FINAL FANTASY XIII FFXIII Story Explained

INTRODUCTION

"FFXIII Story Explained" is a shortened version of the document:

Diving into FINAL FANTASY XIII[docs.google.com] Exploring the Gateway to Fabula Nova Crystallis

I know not a lot of players are willing to dive into FFXIII, so this guide was made to only give quick answers to pertinent questions regarding the main story of the game. The document linked above further expands on some of the questions included in this guide, e.g. background details and Ultimania exclusive insights, plus a lot more such as theory-crafts and analyses.

For a quick overview on the contents of the document, the full Table of Contents is included in the section "Diving into Final Fantasy XIII" found below.

Rest assured that both this guide and the document do not contain spoilers on the sequels.

OVERVIEW: FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS

A crash course on the lore of Fabula Nova Crystallis.

The list only includes the figures and concepts that are relevant to this guide. I'm not including the whole genesis story of FNC since it is largely irrelevant in understanding the central plot of FFXIII. For those interested in the full story though, check out either of the links below.

Read it here[dilly-shilly.blogspot.com] - translated by Lissar

Or watch it here - narrated by TheScottSpot

BHUNIVELZE

-- The God of Light. Ruler of the Mortal Realm. Created Pulse, Lindzei, and Etro.

PULSE

-- The Strong God. Created Gran Pulse and the Pulse fal'Cie.

LINDZEI

-- The Wise God. Created Cocoon and the Cocoon fal'Cie.

ETRO

-- The Goddess of Death. Ruler of the Unseen Realm.

MORTAL REALM

-- Also known the Realm of the Living.

UNSEEN REALM

-- Also known as the Realm of the Dead.

ETRO'S GATE

-- The gateway that leads to the Unseen Realm. Also known as the Door of Souls.

It's worth noting that there is only one place in Final Fantasy XIII that directly references the Fabula Nova Crystallis lore:

Analect I. The Vanished GodsLuminous lamented, for creation spiraled into doom. Stout fashioned earth, that future might take root. Sage turned mind’s eye inward, seeking truth profound. Fool desired naught, and was soon made one with it. Maker[1] forged fal’Cie, from fragments of Maker’s[2] own. Maker[3] forged Man, from traces once Divine. In time the gods departed, leaving all by their hands wrought Fal’Cie were as Man forsaken, orphans of Maker[4] absconded. -- Author unknown Luminous - Bhunivelze. References his greatest fear: The destruction of the world.

Stout - Pulse. References how he made the world of Gran Pulse. (Note that by "stout" they mean "strong", not fat. Thought it'd be worth mentioning since the latter is usually the default definition)

Sage - Lindzei. References how she sought to devise a plan to access the Door of Souls.

Fool - Etro. References how she died and ended up in the Unseen Realm.

Maker [1, 2, 4] - Pulse and Lindei. References how they created their fal'Cie.

Maker [3] - Lindzei. References how she created humans using the deceased Etro's spilt blood ("traces once Divine").

The last stanza references how Pulse and Lindzei left the Mortal Realm.

As mentioned in the intro, the explanations in this guide only covers the basics. Diving into Final Fantasy XIII includes fuller explorations of all 13 Analects.[docs.google.com]

Now with the overview of FNC established, onto the guide!

Note:

"[UO]" is occasionally used to tag information taken from the Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega.

OF FAL'CIE & L'CIE

Do Pulse and Cocoon fal’Cie have the same goal? Yes. Pulse and Cocoon fal’Cie are all searching for Etro’s Gate in their own distinct way.

Pulse fal’Cie search around the physical world. Cocoon fal’Cie, on the other hand, work together to cultivate humans for sacrifice to use their Souls to force open Etro’s Gate.

Their main goal in searching for the Gate is to meet their respective Makers, Pulse and Lindzei, who have long ago abandoned them. They believe their Makers reside at the other side of the Gate. But in reality, Pulse and Lindzei went to stand guard over Bhunivelze in the Realm of the Gods.

Why do fal’Cie need to make l’Cie if they can fight for themselves? Because the fal’Cie’s powers and capabilities are limited to what their Focus entails and they lack the freewill to deviate from what they were created to do. Fal’Cie were not created equal, thus some of them can fight while others can’t.

