Caius Ballad

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Caius Ballad
(パドラ＝バラッド・カイアス, Padora Baraddo Kaiasu?) Alternate names: Paddra Ballad-Caius
Enemy appearances	Boss Boss (final)
Other appearances	Opera Omnia All other appearances
Biographical information
Occupation	Guardian
Physical description
Race	Human, l'Cie (formerly)
Gender	Male
Gameplay details
Type	Boss
Type	Boss
Behind the scenes information
Designer	Yusuke Naora

A mysterious man with an ominous presence clashes with Lightning, and later Noel and Serah. Caius makes for an intimidating sight as he bears down upon his enemies, brandishing his massive blade with ease. His icy exterior makes it impossible for others to read him, let alone approach him.

Official description

Paddra Ballad-Caius, or Caius Ballad (カイアス・バラッド, Kaiasu Baraddo?) is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XIII-2 who also appears in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Caius engages his fated rival, Lightning, in an endless battle in the realm of Valhalla, and follows Lightning's sister, Serah Farron, and his former protégé, Noel Kreiss, on their journey through time.

Caius was originally a Gran Pulse l'Cie charged with protecting the seeress Yeul as her Guardian.

In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Caius continues to serve as Yeul's Guardian, and he faces Lightning in battle once more.

His full name stands for "Caius of the Ballad clan, from the city of Paddra".

Datalog

Final Fantasy XIII-2

See also: Datalog (Final Fantasy XIII)/Significant Persons

Caius Ballad is the man Serah saw in her dream, fighting with Lightning. In 200 AF, he appears with Yeul in the village of Oerba, and attempts to administer justice for Serah and Noel's crime of changing history.

Noel seems to know this dark warrior, but is unsettled to have encountered Caius in that time period.

Caius Ballad is a former l'Cie and the immortal Guardian of the seeress, Yeul.

Everything this man has done for the past several centuries has been for the purpose of freeing his charge from her curse of eternal reincarnation. If he can kill the goddess and send the artificial Cocoon plummeting into Pulse, the resulting flood of volatile chaos through Etro's gate would shatter the boundary between Valhalla and the mortal realm. Life and death would cease to hold meaning, and Yeul's cruel fate would finally be undone. Or so Caius believes...

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

Fragments

Helmwige's Nightshade

See also: Fragment/Crimson Memories

Caius, the peerless hero celebrated in Paddra legend, was a Guardian, appointed to serve and protect the seeress. The sagas sung of his countless victories, of foes vanquished in the thousands. He was called 'Caius of the Ballads,' but despite his renown, none knew his true origin.

He took the name 'Ballad' because of the one battle that nearly killed him.

The foe was a fellow warrior of the Farseers. Overwhelmed by the strength and skill of his opponent, Caius was driven back and back, until it was only a matter of time before the final blow would fall. But their duel was interrupted by an enemy attack, and during the ensuing battle Caius's opponent gave his life defending the seeress. Caius believed that it was he who should have fallen in her defense. Thus, to honor the fallen warrior, he took his name.

Spoilers end here.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

See also: Datalog (Final Fantasy XIII)/Characters

The man responsible for releasing the Chaos from the unseen realm and inviting the world's destruction. Immortal since ancient times, Caius served the seeress Yeul in her many incarnation. He vowed to save Yeul from the cruel cycle of endless death and rebirth.

Caius's plotting led to the downfall of the goddess Etro, and brought catastrophe. The unseen Chaos, released from Valhalla, now consumes the world.

He was defeated in his confrontation with Noel and he lost the heart, full of Chaos, which had kept him alive so long. He should have died then, and yet he appears once again. Are his crimes so great that even death will not take him?

Profile

Appearance

Caius.

Caius is a tall, slender, muscular man with purple attire, hair and eyes. His long hair is adorned with feathers and tribal beads and is held back with a headband. His form-fitting suit of armor resembles Bahamut, and he wears dark boots lined with white fur. The Etro script on the back of his armor translates to: "Undying Witness of Infinite Fate." It is said the eye on the hilt of his sword is the eidolith capable of summoning Bahamut, an Eidolon gifted by the goddess Etro when he served as a l'Cie.

