Hein is one of the more notable Final Fantasy III bosses. His stand-out design, being the first enemy with the Barrier Shift ability and status as the last boss of the floating continent combine to make hin memorable despite his minor role in the big picture of the plot. Hein is one of the more referenced villains too: He got a counterpart in Sorcerer Hyne in FFVIII's backstory, XIV combined him with his Eureka counterpart Amon for the Crystal Tower raid, and he appears as a (JP-only as of this writing) unit alongside Xande in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Hein also appears in the manga, with a similar role as in the game. However, here he's accompanied by two stands summons: Shiva and Ifirit.
Shiva and Ifirit are recurring summons in Final Fantasy, with III being their first appearance (along with summoning in general). Unlike most later games though, Ifirit and Shiva could be purchased from shops and were not tied to boss fights like others such as Leviathan or Odin. As a result, they are entirely detached from the plot. By contrast, they’re the only summons to show up in the manga.
Fair warning for this chapter of the manga though: It has some rather gory/graphic elements, so if that stuff grosses or freaks you out, you may want to skip past those parts. Also, a lot more scans this time around.
Hein appears in the second half of Volume 2 and his fight carries into the first third of Volume 3. The Warriors of the Wind, along with Desch, enter the Living Woods. There, Desch remembers the town Castle of the Ancients, which is apparently around somewhere. Hein has made his base here and he's not too keen on giving it up. Thus, he uses his fancy ring to call upon Shiva, who multiplies into four different Shivas and fights the Warriors. Special mention to Desch, who calls a bird to attack Hein, not that it stops Hein from commanding Shiva to summon twin ice snakes.
Throughout the battle, Muuchi refuses to give in, even when Shiva freezes his blade solid and breaks it. Muuchi charges at Shiva and gets a new sword by
...Yeah.
Back on the battlefield, Hein is still giving Shiva commands as she attacks the rest of the party, only for Muuchi to test out his new blade by cutting Hein's ring finger off.
Unluckily for Muuchi, Ifirit shows up wielding Tomohawks and Hein is able to escape, leaving Muuchi in Hein's M.C. Escher funhouse with Ifirit. To make matters worse, the rest of the Warriors are defeated and incased in a pillar of ice by Shiva.
Ifirit and Muuchi continue their duel and, after creating a cyclone to throw Ifirit around, Muuchi manages to impress him to the extent that Ifirit no longer attacks.
Naturally, Hein is less than thrilled that his monster is playing nice now, uses the ring to subdue Ifirit and creates a sword to execute him. Muuchi saves Ifirit via a good ol' punch to the face, hard enough to actually knock Hein's hat off.
By this point, the fight has been tame, by this manga's standards. Don't worry though, since this is the point that it all goes off the rails: Hein apparently gets fed up and sucks the energy out of Ifirit and Shiva and takes it for himself, causing him to turn into this horrible horrible thing:
(Credit to FFwiki for this image)
Why yes, that face on his stomach is sentient, how could you tell?
Things look bad for Muuchi by this point as Hein has him on the defensive. This culminates in Hein stabbing Muuchi through his stomach. For a moment, it seems as if Muuchi will die in the fight. However, thinking of Melfi, Doug, Bowie and Desch convinces him to get up. He then takes off his cape and uses it as a makeshift bandage for the wound.
Rather than killing Muuchi physically, Hein takes a different approach; He creates a clone of Muuchi. Said clone does not last long before its face cracks and its head melts in a graphic manner.
This is followed up by a worm monster emerging from Muuchi's chest and attempting to eat him.
Of course, it's all just illusions by Hein, but it's not doing favors for Muuchi's sanity. Luckily for Muuchi, though, Ifirit and Shiva are able to clear his mind. They distract Hein with their weakened forms giving Muuchi enough time to shove his sword into Hein's skull. An explosion rocks the castle, Muuchi is sent falling into a lake, but J saves him. Ifirit and Shiva then take their leave. Spoilers: They'll be back.
Muuchi wakes up to the others, his wound now healed. Desch suddenly regains his memories and proceeds to use the mother tree/living woods (?) to clear up the clouds blocking the surface. Then he fuses with the Mother Tree/Living Woods (?) bidding the Warriors of Light farewell as they're warped to the surface. Unlike his game counterpart, he's truly gone here.
All in all, a pretty crazy chapter. Hein may not have his Barrier Shift, but he makes up for it in a big way. Meanwhile, Desch resembles his game counterpart towards the end.
Doga, Unei and Xande are next, And I hope you didn’t get used to how much of a detailed accurate play-by-play this is because it’s most certainly not happening for the next one. Instead, it’ll probably be just vague summing up of how they are since the ending is probably the most nuts part of this “adaptation” (if one can even call it that by that point).
Next Time:
- Noah appearing on-screen!
