



Aeons ['eɪ.ɑnz] (召喚獣, Shōkanjū?, lit. Summoned Beasts) are the summons in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 (however, they cannot be summoned by the player in Final Fantasy X-2). New aeons are obtained as part of the story by completing the Cloisters of Trials at each of Spira's temples. They can only be called forth by Yuna. Aeons differ from previous summons in the Final Fantasy series, by being controllable by the player once summoned. Summons being directly controllable as opposed to being mere cut scenes has since continued in later games in the series.

Obtaining all aeons in the Final Fantasy X HD Remaster version earns the trophy/achievement Summon Master.





Yuna has access to the Summon command. When she summons an aeon, the rest of the party leaves the battle; even KO'd allies will get up and leave, promptly collapsing back to the ground should they reenter, while petrified allies simply fade away temporarily. During an aeon's summoning animation, a glyph briefly appears on the ground or in the air and the aeon emerges through it. The glyphs are circular geometric patterns that are also seen in the Zanarkand and Baaj Cloisters of Trials, and each aeon has a unique one.

After being summoned, the player controls the aeon who will act like a regular party member with its own stats and abilities. Aeons are immune to negative status effects (except Curse and Delay) and some can absorb elements. They can be dismissed through the Dismiss command, which returns the party to the battle. If an aeon is summoned after being dismissed, they will maintain any status effects they previously gained. If the aeon dies, they can't be summoned again until a set number of battles take place, where they will be revived with full HP and MP. Otherwise, touching a save sphere will heal them.

Like the player characters, aeons have Overdrives (with the exception of Yojimbo). Their Overdrive meters are charged when targeting an enemy with an attack (except Anima's Pain and Yojimbo's abilities) and when being targeted by an enemy attack. The Magus Sisters' gauges are unique due to their split nature. Aeon gauges also fill when Yuna uses her Grand Summon Overdrive. After the respective aeon's Overdrive is launched, its Overdrive returns to the state it was in prior to the Grand Summoning, meaning if the gauge was full before the aeon was Grand Summoned, the aeon can launch two Overdrives in a row. When an aeon is defeated, the gauge is reset to zero.

Aeons can use the Boost and Shield from the sub-commands menu. Boost increases the damage the aeon receives by 50% until its next turn, but increases the rate at which the Overdrive gauge fills by the same amount. Shield reduces damage taken by 75% while negating any Overdrive increase.

Final Fantasy X is the first game where summons have victory poses if the player wins the battle with an aeon. While party members that deal the killing blow to an enemy have an increased chance of an equipment drop matching them, this bonus is give to Tidus for enemies killed by an aeon.

When an aeon is used against Seymour Flux or Seymour Natus, they will only have one turn to attack before he uses a special attack called Banish to destroy the aeon. Seymour is not the only enemy who may instantly KO an aeon; a Tonberry has a special attack to deal with aeons, where the it makes a small replica of the aeon before striking it with its knife and killing the original.



Command Rank Attack 3 Shield 3 Boost 3

Improving stats [ edit | edit source ]

An aeon's stats can be boosted by using spheres and the Aeon's Soul, obtained from Belgemine the third time she is fought.

How aeon's stats naturally increase. [ edit | edit source ]

Aeons' stats rise naturally with Yuna's but also with the number of battles the team participates in.

Aeons also have "equipment", though it is not visible in-game. Their weapons initially contain an empty slot, followed by Piercing, followed by -, and finally another empty slot. Bahamut, Anima and the Magus Sisters have Break Damage Limit instead of the first empty slot, and Valefor does not have Piercing. Once the respective Celestial Weapons are upgraded with at least the crests, the first empty slot changes to Break Damage Limit. Their armors do not change; they always contain Sensor, a blank slot, Break HP Limit and Break MP Limit; the elemental aeons have their respective element Eater instead of the blank slot.

"—" is an auto-ability found only on aeons' weapons (which are inaccessible, but exist in the data and are always equipped). It offers complete protection against instant death and all negative status effects, except for Curse and Eject, making it similar to the Ribbon ability player characters can get.

Command abilities [ edit | edit source ]

After obtaining the Summoner's Soul from Belgemine when she is fought for the second time, aeons can learn most abilities available to the main party by using items in specific quantities. For example, Ixion can learn Full Break by giving up two Dark Matter. Only Yojimbo and the Magus Sisters cannot learn abilities this way—theirs are set.

As enemies [ edit | edit source ]

List of aeons [ edit | edit source ]

Five of the game's aeons are recruited as part of the story. The other three are optional.

