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Final
Fantasy XIII Soundtrack Analysis
by
Lucas
Versantvoort
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To say that Final Fantasy XIII
was – and still is – a controversial game for many is an understatement. The
original score by Masashi Hamauzu was better received by gamers and critics,
though I do feel it’s still unjustifiably underrated. It’s my intention to closely
analyze the game’s music, particularly the use of leitmotifs and the way these
enhance the score’s cohesiveness and narrative qualities. In doing so, I hope
to show you that, yes, this score isn’t mere ‘elevator music’ as some have
dubbed it, but a cohesive work worthy of admiration. In terms of leitmotifs at
least, I’d say this score is probably the most cohesive in Final Fantasy’s long and celebrated musical history.
As I’m analyzing the music, I’ll
write about the story as well. This isn’t just to quickly explain which track
goes where, but to provide insight into why all the leitmotifs are placed where
they are. It’s only through carefully examining a leitmotif’s relation to a
scene that we can understand that leitmotif’s nature, the reason why it’s there.
Obviously, this analysis will primarily appeal to those who have played the
game, the score’s fans, but also to music enthusiasts in general, particularly
those who enjoy leitmotif-centered scores like The Lord of the Rings
trilogy.
It’s only fair I warn
you in advance about my relative lack of knowledge in the music theory
department. I learned to read sheet music by myself oh-so many years ago, but I
couldn’t give a lecture on music theory to save my life. I also have some
difficulty differentiating between some instruments (so be patient with me on
that front). I might refer to an instrument as a flute upon which you might
find yourself rolling your eyes, saying it’s an alto flute. What’s important,
however, is that you’ll never be in doubt as to what instrument I’m referring
to. We’ll always be on the same page on that front.
You might say that my rather
lackluster theoretical insight might make me a bit unfit for a grand musical
analysis like the one you and I are about to embark on, but since I focus on
leitmotifs, I think there’s less a need for, shall we say, a degree in music
theory. Ask anyone on the street about a ritardando
and you’ll probably be met with some confused looks. Ask anyone about melodies
or themes and you’ll most likely be met with positive responses along with a
generous peppering of whistling. It’s easier to identify leitmotifs than to
judge the ways in which Beethoven broke with the past through his piano sonatas
and so on. Analyzing leitmotifs requires above all a sharp ear, being able to both
distinguish between multiple melodic lines and identify a leitmotif even when a
variation or only a fragment is heard.
There are a few risks
with this kind of analysis. One, it’s easy to miss certain leitmotifs while
listening. I can’t imagine the number of times I unlocked a track’s secrets
only after listening to it again and again…and again. Two, there’s the danger
of misidentification. I might think that melodic fragment X resembles leitmotif
Y, but I might not be sure. The fragment might be too short to positively
resemble a specific leitmotif. In that case, the resemblance could simply be
the result of the composer’s way of writing making all his music sound
‘similar’ in the same way that you always ‘know’ when you’re listening to a
John Williams score. Sometimes, a composer’s way of composing can make
leitmotifs sound similar even if he did not intend it. This can have dire
consequences for the unsuspecting analyst: one misidentification leads to a
wrong conclusion which in turn affects the entire analysis and one’s
understanding of the score as a whole. Of course, I’d rather present a perfect
analysis where everything makes sense and so on, but that’s not going to work
here and I’m not going to force the issue by forcing certain explanations onto specific
melodic fragments just so there aren’t any loose ends. No, in the cases where
I’m unsure about the nature of a certain fragment (which I hope to keep to a
minimum), I’ll be sure to say so. Transparency is the name of the game.
In the end, the amount
of insight I’ve gained into Hamauzu’s score after I started analyzing it has given
me great joy. I derived so much more pleasure from listening to it when I
started realizing how well it’s put together. I hope my analysis will have a
similar effect on you.
Note: I’ll use images of sheet music (created with MuseScore 2) to
provide a visual reference for certain key themes. Please ignore any mistakes
concerning the types of notes, measures and so on. It’s simply a tool to quickly
get a grasp of the melodies when simultaneously listening to the score and to
be more pleasing on the eye than descriptions like ‘A-D-C-B-A’. I’ll also include
time notations in the running text, so you’ll know exactly what parts of a
track I’m referring to. Doug Adams, author of the impressive The Lord
of the Rings score analyses, could learn a thing or two from that…
Prelude
The first track to a score is always crucial as it sets the tone for
what’s about to unfold. It accompanies the cinematic that precedes the game’s main
menu. The track starts off very softly and seems to emerge out of nowhere. A motif
is played by ‘feathery’ synth pads. We’re also introduced to a very important
theme. Until the 1:16 mark, a motif (fig. 1) is heard underneath the horns, played
by a piano or a bell-like synthesized sound. This motif is vital to my understanding
of the score, because it is found in countless tracks, including Primarch
Dysley, the track that
accompanies the story’s eponymous antagonist. You can imagine that this
realization irreversibly influenced the way I look at this theme. Every time I
came across it, I automatically tried to link it back to Dysley. Let’s call
this Dysley’s secondary theme for ease of reference. So, since this secondary theme
is subtly present in the Prelude, we
can assume that Hamauzu is already conveying Dysley’s enormous power over the
world of Final Fantasy XIII and the
way he influences things from behind the scenes. Expect this motif to return
often.
At 0:43, French horns and militaristic
percussion change the mood. A trumpet plays a great melody at 1:16 –
C-G-E-F-D-A – after which the track grinds to a halt. Out of nowhere, the
orchestra plays a stunning motif at 1:31 that can only be described as adventurous
(fig. 2). It will only resurface once more in the entire score, but when it
does, it will leave a lasting impact. The theme most likely has something to do
with the main characters, Lightning, Snow, Hope, Vanille, Fang and Sazh,
because they all appear in this cinematic precisely when this motif is
introduced. It probably represents themes like friendship, teamwork, hope and
so on, all the positive things that make it possible for our heroes to cling
onto hope and defy their fates. Crucially, there’s an important reference to Vanille’s Theme, a character crucial to
the story. The ‘adventurous’ theme goes from A to D and then down to at least
F#. Vanille’s Theme goes from G to C
and then down to E (fig. 3). Save for the difference in key, those progressions
are exactly the same. The ‘adventurous’ theme is bookended (2:00) by a subtle
reference to yet another crucial theme, a theme that I like to call the
‘determination’ theme: B-F#-G-E-D. Incidentally, this is another motif related
to Vanille! (More on this later.) Not only is Hamauzu referring to the antagonist
through what I consider to be his secondary theme, but he’s also anticipating
Vanille’s importance to the story.
The Promise
After the preceding cinematic, the
main menu appears and with it, Final
Fantasy XIII’s main theme, The
Promise (fig 4). Hamauzu will reference it many times throughout the score.
It’s an overarching melody that, since it’s the main theme, symbolizes the
game’s most important themes, defying fate and the keeping of promises.
The Thirteenth Day
In a sense, this is Hamauzu’s answer to Opening – Bombing Mission
from Final Fantasy VII. Both tracks
accompany the actual start of the game, right before the action kicks off. We
see a view of the sky and pan to a barren wasteland in Cocoon. A fast-moving
train approaches as we hear a young woman (Vanille) assume the role of narrator.
The moment she starts talking, a piano is heard. We cut to the inside of the
train and see several Purge deportees with their heads hanging in defeat. These
shots are accompanied by nauseating synthetic effects which seem to simulate a
drowning sound, not entirely inappropriate since these Purge victims are
basically being sent to their deaths under the ruse of deportation. (I’m
surprised the guard patrolling the train don’t have swastikas on their
uniforms.) The track comes to a small climax as the game’s title appears.
This climax is the main difference
between this track and the aforementioned Opening – Bombing Mission by
Uematsu. VII’s wide shot of Midgar allowed
for the main title to be accompanied by a heroic theme, but Hamauzu isn’t
afforded such luxury. A heroic sound wouldn’t fit with the nature of scene and
so he sticks with the synths.
Defiers of Fate
A guard enters to check the deportees. Further ahead two deportees, a
man (Sazh) and a young woman (Lightning), are conversing and seem to be
planning a revolt. As soon as the train rams through an electronic barrier, the
guard is taken aback by the impact and the young woman wastes no time in
incapacitating him and freeing the other deportees from their electronic
shackles. The split-second Lightning springs into action, Defiers of Fate
starts playing.
As soon as the last
PSICOM-guard on Lightning’s passenger car is defeated, the track incorporates
the opening to Blinded By Light (0:20), making it clear that Lightning
has won the battle up to this point and that she (and her musical theme) have
taken control of the situation. When Lightning continues dispatching incoming
PSICOM-guards, her real theme emerges at 0:32 (fig. 12), albeit not yet played
by the violin, so characteristic to her theme, but by horns.
The Purge train emerges
from its mountainous tracks and, accompanied by a cymbal clash, enters the
Hanging Edge. Lightning’s Theme is
passed from the horns to the string section (0:56). PSICOM is still onto
Lightning and the others however and sends small fighter jets after the train.
As soon as these appear, rapid-fire trumpets take over the melody (1:04) to signal the arrival of the military. Lightning
again has to take action. It’s important to note that the moment the train
enters the Hanging Edge, various bell-like sounds are also heard throughout the
track from that moment onward. These ethereal sounds are often heard in
association with the supernatural fal’Cie and Primarch Dysley.
Lightning’s Theme
dominates, but what is likely a variation on Primarch Dysley makes a sneaky entrance at 1:19 (A-B-C-D-C-B-C-D-E)
played by strings, signifying that the Purge is his doing. Speaking of Primarch Dysley (fig. 24), the brass
seem to play the first four notes of the theme when Lightning’s Theme is reprised at 1:25 – 1:36. Pitting Lightning’s Theme and Primarch Dysley against each other is
something Hamauzu will do with more panache in Eden Under Siege. Defiers of
Fate combines its orchestral and electronic forces as it moves to a climax,
which includes a short reprise of Lightning’s
Theme (1:45 – 1:53).
Saber’s Edge
As Sazh slowly emerges from the train wreck, Lightning is already fit to
fight the Warmech that has halted the train. This being the first boss battle (and
the first fight of the game), Saber’s
Edge introduces itself as Lightning strikes a battle pose and the battle
begins.
This is a complex, heavily
orchestrated track. A percussion-dominated rhythm, not unlike the one heard in
the opening to Blinded By Light, opens the track followed by Hamauzu’s
impressionistic piano work. There’s a wealth of melodies, but none that I can
identify as recurring anywhere else in the score.
The Hanging Edge
Lightning and Sazh are victorious. Sazh is exhausted and questions
Lightning, but her mind seems to be elsewhere, though she does tell him she
used to be a soldier. Tired, but realizing that his best bet to save his son
Dajh is to stick with her, Sazh stands up and starts walking towards the
Hanging Edge.
At this point, the appropriately
titled The Hanging Edge starts
playing. Immediately noticeable is the fast-paced, rhythmic piano aided by
light synth-sounds. The synths start rising in volume at 0:44 and at 1:06, the
strings take over and play descending motif. At 1:45, as if out of nowhere, a striking
violin solo plays a seemingly improvised melody in a very scratchy manner. Unfortunately,
I couldn’t tell you whether these themes are linked to others or whether
they’re just standalone melodies.
Those For the Purge
As the battle between the deportees and PISCOM ensues, Those For the Purge makes its ominous entrance.
Like the title suggests, this track is related to the Purge deportees, the
innocent, unwitting victims of a government hell-bent on protecting the
‘purity’ of Cocoon (for its own evil purposes).
The theme that dominates this track
is one that diametrically opposes the wellbeing of the deportees: Primarch
Dysley’s secondary theme (fig. 1). After the deep, ominous sounds of the celli and
all kinds of unsettling synths, the secondary theme resurfaces at 0:14 (fig. 1).
