Who is Clive's mother in Final Fantasy 16?
With how he was treated during the game's prologue, as shown in the demo, players have been wondering about the actual identity of Clive's mother in Final Fantasy 16. So, let's get into this FF16 guide on Clive's mother.
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Spoilers ahead for the Final Fantasy 16 prologue, during the first 2 hours of the game.
Who is Clive's mother in Final Fantasy 16?
Click to enlargeDespite her cold behaviour making many think otherwise, the mother of Clive in Final Fantasy 16 is, in fact, Anabella Rosfield. Whilst some think that she could even have been a stereotypically distant stepmother through a second marriage by his father, Archduke of Rosaria Elin Rosfield, Anabella is indeed the biological mother to Clive as well as Joshua.
Although her later reveal in the prologue as a secret antagonist already tells you a lot about Anabella Rosfield's personality, it doesn't explain the full reason why Clive's own mother treats him with disgust in the early parts of the game. That's especially whilst she coddles his younger brother.
The answer lies in the Phoenix, the Eikon of Rosaria strategically passed down through the Rosfield family for generations. Even though he is the first-born son of Archduke Elwin and Duchess Anabella, the Phoenix rejected Clive as a host, choosing Joshua as its Dominant instead.
As a result of being rejected, nevertheless still becoming a splendid soldier and Shield to Joshua in his own right, Clive is still seen as worthless by his mother. She even goes as far as to say their "household has no place for such a failure" and that Clive even disgraced their noble blood.
All the love goes to Joshua
Click to enlargeAs the younger brother who was chosen by the Phoenix instead, Joshua received both his and Clive's standard share of love from their mother combined; when not smothering him at every turn, Anabella would become angry and paranoid if he ever left her sight.
As shown by her first appearance in the demo, her mood would be even worse if she found her favourite son was out spending time with his "failure" of an older brother.
Altogether, as demonstrated by her later betrayal but with a wish to keep him alive, Clive's mother only truly had any love for Joshua amongst any members of the Rosfield family. Even then, that seemed to only be the case because of her youngest son's title as both heir to the throne and Dominant of the Phoenix.
As for Clive, Anabella seems to be his mother in only name and blood alone.
That's all you need to know about the identity of Clive's mother in Final Fantasy 16.
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