Top Ten Penultimate Bosses

The boss right before the final boss... The final push! Here are the Top Ten Penultimate Bosses, or Top Ten Semifinal Bosses!
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NEW COUNTDOWNS EVERY 1st and 15th!
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[@Sovreign071]

Fun fact about Jetstream Sam: his big reveal was that he WASN'T a cyborg. All other enemies you dice were supposed to bleed white, to indicate their semi-artificial nature. So when Sam bleeds RED in his dying cutscene, it slams home you were struggling against someone with NO internal augmentation. But since everyone bled red anyway, the point is moot.

[@thetalltitan2235]

Honestly, for him being a playable character in MGR’s DLC, he honestly deserves a spot among PLAYER Bosses. (Aka Bosses you take control of in the context of one game or another, and serves as a boss at some point)

[@swordkingx4874]

Huh, that's a weird change. Wonder why it was changed from white to red? As from what your saying this would have helped convay just how strong Sam was.

[@Liex59]

Well, his arm is enhanced. But not by his choice.

[@bluestreaker9242]

Iirc, Blade Wolf even mentions as much: that Jetstream Sam was just a human. That is the cherry on top, really, and I LOVE story-telling like that! You're essentially told and shown that, in order to best your rival, you need to be BETTER than him...to, as Goku would say, go even further beyond. MASTERFUL narrative right there. :3

[@w_alderson21]

@@thetalltitan2235 We all know who'd take #1 in THAT list, though. *Bury the Light intensifies*

[@ericrautio7451]

I feel like N having a lackluster, unbalanced team kind of fits him thematically. His whole thing is that he hates Pokemon Battles, so the Pokemon he has aren't his team in the same sense as most people's teams, but rather his friends who refuse to leave his side and decide to fight for him no matter how much he doesn't want them to get hurt. So they're at fairly low levels since he doesn't train them in the traditional sense, and are a mixed bag because they're who he happened to meet along the way to this moment.

[@tristanbowles7258]

A notable quirk about every time you fight him, he is always using Pokémon that spawn in the area. It’s implied that he gets his team memebers right before a fight and releases them back to the wild after

[@aquaticchaos1717]

Fun fact about the boss after N, aka Ghetsis: his Hydreigon alone has the perfect type coverage for ALL of N’s team. It shows he really had a plan in case you were to lose to N, he would just finish his “son” off

[@demi-femme4821]

@@aquaticchaos1717 N also has no Dragon moves on his Dragon, having a fairly lackluster set of the fusion move, the psychic move, Giga Impact or Hyper Beam (which are bad moves), and the screen that covers the dragon's lower Defense. Neither of them have any good attacking moves for dealing with Hydreigon. Their best bet is Hyper Beam/Giga Impact, which will allow Seismitoad to kill with Earthquake.

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

And N wonders why he never wins against you. We spend time growing stronger with our Pokémon.

[@ami6785]

“Where’s the Kaboom?! There was to be a countdown-shattering Kaboom!” Jokes aside, another great countdown and I learned a new word that I can use for writing… maybe… need to figure out a good context to bring up the word penultimate.

[@WillRennar]

Come to think of it, didn't the previous video have 2 Kabooms? Maybe he just uploaded this video's Kaboom _way_ too early.

[@redrasegarden]

Hay that’s what I wanna know? Copy-write?

[@tsyumamatsuthehavenofguard32]

KA- ohhh...

[@Neutra77]

Fun fact: If you have a keen eye, you may notice that the Hollow Knight actually only ever shows the one arm wielding their nail during their boss fight. This leads many to believe they actually lost the other arm. Even with one arm, a god eating away at them from the inside and them literally trying to kill themself, the Hollow Knight still puts up a fight.

[@kaistephens2694]

He's literally an Artorias Beetle.....

[@shadowstar8619]

Compare that to the Pure Vessel fight in the Godmaster DLC where you can see they actually DO have both arms (and is trained well enough in magic to cast Soul Daggers with the non-sword arm)

[@shadowlinkbds]

Penultimate bosses are an interesting kind of bunch. They always gear you up and prepare you for the intensity before the final boss. However sometimes they even be BETTER than the final boss at times. (For better or worse).

[@_Tzer]

An example being from live a live.. but you will have to play it to find out exactly what i mean.

[@kingjamesbond4009]

@@_Tzer fucking ironic for what just came out of the direct a fucking remastered full of switch

[@_Tzer]

@@kingjamesbond4009 LOL i know right. this guy needs to update his stuff with lal. He puts what inspired it but not mention lal itself(undertale).

[@hylind1912]

My favorite thing about the Asgore fight is, in a pacifist run, it feels just as special as all the genre-changing bosses despite playing it totally straight. Because when every other boss changes the format, what would otherwise be conventional and boring actually now feels fresh again.

[@lebonk8081]

So much blood. So much pain. I will lose a son Again Oh dear child I'm sorry Now you face The mountain king!!

[@pokedude720]

For me, it's that it follows Sans' explanation of Toby's deconstruction of EXP/Levels so most people would go into it hoping to spare him. Then, his 1st move is to destroy the Mercy button, forcing you to have to kill him (or hiding the fact that he would likely be spareable instantly due to his regrets as he's reluctant to fight too) Granted, the Mercy button gets fixed so you can try and spare him before Flowey sends a Friendliness Pellet his way.

[@theenderdestruction2362]

ive always thought the fact that he was so upset at the fact of having to fight you and really didn't want to that you could spare him instantly but seeing how he is a extremely powerful boss monster he can break the rules sans does the same but he's the courts judge I suppose the dreamurs were to be the court it's self justice in a way as for who would be the executioner well personal headcannon incoming but Ive always liked the idea of the Undertale executioner being a friendly sort hence why papy would have this job and I think the executioner being one of two beings who can effectively throw out the rule book of the game and make you play by their rules

[@OtakuJuanma2]

I'd like to point out that the Kirby 64 boss has an AI programming to purposefully avoid turning into whatever element(s) you have from your copy ability, which yes, means you are essentially forced into using naked Kirby

[@tristanbowles7258]

As a stupid kid, I was stuck on that battle for a long time trying to beat him with my flame sword

[@OtakuJuanma2]

@@tristanbowles7258 Same here with my Darth Maul lightsaber (Cutter + Lightning)

[@thomasffrench3639]

Too bad you didn’t mention Death from Castlevania. It shows that Dracula has conquered death, and Death lives up to his name. And the fact that Dracula is both harder and more iconic is just testament to that. Not to mention how Death has gone to become one of the most iconic bosses ever.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

He's kind of like Ridley in Metroid: Final bosses are more story-linked and they come and go with each game, but Death and Ridley are the eternal constants. They always come back, and they're always balls to the wall difficult.

