Emet-Selch

Well, well, we have a historian in our midst. That spares me a lengthy explanation. I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire. And, under various guises, the architect of myriad other imperially inclined nations. As for my true identity... I am Emet-Selch. Ascian.

Emet-Selch's introduction to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn

Emet-Selch [ˌɛm.ɛt-ˈsɛlk], also known by his true name Hades [ˈheɪ.diːz] and the persona of Solus zos Galvus [ˈsoʊ.ləs zɒs ˈɡæl.vəs, ˈsɒl.əs], is a major character from Final Fantasy XIV. He is an Ascian working to bring about the Rejoining. First appearing in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood with a younger, more able body, Emet-Selch becomes the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers and a supporting character and the narrator of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker.

As Solus zos Galvus, he was the founder and first Emperor of the Garlean Empire, and the grandfather of Varis and great-grandfather of Zenos. As the Legatus and later Emperor, Solus was a visionary and brilliant leader who dreamed of a glorious future for his people. He forged an empire in the span of a single generation, but his vision led to war and expansion, the Garleans conquering nation after nation under the pretense of "uplifting" them and ending the threat of the primals. The Garleans oppressing the imperial provinces led to fear, anger, and resentment towards the Empire. Despite this prominent role, Solus (in his old age) was never depicted in the flesh on screen; he is only briefly shown as a false memory in Cid Garlond's recollection of the events at Bozja Citadel.

History[]

Early life[]

Born as one of the few ancients with the gift of soul sight, the man named Hades was chosen to fill the seat of "Emet-Selch" for the Convocation of Fourteen, a group that served as guardians of the city of Amaurot and their world of Etheirys. Hades was good friends with two other ancients: Hythlodaeus, another ancient with soul sight and the Chief of the Bureau of the Architect; and his fellow Convocation member who filled the seat of "Azem". Originally, Hythlodaeus was nominated for the seat of Emet-Selch, but he declined on account of most of his talents to be lacking and recommended Hades instead.

While accompanying Hythlodaeus to recruit Hermes to take the seat of "Fandaniel" in the Convocation, Hades met the Warrior of Light, a figure he assumed to be a familiar Azem had made due to the similarity of their souls. He gave them some of his aether to help them become fully tangible. Hades reluctantly accepted the Warrior of Light's presence as they conducted their business. Before meeting with Hermes, Hades toured the facility to familiarize himself with Hermes' responsibilities. Hades found Hermes' reluctance to accept the seat of Fandaniel confusing. While discussing the nomination with Hermes and learning more about the research going on in Elpis, Hades was talked into helping one experimental creature learn to fly. Hades later assisted in subduing and euthanizing out-of-control experimental creatures. At this point, Hades noticed that Hermes was in agony over having to kill a creature when its life only just begun and encouraged Hermes to join the Convocation so he doesn't have to suffer. At the end of the day, Hades had to put the matter of Hermes' nomination aside until the next day.

The next day, Hermes found himself occupied with many tasks, which afforded Hades and Hythlodaeus more time to learn about the research being conducted. During the course of their exploration, they encountered Venat, the previous Azem. Venat recognized the Warrior of Light as a time-traveler rather than a familiar since she recognized the signs of her protection magics on the Warrior despite having never met her at this point in time. When the time-traveler revealed future events detailing the planet's sundering and the man Hades would become, Hades refused to accept it. He took his leave in anger, but returned to ascertain the truth of the cause of the Final Days. When the group learned it was Meteion's doing, Hermes covered her escape while inflicting himself, Hades, and Hythlodaeus with a spell to erase their memories of the event. Hades assisted Venat and the Warrior of Light in escaping the memory alteration process.

Do not squander it. The legacy I leave you.

