Key Takeaways
- Ardbert narrates the emotional Final Fantasy 14 song “Close in the Distance” to the Warrior of Light.
- The song was confirmed at a concert by voice actor Junichi Suwabe, adding depth to Ardbert’s character.
- The unexpected lore reveal delighted fans, highlighting the emotional connection between players and Ardbert.
Final Fantasy 14 just confirmed “Close in the Distance” – the memorable background theme from Ultima Thule in Endwalker – is sung from the perspective of Ardbert to the Warrior of Light. This soul-stirring Final Fantasy 14 lore was revealed in an unexpected place: a concert for THE PRIMALS.
Masayoshi Soken is the legendary sound director who scored the critically-acclaimed soundtracks for Final Fantasy 14 and 16. The composer is also an accomplished musician, as evidenced by his Final Fantasy 14 rock band, THE PRIMALS, which has performed tons of concerts since its formation in 2014.
However, their most recent concert in Japan on September 21 and 22 revealed some unexpected lore about Final Fantasy 14 itself. According to Game Watch, Junichi Suwabe, the Japanese voice actor for Ardbert, the “Warrior of Darkness,” was at THE PRIMALS performance as a special guest. Suwabe provided narration to the audience as Ardbert as the concert progressed, thanking them for coming, reciting quotes from the game, and taking them on an emotional rollercoaster. This culminated with “Close in the Distance,” the theme from Ultima Thule in Endwalker performed by renowned American musician Jason Charles Miller – and through Suwabe’s narration, the song was confirmed to be from the perspective of Ardbert to the player character.
“Close in the Distance” is Narrated by Ardbert from FF14
Warning: Spoilers for Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker below.
Ardbert first confronts fans in Heavensward as a Warrior of Darkness, only to later return as a ghost in Shadowbringers, having failed to prevent his world from succumbing to the Flood of Light. It is later revealed that Ardbert and the Warrior of Light’s souls were once parts of a greater whole, and near the end of the expansion, he merges himself with the player, giving them the strength to finish the fight. Between his compelling story and his phenomenal voice acting in both English and Japanese, Ardbert is one of the most popular characters in Final Fantasy 14.
Previously, Final Fantasy 14 senior story designer Natsuko Ishikawa – who wrote many of the best arcs in FF14, including Ardbert’s arcs in both Heavensward and Shadowbringers – teased that “Close in the Distance” was sung from the perspective of a certain character. Now, more than two years later, Final Fantasy 14 has finally confirmed she was referring to Ardbert. Miller also sings “Shadowbringers,” the theme of the eponymous expansion, which suggests that song also may be sung from Ardbert’s perspective.
Needless to say, Final Fantasy 14 fans were stunned to learn this bit of lore – especially at a concert. “Close in the Distance” was already one of the most emotional songs in Final Fantasy 14, but learning it was actually from the perspective of such a beloved character was enough to push players to tears all over again. Fans interested in watching the concert replay for themselves can do so until October 7 for 4400 yen – about $30.