Final Fantasy XIII Parallels To Mythology
Final Fantasy XIII’s Parallels to Mythology Final Fantasy is a roleplaying videogame series, which includes many elements, and morals that can be found in Greek mythology. The plot of this video game is highly complicated, due to it taking place in a futuristic or alternate universe. Although there are fourteen different editions of Final Fantasy, the themes of the games all remain similar. They all take place in separate galaxies, which are much different from ours. Most characters are based off of humans, and technology is very prevalent. Conflicts between nature and advanced technology also occur due to the rising demands for technology, and the characters love for their world. Crystals and magical orbs are habitual in each game’s plot. Crystals regularly play a crucial role in the creation of the Final Fantasy worlds. In all versions of Final Fantasy an evil disrupts the general peace of the worlds and must be defeated, or an important character
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(such as a protagonist’s loved one) is in terrible peril. Evils in the gam can be a person, a curse, or even a monster of sorts, and the protagonist(s) must defeat the evil and bring back the peace or emancipate victims of evil. Other important factors in Final Fantasy’s plots are rivalry, divinity, love, war, sacrifice, immortality, and self-discovery. There are possibly thousands of parallels between Final Fantasy and Mythology, however I would like to focus on my favorite, and one of the most critically acclaimed of the Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy XIII. The story takes place in the world of Gran Pulse, which is often referred to simply as Pulse. Pulse used to be where all of the humans lived, however it implied the Sanctum, (Pulse’s governing theocracy) transformed most of the humans that living on Pulse into l’Cie because life on Pulse was dying off. Once the humans are turned into l’Cie they can live on Cocoon, Cocoon is an area of refuge, which floats above Grand Pulse. Despite bedlam occurring in Cocoon, it is a much better place to be than Gran Pulse, although it was once a peaceful place, The Sanctum what the citizens of Cocoon to view it as a hellish place. The remainders of architecture on Pulse suggest that there was once an intelligent human. Gran Pulse is now a post apocalyptic wasteland Cocoon is much like Mount Olympus. Cocoon is a revolutionary nirvana that is highly protective of its citizens by using advanced technology. Not just anyone can enter Cocoon, you must be a citizen to enter. You may leave Cocoon, but it is difficult to enter, much like it is to Mount Olympus. Gran Pulse represents planet earth. In Greek Mythology, disorder always occurred on earth, which is why Grand Pulse and earth have the same connection. Divinity is one of the main themes in Final Fantasy XIII, it is a driving force in all other Final Fantasy Games as well. The government of Cocoon is even a theocracy, so the gods and goddesses are obviously very important to the characters in this game. Humans, and l’Cie, and fal’Cie also have interactions with the gods. There are three deities: Fell Lindzei, the Goddess Etro, and Hallowed Pulse. A powerful god named Bhunivelze created all of these deities. Bhunivelze is much like Zeus and Apollo in one, since he is the king of the divine beings, and he is also the god of light and the driving force behind the fal’Cie. The fal'Cie are much like normal gods and goddesses, however they must choose a humans to be l’Cie. L’Cie are specifically chosen by the fal’Cie, and branded with a special mark. Those who have the mark of the fal’Cie (all playable antagonists in Final Fantasy XIII) are given special magical and physical powers that are attainted through special crystals. Fal’Cie are much like demi-gods because they possess special un-humanlike qualities, as they still remain human and are not yet immortal, however the l’Cie are very powerful. “L'Cie. Those marked by the fal'Cie for a greater destiny. “ (Official Final Fantasy XIII game trailer) Along with being given these powers, they must fulfill a Focus. A Focus is much like the 12 Labors of Heracles, however number, but the fulfillment of the task may not assign them. Focuses are not given; they have to be discovered in very vague dreams and visions. Focuses must be fulfilled before their brand fades, or else l’Cie will be transformed in Cie’th. Having the wrong focus can also do this to a l’Cie. Cie’th are miserable deformed crystal creatures, much like the inhabitants of the underworld, and they are ex-l’Cie who failed to complete their focuses and now must