Final Fantasy XV Centaurs: Ignis

Coming in third in my series of Final Fantasy XV Centaurs but second in my ranking of overall favorite Chocobros is Ignis Scientia: brilliant, bespectacled, and a better cook than you!

Ignis is inarguably the most mature member of the four Chocobros (and no, it isn’t just his somewhat out-of-place British accent that makes me say that): as Prince Noctis’ most trusted advisor, Ignis takes on the responsibilities of chef and chauffeur throughout their adventure to ensure his allies are well-nourished and arrive at each of their destinations safely and efficiently. I’m certainly not alone in calling Ignis the Chocobros’ resident “Team Mom”, and it’s exactly these parental qualities Ignis exhibits that made me choose to portray him as a cervitaur. Indeed, deer have been characterized numerous times as guardians that nurture and protect the protagonists of the stories that include them, from Bambi’s mother to Harry Potter’s Patronus; even the Ceryneian Hind was a symbol of empowerment related to the Goddess Artemis of Greek myth. However, as frequently as deer are depicted as wise and loving caretakers, they are just as frequently the object of hunt and sacrifice—a second look at the examples in the previous sentence shows that each was eventually captured, killed, or was dead before the story even began. No spoilers, but any fan of Final Fantasy XV is well aware of the sacrifices Ignis was willing to make with the hopes of keeping Noctis safe. And yes, as an adult I sobbed just as hard witnessing the events of Final Fantasy XV play out as any kid does when they realize Bambi’s mom… well, we all know what happened to Bambi’s mom 😢