Caius can perform an incarnate summoning, which allows him to fuse with Bahamut and become Chaos Bahamut. Chaos Bahamut is darker than the regular Bahamut and always has the wings, whereas the regular Bahamut only displays them in Gestalt Mode.

In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Caius retains his original appearance.

Personality

Oblivion is the fate of all things.

Caius to Lightning

Caius is calm and serious, rarely displaying emotion, making it difficult to discern his thoughts and intentions. Noel describes Caius as someone who prefers to personally take action instead of having others do the dirty work for him, and says he is like "the calm before the storm," as he may remain silent until spotting a weakness in his enemies, and once he does, he will expose it without mercy. He isn't entirely above mocking or praising opponents, either, as he praises Lightning's prowess but also taunts her whenever she fails to push him back.

As his goal draws nearer, Caius becomes emotional, ultimately revealing himself as a man consumed by sorrow and rage over the centuries to the point that he plots to destroy time itself. He is impressed by Serah's determination to protect the future, and although he is dismissive of Noel's optimism and refusal to kill, Caius shows fondness towards the boy he had taken under his wing after seeing his potential, and praises Noel for his growth.

In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Caius no longer has a single-minded goal and has lost his drive and become cynical, reacting to Lightning and the world's condition with spite. He views his predicament as inescapable, and thus exists in a perpetual state of suffering. In the end he appears to have accepted his fate and embraces his duty of staying by Yeul's side.

Abilities

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

Caius commands the powers of chaos.

With a millennium of experience Caius is a warrior of equal prowess to Lightning. Having been made immortal as an act of benevolence from the goddess Etro, he has gained knowledge of every possible scenario in the timeline and uses it to his advantage. As Caius holds the Heart of Chaos, Etro's own heart, he can command the powers of chaos itself, the mysterious energy that flows from the unseen realm that Etro keeps at bay in Valhalla.

As chaos has the power to warp the timeline, Caius manifests time paradoxes in an effort to change the fate of Yeul. He can open portals to immediately move to a different location, and enter Valhalla from the mortal world. As explained in Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega, even though Caius cannot time travel, once his preparations are complete the place and time of his plan will become so badly affected by the chaos he will be able to enter there from Valhalla. Like Lightning can contact Serah and Snow in a dream from Valhalla, so can Caius send messages to his past selves to bring together his scheme.

When in the Void Beyond he can teleport, briefly stop time, and trap his opponents in dream worlds forged by their own desires. He can perform incarnate summoning and become Chaos Bahamut, as well as the even stronger Jet Bahamut when enough chaos is present. He is a powerful spellcaster and can even crush Etro's temple with a large meteorite. When killed, the Heart of Chaos will revive Caius, and with the heart destroyed, he becomes bound to the chaos itself by the Yeuls' love for him, still leaving him unable to die. He retains the ability to control the powers of chaos, teleport and summon Bahamut, although he appears to have lost the ability to perform incarnate summoning. When Lightning comes to the temple looking for him, Caius casts a curse on her so she will continuously weaken.

Story

Final Fantasy XIII-2

I shall remember your pain. It will be carved in my heart. Together with the memories of every other Yeul, cursed to die this way.

Caius to Yeul after her death in Augusta Tower -200 AF-

Born prior to the War of Transgression, Caius is a member of the Farseers, the oldest tribe on Gran Pulse who revere the goddess Etro. The Farseers are led by the seeress Paddra Nsu-Yeul, gifted with the Eyes of Etro and thus able to see changes in the timeline and make prophecies of the future. Forced to witness the changes to the timeline, each vision drains a part of Yeul's life until a final vision will kill her. Unable to pass on to the unseen realm, the goddess Etro sends Yeul's soul back to the mortal realm where she is reincarnated with a new heart.

Caius was made a l'Cie after killing Yeul's previous Guardian, succeeding the role. One day, Caius dueled with a formidable fellow warrior of the Farseers. Overwhelmed by his opponent's strength and skill, Caius was driven back until an enemy army invaded Paddra looking for the seeress, interrupting the duel before the final blow could be dealt. In Yeul's defense, Caius's opponent sacrificed himself to protect her.

