History Characters / FinalFantasyII

* TheArcher: Her initial weapon and [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Weapon]] are both bows.

* RedIsHeroic: Like his brother.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: An odd Japanese example, the original Famicom instruction booklet spelled his name with a space between both katakana characters. This was removed later on.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Leon is not his original name (see DubNameChange above), but the lack of an "official" transliteration has led to people calling him Leonhart, Leonhardt, Lionheart, etc.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Ming-Wu, Minh, Mindu, Minwu...

* ActionDad: He has a daughter and is an active fighter for the rebellion.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: He braves Kashuan Keep and joins Hilda in leading the Wild Rose Rebellion.

* DisneyDeath: She vanishes after the Leviathan swallows her ship, and given that Josef already died and Minwu dies shortly after, one would assume that she also bites it. However, she's later encountered in Castle Fynn no worse for wear, although she doesn't rejoin the party.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Reila, Layla... and, of course, Leila, which is the spelling that ultimately stuck.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: His name in Japanese, リチャード (''Richaado''), is quite clearly meant to be Richard, but character limits mean that in English, he's usually Ricard.

* IconicSequelCharacter: ''II'' was the first installment that a Cid debuted in (rereleases of ''I'' retroactively added a Cid character to the backstory, but he didn't exist in the original release). And he has appeared in some form in every single major Final Fantasy ever since.

* EvilOverlooker: In the official [[http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb57887/finalfantasy/images/0/06/Amano_FFII_Cast.jpg Amano artwork]].

* HellHasNewManagement: [[spoiler:He took over Hell and came back to Earth to finish what he started]].

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: While he's [[spoiler: nominally]] in charge of the Dreadnought construction operation at Bafsk, virtually every townsperson and Imperial soldier there remarks about how incompetent and uncharismatic a leader he is.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: He's mostly clad in cloaks, and he's wearing a long skirt with a slit that shows his bare legs.

* {{Ninja}}: Resembled one in his original sprite, but later looked more like a traditional thief. His appearance in the mobile spin-off ''Brave Exvius'' incorporated elements of both outfits.

* BreakTheCutie: Although whether or not he's a "cutie" is arguable, the Ultimania and his descriptions in ''Brave Exvius'' imply that [[spoiler: Leon's helplessness at the events at the invasion of Fynn ending with his capture traumatized him to the point of leading him to adopt his [[TheSocialDarwinist "power is everything" mantra.]] ''Memory of Heroes'' doubles down on this interpretation, with Firion noting that Leon used to believe that strength should be used to ''defend'' the oppressed. Leon claims that [[HeWhoFightsMonsters he discovered the limitations of that approach.]] and implies that his reason for fighting the party is to let go of his past.]]

** On top of that, [[spoiler:His Dark Knight outfit also changes depending on the version: The original Famicom version uses a simple black and purple ensemble with a helmet and overall doesn't have much detail to go off of. ''Origins'' would reinvent it with a red cape, a purple helmet stylized to look like a monster's head (complete with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]]), more pointed horns and making Leon's eyes visible, albeit as yellow dots. The PSP version ditches the stylized helmet, switches from purple to black armor, adds gold trim and makes Leon's eyes red and more malevolent (although his normal eyes are seen in his portrait).]]

* TheSixthRanger: An odd case in ''Memory of Heroes'': [[spoiler: Ricard is with the party when they receive Ultima, and thus becomes one of the Warriors of Light. When Ricard holds back the Emperor to allow the party to escape, he [[LiteralChangeOfHeart transfers his Light to Leon]], effectively transferring his role as the fourth Warrior of Light over to him, much like [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV Galuf and Krile]].]]
* TheSocialDarwinist: [[spoiler: During his confrontation in the GBA version onwards, Leon notes that "the weak cannot survive without the strong to control them!". He holds a similar view in earlier drafts where he notes that strength guarantees personal freedom, but the final game scrubbed it down to an implication. ''Memory of Heroes'' elaborates on this even further: Leon notes that no matter how hard one fights, somebody stronger will inevitably come and oppress them. The only way out of the loop, he feels, is to stand at the apex of power. He also claims that the weak exist to be ''oppressed'' by the strong.]]

* WalkingSpoiler: Pretty much everything about him outside of his appearance in the opening fight is a spoiler since [[spoiler: the next time you see him, he's become the Empire's DarkKnight]]. Due to his portrayal in spinoffs such as ''Record Keeper'' and ''Opera Omnia'', it's also a LateArrivalSpoiler.

* BladeOnAStick: He's a described as a "A master of wielding the spear" in the ''Labyrinth of Nightmares'' novel. Perhaps in [[MythologyGag reference to this]], his [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Weapon]] in the PSP version is a spear despite not having one equipped when he rejoins.

* BladeOnAStick: His initial equip and [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Weapon]] are spears.

* BladeOnAStick: In the original version his weapon was actually a sword, but remakes raise his base spear rank up to the same level to bring him more in line with later portrayals of Dragoons.

