Nero tol Scaeva

Nero tol Scaeva, is an antagonist from Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and a Tribunus Laticalvius in the XIVth Imperial Legion of the Garlean Empire.

Appearance
Nero is a blond man in maroon armor with a dragon-like helmet. He uses a gunhammer called Mjolnir as his primary weapon, but also wields a gunblade. Unlike the other Tribunes, Nero prefers to not wear his helmet unless when he's attending formal events or is in the thick of combat. He also seen out of his military garb in a later scene, wearing "outlandish" traveling gear and a trench coat, while investigating the Crystal Tower.

Personality
While he can put on a polite, cultured air for superiors and soldiers alike, he is a coldblooded leader who shows little mercy to his subordinates for even the smallest infractions. A schemer and a social climber, Nero resents Cid for outdoing him in magitek engineering and for being Gaius's former favored subordinate, whose shadow Nero feels he can never escape. When Cid betrayed the Garlean Empire, he felt that he would finally have his chance to outshine him. To his dismay, however, he found that Cid's betrayal only elevated his legendary status in the minds of the Garlean people.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Nero joins Gaius Van Baelsar's new campaign to continue the subjugation of Eorzea in the aftermath of the Seventh Umbral Era. He leads the legion's main intelligence branch, the Frumentarium, and minutes after his arrival at Ala Mhigo he roots out a spy among the ranks and slays him in cold blood.

He is later seen spying on the adventurer whom he witnesses slaying Ifrit. When he is confronted by Livia Sas Junius for straying from his assigned objective, she warns him she will kill him herself if he fails. He again is seen spying on the adventurer after their triumph over Titan, discussing the XIVth's dealings with Lahabrea. Rhitahtyn Sas Arvina joins him after Lahabrea leaves, and he denounces Nero for being so willing to trust the Ascian. He warns Nero that his loyalty should be to Garlemald first.

Gaius meets with his subordinates after the Ultima Weapon fully absorbs the active Primals; Gaius tasks Nero with finishing the final touches on it.

Later, he is encountered in the Praetorium. Seething in rage, Nero declares that he will earn the respect he feels he deserves by defeating the party, and proclaims he will finally prove himself as Cid's better. The adventurer and their party defeat him and Nero flees, the only Garlean general to survive a confrontation with the adventurer.

The Crystal Tower


Now living in exile from his homeland, Nero bided his time before learning of the Crystal Tower. After the adventurer and NOAH complete the Labyrinth of the Ancients, Nero investigates the tower premises and finds a power source atop the tower possibly stronger than the heart of the Ultima Weapon. Once the entrance to Syrcus Tower is open, intending to have Cid's group and the adventurer do the heavy lifting, Nero joins NOAH in their expedition into the tower while revealing the true identities of Doga and Unei. Nero's plan falls apart when the Cloud of Darkness spirits him into the World of Darkness when he attempts to save Unei so he can use her to control the entity.

Ending up in the Realm of Darkness, Nero deliberately absorbs the void-ridden atmosphere while fending off the voidsent that the Cloud of Darkness sent to kill Doga and Unei in its stead. After being found by the adventurer and G'raha Tia, Nero accompanies them on their run back to Eorzea. Though weakened as the portal closes, Nero is purified by Doga and Unei as he returns to Eorzea with Cid's help.

Although he disappears from the group shortly after their escape from the tower, Cid believes Nero won't be causing any trouble, at least for the time being. Nero is later seen alone, discarding his remaining piece of Garlean technology and declaring that a new day has dawned for him before leaving vicinity of the Crystal Tower.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward
At the end of Soul Surrender, Nero is seen the Carteneau Flats, apparently searching for the still dormant Omega. He remarks that "we are going to have so much fun together."

In the events of The Far Edge of Fate, Nero assists the adventurer in defeating the primal Shinryu by resurrecting Omega from beneath the Carteneau Flats. His intentions are never made clear however and both Omega and Shinryu's ultimate fate is unknown as the pair are flung east into Ala Mhigan lands.

Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
During the course of Cid's investigation of the whereabouts of Omega, Nero is revealed to have been hired by Jessie to be part of the team, much to Cid's consternation.

As part of the team, he journeys into a portal that leads to the Interdimensional Rift alongside Cid, Biggs, Wedge, and the adventurer, where they are subjected to tests by Omega. After passing the initial trials, he sets up a base inside the rift with Cid. He provides support to the adventurer as they face Omega's challenges, including giving them a gravitational device needed to face the monster known as Catastrophe. When Biggs and Wedge are nearly killed by Omega, Nero helps Cid take them to the Conjurer's Guild to be healed. He then chastises Cid, who is guilt ridden for his role in reviving Omega, for losing sight of his role as a scientist.

Gameplay
Nero is fought as part of the final sequence of bosses in the Praetorium. Wielding his gunhammer Mjolnir Nero can attack with powerful crushing blows and gunshots as well as summon torrents of lightning. As the battle progresses he can summon Magitek Deathclaws and Magitek Colossi to aid him in battle.

Musical themes
The theme "Steel Reason" plays in all the battles against Nero and the other Tribunes. It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Nero appears with a lightning-elemental card bearing his official render.

Triple Triad
Nero appears on a card in the version available via Final Fantasy Portal App.

Etymology
His last name is likely drawn from Marcus Cassius Scaeva, a centurion in Julius Caesar's army at the Battle of Dyrrhachium, and later one of Caesar's partisans. Marcus was also known for dressing in red armor.

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