Believing he should have been the one to die, Caius honored the fallen warrior by taking on his last name, "Ballad." To protect Yeul himself, Caius performed an incarnate summon to destroy the enemy forces, a skill that let him become one with his Eidolon, but would cost him his life. Etro, moved by Caius's dedication, freed him from his fate as a l'Cie and infused her heart, the Heart of Chaos, into his body, making him immortal so he can protect every incarnation of Yeul until the end of time. Although given as an act of benevolence, Caius would come to see his immortality as a curse due to the madness he would have to endure.

The city of Paddra fell in a civil war that broke out due to the seeress's prophecy of its destruction, and Yeul cast away her role as the leader of Paddra. Her followers became nomads, and Caius remained at her side as her eternal Guardian. Whenever a Yeul would die a new one would be born, and though essentially the same, Caius saw each incarnation for her uniqueness as he committed every one of Yeul's prophecies to memory while forced to witness her death countless times. Over time, Caius is driven mad with grief and rage and longs for both himself and Yeul to be released from the cycle.

Yeul and Caius watching Serah and Noel begin their journey.

Starting in 3 AF, Caius watches over Noel and Serah's progress alongside different incarnations of Yeul. Noel and Serah are time travelers who seek passage to Valhalla to reunite with Serah's sister Lightning and prevent a bleak future, but every change in the timeline causes Yeul to witness it, shortening her lifespan. As a seeress, she is forbidden from influencing the timeline to save herself, and Caius, as her Guardian, follows suit.

In 200 AF, Caius reveals himself to Noel and Serah during their visit to Oerba. Noel mistakes Caius for the one he once knew in 700 AF, although this is still in Caius's future. As Yeul had told him of Serah and Noel's actions across time, believing them the cause of the temporal anomalies that threaten the timeline, Caius engages them in battle. Before he can deal the final blow, Yeul intervenes, saying history has already been changed. Caius relents and leads Yeul away through a portal so she would not see the future any further.

Caius takes Yeul to Augusta Tower at her request and allows her to meet with Noel and Serah in private and reveal his nature as her immortal Guardian. Yeul gives them an artefact that opens a Time Gate to the Proto fal'Cie Adam, and tells Serah and Noel they have the power to restore the timeline. Noel and Serah set out again, and the subsequent change triggers another vision, killing Yeul. Caius laments on her short life and resolves to remember her pain before carrying away her body.

The Caius-based hologram created by the Proto fal'Cie Adam accuses Noel and Serah of being paradoxes.

Two hundred years later in the city of Academia, Noel and Serah are surrounded by countless Cie'th and approached by Caius, who claims they were killed in the Augusta Tower after having learned of the "forbidden history." Because they stand before him alive and well, he accuses the two of being paradoxes. Noel finds Caius's behavior to be unlike him, and the two pursue him through the city, learning from a Yeul who perishes after an attack from Zenobia that the Caius they were chasing was not the real Caius, and that he was never in the city.

By 700 AF, Caius is among the last remaining humans in the world as Noel is born in the Farseer tribe. Seeing that Noel is the one with the potential to free him from his curse, Caius takes the boy under his wing to serve as Yeul's protector. Upon learning Noel had single-handedly defeated a Behemoth, Caius acknowledges he is ready to become the one true Guardian, and tells Noel he must kill him just as Caius had once killed his predecessor. Refusing to succeed him that way, Noel tells Caius about his plan of going on a journey with Yeul to find other people so she will not be lonely anymore, but Caius dismisses it as vain hope. He reveals the Heart of Chaos in his chest and how only by destroying it and killing him and Etro can Yeul be saved, but Noel continues to refuse to kill him.

Caius sees the boy is not strong enough kill him as he is now, and departs for Valhalla after telling Noel that Yeul's feelings over his actions mean nothing to him, as his only goal is that she will be free. Leaving Yeul's side as her Guardian, Caius uses the power he wields over chaos to find his way to Valhalla, the middle world between life and death where Etro resides, with the intent to kill her. Caius believes that Etro's death would release Yeul from her cycle of endless reincarnation.

