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The queen of storms, Garuda is the chosen primal of the Ixal.
Though elegant of form and graceful in motion, the capricious and ruthless nature of this bloodthirsty being engenders mindless terror even amongst her devoted worshippers. Her wrath often erupts without warning, and descends upon her victims with unbridled fury.

Official site description

Garuda is the primal of the Ixal tribes in Final Fantasy XIV, also known as the Lady of the Vortex or sometimes as Empress of Birds. She is encountered as a boss a number of times in both version 1.0 and A Realm Reborn.

History[]

Origin and myths[]

Garuda's existence owes itself to the history of the Allagan Empire. During the Third Astral Era, at the height of the Empire's reign, Allagan engineers created the Iksalion, a chimeric race of creatures designed for maintenance tasks in the floating research facility of Azys Lla, serving as part of the Garuda Airborne Division. It is there that the general of this division deployed the Iksalion from, using them to crush string of uprisings across the Empire. Over the course of time, after the fall of Allag and the mutation of the Iksalion into the Ixal, this general became the basis for the myth of the goddess Garuda. Per Ixali legend, the Ixal once lived in the floating continent known as Ayatlan, and served as the goddess Garuda's divine soldiers, however, as evil began to saturate the lands below and infect the skies, Garuda ordered her Ixal to spread far and wide and cleanse the land below of this evil, and bade them remain on the earth as guardians. Thus the Ixal believe and dream of a day when their divine duty may and and they can return to their paradise of Ayatlan.[1]

According to Ixali teachings, in the Age of Myth, Garuda slew the Lord of Snake, a malevolent force that threatened to bind all the world's creatures to the earth, not allowing them to fly in the sky. However, Garuda was grievously wounded during the battle and to recover her strength she feasted on the corpse of the reptilian creature, growing a taste for the flesh of landlocked mortals. Due to this myth, the Ixal also fear Garuda, as they are no longer able to fly.[2]

Before Final Fantasy XIV[]

Ten years prior to the fall of Dalamud due to the machinations of the Garlean Empire's Nael van Darnus, the Ixal summoned their goddess Garuda, though her capricious nature did little to help the Ixal.[3]

Final Fantasy XIV (version 1.0)[]

Once summoned by the Ixal, Garuda attacked Quarrymill in the South Shroud, unleashing strong winds over the hamlet and attacking all who dwelt there. Garuda could not be reached by conventional means, as her winds were too strong, requiring the Adventurer to fashion a Vortex Catcher with the help of Archon Louisoix. After being defeated, Garuda's excess aether was absorbed by the falling Dalamud.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn[]

Following the Garlean raid on the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, the Warrior of Light stayed at the Church of Saint Adama Landama with Father Iliud and "Marques". Alphinaud Leveilleur arrived explaining his intent to revive the Scions, due to Garuda being summoned. Recognizing Marques as an amnesiac Cid nan Garlond, he besought them to go find Cid's airship, Enterprise, to confront the primal.

Following the a lengthy investigation in Coerthas to uncover where the Enterprise went missing—getting involved in Ishgard's politics in the process—the trio returned to the ship to Gridania for repairs. Realizing that the vortex Garuda summoned was probably too dangerous, Cid suggested looking for corrupted crystals to counter the primal's defenses, and suggests asking Professor Lamberteint. Once the appropriate crystals were found, Cid piloted the airship into the Howling Eye where the primal awaited.

The Ixal had taken several Amalj'aa and kobolds, while the Lady of the Vortex engaged the Warrior of Light. Just as victory seemed at hand, the deranged goddess was revived by the fervent faith of the Ixal. Though she normally preferred outright destruction, she resorted to attempting to enthrall the adventurer, failing as the Echo caused a wind crystal to be forcefully removed instead.

...Is that all? IS THAT ALL!? Insolent mortal! I shall make you suffer! That foul stench... I see now... She has touched you! Very well...

