Unukalhai

Unukalhai is a non-playable character from Final Fantasy XIV. He is a mysterious boy who claims to have come to aid the Scions of the Seventh Dawn against the primal threat.
== History==
===Early life===
Unukalhai was born on the thirteenth reflection of the Source, the world that became known as the void. Despite being gifted with the Echo, he was barely more than a child when the world ended, and was unable to stop the Flood of Darkness from transforming his world. Unukalhai was rescued by Elidibus, the Emissary of the Ascians, who explained the importance of maintaining the balance between light and darkness. Unukalhai continued to serve as Elidibus's disciple, swearing to never allow what happened to his world happen to any other.
Around this time Unukalhai met Cylva, a woman from his world who had also been saved by Ascians, namely Mitron and Loghrif.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward===
After the defeat of Thordan VII, the Warrior of Light was told that a visitor was waiting for them in the Scions' headquarters, the Rising Stones. They found a young, masked man who introduced himself as Unukalhai. He claimed to have been sent by his master to aid the Scions of the Seventh Dawn in facing the coming threat of the "eikons", primals that were summoned during the Third Astral Era. Known as the Warring Triad, they were defeated and imprisoned by the Allagan Empire, and sealed on the floating island of Azys Lla. The actions of Archbishop Thordan VII, who tried to gain their power for himself, had weakened their seals, making it possible for them to break free—a process the Garlean Empire could hasten in their attempts to uncover the secret of binding primals. Urianger Augurelt corroborated this explanation.
Before the Triad could be dealt with, the Warrior of Light was told to defeat the primals Bismarck and Ravana, who had been resummoned by their respective worshipers. Unukalhai wanted to assist, offering instruction on how to confront them, including two enigmatic gems associated with each primal.
When it came time to deal with the Warring Triad directly, Unukalhai instructed the Warrior of Light to journey to Azys Lla alongside Krile, Urianger, and Y'shtola Rhul. He led them to Containment Bay S1T7 where Sephirot, the first of the Triad to risk being awakened, was held. While Y'shtola and Urianger distracted the Garlean forces patrolling the area, the Warrior of Light, Unukalhai, and Krile unsealed and defeated Sephirot within its containment.
While leaving the area, Unukalhai was approached by Regula van Hydrus. Unukalhai criticized the Garleans' attempts to control the power of the primals. Regula rebuffed this lecture, but left without a fight. Krile inquired about Unukalhai's motives and background, and though he showed a brief flicker of emotion, he quelled it. After returning to the Rising Stones, Unukalhai revealed more of the background of Sephirot, and offered the Warrior of Light an Allagan tomestone that would allow them to enter a combat simulation pitting them against a stronger version of the eikon.
Unukalhai brought word to the Warrior that Regula van Hydrus had broken the wards that Urianger used to seal off the Aetherochemical Research Facility. Conferring with the Scions, Unukalhai believed van Hydrus was after the "Genesis Expression", one of the most powerful pieces of Allagan technology, and recommended pursuing and, if possible, slaying him. The Warrior of Light, Unukalhai, Urianger, Y'shtola, and Krile ventured into the facility, fighting off waves of Garlean troops. Krile was injured, and Unukalhai stayed behind to protect her, earning her trust and gratitude. Although the Warrior of Light defeated van Hydrus and prevented him from retrieving the Allagan tomelith, he escaped.
Urianger asked to speak to the Warrior of Light and Unukalhai in private, revealing that he deduced it was Unukalhai who broke the seal on the facility, hoping to lure Regula van Hydrus into a trap where he could be killed. Unukalhai admitted this to be the case and Urianger chided him, claiming that had he trusted the Scions enough to tell them his plan, it may have succeeded. Urianger asked the Warrior of Light to forgive Unukalhai and to conceal it from the other Scions.
To atone for his lack of honesty, Unukalhai shared some of his personal history with the Warrior of Light, and revealed that he, too, possessed a form of the Echo. He explained he hailed from a conflict-ridden land where he learned magic to survive until his master recruited him. He told the story of another world where people believed they could harness the power of primals using Auracite, leading to the destruction of their world. The fear of it happening to Eorzea caused him to despise van Hydrus and the Garlean Empire.
The second of the Warring Triad, the goddess known as Sophia, was about to awaken. The Warrior of Light again traveled to Azys Lla with Urianger, Y'shtola, and Krile, and they found several of Sophia's thralls whom the Allagans had sealed alongside her. While Urianger and Y'shtola dealed with the thralls, Unukalhai, Krile, and the Warrior entered Containment Bay P1T6, and defeated Sophia.
