Highlights
- Final Fantasy 16 showcases Bahamut, one of the most iconic summons in the franchise, with an impressive and unique depiction.
- Bahamut's lore is expanded in FF16, and its affiliation with the light element is atypical.
- Bahamut is a central character in the story, affiliated with the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and plays a key role in the empire's defense and expansion.
Final Fantasy 16 is the newest entry in a franchise that has existed for over 35 years. While summons such as Bahamut, Ifrit, and Shiva have been a part of the franchise since its early entries, this most recent installment elevated them to a whole new level. Bahamut especially holds a unique place in the series, appearing in almost every entry, including the first before the summons system was introduced. FF16's depiction of Bahamut is one of the coolest the series has ever pulled off, and its status as one of the Eikon's central to the story means that its lore in Final Fantasy 16 is equally impressive.
In the first Final Fantasy game, Bahamut was an NPC that could provide class upgrades to the player character. After this entry, however, Bahamut became a summonable entity. The dragon has gone on to become one of the most recognizable figures of the Final Fantasy series, appearing prominently in most games and receiving its own spin-off, Bahamut Lagoon. Bahamut typically has non-elemental magic attacks that disregard stats like defense and evasion and is often one of the most powerful summonable beasts in any given Final Fantasy game. With this in mind, it's unsurprising that the entity received the attention it did in FF16. In the sixteenth entry, Bahamut is affiliated with the light element, which is atypical.
Bahamut Is Important to The Empire of Sanbreque
In FF16, the world of Valisthea is broken into kingdoms. These kingdoms were founded by various elemental Motes, families that have repeatedly inherited the powers of Eikons. A Dominant, one who has the power of their respective Eikon, is born to each Mote every few generations. Bahamut is the Eikon of light, passed down by the Motes of Light that have come to rule The Holy Empire of Sanbreque. The nation is a theocracy dedicated to Greagor, and the dominant of Bahamut is heralded as the domain's champion, tasked with helping defend and expand the empire. Bahamut is a dragon, and the Sanbrequois typically think of dragons as servants of Greagor.
While the Dominant of Bahamut is respected, the emperor himself is seen as the flesh incarnation of Greagor. The dominant serves as the leader of the imperial army. Directly under the dominant is the Holy Order of the Knights Dragoon, a group of elite soldiers taught to fight as a dragon would. At the time of Final Fantasy 16, the Dominant of Bahamut is Dion Lesage, son of the current emperor of Sanbreque. Dion Lesage is notably the founder of the Holy Order of the Knights Dragoon that he leads and is a remarkably kind and caring man despite his status and incredible power.
The Eikons Hide a Dark Past
Toward the conclusion of Final Fantasy 16 players learn of the origins of the Eikons. Bahamut, like the other Eikons, was created by Ultima roughly 5000 years before the events of the game. Ultima and their society had used magic and eventually fell to the blight, as Valisthea is in the process of doing in the present time. The remaining group of Ultima's species created the Mothercrystals and empowered humanity to eventually create Mythos, an ideal vessel for Ultima to take and recreate their species' society. Mythos is meant to achieve its perfect form by absorbing all the Eikons. Clive, the game's protagonist, is intended to be the vessel, Mythos, for Ultima.
Final Fantasy 16 gives its iteration of Bahamut, the Eikon of Light, more extensive lore than previous entries in the franchise generally have. Dion is a central character, and his companionship with Clive and Joshua as the Dominant of Bahamut is a nice piece of symbolism since they are trying to defeat Barabas Tharmr, the dominant of Odin, the Eikon of darkness. While Bahamut is not typically associated with the element of light, the lore of the Greagorian church justifies the affiliation in this entry, and, in many ways, Final Fantasy 16's Bahamut is the most interesting and memorable iteration of the beast.
Final Fantasy 16 is available now on PS5.
