|
For those who have not completed games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, this page contains spoilers regarding the plot. Discretion is advised. |
Ouroboros (Japanese: ウロボロス, Uroborosu) is a subgroup of people, as well as a power, in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Future Redeemed.
Overview[]
Ouroboros are people who can fight against Moebius. Up to six people can be Ouroboros at a time. The term Ouroboros is also used to describe the power (and specifically the transformation forms) that these individuals wield. Ouroboros have the ability to Interlink, where two Ouroboros combine to use powerful forms. Each Ouroboros has its own powerful move set, and deciding when to transform can be the key to winning a battle. Kevesi Ouroboros are black skinned and Agnian Ouroboros are white skinned. During the time of Future Redeemed, Ouroboros were merely translucent apparitions that revealed themselves when their user used Fusion Arts, this was until the battle with Alpha, where Matthew's Ouroboros manifested physically through a massive interlink to defeat the enemy.
In addition to the above transformations, Noah and co. also gained the ability to use the classes of other people in Aionios, along with the ability to generate clothing of people whose classes they had access to. Taion speculates this also is tied to Ouroboros.
Ouroboros – Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Ouroboros
Known Ouroboros[]
Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, and Sena are the current six Ouroboros. Noah and Mio, Eunie and Taion, and Lanz and Sena are the pairs that can Interlink. In the past, Matthew, Na'el, Nikol, Glimmer, Shulk, and Rex were Ouroboros. Future Redeemed revealed Nikol came up with the concept of having 6 people become Ouroboros at a time.
Before Noah and co. became the current Ouroboros, the City conducted annual exams for their youngest soldiers, eerily similar to Kevesi and Agnian training, with the top 6 of them becoming Ouroboros (dubbed "Ouroboros Candidates"). Ghondor, Jansen, Cyma, Nissick, Kryto & Olive were originally intended to be the current generation of Ouroboros. There were also back up members in case any Ouroboros died, with Shania being a reserve member for that original intended group.
Story[]
After escaping Z and the other Moebius, Nia used the little energy from Origin she still had access to alongside her own Core Crystal to create the Ouroboros Stones, which provide the ability to Interlink to a maximum of six people. The Lost Numbers and the people of the City are descendants of the first Ouroboros, whose statues can be found there.
Noah, Lanz and Eunie confront Mio, Taion and Sena in Alfeto Valley, the two groups being selected for a special mission for Keves and Agnus. They meet during the course of those missions and clash on the battlefield until they are suddenly attacked by a Mysterious Enemy, who is in fact the Interlinked form of the Consuls D and J. While Noah is trying to save Mio who is about to be attacked by the Giant, Guernica Vandham appears and activates an Ouroboros Stone that make their bodies fuse and transform into an Ouroboros. They manage to survive the attack of the Mysterious Enemy, however this leads to the six characters becoming the target of Keves and Agnus, now that they are fugitives and have the ability to transform into Ouroboros, considered by both nations as particularly dangerous beings.
As a result of becoming Ouroboros, the party is freed from the control of the Flame Clocks.
Gameplay[]
- Main article: Interlink
At any time during battle, provided Interlinking is not sealed, if both characters of an Ouroboros pair are active (i.e. not incapacitated), they can perform an Interlink, combining the two characters into their larger, Ouroboros form. The Kevesi Ouroboros forms are unlocked at the end of Chapter 2, whereas the Agnian Ouroboros forms are unlocked at the end of Chapter 3.
In this form, the pair of party members will use a different set of arts known as Ouroboros Arts. The regular Ouroboros Arts have no cooldown, but cannot be used twice in a row (meaning some other Art must be used before a particular Art can be used again).
The Ouroboros form has no HP stat and thus cannot be incapacitated by damage, though both members can be incapacitated if the form moves out of bounds. When Interlinking, the constituent characters' buffs and debuffs will be applied onto this form, and applied onto the two characters once the Interlink ceases. The characters' HP values will also be retained before and after an Interlink.
