Board 8 > Save My Favorite Final Fantasy Characters XXIII: Final Results and Discussion

(+) Yeah! (+)

And the winner of Save My Favorite Final Fantasy Characters XXIII is...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na5HSzPuRyI


Kefka Palazzo, defeating Aerith Gainsborough by a final tally of 412-403. In a reversal of his previous final appearance, Kefka blitzed to a large early lead, winning each of the first nine pages, before slowly ceding ground back to Aerith over the second topic. This time, however, he was not to be denied, as he just barely managed to prevent Aerith from ever pulling back even.

FINAL STANDINGS
1. Kefka Palazzo
2. Aerith Gainsborough
3. Agrias Oaks
4. Freya Crescent
5. Yuna
6. Galuf Halm Baldesion
7. Ktjn
8. Estinien Wyrmblood
9. Rikku
10. Sephiroth
11. Cecil Harvey
12. Jessie Rasberry (L)
13. Locke Cole
14. Beatrix
15. Ignis Scientia
16. Barret Wallace
17. Selphie Tilmitt
18. Ghido
19. Celes Chere
20. Lightning
21. Garnet "Dagger" Til Alexandros XVII
22. Squall Leonhart
23. Cid Pollendina
24. Argath Thadalfus
25. Tifa Lockhart
26. Tidus
27. Y'shtola Rhul
28. Matoya
29. Gilgamesh
30. Seymour Guado (L)
31. Kain Highwind
32. Auron
33. Yuffie Kisaragi
34. Garland
35. Ardyn Izunia
36. Red XIII
37. Doomtrain
38. Rinoa Heartilly
39. Layle
40. Ramza Beoulve
41. Zidane Tribal
42. Quistis Trepe
43. Tataru Taru
44. Hope Estheim
45. Kuja
46. Paine
47. Edgar Roni Figaro
48. Warrior of Light
49. Faris Scherwiz
50. Delita Hyral
51. Mira
52. Rydia of Mist
53. Vivi Ornitier
54. Ashelia "Ashe" B'nargin Dalmasca
55. Lulu
56. Basch fon Ronsenburg
57. Leblanc
58. Cissnei
59. Minwu
60. Balthier
61. Shiva
62. Noctis Lucis Caelum
63. Chaos
64. Judgemaster Cid Randell
65. Cloud Strife
66. Sabin Rene Figaro
67. Oerba Dia Vanille
68. Cid Highwind
69. Terra Branford
70. Dark Nation
71. Rufus Shinra
72. Laguna Loire
73. Cait Sith
74. Setzer Gabbiani
75. Emet-Selch
76. Cindy Aurum
77. Jecht
78. Relm Arrowny
79. Penelo
80. Sazh Katzroy
81. Wiegraf Folles
82. Umaro
83. Red Mage
84. Stiltzkin
85. Zell Dincht
86. Eiko Carol
87. Braska
88. Guy
89. Oerba Yun Fang
90. Genesis Rhapsodos
91. Ba'Gamnan
92. Leon
93. Strago Magus
94. Rude
95. Zenos yae Galvus
96. Wakka
97. Seifer Almasy
98. Vayne Carudas Solidor
99. Burmecian Soldier Dan
100. Yunalesca

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Oh snap.

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MAN that was close and stressful.

After fucking you over your first time, I'm glad I could finally give you the full ten saves you needed for a win, Kefka. *holds up a wine goblet to toast*

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Gutted she missed out so closely, but it was a fantastic match. Well done to all! Very glad we kept the lead in single digits.

OK so now we can boot Kefka and never see him again no?

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I missed an Aeris save in my tally I guess, I have 402 for her.

This was a fun one to keep track of though, even if I don't care hugely about either character. Aeris always had the potential for a comeback, even when she was down like ninety at one point I think! She just couldn't get there in the end.

Congrats to Kefka fans, and Aeris savers too for a championship level performance even if it wasn't enough.
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hooooly shit we actually did it!

i think Tidus/Kefka was closer, was this the second-closest? i know Vivi/Locke was also super close.

also was this the most votes ever?

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My god FFVI actually did it

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whew

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Xuxon posted...

hooooly shit we actually did it!

i think Tidus/Kefka was closer, was this the second-closest? i know Vivi/Locke was also super close.

also was this the most votes ever?

We talked on discord that Gilgamesh/Vivi was the closest followed by Tidus/Kefka, and now this


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Oh and condolences to Team Aeristh but we did a great job making this the biggest final of all time!