At 0:42, even Primarch Dysley’s true theme seems to appear, albeit a bit
muddied, since Dysley is only present in an indirect manner, scheming behind
the scenes. At 0:55, the bell-like sounds and synths reprise Dysley’s secondary
theme, but this time it has increased in complexity. After a tense crescendo, variations
on this theme appear at 1:29 in full force. You can also vaguely hear horns
playing A-G-F-E-D-E-F-G-F-E-C-D from 1:57 onward, though I’m unsure if there’s
a reference hidden in there. The G-F-E-D-E part does resemble the 7th
– 11th notes of The Promise
(fig. 4). In the end, Dysley and his music dominate this track, Hamauzu utilizing
the secondary theme to suggest how his invisible hand is manipulating the
proceedings.
The Warpath Home
The Warpath Home starts out like a mix between Those
For the Purge and, interestingly enough, Prelude. It has that dark, dramatic sound of the celli heard in the
previous track and the same rhythms and tempo as Prelude. Not all is well though, as bells softly play Dysley’s
secondary theme. Primarch Dysley himself is heard commending the Purge
volunteers through a propagandistic radio message, despite us seeing those same
deportees now engaged in gunfire with PSICOM. The radio is crushed by Snow, a
new main character and self-proclaimed hero attempting to guide the Purge
victims through their ordeal. With the radio crushed, Dysley’s message is heard
no more, hence the reason why Dysley’s secondary theme is at 0:21 almost entirely
overpowered by…Snow’s Theme (fig. 5), played in heroic fashion by horns.
Yet the overall feel is still dramatic, because Snow’s Theme played in the same key as Primarch Dysley and because Dysley’s secondary theme is still lingering
very quietly in the background.
It’s interesting that The Warpath Home refers so explicitly to
Prelude. Story-wise, we’ve got Snow
and the deportees versus PSICOM (aka the government), basically a microcosm of
the entire story, the seemingly insignificant protagonists against
insurmountable odds. The marching aspects of the track à la Prelude seem to symbolize our heroes’ steady
struggle against the enemy while Dysley’s secondary theme reminds us of who’s
actually orchestrating these tragic events.
The remainder of the
track basically consists of Snow’s music trying to drag us out of that minor
Dysley key. After the tragedy of the events at the Hanging Edge is emphasized with
a subtly dramatic theme at 1:20, Snow’s
Theme arises quite naturally from this theme in a hopeful new key to keep
everyone’s spirits up, so to speak. The slightly panicky orchestral section
from right before 1:20 returns, but more calm and self-assured. Eventually, the
track loops, returning us to the inescapable eeriness of Dysley’s secondary theme.
The Pulse Fal’Cie
Out of the blue, the Vestige housing the Pulse fal’Cie,
Anima, enters the Hanging Edge. Despite not being aware of the other’s
presence, both Snow and Lightning know that Serah, Snow’s fiancé, is trapped
inside that Vestige. They’re intent on entering it, despite the danger of being
turned into l’Cie.
The moment the Vestige enters the
Hanging Edge, The Pulse Fal’Cie immediately makes it mark with its mysterious,
ominous chords. The glistening sounds of bells and synths are prominently
heard, reminding us of the ethereal nature of the supernatural fal’Cie. The
music here is melodically and stylistically highly reminiscent of themes like Primarch Dysley and his secondary theme
(fitting because Dysley is actually a fal’Cie as well). From 0:51 onward, the
track climaxes and the strings play a descending motif (fig. 6) where the first
five notes are a variation on 0:28 – 0:32, Lightning’s main motif, in Lightning’s Theme (fig. 12).
Face It Later
Hope is devastated after watching Snow being unable to save his mother. As
Hope turns around, he sees Vanille, whose introduction is marked by a
mysterious yet tender arpeggio. She comforts Hope and advises him to face his
troubles later if things get too rough. Variations
on the ‘determination’ theme, introduced in Prelude,
appear from 0:04 – 0:14, 0:28 – 0:35 and 0:37 – 0:42. As for why I call it the
‘determination’ theme, it receives its biggest treatment in the climactic track
Determination, when Vanille decides
to stop ‘facing it later’ and ends up playing a crucial role in saving Cocoon. However,
Vanille hasn’t reached that point yet, so Hamauzu presents ‘determination’ in a
very fragmented way as a means of foreshadowing Vanille’s eventual importance.
Snow’s Theme
Snow is troubled by Nora’s dying request: get her son home. He doesn’t
even know his name. Determined to save Serah, he prepares to take a motorbike
to the Vestige upon which we’re officially introduced to Snow’s Theme (fig. 5). We heard this theme before in The
Warpath Home, but now we’re treated to its true rock form, roaring electric
guitars and all. Naturally, you’ll hear countless variations on and iterations
of the theme itself. It’s a rocking tune that nicely conveys the badass sense
of heroism Snow aspires to.
The Vestige
Snow arrives at the Vestige, while Hope and Vanille crash into it. They start
exploring and are accompanied by The
Vestige.
The first thing we hear
is a female voice singing a seductive melody very similar to Pas de
Caractère from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty. It’s the scene (in the
Disney adaptation) where Maleficent lures Aurora towards the spindle. Consider
the similarities between this scene from Sleeping Beauty and the
Vestige. Both feature ‘objects’ (a spindle/fal’Cie) which have drastic
consequences (eternal sleep/crystallization) for those who get too close. Given
the similarities, you can imagine why I’m inclined to think Hamauzu
deliberately offers the same motif from Sleeping Beauty as a subtle wink
and a nod.
One could also compare The
Vestige to the mythological concept of the ‘siren’. Sirens are sometimes
depicted as winged creatures, thus being comparable with the Vestige which also
has ‘wings’. Sirens are known to use alluring songs to lure visitors who have
been shipwrecked. The female voice (in this analogy representing the fal’Cie Anima)
has a relaxing timbre that seems to lure the player further inward and provide
him with a false sense of security. The Vestige itself is basically a fortress
filled with enemies, so there’s nothing relaxing about it, but the music puts
you off-guard. Just like Maleficent wants Aurora to touch the spindle, so does
the voice (Anima) want our heroes to come closer so it can turn them into l’Cie.
Also interesting is the notion of the visitors being shipwrecked on the siren’s
island. Vanille and Hope do not just visit the Vestige, they crash into it,
rendering their vehicle/ship completely wrecked. I understand if all this might
sound farfetched, but the similarities are there. For me at least, it adds an
extra layer of depth to an already wonderful piece of music.
The
Vestige also features plenty of synths that add to the warm yet mysterious
atmosphere and attempt to seduce the character further into the Vestige. Hamauzu
himself said he “tried to use chords which could sound neither major nor minor”
to prevent the mysterious mood from sounding overly heavy and tacky. From 0:28
onward, bell-like synths join the soundscape again, signifying that we’re
closer than ever to these ethereal beings known as fal’Cie. From 1:27 – 1:43, a
change occurs. The voice sings a new melody (fig. 7). Whether the melody itself
is a subtle reference to the upcoming track, Ragnarok, I cannot say. But what’s especially interesting is the
switch from B to Bb. There are similar progressions in Ragnarok (see, for instance, fig. 8). If this
was intentional, it’s very clever, since Ragnarok, is the theme that
plays when our heroes are branded by Anima. It’s the end destination here in
the Vestige, so you could say Hamauzu is foreshadowing what’s about to happen.
And now, most of the
main characters are finally in one place. Everything’s coming together, for
Dysley at least. Our heroes find Serah who manages to tell them to “save
Cocoon” before suddenly turning to crystal. Anima opens the gates leading to
its hall. They all enter, for their own reasons.
Ragnarok
The first big turning point of the story has arrived. Our heroes are
turned into l’Cie by Anima. They float in a black nothingness, with Anima
revealing its true form. Several church bells are attached to Anima, further
evidence that bells and similar synth-sounds are associated with the fal’Cie.
After Anima turns the cast into l’Cie, a massive shockwave sends the Hanging
Edge crashing towards Lake Bresha. The Vestige hits Lake Bresha and Anima sends
out one final shockwave, crystallizing everything in its path.
Ragnarok
plays during this entire scene, lending a strangely religious feel to the proceedings.
Our heroes have a premonition about their Focus, glimpses of the creature Ragnarok
and Cocoon’s destruction. The choral music amplifies the feeling of a prophecy
being foretold. A female choir enters, singing a long melody, the most
recognizable aspects of which are the first three notes (fig. 8). At 1:05 the
music grows more dissonant and threatening. A male choir joins the fray. At
1:52, the track loops, but with the addition of some magnificent use of
counterpoint.
We’ve already seen how bell-like
sounds are associated with the fal’Cie. This track introduces an organ too. We’ll
come across this instrument again in The
Cradle Will Fall, when our heroes enter the fal’Cie’s final dungeon. The
organ supports the choir in a very droning, dissonant manner, adding a feeling
of unease to the mystical proceedings. Compare this version with the one ‘sans
pipe organ’ to see how much it adds to the mood.
In Prelude, I spoke of a melodic connection between the ‘adventurous’
theme and Vanille’s Theme. I’d like
to offer a similar connection between the latter and Ragnarok as well, because both melodies quickly ascend to C and
then descend all the way to E (fig. 3 and 8). They both even linger on A. If all
this is intentional on Hamauzu’s part, he could be foreshadowing Vanille (and
Fang) summoning Ragnarok in the final act, just like how the link between Vanille’s Theme and the ‘determination’
theme foreshadows the same thing.
In The Vestige, I mentioned that both that track and Ragnarok switch between B and Bb. It
just so happens that Ragnarok and Primarch Dysley share that
quality as well. Ragnarok alternates between B and Bb at 0:31, 1:08,
1:36, 2:17 – 2:27 and so on. At 1:18 – 1:33 in Primarch Dysley, Dysley’s theme is played by the
celli and includes a B after which the theme is repeated by horns and the B becomes
a Bb (fig. 26). It’s through similarities like these that Hamauzu establishes a
musical connection between Ragnarok and Dysley which makes sense since Dysley
needs Ragnarok to destroy Cocoon so that the Maker may return.
In the Sky That Night
After this dramatic turning point, the game suddenly flashes back to a
more peaceful time. We are now in the Seaside City of Bodhum on the eve of a
fireworks festival. It’s the 11th day, two days prior to the events at
the Hanging Edge. Snow is searching for Serah and intends to propose to her.
The track starts up immediately, offering a bouncy, happy-go-lucky version of The
Promise. Throughout the game, we’ll occasionally revisit this scene from a
different character’s perspective. The scene is thus something of a jumping-off
point for the story, the one last time everyone’s at peace, watching the
fireworks, which makes the use of The
Promise rather appropriate.
Promised Eternity
This track starts playing the moment
Snow finds Serah, who’s making a wish. She’s distressed about her fate as a l’Cie.
Snow tries to comfort her, saying that she will never turn into a Cie’th. The melancholy
piano theme at 0:33 (fig. 9) keeps returning and is preceded by G-C-G from 0:40
onward which, interestingly enough, is reminiscent of the opening to Snow’s Theme (fig. 5). Snow is still unable
to reach out to Serah which is reflected in his theme’s unsuccessful attempts
to assert itself. However, hopeful sounding strings appear (1:07) and try to
pull the piano out of its melancholy mood, just as Snow tries to pull Serah out
of hers. Around 1:30, the music gets even more worked up, the piano played more
forcefully, when Snow shows Serah the necklace he bought for the both of them.
When Snow proposes and
Serah agrees, the strings play in a determined, steady rhythm slightly reminiscent
of the undulating strings from 1:04 in The
Promise, while the piano plays a slower version of Promised Eternity
(1:42). The piano/strings combo rises towards a climax, giving off an
unshakeable feeling of hope and determination, with Serah’s fear of becoming a l’Cie
now (temporarily) off her mind.
Eternal Love
Note: while Eternal Love plays in the
Eastern version of the game, Serah’s Theme plays in the Western version.
