Garland (Final Fantasy)

Garland is the first boss in the original Final Fantasy. Once the greatest knight in the kingdom of Coneria, he is corrupted by evil, and kidnaps Princess Sara. He is defeated by the four Warriors of Light. However, he is also part of a time loop created by himself and the four fiends. When the Warriors of Light travel to the past, they find him again, and he transforms into Chaos to do battle with the heroes.

The exact story of Garland seems to be unexplored. One man in Coneria Castle mentions that Garland "Didn't used to be bad...", as Garland was once one of the king's top knights. His horned helmet (while human) is a subtle hint to the monster he becomes.

Dissidia -Final Fantasy-
Garland will be returning as a playable character in Dissidia -Final Fantasy-. He wields an enormous sword that can split into two, and uses tornadoes and other wind-based attacks.

Etymology
A garland is a wreath of flowers worn on the head, usually given to great military heroes in ancient Greece and Rome, not unlike the medals of today are. They were also sometimes left on the graves of fallen soldiers. In reference to Garland, the name may be symbolic, as he was a great hero who had "fallen" (corrupted by evil).