Unveiling Final Fantasy 16's Unforgettable Love Story: A New Era of Romance

SPOILER WARNING: This Article Contains MAJOR Spoilers for Final Fantasy 16

While the opening of Final Fantasy 16 establishes a budding relationship between protagonist Clive and his childhood love interest Jill, their romance doesn't quite reach the same level of depth as other iconic Final Fantasy relationships, such as Tidus and Yuna in Final Fantasy 10.

The main reason for this lack of chemistry is that the love story in Final Fantasy 16 is not as prominently featured as it is in games like Final Fantasy 8 or FF10. Despite the narrative not primarily focusing on their romance, Clive and Jill's characters are not developed enough to compare to the beloved couple that is Tidus and Yuna.

Romance Baked into Final Fantasy

The love story between Tidus and Yuna is difficult to compare to Clive and Jill's due to their distinct narrative approaches. Final Fantasy 10 centers around Tidus, who enters the new world of Spira and subsequently falls in love with Yuna. This framework shapes their relationship, as significant moments such as Seymour's proposal and marriage to Yuna occur amidst their love story conflicts.

Not only do romantic conflicts arise, but Tidus and Yuna's motivation to find a new method to defeat Sin is driven by their ongoing love. Yuna, aware that Tidus is not originally from Spira, hides the truth about her sacrificial pilgrimage to spare him pain. Conversely, Tidus is devastated upon discovering that his unknowing actions have led Yuna towards her own demise while gathering Aeons to defeat Sin. This emotional connection is integral to the story, adding dramatic tension.

Clive and Jill as a Symptom of Final Fantasy 16's Deeper Problem

In contrast to its predecessors, Final Fantasy 16 significantly diverges in terms of its romantic subplot. Rather than occupying a prominent role, it remains in the background and only surfaces occasionally. Although the affection between Clive and Jill is hinted at early on, it takes a secondary position to the overarching narrative of pursuing the Mothercrystals and constructing a world that emancipates its Bearers from oppression. The potential for a poignant childhood love story is present, but only sketched out in a rudimentary manner.

The love story between Clive and Jill in the game falls short in bringing them together. Apart from a few moments focused on Jill, her character doesn't have much screen time to develop. Instead, the focus is more on Clive's relationships with his male companions, Cid and Gav. Although there are some powerful scenes, such as when Jill entrusts Clive with the power of Shiva, there is a lack of dedicated time to her personal growth independent from her romantic connection. In terms of internet criteria, Jill's story fails to pass both the Bechdel and Mako Mori tests.

The inability to give Jill her own moments of strength or emotional resilience hinders both her personal growth and her relationship with Clive. This is evident even in the concluding scenes of Final Fantasy 16, where Jill comes to the realization of Clive's demise as she watches the fading red star, symbolizing him and his Eikon. However, it is disappointing that Jill does not receive the necessary focus as a character in this crucial moment. Instead, the player is presented with Gav's grief over his deceased friend, while Jill disappears from the room, with the camera inexplicably excluding her from what should have been an iconic moment.

Final Fantasy 16 is now available for PS5.