live in constant misery. L’Cie who complete their focus, are given eternal life, just as Heracles was offered if he completed his twelve labors. There are several important l’Cie that are crucial to Final Fantasy XIII’s plot. Lightning is the main character in the game. Lighting lives on Cocoon with her younger sister Serah. She is, 5’7” twenty-one years old, and has pink hair. After high school, Lightning changed her name from Claire Farron to just “Lightning” and joined the Guardian Corps Bodhum Security Regiment, and here she became a sergeant. Lighting may seem cold and standoffish at times so she can keep up her reputation, however she is a truly good and compassionate l’Cie. Her Eidolon (Eidolons are beasts that the l’Cie can summon as long as the l’Cie is able to conquer their Eidolon) is a massive horned monster that is named Odin, Odin can also transform into a horse that Lighting rides. Eidolons are much like the Titans in Greek Mythology, however they usually are for good and not evil, as long as they are conquered or summoned properly. Although Odin is a monster, he represents the god Odin from Norse mythology in many ways. Odin (in the game) even transforms into a horse named Sleipnir, which was also the name of the Norse Odin’s horse. Even though Lightning is by no means a goddess, she is a powerful woman with special powers and abilities, who excels at both combat and war strategy. She is not always violent or reckless however, she is very careful and thoughtful when it comes to fighting. At many times I find her to be very much like the goddess Athena; even prior to studying mythology I always thought Lighting and Athena were alike. Not only are they alike in the concept of war and battle strategy, but also they are both very wise characters, who also possess the element of great beauty. Since Lighting’s parents died when she was younger, she had to raise and take her of her younger sister Serah, and herself. She had to grow up pretty quickly due to this tragic event. Serah Farron is the lighthearted and loving eighteen-year-old sister of Lighting (Claire Farron) whose hair is also pink like her sister’s and she is 5’4”. Although Lighting is very protective over Serah, Serah is much more independent than we think her to be. Serah is also a l’Cie, but she does not find out until the beginning of the game. Her Focus dreams are very horrible and involve her becoming a dangerous threat to Cocoon, and tuning into Ragnarok, therefore she is unknowingly declared as an enemy to the fal’Cie. In Norse myth Ragnarok is known as the end or demise of all the gods, however in Final Fantasy XIII’s case it is a powerful monster who can potentially defeat the Gods. While on summer vacation, Serah meets a fellow l’Cie: Snow Villiers whom she falls in love with. Snow eventually proposes to Serah early on in the story. Snow Villiers is a rambunctious orphan- hero who is twenty-one years old and 6.’7”. He also is involved as a commando, however Lighting regards him as weak because he is part of an antagonistic rebel group and he does not have accolades as she does. His love for Serah is true and it is a constant theme in the game. “I will stand by you, no matter what happens. I'm yours forever.” (Snow Villiers, Final Fantasy XIII) Snow’s Eidolon is the Shiva Sisters, who combine to create a motorcycle that Snow can ride. Snow is the first to summon his Eidolon; he even does it before Lighting. However we do not get to see Serah in much of the game, because when seeking Lightning’s approval of her engagement, however Lighting denies it, and she thinks Serah is only saying she is now l’Cie in order to marry Snow. Snow and Serah go against Lighting because they are in love and would like to get married, so they seek the council of the fal'Cie. The council of the fal’Cie is located in the Vestige, which is currently quarantined; yet Snow and Serah still attempt to reach the council. Facing great peril and having to escape the Vestige, Serah and Snow leap for Snow’s airbike. Snow makes it, however Serah does not reach the bike and falls to the ledge of the Vestige where she is trapped by a silvery liquid substance, which pulls her in as a prisoner to the fal’Cie. Snow and Lighting attempt to save Serah, however she becomes entirely crystalized by a fal’Cie curse along with many others. Serah being crystalized is much like Medusa turning people into stone, however only some can be saved from crystallization if they are lucky. Serah’s last words before being crystalized for majorities of the game are directed towards Lighting: “You can save us. Protect us all. Save Cocoon.” They soon discover that the crystal form of