With spring 2022 well underway,Final Fantasyfans are on the lookout for any trace ofFinal Fantasy 16news. After a significant delay was declared at the end of 2021, a proper announcement was promised for this spring. At the moment, a prominentFinal Fantasy 16showing feels likely for the mid-June trade show season. TheFFcommunity is keen on hearing more about this new action-RPG effort from the minds behind the award-winningFinal Fantasy 14 Heavenswardexpansion.
In the meantime,FF16’s initial reveal gave players a fair amount of information to mull over. The protagonist Clive Rosfield was revealed alongside his family and duchy, and other warring nations of the world were also expanded upon. Most countries hold key figures called Dominants in some esteemed position, whether they be the ruler of the nation or its champion.The Iron Kingdom is notably averseto this, but aside from that these individuals are respected due to their ability to channel and summon the mighty Eikons. These Eikons are all traditionalFinal Fantasysummons, and while several have been revealed, there is a case to be made that one more iconic figure was slipped intoFinal Fantasy 16’s reveal information: Odin.
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Final Fantasy 16 Hid Odin Among Its Preliminary Details
Thesix global superpowers of Valistheaare detailed on theFinal Fantasy 16website, complete with their national banners and rough placement on a world map. The Grand Duchy of Rosaria employs a banner that clearly shows Phoenix, the Eikon of Fire. The Holy Empire of Sanbreque uses an insignia that contains two dragons who resemble Leviathan, though it’s unclear if the humanoid figure above them is the Holy Emperor or Shiva. The Dhalmekian Republic does not employ any imagery related to its Eikon Titan but does prominently feature earthy tones on its banner. The last nation to host a politically relevant Dominant, the Kingdom of Waloed, does not display an Eikon specifically, but does show off a creature possibly linked to one.
Waloed’s banner resembles a European coat of arms, fitting in that it is a kingdom stretching across the east side of Valisthea. The primary image on this is a six-legged horse with a description perfectly matching Sleipnir, the steed of Odin. Whiletraditional Norse mythology portrays Sleipniras having eight legs,Final Fantasyhas switched between four and six-legged interpretations, though Odin always present in some way. The King of Waloed is the Kingdom’s Dominant, and being a warrior king makes him the perfect candidate for channeling the mighty Odin.
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Odin’s History in Final Fantasy
Final Fantasyhas regularly played host to Odin sinceFinal Fantasy 3on NES. Odin is typically portrayed as a sinister-looking knight who is usually astride his horse Sleipnir. While he originally fought with a scimitar and shield, he later began using the lance Gungnir as well. Odin’s signature technique is Zantetsuken, a powerful slash that hits all enemies with a chance of instant death. Odin has missed out on a couple of mainlineFinal Fantasygames including10,12, and15, but as he is considered one of the classic summons,FFgames tend to include Odinmore often than not.
Odin has one particular trait that links toFinal Fantasy 16. InFinal Fantasy 3through6, the player obtains Odin within a secret passage in a castle. While there is not always a clear reason for this,Final Fantasy 4has the assassinated King of Baron take the role of Odin after his death. Considering theFinal Fantasy 14developers' respect for older titles, and their efforts to returnFinal Fantasy 16to its fantasy adventure roots, this plot point may pop up again in16. It’s likely Clive will need to fight his way up to the King of Waloed and defeat him in battle before gaining access to Odin’s aid. How it works is not entirely clear yet, but the implication of Clive gaining the powers of multiple Eikons in his left arm raises some interesting possibilities for the death-centric summon.
How Odin Could be Integrated into Final Fantasy 16
If these clues amount to anything, it looks like Odin may play a fairly prominent role inFinal Fantasy 16. During the climax of a story arc, Clive Rosfield will need to either wrest control of Odin away from his Dominant or be lent Odin’s power in a desperate situation. Thanks toFinal Fantasy 16’s focus on politics, mercenaries, and warring countries, there are a myriad of ways for this situation to come about. In the end, the only thing players will want to see is the powerful Zantetsuken technique in their hands. There’s a good chance this could play out like theBreaker Job inStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, with this powerful ability coming packaged with the rest of Odin’s powers.
There are a couple of ways that Odin could be utilized, mostly involving his horse. There is a distinct possibility that Sleipnir could be summoned separately from Odin, giving the King a special mount to ride into battle. If Clive needs to cross open-world areas inFinal Fantasy 16, gaining Sleipnir as an option would fit the seemingly solo protagonist.Final Fantasy 16could mark thefirst time sinceFinal Fantasy 9that a six-legged Sleipnir is portrayed in a numberedFinal Fantasy, so hopefully Waloed’s banner rings true. Having Odin play such a large role in a newFinal Fantasyfeels appropriate given the general prominence of summons in16.
Final Fantasy 16is in development for PS5.
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