Noctis Lucis Caelum

Noctis is the son of King Regis, and travels along with his close friends Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia and Prompto Argentum, from his home of Insomnia to Altissia, to marry Lunafreya Nox Fleuret and solidify a political union. He is thrust into a conflict against the Niflheim Empire, and must take on his duties and become a king. Noctis treats his close friends as equals, exchanging banter with them, and acting playfully. Noctis initially struggles to cope with his responsibilities, looking towards his father as a role model, and struggles articulating his feelings, which he prefers to deal with alone. Along the journey, his three companions note his improved confidence, and how he has become more resolute.

Appearance

Noctis is a young man standing at 176cm (5'9") with spiky black hair and blue eyes that can glow red. He wears a black jacket that he keeps unzipped with skull-motif buttons (that also have the text "Roen" on them), zipper tag and sequin details on the pockets. The jacket has leopard print on the inside, which is not apparent on his in-game model. Underneath, he wears a steel gray shirt with skull prints. He wears black cropped trousers and black buckled boots with red soles along with a black motorcycle glovelet on his left hand.

As a youth, Noctis had a delicate and boyish appearance with deep blue eyes and bangs. After suffering a grievous injury, Noctis was sometimes depicted in a wheelchair, and as an adult, he still has a slight limp.

Ten years later Noctis's facial features have weathered and he has a beard. His jaw is more square-shaped, and his complexion is rough. He wears a more formal and sophisticated attire, befitting his regal standing: a black suit with gold jewelry accenting it, a black and gold pauldron on his left shoulder, a golden knee guard around his left knee, accompanied by a cape with intricate gold chains and black shoes. The outfit is similar to the one worn by his father, King Regis, but without stripes or neck ornaments, as it is tailored to him.

Personality

Though his three companions are not royalty, Noctis usually acts as an equal to them. His upbringing shines through, however, as reflected in his body language, poise, and posture in contrast to his team. According to Director Hajime Tabata, one of Noctis's defining aspects is his "sense of ennui." He regularly dozes off; this is present from his early childhood. According to Final Fantasy XV Prologue Parting Ways, Noctis's personality changed following a childhood incident, making him more withdrawn despite having been a lively child before. In his teenage years, he appeared perpetually bored and uninterested in the things happening around him.

According to the Final Fantasy XV: Official Works, Noctis's overprotective upbringing has left him with poor interpersonal skills and he comes off as brusque with all but his closest friends. Having witnessed his father work as king has made Noctis respect the position and the dedication needed of a good sovereign, but also fear for the time he would need to assume the throne himself, making interactions with his father a struggle.

Hajime Tabata has described Noctis's relationship with his father thusly:

Noctis has grown up seeing his father as both a father figure and as the king of the country, so during the game he tries to grow as a person and develop with that image in mind with his father as a role model.

—Hajime Tabata

In the Final Fantasy XV Collector's Edition Guidebook, Tabata describes Noctis as having experienced isolation in his youth, and fearing losing those close to him. Noctis's words and actions often stem from a fear of being unable to meet the expectations of those around him, but as a counterbalance he desires to please them. Tabata asked Yusuke Naora, one of the art directors for Final Fantasy XV, to look at Noctis as a real person and to depict his aging with realism rather than symbolism.

Noctis has been described as a complex character who has dealt with a lot of emotional turmoil as his mother died when he was young and his father had to cater to the demands of the kingdom, leaving Noctis feeling alone. Nevertheless, he is not bitter over it, accepting that sacrifices had to be made. Noctis is still trying to figure out who he is, and struggles articulating his feelings. He keeps a lot bottled up, especially with confronting how he feels about his childhood friend Luna. Regis has noted that Noctis was difficult to control and quite rebellious. When Noctis struggles coping with things, he tends to avoid the issue and become even more withdrawn, such as when he avoids his duties or thinking about being the next king in Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV because of worry over his father's ailing health. When he acknowledges the situation is bad, his first instinct is to focus on himself rather than the people he's supposed to lead, or even his closest friends. He doesn't share the weight of his grief over the deaths of his loved ones, and instead tries to deal with it alone, further isolating himself and pushing others away.

He enthuses about the things he enjoys, and has a bit of an inflated ego, as noted by Gladiolus. He can be reckless, having to be held back by others, though this does not always stop him. He's playful, especially towards Prompto, his best friend, and is frequently snarky and sarcastic. Near the end of Noctis's journey, his friends note his increased confidence, and he has become more stern and resolute. He has learned to take on the responsibilities of his position, and does so without hesitation. Noctis dislikes vegetables, much to Ignis's displeasure, who tries to encourage a healthy diet. Noctis and Prompto share a distaste for bugs and a love for animals, especially pets and chocobos.

Abilities

Armiger.

As the heir to the throne of Lucis, Noctis can wield the power of kings, and those he associates with share into some of his power. However, due to his childhood injury, he can't reach the full potential of his powers.

Weapons manifest to his use from thin air, and only he can wield the crystalline royal arms of his forebears; the power to wield all of these weapons at once is called Armiger, during which he is empowered by the souls of his ancestors. He can warp short distances, and phase through solid matter. These powers of teleportation can be used for combat. He can collect elemental power from the environment and craft spells that those with him can also gain access to, but his true magical power is harnessed via the mythical Ring of the Lucii that allows the wearer to wield the power of the Crystal itself in exchange for the user's own life force. The kings of Lucis have forged covenants with the Astralgods of Eos, and once Noctis does so, he becomes able to call forth the Astrals to aid him.

Noctis is an excellent combatant, able to choose which of the weapons he can conjure is most effective at whim. He is good at synchronizing with other skilled fighters, as shown by his synergy with his three companions.