Hope Estheim

Hope Estheim is a playable character in Final Fantasy XIII and appears in Final Fantasy XIII-2. He is the son of Nora and Bartholomew Estheim, who works for the Sanctum.

In the beginning of the game, he loses his mother in the Hanging Edge during the Purge. He chooses to travel with Lightning in order to become stronger, and avenge his mother's death by getting revenge against the person he holds responsible, Snow Villiers.

Final Fantasy XIII
Hope has short silver hair along with blue-green eyes, and of all the playable characters, he is the shortest and the youngest. In Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-, when Lightning sees Hope and Nora shopping, she says Hope's face resembles that of his mother's. He wears a short-sleeved orange and yellow jacket, a detailed green neckerchief over a black shirt, and black gloves with white palms. He wears deep green pants, a black storage pack hanging from a black belt over his left leg, and boots. His l'Cie brand is on his left wrist, mostly covered by his yellow wristband.

As evident in Episode Zero -Promise-, Hope has a close relationship with his mother Nora, always confiding in her and relying on her for protection, due to having a rather distant relationship with his father ever since reaching adolescence. Being a victim of circumstance, Hope starts off as sensitive and insecure. In Final Fantasy XIII -Episode i-, Hope describes himself as helpless since he always runs away from his problems instead of confronting them. On the other hand, he has an intense grief-induced resentment towards Snow for the part he plays in his mother's death.

On multiple occasions, he wants to confront Snow about his mother's fate, but is too grief-stricken to form the words he wants to say. Hope's speech is usually reserved, but due to being dragged into the Purge, bearing witness to his mother's death, and becoming a l'Cie, he tends to make outbursts of anger and frustration whenever his emotions get the best of him. He is also easily affected by harsh words and rash actions, especially when they involve personal subjects. Despite this, he has a warm side as well as a subtle sense of humor, briefly seen when he is with Nora in Bodhum during a flashback, and again late in the game.

After Nora's death, Hope turns to Oerba Dia Vanille for emotional support in response to her kindness. Even though he is continuously confused by her cheerful nature, he easily strikes up a friendship with her and accepts her attempts to comfort him. As a result, Hope also has a tendency of clinging onto her whenever he becomes scared or frantic. However, he becomes dependent on Lightning for support and guidance as she shares his hatred for Snow, and he sees her as a strong and independent person that he can learn from. Looking up to Lightning as a role model of sorts, Hope tries to follow her example as a former soldier in order to gain experience in battle and knowledge of how to survive in the world.

Due to his time under her tutelage, he matures into an efficient fighter prepared to face any opponent. He is also able to speak in a more straightforward manner and control his emotions to a certain degree. He comes to bond with and confide in Lightning as an older sister/surrogate mother figure and mentor as they help each other understand things about themselves. After he forgives Snow for his part in Nora's death and overcomes his grief, Hope becomes willing to throw himself into harm's way for the sake of others, give his companions words of encouragement and wisdom, as well as remain positive in otherwise negative situations, ultimately living up to his namesake.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
In Final Fantasy XIII-2, Hope appears at 10 AF, when he is 24 years old. He is the head of a scientific expedition team called Academy, a group dedicated to researching the history of both Pulse and Cocoon, as well as searching for a new energy source in the stead of the fal'Cie. Because of his research, he knows that Serah is traveling through time. He now looks mature in appearance, sporting more straight shoulder-length hair and a new outfit. Though he still wears gloves, he now wears a PSICOM uniform similar to Alyssa's, consisting of a long-sleeved yellow and white coat with a light blue necktie. He wears gray pants and also has black and red storage packs on his coat.

Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-
Hope and his mother, Nora, are staying in a beach resort on vacation in the seaside town of Bodhum to see the annual fireworks show. His father, Bartholomew is due to join them, but calls at the last minute to cancel due to being too busy with work, much to Hope's relief. Hope and Nora visit the Euride Gorge, but with buzz still circulating about the incident three days prior, Hope and Nora return to Bodhum in lesser spirits.

Three days later at the fireworks display, Hope laughs at his mother's insistence on the wish-making tradition, since he believes it is for children. When Hope asks Nora what she wished for, he is disappointed when he realizes his mother wished for his father to be able to be with them next time, saying they are better off without him. Unbeknownst to both of them, nearby in the town, PSICOM discover the Pulse fal'Cie, Anima, within the Pulse Vestige. Hope and Nora are caught within the subsequent quarantine the next day and forced upon the Purge train, alongside a young woman they bump into on the platform, Vanille.

