Final Fantasy 16 - Story & Ending Explained

[@HatterCat2245]

One of my favourite things about this game is just how much characters openly love each other. Lots hugging, kissing, touching foreheads and the like. It’s really refreshing to see how much the crew like each other and show with more than words that they hold each other dear. Like I was so happy to see Clive and Gav hug after Gav moved away the first time. I love that these guys love each other

[@corwinchapman8270]

Gav sobbing into Clive's shoulder before leaving for Origin 🥲

[@Rithysak101]

Love is the main theme of the game according to the developers.

[@gomezaddams9221]

Final FaceDown Azz Up 16

[@Cryosxify]

wish Jill and clive were much closer after the five year time skip, it kinda only picked up towards the end

[@bigbangrafa8435]

A great contrast to how dirty they did to Noctis and Ardyn in FFXV, where they were basically tied by fate to be equally screwed by the will of the summons/gods of their world. Here the lesson was basically the opposite, that humans have the power to decide their fate and even conquer It through sheer conviction and the bonds we form with each other, a way better theme for a FF game in my opinion.

[@crisislegacy1]

One thing you missed about Jill, she didn’t grow up with the Rosfields because ‘she needed somewhere new to live due to the Blight’. The northern territories rose against Rosaria & after putting the rebellion down, the archduke took a northern Princess back with him as a ‘ward’ (hostage) to ensure they remained docile. Pretty common in medieval times to do so, often with the expectation that the ward would marry into the royal line thus uniting the factions and prolonging the peace.

[@BGBPW]

Thank you for making the comment or I was going to. But I’m also wondering if she wasn’t the actual daughter to Imreann… I could have sworn she referred to him as “father” when she ran her sword through him.

[@portablecar5328]

@@BGBPW She said "father" because he's a priest to the mothercrystal religion. The iron kingdom worships the mothercrystals and Imreann is one of the highest ranking priests hence "father"

[@loto7197]

Her family gave her away to the rosfields, they didn't take her hostage. It's said in the story quite a few times including the ATL

[@billybatts8283]

Jill is basically Theon Greyjoy only, well...

[@arisrayden]

im actually questioning whether gingy wrote the script for this. he mispronounces a couple of things consistently which i find weird if he has actually played the game

[@andylizarralde3485]

I kept thinking Torgal would meet his demise, but we can all breathe a sigh of relief that he lives!

[@bluesrike]

When it wasn't certain that Torgal would survive, I said that I would turn the Eikons into Ei-gone.

[@brendo508]

Dude same here. The second I saw him run up to Clive as a puppy I was certain he was going to die. So happy I was wrong

[@066kshitizvsingh4]

Ghost of Tsushima made me extremely paranoid about the safety of my animal companions.

[@sailorcaramel]

Not him! He's the main character! 😅

[@jamies3205]

Right?? I was holding my breath the entire game!! 😅

[@SaberRexZealot]

If nothing else, Clive was a phenomenal protagonist. I loved his struggle, growth and deep relationships with his friends and family. I don’t think I’ve been that invested in a FF main character before except maybe Zack from Crisis Core. Bravo CBU3!

[@brendaspence1824]

Clive I think is the first protagonist to “die” in FF isn’t he?

[@SaberRexZealot]

@@brendaspence1824 not exactly, but I won’t spoil them for you

[@underwarboy5065]

I love how he tried to sound like Guts from Berserk but he’s way to nice and can’t never keep the tuff atitude.

[@pierocolombo2643]

Fr he is a great mc

[@islandboy9381]

​@@underwarboy5065Guts is the same way actuallly, the horrible trauma being what made him act like a emo edgelord but ultimately wants connection but is scared of it while keeping a distance for the struggle.

[@kyontv6826]

you miss to emphasize that 'magical' moment in where the kid start the fire manually using flint. It's the very goal of cid and clive to make a world that does not rely on magic /crystals. A world that will now start to think, invent and innovate.

[@Kev-O33]

i hope they dont make a trillion spin offs and sequals to this game

[@joseroa5243]

I was bitting my nails watching the boy doing it, i was like "he's about to awaken as a bearer!?" Aether still exist in this world so chances are Magick is still posible.

[@johncarlocesista7441]

Plus, The world is saved since the people are no longer using mothercrystals and magic that causes the blight right?

[@leonx2603]

@@joseroa5243actually Clive used ultimas power to take away aether there’s no more magic, beater, dominants, or even eikons no longer exist

[@joseroa5243]

@@leonx2603 nope, remember, the issue is that people ste the arther far too fast, eveything consumes aether. Crystals consume too much leaving the área barren of it; deadlands. What they did is eliminate the ability to channel aether and thus letting the land recover, by eliminating Crystal and baerers Crystal properties. Aether still exist and chances are there's a time where magiteck is invented, but that's gonna be humanity's doing, not some god Grand plan. It's gonna be our choice.

[@harryread7663]

I believe there are significant hints Clive survived. Allow me to explain. Jill's wish to metia and the symbolism associated with it. In addition in a side quest she claims Clive returning to her is "her sunrise" and what's the last thing we see Jill doing? Watching the sunrise. Clive is only explicitly shown as losing his left arm, which is the same arm he used for the final spell. He shows no other injuries. But the real smoking gun for me is the book in the epilogue. Hypocrates gifts Clive a quill and states his desire for him to write his story to which Clive agrees. We know for certain Joshua died as he did not wake up after Clive healed him. "not even the phoenix can bring someone back to life." So how then could Joshua have written the book? Well we know Clive has a habit of taking names from those he's lost and immortalising his brother through the book is certainly something Clive would do. Clive also acts as the narrator at the beginning and end of the story. The book reframes this as Clive retelling the events of ff16 through his story. Rpgs have a habit of giving golden endings based on additional content completed and most of these hints are dropped in side quests. Ultimately clives fate is ambiguous but I believe there are far too many hints dropped to say he died for certain.

[@seogabonotjah6555]

how joshua "might" alive? thank to power of ultima with flame of phoenix in before final battle. yet maybe it enhanced the ability of it clive is "dead" you can see after moongazing the hand gettin petrified more and more when hes closing the eyes. yet this is consequences using those kinda combined spell as he said in throne the problem staff of FFXVI said in easy allies there wont be spinoff/sequel. story of these ones already "finished" so i think indicated no DLC. also yoship before the launch said no planned DLC maybe square is bit PTSD of XV that absorb too much resources. rather next year we had FF VII rebirth, so square will be focus to that franchise yet already had diehard fans of it

[@aileene-ez9gx]

You're mistaken. Clive is dead - he turned to stone which we learn throughout the game is what happens to bearers over-using their magic powers. Metia granted Jill's wish once when they were sleeping in Lady Hanna's barn and had a talk if they remember moongazing when they were kids/teens. Jill said that Metia granted her prayers , returned Clive to her, and the heavens must have a plan for them both - the star IS THERE. Now in the ending, the star FADES and it meant it can no longer grant Jill's wish, which is why she cried. Even Gav cried because he knew of Clive's fate and told the baby that his generation is now free (thanks to Clive and Cid). The new baby being born and the dawn symbolize new hope for the new generation. And I'd also like to believe that it is actually Joshua who survived to tell the tale of his brother's sacrifice. It's bittersweet ending actually but we can only hope for FFX Tidus comeback style DLC for Clive. Hopium ToT

[@harryread7663]

@@aileene-ez9gx not to be pedantic, but the star flickers, not fades. Also I still believe the book in the epilogue is a piece of evidence that cannot be ignored. I'm not saying he definitely survived, just that it's not certain he died.

[@rarzarbex9172]

@@aileene-ez9gx I see absolutely no way Joshua survived at all he just got healed by Clive because he didnt want to see his brother looking like that in his final moments. The jill side quest and the gift she gave pretty much symbolize this, along with the hippocrites side quest quill/book. You can see a small boat on the left side of the screen when Jill sees dawn breaking and I didnt see the star fade at all. The music is also key here. Something interesting you dont have the "last elixr" potion in the new game+

[@aileene-ez9gx]

@@rarzarbex9172 what boat? I've played in 4k and there ain't no boat lol

[@joos2168]

It is likely Clive didn't die. The curse stopped at his hand as magic was wiped from the world. Sidequests imply Clive wanted to be a writer. It is likely he wrote the book and used Joshua's name to keep his memory alive. Also, it is heavily implied Metia granted Jill's wish (Clive returning with the Dawn) and Torgal holwed (sending a signal to Clive) as opposed to whimpering like when Cid died. Great video.

[@FlipFlab]

Much agreed, couldn’t have put it better myself.

[@k4yser]

Clive died. Joshua is the name of Clive and Jill's son, to honor Lives beloved little brother. The son inherited Clives ambition to become a writer.

[@FlipFlab]

@@k4yser it’s certainly another possibility but I think the OP’s makes the most sense.

[@joos2168]

@@k4yser Just curious. Other than wishful thinking born from your own imagination how did you come to this belief? Is there any indication, at all, that Jill was pregnant? Like, even a tiny hint.

[@irishbean1]

​@joos2168 I don't think your theory is an impossibility, but with your logic, there's no clear indication that clive survived either I happen to believe that he healed his brother of the wound on his chest and thus brought him back to life and Joshua actually did write the book

[@Narurulla123]

The ending cut me deep. Themes like brotherhood and sacrifice for your loved ones always just messes me up. It doesn't help I'm an older sibling so Clive's love for Joshua is extremely relatable to me haha.

[@SaberRexZealot]

All you can do now is keep loving your sibling 😂

[@wolflord9422]

Same lol. I wept real tears when they showed the flash backs of Little Joshua and saw my baby brother, I was not expecting that at all

[@Leonhart_93]

The ending left me disappointed. Nothing was clear.

[@easaiholivas973]

Fr man.. having little sibling(s) and a Significant other made this ending hit so fucking hard. I wept like I’ve never wept before playing a video game

[@olagunas84]

Same man was literally just thinking about my younger brother during the flashback

[@iiomniverseiiomniscient7149]

"The only Fantasy here is yours. And we shall be its Final witness!" - Clive Rosfield FFXVI

[@portablecar5328]

"Ridding you from the world... THAT is our FinalFantasyTM"

[@vstar1997]

I DIDNT CATCH THAT BUT WOW !!!!!

[@Duskets]

FF16 has one of the best supporting casts in any Final Fantasy game, hands down. There’s not a single member of the Hideaway who feels poorly written or out of place. I enjoyed each and every single one of them. They did the legwork with their writing to make sure players would care deeply for these NPCs, fostering a familial connection with the Hideaway, and it makes moments like Clive, Joshua, and Dion departing for Origin hit all the harder.