[@belmontzar]

Kinda, Death in Castlevania is not so much conquered or ruled, but rather in a partnership with Dracula. They are pretty much a team throughout the series. Death refers to Dracula as Master not out of servitude, but out of respect. Hell they Even Tag Team you in Portrait of Ruin! The Funniest part is that even gets Final Boss treatment at both the Beginning of the timeline [Lament of Innocence] and at one of the possible ends [Castlevania Judgement which may take place After the Sorrow games? It is all about Time Line shenanigans after all]

[@thomasffrench3639]

@@belmontzar it’s more metaphorical as he gets resurrected. Yeah canonically it might be that, but as far as NES games go, that’s what I think they were going for. Castlevania NES has some underrated storytelling.

[@kamikazelemming1552]

Can't say much about the games myself, since I've never played them, but I love that Death's whole relationship with Dracula in the anime was built around the fact that he (Dracula) was the most effective murderer in the history of the world, and was the only one capable of wiping out all life on the planet. Also, having Death be voiced by Malcolm McDowell could not have been more prefect.

[@thomasffrench3639]

@@kamikazelemming1552 that sounds like Thanos from the comics.

[@kiddextersgodlyadventure129]

Bosses that overshadow the final boss countdown: I’m calling it now, Jecht will be on it

[@WarmLusamine]

Isn't that basically cheating, though? Yu Yevon is as challenging as an actual tick.

[@georgemiller3009]

I have a few suggestions. Kuja from Final Fantasy 9 Count Bleck from Super Paper Mario Princess Shroob from Mario and Luigi Partners in Time Monaca from Ultra Despair Girls Dr Doppler (X2), General (X4), and Lumine (X8), from Megan X series as much I like the Sigma fights yes even X7 I think it would been if they were the final bosses instead of Sigma.

[@gingerkays7362]

3:22 As a wise man once said, “if you’re nothing without the suit, you shouldn’t have it”

[@Nazo-kage]

The funny thing about the Pokémon games is that even though there are evil Pokémon teams, they never feel truly intimidating. Except in Pokémon black and white. And for me at least, it didn’t quite hit me just how big of a threat they were until one bit of dialogue close to the end of the game. In N’s Castle, as you’re walking through each of the rooms trying to get to N. There’s a single bit of dialogue from one of the scientists working for team plasma that every time I read what he says sends a shiver down my spine because of the implication. This scientist gladly tells you that team plasma has Hacked into the Pokémon storage system, and all that he is waiting for is for their king, N. To give the word and they will release every Pokémon in the storage system. Meaning that that order could very well be the very first thing N does after defeating you. I don’t know why but that always feels like the stakes were truly spelled out about just how screwed the region would be if not the world if you don’t stop them.

[@EmicalFire055]

Have to say N is the perfect choice for this theme. He's one of my favorites. 10. Going old school for this first choice. Interesting... 9. Hey Fawful's all around! Himself and his top fan! 8. I'm with those that say Excellus is the penutimate boss but this is a good rival battle in it's own right 7. I hate this guy... I hate him in earthbound and I hate him here 6. A great villain for a reason which to me is better than the final boss. Also I beat skyward sword HD. Thank you button controls! 5. I need to play this game once my backlog clears. Also poor Alice! 4. Yeah this guy's real good. Not going to play the game but I saw GS stream highlights so... 3. Ah here's N! My number one pick... at least until I see something else. 2. I saw GS take this guy on multiple times 1. Dang! Now I feel bad for Asgore too!

[@BJGvideos]

Damn, if not for that "can't overshadow the final boss" rule then Kuja and Calamity Ganon would have surely been on here. I've seen Ghirahim described as "if David Bowie played The Terminator" and honestly that's fair.

[@babyyoshi3099]

Calamity Ganon isn't really a penultimate fight, more just phase 1 since it is the same boss.

[@BJGvideos]

@@babyyoshi3099 Eh I guess that's a way of looking at it but they get different names and all.

[@anueutsuho7425]

I always felt Calamity Ganon was more two forms of the same fight myself

[@babyyoshi3099]

@@anueutsuho7425 Exactly, they are both Ganon. Just two different forms.

[@NeroDeAngelo]

YOu know, in terms of design, the Hollow Knight kinda reminded me a lot of Artorias from Dark Souls. Once a shining Warrior with a greatsword and shield, one of his arms is broken and dangling around, while his body is posessed by the goo and influence of the abyss, leaving noting but an empty shell of the former knight behind. The difference is that Artorias, at least in his fight, never was able to fight back against the abyss inside him and he was going down with it, if he was still inside at all...

[@TheStelou27]

Funnily enough Artorias was supposed to have lines of dialogues to tell you to run away from him and the intro shows him killing an ennemy before tossing it at you, showcasing that he still fights the abyss even if he is more in a berzerker rage. The inspiration for the hollow knight is either Artorias or Guts from Berzerk (i can't help but think it's Artorias due to how important it is that the radiance consumes him).

[@jvts8916]

One of my favourite penultimate bosses is Henry Cooldown from No More Heroes 3. It's a more serious take on his fight in the first game and he really leaves an impression even after you beat him. Bonus points for not overshadowing the multi-phase fight against FU and Damon.

[@ArcCaravan]

Yeah. Only flaw I can think of is how drastically Henry's character changed. Still a great fight and awesome ending cutscene.

[@chriskaufman8075]

Loved the "Only Thing I Know for Real" reference, and this should've been the perfect metal gear for gamers from the 80's. Ninjas were like tmnt or Ninja Gaiden back then and metal gear confused us by being a stealth game. Revengence was almost the perfect combo of the 2, and I hate that it doesn't get the respect it deserves!

