Wikia

The following is a list of allusions to previous installments in the series present in Final Fantasy XII and other games by Square Enix.

Allusions

Final Fantasy

The Esper Chaos is based on the final boss of the original Final Fantasy, Chaos.
- Chaos's deathblow, Tornado, references the world of the original Final Fantasy. In the midst of his attack, he summons a huge squared glyph where the four corners hold colored squares. Each corner represents a location where one of the four fiends is located, with Chaos in the middle, much like the aerial view of the world at the Flying Fortress.
The Resistance flagship, the Garland, takes its name from the antagonist of the original Final Fantasy.
The enemy Lich is a reference to the Fiend of Earth.
The Mark Marilith is a reference to the Fiend of Fire.
The boss Tiamat is a reference to the Fiend of Wind.

Final Fantasy II

The Pit Fiend bestiary log states that "A myth counts this being as one of the warriors set to defend the Jade Passage to the Devil's Palace". The Jade Passage is the only way into Pandaemonium, Palace of Hell, and the Pit Fiend is an enemy that can be found inside.
The Esper Mateus and its backstory is based on Emperor Mateus of Palamecia.
Judge Bergan is named after General Borghen.
Dreadnought Leviathan is a reference to the Dreadnought.
The gun named the Altair is a reference to the location of the same name.

Final Fantasy III

Famfrit's title, The Darkening Cloud, is a reference to the final boss of Final Fantasy III, the Cloud of Darkness.
The airships Carbuncle and Catoblepas are named after Carbuncle and Catoblepas who, although appeared in other games, originated from Final Fantasy III. Catoblepas also appears as a rank VI mark.

Final Fantasy IV

In Rabanastre, just outside Migelo's Sundries, a bangaa talks of his seeq friend counting things (originally cobblestones). However, at one point in the game he says this: "My friend says that o'er 430 revelers came through the Southern Plaza during the big fete! But even if you count the bards... 'Course, he could be countin' the spoony bards, too. That would be another matter altogether". This is a direct reference to the quote pronounced by Tellah the Sage.
The Esper Zeromus is based on the final boss of Final Fantasy IV, Zeromus.
The Babil enemy is reference to the Giant of Babil, as "When they descend to the earth from their home in the heavens, they strike swiftly, and with malice apparent", where the Giant of Babil is a powerful weapon that is used for destruction.
The second page of the Aeronite bestiary entry references the Red Wings.

Final Fantasy V

The airship Remora is based on the Final Fantasy V summon. A boss called the Air Cutter Remora also appears at the beginning of the game.
The elite mark Gilgamesh and his partner Enkidu first appeared in Final Fantasy V. He bears replicated weapons similar to those used by the protagonists of five other Square Enix games. During the battle, the iconic theme "Clash on the Big Bridge" plays.
The superboss Omega Mark XII is based on the superboss Omega.
The Esper Exodus is directly based on Exdeath.
The Resistance airships Galuf-Val and Xezat Surgate reference Galuf and Xezat, two of the Warriors of Dawn from Final Fantasy V.
The airship Atomos is based on the the boss Atomos, which also became a summon in later games. There is also a mark that shares the same name.
The monster Archaeoaevis is most likely a reference to the Ronka Ruins boss Archeoaevis.
The Twintania enemy is a reference to the boss of the same name in Final Fantasy V.
The superboss Yiazmat's description may be a reference to the lord dragon Shinryu: both are feared even by the Gods who created them.
The enemy ability, Dimensional Rift, is a reference to the final dungeon of Final Fantasy V.

Final Fantasy VI

Orthros and Deathgaze are directly based on Ultros, a recurring boss, and Deathgaze, an optional boss found on the skies of the World of Ruin. In Final Fantasy XII, Deathgaze is fought on a ferry airship.
- Orthros also appears as an airship in Final Fantasy XII.
Rasler Heios Nabradia is believed to be named after Prince Ralse, a character from The Dream Oath of Final Fantasy VI who was the prince of the eastern lands. Similarly, Nabradia is in eastern Ivalice.
The flagship Alexander is based on the summon Alexander, which originated from Final Fantasy VI.
The Rare Game enemy Midgardsormr is a reference to the Esper Midgardsormr.
There is a girl named Terra in Giza Plains, who may be named after one of the main protagonists of Final Fantasy VI.
Earth Tyrant's bestiary entry mentions him as a member of "Eight legendary Wyrms of great Power". Earth Tyrant may be a reference to the Earth Dragon from Final Fantasy VI, a member of the Eight Dragons that had the appearance of a T-Rex.

Final Fantasy VII

The second-to-last obtainable rank in Clan Centurio, "Knight of the Round." may be a reference to the ultimate Summon Materia of Final Fantasy VII, Knights of the Round.
Gilgamesh carries a knock-off of Cloud's Buster Sword.

