Gilgamesh ( character ) Gilgamesh is a recurring character in the " Final Fantasy " series . Initially introduced as a antagonist , he has made a number of appearances in remakes and later titles . To date , Gilgamesh has had more appearances in any " Final Fantasy " media than any other character , and may be the only character to appear in more than one game in the main series ( see below ) . Gilgamesh began a tradition of an incompetent , comical , yet persistent recurring boss for the player to face . Gilgamesh ' s role has varied greatly from ally , to enemy , to summon , but for most of his appearances he is a traveling sword collector who battles with a variety of rare and powerful weapons . In most , if not all , of his appearances , Gilgamesh is searching for the legendary sword , Excalibur , but often ends up with the imitation known as Excalipoor . Another of Gilgamesh ' s trademarks is Genji equipment , which can be stolen from or dropped by him . Originally voiced in Japan by for the Japanese release of " Final Fantasy XII " before his death on January 17th , 2010 , Gilgamesh ' s voice is provided by as of " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " , by Riki Kitazawa in " Final Fantasy XIV " , by Kazuya Nakai once more in " World of Final Fantasy " and by Kazuhiko Inoue in " Final Fantasy XV " . In the English versions , Gilgamesh is voiced by in " Final Fantasy XII " , in " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " and " Final Fantasy Type - 0 HD " , Kurt Wilson in " Final Fantasy XIV " and Tom Taylorson in " Final Fantasy XV " . Profile . Appearance . Gilgamesh ' s appearance has varied subtly in each game , but in all his appearances he has a gray complexion , red / orange armor , and as many as eight arms in which he holds an arsenal of different weapons . Gilgamesh ' s trademark weapon is a type of polearm known as a " naginata " , but he also uses rare and powerful swords collected from around the world . He considers himself a master swordsman , but usually ends up running away after being defeated . Usually , Gilgamesh appears with only two or four of his arms visible ; it is only after he " morphs " that he reveals his true form , bearing six or eight arms . Gilgamesh ' s arm number varies from game to game : in " Final Fantasy V " , " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " and " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " , he has two arms ( eight arms when morphed ) ; in " Final Fantasy XII " and " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , he has six arms ; in " Final Fantasy IX " , he has four arms ; in " Final Fantasy VIII " , he may have eight arms , but only four are visible . Humorously , in " Final Fantasy VIII " the decorations on the right side of Gilgamesh ' s body appear to be wood or cardboard cutouts with arms drawn on them . He often travels with his partner Enkidu , whose appearance has also varied . Unlike other recurring characters , like Cid and Biggs and Wedge , Gilgamesh has generally the same appearance and personality in every game he appears in ( but not always ) . As implied in " Final Fantasy VIII " and confirmed in " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " , this is because the Gilgamesh seen in the series is actually the same person , traveling between worlds via portals in the Rift . When he runs across Zidane , Squall and Vaan in " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " , Zidane points out Gilgamesh has only two arms and thus doesn ' t seem familiar , alluding to Gilgamesh ' s appearance with four arms in " Final Fantasy IX " . Personality . Though he frequently appears to challenge the party and is first featured as a villain , Gilgamesh is not truly evil . In " Final Fantasy V " he is saddened when he learns of Galuf ' s fate , and when he is banished to the Interdimensional Rift he almost offers to join the party , and sacrifices himself so the party can defeat Necrophobe . In " Final Fantasy VIII " he becomes the party ' s ally , and again is not hostile in " Final Fantasy IX " ( though he attempts to steal gil from the party several times ) . Gilgamesh is a sword collector , and in most games has a wide variety of weapons . His primary target for collection is the holy sword Excalibur , but most of the time Gilgamesh finds what he believes to be the Excalibur , it is actually the knockoff Excalipoor . The first incident of this occurs in Exdeath ' s castle in " Final Fantasy V " . In " Final Fantasy " and " Final Fantasy VI " , Gilgamesh attacks the party due to their possession of Excalipoor , and in " Final Fantasy VIII " and " Final Fantasy VI " possesses the genuine Excalibur when called as a summon . Despite being famous for being a swordsman , Gilgamesh ' s trademark weapon , seen in his sprite - based appearances , is a " naginata " ( erroneously referred to as a halberd in the English translation ) . Gilgamesh is reported to have come across