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Ignis was raised alongside Prince Noctis to be adviser to the heir apparent. An intensive education instilled in him the resourcefulness and composure required for the role, his tactical acumen proving invaluable over the course of the prince's journey.

Official description[4]

Ignis Scientia, previously known as Ignis Stupeo Scientia (イグニス・ストゥーペオ・スキエンティア, Igunisu Sutupeo Sukientia?), is a companion of Prince Noctis and a party member in Final Fantasy XV. As of patch 1.20, he is a switchable player character. He is also the main playable character of his own DLC episode, and can be fought as an opponent in Final Fantasy XV: Comrades. His name was originally given as Ignis Stupeo Scientia, but the middle name is no longer used in his official biographies.[5][6]

Ignis is Noctis's close childhood friend, and part of his royal retinue alongside Gladiolus and Prompto. He acts as an adviser for the royal family and a servant of the Crownsguard.[7] He is the group's driver and chef, taking the wheel of the party's car unless the player wants to drive manually as Noctis. Ignis has a composed and serious personality, and while calm most of the time, can lose his composure when Noctis's wellbeing is threatened. He serves as the brains of the party, being in-depth with his strategies and disliking ambiguity. Ignis is proud of his cooking skills, and chooses to drive as he only trusts himself to.

Ignis wields daggers and polearms in battle. When not directly controlled, the player can co-opt moves with him and issue him commands, including the ability to add elemental damage to Noctis's weapon. When directly controlled, Ignis excels in infusing his own dagger attacks with elemental damage.

Dossiers

Son of House Scientia, a family of royal retainers. Serious as he is studious, Ignis entered into Noctis's service at the age of 6, caring after the crown prince from that day forward. On the road, he acts as a caretaker for the entire crew, driving the car and balancing their books. He also monitors the group's nutrition, effortlessly preparing exquisite meals—the result of many hours of culinary practice.
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)
In the wake of the Trial of Leviathan, Ignis raced through the streets of Altissia in hopes of rescuing the fallen prince from certain peril. The battle with the empire was won, and Noctis was saved—but not without cost. Ignis had lost his sight. Determined to continue protecting the crown prince but unsure of how, he struggles to find a way to move forward.
During Noctis's absence, Ignis devoted himself to overcoming his blindness. While his sight never returned, his other senses grew sharper by the day. Before long, he had remastered everything from cooking to combat, all without use of his eyes. With the newly returned Noctis at his side, the Hand of the King heads home to Insomnia to help his liege reclaim his throne.
Spoilers end here.

Profile

Appearance

Ignis wears a purple and black patterned dress shirt with a black suit and black shiny red-soled shoes. He wears shimmery silver driving gloves. He wears glasses and has short, light ash brown hair swept up at the front of his hairline and green eyes. Like all party members, he has numerous skull-motifs to his outfit, the most prominent being the skull print on the back of his shirt. He also has a skull on his belt buckle and a silver skull pendant, and the inner lining of his jacket is damask print made out of skulls. Despite often wearing glasses, Ignis's vision is passable without them. After his eye injury, he wears sunglasses.

His casual outfit is a white long-sleeved dress shirt or a gray T-shirt. He wears gray trousers and has a storage pack attached to his left leg.

Ten years later, he has replaced his eyeglasses with dark visors and his hair has grown out on the top. He gains a Kingsglaive uniform as part of the story.

Episode Ignis unlocks different hairstyles for Ignis and has his default attire without the gloves. The version of Ignis initially exclusive to story scenes in his episode where he has his hair all the way down was added as an attire to the main game in patch 1.24 due to popular demand. Other attires he can wear are the Thermal Suit for power plant workers, Magitek Exosuit bonus attire added in a patch, and the Medjay Assassin's Robe from the Final Fantasy XV: Assassin's Festival event.

Personality

The decision is yours to make and yours alone. But do remember we will stand with you always and help you bear your burdens. Don't be afraid to let us share the load.

Ignis to Noctis in Episode Ignis

Ignis has a composed, austere, and cool personality to contrast Gladiolus and Prompto, and primarily acts as the brains of the party. Ignis has been friends with Noctis since early childhood. Though he works for him as a retainer, their relationship is closer to familial in nature. He received a special education for gifted children to work as a staff officer for Noctis and acts as the understanding consultant for him. He has a different accent from the others.

