"To the Edge" is the final boss theme of patch 5.3 in Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, composed by Masayoshi Soken, with vocals by Jason Charles Miller.
Contents
Game appearances[edit | edit source]
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[edit | edit source]
In Reflections in Crystal, "To the Edge" plays in the final boss battle against the Warrior of Light in The Seat of Sacrifice.
"To the Edge" features a portion of "Shadowbringers" and is an arrangement of "'Neath Dark Waters", the theme of Amaurot, which in turn shares the same motif as the themes of the Tempest ("Full Fathom Five") and the Amaurot dungeon ("Mortal Instants"). The song is written in common time, and its instrumentation mainly consists of electric guitar and percussion; the latter provides a metronomic effect.
According to Final Fantasy XIV Community Team member Sicycre, the lyrics of "To the Edge" refer to the characters present at 
The Seat of Sacrifice, thus Emet-Selch, the false Warrior of Light, Azem, and the true Warrior of Light: "those who became incapable of bringing things to an end, and those who arrived to bring closure."[1] As such, "To the Edge" can both be interpreted as a description of the Final Days of Amaurot, and as a description of the loss of memories that Emet-Selch and Elidibus experienced in immortality. As with most songs which refer to Azem, "To the Edge" alludes to "amber", or more precisely "Death's amber embrace".
The album Scions & Sinners: Final Fantasy XIV ~Arrangement Album~ is named in honor of the quote "Deep inside we're nothing more / Than scions and sinners" from "To the Edge".
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
The official lyrics[1] do not include the italicized lyrics, which are either taken from "Shadowbringers" or from a previous stanza.
- One brings shadow, one brings light
- Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
- Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
- Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
- One brings shadow, one brings light
- Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
- Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
- Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
- All our splendour bathed black in silence
- Our surrender a sombre reverie
- Slowly drifting down into twilight
- Left to sifting through faded memories
- Know our places, for worth is wordless
- Evanescent, this writing on the wall
- Brother stay this descent to madness
- Come and save us. Catch us before we fall
- Riding home
- Riding home
- Finding hope
- Don't lose hope
- Like broken angels, wingless, cast from heavens' gates
- (Our slumb'ring demons awake)
- We only fly when falling, falling far from grace
- (Hell take us, heaven can wait)
- Our lives a message in a bottle cast to sea
- (Disgrace untold and unseen)
- Quick to their ends, our candles burn until we're free
- In monochrome melodies
- Our tears are painted in red
- (Bleeding to the edge)
- Deep inside we're nothing more
- Than scions and sinners
- In the rain
- Do light and darkness fade
- Yes, time circles endlessly
- The hands of fate trained ahead
- (Pointing to the edge)
- All things change, drawn to the flame
- To rise from the ashes.
- To begin
- We first must see the end
- One brings shadow, one brings light
- Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
- Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
- Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
- One brings shadow, one brings light
- Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
- Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
- Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
- Rock of ages, we cast the first stone
- In our cages, we know not what we do
- Indecision here at the crossroads
- Recognition, tomorrow's come too soon
- Follow blindly like lambs to slaughter
- At the mercy of those who ply the sword
- As our song wends dead underwater
- We're forgotten for now and evermore
- Riding home
- Riding home
- Finding hope
- Don't lose hope
- Without a compass wand'ring lost in lies of faith
- (Faith slowly wasting away)
- Only alive in fighting Death's amber embrace
- (Our hearts beat loud, unafraid)
- On Hands and knees we pray to gods we've never seen
- (Come shadow, come follow me)
- The final hour upon us, no more time to breathe
- In monochrome melodies
- Our tears are painted in red
- (Bleeding to the edge)
- Deep inside we're nothing more
- Than scions and sinners
- In the rain
- Do light and darkness fade
- Yes, time circles endlessly
- The hands of fate trained ahead
- (Pointing to the edge)
- All things change, drawn to the flame
- To rise from the ashes.
- To begin
- We first must see the end
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
"To the Edge" was written during Masayoshi Soken's stint in hospital in 2020, while undergoing treatment for cancer.[2]
Referring to the composition of "To the Edge", Jason Charles Miller said that "Soken is indeed a genius and I'm super grateful to work with him!"[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sicycre (September 10, 2020). In Monochrome Melodies.... Final Fantasy XIV Developer's Blog. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020.
- ↑ Square Enix (May 15, 2021). FINAL FANTASY XIV DIGITAL FAN FESTIVAL 2021 – Day2. YouTube. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021.
- ↑ Alex Moukala (August 13, 2020). Music Producer Reacts: To The Edge (FFXIV Shadowbringers). YouTube. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. See pinned comment.
