Zeromus and the Ending
From the final approach, advance north on B12 to meet FuSoYa and Golbez. Watch the scripted battle and the scenes that follow. The apparent disaster is part of the sequence; don’t reload just because the story has knocked everybody down.
Flashing lights: the final battles and ending contain large, bright spell and transition effects. Allow time for the ending rather than starting this just before you need to leave.
Boss Fight Prep
Optional collection: if you want DkMatter, have Edge Steal from the spectral Zeromus before Cecil uses the Crystal. It can take repeated attempts. Once you have it, continue with the battle; nobody can use, equip or Throw it. Don’t build your survival plan around a supposed reduction to BigBang.
After the allies’ support restores the party, have Cecil use Key itemHave Cecil use this from the Item menu during the final battle to reveal Zeromus's fightable form. Distinct from Cecil's Crystal equipment. from the Item menu. This reveals the form you can fight. Wait for the transformation to finish before spending WeaponEquippable by Edge (Throw only). Power 80; Acc 99%. Attack element: Projectile. Consumed by Edge’s Throw; not an equippable hand weapon. or another valuable attack; an action committed too early can have no effect.
Keep the Healer Working
BigBang is the main party-wide threat. Rosa’s job is to heal, usually with MagicWhite Magic in Tellah's post-trial menu, costing 40 MP. Its effect has not yet been tested on this run. on everybody. Have somebody else use an Elixir on her before she runs out of casting MP. This is not the time for Pray or Cecil’s puny healing.
Use Cecil’s normal attacks, Kain’s attacks or AbilityKain leaves the battlefield, then lands on his target to attack. While airborne he also misses party healing; wait for recovery before jumping if his HP is low., and Edge’s WeaponEquippable by Edge (Throw only). Power 80; Acc 99%. Attack element: Projectile. Consumed by Edge’s Throw; not an equippable hand weapon. for damage. If you brought Yang’s wife’s Knife specifically for a major Throw, this is the place to spend it. Do not throw your currently needed equipment simply because the battle is nearly over; you still have to survive until it actually ends.
Rydia can help with recovery items when the party is under pressure. SummonBattle-menu summon learned from Bahamut. Costs 60 MP; do not assume every boss permits counter-free use. can contribute damage, but it is not counter-free: a Flare response can create another emergency. Choose the extra damage when Rosa has the situation under control, not while three people are waiting for ItemRevives a KO'd ally. Can appear as loot from a FloatEye and Eagle formation southwest of Baron..
When Kain is airborne, remember that he misses party healing. If he’s hurt when he lands, have someone use an Elixir before sending him up again. For a KO’d character, use MagicWhite Magic costing 52 MP, seen in Tellah's post-trial menu and learned by Rosa at Level 45. Its effect has not yet been tested on this run. or use two characters to use a ItemRevives a KO'd ally. Can appear as loot from a FloatEye and Eagle formation southwest of Baron. and an Elixir so a low-HP return doesn’t immediately become another KO.
Black Hole and the Finish
Blk.Hole removes magical effects. Don’t assume your earlier buffs are still protecting you, and don’t spend every subsequent turn rebuilding an elaborate setup while BigBang keeps arriving. Recovery and steady damage are the core plan.
Later attacks include MagicTellah learns this after Cecil's summit trial. Its 99-MP cost exceeds his 90 maximum MP. - which thankfully he’s worse at than Rydia. Keep doing the work that got you this far: heal, replenish Rosa’s MP, revive as needed and let the attackers make progress. Your saved Elixirs and WeaponEquippable by Edge (Throw only). Power 80; Acc 99%. Attack element: Projectile. Consumed by Edge’s Throw; not an equippable hand weapon. cannot help once the credits are rolling, so don’t lose a winnable fight to protect the inventory.
Enjoy the Ending
After victory, leave time for the farewells, the return to the different kingdoms, Cecil and Rosa’s coronation, and the Chronicles movie and credits. There isn’t another dungeon hidden behind the first ending scene.
If your emulator makes the scrolling solar-system text unreadable, its sense is the closing of the legend: the bearer of darkness and light brings a blessing to Earth, while the Moon eventually seeks its own light and the two worlds’ people part across time. That’s a paraphrase of the Chronicles legend, not a reconstruction of damaged letters on your screen. Chronicles-version legend text.
Congratulations! You’ve finished Final Fantasy IV. Keep the pre-ending save if you’d like to revisit the optional treasures, rare collections or a different battle strategy later. And if your inventory still contains enough camping equipment to open a sporting-goods store, you’re in good company.