Final Fantasy VIII

Pandaemonium is the name of a carrier ship in Final Fantasy XII, which is a reference to the Guardian Force in Final Fantasy VIII named Pandemona.
The enemy, Elvoret, is based on the second boss fought in Final Fantasy VIII.
The Buer enemy also refers to the Buel enemy that originally appears in Final Fantasy VIII, first appearing on the Fire Cavern, a habitat coinciding with the one on the bestiary description of this incarnation.
The mark Diabolos is based on the summon Diablos.
Gilgamesh carries a knock-off of Squall's Revolver.
Gilgamesh is shown acquiring Odin's Zantetsuken in Final Fantasy VIII. However, the one wielded in Final Fantasy XII is a fake.
The Mesmenir is a reference to the enemy Mesmerize from Final Fantasy VIII.
The enemy Focalor shares its Japanese name with the Fastitocalon.

Final Fantasy IX

The Resistance airship Queen Hilda is based on the character from Final Fantasy IX.
Gizamaluk is directly based on the boss from Final Fantasy IX.
The Lindwyrm shares the same etymological origin as Lindblum.
An NPC in Archades references the Tantalus troupe when talking about the "mummers of Tantalus".
Just like Princess Garnet asks the thief Zidane to kidnap her, Princess Ashe asks the sky pirate Balthier to do the same thing.
Gilgamesh carries a knock-off of Zidane's left-hand dagger, Orichalcum.
The Leynir shares its Japanese name and origin with the Wyerd from Final Fantasy IX.

Final Fantasy X

The airship Valfarre is based on the aeon Valefor.
The elite mark Ixion is based on the aeon of the same name.
Gilgamesh carries a knock-off of Tidus's Brotherhood.
Upon encountering a Behemoth with Wakka in the party, he might exclaim "How many steaks do you think we can get out of these?" In Final Fantasy XII, Behemoths drops Behemoth Steaks.

Final Fantasy XI

The enemy Mandragora retains its physical appearance to its Final Fantasy XI counterpart.
The Lu Shang's badge is a reference to the Lu Shang fishing rod from Final Fantasy XI.
The enemy Lost Soul is based on its Final Fantasy XI counterpart.
The concept of party members attracting fiends by having the most Enmity was first introduced in Final Fantasy XI.

Final Fantasy Tactics

The Espers Belias, Adrammelech, Cúchulainn, Hashmal, Zalera, and Ultima were all part of the Lucavi.
Zodiark is named after the ultimate summon, Zodiac.
Necrohol of Nabudis is a reference to Necrohol of Mullonde.
The Mark Carrot originates from an errand in Final Fantasy Tactics, called "Call of the Wild", where a pet malboro kept by a countess goes missing. The malboro in the errand is called Carrot.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

The Espers Famfrit and Mateus's appearances are directly based on the their Tactics Advance appearances, though their concept is based on the antagonists from Final Fantasy II and III. Adrammelech also draws his appearance from this game.

Allusions to the Number Twelve

Being the twelfth installment of the series, Final Fantasy XII makes some references to the number itself. Although many of these are not necessarily deliberate allusions to the number 12 (whether they are or not is speculative), they are nonetheless present.

There are twelve licenses for Light and Mystic Armor sets.
After the death of Lord Gramis, Vayne is twelfth Emperor of Archadian Empire.
There are twelve new weapons in International version, whose names' last letter composes the words "FINAL FANTASY".
There are twelve races presented in Ivalice.
The Cartographers' Guild has moogles in twelve different locations.
The Archadian Imperial Fleets contains at least twelve fleets.
Old Dalan has twelve different advices for Vaan, depending on player's story progress.
The first narration by Ondore is chapter 12 of his accord.

Allusions to other games

Vagrant Story

The enemies Vagrant Soul, Leamonde Entite, Luxollid, and Diakon Entite are references to Vagrant Story.
There is an item called "Snowfly." Snowflies were beings spotted in Vagrant Story.
Feywood is possibly an allusion to a location in Vagrant Story, Snowfly Forest; a similarly foggy forest where travelers tend to get lost forever. Both forests lead to an ancient city.
One of the possible clan ranks is Riskbreaker. Riskbreaker was Ashley Riot's rank in Vagrant Story.
The Light of Kiltia is a reference to the Temple of Kiltia from Vagrant Story.
A Naturalist named Merlose is mentioned in Final Fantasy XII in the Clan Primer. Callo Merlose is a character in Vagrant Story.
The character Fermon in Old Archades tells the player "to have a little more respect for fairie tales", which the same as one of Sydney's lines in Vagrant Story.

Dragon Quest III

Wyrmhero Blade is Erdrick's (aka Loto) sword from Dragon Quest III.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

Raithwall's back story is fairly similar to that of Dorgalua Oberyth from Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which was also directed by Yasumi Matsuno and shares other similarities with the Ivalice Alliance. Like Raithwall, Dorgalua Oberyth unified the war-torn Valerian Isles under his rule, and would later be crowned the "Dynast King".