Direct from Square's department of mysteries

[Crazyswordsman]

Comes some stuff you didn't know about Kefka.

This was a direct translation I got from an FF Wiki contributor. This is probably the first time this has ever been put online. It's from an FFVI universe book published by Square.

Kefka Palazzo (The Shark of the Emperor)

Age: 35
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 106 lbs
Birthday: November 19th (Scorpio)
Birthplace: Unrevealed.
Blood Type: AB
Likes: Mirror
Hates: Leo Christophe
Hobbies: Dollplay




The Magitek Knights of Emperor Gestahl

- As the right hand man of Emperor Gestahl, a Magitek knight participates in various military campaigns.
- Kefka is imbued with the power of the Espers by Cid.
- But because of the expirement, Kefka fell ill.
- Now he is a dangerous member of the empire.
- The Magitek facility siphons magical power from the Esper, and
uses it to augment humans.
- The test subject gains mighty power, but it creates discord in the mind, emotional stability, and quirks in speech patterns and behavior.


Childhood

- Kefka is thrown away at birth, and is raised in an orphanage on the edge of Thamasa.
- Kefka is beaten severely as a child. He develops into a taciturn individual. (The word autism is surrounded by two words I am unable to translate.)


Young adulthood

- Kefka graduates from the imperial academy at the head of his class, and enters the Magitek facility. With Doctor Cid, he studies espers and magically derived experiments.
- Kefka finds purpose in his Magitek experiments. Due to his blind loyalty to emperor Gestahl, he receives much power.
- At the age of 23, Kefka is promoted to commander of the Magitek Knight platoon.
- At the age of 25, Kefka encounters Celes, and takes an interest in her. He uses his political pull to make sure she develops into a Rune Knight.


Adulthood

- At the age of 30, Kefka is appointed to the position of Prime minister.
- At the age of 31, Kefka is named General of the whole imperial army.
- As the brains behind the Imperial army, Kefka accomplishes much. He is particularly intrigued by the possibilities of magic power, and thus grows into his role as head of Gestahl’s Magitek army perfectly.
- Unfortunately, Kefka’s madness deepens, his affection for his charge Celes being the last remnant of his humanity.


Nervous Breakdown

- Kefka’s mental began around the time he was appointed Prime Minister. The cause of the collapse being a side-effect from the Magitek augmentation process.
- Kefka’s collapse becomes visible around the time Celes is promoted to the position of Rear Admiral, during the Third Imperial campaign.
- All of Kefka’s pleasant memories begin to deteriorate. He loses his ability to experience pleasant sensations, and his ability to appreciate beauty. The only desire left is the desire to destroy the world.
- After spiraling into insanity, Kefka starts to wear makeup and garish clothing, acting like a complete buffoon. His behavior changes and his patterns of speech deteriorate.
- Kefka begins to act conspicuously, and his motives come into question.

Character Reputation

- It is debated whether Kefka is autistic or his taciturn nature is due to abuse and assault.
- Kefka’s reputation among his co-workers is not good; he is viewed as eccentric, and not trusted by those who participate in imperial campaigns.
- Kefka is prone to temper tantrums, where he destroys property with his great magical abilities.
- When around Celes, Kefka acts as a kind older brother.

Before his nervous breakdown

- Kefka lived in a tower connected to the Magitek research facilities with Celes.

After the nervous breakdown

- Kefka is placed under house arrest, let out for work related activities only.
- In his home he gathers many jewels, and plays with dolls.

Combat Efficiency

- Kefka is a tremendously powerful mage, but his aptitude for hand-to-hand combat is low.
- His powers as a mage are increased by his nervous breakdown.
- The Spirit of the Esper that imbued Kefka acts through him. (Editor’s note: Maybe this demon Maria is actually the Esper that Kefka was augmented with?)

Change in goals due to Magitek side effects

- Before his nervous breakdown, the existence of magic was the only thing that confirmed Kefka’s own existence to himself.
- After the side effects emerge, Kefka’s only goal is to find the highest power in the world, that which can destroy anything.


Dolls (more a section on androgyny)

- Kefka adorns his dolls the same way he adorns himself, with makeup and garish clothing
- When Kefka is in a bad mood, he destroys his dolls for fun.

Mirror

- Kefka is fascinated by the phenomena of the mirror image.
- Kefka dresses up for himself solely for the purpose of seeing himself in the mirror.


Relationship with Celes before nervous breakdown.

- Stemming from their common experience of Magitek augmentation, Kefka viewed Celes as the love of his life; He viewed her as his daughter and his sister.
- Celes was the only person Kefka was able to care about.
- Kefka would essentially die for his young ward.


Relationship with Celes after the Nervous breakdown

- Kefka begins to view Celes as a play toy; strong and weak, beautiful and submissive, his perfect doll (editor’s note: EWW creepy.)
- Kefka finds beauty in the fact that Celes is mentally damaged, since he too, has suffered.


Relationship with Dr. Cid

- In his early adulthood, Kefka served as part of Cid’s research staff, and was his subordinate.
- After becoming Prime Minister, Kefka forced Cid to make the research the creation of an ultimate magical based weapon.


Relationship with Leo Christophe

- Because Leo, a consummate soldier, is opposed to the use of magic, he and Kefka clash in ideology often.


Relationship with Emperor Gestahl

- Kefka views Gestahl as the absolute master who gives his existence meaning.
- Kefka and Gestahl have a heavy reliance on each other; Kefka is given the nickname “The Shark of the Emperor.”


Relationship with Terra Brandford

- Before his Nervous breakdown, Kefka viewed Terra as a valuable research test subject.
- After his nervous breakdown, Kefka viewed Terra as a magically powered toy.
- Kefka fears Terra for her natural power.

