As Square Enix's Final Fantasy 16 demo has given fans a taste of what to expect with its 2-hour story prologue and short combat-focused 'Eikonic Challenge' mode, the comparison to a familiar character from HBO's Game of Thrones is clear to see. Fans who are familiar with the series and have dived into the aforementioned opening experience of Final Fantasy 16 would have quickly realized that Clive Rosfield and Jon Snow are not only similar in physical appearance but both in narrative and personality perspectives.
Since the main themes of both stories touch on betrayal, coming of age, and revenge, regarding both characters, it means there are a plethora of experiences and dark past stories that are explored in both titles keeping the pair alike, and this is already evident based on the game's prologue.
Warning: Minor spoilers for FF16, and major spoilers for Game of Thrones
5 Family Deaths
While it was later revealed and hinted at throughout Game of Thrones that Jon Snow was not Ned Stark's bastard son but the son of Rheagar Targaryen, Jon still lost almost his entire family. Clive's father Elwin dies via beheading in front of the youngest child, Joshua Rosfield, which is reminiscent of Ned Stark's beheading.
In the aftermath of Elwin's death, Joshua's Phoenix takes complete control leading to a battle between Ifrit and a heartbreaking death for Clive's younger brother. While Game of Thrones does not primarily focus on Jon Snow as the main character in the aftermath of these deaths given the plethora of stories and other main characters within the series, it is clear that during Jon's time at the Night's Watch, he grew into a far more formidable and confident soldier, in the same vein that Final Fantasy 16's Clive does after losing his loved ones.
4 Wolf Companion
If the similarities between these two characters were not clear enough already, the presence of their pet wolves is certainly no coincidence. Clive bonds with his new pet wolf Torgal at a young age, as players will have seen during the 2-hour prologue within the demo, leading into the pair being fully grown during the 'Eikonic Challenge'. Jon Snow was also gifted a Direwolf at a young age named Ghost.
Just as players will have Torgal at their side during the game at their command, Jon Snow had Ghost by his side throughout his time with the Night's Watch, and reuniting together once again at the end of the series. While this does not stand as a specific characteristic between the two characters, it is most definitely another factor that draws the pair much closer and similar within each of the two worlds.
3 Forced To Serve
Given the dire circumstances in both stories, with Jon Snow having nowhere left to go but the Night's Watch given his title as a bastard son after being rejected by Catelyn Stark, and Clive despised by his mother as he was rejected by the Phoenix and forced to serve as a soldier, both characters were saved by their perceived potential in combat.
Not only did the very act of the pair having to serve stand as the prominent factor in saving their lives, but it also meant that they were well-equipped to go on their journey of becoming well-recognized soldiers and reclaiming the positions they belonged in, specifically Jon Snow. While the ending of Game of Thrones was massively controversial to a variety of fans, fans hope that George R.R. Martin's remaining books will stick the landing, and Final Fantasy 16 seems to be building towards Clive being a chosen one-like figure.
2 Outcast In The Family
Despite Clive Rosfield not being known as a bastard child like Jon Snow in the Stark family, his mother Anabella Rosfield contains pure disdain and hatred towards Clive and betrays him simply because he was thought to lack the power of Dominant of the Phoenix as aforementioned. In the aftermath of Elwin's death and Joshua's Phoenix rampage, it is revealed that Clive is the second Dominant of Fire known as Ifrit.
This is very reminiscent of Jon Snow being shunned by Catelyn Stark as she believed he was the result of her husband Ned's affair, while Jon is actually the rightful heir to the Iron Throne as Aegon Targaryen. While the focus in Final Fantasy 16 will revolve around Clive's discovery of Joshua's death from Ifrit, the similarities here are undeniable.
1 Revenge Path
Both characters are betrayed and wronged by those close to them, with Jon murdered at the hands of other Night's Watch members before being brought back to life, and Clive viewed as a tool of his mother to the point where his death was suggested. As fans of Game of Thrones will be aware, Jon was able to complete his revenge and execute those who had stabbed him in the back, literally.
With Final Fantasy 16, Clive's revenge will potentially range between multiple characters, from his mother to those responsible for his father's death, and whatever led to Ifrit killing Joshua.
Final Fantasy 16 is currently available on PS5.