Lindzei

Lindzei is a fal'Cie deity from the mythology of Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy. It is the deity said to have created the fal'Cie of Cocoon in Final Fantasy XIII, and the Lulusathian Judge in Final Fantasy Type-0. Lindzei is mentioned by name by Vanille, in the Analects section of the Datalog in Final Fantasy XIII, and in a name of a fragment in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Datalog

 * 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


 * As our fal'Cie are the children of Hallowed Pulse, so are the fal'Cie who lurk within Cocoon the brood of Lindzei.
 * But all gods are not alike.
 * Lindzei is cunning and false; sovereign to snakes and fiends; an anathema to be abhorred.
 * Cocoon fal'Cie are of Fell Lindzei's line, yet that did not spare them. They were betrayed all the same; left orphans when their Succubus fled this earthly realm.
 * —A Call to Arms

Mythology


According to the official Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy mythology, Lindzei was created by the god Bhunivelze who had destroyed his mother, Mwynn, to become the sole ruler of the world. Mwynn was banished in the realm of the dead but afterward, Bhunivelze came to believe Mwynn had cursed the world to mean all things would one day die, including him. Bhunivelze wanted to destroy Mwynn in the realm of the dead and created three fal'Cie of his own: Pulse, Etro and Lindzei. Even though the mythology calls the three "fal'Cie", they are known as gods by the people of the world of Final Fantasy XIII.

While Pulse was tasked with creating the world of Final Fantasy XIII and to find the door to the realm of the dead, and Etro was given no powers at all, Lindzei was tasked with protecting Bhunivelze from all who might want to destroy him. Bhunivelze crystallized himself to sleep until his creations would find a way for him to enter the world of the dead. Before doing this Bhunivelze gave Lindzei a special task: to wake him once the time would come. Lindzei and Pulse created many fal'Cie of their own; Pulse to expand the world, and Lindzei to protect it. As revealed in Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments After, Lindzei played a role in humanity's creation by using Etro's spilled after she sacrificed herself to attract their creator's attention. Lindzei came to be worshiped as mankind's protector while Etro became known as the Goddess of Death.

Profile
Lindzei is first mentioned in the Analects as the creator of Cocoon. As the Analects are written from the Gran Pulse citizens' perspective, Lindzei is portrayed with contempt, referred to as the "serpent", "viper", the "Succubus", the "demon", and "Fell Lindzei".

According to the Analects, Lindzei created Cocoon from pieces of land taken from Gran Pulse's soil. Lindzei bore other fal'Cie within Cocoon and invited mankind to live there, calling it paradise. Those who remained on Gran Pulse believed those who live in Cocoon are no more than Lindzei's slaves. The VIII. Analect records that Lindzei left Cocoon and the fal'Cie, betraying them altogether and leaving them orphaned.

The Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega reveals that the statues in the Orphan's Cradle's Narthex Throne are that of Lindzei and Lindzei's symbol is the Cocoon l'Cie brand; the same brand of which is seen on Cocoon's fal'Cie. The statues of Lindzei appear female, and the statue itself resembles the Cocoon l'Cie brand.

While a parody of Lindzei manifests in Orphan's first form out of a subconscious yet sinister vision by the assimilated Barthandelus, as detailed in Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega, Lindzei personally manifests during Lightning's battle with Bhunivelze, transforming into a half of a twin scythe for him to use.

In Final Fantasy Type-0, Lindzei is mentioned as the creator of the Lulusathian Army. The Army, led by the Lulusathian Judge Gala, is summoned when the balance between the four nations of Orience is disrupted to slaughter its citizens and try to force open Etro's Gate with a flood of souls. The world is reset and the cycle begins anew. In the events of Type-0, after Suzaku conquers the rest of Orience, the army is summoned, but Gala is convinced by Arecia Al-Rashia to withdraw the army after the students, chosen by her as her intruments for opening Etro's Gate, refuse to become l'Cie, altering the course of events. Cid Aulstyne becomes possessed by Gala and becomes the l'Cie Arbiter of Lulusath, tasked with instigating Finis, and is faced by Class Zero in a final battle. Gala's fate is left unknown.

Lindzei's role, if any, in Final Fantasy XV has yet to be confirmed.

Gender
Lindzei's gender is ambiguous, because even if the statues depicting it in Final Fantasy XIII are feminine, they may be based on its fal'Cie's image of a mother figure, and thus may not depict Lindzei's appearance accurately. Lindzei is referred to as a succubus in an Analect, which is a female demon. The original Japanese version of the mythology uses gender-neutral pronouns, and none of the other games use specific gender pronouns to refer to any of the deities except Bhunivelze and Etro.

Along with Diva from Final Fantasy Type-0, Etro is the only deity in the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythos to be specified as a goddess, and is often referred to as "the" goddess, giving the impression she is the only female deity out of the three, Pulse, Lindzei and Etro. However, most of the information on Etro in the games is from the point of view of the Farseers who worship Etro as their patron deity. Lindzei is represented by the Jack in the card games in Serendipity, a male symbol. The face on Lindzei's half of Bhunivelze's scythe in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has androgynous features, and in the murals depicting the Fabula Crystallis Final Fantasy lore in the Dead Dunes, Lindzei appears masculine with vaguely feminine features.

Etymology
Lindzei may be derived from the common name Lindsey or Lindsay, which is a unisex name of Gaelic origin associated with lakes and islands, or specifically islands of Linden trees.

Trivia

 * Orphan's true form features Barthandelus as a 'fatherly' figure and his own version of Lindzei as a 'motherly' figure.
 * The gate shown whenever the party is leaving or entering Cocoon seems to have been modeled after Lindzei.
 * The mark of Lindzei is seen at some of the walls of The Palamecia and Eden. Also, the mark is visible in Final Fantasy XIII-2 under Raspatil's charge sphere for Aleph Zero.

Lindzei