Mog (Final Fantasy XIII-2)

Mog is a character in the Lightning Saga, appearing as a supporting character in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. 
In Final Fantasy XIII-2, Mog accompanies Serah Farron and Noel Kreiss on their journey through time, teaching them about the game's mechanics, and acting as Serah's weapon in battle. In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Mog leads the Moogle Village in the Wildlands of Nova Chrysalia.
== Datalog ==
=== Final Fantasy XIII-2 ===
Mog is a small, mysterious creature covered in white fur. He has bat-like wings that he often beats as he flits around, but his power of flight does not appear to rely on them.
Mog has a crystal bobble that reacts to the presence of anomalies, and he is proficient at finding lost objects, but his most astounding feature is his ability to transform into a weapon. With the right components available, Mog is capable of evolving into even more powerful weaponry.
Lightning came across Mog in Valhalla, and asked the strange little being to act as Serah's protector and good luck charm.
Although he closely resembles the fictitious moogles described in Cocoon's fairy tales, the connection is uncertain.
=== Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII ===
When Lightning first found herself stumbling through the unfamiliar world of Valhalla, Mog was the first friend she made. Later, Lightning asked Mog to go help Serah and Noel on their adventure.
After the adventure, it was unclear what had happened to Mog, but it appears that he was reunited with his fellow moogles and named chief of their village.
He quickly picked up the name "Mog", short for "moogle". This is because, at the time when he was first called by this name, no one knew that there might be other moogles in existence—including Mog himself.
Once, long ago, in the warrior's realm of Valhalla, Mog challenged Lightning, but in the pitched battle that ensued, he was defeated by three scissors in a row and quickly surrendered. He is always looking for shortcuts to an easy life.
== Profile ==
=== Appearance ===
Mog is a white moogle with a human-sized head that is big compared to his body. He has oblique eyes, a big round nose, puffy pink cheeks, small ears, short arms and legs, purple bat wings, and a pink crystal bobble instead of a traditional fluffy pom-pom on a black antenna. In Final Fantasy XIII-2, he carries a clock staff composed of a blue rod, a bronze clock with a white clock face adorned with the same kind of crystal as on Mog's antenna. In the "Time's Shell" fragment entry in Final Fantasy XIII-2, Mog claims his body is just a puppet and that he exists inside the clock. This is contradicted by another fragment where Mog insists he is not a puppet and is offended when the Arbiter of Time calls him such. In other fragment entries, Mog elaborates it is his crystal bobble rather than his wings that enable him to fly.
Downloadable content lets the player choose a new look for Mog. The sixteen different designs contain a pirate look and a panda look, among others. Some of the outfits are reused in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII as moogles from the Moogle Village.
In Lightning Returns, Mog's overall appearance remains the same, but he now wears a small gold-and-red crown with a green jewel.
=== Personality ===
Mog is shy and reluctant to talk at first, but he shows to be a caring and lively being with a spunky and sarcastic side as time passes. Whenever he feels a strong emotion, he expresses himself in an over-the-top manner. He hides behind Serah whenever scared and doesn't like people holding or poking him. Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments After details Mog's friendship with Lightning, revealing he challenged her despite being at a disadvantage. Mog is depressed and lonely without friends, and is indebted to Lightning for her compassion towards him, and swears to "follow her until the day he dies".
Despite initially keeping his distance, Mog bonds with Serah, hovering around her when she is knocked out in battle and fretting until she is revived. As Serah and Noel help Mog recall things from his past in Oerba from 300 to 400 AF, he chooses not to take what might be his only chance at returning home and claims his new home is at Serah's side. Despite his initial distaste, Mog warms up to Snow, occasionally commenting on him. Mog has a greedy side, displayed in Bresha Ruins at 100 and 300 AF, where he schemes to solve the area's monster infestation and secure a bounty of gil from the government as compensation. His voice becomes sinister, a change from his usual easy-going personality, as he dreams of earning "all the gil my little heart could desire, kupo".