Back in the Dying World Yeul dies and passes on to Valhalla. Caius rests her lifeless body in the Sea of Chaos along Valhalla's shore and she disperses into light. He sees Yeul's implanted vision of the crystallized Cocoon crashing into Gran Pulse and a glimpse of Etro's shrine, and summons an army of Rift Beasts to enact his war on Etro.

Caius faces off against Lightning.

Caius challenges Etro's protector Lightning to battle. As they meet face-to-face he grabs her gunblade and aims it at his Heart of Chaos, which begins to glow. When Lightning backs away in shock, Caius transforms into Chaos Bahamut and sends Lightning flying over Valhalla as they continue their duel. Noel falls from the sky through Etro's gate, the portal to Valhalla, the goddess having answered his prayer to gain the power of chaos to follow Caius.

Lightning saves Noel as Caius pursues the two in the form of Chaos Bahamut and engages her in an aerial dogfight. Lightning defeats him, but he reappears and summons a meteorite above the Temple of the Goddess. Lightning asks Noel to bring her sister, Serah, to Valhalla, and sends him through a Time Gate to New Bodhum 3 AF where Noel will begin his journey through time with her.

As mentioned in the Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega Scenario Interview, the battle between Caius and Lightning is in an endless loop that continues for eternity unless Lightning enters crystal stasis. Lightning is eventually caught off guard after having a vision of Serah dying, allowing Caius to strike her down. Assuming Lightning is dead and will not interfere, Caius uses his knowledge of foresight over the ages to manifest a series of paradoxes to create the right circumstances to execute his plan to force Etro's gate to open so the chaos of Valhalla can enter Gran Pulse and destroy the timeline.

Having learned of Lightning's gambit, Caius takes advantage of Alyssa Zaidelle, whose extended life is a paradox, in Academia 4XX AF. Caius contacts Alyssa in a dream and has her give a booby-trapped artefact to Noel and Serah. When the two use it to open a Time Gate, they are separated in the Historia Crux and end up somewhere within the Void Beyond, an unstable world of chaos that exists in-between the Time Gates.

Caius impales Serah.

Noel and Serah are ambushed by a future incarnation of Caius who defeats Noel and places him in a dream world. That Caius is later summoned by one of the Yeuls within the Void Beyond to engage Serah. Caius explains Etro's interference with the events of the Day of Ragnarok caused a time distortion that cut Yeul's lives short, along with his intent to kill Etro, before impaling Serah and sending her to a dream world of her own. Serah and Noel escape their respective dream worlds and pursue Caius to Academia 500 AF, the time of the prophecy when Caius plans to destroy both the old and new Cocoons so the countless extinguished lives would force Etro's gate wide open and let the chaos of Valhalla seep into the mortal realm. As Academia is infected with chaos Caius is able to arrive there from Valhalla.

Serah and Noel chase after Caius into the sky on an airship and defeat him as Chaos Bahamut. Caius returns to human form and threatens that if Serah continues to change the future, she will experience the same visions as Yeul and die. He is impressed when Serah reveals she knows, but is still determined to continue. When Noel blocks his attack on Serah, Caius deems he would have made a worthy Guardian, and says everything he ever did was for Yeul. Believing the Yeuls being born only to die young is meaningless and cruel, Caius reaffirms he will stop at nothing to free them, even if reality itself must be destroyed to achieve it. Caius transforms into Chaos Bahamut and flies into a wormhole that opens in the sky.

Caius engages Noel in battle.

Noel and Serah follow Caius into the wormhole and emerge in Valhalla where Caius confronts them on the beach. Noel attempts to convince Caius that Yeul willed to be reborn to see him again, but Caius refuses to listen and uses the chaos of Valhalla to transform into Jet Bahamut. He sends Noel and Serah falling into a bottomless abyss beneath Valhalla's waves of chaos. The two are saved by Lightning, who spirits them to the battlefield where the two defeat Jet Bahamut, along with his supporters, Garnet Bahamut and Amber Bahamut.

Having lost the final battle, a weakened Caius returns to human form. He tells Noel that if it is his fault Yeul keeps being reborn, he must be killed for her sake. He claims he had killed Lightning, and provokes Noel by attacking Serah. Noel disarms Caius and lunges at him with his sword, but stops at the last second. Caius seizes Noel's blade and forces it through his chest to destroy the Heart of Chaos, then collapses and fades away.

