Galuf Halm Baldesion

Galuf Halm Baldesion, also known as Galuf Doe, is a playable character in Final Fantasy V. He is the king of Castle of Bal and one of the four Warriors of Dawn.

Galuf's full name is never spoken in the game, but the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania identifies him as Galuf Halm Baldesion. He is named Galuf Doe in the Final Fantasy V Advance manual, because Doe is a. This may be because Galuf initially suffers from amnesia and doesn't recall his full name, as well as to conceal spoilers about his identity.

Appearance and Personality
Galuf is the oldest party member and one of the first of Final Fantasy's older male warrior characters, a role later succeeded by characters like Cyan Garamonde, Auron and Basch fon Ronsenburg.

Galuf has auburn hair and a beard in his field sprite, and white hair and a mustache in his Yoshitaka Amano artwork and menu portrait. His Amano artwork depicts him keeping his white hair tied at the back. Galuf's clothing is yellow and green in his field sprite, but his Amano artwork portrays him with black clothes with golden ornaments and a red sash, along with a shield on his back. His CG render from the Anthology release follows this appearance.

When he first meets with the party, Galuf seems indomitable and irreverent, frequently making fun of his fellow Light Warriors and cracking jokes. He makes light of his amnesia and acts as though all he needs is the instinct to protect the Crystals, which is his only memory aside from his first name. However, his lack of identity troubles him more than he lets on, as Galuf shows when alone and confronted with a reminder of his past.

Though he is a great warrior and a lover of bad puns, Galuf is not overly proud. He doesn't wish to drag the party into a situation they can't return from and feels uncomfortable in a role of authority, although he is good at it, and brushes off thanks. Despite his flippancy, he never doubts his instinct to save the Crystals and acts as a driving force in the party. He is fiercely courageous and determined and soon develops a steadfast loyalty to his companions; when they get in trouble, he does not rest until he has rescued them from danger one way or another, although he can be impulsive, plunging headlong into danger.

Galuf's pride and joy is his granddaughter, Krile Mayer Baldesion. Their relationship is similar to Relm and Strago's relationship in Final Fantasy VI; as with them, Krile seems to look out for him as much as he does for her.

Story
Galuf is from the Second World, where he is the King of Bal. Thirty years ago he helped seal the warlock Exdeath into the First World as one of the Warriors of Dawn after the malevolent spirits trapped in the Great Forest of Moore fused into the sentient being Exdeath and assaulted on the people of his world. He returned to Bal and ruled it for the next thirty years, until it is discovered the crystals involved in Exdeath's sealing were weakening. He decided to return to the First World in a meteor to investigate.

When the meteor crash-lands near Tycoon's castle, Galuf's weapons and armor are destroyed, and he suffers a blow to the head that results in amnesia. Having forgotten his identity as well as his task Galuf is found by Bartz and Lenna. When Lenna proclaims she is bound for the Wind Shrine, Galuf feels an affinity to her quest and decides to accompany her. They come upon a pirate ship in the Pirates' Hideout able to move without wind, and Galuf waives Lenna's plan to request a ride in favor of stealing the vessel. They are unable to commandeer the ship and are captured by the pirate captain and imprisoned, during which Galuf claims to have forgotten the misadventure was his idea. The captain, Faris, lets them go and joins them on their quest. In the Wind Shrine they witness the Wind Crystal shatter and King Tycoon vanish. The shards of the crystal bestow on them their elemental affinities, with Galuf representing Earth and its associated virtue of Hope, and the title of Warriors of Light. The shards charge them to protect the remaining crystals.

The party travels to Walse, home of the Water Crystal, by passing through the Torna Canal. The ship is attacked by Karlabos and Faris's sea dragon Syldra, who was the one moving the ship, is lost, leaving them adrift until they reach the Ship Graveyard. The monster Siren lures the party into a trap by presenting them with illusions of their loved ones. She shows Galuf a young girl who calls him "grandfather," but he doesn't remember her and so escapes having his soul stolen. He snaps the others out of their trance and they defeat the monster. After finding Hiryuu on North Mountain the party reaches Walse to find the crystal's power is being amplified by a machine and the king is unwilling to shut it off. Another meteor strikes near Walse Tower and Walse's king and soldiers go to investigate.

