Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Final Fantasy 16. Proceed at your own risk.Final Fantasy 16was released this week, delivering one of the darkest and most mature RPG titles in recent memory. The title takes the series in a myriad of new directions, including a complex narrative that spans decades of traumatic loss amidst war-torn nations.Final Fantasy 16’s narrative takes more than a few pages out ofGame of Thrones, which is cited as a major influence for its darker tone. LikeGame of Thrones, the title features multiple jarring plot twists, as nations use any means possible to gain control of the Crystals, from which the world ofFinal Fantasy 16derives its magic. However,Final Fantasy 16undermines one of its biggest plot twists, spoiling a reveal that has major implications for its protagonist.
Final Fantasy 16tells the story of Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son to the King of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. In the world ofFinal Fantasy 16, individuals called Dominants share a deep connection with the series' summons, called Eikons, and can wield their power. However, Rosaria’s Eikon does not choose Clive, instead manifesting in his younger brother, Joshua. Clive is still gifted with some of the Phoenix’s power, and becomes Joshua’s main guard, or Shield. Unfortunately, Rosaria and its Dominant are attacked while Joshua and Clive are still young, and the latter watches first-hand as his brother is killed by a mysterious second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit. This loss sets Clive on a lifelong mission of revenge, setting the stage for the title’s 60-hour narrative, though the culprit is quite obvious.
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Final Fantasy 16’s Storytelling Undermines Its Joshua Reveal
Joshua’s death at the hands of Ifrit was suggested as early as June 2022’sFinal Fantasy 16’s Dominance trailer, and was touted as the singular event that set Clive on his lifelong path. However, the title’s unique storytelling, which features jumps between three distinct periods of Clive’s life, quickly threw that fate into question. Clive’s early life sees him hunting down the Dominant of Ifrit, a hooded man, whom he sees during moments of extreme emotion or mental duress. While the game suggests that this may be in Clive’s mind, narrative cutscenes occasionally switch to the journey of an unrelated hooded figure wielding fire abilities, who looks exactly like Joshua.
Final Fantasy 16’s Clive’s mental healthis thrown into question throughout the early narrative, but others begin to see the figure as well. Cid and Clive see him in the build-up to the battle with Garuda, having already seen his handiwork at Caer Norvent. Just a few chapters later, in Buried Memories, the player sees the figure recognize Clive and Jill from afar, further confirming his identity to fans. In The Crystal’s Curse, Joshua’s identity is fully confirmed, as he stops Ultima from killing Clive and Jill, during which Clive instantly recognizes him and catches a phoenix feather, before passing out.
Final Fantasy 16’s Lore Makes its Twist Apparent
The lore surroundingFinal Fantasy 16’s Eikons and Dominantsfollows a very specific set of rules. Eikons each control a specific element and hail from a specific area of the world. The Phoenix is usually inherited by firstborn heirs to the throne of the Duchy of Rosaria, and the previous dominant must die before a new one is gifted. The Phoenix chose Joshua as Dominant, but gifted Clive with fire magic as well, meaning that the two brothers are the only individuals on the planet that can wield such power until the day they die.
Joshua’s death sets the stage forFinal Fantasy 16’s narrative, but from the outset, it is clear that there is no third person capable of fire magic. With Clive confirmed to be Ifrit early on, the identity of the hooded figure is obvious. Not only is Joshua literally a phoenix, making the reveal even less surprising, but a new Dominant would need to be a child. Despite this major plot twist being undermined, the reveal of Joshua’s fate actually sets the stage for the title’s true narrative. By eradicating what fans thought to be the title’s primary focus, Joshua’s survival compellingly leads them into the unknown.