Congrats to Team Kefka! Especially RaidenGarai who has been pushing all year for him. You got your win!

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Whew, I was getting nervous at the end there. Glad to see Kekfa hold on and win.
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We made it to the end! good job everyone!

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Wow, that was so close! Congrats to Aeris fans, that was one hell of a run. Now were finally free For now.

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Amazing how if only one person switched to aeris, she would have won. Everyone's votes mattered.

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Some numbers for this record-setting final...

Winners by the percentage they got in the final (Basically blowout indicator):

CXII Zidane - 70.04%
CX Zell - 64.31%
CVI Edgar - 63.83%
CXXI Lightning - 60.93%
CVII Kuja - 57.97%
CXVII Steiner - 57.92%
CXXII Squall - 56.97%
CIX Auron - 56.22%
CIV Vivi - 56.11%
CXIII Marche - 55.84%
CXX Fang - 55.71%
CXV Rydia - 55.08%
CI Cecil - 53.59%
CXIV Zack - 53.29%
CXIX Cloud - 52.85%
CIII Celes - 52.12%
CII Lulu - 51.71%
CV Reno - 51.33%
CVIII Balthier - 51.06%
CXVIII Vivi - 50.99%
CXXIII Kefka - 50.55%
CXVI Tidus - 50.50%
CXI Gilgamesh - 50.44%

Votes per character in a final:

Steiner (CXVII) - 468
Kefka (CXXIII) - 412
Cloud (CXIX) - 408
Aerith (CXXIII) - 403
Marche (CXIII) - 397
Rydia (CXV) - 385
Squall (CXXII) - 384
Laguna (CXIX) - 364
Vivi (CXVIII) - 359
Tidus (CXVI) - 357
Lightning (CXXI) - 354
Kefka (CXVI) - 350
Locke (CXVIII) - 345
Lightning (CXVII) - 340
Zidane (CXII) - 332
Lightning (CXIII) - 314
Cloud (CXV) - 314
Fang (CXX) - 312
Zack (CXIV) - 308
Delita (CXXII) - 290
Gilgamesh (CXI) - 286
Vivi (CXI) - 281
Squall (CXIV) - 270
Balthier (CVIII) - 265
Zidane (CVIII) - 254
Kuja (CVII) - 251
Cid Pollendina (CXX) - 248
Edward Chris von Muir (CXXI) - 227
Zell (CX) - 209
Auron (CIX) - 208
Lulu (CII) - 197
Auron (CII) - 184
Terra (CVII) - 182
Cecil (CI) - 179
Vivi (CIV) - 179
Celes (CIII) - 170
Sabin (CIX) - 162
Kuja (CIII) - 156
Zidane (CI) - 155
Reno (CV) - 154
Kuja (CV) - 146
Ashe (CXII) - 142
Rydia (CIV) - 140
Edgar (CVI) - 120
Yuffie (CX) - 116
Tifa (CVI) - 66

Total votes in a final:

Kefka vs. Aerith (CXXIII) - 815
Steiner vs. Lightning (CXVII) - 808
Cloud vs. Laguna (CXIX) - 772
Marche vs. Lightning (CXIII) - 711
Tidus vs. Kefka (CXVI) - 707
Vivi vs. Locke (CXVIII) - 704
Rydia vs. Cloud (CXV) - 699
Squall vs. Delita (CXXII) - 674
Lightning vs. Edward (CXXI) - 581
Zack vs. Squall (CXIV) - 578
Gilgamesh vs. Vivi (CXI) - 567
Fang vs. Cid Pollendina (CXX) - 560
Balthier vs. Zidane (CVIII) - 519
Zidane vs. Ashe (CXII) - 474
Kuja vs. Terra (CVII) - 433
Lulu vs. Auron (CII) - 381
Auron vs. Sabin (CIX) - 370
Cecil vs. Zidane (CI) - 334
Celes vs. Kuja (CIII) - 326
Zell vs. Yuffie (CX) - 325
Vivi vs. Rydia (CIV) - 319
Reno vs. Kuja (CV) - 300
Edgar vs. Tifa (CVI) - 186
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Lame

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time for tifa to do what aerith couldnt

also if you count all the legal Aeris votes, she won. by A LOT

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Nice the better character won. To make it sweeter he won before Sephiroth too ;)

Don't know how I added 10+ votes for Aerith to have her win by one vote in my tally. Wishful thinking I guess.

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andylt posted...

Oh and condolences to Team Aeristh but we did a great job making this the biggest final of all time!

Congrats to Team Kefka! Especially RaidenGarai who has been pushing all year for him. You got your win!

