Thordan VII

Archbishop Thordan VII is a non-playable character in Final Fantasy XIV. He leads the reclusive nation of Ishgard, and is an unquestionable object of veneration. He holds the highest seat of political authority in the Holy See, and is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
==History==
===Early life===
Thordan is the son of a lesser house pledged to House Durendaire. A lover of traditional Coerthan cooking, in his youth he studied swordplay, and perhaps could have achieved moderate success within high society. However, as the youngest of five, he stood to inherit little, and so with his parents' endorsement he entered Saint Endalim's Scholasticate. He graduated as one of the Trinity and successfully entered into the service of the Holy See, and was quick to take part in the power struggles inside the Vault. As he grew more successful and influential, he gradually rose within the clergy's hierarchy until he was named a bishop in his forty and second year. However, it was also at this time that he was rumored to have broken his vow of celibacy and fathered a child with a lover. Well aware that such a scandal could be used as a weapon by his political rivals, he made every effort to suppress them until after he was elected archbishop.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward===
Thordan is flanked by Lahabrea and Elidibus, implying the Ascians have begun to influence Ishgard's affairs as part of their agenda. Though Thordan secretly wants no help from them, he accepted their proposal to learn more about the Ascians and to deal with them once the war with Nidhogg would be over.
Thordan summons the Warrior of Light after helping Alphinaud Leveilleur overcome the trial by combat to prove his innocence and that of Tataru Taru. After apologizing for both his and Heavens' Ward's conduct and failure to summon the Warrior sooner, Thordan requests a private audience to divulge his dealings with the Ascians. He is indifferent to learn the Dravanian Horde is approaching Ishgard and during the heretics' attack, Thordan meets with Heavens' Ward for final preparations with Lahabrea overhearing. When confronted by his illegitimate son, Aymeric de Borel, over the truth of their city's founding, Thordan explains his reasons and hopes the youth would succeed him. Thordan has Aymeric imprisoned in the Vault so his men can discern who else knows the truth.
During the aftermath of the Vault compromised, his men assume a primal form. Thordan and the Heavens' Ward depart for Azys Lla aboard their airship, the Soleil, to the Sea of Clouds. Thordan and his entourage wait for the Warrior of Light to kill Bismarck before moving in with the aid of the Ascians to retrieve the Key to Azys Lla that the primal had consumed. With the Key in hand, he flies to Azys Lla, once more evading the Warrior of Light.
Thordan appears at the Aetherochemical Research Facility after the Warrior of Light eradicates Igeyorhm, revealing he never intended to be the Ascians' pawn. He tells Lahabrea that his arrogance towards humans and teaching them the means to summon a primal will be his undoing. Thordan uses the right Eye of Nidhogg that had been kept entombed with Haldrath to become an avatar of Thordan I: The Primal King Thordan. Intending to become a god-king and usher in an age of peace, Thordan executes Lahabrea and absorbs his aether essence before descending into the Singularity Reactor at the heart of Azys Lla to access the power of the trapped Warring Triad. The Warrior of Light and their allies defeat Thordan and the Heavens' Ward (in the form of the twelve knights). As he dies, Thordan glimpses something strange about the Warrior, asking what they are, before disappearing into motes of aether.
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Thordan VII dresses in elaborate white-blue-and-gold regalia befitting his station. He is an elderly Elezen with a long white beard who wears a tall decorated miter, a robe with floor-length sleeves, and holds a staff.
===Personality===
Archbishop Thordan VII appears a wise, stern and caring leader devoted to the principles of his faith as well as the safety of his people. He is cunning, as while he admits to the Warrior of Light of his dealings with the Ascians, he insists on merely interacting with them to discern their motives.
When the truth of Ishgard's founding and of the cause to the Dragonsong War become known, the Archbishop shows his true colors. Thordan VII is ruthless, deceitful, power-hungry and arrogant in his means to end the war with the dragons, maintain the status quo and become a god-king to a new age. 
Though the Archbishop acknowledges that King Thordan's betrayal and murder of Ratatoskr was an unconscionable crime, he reasons that since Ishgard was founded upon the lies of their forefathers, it being made common knowledge would render everything the people who went through it meaningless, and they would have to answer for the crimes that spurned Nidhogg in his pursuit of vengeance. Refusing to reveal the truth, even after Nidhogg was supposedly vanquished, Thordan VII is willing to imprison his illegitimate son and condemn innocent people to ensure the secret never comes to light. He believes a comfortable lie is better for the people than bitter truth.
Upon becoming the primal Thordan, the Archbishop becomes even more arrogant, deluded and ruthless, believing himself Thordan I and a god-king.
==Gameplay==
Thordan VII is fought as the final boss in and as an optional Extreme battle in .
In Endwalker, King Thordan is encountered in , first as a retelling of the battle in the Singularity Reactor. Later on, during the "alternate timeline" latter half of the fight, Thordan mind-controls three dragons to fight the player alongside his knights. The player has an option to spare Thordan's life instead of killing him when he reaches critical health, which is necessary to progress to the last phase of the encounter. Later, after Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr are defeated, Thordan (if previously spared) absorbs all four of their eyes to become Dragon-king Thordan, the final boss of the Ultimate encounter.
==Other appearances==
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy===
PFF Thordan VII.png|Sprite.
===Triple Triad===
==Gallery==
FFXIV Thordan VII Throne.png|Thordan VII on his throne.
==Citations==
pt-br:Thordan VII
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Antagonists
Category:Elezen