Auron

Auron is a playable character in Final Fantasy X. Once a former warrior monk of Yevon, and a guardian of summoner Braska, he is Tidus's caretaker. He is, in many ways, the party's mentor as they come to him for advice or ask for his permission. Auron's mysterious past directly ties into the stories of Braska and Tidus's father Jecht.

Appearance and Personality
Auron wears a deep red haori with red lining kept closed with a thick black and blue strap with two brown belts wrapped around it. Auron tucks his left arm into the front of his haori, making it look as though his arm is in a sling. He removes his left arm from the haori when fighting, but his right arm remains in its sleeve. This aspect (along with the jug on his side) is a tradition among rōnin, and is likely meant as homage: a rōnin is a samurai who refused to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) after his lord's death.

Auron wears a brown shoulder pad on his left shoulder intricately decorated with tan, green and blue patterns with a beaded ornament dangling from it. He wears black pants and shoes that have brown straps and triangular metal plating. Auron wears a black shirt with a gray collar with intersecting brown straps high enough to cover his mouth. His hair is black with gray streaks and is held back by a gold ribbon, and he has some stubble on his chin.

There is a large scar over the right half of Auron's face and over his eye, which is always shut as a result. His left eye is amber, and he is never seen without black sunglasses worn over or below his eyes. On his right hip Auron carries a jug with the word "Nog" written on it (in Spiran script), a term used to describe a number of beverages, including rum. The drink is featured in two of his Overdrives: when executing Banishing Blade, Auron takes a drink and spits it on the blade, and when using Tornado, Auron hurls the jug into the cyclone to ignite it. The former is likely a homage to Japanese samurai who would spit sake on their swords to "feed the spirit of the blade".

In Final Fantasy X HD Remaster, Auron's character model was remodeled so his skin would resemble more of a real-life mid-thirties man, his hair was made longer and more disheveled, his shades have better transparency, and the details on his clothing are sharper.

Auron is a strict, no-nonsense warrior with a dry wit who carries himself with grace, maintaining many subtle mannerisms of a traditional samurai. He is the strong silent type, speaking when he feels it's necessary - usually offering his knowledge and insight to relevant situations, or sharing stories of his past experiences as a young guardian. As a result of his devotion to High Summoner Braska, Auron is idolized across Spira by many aspiring guardians.

Ten years after Braska's victory and Jecht's sacrifice, Auron finds himself carrying out a favor promised to both his former comrades, to both of whom he mourns. To them, he proves his imperishable loyalty, but, beneath the silence, he is outraged over the events of ten years ago. He regards himself as a failure for letting the cycle continue, and now wields the little-to-no respect he has for Yevon after learning of their inner workings and corruption.

Kazushige Nojima has compared Auron to Vincent Valentine of Final Fantasy VII, stating that, though the two are meant to be silent characters, they often have something important to say.

Final Fantasy X
As a young man of twenty-five years, Auron was a devoted warrior monk of Bevelle, well-regarded by Yevon's upper echelons, and being groomed for a high-ranking position within the clergy. His personal convictions put a stop to any career ambitions he might have had when he refused to marry the daughter of a high-ranking priest. Auron fell out of favor with the Yevon elite, and the promotion went to his friend Wen Kinoc, who would eventually become a Maester of Yevon.

Auron was enlisted by Braska to serve as a guardian on his upcoming pilgrimage to fight Sin. Auron was drawn to Braska due to his noble character and honest intentions to vanquish Sin for the sake of Spira, developing a fierce devotion to him and his cause, addressing him with honor and defending him to detractors.

Prior to departing Auron and Braska paid a visit to a Bevelle holding cell where having heard of a man claiming to hail from Zanarkand. The other monks dismissed Jecht's proclamations as the ramblings of a drunkard, but Braska took him seriously, telling Jecht that if he joined the pilgrimage he could go home. Though Auron protested and thought Jecht would make an unfit guardian, Braska thought it "delightful irony": a disgraced monk, a summoner with a "heathen" Al Bhed wife and "half-breed" daughter, and a drunk from Zanarkand, saving Spira together. Auron relented, and the three outcasts began their pilgrimage.

