Final Fantasy

[Table Of Contents]
-00 Table Of Contents

-01 Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega Translations
-02 Final Fantasy VII Plot Analysis
-03 Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania
-01 Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega Translations
*Translator*
Ryu Kaze/Ryu Sinclair; contact: omegaomnislash@gmail.com
*Time period of initial translations*
March, 2006
*Last updated*
June 13, 2006
*Current Version*
9.00
****Notes to make yourself aware of****

==MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY VII AND ADVENT CHILDREN ARE IN THIS FAQ==
Also, be aware that at any point the in the translations where you see
something in brackets, it is something that I have added to the translation,
either for the purpose of clarifying the wording (Japanese does not always
translate directly into English in such a way that it's entirely coherent), or
to offer an analysis of a certain section of the translation.
Also, for your convenience, be aware that you can use the numbers to the right
of each section in the table of contents to do a ctrl+f search and instantly
get to the section of your choice.
*****Table of contents*****
-1: Version history (001)
-2: Statement of purpose (002)
-3: Translations from the character profiles segment of the book (003)
-4: Translations from the Story Playback segment of the book (004)
-5: Complete translation of The truth of Final Fantasy VII segment (005)
1) Jenova (005.1)
*Jenova Relation 1: The Jenova Project (005.1A)
*Jenova Relation 2: The Reunion (005.1B)
*Jenova Relation 3: The Sephiroth Clones (005.1C)
2) The Ancients (005.2)
*The Ancients Relation 1: The Promised Land (005.2A)
3) Meteor and Holy (005.3)
*The Black Materia: Meteor (005.3A)
*The White Materia: Holy (005.3B)
4) The WEAPONs (005.4)
*The WEAPONs that appear in the story (005.4A)
5) Lifestream (005.5)
*Lifestream Relation 1: Mako Energy (005.5A)
*Lifestream Relation 2: The Study of Planet Life (005.5B)
*Lifestream Relation 3: SOLDIER (005.5C)
-6: Translations of the vehicle specifications (006)
-7: Translations concerning the plot-related connection between FFVII and
FFX/X-2 (007)
-8: Notes on information in the Advent Children Reunion Files book (008)
*Production notes* (008.1)
*Character and plot notes* (008.2)
*Miscellaneous notes (008.3)
-9: Recommended further reading (009)
-10: Acknowledgements about the game, the Ultimania Omega and this FAQ (010)
****Version history**** (001)

June 13: Added a bit of extra information to the notes on the Advent Children
Reunion Files book, specifically more information on how Sephiroth's
power compares to Cloud's and that Sephiroth, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz
are left-handed
Added a little more information to the section on the connection
between FFVII and FFX/X-2
June 4: Added notes on the Advent Children Reunion Files book
May 18: Added Translations of the vehicle specifications section
May 3: Removed some speculative information concerning Rufus' survival
deemed inaccurate
Added a new site authorized to host the FAQ
April 26: Clarified "continuation" as meaning "sequel"
April 23: Added new Translations concerning the plot-related connection
between FFVII and FFX/X-2 section
Added another translation to the new section
April 17: Added some translations from Tifa and Yuffie's profiles to the
character translations
Added some translations concerning Tseng and Rufus to the Story
Playback translations
April 16: Added a translation of the "The open cell door" passage to the Story
Playback section translations
April 15: Added "Enigma of the voice" and a passage I've entitled "[From the
Story Playback segment of the book]" to the Story Playback
translations
April 6: Changed "Feremis" to "Faremis"
March 30: Added bio info for Gast, Zack, Tifa's dad, Lucrecia, Jessie, Biggs,
Wedge, President Shinra, Heidegger, Scarlet, Hojo, Palmer and Reeve
to the character translations
Changed "Translations from the character profiles and Story Playback
segments of the book" into two seperate sections
March 28: Added bio info for Ifalna, Bugenhagen, Zangan, Johnny and a little
bit for Aerith to the Translations from the character profiles and
Story Playback segments of the book
March 27: Added Turks bios to the Translations from the character profiles and
Story Playback segments of the book
Changed "Notable sections from the character profiles and Story
Playback segments of the book" to "Translations from the character
profiles and Story Playback segments of the book"
March 25: Small mistake; fixing "surname" to "name" in regard to "Ifalna";
thanks go to Blood Omega of GameFAQs for noticing the mistake
March 25: Made a sweep for spelling and formating errors
March 24: Translations completed and FAQ published
****Statement of purpose**** (002)

This FAQ's purpose is to provide an English translation of the notable
storyline related sections of the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega to the
fans of Final Fantasy VII who may be unable to acquire or translate the book
themselves. I've tried to maintain as accurate a translation here as possible,
and I believe I've managed to keep all the explanations true to the original
Japanese information offered in the book, but I'll tell you right now that
it's not going to be perfect. My teaching credentials are in the English
language and English literature, not the Japanese language. As such, I don't
claim to be a master of translating Japanese. It's just something I do as a
hobby because I enjoy it and find it interesting, and this is the first big
translation project I've done since September, 2005 when I translated Final
Fantasy VII: Advent Children. That's six months of rust to build up on my
skills, and while I do feel like I've improved even more since then, the point
I'm trying to get across is that I've done my best here, but that it's
probably still not perfect.
That said, I do have faith that I've accurately conveyed the intent of
everything present in those sections I translated, and I've tried to maintain
a Japanese-to-English wording as consistent with the original as possible.
Where that wasn't always possible (and it's never going to be), I've inserted
brackets ([ ]) to indicate the words that I had to insert in order to maintain
the same flow we would use in English. Surprisingly, I've not had to do it all
that much.
Also, be aware that (also contained in brackets) at the end of many sections
you'll find an analysis section where I offer some kind of clarification or
comment on the section you've just read.
I do hope you'll enjoy this FAQ and that it will be of benefit to many fans of
Final Fantasy VII; both those who weren't able to read the book for themselves
and those who just want to see another take on the wording. Enjoy.
****Translations from the character profiles segment of the book**** (003)

***[Tifa's] Appearance*** (Page 23)
Her long black hair is in a hairstyle such that its tip looks like a dolphin's
tail. Her garments are simple and monotone, consisting of a tanktop and a mini
skirt, the length of which is quite short, giving a considerable degree of
exposure.
(Accompanying screenshot caption 1)
In her super-tight mini skirt, she thrives at the art of hand-to-hand
fighting.
Due to her form, her plain garments take on a pleasant appearance.
------------------------
[Analysis: This is, perhaps, the funniest thing in the entire book. It's funny
both in how it's taking the time to describe what we could see with our own
eyes, and in the wording it's using. This is not a joke. The book really says
that stuff. Anyway, it would seem that Tifa's hair ending in a shape like a
dolphin's tail was intentional, and is the reason behind the Dolphin Blow
Limit Break.]
=========================================================
***[From Aerith's bio]*** (Page 30)

|15 years ago|
Together with her mother, she escaped from the Shin-Ra headquarters to the
train station in the slums of Sector 7, where she would be seperated from her
by death. She was then brought up by Elmyra as her foster daughter. (*1)
>>>*1
After encountering her at the train station, she enters Elmyra's care and
begins living in the slums of Sector 5. Afterward, she is visited by the Turks
many times, as they request that she return to the Shin-Ra headquarters, but
she consistently refuses.
------------------------
[Analysis: Nothing notable; I was looking for an explanation of how Ifalna
was wounded during the escape from the Shin-Ra headquarters.]
=========================================================
***Stop the vehicle, please!*** (Page 37)

Yuffie fears nothing, with one exception. This [fear] is her huge weakness in
vehicles! Cargo ship, airship, submarine......no matter what she rides in, it
immediately puts her down. Especially when riding in an airship, she'll try
appealing to someone for sympathy.
(Accompanying screenshot caption)
To put her motion sickness to rest a little bit, she always rides outside the
cockpit of the airship.
------------------------
[Analysis: Cute. Nothing we didn't know already, but cute.]
=========================================================
***Sephiroth's will and Jenova's will*** (Page 53)

The Sephiroth clones seen in various locations continue gathering for the
Reunion. Seemingly, the will of Jenova as a human is the result of it
consuming Sephiroth's spirit; in actuality, Sephiroth is controlling Jenova.
Sephiroth's voice is heard through his "mother," Jenova, as applied through
its cells in the Sephiroth Clones.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section confirms that Sephiroth was in control of Jenova.]
=========================================================
***Shin-Ra Company Relations*** (Pages 56-58)
**Keyword>[The Shin-Ra Company]**
The world is actually controlled by this corporate giant. It was originally a
weapons development company called "Shin-Ra Works," but after realizing the
potential in [supplying] Mako Energy, it rapidly grew. [Through use of the
substance] Mako Energy becomes when it crystalizes -- [which is] called
"materia" -- and investing in the elite SOLDIERs, who are showered with Mako
Energy [and] sent to the battlefield, [the company] quickly brought the great
war that had spread across the globe to a conclusion; furthermore, being that
the people had become dependent on Mako Energy for their everyday lives, after
the war, the company controlled the world.
*President Shinra*
Places of appearance: Mako reactor no. 5, Shin-Ra headquarters
President of the Shin-Ra Company. Having taken it from a simple weapons
development company to a corporation that controls the world in a single
generation, he is a remarkably capable manager. He excelled at the art of
predicting human nature and guiding what the public thought. With the legends
of the Ancients' "Promised Land" [in mind], he believes that abundant mako may
lie there, and plans to monopolize it to further the company's development.
It is his cherished theory that one can control the world by grasping the
people's hearts with money. He finds the opinion of his son, Rufus, [on how to
control the world] dangerous and ensures that it's kept away from the
company's affairs.
*Public Safety Maintenance Department*

-Heidgger-
Places of appearance: Shin-Ra headquarters and various other places
The man in charge of [Shin-Ra's] Public Safety Maintenance Division, he has a
coarse laugh of "Gahahaha" and doesn't present himself in his words or actions
as possessing much intelligence; he will speak in flattering tones to those in
higher positions, but those who are below him are the objects of his vented
annoyance and displeasure. He was a close aide of the [first] President, but
after Rufus' inauguration, he's treated coldly, and this treatment intensifies
because of [the actions] of Cloud and the others.
His title generally held practically no value [previously], as he did nothing
but flatter the President, but Rufus saw through his incompetence.
*Weapons Development Department*

-Scarlet-
The only woman on the board of directors. On the surface she is an excellent
and beautiful weapons developer, but her speech and actions are filled with
poison. Self-centered and coldhearted, she is unconcerned at playing with the
lives of others. Her self-righteous characteristics are symbolized by her
[trademark] roar of laughter: "kyahahaha." 4 years ago, she burned Corel and
took one arm from both Barret and Dyne. In the latter half of the story [in
the game's present day], she produces the mako cannon [the Sistery Ray] and
the Proud Clod.
She has a high degree of pride and frequently looks down upon her colleagues.
She considers Heidgger an idiot and comparable to a horse.
*Science Department*
-Hojo-
Void of good sense and humanity, he is a typical mad scientist. As a novice,
he participated in the Jenova Project with Gast, an expert, but after he
[Gast] left, direction of the project fell to him [Hojo]. Gast and
collaborative research had bore the SOLDIERs, but 5 years ago, he [Hojo] began
the Sephiroth Clones experiment on his own. Company employees keep watch over
its progress and keep him informed.
Steeped in an inferiority complex in regard to Professor Gast, he repeatedly
reacts with inhumane experiments. He's actually Sephiroth's father, but never
introduced himself [as such].
*Space Exploration Department*

-Palmer-
Places of appearance: Shin-Ra headquarters, Rocket Town
The director of Space Exploration, he is the oldest executive. Despite his
position, knowledge and dignity, he says things such as "tra, la, la" and
possesses other childlike behavior, which detracts from his character. Loving
to take his tea with sugar and lard, he's grown round, and should take a
second look at the differences of the dietary life.
Because the Space Exploration program is currently frozen, there is little he
actually does. Though his relationship with Cid is not particularly close,
that doesn't mean he isn't talkative.
*Urban Development Department*

-Reeve-
Places of appearance: Shin-Ra headquarters
Very serious, middle-aged and [in possession of] a strong sense of
responsibility. There is a distinct line of demarcation between this man of
proper tact and the other executives. His attachment to Midgar is deep, as he
has watched over since its conceptual stages; therefore, throwing that same
city into disorder is painful for him. He is able to portray life-like
capabilities in the inanimate Cait Sith doll, which he controls by remote
from within the Shin-Ra headquarters, tracking Cloud and company's movements.
In a meeting of the executives [during the discussion to drop the Sector 7
plate], he is straightforward in his position, frankly presenting his opinion
of the situation, but as usually happens, he gives in at the end.
**Keyword>[The Turks]**
Alias of the Shin-Ra Company's Investigation Division of the General Affairs
Department, they're actually an elite unit with a special task. It begins with
serving as bodyguards to [the company's] VIPs and scouting for members of
SOLDIER, and extends to all manner of shady activities, including espionage
and assassination. Though under the command of Heidegger, they frequently use
their own judgment.
*Rufus Shinra*
Places of appearance: The Shin-Ra headquarters and various other places
The only son of President Shinra. Cunning but cold-hearted, it's said that no
one has ever seen him bleed or cry and he has unfavorable criticism within
society. As he carried thoughts of controlling the world through fear, his
father regarded him as dangerous. After Sephiroth murdered his father, he was
given a perfect opportunity to assume position as the new president. In the
hopes of finding the Promised Land, he initiates a pursuit of Sephiroth. In
the latter half of the story, he works to conceive plans stop to Meteor and
the WEAPONs, ironically taking up the position of protecing the world from
dread.
In a meeting of the board of [Shin-Ra's] directors, measures to counter Meteor
and the WEAPONs are put into action.
*Tseng*
Places of appearance: The Sector 7 support pillar and various other places
Leader of the Turks. Though he is still young, he has been active [as a Turk]
for more than 10 years. In the present, his subordinate, Reno, is directed to
carry out many operations, and he [Tseng] isn't given much field work. A calm,
polite person, he doesn't usually let his emotions show on the surface, and
has reservations concerning Aerith [,who he has been ordered to apprehend],
[and] for whom he has come to harbor special feelings.
*Elena*
Places of appearance: The Mythril Mines and various other places
A blemish on the Turks. After Reno was injured while carrying out orders to
drop the Sector 7 plate, she was chosen as a newcomer to the shorthanded
group. Having a loose tongue as a weakness, she carelessly discloses secret
information, and as someone who tackles every situation with complete
dedication, she has numerous complaints with her seniors' [Reno and Rude]
layed-back attitudes.
*Reno*
Places of appearance: The church in the slums and various other places
A young man with firery red hair. The condition of his uniform suggests the
attitude and personality of one who is irresponsible, but his self-confidence
and pride as a Turk is twice that of most men. In his work and in his personal
life he has his own way of doing things, adding his peculiar motto "zoto" to
the ends of sentences when speaking.
*Rude*
Places of appearance: The Shin-Ra headquarters and various other places
Reno's partner since old times. Contrasting with Reno in numerous ways, mainly
in putting work before talk, silence is the closest thing to his motto.
Despite appearances, he is not bald for fashion purposes, this being a natural
development instead. He secretly likes Tifa, even though she's an enemy.
------------------------
[Analysis: Nothing that we don't really know from playing the game except for
that small bit about Rufus' father regarding him as dangerous (though that's
touched on in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII), Tseng having been with the
Turks for over 10 years and the notable bit about Rude being naturally bald.]
=========================================================
***Zack*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Nibelheim (Cloud's flashback)
One who made for a positive-minded cheerful comrade in SOLDIER. Coming from
the remote region of Gongaga, he went to Midgar about 10 years ago. He was
recognized as having the capabilities of a 1st Class SOLDIER, but when he was
dispatched to the Mt. Nibel mako reactor, destiny would take a sudden turn.
While trying to stop Sephiroth's reckless activities, he was seriously
injured, and afterward became an experimental subject for Hojo; then, after
escaping, he was killed. At the beginning of the story, Cloud plays Zack's
role in his memories.
Saying that they are "friends," Zack supports Cloud, his other colleague [who
was sent with Sephiroth] -- [and] who has contracted mako poisoning -- up to
the very end.
=========================================================
***Zangan*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Nibelheim (Cloud's flashback)
The Zangan martial arts style is an original practice, and he is Tifa's
martial arts teacher. He is always traveling, with 128 pupils in various
places. During a short stop in Nibelheim, he was giving fighting instruction
to Tifa. Shortly afterward, during the incident in which the town burned, he
went to the mako reactor to confront Sephiroth, and ended up saving Tifa,
carrying her to Midgar.
=========================================================
***Tifa's dad*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Nibelheim (Cloud's flashbacks)
Tifa's father. After his wife died an early death, he treated their daughter,
Tifa, with overbearing concern, [even] holding Cloud under distrust after Tifa
was in a dangerous situation. Feeling a powerful need to protect his village,
he tried to stop Sephiroth's destruction five years ago, but lost his life in
the process.
=========================================================
***Gast Faremis*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Icicle Lodge (video tape)
Aerith's father. He was once the head of Shin-Ra Company's Science Department.
Conducting research on the first humans, the Ancients, he believed Jenova
[whom he had discovered] was an Ancient and began "the Jenova Project" to
increase the Ancients' numbers, but during the process, he recognized his
failures and resigned. At Icicle Lodge, with the cooperation of Ifalna, he
would conduct original research that would make progress. However, shortly
after their daughter was born, he was killed by Hojo and the results of his
research were taken.
While interviewing Ifalna about the Ancients and other matters, they began to
love one another. They then led a modest but happy life, but.......
=========================================================
***Ifalna*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Train station in the slums of Sector 7 (Elmyra's
flashback), Icicle Lodge (video tape)
Aerith's real mother. A woman of the Ancients living in Icicle Lodge, she was
the last Ancient of pure blood. While cooperating with Gast in his research, a
love between them began to bloom, and -- making a home with one another --
they had a daughter. However, during the peak of their happiness, it was
snatched away from them by Hojo and she and Aerith became prisoners in the
Shin-Ra headquarters, to be used for experimental purposes. Several years
later, they would escape to the train station in the slums of Sector 7, where
she would take her last breath.
After escaping together with her daughter, Aerith -- to whom she had been able
to pass on little of the traditions and teachings of the Ancients -- she
entrusted her with the White Materia.
------------------------
[Analysis: Sadly, there's no explanation for why Ifalna died; we just have to
assume she received some kind of fatal wound during the escape.]
=========================================================
***Lucrecia*** (Page 59)

Places of appearance: Lucrecia's cave, Nibelheim (Vincent's flashback)
A woman who worked in the Shin-Ra Company's Science Department. As a member of
the Jenova Project, she served as assistant to professor Gast. She was
beautiful and intelligent, but after stepping on the road to being Hojo's
lover, she would end up offering the body of her own unborn child for
experimentation. The child who was given Jenova cells -- Sephiroth was born;
and with the effects of the experiment causing irregularities in her own body,
she removed herself from the public eye. She was the woman who was the object
of Vincent's yearning, and the reason he began to hold himself accountable of
"sin."
=========================================================
***Biggs*** (Page 60)

Places of appearance: Mako reactor no.1 and various other places
A member of AVALANCHE who gathers at the Seventh Heaven bar. Though not a very
serious person, he keeps the teachings of the Study of Planet Life firmly in
mind and takes part in anti-Shin-Ra activities. He seems to have some
complaints with Barret's leadership.
His complaints about Barret appear in his sleep talk. Also, in the scene where
he gets drunk [while talking] to Cloud.
=========================================================
***Wedge***(Page 60)
Biggs' friend whom he treats like a younger brother. Plump-bodied and
humorous, he brings warmth to the base [of AVALANCHE]. Timid and kind-hearted
with everyone, he easily loses his composure. Adding "-su" to the ends of
words, he has the most polite language [of the members] in the group.
If [the player] chooses to have Cloud speak either positively or roughly
[with Wedge, in the basement of Seventh Heaven], he [reveals] this feeling [of
cowardice/nervousness].
=========================================================
***Jessie*** (Page 60)

[A woman with high] inner strength and talent, she extensively mixes
explosive compounds for AVALANCHE's plans. She conducts herself in a ladylike
manner. [However, she shows herself to be more than a little clumsy.]
After the explosion of mako reactor no. 1, she pulls Cloud aside [to show him
the map of the Midgar Rail System].
------------------------
[Analysis: I had a little trouble translating the last line of Jessie's main
paragraph; that's why it's completely in brackets. I'm sure I missed something
in it.]
=========================================================
***Johnny*** (Page 61)

Places of appearance: Sector 7, inside a train, the Honey Bee Inn, Costa del Sol
A young man with the outward appearance of a delinquent and troubled thoughts.
Secretly harboring feelings for Tifa, he went to Seventh Heaven frequently. He
lived in the slums of Sector 7 with his parents until resolving to travel. En
route, he nearly yielded to the temptation of going to the Honey Bee Inn, but
continued traveling until he arrived at Costa del Sol, where he would begin
living with [a woman who became] his lover. Like Cloud, he has a harsh
attitude.
At first, his mannerisms were only those of a harsh youth, but because of the
love of a woman, he would grow into a man.
=========================================================
***Bugenhagen*** (Page 63)

Places of appearance: Cosmo Canyon
The expert on the Study of Planet Life who lives in Cosmo Canyon. This elderly
man with the greeting of "Ho ho hoooo" is called "Grandfather" by Red XIII, to
whom he is close. Held in high esteem by both local people and those from
various other places, many people visit the village to be taught about the
Study of Planet Life by him firsthand. He is an unbelievable 180 years old,
but he's still full of vigor and in curiously excellent condition.
Being a man of intelligence, he operates Shin-Ra's latest mechanized
inventions with his thoughts turned to the mysteries surrounding the voice of
the Planet.
------------------------
[Analysis: Curiously, this identifies Bugenhagen as 180 while the game
identified him as 130. Presumably, this is a typo on the part of the Ultimania
Omega, as both the English and Japanese versions of Final Fantasy VII identify
Bugenhagen as 130.]
****Translations from the Story Playback segment of the book**** (004)

***Enigma of the voice*** (Page 68)
As Cloud is trying to place the bomb, a mysterious voice speaks to him. Later,
this same kind of mysterious voice resounds in Cloud's head in the scene where
he and a voice have a conversation, and it offers him reminders. These voices
are the original Cloud, as -- due to Hojo's Sephiroth Clones experiment --
Zack's personality merged with his, creating the present day Cloud, producing
a conflict of multiple personalities(-->P.11).
During the scene in the first mako reactor, what [the voice] says is it
[trying] to point [Cloud] toward the memory of Sephiroth five years ago in
Nibelheim's mako reactor, as the two places were similar. However, Cloud is
not able to listen to the words of the memory.
"Open your eyes!" [the voice] calls out, as it does when the scene at the
Temple of the Ancients comes and the words of Sephiroth make use of Cloud as a
puppet.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section confirms that the voice that often talks to Cloud
during the first disc of the game is his subconscious, that part of him that
was buried under the false identity he formed.]
=========================================================
***The open cell door*** (Page 94)

Indicating the brutality of Jenova, a bloodstain leads from the open cell door
-- which was opened previously without [anyone] noticing -- to the top floor.
It would seem that after awakening, Jenova intentionally opened specifically
Cloud's door, leading [him] to the top floor. As he's a person who carries
Jenova cells [inside him], was it trying to help Cloud......?
------------------------
[Analysis: This section confirms that Sephiroth -- using Jenova's main body
(see below passage entitled "Jenova inside the ship") -- opened Cloud's cell
door during the massacre in the Shin-Ra headquarters.]
=========================================================
***[From the Story Playback segment of the book]*** (Page 102)

Hojo was the cause of the malfunctions at the mako reactor. Hojo had placed
humans in the devices used to form materia, and -- being drenched in
high-density mako -- they turned into monsters.
------------------------
[Analysis: This small segment tells us that the humans who had been placed in
the pods inside the Mt. Nibel mako reactor were not only placed inside devices
used to create materia, but that they were, indeed, transformed as a result of
exposure to an unhealthy quantity of mako. This is relevant, as some fans in
the past have often wondered if, perhaps, Jenova cells were added to the mix.
This passage would seem to indicate that this was not the case, and that the
mako exposure alone was the cause of their mutations. In other words, this
section confirms that mako can cause mutations.]
=========================================================
***Jenova inside the ship*** (Page 112)

Cloud confronts "Sephiroth," the murderer of the ship's crew in the bottom of
the ship. In truth, Jenova began moving away from the Shin-Ra building on its
own, and took on the form of Sephiroth.
This [that Jenova was being carried by Sephiroth] was a misunderstanding. The
arm was not carried, but rather was detached here.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section -- together with the accompanying screenshot where
Tifa can be seen asking if this means that Jenova was being carried -- reveals
that the main body of Jenova was not carried out of the Shin-Ra headquarters
by a Sephiroth Clone, as has often been thought in the past. In truth,
Sephiroth assumed control of the main body and had it force its way out of its
confinement, assume his form, slaughter the Shin-Ra personnel -- as well as
President Shinra himself -- open Cloud's cell door and then escape. It is this
main body of Jenova that AVALANCHE pursues from Midgar.
This section further reveals that the tentacle of Jenova that transformed into
Jenova-BIRTH on the Shin-Ra cargo ship was detached from the main body during
the confrontation with AVALANCHE in the bottom of the ship.]
=========================================================
***Tseng on the verge of death*** (Page 150)

Seeing Tseng -- who was cut down by Sephiroth and left on death's door --
Aerith is unable to hide her shock. Though they're on opposing sides, he holds
a special meaning to her.
Also, before entering the heart of the temple, if [the player] speaks to him,
he will mutter "I am...... still alive......" thereafter. When one thinks
about how the temple collapses later, doesn't his survival seem
hopeless......?
When faced with Tseng's condition, Aerith steps behind a pillar to try hiding
her tears.
------------------------
[Analysis: Nothing particularly special. Just tells us what we know and
presents the obvious notion that Tseng surviving that incident looked
downright impossible.]
=========================================================
***The Sephiroth of the water altar*** (Page 157)

Immediately after the tragedy surrounding Aerith takes place, the battle with
Jenova-LIFE begins, doing so such that it interrupts Sephiroth's words;
they're continued after the battle, but the title of whom they're credited to
changes from "Sephiroth" to "Jenova." The reason for this is that the
confrontation on the altar occurs with Jenova while it's displaying
Sephiroth's mimed form. It then changes to a more accurate display of its true
nature.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section reveals that the Sephiroth encountered in the City of
the Ancients (the one that murdered Aerith) was -- yet again -- Sephiroth
manipulating a part of Jenova's body in his form. Being that this form
transforms into Jenova-LIFE and gets destroyed, however, this piece was not
the main body, like that seen on the Shin-Ra cargo ship (which flew away after
leaving its "arm"/tentacle); this was a previously seperated but unidentified
part of the main body that was utilized to take Sephiroth's form.]
=========================================================
***Elena burns with vengeance*** (Page 158)

"How dare you do that to my boss!" Elena shouts, hurling her anger at Cloud.
Somehow, she suspected Cloud of being the one to try killing Tseng at the
Temple of the Ancients.
Did an encounter with Tseng provide her grief?
------------------------
[Analysis: It seems to be hinting (if I translated it right) that Elena has
seen Tseng, this being why she knows he got messed up and being why she's
upset. By the very concept, it's suggesting that he survived what happened to
him in the Temple of the Ancients. It's also notable that this original
Japanese line said by Elena did not carry the finality that her line in the
original English localization of FFVII did. There, she said "But you really
got guts doin' my boss in like that!", making it appear that Tseng had died.
Though the PC version's translation fixed this -- having Elena say that Tseng
had been messed up instead of done in -- most English-speaking and reading
players saw the version that suggested Tseng's death was a definite, leaving
many perplexed when he returned in Advent Children. Anyway, the above
translation of the line is the most literal rendering, but I think the English
PC version's take on it was well done. Sadly, there's no explanation of how
Tseng survived, though, presumably, Elena went back into the temple after
AVALANCHE had gone in and found Tseng as they had, rescuing him.]
=========================================================
***As for those which have been chased so far*** (Page 163)
Before the battle with Jenova-DEATH, the words of one of the Sephiroth Clones
in line for the Reunion offers an indication of the truth: those who carried
Jenova's cells were given the mission of bringing the Black Materia to their
master, Sephiroth. The fact of the matter is that the "Sephiroth" Cloud saw in
various places was not Sephiroth himself, but rather the body of Jenova from
the Shin-Ra building mimicing his form.
------------------------
[Analysis: This is just more of the previous confirmations: that the forms of
Sephiroth AVALANCHE has been seeing are not his real body (which has been in
the Northern Crater all this time), but Jenova's main body -- and seperated
pieces of it -- in his form. Like the piece that became Jenova-LIFE, that
which becomes Jenova-DEATH is just another unidentified piece of the main body
of Jenova, seperated from the main body and given Sephiroth's form while under
his control.]
=========================================================
***Rufus' last moment?*** (Page 197)

Taking a direct hit from Diamond WEAPON during the story, what became of him
is left a mystery. News of his death spreads to the people, but is he actually
[dead]...?
Heidegger and the people of Kalm conclude that [Rufus] has died.
------------------------
[Analysis: As with Tseng, we get a hint here that Rufus may have survived,
most likely to set up his return in Advent Children. Sadly, there's no
explanation of how he survived.]
=========================================================
***Vincent's anger*** (Page 198)

If Vincent is in the party when they go to the Mako Cannon's controls, during
the conversation with Hojo, Vincent will have a reaction. To Hojo, his wife
was nothing more than laboratory material to bear his son, Sephiroth, who --
as he says -- was something for him to study and satisfy his scientific
desires; [this brings on] Vincent's wrath. Additionally, after Hojo has been
killed, each party member express a line, including Vincent, who is noticably
deeply emotional.
------------------------
[Analysis: This segment confirms that Lucrecia was Hojo's wife.]
=========================================================
***Jenova-SYNTHESIS*** (Page 204)

The forms of Jenova that have been fought up to this point (BIRTH, LIFE,
DEATH) were parts of the body which escaped from the Shin-Ra building. In
regard to Jenova-SYNTHESIS, this form that was arranged to be fought inside
the Planet, it is the head of Jenova that Sephiroth had in hand five years ago
and the other parts Shin-Ra had, their Reunion complete. As such, its
appearance differs from the previous forms: the image of this form's upper
body has become strong, it being the closest to perfection.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section tells us that Jenova-SYNTHESIS is the combination of
Jenova's main body and its head. It's also implied -- since Sephiroth killed
all the Sephiroth Clones but Cloud and sent them down into the Northern Crater
-- that the cells Hojo injected into the Sephiroth Clones are part of this
merged form of Jenova.]
=========================================================
***Cloud's final battle*** (Page 204)

After fighting Bizarro Sephiroth and Safer Sephiroth, Cloud has a final 1-on-1
battle with Sephiroth in the spiritual realm. Although the ego of this
Sephiroth Clone was stricken with an inferiority complex in the past, Cloud
fights on and achieves victory in the end.
--
[Analysis: Nothing to really analyze here; it tells us what we already know
and means just what it says.]
****Complete translation of The truth of Final Fantasy VII segment**** (005)
This section touches on the difficult terminology [of the game], and in each
section explains their meaning.
***Jenova*** (Pages 210-213) (005.1)
An intelligent lifeform from somewhere in space. Approximately 2000 years ago,
it crashlanded at the North Pole ["Knowlespole" in the English localization of
the game] (the vicinity of Icicle Lodge's ["Icicle Inn" in the English
localization] present location), negatively affecting the Planet; it came to
be feared as "the Calamity from the Skies" by the Ancients, who still existed
in great numbers at that time.
Vicious, extremely aggressive and cunning. Having no thoughts of creating
anything following bringing destruction, it only follows its instincts to
incite ruin, utilizing its mimic ability (-->P.211) to infect other living
organisms with its virus. In addition, due to its abnormal resilence, even if
dismembered, its cells will call out to one another, seeking to reunite into
their original form (-->Reunion/P.211).
The scar Jenova's landing left on the Planet remains even to the present day,
being now known as "the Northern Crater."
The parts that are seperated from the main body are still able to function as
extensions. That is what those monsters called "Jenova" are that Cloud and
company fight during the journey.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section informs us of a few things we already knew and a few
we may not have. Jenova came from an unidentified point in space, and --
though quite intelligent and cunning -- is nothing more than an instinctual
monster made up of viral cells, which it seeks to spread to other lifeforms.
This instinct to infect other lifeforms -- and its desire to rejoin when its
cells get seperated -- are the only things this creature lives to do.
This section also further confirms that the Jenova-BIRTH, LIFE, and DEATH
bosses are merely seperated parts of Jenova's main body.]
------------------------
**Jenova Relation 1: The Jenova Project** (005.1A)

Approximately 30 years ago, a plan to find "the Promised Land of abundant
mako" is set in motion by way of the Shin-Ra Science Department beginning a
project under Gast's direction. The purpose of the project was to
artificially produce someone with the abilities of the Ancients
(Cetra/-->P.214). Jenova, discovered in the Northern Crater, was incorrectly
identified as an Ancient, and its cells were to be injected into a normal
human with the expectation that they may artificially display the abilities of
the Cetra as a result.
Research was conducted at the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim. It began under the
responsibility of three members [of Shin-Ra's Science Department]: Gast, Hojo
and Lucrecia; but Gast withdraws midway [through the project]. Authority over
the project is then transferred to Hojo. "The Sephiroth Clones Project"
(-->P.213) follows as an extension of this.
*Professor Gast and the Jenova Project*

Approximately 2000 years ago, Jenova collided with the Planet, and although
the Ancients were nearly reduced to extinction, some Ancient survivors
managed to seal Jenova underground in a deep sleep. However, Jenova would
awaken because of Gast's guidance of Shin-Ra's Science Department.
Approximately 30 years ago, the mummified form of Jenova was excavated and
Jenova mistakenly identified as an Ancient; the Jenova Project then began.
Hojo was a member of the project; the body of his colleague and lover,
Lucrecia, was utilized for experimental purposes, injected with Jenova cells
prior to her giving birth. Thus, Sephiroth was born.
After several years, Gast became wracked with guilt, and -- in regret of the
use of humans for such an abnormal experiement -- gave Shin-Ra his
resignation. He then removed himself to Icicle Lodge, which lay in the
vicinity of where he had discovered Jenova, and began new independent
research. There, he would make the acquintance of a local woman with the
name of "Ifalna," a survivor of the Ancients; interviewing her, he would begin
to arrive at the truth about the history of the Ancients, Jenova's mimic
ability and the WEAPONs (-->P.215), things which Shin-Ra knew nothing about.
In the meantime, a love between he and Ifalna would form, and together they
would make a home and have a child: Aerith. However, he would be shot under
Hojo's orders and the results of Gast's research fell into Hojo's hands.
*The product of the project: Sephiroth*

While in Lucrecia's womb, Jenova's cells became part of Sephiroth's growth.
While he's the biological son of Hojo and Lucrecia, with regards to his role
in the project as an unnatural product of "Jenova of the Ancients," one could
say that he is "the son of Jenova." Simultaneously, he was the first to have
the role of a SOLDIER (-->P.217). However, mass production of SOLDIERs
required adults of sound mind and body who could be injected with Jenova's
cells and exposed to mako, as this simplification of the process used on
Sephiroth would result in vast differences from how their bodies had been
before.
The staff of Shin-Ra -- who did not know the true nature of Jenova -- believed
Sephiroth to be an Ancient.
*Jenova's mimic ability*

Jenova has a mimic ability which allows it to read the memories and feelings
of others, then adjust its appearance, speech and behaviour accordingly to
immitate what it has seen. Jenova once used this ability to get close to the
Ancients and infect them with its virus, which killed many of them.
This ability is not limited solely to Jenova itself, for those who have its
cells within them possess it as well, though in an incomplete form.
Immediately prior to the start of the game, when Cloud's mind was shattered,
he ran into Tifa and seemed to immediately return to "normal" (-->P.13); this
was because the mimic abilities of the Jenova cells inside Cloud read her
mind, seeing her memories of him, which were then combined with his own ideal
vision of himself, fashioning a new personality for him.
According to Ifalna, the Ancients infected with the virus lost their sanity
and turned into monsters.
As Sephiroth said in the Whirlwind Maze, when Cloud met Tifa, he formed a new
personality.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section tells us that while Sephiroth was lying about much of
what he told Cloud, he was telling the truth when he said that Cloud formed a
new personality when he met Tifa shortly before the main events of Final
Fantasy VII began. Sephiroth's story was filled with half-truths: Cloud was,
indeed, a Sephiroth Clone, he did form a new personality when meeting Tifa
(thanks to the abilities of Jenova's cells) and he was not the 1st Class
SOLDIER who had gone to Nibelheim with Sephiroth; however, he was a real
person (being a Sephiroth Clone only meant that he had been injected with
Jenova cells and infused with mako like members of SOLDIER) and really had
been in Nibelheim.]
------------------------
**Jenova Relation 2: The Reunion* (005.1B)

Due to its amazing regeneration capabilities, Jenova's divided cells reunite
to become one again.
5 years ago, Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream holding the head of Jenova,
going to the Northern Crater, where the Planet's energy is concentrated, and
where he would begin the Reunion -- and assuring his restoration -- by
focusing through Jenova's cells. This regeneration was to be carried out by
way of the Reunion, as the scattered Sephiroth Clones (-->P.213) would begin
migrating toward the Northern Crater.
The Reunion is an ability of Jenova, but Sephiroth instructs the Sephiroth
Clones in the role of their master.
The main body of Jenova began migrating from the Shin-Ra headquarters because
of the Reunion. The Jenova cells in Cloud received the call of the Reunion the
same as those of the mimiced form.
*The movement of Jenova's main body for the Reunion*

Excavated 30 years ago, Jenova became the experimental material for the Jenova
Project and was placed in the Mt. Nibel mako reactor.
Jenova remained in the Mt. Nibel reactor until five years before the game,
when Sephiroth -- having learned the secret of his birth -- took off its head,
which fell with him into the bottom of the reactor. The now headless main body
that was left in the reactor was -- by Hojo's instruction and after being
utilized in the Sephiroth Clones experiment -- transported to the Shin-Ra
building.
Shortly after Cloud was apprehended when he broke into the Shin-Ra building to
rescue Aerith, the Reunion began. Hojo expected the headless main body to be
the focal point for the Reunion once it began, but in reality, it was the
Northern Crater. The scattered Sephiroth Clones and the main body of Jenova
within the Shin-Ra building all began to move. Jenova shattered its
containment case, murdered President Shinra, escaped from the Shin-Ra
building and began to wander the world. Now, Jenova's mimic abilities caused
the main body to take on Sephiroth's voice and appearance, which it kept
hereafter during its appearances in various places.
The head of Jenova from the Mt. Nibel mako reactor -- which fell into the
hands of Sephiroth -- had an influence on the focal point of the Reunion.
The shape of Sephiroth was assumed by Jenova's main body. It is in this form
that it is seen committing murders.
*The path of Jenova's main body, which came from the Shin-Ra building*
In the Story Playback section (-->P.66), the conduct of the mimetic main body
of Jenova [having taken Sephiroth's form] and that of the Sephiroth Clones
were listed in the "Black sheep information" columns. Here, those specifically
regarding the main body of Jenova have been collected.
Kalm
Black sheep information 1 (-->P.104)
Eastern grassy plains~Chocobo Farm
Swamp lands~Mythril Mines
*Kills a Midgar Zolom while passing through
Junon~Cargo ship
*Meets Cloud in the hold and leaves a section of its body [Jenova-BIRTH]
before escaping
Costa del Sol
*The place where it emerged from underwater is seen
Mt. Corel
Gold Saucer~Gongaga area
Nibelheim
*Urges Cloud to participate in the Reunion
Bone Village
Temple of the Ancients
*Acquires the Black Materia
Forgotten Capital
*Kills Aerith and leaves another section of its body [Jenova-LIFE] while
escaping
Northern Crater
*Participates in Sephiroth's Reunion
**Jenova Relation 3: The Sephiroth Clones** (005.1C)

5 years ago, immediately after Sephiroth fell into the Mt. Nibel mako reactor,
Jenova's main body -- which had been left behind -- was utilized by Hojo for
an experiment. This plan -- which Hojo intended to use to prove his Jenova
Reunion Theory -- was called "the Sephiroth Clones Project."
The experiment's procedure -- which involved injecting cells taken from the
headless body of Jenova into the subjects and exposing them to mako -- doesn't
differ from the manufacturing procedure for SOLDIERs. The largest difference
is that SOLDIERs are selected from a prime field, being strong of mind and
body and able to withstand the experiment uninfluenced by Jenova's cells,
whereas the Clones' fragile minds leave them as "portions" of Jenova. The
subjects of the Sephiroth Clones Project were the survivors of the Nibelheim
incident, with absolutely no thought given to sorting them as with SOLDIER,
and -- being unable to maintain their egos -- they lose the ability to live a
normal human life.
With the Sephiroth Clones, as part of the experiment, an identification number
was engraved somewhere into their bodies. Cloud was a Sephiroth Clone, but
received no number due to the "failure work" (referenced in the article
below). Cloud's obsessive drive to chase Sephiroth and settle everything over
the thoughts of him taking his hometown -- at any cost to and an indifference
for himself -- is much the same as that of the Jenova cells.
After Sephiroth reduced Nibelheim to ashes, it was reconstructed and the
movements of the Sephiroth Clones observed, though with little concern for
their well-being.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section pretty much tells us things we know from the game: the
procedure used on Cloud and the other survivors of Nibelheim to make them into
"Sephiroth Clones" was identical to the procedure used on members of SOLDIER,
the difference being that members of SOLDIER are specially selected because
they have the physical AND mental strength to handle exposure to mako and
being injected with Jenova's cells. Of course, the purpose of the experiment
also differed, in that instead of being intended to be members of SOLDIER,
these guys were just intended to prove the Jenova Reunion Theory, and if they
died after that, Hojo really didn't care.
This section also brings up the matter of the failure of the project, who --
despite popular misinterpretation -- was not Cloud, but was Zack; he didn't
suffer the ill effects of the experiment, which allowed him to break himself
and Cloud out of the Shinra Mansion before Cloud be given a number. Of course,
there's more on that to come in the next section, so I'll stop here.]
------------------------
*Successful work, failure work*

As for the mentally and physically strong, carrying Jenova's cells inside
their bodies will not cause them to receive Jenova's influence, and they will
not become a puppet of Jenova like the Sephiroth Clones, but will instead
become a SOLDIER possessing strength far beyond that of a normal human being.
In Zack's case, he had already successfully received the SOLDIER procedure
previously, and undergoing experimentation as a Sephiroth Clone did not make
him into a puppet of Jenova; he retained his normal human behavior to the
end. However, unlike Zack, the residents of Nibelheim were perfect in the role
of Sephiroth Clones for Hojo's experiment. As for Cloud, like the other
residents of Nibelheim -- [who all became perfect] Sephiroth Clones -- being
unable to withstand the SOLDIER treatments, he could not retain himself and
his mind completely collapsed. When reunited with Tifa in Midgar, though, the
coherence of being normal would return to him and he would gain a personality
that essentially let him be his own person, even if confusion would come of
it.
Also noteworthy is Sephiroth's unique case. Until the secret of his birth was
known, he had legendary strength of which he was proud, but 5 years ago, he
began walking a different road from that of humans. However, he was unwilling
to be placed under Jenova's control and became the leader himself, with its
actions falling under his control in the end. This fact resulted in Sephiroth
gaining a new sense of strength.
Even without awareness of the Reunion as a Sephiroth Clone, Cloud was still
drawn to it like the other Clones.
------------------------
[Analysis: As mentioned in the previous analysis section, Cloud was a
successful Sephiroth Clone, having the exact results Hojo had hoped for; he
wasn't the failure at all, and instead, Zack -- who freed Cloud before he
could get a number -- was. Zack could handle the SOLDIER/Sephiroth Clone
treatments just fine, and this made him a failure for the purposes of Hojo's
experiment.
This section also reiterates the notable fact that Sephiroth's will and
ambitions were too powerful for him to be controlled by Jenova, and that he
became its ruler instead.]
------------------------
*The Sephiroth Clones that make appearances in various places*

The following are the Sephiroth Clones seen branded with numbers, [as well as]
one who was [once inaccurately] concluded to be like them.
1......The one with a tattoo seen in the palm of his hand. He went from North
Corel to the Gold Saucer.
2......The man being watched over in Sector 5 [of Midgar]; he was suffering
from the effects of mako poisoning.
4......One of the wriggling black mantled people in Nibelheim.
5......One of the wriggling black mantled people in Nibelheim.
9......Exited from the entrance of the Temple of the Ancients. [This Sephiroth
Clone's] tattoo was on their neck.
11.....One of the wriggling black mantled people in Nibelheim.
12.....One of the wriggling black mantled people in Nibelheim.
13.....(Red XIII)
------------------------
[Analysis: While Red XIII is on this list, his placement is implied to be only
a result of him having a tattoo and of him having once believed that he might
have been like the Sephiroth Clones, as he had no idea what Hojo had done to
him. No one but Hojo and Sephiroth knew the true nature of the Sephiroth
Clones at that time, so there was some uncertainty concerning whether or not
Red XIII was supposed to be like them. Of course, it's later revealed that the
Sephiroth Clones were all survivors from the Nibelheim incident of five years
before, and in light of that, as well as the fact that Red XIII was
apprehended by Shin-Ra less than two years earlier (as seen in Before Crisis:
Final Fantasy VII) and the fact that Hojo wouldn't have wanted Red XIII to be
killed -- made evident by the fact that he said he wanted to preserve his
species back in the Shin-Ra headquarters -- it becomes apparent that Red XIII
was not a Sephiroth Clone at all.]
------------------------
***The Ancients*** (Page 214) (005.2)

The race also called "the Cetra," these people lived on the Planet in ancient
times. The Forgotten Capital and the Temple of the Ancients along with nature
and a single woman are their only remaining traces.
They spoke with the Planet and helped to cultivate it, channeling the
Lifestream to many places, inciting an abundant cycle of life. When Jenova
came from outer space, some of them moved to the North Pole in an attempt to
ease the Planet's wound which had come as a result of the collision [between
the Planet and the meteor Jenova had been riding]. Using its mimic ability,
Jenova got close to the Cetra and released its virus upon them, nearly
driving them to extinction.
Only two Ancients appear in the [game's] story: Aerith and Ifalna. Ifalna is
Aerith's mother and the last pure ancient. Due to her mixed heritage, Aerith's
ability to converse with the Planet is comparitively lower than her mother's
was.
As seen in situations with Aerith, the Ancients had a special ability to
speak with the Planet. They called it a "Planet reading."
------------------------
[Analysis: This section indicates that while normal humans can gain some of
the Cetra's abilities despite their lost heritage -- such as hearing the
Planet's cries (AVALANCHE and Bugenhagen) and even the ability to understand
it (Bugenhagen) -- genetics can play a role in the matter, as well. Due to
all humans on the Planet (Cetra and the normal humans) being descended from
the Cetra of the past, and because some ordinary humans gained some abilities
reminiscent of the Cetra (AVALANCHE and Bugenhagen gained the ability to hear
the Planet's cries, and Bugenhagen even interpreted words in the air at the
Forgotten Capital), it can be concluded that being a Cetra is a lifestyle or
culture, but that those who are directly descended from "practicing Cetra"
are more easily attuned to the abilities of the Cetra.
In other words, whereas normal humans have to actively pursue the rekindling
of their lost heritage, a child of one with Cetra abilities will likely be
experiencing those abilities whether they want to or not (as Aerith did). In
other words, being a Cetra is apparently both genetic and cultural.]
------------------------
**The Ancients Relation 1: The Promised Land** (005.2A)

The aim of the Cetra was to find the land where supreme happiness awaited.
Passed down as an oral tradition, what the land of supreme happiness is
supposed to be was never concretely identified.
The Shin-Ra interpreted that a land of supreme happiness must be somewhere
where they could find abundant mako [as it would make them even more wealthy],
and wished to use an Ancient to help them find it, while Sephiroth considered
the Promised Land to be a place in which he could draw the power to use the
Black Materia in his aim to become a "god." Though both of them had different
goals, they both got the idea that the Northern Crater was the place they were
looking for.
The theory of one of the Planet Life scholars [in Cosmo Canyon] is that the
Cetra's mission to find the land of supreme happiness is equivalent to the
peaceful sleep [of dying and returning to the Planet] (a line delivered [in
the game]). According to this theory, the Lifestream -- to which everyone
returns -- is itself the Promised Land, but this is not something that one can
assert to be true for everyone. Therefore, it is in each person's hands to
take their own interpretation.
For one with the conception that the Promised Land is a place where energy
swells up from inside the sleeping earth, the Northern Crater -- where the
Lifestream breathes forth -- may be it.
------------------------
[Analysis: Here, we're pretty much told that there's no correct take on what
the Promised Land is, and that it could be any number of different things for
any number of different people. It can even be the same thing that another
person would consider the Promised Land, but for entirely different reasons.
Sephiroth and Shin-Ra both considered the Northern Crater to be the Promised
Land; Sephiroth because he knew he could use the energy there to help him
use the Black Materia in his plans to become a "god," and Shin-Ra because they
saw it as a land where "the abundant Mako will just come out on its own,"
allowing them to bypass the costly maintenance of mako reactors and just
reap profits.
The basic conclusion is that there is no conclusion: the Promised Land is not
one thing, and is something specific to each individual. This idea is brought
up again in the "Maiden who Travels the Planet" novella at the back of the
Ultimania Omega, in which Aerith refers to the Lifestream as the Cetra's
Promised Land, while the Northern Crater is referred to as Sephiroth's
Promised Land.]
------------------------
***Meteor and Holy*** (Pages 214-215) (005.3)

**The Black Materia: Meteor** (005.3A)
It is the Ultimate Destructive Magic; it calls to planets [-- meaning
meteor-like rocks --] drifting in outer space and pulls them down to the
Planet. It was one of the magicks given to the Ancients, but due to it
harnessing enough power to destroy the Planet itself, the Ancients feared it
could prove dangerous and sealed it away by their own hands.
After falling into the Lifestream, Sephiroth learned of Meteor from the
Cetra's firsthand knowledge of it, and set into motion a plan to gain mastery
over the life of the Planet.
When the Planet is hurt, the spiritual energy that is the Planet's very life
will automatically gather in that spot. Sephiroth planned to make use of this
by intentionally harming the Planet and gaining dominance over its energy.
**The White Materia: Holy** (005.3B)
The only means of opposing Meteor, the Ultimate White Magic was passed down
amongst the Ancients. It is said that when an Ancient learns of Holy in the
Forgotten Capital, prays at the water altar and their mind then links to the
Planet, Holy is thereby put into operation. Passed down through the Ancients'
generations, the White Materia came to Aerith from her mother, Ifalna, and she
kept it hidden in a ribbon in her hair.
How exactly Holy applies its power once invoked and in operation is not
definite. It is simply known that "all that is bad for the Planet will
disappear."
As evidence of the Planet accepting Aerith's prayer, the White Materia laying
on the water bed shines a pale green color. However, Holy's movement was being
held back by the wicked will of Sephiroth, who had called Meteor.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section confirms what many who played the game believed: that
Aerith knew nothing of Holy until she got to the City of the Ancients -- to
which she felt herself being drawn -- and learned of it there, the same way
that Bugenhagen later would.]
------------------------
***The WEAPONs*** (Page 215) (005.4)

