Zanarkands

Zanarkand is a fictional city that plays a crucial role in the video game Final Fantasy X. It is depicted as a legendary, ancient city that was destroyed a thousand years before the events of the game. The story of Zanarkand's destruction and its supposed inhabitants is central to the main plot. The city is spoken of in hushed tones and myths, often associated with powerful sorcerers and a golden age of Spira, the world in which Final Fantasy X is set.

Throughout the game, characters speak of Zanarkand as a lost paradise. However, as the narrative unfolds, the true nature of Zanarkand and its history is revealed. It is discovered that the Zanarkand seen by the player is not the original city, but a dream manifestation. This dream Zanarkand is created and maintained by the collective will and memories of the people of Spira, fueled by the entity known as Yu Yevon. The dream serves as a powerful illusion, designed to perpetuate the cycle of the greatsummon, Sin.

The inhabitants of this dream Zanarkand are also illusions, ghosts of a past civilization. The protagonist, Tidus, is revealed to be one of these dream inhabitants, his existence tied to the dream of Zanarkand. The ultimate goal of the player's party is to confront and break this cycle, thereby freeing Spira from the oppression of Sin and allowing the dream of Zanarkand to finally fade away. The concept of Zanarkand thus represents themes of memory, illusion, and the struggle for freedom from cyclical destruction.