Required aeons [ edit | edit source ]

Please, fight with us! Yuna, summoning Valefor.

The fayth of Besaid Temple is a small girl. Valefor has high evasion and speed, but only mediocre attack power, though this changes later in the game. Valefor can deal non-elemental damage and cause a turn delay with her special attack, Sonic Wings, and with her two Overdrives, the default Energy Ray and the more powerful Energy Blast. Valefor is the only aeon to have two Overdrives, and is revived after 8 battles should she die.

Energy Blast is obtained by speaking to a girl and her dog in Besaid Village. To break the damage limit, Yuna must have obtained her Nirvana, and power it up with the Moon Crest. Later in the game Valefor is so fast that if Sonic Wings is used repeatedly against a single opponent, they never have an opportunity to attack. Because Valefor is a flying aeon, some enemies cannot hit her at all due to their attacks only hitting ground targets (an example being Omega Ruins' Demonolith).



Will you... help us? Yuna, when summoning Ifrit.

Ifrit, the Fire aeon, is located at the Kilika Temple. His fayth is a male Crusader. Ifrit specializes in the Fire element, but his special attack, Meteor Strike, is non-elemental and bypasses the Protect status. His Overdrive, Hellfire, is a powerful Fire assault in which Ifrit hurls fireballs at the enemy, and finishes by throwing a chunk of earth at them. Ifrit is revived after 12 battles.

Ifrit has high defense, rivaling Bahamut's; however, his attack and HP are lower. As with all the elemental aeons, Ifrit can be healed by using spells of his own element on himself, meaning Fire spells are an easy way to restore his HP. To break the damage limit, Wakka must upgrade his World Champion using the Jupiter Crest.



Command Rank Meteor Strike 4 Hellfire 8

My name's Yuna. Pleased to meet you. Yuna, when summoning Ixion.

Located at the Djose Temple, Ixion is the Lightning aeon. Ixion's fayth is a man in a sailor's outfit, but he manifests as a unicorn with a gargantuan horn. He possesses high Magic and Magic Defense and uses the attack Aerospark to deal damage and dispel all positive status enhancements (except Auto-Life) from the target. The ultimate Lightning attack, Thor's Hammer, encases the enemy in a field of electricity and sends it crashing into every other enemy on the field.

Ixion can heal by using Lightning-based elemental attacks on himself, and is revived after 20 battles. To break the damage limit, the Saturn Crest must be used on Kimahri's Spirit Lance.



Command Rank Aerospark 4 Thor's Hammer 8

Please help us. Yuna, when summoning Shiva.

Shiva is the Ice-elemental aeon of the Macalania Temple. Her fayth is a Macalanian priestess, and she possesses high evasion and speed. Shiva's Heavenly Strike deals non-elemental damage and inflicts the Threaten status (despite the in-game description stating it inflicts delay), and her signature attack, Diamond Dust, freezes the battlefield and all of Shiva's opposition. With a snap of her fingers, the ice shatters, and deals Ice damage to all enemies. Shiva revives after 20 battles.

Shiva rivals Bahamut in power due to her high speed and evasion; combined with Haste she becomes a force to be reckoned with. Unlike Bahamut, Shiva can heal herself with Ice-elemental attacks. Shiva can break the damage limit once Lulu's Onion Knight has been upgraded with the Venus Crest.



Command Rank Heavenly Strike 4 Diamond Dust 8

Oh, my... Yuna, when summoning Bahamut.

Bahamut is the final mandatory summon. Bahamut's fayth, a young boy, resides in the Bevelle Temple. In Final Fantasy X, Bahamut's fayth acts as the collective representative of all fayth, and communicates with Tidus and Yuna.

Bahamut is considered the strongest storyline summon. He is slow but his Impulse attack and Mega Flare Overdrive are powerful, both dealing large non-elemental damage to all enemies. Bahamut can break the damage limit natively, and revives after 24 battles.



Command Rank Impulse 6 Mega Flare 8

Optional aeons [ edit | edit source ]

The optional aeons must be sought out outside of the main story.

I will share your pain with you. Yuna, when summoning Anima.

Anima can be sought out after the party has the airship, has found the Baaj Temple, and after having collected the Destruction Sphere treasures in all six Cloisters of Trials. Anima awaits in Baaj Temple's Chamber of the Fayth. Her fayth is Seymour's mother, whom Yunalesca turned into a fayth so Seymour could become a powerful summoner. He has since been consumed by lust for power, searches for a way to control the ultimate power: Sin.

