After 28 years, Final Fantasy Tactics makes a grand return with The Ivalice Chronicles, earning widespread critical acclaim. Both long-time fans and new players are celebrating the enhanced gameplay and compelling actor performances that weren’t possible in the original 1997 release. Yasumi Matsuno, the game’s original creator, shared in a poignant post that Tactics arrives at a time mirroring its initial launch – an era grappling with “inequality and division,” leaving many feeling “robbed of hope.” Although Tactics is a fantasy narrative set in a fictional world, its developers drew inspiration from real historical events, such as England’s War of the Roses in the 1400s. The echo of history in today’s world is bittersweet, yet it underscores the enduring relevance of Tactics’ core themes and highlights the significant role of Rapha and Marach Galthena in its unfolding story.
While global events in the Middle East were significant in 1997, the recent dramatic escalation of the situation has brought them to the forefront of global conversation once more. This context makes Rapha and Marach’s roles in The Ivalice Chronicles particularly meaningful for South West Asian and North African (SWANA) gamers. It’s truly invigorating to hear actors Elham Ehsas and Lara Sawalha lend their voices to these characters with such authenticity. Historically, SWANA-coded characters in video games have rarely enjoyed nuanced or positive portrayals. Too often, they’ve been reduced to harmful stereotypes: belly dancers, camel-riding snake charmers, or outright evil terrorists, seen in games from Metal Slug to Counter Strike. Rapha and Marach, however, offer a refreshing departure. Their narrative provides much-needed nuance, reflecting many of the complex issues faced by the SWANA community globally. This was a significant statement in 1997, and it resonates even more powerfully in 2025.
Rapha and Marach’s story begins tragically as orphans, taken in by the influential Duke Barrington. His sinister intent was to exploit their rare mantra abilities, not only recruiting them as child soldiers but also indoctrinating and training countless other children through “orphanages” designed to cultivate “a pool of willing young minds.” As Ramza observes, Barrington meticulously selected and molded these children for his own war efforts. This strategy, though seemingly fictional, bears a chilling resemblance to real-world recruitment tactics. What’s truly commendable is that instead of reducing Marach and Rapha to mere obstacles in Ramza’s path, the narrative provides them with a deeply humanizing backstory. This explains their initial allegiance to a megalomaniac rather than Ramza. Rapha, in particular, becomes vital in revealing the extent to which she and her brother have been deceived, striving persistently to open Marach’s eyes despite his initial resistance.
Despite the thoughtful construction of the Galthenas’ narrative, there are still areas ripe for critique. A notable point is that the siblings are the sole characters possessing mantra abilities, a detail that unfortunately plays into an Orientalist trope, exoticizing the only SWANA-coded characters in the game. Furthermore, their suboptimal combat optimization has made them less favored by Tactics enthusiasts. While adjustments through respeccing can mitigate this, the lack of immediate clarity on how to effectively deploy them in battle can discourage players from integrating Rapha and Marach into their teams, a regrettable oversight reflecting some carelessness from Square Enix.
My other significant critique concerns a specific narrative sequence that unfortunately casts Marach in a negative light. Upon their introduction in The Ivalice Chronicles, Rapha and Marach are caught in a heated argument. Marach reacts angrily to Rapha’s disparaging remarks about the man he believes rescued them in childhood. When Rapha reveals that Barrington was, in fact, responsible for their orphanhood, Marach slaps her and declares he “will not abide [her] ill-mannered tongue.” This scene implies Marach is a fervent loyalist to Duke Barrington, enraged by any negative word, especially from his own sister. However, this moment inadvertently reinforces a harmful stereotype about SWANA men being perceived as ‘inherently more violent,’ particularly towards women. The scene becomes even more perplexing later when it’s revealed that Marach actively desires freedom from Barrington and has no intention of remaining in his service.
Considering the numerous enhancements and refinements made in this version of Tactics, including a beautifully updated script, I believe there was an opportunity to remove the contentious slap from Marach and Rapha’s argument. This alteration would have prevented the unintentional reinforcement of a negative stereotype. Such character re-examination is not unprecedented within the Final Fantasy franchise; Cid from the 1997 release of Final Fantasy 7, for instance, was initially implied to be abusive but has since been reimagined as an endearing, upbeat southern gentleman in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Unlike the original FF7’s rather somber Cid, Marach is presented as a deeply flawed yet fundamentally good character. His genuine affection for his sister is clear, exemplified when he heroically shields her from harm after Duke Barrington finally exposes his true villainous nature. Following Rapha’s miraculous revival of Marach using the Scorpio Stone, both siblings choose to join Ramza’s party. This marks a pivotal moment: for the first time, they actively decide what to fight for and who to fight alongside. Furthermore, during an optional dialogue when confronting Hashmal/Folmarv, it’s revealed that Rapha and Marach aspire for this battle to be their final act of killing. This desire for peace was groundbreaking for SWANA-coded characters in the 90s and remains a rare portrayal even today.
While Rapha and Marach’s storyline within Tactics’ broader narrative might be relatively brief, its impact is undeniable. It continues to defy conventional portrayals by presenting SWANA characters as virtuous yet imperfect individuals, a nuanced depiction afforded to many other characters. Improved stat optimization for them would certainly be welcome. However, ultimately, the Galthena siblings stand as powerful examples of the potential for SWANA-coded characters in games, representing a type of representation I eagerly anticipate seeing more of in future titles.