Final Fantasy XIV is a standalone universe, much like basically every other Final Fantasy game. But these games have been coming out since 1987, and although they usually tell their own stories, they share a ton of elements. Enemies, themes, spells – all these things run through each entry in the series, distinctive trademarks of the world’s biggest JRPG franchise. XIV is a different beast, though. The MMO is in a pretty unique position as a Final Fantasy entry, changing massively over time, constantly refreshing and updating with new content over the years. Yes, it shares many of the same Final Fantasy trademark elements – you’ll still ride chocobos, cast Blizzaga, and chug Hi-Potions. But XIV can borrow and implement aspects of previous games in a way other entries can’t necessarily. Kefka is just one of many of these instances – the Final Fantasy XV crossover event gave players the chance to fight alongside protagonist Noctis, and earn the signature Regalia vehicle for their own use. There’s an entire raid series based on Ivalice, the world of Final Fantasy XII (which actually shares a ton of DNA with XIV). Both the Viera and Hrothgar races are lifted from Final Fantasy XII and FFX respectively. I could keep listing examples, they go on and on. The point I’m trying to make is that Kefka’s addition to XIV is just one of many references to the Final Fantasy series as a whole. But how does XIV make sense of it? How have they justified bringing the mad clown Kefka back to life so raid alliances can kill him all over again? We’ll go into that below, but please be aware we will be touching on significant plot points for both Final Fantasy XIV and VI – so if you don’t want spoilers, read with caution (or skip reading).
Who Is Kefka?
Kefka is the primary antagonist of Final Fantasy VI. He was once a court mage, but was infused with experimental magitek which granted him the power to use magic. It also transformed him into a bloodthirsty maniac, so we can probably assume the experiment went awry. He has the appearance of a twisted harlequin, with a dark sense of humor and evil schemes to match. Kefka is notorious in Final Fantasy lore for his madness – he’s solely focused on gaining as much power and causing as much chaos as possible, because he believes that everything is meaningless. To Kefka, life has no point except to end. This swing from anarchy to brutal nihilism is unique to Kefka – he’s a monster, and he relishes in the fact. So: Mad clown, bent on causing as much havoc as possible, twisted sense of humor. If you’ve paid even the slightest bit of attention to pop culture over the last decade or so, you’ve probably seen that DC Comics’ Joker has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame, and the two have quite a lot in common. Part of what makes Kefka so enduring in the eyes of the Final Fantasy fanbase is that he actually succeeded. The plot of Final Fantasy VI sees Kefka attain his goal of ascending to godhood and unleashing cataclysmic destruction across the world. He stays in power for a full year before the heroes get their act together and take him down for good. He frequently tops polls and articles that list Final Fantasy’s greatest villains. Not bad when you’re in the same company as Sephiroth, who’s essentially become the face of the series’ gallery of rogues.
So How Did Kefka End Up In XIV?
Kefka is part of the Omega raid, which was released back in Stormblood. This raid sees players go up against Omega, another recurring Final Fantasy entity. Omega is a superweapon from another dimension, with the power to create sentient life. Omega is pitting lifeforms against each other in a search for the strongest being. This is how Kefka makes it into the world of XIV – he’s one of Omega’s creations, and the Warrior of Light must prove themselves the strongest. The different wings of the raid are essentially all part of this test. And as it’s all basically a simulation of sorts, why not call back to one of Final Fantasy’s most notorious bad guys? The raid has three sections, each with four floors, referred to as V1.0, V2.0, and so on. Players fight Kefka at the end of Sigmascape, the second wing. He kicks things off with a signature cackle and an interesting “trick” mechanic which plays into his deceitful nature. At a certain point in the fight, Kefka will telegraph attacks marked with question mark icons. To avoid his trick attacks, players have to do the opposite of what those telegraphs normally suggest. So if an AOE attack marker appears on the battlefield, you’d have to stand inside it to avoid damage. Once he’s shown off these tricks, he’ll swap between trick and normal attacks at random – so you really can’t let your guard down. The whole battle is accompanied by a powerful new rendition of Dancing Mad, and a steadily ascending Statue of the Gods in the background. So if you’re a Final Fantasy VI fan, the Kefka fight is an absolute must.
How Do I Unlock The Kefka Fight?
You’ll need to complete the Stormblood expansion first, which is a pretty big time investment all in all. Then, at level 70 with Stormblood completed, head to Rhalgr’s Reach and pick up the quest “The Hunt for Omega” from Wedge. From there you’ve basically just got to follow the quest until you unlock Deltascape V1.0. This is where you’ll need to queue in the Duty Finder. Once you’ve cleared Deltascape V1.0, keep following the quest chain and clearing floors until you reach the end. From there you’ve gotta do a little more legwork, some trademark XIV walking and talking. Before long you’ll be summoned back to the rift – when you see the quest “No Slowing Down”, you’re right at the start of Sigmascape. And Kefka is right at the end. So you’re still in for a bit of a long ride!