Ignis is a precise person who dislikes even the slightest ambiguity, and has a perfectionist streak and can lose his composure when things do not go his way. He remains a stabilizing influence within the group and is the calmest and most analytical of them. As a more serious individual, he can struggle with reading people's intentions, especially when something is a joke; this is changed in the localization with him being the one to make the most puns out of the group. Ignis's English voice actor, Adam Croasdell, has described Ignis as "unflappable and a stone-cold assassin when it comes to the action" and "unwittingly funny, mainly with desperation at the hi-jinks of the rest of the crew."[8]

Many of Ignis's most notable traits are exemplified by his culinary expertise. Director Hajime Tabata has said Ignis is not particularly keen on cooking, but as a duty to perform, he takes it seriously.[9] Despite this, Ignis seems to enjoy cooking for others, taking pride in his performance and being offended when Prompto states he is looking forward to Iris's (or anyone else's) meals. He finds the true joy of cooking to be on the faces of those he cooks for, telling Noctis he will never forget the prince's smile the first time he cooked for him and sometimes attempting to have Noctis prepare food with him in the morning.

Ignis can be seen as Noctis's right-hand man. Since Noctis lost his mother when he was young, Ignis ended up filling much of the role for Noctis, including cleaning his room and encouraging him to study and maintain a healthier diet. In the past, this led to conflict over Noctis's insecurity about fulfilling his royal duties. Despite this, their bond has held strong over the years, and Ignis has not once shirked from his loyalty. The DLC "Episode Ignis" further emphasizes that Ignis would give up his life to protect Noctis, presenting a rash side of him not typically seen otherwise. When making his DLC episode, the developers thought the "gap" between how he usually presents himself, and his "reckless" side when he feels Noctis is in danger, was the character's biggest appeal.[10]

Abilities

Ignis-Reaper-FFXV

Ignis wields his spear in combat.

Ignis wields daggers and spears in combat. When wielding daggers he can comfortably switch between a standard grip and a reverse grip. He can throw knives with pinpoint accuracy, and can combine this with Noctis's warping to aid him. Out of the retinue, Ignis is the most proficient magic user, showcasing various elemental spelldagger skills and the ability to bestow elemental properties to others' weapons. As a member of the party, Ignis is granted the use of healing potions and some of Noctis's powers, able to manifest weapons and magic flasks from thin air. He is the party's tactician, suggesting battle strategies when going into combat, and analyzes enemies to pinpoint their weaknesses. A learned man, Ignis often offers advise on how to tackle certain foes, such as by informing others of the coeurls' electrocution skills.

Ignis is the party's chef and driver, effortlessly preparing exquisite meals (even mid-battle). According to his character profile in Final Fantasy XV: Official Works,[11] Ignis thought he should take on the role of Noctis's caretaker, and strove to serve as an example in all things. Though only expected to offer wisdom as the king's strategist, Ignis thus became a jack-of-all-trades with academic, physical and social knowledge.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

While augmented by the Ring of the Lucii, he grows exponentially more powerful and can warp. After losing his eyesight Ignis can only sense light, and begins wearing dark visors and walking with a cane. Before adjusting to his disability, Ignis at times uses his cane for a weapon. He eventually stops using the cane as a mobility aid and in time, re-learns his skills in both combat and cooking. Ignis hunts daemons unaided, reasoning he is more attuned to darkness than most, and seems receptive to a suggestion to start his own restaurant in the future.

Story

Young Noct and Ignis

Ignis and Noctis in their youth as depicted in Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV.

Ignis was born to House Scientia, whose members have been retainers in service of the royal house.[3] Ignis was raised alongside Noctis to be adviser to the heir apparent and took up the role when he was six. When he was ten Ignis heard of a pastry Noctis had enjoyed in Tenebrae, and became interested in cooking.[12] An intensive education instilled in him the resourcefulness and composure required for the role as Noctis's advisor. At 15 years of age Ignis began to train in the Crownsguard,[12] and began working on his physique at 16, knowing that he would need to help carry out the plans he was to come up with to aid Noctis. As he matured Ignis was called upon to attend important councils for which he had to look respectable, and thus he developed a dress sense to match.[9] At 18, Ignis officially joined Crownsguard,[12] while continuing to look after Noctis, his goal to become General to the King in the future.[3]