When the party follows them to Walse Tower to save the Water Crystal, they find that a knight in orange armor, rather than the First World's typical blue, has already arrived there to do the same thing. They watch as Garula, a beast known as being tame, pushes him aside and are forced to fight Garula themselves. After the crystal shatters the knight apologizes to "Lord Galuf" for his failure, but dies of his injuries before Galuf can glean any information as to his own identity. The tower collapses underwater and the Light Warriors are saved by Syldra. They explore the Walse Meteor and find a warp point, which takes them to the other continent.

Upon arrival in in Karnak the group is arrested and meets Cid Previa, the engineer who invented the amplification devices. They convince the Chancellor to let them investigate the Fire-Powered Ship, but are unable to prevent the Fire Crystal from shattering (this time due to a possessed Queen Karnak and soldier). The werewolf who arrived on the meteor addresses Galuf as "Sir Galuf", and seems to know who he is, but Galuf is puzzled and the werewolf sacrifices himself to save the party, again preventing Galuf from learning more about his past. However, when he sees Mid and Cid's relationship as grandfather and grandson, he recalls a little bit about his past, and his granddaughter Krile. He now remembers the crystals' destruction will bring about Exdeath's return. They search for the last crystal and travel to Crescent Island where Cid and Mid reveal they know its location: the Ronka Ruins.

Although Galuf is skeptical, the party finds a way through the Desert of Shifting Sands by killing a Sandworm for a bridge and reach the ruins of Gohn. They discover a warp device back to Crescent where Cid and Mid give them the Catapult airship. When they require Adamantite to reach Ronka, Galuf remembers there is some left in the meteor he landed in and boasts how clear his memory is.

When they enter Ronka and reach the Earth Crystal that shatters, they find King Tycoon possessed and ready to attack. Galuf and Bartz move to stop him but are blocked by Lenna and Faris. Krile arrives in a meteor and breaks the spell with a strike of Thunder. She greets Galuf, and her presence dispels the last of his amnesia. Exdeath, now freed from his seal, appears to taunt Galuf and returns to his world. Galuf and Krile resolve to travel back on the meteor, but Galuf forbids Bartz, Lenna, and Faris from joining them, believing they would never be able to return home.

Despite Galuf's warnings, the others follow him to the Second World and are captured by Exdeath and kept as hostages in his castle. Galuf, leading a charge across Big Bridge, is forced to halt when Exdeath displays them. Galuf infiltrates the castle to rescue the three, fighting and defeating Gilgamesh. They flee across the bridge, but Exdeath activates the barrier before they can reach safety, and the Light Warriors are flung to Gloceana. In the town of Regole Galuf reassures Bartz that they didn't ruin his plans, and in fact saved them from the barrier (albeit by accident). Although he didn't want them to follow him, Galuf is touched that they came to help anyway.

They travel to the Moogle Village where they are found by Krile and taken to the Castle of Bal where the others are shocked to learn Galuf is a king. Galuf insists they are friends first and refuses to let them address him as anything other than Galuf, no royal titles.

He meets up with his old friend Kelger Vlondett in Quelb, who allows them to pass through to Drakenvale to save Krile's wind drake. Kelger is suspicious of his companions and insists on fighting Bartz, becoming bedridden as a result. Galuf berates him for overdoing it, but the fight allowed Kelger to reveal that Bartz is the son of their fellow Dawn Warrior, Dorgann, who remained on the First World to watch over the seal. On their way to answer Sage Ghido's call, they meet another Dawn Warrior, Xezat. Galuf and Xezat reminisce and commiserate over the troubles of kinghood and they join him in his campaign to lower the shield around Castle Exdeath. Xezat sacrifices his life to bring the shield's generator down, and Bartz has to physically force Galuf not to rush after him. Galuf is deeply affected by the loss of his friend.

