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Is it really that strange to want to save someone's life? There's nothing more important than life. Isn't that true for both soldiers and Realians? I want you to live. And because of it, we are here, together.
—Febronia to Luis Virgil

Febronia (フェブロニア, Feburonia), also known as Feb, is introduced as a mysterious ghost or spirit. Febronia is no longer "alive", having been brutally killed at her church on Miltia during the Miltian Conflict fourteen years ago.

Her spirit and likeness return several times due to being an existence of the Imaginary Number Domain of the Lower Domain. Because of this, she can only contact reality for a short period of time.

Personality[]

FebAMY

Febronia displays a kind, selfless, and caring personality. She values peace for all life, even to the point of donating her organs to save a stranger's life.

She wished for a peace between humans and Realians, and looked forward a day when humans and Realians could understand and happily co-exist with one another.

She is often seen tending or praying at her church, as well as gardening and flowers. These are aspects of her that carries into Shion's visions of her throughout the series.

Another trait that continued well after her passing was Febronia's deep familial love for her sisters Cecily and Cathe. She is driven to save her sisters, even if it means death.

Background[]

Febronia was a U-TIC Organization half-human half-Realian hybrid owned by the Uzuki family. She served as Shion Uzuki's nanny, helping raise her while her comatose mother was hospitalized and her father was busy working for U-TIC.

Designed by Joachim Mizrahi, Febronia was a special transgenic prototype Realian. Made to serve as a template for next-generation Realians, she had human organs as well as synthetic organs, and was able to survive several hours without her organs intact.

Febronia's true purpose was to serve as a test subject for U-TIC's experimental links between the Vessels of Anima and the Zohar. By linking to the Zohar, a human consciousness could make contact with U-DO. Febronia was designed to be as close enough to human to enable this link. With transgenic Realians like Febronia, U-TIC hoped they could control the galaxy with the Zohar's (and by extension, U-DO's) power.

FebChurch

Febronia's church on Miltia.

Febronia had two cloned sisters, Cecily and Cathe, who were part of a machine keeping the Zohar in power deep within the walls of Labyrinthos on Old Miltia. Another Realian, named Almadel, was also made using Febronia's data.

Xenosaga_III_HD_Cutscene_143_-_Young_Shion's_Prayer_(Old_Church)_-_ENGLISH_-_REGULAR_MODE

Xenosaga III HD Cutscene 143 - Young Shion's Prayer (Old Church) - ENGLISH - REGULAR MODE

Febronia praying with Shion.

Wishing for peace for both humans and Realians, Febronia took care of an abandoned Ormus church in the surburbs of Dasgupta, Miltia. Shion frequently attended this church and once prayed with Febronia. Febronia also taught Shion how to grow flowers and gave her seeds.

Miltian Conflict[]

Care

Febronia caring for Virgil after the transplant.

During the Miltian Conflict, Febronia met a Federation lieutenant Luis Virgil, who was a participant of the Miltian Conflict's Second Descent Operation. Virgil had been attacked by a group of Combat Realians which were ordered to attack Federation personnel. As an act of selflessness, Febronia gave up part of her organs to help keep Virgil alive.

After recovering herself, Febronia treated his injuries and provided food and shelter for him in the church. Virgil was incredulous as to why Febronia would save him, telling her that he was her enemy, as he was here on orders to kill Realians. Febronia replied that, for her, all that mattered was saving him, since there was nothing more important than life.

For a brief while after that, Febronia and Virgil rendezvoused frequently, nurturing the love between them. They talked a lot about Realians and their nature, as well as the relationship between Realians and humans.

Death[]

Xenosaga_III_HD_Cutscene_193_-_Tragedy_at_the_Church_(Old_Church)_-_ENGLISH

Xenosaga III HD Cutscene 193 - Tragedy at the Church (Old Church) - ENGLISH

Febronia's death.

On the night of the Miltian Conflict's Third Descent Operation, Febronia's church was attacked by a rogue group of Combat Realians that young Shion had been trying to escape from, as they were driven berserk by the Song of Nephilim.

Febronia bravely confronted the attackers in an attempt to serve as a distraction while Virgil and Shion were fleeing for safety. Virgil and Shion witnessed her being stabbed through her heart by one of the rogue Realians, her last words being for the two to "run" right before the Realians began to consume her flesh.

Virgil was distraught at Febronia's death, attacking and killing the Realians in order to carry Febronia's body to safety. Her death haunted both Virgil and Shion for years; in Virgil's case, as a way of coping with the pain and grief, he convinced himself that he never loved Febronia. In Shion's, the memory of Febronia's death, along with the significant events that followed that night, became buried deep in her psyche.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht[]

The_Church's_Caretaker

The Church's Caretaker

Shion faintly recognizes Febronia.

Febronia plays an important role in allowing Shion to confront her haunted past in Episode I.

She is first seen during Virgil's death in a brief flashback.

