The Complete Evolution of Alexander 

XIV's fight is wild because you fight Alexander inside Alexander who then summons Alexander inside Alexander.

To me, Alexander epitomizes Final Fantasy. The anachronistic strangeness of this giant mechanical titan that feels both ancient yet highly advanced, the awesome depth of detail with highly ornate architecture merging into complex engineering, and the sheer spectacle of a walking castle appearing at your command. It exemplifies how Final Fantasy can blur the boarders of genre by incorporating all these wildly eclectic elements and yet still have its own recognizable aesthetic, Alexander is definitely Final Fantasy through and through.

The Epic of Alexander is quite literally the most epic thing about FF14. That raid is legendary.

Type-0 Alexander is still my favourite due to how much was required to summon him and how much damage he did in the short time he was present.

FFIX iteration is my favorite. Even if we can't play with him, the whole scene against bahamut was top tier. When Eiko says to Garnet "Alexander's Holy Judgement has begun" I got hyped to the maximum. I love this aesthetic of being a massive slow moving castle. It hits that fantasy/sci-fi itch where both merge and deliver something many times greater than the sum of it's parts. Back to FFIX, it also helps that we have the scene with Steiner and Beatrix (which IS very awesome and inspiring scene) playing together with "Something to protect" , which is pretty much one of the master pieces of the FFIX OST.

The Alexander scene in 9 is really the climax of the entire game IMO and is one of the single best scenes throughout the entire PSX era of games.

I love the dichotomy between Bahumut and Alexander. One's a superfast dragon, ridiculously powerful and usually associated with dark or neutral damage. The other is a massive, mechanical fortress, impenetrable and slow/unmoving, usually being holy or having a focus on defense.

FFXIV I think captures summons in a way that makes them seem as bombastically awesome as they deserve. Alexander especially is just so cool in that game

As a fan of FF9 I always saw Alexander as the most op summon. Sadly the only good thing is it usually deals holy damage, which is a rare damage type.

In ff14 the epic of alexander ultimate raid, he literally puts you in a time stasis prison as his enrage. Its chilling how you get stuck in time.

This is my favorite summon. I think Alexander’s place in FF9’s story solidified that for me. It was so majestic with its white wings and raw mystical power. I love the holy element and how Alexander uses it. Thanks a ton for this video!

I know Alexander since FF6, but in FF9 is where really shines!

Alexander's appearance in FF9 left a lasting impression on me as a young lad. Always thought he was the coolest summon since.

Alexander was literally Zanarkand in FFX. Represented as the great city built in his honor at the edge of the world that he conquered, Samarkand was and is a real city with beautiful architecture, high walls, and stood as a bastion against the horse people of the steppe.

You guys missed a HUGE Alexander in World of Final Fantasy: Enna Kros, the main god-like character, is in actuality THE Alexander. Like, the prime Alexander. This is why Lanns arm guard turns in to a huge Alexander-like limb. During the bonus fight with her in Maxima she will even use two different types of Holy. So arguably, Alexander plays the biggest role it ever has in WoFF.

11 is even deeper than what was said. Alexander that is the boss battle and Avatar that gets summoned is even still a small part of the True Alexander. He is so large that is actually the ruins you dungeon through in that expansion, if I am remembering correctly. It has been about 10 years+ since I played that expac.

I say without a doubt, the Type-0 depiction of Alexander is the most frightening version.

I still have goosebumps seeing alexander spread his wings in FF9.... same goes when patamon finally digivolce to angemon...

FFXIII-2 has a sort of side-counterpart to Alexander. It’s very loose and not at all truly related, I’m sure, but the Adam boss, a false and mechanical Fal’cie has some very similar design elements to Alexander. The name being one, a distinctly human name for a mechanical boss that starts with an A. It also floats, is given the task to guard an entire city, and even has the distinct floating turret arms that act individually from Alexander. As we see in the XIV iteration, it also has time control elements, but not at all to the same degree, being a living paradox as opposed to actually being able to control the flow of time.

Alexander is my favorite summon in the franchise, especially FF9's and FF14's variants.

In XII it’s clear that Ultima is in part inspired by Alexander in her mechanical lower half and association with Holy, her attack Redemption also being a logical following on from Judgement. Really interesting video though!

Alexander has always been my favorite summon, A Holy Badass!

Alexander nuking the Byakko army in Type-0 is very easily one of my favorite summon sequence in the entire series.

The only one that's actually taken on Bahamut to stalemate. Legendary.

Loved the Alexander summon ever since my first time playing FF8, it was the first one I ever managed to get a maxed 255% boost on. Hope it keeps coming back in future games in the franchise, in my opinion it definitely deserves it's spot as one of the core group, along with Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut and Leviathan.

