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Point of No Return

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The following article is based on a subject that has not been officially named in any official Square Enix material; the current title is merely a placeholder.

The Point of No Return is a term used to describe the point, in-game, that happens a little before the Final Boss. From this point, it is impossible to turn back, and, as such, the only way to go is toward the boss. Usually, a Save station is right before it. Also, a message, usually a spoken monologue by the main player, will appear, questioning if the party should continue. In several remakes there is no Point of No Return because once the Final Boss is defeated, the player can save their game and then are returned to the World Map where they can access version-exclusive bonus dungeons.

Contents

[edit] Appearances

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

[edit] Final Fantasy

While entering the Chaos Shrine of the Past can be considered as the Point of No Return, as the player cannot simply walk out of the dungeon, the party can still return to the World Map by casting Exit. The player passes the Point of No Return when they speak with Garland at the end of the dungeon.

[edit] Final Fantasy II

There is no Point of No Return in this game. After the party defeats the Emperor on the top level of Castle Pandaemonium, the player is simply taken back to the World Map.

[edit] Final Fantasy III

The Point of No Return in Final Fantasy III is the top of the Crystal Tower right before fighting Xande. Following that battle the player cannot leave the room, and has no choice but to go forward into the World of Darkness to battle the Final Boss, the Cloud of Darkness.

[edit] Final Fantasy IV

The point of no return in Final Fantasy IV is found directly after running up the stairs and the confrontation with Zemus on the final floor of the Lunar Subterrane. Straight after that the script, including two scripted battles, will take the player to the final confrontation with Zeromus. In the Advance remake, there is no true Point of No Return, as after the party kills Zeromus, an all clear file can be saved and the bonus dungeon, Lunar Ruins, can be accessed.


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[edit] Final Fantasy V

The Point of No Return is located in the narrow path between the party and Exdeath's tree form at the final area of the Interdimensional Rift. After the Warriors of Dawn break them out of the Void, if the narrow path is approached, Bartz will immediately leap towards Exdeath and start the final battle.

[edit] Final Fantasy VI

The Point of No Return is in Kefka's Tower, at the latest possible point right before triggering the final boss fight by stepping on the switches behind the Warring Triad. This Point of No Return is removed in the Game Boy Advance remake, where defeating Kefka allows you to save the game and resume outside the Tower.

[edit] Final Fantasy VII

The Point of No Return in Final Fantasy VII.

The Point of No Return is within the Northern Crater right above the Planet's Core. The exact spot is the room where the party regroups together after splitting up.

The room of the Northern Crater where the party first splits up can also become a point of no return due to the Save Crystal Glitch.

[edit] Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-

The Point of No Return here is a large door in the Banora Underground which requires seven Goddess Materia to open. Beyond that, there is only the final battles.

Also, since the game is largely linear, once a player completes a Chapter, they can never return to that location, save for Missions. Any sidequests, like those found in the non-linear Midgar levels, are missed completely once the goal is completed.

[edit] Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-

The game is entirely linear, so there is no special Point of No Return. The entire game from start to finish can be considered a Point of No Return. Old battles can be replayed though by the player simply going back to that Chapter and selecting the point at which they want to start the game up again.

[edit] Final Fantasy VIII

The boss fight against Adel is considered a Point of No Return, as Time Compression happens after the battle and, while the player can still access the World Map, nearly all locations are inaccessible. The official Point of No Return is when the party enter the Master's Room of Ultimecia Castle which is where they battle Ultimecia.

[edit] Final Fantasy IX

The passage to Terra can be considered a Point of No Return, as many areas will be inaccessible once the party returns to Gaia. The official Point of No Return is after the party defeats Deathguise. You will be given an opportunity to save outside the portal back to Kuja, but a second trip in will start the boss fight with Trance Kuja.

[edit] Final Fantasy X

The player passes the Point of No Return when they approach the Tower of the Dead and enter the Nucleus inside Sin.

[edit] Final Fantasy XII

The Point of No Return is when the party enters the Sky Fortress Bahamut. The game also helpfully warns the player while Saving in locations they cannot leave before defeating a boss, like the Dreadnought Leviathan.

[edit] Final Fantasy Tactics

The final Point of No Return is the Orbonne Monastery at the end of Chapter 4. In Final Fantasy Tactics, if a location is home to a series of battles, the player can never leave until those battles are completed. Since the Orbonne battles lead directly to the final confrontation in the Necrohol of Mullonde, the player can never return to the World Map again.

Spoilers end here.
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