Pulse

Pulse (みゃく), known as Hallowed Pulse in the Analects and also sometimes referred to as the Maker, is a deity in Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy mythology. It is the god that is said to have created the world where Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2 take place, and it used to be worshiped by many of the tribes inhabiting the world, who named the planet after it, calling it Gran Pulse. The people living on Cocoon refer to the world of Gran Pulse, simply as Pulse. In Final Fantasy XIII, though its appearance is brief, Pulse is a figure with a half covered face of a man.

Datalog
''VII. Hallowed Pulse''

''It was the Great and Hallowed Pulse who, seeking to expand divine domain, parted the chaos and fashioned realm within; made fal'Cie, and charged them with this world's completion. ''The fal'Cie, anxious to please the hand that shaped them, labored devotedly at the task they had been given. They made l'Cie of men so that they, too, might be able to aid the greater cause. Men, in turn, offered praise and prayer to Hallowed Pulse, naming their great land in honor of its architect. Yet still the architect departed.
 * -- On the Nature of Fal'Cie

Profile
According to the official Fabula Nova Crystallis mythology Pulse was the first deity created by Bhunivelze as part of his goal to reach the Unseen Realm. Pulse is called a "fal'Cie" in the myths and is said to have created the world and born many fal'Cie of its own that proceeded to terraform the land. The people of the world, puzzled by the fal'Cie's actions, interpreted their quest as a task to complete the world as per the god Pulse's orders, their explanation stated in the Analects in Final Fantasy XIII. However, the fal'Cie are actually tasked to search for Etro's Gate on land, in air, and under the sea.

One day Pulse left the world, never to be seen again, and became only a myth by the time of Final Fantasy XIII. The fal'Cie of Cocoon, who are of Lindzei's breed, wish to bring the departed gods back to the world to have the world reborn anew, and, believing the gods to have departed to the Unseen Realm, come up with a plan to open Etro's Gate by the means of a mass sacrifice.

Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega reveals that while it was fal'Cie Anima that selected the l'Cie, it was Pulse itself who did the actual branding. This is seen when Lightning, Snow, Sazh, Vanille and Hope end up in a Historia Crux-like dimension, referred to as the gods' domain in the Ultimania, where Pulse emerges from a crystal and proceeds to brand its new l'Cie with its tendrils.

In Final Fantasy Type-0, though not appearing in the game's storyline, Pulse is referenced as the master of Arecia Al-Rashia and tasked her to find Etro's Gate in Orience by picking out Class Zero and see if the quality of their souls is enough to complete their task. The armistice in the era of the game was proclaimed by the three major nations of Orience "in the name of the God Pulse," as noted by Celestia quoting from the Fabula Conventions. All l'Cie of Final Fantasy Type-0 bear brands of Pulse, which might imply the Crystals of Orience are of Arecia's responsibility.

Trivia

 * The sound of church bells heard when the party enters the dark realm where they meet Pulse is also heard in Final Fantasy XIII-2 whenever the world is engulfed by chaos; this is seen during the scenes where Lightning is taken to Valhalla, and in the end of the game. The bells toll thirteen times, an allusion to the number 13, a recurring theme in both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2.
 * When Pulse brands the party as l'Cie in Final Fantasy XIII, Pulsian script is seen floating in the air. When deciphered, the text appears to read words like "variable", "average", "multiplication" and "000 number".