Final Fantasy 16 is the next upcoming main entry in the franchise, one that got a lot of buzz at reveal. A timed PS5-console exclusive, it generated a lot of hype based on its franchise as well as the exciting trailer. It gave fans their first looks at Dominants and Eikons, where the former serve as hosts for powerful deities used as summons. Players have seen Shiva, Phoenix, and Titan in some form or another, with Shiva and Titan facing off in a battlefield. It seems that there are also Dark Eikons, but less is known about them.
The Eikons of Final Fantasy 16 are based on elements, as Phoenix is referred to as the Eikon of Fire and Titan as the Eikon of Earth in official descriptions. The same is true of Dark Eikons, with Ifrit being the Dark Eikon of Fire. Based on the inclusion of fire and earth, it stands to reason the missing elements in the formula thus far are at least Water and Air/Wind. There could be Holy and Unholy Eikons too, as well as a few others (as there are 6 corresponding Mothercrystals), though that remains to be seen. After all, Dominants may be rare in Final Fantasy 16, but there are those who are born and instantly killed, never to see the light of their Eikon.
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With that said, The Eikon of Fire is associated with The Grand Duchy of Rosaria while The Eikon of Earth belongs to the Dhalmekian Republic. According to the official Final Fantasy 16 website, Dominants born in The Iron Kingdom are killed for being "unholy" abominations, and The Crystalline Dominion does not have a dominant. This leaves the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Kingdom of Waloed without associating Eikons, but that may not be completely true.
Each country has a banner, and that banner seemingly represents their Eikon too. Final Fantasy 16's Phoenix is clear in Rosaria's banner, while the Dhalmekian's Republic screams Eikon on Earth. Similarly, the Kingdom of Waloed's banner has a not so subtle hint at its Eikon: Sleipnir, the six-legged horse (as seen above). Sleipnir, as many Norse mythology fans know, is the horse of Odin.
Throughout the franchise, Odin is typically more associated with non elemental or air summons, with his ability to conjure storms working in favor of aid. As such, it stands to reason that the Eikon of Air, Odin, belongs to the Kingdom of Waloed. At the very least, even if the element is off, then it's clear that Odin and Waloed go together.
It's even clearer when looking at the description. The current ruler of the Kingdom of Waloed has squashed rebellions and used the power of the Mothercrystal to build a might army, seeking to test the borders of other countries. It sounds something like the military-oriented Odin dominant would do, and it doesn't quite end there.
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The Crystalline Dominant has no Dominant to speak of, but its banner (as seen above) indicates a few things too. The Dominion serves as the middle ground, ruled by a council of representatives from the other four major Dominant-holding Final Fantasy 16 nations. As such, a portion of their banner or representation appears in the Dominion's banner. A stone face is easily associated with The Dhalmekian Republic, while the red Phoenix is clearly Rosaria.
The other two symbols include a feminine figure, as well as Sleipnir. While further cementing Odin as the Eikon of the Kingdom of Waloed, the feminine symbol represents the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. Given its association with blue, the feminine figure on its banner, and the presence of what seems to be water-based drakes, it stands to reason that the Holy Empire utilizes the Eikon of Water, Shiva.
Now, some thought that Jill would be Shiva's dominant, and that Shiva was the Eikon of the fallen Northern Territories. While that's not impossible, this elemental assortment would line up more with the trailers, banners, and more, but if there are more Eikons than just of these four elements, that could change everything. It would seem, however, that any other Eikon would be made special. After all, there is a blue diamond at the center of the Crystalline Dominion's banner, and that's curious. It could be that bringing the Dominants together, or their powers at least, could summon another Eikon from the Mothercrystal there. But that's just speculation.
At the end of the day, Odin is almost undeniably associated with Waloed which, via process of elimination, means that Shiva goes with Sanbreque. It's the most logical conclusion based on this, but fans will just have to wait for more official Final Fantasy 16 news to know for sure.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.
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