There may be a few Star Wars references fans have noticed within the Final Fantasy series over the years, but there are a bunch that have likely gone under the radar. Both franchises are highly popular worldwide, with each amassing hundreds of millions of fans and billions of dollars.
The intergalactic Star Wars is one of the most successful and recognizable franchises to date, going back to 1978 when Star Wars (later retitled to A New Hope) first premiered. Its popularity has given rise to a plethora of references and Easter eggs in a huge variety of media, and it should come as no surprise to find some sprinkled throughout the Final Fantasy series as well.
Although not as long-lived as Star Wars, Final Fantasy is another wildly successful franchise that shares some similarities with the science fiction phenomenon. Both have now been around for decades and feature epic fantastical storylines with hyperphysical elements and multiple titles, many of which have produced their own spin-offs, prequels, and sequels. It should come as no surprise that Final Fantasy - like countless other games, movies, books, and shows - has been heavily influenced by Star Wars. Many of these references have been sourced from Final Fantasy Union - a very informed Final Fantasy YouTube channel.
Final Fantasy 4's Star Wars Easter Eggs
Cecil Harvey is the main protagonist in Final Fantasy IV. He is the captain of the Red Wings, which alludes to the Rebel Alliance starfighter squadron, the Red Squadron, which is referenced a few times throughout the Final Fantasy series. Cecil's role also parallels that of Luke Skywalker, who was also a member of the Red Squadron. Both protagonists eventually overcome their dark sides and pledge to become beacons of light. In addition to the Red Wings, some other notable Final Fantasy IV airships include the Enterprise - a Star Trek reference - and the Falcon, another Star Wars allusion to the Millennium Falcon.
Additionally, one of the game's antagonists, Golbez, is a powerful sorcerer and brother of Cecil. Golbez mirrors Darth Vader. Both villains wear heavy, dark armor and, upon experiencing a traumatic event, they changed their names and headed down the path of evil. Like Vader, Golbez reveals his true identity to his kin, Cecil, before turning back to the good side. In the 3D remake of the game, Golbez even sounds similar to Vader.
Final Fantasy 6's Star Wars Easter Eggs
The Falcon airship returns in Final Fantasy VI, owned by a character named Darill. Her lover and fellow airship captain is a playable character named Setzer, who classified Darill's Falcon as the fastest in the world, similar to how Han Solo refers to the Millennium Falcon. Setzer also mimics Lando Calrissian, who previously owned the Millennium Falcon. Both are notorious gamblers and have each mentioned how the Empire made them rich men (although this was only in the SNES Final Fantasy VI version and the GBA version says the opposite). There is also a scene where one of the main characters, Locke, is rescuing Celes. If he's disguised in Imperial armor, she'll ask Locke if he's a little short to be an Imperial soldier, which is taken from Leia's questioning of Stormtrooper-disguised Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: A New Hope.
Another popular quote that first appeared in that movie also appears outside of Duncan's Cabin. Playable character Edgar talks to a man who says he heard Duncan's son, Vargus, is missing, following up with "I have a bad feeling about this." As this quote is a running gag in almost every Star Wars movie, it does so too appear in Final Fantasy. It's first appearance was in Final Fantasy V spoken by playable character Galuf, but it also appeared in the Shinra Mansion in Final Fantasy VII. Prior to opening the safe and fighting the optional boss Loss Number, Cloud says the same "bad feeling" quote. It's repeated by Yuffie in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, by Laguna in Final Fantasy VIII, Eiko in Final Fantasy IX, Rikki in Final Fantasy X, and Noctis in XV.
Final Fantasy 7 (& FF7R) Star Wars Easter Eggs
The names Biggs and Wedge are a recurring joke as well in the Final Fantasy series since their first appearance in Final Fantasy VI, and their Star Wars reference is probably the most well-known of all the ones mentioned here. They've become the most recognizable in Final Fantasy VII, especially with the more recent release of Final Fantasy VII: Remake. This is another Red Squadron reference, as Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles were also X-Wingmen. Their call signs were Red Three and Red Two respectively, which segues into the next Final Fantasy VII/Star Wars reference: Red XIII.
Red XIII is the "lab rat - uh, dog" that the group finds locked up in Hojo's laboratory, and he joins the party after being released. During the Star Wars' Battle of Yavin, there are 12 Red Squadron ships, and their call signs go up to Red Twelve. Red XIII is likely a nod to being its honorary 13th member. Red XIII is also the moniker assigned to him by Hojo. His real name as discovered in Final Fantasy VII is Nanaki, which many have pointed out as an anagram for Anakin. Interestingly enough, Anakin Skywalker also has two names, with the latter - Darth Vader - also being assigned to him by Darth Sidious.
A prequel to the game, Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, contains more Star Wars references. The main antagonist Fuhito has a personal attack squad known as the Ravens. Three notable Ravens are Kanos, Kyneugh, and Tierce, who are named after the Star Wars characters Kir Kanos, Myn Kyneugh, and Grodin Tierce. Similar to their roles of being the Emperor's Royal Guard in Star Wars, the Ravens serve under Fuhito.