Caius on Etro's throne in the Void Beyond.

As revealed in the secret ending, "The Goddess is Dead," a revived Caius sits on Etro's throne in the Void Beyond. Though the Heart of Chaos was destroyed, Caius has obtained a new form of immortality as he became one with the chaos itself since the many incarnations of Yeul desire his continued existence. As elaborated in Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega, he intended to destroy the world in a way that would minimize any temporal effects; Caius knew the world would end at 700 AF anyway, and wanted to save Yeul's suffering by destroying the world sooner. He watched Noel and Serah's journey as they had been playing to his goal from the beginning. Even Serah and Noel's actions on alternate timelines converged and concluded with one moment: Etro's death. Telling Yeul they are free of their respective curses and can begin anew in a world without Etro, Caius releases the chaos to commence the end of time.

Able to appear at the beckoning of the Chaos Yeuls, as seen when he attacked Serah in the Void Beyond, Caius is summoned to fight Lightning when she attempts to rescue Serah's soul. Though defeated, Caius's existence continues as the boundaries between the mortal and unseen realm mingle.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

In this dying world, nothing is more precious than time. Why do you waste it on me? Does my victory still sting? Do you seek vindication?

Caius to Lightning

After Noel destroyed the Heart of Chaos within Caius, Etro died and the boundary between the mortal and unseen worlds was destroyed. The Chaos of Valhalla*(The word is spelled as "chaos" in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and "Chaos" in Lightning Returns) bled into Gran Pulse, merging the two realms into a new world that became known as Nova Chrysalia, where people no longer age and cannot have children. For the next 500 years Caius resides in what remains of Etro's temple in the Wildlands from where the Chaos has been flowing. With the various incarnations of Yeul as his only company, Caius suffers due to his new existence as a personification of the Chaos he unleashed upon the world.

Lightning has become the savior of souls tasked with releasing people from their burdens before the oncoming end of the world. She encounters Caius in the temple where he tells her no one there seeks her salvation. He infects her with Chaos and drops her to the temple's lowest level. Lightning is surprised he is not dead, and Caius explains "they" are keeping him alive, doomed to haunt the temple's halls as it has become a shrine to Chaos. He disappears and Lightning pursues him deeper into the ruins, assisted by the many incarnations of Yeul Caius had protected throughout the centuries.

Caius prepares to battle the savior, Lightning.

Lightning confronts Caius in the throne room, where he tells her not to waste her time on him, and asks if she seeks revenge for suffering defeat at his hand centuries ago. Lightning insists on trying because it's what Yeul wants, and believes that freeing him would bring the Chaos under control. Caius challenges her to take his soul by force. Once defeated, Caius impales himself and shows her he is beyond salvation.

He explains Yeul is the unseen Chaos who has bound him to the dying world as her incarnations are not of one mind: some desire his prolonged suffering to end, while others wish him to remain by their side. He says that there is no place for Yeul in the new world that the god Bhunivelze is creating, and they must remain behind when Nova Chrysalia is destroyed. Caius reveals he is nothing but an empty husk and intends to become a shepherd of the souls wandering in the Chaos. When Lightning asks if it is how he plans to atone for bringing about the end of the world, Caius demands that she leave and disappears.

Caius and Yeul appear.

Lightning turns against Bhunivelze when she learns of his true plan to make humanity but emotionless drones in an effort to create a "perfect" world. Lightning rallies the souls of humanity to strike him down, and moments after Bhunivelze's defeat, Caius appears to Lightning and her friends alongside the many incarnations of Yeul. Caius says the living don't need a god but the dead require one, and the Yeuls declare their intent to take Etro's place to maintain the flow of life and the balance between the new world and the new unseen realm. Grabbing Noel when he protests the Yeuls' decision, Caius asks if he would be willing to take Yeul's place. In a final act of redemption upon finding Noel's answer satisfactory, Caius lets the final incarnation of Yeul depart with Noel to the new world and asks Noel to keep her safe, while he remains with the other Yeuls in the unseen realm.

