Cocoon (Final Fantasy XIII)

Cocoon (コクーン Kokūn) is a floating continent in the world of Final Fantasy XIII. It floats in the sky above the land of Gran Pulse (known simply as Pulse to the people of Cocoon) like a low-hanging moon. Although Cocoon has the appearance of a small planetoid, it is actually hollow and its inhabitants live inside of the shell, making it similar in concept to a. Cocoon is a futuristic paradise filled with highly advanced technology which protects it against the supposed intruders from the planet below. It is ruled by the Sanctum.

Datalog
''From her lofty seat, the world of Cocoon has long enjoyed tranquility. The interior of her spherical shell supports several sprawling cities and a population numbering in the tens of millions. Although a variety of dangerous beasts prowl the wilds, advanced technology and the protection of the world's fal'Cie keepers ensure residents a peaceful and prosperous existence. Travel to the lowerworld of Pulse is forbidden, but given their deep-seated cultural fears of the place, Cocoon citizens would not even think to venture beyond the paradise they know.''

II. Lindzei's Nest

''And lo, the viper Lindzei bore fangs into the pristine soil of our Gran Pulse; despoiled the land and from it crafted a cocoon both ghastly and unclean. Lies spilled forth from the serpent's tongue: 'Within this shell lies paradise.' Men heard these lies and were seduced and led away. O cursed are the fools who trust a snake and turn their backs upon the bounty of Pulse's hallowed land! For those who dwell in that cocoon are not Men, but slaves of the demon Lindzei. Ye who honor Pulse: rise unto the heavens, and cast down the viper's nest!''

-- Author unknown

Profile
Cocoon is said to have been built by the fal'Cie many centuries ago to protect humanity from the savage world of Pulse. The current population of Cocoon is said to number in the tens of millions, although the exact figure is unknown. Cocoon is home to many futuristic cities, such as the capital city of Eden, the port city of Palumpolum, the beach town Bodhum, and the carnival city of Nautilus.

There are also expansive highroads located in the Hanging Edge, the exotic nature reserve of the Sunleth Waterscape, and ruined city of Bresha located on the outer-rim of Cocoon. However, due to the fall of the fal'Cie Anima, the lake near Bresha was crystallized.

Five centuries prior to the events of Final Fantasy XIII, there was a great war between Cocoon and Gran Pulse called the War of Transgression. Little is known about the war, but it is responsible for the large crack in Cocoon's outer shell which exposes its interior.

The people of Gran Pulse believed Cocoon to be a false paradise built by the devil Lindzei, who lured people to it with sweet promises, only to enslave them and steal their souls. Gran Pulse inhabitants saw the people of Cocoon as impending intruders and the source of evil in the world. Similarly, the people of Cocoon are made to believe that Pulse is an aspect of hell, and is always poised to invade their beautiful world.

Structure
Cocoon is an artificial world powered by the fal'Cie, who are responsible for running everything from the artificial sun Phoenix that provides the world with light and warmth and controls the weather, to cultivating the land and providing water, to keeping the world of Cocoon floating within Gran Pulse's atmosphere.

It is mentioned in the game's Datalog that Cocoon has over eight million fal'Cie. The fal'Cie Eden is the one maintaining Cocoon's complex operational systems, and is itself powered by Orphan that resides in deep sleep in the Orphan's Cradle, an alternate dimension created by Eden.

Story
In reality, Cocoon is a sacrificial vessel of millions of innocent human lives, used by the fal'Cie as their means of summoning the Maker back to the world. The fal'Cie provide the humans a "paradise", with their intent to summon the mythical beast Ragnarok to destroy Orphan, and thus robbing Cocoon of its power source. With Orphan destroyed, the complex operational systems keeping Cocoon running would fail, and the floating continent would fall from the sky.

The fal'Cie plan to call the Maker, the god who created both the fal'Cie and humans, back into the world for the world to be reborn, by opening the Door of Souls by sending a huge amount of human souls through it. The fal'Cie believe they can achieve this by sacrificing Cocoon and all its inhabitants. However, the fal'Cie themselves are unable to destroy Cocoon to their core programming and purpose, so they need the help of Pulse l'Cie.

At the end of the game, Orphan is destroyed and the floating world begins to fall from the sky. At this point, two Pulse l'Cie, Oerba Dia Vanille and Oerba Yun Fang, transform into Ragnarok and build a pillar from the ground up by crystallizing both Cocoon and themselves. The world is saved and the shell of the now crystallized Cocoon remains, supported by the crystal pillar. Some Cocoon citizens leave Cocoon and settle nearby, building the village of New Bodhum.

By the events of Final Fantasy XIII-2, Serah returns to Cocoon with Noel Kreiss and Mog. She arrives to the ruins of Bresha where a giant artificial monster called Atlas has been running amok.

List of Areas on Cocoon

 * Bodhum
 * Euride Gorge
 * Hanging Edge
 * Pulse Vestige
 * Lake Bresha/Bresha Ruins
 * Vile Peaks
 * Gapra Whitewood
 * Sunleth Waterscape
 * Palumpolum
 * Nautilus
 * Fifth Ark
 * Eden
 * Orphan's Cradle

Trivia

 * The crystallized version of Cocoon seen at the end of the game is presented on The End screen, making up the Final Fantasy XIII logo.
 * Cocoon is a, a hypothetical world which consists of a hollow shell surrounding a "sun" (in this case, the fal'Cie Phoenix) at its core, with the surface of the world being on the inside of the shell.

Cocoon