As told in Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, while in high school Noctis struggled with his status as the heir to the throne as his father's health was worsening. Ignis tried to help by cleaning up after him, attending royal meetings for him to take notes, and reminding him of school work. Ignis kept trying to re-create the Tenebraen treat from Noctis's childhood, but never got the flavor exactly right. While cooking became one of his duties as a caretaker for Noctis, Ignis considered it as "merely dabbling in the craft," though was encouraged to improve after hearing Prompto's praise when he sampled Noctis's dinner one night. Ignis even practiced making sushi to advise Noctis who had taken a part-time job as a sushi restaurant.[13] Though Ignis at times was at a loss on how to best support the apathetic-seeming Noctis, King Regis had asked Ignis to take care of his son.

As told in Final Fantasy XV Prologue Parting Ways, Ignis's uncle works as an advisor at the Citadel. Ignis drives Noctis there to meet the king in Noctis's new car, but Regis is too busy to meet them. Instead Ignis packs Noctis's belongings from his room at the Citadel for the journey he is about to take. They reminisce of the times they used to sneak out of the Citadel as kids and Ignis had taken the fall if they got caught. Late at night, having been busy with duty all day, Ignis heads over to Noctis's apartment in the city where he had been taken earlier by Nyx Ulric of the Kingsglaive. Noctis's other friends, who are to accompany him on the trip, Gladiolus and Prompto, meet up at Noctis's apartment to clean it up as Noctis is moving out. When he would return he would be married.

Bad-news-Gladio-Noctis-Ignis-FFXV

Ignis delivers the news of Insomnia's fall.

Ignis accompanies Noctis and his friends on a road trip to Altissia where they are to meet Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Noctis's fiancée. While driving through Leide, the Regalia—King Regis's car they are using—breaks down, and they push it to the nearest service station to have it repaired. When they get to Galdin Quay they discover the ship to Altissia is not running, and the next morning Ignis delivers the grim news to the others: the Crown City has been invaded by the Niflheim Empire in the event that was supposed to be a peace treaty signing, and the king has died. They try to return to the city but find it blockaded.

Noctis embarks on a quest to reclaim his kingdom by collecting the royal arms of his forebears, and forging covenants with the Astral gods of Eos. Ignis supports Noctis throughout his endeavors, and they discover that King Regis has a ship in a secret harbor they can use to cross the ocean. They are followed by the chancellor of Niflheim, Ardyn Izunia, who lends them his help although the party remains suspicious of his motives. When the friends infiltrate an imperial base, Ignis and Noctis subdue Brigadier General Caligo Ulldor to interrogate. Ignis hands Caligo to the Hunters, but is later informed that he fled. They are then confronted by Commodore Aranea Highwind.

Ignis and Prompto accompany Noctis to a remote temple to find mythril to repair King Regis's royal vessel. They bump into Ardyn who negotiates a deal to have Aranea accompany them into the ruins. Aranea escorts the party back to Lestallum where they meet up with Gladiolus at the EXINERIS power plant. They make camp where Ignis cooks. Gladiolus compliments Ignis's cooking, and tells the party how he got his new scars.

Ignis-Ravus-FFXV-DLC-Episode

Ignis teams up with Ravus.

In Altissia Lunafreya awakens the sea goddess Leviathan so Noctis can forge his covenant. Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto are on evacuation duty as Leviathan is known for her wrath, but Ignis becomes separated from the others. He makes his way toward the Altar of the Tidemother after Noctis passes Leviathan's trial. He is pursued by Caligo Ulldor and defeats his magitek armor. Afterward he teams up with Ravus Nox Fleuret, Lunafreya's empire-serving brother. Once they get to the altar Ignis finds Lunafreya's dog Pryna dying. Pryna is a Messenger of the gods who delivers a vision of Noctis fulfilling the prophecy of the True King to Ignis, who learns Noctis must die to save the world.