Serah is on the road to being purged from Cocoon, along with many other citizens who are of threat to the government. Snow and Lighting soon gather together with several other newly christened l’Cie such as Sazh, Hope, Fang, and Vanille. All of these characters have a loved one that is danger of being purged out of Cocoon and eventually destroyed. I would compare the love of Snow and Serah to that of Perseus and Andromeda. Perseus grew up his entire life without his father around much like snow, who grew up with no parents. Serah is comparable with Andromeda because she possesses great beauty and kindness, and she is also the love interest of Snow, who is being compared to Perseus. Lighting is much like Cassiopeia in the sense that she takes great pride in her sister, and is much like an overly protective mother figure. Snow has to work and complete certain tasks and defeat characters in Final Fantasy XIII in order to save Serah from her own demise and gain her hand in marriage just as Perseus did the same for Andromeda. After giving up on saving their loved ones Lighting, Snow, Sazh, Hope all crystalize. It was an order they all received to complete their Focuses. Fang and Vanille do not crystalize, and choose to remain on Cocoon turn into to Ragnarok together, which eventually changes Serah focus and makes her no longer a threat. The two female heroes prevent the floating continent Cocoon from crashing down to Pulse. They transform themselves into a crystal pillar between the two worlds ones Lighting, Snow, Sazh, and Hope all wake from crystallization and find their l'Cie marks no longer exist- which means they have all completed their focus- saving their world. Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh have finally saved Serah and Sazh’s son, are reunited after great perils, and the game ends there. Through hours of gameplay, as a player you experience conflict, sacrifice, battle, love, drama, acceptance, and one of the greatest of stories that gaming has ever been told.
It stems from so great stories in mythology, religion and the cinema. Final Fantasy XIII also warns us to treat our planet kindly as well as our loved ones. To me Final Fantasy (the series of games as whole) is much more than a video game. It is one of the greatest stories I have ever heard. It is so complicated and intricate that you can never know absolutely everything. Each time I play the game I find something new. Final Fantasy XIII’s connections to mythology is one of the main reasons I decided to take this class, it may seem imprudent, but since the game which is based so much off of mythology brought me great interest, I thought a class based off of mythology would as well. Most importantly, like myths, Final Fantasy has taught me many important life lessons, and has given me stories that will stay close to my heart and last a
lifetime.
(such as a protagonist’s loved one) is in terrible peril. Evils in the gam can be a person, a curse, or even a monster of sorts, and the protagonist(s) must defeat the evil and bring back the peace or emancipate victims of evil. Other important factors in Final Fantasy’s plots are rivalry, divinity, love, war, sacrifice, immortality, and self-discovery. There are possibly thousands of parallels between Final Fantasy and Mythology, however I would like to focus on my favorite, and one of the most critically acclaimed of the Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy XIII. The story takes place in the world of Gran Pulse, which is often referred to simply as Pulse. Pulse used to be where all of the humans lived, however it implied the Sanctum, (Pulse’s governing theocracy) transformed most of the humans that living on Pulse into l’Cie because life on Pulse was dying off. Once the humans are turned into l’Cie they can live on Cocoon, Cocoon is an area of refuge, which floats above Grand Pulse. Despite bedlam occurring in Cocoon, it is a much better place to be than Gran Pulse, although it was once a peaceful place, The Sanctum what the citizens of Cocoon to view it as a hellish place. The remainders of architecture on Pulse suggest that there was once an intelligent human. Gran Pulse is now a post apocalyptic wasteland Cocoon is much like Mount Olympus. Cocoon is a revolutionary nirvana that is highly protective of its citizens by using advanced technology. Not just anyone can enter Cocoon, you must be a citizen to enter. You may leave Cocoon, but it is difficult to enter, much like it is to Mount Olympus. Gran Pulse represents planet earth. In Greek Mythology, disorder always occurred on earth, which is why Grand Pulse and earth have the same connection. Divinity is one of the