Siege of Esthar The Siege of Esthar is named for the battle that ensues in Esthar City after the G - Army commandeers the Lunatic Pandora through the city en route to Tears ' Point to incite Lunar Cry . Esthar is led by its president while leadership of the Galbadia n Army has been taken over by Seifer Almasy under instruction from Sorceress Ultimecia . The involvement of the SeeD mercenary forces is coincidental due to a task group being caught in Esthar during the events . Prelude . The events leading up to the siege trace back to the Battle of the Gardens where Sorceress Edea , possessed by Ultimecia , attempted to defeat the Balamb Garden SeeD forces . Upon Edea ' s defeat she relinquished her sorceress power to Rinoa Heartilly , whom Ultimecia possessed . Via her new host Ultimecia instructed Seifer to retrieve the Lunatic Pandora and direct it to Esthar where it could initiate the Lunar Cry . After this , Rinoa fell into a coma . Battlefield . The Siege of Esthar occurs within the borders of the Esthar continent to the east of Galbadia . Battle . Concerned for her safety , Rinoa ' s friends — a SeeD group led by Squall Leonhart — travel to Esthar to find Ellone whom they believe can cure Rinoa . Edea accompanies them , believing that the Estharian sorceress expert Dr . Odine may be able to remove her sorceress power to avoid being possessed by Ultimecia again . Entering the continent via the Horizon Bridge the group crosses the Great Salt Lake before happening upon a panel in a camouflage wall that allows access into Esthar City . After receiving an audience with Dr . Odine , Squall is sent with Rinoa to the space station Lunar Base to see Ellone . Shortly after Squall ' s departure the Lunatic Pandora , salvaged by Seifer Almasy and the Galbadian Army , enters Esthar air space . As the weapon crosses the city the remaining SeeD mercenaries , led by Zell Dincht and accompanied by Edea , attempt to board the construction but are rebuffed . Unable to do anything they watch as the weapon positions over Tears ' Point . Squall boards the Lunar Base with Rinoa , leaving her in the medical facility . He is escorted by Piet to the control room where they witness the massing of monsters upon the moon ' s surface , which is the beginning of the Lunar Cry . After a brief conversation with Ellone an alert sounds out for a security breach in the medical facility . Rinoa , under zombie - like possession by Ultimecia , has broken out of the facility and makes her way to the control room and deactivates the security locks on Sorceress Adel ' s tomb . As Squall chases after her , it becomes apparent the Lunar Cry would envelope the Lunar Base and evacuation procedures begin . As the Lunar Cry erupts from the moon toward the planet the sea of monsters engulfs the unsealed Sorceress Adel and the Lunar Base , bringing both down to the planet . While the Lunar Base is destroyed Adel ' s Tomb survives and lands inside the awaiting Lunatic Pandora . Meanwhile , the G - Army within the Lunatic Pandora grows discontent and disorganized due to Seifer ' s bad leadership and the monstrous allies he employs . With the Lunar Cry monsters invade Esthar and the city is overrun with only small pockets remaining protected by Estharian guards . Aftermath . President Loire of Esthar and Dr . Odine devise a plan to defeat the Galbadians and stop Ultimecia ' s plan of time compression . The first part of the plan is to find and rescue Ellone , who had been kidnapped after escaping from the Lunar Base and lay somewhere inside the Lunatic Pandora . The second is to defeat Sorceress Adel , who would be forced to transfer her powers to the now recovered Rinoa . Rinoa would allow herself to be possessed by Ultimecia by which time Ellone would send them both back through time , initiating the time compression and allowing the SeeD group to travel through time to where Ultimecia resides and confront her . The SeeD board the Lunatic Pandora and find that part of its crew ( including Lieutenant Biggs and Private Wedge ) is in open mutiny and attempts to desert . Seifer lacks control even over his most loyal henchmen . Nevertheless , the SeeD meet resistance from robotic weapons aboard the Lunatic Pandora , and from Sorceress Adel .