Mog has a sense of humor as seen in the paradox ending, "Mischievous Mog's Marvelous Plan with Flan", and various Live Trigger conversations. For example, in the Yaschas Massif 10 AF, Mog plays along with Serah's joke about Fenrir's appearance if the player chooses the "Moogle Conspiracy" answer to the Live Trigger regarding the fal'Cie's appearance. In the paradox ending, Mog shows a diabolical nature as he describes feeding the poison flan to the giant flan, noting it would "keel over and die on the spot". Mog has a temper, his eyes changing shape to show his angry face, and he'll blow a raspberry at the person vexing him and flail his wand.
Mog attracts others' attention with his appearance and the use of his talents. When using his Moogle Hunt or Throw abilities in Final Fantasy XIII-2, NPCs will run over to watch or chase him as he flies toward his target. As shown with the Miniflan in the Sunleth Waterscape at 400 AF, Mog understands the languages of monsters.
In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Mog is full of regret for his perceived failings but remains the same moogle Lightning knew centuries before. Mog has reunited with his brethren and displays a new leadership skill in heading the moogles' village deep in the Jagd Woods of the Wildlands.
== Story ==
===Early life===
Mog originates from the Ocean of Time, a place abundant with moogles. While playing hide-and-seek with his friends, Mog was sucked into a paradox, losing his memories of his home, friends, and family. Mog drifted into the Void Beyond, and during his travel encountered a chocobo chick and many other various creatures in many humorous encounters, including those with five Flan, a Centaurion Blade, an Imp and his Ahriman friend, and the Proto fal'Cie Adam.
=== Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments After ===
Mog ends up in Valhalla, battling the Eidolon Odin and the knight Valfodr upon learning the realm's rule is that the weak serve the strong. Neither wanted anything to do with the moogle due to his weakness. When Lightning finds him Mog tells her off for mistaking him for a stuffed toy and pushes away her attempts to help him.
To rid himself of his title as the "Weakest Monster of the Void", Mog challenges Lightning to a duel, but loses. However, instead of abandoning him, Lightning takes him under her wing. According to the fragments obtained in Oerba, the "duel" between Mog and Lightning was a rock-paper-scissors match. His Datalog entry in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII confirms this, stating that he was "defeated by three scissors in a row and quickly surrendered". Nevertheless, Mog pledges to serve her forever and tells Lightning about Valhalla, the Void Beyond, and the goddess Etro. He accompanies Lightning and Odin to the Temple of the Goddess, but stays outside with Odin as they are denied entry. While Lightning battles the throne guardian Bahamut, she loses her weapon. Sensing Lightning in danger, Mog breaks the rules and comes to her aid. Mog transforms into a bow for Lightning, who defeats Bahamut. She goes before Etro's throne and is made the goddess's champion.
=== Final Fantasy XIII-2 ===
During her battle with Caius Ballad, Lightning summons Mog and gives him to Noel Kreiss to pass on to Serah as a gift and good luck charm. Noel travels to the Gran Pulse village of New Bodhum in 3 AF, where he meets Serah, who is surprised to hear Lightning now lives in Valhalla. Mog follows Serah and Noel to a meteorite crash site, which turns out to be a Time Gate. The next morning, Mog uses his item-detecting ability to help Noel and Serah find an artefact to activate the Time Gate, and the trio enters the Historia Crux.
They emerge in the Bresha Ruins 5 AF in Cocoon where they are attacked by Atlas, and an Academy researcher Alyssa Zaidelle enlists their help in defeating it. When Serah and Noel witness a defeated monster turn into a crystal, Mog speaks for the first time, explaining the monster is now under their control. As Serah and Noel approach the device capable of weakening Atlas, they are dragged into a paradox. Mog follows them into the Temporal Rift and explains they need to solve the puzzle to get out.
