The fate of Valisthea is within Clive’s hand, but if you’re struggling to understand what happens at the end of Final Fantasy 16, our Final Fantasy 16 ending explained guide is perfect for you. Especially considering that Valisthea’s lore is quite deep and complex.
Luckily, we know all of the details thanks to our Final Fantasy 16 review playthrough. So, if you’re hoping to understand the final scenes of one of the best PS5 RPG games, or if you’ve found out the Final Fantasy 16 length and want to simply spoil the game for yourself, well, here’s what you need to know.
It should be obvious, but before you read on, this guide contains major spoilers for the story and ending of Final Fantasy 16.
Final Fantasy 16 ending explained
Final Fantasy 16’s ending sees Clive defeat the otherworldly being, Ultima, who has gained power after destroying all the Mothercrystals, freeing his brothers. Combining, they became Ultimalius, with the power of the various Eikons, but Clive eventually proves that willpower is victorious.
During the finale of the game, Clive, Joshua, and Dion Lesage head to Origin, the home base of Ultima, which is now floating ominously above Valisthea. It’s here where the Dominant of Bahamut, Dion, meets his fate protecting Clive and Joshua. After, Joshua becomes a victim of Ultima’s plan as he sealed one of the brothers away in himself when Cid died, so he is fatally injured, passing the power of the Phoenix fully to Clive.
When Joshua does this, he seemingly completes the prophecy of Mythos, a vessel for Ultima that is strong enough for the being to wipe humanity and create a new home out of Valisthea for his kind. It’s revealed earlier in the game that Clive is supposedly Mythos, with him being the only person to ever be able to absorb other Eikons’ powers.
However, Ultima didn’t plan for humanity to have free will and didn’t expect Clive to have a lot of willpower to avoid becoming his vessel for all eternity. With Clive refusing to become one with the big bad of the game, a battle ensues, with Clive winning thanks to a mix of the best abilities from the various Eikons, as well as remembering that a lot of the Final Fantasy 16 characters have faith in him.
After defeating Ultima, Clive uses Ultima’s power to destroy Origin forever. The different characters in the Hideaway watch as the massive object crumbles to dust, with Clive landing in the ocean and washing up on the shore. Unfortunately, the Crystals’ Curse has got to him, and due to the amount of Aether and powers he’s used, Clive also meets his fate, knowing Valisthea is entering a new era. This also shows that, despite the prophecy, Clive would not have been strong enough for Ultima’s powers.
While we assume that many of the characters will know Clive died afterward, we know that Jill is aware as she looks up at the Valisthean sky and sees a red star appear, before she breaks down into tears.
Does Final Fantasy 16 have a post-credits scene?
Yes, Final Fantasy 16 has a post-credits sequence that shows two boys playing in the woods, acting as different Eikons. Their mother calls them in, telling them to stop playing fairytales, before the camera pans and shows a book called “Final Fantasy” by Joshua Rosfield, and a black screen reads “But where one journey ends…”.
What this post-credits scene means is up for debate. With both brothers resembling Clive and Joshua, and the fact that a book discussing the story is written by Joshua Rosfield, it could be that the entire events of the game are fabricated within the world of Valisthea.
Alternatively, it could be that someone has taken up Joshua’s name similarly to how Clive took Cid’s name to write about the events to ensure that neither character is forgotten, with both characters being a fairytale worthy of the Eikons for present-day Valisthea. Maybe people don’t believe they existed anymore, but at least they’re cemented in history.
Hopefully, we get some new stories within the world of Valisthea, especially with the final tagline. While Clive does meet his fate at the end of the game, we hope he can return with some good ol’ Final Fantasy magic somehow.
While we aren’t sure what will happen with Valisthea after the scene, we do believe that the FF16 post-credits scene does pave the way for a great sequel idea.
Who dies in Final Fantasy 16?
In terms of major characters, here’s the full list of everyone who dies in Final Fantasy 16:
- Elwin Rosfield
- Benedikta Harman
- Cidolfus Telamon
- Hugo Kupka
- Anabella Lesage
- Barnabas Tharmr
- Dion Lesage
- Joshua Rosfield
- Clive Rosfield
There are a few other characters who die in the story, but many of them aren’t too important aside from a few narrative beats. Most of the Dominants pass, usually due to Clive, excluding Joshua (the second time), Cidolfus, Dion Lesage, and Jill, who survives the events of the game.
That’s the full Final Fantasy 16 ending explained, so if you were lost during the last cutscenes (and we don’t blame you), you should leave with a better understanding. If you’re planning on doing a Final Fantasy 16 new game plus run for that coveted Platinum, we recommend checking out our Final Fantasy 16 walkthrough for plenty of guides, including the Final Fantasy 16 best abilities.