Thanks! Im pretty sure Xuxon has been maining him a lot longer than me. I know there were a few days I missed that he probably would have dropped out on if Xuxon wasnt there, so also big thanks to Xuxon!

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My heart was racing all day, I didn't want to bring out MartinFF6... managed to put in my full slate for Aerith and not cost Kefka as a result. Strongest non-winner finalist, strongest final, and Kefka, the strongest winner (edit: ok maybe not THE strongest but considering the stiff competition I consider him so!).

The final was everything I thought and hoped it would be (reviewing potential finals after Day 97):

MartinFF7 posted...

-Kefka/Aerith: explosive, high-octane finale; strongest characters, and the top 2 highest preference-ranked characters. Contest legend with deep runs vs. last year's lawyering rebounding to the finals. FF6 vs. FF7, the eternal struggle. I could see record-setting finals vote totals happening for it too.

Congratulations to Team Kefka and particularly 2 of my favourite users:

-Xuxon, who I know has been at this a long time (I have a memory of us both saving "Smoke Monster" in "Save My Lost Character", is that a false memory, lol...), you got it!

-Yankees, probably my favourite Save My user who's been through the trenches with me on Monster and got the miracle LotGH win in SMFAS, it's not quiet another Celes win but assuming your #2, pretty good!

And GMUN of course, and so many other secondary and tertiary Kefka supporters to mention, but congrats - you did it!!

And well, mnkboy:



RESET THE COUNTER

But how many JIC saves did they each get?

Also yes very impressive for Aerith to outvote just about every other champion.

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I saved the character higher than my rankings because my rankings fluctuate a ton btw (There isn't a whole much of a difference up to a point), also some other reasons too

Glad I was able to fix spreadsheet gate and that my one Aerith chaos save didn't quite matter

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https://youtu.be/dz6WD8RsKvE

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MartinFF7 posted...

My heart was racing all day, I didn't want to bring out MartinFF6... managed to put in my full slate for Aerith and not cost Kefka as a result. Strongest non-winner finalist, strongest final, and Kefka, the strongest winner. The final was everything I thought and hoped it would be (reviewing potential finals after Day 97):

Congratulations to Team Kefka and particularly 2 of my favourite users:

-Xuxon, who I know has been at this a long time (I have a memory of us both saving "Smoke Monster" in Save My Lost Character", is that a false memory, lol...), you got it!

-Yankees, probably my favourite Save My user who's been through the trenches with me on Monster and got the miracle LotGH win in SMFAS, it's not quiet another Celes win but assuming your #2

And too many secondary and tertiary Kefka supporters but congrats - you did it!!

And well, mnkboy:



RESET THE COUNTER

It turns out I was the snarky response undermining it.

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If only Rango really got to put in those 10 saves for Aeris like he wanted, we would've had a tie :(

Kefka won the most unique voters though if you discount ed's single owed save, so it's a fair result.

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I know it's not a user contest but tbh still a bit bitter that if one more of my friends helped me my main every single year would have a championship.

Gratz to Kefka though.

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RaidenGarai posted...

Thanks! Im pretty sure Xuxon has been maining him a lot longer than me. I know there were a few days I missed that he probably would have dropped out on if Xuxon wasnt there, so also big thanks to Xuxon!

yeah i've been pushing him since CXII. not usually like, hardcore trading, keep him in at all costs though. kinda like VI's approach to Ramza this year. until you showed up, it was always a painstaking effort to get anyone else to prioritize him that i typically defaulted to other favorites that had more support. so you've been pretty pivotal. also i know there was at least one early round i missed as well, so thank you, too!

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Oh also thanks to lefty of course more than anyone, it is a thankless gig hosting this thing that takes so much work and that so many of us moan about. But we're all here, we all must be having some kind of fun and I look forward to doing it all over again next year! Thanks for putting in the hours lefto

BTW next year is Rinoa's Revenge so pencil that in everyone.

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But next year Yuffie is getting that first FF7 girl win!

I wonder how well Ghido and Ktjn will do next year

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Non-shitpost - this is long overdue. Kefka is great and definitely the best of the top 15. B8 did good. Barely, but we do it.

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TotallyNotMI posted...

I know it's not a user contest but tbh still a bit bitter that if one more of my friends helped me my main every single year would have a championship.

Gratz to Kefka though.

I did not forget your help over the years...!

Anyway time for ghido domination next year

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And finally, some STATS to wrap it all up.

