Square games have an air of mythology about them. You may have summoned Shiva, travelled to Nibelheim, or defeated Diablos in battle. So what about these names? Where did they come from? Why? And are there any more?
This little dictionary attempts to peek behind the scenes and uncover the origins of certain terms. This isn't as easy as it sounds, especially for earlier games. They were originally written in Japanese, which means the traditional spellings were replaced with phonetic syllables. Distinctions between 'r' and 'l' are lost here, as are sounds like 'v'. They were then converted back into the Roman alphabet, often with some major name shortening on earlier games. And of course, none of this need be true. They could have easily taken names just because they sounded good, rather than bearing any great similarities to the source. But it's nice to know, so sit back and enjoy.
- Alcyone, Final Fantasy X
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Alcyone (or sometimes Halcyone) is the daughter of Aeolus in Greek mythology. When her husband Ceyx died at sea, she threw herself off a cliff to be with him. The gods, on seeing this act, chose to resurrect the pair as birds. These birds were the halcyon birds, kingfishers. Whenever Alcyone made her nest on the beach, Aeolus would calm the seas to protect the nest. From this Shakespeare coined the expression "halcyon days," periods of peace and prosperity.
Alcyone in Final Fantasy X is an aerial monster of the vulture species. Although this connection may have been derived simply from the genus of kingfisher, the fact that it appears in Sanubia may be a reference to the beach.
- Alexandria, Final Fantasy IX
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The second largest city of ancient Egypt, Alexandria was built to honour Alexander the Great. Among its many notable buildings were the tallest lighthouse in the world, for Alexandria was a busy port, and the Great Library. Civilization players may recognise them.
In Final Fantasy IX, Alexandria is one of the kingdoms on the Mist Continent, home to Brahne and Garnet, and where the adventure begins. It is perhaps no coincidence that both the summoner boat and the Prima Vista theatre ship both dock here, along with other airships that cross the land. Alexandria Castle is also home to a massive library which features on a few occasions. Of course, the name primarily pays homage to its guardian Eidolon Alexander. This gives rise to another, entirely different real-world connection with regards to the NORAD emblem (right) and the summoning scene.
- Anima, Final Fantasy X
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First and foremost, anima is Italian for "soul." In the psychology of Jung, the anima is the powerful feminine "inner self" (the animus being the masculine) which represents a person's deepest driving thoughts. Confronting your anima is not to be undertaken lightly.
Anima is one of the most powerful aeons in Final Fantasy X, who may be recruited only after some (optional) effort. Her soul is none other than that of Seymour's own mother, who became an aeon to feed his hunger for power. Her frightening appearance is securely bound in chains and fastened to places unknown, but in her overdrive, her underground "mirror self" breaks free. Anima must be faced in a tough battle in Macalania.
- Ashura, Final Fantasy IV
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Asherah, known also by many other names, is a goddess of various Middle Eastern origins. Two of note are the early Israelites' and the Canaanites' versions. In the former, she is the consort or feminine side of Yahweh. In the latter, she is the same for El, king of the gods. She is wetnurse and mother to many gods and humans of divine origin. She may also be the same as the goddess Arat, who served a similar purpose for the god Baal. Arat had four aspects: mother, virgin, warrior, and wanton.
In Final Fantasy IV, Ashura is the consort to the king of the summon monsters. You must defeat her before the king will talk to you. When you have, you gain Ashura as a summon. She is many-armed and three-faced. Depending on which face comes up randomly when she is summoned, your party is either healed, partially protected from physical attacks, or raised from the dead.
- Aura, Various
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An aura is, in short, a field surrounding something. It is most commonly used in psychic terms to describe the invisible energy around a person, which may reveal their inner state. It can also be used to describe an emotional atmosphere, or the visible glow around lit objects.
Depending on the game, Aura is either a skill or magical ability, or something granted through use of an item, which has a positive effect on its target. It may simply restore HP (as in Chrono Trigger) or apply other status bonuses (as in Final Fantasy IX, Auto-Life and Regen). In Final Fantasy VIII, a character under Aura glows a healthy gold and greatly improves his chances of using a Limit Break.