Emet-Selch to the Warrior of Light

Unaware of the truth, Hades recruited Hermes into the Convocation. When the Final Days commenced heralding the end of their world, Hades joined his fellow Convocation members to devise a plan to halt the calamity: summoning a primal to undo the aether stagnation—Zodiark. This led to Azem resigning from the Convocation as half of their people, Hythlodaeus included, voluntarily sacrificed themselves to offer up the necessary aether to complete the ritual.

Upon Zodiark's creation, the deity enthralled Hades and the others into becoming his devout followers, but succeeded in his primary purpose. Even with the Final Days halted, Etheirys was still unfit for nurturing life. The Convocation thus besought their people to sacrifice another half of their number to replenish their ruined world and restore the cycle of nature. For Hades and the Convocation to restore the lives of those originally sacrificed, Zodiark would require even more aether; aether that would come from the new life being born into the world. This disturbed Venat, who felt that the sacrificial costs were already too great, and that the world now belonged to the lives birthed in it. An opposing group of Amaurotians who felt similarly summoned Hydaelyn in opposition to Zodiark, and the resulting conflict ended with Hydaelyn's final attack shattering reality, sundering Etheirys and nearly all life on it into the Source and its thirteen shards. The Source became called "Hydaelyn", named after its creator goddess with its denizens lacking any knowledge of the parallel worlds.

Thanks to an intentional flaw in Hydaelyn's attack, Hades survived the sundering intact along with two of his fellow Convocation members, Lahabrea and Elidibus, while everything he knew and loved was either sacrificed to Zodiark, or fragmented into what they considered flawed parodies. Going by his title "Emet-Selch", Hades worked with the other Paragons and their Ascian followers to orchestrate the Rejoining of the shards with the Source to restore both their god and their home. During the Source's Third Astral Age, Emet-Selch influenced the creation of the Allagan Empire by helping its advancement until it was destroyed in the Fourth Umbral Calamity. During that time, he inducted the Allagan scientist Amon into the Ascians while restoring his memories as the former Convocation member Fandaniel.

Establishing the Garlean Empire[]

Solus zos Galvus was born in the year 1489 of the Sixth Astral Era to the esteemed House Galvus, a distinguished family of pureblood Garleans in the then-small Garlemald Republic. He joined the military at the age of sixteen, where he distinguished himself from the rank and file as a brilliant tactician and statesman and attained the rank of Legatus by his twenty-fourth nameday in 1513.^[2] At some point before the founding of the Garlean Empire, Emet-Selch took over Solus's body and would control it for the rest of its life, but the exact timeframe of the possession is unknown.

Shortly after achieving the rank of Legatus, Solus learned of the newly-invented ceruleum engine and saw its combat potential as he guided the development of magitek weapons and their integration into the army.^[2] Despite initial skepticism, the Garleans saw Solus's reasoning as it allowed them to conquer northern Ilsabard and won over the subjugated peoples with the promise their lives would be improved with magitek.

In 1517, Solus was granted control of Garlemald as dictator by popular support. Garlemald devastated the small country of Nhalmasque before conquering the south of Ilsabard in 1522. Solus proclaimed himself Emperor, and created the Garlean Empire.^[2] In spite of Solus's many successes it is difficult to characterize his life as happy: he was betrayed by those he had believed were his closest friends, and lost his firstborn son Lucius to illness when the man was still young.^[2] He would also have a second son named Titus.^[3]

Expanding the Empire[]

No lands must remain beyond our grasp. Go forth. Conquer. Rule.

Solus zos Galvus quoting his imperial mandate.

Solus was not content with Ilsabard alone. Six years after becoming Emperor, he set his gaze upon the eastern continent of Othard. With their warmachina at the fore, the Imperial forces toppled all who dared stand before them. During this campaign the Emperor laid eyes upon the ruin wrought by primals—an entire land drained of life. The sight led him to issue a mandate for the annihilation of the dread beings the Garleans dubbed "eikons" to deny them as beings of divine origin.