The WEAPONs, created by the Planet itself, exist for the sake of acting as a
self-defense mechanism [for the Planet]. Once, when the Planet had been
injured after Jenova collided with it, Jenova became an impediment [to the
Planet healing], and the Planet manufactured the WEAPONs to remove the
creature by force.
However, because the survivors of the Cetra succeeded in sealing Jenova away,
the Planet mixed the WEAPONs with the natural mako within the Northern Crater
and put them to sleep for a long time; until they -- perceiving the crisis to
the Planet -- awakened simultaneously with Sephiroth calling Meteor. Regarding
everything as a threat to the Planet, humans and civilizations became targets
of the WEAPONs' destruction, though they faced opposition in Cloud and his
friends.
Within the Northern Crater, where the Lifestream swells, the WEAPONs were put
to sleep. Their faces are visible within the enormous mako which formed within
the crater.
------------------------
[Analysis: According to this section, the WEAPONs began attacking everything
because they perceived everything as a threat to the Planet. Many fans have
pondered why they didn't go after Sephiroth, as he was the one holding Holy
back and preventing it from stopping Meteor; the Maiden who Travels the Planet
novella at the back of the book explains that Sephiroth's barrier around the
Northern Crater prevented the WEAPONs from detecting him. As a result, they
attacked everything else instead. What's not clear, however, is if this means
that they would have focused on Sephiroth if they could sense him, or if he
simply wanted to prevent them from attacking him, as they eventually would
have.
Also, it's long been believed by many fans that the WEAPONs may have been
trying to kill everything in order to strengthen the Lifestream with
additional spiritual energy, and while this section seems to suggest
that they simply attack anything that they could perceive as a threat to the
Planet, the fact that prior to their awakening Hojo stated that the WEAPONs'
purpose was to destroy everything -- which he had learned from Gast's
interviews with Ifalna -- would suggest that the two ideas may not be mutually
exclusive. The Planet would benefit from both, and both would be accomplished
in the same way.
Finally, be aware that there are two more WEAPONs not identified here, though
one of them does appear in the original Final Fantasy VII, while both appear
in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. One of them is Chaos, Vincent's
ultimate Limit Break, and the other is Omega WEAPON.]
------------------------
**The WEAPONs that appear in the story** (005.4A)

Diamond WEAPON/Diamo WEAPON
The WEAPON from the earth that shines white. Outside Midgar, this WEAPON from
the earth sparkles. During its invasion of Midgar, both it and the Northern
Crater's barrier were hit by a beam from the Mako Cannon. In the International
version [of the game], it fights Cloud and company, but the developments that
follow are the same.
Ruby WEAPON
The WEAPON of deep crimson that lies hidden in the desert sands. A formidable
opponent, like the Emerald WEAPON also included in the International version,
it was arranged to be fought most effectively 1-on-1.
Emerald WEAPON
The green WEAPON that travels hidden in the deep sea. Appearing only in the
International version, it is also possible to fight it, but without a special
Materia, it is inevitably going to be a bitter fight.
Ultimate WEAPON/Ultima WEAPON
The winged, jet-black WEAPON that owns the skies. It fights Cid and company in
Mideel, but has been arranged to be fought many times.
Sapphire WEAPON
The navy blue WEAPON that swims through the ocean, it is not possible to
actually fight it. When Tifa and Barret are in Shin-Ra's Junon offices, it
draws near, but is defeated and sunk by the Mako Cannon.
------------------------
[Analysis: There's not a lot said here that's really notable, but it is worth
mentioning that "Diamond WEAPON" and "Ultimate WEAPON" were called "Diamo
WEAPON" and "Ultima WEAPON" in the Japanese versions of the game. Apparently,
when the game was localized into English, the names were expanded to match the
words they were based on. It's interesting to note that in subsequent
localizations of Final Fantasy games, the "Ultima" in "Ultima Weapon" was kept
as such for the creatures that would bear that name.]
------------------------
***Lifestream*** (Pages 216-217) (005.5)

Everything that lives on the Planet returns to the Planet, and new life is
born from their life force, which is also the life of the Planet and is called
"Spirit Energy." The flowing collective of this spiritual energy is called
"the Lifestream."
When those who live on the Planet die, their life force returns to the Planet,
becomes part of the Lifestream and is eventually allocated into a new life
that will grow. This cycle of energy normally allows the Planet to function
richly.
**Lifestream Relation 1: Mako Energy** (005.5A)

The name the Shin-Ra have given to spiritual energy. This nickname is "Mako
Energy." In the Study of Planet Life's philosophy, it is called "Spirit
Energy," but it is called "mako" by others in its use in humans' daily
lives. Both labels are used, but the title of "Spirit Energy" is opposed in
modern times, as the use of mako in peoples' daily lives rapidly spreads.
*Mako poisoning*
The Lifestream is the place to which all life returns, and, as a result, it is
overflowing with knowledge. Consequently, when one falls in the Lifestream,
the surge of information entering their head exceeds their brain's tolerance
level and the danger of their mind shattering becomes high. The state in which
one's mind has collapsed like this is called "mako poisoning," and doesn't
happen only by falling into the Lifestream, but also through being exposed to
mako. Cloud has suffered from this condition on 2 occasions.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section is basically saying that the knowledge of those who
die returns to the Lifestream with their spirits, and there it combines with
all the other knowledge; so the Lifestream is a big sea of spirit energy
filled with knowledge and memories, and when someone else falls into that sea
-- or is exposed to it through mako infusion -- that knowledge fills their
brains. If they're not capable of handling all that extra knowledge that
doesn't belong to them, it can cause their mind to "break," resulting in them
going into a vegetative state (mako poisoning). Members of SOLDIER like Zack
can handle this without losing their own place among all the extra knowledge,
but people with inferiority complexes (most people, including Cloud) can't.]
------------------------
*The various mako reactors*

Shin-Ra's prices for providing Mako Energy from their mako reactors have
increased in the various places around the world where mako is abundant. Those
that appear in the [game's] story are the 8 mako reactors around Midgar, the
Mt. Nibel reactor, the Corel reactor, the Gongaga reactor, the undersea
reactor and the Fort Condor reactor. Recently, before the beginning of the
game, the Gongaga reactor suffered a meltdown and activities there have been
suspended; during the story, Midgar's reactor numbers 1 and 5 are blown up at
the hands of Cloud.
*Materia and postwar society*

When Mako Energy condenses, it becomes materia. In places where the energy is
abundant, materia has formed naturally, but these are rare instances and it's
more practical for Shin-Ra to manufacture it by way of artificial production.
It is said that the knowledge of the Ancients is within materia. By bringing
out this knowledge [through contact with the materia], one can interact with
the Planet and even an ordinary person can gain the powers of the Ancients, as
it is the condensed [spiritual energy which contains their] knowledge that is
implemented as a link [to the Planet]......This allows for the presentation of
abilities [associated with the materia].
Materia is mostly used for combat purposes, as they hold power that far
exceeds that of traditional weaponry. As a weapons development company, the
Shin-Ra commercialized materia as a battlefield investment, having previously
invested in a line of SOLDIERs, and quickly brought a transcontinental war
that had lasted for several years to a close. Monopolozing the production of
materia, Shin-Ra quickly began to take the lead in postwar society. Although
peace then began to settle across the world, the Shin-Ra were establishing a
desptoic order, as the people became increasingly dependent on mako, which has
brought us to the present day.
**Lifestream Relation 2: The Study of Planet Life** (005.5B)

The study of the Planet, which the scholars in Cosmo Canyon reared. In Cosmo
Canyon, the voice of the Planet can be heard, and there it is treated with
great care, regarded as a living entity, a way of thought -- stemming from
ancient roots -- that has been systematically organized. Red XIII's tribe and
Bugenhagen's tribe -- called "the Bugah Tribe" -- follow the ideology of the
Study of Planet Life, giving great consideration to the life of the Planet and
making advanced progress in researching the subject. In addition, the Bugah
Tribe also conducts research on the Ancients.
The Lifestream, Spirit Energy, and the circle of life are all aspects of the
Study of Planet Life. The anti-Shin-Ra group AVALANCHE was founded by one who
had been strongly influenced by the Study of Planet Life.
------------------------
[Analysis: This section tells us that Bugenhagen's tribe has a name ("the
Bugah Tribe"), but sadly leaves us with no name for Red XIII's tribe. Despite
popular misinterpretation, Bugenhagen is not Red XIII's biological
grandfather; this is simply a title of familiarity.]
------------------------
*The Planet's circle of life*

1) A person grows......Their knowledge increases
2) Return to the Planet (the Planet's growth)......When a soul returns to the
Planet, the Planet grows
3) The Planet produces new life......The next generation is born (the Planet
now bears the evolved energy gained from the previous generation of life it
produced)
Sephiroth['s plan to have] Meteor fall would result in (1) a vast increase in
the level of death, and (2) the disembodied energy would also gather at the
Planet's wound, allowing him to make use of the energy's return to the Planet.
The (2) course of the Planet's energy [when returning to the Lifestream] is
interrupted by Shin-Ra's method of forcibly extracting it and consuming it
(3).
------------------------
[Analysis: This section informs us with clarity that the concept of the Gaia
Theory seen in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is identical to the
Lifestream idea presented in Final Fantasy VII: energy is distributed by the
Planet, giving life to various lifeforms which then grow and gain knowledge
and memories as they do so; when they die, this energy then returns to the
Planet, taking the knowledge/memories with it, allowing the Planet as a whole
to grow.]
------------------------
*The anti-Shin-Ra organization*

One who participated in the Study of Planet Life began to question the conduct
of Shin-Ra due to their use of the Planet's Spirit Energy as mako. To protect
the life of the Planet, they began anti-Shin-Ra activites in various places.
Extreme conduct would follow on their part, and the explanation of Shin-Ra's
faults that they offered held that the life of the Planet was more valuable
than that of humans.
The anti-Shin-Ra organization AVALANCHE -- whose activites were aimed to
disrupt Midgar -- had the power to serve as an obstacle to Shin-Ra.
The AVALANCHE seen in the game was the new AVALANCHE, of which Barret was the
leader. Their base was the Seventh Heaven bar in the slums of Sector 7.
------------------------
[Analysis: Here, we're basically told what we already knew from the game: that
someone who participated in the Study of Planet Life in Cosmo Canyon founded
AVALANCHE. Barret mentions that AVALANCHE was founded in Cosmo Canyon during
the party's stop there, but what wasn't made explicitly clear to many players
of the English localization, however, is that Barret was not the founder of
AVALANCHE and was not its original leader.
In fact, Barret was not even a member of the original AVALANCHE. In Before
Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, events dating back six years feature the first
public appearance of AVALANCHE, with their leadership consisting of three
people: Shears, a field commander, Fuhito, a research commander who had more
authority than Shears, and Elfe, a young woman who supposedly served as the
group's overall leader. In truth, Fuhito was using her and was the one who had
obssessively dedicated himself to the Planet after researching the Study of
Planet Life; he had a complete disregard for the lives of human beings, and --
being utterly dedicated to the Planet -- wished to use a powerful summon
called "Zirconiade" to eradicate all living things on the surface of the
Planet so that it could have back all of its Spirit Energy, while
simultaneously being free of all native threats.]
------------------------
***Lifestream Relation 3: SOLDIER*** (005.5C)

Shin-Ra's elite soldiers. The Turks scout to gather those who would be capable
of handling being injected with Jenova's cells and exposed to mako; those who
are gain a massive artificial increase in strength and ability. It is not
common to impose this procedure on one against their will, as the resulting
changes to their mind and body can be large, and they must be able to bear the
experiment's process in order to become a SOLDIER.
Those who are selected to become these elite soldiers will join SOLDIER in
either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Class, as based on their capabilities. The superior
class is 1st Class, but those who reach this rank are few in number. Each
class has its own respective uniform, but only those who are 1st Class are
allowed to also wear civilian clothes.
Sephiroth bloomed on the battlefield and many boys yearned to join SOLDIER.
Sephiroth was instrumental in Cloud and Zack having their eyes on joining
SOLDIER.
****Translations of the vehicle specifications**** (006) (Pages 301-313)

In this section, I'll be offering my translations of the various vehicle
specs offered by the Ultimania Omega in its World of FFVII section. I've done
my best to translate this information accurately, but I'm not an expert on the
various mechanics of vehicles, so if you are and you see anything that doesn't
seem to make sense, then that might be why.
Also, if you notice that the romanizations for the vehicle names don't match
those used in the original game -- or in other places -- with respect to
punctuation or capitalization, be aware that I copied the romanizations used
by the Ultimania Omega as they appear in the book itself. With all that out of
the way, enjoy:
***hardy-DAYTONA***
Vehicle type: hD-92
Length: 2,300 milimeters
Width: 785 milimeters
Height: 1,175 milimeters
Cubic displacement: 1,160 cubic centimeters
Engine: VE4-Ge type (oil-cooling V type 4 cylinder DOHC)
------------------------
[Note: This is the vehicle used by Cloud to escape from the Shin-Ra
headquarters on Disc 1.]
=========================================================
***HIGHWIND***
Length: 237 meters
Width: 183 meters (propellers not included)
Height: 33 meters (propellers not included)
Weight: 1,380 tons (when unloaded)
Load capacity: 2,150 tons
Maximum speed: 386 knots (at sea-level)
Cruising speed: 173 knots
Ascending time: Unknown
Ceiling [/maximum altitude]: Unknown
Range: Unknown
Climbing engines: 16s-Ge formula engine (*1) x4
Auxillary climbing engine (*2): 3a type inverted V type 12 cylinder refined
mako engine (ascending output of 1,900 horsepower) x2
Climbing propellers: 5.5 meters in diameter; 4-speed hydraulic; pitch of 30~80
degrees
Propulsion engines: Designated airship type engines (*3) x2
Propulsion propellers: 7.5 meters in diameter; 4-speed electrical; pitch of
30~60 degrees
Crew capacity (estimate): 34
Armament: Unknown
Place of construction: Unknown
*1......Ascending output 15,200 horsepower. Shin-Ra-made, air-cooled 8-13s
radial engines (ascending output of 3,800 horsepower, with double 24
cylinders); Cid linked 4 of them together, giving the airship's engine the use
of 96 cylinders. [With this], a single propeller can move in two bases.
*2......Used for the exhaust turbine of the climbing engine
*3......Ascending output of 22,400 horsepower. Shin-Ra made, liquid-cooled,
8-54 V24 cylinder engines (ascending output of 2,800 horsepower); Cid linked 8
together, giving the airship's engine the use of [an additional] 192
cylinders.
=========================================================
***Tiny-Bronco***
Length: 12.74 meters (rotor not included)
Width: 12.48 meters (rotor not included)
Height: 3.57 meters (rotor not included)
Weight: 2,280 kilograms
Load capacity: 3,850 kilograms
Ceiling [/maximum altitude]: 9,400 meters
Range: 1,140 nautical miles (estimate)
Engine: Oil-cooling RG24 type horizontal-facing 24 cylinder engine
Ascending output: 3,800 horsepower
Rotor: 4.7 meters in diameter; 2-speed electrical; pitch of 20~70 degrees
Crew capacity: 1
=========================================================
***SHINRA Transportation unit GELNIKA***

Length: Unknown
Width: Unknown
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Load capacity: Unknown
Maximum speed: Unknown
Cruising speed: Unknown
Ceiling [/maximum altitude]: Unknown
Range: Unknown
Engine: Oil-cooling RG24-f type horizontal-facing 24 cylinder engine x4
Ascending output: 8,240 horsepower
=========================================================
***uV type Submarine***

Length: 93.5 meters
Width: 22.7 meters
Draft: 5.3 meters
Standard displacement: 1,342 tons (surface)/2,722 tons (underwater)
System: Shin-Ra standard-issue mako engine x1
Output: 6,500 horsepower
Speed: 17.5 knots (surface)/27.3 knots (underwater)
Range: 7,500 nautical miles at 18 knots
Crew capacity: 28
Armament: 610 milimeter torpedo tubes x4; 20 milimeter mounted machine guns x2
Place of construction: Junon shipyard dock 3
------------------------
[Note: The kanji seen on the red sub is a kanji for "1," while the kanji seen
on the silver sub is a kanji for "2."]
=========================================================
***B1A type Helicopter***

Width: 3.05 meters (rotor not included)
Height: 2.89 meters (rotor and antenna not included)
Range: 140 nautical miles (estimate)
Engine: Oil-cooling RG08 type horizontal-facing 8 cylinder engine (ascending
output of 900 horsepower)
------------------------
[Note: This is the type of helicopter seen escorting Rufus away from the dock
at Costa del Sol.]
=========================================================
***B1B type Helicopter***

Width: 4,32 meters (rotor not included)
Height: 2.89 meters (rotor and antenna not included)
Range: 140 nautical miles (estimate)
Engine: Oil-cooling RG08 type horizontal-facing 8 cylinder engine (ascending
output of 900 horsepower)
------------------------
[Note: This is the type of helicopter seen in use by the Turks just before
Sector 7 collapses.]
=========================================================
***sA-27 type Motor tricycle***

Load capacity: 820 kilograms
Cubic displacement: 760 cubic centimeters
Engine: 1S-Ge type (oil-cooling 1 cylinder OHV)
Occupant capacity: 1
------------------------
[Note: This is one of the vehicles on display in the lobby of the Shin-Ra
headquarters.]
=========================================================
***bA-37 type Motor tricycle***

Length: 2.96 meters
Width: 1.87 meters
Height: 1.56 meters
Cubic displacement: 760 cubic centimeters
Engine: 1S-Ge type (oil-cooling 1 cylinder OHV)
------------------------
[Note: This is the vehicle used by Tifa, Barret, Aerith, and Red XIII to
escape from the Shin-Ra headquarters on Disc 1; the occupant capacity noted
here refers to the capacity for the vehicle's cab.]
=========================================================
***pA-86 type Automobile***

Cubic displacement: 1,004 cubic centimeters
Engine: 3p-Geu type (vertical position 3 cylinder OHV-6valve)
------------------------
[Note: This is one of the vehicles on display in the lobby of the Shin-Ra
headquarters.]
=========================================================
Locomotive 600
------------------------
[Note: No specs available; this is the type of train seen in the opening of
the game.]
=========================================================
Locomotive 5884
------------------------
[Note: No specs available; this is the type of train used by civilians in
Midgar.]
=========================================================
***Buggy***
Length: 7.26 meters
Width: 3.58 meters
Height: 1.96 meters
Maximum speed: 80 kilometers per hour
=========================================================
***Rocket SHINRA No.26***

Height: 48 meters
Load capacity: 1.418 tons
Note: Contains an escape pod
=========================================================
***Snowboard***
Length: 153.0 centimeters
Effective edge: 116.0 centimeters
Waist width: 25.1 centimeters
=========================================================
***Ropeway***
Length: 12.75 meters (gondola only)
Width: 4.06 meters (gondola only)
Height: 2.88 meters (gondola only)
Maximum inclined angle: Approximately 42 degrees
=========================================================
***Chocobo Cart***
------------------------
[Note: No specs available.]
****Translations concerning the plot-related connection between FFVII and

FFX/X-2**** (007)
As some fans of Final Fantasy VII, X and X-2 may or may not know, the worlds
of the two games share a plot-related connection. The connection's existance
was established during an interview with Yoshinori Kitase (lead developer of
the Final Fantasy series) and Kazushige Nojima (the scenario writer of Final
Fantasy VII, Before Crisis, Advent Children, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy
X, Final Fantasy X-2 and the Kingdom Hearts series) in 2002, as featured in
the Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega guidebook, an official Square-Enix
publication.
This interview established that there would be a connection between the two
worlds, though it didn't detail it. However, based on what was later revealed
to be the connection, it's clear that it had already been conceived, as
Kitase hints at it with his final word on the subject. In 2003, the exact
nature of the concept was finally revealed in the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania,
having been hinted toward by a few elements of the game.
Nojima revealed that Shinra of the Gullwings, an Al Bhed child prodigy and
inventor of various machinery, would attempt using the remains of Vegnagun --
the behemoth machina Shuyin tried to destroy Spira with -- to extract life
energy from the Farplane and use it to power machines. Shinra would attempt
doing this as a result of his analysis of the Farplane late in the game.
During this diagnostic, Shinra concluded that there was a great deal of energy
floating around inside the Farplane, and that it was most likely the life
force of Spira, which could be extracted and used as a power source; however,
he concluded that it would take generations to properly implement the idea.
Further of note is that Nojima explained that the Al Bhed entrepeneur Rin also
was interested in extracting mako from the Farplane, and that he provided
Shinra with the funding to make the attempt. For his part, Rin's desire to do
this is revealed during the game should he be uncovered as the culprit behind
covering up the malfunctioning machina disaster on the Mi'hen Highroad.
Nojima went on to say that Shinra's attempts to use Vegnagun's remains failed
and that he was unable to complete the concept of mako-extraction, just as
Shinra had predicted. However, some 1000 years later, once space travel became
possible, Shinra's descendants would go on a voyage to the world of Final
Fantasy VII. There, at some point in the future, they would be successful in
utilizing the concept, and would provide electricity from the Planet for a
price; these descendants would found the Shin-Ra Company of Final Fantasy VII.
The connection would again be hinted toward in the Final Fantasy X-2:
International+Last Mission (released in 2004) game's Last Mission scenario, in
which Rikku revealed that Rin and Shinra had begun working together. Next,
the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guidebook (released in September, 2005)
also brings forth mention of the concept, and, finally, the connection may
have received further indication through Dirge of Cerberus (released in
January, 2006) and the Advent Children Reunion Files book (released in May,
2006), in which it is established that the Shera airship seen in Advent
Children and Dirge of Cerberus runs on ancient, lost non-mako technology that
Cid discovered. This technology very well may have originally belonged to
Shinra's descendants, as they are the only previous inhabitants of VII's world
indicated to have been in possession of advanced technology, and because the
interior of the Shera bears some aesthetic resemblances to those of the
Fahrenheit and Celsius airships that figure prominently into FFX and FFX-2
(though the Shera's interior bears more of a resemblance to the Celsius').
I will here present the dialogue from Final Fantasy X-2 that hints at the
connection, as well as the interviews and other translations that establish
its existance as part of official Final Fantasy continuity.
***Dialogue with Rin from Final Fantasy X-2***
Rin
"You are suggesting that my decision to upgrade the machina resulted in a
number of casualties... ... and that I tried to cover it up?"
Yuna
"You put the investigation in our hands because we were amateurs. You hoped we
would botch the case."
Yuna
"And then, I kept calling you even though I didn't have any leads."
Yuna
"You would have objected to the meaningless interruptions, if you really
wanted to solve the case."
Rin
"I see. It appears that I have underestimated you, Yuna."
Rikku
"Why, Rin?"
Rin
"If word got out that machina pose a danger, people would fear them and stop
using them."
Paine
"So Yevon's not alone in sweeping things under the rug."
Rin
"I firmly believe that machina are an indispensable part of Spira's
development."
Rin
"Even if there is another incident, I intend to conceal the evidence."
Yuna
"You really think people will follow you that way?"
Rin
"I am not alone in my thinking."
Rin
"We are researching ways to extract the vast energy that sleeps in Spira, and
use it to power machina."
Paine
"You're a jackass."
Rin
"I will take that as a compliment."
***Dialogue with Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2***

Shinra
"Aha..."
Yuna
"What are you looking at?"
Shinra
"Farplane data."
Shinra
"The more I study it, the more fascinating it gets. There's limitless energy
swirling around in there."
Yuna
"Limitless energy?"
Shinra
"The life force that flows through our planet...I think."
Shinra
"With a little work, we could probably extract the energy in a useable form."
Brother
"Sweet!"
Shinra
"Of course, that'd take generations."
Brother
"That's no fun!"
Buddy
"Well, still, it is something worth shooting for."
Yuna
"Think how much Spira would change if we ever got it to work!"
Yuna
"Maybe one day we could build a city full of light, one that never sleeps!"
Shinra
"No doubt about it."
***Dialogue with Rikku from Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission***

Paine
"These days, people are always looking for sunken machina."
Rikku
"Yup-yup!"
Yuna
"Oh? Has Shinra been helping you with that?"
Rikku
"Ahh, now that you bring it up..."
Rikku
"Well, he left the ship and got together with Rin, and what do you think all
that research they've been doing is about?"
***Interview with Yoshinori Kitase and Kazushige Nojima in the Final Fantasy X
Ultimania Omega*** (Page 191)
**FFVII and FFX are connected?!**
--"Previously, with a conversation in the FFX Scenario Ultimania, you made
certain inferences, and since it's been about half a year since then, is there
anything new you'd like to clarify about FFX?"
Kitase
"That's true...... Now that FFX International is out and we're in the future,
I'm in a predicament; it really isn't that hard to think of another story
[set] in that world; room for expansion was left possible there without too
much difficulty, don't you think? Speaking conversely, FFX received a splendid
reception and made us think of adding to it."
Nojima
"After FFVII was finished, we were easily able to add Zack's open[-ended role]
into the International version. But, with X, there was an older story with a
partly-finished world and an opening that this new one could be added to and
[, in doing] so[,] complete it."
Kitase
"So, you could say [in terms of] time, Nojima-san decided to designate it to
act as a sequel to VII, if you follow me."
--"It's a sequel to VII!!"

Kitase
"Well, there was a joke right there. Simply put, in VII's ending, Holy came,
and the next thing you knew, it was over without closing things up, and then
it was the "500 years later" [scene] in the future. There's a large margin
buried there. A margin for the imagination. Nojima-san and Toriyama are going
to be filling something of that with VII, though, while they're at their best
and can do it."
--"So, will it become a sequel to VII's story?"

Nojima
"I have a strong feeling that they're going to be connected."
--"Huh, so VII and X ARE connected?"

Nojima
"Well, there's not many specifics to it. I know that what becomes of people
when they die is among them; you could say that it's basically the same. Both
[concepts came to] function along the same line of thought as I wrote the
stories. Sometimes my thoughts just flow out like that, even though pyreflies
distinctly aren't green."
--"When you speak of the dead becoming [something] green, do you perhaps
[mean]......?"
Nojima
"Yes. In my mind, pyreflies and VII's Lifestream are the same substance."
Kitase
"Nojima-san's even considering making use of an idea like this -- [with] an
addition to the idea of life origin -- in a sequel to FFX International.
That's just a little bit of the thought that's been going into what to do with
VII."
Nojima
"That's right. There's something like the Lifestream [in X's world
also]......."
--"'An addition to the idea of life origin'......does that mean you're going
to revise life origin concepts or something?"
Nojima
"I can't say......it's a secret (laughs)."
Kitase
"It's a surprise with how someone from the story conducts theirself with
regards to the Farplane."
***Interview with FFX-2 creators from the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania***
(Page 723)
**"So, what of this child, Shinra......"**
--"Among these latest stories, 'connected' is one of the key words becoming
applicable, isn't it?"
[Daisuke] Watanabe
"I personally like the word 'connected,' but there's one aspect where that
applies well."
Nojima
"During the game's progression, various vague things will be tied together to
reveal it."
--"For example, the name 'Shinra' suggests a connection with VII? There's
[what's said] in the 'Graduation Mission' scenario [ -- 'graduation'
referring to Shinra being soon to leave the Gullwings -- ], and the 'I am not
alone in my thinking' line from the 'Rin's Detective Work' scenario seems to
have some particular significance."
Nojima
"Actually, it does. After quitting the Gullwings, Shinra received enormous
financial support from Rin, and began trying to use Vegnagun to siphon Mako
Energy from the Farplane. But, he is unable to complete the system for
utilizing this energy in his generation, and in the future, when traveling to
distant planets becomes possible, the Shin-Ra Company is founded on another
world, or something like that....... That would happen about 1000 years after
this story, I think."
--"So VII's story is after that?"

Nojima
"Well, you could say the feelings I have are like that. When I think about the
characters, those are the kinds of feelings I already have. Shinra is a good
child, but his descendants are going to end up becoming like the president [of
Shin-Ra] (laughs)."
Watanabe
"With you said about VII, after seeing your episodes with Shinra, one of the
people on the [development] staff said that the first shot of the Bevelle
Underground 'gives the impression of somewhere else.'"
[Motomu] Toriyama
"Certainly; it looks like the opening shot of Midgar in VII."
***Information on Shinra of the Gullwings in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania

Omega*** (Page 563)
Shinra is a boy who supports the Gullwings, the group which the main
protagonist, Yuna, belongs to. He carries a name that gives him an association
to the Shin-Ra Company, and he is researching a method that could utilize the
energy of "the life force that flows through our planet." The results of this
cannot be seen in FFX-2, but maybe one day his descendants will establish a
"company that supplies the energy of the planet"?
The words of Shinra, which can be heard at the end of the story. This world
has something similar to the Lifestream that is worthy of attention.
***Interview with FFVII creators from the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania
Omega*** (Page 571)
--"At E3 (the world's largest game show, which was held in America), as a demo
for the PS3, the opening of FFVII was shown; was its purpose to serve as
something of a preliminary announcement?
Kitase
"Well, in regard to that, please think of it as a mere demonstration. Because
the production period for its imagery was [going to be] so short, we made the
opening of FFVII, as it was easy to represent. Beyond that, there is no
particular deeper meaning.
--"In that case, it's not a remake; when might you be making something to
serve as the direct continuation of FFX-2?"
Kitase
"Producing something like that holds the same problem as a remake [of FFVII],
as our schedule just isn't open for it [right now]."
***Information concerning the Shera and fuel in the Advent Children Reunion
Files book*** (Page 87)
What do they use for fuel in this time period?
"Cloud and the gang certainly aren't using mako anymore, because it drains the
life of the planet. That means they don't use Materia, either. Yuffie collects
them, but that's just because she lives to collect things (laughs). I guess
the airship must be running on some mysterious ancient power source." (Nomura)
****Notes on information in the Advent Children Reunion Files book**** (008)

As you, the reader, may or may not know, Final Fantasy VII's direct sequel,
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, has an Ultimania-like book of its own: the
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Reunion Files book published by SoftBank.
This comprehensive book features in-depth information on each character in the
film, interviews with their voice actors, interviews with the film's core
creators, a lengthy production digest of the film, and a wealth of info on
aspects of the film's plot.
I have here collected a lot of the more interesting and notable information
from the book, broken it down into categories, and sorted it accordingly. Be
aware, though, that this is not necessarily everything you personally may find
of interest in the book, and that I'll not be quoting anything from it here,
neither in English or Japanese. I'll simply be paraphrasing. This is because
the book is actually in both English and Japanese -- being the only Final
Fantasy book I know of to be bilingual -- and I recommend it to all fans of
the film who can read either language. As one who owns more than a dozen
official Final Fantasy books, this is absolutely my favorite one.
Without further ado, here's the information from the book:
***Production notes*** (008.1)
-The short CG production by Square's Visual Works department (the project that
eventually became Advent Children) was began in January of 2002. It wasn't
until March of 2003 (when Final Fantasy X-2 was released in Japan) that the
official go-ahead was given to the Advent Children project itself. In other
words, you can say that Advent Children's pre-production began in January of
2002.
-The real world footage from AC's credits and Reminisicence of Final Fantasy
VII was filmed in Hawaii.
-Takeyuki Takeya (the monster and mechanical art designer for the film)
designed Cloud's First Tsurugi sword set used in the film. He says that he
doesn't know what the individual names of the swords are, nor what their
specific attributes are. "First Tsurugi" is, apparently, the name for the
entire set and the completed sword (as most people thought, I believe), and
the swords were just called "the fusion swords" during development because
they weren't given proper names.
-Takeyuki Takeya also designed Bahamut Sin (whose design he said was partly
inspired by Jomon pottery) and the Shera airship.
-Yusuke Naora designed the Velvet Nightmares and the Dual Hound (Loz and
Yazoo's weapons).
-Nomura said he didn't do the designs for the weapons, creatures, and the
Shera airship because he wanted to focus on directing.
-Yusuke Naora's location design of the shell structure in the Forgotten
Capital (Kadaj's base) was the first piece drawn in the film's pre-production.
-Nojima said that he got the idea for Geostigma from a plot element originally
intended for Final Fantasy X, but that wasn't implemented. The idea was that
Yuna would have been going around curing diseases all over Spira. He said that
since he needed a plot element to cause Cloud to need to protect people
weaker than him, he came up with Geostigma.
-Nojima said that he set AC 2 years after FFVII because it's a pretty long
time, but also short enough for the past to still be lingering in people's
minds. He also said it was long enough for Marlene to have probably started
talking a lot.
-Nomura had Cloud take down Kadaj without really grunting or showing any signs
of straining himself so that when he was grunting a lot during his fight with
Sephiroth and displaying lots of signs of fatigue it would emphasise how much
more powerful Sephiroth was.
-When designing Sephiroth for the film, they took various steps to make him
seem like something other than an ordinary human, a supernatural entity. For
his appearance, they gave him slanted eyes. In rendering him, they never
showed him blink. For his lines, Nojima gave him a majestic style of speech
that would suggest that his mentality had ascended beyond that of ordinary
humans.
-Nomura said that since Barret is compared to Mr. T so often, they
deliberately went out of their way to make him look different from him in
Advent Children (yes, he actually said this).
-At one point, the development team was unsure of why Sephiroth would appear
to fight Cloud, and were only certain that he must appear for a final battle
with him. They considered various ideas, including Sephiroth only being
visible to Cloud, but ultimately went with what we see in the finished film
(Kadaj's fusion with Jenova's cells).
-The Madhouse animation studio was selected to create Last Order because they
had been used on the anime trailer for Before Crisis, and because the
company's president was very enthusiastic about the idea of a FFVII animated
feature, and frequently payed visits to Nomura at SE's offices to discuss the
idea with him. Because of the enormous support Madhouse was expressing for the
project, they were a shoe-in for the job.
-Despite how simple a garment it was, Cid's t-shirt was apparently an
extremely difficult piece to animate realistically. Initially, it came off
looking rubbery.
-Apparently Yazoo's hair was a pain in the ass to animate.
-The original promotional video for AC shown at the Tokyo Game Show in 2003
was all of the development footage that Nomura and his people had at the time.
Since they knew they would be unveiling the project only 6 months after it had
finally gotten an official go-ahead, Nomura wanted to pack the preview with
action shots and then focus on developing everything else around them later.
-The English version's April 3, 2006 premiere is mentioned, as is the fact
that it was met to a thunderous warm welcome. This is probably what prompted
the delay of the book from May 2 to May 22. It's not explicitly stated, but
I'm guessing that it was this large show of support from English-reading fans
that made SE or SoftBank decide to include English translations of all of the
Japanese text in the book (with the exception of a little bit of the
production credits in the back). This was the first time this was done with an
FF book to my knowledge.
-Mideel was originally going to be used as the film's therapeutic location,
but the development team decided to create Healin and utilize it instead
because of how far Mideel is from Midgar/Edge.
-It was the "Deep Dive" hidden FMV from the original Kingdom Hearts that
sparked a desire in Nomura to try making an even more cool-looking battle
scene in a CG film in the future. He had a specific desire to use FFVII as the
source material, and being that Visual Works had wanted to make a FFVII CG
production anyway, once Nomura agreed to go on the project as its director,
things gradually took shape.
-In initial sketches, Kadaj was referred to as "Lost Name" because he didn't
have a name yet.
-The original subtitle of the film was going to be "Reunion," but Nomura felt
that the word didn't convey the sense of "coming back again" well enough, so
he did some research and found the word "advent," which is often used to mean
"second coming." Nojima, for his part, wanted "children" in the title, so the
two words were combined. Nojima says he feels that the title does a good job
of expressing that FFVII is back and that Sephiroth is going to come back
during the film.
-Nomura said back around the time of Parasite Eve's production, he had come up
with an idea for a game that involved a cat and a dog searching for their
missing master. The cat would ride on the dog's back. This idea is what led
Nomura to think of sticking Cait Sith on Red XIII's back after they decided
not to use Cait Sith's Moogle mount.
-Nomura says he gave Denzel wavy hair to make him more unique since it's not a
common trait with FFVII's characters.
-The Shadow Creepers' heads were based on crows' skulls.
-At one point they considered having Yazoo and Loz holding the Shadow Creepers
from the beginning on leashes while they rode their motorcycles, but decided
not to.
-Originally, the scene with Kadaj talking to Aerith after Sephiroth fell
wasn't included. However, they decided to add this scene in late in the
production because they wanted to give Kadaj a scene of salvation, as they
felt that he was a character who needed to be saved too.
***Character and plot notes*** (008.2)

-Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo are referred to as physical manifestations of
Sephiroth's spirit and will three times in the English text, with the specific
wording used in Japanese being something akin to "will bodies of Sephiroth's
thoughts" on one of those occasions and "phantoms of Sephiroth" on another.
Also, Kadaj is said to represent Sephiroth's cruelty, while Yazoo represents
his allure and Loz represents his strength.
-It's confirmed that the silver-haired men's desire to find Jenova's remains
and merge with them is due in part to Sephiroth's desire to be restored
goading them without them knowing it.
-It's stated that Sephiroth and Kadaj are left-handed. Most likely Yazoo and
Loz are as well since -- like Kadaj -- they are physical manifestations of
Sephiroth's spirit and feature some of his attributes. That in mind along with
the fact that Loz's Dual Hound weapon is on his left arm and being that Yazoo
chooses to use his left hand to fire his Velvet Nightmare when fighting with
only one gun, we have reason to believe this is true.
-It's said that the SHM concluded that the remains of Jenova were under the
Meteor monument and commanded the kids to surround it as human shields.
Apparently when the children's Reunion instinct led them to Edge, the SHM
concluded that the remains of Jenova must be under the monument because Rufus
had built it.
-An in-universe explanation for why Loz often moves with a blue blur behind
him is not given. It's simply said that because he's so big and bulky, they
wanted to off-set his girth by making him look really fast and used the blue
blur only for him to emphasise that he's fast. It's not suggested -- despite
how often people think so -- that it has anything to do with his Dual Hound.
-No explanation for where the SHM got their bikes is offered, but Takeyuki
Takeya said that he designed the SHM's bikes with the impression that they're
very generic and that there might be tons of bikes just like them. They
probably stole them from somewhere.
-No explanation for the SHM's cell phones is offered either. However, I bet
they stole them from Elena and Tseng since they had to get the other Turks'
numbers somehow.
-It's mentioned that after Sephiroth jumped into the Lifestream back in
Nibelheim, his body dissolved, but because of his powerful will, he reformed
it at the Northern Crater, where his life energy and Jenova's head were washed
to. This most likely is why he only seemed to have a torso when he cast Meteor
(he was still reforming his original body), and why the Ultimania Omega says
that he was regenerating in the Northern Crater.
-The Shadow Creepers are referred to as Summons (capital "s").
-Nomura implied that the Shera runs on some ancient non-mako technology, as
confirmed in Dirge of Cerberus. Thought not explicitly stated either here or
in Dirge of Cerberus, this is most likely part of the FFVII-FFX/X-2
connection (see the section on this within this FAQ for more information about
it).
-Rufus had the Meteor monument built to serve as a reminder of the tragedy. I
guess -- since he blamed his company for the Meteor disaster and the planet's
weakened state -- he wanted people to remember the errors humanity had made in
the past.
-It's said that Cloud was outmatched when it came to the fight with Sephiroth.
Sorry everybody who thinks that Cloud was almost on par with him: he wasn't.
Even worse for Cloud, Nomura said that Sephiroth didn't sweat during the
entire fight and never exerted himself. In other words, he wasn't even trying
hard. Cloud on the other hand was clearly giving it his all and was described
by the book as exhausted by the time the battle was nearing its conclusion.
-It's said that Loz fights Tifa to amuse himself. Sorry everybody who thinks
that Tifa was probably as strong as him or stronger: she wasn't.
-Nojima said that Vincent has to be dragged into something before he'll take
action, and that if it wasn't for the other members of Avalanche being his
friends, he probably wouldn't have joined the fight against Bahamut Sin.
-Vincent's revelation to Cloud in the Sleeping Forest that he had never tried
to forgive himself for the things he had blamed himself for was one of the
major factors that caused Cloud to realize what he needed to do.
-The entire movie occurs over the course of 3 days, beginning at noon on Day 1
and ending at 7:00 AM on Day 3. In othe words, the film occurs over the course
of 43 hours.
-The fight between Avalanche and Bahamut Sin/the fight between Reno and Rude
and Yazoo and Loz lasts 2 hours.
-The motorcycle chase up through the moment Sephiroth appears lasts another 2
hours.
-Cloud's final battle with Sephiroth began at 6:00 PM on the story's second
day and he woke up at 7:00 AM in Aerith's church on the third day. There's no
suggestion of how long he was unconscious, but I'd guess it was anywhere from
10 to 12 hours.
-Nomura said that Midgar covered in greenery 500 years after the Meteor
incident symbolizes humans re-embracing nature. Perhaps they won't go with
humans dying out after all, as Kitase indicated may happen during an interview
with Electronic Gaming Monthly in October, 2005.
-Fuel for the love triangle debate: Nomura refers to Tifa as being many
things, including a lover/sweetheart (in a romantic/sexual context; "koibito"
is the Japanese word used here), and Nojima says that when he began writing
the script for Advent Children, the first thing he was sure of being part of
the setting is that Cloud and Tifa were together. That said, Nomura may have
meant that Tifa's a lover in the same way people will say "I'm a lover, not a
fighter," and Nojima may not have meant "together" in a romantic context. For
the record, I think Tifa's got this won, but that's me personally. Let the war
continue!
-Nojima says that when the water drop appeared in Aerith's church after Cloud
and Tifa fell unconscious, their wounds were healed. He said he wanted that
water drop to serve as foreshadowing of Aerith's later appearance in the
church, as they had given Aerith a watery theme for this movie.
-Nomura says that despite people often thinking that Rude's black, he thinks
that Rude's appearance is more of a South American look.
-Nojima said that even though Rufus' wheelchair was part of his disguise, he
really did suffer a lot of injuries from Diamond WEAPON's attack and isn't in
the best shape.
-Nojima says that Reno's not so much interested in rebuilding the Shin-Ra
Company because he thinks it should be rebuilt. He just thinks the idea sounds
cool and exciting.
-Nomura refers to Red XIII as being "a feline of sorts" and jokes that
sticking Cait Sith on him made for more of a cat riding a bigger cat than a
cat riding a dog like the idea that had inspired Red XIII carrying Cait Sith.
-The kanji used for "Sin"/"Shin" in Bahamut Sin's name means "tremor" or
"quake." For those unfamiliar with this kanji, it's the first kanji in the
dual kanji word "shindou," which means "tremor" or "impact." They used the
kanji for "shin" in this book, while rendering it in katakana in the AC
Prologue book from September, 2005.
-According to Nomura, the use of materia drains the planet's life energy, this
being why the good guys don't use it anymore. There's not an explanation for
why its use drains the planet's energy, but based on Sephiroth's explanation
from the original game that materia links someone to the planet and allows
them to use its powers, its most likely that the materia allows someone to tap
into the Lifestream's energy and manifest it as a spell based on the specs of
the materia they're using. This would, of course, drain the planet's energy,
the same as turning it into electricity would.
***Miscellaneous notes*** (008.3)

-On Yazoo's page, it refers to the Velvet Nightmares as "gunblades" in the
English text. This is strange because it doesn't do that in the Japanese text,
and this reference to the weapons as gunblades never shows up again. Of
course, they aren't like the gunblades in Final Fantasy VIII even if these
weapons are meant to be classified as such, because those weapons could only
be used as swords (according to FFVIII's Ultimania) and the Velvet Nightmares
can only be used as guns (according to all of the official AC sites).
-Kazushige Nojima's first name is mistakenly written as "Kazunari" at one
point in English, most likely a result of "Kazunari" and "Kazushige" sharing
the same kanji. I've seen this mistake before.
-They don't keep certain romanizations consistent in the English text. "Veld"
is written as both "Veld" and "Verdot" on the same page in the Before Crisis
section, and "Shears" is written as both "Shears" and "Sears."
-The name of "Elfe" from Before Crisis is written as "Elfe" without an accent
mark over the "e" to emphasise it be pronounced as "eh."
-Rosso from Dirge of Cerberus is referred to with "he" instead of "she."
Obviously a mistake, as she is very much a woman.
-Vice's/Weiss' (also from Dirge of Cerberus) name is romanized as "Weiss."
Hopefully it stays that way for the English versions of DoC, as "Weiss"
actually does mean "white" in German (all of the elite Zvet SOLDIERs in DoC
are named for colors).
-At one point in the English text, Nojima refers to Sephiroth's motivation
largely being revenge against Cloud because of how badly his pride was hurt
when Cloud turned the tables on him in the Mt. Nibel mako reactor. More
notably, it says that this defeat was made all the worse because Cloud was a
"rookie SOLDIER" at the time. This, of course, is a mistake, as Cloud was
never in SOLDIER, and the Japanese text there doesn't say "SOLDIER." At least
not in reference to the elite squad, which is always written in katakana. It
uses the kanji for "rookie soldier," meaning a regular private in the army.
Just thought this should be pointed out before we had people going "They're
contradicting their own continuity!" or "I knew Nojima was on LSD!"
-The pink ribbons the characters wear are confirmed to be in remembrance of
Aerith.
-The angel statue in Edge and the number of birds flying over Midgar in the
opening apparently don't have any specific meaning after all. Nomura said that
they had a meaning to him and members of the production staff in a previous
interview (I think it was in the AC Prologue book), but apparently they don't
have specific universal meanings like the wolf that symbolizes Cloud's guilt.
Apparently Nomura just wanted to make people give more thought to what they
were watching (that's my guess).
-Nomura said that he sees Vincent and Cloud as being very much alike, only
Vincent acts and speaks older (probably because he is).
-The Japanese voice actor for Yuffie has been serving as her voice actor since
Ehrgeiz came out.
-The guy who did Cait Sith's voice also did the Japanese voices of Auron
(Final Fantasy X and X-2), Tobli (Final Fantasy X-2), and Squall Leonhart
(Kingdom Hearts I and II).
-The young guy who did Roxas' Japanese voice in Kingdom Hearts II auditioned
to do the voice of Denzel, but Nomura felt he was too old for the role.
However, it was this audition that made Nomura think he would be perfect for
playing Roxas.
****Recommended further reading**** (009)

-Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Translations:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/final_fantasy_x_2_ultimania.txt
http://faqs.ign.com/articles/702/702971p1.html
http://faqs.neoseeker.com/Games/PS2/final_fantasy_x_2_ultimania.txt
These are my translations from the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania guidebooks.
-Xcomp's "The Final Fantasy VII Collection" website:

http://xthost.info/ffwebnovel/
This is a really great site, featuring translations of Before Crisis episodes,
the Advent Children Prologue book, On the Way to a Smile (Case of Tifa and
Case of Denzel) and Maiden who Travels the Planet (from the Final Fantasy VII
Ultimania Omega).
-Squall_of_SeeD's "Final Fantasy VII & Advent Children Plot Analysis" FAQ:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/file/final_fantasy_vii_ac_plot.txt
This comprehensive FAQ on the original Final Fantasy VII and its sequel Advent
Children contains a lot of verified theories and explanations about the game
and the movie. It also has a few translations, but it's more of an extensive
story analysis guide than a translation FAQ.
****Acknowledgements about the game, the Ultimania Omega and this FAQ****
(010)
***Thanks in the making of this FAQ go to...***
...my wife and daughter, simply for the wonderful life you've given me. I love
you two so much.
***Publications cited in this FAQ***

-Final Fantasy VII itself
-Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
-Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
-Final Fantasy X, X-2 and X-2: International+Last Mission
-Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Reunion Files
-Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega
-Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania
-Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega
-Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission Ultimania
***Notes on the Ultimanias***

-Edited by Studio BentStuff
-Published by Square-Enix
-Publishing rights held by Square-Enix
***List of sites authorized to host this FAQ***