Final Fantasy XIII
On the way into the Hanging Edge, the Purge train is derailed by Lightning and her ally of convenience, Sazh Katzroy. Hope, Nora, and the rest of the Purgees, are rescued by the resistance group, NORA, and their leader, Snow Villiers. Being chased by Sanctum troops, the Purgees decide to fight alongside NORA and Nora is one of the last to join Snow's cause, despite Hope's silent protests. As the armed group follows Snow and Gadot down a skyrail, Lebreau and the other NORA members lead Hope's group away. Hope helplessly watches the bridge the other Purgees are on collapse, and his mother fall, after saving Snow's life. Hope is frozen with shock and Vanille has to slap him in order to keep him moving. Vanille tries to comfort Hope on his loss, and he, in turn, decides to stick by her during the rest of the escape. When Snow and Gadot return and reconvene with the other Purgee group, Vanille encourages Hope to confront Snow about Nora's death, but Hope hesitates long enough for Snow to leave. Hope's grudge towards Snow intensifies when he learns Snow's group bears the same name as his mother. Vanille and Hope jump into Gadot's abandoned hoverbike, and follow Snow into the Pulse Vestige.

After they crash-land inside the Vestige, Hope immediately regrets following Snow out of fear of becoming a l'Cie and being Purged to Pulse, but Vanille insists that they go ahead. They hear Snow's voice and realize he is heading their way, when they are ambushed by a group of Cie'th. Much to Hope's chagrin, Snow saves them and tells them about Serah Farron. Furious, Hope yells at him and calls him insane for wanting to save a Pulse l'Cie since they are the enemy, but Snow leaves to save her anyway. Snow returns and wants Hope and Vanille to stick with him for their safety. With encouragement from Vanille to take the chance to talk to Snow or regret it forever, Hope decides to go with them. Hope witnesses Serah's crystallization outside Anima's Throne alongside the two rebels who had derailed the Purge train. As the army proceeds to destroy the Vestige, Hope grabs Vanille's hand and hides behind her in fear as the door to Anima's Throne opens. After Lightning, Sazh and Snow aggravate the sleeping fal'Cie, it awakens and brands them all l'Cie - including Hope, despite his attempt to escape.

In the crystallized Lake Bresha, Hope is the first to notice everyone in the group are now l'Cie after Snow inadvertently uses magic. He is distraught about being caught up in what he believes to be other people's problems. Unable to tell Snow about his mother, he blames Snow and Serah for dragging him into the mess and getting him cursed by the fal'Cie. Vanille reassures Hope that everything will be alright, and he comes out of his frantic state. Despite their differences, everyone decides to work together to solve their Focus; though they identify the legendary beast Ragnarok in a shared dream vision, they still cannot work out what they have been tasked to do. Snow finds a crystallized Serah stuck in the crystallized lake and the others choose to leave him behind. Hope once again tries to tell Snow about Nora, but Snow tells him to hurry or he will be left behind. Snow says they will meet again, and before leaving, Hope tells him to count on it. In abandoned ruins, the party finds an old airship. Sazh attempts to pilot it, but it sustains damage from a PSICOM pursuit and crashes in the Vile Peaks.

Lightning leaves the group to outrun PSICOM and Hope follows her. After learning how Lightning joined the Purge to save Serah, Hope tells her it is easy for her to do something like that since she's strong. Lightning abandons him, and Sazh and Vanille eventually find him. Sinking into despair, Hope tells them it is over for him. He explains how he and Nora became involved in the Purge during their visit to Bodhum, and how she tried to fight to get them home but was tricked and used by Snow. Vanille assures Hope they will get him home since his father should be worried, but Hope says to let his dad worry. Hope travels with Sazh and Vanille until Lightning rejoins the group. She eventually reveals her plan to go to Eden and again leaves the party. Hope decides to follow her despite her reluctance to continue "babysitting" him. The two decide to go through the Gapra Whitewood and Hope's hometown, Palumpolum, to catch a train to Eden. Lightning's patience with Hope runs thin as he fails to keep up with her. As she threatens to leave him behind a second time, Hope demands her to take him along. She curses his weakness, and in her frustration, she inadvertently summons her Eidolon, Odin. Hope's aid in defeating the Eidolon persuades Lightning to have faith in the boy and help him "toughen up."