After a long and hard-fought resistance, the nation of Doma fell to Garlemald in 1552. Having conquered the east, the Emperor turned his armies towards the west, plotting the invasion of Aldenard, and captured Ala Mhigo in 1557. However, this was to be the last victory for some time.^[2]

Final Fantasy XIV (version 1.0)[]

Once Ala Mhigo had been assimilated into the Empire both politically and economically, the XIVth Imperial Legion focused on hastening the progress of the Eorzean campaign. In 1562, the Imperial fleet accompanied by the mighty flagship Agrius forced its way into Mor Dhona and to Silvertear Falls. The legion's armada encountered unexpected resistance from the Midgardsormr—forgotten guardian deity of the lake. The great dragon called out to his kin, who pitted themselves against the Garleans' fleet. The battle ended when Midgardsormr and the Agrius collided and plummeted to the land, compelling the legion to retreat from Mor Dhona.

The Ascians teaching Eorzea's beast tribes the means of summoning their own "gods" provided the Emperor the means of motivating the Empire to conquer the realm.^[4]

The Garleans attempted communication with the lesser moon Dalamud under the guidance of the Empire's principal engineer and grand minister of industry, Midas nan Garlond. Dubbed "Project Meteor", the operation was tested at the Imperial stronghold of Bozja Citadel using Allagan artifacts donated by House Darnus. Midas nan Garlond had proposed the project after the Emperor had tasked the engineer with finding a solution to the eikon threat. Midas nan Garlond uncovered the Allagans' method of overcoming primals and that Dalamud was an ancient satellite the Allagans had created. He surmised that within the moon's metallic nacelle slumbered a great source of untapped energy—forgotten power that could transform the moon into a weapon of mass destruction if pulled down from the skies and unleashed upon Eorzea. The moon was to serve as the Empire's own "meteor".

Days after receiving the Emperor's blessing, Midas nan Garlond traveled to the Garlean city of Bozja to communicate with Dalamud. The immensity of the satellite's power was confirmed, but nearly five millennia-worth of amassed energy was directed to the citadel's makeshift transmission tower, evaporating the tower as well as the city. The Imperial Censors tried to hide the event, but the vanishing of a major commercial center was too big a secret to suppress. News of the catastrophe spread across Hydaelyn and became known as the Bozja Incident.

The loss of Midas nan Garlond, the lunar transmitter, and the Allagan records stored at the Bozja Citadel, seemingly ended Project Meteor. The Emperor had no interest in power of such an unpredictable nature and ordered the project to be dismantled.^[5]

During the Empire's decade-long stalemate with Eorzea, the Emperor publicly recognized Legatus Nael van Darnus as a man of exceptional talent for his crucial victories in the Empire's eastern campaign. Despite being well past his eightieth nameday by the year 1572, Solus's ambitions to unify the Three Great Continents under Garlean rule were as strong as ever. After amalgamating the political affairs of the occupied territories in Othard, he once again set his sights upon Aldenard and her vexing eikons. When he declared the eikons' annihilation as one of his administration's top priorities, van Darnus proposed ridding Eorzea of its false gods once and for all using House Darnus's closely guarded knowledge of Allagan relics to succeed where others had failed.^[6]

After learning of his deployment to Eorzea, van Darnus convinced the Emperor into resurrecting Project Meteor, claiming he had discovered a means to control Dalamud. After a decade-long stalemate on the Eorzean front, the aged Emperor, impatient to solidify his legacy before his death, entertained the notion of a realm-wide "cleansing" of beastmen and their eikons and the second phase of Project Meteor was commenced.^[5]

In spite of repeated interference from the Grand Companies and adventurers, Project Meteor went along with the lesser moon beginning its descent into a direct collision course with Eorzea. With the denizens of Eorzea praying to their gods, the remnants of the VIIth Imperial Legion amassed at the plains of Carteneau where Dalamud was expected to make landfall. The Eorzean Alliance learned of this thanks to Gaius van Baelsar, Legatus of the XIVth Imperial Legion, who disagreed with Project Meteor.^[7]

