Since even before I joined this message board, I had learnt that Beatrix is one of, if not the (save that green-haired sprite, Terra Branford), the most beloved characters in the Final Fantasy universe.

And please, don't confuse this with popularity, as I doubt she'd even crack the top 10 of most major gaming magazines' "Favorite Final Fantasy Characters" lists. It's more so she has a cult following. Beatrix is a fucking lifestyle.

The amazing thing to note is that, despite all her praise and sizable fandom, she's not a polarizing figure; a love/hate type, if you will. Even more astounding is the fact that I've never seen any indifference toward her character. Any way you look at it, she has much support from virtually any angle, which brings me to my next point.

The main inciters that prompted me to create this thread is her ability to win over you people's hearts, and knack for defeating foes left and right, no matter the opposition...

I'm referring to rumbles, folks!

Yes, those competitions are testaments to my very claim. Have you not taken into account the uncanny occurrence of her winning the whole kit and caboodle nearly any time she and anything in association with her (quotes and themes) are included? It's unreal.

So, people... My question to you is: What draws you to Beatrix? Why exactly is it that you find her so awesome? Is it the honor, impressive swordsmanship, and/or a hentai she was featured in?

Alternatively, if you're like myself, and appreciate the character, yet are awestruck by her sublime, godlike reputation, then state why you believe she's so revered by others.

In addition, some of you may share why you feel she is overrated as well. Everyone loves a little "controversy" every now and then, right?

I very much admire Beatrix for her sense of honor and loyalty towards the Kingdom of Alexandria. Her superb swordsmanship and ability to use some impressive white magic made her a paladin. She has stated once before in Burmecia that she defeated over 100 knights single handedly. Even powerful warriors such as the Burmecian Dragon Knight Sir Fratley wanted to seek her out and even challenge her in combat. The reason for his memory loss may have been a vicious confrontation with the Great Alexandrian General.

Her loyalty to Alexandria can't be swerved or broken, but when she contemplated the actions of her own Queen towards the other kingdoms such as Burmecia and Cleyra in using the black mages and the eidolons. Her theme 'Rose of May/Loss of Me' starts as she continues to even comtemplate her own previous goals to become the best, but she still sees herself as being pushed back regardless of all those years of training and sacrifice to become Alexandrian's General. When she saw those three black mages being escorted to the teleporters back to Alexandria, she considered them pawns and even herself as expendable in the Queen's foolish pursuit of greed. She decided to shrug it off for the moment, but she considered the actions of Steiner who she believed turned against Alexandria and she starts to wonder if Steiner was right to turn against the Queen even though he didn't. She is similar to Steiner in terms of wanting to know if she is still herself regardless of her duty as a knight. Both Beatrix and Steiner see themselves with their beliefs and views towards this war and the current situation, but they choose to continue following blindly regardless of the fact that many innocents are dead or are soon to perish (Lindblum).

I felt a deep respect for her when she turned against the Queen when she saw that sleeping form of Princess Garnet, she immediately realised that the Queen Brahne was going to execute the Princess. She helped cure the Princess from her unconsious state when she was reminded by Zidane that it was duty to protect the Princess. At that moment, she knew the errors of her actions when she discovered the Queen was going to indeed execute the heir to the Alexandrian throne without even a trial and Brahne's pursuit of greed as well as herself had cost the lives of many of Cleyra and Burmecia. She even tried to persuade the Queen of stopping her pursuit of greed even though it would be in vain, she would turn against her own Queen to defend the Princess from her. She along with Freya and soon Steiner fought those Bandersnatches to help Garnet, Vivi and Zidane to escape to Treno using the Gargant, but they ended up in Pinnacle Falls.

When Garnet had become after Brahne's death and Kuja used the Mistodons along with the crazed Bahamut to lay siege to Alexandria, she alongside Steiner went out to protect the people while slaying the Mistodons, which continued to attack the people of Alexandria. Steiner would late admit that he cared for Beatrix and wanted to protect her even though he hated her and considered her as a rival before of during the time of the play. Beatrix felt honored by Steiner's vow and her feelings for him deepened apart just like the love letter scene. Before she found the letter, she even contemplated herself again when she knew the Kingdom was at peace, but she felt this emptiness inside her heart and she felt her future was to continue to protect the monarchy till her eventual death. When she found the love letter with no address or addresse, she assumed it came from Steiner who like herself contemplated himself and what the future might hold for him. Her last great act to aid the party was helping to protect the Invincible from those hundreds of silver dragons using the Red Rose along with the Lindblum Air Fleet.

For all those honorary acts after turning against the Queen, I saw them as acts of Redemption for those almost unforgiving acts towards the Kingdom of Burmecia and Cleyra. Beatrix is similar to that of Cecil who started off as a Dark Knight who stole the water crystal, but soon saw the errors of his ways and became a paladin for his own acts of Redemption. Beatrix was more of a fallen paladin who regained her honor as a paladin when she chose to repair her previous mistakes in any way she could such as aiding the party. Beatrix even found it surprising that Freya had forgiven her when she had relaised the error of her ways and it was not too late for her own Redemption by helping Princess Garnet.