On the other hand, humans are beings without powers but they do have the freedom to do as they wish since they aren’t bound by a Focus. So when a fal’Cie needs a task done which they can’t do themselves, they take advantage of a human’s freewill by branding them with a Focus to compel them into doing said task. The only catch is that a fal’Cie cannot assign its l’Cie a task that would directly contradict its own Focus.(Side Note: A l’Cie is basically the combination of the main traits of both beings: Power + Freewill)

Why don’t the fal’Cie just tell the l’Cie what their Focus is? Not all fal’Cie are capable of speech, thus they cannot fully elaborate to a l’Cie the specifics of their Focus. Anima has never been shown to be capable of speaking, be it in the games or in the prequel novella, which is why it couldn’t directly tell the Party to destroy Cocoon. The fal’Cie are only capable of instilling dreams/images to convey what they want their l’Cie to do.

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule considering there are, in fact, a handful of fal’Cie that can talk. Take Barthandelus who branded Cid Raines, for example. Since Bart is a fal’Cie that could speak, Cid was immediately aware that his task was to guide the Pulse l’Cie in accordance to Bart's Plan.

Why would the fal’Cie give l’Cie a time limit? Why punish them even if they fulfill their Focus? Because fal’Cie are not all-powerful benevolent beings. They don’t have the power to simply choose not to give humans a time limit. You could say, “that’s just how the lore works.”

Fal’Cie view humans as mere tools, thus they do not care about human lives. They only care about whether or not they are useful. So a l’Cie turning into a Crystal or Cie’th, depending on the outcome of their mission, is a reflection of their usefulness to the fal’Cie. Those who turn into Cie’th are failed tools, while those who turn to Crystal have proven their usefulness. A l’Cie who has crystallized can be reawakened by their fal’Cie master, given a new Focus, and repeat the cycle over and over again until the l’Cie eventually fails and turns Cie’th.

(Source: Ultimania Omega)

How long does it take for a l’Cie to become a Cie’th? It depends on how fast a l’Cie’s Brand reaches Stage 13. There are various factors that can affect the progression of a Brand:1. The l’Cie’s physical and mental wellbeing

2. The will of their fal’Cie master

3. The Brand naturally progressing over time

See L'CIE BRAND PROGRESSION CHART at the bottom section for more info.

What are Eidolons and why do they attack l’Cie? Eidolons are beings from the Unseen Realm that are sent by the goddess Etro to l’Cie in despair. According to the sequels, they follow the law, “The weak must obey the strong,” so the Eidolons battle l’Cie when they appear as a test whether they’re worthy of aid.

Who was that large being that appeared in the scene where Lightning & Co. were being branded?

The god Pulse, himself. It’s stated in the Ultimania that while the fal'Cie choose which humans to turn into l'Cie, the actual branding is solely the job of the gods [UO]. During the Branding Process, humans who get chosen to be l’Cie are transported to this mysterious dimension where they come face-to-face with either Pulse or Lindzei, depending on which type of fal’Cie chose them.

FINAL BATTLE: ORPHAN'S AWAKENING

Why did the Party confront Barthandelus and Orphan, thereby doing exactly what the villains wanted them to do? The Party never actually intended to fight Orphan when they resolved to return to Cocoon. Their main goal was only to take down Barthandelus since he’s the one who’s been pulling their strings ever since they became l’Cie. They thought killing Barthandelus would be enough to free humans from fal’Cie control and put an end to the fal’Cie plan. Notice how the Party immediately (yet prematurely) celebrated their victory after defeating Bart since they accomplished exactly what they intended to do. They never expected Orphan to show up in the wake of Bart’s death.

Why didn’t the Party just refuse to take part in Barthandelus’s Plan? Because as Bart said, “Refusing me but condemns another to face your Focus tomorrow.” The Party’s inaction won’t save Cocoon. It’ll merely delay its inevitable demise. If the Party decided to do nothing and just wait until they turned Cie’th, Barthandelus could simply wait for the next opportunity to carry out his plan.

Did Barthandelus turn into Orphan? No, he didn’t. Orphan was just lying dormant in the pool behind Bart’s throne. After his defeat, Bart used the last of his power through Menrva to rouse Orphan from slumber. The newly awakened Orphan then assimilated Bart and Menrva’s deceased forms into a protective barrier.

Why did Fang suddenly decide to betray the Party and turn into Ragnarok? Desperation. Fang’s greatest fear is losing everyone she cares about and ending up alone [UO]. After realizing the futility of their fight against Orphan, Fang became desperate enough to do whatever was necessary to save her friends, even if it meant betraying them. Her plan was to destroy Orphan so that they could advance into crystal stasis.