Snow and Serah, at the peak of happiness, casually ride into the transparent
dome housing the fireworks. Eternal Love plays. It’s mostly a standalone
song, though I do think it shares some melodic similarities with The Promise which, incidentally, doubles
as Serah’s Theme. The melody bears a
striking resemblance to The Promise,
when we reach the chorus at 1:28 (fig. 10). As you can see, the chorus is
exactly the 6th – 11th notes of The Promise (fig. 4), except here it’s a whole tone higher.
Lake Bresha
Back in the present, Lightning and the rest wake up on the now
crystallized Lake Bresha. Everyone reacts differently to their predicament. They
discuss their Focus, but realize they’re grasping at straws. They stumble onto the crystallized Serah. Snow
stays behind and tries to dig her out, while the rest decide it’s safer to move
on as PSICOM’s in hot pursuit. As they journey ever onward, their icy
surroundings are encapsulated in Lake Bresha.
The
key thing to note here is that the rapid melody heard at 0:06 (fig. 11) is
actually Dysley’s secondary theme (fig. 1). We’ve heard this theme several
times now and it’s always been associated with Dysley. Naturally, I have a
theory to explain its presence in Lake Bresha. It has already been
established that Dysley had a hand in the events at the Hanging Edge. He’s been
silently watching, guiding our party, secretly exerting an influence over the
proceedings. His secondary theme hints at his invisible hand guiding the
events. When the cast eventually reaches the ruins in Lake Bresha, we see some
kind of owl watching them. Later in the story, when the cast comes face to face
with Dysley, the owl appears again and it’s made clear that Dysley has been
keeping an eye on them through this owl. The owl is our first real hint that
someone’s keeping an eye on our heroes. Hamauzu thus includes Dysley’s secondary
theme in Lake Bresha to subtly hint
at who’s really responsible for the current state of affairs.
The Pulse L’Cie
As Lightning and the others find their way through the frozen lake, they
stop to temporarily spy on a PSICOM airship and philosophize about their being l’Cie
and why people see them as a threat.
During all this, The
Pulse L’Cie plays in the background. It’s only played in the current scene,
with the cast watching PSICOM searching for Purge survivors. I couldn’t find
any leitmotifs in this atmospheric track, but I do think it shares some stylistic
similarities with Those For the Purge, another track focused entirely on
the Purge deportees at the Hanging Edge. PSICOM was hunting Purge deportees at
the Hanging Edge and now it’s doing the same at Lake Bresha, so the tonal
similarities between the two tracks make sense.
Eidolons
We cut back to Snow who’s still trying to dig Serah out of the ice. He’s attacked and cornered by PSICOM, but in
his desperation unwillingly summons an Eidolon, the Shiva sisters. His eventual
victory is a Pyrrhic one and he finds himself utterly exhausted. A mysterious
woman, Fang, has him and the crystallized Serah taken on board the Cavalry’s
ship, the Lindblum.
Although the track doesn’t accompany
every battle against the Eidolons, it can be seen to represent them simply due
to the title. The main feeling of the track is one of raw, ancient power. The
music is propulsive and, like the Eidolons themselves, takes no prisoners. In
terms of motifs, I can only speculate. The opening basically consists of an ostinato,
although it’s hard to make out the exact melody. The reason I’m inclined to
think so is because the other track that plays during battles with Eidolons, Test of the L’Cie, also has an
undulating section right at the start which is a reference to 1:04 of The Promise.
Blinded By Light
Final Fantasy XIII’s normal battle theme, although
there’s nothing ‘normal’ about this one. This is the instant fan-favorite –
also known as Flash – that has since been
labeled by many as one of the best battle themes in Final Fantasy history, justifiably so in my opinion.
Just
like Defiers of Fate, where
Blinded By Light made its first appearance, this frantically paced track
is very synth- and rock-oriented. It opens with a ‘flash’ just like its
alternate title says. At the same time, the three descending notes first heard
in Defiers of Fate (a track also centered around Lightning) form the
foundation of the track. At 0:12 Lightning’s Theme emerges played by
horns. At 0:24 the track starts showing the same rock vibe as Defiers of
Fate. At 0:35, Blinded By Light’s main melody appears, played by
violin. It’s an instantly recognizable tune and it’s the point where the track
kicks into high gear. The violin dominates the track, while the many
rock-sounds and synths keep the pace high.
There
are three key themes in this track: Lightning’s Theme on horns at 0:12 (fig. 12), the battle theme on the
violin at 0:35 (fig. 13) and another violin melody from 0:53 onward (fig. 14). Obviously,
we’ll hear these themes again in Lightning’s Theme and many other tracks.
Glory’s Fanfare
The quick victory theme that plays when the player has won a ‘regular’
battle. I’ve got nothing to say here in terms of leitmotifs, but I do want to
take this opportunity to touch upon a complaint I’ve come across multiple times,
namely that the usual victory fanfare by Nobuo Uematsu is absent. I’ve got two
things to say in Glory’s Fanfare’s
defense. One, it has the same ‘sound’ as Blinded By Light, a
similar synth-, rock- and violin-oriented sound which ensures that the fanfare
doesn’t feel out of place. If the classic fanfare would play right after the
frenetic Blinded By Light, it would sound off due the difference in
style and mood. Two, the fact that it isn’t really memorable works to its
advantage, because you’ll finish most fights in mere seconds. If the victory
fanfare was an expansive catchy tune, you’d grow tired of it pretty quickly.
Instead, Glory’s Fanfare offers a quick, dashing Blinded By Light-esque
finish to one fight before you head to the next.
Battle Results
The music that plays when the battle results are shown. A piano plays variations
on 0:30 – 0:43 from The Promise, when the synthesized female voice pops
up at 0:27 (fig. 15).
A Brief Respite
This piece is associated with Vanille, because it has up to this point
appeared when Vanille finds her weapon in the Vestige and when she finds the
airship in the ruins of Lake Bresha. So whenever Vanille’s bubbly and
optimistic side takes center stage, even if only for a moment, A Brief Respite appears to accompany the
shift in mood. The piece has the same up-and-down style as the other themes
associated with Vanille, Vanille’s theme
and the ‘determination’ theme. However, A
Brief Respite focuses solely on Vanille’s optimistic side, so the mood is
more frivolous.
Cavalry Theme
We’ve heard this piece before, when Snow was taken aboard the Lindblum
in Lake Bresha. It’s a march for the Guardian Corps, the Lindblum and its
captain Cid Raines who will appear later. Guardian Corps’s primary function is
to preserve the peace in Cocoon, so the theme itself has an appropriately
militaristic sound. It begins with (what else?) a steady rhythm. A cymbal clash
occupies the soundscape at 0:27 after which the strings play a rising melody
until a trumpet at 0:36 plays a four-note fanfare, after which you’ve got
strings and winds playing various ‘descending’ melodies, though I wouldn’t know
if Hamauzu is referencing anything specific here.
Escape
After Snow gets taken aboard the Lindblum, we cut back to Lightning and
the others who’ve taken command of the lone airship (left by Dysley) sitting
amidst the ruins of Lake Bresha. As they take off, Hamauzu starts the cue using
a rising motif to simulate the act of flight. PSICOM, however, is hot on their
trail.
Hamauzu scatters little
references to The Promise throughout Escape
that desperately try to rise above the rampaging orchestra, just like our
heroes desperately try to evade their captors. The first one is heard at 0:26
as trumpets play the main theme’s first five notes. There’s also a prominent
theme played by strings at 0:33, but I’m not sure if it’s a reference. To me,
it resembles the Dysley-esque theme heard at 1:19 in Defiers of Fate.
Lightning’s Theme bursts
forth victoriously at 1:07 as the group flies into the open skies of Cocoon and
momentarily evade their pursuers. But Sazh hasn’t gotten rid of his pursuers
yet, so at 1:14 the track returns to full speed. Horns start playing a
variation on Lightning’s Theme with a frantic string and percussion
section providing dissonant support. At 1:22 and 1:26 the trumpets return to
repeat those same five notes from The Promise.
Crash Landing
A timpani strike signals the arrival of the PSICOM airships who are
still on the trail of the party. Horns play a dissonant variation on Lightning’s
Theme. A huge cymbal clash
halts the music after which another enormous cymbal clash (0:14 – 0:16) signals
the appearance of a floating fal’Cie in the sky. Now the horns repeat a ‘falling’
passage as strings reprise the opening notes of The Promise at 0:23.
The group is fascinated
by the sight, but another heavy timpani hit (0:27) brings the team into focus
again as PSICOM closes in. Strings, horns, flutes and trumpets and percussion
all join forces to create a cacophony of sound. Our group’s airship is shot
down and crashes into…
Daddy’s Got The Blues
…the Vile Peaks. The airship is wrecked and our heroes have trouble
deciding what to do next. Lightning moves on, with Hope trying to keep up,
while Sazh and Vanille form their own little group. As Sazh struggles to wrap
his head around the situation, Daddy’s
Got The Blues appears to accompany his bluesy mood.
It’s hard to analyze Daddy’s
Got The Blues in terms of thematic cohesion due to its jazzy nature. I
can’t identify any recurring themes. There’s the likely possibility Hamauzu,
together with his guitarist friend Toru Tabei, snuck a reference or two in here,
but it could also just be pure jazz.
The Vile Peaks
Needless to say, this track accompanies the group’s travels through the
Vile Peaks. To fully grasp the intricacies of this track, we need to pay attention
to the area’s background information. A datalog entry tells us that the Vile
Peaks consists of piles of rubble, leftovers from when the Cocoon fal’Cie
carried junk from Pulse to repair Cocoon after the War of Transgression. All
the machines that inhabit the Vile Peaks are also from Pulse. So, the Vile
Peaks are basically littered with the remains of Pulsian civilization. With
this information, we can begin to see how the music is a reflection of Pulsian
culture. This is reflected in the ‘mechanical’ beats, the ‘talking’, the male
choir and the whistling. Let’s take a look.
Consider the beat that drives the
track forward. It has a very mechanical and tribal feel. This corresponds with
the mechanical nature of the Vile Peaks, what with all the broken electronic
equipment and devices lying around. The tribal aspect reminds us that all this
belonged to an ancient Pulsian civilization.
The aforementioned
‘talking’ is heard at the beginning and other times as well. This talking adds
to the tribal nature of this track; it echoes a distant past when ancient
people made use of all the equipment now reduced to rubble.
Another notable aspect is the
occasional whistling, first heard at 0:21. Like the talking (another human
action), the whistling echoes past civilization, the remnants of which are
scattered here on the Vile Peaks.
Finally, there’s the
male choir at 1:09 performs a similar function to the talking. As the choir’s
chanting echoes across the far reaches of the Vile Peaks, I couldn’t help but
imagine the ancient people of Pulse living among what is now merely rubble.
Interestingly, Hamauzu is not the sole creator of this track as Mitsuto Suzuki
arranged it. You may recognize this choir sample from Yuki Kajiura’s score to
the anime Noir (2001), specifically a
track called Les Soldats. Both
Hamauzu and Suzuki have used it in previous assignments: Suzuki in Into the
Babel on The 3rd Birthday OST (2010), Hamauzu in Trigger
Situation on the Dirge of Cerberus OST (2006).
I think Hamauzu again makes
a few small references to The Promise.
First of all, there’s the wind instrument at 1:43 which—unless my ears deceive
me—plays the following: D-Eb-D-C-Bb, which is the opening of the The Promise (although this one might be a
bit farfetched). Secondly, consider the choir sample. When comparing Kajiura’s
‘Les Soldats’ with Hamauzu’s The Vile Peaks, you’ll notice there is a
slight difference at the end of the choir part in The Vile Peaks (2:20).
Whereas Les Soldats goes from F# to F
and stops there, Hamauzu does something more, he includes four descending notes:
D-C#-B-A. This is a key difference and leads me to believe that it’s a
deliberate reference to the 2nd – 5th notes from The
Promise. I’d label it a coincidence if it weren’t for the piano playing exactly
the same notes at the same time as the choir.
