Memoria... A place of memories.
Garland, as a disembodied voice explaining Memoria to Zidane.
Memoria is the penultimate dungeon in Final Fantasy IX. Memoria was conjured from the planet's memories. Garland guides Zidane through it and will explain the memories the party walks through. Memoria eventually takes the party to the Crystal World.
Glowing orbs allow the party to save, use a Tent, or switch party members (the only location in the game that doesn't use moogles for this purpose). There are also invisible save points. Memoria is a unique location as it allows Zidane to switch out of the party; however, he 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.
Story[]
Inside Memoria.
Where Memoria comes from is unknown. 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 preventing Gaian souls 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 party's memories, but the deeper within the party travels, the further back in time they go, and discover that Memoria is made out of the collective memories of the whole planet.
The four guardians of Terra—Maliris, Tiamat, Kraken, and Lich—fight the party inside Memoria. Garland's voice, speaking only to Zidane, guides the party to their destination.
The memories of the events in Alexandria, seen in Memoria.
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 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 they were the only member of the party not present in Alexandria for that event. After entering a Time Interval, they confront Tiamat, and continues on to several abandoned buildings and a waterfall, which brings them to an underwater memory of Gaia's earliest existence.
Quina reacts to the memory of Gaia's conception.
Progressing further along the ocean floor brings the party face-to-face with Kraken, who is summarily defeated. Zidane's party witnesses a swirling sphere of fire surrounded by emptiness: Gaia's birth. They climb 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, the beginning of all time.
Locations[]
Outside.
Memoria is a linear dungeon. Each area has its own theme originating from the memories of the party and others. Many rooms have scenes, 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 fights the Nova Dragon. Afterward the player will enter the Outside area.
- Outside
Your memories brought forth this place... Here, you shall witness the entire truth.
Garland
- Entrance
- 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:
- Stairs of time
- Tetra Master Phantom:
- Master Phantom (Cards: Hades, Alexander, Invincible, Nova Dragon)
- Recollection
Recollection.
- Treasure:
- Outer Path
- Boss Battle:
- The Past
The Past.
In his bid to defy me, Kuja tried to acquire Alexander... An incident, 10 years ago, started everything...
Garland
- Notable Features:
- Save sphere (hidden in castle ruins
).
- Save sphere (hidden in castle ruins
- Treasure:
- Oblivion
- No notable features.
I feared Gaia's eidolons more than anything... However, I decided to deal with them before they became a major problem.
Garland
- Tetra Master Phantom:
- Defense Phantom (Card: Ribbon)
- Defense Phantom (Card: Ribbon)
- Time Interval
Time Interval.
A tremendous force was summoned to Gaia during the age of war... However, the Gaians were not ready to harness so great a power... They were terrified and broke the jewel into four pieces... and they prayed never to see it again.
Garland
- Treasure:
- Boss battle:
- Ruins
- Save Sphere (hidden between buildings)
- Lost Memory
- Tetra Master Phantom:
- Strong Phantom (Cards: Holy, Flare, Atomos, Ifrit, Alexandria, Madeen, Lindblum, Twin Moons, Genji Armor, Elixir, Leviathan, Meteor, Ultima Weapon, Odin, Masamune, Ribbon)
- Strong Phantom
- Familiar Past
- No notable features.
- World Fusion
World Fusion.
Life on Terra was coming to an end... We had no choice but to proceed with the fusion, which tragically destroyed Terra's native civilizations.
Garland
- Portal
- Save sphere.
- Birth
Birth.
- Optional Boss (hidden, to the right of the stairs):
- Hades
- Synthesis shop (after battle)
- Hades
- Ocean
- Boss battle:
- Notable features:
- Save sphere
- Save sphere
- Tetra Master Phantom:
- Rare Phantom (Cards: Odin, Masamune, Ribbon, Elixir, Tiger Racket, Genji Armor, Frog, Lindblum, Twin Moons, Boco, Mog, Airship, Hades)
- Rare Phantom (Cards: Odin, Masamune, Ribbon, Elixir, Tiger Racket, Genji Armor, Frog, Lindblum, Twin Moons, Boco, Mog, Airship, Hades)
- Gaia's Birth
Gaia's Birth.
Terra reached the peak of its prosperity at this time. The people believed that their future was secure. Ultimately, that very hubris led to Terra's demise. Thus, I was created to deal with our plights.
Garland
- Treasure:
- Tetra Master Phantom:
- Dark Phantom (Cards: Dark Matter, Ozma)
- Dark Phantom (Cards: Dark Matter, Ozma)
- Gate to Space
Gate to Space.
- Boss battle:
- Notable features:
- Save sphere
- Treasure (If reached within twelve hours):
- To the Origin
Even if I were created to serve one purpose alone, I do not regret being born to this world.
Garland
Enemies[]
A battle background in Memoria, in the Time Interval room.
Memoria is unique among final dungeons in that every random encounter will only contain a single enemy.
- Ash
- Behemoth
- Chimera
- Iron Man
- Stilva
- Veteran
- Nova Dragon (Boss)
- Hades (Optional Boss)
- Kraken (Boss)
- Lich (Boss)
- Maliris (Boss)
- Tiamat (Boss)
Shops[]
The Hades Synthesis Shop becomes available after the player defeats Hades.
| Item | Price | Components |
|---|---|---|
| Robe of Lords | 30000 | White Robe + Black Robe |
| Tin Armor | 50000 | Hammer + Ore |
| Protect Ring | 40000 | Dark Matter + Rebirth Ring |
| Pumice | 50000 | Pumice Piece x2 |
| Pumice Piece | 25000 | Hammer + Pumice |
| Garnet | 350 | Ore + Remedy |
| Amethyst | 200 | Ore + Annoyntment |
| Peridot | 100 | Ore + Soft |
| Sapphire | 200 | Ore + Antidote |
| Opal | 100 | Ore + Potion |
| Topaz | 100 | Ore + Eye Drops |
| Save the Queen | 50000 | Javelin + Silver Gloves |
| Phoenix Pinion | 300 | Phoenix Down + Gysahl Greens |
| Ether | 500 | Echo Screen + Vaccine |
- 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 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.
Quests[]
Hades[]
The secret boss, Hades, is fought in the underwater area; the player can initiate a battle 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[]
Dark Phantom's location.
There are multiple Tetra Master locations in Memoria. In niches and corners, the action icon (! or ?) will appear and one must use the card 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.
| Phantom | Location |
|---|---|
| Master Phantom | Left of the entrance in 'Stairs of Time'. |
| Defense Phantom | Left side of 'Recollection'. |
| Strong Phantom | Lower-right corner near the wall in 'Lost Memory'. |
| Rare Phantom | 'Time Warp' on the second floor. |
| Dark Phantom | On the right side of 'Stairs'. |
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:
To Brother Gil - Bro, I found the sword, like you told me. But there were two. One of 'em had a lame name, Something II. It was a dingy, old thing with flashy decorations, something you'd probably like. So I went with Excalipur. I'll be back after I find the Tin Armor.
Enkido
Lost family sidequest[]
Upon Memoria becoming accessible, 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 "Memoria" or "Place of Memory".
The theme of Crystal World, which is called "Crystal World", plays in the To The Origin area excluding the first visit.
Other appearances[]
Pictlogica Final Fantasy[]
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Gallery[]
- Artwork
- Backgrounds and screenshots
Etymology[]
Memoria means "Memory" in Latin.