The Final Fantasy series is best known for having some of the most engaging and breathtaking moments in the game, with some of the most unique and out-of-the-blue plot twists that make ripples across the world!
Final Fantasy XVI is no exception to this unwritten rule as well! With its more grounded and realistic approach inspired by the famous “Game of Thrones” Television Programme, we’re off to see some unique “executions” (pun intended) of these twists and turns that will occur within the story.
Of course, we get to see some very heartwarming and moving scenes as well that will make us want to get tissue papers as soon as possible. Now, without further ado, let’s get on with the best moments within the game! The following will be arranged in chronological order as the game plays out.
10. Every moment spent with Cid
Witness every moment of Cid here.
There is a proper tradition in the Final Fantasy franchise: you can’t have a Final Fantasy game without the following things occurring in the game at any costs. These are Moogles, Chocobos, characters with the names of Biggs, Wedge and Cid.
We may not have gotten Biggs and Wedge in the game but this iteration of Cid known as Cidolfus Telamon, the Dominant of the Eikon Ramuh, Warden of Thunder, is probably the best one yet!
Voiced by none other than Ralph Ineson, who played Dagmer Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones, his charisma and manner of speaking always draw us in awe! Seeing the two have their banter against one another as he becomes the mentor for Clive as well is surely fun to watch!
9. Confrontation with Benedikta
Watch Benedikta here.
Next up, we have every confrontation done with Benedikta right here. This is included in one of the top moments on the list because of the fact that some secrets regarding Cid are revealed, and the relationship between Benedikta and Cid is also unearthed, something that Clive, as well as us players, are also shocked to hear.
What’s more is that Benedikta’s rise to power, as well as her Eikon Awakening Moment, was heart-wrenching as well. Her being a slave girl and eventually being saved by Cid, only to be left by him in the end. No wonder she has a very hard time trusting people.
What takes the cake for me is when Clive snatches her powers and shows her true vulnerability, only for her to awaken as Garuda and begin the Eikon fight. You know that both sides aren’t going down without a fight.
8. Ifrit’s Return and Awakening
Watch the moment here.
Probably, one of, if not THE most shocking revelations in-game is Clive Awakening as Ifrit, the second Eikon of Fire, the Warden of Inferno. If you played the prologue earlier and wondered who was the Dominant of Ifrit that killed Joshua in the “Night of Flames”
Only adding more fuel to the ongoing mystery, Clive never realized that he was Ifrit and that he was the one who killed Joshua that night. It’s only after he has transformed and killed Garuda/Benedikta and taken a beating from Ramuh that makes him realize that.
A worthy addition to the list and makes Clive question himself and his role in all of Valisthea’s fate. Who knows? Maybe Joshua might have survived after all.
7. Accepting the Truth
Witness the complete revelation here.
Probably the most jaw-dropping and heart-pumping moment in the whole game. This should’ve made the top spot of the list, but we can’t do that since we’re going chronologically.
After Clive finds out about the whole ordeal and goes towards the Phoenix Gate ruins and reaches the center of The Apothedtary, Clive faces his inner demons and confronts his self-hatred and fear personified, only for him to finally accept that Clive is Ifrit’s Dominant, and he is the one who attacked Joshua on the “Night of Flames.”
The fight in itself, accompanied by Clive’s Theme “Find the Flame,” pumps our blood with excitement and makes this moment all the more memorable.
6. Destruction of Drake’s Head and Joshua’s Return
Witness Joshua's Return here.
The Destruction of Drake’s head, a Symbol of Power for Oriflamme and the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, was an important event that marked the beginning of the destruction of both the Empire and the Mothercrystals scattered across Valisthea. It also marks the mid-point of the game.
After Cid’s untimely death and Typhon being defeated, Ultima makes his first-ever appearance, bringing another character into the action, Joshua Rosfield. It turns out that he has survived the events of the “Night of Flames” and has come to save Clive and Jill from Ultima’s clutches by sealing him within himself.
