L ' Cie The l ' Cie [ lə ' siː ] ( pronounced " luh - see " ) are beings , usually humans , " branded " by divine entities and given great physical and magical power , as well as a Focus to fulfill , in the " " titles " Final Fantasy XIII " , " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , " " and " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . Profile . Regardless of what setting they appear in , l ' Cie follow a pattern : they are primarily humans ( though non - humans can be chosen as well ) chosen by agents of the world ' s gods ( fal ' Cie or Crystals ) as servants to fulfill a Focus or similar task . The tasks range from being protectors of said agents , fulfilling a task to realize the gods ' agenda , or some other purpose . It was stated in a video shown at Square Enix 1st Production Department Premiere event on January 18 , 2011 , which detailed the " Fabula Nova Crystallis " , that the gods Pulse and Lindzei created l ' Cie and fal ' Cie to help perform the tasks given them by their creator Bhunivelze . l ' Cie are generally bound to fulfill their given tasks , but under certain circumstances ( human willpower or divine intervention ) , they can act independently , even going against the will of their masters . l ' Cie draw their powers from crystals , which in turn are linked to the deities they serve via their fal ' Cie contractors . The mental and emotional state of the l ' Cie is important , as l ' Cie who are mentally unstable or conflicted suffer side - effects and can become Cie ' th : becoming Cie ' th takes different forms in different worlds , with the main symptoms being transforming into crystalline monsters in " Final Fantasy XIII " , or suffering memory loss in " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . Becoming Cie ' th is associated with negative emotions , such as anger , hatred , or despair . In both the " Final Fantasy XIII " and " Type " series , fulfilling one ' s Focus has the l ' Cie enter crystal stasis , whereupon the l ' Cie ' s soul is trapped in the mortal realm as a crystal epitaph . l ' Cie in stasis are thus not truly dead , are said to dream , and can still be restored to normal under certain conditions . Fulfilling one ' s given Focus is not the only way for a l ' Cie to enter crystal stasis ; it can also be be done via the l ' Cie ' s own strength of will . Some view crystal stasis as a type of immortality . Although beings similar to l ' Cie appear in " Final Fantasy XV " , they have not been referred to by that name . The game ' s former director , Tetsuya Nomura , has said that because he designed the game to have a modern setting and a story focused on human drama , he chose not to use the names in the mythos , instead using the concepts behind the terms . List of l ' Cie . The following characters in " Fabula Nova Crystallis : Final Fantasy " are or become l ' Cie : Orience l ' Cie . Crystallized l ' Cie . There are other l ' Cie who were crystallized before the event of " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . Their final thoughts can be read by collecting their l ' Cie Stone s . Others . Although not called l ' Cie , there are others who , through the " Fabula Nova Crystallis " games , bear powers given to them by deities or their agents . Appearances . " Final Fantasy XIII " . When a fal ' Cie chooses a l ' Cie the selected is metaphysically sent to a rift between worlds where the branding is performed by the fal ' Cie ' s creator . In the case of the " Final Fantasy XIII " main cast , they are branded by the god Pulse . Infested with a crystal shard ( the l ' Cie ' s eidolith ) somewhere in their body , the person wakes up back in the real world as a l ' Cie . Whether it is the fal ' Cie or their creator that attributes the Focus to the chosen l ' Cie is never elaborated upon . The l ' Cie are not outright told what their Focus is ; instead , they must figure it out with the aid of an ambiguous vision revealed to them at the moment of branding . If a l ' Cie fails to complete the Focus they will transform into a crystallized monster known as a Cie ' th . The " reward " for completing a Focus is not much better , for the l ' Cie will be granted " eternal life " and turned into a crystal wherein they sleep until awakened to complete another Focus . For this reason , many think the fate of a l ' Cie equates to a death sentence . A l ' Cie is granted more than just a Focus : upon transformation they gain magical and physical capabilities and can grow further in strength through the development of their personal crystal using the Crystarium . L ' Cie can perform Paradigm Shifts to alter their capabilities during battle and gain the power needed to complete their Focus , which may involve slaying a large beast or other creature that no