Ardyn Izunia -The Rightful Heir-

"I've never been called your majesty. Would you care to do me the honor?" ---Ardyn Izunia, Episode Ignis, FFXV

Ardyn Izunia from Final Fantasy XV © SQUARE ENIX

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Artwork was done in 2017 as part of a 5-pc FFXV fan-artwork series.

This underrated villain is my 2nd favorite Final Fantasy villain after Sephiroth - to the point I've gotten to calling him 'oily old hobo', and my close friends would get the reference instantly. He doesn't shine as much in the Kingsglaive film, but he's off his rockers in Episode Prompto, and truly became magnificent in Episode Ignis. Episode Ardyn definitely fleshed out his character even more and his tragic backstory made my heart bleed for him. And let's not forget Darin De Paul's great job in voicing him.

Ardyn's original character design sport a wing accessory that he wore on the right hand (as subtle homage to FF7's famous one-winged angel), so in this artwork I changed that into an actual wing with golden chains to imply his tragic fate (trapped by his horrible brother Somnus and imprisoned in Angelgard for 500 years; trapped by the Nilfheim's forces upon his release 500 years later, and overall basically trapped by Bahamut's evil machinations during the entire game+novel).