Final Fantasy: 25 Greatest Heroes

You never get a second chance at a first impression, or so the old saying goes. Nobody in the series has ever had such a remarkable introduction as Auron at the start of Final Fantasy X.

Standing tall as he watches Sin wreak havoc upon Dream Zanarkand, he is never fazed by anything that is thrown in his path, dispatching foes effortlessly and radiating an incredible level of awe whilst doing so.

The game is Tidus and Yuna’s story, but Auron’s part in it, as well as the wider conspiracy at the heart of Spira and the Yevon religious order that controls it, cannot be understated.

The Jecht Spheres that players can collect give a detailed insight into his relationship with the respective fathers of both leads, which grew from animosity between Auron and Jecht into a brotherhood between the two of them and Braska, cruelly torn apart by the endless cycle of destruction that required the sacrifices of both a Summoner and Guardian to temporarily give hope to the world.

The revelation that Auron took up arms against Yunalesca in protest against the broken system, dying in Kimahri’s arms and living on as an unsent, is startling, but getting to see him play a part in finally ridding Spira of Sin and Yevon before he willingly fades away brings tears to the eye, giving closure to a brilliantly-written man.