By Rapha and Marach’s narrative defies conventions by illustrating SWANA characters as noble, flawed individuals—an opportunity not often extended to numerous SWANA figures.
By
Ariana Mallouhi
on
Final Fantasy Tactics has made a comeback after 28 years to extraordinary critical acclaim in The Ivalice Chronicles, with both veteran and new fans delighting in the enhanced gameplay and performances by actors that were unattainable in 1997. As Yasumi Matsuno, the originator of the original game, expressed in an evocative Twitter post, Tactics arrives to players at a moment reminiscent of when the original launched—a period filled with “inequity and fragmentation” that might leave many feeling “deprived of hope.” Although Tactics is a fantastical tale set in a made-up realm, developers did draw inspiration from true historical events, like England’s War of the Roses during the mid to late 1400s. It’s bittersweet that history repeats, but it underscores how pertinent Tactics’ timeless themes are and the significance of Rapha and Marach Galthena’s participation in the storyline.
Despite Israel and Palestine also making news in 1997, the recent dramatic intensification of the situation has evolved into a major global dialogue today. Along with this escalation comes an increase in anti-Arab sentiment, rendering Rapha and Marach’s role in The Ivalice Chronicles particularly meaningful for South West Asian and North African (SWANA) gamers like myself. It’s also refreshing to hear actors Elham Ehsas and Lara Sawalha authentically bringing these characters to life, as it’s well-known that historically, SWANA-coded figures have not been represented in the most favorable or nuanced manner—particularly in video games. From Metal Slug to Counter Strike, SWANA-coded characters have primarily been typecast as belly dancers, camel-riding snake charmers, or outright evil terrorists. Rapha and Marach convey a vastly different narrative—one that permits depth and reflects many of the challenges our community faces globally, which was significant back in 1997 and even more so in 2025.
Rapha and Marach are orphans who were swiftly taken under the care of Duke Barrington, a formidable figure aiming to exploit the siblings’ unique mantra capacities. Duke Barrington not only enlisted Rapha and Marach as child soldiers for his military endeavors but also indoctrinated and trained numerous other children, by establishing orphanages filled with “a series of eager young minds.” This enabled him to select the very best to “mold and train,” as Ramza describes it. It may seem exaggeratedly villainous, yet this mirrors how the Taliban recruits in modern times. It’s commendable that rather than portraying Marach and Rapha as obstacles meant to be eliminated on Ramza’s journey, they are granted a humanizing backstory that clarifies why they align with a megalomaniac rather than Ramza. Rapha, in particular, plays a vital role in showing how misguided she and her brother have been, and she strives to make him understand that, despite his initial stubbornness.
Nonetheless, despite the care given to the Galthenas’ narrative, some critique remains. It’s notable that the siblings are the sole characters in the game endowed with mantra abilities; this reinforces an Orientalist trope, effectively exoticizing the only SWANA-coded figures in the game. Furthermore, the reality that Rapha and Marach are not optimized well makes them less favored among Tactics enthusiasts. While this could be relatively easily remedied with some respeccing, it still isn’t immediately apparent how to maximize the effectiveness of both characters in combat, which might deter players from integrating Rapha and Marach into their teams, which is unfortunate and reflects some negligence from Square.
Another significant critique I possess pertains to a narrative moment that casts an unflattering light on Marach, in particular. When Rapha and Marach are initially introduced in The Ivalice Chronicles, they are in the midst of an argument. Marach is upset with Rapha for making disparaging remarks about the man he believes saved them as children. When Rapha tells him that she knows Barrington is the one who made them orphans from the outset, Marach strikes her across the face and declares he “will not tolerate [her] ill-mannered tongue”. This seems to imply that Marach is a staunch supporter of Duke Barrington and is furious that anyone, especially his own sister, would utter a negative word about him. What this moment also does is perpetuate a negative stereotype surrounding SWANA men being ‘intrinsically more violent’, particularly towards women. This scene becomes even less logical when it’s revealed that Marach genuinely wishes to break free of Barrington and has no desire to remain in his service.
With all the alterations and enhancements this version of Tactics underwent, including a beautiful script revision, I believe there was an opportunity to eliminate the slap from Marach and Rapha’s altercation to avert unintentionally reinforcing a negative stereotype. This wouldn’t be the first occasion a character received a fresh perspective in the Final Fantasy franchise. Cid in Final Fantasy 7 was initially hinted to be abusive in the 1997 iteration of the game, only to be reimagined as a charming, cheerful southern gentleman in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
While the original FF7 Cid was rather grim overall, Marach, on the contrary, is a flawed individual, yet not a malevolent one. He sincerely cares for his sister and even takes a bullet for her once he finally hears Duke Barrington acknowledge being the villain he has always been. After Rapha revives Marach with the Scorpio Stone, both siblings join Ramza’s faction. For the first time in their existence, they actively select what to champion and whom to ally alongside. It is also disclosed in optional dialogue when facing Hashmal/Folmarv that Rapha and Marach desire that encounter to be the final time they ever have to take a life, an unprecedented notion for SWANA-coded characters in the 90s and remains relatively uncommon today.
Although Rapha and Marach’s narrative is somewhat brief within the overarching story of Tactics, it remains impactful and continues to defy conventions by depicting SWANA characters as noble, flawed individuals, akin to many other characters. Would it be beneficial if their stats were better optimized? Certainly. However, in the broader context, the Galthena siblings are still excellent representations of how SWANA-coded characters can be, and what I hope to witness more of in forthcoming games.
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