Clive doesn't have a dedicated party, unlike most games in the series. However, Final Fantasy 16 has a big cast of characters both big and small for fans to fall in love with. Some of them are only in the game for a single quest while others will be with Clive till the very end.
One of these characters is Torgal, Clive’s trusty hound. He’s a cute pup but doesn’t really have a personality worth putting on the list. Adorability can only go so far in Final Fantasy 16. So, who amongst the cast will be worth remembering instead? There will be spoilers to cover these eight characters’ greatest moments.
8 Midadol
Midadol comes into the game about halfway through once the five-year time jump occurs. She is a budding engineer who wants to help the resistance in any way possible. Her big quest involves Clive helping her build a lab followed by creating a ship.
Vehicles in this series have a storied history from ships to airships. While Midadol’s boat plays a pivotal role in the plot, it sadly cannot be driven. Missing vehicles aside, Midadol’s chipper demeanor makes her a valuable asset to the team kind of like Yuffie from Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
7 Nektar
Nektar is a cute name for a Moogle and they are the only one in the game. Nektar appeared at The Hideaway before Clive, but only Clive can understand it. Even though it only speaks in squeaks, this rambunctious little Moogle is full of stories. It might be the sassiest Moogle in the entire series.
Nektar is also a valuable team member because they man the Monster Hunt board for Clive with some of the toughest fights in Final Fantasy 16.
6 Benedikta
Benedikta is one of the earliest villains butting heads with Clive and his team. This ruthless woman will stop at nothing to get what she wants. On the surface, it seems like she is evil for the sake of being evil.
However, beneath it all, she’s a woman with a lost love complex via Cid. This ultimately leads to her demise in one of the most tragic deaths in the game that could have easily been avoided through discussion.
5 Joshua
Joshua was set up to die in the trailers leading up to Final Fantasy 16’s release and the beginning even makes that clear. However, this was a red herring to set up a bigger reveal later in the game. Joshua did not die and instead had been working tirelessly in the background.
What is going on with the Eikons and what about the Mother Crystals? It would be interesting to see what he was exactly doing behind the scenes but that may indeed come later. After all, Square Enix did make character DLC episodes for most of the main characters in Final Fantasy 15.
4 Clive
As far as main characters go, Clive is a pretty good one. There’s a lot to like about him above other classics like Cloud from Final Fantasy 7. Clive may start with a brooding attitude, but he evolves throughout the game. Clive has an arc that is more than some characters have in the series.
He loves his family, friends, kingdom, and even his animal companions. He has a heart of gold and will stop at nothing to see peace return to the land.
3 Byron
Byron is both Clive’s and Joshua’s uncle. For years, Byron thought he had lost his entire family. His brother and his two nephews were dead while his sister-in-law remained in power after her betrayal. Despite this darkness in his past, that did not deter Byron from pursuing justice.
He helped provide Gil to a resistance group to help the people in honor of his family. Then, after his nephews returned to him, Byron became a lovable goofball. He’s one of the funniest characters in the game let alone the entire Final Fantasy series.
2 Gav
Gav is one of the funnier characters in the game as well. Unlike Byron’s cheeriness, Gav’s comedy comes from a blunt and sarcastic level as one of those lovable rogue types. He doesn’t censor his words whether he is in a dire situation or one just involving drinks.
Despite losing an eye and almost dying several hundred times, Gav stays the course. He believes in the cause but more so than anything else, he believes in Cid. It would be disrespectful to quit when Cid gave his life.
1 Cid
Cid ranks up there as one of the best versions of the Cid in Final Fantasy history. He’s played by an excellent actor, Ralph Ineson, who also did a good job with Lorath in Diablo 4. He is a very apparent badass from the moment he walks into the game, rescuing Jill and Clive.
With the power of Ramuh at his side, it seemed like nothing could stop him. Unfortunately, time got the best of this warrior but his death was not in vain. Sadly, he left the game so soon, but his memory went on to help stop Ultima. Because of this sacrifice, this version of Cid might be the noblest yet and he is also effortlessly charming.
Final Fantasy 16 was released on June 22, 2023, and is available on PS5.