Pandaemonium (Final Fantasy II)

Pandaemonium, sometimes spelled Pandemonium, is the final dungeon of Final Fantasy II. The capital of Hell, it was initially ruled by Satan until his defeat by the Emperor, and was afterwards risen to the surface upon his return to the mortal world as the Hell Emperor. Its advent destroys and replaces Castle Palamecia.
== Story ==
Many centuries ago, a great hole opened in the world, and many monsters spilled out. After them, the palace of Hell, Pandaemonium, rose from it. The people, fearing for their lives, made the ultimate spell, Ultima. Using this spell, they managed to seal the palace back from where it came. However, the monsters still remained, and the mages who cast Ultima, fearing their new power, went away and founded the town of mages, Mysidia, in a secluded area. Here, they sealed the Ultima Tome away, so that no one else could use its power.
After the party killed the Emperor, his soul, or rather, the dark half of it, goes to Hell. Here, he absorbs the dark powers, and becomes Emperor of Hell. Using his new powers, he is able to raise Pandaemonium to the Earth again, where Palamecia used to stand.
The party travels through the Jade Passage, and arrives in Pandaemonium. Here, they travel to the top and find the Emperor. They manage to defeat him in battle, and with his powers now gone, Pandaemonium once again sinks back into Hell.
== Items ==
Item 	Location
Ether 	Second Floor
Elixir (other versions)/ Eye drops (NES)	Third Floor
Genji Gloves 	Fourth Floor (5Fa) left room, guarded by Zombie Borghen
Genji Helm 	Fourth Floor (5Fb) left room, guarded by Tiamat
Genji Armor 	Fourth Floor (6Fb) right room, guarded by Beelzebub
Ribbon 	Fourth Floor (6Fa) right room, guarded by Astaroth
Masamune 	Fifth Floor, secret room*
Sage's Wisdom 	Seventh Floor
Hellfire 	Eighth Floor
Acid Phial 	Eighth Floor
- *From the fourth floor, entering through the first door from left to right to the fifth floor, the secret passage is on the lower right of the most northeast part of the room.
== Enemies ==
=== 1F ===
* [18.8%] Mantis Devil x1-4
* [18.8%] Death Rider x1-4
* [18.8%] Death Rider x1-2, Mantis Devil x0-2
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-5
* [9.4%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-2, Coeurl x0-2
* [9.4%] Mythril Golem x1-2
* [4.7%] Mythril Golem, Death Rider x0-2
* [1.6%] Beast Demon x2-4
=== 2F ===
* [18.8%] Death Rider x1-2, Mantis Devil x0-2
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-5
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-2, Coeurl x0-2
* [18.8%] Mythril Golem x1-2
* [9.4%] Mythril Golem, Death Rider x0-2
* [9.4%] Beast Demon x2-4
* [4.7%] Coeurl x1-6
* [1.6%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
=== 3F ===
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-5
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-2, Coeurl x0-2
* [18.8%] Mythril Golem x1-2
* [18.8%] Mythril Golem, Death Rider x0-2
* [9.4%] Beast Demon x2-4
* [9.4%] Coeurl x1-6
* [4.7%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
* [1.6%] Devil Wolf x2-5
=== 4F ===
* [18.8%] Death Rider x1-2, Mantis Devil
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-5
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Lamia x0-2, Coeurl x0-2
* [18.8%] Mythril Golem x1-2
* [9.4%] Mythril Golem, Death Rider x0-2
* [9.4%] Beast Demon x2-4
* [4.7%] Coeurl x1-6
* [1.6%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
==== 4FA/5F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ====
* [18.8%] Mythril Golem, Death Rider x0-2
* [18.8%] Beast Demon x2-4
* [18.8%] Coeurl x1-6
* [18.8%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
* [9.4%] Devil Wolf x2-5
* [9.4%] Lamia Queen, Coeurl x0-5
* [4.7%] Devil Wolf x1-3, Great Malboro x0-1, Ice Lizard x0-2
* [1.6%] Iron Giant
* Zombie Borghen (Boss)
* Tiamat (Boss)
==== 4FB/6F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ====
