Unveiling the Epic Flaws of [SPOILER]: Final Fantasy 16's Biggest Villain Letdown

WARNING: This Article Contains MAJOR Spoilers for Final Fantasy 16

In the early stages of Final Fantasy 16, players are introduced to King Barnabas Tharmr, a character who exudes an imposing aura as he effortlessly commands others and receives pleas for help from another country engaged in war. While Barnabas initially appears to be a formidable antagonist, it becomes evident as players progress through Valisthea that he is merely a distraction.

As the main villain is revealed just before the second time-skip in Final Fantasy 16, it comes as no surprise that the secondary antagonist takes a backseat. However, it is still peculiar that Barnabas is given significant buildup, only for his impact on the narrative to diminish significantly hours before the game's conclusion.

Barnabas' Influence Before Meeting Clive

Content: Much of the fear and intimidation caused by the evil characters in Final Fantasy 16 stems from their influence on the world rather than their direct actions. One such character is King Barnabas, who initially exists as a mere name that haunts Clive, the protagonist. Not only does Barnabas receive disapproval from Cid, a mentor figure, but he also manipulates Benedikta, the first Dominant the player encounters, in a series of cutscenes.

In addition to these significant moments that highlight Barnabas' role as a destructive king and his damaging impact on Waloed, the player witnesses the immense power of his Eikon, Odin, early in the game. Odin, a formidable entity present throughout the Final Fantasy series, presents his strongest iteration in Final Fantasy 16, effortlessly rivaling Bahamut. Despite Barnabas' initial impression, he quickly becomes overshadowed by the true main villain, long before he is able to significantly influence Clive's personal journey.

Completely Overshadowed by Ultima

In Final Fantasy 16, Clive and the player encounter a mysterious being named Ultima, who is portrayed as the ultimate puppet master. Ultima's introduction and subsequent mentions in the game help establish the need to keep fighting for Valisthea. However, despite Ultima's character development, the powerful figures Odin and Barnabas are portrayed as mere obstacles.

Despite showcasing Barnabas' impressive abilities, such as cutting the sea in half and defeating Clive multiple times, the narrative undermines his significance as the "final boss." Barnabas' control over situations and his ability to command Benedikta without exerting any effort make him a formidable antagonist from the start. It is disappointing, therefore, that the King falls without posing a real threat to his own stronghold or having a deeper character arc. While it can be argued that this is intentional to reflect Barnabas' misguided faith, it does not improve the overall perception.

In Final Fantasy 16, the impact of Barnabas as a character is diminished when a later scene shows him fully submitting himself to Ultima. The scene portrays Barnabas sitting naked beside his naked mother, watching shadows of former villains merging together. While this explicit display adds to the game's mature rating, it does little to establish Barnabas as a memorable Final Fantasy antagonist akin to Sephiroth or Kefka. Final Fantasy 16 is now accessible for PS5.