Final Fantasy 16 fans celebrate the series' clearest inclusion of a queer couple yet

Final Fantasy 16's Dion shares a scene with Terence

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Final Fantasy 16 has the clearest inclusion yet of a queer couple in the series, and fans are all for it.

Before we crack on, take this as your spoiler warning if you don’t want certain story points spoiled.

Still here? Lush. Final Fantasy 16 fans are discovering that a main character called Dion Lesage – dominant of Bahamut, and the crown prince of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque – is romantically involved with another character called Sir Terence, who is the second in command of Sanbreque’s dragoon fighting force, which Dion leads.

The pair’s involvement becomes apparent during a scene where Terence attends to Dion’s battle wounds. Summoning an Eikon takes a great deal out of its Dominant, leading Terence to show continuing concern for the well-being of Dion. The crown prince recognises the concern despite being able to do little about it, as Bahamut is a sign of hope to the soldiers waring on the battlefield. Dion then says, “Would that you were my master, but alas” before the pair embrace – is it getting hot in here?

If you’re not quite convinced about their relationship, Terence’s character profile – available as part of a relationship web in the latter iteration of The Hideaway – confirms the pair are lovers.

Now that Final Fantasy 16 has been out for several days, reactions from fans have begun to flood in. Amidst all that, seeing people react to Dion and Terence’s relationship has been wholesome. The Final Fantasy series isn’t short of characters who could be LGBTQIA+, though it’s typically left down to your interpretation. It also helps that Dion has had a fan following since early into the marketing cycle, though Square Enix didn't reveal too much of him.

FF16 differs, then, in not only making one romance pronounced but – as some fans are already pointing out – including more subtle conversations between queer lovers in the background of towns.

Prince Dion and Terence?!?!?!?!? They conquered the mountain Clive and Jill are still afraid to climb #FF16 #FINALFANTASYXVI pic.twitter.com/4iAnq5C0hMJune 24, 2023

they really said no one will have a happy ending in ff16, not even the little fruits in evil vaticanoh dion and terence, we're really in it now pic.twitter.com/7MVhNqA3y7June 26, 2023

Fans are praising other FF16 features, too - like the Active Time Lore system, which has caught the eye of Final Fantasy 14 fans in particular. It’s nifty, unlike this macabre easter egg dedicated to a beloved FF9 character, which has ruined my day.

Yoshi-P says Final Fantasy 16 on PC is happening, it's just a case of 'when', if you don’t fancy shelling out for a PS5.

I joined GamesRadar+ in May 2022 following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When I'm not running the news team on the games side, you'll find me putting News Editor duties to one side to play the hottest JRPG of 20 years ago or pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new cloak – the more colourful, the better.