[@Smolotov]

Exactly. That’s the part that really sunk it for me and made me put it over FFXV. The supporting cast was extremely well written and makes the player truly feel as if they’re in the world of FF16. That, mixed with the lore, story-building, and amazing graphics - truly creates a true fantasy experience.

[@talha7032]

⁠@@SmolotovI think when you play all of FFXV in it’s complete(all the dlc) format you’ll feel differently about it, it does go into each character as well

[@Smolotov]

@@talha7032 I have played all the FVXV DLCs, but I would still put FFXVI over it. There’s just not enough lore and storytelling or character building like in FFXVI. Now if they put Noctis, Luna, and Aranea’s DLCs in, I might have a different perspective, but FFXV is an incomplete game unfortunately. I will say though, I really enjoyed the DLCs that were available like Ardyn’s, Ignis’, and Prompto’s.

[@calvyn8059]

If a DLC ever comes, i want it to be a dominant of Leviathan, it doesn't make sense but i could see it working. He/she could be like a forgotten dominant and the story could take place somewhere outside Valisthea, since Barnabas came from another land.

[@seogabonotjah6555]

i think it is cutcontent bro caused in the poster/mural is torned apart.

[@calvyn8059]

@@seogabonotjah6555 that sounds interesting

[@thorinhannahs4614]

Joshua comments that Leviathan was lost. Also it is confusing but they mention Barnabas sailing from a southern land but then say his people are from Storm the area where Ultimalius blew up the mothercrystal. The leviathan bit means that Mythos was never completed which makes Ultimalius even more pathetic because he lost to an unfinished product.

[@calvyn8059]

@@thorinhannahs4614 damn

[@lark9155]

I have heard it was cut content as well, but it might have a chance to come into the game somehow. I noticed a few things that seem odd. So what we do know is :Early in the game they mention the world has 8 Eikons : Odin, Bahamut, Phoenix, Shiva, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, and Levithan...because the world never knew of Ifirit until Clive. Very oddly, Levithan is not searchable with Tombs (even fully leveled) while all other Eikons are. So how can people speak of Levithan...but there is nothing we can read up on of it? Outside of being mentioned in like 2 conversations as "Levithan the Lost" (interesting word choice). If you go into your room at the hideaway and look at the mural on the wall, you can clearly see Levithan in it. Was this when they challenged Ultima last time and failed? Wouldn't the Eikon be passed down to someone? I dunno... Totally possible they stripped it out of the game and missed a few things, but it could also be that they are not focusing on it on purpose, so there is something to add to later. There's a lot of options they could do here with that.

[@ursaber]

DLC focusing on the other Dominants would be great. I would love to play as Barnabas in his trek to become King of Waloed before he became thrall to Ultima.

[@nukenade4623]

give me leviathan dlc

[@ursaber]

@@nukenade4623 yiiiis

[@sentientmustache8360]

I think the DLC should either be about the 8th Eikon, Leviathan, Joshua’s travels or wether or not Clive, Joshua or both survived the end

[@TheKamotechunks]

No DLC pls, DLC is the reason FF14 is not that good. Would like them to part two just like what they did with FF10 and FF13. Please stop patronizing DLC.

[@nasaki4348]

@@TheKamotechunksNo.

[@BigPanda096]

Gingy makes not only some of KZbins top quality retrospective\story analysis videos, he also seems to be capable of making the most at the fastest pace, with no seemingly tangible tradeoff in the quality of depth of analysis. Gingy is truly just built different. Makes me want to give the dude my money.

[@grinningwombat]

It seems you missed the conversation after we deceat Kupka for the final time, between Barnabas and Slepnir where Sleipnir says "kupka gave his life for a womans head." I thought it was obvious that it was her head in a box and obvious that someone wanted Kupka to go after clive and cid. This was all Barnabas doing to further Ultimas plan, he never cared for Benedikta she was just another pawn in Ultimas game.

[@corwinchapman8270]

10:30 due to the themes of will, I think it was their will being broken that prevented them from being able to prime properly. both benedikta and hugo had their wills broken by clive, but dion still had his will to atone for his sins against his people.

[@jamesmountney9460]

What about Jill though?

[@mauauauauaua14]

@@jamesmountney9460 to help clive

[@sentientmustache8360]

@@jamesmountney9460Jill just didn’t want to prime

[@rd6416]

​@jamesmountney9460 Jill was suffering from the Crystal's curse and her continuing to prime would have killed her, especially in a prolonged fight. So yes, I think she could still Prime but simply didn't want to. It's also possible that until seeing Dion primed for the last time, Jill didn't realise she still could too.

[@abrief]

Ultima is a godly entity that had split his physical body to possess each mother crystal in order to absorb the aeither, so upon breaking each mother crystal released a body of Ultima which would return to the original body in Waelood in order for him to attain much more strength. That isn't confusing, Ultima actually explains this at the end.

[@Snoken127]

Ultima is not "one being", Ultima doesn't split his physical body. Ultima is they and in the game they say "ours" "we" when mentioning anything related to ultima by they(Ultima). It's an entity with many beings combined to become an god.

[@abrief]

@@Snoken127 , Ultima is the only one who refers to itself as "We" or multiple. Ultima has a higher consciousness so it's not strange to say "we" even more so when you have the ability to split yourself into more than one being. Doesn't change the fact that they are all one person. Ultima has split himself from the start in order to execute his plan. Clive even had a moment during the climax where he had stated Ultima is lonely.

[@abrief]

"While Ultima refers to himself in plural, alluding to both his race and his offshoots, Ultima later refers to himself in singular after absorbing his clones."

[@joseroa5243]

Reading the english description at the end it implies that Ultima was of a tribe that discarded their phisical froms, and they do number them as 16 of that tribe, some of them died and other made so to be mothercrystals, chances are that the first encounter was actually Drake's head Ultima form, hence why he was so quick to interact, they do share a conciusness, but once they fused that became a totality, no longer a we but just a singular I.

[@breezyphontain9686]

Nah the active time lore states that there was 16 (I think, mightve been 19) of them that fled and went into slumber. All the ultimas you see are different ones.

[@Zeion97]

I really think the ending was left open to interpretation so that if they choose to make a sequal or DLC, they can have a route with, or without Clive. More than likely Clive survived, and the Final Fantasy book was either written by either Joshua himself who clive healed with Ultima's power, or the child of Clive and Jill as its implied with the ending text, and scences through the story the possibility she waa pregnant and named there son after Joshua. So many ways this story could go. I truly hope we get some DLC or a sequal. I mean FFX got it, we can only hope and if SMRPG can get a remake, anything is possible!

[@captainteemo1264]

I totally agree. Since Clive has all the power in him at the end. I don't think he die either. Like I said if you don't see their dead body... they not dead. RIP for Benedikta

[@Kay-uj9lw]

I believe there’s going to be DLC. Not exactly an sequel to the game but maybe Joshua’s time while away from Clive. Maybe Cid’s. Or a backstory on Leviathan.

[@coolguy48457]

A better ending would be to flip through pages of the book and show that there was still pages left at the point where this story concluded...I really think given ultimas final words that this was not the final act that led to the world we saw in the future....He said that the world would still rot....would be a stupid thing to say if the cure was destroying the crystal 10 feet away. For every ultima, there is an omega...thats the real threat i bet.

[@AB-cr1cu]

what i understood from the ending that Joshua who wrote the book is Clive and Jill Son, let me explain : there is a quest that you talk to Jill and she say in a scene "no matter how dark the night dawn will always come and that you always come for me..." why the writers choose Clive to narrate the game in the start and in the end and why the last scene is Jill crying at night then stop and smiling at dawn and then Clive say "thus our journey end"... also they repeat the same point in 3 romantic scenes between Clive and Jill that they will come back to each other... and last thing why make Clive confess to Jill at the end i pretty sure there will be DLC about Clive and Jill maybe Happy ending...

[@____ala5443]

Oh i really hope that you're right

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

i truly believe that 100%

[@____ala5443]

@@mohammadalfattal2902 yo my fellow cloti shipper we meet again 😂😂

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

@@____ala5443 hello brother 🤣❤️

[@____ala5443]

@@mohammadalfattal2902 actually sister, but hi again 😂😂i hope u enjoy ff16

[@k.c.simonsen2]

I hope they do a Final Fantasy XVI-2. Explore other gods like Ultima tryin' to fight over this promised land thing. And those boss battles, my god they're so dope

[@Sieghart.]

Clive is definitely alive, the game devs gave all the clues throughout the story dialogues and especially in the side quests. Everyone's picking up some of the points here and there but to lay out the 7 points that basically prove Clive survived: 1. The final crying scene directly references the side quest dialogue. When is Jill crying the sun rises and she stops crying. This is after Jill and Clive have told each other how much they mean to one another in one of the side quests. During the side quest she mentioned how she would cry looking up at the stars at night during dark times. She tells him that no matter how sad and dark the night is, the sun will always return at dawn. And that she knows that Clive will always return to her. 2. Biology: Wolves howl in nature to communicate with their pack mates to tell them where they are and to guide them back. When Cid is dying in front of the group, Torguil whimpers to show remorse and sadness as but actually doesn’t howl even after Cid dies. So the fact that Torgal is howling instead of whimpering is indicative of Clive being alive. 3. The last thing Clive tells Jill is no more broken promises. He had promised her he would return to her no matter what. And we all know Clive is a man who honors his word. 4. Clive tells Harpocrates that after his quest/journey is done he will put down the sword and take up the pen 5. In the final fight with ultima at the end. Ultima tells Clive that 'this resistance is a fantasy he clings to'. Clive tells him that the only one living in a fantasy is ultima and that “this would be his final fantasy” (before Clive finally kills him). In the ending post credits scene, the book is titled “Final Fantasy”. The only one to mention that term was Clive in final battle and he was alone there. So no way Joshua would just happen by coincidence to title it the same thing considering it was based off a isolated conversation between ultima and Clive 6. When Cid died, Clive takes up his mantle and go by his name to honor the life he gave and what he stood for. So in the secret ending cutscene with the book author saying Joshua Rosfield, this would make perfect sense for Clive to do in order to honor his brothers memory. 7. If you 100% the game, the secret ending also has one dialogue line during the final fantasy book scene of audio of Clive giving the final narration saying “and that was the end of the journey”. Which is confirmation by itself that Clive lived to chronicle the story.

