(Ruinous UltimatumRuinous Ultimatum | Art by Tran Nguyen)

A fortnight ago we analyzed the heroes, now let's cross over to the dark side and look at the villains. Final Fantasy has a Rogues' GalleryRogues' Gallery that's as sprawling and varied, as one of Ultimecia'sUltimecia's sinister schemes.

From monstrous clown gods, like KefkaKefka, to power-mad super soldiers, like SephirothSephiroth, this series is loaded with villains of all possible persuasions. Now let's rank them.

Just like last time, we're defining the "best" commanders here both as the ones which are strongest in terms of raw power level, but also those that are the most interesting to build around.

Here are the rules that dictate which cards make the cut here...

1. This list will only analyze the main antagonists of each Final Fantasy game. UltrosUltros may be a jerk, but he doesn't hold a candle to Kefka.
2. Only one villain per game is eligible; in instances where multiple candidates could be eligible a single villain has been chosen as the "main antagonist". For example, SinSin has been selected to represent Final Fantasy X in lieu of SeymourSeymour or JechtJecht.
3. Every eligible card depicting one of these antagonists will be ranked here. Expect to see several Sephiroth, and a few other recurring villains.
4. This article only analyzes new cards. As such, none of the reprints on the Through the Ages bonus sheet will be considered.
5. Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XII, and Final Fantasy XIII do not have eligible villains to be considered for this list. XII and XIII only have Through the Ages cards depicting their primary antagonists VayneVayne and OrphanOrphan. XI, meanwhile, doesn't have any cards depicting villains other than Absolute VirtueAbsolute Virtue who while an infamous raid boss, is not the game's main antagonist.
6. Final Fantasy XIV is an online RPG with an ever evolving story that cycles through a different main villain with each expansion. Emet-SelchEmet-Selch, the main antagonist of the Shadowbringers expansion, has been chosen to represent the game, as he is the only Final Fantasy XIV villain depicted on multiple cards.

With all of that said, let's delve into the darkness...

19. Cloud of DarknessCloud of Darkness

In Limited, spending five mana for a removal spell that also gives you a 3/3 flyer is a reasonably appealing deal. In Commander, there's simply not enough being offered here to justify putting the Cloud of Darkness in your command zone.

This card isn't impossible to build around; maybe you could use it alongside a deck full of cheat death effects, like Undying EvilUndying Evil and Supernatural StaminaSupernatural Stamina, but honestly the payoff isn't worth all of the hoops you need to jump through to get it.

18. Exdeath, Void WarlockExdeath, Void Warlock

Green and black have no shortage of ways to load up the graveyard, so Exdeath'sExdeath's power can spiral to incredible heights incredibly quickly.

Unfortunately, Exdeath's toughness remains at 3, leaving him perpetually just a Lightning BoltLightning Bolt away from death. While you can go for a Voltron build and kit Exdeath out with a plethora of Auras and Equipment to keep him safe, this can be cumbersome and conflicts with the self-milling strategy necessary to pump up Exdeath's power.

17. Sephiroth, Planet's HeirSephiroth, Planet's Heir

There are several Sephiroths in this set, and Sephiroth, Planet's HeirSephiroth, Planet's Heir just doesn't stack up. This card is a Massacre WurmMassacre Wurm that grows bigger rather than draining opponents when their creatures die.

Massacre Wurm was a top tier control card when it was first released in 2011, but the 14 years since have not been kind to it. This version of Sephiroth costs a lot of mana, but it's not a very exciting card to build around.

You can blink it, to repeatedly get the -2/-2 effect, or you go for a Voltron build, using the +1/+1 counters that it grants to itself, but there are more appealing cards out there for either of those strategies.

16. Ultimecia, Time SorceressUltimecia, Time Sorceress

Extra turn effects are awesome, but Ultimecia, Time SorceressUltimecia, Time Sorceress has been designed in such a way that it's very hard to abuse the extra turns that she provides.

While this was absolutely the right decision from a balance perspective, games with infinite extra turns aren't fun for anyone involved, so it's left Ultimecia a bit too underpowered to be truly interesting.

15. Garland, Knight of CorneliaGarland, Knight of Cornelia

The most eye-catching thing about GaarlandGaarland may be his ability to turn into a 5/5 flying Demon, but it's not the most impactful thing about him.

The ability to surveil whenever you cast a noncreature spell is huge, and it enables Garland to act as the centerpiece for all sorts of interesting strategies.

Garland may not look hugely flashy, and it isn't as impactful as some of the other commanders that are higher on this list, but don't underestimate the impact of slotting a Dragon's Rage ChannelerDragon's Rage Channeler into your command zone.

