Seymour Guado

Seymour Guado is a major antagonist in Final Fantasy X and a guest in a battle. As a maester in the church of Yevon, Seymour has influence over Spira but uses his power towards a sinister end. He is a skilled mage and summoner.

Appearance and Personality


Seymour is a tall Guado-human hybrid who has purple eyes, light blue hair with two long horn-like locks running down his back, and a large bang of hair falling over his face. His ornate robes are unlike the other Maesters' of Yevon, being predominantly dark blue with red trimmings and a green sash. The robe above Seymour's waist is open, exposing his chest, and his sleeves fall to partially cover his hands.

As he is half-Guado, Seymour's fingers are more pointed than a human's, but not as long as a Guado's. His ears are rounded and human-like unlike the elfish ears of the Guado. The veins on Seymour's face are pronounced, another trait passed from the Guado. Seymour wields a staff in battle, though he is more proficient with magic.

Due to his cruel and lonely upbringing, Seymour has nihilistic views on life. Seymour believes, as many do, that Sin is eternal and sees death as a release from the sorrow of life. Though Seymour appears courteous and affable this is merely a front and when called upon he drops the pretenses and reveals his true nature as an arrogant and cruel man. Seymour has no qualms with killing anyone who stands in the way of his objectives, rationalizing that by murdering them, he has saved them from the pain of life.

On the other side of the coin, according to the Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega, Seymour genuinely cares for Yuna, and Final Fantasy X-2 shows Seymour gave Baralai refuge without asking anything in return.

Early Life
Seymour was born from the Jyscal Guado, who became leader of the Guado after his child's birth, and a human woman. Though his existence was meant to foster friendship between the Guado and human races, it only made him the target of both races' hatred. Fearing strife from his people over what they saw as an impure abomination, Jyscal had the wife of his retainer Tromell Guado take the infant Seymour and his mother out of Guadosalam in the dead of night and bring them to the island of Baaj to live in exile.

As a child, Seymour are brought to Zanarkand where his mother intended to become afayth so her son can use her aeon incarnation, Anima, to win the peoples' love by using her to destroy Sin and bring the Calm. However, not caring for accepting if it meant losing her, Seymour mourned for his mother and spent his remaining child hood in Baaj Temple where his isolation inspired his views on life and death.

At eighteen years of age, during High Summoner Braska's Calm, Seymour's exile was revoked and he was summoned back to Guadosalam to be ordained as a priest of Macalania Temple. Seven years later, Seymour returned to Zanarkand to have Anima's fayth transported to Baaj Temple, which he revisited several times. Seymour planned to put all he believed into practice: he would become Sin and destroy Spira, "releasing" its inhabitants from the suffering of existence. Seymour made his first move only two weeks prior to Tidus's arrival in Spira by murdering his father to succeed him as the leader of the Guado and as a Maester of Yevon.

Final Fantasy X
Seymour first appears to Yuna and her guardians in Luca when Grand Maester Yo Mika announces Seymour's new position as a Maester. During the blitzball game, fiends invade the stadium as a ploy set up by Seymour, who summons Anima to dispatch them, saving the spectators and awing them with his power, thus earning their trust.

Not long after the blitzball tournament Yuna and her companions continue on their pilgrimage and pass by Mushroom Rock, which is blocked off due to Operation Mi'ihen, a combined effort of the Crusaders and Al Bhed to battle Sin using machina. Though the use of machina violates Yevon's teachings, Seymour is present with another Maester, Wen Kinoc, wishing the Crusaders and Al Bhed succeed in their efforts regardless of their sacrilege, both fully knowing how it would turn out. Operation Mi'ihen is a disaster — the Crusaders and Al Bhed are decimated, the Sinspawn gathered to lure Sin break loose and Seymour intervenes to assist Auron in protecting Yuna from Sinspawn Gui. In the aftermath, Seymour discusses with Yuna about the duties of a summoner, who bring hope to Spira and must be beacons of strength to the people.

When Yuna's party arrives in Guadosalam they are summoned to Seymour's home where he shows them a sphere depicting the ancient city of Zanarkand. Seymour tells Yuna that Yunalesca was the first summoner to defeat Sin, and did so with the assistance of her husband, Lord Zaon, due to the bond of love they shared. Seymour asks Yuna to marry him, if not for love, then to give the people of Spira reason to celebrate. Seymour gives her leave to think his offer over and departs to Macalania Temple.

When the party visits the Farplane the spirit of Jyscal follows them out of the entrance. Yuna sends him, and he drops a sphere which Yuna picks up. The group continues to Lake Macalania where Seymour's servant, Tromell, takes Yuna ahead to meet with Seymour at the temple. When the rest of the group arrives, Seymour and Yuna are already in the Cloister of Trials, and they wait for the two to return. The group finds the sphere left by Jyscal in Yuna's belongings, which showcases Jyscal knowing of his impending death at the hands of Seymour, and pleas whoever sees it to stop Seymour for Spira's sake.