[@liewskywalkker8569]

Agree with your explanation, I hate that people say Clive turn into stone which consider him dead already but not only Cid but Joshua as well as the ending where the final moment and conversation between Clive and Joshua, Joshua even mention that some of his body already turn into stone before the final battle between Clive and Ultima which clearly show that Clive must be still alive as Joshua with partly stoned body still able to walk, run and fight

[@Keviqeri]

It's ambiguous and left open to interpretation on purpose. Both could be dead or one of them survived.

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

i don't think clive dies though, the focus on the moon, Metia and jills smile at the rising dawn along with her prior dialogue at the flower fields points to him being alive, jill's wish at the start of the game basically worked, add to that the fact he literally narrated the start and end of the game, i doubt he would be dead if he narrated the story, also those children at the end look like possibly his and jill descendants, with the book "final fantasy" being a call back to the end of heavensward so the story is real

[@Gingy]

I’ve seen this theory thrown around a bit myself and it does make sense. A lot of that last scene really sets that up to be Clive’s last moment which is why I think he died. The stuff with Metia and Jill’s wish is possible though plus I’m not really gonna complain if he’s alive since he’s great so hopefully a DLC will answer it.

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

@@Gingy yeah i agree but honestly him surviving makes the theme of hope that much more effective imo and no wrong with a happy ending after all the suffering he endured

[@cr4sh212]

I did love the ending as it is shown but it seems really anti-climatic for him to die, after all, pretty much every companion wishes/tells him to survive in a way, Jill giving him the power of Shiva for him to take care of and be able to protect himself (albeit against Odin at that moment), Joshua doing the same thing to stand against Mythos's "fate" being him and Joshua one being... I mean, even Ultima teases Clive for winning a battle that was already lost in a way that points at his survival... yet Clive "dies"

[@ShikiRyougi05]

Oh he def ded

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

@@cr4sh212 well, let's hope he is alive provided the context in the game

[@stespin]

This has to be in the top 3 best games ever made. Everything fits so perfectly down to the smallest detail, the theme, the story, the gameplay, the epicness of every fight, the characters, the characters' development, the dialogues, *the* *music* , *the* *voice* *acting* . Everything. It's one of the most mature games I've ever played in my 30 years of gaming. By the end I was expecting (wishing) the typical explanation of every little detail that was presented during the game, like, who are the Fallen, why/how exactly did they go extinct in the war against the gods, what happened at the crater of Dzemekys, why was Clive chosen as the Vessel of Ultima, how/why were specific people chosen as Dominant, why did some people become Bearers and others didn't... but you get just what you need and nothing more. Like in real life, you don't get all the answers when you reach the end of your path, and you have to choose how to live your life without knowing if the path you are taking is the right one. I'm not even too interested in knowing if Clive survived or not, it would be heartbreaking if he didn't, but that's not relevant to the story, nor to his development. He went from being an innocent, brave, talented kid, to a tormented anti-hero who killed his brother, to a hero struggling with his demons, to an all out wise Man who can lead others to freedom at his own expense. This game is an absolute masterpiece.

[@actuallynotsteve]

I've been playing video games since like 1988. FF16 is such a fucking masterpiece, I almost feel corny talking about how good it is, and how much the story just made me feel some shit. Watching Clive's arc is one of the most rewarding stories I've ever seen in a video game, and I'm kinda sad that it won't win GOTY, and that it likely won't get GOTY and the praise it deserves. It's utter brilliance. If we love long enough to see it, it'll be a cult classic within a decade, and Clive and Jill will be looked at as some of the best protagonists in gaming history.

[@DatBoiRatchet]

​@@actuallynotsteve gaming since 1988? Don't you miss the arcade era?

[@actuallynotsteve]

@@DatBoiRatchet of course, who doesn't?

[@Leonhart_93]

Would it kill them to finally have a happy non-open ending? Especially in the game where that was teased heavily and we have the most solid couple so far?

[@666Kaca]

FF9 had a happy non open ending. Zidane and garnet are more solid than clive and jill

[@Leonhart_93]

@@666Kaca Wow, I was thinking at the last 3 ones, which is a really long time. But the last one to do it was FF9? That's insanity.

[@Crispifordthe3rd515]

I'm ngl, Clive and Jill have little to no chemistry 😅 It's just "wow we're both sad...let's get together or something." It's also weirder to me considering it's said in its own lore that she was like a sister to them. She was literally adopted by Clives dad, seeing them together just seems...off.

[@Leonhart_93]

@@Crispifordthe3rd515 What's chemistry? Such a vapid non-definitive term. They understand each better than anyone else other and want each other. Those reasons are more than enough. And no, she was not adopted. She was a ward, basically a political prisoner. She had a different last name all the time.

[@Crispifordthe3rd515]

@@Leonhart_93 Someone knows nothing of writing if they think Chemistry is a "vapid non definitive term." I on the other hand, do. And no, that's not really enough. Because understanding someone "better than anyone else" is a shitty crux. There was no romantic tension between the 2, no build up, no attraction OTHER than the simple "well we understand each other." Which again, is a shitty crux. You're right about her not being adopted, I forgotten about the fact that she is more or less a ward by *formality* considering how they treat her. Again stated in the fact that she is referred to as a "sister" to them. Still feels a bit weird to me, but that's not really the point of the argument, so I'll let that pass and move on. Jill and Clive are a boring couple because their romance banks on the fact that they've known each other since childhood, and they've both killed people, thus can sorta relate 🤷 Boring ass characters, with a boring ass "romance." Can't even call it that lol. There are like 3ish scenes in total. They somehow made Cloud and Tifa look like a real relationship, and we both know that shit went NOWHERE 🤣

[@GodOfAI_]

Personally the ending is absolutely legendary. I NEVER cried in a video game in 10+ years, but this time despite being a cold hearted person I couldn’t hold my tears. Square Enix…thank you.

[@diegeticfridge9167]

Im sitting watching the credits…. I haven’t cried in general I’m so long. Something about this game got me, it made me sob….. for the first time in 5+ years

[@creatorsfreedom6734]

MC is a Dictator Enforcing his will upon the entire world 👍🏻

[@Siul_987]

I finished it like 30 minutes ago, feels weird that I also cried, I did every single side quest before the ending and I felt so close to every character after that (since a lot of them had some very awesome side quests at the end with a lot of character development), I was so invested at the end, definitely a great experience.

[@Crispifordthe3rd515]

Ehh, maybe it's just me, but it wasn't as sad as it could have been. I really wanted to see everyones reactions to the brothers "deaths" (especially Byron. Just thinking about his reaction to BOTH his nephews deaths after returning again, would have been heartbreaking). Also, I felt more for Joshua and Dion than Clive if I'm being honest. Hot take: but Clive really wasn't that interesting of a character. And his dialogue is eye rolling at times due to how often he says the same shit. So his "death" (maybe?) was not very sad. It's definitely a more dour ending than most FF games. I'll give it that.

[@rarzarbex9172]

@@Crispifordthe3rd515 Clive gave me those typical anime protagonist vibes at the end of stories with the self-sacrificing BS because he didnt learn anything if its actually confirmed. Although its an open ended ending I dont think he died based on the side quests explanations I just wish they would confirm it...

[@F34RDSoldier805]

Clive lived. Too many reasons saying he lived. The curse went from his finger tips and spread throughout his hand and stopped when he stopped using the magic. This is to show that Clive isn't allowed to use his power anymore, not that he died. Cid had his whole arm petrified and he got more hurt the more he used his power sure, but other than that, he lived. Not only that, in a side quest, Jill says to Clive "when the dawn breaks , you always come back to me", and when the dawn breaks when she was crying, she looks up and sighs in relief and smiles. Also when you see the sun going up, you can see a shadow that looks like the boat that Clive and Jill was on when we first went on the airship, so someone is approaching the hideaway. Not one thing shows that he died. He basically just passed out of exhaustion on the beach. Many things from symbolism to Clive even narrating the story from beginning to end (which was done in Heavensward by the same writer), which how can he do if he's dead. Not only that, but the song that plays when the sun comes up and Jill smiles. If you play FF, you would know the symbolism and what that implies. And the Metia granting Jill's wish as well. She always prayed for Clives return and when she sees Metia fade, she at first sees it as a bad thing, but soon after it fades, Dawn breaks and she is seen to stop crying, look up, sighs in relief and smile, and seconds later we hear Clive say that that is the end of their story. Metia didn't fade because she lost her wish. Metia faded because Jill GOT her wish. I have no clue how anyone can get anything other than he's alive out of that alone, even leaving out all the other stuff. I think the answer is way more clear than people think. I don't think the story is up to interpretation as much as people believe. There are puzzle pieces in the game itself that explains the ending. Like is a puzzle up to interpretation because you need to put the puzzle pieces together? No. I am very confident that Clive is alive. Again, there are many many things hinting that Clive is alive, but absolutley nothing showing that he is dead other than him passing out on the beach from exhaustion. And why would they show that he can no longer use his power if he was dead? The petrification very clearly stopped at his hand after he stopped using the magic and we KNOW having your hand petrified doesn't kill you. Even bearers only died because they keep using magic to the point where the curse would spread to the point of no return. We have seen bearers who escaped with petrified hands that were fine or at least not dying.

[@flambo1232]

Thank you I needed this

[@Snoken127]

Clive took the power of a god and his body is incomparable with those powers. Thus he will die beacuse he took the power of a god and used them to save the world. His body can not handle those powers as they are meant for ultima. Clive said it himself "Oh... It seems ultima's power was to great for this vessel all along". Clive is dead. So is Joshua(as phoenix power only mend flesh and not spirit. As what Joshua said himself). As seen by former cursebearers, once it starts solidifying it won't stop untill your fully dead. Once you've used too much magic and it starts solidifying your body. You are gonna die. Also about the dawn breaking is probably her being thankful for the sacrifice Clive did. Making a future for mankind. Also an omen, Clive is not returning. Every FF story has its own story. You can't compare them. Be confident all you want. If they let Clive live, they will ruin A LOT in the story. Litteraly retconning most of what made the curse so damming. What's next? All bearers that died end up alive somehow? Clive probably wanted the curse to take him and not fight anymore as he has accomplished what he set out to do. He did what he and Cid wanted for the world. As he knew he will die very very soon from the curse of Ultima's power Magick. I BET also that the petrification and solidification is monumentous faster and stronger when you have sucked in the creators magic. Meaning it takes seconds and not months/years for a cursebearer or a dominant. So to sum it up. Clive is dead.

[@mrshadow7738]

Thank you. Its also to be said that the book is named Final Fantasy. Which obviously is derived from Clive's last words to Ultima.