The two manage to outrun PSICOM and escape the Vile Peaks. In the Gapra Whitewood, Hope asks to take the lead, and, in the hopes of keeping him safe, Lightning gives Hope the survival knife Serah gave her for her birthday. At one point, Hope senses something coming their way and pulls Lightning away to hide. Some local soldiers fly pass them causing Lightning to realize they do not know anything about the fugitive l'Cie. By the Bulkhead fal'Cie, Hope and Lightning wonder how the others are doing, particularly Snow. After Lightning reveals what NORA stands for, Hope's grudge against Snow grows. He eventually reveals his hatred for Snow to Lightning and how the chance to eventually get even was his reason for following her. After Lightning tells Hope to form a strategy to help him survive, he conceives 'Operation Nora', his plan for revenge against Snow. Hope tells Lightning he knows that killing Snow will not bring his mother back, but "sorry won't cut it." Lightning says to Hope that Snow did not kill his mother, the Sanctum did, prompting the boy to resolve getting revenge against the Sanctum as well as Snow. After defeating an Aster Protoflorian and exiting the Gapra Whitewood, they see Palumpolum on the coast in the distance. Lightning suggests they stop by his house, but Hope objects since he doesn't want to meet his father. Lightning tells Hope he needs to let his father know what happened to Nora.

To avoid the PSICOM troops stationed throughout the city, Hope leads Lightning underground into the Nutriculture Complex, where they see the fal'Cie Carbuncle, which provides Cocoon with its food supply. Lightning realizes fighting blindly to make up for doubt and confusion is not the solution, and she tells Hope, "Operation Nora is over", much to his disbelief. Confused, he asks Lightning what they should do now if they can't fight but she does not know. They are ambushed by Yaag Rosch and his troops in the Agora, Lightning tells Hope to save himself, but he refuses to leave her behind. An explosion goes off with Snow and Fang arriving on the scene. Lightning forces Hope to run away with Snow and the two manage to escape, but Snow unknowingly insults Hope's mother and the events surrounding her death, only to fuel Hope's rage further. During a wireless conversation with Lightning, Hope tells her he is going through with Operation Nora before she can reason with him. As they journey through the city, Snow's optimism and obliviousness to the situation continue to push Hope's rage beyond his control.

Snow and Hope have a chance to catch their breath by the edge of a building in the Rivera Towers. Hope questions Snow about his past actions and how he plans to pay for them. When Snow tells Hope all he can do is move forward until he finds answers, Hope says to him, "There are no answers! You're running from what you deserve." When his chance to kill Snow arises, Hope uses his l'Cie power to blast Snow off the ledge. Standing over Snow with Lightning's knife at hand, Hope reveals that his mother died on Snow's account. As Hope is about to kill Snow, a Sanctum airship in the distance fires a shot behind him, sending him over the ledge. Snow jumps off after him, catching him in midair and shielding him from the fall with his body. Hope awakens on the streets below to find Snow has saved him and they settle their differences, heading to Felix Heights together. They are again attacked by an Ushumgal Subjugator that knocks Snow unconscious, prompting Hope to fight it alone until Lightning and Fang arrive to help. Hope returns Lightning's knife, thus ending Operation Nora. Lightning embraces Hope promising to keep him safe, before he promises to protect her as well. The reunited party travels the rest of the way to the Estheim Residence and meet Hope's father. After Hope tells his father what happened to Nora, Hope tells him he and the others will leave soon to prevent him from being Purged as well. Bartholomew is willing to be arrested by the Sanctum for harboring l'Cie, and Hope repairs his relationship with his father. When PSICOM attacks the house, the party hides Bartholomew, and makes him look like an unwilling accomplice. With his father's reassurance, Hope promises him he will do what needs to be done and return soon. Rygdea and more of the Cavalry soldiers arrive, and Hope and the rest of the party leave with them, boarding the Lindblum.

They head to the Palamecia upon learning Sazh and Vanille are being held captive onboard. They eventually reunite with the prisoners, and are forced to face Dysley in his true form, the fal'Cie Barthandelus, who reveals to them their true Focus: to become Ragnarok and kill the fal'Cie Orphan, the source of all of Cocoon's power. Sazh attempts to pilot an airship to freedom, but it is under Dysley's control. Hope notices Yaag Rosch, who pursues them in an onslaught. They fly into Eden and lose him, but land in the Fifth Ark, where the party's l'Cie powers are fully awoken. After Fang tames her Eidolon, Bahamut, Hope resolves to make his own decisions from now on, without any influence from the Sanctum or the fal'Cie, and see what Gran Pulse is like for himself.

Using an old Pulsian airship, they exit the Ark out into Gran Pulse. A monster attacks and damages the airship, causing Hope and Vanille to get sucked out and plummet to the ground. They are saved by the others on Bahamut, and they fly off to create a base camp in Vallis Media. Hope gathers food and supplies with Sazh's Chocobo Chick until his brand advances and he falls unconscious and found by the rest of the party. Coming to back at camp, Hope begins questioning their journey; fearing of his friends getting hurt because of him, and begins sobbing. As Snow and Lightning try to console him, he inadvertently summons his Eidolon, Alexander. Lightning tells Hope that Alexander represents his inner strength, and has appeared because he can continue fighting. After taming the Eidolon with Lightning and Fang, he begins to believe they come to give l'Cie hope, not to end their journey through death. He says that he will ask for help earlier next time and decides to continue on his journey with the others.