-CSM

[Sim Kid]

...It sounds a lot like some fan got a little bored, but that was rather well thought out. (I doubt Square-Enix would include Autism...Kefka may be mentally insane, but Autism is the least of his problems...)

[Crazyswordsman]

No, this is very real and very authentic. Only 100,000 of these books were sold 13 years ago in Japan. This is very real. -CSM

[Crazyswordsman]

Sorry for the double post, but I have some more stuff.

Link to a page from the guide.

Celes Chere “The Invincible General”

Age: 18
Occupation: Runic Knight
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 128 lbs
Birth date: March 10th (Pisces)
Blood type: B
Birthplace: Vector
Treasure: Antique Picture Book
Loves: Roses
Hates: Weak men
hobby: Caring for the roses in Doctor Cid’s Greenhouse.


Birth:

- Celes is born the daughter of a Soldier and a Tzen Noblewoman; she is raised in a little house on the outskirts of Vector.
- Celes witnesses the death her parents at the hands of the empire during the second imperial campaign, the then 8 year old Celes tries to escape to a sanctuary, but is captured by the empire.
- The traumatized orphan is experimented on, and given Magitek powers.
- A side effect of the process is the wiping of her memory; she doesn’t remember witnessing the death of her parents, nor does she even remember them, or their names.

Childhood:

- After successfully being augmented with Magitek powers, Celes is brought up by Kefka Palazzo and Dr. Cid. Kefka demands that Celes be brought up as a soldier, though Cid secretly allows her to relish in being a child, and do the things normal girls do.


Becoming “The Invincible General”:

- At the age of 15, Celes is promoted to lieutenant junior grade, within the year she works her way up to rear admiral.
- At age 16 she is named leader of the Chocobo mounted Magitek Knight Battalion.
- As a general she directs the torching of Miranda, and various other imperial activities in the third movement.
- When Celes hears that Kefka plans on poisoning the Kingdom of Doma, she becomes disillusioned with the empire.


Character Reputation:

- As a child she is viewed as a normal girl. By the time she ascends to Lieutenant junior grade, she is known for her despising the weakness of manhood.
- Among the citizens of the empire she is a hero, hold in high esteem for her beauty, strength, and skills as a warrior.
- Many of her subordinates are jealous of Celes, due to the level of success she has achieved as a woman of eighteen.

Daily Life:

- Celes lived in a room right next to Kefka’s in a tower connected to the Magitek research facility of the imperial castle.
- The room is almost not a room, but more a greenhouse, filled with a lovely rose Cid named after Celes.
- After being promoted, she was moved higher up the tower, and further away from Kefka, whose mental state had begun to deteriorate.

Combat Efficiency:

- Celes is a mastery of magic, fencing, and military strategy came from her training as a Runic Knight
- Trained in Magic by The Court Mage Kefka.
- Trained in fencing by Leo Christophe.


Runic Blade:

- Celes lifts her blade and channels her on Esper Magic through the blade, canceling out an attack.


Relationships with Other Characters:


Kefka Palazzo

- Due to their unique bond based on their origins, Kefka and Celes are like parent and child, like brother and sister, like sweethearts.
- Celes is the only person Kefka opens his heart to.
- To “the Shark”, Celes is everything.


Cid

- Cid is the expert on rune knight magic.
- Cid was like Celes father (Note: The only one who cared about Celes in a natural way, Kefka’s care was more of an obsession.)

Leo Christophe

- Leo taught Celes the art of fencing. Due to Kefka’s dislike for conventional weapons, this caused friction between The Shark and General Leo.


Emperor Gestahl

- The absolute master who gives meaning to Celes’s life (Editor’s note: This isn’t just a relationship Celes has with Gestahl, but seemingly ALL imperials have this relationship with him.)


Terra Branford

- As a child Celes is jealous Terra due to her natural power. Kefka finds great interest in this after his nervous breakdown.
- Terra in turn is hurt that Kefka actually cares about Celes, and yearns for a father figure.
- After meeting again as adults, Celes shows concern for Terra.


Edgar Roni Figaro
- Celes thinks she should respect him given his status, but finds it’s difficult (Note: I suppose this is due to his womanizing ways?)


Setzer Gabbiani

- Celes sees Setzer as a friend she can talk to about anything (Editor’s note: I guess this is AFTER Setzer kidnaps her and tries to force her to marry him.)


Locke Cole

- Locke teaches Celes many things about life; they develop a close friendship, and Celes comes to trust Locke. (The romantic side of their relationship is not specifically stated.)

-CSM

[ZeldaGirl]

^Whoa, do you think you can resize the photo so that it doesn't stretch the page? Thanks, dear!

[Crazyswordsman]

It doesn't stretch the page. But I made a link to it.

More stuff to come later. -CSM

[Sim Kid]

Square actually made books about Final Fantasy plots?

If anything, they should have made books about Xenosaga, Chrono Cross, and Final Fantasy XII. I have a very hard time keeping track of whatever Ashe wants and why the heck those two "Vaan and Penelo" characters are following Ashe and Balthier around, and why you play as Vaan in Final Fantasy XII when it's really about Ashe and Balthier. ?_?

[Crazyswordsman]

Square didn't do Xenosaga, but Namco probably did make the books. I know there are books for FFXII and Chrono Cross. -CSM

[maj700]

tell me agin wat ur doing

[Sim Kid]

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

Square didn't do Xenosaga, but Namco probably did make the books. I know there are books for FFXII and Chrono Cross. -CSM

Whoops, I meant to type Xenogears. >.<

[ZeldaGirl]

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

It doesn't stretch the page. But I made a link to it.

More stuff to come later. -CSM

Really, that's weird... my page was completely stretched out... hmmm...

Thank you anyway!

* ZeldaGirl gives CSM a cookie.