* ShortHairWithTail: Wears his silver hair short in the front with a thin ponytail that goes all the way to his back.

* DistressedDamsel: Minimally invoked: she's kidnapped only once, and there are indicators that the Emperor had no idea she was even on the airship when he captured it. Not too bad for TheEighties.

-->'''Borghen:''' ([[UnevilLaugh Laughes]]) [[RevivingEnemy Die here and you'll come back! I can kill you until the end of time!]]

-->'''Borghen:''' Yes, the inmortal body I've so longed for is mine at last!

* BareYourMidriff: His Dawn of Souls artwork has him wearing a crop top.

* BareYourMidriff: In his Creator/YoshitakaAmano art.

* ChainmailBikini: He's a RareMaleExample. His artwork and his PSP sprite have him wearing a breastplate that [[BareYourMidriff bares his midriff]], some shoulder pads, a cape, and a [[UnderwearOfPower pair of briefs]]. The Origins and Dawn of Souls versions have Guy wearing a more modest outfit.

* BareYourMidriff: In his character art.

* BareYourMidriff: She only wears a bikini top and sleeves above her waist, although her belly is not particularly visible in-game.

* BareYourMidriff: His torso is mostly bare.

* NoPronunciationGuide: It's actually pronounced like "Yosef", not "Joseph."

* PhysicalGod: After his death as a mortal, his soul was split into two entities and both halves managed to defeat and overthrow the rulers of both Heaven and Hell respectively, and both halves become the new rulers of their respective realms as the Light Emperor ruling Heaven and The Dark Emperor ruling Hell.

* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:He is the very final enemy encountered in the main game. In ''Dawn of Souls'' and later, this is actually his "Dark" side, with his "Light" side as the final opponent in Soul of Rebirth.]]

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Not so much in the game, but definitely present in the novels with Hilda.

* MagicStaff: He's depicted as wielding a scepter [[spoiler: in both his human and Hell Emperor forms]], though [[DependingOnTheArtist it varies from version to version]]. He also wields in at least one Amano illustration and it's his weapon in both ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' and ''Memory Of Heroes''. In most cases, he uses it to conduct his magic.

* TheVillainMustBePunished: Scott despises Borghen for siding with Palamecia when the imperial army invaded both Fynn and Kashuan, and he is fully intent on punishing the traitor. The ''Soul Of Rebirth'' campaign [[TheDogBitesBack finally grants his wish]].
* WeHardlyKnewYe: By the time the party meets him, he's on his deathbed. The ''Soul Of Rebirth'' campaign in the later releases up until the ''Pixel Remaster'' [[SubvertedTrope subvert]] this by making him one of the party members.

* BootstrappedLeitmotif: Unlike his Famicom contemporaries whose BattleThemeMusic either [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyI was given to them retroactively]] or [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII was there to begin with]], The Emperor never really had his own; In the Famicom version, every boss used "Battle Scene 2", including [[spoiler: both versions of]] the Emperor[[note]]There ''does'' exist an unused "Battle Scene 3" which presumably would have been used for the [[spoiler: Dark Emperor]], a theory bolstered when ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyBraveExvius'' reused it for that exact purpose[[/note]]. When the Wonderswan versions added new battle themes for the normal bosses, "Battle Scene 2" became the Emperor's [[spoiler: or rather, his final boss forms']] personal theme[[note]]until the PSP version, where he shares it with [[BonusBoss Deumion]][[/note]], which also extends to spinoffs.

* EightiesHair: It's almost awe-inspiring.[[note]] He was inspired by David Bowie's portrayal of Goblin King Jareth in ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'', who sported very similar hair for that movie.[[/note]]

* SatanicArchetype: He staffs his army with demons from Hell, lays waste to the world in a bid to conquer it and causes Count Borghen [[spoiler: and Leon]] [[TheCorrupter to betray Fynn and Kashuan to join Palamecia, along with putting the latter on that path to begin with]]. [[spoiler: After dying, he takes over Hell and becomes a more literal example. The ''Souls of Rebirth'' campaign leans more into the Lucifer-based aspects via his Light Emperor half; retaining his beauty, feigning innocence as to how he became ruler of Heaven, and attempting to get Minwu's party to [[DealWithTheDevil forgive his sins by promising them eternal life]].]]

* BonusBoss: Deumion is the strongest optional boss in the game, and can only be fought if the party asks for the Key Term Destruction. Otherwise, if prompted with the Key Term Hope, he'll peacefully reward you with the Revive spell (for this reason, he does not appear in the Bestiary and doesn't need to be fought to complete it[[note]]However, if one is going for 100%, then they need to fight him to unlock Art Gallery #78[[/note]]).

* TheChick: Only one of the main party, and, with a lot of her focus on her caring about her family, fits as the emotional center.

* MegaTwintails: To the extent that he can ''hang ornaments'' on them (if ''Anthology'''s FMV can be considered canon).