virtually every world ' s version of Excalibur , or at least , the knockoff . Why he seeks these weapons is unknown , but it might not have anything to do with power , as he already has some of the highest tier weapons in the series . Indeed , when he obtains the Zantetsuken in " Final Fantasy VIII " he mentions " the fourth one " as though he was expecting the blade to fall into his hands . It could be that he needs the weapons to control his rift hopping , as in the 20th Anniversary port of the original " Final Fantasy " when the party finds Excalibur , Gilgamesh chances upon them , and says " I ' ve finally found it ! Now I can go home ! " He attacks the party in " Final Fantasy XII " , but later appears to give them a useful item , and in " Final Fantasy VI " and " " , is available as a summon after being bested in battle . Gilgamesh can be considered more of a rival than an enemy or ally . Gilgamesh is one of the more well - spoken characters in the series , often using lengthy terms in dialogue or archaic phrases such as " I must egress post haste ! " or " enough expository banter ! " In battle , Gilgamesh has retained a few key characteristics across the series : when weak , he will feign defeat sometimes putting up a bluff before pressing an attack and then fleeing . Out of all characters he has faced , he seems to have a fixation on Bartz the most . As seen in " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " he wanted to challenge Bartz again , where he alludes to being banished to the Rift the last time Bartz saw him , and mentions traveling a great journey and fighting many opponents before making his way back to face Bartz again . Furthermore Gilgamesh imagined what would be his next encounter with a dramatic entrance followed with an epic battle against his rival , with Gilgamesh victorious and Bartz acknowledging him as the strongest warrior . Unfortunately for Gilgamesh , Bartz didn ' t recognize him . Abilities . Gilgamesh is one of the most powerful characters in the series . He is a potent warrior who has mastered a variety of weaponry , including spears , swords and axe . Even in games that follow the job system Gilgamesh is an oddity , as he can use many different abilities , such as White Magic , Blue Magic , and Jump , among many others at any given time . In those cases he usually prefers to cast Protect , Shell and Haste on himself in one full go and renew his attack . As seen in " Final Fantasy XII " he can use powerful combos , unleash destructive shockwaves and bursts of energy for enormous damage . Though Gilgamesh has many other famous swords besides Excalibur , most , if not all of them , are also knockoffs . Most of his fights outside " Final Fantasy V " are tough , and his " Dissidia Final Fantasy " profile describes him as having " strength that once decimated an entire army " ( specifically , it is Galuf ' s army that Gilgamesh decimated ) . His most fearsome ability is his transformation into a larger multi - armed version of himself , with as many as six to eight arms . This allows his vast arsenal of weapons while also increasing his overall raw power . Although he is a master of weapons , curiously Gilgamesh lacks analysis and he instantly assumes any weapon he has is a powerful one , while a running gag is that he uses replicas , which do not seem to hinder his ability to use them effectively . In most recent games Gilgamesh has been using more technologically advanced weaponry , such as gunblades and firearms , like rocket launchers and submachine guns , but still remains more skilled with traditional weaponry . His endurance and ability to survive seem to be second to no one , as he has been faced more times than any character on the series and remains alive , if not also becoming stronger in the process . It is hinted , that Gilgamesh has never shown his full strength ; it is unknown if this is true , but he came close to revealing his true power to Bartz in " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " before being carried off to the Rift . All things considered he is among one of the most difficult boss fights in the " Final Fantasy " series and among the strongest of " Final Fantasy " antagonists . Appearances . " Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh doesn ' t make an appearance in the original " Final Fantasy " , but does appear in the " " and subsequent remakes . He is in the Lifespring Grotto , a bonus dungeon , together with three other " Final Fantasy V " bosses . After the Warriors of Light talk to some mermaids , they find a mysterious sword . The sword is most likely the Excalipoor ( the Excalibur can be found later in another dungeon ) . Upon inspecting the sword , Gilgamesh , who is described as a rude man wielding a halberd , attacks the party . If the player chooses not to speak to the mermaids , they can face him in the exit room near the teleport out . He will speak a different set of words . Gilgamesh has 