With spring 2022 well underway, Final Fantasy fans are on the lookout for any trace of Final Fantasy 16 news. After a significant delay was declared at the end of 2021, a proper announcement was promised for this spring. At the moment, a prominent Final Fantasy 16 showing feels likely for the mid-June trade show season. The FF community is keen on hearing more about this new action-RPG effort from the minds behind the award-winning Final Fantasy 14 Heavensward expansion.
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 averse to this, but aside from that these individuals are respected due to their ability to channel and summon the mighty Eikons. These Eikons are all traditional Final Fantasy summons, and while several have been revealed, there is a case to be made that one more iconic figure was slipped into Final Fantasy 16’s reveal information: Odin.
Final Fantasy 16 Hid Odin Among Its Preliminary Details
The six global superpowers of Valisthea are detailed on the Final Fantasy 16 website, 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. While traditional Norse mythology portrays Sleipnir as having eight legs, Final Fantasy has 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.
Odin's History in Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy has regularly played host to Odin since Final Fantasy 3 on 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 mainline Final Fantasy games including 10, 12, and 15, but as he is considered one of the classic summons, FF games tend to include Odin more often than not.
Odin has one particular trait that links to Final Fantasy 16. In Final Fantasy 3 through 6, the player obtains Odin within a secret passage in a castle. While there is not always a clear reason for this, Final Fantasy 4 has the assassinated King of Baron take the role of Odin after his death. Considering the Final Fantasy 14 developers' respect for older titles, and their efforts to return Final Fantasy 16 to its fantasy adventure roots, this plot point may pop up again in 16. 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 in Final 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 to Final 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 the Breaker Job in Stranger 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 in Final Fantasy 16, gaining Sleipnir as an option would fit the seemingly solo protagonist. Final Fantasy 16 could mark the first time since Final Fantasy 9 that a six-legged Sleipnir is portrayed in a numbered Final Fantasy, so hopefully Waloed's banner rings true. Having Odin play such a large role in a new Final Fantasy feels appropriate given the general prominence of summons in 16.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.