A lot of unexpected things happened today, but I want to focus on one thread I saw on the FF12 Reddit: is Venat actually the villain? Some people lean “yes,” pointing to who Venat is and the actions taken to achieve certain goals. Others say “no,” because Venat’s motives aren’t inherently evil. Unlike the other Occuria—who generally want to use their higher status to rule over humans and other races—Venat wants destiny to return to human hands, freeing people from the Occuria’s shackles. That alone makes Venat a heretic among a race that, by nature, fits the role of the true antagonists. But back to the question: is Venat a villain? Let’s look at a few story beats and different perspectives.
Venat collaborates with two human characters widely seen as the most “evil” in the game: Vayne and Doctor Cid. The story clearly states that if you want to break free from the gods’ control, one approach is to destroy the Sun-cryst, so that nethicite’s influence wanes. If Venat’s method were simply that, it wouldn’t make Venat a villain.
But Venat may not see it that simply. Let me try to lay out the roots of “evil” for the two collaborators in the game, and the most plausible reason Venat would act as they do. (I’ve liked Vayne for a long time, but if you ask me whether he’s “bad,” I’m afraid the answer—within the context of this game and its world—is yes.) Cid conducted many inhumane experiments in the name of pushing human limits. Vayne pursued power and dominance, invading other nations and waging war to prove he could become Ivalice’s new leader. With the gods gone, humanity would need real strength and a strong hand to guide it. I’ll write more about his true ideology when I have time. From my personal point of view, if Venat believes that once the Occuria’s power and status are stripped away, humanity must reclaim this world and take hold of its rules and its power, then a strong human will is essential. In that case, those two were the only viable choices.
Thanks for reading this far. I’d really appreciate any comments or perspectives you’re willing to share.