As they travel through Pulse, Hope has a talk with Vanille in the Yaschas Massif. He tells her that if he and his mother had not been at the fireworks in Bodhum and gotten forced onto the Purge train, then he wouldn't have learned that a world like Gran Pulse ever existed. She mentions the promise they made to see Pulse together, but Hope does not remember making such a promise. Vanille says it's possibly another one of her many lies. Hope tells her people sometimes lie to keep themselves going when they are afraid and protect others from harm, but it is what they do after the lie that matters; and that if one works hard enough, they can make it come true. He tells her that one can find out that everything in the world they believed to be true are really nothing but lies, and they probably did promise to see Pulse together as well as Cocoon. Hope says to Vanille,, shocking her, but then reveals he was joking and runs off with Vanille chasing after him.

Returning from the Paddra ruins, the fal'Cie Dahaka passes them. Vanille says it resides near Oerba, so Hope suggests they follow it. Reaching the top level of Taejin's Tower, Fang and Vanille see their home village void of life and color, but Hope comforts Vanille and tells her to keep having faith. They finally arrive in the dilapidated village where the party are once again confronted by Barthandelus, who reveals his plan of having tricked the Cavalry into destroying Orphan. The party wonder whether they can return to Cocoon to help if it means playing into Barthandelus's hands, but Hope reminds Lightning that she once told him it is not a question of can or can't, they just have to go and do it, even if it means getting one person to listen to their plight.

The party returns to Cocoon, interrupting a race on the circuit in Eden with their Eidolons. They fight their way through the city and eventually make their way to Orphan's Cradle. Hope tells the party that Barthandelus is turning innocent people into Cie'th in order to make them feel guilty, lose faith, and become Ragnarok. Reaching the Nascent Throne, the party fights Barthandelus again. Briefly upon his defeat, his familiar Menrva flies into the pool, awakening Orphan. After Fang complies to become Ragnarok and put Vanille out of her misery to protect her, Hope and Lightning try to shield the latter while Sazh and Snow handle Fang. Orphan transforms everyone except Vanille and Fang into Cie'th, but remembering everything they went through reverts them back to normal. They save Fang from her cycle of torture at Orphan's hands and say that they now have a new Focus. Then Hope concludes that if they have the power to destroy Cocoon, they also have the power to save it. After Orphan's defeat, Cocoon loses power and falls from the sky as the party begins to crystallize. Hope grabs Sazh's and Lightning's hands as Orphan's Cradle vanishes and they are left hovering midair over Eden. They witness Fang and Vanille sacrifice themselves to become Ragnarok and save Cocoon. Hope is crystallized alongside the rest of the party at the base of the crystallized Cocoon. Soon after they awaken from the crystal stasis, with their brands wiped clean. Though Serah and Dajh Katzroy also awake from crystal stasis, Hope is upset to find that Vanille and Fang have not awoken. With Lightning's support, he still remains positive, remarking they have defied their fate before.

Final Fantasy XIII -Episode i-
Immediately after the game's ending, Hope remains with Snow and Serah after Sazh leaves with Dajh. He asks a soldier about his father, and learns he is still alive, much to his surprise and relief, and Hope leaves to reunite with him.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
After Lightning disappears, Hope finds the knife that she lent to him near the base of Cocoon's crystal pillar and gives it to Serah. A decade later, Hope has become the leader of Academy. He comes to Serah's aid when she and Noel Kreiss arrived to his time and are fighting a Gogmagog in the Yaschas Massif, before saying that he is glad that Serah remembers him. He also appears in Eden telling them how Serah's wish for him and the others to save Cocoon motivated them. He continues to use boomerangs as his weapon of choice, but whether he is playable or not is still unknown.

In Battle


Hope fights with boomerangs that work differently from normal boomerangs; thanks to futuristic technology and design, he is able to throw the boomerang once and hit multiple enemies without having to throw it again.

Hope's true strength lies in his magic power; he has the highest Magic growth out of the six playable characters and is the only one to learn all elemental spells as a Ravager, though he lacks the -strike skills, meaning he cannot physically attack in the role. Hope's Full ATB Skill, Last Resort, deals non-elemental magic damage to all foes. Of all the playable characters, Hope has the lowest HP.


