Ultima (Final Fantasy XIV character)

Ultima, the High Seraph is mysterious extradimensional being in Final Fantasy XIV. She appears as the final boss in the Return to Ivalice raids storyline, having created the auracite the storyline revolves around.
==Profile==
===Origins===
Little is known about Ultima's origins. An extradimensional being, she is said to have been summoned to the Source during the time of ancient Ivalice by Saint Ajora. However, there is reason to believe that this was not the first time Ultima's presence was felt in the world, as before the Sundering, the ancient Athena obtained a piece of auracite, known as the Heart of Sabik, that is speculated came from Ultima.
What is known about Ultima is that before being worshipped, she did not have an identity or sense of self, only gaining sentience after being worshiped by mortals. According to the description given with her real-world collectible statue, mankind's fear of Ultima caused people to worship her, "feeding the extradimensional traveler's empty soul until it brimmed with a force completely alien to Her—a sense of self", making her a "living primal." Ultima's Triple Triad card states that she was once the "embodiment of pure ruination" and that she was fed by the terrified reverence of mankind, such that "by a process not unlike the prayer-fueled creation of a primal" she became self aware.
===Worship===
The Light of Kiltia, also known as the Church of Iocus, teaches that Ultima is a servant of god. On the other hand the Sect of Germonique believes that Ultima is god, who will welcome them into heaven upon their death. Deemed heretical, this sect was banished from Dalmasca years ago.
Various members of the Sect of Germonique joined the Garlean Empire's IVth Imperial Legion. Wielding auracite allegedly given to them by Ultima, they sacrifice their members to summon Lucavi, as they believe that upon death they will be united with Ultima in heaven.
===Auracite===
Auracite are holy stones created by Ultima, through which she spreads her influence. Auracite are capable of granting miracles by absorbing the desires and aether of those who resonate with them and amplifying them and returning them. This process can twist the desires of people, turning them into obsessions, as well as giving rise to Lucavi, monstrous creatures which can come to serve Ultima.
Ultima can create auracite at will, referring to them as mere "baubles" that seemingly hold no meaning to her.
===Ultima spell===
Ultima, the High Seraph, is intrinsically linked with the Ultima spell. The spell is said to come from the Heart of Sabik, a piece of auracite that is implied to come from Ultima. Additionally, certain Lucavi are capable of casting variations on the Ultima spell. The High Seraph was named after the spell as she was known to be able to wield it.
==History==
Ultima's earliest history is unknown. During the time of the Kingdom of Ivalice, she was summoned by the Zodiac Brave Saint Ajora after a 20 year struggle against Holy Ydoran Empire, sinking the capital city of Mullonde. Ajora's fellow Zodiac Braves eventually decried this, claiming that Ajora summoned a demon to do the deed. It is said that following this summoning she was sealed away by the mothercrystal. Centuries later, during the War of the Lions she awoke again and began to spread her influence by use of auracite and the resulting Lucavi. She was eventually confronted by Ramza Beoulve and his party, who sacrificed themselves to ensure she remained sealed in the remains of Mullonde.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood===
Ultima once again awoke and used her connection to the auracite to lure the Warrior of Light to her using Ramza and Alma Lexentale. Ultima sought to use the Warrior of Light as a vessel to circumvent the seal keeping her imprisoned, as Ajora, who originally summoned her, and Ramza, who placed the seal, were Warriors of Light as well. During this confrontation, the Warrior of Light was aided by the spirits of Ramza Beoulve and his party, and Ultima was finally slain.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers===
During the war for the liberation of Bozja, members of the Sect of Germonique call upon the High Seraph while using auracite to summon demons and turn themselves into Lucavi, revealing that worship of Ultima remained unimpeded by her death.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker===
During the Warrior of Light's confrontations with the memories of the ancient Lahabrea, and the revelation that the Heart of Sabik was discovered by his wife, the Warrior of Light can ask if the auracite was a result of Ultima, the High Seraph but receives no answer. Following the defeat of Athena in Pandæmonium, Professor Claudien speculates that the Heart of Sabik most likely came from the High Seraph.
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Ultima's top half appears as an ivory angelic woman adorned with golden filigree. Once freed from her crystalline prison her full form is revealed, revealing a bottom half that appears as a demonic creature with a monstrous face.
===Personality===
After gaining sentience, Ultima seems to believe herself to be a holy object, referring to people as "[her] children", and herself as "[Ivalice's] light", claiming to be the "only god".
