Pretty much anyone even remotely familiar with the JRPG genre in gaming will know about the iconic nature of Final Fantasy VII and the shockwaves it sent in the gaming community at that time. One can argue that the entire craze of JRPGs on the PlayStation started with the advent of this incredible title, and the fact that its Remake has managed to sell boatloads more than two decades after the original game was released is a testament to just how popular the title really is.

Fans of the original and people who are getting into the game right now will definitely know about the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, which is easily one of the iconic groups in the series and features some of the most beloved characters in JRPG history. Let’s take a look at each of these members in detail and rank them from the worst of the lot to the very best.

12 Cait Sith

It’s a testament to just how useless Cait Sith’s character really is in the original Final Fantasy VII that he still manages to bag the worst spot on a list that features a ton of non-playable characters as well!

His character is mostly forgettable and can be ignored for the most part in the original game. Final Fantasy VII Remake will have to pull off something impressive to make this character relevant again.

11 Wedge

While Wedge might function well enough as a comic relief character, the fact of the matter is that his usefulness during actual combat situations is pretty muted.

The other members of AVALANCHE are more than capable of pulling their weight, making his inclusion in the terrorist group somewhat bizarre.

10 Biggs

Biggs is a pretty unremarkable member of the group, being one of the more vapid personalities who doesn’t really come into his own in the Remake either.

He might be quite useful in a combat situation, but it’s the forgettable nature of this character that really impacts his woeful position on this list.

9 Jessie

Jessie is the character who has improved the most in the Remake, getting a backstory that actually makes players sympathize with her character in more ways than one.

Her bubbly personality makes her quite infectious indeed, and a worthy addition to AVALANCHE. Of course, it certainly helps her case that she can easily hold her own in battle as well.

8 Red XIII

Red XIII is perhaps the most unique party member in Final Fantasy VII, and one can’t wait to see how the Remake does justice to his character.

However, in the original game, one can’t deny that this character’s usefulness becomes somewhat muted over time, with Cosmo Canyon being the only place where he serves as a central figure in the narrative.

7 Aerith Gainsborough

Aerith is easily one of the most iconic characters in JRPG history, in no small part due to the fact that she’s a part of what is arguably the most iconic death in gaming history.

She’s certainly come into her own in the Remake, which will make her death scene even more mortifying to watch.

6 Yuffie Kisaragi

Yuffie might not be all that special a character at a glance, but her Final Creation Limit Break and a memorable trek through Wutai – something that is completely optional – lend to the enjoyable nature of her character.

Anybody who’s played the original game can understand just how mind-boggling it really was when Yuffie just disappeared if the player interacted with a save point or opened the menu before recruiting her.

It was also extremely memorable, and one of the major reasons why people love Yuffie.

5 Vincent Valentine

Both Yuffie and Vincent are optional characters, but the latter became such a massive fan favorite that he even got his own spinoff!

It certainly helps that Vincent has one of the more tragic backstories in the series and just oozes coolness out of every pore, making him a highly memorable character indeed.

4 Cid Highwind

Cid might not have the nicest entrance in the game – in fact, one can connect two and two to make the assumption that he’s probably extremely abusive with his wife – but there’s no denying the fact that he’s an excellent party member to have in the team.

Dragoons have always had a great reputation in the Final Fantasy series, and Cid is no exception to this golden rule. It goes without saying that making this member of AVALANCHE a mainstay of your party will guarantee that you’ll deal hefty damage in pretty much every encounter.

3 Tifa Lockhart

In the context of AVALANCHE, it would be impossible to not have the top three members be the trio that started it all. Controlling Barret, Tifa, and Cloud as the player tore through numerous reactors in Midgar is definitely one of the highlights of Final Fantasy VII by a country mile.

Tifa as a character has been fleshed out extensively in the Remake, to the point where she’s a genuine treat to interact with every single time the opportunity presents itself.

2 Barret Wallace

Meanwhile, the tough strongman Barret takes the Number 2 spot on this list, and deservedly so. While the character himself might not have aged all that well for a myriad of reasons, there’s no denying the fact that he’s still extremely memorable in his own way.

Plus, there’s no denying the fact that no other character on this list is as passionate about saving the planet as Barret, who spits on Shinra and their invasive means of procuring energy every single chance he gets.

1 Cloud Strife

It was a given that the best member of AVALANCHE would undoubtedly be the protagonist of the tale, who has one of the most interesting personal stories in gaming history.

Cloud initially comes off as a stoic and cold individual who doesn’t care about anyone at all. However, things change over time as his blurry history is finally revealed, showing him for who he truly is. It’s after this revelation that Cloud genuinely turns into one of the most likable characters in the game, and the fact that he’s the most powerful member of the team certainly helps as well.

NEXT: 5 Reasons Final Fantasy 6 Is The Best In The Series (& 5 Why Its Final Fantasy 7)