The PS1 original Final Fantasy 7 had some of the most memorable characters in the series. Outside of the main party or Shinra, the side characters weren’t as well defined though. In the remake, Square Enix has painstakingly corrected their mistakes and fleshed out old characters to make them more dynamic.

Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge are all stars now along with the ever-charming bumbling adventures of Johnny. Final Fantasy 7 Remake not only does a good job with old characters, but their new ones are impressive too. Without any major story spoilers, let’s rank them out.

Updated July 11, 2021 by Tristan Jurkovich: It might not have been as good as getting Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, but fans were happy all the same to get a PS5 update in 2021. It came with tons of new and improved features such as faster loading times and visuals. Square Enix even added a photo mode which was one of the most requested features missing from the original release in 2020.

Let’s not forget the star of the show, Yuffie, with her very own DLC. Her mission is short, but it packs a punch. Because it adds more new characters to the universe, it was deemed wise to go back and add a few more key players to the list.

14 Old Snapper

The Happy Turtle quest didn’t really have a main character behind it in the original game and it was not just delegated to Midgar. Keeping it within Midgar in the remake worked out well though thanks to Old Snapper’s upbeat personality.

He isn’t in the game much but what he offers Yuffie was enough to get fans hopeful that he returns in some form.

13 Zhijie

Zhijie is the head of the new Avalanche branch introduced in Yuffie’s DLC. They are unaffiliated with Cloud’s group, or at least they are for now. Who knows how that will change in the future sequels?

As sparse as Zhijie‘s presence is in the remake, he makes a good impression when trying to run away from Shinra soldiers. The only thing bad about him is the fact that he didn’t have a lot to do.

12 Nayo

Zhijie might technically be the lead of this Avalanche branch, but Nayo is the one players interact with the most. She’s a bit timid, but it’s clear she’s hiding some fiery passion behind those eyes.

This strength can be seen when Don Corneo’s men tried to kidnap her. Yuffie and Sonon step in to save the day but Nayo might have been able to help herself if given the chance.

11 Sonon

Sonon is the breakout new star of Yuffie’s DLC. He’s the straight man to Yuffie’s more chaotic teenage antics. He also has a sweet side as discovered when he talks about his sister Melfi. That’s probably why he is so gung-ho about keeping Yuffie safe.

His role is currently small but we have hope for the future. This is because Nero’s powers are unclear and his darkness absorption could be key to what comes next.

10 Moggie

Moggie is the orphan child who dresses up like a Moogle in Sector Six. He’s not much of a character as he has no story relevance to the main or side plots.

That said, Moggie pretending to be a Moogle in order to bring joy to the world is cute. He deserves to be on this list even if it is at the bottom.

9 Kyrie Canaan

Kyrie also does not get a lot of time in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. She appears late in the story, preaching to Sector Six to not trust Avalanche. Turns out, it was all a con to get Gil, although the scheme backfired on her.

This forced Cloud to bail Kyrie out of danger. Even though she has minimal screen time, her style resonates with the game’s director, Tetsuya Nomura, and his past game, The World Ends With You. Her fashion seemingly comes from that universe and any reference to that DS gem is a plus.

8 Madam M

Madam M is one of Don Corneo’s Trio. While not working for him, she has a massage parlor that seemingly specializes in hand massages. Hand massages that sound a lot more intense than what one would think based on Cloud’s experience in the game.

Perhaps Square Enix didn’t want to push the censors. Anyway, what makes Madam M’s character great is her cool, business demeanor juxtaposed against her rage-induced rants.

7 Chocobo Sam

Chocobo Sam and Madam M are almost tied. One could not exist without the other. Not in terms of their Trio status, although that helps too, but specifically when it comes to their relationship. It appears they have a past together.

Their bickering and side-eyed glances are some of the best, subtle comedic pieces in the game. Plus Larry Davis, Sam’s voice actor, sounds like a cross between Sam Elliot and Johnny Cash, which gives the character a soothing roughness whenever he speaks.

6 Marle

After leaving Sector Seven, one would not expect to see Marle again. She is a landlady that has an interest in both Tifa and AVALANCHE and not much more than that. She’s kind but not much happens with her.

During the later tower bombing, players get to see just how capable Marle is in a crisis. She’s cool, collected, and manages to keep her kindness in check.

5 Beck, Burke, & Butch

Hello, Team Rocket. That’s about the level of intelligence this trio of bandits display, although Team Rocket at least has ambition and a little ingenuity. These three first appear to take on Cloud and Aerith and get beaten so badly, they pretend to faint leaving them in an awkward idle animation.

Whether this was intended or not, players can move, or more like glide, their bodies across the playing field with them screaming in the background. Their charm goes beyond this first encounter but it is safe to say that they left an impression.

4 Chadley

Chadley is a young intern at Shinra who asks Cloud to gather battle data for him. While his quests have no real story, seeing him peak with curiosity upon every discovery is a treat.

Chadley also has a fun reaction to seeing Cloud dressed up as a girl, so don’t forget to interact with him before venturing off to Don Corneo’s. Lastly, if one completes every mission in the game, a secret about Chadley’s character is unlocked that is shocking, to say the least.

3 Leslie Kyle

Speaking of Don Corneo, besides the Trio, he also has a new bodyguard in the form of Leslie. Like Kyrie, he looks like a character straight out of another Nomura game. In fact, he almost looks like he could belong in Final Fantasy 15.

Anyway, Leslie comes across as a loyal lapdog to Don Corneo at first, but he has some interesting turns as the story moves on. That is to say, Leslie plays a bigger role than one might think after the initial encounter.

2 Andrea Rhodea

Andrea is the proprietor and star of the Honey Bee Inn and the final member of Don Corneo’s Trip. Now, whenever an androgynous male is presented in a Japanese game, they can often come across as stereotypes.

Andrea defies expectations and is one of the best representations of gay culture in video games. His presence is sorely missed in the game. More screen time for Andrea in DLC.

1 Roche

As great as Andrea is, no one comes close to the sheer energy and madness of Roche. While he is only a Soldier 3rd Class to Cloud’s 1st, he still presents a challenge to the ex-soldier.

From motorcycle kung fu to his laugh and insanely stylized mullet, fans will assuredly be in love with this over-the-top boss encounter. Also like Andrea, Roche should get more time to shine in the sequel.

NEXT: Final Fantasy 7: Pieces Of Concept Art That Would Have Changed Everything