The Iifa Tree, called Iifa, the Ancient Tree of Life in the location introduction, and sometimes mistaken as the Lifa Tree, is a location on the world of Gaia in Final Fantasy IX. It was planted long ago by Garland as a gigantic soul filter, filtering the souls of Gaia. It is located on the Outer Continent.
The dwarves of Conde Petie refer to the Iifa Tree as the Sanctuary, because after going through a ceremony, not unlike getting married, the happy couple journey to the Iifa Tree to inscribe their names.
The interior of the tree is an unrevisitable location, and so the player should make sure to get every treasure while there as part of the story.
Nature[]
Artwork depicting the true extent of the Iifa Tree.
According to the Final Fantasy IX Ultimania[1] what is seen above the surface is not the true Iifa Tree, but a part of the tree's roots. The true part of the tree resides underground and reaches all the way to the planet's core to hold the planet's crystal in its grasp, while its roots form the planet's substrata, zigzagging around the globe just beneath the surface.
Story[]
The Iifa Tree originates from Terra and is over 5,000 years old. It was transplanted to Gaia by Garland after the Terrans' failed attempt at fusing the two planets into one. As a result of the failed fusion, Gaia's landscape was left in ruin, and to oversee the world's recovery Garland moved Terra's magical tree, Iifa, to Gaia. Even though Garland used the Iifa Tree's roots to stabilize the environment it took millennia for the planet to recover from the disaster.
Around 3,000 years ago Garland used the Iifa Tree to block Gaian souls from returning to their crystal in the planet's core, halting the planet's soul cycle. Garland's plan was to only allow Terra's souls to cycle. Around 1,800 years ago Garland built the Soul Divider at the tree's base to replace the rejected Gaian souls with Terran ones so the Terran civilization might one day be revived. The Mist that covers the Mist Continent is a by-product of the filtering process, and is expelled from the tree to the Mist Continent through the tree roots. The roots can be seen breaking the surface on the world map on the Mist Continent, hinting at the tree's existence before any mention of it occurs, but its malign purpose is not obvious.
View of the Iifa Tree from Conde Petie Mountain Path.
Inside Iifa Tree.
Zidane and his friends are led to the Iifa Tree by Eiko to find Kuja. Eiko dispels the barrier surrounding the tree created by Carbuncle, and the group enters the trunk through a maze of roots. They find a platform that reacts to Zidane's presence, allowing for descent into Iifa's depths where the Mist breeds powerful monsters, and the interior glows a blinding green. After riding a leaf-like protrusion farther down the tree, Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, and Eiko marvel at the seemingly endless green pools below the harp-like structure of Iifa's base.
After Zidane examines the area the Iifa Tree begins to shake, and Soulcage, the Soul Divider, challenges the party. Soulcage's demise eradicates Mist from the Mist Continent, but the tree still blocks the Gaian souls from returning to their crystal. Shortly after, the area surrounding the Iifa Tree is the stage of a battle between Alexandria's army and Kuja, who takes control of Bahamut and the Alexandrian forces are destroyed. If Zidane returns to the Iifa Tree on the Blue Narciss, Choco or an airship, he will find that the elevator no longer moves.
After Kuja destroys Terra, a dying planet that has existed on the inside of Gaia ever since the failed fusion, the Iifa Tree activates and expels enormous amounts of Mist across Gaia. Its roots protrude everywhere, cutting off several locations, such as the North and South Gates, the already inaccessible Evil Forest, Observatory Mountain, Ice Cavern, Pinnacle Rocks, Fossil Roo, Conde Petie, Conde Petie Mountain Path, the Desert Palace, Oeilvert, and Esto Gaza. The portal to Memoria manifests above the Iifa Tree and the Second Battle of the Iifa Tree ensues with a swarm of Silver Dragons when the Invincible attempts to enter the portal, and the party fights a Nova Dragon.
The Iifa Tree writhes.
After the party has defeated Trance Kuja in the Crystal World and Necron on the Hill of Despair, Kuja teleports the party outside of the Iifa Tree. While the rest of the party departs, Zidane remains to look for him. The Iifa Tree writhes furiously, and after Zidane finds Kuja, the tree's tendrils penetrate the enclosed space Kuja and Zidane are in and attack Zidane. The tree is implied to have settled later, as Mikoto walks up a root of the tree later. When the party confronted Kuja in Crystal World, he claimed Gaia's assimilation by Terra had begun, and that the Iifa Tree would incite "a cataclysmic destruction of Gaia",[2] but this prediction did not realize.
Locations[]
The Iifa Tree lies on the northwestern side of the Outer Continent. Its roots spread out across the surrounding land with a sparse forests nearby.
Outer Seal[]
Outer Seal.
The entrance to the Iifa Tree is barred by a seal. Eiko explains an eidolon is sealed there and that only a summoner can clear the way. Gargant Grass grows around this area, prompting Zidane to wonder if a gargant lives nearby.
