Characters

Lightning is Serah's older sister. Three years ago, a Pulse fal'Cie gave her a Focus - an order to destroy Cocoon. Alongside her companions, she resisted her assigned fate and protected her floating home, saving millions of lives.

Shortly after the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning disappeared. Many believed that she gave her life in return for Cocoon's salvation, or that she was trapped in the crystal pillar with Fang and Vanille. Serah, however, has a clear recollection of seeing her in the aftermath of The Fall - and firmly believes that Lightning is still alive.

Serah Farron is a playable character and the female protagonist in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Three years ago, in Final Fantasy XIII, she unwittingly became a l'Cie and then entered into crystal stasis after completing her Focus: brining together the six l'Cie who were destined to destroy Cocoon, though they were in fact to become its saviours.

Serah cannot accept the fact that Lightning has inexplicably disappeared. She left her home on Cocoon and currently works as a teacher in the Gran Pulse town of New Bodhum. Serah is engaged to the NORA leader, Snow, but current circumstances prevent them from being together.

Noel Kreiss is a playable character and the male protagonist in Final Fantasy XIII-2. He is the last remaining human from 700 years in the future, and has travelled into the past hoping to change that fate. After meeting Lightning by chance, he saves Serah Farron from monsters and accompanies her on her quest to find her sister.

Caius Ballad is the main antagonist in Final Fantasy XIII-2. He is Lightning's fated rival, and is an important figure in both Noel's past and Serah's future.

Hailing from the future, Caius is the immortal guardian of the timeline and the seeress, Paddra Nsu-Yeul. Having lived since before the War of Transgression, Caius originally protected the timeline from any foreign threat. However, Caius suddenly begins to carry out an all-out war against the Goddess Etro that would destroy the spacetime continuum.

Snow Villiers is Serah's fiancé and a former l'Cie. Three years ago he gained Lightning's trust and a (perhaps slightly grudging) acceptance of his engagement to her younger sister when he fought alongside her to save both Serah and Cocoon. After the catastrophe, he left on a journey to find Serah's missing sister. The determined NORA leader has vowed not to return until he has found Lightning.

Residents of Palumpolum, Hope and his mother visited Bodhum three years ago to view the famous local fireworks display. That same night, soldiers discovered the Pulse fal'Cie hidden beneath the town. The following day, the Sanctum sealed off the entire district. Trapped by the quarantine and unable to return home, mother and son were forced to join the other victims of the Purge.

Though he lost his mother, and long harboured a murderous resentment for Snow - whom he believed to be directly responsible for her death - Hope played a vital role in saving Cocoon.

Ever since the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Hope has grown into an intelligent and confident leader, even though he sometimes shows moments of vulnerability.

Three years ago, Sazh, a top-class pilot, came to Bodhum to show his son a Sanctum fal'Cie, by an unfortunate turn of events, his son, Dajh, was turned into a l'Cie. It was during an attempt to save him that Sazh became one of the l'Cie later responsible for protecting Cocoon. It has been reported that he and his son disappeared shortly after the crystal pillar first appeared.

500 years before the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Fang and Vanille - residents of Oerba on Gran Pulse - were conscripted as l'Cie and magically transformed into the terrifying Ragnarok, which subsequently attempted to destroy Cocoon. Though the monster did not succeed, the damage Ragnarok wrought at the time has never been repaired. It created the area known as the Hanging Edge. When Cocoon is viewed from Gran Pulse, this wound to its outer rim - and the constant rain of debris from the rift - remains visible.

Though Fang and Vanille failed in their apparent Focus - which would normally result into a transformation into the abominable Cie'th - they were placed into crystal stasis aboard a Pulse fal'Cie hidden in the ruins near Bodhum on Cocoon. The catastrophe that occurred centuries later was set in motion was set in motion when the two friends awoke.

After meeting with Lightning, Snow and the other companions, Fang and Vanille decided to fight for the home of their new friends. After the climactic confrontation with Orphan, they both joined their efforts and unleashed their inner power to create a massive crystal pillar rooted deep in the crust of Gran Pulse to support the whole of Cocoon. Though encased in their own creation, their sacrifice was not in vain. Cocoon was saved while all l'Cie turned to crystal were set free - including Serah.

Alyssa Zaidelle is a major supporting character from Final Fantasy XIII-2. As a member of the Academy, she starts as a trainee but climbs the ranks and becomes the assistant of its leader, Hope Estheim. Together, they help Noel and Serah in their journey to change the future.

NORA is a vigilante group from the Cocoon town of Bodhum. As far as Lightning was concerned, NORA's actions - hunting down weak monsters and acting like heroes - were reckless and irresponsible. Snow, their leader, would later prove his genuine worth by being a part of the group who prevented Cocoon from crashing into Gran Pulse.

The remaining NORA members went on to found the settlement of New Bodhum in the harsh environment of Gran Pulse. These include Gadot, Yuj, Maqui and Lebreau.