-Any site ran by me
-GameFAQs
-IGN
-Neoseeker
-Super Cheats
Final Fantasy VII, X, X-2 and all of their derivatives are registered
trademarks of Square-Enix. They own the rights to them, their characters and
the designs of those characters.
Square-Enix owns the rights to the information in the Ultimanias, but I own
the rights to the interpretation of those words seen in this FAQ. Feel free to
quote this guide, but I'd appreciate it if you'd say where you got your info
when you do it, and I'd appreciate it twice as much if you'd throw in a link
to the FAQ as well. Please remember that quoting this FAQ verbatim without
acknowledging it as the source is a violation of copyright, as is publically
displaying it somewhere else without my permission.
If you don't see your name/affiliated site of employment/ownership on that
list of sites authorized to host this thing, it shouldn't be on your site
without you getting permission from me to host it. My e-mail's at the top of
the page, so please ask first. As I've said in the other FAQ I've written, I
probably won't say no if you ask me to let you host it somewhere else, but I'd
like the courtesy of having the opportunity to say no anyway; if you don't
give me that opportunity and I find out about it, the answer is an automatic
no from there on out.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
================================================================================
==========================
-02 Final Fantasy VII Plot Analysis
Written by: Glenn H. Morrow/TresDias; formerly known as "Squall of SeeD"
Version: Omega International+Last Mission Epilogus
First Compiled: September 16, 2005
Last Updated: November 18, 2010
-----------Spoiler notice-----------
There will be massive spoilers for all Final Fantasy VII-related titles in
this document, including Maiden who Travels the Planet, On the Way to a
Smile (all of them), Advent Children, Advent Children Complete, Reminiscence
of FFVII, Before Crisis, Crisis Core, Dirge of Cerberus and Last Order.
The essay near the end of the FAQ, "Spirit Energy and Memories," will also
include significant spoilers for FFs IV, VI, VIII, IX, X, X-2, X-2:
International+Last Mission, Unlimited and The Spirits Within. There will also
be speculative minor spoilers for Tactics, XI and XII.
Finally, there's a few small romance-related spoilers for FFIII (Nintendo DS
remake only), FFIV, FFVI, FFVIII, FFIX, FFX, Dissidia Final Fantasy, Kingdom
Hearts: Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts II in the "Who is Cloud in love with?"
article.
--------------Contents--------------
For quick access to a section, do a ctrl+f search for the text in brackets
-1) Update changes [1.0Up]
-2) Update notes [2.0Up]
1- September 9, 2009 [2.1Up]
2- January 24, 2006 [2.2Up]
-3) Purpose [3.0Pu]
1- Notes concerning translations [3.1Pu]
-4) Frequently asked questions [4.0Fr]
1- Advent Children-specific questions [4.1Fr]
2- General FFVII questions [4.2Fr]
-5) In-depth analysis [5.0In]
1- Advent Children [5.1In]
-1- The origin of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz [5.11In]
-2- Symbolism in Advent Children
2- Final Fantasy VII in general [5.2In]
-1- JENOVA [5.21In]
1 What is JENOVA? [5.211In]
2 JENOVA's powers [5.212In]
-2- Sephiroth [5.22In]
1 Who is Sephiroth? [5.221In]
2 The roles of JENOVA and Sephiroth: The Puppet Master Theorem [5.222In]
3 Did the Sephiroth clone With a "1" tattoo take on Sephiroth's form, or
did Sephiroth have such a tattoo himself? [5.223In]
4 Are the Sephiroth forms encountered throughout the game him or pieces
of JENOVA? [5.224In]
5 Who are the Sephiroth clones? [5.225In]
6 Purpose of the Sephiroth clone experiment [5.226In]
7 What are Bizarro Sephiroth and Safer Sephiroth? [5.227In]
-3- Cloud [5.23In]
1 Who was Cloud really? [5.231In]
2 Why didn't Cloud lose his sense of identity like the other Sephiroth
copies? [5.232In]
3 Was Cloud a failed Sephiroth copy? [5.233In]
4 Identity of the voice in Cloud's head [5.234In]
5 Who is Cloud in love with? [5.235In]
6 Firion's influence on Cloud [5.236In]
7 Cloud's Fusion Swords as a metaphor for his development [5.237In]
8 Deconstructing the antihero [5.238In]
-4- Aerith [5.24In]
1 Did Aerith sacrifice herself? [5.241In]
2 Was Aerith's death necessary to summon Holy? [5.242In]
3 Why Holy failed and Aerith's role in saving the world [5.243In]
4 Was Aerith ever intended to be revived? [5.244In]
5 Did the death of Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother inspire Aerith's
death? [5.245In]
6 Contrasting Cait Sith No. 1's "death" with Aerith's [5.246In]
7 Who is the Aerith in Final Fantasy Tactics? [5.247In]
-5- Miscellaneous [5.25In]
1 Is Zack the man in the pipe in the slums of Midgar? [5.251In]
2 Is Vincent Sephiroth's father? [5.252In]
3 Why didn't the WEAPONs attack Sephiroth? [5.253In]
4 Was the game's final battle real? [5.254In]
5 Were the Cetra from another planet? [5.255In]
6 What is the Promised Land? [5.256In]
7 What Did Hojo Do to Red XIII? [5.257In]
8 What is the sphere Cloud sees during the ending? [5.258In]
9 Is FFVII connected to FFX and X-2? [5.259In]
10 Symbolism in Final Fantasy VII [5.2510In]
-6) Spirit Energy and Memories: The Magic of Final Fantasy [6.0Sp]
1- Foreword to the 10 billionth edition [6.1Sp]
2- "And the cycle went on" [6.2Sp]
-7) What is the FFVII canon? [7.0Wh]
1- Introduction [7.1Wh]
2- The canon [7.2Wh]
3- What does "canon" mean? [7.3Wh]
4- Why are some FFVII titles canon and others not? [7.4Wh]
5- Does Maiden Who Travels the Planet at least fit into continuity
even if it isn t canon? [7.5Wh]
-8) Compilation of Final Fantasy VII inconsistencies [8.0Co]
1- Introduction [8.1Co]
2- The lists [8.2Co]
-9) Acknowledgements [9.0Ac]
1- Thanks [9.1Ac]
2- Resources used in the creation of this document [9.2Ac]
3- Redistributing this document [9.3Ac]
--------------Update changes--------------[1.0Up]
November 18, 2010
-Wouldn't you know it? More changes related to the Love Triangle Debate.
A while back, Quexinos got her hands on some of the Final Fantasy Art
Museum trading cards, a collection of cards printed in 2001 featuring
characters, summons, artwork, etc. related to the major Final Fantasy
titles that had been published up to that point in time.
Most notably, she got hold of the card for Tifa (card #068). Check out the
updated section on Cloud's love life for what it had to say.
Also, I've made changes in that section regarding the role of the Kingdom
Hearts series in the LTD. Gone now is the theory that KH Tifa was a
manifestation of KH Cloud's inner light, while KH Aerith could have been an
outer light for him.
It was pointed out to me by hitoshura of TheLifestream.net that a line I
had previously thought could allude to this was only translated in such a
way for the English versions of the game. The original Japanese text left
no such interpretation possible.
I've also made changes in that section regarding the Gold Saucer date and
its canon outcome. To summarize: there isn't one. Go check out that section
to see why I'm saying this.
As well, there is a new section in the FAQ analyzing what is and is not
considered to be part of the Final Fantasy VII canon/official continuity
by Square Enix. Be sure to check out this new "What is the FFVII canon?"
section for a detailed analysis of which books, games and movies SE
wants you to care about, and which they don't even seem to.
There might also be answer in there to that lingering question in the
fandom, "Is Maiden Who Travels the Planet canon?"
Finally, I added a small article about Aerith in Final Fantasy Tactics to
Aerith's section of the FAQ, and a small "Notes concerning translations"
message to the "Purpose" section.
February 17, 2010
-Added a listing of all eight instances of lines in Ultimanias mentioning
Cloud and Tifa confirming their love for one another to the "Who is Cloud in
love with article?"
Also, added a new entry to the "Compilation of FFVII inconsistencies"
section, this one falling under DC's section of the "self-contained
plotholes" listing. It's concerned with whether the Deepground SOLDIERs were
gathering both kids and adults in Kalm, or just kids.
Finally, to the "FAQ" section of this document, I added an entry concerning
Cloud still talking to Yuffie about having been in SOLDIER even after he
recovered his memories, clarifying that this was a translation error and not a
script mistake
January 27, 2010
-In what I do anticipate being the last update this time, I've corrected some
typos regarding FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania page numbers, as well as
updated all page number references for that book to include the page numbers
from the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania Revised Edition as well
January 24, 2010
-So much for the January 13 update being the last one. I've expanded on the
"Who is Cloud in love with?" article yet again, this time with more on Tifa's
date likely being the canon date. Also, I've added yet another quote related
to Cloud and Tifa confirming their matching feelings for one another, this
time from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide.
Oh, and I also provided confirmation from the same book that Cloud and Tifa
are an official couple. Should have probably mentioned that first, huh?
Yes, the Love Triangle Debate is officially over.
Also, added an additional image depicting FFIV's relationship chart.
To the "Compilation of FFVII inconsistencies" section, I added a couple of new
points: Cissnei telling Zack's parents in CC that she was his girlfriend, and
where Zack acquired the motorcycle he used to travel back toward Midgar after
escaping Nibelheim. I also organized the inconsistencies with the original
game into categories by title.
Next, to the end of the "Spirit Energy and Memories" article, I added a
translation I just finished on the sources of magic in FF. The text from which
it comes is the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario.
I'm pleased to say it confirms a lot of my conclusiosn found in that article.
Finally, to Cloud's section of the FAQ, I added an article from DrakeClawfang
analyzing Cloud's development in Advent Children through the use of his
weapons. It's actually pretty awesome, and a great piece of literary analysis.
It's the kind of stuff film nuts like me adore. It also compliments
Ryushikaze's analysis of Firion's influence on Cloud *very* nicely
January 13, 2010
-Massive update. Added a brief follow up comment to Ryushikaze's article on
Firion's influence on Cloud, as well as several new entries to the
"Compilation of FFVII inconsistencies" section -- one about the Special Episode
of the Legendary Turk in Before Crisis, one about an inconsistency found
between FFVII's Ultimania Omega and Crisis Core's Complete Guide concerning
Gast and Ifalna, and one about the documents in the lab in Crisis Core. As well,
I added a couple of new entries to CC's self-contained plotholes area, and one
entry concerning CC and Cloud's observation of Zack's death to the area about
plotholes among the new titles in the Compilation.
To that same section of this document, I added more details concerning BC and
CC's inconsistencies in the Turks' pursuit of Zack, as well as more details
concerning the inconsistencies in the colors of the Turks' uniforms.
I also added some more details to the "Is Rufus truly reformed?" question of
the "FAQ" section.
For the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article, I've added a quote from the
Dissidia Final Fantasy Ultimania concerning Cloud's guilt, as well as a line
from FFVII's Ultimania Omega concerning Cloud and Tifa confirming mutual
feelings of desire for one another (yes, it's real). Additionaly, I added a
related comment from Yuffie's profile in the same book. I also added a number
of details concerning the relationship charts found in the FF 20th Anniversary
Ultimania File 1: Character guide.
With XComp/LH Yeung's translation of Case of Shin-Ra now finished, as well as
the addition of these newest details, barring the publication of more titles
in the Compilation of FFVII or new comments found addressing any of the matters
discussed within this document, I believe this FAQ is now complete
December 16, 2009
-Corrected an error regarding Sephiroth and Tseng at the Temple of the Ancients
-- Seph phased in through the *wall* rather than the cieling. Also, updated the
"Didn't Tseng die in Final Fantasy VII?" question in the "FAQ" section. In
addition, I corrected a reference to pg. 23 of the Crisis Core Ultimania (had
"pg. 223" there before). Next, I added some more to the "Compilation of FFVII
inconsistencies" section. This time, I included reference to the Junon Canon
supposedly being able to hit Midgar in Before Crisis, and a little bit more on
the continuity disaster that is the opening of Dirge of Cerberus. After that,
I corrected a line in the "Who is Cloud in love with article?" -- the line
that previously read "disclose their feelings for each other" now reads
"disclose their mutual feelings for each other." Finally, I added a new
article, "Firion's influence on Cloud," written by the venerable Ryushikaze of
TheLifestream.net
December 9, 2009
-Clarified the "koibito" matter in Case of the Lifestream White for the "Who
is Cloud in love with?" article. A recent discussion showed me that it would
be necessary to do so. Also, adjusted the sentence concerning Aerith's Cetra
abilities allowing her to perceive that Cloud wasn't himself in the original
game, as well as a few sentences in the following paragraphs.
December 2, 2009
-Yes, another update already! Sorry to say. I'm performing this update to
offer some clarification regarding the "dusk to dawn" quote found in the
Kaitai Shinsho. That's for the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article obviously.
As well, I'm adding a little more information regarding Ultimania relationship
flowcharts to that article. Finally, I'm also adding an appropriate quote from
Dr. Cox of "Scrubs" to one part of that article.
November 29, 2009
-Performed my own translation of the faulty "undying feeling" translation in
the "Who is Cloud in love with article?" as well as added a few more details
regarding Nomura's comments there. Also, expanded the "roles of JENOVA
and Sephiroth" article with a bit more information
November 27, 2009
-Small update in which I addressed the matter of the FFVII relationship
chart from the 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character a little further
-- this, of course, being in the "Who is Cloud in love with article?" As well,
I added a second source for "Gaia" being the name of FFVII's planet. Finally,
I made sure the sources of all scans that I didn't make myself were properly
credited
November 17, 2009
-Once again, added details to the "Who is Cloud in love with article?" I
believe this will be the final update to that section. I've now added
information from the Crisis Core Ultimania that said Cloud fell in love with
her as a kid and pointed out how this ties into a line from Cloud's
subconscious in the original game. I also added links to several scans.
Anyway, yeah, this should be the final update to that section. Rejoice!
November 13, 2009
-Added a few more details to the "Who is Cloud in love with article?" Among
these, an elboration on the third-person limited storytelling perspective and
analysis of lines from pg. 126 of the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania and pg.
281 of the Crisis Core Complete Guide. A few bits of wording were also adjusted
and hopefully improved. Finally, I've now moved the "Update changes" section
above the "Update notes" section. If it's more convenient for me that way, I
know it will be for readers
November 4, 2009
-Updated the "Compilation of FFVII inconsistencies" section with some
information regarding On the Way to a Smile: Case of Shin-Ra. Also, added a
few more details to the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article -- once again,
thanks to Ryushikaze. One about Cloud's happiness, as mentioned by Nomura in
The Distance, and another about the credits of ACC removing Aerith
October 26, 2009
-Added Xcomp's real name -- LH Yeung -- to references to him. Also added On
the Way to a Smile: Case of Shin-Ra to the list of works accepted as canon for
this article. It's not only able to work in-continuity, but it's the best of
the On the Way to a Smile stories. Major thanks to LH Yeung/Xcomp for
translating it into English for the fandom. As well, I made a few more small
additions to the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article. Yeah, I know. I'll
never get away from making these occasional adjustments unless I just stop
caring altogether. Also, added an explanation for why the script included
with the Limited Edition North American release of Advent Children is being
used in this article despite it having inconsistencies with the final product.
Finally, fixed some typos
October 18, 2009
-Made a few more small additions to the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article
thanks to some comments from Ryushikaze. May he be damned for making me come
back to this. XD His observations and comments are definitely appreciated,
though -- most notably, his observations concerning Tetsuya Nomura's "maternal
bond" quote -- or the lack thereof -- in the Reunion Files. Anyway, I
sincerely hope this will be the end of editing that article. In all honesty,
the LTD is one of my least interests when it comes to FFVII subjects, yet it
seems to be the one I'm having to give the most attention.
October 9, 2009
-I heavily revised the content of the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article
once again. The Kingdom Hearts section, in particular, ended up with a heavy
retooling due to a realization I had while debating that matter with FF
Goddess of the Cloud x Aerith forums. Still, the article as a whole got a
mighty dose of reworking, so check it out if you have an interest in such
things. I intend this to be the last revision to that article, as the subject
has grown very tired for me.
September 25, 2009
-Added significantly more content to the "Who is Cloud in love with?" article
and heavily revised certain passages. Among these changes are a full in-depth
analysis of the LTD as it relates to the Kingdom Hearts series. I've been
convinced by Anastar of the Cloud x Aerith forums that it merits such
attention despite KH's status as an alternate universe.
September 9, 2009
-Added "Update changes" section
-Added "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII inconsistencies" section
-Ctrl+f navigation codes added
-"Purpose" section revised
-Added important phrases such as "I think" and "I believe" throughout the
entire FAQ
-Standardized the quote format throughout the document
-Added sources and references throughout the document
-Various changes in wording throughout "Frequently asked questions" section
-Split "FAQ" section into two parts for easier digestion
-Reordered questions in the "FAQ" section for more digestable flow
-Changed "First Tsurugi" to "First Ken"
-Changed all uses of "Sephiroth Clone" to "Sephiroth copy" since "copy" was
the word actually used. And because I really don't want to use a word that
encouraged misunderstandings about the story, which led to the creation of
this damn FAQ in the first place
-Changed all uses of "Shin-Ra Corporation" to "Shin-Ra Company" since that's
apparently its official name. And because it sounds better. Mainly I'm
changing it because it sounds better
-Added Shadow Creepers question to "FAQ" section
-Added question about the miniature Cait Sith and Toysaurus from the Lover's
Room
-Removed the unnecessary "Who is Aerith?" question from "FAQ" section
-Removed the unnecessary "Who is Zack?" question from "FAQ" sectiobn
-Condensed the explanation about Aerith's name
-Removed redundant "Is Vincent undead?" question from "FAQ" section
-Removed redundant "How old is Vincent?" question from "FAQ" section
-Removed the "How old was Zack?" question from "FAQ" section; without LO or CC
being counted, there's no answer
-Removed unnecessary "How old is Denzel?" question from "FAQ" section
-Removed irrelevant question about Zack or Aerith's ghosts appearing in the
group photo at the end of the film; since we're all able to see that shot in
high quality now, the answer should be self-evident that they aren't there
-Removed random capitalization; not all nouns are proper nouns
-Removed ridiculus "Middle-Era" stuff from the question about JENOVA's helmet
in the "FAQ" section. I don't know why I ever thought that made any sense
-Added "What is written on the plaque on the monument in Edge?" question to
"FAQ" section
-Added "Is JENOVA male or female?" question to "FAQ" section
-Removed the pointless literal translation in the question about the voice in
Cloud's head from "FAQ" section
-Removed references to JENOVA as "he/she/it." That was a lame way of writing.
It has a female appearance and is referred to as "mother," so even though it
may not be female, it simply makes for a smoother flow of words to use female
pronouns
-Moved questions about Aerith's death from "FAQ" section to Aerith's own part
of the "In-depth" section
-Heavily condensed the "origin of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz" article in the
"In-depth" section
-Heavily condensed the "JENOVA" articles in the "In-depth" section
-Heavily condensed all articles related to Sephiroth in the "In-depth"
section
-Removed redundant and completely unncessary "How Sephiroth Was Able to
Return in Advent Children" article from the "In-depth" section
-Removed equally redundant and even more unnecessary "Origin of the Shadow
Creepers" article from the "In-depth" section
-Removed utterly pointless article about Cloud's fight with Sephiroth in AC
not being a hallucination from the "In-depth" section. It obviously wasn't.
Why the hell I ever involved myself in debating that, I have no idea
-Removed the monumentally pointless "Sephiroth formed his Masamune out of thin
air" article from the "In-depth" section. He obviously did. Kadaj's Souba was
out of the picture and the screen zoomed in on Sephiroth's hands as he formed
the blade. Again, why I involved myself in debates like that, I will never
know
-Added "Who is Cloud in love with?" article to the "In-depth" section
-Added deonstructing the antihero" article to the "In-depth" section
-Removed the "All that Remained of Sephiroth's Body After His Fall Into The
Mt. Nibel Mako Reactor Was its Torso" article from the "In-depth" section
-Removed pointless "It Had Been Five Years Since Cloud Was Last in Nibelheim
with Tifa" article from the "In-depth" section
-Heavily condensed all other articles related to Cloud in the "In-depth"
section
-Removed painfully pointless "Vincent does not have a prosthetic arm" article
from the "In-depth" section. Another case where I don't know how I let myself
get embroiled into such a ridiculus debate
-Removed "The Cetra Were Really Nomads" article from the "In-depth" section.
It was -- yeah, you guessed it -- pointless. And stupid
-Heavily altered the wording and flow throughout the "Are Spira and Gaia
connected?" article and changed its name to "Is FFVII connected to FFX and
X-2?"; also added a few new details
-Heavily altered the wording and flow of the "Spirit Energy and Memories: The
Magic of Final Fantasy" essay
-Removed pointless "Sephiroth: Gone Forever?" article from the "In-depth"
section. Obviously, if SE wants him to come back, they'll make him come back.
Just as obviously, if they don't, then they want everyone to accept that he
died permanently in AC.
To me, his death looks pretty permanent given the loss of his remnants and the
loss of all significant quantities of Jenova cells, including even the small
quantities found in Cloud and those afflicted with geostigma. It doesn't help
that the negative Lifestream appeared to be neutralized by Aerith's rain (this
is made more obvious in Advent Children Complete, with the dark clouds
actually dissolving instead of just pulling back).
Still, his death at the end of the original game looked pretty permanent too,
and he came back from that plausibly enough.
Given SE's track record of making new FFVII titles that are irreconcilable
with the original game, though, even should they bring him back in a future
title, I'll likely feel that he died forever at the end of AC. Unless, of
course, SE can make a sequel that features his return and doesn't conflict
with the original game the way LO, BC, CC and DC have.
--------------Update notes--------------[2.0Up]
September 9, 2009 [2.1Up]
So, it's been well over three years since I touched this thing.
In some ways, it doesn't seem quite so long ago. In others, it feels like it
was a whole other life. In either case, I haven't really missed doing this.
Most times I've been too busy to have worried about it, and at others, I
simply enjoyed whatever I was doing more.
I've done a lot these past few years. I've graduated from UNC Charlotte, done
some work as a journalist, begun work on my own work of fiction -- and in
general, become really happy with myself.
I had a lot of growing to do when I last updated this FAQ. I'm not done yet,
but when I look back at the me from three or four years ago, I don't recognize
him. In a good way.
I've learned a lot about what it is to be an adult, what it is to be a good
person, what qualifies as a good use of my own life, how to enjoy fiction in a
healthy manner, and other little tidbits of nothingness. But what I've
learned the most about is how little I actually know.
I used to think I was smart. I mean in an annoying way. I had a lot of
knowledge, yeah, but I didn't realize how much I was clueless about. I imagine
I was more than a little hard to get along with when I'd post on forums back
in the day, and I think I gave too many people who simply weren't as
informed about Final Fantasy -- probably because they were too busy actually
doing stuff with their life -- an unnecessarily hard time.
Anyhow, I return today approaching everything with the assumption that I have
much to learn and can never know all there is to know. Everyone in the world
has something they could teach me. I don't care if you don't know Cloud from
Johnny, you've got something I could learn from you.
I'm going to update this FAQ today for various reasons. Stuff that's been
established as incorrect in the last three years will be noted as such and
fixed. Stuff that's been confirmed by Square Enix as correct will also be
marked accordingly. And then the stuff that was my own wild speculation, if
not removed, will be clearly marked as such.
Perhaps most importantly of all, though, I'm going to get rid of almost all
references to the following Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles as being
part of continuity: Last Order, Before Crisis, Crisis Core and Dirge of
Cerberus. Also, I will be excluding some of the new On the Way to a Smile
stories released when Advent Children Complete came out. That means Case of
Yuffie and Case of Nanaki are not included here either.
One thing I've come to understand is that a work of fiction like any of the
Final Fantasy titles is a team effort. It's a collaboration between a great
many people, not just who make the game, but who experience it and interpret
it, then go on to share those interpetations with others.
There's no hypodermic needle or Matrix-upload for a story. It's not just
injected directly into your brain. A great deal of effort is expended and a
variety of storytelling techniques are used to create something that
nonetheless still requires viewers to bring something to the table in order
to make sense of it.
When we see through a character's own eyes in a movie, do we know that's their
point of view because the director runs down to the front of the theatre and
informs us that we're now looking through the character's eyes rather than the
magical, omnipresent window through which we see most details? Nope, we just
recognize that to be what's going on.
When a flashback begins, do we know that it's a flashback because someone
tells us, or can we figure it out because we've brought the ability to
recognize what sepia-toned cinematography could mean? It's our own ability to
comprehend that and our own work that allows us to make that interpretation.
It's the same with figuring out something like the ending to "The Sixth
Sense." I'm about to spoil the ending, by the way, if you're one of the twelve
people who don't already know it.
Does the film ever actually tell us that Bruce Willis' character was a ghost
the whole time rather than that he was just experiencing an acid trip in the
final scene, or are we able to piece together what's there and arrive at that
conclusion?
I grant you, it's not particularly hard to figure out come the end of the
film, but no one within the movie ever makes a statement to the effect that
he's a ghost.
Again, there is no hypodermic needle in communication. Even speaking with
someone in the same language there is miscommunication everyday. You always
must interpret what has been said.
So what's going to happen when you're playing a game that uses "cinematic
language," was designed by many people who speak a different spoken and
written language, and was then localized into your language by several more
people with their own thought processes and various ways of understanding the
world around them?
The original message may have ran into countless points of interference before
you received it, and then it still has to get through your own internal noise.
This understanding of fiction's collaborative nature is especially important
when doing something like plot analysis. I was hopelessly unqualified to be
attempting this FAQ at the time I made it. I didn't even understand this most
fundamental aspect of storytelling.
The author is important, God bless them, but without a receiver to communicate
with, a story is not going to come to life. Stories are not just reflections
of a single author, but also of all its listeners -- themselves authors who
worked with the original teller to make meaning of disparate elements strung
together in a way that has little inherent meaning.
Why is that leading me to remove LO, BC, CC and DC from this FAQ, you may be
wondering. It's because all four have numerous inconsistencies with the
original Final Fantasy VII, and even with each other. If an FAQ like this is
going to treat a fictional world with the same scrutinizing eye that it treats
the real world, then the fictional world needs to be able to stand as solidly
as the real world.
Keep in mind that I'm not disputing any of those titles' place in canon. Canon
is the official continuity, and Square Enix can have it. So also can those who
are more concerned with what the official word is than they are with what
makes for a consistent, internally cohesive narrative.
I'm not saying that such a preference is inherently bad, but just that it's
not for geeks like me who look for a fictional reality to be able to make as
much sense as our own.
Every time you watch your home movies of your 13th birthday party, or your
wedding, or that Christmas where you got the puppy, you expect it to be the
same, right?
I'm merely saying that a history in which Sephiroth jumped into the mako
beneath Mt. Nibel's reactor can't exist in the same continuity as one in
which he was thrown in by Cloud. Conflicts such as that are incompatible.
I must apologize to everyone who has ever read this FAQ for suggesting that an
author's own word on something should be the final one -- or worse, that
simply having legal ownership to an intellectual property is as good. Again,
Square Enix can have their official continuity in which there are many gaping
holes in history, or where any attempt to make a cohesive summary of what
reality is requires overlooking the many conflicting elements in what should
be easily summarized events.
Honestly, how hard is it to retell something the same way after you've told it
once before and have the original telling at hand anytime you need it for
reference?
Again, I'm not saying that the official continuity isn't up to SE. It's
theirs. It belongs to them. Irrefutably. However, the worlds each player or
viewer has experienced belongs to them just as irrefutably.
No one -- not SE nor any fan, no matter how many translations of Japanese-only
guides they've read -- can say that it's the player or viewer's fault if
they failed to perceive something as SE or its developers supposedly intended
it. If they didn't put it or evidence of it there, no one can claim with any
actual basis that it *is* there in the product the player received. It might
be there in the official reality, but it's not been represented to anyone in
this one.
No matter how many times you play Final Fantasy VII, you're never going to
find evidence that Zack broke the glass of his containment tube under the
Shinra Mansion instead of knocking out the resident scientist at feeding time.
It wasn't presented to the viewer for being interpreted into continuity, and,
thus, while it's part of the official reality, it's not necessarily going to
be part of the reality viewers have already experienced. Nor should it be
expected to.
Evidence for it not only isn't there in the original game, but it directly
contradicts what *is* there -- and that extends beyond simply relying on
Cloud's potentially faulty memories. In the game's present day, the two
containment tubes stand intact with scratches inside revealing Cloud and Zack
passed messages to one another in which they planned their escape at feeding
time.
Cloud's flashback to their escape in the original game is in line with that.
Crisis Core's presentation, however, is not.
Yeah, Crisis Core is the most recent production, and is, therefore, the
official word on canon -- but the original game was there first, and neither
it nor those who have experienced it should be expected to accomodate the new
at the expense of established history. If the new is inconsistent, that means
someone either made a mistake or deliberately chose to make it inconsistent.
We expect 2009 to have a certain number of days because 2008 had a certain
number of days. If two or three new days sneak in somewhere, that doesn't mean
2008 did anything wrong. It means someone printed a bad calendar. We're not
going to try to recalculate a solar cycle that somehow fits with 368 days,
though.
Every time we see or hear Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's "I Have A Dream"
speech, we expect him to finish it with the phrase, "Free at last! Free at
last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!". If it were to suddenly end
any other way, we'd be wondering what the hell happened to our cohesive
reality, and why it was no longer holding up.
I can't help but imagine it must be much the same way for the unfortunate
denizens of Square Enix's official Final Fantasy VII continuity.
I've made an attempt at compiling a complete list of all the errors BC, CC,
DC, LO, Case of Yuffie and Case of Nanaki have with relation to the original
game, as well as each other. For more on that, check the table of contents for
the section on Compilation of FFVII inconsistencies.
Finally, I owe an apology to those who used to follow this FAQ back when I was
updating it regularly. Sorry I never made note of what changes were being made
from one version to the next. That must have been a pain to follow. I promise
that this update will record all changes. Check out the new section on update
changes I've added just for this one final update.
As a journalist, I also feel it necessary that the changes I make be recorded
for the sake of preserving what has gone before. It would be easy to simply
correct mistakes and let them stand as though they always were correct. But
that's not the truth, and I intend this document to be true to the principles
of journalism.
Thanks for reading, and take care!
-Glenn H. Morrow
P.S. Never forget what I said in the previous update: The most important thing
in life is showing up for it. The only thing I would add to that now is that
compassion for your fellow man, even where you don't like or agree with them,
is just as important.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 24, 2006 [2.2Up]
For personal reasons, I'm going to be retiring from Final Fantasy theorizing
and speculation as well as pretty much anything related to it.
As of January 24, 2006 no future updates for this document are planned or
intended. I will not be adding analyses of Before Crisis or Dirge of Cerberus
to this document. As such, in the next few days when Dirge of Cerberus is
released in Japan, this document will no longer serve as a completely
comprehensive guide to the various plots in Final Fantasy VII's corner of the
universe. To anyone who wishes to take that task upon themselves, I wish you
the best of luck, and you may feel free to reference anything from this guide
that is necessary to the completion of your work, provided, of course, that
proper citation and reference -- including a link -- are given to this
document.
All that said, I would like to say that -- in all the time I've spent writing
these things -- I haven't enjoyed these games and their related works as I
should have. It can be fun to do, analyzing stories, but some people -- myself
being the greatest example -- can take these things grotesquely out of
proportion, and -- in so doing -- fail to just ENJOY a game, book, or movie
for the entertaining materials that they're intended to be. If you become too
wrapped up in picking something apart, you're not going to be able to
appreciate it for the work of art it is intended to be when viewed as a whole.
I say this from a -- sadly -- great deal of personal experience. This message
is addressed to everyone who reads this, but most of all, to whoever it is out
there who might be considering carrying the plot analysis torch into Before
Crisis or Dirge of Cerberus -- or any other work of entertainment for that
matter.
Remember to enjoy these works for what they are. Discussing them with friends
or even strangers on forums can be fun, sure, and that's all part of the
experience, and, yeah, sure, I even encourage you to get into a debate here
and there -- hell, maybe even a knock-down-drag-'em-out fight once or twice --
but remember to enjoy these things. Life's too short and there's just far too
much to experience and to partake of to spend all of it picking apart works of
fiction. On that note, also -- and I can't stress this enough -- remember to
enjoy LIFE ITSELF and try to experience as much of it as you can. Don't
become too bogged down in so much of this STUFF period, even if you are taking
these works of fiction for the purely entertaining value for which they're
intended. Don't take so much of it to heart. And, hey, if you have been doing
that? So what, okay? It's not the end of the world. You're still alive and
kicking. You can do something different tomorrow if that's what you want to
do. And, if you have been doing that, also don't be ashamed of it. Don't be
ashamed of any work that you have done and don't beat yourself up for things
you feel like you could have done better. Don't focus on the past. Think about
how you can make tomorrow better.
If you take anything from any of this stuff to heart, take the one ideal of
Final Fantasy that its creator sought to illustrate: Life's about experiences,
about making memories. The more you do and experience, the more you grow, and
the more the world around you grows. We're all part of a big interrelated
environment that's about that: Growth. Call it a web, or a ship, or a zoo if
you want to, but just do it. The most important thing in life is showing up
for it.
-Glenn "Squall of SeeD" Morrow
--------------Purpose--------------[3.0Pu]
When first written, the purpose of this FAQ was to provide answers and
analysis to the storyline of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the 2005
film sequel to Final Fantasy VII. It soon grew into an analysis of FFVII as
well, and later was set to become an analysis of the entire Compilation of
FFVII.
I abandoned the project on January 24, 2006, and am happy I did so. In the
time that passed between that final update and this newest one, I've learned
that I was hopelessly unqualified to be writing this FAQ.
As well, I've learned that most of the Compilation of FFVII isn't worth the
time I'd have spent writing about it.
From today forward, the FAQ will stand solely as an analysis of those parts
of the Compilation that I feel could exist within the same continuity. These
include the original game, Maiden Who Travels the Planet, On the Way to a
Smile (Case of Denzel, Case of Tifa, Case of Barret, Case of the Lifestream
White, Case of the Lifestream Black, and Case of Shin-Ra only), Advent
Children Complete and Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII.
I'll also accept anything from the script of Advent Children included with the
Limited Edition North American release of Advent Children, so long as it
doesn't contradict the final product or Advent Children Complete. While the
script is obviously dated in some respects, it should offer insight into what
was intended -- with the obvious exception of those places where it's at odds
with what was presented in the published versions of the film.
In Advent Children's case, Advent Children Complete will be recognized here
rather than the original. ACC certainly can't exist in the same continuity as
the original AC. It's also the better film and still compatible with the
original game.
I'll be including Case of Shin-Ra here from the On the Way to a Smile series,
despite its references to some of the Turks from Before Crisis. As the story
doesn't drag BC's contradictions into Case of Shin-Ra -- and doesn't really
refer to specifics from that story -- the novella's own story isn't impaired
in working in-continuity with the original game's. It just means we've got
some former colleagues of the present-day Turks who left at some
unidentified point in the past.
I also feel that Dissidia Final Fantasy stands in continuity with FFVII, as
well as the rest of the FF series, though I won't be talking much about it
here. If I had to pick a time it could have taken place in FFVII's continuity,
I would conclude that it happened between the original game and the later
events of On the Way to a Smile: Case of Tifa.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Notes concerning translations [3.1Pu]
Any translations not otherwise attributed to someone else were performed by
me.
Any text appearing inside brackets ("[ ]") within a translation is not part
of the original text and was added by me either for clarity or the
propagation of geeky knowledge.
--------------Frequently asked questions--------------[4.0Fr]

