Two years ago, Dissidia: Final Fantasy was released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ongoing series. Fans were treated to a truly unique fighting game that was both complex and visually interesting. Some fights looked as if they had been pulled directly from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children even though it was all gameplay. But by far, the best part of the game for fans was seeing all the main heroes and villains, along with two secret characters, interacting with one another. It led to scenarios that no one thought they'd ever see outside of fan fiction.

With the announcement of Dissidia 012 [Duodecim]: Final Fantasy, Square Enix promises to bring back everything that made the first game great along with new enhancements and new characters. Kain from Final Fantasy IV, Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII, Tifa from Final Fantasy VII, and Vaan from Final Fantasy XII have already been announced with the promise of more being unveiled as the game nears its release in Japan early next year. With that in mind, I thought it'd be interesting to look over all of the characters to ever appear in a Final Fantasy and choose the 46 that have the best shot at being a part of the sequel. Every weekday in December will highlight two potential fighters and give details on their history, their place in Duodecim's story (which is actually a prequel to the original), and their fighting potential.

Welcome to Dissidia December.

Gordon (Final Fantasy II)

While Gordon isn't one of the main characters in Final Fantasy II, he is one of the more interesting personalities of the game. He begins the story as a coward crippled with survivor's guilt. It's because he was unable to stand against the Emperor's forces that his brother ultimately died. While he does help in small ways at times, Gordon doesn't become a party member until it becomes apparent that they need Sunfire to take out the powerful Dreadnought. Only Gordon has access to it and as he confronts his fears, he becomes braver and more resolute. Eventually, his dying father gives him control over the Rebellion's forces which he leads with confidence as Firion's party acts as the front line. This same arc of cowardice to bravery would work well in his story in Duodecim. Initially he would be afraid of fighting Chaos's forces but as he moves forward, he discovers his confidence and becomes a warrior in his own right.

Combat-wise, Gordon would rely mainly on his spear which would be shorter than most others but is much stronger. He would still have a longer reach than sword wielders though. Gordon would only have a few basic spells at his disposal but his attack and defense would be high making him an ideal melee character. Most of his special attacks would rely on different spear moves such as the ability to throw it at opponents. His EX Mode would double his Bravery and his EX Burst would have him call on the spirit of his dead brother to aide in his ultimate attack. Gordon would be a great introductory character for new players who would prefer to focus on physical attacks over magic.

Astaroth (Final Fantasy II)

In some ways, Astaroth is similar to Lich in that he is one of the final bosses of his respective game, but Astaroth has no story significance in Final Fantasy II. He is merely another trial to be overcome on the way to the Emperor. What makes Astaroth so interesting is his design and origins. The wings paired with the curved trident make for an interesting design. Astaroth is actually one of Satan's lieutenants and the second most powerful boss in the game. He actually switches allegiances when the Emperor is able to defeat Satan and become the new Lord of Pandemonium. This would make for an interesting story in Duodecim where Astaroth is actually sent to assassinate the Emperor but when his powers are displayed, Astaroth decides to pledge his loyalty. The lieutenant would act as the Emperor's personal hitman, doing whatever was commanded of him.

Astaroth would be a powerful magic wielder with access to some of the most powerful spells in Duodecim. His resistance to magic would be just as high making him a truly fearsome opponent to other magic users like Terra. That doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to fight hand-to-hand as well though. He may not have the highest attack stat but his wings naturally lend him deftness when fighting in the air. Using his magic in conjunction, Astaroth would be able to chain his trident blows and magic attacks together for some deadly combo strings. However, this power makes for a low physical defense stat forcing him to be wary of any attacks that get in close. His EX Mode would channel his connection with Pandemonium and double the damage of his magic attacks. Astaroth's EX Burst would then pour all of his magical energy together into a giant supernova that is then launched at his opponent. Players who prefer magical attacks over physical ones would find a lot to love in Astaroth. 

These are only my choices. What do you think? Would Gordon and Astaroth make great characters in Dissidia 012 [Duodecim]? Who would you like to see in the sequel? Let us know in the comments!