- Blackjack, Final Fantasy VI
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A popular casino card game, blackjack is sometimes known as vignt-et-un or the British variant pontoon. Players gamble against the dealer, drawing cards to exceed the dealer's hand without going over 21. A blackjack may also be handy if you get into trouble while playing, as it is the name of a short leather club.
The Blackjack is Setzer's airship in Final Fantasy VI, and is one of only two in the world. Setzer is a gambler through and through, happy to stake it all on the toss of a coin, and so it is of no real surprise to find that he named his ship after his pastime.
- Cerberus, Final Fantasy VIII
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Cerberus is, in Greek mythology, the guardian of the underworld and one of the offspring of Echidne and Typhon. A three-headed dog, sometimes said to have dragon's heads sprouting from his back, it was his task to stop anyone from leaving. He left the gates only once, when dragged away by Herakles (Hercules) for one of his labours.
Final Fantasy VIII's Cerberus is a Guardian Force in the form of a three-headed dog. Summoning him causes him to crash through a set of gates (likely repesenting the gates to the underworld) and give you powerful abilities, which may be comparing your party with Herakles. He is also first encountered guarding the gates at Galbadia Garden, stopping you from leaving.
- Cloud Strife, Final Fantasy VII
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Cloud is just a word, and it initially reminds you of the noun. Clouds are condensed water vapour, with very little content, being pushed by the wind. Cloud is initially unsure of his past; he has nothing to base himself on, and is driven only by what others tell him. There is also the verb "to cloud," which means to cover or obscure. Again, Cloud's past has been obscured by illusion and suggestion.
His surname, Strife, is also a word, meaning a bitter conflict or struggle. This can be seen in Cloud's inner struggle between himself and Sephiroth.
- Edgar Roni Figaro, Final Fantasy VI
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Edgar is is an old English name meaning "happy," "rich," or "spear." Edgar's treasure room shows that he is rich, but you would expect that from a king anyway. Also, his favourite weapon is the spear.
- Fenrir, Final Fantasy VI
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In Germanic mythology, Fenrir is a dangerous and monstrous wolf, raised among the Gods. They feared him, and were forced to construct a magical chain to keep him at bay. As it was applied, he bit off the hand of the God of battle, and so was sentenced to be chained to a rock for eternity. At Ragnarok, Fenrir killed Odin and was then killed by Vidar.
Fenrir appears as an Esper in Final Fantasy VI. He takes the form of a wolf, but this is where the similarities seem to end. His abilities are based on effect magic rather than attack, and summoning him benefits the party.
- Flare, Various
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A flare is a sudden and brilliant explosion of light, typically bright enough to cause at least temporary blindness. The defining quality is its comparison to the surrounding brightness; A match can flare in the dark, just as the sun can flare with intense radiation.
Flare appears in many games as a black magic or similarly offensive ability. Typically either the strongest or second most powerful spell, it may be non-elemental or (rarely) fire-based.
- Freya Crescent, Final Fantasy IX
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Freyja is the prime Goddess of the Vanir, one of the two divine races in Scandanavian mythology. Apparently, "Freyja" translates as "Lady." She is the goddess of fertility, having many lovers and assisting in the act of childbirth. She is also the goddess of generosity and wealth, said to cry tears of gold. She is able to assume the form of a bird.
Freya is a respected Dragon Knight from Burmecia, who seems to share a mixed connection with Freyja. Far from being a symbol of sexual freedom, Freya's only love has forgotten about her. On the other hand, she does share an ability with Freyja: Being a Dragon Knight, she can "assume the form of a bird" and leap to great heights.