main themes in Final Fantasy XIII, it is a driving force in all other Final Fantasy Games as well. The government of Cocoon is even a theocracy, so the gods and goddesses are obviously very important to the characters in this game. Humans, and l’Cie, and fal’Cie also have interactions with the gods. There are three deities: Fell Lindzei, the Goddess Etro, and Hallowed Pulse. A powerful god named Bhunivelze created all of these deities. Bhunivelze is much like Zeus and Apollo in one, since he is the king of the divine beings, and he is also the god of light and the driving force behind the fal’Cie. The fal'Cie are much like normal gods and goddesses, however they must choose a humans to be l’Cie. L’Cie are specifically chosen by the fal’Cie, and branded with a special mark. Those who have the mark of the fal’Cie (all playable antagonists in Final Fantasy XIII) are given special magical and physical powers that are attainted through special crystals. Fal’Cie are much like demi-gods because they possess special un-humanlike qualities, as they still remain human and are not yet immortal, however the l’Cie are very powerful. “L'Cie. Those marked by the fal'Cie for a greater destiny. “ (Official Final Fantasy XIII game trailer) Along with being given these powers, they must fulfill a Focus. A Focus is much like the 12 Labors of Heracles, however number, but the fulfillment of the task may not assign them. Focuses are not given; they have to be discovered in very vague dreams and visions. Focuses must be fulfilled before their brand fades, or else l’Cie will be transformed in Cie’th. Having the wrong focus can also do this to a l’Cie. Cie’th are miserable deformed crystal creatures, much like the inhabitants of the underworld, and they are ex-l’Cie who failed to complete their focuses and now must live in constant misery. L’Cie who complete their focus, are given eternal life, just as Heracles was offered if he completed his twelve labors. There are several important l’Cie that are crucial to Final Fantasy XIII’s plot. Lightning is the main character in the game. Lighting lives on Cocoon with her younger sister Serah. She is, 5’7” twenty-one years old, and has pink hair. After high school, Lightning changed her name from Claire Farron to just “Lightning” and joined the Guardian Corps Bodhum Security Regiment, and here she became a sergeant. Lighting may seem cold and standoffish at times so she can keep up her reputation, however she is a truly good and compassionate l’Cie. Her Eidolon (Eidolons are beasts that the l’Cie can summon as long as the l’Cie is able to conquer their Eidolon) is a massive horned monster that is named Odin, Odin can also transform into a horse that Lighting rides. Eidolons are much like the Titans in Greek Mythology, however they usually are for good and not evil, as long as they are conquered or summoned properly. Although Odin is a monster, he represents the god Odin from Norse mythology in many ways. Odin (in the game) even transforms into a horse named Sleipnir, which was also the name of the Norse Odin’s horse. Even though Lightning is by no means a goddess, she is a powerful woman with special powers and abilities, who excels at both combat and war strategy. She is not always violent or reckless however, she is very careful and thoughtful when it comes to fighting. At many times I find her to be very much like the goddess Athena; even prior to studying mythology I always thought Lighting and Athena were alike. Not only are they alike in the concept of war and battle strategy, but also they are both very wise characters, who also possess the element of great beauty. Since Lighting’s parents died when she was younger, she had to raise and take her of her younger sister Serah, and herself. She had to grow up pretty quickly due to this tragic event. Serah Farron is the lighthearted and loving eighteen-year-old sister of Lighting (Claire Farron) whose hair is also pink like her sister’s and she is 5’4”. Although Lighting is very protective over Serah, Serah is much more independent than we think her to be. Serah is also a l’Cie, but she does not find out until the beginning of the game. Her Focus dreams are very horrible and involve her becoming a dangerous threat to Cocoon, and tuning into Ragnarok, therefore she is unknowingly declared as an enemy to the fal’Cie. In Norse myth Ragnarok is known as the end or demise of all the gods, however in Final Fantasy XIII’s case it is a powerful monster who can potentially defeat the Gods. While on summer vacation, Serah meets a fellow l’Cie: Snow Villiers whom she falls in love with. Snow eventually proposes to Serah early on in the story. Snow