The latest game in the classic series, Final Fantasy 16, is finally here and brings with it a narrative full of suspenseful twists that carry players along for an immersive rollercoaster of emotions. With such a deep and involved story full of cinematics and battle sequences, there are obviously many surprises that fans will encounter along their journey with Clive Rosfield. One of the characteristics of the Final Fantasy series is the deep story that becomes unraveled throughout the experience of each individual game, and FF16 is even more heart-wrenching with its grittier and darker plot.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Final Fantasy 16.]
Final Fantasy 16 is a masterpiece in storytelling even besides its beautiful art design and smooth combat mechanics. The narrative that the game brings to life includes many twists and turns as Clive embarks on his journey with his friends and can often leave players in thoughtful moments of contemplation as many of the motivations and subverted expectations come to light. With his faithful dog, Torgal, by his side, and good friends along the journey, Clive's story is full of surprises for fans to discover.
10 Clive Is Actually Ifrit
The demo for Final Fantasy 16 already made this piece of information fairly obvious, but Clive is Ifrit, the Eikon of Fire, in the game. Clive was born as Ifrit's Dominant, as his younger brother Joshua was a Dominant with the Phoenix Eikon. During the demo scenes of the game, Ifrit kills Joshua, but Clive was not even aware that he was a Dominant.
9 Torgal The Dog Survives Final Fantasy 16
For many animal lovers, this spoiler is perhaps one of the most important to be able to enjoy the game. Torgal, Clive's loyal wolf companion, survives all the tragic events of Final Fantasy 16. Although he is involved in many of the fights throughout as a party member, Torgal makes it through everything better than most of the humans in the game. At the end of the game, Torgal is seen safe with Jill.
8 Torgal Is Fenrir's Descendant
Torgal was found by Archduke Elwin during an expedition through freezing snowfields and was given to Clive while still a puppy. This wolf is devoted to Clive but also is not simply an average wolf from the forest. Torgal is revealed to be a descendant of Fenrir, a recurring summoned Esper or Eidolon in previous Final Fantasy games.
7 Ultima Created The Mothercrystals
The aether is what provides the ability to do magic, and the giant crystals throughout Valisthea are understood to be sources of aether. Unbeknownst to many, Ultima was, in fact, the one who created the Mothercrystals, and they are pieces of Ultima that were separated from him in order to gather the aether from the land. Contrary to what is originally supposed, the destruction of the Mothercrystals is how the aether is fully harvested and transmitted to Ultima.
6 Joshua Eventually Survives
"Eventually" is the keyword here. Poor Joshua Rosfield faces death multiple times throughout Final Fantasy 16. His brother Clive witnesses Joshua's death twice, although once he was the cause of it while unknowingly becoming Ifrit, but in the end, Joshua survives. As the credits of the game roll, there is a book shown which was authored by none other than Joshua Rosfield himself.
5 Clive's Mom Betrays Him More Than Once
One of the antagonists of Final Fantasy 16 is Clive and Joshua's mother, Anabella Rosfield. She not only caused Rosaria's downfall by betraying her husband, but she also brought about Clive's enslavement. She is an evil woman who is driven by greed and sees herself as better than everyone. She is also responsible for forming the Black Shields unit, which is out to purge the land of escaped Bearers and anyone who is associated with them.
4 Sanbreque Gets Destroyed
The Holy Empire of Sanbreque is a nation where the people believe their emperor to be a living incarnation of their God. This large city has many quests in it for players to enjoy, but eventually meets a sad fate. It becomes leveled by the empire's own champion, Bahamut the Warden of Light, after Dion loses control following the accidental death of his father which was orchestrated by Ultima.
3 Odin Is A Servant Of Ultima
In Final Fantasy 16, Odin is a dark and threatening Eikon. He has an appearance of an armored knight on a spectral steed with a magical black blade. Odin's Dominant is Barnabus Tharmr, a servant of Ultima as well as the ruler of the Kingdom of Waloed. He becomes one of the main antagonists of the game and a powerful foe.
2 Cid Dies In Final Fantasy 16
Nearly every Final Fantasy game has featured a character named Cid, although they are each different from each other and can be a party member, NPC, or even an antagonist. In Final Fantasy 16, Cidolfus Telamon is the Dominant of Ramuh as well as an outlaw who tries to build a place of refuge for Bearers and Dominants. He is a close friend of Clive and in a powerful and emotionally moving scene, Cid saves Clive from Ultima before ing his powers on to Clive.
1 Clive Dies At The End Of The Game
At the end of Final Fantasy 16, Clive pays the ultimate price in ending Ultima and seeing that the power of the Mothercrystals is too much for any nation or individual to control. He destroys Origin and brings an end to the Mothercrystals, and later is seen washing up on a beach. When he tries to use magic, players see that his hand has started to transform into stone, the way Branded die after using too much aether. Torgal and Jill are shown in another area of the world, looking up into the sky and crying as the red star fades from the sky.
Final Fantasy 16 is a deeply moving and emotional experience as players follow the narrative of Clive's life and experiences with bringing peace to the land. There are many surprises and plot twists throughout the immersive game. Final Fantasy 16 tells its dark and gritty story through emotionally charged cutscenes and epic battles between massive Eikons that truly show the magnitude of power in the land.