Lightning’s Theme
Lightning, Hope, Sazh and Vanille eventually regroup. Lightning states
she’s intent on taking the fight to Eden, the fal’Cie that keeps Cocoon afloat.
It’s at this moment that Lightning’s Theme makes its entrance.
The key thing here is
that the track is divided into two parts: the first half is devoted to
Lightning’s theme itself and emphasizes her warm interior; the second half
focuses on the determined, cold exterior, the ‘soldier’ she’s turned herself
into, hence the incorporation of the battle theme, Blinded By Light.
After a passionate
flourish by strings and a mood-setting opening by solo piano, the main identity
of Lightning’s Theme is played by piano (fig. 12). Then, after some
variations on this theme, we transition into the ‘Blinded By Light’ section (fig. 13). It’s a straightforward
adaptation of the battle theme for a piano and a string ensemble. At 1:44, we
come across what seems to be a secondary theme for Lightning (fig. 14). We’ve already
come across this theme at 0:53 in Blinded
By Light. Rather than end with the battle theme, Hamauzu transitions back
to the more personal opening and ends the piece on one of his
characteristically dense chords.
Sazh’s Theme
Like Daddy’s Got The Blues
before it, Sazh’s Theme and the few
other jazzy tracks are hard to analyze in terms of leitmotifs precisely due to
their jazzy nature. In terms of themes, there’s only one I can find. It opens
the track and is repeated throughout: D-A-G-F-D-A-G-G-F, though I doubt it’s
repeated anywhere else in the score.
March of the Dreadnoughts
The imposing title belies this track’s happy-go-lucky nature. It
accompanies the rather playful scene where Hope controls a Dreadnought in the
Vile Peaks to clear the way for him and Lightning.
The main melody is quite memorable (fig. 16).
Although I doubt it’s a variation on either Hope’s
Theme or Lightning’s Theme, I
can’t help but think the main melody (E-C-D-C-E-C) is a tiny variation on Blinded By Light which has the same
structure: E-A-B-A-E-A-B-A (fig. 13). If this is intentional, I’d say we could
link it back to the story: Hope’s lagging behind Lightning. He doesn’t want to
be a burden, but wants to be help. Even though Lightning forbids him from
mounting the Dreadnought, he does it anyway and successfully clears the way for
them. It’s the first time he’s inspired to do something useful instead of just
being dead weight. In this sense, the main melody could be Blinded By Light à la Hope. Blinded
By Light is a theme of action and now that Hope’s propelled to act, the
melody adapts itself to the young Hope’s sensibilities.
On a side note, there’s also a lushly
orchestrated reference to Lightning’s secondary theme (fig. 14) at 1:57: D-E-C-D-E
and so on.
The Gapra Whitewood
the music accompanying the eponymous Gapra Whitewood, a showcase for
Hamauzu’s knack for ambience if there ever was one. As for leitmotifs, I
haven’t been able to discover any references.
Tension in the Air
This is one of two tracks (the other being Desperate Struggle) that were arranged by Final Fantasy X co-composer Junya Nakano. This being a Nakano
track, it consists mostly of ambient soundscapes and rhythms. One need only
listen to some of his work on FF X to
realize this is his forté.
Nevertheless, I do think I’ve
spotted a very subtle reference, although it’s difficult to hear. Starting at
2:19, underneath all the rhythms, a horn-like melody is heard sounding very much
like a variation on the ‘determination’ theme. Here it sounds like something
along the lines of: C-G-F-G-Eb-Bb-Ab-Bb-Ab-Gb-Db-Eb-Cb-Db-Bb-F. This seems to
then be repeated by synths at 2:35. The progressions are quite similar, but
since the ‘determination’ theme is mostly associated with Vanille, I’m a little
curious as to why it’s referenced here, assuming it is in fact a reference…
Forever Fugitives
This standout track accompanies the scene showing Snow trying to escape
with Serah in Bodhum. At first, there’s only some percussion plus a repeating string
melody. It’s important to note that the percussion section again includes
bell-like sounds to signify the scene’s connection to the fal’Cie, in this case,
Anima. Also of note is the undulating string melody (Ab-Bb-C-Bb-Ab-Bb-C) that
opens the track, sounding very much like the ‘repeating’ section at 1:04 in The
Promise.
As Snow and Serah steal
a motorcycle and take off, variations on both Snow’s Theme (0:16) and Lightning’s
Theme (0:23) are played. This variation on Lightning’s Theme is
particularly interesting in that the fifth note is played a semi-tone higher:
C-F-Bb-Eb-D-C. Normally that D would be Db, but this change lends the theme a
more action-oriented, dramatic sound.
0:30 is one of the score’s
standout moments. There’s a wonderful meld of Snow’s Theme and The
Promise/Serah’s Theme with the former played by heroic horns (suited to
Snow) and the latter by passionate strings (suited to Serah). In just ten
seconds, Hamauzu perfectly sums up Snow and Serah’s struggle to escape.
The percussion becomes
a more dominant presence in the next section as the chase becomes more
desperate. The Promise/Serah’s Theme is again played by solo trumpet (0:43)
and followed up by Snow’s Theme on horns (0:52). A variation on The
Promise is played by strings at 1:01. This variation is then repeated, with
fragments of Snow’s Theme on horns playing underneath.
As Serah is about to be
swallowed by Anima’s Vestige, a dramatic melody appears, G-Ab-Eb, underscoring
this tense moment. At 1:23, Snow’s Theme is played solemnly by a single
horn and accompanied by the urgent G-Ab-Eb theme on strings to show he has
failed to protect Serah. A final rumble from the timpani underscores Snow and
his motorcycle crashing to the ground.
The Sunleth Waterscape
This upbeat track plays when Vanille and Sazh are crossing the Sunleth
Waterscape. It’s basically a vocal version of The Promise except it’s more
pop-oriented due to the beats and synths. It has a very bubbly, rich feel to it,
resulting in an experience that’s easy on the ears…which is what Vanille would
want. The track is most easily associated with her, because you control her
during this part and she, of course, wants to keep the mood happy and outgoing.
There are no motifs or sounds associated with fal’Cie here; no bells, triangles
and other such sounds. All the bad thoughts are blocked out in ‘The Promise à la Vanille’.
Lost Hope
Lost Hope is another great piece of underscoring. It
plays when Lightning and Hope sneak into his hometown of Palumpolum via the
Nutriculture Complex underneath the town. They stumble upon Carbuncle, a Cocoon
fal’Cie. They discuss the nature of the Sanctum fal’Cie – how they ‘protect us,
nurture us’ and their own role in Cocoon, ‘we’re just leeches, parasites.’ The
music is eerie and ambient and consists mainly of synths, all sounds signifying
the unearthly fal’Cie. Starting at 0:15, the first three notes of Ragnarok
appear above the synths played by strings, twice as A-C-B and twice as C-E-D. The
alternating between B and Bb heard in Ragnarok and Primarch Dysley is also heard here at 1:35 – 1:46 (fig. 17).
Eventually, Hope states
that in fal’Cie eyes, humans are like pets. This causes Lightning to have a
revelation about her own rash behavior since she became a l’Cie. She also
realizes that she’s dragged Hope along with her. The appearance of a harp at
0:40 signifies the change in atmosphere. Seconds later, a fragment of Lightning’s
Theme is played by a lone oboe, perfectly underscoring Lightning’s
revelation. What’s interesting about this rendition is that the previous three notes from Ragnarok (A-C-B) are added to Lightning’s Theme.
So what you get is: D-G-F-E-A-C-B (fig. 18). As to why Ragnarok is referenced in this track, I think it doesn’t so much
reference Ragnarok itself as what it represents to our heroes: their Focus,
their lives as l’Cie. Lightning tells Hope that the ‘goals’ she set for herself
since becoming a l’Cie were the result of not thinking things through. The
inclusion of Ragnarok thus marks a
shift in Lightning’s way of thinking about her past actions and future goals. As
Lightning verbalizes all her newfound revelations, the music consists of violins
repeating a variation on Lightning’s Theme and strings zigzagging
between the notes from Ragnarok:
A-B-C-B-A-B-C-B-A.
Lightning realizes she
has to convince Hope to give up his quest for revenge, because this ‘plan’ was
essentially borne out of her suicidal tendencies. As Lightning turns her
attention to Hope, knowing how he’ll probably react, the eerie synths from the track’s
opening return (1:34) while a lonely flute plays the theme with the aforementioned
alternating between B and Bb (fig. 17). A ‘confused’, undulating harp is heard
in the background. Now, Hamauzu amps up the drama: the theme keeps rising and
rising with more sections of the orchestra joining in. As Lightning tells Hope
that “Operation Nora is over”, the music reaches a dramatic peak.
As Hope’s sense of
purpose is crushed, the piece comes to a close with the same depressing theme we’ll
hear later in All the World Against Us – a descending four-note melody:
A-G-F-Eb. The eerie synths return to bring the track to an ambiguous close.
Despite Lightning’s best efforts, the music tells us Hope is still bothered by
having the rug swept from under his life a second time.
To Hunt L’Cie
Lightning and Hope are surrounded by PSICOM. It begins with brooding
strings and an ominous horn melody: C-C#-G#. There’s a repeating four-note motif
for strings (A-B-C-D), which might very well be a reference to the opening to Primarch Dysley (fig. 24).
At
1:02, Snow and Fang show up to save the day and the music becomes more
action-oriented. If the rhythm sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the very
same rhythm heard in Forever Fugitives when Snow tried to rescue Serah.
It includes the same statements of Snow’s Theme and Lightning’s Theme
by horns and trumpets. At 1:30, we hear a very important theme not heard
since Face It Later. It’s a short variation on the ‘determination’ theme
(fig. 19).
At 1:36 after another
climax, the rhythm changes again. The strings and brass take center stage and Lightning’s
Theme is stated with ever-increasing force, indicating our heroes have
gained the upper hand. At 2:11 all the instruments disappear except for the PSICOM-esque percussion that ends the
piece quite violently.
No Way to Live
Hope and Snow make their way through Palumpolum. Realizing PSICOM is on
their way, Snow scares away an angry mob to protect not only himself and Hope,
but also the mob, since they would be caught in the crossfire. The music emphasizes
Snow’s heroics. The style is similar to Snow’s Theme with its emphasis
on rock and Snow’s Theme itself
appears at 0:32 on horns. Nevertheless, the rock tone is considerably darker
and there are eerie synths and metallic percussion, not to mention the dramatic
brassy theme at 1:00. This darkening of Snow’s
Theme emphasizes Snow’s conflicting feelings about his actions: in order to
be ‘the hero’ and save the people, he has to scare them away.
Sustained by Hate
This track is associated with two scenes: when Hope attempts to kill
Snow and later when Snow apologizes to Hope. Snow rescues Hope despite almost
being killed by him. After carrying him to safety, he gives him the knife back
while apologizing. Hope knows this is his chance for revenge, but decides that
Operation Nora is over.
Sustained by Hate underscores the emotional culmination of Hope’s character
arc. It’s an orchestrated version of Hope’s Theme. The key is different
as well, Hamauzu giving preference to the dramatic key of A Natural Minor.
A climax occurs around
1:50. This plays around the time Hope has a chance to kill Snow. There is
silence. A Dysley-esque theme is played: A-B-C-D-C-B-A. If we assume that this
theme is in fact related to Dysley, then its presence here might be explained
as follows: angry, desperate l’Cie who have lost faith and succumb to emotions
make for l’Cie who will turn into Ragnarok which is of course what Dysley
wants. It makes sense that the aforementioned theme would play when Hope is on
the verge of giving in to his rage.
Then again, this theme
also plays later when Hope has forgiven Snow, but reminds him that all the
apologies in the world won’t bring his mother back. In this context, the
Dysley-connection falls apart which makes this particular theme a bit tricky to
analyze.
The Pulse L’Cie
This is played during the flashback where we see Fang and Vanille having
just awakened from their crystal stasis in the Euride Gorge Energy Plant.
