Z

Z (pronounced "zed") is the primary antagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. He is the leader of the Consuls and is often seen in an old Amphitheater.

Appearance and personality
Z is a man with pale skin, long white hair with bangs, red eyes, pointed ears, and sharp nails. He has purple cracks on his face and horns made of purple flames on his forehead. Z wears a cardinal Victorian-styled overcoat with silver trims and a tie-like decoration in the center. The coat has glowing purple lines running throughout. His dress pants and shoes are of the same color as his coat.

Z is usually calm and acts in a logical matter. He believes his "endless now" philosophy is the best course of action for mankind and has proclaimed himself the ruler of Aionios. Z is also quite manipulative, convincing N to join his cause in exchange of bringing M back to life as a Moebius, telling him to slaughter the people of the City. Z can be sadistic at times, such as reviving Crys and Joran as Moebius to pit them against the party, simply because it amuses him and malevolently smiling in response to Noah's question on why. Despite this, he is willing to form a temporary truce with Aionios's humans as seen when he allied himself with Shulk and Rex during their struggle against Alpha when his "endless now" philosophy is being threatened by him.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Z is first seen during a meeting with the other Consuls after D returns from his battle with the party. He comments on the other Consuls' rowdiness, then discusses the flow of time, curious on how far the flow will bring the party this time. Z is later seen watching the party's progression at the Amphitheater with N, X, and Y, remarking that the eclipse draws near. Z then observes a battle between Kevesi and Agnian forces on the theater screen while R and V play what appears to be the Aionios version of chess, before N is sent off to Keves Castle. Z is briefly seen in the Amphitheater after X saved N's life at Agnus Castle Barbican, issuing N new orders telepathically.

Z is featured in a series of flashbacks involving Noah and Mio's past selves, usually trying to manipulate the former. He first appears in Noah's dream, conversing with Noah after Mio's death. He is later seen killing Noah, Mio, and several soldiers from the City in Origin. In another flashback, he is seen in the Amphitheater watching Noah's and Mio's past selves. He then successfully seduces Noah into choosing the "endless now", becoming the Moebius, N. In the last flashback, Z manipulates N into slaughtering the people of the City in exchange for bringing M back to life as a Moebius. When N initially refuses, he then attempts to dissolve M's body only for him to stop once N agrees to the task. After these flashbacks, the party identifies Z as their true adversary.

Z is seen with Y when an angry X returns to the Amphitheater after her scuffle with the party, complaining about how Noah has obtained the Sword of Origin, which Z acknowledges. It is revealed by Nia that Z and Moebius are responsible for the improper fusion of the worlds where Keves and Agnus originated from, freezing them in place by taking over Origin and then imprisoning Melia to access Origin's memories to create a time loop. In the Amphitheater, Z is seen watching Crys's past life, while conversing with a despondent N, with Z commenting on the Sword of the End, asking Crys (now a Consul) if he will confront Noah. Z looks at the party on the theater screen after Crys was defeated, remarking that they wanted to change the world for others before angrily declaring to them that the world he created is a benefit to all life.

As the party and the Lost Numbers approach Origin in the newly assembled Bravery, Z watches their arrival on the screen before Origin rises from the Great Sea. Z then activates its defenses to fend off the invading Lost Numbers and the Colonies (even those that have not been freed from their Flame Clocks) in a last-ditch effort to protect his "endless now" philosophy, destroying several colonies and Lost Number ships. Z then successfully convinces N to take up the Sword of the End for the "endless now", reminding him that he desires eternity. When the party frees Melia from the Eternal Prison after they defeat N, she reveals that Z is not an individual, but rather humanity's fears and insecurities made manifest, the collective form of Moebius. She then reveals Z's location: the nucleus of Origin.

Noah and the party (accompanied by, and Ghondor) finally reach him at the Amphitheater within the core of Origin. As the party's progression is shown on the screen, he invites them to come to on the stage. He then explains human nature and the endless now. Noah tells him the importance of choice and free will. Z retorts that free will is an illusion, and explains his motives. Z then explains that taking lives is why Aionios exists and proclaims himself as an embodiment of life, prompting several Consuls to materialize and applaud him. Noah then declares that he'll defy him, challenging his claim over his world before Z engages the party.

When the battle begins, he seals off the party's Ouroboros powers. As the battle progress he first freezes the floor, then sets it on fire, and finally in an effort to break their morale shows the party their worst memories on the screen (Lanz experiencing Joran's death; Sena experiencing Shania's betrayal; Eunie experiencing her past self being killed by D; Taion experiencing Nimue's sacrifice; Noah experiencing Mio's Homecoming and Mio experiencing Miyabi's sacrifice). This backfires, as the party's willpower lets them regain their Ouroboros powers.

After the battle, Noah plunges Lucky Seven into the stage, declaring the scenery a sham. This destroys the entire Amphitheater, the manifested Consuls, and apparently, Z. But Z transforms into his true form: Z∞, a large face made of dark energy that resembles Z and can mimic others. He declares if Origin is restarted, time will flow once again and the worlds will overlap. He demands to know why the party wants to advance to the future. Noah answers that there should be a future where destruction doesn't happen. Z∞ retorts with his "endless now" philosophy. Z∞ then transforms Origin into an angelic form with tentacles and laser weapons, which begins to destroy Aionios. Before the party engages Z∞, they realize the source of Moebius's power, and why they desperately seeks the "endless now": humanity's uncertainty of the future. After the party repels him, he separates the party, with the Kevesi side facing X∞, and the Agnian side facing Y∞. Melia and Nia then punch a hole into Origin, sending several of the party's recruited Heroes to assist them. Once both X∞ and Y∞ have been dealt with, both Queens join the party in defeating Z∞.

After he is defeated, Z∞ declares his hatred of the new world. N and M's spirits then separate from Noah and Mio. N then tells the party that he is not Z or Moebius, but a single intense desire before finishing off Z∞ by sacrificing themselves, ending Z∞'s existence once and for all. After Z∞'s death, Origin restarts and time flows once again, with the worlds separating back into the worlds of Bionis and Alrest respectively.

Future Redeemed
Z is seen confronting Alpha with Shulk and Rex, asking him how badly he wants to destroy them, referring to Alpha as his "god" before he unleashes a powerful attack. Z is later seen alongside N in the Amphitheater, watching Matthew, A, and Nikol's progress on the screen. Later, Z remarks about how Alpha took control of Origin while observing Moebius's attack on the City before sending N to kill Alpha. Z then comments that Sword of the End denies fate.

After Noah uses Lucky Seven to destroy the Amphitheater, Z reveals his true form as a large face of dark energy which he can mimic specific people such as the party and his other Consuls. When he gains control of Origin, he is able to control its weapons.

Z is not an individual, but rather a concept. He is a malevolent being formed from the fear of the consciousnesses stored within Origin. He is also the collective form of Moebius; his Consuls are merely his avatars. However, upon being defeated, he expresses hatred of the world.

Lore

 * As stated by Melia, Z is not an individual, but a concept.
 * Z is the collective form of Moebius, his Consuls are his avatars.
 * While it was Z who wove the fabric of Aionios, his power does has limits, such as when Alpha seized Origin from him, he is unable to carry out his will.

As a boss
Z is the final boss of the game. He is fought in five phases.


 * Z (boss)
 * Z∞ (part 1)
 * X∞
 * Y∞
 * Z∞ (part 2)

Trivia

 * Z shares similarities to both Krelian from Xenogears and Wilhelm from the Xenosaga trilogy respectively; see Thematic parallels for details.