Providence (Bravely Second)

Providence is the main antagonist in Bravely Second: End Layer. While in the Japanese version, is apparently a female, in the western release is an effeminate male, as Anne refers to him as "Lord" and using male pronouns.

Appearance
In his first form, Providence resembles a raven with a long black royal robe with white ribbons floating around it and white feathers collectively surrounding the rim of and end the robe. He also has fully functional arms instead of wings, and purple eyes. In his second form, he resembles a black, upside-down eye of providence pyramid with purple lines of energy going through it. It is unknown if this is his true form, or merely a form used defeat the heroes of light.

Personality
Providence manipulates others to feed on their despair to become more powerful.

Story
Not much is known if Providence had anything to do with anything in the past. However, it is know that he is the false god who Anne serves for currently unknown reasons. Providence takes the Celestial Being known as Vega hostage and uses her strong emotions of despair to fuel himself and become god of the Celestial Realm.

It is unknown if anything about Providence is mentioned before fighting him. During battle with him after taking half of his health away, he begins healing himself using Vega's power, making him virtually invincible. Altair, Vega's lover and the Celestial Being trapped inside Tiz's body, eventually finds a way to stop this and seemingly defeat Providence.

Afterwards, once Vega and Altair fly off to live together in peace, Providence appears before the heroes of light in his second form. During this final battle, Providence breaks the fourth wall and attempts to wipe out the memories of Altair and Yew's group (the game's saved data) in a last-ditch effort to completely and utterly destroy them. Luckily, Yew uses the SP hourglass to activate a Bravely Second, which stops Providence erasing the data. After a grueling battle, Providence is finally killed.

Gameplay
In Providence's first form, he will regular attack the party until he reaches approximately 3/4 health. After that, he will use Pawn of Fate, a spell that applies Doom to the party, ranging from 1-5 moves in battle. He also casts Mandate of Heaven, a spell that forces a party member to kill either an ally, or himself in two turns or less. If the player does not, he will cast Divine Punishment, a spell that deals 99,999 to all party members.

In his second form, he has his two hands that cast Ruin, a magic attack that damages the whole party, and Salvation, more or less the same as Ruin. Providence also casts Dispel frequently, and Ruin or Salvation? on his own hands or himself to boost attack in proportion to defense. He sometime activates Bravely Second to attack the party with New World Order.

Trivia

 * During the final boss fight, Providence breaks the fourth wall by threatening to erase the game's saved data.
 * Providence is heavily based on the Eye of Providence, the all-seeing eye.
 * Curiously, both of Providence's forms resemble that of icons of American currency; the first form's bird, and the second form's all-seeing eye. Seeing how Providence himself is an evil being, this could be symbolizing that money is corrupting humanity.
 * Curiously, in the European version, he is referred as Lord, and the English voice actor gives him a effeminate male voice.