Vanille wants to forget all about their Focus, but Fang – knowing it will only
result in their turning Cie’th – disagrees and has Vanille escape while she distracts
the guards.
The Pulse L’Cie is a more restrained version of Fang’s Theme.
It starts with a similar upbeat orchestral rhythm while the piano plays
melodies also heard at the beginning of Fang’s Theme. Fang’s Theme itself appears at 0:35, D-A-G-F-E-D
(fig. 32).
At 1:42, the orchestral
rhythm disappears and the Primarch Dysley-esque
melody previously heard in Sustained by Hate appears: A-B-C-D-C-B-A. The
inclusion of this melody makes sense, since Dysley is very much bound to Fang
and Vanille and the others, trying to force them to summon Ragnarok. This is
immediately followed up by another theme reminiscent of Primarch Dysley: A-B-C-D-C-B-C-D-E. The last time we heard this
exact theme was all the way back in Defiers
of Fate at 1:19.
At 1:59 a short
unfinished version of the ‘determination’ theme is heard, played solemnly by
horns. At 2:24 another melody is played by celli: C-D-Eb-Bb-Ab-Gb-E. It’s those
last four characteristic, whole steps which remind me of All the World
Against Us.
As with so many other
tracks, this one also contains many ‘fal’Cie’-esque, bell-like sounds to
emphasize the scene’s connection to the fal’Cie, Vanille and Fang’s disagreement
over what to do about their Focus.
Serah’s Theme
This piece is heard in several scenes: during the fireworks festival
with Snow and Serah on the 11th day, when Serah tells Snow she is a l’Cie
and shows her brand, during the compilation of all flashbacks of the 11th
day before the cast leaves for Gran Pulse and so on.
Serah’s Theme is
important, not only because it’s the only character theme to have lyrics, but
because it’s the only character theme completely based on the main theme, The
Promise (fig. 4). This
emphasizes Serah’s symbolic importance to the story and characters.
Can’t Catch a Break
After walking through the Sunleth Waterscape for a while, Sazh and
Vanille stumble upon two creatures, Enki and Enlil. This is the track that
plays during the ensuing battle. Again, my expertise on jazz is pretty much
non-existent, so to my knowledge, there aren’t any themes being reprised here.
It’s the last of three tracks devoted to Sazh (Daddy’s Got the Blues and Sazh’s Theme), so naturally it has the same jazzy
qualities.
It’s interesting for
this to be a battle theme, since it is quite upbeat. It makes sense though,
since Vanille and Sazh are pretty much trying to survive without worrying about
their Focus. They’re desperately trying to replace the crushing weight of their
Focus with thoughts of sunshine and rainbows. This is reflected in the fact
that this track is heard even during battles.
PSICOM
Chronologically speaking, we’ve heard this track before many of the
previous ones, during the cutscene showing PSICOM troops landing in Palumpolum.
It shares many similarities with Cavalry Theme. It has a militaristic
feel and utilizes many of the same instruments. They also share a similar fanfare
which makes sense, since Guardian Corps and PSICOM are the two great military
forces on Cocoon. However, there are some subtle differences. The opening drum
marches differs slightly. The percussion here is heavier, since PSICOM has
heavier weaponry than Guardian Corps. Finally, the brass fanfare is busier in PSICOM.
Whereas in Cavalry Theme the four-note fanfare was played cleanly by
trumpet, the fanfare here is more complex, resulting in a ‘messier’ sound.
Overall, PSICOM is
the more ‘down and dirty’ track, more aggressive and oppressive than Cavalry
Theme for several reasons. Commander Cid Raines of the Guardian Corps is
eventually (in the Fifth Ark) revealed to be one of the ‘good guys’, at least
from a moral and symbolic standpoint. PSICOM on the other hand does nothing but
oppose you throughout the game. This is also reflected in their uniforms.
Designer Nao Ikeda designed the Guardian Corps’ uniforms to feature more color
than PSICOM soldiers whose uniforms are mainly black. Also, when Fang and Snow
rescue Lightning and Hope in Palumpolum, several Corps members object to PSICOM
commander Yaag Rosch’s methods, saying that citizens could be harmed in the
crossfire. Rosch responds that dead l’Cie are the only things that matter. In
short, PSICOM is more aggressive and it shows in their music.
Hope’s Theme
This is Hope’s true theme (fig. 20). After hearing it in its
orchestrated form in Sustained by Hate, here it’s a simple piece for
acoustic guitar. It’s a calm piece (reflecting Hope’s innocence), but also a
vulnerable one (reflecting his emotional turmoil throughout much of the story).
The Dysley-esque theme mentioned in Sustained by Hate and The Pulse
L’Cie is also heard at 1:08 – 1:18 albeit in another key: B-C#-D-E-D-C#-B.
This Is Your Home
The background track for the Estheim residence. It’s essentially a
minimalistic, slower version of Hope’s Theme. The theme has become more mellow
and soothing now that Hope has finally made it back home.
Atonement
The appropriately titled Atonement
is heard when Snow rescues Hope and apologizes to him. Although Sustained by
Hate plays when Hope tries to kill Snow and when they talk later while Snow
is carrying him on his back, Atonement aptly plays between those scenes
– when Snow carries an unconscious Hope to safety, symbolizing his willingness
to atone. He couldn’t save Nora when she fell, but he does save Hope from a
similar fate.
Atonement is to Snow’s Theme what Sustained by Hate
is to Hope’s Theme, meaning it’s basically an orchestral version of Snow’s
Theme (fig. 5). The first
minute centers on a tender descending melody: G-F-E-D, a theme which proceeds
to take off in several directions every time it’s played.
A melancholy orchestral
statement of Snow’s Theme appears at 1:09 with another part of the
string section written in counterpoint. From around 2:26 and onward, the
descending motif returns, while the counterpoint-melody is further developed
with a violin. At 3:01, the descending motif disappears as statements of Snow’s
Theme return played by strings. Around 3:17, both the violin and the string
section cease to play ‘against each other’ and play Snow’s Theme
together in unison.
Vanille’s Theme
Oerba Dia Vanille’s leitmotif is heard quite a
few times: when she and Sazh are in the Vile Peaks, when they enter the Sunleth
Waterscape and so on. The melody is similar to, say, Hope and Lightning’s
themes in the sense that it highlights different facets of her character. Where
Lightning’s Theme showed both Lightning’s warm and cold side and Hope’s
Theme displayed both Hope’s innocence and melancholy, Vanille’s Theme shows both her ‘smiles-and-sunshine’ side and all
the burdens she’s shouldering, her desperate attempts at evading all the misery
she’s caused. Despite the happy, bouncy nature of the piano, there’s unmistakably
an underlying feeling of melancholy present.
This struggle between
light and dark is reflected in the subtle reference to Ragnarok. The melody starts hopeful with its happy rise from G to
C, but then it slowly drags itself down all the way to E (fig. 3). This part is
almost identical to Ragnarok (fig. 8),
even in the way it lingers on A. As I said earlier, it seems that Hamauzu is
foreshadowing her eventual transformation into Ragnarok, especially since Vanille’s Theme and Ragnarok are the only themes that have this ‘rise to C and descend to
E’ structure.
Crucially,
the ‘determination’ theme appears yet again, as a short variation at 0:36 –
0:42 (fig. 21) and more fully at 2:20 (fig. 22). I already explained Vanille’s
connection to this theme and the fact it only appears in Vanille’s Theme confirms the motif is inextricably linked to her. In
a sense, every utterance of the ‘determination’ theme functions as
foreshadowing. Like Vanille’s Theme,
it’s a motif that sways upwards and downwards. The ‘determination’ theme has
the steadier climb, however. It stumbles again and again, but always presses
onward and upward.
The Final Stage
This little track plays during the short scene where Snow and Hope try
to sneak through Palumpolum without getting detected by PSICOM. They talk about
how Hope has changed since they last spoke, the nature of fighting and so on.
Snow means well, but his remarks just fuel Hope’s hatred. There’s an undulating
harp similar to the one found in Lost
Hope, another track focusing on Hope’s emotional turmoil.
The Pompa Sancta
Sazh and Vanille arrive in Nautilus where they witness the Pompa Sancta,
a show about the War of Transgression. The accompanying music is appropriately
celebratory and tense, yet there’s a subtle melodic hint hidden amongst all the
pomp and circumstance. Listen carefully or you’ll miss the variation on the
‘determination’ theme played by flute and strings from 0:27 – 0:37. The parade
is closely linked to Vanille’s role in the story’s outcome, when Vanille
crystallizes together with Fang to prevent Cocoon from crashing into Pulse,
which is the moment the ‘determination’ theme reaches its apex. The theme’s
inclusion here is, like in Vanille’s
Theme (and everywhere else), a subtle bit of foreshadowing regarding Vanille’s
‘determination’ in the story’s grand finale.
Nautilus
This is the track that plays when Sazh and Vanille arrive in Cocoon’s
capital of entertainment: Nautilus, a giant amusement park.
It
opens spectacularly with a colorful brass fanfare, suited to an amusement park.
The key thing to remember is the introduction of a new theme which represents
this so-called City of Dreams, heard most gloriously at 1:11 (fig. 23).
Chocobos of Cocoon – Chasing Dreams
This jolly bit of electronic wizardry is the end result of a
collaboration between Hamauzu and synthesizer operator Ryo Yamazaki. It’s a
straightforward adaptation of Uematsu’s famous Chocobo theme, so I hope you’ll
take my word for it when I say there aren’t any hidden themes to be found here.
Feast of Betrayal
Sazh and Vanille are confronted by PSICOM yet again and attempt to flee
Nautilus. Feast of Betrayal plays
both during exploration and battles, like Dust
to Dust. The ‘bounciness’ of this orchestral piece indicates we’re still in
Nautilus, but the more tense, action-oriented approach symbolizes Sazh and Vanille
trying to get away from PSICOM. The opening clarion call, resembling that of PSICOM, attests to the dangerous presence
of the military. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the ending of the trumpet
theme at around 0:38 is a reference to the opening of The Promise.
Eidolons on Parade
Eidolons on Parade plays during the lengthy cutscene
where Sazh finds out Vanille was (in)directly responsible for turning his son
into a l’Cie. Sazh’s anger causes his Eidolon to emerge. Though it could kill
Vanille, Sazh decides he will stand beside her in the coming fight.
The highlight is how
Hamauzu incorporates the theme from Nautilus
(fig. 23) at 0:26 and especially from 2:06 onward. Interesting that it’s, of
all things, a dramatic rendition of Nautilus
that underscores this tragic cutscene. I think Hamauzu meant for it to be an
inversion of the purpose of a theme park: happiness. Nautilus was meant to be a
place where Sazh and Vanille could be happy and escape their troubles. However,
they find out it’s impossible to escape their pasts. Just like how Nautilus is
turned into a place of sadness, so does Hamauzu twist the initially happy Nautilus into a dramatic orchestral
rendition.
Test of the L’Cie
In his grief, Sazh unwillingly summons his Eidolon. You’ll hear Test of the L’Cie in the ensuing fight.
It’s basically the spiritual successor to Eidolons
with its heavy electronic style and rhythms. The track opens with an undulating
theme that bears a striking resemblance to the swaying second half of The Promise, except here it’s in a
different key: E-D-C-D-E-D-C-D-E and so on.
All the World Against Us
This is a short piece heard when the presumably dead Sazh is carried
away in a coffin by Jihl Nabaat and her soldiers while Vanille follows. It’s a
short, understated trauermarsch
characterized by unresolved melodic progressions, like those heard at the
start: A-B-C-D-Eb. This theme by the way appears to be a fragmented version of Nautilus as heard in Eidolons on Parade (fig. 24), except
here it sounds more dramatic, because the E is swapped out for an Eb.
Also interesting is the descending
theme at 0:55: A-G-F-Eb. This is reminiscent of, for instance, Debussy’s use of
the whole tone scale in which there is no harmonic resolution, fitting for what
seems to be the premature and tragic end of Sazh’s life.