Moving off the bottom of the screen leads to the world map, and moving to the top leads to the Tree Roots.
When the player is first here, they must select "Ask Eiko" to continue. The Ruby jewel is obtained at this point.
When the party returns after recruiting Amarant at Madain Sari the Mist is gone. A scene plays out with Kuja, and the player must choose their party.
Tree Roots[]
- First area
Tree Roots (1).
The dense, twisting roots of the tree provide a path for Zidane and the party to travel across to reach the trunk. The area is infested with monsters.
The first four screens of Tree Roots take place in the same field area, pictured right. On each screen the player will start at the bottom and move to the top before appearing on another branch at the bottom again. Only one branch appears on the screen at a time. The screens are linear paths from a top-down perspective.
The first area is on the branch starting and ending on the right. Moving off the top and onto the next screen, the second area is on the branch starting and ending on the left. Moving off the top and onto the next screen again, the third area is on the branch starting and ending in the middle. Moving off the top and onto the next screen once more, the fourth area is identical to the first area and is the branch starting and ending on the left. Off the top of this screen leads into another section of tree roots.
When the player ventures here after obtaining Amarant, the fourth screen will instead take the player to the Tree Trunk.
- Second area
Tree Roots (2).
The second area of tree roots. Unlike the other two, the camera is not at a top-down angle. The exit on the right side leads back to the fourth screen of the first field area of tree roots. The exit on the left side leads into the third area of tree roots.
- Third area
The third area of tree roots is another straight path closer to the base of the tree. Mocchi, a moogle, stands at the bottom of the screen.
The bottom of the screen links to the second area of tree roots, and the top of the screen contains a descending platform that responds only to Zidane. This takes the player into an Inner Roots area.
The first time the player goes onto the elevator a short scene occurs where the party discovers what the platform does.
As part of the Mognet sidequest, the player can deliver a letter from Mogryo to Mocchi.
Inner Roots[]
- First area
Inner Roots (1).
Mist and roots permeate even the inside of the tree. Blue treasure chests not usually seen in Gaia are scattered throughout.
The elevator in the bottom right can take the player back to the tree roots. The exit at the top-right screen takes the player down into the second area of the inner roots.
- Second area
Inner Roots (2).
The exit at the top of the screen takes the player to the first area of the inner roots, and the exit at the bottom takes the player to the third area.
This area has a number of offshoots from the path on the right. The second encountered from the top has an action related where the character can push something. Pushing it drops a chest containing a Phoenix Down onto the first offshoot from the path. Another offshoot from the path at the bottom-most point in the screen has a chest containing a Hi-Potion. On the path before the chests for the other items will be a Healing Rod, however it only appears once the player presses a switch in the third inner roots area.
- Third area
The exit at the top leads to the second inner roots area, and the exit at the bottom takes the player to a second elevator.
Near the top of the screen there is a small cave on the left with a switch. This reveals a chest in the previous room. Toward the bottom in a small cave on the right is a chest containing an Ether. A left offshoot from the path at the bottom of the screen holds a chest containing a Lamia's Flute, and further along the path is a chest containing a Remedy.
Elevator[]
Elevator.
The lower depths of the Iifa Tree glow a bright green. A leaf-like elevator platform that again only responds to Zidane takes the party on a spiraling descent.
On the way down, a scene with two fixed encounters ensues, before the party reaches the bottom of the tree.
Bottom[]
Bottom of the Tree.
The green light grows brighter at the bottom, which appears to have a structure similar to a harp. The light is so bright the bottom cannot be seen; only swirling green pools are visible. Soulcage ambushes the party here and is defeated, ending the expulsion of Mist.
Down the staircase and on the right is a chest containing an Elixir. On the same level as the Elixir, on the opposite side of the tree, is a hidden chest containing a Brigandine armor.
The player progresses with the story when they press the action button on the farthest left point of the lower level. Talking to Dagger will trigger the scene onto a boss fight against Soulcage. After the battle a scene ensues and the player will find themselves back at the Outer Seal.
Tree Trunk[]
Iifa Tree Trunk.
Atop the screen is a fairly hidden Mocchi. The bottom of the screen leads onto the Tree Path.
A scene will ensue when the player first comes here, and the player will encounter a pair of Mistodon enemies, shortly followed by an encounter with a single Mistodon.
Talking to Mocchi here involves a small part of the Mognet sidequest where Mocchi will let the player read a letter from Stiltzkin to Mocchi.
Tree Path[]
Tree Path.
The Tree Path is a long path where the player is chased by Mistodon enemies as fixed encounters.
The exit on the right leads the player to the Tree Trunk, and the exit on the left leads the player to a scene at Leviathan's eidolon grave. A scene occurs with Dagger, and the party obtains the Aquamarine jewel.