Villiers is a rambunctious orphan- hero who is twenty-one years old and 6.’7”. He also is involved as a commando, however Lighting regards him as weak because he is part of an antagonistic rebel group and he does not have accolades as she does. His love for Serah is true and it is a constant theme in the game. “I will stand by you, no matter what happens. I'm yours forever.” (Snow Villiers, Final Fantasy XIII) Snow’s Eidolon is the Shiva Sisters, who combine to create a motorcycle that Snow can ride. Snow is the first to summon his Eidolon; he even does it before Lighting. However we do not get to see Serah in much of the game, because when seeking Lightning’s approval of her engagement, however Lighting denies it, and she thinks Serah is only saying she is now l’Cie in order to marry Snow. Snow and Serah go against Lighting because they are in love and would like to get married, so they seek the council of the fal'Cie. The council of the fal’Cie is located in the Vestige, which is currently quarantined; yet Snow and Serah still attempt to reach the council. Facing great peril and having to escape the Vestige, Serah and Snow leap for Snow’s airbike. Snow makes it, however Serah does not reach the bike and falls to the ledge of the Vestige where she is trapped by a silvery liquid substance, which pulls her in as a prisoner to the fal’Cie. Snow and Lighting attempt to save Serah, however she becomes entirely crystalized by a fal’Cie curse along with many others. Serah being crystalized is much like Medusa turning people into stone, however only some can be saved from crystallization if they are lucky. Serah’s last words before being crystalized for majorities of the game are directed towards Lighting: “You can save us. Protect us all. Save Cocoon.” They soon discover that the crystal form of Serah is on the road to being purged from Cocoon, along with many other citizens who are of threat to the government. Snow and Lighting soon gather together with several other newly christened l’Cie such as Sazh, Hope, Fang, and Vanille. All of these characters have a loved one that is danger of being purged out of Cocoon and eventually destroyed. I would compare the love of Snow and Serah to that of Perseus and Andromeda. Perseus grew up his entire life without his father around much like snow, who grew up with no parents. Serah is comparable with Andromeda because she possesses great beauty and kindness, and she is also the love interest of Snow, who is being compared to Perseus. Lighting is much like Cassiopeia in the sense that she takes great pride in her sister, and is much like an overly protective mother figure. Snow has to work and complete certain tasks and defeat characters in Final Fantasy XIII in order to save Serah from her own demise and gain her hand in marriage just as Perseus did the same for Andromeda. After giving up on saving their loved ones Lighting, Snow, Sazh, Hope all crystalize. It was an order they all received to complete their Focuses. Fang and Vanille do not crystalize, and choose to remain on Cocoon turn into to Ragnarok together, which eventually changes Serah focus and makes her no longer a threat. The two female heroes prevent the floating continent Cocoon from crashing down to Pulse. They transform themselves into a crystal pillar between the two worlds ones Lighting, Snow, Sazh, and Hope all wake from crystallization and find their l'Cie marks no longer exist- which means they have all completed their focus- saving their world. Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh have finally saved Serah and Sazh’s son, are reunited after great perils, and the game ends there. Through hours of gameplay, as a player you experience conflict, sacrifice, battle, love, drama, acceptance, and one of the greatest of stories that gaming has ever been told.
It stems from so great stories in mythology, religion and the cinema. Final Fantasy XIII also warns us to treat our planet kindly as well as our loved ones. To me Final Fantasy (the series of games as whole) is much more than a video game. It is one of the greatest stories I have ever heard. It is so complicated and intricate that you can never know absolutely everything. Each time I play the game I find something new. Final Fantasy XIII’s connections to mythology is one of the main reasons I decided to take this class, it may seem imprudent, but since the game which is based so much off of mythology brought me great interest, I thought a class based off of mythology would as well. Most importantly, like myths, Final Fantasy has taught me many important life lessons, and has given me stories that will stay close to my heart and last a
lifetime.