Bikanel



Bikanel (ビーカネル島) is an island to the west of the Spira mainland in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. It is primarily a large, arid desert with an oasis, featuring palm trees and a drinkable water source. Many ruins and sand-swept camp sites dot the landscape.

Final Fantasy X
The Sanubia Sands (サヌビア砂漠) is the home of the Al Bhed and the cactuar species. Bikanel Island had hosted at least one large city in former times, most likely in the time around the Machina War. As the signs on the ruins are all in the Al Bhed language, it seems the former city of Bikanel was already an Al Bhed city. According to Rikku, that city was destroyed by Sin, which is why the Al Bhed were scattered throughout Spira. Sometime prior to Tidus's arrival, Cid has reunited his people and built a new Al Bhed city in secret, known as Home.

In the north-east of the desert, a sandstorm is raging over an area known as Cactuar Village. By locating the ten Cactuar Gatekeepers scattered throughout the desert, they will quell the storm and offer some nice prizes.

Home is an underground fortress hidden in the middle of the Bikanel desert. It was built under Cid's direction and was the home of the Al Bhed for some time. In an effort to save the summoners from killing themselves to defeat Sin, and convince the world to find an alternative method to bring the Calm, the Al Bhed began kidnapping summoners on their pilgrimages and bringing them to Home, keeping them in an area called the Summoners' Sanctum.

An attack by Sin in Macalania transports Yuna and her guardians into the desert. After everyone but Yuna regroups, Rikku tells the others of a secret place in the desert called Home where the Al Bhed live. When they found it, it is under siege from the Guado. They make it to the Summoners' Sanctum at the heart of Home where they hoped in vain to find Yuna. They are soon forced to escape via Cid's airship before he orders the evacuation and then termination of Home.

If one returns to the desert after Home has been blown up, the player can find two Al Bhed men blocking the way to the ruins. If one tries to pass they'll simply engage into conversation with each other and the player explaining that there is nothing to find that way.


 * See Siege of Home for more.

In some International versions of the game, it is possible to return to Home after acquiring the airship, but it results in a glitch. It is also possible to fight Dark Ifrit after offering help to a summoner in disguise as an Al Bhed woman.

Treasure
The upgrades for Rikku's Celestial Weapon can be found in the desert. The Mercury Crest is located in a shifting sand pit; and the Sigil is received as a reward for completing the Valley of the Cactuars side quest.

Final Fantasy X-2
The Al Bhed are hard at work excavating the desert for machina. Yuna and her friends can assist in the work, if they choose to, by getting a letter from Gippal in Djose temple. The desert is divided into several expanses which the Al Bhed have mapped for safe digging: western, southern, northern, eastern, and central (the largest expanse, requiring a chocobo for safe travel). The player can find Al Bhed Primers, Sphere Break coins, parts for the Experiment, and other treasures from the digging minigame.

Other areas available to visit are the oasis and the Cactuar Nation, where the leader of the cacti, Marnela, asks the Gullwings to search all over Spira for the ten Gatekeepers and return them to Bikanel. There is also an ancient and powerful fiend called Angra Mainyu dwelling beneath the sands of Bikanel after being sealed by the Cactuar a millennia ago.

Episode Complete
In order to get Episode Complete in Bikanel, the player must fill the following criteria:


 * Chapter 1 - The player must receive a letter from Gippal at Djose Temple.
 * Chapter 2 - The player must clear the Bikanel hotspot acquired after getting the letter.
 * Chapter 3 - The player must defeat Logos at the oasis to obtain a Syndicate uniform.
 * Chapter 4 - The player must find all cactuars hidden throughout Spira. The quest can be started in Ch 3.
 * Chapter 5 - The player must defeat Angra Mainyu.

Locations

 * Bikanel Desert - AKA Sanubia Sands
 * Home - Al Bhed home (Final Fantasy X)
 * Cactuar Village - (Final Fantasy X)
 * Cactuar Dungeon - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Cactuar Nation - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Oasis - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Northern Expanse - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Southern Expanse - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Eastern Expanse - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Western Expanse - (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Central Expanse - (Final Fantasy X-2)

Minigames

 * Village of the Cactuars (Final Fantasy X)
 * The Cactuar Connection (Final Fantasy X-2)
 * Excavation (Final Fantasy X-2)

Bikanel Desert

 * ???, Sand Wolf x3
 * ???, Zu
 * ??? x2, Zu
 * Alcyone, Mushussu, Sand Wolf
 * Alcyone x2, Mushussu
 * Alcyone x2, Sand Wolf
 * Cactuar
 * Cactuar x2
 * Cactuar x2, Zu
 * Cactuar x3
 * Mech Guard, Mech Gunner x2
 * Mech Guard x2
 * Sand Worm
 * Zu
 * Zu, ??? (Tutorial)
 * Zu (Boss)
 * Sandragora (Boss)
 * Dark Ifrit (Boss)

Home

 * Guado Guardian, Bomb x3
 * Guado Guardian, Chimera x2
 * Guado Guardian, Dual Horn x2
 * Guado Guardian, Evil Eye x2

Chapter 1

 * Angra Mainyu, Tawrich, Zarich

Chapter 2

 * Angra Mainyu, Tawrich, Zarich

Chapter 3

 * Angra Mainyu, Tawrich, Zarich

Chapter 5

 * Angra Mainyu, Tawrich, Zarich (Boss)

Musical Themes
In Final Fantasy X the theme that plays while in the desert is called "Scorching Desert".

In Final Fantasy X-2 Bikanel Desert (ビーカネル砂漠) plays during the excavation minigame.

Bikanel Bikanel