8 , 888 HP ( like in the third fight with him in " Final Fantasy V " ) and unleashes physical attacks that can easily KO even a high level character . In true " Final Fantasy " tradition , he drops Genji Gloves upon his defeat . In " Dawn of Souls " , he is somewhat easy to beat should the player ' s party be at a high level . Gilgamesh is summoned as a boss by the Creator in the final dungeon . In keeping with the tradition from " Final Fantasy V " and " Final Fantasy VI " , during the battle he will feign defeat and cast Haste , Protect and Shell on himself before continuing the battle . When defeated , he mutters " . . . Bartz . . . ? " before vanishing . The party wonders what " Bartz " means , and thinks that in spite of his appearance , Gilgamesh did not seem evil . He drops the upon his defeat . " Final Fantasy V " . Gilgamesh is a major antagonist , acting as Exdeath ' s right hand man . For the bigger part of the game , Gilgamesh has morphed his appearance , but he reveals his true appearance later . The party can steal Genji equipment from him . Gilgamesh ' s transformation quote in " Final Fantasy V Advance " is a reference to the popular series " Power Rangers " . He also alludes to Team Rocket ' s original motto from the " Pokemon " series after Enkidu appears . " Final Fantasy VI " . Gilgamesh appears as an esper in the " Advance " and later versions . If the player bets the rare sword Excalipoor that can be bought in the Jidoor Auction House in the Dragon ' s Neck Colosseum , they are put in a battle against an Onion Dasher . Win or lose the battle , Gilgamesh challenges the entire party to a boss battle for the Excalipoor , in a battle . Once defeated in Dragon ' s Neck Coliseum , Gilgamesh is acquired as a magicite , and teaches Quick ( x1 ) and Valor ( x5 ) . His magicite grants + 2 Strength at level up . He costs 99 MP to summon , and when summoned , Excalibur ( first ) , Masamune ( second ) and Excalipoor ( last ) will drop onto the battlefield , the sword ( s ) will glow a specific color before Gilgamesh attacks the enemy party . " Final Fantasy VIII " . Gilgamesh is a pseudo - Guardian Force obtainable if the party acquired Odin before entering the Lunatic Pandora and fighting the boss at the top of it . Odin will be replaced by Gilgamesh , who will appear at random during battles to attack enemies with one of four random swords . Unlike Odin , Gilgamesh can appear even during boss battles and any time during battle . Zantetsuken instantly defeats all opponents , Masamune and Excalibur deal heavy damage to all opponents , and Excalipoor deals just one point of damage to all opponents . As with Odin , Gilgamesh ' s Zantetsuken does not work against opponents invulnerable to instant death attacks . Gilgamesh ' s Triple Triad card is held by CC King , who can be challenged if the player does the Card Club sidequest in Balamb Garden . " Final Fantasy IX " . Gilgamesh is a non - player character who is a Rank D Treasure Hunter who travels around Gaia looking for new treasure . He bears little resemblance to the Gilgamesh that appears in the majority of games and is known by different names in different towns , including " Alleyway Jack " and " The Four - Armed Man " ; however , he does not reveal his true name until Zidane becomes a Rank S Treasure Hunter . Gilgamesh first appears in Alexandria , where he teaches Vivi how to play Tetra Master . He later appears in Treno during Active Time Event s . The first time the party visits Treno , he steals money from Princess Garnet and buys a Power Belt with the earnings , which he drops after being scared off by Steiner . The second time the party visits Treno , Gilgamesh plots to abduct Eiko to blackmail money off Amarant , but his plan fails and he drops another piece of his equipment after being scared off by Quina : the Chimera Armlet . Gilgamesh can be met in Daguerreo , where , when challenged to a card game , he will play with the rare airship cards . After Zidane gains the highest possible Treasure Hunter Rank , Gilgamesh reveals his true identity , as well as admits he is not a great treasure hunter . He then disappears to places unknown . If the player makes it to Memoria before 12 hours of play time has passed , they can obtain the Excalibur II , the game ' s strongest sword . Nearby is found a note , addressed to Gilgamesh from his brother that says : " Final Fantasy XI " . Gilgamesh is a non - player character and a major figure in Norg , which is the pirate city located on the Elshimo Island . He is involved in a few of the quests related to the " " expansion as well as , can be summoned as an Alter Ego spell , and is also involved in the Samurai job class story . Like the " Final Fantasy IX " incarnation , this Gilgamesh looks entirely different from his other appearances . Gilgamesh is the name of one of the world server s used by the game . A species of creature that , under the name Naraka , also exist in Vana ' diel . These bosses exist as a Notorious Monster s in the Voidwatch line of boss quests , a nod to Gilgamesh ' s association with the Void . They may be the Gilgamesh equivalent to the Remnants of Sephiroth . " Final Fantasy XII " . Gilgamesh is an Elite Mark petitioned by Montblanc at the behest of an unidentified warrior who lost to Gilgamesh and was forced to forfeit his sword to him . Gilgamesh is found in the Lhusu Mines and must be fought twice . The player can steal a different Genji item from him each battle . He uses a variety of swords from previous games , all of them counterfeit , including the Buster Sword , the Revolver , the Orichalcum , and the Brotherhood , as a homage to past installments in the series , as well as the Zantetsuken , the Tournesol , and the Wyrmhero Blade . He is accompanied by Enkidu . After the battle , Gilgamesh appears to the party in the Barheim Passage . He refers to them as " friends " and gives them the Matamune fishing rod before departing . Gilgamesh returns as a Yarhi in the mission , wandering around with Enkidu at the Gates of Shattered Time . When he spots the party , he recognizes them as the people who had previously battled him , and vehemently denies that he , in fact , lost . Deciding that fate had brought them back together to fight , he takes out his swords and attacks Vaan and two other party members . Gilgamesh is defeated and flees for his life , but not before alluding to his position as a summon upon being defeated . Afterward , the party unlocks his sphere on the Ring of Pacts . Gilgamesh is a Rank III non - elemental melee Esper , sharing the same rank and spot with Odin , although Gilgamesh is the more powerful one and also has a special attack . His normal attack , Slice Thrice , hits the enemy three times , while his special attack , Masamune , deals physical damage to one target ignoring their defense . " Final Fantasy XIII " . While Gilgamesh himself makes no formal appearance , his name is used for one of the Retail Network s the player can obtain , named Gilgamesh , Inc . received after clearing mission 46 . The company sells weapons that offer the highest strength and magic boosts and belonging to powerful and rare synthesis groups , but are offset with disadvantageous special properties , such as Stagger Lock , which prevents the character from stagger ing enemies , and Paper Tiger , which greatly reduces the character ' s maximum HP . " Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega " further reveals that Gilgamesh was at some point during development planned as a fal ' Cie who would have wielded swords in various sizes , some even so large to dwarf large buildings . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . Gilgamesh is available as a downloadable content boss for the Coliseum . Arriving to participate in the fight , Gilgamesh battled Snow after he ruined his introduction , until Lightning intervened . He wields guns and rocket launchers though he discards them for swords during his match with Noel and Serah , who can recruit him into the Paradigm Pack as a Commando upon his defeat . After Valfodr is defeated , Gilgamesh is among the remaining monsters who keep Snow company in the Coliseum until he is able to return to his world . Gilgamesh wields six different swords and uses his Blue Magic skills from " Final Fantasy V " : Eerie Soundwave and Death Claw . Along with his usual swords , the Excalibur , the Excalipoor , the Masamune , and the Zantetsuken , he adds another classic " Final Fantasy " sword , the Muramasa , to his collection . His sixth sword , the Bashosen , is new to the series , and the markings on the sword faintly resemble his faithful companion , Enkidu . The sword ' s alludes to the Bashosen weapon from the classic Chinese novel , " Journey to the West " where Bashosen is a giant fan - like weapon used by the Demon King Ginkaku , and its name translates as " Banana Palm Fan " . When staggered Gilgamesh ' s swords shatter at the hilts and he resorts to spells . Afterward the swords regenerate . With the exception of Excalipoor , whose origins are not explained , and Bashosen , which was created in Cocoon , each of his swords are said to come from another " Final Fantasy " game : Excalibur comes from a hidden room in Alexandria in " Final Fantasy IX " , Muramasa was recovered from the ruins of Zanarkand in " Final Fantasy X " , Masamune was fished out of Doma ' s poisoned river in " Final Fantasy VI " , and the Zantetsuken is apparently not Odin ' s sword in this incarnation , but a nail shed by Chaos from " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . The notes that mention the weapons ' origins in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 Ultimania Omega " refer to it as a list of Gilgamesh ' s fake weapons , so these origin stories could be false . During the DLC cut scene in which Gilgamesh is introduced , he breaks the fourth wall by saying " I was starting to worry that you will never download this part of the game , and I ' d be stuck in digital limbo ! " Gilgamesh is referred to by being one of the names available for monsters , although spelled as ' Gilgamash ' . Gilgamesh ' s name appears in the Chocobo Races in Serendipity . Once the player has reached the fal ' Cie class races , the player will most likely encounter a racer named Gilgamesh Rising . " Final Fantasy XIV " . Gilgamesh made his first appearance in patch 2 . 