Confronted by Yuna's guardians as they rush into the Cloister of Trials, Seymour confesses to killing Jyscal while deducing that Yuna already knew and agreed to the marriage to bring him to justice. The confrontation escalates and after his bodyguards and Anima are defeated, Seymour is mortally wounded and dies. Tromell and the Guado carry away Seymour's lifeless body, refusing to let Yuna perform the sending.

Due to his strong emotional ties to the world, and because Yuna was unable to perform a sending for him, Seymour's spirit becomes an unsent and re-manifests into his physical form. When Yuna is taken by the Al Bhed to their Home on Bikanel island, the Guado invade and kidnap her, and the Al Bhed's Home is destroyed. Yuna is taken to Bevelle to marry Seymour. Using the airship Fahrenheit commanded by the leader of the Al Bhed, Cid, her guardians attack Bevelle but are held at gunpoint and forced to watch as the ceremony is completed. Yuna summons Valefor and escapes, and the party reunites with her at Bevelle Temple where they are arrested by Yevon.

Yuna and her guardians are placed on trial for treason, and she tells the Maesters Seymour murdered Jyscal and is dead himself. Though Maester Kelk Ronso is disturbed by the news, Mika and Kinoc are not, and Mika reveals he is also an unsent and knows of Seymour's crimes. Yuna and her guardians are thrown into the Via Purifico, but Mika is doubtful they will perish, and Seymour volunteers to guard the exit and kill them himself should they emerge alive. Maester Kinoc, not trusting Seymour, accompanies him. Yuna and her guardians escape the dungeon and find Seymour waiting for them at the exit.

Seymour has killed Kinoc, and explains his views on life and death, telling Yuna he wishes to draw on her strength at Zanarkand to become the Final Aeon and become Sin so he may destroy Spira. Seymour absorbs Kinoc's pyreflies and becomes Seymour Natus whom the party battle. He is defeated, and the group escapes Bevelle.

Yuna and her group continue the pilgrimage across Mt. Gagazet where the Ronso live. Kelk Ronso, having abandoned Yevon but believing in Yuna, allows her to pass and vows that the Ronso will block any pursuers, but Seymour kills the Ronso when they attempt to bar his path, including Kelk himself. At the mountain's summit Seymour overhears Tidus speaking about his father, Jecht, who is the current incarnation of Sin. Seymour offers Tidus Jecht's freedom when he becomes Sin in his place and informs Kimahri of the fate of his people before transforming into Seymour Flux. He is again defeated and vanishes.

Sometime later, the party attacks Sin directly and invades it with the airship. They discover Seymour inside Sin having been absorbed by the creature while attempting to learn how to control it from the inside. Stating that Sin is unstoppable without Yunalesca, the means of bestowing the Final Aeon, gone, Seymour becomes Seymour Omnis and engages the party in a final battle. Once he is defeated Yuna sends him and in his final words Seymour prophesies that Spira's sorrow will prevail even after he is gone.

Final Fantasy X-2
In the next two years, due to their allegiance with Seymour, the Guado have been ostracized from most of Spira. If the party obtains Baralai's Sphere, it shows Seymour before greeting Yuna's party when he gives Baralai sanctuary in Guadosalam after the ordeal he went through in the Den of Woe. In the Fiend Tales ending of a Flan-type fiend that was a Guado loyal to him in life, Seymour appeared before the fiend in a dream to give the servant the will to remain in Spira to find his master.

Final Fantasy X
Seymour temporarily joins Yuna during the battle against Sinspawn Gui in Operation Mi'ihen. If the player hacks Seymour into the party permanently, he doesn't have a Sphere Grid and the player can't equip him with anything new. He can still gain sphere levels but he doesn't show up in the menu screen so the player can't upgrade his stats or customize him. Since Seymour doesn't appear in the main menu, he doesn't have an in-game portrait. Also, using a Save Sphere will ignore Seymour's HP and MP and not heal him.

When Seymour is low on HP he will slouch over. When he is at below quarter HP he will kneel on one knee with his staff supporting him.

The staff Seymour wields has a unique model, it is simply named Seymour Staff, and has the Piercing ability. He also wears a unique piece of armor around his right ankle, simply named Seymour Armor, which has the Sensor ability.

Stats
Seymour is a guest, and as such he doesn't have a Sphere Grid, so his base stats (barring Strength and Magic, which can be seen by using Scan on Seymour) can't be seen or upgraded.

Abilities
Seymour is a proficient sorcerer, able to cast a variety of low level Black Magic and White Magic. Although Seymour has an aeon, Anima, that is among the most powerful aeons, it cannot be summoned during the time Seymour is playable. His Overdrive is called Requiem, and deals non-elemental damage to all enemies.

