Gabranth



Judge Gabranth (ジャッジ・ガブラス, Jajji Gaburasu) is a character in Final Fantasy XII. A major antagonist, he is a Judge Magister, the highest rank possible in the Archadian Empire's military. While he appears to serve the Empire faithfully, a torn and broken man lies behind his lordly façade.

Appearance and Personality
Gabranth is a tall man; being Basch's identical twin brother, they share facial features, though Gabranth lacks Basch's beard, scar, and longer hair.

Throughout Final Fantasy XII Gabranth demonstrates a ruthless and cruel demeanor, imprisoning his brother and keeping him alive while informing him of every failure his former knights suffer after the Archadian occupation. Despite his cruel attitude, Gabranth remains a respectful follower to Emperor Gramis. Even though he acts as a faithful soldier to the Empire, Gabranth's motivations are related to his profound hatred towards his believed dishonorable failure at protecting Landis, which in turn directs his hatred to his brother. By the end of the story, Gabranth is a broken man, regretting even more his defeat to his brother and failing to Larsa. After his showdown with Basch, Gabranth regains his motivations, and makes amends with his brother.

Story


Born Noah fon Ronsenburg (ノア・フォン・ローゼンバーグ, Noa fon Rōzenbāgu), Gabranth is the twin brother of Basch fon Ronsenburg. They lived and grew up in the Republic of Landis before it was invaded by the Empire. During the invasion, Basch fled their hometown to the Kingdom of Dalmasca, while Noah moved with his sickly mother to Archadia, her homeland. There, he adopted his mother's surname Gabranth, and joined the Archadian Military. He quickly climbed the ranks, and with the backing of Emperor Gramis became Judge Magister.

Two years before the main events of Final Fantasy XII, Gabranth was present at Nalbina Fortress where he killed King Raminas of Dalmasca while impersonating his brother, Basch. In the manga adaptation of Final Fantasy XII, Vayne orders Gabranth to do this, believing the treachery of Basch and the death of Raminas will give him an excuse to suspend peace negotiations and push the Archadians to take over Dalmasca in full. The two spread rumors of an assassination attempt on the king's life to trick Basch and a force of his soldiers to storm the Fortress and rescue the king. In reality, this was a ruse to get Basch at the scene: Gabranth poses as Basch to attack King Raminas, engaging and defeating Basch in battle while giving Basch a facial scar over his left eye. Gabranth then kills King Raminas, and to ensure that the trick is successful, one of Basch's soldiers, Reks, witnesses Gabranth (as Basch) confess to the murder. For the next two years, Basch would be locked up in the Nalbina Dungeon framed for regicide, where Gabranth would be his interrogator. In a scene exclusive to the manga-adaptation of the game, as Vaan is fleeing the palace during the rebel attack on Dalmasca, he sees Gabranth and Vayne overseeing the springing of the trap to destroy the rebel forces. When Vaan is caught and brought before Vayne, he attempts to strike him but is blocked by Gabranth and thrown back before he can reach his target. Though Gabranth suggests Vayne show mercy as Vaan is not with the rebels, Vayne orders him executed and the two depart. Though Vaan mentions his brother was at the forces stationed at Nalbina Fortress, he does not know at this time who Gabranth is and his hand in Reks' death. The 9th Bureau that Judge Gabranth leads is primarily concerned with the gathering and dissemination of information. As a result, many of the bureau’s activities are shrouded in secrecy. Serving as right hand to the Emperor, Gabranth reports Vayne's activities to him and vows to the Emperor that he would protect Larsa so that he may never have to see the violence of war. After Gramis' subsequent passing, Judge Drace correctly accuses Vayne of killing his own father. To test Gabranth's loyalty, Vayne appoints him as Drace's executioner. Reluctantly, he kills the Judge, but with her dying breath, she asks Gabranth to guard Larsa in her place, to which Gabranth promises that he would.

While at the Pharos at Ridorana, the party encounters Gabranth at the Sun-Cryst. Though charged by Larsa to see if Ashe can make peace with the Empire, he incites her to take the nethicite and avenge all those who had fallen. However, when Ashe refuses, Gabranth is confounded, demanding that the Princess take back what is rightfully hers. Her further refusal to do so causes Gabranth to fall into a maddening rage and viciously attack the player's party. However, he is defeated, at which point Dr. Cid interrupts, telling Gabranth that he is pitiful for failing Larsa and that he no longer serves any purpose. This greatly hurts the Judge, who is forced to retreat back to the Bahamut in disgrace.

