Here’s a complete breakdown of what really happens at the end of Clive’s adventure in Final Fantasy 16. Caution: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
As with previous Final Fantasy games, the story of Final Fantasy 16 largely features mythological gods and crystals. Long before the events of the main story, Gods such as Ramuh, Shiva, Titan, Garuda, Bahamut, and Odin all gave up their physical form and turned into Mothercrystals to escape the all-consuming Blight that threatened their existence.
Their goal was to await the birth of a human powerful enough to possess their magic and help them create a new world free of Blight, even if it destroys all of humanity and Valisthea in the process. And as the prophesized Mythos, Clive’s existence served the sole purpose of acting as a vessel for these gods – so that they may create a new world using his power.
That’s why much of the story involves obtaining the powers of the different Eikons until Clive eventually becomes powerful enough to be controlled by Ultima, the god in charge of casting the required spell.
However, there exists a predicament in every plan. As the gods spent eons away from humanity, people eventually forgot about their existence and gained free will. This means that they developed their own greed for power, resulting in a war between the six nations laying claim to the Mothercrystals.
With so much going on, Final Fantasy 16 surely aims to provide a much more story-focused experience than its immediate predecessor. That said, its climax left many questions unanswered. So, we are here to give you a breakdown of all the key events that took place in the story’s conclusion.
Clive Becomes Logos
A Mythos who gains free will is deemed to be a threat to the gods, as they can no longer use him to do their bidding – much less destroy the very world he’s trying to save. Such a Mythos is called a Logos, whom Ultima cannot control.
Clive’s journey helps him grow, share experiences, and gain many trusted allies – all of which contribute to his will to defeat the evil threatening this world. When choosing to become the fated Ifrit Risen by combining his powers with Joshua’s, Clive refuses to give up control over his will to defeat the evil god Ultima.
Joshua and Clive’s Fate
With Joshua’s help, Clive is able to transform into Mythos’s final form – Ifrit Risen. This helps him defeat Ultima in a three-stage battle and absorb his power. However, transferring Pheonix’s power to Clive leaves Joshua gravely injured.
After the battle is over, Clive uses the power of the Pheonix to heal Joshua. However, despite being healed on the surface, Joshua does not regain consciousness, making players question whether Joshua is alive.
On the other hand, Clive has to make one final sacrifice to save the world. He soon realizes that defeating Ultima is not the ultimate solution. And the only way to eliminate the Blight persisting in Valisthea is by eradicating Magick from this world.
However, that comes with a great cost. In order to erase Magick from the world, Clive must use up all the power he accumulated up until this point, which may very well cost him his life.
And being a hero, he goes through with casting the spell, causing the curse to spread across his arms. We see Clive one last time as he washes up on the shore after destroying the final Mothercrystal, slowly turning into stone.
The credits start rolling as the scene shifts to Jill and Torgal weeping and howling in despair. And it is implied that Joshua did not survive the ordeal. However, Clive’s fate is left open to interpretation, giving us hope that Clive somehow managed to survive after saving the world.
Post Credit Scene
A secret post-credit scene shows us the state of Valisthea in the distant future. Magick no longer exists in this world but has been replaced with seemingly everlasting peace. In the final moments of the cutscene, we are shown a book titled “Final Fantasy,” written by none other than Joshua Rosfield, confirming that Clive succeeded in saving his brother and the world.
Do you wish to learn more about Final Fantasy 16? Then check out our other guides on All Trophies & Achievements, All Weapons, All Crafting Recipes and Upgrades, All Notorious Marks Hunt Location, Best Ways To Earn Ability Points Fast, Best Ways To Make Money Fast, and more.
