Memoria (Final Fantasy IX)



Memoria is the penultimate dungeon in Final Fantasy IX. Memoria was conjured from people's memories. Garland guides Zidane through the dungeon and will explain the memories the party walk through to him. The dungeon eventually takes the party to the Crystal World.

Glowing orbs throughout Memoria allow the party to save, use a Tent, or switch party members. There are also a number of invisible save points found here. Memoria is a unique location as it allows Zidane to switch out of the party. Despite this Zidane will still lead the party in the field.

A number of "phantoms" can be challenged to Tetra Master here who hold a number of rare cards between them.

Origins
Where Memoria comes from is never explained in the game. It is unclear whether Kuja summoned it, or if it appears naturally after Terra's destruction, perhaps due to the enormous amounts of Mist that was expelled when the planet was destroyed. What is known, however, is that the Iifa Tree is holding Gaian souls in stasis and prevents them from returning to the crystal in the planet core.

The souls, upon returning to the crystal, bring with them the memories of the life lived and thus allow the crystal to grow. Memoria, at first, appears to be made out of the player party's memories, but the deeper within the party travel, the further back in time they go, and discover that Memoria is made out of the collective memories of the whole planet.

Story
The four chaos guardians, Maliris, Tiamat, Kraken, and Lich, fight the party inside Memoria. Throughout the dungeon, Garland's voice, speaking only to Zidane, guides the party to their destination.

After the Second Battle of the Iifa Tree and entering Memoria, the party departs the Invincible, but they may return to it and leave Memoria at any time. The first area of Memoria is the Stairs of Time. After wading through several planes of recollections with Garland's guidance, Zidane and his party are attacked by Maliris.

The heroes next venture into their own pasts, and witness Alexandria's annihilation. Zidane, Garnet, and Eiko are able to see it, but Quina cannot since s/he was the only member of the party not present in Alexandria for that event. After passing the fateful scene and entering a Time Interval, they confront Tiamat and continues on to venture through several abandoned buildings and enter a waterfall, which brings them to an underwater memory of Gaia's earliest existence.

Progressing further along the ocean floor brings the party face-to-face with Kraken, who is summarily defeated. Zidane's party moves on and witnesses a swirling sphere of fire surrounded by emptiness, which Garland reveals to be Gaia's birth. They climb upwards into space and defeat the last of the chaos guardians, Lich. A glowing green portal warps them into a maze of stars, and Garland sends Zidane his final words before parting, asking them to protect the crystal. The party wanders through a seemingly endless labyrinth of starry void before emerging in the Crystal World.

Locations
Memoria is an entirely linear dungeon. Each area has its own theme originating from the memories of the party and others. Many rooms have scenes in them, usually where Garland will explain circumstances to the party.

Memoria is entered from a portal above the Iifa Tree that appears after the events of Terra. The first time Memoria is entered a scene plays out, and the party engages in a battle with the Nova Dragon. After this the player will enter the Outside area.




 * Notable Features:
 * A teleport pad which allows the party to return to the Invincible.
 * The first of the save spheres, which functionally replace moogles for the rest of the game.
 * Treasure:
 * Kain's Lance.
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Master Phantom
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Master Phantom
 * Treasure:
 * The Tower.
 * Boss Battle:
 * Maliris
 * Maliris


 * Notable Features:
 * Save sphere (hidden in castle ruins).
 * Treasure:
 * Angel Flute.
 * No notable features.
 * No notable features.


 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Defense Phantom.


 * Treasure:
 * Rune Claws.
 * Boss Battle:
 * Tiamat
 * Save Sphere (hidden between buildings)
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Strong Phantom
 * No notable features.
 * Strong Phantom
 * No notable features.
 * No notable features.


 * Save sphere.
 * Save sphere.
 * Optional Boss (hidden, to the right of the stairs):
 * Hades
 * Synthesis shop (after battle)
 * Boss Battle:
 * Kraken
 * Notable Features:
 * Save sphere.
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Rare Phantom
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Rare Phantom


 * Treasure:
 * Mace of Zeus.
 * Tetra Master Phantom:
 * Dark Phantom
 * Dark Phantom
 * Boss Battle:
 * Lich
 * Notable Features:
 * Save sphere
 * Treasure (If reached within twelve hours):
 * Excalibur II

Enemies

 * Ash
 * Behemoth
 * Chimera
 * Iron Man
 * Stilva
 * Veteran
 * Nova Dragon (Boss)
 * Hades (Boss)
 * Kraken (Boss)
 * Lich (Boss)
 * Maliris (Boss)
 * Tiamat (Boss)

Hades Synthesis Shop
The Hades Synthesis Shop becomes available after the player defeats Hades.


 * The player can synthesize Beatrix's weapon Save the Queen; while none of the party members can equip it, Amarant can throw it for decent damage.
 * Tin Armor is easily Steiner's best armor; however, unlike Save the Queen, one of its ingredients is not replenishable, destroying the game's only Hammer in its creation. The possession of the Hammer at the game's end will prompt a bonus scene in the epilogue.

Hades
The secret boss, Hades, is fought in the underwater area; the player can initiate a battle against him by searching the hidden area on the sidelines. Hades is the Master Synthesist referred to in one of Mogster's early lectures and can synth two Pumice Pieces to create the Pumice that can be used to summon the eidolon Ark.

Card Phantoms
There are multiple Tetra Master locations in Memoria. In niches and corners, the action icon (! or ?) will appear and one must use the button at such spot to talk to a phantom. They are advanced Tetra Master players who carry rare and strong cards, and they will also provide difficult card battles.

Excalibur II
If the player reaches the room called Gate to Space, where the party fights Lich, with less than 12 hours of game time on the clock, they are able to receive Steiner's strongest weapon: the Excalibur II.

A message is left near the sword for Gilgamesh, written by Enkido, which says:

Lost Family Sidequest
During disc 4, a sidequest becomes accessible where Zidane must repeatedly visit the Tantalus hideout in Lindblum's Theater District and talk to the various Nero family members. Starting with Benero and Zenero, a member of the Nero family will appear, saying the others are missing, then go and look for them. Each time Zidane returns to the hideout after a major event or battle in Memoria, a new member will be there, saying all the previous members are missing. This can be done repeatedly until Deathguise is defeated—the last major event that will trigger a new scene at the hideout.

After the scene with Penera, the final Nero family member, Zidane will comment on the huge family, and a treasure chest will appear inside the hideout with a Protect Ring inside.

Blu Mag
Quina can eat Ash or Veteran to learn Doom, Behemoth to learn Angel's Snack, Chimera to learn Frost, and Stilva to learn Auto-Life.

Musical Themes
The theme that plays in Memoria is called "Place of Memory".

Trivia

 * Memoria is the only place in the game where the player does not use a moogle to save.
 * Memoria is the second place in the main course of the game where the player doesn't need to have Zidane in the party.
 * In the English version, Beatrix refers to Memoria as Valhalla in the cinematic after the Alexandrian airship, Red Rose, appears and just before the Invincible goes in.

Ort der Erinnerung Мемория