[@sunlitsonata6853]

Fawful was actually the penultimate boss twice. Once in Superstar Saga, and once in Bowser’s Inside Story as Dark Fawful, which was an even more intense fight

[@MrDaimeon]

"Bosses that overshadow final bosses" Barubary from Breath of Fire 2 kinda fits the bill, considering the weight he not only holds on the main character but the player

[@Sugerloadedgirl789]

Definitely surprised Count Bleck didn't make it in. Slated to be THE final boss. To save the world you must beat him. You do. And then...freaking Dimentio shows up... :P

[@TheStelou27]

tbf the Count Bleck boss fight is not really hard or challenging in my opinion

[@shieldtale9322]

This is literally the countdown I was hoping for the most.

[@LunaP1]

Same.

[@granulatedsugarinajar8476]

Probably just me but I really think Dogma from Binding of Isaac is up there as far as penultimate bosses go. It's wordless but the emotional weight of the build up is genuinely astounding. Plus the fact you end up fighting the Christian broadcasts mentioned in the intro is simultaneously wonderfully thematic and pretty hilarious.

[@lanterns_glow]

It also sums up the entire story of Isaac as a whole: a young boy with a shattered family destroyed by drugs and televangelists, where his father left and his mother spiraled into insanity as the faith from the TV corrupted the intent she had of serving her lord calling her to kill the son she had started to abuse. Isaac's fall into hallucinatory madness in his treasure chest toybox is summed up as with Hush and Delirium, he can no longer breathe and dies. He comes to face the Dogma his mother and the TV had screeched out and accepts his fate as the sacrificial lamb, taking on the Beast and his True Horsemen after to ascend to heaven, no matter the blood and deals shed in a run. And to think... This all started from a flash game on New grounds that Edmund made a pain in the ass to beat simply because he didn't want it to become popular, and yet people loved it that we have the story we have now.

[@granulatedsugarinajar8476]

Damn dude, you put all that in better words than I ever could've.

[@marytichelaar7225]

I will always remember asgore as the boss that I felt bad for defeating, seriously apologizing the entire time that I was fighting him( if it wasn't obvious I was on pacifist)

[@JustSomeRandomGuy1063]

I didn’t know That I first needed to do the neutral Route which would follow into the Pacifist Route So I thought I did something wrong

[@marytichelaar7225]

@@JustSomeRandomGuy1063 I honestly thought the same thing! I was thinking but I'm a pacifist, asgore let me show you Mercy!

[@mauroperez2848]

It's interesting to see how the penultimate bosses compare to the final bosses. My personal favorites are Fawful/Dark Fawful, N, Jetstream Sam, Asgore, Miracle Matter, Meta Ridley, Captain Skull. Egg Dragoon, and the King from South Park: Fractured but Whole.

[@andrewhaase1826]

Honorable Mentions: *The Great Sacred Treasure - Kid Icarus Uprising -Before you can take this mech into the final battle with Hades, you must first fight it! *N. Gin - Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot 3 -As far as I know, N. Gin actually has 2 penultimate bosses thoughout the series so far; one in Crash 2, and one in Crash 3. Crash 2 has a shift in gameplay where you throw wumpa fruit at the parts of N. Gin's robot and it definitely gets a leg up over the final battle with Cortex in that game. Crash 3 meanwhile has a different approach, you have a 2 phase fight in a spaceship shooting at N. Gin's mech, then pursuing after it in a dogfight. *Risky Boots - Shantae: Half-Genie Hero -She's pulling out all the stops here. Tinkerbats, a swinging anchor, even all of her pirate gear from Pirate's Curse. *Captain Qwark - Ratchet and Clank (2016) -Unlike the PS2 original, Qwark fights you Man to Lombax, even busting out a groovitron occasionally to lock you into a dance. *Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower - Bloodborne: The Old Hunters -The penultimate boss of this DLC was a fight for the ages, many of her attacks propel her forward and she'll buff herself when she loses a third of her health. The first being a blood buff, the the second being a fire buff. They not only boost her attack's power, but ALSO increases her attacks range. This is a deadly dance with you having to try to anticipate her attacks and fire early to leave her open for a visceral attack. *Bwario and Bwaluigi - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle -A double threat of 2 Rabbids as 2 repulsive rivals! *The General - Megaman X4 -Only hits to the head will damage him. And [Sarcastically] Who could've guessed, it was Sigma that was behind everything all along! [Sarcasm ends] Oh wait, he's basically a villain who doesn't know when to quit.

[@greatsageclok-roo9013]

Given how bad the final boss of Crash 2 is, I don't think it's fair to classify N. Gin as an honourable mention according to Josh's rules.

[@Volvagia1927]

N Tropy from Crash 4.

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

Let's be honest, it's easy to overshadow the Cortex fight in any Crash game. It seems to be a running gag that Cortex will have the most disappointing fight no matter when you battle him.

[@greatsageclok-roo9013]

@@Volvagia1927 No. Just no.

[@greatsageclok-roo9013]

@@JCBro-yg8vd It's About Time and Warped say hello.

[@supremeseregios6810]

There is a penultimate boss that I found surprisingly memorable, which happened to be Mr X/ The Executioner from the infamous Yo-Kai Watch 3. Similar to Ghirahim, you have fought him before twice, and he really leaves an impression. A Ghoul wearing a dapper black suit whilst as Mr X, and a crazy amalgamation of disturbing power as The Executioner. He has alot of build up as the main villain's second hand man, especially when you defeat him the second time, and you chase him to New Yo-Kai City. However, his best battle is obviously the last one, and whilst the battle is basically the same as the other fights, he has the best character development, where you learn his reasons for working with the main villain, besides being turned into a Ghoul to begin with. He dies with no regrets, and that's the last you see of him story wise. If you wanted a challenge fight against him, then going into the Cluvian Continent and awakening his Spirit Slate allows you to fight him again, except at his most difficult. An impactful character that I assume most will forget thanks to the flow of time, but I will never forget his character.

[@occultnightingale1106]

The total absence of Gehrman, the First Hunter from this list, even as an honorable mention, is a crime

[@TheStelou27]

Agreed he build up the moon prescence so well and is one of the rare hunter bosses

[@ArcCaravan]

How unfortunate there's only so many entries permitted.