Boss
Seymour is faced as a boss in Macalania Temple accompanied by two Guado Guardians. He summons Anima during the battle. Later, Seymour can absorb pyreflies to transform into increasingly powerful forms: Seymour Natus, Seymour Flux, and Seymour Omnis. During these battles Seymour is accompanied by the Mortibody, the Mortiorchis, and the Mortiphasms.

Seymour relies on casting elemental magic and using combo attacks with whichever form of the Mortibody he has with him. He will Banish any aeon summoned after one turn.

Final Fantasy X-2
Seymour can be recruited as a party member Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission through the Creature Creator system. To recruit Seymour, the player must defeat him in the Farplane Cup in the Fiend Arena and must win the cup after.

The abilities Seymour can naturally learn are Demi, Black Sky, and Meteor, though he can also use Flare, Hero Drinks, and Requiem. Like all monster allies, Seymour can use any of the common dresspheres and he is controlled by the game's AI.

Voice
Seymour is voiced by in Japanese and by  in English.

Seymour shares his Japanese voice actor with Tseng from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Jassu, Zanar, and the Hypello race from Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, and Nimbus from Final Fantasy Type-0.

It is unknown who voiced Seymour as a kid, as no voice actor is credited for the role.

Musical Themes
"Seymour's Theme" is a haunting piece with a slow tempo played with many different instruments, with string instruments playing the main melody for most of the piece and was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. It also has three variations: "Seymour's Ambition", "Patricide", and "The Unsent Laugh". "Seymour's Ambition" plays during the first fight against him in Macalania Temple and when he reveals how he will execute his ultimate goal at Mt. Gagazet. "Patricide" plays when he reveals his plans to Yo Mika. His final character theme, "The Unsent Laugh", plays when the party confronts Seymour the final time inside Sin in the Garden of Pain. During the battle with Seymour Omnis, "Fight With Seymour" plays.

For Final Fantasy X HD Remaster, Junya Nakano arranged "Seymour's Theme" and "Seymour's Ambition", while Masashi Hamauzu arranged "The Unsent Laugh" with real instruments. "Seymour's Ambition" got more church choir along with more prominent metal beat, and "The Unsent Laugh" received slightly more modern and mysterious tone.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
Seymour Natus appears as a boss, alongside Mortibody.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Seymour appears in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game and is represented by Thunder-elemental cards. He is depicted in his Final Fantasy X artwork and in his Theatrhythm forms.

Merchandise
Seymour has a Play Arts action figure. Seymour Natus appears as an action figure in the Final Fantasy X Monster Collection of figurines, although it is called "Seymour Evolution" on the box. This figurine has also been packaged together with a figure of Final Fantasy VII's Diamond Weapon for a Final Fantasy Creatures set. Four Coca-Cola bottle cap figurines for Seymour also exist; a chibi version and a figure with normal proportions, and colored and "red crystal" versions of both.

Etymology
"Seymour" is an English name derived from a location from Northern France (meaning Saint Maur). The Latin ancestor of the word is maur, meaning "dark skinned", and originated from the use as a title by Norman Noblemen who conquered parts of Great Britain in 1066.

His name in romaji is Shīmoa. As shī can be translated to "death", this is likely the reason Seymour's name was chosen. This is further reflected in the fact he is fought four times, with four — or shī — being symbolic of death in Japan.

The names of Seymour's forms in the Japanese games translate to "Reincarnation" for Seymour Natus, "Final Reincarnation" for Seymour Flux, and "Ultimate Reincarnation" for Seymour Omnis. Their English names are taken from Latin: natus means "born", flux is derived from fluxus, meaning "flow", and omnis means "to all".

Trivia

 * Seymour is one of the few Final Fantasy interracial characters, along with Cecil Harvey, Golbez, Terra Branford, Aerith Gainsborough and Yuna.
 * If one looks closely in the Guado Mansion's foyer, one can see portraits of a young Seymour, Jyscal, and two other Guado. The latter two are most likely Jyscal's father and paternal grandfather.
 * Seymour was considered to be in Dissidia Final Fantasy as the Chaos representative of Final Fantasy X, but was rejected in favor of Jecht. Various traits of his, however, were included with Emperor Mateus in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, and the rivalry between Yuna and the Emperor in that game is similar to her rivalry with Seymour Guado.
 * If the player obtains the aeon Anima and uses her against Seymour, he responds, "You would oppose me as well? So be it".
 * According to a female Ronso non-playable character in Luca, Seymour was the first summoner ever appointed a Maester of Yevon in the church's long history.
 * According to Japanese voice actor Jun'ichi Suwabe, Seymour was known by many nicknames, including "naked necktie" due to the beads that form a similar shape to a necktie on Seymour's chest.