[@joseroa5243]

HE could've lost his arm, the curse only spread due the overabuse of aether and Clive is abnormaly resistant to it, so damn resistant that a god seek him out as a vessel. So it's not imposible to atribute that resilance to lasting stoping the curse for spreading. Joshua wrote a book, but that's impossible since we only saw him close his wounds, yet the body was blow away and we didn't get to see joshua at the beach with Clive, making it possible that Clive took the moniker "joshua Rosfield" alongside "Cid the outlaw" he had even took the Wyvern moniker while dealing with other people in side-quests. It's not imposible, he can no longer wield a sword, but Clive is the sort of man that wouldn't let that stop him for helping people. Making sure future generations see that his task wasn't in vain and that humanity is stronger than some deity is fuel enough, Tomes and Vivian probably helped him since he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[@Grizzle2894]

Well said. I see so many people saying Jill cried because the star faded and maybe that could be case but then they ignore the sun rise. The game literally tells you what that symbolizes. Not only that, I think one of major points of Clive's development was to stop sacrificing himself. Both Jill and Joshua convey to him, that he himself needs to be saved too. Cid put the idea of fighting so that men could die on their own terms but Clive eventually says to him that they should be fighting so men could live on their own terms. Clive repeats those sentiments before that last explosion where he says these are our terms. I get that could be interpreted as Clive dying on his terms but considering he spoke of living on his own terms more often, it would seem counter productive for him to die.

[@loodeedoo560]

This is the first final Fantasy since Final Fantasy 10 that I've actually felt an emotional connection to the characters and have a genuine caring for the story as well. Despite the lack of turn-based strategy and companion customization, I've never felt more at home with a Final Fantasy. You can tell that a lot of love and detail went into the story and that means so much to me. If they remade Final Fantasy 8 with this much care for the story and control of each character with group strategy thrown in... I would be in heaven.

[@MrSkyguy43]

Barbabas definitely was the one who beheaded Benedikta and during the first fight between Clive and Hugo , Hugo says about putting Jill’s head in a box like benedikta

[@matheusmedeiros3349]

Yes, Barnabas did that for Ultima, send her head to Hugo, manipulating him to go on battle against Cid/Clive, quickening the preparation of the "vessel"

[@OOPjpg]

daaaaaamn how are you getting videos out that early man this was just what i needed to listen to while working on my own work XD love your work!!

[@moruemourue9692]

I wonder how leviathan got lost, does it mean his dominant got insane and went into the ocean ? or something happening made it so no dominant could awaken it ? His loss didn't seems to impact Ultima'plan in the end ? Does Terence and the healer girl died during Origin's event ?

[@mrskye08]

Same thoughts. I really thought barnabas splitting the sea would uncover a hidden crystal with leviathan in it. And how the loss of leviathan affected ultima and clive? And yes! Ive also been thinking about terrence. I mean 😅 lol if he and the girl died when origin was summoned.

[@Spellzy]

The only other time we get a reference to an Eikon being "lost" is Titan Lost. It is very possible that Leviathan's eikon consumed it's own crystal for some reason - likely as a way of revolting against Ultima, and thus was sort of "erased" from history because of their defiance. It shouldn't have impacted Ultima's plan even if the crystal was destroyed because Ultima still had 5 other crystals sucking up aether, it just would have taken longer, and Ultima was still waiting for a human strong enough to channel Primogenesis. No clue about Terence and Tharja.

[@tidusdream12]

​@@SpellzyI think Ultima had a fracture and the Leviathan was the lady they saved in Waloud birthing her heir into existence. One of Ultima loved humanity and didn't get on board with the plan. Clive's mother is interesting as well. She birthed 2 dominants and a Ultima pawn. Who is she and I don't think she died she survived and we saved her in Waloud. Bank it

[@Spellzy]

@@tidusdream12 Ultima is a hive mind, they're the same entity with the same "brain", they can't break away from each other. What Ultima wants is the same for every split part. He explains this in the final cutscene. Clive's mother birthing two dominants isn't that weird, the Rosfield family is very "pedigree" with their blood line and they're brothers so... Idk, birthing two dominants isn't that weird. Especially considering that Clive is special with him being a second dominant of fire meant to channel all the eikons, she only technically created a single dominant, Ultima created Clive in a round about way. Also the game is very explicit with deaths, if you're Akashic then you turn to dust immediately from a fatal blow, she didn't but her throat was cut. The only person who could fix that is Joshua, and not even he can bring her back after she's dead.

[@lark9155]

I have heard it was cut content as well, but it might have a chance to come into the game somehow. I noticed a few things that seem odd. So what we do know is :Early in the game they mention the world has 8 Eikons : Odin, Bahamut, Phoenix, Shiva, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, and Levithan...because the world never knew of Ifirit until Clive. Very oddly, Levithan is not searchable with Tombs (even fully leveled) while all other Eikons are. So how can people speak of Levithan...but there is nothing we can read up on of it? Outside of being mentioned in like 2 conversations as "Levithan the Lost" (interesting word choice). Is there some relation to Levithan and the hole in the map? Is that where his crystal was/is? If you go into your room at the hideaway and look at the mural on the wall, you can clearly see Levithan in it. Was this when they challenged Ultima last time and failed? Wouldn't the Eikon be passed down to someone? I dunno... Totally possible they stripped it out of the game and missed a few things, but it could also be that they are not focusing on it on purpose, so there is something to add to later. There's a lot of options they could do here with that, would be pretty cool.

[@jereiahvanswearingen3893]

Ben Starr killed it with his voicing for Clive. His scream for Joshua as his brother layed dying broke me.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

Hi Gingy. Just so you know you're amazing. Keep up the good work.

[@terryansell2217]

Facts

[@Perplexedlux]

Ong the way he describes everything is awesome very talented

[@Hi-Rise]

I love clive’s death as much as I would like it if he survived. Open endings are so poetic.

[@nvrlucke705]

The post credits book by "Joshua" seems to be the strongest evidence Clive survived. Joshua states very clearly in the game that the power of the Phoenix cannot resurrect someone. So Joshua could not have survived to write the book. Then the only person that would write the book in Joshua's name is Clive. This perfectly ties in to Clive's promise to Harpocrates to write a book about his journey, and how the story begins and ends with Clive narrating with an author's voice.

[@IamGamer41]

no one survives the curse. He turned to stone then dust and was washed out to sea.

[@cyntheticly]

@@IamGamer41 The biggest flaw to this logic. is that Final Fantasy tells the story of Clive, yet only Clive knows majority of the details of the story such as the events that unfolded during the battle with ultima itself. If he were to have died there, no one would have known what actually went down. So for the story to have been written and told, only Clive would have the knowledge to do so. Also it doesn't seem like the stone curse is as quick on dominants, Cid had the stone curse the entirety of his time in the game.

[@Doug-k1o]

He killed God then destroyed the crystal that created the problem that created him. His death was inevitable since the beginning.

[@kelvinmaina1174]

He healed Joshua's wounds shortly after absorbing ultimas power. I think he might have used the phoenix's power along with ultima's.

[@cyntheticly]

@@kelvinmaina1174 Joshua still would not have been able to write the story at the end. As he would have not known the events that took place during the battle with ultima during his time dead. Also if he had the ability to do this. then he also would've had the ability to revive basically every character that died in the story. So going with the Joshua lived route and the person Clive is... then likely everyone lived...

[@VictorTN-je2pu]

Somehow you make me wonder if you actually took some rest after the MGS video, but then again I think you did. Keep up the good work man

[@MarkATorres1989]

I was skeptical at first, but I was wrong. The story of this game really hit me to my heart and core. The machinations of the vile puppeteers behind the tragedy of this story really made me feel emotions. The ending though moved me to tears.

[@alexanderchon9058]

I am down to see a continuation of FF16, like a DLC which takes place in the modern day where a possible descendant of Joshua who is not only a skeptic, but also has the book wants see if the contents written within are true and are not just that of a fantasy, from exploring the ancient ruins of the locations that main game to even discovering (in this hypothetical DLC rediscovering) of a forgotten yet ancient Icon that is powered not with magic but by a concept such as Time.

[@ShikiRyougi05]

I definitly hope we get some dlc! FF7R intergrade was really great albeit short.

[@pleasedontkillme1185]

I do not think we would see someone from Joshua's bloodline, we never saw anything romantic from him, we knew he cared for Jote but that is as far as that goes. Clive however, been having an actual relationship shown in game with Jill and I'm sure they got down dirty on the beach, no way they did not and assuming this, we could definitely assume that whether Clive did infact survive or not (which I personally think he did, only his one hand managed to partially turn to stone and not the rest of him), Jill would still be having their child that could of been named Joshua and a bloodline formed from there.

[@Yoshida_Artz]

I feel like we might get a Cid dlc, since Cid felt more then a side character that knew so much. plus I think it would be crazy to see how he left his kingdom and discovering they the mother crystal are the reason that is killing the land.

[@skyuru]

At this rate if the game are getting a DLCs with each playable characters it could give more large variations for this game.

[@cyntheticly]

My singular issue with a DLC focusing on one character, is that the games Combat wasn't designed for having the abilities of only one Eikon. it felt fairly underwhelming until you had 2-3 of them. That's my biggest thought personally on why if we get additional content, it will likely be to clarify the end of the game, and what happens a bit after it possibly bringing in Leviathan as another eikon to play with.

[@thorinhannahs4614]

@@cyntheticly Even with all the eikons it still feels underwhelming. No DLCs if they can't make a good complete game in one go they shouldn't be allowed to patch it up and plug in holes with DLCs. The game should of been more narrow in it's focus or spanned multiple games.

[@cyntheticly]

@@thorinhannahs4614 Story is fairly straight forward and well told. If you read the ATL and did the side quests nearly every important question and characters fate outside of Joshua and Clive's is answered by the end. And their fate was meant to be open ended, its not a new thing to FF.

[@thorinhannahs4614]

@@cyntheticly Sure thing.

[@djboyyy669]

Spoilers ahead* This game actually had me gasping at times and teared up 2 or 3. The ending and the side quest about torgal’s past got me good!😢 It’s not that strong but my head cannon is Jill had a kid with Clive from the beach scene and named him Joshua or Joshua was actually revived.

[@taylorellis2009]

I thought for a second when they showed Edda’s baby it was Clive and Jill’s

[@323starlight]

It is hinted that Barnebes is the one who sent benedikta's head to hugo. After the Titan Boss fight, Barnebes is looking on and remarks how Hugo is easy to manipulate.

[@RevoZtuns]

The character development in this game was phenomenal! Loved every single little interaction between them all!!! ❤

[@freeroamtraveler]

I think there's a scene near the end where Clive use his powers to revive/heal Joshua, so presumably he survived.