AERITH GAINSBOROUGH

CI - 14/40
CII - 11/45
CIII - 18/50
CIV - 19/55
CV - 20/60
CVI - 45/65
CVII - 31/70
CVIII - 14/75
CIX - 30/75
CX - 45/75
CXI - 66/75 (Booted)
CXIII - 31/75
CXIV - 27/102
CXV - 36/100
CXVI - 16/100
CXVII - 24/100
CXVIII - 48/100
CXIX - 62/100
CXX - 42/100
CXXI - 7/100
CXXII - 14/100
CXXIII - 2/100

overall STATS: 64.89% / up 1.63% - 23rd/128 (up 3)
newSTATS: 73.25% / up 2.86% - 12th/106 (up 2)

KEFKA PALAZZO

CII - 18/45
CIII - 43/50
CIV - 51/55 (Booted)
CVI - 27/65
CVII - 30/70
CVIII - 28/75
CIX - 18/75
CX - 33/75
CXI - 32/75
CXII - 16/75
CXIII - 9/75
CXIV - 14/102
CXV - 38/100
CXVI - 2/100 [lost to Tidus, 357-350]
CXVII - 19/100
CXVIII - 91/100 (Booted)
CXX - 3/100
CXXI - 4/100
CXXII - 8/100
CXXIII - 1/100

overall STATS: 68.09% / up 1.67% - 16th/128 (up 2)
newSTATS: 81.03% / up 2.37% - 4th/106 (up 1)
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Well, it was a fun contest! Thanks again to everyone who backed YRP during it. Yuna died at 5th, but the numbers these two juggernauts managed make me doubt we could've won anyway.

I'll be backing Cyan Redemption next year and potentially something else along with it, but it's too much in flux to decide that this far out. To those of you who return, I'll see you again!
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Wow, glad it was close. Congrats Kefka mainers and supporters!

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Anyone that voted exactly once had the power to cause a tie.

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That being said, poor Mothra. So close to being right.

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red13n posted...

Anyone that voted exactly once had the power to cause a tie.

With my 10-1 spread I could have caused a tie

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LiquidOshawott posted...

With my 10-1 spread I could have caused a tie

This too. But I am trying to ignore the fact I had the power and didnt use it.

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Absolute last call for Top 15 rankings, might post some stats later tonight, some tomorrow. Comparison stats either late tomorrow or early Wednesday as Wednesday's the last day for me putting out any stats.

andylt posted...

Kefka won the most unique voters though if you discount ed's single owed save, so it's a fair result.

Just want to point out that Eddv didn't owe a single save, he owed 2 Aerith saves, he never paid out the one owed to TotallyNotMI. At least it didn't impact anything in the end.

GuessMyUserName posted...

(Kefka ran up to like 7.5 saves per saver by like the first day while Aeris was still lke just passed 5.0, but as you can tell from the graph as Kefka slowed down those Aeris saves finally came in.

I was concerned for most of it as Aeris was leading # of unique savers most the finals so I thought she might pull the turn-around. Although she does has an extra save from Eddv due to obligation while he primarily supported Kefka)

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Xuxon posted...

yeah i've been pushing him since CXII. not usually like, hardcore trading, keep him in at all costs though. kinda like VI's approach to Ramza this year. until you showed up, it was always a painstaking effort to get anyone else to prioritize him that i typically defaulted to other favorites that had more support. so you've been pretty pivotal. also i know there was at least one early round i missed as well, so thank you, too!

Yeah this is why its hard for me to really consider Ramza since the backers generally prefer other characters, especially with the negativity about the Agrias push earlier. Im just kinda burned out from pushing Tactics, maybe Ill set my eyes on something else

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FFDragon posted...

That being said, poor Mothra. So close to being right.

tbf Kefka > Aeris ended up being bot's decisive choice after I added the full historical saves for users who didn't submit their priorities! (although bot was still under the impression Martin would save Kefka so that's a 20-point swing)

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bad winner

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LiquidOshawott posted...

Yeah this is why its hard for me to really consider Ramza since the backers generally prefer other characters, especially with the negativity about the Agrias push earlier. Im just kinda burned out from pushing Tactics, maybe Ill set my eyes on something else

I just wanna add I love the Agrias push

I know there's some teasing how I didn't get to save her much til late but she is up there in my list and I'm glad she made it as far as she did! (kinda wanted further, but this was at least a really close finals)

if only i still have that drawing i made of her eating pancakes with edea

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remember people saying Agrias could have won against either of these two

nothing against Agrias by the way, i dont think anyone else in the top 15 was capable of winning here

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