Eorzea was devastated as Dalamud shattered above the land to reveal the elder primal Bahamut, whom the Archon Louisoix Leveilleur subjugated^[8] and the Seventh Umbral Era was subverted. Gaius and his XIVth Legion used Eorzea's state of disarray to set up several outposts across the land in preparation for the future conquest of the severely weakened realm.^[9]

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn[]

Five years after the Calamity, Emet-Selch allowed Solus's corporeal form to die of old age at eighty-eight without naming a successor. News of the Emperor's failing health incited political strife within the Empire over who would succeed him, leading to the official abandonment of the unified effort to conquer Eorzea with only Gaius and his legion attempting to conquer the realm on their own.

As Gaius was no longer present to oppose any challengers, a civil war broke out in Garlemald over the succession to the throne.^[2] The conflict was resolved with Solus's grandson Varis, the child of Solus's dead son Lucius, named Emperor. Varis subsequently learned the truth of his grandfather's possession by Emet-Selch while commissioning the use of Allagan technology to create clones of Solus.

Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood[]

The founding father was an Ascian! And he created the Empire solely for the purpose of sowing the seeds of chaos! Don't take it personally. I merely do my duty.

Solus zos Galvus

The Ascian Emissary Elidibus was forced to bring Emet-Selch back as "Solus" some time after Lahabrea's demise. Emet-Selch found the cloned bodies of his previous vessel preferable to possessing a random body and molding it in his image. With his return, Solus became the power behind the throne with Varis serving as a figurehead, much to his dismay. Solus reminded Varis that he was not to make judgments but to administer them without question, as any threats to the balance of the Light and Dark were to be expunged. He revealed that he, as an Ascian, built the Garlean Empire for the purpose of creating chaos and to ultimately invoking another Calamity. Varis shot him, proclaiming that man was the master of his own destiny. His attempt was scoffed off as Solus simply reappeared in another clone body to end their discussion.

Following Gaius and Alphinaud Leveilleur destroying the plant manufacturing the Black Rose poison gas, Solus noted its application could be useful for his agenda. He used what he considered his final meeting with Varis to thank him for the clone bodies. Solus also revealed that the civil war following his supposed death was intentional. Following the siege of Ala Mhigo reaching a stalemate, Elidibus wished to speak with Solus/Emet-Selch, but neither he nor Varis knew where he was, Varis remarking he could be doing what all Ascians do. Elidibus suspected that Emet-Selch had found a means to take advantage of the situation.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[]

Emet-Selch, having arrived on the First some time prior, followed the Warrior of Light when they were called to this shard of the Source. He possessed a vessel and molded it into his now-preferred appearance of Solus while observing the Scions of the Seventh Dawn's actions from afar. He made his presence known after Titania's defeat, introducing himself by his Ascian title: Emet-Selch. While admitting he was tempted to ally with Eulmore, he offered cooperation with the Scions despite Urianger Augurelt destroying the shade he was using to offer the deal. Emet-Selch told them he believed that by helping them to understand his goals, the Scions would ultimately choose to join him instead.

When the Warrior of Light, Urianger, Thancred Waters, and Minfilia arrived in the Rak'tika Greatwood, Emet-Selch reiterated his proposal to join the group as an observer, which the Scions begrudgingly accepted. He disappeared again after being trapped by the Night's Blessed, reappearing to win the group's trust by retrieving Y'shtola Rhul after she used Flow to escape a pit at the Ronkan ruins. After the Scions defeated Eros, they found ancient murals depicting the sundering, the event that had shattered Etheirys. Emet-Selch revealed the Ascians' origins from that original and intact world, and that Hydaelyn and Zodiark were primals. Emet-Selch justified the Ascians' actions by saying that as all the races of man were but fragments of their true selves, the Ascians did not consider them people and thus killing them was not murder.