- Gilgamesh, Various
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Gilgamesh was a king of Erech around 2000BC, and is also the hero of a Babylonian tale. He was a very oppressive king, and his people pleaded with the gods to send someone to vanquish him. They sent Enkidu, a superhuman warrior. However, the two became friends and battle partners and slew the monster Humbaba. Gilgamesh later rejected the goddess Ishtar, who then sent a fierce bull after him. Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated the bull together, but the gods saw fit to kill Enkidu for what he had done. Gilgamesh then set out on a quest to find the secret of eternal life. A serpent stole it from him, and he died.
- Ixion, Final Fantasy X
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Even in the sexual maelstrom that is Greek myth, the mortal Ixion stands out as one with an eye for the ladies. Unfortunately for him, one of his attempted conquests was Hera, wife of Zeus. She discovered his plans and set a trap in the form of a Hera-shaped cloud. He gave it one nonetheless. The resulting offspring was Centauros, who in turn begat the centaur race.
Ixion's appearance in Final Fantasy X is somewhat more subdued. He takes the form of the aeon of thunder from Djose temple, and perhaps only his horselike appearance pays any remote homage to the myth. Though Zeus probably did zap him a bit.
- Lete River, Final Fantasy VI
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The Lethe is one of the rivers of the Greek underworld. It means "forgetfulness," and the dead are forced to drink from it to erase memories of their past lives.
The Lete River carries the party away from the Returners' hideout. En-route, they lose Sabin. Sabin's middle name is Rene, meaning "rebirth." But perhaps more appropriately, Terra takes the journey down the Lete after deciding to fight against the empire. This signifies a rebirth, as she forgets the old ways of the empire and starts anew.
- Leviathan, Various
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The Leviathan is a Biblical seamonster, both as a long and winding serpent and a gigantic and heavily armoured beastie. Its name is Hebrew for "twisted animal."
Leviathan appears in a number of games as a strong Water-based summon. It appears as a coiling serpent, almost certainly a reference to the "twisted animal." More interesting is its possible appearance in Final Fantasy X. A large monster with armoured scales? It could well be Sin, which would explain why there is no Leviathan summon in the game.
- Midgar, Final Fantasy VII
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In Scandinavian mythology, Midgarðr is the middle ground between heaven and hell. The place for humans. The Earth. It is thought to be a huge fortress encircled by a great serpent which lives beneath the sea, and was built by the Norse gods.
In Final Fantasy VII, Midgar is the world's largest city, separated into two levels by a plate. Those above the plate are better off than those in the slums below. Also, the only way out of the Midgar area of the map is by passing a great serpent which lives beneath the marshes.
- Midgar Zolom, Final Fantasy VII
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In Scandinavian mythology, the serpent that encircles Midgar is known as Jormungand, or Iormungandr. It is also knows as the Midgard Serpent, or Miðgarðsormr. Its venom is responsible for killing Thor during Ragnarok.
See Midgar, above. The Midgar Zolom is an enormous seprent that patrols under the marshes of Midgar, which, with the help of the ocean, surrounds the Midgar area. Japanese doesn't distinguish between 'r' and 'l,' hence the "Zolom".
- Nidhogg, Final Fantasy X
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The Niðhoggr, whose true name I can't even begin to spell let alone pronounce, is a mighty dragon in Norse mythology. Its name translates to "tearer of corpses," and he lives beneath the World Tree, feasting on corpses and its roots.
Somewhat disappointingly, considering the origin of the name, a Nidhogg in Final Fantasy X is a smallish dragon who crops up in random battles in the snowy areas. Well, at least it is a dragon.
- Odin, Various
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The supreme Scandinavian deity and ruler of Asgard, Óðinn is associated with battle, inspiration, wealth, and the underworld. He watched over the young, brave spirits, and gave magical weapons to aid them. He also decided when these people should die. His steed is an eight-legged horse called Sleipnir. He determined who would enter Valhalla, the halls in which fallen heroes would spend eternity. In Ragnarok, Odin was killed by Fenrir.
