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A new Final Fantasy XVI revealed a brand new trailer yesterday and brought along some fascinating new information with it. In particular, two of the game's major characters were revealed. Each of these characters represents one of the six kingdoms in Valisthea and are also Dominants.
Based on the recent news, the two characters are Dion Lesage and Barnabas Tharmr. Which kingdoms do they hail from, who are their Eikons, and what do we know about these two major Final Fantasy XVI characters?
Who are Barnabas Tharmr and Dion Lesage in Final Fantasy XVI?
One of the major focal points of Final Fantasy XVI is the concept of Dominants. They appear to play the role of Final Fantasy summoners. They can bring forth powerful Eikons, known in previous games as Espers, Guardian Forces, or Aeons. Many familiar Eikons will be present in Final Fantasy XVI, and these two characters command some of the most powerful ones of all.
The first character is Barnabas Tharmr, ruler of the Kingdom of Waloed. He arrived on the shores of Ash as a nameless wanderer, but through force of arms and skill, he claimed a kingdom. Barnabas would ultimately quell and subdue the beastmen with the power of his Eikon, the mighty Odin.
He did this single-handedly, and now commands the Eastern continent as its lord and master. Interestingly, Barnabas is fond of entering the battlefield all by himself, despite how impressive his military force may be. Will he be able to strike down any foe with one swing of Zantetsuken? Only time will tell in Final Fantasy XVI.
Fans also got to see a member of the Waloed kingdom briefly in the form of Benedikta Harman. She is the leader of Waloed’s spy network and is hunting down the Dominant of Ifrit. It is rumored that she has some sort of connection to Hugo Kupka (Dominant of Titan). Besides being a merciless fighter, she serves as Garuda’s Dominant.
Dion Lesage, although beloved by his people, has a significantly different background. Dion Lesage is the crown prince of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and is also the head of the Dragoons. The Dragoons are the most prestigious order of Knights. All of this fits together nicely, as he’s also the Dominant of the Dragon King, Bahamut.
Skilled in battle, Dion Lesage is adored by the people of his kingdom in Final Fantasy XVI. A grim shadow may hang over his land, but the people believe in him, finding him capable enough to get through whatever dire circumstances may come.
Each character has their own goals, allegiances and ideals, and it's not clear how all of these characters can or will work together. The main protagonists of the game, however, are Clive Rosfield and his brother, Joshua Rosfield. Clive is the firstborn of Archduke of Rosaria, though the Eikon Phoenix chose Joshua instead of Clive. This eventually led to Clive mastering the sword to be the First Shield of Rosaria, the protector of Phoenix.
Final Fantasy XVI may likely drop in the summer season of 2023, although a release date has yet to be confirmed.