Game Over
The music you’ll hear when staring at the game over screen. Hamauzu
again teams up with Mitsuto Suzuki to create a densely layered, unsettling
soundscape that I can only describe as resembling a fading consciousness. Thematically,
the only thing worth addressing is a three-note piano motif at 0:22 that might
be a variation on the three-note, undulating theme in the second half of The Promise. Whereas in The Promise the piano goes from G to A to
B, this one keeps ascending to Bb (G-A-Bb), lending it a darker tone, befitting
the game over screen. It would be quite poetic if this was indeed intended as a
tragic variation on that swaying theme from The
Promise, as its use in the game over screen would musically symbolize our
heroes having failed to fulfill their Focus, aka keep their Promise.
Primarch Dysley
After a lot of teasing and countless references, we’re finally treated
to full renditions of both Dysley’s main theme (fig. 24) and his secondary theme
(fig. 1). Unsurprisingly, Primarch Dysley
is based entirely on these two melodies.
It
begins with a gong/cymbal clash. Tense strings, celli and synths provide a dark
undertone. At 0:26, Dysley’s theme appears played stately yet ominously by
celli. A transition occurs at 0:52 where drums give the track a militaristic
tone and the secondary theme is played by winds. Here you have both of Dysley’s
themes layered on top of each other in perfect harmony. All the main
instruments hereafter play these two themes or very slight variations on them.
In my analysis of Ragnarok, I explained how both that
track and Primarch Dysley alternate
between B and Bb. See 1:18 – 1:33 in Primarch
Dysley for an example (fig. 25). This musical connection between Dysley and
Ragnarok makes sense, since Dysley needs a l’Cie to summon Ragnarok. Cocoon would then be destroyed and this would bring back the
Maker.
Fighting Fate
This orchestral powerhouse accompanies our heroes’ fight against Dysley
who has now revealed himself to be Barthandelus, a fal’Cie. Dysley has revealed
that our group’s Focus is for them to become Ragnarok, slay Orphan and bring
about the destruction of Cocoon. This comes as a shock to our heroes not only
because they had hoped otherwise, but also because Serah told them to save
Cocoon, not destroy it. Ragnarok returns with unprecedented ferocity to
underscore this shocking revelation (fig. 8).
Separate Paths
This piece plays in two scenes: when a
crystallized Serah is found in Lake Bresha and later during the flashback of
Lightning’s birthday where Serah tells her she’s become a l’Cie. In both cases,
the track centers on the relationship between sisters Serah and Lightning.
This piece introduces a new melody (fig.
26). This melancholy theme and its variations (fig. 26 shows the one from 0:20
– 0:30) resemble a combination of the theme that opens Promised Eternity (fig. 27) and at 0:33 in the same track (fig. 9).
Setting You Free
This piece is played during a couple of scenes:
when Vanille and Fang talk about the Arks, when Cid Raines speaks of the Maker
and during the group’s conversation with Yaag Rosch in Eden. The common thread
is that Setting you Free appears in scenes
that revolve around the group’s Focus.
Stylistically,
Setting You Free sounds like a stripped-down
version of Primarch Dysley which is
very fitting, as Cid is talking about Dysley and our heroes’ Focus. Just like
with tracks like Those for the Purge,
The Warpath Home and Lake Bresha, even though Dysley doesn’t
show himself often, his influence is always felt and the music reflects this. Like
Primarch Dysley, Setting You Free has the same stately atmosphere and is basically
one prolonged crescendo with mostly the same themes repeated with steadily
increasing force. Important are the one played by fal’Cie-esque bells from 0:30
onward (fig. 28) and the one beginning at 1:04 (fig. 29). Both themes are
natural variations on Primarch Dysley
(fig. 24).
Desperate Struggle
Cid Raines confirms the fal’Cie have carefully guided our heroes on the
path to Cocoon’s destruction to ensure the return of the Maker. He reveals he
became Barthandelus’s puppet. He’s supposed to help our heroes destroy Cocoon,
but, in an act of defiance, tries to kill them in an attempt to ‘save’ Cocoon. Desperate Struggle accompanies the
ensuing boss fight. Like Tension in the
Air, the other piece arranged by Junya Nakano, the focus is on ambience,
percussion and rhythms, though I think there’s a Dysley-esque melody at 2:26 and
2:35.
Mysteries Abound
This track plays when our heroes are saved by Dysley from a crash and
transported to a hallway leading to the Fifth Ark. Mysteries Abound is filled to the brim with bell-like synths and
other such sounds. As has been seen a million times by now, these sounds
accompany scenes dealing with the supernatural, the fal’Cie or our group’s
Focus. It’s fitting that now, when our heroes have received the biggest blow to
their morale since becoming l’Cie and don’t know what to do next, that Hamauzu
bombards us with an ethereal track jam-packed with fal’Cie-esque bells and
similar sounds.
A lot of time and effort was put into figuring
out whether there any melodic references here. The track’s title is well-chosen
in that regard… The most prominent theme on display starts at 0:14 (fig. 30). It
reminds me the most of Promised Eternity
(fig. 9), though I’m not really sure. The other thing I wanted to mention is
the theme at 2:05 played by bells: C-Bb-F-C. This exact theme is also played at
1:29 and 1:48 in Separate Paths.
Will to Fight
This piece plays during several scenes, but most importantly as
background music for the Fifth Ark. As indicated by the title, it represents our
heroes’ ‘will to fight’ against their fate, their presumably inescapable Focus.
This is reflected in the lyrics:
Live for your soul, resist now
Yes, choose to fight
Although it seems so far to be a perfect day
Lift up your hands, and redeem your pride
|
This piece can be described by many adjectives: it’s bright, engaging and
rhythmically propulsive in keeping with the ‘defying fate’-feel. It’s also a meandering,
‘wandering’ track; not at all a glorious piece with a sense of resolution.
From 1:52 onward, a
combination of bell-like sounds and a piano form a background for Mina’s
otherworldly vocals. The chords are highly reminiscent of those chords heard in
the opening of the Prelude; crucially, there they played Dysley’s secondary
theme (fig. 1). I can’t quite hear whether these are the exact same chords, but
the similarities are definitely there. Again, it’s Dysley’s invisible but
overbearing influence that seems to form the backdrop for our heroes’ attempts
at clinging onto hope.
Finally, the placement
of this song in the game is very appropriate. Although they try to convince
themselves it might be a trick, they found out that their Focus really is to
destroy Cocoon. This goes directly against Serah’s final wish. They also discovered
that they’ve been led every step of the way by Dysley, master of puppets. A way
out of their predicament now really does seem impossible. They’ve been
transported by Dysley to the Fifth Ark which functions as a training ground for
their eventual purpose of destroying Orphan and Cocoon. They decide, however,
to hold on to hope – some more than others – and travel to Gran Pulse to see if
they can find a solution there.
As they traverse the Ark, Will to Fight reflects their clinging
onto hope. The piece and its lyrics are a reflection of our heroes’ current
situation: its powerful rhythms and ostinati encompass their ‘will to fight,’ while
the insurmountable threat they face are reflected in the subtle inclusion of
Dysley’s secondary theme.
Fang’s Theme
This is the grand theme for Oerba Yun Fang. It plays during the scene where
our heroes fly to Gran Pulse. It starts with a driven militaristic background
provided by percussion, drums, strings and winds. This already gives a sense of
Fang’s inner strength. At 0:26 – after a cymbal clash – Fang’s true theme
appears played by horns (fig. 31). There’s a climax at 0:52 and, interestingly,
a portion of Lightning’s Theme appears in another key. In Lightning’s
Theme, this ‘secondary theme’ is found at 1:44 – 1:54 (fig. 14).
At
1:05, there’s an interesting transition. We return to a Dysley-esque theme last
heard in Sustained by Hate and The Pulse L’Cie (Disc 2, track 21):
A-B-C-D-C-B-A. Also note another Dysley-esque theme heard immediately
afterwards: A-B-C-D-C-B-C-D-E which we last heard in The Pulse L’Cie and Defiers
of Fate.
The melody played by the
trumpets at 1:38 – 1:43 (D-A-G-C-B-A-G) is interesting in that the last four
notes sound very much like the opening to The Promise, particularly the 2nd – 5th
notes (fig. 4). At 1:58, Fang’s Theme (with a C added before the final
note) is powerfully reprised. Afterwards, the aforementioned reference to Lightning’s
Theme reappears from 2:07 onward, only now in a more subtle way.
Terra Incognita
This track, as its title suggests, introduces us musically to Gran
Pulse. While Fang’s Theme played during the scene showing our heroes’ traveling
to Pulse, Terra Incognita underscores
the cutscene introducing us to Pulse and its wild open fields filled with
wildlife. The music is tailor-made for a scene introducing a grand new world.
It conveys images of nature with a feeling of wonder and grandeur.
The important thematic thread running through
this track is the ‘determination’
theme, of course associated with Vanille (and Fang). The track even opens
with a variation on the
‘determination’ theme: Eb-Bb-C-Db-Bb-C-Bb-Ab. At 0:28, the orchestra
starts building up strength and it all leads to a glorious climax, the last
notes of which (E-A-G-F#) are a reference to the 3rd – 6th
notes of Lightning’s Theme
(fig. 12). The piece segues into a quiet interlude. Important is another
reference to Determination starting at 1:10 played by horns and strings
(fig. 32).
What’s striking about Terra Incognita is its organic feel.
There are no overtly electronic sounds here (if there are, they’re inaudible).
Compare this with many of the earlier tracks that prominently featured synthesizers
and electronics: The Thirteenth Day, The Hanging Edge, Those
For the Purge, The Pulse Fal’Cie, The Vestige, Lake Bresha,
The Pulse L’Cie, The Vile Peaks, The Gapra Whitewood, Lost
Hope, Chocobos of Cocoon – Chasing Dreams, Test of the L’Cie,
Setting You Free, Mysteries Abound. There’s a clear distinction
here. All these tracks convey Cocoon’s technological nature through ‘technological’,
electronic sounds, while tracks like Terra
Incognita convey Pulse’s nature through ‘natural’, acoustic sounds.
The Archylte Steppe
This is basically the game’s ‘overworld’ theme. The group walks out of a
valley and into the plains of the Archylte Steppe filled with Pulsian wildlife.
Hamauzu appropriately builds the entire track around the game’s main theme, The
Promise and the choice of rhythms and ‘ethnic’ wind instruments convey the tribal
world and feel of Pulse.
Chocobos of Pulse
This piece plays while you’re riding a Chocobo on Gran Pulse. Hamauzu
again enlists the aid of his guitarist friend, Toru Tabei. The end result is a
genuinely fun track that breathes new life into the Chocobo theme and just
oozes jazz. Together with Chocobos of Cocoon – Chasing Dreams, these are
the only two tracks to explicitly make use of an established theme of the Final Fantasy series. Apparently, Uematsu
himself approved of this version.
The Yaschas Massif
This is the eponymous theme accompanying our heroes’ journey through the
Yaschas Massif. This location is a more mountainous part of Gran Pulse with
huge valleys and fallen trees. The
Yaschas Massif introduces new colors to Pulse’s musical palette: bossa
nova, courtesy of Toru Tabei who assisted with the arrangement. The track fits
in with other, acoustic ‘Gran Pulsian’ tracks, like the jazzy Chocobos of
Pulse and the tribal The
Archylte Steppe. Listen carefully or you might miss the statements
of Lightning’s Theme at 0:36 – 0:42 and 1:30 – 1:36.
Memories of Happier Days
This crucial track is mostly associated with Vanille’s flashback of her
meeting with Serah on the 9th day. The whole track is basically a
variation on Vanille’s Theme. The openings are the same, but Memories
of Happier Days omits the bouncy rhythm and goes straight to the core of
Vanille’s main melody, making this track the more melancholy of the two.
