Oerba Yun Fang

Oerba Yun Fang is a playable character from Final Fantasy XIII. She is described as a strong woman with many mysteries surrounding her. Her full name stands for "Fang of the Yun clan, from the village of Oerba". Driven by her personal agenda, Fang aims to complete her Focus in hopes of saving her friend.

Appearance and Personality
Fang is a fairly tall woman, standing at 5'9". Despite her chronological age, she has the physical appearance of a twenty-one year old woman. She has fairly bronze skin, wavy dark brown hair, piercing green eyes with a beauty mark underneath the right one, pierced ears adorned with purple claw-shaped earrings, scars on her right arm and shoulder, and she wears blue clothing that closely resembles the traditional Indian, adorned with tribal accessories. She also wears a short black top underneath, black sleeves over her forearm, tan leather open-toed boots, and two fur pelts hanging from a cord beneath a belt that holds her spear behind her. Oerba Dia Vanille dresses in a similar style, as they are from the same village in Gran Pulse.

She has the brand of a l'Cie on her right shoulder and a large tattoo symbolizing her Eidolon Bahamut on the other. Unlike the other main characters in the game whose brands are black and change as the story progresses, Fang's l'Cie brand is white and does not change, due to the fact it was "burnt off" after she awakened from crystal stasis. She and Vanille also share a similar Australian accent in the English version of the game.

Character designer Tetsuya Nomura stated that when compared to other characters personality-wise, Fang is stronger than Lightning and more stubborn than Snow Villiers. In Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero: Promise, Lightning comments on Fang having a "wild fearlessness to her." This is supported by Fang never wanting to back down from a fight no matter who or what the opponent. She appears to have a strong belief in Lady Luck, as she makes many references to it. Fang also has a caring and compassionate side to her, especially when it comes to Vanille, who she treats almost like a sister. Just as Vanille cares for her well-being, Fang cares deeply for Vanille's. She would do anything to prevent Vanille from becoming a Cie'th, even if it means taking extreme measures.

Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero: Promise
Fang was a resident of Gran Pulse, along with Vanille, from the village of Oerba. Centuries before the events of the game, during the War of Transgression between Gran Pulse and Cocoon, Fang and Vanille both lost their families at the hands of Cocoon's l'Cie and fal'Cie and became close friends after meeting at Oerba's orphanage. Fang developed a deep grudge against Anima for failing to protect the people of Gran Pulse and became a l'Cie to protect both Gran Pulse and Vanille; with Vanille becoming a l'Cie alongside her. As a result, Fang and Vanille both held the power to become Ragnarok to fulfill the Focus of destroying Cocoon. But as Vanille was fearful of the power bestowed to them, Fang became Ragnarok all by herself to protect her and complete their Focus. Her Raganarok was not powerful enough; though it did crack Cocoon's shell. Taking pity on the people of Cocoon, the Goddess decided to intervene in the war and crystallized both Vanille and Fang before they were able to amalgamate together to complete their Focus.

Five-hundred years later, Galenth Dysley brings Fang and Vanille to Cocoon in the Pulse Vestige, where Fang awakes with no memory of the past events dealing with Ragnarok and finds her l'Cie brand scorched. She sees that Vanille's brand is still active and tries to remember their new Focus, in a desperate attempt to prevent Vanille from becoming a Cie'th. Within the Vestige, Fang and Vanille find an unconscious Serah Farron, who had been transformed into a l'Cie herself. Vanille, too, claims to have lost her memory regarding their Focus, so the two head to Euride Gorge in a desperate hope to find answers from its residing fal'Cie, Kujata. Fang's frustration at their situation forms a plan to attack Kujata, but before they can make their move, Sazh Katzroy's son, Dajh happens upon them. The boy is branded by the fal'Cie, and Fang and Vanille are forced to flee. With Dajh's branding, Sanctum troops flooded the facility. Fang forces Vanille to escape from the Euride Gorge Energy Plant alone after reassuring her friend that she will find her soon, while she fought off their pursuers. Soon after returning to Bodhum, Fang is captured by the Cavalry. She is brought aboard the Lindblum, and meets Sanctum official Cid Raines. He explains to Fang that there are two different sides to the Sanctum army and that the Cavalry does not align themselves with PSICOM, but she is reluctant to listen to him as the people of Cocoon are all enemies to her. Fang tells him that she does not have any information for him, and that she was looking for a friend therefore does not have time to help. Later, Fang gets better acquainted with Rygdea who reveals that the Cavalry helped her escape from Euride. He makes a deal with Fang to search for Vanille as long as they do not get captured by PSICOM. When Rygdea returns to the Lindblum from Bodhum's beach cafe at Lightning's recommendation, Fang is not surprised that he did not find Vanille.

