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Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps.
It's true Zanarkand was destroyed, right? A thousand years ago? So it’s just a big pile of rubble now, isn't it?
Tidus
Zanarkand (ザナルカンド, Zanarukando?) is a former metropolis at Spira's northernmost edge in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. In the English localization, Zanarkand is pronounced ˈzæ.nɚ.kənd.
Story
Before Final Fantasy X
Promotional artwork of Auron across both Dream Zanarkand (left) and true Zanarkand (right).
There are, in fact, two Zanarkands: the real Zanarkand that was annihilated by Sin at the end of the Machina War against Bevelle 1000 years ago, and the Dream Zanarkand, the exact reproduction of what Zanarkand was before its destruction, created directly from the memories of its former inhabitants.
The original Zanarkand was a utopian city state where the people wished to enhance their lives using a mix of magic imbued within machina. The city state of Bevelle was militarized and focused on machina. Bevelle believed Zanarkand was planning a war and so Bevelle struck first.
During the war Yu Yevon, the leader of Zanarkand and the most powerful summoner in Spira, used this might to fight off the armies of Bevelle. They were unable to stop Bevelle and Yu Yevon sacrificed the people of Zanarkand, turning them into the pyreflies needed for the ultimate summoning, to preserve the metropolis in a dream state at the height of its power. Yu Yevon summoned a creature of unspeakable power to defend it, known as Sin.
Yu Yevon gave the creature two objectives: defend Dream Zanarkand and destroy any large city or cities that relied heavily on machina. Unable to control Sin's power Yu Yevon's mind became consumed and the newly summoned Sin turned on Zanarkand itself, destroying the metropolis.
Final Fantasy X
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Zanarkand's ruins, 1,000 years after its destruction.
A city dead for a thousand years. A city I had to see with my own eyes. The end of Yuna's journey. The last chapter of my story.
Tidus
A thousand years after the metropolis's destruction, the Zanarkand Ruins is the final destination of the summoners' pilgrimage to defeat Sin. Known as a holy place by the population of Spira, the ruined city is unseen by all except the few summoners and their guardians who prove themselves worthy. Swarming with pyreflies, Zanarkand is a haven for many fiends, including zombie forms of Warrior Monks who lost their lives during the Machina War.
The pyreflies react to memories and recreate events from times past. During their journey through the ruins, Tidus, Yuna and their comrades witness visions of their predecessors, including Lady Yocun, a young Seymour and his mother; as well as Braska, Jecht, and a young Auron. Upon entering the Zanarkand Dome and completing the Cloister of Trials, one last challenge awaits the travelers: the Spectral Keeper. When the monster has been defeated, Lady Yunalesca welcomes the summoner and the guardians and bestows upon them the Final Aeon, albeit at a heavy price.
Final Fantasy X-2
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Zanarkand Ruins in Final Fantasy X-2.
During the Eternal Calm, Cid and Isaaru turn Zanarkand into a tourist attraction, and people from all over Spira come to visit it. Yuna and Rikku are greatly angered by this, Rikku going so far as to state it is "like turning the ruins of Home into a theme park". After explaining their views to Cid, and after encouraging the local monkey species to populate the ruins, Cid, the tourists and eventually Isaaru, abandon the ruins.
In Chapter 1, Buddy has detected sphere waves coming from the Zanarkand Ruins. Yuna, Rikku and Paine go investigate and run into both the Kinderguardians and the Leblanc Syndicate. At the bottom of the ruins the Gullwings find a sphere, which is broken in half.
Near the end of their journey. the Gullwings meet Maechen in Zanarkand and find out he is an unsent. Ready to rest in peace, Maechen departs on the Farplane. If Yuna asked the fayth to revive Tidus and the player has 100% story completion, Yuna and Tidus travel to Zanarkand Ruins where Tidus ponders about how the fayth put him back together again, and how they should enjoy the time they have together.
