Eidolon Countermeasures

COUNTERMEASURES

As far as his base of power was concerned, Eidolons were the only force that could reasonably turn against him and have a chance of succeeding. They are the planet's guardians, and he was waging a quiet war against Gaia itself. He would need both a weapon and a defense against Eidolons as the planet's power began to wane, lest it grow desperate and begin to strike out. To him, it wouldn't make sense to leave such a powerful force unchecked, anyway.

So using Ark as a test subject, Garland upgraded his flagship, the Invincible, with an experimental weapon capable of artificially replicating and even overriding the bond between an Eidolon and its summoner. This process was powerful enough to be considered equivalent to total and complete mind control, and with it he could dominate any Eidolon he pleased and turn it on whoever he wished. There was also the matter of the tribe of Summoners, who knew how to call on the powers of these eidolons, and the Twelve Gates of Immortal Legend, a 'secret society' he was aware of that had dedicated itself to synergizing with the beasts. Both would have to be eliminated. So, twenty-five years ago, he sent Kuja and the young Zidane to Madain Sari in the Invincible and sought to do just that. No eidolon was able to help them. Garland wasn't entirely sure how many of the twelve he had killed, but some had probably persisted. No matter, he could wait. He had time.

...and then it was this point that Kuja chose to rebel and cast Zidane out into Gaia. Small world.

Ark remained under Garland's control in the meantime. He ordered it to stand vigil over Oeilvert to guard over the stone that would open the path into Mt. Gulug. He dare not destroy the ancient tonberrys' resting grounds because of its historical value to future Terrans, but in the meantime he did not want any new summoners venturing and discovering their secrets. Garland would later lose control of Ark after its defeat at Oeilvert and a summoner's recovery of its gemstone, but he had more important things to concern himself with at the time. Namely, Kuja's actions and Zidane.

Kuja mistakenly believed that if he secured both the Invincible and a powerful enough Eidolon that Garland would fall under his assault. The fool did not realize the ship had remote override commands. Checkmate, Kuja.