Ignis and Ravus find Noctis and Lunafreya, the former unconscious and the latter's life fading. Ravus finds into a rage, blaming Noctis for his sister's death, but Ignis quells him. Ravus mourns how she never got to live a normal life, and how even in death her spirit will not rest until the prophecy is fulfilled. Ardyn disguised as Gladiolus arrives, but Ravus recognizes him and protects Noctis and Ignis from him. The Ring of the Lucii falls from Noctis's grasp, and Ignis takes it. The ring is the divine heirloom of the Lucian monarchy that only lends its power to the rightful ringbearer.

Ignis-Loses-Vision-Episode-Ignis-FFXV

Ignis loses his vision.

After Ardyn blasts Ravus away with his magic, he asks Ignis to either join him or be killed. If Ignis rejects Ardyn, he puts on the Ring of the Lucii, having heard that a Kingsglaive was able to harness its powers by sacrificing their life, and declares to do the same. Ignis defeats Ardyn, gains Ravus's respect, and his eyesight is permanently damaged, sustaining a huge scar across the left side of his face. According to developer interviews in Final Fantasy XV Official Works,[10] Ignis only lost his eyesight rather than his life due to his strong will to protect Noctis, a person the kings of yore could not afford to lose.

When Noctis awakes days after his battle with Leviathan, he finds Ignis watching over him, who tells him Lunafreya has died. Knowing Noctis's fate from the vision he had seen, Ignis asks Noctis to stop the journey, but he refuses, saying giving up would make all the sacrifices others had made for him meaningless. Ignis accepts Noctis's answer, and promises to always support him.

Ignis continues to accompany Noctis, now walking with a cane, although he struggles and can no longer cook for the party. Gladiolus disagrees with Ignis's decision to continue, but he insists he can keep up and no one wants to leave him behind.

Noctis and Ignis on the train in FFXV

Ignis tells Noctis about the Starscourge.

The party continues toward Gralea, the imperial capital where Lucis's stolen Crystal has been taken. Noctis, as the Lucian king, can use the powers of the Crystal with the Ring of the Lucii he had acquired from Lunafreya just before her death. Ignis tells Noctis about the Starscourge, a plague that has worsened ever since Lunafreya died, as she was an Oracle duty-bound to fight it. The nights are growing longer with daemons becoming ever fiercer. Ignis speculates that the Crystal can stop it, as it had always kept Insomnia safe.

On their way the train they are on is attacked by imperial forces. While Noctis and Prompto fight off the magitek troops, Ignis and Gladiolus get the train moving again. A frantic Noctis calls Ignis to tell him Prompto has fallen off the moving train, and Ignis tries to calm him as they cannot stop to look for him. When Noctis later meets Ardyn, he learns Prompto is in imperial hands, being kept by the empire alongside the Crystal.

Gladiolus-Ignis-Ch13-FFXV

Ignis and Gladiolus in Zegnautus Keep.

They enter the imperial capital on train. They are attacked and drive the Regalia to the city until the car is destroyed. Noctis becomes separated from Ignis and Gladiolus and his magic is sealed, forcing him to continue alone with the Ring of the Lucii as his only weapon. Ardyn returns Ignis and Gladiolus their weapons and directs them through the laboratory of Zegnautus Keep. They view security footage and find only one tape was not wiped from the console: the tape of Ravus confronting the daemon-transforming Emperor Aldercapt, before being tossed into the Keep, and then killed by Ardyn disguised as Noctis. The two continue to follow Ardyn's directions while fighting daemons, before confronting a Foras that can speak and thirsts for the Crystal.

Ardyn directs them to where Noctis has fallen into a trap, and they save him in a nick of time. The three rescue Prompto who takes them to the throne room where Noctis regains the use of his powers by turning off the Wallbreaker Wave machine. As they are ambushed by a horde of daemons, Ignis and the others urge Noctis to go to the Crystal alone. Noctis reluctantly does so, but when he gets to the Crystal he is absorbed inside it. When his friends follow him they only find Ardyn gloating before the Crystal. In six months the sun disappears from the world entirely and daemons take over.

Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto return to what is left of Lucis. Ignis begins training for Noctis's return and leaves Lestallum to head out to Leide to do some fishing. When he returns he trains with a member of the Kingsglaive, is defeated, and leaves to train some more so he can rematch the Glaive. He later returns for the rematch. Ignis adjusts to being blind and stops using a walking stick and starts cooking again. His gourmet seafood is the only thing that Cid Sophiar looks forward to. Despite his disability Ignis hunts daemons, saying he is more used to the dark than most people. He doesn't want to burden others, and adapts his combat style to throwing his lances and daggers and has reached pinpoint accuracy by the time Noctis returns. Talcott Hester and Ignis explore ancient ruins to learn more about their situation.