Locations
Quests
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
Chocobo Treasures
Sending a chocobo to Zanarkand Ruins to look for treasures finds the following items (depending on the chocobo's level):
| Level | Treasure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Echo Screen, Echo Screen x2, Echo Screen x3, Echo Screen x4 |
| 2 | Remedy, Dispel Tonic, Silver Hourglass, Ether |
| 3 | Remedy x2, Dispel Tonic x2, Gold Hourglass, Turbo Ether |
| 4 | Remedy x3, Dispel Tonic x3, Gold Hourglass x2, Kinesis Badge |
| 5 | Remedy x4, Dispel Tonic x4, Pretty Orb, Lag Shock |
Episode Complete
To get Episode Complete in Zanarkand, the player must follow these steps:
- Chapter 1 - When meeting Cid at the Chamber of the Fayth, Yuna must voice her dislike of him having turned the place into a tourist attraction.
- Chapter 1 - The player must complete the hotspot mission. Best done after everything else in Chapter 1 has been completed, because if Zanarkand is the final hotspot to be cleared, the game will start the Kilika mission which ends the chapter.
- Chapter 2 – The player must complete the monkey matchmaking quest.
- Chapter 3 – Yuna must speak with Isaaru.
- Chapter 4 – The player must see all Zanarkand CommSphere scenes in which Isaaru is pondering what he should do.
- Chapter 5 - The player must visit Zanarkand.
Zanarkand is known for the Episode Complete Bug. If the player completes the episode in Zanarkand last they won't be transported back to the Celsius and thus the scene where the Gullwings earn the Mascot dressphere is never triggered, even if the player fulfilled the requirements for it. The player stays in Zanarkand, so they can talk to Maechen without having to revisit. However, if the player has not yet completed the Den of Woe or the Chocobo Ranch sidequests, this will remedy the problem as they will be transported back to the Celsius upon completion.
Missions
Chapter One
- Claim the Treasure Sphere
- This is a compulsory mission required to complete the game.
Treasure Sphere Waves have been traced to the Zanarkand Ruins, once holy ground. Don't be the last sphere hunters to claim the prize!
- Objective: Acquire the treasure sphere.
- Unlock: Becomes available when the party returns to the Celsius after "Outrun the Leblanc Syndicate!"
- Reward: Amulet, Sphere Fragment
Treasures
Final Fantasy X
- Fortune Sphere
- Spiritual Targe
Enemy Formations
Final Fantasy X
Behemoth in Zanarkand Ruins.
Overpass
Musical Themes
Template:Listen Several different music tracks are played in Zanarkand in Final Fantasy X. When the party first reach the Zanarkand Ruins, "Zanarkand" is played, which is also the main theme of Final Fantasy X. "A Fleeting Dream" is played along the road towards the Zanarkand Dome and the random encounter battles.
The Zanarkand theme also makes an appearance during Dissidia Final Fantasy as the background music during Tidus's story segment.
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An entirely new track for the ruins, called "Zanarkand Ruins" on the original soundtrack, plays in Final Fantasy X-2. The track is arranged on a solo piano in the Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection album.
Other Appearances
Dissidia Final Fantasy
Template:Sideicon One of the rooms from the Online Lobby in Dissidia Final Fantasy is named Zanarkand.
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Template:Sideicon Zanarkand is present as a room for preset characters of the game's Multiplayer Mode Online Lobby.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
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Zanarkand, both during day and night, appears as the FMS for "To Zanarkand", and "A Fleeting Dream" respectively. The former only appears during a Dark Note.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Zanarkand returns as the FMS for both themes, and "KUON: Memories of Waves and Light".
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Final Fantasy All the Bravest
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The Zanarkand Ruins in Final Fantasy All the Bravest.
The Zanarkand Ruins appears as a downloadable world in Final Fantasy All the Bravest.
Gallery
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Etymology
The name Zanarkand comes from Samarkand,[1] a city in modern-day Uzbekistan that was once a wealthy city on the trade lines between China, India and the Arabic empires.
In the original plot draft for Final Fantasy X, Zanarkand was called Registan, but the name was changed because an actual place of the same name exists. It was Kazushige Nojima's idea to use a name ending in either "-stan" or "-kand".[2]
Trivia
- According to the Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega, Gilgamesh found his version of the Muramasa blade in Zanarkand Ruins.
See Also
References
- ↑ Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω (in Japanese). DigiCube/Square Enix, 476. ISBN 4-88787-021-3.
- ↑ http://www.glitterberri.com/final-fantasy-x/creators-salon/scenario-opening/
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