She then appears in a church in KOS-MOS' Encephalon, likely praying for peace. Febronia, along with Nephilim Verum, forces Shion to confront her past which takes the form of a Gnosis called Tiamat.

Ye_Shall_Be_As_Gods

Ye Shall Be As Gods

Febronia, Cecily and Cathe.

In a field, Febronia asks Shion to "release" her sisters, Cecily and Cathe, for the future of the Realians. Febronia's sisters were originally portrayed during the KOS-MOS Encephalon dive as young children playing around a tree near Febronia's church. Febronia clearly mentioned that this concept of Cecily and Cathe was an illusion. Febronia ordered Shion to go to Old Miltia.

Xenosaga: The Animation[]

Febronia is absent from Xenosaga: The Animation, except for two one-second cameos.

The first occurs when Virgil looks at MOMO Mizrahi, who is also a Realian with amber eyes.

Another occurs when Virgil dies during the Gnosis attack on the Kukai Foundation. When Virgil dies, killed by KOS-MOS misfiring her X-BUSTER, he happily smiles when he sees a vision of Febronia embracing him.

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse[]

In Episode II, while Shion is in a slumber on the Dämmerung, she dreams of being in a facility containing the Zohar. Febronia's spirit guides Shion to Old Miltia, in order to save Cecily and Cathe from their fate.[1] Febronia intentionally keeps the full depth of what she means from Shion for Shion's sake.

In Labyrinthos on Miltia, Shion enters the facility she saw in her dream. There, she and the party find the Cecily and Cathe's amputated bodies, which were kept alive in transparent pods by life support systems . As the party reacts, KOS-MOS notes that because they are fused with the system, they have lost their individuality and consciousness, and separating from the system would kill them.

Protest1

"No, KOS-MOS!"

When Sergius XVII appears, the situation escalates, forcing KOS-MOS to aim her gun at the Cecily and Cathe to stop the U-DO system from activating. Shion moves in front of KOS-MOS's gun and pleads for her to stop.

At that moment, Shion's perception of the room freezes, and a vision of Febronia appears behind Shion, telling her to "[s]et her sisters free." Horrifed, Shion finally realizes the true meaning of Febronia's plea: to "free" her sisters by killing them, freeing them from their fate.

Shion reluctantly removes herself from in front of KOS-MOS and tells her to fire. As KOS-MOS shoots, Shion weeps as Cecily and Cathe are killed.

Xenosaga_Episode_II_HD_Cutscene_68_-_Feb's_Sisters_Awakening_of_Omega_-_ENGLISH

Xenosaga Episode II HD Cutscene 68 - Feb's Sisters Awakening of Omega - ENGLISH

Febronia orders Shion to set Cecily and Cathe free from the Zohar's U-DO system.

Febronia's role was key to the defeat of the Pope, Patriach Sergius XVII; without her, Shion and her allies would not have reached Miltia, and ultimately, Proto Ω would have been unleashed on the galaxy.

Shion becomes emotionally distraught by Cecily and Cathe's deaths. Jin attempts to comfort her by telling her Febronia probably loved Shion just as much as she did her real sisters, Cecily and Cathe, describes Shion as "another sister bound by the chains of her past."

Jin then explained that Febronia gave Shion such a painful role because Febronia believed in her. He then tells Shion that the world is full of pain, and that she can either learn to accept it, or withdraw from it and become a recluse. Regardless of the choice she makes, she won't be alone.

Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra[]

In the version of Miltia drawn from Shion's subconscious, Shion and the party come across and rescue a young Virgil from Combat Realians. Carrying him to Febronia's church, the party becomes involved in helping Febronia transplant her organs to save Virgil's life.

Xenosaga_Episode_III_-_Chapter_5_-_Febronia_-_Visiting_Virgil

Xenosaga Episode III - Chapter 5 - Febronia - Visiting Virgil

Febronia visits Virgil.

When Febronia enters the room, Virgil recognizes that she is a U-TIC Realian and tells her to stay back. Shion reminds him that Febronia saved his life, but Virgil is unmoved, saying he feels sick to have a part of a Realian in his body, and that, if he could move, he'd kill himself. Shion and Virgil argue further, and Febronia intervenes, imploring Virgil not to speak lightly about throwing away the life they all worked so hard to save. Virgil is irritated by Febronia's answers to his jabs, ending the argument by claiming he felt sick and laying down with his back turned to Febronia.

FebroniaElsa

Febronia runs to the Elsa to warn everyone.

After Shion is kidnapped and interrogated by U-TIC, Febronia runs to the Elsa and notifies the crew that Shion is being held prisoner in Labyrinthos, and that Margulis plans to get information from Shion by force.

Xenosaga_III_HD_Cutscene_194_-_Arriving_at_the_Church_(Old_Church)_-_ENGLISH_-_REGULAR_MODE

Xenosaga III HD Cutscene 194 - Arriving at the Church (Old Church) - ENGLISH - REGULAR MODE

Shion finds Febronia dead in her church.