While the Scions prepared to leave, Unukalhai stayed behind to shut off the life support for Sophia's remaining thralls to prevent another summoning. He later explained he knew it had to be done, but did not want the Warrior of Light to have to sully themselves with such a distasteful task. Y'shtola explained that all of the Scions, including the Warrior, knew what had to be done in the battle against the primals, and were willing to do what was necessary, including the slaying of thralls. Unukalhai admitted that he had been mentally placing the Warrior of Light on a pedestal, seeing them more as the embodiment of an ideal than as an individual, and promised to not underestimate their resolve in the future. He presented the Warrior with a Tomestone containing data on Sophia, allowing them to challenge a simulation of a stronger version of the goddess.
When it came time to confront Zurvan, the final member of the Warring Triad, Unukalhai again journeyed to Azys Lla with the Warrior of Light, Urianger, Y'shtola, and Krile. Regula van Hydrus confronted them, offering an alliance. Having decided that the Allagan method of containing primals was flawed, and thus useless to the Empire, he wished to destroy Zurvan and his thralls. The Scions reluctantly agreed to the alliance, and traveled to Containment Bay Z1T9 where Regula's troops were already fighting Zurvan's thralls. During the battle Regula sacrificed himself to save Unukalhai, believing that Unukalhai's powers were better suited than his to end the primal threat.
After Zurvan's defeat, Unukalhai, ashamed of his self-perceived weakness compared to the Scions, asked them to meet him back at the Rising Stones where he unmasked and revealed his past. The Scions, after learning that he faced the end of his world alone, told Unukalhai that he no longer had to fight by himself, and welcomed him as a member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Despite the newfound friendships he had forged, Unukalhai insisted on putting his mask back on. He presented the Warrior of Light with a Tomestone containing data on Zurvan, allowing them to challenge the final, and most difficult, simulation battle.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers===
After learning of Elidibus's death, Unukalhai admitted to the Warrior of Light that he had mixed feelings regarding the news. Looking for a new purpose, he decided to reunite with Cylva. With the help of the Warrior of Light, Urianger, and Beq Lugg, he journeyed to the First and met Cylva in the Crystarium. They discussed the possibility of restoring their world, similar to the way the First was beginning to recover from the Flood of Light. To ascertain the feasibility of such an undertaking, Beq Lugg suggested checking on the current conditions of the Thirteenth by opening a voidgate. Since Taynor could create voidgates, they asked him for help. Unukalhai used Nyelbert's crystal to learn how to open the gates as well. Together, Taynor and Unukalhai opened a gate large enough to gather the information needed. Beq Lugg began to work on a way to restore the Thirteenth, but warned it could take years to find a solution. Despite this, Unukalhai was pleased with their progress. In the meantime, Taynor invited Unukalhai to join him and his friends in protecting the First, to which he happily agreed to. He could subsequently be found with Cylva in the Crystarium.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker===
Unukalhai continued to make preparations to return to the Thirteenth with Cylva to attempt to restore it. As part of his research, he met with Ryne and Gaia, as he believed their process of restoring of the Empty with Eden could be used in the Thirteenth.
== Characteristics ==
=== Appearance ===
The majority of Unukalhai's physical features are obscured by white robes and a mask, somewhat similar to the Amaurotine in appearance. He appears to be a Hyur, and is mentioned as appearing to be a young man. When he unmasks, he is revealed to have shoulder-length white hair and violet eyes. After relocating to the First, he no longer wears a mask and obtains new green and white robes.
=== Personality ===
Unukalhai is stoic and businesslike, revealing little of his personality and motives. Only once, when Krile questions of his true goal, does he show a flicker of emotion, which he quickly quells. He disdains the Garlean Empire and their reckless attempts to control the power of the primals. He often speaks of his master, on whose behalf he claims to have arrived, but does not reveal who or where this master is. After moving to the First, he becomes more open and enthusiastic, quickly befriending Taynor and displaying an eagerness both for restoring his own world as well as protecting the First.
== Etymology ==
Unukalhai is the traditional name of Alpha Serpentis, the brightest star in Serpens, a constellation often represented as being held by Ophiuchus. As Ophiuchus is the symbol associated with Elidibus, this is a reference to his connection to the Final Fantasy XIV character of the same name.
==Citations==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Hyur