History Characters / FinalFantasyRecurringSummons

* AscendedExtra: While the series has shifted to portraying summons more equally in later entries, Ifrit deserves special mention for how high he climbed. While always decently powerful he has usually been one of the first summons available and hardly important or powerful to warrant much attention. However, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' he is one of the last bosses faced (outright the PreFinalBoss in the original release) and proves powerful enough that taking him down requires two summons, one of which is Bahamut. And in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'', he is the Eikon of main protagonist Clive, being central to the story and even appearing as part of the logo.

* AscendedExtra: Narratively speaking, Shiva almost matches Ifrit is how much she's benefited from the series' shift to portraying summons on a more level playing field. As with Ifrit she was originally an early-game summon of little import, but nowadays she utterly curb stomps Ardyn and Ifrit during ''XV'', and in ''VII Remake'' it’s revealed that she fought and defeated the planet-eating GreaterScopeVillain JENOVA 2,000 years ago.

%%* KrakenAndLeviathan

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'', it is mentioned he was beaten only once before when lightning struck his sword as he rose it in preparation to use Zantetsuken.

* TheMentor: To Garnet in ''IX'', and has shades towards Terra in ''VI''.

* GentleGiant: Often he tends to be depicted as gentle, and at his worst he is usually a PapaWolf unless someone is using him for nefarious intentions.

* AscendedExtra: Narratively speaking, Shiva almost matches Ifrit is how much she's benefited from the series' shift to portraying summons on a more level playing field. As with Ifrit she was originally an early-game summon of little import, but nowadays she utterly curb stomps Ardyn and Ifrit during ''XV'', and in the
''VII Remake'' it’s revealed that she fought and defeated the planet-eating GreaterScopeVillain JENOVA 2,000 years ago.

* AscendedExtra: Narratively speaking, Shiva almost matches Ifrit is how much she's benefited from the series' shift to portraying summons on a more level playing field. She utterly curb stomps Ardyn and Ifrit during XV, and in the VII remake it’s revealed that she fought and defeated the planet-eating GreaterScopeVillain JENOVA 2,000 years ago.

* FireIceDuo: The fire to Shiva's ice. No game has featured one without the other[[note]]The closest this came to happening is ''XIII'', where Shiva is playable but Ifrit is relegated to a cameo.[[/note]], and they are often paired up, be it as a DualBoss in ''VI'', rivals in ''VIII'', or lovers in ''XV''.

* FireIceDuo: The ice to Ifrit's fire. No game has featured one without the other[[note]]The closest this came to happening is ''XIII'', where Shiva is playable but Ifrit is relegated to a cameo.[[/note]], and they are often paired up, be it as a DualBoss in ''VI'', rivals in ''VIII'', or lovers in ''XV''.

* TookALevelInBadass:
** In his first few appearances he was just another summon. Then ''IX'' made him the ultimate Eidolon capable of taking out Bahamut, and he's since been regarded alongside Odin and Bahamut as one of the most powerful summons.
** His appearance in Type 0 is also worthy of mention. He belongs to a special category of summons that take multiple people and a lot of time and preparation to summon successfully ([[spoiler: And the one time it is summoned it kills all of them from the strain, including a l'Cie]]), but once he does appear, [[spoiler: he wipes out the entire enemy military in the spaces of about 10 seconds]].

* TookALevelInBadass: While the series has shifted to portraying summons more equally in later entries, Ifrit deserves special mention for how high he climbed. While always decently powerful he has usually been one of the first summons available and hardly important or powerful to warrant much attention. However, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' he is one of the last bosses faced (outright the PreFinalBoss in the original release) and proves powerful enough that taking him down requires two summons, one of which is Bahamut. And in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'', he is the Eikon of main protagonist Clive, being central to the story and even appearing as part of the logo.

* TookALevelInBadass: Narratively speaking, she’s undergone this in two of the most recent games. She utterly curb stomps two of the most powerful beings in setting during XV, and in the VII remake it’s revealed that she fought and defeated the planet-eating GreaterScopeVillain JENOVA 2,000 years ago.

* GoodWingsEvilWings: A few games give him a massive set of angelic wings.

* FantasticNuke: Mega Flare, along with its stronger variants Giga Flare and Tera Flare, often depicts a massive explosion, which starting in the 3D games tended to involve explosions similar to a nuclear bomb, or even bigger, large enough to be seen from space.

* ShockAndAwe: Often appears as the lightning summon, but not as often as, say, Ifrit is for fire.

* AnIcePerson: She's the ice summon.
* AnIceSuit: Ice-elemental lady in extremely revealing clothes.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI Vana'diel]] always has that FantasticRacism feel on him, making Titan's story a TearJerker on its own. Titan was a Beastman, a collective of races that were viewed as AlwaysChaoticEvil by the Enlightened Races, even though Titan's race was a peaceful race of nature-loving giants. When he was captured and would be executed by a village of woodcutters, a girl that was treating his wounds tried to support his injured leg. He didn't want to crush the girl under his weight, so he kept his body straight before finally he DiedStandingUp.

* {{Lunacy}}: Most often, his powers are derived from the moon and he specializes in magic and NonElemental damage.

A legendary bird of flame. Summoning it in battle will bathe the battleground in its "Rebirth Flame", damaging enemies with fire and revitalizing fallen allies.

* PlayingWithFire: Its signature move isn't called Rebirth Flame for nothing.
* SignatureMove: Rebirth Flame / Flames of Rebirth.

* AscendedExtra: Earlier games had it as an optional summon one may never acquire. In ''XVI'' it's a part of the main plot and a part of the logo this time. ''XI'' and ''XIV'' also tend to give Phoenix a larger role, sometimes with power on par with the likes of Bahamut, Alexander, and Odin.

* BiggerIsBetter: In more recent games his size has grown to ''[[JustForPun titanic]]'' proportions. In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'', and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' Titan is ''the'' largest being in the setting.

* GoldenSuperMode: Battles against Bahamut in ''XIV'', ''XV'', and ''XVI'' all feature a final phase in which Bahamut turns gold. Bahamut Fury, the strongest known incarnation of Bahamut in the ''Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII'' series, is always gold in color.

* GoldenSuperMode: Battles against Bahamut in ''XIV'', ''XV'', and ''XVI'' all feature a final phase in which Bahamut turns gold. This also applies to Bahamut Fury, the strongest known incarnation of Bahamut in the ''Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII'' series.

* LavaMagicIsFire: Often Ifrit's attacks involve lava, such as ''VII'', ''X'' and the DS remake of ''IV''. As there often isn't a ultimate fire spell, Ifrit usually has the buck in portraying high power fire attacks.

* LavaMagicIsFire: Often Ifrit's attacks involves lava, such as ''VII'' and ''X''. As there often isn't a ultimate fire spell, Ifrit usually has the buck in portraying high power fire attacks.

* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', he looks basically like his ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' incarnation, but with more canine features and more animalistic movements. This design would often be elaborated upon by side games, adding armor or exaggerating his top-heavy build and animalistic features.