During the Third Descent Operation, the events that led to Febronia's death play out as before, ending with the real Shion entering the church and seeing the younger, injured Virgil assaulted by the combat Realians, as well as Febronia's dead body lying on the floor. Enraged, Shion charges in and kills the Realians.

Virgil slams his fists on the group and mourns Febronia. When Shion snaps him out of his malaise, Virgil asks her if Realians can share information then explains that he may have unknowingly sent the child Shion into danger, and that he needs to go help her. As Shion lifts Virgil onto her shoulder, they talk, and Shion hands him the self-destruct code for the Realians as a last resort.

When the party is forced out through the front church doors by Combat Realians, Virgil forces Shion outside and locks himself inside. As Shion bangs on the door, he uses the self-descruct code on the Realians in an act of self-sacrifice.

As Shion weeps, the true Virgil, the Blue Testament, confronts her. He taunts Shion, accusing her of hypocrisy, while evading Shion's accusations that he did actually still love Febronia. Virgil then claims that Shion was actually happy that he and Kevin still exist, and that her heart still yearns to see Kevin.

As Virgil tempts Shion with the thought of being reunited with Kevin again, Jin and the party intervene, and fight Virgil.

Febronia_and_Virgil

Febronia and Virgil

Febronia embraces Luis before they move on.

After Virgil's defeat, the spirit of Febronia appears, now visible to Virgil. Through tempting Shion to go to Kevin earlier, Virgil had opened his own heart, opening the way for Febronia to finally contact him as she had Shion many times before. Though he denies his love for Febronia, she exposes the truth Virgil had hidden from himself: he had become a Testament not because he accepted a world where everything is set and nothing could be changed, but because it gave him a way to return to the moment that "proved who [he] once [was]".[1]

Febronia works through Virgil's denials, stating, "I want to free you from this cursed place forever!" She embraces him, saying that even if she is dead, she is still with him, and that it was him who taught her that sharing their feelings would be enough to change the world.

A light bursts in the church, and Febronia is then beside Virgil, now carrying Febronia's dead body, as they stand before a glowing doorway. Before fading completely, Shion asked Febronia what she should do with her life now. Febronia answers, "Don't worry. Keep carrying on. Just carry out what you believe in your heart. Have faith. Believe in yourself. Open your heart because she's right beside you."

Etymology[]

The name Febronia is of Latin origin, possibly derived from the word februum, meaning 'purification'.[2]

Febronia's name may be a reference to Febronia of Nisibis, a nun who suffered persecution under Diocletian. Offered her freedom if she renounced her faith and married Diocletian's nephew, Lysimachus, Febronia refused, and was tortured and killed. Lysimachus, witnessing her suffering, converted to Christianity.

Themes[]

Quotes[]

  • "I came to take care of this church because I longed for a place where Realians could find peace."
  • "Shion, set them free from this cage. Please, I want you to lift the curse that mankind has placed upon them."
  • "Please, Shion, save Cecily and Cathe."
  • "It's true that I'm a Realian. We were created to serve human beings. My sisters are going through painful experiments for that purpose. But I feel no hatred for human beings, because it is the proof that we exist."
VirgilFebTouch

Virgil and Febronia by Kunihiko Tanaka.

  • "We do not reject this world. We just want to believe in a new order that can be born from discord. We just want to believe that a single thought can change the entire world and shape the future."
  • "Luis... Although my body is dead, I am still here with you. I am right beside you. There's no reason for you to suffer."
  • "Shion, I know it may be painful for you. But the time has come now for you to decide that for yourself. Don't worry. Keep carrying on. Just carry out what you believe in your heart. Have faith. Believe in yourself. Open your heart because she's right beside you."
  • ''No... you're wrong. You did save me. You taught me that by sharing all of our feelings that we would be able to change the world. And that alone was more than enough. Let's go now, Luis. She can show us the way to a future for both humans and Realians.'' (to Luis)
  • "Thank you, Shion."

Trivia[]

  • According to Xenosaga: Official Design Materials, Febronia is classified as an Enneagram type 1, along with Andrew Cherenkov and Juli Mizrahi.
  • Kevin Winnicot used data taken from Febronia to create the 27-Series Asura.
  • In Episode I, Febronia is seen being eaten by 27-Series Asuras. However, in Episode III, it is shown that she was killed and eaten by standard Combat Realians. The reason for this discrepancy is unknown.
  • In the Japanese version of Episode III, Febronia bleeds during her murder.

Gallery[]

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht[]

Xenosaga: The Animation[]

Xenosaga: The Manga[]

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse[]

Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra[]

  1. Xenosaga Perfect Guide, 34. What was Virgil Aiming for?
  2. “Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Febronia.” Behind the Name, www.behindthename.com/name/febronia. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.
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