Final Fantasy 8's Star Wars Easter Eggs
Final Fantasy VIII also has its share of Star Wars-named characters, including its own set of Biggs and Wedge. Another is a minor character named Nida, who passed the SeeD exam along with Squall, Zell, and Selphie, and later became the pilot of Balamb Garden. His name is a nod to Lorth Needa, the captain of the Imperial Death Star Destroyer Avenger. Another Star Wars character, Admiral Firmus Piett, is referenced in Final Fantasy 8 too. The head researcher of Esthar's Lunar Base is named Piet. Additionally, Martine - the Galbadia Garden's Headmaster - is known in the Japanese, Spanish, and German versions of the game as Dodonna. In Star Wars, Jan Dodonna is the military leader of the Rebel base on Yavin 4.
The biggest Star Wars allusion in this Final Fantasy game, however, involves the Lunar Cry phenomenon which works similarly to the pull of the tides. The gravitational pull between the moon and planet occasionally brings about the Lunar Cry, where the moon's surface becomes so saturated with monsters, that it creates a gateway for monsters to fall on and attack the planet. This is a direct parallel to how the Beast Wars started in the Dark Horse comic miniseries, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, in which the planet of Onderon and its moon - Dxun - would connect once a year during their orbit. The native monsters of Dxun learned to use the "oxygen bridge" created from this occurrence to travel to Onderon which inevitably resulted in the Beast Wars.
Final Fantasy 9's Star Wars Easter Eggs
There are a couple of Star Wars Easter eggs that stand out in Final Fantasy IX. The most notable comes near the game's finale, when final boss Necron makes a direct quote from Yoda in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: "Fear leads to anger...anger leads to hate...hate leads to suffering..." Though similar, this was not the original Japanese dialogue; yet a team member for the English version had some fun with the final translation. Another quote from Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi is spoken word-for-word by one of the game's major antagonists, Kuja, who says, "everything is proceeding as I have foreseen" soon after Princess Garnet's mother, Queen Brahne, dies.
Final Fantasy 12's Star Wars References
Although the only Star Wars Easter Eggs to have surfaced in Final Fantasy X is the recurrence of Biggs and Wedge (who also show up in Final Fantasy X-2), Final Fantasy XII's general plot has many Star Wars similarities. A lot of major characters are members of the Resistance against the Archadian Empire, with the main character Vaan, following a similar path to Luke Skywalker. Both are orphans who eventually become part of the Resistance, and Vaan dreams of being a sky pirate similar to how Luke wanted to be a pilot. Balthier and Fran are similar to Han Solo and Chewbacca, as Balthier is a sky pirate who loves treasure and Fran is covered in fur and has a tight relationship with Balthier.
Additionally Princess Ashe shares a similar role to Princess Leia from their independent personalities to trying to destroy the Empire from within. The antagonist Gabranth mirrors Vader similar to how Golbez did in Final Fantasy VI. Gabranth became a merciless high-ranking official in the Empire, wears dark armor, and is related to one of the protagonists. He also eventually finds redemption. Finally, the game features two Archadian soldiers known as Gibbs and Deweg, a different take on Biggs and Wedge.
Final Fantasy 15's Star Wars Easter Eggs
The most recent non-remake Final Fantasy also has its healthy share of Star Wars references. Fans should be familiar with the sneaky Final Fantasy Tonberry enemies. Many first impressions of them quickly go from curiosity to sheer terror as the slow-moving creature approaches at a snail-like pace before dealing lethal damage. Final Fantasy XV takes this enemy to extremes in the form of the deviating Sir Tonberry, which is encountered during the "Legend Wrapped in Enigma" sidequest. Sir Tonberry moves around the battlefield with lightning speed causing its knife to leave trails that resemble a purple lightsaber. He also appears to be wearing Jedi robes. It alludes to old, leisurely-paced Yoda who surprised many fans in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith when he demonstrated supreme agility and an aggressive fighting style.
This isn't Final Fantasy 15's only Yoda reference, however, as there is an old, wise NPC named Kimya Auburnbrie who lives in the forest near Malmalam Thicket. She speaks similarly to Yoda, ordering sentences in an object-subject-verb format, and she isolates herself from society like he does. Also, during the side quest "Strike a Pose," Prompto asks Noctis for a photo by saying, "Help me, Noctis - you're my only hope!" Prompto also says "You can't repel enthusiasm of that magnitude," in the "Professor's Protégé" quest, after receiving a yellow frog from Sania. This is similar to what general Ackbar tells Lando in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, where he says, "Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude!"
As there are hundreds and hundreds of hours of Final Fantasy gameplay and Star Wars screen time, there are likely many other references and nods that have yet to be discovered or just aren't being discussed. Yet this lengthy compilation certainly includes a worthy amount to tie fans over, at least until more content releases for either franchise. As popular as these powerhouses are, both Final Fantasy and Star Wars are currently developing new content - as they likely will continue to do for years to come.