14. Kefka, Dancing MadKefka, Dancing Mad

Just like Kefka himself, this card is wild, chaotic, and fun. Kefka steals a random spell from each opponent's graveyard and allows you to cast them for free whilst also burning the rest of the table.

Since Kefka is indestructible during your turn, and his ability activates during your end step, you're reasonably certain to get this going at least once.

Because this card targets randomly, you might pull out a game-ending combination of massive effects, or you might get a handful of two-drops out, it's impossible to know. Kefka, Dancing MadKefka, Dancing Mad costs a lot of mana, but if he sticks around for long enough you're guaranteed to get enough value out of him to justify that cost.

13. Emet-Selch of the Third SeatEmet-Selch of the Third Seat

If you love graveyard recursion effects, like flashback, unearth, and jump-start, then the moment you saw Emet-Selch of the Third SeatEmet-Selch of the Third Seat your mind must have begun overflowing with all sorts of sinister ways of abusing his ability to discount spells cast from the graveyard.

Whether you're QuasiduplicatingQuasiduplicating your creatures, tutoring for combo pieces with Increasing AmbitionIncreasing Ambition or amassing a massive Army of the DamnedArmy of the Damned Emett-Selch always has something up his sleeve.

12. The Emperor of PalameciaThe Emperor of Palamecia

The front side of The Emperor of PalameciaThe Emperor of Palamecia can be a useful mana dork. Mostly, though, it's an obstacle, a challenge that must be overcome to flip The Emperor into The Lord Master of Hell, his far more useful form.

Fill your graveyard as quickly as possible, to maximize the potential of The Lord Master of Hell, then close out the game with its ability to deal massive bursts of damage.

The need to transform this card keeps it from climbing any higher up this list, but The Lord Master of Hell is absolutely formidable once it's ready to go.

11. Ultimecia, Temporal ThreatUltimecia, Temporal Threat

Maybe this is a hot take, but honestly, this mono-blue Ultimecia from the Starter Kit has a lot more potential than her Dimir counterpart from the main set.

While Ultimecia, Temporal ThreatUltimecia, Temporal Threat is quite costly at six mana, her ability to tap every creature not controlled by you down is majorly debilitating, and it lowers everyone's guard, enabling her second ability to grant massive amounts of card advantage.

This card's very lucky to be in mono-blue, which has access to plenty of blink effects, enabling her powerful enter the battlefield ability to be looped over and over again. You'll never need to worry about blockers again once Ultimecia gets into play.

10. Ardyn, the UsurperArdyn, the Usurper

As a Demon kindred commander, ArdynArdyn faces stiff competition from Be'lakor, the Dark MasterBe'lakor, the Dark Master and Raphael, Fiendish SaviorRaphael, Fiendish Savior.

Both of those cards cost less mana and provide access to more colors. Despite his downsides, Ardyn does grant a selection of impressive abilities to your Demons.

Additionally, his second effect can steadily assemble a horde of 5/5s coated in keywords. Perhaps this usurper may have a claim to the throne after all.

9. Kuja, Genome SorcererKuja, Genome Sorcerer

The black Wizard tokens that burn opponents whenever you cast a noncreature spell are one of the most fun archetypes to build around in Final Fantasy drafts.

Kuja, Genome SorcererKuja, Genome Sorcerer lets you take that archetype and turn it into an entire deck, creating Wizard tokens on his front side and doubling the damage that they deal on his reverse. Kuja also synergizes with a wide selection of other Wizards from the game's history.

This card is single-handedly responsible for spiking the price of Harmonic ProdigyHarmonic Prodigy, not to mention that it works beautifully with Coruscation MageCoruscation Mage, Gleeful ArsonistGleeful Arsonist, and a strong selection of other spellcasters.

8. Ultima, Origin of OblivionUltima, Origin of Oblivion

Final Fantasy XVI's Ultima, Origin of OblivionUltima, Origin of Oblivion is already gaining traction as a popular colorless commander. This pale-haired God already leads more than 1400 decks. It's not hard to see why.

So many of the best colorless cards in the game are prohibitively expensive. Ultima can double the value of your wastes and other colorless utility lands, enabling you to get your Emrakul, the Promised EndEmrakul, the Promised End into play twice as quickly.

Not only that, but Ultima can also blank your opponents' best lands. Despite lacking color, Ultima certainly isn't lacking power.

