Gaius is one of the first major villains you get to encounter in the entire game, which is why I wanted to include him. Gaius is one of the bosses in the longest dungeon in the entire game, Praetorium. He creates the Ultima Weapon using the Allagan magitek armor and it’s another one of the bosses you fight, gaining the Aetherial power to help support the armor. The Aetherial power comes from the previous primals Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, absorbing and using it in the Ultima Weapon. His attacks include the previous primals along with some unique to him. He would be impossible to defeat without the help of Hydaelyn, who makes him vulnerable to magic which he was once protected against. Once he’s defeated the first time, he unleashes the true power of the Ultima Weapon, fighting him again until he’s killed and destroyed from the destruction of the Praetorium. Overall, Gaius has this desire to become a strong leader within the Garlean Empire’s army and leads into the invasion of Eorzea. Gaius convinced the population of Ala Mhigo to revolt against their ruler, which allowed him to strike as the city protections crumbled, causing a civil war as he captured the city. His goal was to ultimately renown Eorzea. After ARR, Gaius doesn’t return until Stormblood, as “Shadowhunter” and states learning from his mistakes. He typically is one of the more forgotten about villains, especially compared to some of the others. Out of all the ARR villains, he’s definitely a big character in helping to shape the story.
“It is naught but a cobweb of lies.
To believe in Eorzea is to believe in nothing.
In Eorzea, the beast tribes often summon gods
to fight in their stead--though your comrades only rarely respond in kind.
Which is strange, is it not?”
Gaius without his magitek armor