Despite the implications of its title, Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is neither a prequel nor a sequel to Final Fantasy 1. Still, Stranger of Paradise shares settings, story elements, and even characters with FF1. The game appears to begin where FF1 does as well, with heroes hunting down Garland / Chaos in the Chaos Shrine. What lies beyond the initial confrontation with Chaos is a mystery, but could it include other characters from Final Fantasy 1?
The trailer for Stranger of Paradise premiered at Square Enix’s 2021 E3 presentation and immediately inspired widespread memes about killing Chaos. While the Chaos-obsessed Jack and his two companions were new, the trailer also nods to the corrupted knight Garland and Princess Sarah, both of whom are returning characters. In the first dungeon of Final Fantasy 1, the Warriors of Light go to the Shrine to save Princess Sarah from Garland, who has not yet transformed into Chaos.
There are still a lot of unknowns about Stranger of Paradise, including to what extent it will explore the Final Fantasy 1‘s setting, known merely as “World A.” But since a relationship between the two games has been established, there are – thankfully – some characters who could jump in to make the chaos feel at least a bit more varied. Including any of them in Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin’s Soulslike combat would likely make for an interesting fight.
Characters Stranger Of Paradise Should Include: The Four Fiends
The Four Fiends – the Kraken of Water, Lich of Earth, Marilith of Fire, and Tiamat of Wind – have a deep relationship with Chaos. According to Final Fantasy 1‘s ending narrative, the Fiends were born when Garland’s hatred took over the world’s four elements, and their job was to send Chaos back in time when he is defeated by Warriors of Light. Final Fantasy 1 shows the Fiends right after Chaos generates them, but the build-up to their creation has yet to be depicted. If Stranger of Paradise tells the story of the Four Fiends’ birth, that would be a welcome twist for the Final Fantasy fandom. Plus, Soulslike battles with the Four Friends would undoubtedly be thrilling.
Characters Stranger Of Paradise Should Include: Cid of Lufaine
Final Fantasy has a confusing penchant for reusing character names, and this Cid is not to be confused with the more famous Cid from Final Fantasy 7. Curiously, this one is also drawn to air travel. Cid of Lufaine doesn’t appear in person, but is mentioned in remakes of Final Fantasy 1 as the one who, in ancient times, built the airship the Warriors of Light later embark upon. Including Cid in Stranger of Paradise would be an interesting world-building opportunity, not just for Final Fantasy 1, but for the quirky Cid-verse the franchise has built.
Characters Stranger Of Paradise Should Include: Bahamut
Bahamut is the King of Dragons. Despite that impressive title, his role in the original Final Fantasy is very simple: he grants the Warriors of Light a class change after they do him a favor. Bahamut’s aid is an optional side quest, but it’s the only opportunity in Final Fantasy 1 to significantly upgrade the party’s classes. This mechanic could make Bahamut incredibly important if he appeared in Stranger of Paradise. And who wouldn’t be interested in learning more about the King of Dragons – or seeing what more a modern take on the original game’s setting might do with him?
The Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin demo gave players some clues about what the game may have in store, but there are still plenty of unknowns. It remains to be seen whether its story will tie the game very closely to Final Fantasy 1 or if Garland and Princess Sarah are red herrings for an unexpected twist. Though one thing is at least very much confirmed: players are definitely going to kill some Chaos.