After defeating Atlas, the trio travels to the Yaschas Massif in 10 AF, where they meet Academy leader Hope Estheim and his assistant Alyssa. They talk about the Farseers and the seeress Yeul who had the power to glimpse the future. To resolve the paradox affecting the area, the trio ventures to Oerba in 200 AF, where they encounter this era's Caius and Yeul. After solving the paradox, they return to the Yaschas Massif in 1X AF, an alternate reality where the eclipse never happened. After meeting with Hope and Alyssa again, Mog senses a new gate in the area, which Serah and Noel use to emerge in the Void Beyond, a place Mog says is the area between Time Gates.
They travel to the Sunleth Waterscape 300 AF and find Serah's fiancé, Snow. Noel, Serah, and Mog travel to the Coliseum and the Archylte Steppe in ??? AF and retrieve the White and Black Hole fragments before returning to the Sunleth Waterscape to resolve the paradox manifesting the Royal Ripeness. Leaving the Sunleth Waterscape, Serah, Mog, and Noel emerge in the Void Beyond and travel to the highly-advanced Pulsian city of Academia in 400 AF, where they witness citizens transformed into Cie'th. They encounter Caius and chase him through the Cie'th-infested city before coming across Yeul, surrounded by Cie'th. Yeul is attacked by Zenobia—whom the party promptly defeats—and succumbs to her wounds, leaving behind an artefact.
In the Augusta Tower in 200 AF, the party learns Hope created the Proto fal'Cie Adam to re-levitate Cocoon. The party talks with the Yeul they previously met in Oerba and battles Adam. Serah uses Mog to intercept the Proto fal'Cie's attack before Noel uses Mog to fire at the fal'Cie's core. Receiving a shock from the ordeal, Mog says, "You guys play rough, kupo", while Serah and Noel call him a hero for saving the day. When the Proto fal'Cie revives itself through a paradox, Serah yells at Hope for creating it, and it vanishes as Hope received Serah's message through the Oracle Drive.
Arriving in Academia 4XX AF, Serah, Noel, and Mog are greeted by Hope and Alyssa. Unsure if they are the real deal, Mog inspects Hope before the latter puts their minds at ease. After helping out Hope's "New Cocoon Project", Alyssa gives the trio an artefact. Before leaving through a new Time Gate, Mog, Noel, and Serah say their goodbyes, but Mog notices Alyssa smirking before he heads into the gate after Serah and Noel. A dislodged piece of the Historia Crux knocks Mog out, but Serah saves him. The two get separated from Noel and emerge in Valhalla's shadow in the Void Beyond. Mog's soul is separated from his body, and he is unable to interact with Serah. After Serah's confrontation with Caius, Mog continues to follow her throughout her dream in the Void where she encounters Vanille and Fang who help her save Noel from his dream world.
While Noel and Serah activate the Oracle Drive at the Farseers' Relic in the Dying World in 700 AF, Lightning frees Mog's soul from the Void Beyond, returning it to his body. Mog brings Serah and Noel new information from Lightning about Caius, explaining he is the one creating the paradoxes around the timeline. In New Bodhum 700 AF, they meet with Lightning, who tells them how she came to Valhalla and became Etro's protector and how Caius plans to kill the goddess. Mog reveals a Time Gate to the year 500 AF, the time of the prophecy when Caius attempts to destroy both the old Cocoon and Hope's New Cocoon. Once there, they fight Caius in his Chaos Bahamut and human forms until a wormhole opens in the sky. Mog, Noel, and Serah follow after Caius into the hole and emerge in Valhalla. After Caius impales himself with Noel's sword and fades away, numerous Time Gates appear throughout Valhalla. Mog says they've solved the final paradox and that he doesn't sense Lightning in Valhalla.
They return to Gran Pulse at 500 AF through a Time Gate where the new Cocoon, Bhunivelze, has risen into the sky, and the gate to Valhalla closes. Serah dies after having a vision of the future through her Eyes of Etro, and Hope joins Mog and Noel as they mourn for her. The world darkens, Mog grows weak and faints in Hope's embrace, saying Etro is gone. When Caius died, the Heart of Chaos stopped beating, killing Etro. Without her, the unrestrained chaos consumes Gran Pulse along with Bhunivelze, and the world merges with Valhalla.