Anima offers her powers to Yuna in the hopes she can stop Seymour. The help bar when summoning her inside Sin says "Thus I atone". Similarly, if she is summoned during the battle against Seymour Omnis, he will remark on her opposing him, saying "You would oppose me as well? So be it".

In battle, Anima is extremely strong. Her special attack, Pain, deals high damage and can inflict Instant Death to an enemy. Her Overdrive, Oblivion, deals colossal damage to all foes. In the PAL, International, and HD Remaster versions, Oblivion deals 16 hits of damage instead of just one, as it does in the NTSC and Japanese versions. Anima revives after 24 battles.



Command Rank Pain 6 Oblivion 8

Please, clear us a path! Yuna, when summoning Yojimbo.

Originally located at a Temple of Yevon, Yojimbo's fayth—a Crusader and his dog—is now within the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. The player must defeat Lady Ginnem's Yojimbo, and then offer Yojimbo's fayth a large sum of gil, usually in excess of 200,000. If the player then pays Yojimbo triple what he is asking, he will give two Teleport Spheres as a token of his appreciation. This will still work after having "haggled" with him. Lulu tells Tidus that Yojimbo was stolen from a temple because people (possibly Al Bhed) did not want summoners to sacrifice themselves while calling the Final Aeon.

Yojimbo is a unique aeon, as his attacks are based on a complex calculation of loyalty, pay, his Overdrive bar, and random chance, and are executed by giving him gil. He must be paid at least 1 gil to act. The larger the sum, the better the attack, and frequent use and paying large sums of money make his stronger attacks more probable.

When given gil, Yojimbo will use one of four moves: Daigoro (where his dog Daigoro attacks in his stead), Kozuka, Wakizashi, or Zanmato. Daigoro and Kozuka injure a single foe, Wakizashi one or all, and Zanmato instantly defeats all opponents, including bosses and superbosses. While Yojimbo has no Overdrive, the chance of executing better attacks increases with a full Overdrive bar. Yojimbo revives after 24 battles.

Yojimbo requires Auron's Masamune to be upgraded with the Mars Crest to break the damage limit.



Command Rank Daigoro 3 Kozuka 3 Wakizashi 3 Zanmato 8

The Magus Sisters [ edit | edit source ]

We need all your help! Yuna, when summoning Magus Sisters

The Magus Sisters can be obtained once the player has received all other aeons, the Blossom Crown and the Flower Sceptre. The Magus Sisters' fayth, three young women, can then be approached in the Remiem Temple.

Cindy the ladybug, Sandy the praying mantis, and Mindy the bee, each has her own field of expertise. Cindy excels at White Magic, Mindy at Black Magic and defense, and Sandy at physical attacks and support White Magic, although Cindy is the one who knows Ultima, and Mindy has one of the most powerful attacks in the game, Passado, her special attack that deals 15 hits of physical damage to a single target. Cindy and Sandy's special attacks, Camisade and Razzia, deal physical damage to one target. The Magus Sisters revive after 30 battles.

Commanding the sisters is different from the other aeons. The player can only "suggest" what they should do, which could result in them doing anything, including having a rest, or casting Cure on another sister in dire need of Curaga. The sisters are still very powerful, as they can deal high damage from the beginning.

To launch their Overdrive, each sister's bar must be full, and the command "Combine powers!" selected. Delta Attack deals high damage to all foes, either in one lump sum, as it does in the NTSC and Japanese versions, or six successive hits like it does in the PAL, International, and HD Remaster versions.

The Magus Sisters allude to the bosses of the same names from Final Fantasy IV.



Command Rank Taking a break... 3 Camisade 5 Razzia 5 Passado 5

Final Aeon [ edit | edit source ]

Spoiler warning : Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section) Final Aeon is not a specific aeon, but unique to every summoner who completes his or her pilgrimage. At the end of their pilgrimage the summoner will meet Lady Yunalesca, who will turn one of the summoner's guardians into an aeon used for the Final Summoning. The aeon becomes the shell for Yu Yevon to manifest the next Sin after the Calm. Spoilers end here .

Other appearances [ edit | edit source ]

Anima and Yojimbo appear as summons.

Yuna uses Valefor, Ifrit, Ixion, Shiva and Bahamut as regular attacks in battles. The aeons emerge partially from their summoning crests; this is for ease of animating the attacks. During her EX Mode Yuna can summon two aeons at once, and her EX Burst is To the Farplane, where she calls out all aeons at once to attack while performing a sending ritual.



Some of the aeons appear.

Yuna appears as a Legend and can summon her aeons.

Ability Cards

Legend Cards

Valefor appears and uses Energy Blast. Other aeons also appear as enemies.