Contrasting with the patient Braska and the laid-back Jecht, Auron was focused, insisting the trip "is no pleasure cruise" when Jecht attempted to record a travelogue to one day show to his family, and reprimanded Jecht for his frequently reckless behavior. Over the course of the pilgrimage Auron grew to trust Jecht in spite of his flaws, and the three became close friends.

After arriving at the ruins of Zanarkand, the three were debriefed by Lady Yunalesca who could bestow upon them the Final Aeon to defeat Sin. As with all previous summoners and previously unknown to the three, one of Braska's guardians would have to volunteer to become the fayth for the Final Aeon. Auron protested, claiming Sin will return and their sacrifices would be in vain, but Braska held onto the hope this time Sin would be gone for good. Jecht volunteered to become the aeon as he had accepted he would never return home, but asked Auron to find a way to his Zanarkand and look after his son Tidus in his stead. Jecht and Braska lost their lives fighting Sin.

Auron returned to Yunalesca, outraged at the sacrifices Braska and Jecht had made, and attacked her. Yunalesca struck him down, scarring Auron's face and blinding him in one eye. Heavily wounded, Auron crawled down Mt. Gagazet to the Calm Lands, resting in a travel agency owned by Rin, then continuing on to Bevelle. Auron landed on the outskirts of the city, and was found by the recently-disgraced Kimahri Ronso.

Dying, Auron asked Kimahri to protect Braska's daughter Yuna and take her to Besaid, as Braska had deemed it a lovely place during his pilgrimage, hoping his daughter could grow up there. Auron died, but due to his promises to Braska and Jecht, he remained as an unsent so he could complete these tasks. After Braska's Calm was over, Sin was reborn and the cycle continued with Jecht, as the Final Aeon, becoming the new Sin. Now composed of pyreflies, Auron rode Sin out to sea where he found the Dream Zanarkand Jecht hailed from.

Ten years later, Jecht, in the form of Sin, returns to Dream Zanarkand telling him to bring Tidus to Spira. Auron helps Tidus fight off Sinspawn as Sin destroys Dream Zanarkand and the two are drawn into the beast. Tidus surfaces in the ruins of Baaj, but Auron is nowhere to be found.

Auron reunites with Tidus in Luca during a fiend outbreak that was secretly organized by Maester Seymour Guado, joining Yuna on her pilgrimage. Tidus, who has joined Yuna's party, blames Auron for all that has happened and demands answers. Auron tells Tidus Sin is Jecht, but Tidus does not believe him. Tidus and Auron join Yuna as her guardians, and begin their trip toward Zanarkand. Auron keeps the truth of Yevon and the pilgrimage from the group and while Tidus comes to accept Jecht's fate, Auron explicitly instructs him not to tell the others, especially Yuna.

No one suspects Auron is an unsent, but just before Yuna performs the sending for Jyscal Guado in Guadosalam, Auron doubles over in pain. Shortly before this, Seymour had remarked that Auron smelled of the Farplane. During their trek through the Thunder Plains the party regroups in a traveling agency and Rin, who treated Auron ten years ago, had doubted someone could walk with such a severe wound the next day.

When the party reaches Zanarkand the pyreflies in the air replay moments of Braska's journey through the ruined city. During a particularly painful memory Auron attacks the specter of his past self speaking to Braska. Confronting Yunalesca, now informed on the true nature of Sin and Yevon, Yuna refuses to use the Final Aeon, which would mean the continuance of false hope for Spira. Yunalesca prepares to engage the party, as Auron spurs them on, exhorting them to "live and fight your sorrow". After the group defeats Yunalesca and exits Zanarkand Dome, Auron tells Tidus he is an unsent, and that he was killed by Yunalesca.

During the final battle Auron and Tidus meet Jecht one final time, before the latter transforms into Braska's Final Aeon. After Yu Yevon is defeated, Yuna sends the fayth, but falters when she sees Auron fading away into pyreflies. Auron tells her to continue, now able to rest peacefully with Braska and Jecht avenged and the cycle of Sin's rebirth broken. Auron dissolves into pyreflies and is sent to the Farplane. As Tidus fades from existence with the fayth no longer dreaming him, he leaps off the deck of the Fahrenheit and is met by the spirits of Braska, Auron, and Jecht in the Farplane.