Emet-Selch remained as an observer until the Warrior of Light failed to contain the amassed light of Norvrandt's Lightwardens, before revealing he had been testing the Warrior and the Scions to see if the former would regain enough of their "former self" to be considered a potential ally. He spirited the Crystal Exarch away after the latter was revealed to be G'raha Tia, considering his knowledge of magic to transport between reflections and back in time to be useful. Emet-Selch requested that the Warrior meet him in a recreation of Amaurot where they could be consumed by the light in peace, but was disappointed that the Warrior arrived with the rest of the Scions. Emet-Selch revealed the Ascians' intent to sacrifice the lesser beings once Zodiark was freed, as in his opinion the people of the Source and its shards were unworthy inheritors of a reunited world. When Alphinaud posited they were not different in their resolve, Emet-Selch took offense and forced them through another trial in the form of a recreation of the calamity that had befallen his world.

Even now, after everything, you refuse to see reason. You think it unfair that you are subject to suffering? That your lives will be sacrificed for the ancients? Look at me! I have lived a thousand thousand of your lives! I have broken bread with you, fought with you, grown ill, grown old! Sired children and yes, welcomed death's sweet embrace. For eons have I measured your worth and found you wanting! Too weak and feeble-minded to serve as stewards of any star!

Emet-Selch confronting the Scions

Despite the Scions fighting their way through the monsters of the Final Days to reach him, Emet-Selch remained unconvinced of their worthiness and easily defeated them while gloating that the Light would consume the Warrior. When the Warrior stabilized after fully merging their soul with Ardbert—the leader of the First's Warriors of Light—Emet-Selch briefly saw Azem in their place before denouncing the vision in anger. Emet-Selch was livid when G'raha Tia arrived to aid the Warrior with reinforcements, and decided to face the Warrior in a final test, unveiling his true name: Hades. Though initially gaining the upper hand, the Warrior of Light unleashed the collected Light within them to overpower Hades's Darkness. Overwhelmed despite channeling his kin's collective power, Hades refused to surrender, and was only defeated when the Scions used white auracite to hold him at bay long enough for the Warrior of Light to kill him with an aetheric blade in the form of Ardbert's axe. Hades accepted his death, asking the Warrior of Light to remember his people before fading away with a smile.

Remember...remember us... Remember...that we once lived...

Emet-Selch's final words

The Warrior of Light later acquired a crystal that Emet-Selch had secretly created with Azem's memories and powers, allowing them to use the ancient's ability to summon allies in times of need.^[10] A shade in the recreation of Amaurot implied that Emet-Selch would not want the final unsundered, Elidibus, to be left alone after his passing. During the Warrior's battle with Elidibus, who assumed the form of the original Warrior of Light, a shade of Emet-Selch appeared and summoned the party back from the void with a snap of his fingers. He sauntered away with a final wave to Elidibus.

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]

You will not end our journey!

Hades' declaration to Meteion

When the Warrior lost all their comrades while braving Meteion's nest on Ultima Thule, they used Azem's crystal infused with Hydaelyn's magick to summon Hades and Hythlodaeus from the aetherial sea. In death, the memories that Kairos had erased from them back in Elpis had been restored. Hades was upset that Hermes had made a fool of him by erasing his memories, but was also critical towards Venat. He yet commended the Warrior, since with his memories restored, he acknowledged that the Ascians' methods couldn't have brought mankind to that very state. The Warrior used the pair's creation magick to spawn Elpis flowers to convince Meteion that Ultima Thule was no longer a realm of despair, which also signified that the Warrior's friends could be brought back and the environment was now hospitable to life. Once the Warrior revived their comrades, Hades and Hythlodaeus allowed themselves fade back into the aether; Hades would not suffer to live again by Hydaelyn's magick. He acknowledged the past he loved was not the future the Scions fought for, admitting it could never be brought back, although he still held on to his ideals. He only requested that the Scions save their star.

