| Kefka Palazzo | |
|---|---|
| Final Fantasy character | |
 Kefka, as seen in Final Fantasy VI (art by Yoshitaka Amano) | |
| First game | Final Fantasy VI (1994) |
| Created by | Yoshinori Kitase Hiroyuki Ito |
| Designed by | Yoshitaka Amano[1] Kazuko Shibuya (sprites)[1] |
| Voiced by | EN: Dave Wittenberg JA: Shigeru Chiba |
| In-universe information | |
| Home | Gestahlian Empire |
Kefka Palazzo (Japanese: ケフカ・パラッツォ, Hepburn: Kefuka Parattso, romanized as Cefca in the Japanese version) is a video game character and the main antagonist in the 1994 Square role-playing video game Final Fantasy VI. Yoshitaka Amano created his visual design and director Yoshinori Kitase wrote his scenes. He is one of the most well-known and well-received villains in the Final Fantasy series. His popularity led to featured roles in the fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy and its sequels. He also appears as an enemy boss character in games including Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Artniks, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, and Final Fantasy All the Bravest.
Kefka is first introduced as the court mage of Emperor Gestahl. Over the course of the game, he reveals himself to be a nihilistic psychopath, gone mad from the cruel experiments that gave him his magical powers. When Gestahl is poised to seize the source of magic in this world, Kefka betrays him and takes it for himself. With his new godlike powers, Kefka rules the remains of a ruined world with an iron fist.
Kefka is considered one of the most memorable video game villains ever created, with critics and fans noting his intense hatred and maniacal laughter as defining characteristics. He has also been compared to the Joker from the Batman franchise.[2]