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Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker is going to finish up the Hydaelyn and Zodiark arc of the popular MMO soon, and fans are incredibly excited (and maybe a little nervous) to see what will happen to their favorite characters. Among these characters are the twins, Alisaie and Alphinaud, twin elezen characters that have been in the story since the very first cutscene of the game. According to the game producer, Naoki Yoshida, the twins (Alphinaud in particular) are like the main protagonists of the story outside of the Warrior of Light.
Since Endwalker will be taking place in Sharlayan lands, it is no stretch of the imagination that a lot of the story will focus on Alisaie and Alphinaud since that is their homeland and their own father is going to be a source of conflict with the Scions. The two of them have developed a lot as characters since the beginning, and have a lot of connections to the world of Eorzea. Before Endwalker comes out, there is a lot to know about these twins and their history.
The Leveilleur History
To understand the twins, fans must first know their grandfather, as he is the reason they are involved in the Scions in the first place. Their grandfather was Louisoix Leveilleur, and he was known to be one of the most powerful mages of all and worked as a Sharlayan Archon. He became a rebel to Sharlayan politics, as he disagreed with their views on avoidance of war at all costs. He believed their wisdom was wasted when it should be used to save others. He founded the Circle of Knowing, which would later become the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.
Louisoix's life ended when he defeated Bahamut at Carteneau with an all-powerful spell that sacrificed his own life. According to the first copy of the Encylopedia Eorzea though, there is a rumor that Bahamut "ensared his essence and enslaved his spirit." His death is what drew his grandchildren, Alisaie and Alphinaud, out of Sharlayan and to Eorzea. In fact, before he left them, he gave each a grimoire which they later discovered was two halves of a large one. This was a symbol of their grandfather's wish for them to always work together.
Both Alisaie and Alphinaud are the children of Fourchenault and Ameliance Leveilleur and grew up living the Sharlayan lifestyle of studying and learning as much as possible from a young age. Both are known as prodigies, with the two of them attending Sharlayan's prestigious Studium at just 11 years of age. This is where they learned all they know about magic and history. Once they reached the age of 16 years old, though, that is when they decided to go to Eorzea to understand what happened to their grandfather. At 16, Sharlayans are considered adults, so their father could not stop them.
Their Progress Through The Expansions
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Through their adventures in Eorzea, Alisaie and Alphinaud have adopted much of what their grandfather believed. Alphinaud, in particular, stuck close with the Warrior of Light and has gone through much character development. While he believed himself smarter than most, he was quickly humbled after founding the Crystal Braves and getting ultimately betrayed by them. His class has changed too, going from an arcanist to an academician and, finally, a sage for Endwalker.
Alisaie did not really come into the picture until the end of Heavensward, and it turns out that she is pretty different from her brother despite their looks and similar early life. While she is also a prodigy, Alphinaud's knowledge of history and magic has been slightly ahead of her. The Encylopedia Eorzea says that Louisoix never treated Alisaie as secondary, which has led fans to believe she may have been living in Alphinaud's shadow back when they lived in Sharlayan. However, she certainly outranks her brother in terms of athleticism and swordplay. Originally, Alisaie was an arcanist but became a red mage later in Stormblood.
So, with the twins returning to where they came from, the story will likely focus on their stories as they return to a place that has not changed while they certainly have. While they may be excited to return home, it is likely that their ideas from their travels in Eorzea will not be met with acceptance. In the upcoming expansion, there is no doubt that much more about the twins and their family will be revealed.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, and PS5.