Noctis-Ignis-Ch14-FFXV

Noctis greets Ignis after ten years.

After ten years Noctis awakens from his crystalline slumber and returns to Lucis. He has absorbed the Crystal's power and is ready to become the True King and kill Ardyn, whose true persona is that of Noctis's ancestor as an immortal and as an embodiment of the darkness. Noctis meets up with his friends and they discuss the Kingsglaive, and how at least some of them gave their lives to protect Noctis. Ignis's cooking has improved, and the others think he should open a restaurant after peace returns.

They prepare to return to Insomnia where Noctis will fulfill the prophecy. Ignis cooks for them for a final time, and Noctis struggles expressing his emotions to the others, knowing that he will have to die to bring light back to the world. Ignis and Noctis share a moment by the bonfire, Ignis reminding him how he will always have his support and being moved by Noctis's gratitude.

Ignis Gladio and Prompto see the sun rise in FFXVRE

Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto watch the sun rise.

They head to the ruins of Insomnia where countless daemons and magitek soldiers await them. Noctis asks if Ignis will be able to sense the break of dawn, and he confirms that he can still sense light. After passing numerous obstacles to get to the Citadel, Ignis reaffirms his promise to stand by and support Noctis. Noctis faces Ardyn who incapacitates Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto, and Noctis defeats him alone. After Ardyn fades away telling Noctis to meet him "on the other side", Noctis sends his friends away in a manner similar King Regis sent them off to their journey ten years ago. Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto are with Noctis in spirit when he defeats Ardyn in the afterlife, and the sun finally rises. The trio survives, honoring their promise to Noctis.

Alternate ending

Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis

If Ignis decides to follow Ardyn after facing him in Altissia, the latter takes him to Zegnautus Keep. Lunafreya's voice guides Ignis to the Crystal, telling him how only the True King fulfilling the prophecy can save the world.

Ignis finds the Crystal, and is apprehended by Ardyn, who reveals he lured Ignis there as bait for Noctis, whom he wants to inherit the Crystal's power. Ardyn reveals his true identity as Ardyn Lucis Caelum, who in ancient times was to become the king of Lucis, but considers the title stolen from him by his brother, the Founder King. Rendered immortal by the Starscourge that now inhabits his very soul, Ardyn has lived for two millennia, awaiting the time he can get his revenge on the Crystal and the bloodline that had discarded him. Ignis knows Noctis will die if Ardyn's plan succeeds, and declares that the world means nothing to him if it means losing Noctis.

Ignis puts on the Ring of the Lucii and gains its power for the price of his own life. He disintegrates Ardyn's body, who will yet returns, as he is immortal. Ignis doesn't lose his vision, as he sacrificed his life as the blood price instead. The dying Ignis is found by Noctis, Gladiolus and Prompto. Noctis grieves how incapable he is in protecting those close to him, takes the ring from Ignis, and asks for the Crystal's power to save him. As Ignis is healed of his injuries, sylleblossom petals appear around them, implying Lunafreya's influence. Noctis walks into the Crystal, and while he sleeps in its core, the others return to Lucis. Ignis meets with their various friends and they scout the royal tombs while awaiting for Noctis's return.

Ignis-Verse-2

Ignis with his vision retained, stands before Noctis's throne in a world where Noctis survives.

When Noctis returns Ignis welcomes him back. They head to Insomnia where Ravus bequeaths Noctis the Sword of the Father, and joins them in facing Ardyn. Light returns to the world yet Noctis doesn't die, continuing to rule Lucis from the Citadel where Ignis goes to see him. Final Fantasy XV: Official Works posits that Ignis devised a "secret plan" to destroy the immortal Ardyn and drive out the darkness, and managed to surpass even the intent of the gods to bring forth another future.[14]


