Not much has been shown so far regarding Final Fantasy 16, but there’s enough out there that many fans are excited for the return of a medieval fantasy setting. At the same time, while the world is clearly one not so far advanced as Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 15, there’s talk about mother crystals, Eikons, and more that sound straight up Final Fantasy’s alley.
At the heart of is a trio of characters: Clive, Joshua, and Jill. Unlike FF7 and FF15, it doesn’t seem Final Fantasy 16 has a party system (though the jury is still out). Notably, the combat footage in the trailer doesn’t seem to be at the final-product stage, and its official UI could have betray this depiction of a solo game. FF games are often about parties and heroes, after all, so it’s odd to see Clive fighting alone. However, even if the game doesn’t have a party system, this doesn’t prevent a story from developing with the relationship between these characters at the fore. Clearly, these three characters are vital to the plot, and while a lot remains to be seen, it is possible to draw some strings between Clive, Joshua, and Jill.
Clive appears to be the sole, main character in Final Fantasy 16. Shown as a grizzly older fighter with a scar across his face and as a younger man who is “Joshua’s Shield,” there’s some indication that there’s a time skip at some point. Clive is able to wield abilities seemingly inspired by various Eikons, with one of his primary being shown that of a fiery wing, clearly taking from the Phoenix (Joshua is the Dominant of this Eikon).
Clive’s biography paints him as a great warrior, with the trailer showing that he’s been set on a path for revenge. It seems that the initial FF16 trailer may have just shown the early moments of the game, as Clive’s biography seemingly indicates that Joshua dies due to the dark Eikon Ifrit.
The firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Though all expected him to inherit the Phoenix’s flames and awaken as its Dominant, destiny instead chose his younger brother Joshua to bear this burden. In search of a role of his own, Clive dedicated himself to mastering the blade. His practice pays off when, at just fifteen years of age, he wins the ducal tournament and is dubbed the First Shield of Rosaria—tasked to guard the Phoenix and blessed with the ability to wield a part of his fire. Alas, Clive’s promising career is to end in tragedy at the hands of a mysterious dark Eikon, Ifrit, setting him on a dangerous road to revenge.
Not too much is known about the particular complexities behind Final Fantasy 16‘s summons, Eikons, Dominants, and more quite yet, but the fact that the official biography refers to Ifrit as a “dark” Eikon seems to suggest that there are at least some “pairs” of Eikons. In this particular case, it would seem the Phoenix is the standard or “good” Eikon of Fire while Ifrit is the dark one. Somehow, the trailer indicates Joshua is swept up and/or transformed into Ifrit, and this may very well be the reason Clive is pursuing revenge. Interestingly, it’s possible in this form of storytelling that Joshua is being teased as gone yet somehow still alive. After all, there’s some type of war going on with FF16‘s older Clive.
The second son of the Archduke of Rosaria and Clive’s younger brother by five years. Joshua awoke as the Dominant of the Phoenix soon after his birth. Despite his noble upbringing, Joshua treats all his father’s subjects with warmth and affection—none more so than Clive, whom he deeply admires. Joshua often laments that it was he, the frail and bookish younger son, who was granted command of the firebird’s flames, and not his stronger, braver brother. While Clive will gladly throw himself into any danger, Joshua quails at the sight of a carrot on his dinner plate. But carrots become the least of his concern when he, too, is swept up into the tragic events that change Clive’s life forever.
The final member of Final Fantasy 16‘s main trio is Jill Warrick, who remains the most mysterious of the three. She is a ward of Rosaria, taken as a child and raised alongside Joshua and Clive. Despite arguably being their sister as they were raised together, it’s notable that the phrased used in her bio is “confidant.” In such stories, wards such as Jill typically take a backseat if they are not important, only really being elevated with the main cast if they are going to betray them. As dark as this prediction may seem, one could look at Theon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones as proof.
Born in the fallen Northern Territories, Jill was taken from her homeland at a tender age to become a ward of Rosaria, securing peace between the two warring nations. The Archduke insisted that she be raised alongside his sons, and now, at twelve years of age, she is as much a part of the Rosfield household as Clive and Joshua. Ever kind, gracious, and unassuming, Jill has become a trusted confidant to the brothers.
It may not be her intent—she is just a 12-year-old child after all—but Jill may just have something to do with the summoning of Ifrit. Everything about Jill lines up, though, in the form of subtle teases: “War” is in her last name, there was a war being fought by Clive and others, in which one soldier states “how do we even know the girl will be among them?,” and more. At the end of the day, Final Fantasy 16 players have no reason to distrust Jill yet, but perhaps they should. Or perhaps she is just a Red Herring for a much larger theat.
How the dynamic between Final Fantasy 16‘s Joshua, Clive, and Jill plays out exactly remains to be seen, but it seems to be a fantasy tale complete with kingdoms at war, crystals at play, betrayals at heart, and revenge in mind.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development.
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