At 2:04, after a short pause, there’s
a shift. For the very first time, the entire ‘determination’ theme is played
dramatically by strings and a piano. Crucially, the theme plays precisely when
Serah tells Vanille that running away from people and your problems will solve
anything, which is precisely what Vanille’s been doing. The fact that it underscores
Serah’s message, only confirms the notion that the ‘determination’ theme centers
around Vanille having to gain the ‘determination’ to fulfill her Focus. This is
why the theme is given the full orchestral treatment at the end when Fang and
Vanille heroically sacrifice themselves and why every utterance of the theme
throughout the score foreshadows this moment. A variation on Lightning’s
Theme (fig. 12) appears at 2:40 (E-D-G-F-E) before Hamauzu closes the track
with one of his characteristically dense chords.
Sulyya Springs
The eponymous theme for the Sulyya Springs, a
steamy watery area filled with flora and fauna. Hamauzu manages to capture the
location perfectly, while simultaneously commentating on our heroes’ journey
through the lyrics (written by Frances Maya) and the subtle use of leitmotifs.
The track consists
mainly of vocals, cello, piano and synthesized strings. The piece wanders at first,
with the piano, strings and vocals exploring several melodies. At 0:48, the
piano plays the ‘determination’ theme
in its entirety (fig. 33), hinting that our heroes – and Vanille – are
getting ever closer to the end of their arduous journey. The next section, 1:15
– 1:40, primarily features a flute and a cello. The flute plays fragments of The
Promise, B-C-B-A-G and B-C-B-C-D (see 0:30 – 0:35 and 0:38 – 0:43 in The Promise). The cello does likewise,
C-B-A-G, but pits The Promise against
a fragment of Primarch Dysley, D-E-F-G
(fig. 24). From 1:40 and onward, Mina’s vocals reprise The Promise,
while the ‘Promise versus Dysley’ cello still lingers in the
background.
The lyrics seem to
focus on our heroes’ plights as l’Cie. Just like how Hamauzu pits The Promise against Primarch Dysley, so do the lyrics reflect both our heroes’ hope of
finding a way to escape their Focus (‘Won’t be afraid, leading the way’)
and the tragic fate awaiting them should they fail (‘Wish me luck till the
day I die’).
Won’t be afraid
Leading the way
Reaching for the glowing star
Wish me luck till the day I die
|
Taejin’s Tower
Even though Taejin’s Tower now lies broken across Pulse, its music still
lingers. It’s notable for the inclusion of the Mukkuri, an ancient Ainu
instrument played here by Mina. This is definitely one of the more purely
ambient pieces on the soundtrack with almost no melody to speak of. The overall
feel is, like that other ‘Pulsian’ track The Archylte Steppe, tribal.
This is due to the use of the Mukkuri, the ‘ethnic’, ‘wailing’ sounds and
percussion. It also includes more synths than other ‘Pulsian’ tracks. This is most
likely due to the tower’s association with the fal’Cie and the ancient
electronic machinations our heroes use to get to the top.
Dust to Dust
Our heroes finally arrive at Oerba, but discover that what was once a
picturesque little place has been turned into a ghost town, overrun by both
snow and monsters. Oerba was their last hope of finding a solution to
completing their Focus, but now, all seems lost.
Like with Sulyya
Springs, Hamauzu’s music conveys both the melancholy nature of this icy
ghost town and our overall position within the story through the use of
character themes. Hamauzu’s emphasis on icy sounds reminds one of the stylings
of Lake Bresha. Even the otherworldly vocals sound like they arise
naturally from the icy soundscape.
The melody of the
vocals and strings appear to be based on two themes: Blinded By Light
and Fang’s Theme. The first one is heard in the melody of the vocals (fig.
34). It has the same structure as Blinded By Light (fig. 13). The only
difference is that it utilizes the lower E instead of the higher E and thus
appears to be an inversion of Blinded By
Light. Maybe this inversion signifies the loss of hope: the battle theme symbolizes
our heroes fighting fate, so perhaps the inversion of this theme symbolizes
their hope turning to despair.
As for Fang’s Theme, it’s heard on strings at 1:02 –
1:23. It’s not Fang’s main theme, but the part it borrows from Blinded By
Light (fig. 14). It’s hard to decide what Hamauzu is quoting here, Blinded By Light or Fang’s Theme. Why he doesn’t just utilize melancholy variations on Vanille’s Theme or Fang’s Theme, I still find difficult to understand. Maybe the
reason he incorporates Blinded By Light
into Fang’s Theme is similar to why
he does the same with Dust to Dust: Blinded By Light isn’t just Lightning’s
battle theme, but that of all our heroes, a symbol of their perpetual struggle
to fight their fate, a symbol that’s now on the verge of dying out.
The lyrics are
definitely more lacking in hope than those heard in Sulyya Springs. There
they were still marching on with the hope that the means of escaping their
Focus lay in Oerba. Now that they think their solution is nonexistent, they
have nothing left to cling onto.
Nothing left to fear, l’Cie
Cradled in eternity
Shore of sand, your fate awaits
Oh surrender in the light
|
The Road Home
As they make their way through Oerba, Dysley shows himself once again
and reveals his true goal: to summon back the Maker. To do this, a large enough
sacrifice is required, the death of Cocoon’s entire population. He adds that he
has resurrected Cid and made him the new Primarch, which has caused rioting in
the streets. According to Dysley, the Cavalry is preparing to attack Orphan. He
leaves them an airship and a choice to be made: let the humans destroy Orphan –
and Cocoon with it – or do it themselves. The
Road Home is the start of the final act. It accompanies ‘the road home’, to
Cocoon and to the score’s climax.
The track opens
optimistically, with a few wind instruments playing a variation on the ‘determination’ theme with a string-based
rhythm in the background. At 0:07, ‘determination’ reappears, this time as a passionate
orchestral rendition. The theme has been increasing in grandeur for a while
now, ever since Memories of Happier Days
and Sulyya Springs started playing
the theme in its entirety. Hamauzu is telling us we’re nearing the grand
finale, the point where Vanille will finally prove her worth.
Eventually, the track
ends with a tense ascending run (the melody of which resembles the first four ascending
notes of Primarch Dysley, perhaps to indicate the threat they will be
facing) as our heroes fly back to Cocoon.
Start Your Engines
Our heroes burst into Eden in style. Together with their Eidolons they
barge into a motorcycle race and take out their pursuers. Start Your Engines
accompanies the entire sequence.
This piece is basically
Eidolons, except this arrangement is less hectic and more self-assured. Whereas
Eidolons sounded hectic to convey the
do-or-die battle against the Eidolons, Start
Your Engines is more ‘controlled’ because now our heroes are tactically
using them to their advantage. In the melody department, where Eidolons
eventually employs E-D-C-Bb-E-F-G-Ab as a theme, Start Your Engines transitions
into A-Bb-C-Bb-A-Bb-C-Db-F-Ab at 1:51. In other words, Start Your Engines – with its Db-F-Ab – has a more triumphant feel.
Eden Under Siege
Our heroes make their way towards
Orphan and discover that monsters from Pulse have been unleashed upon Eden,
wreaking havoc and sending citizens into a panic. It’s a race against the clock
– in more ways than one – for our heroes as they try to stop their Cie’th
clocks and Cocoon’s imminent destruction. Eden Under Siege accompanies
their journey through a ravaged Eden.
Eden Under Siege plays like the perfect follow-up to Start Your Engines. Hamauzu bases the
entire piece on the ‘Lightning versus Dysley’ concept. At 0:07, Primarch
Dysley (fig. 24) is played aggressively by brass (fig. 35). Violins join in
at 0:35 and play an ostinato that resembles the opening of The Promise (fig. 4). Then the trumpets at 0:42
and play a triumphantly fast-paced version of Lightning’s Theme (fig. 12). After a brief melody by
horns, the violins play Dysley’s secondary theme at 0:53 (fig. 1) while the
orchestra provides robust support. The track ends with a tense run similar to
the ending of The Road Home.
The Cradle Will Fall
Our heroes go through a gate in Edenhall and arrive at the game’s final
dungeon, Orphan’s Cradle, a strange location to say the least. It defies
description and so does its music.
There are a few melodies
here, but the focus lies on ambience, creating that sense of foreboding, that the
final boss is just around the corner. The
Cradle Will Fall does this with plenty of bell-like synths to emphasize we’re
firmly in fal’Cie musical territory. With the help of electronics wizard
Mitsuto Suzuki, the end result is an ethereal, yet highly oppressive-sounding
track. It starts off very softly with dissonant electronic jabs, like distorted
audio signals (or something to that effect). A synthesized female choir
appears, repeating four rising notes, a theme that will make a very brief cameo
in Born Anew. Several other
electronic sounds join together to create a wall of ambient sound.
The string synths appearing from
1:12 onward highly resemble the string clusters heard in The Promise from 1:04 onward, further enhancing the notion that our
heroes’ journey is coming to an end. Melodies are heard occasionally, such as E-B-C-D-E-B-C-G
at 2:00 and E-C#-D#-E-F#-G#-A#-F#-C# at 2:36, though I haven’t been able to
figure out if these are references or just standalone themes.
Then, slowly, all sounds dissipate and
that most ominous of instruments announces its presence, a lone organ, an instrument
we haven’t heard since Ragnarok. Its inclusion here emphasizes that the prophecy
announced in Ragnarok is about to be
fulfilled; whatever happens, Ragnarok will play a huge role in the end of our
heroes’ journey. The organ grows louder and more menacing upon which
electronics join in, creating a terrifying climax.
Born Anew
The group crosses Orphan’s Cradle and arrive at the Narthex where they
find Dysley once more who, again, tries to convince them to destroy Orphan.
Naturally, our heroes refuse and defeat him, but he is revived as a shell
surrounding Orphan. So begins the final boss fight.
Born Anew immediately makes its presence known with earthshattering
bursts from the percussion and choir. The main melodic focus is on Dysley/Barthandelus
with Primarch Dysley stated like never before by mixed choir (fig. 24
and 25). Eventually, we transition into a quieter, but still tense, section
with choir, percussion, winds. Important here is the rising four note motif
stated by trumpets at 0:49. It’s a reference to the rising four note motif
uttered by the synthesized female voices in The Cradle Will Fall,
bringing to light how well that track
anticipated this final battle. The track circles back to the ever more
pronounced statements of Primarch Dysley
and eventually ends with ‘dirty’ brass (2:34) and a tenor solo. (This solo may
be a variation on the E-B-C-D-E-B-C-G melody I mentioned in The Cradle Will
Fall, though this might be wishful
thinking on my part.)
Sinful Hope
Our heroes fight valiantly, but to no avail. Orphan knocks out Lightning
and the rest, leaves Vanille and Fang conscious and tries to convince them to
complete their Focus. To protect Vanille from Orphan’s torture, Fang says she
will become Ragnarok. Lightning and the others try to stop her, but she breaks
loose and tries to transform into an incomplete Ragnarok. Sinful Hope
underscores this scene.
This track is full of
ethereal bell-like sounds and glistening effects to emphasize the scene’s
relation to the otherworldly fal’Cie. Hamauzu underscores the scene by repeating
a crescendo yet making it consistently heavier and more complex each time.
After tense, tremolo strings, percussion and cymbal clashes rise and fall a
couple of times, the resounding climax at 0:55 marks the entrance of Lightning’s
Theme played by piano (fig. 12). Just like in Forever Fugitives, the
fifth note is played a semitone higher, resulting in a more determined sound.
Horns play a rising melody at 1:06 similar to those heard in The Road Home and Eden Under Siege, while dense piano runs add to the otherworldly feel.
At 1:15, Lightning’s Theme is played by strings, while percussion adds a
determined, militaristic feel to the track. The track ends (at 1:42 and 3:28)
with what may be a fragmented version of Blinded
By Light played in reverse à la Dust
to Dust: E and then upwards to B-A-B.