This is a VERY pivotal point of the game since Oriflamme’s Ambitions do not die down, and it is after this moment that Hugo Kupka’s onslaught catches up with the rest of the party.
5. The Grudge Match with Hugo Kupka
Watch the battle unfold here.
Probably one of the most eagerly awaited moments in the game, and considering the crimes that Hugo Kupka did just to lure Clive out, I’d say it was very well worth the wait!
Once Kupka found out that Benedikta was beheaded by “Cid,” he went on to completely destroy the hideaway and was out for blood for Cid’s head. It wasn’t until Cid’s real identity was revealed to him by Annabella, Clive’s mother and traitor, who then attacked Rosalith to lure him out.
After delaying Jill’s execution, Clive confronts Kupka in his very own throne room where the latter destroys the throne with his own two hands. It’s when Clive finally reveals to Kupka that it wasn’t “Cid” who killed Benedikta but Clive himself; the ensuing trash talk and the “Now, Die!” delivery between the two makes this fight one to remember for the ages.
4. Byron Rosfield
Witness his reveal here.
Who knew that Clive’s father had a younger brother within the Royal Ducal Family of Rosaria? And that, too, a wealthy businessman. Since he was the youngest and always out for adventure, he left the Royal Family to make a fortune of his own in Port Isolde.
Since Annabella’s treachery, he posed as a loyal puppet to the Empire but secretly funded the rebellion growing within the Rosarians, colloquially known as “Guardian of The Flames”. Imagine the reaction when he got to know that Clive came back to visit him after so many years from the Night of Flames incident.
If not for the “The Saint and The Sectary” play that both of them played, they never would’ve recognized one another. Oh, well. Here’s another tear-jerking moment.
3. Dion’s Coup and Sylvester’s Death
See the whole coup here.
We’ve reached #3 on the list, so you know this is going to be some worthy jaw-dropping moment reaching peak “Game of Thrones” level of plot twists.
This was basically what happened during Twinside that caused Dion to go berserk. He finally planned to overthrow his father once he figured out that Sylvester Lesage is completely influenced by Annabella, who’s now a power-hungry tyrant, and to make matters worse, Sylvester named Olivier (Annabella’s son) as the new king of the Empire.
This didn’t sit well with Dion and immediately launched the coup to dethrone him, but once Olivier showed his true colors by being Ultima’s minion, he threw his lance towards him only to find out that it stabbed Sylvester instead of him. This is what caused him to go berserk in the first place.
It’s a good thing that when Dion awakes, the first thing he does is turn Olivier into a Shish Kebob.
2. Clive’s Punch to Ultima’s Face
Witness the epic moment right here.
The final boss fights of the Final Fantasy series are known to be climatic and memorable. (Sometimes long as well, but thankfully, this is not the case with this boss fight.)
Ultima, the main antagonist for the sixteenth entry in the Final Fantasy series, transforms into Ultimalius and uses every single Eikon ability against Clive (which he counters, of course.), only to be defeated by him in the end.
But the manner in which Ultima is brought down is oh-so soothing! It will definitely go down as video game history’s most satisfying moments, guaranteed!
1. The Ending
Witness the end here.
And on top is, of course, the ending of the game. This is a tear-jerking moment like all the other endings in the mainline games of the Final Fantasy series.
With Joshua finally dying after holding out for so long against Ultima and receiving Joshua’s Power, making Clive the wielder of all 8 Eikon’s powers, aptly known as Mythos, he makes one final wish, that is to erase magic completely, once and for all.
This helps to remove the curse and stigma of the Bearers present within the Valisthean society. It also sparks the great debate of whether Clive survived or died in the end. I bet that he lives. How else did you get Final Fantasy written by Joshua Rosfield at the very end? The hints are there if you play the sidequests before making for Origin.
And that’s about it with the best moments in-game. Hope you have a great one ahead.
