While as many as eight are shown in the Final Fantasy 16 trailer, fans should expect to see Final Fantasy’s most recurring summons like Leviathan, Carbuncle, Kjata, and the like. For a title that places summoning at its center, having as few as eight would put it at the lowest number of summons in a mainline game, tied with Final Fantasy 3 and Final Fantasy 10.
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Bahamut
Bahamut stands as arguably the most iconic summon in Final Fantasy. Unlike the other summons that were clearly drawn from mythological sources, Bahamut is most likely a unique blend of the Biblical stories and Dungeons & Dragons. Bahamut also holds the distinction of being the first summon in the franchise, first appearing in the original Final Fantasy game, though not as an actual summon spell.
Oddly enough, along with Donald Duck, Bahamut is one of the few characters to use Zettaflare, one of the most powerful spells in Final Fantasy and its related titles. Since Bahamut has always dealt heavy damage in each of his appearances, he has long been a fan-favorite summon.
Garuda
In contrast to Bahamut, Garuda is probably one of the lesser-known faces in the franchise, and one of the newest, first appearing in Final Fantasy 11. However, she has had many appearances in the latest Final Fantasy titles, and her prominence in the Final Fantasy 16 reveal trailer hints that Garuda could play a major role in the next game.
Garuda is a classic example of a summon whose origins are easy to trace. She is clearly inspired by Garuda from Hindu mythology; a demigod with kite wings who is typically described as the “king of the birds.” In the Final Fantasy series, Garuda boasts the same bird-like qualities and appears as a goddess with the powers of wind.
Ifrit
Ifrit is one of the most important summons in the Final Fantasy franchise, and its role in Final Fantasy 16 looks to be no different. While Ifrit is typically known as the first summon that players obtain, Final Fantasy 16 will present Ifrit as one of the main characters in the story.
In Final Fantasy 16, one of the nations, Rosaria, typically boasts an heir that is infused with fire abilities by the summon Phoenix. In the game, though, the eldest son of the Archduke of Rosaria, Clive, has been skipped over for his younger brother, Joshua, and instead of deriving his fire powers from Phoenix instead turns to a darker source in Ifrit.
Odin
Odin is another summon that may play a major role in Final Fantasy 16. As their banner suggests, the Kingdom of Waloed will boast Odin as one of their Eikons, with the King of Waloed being Odin’s Dominant. Though he is unlikely to play as central a role as Ifrit, Odin has typically been a mainstay in the Final Fantasy franchise, appearing in nearly all the older titles.
Like other summons, Odin’s roots are easy to trace. He is inspired by the Norse god, Odin, and is always depicted as carrying Odin’s spear, Gungnir, as well as riding atop his steed, Sleipnir. Although he is pulled from the Norse god, his appearance is typically that of a heavily armored knight, and his horse, Sleipnir, is usually depicted with either four or six legs, rather than eight as it is depicted in mythology.
Phoenix
A phoenix is a bird from Greek mythology that is typically associated with life and rebirth. In the Final Fantasy series, Phoenix is much the same. While Phoenix has typically been associated with Bahamut in past titles, Final Fantasy 16 looks to pit Phoenix directly against another fire-related summon, Ifrit.
Due to Clive’s facial markings, many fans have speculated that Phoenix will, at some point in the game, be responsible for reviving Clive at the behest of his brother, Joshua. Although, with Clive being the Dominant for Ifrit, it’s likely that the brothers will be fighting against one another in the present-day story.
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Ramuh
Ramuh takes on the appearance of an archetypal wizard with long white hair and a flowing beard. He wields lightning abilities and is known for his signature attack, Judgment Bolt, which is a powerful area-of-effect attack. While he is a relatively common figure in the series, he most recently appeared in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade: Yuffie DLC as a boss encounter.
Unlike the aforementioned summons, Ramuh has almost no clear mythological ties. His appearance is likely pulled from the Arthurian character Merlin, and his name could be loosely tied to the Hebrew word for “thunder,” which would fit with his abilities, but both ideas are merely fan theories.
Shiva
Shiva is right up there with Bahamut as one of the most iconic summons in the franchise. Shiva has evolved significantly from her origin in Final Fantasy 3, but has consistently appeared as an ice-based summon. Like Ramuh’s ability, Shiva’s ability, Diamond Dust, is an area-of-effect attack but applies frost damage to enemies.
It’s been speculated that Jill could be Shiva’s Dominant in Final Fantasy 16. She is the middle sibling between Clive and Joshua, and pairing her with an ice-based Eikon while her brothers are both paired with fire-based Eikon could make for an interesting angle.
Titan
Titan is another character that has appeared in the franchise multiple times from Final Fantasy 3 to Final Fantasy 15, but has changed rather significantly. Titan has always stayed true to its Greek mythological roots and has always been a hulking humanoid figure that deals Earth-based damage, but has slowly grown in size over the course of the franchise. In Final Fantasy 16, Titan appears to be significantly larger than the other summons.
The trailer also shows Titan pitted against Shiva, possibly suggesting a war between the Dhalmekian Republic, which controls Titan, and Rosaria, which controls Shiva, Phoenix, and Ifrit.
Final Fantasy 16 will launch in summer 2023, exclusively for PlayStation 5.
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