In the paradox ending, "Mischievous Mog's Marvelous Plan with Flan", monsters take over Sunleth Waterscape at ??? AF under the rule of a new giant flan, which plans to eliminate humans and make monsters the dominant species. Noel and Serah magically disguise themselves as a Microchu and Miniflan to move about unnoticed. With Mog's help, they plan to confect a poisonous flan to kill the giant flan. After Noel tells Mog to find the rest of the ingredients for the poison flan, Mog gets annoyed with having to do all the work and says that Noel will be the first to taste the poisonous flan before laughing maniacally.
=== Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII ===
Pulled into a vortex of chaos, Mog wandered the Void Beyond for centuries before being reunited with his moogle companions. In Nova Chrysalia, a new world formed in the wake of Gran Pulse and Valhalla's merge where no one ages, the moogles built a village in the Jagd Woods of the Wildlands with Mog as their leader.
Lightning saves the village from monsters and meets Mog, who tries to run, but Lightning greets him with a smile. Mog regrets he could not save Serah, but Lightning takes the blame and explains Serah will be revived in a new world that will come into existence after Nova Chrysalia's destruction. Lightning asks Mog to be there to welcome Serah just in case she can't.
An overjoyed Mog tries to hug Lightning, but she is uncomfortable with such displays of affection and flicks him off, angering him. When Lightning has healed her white chocobo, the Angel of Valhalla, Mog comments on having a feeling of familiarity with him. After Lightning has completed her quest in the Temple of the Goddess, Mog recognizes the Angel of Valhalla as Odin and tells Lightning he battled Odin in Valhalla before he met her. Lightning hopes Mog and Odin will be friends, and a reluctant Mog promises to try.
On the world's final day, Mog appears in the Ark after Hope disappears to assume the boy's role in selling Lightning items in exchange for EP. After the Soulsong has been stopped, and Lightning's friends have been captured by Bhunivelze, Mog appears in God's Sanctum of the Luxerion Cathedral and rallies Lightning on before her final battle. Although he intended to aid her directly, Lightning requested that he stay behind so he would act as a "lighthouse beacon" for Serah's soul. After Lightning battles Bhunivelze, Mog finds the revived Serah along with Sazh and Dajh, and joins Lightning to help finish Bhunivelze off for good. Mog joins the departing Eidolons, giving Serah a parting hug as she tells him they will meet again.
=== Final Fantasy XIII: Reminiscence -tracer of memories- ===
While Serah and their friends start their lives anew in the new world, Mog ends up in the new middle realm between the living world and the unseen realm, where souls pass through to either be reborn or to fade into the Chaos. Mog appears to Aoede during her near-death experience to guide her back to the land of the living once she learns she is merely unconscious. He is described as a "soft and fluffy whiteness, carrying a rose colored lantern". Before leaving, he tells Aoede, "It's alright. You can go home now, kupo!"
== Gameplay ==
In Final Fantasy XIII-2, Mog not only transforms into Serah's weapon, but can execute the Mog Clock pre-battle system and detect hidden treasures on the field with Moogle Hunt. Noel and Serah can throw Mog toward out-of-reach areas through the Moogle Throw command.
The Moogle Hunt command, available after helping a soldier in the Bresha Ruins, unveils hidden or "phased out" items. Usually, if there are hidden items in the area, Mog's pom-pom will flash, and he will approach the area where the item is hidden. Pressing / expands a disc of light from Mog, and treasure, fragments or even phased out people within its radius become visible. The unveiled items can then be retrieved as normal. The player must be close enough to Mog for the Moogle Hunt command to activate.
As the player gains Mog's trust, the Moogle Throw command will become available in the Sunleth Waterscape, allowing the player to throw Mog to a location where he can attain out-of-reach treasures, although Mog will protest. The player can throw Mog by holding / to aim, and / to throw. Interacting with something before Mog can obtain treasure will force him back to the party's side.
