The Extinct Civilizations of the Final Fantasy Franchise Explained

Despite being anthological by nature, many Final Fantasy games feature a lost civilization whose demise serves as a prophetic warning.

The second game in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy 2, established that the franchise would take an anthology-style approach moving forward, featuring a new cast of heroes, a brand-new world, and mechanics that differentiate it from its predecessor despite retaining some key elements that are consistent in each entry. One feature that has remained constant throughout the franchise is the Final Fantasy series’ mixing of high fantasy and science fiction, blending traditional medieval fantasy tropes with story beats like time travel, genetic engineering, and forgotten or lost civilizations. The lost civilization trope is one that actually shows up time and again throughout the Final Fantasy series, using the tendency of humans to repeat the mistakes of the past as a cautionary motif.

The original Final Fantasy, though featuring a bit of a threadbare story in comparison to the rest of the series, makes regular mention of a lost civilization known as the Lufenians. The hyper-advanced culture of Lufenia bares some striking similarities to real-world tales of lost civilizations like Atlantis or the Hyperborean cultures, reaching a state of ultimate technological advancement and utopia before failing to realize a growing crisis in their midst. Since the original Final Fantasy, several games have also included their own lost civilizations whose demise is intended to help inform and enlighten each game’s cast of heroes.

Final Fantasy – The LufeniansThe very first ancient or “lost” civilization of the Final Fantasy franchise are the Lufenians, who are descendants of beings referred to as the “Sky People”. The Sky People also had a counterpart race that lived beneath the sea, and in addition to their respective Floating Castle and Sunken Shrine serving as remnants of their one-time greatness, the Sky People are responsible for many of the world’s primary technological wonders – the airship. The Circle of Sages and residents of Lufenia give some insight into their descendants and lost civilization, and the spin-off of Final Fantasy, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, goes into much greater detail regarding the connection between the Lufenians and Garland, the time loop, and the prophecy of the Warriors of Light.

Final Fantasy 3 – The AncientsThe Ancients are Final Fantasy 3’s lost civilization, factoring heavily into both the story and gameplay thanks to the last physical remnants of their existence being the game’s penultimate and final dungeons. Millennia before the appearance of the Warriors of Light, the Ancients utilized the power of the Crystals to bring society to a place of prosperity and peace. However, their extended use of the Crystals upsets the balance, prompting a Flood of Light. To restore balance and prevent the world’s destruction, four Warriors of Darkness were successful in stopping the Flood of Light, prophesying that four Warriors of Light would one day be called upon to once again restore balance and push back the Cloud of Darkness.

Final Fantasy 4 – The LunariansFinal Fantasy 4 once again features a lost civilization that features prominently in the game’s narrative and gameplay, with players controlling one of the world’s few remaining descendants of a hyper-advanced society that lived on the moon. Calling themselves the Lunarians, they visited the world of humans centuries before the timeline of Final Fantasy 4, cautiously introducing advanced technologies to the planet, such as airships and the Devil’s Road teleportation network. Final Fantasy 4’s protagonist Cecil and antagonist Golbez are the descendants of the Lunarians and the result of a coupling between a Lunarian scientist and his human wife. Rather than advance the civilization of humans past its natrual evolutionary point, the Lunarians slumber on the moon until the time that the two races can coexist in harmony.

Final Fantasy 7 – The CetraMuch of Final Fantasy 7’s conflict centers around the Cetra, who are commonly referred to as the “Ancients”. Following the crash-landing of an alien on the Cetra’s homeworld (what players will come to know as Jenova), the Ancients slowly start to die off as a result of parasitic infection and disease. By the time of Final Fantasy 7’s main story, the sole surviving members of the Cetra are Aeris and, thanks to his artificial DNA, Sephiroth. The Shinra corporation is seeking the help of the Cetra to locate the Promised Land – a prophesied land of endless natural resources which the corporation hopes to exploit for a profit.

Final Fantasy 16 – The Fallen

The most recent game in the Final Fantasy series features an enigmatic villian who is essentially the deity of a lost civilization of Valisthea known as the “Fallen”. These technologically advanced beings were once in complete harmony with the Crystals, building technological wonders and vast structures whose ruins still dot the landscape. The mothercrystals, blight, and channeling of Eikons through Dominants are all remnants of the Fallen that still impact the world of Valisthea in the time of Final Fantasy 16‘s main story. Ultima attempts to wrest free will from humanity in hopes of correcting the mistakes that led to the downfall of both his civilization and the Fallen inhabitants of Valisthea.

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