[@codydees9681]

I honestly think he's a better fit for penultimate bosses who overshadow the final boss. While the Moon Presence is a good fight thematically and lore-wise, Gehrman is just a better fight in general.

[@occultnightingale1106]

@@ArcCaravan ...what do you mean by that?

[@occultnightingale1106]

@@codydees9681 It's true that Gehrman does overshadow the Moon Presence from a gameplay perspective, but from a lore/thematic perspective, he compliments the Moon Presence quite well. Plus, that didn't stop several other penultimate bosses who overshadowed the final boss from making the list. Gehrman at least deserved a mention, especially if Fawful made the actual list.

[@MarioGMan25]

Sometimes the Penultimate boss has more of a final boss feel to them than the actual final boss. I believe the Trope for that specific situation is Post-Final Boss. The best use of this is in Yakuza 7 where the Penultimate Boss is the ultimate physical obstacle against the team while the Real Final boss is emotionally devastating for the Protagonist and Player.

[@Hilversumborn]

Lost Judgment also has a great Penultimate/Semifinal and Final boss.

[@keeganstormblade5456]

Final Fantasy X uses this trope with Braska's Final Aeon as the Penultimate Boss, the last boss the can give you a game over, while Yu Yevon and your entire collection of Aeons are the Post-Final Bosses since you can't actually die in those fights due to permanent Auto-Life.

[@starkeeper_youtube]

I liked Queen's fight in Deltarune. Very goofy and an excellent lead into Giga Queen

[@ArcCaravan]

Wouldn't that just be phase 1 of the final boss compared to the penultimate boss?

[@starkeeper_youtube]

@@ArcCaravan I personally count it separately just because you can go back through almost the entire Dark World if you want before Giga Queen but I understand if you do count it as phase 2

[@lanterns_glow]

My honest thought for a penultimate boss has to be a challenge up that point before you get to throw down with the final boss, as a way to say "Do you have what it takes to defeat what comes next?"

[@dragonstormx]

While you don't get the immediate satisfaction of finishing off Porky, since he can't leave, you get the satisfaction that he will be trapped in his capsule forever. Since he's immortal, he has condemned himself to a fate worse than death as he will be in isolation forever.

[@Aurasoul.]

If Asgore hadn't been Number 1 I would've wanted that spot for the Hollow Knight like seriously he had suffered for so long and when he stabs himself during the fight that hurt me more! Made me wanna hug him! But regardless really great list

[@FlashJordan94]

Some spoilers for Yakuza 7. I'd put Tendo as my number one. The absolute GAUNTLET of climbing Millennium Tower and clearing out of of those goons leading up to the fight and then the fight itself....absolute perfection for a boss fight. Tough, lengthy, catchy theme, and mostly fair. Fighting the final boss felt like a victory lap lol.

[@jacksquatt6082]

Going to mention "Demon's Soul" here due to the overarching theme of the bosses. The penultimate battle is with the false king of the land, and it's actually challenging. The final "battle" with the true king reveals that he had absorbed so many demon souls that his body couldn't handle it, and he degraded into a hobbling tumor ridden mess which is easily put down.

[@cdesigner9178]

What a great gift to get on my birthday. 10: Puzzle bosses are fun, especially when you figure out the trick to beating them. 9: I appreciate the cameo. 8: I still need to play Metal Gear Rising, but if he's so famous and important, why haven't I heard of him and why hasn't he been a source of memes? 7: Anticlimaxes are usually hit or miss. They're either really annoying and a buzzkill, or they are either impactful (such as this boss fight) or funny. 6: I still prefer Zant for a more wacky fight and a 180 in tone. 5: No More Heroes has been a series on my mind to try to play for a while now. 4: Also, he has one of the best songs in his areas. Die House is a toe-tapping good time. 3: Man, Gen 5 is SO underrated. It's ironic that the game that was based off of New York is the one that kinda went under the radar, especially for Americans. 2: I mean, leaving out all of the loose threads and confusing bits, that's a pretty good summary of that game. 1: Undertale is amazing with its boss fights.

[@herowatcher8403]

Mcburn Trails of cold Steel 4. Thanks to the Empyreal Fortress & warm up fights in 2 & 3. he can finally stop holding back so he transforms into his True Overlord Form(as a bonus he gets Enforcer Super arranged version to fit his otherworldly nature & Battle)despite Class 7’s experience it only took Valimar to take break his Shield & lay a Scratch on him

[@darknesswave100]

Mcburn was one of the few bosses I felt was a legitimate full on threat to your existence. His full form gave me chills. I hope he comes back in later games

[@loganbrony130]

Also, if you ever plan on doing a top ten on surprise final bosses, I have one recommendation for it: In Epic Mickey, we have to fight Blotlings and animatronics using a magical paint brush, all the way to the end and stop the Shadow Blot. As it turns out, the one we've been chasing most of the game and have to later fight is just a more powerful minion. The final fight is inside the real Blot, itself. I think this counts as a boss fight, to be honest.

[@s.p.d.magentaranger1822]

You get my like for showing Epic Mickey some ❤

[@loganbrony130]

Thanks. I just really love that game.

[@demontorch]

Josh’s video never disappoint

[@cyberathegalvonicmechamorp7764]

I love how they only showed fawfuls minion for that little beginning of the entry but he didn't say anything after

[@aneonfoxtribute]

I'm gonna shoot a mention to one of my favorites. It's not my top favorite but it's one that is a lot more niche. I'm gonna give my shout out to Loewe from Trails in the Sky SC. He's fought immediately before the final boss and it's awesome, Loewe has been built up the entire game as one of the most powerful characters in the series, and you even fought him in FC and got your ass beat for your troubles, and it's great catharsis to finally learn his full motivations and avenge your loss in FC. The cutscene fight after the main battle where Joshua fights Loewe solo is also stunning and an amazing way to cap off Loewe's character.

[@darknesswave100]

Then later on in cold steel 4 when you visit his grave just made me sad. He was a great character

[@varangiangaming7178]

I can't believe I called it that Asgore would be on this list.

[@tromedlovdrolmai]

Great countdown as always, though I was a bit sad to see that Grodus of the X-Nauts from Paper Mario Thousand Year Door didn't even get an honorable mention

[@mistermaxie6487]

As much as I love the Hollow Knight and Sam, I'M SO HAPPY YOU FINALLY GIVE ASGORE THE ATTENTION HE DESERVES! I've always adored Asgore's character and the tragedy he carried. He's such an impactful boss that I've learned to actually like *more* than Toriel's. I really wish he didn't have to go through all that he did.