[@edisonchin2463]

Ahh yes, Joshua wrote the book then

[@rarzarbex9172]

I am pretty sure that was just because he didnt want his brothers final moments to look like that. The phoenixs flames dont revive they just heal.

[@magus9180]

@@rarzarbex9172 That's correct!

[@SW-rb5ry]

@@rarzarbex9172There’s no point in doing that if he’s just gonna blow up Joshua’s body to smithereens immediately after. He’s not using the Phoenix’s power, he’s using Ultima’s. In fact he was more powerful that Ultima at that point. Ultima was gonna use his power to revive his race. Clive used that spell on Joshua before destroying magic for good. The memories of Joshua as a baby are symbolic of Phoenix’s rebirth. I think both Clive and Joshua survived, personally. Tomes had already mentioned Joshua was chronicling everything and was an excellent writer. It’s totally possible Joshua wrote most of the book, with some help from Clive about the events that occurred at Origin.

[@Miss_Reine]

I assumed he just healed the wound in his chest

[@Jazzmannnnn]

I like how the game heavily revolves on peoples willpower. From the Will gauge to clive losing his will, only for Joshua and friends to help him in a time if need. It’s a great concept and Ultima couldn’t break that.

[@nightfears3005]

FF8 touches somewhat on this theme and perhaps ff10 too.

[@kompressorkerstin3133]

I like the fact that it is completly open who wrote the book On one hand we have ultima + Phoenix powers may have revived Joshua but he mever moved a bit On the other hand we have clive likely taking on the name of others he wishes to uphold their ideals + Tomes quill gift hinting onto writing a book himself but.... u ..know....stone hand and stuff. It leaves room for ppl to talk and find their own ending in this story which I like. In my head I want both bois to live they suffered enough in this story. Well Dion did deserve some redemption but....well.... the only thing that can help him after the blow would be a shovel and a bucket sry Terrence.

[@Crossbattle777]

If I remember correctly it’s his left hand and Clive is right handed

[@seekinpeekin]

only his left hand was turned to stone because he used the last bit of phoenix powers on the beach. it also showed the end of magic as the flames flickered away and the curse stopped spreading

[@TheTriforceDragon]

I think a strong indication for who wrote the book for me comes from the symbol that adorns the book front and center. It is the symbol for the Hideaway when on the world map and more importantly it is the symbol on Cid's grave / memorial near the old hideaway. Basically I have a hard time seeing Joshua choosing that symbol for the book since it is a symbol that relates little to him. He never met Cid (as far as we are aware) and comes into the hideaway quite late. I imagine Joshua would likely adorn the book with something closer to the Phoenix symbol or even the games logo, merging Ifrit and the Phoenix. But Clive on the other hand I barely have to think about why he would adorn the book with that symbol. Just as the signature would be in honor of his brother, the symbol would be in honor of Cid and the people of the hideaway in general.

[@gMars299]

Even though I cried my eyes out at the ending, I don't think that Clive is dead anymore after reading some posts. I think that the ending is set up in a way where if you miss out on some side quests you're going to automatically assume he dies, whereas you do certain quests which point to the fact that he survives like Jill and Torgal looking at the dawn or in the main story where Jill wishes upon Metia for Clive to be safe and return which comes true and that's why Metia loses it's light. That said, yes I was the one that skipped a lot of the side quests and interpreted it as him dying. However the possibility for Joshua dying is almost undeniable, Clive did try to save him but was it really enough to bring him back to life or did it just mend his wounds, also the book at the end could be written by Clive or Gav.

[@id1550]

Exactly, literally every romantic moment between Clive and Jill, Jill always says Clive will come back to her, and so does Clive. There’s a reason they repeat that every time, especially before Clive leaves to fight ultima. I would recommend doing the side quest with Jill about the flowers, it adds a lot to this

[@Nixus237]

I feel like Clive didn’t die at the end because he always keeps his promises and promised Jill he’d come back. And if Joshua can come back to life after getting a giant hole in his chest and dying I don’t see why Clive cant

[@coolguy48457]

They both can or cant...Endings are often left open not only for players to draw the conclusions that make them happy...but so they can do DLC or sequels if they want to. Its bad business to have an ending so concrete you cant continue the story if you have unexpected success. They insinuate one outcome, but leave things so anything is technically possible. They intentioanlly only showed the future many many generations down the line, the immediate future is uncertain, hence Ultimas final worlds that the world will still rot....Im betting Omega is an even bigger threat than ultima and that may be contributing to the worlds death. There would be no reason for Ultima to point out that the planet would still die if all Clive had to do was smack the crystal to fix everything.

[@actuallynotsteve]

I just finished 16 and as a FF kid who played 1-8 on release, I think 16 might be the best FF game ever made. It made me FEEL, like...the story is just so fucking good. I had more fun rolling around the map with Cid and Jill than I've had in any other game for a long time. EDIT - I low key was fucked up after I killed Benedikta. My first playthrough was the "Benedikta banging and ice drugs" speedrun, at least from what i told my brother who also played FF games, and when I murked her - for real - and Googled "when does Benedikta come back?" only to find out....she doesn't....I understood this game. This game is maybe the best storytelling I've ever seen in a video game. Proof that a video game can tell a complex, adult-themed, and real as fuck story about the foolishness of long-term grudges and trauma.

[@OfficialDjTalksick]

Things left unanswered that a dlc could help with 1. The other fallen mother crystals prior to drakes head was it cid or ultima forcing them to go out 2.barnabas and the land he’s from all we know is he’s from some land south of ash (cool detail barnabas is the first disciple of Jesus and the most devout to ultima in 16) 3. Leviathan what and where is leviathan and why is it lost? Did it drink aether from the mothercrystal near kanver or ? 4. The fallen, from what we know they are almost godlike ancient beings and ultima in many games is an inter dimensional identity, and I’m wondering if it’s the same ultima from tactics and 12. Are they connected? 5. The final form of ultima is griever the most powerful GF from ff7 is there a connection there was a lot of ff8 references from the balcony scene to some little details in the world

[@Spellzy]

1. I think that the missing crystals are somehow related to Leviathan Lost, possibly the reason for this is that the missing crystal dominants in the past might've caught on to what Ultima is doing, which relates to your 3rd/4th question. 3/4. The fallen aren't ancient godlike beings, they're early humans who were blessed with free will. We know from what Joshua says that at one point Ultima was worshipped by humanity and they knew who they were worshipping. i.e these early humans had access to magick and knew about Ultima, and were likely just more technologically advanced. Once Ultima saw they had free will, he wiped them out and starting taking control over the dominants more closely in order to shape the world into a war zone so that humanity was concerned about survival rather than whatever Ultima was up to. Lev the Lost is likely a dominant who consumed it's own crystal at some point in defiance towards Ultima, and likely what happened to the missing crystals. We know based on what I mentioned above that there was some form of conflict between Ultima and the first free willed humans, which likely resulted in a couple of crystals going boom.

[@sarthakverma1030]

The fall of each mothercrystal before the main 5 and barnabas' lineage have been explained in the archives/tomes. You should snoop around there a little. Search for 'lost mothercrystals' or something similar. Barnabas' mother is a descendent of the dzemekys tribe, people who used to worship ultima in the crystalline kingdom when they still had their mothercrystal. Then they desired the power of the mothercrystal and ultima put them in their place by not only destroying the tribe and the mothercrystal, but creating the bottomless falls as well. The few survivors escaped to the Ash continent and continued worshipping ultima. I don't remember accurately how the mother died, but I think it was a raid by the kingdom that existed in Ash before Waloed.

[@Spellzy]

@@sarthakverma1030 Good to know, thanks for correcting me. I didn't have enough time with my PS5 (Amazon returns window) to get to everything I wanted to in the game, will definitely check out those lore pages. Thanks bud.

[@carolcowett4108]

Listen, I have this issue whee I have trouble sticking with a gmae unless someone I know in real life is also playing it or inteested in it. I need to be able to talk about the game as I play it or I stop playing. I'm literally not even through with act 1 of BG3 because the people in my dnd game stopped talking about it and the guy at work hasn't played enough that I can talk wihtout spoiling it. But I love stories. Literally all of my interests involve stories in one form or another. So I've been loving your videos. I get to learn the stories of video games I'm never going to play, and add a whole bundle of stories to my mental list of them.

[@lukeamparo6586]

This Final Fantasy entry is similar to Tales of Arise in terms of romance and themes. Jill and Clive are like Shion and Alphen. Alphen and Clive were soldiers turned slaves turned heroes of their world. And the theme of fighting oppression is also similar. Maybe that’s why I like this Final Fantasy despite it deviating from the norms of previous entries. I’ve heard fans say this game is more DMC than Final Fantasy in terms of gameplay but the story seems similar to other entries. Fighting gods to obtain freedom through the power of friendship. I know that’s an oversimplification but the story seems similar enough, just darker with more mature imagery like sex and gore.

[@Leonhart_93]

Between you and me, Jill is way nicer and supportive from the start compared to Shion. Basically the definition of ideal wife material if you ask anyone.

[@rarzarbex9172]

Very very similar stories and romances problem is those endings couldnt be any more different lol.

[@ahrims7]

Absolutely thought this is as well. Arise was a bit more Anime-like but for sure

[@lukeamparo6586]

@@Leonhart_93Well Shion only met Alphen when the game starts while Jill is Clive’s childhood friend. SPOILERS: Shion however progresses to become wife material by the end of Tales of Arise. From worrying about Alphen getting hurt to cooking for him. She even motivates him to win against the darkness by promising a kiss when they win. So cute. One of the reason I love the Tales franchise or at least Arise is because we sometimes get happy endings like Alphen and Shion marrying. I hope in FF16 we get DLC about Leviathan and a more definitive or concrete ending. If any Final Fantasy world deserves a sequel it’s FF16. I wanna see how this world progresses without magic. Did Clive truly destroy magic? Or did he just destroy the negative effects of it (the Blight). Maybe we could get a sequel where the Eikons manage the flow of aether so the Blight never reoccurs. And in doing so create magical races like in FF14.

[@zeroskaterz92]

@@Leonhart_93 Jill is bland compared to Shion. Jill barely even has a character arc. That's the issue with the game removing party members as side characters barely fleshed out.

[@Sacrengard]

There are certain parallels I noticed between XIII and XVI: -The L'cie are like the bearers. Both are physically marked and shunned by society because they have been marked by a higher deity. -Both final bosses: Ultima and Bhunivelze, are arrogant gods who underestimate human will, and when they are defeated, the world becomes void of magic or resets itself from any kind of magic -And I might stretch it a bit saying that Lightning Returns and XVI are similar because you only control one character.

