Final Fantasy XII, love it or hate it, is a fascinating beast, telling a steam-punk saga of political machinations and out-and-out war. It brings together a colourful cast of characters, some more beloved than others.
Game director Yasumi Matsuno, apropos of absolutely nothing, just popped up on Twitter to skewer a rumour that has been percolating within the Final Fantasy community since 2006: whether or not disgraced former knight Basch fon Ronsenburg was actually meant to be the protagonist of the game, in place of the contentious and allegedly whiny Vaan.
That rumor is a fake story.
Thank you.— 松野泰己⬛ (@YasumiMatsuno) April 18, 2023
This was something that many Final Fantasy fans would repeat as gospel (this ignorant scribe is certainly guilty of perpetuating the tale). So the story goes, Final Fantasy XII was meant to be a much darker tale than it ended up being, with Basch serving as something of an anti-hero. Instead, due to fan feedback, Vaan was implemented, being a rambunctious teen with ambitions of sky piracy, which it was felt fans would prefer.
Well, plenty of fans ended up loathing Vaan (who kind of gets a bad wrap, we think), and Basch became a fan favourite, providing fertile soil for this pernicious rumour to take root. Was your mind as blown as ours? Question everything in the comments section below.
