Final Fantasy - History of Summons

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Summons have been part of the Final Fantasy franchise for over 30 years. With Eikons, Final Fantasy XVI's version of Summonable Monsters, playing a central role in the recently released game, we're taking a look at how Summons have evolved since their first appearance in 1990's Final Fantasy III. We also take a deeper look at all the major Eikons in Final Fantasy XVI, including the mythology they come from and their defining characteristics and behaviors.

By Ben Janca on

Eidolons, Espers, Guardian Forces, Aeons, Primals…call them what you will, summonable creatures have been a cornerstone of the Final Fantasy franchise for over 30 years. Making their first appearance in Final Fantasy III in 1990, the initial roster included 8 summons, including series’ regulars Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, Titan, Odin and Bahamut, all of whom are present as Eikons in Final Fantasy XVI. These creatures were summonable by the Evoker, Sage and Summoner jobs, and had one of three effects when called upon, depending on which job had summoned them. While lower level summons were available in shops, Final Fantasy III also introduced the long running tradition of defeating more powerful summons in battle in order to gain the ability to summon them.

By Final Fantasy VIII, summons found themselves playing a central role in the game's mechanics and story once again. Called “Guardian Forces”, they junctioned to a human host’s consciousness. A Junctioned party member could draw magic from enemies and the environment then cast it in battle or junction