The first part of this section is a list of frequently asked questions
concerning Advent Children specifically. The second is about FFVII in
general.
This section is separate from the larger "In-depth analysis" section of the
article because the explanations involved are short and most have definite
answers. Those story elements that require extended explanation will be
addressed in the "In-depth" section.
For many of the answers in both sections, I've either got an official source
to back me up, or an official source that says I'm wrong. I'll make note of
them in both cases.
If no official source is mentioned, assume the answer is my own explanation
only.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advent Children-specific questions [4.1Fr]
*Q: What is geostigma?
*A: "Geostigma" is the name given to the side effects of an internal struggle
between JENOVA's cells and one's own spirit energy, gifted to them at
conception by the Lifestream. These side effects result from the spirit energy
causing one's immune system to overtax the body as it tries to expel JENOVA's
cells from within.
The effects of geostigma include extreme fatigue, dark sores on the surface of
the skin, and the excretion of dark pus. It is actually these negative side
effects, rather than the presence of JENOVA cells, which lead to death.
*Source: FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 32; pg. 34 in the Revised
Edition)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: How did people the world over become infected with JENOVA's cells?
*A: When the Lifestream spread over the world at the end of Final Fantasy VII,
it unintentionally carried JENOVA's remains to the population. JENOVA's body,
as well as Sephiroth's, had been blown apart inside the planet and their
pieces fell into the Lifestream.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Is the city Cloud and Tifa live in Midgar?
*A: No. The city is called Edge, named as such because it was built adjacent
to Midgar from random scrap and ruins of the original city.
*Source: AC Reunion Files book (pg. 71)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Who is Denzel?
*A: Denzel is one of the orphans afflicted with geostigma taken care of by
Cloud and Tifa. Prior to the events of the original game, he lived with his
mother and father on the upper plate of Sector 7 in Midgar.
His father was a Shin-Ra employee and knew of the plan to crush Sector 7 in a
bid to wipe out AVALANCHE. Though he got Denzel out of the area in time, he
went back for Denzel's mother and both were in the affected area when Sector
7's support pillar fell.
For more on Denzel, read the novella called On the Way to a Smile: Case of
Denzel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What are those creatures called that Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz are able to
summon without materia? Why were they able to summon them without materia?
*A: They're called Shadow Creepers.
*Source: Advent Children: Prologue book (pg. 44); AC Reunion Files book (pg.
76)
For why they can be summoned without materia, see the "What were those dark
clouds Sephiroth called forth?" question below.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: The box that held JENOVA's "head" in AC was a bit small for holding an
entire head. Was that what was actually in it?
*A: According to Takeshi Nozue, co-director of the film, the contents of the
box were referred to as the head, but what the box actually contains is just
random remains of JENOVA.
Of course, this might mean that some material from her head was within the
box, but Nozue doesn't indicate it to necessarily be the case. They simply
refer to the box's contents as "the head" for simplicity's sake.
*Source: Advent Children prologue book (pg. 62)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Why does Kadaj scream out in anguish when he looks into the box holding
JENOVA's remains?
*A: According to the script of the film packaged with the Advent Pieces
edition in Japan, as well as the script included with the Limited Edition
release in North America, Cloud damaged the box further than Rufus' earlier
shot already had.
The contents of the box were damaged as a result of the attacks on it, and
Kadaj probably assumed that what should have been a healthy looking part of
JENOVA had been mangled, and that she had, thus, been hurt. So he was
grieving, basically.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What was that rain that Aerith brought which cleansed people of JENOVA's
cells and disintegrated Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz?
*A: It was most likely a representation of Aerith's Great Gospel Limit Break,
which would completely heal party members in Final Fantasy VII.
As far as what it was in plainer terms, it looked like Lifestream mixed with
water. When looking at the hole that Kadaj blasted into the floor of Aerith's
old church, one can clearly see the Lifestream mixing with water:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LifestreamWater.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LifestreamWater2.jpg
It's unclear why Aerith didn't use it sooner, but it's possible the situation
was similar to that of Holy in the original game. Maybe Sephiroth was trying
to hold her back with his will, preventing her from taking more than an
occasional action.
Whatever the case, once he was out of the picture, Aerith unleashed the city-
wide Great Gospel seen at the end of the film.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What were those dark clouds Sephiroth called forth before his battle with
Cloud began? Some of them took the form of tendrils like the Lifestream.
*A: It was a Lifestream composed of the spirit energy of those who had died
of geostigma. Their spirit energy became contaminated by the influence of
JENOVA's cells and was, thus, under Sephiroth's control.
*Source: Staff commentary from Japanese limited edition of AC
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php); FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 32; pg. 34 in the Revised Edition)
The silver-haired men, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, also had limited control over
this "negative Lifestream," as seen when they summoned the Shadow Creeper
monsters who were composed of it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What is the black substance that permeates the water at the City of the
Ancients when Kadaj steps into it? Why do the silver-haired men have the
children drink the water?
*A: It was Kadaj's will. He had them drink the water to activate the JENOVA
cells within them -- specifically, the instinct for Reunion.
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php)
The idea was that the children would then be drawn to the location of
JENOVA's remains, allowing the silver-haired men to locate their
"mother." They couldn't track her themselves because they didn't have any
JENOVA cells in their bodies.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Why didn't Rufus die in Final Fantasy VII when Diamond WEAPON blasted
his office? He started to explain, but Cloud interrupted him.
*A: He got lucky, I guess. It wasn't the first time a Final Fantasy
character survived a large explosion at close range. Final Fantasy IV has
more than one case of it.
There was a time I'd speculated that Rufus may have been given a mako bath,
since his blue eyes have the same green coloring around their pupils that
Cloud's have. It would have maybe explained why he was able to survive
Diamond's attack and would have also provided a reason that he was able to
fight with Cloud and live to tell it.
I gave up on that idea, though, because both Cid and Denzel, who also have
blue eyes, demonstrate the same green coloring. Cid's could be explained by
his trip to the center of the planet with Cloud and the rest of the team, but
Denzel's isn't as easy to explain.
I eventually decided that the green must simply be a genetic thing passed down
from the green-eyed Al Bhed of Final Fantasy X/X-2.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Why was Rufus in that wheelchair and wearing that white sheet?
*A: Basically, he was putting on an act. He enjoyed the attention for one
thing, and the sheet also served to keep JENOVA's remains concealed.
*Source: Advent Children Prologue book (pg. 60)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Is Rufus truly reformed? He didn't even tell Cloud that he had the remains
of JENOVA or that he was planning to rebuild the Shin-Ra Corporation. That
seems to suggest that he had a hidden agenda. As well, in Case of Shin-Ra, he
reveals that he wanted to build the monument at the center of Edge as a way of
marking Shin-Ra's claim to the city, with its ostensible purpose being to honor
the Meteor tragedy.
*A: During AC, I think his agenda was simply hiding the box containing the
remains of JENOVA. He didn't want to take any risk that it might fall into the
hands of Kadaj and his brothers, and apparently didn't even tell the Turks
where it was, despite their loyalty to him.
It's not surprising that he didn't tell Cloud since he didn't know if he
would be able to count on him. Cloud was being uncooperative at the time about
joining them.
As for whether he's reformed, I feel that it becomes obvious toward the end of
the film that he truly was. He makes quite the redemptive speech to Kadaj.
He says that he will submit to the authority of the planet and the order of
life (now even referring to the planet as "hoshi" instead of "sekai," just as
those in Cosmo Canyon do), adding that he and the others will be victorious
over any enemies of the planet in doing so. He had no one to put on a show for
at that point if he were pretending to be sincere about taking care of the
planet earlier, so I think his words during that speech should be taken as
genuine.
As well, his words and actions in Case of Shin-Ra -- saving Dr. Kilmister's
other captives and establishing Healin as a place to begin a mission to "heal
the world" -- indicate a sincere wish to atone for his past and to care about
others. Case of Shin-Ra is, in my opinion, Rufus Shinra's journey to becoming
the "people's president," so to speak.
Also, if you're counting Dirge of Cerberus in continuity, you've got the fact
that Rufus is the one funding Reeve's World Regenesis Organization, confirmed
in an interview in the Dirge of Cerberus Official Complete Guide:
http://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-vii/dirge-of-cerberus/1494/dirge-of-
cerberus-interview-with-the-creators/
As for him not telling Cloud about rebuilding Shin-Ra, there wasn't really a
moment in the conversation that it should have naturally come up. Rebuilding
the organization isn't necessarily bad in and of itself either. Even if he's
reformed, Rufus still comes off to me as the kind of person who would want to
be in a powerful position.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Didn't Tseng die in Final Fantasy VII? Elena said to Cloud "...you really
got guts doin' my boss in like that!".
*A: While the PlayStation version of Final Fantasy VII released in North
America certainly made it seem that Tseng had died due to Elena's statement,
this was actually something of a mistranslation. It was corrected with the PC
release, in which Elena says "...you really got guts messin' my boss up like
that!"
Also, if one speaks to the wounded Tseng in the Temple of the Ancients after
he has given Cloud and company the Keystone, he will say "I'm... still
alive...." Still, Tseng's absence throughout the rest of the game suggested to
many, myself included, that he had probably died, even with Elena's corrected
line.
That said, the developers of the original game left themselves plausible room
to bring him back.
Oddly, Elena apparently concluded that Tseng had been killed/injured by
AVALANCHE without actually seeing him. On the Way to a Smile: Case of Shin-Ra
reveals that Tseng was rescued by Reeve -- via the second Cait Sith -- without
the other Turks' knowledge: they believed he was dead until he showed up alive
during Diamond WEAPON's attack on Midgar.
Tseng being discovered before the Temple of the Ancients became the
Black Materia would have actually gone lengths toward explaining how the other
Turks seemed to have known about him being killed/injured in the first place,
even if they were unsure of who did it. I guess not reporting in for a few
days would have probably seemed like a strong indication to his colleagues that
he was dead.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Why does Vincent ask Tifa where he can get a phone when he shows up to
fight Bahamut?
*A: After he rescued Cloud in the Sleeping Forest, Cloud told him that he'd be
calling him to let him know how his attempt to find forgiveness for his "sins"
went.
*Source: AC Reunion Files (pg. 49)
In addition, according to his FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania profile (pg.
70; pg. 72 in the Revised Edition), Vincent was embarrassed by Marlene's
horrified surprise that Vincent didn't have a phone.
As can be heard in Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII, Vincent does, indeed,
get himself a phone after the events of Advent Children.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What is written on the plaque on the monument in Edge?
*A: METEO IMPACT
v-Era 0008 0121
Keep on Rockin' in
MIDGAR
In the original release of Advent Children, the second "1" in the date was
obscured. In Advent Children Complete, the full date is visible. The "v," by
the way, is the lowercase form of Nu, the thirteenth letter of the Greek
alphabet.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What was the name of the Bahamut that Kadaj summoned?
*A: Bahamut Sin (official romanization; technically, "Shin" is also accurate),
meaning "Bahamut Tremor."
This name and those of the alternate forms of Bahamut seen in the original
game came from old Japanese fighter planes. For instance, Bahamut Zero is
Bahamut Reishiki in Japanese ("Bahamut Zero Style"), and Neo Bahamut is
Bahamut Kai ("Bahamut Remodeled").
*Source: Staff commentary from Japanese limited edition of Advent Children
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php);
Advent Children: Prologue book (pg. 45); AC Reunion Files book (pg. 76)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What did the pink ribbons worn by Marlene and the members of AVALANCHE
represent? Also, where did each person wear their ribbon?
*A: They wore the ribbons to represent remembrance of Aerith.
*Source: AC Reunion Files book (pg. 86); FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania
guide (pg. 50; pg. 52 in the Revised Edition)
-Where the Characters Wore their Ribbons-
Cloud: left bicep
Tifa: left bicep
Yuffie: left bicep; also had one on her Shuriken
Cid: left bicep
Barret: left wrist
Red XIII/Nanaki: just above the bangle on his left foreleg
Vincent: right forearm
Cait Sith: middle of his left arm
Marlene: in her hair
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What does the wolf that appears at Zack's place of death, Aerith's church,
and the City of the Ancients symbolize?
*A: It's a symbol of the guilt and regret Cloud experienced as a result of
being unable to do anything to save Aerith and Zack, so it appears in
locations related to them.
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php); AC Reunion
Files book (pg. 86)
The symbolism of the wolf also brings to mind the expression "lone wolf," as
Cloud has chosen to live away from others while he awaited death from
geostigma. Continuing this line of symbolism, Cloud wears the design of a
wolf's head on his outfit, and his motorcycle is named Fenrir, the name bore
by Loki's wolf-child in Norse Mythology.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What are the names of Cloud's new swords?
*A: Takeyuki Takeya, the swords' designer, has commented that he didn't give
them or their united form proper names. The developers just called them the
Fusion Swords (Gattai Ken) during development.
*Source: AC Reunion Files book (pp. 77-78)
While it doesn't seem that any of the swords have been otherwise given
official names, the base sword the others attach to has been called the First
Sword (Saisho no Ken in Japanese) by Nomura.
This FAQ originally gave the sword's name as First Tsurugi, which has
apparently been a common misunderstanding since the kanji for "sword" can be
read and pronounced both "ken" and "tsurugi." The pronunciation Nomura
actually used was "ken."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What were the names of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz's weapons? What kind of
weapons were they?
*A: -Kadaj's weapon-
The Souba (a double-bladed katana)
-Yazoo's weapon-
A Velvet Nightmare (a double-barreled gun that vaguely resembles a
sword)
-Loz's weapons-
A Velvet Nightmare
The Dual Hound (a pile bunker designed to function as a stun gun)
*Source: Official North American Advent Children website; Advent Children:
Prologue book (pg. 72); AC Reunion Files book (pg. 79)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Do the Velvet Nightmare weapons function as swords as well or only as
guns?
*A: They function only as guns. While Yazoo does use his Velvet Nightmare to
block Cloud's sword during a fight, the weapons lack an actual blade. Both the
official North American and Japanese Advent Children websites state that the
Velvet Nightmares lack any sword function:
(Yazoo's profile on the official North American Advent Children website)
"A youth who is unbound by worldly matters and thus a bit of an enigma. Yazoo
carries the 'Velvet Nightmare,' a firearm designed after two parallel swords,
but with gun functionality only."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Could the title of "Gunblade" be given to the Velvet Nightmares as it was
to Squall and Seifer's weapons in Final Fantasy VIII?
*A: You could call them another kind of sword-gun hybrid, but "Gunblade" has
always referred specifically to the kind of weapon seen in Final Fantasy VIII.
Ironically, while the Velvet Nightmares only function as guns, the Gunblades
of VIII only function as swords. The Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania guide states
that the gun mechanism on those weapons is used to rupture shells in the
firing chamber, producing a vibration along the length of the weapons' blades.
Here follows a translation of the Gunblade section (pg. 43) of the Final
Fantasy VIII Ultimania guide, translated by DarkAngel:
"GUNBLADE
Combining the sword with a standard shotgun's mechanisms, the Gunblade is a
unique weapon. If you pull the trigger while the bullet is 'set,' a strong
wave of power will travel down to the edge of the blade, raising the attack
power of the Gunblade. By pulling the trigger at the right time, one can
release a powerful attack; however, achieving competency in usage of the
Gunblade is very difficult and therefore requires a high degree of aptitude."
The first Final Fantasy character to carry sword-gun hybrids that were fully
functional as boths swords and guns was Weiss in Dirge of Cerberus. Genesis
copies in Crisis Core did as well, though their projectile function was as
rocket launchers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Is Cid's new airship named after Shera from FFVII?
*A: Yes. Though the name of the ship has been variously romanized as "Shera"
and "Sierra," even by Square Enix, it's the same name. Given the katakana
used in its name, it should technically be "Shiera," but any of the three
romanizations are fine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What is the name of the Limit Break that Cloud used to finish off
Sephiroth?
*A: It was called Choukyuu Bushin Hakuzan Version 5 in Japanese, and Choukyuu
Bushin Hakuzan ("Super Ultimate War God Champion Slash") was the name of the
move localized as "Omnislash" in the original English release of FFVII.
Therefore, one can call this new move Omnislash Version 5.
It's called version 5 because the attack seen in the film was the fifth
version of the attack developed for use in that scene.
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php); Crisis
Core Complete Guide (pg. 289); Dissidia Final Fantasy
If looking at Advent Children Complete, the attack Cloud used is -- as you
might expect -- Omnislash Version 6.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What Limit Break is it that Cloud uses during his fight with Sephiroth
that leaves three diverging slashes on the roof of a building?
*A: It was Blade Beam. As was the case in the original game, Cloud can focus
several small beams in different directions instead of channeling a single
large beam if he so wishes. This can be seen in the original game by using
Blade Beam in a fight against multiple enemies. After the target of the main
beam has been struck, the main beam will divide and target the remaining
enemies.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What are all of the Limit Breaks used or referenced in the film?
*A:
-Cloud-
1) Blade Beam (against Loz's earth-moving attack in the Sleeping Forest, and
against Sephiroth)
2) Braver (against Bahamut Sin; this was the attack Cloud used when he
knocked the dragon down the first time)
3) Climhazzard (against Bahamut Sin; it was this attack which Cloud used to
defeat the summon)
4) Finishing Touch (against Kadaj; used when knocking him off the building
they were fighting on, leading to Kadaj losing his Souba)
5) Omnislash Version 5 (against Sephiroth; this was the attack he used to
defeat him)
-Barret-
Big Shot (against Bahamut Sin)
-Tifa-
1) Beat Rush (against Loz)
2) Somersault (against Loz)
3) Meteodrive (against Loz)
4) Meteor Strike (against Loz)
-Aerith-
Fury Brand (when grabbing Cloud's hand while he fought Bahamut Sin)
Great Gospel (against JENOVA's cells, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz)
-Red XIII-
Sled Fang (against Bahamut Sin)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Why wasn't Cait Sith's moogle Toysaurus in the original version of AC? It
doesn't show up in the present or in the flashback to Final Fantasy VII's last
battle.
*A: The Toysaurus was left out due to the amount of extra time and work that
would have been required to render it into the film.
Until it was included in Advent Children Complete, as a story explanation, I
just assumed it got destroyed prior to the final battle. There were plenty of
opportunities for it to happen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Can Cloud fly?
*A: Not anytime he wants to like Vincent apparently can, but he does fly
briefly when performing Omnislash Version 5/6 on Sephiroth at the end of the
film.
Presumably, anyone could do it via a surge in their spirit energy -- what we
otherwise know as a Limit Break -- and we do witness Aerith's staff
levitating during battles in the original game while she performed Limit
Breaks or was casting spells.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: How did Cloud and the rest of the team become as agile as they were
presented in Advent Children? They seem far more powerful physically than they
were in the original game. Even Cloud and Vincent were unable to lift the
debris from the oxygen tank that exploded on the space shuttle.
*A: The real answer is that when the developers made Advent Children, they
weren't terribly concerned with how realistic things looked so long as they
looked cool.
Tetsuya Nomura and Takeshi Nozue have acknowledged the lack of realism, both
in terms of how the characters move and how the motorcycles in the film move.
They felt that placing the constraints of real-world physics on CG characters
would be a wasted opportunity.
(http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/ffacinfo/commentary.php); The
Distance: The Making of Advent Children; Advent Children: Prologue book (pg.
58)
If you need an explanation with basis in the metaphysics of the fictional
world, however -- which I know I did if I was going to accept AC as being in
the same continuity as the original game -- it's easy to conclude that falling
to the center of the planet imbued them all with superhuman strength the same
way a mako bath would have.
In Cloud's case, that made his third trip into the Lifestream -- all of which
came after he'd already been given a mako bath by Hojo -- and for Tifa, it was
her second. The strong resolve everyone had during the final battle -- which
Tifa actually speaks of in AC -- would probably have prevented them from being
overcome with mako poisoning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
General FFVII questions [4.2Fr]
*Q: What is the name of the planet of FFVII?
*A: Its name is Gaia. This became evident after the 2004 Electronics
Entertainment Expo (E3), when the Square Enix booth gave away pamphlets
concerning Advent Children that refer to the world by that name. Here
is a scan of one of those pamphlets:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/AdventChildrenE3Handout.
jpg
This name also shows up as the planet's name on the official North American
website for Dirge of Cerberus in the "Hangman" game under the "Final Fantasy
VII Tribute" tab:
http://na.square-enix.com/dcff7/
"Gaia" is the correct answer to the question, "What is the world in which the
story of FINAL FANTASY VII takes place?"
With all this in mind, recall that in Final Fantasy VII, the frozen area that
must be scaled to reach the Northern Crater is called Gaea's Cliffs. "Gaea" and
"Gaia" are simply alternate romanizations of the same name, so the precedent
for this name had been in place since the original game's release.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Did JENOVA come to the planet on Meteor, on a regular meteorite, or did it
simply smack into the planet with its own body?
*A: According to Chapter 5 of Maiden Who Travels the Planet, featured in the
Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 587), as well as the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania guide (pg. 31; pg. 33 in the Revised Edition), JENOVA
came to the planet on a normal meteor. It was this meteorite's impact which
produced the planet's great scar that is known as "the Northern Crater."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Is JENOVA male or female?
*A: While it typically appears as a female during the main events of the game,
in light of its ability to change its shape and in light of it -- or parts of
it to be more specific -- taking the form of Sephiroth during the course of
the game, it cannot be reasonably classified as male or female with any strong
measure of certainty. It may very well be without a biological sex.
In the years immediately following the release of the game, it was often
believed that JENOVA was considered a male by the Cetra based on a bad
translation of lines from Ifalna in the original U.S. release of the game:
Gast
"Who is the person that appeared at the North Cave? I haven't any idea."
Ifalna
"That's when the one who injured the Planet... or the 'crisis from the sky',
as we call it, came."
"He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally...... gave them
the virus."
"The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad... transforming into
monsters."
"Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole."
"He approached other Cetra clans...... infecting them with... the virus..."
While this PlayStation Version of the game's script had JENOVA referred to
as a male at this point, in the later PC Version of the script -- in which
many errors were corrected -- "it" was used in place of "he."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Are the WEAPONs alive or are they robots?
*A: Once upon a time, I'd believed the WEAPONs were giant robots created
by the planet. I think I believed this in part because of Ultimate WEAPON's
appearance, and partly because I thought the hole shot through Diamond
WEAPON exposed sizzling circuitry rather than fried sinew.
I had a pretty stupid understanding of the WEAPONs, obviouisly.
While Ultimate WEAPON at the least is most certainly made of metal and
bears a distinctly cybernetic-looking core in its chest, the WEAPONs are
openly referred to as monsters in-game. In a game with as much
metaphysical stuff as FFVII has already at work, simply because one or more
of the WEAPONs might be made from materials that one typically doesn't
associate with living creatures doesn't mean those creatures are
necessarily not alive.
Especially if those creatures were created by the Lifestream, the source of
life and the true form of the planet, housed within the large chunk of
physical materials we typically think of as the planet.
The FFVII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 215) and the FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania guide (pg. 31; pg. 33 in the Revised Edition) also refer to the
WEAPONs as living creatures. The planet simply used the natural resources that
composed the physical material surrounding the Lifestream as raw materials in
making its automated defense system of monsters that came to be known as the
WEAPONs, and then imbued spirit energy into these physical materials.
So it's pretty clear that it was a stupid theory I had back in the day. Though
I abandoned it long before I wrote this FAQ, I think it bears explaining why I
would have ever even had such a question in here to begin with.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Did the blue WEAPON that attacked Junon have a name?
*A: Yes. The official name of that WEAPON is Sapphire WEAPON. This is
known for several reasons, though I originally confirmed it via the official
toyline featuring a small toy of the WEAPON that included a character card
clearly entitled "Sapphire WEAPON":
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Final%20Fantasy%
20VII/SapphireWEAPONToy.jpg
This confirmation has since been beaten into the ground, though. Various
official materials released over the years have referred to the WEAPON as
Sapphire, including the Final Fantasy VII Kaitai Shinsho The Complete guide
released by Famitsu/Aspect (pg. 194 in the Revised Edition), the FFVII
Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 215), and the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania
(pg. 31; pg. 33 in the Revised Edition).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: How old was Sephiroth?
*A: While no official materials have offered an exact age for Sephiroth, it
can be roughly determined from information in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania
Omega guide. It's stated that Lucrecia gave birth to Sephiroth 25 to 30 years
before the original game began (pp. 9, 54).
Therefore, Sephiroth was 20 to 25 years old during the Nibelheim incident.
Since his body dissolved in the Lifestream and had to be reconstructed after
Cloud threw him in there, Sephiroth's age should probably be considered to
stop around 25, the same as Vincent's is accepted to have stopped at 27.
*Source: AC Reunion Files book (pg. 60)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Does Sephiroth's Masamune not draw blood, as is said to be true of the
legendary Masamune in the real world? Would this explain why Aerith didn't
bleed when Sephiroth skewered her in Final Fantasy VII?
*A: It definitely draws blood. There's blood on the blade after Cloud pulls it
out of his shoulder in the original version of Advent Children, and there's
definitely plenty of blood spewing out of Cloud when he gets sliced up by
Sephiroth in Advent Children Complete.
There probably wasn't blood coming out of Aerith in the original game to
avoid difficulties rendering it realistically and to avoid a more mature
rating for the game. May have also simply been an artistic choice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Is Vincent immortal?
*A: Essentially. After being mortally wounded by Hojo approximately 23 years
before the original game began and then being brought back to life through
experimentation, Vincent has eternal youth. He's now immortal, continuing to
retain the youth he had at 27 years old decades later.
*Source: FFVII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 46); FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania guide (pg. 68; pg. 70 in the Revised Edition)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Can Vincent fly in his regular form?
*A: Apparently he can fly at least short distances, as seen from him floating
slowly down to the ground just before he joins AVALANCHE in the original game,
and again when he jumps off the Highwind over Midgar and floats to the ground
without wearing a parachute.
In AC, he also demonstrates the ability to float upward and even change
direction in mid-air on two occasions, first during the battle in the Sleeping
Forest, when he rescues Cloud, and again in the battle with Bahamut Sin, when
he emerges from flames below Barret.
The FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania guide (pg. 70; pg. 72 in the Revised
Edition) also acknowledges that these scenes from AC seem to demonstrate
Vincent has this ability.
Considering how reserved and focused all of his movements look, though, it may
be that he doesn't use flight for extended periods of time to so as to prevent
triggering his transformations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What is written on the plaque on the helmet JENOVA wears in the Nibelheim
flashback?
*A: It varies from one version of that scene to another. Thus far, there have
been three different versions of the writing on the plaque. In the FMV from
the original game, it said the following:
"JENOVA
MADE IN HONG KONG
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1996
SQUER COMPANY LIMITED"
In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, it said this:
"JENOVA
|µ|-Era 19591010 Hakken
|µ|-Era 19670702 Fuuin"
or
"JENOVA
Discovered Mu-Era October 10, 1959
Sealed Mu-Era July 2, 1967"
The alphabet character between the two vertical bars is the lowercase form of
Mu, the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet. When I first wrote this FAQ, and
even when I last left it, I had believed that this use of the letter was
intended to identify the era in question as the "Middle-Era."
I think I'd reached that conclusion because I'd read that this character was
historically used to denote "middle" -- as it is the twelfth of the twenty-four
characters in the Greek alphabet -- the same way alpha and omega were
used to denote "beginning" and "end."
Not really sure why I thought that made so much sense, though. The Greek
letter on the monument in Edge is the lowercase form of the thirteenth letter
in the alphabet, Nu (v), which -- as far as I know -- wasn't used for any such
purpose.
Even though we're not counting Last Order in continuity, by the way, the
plaque bore this inscription there:
"JENOVA
STRICT SECRECY
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY SECTION
SHIN-RA COMPANY LIMITED"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What is it that Reno often adds to the end of his sentences? What does
it mean?
*A: He's adding "to" to the ends of his sentences. It's basically used for the
same purpose that "yo" has colloquially in English: to add emphasis to his
informal manner of speaking. Example: "What's up, yo?"
That said, he phrases it differently at times, giving it a different context.
For example, he places "yo" before it on two occasions, both times early in
the movie when speaking to Tseng. This indicates that Reno has respect for
Tseng.
While one should still never use something like this when speaking to a
superior, as it's considered rude, the fact that Reno uses the more polite
"yo" instead of its harsher form "zo" -- which he usually uses -- makes it a
sign of respect.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Just what *did* that "Watch out! This isn't just a reactor!" line early in
the original game mean?
*A: The context of the situation was "Open your eyes!" or "Take notice!".
Either would have worked better in English than "Watch out!", as this was the
first of many attempts by Cloud's subconscious to get him to remember the
truth about his past.
For more on that, refer to the "Identity of the voice in Cloud's head" article
in the "In-depth analysis" section of this FAQ.
The next time Cloud is in that same area of a mako reactor, he has a flashback
to Tifa cradling her father's dead body in Nibelheim's Mako Reactor. So,
basically, the voice is telling Cloud that as far as the reactor's personal
significance to him goes, it is more than just a place that supplies
electricity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What's up with Cloud still talking about having been in SOLDIER if you
have him talk with Yuffie after the Lifestream Sequence underneath Mideel?
This conversation is available *literally* right after Cloud's mind gets back
in order and you he tells the team that he was never in SOLDIER. Did Tifa
just waste her time in the Lifestream?
*A: You're, of course, referring to this conversation:
Yuffie
Huh?
How would you even know? You don't know how tough it is... getting sick on
boats and rides......
So, please...... just leave me alone.
Cloud
......I really do understand, Yuffie. When I get sick on a flight, it's a real
killer.
When I was in SOLDIER, I completely forgot about my motion sickness.
Yuffie
Oh......
Isn't there any way to prevent this?
Cloud
Well, according to my research......
First off, if you're nervous a lot, you won't get sick.
But you can't always be nervous.
With this much space, your best bet is to move around while you're riding.
It also might be a good idea to stretch sometimes, too.
But in SOLDIER, we spent a lot of time in trucks.
That sucked!......
And there's one thing you mustn't do when riding.
And that is......
Read!
Once you get sick, there's nothing anyone can do.
I know it's tough......
Yuffie
......so you're a little better off than me.
But I don't feel...... well.
Where's the next stop? Can't you get there any quicker?
Cloud, put me in your party, so I can get off this ship.
Turns out that this one is explained by simple translation errors. In the
line, "But in SOLDIER, we spent a lot of time in trucks," Cloud is just
referring to when he was a regular Shin-Ra grunt. The word for "soldier" he
uses there is the kanji "heishi" rather than the English word "soldier"
written out in katakana. The latter is what's used to refer Shin-Ra's elite
force.
So, Cloud was simply saying, "When I was a soldier, I had to ride in trucks a
lot."
As for the other line concerning Cloud's days -- or lack thereof -- in
SOLDIER, "When I was in SOLDIER, I completely forgot about my motion sickness,"
what he actually said here was "When I thought I was in SOLDIER, I completely
forgot about it, though":
"Jibun ga SOLDIER da to omotte ita ha sukkari wasurete ita kedo na."
Thanks to hitoshura of TheLifestream.net for assisting me in translationg the
line above.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: What's with the miniature Cait Sith and Toysaurus in the Lover's Room of
the Honeybee Inn?
*A: Why it was in there exactly, I'm not sure, but the couple in the room
was Reeve's parents according to the FFVII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 81) and
the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 88; pg. 90 in the Revised Edition).
So it has something to do with that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: Aerith or Aeris?: Which Should it be? What's the origin of this name?
*A: "Aerith" -- and, consequently, "Aeris" -- is a Japanese transliteration of
the English word "Earth."
*Source: Final Fantasy VII Kaitai Shinsho The Complete Revised Edition (pg.
14)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Aerith.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Aerith2.jpg
A romanization of that transliteration would be written as "Earisu." The
official romanization chosen by the character's creators, however, was, at
first, "Earith" and later "Aerith."
*Source: Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 534)
As for why they chose this spelling, my guess is that it was just a matter of
aesthetic preference. It would be pronounced the same either way to a Japanese
speaker.
"Aeris," of course, comes from the original English translation of FFVII, and
was likely chosen because it better conveyed to native English speakers how
the name is pronounced.
That being said, feel free to use any of the following: Aeris, Aerisu, Aerith,
Earis, Earisu, Earith or Earth. If you want people to know who you're talking
about, though, you'd probably be safer using Aeris, Aerith or maybe Earisu.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Q: "Lockhart" or "Lockheart"? Which is actually Tifa's last name?
*A: "Lockhart" -- without the "e" -- is Tifa's last name. Though it has been
published as "Lockheart" in official materials over the years, it was always
English materials that did so, such as the instruction manual of the North
American release (pg. 8) and the BradyGames strategy guide (pg. 12).
In Japanese publications, including the FFVII Kaitai Shinsho The Complete
(pg. 12 in the Revised Edition), the FFVII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 23),
the AC Reunion Files book (pg. 19), and the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania
guide (pg. 42; pg. 44 in the Revised Edition), it is spelled as "Lockhart.".
Even English materials have taken to this spelling of late, such as the
credits for the English releases of Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus,
their English websites, and the instruction manual for the North American
release of Dirge of Cerberus (pg. 18).
Just as with Squall Leonhart of Final Fantasy VIII, there is no "e" in the
"hart" part of Tifa's name.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------In-depth analysis--------------[5.0In]
Advent Children [5.1In]
-1-The origin of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz [5.11In]
When it first came out, the most hotly-debated aspect of AC was the origin and
nature of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, commonly referred to by fans as the
silver-haired men, or SHM for short.
They were usually misinterpreted to have been part of Hojo's Sephiroth clone
project, or even individuals that were genetically altered with JENOVA's cells
prior to birth the same as Sephiroth was. Though I accurately identified what
they are in all past versions of this FAQ, I did so in a painfully
long-winded manner. I apologize for that. It's going to be fixed as of now.
As identified in the AC Reunion Files book (pp. 54, 56, 69), the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pp. 98-99; pg. 100-101 in the Revised Edition), and On
the Way to a Smile: Case of the Lifestream Black, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz were
physical manifestations of Sephiroth's spirit.
The term used in the official English localization of the film for the three
was "remnants of Sephiroth." While accurate, it lacked a complete context for
English speakers. The Japanese term localized into "remnants" is "shinentai,"
which literally means "thought body."
If that sounds similar to "the spirit bodies of the Ancients" seen in FFVII,
it should. It's the same idea, although the Japanese term in that case was
"seishintai."
So, long story short, the silver-haired guys were remnants of Sephiroth's will
that took on physical form after his spirit began diluting into the Lifestream
at the end of FFVII. His will was too powerful to accept defeat, so the parts
of the Lifestream he was dissolving into were bent to his will and -- though
he wasn't able to completely reform at the time -- they emerged from the
Lifestream as Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz.
Since the chunks of the Lifestream that became these three would have
contained more than just Sephiroth's thoughts, that likely accounts for the
variations in personality seen among the three, though Sephiroth's influence
is obviously greatest. They all have similar hair, eyes and taste in clothing
to Sephiroth, and all are left-handed as well.
They took form with incomplete knowledge about JENOVA, and were unwittingly
guided by Sephiroth's desire to get hold of JENOVA's remaining cells so that
he could have his physical body back again. When Kadaj finally came in
contact with the cells, Sephiroth regained his body -- since JENOVA cells are
pretty much what he's made of -- and he was allowed to live again.
Visually, the film depicted that Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz were made of Lifestream
energy rather than ordinary flesh and blood by them being able to insert
materia directly into their bodies, and by the black mist -- which looks a lot
like the negative Lifestream that Sephiroth summons -- that rises off them at
various times:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/DarkMist.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Contamination.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Assimilation.jpg
As such, when Aerith cleansed Kadaj of Sephiroth's influence at the end of the
film, the Lifestream energy he was made of returned to its natural green state:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Salvation.jpg
The same process is seen underway with Yazoo and Loz before they explode.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2-Symbolism in Advent Children [5.12In]
*Advent Children: The term "advent" means "an anticipated arrival." In the
case of Christian mythology, it refers to the second coming of Christ.
In the case of Advent Children, the title was used as the film featured the
return of Sephiroth, who had aspired to become the god of FFVII's world, and
whose origin has obvious allusions to that of Christ. See the "Symbolism from
our world in Final Fantasy VII" article further down for more on that.
As for the "children" in question in the title, they could be Kadaj, Yazoo and
Loz, or the children who were afflicted with geostigma.
*Kadaj's name: This name is probably a take on "Kaddish," a Jewish prayer of
mourning.
*Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz as a trinity: According to Christianity, God is
composed of three spiritual components, or personas. These are the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz are a trinity that arose from Sephiroth's defeat at the
end of Final Fantasy VII. His will manifested them from the spirit energy it
contaminated, and thus, they are him, though they have individual
personalities.
*Aerith's role: Aerith has essentially become the will of the planet itself.
She guided its Lifestream to the salvation of humanity at the end of Final
Fantasy VII, and she again guides the will of the planet in Advent Children,
bringing healing to Cloud and others, and destroying all JENOVA cells that her
holy water-like rain touches.
The symbolism here is that she has become Mother Earth -- near the end of the
film, both Cloud and Kadaj even call her mother. With that and all she does in
the film in mind, recall that Aerith's name is a Japanese transliteration of
the English word "Earth."
*Cloud pouring water on Denzel's head: This is symbolic of baptism, the
concept in which one anointed with the spirit of God and empowered with his
authority to cleanse someone of their sins pours water on the head of a
repentant sinner. The action is believed to clense one of their past evil and
grant them spiritual rebirth.
In the film, this "baptism" cleansed Denzel of the evil of JENOVA's cells,
curing him of geostigma. The script of the film included with the Limited
Edition North American release even described the scene as "like a holy man
baptizing someone," so it's safe to say the symbolism in this case was
deliberate, even if all the rest were somehow accidental.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Fantasy VII in general [5.2In]
-1-JENOVA [5.21In]
1) What is JENOVA? [5.211In]
JENOVA is an ancient life form that traveled via a meteor to the planet Gaia
some 2,000 years before the main events of the original game. Her landing site
was the giant fissure -- and wound to the planet -- known as the "Northern
Crater." The area where JENOVA arrived was the "Knowlespole" (bad translation
of "North Pole" seen in the original English releases of Final Fantasy VII), a
lush and fertile land at the time, as it was the home of a Cetra tribe that had
cultivated it.
These Cetra had been the first to discover the planet's wound and attempted to
help the planet heal, using their abilities to guide the planet's flow of
spirit energy to the wound. However, the wound was too severe, and would have
to be left to the planet to heal on its own. Further still, due to the
planet's spirit energy being redirected to the Northern Crater, the land
around that area -- the North Pole -- withered away, and the planet tried to
persuade the Cetra to leave that place.
As they prepared to abandon their land, a being appeared at the Northern
Crater and approached the Cetra, feigning friendship, appearing to them
-- either through projected psychic illusions, or through shapeshifting -- as
their dead relatives. When it got close enough, it infected the Cetra with a
virus that caused insanity and monstrous physical transformations. The being
then proceeded to approach other Cetra clans and do the same to them.
This being was JENOVA, and thus it was that JENOVA came to be known to the
Cetra as "the Crisis from the Sky."
A small number of uninfected Cetra banded together and mounted an assault on
the Crisis, defeating her and sealing her away. JENOVA is eventually discovered
by Professor Gast of Shin-Ra, Inc. some 2,000 years later. He then studies her,
names her JENOVA, and mistakenly identifies her as a Cetra.
In addition, he and his assistant Hojo extract some of the creature's Cells and
use them in an effort to create a new Cetra. To this end, they inject JENOVA
cells into the womb of another scientist, Lucrecia, who was pregnant at the
time with Hojo's child.
That child was Sephiroth.
Thus, the greatest of the problems that would be faced by AVALANCHE and the
planet Gaia began.
While the exact details of JENOVA's origin are unknown, what she is and what
her goal may have been can be speculated. My guess is that JENOVA was
essentially a virus. The virus it unleashed upon the Cetra were likely its
own cells, which are capable of changing form and of causing mutations in
other life forms.
"The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova."
Viruses have two goals: survival and replication. By infecting other life
forms, JENOVA was replicating, as these other creatures would be as an
extension of the creature.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) JENOVA's powers [5.212In]
Based on what we're told by Ifalna and Sephiroth, as well as the Nibelheim
illusions that appear during the Reunion, we know that JENOVA has the power
to shapeshift and the capacity to project illusions of a realistic nature.
We're further made aware of the creature's shapeshifting abilities through
witnessing separated parts of JENOVA -- such as its arm/tentacle --
transform into large creatures that were complete with their own heads. This
is also made evident by separated parts of JENOVA taking on the form of
Sephiroth, as revealed by the encounters with JENOVA-Birth, JENOVA-Life and
JENOVA-Death in the original game, or by Sephiroth's ressurrection in Advent
Children.
It's also known that those with JENOVA cells within them can be controlled
by Sephiroth's will. This is displayed on more than one occasion in the
original game via Cloud and the black-cloaked individuals that were drawn
to the Reunion, and via the children afflicted with geostigma in Advent
Children.
In addition, JENOVA's cells were apparently capable of phasing through
solid matter and then solidifying once again, similar to the Martian
Manhunter/Jonn Jonz of DC Comics. This is demonstrated on two occasions
in the original game.
Once, as a form of Sephiroth phases up through the floor of the Shin-Ra cargo
ship before transforming into JENOVA-Birth, and a second time in the Temple of
the Ancients. There, a Sephiroth form seemingly phases in through a wall behind
Tseng, solidifying and speaking with him momentarily before striking him down
with a sword.
As for other abilities, the power to physically divide and recombine are
known, as well as the means to infect other life forms with a virus --
possibly the creature's own cellular material. JENOVA constructs further
demonstrate such abilities as energy projection and flight (possibly by
virtue of telekinesis).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2-Sephiroth [5.22In]
1) Who is Sephiroth? [5.221In]
Sephiroth was the son of professors Hojo and Lucrecia, assistants to Professor
Gast. While still a developing fetus in Lucrecia's womb, he was brought into
contact with JENOVA cells as part of Professor Gast's JENOVA Project -- an
experiment intended to produce people with the powers of the Ancients (the
Cetra) in the modern age.
Gast and Hojo injected JENOVA's cells into Lucrecia's womb, where they then
melded with Sephiroth's developing body and became one with his original cells.
As a child, he never knew his birth mother, and would only be told that his
mother's name had been "Jenova." Likewise, he didn't know who his father was.
Later in life, Sephiroth would serve as the prototype for Shin-Ra's SOLDIER
program, the aim of which was to produce a group of elite warriors with
superhuman abilities. Thus, Sephiroth would become the first person in the
world to have both JENOVA cells and mako within his body.
The process used on other SOLDIERs, however, was not identical to the
procedure used on Sephiroth. Others only received an injection of JENOVA
cells after birth, typically in adulthood or adolescence. Like him, however,
they would also receive an infusion of mako energy.
In all cases, this procedure enhanced the subject's physical strength and
affinity for magic. For Sephiroth in particular, this made an already powerful
individual more powerful than anyone else in the world.
At approximately twenty-five years of age, while on a mission to investigate
monster appearances in the Nibelheim area, Sephiroth discovered the journals
of Professor Gast in the Shinra Mansion's library. Making a connection between
the "Cetra" JENOVA of Gast's experiments, the Jenova he had been told was his
mother, and a fear that he was the product of monstrous mako experiments, he
came to believe that he had been produced from the genetic material of JENOVA
and that he was then the last Cetra.
This awakened in him an anger toward the rest of humanity, and a belief that
they were usurpers of a world that rightfully belonged to the Cetra.
Sephiroth then proceeded to slaughter the citizens of Nibelheim and raze the
town to the ground. Zack -- a fellow SOLDIER -- and Tifa -- one of the only
survivors of Nibelheim -- went after him, as did Cloud, a regular Shin-Ra
soldier and childhood acquaintence of Tifa's.
Tifa and Zack followed Sephiroth to Nibelheim's nearby mako reactor where
both were severly injured in battle with him. As Sephiroth prepared to claim
the remains of JENOVA from their storage in the reactor, Cloud charged into
the room with Zack's sword, taking Sephiroth by surprise and stabbing him
through his abdomen.
Though grievously wounded, Sephiroth attempted to escape with JENOVA's head.
Pursued by Cloud, he easily skewered him with his sword, but was defeated
nonetheless as Cloud used the blade of Sephiroth's own sword as leverage to
throw him and JENOVA's head into the Lifestream running below the mako
reactor.
While his body was destroyed within the Lifestream, Sephiroth would use his
powerful will to reconstruct himself at the Northern Crater, where the
planet's spirit energy was being constantly directed in order to heal the
wound that was the crater. There, Sephiroth's newly forming body would be
encased in mako and begin absorbing the surrounding spirit energy.
Believed dead for years by the rest of the world, Sephiroth would
eventually return five years later during the events of Final Fantasy VII to
enact a plan to assimilate the entirety of the planet's spirit energy and
become its ruler.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) The roles of JENOVA and Sephiroth: The Puppet Master Theorem [5.222In]
The longest and most intensely debated matter of Final Fantasy VII in the
eight years following its release was this: Was JENOVA or Sephiroth in control
of the other during the events of Final Fantasy VII?
My initial belief was that JENOVA was in control, though I now think I took
this position mainly in defiance of the hardcore Sephiroth fanbase. Later, my
position would change in that I came to believe that there was little
distinction to be made between JENOVA and Sephiroth during the events of
Final Fantasy VII.
My thoughts then were that the two had essentially become one; that Sephiroth
was JENOVA in human flesh the same way Christianity sees Jesus Christ as God
in human flesh. Given the game's extensive use of Judaeo-Christian symbolism,
that made the most sense to me at the time, and continues to be my
interpretation of things.
The official position of Square Enix on the matter is that Sephiroth was in
control of JENOVA. While his personality was unquestionably the dominant one,
I still believe that the virus-like behavior of JENOVA is reflected in
Sephiroth's desire to assimilate the entirety of Gaia's spirit energy and
become one with the planet.
Even in Advent Children, he speaks of assimilating Gaia, then traveling the
cosmos like JENOVA and finding a new world to assimilate. I believe that
whether he knew it or not, Sepihroth had the instincts of JENOVA and that
the two were, in all relevant ways, the same being by the time of the
events of Final Fantasy VII.
Certainly the possibility was present for such a merge to occur given that
Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream with JENOVA's head, only for his own
body to be dissolved and then reconstructed, according to the Advent Children
Reunion Files (pg. 60) and FFVII Ultimania Omega (pg. 211). At any rate, even
the official position, as revealed in Final Fantasy VII's Ultimania Omega
guide, is that it was by virtue of having JENOVA's head with him in the
Lifestream that Sephiroth was able to influence the location of the Reunion
(pg. 212), if not altogether how he was able to take command of JENOVA's cells
and power.
I also feel that the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania supports my position
that Sephiroth gained JENOVA's instincts, as -- in Sephiroth's profile from
the book (pg. 76; pg. 78 in the Revised Edition) -- the following description
is made: "Born into the Shin-Ra Company as 'JENOVA's son,' a fallen hero who
inherited Jenova s will to destroy the planet."
Furthermore, Cloud's profile from the same book seems to treat Sephiroth and
JENOVA as interchangeable, referring to Cloud as a "puppet of JENOVA,"
referring to him as still under the "will of JENOVA" during Advent Children,
and commenting on the effects of Sephiroth's influence on him during the film
with, "It's almost as if he can never escape from JENOVA's command" (pg. 38).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Did the Sephiroth clone With a "1" tattoo take on Sephiroth's form, or
did Sephiroth have such a tattoo himself? [5.223In]
A common misinterpretation of Final Fantasy VII's story in the years
immediately following the game's release was that the man with a "1"
tattoo that Dio speaks of having met is the same individual he later
tells Cloud was Sephiroth. This led many to mistakenly believe that Sephiroth
either had such a tattoo himself, or that the body of Sephiroth copy no. 1
from Hojo's experiments in Nibelheim was altered to look like Sephiroth.
While both individuals, of course, would have wore black outfits, there are
some very important key words in Dio's descriptions of his meetings with the
two individuals -- and in his description of the man with the "1" tattoo --
that clearly set them apart.
We first hear word of the individual with the tatto from a resident of North
Corel who says that a "young guy" with a "1" tattoo was heading toward the
ropeway that leads to the Gold Saucer.
When Cloud meets Dio, he's asked if he's ever heard of something called a
"Black Materia," as Dio states that a boy about Cloud's age (the guy with the
"1" tattoo) had been asking about it. When Cloud asks if he knows where the
guy went, Dio responds that he doesn't know.
What's notable here aside from the fact that he states that he doesn't know
where the guy went is that he doesn't make mention of this individual being
Sephiroth. Just "a boy about your age." Later, however, when he mentions
having met Sephiroth, he not only knows in which direction he has gone, but
also again refers to Cloud's age, stating that Sephiroth must be very popular
among young men that age.
It can be safely determined that Dio made this determination based on the guy
with the "1" tattoo being around Cloud's age and wearing a black cloak, attire
somewhat similar to Sephiroth's. It is then, as a result of these two bits of
information, that Dio recommends that Cloud follow Sephiroth and try to get
his autograph:
"P.S. I just recently met Sephiroth. He must have a lot of fans with boys your
age. Why don't you get his autograph? It seems he's headed toward the South of
the river, towards Gongaga."
What's relevant about this is that Dio had no idea that Cloud was pursuing
Sephiroth in the first place and, thus, there would have been no reason for
Dio to have hidden this before, only to come clean later. He simply assumed
that Sephiroth would be popular among young men Cloud's age because of the guy
with the "1" tattoo and decided to tell Cloud about it.
With that in mind, had the guy with the "1" tattoo been Sephiroth, it makes no
sense for Dio to have randomly remembered the direction he'd gone in later and
decided to tell Cloud about it without the benefitting of having seen evidence
that Sephiroth would be popular among "boys your age."
It should also be noted that Dio said it had been "a while back" when he had
spoken with the young man with the tattoo, meaning that he makes a clear
differentiation in the timeframe from when that occurred and when he had met
Sephiroth. Dio identifies the meeting with Sephiroth as having taken place
"just recently."
The two meetings obviously occurred at different times, Dio's encounter with
Sephiroth likely happening at some point during Cloud and the others' time in
the Corel Prison.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Are the Sephiroth forms encountered throughout the game him or pieces of
JENOVA? [5.224In]
In the years immediately following the game's release, the forms of Sephiroth
seen throughout much of the game were often mistakenly identified by players
as astral projections or transformed Sephiroth clones under his control. In
actuality, the majority of these are pieces of JENOVA -- including JENOVA's
main body -- in Sephiroth's form.
As JENOVA's cells can change form, it would be simple enough for the
creature's pieces to appear as Sephiroth. When forms of Sephiroth fly off into
the air those times they're encountered on the Shin-Ra cargo ship and in the
City of the Ancients, boss battles against parts of JENOVA follow. In the case
of the form that flew away at the City of the Ancients, an object falls to the
ground right after, initiating battle against JENOVA-Life.
This object was a piece of JENOVA.
Many have took this to mean that Sephiroth, a Sephiroth clone with an
altered appearance, or an astral projection of Sephiroth capable of physical
interaction, flew away and dropped this piece of JENOVA. This understanding
was due mainly to Cloud's statement on the cargo ship that Sephiroth was
carrying JENOVA.
However, no rendering of Sephiroth carrying anything at that point was placed
into the game, even though JENOVA's head was rendered during the scene where
he carries it. The validity of Cloud's statement can further be called into
question as, perhaps, having been an assumption on his part; AVALANCHE had
just been knocked to the floor as the Sephiroth form flew away, and possibly
wouldn't have had a good look at the Sephiroth form as it ascended into the
air in the first place.
Therefore, with a piece of JENOVA falling and transforming before them, Cloud
likely just assumed Sephiroth must have been carrying JENOVA's body.
For clarification, it should be noted that the Sephiroth form on the Shin-Ra
cargo ship was the entirety of JENOVA's body which had escaped from the
Shin-Ra headquarters. In the instances of the slaughter of Shin-Ra
personnel both on the cargo ship and at their headquarters, either Red XIII
or a Shin-Ra employee note that the perpetrator wasn't human:
Red XIII: "No human could have done this"
...
Shin-Ra employee on the cargo ship: "....the Engine Room... a
suspicious..... character... No... there's no way.... that...... not a
human..... That thing's not human....."
Also worth noting is that back in Shin-Ra's headquarters, JENOVA's
containment vessel appeared to have been blasted open from within.
Furthermore, Palmer makes no note of the Sephiroth form that killed President
Shinra carrying JENOVA with it at the time of the murder. This is because that
form of Sephiroth actually was JENOVA's body.
In further spite of Cloud's statement on the ship, there is other evidence to
defy his conclusion. First, in regard to the real Sephiroth having been
present, his real body had been encased in mako in the Northern Crater all
that time, and could not have been off doing those things seen in the game.
When AVALANCHE finally gets to his real body, Cloud -- having realized his
earlier error -- even uses the phrase "the real Sephiroth is just beyond
here."
Also consider that the Sephiroth form seen at the Northern Crater descends
upon the party, lands near them, and then turns to face them in a battle-ready
position while AVALANCHE stands and prepares for battle. All the way up to the
point that this screen transitions to the battle screen, the form of Sephiroth
is seen on the environment map as being AVALANCHE's opponent, yet when the
battle begins and switches to the battle map, JENOVA-Death is in the Sephiroth
form's place.
Perhaps most importantly of all, in the scene following the battle comes
Cloud's realization and declaration that it had been JENOVA's body, not
Sephiroth's real body that AVALANCHE had been chasing:
Cloud
"Jenova's cells..."
"...hmm. So that's what this is all about."
"The Jenova Reunion..."
Tifa
"Not Sephiroth!? You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we were after?"
::Cloud shakes his head::
This scene also showed that -- with the Reunion complete by killing Hojo's
clone experiments and sending their bodies into the crater -- Sephiroth no
longer needed that piece of JENOVA to go about in his form. Thus, before the
battle, Sephiroth utters the line, "This is the end of this body's
usefulness." Also notable is that when JENOVA-Death is defeated, left behind
in its place is the Black Materia, which Cloud had handed over to a Sephiroth
form earlier in the game.
While one could argue that this only proves that the Sephiroth forms are what
transformed into the JENOVA bosses, and not that they are pieces of JENOVA,
when JENOVA-Birth is defeated, it reverts into a tentacle of JENOVA that the
party recognizes as having been part of JENOVA's body back in the Shin-Ra
headquarters:
Tifa
"I've seen this somewhere... before."
Cloud
"...Jenova. The arm of Jenova."
All this was confirmed as the official take on things in 2005 by the Final
Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide (pp. 112, 157, 163, 204 and 213), but was
apparent even before then.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Who are the Sephiroth clones? [5.225In]
Though I don't think this is really a matter of confusion any longer, for the
first years after FFVII was released, it was intensely debated whether the
"Sephiroth clones" in the game were genetic duplicates of Sephiroth or
something else. I'm going to go ahead and keep this article in the FAQ in
case someone who is playing the game for the first time comes across this
FAQ.
While the term "copy" is used in reference to Sephiroth's copies ("clone" in
the original English releases of FFVII), the intended meaning of this word is
that they are people who underwent similar experimentation to Sephiroth. This
involved their bodies being injected with JENOVA's cells and infused with
mako.
The Sephiroth copies are simply the people that survived Sephiroth's massacre
in Nibelheim five years before the main events of the game, and were then
captured by Hojo upon his arrival there shortly after Sephiroth's defeat at
the hands of Cloud. We know this based on the letter left to Tifa by her
childhood martial arts instructor:
"Tifa, what's happened to our town? Was it all an illusion, or just a dream?
No, it was neither. I remember trying to get people out of the flames, but not
having the strength... Burning with anger, I went to the reactor to kill
Sephiroth."
"But he was nowhere to be found. Instead, I found you, collapsed inside. I
felt saving you was far more important than going after Sephiroth. There were
several others that were still alive inside, but I was only able to save you."
"As I was coming out of the reactor, Shinra troops were just arriving. I
recall a scientist named Hojo was in charge. He ordered the troops to gather
up everyone still alive for the experiment. I didn't know what type of
experiment he was talking about, but I wasn't about to let them have my
dearest student."
We also know this based on the Periodic Report to Professor Hojo that can be
found in "Tifa's House" on the desk across from the piano in Nibelheim in the
game's present:
"1 Clone Activity Report
Unforuntately, no 'CLONES' have left this town this quarter. As previously
reported, the 'CLONES' seem to be sensing something. But all they say is
'reunion' or 'Sephiroth' and show no other signs of activity."
Based on this we know that the point of origin for the Sephiroth copies was
Nibelheim, and taking into consideration that Hojo had ordered the Shin-Ra
soldiers that accompanied him five years before to round up all the survivors
for an experiment, these survivors are certainly the Sephiroth copies.
Also, we know that Cloud had a real childhood and truly grew up in Nibelheim
based on the memories that Tifa helps him piece together in the Lifestream.
With all this in mind, it would be more accurate to say that the experiments
performed on Sephiroth were copied rather than Sephiroth himself.
For that matter, the word "copy" -- used in the Japanese version of the game
-- is itself less indicative of a genetic duplicate than "clone" is in
English. All that was copied was the experimentation conducted on
Sephiroth, and even that wasn't an exact reproduction.
If interested in an official source for this information, check out pg. 213
of the Final Fantasy VII Ultimaina Omega guide.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Purpose of the Sephiroth clone experiment [5.226In]
While, again, I don't think there's really any confusion about this in the
present, there was a lot of it in the first few years following the game's
release. Even among those who understood that the Sephiroth copies weren't
genetic clones, it was commonly thought that the purpose of Hojo's
experiment was to produce people with his physical strength and power.
As the potential for that confusion is still there for someone playing just
this game for the first time, I'm going to leave this in as well.
Hojo's experiment was designed to test the validity of his theory concerning
the JENOVA Reunion, which stated that even if JENOVA's cells are separated,
those separated pieces will eventually reunite:
(Hojo, at the Reunion)
Hojo
"You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually
become one again. That's what is meant by Jenova's Reunion."
We know this for one primary reason. At the Northern Crater, upon seeing
Cloud, Hojo declares his experiment a success, saying that the JENOVA
Reunion Theory has been proven:
Hojo
"Ha, ha, ha... this is perfect!!!"
"It means that my experiment was a complete success!"
...
Hojo
"...I'm not wild about the failure part, but the Jenova Reunion Theory has
now been proven."
Also, such official sources as the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide
confirm this as well (pg. 213).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) What are Bizarro Sephiroth and Safer Sephiroth? [5.227In]
Two frequently debated matters of Final Fantasy VII's storyline were the
nature of Bizarro Sephiroth and Safer Sephiroth. A matter difficult to pin
down from the start due to neither form receiving any attention within the
narrative was rendered all the more difficult due to the graphical limitations
of the time of the game's development.
However, from observing character designer Tetsuya Nomura's designs of the
two bosses, a guess at their nature can be determined.
Bizarro Sephiroth is actually a pupa-like entity in Sephiroth's form (its
bangs match Sephiroth's hair -- known among some in the fandom as "the Bangs
of Doom") from which Safer Sephiroth was emerging, thus the name of the
background music for the Bizarro battle being "Birth of a
God."
This certainly fits due to the angelic and heavenly appearance of Safer
Sephiroth. We can be certain that Safer Sephiroth was "hatching" from Bizarro
Sephiroth due to the torso of Safer Sephiroth protruding from Bizarro
Sephiroth's head, as well as the wings of Safer Sephiroth extending from
behind the smaller torso:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Bizzaro-Sephiroth.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Safer-Sephiroth.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/BizarroSephirothffvii
.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Bizarro_sephiroth.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/SaferSephiroth-1.jpg
The biggest indication of this rebirth of Sephiroth is that the katakana in
the name of Bizzaro Sephiroth could be written out to mean "Rebirth
Sephiroth" in addition to the "Reverse Sephiroth" meaning that lent
itself to becoming "Bizarro Sephiroth."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-3-Cloud [5.23In]
1) Who was Cloud really? [5.231In]
For several years after the release of the original game, this was perhaps
the greatest point of confusion and debate among those who had played FFVII
-- even among hardcore fans. "Was Cloud a genetic duplicate of Sephiroth?"
"Was he made from JENOVA's cells?" "was he a real person?" These questions
were asked and argued frequently.
For the benefit of anyone who may play the original game today and be
confused about this, I'm going to leave an article explaining who Cloud was
in this FAQ.
Cloud was a boy who grew up in Nibelheim and left around the time he was 14
or 15 in the hopes of joining SOLDIER and becoming strong like the legendary
Sephiroth. There were two primary reasons for this. First, he wanted to
impress Tifa, and, second, he wanted to be able to protect her if she ever
needed rescuing again, as he had failed to help her once before when she
fell into a gorge in the mountains.
Both of these reasons, of course, point to Cloud's feelings of inferiority
and uselessness. He wanted to be strong, respected and -- above all --
noticed.
The spring before leaving Nibelheim, he called Tifa out to the town well
and told her of his decision. She then asked him to make a promise to her
that if she were ever in trouble that he would come rescue her. As this
happened to be one of his reasons for wanting to join SOLDIER to begin with,
he promised without hesitation.
He left Nibelheim the following summer and went to Midgar in the hopes of
joining SOLDIER. Of course, he didn't make the cut and was deeply ashamed.
It is for this reason that he insists upon hiding his identity from Tifa when
he returns to Nibelheim as part of Zack and Sephiroth's entourage.
After the events that take place during their mission there (Sephiroth's
destruction of Nibelheim, murder of its People, and his assault upon Tifa,
Zack, and Cloud, culminating in Cloud defeating Sephiroth and the
silver-haired villain taking his plunge into the Lifestream beneath the Mt.
Nibel mako reactor), Cloud and Zack are captured by Hojo, along with the
remaining survivors of Nibelheim. For the next several years, they were
captives in his laboratory in the Shinra Mansion, where he infused them all
with mako and injected them with JENOVA cells as part of his Sephiroth
copy experiment for the purpose of testing the JENOVA Reunion Theory.
Zack eventually managed to free himself and Cloud from the Shinra Mansion,
and they made their way back to Midgar -- Cloud in a semi-catatonic
state the entire way, suffering from the effects of extreme mako poisoning.
When they finally returned to the outskirts of Midgar, Zack was gunned down
and killed by Shin-Ra soldiers and Cloud left to die.
Cloud survived, however, and stumbled his way into Midgar, where he was found
by Tifa at a train station. After recovering under her care, she was able to
get him to work for AVALANCHE. This is where events were then picked up at the
beginning of the game.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Why didn't Cloud lose his sense of identity like the other Sephiroth
copies? [5.232In]
While Cloud did suffer the same mako poisoning effects as the other subjects
in Hojo's Sephiroth copy experiment, he didn't succumb to them entirely, nor
was he held completely under the sway of the JENOVA Reunion as the others
were.
At the time of Zack's death, Cloud had little concept of his own identity
remaining to him. He merely had that concept which he had aspired to be like
and had been able to witness in another for the previous five years: Zack.
This, along with the memory-duplicating abilities of the JENOVA cells within
Cloud, kept him from being left with a broken mind. He had Zack's identity to
focus on during his weakened state, and in an attempt to help him function
again, his mind used the JENOVA cells within him to duplicate stories Cloud
heard from Zack -- as well as some of his memories -- as though Cloud had been
the one at the center of those events. These false memories were then
imprinted onto Cloud's psyche.
His new identity nearly complete, when Cloud was next discovered by Tifa at
the train station in Sector 7 of Midgar, the JENOVA cells also duplicated
Tifa's memories of Cloud, and, likewise, imposed these onto Cloud's shattered
psyche. With these two sets of duplicated memories and
mannerisms, Cloud was given a new personality that would allow him to
function as an individual once again, even if it would mean that he had a
flawed recollection of his past.
Amongst the copied characteristics Cloud gained, he adopted several
characteristics of Zack's personality and mannerisms at this point,
particularly incorporating events in Nibelheim involving Zack into his
mind as events that had involved him instead.
This was made all the easier by the fact that he was now wearing a SOLDIER's
uniform, was in possession of Zack's sword, and possessed great strength and
agility due to Hojo's experimentation. Cloud had an identity to focus on with
which to pull himself out of his lost state amidst all the memories floating
around in his head as a result of the mako poisoning.
Source: FFVII Ultimania Omega (pp. 68, 211, 213, 589)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Was Cloud a failed Sephiroth copy? [5.233In]
Perhaps the most frequently misunderstood aspects of Final Fantasy VII's story
in the years immediately following its release were those related to the
matter of Cloud being a Sephiroth copy. Aside from misinterpretations that
this meant he was a genetic duplicate of Sephiroth, he was also usually
believed to have been a failure in Hojo's experiment involving the
Sephiroth copies.
Where the confusion regarding this matter arises is from Cloud and Hojo's
conversation in the Northern Crater before Meteor is summoned:
Hojo
"Ha, ha, ha... this is perfect!!!"
"It means that my experiment was a complete success!"
Hojo
"What number were you? Huh? Where is your tattoo?"
Cloud
"Professor Hojo... I don't have a number."
"You didn't give me one because I was a failed experiment."
Hojo
"What the--? You mean only a failure made it here?"
Cloud
"Professor... please give me a number. Please, Professor..."
Hojo
"Shut up, miserable failure..."
What was often overlooked about this is that it was CLOUD who told HOJO
that Cloud was a failure, and -- bearing his lack of a numbered tattoo
as proof -- Hojo believed him. For his part, Cloud believed that he was
a failure based on his lack of a tattoo, and what Sephiroth had told him
moments earlier:
Sephiroth
"Ha, ha, ha......"
"I want to take you back to your real self."
"The one who gave me the Black Materia that day..."
"Who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so
useful?"
"Hojo would die if he knew."
Cloud
"Hojo!? What does he have to do with me!?"
Sephiroth
"Five years ago you were..."
...constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was
burnt."
"A puppet made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her knowledge, and the
power of Mako."
"An incomplete Sephiroth-clone. Not even given a number. ...That is
your reality."
Deceived by this false information, Cloud believed that he not only wasn't a
normal human being, being instead constructed from JENOVA cells infused with
mako, but that he was a failed experiment at that. This influenced what he
told Hojo, and subsequently, Hojo's feelings toward Cloud. What Cloud failed
to recall at this time was that Zack broke himself and Cloud out of the Shinra
Mansion before Cloud could be given a tattoo, for Cloud was not the failure at
all. Zack was.
In defining who is and is not a failure in the experiment that Hojo was
carrying out, one must recall what Hojo was attempting to test with the
Sephiroth copies and how he was going about doing so. His Nibelheim
experiment was conducted for the sake of testing his JENOVA Reunion
Theory.
In order to conduct this experiment, Hojo had the survivors of Sephiroth's
massacre in Nibelheim rounded up for experimentation. Once captured, they
were infused with Mako and injected with JENOVA's cells. A body and mind
that displayed no response to the influence of JENOVA's cells would
obviously be ill-suited for testing the validity of the Reunion Theory, as
their own will may override JENOVA's attempt to call that individual.
With this in mind, only the weak-willed would be suitable for the
experiment, and, thus, successful. It was Cloud that had a reaction to
JENOVA's cells, whereas Zack did not:
(From the Escapee Reports in the back of the Shinra Mansion's library; note
that Zack is Specimen A (the former member of SOLDIER), while Cloud is
Specimen B (the regular))
Escapee Report No. 2
Description of the time of capture.
A - Former member of SOLDIER/Number ( )
No effect could be detected from either Mako Radiation Therapy or Jenova on
him.
B - Regular/Number ( )
Reaction to Jenova detected.
Note also that in the parentheses where the two would have had numbers, there
are blank spaces. They had not yet received numbers.
Further evidence for Cloud's successful status comes from Hojo moments before
his death. Hojo himself declares Cloud to be the only Sephiroth copy that was
successful, as Cloud was the only one he saw at the Reunion:
Hojo
"Every time I see you, I..."
"It pains me that I had so little scientific sense..."
"I evaluated you as a failed project."
"But, you are the only one that succeeded as a Sephiroth-clone."
While Cloud was actually not the only successful copy -- those in the
black cloaks were not seen by Hojo, as they had been killed moments before
and their bodies cast down into the Northern Crater to be assimilated by
JENOVA -- this still confirms his status as a success.
For those interested in an official source on this matter, see pg. 213 of
Final Fantasy VII's Ultimania Omega guide.
The answer to the once eternal question of Cloud's failure or success as
a Sephiroth copy is that he was a success.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Identity of the voice in Cloud's head [5.234In]
An especially debated point for several years after FFVII's release was the
identity of the voice that Cloud often hears throughout Final Fantasy VII. I
will definitely be leaving the article that explains this matter.
The voice was actually Cloud's subconscious. At one point the voice tells
Cloud to ask Tifa about what happened five years before:
(At Junon)
"...That reminds me."
"You again?"
"...Who are you?"
"...You'll find out soon. ......But more importantly, 5 years ago..."
"5 Years ago... Nibelheim?"
"When you went to Mt. Nibel then, Tifa was your guide, right?"
"Yeah.... I was surprised."
"But where was Tifa other than that?"
"...I dunno."
"It was a great place for you two to see each other again."
"...You're right."
"Why couldn't you see each other alone?"
"...I don't know. I can't remember clearly..."
"Why don't you try asking Tifa?"
"...Yeah."
"Then, get up!"
It would have been detrimental to Sephiroth's plans to tell Cloud to do this,