Final Fantasy XV -The Dawn of the Future-

After Noctis awakens from his decade-long slumber inside the Crystal, he meets Sol Antiquum who fills him in on what has happened during his absence. Noctis asks about his friends, especially worried about Prompto and Ignis, but learns the latter has become an expert hunter who always says the vision impairment does not handicap him much as no one can see well in the dark. Noctis heads to the Citadel alone rather than waiting to meet his friends, but Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto follow and team up with him in time to face an army of small Bahamuts. Noctis notes how Ignis has perfectly adjusted to his handicap. After Noctis saves the revived Lunafreya, he leaves her in his friends' care and heads to fight Bahamut who has revealed his true colors as an uncaring deity willing to destroy life on Eos to purge it of the Scourge. In the end Bahamut is felled and the Astrals, the Crystal and the Starscourge all vanish as dawn breaks. At Noctis and Lunafreya's wedding in Altissia, King Regis's spirit thanks Noctis's friends—Ignis included—on aiding him and the rest of humanity to survive their ordeals.

Spoilers end here.

Gameplay

XV Ignis In Battle

Ignis in battle

Ignis is the supportive party member who often stays near Noctis, although he is also a strong fighter. He wields daggers and lances, and can be equipped with Elemancy. He can analyze enemies' strengths and weaknesses, heal the party, and bestow Noctis's weapon with the element his enemy is weak to, among other skills. He doesn't have as much HP and Strength as Gladiolus, but has more than Prompto.

Ignis will cook for the party at camp, and there are various ways for him to learn new recipes. Different dishes provide different buffs. He loses the ability to cook from Chapter 10 to 13. In Chapter 14, storywise, he cooks a final meal, and cannot cook again unless the player uses Umbra to travel to the past. The buffs will carry over if the player uses Umbra to return to the present.

The player can also fight Ignis at camp as training.

After Chapter 9, Ignis's combat ability and mobility become limited until Chapter 14, where he can run and fight, but his fighting style is adjusted to throwing daggers and lances rather than using them for closer quarters combat. He does get close to the enemy to perform a Deathblow if the player has learned it, but not as frequently as he used to use it. After the 1.20 patch that enables character swapping, the player cannot switch control to Ignis from Chapters 10 to 13.

He can be fought in Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, and is the main player character in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis. When directly controllable, Ignis excels in elemental dagger skills, and can even cook during battle.

Musical themes

FINAL FANTASY XV OST2「EPISODE IGNIS -The Main Theme」Sample Movie

Ignis's theme is "EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme". The team started thinking on who to hire as composer for Episode Ignis in March 2017, and Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears fame topped the shortlist. When writing Ignis's theme, it was suggested to use a single instrument to represent him. Mitsuda composed the violin solo and used it for the main melody. Mitsuda feared it would be lost in the loud background, but came to think it fits the game in how it represents the quiet feelings Ignis tries to hide and how he carries himself in battle.[15]

"EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme" is track 47 on disc 1 of the Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack Volume 2.

Other appearances

Ignis has appeared in the following media throughout the Final Fantasy series:

Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances

Ignis has appeared in the following media outside the Final Fantasy series:

Other media

LINE

Ignis appears on a sticker set for the LINE communications app. The sticker set he appears in is titled "ファイナルファンタジーXV".[16]


Behind the scenes

Design and development

Prince gang

An older design of Ignis with the party.

Ignis, like the other party members, went through a design overhaul. The original footage of him had him wearing a white dress shirt under a jacket, jeans and a dogtag pendant. This outfit was changed to a purple and black animal print dress shirt worn with a suit. He's also donned a pair of uniquely styled blue gloves. In a early gameplay trailer when the game was known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, he was playable and used a katana to attack and fired magic. Ignis was also seen using a katana in the early footage for Final Fantasy XV, but in the final game he can only equip polearms and daggers. In Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae Ignis has the Cure spell. Cure is not a spell in the final game, but Ignis has a curative Technique instead.

Ignis was redesigned by Yusuke Naora, one of the art directors of Final Fantasy XV. Ignis had few alterations despite improvement in technology. To emphasize he has protected Noctis since a young age, he was made more toned, especially enhancing the musculature around his neck. Care was taken to ensure to retain his intellectual image, so he appears slender under his clothes.[17] Director Hajime Tabata has explained that black has historically been treated as a special color in Lucis. Thus the attire of the royal family, and those in occupations closely tied to it, wear black.[18] The lead writer and localization director Dan Inoue has named James Bond as the basis for Ignis's character.[19]

Ignis-glasses-FFXV

Ignis's glasses.