Odin crops up in various Final Fantasy games as a powerful summon. He typically rides into the battle on his horse (which has had six legs since Final Fantasy VII) and slices clean through the enemy. His attack often deals instant death to whatever it hits. In Final Fantasy VIII, he appears at random and beyond your control; he watches over the young heroes and comes to their aid with a magical weapon.
- Ragnarok, Various
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Ragnarøkr is Scandinavian mythology's "Destruction of the Powers"; the climactic battle between the monsters and the Gods that resulted in the destruction of both sides, as well as the world. The fettered monsters break loose, the world crumbles, and the seas rise to flood it. The bridge between Earth and Heaven is destroyed by the weight of the attack. Thor destroys the Midgard Serpent and is in turn destroyed by its venom. Fenrir devours Odin, and is then killed by his son. Finally, Surt sets the world aflame, destroying man. When all is over, the world is reborn with the surviving children of the old Gods, and repopulated by a human couple that took refuge in the World Tree.
Final Fantasy VI featured a sword Esper, Ragnarok, which could either be summoned or equipped. The sword aspect may be a reference to the battle of Ragnarok. Slightly more appropriate is Ragnarok's ability; It kills enemies and transforms them into items, much like the destruction of the world and its rebirth as something new.
Final Fantasy VIII's Ragnarok is a deserted space ship, left in orbit around the Earth. It is populated by pairs of monsters, both of which must be killed in order to destroy them. This may be a very obscure reference to the way the Gods and monsters (almost) paired off during Ragnarok. But it probably isn't.
- Regen, Various
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Regen appears as a positive status in many of the more recent Final Fantasies. While under its influence, a character recovers HP either in a steady flow or in batches every few seconds. Naturally, it comes from the word regenerate, meaning to (biologically) repair oneself. Though magic names are now long enough to spell out the entire word, Regen has taken on cult status and looks set to stay.
- Sabin Rene Figaro, Final Fantasy VI
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The closest I can find to Sabin is the ancient Sabine tribe from central Italy. If there is anything more to his name than this, then I don't know it. Rene, however, comes from "rebirth," which is something that Sabin went through when he gave up the throne for his own freedom.
His name in the Japanese version is Mash. Mashu is a Japanese name meaning "manly," which is shown in Sabin's unarmed fighting style.
- Siren, Various
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In Greek mythology, the sirens are half-bird half-woman monsters who lived on an island in the ocean. As ships sailed past, they would sing to the crew. Their song is said to be so beautiful as to lure any man to them, when they would either become shipwrecked or would listen to the song until they had wasted away. The sirens are said to have drowned themselves when Odysseus evaded them.
Siren has cropped up as summons a few times in the Final Fantasy series. They are entirely female (although Final Fantasy VIII's had ornate wings on her head) and are seen playing a harp on a rocky island in the ocean. Their song renders the enemy useless by silencing them, presumably as they spend the battle entranced by the voice.
- Shiva, Various
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Shiva is one of the trimurti, a Hindu trinity of deities. He was originally a storm god before becoming known as Shiva. Shiva has many facets; he is associated with destruction, meditation, the erotic and the herding of souls. He is often depicted with a pale face and blue neck, caused when he drank the poison that was threatening humanity. There are many things that could be said about this complex god, but none of them seem to apply to the Final Fantasy incarnation.
A recurring figure in the Final Fantasy series, Shiva is an ice elemental summoned in battle. The similarities between this and the Hindu Shiva appear to be in name only, as this one lacks all of the god's defining attributes. She is female, for one thing, and has no third eye. However, she is blue all over, but this is more likely to be because of her ice relationship. It may be a long shot, but maybe the name Shiva was simply derived from the English "shiver"?
- Valefor, Final Fantasy X
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One of the dukes of hell, Valefor is the sixth demon of the Goetia. Other dukes include Amdusias and Barbatos. Valefor is associated with thieves, but is generally good has a tendency to tempt them too far.
In Final Fantasy X, Valefor is a female aeon and the first Yuna enlists on her pilgrimage. She takes the form of a decorated birdlike drgaon, and commands the four basic elemental magics.