as it was Cloud's fragmented psyche that allowed him to be weak enough to
control, so that rules out Sephiroth as a candidate for identity of the voice.
Learning the truth would have caused Cloud to have to piece the past
together and accept himself for who he was, solidifying his sense of identity.
That would -- and eventually does -- give him the mental stability to resist
Sephiroth's control.
While it would have been a hindrance to what Sephiroth had in mind for Cloud
to learn the truth at that point, as it would have strengthened his mental
fortitude, it would have done exactly what Cloud's subconscious wanted. When
his subconscious speaks with Tifa in the Lifestream, it's trying to help Cloud
learn about the truth of his past, the same as the voice telling him to ask
Tifa about Nibelheim no doubt must have been, for Cloud's mind would have been
stronger had he known the truth.
Notice as well that at an even earlier time when the voice spoke to Cloud, it
tried reminding him of a time that had taken place five years before in an
effort to get him to remember the rest:
(While sleeping at Aerith's house)
"...seem pretty tired......"
Cloud
".......!?"
"I haven't slept in a bed like this ....in a long time."
Cloud
"....Oh, yeah."
"Ever since that time."
::The scene fades in to Cloud's house in Nibelheim::
A similar memory is called to mind by the voice in the first few minutes of
the game, as Cloud is told "This isn't just a reactor!!" while planting
the bomb that destroyed Mako Reactor 1. When in the same area within Mako
Reactor 5, a memory to Sephiroth's massacre of Nibelheim arises in Cloud.
Perhaps the greatest piece of in-game evidence pointing toward Cloud's
subconscious as the identity of the mysterious voice is that in the Honey
Bee Inn's &$#% Room, Cloud actually encounters his subconscious (in the form
of his younger self) and speaks with it briefly:
::Cloud enters the room and a bright flash occurs. A translucent form of his
younger self his before him::
Cloud
"Hmm.....? You.....?"
"What are you doing in a place like this?"
::Cloud clutches his head::
"That's what I want to ask you. Should you be foolin' around here?"
"You think problems will go away just thinkin' about them?"
::The younger form of Cloud rises and flies forward into Cloud's body::
"Oh no!"
"Help! Someone...! Hurry!"
"You can't change anything by just sitting back and looking at it."
Cloud
"What are you saying?"
"It's started moving."
Cloud
"What has?"
"Wake up!"
Note particularly that the double of Cloud in the Honey Bee Inn is a younger
form of him, just as the form of his subconscious was in Cloud's mind when
Tifa helps him piece his past together, and note also that this younger form
called to him to stop when he was handing the Black Materia over to Sephiroth
at the Temple of the Ancients:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/YoungCloud.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/YoungCloud2.gif
It is with this same younger form of Cloud that the other transparent forms of
him fuse once Tifa has helped Cloud regain his past in the Lifestream. After
that, the adult form of him that was hanging overhead fused with the younger
form. Beyond this point, there ceases to be any voices in Cloud's mind as
there had been before.
Something else to consider is the following dialogue which takes place in
Cloud's head after his fall from the upper plate of Midgar into Aerith's
church below:
"...You all right? "
"...Can you hear me? "
Cloud
".....Yeah....."
"Back then... You could get by with just skinned knees....."
Cloud
"What do you mean by 'back then'?"
"What about now? Can you get up?"
Cloud
".....What do you mean by 'that time'? .....What about now?"
"Don't worry about me. You just worry about yourself now."
Cloud
".....I'll give it a try."
Note particularly that the the voice says "back then" Cloud could get by with
just skinned knees. Later, in the Lifestream, when Cloud's past is being
revealed, a very important aspect of the past for Cloud is unveiled: This was
when he and Tifa fell into a gorge on Mt. Nibel, Tifa suffering injuries that
resulted in a week-long coma, whereas Cloud only received skinned knees. It
was this event that propelled Cloud toward wishing to become stronger, and,
thus, inspired his desire to enter SOLDIER.
Given that the voice in Cloud's head made an allusion to this very important
aspect of Cloud's past, it's safe to assume that this was once again his
subconscious bringing up matters that would possibly spark Cloud's
recollection of his true past.
Finally, consider that in the game's ending, when we're shown the mental
battle with Cloud, the double that rises out of him is an adult at that point,
rather than a child, and Cloud was then able to fend off Sephiroth's mental
assault, and purge his mind of his influence:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Final%20Fantasy%20VII/
FinalConfrontationAwaits.jpg
FinalConfrontationAwaits2.jpg
FinalConfrontationAwaits3.jpg
This was after the child form of Cloud's subconscious had fused with the adult
form in the Lifestream.
If these points are not enough evidence for those still skeptical, an official
source that eventually confirmed Cloud's subconscious as the intended identity
of the voice can be consulted on pg. 68 of the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania
Omega guide.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Who is Cloud in love with? [5.235In]
Initially, I'd intended for this document to ignore the Love Triangle
Debate like a plague. It succeeded in that for a good number of years, but
updating it after an absence of more than three years from this fandom, I felt
a need to address this topic.
Why? Probably because I felt that I couldn't call the FAQ's analysis complete
without talking about what remains the most passionately and frequently
debated aspect of the game more than 12 years after its release.
The Love Triangle Debate, of course, centers around whether Cloud had more
romantic feelings toward Aerith or Tifa. Basically, who did *he* want to
be with?
Those fans who prefer -- or "'ship" as the verb goes -- CloudxAerith are
known in the fandom as Cleriths, while those who 'ship CloudxTifa are
called Clotis. That being said, obviously a Clerith may still argue that
Cloti is canon, and a Cloti might argue the opposite if it's what they
believe.
Generally speaking, though, those in both camps argue in favor of their
preferred relationship as canon.
While I've had my preference since the beginning, it was initially based on
my own preferences in women. More to the point, I couldn't stand Aerith
and adored Tifa. That's still the case 12 years later, though it obviously
doesn't have to be the same for Cloud.
None of that is to say that I don't like Aerith; just not in "that way," if
you get me. I simply prefer more somber and restrained females. Still, if you
fear my declared preference for Tifa may bias my views in this analysis,
that's not an unreasonable concern.
However, in any public address, it's necessary to state one's personal views
upfront. Otherwise, it becomes a question of honesty.
Whether I am credible I leave to each of you to decide.
I do believe this, though: You won't find someone with no opinion on the LTD
actually discussing the matter at length. Not only because it takes a vested
interest in the first place, but because it's impossible.
Anyone analyzing data and drawing conclusions from it, even if they began as
neutral, no longer is by the end of the process. This is as true of
researchers making employ of the scientific method as it is of scholars
conducting media analysis.
They must, of course, attempt to distance themselves as much as possible
while drawing their conclusions, though. You are free to determine otherwise
if not convinced, but I believe my three-and-a-half-year absence from this
fandom has given me a degree of distance. I will tell you outright that I
could not have objectively discussed this matter in 2005.
I believe I can do so now.
In any case, as said, I am a Cloti. Accommodating me and so many others, the
original game's developers designed it such that the player's own choices
influence who Cloud's affection is greatest for in the original game.
The way several scenes play out are influenced by this, and, consequently, it
left Cloud's feelings ambiguous at the end of the game. As an additional
consequence, it meant players would debate, disagree with and flame one
another for more than the next decade since there was no definitive answer.
There were no official declarations in interviews, no scenes in the newer
FFVII titles featuring Cloud and one of the ladies in an overtly romantic
context, and no apparent end in sight to the blood feud that lay between fans
of the two pairings.
The only statement about Cloud's feelings that could be given with complete
confidence is that he cared about both women very much. Now, however, much
more than that can be done.
There's now a definitive answer. Two of them, in fact.
Around the time of Advent Children Complete's release, an interview was
posted on Square Enix's website in which Kazushige Nojima -- scenario writer
of FFVII, AC/ACC, the On the Way to a smile stories, and numerous other FF
projects -- made the following comments about the Case of Tifa installment of
On the Way to a Smile when asked, "How are Case of Tifa and Case of Barret?
Would you say their meanings are that they're redemption stories?"
(http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/gamebooks/ff/7novel/2p.html,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Nojima.png,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Nojima2.png):
(Translation by me)
"Case of Tifa ... first, there's the premise that things aren't going well
between Tifa and Cloud, and that even without geostigma and Sephiroth, it
would still be the same. I don't mean to get into my views on romantic love,
marriage and family. (laughs) After ACC, maybe Denzel and Marlene can get
them to. Perhaps things would have gone well with Aerith, but Aerith's
responsibility is big, I think."
Also, here's an additional translation of Nojima's comment by hitoshura of
TheLifestream.net:
"'Episode Tifa'... first off, there's the premise that things won't go well
between Tifa and Cloud, and that even without Geostigma or Sephiroth this
might be the same. I don't really intend to go about my views on love or
marriage or family (laughs). After ACC, I guess Denzel and Marlene could help
them work it out. Maybe things would have gone well with Aerith, but I think
there is a great burden from Aerith."
Here, we have Nojima discussing Cloud and Tifa's relationship, and he talks
about it in the context of the two as a couple. Not a platonic couple, but a
romantic couple.
He speaks of them in the context of love, marriage and family. Love and family
are certainly a big focus of Case of Tifa, particularly where the eponimous
character and Cloud are concerned.
Though Tifa decides at a point during the course of the story to stop
worrying about things between she and Cloud, she hardly succeeds. Also, Nojima
reveals with this quote that their relationship -- though dysfunctional at
times, still one written in the context of love and family -- was the very
premise of the story.
Certainly, there'd be no reason for Nojima to mention these things -- love,
marriage and family -- here if he wasn't saying his views on those matters had
informed his writing of their situation. Furthermore, he's clearly not
speaking of a romantic relationship between them in a hypothetical sense with
his first line if there's not already something the two needed to work
through. His line about Denzel and Marlene -- addressing the subject of the
first line -- speaks of the time following ACC, so there must be something
*for* the kids to help them work through.
Nojima keeps coming back to this topic of love and family with Cloud and Tifa,
both in the interview -- again, his very next line is about how Denzel and
Marlene may provide Cloud and Tifa an angle to work through their problems,
while the lines after that discuss Aerith in the same context as Tifa -- and
in his writing of FFVII-related material in general.
Unavoidably, Nojima's own experiences with and views of love, marriage and
family influenced his writing of Case of Tifa before it was initially
released -- and likely did so again when he worked on the revised version. As
well, the theme of family is prevalent in Advent Children/Advent Children
Complete, which picks up right after Case of Tifa and resolves many of the
personal crises Cloud was going through during that story.
Were Nojima thinking of Cloud and Tifa as merely platonic friends in an
arrangement of cohabitation, his comments about love and family would explain
nothing of what he'd actually written. Particularly in light of the suggestion
that Denzel and Marlene's presence in the family may be able to help Cloud
and Tifa "work it out" -- described the way one might discuss trying to make a
problematic relationship successful.
As said above, Nojima then continues the same line of thought -- love,
marriage and family -- a moment later when he discusses Aerith and her
compatibility with Cloud. Though he posits that things may have gone better
with her than with Tifa, he also suggests that even this relationship may have
been troubled due to the great responsibility Aerith had as the last Cetra.
Of greater signifance, however, his choice of words here identify Aerith as a
former potential romantic interest for Cloud ("*Perhaps* things would have
gone well with Aerith..."), speaking of her in a relationship with Cloud as a
hypothetical matter that did not come to pass. Tifa, however, is treated as
thouh she is a *current* romantic interest for Cloud, speaking of her in a
relationship with him as a matter that *has* come to pass.
While it can certainly be argued that Nojima's comments don't offer a promise
that Cloud and Tifa will stay together, that's really not important to the
matter of the LTD. The Love Triangle Debate was never about who Cloud would be
more likely to have a fairy tale romance with.
It was about establishing who Cloud had an interest in *being* in a romance
of any kind with, even one where there is communication issues.
These comments from Nojima make it clear that Cloud has such an interest in
Tifa, and has acted upon that interest. Sure, it's not presented as uplifting
or with the sweeping sense of captivation that some scenes in Final Fantasy
VIII were with Squall and Rinoa, but there's more than one angle to present a
romantic relationship from, and a realistic angle where a couple is faced
with problems of their own making is one of them.
For that matter, such relationships go through stages anyway. After two years,
Tifa and Cloud can't really be expected to still be in a phase where their
hearts go pitter-patter.
All couples have problems. Even the ones that couldn't imagine life without
one another. That's the unavoidable reality of sharing your life with another
person who has their own feelings, thoughts and history that influence their
feelings and thoughts.
As Dr. Cox from "Scrubs" has put far better than I ever could in the Season 1
episode, "My Bed, Banter and Beyond":
"Relationships don't work the way they do on television and in the movies: Will
they, won't they, and then they finally do and they're happy forever -- gimme
a break. Nine out of ten of them end because they weren't right for each other
to begin with, and half the ones that get married get divorced, anyway.
And I'm telling you right now, through all this stuff, I have not become a
cynic, I haven't. Yes, I do happen to believe that love is mainly about pushing
chocolate-covered candies and, you know, in some cultures, a chicken. You can
call me a sucker, I don't care, 'cause I do ... believe in it. Bottom line ...
is the couples that are truly right for each other wade through the same crap
as everybody else, but the big difference is, they don't let it take 'em down.
One of those two people will stand up and fight for that relationship every
time, if it's right and they're real lucky. One of them will say something."
Though such a troubled and realistic relationship differs significantly from
most portrayed in Final Fantasy, they're rarely portrayed beyond the stirrings
of the initial feelings. Squall and Rinoa, Tidus and Yuna, Zidane and Garnet
-- these couples were just getting to know one another during their
adventures.
We never saw the trials and tribulations they may have gone through later. Nor
did we see them in the context of ordinary life, trying to run two businesses
and trying to raise two children while one of the parents worked strange hours
that also kept him away from home often.
For there to be no strain on such a relationship is impossible.
I'd argue as well that a romance coming out of Final Fantasy VII couldn't be
anything but a difficult one. It fits the tone of FFVII perfectly, with its
harsh and unforgiving setting, as well as its tendency to be the world in
which its developers explore their thoughts on how hard real life is.
This has been the case since the original Final Fantasy VII was developed,
whether it be Yoshinori Kitase's wish for Aerith's sudden death -- with no
resurrection to follow -- to portray "feelings of reality and not Hollywood"
(EDGE magazine issue #123, pp. 112-113), or Nomura's own desire to say
"something realistic" with the same. As he put it, "something different" from
the "perennial cliche" of dramatic death and sacrificial love that he was
concerned set a bad example for people in the real world (ibid. pg. 112).
As well, FFVII was the first of many Final Fantasy titles to explore Hironobu
Sakaguchi's ideas about what comes after death -- thoughts he has said were
influenced by the loss of his mother (PlayStation Underground #2, 1997; The
Making of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, pp.4-5).
Now, the world of FFVII has become the place where Nojima has explored his
feelings about love, marriage and family -- and he has done this through Cloud
and Tifa.
I believe this comment from Nojima effectively resolves the matter of who
Cloud is interested in pursuing a romance with. The Love Triangle Debate is
closed.
That said, the debates continued among fans even after the time of this
article's writing -- which followed not only the initial publication, but the
first couple of revisions as well. This article was initially not a means of
bringing an end to the LTD among fans, but, rather, it did more to spark it up
than anything had in quite some time.
With the discovery of a second definitive statement, however, the LTD was
brought to a formal close -- even though a few diehard CloudxAerith fans prefer
not to acknowledge the evidence. Due to it having been published in May of 2008,
a year or so before the Nojima Statement, I'll not be posting it just yet. It
will be included further into this article.
One concession I would like to make first, however, is that when I initially
wrote this article, I felt that the Compilation of FFVII materials and various
comments by its creators had made the matter fairly cut and dry, even without
the Nojima Statement discussed above.
Thanks to the folks at the Cloud x Aerith forums -- Anastar and FF_Goddess, in
particular -- I came to see that I was mistaken in that. I had not given the
Clerith perspective a fair shake in the first several versions of this article.
Certainly, at that time, there was sufficient data to support a Clerith
conclusion if one sought out this information and synthesized it while looking
at most of the pro-Cloti elements in isolation, along with an isolated
assessment of many of the comments from key Compilation of FFVII developers.
Once I realized this, my assessment of the possibility of Clerith as canon
echoed my past assessments of a certain FFVIII debate involving Rinoa (look it
up on Google; I don't need the potential spoilers here): Possible, not
plausible.
Now, I would describe it as "altogether not intended by the creators of FFVII
and the Compilation of FFVII."
No matter that there are still a handful of fans who insist Clerith is there
to be found -- such a conclusion can only be acquired through ignoring too
much evidence. Often the shortest distance between two points doesn't bely
a hidden meaning -- it's the most simple connection to be made because it's
the right one.
On the whole, I still feel that the data available prior to the Nojima
Statement -- and even before the second definitive proof of Cloti -- leaned
far more toward a Cloti conclusion. It required the most simple of connections,
with the most common understandings of various social situations and turns of
phrase, both Japanese and English.
This is especially true if you include the second definitive proof.
I'm going to explain why I think this throughout the rest of this article. As
well, I'll be offering the Clerith point of view on each element of the LTD
that was up for discussion for so long.
Since this discussion is about canon, I've made use of the full range of
official materials available, despite the rest of this document largely
ignoring the works that have continuity issues with the original game.
I'll be utilizing the developers' comments as both foundation and framework,
analyzing the various materials through that lens and in light of one another.
If an answer is to be found, it's safe to say that it will be found through
all elements informing one another.
Before we begin, however, let's be clear from the outset: None of this is
going to be about debating Aerith's feelings. So, you aren't going to see me
arguing that she loved Zack more than Cloud, or that she only loved Cloud
based on the similarities he had to Zack. That's neither here nor there.
We all know she had a romantic interest in Cloud. Same with Tifa. We don't
have to -- and we won't -- debate this. It's obvious to anyone who played the
original game.
This will be solely about examining and debating *Cloud's* feelings. More to
the point, Cloud's childhood feelings won't alone be used as an argument for
him being in love with Tifa. Alone, those feelings are potentially irrelevant
to the present matter.
I think most people acknowledge that Cloud had an interest in Tifa as a
teenager, but that doesn't have to remain the case in the game's present day
simply because it was the case when he was 16. What Cloud does during and
post-FFVII are what's important in this discussion.
Additionally, the argument that Aerith is dead and Tifa wins by default will
not be made here. Obviously, were Cloud in love with Aerith, he would have
the option of pining for her until doomsday. He wouldn't have to move on with
another woman, and if he did, it wouldn't have to be Tifa.
There will also be no analysis of the lyrics to "Calling" or "Safe & Sound" --
the theme songs to Advent Children and Advent Children Complete respectively
-- as they were written by their performers, not the creators of the film. For
that matter, "Calling" was written in 1989, 16 years before the release of
Advent Children.
In any case, the lyrics are pretty much open to a wide array of interpretations
and I see no place for them here. They could be taken in any direction one
wanted to. I, personally, get nothing Cloti or Clerith from either song.
I say all this in my opening statement because those issues are so often
brought into the LTD arguments I've witnessed over the years. They're
completely ancillary, but I've seen forum threads run dozens of pages
splitting hairs over just those matters. We won't be doing that here.
We'll get straight to the meat of the matter. Starting now.
What's important that we address before analyzing a Cloti or Clerith
perspective is that we address any points that may seem to indicate there is
no canon couple to be determined. Such a comment has often been thought to
exist based on a comment Tetsuya Nomura made in Dorigama magazine in response
to a fan's question, "How many girls has Sephiroth ever loved?"
(http://flaregamer.com/b2article.php?p=109&more=1#ixzz0TBP1qHMo):
"What kind of question is that? I've never thought about it. Honestly, I don't
care who loves whom. I think you could imagine the scenerios that we don't
mention however you want to. You could enjoy talking about that with friends.
For example, I was frequently asked if there had been romantic relationship
between Tifa and Cloud for two years, after FF7 ended, but I don't have any
clue."
Given that this comment was made around the time of Advent Children's release
and after the publication of On the Way to a Smile: Case of Tifa, if Nomura
had no clue even then whether there was a relationship between Cloud and Tifa
-- neither an affirmative, nor a negative -- and, indeed, didn't even care who
loved who, that would seem to indicate that he also had no clue whether Cloud
was in love with Tifa or Aerith.
In other words, that would seem to mean that there's no pairing to be
determined as far as he's concerned or even aware.
This statement, however, doesn't preclude the other key developers of the
Compilation of FFVII -- such as Nojima, who made the comments cited at the
beginning of this article -- from having an opinion on it and an intention
with the story.
As well, this comment from Nomura need not hold true for all time. I believe
that a later comment from him negates this, as will be touched upon in the
Cloti perspective about to be offered.
With that said, let us now begin addressing the Cloti perspective without the
inclusion of the Nojima Statement. A note on this, however: While I do intend
this analysis to offer the views of both sides, given that I believe a Cloti
conclusion to be best indicated from the Compilation materials, I will, at
times, provide refutation of Clerith viewpoints and counterarguments.
The first point I'll bring up to support my position that it is with Tifa
Cloud pursues a relationship is one of the most hotly debated aspects of the
LTD: Did Cloud and Tifa make some kind of physical connection under the
Highwind the night before they went into the Northern Crater?
I'm going to go with yes on this one. While I'm aware that there's more than
one version of this scene -- one where Cloud's affection for Tifa is high and
he seems to reciprocate everything she says, and another where it's low and he
says very little -- in either case, the scene ends with the two resting
against each other as they sleep and reacting with embarrassment the next
morning when they discover that some of their teammates saw or overheard them.
For Tifa's part, she frantically asks if they were watching and collapses in
embarrassment in the high affection version, while in the low affection
version, she asks if they were listening and proceeds to tap her foot
nervously. As for Cloud, he nervously scratches the back of his head in both
cases.
Really, the only aspect of this scene that was ever detable is how physical
things got. In the high affection version, the scene features all the classic
cinematic staples of an undepicted sex scene. Tifa's line, "Words aren't the
only thing that tell people what you're thinking," followed by a pan to the
sky and a fade-in to the two sleeping against each other is pretty
straightforward.
On the other hand, the low affection scene still presents the two sharing a
tender moment and embarrassment.
Certainly this scene alone isn't enough to tell us that Cloud wants a committed
romantic relationship with Tifa, but looked at in the wider context of the
newer Compilation of FFVII materials, I believe it's the first hint in that
direction.
I would also argue that the canon version of that scene, as far as SE is
concerned, is the high affection version. According to the Crisis Core
Ultimania (pg. 33), on that night, in "the final stages of the story," Cloud
and Tifa "communicate their feelings" to each other ("Cloud to wa monogatari
no shuuban ni omoi wo tsuuwase") and thereafter, "in AC and DC they live
together":
(Scan lifted from the Cloud x Aerith forums)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ccuscan2.jpg
The FFVII Ultimania Omega makes the same claim on three separate occasions --
once in Cloud's profile (pg. 15), once in Tifa's (pg. 27), and once in the
Story Playback section of the book (pg. 198). In the latter, the phrase
"reveal their mutual feelings" is used ("tagai no omoi wo uchi ake"), and
likewise on pg. 118 (pg. 120 of the Revised Edition) of the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania -- though in the latter's case, it also adds "and confirm
them to match."
In addition to both choices of phrasing ("communicate their feelings" and
"reveal their feelings") frequently being used in Japanese much the same way as
"realized their feelings for each other" is in English, a study of the low
affection version of the Highwind scene reveals that Cloud communicates pretty
much nothing to Tifa in that version -- thus, it wouldn't fit the various
descriptions of the scene. He definitely doesn't communicate his feelings to
her in the low affection telling, and certainly none that are about her -- and
especially none that appear to match her own. He just listens to her talk and
then says they should get some sleep.
On the other hand, in the high affection version, he has quite a bit to say
and is left trying to find the words to communicate "a lot of things I wanted
to talk to you about" when Tifa suggests they employ a physical
demonstration. Seen from the Clerith perspective, the feelings both shared
were reaffirmation that though they couldn't really be described as childhood
friends after all, they are good friends now (Tifa: "No matter how close we
are now... We were far apart before").
However, the fact that their feelings were said to match is pretty
straightforward, as we know how Tifa feels about Cloud.
As well, if there's any remaining doubt that it was a physical demonstration
Tifa was suggesting Cloud should employ by saying, "Words aren't the only
thing that tell people what you're thinking," I refer now to pg. 9 of the
FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (likewise for the Revised Edition).
There, Kazushige Nojima refers to it as a "suggestive" or "risque" line
("kiwadoi" in Japanese):
(Scan taken from shaultimania's Photobucket account)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/highwindline.png
Either word, of course, denotes something sexual, leaving what Tifa implied
rather undebatable.
Further, Nojima and Kitase refer to the scene there as a toned-down
representation of the original idea for the scene, in which Cloud would walk
out of the chocobo stable on the Highwind, followed by Tifa a moment later,
checking around her as she left -- the implication being, of course, that they
had sex in the chocobo stable. This sort of visual language is as much a
classic indicator of an intimate moment shared off-screen as the pan and fade
that made it into the final version of the game.
While this "more extreme presentation" as Kitase called it didn't make it into
the final game, what did was described as a toned-down version of that scene.
That would suggest not so much that the ideas being portrayed were abandoned,
but, rather, that their presentation was altered.
In support of this notion comes this section from pg. 27 of FFVII's Ultimania
Omega, at the end of Tifa's profile:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/tifaprofileuo.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/tifaprofileuo2.jpg
----
"When Cloud proposes that the group separate temporarily, she remains behind at
the airship and communicates her feelings together with Cloud. The next
morning, she departs for the Northern Crater along with her companions, who
returned.
'Words aren't the only thing that tell people what you're thinking......'
-Said to Cloud, when he is at a loss for words while they're alone
If Tifa's affection regarding Cloud is high, when the two stay behind at the
airship, they will confirm that their feelings of desire/wanting for one
another match. This line is said by Tifa at the conversation's end.
Immediately after saying it, Tifa forms a striking smile that summarizes
everything."
----
As well, a screenshot with Tifa's "Words aren't the only thing that tell people
what you're thinking" line is beside it.
Aside from the overt similarities of this line to the previous lines we've
examined regarding Cloud and Tifa communicating feelings to another, please
also consider the following: Given that Tifa had said words weren't the only
way to express what one is thinking, given that her saying so was identified as
risque by the game's main developers, given that her saying so was here
identified as in response to Cloud being at a loss for words when he was
trying to figure out what he wanted to say (meaning he hadn't confirmed
anything yet), given that this version of the scene is the high affection
version for a reason, and given that Tifa and Cloud were confirming matching
feelings of mutual desire for one another -- what does that leave us with?
There's no other conclusion to be drawn but that there was some physically
intimate moment between them.
For those interested in a romanization of the pivotal line above (concerning
the desire/wanting of each other): "Tifa no Cloud ni taisuru koukan do ga
takai baai, hikuutei ni nokotta futari ha, tagai wo motomeru kimochi wo
tashikame au." It breaks down thus:
Tifa = Tifa, obviously
no = particle indentifying possessive "of" or "for"
Cloud = Cloud, obviously
ni taisuru = "with regard to" or "concerning"
koukan = "affection"
do = "rating"
ga = identifies that the previous noun or clause is a subject
takai = high
baai = "occasion" or "circumstance," so, for this sentence, "in the event that"
hikuutei = "airship"
ni = particle identifying a place where something occurs "in" or "at"
nokotta = "remained"
futari = two people, so, for this sentence, "the two"
ha = main subject identifier; here, it's identifying everything said up to now
tagai = "each other"
wo = particle indicating that the previous noun or clause is the target of an
action to follow
motomeru = "to want" or "to seek"; refers to something actively wanted/desired
kimochi = "feelings"; modified by "motomeru," the sentence is talking about
"feelings of desire" or "feelings of wanting," which are being directed
toward whatever noun preceded the "wo" that preceded "motomeru"; in this
case, "tagai"/"each other"
wo = another target of action identifier; tells us that "feelings of wanting
each other" is the recepient of some as-yet unidentified action
tashikame = "confirmation"; tells us that the "feelings of wanting each other"
are confirmed
au = "to match"; this lets us know that the "feelings of wanting each other"
are confirmed between the characters themselves (not just for us, the
viewers), and are, in fact, the same feelings; they are, thus, "matching
feelings"
Even if one were to take out "motomeru" ("to want"), the fact that the sentence
still identifies their feelings as being "matched" ("au") indicates that the
feelings they're confirming are the same. We *know* Tifa wants Cloud. If his
feelings match hers, once more, what does that leave us with?
Furthermore, according to pg. 39 of the FFVII Ultimania Omega, Cloud's kind
greeting toward Yuffie -- leading to her being surprised by his behavior and
asking him if he wasn't feeling well -- upon her return to the Highwind was
influenced by the night he'd spent with Tifa: "Yuffie is unaware that Cloud and
Tifa had just spent the night together. Woman's intuition is as perceptive as
ever, no?" ("Yuffie ha shiranai ga, chokuzen ni Cloud ha Tifa to futari kiri
no yoru wo kagoshita bakari. Sasuga, onna no kan ha surudoi?").
Nothing about the conversation that Cloud and Tifa had in the low affection
version of the scene would logically lend itself to Cloud's mood being so much
warmer. In the high affection version, however -- where he gets to express his
feelings of desire to the woman he wants to be with, and where she reciprocates
those feelings -- he most certainly does.
Now, with all that's been discussed so far in mind, of equal significance to
the CC and FFVII Ultimanias' statements in resolving this matter is pg. 199 of
the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide, which
recaps the stories of each main FF title. There, in FFVII's "Impressive Scenes"
section -- which provides the scripts for the scenes it features -- under a
heading that reads, "The two's time alone before the final battle with
Sephiroth," is the script of the high affection version of the Highwind scene.
Furthermore, it's accompanied by two screenshots -- one of Tifa saying the
risque line from the high affection version, and the other of Cloud and Tifa
sleeping against each other the next morning:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/impressivescenes1.jpg
The low affection version of the scene, meanwhile, isn't spoken of at all
here.
Only four scenes from the game were selected for the "Impressive Scenes"
section, the other three being a conversation between Cloud and Barret from
the raid on the mako reactor at the beginning of the game, the first meeting
with Rufus, and Aerith's death. To be chosen out of all the scenes in the
game to represent it here certainly indicates the high affection version of the
Highwind scene to be more than an easily dismissed alternative.
Further still, 2003's Final Fantasy VII International Memorial Album -- an
extended reprint of the original FFVII Memorial Album from 1999 -- published by
DigiCube (Square's former publishing subsidiary), provides a scene-by-scene
tour of the game's script -- and includes only the high affection version of
this scene (pp. 241-242). The same is true of Tifa's card (card #068) from
2001's Final Fantasy Art Museum trading card collection, which includes Tifa's
"Words aren't the only thing that tell people what you're thinking" line, as
well as this parenthetical description of it: "(Night before the final battle,
when she and Cloud are alone)."
It's also notable that the card speaks of this version of events in definite
terms -- not qualified terms based on the player's actions. Here is a scan of
that card, courtesy of Quexinos:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/FFArtMuseumTifa.jpg
Of even further significance, on pg. 232 of the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania
File 2: Scenario, we find yet another reference to Cloud and Tifa confirming
their feelings for one another beneath the Highwind prior to the final battle.
Here, the line used is, "And when Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their
final hours, they disclose that their feelings for each other match" ("Soshite,
futari, kiri ni natta Cloud to Tifa ha, nokosareta saigo no jikan de tagai no
omoi wo uchi ake au"):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffu20highwind.jpg
As with the previous quote like this, we know that Tifa wants Cloud -- thus,
if their feelings match, he wants her too.
Further still, in the box to the right of the primary passage in which the
above quote appears, following one of the story summary's several "Deviation"
arrows, we find the following:
----
"2 versions of the conversation before the final battle
Prior to the final battle, the contents of the conversation between Cloud and
Tifa can change depending on the degree of Tifa's affection. If the degree of
affection is high, the contents of the two's conversation will involve deep
subject matter and strong feelings for each other. As well, the sight of the
two seen by their companions the next morning will lead to an embarrassing
scene for Tifa, and she blushes greatly."
----
While acknowledging the existence of another version of the scene, the story
summary itself used the high affection version in its description of events,
and even this blurb doesn't bother with describing the low affection
version. This, even while all four versions of the Gold Saucer date received
description earlier in the story summary (pg. 225) -- though even then, none
receive more favor in the main paragraph's summary than any of the others,
unlike the paragraph concerning the Highwind scene:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffu20datesummary.jpg
----
"Gold Saucer
The Keystone falls into Tseng's hands, and he heads for the Temple of the
Ancients
Cait Sith's true colors are revealed
After collecting information in various places on the key to opening the Temple
of the Ancients, Cloud's team learns that it's in Dio's possession. After
successfully gaining it from him at the Gold Saucer, the party spends the night
at the hotel. That night, while Cloud is on a date with one of his companions,
they witness Cait Sith passing the Keystone to Tseng. He has been a Shin-Ra
spy. Marlene is taken hostage; hereafter, though, Cait Sith's behavior with the
party doesn't change; they chase after Shin-Ra, heading for the Temple of the
Ancients.
'...So, you have to do as I say.'
[Screenshot caption of Aerith's date]
During the date, Aerith voices her feelings for Cloud.
Deviation
Who is the date companion?
Cloud's companion for the date is determined by your choices in the progress of
the story. Whichever character amongst Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie and Barret has the
highest value in the "affection rating" will be the one to invite Cloud out for
the date; here are screenshots representing each. The course of each date is
the same, but, as you can see, they each develop in their own way depending on
the companion.
[Screenshot caption of Tifa's date]
Tifa tries to reveal her feelings to Cloud, but can't say it in the end.
[Screenshot caption of Yuffie's date]
Yuffie quietly moves over to Cloud and boldly kisses him on the cheek.
[Screenshot caption of Barret's date]
Barret arrives on his own at the idea that Cloud has his eye on Marlene."
----
The greatest piece of evidence in support of Cloti in the FF 20th Anniversary
Ultimania series, however is quite obviously definitive proof, and is found on
pg. 394, in a section entitled "For the One I Love" -- a section about the
primary romantic couples of the Final Fantasy series.
Amongst scenes from other games in the FF series depicting moments of romantic
realization or declaration between their protagonists (Ingus and Sara from the
Nintendo DS remake of FFIII, Cecil and Rosa from FFIV, Celes and Locke from
FFVI, Rinoa and Squall from FFVIII, Zidane and Dagger from FFIX, Steainer and
Beatrix, also from FFIX, and Yuna and Tidus from FFX), we find two screenshots
concerning FFVII -- one of Cloud and Aerith on the Gold Saucer date, and
another of Cloud and Tifa beneath the Highwind at the end of Disc 2.
Here is my translation of the entire page:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ltdend.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ltdover2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ltdover3.jpg
----
"For the One I Love
Through the long journeys, the love of the protagonists develop. Occasionally
they become separated, but the two s value to one another gives them the great
strength to overcome whatever crisis may come.
III - The diligent soldier and the meek princess
The love between the soldier and princess of Sasune Castle was divided by
social status; Ingus tried to supress his feelings, but Sara would not hide
hers.
IV - World just for the two of us
When rescuing Rosa, Cecil frankly declares his true feelings. The two reunited,
they tightly embrace for all eyes to see.
VI - Result of the chance encounter
The imperial general and the anti-empire organization member -- Celes and
Locke's relation to one another is like ships passing in the night; it's a long
period before they get to communicate their feelings completely.
VII - Secret date
At the Gold Saucer, Cloud receives an invitation from one of his companions.
Who comes around with the invitation is dependent on Cloud's behavior.
VII - The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with
Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings match.
VIII - Witch Rinoa's knight
Just before she can be sealed due to being a witch, Squall retakes Rinoa. "I
don't care that you're a witch" are his words to her, putting her mind at ease.
IX - For the one I must protect
Beatrix becomes the woman to whom Steiner will let no harm befall. For his
homeland's protection and for hers, Steiner brandishes his sword.
IX - Guidance on an investigation of life
Zidane left the company of his companions in front of the Iifa Tree. He
survived for the sake of going back to "the place I'll return to someday,"
where the one he loves was waiting for him.
X - Macalania Spring
Yuna is betrayed by the temples she had completely believed in and had made the
foundation of her life. Tidus decides to comfort her in this way.
Extra Thread
Scenes involving "love" other than romantic love
In the "FF" series, there's not just the romantic love between men and women;
there are various forms of love depicted. In "FFV," there's familial love
between Galuf and Krile, as well as the brotherly love between Edgar and Sabin
depicted in "FFVI"; and in "FFIX," there's an instance of love between Eiko and
Mog that goes beyond race. Also, in "FFVI," there's the scene where Terra
recovers her ability to fight and comes to understand the emotion called
"love"; when talking about "love," this is a scene that shouldn't be left out.
[Screenshot caption beneath the screenshot of Terra after transforming into
her Esper form in the World of Ruin]
During the event where Terra recovers her ability to fight, she regains her
power and says "I'll fight to protect the people I love"; she then throws
herself back into battle.
----
In the above, the pivotal line, as written in Japanese romaji, is as follows:
"Tifa no okagede jibun wo tori modoshita Cloud ha Sephiroth tono saigo no
tatakai wo maeni kotoba deha tsutaerarenai omoi wo kanojo to tashikame au"
(this line being, "Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final
battle with Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their
feelings match").
All this, then, makes the canonicty of the high affection version of the
Highwind scene -- as well as how that scene played out -- flatly undeniable.
Given the context of the page this appears on, that Tifa and Cloud are outright
confirmed here to have expressed their feelings of romantic love ("renai" is
the Japanese word used in the page's opening sentence) to one another without
using words, that the "Extra Thread" segment at the bottom of the page
identifies itself as talking about *other* scenes involving love in the FF
series, but ones which *weren't* romantic or related to falling in love
(implying that the Highwind scene, then, is in the category of scenes about
love related to falling in love, and given that the caption for the date
screenshot calls no specific attention to Cloud and Aerith -- and deliberately
avoids identifying a specific companion for Cloud on the date -- there is only
one conclusion to be drawn, and it is clear: Cloud and Tifa/Cloti/CloudxTifa
is an official couple. Cloti is canon.
Even if one *did* argue that a screenshot of Cloud and Aerith being on the page
somehow makes them an official couple as well, they'd also have to acknowledge
only one paragraph later that Cloud and Tifa express their romantic love for
one another in a physical manner when Cloud was at a loss for words on how to
express his feelings.
For the sake of simple digestion and recapping, here now is a collection of all
eight lines which refer to the sharing of feelings between Cloud and Tifa
beneath the Highwind, cited in order of publication:
-FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 15; Cloud's profile
"Declares that the team should dissolve in the final hours before the final
battle, and communicates his feelings together with Tifa, who remains behind at
the airship with him."
-FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 27; Tifa's profile
"When Cloud proposes that the group separates temporarily, she remains behind
at the airship and communicates her feelings together with Cloud."
-FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 27; Tifa's profile
"If Tifa's affection regarding Cloud is high, when the two stay behind at the
airship, they will confirm that their feelings of desire/wanting for one
another match."
-FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 198; Story Playback section
"When their companions disperse to the places where people important to them
await, Cloud and Tifa are the only two to remain behind. They reveal their
mutual feelings in their final hours, and......."
-Crisis Core Ultimania, pg. 33; Tifa's profile
"She communicates her feelings together with Cloud in the final stages of the
story, and in AC and DC they live together."
-FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania, pg. 118 (pg. 120 in the Revised Edition);
Story Playback section
"Cloud and Tifa, who remain, reveal their feelings for each other and confirm
them to match."
-FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, pg. 232; Story Playback
section
"And when Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their final hours, they
disclose that their feelings for each other match."
-FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, pg. 394; "For the One I Love"
page
"VII - The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with
Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings
match."
Counteraguments that something physical actually occurred here are yet
perpetuated, however. One such counterargument is an observation that the FF
20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character identifies Cloud and Tifa as
"osananajimi" ("childhood friends") rather than identifying them as a couple or
showing them with a mutual "favors" ("koui" in Japanese) arrow on its character
relationship chart (pp. 190-191), as is the case with Celes and Locke for Final
Fantasy VI's chart (pp. 148-149) and Squall and Rinoa on FFVIII's (pp.
232-233):
(Scans courtesy of Celes and Balthea of TheLifestream.net)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/FFVIchart.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/vi001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/viii001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffviicharacterchart.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffvii001.jpg
By not identifying such a couple with regard to FFVII, however, the book isn't
making a statement that there isn't a couple to be determined from the game or
wider Compilation materials. The chart isn't taking into account the entirety
of the Compilation, nor even the entirety of the original game for that matter.
The line going from Cid to Shiera says "tsuraku ataru" -- "to treat cruelly/
unkindly." Furthermore, it's rendered in the present ongoing tense, not past
tense, which would be "atatta." It's not true that Cid treated her unkindly by
the end of Disc 2, where the Highwind scene occurs. As well, the chart
obviously doesn't mention that Cid and Shiera are married by the time of
Dirge of Cerberus, so there clearly is a point where these charts stopped
keeping count of what was going on.
Not even Advent Children and DC's own charts in the FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania (pp. 121, 133; pp. 123 and 135 in the Revised Edition) provide any
greater illumination on the matter of who Cloud is in love with, lacking
"suki"/"likes" arrows altogether. DC's chart doesn't even have an arrow or line
running from one to the other, while AC's has them again identified as
"childhood friends," no arrow from Aerith to Cloud, and the only arrow from
Cloud to Aerith reading "tsumi no ishiki" ("sense of guilt") -- the same arrow
running from Lucrecia to Grimoire Valentine on DC's chart.
Furthermore, this book's chart for the original game (pg. 109) doesn't even
include "suki"/"likes" arrows from Aerith and Tifa to Cloud -- unlike the
flowchart in the FFVII Ultimania Omega (pp. 218-219) -- nor does even its DC
flowchart include the fact that Cid and Shiera are married as of that time.
Though on AC's chart we once again have Cloud and Tifa being identified only
with "childhood friends," that identification really doesn't preclude them
being anything else in addition. Only the arrow running from Cloud to Aerith
actually says "sense of guilt," but we know Cloud has a sense of guilt in AC
where Zack is concerned as well. However, the line between the two on AC's
chart only says "katsute no shinyuu" ("former best friends").
For that matter, the other FF games don't all have charts in the FF 20th
Anniversary Ultimania that openly identify their primary canon couples. For
instance, while Final Fantasy IX's chart from the same book (pp. 272-273)
doesn't link Steiner and Beatrix with "Rivals (later, favors)" and Freya and
Fratley with "koibitos" (see the rest of this article for more on this word),
Zidane and Dagger don't have so much as a "likes" description:
(Scans again courtesy of Celes and Balthea of TheLifestream.net)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/FFIXchart.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ix001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/freyafrat001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Steinetrix001.jpg
Instead, Zidane and Dagger are identified as "important existences/people"
("taisetsu na sonzai") to one another, which isn't necessarily romantic, and
the same is true of Tidus and Yuna on their chart for FFX (pp. 326-327):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffx001.jpg
As with the FFVII chart, those for FFIX and FFX bear incomplete data. For
that matter, the line running between Lulu and Wakka identifies them as
"osananajimi" ("childhood friends"), the same as Cloud and Tifa are always
identified in these charts. Given that Wakka and Lulu married only half a year
after FFX ended (this information comes from pg. 583 of the
FFX-2: International+Last Mission Ultimania), it's hardly indicative of people
who certainly don't have romantic feelings for one another.
Another chart with incomplete data is that for FFIV, the first Final Fantasy to
have a romantic couple in its main cast. The chart there (pp. 80-81) only
identifies Rosa and Cecil with "koui"/"favors," as was done with Celes and
Locke, and then with Squall and Rinoa:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ffiv001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/CecilKainRosa.jpg
As Cecil and Rosa actually get married in FFIV's ending -- "koui" applied to
them before the game even began -- this is incomplete data.
Really, the flow charts offer us absolutely nothing of value as far as the
LTD is concerned.
To argue that the chart in the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character
-- the most recently published character chart involving Cloud -- not having a
"koui," "suki" or "koibito" arrow running between Cloud and Tifa is a sign that
there's no canon pairing applicable to them is to argue that Cid still treats
Shiera unkindly by the end of FFIV, that Cecil and Rosa didn't marry at the end
of FFIV, and that the relationships between Zidane and Dagger, and Tidus and
Yuna, are ambiguous.
In other words, such an argument is unfounded. The charts are meaningless to
the LTD.
In any case, despite the flowcharts being a void counterargument to a canon
Cloud and Tifa pairing, it has been argued that Cloud and Tifa being
intimate on that one night isn't alone enough to indicate that they had begun
a romantic relationship by the end of the original game. Fair enough.
For the sake of argument, we'll pretend that the book that put their
relationship beside of the likes of Squall/Rinoa and Tidus/Yuna didn't do so
-- there are then a number of reasons for Cloud and Tifa to have had such a
moment without it necessarily meaning the intention to begin an ongoing
relationship, and they were possibly too focused on the battle ahead at that
point to even weigh it in such a capacity anyway.
It's only once the conflict has been settled that we see Cloud addressing how
he wants to live afterward -- and that comes only in the newer Compilation
materials. We'll get to that momentarily.
First, a second counterargument related to the Highwind scene exists in the
form of a line on pg. 189 (Revised Edition) of the Final Fantasy VII Kaitai
Shinsho The Complete guide book. In a section describing the different
scenes that can emerge as a result of Cloud's affection rating is a paragraph
related to the Highwind scene:
(Scan lifted from TheLifestream.net)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/kaitaishinshopage.jpg
Here, a line says, "At this time, depending on Cloud's affection rating for
Tifa, the 2 events involving 'dialogue exchanged between them from dusk to
dawn' and 'Tifa's lines and reaction to learning that everyone may have seen
(or heard) that situation' will be different."
The same line has been translated by Chibica of the Cloud x Aerith forums as,
"At that moment, according to Tifa's affectional rating for Cloud, the event
of 'dialogues exchanged between them from dusk to dawn' and 'Tifa's reaction
and lines when she found out that everyone might see (or hear) that
circumstance' will be different."
From this, some have taken the meaning that Cloud and Tifa talked from dusk
until dawn -- the implication being that there was no sexual interaction
between them. This, however, is a misreading of the line.
The line refers not to an instance of Cloud and Tifa talking from dusk until
dawn, but, rather, to the dialogue they happen to exchange between dusk and
dawn. At dusk, they have a conversation where the lines are affected by
Cloud's affection rating for Tifa. At dawn, they talk again and their lines are
again affected by the rating.
To better explain, if reading a newspaper article about a report on crime
patterns, you wouldn't read a phrase like "this report is based on a study of
crimes committed from August to December" to mean that the specific crimes
analyzed began in August and lasted for four months. In other words, you
wouldn't take it to mean a single mugging, burglary, etc. had lasted for
four months.
Such a phrase would refer to different instances of crime that occurred over
that four-month period, but which are still describable by "August to
December." The same is true in the matter of Cloud and Tifa beneath the
Highwind.
What we're dealing with in "dialogue exchanged between them from dusk to dawn"
doesn't indicate a conversation that lasted from dusk until dawn. Rather, it
identifies instances of dialogue that occurred from dusk until dawn.
In addition, the line is speaking of the dialogue that occurs in *both*
versions of the scene, not one or the other. We know from simply watching
either the high affection or low affection versions of the scene that Cloud
and Tifa do not talk from dusk until dawn in either.
In the low affection version, Cloud suggests the two go to sleep shortly after
their conversation begins. And in both versions, Cloud awakens Tifa shortly
before dawn, meaning there was no conversation between them throughout the
entire night.
That being the case, this counterargument also falls short -- especially given
the declaration that Cloud and Tifa's expression of feelings to one another
didn't involve words.
In any case, as said before, even with the two having sex, some would argue
that -- this being the night before they journeyed to face Sephiroth -- it was
just two people in the throes of passion before they died. Not a declaration
that they wanted a life with one another, but -- on Cloud's part anyway -- a
giving and taking of comfort offered before the end.
Again, fair enough.
However, an earlier line in the original game suggested that Cloud's childhood
interest in Tifa had carried over to the present. During the Lifestream
Sequence beneath Mideel on Disc 2, Tifa reveals to Cloud's subconscious that
she had thought of him a lot after he left Nibelheim as a teenager, wondering
how he was doing and whether he'd managed to get in SOLDIER.
In response to this revelation, Cloud's subconscious says, "Thanks, Tifa. Tell
him what you told me, later. He'll probably be so happy."
In the Japanese script of the game, these lines were actually: "Thanks, Tifa.
Later, tell him. He'll be delighted for sure!" The word "kitto" was used in the
Japanese script, meaning "for sure," "certainly" or "udoubtedly." As well, the
sentence ended with "yo," adding the emphasis that an exclamation point would
in English.
This suggests that -- even at this point -- Cloud would be happy to hear that
Tifa had been interested in him when he was into her as a teenager. Given that
Tifa had been Cloud's primary reason for wanting to join SOLDIER in the first
place ("I thought if I got stronger I could get someone to notice........."),
it's safe to say he was *very* into her back then.
The Crisis Core Ultimania (pg. 24), in fact, says that Cloud had "secretly
fallen in love with her":
(Scan lifted from the Cloud x Aerith forums)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/ccuscan1.jpg
The Japanese word I've translated as "secretly" here was "honoka," meaning "to
be seen dimly/faintly," as well as "subtle" or "indistinct." A translation by
aerithlove527 of the Cloud x Aerith forums instead transcribed the line as
"dimly fell in love with," taking the understanding that the love itself was
"dim" or "weak."
As shown by the various definitions of "honoka" above, however, the word
refers to how open to observation something is, not to its strength.
For that matter, as was demonstrated within the original game's story by the
following line, no one else knew of Cloud's feelings for Tifa at that time --
not even her: "......a sealed up secret...... wish...... Tender memories......
no one can ever know........." Thus, it was certainly "secretly" that Cloud
fell in love with her, not "dimly" or "weakly."
As for the phrase that I've translated as "fell in love with," that's "omoi wo
yoseteita" -- a phrase meaning just that in Japanese.
Despite Cloud's childhood feelings for Tifa, as well as the statement that
even during the game's present he would have been happy to learn that she
reciprocated them, it can fairly be argued that more present-day information
than this and the Highwind scene is needed to arrive at a conclusion that Cloud
is in love with Tifa during the present.
That's where the larger context of the newer Compilation materials comes into
play. Speaking now to that wider context, the Ultimania quotes about the two
communicating their feelings would seem to confirm that the affection Cloud
and Tifa shared that night *was* an indication of wanting a life with one
another rather than just a final moment of tenderness before death's icy hand
reached out to claim them.
For further indication of this, look at the comments Cloud makes to Tifa in
On the Way to a Smile: Case of Tifa. Just days after the Highwind scene,
Cloud tells Tifa that he thinks he'll be able to start a new life because "I
have you." When she says that he's always had her, he says "I mean from
tomorrow on," while smiling -- the context clear that he means in a different
way than before.
In fact, in the revised version of Case of Tifa, published at the time of
Advent Children Complete's release, Cloud's line after Tifa says "You've
always had me" actually *is* "What I mean is kind of different," explicitly
identifying that he means their relationship with one another has changed.
And what might be different now? What may have changed the dynamic of their
relationship just days before? That's right: They expressed romantic feelings
for one another and were intimate.
Here in Case of Tifa, Cloud was expressing that he wanted her with him not
just as an ally in battle, but as a companion.
Not long after that initial comment, Cloud tells Tifa that he'll be there to
remind her how strong she is whenever she forgets, blushing as he says it.
The blushing points to that kind of nervousness one might expect from an
awkward, bashful guy saying something romantic to his love interest. At the
very least, the accompanying line shows that he planned to be with her
indefinitely.
Next, let's look at On the Way to a Smile: Case of Barret. Here, the very
second line of the story says that Barret helped Cloud and Tifa build *their*
home. One they would be sharing together.
Later, when Barret talks with Cid, the pilot asks, "So Cloud's with Tifa?"
-- and Barret's response is "yeah." While one could interpret this to mean
Cloud's with Tifa in the sense that he's just occupying the same living
space, the context established by the rest of the discussion would suggest
otherwise.
Barret says Tifa is whipping Cloud into shape and Cid says, "In the end, it's
the women wear the pants." I imagine most people reading this are familiar
with the idiom of "wearing the pants in the family."
Cid -- who wasn't even around Cloud and Tifa for long after FFVII's events --
was speaking of them in the context of romantic partners. Why might he do
that? And why might he have suspected they were now living together in the
first place?
Because he was one of the members of AVALANCHE who witnessed/overheard Cloud
and Tifa sharing their moment under the Highwind, and then playfully teased
them about it the next morning. Certainly something gave him an indication that
they might have been moving toward a romantic relationship.
Another line that points to the same thing comes from Cloud himself in the
revised version of Case of Tifa, where he apologizes to Tifa for "doing things
without consulting" after he tells her he's begun a delivery service --
certainly not something he should have felt the need for if they weren't in a
relationship as described above. Roommates don't have a need to apologize for
how they spend their free time if they don't first gain permission.
Speaking of Cloud and Tifa in the context of a family setting, various
official materials -- as well as Barret and Marlene in Case of Tifa, and Cloud
himself in AC/ACC -- refer to them as being in one. Whether it be On the Way
to a Smile: Case of Tifa saying that Cloud looked like a young father with his
children when hanging out with Denzel and Marlene, Tifa's profile -- written
by Advent Children's creators -- in the April 2009 Dengeki PlayStation 3
(issue #445) that identified Tifa as serving the role of the children's
mother, or Cloud's profile from the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 38;
pg. 40 in the Revised Edition) that says he, Tifa and the children "lived
together like a family."
As well, that book's profile for Tifa says this (pg. 44;
http://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-vii/462/
tifa-lockhart-character-profile-p42-47/): "The present Tifa isn't just Cloud's
childhood friend, but also the mother of the 'family' they were forming in
Edge." This structure alone implies more than simply sharing quarters.
There's also a comment from Kazushige Nojima on pg. 70 of the Reunion Files
where he says this about conceptualizing the story of Advent Children:
"Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together.
Everybody would be back home where they belonged."
Now, I suppose one can argue -- as with Cid's comment from OtWtaS: Case of
Barret -- that this is just another way of saying that they're living in the
same house. Given the wider context of the Compilation that we've been
examining, though, I don't believe this fits.
Especially if we look at another comment from Nojima in the Reunion Files,
this time on pg. 20. There, we find Nojima say, "Although there's a lot to
Tifa's character, she's actually very much like any other woman who's been
left behind by a man." There is no other connotation for a "woman who's been
left behind by a man" than one who was left behind by her romantic partner.
Before we move away from the subject of sharing quarters, a late-night
conversation between Cloud and Tifa in OtWtaS: CoT would suggest they were
sleeping in the same room, if not the same bed. Tifa asks Cloud some questions
after waiting for him to fall asleep one night, waking him up.
While the first of these questions -- "Do you love me?" -- has been argued to
indicate that Tifa is unaware of what Cloud's feelings for her are -- and,
thus demonstrate that they aren't in a romantic relationship, as she should
know he loved her if they were -- given that the premise of the story here is
that they are in a *troubled* romantic relationship it makes complete sense
for Tifa to be asking this.
Things were not going particularly well between them at the time and Tifa was
worried about whether they were going to work things out. This is what people
do in relationships during times like that. You begin to wonder if the other
person still loves you and so you eventually ask.
In any case, while Cloud has a perplexed look on his face when he awakens,
it's left unclear whether this is due to her presence or the waking. That
said, given that he shuts his eyes after replying only three times and goes
back to sleep without waiting for her to leave or making sure he's answered
all her questions, one is left without a suggestion that her presence while he
sleeps is out of the ordinary.
Furthermore, were he to simply go back to sleep like that without making sure
he'd answered questions that were clearly bothering her, he'd be conducting
himself as something of a jerk. I think even the most firm Clerith supporters
would agree that Cloud cares more about Tifa's feelings than to dismiss her
so coldly.
The fact that she was waiting for him to fall asleep and knew when he had is
also quite telling, as is the utter lack of description regarding movement
into the room or toward Cloud in this scene.
That said, it has been suggested that the bed visible in Cloud's office in
Advent Children identifies the room as his bedroom when considered along with
a line from Case of Tifa. In the official translation included with the North
American Limited Edition release of Advent Children, Tifa tells Cloud at one
point, "Then drink in your room."
Though the original Japanese line is absent a possessive reference for the
room -- she literally just says, "Drink in room" -- contextually, it makes
sense to identify it as Cloud's. That said, another line in the story shortly
before that -- and set on the same day -- refers to the room simply as "the
room Cloud used as an office" -- not "Cloud's room" or "the room Cloud slept
in." This, despite the story referring to Marlene and Denzel's room as
"the children's room."
As well, the last paragraph of the story refers to the room once again as
"Cloud's office," not his room.
What's more, the room is absent the barest of amenities beyond the bed and
office desk. The spare tires laying to one side give even less an
impression that this is a room lived in rather than worked in. Minimalist as
Cloud may or may not be, to have not acquired so much as a dresser or
nightstand in two years seems unlikely, even for him.
By comparison, the children's bedroom is lavishly furnished -- though it
really just looks like an ordinary room by any other measure -- including
beds that actually look comfortable:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/cloudsoffice.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/kidsroom.jpg
That Cloud would take the time and have the thorough compulsion to customize a
motorcycle, adorn himself with a wolf-themed outfit, cell phone and jewelry --
which themselves are tied to the motorcycle because of its name, Fenrir -- and
to decorate his desk, but not the time to provide his bedroom with a simple
piece of furniture for storing anything he would need on a day-to-day basis is
a little ridiculus and out of place.
For that matter, given his customized clothing and bike -- the latter of which
he was willing to exchange a lifetime of free drinks and meals at Seventh
Heaven for -- as well as the sophisticated gadgetry implemented in his bike
and Fusion Sword, Cloud hardly gives the impression of being an ascetic. He
clearly appreciates the finer things in life.
Given the strange hours Cloud worked because of his job, it makes a lot more
sense that the office he used for work just had an extra bed for crashing in
without waking up anyone else. After all, since Barret had stayed there for a
while, it's not that strange for an extra bed to be around, and there likely
aren't more than three bedrooms anyway since Denzel doesn't have one of his
own.
Counterarguments to the ideas discussed above include the observation that
Case of Tifa says Marlene slept with Tifa up until at least the night that
Barret left -- the implication being that if Cloud and Tifa had just
officially entered a romantic relationship, they should probably be sleeping
together. Not an unreasonable assumption, though not a deal breaker either.
They had just built a new home out of the ruins of Midgar at that time, and
only been sleeping in the new place for a week by the time Barret left.
Furthermore, this statement is only known to apply as far as that first week
-- a period in which it would have made sense for someone to sleep with a
child so young to help her adjust to all that had changed in her life and
become comfortable with her new surroundings.
The next time reference is made to Marlene's sleeping arrangements, she has
her own bed in the room with Denzel.
When Marlene made this transition is left unidentified. As such, it can't be
said that she went back to sleeping with Tifa right after Barret left any
more than it can be said that she never slept with her again.
This particular matter is more or less rendered moot by the knowledge that
Marlene is no longer sleeping with Tifa later in the story. We must look
elsewhere for refutations.
Another counterargument often cited in relation to Case of Tifa is that Tifa
herself had the following thoughts during the story:
"They needed friends to live without being crushed by the guilt. Even if they
all bore the same scars, shouldered the same sins, they never would have made
it without comforting and encouraging each another.
'All right, then. Maybe it is safe to say we're a family. We just have to work
together as one. Together with friends to call family, there's no storm we
can't weather,' Tifa thought."
This passage is often cited as evidence that Tifa saw her living arrangement
with Cloud as simply friends cohabiting -- and, indeed, that she just saw
family as a circle of friends who support one another.
I would argue that this passage refers not to the arrangement she had with
Cloud and Marlene -- Denzel was not yet in the picture -- but, rather, to the
"extended family" that included the rest of AVALANCHE.
Cloud is one individual, so he wouldn't fit the plurality indicated by
"friends." Also, Marlene wouldn't be included in the group who "all bore the
same scars, shouldered the same sins," so she's not able to provide a
plurality that would turn the residents of Seventh Heaven into into a circle
of friends with sins on their backs.
What characters close to Tifa then do fit that description? Who feels guilty
of sins other than Cloud and Tifa? Barret, of course, and for the same
reasons as Tifa -- the deaths caused by their terrorist activities in
opposition to the Shin-Ra Company. Who else?
Cid likely would for his treatment of Shiera. Vincent absolutely does given
his belief that he failed Lucrecia and Sephiroth. Reeve, as well, had felt a
need to redeem himself for standing by while Shin-Ra carried out its
assortment of immoral activities.
Possibly even Red XIII would feel some measure of guilt for not honoring his
father's memory most of his life.
Marlene, though? There's nothing that she should feel guilty over, nor is she
ever indicated to have.
Another point brought up to suggest that Tifa didn't see the family with
Cloud as legitimate is how often she tries to convince herself throughout CoT
that they are just a normal family. The Clerith perspective would argue that
she does this because she knows that their family situation isn't normal --
one with two parents in a romantic relationship raising children.
In fact, it's often argued that Tifa's relationship with Cloud is more akin to
that of a mother and son. When he feels guilty about running deliveries
without Tifa's knowledge and spending money on enhancing his bike without
discussing this with her as well, then reveals it, she thinks to herself, "He's
like a child."
At the prospect that the world Cloud knew was expanding, Tifa next thought to
herself, "Yes... Maybe this is kind of what a mother feels like." As well,
it's stated that she was happy with "the new emotions growing inside her."
The Clerith perspective feels that this indicates that Tifa's romantic
interest in Cloud had begun to disappear at this point, being replaced instead
by a motherly affection. As well, the perspective is that Tifa accepted she and
Cloud weren't meant to be together in any other way.
This view is bolstered by a quote from Tetsuya Nomura in the Reunion Files (pg.
18), where he said, "Tifa was a very difficult character to create. Like
Aerith, she has a maternal side to her, but in a different sense. Not only was
she looking after Marlene and Denzel, but she also felt a certain maternal bond
to Cloud, who is a 'big kid' himself in some respects."
Next, the Clerith perspective would point out that it is only after Cloud has
brought Denzel into the family that he begins spending more time at home, the
implication being that he only spends more time there because his bond with
Denzel is due in large part to his belief that Aerith led Denzel to him -- thus
making Denzel a connection between Cloud and Aerith in his mind.
Perhaps most significantly, the Clerith perspective holds that the family's
structure no more favors Cloud as a figurehead -- a father role to Tifa's
mother role -- than it favors Barret. In fact, the perspective holds that
Barret is better described as serving the family's fatherly role since he is
the one who originally put the family together in founding AVALANCHE.
From this point of view, Cloud is more of a son to the family -- a brother to
Marlene and Denzel. This structure is said to be suggested further by Marlene
saying "I'll put Cloud in our family too" in the revised version of Case of
Tifa, presumably while drawing one of the pictures that adorn the wall of the
children's bedroom -- Marlene's words considered an "invitation" of sorts to
Cloud to join a family that already existed and which he played no part in
forming.
All this then culminates in Tifa's discussion with Cloud in AC/ACC, in which
she says, "I guess that only works for real families" -- the idea being that
Tifa once again acknowledges that they aren't a normal family with two parents
in a romantic relationship raising kids.
While this does make for a cohesive, relatively consistent analysis, it also
requires dismissing each of the pro-Cloti factors we've already looked at in
isolation rather than together -- Cloud and Tifa sharing an intimate moment
before the final battle of the original game; Cloud's declared desire
following the battle to have Tifa with him in a "different" way than he'd
always had her with him before; the house being described as theirs; Cid's
question about Cloud and Tifa being together followed by a joke that the women
in relationships wear the pants; Nojima's own statement that he knew when
conceptualizing AC that Cloud and Tifa would "be together" and everyone "home
where they belonged"; the references to Cloud and Tifa living together with
children as a family that they themselves were forming.
It's a long list even without the Nojima Statement or the FF 20th Anniversary
Ultimania File 2: Scenario's statement that Cloud and Tifa didn't use words
to express their feelings of romantic love to one another.
Before taking such a perspective as described under the Clerith view of things,
it would benefit us to look at the Japanese version of Nomura's quote from the
Reunion Files about Tifa's motherly behavior. Of significance, only the English
translation used the term "maternal bond" -- Nomura's actual statement was
merely that Tifa "also looks after Cloud" ("Cloud no mendou mo miteiru") in
addition to Marlene and Denzel.
This can be said of many women where their romantic partners are concerned. A
maternal bond isn't necessary.
Even had Nomura's actual statement included the term, however, it should go
without saying that such qualities are not uncommon to find in women, nor is
the presence of a "certain maternal bond" between a woman and the man she has
romantic feelings for. That really falls to individual variance -- how
naturally doting and mother-like a woman is.
Some are more so. Some are less so. Tifa's more so. That doesn't mean she sees
Cloud as a son to her.
As far as the notion goes that Tifa decides during Case of Tifa that she's
more of a mother to Cloud than anything else, that isn't supported by a later
passage where Tifa observes Cloud, Marlene and Denzel seated at a table in
Seventh Heaven. There, the comment is made -- obviously incorporating Tifa's
perspective -- that "you might have said Cloud, Marlene and Denzel resembled a
slightly young father and his kids."
As well, she clearly she has not accepted a role as Cloud's mother in AC/ACC
if she's still making references to the idea of a real or normal family. She
still sees him as something other than a son to her -- especially if Nojima's
comment that she's "like any other woman who's been left behind by a man" is
to apply.
While on the subject, that could very well be why Tifa prods Cloud with the
question of whether they're a real family in AC/ACC -- he had left them. To
begin with, Marlene and Denzel weren't their biological children. For Cloud,
then, to leave and die alone rather than looking for and providing support at
home only does more to sever the bonds that would make them a legitimate
family.
For that matter, Aerith doesn't go without an analogy as Cloud's mother
herself -- and this from Cloud. When he feels her presence as he's dying near
the end of the film, he says "Mother?" aloud, prompting Aerith to say he's too
big to adopt.
As well, in the Reunion Files (pg. 29), Nomura says that Aerith's maternal
essence lingers at the City of the Ancients -- and says it in the context of
why this is a place that Cloud avoids while simultaneously feeling drawn
toward.
If Cloud sees Tifa as a mother figure to him, what then is one to take from
this?
Both Tifa and Aerith have motherly qualities to them, as Nomura said in the
Reunion Files (pg. 18), and both are motherly toward Cloud in their own way.
Again, these qualities are not uncommon in women.
To the idea that Cloud had to be invited into Marlene's family by her and that
he himself played no role in forming it, I say this: The FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania outright said that Cloud and Tifa were "forming" the
family.
Furthermore, while Barret's FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania profile says that
he rushes to Edge to aid his family (pg. 54; pg. 56 in the Revised Edition),
Barret himself is never included in any itemized description of Cloud's family
-- not Cloud's profile in the same book where the family is said to consist of
he, Tifa and the children (pg. 38; pg. 40 in the Revised Edition), nor in a
later passage where Barret is outright differentiated from Cloud's family and
would fall instead into the category of "his friends" (pg. 131; pg. 133 of the
Revised Edition): "When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the
children, freed from their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking
for Cloud to heal his Geostigma-- his family were waiting."
Tifa, Marlene and Denzel, however, *are* identified as his family here.
While the family of Seventh Heaven had certainly been originally created by
Barret, it had been completely restructured in the time since Biggs, Jessie and
Wedge died, as well as by Barret's own departure after the new Seventh Heaven
was built. Barret was still part of the family, of course, but had become more
a part of the "extended family" discussed earlier in this article.
There was nothing formal about Marlene's "innocent offer," as it's described,
to include Cloud in the family. She was simply a child recognizing that the
structure around her had changed -- along with the structure of the family
itself -- and that Cloud was now part of her family.
That brings us to the matter of Denzel and Cloud's bond with him motivating
him to spend more time at home. While I would not be the one to suggest that
Cloud's belief Aerith brought the boy to him didn't impact the bond Cloud felt
with him, I would also point out that when he and Tifa discussed that idea,
Tifa posited that Denzel had been brought to them both. To this suggestion,
Cloud smiled.
Though it's feasible that Cloud could have simply smiled to placate Tifa's
feelings, even while he felt she was shoehorning herself into a matter that
didn't concern her, given that he'd just admitted thinking he was wrong about
the kid being brought to him, only for Tifa to clarify that Denzel was brought
to the both of them, it's more likely a genuine a smile.
In any case, it's more relevant to examine why Cloud believed Aerith brought
the child to him in the first place.
Tifa's own reasons for thinking this may shed some insight into Cloud's. Her
thoughts on the matter in Case of Tifa are as follows: "Denzel was supposed to
come here. He was a victim when Sector Seven was destroyed--and we're the
reason it's gone. So we need to take responsibility and raise this boy right."
Cloud, for his own part, feels the weight of sins he blames himself for --
most notably, Aerith and Zack's deaths. Aerith's in particular, given that he
might have been able to save her had he done a number of things differently in
that situation.
While there was nothing he could have done for Zack, Cloud would be left
wondering whether he might have helped Aerith had he broke Sephiroth's control
a second sooner, not been so susceptible to it in the first place -- or had he
done *anything* when Sephiroth descended from the sky to kill her.
Cloud felt a great guilt for Aerith's death, and it stands to reason he -- like
Tifa -- would have seen raising the boy as penance for his "sins." He even says
toward the end of Case of Tifa, "I don't think I'll ever fix [my] problem. I
can't make somebody unlose their life. But now, maybe I got a chance to save a
life that's on the brink. Maybe that's something even I can do."
Tifa asks if he means Denzel, and Cloud says, "Yeah." The connection that the
boy had to Aerith for him is made obvious by these lines.
In any case, none of the points we've gone over from the Clerith perspective
would do anything to suggest a pro-Clerith development so much as an
anti-Cloti one. Though the counteraguments of the Clerith perspective fail to
put the scoreboard back at square one, even if they did, that wouldn't move
the scale in a pro-Clerith direction. Positive one and negative one equal zero.
Though detractors of Tifa and Cloud's status as a canon couple have suggested
over the last few years that Cloud was unhappy with his living arrangements
and that this was in part why he left, all official comments on the matter
have indicated that Cloud was happy with his family, and, indeed, that this
happiness was why he left.
His 10th Anniversary Ultimania profile (pg. 38; pg. 40 of the Revised Edition)
says that the more he realizes how happy he is living with Tifa and the
children, the more anxious he becomes at the fear of losing them. Nomura said
the same thing in The Distance: The Making of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children
documentary included with Advent Children: "The happier he is, the more lonely
he becomes."
Furthermore, his Dengeki PS3 profile says that he left initially because he
wanted to find a cure for geostigma for Denzel, but later withdrew entirely
because he believed he was useless to those he cared about after contracting
the illness himself.
Cloud's comments to Tifa and Marlene in AC/ACC corroborate this, and his
profile in the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania outright states that his guilt
about not being able to protect the people he cares about are what drove him
to leave (pg. 38; pg. 40 in the Revised Edition). Aerith's death, in fact, is
identified in her profile from the same book (pg. 50; pg. 52 of the Revised
Edition) as "a major factor in causing him to close himself off."
As for Aerith herself, she is said there to "live on in the hearts of her
friends who saved the planet," and "in particular to Cloud, as a symbol of his
failure to ... protect those dear to him."
In any event, once Cloud began to believe in himself again and was freed from
his guilt over the deaths of Aerith and Zack, he returned to his family.
The matter of Cloud's guilt may warrant further analysis, as, in all cases
where he speaks of Aerith post-FFVII, it's in the context of guilt. Cloud
believed that he sinned in failing to save her. It's guilt, rather than
romantic yearning he feels.
Furthermore, whenever this feeling comes up about Aerith, it's always
applicable to Zack as well. Whether it be the wolf symbol that represents his
guilt appearing in places relevant to both of them, or his flashbacks to the
moments before both their deaths when Denzel and Tifa are nearly killed in
ACC, Zack and Aerith are almost always placed together in Cloud's thoughts.
Though Kazushige Nojima stated on pg. 58 of the Reunion Files that "no one
other than Aerith can solve that problem for him," the Ultimania for Dissidia
Final Fantasy makes it clear (pg. 530) that he was looking to her to confirm
he was absolved for both Zack and Aerith's deaths:
(Translated by hitoshura of TheLifestream.net)
"'If I win, are my sins forgiven?' -- Cloud: battling against Cloud.
Cloud continued to regret the deaths of his best friend and comrade, who were
dear to him, in FFVII. In AC, he says 'I want to be forgiven.'"
In Dissidia itself, even when Cloud mentions "something that happened before"
while talking to Terra about his doubts over being able to save anyone, this is
applicable to both of those he was unable to save in his past.
One of two exceptions to this parallel applicability in Dissidia is the field
of flowers that appears in the game's ending. Cloud decides during Dissidia to
share Firion's dream of a world filled with flowers, and when he returns to
his world, it's in a flower field similar to the one seen at the end of Advent
Children.
Certainly a reference to Aerith, as was an earlier comment following his final
battle of the game with Sephiroth. There, Cloud said, "The one I really want
to meet is ..." and trailed off.
Given Cloud's desire to see Aerith again and get her forgiveness, however,
neither this line nor the field of flowers are necessarily romantic.
If anything, Cloud's dream of a field of flowers is the symbol of his
redemption for the sins he believed he'd committed. It is ultimately in such a
field that he meets Aerith in Advent Children, and while there, he says only
that he wants her forgiveness. There are no words of longing. Just a desire
to receive forgiveness.
While on the subject of Dissidia, the materia Cloud receives as his crystal
during the game is often thought to be a representation of Aerith's White
Materia. Though the size is wrong, as the White Materia was much smaller than
this baseball-sized crystal, Dissidia's representation of the Black Materia
has increased its size:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/BlackMateria.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/DissidiaBlackMateria.png
In addition, the representation of the crystal of creation that Zidane
receives as his crystal is much smaller than the real thing. That being the
case, there is a precedent that would allow the crystal to be a different size
than the White Materia while still representing it.
As well, though the White Materia glowed in a different fashion in the
original game when Holy had been cast -- a white spiral emanating from its
center as opposed to a solid white glow -- it's plausible that a new
rendering of the materia so many years later might portray this differently:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/whitemateria.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/cloudscrystal2.jpg
That said, the Dissidia Final Fantasy Ultimania does not identify the
materia as a reference to Aerith or to the White Materia in Final Fantasy
VII's "Link to the Original" section of the guide (pg. 530) -- even while it
identifies the feather Squall catches in the ending as a reference to Rinoa
(pg. 580).
The Ultimania also goes so far as to point out many references that would be
significantly less relevant than would be one to Aerith or the White Materia.
For example, the guide draws attention to a reference for Final Fantasy II in
which the Shiva AUTO summon uses lines similar to that game's Lamia Queen
boss, making Firion -- who is shy and inexperienced with women -- feel
nervous (pg. 196).
That's not nearly as relevant to Dissidia's story as Cloud's crystal, nor is
it as relevant to FFII as Aerith and the White Materia are to FFVII. While on
that topic, the Buster Sword -- of comparable significance to the White
Materia, and a memento of Zack -- is identified in the Ultimania, as is its
relation to Zack.
The game itself even names the Black Materia as such, as the attack in which
Sephiroth uses it to cast Meteor bears the materia's name.
Given the Ultimania references and the unquestioned identification of the
Black Materia by the game itself, why would Aerith's memento receive no
mention at all if it indeed were present?
What Cloud receives in Dissidia is most easily concluded to be a
representation of an ordinary green materia, a generic crystal from and
representative of his world. All his companions in Dissidia likewise receive a
crystal that does more to represent the game they're from than to represent
the character theirself or a connection they may have to another character
from their game.
There's a sphere for Tidus that looks like many spheres seen in his game,
including Jyscal Guado's sphere, Yuna's sphere, the Jecht spheres and any of
the spheres laying on the floor of Rin's travel agencies. However, it is never
implied to be a representation of any one of these specifically.
For Terra, there's a magicite whose identity is never suggested. Though it
could be a representation of the magicite of her father, Maduin, this is not
implied by the game.
The rest of the characters in Dissidia receive equally generic crystals, each
even more unlikely to be associated with a specific character from their
original game.
Moving away from Dissidia and back to Advent Children, in The Distance, Nomura
makes some comments that are often thought to lend themselves strongly to a
Clerith conclusion:
"The words 'memetic legacy' are used a lot in the film, but in Advent Children,
rather than focusing on memories, we wanted to show that consciousness is
what lives on. We took the ending of the game and expanded on that idea. Even
if they're dead, their consciousness is still with us. As for Cloud... He sees
Aerith several times throughout the film. It's not that he sees her because he
senses her presence. He sees her because her consciousness lives on inside
him."
Nomura, however, made this as a general comment made about everyone and used
Cloud and Aerith as an example -- it was not something said to be specific to
Cloud and Aerith. Only seconds later, Nojima speaks of recently having a child
and how this means his bloodline continues, even as his grandmother died around
the same time. He says that everyone is part of a bigger flow.
Just as significant, the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania makes it clear that
Cloud isn't the only one within whom Aerith lives on in such a way (pg. 50 of
the regular edition, and pg. 52 of the Revised Edition;
http://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-vii/604/aerith-gainsborough-character-
profile-p48-51/):
"Two years after returning to the planet, Aerith still lives on in the hearts
of her friends who saved the planet. And in particular to Cloud, as a symbol
of his failure to having being unable protect those dear to him, she was a
major factor in causing him to close himself off."
Indeed, in Advent Children, Marlene and Tifa are both shown to have a
connection with Aerith as well. It also bears pointing out that the only way
in which Aerith lives on specifically for Cloud is as a symbol of his
inability to protect those he cares about.
And, ultimately, like everything else that applies to Aerith in the movie,
this idea that Aerith lives on inside Cloud applies to Zack as well. He also
appears to Cloud, and on more than one occasion. During one of those
appearances, Zack even reminds Cloud that he is his "living legacy."
Zack lives on inside Cloud every bit as much as Aerith.
Despite the information discussed thus far, perhaps the biggest indication for
many fans that Cloud harbored feelings of romantic love for Aerith comes from
On the Way to a Smile: Case of the Lifestream White's reference to him as
Aerith's "koibito" -- a Japanese word usually meaning "lover," "boyfriend" or
"girlfriend" depending on the context:
"Cloud was her friend, her koibito -- a symbol of what was important to her,
and someone to be protected."
From this, many have taken the understanding that Cloud was referred to here
as Aerith's boyfriend, and, thus, that Clerith is canon. There are several
angles overlooked in drawing this conclusion, however.
First, and most importantly, "koibito" doesn't always indicate reciprocity, and
is not always used to imply it. When examined as its separate components, "koi"
and "hito"/"bito," one sees that the literal meaning is "loved person." Given
the purely romantic/sexual connotations of "koi," it might be better read as
"desired person."
So Cloud's simply Aerith's "desired person" -- which is nothing we hadn't known
since 1997, when the game came out: Aerith desired Cloud.
Cloud being Aerith's koibito is a far different matter than if she were said to
be his koibito. One statement is a reflection of Aerith's feelings, while the
other would be a reflection of Cloud's.
As the only statement made has been that Cloud is her koibito, the word -- as
it's used in Case of the Lifestream White -- is probably better translated as
"sweetheart" or "beloved." As with "beloved" in particular, "koibito" doesn't
always indicate reciprocity.
Secondly, while the narration that says, "Cloud was her friend, her koibito,"
is made by the third-person narrative voice, it's done as a reflection of
Aerith's point of view. It's not a third-person omniscient/objective voice
making an irrefutable statement no more than Case of the Lifestream Black was
when it made the following comment about Sephiroth's defiance of dissolving
into the Lifestream:
(Translated by LH Yeung/Xcomp)
"The planet was to be his to rule, and to become a part of that system
would be nothing short of defeat."
Rather than making an objective declaration that Sephiroth was going to win
and take over Gaia, it was simply using a third-person limited/subjective
perspective that reflected what Sephiroth was feeling -- a writing technique
known as "free indirect discourse," in which the third-person limited
perspective is used in a story that isn't exclusively in third-person limited.
That sort of writing makes for variety in sentence structure and delivery, as
well as more pleasurable reading. Constantly seeing "... he thought ..." or
"... she felt that..." would quickly get tiresome. This technique shows up in
Case of Barret and Case of Tifa as well.
In the former, rather than objectively stating that "there was no place for a
man with a gun attached to his right arm except amidst battle and chaos," it
was reflecting Barret's belief about his situation at that time. In the second
story, we see this same third person limited voice when Tifa "called out her
daughter's name" early in the story -- the word daughter ("musume") present in
both the Japanese and official English versions.
Marlene is not actually Tifa's daughter, but, as explained a few paragraphs
later, "That's how Tifa would introduce her." The earlier line simply reflected
Tifa's feelings about Marlene. In fact, the revised version of Case of Tifa
doesn't include the explanation "That's how Tifa would introduce her" at all
-- the matter is simply left as-is, with the statement being made that "Tifa
called out her daughter's name."
What's also overlooked in this matter is that even if this was an objective
third-person voice referring to Cloud as Aerith's koibito, and even if
"koibito" indicated mutuality in all its uses, the statement would be
unreliable on the basis that there is no demonstration that Cloud and Aerith
ever got together in the original game.
Up to the point in time where Aerith is thinking about Cloud in Case of the
Lifestream White -- shortly after the end of the original game and already
well after Aerith had died -- there had been no significant scene of romance
portrayed between the two. Certainly even a date at the Gold Saucer
wouldn't be enough to make a word like "lovers" apply to them, especially
given SE's position in the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 37; pg. 39
of the Revised Edition) that "Both Aerith, who is forthright, and Tifa, who is
demure, have feelings for Cloud but he is none the wiser to them."
For that matter, let s examine which date is the most likely to be canon
anyway. For obvious reasons, we ll rule Yuffie and Barret s dates out,
focusing instead just on Tifa and Aerith s.
For a few reasons, Tifa s seems to be the obvious fit. The name of the
music playing on the date is "Interrupted by Fireworks"/"Words Drowned
by Fireworks, and, indeed, her words get drowned out during the date
when she tries telling Cloud that she loves him. Though the idea of the
dates being "interuppted" by fireworks might fit all four dates, Tifa is the
only character whose words are actually "drowned out" by them on any of the
dates -- and "Words Drowned by Fireworks" is the literal name of the track, as
translated from the Japanese name, "Hanabi ni Kesareta Kotoba."
As well, in Ehrgeiz, the same music plays in the background while fighting
Tifa in Arcade Mode -- so there is some precedent for this music being "Tifa's"
so to speak. Furthermore, in Cloud's profile in the FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania (pg. 37; pg. 39 in the Revised Edition), a screenshot of Tifa's date
with Cloud is featured alongside the statement above that Cloud was oblivious
to Tifa and Aerith's feelings for him, while yet another screenshot of the date
is included in Tifa's profile from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1:
Character guide (pg. 194).
This reference to the date includes this caption: "She is shy when it comes to
love. She's getting better at plainly expressing her feelings to Cloud,
though, and can do so more easily now."
Not only does this caption seem to thematically tie together Tifa's date with
Cloud -- where she had difficulty expressing her feelings to him -- with the
high affection version of the Highwind scene -- where she and Cloud both
finally reveal their feelings to one another -- but as it's speaking in the
present progressive tense, it would appear to be treating the matter as
something that has already happened from the perspective of the "speaker."
In other words, as with all other screenshot captions throughout the book, the
date appears to be treated here as something that actually took place for these
characters.
Meanwhile, there's no screenshot of or reference to Aerith's date in either the
10th Anniversary Ultimania's profiles or its Story Playback section, in which
the story of the original game is recapped. None of the profiles from the
FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character make reference to the event
either -- neither in Cloud nor Aerith's profiles.
That being said, the Aerith version of the date is referenced by Aerith's card
in the Final Fantasy Art Museum trading card collection as though it definitely
took place as well, given that its quotes from Aerith includes her "No, Cloud...
I'm searching for you..." line, along with the parenthetical notation, "(Said to
Cloud during their first and last date)":
(Scan courtesy of Quexinos)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/FFArtMuseumAerith.jpg
In addition, one of Aerith's diary-like entries from the FFVII Kaitai Shinsho
The Complete (pg. 164 in the Revised Edition) has her run through her final
thoughts before venturing into the City of the Ancients, where she is murdered
soon thereafter. Amongst these thoughts, she speaks of a date she and Cloud
went on at the Gold Saucer as something she would never forget.
It's also worth notice that Aerith's date brings closure to her confusion
between Cloud and Zack, as she comes to terms with the fact that they are not
the same person, and that she wishes to get to know Cloud as he really is. At
least as significant to the story as the theme of Tifa's ongoing hesitation to
voice her thoughts and feelings, this scene seems especially so given that it's
one of the final scenes touching on Aerith's development.
Perhaps most in favor of Aerith's date, though, is the fact that -- in the
event of a tie in the game's affection values -- Aerith's is played as the
default. Even Tifa's comes only second in order of default.
Despite a strong argument to be made for both of these dates, I would argue
that there is no canon date. The FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario
says At the Gold Saucer, Cloud receives an invitation from one of his
companions. Who comes around with the invitation is dependent on Cloud's
behavior on the For the One I Love page (pg. 394), and, as said before, the
book s story summary for FFVII doesn t seem to favor describing one date
more than the others on the page covering that part of the story (pg. 225).
Indeed, the story summary simply reiterates the indefinite outcome of the date
mechanics in saying that Cloud's companion for the date is determined by your
choices in the progress of the story. Even the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania
File 2: Scenario's inclusion of a screenshot of the Aerith date on the "For the
One I Love" page doesn't speak of it as canon, and, as we ve seen, the caption
for the screenshot is neutral toward all four versions of the date.
The rather mercurial references to the date and how it played out seem to go
back about as far as the publication of the game itself. While the FFVII Kaitai
Shinsho The Complete -- originally published in March of 1997 and reissued in
November of the same year -- seems to treat Aerith s date as canon, as did her
Final Fantasy Art Museum card from 2001, the script from the FFVII Memorial
Album -- in both its 1999 and 2003 editions -- included Aerith, Tifa and
Yuffie s dates. We then, of course, got the description and screenshot
leaning toward Tifa s date in her profile from the FF 20th Annivesary
Ultimania File 1: Character in January of 2008, and the ever more neutral
recountings from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario in April,
2008.
As this is the most recent official word on the matter -- and especially given
that it appears in the same book as pages that spoke in definite terms
regarding the Highwind scene -- it should be taken as the official position. In
short, there is no canon Gold Saucer date.
Anyway, back to the matter of Cloud being oblivious to both women's feelings
for him. This would apply at least up to shortly before the point in the game
where Aerith died, as the Ultimania comment is accompanied by a screenshot of
the Gold Saucer date.
There was no time for Cloud and Aerith to become lovers or express such
feelings to one another before her death.
The Clerith perspective, however, feels that Cloud had expressed such
feelings in Cosmo Canyon when he said, "But I'm..... we're here for you,
right?" when Aerith was feeling alone after learning more about the Cetra.
This point of view then takes Aerith asking Cait Sith how compatible she and
Cloud are as a sign of reciprocity.
As well, had Cloud been clueless to her intentions before, it's believed that
he should have been able to pick up on them at that point.
This article will not venture to disagree that Cloud cared for Aerith. As
well, it wouldn't disagree that he was attracted to her, comfortable around
her, or even interested in her.
Furthermore, no disagreement shall be forthcoming that Cloud would have to be
beyond slow not to pick up on Aerith's intentions at the Temple of the
Ancients.
Where disagreement arises on this matter is in whether either of these comments
reflect a decision on Cloud's part to begin a romantic relationship with
Aerith, or that either comment rises to the level of qualifying as a mutual
discussion that the two are now a couple. Such a conversation never took place
between them.
For that matter, Cloud simply saying that he's there for Aerith at a time
when she's feeling alone is no more a declaration of deciding to be in a
relationship with her than was the similar comment Cloud made to Marlene in
Advent Children Complete when he said it's his turn to be there for her.
Aerith certainly didn't take it that way, at any rate, when he said it to her.
While on the subject of the word "koibito," it's been used in reference to
Tifa before as well, in the Advent Children Reunion Files book (pg. 19).
There, Nomura said, "There are many dimensions to Tifa's character. She's like
a mother, a sweetheart [koibito], and a close ally in battle":
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/tifa-1.jpg
A more accurate translation than that printed in English in the book would
be, "Various positions come together in Tifa. She's also like a mother, is
also a koibito, and is also a close ally in battle."
The Japanese sentences ("Tifa wa ironna tachiba wo awase motte irun desu ne.
Haha no you demo ari, koibito demo ari, isshou ni tatakatte kita senyuu
demo aru") contain separate thought endings for each noun Tifa's identified
as. The presence of "demo ari" -- meaning "is also" -- indicates the end to
a complete thought, so Tifa is only described with "like a" for "like a
mother."
"No you" -- meaning "like" -- would need to be before each use of "demo ari"
in order for Tifa to also be "like a koibito" and "like a close ally in
battle." She simply *is* identified as "also" ("demo") being those things.
Though there's been some debate about whether these words were used to
refer to Tifa's traits or to her roles, the word that became "dimensions" in
the official translation was "tachiba," meaning such things as "position" or
"situation." Basically, it refers to actualized, lived aspects of someone's
life, so "role" would make the most sense.
So, that leaves us then to identify who she's like a mother to, *is* a close
ally in battle to, and *is* a lover/girlfriend/desired person to. We know
she's like a mother to Marlene and Denzel, and is a close ally in battle to
the rest of AVALANCHE. That leaves her to be a koibito to someone. Who else
could it be but Cloud?
Though there have been counterarguments that suggest it's Johnny since he's
still around in On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel and still likes her, it
seems a rather insignificant matter in the large scheme of things. Johnny's
completely irrelevant to Advent Children and mentioned nowhere else in the
Reunion Files.
His enduring crush on her is hardly worth mentioning alongside the children
she's actually raising and the teammates she's actually in life-and-death
battles with. Likewise, Rude's crush on Tifa from Final Fantasy VII isn't
mentioned in either the Reunion Files or Advent Children itself, so it seems
unlikely to be referring to him either.
Cloud's feelings for Tifa -- whatever they may be -- *are* of significance to
Advent Children, and are the only ones that would matter to be brought up in
the Reunion Files -- which, of course, is about Advent Children.
While Cloud is never identified by name here, for that matter, neither was
Aerith in the entirety of On the Way to a Smile: Case of Lifestream White.
She was just known as "the woman" in the story. The same capacity for
deductive reasoning that would lead us to conclude that the novella could only
be talking about Aerith, however, would lead us to conclude that Nomura's
comment in the Reunion Files is most likely talking about Cloud.
It is this comment from Nomura, by the way, that I believe negates his earlier
comment in Dorigama that he had "no clue" whether there had been a romantic
relationship between Cloud and Tifa following the events of FFVII. For that
matter, the notion that Cloud didn't reciprocate the romantic feelings we all
know Tifa had for him runs counter to a comprehensive analysis of all available
data on the matter.
I'll grant, Nomura also made the following comments in an interview with
Famitsu PS2, published in their October 24, 2003, issue
(http://ff7ac.hotcafe.to/magazine/magazine03.html,
http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/product/magazine/fami_psp+ps3/03003520.html):
"I think that for all those players who once traveled with her as comrades,
each carries their own feelings and love for Aerith. In this story, Cloud also
carries his own undying feeling for Aerith, even now.... Its relation to the
church scene is.... Yeah. I'll leave this to everyone's imagination. (laughs)"
This interview, however, took place well before even the original Advent
Children was released. This was only a month after the project's development
had been announced at Tokyo Game Show 2003. Nomura was teasing the eager fans.
He didn't identify exactly what Cloud's unique undying feeling for Aerith was,
but he hinted that it would be related to "the church scene" and revealed in
the film ("I'll leave this to everyone's imagination").
What is this feeling that's ultimately given so much attention in the film?
Guilt, as we've discussed before. The wolf that symbolizes Cloud's guilt even
appears in the church, and the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania refers to
Aerith as a symbol of his failures to protect those he cares about (pg. 50;
pg. 52 of the Revised Edition) -- reproducing Nomura's comment here point for
point, and explicitly identifying "Cloud's unique feeling" as guilt: "Aerith
still lives on in the hearts of her friends who saved the planet. And in
particular to Cloud, as a symbol of his failure to ... protect those dear to
him."
For that matter, at the time Nomura made his comment about "the church scene,"
there had only been *one* church scene shown thus far -- the one with Cloud
walking down the main aisle of the church in the trailers from TGS 2003's
first, second and third days (three trailers were shown during the event, one
each day). In that scene, Cloud can be heard saying, "I think I want to be
forgiven. Yeah, I want to be forgiven."
For the record, the Japanese word used in Nomura's quote and translated as
"love" was "aijou." Rather than sticking with that when talking about Cloud's
additional undying feeling, the word "omoi" -- which usually means "thoughts"
or "feelings" -- was used. While it could be used to denote love or affection,
its various possible meanings are far more numerous than the much more direct
"aijou," so had Nomoura been trying to indicate romantic love, there seems to
have been an easier way to do it.
Of course, who doubts that Cloud has love for Aerith anyway? Everyone on the
team had love for her, as the Ultimania quote a few paragraphs above points
out: she "lives on in the hearts of her friends." Cloud just has additional
"undying thoughts" unique to him -- and that was guilt. The same thing he's got
going on with Zack in Advent Children.
That said, those holding a Clerith perspective have, at times, challenged the
idea that this "undying feeling" of Cloud's could be guilt. "'Undying,'" they
argue, "implies a feeling that will never go away. Cloud's guilt goes away, so
it can't be guilt."
In addition to there being no other church scene Nomura could have been
referring to at the time of the interview detailed above, also to be considered
is that "undying" is not equivalent to "eternal" or "immutable." As in the
various "Highlander" films and TV series, the immortals are undying, but can
still be killed.
Likewise with the Elves of "The Lord of the Rings" mythos. Immortal? Yes.
Indestructible? No.
As put by Ryushikaze -- a long-time advocate of the idea that Cloud is in love
with Tifa -- "An undying man can be killed. An undying hate can be assauged.
An undying guilt can be lifted."
Looking elsewhere within Final Fantasy, we even find a race of beings called
"The Undying" in Final Fantasy XII. Known also by their proper name, "the
Occuria," these undying beings are immortal and have guided history from behind
the scenes for centuries.
Despite their longevity and title, they are not, however, eternal. The Occurian
known as "Venat" dies at the end of Final Fantasy XII -- after merging with
a normal human to become the game's final boss, also called "The Undying."
As demonstrated in the examples above, "undying" only implies something that
will survive in perpetuity provided it is not otherwise destroyed. Something
can be undying without being eternal.
What, then, of a line on pg. 126 of the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg.
128 in the Revised Edition), where Cloud is said to "feel a sense of yearning"
(the word translated as "yearning" here being "natsukashii," perhaps better
understood as a "nostalgic longing") as he rides his motorcycle toward the City
of the Ancients during Advent Children?:
http://sites.google.com/site/aerithlovelydia/cxainstoryplayback-ac
Aerith, of course, appears to Cloud during this scene and talks with him.
Much has been made of this line that speaks of "yearning" by those holding to
Clerith positions. What's usually overlooked, however, is a very important line
that comes two sentences later: "Being queried, Cloud uttered the wish in
his mind."
Those who have seen the film know, of course, that the "wish in his mind"
revealed here was his desire to be forgiven by Aerith.
The wish in Cloud's mind was presumably related to his sense of yearning.
Cloud's yearning, then, is identified not as a romantic desire to be with
Aerith again, but as a desire for her forgiveness.
Not to be outdone just yet, there's also a line from the Dirge of Cerberus
instruction manual describing Aerith that is frequently referenced for LTD
arguments in favor of Clerith. In the official English version, it was
translated as, "A girl with the blood of the Ancients flowing through her
veins who Cloud would never forget."
Alternate translations have been offered by fans to the effect, "A girl with
the blood of the Ancients flowing through her veins who is forever engraved in
Cloud's heart." This is certainly a more accurate translation, taken word for
word, than the official one.
That said, I really don't feel that it offers Aerith a completely exclusive
position. She holds a unique spot in Cloud's heart forever, no doubt, and not
just one of guilt, yet, that said, another official source -- the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania guide -- says Cloud's promise to Tifa about protecting
her is also engraved within his memory (pg. 40; pg. 42 of the Revised Edition).
For that matter, does anyone think that if Tifa had been the one to die, Cloud
wouldn't carry her around in his heart forever as well? Especially if she died
right in front of him and he wasn't able to do anything about it? Would she
not be described in much the same way?
Obviously, he would, and she would. Cloud carries both women around with him,
but inevitably in different ways.
So, in this zero-sum game, that leaves the two ladies balanced as far as the
use of that particular idea goes.
An often-debated area where Tifa pulls ahead, though, is in terms of who knows
Cloud better and is closest to him. In Aerith's case, her Cetra abilities
allowed her to perceive that he wasn't himself according to the Crisis Core
Ultimania, FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania and the FFVII Ultimania Omega.
Pg. 23 of the CC Ultimania says that despite her inherited powers being inferior
to those of her ancestors, she was still capable of hearing the voice of the
planet, as well as "grasping the truth concealed deep within peoples' minds"
(translation by aerithlove527 of the Cloud x Aerith forums). Though Cloud is not
mentioned by name there, he is on pg. 48 of the 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg.
50 of the Revised Edition), where it's said that she perceived he had lost sight
of his true self.
Furthermore, pg. 29 of the FFVII Ultimania Omega says, "Aerith detected that the
present Cloud is not the real him during their encounters. She knows it because
of her mysterious, inherent ability," while pg. 31 adds, "When Aerith thinks of
Cloud and Zack's similarities, she sees that the present Cloud is not the real
Cloud. Her meaningful lines like 'I'm searching for you' and 'I want to meet
you' all mean that she has discovered the existence of the real Cloud, although
he's not aware of it himself." Also, on pg. 156 we find:
'So you won t have a breakdown...'
Aerith appears in Cloud s dream, she seems to console him with such advice. This
line can infer that Aerith has seen through the essence of Cloud."
(Translator for the previous three quotes unknown)
Despite Aerith being able to perceive the identity crisis in Cloud's mind, she
still comes up short in knowing Cloud best. Tifa, of course, also knew Cloud
was not himself, for her part thanks to the benefit of having known him when
they were younger, and because his account of events in the past differed from
what she remembered. More significantly, though, going forward after the events
of FFVII, she is said to know him better than any other.
The Advent Children Prologue Book (pg. 21) says, "Since 2 years ago, Tifa has
been the only one [Cloud] has opened his heart to. Now, his heart is closed
even to her."
In addition, Tifa's Dengeki PlayStation 3 profile for ACC describes her as "the
only person who knows [Cloud's] past, and the one person who understands him."
That same profile credits her not only for mentally supporting Cloud in the
original game, but also for inciting Cloud to regain his will to fight.
Though Nojima said in the Reunion Files that Tifa still doesn't fully get
Cloud (pg. 19), she certainly is described as coming closer than anyone else
-- even Aerith, who, shortly before she died, told Cloud she wanted to meet the
real him (as seen in the Gold Saucer date). For that matter, completely
understanding another person is a life-long journey anyway.
This matter is certainly not presented as balanced in equal favor of Tifa and
Aerith.
Speaking of balance, one really has to ask: If there were no Tifa, would
there still be enough evidence post-FFVII to suggest that Cloud is in love
with Aerith? He loves her, sure, but would he otherwise seem romantically
interested?
That's not to say he wasn't attracted in her in the original game, but it is
to say that the strongest and most consistent feeling he expresses where she's
concerned post-FFVII is guilt. Even when he thinks that Aerith sent Denzel to
him in OtWtaS: CoT, the context is hardly romantic. He believes it's part of
his redemption, the same as Tifa, who feels that Aerith sent Denzel to both
of them.
On the other hand, were there no Aerith, I don't think anyone would question
what's established by the Highwind scene, the CoT and CoB dialogue, and the
family structure with Tifa. To contest all of this -- even in light of Aerith's
existence, actually -- sets a higher standard of proof than that demanded of
any other official Final Fantasy couple.
There are several points, however, related to the original game that are still
considered favorable to CloudxAerith. Among these are Cait Sith's
fortunetelling prediction in the original game about Cloud and Aerith having a
"great future" and marriage, a U.S. commercial for the original game that
refers to Cloud and Aerith as "a love that can never be," Cloud sensing
Aerith's presence at the City of the Ancients, a comment in the Crisis Core
Complete Guide about a "date" between Cloud and Aerith, and Cloud's line from
the ending of the original game, "The Promised Land... I think I can meet
her... there."
With regard to the first matter, Caith Sith's prediction was way off. It was
very soon after that when Aerith died on Sephiroth's sword. Have fun playing
with that line metaphorically, by the way.
Anyway, Caith Sith's predictions are unreliable to begin with. The FFVII
Ultimania Omega describes them as "dubious," and says they're usually wrong
(pg. 41). And, again, we see Aerith get impaled only shortly after Cait Sith
makes a prediction for her to have a happy future with Cloud. That really says
it all right there.
On the second matter, indeed, that commercial from 1997 shows Cloud and
Aerith on-screen while a caption appears that says "Love" and the narrator
says, "A story ... of a love that can never be":
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/loveneverbe.jpg
However, it goes without saying that the game's developers had no hand in its
marketing in the U.S. The commercial was just throwing out lines that made the
game sound all the more interesting, regardless of their accuracy where the
story was concerned.
For instance, the very next line from the narrator accompanies a shot of
Sephiroth while saying, "... and a hatred that always was." Whether this is
referring to Cloud's hatred of Sephiroth or Sephiroth's hatred of Cloud,
neither "always was." Cloud once admired Sephiroth, and Sephiroth once
regarded Cloud as simply another ordinary Shin-Ra soldier.
For that matter, the idea that Cloud and Aerith are "a love that can never be"
runs counter to the central tenet of a Clerith point of view to begin with, so
it's probably not the best piece of evidence to turn to in support of it.
In any case, one wouldn't reference Final Fantasy VIII's U.S. commercial as
evidence that Squall was out to win Rinoa's heart simply because the ad says
that game was a story of Squall's "struggle to save mankind from extinction
and his quest to win the heart of the woman he loves." While Squall was
certainly trying to prevent the end of the world -- the whole universe,
actually -- he never had a quest to win Rinoa's heart. It was actually much
the opposite -- she was trying to win *his* heart.
As for the third issue at hand, Cloud being able to sense Aerith's
whereabouts in the City of the Ancients and hear her voice from afar has been
seen as a sign of a powerful bond of love between them since the game's release
in 1997. Indeed, Cloud says that he can feel it in his soul that Aerith is
there.
While Cloud is certainly able to sense her presence when AVALANCHE goes to
search for her in the City of the Ancients, this alone can't be taken as an
indication of a romantic connection given that -- in the same breath -- Cloud
also says that he senses Sephiroth's presence: "Aerith is here. ...and so is
Sephiroth."
Given that both Sephiroth and Aerith had been in telepathic contact with
Cloud before this moment -- and very recently at that -- it stands to reason
that Cloud could be sensing either or both of them because of this, and
through either one of them. Sephiroth, after all, *wanted* Cloud to find
Aerith so that he could force him to kill her.
Next, the on pg. 281 of the Crisis Core Complete Guide, the following is said
with regard to dates between Aerith/Zack and Aerith/Cloud:
(Translation by hitoshura)
"Date in the Park
In Scene 04-10, Zack and Aerith have a date in Green Park in the sector 6 slum.
An identical situation is seen in FFVII as well, and it features a scene of
Cloud and Aerith on a date in the same park."
Obviously, nothing about that situation in the original game itself lent to the
idea that this was a date. Certainly neither of the characters involved seemed
to think of it as one.
Cloud wouldn't have thought of it as one (he'd intended to leave Aerith at her
house just prior), Aerith didn't seem to think of it as one (she spoke of their
arranged date later as though it hadn't happened yet), they weren't hanging out
for the purpose of a date (Aerith was taking Cloud to Sector 7), and they didn't
even stop at the playground for the purpose of a date (Aerith asked if they
could take a break).
If simply hanging out and learning a bit about one another -- during which
time Aerith only talks about her previous boyfriend -- constitutes a date,
then what does one make of Cloud and Tifa's conversation at the water tower in
Nibelheim where he made his famous promise to her? Or the Lifestream Sequence
below Mideel with Cloud and Tifa? Or the Highwind scene at the end of Disc 2?
All of those certainly would fit the criteria if taking a break at a
playground does.
Of much greater significance to the LTD than any of the points we've just
looked at, however, is Cloud's line from the ending of the game about meeting
Aerith again. Until the Compilation of FFVII came along, this line was seen by
many Cleriths as the clencher that Cloud preferred Aerith, and by many Clotis
and neutrals as the line that left things just ambiguous enough.
Though I would have once argued otherwise, looking at things more objectively
today, I have to agree that this line left matters in the original game more
in favor of Aerith than of Tifa. Due to the existence of the newer Compilation
materials, however, and the various comments made by FFVII's developers in the
time since, that no longer holds true in the wider scheme of things.
While this line obviously expressed a sentiment on Cloud's part to see Aerith
again -- a desire that continued through Dissidia Final Fantasy and On the
Way to a Smile into Advent Children -- he was already feeling guilt over her
death and wanting absolution from it at that time. In Case of Tifa, even as he
stood on the Highwind watching the Lifestream and Holy defeat Meteor, he was
already speaking of a need to be forgiven:
"I'm going to live. I'll never be forgiven unless I do."
Also, if you happen to count Maiden Who Travels the Planet as in-continuity,
then the meeting Cloud referred to in the ending was resolved by he and the
rest of the team seeing Aerith's image in the Lifestream as Meteor was
overcome.
Even if you don't count Maiden, though, the matter is resolved by the end
of Advent Children/Advent Children Complete and pg. 131 of the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 133 of the Revised Edition).
There, a statement that has been counted in favor of both pairings is made,
identifying Cloud's Promised Land as "the place where he awakens" at the
end of AC/ACC:
(Scan and translation by hitoshura of TheLifestream.net;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/cloudpl.jpg)
"The place where he awakens---
That is Cloud's Promised Land
As he sleeps, Cloud hears two voices. The voices of two people very dear to
him, who are no longer with him. Playfully and kindly, they give him a
message: he doesn't belong here yet.
When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the children, freed from
their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking for Cloud to heal
his Geostigma-- his family were waiting. Engulfed in celebration, he
realises where he is meant to live. He realises that he was able to forgive
himself.
And when he turns around--- 'she' is starting to leave. Together with the
friend who had given Cloud his life. Cloud no longer has to suffer in
loneliness... And so they too go back to where they belong.
Back to the current of life flowing around the planet---."
As "the place where he awakens" is Aerith's church, a number of Cleriths
have taken this as an indication that Cloud was and still is in love with
her. Many Clotis, on the other hand, have taken the presence of his
family, the defeat of geostigma, and the release from his guilt as the
reason for this place being his Promised Land.
I would argue that the latter is closer to the truth.
As established by Case of Tifa, Cloud was already blaming himself for
"sins" by the end of the original game, shortly after he spoke of
meeting Aerith in the Promised Land. Here -- in this place identified
as Cloud's Promised Land -- he not only sees Aerith, but gets what he had
been hoping to get from her when he saw her again: a sense of absolution
from his guilt.
Cloud realizes that he has forgiven himself and can move on with his
life. He'll go back to "where he is meant to live."
And what is this place where he is meant to live? As mentioned earlier,
pg. 33 of the Crisis Core Ultimania confirms that it is with Tifa and
the children Cloud lives after the events of AC/ACC, even on into the
time of DC.
I would also make the argument that the physical place itself in which
Cloud awoke is not on its own capable of giving him the supreme joy
that comes with finding the Promised Land. He had been staying there even
while at his most miserable, after all.
It's what he found in that place with him that gave him that joy.
For example, Sephiroth and Shin-Ra's Promised Lands were identified as
the Northern Crater in the FFVII Ultimania Omega (pp. 214, 586) -- in
both cases, a place that facilitated their ultimate desire, but which
wasn't that desire in and of itself.
Sephiroth wanted the energy to cast Meteor. Shin-Ra wanted to acquire
further power and wealth. Neither of those things were granted
inherently by being at the Northern Crater -- but the doors were
opened.
We know Cloud had been searching for his Promised Land and absolution
from his "sins" since the end of the original game. It was there in the
church at the end of AC/ACC that he found it. Surrounded by his friends
and family, he realized that he belonged with them, and that he had
forgiven himself for Aerith and Zack's deaths.
The church is Cloud's Promised Land not because of romantic feelings for
Aerith, but because it is where Cloud finally had laid his past to rest
and began a new life with his family.
In any case, Cloud hardly seemed to have been left emotionally crippled
by Aerith's loss at the time of the "I think I can meet her... there"
line given how quickly he went about establishing himself with Tifa.
In light of that and the comments referenced above, it's unlikely that
it was romantic feelings that led Cloud to a desire to seek Aerith out.
Prior to the publication of FFVII's 10th Anniversary Ultimania, a number of
people who held the Clerith perspective had believed that Cloud's Promised
Land was the field of flowers he drives past in the ending of AC/ACC. The idea
was derived from and reinforced by Aerith watching him as he passes in the
original AC's credits, as well as the sight of Cloud's bike parked by the side
of the road at the flower field in FFVII Reminiscence.
The flowers on Cloud's desk at the end of AC's credits and photos of the
field certainly showed that he had been there at any rate. Many a Clerith
took this to mean that Cloud had spent the day with Aerith in the field, thus
fulfilling his wish to meet her again. It was, after all, not long after the
video had recapped the ending of the game that Cloud's bike was shown parked
by the flower field.
Even before FFVII's 10th Anniversary Ultimania, however, this idea was at
odds with AC, where Cloud had already met Aerith again. FFVII Reminiscence
takes place after the events of AC/ACC -- evident by Vincent now owning a cell
phone -- so Cloud had already fulfilled that wish to meeet Aerith again in his
Promised Land.
For that matter, when Aerith is shown in the credits of the film, Cloud is not
shown stopping at the field, nor even seeing her. He simply keeps on driving
around the bend.
While he obviously stopped there at some point given that he collected some
flowers for his desk and took some photographs that he puts in his office, he
isn't shown doing so at that specific point in time. Not that it matters
anyway for a number of reasons, not the least of which is Advent Children
Complete's removal of Aerith from the credits altogether.
Furthermore, the passage from the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania referenced
above gives the impression that, while Zack and Aerith will continue to watch
over Cloud, they won't actually be interacting with him in the living world.
It's said both in that passage and by Zack in the film itself that Cloud's
place wasn't with them yet. As well, that section of the book states that
Aerith and Zack also "go back to where they belong ... the current of life
flowing around the planet."
In line with that, the script of Advent Children included with the film's
Limited Edition release in North America stated that the apparition of Aerith
seen in the field was simply "vestiges of Aerith (nothing with any presence in
reality)."
Aerith wasn't even really there to begin with.
Statements like this would seem to preclude Cloud and Aerith getting together
in the flower field.
Another element of the Ultimania passage discussed above still considered to
be pro-Clerith is the statement that Cloud "no longer has to suffer in
loneliness." Coupled with his response in the ending to Aerith's statement
that everything's alright -- "I'm not alone. Not anymore" -- this is seen from
the Clerith perspective to mean that Cloud no longer feels alone because he
knows that Aerith is still with him in a sense.
Certainly that's one possible reading of the material, but it doesn't fit given
that Cloud still felt lonely and useless until after his conversation with
Vincent in the Sleeping Forest. Before that point, he'd already spoken with
Aerith in his mind, so he knew she was still with him -- yet his feelings of
despair were still there regardless.
In any case, even were the knowledge that Aerith remains with him spiritually
to be the reason for Cloud no longer having to suffer in loneliness, like so
much else related to Aerith and Cloud in Advent Children, this could apply to
Zack as well. Zack shows up almost as many times as Aerith, and certainly also
means a great deal to Cloud.
In any case, this article would argue that the real reasons for Cloud's
loneliness were that he isolated himself. He chose to be both lonely and alone,
as he felt he didn't deserve the people he cared about if he couldn't protect
them.
Looking beyond the original game, and, indeed, the Compilation of FFVII
itself, perhaps the material of greatest support for a Cloud/Aerith pairing
was the original version of Kingdom Hearts, and several comments from Tetsuya
Nomura regarding it.
Though I'd originally intended to ignore both the Kingdom Hearts series and
Itadaki Street Special when composing this article, I've become convinced
that even while they aren't part of the Final Fantasy VII canon, they could
nonetheless have been used as commentary on it by the game's developers. This
is particularly true of Kingdom Hearts, as several key members of development
from Final Fantasy VII were involved with the development of KH.
That being the case, both should be addressed here to determine what, if
anything, they may offer on the subject of the LTD.
In the first KH game, we learn that Cloud is searching for someone and is
willing to go to great lengths to find this person. As he and Aerith are
reunited during the game's ending, it seemed that it was Aerith he had been
searching for.
In an interview with the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine for its October
2002 issue (issue #61, pg. 139), Nomura was asked, "What was the thought
behind bringing back Aerith?" and gave the following response:
"Yes, she died in Final Fantasy VII, but there's no real relation to where she
was at or what role she played in FFVII. There's no relationship from FFVII to
the Kingdom Hearts stories. I consider them separate stories. But if you play
Kingdom Hearts, toward the end, some of the questions about the relationship
between Cloud and Aeris in FFVII might be answered. It's sort of like a side
story, and this was an extra bonus that I wanted to give to players."
Here's a scan of that page, taken from Clerith.com:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/nomurakh.gif
Though Nomura says that KH and FFVII are separate stories with no
relationship, he does suggest that one might be able to serve as commentary on
the other, particularly regarding Cloud and Aerith's relationship.
Also, when asked in an interview from the Kingdom Hearts Ultimania if Cloud
was searching for Aerith during the game, Nomura replied that the story was
written such that it could be interpeted that way:
(Translation by Thorfinn Tait)
-"Okay then, so the person who Cloud is searching for is Aeris, right?"
Nomura: "Well, what do you think? If indeed it was Aeris, then the bit in the
ending was the answer. You might say it was made so that you can take it that
way. Cloud is a popular character, and I don't really want to decide myself,
yes he is like this. Because players make strong conclusions by themselves, I
want to leave room for everyone's line of thought."
After Sora and Cloud meet during the story, they also have a conversation
that -- in the official English translation of the game at least -- seems to
imply Cloud is looking for his light, just as Sora is looking for his:
Sora: "So why did you go along with him, anyway?"
Cloud: "I'm looking for someone. Hades promised to help. I tried to exploit
the power of darkness, but it backfired. I fell into darkness, and couldn't
find the light."
Sora: "You'll find it. I'm searching, too."
Cloud: "For your light? Don't lose sight of it."
This all seems fairly straightforward: Cloud is searching for Aerith; Aerith
is his light; Cloud finds her in the game's ending; this can be taken as a
comment about their relationship in the Final Fantasy VII canon.
And at the time of Kingdom Hearts' release and the release of its Ultimania,
it would have been a powerful argument. Perhaps an unbeatable one when
combined with the "I think I can meet her... there" line from the original
game.
Of course, exactly what commentary could be made on the original by the
meeting in KH was characteristically left unclear by Nomura. He may have
simply meant it as a resolution to Cloud's desire to see her again. Given that
Kingdom Hearts came out well before Advent Children, this would, indeed, be
the first time fans would have seen the characters -- even alternate versions
of them from another reality -- reunited.
However, the situation quickly became more complicated. The North American
release of Kingdom Hearts saw the inclusion of Sephiroth as an optional boss.
Very soon after that, Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix was released in Japan, and
Sephiroth was concretely identified as the person for whom Cloud had been
searching -- even by Aerith herself.
After meeting Cloud in the Olympus Coliseum world, if one returns to Traverse
Town and speaks with Aerith, the following exchange takes place:
(Translated by hitoshura; source: Asperity, now known as Schism;
http://web.archive.org/web/20040830082338/www.misproject.org/cloud/cloud/
function.html;
http://www.losstarot.net/cloud/)
Aerith: "At the coliseum, is there a person with a big sword and pointy hair?"
Sora: "Yeah."
Aerith: "...I wonder if he's still searching for him..."
Aerith: "Hey, Sora."
Aerith: "If you see him, tell him not to do anything rash."
Aerith: "He's not a sociable person, but if something happens to him, there'll
be other people besides me who'll be sad."
Here, we see that Aerith is aware that Cloud is likely searching for someone
other than herself, and that this person is a male.
Also, despite frequent interpretations amongst the Clerith perspective that
Aerith could sense Cloud at the coliseum due to a spiritual connection with
him, it's more likely that Sora had simply told her he had been at a place
where warriors gathered, and she thought it sounded like a place Cloud
would go.
Obviously there's unspoken dialogue there, unless Aerith asked Sora about the
coliseum without him telling her he had been there -- in which case, she would
have also sensed Sora there, negating any unique quality to her being aware of
Cloud's location.
When Cloud and Sephiroth finally meet for the conflict known as the Showdown of
Fate, it's confirmed in their dialogue that they were searching for one
another:
Cloud: "So we meet at last."
Sephiroth: "I was searching for you too."
Cloud: "As long as you exist, I can't wake from this nightmare."
Cloud: "You are my darkness."
Sephiroth: "If that's so, I shall draw you into the darkness."
Sephiroth: "Into the nightmare that forever deprives you of light, from which
you can never awaken."
What was once ambiguous and open to interpretation apparently became concrete
and clear-cut: Cloud was searching for Sephiroth, not Aerith.
Also, the Japanese text of Sora and Cloud's conversation about searching for
light brings illumination (puns for the win!). There, Cloud literally says
that he "lost sight of the light" (in Japanese: "hikari wo miru ushinatta")
rather than that he couldn't find it. He also then warns Sora not to do the
same, using the same wording ("miru ushinau nayo"). This was the line
translated as "Don't lose sight of it" in the official English release.
Thus, it's clear then that Cloud was referring to the light in general here
rather than a specific and possibly personified light.
While claims have been made that the lack of Sephiroth in the original release
of KH requires that who Cloud was ultimately searching for still be Aerith, to
that I can only ask if one would refuse to count Ruby and Emerald WEAPON as
part of the Final Fantasy VII canon due to their absence in the original
Japanese release of the game. Likewise with the battle against Diamond WEAPON
outside Midgar, and the same with the flashback that depicts Zack's death and
explains how Cloud came to be in Midgar at the beginning of the game.
All of these elements have been included as canon in official FFVII guides,
despite not being part of the original release. They were first added to the
North American version, and then included with the game's rerelease in Japan
as Fantasy VII International. Theories could still have been -- and probably
were -- formulated about how Cloud came to Midgar with just the original
Japanese release, but whatever they were, the abstract once again became
concrete later on.
If not for the clarification of Cloud's dialogue found in the Japanese text
of the game, the possibility would remain that Cloud was searching for both
his light and his darkness (Sephiroth), the same way that Sora was looking
for both Kairi (his light) and Riku. As Cloud is shown being reunited with
Aerith in the end credits, it would seem to fit, then, that she is his
light, if indeed his light was to be found in anyone else in the first
Kingdom Hearts game.
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix would have left the identity of Cloud's light
unknown, but easy enough to conclude as Aerith.
As well, we're left with another quote from Nomura in the KH Ultimania to
account for (pg. 525; http://www.geocities.com/anime_art2003/ClAeris_KH.html):
(Translator unknown)
"Back at the time of FFVII, I had said some things that wasn't what I intended
and I had hoped to correct it, but it was too late. Up until production this
role was planned to be filled by Aya (from Parasite Eve), but I had
requests/demands from staff who were in charge of FFVII, so Aerith appears
this time, and from there we expanded on the story with Cloud. There are
instances where the development of the character's stories were born out of
exchange [of ideas, etc.] like this."
From this, we learn that Cloud was only included because of Aerith's
presence. The implication, then, is that, in whatever way Cloud's role
expanded the story, their individual stories are likely connected given that
one character was included because of the other.
This would all seem to allow for the identity of Cloud's light to be Aerith.
Kingdom Hearts II, however, brought Tifa into the mix and Aerith lost her
candidacy for a second position related to Cloud within the alternate universe
series. Yet another comment from Nomura answered the question of the identity
of Cloud's light.
In an interview from the Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania, the following exchange
took place (http://www.kh2.co.uk/?page=NI/KH2U):
(Translator unknown)
-"Speaking of Tifa, there's an event where she talked to Cloud after beating
Sephiroth."
Nomura: "In Nojima-san's scenario, it explained Cloud and Tifa's connection
more in-depth but I deleted it away. I thought it would be more interesting to
let the gamers think about it. For example, 'If Cloud's darkness is Sephiroth,
then Tifa is light'; in that sense you can take it that Tifa isn't really
human. The reason Tifa doesn't talk to anyone else besides Sora and co. may be
because she doesn't exist as a human. Of course, I also presented her in a way
that she could also be a resident of Hollow Bastion, so I think you can freely
think for yourself about her."
Here, Nomura says that if Sephiroth is Cloud's darkness -- which we know him
to be due to comments from Cloud in both KH:FM and KHII that identify him as
such -- then Tifa is light. Sephiroth is not an ordinary human the way that
Kairi can be said to be, despite one being Cloud's darkness and the other
being Sora's light. Sephiroth is literally an embodiment of Cloud's inner
darkness, as Cloud tells Sora at one point in the game:
"This time we settle it. Me, and the one who embodies all the darkness in me."
Rather than metaphorical, this line is meant literally -- Sephiroth *is* the
darkness inside Cloud.
That, then, would suggest that Tifa -- also not an ordinary human, and
associated with Cloud's light -- is an embodiment of Cloud's light.
While some have pointed out that Nomura didn't specifically say this means
that she is *Cloud's* light, given that her status as light was brought up as
part of a dichotomy that also included Cloud's darkness, and also given that
there are no other random embodiments of light portrayed in Kingdom Hearts,
it's safe to say that she is.
Even the Princesses of Heart were not embodiments of light, but were merely
women with no darkness in their hearts -- and Tifa isn't one of the princesses
anyway.
Given that Tifa's following Cloud, that she's attempting to help him conquer
his darkness, that she may not be an ordinary human, that she is described as
light, and that Nomura said Cloud may be among a small handful of people who
can see her, the premise that she must be Cloud's light is all that makes
sense.
It has, however, been suggested that Tifa's light was unsuitable for Cloud, as
it seemed to blind him when Tifa began fighting Sephiroth -- this light
represented by a white light tinged with blue. Further, it's been said that he
didn't accept her light and that the course of the battle only turned once
Cloud found his own inner light, represented by a gold aura as opposed to the
white and blue that seemed to be coming from Tifa.
It's also been pointed out that Cloud was deliberately fleeing from Tifa, as
said in a comment from Nojima in the KH II Ultimania (http://www.kh2.co.uk/
?page=NI/KH2U):
"Tifa wasn't planned to appear at first. I was talking with Tetsu about what
Cloud could be doing in Hallow Bastion, and we eventually moved towards him
chasing after Sephiroth, but also being chased by something himself. So
Cloud's really running from something but goes around pretending, saying that
he's chasing Sephiroth. Then we decided to make it him running from the
'something warm' like what Tifa was after in AC."
This is argued to mean that Cloud doesn't want Tifa's help and that she's
actually a hindrance to him finding his inner light. That would, after all,
seem to be what Cloud's story in KHII was about: finding his inner light.
When he sets out on his quest early in the game, Sora makes the following
comment to Aerith: "He'll be fine. I'm sure there's some light in him
somewhere." As well, Aerith tells Cloud, "No matter how far away you
are...once you find your light...I'm sure it will lead you back here again."
This article won't venture to dispute that the gold aura in the battle
represents Cloud's inner light or that his personal journey in KHII was about
finding and accepting it. However, it bears notice that Sephiroth explicitly
says, "Let's see what this light of yours can do," to Tifa before attacking
her. The consequence of her battle with Sephiroth is that Cloud finds his
inner light once he stops running from her and steps in to protect her.
It also requires consideration that once Cloud finds his light, he doesn't
instantly gain the gold aura.
When he begins to protect Tifa and she says he can have his light, Cloud is
hesitant but then seems to calm himself and becomes covered in a white aura
ringed with blue -- like the light that's been blinding him. Only now he's no
longer being blinded. The gold aura then appears.
One may ask, then, if Tifa was necessary to Cloud finding his inner light,
why, then, did he run from her and why did her light blind him at first? The
answer is simple: As Cloud said in the first Kingdom Hearts, he tried to
exploit the power of darkness, and, thus, fell into darkness.
Given that Cloud's darkness keeps calling Sephiroth back after every defeat,
it's obvious that Cloud's heart isn't balanced. He had leaned more toward the
side of darkness and rejected his light -- thus, it would blind him whenever
it came near.
As Sephiroth said to Cloud during their first meeting in the game, "That
darkness comes from your own dark memories. ... Face it -- you turn your back
on the present and live in the past. Because the light of the present is too
much."
And the very next moment, what do we see? Tifa arrives, calls out Cloud's
name, and as he looks toward her, a white light tinged with blue flashes
across the screen, blinding him. Here, we have an illustration of the very
thing Sephiroth was just describing.
At that point in KHII, Cloud leaves Tifa to defend herself alone against
several Heartless. Later, he's still as lost as ever and still seeking to
defeat Sephiroth with no conclusion in sight.
Again, Cloud only finds his inner light once he stops running from Tifa. The
light of the present -- his light, Tifa herself -- blinded him as long as he
refused to let go of the darkness of his past. Once he's done so, however, he
is surrounded with his inner light and he and Sephiroth vanish in another
flash of white light tinged with blue.
Also requiring mention is that Nojima never indicated that what Cloud was
running from was negative to him. He specifically called it "something warm"
and compared it to what Tifa sought in Advent Children -- which was stability
and the comfort of family.
The gold aura that Cloud gains certainly lends itself to representing warmth.
If this is what Cloud was running from in the KH series, he was clearly not
serving his own best interest. He was still relying on darkness and rejecting
the light.
It's also quite telling that, for his part, Sephiroth seems to take Tifa's
presence seriously. When she says that Cloud just needs someone to surround
him with light to conquer his darkness, Sephiroth immediately points his
sword at her. As well, once Cloud gains the white and blue aura from
protecting Tifa, Sephiroth shouts "Stop!" and rushes in to try finishing him
off.
Though those holding a Clerith perspective have often pointed out that if Tifa
were Cloud's light, she should be able to find him more easily since they
would have a spiritual connection. Tifa spends much of the game blundering
around Radiant Garden, unable to locate Cloud, after all.
However, Sephiroth -- who we know unquestionably to be Cloud's darkness --
also had to hunt him down in KH:FM, so a spiritual connection alone doesn't
preclude having to physically locate Cloud -- not even for an embodiment of
Cloud's inner darkness.
If Tifa is Cloud's light in KHII, as seems certain, we're then left to
wonder, however, if this means that the intentions the creators apparently had
when they included Aerith in the first game were abandoned altogether. After
all, Tifa wasn't present then -- not even in KH:FM -- and it was said that
Cloud was added because of Aerith, not the other way around.
What, then, explains all the comments Nomura has made on the matter, while
also taking account of a thematic parallel that exists between Kairi and
Aerith? The iconic imagery of Kairi waiting for Sora on the Destiny Islands
beach -- the place where she last saw him -- is repeated in the credits of
KHII, with Aerith shown in the area where Cloud disappeared, apparently
waiting for his return.
An explanation that I once believed could account for everything is that Tifa
is an embodiment of Cloud's inner light, while Aerith is an external light for
him, the same way that Kairi is Sora's light. I no longer hold to this theory,
however, given that I now know Cloud was never searching for her. As well,
there's no other basis within KH's established cosmology to seek a distinction
between the light within someone and a light they may discover outside
themselves. Aerith and Sora's comments about Cloud in KHII even seem to treat
the concepts interchangably, after all:
Aerith: "No matter how far away you are...once you find your light...I'm sure
it will lead you back here again."
Sora: "He'll be fine. I'm sure there's some light in him somewhere."
At most, it would seem that an outside individual who is someone's light could
best be described as something of a custodian for it, someone within whom it
resides or in whom it is reflected. Figures like Sephiroth and Tifa, however,
are not the same as these such people, being themselves composed of an
individual's light or darkness.
This also calls to mind for consideration that someone who is another's light
need not necessarily be a romantic interest in the first place. If Tifa is
Cloud's light and an embodiment of something from within him, then it's
unlikely that she's a romantic interest here to begin with.
What, then, do we make of Aerith waiting for Cloud like Kairi waited for Sora,
and the similar circumstances of both situations?
At least, that he is a friend she cares about deeply. At most, that he is a
romantic interest and/or her light, though these two positions need not be
dependent upon one another. Whatever the case, it really says nothing of her
status for him.
Meanwhile, Tifa can unquestionably be considered Cloud's light in the KH
series, for whatever that's worth. While it's arguable that Nomura has given
us the okay to draw commentary upon the FFVII canon from this alternate
universe's canon, what we can take from it is unclear. As being someone's
light need not necessarily be equivalent to being someone they're in love
with, there's little we can reasonably draw from KH to say about FFVII.
Sephiroth's role in both Clouds' lives as a recurring antagonist may have a
self-evident meaning for his being KH Cloud's darkness, but any dissertation
on what meaning we should take from KH Tifa being KH Cloud's light would
unavoidably wax more speculative and subjective than I wish to.
In seeking to settle the LTD, we're, thus, forced to rely upon solely the
details found in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII materials and their
related developer interviews. And those, as we've gone over at length, point
to a Cloti conclusion.
Before bringing this article to a close, we'll take an obligatory look at
Itadaki Street Special. Even aside from none of the key developers from the
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII or the Kingdom Hearts series working on this
game, there's very little here to be looked at to begin with anyway.
The game's opening does depict Cloud and Aerith leisurely walking down a
street together, but that's nothing we haven't seen them do before. Granted,
he isn't depicted interacting with Tifa anywhere in this "cutscene" beyond sort
of dancing next to her for a few seconds about a minute into it.
It's also been pointed out that Cloud chases after Aerith at one point, though
I'd argue that he's simply doing what everyone else -- including Aerith, who
ran right past him immediately before -- is doing: running toward the castle
that just magically lit up. Besides, he stops and performs a fist bump with
the hero of Dragon Quest V anyway instead of heading on after Aerith.
In any event, again, there's little here to examine, and none of it was made
by the key people involved with everything else related to Cloud, Tifa and
Aerith. So it's pretty much irrelevant to begin with.
My final point to make on this subject is this: Cloud comes off as quite the
ZackxAerith (Zerith) fan in Advent Children Complete, apparently planting her
flowers at his grave, and his sword in her church. So, even Cloud thinks she
should be with Zack instead of himself.
Yes, that last part is tongue-in-cheek. But seriously, Cloud's not pining
away for Aerith, living out a self-imposed single life. He's with Tifa. He's
doing fine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Firion's influence on Cloud [5.236In]
In this article, I have the pleasure of presenting one of the best theories to
ever emerge from the Final Fantasy fandom -- conceived, written and performed
here by infamous LTD-debater Ryushikaze. You can find him over at
TheLifestream.net if you ever want to debate with him.
But be warned: Have a reasoned argument prepared.
For copyright purposes, this text should be looked at as Ryushikaze's, and the
idea was definitely his. Without further ado:
----
So, recently, a few hours ago, in fact, I read the power tier list on the front
page of TheLifestream.net and noted that SoS had ranked Firion at the bottom of
his list:
http://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-dissidia/5418/definitive-and-absolute-
power-level-tier-list/
While I didn't really disagree with this idea -- he is the only hero on the
list who is 'merely' human, after all, but I noticed his one extraordinary
ability, his apparent telekinesis, which is a major aspect of his fighting
style, was not mentioned. I contacted him regarding this omission, and as we
talked, the discussion turned to fighting styles, and how, though Firion might
be at the bottom of the list, his skill with weapons is near the top. This, and
thinking of if any of the other heroes could handle his quick weapon change
style made me realize something -- Firion's style is very similar to several
tricks Cloud does -- throwing his sword, his advancing dual wield slice through
a building, and Omnislash V6 during the course of ACC.
Now, this is not to say Cloud actually learned these abilities from Firion in
the course of his personal timeline -- though given Dissidia's status as a
cross universal sidestory, it's technically possible -- and this idea is not
in fact concerned with whether or not Cloud could have learned these techniques
from Firi, or even if this connection was intentional, merely the narrative
satisfaction of such events.
Let us look at Dissidia. In this game, Firi's fighting style is fleshed out for
the first time ever, and some of his most notable abilities are his 'Reel Axe',
in which he throws an axe at an enemy, which both returns to Firion after
travelling in a direct line, but also pulls the enemy along with it so Firi may
attack them further. He also has 'Double Trouble', a rising attack that links
between several blows of an axe and a sword held in either hand, an attack
which chains from 'Reel Axe' as well as several other techniques. Also
especially of note is 'Weaponmaster', in which Firion uses his telekinesis to
hold his weapons out in front of him and have them repeatedly attack his foe at
range. The specific significance of these techniques as they relate to the
narrative of ACC will be dealt with momentarily, so keep them, especially
'Weaponmaster' in mind.
Now, in Dissidia, Cloud's primary conflict is not having a thing to fight for,
which is contrasted with his ally Firion, who spends the entire game fighting
for his dreams, the dream of a peaceful world -- a dream Cloud tests and
approves of -- represented by the wild rose. During the course of this story,
Firion fights and is defeated by Sephiroth, and his rose, his symbol, is taken
from him.
Cloud, later in the story, fights and defeats Sephiroth to retrieve this symbol
and return it to Firion, in the process taking this dream of a peaceful world
for everyone as his own. Now this could, and in Dissidia, does, mark a
satisfactory end to this tale. However, that does not mean it's not possible
for it to be referenced in 'later' tales, which ACC is, both in Cloud's
personal chronology, and by the release dates of both materials as the Japanese
Dissidia was completed several months before Advent Children Complete, which
means that it is more possible for events in the latter to deliberately
reference the former, instead of being accidental.
Now, in Advent Children Complete, Cloud saves his adopted son Denzel by taking
one of the blades of his six part sword, and throwing it to that it flies
through the air, strikes all the monsters menacing the child, and then returns
to him in a 'Reel Axe' analogue, indicating that Cloud, much like Firion in
Dissidia, can direct his weapons without the need to actually touch them.
Immediately after using the analogue for 'Reel Axe', he begins wielding the
blade thrown and his other sword to advance through the wreckage of a falling
building to save Tifa, the woman he lives with, and uses alternating slashes
from each blade to clear the wreckage obstructing his path- a possible analogue
to 'Double Trouble' which chains off of the 'Reel Axe' which, as mentioned,
Cloud had just used an analogue of.
This is very possibly a roundabout example of narrative satisfaction, as just
before using these two analogues to save Denzel and Tifa, he sees images of the
deaths of Zack and Aerith, two people whose deaths he feels responsible for,
and who he blames himself for not being able to save.
A major narrative theme for Zack was to have a dream, to hold onto his dream,
and a major recurring theme with Aerith is flowers. Both of these themes,
Dreams and Flowers, are found in Firion, whose existence and his defeat by
Sephiroth could be narrative stand-ins for Zack and Aerith and their demises,
but with more positive resolutions -- to show Cloud that he can make a
difference. In this way, by using Firion's techniques to save the lives of his
woman and child while simultaneously flashing back to two lives he could not
save, Cloud could narratively be using his positive experience with Firion, the
Zack and Aerith stand-in, to prevent a repeat of the negative experience of
losing both of the friends he represents.
The final, and most satisfactory possible narrative connection to Firion and
Dissidia comes at the climax of Cloud's battle with Sephiroth, in which he
makes all of his swords come apart, fly into a circle around Sephiroth, and
then uses spirit energy to move these weapons to attack independently of
himself, in a technique eerily reminiscent of Firion's 'Weaponmaster' attack.
To use an attack of the weakest of the warriors of Cosmos, whom Sephiroth had
soundly defeated, to lay the final blow to Sephiroth himself, is both a
perfectly fitting end to their battle, to Show Sephiroth how far Cloud had
come, and to further drive home to Sephiroth how soundly defeated he just had
been. That where once Sephiroth was unstoppable, even now, at his best, even
the techniques of one he had previously utterly defeated, were now sufficient
to defeat him soundly. And intentional or not, that's a satisfactory narrative
conclusion.
Addendum: Keep in mind, I am not saying any of this actually is the case, just
that if it is, it is actually a well executed usage of a side story influencing
a major part of the narrative without being necessary for the enjoyment or
understanding of the main story, or vice versa.
----
[Follow-up note by Glenn Morrow: Dissidia itself certainly indicates to us that
Firion reminded Cloud of Zack, and, thus, would have been in a position to
leave a lasting influence on him. If using Firion against Cloud in the English
version of the game, the latter may say, "You look like a friend of mine." In
the Japanese version, the statement was simply, "You remind me of a friend."]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Cloud's Fusion Swords as a metaphor for his development [5.237In]
This article is the brainchild of one DrakeClawfang, a guy who posts over at
TheLifestream.net. Here, he has an *amazing* analysis of Cloud in Advent
Children.
*This* is the way film is supposed to be read.
For copyright purposes, this article should be looked at as Drake's. It is my
honor to present it here, and I thank him for permission to do so. Enjoy:
----
Cloud at the beginning of AC has gone off his own, pretty much forsaken his
teammates and lived alone in the church. At this time he only uses the Main
Blade to fight and that's the only one he's seen carrying around.
To expand this further, let's look at the other blades. The Hollow Blade slides
over the Main Blade, while the Back Blades connect to the back of the Main
Blade. Together, the three of them form the basis of the Buster Sword shape the
completed swords take on. The two Side Blades don't provide such a critical
function but are still an important part of the overall construct.
In AC/C, and his life as a whole, who are the most important people in Cloud's
life? Easy - Tifa, Zack, Aerith, Denzel and Marlene. Obviously, Tifa, Aerith
and Zack symbolize the Hollow Blade and the two Back Blades, as they are the
three most important to shaping Cloud's character. Marlene and Denzel are thus
naturally, the two smaller Side Blades. Together, the five of them are the
people closest to Cloud. You can go a bit further with that - Tifa, as Cloud's
future, is the front Hollow Blade, while Zack and Aerith, Cloud's past, are the
Back Blades.
Throughout AC/C, Cloud reaffirms his bonds to those people - he reunites with
his family and has visions of Aerith (and Zack in ACC). And it's as Cloud makes
these connections again that he begins to add more swords to the Main Blade in
his fights, rediscovering the love and support of those close to him and using
more than just his primary weapon to battle.
From the Forgotten City to the Bahamut battle to the Kadaj battle, Cloud
steadily adds more and more of the auxiliary swords to the Main Blade as he
becomes more confident in who he is and fights to protect the people he loves.
The Main Blade (Cloud) alone isn't enough to win, he has to use the auxiliary
swords (Tifa/Aerith/Zack/Marlene/Denzel) to strengthen the Main Blade so it can
be strong enough.
The Sephiroth battle is the pinnacle of this - Cloud unleashes his ultimate
attack, Omnislash Version 5/6. He battles Sephiroth with the combined sword,
then separates it and finishes him off. It's suitable Cloud does this right
after Sephiroth threatens what he cherishes, and Cloud has his iconic "there's
not a thing I don't cherish" retort. By responding to Sephiroth's threat with
this final attack, Cloud is symbolically (and literally) attacking him with the
courage and strength given to him by those around him. It's perfectly fitting
that when Sephiroth threatens to take those things away, Cloud uses all six
weapons individually, yet acting through one attack, to take him down,
finishing off, of course, with a slash from the Main Blade.
And, most blatant, when all six swords combine, when Cloud fights with the
strength of his loved ones, the Fusion Swords become the Buster Sword - a
symbol of pride, courage, honor and heroism.
----
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) Deconstructing the antihero [5.238In]
Final Fantasy VII's hero is dead before the game even begins. The tone is
pretty much set from there.
Reminiscent of cheerful, energetic and noble anime heroes such as Vash the
Stampede of "Trigun" and Goku of the "Dragonball" series, Zack -- the young
SOLDIER 1st Class who befriends Cloud -- is brutally gunned down in a
flashback that takes place shortly before the main events of the game begin.
Gunned down protecting Cloud, who shortly thereafter will go on to be
reminiscent of such anime antiheroes as Vegeta -- also of "Dragonball"
fame -- and especially Guts of "Berserk."
This "badass" classification of characters, with strength and personalities
like that which Cloud demonstrates early in the game -- typically as brutal
as any villain and serving the overall good only as a side effect of serving
themselves -- are typically promoted by the narratives in which they're
presented. They're mysterious, alluring and -- for lack of a better word --
cool.
They often perform impressive feats all on their own, even as they
begrudgingly accept a need for friends or help, and are usually respected by
their more heroic comrades. FFVII, however, is anything but an endorsement of
this kind of character.
In this game, the badass is stripped bare, his insecurities and flaws laid
bare for the world to see.
In terms of western comic books, Cloud is more of a Marvel Comics hero than
a DC Comics hero. He's no Superman, no monument to heroism and confidence in
the path he walks.
He's more of a Spider-Man -- an awkward, socially ostracized teenager who
ends up with superhuman abilities, but still has the perspective and
concerns of a teenager. More accurately, he's more like Spider-Man with guns
and the Punisher's approach to situations. We are talking antiheroes, after
all.
Rather than FFVII's narrative promoting Cloud's behavior, this aloof and
cocky jerk -- as he demonstrates himself to be for much of the game early
on -- is revealed to be a complete mental wreck with no good reason to be
full of himself. He's also suffering from at least one psychosis, his
memories and perception of himself significantly at odds with reality.
Quite pathetically in fact, this stuck-up, unpleasant persona is Cloud's
ultimate version of himself. The truth is that Cloud is an awkward and
unconfident person -- and significantly more compassionate than his
alternate, ideal personality would have indicated.
Sephiroth, who is of the same classification, is a similar sort of
character. His mind snaps and he slaughters a town full of people over
something they had nothing to do with. And that's the person Cloud had
idolized!
In the end, it is only by accepting how weak he actually is that Cloud is
able to become strong. Quite a few more rungs to be tore down than the
usual antihero, who may only have to accept that he or she needs help
sometimes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-4-Aerith [5.24In]
1) Did Aerith sacrifice herself? [5.241In]
One of the larger misunderstandings of Final Fantasy VII has always been that
Aerith intentionally sacrifced herself for the planet, knowing that her death
would be needed in order to save the world. Not the case, however.
In the May 2003 issue of EDGE magazine (issue #123), there is a six-page
"Making of..." feature on Final Fantasy VII in which Yoshinori Kitase
(director and co-scenario writer of FFVII) and Tetsuya Nomura (character
designer of the game) were interviewed and asked about Aerith's death. During
the course of this interview, Nomura says the following (pg. 112):
"Back at the time we were designing the game, I was frustrated with the
perennial cliche where the protagonist loves someone very much and so has to
sacrifice himself and die in a dramatic fashion to express that love. We found
this was the case in both games and movies, both eastern and western. But I
wanted to say something different, something realistic. I mean, is it right to
set such an example to people?"
Kitase follows that up with this (pp. 112-113):
"In the real world, things are very different. You just need to look around
you. Nobody wants to die that way. People die of disease and accident. Death
comes suddenly and there is no notion of good or bad attached to it. It leaves
not a dramatic feeling, but a feeling of emptiness. When you lose someone you
loved very much you feel this big empty space and think 'If I had known this
was coming I would have done things differently.' These are the feelings I
wanted to arouse in the players with Aerith's death relatively early in the
game. Feelings of reality and not Hollywood."
With Kitase's words about death being unexpected in mind, consider Cloud's
dream in which he speaks to Aerith in the Sleeping Forest. Aerith intended to
handle Sephiroth on her own, and then come back:
Aerith
"And let me handle Sephiroth."
Aerith
"And Cloud, you take care of yourself."
Aerith
"So you don't have a breakdown, okay?"
Cloud
"What is this place?"
Aerith
"This forest leads to the City of the Ancients... and is called Sleeping
Forest."
Aerith
"It's only a matter of time before Sephiroth uses Meteor."
"That's why I'm going to protect it. Only a survivor of the Cetra, like me,
can do it."
Aerith
"The secret is just up here."
Aerith
"At least it should be. ...I feel it. It feels like I'm being led by
something."
Aerith
"Then, I'll be going now. I'll come back when it's all over."
Also consider Tifa's insight into her friend's intentions:

