Notes:
Religion plays a large role in the plot of Final Fantasy X. Political and religious power are centered in the religion of Ebon Ju, who was a legendary summoner of the past. He taught that Shin is a punishment for people's use of machines, and Summoners must gain the power of Aeons to defeat Shin. While Shin has been defeated many times in the past, it always returns after a couple of years. It turns out that Ebon Ju actually created Shin as a sort of armor for himself, and that when Summoners in the past thought they defeated Shin, their Aeons were really used to replenish Shin. Shin only resurfaces when its Aeons' power wanes and Ebon Ju needs a new source of power for Shin.