1 . As revealed in a series of sidequests involving Hildibrand Manderville and Nashu Mhakaracca , the latter is investigating a rash of weapon thefts by a so - called duelist who challenges adventurers and takes their weapons upon defeating them . He features also as a recurring antagonist in several battles . Wind - up Gilgamesh is a minion . " Final Fantasy XV " . Gilgamesh is appears in the downloadable content " Final Fantasy XV Episode Gladiolus " as the main antagonist . Known as the " Blademaster " , Gilgamesh fights those who undertake the " Trial of Gilgamesh " . Thirty years ago Cor Leonis fought Gilgamesh and managed to claim his arm , but was defeated and had to run . During the time Gladiolus Amicitia leaves Prince Noctis ' s party in Chapter 7 of " Final Fantasy XV " , Gladiolus returns with Cor to take on the challenge and confront Gilgamesh to gain his power . Gilgamesh is drastically different to his recurring appearance . He has only a single arm , and lacks his usual comedic traits . Instead , he is a formidable foe with contempt for weak challenges whom he has defeated . While Enkidu appears as a boss , he does not appear to be Gilgamesh ' s pet . Gilgamesh is fought on a bridge littered with the swords of the warriors he has defeated , and his battle music contains motifs from " Clash on the Big Bridge " . " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . A colossal warrior from Lorica with the power of the Genbu crystal , Gilgamesh is a l ' Cie who has forgotten his Focus and serves as one of the game ' s bosses . He is accompanied by Enkidu , a fellow Genbu l ' Cie . This is the second title in the " Final Fantasy " series where Gilgamesh has a notable role in the game ' s plot . This may also be his first appearance in the " Final Fantasy " timeline , Lorica being referred to as the place he spent his childhood . This is the first game where Gilgamesh takes the characters ' weapons upon emerging victorious . Most of his other appearances merely allude to his weapon claiming habit . Much of Gilgamesh ' s backstory can be found or assumed through the game ' s events , many of the traits that make him the character now known today originate as reactions to the tragedies he suffered during the story . His habit of claiming weapons apparently stems from his resentment of heroes who are too weak to protect that which matters most , much like he had been . The irony is that , Gilgamesh is one of the stronger boss characters in the series . His constant need for a faithful sidekick apparently being due to the loss of the original Enkidu , who died protecting him . His Rift - traveling also appears to have been a constant as he begins traveling through the Rift shortly after " Type - 0 " and much like his previous appearances , he seems unable to control it . It ' s possible that Exdeath discovered how to summon him and banish him at will , and Gilgamesh merely served him out of gratitude and the assumption that Exdeath was a protagonist . " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh appears as a summon , and as a ghost for the player to fight in the Offline Lobby . The Gilgamesh ghost is a Level 100 Bartz , wearing a full set of Genji equipment and bearing the Dragon Seal item , a reference to Shinryu who was introduced in " Final Fantasy V " , like Gilgamesh . The message on the card reads " I wanted to fight you one more time . . . mano - a - mano " , which is Gilgamesh ' s farewell to Bartz when the party finds him in the Rift . Bartz also quotes Gilgamesh in some of his battle quotes , saying " Let ' s finish this , one - on - one ! " when battling Chaos , and " Let ' s fight like men ! " when battling Jecht . Gilgamesh ' s Summonstone can be obtained in the second stage of the Distant Glory - Villains storyline . The artwork used for the summon is from " Final Fantasy V " . When called upon he will either triple the summoner ' s Bravery or reduce it to 1 , as a reference to Excalibur and Excalipoor . When Gilgamesh is summoned and produces the Excalipoor result , the text for the summon effect will read " I feel so betrayed . . . " This is what Gilgamesh says in " Final Fantasy V " upon realizing that the " Excalibur " he found is a worthless counterfeit . " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh is a secret playable character , marking his first fully playable appearance . Mimicking several of his other appearances , Gilgamesh ' s appearance is a coincidence , as he stumbles into World B