Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition Gives Cor And Lunafreya Their Due

In Final Fantasy XV, we meet a number of side characters of varying degrees of importance. These are folks that have a huge impact on our experience. But, in some cases, they fade away. They matter for a moment, but their relevance may not always remain the same throughout the game. With the Royal Pack content, two of these most important NPCs get more attention. Cor and Lunafreya’s new scenes increase their impact.

Editor’s note: there will be Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition spoilers below.

Let’s start with Cor. With the new content added in the Final Fantasy XV’s Royal Edition pack, we learn that he is one of the Kingsglaive’s leaders and he offers us assignments we can do in the ruins of Insomnia. Throughout the game, Cor has been painted as this sort of larger than life figure. We know he was to Regis what Ignis is to Noctis. This is a man who could beat Gilgamesh when he was only a teenager. This is an unfailingly loyal man who stood by Noctis and continued to complete his duties even after Lucis fell. And, while Noctis slept, it was Cor that banded the Crownsguard, Kingsglaive and other forces together. He was the immortal.

Which is why it is somehow fitting that Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition shows this legend faltering. It is a tragedy, yes. This is a man who seemed incapable of dying. He devoted himself to his king and country. Yet, there is beauty in this powerless moment. By showing this sacrifice, his story within the game gets an ending that befits him. This is a warrior who could survive trials that would decimate other men. Having Cerberus be the creature to finally overpower him makes sense, since it is such a devastating opponent. Plus, by having him sacrifice himself by stepping in front of Noctis to guard him from an attack, he is fulfilling his destiny and not compromising his strength. He only stumbled because he stepped in to become a human shield, not due to some fair fight.

Lunafreya is in a similar situation. We keep hearing throughout the game how she is the Oracle. We know the importance of her own journey. Though we do not get to see it firsthand, we know she has laid the groundwork for Noctis by waking the Six. But, we only get to see her in action as a summoner once. Before her death at Altissia, we see the summoning of Leviathan go wrong and the summoning of Titan go right. It gives us an idea of her control and ability.

It is the new scene in Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition that does her justice. We were told of her connection to the Six, but did not get to see it in action until this moment. There is a sense of power and meaning that comes from watching her call the Astral gods and see them act on her behalf. This is what she was born to do. She had this role to play all along, and the previous version of the game cut that short, but now we see her achieve her destiny.

Both of these segments feel like the culmination of both Cor and Lunafreya’s storylines. While these segments are not huge, they are substantial. We have seen these people acting on the sidelines throughout Final Fantasy XV. When they each get this moment in the Royal Pack, they have a chance to leave an important mark on their world and the people playing.

Final Fantasy XV is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.