Final Fantasy X-2
Auron's voice, together with those of Braska and Jecht, encourages Yuna in the final battle against Shuyin and Vegnagun. He also appears during a brief flashback in Chapter 5 when Maechen's memories flare outside Zanarkand, and in the "Gippal's Sphere" recording set during the events of Final Fantasy X when the party is separated in the Bikanel Desert. Auron is viewable in Shinra's Dossiers.

Final Fantasy X -Will-
A year later, Tidus, Wakka, Lulu and Yuna meet a young woman named Chuami, who claims to be Auron's long-lost daughter according to her deceased mother. She is confronted by Lulu, who states she doesn't look like Auron and that many have claimed to be the children of Auron, Jecht, and Braska. Chuami says she takes after her mother, who would not have lied to her, but Lulu says Auron would have mentioned having children as he wasn't the type of person to hide such a thing.

Final Fantasy X
Auron is the party's powerhouse with high HP and Strength, able to cut down the tougher fiends. Auron's specialty are the break abilities that lower enemies' stats, and guard abilities to shield his comrades from enemy attacks. His Overdrive is Bushido, which has the player input a sequence of button commands within a time limit to power up the attack.

When Counter-attacking Auron performs a regular attack regardless of whether the target is a flying or ground-based fiend. When Auron is low on HP he will slouch over with his sword over his back. When he is below quarter health he will slouch down even more with his sword the touching the ground, having lost the strength to hold it up.

Stats
His early stat growth is based around high Strength, Defense and HP, and abilities to lower enemy stats, making him ideal for defeating high HP enemies.

Auron has low Speed and Accuracy at first, leaving him weaker against swift and flying foes until he can move into another section of the Sphere Grid.


 * ''Note: Values in parentheses are node stat bonuses.

Equipment


As a Samurai, Auron wields katana and defends himself with bracers. Most of his weapons have the Piercing ability by default, allowing him to cut down armored fiends. He and Kimahri are the only characters to have the Piercing ability on the majority of their weapons from the start. Auron's Celestial Weapon is the Masamune. Fully upgraded, it has the abilities Break Damage Limit, Triple Overdrive, First Strike, and Counterattack. The Masamune deals more damage the lower Auron's HP is, a trait unique to the Masamune.

Sphere Grid
Auron's Sphere Grid area runs near Wakka's and Tidus's, and his Sphere Grid color is red. The unique abilities in Auron's default position on the Sphere Grid include the following:

Final Fantasy X-2 HD Remaster
Auron can be fought during the Farplane Cup in the Fiend Arena as a boss.

Auron can be recruited as a party member through the Creature Creator system. To recruit Auron, the player must defeat him in the Farplane Cup in the Fiend Arena and must win the cup after. The abilities Auron can naturally learn are Full Break, Dragon Fang, and Shooting Star. Like all monster allies, Auron can use any of the common dresspheres and he is controlled by the game's AI.

Creation and Development
In the original plot draft for Final Fantasy X Auron was the acclaimed commander of the Crimson Blades in the present day. A plot twist involved Tidus being an undead, but due to the release of the film  this was moved from the main character to Auron. Daisuke Watanabe considered having Auron actually be Jecht in disguise, watching Tidus all along, but the team did not want to make Jecht have a leading part in the story so they gave up on this idea.

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

Auron shares his Japanese voice actor with Cait Sith from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Squall Leonhart from Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, (and by extension, from the  series), and Qator Bashtar from Final Fantasy Type-0.

Musical Themes
"Auron's Theme" is featured on the original soundtrack, and is first heard when Tidus catches up with him in Luca and demands to know just who he is, and can also be heard during the ending. It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

For Final Fantasy X HD Remaster, "Auron's Theme" was remastered by Junya Nakano using real instruments. It is slightly more upbeat than the original.

