House of the Dragon is the first time fans have reentered Westeros since the criticized finale of Game of Thrones. Instead of a sprawling epic that takes its audiences from the sandy, sun-swept land of Dorne to the harsh, unforgiving wasteland north of The Wall, this project seems to be a more close-knit affair. This time, the tumultuous reign of House Targaryen takes precedent over The War of the Five Kings. Square Enix’ crowning JRPG franchise is an entirely different property than anything from the mind of George R. R. Martin, but with Final Fantasy’s sixteenth mainline installment on the way, there’s enough parallels to warrant some influence from the stronger aspects in House of the Dragon.
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Final Fantasy 16’s Family Dynamic
Clive Rosfield is the playable protagonist in Final Fantasy 16, but it seems his younger brother Joshua has a more important place in the world. As the latter is the Dominant of the primal Phoenix, he is one of Valisthea’s most prominent figures, despite Clive being the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. It’s evident that Joshua isn’t one for conflict, so Clive took up the blade in a bid to keep his younger brother safe. Final Fantasy 16 will likely have far more plot threads in motion, but this emphasis on family has been reiterated through the game’s promotional material.
House of the Dragon is only a few weeks into its 10-episode first season, but it’s become clear that it focuses on the complex dynamics of a complicated family. House Targaryen is one of the great houses of Westeros and has remained on the Iron Throne since Aegon’s conquest, but the space between the family’s greatest feats and Daenerys’ actions in Game of Thrones went largely unexplored. House of the Dragon fills the gap with heroes, villains, uneasy alliances, and shocking betrayals showing not all is pleasant in the lives of its characters. Final Fantasy 16 should carry the same philosophy, maintaining a deep sense of family to push the narrative forward and make it a more intimate affair.
House of the Dragon’s Liberal Use of Time Jumps
Though Game of Thrones was no stranger to time jumps that kept its story moving forward, House of the Dragon uses them with more reckless abandon. Months, even years are glossed over to keep the tale intriguing, with Viserys’ new son and Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne being the topic of much chatter. Explaining every plot detail - both critical and inconsequential - in each episode would slow the show’s pace to a crawl. Finding the right time to reestablish the characters in a new time frame is vital to the overall quality of the show.
Like its 2016 predecessor, Final Fantasy 16 will include a time skip wherein the protagonist ages greatly. Noctis is a grumpy 20-year-old over the vast majority of the game, and only becomes a “responsible” adult in the title’s closing stages, but there’s little evidence to suggest Clive’s journey will be the same. Clive’s time skip in Final Fantasy 16 could take place far earlier, with the majority of his quest taking place when he is of age. House of the Dragon proves time skips can do wonders for character development, and Square Enix could benefit from watching how the Game of Thrones spin-off handles its (often convoluted) timeline.
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High Fantasy Needs a Suitable Visual Style
While Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s aesthetics inspire hope and wonderment, House of the Dragon utilizes dimly lit corridors and drab interior deign to maximum effect, adding to the series’ tone and serious themes. With a scaled-back story and less of a desire to show off the diverse corners of Westeros, House of the Dragon doesn’t have to shine a light on the greener pastures of The Reach or the clear skies of Pentos, so it’s free to indulge itself in darkness and craft a consistent atmosphere.
Final Fantasy 16 will have an abundance of inspirations, including the games that preceded it. It may not be best for Square Enix to chase the Game of Thrones hype, but House of the Dragon provides a smaller, well-paced story that Final Fantasy could take subtle cues from. The spin-off series has been a success among audiences, even coming off the spoiled acclaim of its parent show. Clive and Joshua’s story is a while away from releasing, but capturing some of the magic from the current George R.R. Martin-inspired show could be wise.
Final Fantasy 16 releases summer 2023 for PS5.
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