[Suzerain of Sheol]

Wiegraf Folles (Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions)

Hard to pick one character from my favorite video game plot, but I really do think it's Wiegraf. As a villain he's just so incredibly human, to the point I think it'd be very interesting to see a spin-off where you play as him instead of Ramza. On top of his wonderful characterization, he has the added mystique of having a badass class and being one of the hardest boss fights of all time if you don't know he's coming (though, like everything else in that game, he's pitifully easy once you've mastered the mechanics). (AND THEN YOU PLAY THE EXTREME DIFFICULTY MOD)

For those not in the know, Wiegraf here was the leader of a peasant army during the 50 Years War, fighting for Duke Larg and doing a lot of dirty-work along the way. After the war ended, money was a little tight in the duchy's coffers, and they didn't exactly feel that compensating Wiegraf's soldiers for their work was a high priority. In response to this slight from the nobility, Wiegraf rallied them once more and formed the Corpse Brigade, a band of marauding bandits preying on the nobility in retribution for the injustices they'd received. Far from being any run-of-the-mill highwaymen, these men and women had a distinct agenda -- they only targeted nobility and fancied themselves heroes to the common folk. They were essentially trying to start a class war that would result in the overthrow of the aristocracy.

Eventually, Wiegraf's sister Mileuda is killed in battle by the main character Ramza (who is the bastard son of one of the most powerful commanders in Larg's duchy. Basically John Snow.) Enraged by this, and having had his soldiers wiped out by Ramza's army, Wiegraf falls into a deep despair, realizing that he failed everyone who trusted him and led all his loyal soldiers to a pointless death. He is then contacted by the Knights Templar, who recognize both his skill in battle, and the despair in his heart, which serves their more sinister ends.

Driven by the hopelessness he feels, Wiegraf turns to religion, rising high in the ranks of the Templarate, and eventually sells his soul to the devil Belias in exchange for the power to right the wrongs he has suffered (War of the Lions is a very anti-organized-religion sort of story). And yet, by the time Ramza encounters him again, he claims to no longer hold any regard for his sister's death, nor any of his comrades-in-arms. His only desire now is to spread chaos and destruction throughout the realm, all to facilitate the resurrection of an entity known as the Angel of Blood.

Wiegraf is just such a tragic character, his motivations are entirely real. He shows the harsh truth of war that the nobility doesn't see from the balconies of their castles and palaces, and despite how malign he becomes, he is ultimately a devil of necessity, created by the very corrupt institution that Ramza eventually rebels against. As a player, you can't help at least partially empathizing with him all the way to the end, wondering how much of a role you had in making him the monster he eventually became.

Yes, I just wrote an essay on a video game character. Deal with it. :P