WARNING: Major Final Fantasy 16 spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.
The four-legged companions in Final Fantasy 16 and God of War Ragnarok share a unique connection. The beautiful gray wolf Torgal that accompanies Clive on his adventure through Final Fantasy 16 shares ties with the same mythology as Kratos and Atreus’s wolf companions.
Players of God of War Ragnarok may remember Kratos and Atreus’s three wolf companions: the sled carriers, Speki and Svanna, and the moon chasing Fenrir. Atreus’s beloved pets Speki and Svanna help Kratos and Atreus traverse Midgard during Fimbulwinter. Fenrir begins God of War: Ragnarok as an older, ill wolf before Atreus resurrects him in Helheim. Final Fantasy 16 does not contain the same cast of friendly wolves, but Torgal more than holds his own. This is especially true after the game’s twenty-eighth main mission “Capital Punishment” where Torgal is revealed to also be the game’s only four-legged Dominant.
Torgal the Dominant and God of War Ragnarok's Fenrir
During an intense and stressful moment when Clive’s companion Jill is to be executed, Torgal takes the form of the Dominant of Fenrir. In his Dominant form, Torgal saves Jill and surprises the other accompanying NPCs. It is soon revealed that although the wolf is Clive’s consistent travel and battle companion the mythology of the Dominants in Final Fantasy 16 that the Dominant of Fenrir is determined by companionship with the Dominant of Eikon Shiva. As Clive notes after the reveal, “Torgal and Jill were inseparable. He grew up as a faithful companion to the Dominant of Shiva, and years later, his powers awakened just when his master needed him most.”
Torgal’s connections with Jill and Clive parallel Fenrir’s relationship in God of War Ragnarok with not only Atreus but also Angrboda. In both cases, the original creator or owner of the pet—Atreus and Jill—transfer ownership of the wolf to a loved one who either needs the companion (Clive) or is better suited to care for the animal (Angrboda). The pet proves to be a faithful companion to both parties as the narratives unfold. He not only protects Jill and helps Clive while fighting, but Torgal will also assist with finding objects with Torgal's Animal Instincts.
Fenrir then further connects both Final Fantasy 16 and God of War Ragnarok to each other and the Norse narratives that inspire their versions of the wolf companion. Notably, both games also feature their own version of an antagonistic Odin. The two game’s versions of the wolf differ from the Fenrir of Norse mythology, while also signaling a similar transformation occurring within the game’s narrative. Fenrir’s arrival marks a transformative shift in the power dynamics. The arrival of Fenrir in both games and in mythology marks a changing world and an end to the previous one—at least in the way that characters once understood it.
Change is a pretty consistent theme in the Final Fantasy and God of War series. While Fenrir made his first series appearance in God of War Ragnarok, the wolf is a staple of the Final Fantasy series. For instance, Fenrir is a summon in Final Fantasy 6, 9, and 11. Like Final Fantasy 16’s Eikons, each of these summons’ lore is carefully interwoven with the magic of these games, but their entrance is not nearly as impactful or transformative as Torgal’s. Fenrir is also an incredible mount in Final Fantasy 14.
Players can pet these two good boys in Final Fantasy 16 and God of War Ragnarok. The companions also make useful partners in combat. Fenrir is not as present during playtime in God of War Ragnarok as Torgal is throughout Final Fantasy 16, but Fenrir does help Atreus and Kratos during the final fight in Asgard. As an AI party member, Torgal is a consistent companion that offers assistance as he attacks enemies and heals Clive.
Final Fantasy 16 is available now for PS5. God of War Ragnarok is available for both PS4 and PS5.