The strength of the Ouroboros form depends on the Interlink level, which initially starts at level 0, but can increase to a maximum of level 3 through usage of Fusion Arts.[1] Once an Interlink ends, the Interlink level will reset to level 0.
Heat Gauge[]
- Main article: Heat Gauge
During an Interlink, the Heat Gauge will slowly increase over time,[2] and when Ouroboros Arts are canceled into each other (if unlocked). This gauge will drain slowly over time while characters are not Interlinked, but cannot be reduced in the Ouroboros form, meaning that characters can only stay Interlinked for a short period of time.
If the Heat Gauge fills completely, the Ouroboros is said to have overheated, and the Interlink will automatically be canceled, reverting the two characters to their human form. Additionally, a cooldown will occur, preventing said characters from Interlinking until the Heat Gauge drains completely. This cooldown does not occur if the Interlink is released before overheating occurs.
Ouroboros Order[]
- Main article: Chain Attack (XC3)#Ouroboros Orders
When a Chain Attack is started, any ongoing Interlinks will be automatically released. However, Ouroboros forms can participate in Chain Attacks via Ouroboros Orders, triggered if either the two characters belonging to an Ouroboros Order complete their orders, or if a Chain Attack is started while controlling an Ouroboros form with Interlink level 3.
Once an Ouroboros Order is completed, the two characters will then Interlink and use their Ouroboros forms to attack the targeted enemy.
Soul Tree[]
- Main article: Soul Tree
Ouroboros can be further upgraded by spending Soul Points (abbreviated as SP) in the Soul Tree to unlock new traits and abilities. Soul Points are obtained by discovering Landmarks, opening Containers, and defeating Unique Monsters. Each party member has their own Soul Tree corresponding to their Ouroboros form.
Once all Ouroboros forms are available, Soul Links are unlocked, allowing party members to take a Skill, Raise Ability upgrade, or Heat Gauge upgrade (but not Art) from their Ouroboros partner's Soul Tree. Initially, only one Soul Link slot is available, with the second slot unlocking upon completing that character's Side Story.
Etymology[]
An Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent, dragon or worm that eats its own tail, as a representation of the continuous cycle of life and death, and by extension anything of a circular or recursive nature. The word comes from the Ancient Greek οὐροβόρος meaning "tail-devouring". The symbol was adopted in Gnosticism and Hermeticism to symbolize the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Trivia[]
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 director and producer Genki Yokota stated that Ouroboros originally looked more robotic earlier in the game's development.[3]
- In Xenogears, Ouroboros, spelt as Urobolus, is the final form of Myyah Hawwa and the final boss of the game. In Xenosaga, the Ouroboros symbol is the symbol of Unus Mundus Network.
- The entire map of Aionios resembles Ouroboros, with the head of Uraya representing the head of the serpent.
- The Ouroboros Interlink forms stop appearing in cutscenes during the final chapter of the base game.
- In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, during Noah and Mio's Spirit Battle, upon defeating the Shulk and Mii Brawler puppet fighters, a purple Dark Samus with a Beam Edge appears, which represents Noah's Ouroboros form.
- The Ghosts and Ares Prime from Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition have spheres on their bodies, like Ouroboros.
- In addition, the shape of the first Interlink resembles the Ares Prime.
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Screenshots[]
.jpg "Ouroboros-Moebius Iris - Mio (Agnus).jpg (162 KB)")
.jpg "Ouroboros-Moebius Iris - Noah (Keves).jpg (142 KB)")
References[]
- ↑ @XenobladeJP, Twitter, published July 5, 2022.
- ↑ @XenobladeJP, Twitter, published July 5, 2022.
- ↑ Ask the Developer Vol. 6, Xenoblade Chronicles 3–Part 1, Nintendo, published July 26, 2022, retrieved July 26, 2022.