Tifa
"I wonder what Aerith felt... when she was on that altar...?"
Cloud
"I'm sure she wanted to give her life for the planet..."
Tifa
"Really? I wonder? I don't think that's it at all."
"I think she didn't think she would die at all, but that she planned on
coming back all along."
"She always used to talk about the 'Next time'."
"She talked about the future more than any of us..."
Here, the in-game dialogue serves to contradict the notion that Aerith
deliberately sacrificed herself. If that weren't enough, two of the game's
core developers stated that the exact opposite of sacrifice was intended
by that development.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Was Aerith's death necessary to summon Holy? [5.242In]
Another common misunderstanding from the old days of FFVII debate concerns
Aerith's death and Holy. Namely: Was it required that she die to cast the
spell?
Aerith's death actually wasn't needed for it to work at all. The fact that
Aerith didn't intend to die nor know that she would alone is enough to suggest
it isn't so, but we'll examine the matter in more depth without focusing on
that alone.
First, consider that the Black Materia -- the key to activating Meteor,the
Ultimate Destructive Magic -- didn't require a death in order to summon
Meteor. While true that the Cait Sith No. 1 construct remained in the Temple
of the Ancients and was crushed while the temple transformed into the materia
-- as someone had to remain inside for the temple to shrink -- this was to
undo the Cetra's security around the object and make the materia accessible,
not to actually use the materia itself.
The White Materia -- the key to activating Meteor's opposite, Holy, the
Ultimate White Magic -- shouldn't be any more likely to require death than
the Black Materia, or any other for that matter. Despite the great
destructive power of Meteor, it was never implied that it required such a
sacrifice to function.
Also consider this: Sephiroth knew how the Black Materia worked from
absorbing knowledge in the Lifestream. Knowing how the Black Materia worked,
Sephiroth would logically also know how the White Materia worked. And quite
obviously Sephiroth DID know about the White Materia, as he attempted to kill
her before she could summon Holy, and was also holding Holy back for the
second half of the game after Aerith summoned it.
If it were true that Aerith' death was required for Holy to work, then it
would have been counterproductive to Sephiroth's plan to cause it. If
Sephiroth's intentions were to summon Meteor, initiating the key to activating
Holy would be to undermine that entire plan.
Further consider that it is thoroughly explained in-game how activating Holy
is done, and it isn't mentioned then that a sacrifice is required:
Bugenhagen
"If a soul seeking Holy reaches the planet, it will appear."
Many took this to mean that Aerith's spirit had to rejoin the Lifestream in
order to activate Holy. However, when put with the rest of what Bugenhagen
says, this is shown to not be the case. "Reaching" the planet in this case
merely meant "communicating with the planet" through the White Materia:
Cloud
"Search for Holy... How do we do it?"
Bugenhagen
"Speak to the planet."
"Get the White Materia... This will bond the Planet to humans."
Bugenhagen
"Then speak to the planet."
"If our wish reaches the planet, the White Materia will begin to glow a pale
green."
The matter was as simple as that.

