TheFinal Fantasyfranchise is known for having plenty of recurring staples: Chocobos, moogles, cactuars, airships, and someone named Cid are pretty much guaranteed in any new entry. There are also references to many different jobs and classes that have been present over the years, even when a new entry uses a magic system or party designs that don’t strictly follow those jobs. While it’s a predictable formula, it’s never unwelcome, and fans are eager to see how the next game in the series treats the massive legacy thatFinal Fantasyhas built up.
Another of those many staples are summons. Introduced inFinal Fantasy 3as a powerful ability only a few advanced classes had, summons have become some of the most anticipated sights in new games, each bringing forth the best animation Square Enix can muster.Those animations sometimes get out of hand, but the fact remains this is a beloved part ofFinal Fantasythat is often reinvented to fit in with each installment. Summons typically include a core set of beings that always show up when summons are addressed, including Shiva, Ramuh, Ifrit, and Bahamut. While Bahamut is often considered the most notable of these core summons, Ifrit has been doing a lot of unnoticed heavy lifting.
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The History of Bahamut and Ifrit
The dragonBahamut has been with theFinal Fantasyseriessince the first game, though not as a summon. Instead, Bahamut served as a quest giver that enabled the player’s party to achieve their second-tier jobs in the original. He, along with the rest of the core summons, joined the heroes’ side inFinal Fantasy 3, bringing with him a signature Megaflare that has remained a constant source of often non-elemental damage for the whole franchise.
Ifrit, by comparison, is often not examined as much. While he has gradually gained a place of story prominence, later entries don’t treat this fiery jinn the same way he normally would be.Ifrit was initially little morethan one of the first summons players got access to. Ifrit served as one of, if not the, strongest player-wielded fire attacks in some of the earlier games. This has its uses, but there comes a point where raw damage is more important in classicFF, which is where Bahamut and other late-game unlockable summons tend to come in.
Why Ifrit Is More Important than Many Believe
Ifrit doesn’t need to be overpowered to have a big impact. Indeed, Ifrit’s main role is often as a tool to learn how summons work. Having appeared as a boss or a summon in every mainline game sinceFF3(except for12and13),Ifrit has always been aroundto show players the ropes. Serving as the first main dungeon boss inFinal Fantasy 8is a perfect microcosm of this; he isn’t the first summon obtained, but he is the first summon fought, and the time limit on his dungeon encourages skilled play.
Ifrit often ends up with a more compelling personality than the proud and powerful Bahamut, too. While often presented as a vaguely demonic bastion of fiery power, Ifrit is shown with a gallant streak inFF10(befitting of the warrior Fayth that had become him), and is presented with a more human personality and appearance inFF15. It seems Square Enix’s recognition of Ifrit’s importance is growing, as the developer appears to be setting him up asthe main villain ofFinal Fantasy 16. Ifrit will continue serving as a subtle guide toFinal Fantasyplayers, whether through story or gameplay, and his incarnations deserve more credit for that.
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