Why is it that we use the name of a certain vegetable to refer both to those who excel and also those without experience in the ways of the world? It is a well-known fact that all heroes in all tales disliked vegetables as children. Their legend begins with their overcoming of this weakness, and then continues with a journey filled with hardships. That noble vegetable, the onion, lives on as a symbol of hardships overcome, and as the mark of a true hero.
Onion Queen bestiary, On the Subject of Names, Final Fantasy XII
The Onion Knight (玉葱剣士, Tamanegi Kenshi?) is a recurring job class in the Final Fantasy series. Similar to the Freelancer class, the job has no real abilities and cannot equip good equipment aside from the fabled onion equipment, which is exclusive to them. Their real strength is revealed after reaching level 90, when their stat growth skyrockets. By level 99, an army of Onion Knights are nearly invincible, having max stats. In the 3D remake of Final Fantasy III they can learn any magic spell (excluding summoning spells), similar to the Sage class.
The four nameless main characters of the original Nintendo Entertainment System version of Final Fantasy III and the Onion Knight (オニオンナイト, Onion Naito?) of the Dissidia and Theatrhythm games based on them are the only notable Onion Knights.
Appearances[]
Final Fantasy III[]
In the 2D versions, the Onion Knight is the default job. While it has no special abilities and limited equipment, its stats grow immensely once the player reaches level 99.
In the 3D versions, the Onion Knight is a secret job obtained through Mognet with the Freelancer replacing it as the default class. The Onion Knight can use nearly any piece of equipment and its stats grow by a large margin once the characters' levels reach the 90s.
Final Fantasy VI[]
The Onion Knight's sprites (PS).
A sprite resembling the Final Fantasy III Onion Knight occasionally appears in the loading section of the PlayStation version. The Onion Knight has a full spritesheet, minus the chocobo riding sprite.
Final Fantasy X[]
The Onion Knight is a doll and Lulu's Celestial Weapon. The original Onion Knight sprite is on the doll's shield. Upgrading Onion Knight to second tier allows Shiva to surpass her damage limit, while attaining the weapon's maximum power allows Lulu to also deal up to 99,999 points of damage with a single attack.
Fully upgraded, the Onion Knight gives Lulu the following abilities:
The magical properties of the Onion Knight were "contributed" to the Onion Knight job of Final Fantasy III in 3D version as this class can use all White and Black Magic spells.
Final Fantasy XII[]
The second page for the bestiary entry of the enemy Wild Onion is a message from an Onion Knight named "Nakhiro". In addition, the Onion Queen's second bestiary page elaborates on the Final Fantasy lore and the meaning of the onion within the series.
Final Fantasy XIV[]
The Wind-Up Onion Knight minion.
A set of Onion Knight attire can be obtained, including the Onion Helm, Onion Doublet, Onion Gaskins, and Onion Pattens. Each piece is optimal rank 1 with above average stats. The Onion Helm was available as a limited time bonus with the game's Collector's Edition, while the other equipment pieces can be obtained through normal gameplay. According to item descriptions, this attire is a replica of the uniform of the onion knights of the fallen Allagan Empire.
A Wind-Up Onion Knight Minion is available as a reward in the Syrcus Tower.
Final Fantasy Tactics[]
The Onion Knight is a job whose level increases by mastering other jobs exclusive to the War of the Lions version. When every other job is mastered, the Onion Knight becomes the strongest job class. It cannot learn any abilities by itself, but can equip every piece of equipment.
Final Fantasy Tactics S[]
Onion Knights made an appearance as a new job class for the hume, viera and bangaa races.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles[]
The Lilties resemble Onion Knights, having onion-like heads. They populate the city of Alfitaria in the original game and in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers. They are the most prosperous of the tribes and, unlike the other tribes, have both a royal family and a standing army of knights.
In Crystal Bearers, the word "onion" has become something of a racial slur for the Lilties, often used by the Selkie, Vaigali.
Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)[]
The Onion Knight is the character representing Final Fantasy III. As the character never had an official name in the original game, his title is simply his job class. He appears as a Warrior of Cosmos, and rivaled by the Cloud of Darkness.