There are two fragment skills that augment Mog's abilities. "Mog's Manifestation", obtained from the mystic in Serendipity, unlocks Advanced Moogle Throw, allowing Mog to always retrieve items when thrown. "Mobile Mog" reduces Moogle Throw's cooldown time and is acquired after obtaining all fragments from Oerba in all time periods, including Oerba ??? AF.
Mog-themed items can also be obtained as adornments in both Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
== Shop ==
Near the end of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Mog sells items in Luxerion Cathedral's God's Sanctum. His shop is called Moogle Supply Depot.
== Other appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy Trading Card Game ===
Mog appears in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as multiple Ice-elemental Backup cards.
Mog Panda TCG.png|Moogle (XIII-2) [8-027C] Chapter series card.
Mog XIII-2 TCG.png|Moogle (XIII-2) [11-037U] Chapter series card.
Mog5 TCG.png|Moogle (XIII-2) [14-035U] Chapter series card.
Moogle_PR.png|Moogle (XIII-2) [PR-026] Chapter series card.
Mog Treasure TCG.png|Moogle (XIII-2) [T-001] Chapter series card.
Mog (XIII-2) 1-196S from FFTCG Opus.jpg|Mog (XIII-2) [1-196S] Opus series card.
Mog (XIII-2) 5-153S from FFTCG Opus.jpg|Mog (XIII-2) [5-153S] Opus series card.
===Other media===
Mog Clock is a weapon in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade and Final Fantasy XIV.
Although Mog does not appear in Final Fantasy XIII, an emoticon of him can be obtained from the crafting system on Steam, with Final Fantasy XIII cards.
FFAB Mog's Clock SR.png|Mog Clock in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.
FFXIII Mog Steam Emoticon.png|Mog Steam emoticon.
== Behind the scenes ==
In Final Fantasy XIII, moogles only appear on the sign for the Moogleworks shop. Motomu Toriyama, director of Final Fantasy XIII-2, said that having a moogle as a mascot type character in the sequel is fan service. The team also intends to show moogles as a symbol for the Final Fantasy series and make it easier for players to get involved in the game's rather serious main story. Mog was designed by Toshitaka Matsuda, who was the lead art designer of Final Fantasy XIII. His design was chosen over other possible designs made by various members of the development team. It was based on the idea of a "baby moogle" with exaggerated features.
The clock face of Mog's staff is divided into twelve sections like clocks in the real world, as opposed to the thirteen-sectioned clock face seen Nautilus and Oerba's Deserted Schoolhouse, as two hours were lost due to Etro's intervention at the end of Final Fantasy XIII. (For some reason, Mog does not have his clock staff in the ending FMV.) By completing quests, Lightning can bring back the lost hours in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
A doll of Mog is present in Chocolina's chest. Humorously, according to the Brain Blast quiz, Serah and Noel's journey through time caused a "moogle throw simulator" research project to receive funding.
=== Voice ===
Mog is voiced by Ariel Winter in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Bailey Gambertoglio in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
Sumire Morohoshi voices Mog in Japanese.
The English and Japanese voice actors for Final Fantasy XIII-2 also voiced Marlene Wallace in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, Moglin in Final Fantasy Type-0 and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call, and in the Kingdom Hearts series.
The sound designers struggled with Mog's voice, especially ad-libbing or responsive sounds and answers. "Kupo" is Mog's main means of communication, but with each scene, the emotion is different. The sound designers divided the "kupo" into categories such as "angry", "sad", and "happy", and recorded it many times in different ways. Afterward, the team chose which "kupo" applied to the situation. There are times Mog speaks quite a bit, but at first, during the beginning stages of development, the team had made him talk too much to the point of Mog talking nonstop while navigating the map. Through trial and error, the designers changed the occurrence patterns and the script to balance things out.
If the player loads a save around the beginning of the game any time after Noel appears in New Bodhum, Mog may be heard narrating "Final Fantasy XIII-2: The story so far, kupo!" even though he hasn't yet been revealed to say more than "kupo!"