Fang agrees to stay on the Lindblum to avoid capture by the army, but worries she is wasting Vanille's precious time by not actively looking for her. She is sent with a wireless device connected to the Cavalry to the Bodhum annual fireworks, where she revisits the Vestige, having just missed Vanille being there. Rygdea warns Fang about PSICOM presence in the Vestige, so Fang retreats to the Bodum beach café, run by Lebreau. There, she orders a drink and describes Vanille to Lebreau, hoping she had seen her. As Fang returns to the Lindblum, it is announced PSICOM discovered Anima within the Pulse Vestige, and the Sanctum are ordering a Purge of the quarantined area. Knowing Vanille would be herded onto one of the Purge trains headed to the Hanging Edge, Fang forces Raines and Rygdea to help her find Vanille on one of the trains and rescue her, in exchange for her promise that she and Vanille will help them take down the Sanctum. Two days later after the Purge train leaves Bodhum, the Lindblum lands on the surface of Lake Bresha. While riding a smaller vehicle to the Hanging Edge with Rydgea, Fang sees a white bird that she previously saw while on the train to Euride with Vanille and the day the Cavalry caught her. With all that has happened to her so far, Fang considers the bird a sign of luck.

Final Fantasy XIII
After Vanille, Lightning, Sazh Katzroy, Snow Villiers and Hope Estheim have all been cast down to Lake Bresha after being branded l'Cie, their confusion over solving their shared Focus causes the group to split up. When Fang arrives on the Lindblum, it is only to find Snow Villiers guarding his crystallized fiancée, Serah Farron. She orders the Cavalry to capture Snow, and take Serah's crystal with them. She directs the two restraining Snow to take him to their ship. After Snow sees her brand and asks why she is helping the Sanctum, Fang says, "If I were you, I'd worry about myself."

While in the sky, Raines tells Snow of the Sanctum's plan to publicly execute the l'Cie, and Fang tells him she is personally looking to hunt down the l'Cie herself; though she does not divulge and explain her connection to one of the group, Vanille. The Lindblum flies out to the Capital of Commerce, Palumpolum, where Fang and Snow help rescue Lightning and Hope from the Sanctum's attack. They are forced to split as Snow leaves with Hope and Fang with Lightning, though they are still connected by their wireless communicator. After deciding on a rendezvous point - Hope's home in Felix Heights - Fang reveals to Lightning that she is a l'Cie from Gran Pulse five hundred years ago, and that she and Vanille fell into crystal stasis, awakening on Cocoon with no recollection of their Focus. They all finally reconvene at Hope's home, which is quickly attacked by PSICOM forces. Rygdea arrives with Cavalry troops, disguised as PSICOM soldiers, and leads the party onto the Lindblum, where they learn Vanille and Sazh are being held captive upon the Palamecia.

The group infiltrate the Sanctum airship in hopes of rescuing its prisoners, not knowing Vanille and Sazh were planning their own escape. The two groups' efforts eventually meet and Fang and Vanille are finally reunited, and Fang is eager to check the progression of Vanille's brand. Before the party escape the Palamecia, they are faced by Sanctum Primarch, Galenth Dysley, who reveals his true from of fal'Cie Barthandelus. After defeating him, they finally learn their Focus: to destroy Cocoon as the beast Ragnarok. Whilst the rest of the party are coming to terms with the gravity of their task, Fang is troubled by Barthandelus taunting her for forgetting her Focus. The party escape using an airship Dysley left behind and travel into Eden while Rosch pursues them, before crashing into the Fifth Ark. In the Ark, the party's l'Cie powers are fully awakened. They are forced to fight fellow l'Cie, Raines, as he attempts to defy the fal'Cie. The rest of the party are inspired by Raines' sacrifice, and vow to fight their Focus. Fang, however, refuses to abandon their Focus and turns on the party, willing to fight them if it means saving Vanille turning Cie'th by their resolve. Before she has a chance to strike, her brand begins to glow and she summons her Eidolon, Bahamut. After the battle, Fang relents and agrees to search for a way to defy their Focus and wipe clean their brands. They board an old Pulsian airship and fly through a gate to Fang and Vanille's homeland, Gran Pulse.

As the party begin to lose hope searching for an alternative solution, Vanille and Fang suggest returning to their village of Oerba to look for answers. On their way to the village, they cross the Mah'habara Subterra, where they stop briefly in the Flower-filled Fissure. There, Fang bluffs and lies to Vanille about remembering her Focus in order to gauge her friend's reaction. When Vanille's brand starts glowing and summons Hecatoncheir, Fang realizes that Vanille had always remembered everything from the past, including their Focus to destroy Cocoon. After taming the Eidolon, Fang reveals her suspicions of Vanille's truth, though Vanille insists that it was her who became Ragnarok, not Fang. She assures Vanille she is not angry at her for lying, and they no longer just have each other; they have a new family.

