Final Fantasy 16: Odin Eikon Lore, Explained

Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for Final Fantasy 16

Arguably the fiercest and most visually appealing Eikon in Final Fantasy 16 is Odin, who we first see towering over The Battle of Belenus Tor in preparation to fight Bahamut, and he’s the final Eikon you’ll battle in the game.

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With a rich history in the Final Fantasy series and a noteworthy place in Square Enix’s current title, Odin’s design has evolved tenfold through the decades, but his roots in Norse mythology give the summon godly weight. Here’s everything you need to know about Odin’s lore.

Barnabas Tharmr Is Odin’s Dominant In Final Fantasy 16

Near the beginning of gameplay, it is revealed that Barnabas Tharmr, the King of Waloed, is the Dominant of Odin, and he also serves as the game’s secondary antagonist being Ultima’s loyal follower–which makes him a dangerous enemy to Clive.

Barnabas’ mother was a Circle of Malius follower who worshiped Ultima and died for her heresy and the future king is a Motes of Darkness descendant with a bond to Odin. Using the Dominant’s power and hold over the nations, Barnabas settled as king and was soon taken under Ultima’s control for sharing the same belief that humanity’s evil stems from free will.

Odin’s abilities allowed Barnabas to sustain his human appearance and sanity, even though the king had turned Akashic, which allowed him to rule Waloed for an extended period of time some forty years after his succession. For a time, Cidolfus Telamon was Barnabas’ lord commander, but Cid turned his back on Waloed in order to advocate a better world for Bearers and Branded.

Zantetsuken

Returning to Final Fantasy 16 is Odin’s primary weapon Zantetsuken, sometimes referred to as Scimitar, and boasts a curved shape emitting a blue aura and resembling the Egyptian sword, the Khopesh.

The summon’s trademark weapon is revealed to be the true source of Odin’s abilities in the MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, with Odin acting as a sundered mortally bound to the weapon channeling a rise in Dark Divinity and possibly created by the primal, Eureka.

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In the current title, one of Odin’s more powerful attacks is Arm Of Darkness, which brings Zantetsuken onto the field for a devastating blow. This ability is great for long-range attacks and gameplay also supplies you with a Zantetsuken gauge to fill while Odin’s abilities are in play.

Sleipnir

Another element that accompanies Odin is the steed, Sleipnir, who has made a number of appearances throughout the Final Fantasy franchise, including its part as a wild beast in Final Fantasy 12’s Dalmasca Westersand and the Giza Plains’ Starfall Field.

In Final Fantasy 16, Barnabas’ right-hand man, Harbard, and the Lord Commander of Waloed’s armies is revealed to be a magical projection of Sleipnir through Odin’s abilities. You, therefore, fight Sleipnir, in the form of Harbard clad in a full suit of armor, while Clive is in the Free Cities of Kanver.

Odin Debuted In Final Fantasy 3

Making his debut in Final Fantasy 3 back in 1990, Odin appears as a summon sporting a yellow color palette on a beige horse, but still retaining his signature antlers and demonic design. Odin’s Zantetsuken scimitar was sometimes replaced with the spear Gungnir–another ability present in the current title.

After Final Fantasy 3, Odin returned to the successor title, Final Fantasy 4, posing as the King of Baron in the basement of Baron Castle, and he’s later used as a summon by Rydia. Odin appeared in the following five Final Fantasy titles, including his role as the guardian esper of the Ancient Castle in Final Fantasy 6 and offering his Summon Materia within Nibelheim’s Mansion in Final Fantasy 7.

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Odin sported a variety of designs from Final Fantasy 8 onwards, including a more traditional Japanese aesthetic in Final Fantasy 12 and emerging as Lightning’s steed in Final Fantasy 13. In Final Fantasy 14, O-App-Pesi and E-Sumi-Yan study Odin’s sword after he is defeated by the Order of the Twin Adder, but his blade ends up corrupting a soldier tasked with transporting it to Gridania. Players can also gain a Wind-up Odin as a minion–perhaps the cutest version of the summon ever to exist.

Odin Hails From Norse Mythology

It’s no secret that the Odin summon is inspired by the Old Norse god from Norse mythology and Germanic paganism, depicted as the husband of the goddess Frigg and disguised as a wanderer assuming the image of an old man.

Odin was commonly known as a prolific god throughout the Roman occupation of Germania, the Migration Period, and the Viking Age, and was also referred to as a ruler of the gods. Some older texts say he was the son of Bestla and Borr alongside his brother Vili and Vé, and he’s more famously known as the father of Thor. Odin is often accompanied by the wolves Geri and Freki, and the spies of Midgard, ravens Huginn and Muninn. Akin to Final Fantasy, Odin is also known to ride the eight-legged steed, Sleipnir, through the sky and the underworld.

Additionally, ancient texts state that Odin is the keeper of the Valkyries–maidens that collect the dead from battlefields–and lord of the hall of Valhöll or Valhalla, known to be the equivalent of heaven in Norse mythology. Similar to Final Fantasy 16, Odin wields the dwarven spear, Gungnir, however, the blade Zantetsuken is a weapon created for the Final Fantasy series.

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