Final Fantasy XIII: Reminiscence -tracer of memories-

A reporter named Aoede interviews Noel and Yeul during her investigation on people who remember the "other world." She learns of Caius's existence in the new unseen realm—what remains of the old world—as a guide for the souls of the dead. Noel mentions that Aoede might meet him should she be on the verge of death. Sometime later, while a war correspondent, Aoede blacks out during a missile attack and finds herself walking in line with a number of other people heading to a sea being watched over by Caius.

Believing she has died, Aoede grieves how the free will Lightning and her allies fought for mankind has only made the new world full of hate. Giving Aoede the choice of rebirth or eternal rest, Caius explains that in her world humans decide their own fate, and that she can choose to change the world. Aoede hears Yeul's voice asking that Caius reveal the reporter is still alive, as she is led back to the land of the living by Mog.

Spoilers end here.

Gameplay

Final Fantasy XIII-2

Caius as Chaos Bahamut.

See also: Caius Ballad (Final Fantasy XIII-2 boss), Chaos Bahamut (Final Fantasy XIII-2 boss), or Jet Bahamut

Even in his human form, Caius can cast powerful magic and use chaos to suit his needs. He can assume the form of Chaos Bahamut, and later that of Jet Bahamut. In his human form, Caius is fought by Serah and Noel five times: in Oerba 200 AF, the Void Beyond, A Dying World, Academia 500 AF, and Valhalla. As Chaos Bahamut, Caius is fought by Lightning in Valhalla in the prologue, and by Noel and Serah in Academia 500 AF. With the Paradox Scope activated, defeating Caius will trigger various paradox endings.

If the three battles against Caius activated by the Paradox Scope are counted separately from the six times he is fought during the story and during the "Requiem of the Goddess" DLC scenario, Caius holds the record of being the most recurring boss in a single Final Fantasy game, with a grand total of nine battles. The number increases to thirteen if one counts the four battles against Chaos Bahamut and Jet Bahamut. The second most recurring boss is Ormi from Final Fantasy X-2, with seven battles.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Fighting Lightning in the Temple of the Goddess.

Main article: Caius Ballad (Lightning Returns boss)

Caius is fought as a boss in the Temple of the Goddess on the Wildlands. He no longer turns into Chaos Bahamut, but can summon him like a regular l'Cie. Unlike the other main scenario bosses, Caius does not become more powerful if fought on a later day.

Creation and development

Concept artwork.

Caius's armor was designed by Yusuke Naora, who also designed Serah's and Noel's outfits. Naora's design was chosen after several designs from various members of the development team were drawn and compared to select the best one (similar to Mog).

According to lead writer, Daisuke Watanabe, Caius is a unique villain in the Final Fantasy series due to his main objective being to save Yeul, as opposed to trying to destroy the world. Thus Caius doesn't necessarily appear as a "bad" person, and he was made to come across as a bewildering enemy to players.

According to director Motomu Toriyama, Caius is the strongest (in terms of abilities) antagonist of the Final Fantasy series.

Voice

Caius is voiced by Liam O'Brien in English. He shares his voice actor with Red XIII from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Kain Highwind from the 3D remake version of Final Fantasy IV and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Cu Chaspel from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, and Nobutsuna Kamiizumi from Bravely Default.

He is voiced by Hiroshi Shirokuma in Japanese.

Musical themes

"Caius's Theme"

Main article: Caius's Theme

"Caius's Theme," composed by Naoshi Mizuta, is a prominent theme in Final Fantasy XIII-2, it and its variations playing whenever Caius appears. "Caius's Theme" is included in "Promise to the Future," "Endless Paradox," "Unseen Abyss", and the "Closing Credits."

The song is reused in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Variations of it are heard in "The Doomed Soul -Caius and Yeul-," the final boss theme "Almighty Bhunivelze" and the ending theme, "Credits ~Light Eternal~."

Other appearances

Main article: Caius Ballad other appearances

Caius has appeared in the following games throughout the Final Fantasy series:

• Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia as a playable character and enemy boss.
• Pictlogica Final Fantasy as a playable character.
• Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade as a Legend and a playable character.
• Final Fantasy Record Keeper as an enemy.
• Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as a series of cards.