Anyone who had the White Materia could have prayed for Holy and "reached" the
planet, as the White Materia opened a line of communication between its holder
and the planet itself. The concept of establishing a link between oneself and
the planet through the White Materia is no different than using any other
materia, as each one contains the knowledge of those who have lived and died
in the past, with these memories acting as a link between the wielder of the
materia and the planet:
(Stated by Sephiroth in Nibelheim during the mission there five years before
the main events of the game)
"...the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the
materia."
"Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the
Planet. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the planet calling up
magic..... or so they say."
Going beyond that which has been discussed to this point, if dying was the key
to activating Holy, Aerith could have as easily thrown herself off a cliff or
stood out in the open and called out to Sephiroth to come kill her rather than
going about things as she did.
Even the FFVII Ultimania Omega guide makes no mention of death being required
to summon Holy (pg. 215), saying merely that the mind of the White Materia's
wielder must be linked to the planet.
This is not to take anything away from Aerith, or to say that what she did
wasn't heroic. She was certainly brave, displaying heroism in traveling to the
City of the Ancients on her own, and in her willingness to endanger herself
while trying to keep her friends out of the line of fire. This is merely to
clarify the facts surrounding Aerith's deeds.
With all that said, her death was still a stroke of luck on the planet's part
and would lead to its rescue, as discussed in the next article of this
section.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Why Holy failed and Aerith's role in saving the world [5.243In]
Another longstanding mystery of FFVII, I had my own theory about why Holy
failed to stop Meteor on its own. Though that theory was ultimately at odds
with what Square Enix published as the real answer, I nonetheless like my
explanation and will keep it in print here. I'll also provide the official
explanation.
When Holy collided with its polar opposite, Meteor, in the sky over Midgar, it
seemed that deliverance had arrived for the people of Gaia and the planet
itself. However, the spell seemed to then fail and be overpowered by the
Ultimate Destructive Magic. Why was this? Was it because the planet had
deemed it better to allow Meteor to pass, so as to annihilate the homo
sapiens responsible for the planet's troubles?
No. Were that the case, having Holy attack Meteor to begin with would have
been unnecessary. For that matter, if the planet was deliberately targeting
homo sapiens, then based on what Bugenhagen learned of Holy while in the City
of the Ancients, the spell should have been able to remove both Meteor and the
people troubling the planet. After all, Holy was supposed to remove all that
the planet felt was bad for itself.
Why, then, does Holy fail? What does Red XIII mean about it having "the
opposite effect"?
My theory in days past was bound up in what Nanaki had said right before this:
"It's too late for Holy. Meteor is approaching the planet."
What did this mean? Why was it too late for Holy? In what way? Meteor's
proximity to the planet was a part of this problem for what reason?
My belief was once that -- due to being held back by Sephiroth for so long --
Holy had weakened, and, by the time it was able to go into conflict with the
unweakened Meteor -- the other spell was simply the stronger of the two and
was assimilating Holy's power, turning it toward Meteor's own destructive
purpose. After all, as Holy parted for Meteor to come through, its color
changed to red and a powerful storm kicked up that added to the destruction
taking place.
It was my belief that Aerith then guided the Lifestream to add power to Holy
and bring its strength at least equal to that of Meteor, such that the two
spells -- being equal, but opposite -- would cancel each other out. I still
think this makes a lot of sense and matches up with what we see visually, but,
then, the official explanation isn't too bad either.
According to Chapter 7 of Maiden Who Travels the Planet, the short novella
starring Aerith featured in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide, the
extreme gravitational force that lay between the planet and Meteor -- here
explained as the cause of the storm that struck Midgar -- caused Holy to be
ineffective against Meteor (pg. 591). Rather than destroying Meteor, the
gravity pulling on Holy in opposite directions resulted instead in its
power being unable to focus directly on Meteor, adding to the destructive
effects of the situation.
It was here that the Lifestream came into play. Guided by Aerith and the
consciousnesses within the Lifestream (including Jessie, Biggs, Wedge, Dyne,
and Zack), the planet's great pool of life rose up from within the bowels of
the earth and pushed back against Meteor, reducing the powerful
gravitational pull on Holy, and allowing it to then apply its full force
against Meteor, destroying it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Was Aerith ever intended to be revived? [5.244In]
One of the most discussed matters among FFVII's fandom for several years after
the game's release was whether Aerith was intended to be revivable after her
death. I can't emphasize enough that this was fiercely, fiercely investigated
and debated.
There were forum debates running hundreds of posts, hackings of the game via
GameShark in the hopes of discovering some left behind dialogue or cutscenes
that would hint at a revival, and rumors, theories and outright fabrications
too numerous to count that would be THE way to bring Aerith back to life. For
a good laugh, look up Ben Lansing's Original Aeris Rumor sometime.
The truth, of course, is that there was no alternate storyline for the game
in the event that Aerith was brought back to life or even saved before being
killed at the end of Disc 1. There was no sidequest to do it, no hack that
would allow it, and no matter how many of those damn Tissue or 1/35 Soldier
items you got, she was going to remain in that lake in the City of the
Ancients.
Reviving Aerith was as possible as breeding a silver chocobo, riding it into
the Midgar Zolom marsh, and then fighting Onyx WEAPON: It plain wasn't.
GameShark hacking did reveal that there were bits of unusued dialogue that
Aerith could say in parts of the game that occurred after her death in the
story, but, then, Cid had lines programmed for the Mythril Mines, so that was
no big deal. Nothing of any major significance that may have hinted at a
revival of Aerith was ever found, though quite a few dedicated individuals
kept the search up for some time.
The matter was put to rest with finality by the May 2003 EDGE magazine
interview with Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase mentioned under the "Did
Aerith sacrifice herself?" article above.
At this point, I wish to present the most important bit of information that
argues against the notion of an Aerith resurrection having ever been intended:
The proof. During an interview in the May 2003 issue of EDGE magazine, Tetsuya
Nomura (Character Designer of Final Fantasy VII) and Yoshinori Kitase
(Director and Co-Scenario Writer of Final Fantasy VII) speak on their
respective intentions and hopes for Aerith's death, and touch upon the matter
of a resurrection.
Directly addressing fans' responses to Aerith's death and the possibility of
reviving her, Kitase said this (pg. 113):
"The world was expecting us to bring her back to life, as this is the classic
convention. But we did not. We had decided this from the beginning. There was
a lot of reaction from Japanese users. Some of them were very sad about it,
while others were angry. We even received a lengthy petition addressed to our
scenario writer asking for Aerith's revival. But there are many meanings in
Aerith's death and that could never happen."
And with that, the Internet breathed a sigh of relief as the weight of all
those forum discussions began to ease. Now, if only the Love Triangle Debate
would receive a lasting execution as well, the entire world could breathe a
collective sigh of relief.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Did the death of Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother inspire Aerith's
death? [5.245In]
A common misunderstanding back in the day was that the death of executive
producer -- and father of Final Fantasy -- Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother
inspired the death of Aerith. While it was Tetsuya Nomura's idea to kill off
Aerith rather than Sakaguchi's, that wasn't widely known until the May 2003
interview with EDGE magazine referenced in articles above.
This misunderstanding came from an interview Sakaguchi had with PlayStation
Underground in 1997. In the second issue of the quarterly CD publication, an
interview with Sakaguchi was included in which he discussed the production
of Final Fantasy VII. While answering the question "Are there any new themes
in Final Fantasy VII?" he answered with the following:
"When we were creating Final Fantasy III, my mother passed away, and ever
since I have been thinking about the theme 'life.' Life exists in many things,
and I was curious about what would happen if I attempted to analyze life in a
mathematical and logical way. Maybe this was my approach in overcoming the
grief I was experiencing. This is the first time in the series that this
particular theme actually appears in the game itself. See if you can spot it!"
At some point, many fans came to the understanding that "Final Fantasy III"
was referring to the game labeled as "Final Fantasy III" when released on the
SNES in North America. That game was actually Final Fantasy VI, the most
recent FF at the time.
From there, it's easy to see where confusion arose, as -- if Sakaguchi had
been referring to FFVI -- then FFVII would have been the next game to be made
after his mother's death. Given that FFVII focuses a lot on the ideas of life,
death, and what comes after, it's a reasonable connection to make.
Sakaguchi's mother did, of course, die during the making of the actual Final
Fantasy III. As reference for that, we have the foreword to The Making of
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (pp.4-5), published in 2001. Here, Sakaguchi
says that it had been 13 years since he lost his mother:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/TSWBookTitlePage.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/BookCopyrightPage.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/13Years.jpg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Contrasting Cait Sith No. 1's "death" with Aerith's [5.246In]
A topic I've seen given very shamefully little attention over the years since
the game's release is the striking differences in the deaths of Cait Sith No.
1 and Aerith, and the different requests they make of the player. This angle
of analysis actually enriches the value of Aerith's death from a player's
perspective, and makes it -- in my opinion -- a storytelling masterstroke.
Not long before Aerith's passing, the game set up death in the highly cliched
manner that Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura spoke of in the EDGE magazine
interview referenced in earlier articles of the "Aerith" section. Cait Sith
No. 1's "death" was made overly dramatic and then followed immediately by a
return of the character -- completely negating any tragedy or sense of loss in
the process -- to deliberately disassociate death with the feelings they
should inspire in the player.
In other words, if a character can die and come right back, then this isn't
really such a big deal. After Cait Sith comes hopping back on the scene right
after "dying," it's not so hard to imagine that maybe Jessie, Wedge and Biggs
will be coming around the next corner.
This was done so that when Aerith's death arrived, it held an even greater
impact than would have otherwise been the case. Quite simply, it's shocking
and runs counter to the traditional manner in which such scenes occur.
Right before Aerith's death, she's in danger as Cloud stands above her under
Sephiroth's control, his Buster Sword poised and ready to rend her apart.
Cloud's team gets his attention and he's able to resist Sephiroth's control,
narrowly avoiding a tragedy.
Then the form of Sephiroth descends from above and passes a asword through
Aerith anyway.
A brief analysis of both scenes yields what is the most realistic of the two,
as one is set up in a very dramatic over-the-top fashion, only for the entire
matter to be rendered moot less than two minutes later. Then, the other comes
like a whisper and its effects last for the rest of the game.
To further emphasise the point, note the degree of unnecssary melodrama in
the dialogue and behavior that went into Cait Sith's death scene, and then
the very little amount that went into Aerith's. Note also the length of these
scenes and how long you *know* death is coming before it happens in each:
(Cait Sith's death sequence)
Cait Sith
"Sorry to keep you waiting!! It's me!!"
"I'll handle the rest!"
Cait Sith
"Well, everyone.. Take care of yourselves!"
Aerith
"Cait Sith..."
Aerith
"Come on, Cloud... Say something."
Cloud
"I'm not good at this."
Cait Sith
"Mmm, I understand. I feel the same too."
Aerith
"Why don't you read our fortunes?"
Cait Sith
"Say, that's right... I haven't done it in a while, huh?"
"I'm so excited. Right or wrong, I'm still the same 'ol me."
"Now, what should I predict?"
Aerith
"Hmm, let's see how compatible Cloud and I are!"
Cait Sith
"That'll cost ya. Exactly one date!"
Cait Sith
"Here I go!"
Cait Sith
"This isn't good. I can't say it."
"Poor Tifa."
Aerith
"No! Tell me!"
"I promise I won't get mad!"
Cait Sith
"Is that so? Then I'll tell you."
"Looks good. You are perfect for each other!"
"Aerith's star and Cloud's star! They show a great future!"
"Cloud, I'll be your matchmaker, preacher... I'll do whatever you want me to!"
"You just call me when it all happens!"
Cait Sith
"Thank you for believing in me, knowing that I was a spy."
"This is the final, final farewell!"
Aerith
"Be strong Cait Sith!!"
Cait Sith
"She told me to 'Be strong.' I feel so happy."
::He trips and falls::
Cait Sith
"Owwww......"
Cait Sith
"What happened?"
Cait Sith
"I can still move more."
Cait Sith
"This must be it!"
"The Ancients sure did a great job making this."
Cait Sith
"I can protect the Planet too! I'm kinda embarrassed..."
Cait Sith
"There's plenty of stuffed toys like my body around, but there's only one me!"
Cait Sith
"Don't forget me even if another Cait Sith comes along."
::Cait Sith approaches the altar::
Cait Sith
"Good bye, then! I guess I'm off to save the Planet..."
::Cait Sith turns to face the altar and screen flashes white::
(Aerith's death sequence)

