Genome ( Final Fantasy IX ) The Genome is a race of beings in " Final Fantasy IX " . They are produced by Garland . Profile . According to the " Final Fantasy IX Ultimania " , Garland began creating Genomes roughly 3000 years ago to act as vessels for the Terran souls so that Terra ' s civilization could one day be revived . Terra was an ancient planet whose civilization attempted to save itself by fusing it with a younger planet . The Fusion between Terra and Gaia was a failure . The Terran people gave up their physical bodies and laid themselves to rest , placing the burden of salvation on Garland . Garland created the artificial race of Genomes , to inherit the souls of Terra once the Fusion was complete . Genomes exist in both male and female even if they don ' t procreate , and are instead produced . The race still has to retain genetic variety . Due to the nature of their creation , the majority of the Genome population lack a soul , and have little to no emotional response ; Genomes are but empty husks awaiting the attainment of a soul . A Genome does not usually begin their life as a baby , but are created as they are . The Genomes of Terra mention that their existence is incomplete until they receive a soul . As such , the collective Genome existence is dedicated to the preparation of attaining a soul , mentally and physically . The Genomes seem to know a great deal of the soul cycle and the world in which they live . Although this knowledge is useless to a vessel who will soon forget what they have learned upon receiving a soul , information is circulated among the population to prevent mental decay . The Genomes of Terra harbor production facilities in which they create more of their race . They aim to create a more suitable vessel for a soul to reside in . This could also be interpreted as somewhat recreational due to their seemingly meaningless existence . Story . Garland created Kuja and Zidane Tribal with hopes of restoring the whole of Terra ' s population by sending them as his " Angel of Death " to Gaia to incite war to expedite the rate Gaian souls would attempt to return to their crystal . He deemed Kuja an inferior Genome after observing flaws and weaknesses that Zidane lacked , and placed his hopes into him instead , as he saw Zidane as " The Perfect Genome " . As revealed in " Final Fantasy IX Ultimania " Zidane started his life as a baby , as through the process of growing up he would develop capacity for complex emotions . Kuja wanted to rid himself of competition , and later deposited the 4 - year - old Zidane to Gaia , abandoning him there . Garland banned Kuja from traveling between Terra and Gaia as punishment , but still believed Zidane would return to Terra to serve him one day . Zidane , meanwhile , was raised by Baku to be a thief in the Tantalus Theater Troupe . Garland later created Mikoto , the third Genome to be instilled with a soul directly by him . She was to assist Garland in creating a superior genus of Genomes and to take Zidane ' s place were he to fail . Zidane does not learn of his identity as a Genome until he and the party travels through the Shimmering Island to Terra . Mikoto leads the otherworlders to Bran Bal , the village of Genomes . Zidane and his companions are shocked to discover that the Genomes look exactly like him . The Genomes , save Mikoto , are unresponsive , and Zidane asks her about their true nature . Mikoto ' s explanations send Zidane into a brooding state , unsure of his exact nature . Garland appears before Zidane and reveals his plan for Gaia , Terra , Genomes , and his trio of Angels of Death . When Zidane refuses to serve him , Garland attempts to remove Zidane ' s soul to make him a regular Genome , but fails and Zidane ' s friends come to his aid . After escaping Kuja ' s destruction of Terra on the " Invincible " , the party leaves the Genome survivors with the black mages , where remain . Despite their naivety , the black mages try their best to teach the genomes the ways of Gaia . Genomes are similar to the black mages who are made on Gaia , implied to have been produced due to Kuja ' s knowledge on how Genomes are made . Black mages are also created " as they are " and do not go through childhood , and Kuja treats them as expendable dolls . Vivi Ornitier is a black mage prototype who was raised by a parent , Quan , and other black mages are also shown to gain self - awareness after a time . At the end of his life Vivi ' s being is implied to have joined the soul cycle , as he ends his final soliloquy with " farewell , my memories will be part of the sky " , even if it is unlikely he was ever attributed a soul the same way Garland gave souls to Kuja and Zidane . As the importance of memories is emphasized in the planet ' s soul cycle , it may mean that one ' s soul is made of one ' s memories , knowledge and experiences . Thus , Garland fails to remove Zidane ' s soul ( who had already lived a full life on Gaia ) , Vivi ' s memories can become part of the soul cycle , and even the Genomes left soulless yet have hope for a more meaningful existence . After Kuja passes , Mikoto laments that he has given hope to all Genomes , showing that they can have individual desires and that they need not be but empty vessels .