==Gameplay==
===Boss fight===
Ultima, the High Seraph is the final boss encounter in . The fight has multiple distinct phases. During the first phase, Ultima, the High Seraph remains stationary on one side of the arena, without positional attacks. During this first phase she will deal high damage auto attacks against the player character with the most enmity and cast Auralight, creating a circular AoE attack around her while dividing the arena in 3 with huge chunks of auracite. She will then cast Holy IV on various players and stationary locations, causing circular AoE attacks that can be deadly if overlapped or taken in quick succession. Following this, the auracite in the arena will clear, and she will cast Grand Cross, summoning huge auracite shards that cast Plummet when appearing and cast Grand Cross themselves, exploding in cross shaped AoE patterns on the floor. Subsequently she will begin summoning demi-Famfrit, demi-Belias, and demi-Hashmal with the abilities Demi-Aquarius, Demi-Aries, and Demi-Leo. Each untargetable add will in turn use their signature move at the same time as Ultima, the High Seraph uses Auralight and Holy IV. She will then once again use Grand Cross. Upon reaching 50% HP, Ultima, the High Seraph will summon all three creatures, forcing players to deal with all of their mechanics at once, while she raises her shields and because untargetable. Afterwards the spirits of Mustadio, Agrias, and Cidolfus will appear and vanquish the demi Lucavi.
Ultima, the High Seraph will begin to cast Ultimate Illusion, which will destroy the arena except for a small portion protected by the the spirits, dealing constant damage even to those inside the arena. Her bottom half will attempt to break through the barrier, becoming targetable as Ruination. This phase is both a DPS check where Ruination must be defeated before the Barrier Strength meter is depleted, as well as a heal check, as constant damage will be outputted while this is happening. If the Barrier Strength meter empties out completely, the raid will be wiped. Once Ruination is defeated, Ultimate Illusion will destroy the barrier, dealing increased damage until the raid is saved by the spirit of Ramza Beoulve.
Entering this next phase, Ultima, the High Seraph acts as a new enemy, her health at max. Here she follows the player character with highest enmity and can receive positional attacks. She will first use Demi-Virgo to summon Dominions to shoot lasers across the arena, while summoning wind using Westward March to push their positions. She will then cast Grand Cross like during the first phase, summoning three auracite shards, but using the wind to move them and rearrange the cross shaped AoE attacks. She will then use Demi-Virgo to summon more Dominions, these time ones that must be intercepted before they fall to the ground and deal raidwide damage and inflicting a stacking enfeeblement. Players can intercept the Dominions by standing in the spot they will land, classing with them and sending them back into the sky. Those that do this will receive a temporary buff that will increase their damage. She will then once again cast Demi-Virgo, summoning an untargetable Dominion that will tether to one player character, which must be taken subsequently by multiple other player characters to stop the mechanic. While this is resolving, Ultima, the High Seraph will continue attacking, using Holy IV. 
Upon reaching another health threshold, Ultima, the High Seraph will teleport to one edge of the arena and push all player characters to the other, afflicting them with the enfeeblement, preventing them from using any Action. The arena will now have a small maze between the players and Ultima, the High Seraph, while a wall of instant death approaches from the side the player characters were sent to. During this phase, Dominions will fly across the arena occasionally doing circular AoE damage around them, affected by the wind that Ultima, the High Seraph occasionally produces, and some players will be affected by the enfeeblement, which will deal high damage to them if they are moving or performing an action when the enfeeblement runs out. This forces players to rush through the maze, avoiding the AoEs and stopping when appropriate, to reach a small area around Ultima, the High Seraph where the Out of the Action enfeeblement is removed and they can attack the boss. Players that reach Ultima, the High Seraph will occasionally be targeted by Holy IV, forcing them to step back into the zone that causes the enfeeblement, to avoid doing high damage to their alliances.
After this is resolved, Ultima, the High Seraph will mix and match different actions from the final phase with increasing frequency. Eventually she will begin to cast her tank buster with more frequency until she is defeated.
===Triple Triad===
 
Card number 233, "Ultima, the High Seraph", is a Triple Triad card registerable by using the item, obtainable from the Orbonne Monastery, or from defeating Hanagasa in a game of Triple Triad. It is a Legendary (6 star) card, that is not a member of any card family.
==Musical themes==
"St. Ajora's Theme" plays during the introductory cutscene and "Ultima's Transformation" plays during the first phase of the battle against Ultima in the Orbonne Monastery. "Descent" plays during the transition phase, with "Ultima's Perfection" playing during the final phase of the battle.
==Behind the scenes==
Ultima, the High Seraph was introduced as part of the "Return to Ivalice" raid series. Like many things in that storyline, she is a reference to the character from the Ivalice Alliance games. Her design, while taking some cues from her Final Fantasy XII incarnation, is original. Her appearance from Final Fantasy Tactics is used for the Dominion additional mobs she spawns during the fight, which she summons with the spell Demi-Virgo, a reference to her association with the Virgo auracite.
==Etymology==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Antagonists