[@chainstryo771]

Even tho he isn't the SECOND TO LAST BOSS I still think akechi embodies all of what these bosses should be and probably rivals asgore

[@travisayson3220]

Darth Sion from Knights of the Old Republic 2 is a penultimate boss I think should have at least had an honorable mention. His final fight is unique in that since he cannot be killed, you need to talk to him in order to defeat him. Either through convincing Sion that he is weak or making him reflect on his actions; for all the people he's killed and if it made a difference, if it was worth all the suffering.

[@starmaker75]

Yeah darth Sion should be a honorable mention. Despite him being pretty intimidating, you do feel sad for him since he always in pain and can’t find inner peace. It feel less like a grand showdown of light and dark and more like your mercy killing someone

[@kamikazelemming1552]

Jetstream Sam, from Metal Gear Rising, has my vote.

[@krowking123]

Gotta give a shout-out to Airy from Bravely Default as well. Self serving little shit pretends to help you on your journey as a annoying little Navi clone as you slowly discovery that Where the Fairy Flies is also where Airy lies. Plus the boss music fucking slaps!

[@Lightgod87]

Sadly, Josh didn't get too far into Bravely Default. See "Top 10 Games I Want to Like". He had lots of issues with the game, that made it impossible for him to finish it.

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

@@Lightgod87 Can't blame him. I tried playing Bravely Second and just couldn't get into it.

[@Petrico94]

Sometimes things with the muscle get just as personal as with the brain. I agree the brain, ultimate last boss, should have the most story, but the penultimate is often built up as just as big or even grander fight.

[@DarthLocutus0]

Another honorable mention - Mega Man X5, X/Zero/Awakening Zero. It's not often that, in a game where you can swap characters as the game goes on, that you can fight the character you're not playing as. And which fight you end up with is almost entirely in your hands - you face whichever Hunter you didn't pick to go into that level, or - if you messed up the plan to stop the Colony Drop - you face Zero as his creator intended him to be.

[@ArcCaravan]

Yeah, I was thinking of this fight too. Great conflict and general fun fighting a fellow player character. And one hell of a theme.

[@InsanityProdutions]

I feel Shido from P5 Royal should be on this list. With all of the fantastic build up and watching all your friends come into their own all building up to a 5 phase brawl culminating into a final one on one between Joker and Shido is magnificent.

[@darknesswave100]

That fight is so much better in royal than in the vanilla game. You finally get to go one on one with the guy who essentially ruined your life. All because he was drunk and couldn't keep his hands to himself. Also Ryuji's line before the fight starts always gets me a bit pumped for it "Our leader went through shit cause of you, it's ON"

[@davidtimmer596]

@@darknesswave100 I especially love the 1 on 1 duel for that reason, and the other big reason, is because it reminds me of Metal Gear Rising.

[@katherined]

I was kinda hoping Shido from Persona 5 would’ve made the list, but I guess his boss fight was too awesome for that.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

Probably. Or 'prolly' as Ryuji/Ann would say. It's telling that the most inwardly egotistical character has the strongest Shadow with 5 separate phases. So all you have to do to have an impossibly-strong Shadow is be an absolute sociopathic narcissist.

[@darknesswave100]

Especially the royal version since you fight him 1 on 1. Like you finally get to take on the guy who essentially ruined your life cause he was drunk off his ass. That fight should have been on the list for rivers in the desert alone

[@WhiteFangofWar]

@@darknesswave100 Problem is it overshadows the final boss. Shido is more plot-relevant, more personal, and far tougher.

[@iamjafar925]

Gotta love the top 2, by far some of my favorite indie bosses in all of gaming

[@TheStelou27]

Great video, but a bit dissapointed there is no mention of Gehrman the first hunter, i do think he is a great penultimate boss that build up to the Moon Presence/Flora/Paleblood

[@Ori_Kohav]

As for bosses that overshadow the final boss, N Gin from the Crash Bandicoot series fits it perfectly in both Crash 2 and Crash 3.

[@jessepeterson6694]

Personal honorable mention from me. Zagi (Tales of Vesperia): This guy's been dogging you from the start, time to end this nuisance.

[@darknesswave100]

Most bosses in tales games I actually like cause they have some type of great motivation or are just plain old fashioned evil for evils sake (which can work sometimes) but Zagi was just a battle whore who had to be put down. One of those you aren't endearing you're just annoying types

[@shieldtale9322]

I really like the fight against Sync from Tales of the Abyss. He's arguably more evil than the actual main villain. Plus the fact that he has a connection with one of your companions for most of the game adds to the weight if the fight.

[@tyrant-den884]

Really happy to see LASERman get mentioned, absolutely overshadows Dark MegaMan.

[@McBehrer]

23:38 minor nitpick: Bergentrüking is only the intro section, which plays before he says "it was nice to meet you, human." The actual battle theme is just called Asgore

[@alvaroperez2349]

N is definitely a good choice not just for his fight, but his character as well. For me, my pick it would be Grodus from Paper Mario: Thousand-Year Door, leader of the X-Nauts his fight was a bit annoying but careful damage output can help, and despite the fact he was manipulated by Beldam to awaken the Shadow Queen, he was a breath of fresh air from Bowser.

[@ShiroCat33]

Agreed. I’m really hoping he gets somewhere on the list

[@alvaroperez2349]

@@ShiroCat33 funny enough, I’m playing Skyward Sword right at this moment!

[@ArcCaravan]

I was thinking of Grodus too, but he's not the penultimate boss because of Bowser. I liked his mix of magic and technology in battle, plus his awesome design.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

@@ArcCaravan Bowser himself is a good penultimate boss here too, as he's spent the entire game trying to catch up to Mario on his journey only to miss him at every chapter. Good music, and it's the first/only time Kammy joins him in battle.

