The 'Allegorical Blade' is a holy symbol and you're sleeping on the greatest thing about it
Ok, let us please talk about Ardyn’s healer sword, because I think you’re all sleeping on that absolutely delicious choice of a design. I’m talking about his sword as seen in Dissidia FF NT. It is called the ‘Allegorical Blade’ and released alongside his white healer attire called the ‘Devotee’s Raiment’.
You might have noticed the flashy design of this blade that has prompted some to assume it is supposed to be reminiscent of the citadel in Insomnia where the royal seat of Ardyn's family is located - a seat supposedly reserved for him in his healer times.
Or, rather, not quite and not only.
The Allegorical blade is, in fact, designed as a monstrance, which is a vessel used in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and some other faiths’ churches to display objects of piety and high religious importance at the altar, such as remains of saints or the sacramental bread, the host. I’ve attached a picture I took of one at the local cathedral.
FF15 is inspired by medieval European royalty where Catholicism was the prevalent and the only acceptable religion. Catholics believe that through consecration, items - most famously food items like bread, wine or the host - are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. They are not only spiritually transformed, they are believed to be substantially transformed and are divine from then on, although they retain their appearance as ordinary items. These items carry tremendous spiritual meaning and like the remains of saints, they are to be handled with care if they are to be shown to believers - they are put into a monstrance. The word ‘monstrance’ comes from latin ‘monstrare’ - to display or to show, which makes a monstrance a vessel to display the holiest objects. They are usually carried and lifted to believers during mess or in front of processions. They are often, but not always, designed to look like religiously important symbols or buildings like churches, the sun, and so on. The citadel being the place that holds the crystal and therefor being of the highest religious importance to Lucians, is exactly what a monstrance would be crafted to resemble.
The Allegorical Blade has a different name in Japanese where it is called the ‘kamikotoba no ken’. There are three kanji used: that for ‘god, divine, holy’, that for ‘word’ and the last one for ‘sword’. Basically it is called the ‘Sword of the Word of God’ or the ‘Sword of Divine Words’.
If his sword is a monstrance, then why doesn’t it hold and display any kind of holy object?
The thing it shows off is Ardyn himself.
Ardyn Lucis Caelum has been a devoted follower of Bahamut for all of his life. He considers his healing powers a gift from the gods, so he travels far and wide to cure the sick and ‘spread their mercy’ as he speaks about what he believes to be a divine calling. His altruism and faith are so great that he continues healing even though he knows the starscourge accumulates within his body and that it will kill him in time. He believes with a passion that the gods have a plan and will grant him mercy too, so that one day he will be able to heal all of Lucis as their king. He is, quite literally, Eos’ version of Jesus Christ only that his god turned out not benevolent at all.
The holy object his sword displays is himself as a representation of Bahamut’s word that holds true before and even after Ardyn’s fall from grace. Ardyn Lucis Caelum believed in his divine calling, but he misinterpreted it and instead of being the savior to heal the land, he turned out to be the sacrificial lamb to be slain at the alter. The role of Immortal Accursed, of the scapegoat, is not the role he ever wanted. It is one that holds only pain and suffering, one without reward or even recognition of all he sacrificed and one that will have him murder indiscriminately until his death, forcing him to undo all he’s achieved and all he wanted to be with his own hands. He is god’s judgment in the flesh, god’s will brought down on humanity and in terms of FF15, Bahamut's will is cruel and final.
There is an actual bible quote I want to cite here, bc it seems to me it could be an inspiration for his sword design:
“For the word of god is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints an marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” [Hebrews 4:12]
Bahamut issued his command to Ardyn in EPA in a cold and merciless manner that has to cause outrage and inspire hatred, but the truth is, Ardyn has carried that burden with him ever since his birth when his healing was gifted to him. What better way to show the double-edged sword of Bahamut’s favour than by giving it, quite literally, to Ardyn?
It’s called the ‘Allegorical blade’ because it is a symbol of the dichotomy of his fate - a healer and a killer - and position within the prophecy where he is both the sacrificial lamb needed to safe the world and the very thing that kills it.
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