Keep in mind that even though you (as the player) “win” against Orphan’s first form, canonically the Party never actually got past its protective barrier. Notice how the Party was beat up and exhausted after the first battle while Orphan appears completely unscathed.

In addition, the Party was trapped inside Orphan’s Cradle, an alternate dimension within fal’Cie Eden, which left them no hope of escape. Notice how a barrier closed behind them when they faced Barthandelus.

Did Lightning & Co. actually turn into Cie’th or was it just an illusion? Yes, Lightning & Co. really did turn into Cie’th. No, it wasn’t an illusion. Lightning, Snow, Sazh, and Hope’s (henceforth dubbed “Team-Cie’th”) instantaneous transformation into Cie’th was caused by two factors: emotional distress and physical distress. The emotional distress was caused by Fang’s betrayal while the physical distress was caused by Fang’s “Highwind” attack.

Fang only intended to stun her friends so they couldn’t prevent her from destroying Orphan [UO]. She figured that this small betrayal was necessary if she wanted to help them achieve crystal stasis. But in a twist of irony, her attack caused their Brands to advance directly to Stage 13, thus turning them into Cie’th [UO]. The overwhelming guilt she felt, as a result, triggered her transformation into Ragnarok [UO].

How did the Party revert back to humans? Because of the goddess Etro’s intervention. Notice how Etro’s Gate appeared and is focused on immediately after Ragnarok-Fang shattered Orphan’s barrier. The appearance of Etro’s Gate is an indication that Etro, the Goddess of Death, is currently bearing witness to the events in the Mortal Realm.

What was this “glimpse of the future” or “new Focus” that Lightning & Co. saw? The vision isn’t a new Focus given by Etro, nor is it confirmed to be a vision of the future. The Ultimania merely states that it served as a source of hope for the Party since it displayed a favorable scenario where everyone was safe and reunited.

It’s revealed in the Fragments After novella that Etro primarily communicates using visions. So the vision Team-Cie’th saw was perhaps Etro’s way of encouraging the l’Cie to strive for a brighter future. As Sazh said, ”Next thing I know, I feel somebody pushing me right along.” That somebody was undoubtedly Etro.

Why did the Party’s Brands turn white? A white Brand, called a scorched Brand, is caused by Etro sealing a l’Cie’s Brand to reverse their transformation [UO]. Team-Cie’th and Ragnarok-Fang’s transformations were reversed, hence their Brands turned white.

Why did the Party decide to kill Orphan when they knew its death would cause Cocoon’s fall? The final fight against Orphan wasn’t simply about saving the floating structure. Rather, it was about liberating the human population from fal’Cie control. It's revealed in the sequels that the Party fully intended to use Ragnarok's power to save Cocoon. As Hope said, "If we have the power to destroy Cocoon, then we have the power to save it."

How was the Party able to kill Orphan without using Ragnarok? The Party may not have used Ragnarok to deal the killing blow, but Ragnarok’s power was still pivotal in Orphan’s defeat. Recall how the Party, canonically, wasn’t able to lay a scratch on Orphan’s first form. Then recall how Ragnarok-Fang shattered Orphan’s protective barrier before she was reverted back to human form. With the barrier torn off, Orphan became vulnerable to the Party's attacks, leaving its true form exposed.

ENDING: DAY OF RAGNAROK

What exactly was the Party’s Focus? To destroy Cocoon or to save it? To destroy Cocoon. It always was from the start. Notice in the Ending cinematic how Lightning, Snow, Hope, and Sazh were already turning into crystal. That’s because they fulfilled their Focus by killing Orphan. There is no way a Pulse l’Cie would have a mission meant to aid Cocoon [UO].

How exactly was the Party able to save Cocoon? The straightforward answer is that the Crystal Pillar that saved Cocoon was created by the actions of the Party and Etro’s assistance. The ending events did not simply happen at the whim of the goddess Etro [UO]. The party placed all of their power into saving Cocoon so Etro lent them some power and a miracle happened [UO].The 3 Elements that Produced a Miracle:

1. The Party’s crystal stasis reward after defeating Orphan

2. Fang and Vanille’s sacrifice when they harnessed the power of Ragnarok

3. Etro’s assistance in building the foundation of the Crystal Pillar

Ending Cinematic: Shot-by-Shot Analysis

1. The Party achieves crystal stasis after defeating Orphan. Self-explanatory

2. Fang and Vanille perform a miracle and summon Ragnarok. Recall how Cid managed to stall his Cie’th transformation through his sheer determination to sabotage Barthandelus’s plan [UO]. Also recall how Cid’s Brand was glowing white at that very moment.