7. Sin, Unending CataclysmSin, Unending Cataclysm

This Simic version of Sin takes all of the counters in play, converts them into +1/+1 counters, doubles them, and attaches them to itself. Since Sin, Unending CataclysmSin, Unending Cataclysm has both flying and trample, it's hard to stop its attacks from getting through, and you'll easily be able to get some commander damage kills off.

While Sin does reallocate its counters when it dies, it's still best to keep it protected, since from the moment Sin hits the table everyone will be gunning for it.

6. Golbez, Crystal CollectorGolbez, Crystal Collector

GoblezGoblez reminds me a lot of Garland, except he cares about artifacts rather than noncreature spells.

Golbez's ability to return artifacts from the graveyard to your hand is a lot more useful than Garland's slightly arbitrary ability to turn into a big flier. It's also easier to surveil with Golbez than Garland thanks to the presence of 0-mana artifacts, like OrnithopterOrnithopter, SpellbookSpellbook and MemniteMemnite.

Whether you're collecting CrystalsCrystals or Campus GuidesCampus Guides, Golbez can reliably support your strategy.

5. Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage

If you can get Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage to transform, you'll be able to completely run away with the game. The amount of card advantage that you can gain by drawing for each point of life lost by your opponents is truly staggering.

You can build around this filling your deck with burn effects, but even if you don't you'll still draw so many cards that the opposition just won't be able to catch up.

4. Sin, Spira's PunishmentSin, Spira's Punishment

Fittingly for a colossal whale, Sin, Spira's PunishmentSin, Spira's Punishment is a costly card, but also an undeniably impactful one. There are no shortage of Sultai graveyard-based commanders, but Sin sets itself apart thanks to its ability to repeatedly reanimate cards at no cost.

While the card that Sin hits is random, it will never whiff and fail to return anything meaningful to play since Sin keeps going if it hits a land. This also synergizes wonderfully with Landfall strategies.

You can use cards like The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster and Crop RotationCrop Rotation to fill your graveyard with lands, and then slam many of them to play at the same time, proccing huge numbers of Landfall triggers.

3. Sephiroth, Fallen HeroSephiroth, Fallen Hero

The white/red Sephiroth, Fallen HeroSephiroth, Fallen Hero is a gene-splicing commander that provides a massive buff to any modified creatures that you control.

You can build a +1/+1 counter, or Aura-based deck with this version of Sephiroth, but it works amazingly with Equipment cards that create and attach themselves to tokens when they enter play.

Whether that's the new job select cards, like Samurai's KatanaSamurai's Katana, living weapons cards, like Kaldra CompleatKaldra Compleat, and Batterskull, or for Mirrodin! cards, like Hexplate WallbreakerHexplate Wallbreaker and Glimmer LensGlimmer Lens.

These cards create pre-modified creatures as they're cast, and since the base power and toughness of these tokens is very low, their stats really ramp up thanks to Sephiroth's effect.

2. Emet-Selch, UnsunderedEmet-Selch, Unsundered

Yawgmoth's WillYawgmoth's Will is one of the most powerful cards in the game thanks to its ability to play cards directly from the graveyard.

As a rule of thumb, it's much easier to get cards into the graveyard than it is to get them into your hand. If you've prepared sufficiently, when you cast Yawgmoth's Will you can draw upon your graveyard as a near limitless resource, that can give you an answer to just about any situation.

Emet-Selch, UnsunderedEmet-Selch, Unsundered, or rather his reverse side Hades, Sorcerer of EldHades, Sorcerer of Eld, provides a permanent Yawgmoth's Will effect.

Milling enough cards to allow Emet-Selch to transform isn't tricky, once you've done that, you just need to keep them safe for a round, and then you can use the tools in your graveyard to bring the game to a decisive conclusion.

1. Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIERSephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER

In Magic: The Gathering, creatures die a lot. Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIERSephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER punishes the opposition whenever that happens, and allows you to sacrifice creatures in exchange for card draw.

This commander is so strong that you could put him at the helm of just about any mono-black sacrifice deck out there, and you'd end up staying pretty competitive thanks to the power that the one-winged angel can provide.

Conclusion

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the most evil of them all? Apparently it's SephirothSephiroth. This is a safe choice, but the card commands a price tag $30 dollars more than most of the competition here for a good reason.

Of course all of these commanders have their perks, and sleeving up just about any of them can take you down some exciting deck building Adventures.

There was some lively discussion in the comments last time, and just like before you're very welcome to share your takes about any of these commanders!

Maybe you've found an Exdeath, Void WarlockExdeath, Void Warlock build that gets around his low toughness, or you've devised a way to use Garland, Knight of CorneliaGarland, Knight of Cornelia to knock everyone down. These villains may be bad people, but they aren't bad cards!