FINAL FANTASY Episode 12: A New Hope

Okay, I’ve seen this done in bits and pieces in other articles online, but I’ve never really read a point by point comparison. So I’m doing my own. Here goes…

Why “Final Fantasy 12” is “Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope.”

—Luke Skywalker is a naïve, parentless young farm boy living on a desert planet at the very fringes of a corrupt empire and he will gradually be transformed into a hero by taking part in adventures beyond his wildest imaginings. He is blond, good natured, and wants more than anything to be a daring pilot.

—Vaan is a naïve, parentless young city dweller living in a desert kingdom at the very fringes of a corrupt empire and he will gradually be transformed into a hero by taking part in adventures beyond his wildest imaginings. He is blond, good natured, and wants more than anything to be a daring pilot.

—The far-flung desert planet Tattooine, seemingly of little importance, will be the epicenter of events which will eventually break the power of the evil empire for good.

—The far-flung desert kingdom Dalmasca, seemingly of little importance, will be the epicenter of events which will eventually break the power of the evil empire for good.

—Han Solo is a roguish, devil-may-care space pilot and occasional pirate with a shady past, a criminal reputation, and a willingness to take on just about any job as long as the pay is right.

—Balthier is a roguish, devil-may-care sky pilot and occasional pirate with a shady past, a criminal reputation, and a willingness to take on just about any job as long as the pay is right.

—Han Solo prefers to stay well outside of the boundaries of the current war between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire, exploiting the lawlessness this creates for his own profit. Eventually, because of Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi, he is drawn into rescuing Princess Leia and becoming a sworn enemy of the Empire.

—Balthier prefers to stay well outside of the boundaries of the current war between the Dalmascan Liberation Army and the Archadian Empire, exploiting the lawlessness this creates for his own profit. Eventually, because of Vaan and Basch, he is drawn into rescuing Princess Ashe and becoming a sworn enemy of the Archadian Empire.

—Luke, Han, Chewbacca and Ben Kenobi take part in a daring raid on the Empire’s space fortress The Death Star to rescue Princess Leia.

—Vaan, Balthier, Fran and Basch take part in a daring raid on the Archadian Empire’s sky fortress The Leviathan to rescue Princess Ashe.

—Darth Vader, one of the main villains and a leader of the Empire, is a towering figure clad in a frightening armored suit, a voice-transforming helmet, and wielding almost supernatural powers. Upon his transformation, he discarded his old name of Anakin Skywalker and adopted the new name Darth Vader.

—The Judges, the main villains and leaders of the Archadian Empire, are towering figures clad in frightening armor, voice-transforming helmets, and wielding incredible magical powers. Upon their transformation, they discard their old names (such as Noah fon Ronsenburg) and adopt new names (such as Judge Gabranth).

—Lando Calrissian is an old friend of Han Solo’s and currently the administrator of Bespin’s Cloud City. He offers Han, Luke and friends sanctuary above Cloud City, only to later betray them. He explains that he betrayed them in order to make a deal with the Empire to ensure the safety of Cloud City.

—Vossler is an old friend of Basch’s and currently a part of the Dalmascan Liberation Army. He offers to join Vaan, Balthier, Fran and Basch in rescuing the Princess Ashe from the sky ship Leviathan only to betray them. He explains that he betrayed them in order to make a deal with the Archadian Empire to ensure sovereignty for the Kingdom of Dalmasca.

—Han Solo has a bounty on his head and is being hunted by the green-skinned alien Greedo. Han later shoots and kills Greedo in a bar on the desert planet Tattooine.

—Balthier has a bounty on his head and is being hunted by the green-skinned humanoid Ba’Gamnan. Balthier, Fran and Vaan later defeat Ba’Gamnan in the Nam-Yensa Sandsea desert.

—Han Solo has, as his co-pilot and most loyal friend, a tall furry humanoid Wookiee named Chewbacca. Their relationship goes back many years, began under undisclosed circumstances, and is far deeper and more complex than is ever explained in the film.

—Balthier has, as his co-pilot and most loyal friend, a tall furry humanoid Viera named Fran. Their relationship goes back many years, began under undisclosed circumstances, and is far deeper and more complex than is ever explained in the game.

—In order to force the Rebel Alliance into surrendering, the Empire uses their space fortress Death Star, capable of destroying an entire planet, into position near the moons of Yavin, the home of the Rebel Alliance base.

—In order to force the Dalmascan Liberation Army into surrendering, the Archadian Empire uses their sky fortress Leviathan, capable of destroying an entire city, into position near Rabanastre, the capital of Dalmasca and one of the homes of the Dalmascan Liberation Army.

—Obi-Wan Kenobi, a hero of the Galactic Republic and thought to have been killed by the Empire during their conquest of the galaxy mysteriously reappears, alive, on a desert planet.

—Basch fon Ronsenburg, a hero of Dalmasca and thought to have been killed by the Archadian Empire during their conquest of the world mysteriously reappears, alive, in a desert prison.

—Obi-Wan Kenobi becomes a sort of father figure to Luke, training him in the ways of The Force and showing him how to be a hero.

—Basch fon Ronsenburg becomes a sort of father figure to Vaan, training him in combat and showing him how to be a hero.

—In the deserts that cover Tattooine live all sorts of strange races including the Jawas, strange little cloaked beings with glowing eyes who communicate in a series of clicks and whistles and whose ways are entirely alien to the humans living on the planet.

—In the Nam-Yensa and the Ogir-Yensa Sandseas, the deserts that surround Rabanastre, live all sorts of strange races including the Urutan-Yensa, strange little cloaked beings with glowing eyes who communicate in a series of clicks and whistles and whose ways are entirely alien to the humans living on the planet.

—Han Solo is the owner and pilot of a remarkably fast and powerful little spaceship called The Millennium Falcon, his pride and joy.

—Balthier is the owner and pilot of a remarkably fast and powerful little airship called The Strahl, his pride and joy.

—In the Star Wars universe, Chancellor Palpatine shrewdly manipulates the officers of the Galactic Republic, eventually seizing power through murder, dissolving the Senate and proclaiming himself Emperor of a new galactic Empire. He believes power comes from force, threats and intimidations and sets out on a path to crush any rebellions and conquer more worlds.

—In Final Fantasy 12, Vayne Carudas Solidor shrewdly manipulates his father Lord Gramis and the officers of the Empire of Archadia, eventually seizing power through murder, dissolving the Senate and proclaiming himself Emperor of a new Archadian Empire. He believes power comes from force, threats and intimidations and sets out on a path to crush any rebellions and conquer more kingdoms.

—Darth Vader is ultimately defeated by a close family member, his son Luke Skywalker, who forgives him for his crimes and redeems him.

—Judge Gabranth is ultimately defeated by a close family member, his twin brother Basch fon Ronsenburg, who forgives him for his crimes and redeems him.

- Matt