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Coeurl x0-5
* [18.8%] Devil Wolf x2-5
* [18.8%] Coeurl x1-6
* [18.8%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
* [9.4%] Devil Wolf x1-3, Great Malboro x0-1, Ice Lizard x0-2
* [9.4%] Fire Gigas, Bomb x3-4
* [4.7%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
* [1.6%] Iron Giant
* Beelzebub (Boss)
* Astaroth (Boss)
==== 4F Secret Room ====
* [18.8%] Roundworm x1-3
* [18.8%] Fire Gigas
* [18.8%] Ice Gigas
* [18.8%] Red Dragon
* [9.4%] King Behemoth
* [9.4%] Blue Dragon
* [4.7%] Thunder Gigas, Bomb x0-5
* [1.6%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
=== 5F/7F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ===
* [18.8%] Devil Wolf x2-5
* [18.8%] Beast Demon x1-3, Devil's Bloom x0-2
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Coeurl x0-5
* [18.8%] Devil Wolf x1-3, Great Malboro x0-1, Ice Lizard x0-2
* [9.4%] Fire Gigas, Bomb x3-4
* [9.4%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
* [4.7%] Thunder Gigas, Bomb x0-5
* [1.6%] Iron Giant
=== 6F/8F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ===
* [18.8%] Lamia Queen, Coeurl x0-5
* [18.8%] Devil Wolf x1-3, Great Malboro x0-1, Ice Lizard x0-2
* [18.8%] Fire Gigas, Bomb x3-4
* [18.8%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
* [9.4%] Thunder Gigas, Bomb x0-5
* [9.4%] Blue Dragon
* [4.7%] King Behemoth
* [1.6%] Roundworm x1-3
=== 7F/9F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ===
* [18.8%] Devil Wolf x1-3, Great Malboro x0-1, Ice Lizard x0-2
* [18.8%] Fire Gigas, Bomb x3-4
* [18.8%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
* [18.8%] Thunder Gigas, Bomb x0-5
* [9.4%] Blue Dragon
* [9.4%] King Behemoth
* [4.7%] Roundworm x1-3
* [1.6%] Fire Gigas
=== 8F/10F(PSP 20th Anniversary Edition) ===
* [18.8%] Ice Gigas, Bomb x2-4
* [18.8%] Thunder Gigas, Bomb x0-5
* [18.8%] Blue Dragon
* [18.8%] King Behemoth
* [9.4%] Roundworm x1-3
* [9.4%] Fire Gigas
* [4.7%] Ice Gigas
* [1.6%] Red Dragon
* Emperor (Boss)
== Musical themes ==
The background music is called "Castle Pandemonium". The theme was remixed and included in Final Fantasy IX as the theme for Castle Pandemonium. It was also remixed for Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, and this version. The original as well as the Dissidia 012 arrangement also appear in the Dissidia Final Fantasy NT and in the Final Fantasy XV music player. The Pixel Remaster version adds in a choir singing Latin at various points.
== Other appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy Tactics ===
Pandaemonium was mentioned as one of the wonders in Final Fantasy Tactics, although the overall description has more similarities to Castle Palamecia than to the actual Pandaemonium. It bears the following description:
:The capital of the ancient Palamecian Empire. The towering mountain range encircling the city guarded it from even the most ambitious airship captains. A warping device was the only means of bypassing this natural barrier.
=== Dissidia Final Fantasy ===
Pandaemonium is the representative arena of Final Fantasy II in Dissidia. Here, Warrior of Light, Tidus, and Firion each battle the Emperor in their respective storylines, and Zidane speaks to Cosmos here. Terra and Onion Knight also have an encounter with Exdeath here, as does Bartz.
The palace is perhaps the most closed-in arena in the game, with many walls, low ceilings, and few open areas. The center of the stage contains a Banish Trap at the bottom of a pit over which hang a handful of small, square platforms. The stage's Ω form causes patches of ground to randomly turn red and black. When this occurs, spikes randomly appear and pierce upwards when the characters battle over these patches of ground, damaging their Bravery by a set percentage and adding it to the Bravery pool. Perhaps fittingly, the Emperor's trap abilities work fairly well here due to the lack of space to maneuver in.