Due to the high hardware requirements for proper order-independent transparency, Ignis's glasses end up replacing the depth information in the area that they cover so that the glasses themselves would not be out of focus. The result is that any background behind the glasses is unblurred even if rest of the background is.

During development of the main game, Kazuya Takahashi*(Director of Comrades who also worked for some scenarios for the main game) worried Ignis wouldn't be popular. Ignis was thus made more prominent in some Chapter 1 scenes, and given more highlights, such as having him say "let's make camp" and have him give battle instructions. Takahashi was later amazed Ignis became a hit character. From the beginning of development of the main game, Ignis was considered difficult to include as he was not as easy to drop in the action like the powerful Gladiolus or the gunslinging Prompto who could act more on gut feeling than the tactician-style Ignis.[10]

Ignis is the focus of Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV Episode 4. The episode originally had a different story where Ignis would have discovered Noctis and Prompto hanging out downtown during exam season and reprimanded them before being confronted by delinquents. He would have beaten down the thugs shocking the others.[20]

Ignis-Katana-of-the-Warrior-FFXV

Ignis using a katana as part of Armiger Chain.

Early development of Final Fantasy XV saw Ignis use a katana as his main weapon, while daggers were used as sub/ability weapons. Due to this, and many design traits, he was affectionately called "Glasses Touchdown" due to similarities to No More Heroes series protagonist Travis Touchdown. Possibly as a nod to his early design, Ignis can still use the Katana of the Warrior in the final game in an Armiger Chain link-strike, even if he can't equip katanas. In Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, Ignis trains with a sword, but he doesn't wield one in the game. This is perhaps alluded to in incidental dialogue in Final Fantasy XV when Gladiolus comments there not being enough room to swing a sword, and Ignis replies that he should have taken up fencing.

Curiosities

Lovers-Notebook-Sylleblossom-FFXV

The flower that appears on Ignis's notebook.

The black notebook Ignis uses to write down recipes seems to be a modified model of the Lovers' Notebook, as it has a pressed sylleblossom on the page next to the one he writes on. This cannot be seen in a normal playthrough, as the default camera only ever shows the cover.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

When the party's flashlights are on, approaching them head on has them shield their eyes from the brightness. Ignis still does this after becoming blind. In incidental dialogue in Chapter 14, Noctis asks if Ignis will be aware of the coming dawn after ten years of darkness, and Ignis confirms that he can still sense light.

It is unclear how much of the events of Episode Ignis, Ignis remembers. In Chapter 11 he says the last thing he remembers was seeing Ardyn's ship head to the altar. In Chapter 13 Verse 2, he says he wishes they and Ravus could have a chance to talk things out. The credits in Episode Ignis indicate he remembers Pryna's vision.

Spoilers end here.

Dummied content

Episode_ignis_cut_extra_battle

Episode ignis cut extra battle

Episode Ignis has a dummied "friendly match" against Noctis with fourth wall-breaking dialogue of Noctis complaining Ignis being the main character, stealing his spotlight. The win and lose dialogues are about the two arguing who has more fans.

The game also has a dummied dossier for Ignis:[21]

Ignis Scientia
Born into a household that has advised the royal family for generations, Ignis has followed in his forebears' footsteps, serving as friend and confidant to the crown prince since age 6. Ever since Noctis lost his mother, Ignis has acted as a caretaker of sorts, keeping a close eye on his companion.

This is similar to the final dossier, but mentions that Ignis's forebears have served the crown before him, whereas the reason for Regis choosing Ignis as Noctis's caretaker is not said in the final game. This may be because Prince Regis's own diplomatic advisor was Weskham Armaugh, whom Ignis is not related to.

Voice

Ignis's Japanese voice actor is Mamoru Miyano, who also voices Riku from the Kingdom Hearts series.

