Final Fantasy 14 Has a Reference to a Classic Elder Scrolls Meme

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Players of Final Fantasy 14 have discovered a nod to a famous meme from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. This meme has become so well-known that it’s appeared not only in Final Fantasy 14, but also in a recent game released by Bethesda itself, the original creator.

Both Final Fantasy and The Elder Scrolls are famous role-playing game series, and both have inspired countless internet memes. This isn’t the first time the two franchises have playfully referenced each other. A dungeon in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind includes a nod to a villain from Final Fantasy 6, and Final Fantasy Dimensions references the famous “arrow in the knee” line from Skyrim. Now, Final Fantasy 14 has added another reference to The Elder Scrolls.

Final Fantasy 14 Includes Amusing Nod to Oblivion

A dedicated Final Fantasy 14 player, ZippoMoon, noticed a fun connection to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in the newest expansion, Dawntrail. In the Solution Nine area, there’s a character named Adoring Fan – a male Hyur – who appears in a few quests. You can also talk to him directly, and he excitedly praises the player, calling them the ‘grand champion’ and showering them with compliments. The name and his behavior are a clear nod to the identically named NPC from Oblivion.

Players of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will remember the enthusiastic Adoring Fan who appears in the Imperial City Arena after you become Grand Champion. A similar character shows up in Final Fantasy 14, and while they don’t follow you around like their Oblivion counterpart, the connection is obvious from the dialogue. Fans quickly noticed the reference and have had fun with it, creating memes and jokes. One popular example reimagines the Adoring Fan’s famous line, “By Azura, by Azura, by Azura!” as “By Azeyma, by Azeyma, by Azeyma!” – a nod to a deity in Final Fantasy 14.

Fans of The Elder Scrolls have a love-hate relationship with the Adoring Fan. Some find him annoying, while others get a laugh out of him. In Oblivion, he’s not very helpful – he follows you around but can’t fight and just runs away when danger appears. Despite this, he’s become a long-running joke within the fanbase for almost 20 years, and the release of Oblivion Remastered has likely reminded many players of his… unique qualities.

It turns out Bethesda developers also enjoy the Adoring Fan character! Before the release of Starfield, they confirmed he’d appear in the new game, and he looks remarkably similar to the original, with the same voice actor, but updated for Starfield’s visuals. Interestingly, this version isn’t defenseless – he carries a weapon and can even join your ship’s crew.

It’s currently unclear if Bethesda plans to continue the running joke about the overly enthusiastic fan in future games, including The Elder Scrolls 6. While it wouldn’t be the same character – The Elder Scrolls 6 is expected to take place a long time after the events of Oblivion – the idea could still appear in the new game. Considering how long fans have been waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6 without any release date in sight, we might see references to the fan in other games before that one finally arrives.

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2025-12-31 18:04