[@trailguidealex5010]

You can still hide behind the hands of king dice but he does the same attack twice in a row sometimes to catch the player off guard

[@LadyLeomon]

We’ve had the Final Bosses honoured and today we honour their predecessors who gave us a fair warning of what was to come (and we didn’t listen)😈😈😈 Thanks for the new vid Josh (love you Ari) 💙🐱💙

[@silverflight01]

I think N's relatively weak team fits him perfectly if you consider his nature throughout the game. It helps the contrast between him and the super relentless Ghetsis fight N wanted Pokémon to live free from tyrannical control as Ghetsis told him, but in reality Ghetsis wanted to be the only Pokémon trainer and ruler.

[@Gaiacrusher9fan2]

This list got major points just for having a remix of Trap Phantasm between each entry. Hey Logan. Nice choices all around.

[@runningoncylinders3829]

Fawful from Superstar Saga came as a slight surprise and had his quirky side full focus, including the getup, but BIS really did him even more justice as the Penultimate Boss being Dark Fawful. Dark Fawful doesn't upstage his role in the last fight, and it gets to be a direct confrontation between two great foes.

[@gimmeyourrights8292]

Khotun Kahn from Ghost of Tsushima is a great penultimate boss because you go the whole game believing that he is the final boss. He's physically intimidating, hits like a truck and has amazing scenery. It isn't until you encounter the actual final boss and you get this rush of emotion. Whereas The Kahn was your good vs evil battle, The actual final boss is a battle of ideology.

[@zoroart1311]

This was a great lost with amazing choices I was shocked to see no mention of any of the persona games like Marie's fight from P4G but there are an infinite list of games so some cuts had to be made

[@DarkyLonewolf]

9:35 That is WAY too fitting, it's almost scary

[@kylergriggs6897]

Ok, first things first, whoa. Never in all my life did I believe that a video could make me question my gaming choices before but anyways…Hey Josh I have been a fan of your channel since I saw your Villains song month of videos and I had an interesting idea for a video that I want to share. Top ten(or five what ever) character connections. The concept is basically two or three characters that have a deeper bond then the rest of the games cast. Rules would include the Following: 1-Characters must have at least four moments of Dialogue 2- Connections can be funny but more or less need to be meaningful in some way And 3- The connections dialogue must take place within one game. We can’t have four bits of dialogue throughout three games now, can we. I only have one but it deserves number one Spider-man and Doctor Otto Octavius from Spider-Man(PS4) you need to listen to every bit of dialogue in the game to get why but it is well worth it. I would recommend playing the game to understand but yeah. If you like the idea just reply to let me know and I know you have a busy schedule so whenever you can Is fine

[@featherguardian6023]

Why do I get the feeling that a Valentine Special is Coming Soon?

[@Madam_StarFall]

Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be ab earth shattering kaboom.

[@dynastygirl2912]

My honorable mention is Jasper from Dragon Quest 11. He’s a great villain but also sympathetic

[@geekdaparaiba]

Well, Dragon Quest XI has three acts, and between the true final boss, there's too many optional bosses...

[@CnrdCh]

9:37 now I'm imagining Tim Curry as Ghirahim and how much I would want to hear it

[@shadowlinkbds]

Well looks like next boss countdown are long lengthy bosses. As in the best or worst will remain to be seen.

[@greatsageclok-roo9013]

Regardless, I think we all know who's going to be Number 1... I think it's Yeezmat from FFXII (been so long that I forgot it's name) who is infamous for how long it takes to defeat him.

[@darealsooski]

I'm not sure if she counts since she's so far away from Sans in the route progression-wise, but Undyne the Undying is honestly every bit as impactful as the smiley trashbag for me. Her and Sans compliment eachother in the context of the no-mercy route; while Sans is a tired and world-weary man who's self awareness has previously led him to never give anything in his life his all, Undyne really is "the hero" in this situation who fights on and on even if she is never aware of how hopeless her efforts are. Ultimately, it's depressing and downright sadistic of the player to lead on Undyne during this fight as they die over and over, yet make slow progress towards her demise, and it really struck me that the player's ability to "cheat" by simply avoiding death and erasing the memories of others is one of the most terrifying abilities that any character could have- yet its an ability we have in almost every single game we play

[@Hanetsune]

I was hoping Asch from Tales of the Abyss would've at least gotten an honorable mention. Such a great atmosphere and symbolism in that fight.

[@joegreen3802]

Technically you fight Sync after Asch

[@Hanetsune]

@@joegreen3802 ah I completely forgot about that

[@loganbrony130]

I wasn't expecting Asgore to be number one on this list, but that actually makes sense. Also, the Game Theorists had a theory about the protagonist in Hollow Knight: We first think our character is the Hollow Knight, but turns out to be a boss. Many people think it's just an empty vessel and there's no big meaning to the game. But, they found enough evidence to prove that our character is actually a reincarnation of the Pale King, himself. The story is of a father trying to fix his mistake. It makes much sense, to me.

[@TheStelou27]

hmm the evidences shown in the pale king palace suggest in fact that the hollow knight is ironically not hollow, he just hid his feelings trying to become a hollow knight in order to survive. While your character is a true hollow knight due to his complete lack of emotions (proof is that he can become the Shadelord, litterally being one with void itself)

[@loganbrony130]

Watch the video, and you'll understand why our character being the pale king in a new reincarnation makes sense.

[@loganbrony130]

Okay, this guy is definitely right about Mat Pat being wrong. I never looked at the game all that well, and I still haven't played the Switch version I have. But, I do know Mat Pat is bad at looking at evidence to prove things. He said that Ash's Pikachu is level 61. Game Freak themselves answered this question back in Ultra Sun and Moon. They gave us a code to get it, and it was level 21. You could say it's just what the developers chose so we can use it, but I don't think that's true. If they really were just giving us a usable Ash's Pikachu, then they would've done it in the fives or tens, like they usually do. But they specifically made it level 21. This is the level it was at the time, but it's now level 25. Ash's Pikachu is a much lower level than anyone expected, and it seems to be leveling up slower than it should.

[@LoyaLZX]

To me I'll always say that Prometheus and Pandora from Megaman ZX will be the best penultimate boss fight I faced. They're the ones truly pushing the story for the protagonists, involved in a grander plan in why they let Serpent be defeated. A game that they let play out and be involved in so they can erase it all to get back at the man that made them and experience hell, Master Albert. They can fight alone but together they'll test your movement reaction, knowledgeable on elemental weaknesses, and curiosity on combos and openings no matter what Biometal or A-Trans you use they will do whatever it takes to get their revenge.