Now, notice how Fang and Vanille’s Brands were also glowing white in the same manner as Cid’s. What we can conclude from this is that Fang and Vanille were stalling their crystallization in the same way Cid was stalling his Cie’th transformation.

3. Fang and Vanille sacrifice themselves to save Cocoon. Sacrifice 1: While it’s not explicitly stated anywhere in FFXIII, a dialogue with Hope in Lightning Returns reveals that all 6 l’Cie originally planned to hold up Cocoon together. However, Fang and Vanille put a damper on that plan. See, there was no way the Party could possibly know whether their attempt to save Cocoon would succeed. So instead of having everyone transform, Fang and Vanille chose to do it themselves so their friends could advance to crystal stasis, thus guaranteeing their (relative) safety in case things went wrong.

Sacrifice 2: Ragnarok-Fanille broke their way down to the base of Cocoon in an attempt to slow down its descent. But considering the speed of its fall plus the surrounding lava, Fang and Vanille’s efforts would’ve likely resulted in their death. Note that Cocoon’s plummet is comparable to an asteroid falling down to Earth which is why the shell caught fire making it nothing short of deadly.

4. Etro aids Fang and Vanille after witnessing their sacrifice. Analect 13 is considered a prophecy by the Seeress [UO] even though it doesn’t explicitly name Paddra-Nsu Yeul as the author. The line, ”Sacrifice, the one hope of seeing [Etro’s Gate] unsealed,” references how Fang and Vanille’s sacrifice is what enabled the Party to save Cocoon [UO]. Basically, because Fang and Vanille showed how they were willing to sacrifice themselves to save humanity, Etro was moved to lend them a hand.

Notice the pillar of water that rose up from Gran Pulse that enveloped Ragnarok and Cocoon. On top of cooling down the lava, it also helped further slow down Cocoon’s descent by wrapping itself around the structure’s shell. The way the water pillar stemmed from Gran Pulse shows how this phenomenon was not caused by Ragnarok’s power but rather by a distinctly separate force, i.e. Etro herself. So basically, Etro aided the Party’s efforts to save Cocoon by ensuring Fang and Vanille’s sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain.

5. The Crystal Pillar is established. Fang and Vanille eventually achieved crystal stasis because, like Cid whose Cie’th transformation slowly progressed over time, they could only stall their crystal transformation for a limited amount of time. Because they were in Ragnarok form when it happened, Fang and Vanille’s crystal transformation was amplified, causing the water pillar that enveloped them and Cocoon to crystallize as well. Thus, the Crystal Pillar was created.

6. Etro rewards the l’Cie by erasing their Brands to release them from crystal stasis. Self-explanatory. [source: FFXIII-2 Fragments After novella]

Why didn’t Etro erase the Party’s Brands earlier like she did in the Ending? Why didn’t She just intervene before things got out of hand? Because Etro isn’t omnipresent and is faaaaar from being omniscient. Etro may have the capacity to see the entire timeline from the Unseen Realm, but that doesn’t mean She‘s actively bearing witness to each minute event. Imagine looking at an enormous abstract portrait that represents the whole timeline of the world. Then imagine that portrait having rips/tears/holes scattered at random places. Those holes represent instances in time when humans are calling out in despair.

Since Etro isn’t omnipresent, Her attention is primarily drawn towards those holes on the portrait to investigate the distress in the timeline. Imagine the smaller holes representing individual l’Cie in despair. Since the threat isn’t necessarily significant, She sends the Eidolons to help rather than intervening Herself. The larger holes, on the other hand, represent a considerable amount of humans in despair. These are typically events when humanity is at the brink of disaster. The War of Transgression and the Day of Ragnarok easily fall into this category, hence why She so conveniently shows up to lend a hand during these particular events.

L'CIE BRAND PROGRESSION CHART

This section was translated directly from the FFXIII Ultimania Omega. It shows the timeline and the cause of the character's Brand progression.

DIVING INTO FINAL FANTASY XIII

Everything in this guide is merely a fraction of the document it was based on. For those who are interested in diving deeper into the nitty-gritty details of FFXIII and FNC lore, I hope you find this an interesting read!

