Earth Crystal (term)

The Earth Crystal , also called Crystal of Earth, is a recurring plot element in the Final Fantasy series. One of the four elemental Crystals, it holds the energy of Earth, one of the prime elements, and it is associated with the power of earth and life, and the soil's prosperity and decay. The color brown is mostly used for the Earth Crystal.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy===
The Earth Crystal can be found in the Cavern of Earth in the original Final Fantasy and it is the first crystal visited by the Warriors of Light. Beginning twenty years before the rise of the Warriors of Light, Lich begun to drain its power, causing the soil around the town of Melmond to decay. After the fiend is defeated at the Cavern of Earth, the Earth Crystal is restored to its original shine.
===Final Fantasy III===
Initially, a fake Earth Crystal can be found in Goldor's Mansion, soon after the Water Crystal is found. However, it is shattered by Goldor out of spite.
The Earth Crystal can be found in the Ancients' Maze surrounding the Crystal Tower in Final Fantasy III and it is the fourth crystal visited by the Warriors of Light. After all of the elemental shards are obtained, the Warriors of Light gain access to the area where the Ancients' Maze is located and engage Titan, who kept the Crystal corrupted as ordered by Xande, in battle.
After restoring the Crystal, it grants the Warriors more jobs, Devout, Magus, and Summoner. In the 3D version, the jobs of Black Belt, Sage, and Ninja are also granted here.
A Dark Earth Crystal exists as well to counter the Earth Crystal, in the World of Darkness. It is kept by the fiend Ahriman.
===Final Fantasy IV===
right|thumb|200px|The Earth Crystal (DS/iOS).
The Earth Crystal is kept by the forest kingdom of Troia, and is the cause of the prosperity of this kingdom. It is stolen by the Dark Elf from the Lodestone Cavern, although it is retrieved by Cecil and his team, and used as trade coin in exchange for the White Mage Rosa. This is the fourth crystal to be obtained by Golbez.
====Final Fantasy IV: The After Years====
The Earth Crystal is taken by Palom and Leonora when the Mysterious Girl attacks Troia with the Red Wings, and the two flee to the Lodestone Cavern to prevent the soldiers from pursuing them. The two reach the Crystal Room and put the Earth Crystal in the altar, but its light revives the Dark Elf, who attacks them. The Mysterious Girl arrives and saves them by summoning Shiva to destroy the Dark Elf's dragon form, then demands the Crystal. Palom and Leonora fail to defeat her and are frozen by Shiva's Diamond Dust, the Earth Crystal passing to the Mysterious Girl's hands.
In the Depths of the True Moon, all eight Crystals including the Earth Crystal are retrieved by the party and their light used to defeat the Creator.
===Final Fantasy V===
The Earth Crystal is kept by the kingdom of Ronka, and was used by the population centuries ago, before its fall. It is the fourth crystal visited by the Warriors of Light. The essence of earth is said to be hope which is prominent trait of Galuf Halm Baldesion.
Along with the other crystals, it seals Exdeath on their planet. Thirty years after Exdeath is sealed, the Ronka Ruins arise again, and the Warriors of Light come aboard it. Inside, they find King Tycoon, who is possessed by Exdeath and successfully destroys the crystal. Immediately, Exdeath breaks free from his seal, and only with Krile's surprising intervention, the Warriors of Light leave the ruins alive.
The Ronka Ruins do not hold their levitation for too long after the crystal is destroyed, and it soon falls on the ground where it rose from. The party is given the Dragoon, the Samurai, the Chemist, and the Dancer Jobs afterward.
In the epilogue, the Earth Crystal reforms inside the Pyramid of Moore.
In the iOS version obtaining the jobs from the Earth Crystal gains the player the achievement "The Return".
===Final Fantasy Mystic Quest===
The Crystal of Earth is located in the Bone Dungeon near Foresta and is the first crystal visited by Benjamin. It is corrupted by the Flamerus Rex, which causes the dense forests to wither and decay. When restored by Benjamin and Tristam, the forests of Foresta are revived.
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
The Earth Crystal is located at the Earth Shrine's innermost chamber, having been claimed by the Kingdom of Grandshelt. In the past, the crystal and its power attracted a group of settlers that founded the kingdom, and which warred for its posession against other nations of Lapis. A barrier was placed around the shrine to protect the crystal.
