The full extent of the Eikons’ importance in Final Fantasy 16 has yet to be seen. While fans know that these Eikons are essentially summons and that they are bonded somehow to a Dominant in Final Fantasy 16, there’s still a lot of gaps. The Dark Eikons have even bigger question marks around them.
It seems that Final Fantasy 16 is leaning heavily into elements, as Phoenix is referred to as the Eikon of Fire and Titan as the Eikon of Earth. This mean that, whatever country she is associated with, Shiva is likely the Eikon of Water and the unseen Eikon, potentially Final Fantasy 16’s take on Odin, is the Eikon of Air.
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With Ifrit confirmed as the Dark Eikon of Fire, that means there’s at least one (if not more) Dark Eikon for every element. This begs the question: who are they, or at least, who should they be? Outside of introducing FF16-unique Eikons, which is an option too, some do make more sense than others for the game.
Final Fantasy 16’s Dark Eikon of Water
When it comes to the Dark Eikon of Water, the most likely franchise figure is Leviathan. Not only is Leviathan one of the most recurring summons in the Final Fantasy franchise (coming just behind a three-way tie between Bahamut, Shiva, and Ifrit), but Leviathan is a giant sea serpent. While not always “evil” or “dark,” Leviathan has the best potential to be the Dark Eikon of Water in name and appearance.
Final Fantasy 16’s Dark Eikon of Earth
The Dark Eikon of Earth is a bit harder to pin down. Throughout the franchise, Titan has always been the de facto Earth summon in Final Fantasy. Others that are noteworthy include Midgardsomr (in Final Fantasy 6), Golem, and Gilgamesh. Midgardsomr, or the World Serpent, would be an interesting move for Final Fantasy 16, but it seems unlikely to be so IF Leviathan is indeed the Dark Eikon of Water.
Golem is basically a clay version of Titan, usually much smaller. It’s not impossible Final Fantasy 16 would include Golem as a contrast to Titan, but it’s not the most entertaining method they could go. Gilgamesh, in a more serious form, sounds like a good option, as his warrior-like figure and personality would pair with with Earth-based abilities and stylish sword attacks. It’s far less likely than Leviathan, but it’s a good choice.
Final Fantasy 16’s Dark Eikon of Air
On the assumption that the Eikon of Air is Odin, then there’s a handful here too. Ramuh appears quite often, and as he is fixated on storms, he is likely the prime candidate. Ixion is possible too, as he fills a similar role to Ramuh. Or, another possibility is to include them together, as Final Fantasy 15’s Ramuh had an Ixion head on his staff.
Here, Ramuh in one way or another seems most likely. But, given that it is Odin, it would be interesting if there was a direct contrast between Odin and Raiden set up. The franchise has treated the two figures very similarly over the years, and it would be interesting to see if the game could split them up and give them some unique attributes. Odin vs. Ramuh is compelling and the likely road, but Raiden has potential too. Either Final Fantasy summon would fit right in, though, so it's all up in the air.
Of course, nothing is certain until Square Enix reveals more about the game, but either way, the Dark Eikons, and Eikons in general, are promising elements to keep Final Fantasy 16 tied to its roots.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.
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