Okay, this is where the typical shrine would go into some Kaballarians-esque cut-and-paste analysis of the shrine-ee's name. However, good luck finding anything on "Kefka". In fact, even the famous Square Name Origins has no more to offer than the resemblence to German author Kefka's name.

Great. All we have to go on is a guy with a cockroach fetish.

But anyone who sets out to make a Kefka fansite is not easily discouraged, and so we (meaning I) delved a little deeper into this man Kafka and his writing. (Or at least, we tried to remember what we'd read about him in high school English class.)

Kafka's most famous work is Metamophosis, which is about a man named Gregor (I think) who wakes up one morning to discover that he has become a giant cockroach. Kefka's metamophosis is quite the opposite. Rather than devolving into a giant bug, Kefka's final battle form evolves into a god. Kefka looks down on the Espers and humans he uses as cockroaches, small annoyances in his way before the ultimate goal.

A metamorphosis is a change. During the game, Kefka first brings about changes in others - for example, changing Terra into a mindless drone of the Empire with his slave crown. Then he brings about change in the world as a whole, setting loose the Light of Judgement on the contintents. Finally, Kefka himself is metamorphosed, through the tiers of the final battle to his ultimate "God" form.

Though these physical changes were no doubt painful, Kefka pushed through them in pursuit of his final goal - which, in a way, he achieved. Yes, he was 'defeated', but he became a god along the way. Not bad if you ask me.

Kefka's was not the only metamorphosis along the way, you know. There was also Terra turning tricks for the Esper. She morphed as well, for completely different reasons than Kefka. While he was trying to create a magical part of himself that wasn't there, she was trying to deny the magic that was her birthright.

There is one other aspect of Kafka that indicates he inspired Kefka. Kafka's work was pioneering in the philosophy of nihilism, belief in nothing. In Kafka's work, nothing matters, nothing is worth pursuing, and nothing means anything. Kefka is the living embodiment of this philosophy, announcing that "I will destroy everything... I will create a monument to non-existence!" Ultimately, Kefka is destroyed by his own desire for destruction, and he accomplishes his goal in a small way:

While the world remains, he no longer needs to be subjected to it.

Sources: The Kafka Project

art, content, layout by hojo. kefka by square.