Garuda

Gaius van Baelsar appeared, taunting the primal. Enraged by the "insolent mortal", she used the power of wind to torture and kill the Ixals hostages, and Ifrit and Titan appeared in retribution. She intended to overwhelm and absorb the two to increase her power, but the imperial Legatus revealed his trump card: the Ultima Weapon. The warmachina took down the three primals and absorbed them, ending by biting off Garuda's head.

After the Ultima Weapon was destroyed during Operation Archon, the Ixal wasted no time in summoning the Lady of the Vortex again. Using an Aetheryte set up in Natalan, the Warrior of Light returned to the Howling Eye and banished the primal.

The Ixal were not deterred, and resummoned Garuda, seeking an even more powerful version of their avatar to protect them. Though her power was augmented through the Ascians' machinations, the Warrior of Light defeated her, finding the ritual focus in the process and rousing suspicions of the Ascians' involvement.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward[]

The Ixal attempted to summon Garuda once more in their homeland of Xelphatol, which the Warriors of Darkness intended to exploit for their plans. Due to the intervention of Alphinaud Leveilleur and the Warrior of Light, however, the ritual was halted before its completion.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[]

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Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]

When the party used the spaceship Ragnarok to reach Ultima Thule, the various tribes of the Source summoned benevolent iterations of their primals using the aether stored in the Mothercrystal, with Garuda being one of the ten summoned. While she was initially displeased at the thought of helping landwalkers, she still relinquished her power to the Ragnarok, allowing it to achieve the propulsion needed for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to reach their destination.

Gameplay[]

Boss[]

Garuda is fought as a boss three times at The Howling Eye The Howling Eye: first time in the main scenario, then in a Hard version of a sidequest, and finally an optional Extreme battle. While the latter two versions are fought at level 50 with a full party of eight, the initial storyline fight is at level 44, with four players. She later appears as one of the bosses in The Weapon's Refrain (Ultimate) The Weapon's Refrain (Ultimate), while she fights alongside Ifrit in Eden's Verse: Furor Eden's Verse: Furor.

Garuda also appears during the various battles against the Ultima Weapon, as well as the battle against Tozol Huatotl in Xelphatol Xelphatol. In these appearances she will briefly appear as an untargetable entity, using one of her abilities before disappearing.

Summon[]

The Summoner job can summon Garuda-Egi, casting Aerial Slash upon being summoned, and empower their attacks with wind-based ones. It is unlocked along in the level 45 job quest "Austerities of Wind," upon defeating the Egi, who replaces Emerald Carbuncle. Upon gaining the Enkindle trait at level 50, Aerial Slash is replaced with Aerial Blast. At level 90, Emerald Garuda replaces Garuda-Egi and casts a stronger version of Aerial Blast.

Musical themes[]

Garuda's boss theme is "Fallen Angel".

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy XV[]

Primal Garuda (XV)

Garuda.

Garuda appears as a boss in the Final Fantasy XV x Final Fantasy XIV collaboration mission "Adventurer from Another World".

Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]

FFRK Garuda FFXIV
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Final Fantasy Brave Exvius[]

Baknamy FFTA2This section about an enemy in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]

14-056R Garuda, Lady of the Vortex from Opus XIV Final Fantasy Trading Card Game

Garuda appears in two wind-elemental cards, one from the initial Chapter run and one as part of the Opus series.

Final Fantasy Portal App[]

387a Garuda

Garuda appears as a Triple Triad card.

Gallery[]

Etymology[]

Garuda is a large, birdlike creature that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism. It serves as Lord Vishnu's mount and is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila. Contemporary representations of Garuda are the brahminy kite and phoenix.

Citations[]

References[]

  1. (2016). Encyclopædia Eorzea: The World of Final Fantasy XIV. Square Enix.
  2. (2012, April 24). "Garuda, Ruler of the Skies!". From "The Lodestone". Square Enix. Accessed 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012.
  3. Goodfellow, Oliver (2012, April 25). "‘Neath Garuda’s Shadow". From The Raven. Accessed 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012.
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