[@nsrripper1090]

This game is special for sure. The bonds created though the story really made the ending hit hard. Haven’t cried at a game since rdr2 and this one earned it for sure.

[@LeonKennedy-fe4og]

I usually don't cry to works of fiction, but this is one of the few that I did

[@angelrivera1637]

The story genuinely leaves things open to the players interpretation at the end. Clive is quite the protagonist and for me one of the greatest written heroes in recent memory. Of course that is just my opinion but it has been a long time since a game or story has truly got me thinking. I think about my kids and being there shields. There so much too it and i hope that many people enjoy this game.

[@navi2710]

Ultima didn't shun humanity. He believed his job was done and went to sleep until Mythos was born. But while he was asleep humanity strayed and ended up becoming advanced enough to harvest magic. They even tried to breach the crystal (which was Origin). This led to Ultima cursing the world with Dominants which were there to protect the crystals.

[@FloofPuppy]

Just finished the game last night. What a journey it was...

[@Jake_O115]

The king has posted. I honestly have no idea how you have the speed to post videos so fast.

[@xchrono8811]

I know it’s open ended, but I think Joshua lived to write the book because Clive used his own life essence to save him at the end. Because of that Clive sadly died via the curse, but Tomes likely told Joshua when he got back to tell the tales of Final Fantasy with the unique quill he gave Clive. And in the end, Clive’s dreams were realized because we see that humans saved the earth many generations into the future. Bittersweet ending to be sure, but man was it incredible. It’ll stay with me forever! 👏

[@Stormzsayshi]

Me liking and commenting for the algorithm and leaving because I'm waiting for the pc version and I'm an FF fan so trying to avoid all spoilers.

[@Crackerjack917]

Hi Gingy! love the content. I just got my PS5 & FFXVI so i’ll revisit when i finish. Keep up the great work! Love your vids, your metal gear vid helped me get through multiple lunch breaks this past week.

[@hotshot4009]

Bit of a hot take but I think the dlc might cover whatever happens to leviathan. It’s said that he’s known as “Leviathan the Lost” which isn’t elaborated on. Also there was a scene where Clive and the gang stumbled on a gigantic hole with water pouring into it that was never really elaborated on. All that was mentioned was that there was a great battle fought there, so maybe leviathan’s dominant tried to cause a uprising against ultima and got erased for it. Just a bit of my own head canon really but it’d be cool if that’s a part of the dlc

[@thomasn1279]

Joshua could be alive since there's a scene of Clive healing the wound on Joshua chest after defeating Ultima.

[@cyntheticly]

I'm fairly sure at some point in the game it talked about how phoenix can only heal someone physically, and cannot bring them back from the dead. While this might be an exception due to clive having ultimas basically limitless power. I think joshua is dead, and Clive wrote the story in his name, as he also had a conversation towards the end with a character asking him to write his story once its all done

[@artoriapendragon1972]

He is alive.. he is the one that wrote the book at the epilogue

[@mrskye08]

​​​@@cyntheticly yes i think the scene where clive mentioned that it can't bring back the dead is a foreshadowing that a main character will die for good. However, the dominants also have the power to feel if another dominant dies. When joshua should have died, jill didn't feel a thing as she's happy about the newborn, but she felt it when clive died. It may be that joshua wasn't really dead all along, but just KOed or something. Then clive using phoenix powers revived joshua.

[@cyntheticly]

​@@mrskye08 That's a fair point, but In my opinion it was fairly clear Joshua died upon passing the phoenix powers to Clive as they likely were the only things keeping him alive as he did basically have his chest completely ripped open. If Joshua were to live past that, it likely was that Clive was able to revive him using the powers of Ultima. I do think the game was left purposefully open ended for the possibility of the story to be continued via a DLC or Novel as there's just as much pointing to Clive dying as Being alive. They designed the story in a nearly a perfect way to were every point for one possibility also was given a counterpoint. its fairly crazy to look at.

[@Crispifordthe3rd515]

​@@cyntheticlybut I thought the whole point behind the Phoenix was that it never dies? Isn't that the reason why he lives, even though Clive literally cleaved a hole in his chest? Or am I mistaken?

[@GrimTheReaper11]

Rocking the Final Fantasy 8 vibes

[@kingmarcusrich]

I just finished 😥😥😥 Absolute masterpiece…❤️

[@emmdubb]

I dont know who lives or dies at the end because theres so much left to interpretation but thats kind of poetic in a way. Clive died for your choice my friends, its your choice how the story plays out. I think Joshua is revived from the omnipotent power Clive absorbed from Ultima. I think Clive dies from the exhaustion and taxing of his body. Too many things signal he dies to me. But i could absolutely see a world where his spirit wont accept death and he wakes up with some petrification setting in and eventually the medicine girl saved by Terence invents Soft to remedy the traces of the curse that still plague the worlds former bearers.

[@AlDesentis]

Amazing video Gingy. I'm still a bit confused about why Ultima needed to have the mothercrystals destroyed, as the crystals are what is siphoning the ether from Valesthia's underground to the chamber inside Origin. Unless he needed the crystals destroyed to free the souls of his brethren who became the crystals in the first place to be able to join with them. Also, I may have gotten this wrong, but The Blight is said to be something that is following Ultima's kind from their previous world. Or maybe The Blight following them is just a product of them being over-reliant on magick and now that Ultima is using it to revive his people is what is really causing it. Be well Gingy!

[@univeriseman8008]

Ultima isnt fleshed out. Kinda thrown in for larger than world stakes. He is an alien whose planet was destroyed by the Blight. Yes. But the mother crystals are either aspects/parts of him to absorb aether that when destoryed reawaken him or they are his species in another form so he can use the Mthos to receate the world. I dunno, kinda convoluted and random. But anyway, the one thin thats for sure is planets have aether and Ultima knew how to absorb it. But then Blights happen. Ultima's species can also somehow creaete humans and a special one with the Mythos gene?

[@Spellzy]

Ultima didn't need to have the crystals destroyed. He literally says it was a bonus that Clive decided to destroy them because it means he can recombine with the other parts, this was said during the cutscene before the final fight. They weren't needed.

[@AlDesentis]

@@Spellzy thank you! I'll check it out again. Hope your day is going good mate.

[@snazzydrew]

Just FF being FF.

[@thorinhannahs4614]

Ultima is a weird mishmash of FF villains. I am from another land/world here to steal your juices- Jenova FF7. I am an all powerul magic wielding god indifferent to mankind- Kefka FF6. My plan is to create a vessel allowing me to reform this land into my own world that already died- Garland FF9. The bit about him fracturing himself into Mothercrystals to siphon aether is weird. He created/invented magic so why would he need thousands of years to siphon it. There are 16 in the Ultima collection we only know about 7 crystals. His plan is too blight the world to remake the world? Or to blight the world to revive his people? Then what? You just killed the planet my guy same problem you had before.

[@lark9155]

I have heard it was cut content as well, but it might have a chance to come into the game somehow. I noticed a few things that seem odd. So what we do know is :Early in the game they mention the world has 8 Eikons : Odin, Bahamut, Phoenix, Shiva, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, and Levithan...because the world never knew of Ifirit until Clive. Very oddly, Levithan is not searchable with Tombs (even fully leveled) while all other Eikons are. So how can people speak of Levithan...but there is nothing we can read up on of it? Outside of being mentioned in like 2 conversations as "Levithan the Lost" (interesting word choice). If you go into your room at the hideaway and look at the mural on the wall, you can clearly see Levithan in it. Was this when they challenged Ultima last time and failed? Wouldn't the Eikon be passed down to someone, or is he still out there somewhere? I dunno... Totally possible they stripped it out of the game and missed a few things, but it could also be that they are not focusing on it on purpose, so there is something to add to later. There's a lot of options they could do here with that.

[@DrunknAzn]

Great vid! I just want an ending where Clive and Jill end up happily together...

[@heinrichriley4430]

Clive obviously did not die - cinematic just shows his hands turning into stone. In one of the side quest, Harpacrates gave him a quill and told him to write down the adventure after everything is over, besides, Clive is the only one who has went trhough the whole story from the begining to the end, which means only he can write down the whole thing. I think he wrote the book and leave the name of his brother to honor his memory.

[@saine414]

His little brother clearly lived as he saved him in the end you could see all the blood and wounds dissapear so he wrote the book and you can easily get a DLC of his brother and rest of the gang that survived.

[@rarzarbex9172]

The phoenix doesnt revive mortal wounds it just heals. Clive didnt want his brother looking like that in his final moments. Also a DLC will likely be about a different character or a story before the final ending. There is no way they would explain that ending they kept it open ended for a reason.

[@jlb7989]

@@rarzarbex9172 They honestly SHOULD explain it, Joshua wanted Clive to save himself. The ending as it is right now is unsatisfying imo

[@Devon.with.an.i]

This was my first FF and the eikon fights were the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in a video game.

[@nightfears3005]

This is a very traditional FF, if you like you can check out the previous games for the eikons exist in different forms for each FF within the wider FF mythos!

[@umbralflow6883]

My guess is the red star Metia that goes out tells me that Jill prayers were answered or that metia was protecting him up to that point where he died. I like the former better though.

[@miguelv4345]

Small correction. Clive took Titans powers after his first fight with Hugo. This also reinforces that even tho Clive takes the abilities of eikons the original dominants can still transform

[@kjscooll2802]

Awesome breaking down of the story. I was kind of hoping to learn more about the backstory of Benedikta and Barnabas. Jill and her kingdom would also be nice.

[@brendaspence1824]

The only hints I got was she was a orphaned turned/forced into prostitution and soon discovered her powers as an icon and that’s when cid found her 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@kjscooll2802]

@@brendaspence1824 wow prostitution? if thats true, that explains why she somewhat implied to believe she needed to use sex to get what she wanted. I think if they give more backstory, she might not seem so evil. Players will prob get she actually loves Cid, while sleeping with Kupka and Barnabas more for the political reasons, only by often checking the time lore. Otherwise, it might look like she's just three timing them.

[@ElymasMagus1]

I have been waiting for this since the release of the game, i know i wouldn't be able to play it any time soon ( Because i don't have a PS 5 yet ) so was just waiting for this. You're one of the best youtuber story tellers😅

[@Spidi8666]

im not sure about Clive dying. + we are missing 1 eikon Levaiathan which could be DLC

[@magus9180]

Leviathan could be erased. That's why we didn't saw him. There was a war already in the past. When the bloodline vanishes, the Eikon vanishes as well i guess.

