Oerba Van Zylen is the name of a male youth from the ancient city of Oerba, located on the lower-planet of Gran Pulse. He is a stubborn teenager, with seemingly little forethought and a tendency to run his mouth. His full name stands for "Zylen of the Van clan, from the city of Oerba". Driven by his need to surpass his father, Zylen has made it his mission to step out of his father's shadow.