Sleipnir Harbard

Sleipnir Harbard is an antagonist and recurring boss in Final Fantasy XVI. He is the Lord Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed's armies and Barnabas Tharmr's most loyal follower.
== History ==
Sleipnir is a magical creation "Egi" of Barnabas Tharmr using the power of Odin.
Sleipnir Harbard appeared before Barnabas in the year 826 when Odin awakened in him following the death of his mother. Sleipnir accompanied Barnabas for 52 years. In the year 843, he was appointed Lord Commander of the Royal Knights of Waloed after Barnabas overthrew the Kingdom of Veldemarke overnight and officially established the Kingdom of Waloed. Aside from his duties as Lord Commander, he served as Barnabas's close advisor, and during Barnabas's full prime into Odin, would transform into a spectral six-legged flying steed for his liege to ride into battle on.
During a meeting with the Dhalmekian Republic during the Battle of Nysa between the Dhalmekians and the Iron Kingdom, Sleipnir was there answering for a disinterested Barnabas. Barnabas rode Sleipnir's steed form into battle against the forces of Sanbreque and Bahamut in the battle of Belenus Tor.
Sleipnir entered the fray of Clive Rosfield's battle with Hugo Kupka in Rosalith Castle, knocking Kupka out before he could be killed and having the royal knights bring him to Drake's Fang to recover. Before departing with Kupka, he referred to Clive as Mythos. Sleipnir taunted Kupka for his weakness, goading him into believing that he could not best Clive in his current state and manipulated him into absorbing vast amounts of aether from the Mothercrystal's heart to become stronger. After Kupka's transformation into Titan Lost and his death at Clive's hands, Sleipnir and Barnabas watched from afar and commented on the downfall of the once mighty Dominant.
Sleipnir made a surprise appearance at Kanver, challenging Clive to a duel to test his abilities. Although he proved to be a capable warrior, Clive bested him, and he slumped to the ground, dead. While Clive and his allies initially believed this to be the end of Sleipnir, they were proven otherwise when an unharmed Sleipnir arrived at the docks of the Ironworks, leading Joshua Rosfield to conclude that Sleipnir was no man but a being formed by magic: Odin's Egi. A horde of Sleipnir copies surrounded them, forcing them to hasten their escape from Kanver on the Enterprise.
Clive and his allies pursued Barnabas's Einherjar on the Enterprise and engaged in a maritime battle at the Naldoan Narrow where Barnabas primed Odin and rode Sleipnir into the fray. Clive primed Ifrit and snapped Barnabas's sword, using the severed blade to dispel Odin's steed. Clive and Joshua made their way to the heart of Ash where Barnabas appeared to them as Odin, riding on his six-legged steed, and erected a magick barrier that prevented passage to the north of the continent. Clive followed Barnabas to the top of Reverie where Odin again rode his steed into battle against Clive's Ifrit. When Clive killed Barnabas at the climax of their duel, Sleipnir also ceased to exist.
== Characteristics ==
=== Appearance ===
Sleipnir has neck-length silver hair, braided on his right side.
As Waloeder advisor for Barnabas, he wears a white shirt with tassels and ribbons, and long black gloves. In his battle armor, he wears silver-colored suit of armor with a helmet.
As Odin's steed, he is a massive six-legged spectral horse with glowing blue eyes.
=== Personality ===
Devoted and loyal to his king, Sleipnir Harbard will follow Barnabas's every command without question, proving himself a capable but ruthless Lord Commander of Waloed's armies. His skills in swordsmanship rival that of Barnabas himself. As his closest advisor, Barnabas even trusts him enough to speak for him in certain meetings, knowing the intent and feeling of his king on the matter. Sleipnir is smug and manipulative towards allies, as he mocks Hugo Kupka's defeat at Clive's hand that cost him his own hands, goading the Dominant of Titan to absorb aether from the Drake's Fang Mothercrystal to gain his revenge.
Sleipnir is just as devoted to Ultima as his king, believing that if humanity were to relinquish their free will and consciousness to Ultima, the world would know salvation. Sleipnir sees turning the armies of Waloed into Akashic to be a gift and is willing to fight to the bitter end to see Barnabas's vision fulfilled and enact Ultima's plan. Despite this, he has some disinclination to unnecessary violence, as when subduing Hugo Kupka, he has a maid leave the premises due to Kupka narrowly lashing out at her.
Sleipnir Harbard is a magical construct of Barnabas's to serve as his agent in the field, created from the horse of his Eikon, Odin. As such, it is debatable if Sleipnir truly has a personality and will of his own other than what Barnabas makes him to be. However, after the first Sleipnir's "death" at Kanver, the following clones of Sleipnir appear emotionless and mindless, serving the will of Barnabas and Ultima, nothing more.
===Abilities===
In human form, Sleipnir is an exemplary swordsman. He can appear as a horde of clones as he does at the Ironworks' docks, though each clone appears weaker than the one Clive fought at Old Kanver, and does not speak or show any sapience. In steed form, Sleipnir is a dark six-legged massive horse that carries Odin on his back. He can fly and hover, and is known as a spectral being.
==Gameplay==
Sleipnir is fought as a boss in the Kanver palace courtyard by Clive and Torgal. Multiple copies of him are fought in the Ironworks dockyard by Clive, Torgal, Byron, and Gav, but they are weaker than the "original".
==Etymology==
Harbard (Hárbarðr) is which means "Hoary Beard" or "Grey Beard". The name appears in a number of poems in the , such as .
==Citations==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XVI
Category:Antagonists
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ru:Слейпнир Харбард