== Merchandise ==
Ultimate Prize winners of the Word to Your Moogle tour received a pink and white PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 featuring Mog. A tag featuring Mog was also available in the Japanese Square Enix shop.
Glico, the snack company, has been working with Square Enix to promote Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII in Japan. Friend Bakery has Mog and Chocobo chick on its wrapper.
Moogle Tour XIII-2 PS3 Xbox360.jpg|Special edition PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 available for prize winners.
Mog tag.jpg|Mog tag.
LR_Friend_Bakery.jpg|Mog and Chocobo Chick on Glico Friend Bakery wrapper.
== Gallery ==
;Final Fantasy XIII-2
Mog Sketches FFXIII-2.jpg|Various concept sketches of Mog.
Mog Determined FFXIII-2.jpg|Determined Mog artwork.
Hot Mog FFXIII-2.jpg|Hot Mog artwork.
Enraged Mog FFXIII-2.jpg|Enraged Mog artwork.
Mog Happy FFXIII-2.jpg|Happy Mog artwork.
Struggling_Mog_Artwork.png|Struggling Mog artwork.
Sleeping Mog FFXIII-2.jpg|Sleeping Mog artwork.
SadMog_Artwork.png|Sad Mog artwork.
AngryMogArt.png|Angry Mog artwork.
XIII_Mog_Costumes_concept.jpg|Mog's alternate outfits artwork.
FFXIII-2-Mog-Model.png|Mog's in-game render.
XIII-2_Mog.jpg|Mog meets Serah.
Noel_and_Mog_with_Serah_at_night.jpg|Mog being held by Serah while she talks to Noel.
Mog talks.jpg|Mog talks to Noel and Serah in Academia 4XX AF.
Mog_laughing.png|Mog laughing.
Mog_and_Serah_Victory_Pose.jpg|Mog and Serah's victory pose.
FFXIII2 Starseeker FMV.png|Mog as the Starseeker bowsword.
Pirate mog.jpg|Mog in the Pirate DLC outfit.
Mog dlc.jpg|Mog in the Devil DLC outfit.
Mog dlc2.jpg|Mog in the Dog DLC outfit.
FFXIII-2 Mog Crystal DLC.png|Mog in the Crystal DLC outfit.
Mog dlc3.jpg|Mog in the Fashionista DLC outfit.
Mog dlc4.jpg|Mog in the Cat DLC outfit.
FFXIII-2 Serah Costume DLC Choice 1.jpg|Artwork of Mog alongside Serah's "Exposure and Defense" DLC outfit (the outfit for Mog does not appear in-game).
FFXIII-2 Serah Costume DLC Choice 2.jpg|Artwork of Mog alongside Serah's "Red Riding Hood" DLC outfit (does not appear in-game).
Serah Victory Pose.gif|Serah's victory pose.
;Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
LRFFXIII_Mog_and_Lightning.png|Mog and Lightning.
LRFFXIII-Moogle-Queen-Victory-Pose.png|Lightning's DLC Moogle Queen garb.
LRFFXIII Mog's Shield.png|Lightning's DLC Mog's Shield.
LRFFXIII Mog's Staff Weapon.png|Lightning's DLC Mog's Staff.
==Etymology==
Mog is a recurring name for a moogle in the Final Fantasy series. Noel calls him "Piggy Kitty" when a Breshan researcher asks about his name. Moogles first appeared in Final Fantasy III where they said "nyaa", the Japanese onomatopoeia for "meow", which was replaced with "kupo". Moogles in some games resemble a pig; hence the 'piggy' part of the nickname.
Although officially called "Mog" some official material calls him The Moogle or just Moogle, for example in the EU wallpaper . Mog's name in Japanese is "Moogle" instead of "Mog" . His entry in the Datalog of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII suggests his real name is not Mog and that he doesn't know his real name.
== Citations ==
de:Mog (FFXIII-2)
fr:Mog/Final Fantasy XIII-2
pt-br:Mog (Final Fantasy XIII-2)
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIII-2
Category:Weapons in Final Fantasy XIII-2
Category:Characters in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Category:Moogles