[@zeethezebra]

Beautiful articulation of why I love both that fight and Prometheus and Pandora.

[@deltaket6485]

If only there was a ZX3. Either have one of them as the playable characters.

[@TDJunkie226]

Easily my favorite (and probably most underrated) penultimate boss is agent black from iconoclasts. I’m not gonna spoil anything ‘cause iconoclasts is a fairly unknown story-heavy game, but if you know… YOU KNOW.

[@emberfist8347]

For me, I think every penultimate boss from the Arkham games (save for Clayface-Joker who I hate) could qualify. Ivy was a difficult but fun challenge in my personal experience and I liked the variety of the attacks she had available, I liked the thematic presentation of the rematch with Bane in Arkham Origins and the TN-1 Bane fight, in particular, I liked for being a boss that incorporates stealth and is smart enough to try to destroy the hiding places in the cell block. And the Arkham Knight himself is a good Stealth Predator boss and I always saw the Predator sections of the series as the biggest selling point. Also Proxy from Star Wars The Force Unleashed is a great penultimate boss (I don't count Vader as one because depending on your choice, he can be the final boss, and thus the fight with him is more the first phase of a final boss). He is an interesting example of a penultimate boss because he is a constant threat through the game but was obviously not meant as the final villain but still having a connection to Starkiller. Proxy is Starkiller's only friend but being made by Darth Vader, he is programmed to kill Starkiller at almost any opportunity. Yet he is too naive to realize the conflict between his friendship and his programming leading lines like "Oh Master, I am so glad you are still alive. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to kill you myself". The fight with him Raxus Prime also plenty of nice foreshadowing to it as it is mentioned Proxy left the ship earlier and Starkiller knows what is going on. However, they then pull a brilliant bait and switch as the boss of the level first appears to another Shadow Guard (recurring boss-tier enemies at this point of the game) until it is revealed that is a new Hologram form Proxy has. The fight is effectively a boss rush as Proxy uses modules based on the past bosses of the game but he doesn't stick with one form that long so it avoids the typical tedium of a boss rush. He also uses an ace in the hole when he gets to half health revealing a training program he has been hiding for years: Darth Maul. The fight with Proxy as Maul is suitably epic complete with the Duel of The Fates theme playing for it. Not to mention Starkiller fighting Maul is pretty amusing as his VA Sam Witwer would go on to voice the revived Darth Maul in Clone Wars and Rebels.

[@ArcCaravan]

10. I like it potentially making you use the powers throughout the game and would like to see more of that in bosses. 9. Doesn't really appeal to me, but I won't deny the uniqueness. 8. Great fight as usual, excellent buildup, and appreciate the difference between penultimate boss compared to first phase of the final boss. 7. Funny ending that satisfies the boss and prevents more harm. Not everyone needs to kill the villain. 6. Not a fan of the game, but this boss battle definitely impresses me with its focus on new game mechanics. Alice Twilight 5. Knew this was gonna show up the instant I saw the title. Got me curious how different things would be if this was the end, even though the actual final boss had to be dealt with. 4. A fun fight that technically could be the finale if you choose to allow it. Makes me wish that'd happen more with the intended final boss being on another level to make you choose to not fight. 3. While a villain who believes their own cause can be good, I prefer the villain who can make the hero believe they're right. There are villains who honestly believe their will and hatred justifies anything they want. 2. Cool premise and fight detail. I almost wish this were in the top spot but can see why it isn't. 1. One of my favorite sympathetic villains and definitely fits the penultimate boss title more.

[@SirPreyas]

Excellent list!

[@alextalbain9269]

Wasn't expecting Fawful's minion to cameo in this

[@lordofthestrings45]

In my opinion, Alatreon should've been on this list. He was the penultimate creature released into the Iceborne expansion and spent a long time as the hardest challenge the game had to offer. Since World and Iceborne served as an introduction of the Monster Hunter world to a broader audience, Alatreon served to teach the new crowd just exactly why the Black Dragons are as feared as they are. An unstable creature that not only uses every elemental power against you, but mixes them. Flammable puddles of oil, ice shards that can be charged by the lightning into dragon powered land mines, and even the creature's flame breath crackling with draconic lightning. It's one of the few creatures in that game that demands absolute perfection to hunt, to memorize every telegraph it has, use any minor advantage the arena can offer, and coordinate your team of hunters to exploit its weaknesses. All this to say nothing of it's Escaton Judgement move. And even with all this in mind, it still doesn't outshine the pure terror that Fatalis brought later. And the devs knew this as they made an easier version of the Alatreon fight a requirement to go through as a prelude to the Fatalis hunt. Alatreon set the stage for what's to come and upped the ante of the series. Fatalis served as it's pinnacle.

[@claytonrios1]

Alice from No More Heroes 2 should definitely qualify. Honestly I would have preferred if she was the final boss not just because of how bad Jaspers fight was but because this felt like the end of a emotionally impactful arc that really changed Travis and the series as a whole moving forward. Plus the fight itself was just a great test of your skills which is what a good boss fight should be.

[@starmaker75]

it really feels that Alice and jaspar should be switch. Tarvis gets his revenge but it kinda empty and when he faces Alice, Tarvis realized just how munch blood he splits.

[@claytonrios1]

@@starmaker75 That would work.

[@ArcCaravan]

@@starmaker75 Before the video, I was thinking how different the ending would be if Alice was the finale. Sylvia would have just been told off for her treatment of the assassins and Travis planning to destroy the UAA. Granted supplemental material showed Jasper couldn't just be spared because vengeance is bad, the guy's a mob boss who tore a town apart and killed innocents out of pure spite.

[@FabBrigade]

Bishop Ladja needs to be put on the list of penultimate bosses who upstaged the final boss.