where the wars are taking place while traveling through the Void and the worlds connected to it . Sensing Bartz in the world he seeks out his rival for their promised rematch , but Bartz has lost his memories and cannot remember him . Nonetheless he accepts Gilgamesh ' s challenge and defeats him , and though he was not summoned by a god Gilgamesh is subject to the war ' s rules and is sent back to where he entered the world from , a portal to the Void engulfing him . Despite appearing as a playable character , the summon version of Gilgamesh from the first " Dissidia " returns , and is even used by him in the story battle against him . Like other summons , it functions identically to how it did in the first game . Gilgamesh ' s first alternate outfit is based on his " Final Fantasy VIII " appearance , giving him lighter armor and a red cloak . His second alternate outfit is based on his battle sprite , giving him heavier full plate armor . As a bonus fourth outfit , Gilgamesh takes on his " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " appearance , a suit of red and black armor . This outfit was made available to those in attendance of a " Dissidia 012 " tournament in Japan , and was never released in other areas . Gilgamesh ' s brings a wide variety of weapons with him , each one having different effects when drawn in battle . The weapons he wields in this game are his traditional Excalibur , Excalipoor , Masamune , and Zantetsuken swords , as well as the Genji Blade , the Chicken Knife , the Naginata spear , and the Battle Axe . All of Gilgamesh ' s HP Attacks are references to the same attacks he used in his various battles in " Final Fantasy V " . The attacks include Death Claw , Rocket Punch , Missile , Jump , Sword Dance , and Hurricane . " Theatrhythm Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh appears as a boss . " Pictlogica Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh from " Final Fantasy V " appears as an enemy . " Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade " . Gilgamesh appears as one of the summon enemies as well as a Legend character that uses the Death Claw ability . " Final Fantasy All the Bravest " . The Gilgamesh appears as an enemy encountered on the Bridge of Moore . It uses Stab and drops the Excalipoor . " Final Fantasy Record Keeper " . Gilgamesh is a playable character who could be recruited during the Challenge Event Big Bridge Showdown as the First Time Reward for completing the event ' s Big Bridge Showdown stage on Classic difficulty . Gilgamesh also appears as a boss in select " Final Fantasy V " stages . Gilgamesh can use Combat abilities up to rarity rank 5 , Dragoon abilities up to rarity rank 4 , Knight abilities up to rarity rank 5 , and Samurai abilities up to rarity rank 4 . His default Soul Break is Morphing Time ! which at the expense of one Soul Gauge segment increases user ' s Attack by 35 % for the duration of 25 seconds . The katana Kotetsu ( V ) allows Gilgamesh to use Death Claw which at the expense of one Soul Gauge segment deals three non - elemental attacks equal to 170 % damage potency of a conventional attack , totaling to 510 % damage potency , and Paralyzes one target for 15 seconds with the accuracy of 21 % . Gilgamesh can equip the following weapon types : daggers , swords , katanas , axes , hammers , spears , fists , and rods . The katana Kotetsu ( V ) allows Gilgamesh to use Death Claw . He can equip the following armor types : shields , hats , helms , light armor , heavy armor , and bracers . He can equip accessories . " Mobius Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh appears , reusing his appearance from " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . Gilgamesh appears before Wol at the battle tower . He states that he has met many heroes on multiple worlds , and claims that Wol lacks the fire in his soul that they possessed . He offers to train Wol by challenging him to a series of battles . Despite his irritation at Gilgamesh ' s antics , Wol accepts the challenge and fights his way up the tower . At the top , Gilgamesh commends Wol ' s performance , and acknowledges him as a Warrior of Light . He promises to return to challenge Wol for his weapons once he has successfully saved his world before departing in his typically comedic fashion . " World of Final Fantasy " . Gilgamesh is first encountered on the big bridge Alexander when the party is travelling with Bartz . Believing that he has finally found his nemesis again , Gilgamesh challenges Bartz to a " rematch . " However , the Grymoire version of Bartz does not share the same experiences as his " Final Fantasy V " counterpart , and thus is completely bemused as to why Gilgamesh wants to fight him . After a boss battle , Gilgamesh is once again forced to admit defeat , but says that he will be back for " another " rematch . Later on in the story , there is an intervention where it is revealed that Gilgamesh was duped into