(Note: You can click the title headers to jump directly to those sections of the document.)

Diving into FINAL FANTASY XIII[docs.google.com] Exploring the Gateway to Fabula Nova Crystallis

Of Fal’Cie & L’Cie[docs.google.com] Do Pulse and Cocoon fal’Cie have the same goal?

What is that giant in Gran Pulse?

Why do fal’Cie need to make l’Cie if they can fight for themselves?

Why don’t the fal’Cie just tell the l’Cie what their Focus is?

Why would the fal’Cie give l’Cie a time limit? Why punish them even if they fulfill their Focus?

How long does it take for a l’Cie to become a Cie’th?

What are Eidolons and why do they attack l’Cie?

Who was that large being that appeared in the scene where Lightning & Co. were being branded?

If the Party saw Pulse during the Branding Process, why don’t they ever mention him in the game?

If l’Cie are the only humans that can use magic, why do some Cocoon soldiers use magic, too?

Cocoon Fal’Cie Hierarchy[docs.google.com] Barthandelus

Menrva

Orphan

Eden

Major Fal’Cie

Military Fal’Cie

Civilian Fal’Cie

War of Transgression[docs.google.com] What sparked the War of Transgression?

How did the War of Transgression end?

How did Fang and Vanille get released from crystal?

Why did Fang lose her memory while Vanille didn’t?

Why is Fang’s Brand white?

Why are Fang and Vanille the only survivors of Gran Pulse?

Barthandelus’s Plan[docs.google.com] If Barthandelus wants Cocoon destroyed, why do the fal’Cie bother taking care of humans?

If fal’Cie are dangerous, why are humans in Cocoon living with them?

What was the purpose of the Purge? How does it fit into Barthandelus’ Plan?

Why didn’t Serah just show Lightning her Brand?

If l’Cie are enemies of Cocoon, why is Dajh considered a “good” l’Cie?

Was Kujata branding Dajh part of Barthandelus’ Plan?

Why were Lightning & Co. made l’Cie if only Vanille and Fang were needed to become Ragnarok?

How were there so many Cie’th in Cocoon that were never noticed?

Why did the characters have to split up?

What was that race at the beginning of Chapter 12 and why did the Party crash it?

What were those crystal lights that were floating around Eden?

Were the lights seen in the Vestige the same as the ones in Eden?

Cid Raines[docs.google.com] Who branded Cid Raines and what was his Focus?

Why didn’t Barthandelus just order Cid to destroy Orphan?

Why did Cid transform when he fought the Party?

How did Cid achieve crystal stasis?

What would’ve happened if Cid defeated the Party?

How did Cid return in Chapter 12?

Final Battle: Orphan's Awakening[docs.google.com] Why did the Party confront Barthandelus and Orphan, thereby doing exactly what the villains wanted them to do?

Why didn’t the Party just refuse to take part in Barthandelus’s Plan?

Did Barthandelus turn into Orphan?

Why did Fang suddenly decide to betray the Party and turn into Ragnarok?

Did Lightning & Co. actually turn into Cie’th or was it just an illusion?

How did the Party revert back to humans?

What was this “glimpse of the future” or “new Focus” that Lightning & Co. saw?

Why did the Party’s Brands turn white?

Why did the Party decide to kill Orphan when they knew its death would cause Cocoon’s fall?

How was the Party able to kill Orphan without using Ragnarok?

Ending: The Day of Ragnarok[docs.google.com] What exactly was the Party’s Focus? To destroy Cocoon or to save it?

How exactly was the Party able to save Cocoon?

Ending Cinematic: Shot-by-Shot Analysis[docs.google.com]

Why didn’t Etro erase the Party’s Brands earlier like she did in the Ending? Why didn’t She just intervene before things got out of hand?

Etro reversed Ragnarok-Fang’s transformation twice to prevent Cocoon’s destruction, so why didn’t she stop the Party when they attacked Orphan 2?

How long would Cocoon have survived if the events of XIII never took place?

How big is Cocoon and how many people died when it fell?

Side Details[docs.google.com] How was there a conveniently placed barrier on the train track that gave Lightning an opening to free everyone?

If Lightning turned in her gunblade when she volunteered to be Purged, how did she suddenly get it back when fighting the [Manasvin Warmech]?

What is Vanille’s weapon and why was it found in the Pulse Vestige?

How do those weird stick-like phones even work?