- Nudity! (Maybe, depending on whether I’m willing to gamble with Tumblr’s flagging algorithm)
- The scrapped design for Guardian’s summon!
- A special guest appearance by Unei’s in-game design!
- And how does one end a Final Fantasy III adaptation without The Crystal Tower, the Cloud of Darkness or the Warriors of Darkness?
There is many external media of the Final Fantasy series, taking various forms. The big games like 7 or 10 got spinoff novels that expanded and some may say hurt their overall worlds, but in the case of the NES trilogy, it just got adaptations in literature form. Memory of Heroes was a light novel released sometime ago novelizing all three NES games (though only I's details and changes have been noted in english sources) and II has a well known light novel that expands and even changes in some ways, the game's story.
However, Final Fantasy I and III had manga adaptations long ago with III's being released simply a year after the game and running for two. Further interesting is that Kenji Terada, the scenario writer of the first 3 games had a hand in writing it.
It's interesting, especially since it's absolutely bonkers. Which, honestly looking at the OG trilogy's stories and the II novelization, is probably par for the course.
(Fun fact: Terada apparently had a hand in writing Batman: Dark Tomorrow. Take that as you will). It’s a different animal from the original game and especially the remake.
And to illustrate that perfectly, let's start with Desch.
(Credit to FFwiki for this image)
Desch appears in the tail-end of Volume 1, revealed to be the force causing massive birds to attack Canaan Basque.The Light Warriors fight back, but Desch succeeds in incapacitating and capturing Muuchi (the Warrior-looking dude).
While Melfi stays behind to help Kenny’s sister (?) Jenny, who took a bullet from a bunch of angry townspeople, Doug and J. Bowie chase Desch to the Kingdom of Birds (Dragon’s Peak/Mount Jenora doesn’t exist apparently) where they learn that Desch can brainwash people with his birds and did so to Muuchi when he incapacitated him.
This leads to Doug (small guy in the silly get-up) and Bowie attempting to get Muuchi back by fighting Desch.
Spoilers: It doesn’t go well. Desch is shown to have powers over birds, along with trickery such as a blowgun. Not even fighting directly helps because as soon as J Bowie engaged him in physical combat:
...Yeah.
Meanwhile, Doug finds Muuchi, but the latter is so brainwashed that he doesn’t seem to respond. Desch eventually punches Bowie off of a cliff prompting Doug to save him with a bendy stick/flail that he used as a weapon previously. Unfortunately, Desch literally kicks Doug off of the mountain, taking Bowie with him. Melfi’s white magic powers seemingly cause her to sense what happened to her allies.
Doug and Bowie do survive though, and decide to lay low for a bit. During that time, it becomes clear that Desch forces his brainwashed soldiers to attack beasts, cutting them open to allow his birds to feed on their entrails.
Later that night, Desch rounds up his minions and has them fight a giant beast. When the beast is seemingly about to crush Muuchi (he ends up leaping out of the way) Doug and Bowie spring into action, defeating the beast before fighting Desch once more.
It should be noted that, up to this point, Desch has not used magic at all (unlike the remake and later portrayals where he’s as proficient at magic as he is with a sword) although-
You can argue he doesn’t really need it.
Desch sics his brainwashed soldiers on Doug while Bowie once again confronts him. This time, Bowie hits Desch with a magic blast that can be seen from afar.
Doug is soon approached by Bowie who, in turn, leads him to Desch. Desch doesn’t attack however, and simply gestures for the boys to follow him to what is most certainly not a trap.
In any case, Melfi has been haunted by nightmares ever since Doug and Bowie fell and she decides to follow them. She eventually finds a giant, weird monster.
She also finds Muuchi, who promptly tries to kill her. She then gets attacked by the monster itself, which promptly grabs her with its tendrils.
The monster soon begins grabbing not only her, but Muuchi as well. In a last ditch effort to get Muuchi to come to his senses, Melfi slaps him silly.
It doesn’t work.
Desch is revealed to be nearby and his minions bring Doug and Bowie (who were thrown in a jail cell and, in the case of the latter, held hostage by the soldiers. While Melfi is distracted by the sight of her allies, however, Muuchi punches her into the monster’s grasp, where she is promptly absorbed by it in horrifying detail.
Bowie takes it the hardest: So distraught is he over Melfi’s apparent demise, that he taps into his Black Magic prowess and unleashes a barrage of spells at the monster tree.
Unfortunately, Doug is barely able to warn Bowie of the spear coming at him until its too late. Thus, Bowie is speared and begins getting absorbed by the demon tree.
Things are looking bad for poor Doug...
But then, something happens. The area is buffeted by odd wind and then light particles begin falling like snow. This also has an effect on the baddies: The birds, the soldiers, even Desch himself suddenly begin attacking each other. Meanwhile, Muuchi reacts badly to the phenomenon, seeming to have a breakdown.