 * Base Statistics

Eidolon


Hope's Eidolon, Alexander, is a non-elemental Eidolon who has the ability to turn into a fortress in his Gestalt Mode. When Hope calls for Alexander, he is launched from an even larger fortress in the sky.

Weapons
See Hope's Boomerangs

Musical Themes
In Final Fantasy XIII, "Hope's Theme" is a melancholy tune composed with acoustic guitar representing his sensitive and vulnerable nature, as well as the emotions he goes through while coping with the loss of his mother. It plays during the flashback between him and his mother in Bodhum, when he tells Sazh and Vanille how he and Nora got involved with the Purge, and after his father accepts Snow's apology. An orchestral variant of his theme, "Sustained by Hate", is heard when he tells Lightning about Nora, when Lightning tells him "to find the hope he was named for", during his failed attempt on Snow's life, when Snow apologizes for his mother's death, during Hope's speech in the Fifth Ark before the party leaves for Gran Pulse, and again when he summons Alexander for the first time. Another variant of his theme is called "This Is Your Home", which plays in his house after delivering the news about Nora's fate to his father.

A piano version of his theme is included on the Final Fantasy XIII: Original Soundtrack PLUS album and this album's liner notes contain composer Masashi Hamauzu's comments on the track:

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Hope is featured on two cards as part of the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game. One of his cards depicts a FMV shot of him in the Hanging Edge, and the other is his CG render.

Development
Hope was designed by Tetsuya Nomura in Final Fantasy XIII and Hideo Minaba in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Etymology
Hope is an English female name. It is possible the name was chosen for him, because he was somewhat "hope" for Cocoon, to free her from the control of the fal'Cie. Est is Latin for "is," whilst Heim is German for "home". Concluding, his full name means "hope is home". This is somewhat alluded by Lightning in Chapter 7 in Palumpolum's Nutriculture Complex, when she states he needs to know what hope he was named for by talking to his father. By doing so, he finds the newfound hope enabling him to continue on his journey.

Trivia

 * While Hope sometimes refers to Lightning as "Light" in the English version, he calls her "Light-san" for the rest of the game after she tells him to in the Japanese version. Presumably a minor error, Hope will sometimes call Lightning "Light" in battle shortly before the cutscene in which she tells him to do so.
 * Hope's crystal is in the shape of a star, almost resembling the crystal in the Final Fantasy IX [[Media:FfixLogo.jpg|logo]].
 * The animation sequence for Hope's full ATB skill, Last Resort, greatly resembles the White Magic spell Holy in previous Final Fantasy games. Furthermore, Alexander is the series' main Holy-elemental summon.
 * Hope is the only member of the main party whose Eidolon is the same gender as its l'Cie partner.
 * Hope's weapon is the only one not visible while outside of battle.
 * Oddly, he puts it away as his Victory Pose, but if seen from behind, it's fairly obvious that it slides into the middle of the seat of his pants, rather than into a pocket. Cutscenes avoid showing where he pulls it from with camera angles putting it offscreen.
 * Hope appears in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy as a tutor in the in-game manual. He teaches the player about Assists alongside Fang.
 * Hope is the only playable character who can use a Dreadnought (first in a portion of the Vile Peaks, then during a cutscene in the Mah'habara Subterra).
 * Hope is the only character with only one offensive primary paradigm role.
 * Lightning was originally designed as a silver haired character, but when the decision was made to make her pink-haired, the silver color was transferred to Hope instead.
 * Hope is the only character whose default weapon has a passive ability.
 * In Episode Zero -Promise-, it is revealed Hope once visited the Sunleth Waterscape on a school field trip.
 * In Hope's house, there is a photo of Nautilus.
 * Hope, along with Orphan, is one of the two characters in the game to use a healing spell outside of battle.
 * In the Commando role, when performing multiple physical attacks using his boomerang, Hope moves his hand as if to throw it again, even though it is not in his hand. Hope is also the only one being able to cast Ruin without holding his weapon. This can be accomplished by choosing Attack first and stacking Ruin after.
 * Possibly from the training he receives from Lightning, Hope apparently develops a sixth sense for danger like hers. Examples being in the Gapra Whitewood before soldiers from the Woodlands Observation Battalion fly pass them while they hide, and after the party escapes the Palamecia, when he notices Yaag Rosch coming their way.
 * Hope's weapons have inscriptions with the names of mythological birds. Hope's initial weapon, Airwing, has an inscription that reads Phoenix. As well, in his appearance in the FFXIII-2 trailer, his weapon appears to have an inscription reading "To the heavens soars the phoenix" upon close inspection.