I’m not sure if it was on purpose, but Alexander in XII is also a good callback to IX. They had planned to use it to ram Bahamut to protect Rabanastre from the crash, similar to how Alexander was protecting from Bahamut in IX.

As someone who's only played Final Fantasy X and XII to completion, I had no idea Alexander existed lol, good video to watch!

Hmm... I guess it's a bit less obvious but- In the original artwork of FF IV, the Giant of Babil strongly resembles the later artwork that would be associated with Alexander. In the 3D Final Fantasy 4 remake an optional superboss "Proto-Babil" can be fought. Its signature attack involves firing rays of light called "Judgement" at the character. It may not have been the Alexander we're familiar with, but its seeds were planted even earlier than some people may think ;)

I'm so happy you covered my favorite Summon!!

That scene from Agito was some real dark terror...

Thank you for all you do,Your content helps me unwind in this very chaotic life of mine so for that I indeed thank you.

FFXI Trivia: 11 is of course as usual, my favorite iteration - for one thing, and sorry if this spoils it for anyone but there were 2 major inspirations used for Treasures of Aht Urghan - 1001 Arabian Nights, and The Ragnarok. Specifically as it pertains to Alex, he and Odin almost caused Ragnarok once before during their previous clash, and is the main crux of ToAU - preventing a 2nd (and likely final) confrontation between the 2 Prime Avatars (it should be noted that Odin in general is one of if not THE primary antagonist of FFXI and the source of most oft he world's woes) The really cool thing is how they implemented the Alzadaal Undersea Ruins, which were used as a kind of bridge between all the different zones as well as the primary area for Salvage and the 100-floor dungeon. That ENTRIE ZONE is Alexander's previous body, just to give a scale of how insanely massive he was (and how powerful Odin is to have felled him). A big part of why these 2 are such a problem for Vana'diel (11's world) is their respective Protocrystals - basically a pocket dimension where they are supposed to remain in slumber - were shattered at some point freeing them. They never do explain how/why either crystal broke, only that Prishe carries a part of Odin's within her chest. FFXIV recently paid tribute to this by implementing the area almost identically in the latest MSQ dungeon. My hope is that Alex will appear either as one of the final bosses or a hidden boss in 16.

One 9f my biggest achievements in ff11 was beating Alexander. Such a good fight with epic music

Awesome video!!! Great work! Alexander has always been my fave summon, i even started playing ff because i saw his animation from ff9

I find weird the fact that you forgot to mention that Alexander in FF13 also has Divine Judgment as its final attack. In this case it doesn't deal holy damage, but weakness-specific damage to all enemies.

I’m a history nerd especially for warriors and the story of Alexander The Great is one I enjoy. I didn’t know that Alexander the esper has his origins from him. Very insightful video on the whole!!!

I'm glad someone is talking about him. I'm hopeful yet disappointed that hes not in 16 while still wishing theyre keeping him a secret. But realizing that the summon a in combat with each other I understand it'll be hard animate a castle throwing hands. So I don't blame them because the will need to get really creative of how he would play

I'll never forget those cutscenes in FF9 as a kid. Damn.

My most favorite summon, next to Ramuh. I remember creating a super soldier character, in a sci-fi RPG I made with friends in school.. He fought with a massive shield, and was the tank.. He was totally inspired by Alexander.. I thought, what would or could he look like, if he was human lol. Since he was of a Templar Knight, kind of organization called, The Brotherhood of Light. All of his attacks were holy themed.. Fast forward to 2018, I used FFXV Comrades to make him, based on his drawings I did lol

FF9 intro of Alexander was an absolute epic moment and then that happend....

The Alexander summon scene in FFIX is still amazing

I always loved Alexander since I saw him in FF9 but the massacre that Alexander did to the empire in FF Type-0 really solidified it as a true powerhouse summon.

Woohooo!! Since IX is my fave FF and I'm one of the few people to not hate Hope for being a literal child, this got me so happy to see how the big guy appeared so frequently since it's inception! Cool!!

always thought it was pretty cool how one of the only ways to do holy damage in ff7 was to equip Alexander on your weapon paired with added effect materia.

My favorite thing about Alexander is how it has just such a normal sounding name for being the most out there summon

Awesome vid again

Alexander is in Theatrhythm as both a boss and as a summon! I love how boss Alexander just bulldozes you.

I remember finding out Alexander was the Holy summon before actually seeing him. I expected him to be an angel of sorts, he definitely surprised me.

Althought his form has been slightly alter the main idea has never left his design, really an iconic representantion of the fantasy.

