Gran Pulse Gran Pulse , also known simply as Pulse to the citizens of Cocoon , is the world in " Final Fantasy XIII " and " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . The artificial world of Cocoon floats in its atmosphere . Gran Pulse can be considered the parallel of Cocoon as a world of natural evolution where animals and plants can grow to tremendous sizes . Director Motomu Toriyama has compared the size of Cocoon to that of North America , and Gran Pulse as similar in size as Earth . In " Final Fantasy XIII " , Gran Pulse comprises the game ' s eleventh chapter and features a more free style of gameplay in contrast to the linear experience of Cocoon . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , Gran Pulse is populated with many of Cocoon ' s former residents who had moved to the lowerworld , and built settlements . Datalog . " The savage world derives its name from that of the god Pulse . Its vast wilderness is populated by creatures ranging from the monstrous to the deadly , and its fal ' Cie seem to have taken a decidedly less friendly approach toward human dealings than those of Cocoon , cultivating the land for settlement , but demonstrating little concern beyond that . " " At one time in its history , Gran Pulse was home to a thriving civilization and many great cities . Now it is home to many great ruins , and people are nowhere to be seen . " " The lowerworld , known as either ' Pulse ' or ' Gran Pulse , ' is an unforgiving wilderness infested with predatory monsters . This world once boasted a civilization that stood in conflict with Cocoon , but traces of its culture exist only in ruins . " Profile . The people of Cocoon are made to believe Gran Pulse is a living hell for humans . To remain in control , Cocoon ' s governing body , the Sanctum , keeps the populace in fear of a Pulsian invasion . The fear was strengthened by the War of Transgression , a war between Cocoon and Pulse many centuries ago where a Pulsian army attacked Cocoon . Cocoon ' s shell was cracked , and many Pulsian artifacts and warships are now found in areas near Cocoon ' s outer - rim , like the Vile Peaks and the Hanging Edge . In truth , the citizens of Gran Pulse were no different than the people of Cocoon , as they saw the floating world as the source of evil and eventual invasion . The fal ' Cie of Cocoon would steal resources from Gran Pulse , and lure Pulsians to Cocoon with promises of a paradise , fueling the hatred between the two worlds . At the time of " Final Fantasy XIII " , the civilization of Gran Pulse has nearly been wiped out with lingering architecture its only living testament . The buildings of Yaschas Massif and Oerba suggest an advanced culture , though primitive in comparison to the highly advanced Cocoon . It is unknown how Pulsians died out , but it is suggested many were transformed into l ' Cie during the war , and as a result Pulse is populated by monsters and Cie ' th . In " Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero - Promise - Part VII : Tomorrow " , it is stated the fal ' Cie deity Lindzei played a part in wiping out humanity . During " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " it is revealed a nomadic tribe known as the Farseers , originally hailing from the ancient city of Paddra in Yaschas Massif , still live on Pulse led by the seeress Yeul . As the only known survivors of the war , they avoid contact with modern civilization , aware of the prophecy that warns of conflicts between other humans , and forgo using advanced technology . The nomadic hunters of the Archylte Steppe in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " are also thought by some to be descendants of the original inhabitants of Pulse . According to Datalog entries , Gran Pulse is named for its creator , the " Hallowed Pulse " , who forged the world and its original inhabitants . After departing centuries ago , he entrusted the world ' s perfection to the fal ' Cie , who continue about their tasks . The fal ' Cie of Pulse form a stark contrast to those of Cocoon in holding no particular relationship with humans . However , their workings indirectly gave rise to human civilization , making them as revered as they were feared . Some were wont to impose onerous missions upon the people they branded as l ' Cie , a fate that was almost always a death sentence . These fal ' Cie constructed the Arks , armories filled with Pulsian weapons said to be hidden all around the world , whose exact purpose remains ambiguous . Story . " Final Fantasy XIII " . When the six Pulse l ' Cie reach the end of the Fifth Ark , they leave Cocoon for Gran Pulse in the hopes of finding a way to remove their brands . Setting up camp in the Vallis Media , they embark on a days long search for humans but to no avail . The party travels to Vanille and Fang ' s hometown of Oerba , but finds it empty and lifeless . After battling Barthandelus , the l ' Cie return to Cocoon . After Orphan ' s demise , Cocoon begins to fall from the sky . Fang and Vanille become Ragnarok and crystallize Cocoon , erecting a colossal crystal pillar to support it over Gran Pulse . Some of the surviving Cocoon inhabitants settle on the lowerworld . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 Fragments Before " , it is revealed that PSICOM was terminated along with the Sanctum after Cocoon ' s fall . When the new provisional government revealed the truth behind the events leading to Cocoon ' s fall , the remaining soldiers were chased out of Cocoon for their role in the Purge . They left their families , fled to the frontier lands of Gran Pulse , and formed distant settlements far from those who would retaliate . Meanwhile , their families would suffer discrimination out of association . In the three years since Cocoon ' s fall , survivors moved to Gran Pulse and built a small settlement near the base of the crystal pillar , and a small coastal town called New Bodhum . Some learned to use magic formerly exclusive to l ' Cie , and several discoveries reveal people have been living on Gran Pulse until recently , contrary to common belief that they had been wiped out by the War of Transgression . One night , a crystalline meteorite falls near New Bodhum , and monsters attack the village . When Serah is attacked , she is saved by Noel Kreiss , a Pulsian hunter from a doomed future who traveled through time to find her at her sister Lightning ' s request . Serah and Noel set off to find Lightning in Valhalla and save the future . Using the Historia Crux , Noel and Serah visit some old and new locations on Pulse that show advancements in technology , such as Augusta Tower , and the futuristic metropolis of Academia , the city that began construction near Cocoon ' s crystal pillar in 3 AF . After Noel and Serah reach Valhalla and defeat Caius , they unknowingly destroy the Heart of Chaos that keeps the goddess Etro alive . They return to year 500 AF in Academia , but the unrestrained chaos of Valhalla bursts from Etro ' s gate . The new man - made Cocoon , called Bhunivelze , and all of Gran Pulse , are infected , and the world gradually transforms into Nova Chrysalia . Parts of Gran Pulse remain on Nova Chrysalia that is gradually being eroded by the Chaos . In the Wildlands the ruins of Academia remain , and the Dead Dunes is what remains of the Archylte Steppe , dried up and turned into a desert . The man - made Cocoon called Bhunivelze also remains , floating in Nova Chrysalia ' s atmosphere . As the Apocalypse starts the old world is destroyed and sucked into a new unseen realm . Creation and development . Square Enix promotional material describes the battles in " Final Fantasy XIII " as Cocoon being " scripted battles " , compared to Gran Pulse as " random encounters . " Concept artwork for " Final Fantasy XIII " show a different Gran Pulse than the one in the game , with people among in the cities and flying vehicles . The worlds of Cocoon and Gran Pulse display contrasting musical styles . Composer Masashi Hamauzu has explained that " Final Fantasy XIII " was intended to be a long game , which in itself provided some challenges . He felt it was important for there to be variety to the sound design to maintain players ' interests over a span of time , and that is why the themed motifs are reintroduced here and there as a kind of " obbligato " . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 Ultimania Omega " reveals scrapped plans for the game . Cocoon ' s former capital Eden was planed to have crashed into either Oerba or Archylte Steppe . The scene of Eden in Archylte Steppe was to be in the distant future where the ancient capital of Cocoon would have been covered by vegetation . Other conceptual artworks show Archylte Steppe 900 years after the ending of " Final Fantasy XIII " with a great city with high buildings , including a similar building to the government building of Eden in " Final Fantasy XIII " . This place would have had day and sunset versions . The Thirteenth Ark was envisioned as a visitable location , but in the final game is only seen hovering above Academia in the distance . Snow was planned a downloadable episode where he would ride his Shiva Sisters motorbike across the Steppe while battling monsters . Etymology . When the party arrives in Gran Pulse in " Final Fantasy XIII " , a locale introduction screen displays " Gran Pulse " with a subtitle " Terra Incognita " . The Japanese kanji word used to notate the word " Pulse " in the Japanese version of " Final Fantasy XIII " , , literally means " netherworld " or " underworld . " Although these characters are usually pronounced together as " gekai " , the staff of " Final Fantasy XIII " assigned these characters the custom , synthesized " ateji " reading of " Parusu " , the Japanese pronunciation of the English word " Pulse . "