Kain, and Rosa.

* [[Unexplained Recovery]]: {{spoiler|''Everyone'' except for Anna and Tellah.}}

* [[Unstable Equilibrium]]: Avoided. Cecil is powerful enough to plow through all but the rarest [[Random Encounters]] on his own for a good hour into the game. In fact, it really feels more like an [[Escort Mission]] when he's paired up with Rydia and Edward, at least at first. The only time you might be in danger, when Undead show up, you get Tellah, who is ''even more powerful'' than Cecil and comes with the Fire and Cura Spells.

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* [[Whip It Good]]: Rydia.

* [[White-Haired Pretty Boy]]: Subverted with Cecil, who is [[The Hero]].

** Golbez has an [[Zig Zagging Trope|odd relationship with this trope]]--in the original version, there was no way to know for sure if he fit the archetype, since [[The Faceless|he never took his helm off.]] Since he's {{spoiler|Cecil's brother}}, though, it was a reasonable assumption. The DS version seemingly averted it, as he clearly has brown hair in flashbacks, but on the other hand, we only ever see Golbez's face in flashbacks from when he was a child, so that could have changed in the intervening years. ''[[Final Fantasy IV the After Years|The After Years]]'' confirms this impression, as Golbez appears without his armor in that game, and definitely has white hair. Of course, by then, it's subverted, as he too has reformed, and his role throughout the entirety of ''The After Years'' is decidedly non-villainous.

** Golbez has an [[Zig-Zagging Trope|odd relationship with this trope]]--in the original version, there was no way to know for sure if he fit the archetype, since [[The Faceless|he never took his helm off.]] Since he's {{spoiler|Cecil's brother}}, though, it was a reasonable assumption. The DS version seemingly averted it, as he clearly has brown hair in flashbacks, but on the other hand, we only ever see Golbez's face in flashbacks from when he was a child, so that could have changed in the intervening years. ''[[Final Fantasy IV the After Years|The After Years]]'' confirms this impression, as Golbez appears without his armor in that game, and definitely has white hair. Of course, by then, it's subverted, as he too has reformed, and his role throughout the entirety of ''The After Years'' is decidedly non-villainous.

* [[White Magician Girl]]: Rosa is the prototypical example of the personality, even though she's better off using a bow. Porom also fits the character type, both in personality and skillset.

* [[Whole-Plot Reference]]: {{spoiler|To [[War of the Worlds]], if you examine Zemus's motives closely.}}

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* [[With This Herring]]: Averted, Cecil is an experienced soldier. You start at level 10 with your black knight gear (and in most versions, a [[Cast From HP]] multi-targeting damage ability) and easily cleaving your way through level 1 imps.

* [[Wizard Beard]]: Fusoya.

* [[Wonder Twin Powers]]: The Twincast ability. Palom and Porom have it natively, but you can use [[Powers As Programs|Augments]] in the DS version to put them on other characters, which can change the spell you might get. Giving it to Cecil and Rosa gives them the [[Awesome but Impractical|Ultima]] [[The Power of Love|spell]] which, if the damage cap is raised, outdamages ''everything else in the game''.

* [[Wonder Twin Powers]]: The Twincast ability. Palom and Porom have it natively, but you can use [[Powers as Programs|Augments]] in the DS version to put them on other characters, which can change the spell you might get. Giving it to Cecil and Rosa gives them the [[Awesome but Impractical|Ultima]] [[The Power of Love|spell]] which, if the damage cap is raised, outdamages ''everything else in the game''.

* [[Worthy Opponent]]: Rubicante.

** As explained in other tropes, Rubicante is a sort of [[Noble Demon]]. He fights you with your whole strength (healing the party before the fight every time), spares Edge life once, tries to explain Edge how one should fight, apologies for the bad deeds of his subordinates and doesn't try to kill once he knows he has lost. (other bosses do that often)