Sync

Sync the Tempest is one of the six god-generals from Tales of the Abyss. In Japanese, his title is "The Gale, Sink", one of the rokujinshou. Sync is hailed as being one of the most popular antagonists from any Tales game. In Tales of the Abyss, Sync is trying to help Commandant Van Grants with his plan to create a replica world.

Past
Sync was a failed replica of the original Fon Master Ion of the Order of Lorelei. The Fon Master is unique not only in his political stature (he is a symbol of the peace after the Hod War and of the Score) but also in his ability to use Daathic Fonic Artes, which can open doors to Sephiroth trees, attack opponents using the Seventh Fonon, use the Seventh Fonon to read the Score from Fonstones, create curse slots to control enemies using past memories, and draw miasma from another's body into one's own. There are probably more abilities, but these five are used primarily in the game. When the original Fon Master Ion became deathly ill, Grand Maestro Mohs and Commandant Grants used fomicry to create seven replicas to replace the Fon Master. Sync could use some Daathic Fonic Artes, such as Akashik Torment and Curse Slots, but he could not read the Score or open doors to the Sephiroth. He and the five other replicas deemed unworthy to replace Fon Master Ion were thrown into the mouth of the Mt. Zaleho volcano. The five others perished, but Sync remained alive. He crawled out of the volcano, and was taken in as a god-general by the Commandant. It was then that Van explained why Sync had been born -- it was written in the Score that Fon Master Ion would die. Van gave Sync a mask to hide his identity, and taught him how to fight using martial arts and fonic artes. The seventh replica became the Ion who follows Luke's party throughout the story in Tales of the Abyss. He is able to use every Daathic Fonic Arte, but because he is not a perfect replica it takes a great toll on his body to use them.

Personality
Being thrown into the world around the biological age of 12, Sync was supposed to replace Fon Master Ion. Being born as a replica, he was given the impression that if he is unable to be a substantial substitute for his original, then he is not worth existing at all. Sync was not only a replacement but also a failed replacement, which caused him to curse his own existence. Out of pure hatred for the world Sync emerged from Mt. Zaleho, with a resolve to destroy whatever caused him to exist in the first place and have to face such torment. Sync saw himself as second-rate -- from Fon Master to god-general -- and also as trash, having literally been "thrown away". He chose to help Commandant Van with a plan to destroy the Score (the true cause of his "empty, pathetic life"). He became a god-general for the sole purpose of being able to be useful in helping carry out Van's plan. Unlike the new Ion, Sync saw himself as unneeded, empty, and expendable. Sync is also very sadistic, as one can expect considering his experiences. He blames Luke for the fall of Akzeriuth, calling him "that replica there", and later in the game purposely shows his face and acts like Ion in order to rattle the party after Ion's death. Unlike most of the other god-generals, Sync feels no debt to Van and admits on Eldrant that he didn't care who it was trying to destroy the Score, as long as the Seventh Fonon would no longer exist. Van may have potentially saved his life twice, but because Sync didn't see his life worth saving he never felt indebted to Van specifically.

Role in the Story
Sync's first appearance is in St. Binah, where it is revealed that he is the tactical leader of the god-generals. He then joins Asch, Dist, and Arietta at Choral Castle when Asch decides to open Luke's fon slots so the two of them can connect. It is believed then that the six god-generals are going against Van's orders, but later we discover that Sync was assigned by Legretta to keep tabs on Asch. Sync goes to Choral Castle, hoping to provide Van with information on Luke's fonic signature. Fortunately, Guy stops Sync before he can escape with the Fonic disk. Later, Sync, Asch, and Largo take Fon Master Ion to the Zao Ruins to open the Sephiroth gate. Sync and Largo are defeated by the protagonists, but they threaten to bury everyone if Luke and co. do not leave immediately with Ion. In Chesedonia, Sync attacks again and places a curse slot on Guy's right arm. Outside Grand Chokmah, Sync uses the curse slot to cause Guy to lose control and him attack Luke. An earthquake reveals his presence, and Natalia wounds him with one of her arrows. He and Largo retreat, having failed to defeat Luke and his companions again. Sync was given a last chance when Van and Legretta attacked Sheridan in an effort to stop the protagonists from nullifying the Planet Core's vibration. Sync sneaks on the ship and erases the fonic glyph meant to allow the party to escape. He then battles the protagonists, and loses his mask in the process. After failing to stop the party from ceasing the Core's vibration, Sync reveals his identity as a Fon Master replica and says that his usefulness has finally run its course. He drops into the Core and is supposedly dead. Van eventually falls into the Core as well after the party beats the Absorption Gate, and he uses Yulia's Fonic Hymns to trap Lorelei inside himself and keep his fonons from separating into the planet storm. He offers Sync some of Lorelei's power, and sends Sync back to the surface while he makes an effort to compose himself despite Lorelei's pleas to be set free. Sync is seen for the first time again without his mask, offering to read the Score for free. His survival comes as a shock to Luke and the others, who believe that since Sync is alive, Van most likely is as well. Van returns to the Absorption Gate, and Sync, Legretta, and Largo greet him in new attire fit for the glorious land. While Largo fends off Luke and the others, Sync keeps Asch from attacking Van with the Sword of Lorelei, telling him to hand it over. Van, Sync, and Legretta -- the last of the game's primary antagonists -- return to Eldrant for the last time. Sync fights Luke and the others upon Asch's death, but only after failing to capture the group in a fonic trap (Luke used a second-order hyperresonance). Sync realizes that second-order hyperresonance could be used to defeat Van, and tells Luke to hand over the Key of Lorelei. Luke refuses, and Sync and the others battle one last time. Sync uses the power of Lorelei that Van gave him in order to tap into the full power of the Fon Master for his final battle. As he fights, he slowly disintegrates, due to the overexertion of power on a replica body. Sync loses, and before finally dying asks Van to destroy Lorelei.

Fighting Style
Sync is the only god-general who does not use weapons in combat. He attacks with fists, feet, and Fonic Artes, and has a notably high physical attack power, exceeding that of even the final boss. His fonic attack is high as well, and he is very difficult to stun despite having no over-limit. Due to his low defense, however, Sync is considered to be easy on harder difficulties, where an enemy's defense becomes its most prevalent stat. Sync is known for using Arcane artes, strike artes that are powered up without any need for an FoF circle. Sync's two Arcanes are Stone Dragon Ascent (which Anise normally needs to use Dragon Surge in an Earth FoF to use) and Cyclone Blaze (which Anise normally needs to use Cyclone Shot in a Fire FoF to use). Also, Sync is the only character in the game that can use FoF Fonic Artes without an FoF circle. He casts Flare Tornado, Gravity Well, and Frigid Coffin once each in the harder battles against him. (Normally, Jade would need to use Turbulence, Thunder Blade, or Ground Dasher in either a Fire, Earth, or Water FoF to use these, respectively.) Sync is also the only character that can issue a Fonic Arte without having to cast. Simply by putting his hand to the ground, he can use Absolute. Sync, like Arietta, has two Mystic Artes: Harrowing Gale, which he uses at half HP, and Akashik Torment, which he uses at quarter HP. He has 13000HP, 83500HP, and 120000HP in each of his three battles.