The Demon's Soul is the battlegen item obtained through stage destruction in this area.
==== Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy ====
Pandaemonium returns as an arena in Dissidia 012. Additionally, the top floor of Pandaemonium appears as a new arena called "Pandaemonium - Top floor". Unlike the Pandaemonium Arena, which is a very closed-in space, the Top Floor is fairly spacious and wide. Numerous crystal formations litter the arena, and can be broken and stood on as platforms.
The Emperor's throne lays against the far wall. Here, the Emperor speaks to Golbez about the Warriors of Cosmos and how they acquired knowledge confidential to Chaos's forces, before telling him about his plans to infuse Jecht with Chaos's powers.
Later in the thirteenth conflict, Zidane reassures the Onion Knight, who worries over the possibility that summoned warriors are simply manikins made into what they are now.
Along with the Crystal Tower, Phantom Train, and the Prima Vista, the top floor of Pandaemonium has no Omega version. Its battlegen item, obtained through stage destruction, is the Palamecian Gem.
=== Dissidia Final Fantasy NT ===
A new version of Pandaemonium appears as a stage. It is a faithful recreation of the seventh floor of the original game's dungeon, featuring sloped elevated platforms, destructible pillars, and demonic traps. The brightly colored walls are noticeably darker, and appear more organic and demonic.
In the stage transition, the walls and roof disappear, a thunderous and warped sky can be seen, and crystal spikes circle the stage. As such, the stage is a fusion of both Pandaemonium stages in the PSP versions.
=== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call ===
The top floor of Pandaemonium, as it appeared in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, appears as the BMS for "Battle 2".
=== Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade ===
FFAB Pandaemonium FFII Special.png|Background. [FFII].
FFAB Pandaemonium (Omega) DDFF Special.png|Pandaemonium (Omega) (Special) [D012].
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
==Behind the scenes==
The last floor of Pandaemonium is crystalline, which could be an allusion to the Divine Comedy in which Lucifer, or in this case the Lord of Hell, is at the middle of the lowest circle of hell, the Cocytus, which is a frozen lake.
According to a rebel soldier in the castle of Fynn, the appearance of Pandaemonium on the surface is an illusion and the real castle is still in hell.
In the PSP/iOS version's ending, although the narration mentions that Pandaemonium vanished without a trace, crystals mirroring that of Pandaemonium are seen in the cave.
== Gallery ==
FFII Pandemonium Map.png|Pandaemonium's Map (GBA).
NES Palamecia.gif|Pandaemonium's field sprite (NES).
Pandaemonium from FFII Pixel Remaster sprite.png|Map sprite from Pixel Remaster.
FF II NES - Pandaemonium First Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's First Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Second Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Second Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Third Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Third Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Fourth Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Fourth Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Fourth Floor 1.jpg|Pandaemonium's Fourth Floor's Left Rooms (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Fourth Floor 2.jpg|Pandaemonium's Fourth Floor's Right Rooms (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Fifth Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Fifth Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Sixth Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Sixth Floor (NES).
FF II NES - Pandaemonium Seventh Floor.jpg|Pandaemonium's Seventh Floor (NES).
FFII NES Final Floor Pandaemonium.png|Final Floor (NES).
Pandaemonium BG1 NES.gif|Pandaemonium's lower floors' battle background (NES).
Pandaemonium BG2 NES.gif|Pandaemonium's upper floors' battle background (NES).
FFII Pandaemonium PS.png|Pandaemonium (PS).
Pandaemonium.png|Pandaemonium (GBA).
FFII Background Pandaemonium1.PNG|Castle Pandemonium's lower floors' battle background (GBA).
FFII Background Pandaemonium2.PNG|Castle Pandemonium's upper floors' battle background (GBA).
FFII Background Pandaemonium3.PNG|Emperor battle's battle background (GBA).
PSP Pandaemonium.png|Pandemonium on the world map (PSP).
Pandaemonium concept art.png|Concept art from Dissidia.
== Etymology ==
de:Pandämonium (FFII)
es:Pandemónium (Final Fantasy II)
it:Pandaemonium (Final Fantasy II)
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy II
Category:Castles
Category:Arenas in Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)
Category:Arenas in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Category:Final dungeons