Characters of 8-Bit Theater

The events in the webcomic 8-Bit Theater center on four major characters — the Light Warriors — and a number of minor ones. Many of the characters are based on characters, enemies, and classes from the original Final Fantasy as well as Dungeons and Dragons, but are highly satirized and parodied, most of them being comically foolish and inept.

Collectively known as the Warriors of Light (or simply "the Light Warriors"), Black Mage, Fighter, Thief and Red Mage are the main characters of 8-Bit Theater. Their names and appearances are based on four classes from the first Final Fantasy game. Despite composing the "classic" heroic party, they are, for the most part, incompetent, dysfunctional, have few redeeming traits and tend to do more harm than good. As the author, Brian Clevinger, stated "I'm not sure why the Light Warriors worry about obstacles or monsters standing in their way. They are nothing compared to the obstacles and monsters within the party."

First appearance: Episode 001: We're going where?
Sprite: Black Mage (Final Fantasy, NES); Class Change: Magus (Final Fantasy III, Famicom)

Black Mage is an evil wizard and a nexus of magical power in human form. He delights in being evil to the point where even his conscience is split not between his good and evil side, but between his evil and his atrociously evil side, and has a "kill list" that includes only two entries: "Everyone I know" and "Everyone I don't know". Black Mage is frequently shown to be overweight and carry poor social and hygiene habits. Being physically weak, Black Mage usually relies on an array of destructive magic spells, most prominently a beam of destructive energy he calls the Hadoken, which he wants to use often but can only cast once a day. He gained the spell by sacrificing nine orphan children to his dark gods, and reveals to Red Mage that it is powered by siphoning off love from the universe, literally turning other people's happiness into focused destruction; he's not sure of the exact amount, but is given to under stand that the divorce rate goes up with each use.

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