Quests[]
Mognet[]
The Iifa Tree's moogle appears in the third tree roots section and in the Tree Trunk. If the player earlier received the Vivi's Eyes letter, they can give it to Mocchi. Finding Mocchi at the Tree Trunk will allow the player to read the Blessing or Curse? letter from Stiltzkin to Mocchi.
Blu Mag[]
Quina can eat Stroper or Dracozombie to learn Lv5 Death, Zombie to learn Roulette, or Myconid to learn Mighty Guard. Quina can only come here after the party has free reign of the world's oceans on the Blue Narciss. The easy way to eat Stroper, Dracozombie, or Zombie is to use a Phoenix Down on them first.
Enemies[]
On and inside the tree[]
Iifa Tree on the world map.
All enemies inside Iifa Tree can be one-hit killed: Zombies, Dracozombies, Mistodons, and the boss Soulcage are undead, therefore healing spells and items can easily dispatch them; Stropers are Stone enemies and can be killed by using a Soft on them. Myconids, being Level 20 and thus a multiple of 5, are vulnerable to Lv5 Death, assuming that Quina has learned the Blue Magic spell from either the Stroper or the Dracozombie.
| Screen | Encounter Rate |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
142 |
After defeating Soulcage:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
142 |
After defeating Soulcage:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  |
72 |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
72 |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
56 |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  |
48 |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
N/A | 1st Fight:
2nd Fight:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
N/A |
|
World map[]
The map outside the Iifa Tree consists of Pualei Plains and Moteore Peninsula. The player may run into the Friendly Nymph here, and Ragtime Mouse when within a forest.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Disc 1–3: (After Friendly)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dirt | Disc 1–3:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forest | Disc 1–3: (After Friendly)
|
Musical themes[]
The theme of the Iifa Tree is called "Iifa Tree" or "Iifa, the Ancient Tree of Life". The theme is based on the moon's theme from Final Fantasy IV. The theme is included in the Final Fantasy XV music player.
When the player returns here for Kuja, "Dark Messenger" plays. "City Under Siege" plays once the party talk to Kuja and onwards.
Other appearances[]
Final Fantasy XIV[]
In the Dawntrail expansion, the Iifa Tree is mentioned by a Milalla NPC in Living Memory as having once existed in Alexandria's world before the lightning calamity. The Aero Terminal in Living Memory is said to be modeled after it.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy[]
The Iifa Tree.
The Iifa Tree appears in the background of the Field Music Sequence for "Over the Hill" and "Dark City Treno".
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call[]
The Iifa Tree in Curtain Call.
The Iifa Tree takes center stage as the background of the DLC Field Music Sequence for "Iifa, the Ancient Tree of Life".
Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade[]
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Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]
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Final Fantasy Brave Exvius[]
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Other media[]
The Iifa Tree appears in Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy as a trade accessory. It also appears in Dissidia Opera Omnia as the main setting of Act 2 Chapter 3
Behind the scenes[]
The Iifa Tree was designed by concept artist Christian Lorenz Scheurer, who "wanted to give the tree a brain-like appearance".[3]
Only Zidane can activate the lift devices, demonstrated when Eiko fails to move the lift alone. This may be because both the Iifa Tree and Zidane are from Terra and are therefore connected, giving an early hint to his origins. Iifa Tree having blue Terran treasure chests rather than the usual brown Gaian ones is another hint to its otherworldly nature.
In one of the ending cutscenes, immediately before Zidane makes it to where Kuja is, there appear to be a great number of human-shaped statues holding spears inside the Iifa Tree.
Gallery[]
- Artwork
- Backgrounds and screenshots
Etymology[]
Iifa is pronounced the same as Aoife, an Irish word which means "beauty", but more likely intended as the German pronunciation of Eva, which comes from Biblical Hebrew חוה Ḥawwā and means "living". (The common English form of this name is Eve.) Emphasizing the tree's association with life, the circle-and-cross pattern on the front of the tree resembles the Ankh, an Ancient Egyptian symbol for life.
The "world tree" is a motif in several religions and mythologies, represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, the world, and, through its roots, the underworld. This is similar to how the Iifa Tree connects Terra to Gaia and the "afterlife" it governs via the soul cycle, and how the Iifa roots encircle the planet in their grasp.
The tree is also connected to the motif of the tree of life, a mystical concept alluding to the interconnection of all life on the planet.
Citations[]
- ↑ World Establishment (development materials) continued – p.41 and 42 of the FFIX Ultimania (Accessed: April 20, 2020) at The Lifestream
- ↑ Final Fantasy IX, Kuja: You honestly think you can beat me? Even if you do, Gaia's already doomed. Its assimilation by Terra has begun, and the Iifa Tree will incite a cataclysmic destruction of Gaia. It's all over for you and your friends.
- ↑ Christian Lorenz Scheurer "IFA TREE" / Brain Tree (Accessed: January 09, 2020) at Christian Lorenz Scheurer Official Website