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Anima [ˈæn.ɪ.mə] is a primal from Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, based on the aeon of the same name from Final Fantasy X.

History[]

Anima was created by rogue Ascian Fandaniel in his scheme to bring forth the Final Days once more. When Zenos Galvus murdered his father, Varis, Fandaniel took his corpse and transformed it into a primal. The beast was fueled by the Garleans' faith in their deceased Emperor, acting as the closest equivalent to religious prayers. Anima served as the central figure within the Tower of Babil, which was erected on the site of the imperial palace of Garlemald. Believing that Emperor Varis still lived, Anima began to temper the faithful Garleans to Varis all throughout Ilsabard. This brought chaos to Garlemald, turning these tempered Garleans into mindless Telophoroi: fodder for Fandaniel in his mad scheme for destruction.

From within the Tower of Babil, Anima manifested a number of similar yet smaller towers all throughout the world, with parts of Varis's body as their cores. The towers' purpose was to draw aether from the land and divert it to the Tower of Babil, and to contain members of various beast-tribes to use them to summon lunar versions of their respective primals. In Paglth'an, the Telophoroi imprisoned a number of Amalj'aa and forced them to summon Lunar Ifrit. In the same manner, many other primals were summoned elsewhere. The towers also tempered anyone who dared approach without the power of the Echo or a Resonant into a mindless servant.

While the Scions of the Seventh Dawn assisted alchemists in Thavnair in developing warding scales to protect people from tempering, the Grand Company of Eorzea and Far Eastern Alliance formed the Ilsabard contingent to march on Garlemald, with the Scions joining them in their endeavor. The purpose of this contingent was to defeat the Telophoroi and assist any Garleans not yet tempered. After resolving this issue, the contingent learned about Anima's origins as Emperor Varis. The contingent assaulted the Tower of Babil, and within its heart, the Scions destroyed Anima, with Alphinaud Leveilleur hoping Varis's spirit would find peace. However, Anima had a failsafe: Upon Anima's destruction, an order would be given to all of its tempered minions to launch suicidal attacks and sow as much chaos as possible.

Anima's ultimate purpose was to channel enough aether through the network of towers into the Tower of Babil, so that this power could be weaponized to undo Zodiark's bindings on the moon, which Hydaelyn had erected to keep Her counterpart in check. The aether Fandaniel used was enough to destroy five of the six bindings, forcing him and Zenos to manually destroy the final binding by traveling to the moon themselves. In the end, by very nearly allowing for Zodiark to be unleashed, Anima served its purpose.

Gameplay[]

Anima is the final boss in The Tower of Babil The Tower of Babil dungeon. His model is nearly identical to his original appearance in Final Fantasy X, though this variation is a male. He uses Anima's signature ability, Oblivion.

Gallery[]

Etymology and symbolism[]

Anima is named after the female aeon of the same name from Final Fantasy X. Anima is a feminine Latin and Italian noun for "soul" or "breath". Ancient Romans believed that one's anima resided in the chest; when a person died, his or her soul escaped from the body with the breath. Anima was associated with emotion and the heart; its metaphysical counter part, animus, was manifested in the brain and in one's sense of logic.

In Jungian psychology, the Anima can be defined as two things:

  • One's inner self, which is in contact with the subconscious, as opposed to one's outward persona.
  • The subconscious (yet partially conscious) female psychological qualities, which Jung said reside in all males and is usually an aggregate of a man's mother, but may also incorporate aspects of sisters, aunts, and other important female figures.

Anima Sola, or lonely soul in Roman Catholicism, is usually pictured as a soul in Purgatory who has chains that bound her wrists, which when broken, mean she has repented for her sins. The Anima Sola requires not only divine assistance, but also the help of the living.

Unlike the appearance in Final Fantasy X, only one arm appears to be around his head. This arm is a cruel mimicry of the Garlean Empire salute. The other is likely what the player finds in the Tower of Zot.

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