revealing the position of Bartz and Boko , believing that he would finally be able to get his rematch . However , when it is revealed that the Bahamutian solider that sold him out in fact wants to kill Bartz himself , Gilgamesh decides to " sacrifice " himself to fight off the Bahamutian soldier and save the town , in an ending that mirrors the events of " Final Fantasy V " . There is also a colosseum battle ( " Exdeath ' s Kooky Kabuki " ) , in which Gilgamesh can be imprismed . " " . Gilgamesh appears in the sequel game to " " . He is the main antagonist in the first book , who also tries to marry the princess Irma . He also appears as a summon card . " Final Fantasy Trading Card Game " . Gilgamesh is represented by numerous cards : an Earth - elemental card , portraying his " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " appearance with a CG render and an artwork ; a Lightning - elemental card featuring his artwork by Yoshitaka Amano from " Final Fantasy V " , and a Lightning - elemental promotional card featuring his " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " outfit of his original " Final Fantasy V " appearance ; and two Dark - elemental cards , a first depicting his artwork by Tetsuya Nomura for " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " and a second portraying his appearance in " Theatrhythm Final Fantasy " ; and one of his alternate " Final Fantasy V " Yoshitaka Amano artwork . Gilgamesh is listed and as a l ' Cie in his " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " card ; and as a " Captain of the Guard " , for all other cards , alluding to his rank in Exdeath ' s army . " Triple Triad " . Gilgamesh from " Final Fantasy XIV " and " World of Final Fantasy " appears alongside Enkidu on " Triple Triad " cards in the version available via the " Final Fantasy Portal App " . Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . " Itadaki Street " . Gilgamesh appears in " Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special " . In " Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable " , Gilgamesh appears based on his " Final Fantasy VIII " appearance . Gilgamesh is a chance card in " Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable " , the card ' s ability : Group all characters to target point . " Blood of Bahamut " . Gilgamesh , alongside other recurring " Final Fantasy " summons , appears as one of the giants that must be defeated . There is also a stronger version of Gilgamesh that can be fought , called Durga . " Puzzle & Dragons " . Gilgamesh appeared as part of the " Final Fantasy " Collaboration . The collaboration happened in the North American version from 2 to 15 November , 2015 . " Monster Strike " . Gilgamesh appears as part of the " Final Fantasy " collaboration . Creation and development . According to the fifth " Chocobo ' s FF Laboratory " feature published in the November 1993 edition of " V - Jump " , the initial design for Gilgamesh was created by Tetsuya Nomura , although Yoshitaka Amano was the one who drew the character ' s final artwork . The magazine states that Nomura ' s initial design looked like a cross between Gilgamesh ' s first and second in - game forms . Musical themes . Gilgamesh ' s leitmotif is called " Battle at the Big Bridge " and originally played during four of the battles against him . Since its original appearance , it has followed Gilgamesh in several of his cameos and had several rearrangements and adaptations , and became one of the most popular themes of the series . Merchandise . Master Creatures produced a six and a half inch tall figure of Gilgamesh in their third series of " Final Fantasy " characters . The figure ' s information describes it as wearing the Genji armor and wielding the Excalipoor , among other weapons . There are also two figures based on Gilgamesh ' s appearance in " Final Fantasy VIII " , one with him standing and the other kneeling , and both with the four swords he uses in the game . Etymology and allusion . Benkei was a famous Japanese warrior monk said to have posted himself at Gōjō Bridge in Kyoto and dueled every passing swordsman , defeating 999 opponents and claiming their weapons . On his 1 , 000th duel Benkei was defeated by and became his faithful retainer throughout the rest of his life . From the story of Benkei , Gilgamesh takes his preference for the " naginata " ( Benkei ' s traditional weapon as a monk ) , his penchant for fighting on bridges , his collecting of weapons from enemies he defeats , and his friendship with the player ' s characters who defeat him . Benkei ' s devotion to Yoshitsune is the basis for Gilgamesh ' s association with Genji equipment — the Minamoto Clan is also called the Genji Clan , using the alternate pronunciation for the Chinese characters for " mina " and " moto " , " gen " and " uji " , respectively . Gilgamesh ' s face paint is based on traditional kabuki actors , for which Benkei is a popular character to portray .