Who is Ultimecia?

Final Fantasy VIII’s main villain frustratingly leaves players with many unanswered questions

Final Fantasy VIII was recently re-released in physical form for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It is one of the three games from the franchise’s “golden era” (spanning between Final Fantasy VII and IX). A whole new generation of players now have the opportunity to play this legendary game. People who have already played the game also have the chance to re-examine various aspects of the experience, including notable characters and plot elements.

I’m particularly interested in re-visiting Ultimecia, the game’s final villain and a character who was never really given a clear motive for her highly questionable actions.

If you’ve never played the game (but are comfortable with spoilers), the experience revolves around Squall Leonhart (which actually isn’t his real name) who is a mercenary-in-training at the Balamb Garden academy. Squall and his comrades take on paid missions to earn a living. He has a hard time expressing himself and making connections with other people due to a traumatising experience he went through as a child. Squall’s walls begin to come down when he meets Rinoa Heartilly, a member of the resistance group called Timber Owls, who are attempting to liberate their town from the…