What is Operation Nora and what does it have to do with taking down the [Aster Protoflorian]?

What do Codes Red, Green, Purple, Yellow, Blue, and Orange that were announced on the Palamecia mean?

If Lightning had those gravity bombs the Party used in Chapter 12 the whole time, why haven’t they used it before then?

Detail Diving[docs.google.com] Crystallization & Defying Fate

Different Types of Miracles

The Forms of Ragnarok

The 2 Faces of Orphan’s 1st Form

The Ragnarok Poem

The Analects[docs.google.com] The Genesis of FNC

Prophecies by the Seeress

A Scholar’s Speculation

The Pulsians’ Perspective

Theory-craft: History of Cocoon[docs.google.com] Who created Cocoon? Lindzei or Barthandelus?

Whose plan was it to sacrifice Cocoon to open the Door of Souls?

Theory-craft: Anima, the 13th Ark[docs.google.com] The Vestige and Fal’Cie Anima

The 7th Ark and Fal’Cie Nemesis

The 5th Ark as a Fal’Cie

Fal’Cie Anima as an Ark

Theory-craft: The Perfect Tool[docs.google.com] Jihl Nabaat

Barthandelus

TIMELINE[docs.google.com] Before Final Fantasy XIII

The Thirteen Days

L’Cie Brand Progression Chart[docs.google.com]

SOURCES & RECOMMENDATIONS

Sources FFXIII Trilogy Datalog[finalfantasy.fandom.com] accessed from the FF Wiki

FFXIII Movie Version Playlist by dansg08 from YouTube

Plot Analysis Guide[gamefaqs.gamespot.com] translation by ximaus from GameFAQs

Ultimania Omega Info[thelifestream.net] translation by Strangelove from The Lifestream

Ultimania Omega Scans[www.ff-omeganebula.com] from Omega Nebula

Fabula Nova Crystallis Mythology[dilly-shilly.blogspot.com] translation by Lissar from -Dilly Dally, Shilly Shally-

Fabula Nova Crystallis Mythology - Video Format by TheScottSpot from YouTube

Episode 0 Promise[dilly-shilly.blogspot.com] translation by Lissar from -Dilly Dally, Shilly Shally-

Episode 0 Promise - Audiobook Format by TheScottSpot from YouTube

Episode 0 Promise: Ch11 Tomorrow - Video Edit by SXM132 from YouTube

Episode -i-[dilly-shilly.blogspot.com] translation by Lissar from -Dilly Dally, Shilly Shally-

A Dreaming Cocoon Falls into the Dawn - FFXIII Side Story[docs.google.com] translation by mecrox, commissioned by wockyk

Final Fantasy XIII PC - The 7th Ark by SkacikPL from YouTube

Cid Raines Ultimania Scan[kuja9001.tumblr.com] by kuja9001 from Tumblr

FFXIII Logo Vector[www.deviantart.com] by eldi13 from Deviant ArtI also have the JP Ultimania Omega, the localized versions of Episode 0 Promise, Fragments Before, Fragments After, and the Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive - Volume 3. I do not know how to read, write, or speak Japanese, so instead I use the Midori app to translate key parts of the Ultimania Omega.

Recommendations Episode 0 Promise: Ch11 Tomorrow (Video Edit) - An animated version of the story about how Fang and Vanille were turned into l'Cie. Based on the "FFXIII Episode Zero -Promise- Fabula Nova Dramatica Omega" which includes voices of the original Japanese voice actors. Created by SXM132.

A Dreaming Cocoon Falls into the Dawn[docs.google.com] - A side story included in the FFXIII Ultimania Omega. It details the perspectives of ordinary Cocoon citizens during the events of the game. Translated by mecrox.

FF13-2: Addressing FAQs, Plot Holes, and Inconsistencies[docs.google.com] - A guide on all things FFXIII-2, from story clarifications and character analyses. It is riddled with spoilers, so I highly suggest checking this out after you’ve finished the Trilogy. Written by BlackRiot.

ENDNOTES

Diving Into Final Fantasy XIII

I hope this guide proves useful to anyone interested in (or confused about) the story of Final Fantasy XIII.

If there are any other questions that haven't been addressed here, there's a good chance they've already been answered in the document. If not, please feel free to drop a comment or PM me on Reddit. Any suggestions to improve this guide would be highly appreciated.

Thanks and have a good one!

➤ /u/KuroPuP

Reddit Link:

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361734235

FFXIII Story Explained