Aeons appear as ability cards.

Some aeons appear on cards.

Ixion and Valefor appear on Triple Triad cards in the version available via Final Fantasy Portal App.

Other media [ edit | edit source ]

In episode IV of the fan-made Dead Fantasy series, Yuna summons Valefor, Ifrit, Ixion, Shiva and Bahamut to help her in a fight Kasumi and her clones. The aeons are defeated by a multitude of Kasumi a clones to make Yuna revert to her Gunner dressphere.

Bahamut cards exist in the mobile card game Million Arthur, designed after the summon's Final Fantasy X appearance.

Behind the scenes [ edit | edit source ]

The summoning system was revamped for Final Fantasy X because the developers strove for a more seamless battle experience. The process of acquiring each aeon was made an important element to the main story and this made the developers invest in the summons' design.[1]

Shintaro Takai, the game's battle art director, says the following in the "Beyond Final Fantasy" feature included with the PAL and International versions of Final Fantasy X:

Each time we've created an FF game, there has been a willingness to change some aspect or other from its predecessors. For my part, I think I've changed the way aeons are handled in this installment. The world setting for this game is highly developed, and the scenario and art consequently synchronize well. In the same way, the battles are not independent elements of the game and it was my intention from the beginning to create something that mirrored the scenario, too. Coming up with new aeons was easy and natural for me since I matched the aeons—part of the visual spectacle of the game—to fit the world. This time, since Yuna's unique ability to summon aeons was a key point, I knew from the start that I wanted to present scenes focusing on the connection between Yuna and the aeons. I'm very proud of the results, and although the summoning sequences may seem long, they've been paced well, so I believe they are enjoyable to watch. Shintaro Takai, battle art director

By emphasizing the relationship between Yuna and the aeons gave the game's final scene, where she must part with them, even more impact.[1]

One of the character development system proposals for Final Fantasy X was a "tattoo system" where characters would have a 100x100 grid, and upon level up could place "tattoos" down to boost stats and learn abilities. Different tattoos would confer what abilities the bearer could use. This would have included aeons, as Yuna would have obtained the Bahamut tattoo on her back (and thus her kimono leaves her back bare).[2]

During the ending FMV all storyline aeons are present, including Anima.

If the player uses a weapon with the Sensor ability on the aeons when they are possessed by Yu Yevon, a message from their fayth begs the party to defeat them:

Valefor: "Strike me down."

Ifrit: "Extinguish me."

Ixion: "End it here."

Shiva: "Please... Defeat me."

Bahamut: "Soon... Eternal rest."

Anima: "Thus I atone."

Yojimbo: "Take my life."

Cindy: "Stop the suffering."

Sandy: "Don't cry."

Mindy: "Gotta say goodbye."

Made by Kotobukiya, the Bahamut figurine depicts the aeon in detail, with a paint job that has a metallic sheen and comes with a display stand. Anima's figure is part of the Final Fantasy X Monster Collection series. Valefor has appeared in the Final Fantasy Creatures Kai Vol 1 series of monster figures.

In the Final Fantasy Master Creatures series, Ifrit has appeared in Vol 2 and Shiva in Vol 3. Shiva and Ixion appear in the first Final Fantasy Creatures set. Yojimbo appears in both, Final Fantasy X Action Figure Collection, and in Final Fantasy Master Creatures, in both his original color and as a Dark Aeon.

Etymology and symbolism [ edit | edit source ]

The Greek word aeon, also spelled eon, indicates a period of existence or long space of time. It may be translated as "age." In Gnostic lore, the Aeons were emanations of God.

The Siddham Sanskrit script, which is the basis for the script of Yevon in Final Fantasy X, is used by the Shingon School of Buddhism that draws on early Hindu traditions. One traditional concept is that deities manifest their thoughts or spiritual energy in the physical world on several different "wavelengths": Sound, Form, and Symbol. The form through which a deity can manifest, is an anthropomorphic representation that is not the deity itself, but a living form humans can comprehend. The form physically expresses the deity's essence, in the same vein the aeons represent the fayth's dreams rather than their temporal bodies.

In some Hindu and Buddhist practices one can invoke a deity through the physical representation of a statue, similar to the link between aeons and fayth in Final Fantasy X. The symbol through which deity can manifest is a mandala (Buddhist tradition) or yantra (Hindu tradition), a geometric pattern which distills the deity's essence into a visual representation. This is similar to how aeons in Final Fantasy X are represented by glyphs, which appear in the temples and during the aeons' summoning animations, the aeon often emerging into the physical world through the glyph.