Aboard the Bahamut, Gabranth, now a broken man, is torn between his duty and honor, heavily wounded after fighting his own brother. Angered that Basch still retains his pride and honor after having abandoned Landis years prior, Gabranth demands an explanation, himself possessing little self-worth at having joined the enemy of his homeland. Basch tells Noah that by having something worth protecting one can still hold onto his honor. Gabranth then witnesses Vayne fight the player party, where Larsa gets hurt. After Vayne's transformation, the former asks Gabranth to protect Larsa while he fights. He does so by raising his sword to his former master. During the fight Gabranth stabs Vayne through the chest, causing the latter to retaliate by fatally wounding the Judge. After the fight is over, Gabranth is taken aboard the Strahl where he dies. With his dying breath, he apologizes to Basch and asks that he protect Lord Larsa for him, which Basch promises to do by donning his brother's armor and taking his place as Judge Magister.

Battle


The party fights Gabranth twice, at the Pharos at Ridorana and on board the Sky Fortress Bahamut.

Gabranth focuses on Basch if he is in the active party. Sentence and Guilt are strong hits on one party member. Innocence and Circle of Judgment damage the entire party.

He is also present in Trial Mode, at Stage 100 in the International version.

Music
"Theme of the Empire" (帝国のテーマ, Teikoku no teema) plays during the first boss battle against Gabranth at the Pharos at Ridorana. Composed and arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto, it is the eleventh track in Disc 2 of the original soundtrack.

"Desperate Fight" (死闘, Shitō) is the boss battle theme that plays during the second battle against Gabranth at the Sky Fortress Bahamut. Composed and arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto, it is the fifth track in Disc 3 of the original soundtrack. The theme can also be unlocked in Dissidia Final Fantasy, given the title "Fight to the Death" - another translation to the Japanese track name. While it represents the third of three tracks from Final Fantasy XII in that game, it is not available in the original soundtrack.

Voice
In the English version of Final Fantasy XII, Gabranth is voiced by Michael E. Rogers, while he is played by Keith Ferguson in the English version of Dissidia, who had previously voiced Gabranth's brother Basch. In the Japanese versions of Final Fantasy XII and Dissidia, he is voiced by Akio Ohtsuka.

Dissidia Final Fantasy


Gabranth appears in Dissidia Final Fantasy representing Final Fantasy XII, and plays as a special character, assumed to oppose Shantotto. He has very little influence on the story, being an extra character as well as the only one appearing from Final Fantasy XII, appearing only once in the main storyline.

In the bonus storyline Gabranth is the guardian of a hellish dimension where warriors slain in the cycle of conflict are entrapped when they perish. The player's character is trapped in the dimension as well and fights to escape. Gabranth then battles the player to determine if they truly deserve the right to live or not.

Trivia

 * Gabranth's sprite is added to Final Fantasy XII's Sky Pirate's Den after having unleashed every Quickening Concurrence at least once, granting the player the title of Mist Walker.
 * As revealed in the Final Fantasy XII Ultimania Guide, Gabranth's larger blade is named "Chaos Blade", and the smaller weapon is named "Highway Star".
 * A Judge who looks like Judge Gabranth appears in concept art for the Final Fantasy XII spin-off game Fortress, although he wields a lance rather than a sword. It is unknown whether this character is Gabranth, Basch or an unidentified character.
 * Although Gabranth and Cidolfus Demen Bunansa are not related, their Japanese voice actors are, as Cid is voiced by Chikao Ohtsuka, the real-life father of Akio Ohtsuka, the Japanese voice of Gabranth. The two characters interact before the player faces Cid the second time.
 * Gabranth's biography in Dissidia Final Fantasy reveals he is the younger twin, and Basch is the older twin. Final Fantasy XII does not specify which of them is the older.
 * The most expensive piece of Final Fantasy XII merchandise is a 1:1 replica of Gabranth's helmet.