Galenth Dysley



Galenth Dysley [daɪsli] (ガレンス・ダイスリー, Garensu Daisurī) is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XIII. He is often seen with a rukh familiar called Menrva, which is actually an extension of his power. Voted into the position by Cocoon's citizens, Dysley is the leading figure of the Sanctum. Though appearing a well-respected man of the people, promising their continued peace, this is actually a mask which Dysley assumes to hide a darker element of his true nature. He is voiced by Masaru Shinozuka in the Japanese version and S. Scott Bullock in the English version.

Datalog
Acting in the guise of a human Primarch, Galenth Dysley has concealed his true identity as the fal'Cie Barthandelus.

He reveals to Lightning and her companions that their Focus is for one of them to take on the form of Ragnarok and shatter Cocoon.

''Despite overseeing Cocoon's prosperity for so long, it seems he now desires its destruction. To that end, he has watched over the fugitive l'Cie, and even taken a direct hand in their survival.''

Profile
Like all fal'Cie, Dysley views humans as tools to achieve his ends and uses propagandistic charisma to cover it. He is also a ruthless nihilist in personality as he tells the party his intent to kill everyone dear to them and later carrying the deed out by shattering projections of the crystallized Serah and Dajh in front of their eyes. But ultimately, Dysley's goal is his own destruction which he achieved by becoming a part of Orphan.

Dysley is 185 cm tall, according to the Ultimania guide. He was designed by Tetsuya Nomura, which makes him one of only two antagonists of Final Fantasy XIII (along with Cid Raines) designed by him.

Story
Though appearing human, Dysley is actually Barthandelus (Baldanders in Japanese version), a fal'Cie who seeks to bring back the Maker via the destruction of Cocoon. After Ragnarok failed to destroy Cocoon, Dysley secretly brought the crystallized Vanille and Fang to Cocoon, along with the rest of the Pulse Vestige, in order to have them lay waste to it when they eventually woke from their crystal sleep.

He later arrived on Palamecia, shocking Jihl Nabaat that he had arrive in person to oversee the execution, ostensibly because of his status as leader requiring him to stand at the fore when a crisis that endangers Cocoon is at hand, although he hints that his true reason was so he would have a splendid view of the execution. After the prisoners escaped, he decides to have the entire Palamecia go under the Code White status after Jihl Nabaat is having difficulty declaring the alert level.

Dysley reveals his true nature on the Palamecia upon killing Jihl Nabaat and the rest of the bridge crew, stating that Cocoon is an ideal haven for the evils of humanity before Lightning accuses him of being the one who entices it. Dismissing the party's assumption that he is a l'Cie, Dysley assumes his true form and battles them in an epic boss fight before leaving, revealing the existence of Orphan and plainly stating that their Focus is to use Ragnarok to destroy it, destroying Cocoon in the process. He then transforms his familiar Menrva into an airship for the protagonists to escape to the Fifth Ark, where the l'Cie would are to be trained in order to become strong enough to complete their Focus.

At Gran Pulse's Oerba Village, Dysley assumes Serah's form to torment the l'Cie before revealing that he retired as Primarch in order to facilitate Raine's rise as his replacement; a back-up plan to ensure Cocoon's destruction. Soon after fighting them, Dysley leaves Menrva behind to give the party the means to return to Cocoon to defeat Orphan. Meeting the l'Cie at Cocoon's capital Eden during the chaos, Dysley expresses his enjoyment on preparations being complete, egging them to continue onwards. When the party reaches the innermost depths of Orphan's Cradle, Dysley appears in a throne overlooking a pool concealing the sleeping Orphan, accompanied by an illusion of the crystals of Dajh Katzroy and Serah Farron in front of him. He shatters both statues in order to break the l'Cie's spirits and force them to carry out their focus. However, seeing that they still refuse to comply, Dysley assumes his true form in a final confrontation. Defeated, Barthandelus sinks into Orphan's pool, becoming a shell for Orphan as it awakens from its rest.

Music
Dysley has his own theme simply called "Primarch Dysley". When fighting Dysley in his fal'Cie form, the theme "Fighting Fate" plays.

Battle
As Barthandelus, he is fought as a boss three times in the game; first upon the airship Palamecia as boss of Chapter 9, then at the outskirts of Oerba Village as the boss of Chapter 11. He then withdraws to Orphan's Cradle, where he is fought one last time in Chapter 13 before being assimilated into Orphan itself.

Trivia

 * Dysley, with his staff, mitre (hat), white robes, and apparent age, has a small resemblance to a Pope of the Catholic Church in full regalia. Furthermore, his white and purple color scheme reflects that of Justinian I whose actions influenced artist portrayals of Jesus during the Middle Ages.
 * Due to the aforementioned appearance of Dysley, fans coined a name for him, "Superpope", before the release of the English version of Final Fantasy XIII.

Galenth Dysley