Setting The
backstory of
Final Fantasy V is revealed in phases through cutscenes and interactions with
non-playable characters. One millennium before the events of the main story, a powerful mage named Enuo imperiled the world using the power of an evil entity called the "Void". The people retaliated by using twelve legendary weapons to vanquish Enuo, but the Void itself could not be destroyed. Consequently, the people split the world's four
elemental Crystals into two sets, effectively creating two worlds. The Void then became sealed in a dimensional cleft between the two worlds. Nearly a thousand years passed without incident, and both worlds prospered due to the powers of their Crystals of Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. New kingdoms and towns flourished, and travel by ship acted as a critical means of commerce and communication. However, a sinister force was stirring in the second world—ever since the Void incident, malicious demons had been sealed inside a tree in the Great Forest of Moore. The corrupted amalgamation of spirits emerged as
Exdeath, the game's primary antagonist. When Exdeath attempted to claim the world for himself, a group of heroes called the "Four Warriors of Dawn" (Galuf, Xezat, Dorgann, and Kelger) sealed him within the first world using its Crystals, and peace returned for another thirty years.
Characters Final Fantasy V features five
player characters, though only up to four are playable at any given time: • Bartz Klauser - A adventurer who travels the world with his Chocobo companion, Boko. Bartz becomes involved in the main conflict when he investigates the site of a meteorite and befriends Lenna and Galuf. His associated element is Wind, and his strongest attribute is his Strength. • Lenna Charlotte Tycoon - A princess of Tycoon who follows her father to investigate the Wind Shrine's Crystal, she befriends Bartz and Galuf at the meteorite site, and they soon join on her quest. Her associated element is Water, and her strongest attribute is her Spirit. • Galuf Halm Baldesion - An amnesiac old man whom Bartz and Lenna discover unconscious near the meteorite. He joins the group in order to regain his memory as well as learning of the forces he fought against. His associated element is Earth, and his strongest attribute is his Stamina. •
Faris Scherwiz - A pirate captain who captures Bartz, Lenna, and Galuf when they try to steal her ship. She initially disguises herself as a man, but the party soon discover her secret. Her associated element is Fire, and her attributes are equally strong in all fields. • Krile Mayer Baldesion - Galuf's granddaughter and princess of Bal, who follows her grandfather to Bartz's world. Like Galuf, her associated element is Earth, and her strongest attribute is her Magic. During the story, the player characters encounter many
non-player characters. The other Warriors of Dawn, Dorgann Klauser (Bartz's father), Kelger Vlondett, and Xezat Matias Surgate, play important roles. Supporting characters also include engineer Cid Previa, his grandson Mid Previa, and turtle sage Ghido. One of Exdeath's henchmen,
Gilgamesh, is a recurring
mini-boss in the second half of the game. Gilgamesh has appeared in several
Final Fantasy titles since. All characters concept art was designed by
Yoshitaka Amano.
Story King Tycoon departs to investigate the weakening of the Wind Crystal at the Wind Shrine. Bartz witnesses a
meteor plunge to the planet's surface. He encounters Lenna, King Tycoon's daughter; Galuf, an
amnesiac old man; and Faris, a pirate captain. They make their way to the Wind Shrine pursuing Lenna's father. There the shards of the shattered crystal grant them new powers. An image of King Tycoon appears, saying the crystals have chosen the four adventurers as their protectors. The party discovers the crystals make their planet habitable and also seal away Exdeath, an evil sorcerer. The party attempts to save the crystals of Water, Fire, and Earth. Each time, they fail but gain new powers from the crystals' shards. Having been freed, Exdeath defeats the party and returns to his homeworld. King Tycoon, who was controlled by Exdeath to destroy the last crystal, sacrifices himself to save the others. Galuf's granddaughter Krile arrives by a meteorite, restoring Galuf's memory completely. He recalls he originated from the same world as Exdeath, and resolves to pursue him back home with Krile, with Bartz, Lenna and Faris traveling there as well. On Galuf's world, Exdeath is already wreaking havoc in pursuit of that world's crystals. The party wins a victory against Exdeath's lieutenant Gilgamesh, but are blown to a distant continent when a magical barrier is activated during their escape. They deactivate the barrier with help from Galuf's allies. The party then travels to Moore Forest in an attempt to protect the world's crystals there. Exdeath deceives them into destroying the crystals' guardians and takes the crystals for himself. Krile arrives to help but is herself trapped by the sorcerer's powers. Galuf saves the others from Exdeath at the cost of his own life. His abilities pass to Krile, who joins the party in his place. The party pursues Exdeath to his castle, where they defeat Gilgamesh again and then Exdeath himself. The crystals shatter, reuniting the split worlds. For a time, it seems Exdeath has been truly destroyed, and the party celebrates in Tycoon. However, a thorn leaps from Krile's palm, manifesting as Exdeath, now resurrected and fully in command of the Void. With it, he removes entire towns and kingdoms from existence, tossing them into an interdimensional rift. The reunification of worlds has opened the pathways to ancient sites where powerful artifacts are hidden. So armed, the party enters the rift. With help from a reformed Gilgamesh, they find Exdeath at the center of the rift seeking the power of the Void. They fight Exdeath, first in his demonic tree form, and then after he transforms into Neo Exdeath, intent on destroying all reality, including himself. The heroes defeat Exdeath and use the crystal shards' power to seal the Void once more and restore the reunified world and its crystals. The game's ending varies based on how many party members are still alive at Neo Exdeath's defeat, detailing the events after the world's resurrection. In the end, the remaining group visits Moore Forest and find that the fallen party members have returned to life. ==Development==