Final Fantasy Tactics S
Auron appears as a recruitable character in Final Fantasy Tactics S. He is of the Visitor race and has Guard as his main job.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy


Auron can be purchased through the online store as a playable character in the iOS port. His appearance is based off of his Kingdom Hearts II attire.

Pictlogica Final Fantasy
Auron appears in Pictlogica Final Fantasy as a playable character. His initial weapon is the Djinn Blade.

Appearance =

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
Auron is an ally and a summonable Legend in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade. He is depicted in his default Final Fantasy X outfit. His EX abilities are Shooting Star, Dragon Fang and Tornado.

Legend Cards =

Final Fantasy Artniks
Auron has a single card in Final Fantasy Artniks with SR+ rank. Its ID is 40004 and has cost of 26. His Atk is 3360, while his Def is 2150. He has 20% chance to activate Power Break which will lower enemy's Atk by 10%.

Final Fantasy All the Bravest


Auron is an exclusive character only available from the Premium Character Shop as a random downloadable content, he uses the Dragon Fang ability during battle.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Auron appears in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game and is represented by Fire-elemental cards. He is depicted in his Final Fantasy X promotional poster art, his official artwork and in a screenshot of the opening FMV in Zanarkand, and in his Theatrhythm Final Fantasy artwork.

Kingdom Hearts II


Auron appears in Kingdom Hearts II as a party member. Auron is voiced by Matt McKenzie in the English release and by Hideo Ishikawa in the Japanese release, both reprising their roles from Final Fantasy X. Aside from his younger appearance, allusions are made that he is the same Auron, rather than a character adapted into the Kingdom Hearts storyline.

When Pete jokingly suggests Hades save Hercules the trouble of beating his next opponent and "send someone already dead" after him, Hades agrees and revives Auron, "the mother of all bad guys", offering him freedom from the Underworld if he kills Hercules. Auron refuses to help Hades and joins Sora as a party member. Later, Hades steals Auron's willpower using a statue of his likeness, and forces him to fight Hercules. Sora retrieves and destroys the statue, and Auron regains his free will before he can kill Hercules.

The three team up to defeat Hades together, and after defeating him, Auron decides to go out and shape his own story, referencing his comrades of Final Fantasy X, mainly Tidus and Yuna, who both have the famous lines "This is my story...", a theme of Final Fantasy X. Sora receives the Guardian Soul Keyblade, modeled after Auron's Masamune. During the ending, Auron departs back to the afterlife, dissolving into pyreflies.

Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special
A chibified version of Auron appears in this game, alongside chibi Tidus and Yuna in their Final Fantasy X attire.

Etymology
Auron is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn,. According to Roman mythology, the goddess Aurora would soar across the sky announcing the arrival of the sun. As Tidus's name derives from the Okinawan word for "sun", Auron's name could symbolize his bringing of Tidus into Spira.

Trivia

 * Auron's battle stance is similar to that of Blank from Final Fantasy IX.
 * Auron is the name of a Ghost Card in Dissidia Final Fantasy. The Auron ghost is a Level 100 Jecht, and has the Blue Gem and Al Bhed Primer to be won through battlegen. The quote on the card, "This is it. This is your story. It all begins here" is what Auron said to Tidus in Final Fantasy X before Tidus was consumed by Sin. Jecht's alternate costume references Auron's costume, coloring his clothing and spikes red and his sword black, red and gold like Auron's Masamune.
 * Of the characters featured in Kingdom Hearts, Auron is one of three Final Fantasy characters, along with Cloud Strife and Zack Fair, who are active party members.
 * The last skill in Auron's Standard Sphere Grid section is Zombie Attack, which is seemingly out of place for his character's skill set. However, if the party does not flee too much, or over-level, Auron should learn this ability at some point in Zanarkand, foreshadowing his reveal of being an unsent.
 * In Luca, Yuna tells Tidus she heard Auron is in a cafe and they set out to look for him. There is a location in Luca Square labelled "Cafe" in Spiran script, however, the player can only enter the establishment with the sign that reads "Bar". Thus, Tidus and Yuna didn't find Auron because they looked for him in the wrong place.