Desch’s henchmen then attack Muuchi and Doug. Doug holds his own, but Muuchi’s a bit too busy losing his mind. One of the soldiers grabs Muuchi, bulks up and tosses him into the tree, much like Muuchi did to Melfi.
Then, well, things get weird.
Melfi, in a weird nude spirit form, astral projects herself from... wherever she is inside the tree. We’re treated to some weird imagery (including a fetus tethered to the universe and Muuchi at various development stages of her life (baby, toddler, child, etc) along with planets surrounding a giant Melfi (all of this in her spirit form, though thankfully undetailed, mind you)).
She then awakens (?). Her spirit form grabs a sword and flies into action. Meanwhile, Doug has been overwhelmed and is about to be fed to the tree just like Melfi and his brothers were. Melfi’s spirit flies into the core of the tree and neutralizes it.
...Well, mostly.
Melfi tries her white magic, but it appears that they were too late. This is the end for poor Bowie...
Oh Bowie! *Seinfeld Theme plays as studio audience laughs*
The party finally finds the unconscious soldiers, including the man who started it all. Desch’s control over his birds is broken and the day is saved, essentially.
Then, Desch wakes up!
Oh Desch! *Seinfeld Theme plays as studio audience laughs*
But yeah, turns out, Desch was brainwashed by that monster thing and he’s actually a good guy. However, Doug’s still upset that Muuchi got lost in all of that madness and they don’t know where he is... until Doug looks down a nearby edge and discovers Muuchi lying in a pit.
By the end, the tree is no longer evil, the townsfolk are reunited with their loved ones and the Warriors of Light/The Wind have a new ally in Desch. That night on Cid’s airship, Desch tells the warriors of the Sorcerer Hein who was likely the one who corrupted the tree. The group then proceeds to head for the Living Woods, with Cid dropping them off and Desch accompanying them.
(To be continued in the Hein writeup...)
Overall, Desch is probably initially one of the most changed characters for the manga, though he gets a bit more familiar after he’s unbrainwashed. Granted, the manga came out only a year after the Famicom version and it wouldn’t be until the DS remake that Desch’s affinity for lightning magic and swords was established, but the bird thing still kinda comes out of nowhere (despite his somewhat affiliation with Dragons). On the other hand, Monk Desch is kinda interesting to see. He still seems to be an ancient though, given that seemingly mentions the Village Castle of the Ancients.
Oh, and while I forgot to scan it and I’m too lazy to right now show it, Desch’s ability to use birds isn’t limited to his evil state. He manages to call some birds to his aid during the initial battle with Hein, as ineffective as they are. Good Guy Nerf is in full effect.
Next Time: A Look at Cid Haze and Sara Altney, now that I have the first volume of the manga.
You may think the Djinn’s size there is for dramatic effect. It’s not; He actually is that big in the actual story.
I’m going to make a more formal post later, talking about Desch in the Final Fantasy III manga, as well as some more scans, but until then have a compilation of Manga!Desch being shirtless because why not?
FFIII Facts of the Whenever: Plenty of Protags edition
Most Final Fantasies are story-heavy enough that they generally have a standard cast. Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy III are not story-heavy. and while Squeenix seems hellbent on turning FFI into the RPG equivalent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy (where there is no canon, only suggestions), they kinda already did it with III. So let’s look at each version’s protagonists and compare and contrast.
MC 1: The Onion Knights
These four kids are the OG Light Warriors. They fell down a hole while playing and were blessed by the crystal to become the Warriors of Light. In spite of primarily being known as the Onion Knights/Kids, they don’t stay in the class for long before getting jobs and ditching their starting class (though, if they reach the early 90s levels, they can get massive stat boosts if they go back).
The Onion Knights are in an odd place. They aren’t mute slates like their FFI counterparts, but they also don’t have personalities like even the FFII protags. They didn’t even have names as, according to the JP FFwiki, the names used in screenshots of the game varied. Even so, their job went on to become a recurring job in the series, so they have that much going for them.
MC 2: The Manga Heroes
Final Fantasy 3 got a manga adaptation years ago and was the first time the four Light Warriors got set identities. Details about these four are scarce because the manga is JP only and data seems to be scarce even there. Based on JPFFwiki, here there are from top to bottom:
Muuchi: A 15 year old. Described as having a “Bright and Tough” personality. Uses the Fighter job (and even seems based on it), but also apparently gains summon magic?
Doug: A 14 year old. The youngest of the group and also, seemingly, the comic relief/trickster. Doesn’t use magic and fights with a knife (Thief Job)? Also has the best name.
Melfi: A 16 year old. The White Mage of the group. Apparently was the daughter of a landlord who died in the earthquake and by the end basically (has the potential to?) surpasses Unei.
J. Bowie: 17 Years old and thus the oldest. The Black Mage of the group. Calm and cool. Becomes Doga’s successor at the end.