[@HarbingerYT]

A really damn good penultimate boss would be Rising Garuda in Blaster Master Zero 3. Throughout most of the game, Leibniz has been Jason's reluctant partner after her MA (Metal Attacker), Garuda, got shot down by the Sophia Force. Prior to that, having lost her own home to Planade-G, as well as losing her own Support Droid, she started to take it out on Jason as seen in BMZ2, by calling Eve a doll. Fast forward to the endgame of BMZ3's True Ending, you've been playing as Kane trying to find Eve in Super Dimensional Space, whilst having to fight the other MA pilots from BMZ2, who seem to be intent on making sure Kane doesn't go any further. Then Leibniz, having found something to finally protect, more determined than ever, breaks her mask to reveal her true self, before fighting you in the Rising Garuda. The fight itself is no joke either. Similar to the Garuda fights in the 2nd game, the Rising Garuda has a variety of attacks at it's disposal, ranging from slashing and dashing at Kane with the massive blade on the front, electric mines that basically require Kane to stay airborne to avoid, or destroy the mines prematurely, as well as having a desperation move when you deplete her healthbar. And the music for the fight, Leibniz Rising, being a more triumphant rendition of Leibniz's theme from the 2nd game.

[@pohnile]

Nice list. Some penultimate boss I appreciate, that wasn't mentioned in this video are Zagi from Tales of Vesperia, Chronos from Tales of Xillia 2, Ameno Sagiri from Persona 4, Zant Twillight Princess, Xion KH 358/2 days, Zaix KH 2, N Gin Crash Bandicoot 3,

[@shantaziahill2598]

My first pokemon game was pokemon Black.And the first time I battled N,I lost (cuz I was a dumb 12 who kept wanting to use Fusion Flare instead of Dragonbreath on Zekrom)and was freaking out that all of the pokemon in the world would be released cuz I failed but then I was back in the room with his sisters' room I realised I could just go back and fight him again.

[@matthewhyman8795]

Hello there Josh! This is the first ever comment I've ever done, and I wanted it to be to you. Why, because you do great countdowns, good comedy, and great points on video games I didn't know about. Also, I have a suggestion for a countdown. First, here's a quick story. I used to fight a lot with my siblings, but I have a much better relationship now than before. I was wondering if you could do a list of good/great games that were released after bad ones. It's to show how far games have come since then. Ex: Metroid Prime 4 & Metriod Dread being released a while after Metriod: Other M, or Devil May Cry 5 being released a while after DMC: Devil May Cry. Hope you notice me and can't wait to see what you do for the 15th! ;)

[@hellonurd8957]

Porkey WAS originally going to die at the end of Mother 3. But it was scrapped for a reason I forgot.

[@longphan7656]

alot of the 2nd in command kind of villain just are weirdly well written even when they appear like once or twice Its like you kinda understand what power and what kind of mindset that person has to have in order to make themselves the top of everyone else in the army they serve aside from their own king/master

[@FletcherReedsRandomness]

Fawful’s battle is cool, but for me, Antasma’s battle kicks it out if the room. It’s batshit (pun intended) crazy, with moves that can literally SEPARATE DREAMY LUIGI FROM YOU, and put you to sleep and kill you in your dream. It’s also way harder and has incredible music.

[@MagusDouken]

Aren't we not stating that number is is the ULTIMATE Penultimate Boss because its the Penultimate of the Penultimate countdown!

[@LilithLonelyHeart]

Honestly can't wait for the list with Penultimate bosses that were better than the final ones, having at least 2 candidates for this from games I played really want to see your opinions

[@wobblewokgaming655]

What makes the fight with the Hollow Knight/the Pure Vessel is if you use the Dream Nail on him (which didn't make it into the game). The Hollow Knight: "...Kill..." "...Shall blaze free..." "...This Vessel, broken...fails..." "...Dawn...Shall break..." "...No mind, the usurper...Only strength..." "...Kill the usurper...Our light it would suffocate..." "...Father?..." Pure Vessel: "Do not think..." "Do not speak..." "Do not hope..." "Do not..." "..."

[@monkeykingw]

So, I absolutely /adore/ Asgore. The fight, the music, the story and build up and /all/ of that great stuff. But there is a single flaw to it that just rubs me the wrong way... the need to fight. Mostly in that, if you're like me and went Pacifist from the very start, it was a struggle. You're basically forced to learn on the spot the(albeit simple) mechanics of fighting and that you should have been upgrading your equipment all this time. Plus the whole "I've been playing the entire game by refusing to fight literally everything. There /has/ to be a way to do that for this". Cause despite trying to make it obvious that mercy wasn't an option by destroying it, it was an ingrained mindset that mercy would always be /the/ option.

[@ninjabros6282]

Yeah but honestly as a Story standpoint it also makes sense tho too like why would he destroy the Mercy option was it cause he's not showing you any Mercy or the opposite HE/Asgore isn't deserving of Mercy

[@monkeykingw]

@@ninjabros6282 I did say that I love the story part of this fight. But the critical side of my brain just can overlook how it is from a game design standpoint.

[@DarkDesperado25]

Me seeing the title and knowing Josh: Alright, where's Alice ranking?

[@williamcrowe2576]

I think King Dice was designed not only as a penultimate boss, but also one of many homages to the late Cab Calloway.

[@franciscojaviermendezrinco1902]

Sadly he didn't mention one of my favorite penultimate bosses. From Star Fox 64, if you take the hard way to Venom, in Venom you face Team Star Wolf, but with upgraded ships and god if your team lacks energy or don't have upgrades that is a hard battle.

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

"You're not so tough, just like your father!" Star Wolf

[@WhiteFangofWar]

Certainly overshadows Andross in difficulty.

[@markblackburn7563]

Dr. Nefarious fight in Ratchet & Clank: Crack In Time. Great fight against the game’s main antagonist, but the fight against the true final boss is a lot harder, greater story impact, and a lot more fun. You seriously need to play Ratchet & Clank games and end the bias.

[@rpgfan1187]

Off the top of my head, my personal favorites (regardless of whether or not I think they overshadow the final bosses): 1. Gehrman, the First Hunter (Bloodborne) -> Technically, he can be the final boss depending on what ending you obtain. 2. Ko-Shi & Ro-Shi (Nier: Automata) 3. Julius (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow) 4. Ghirahim, Final Encounter (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword) 5. Meta Ridley (Metroid Prime) 6. Asgore (Undertale) 7. N. Gin (Crash Bandicoot: Warped) 8. Bashmaster, the Unbreakable (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze) 9. Gulp (Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage) 10. Hollow Knight (Hollow Knight)

[@pokeperson1000]

That silent kaboom and credits