He is voiced by Adam Croasdell in English. In the English localization, he speaks with an English accent in comparison to the other party members, who speak with American accents. Director Hajime Tabata once mentioned in 2015 that this was because Ignis is from a different region of the world,[22] but this has never been mentioned in the game or supplementary material. In 2017, Tabata gave the reason for Ignis's accent as him being "steeped in the traditions of the Royal Court."[23]

When Croasdell auditioned for the role, he didn't know it was for Final Fantasy XV, as it was under a code name. He worked with director Keythe Farley and writer Dan Inoue to find the tone for Ignis. Initially, Croasdell played him fairly comedic, but it was soon realized that didn't work in the dynamic of the four lead characters. Croasdell assumed a more cerebral tone with "overtones of James Bond" and went a step further to help create a sense of character and personality by adding a sense of poshness. Ignis is entrusted with Noctis's safety and education and is dependable and capable. As such, Croasdell thought to give him the tone and mannerisms of an Oxbridge man.[8]

In the English localization of the Episode Duscae demo, Ignis mainly referred to Noctis as "Highness", whereas he called him "Noct" in the Japanese version. This was criticized by some as too drastic a change of his characterization between the versions. The lines from Episode Duscae were re-recorded for the final game, in which Ignis commonly refers to Noctis as "Noct".

Merchandise

Ignis-Play-Arts

Play arts.

Ignis is available as a Play Arts -Kai- figure that includes a pair of daggers.

Gallery

Etymology

Ignis's name is composed of Latin words.

Ignis means "fire" in Latin.

Stupeo means "I stun" or "I amaze" in Latin.

Scientia is the Latin word for “knowledge”.

The words form the full meaning of Ignis's original name: "I stun with fiery knowledge." This is not a literal translation, as ignis is the noun "fire," not the adjective "fiery," and it is not in the ablative [instrumental] case. A variation of it is possible, however: "I, Fire, stun/amaze with knowledge."

Ignis's middle name was later dropped.

External links

Citations

  1. Final Fantasy XV On Noctis’ Age, Brotherhood Episode 2, And Other Questions From Fans (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at Siliconera
  2. Final Fantasy XV Japanese community questions answered (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at Gematsu
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Final Fantasy XV: Official Works, p.Character File #03: Ignis Scientia
  4. http://www.finalfantasyxv.com/en/overview#overview-characters
  5. Official ''Final Fantasy XV'' website character overviews (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at Official English Final Fantasy XV Site
  6. Official ''Final Fantasy XV'' website Ignis (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at Official Japanese Final Fantasy XV Site
  7. Prompto: "So who is this Monica person?"
    Ignis: "A servant of the Crownsguard, like Gladio and myself."
  8. 8.0 8.1 CREATING CHARACTER IN FINAL FANTASY XV: AN INTERVIEW WITH ADAM CROASDELL (Accessed: December 21, 2016) at Two Left Sticks
  9. 9.0 9.1 Final Fantasy XV Collector's Edition Guidebook developer interviews
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 ''Final Fantasy XV Official Works'' interview translated by higharollakockamamie (Accessed: September 03, 2018) at higharollakockamamie @tumblr
  11. Ignis Scientia's profile in ''Final Fantasy XV: Official Works'' translated by higharollakockamamie (Accessed: February 09, 2019) at higharollakockamamie @tumblr
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Final Fantasy XV Ultimania Scenario Side translations (Accessed: January 29, 2019) at The Lifestream
  13. 『FINAL FANTASY XV エピソード カーバンクル』第6話 (Accessed: January 29, 2019) at Famitsu
  14. Another Possibility: the Extra Chapter shown in ''Episode Ignis'' (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at higharollakockamamie at tumblr
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9U8SNyTllw
  16. https://store.line.me/stickershop/product/7501/ja
  17. 8 Gorgeous Photos of Final Fantasy XV’s Characters (Accessed: July 25, 2018) at IGN
  18. The Reason Why Final Fantasy XV's Main Characters Wear Black (Accessed: December 12, 2018) at Kotaku
  19. John McClane and Ferris Bueller Were Apparently Among the Inspirations for Final Fantasy XV's Main Characters (Accessed: December 12, 2019) at US Gamer
  20. Recap on what was said in a ''Final Fantasy XV'' event in Osaka in Dec 2018 (Accessed: December 19, 2018) at @loktonlop Twitter
  21. [ spoilers ] unuse + cut + pending content topic at /r/ffxv at reddit (Accessed: June 12, 2018) at reddit
  22. https://youtu.be/RiQ4rh4hhiU?t=5643
  23. https://youtu.be/XE4tOufiTYY?t=1404
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