best villian in the SE universe.

[Hadriel]

That nobody can do anything about?

Yeah, or didn't you catch the part where it takes a ridiculously specialized Act of God (TM) to even create the correct genes to deal with him?  Obviously, "nobody" is an exaggeration.  But their success was in large part determined by their genes and predestination, rather than through any particular achievement of their own.

I judge fear based on setting, mood, actions, visuals, etc.

Why?  What's the point of fearing an impotent enemy?

Setting, I would say they are on par.  You got a bloody hallway with Sephiroth, and a massacred village, and you have a wasteland with Lavos.

Do you even realize what you're saying?  You're comparing a bloody hallway to the destruction of humanity.

[Rat]

Hmm, since I just recently finished the first KH game, I thought Ansem was interesting in a very obvious Faust sort of way, but I wouldn't go so far as to say he was the best. Just Faust-themes interesting to me for the moment. Or something.

Always loved to hate Kefka.

And some of the moments dealing with Jenova/Sephiroth in FF7 gave me the chills, though I attribute this mostly to the good timing/how fitting the music was to certain scenes.

I didn't mind Kuja too much either, despite the entire thing where he pretty much just goes SSj4 near the end, and the fact that with how he dresses, I almost thought he was a she at first... *coughs*

[cupn00dles]

Oh yeah, there is the whole Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts II as well =]

They aren't really terrifying nor anything like it, but still I somehow think of 'em as a bunch of badass motherfuckers, in a good way. 

[Sentenal]

Do you even realize what you're saying?  You're comparing a bloody hallway to the destruction of humanity.

I saw dead, bloodied bodies with Sephiroth.  I saw grass and mountains get shot at with Lavos.  Lavos's attack was much less personal, you didn't even see anyone die.  The Lavos video was supposed to make you think he's powerful, and hell it works.  The Sephiroth scenes is supposed to initmidate you.  And they do that.

[Exodus]

I really don't feel intimidated by a video game character.

Additionally, just because something is impersonal doesn't mean it isn't a more horrific crime.

[Hadriel]

The impersonal aspect of Lavos' attack is precisely why it's terrifying.  It serves as excellent foreshadowing for his eventual revelation as the progenitor of humanity, and the nihilism that ultimately comprises his character.  Such a revelation is much more terrifying than a few dead bodies.  If you want good dead body horror, watch Saw.

[V_Translanka]

Dreamers, this is confirmed when Magus does not answer when questioned if the former wielder of the Masamune were his sworn enemy. In Crimson Echoes we're using this to interesting effect.

I don't take his silence to mean that they're friends or anything. He used Chrono & Co. to get to Lavos just like he used the Mystics. While they had a truce, I don't think they were friends or anything. I suppose Magus may understand, to some extent, Glenn's wanting for vengeance, but the fact is that Glenn's was unjustified from the beginning...Magus was after Lavos, thus making him a hero, no matter what his reasons.

As for Ol' Sephy-Head...Over the years, I've lost most of the minute respect I may or may not have had for him for one simple fact: Whenever I talk to someone or see someone talking about him, they always, always say something different than the last person I talked to...The whole "who and where Seph was and who was controlling what" thing just really annoying...I'll have to force myself to play it again to gain a new perspective of it all, I suppose...

[Theicedragon]

Well you also have to take into account the world in which the game is set.  Chrono Trigger is based on time travel, so even though Lavos destroyed the "future", you had a way to change it, which made his exploits less damaging.  There was always a chance to change it.  But with Sephiroth in the FF world, there was no time travel.  You went each day knowing that you couldn't change the past. There was no going back and saving Aeris, no going back to prevent sephiroth from even coming into existance. Just think if you weren't even given an option to revive Crono. 

So to easily put it, picture yourself in both worlds.  Would you be more afraid in CT world going up against Lavos or going up against sephiroth in FF world.  Me personally, if I wanted to be in the safest world of the two, I would pick CT because of the time travel and knowing that also Lavos was even scheduled to kill me in "my" lifetime.  But sephiroth was trying to destroy the world in my life time if I was one of the characters in FF.  So to me, he was the ultimate villain of the two. Time travel plays an important role in watering down Lavos power.  If you took out time travel, Lavos would most definitely be the ultimate villain.

 And how come no one is talking about the Ten Wise men from Star Ocean 2.  They wiped out an entire planet with millions of people on them. Did anybody play Star Ocean 2.  To me they should be in the top 5 in ultimate villains.

[Romana]

I couldn't play SOII because I'm in the UK, but I'm gonna download it, cause I loved SOIII.

[Theicedragon]

Its an incredible game.  The ten wise men were hard as hell. 

[nightmare975]

But come on people, what are you more scared of doing, walking through a wasteland or following a fucking blood trail?

[Lord J Esq]

But come on people, what are you more scared of doing, walking through a wasteland or following a fucking blood trail?

Come on, look who you're asking. These guys get scared when they try to open one of those tubes of biscuit dough.

[Sentenal]

But come on people, what are you more scared of doing, walking through a wasteland or following a fucking blood trail?

EXACTLY.  Thank you, someone that understand's why Sephiroth was fearful.

[Matt Shadows]

New poll. Sephiroth vs. Lavos.
I say lavos ansem sephiroth!

[grey_the_angel]

But come on people, what are you more scared of doing, walking through a wasteland or following a fucking blood trail?

EXACTLY.  Thank you, someone that understand's why Sephiroth was fearful.

a wasteland actually, the desolation, the sheer amount of corpses, the destruction of the surrounding area. are you honestly gonna tell me your not gonna be more scarred of something that fucked up the ENTIRE world, then a couple of death solders?