Lemme just summon my house to shoot laser beams really quick

As an IRL Alexander...I love having a summon named after me. ;)

Loved this video! As a huge Final Fantasy fanboi this summon is by far my favorite ever since FF6. Liked him in 7 and 8 but its when i played thru FF9 that my jaw dropped to the floor when i saw that amazing cutscene of Alexander vs Bahamut! i remember as a kid replaying the part of the game just before that cutscene so many times just to see it over and over again! It was so well designed in FF9 its my favortie iteration of the thing!

I wonder what influence Alexander the Final Boss in Bahamut Lagoon received from/had on Final Fantasy's iterations. They are completely different, but it also seems very likely that Bahamut Lagoon contained a lot of ideas and archetypes that got reused in FFIX.

Alexander has always been my favorite summon. There is something so majestic, and graceful about it. A shining example of justice and conviction.

Seeing Alexander stand on his feet in Ultimate still one my fav cutscenes in XIV ^^ loved seeing him activate in XI story too was so badass witness his reveal happen over months. Odin Vs Alexander in XI was badass Cutscene too

I love your vids mate

I like the Alexander in Final Fantasy XIII the most

also, In Opera Omnia, it serves as Garnets Burst attack, using Divine Judgement, a new attack called Immaculate Judgement, along with a powerful(OP) offensive buff of the same name.

not sure if done already but would be interesting to see a video on the unpopular summons

I thought the real world "Location" was called Alexandria (not Alexander) Alexander was indeed the man it was named for.

I always loved how in several depictions of Alexander he of course seemed robotic and mechanical but still haf those divine pair of angelic wings! I just dig that design

I know it doesn’t appear directly in FFX, but I always liked to think that Zanarkand was modeled after Alexander.

Alexander is beloved. He is a shield and and a sword in many ways.

Alexander has always been a favorite summon of mine since i was a kid. I used to imagine what it would be like to live inside Alexander since its like a huge building like summon. And then i thought, would be kinda inconvenient, especially when getting into battle. Cause all your stuff would shift and fall. Imagine having to replace all your dishes over and over again if you got into battle lol

Part of me wanted this to just be a retrospective about some dude named Alexander

Everyone says that Alexander in FF9 is the strongest because it easily defeated Bahamut. I say that FF Type-0 Alexander is the strongest. Why? Because in Type-0 the Verboten Eidolons were considered crimes against humanity to summon. They required incredibly heavy sacrifices to bring out, including the L’cie that summoned them, and brought even heavier casualties to whoever they were used against. Considering it took the lives of 100 Academia students, 1 teacher, and put the L’cie Lady Setuna into crystallized hibernation (where a L’cie runs out of all but the tiniest bit of life force and their soul is housed in a large crystalline form for much later resurrection so long as the crystal stays mostly intact), as well as almost 200,000 White Tiger soldiers with one attack, I’d say it’s the strongest version of Alexander. Not to mention even with all those students and the L’cie sacrificing themselves to summon it, it was only capable of holding material form for less than 20 minutes before it crumbled away due to running out of life energy to sustain itself. Keep in mind too, Setuna was a fully realized L’cie who had been alive for hundreds of years. She had made up the bulk of the life force required to summon Alexander for that long.

You missed a lot for the FFXIV version of Alexander, including not even a single mention of his time-stopping, or time-manipulation, powers. And while more minor, you missed how earlier bosses in the Alexander raid series were directly inspired by previous iterations of Alexander. Such as the Onslaughter being a stationary judgement-casting robot where you had to break its legs before you could damage the body, or Brute Justice taking direct inspiration from FFXIII's humanoid Alexander and his rocket punches and more physical attacks. Alexander Prime himself also sprouting wings halfway through the fight in a FF9 reference, and this being a unique instance of *Alexander summoning himself* as he summons his full version to assist him during his fight with you. It also requires the players to go back in time to stop him from killing their past selves, along with a unique mechanic where he goes invisible and there are no telegraphs to warn you where he's attacking from, unless certain players handled earlier mechanics correctly for you to predict where he will reappear. You also got basic details wrong, like saying Radiant Sacrament only exists in Perfect Alexander when it was a thing in the normal and savage versions of the original Alex raid. What it did add, and this relates to the earlier exclusion of time-manipulation powers, was being a rare example in gaming of a boss actually predicting the player's movements before they even input anything. He reads the future and sees what mechanic is going to get you killed, and the players have to (p)react accordingly to defy their fate, which is a really amazing concept for a boss whose original theme was passing judgement. All in all, after how much it felt like the FFXIV version was being delayed to cause hype in the video, it really was an understatement on how much FFXIV did to expand on almost all iterations of Alexander. The tribute there was real, and it felt unappreciated here... in a video that's also trying to give tribute to Alexander.

My fav summon in the series, really hope he comes back for the rest of 7 remake

Yes! One of the coolest summons ever!