Towards the beginning of the game, Veritas of the Dark breaks the barrier and enters the shrine, prompting a mysterious girl encased in crystal to alert two Grandshelt knights to the crystal's impending destruction. Rain and Lasswell heed her call, and enter the shrine. At the crystal's chamber, the find Darklord contemplating the crystal. Although they confront him about it, he quickly defeats the duo, shatters the crystal and leaves. The girl reappears and grants Rain and Lasswell the power of Visions, so that they can protect the remaining crystals from the Veritas.
Later on, they learn that the Earth Crystal and its counterparts originated in Paladia 700 years ago, during the civil war between Aldore and Hess. They were a key to imprisoning Hess' Eight Sages (in the Earth Crystal's case, it kept Fina sealed) while peace negotiations took place. Secretly, the eight crystals also were a seal upon the battlefield that the leaders of Aldore banished to Lapis in order to get rid of the Sages and the Sworn Eight of Paladia. Betrayed by their leaders, it is the reason why the Veritas seek revenge, and why they shatter the crystals, including the Earth Crystal: to allow the land to return to Paladia through the dimensional gate, aware of the destruction it will cause.
In order to avoid the world's impending destruction once all the crystals are destroyed, Dark Fina goes to the Earth Shrine and uses the Sacred Ring of Paladia to become the Earth Crystal; with her sacrifice, she buys the party time to stop Sol and Behemoth K from fully opening the gate and ultimately save Lapis.
==Non-Final Fantasy appearances==
===Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars===
The Earth Crystal is one of four elemental crystals fought during the battle alongside the optional boss Culex. The Earth Crystal uses earth attacks.
===Bravely series===
In , the Earth Crystal is located in the and resides inside the , which houses the . It influences the land, soil, and rock of . If destroyed, it can regenerate over thousands of years, so long as its core, which is separate from the main crystal, remains safe. Prior to the start of the game, the earth vestal that tended to the crystal was executed by the occupying forces of the Duchy.
The Earth Crystal's power can be extracted and used to heal illnesses. The had a long standing prohibition against this, viewing it as desecration, even as Eternia suffered from a plague. Some years later, gathered an army to usurp the Orthodoxy, which attempted to invoke the Great Ritual, putting the Earth Crystal in danger and transforming the terrain of Eternia. Because the Crystal was rendered unstable, Braev the Templar ordered the use of white magic cables to sap the excess energy coming from it. These cables helped stabilize the Crystal and amplified white magic, allowing for substantial progress in medicine and the administering of healing to Eternia's citizens. After the annihilates , the Crystal becomes corrupted by darkness.
The Earth Crystal is the fourth and final crystal visited by , the vestal of wind, on her first journey to awaken the crystals of the world. Although her party expresses concern that awakening the crystal would render the white magic cables powerless, assured that the Templar's advances in science and medicine were enough to sustain the people receiving treatment, even if the cables were unlinked from the crystal.
==Allusions==
Crystals that allude to the archetypal elemental crystals in the series appear in Final Fantasy Type-0 and Final Fantasy XVI. In the latter, Drake's Fang of the Dhalmekian Republic represents the "earth crystal" with its placement underground, its yellow coloration, and association with the Eikon of earth, Titan.
==Gallery==
FFI NES Earth Orb.png|Final Fantasy (NES).
FFI Earth Crystal GBA.PNG|Final Fantasy (GBA).
FFIII - Crystal.gif|Final Fantasy III (NES).
FFIII Model - Earth Crystal.png|Final Fantasy III (3D).
FFIV Crystal.png|Final Fantasy IV (SNES/GBA).
FF4 PSP Light Crystal.gif|Final Fantasy IV (PSP).
FF5Crystal.gif|Final Fantasy V.
FFMQ Earth Crystal.png|Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.
Ffmq benji crystal.jpg|Final Fantasy Mystic Quest artwork.
Earth Crystal Brigade.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.
pl:Earth Crystal (termin)
pt-br:Cristal da Terra (Termo)
es:Cristal de la tierra
Category:Crystal