These are all the reasons why I respect General Beatrix who had fallen in her class as a Paladin, but was also able to regain it doing those brave acts. She even found companionship in Steiner and felt her life wasn't just to follow and protect the monarchy and the Kingdom of Alexandria. In the end, she found herself when Steiner had admitted his feelings towards her when she tried to resign as the General of Alexandria and leave it behind for who knows where.

So, people... My question to you is: What draws you to Beatrix? Why exactly is it that you find her so awesome? Is it the honor, impressive swordsmanship?

Yes.

Also, Leo > Beatrix.

Leo > Beatrix.

QFFT.

I think if they had made Beatrix a male character it would not have had the same impact, it wouldn't be new seeing a great swordsman who is male. Many other games probably had male swordsmen but when they made Beatrix a female you just get sucked in by her skill with a sword and her beauty.

It's just a certain combination of different things that attracts you to her?

Even more astounding is the fact that I've never seen any indifference toward her character.

Be astounded no more. I'm indifferent towards her character. It's not like I think she's a bad or good character. She's just there. She won some fights, I called her a bitch sometimes but that's it. Beatrix who?

She was kind of a polar opposite of Steiner, in that they were in the same position, but chose different sides, and both Beatrix and Steiner seem envious of the other's position throughout most of the game.

If you want to talk about surface features, she's a master swordsman (who decimates your party every time you meet her), monocular but still beautiful, and has awesome theme music.

I respect General Leo of having honor and justice even though he stayed with the Empire which had nethier of these qualities. The Empire was led by Emperor Gestahl who ruled with an iron fist and thrist for power. General Leo showed his honor and compassion when he wanted to avoid all the conflict such as at Doma and with the Espers, but it was Kefka who would appear and would resort to a more sickening acts of dealing with it instead of friendly negotiations that Leo wanted to do in the first place. I knew he had sense of honor to do the right thing and it was to protect Thamasa from Kefka's army, which he defeated. He was decieved by Kefka again when Kefka took the image of Gestahl and killed him when Leo discovered of Gestahl's greed.

There are differences and similarites between both General Leo and General Beatrix. In battle, they both used the technique 'Shock' that dealt heavy damage to whichever enemy. They both followed blindly as officers of their respectable kingdoms/empires and hardly ever voiced their own views or beliefs on the matter. The differences are that Beatrix took too much time to learn the errors of her ways, but Leo alreadly wanted to resort to peaceful ways that way no one on their side would die. Leo always suspected Kefka was a decieving and backstabbing advisior who would use anyone as expendable and Leo was right about Kefka after going against his orders and poisoning the river killing everyone apart from Cyan in Doma. Beatrix had no one to suspect and I couldn't see Thorn and Zorn blurting anything out although they are both annoying jesters, they pretty much feared Beatrix.

I would have to agree with Moonlight.

Leo > Beatrix.

I still have great respect for both characters, but I respect General Leo slightly more.

I respect neither. I only respect the main characters.

Fantastic post'age KHF1990!

I liked her because she had some great attacks to use and I did find the romance between her and Steiner a bit comical. But I did think she gloated a bit much, saying how she had slayed 100 knights single-handedly and telling the party how she would easily slay them, or how pathetic they were to fight against, I dont recall the words exactly but its when you fought her at the end of disk one in Burmecia.

Fantastic post'age KHF1990!

Indeed!

Thank you for the comments.

Feralanima brings up some good points about Beatrix's early behaviour towards the party in Burmecia, Cleyra and before the battle with her in Alexandria Castle. Some would see her behaviour as arrogant and pig headed, but I see it as a method of causing hesitation and fear thus breaking any morale her enemies may have left.

An example of this was in Burmecia when that lone Bumercian soldier tried to engage Beatrix in combat. When he learned of her name, he started to cower in fear and you could tell he was stuttering even when he was recalling her name. Many know General Beatrix as the best swordswoman in Alexandria even the whole mist continent.

Not only does she break their emotional state including their mental state. Her enemies would have no idea what their next move would be, they would know she could easily cut them down. Only those with a strong iron will like the party mainly Freya, Zidane including Vivi who had his mind set on discovering the reason why the black mages were doing this. With Quina... I have no idea why, but maybe it could be that he/she gets to taste and Devour new food. :D

This is another of the reasons why I absolutely respect General Beatrix.

The way Beatrix was able to take on all four of your characters is great, even though she's not able to trance, she can still take on a trance character.

In the end, she turned out to be a nice person.

Leo > Beatrix.

I totally think she rocks. She's like better than Garnet and Eiko combined cuz of her sword skills. If she was a regular game character you could play as without hacking, she would be party leader in my group.

And Leo got killed...Beatrix didn't. She just changed sides. There's a HUGE difference btn the two...

And Leo got killed...Beatrix didn't. She just changed sides. There's a HUGE difference btn the two...

what does that have to do with anything?

not sure, but I just like her better... Lol!

If she was a regular game character you could play as without hacking, she would be party leader in my group.

If the game had a regular character named Beatrix, you can bet your rancid ass she would not be as powerful as the Beatrix we know. 'Cause, you know, that's all part of one of the nemesis a gamer must face, the nemesis known as "Broken Gameplay".

I thought she was a bitch the first several times I fought her. She's gotta nice rack though.

Nice racks are what its all about. Look at DOA: Extreme Beach Volleyball. Hawt.