Expand your horizons. Go forth and seek discovery. Some of the civilizations in the reflections will surprise you. As the bearer of Azem's crystal, you may consider your duty to see at least that much. I certainly did.

Hades' final message to the Warrior of Light

In his final moments, Hades urged the saddened Warrior to see everything the Source and its reflections had to offer, and by their journeys and actions be worthy of their past life as Hades' good friend, Azem. He smiled at them just before he disappeared.

Tell me, have you been to the ruins beneath the waters of the Bounty? Or the treasure islands beyond the frozen waters of Blindfrost, in Othard's north? The fabled golden cities of the New World?

The Warrior reminiscing Hades's words

After the Warrior had decided to join Wuk Lamat from Tural to compete in a rite of succession, they reminisced Hades's words for future adventures, which mentioned the fabled golden cities of the New World.

Characteristics[]

In Amaurot's Convocation of Fourteen, the position of Emet-Selch was given to one who would safekeep the aetherial sea, also known to the ancients as the Underworld. Hades was actually the second choice for this position, as Hythlodaeus was chosen first but declined the offer.

Appearance[]

As a younger Solus zos Galvus, his eyes are golden and his hair is burgundy with a white streak. He wears a stylish black military coat, adorned with gold on the chest and white fur along the trimmings, and white gloves. In his old age as Emperor, having a beard and a walking cane, he wore full body armor and the Garlean crown.

Solus's true identity is that of Emet-Selch, an Ascian, whose true name is Hades. Like his brethren, Emet-Selch has an Ascian mark, though more sinister and infernal in design compared to his Paragon comrades. He rarely wears the Ascians' black robes since taking the vessel of Solus zos Galvus. Hades's final form resembles the Esper Zodiark's second form in Final Fantasy XII. Emet-Selch's mask is a faded red with a white circle within the middle

In his "Tales from the Shadows" side story, Emet-Selch's original form was typical of an Ancient: a tall humanoid with white hair and grey robes. In Endwalker, his true Ancient form is shown in full, appearing virtually identical to his identity as Solus. He has vibrant yellow eyes, medium length white hair, and his mask sits on his grey robe when not worn over his face.

Personality[]

Emperor Solus was said to be an enthusiastic theater-goer and patron of the arts. He commissioned the building of an airship for the Majestic Imperial Theater Company so they could travel the realm and bring their performances to the far reaches of the Empire. This hearkens to the Tantalus Theater Troupe from Final Fantasy IX. His continued use of theatrical metaphors upon being summoned in Ultima Thule indicates either that Emet-Selch enjoyed performance arts previous to his time as Solus, if not before the Final Days, or has at least maintained his former life's enjoyment of them.

Emet-Selch's personality and attitudes shift due to the effects of his tempering by Zodiark and the loss of his home and friends. Prior to the first coming of the Final Days and following his defeat, Emet-Selch comes across as dour, unapproachable, and vindictive. He showed a penchant for the latter even to his friends, such as when he expressed annoyance at Hythlodaeus disturbing him to offer congratulations on his elevation to the Council of Fourteen, and how he made jabbing quips about Azem and their potential for mischief. Hades tended to not participate in certain activities or provide aid, but would eventually be amenable to it with some encouragement. Despite this, both this position of power and Hythlodaeus's testimony show that beneath this front Emet-Selch was responsible, principled, and compassionate, accompanying and offering his aid to Azem's altruistic endeavors prior to acquiring his title. Emet-Selch continued to do so after Azem joined the Convocation, despite his exasperation with their disregard for following due processes.

