With the release of the “Ambition” trailer for Final Fantasy XVI, Square Enix has begun the game’s promotional cycle in earnest. New updates have expanded character profiles and revealed information on major Final Fantasy XVI characters Dion Lesage and Barnabas Tharmr. Both of them are Dominants, special individuals able to call on the power of an Eikon. The nations of Valisthea treat their Dominants differently, with some revered like royalty, and others bound like disposable tools. Dion is the Dominant of Bahamut and Barnabas the Dominant of Odin.
Square Enix shared more details on their personalities and titles in a blog post, and via an update to the official Final Fantasy XVI website. Dion Lesage is, besides being Dominant of Bahamut, the crown prince of the theocratic Holy Empire of Sanbreque. He is also the leader of the Dragoons, a feared order of knights. Like a dragoons, he wields a spear, and he may have a plunge-oriented battle style. The people of Sanbreque love Dion, and he is often the subject of songs due to his heroism and power. However, the blog post hints that something terrible will befall Dion in the plot of Final Fantasy XVI.
As for Barnabas, he is the Dominant of Odin. Unlike Dion, he was a wanderer when he landed in Ash, and he won his kingdom through his bladework. Ash is a kingdom of beastment and they resented his rule. However, Barnabas used Odin to not only silence them, but he also took over the entire Eastern continent. Despite his army, Barnabas loves to jump into combat himself. And if he can’t, he enjoys watching the bloodshed from the side.
Final Fantasy XVI will come out in Summer 2023, and is so far confirmed for the PlayStation 5