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy[]
The Onion Knight reappears as a playable character.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT[]
The Onion Knight.
The Onion Knight is a playable character and as a representative of Final Fantasy III.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy[]
The Onion Knight is a playable character. He is one of two playable characters from Final Fantasy III, the other being Cid Haze.
Final Fantasy Artniks[]
The female Onion Knight from Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions appears as an obtainable card.
This section in Final Fantasy Artniks is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.
Final Fantasy All the Bravest[]
This legendary amateur knight certainly looks the part, but lacks the skills.
Description
The Onion Knight is a character available to the party, he uses the Attack ability during battle. He unlocks at level 70.
Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]
This section about a character in Final Fantasy Record Keeper is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.Final Fantasy Explorers[]
This section in Final Fantasy Explorers is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.Mobius Final Fantasy[]
Onion Knight's ability card requires four Earth Elements to be used and casts Earth Sword, a simple attack which deals Earth-elemental damage to one enemy. Onion Knight's card Auto-Ability is HP Up.
Chocobo's Dungeon 2[]
Onion Knights appear as common enemies in the dungeons.
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon[]
A portrait of the original Onion Knight sprite is on the wall behind Dardola in his cafe (only visible the moment he loses his memories and as Chocobo enters his memories).
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]
Onion Knight appears with cards of all elements except Dark.
_TCG.png "2-008c - Onion Knight (Female) TCG.png (442 KB)")
Final Fantasy Portal App[]
Onion Knight from Final Fantasy III appears as a Triple Triad card.
Non-Final Fantasy appearances[]
Kingdom Hearts Mobile[]
The Onion Knight costume.
A costume of the Onion Knight in his Dissidia Final Fantasy attire appears.
Bravely series[]
In Bravely Default, Onion Shirt is an outfit for Tiz Arrior that can be purchased from the Adventurer for 200,000 pg after upgrading the armor shop in Norende to its maximum level. Equipping it will make Tiz appear clad as an Onion Knight regardless of what class he is currently in, though it has no effect on his stats. He will also don the outfit during cutscenes.
In Bravely Second: End Layer, Onion Knight Garb returns as an outfit for Yew Geneolgia. It can be bought for 990,000 pg in Chapter 3, or could be obtained for free by pre-ordering the game in certain regions. As in Bravely Default, Yew takes on the appearance of a Red Onion Knight in battle, on the field, and during cutscenes. It overrides whatever job's costume he is currently in.
Legend of Mana[]
Duelle.
The Onion Knight in the form of an anthropomorphic onion makes an appearance as Duelle the "Onion Warrior", who roams the world of Fa'Diel armed with a spear.
Square Enix Legend World[]
The Onion Knight makes an appearance.
8-Bit Theater[]
An Onion Kid appears, having suffered many times through Black Mage's actions. It is later revealed he is the past incarnation of Sarda, the misfortunes the Light Warriors inflicting on him as a child caused him to develop a deep hatred for them and study magic for years to claim revenge.
Gallery[]
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Etymology[]
The onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is used as a vegetable and is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium.
In a 2020 Famitsu interview with Koichi Ishii and Hiromichi Tanaka about Final Fantasy III, Tanaka stated that he created the term "Onion Knight" after seeing Ishii's character design for the job, likening the shape of its helmet's large, white plume to that of an onion.[1]
Fans had previously speculated that "Onion Knight" refers to the Japanese metaphoric idiom "peeling away one layer at a time and crying all the way" (referring to poverty) or from the slang phrase "to know one's onions" (meaning to be very versatile).
Allusions[]
Onion Knight's Helm appears as an adornment in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII as allusion to the job.
- ↑ "『FF3』30周年で訊く、開発秘話ミニインタビュー。ジョブデザインや魔剣士、たまねぎ剣士の秘密も" by Famitsu (2020), translated into English in "The Origin of Final Fantasy’s Onion Knight (Translated Interview)" by Lost in Localization (2022)