Following the sundering, as Solus, Emet-Selch is more eccentric and talkative than the average Ascian, being unpredictable and condescending towards his allies. His eccentricities often leave those around him exasperated or enraged. He remains convinced of the importance of the balance between Light and Dark and considers the original form of man the definition of perfection while viewing the "broken" races mere parodies of his kin, to the point he does not consider their deaths murder. He extends this contempt to his mortal grandson, Varis, having no interest in the Empire outside its intended purpose of spreading chaos. His resentment towards Varis also stems from the latter's resemblance to his firstborn son, whose death served as a final reminder of mortal imperfection in Emet-Selch's eyes. However, he does show interest in certain mortals who underwent the Umbral Calamity numerous times on the Source, and are thus closer to completion. He believes that those of the Source are superior to the "halflings" of the other shards.

Emet-Selch is a loner, and though he operates with full intention to bring about the Rejoining, his actions are often considered unpredictable. Beneath his eccentricity and cheerfulness, Emet-Selch bears the burden of centuries of sorrow and pain over all that he and his people have lost, and a burning hatred for Hydaelyn and all who fight in Her name. In contrast to the maniacal scheming of Lahabrea and the cold rationality of Elidibus, Emet-Selch is the only member of the unsundered to retain his sense of self over the ages and expresses deep melancholy over Amaurot's fall. Whenever he speaks his true feelings, his voice deepens and becomes more gravelly.

Unlike the other Ascians, Emet-Selch scorns lies and overt deceptions. While he often omits information in his dealings, or stays mum when he could be more forthcoming, he never contradicts his word. He considers deceitfulness beneath him, since his wealth of knowledge across eons means that anyone he speaks with cannot discern a lie of his from the truth anyway. This trait may allude to the title of Final Fantasy XII's Scion of Light of the same name: "Angel of Truth".

One of Emet-Selch's main defining traits both before and after the events of the sundering is his propensity for sentiment. His love for his home and people led him to create a facsimile of Amaurot within the Tempest complete with shades of its inhabitants and a notably accurate Hythlodaeus, to which he admits getting carried away in doing so. He is concerned for Elidibus's growing loss of purpose in their mission, and, despite their differences, shows a persistent fondness for his close friends, Hythlodaeus and Azem. Despite their opposing views on summoning Zodiark, and Azem having since been sundered and reborn, Emet-Selch's actions rather than his words indicate that he yet treasures their connection. Emet-Selch's crafting a constellation crystal for Azem despite it being forbidden to do so, and referring to them as a "dearest friend" to their reborn self as the Warrior of Light, show his genuine care. Emet-Selch answers the Warrior of Light's summons for both their and Elidibus's sake at the Seat of Sacrifice. At Ultima Thule, he takes pride in the Warrior's recent accomplishments. He also admits, that he was a prisoner of his past, and with his defeat in Shadowbringers, and restoration of his lost memories he understood that his refusal to move forward was the reason he lost. He spends his final moments comforting them by offering leads into further adventures. Emet-Selch considers the Warrior worthy as both the star's new steward and as Azem's successor, and despite his typical grumbling at Hythlodaeus's wish for them to all reunite in this life or another, his smile upon fading indicates he also shares this desire.

Gameplay[]

Boss[]

Hades is fought as the final boss of patch 5.0 in The Dying Gasp and its optional Extreme equivalent, The Minstrel's Ballad: Hades's Elegy, which was added in patch 5.1. While Shadowbringers introduced bosses with their names and titles in pre-fight cutscenes, Hades is not shown with a title, owing to his challenge to the Warrior of Darkness to "cast aside titles and pretense" in the cutscene prior.

Party member[]

During the main scenario of Endwalker, Emet-Selch is a Duty Support party member for Ktisis Hyperboreia. As the Third Seat, he can fill either the roles of tank or DPS as a Dark Knight or Black Mage, respectively. He wields the Deepshadow Claymore as the former, and the Cryptlurker's Rod as the latter.