People talk about Eldridge horror like Cthulhu, giant creatures with tentacles or lots of eyes, provoking such intense fear that it causes the onlookers to become mad. But like, if I were to see what amounts to a 1000 story tall living cathedral appear over the skyline, I’d probably revert to a gibberish madman and begin to worship it more than the other things. Alexander is a whole new genre of Eldridge horror.

Wow that Chocobo Dungeon Alexander really looks creepy, almost like Penance from FF10!

In FFXI, the entire map where you fight your way to Alexander boss fight is actually the ruins of the original Alexander the ancient Aht Urghans summoned in their bid to conquer the Far East, the map is gigantic and consists of several zones. The Alexander boss fight/summon is a tiny fragment of Alexander's soul.

Considering how much of a "Science vs Religion" theme FFX has, I'm kinda surprised Alexander isn't an Aeon in the game

I just realized something how many times has Alexander gone up against Bahamut in the Final Fantasy Franchised because in 9 he takes down Bahamut to protect Alexandrea and in the finale of 12 Judge Zargabaath intend to sacrifice the Alexander to stop a runaway Bahamut from destroying Rabanastre? that's 2 times I am pretty sure I have heard of another game that did that too

Alexander is my favourite summon of all time due to its evolution in the series and the mechanical form. He well be my esper for sure!

Alexander is one of the Espers in Brave Exvius. He's a light/lightning elemental, SPR and HP buffer that looks like a castle with wings. Also, wwhen you challenge him, he has a robot butler that acts as his voice...

Alexander was always my fave and his iteration in 13 "saved" Hope for me (not saying I had a problem with him but everyone else and their mother seems to)

Again, no mention of FFRK magicite! At the 6* level, all the magicite fights were classic summons, so the holy fight was of course Alexander. He had a gimmick where you couldn't use too many (or too few!) dark-elemental attacks in the first phase that did more than 20k damage, and would judge you as Careless, Tempered, or Violent depending on how many you do. If you're judged Careless or Violent, he'll wipe your whole party, but only at the beginning of phase 3, so if you weren't paying attention to the judgement, you could still be fighting through a whole third of his health bar in futility, despite having already lost. He also picks up an add in phase 2 that piles a debuff onto whichever character it has targeted, and will wipe you if you let too many stacks of that debuff accumulate, but it will change targets to any character who attacks it if you can't finish phase 2 quickly enough. Also, Enna Kros from World of Final Fantasy is _heavily_ implied to be another aspect of Alexander in a conversation she has with the Big Bridge, so not necessarily a diminished role there.

I always thought he was the Library at Alexandria. Hence the oddity of a Japanese character having an English name. Plus holy element? It's a Library... just makes sense.

My favorite summon!!

No comment on the A-Worlds reveal in WOFF? The lore that implies that Alexander is the creator of every Final Fantasy game world?

I remember seeing the Alexander scene in FFIX when I was a kid. I think it's so awesome but disappointed it couldn't be acquired. Ah yes, the Kuja scene later too. That really shocked me. That moment was so impactful to me. Maybe it's the nostalgia thing.

Would you do a video about the crystals from each game?

Giant, living mechanical castle. Badass af

Am i the only one who gets massive Imperator class Titan vibes from Alexander?

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT ON REBIRTH

Maybe Alexander exist in FF X, remember the building in Sin's head? Maybe sin defeated the Alexander (as the Final Summon that the fayt is not exist anymore) and wear its head as a trophy crown.

I am sorry but Perfect Alexander peaked so damn hard it literally stopped time

Thinking about it, I think having Alexander in X would've been interesting. A Holy Machina, probably linked to Rikku's Godhand. The naming even fits! Or even replace Penance with Alexander.

Surprisingly tho that losing Alexander in FF9 ends up giving you an optional summon that is also a mechanical but an airship with an opposite element as Alexander.

Alexander might be my second favorite summon behind Bahamut. When they release the FF9 Remake, I want it to be a summon for Eiko or some kind of superboss.

Alexander from FFVIII is my personal favorite, but with next part of the FFVII Remake on the horizon I'm excited to see how badass it will look there

What about the Tycoon variant of Alexander featured in the twinning dungeon of shadowbringers? And now I wanna hear more about the Cruise Chaser

As a fan of final fantasy I loved Alexander reason being it cool and I actually named Alexander

Bahamut may be the strongest and most iconic... But Alexander is definitely the coolest design! He and Odin are my top 2 fave summons.

My favorite summon in the FF franchise.

I don't remember if I've ever obtained Alexander in FF8! With how much I've played that game, one would think that's something I'd remember lol.

Please do a evolution of chocobos Please 🙏

I still have nightmares of week 1 prog of The Epic of Alexander... Them shiny cog weapons though.

Ooo wut about an evolution video of final fantasy union u guy's have been around long enough to have evolved since ur founding that sounds like fun