Joshua Rosfield and the Phoenix
"Away" is a boss theme in Final Fantasy XVI. It was composed by Masayoshi Soken and arranged by Soken and Yoshitaka Suzuki, with lyrics written by John Taylor and Michael-Christopher Koji Fox.
It is the theme of the Phoenix, quoting the Dominant Joshua Rosfield's theme.[1] The melody line was composed mainly around the sad image of the battle between Ifrit and the Phoenix, and it was used as Joshua's theme.[2][3]
Lyrics[]
A part of the lyrics of "Away" was first revealed by Masayoshi Soken on Twitter.[4] The full official lyrics were released via Square Enix Music's Twitter account.[5] The official lyrics were released again along with the lyrics for "Away (Refrain)" on the Final Fantasy XVI Original Soundtrack.
Away[]
- O Prometheus! Epimetheus!
- Hollos out your noble name!
- O Prometheus! Epimetheus!
- Clamors for your stolen flame!
- Fiery bonds
- Severed atwain
- Innocence lost
- Buried in broken faith
- A stormhead fills the horizon
- Foul shadows whispering ruin
- Yet from this darkness arises
- The burning light of a new end
- Far from heaven, heaven flown
- Down and down on weary wings borne
- Carried lower, deep below, from light to shadow
- Light to shadow!
- Circled in the strife of an empyreal catastrophe
- Whorls of ire fan infernal flames on high!
- Fire in the night
- A scarlet beacon in the sky
- Look up to the heavens
- The firmament reddens
- Throw open your wings and fly!
- Away!
- Away!
- Away!
- A stormhead fills the horizon
- Foul shadows whispering ruin
- Far from heaven flown
- Dry your eyes and let your wings fold
- From the dark light be reborn and rise from shadow
- Rise from shadow!
- Circled in the strife of an empyrean catastrophe
- Tongues of fire incandescent oaths decry!
- Shadows in the night
- A swirling cyclone in the sky
- Look down to the nether
- Bid farewell forever
- Throw open your wings and fly!
- Away!
- Away!
- Away!
Away (Refrain)[]
- Circled in the strife of a catastrophe on high
- Look up to the heavens
- The firmament reddens
- Throw open your wings and fly!
- Away!
Game appearances[]
Final Fantasy XIV[]
"Away (Refrain)" plays during the cutscene before The Path Infernal quest battle during the The Path Infernal collaboration event.
It is track 81 on the Growing Light: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
Final Fantasy XVI[]
The Phoenix
"Away" plays during the Eikon boss battle between the Phoenix and the Eikon of Fire, Ifrit.
It plays again during the Eikon boss battle between the Phoenix and Bahamut, after Ifrit is hit by Gigaflare and is temporarily removed from battle.
"Away" is track 19 of disc 1 on the Final Fantasy XVI Original Soundtrack.
"Away (Overture)" is an arrangement by Masayoshi Soken and Yoshitaka Suzuki that contains the "Prelude" composed by Nobuo Uematsu, and plays in the opening scene flashback, leading into the short introductory battle between the Phoenix and Ifrit. It is track 2 of disc 1 on the original soundtrack.
"Away (Refrain)" is an arrangement by Soken with lyrics written by John Taylor. It plays after Clive Rosfield witnesses again the past of Ifrit ruthlessly attacking the Phoenix, realizing that he was the one who seemingly killed Joshua. It is track 14 of disc 3 on the original soundtrack.
"Away (1987)" is an 8-bit arrangement by Soken that plays in a special pixel art video posted on social media of Clive and Torgal exploring the lands of Valisthea.[6][7] It is track 10 of disc 8 on the original soundtrack.
The melody of "Away" is used in number of other tracks associated with Joshua, such as "In Ashen Grip" which plays when Joshua first confronts Ultima and seals him in his own body. "In Ashen Grip" is track 33 of disc 3 on the original soundtrack.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line[]
"Away" appears as a Battle Music Stage in the Final Fantasy XVI DLC pack, released on November 1st, 2023.[8] It features a difficulty level of 3, 5, 10, and 14 for its Basic, Expert, Ultimate, and Supreme Scores, respectively.
The stage's visuals are modeled after the Apodytery area at Phoenix Gate in which Joshua Rosfield, as the Phoenix, battles the second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit.
Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances[]
Fantasian Neo Dimension[]
"Away" is available as music in the game.[9][10]
Tekken 8[]
"Away" plays as the normal background music of the Phoenix Gate stage in Tekken 8.
Etymology and interpretation[]
Prometheus (Προμηθεύς, Promētheús, lit. "forethought") was a Titan in Greek mythology best known for stealing the gift of fire from the gods and bestowing it upon humans. As punishment, Zeus had him chained to a boulder and had an eagle eat his liver every day, which would grow back the next day to be eaten again. To punish man, Zeus later sent Pandora to live among them, an event that ultimately unleashed the evils of Pandora's box on mankind. Eventually, Prometheus would be freed by Hercules.
In Greek mythology, Epimetheus (Ἐπιμηθεύς, Epimētheús, lit. "afterthought") was the brother of Prometheus, a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind".
Prometheus's theft of fire represents giving humans freedom from gods: the choice of free will, no longer needing to rely on divine intervention, a theme also in Final Fantasy XVI. Prometheus and Epimetheus being brothers could refer to Joshua and Clive.
Citations[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/sem_sep/status/1678367644322529281
- ↑ https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/1515635.html
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/music/pp/ff16ost/page/4
- ↑ https://twitter.com/SOKENsquareenix/status/1669939093575471104
- ↑ https://twitter.com/sem_sep/status/1678367722177196032
- ↑ https://twitter.com/finalfantasyxvi/status/1616405308829581314
- ↑ https://twitter.com/FF16_JP/status/1616405304362541057
- ↑ https://www.jp.square-enix.com/t_fbl/news/2023/016629.html
- ↑ https://na.finalfantasy.com/news/2730
- ↑ https://jp.finalfantasy.com/news/5424