Outside of the manga, these four have never (to my knowledge) appeared in any other FF media. In some circles, people do use Muuchi’s name for Dissidia’s Onion Knight though. That said, one must wonder if it’s coincidence that the DS heroes follow a similar team structure (though with different jobs).
MC 3: The Remake Heroes
When Final Fantasy III managed to get a remake for the Nintendo DS, a lot of things got overhauled in the process. This included giving the Light Warriors clear identities before cutting out 90% of the scenes featuring these new identities. I’ve already talked a lot about these guys so I’ll just give very quick synopsis and basically say what their jobs are.
Luneth: Unknown age. Based loosely on the original Famicom warriors, including being the only one to keep the full backstory, and very loosely designwise on the Aonuma Artwork Warrior. Consistently a Warrior in all of his appearances, but gained/used the Evoker class in a scrapped Castle Hein sequence.
Arc: 14 years old. Based very loosely on an NPC in Kazus. The only one aside from Luneth to keep the “adopted by Toppapa” part of the backstory. Usually a Black Mage, but was suggested to be a Scholar by Refia in a scrapped Castle Hein sequence and was interested in becoming a summoner in a scrapped Replito sequence.
Refia: 15 years old. The only one of the four to not be based on an existing Famicom character. Usually a White Mage, though she did have a minor subplot with a bard in a series of scrapped Duster sequences. Also, the only one as of this writing to be voiced (World of Final Fantasy)
Ingus: Unknown age. Based on a Knight in Castle Sasune. Usually a Red Mage, but is heavily implicated by both Doga and his own memories to be descended from a Dark Blade wielder (Ninja/Dark Knight) in scrapped sequences for the Cave of Time and Falgabard. As a bonus fun fact, he’s the only one to shift names during development, almost being called “Freyr”, though “Ingus” is technically the same/similar name due to the way runes work or something.
These four are generally the canon main characters in terms of FFIII itself, to the point where even Famicom screenshots/videos post-remake use their names. However they’ve made scarce appearances outside of material related directly to their game.
MC 4: Onion Knight MK2
For Dissidia Final Fantasy, the representative for III was an unnamed Onion Knight. In general, he is an amalgamation of designs, based on the sprite and Aonuma artwork and taking cues from the remake for the helmet. In spite of being based on the original 4 Onion Knights, he’s considered very different, to the point where he has a different name than the job usually does ( 玉葱剣士 is the job, オニオンナイト is the character). In essence, he is basically the III equivalent of I’s Warrior of Light by being the physical embodiment of the Famicom version of III. This is most likely for nostalgia purposes as he is based on the three strongest jobs of the Famicom version (Ninja, Sage and Onion Knight) whereas if they went with one of the DS characters, their EX Bursts would be based on the classes listed above (which aren’t exclusive to III). In spite of being somewhat divorced from the Famicom Knights, he does act as the general III representative and even heavily influenced Record Keeper’s portrayal of the Onion Knight.
Onion Knight has never been given a concrete identity. Whilst people speculate/claim that he’s Luneth or Ingus, there are various factors that disprove it; Onion Knight’s personality is, at best, an amalgam of the DS characters and at worst totally unique. He doesn’t act a whole lot like Luneth and his “Luneth” skin in Japan is actually called “Luneth-style” which is pretty damning. Meanwhile, some may argue that it’s Ingus, but Onion Knight still has the OG kids/Luneth’s backstory and is implied to be rather young whereas Ingus is implied to be the oldest member of the quartet. Finally, while some people might peg him as Muuchi as it’s claimed that the manga character names are the closest to official names, bear in mind that people barely know anything about the manga and of what there IS on it according to JPFFWiki is... pretty different to say the least (Saronia is sunken for one).
TL;DR: He’s Onion Knight and not (as far as we know) much else.
MC 4: Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Game (And Friends)
This guy is the guy used in the early Famicom FFIII promotional material. As the title suggests, he does not appear in the actual game (though his party, seen on the bottom, has it even worse as that image is the only one in which they appear). It’s theorized that his appearance loosely (here meaning “they took note of his general hair-color/style”) inspired Luneth’s. At the very least, Onion Knight can dress up as him so maybe it is him (which, admittedly, just adds to the FFI!WOL comparisons...).
Now, this sort of thing isn’t that out there. As earlier mentioned FFI also has a ton of protagonists (Compare the actual game to Dissidia to the manga to Mobius to the Light Novel to whatever new and exciting ways Square decides to complicate it). But III’s case is still a rather interesting case, especially since the odds of any of these protags meeting each other is slim to none. The DS characters’ only interaction with Dissidia’s Onion Knight is through Record Keeper and that was mainly using recycled dialogue. Will that ever change in the future? Who knows.... but most likely not. For the manga characters/Famicom characters/Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Game, most certainly not.