When they meet with Ghido Galuf stops Bartz from poking him and apologizes for his embarrassing companions. Ghido directs them to the Great Forest of Moore where they find the Guardian Tree that contains the Second World's four crystals. The crystal seals attack, but after the party defeats them Exdeath appears, having manipulated the seals into offense. He takes control of the crystals and uses them to attack the Light Warriors with powerful magic. Krile appears and attempts to stop him, but Exdeath traps her in a ring of fire. At the sight of his granddaughter being under attack, Galuf overcomes the crystals' power to free her, shattering the crystal in the process. He attacks Exdeath and continues despite the powerful attacks and magic Exdeath unleashes on him. Distressed by Galuf's refusal to fall, Exdeath claims that "all the hatred in the world could never defeat me!" Galuf replies he doesn't fight with anger or hatred, and, unable to beat him, Exdeath flees with the crystals.

Drained, Galuf collapses and Bartz, Lenna, and Faris attempt to heal him as Krile begs him to stay alive, but it is to no avail and Galuf passes away. In his final goodbyes he implores them to defeat Exdeath. Shortly thereafter, his spirit uses the power of the Guardian Tree to speak to Krile telling her to fight in his stead and assures her that he will always be in her heart, and grants her his strength and abilities, and Krile succeeds Galuf as a Warrior of Light.

Galuf's spirit keeps assisting the party by contacting Krile. When the party faces Neo Exdeath in a final battle Galuf and the other Warriors of Dawn, along with King Tycoon, aid the Light Warriors escape the Interdimensional Rift. If anybody falls in the final battle Galuf restores them to the world of the living when the Light Warriors later visit the Guardian Tree.

Battle
Galuf has the highest raw Stamina stat; this stat is used in calculating the maximum HP and the amount of healing taken from the Regen status. Galuf is good to start out with physical related jobs, but transition to a magical related job about 2/3 through the game.

In the Game Boy Advance and subsequent versions, Galuf is given the innate element of Earth, and therefore the Gladiator's Finisher ability will take this element, although the player will not be able to see this unless they hack the game so Galuf can use this job.

Stats
Each playable character has slightly different base attributes and are therefore slightly better suited for different task(s). Galuf has the highest raw Stamina, which affects HP. Below is the list of Galuf's base stats.

Musical Themes
Galuf's theme is considered to be "Four Warriors in the Dawn". It plays during major scenes with Dorgann, Xezat, and Kelger, the other Dawn Warriors.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Galuf makes a cameo in Dissidia Final Fantasy as a tutor from the in-game manuals. He is directly mentioned by Bartz (though not by name) in dialogue in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy as one of the few things Bartz remembers from his original world.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Galuf appears as an unlockable character, and is unlocked by collecting Silver Crystal Shards. His appearance is based of his Yoshitaka Amano art.

He is an Offense and Defense oriented character.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
Galuf appears as a summonable Legend in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.

Final Fantasy Artniks
Galuf appears in several character cards.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Galuf appears in the Japan-exclusive Final Fantasy trading card game published by Square Enix in his Yoshitaka Amano artwork, as well as representing numerous jobs from Final Fantasy V and his Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade appearance. As a reference to his sacrifice in Final Fantasy V, one of his Amano cards has the effect that Galuf cannot be Broken in Attack Phase, instead being Broken on the next turn if he would be Broken, and when Broken the player can add a Krile card from their deck to their hand.

Trivia

 * A Final Fantasy XII airship named the Galuf-Val is inspired by Galuf. Val is possibly a mistransliteration of Galuf's home, Bal Castle, or it could be an intentional change. The airship was shot down by the Sky Fortress Bahamut in the Battle above Rabanastre.
 * Galuf, along with the other Dawn Warriors, has a trophy/achievement named after him in Final Fantasy XIII, "Galuf's Grail". It is obtained by completing all Cie'th Stone missions.