Fang and Vanille are shocked to finally arrive in Oerba and find it completely abandoned and dilapidated. The beautiful home they once remembered was left in ruins, and no answers seemed to lie there for them. After defeating Barthandelus for a second time, Vanille activates a Cie'th Stone that is left behind. She reads the runes that it projects, documenting the events of the War of Transgression and those after she and Fang were placed into crystal stasis. Knowing Barthandelus has caused chaos in Cocoon, the party head to Eden in hopes of stopping the fal'Cie's plan on destruction.

After Sazh pilots the ship straight into the Eden Grand Prix, the party ambush the chaotic city and head straight for Orphan's Cradle. After defeating Barthandelus in the heart of the Cradle, Orphan rises from its pool and relentlessly tortures Vanille in hopes of forcing her to become Ragnarok. In despair, Fang decides to once more assume the form on her own in an attempt to destroy both the fal'Cie and herself, though her efforts are unsuccessful and she quickly reverts to her human form. When she lands, she sees everyone else except Vanille are now Cie'th. They begin to relentlessly attack her and Fang asks if this is what she gets for choosing salvation. After they pile up on top of her, Fang manages to force them off. Her brand appears to be active again and she once again transforms into an incomplete Ragnarok. Fang, not fully willing to destroy Cocoon along with Orphan, manages only in breaking the shell of Orphan before turning back into a human. As a way of forcing Fang into taking the form of Ragnarok again and finish the job, she is subjected to torture by Orphan in an agonizing cycle of being painfully attacked and then healed, as to allow the anger that Orphan hoped would accumulate to fuel her. As Vanille is about to fight Orphan herself, the rest of the party overcomes the illusion of being turned Cie'th with the help of the powerful memories they had shared with Fang, Vanille, and each other. They manage to save Fang and apologize for not being there for her.

In Orphan's destruction, Fang and Vanille decide to sacrifice themselves in hopes of finally saving Cocoon. Together, they become Ragnarok, and surround Cocoon with lava and fissures, before reverting to their human form, and crystallizing within a pillar, holding Cocoon erect over Pulse. Down below, the party awaken from their brief crystal stasis to find their brands wiped clean, and Serah and Dajh safely returned to them, though they realise the sacrifice Fang and Vanille have made to save them all, and to fulfill their own Focus: to save Cocoon.

In Battle
Fang wields a double-bladed spear that can be split into a three-section staff in battle. Fang's Full ATB Skill, Highwind, is a powerful Jump attack. Out of all six playable characters, Fang has the longest Crystarium expansion. She is also the only of all six characters to not obtain the Ravager role before Crystarium expansion in Chapter 10.

Statistically, Fang consistently has the strongest physical attack power, which makes her an excellent Commando. Her Full ATB Skill, Highwind - a reference to the Dragoons of earlier installments who bear the last name - is a powerful Commando attack that will wipe the target's Stagger gauge after execution. Despite not majoring in the Ravager role, she still learns all elemental strikes as well as spells up to the -"ra" level with Water and Wind being her -"ga" specialty.

Eidolon


Her Eidolon is Bahamut, who has no element. Bahamut takes flight in his Gestalt Mode. Bahamut mostly uses physical attacks and non-elemental spells. Using Fang's Saboteur role with it provides a deadly combination to some of the toughest enemies in Pulse and later on in Orphan's Cradle.

Weapons
See Fang's Spears
 * Bladed Lance
 * Glaive
 * Dragoon Lance
 * Dragonhorn
 * Partisan
 * Rhomphaia
 * Shamanic Spear
 * Heretic's Halberd
 * Punisher
 * Banescissor Spear
 * Pandoran Spear
 * Calamity Spear
 * Taming Pole
 * Venus Gospel
 * Gae Bolg
 * Gungnir
 * Kain's Lance

Development
Before the script was completed, Fang was originally written as a male character. . Early in development, Lightning was meant to be a flirtatious character with more sex appeal; these traits were transferred to Fang in order to make Lightning a more serious character.

Musical Themes
In Final Fantasy XIII, "Fang's Theme" is a short, uplifting orchestral piece, something unusual for a character of the "strong, serious female" archetype. It contains a small variant of the main battle theme and plays at many points during the game, including the party's siege on the Palamecia to rescue Sazh and Vanille, when Fang summons Bahamut for the first time, and during the party's arrival to Gran Pulse. A variant of her theme, the second version of "The Pulse l'Cie," plays during her flashback of the fifth day when she and Vanille separate at the Euride Gorge Energy Plant. Another orchestral arrangement, "Determination", plays at the end of the game as Fang and Vanille become Ragnarok and save Cocoon.

Trivia

 * Fang's Crystarium crystal takes the shape of a fang.
 * Fang loves salty foods, as mentioned in Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero: Promise.
 * Fang is chronologically the second oldest playable character in the main Final Fantasy series. Fusoya, having watched humanity evolve, is more than likely the oldest.
 * A photo of Fang and Vanille can be found in Oerba, which is proof of their past existence on Gran Pulse.
 * On the blades of her lance, Fang's name is engraved in the Pulsian alphabet.
 * Fang rides chocobos sidesaddle, the first character in the series to do so.