Fabula Nova Crystallis
The transformation has failed this time and Fang notices that Lightning
and the rest appear to have become Cie’th. They start attacking her, while
Orphan is amused by Fang’s suffering. She eventually does transform into an
incomplete Ragnarok and attacks Orphan. This scene is underscored by Ragnarok.
Several scenes are shown in flashback, like when Hope tried to kill Snow, when
Lightning punched Snow in Lake Bresha. Vanille comments that ‘anger didn’t
drive us. We just had things worth fighting for.’ Fang is unable to destroy
Orphan and reverts to human form. Frustrated, Orphan starts torturing her to
force her to become Ragnarok yet again. This part is accompanied by Fabula
Nova Crystallis, with the first half accompanying the flashbacks and the
second half underscoring Fang being tortured by Orphan.
This track basically
reprises The Promise. The
orchestration is slightly more lavish and it’s played a bit more
solemnly. Another key difference is that Fabula
Nova Crystallis picks up where The
Promise left off; it brings the melody full circle, ‘completes’ it. The Promise (Disc 1, track 2) ends
unresolved when the undulating string section simply ends on a B. Fabula Nova Crystallis follows the same
pattern and it looks like it will end on that same B, but instead it seamlessly
transitions back into the main theme again at 1:56 before ending, not on the
aforementioned ambiguous B, but a G.
This track is another example of the
story and the score coming to a close. The Promise was stated in full at
the beginning, was then referenced in many tracks, and now it’s heard again, in
its complete form. In fact, if you don’t count The Promise (Disc 1, track 2) because it only plays in the main
menu and not a part of the actual story, then this is the first time we’ve
heard the theme in its entirety. The score is coming full circle.
FINAL FANTASY XIII – Miracles
Fang tells Vanille to run, but Vanille refuses, saying she would rather fight
and lose than run away again. Suddenly, Fang is saved by Lightning and the
others, who have apparently ‘awakened’ from their Cie’th state. They strengthen
their resolve once more and speak of a new Focus, one where Cocoon is to be
saved. The moment it is revealed that Lightning and the others are no longer
Cie’th, Miracles starts playing.
It opens with a flute,
backed by strings, playing variations on the ‘determination’ theme. Then, at
0:23, the ‘adventurous’ theme heard all the way back in Prelude is
played warmly by strings (fig. 2). The variations on ‘determination’ are warmly
played at 0:47 by the brass. At 0:59, the theme is played in full without any
variations as the music comes to a climax between 0:59 and 1:15 during which
there’s an optimistic key shift. Then, the adventurous Prelude melody is
played even more gloriously due to the key change. At 1:32, all the instruments
drop out and a single flute plays ‘determination’, this time including a clear
ending: C-G-Ab-F-Eb-Eb. This, incidentally, is also how ‘determination’ bookended
the adventurous theme back at 2:00 in Prelude,
only this time the effect is more melancholy due to the flute solo.
The strings return at 1:43 and play
a dramatic melody as we flashback to the moment on Pulse where Vanille and Fang
promised they’d stick together. During this emotionally charged part, percussion
provides support in a more optimistic vein than what we heard in the ‘militaristic’
section of Sinful Hope. At 2:17, we
go back to the present where Vanille reminds Fang of the promise they
made as strings appropriately reprise The Promise. At 2:25, when our
heroes turn their attention to Orphan who’s screaming and sinking into the
pool, the strings churn out a slightly dissonant chord, before ending on a nice
Eb accompanied by horns (Bb).
Focus
Orphan’s true, childlike, form emerges from the pool. A short
conversation ensues with Lightning delivering a speech and denouncing Orphan’s
ways. This scene is accompanied by Focus and anticipates the actual
final battle.
Focus is basically a stripped-down version of Sinful Hope.
It features the same kind of brooding, almost Wagnerian buildup and emphasis on
horn-, string- and percussion-based crescendos. The difference is that Focus
features less emphasis on melodic development and more on providing a tense, brooding
background for Lightning’s speech as it anticipates the final battle.
Horns, tremolo strings and,
of course, the usual bell-like synths (in keeping with the fal’Cie-esque,
otherworldly setting) provide a foreboding background for the ever-growing orchestral
bursts of energy. These outbursts are interspersed with constantly changing
timpani rolls and strikes. These unpredictable, seemingly random changes – and
especially the pauses in between – generate tension and expectancy.
Nascent Requiem
During Lightning’s speech, Focus comes to an end and segues into Nascent
Requiem. The climax at 0:40 is the point where Lightning’s speech ends and
the true final battle begins. This piece is densely orchestrated, courtesy of
Yoshihisa Hirano, and features lots of alarming dissonances, fitting for a
battle against the clock. (Orphan casts the spell ‘doom’ on the party which
means you have to finish the fight within a set time.)
0:00 – 0:40 is marked
by a brilliant buildup where instruments come and go as the tension keeps
rising. A bell is heard, wind instruments play a flurry of notes, trumpets
appear and disappear, wailing brass come and go, light and rhythmic percussion
are constantly heard underneath it all, strings swirl, flutes play flurries of
notes, cymbals clash, bell-like sounds galore, the list goes on. It all builds
to a climax marked by rapidly descending trumpets and roaring percussion. Crucially,
Dysley’s secondary theme (fig. 1) is heard underneath it all until 0:27, played
by horns.
After a piano and
trumpet-led section (0:39), strings play a variation on the ‘determination’ theme
at 0:52, after which the theme is passed on to the horns. This part is made all
the more passionate by the rhythmic support from the percussion and brass. Next
up after 1:12, there’s a dissonant section featuring a piano repeating a motif
(G-Ab-Bb-B) and dense, ‘dirty’ brass clusters. A prolonged cymbal clash occurs
at 1:25 followed by a piano solo playing what seem to be variations on the
first four notes from Primarch Dysley (fig. 24). Percussion joins in
and a dissonant roar from the brass is heard at 1:38 before both the ‘dirty’
brass and timpani join forces to create a dissonant climax. Everything quiets
down a bit at 1:48. Notable here are the ‘fal’Cie’ bells and the wailing
trumpets. At 2:13, brass imposingly play Dysley’s secondary theme with
militaristic percussion in the background and occasional stabs by the brass.
After some roaring percussion, we transition into a section for piano, all kinds
of percussion, brass and so on (2:37). I believe that at 2:56 there’s a small
reference to the dramatic theme heard from 1:43 onward in Miracles, specifically the part at 1:46 – G-Ab-Bb, only here in Nascent Requiem it’s a semitone lower,
Fb-G-A.
After all this
orchestral mayhem, the piece calms down at 3:39 and moves into a surprisingly
lyrical section for brass and strings. The melodic focus is on ‘determination’
and there all kinds of variations on this them, until a lone trumpet takes
center stage and solemnly plays the theme one last time, foreshadowing what’s
to come. It fades out, until only low brass brood in the background. At 4:16,
the first forty seconds are repeated more aggressively to bring the piece to a
stunning close.
Determination
Our heroes have made the impossible possible. They defeat Orphan. This
also sends Cocoon crashing down towards Pulse. Gravity is negated and everyone
desperately tries to hold on to each other (while they’re crystallizing since
they’ve now completed their Focus). Now, Vanille does not run away. Now, she
and Fang join hands and summon Ragnarok who creates crystallized lava pillars
to keep Cocoon aloft. Determination underscores this climactic scene.
The track opens
forebodingly. Glistening, ethereal, bell-like sounds are heard in the
background as a trumpet announces the beginning of the end: G-Ab-Eb-Eb-D. As
Eden begins to crumble, tremolo strings repeat and develop the melody. The
music swells at 0:33 and strings play a passionate melody as Lightning and the
others try to hang onto each other. At 0:41, a part of Lightning’s Theme
(or 0:52 in Fang’s Theme, depending on how you look at it) is played
dramatically by strings (fig. 14), while horns are written harmoniously in
counterpoint.
At 0:57, we arrive at
the emotional peak of the score and what I personally consider one of the
finest, most powerful moments in the history of videogame music. This is the
moment that all the previous iterations of the ‘determination’ theme were
hinting at. Now, it’s finally heard in full orchestral glory. The theme has
always centered on Vanille and it’s in this moment, when Vanille is at her
bravest, when she and Fang summon Ragnarok, that it reveals itself to be a most
determined theme indeed. In a moment of absolute brilliance, this powerful rendition of the ‘determination’
theme segues directly into the grandest, most passionate statement of The Promise heard yet (fig. 36).
After a long buildup by percussion, strings and
winds play grand statements of Lightning’s Theme, the chords different
each time. At 2:19, trumpets anticipate what seems to be a permutation on The Promise played by brass at 2:27 (fig.
37). The ending consists of rumbling percussion with strings playing prolonged
chords, constantly descending by a semitone before violins maintain a
high-pitched F to bring the piece to a close.
Kimi ga Irukara (Long Version)
Vanille and Fang have saved Cocoon. Lightning and the others awaken from
crystallization and gaze upon the sight when suddenly, they see Serah and Sazh’s
son Dajh walking towards them. It’s a happy reunion for Lightning, Snow and
Sazh. Despite mourning the loss of Fang and Vanille, Hope is also happy. The
game ends with a shot of Fang and Vanille inside the crystal pillar.
Even though Hamauzu
composed Kimi ga Irukara, it was
arranged by Sin. It’s a hard track to analyze in terms of leitmotifs, since it
comes across a standalone pop song. I can
say that it accompanies the final cutscene rather well, especially its hypnotic
opening with the synths. At 0:13, a subtle beat appears and a beautiful piano
passage is heard at 0:28, before there’s a shift at 0:40 and the vocals are
introduced.
Ending Credits
As the credits roll, Hamauzu wisely chooses to focus on the main theme, The
Promise. It begins softly, with tremolo strings in the background as flutes
play a fragment of The Promise. Cello and winds are added, before The
Promise is stated again, only this time with a bit more volume. This is
repeated until 0:45, while the brass section gradually makes its presence known.
After a quieter section featuring a descending cello passage, The Promise
is finally stated fully by strings as horns and flutes provide support. After a
large crescendo, the fragmented versions of The Promise from the track’s
opening return, played dramatically by strings and interspersed with horn calls.
This continues until
2:18, when a violin tenderly plays Lightning’s Theme (fig. 12). This version also features
the fifth note played a semitone higher, again providing more closure and less
doubt – F-E-D sounds more assured than F-Eb-D. Then again, a flute plays the
‘normal’ version of Lightning’s Theme right afterwards. The orchestra
explodes at 2:54. It’s the most glorious part of Ending Credits. The
strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion all come together to play The
Promise again and again, each rendition more powerful than the one before.
There’s a gigantic
climax at 4:00 after which the orchestra starts dialing out. The cello passage
from 0:45 is repeated, flutes and horns come and go, while a harp plays
arpeggios underneath it all. It all ends with soft tremolo strings and an
almost John Williams-esque harp progression.
Honestly love this - if there's one for 13-2 and perhaps even Lightning returns it'll be great. I'd love to hear your thoughts on, say Caius and Yeul's themes (orchestral Yeul's theme is really good??) and just the ending of LR
ReplyDeleteHey, apologies for the late reply. Thanks for the kind response! :)
DeleteI've thought about doing analyses of XIII-2 and LR, but I don't think they excel in the use of leitmotifs like XIII (which was the basis for this entire analysis). Lots of reasons for that, two extra composers, more open game design, etc. I'll probably review them at some point, or analyse Hamauzu's portions and the way he combines new themes with old ones.
As for Caius's and Yeul's themes, I think they're great. Caius's Theme is interesting, because it's rather clichéd, but the orchestration is irresistible.
Absolutely love it. Are you a completely self-taught musician?
ReplyDeleteHello, Robin here.
ReplyDeleteAnother self-learner.
The analysis of the songs is great indeed, you have captured all the meaningful phrases in the soloworks!
That helps me a lot in composing!
Can you sometime analyze one of yiruma's solos, such as "It's Your Day" or the eerie "Forest Fantasy". Because I cant seem to decipher them...
Thanks a lot!