Some names in video games, and in particular RPGs, can be tricky to pronounce. This was even harder in the text-based days when how someone would read something in their head would not necessarily translate to pronunciation. Thanks to voice acting, though, it has become a lot easier to pronounce various fantasy names, even those that can be filed under incredibly high fantasy like inFinal Fantasy 16. Whilecharacters like Clive and Joshua Rosfieldhave pretty straightforward names, there are others that could be more challenging: Barnabas “Tharmr,” Obolus, Kihel, Gaute, Goetz, and so forth.
As the actor for Dion Lesage, Stewart Clarke had a lot of names to toss about. As a major character and quintessential fantasy prince,Dion touches the lives of many other characters like the Medicine Girl and Terence. TheFinal Fantasy 16name that gave Clarke the most trouble, however, was a particularly important one given his role as the Prince of Sanbreque, which he discussed in a recent interview with Game Rant.
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During our interview, we discussed everything from who Dion was at his core to his role as thefirst openly gay character inFinal Fantasy. So much more goes into the character than what is seen, though, and there is plenty behind the scenes of its development, production, casting, and acting that fans may never know. However, Clarke shared one behind-the-scenes detail that is worth a light chuckle,
“I could never pronounce Greagor EVERY single time it came up in the script, and Dion says it so much! Thank goodness for the pronunciation archive that the team kept on everything Valisthean. Even now, I’m not sure…is it Greegor? Graygor? Groogor?!”
The reason her name comes up so much for Dion makes a lot of sense: Greagor is the Goddess of Sanbreque. The followers of the Greagorian Church venerate dragons because they see the wyrms as her divine servants, which is partially why they refer toValisthea’s Mothercrystalsas Drake’s [X].
Greagor also adorns the crest of Sanbreque, emblazoned in gold, arms stretched. She sits on the emblem encircled, looking down on a pair of dragons. Oriflamme, the capital of Sanbreque where the Greagorian faith is the state religion, features multiple statues in her honor. And with dragons as her divine servants, theEikon of Sanbreque being Bahamutcarries a holy connotation to its Dominant, Dion. All of this means that, naturally, Dion has to say her name. A lot. Especially given the deep devotion to his nation and people Dion has.
“I love to hook onto adjectives about a character that immediately jump out from a script and it was so obvious so quickly with Dion. He’s the epitome of dutiful, wedded to his people and what his Kingdom expects of him. He’s such a good man at heart, trying desperately to do the best possible thing in any given moment but functionally betrayed by a system and region that consistently acts in their own self interests. It was so satisfying to see him eventually ally himself with Clive, despite everything, as the pair really do share so much in terms of their desire to do right by other people. Dion is so selfless, whether on a micro scale with his lover or on a macro Empire-spanning scale, taking constant risks priming into Bahamut despite the cost to his health.”
That loyalty and selflessness being so core to the character of Sanbreque’s prince means that, though Clarke struggled with her name, Greagor was an important figure in Dion’s life. She continues to be throughout the course ofFinal Fantasy 16and helps define his character time and again.
Final Fantasy 16is available on PS5.
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