Cycle (term)

In Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Cycles are the name used to describe the recurring wars that are fought between Cosmos, the goddess of Harmony, and Chaos, the god of Discord. Unbeknownst to the two factions, the wars are actually masterminded by Shinryu and Cid of the Lufaine, so that each time a faction wins the survivors are killed and everyone is revived to begin a new war again. The purpose of this repetition of cycle is for Shinryu to study the world, although how and why is unclear. There has been twenty cycles seen or alluded to in total in the two games.

1st to 11th cycles
Cosmos lost all these cycles.

12th cycle
This is the main story of the eponymous Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. In this cycle, several Warriors of Cosmos die defeated by Manikins (which means Shinryu won't revive them in the next cycle).

13th cycle
This is the main story of the first Dissidia Final Fantasy as well as of the bonus chapter of Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. In this cycle, several Chaos and Cosmos Warriors have switched sides while Cid feels guilty and has rebelled against Shinryu. At the end of this war, the Cosmos side wins and the heroes apparently return to their respective worlds.

14th to 17th cycle
Chaos lost all these cycles. It is unknown if the warriors of the 13th cycles somehow returned for these cycles (having either returned to their worlds or been killed for good) or if other warriors fought.

18th cycle
Chaos finally loses his mind and goes on a rampage against both his and Cosmos' Warriors. Feral Chaos is the name given to this berserk form of Chaos. Somehow, the real Feral Chaos is sealed by someone in the Citadel of Trials while a Manikin (green, weaker) version of him remains.

19th cycle
It is unknown what happens in this cycle.

20th cycle
This time, Feral Chaos goes to slay Cosmos herself, who has lost so much of her power that she can't summon Warriors anymore. However, Cid intervenes and seals her in the Cavern of Earth to protect her, as well as himself in a northern continent. Feral Chaos then goes to slay Shinryu, but it is unknown who wins. All the Scenario 000 of Dissidia 012 says is that in the aftermath of the 20th cycle, there is nothing left but ruins, waste and Manikins in the Dissidia world.