SPOILER WARNING: This feature contains major spoilers about the story events of Final Fantasy 16.It was inevitable that Final Fantasy 16 would make plenty of references to older FF classics (and Lord of the Rings, for that matter), yet I was particularly delighted by the strong parallels it shares with my all-time series favorite, Final Fantasy 6. Once I noticed these callbacks during the first five hours of my playthrough, they became impossible to ignore.
The setting of both games is remarkably similar, depicting a society marked by social segregation and a hierarchy based on the existence of magical beings. In Final Fantasy 16, these beings are called Eikons, and those who are granted their powers and the ability to use magic are known as the Branded. Despite their strength, the Branded (like our protagonist Clive Rosefield) are enslaved and considered expendable in warfare, which exactly mirrors the mistreatment of magic-wielding humans in Final Fantasy 6, such as protagonist, Terra Branford.
Terra and Clive share striking parallels in their respective identities, with Terra being a unique individual born from the union of a human and an Esper (FF6's Eikon equivalents). From the moment she appears on-screen, Terra is shown to be enslaved and exploited by the Gestahlian Empire as a powerless servant, stripped of her autonomy and forced into warfare. In the same vein, Clive also starts out as a special human who inherits his family's royal blood and Fire magic abilities, but is sadly rejected by the Eikon Phoenix. This rejection causes his mother to completely disregard him, relegating him to the front lines like a disposable tool of war as shown in the prologue war scene.
The common thread here is how Clive and Terra's identities are deeply influenced by the harsh circumstances of their births, things that they had no control from the moment they entered the world, nor things they can get rid of; how can they when the magical powers are deeply ingrained in their blood and souls?
Terra and Clive both experience psychological tolls because of this harsh treatment. Terra, who's become known for her seemingly apathetic demeanor, lacks the typical human attributes of purpose, goals, and even romantic ardor thanks to years of enslavement. The ravages of war and its aftermath in Final Fantasy 16 brands Clive with a resembling disposition. He refrains from embracing his childhood friend Jill when she gets a chill, as he prioritizes his role as a soldier at the expense of his own personal happiness, and after his brother Joshua’s death, he stops thinking about anything but revenge.
Even when he reunites with Jill again years later, Clive engages her in combat before even taking a glance at her face to recognize her; like Terra, his worldview is dominated by his past hardships and the trauma of war. This deeper exploration of the inner turmoil of war victims is something that is explored in depth through Terra's character in Final Fantasy 6, and it's interesting to see this theme explored with its own twist in Final Fantasy 16 through Clive.
Both Clive and Jill rediscover their inner humanity by joining resistance groups dedicated to making positive change in the world. In Final Fantasy 6, it is the Returners, while in Final Fantasy 16, it is Cidolphus's faction, which is comprised of former Branded individuals.
And maybe I'm reaching here, but indulge me.I think there's a solid parallel to be drawn between Clive saving Jill from enslavement upon recognizing her during the prologue war, and Locke's rescue of Terra in Final Fantasy 6 (seeing as the rescue saves both from enslavement and lack of purpose).
But even if that's a parallel too far, the commonalities between FF16 and FF6 are undeniable. I've already stumbled upon plenty of nods to other Final Fantasy entries (surely you've spotted the homage to Final Fantasy 4's Kain in the battle with the Knight Of The Blinding Dawn?), and I can't wait to uncover more.