[@Spidi8666]

@@magus9180 well that would make a perfect story for DLC :P

[@YA-vs5wu]

Gingy, do you really think that Clive died at the end ??? so the writers decided to give Jill the short end of the stick ? , the song "Moongazing" in the end is about Jill wish for Clive to come back to her if you read the english translation : last sentence "This flame will never go out Ever.." and what the last scene in the game if you read the full song : "In the moonlight the willow sways On this roadside I am but a stone Visions of you come to me Like counting sheep If there is any meaning to our parting ways Then you need not be sad From the silence to a distant sky Fill your heart with an unwavering love No matter what night No matter the cost Haven't we been living this life together As if in the blink of an eye I was yearning for something Gazing at the moon I was so afraid of the storm, when you appeared before me And I'm so glad that it was you It's as if nothing before this moment ever mattered This flame will never go out Ever"

[@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit]

Clive is best character ever.

[@ShikiRyougi05]

Fr tho. He has to be oneof my favourite video game protagonists now!

[@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit]

@@ShikiRyougi05 hes so badass. His voice, his drip and style are all perfect. Remind me of guts a bit.

[@ShikiRyougi05]

@@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit yup! Ever since the first reveal trailer i've been in love with his design! Also...fuck man that ending. I did NOT expect him to share the same fate as noctis. Atleast one of the brothers survived i guess!

[@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit]

@@ShikiRyougi05 yeah tragic character. Clive deserves to be happy. Made me tear a bit. Still unknown If he's alive or not.

[@ShikiRyougi05]

@@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit pretty sure he's dead, him starting to petrify + the symbolism of the disapearing star paint a pretty clear picture in my book

[@Amber_xo_133]

Ben Starr suffered the loss of his father during acting for 16, and used that to help convey Clive's emotions through the game. Many developers from Final Fantasy 14 were involved in Final Fantasy 16. This is because other teams at Square Enix are busy (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Kingdom Hearts 4 and Dragon Quest XII) To Devil May Cry 5, featuring the same combat director and similar fast-paced, high-action gameplay. Yuna's whistle from Final Fantasy X gets used in a prologue cutscene by Clive. The end credits feature a segment dedicating the game to Stephen Critchlow, Byron's first voice actor, and Square Enix NA's Head of Marketing Kevin Kraff (who passed away in July 2022). The production staff have cited Game of Thrones (specifically the earlier seasons of the show) as a major inspiration. A minor key rendition of the overworld theme from Final Fantasy plays during various scenes exploring the history and lore of Ultima, first popping up in the chapter "Cloak and Dagger." Stephen Critchlow, who died two years before the game's release, is listed alongside Ewan Bailey in the credits as one of Byron's voice actors. * Ben Starr has been a fan of the franchise since Final Fantasy VIII. He first auditioned for a minor role under a code-named script to keep the work a secret, but was asked to read several other lines for the character that would become Clive. After a few days he was told he won the lead role, but it wasn't until another week later that he found out it was for a new mainline game in his favorite series. To him, becoming Clive was “an overwhelming honor and a terrifying privilege” and the worst part was keeping it a secret for years. * Stewart Clarke (Dion) is a fan of the series and said he felt privileged to have his character join the ranks of other complexly written dragoons like Kain Highwind and Estinien Varlineau. A PlayStation 4 version of the game was planned around the time the Awakening trailer for the game was shown, but was cancelled due to the technical limitations of the console. This is also the first mainline single-player Final Fantasy game whose English voice acting was recorded exclusively in the United Kingdom, following in the footsteps of fellow JRPG franchises like Dragon Quest and Xenoblade Chronicles. Final Fantasy XII was primarily dubbed in the UK with some additional recording done in the USA, while Final Fantasy XIV started out being dubbed in the US before the production moved to the UK beginning with the Heavensward expansion. * This is the third Final Fantasy game to receive a Mature rating by the ESRB, behind Final Fantasy Type-0 and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the first to receive an 18+ rating by PEGI and the second to receive a D rating by CERO, behind Stranger of Paradise. * This is the first Final Fantasy game to feature a plot-important openly gay character in Dion, the Dominant of Bahamut.note Dion even shares a kiss with his lover Terence, which is shown on-screen during one cutscene. This scene ended up getting the game banned in Saudi Arabia when Square Enix refused to remove the characters or the kissing scene.

[@MIATeddyBear]

If there is a DLC, I'm willing to bet that it will be about Leviathan. Recall that Joshua discussed "Leviathan the Lost" when researching Ultima and the Eikons. Leviathan was BY FAR the most memorable and epic boss/summon from Final Fantasy 15, and is nowhere to be found in the main story of 16 besides that line from Joshua. I think that's a good setup for a DLC expansion which explains what happened to Leviathan the Lost

[@cyntheticly]

I do have a feeling the ending was written in a way for it to have been leviathan that pulled Clive from the water if they decide to do a dlc. as in his state there's no way he swam back. It'd be kinda surprising if we don't see him, as he's only not appeared in 2 of the 16 main games so far.

[@MIATeddyBear]

@@cyntheticly That's actually a REALLY good observation! I didn't even think about how a completely exhausted Clive managed to teleport to shore!

[@jesuisradmusic]

@@MIATeddyBear Exhausted and wearing armor, haha

[@ziegfeld4131]

​@@cyntheticlypeople get washed up all the time lol currents exist

[@cyntheticly]

@@ziegfeld4131 with how far out origin was from the water. Its very unlikely Clive survived a fall from origin into the water and then proceeded to not drown in his state and wash up on the beach. Currents exist, but Clive still needs to able to keep himself afloat. And by his lines at the end, him using Ultima's power was going to kill him or put him damn near close to death. I'm just going by logic shown in the rest of the series with how Clive narrates the story (this being very similar to other works the lead writer of this game wrote such as heavensward in which the narrator is writing the story as the events unfold) and that unless a dead body is shown without a doubt of them being dead. They aren't likely dead.

[@williebrillie6666]

The book Final Fantasy that is shown at the end, is obviously a romantisized version of the story, where things are greatly axxagerated. And that's the ng plus final Fantasy mode, since you encounter way stronger monsters in stages and mission and you can craft better gear. That's howI interpreted it, that the ng plus final Fantasy mode tells the story from the book, which was romantisized for purpose of it being somewhat of an autobiography, well not entirely but you catch my drift

[@dontclotheyoself]

So lorewise, is Clive the 2nd strongest protagonist after Lightning and WoL (FF14)?

[@firefistgaming117]

I think he might be the strongest actually, At Least by the end of it when he has all the summons powers combined

[@fame_smg-expert3079]

Amazing video! I would like to point out though that harpocretes is also not from storm, at the beginning of the game at the hideaway when you ask him about himself he tells you that he read about storm and its magic and it captivated him so he hopped on a merchants ship to journey to storm, he never explains where exactly he’s from but he does reference himself as to not being from these lands.

[@ragna6410]

Yes thank you. After MGS Video this one. Love this game.

[@theGazzer]

Love how much Gingys been posting recently

[@BabyKobeeee]

Red Dead Redemption series next?

[@Gingy]

It won’t be the next video but Red Dead has been on my list for a while. Absolutely love those games.

[@pontiffsulyvahn23]

Well, he did meet a strange man called Jin Kazama

[@korypuller6830]

and stole the power of the mishima style, clive has an electric confirmed

[@digitalizotakugamer_]

Thank you for making this video I really appreciate all the hard work that went into making this video, I am so happy and glad to be able to watch it. Ngl I am kinda surprised to see a new video but it made me happy with joy so truly thank you. Hope you have an amazing beautiful peaceful wonderful day

[@pod27]

The book at the end - Tomes stated that Joshua has been writing all that has happend in a book. So that book is prolly the Joshuas Chronicles completed and pubished by either Tomes or Jote. I'mma say this though.. this game is a gutpunch cuz i rly wanted Jill and Clive to be together at the end. And its unfair as hell that he goes through so much pain and loss to save the world and not be rewarded with being with at least one of his loved ones.. I'm just rly sad rn after finishing the game. Dont get me wrong, i love the game and gonna play on the new dificulty but... i hope they DLC this ending or something cuz its unfair imo

[@AD-ws2ce]

Now that you explained the story i must play the game ❤

[@ThaiDoowong]

Can you cover Final Fantasy 13?

[@Jolife70]

Decided to hold off on this video until I beat the game, and it was totally amazing. I enjoyed every second, even if there were a lot of side quests and such lol. Square enix really had time to cook with this one, and amazing video. I watched the metal gear one too, even if it took me near a week 😂😂

[@silenceundying]

We get only a single mention of Leviathan the Lost, Eikon of water. The entire game, I was wondering where Leviathan was because we only see 7 Eikons. (I do not count Ifrit.) We are likely going to get a DLC about the 3 lost mothercrystals. There was Dzemekys, at Boklad. The massive perfect circle crater, where Ultima itself destroyed the crystal and area as a punishment to the rebellion humanity started. Then we have the Northern Territories and the Drakes Eye. And there's Drakes Horn, in Waloed far to the south.

[@shintenkai1648]

You can even scroll over northern territories in vivians map. I have high hopes for northern realms because torgals power (fenrir) is not ultima-given and the church of greagor which is a church that worshipped a different deity other than ultima. The goddess who rode on drake's back before it died (killed by ultima?) and created valisthea, before the crystals and the blight appeared.

[@goroakechi6126]

THE MGS SERIES RETROSPECTIVE WAS 4 DAYS AGO HOW

[@EtienneLudor]

Wait wasn’t Olivier definitely a way Ultima was exerting control? His doll has glowing blue eyes and his body disintegrated… normal human bodies didn’t do so, only Akashic bodies disappeared. I could be wrong though, but he definitely seemed a puppet.