Gallery

Final Fantasy XIII-2

Promotional poster including Caius on Chaos Bahamut.

Yoshitaka Amano artwork of Caius and Lightning for the game's logo.

Artwork of Caius's sword.

Artwork of Caius by Tetsuya Nomura from the Ultimania guide.

Caius's in-game close-up render.

Caius and Lightning stand back-to-back.

Caius leads his army of Rift Beasts against Lightning.

Caius holding Nix by her jaw.

Caius assumes the form of Chaos Bahamut in the next phase of his battle with Lightning.

Caius threatens Serah and Noel in Oerba -200 AF-.

Caius brandishes his sword.

Caius kneels before Yeul in Oerba -200 AF-.

Caius with Yeul in the Sunleth Waterscape -300 AF-.

Serah and Caius in the Void Beyond.

Caius in the form of Jet Bahamut.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Retro-spective trailer.

Steam Trading Card "Lightning and Caius".

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Promotional poster including Caius.

Caius and Yeul in a promotional poster.

Caius engages Lightning in battle.

Caius in the ending.

Caius meets Lightning in Valhalla in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Retro-spective trailer.

Caius as the Triple Bahamut in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Retro-spective trailer.

Etymology

Caius is an alternate spelling of Gaius. [view · edit · purge]Gaius is a common Roman given name. It was a praenomen of many famous Romans throughout history, including Julius Caesar, and through his line, Augustus Caesar and Caligula, Gaius Cassius Longinius (a leading conspirator in Julius Caesar's assassination), and Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, the famous historian.

It may also be derived from Greek word Gaia, which means "earth", or from the Latin gaudere, meaning "to rejoice". Coincidentally, an antagonist from Final Fantasy XIV uses this alternative spelling.

Caius's name means "to be sorry" in Russian (Я каюсь).

The name Caius could be a direct or indirect reference to "chaos" for reasons related to his persona and/or attacks.

Caius's last name, Ballad, could come from ballade. [view · edit · purge]A ballade is "a poem normally composed of three stanzas and an envoi. The last line of the opening stanza is used as a refrain, and the same rhymes, strictly limited in number, recur throughout".

Trivia

Caius's Sword in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.

• Caius's sword was unnamed in Final Fantasy XIII-2. His sword appears in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade, being simply called Caius's Sword. Starting with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the weapon is named Chaos's Revenge.
• During a scene in the Void Beyond, Caius and Serah are seen back to back, similar to a scene featuring him and Lightning during their battle in Valhalla, and also to his debut appearance in the game's first trailer.
• Caius putting Yeul to rest in the ocean in Valhalla at the start of Final Fantasy XIII-2 mirrors the scene where Cloud rests Aerith in the lake in the Forgotten City in Final Fantasy VII.
• Caius freezing time while fighting Serah is reminiscent of the fight between Squall and Ultimecia in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
• In the bestiary, Caius is listed under the section "Protector" rather than "Guardian."
• Some people in Academia 4XX AF claim they've seen "a man in black armor and a girl with green eyes" on the city's outskirts, referring to Caius and Yeul. A boy who claims this says the man must be "a bad guy," as only bad guys wear black.
• When asked if Hope knows Caius in a Live Trigger scene in the Yaschas Massif 1X AF, he recalls reading about a man with the name of Paddra Ballad-Caius.
• In the "Requiem of the Goddess" DLC, Caius changes between Commando, Ravager, and Medic roles, Lightning's primary paradigm roles in Final Fantasy XIII.
• Caius was voted as "Best Villain" in Game Informer's 2012 RPG of the Year Awards.
• Caius shares traits with Ardyn Izunia, the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XV. Both were saviors to their people in their past chosen by gods, both became immortal and viewed their existence as a curse, and both sought to destroy the world to be free and to exact revenge on those they felt had wronged them.
• The eternal battle between Caius and Lightning in Valhalla mirrors the conflict between warriors of light and chaotic forces seeking to reduce the world to oblivion present throughout the Final Fantasy series: the names Caius and Lightning also recall Chaos and Light.