Figaro

Figaro is a kingdom in Final Fantasy VI. Save for the Gestahlian Empire, it is the most technologically advanced nation in the world.
==Story==
Ten years ago, the current king of Figaro passed away; a widespread rumor was that he was poisoned by the Gestahlian Empire. His dying wish was that his kingdom be divided between his sons, Edgar and Sabin, but Sabin believed the rumors of the Empire's involvement and had no taste for the kingdom's politics. Sabin intended to leave the kingdom and invited Edgar to join him, but Edgar convinced Sabin to let a coin toss decide their fate, and the winner would leave the kingdom and the loser would remain and rule. Unknown to Sabin, Edgar used a two-headed coin to rig the bet; Sabin abdicated the throne and Edgar remained to rule Figaro. While Figaro remained on neutral terms with the Empire, he was secretly supporting the Returners, a resistance force opposed to the Empire.
After Terra and Locke fled Narshe, Locke brought her to Figaro for refuge. The Empire sent Kefka to search for Terra, and Edgar feigned ignorance when Kefka asked about her. Kefka, not believing Edgar, set fire to the castle and Edgar, Terra and Locke fled, while the castle burrowed under the desert. The three fled to South Figaro and then on to Mt. Kolts to the Returners' Hideout. While meeting with the Returners' leader, Banon, the empire invaded South Figaro and used it as a staging ground to march on Mt. Kolts, forcing them to flee down the Lethe River.
After the empire attacked Narshe again, Terra transformed into an Esper and flew away to the west. The Returners used Figaro Castle to travel under the mountains to Kohlingen and search for her in the western provinces. After retrieving her and a raid on the empire's Magitek Research Facility, the Returners made plans to attack the empire in force with a combination of Narshe and Figaro's resources, but lacked the manpower. Their solution was to open the gate to the Esper World and get the espers to aid them. When the gate opened, the espers swarmed the imperial capital Vector and decimated it, and allied Narshe-Returner forces took occupation of the city. In a subsequent banquet with Emperor Gestahl, the empire withdrew from South Figaro.
During the cataclysm, Figaro Castle's engines were entangled with monstrous tentacles, and the engines stalled, trapping the castle underground. Kefka also attacked South Figaro with the Light of Judgment, decimating the town, but with the help of the local merchant population, they were able to rebuild.
Edgar, seeking to save Figaro Castle but not knowing how to find it, heard of the Crimson Robbers that had escaped from the prison when the tentacles burrowed through the walls. Posing as "Gerad", Edgar hired the bandits to return to the castle under pretenses of raiding the treasure room in the engine room. As Edgar and the robbers prepared for their trek in Nikeah, Celes happened by in town and met Gerard; she recognized him as Edgar but he denied this to maintain his ruse. Celes pursued Edgar into the South Figaro Cave and into the burrowed castle, where she and Edgar destroyed the tentacles. The freed Figaro Castle was able to surface at last.
Ultimately, while both the Returners and the Gestahlian Empire were wiped out, the Kingdom of Figaro survived in the World of Ruin.
==Structure==
Figaro Castle maintains an active guard to defend it, who make heavy use of Chocobo mounts. The town of South Figaro does not have any apparent defenders.
== Musical themes ==
"Edgar & Sabin" is the background theme that plays at the Figaro Castle, and is the general theme of Figaro.
== Other appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy XIV ===
One of the original servers was named Figaro. It was merged with the Melmond server into the Aegis server.
=== Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy ===
Figaro is present as a room for customized characters of the game's Multiplayer Mode Online Lobby.
=== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy ===
Figaro Castle makes an appearance in the Field Music Sequence of "Terra's Theme". South Figaro appears as the Battle Music Sequence for "The Decisive Battle".
==== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call ====
Figaro Castle appears as the FMS for "Edgar and Sabin's Theme". South Figaro returns as the BMS for "The Decisive Battle".
=== Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade ===
FFAB Figaro Castle Engine Room FFVI.png|Engine Room.
FFAB Figaro Castle FFVI Special.png|Figaro Castle.
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
Figaro Castle, South Figaro Cave, and South Figaro appear as the setting of numerous events.
==Behind the scenes==
According to Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, Figaro constructed its castle 200 years prior to the start of Final Fantasy VI, shortly after a series of industrial and artistic revolutions. The castle was mechanized 118 years later, and attempted its first submerging eight years after that, but it was a failure. A temporary palace was constructed at South Figaro, and four years and two more attempts later, the castle successfully submerged, and became known as the "illusory castle". As the Gestahlian Empire rose to power, Figaro's king entered into an alliance with them before his death the following year. Figaro is considered of the four great nations of the world and the dominant power in the north, with the Empire as the power in the south, Jidoor as the power in the west, and Doma as the power in the east.
Several points of information in Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen contradict information given in-game (for instance, Figaro's previous king is said in-game to have perished ten years before Final Fantasy VI, while the guidebook says he died seven years prior), so it is unknown to what degree this history can be considered canonical.
== Etymology ==
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy VI
Category:Organizations in Final Fantasy VI