[@ryukyuiansunflower]

Clive surviving is not speculation. It's been practically confirmed, and those who pay attention, did sidequests and start a second playthrough are rewarded with that fact. Here's some of the proof: 1. The Final Fantasy Book and Aliases. This had to be written by Clive, penned in Joshua's name. Clive goes by the alias Wyvern again in a Blacksmith sidequest, and also Cid to honor his legacy. He would do the same to honor Joshua after his death, or simply to give him credit and a legacy. Clive always desired to live in obscurity, even declining the idea to Uncle Byron about ruling Rosaria, and when called the Duchy Marquess, he rather be called just Clive. The sidequest a Tail to Tell with Harpocrates explicitly shows that Clive wants to write a book about his journey after it ends and it is Harpocrates' wish he will do so. He even gives him his own special quill to do it. Notice also, that Clive is narrating his story both at the beginning and the very end AFTER he supposedly "dies." Take note of how he sounds while narrating the beginning as well. He puts on a very "narrator" kind of voice that sharply differs from his normal acting for the duration of the game, like he is telling a story dramatically. We the player are being told the story, and "imagining it" by playing through the game. Add on more foreshadowing that Clive loves stories. The first cutscene at the Final Sin waterfall, Jill makes mention that Clive had many books growing up and he tells her he especially loved the ones about heroes fighting gods. If, by some chance, Joshua did survive, he still could not have wrote the book without Clive being alive too. For one, the title itself of Final Fantasy is pulled from Clive's dialogue. And the events are entirely from his perspective, and Joshua and Jill would not have known all the details to his story. Then, the fact that Clive, not Joshua narrates the opening and ending is a giveaway, and Joshua has no connection to Harpocrates. And, I believe that if Clive died, and Joshua wrote it, he probably would have put the book in Clive's name instead to honor him. 2. The Post Credit Family are Clive and Jill's descendants. Not only do the boys have Clive and Joshua's hair colors, but the mother has silver hair, which is extremely rare in the game and appears to be a northern trait. This not only applies to Jill, but it is mentioned her father was named "Silvermane". And, they have a wolf pup. We see actual dogs in the game during sidequests and none of them even closely resemble Torgal as much as this cute little fella named Bahamut does. Notice this family owns the Final Fantasy book written by "Joshua" Rosfield. 3. The Saint and the Sectary. Before playing War of the Eikons, the two Post Credit children have dialogue about playing "The Saint and the Sectary". The one brother refuses to, because he does not want to play the role of the antagonist "Madu." This play is the very same one Clive acts out to prove who he is to his Uncle Byron. It was his favorite growing up, and he always played Sir Crandall and forced his uncle to play Madu. What are the chances they own the book and know that play unless Clive passed it down through his family. Why include a hyper specific detail barely anyone will catch, if it did not have purpose? 4. Priceless Sidequest. Jill and Clive talk about a future together. Specifically, Jill tells Clive "I realized that no matter how terrible the night, the dawn would always come. That you would always come. For me. And you have. Again and again." This gives symbolism as to why Torgal stops howling and Jill stops crying and gasps as she sees the sun rise. The end is hopeful now, because she realizes he will return. 5. Promises Foreshadowed Dialogue. Combine Clive's quote "No more broken promises" with his promise to return to Jill. Jill tells Clive that he always tries to save everyone, but the one person he needs to save is himself. This foreshadow ties up the whole narrative. Clive also promises that they will "find a way to save each other". If the star going out means her wish was granted, then it could have played a literal role in saving him. But that is debatable. 6. Joshua's Death Speech. In it, he talks of having faith, faith that Clive will save everyone, honor their father's dream, and faith that he will honor Jill's plea to save himself. If Clive dies, this entire death speech is completely undermined and would diminish the value of Joshua's death and his purpose for Clive in the narrative. Not to mention, his faith would be misplaced. The inability of the Phoenix to resurrect the dead is not just used here, but it was foreshadowed long before, when Clive states it to Gav at Cid's grave. So while there is a chance Joshua lives, he has a high probability of not surviving also. 7. The petrification curse is not instantaneous. Notice how only Clive's hand was petrified and stopped at the wrist. It was only at his fingertips, further spreading only when he summoned a flame, stopping when he put the flame out. Notice also that he eliminated magic. Cid lasted his entire duration in the game with a petrified arm, and it was implied that it took a long time of magic use to get this way. It was only spreading because he kept using magic and priming. The priest at the chapel in Rosaria also specifically states that "With each drawing of aether" does the curse spread. Bearers only petrify because their owners forced them to continuously use magic, and many were shown surviving with petrified limbs. If they intended to kill off Clive, they would have shown his face petrify for far more emotional reaction out of fans. The game is not shy with showing death, gore, tragedy etc. If we look at Kupka's death, they showed half his torso and legs gone, and the remainder of his body fully turned and crumbled to dust. For Benedikta, we know her head was cut off after death. For Cid, he got ran through and there was a grave. They would not have shown Clive's death in such a half baked way of just his hand turning to stone. 8. Torgal's Sidequest More than Words. In it, Torgal is looking out in the distance. And it is revealed that he is looking out towards Rosaria because he wants to go there. Charon makes mention that he is likely pining. And it must have been very hard on him losing his Eikon masters. After going to Rosaria with Torgal, we discover that Torgal collected all of Clive's leather bracers, helmets and his sparring sword and brought them to their hideout at the Rookery. In the cutscenes, Clive then says "Well well, you never stopped looking for me, did you boy. Thank you, Torgal. For never giving up. For never forgetting." In the ending, we see the same sequence play out. Torgal is looking out in the distance, only this time, it is in the direction of Origin and where Clive would be coming back from. Torgal isn't giving up again. Like Joshua and Jill, he holds faith in Clive living. Metia's Star dimming seems to be the biggest point of contention between everyone. Because what does it going out actually mean? We're meant to immediately jump to it meaning he dies, but there is no connection to assume that the star represents Clive's life. If anything, Jill assumes it means it no longer grants wishes and it frightens her to think she's lost him. We as the viewer just hop on board with her feelings about it. So the question becomes, if the star is truly magical, why did it take this long to go out? Is it a symbol that magic no longer exists in the world because Clive destroyed it? Or is it a symbol that the wish was granted and no longer has the power to do it again? Or, if we look directly at the ATL, the star is known as the messenger to the heavens. Messengers must leave in order for a message to be delivered. Was the wishing star every even really magical at all? If so, why did it take 13 years to bring them back together the first time? Maybe it never actually did. The game does have a focus on breaking the chains of fate, that Clive perseveres through human will alone and defies the plans of the gods. If this has any bearing, then Jill gasping with relief and smiling to the sunrise not only represents she knows he will return based on sidequest dialogues, but may also mean that she has faith in HIM, not just on a wishing star. This could directly connect into Joshua's death speech where he tells Clive that everyone holds faith in him, faith is what will make him succeed and that he has faith he will survive to see Jill again. Notice also the very last lyric of the song. "My treasure, my star." Jill calls Clive her treasure in Priceless sidequest. So adding on "my star" may imply that it is in him, not some fated star where her faith now lies. Bonus Personal Interpretations: Torgal's howling. While it may initially seem he is mourning, wolves often howl as a social call to help packmates find their way home. Once the sun rises, he stops. If there is light, Clive need not follow the sound of a howl to find his way back. Secondly, the torch beside where Jill and Torgal stand. Ever and always, Clive is fire made manifest, symbolically and literally. Notice that the torch beside them blazes strongly throughout the night and into the day. So please, for the love of Yoshida and the fantastic writers of this game, please please PLEASE either edit this video or make one that corrects the oversight into believing Clive is dead when he clearly is not.

[@FlipPryde707]

I second this. Thank you for the fantastic read!

[@RanDum8]

The woman at the end has brown hair, I literally watch this about 5m ago when I finished this steaming pile of garbage

[@ryukyuiansunflower]

@@RanDum8 If that is brown hair, it's the strangest, lightest shade I've ever seen. Practically as gray as the stone walls behind her. I can see the sun glow at one angle to the right making it look slightly amber, but other than that, I see gray.

[@ziegfeld4131]

Hes dead we literally watch him die lol the book is obv written by Jill and Clives child his body couldnt handle Ultimas power

[@ryukyuiansunflower]

@@ziegfeld4131 do we though. His fingertips were stone. Then he used magic, and it spread to his hand. He stopped using magic, it stopped spreading. How many living characters have we seen with petrified limbs. Quite a few. Tons of Bearers. Cid had a whole ass petrified arm and he was only getting worse because he primed and used magic constantly. Now how many characters have we seen explicitly get killed. Quite a few. Closing his eyes with a petrified hand, rather than showing his petrified body, face, arm, chest etc like they did with Hugo Kupka (who was even shown crumbling) and the Bearer in the chapel whose whole body petrified, seems wayyyyy too sus. Combine that with him narrating, and the sidequests dialogue...and it don't make sense. If you're gonna kill off MC to emotionally wreck fans, especially in a game as bloody and dark as this one, they would not do it so lazily. Closing his eyes=death? I don't buy it.

[@Sylverdyne]

You mention Ultima "Watching Over" Clive a few times. You can replace "Watching Over" with "Fucking With" and not change the accuracy at all.

[@TheSSBBfan666]

Sephiroth is the king of fucking with Cloud, still

[@Shxlbyyy]

Very excited for this one, much appreciated Gingy!

[@Lionhart1991]

Seeing all this discussion on ending theorys brings me back 20 years in past, when the final fantasy community was doing the same for FF VIII, ah, pure nostalgia... For me tho, both are dead and another person wrote it, obv someone close to theme, i don't know who, it can even be that infant in the future or it can be the work of more then one person and the decision to write that name in specific it's the best way to honor the both of theme, the first bc it's name is there, the second bc if he was to write it, jousha is for sure the name he would use It's not so hard to think that the close ones are the ones that wrote it afther all Mmm i guess Noctis and Clive share the "sacrifice" ending

[@populatethemoon]

After just beating the gane myself, like literally as I write this comment, I do think that Joshua survived. My guess is when Clive went to fix the hole in Joshua's chest he used a mixture of the Phoenix and Ultima's power, which thus brought him back to life so that he could write the book. I also like how, if this is the case, Joshua is essentially the new world's version of Moss The Chronicler.

[@Hyphu]

Lol I just beat it not long ago too

[@rarzarbex9172]

The phoenixes flames dont revive they heal I think he just didnt want to see his brother going out like that. Not sure why Joshua wasnt on the beach with Clive either or the daybreak scene Jill was looking at.

[@populatethemoon]

@rarzarbex9172 I just assumed that the way Origin fell apart is why he didn't end up on the same beach, plus they ended up falling into the ocean where if you don't actively fight it the current it can just take you wherever it wants. Also I don't feel there is a reason to believe it was someone else using Joshua's name. If it was, more than likely, it's like what another commenter said and Jill gave birth to a child and named it Joshua or the newborn from Edda was named Joshua.

[@rarzarbex9172]

@@populatethemoon Could be but I then I dont see the point of Jills side quest, Hippocrities side quest, the boat at dawn when Jill and Torgal were staring at or Clives narration from start to finish make sense then. It just is about symbolism and the game gave too much for it to just mean nothing but again wish these creators just were 100% on whether they lived or died.

[@Crossbattle777]

@@rarzarbex9172also the platinum is literally called The Chronicler, Clive wrote that book 100% in my mind

[@tuckercarroll9462]

Honestly not expecting another video so quickly, much appreciated though