unaugmented human would stand a chance against . There are two types of l ' Cie — those of Cocoon and those of Gran Pulse . The type of l ' Cie one becomes is determined by the origin of the fal ' Cie who chooses them , not the place where the transformation takes place . This is why Lightning and her companions become Pulse l ' Cie , even though they are transformed on Cocoon , because they were chosen by the Pulse fal ' Cie Anima . In Cocoon society , the public fears l ' Cie of Pulse and they are relentlessly hunted and killed by PSICOM . The l ' Cie of Cocoon , however , are hailed as heroes and may simply fall under PSICOM custody . The " brand " of the l ' Cie is visible somewhere on the person ' s body . The appearance of the brand depends on the fal ' Cie ' s alignment that chose the l ' Cie , and Cocoon and Pulse fal ' Cie have a different brand . The brand of Pulse is an overlapping sequence of black arrows . Over time , the arrows multiply and a closed eye is revealed . When the eye fully opens the l ' Cie ' s time has run out , and they will turn into a Cie ' th . The brand of the Cocoon fal ' Cie is the symbol of the god Lindzei ; it starts as a small emblem , but grows into the full form . Though it is thought by the people of Cocoon that completing a Focus and becoming a crystal is an eternal imprisonment , the state is temporary . It is never stated whether it is at the behest of the fal ' Cie or by the gods Pulse and Lindzei , but the l ' Cie can be awakened with a new Focus to complete . So long as the l ' Cie continues to complete a new Focus they are returned to crystal sleep between each task . While most see this as enslavement , some l ' Cie revel in this as a form of immortality — at least , until they fail a Focus . During crystal stasis l ' Cie do not age , granting them " eternal youth " . In some cases , when a l ' Cie begins to fall into despair , the goddess Etro sends an Eidolon to become the person ' s salvation . Eidolons force a personal " evolution " where the l ' Cie must fight off their uncertainties and win the Eidolon ' s allegiance , or be put to death . After mastering their Eidolon , the l ' Cie can summon it via the crystal emerging from their brand . White brand . The brand can be " burned out " under certain circumstances , turning white and static . A l ' Cie whose brand has burned out keeps their power yet no longer needs to complete a Focus . Barthandelus suggests this is because the true power of l ' Cie comes from humans , merely roused and harnessed by the deities rather than granted . Under certain circumstances the l ' Cie brand can vanish altogether , turning the l ' Cie back into a regular human being . A white brand indicates the l ' Cie brand has stopped advancing and he / she is no longer in danger of becoming a Cie ' th , but " why " a l ' Cie stops advancing is never explained . Fang ' s brand is white since the beginning of " Final Fantasy XIII " , symbolizing that her Focus — for her and Vanille to become Ragnarok — has stalled , though Fang has no memory of the events . During the game ' s climax , Fang ' s brand momentarily turns black again , and later the brands of all six party members have turned white when they defy their Focus and engage Orphan . Further , the game implies , although does not state outright , that a l ' Cie would be able to overcome their fal ' Cie - given Focus . In the Sulyya Springs Vanille reveals to Snow that Serah ' s Focus was likely the same as the rest of the party ' s because she had the same vision of Ragnarok , which would mean Dysley had lied to the group . Vanille says , " I think she beat it . She handed Cocoon over to us , and that ' s what made her turn to crystal . " This is further confirmed in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " where Vanille ' s memory fragment says ( regarding Serah ) : " Did you know that you were the first miracle in all of this ? You defied your l ' Cie fate and turned to crystal of your own will . " Although Serah wasn ' t shown with a white brand , the party ' s brands turning white at the game ' s end might have similar roots , as the party have just declared they have seen a new vision of something that Sazh says looked like a new Focus , and after completely rejecting their previous Focus in saying they will save Cocoon , their brands turn white one by one while Vanille ' s narrator voice says , " The Brand of a l ' Cie . The symbol of the Focus we all faced . The mark of the fate we all shared . Proof of the promise we all made . " When Orphan ' s final form emerges , Lightning says , " Maybe Cocoon is past saving , but it ' s our home . And we ' ll protect it or die trying ! We live to make the impossible possible . That is our Focus . " Both Vanille ' s and Lightning ' s lines suggest the party has indeed changed their Focus . However , The " Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega " claims that Fang ' s burned brand and the rest of the party ' s brands turning white were because of Etro ' s intervention , and that her interaction with them explains their vision of the future . When the party awakens from their short crystal stasis , their whitened brands have disappeared and they have reverted into regular humans . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , it is revealed this deed was performed by the goddess Etro . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . While not l ' Cie , Serah and Noel Kreiss possess impressive agility and strength , and can use the Crystarium as a result of the goddess Etro reaching into the visible world to free Lightning and the other l ' Cie from crystal stasis after the fall of Cocoon . Because of the goddess ' s actions , the " crystal power " of the l ' Cie was infused into the soil of Gran Pulse , granting magic to those with the will to learn how to use it . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 Fragments Before " , it ' s revealed Snow can wield magic , but on his search to find Lightning , he willingly becomes a l ' Cie again to regain access to his old powers . Although no longer a l ' Cie , Lightning can use magic because she is infused with Etro ' s power , enabling her to control the Eidolons residing in Valhalla . Lightning ' s fated rival , Caius Ballad , was once a Pulse l ' Cie tasked with protecting the seeress Paddra Nsu - Yeul . He was freed from his Focus by Etro and infused with her heart , the " Heart of Chaos " , which augmented his power and made him immortal . Gorgyra , a previous Guardian of Yeul , became a Cie ' th following her failing to protect the seeress , implying she was a l ' Cie before . Seemingly , all Guardians are l ' Cie with the Focus of protecting the seeress . Both recorded Guardians of Yeul — Caius and Gorgyra — were l ' Cie . This implies a Focus can be inherited , as Guardians only become protectors after killing their predecessor . Snow , the patron of Yusnaan , is the world ' s last l ' Cie . His brand is in its final stage , and combined with his new power over Chaos and his mental aptitude , he is beginning to take on Cie ' th - like qualities . Though not named as a l ' Cie , Lightning , in her role as the savior , possesses magical powers and a symbol on her chest where her l ' Cie brand used to be , and is tasked by Bhunivelze to rescue lost souls to be reborn in a new world . " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " and " Final Fantasy Agito " . While magic is not exclusive to l ' Cie in Orience , they still have powerful abilities . For example , Celestia can turn into a dragon known as Shinryu Celestia , and Caetuna , the most senior l ' Cie in Orience , can summon over 1000 creatures and Alexander , a being so powerful it would be impossible to summon under normal conditions . l ' Cie are branded by one of the four Crystals of Orience . l ' Cie are usually kept in service to their respective Crystal , carrying out its Will , rather than being given a specific and finite Focus . Although granted eternal youth , l ' Cie will lose their emotions and memories over time due to the weariness caused by extended servitude to the Crystal . Due to this many view l ' Cie to no longer be fully human . The degree to which the l ' Cie lose their human consciousness varies from person to person . l ' Cie with stable emotional and mental states can remember those close to them who died , whereas that memory is erased from the minds of humans . An example of this ability is Celestia . l ' Cie who enter crystal stasis can be remembered by others as well , indicating they are not truly dead . Unlike other examples in the series where becoming a l ' Cie is considered a curse , l ' Cie are honored with the title of Lord or Lady , and although many mention that becoming a l ' Cie means forsaking one ' s humanity , servitude to the Crystal is considered a blessing . Becoming a Cie ' th in Orience is less to do with failing a Focus than with deviating from the Will of the Crystal , as with Celestia who turns into a wyvern Cie ' th for turning her back on the Kingdom of Concordia . At one point it is shown the power of a l ' Cie can be passed from one person to another , but it is also implied this was the Will of the White Tiger Crystal . An Orience l ' Cie will enter crystal stasis when the Crystal deems his or her purpose fulfilled . They can be remembered even after they crystallize . The last thoughts of a l ' Cie manifest into a l ' Cie Stone , usually found at the site where the l ' Cie entered stasis . The Black Tortoise l ' Cie Atra can interpret these messages . A l ' Cie ' s appearance is defined by his or her glowing brand ( unlike a physical brand in " Final Fantasy XIII " ) and the color of his or her eyes : Vermilion Bird l ' Cie have red eyes , White Tiger have green , Azure Dragon have blue , and Black Tortoise have purple . The l ' Cie brands of Orience are similar to the final stage of the Pulse l ' Cie brand in the " Final Fantasy XIII " series . All l ' Cie in Orience have the brand of Pulse because the Crystals were created by Arecia Al - Rashia , a servant of Pulse . The only l ' Cie of Lindzei ' s is the Rursan Arbiter , whose brand is not shown . l ' Cie are given special abilities and are divided into two types : Primus l ' Cie , who are combat - based ( called Type - A in Japanese ) ; and Secundus l ' Cie ( called Type - B in Japanese ) , who possess special abilities . The phantoma from a l ' Cie , one ' s life energy or " soul " , is more potent than phantoma from normal beings . During the arrival of Tempus Finis , only l ' Cie can travel to Pandæmonium , a sanctuary where the Judge said to decide on the fate of Orience resides . The l ' Cie ' s ultimate goal appears to be to conquer the Rursan Arbiter ' s crucibles to become Agito , as each peristylium is devoted to the cultivation of this fabled savior of Orience ; e . g . The Vermilion Peristylium is dedicated to training Agito Cadet s . l ' Cie sometimes take part in their nation ' s military campaigns , but are considered fickle because they follow only the Will of the Crystal , no mortal army commander . Milites overcomes this by devising a way to subjugate the White Tiger Crystal , thus enslaving its l ' Cie , who must now follow orders from the Militesi Marshal Cid Aulstyne . When the Vermilion Bird responds to the threat by deploying its own l ' Cie , the move is considered unusual . The player can unlock the l ' Cie Mode where they can take on the missions as the cadets as l ' Cie . Musical themes . In " Final Fantasy XIII " , " The Pulse L ' Cie " is the eponymous theme of the Gran Pulse l ' Cie that plays in two variations , with the second being a variant of " Fang ' s Theme . " The first version plays in Lake Bresha when Lightning , Sazh , Hope , and Vanille see PSICOM looking for Purge survivors , and the second plays during Fang ' s flashback of Euride Gorge on the 5th day . In " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " , " Servant of the Crystal " is the battle theme of the l ' Cie . It plays during the battle against Nimbus , Shinryu Celestia , and in cutscenes involving the l ' Cie . " Servant of the Crystal " has a new arrangement for " Dissidia Final Fantasy " arcade version . Merchandise . The " Final Fantasy XIII " " l ' Cie " Zippo lighter hosts the brand of a Pulse l ' Cie . Its original retail price was 13 , 650 yen . Like all official " Final Fantasy " Zippo lighters , it comes with a limited lifetime guarantee and a certificate of authenticity . Other official l ' Cie merchandise includes a . 925 silver pendant shaped like a l ' Cie brand with black rhodium plating and a metallic business card case . A pair of stickers of the Pulse l ' Cie brand were included in the " Final Fantasy XIII " Limited Collector ' s Edition . Etymology and symbolism . l ' Cie is an anagram of " " , a French word for " sky " . Its root is the Latin " " . Visually , this is taken as a pun : the " white brand " is a symbolic meaning of a l ' Cie " heaven " or " redemption " , in which the l ' Cie has found happiness despite the trials they went through . This contrasts with the " black brand " , which indicates a l ' Cie is undergoing these trials . ( " See Also White Brand " . ) The concept of l ' Cie may be an allusion to principles within Hinduism , Buddhism , Jainism , Sikhism , Bön , and other Indic religions . According to the principle of " samsāra " , life on earth is a curse , and ideally a sentient being must ascend , over many lifetimes , to " nirvāna " , a more ideal , though not earthly , state of being . The means of escaping " samsāra " are known as Atman , like a Focus . There are many paths to ascension , although it is never clearly stated which a person must take . The concept of l ' Cie also alludes to the Warriors of Light , a recurring theme in the " Final Fantasy " series where a group of warriors brought together by circumstance are chosen by the crystal that gives them a mission to save the world , and often grants special powers to achieve said mission . This is part of a larger in re - imagining the series ' core concepts . In previous games becoming a Warrior of Light was shown as positive and heroic , whereas the " Fabula Nova Crystallis " series explores the concept of servitude to the crystal in a more sinister light , bringing the chosen " warrior ' s " free will into question .