Triple Triad[]

Hades Card
	Card No.	257
	Total stats	30
	Type	None
	Description	Was Hades always lurking beneath the surface of Emet-Selch? Or was this a case of transcendence, an aberrant being spawned from a crucible of ancient hope and prayer? Whichever the truth may be, this implacable immortal would never cease his struggle, never abandon the path which led to his fallen brethren's resurrection.
	Obtain	Potential drop from dying gasp and hades's elegy

Cosmetics[]

Clockwork Solus, a minion inspired by Emet-Selch's younger Solus body, was rewarded during The Rising 2022. Another minion called the wind-up Aidoneus based on his original body is obtainable as a potential reward from The Shifting Gymnasion Agonon.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]

The Emperor appears with an ice-elemental card.

Magic: The Gathering[]

Emet-Selch is set to appear in the Magic the Gathering x Final Fantasy collaboration with his own card, Emet-Selch, the Unsundered.

NieR Re[in]carnation[]

Emet-Selch was featured in the Record: Vestiges of Paradise crossover event, released as part of a collaboration with Final Fantasy XIV in May 2022. The story was written by Natsuko Ishikawa exclusively for NieR Re[in]carnation and recounts the ancient world and the Sundering from Emet-Selch's perspective. Hades was the boss fight for the event.

Behind the scenes[]

Emet-Selch's character was designed by Natsuko Ishikawa, and drew inspiration from Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean series with the goal of adding more human elements on top of his character. The team tried to work around the character's resemblance to Ardyn Izunia from Final Fantasy XV so they wouldn't overlap too much.^[11]

Just before the player unlocks the final dungeon of Shadowbringers, Emet-Selch walks into the hall of fire in a similar way to Sephiroth in the Nibelheim burning scene in Final Fantasy VII. This is the second time Final Fantasy XIV alludes this scene after Nael van Darnus's scene in Castrum Novum in the original version.

There are allusions to his real name "Hades", the first being his ability to retrieve Y'shtola from the First's Lifestream, and later channeling the spirits of his fallen Ascian kin during his boss fight. The gate he opens to a dungeon recreating the end days of his world alludes to the Gates of Hell. The penultimate boss is named Therion, a hell beast mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Hades was also remarkable in Amaurot for being capable of sensing and controlling a portion of the "Underworld", the aetherial realm where the souls of the dead rejoin, mirroring the mythological Hades's dominion over the realm of the dead.

Gallery[]

Etymology[]

The Latin word solus means "alone" or "separate" and is commonly used in stage directions. "Galvus" is derived from the Latvian and Lithuanian word galva, meaning "head".

"Emet-Selch" refers to the light scion "Emet-Selch, Angel of Truth" from the profile of Zalera in Final Fantasy XII. His glyph mask, before fighting him as Hades, is almost identical to the bottom portion of Zalera's, only inverted.

The word emet in Hebrew means "truth", leading to several possible interpretations of Emet-Selch's name. One possibility is אמת שלך ("emet shelkha"), which translates to "your truth"—a central theme of Emet-Selch's involvement in the post-Shadowbringer story and in Endwalker. Another interpretation is the Hebrew אמת–סלח ("emet-selaḥ"). Formed out of two root words (Hebrew shoreshim, "roots", the three-letter combinations from which conjugations and declensions are derived), the words themselves cannot be reduced any further and are in their "whole" or "original" forms, just as Emet-Selch, one of the Source Ascians, is of his "original" form. אמת is "truth", while סלח is the verb "to forgive", making the possible translation of the title "(to) forgive (the) truth".

[view · edit · purge]Hades (ᾍδης, Hā́idēs) is the Greek god of the underworld, as well as the name of the underworld itself. Despite many modern portrayals, in ancient Greek religion and mythology, though respected and feared in equal measure, Hades was not represented as evil, only just and resolute. In Christianity, the same Greek name is either translated into English as Hell or simply transliterated as "Hades" in the Bible. The Greek term is used to translate the Hebrew term Sheol in almost all instances in the Septuagint and appears in the New Testament. Emet-Selch's connection to the Greek god, Hades, is further solidified in the "Through His Eyes" short story, where he is described as having an affinity with the "Underworld", the ancients' term for the Lifestream.

Citations[]