::AVALANCHE heads down the central path at the intersection that lies near the
entrance to the City of the Ancients::
Cloud
"Aerith's voice...... Coming from there?"
::Eventually, AVALANCHE reaches a structure with a glass stairway leading down
underground; they follow the staircase and see Aerith kneeling on an altar::
Cloud
"Aerith?"
::Cloud advances toward Aerith's position; the other members of AVALANCHE
start to follow him, but he waves them back; when he gets in front of Aerith,
a red light flashes and Cloud clutches his head; he is then forced to draw
his sword and hold it above his head, set to bring it down on Aerith; he's
obviously fighting against Sephiroth's will that's trying to force him to
crush Aerith beneath his Buster Sword; after a long moment of tension, Cloud
prepares to bring down the sword::
Cid
"Cloud!"
Tifa
"Stop!"
::Cloud shakes his head and steps back::
Cloud
"Ugh... what are you making me do?"
::The form of Sephiroth descends from above and pierces its blade through
Aerith's back and out her stomach; her head lolls forward and she collapses
into Cloud's arms::
As can be seen from this, Cait Sith's "death" was given a lot more drama than
Aerith's, at least in the sense of how characters in-game reacted to the
matter. This is also apparent in that Cait Sith's "death" was obviously on the
way, whereas Aerith's seemed to have just been averted, only for her to be
killed a moment later.
As can be seen from comparing these matters and examining the interview in
EDGE magazine with Nomura and Kitase, Cait Sith's "death" served to act as a
contrast with Aerith's, representing all those things that Nomura and Kitase
wished for death not to be in a story, whereas Aerith's represented those
things that they wished for it to be. Whereas Cait Sith's was melodramatic,
sacrificial and rendered moot by an immediate "resurrection," Aerith's death
came unexpectedly, was tragic, and held meaning for the rest of the game.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Who is the Aerith in Final Fantasy Tactics? [5.247In]
Is she the Aerith from FFVII, perhaps reincarnated, or someone who
strangely just looks like her, has the same name and also works as a flower
vendor? For the answer, let's turn to pg. 560 of the FFVII Ultimania Omega,
where it discusses the appearances of Cloud and Aerith in that game.
While the page identifies the Cloud in Tactics as the same Cloud from
FFVII (see the "Why are some FFVII titles canon and others not?" part of
this FAQ's "What is the FFVII canon?" article for more about that), it's
less clear concerning that game's Aerith:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/fftaerith.jpg
"The appearances of the flower vendor
When the main character, Ramza, enters Zarghidas Trade City[*1], he hears
the voice of a flower vendor. Her appearance and tone are the same as
that of Aerith of FFVII, and her name is also Aerith. However, when she
encounters Cloud, she doesn't know him. Is she the same person from FFVII
but with amnesia, or is she someone else entirely...?
[*1: Known as the Trade City of Sal Ghidos in the English translation of
the War of the Lions version of Tactics.]
[Beside the screenshots of FFT's Aerith; in the bottom one she's asking
"Would you like a flower? It's only 1 gil"[*1]]
The appearance of the flower vendor in Zarghidas. When Cloud sees her
exact resemblance to Aerith, he is quite shaken."
[*1: From the English translation of the original version of Tactics on
the PlayStation. The War of the Lions version featured "A flower for a
gil, ser?" in its English translation.]
The answer then is basically that there is no clear answer. It's really
up to each player's imagination to decide who they'd like to think she
is, as there isn't an answer to be found within canon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-5-Miscellaneous [5.25In]
1) Is Zack the man in the pipe in the slums of Midgar? [5.251In]
Many once believed that Zack survived his execution outside Midgar and then
wandered into the city later, possibly with amnesia, and that he is the
individual whom Aerith famously described -- in the original English version
of FFVII anyway -- with the comment, "This guy are sick."
While I doubt anyone would arrive at that conclusion after playing the game
today, especially now that Crisis Core's release has come and gone -- and I'm
well aware that most will accept that game's story into their FFVII canon even
though this document does not -- I'm going to leave a form of this article in
here just in case.
This idea about the "This guy are sick" guy being Zack came primarily from the
fact that the guy had a "2" tattoo on his hand, and -- should the player
return to Midgar on Disc 3 and speak with the guy who had been looking after
the man in the pipe -- that we learn that the guy had left to go to the
Reunion. In other words, he was one of the Sephiroth copies from Nibelheim,
and the only one other than Cloud to be seen not wearing a black cloak.
I've never really been sure why this information alone led to the idea that
this guy may be Zack despite his different appearance, the lack of recognition
from both Cloud and Aerith, and -- as discussed in the "Was Cloud a failed
Sephiroth copy?" article -- Zack's lack of a numbered tattoo, but it happened.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Is Vincent Sephiroth's father? [5.252In]
Again, doubting anyone would still come away from the original game thinking
this was possible -- especially now with Dirge of Cerberus out -- but there
was a time that it was a firmly held belief by many that Vincent is
Sephiroth's father. Hell, there was a time some people held to it so tightly
that they claimed the game told you he is.
Due to Vincent's lines before the battle with Hojo on the Sister Ray, I'd even
thought that Vincent at least believed he was Hojo's father up to that time,
as it's at this point he seems to stop hating on himself so hard:
Hojo
"Ha, ha, ha... HA, HA, HA...!!"
"What will Sephiroth think when he finds out that I'm his father?"
"Always looking down on me like that."
"HA, HA, HA...!!"
Cloud
"Sephiroth is your son!?
Vincent
"......!"
Hojo
"Ha, ha, ha..."
"I offered the woman with my child to Professor Gast's Jenova Project."
"When Sephiroth was still in the womb, we took the cells of Jenova..."
"HA, HA, HA!!"
Vincent
"You......!"
Cloud
"I can't believe you're the one who did this..."
"The illusionary crime against Sephiroth..."
Hojo
"Heee, hee, hee, hee! No, you're wrong!"
"It's my desire as a scientist! Heee, hee, hee, hee!"
Vincent
"......"
"I was......wrong."
"The one that should have slept was..."
"You, Hojo!"
It seemed to many, myself included, that there was no reason for Hojo's
revelation to have affected who Vincent felt deserved to be punished for what
happened to Lucrecia unless he believed the father of her child should be the
one that was punished. Of course, what I hadn't considered was that the
callous and indifferent manner in which Hojo refers to Lucrecia there -- "the
woman with my child" -- could have been the trigger for the shift in Vincent's
anger as well.
Still, at the time, it seemed to make sense that this revelation absolved
Vincent of his guilt and granted him a new lease on life. After all, if chosen
to be a party leader before the battle against Safer Sephiroth, Vincent will
even declare, "I was frozen in time, but I feel as if my time is just
beginning."
Basically, the idea that Vincent was Sephiroth's father required assuming that
the real revelation in the scene with Hojo was that Vincent had believed
himself to be the father, and that Hojo's claim was just the ramblings of a
madman. Which he was, of course, but he's still a madman who would probably --
and presumably could -- run a paternity test if he had any doubts.
Really, if someone still takes that meaning from the scene, there's no proving
them wrong. It really boils down to what one believes was the intended
revelation on the writer's part, or how that particular player made sense of
the information on its way in. As such, I'm not going to discuss the matter
any further than that anymore.
My own opinion is that the delivery of the narrative is such that the only
surprise revelation concerning Sephiroth's parentage is that Hojo is his
father. I also feel it's somewhat significant that no official
guides ever even discussed Vincent being Sephiroth's father as a
possible reading of that scene, while always pointedly referring to
Hojo as Sephiroth's father.
However, if someone read something else into that scene, it can't be
discounted altogether. It's legitimately another way of making sense of what
was shown in the story, even if it doesn't seem like the more obvious one to
me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Why didn't the WEAPONs attack Sephiroth? [5.253In]
A common question about FFVII's story is "Why didn't the WEAPONs attack
Sephiroth?" A good question since Professor Gast's report on the WEAPONs
stated that they were monsters created by the planet to protect it during a
time of crisis:
Hojo
"...Weapon. Monsters created by the Planet."
"It appears when the Planet is in danger, reducing everything to
nothingness."
"That's what was stated in Professor Gast's report."
Being the greatest threat of all, it would only seem logical that the WEAPONs
should attempt to penetrate the barrier around the Northern Crater and go
after Sephiroth. The fact that they do not was variously speculated to be
because Sephiroth was either controlling them or because the WEAPONs attack
everything indiscriminately.
My theory was the latter. I believed that the WEAPONs just saw living things
and attacked them without any level of priority.
I also thought that perhaps the overall purpose of such a strategy was not
just to possibly eliminate the threat to the planet during this indiscriminate
massacre of life, but also to strengthen the planet via sending the spirit
energy of the dead life forms back to the Lifestream. More energy might mean
the planet could better deal with the threat if the WEAPONs' own behavior
didn't take care of it.
While I think it's still a pretty good theory that explains what we saw in the
original, I rather like the explanation given in Maiden Who Travels the Planet
as well, and this is the one I include in my own personal FFVII canon. There
it's said that the WEAPONs didn't attack Sephiroth because the barrier he
created around the Northern Crater prevented them from sensing him.
Source: Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 589)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Was the game's final battle real? [5.254In]
A once hotly-debated question about Final Fantasy VII was whether the battle
between Cloud's mind and Sephiroth's form during the ending was a real battle.
While certain that it was a mental ordeal, quite often, it was argued to have
been nothing more than visceral imagery representing Cloud gaining autonomy
and purging Sephiroth's influence from his mind.
While I doubt many would arrive at that conclusion for any long period of time
now, in an age where Advent Children Complete is on the scene, with its moment
of Sephiroth mentally affecting Cloud from afar, the possibility still
remains, so this article shall as well.
Being that Cloud's body contained JENOVA cells, his mind had been accessed by
Sephiroth several times before this point, often to force him to do things
against his will. For example, when Cloud handed the Black Materia over at the
Temple of the Ancients and then beat up Aerith. In this particular case, the
JENOVA cells were being used to access his mind and allow Sephiroth to command
his motor functions.
That in mind, it was certainly well within the realm of possibility for Cloud
and Sephiroth's minds to come in contact at that point, especially with
Sephiroth having just lost his own body once again.
A big hint that Cloud was actually defeating Sephiroth's mind comes from what
happens in the FMV sequence immediately following. The lower area of the
crater, where the JENOVA-Synthesis battle took place, flashes bright white
once the mental form of Sephiroth disappears. This is significant in that the
flash was the same color as Holy, which was being held back by Sephiroth.
It was only when his mind was defeated that Holy was actually free to move.
Official sources, for those interested, confirm this battle as a genuine
conflict on pg. 204 of the FFVII Ultimania Omega guide, and again on pg. 590,
from Chapter 7 of Maiden Who Traves the Planet. It's stated that Cloud's
spirit/consciousness pursued Sephiroth's retreating consciousness, which still
continued to hold Holy back even then.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Were the Cetra from another planet? [5.255In]
Due to poor wording in the original English translation of the game, there was
a misunderstanding about the origin of the Cetra for several years. The
following lines were the primary cause of this confusion:
Sephiroth
"This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. Cetra was a itinerant race.
They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on..."
"At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land
and supreme happiness."
Another point that introduced this confusion is Aerith's statement concerning
the spirits of the Cetra in the Temple of the Ancients:
"Those are the spirit bodies of the Ancients."
"They've been away from their Planet for a long time to protect this Temple."
From this, many -- and they really can't be faulted for it -- took the meaning
that the Cetra were aliens from another planet. Nomads on a cosmic journey to
enrich planets with vegetation and other life.
While a reasonable reading of these lines, what was actually meant here is
thathe Cetra simply migrated around the one planet the game is set on, Gaia.
They did perform the process of making new lands lush, but only on that
planet.
While Aerith says that the Ancients' spirits in the Temple had been away from
their Planet for a long time, that doesn't necessarily imply a different
planet than Gaia. "Planet" can also refer to a world's Lifestream, and in
Final Fantasy IX, we're told that the true form of a planet *is* its
Lifestream (for more on this, see the "Spirit Energy and Memories: The Magic
of Final Fantasy" article further down).
This is what all life naturally returns to at the time of its death. The
spirits of these Ancients, however, had chosen to stay separated from the
Lifestream after death in order to continue protecting the temple.
There are several times in the original English version's script that the
word "Planet" is used interchangably with the word "land," even by Ifalna, a
Cetra. Further, when explaining the function of materia, Sephiroth uses both
words in the same sentence and in the same context:
(Ifalna in Icicle Inn, commenting on the Knowlespole of the Cetra freezing
over)
Professor Gast
"Hmm, even here so close to the North Cave, the snow never melts."
"Is that because the planet's energy is gathered here to heal its injury?"
Ifalna
"Yes, the energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the land...
then the Planet..."
(Sephiroth's explanation of materia's function)

Sephiroth
"...the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia."
Notably, Aerith -- a Cetra herself -- specifically states that the Cetra are
born from the planet and then return to it when they die:
Aerith
"All I know is..."
"The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the
Planet."
"And....... then......"
"The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme
happiness."
Of additional import to clarifying this matter, Elder Hargo of Cosmo Canyon

also refers to the Lifestream as "their planet" when speaking of the
Ancients.
To those interested in the official word on matters, it's probably also worth
mentioning that no official sources -- such as an Ultimania guide or some
such thing -- have ever identified the Cetra as anything but the ancient race
of humans that lived on Gaia. At the very least, no one involved in the
making of the games intended them to be aliens.
With all this in mind, Sephiroth was most certainly speaking in regard to
the *surface* of the planet when he made the comment about the Cetra
traveling from one land to the next.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) What is the Promised Land? [5.256In]
"What is the Promised Land?" The great question of Final Fantasy VII's mythos.
The question that players, in-game characters, and at least one developer of
the game sought an answer to for several years after the game's release.
Is the Promised Land the Northern Crater, a land overflowing with spirit
energy, as Shin-Ra believed it to be? Or is it Midgar, the technological
behemoth of metal and highways where Shin-Ra held its seat of power for
decades, as character designer Tetsuya Nomura once said he believed it to be
(http://flaregamer.com/b2article.php?p=81&more=1)?
Is it, perhaps, the Lifestream itself, the great river of spirit energy from
which all life on the planet Gaia springs? Or is it something which a person
finds within theirself? Here, we will answer this elusive question.
The answer to all of the questions above is this: Yes. Yes, the Northern
Crater is the Promised Land. Yes, Midgar is the Promised Land. Yes, the
Lifestream is the Promised Land. Yes, the Promised Land is a peace which one
finds within theirself.
But the answer to the above questions is not "yes" for everyone. For many,
the answer to all these questions may be "no." The Promised Land is
something personal for every individual. Someone can't tell another
individual what the Promised Land is, as it isn't the same for every person.
It is whatever grants a person a sense of completion, a sense of supreme joy
and happiness. For one person, this may be their romantic partner; for
another, it may be their children; for another, it may be money; for yet
another, it may be achieving, acquiring, or learning any number of different
things.
We find two indications in-game of the Promised Land's identity being
subjective. The first comes from Aerith when AVALANCHE has been jailed in the
Shin-Ra headquarters, and the second comes from Elder Hargo of Cosmo Canyon.
Aerith says that her mother's spirit has told her that one day she would
leave Midgar and find *her* Promised Land:
Aerith
"Someday I'll get out of Midgar... Speak with the Planet and find my Promised
Land."
"...That's what mom said."
As for Elder Hargo, he states first that he believes there is no one thing
called the Promised Land. He then goes on to describe what he believes to have
been the Promised Land for the Cetra, describing them rejoining with the planet
(the Lifestream) at the time of their deaths as being the fulfillment of their
journey and the acquisition of their supreme happiness:
"There is no one place called the Promised Land. That is what I believe. No
no, it does exist. Hmmm... You can say that too. In other words, it doesn't
exist for us, but it did for the Ancients. The Promised Land is the resting
place of the Ancients. The life of the Ancients is one continuous journey. A
journey to grow trees and plants, produce animals, and raise mako energy.
Their harsh journeys continued throughout their lives... The place they return
to after their long journey... Their burial land is the Promised Land. Huh?
Supreme happiness? I believe that, for the Ancients, it was the moment that
they were able to return to their planet. At that moment they were released
from their fate, and gained their supreme happiness..."
The Promised Land for the Ancients was the Lifestream. This does not
necessarily hold true for everyone, however. For Sephiroth, the Promised Land
was a place where he could acquire the power to call Meteor and set in motion
his plan to achieve godhood, as identified in the FFVII Ultimania Omega
(pp. 214, 586). This place was the Northern Crater, just as it was for
Shin-Ra (pg. 214) -- though from their perspective, it was the Promised Land
because they knew it would be highly profitable.
The FFVII Ultimania Omega also takes the step of clearly identifying the
Cetra's Promised Land as the Lifestream (pp. 214, 580), but says that it may
not be true for everyone and that each individual has their own
interpretation (pg. 214). As another example, the FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania identifies Cloud's Promised Land as Aerith's church (pg. 131; pg.
133 of the Revised Edition).
Despite whatever we may have found or not found within the game itself, the
official position on the matter at least supports our conclusions up to now.
To summarize things thus far, the Promised Land is not the same for everyone.
It may be anything for anyone, but it is whatever gives that person supreme
joy, whatever grants them fulfillment. Considering that people are quite
possibly as varied in desires as there are things to be desired, there may be
a limitless number of Promised Lands, a different one for every person.
Having now established what the Promised Land is, or -- more accurately --
what the Promised *Lands* are, let us now examine how one finds this place of
ultimate joy. According to Aerith, the location of the Promised Land is not
something one will know until they've found it:
Aerith
"...You don't 'know' where the Promised Land of the Ancients is."
"You search and travel, until you feel it. Like you just know, '...this is the
Promised Land.'"
What's interesting about this is that Aerith only says that one doesn't know
*where* their Promised Land is. To put it another way, they don't know *how*
to find it, though they may know full well *what* it is for them.
To give an example, one whose Promised Land is fulfilling their desire to
have a romantic partner that they will love wholeheartedly and who will love
them back wholeheartedly may know that this is their ultimate desire, yet they
may not know at all how to achieve it. According to Aerith, they all would
"search and search" until they just felt it and knew they had found it.
Another side to the difficulty in knowing where/how to find one's Promised
Land is the hardships that they most likely will face in searching for it.
Using again the example of one who seeks all-consuming romantic love, they
may find that the path to this is not an easy one. They will likely face a
great deal of emotional sorrow and hardship before they find this ultimate
happiness.
This is directly connected to the game's theme of building off Judaeo-
Christian mythology, in particular the Sephiroth concept of Jewish
mysticism (for more on this, see the "Symbolism in Final Fantasy VII"
article below). Just as an individual following the paths of the Sephiroth
and seeking their way back to God must overcome obstacles in order to achieve
this, so too must one do in seeking their Promised Land.
This is demonstrated in-game by the Cetra's journey, for it is described as a
"harsh, hard journey" at the end of which they would find their Promised
Land:
Sephiroth
"This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. Cetra was a itinerant race.
They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on..."
"At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land
and supreme happiness."
Referring back to Elder Hargo's comments on the Cetra, again, he states that
the "harsh, hard journey" of the Cetra ended when they were allowed to rejoin
with the Lifestream. We can connect the matter of rejoining with the
Lifestream to the matter of rejoining with the Promised Land in the case of
the Cetra based on what Aerith says concerning the Cetra's origins, and what
Bugenhagen says concerning spirit energy and the cycle of rebirth in Final
Fantasy VII:
(Aerith in the Shin-Ra headquarters)
Aerith
"All I know is..."
"The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the
Planet."
"And....... then......"
"The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme
happiness."
(Bugenhagen in Cosmo Canyon)

Bugenhagen
"Well, let's get to the subject."
"Eventually... all humans die. What happens to them after they die?"
"The body decomposes, and returns to the Planet. That much everyone knows.
What about their consciousness, their hearts and their souls?"
"The soul too returns to the Planet."
"And not only those of humans, but everything on this Planet. In fact, all
living things in the universe, are the same."
Bugenhagen
"The spirits that return to the Planet, merge with one another and roam the
Planet."
"They roam, converge, and divide, becoming a swell, called the 'Lifestream'."
"Lifestream.... In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the
Planet."
Bugenhagen
"'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget."
"A new life... children are blessed with Spirit energy and are brought into
the world."
"Then, the time comes when they die and once again return to the Planet..."
So even without the FFVII Ultimania Omega, the information needed to identify
the Promised Land was with us all along. That said, the theory I have spoken
of here was never given much attention. While I did talk about it on forums, I
don't think the idea of something so abstract was quite as alluring as
something tangible and consistent.
In any case, while the identity of the Cetra's Promised Land brings up the
question of why the journey to *die* is made so difficult for them, there may
have been any number of cultural assumptions amongst the Cetra that made it
so. Perhaps they felt that they must do their best to help cultivate life on
the planet in order to rejoin with the Lifestream, or perhaps it was a sense
of duty that drove them.
For all we're made aware, there may have been an assumption that they would
only be worthy of the return to the Lifestream by cultivating life on the
planet's surface. Whatever the reason, this journey of the Cetra along the
paths of the Sephiroth to reach their own personal Promised Land was a journey
to the Lifestream, made more difficult for them than it was for other forms of
life due to it being the fulfillment of self for these Ancients.
What we can conclude from all this is that the Promised Land is not the same
thing for everyone, nor is there any means by which an individual can
determine how to find their personal Promised Land. They simply must seek it
out, and when they find it, they will just know they have found it.
We can also conclude that -- whatever an individual's journey may be for --
the path to their Promised Land will be made harsh for the sake of them
overcoming obstacles in order to reach it. While one individual may be able
to easily attain something that is not very special to them, for another, that
is their Promised Land and it will be a harsh path, indeed, before they can
claim it.
As for why this may be, it is likely to provide the spirit energy of the
individual with a need to undergo life experiences, forming memories and
maturing as a result. This would be done so that when the spirit energy's
host body dies and the spirit energy returns to the Lifestream, it will be
able to provide memories/experiences for the Lifestream as a whole to learn
from and grow.
We first knew that it is these memories and experiences that provide the
Lifestream with the ability to live and grow based on a statement made in
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within:
(Aki Ross, quoting Dr. Sid's journal)
"All life is born of Gaia and each life has a spirit. Each new spirit is
housed in a physical body. ...Through their experiences on Earth, each spirit
matures and grows. When the physical body dies, the mature spirit, enriched by
its life on Earth, returns to Gaia bringing with it the experiences, enabling
Gaia to live and grow."
The Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega would eventually confirm this as the
case for the Gaia of FFVII specifically (pg. 217).
The implications of these matters would suggest that limits are either put in
place or are naturally present on an individual's abilities, the situations
they're placed in, or both, so as to provide them with the necessity to
struggle for their Promised Land.
In conclusion, the Promised Land is a reality, and it is a different reality
for everyone. It is also the culmination of their efforts to overcome
hardships they must deal with in order to mature as an individual and reach
their Promised Land. In so doing, they will provide the life cycle as a whole
with rich energy and the means to grow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) What Did Hojo Do to Red XIII? [5.247In]
Another elusive question of Final Fantasy VII is "What did Hojo do to Nanaki?"
Was he injected with JENOVA cells? Was he infused with mako? Were any number
of other experiments carried out on him?
Sadly, we cannot determine the answers to all of these questions from the
game. Even Red XIII himself seems unsure of what Hojo may have done to him.
All he ever expresses in this regard is a fear that he may turn out mindless
like the black-cloaked Sephiroth copies:
Red XIII
"Cloud..."
Red XIII
"I'm number 13. Am I going to go mad too?"
Tifa
"I don't know what Hojo did to you, but you've been all right so far, right?"
Red XIII
"But..."
Tifa
"Be strong."
Red XIII
"But, I..."
Tifa
"Stop it, Red XIII! Be strong!"
Whatever Hojo did to Nanaki, he's never implied to have glowing eyes (the sign
of mako infusion), nor does he demonstrate any of the behavior of an
individual injected with JENOVA's cells. It's also extremely unlikely that
Hojo would have made a Sephiroth copy of him given that this experiment
eventually required the death of its subjects, and given that Hojo believed
Red XIII to be the last of a species he intended to save from extinction.
For that matter, the FFVII Ultimania Omega identifies Nanaki as someone
mistaken for a Sephiroth copy (pg. 213) , so he's definitely not one of them.
While we can't determine exactly what -- if anything -- Hojo did to Nanaki
beyond branding him with a "XIII" tattoo, we can safely conclude that he
didn't inject him with JENOVA cells or infuse him with mako.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) What is the sphere Cloud sees during the ending? [5.258In]
A mystery that endures to this day -- and a point of quite a bit of
speculation in past years -- is the nature of the sphere that Cloud sees while
his mind journeys to the final battle with Sephiroth:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/GaiasCore.jpg
Variously speculated to have been the Promised Land at times, the Cetra's
homeworld at others -- and if under the erroneous assumption that they were
aliens -- and any number of other things, I've long believed the answer lies
in just where it was that AVALANCHE had confronted Sephiroth: the center of
the planet.
To elaborate, AVALANCHE would have been in close proximity to Gaia's core, and
I believe that the sphere that Cloud witnessed overhead is *the* core itself.
For why I believe this to be so, there is, first, the location of the battle
that destroyed Sephiroth's body, and, secondly, the very similar sphere seen
within Final Fantasy X/X-2's world, Spira, on the Farplane:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/SpirasCore.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/SpirasCore2.jpg
The Farplane lay at the center of Spira, with an abundant amount of spirit
energy (pyreflies) floating around in there. We know that the life force of
the planet Spira itself resided within the Farplane based on Shinra's
analysis of the area in Final Fantasy X-2:
Shinra
"Aha..."
Yuna
Shinra
"Farplane data."
Shinra
"The more I study it, the more fascinating it gets. There's limitless
energy swirling around in there."
Yuna
"Limitless energy?"
Shinra
Like Spira's core, where pyreflies (spirit energy) freely moved about in
close proximity, when Cloud looks up at the sphere above him, there are small
orbs of energy floating around it.
We find another similar object when looking at the Gaia of Earth in Final
Fantasy: The Spirits Within:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/TheGaia.jpg
While we can't determine from this shot if the energy below Aki and Gray has a
spherical form, based on its depth within the Earth and the nature of density,
it's safe to assume, as even the metallic core of our own Earth is believed to
be a sphere due to density.
While not a very elaborate explanation, I believe that the simplicity of this
theory adds to its plausibility.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9) Is FFVII connected to FFX and X-2? [5.259In]
You may have heard somewhere that there's a connection between the stories of
Final Fantasy VII, X and X-2. Other than that obvious one connecting X and
X-2, I mean.
"Is it true?" you're probably wondering. Well, the answer is "yes."
In the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania guide (pp. 723-724), there's an interview
where scenario writer Kazushige Nojima (writer of FFVII, VIII, X, X-2, Advent
Children, On the Way to a Smile and Crisis Core) reveals that he wrote the
game's story with the intention that the character named "Shinra" (a member of
the Gullwings, the sphere hunter group the game focuses on) was the ancestor
of the founders and rulers of the Shin-Ra Company seen in Final Fantasy VII.
According to Nojima, after Vegnagun and Shuyin's defeat, Shinra received
massive financial backing from Rin and attempted to use the remains of
Vegnagun to extract the spirit energy on the Farplane into a usable form as
a power source. Should be sounding familiar already if you've played FFVII.
Anyway, in-game, we see Shinra arrive at the conclusion that this could be
done in Chapter 5:
(If one returns to the bridge of the Celsius after reaching the Farplane Glen
and speaks with Shinra)
Shinra
"Aha..."
Yuna
Shinra
"Farplane data."
Shinra
Yuna
"Limitless energy?"
Shinra
Shinra
Brother
"Sweet!"
Shinra
Brother
"That's no fun!"
Buddy
Yuna
Yuna
Shinra
Yuna
"Just imagine!"
Yuna
"But I'll never get to see it...will I..."
::Shinra shakes his head, meaning "No"::
Brother
"Shinra! Don't make Yuna sad!"
Shinra
"Right. My bad."
This is obviously a suggestion that energy from the Farplane could be

extracted and used in such a manner. It's also made apparent in-game that
finding a means to utilize the energy within the planet Spira is something
that Rin would have supported:
(If Rin is pinned as the culprit behind wrong-doing on the Mi'hen Highroad
involving the malfunctioning machina, it's revealed that the machina
malfunctioned and that he covered it up)
Rin
Yuna
"You put the investigation in our hands because we were amateurs. You hoped
we would botch the case."
Yuna
Yuna
Rin
Rikku
"Why, Rin?"
Rin
"If word got out that machina pose a danger, people would fear them and
stop using them."
Paine
Rin
development."
Rin
Yuna
Rin
Rin
"We are researching ways to extract the vast energy that sleeps in Spira,
and use it to power machina."
Paine
"You're a jackass."
Rin
What's further worth mentioning is that of the time of the events of the Last
Mission from Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission (three months after
Shuyin's defeat in Final Fantasy X-2), it was established that Shinra and Rin
were working together and researching someething, as revealed by Rikku on the
tenth floor of Yadonoki Tower:
(Thanks for this translation goes to Marcelo X)
Yuna: "Is Shinra helping out, too?"
Rikku: "Ahhh, now that you mention it..."
Rikku: "Well, all I know is that Shinra left the ship. He got together with
Rin and what do you think all that research they're doing is for?"
Rikku: "'I know everything'" is all he said in that smug way of his. I've
seen him around all over the place."
In other words, as of three months after Final Fantasy X-2's main events had
come to an end, the concept Nojima spoke of was already in play. What's
further notable about this is that Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last
Mission was released 11 months after the original Final Fantasy X-2, and well
after the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania guide featuring the interview with
Nojima had been published.
In other words, Nojima spoke of this concept in the Ultimania interview and
then actually put the ball in motion with FFX-2: International+Last Mission.
Also notable is that this idea isn't the secret of a single individual during
development, but that it actually has the support of key staff involved in
the making of FFX-2 and in the making of various other Final Fantasy titles,
including Compilation of FFVII titles.
During the interview, director Motomu Toriyama reveals that, in response to
Nojima's idea, he arranged the first shot of the Bevelle Underground to be the
same as the first shot of Midgar in Final Fantasy VII. In addition,
co-scenario writer Daisuke Watanabe speaks favorably of the concept during the
interview.
Someone else at the table during the interview was Yoshinori Kitase, current
lead developer of Final Fantasy, the director and co-scenario writer of Final
Fantasy VII, and the mastermind behind the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
Though no comments from him are made during that segment of the interview, an
earlier interview with Kitase and Nojima -- this time in the Final Fantasy X
Ultimania Omega guide (pg. 191) -- had the two of them reveal that FFVII and
FFX would become connected in the sequel to FFX.
Furthermore, Kitase even went so far as to say that this connection would be
a surprising development regarding the Farplane and what a character in the
story would do related to it.
Sounds pretty much exactly like what happened.
Next up, even Tetsuya Nomura, character designer of FFVII and a key developer
of Final Fantasy titles himself these days, has alluded to the concept. In the
Advent Children Reunion Files book, he said that the Shiera airship runs "on a
mysterious ancient power source" (pg. 87).
For those who want to include Dirge of Cerberus in their personal continuity,
I point you to the line from the game where the same thing is said.
Additionally, I'd like to call your attention to the startling similarities
both inside and out between the Shiera and the airships seen in FFX and X-2.
Another bit of official recognition to the idea comes from the name of the
fiend called "King VERMIN!." In Final Fantasy VII, this is a title that Barret
addresses President Shinra with at one point:
President Shinra
"And such a waste of good fireworks, just to get rid of vermin like you..."
Barret
"VERMIN? That's all you can say... VERMIN!"
"Y'all Shinra're the VERMIN, killing the planet! And that makes you King
VERMIN! So shu'up jackass!"
In the Japanese script, the president actually called them noxious insects,
and Barret responded by saying that the Shin-Ra were the parasites, and that
the president was their chief. Still, given the matching capitalization and
punctuation, it's clear that somebody in the company was giving the idea
their own personal nod.
Here follows a translation of the segment of the X-2 Ultimania interview where
this information came from:
(Note: This translation is taken from this website under the "Nojima
Interview" section of the "Evidence" category:
http://www.willamette.edu/~ejohnson/findex.htm)
Question: "Is there a connection between Shinra and FFVII?"
Nojima: "Yes, actually. After Shinra quit the Gullwings he got enormous
financial backing from Rin and went to the Farplane to start extracting the
Mako energy used by the Vegnagun. But the system for utilizing this energy
could not be completed in his generation, so far in the future when space
travel was possible, the Shinra Company was founded on another planet... or
something like that. That would be a thousand years or so from this game's
story."
Question: "And VII's story takes place after that?"
Nojima: "Well, you could say that's how I personally feel about it."
Nojima's next two lines (translated by me):
"When I think about the characters from the story, those are the images I have
inside me. Shinra was a good person, but his descendants will be like the
president [of the Shin-Ra Company] (laughs)."
While at this point I would never again suggest that an author's own personal
point of view about details in their story should serve as the be-all, end-all
of any matter where there wasn't supporting evidence within the story,
certainly interviews such as this can offer insight.
Furthermore, in this particular case, there's plenty of physical evidence to
support Nojima's claim, including Shinra and his behavior in X-2 and X-2:
International+Last Mission, as well as the Al Bhed-like airship featured in
Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus.
For those who do care about authors' opinions in settling these matters,
though, I'd also like to point out these comments about Shinra from the FFVII
Ultimania Omega (pg. 563), found under the "Final Fantasy X-2" heading of the
"Final Fantasy VII in Other Games" section:
(My own translation)
"In the Gullwings, the group which the protagonist Yuna is a member of, there
is a boy named 'Shinra.' His name is reminiscent of the Shin-Ra Company, and
he's researching ways to use 'the life force flowing through the planet' as
energy. The results of this can't be seen in FFX-2, but perhaps someday his
descendants will found a 'company that supplies energy from the planet'?"
Heck, at this point, we even have newer Compilation of FFVII titles showing
some characters' bodies disappear in a spray of spirit energy similar to that
of Maester Kinoc's body, fiends or the unsent in FFX. While, again, I don't
include Dirge of Cerberus or Crisis Core into my personal canon, they
presumably are a reflection of the developers' canon.
In DC, Grimoire Valentine's body disperses in a cloud of energy reminiscent of
FFX's pyrefly dispersements, while in CC, Hollander and Lazard's bodies do the
same.
With all that addressed, I would like to say that I don't really want to keep
the following section in this article. To me now, having a point-counterpoint
section where both sections are written by the same author seems terribly
condescending. However, given just how much aggressive opposition and outright
denial the FFVII/FFX/FFX-2 connection has seen from a vocal minority at times,
I'm going to leave this section in here.
All points raised are actual arguments I've saw people bring up while
attacking this idea at one time or another, while the responses are all
replies I made or wish I had made to these comments.
*Point 1: The idea totally contradicts the story of Final Fantasy VII. In the
game it's stated that the first mako reactor was approved for use only some 30
years before the main events of the game begin, and it had only been about 15
years that Shin-Ra even realized that mako extraction could be profitable.
Nojima's idea that this has been going on for possibly thousands of years fits
in nowhere.
*Response 1: This point is the one brought up most often to refute the idea.
Nojima's concept in no way contradicts the established storyline of Final
Fantasy VII, and only taking what Nojima said out of context -- accidentally
or deliberately -- will lend to the belief that it does.
What he said is that Shinra attempts to apply the concept using the remains of
Vegnagun. However, he finds that he cannot successfully implement the idea,
and some 1000 years later, his descendants will travel from Spira to the
planet Gaia. He doesn't say that they start setting up mako reactors as soon
as they get there. He just says that on this other planet they will found
the Shin-Ra Company.
What his concept amounts to is this: After Vegnagun and Shuyin are defeated,
Rin invests a large amount of money in Shinra's concept of drawing energy from
the Farplane and harnessing it in a usable form. Shinra attempts to use the
remains of Vegnagun to do this, but is unsuccessful. 1000 years later, his
descendants will travel to the Planet Gaia. Sometime in the future after that,
they will found the Shin-Ra Company. Sometime in the future once again, they
will discover that they can successfully implement the concept conceived by
their ancestor and will utilize the correct means to do so.
*Point 2: It's a bit farfetched that VII's story begins immediately after these
guys show up, meanin couldn't have been around long, yet no one seems to recall
that they're aliens or find it worth mentioning in-game.
*Response 2: Again, by his own admission, Nojima's concept is not a fleshed out
idea. It is a very basic concept that is taking the full spectrum of the
timeline of events into consideration in the same sentence or two. "And VII's
story takes place after that?" does not mean "So VII's story begins
immediately after Shinra's descendants arrive on Gaia?"
It just's a general inquiry as to whether or not VII's story chronologically
falls after that point.
*Point 3: Nojima's idea would suggest that the Spirans will develop technology
that allows for space travel, yet in the game's present, Shin-Ra had to
develop 26 prototypes before they could even produce a rocket that would be
capable of going into space. That leaves quite a plothole seeing as how the
technology of the game's present is not as developed as that of its supposed
past.
*Response 3: It's not as though it would be all that difficult a thing to
arrange the lost technology. The Spiran vehicles used for space travel could
easily be have been destroyed -- along with the technology to reproduce them
-- due to a crash landing on Gaia. Or they could have been destroyed by
JENOVA during its assault on Gaia. This is not to say that either of these
possibilities are what occurred, but it is to say that there's no reason to
believe that the technology shouldn't have been lost.
*Point 4: The world of Spira operates on entirely different concepts of life

and death, as well as magic and summoning. For example, there's never a need
for sendings on Gaia, nor are there fayth who are used as the conduit by which
to bring forth summons.
*Response 4: The worlds actually operate on exactly the same concepts of life
and death, as well as magic and summoning. Pyreflies = spirit energy = mako =
spheres = materia = Lifestream. Spheres (a source of magic in FFX and its
sequel) are crystalized pyreflies which were able to coalesce through their
attachment to physical matter (usually water). Pyreflies, after all,
permeate everything in Spira according to FFX's Scenario Ultimania (pg. 59).
Materia -- which also has a spherical shape -- is crystalized mako, which is
itself a condensed/liquidized derivative of the Lifestream/Gaia's spirit
energy.
Also notable is that both worlds feature the concept of spirit
energy/pyreflies returning to the planet and then being sent back to the
surface world to give life to more creatures. Further still, on Gaia, there
were the Cetra, people who could manipulate spirit energy through their
connection to and understanding of the planet.
On Spira, there were both summoners -- people who could manipulate pyreflies
because of their strong wills and understanding of the mechanics of such
things -- as well as the Guado race, who live near the Farplane of Spira and
can naturally manipulate pyreflies to at least a limited degree.
As far as there being a big difference in terms of summoning, there's actually
no difference at all. Materia merely connects one to the Lifestream, using the
memories within this crystalized spirit energy as a conduit. Through this
connection, one can manifest magical spells (including summons) based on those
memories contained within the materia/sphere.
On Spira, aeons were called forth through one's mind connecting to that of a
fayth, a person whose body and spirit were bound within a statue of a powerful
creature. The Fayth's memories are then processed through their dreams, which
a summoner will be able to glean through their mental rapport with that fayth.
The fayth's memories essentially serve as a blueprint of sorts for the
summoner, who will then tap into pyreflies and manifest them in a form based
on the memories of the fayth as regarding the statue their spirit is bound
within.
The concept -- that of tapping into the memories of another to manifest them
as a magical spell or a summon through spirit energy -- is the same on both
worlds. It all comes back to memories in the end. For more on this matter,
refer to the "Spirit Energy and Memories: The Magic of Final Fantasy" article
further down in this document.
As for sendings, there seems to be something a bit off-kilter with Spira's
Lifestream. Rather than spirit energy being one massive swell on Spira, it
swirls around everywhere, rather aimlessly. There doesn't really seem to be
any coherence to it all. This may be due in part to a young or weak
Lifestream, but whatever the case, it may be tied to why people can become
fiends and unsent so commonly after death.
The same things can happen on Gaia, though they don't seem to occur quite
as frequently. The requirement for one becoming an unsent, for example, is a
strong emotional tie to the living world.
An example of this in Final Fantasy X would be Maechen, whose unquenchable
thirst for knowledge kept him bound to the surface of Spira for 1000 years.
Similarily, in Final Fantasy VII, the guys from Beginner's Hall weren't
able to be at peace after dying due to their desire for knowledge. When
encountering their spirits in the Respectable Inn in Junon, one of them tells
Cloud that he wasn't able to rest because he wanted to learn more.
Other examples of unsent in Final Fantasy VII include the Ancients in the
Temple of the Ancients, and Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, being that they're
shinentai of Sephiroth.
In the case of fiends, recall that it was enmity for the living that would
cause peoples' restless spirits to manifest as such creatures. In FFVII, the
spirits of the Gi Tribe became fiend-like entities in the Gi Cave due to their
hatred for the people of Cosmo Canyon.
Really, there's not any notable differences in the mechanics of life, death,
and magic on Spira and Gaia. They're essentially the same.
*Point 5: Nojima isn't even a Square Enix employee any longer. His personal
opinion is hardly anything to take as canon.
*Response 5: If Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura were then to no longer
be Square Enix employees, would their claims from the May 2003 issue of EDGE
no longer be valid? Even though they made the game and know what went on?
Besides, as said above, it's not just Nojima talking about this. The matter in
question is more than a vague intent with which the story was written. The set
up for it was placed into Final Fantasy X-2 and actually set in motion in
FFX-2: International+Last Mission, not to mention Advent Children and Dirge of
Cerberus.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) Symbolism in Final Fantasy VII [5.2510In]
Though I know there were always some who felt several of my inferences within
this article were a bit of a stretch, I've always been fond -- and a bit proud
-- of it. I also still feel that it holds up well today.
While it's well known that Final Fantasy VII draws on Judaism and a little
Christianity for themes and plot elements, the extent of that symbolism is not
always realized. Here, I've attempted to craft an article that thoroughly
points out the correlation between in-game events, scenarios and concepts that
are a direct reference to some Judaeo-Christian concept.
What I have determined from my studies is that the core themes of Final
Fantasy VII are taken straight from the lore of these religions.
The breadth of inspiration that these ancient concepts provided for Final
Fantasy VII is striking, as are the intricate levels at which they were
interwoven throughout the game's story. I hope that with this document, fans
of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy as a whole -- as well as those who may
have an interest in religious symbolism as used in media -- will find a new
angle of analysis by which to appreciate this groundbreaking title in the
Final Fantasy series.
Before we begin examining the game's story, we'll run through some key
concepts found in Judaism.
In the Kabbalah of Jewish mysticism, it's believed that mankind is separated
from God by the sin of the world, and the only way it can return to God is by
navigating the paths of the Sephiroth. The Sephiroth, also known as the "Tree
of Life," is a spiritual grid that represents the 10 divine emanations of God
as projected into the mortal world.
These 10 aspects of God are comprised of 22 paths based in seven realms of
mortal existance. Along each path, a soul must overcome obstacles to reach the
next node, gaining a further understanding of itself and more of its potential
-- yet still limited -- understanding of God.
If a soul is triumphant in its time as a mortal, it will gain a full
understanding of itself and as great an understanding of God as is possible
for a mortal being. The soul attains this great understanding when it reaches
the central node on the grid, the Tifaret (also spelled as "Tipharet,"
"Tiferet," and "Tipheret").
From here, the soul will ascend to the seventh and highest realm of conscious
mortal existance, where it may rejoin with God.
Of specific importance to a matter we'll be addressing here are the properties
of the Tifaret. As previously mentioned, the Tifaret is the central node on
the Tree of Life, and is associated with ascension, as is representative of
beauty and certain virtues and vices.
Its virtues are love and balance, while its vices are pride and
self-importance. When unbalanced, the Tifaret in an individual will give way
to an illusionary dilemma in which they suffer from over-identification with
others.
Also of importance to the matter we'll be analyzing here is the name of God,
"YHWH"/"JHVH" (commonly written as "Yahweh"/"Jehovah").
(Note: For more information on the Sephiroth and its multitude of properties,
visit these webpages:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephiroth_%28Kabbalah%29
http://www.humanenergyscience.com/articles_kabbalah.htm
http://www.colorsystem.com/projekte/engl/65hebe.htm)
Now, let us begin to analyze Final Fantasy VII and its relation to these
concepts.
There are two "Gods" in the story: JENOVA and the Lifestream. For both, there
is a concept that involves their "children" rejoining with them: JENOVA has
its "Reunion" with the cells in the Sephiroth copies drawing them to the
creature, and the Lifestream has its spirit energy returning home upon the
death of a "child."
The spirit energy takes back with it the memories of that individual's
lifetime, from which the Lifestream will live and grow.
With these concepts in mind, recall the Hebrew name of God, "Jehovah."
"JENOVA" is a corruption of this name, a dark distortion, as is reflected
through the creature's defilment of the planet. Furthermore, this name is
likely a portmanteau of "Jehovah" and the Latin word "nova," which means
"new."
Thus, JENOVA's name literally means "New God." Fitting, as JENOVA -- and later
Sephiroth -- would attempt to supplant and assimilate the Lifestream.
Moving on, "Sephiroth" means "numbers" when loosely translated from its
Hebrew origin, and in the game, we have numbered "Sephiroth copies." A
reference both to the name of Sephiroth and -- given that they dress somewhat
like him -- possibly also to the divine emanations of God found in the
Sephiroth concept.
These copies are naturally drawn back to JENOVA and Sephiroth, the latter of
whom places them on "paths" to seek out the Black Materia as they make their
way to the Reunion.
When the copies finally get to the Reunion at the Northern Crater, they are
killed and knocked into a chasm, no doubt for the cells of JENOVA they
carried to be reclaimed. Thus, they rejoined with the "New God."
Similarly, Sephiroth spoke of Aerith living again as part of him. It was,
after all, his intention that everyone become part of him once he absorbed the
Lifestream. Though it didn't stand out to most of us the first time he talked
about it, or even the first dozen times, it was quite telling all along that
Sephiroth said he would be reborn as a god.
Returning to the matter of the "Tree of Life" title that the Sephiroth of
Judaism carries, it's also notable that at the Northern Crater, Sephiroth's
body was being reconstructed within a large tree.
While on the subject of what lays within the Tree of Life, let us return to
the matter. As mentioned before, the central node on the tree is identified
as the Tifaret. Interestingly enough, the name bears a very striking
resemblance to the first name of the character from the game, Tifa Lockhart.
Tifa is, so to speak, the Tifaret in Final Fantasy VII, at least for Cloud. In
the Lifestream, she helps him find himself and he comes to fully understand
himself, the penultimate goal of following the Sephiroth's paths. Again, one
seeks to find an understanding of theirself and then they may ascend to the
final realm and rejoin with God.
Through Tifa, Cloud reaches the highest plain of conscious existance, gaining
an understanding and acceptance of himself, and, in so doing, is able to
mentally contend with Sephiroth during the game's ending. Afterward, he even
says that he's received an answer from the planet (the other "God" in Final
Fantasy VII), suggesting that Cloud has taken that final step, a spiritual
ascension and "return" to "God."
In actuality, both Tifa and Cloud constitute a Tifaret. Tifa bears its virtues,
while Cloud bears its vices. Just recall Cloud's attitude toward the beginning
of the game. He's completely hung up on himself. He's proud in an annoying
boastful fashion and clearly thinks too much of himself.
Cloud also is the one to experience the effects of an unbalanced Tifaret, the
illusion of over-identification.
As a result of Hojo's experiments and his own unwillingness to accept himself
for who he was, Cloud over-identified with that which he felt he must be in
order to be special: someone like Zack. This imbalance nearly crippled Cloud's
mind during the game. With Tifa's help, he was able to overcome it, and accept
who he was, thus, achieving balance:
Cloud
"Everyone...... I'm sorry. I don't know what to say......"
Red XIII
"Don't say anything, Cloud. All you've been doing is apologizing."
Cloud
"I never was in SOLDIER."
"I made up the stories about what happened to me five years ago, about being
in SOLDIER."
"I left my village looking for glory, but never made it in to SOLDIER......"
"I was so ashamed of being so weak; then I heard this story from my friend
Zack..."
"And I created an illusion of myself made up of what I had seen in my
life....."
"And I continued to play the charade as if it were true."
Barret
"Illusion, huh...? Pretty damn strong for a 'lusion, I'd say."
Cloud
"I'm physically built like someone in SOLDIER."
"Hojo's plan to clone Sephiroth wasn't that difficult."
"It was just the same procedure they use when creating members of SOLDIER."
Cloud
"You see, someone in SOLDIER isn't simply exposed to Mako energy."
"Their bodies are actually injected with Jenova cells......"
"For better or for worse, only the strong can enter SOLDIER."
"It has nothing to do with the Jenova Reunion."
"But weak people...... like me, get lost in the whole thing."
Cloud
"The combination of Jenova cells, Sephiroth's strong will, and my own
weaknesses are what created me."
"Everyone knew that. I'm...... Cloud."
Cloud
"......the master of my own illusionary world."
"But I can't remain trapped in an illusion any more......"
"I'm going to live my life without pretending."
Tifa further has a connection to the Tifaret through the name of her final
Limit Break and the name of her bar in the slums of Sector 7, entitled "Final
Heaven" and "7th Heaven" respectively. As previously mentioned, the Tifaret
grants access to the highest realm of mortal existance; thus, it is the
"Final Heaven" and -- being the seventh realm -- also the "7th Heaven."
Next up for consideration is Bizarro Sephiroth (also known as "Reverse
Sephiroth" and "Rebirth Sephiroth"), the next-to-final form seen of
Sephiroth's body. Really, the name has a double meaning, as both "Rebirth" and
"Reverse" Sephiroth apply.
Not only was his body being reborn as Safer Sephiroth from the pupa-like
entity on the bottom of the boss in this battle, but the name "Reverse
Sephiroth" is also symbolized in that what Sephiroth was doing was a reversal
of the religious Sephiroth's purpose. It's supposed to lead to God, the most
high and most holy.
Yet here -- deep in the bowels of Gaia, in a place whose imagery inevitably
brings to mind thoughts of the Greek Underworld or even the Christian Hell --
we find him serving as the obstacle to the spell known as "Holy." In
symbolically becoming the opposite of what he's supposed to be, the meaning to
the symbolism of an angel with a wing on one side in the Safer Sephiroth battle
that follows is readily apparent.
A one-winged angel is a highly negative symbol, usually reserved for the likes
of Satan. The implied meaning is that of a fall from grace. The same imagery
was used for Kingdom Hearts' Riku on the cover of Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix.
As for Safer Sephiroth, his appearance was heavily drawn from Judaeo-
Christian concepts. Obviously there is the seraphic wing design (6 wings)
below his waist, but there's also the Empyrean Halo behind his head and the
Celestial Rose formed by the clouds circling him.
This imagery brings to mind nothing short of the heavenly host that encirlced
God in the "Paradise" installment of Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" -- a
work which itself features several Kabbalistic elements.
In the battle with Safer Sephiroth, there is not only symbolism in the
appearance of Sephiroth, but also in his name. As with "Tifaret," "a" and "e"
can and are often used interchangeably for Hebrew words translated to English.
That is also the case with "Safer," which may also be spelled as "Sefer,"
"Sapher," and "Sepher." In Hebrew, this word means "book." Therefore, "Safer
Sephiroth" means "Book of Numbers."
When examining the Book of Numbers of the Pentateuch, as seen in both the
Bible and the Torah, we find that it involves taking up events after the
Israelites had spent nearly an entire year in the Mt. Sinai area. During that
time, they were promised the land of Canaan should they be obedient to God.
This land came to be referred to as "the Promised Land," a concept with no
shortage of significance to Final Fantasy VII.
Worthy of further notice is that the Book of Numbers picks up in the second
month of the second year since the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. With this in
mind, I refer back to there being 22 paths that link the 10 spheres of the
Sephiroth (2 & 2).
Also significant is that the Book of Numbers involves the Israelites ending
their settlement in Sinai, preparing to depart to claim the Promised Land of
Canaan. In the Safer Sephiroth battle, the player is facing an ascended form
of Sephiroth, as he is at last prepared to claim the Promised Land of the
Ancients: the Lifestream.
One major point to emphasise is that the Kabbalist Sephiroth is the emanations
of God Himself as projected into the mortal world. In Final Fantasy VII, it
was much the same in regard to JENOVA and Sephiroth's relationship. He is
-- in a sense -- a mutation of JENOVA into a Gaian body, its "emanations" as
projected into the world.
While his own person and possessing his own individuality, Sephiroth is the
evolution of JENOVA, his own consciously perceiving mind combined with its
instinctual viral desire to replicate.
The manner in which this replication occurs is further reminiscent of the
Kabbalistic Sephiroth, as both JENOVA and Sephiroth wished for all other
life forms to be part of themselves. Whether by JENOVA's virus or Sephiroth's
assimilation of the Lifestream, everything else would become one with them.
Sephiroth, the "son" of the celestial "Mother," JENOVA, is also inspired by
the most well-known mythological figure in the modern world: Jesus Christ.
Christianity believes Jesus to be the product of an emanation of God
manifesting inside the womb of a mortal woman.
While not exactly the product of a virgin birth, Sephiroth was produced by the
essence of his "God," JENOVA, entering Lucrecia's womb and bonding with him
while he was a fetus -- about as close to the religious version of events as
possible given the utilization of JENOVA's cells within the story.
In other words, as Jesus was "God in human flesh," so Sephiroth was "JENOVA in
human flesh."
The game's sequel, Advent Children, features another such reference in its
title and developments. The Advent of Christ is said to be his return, or
"second coming." This film focuses on Sephiroth's "second coming."
Finally, I wish to point out the connections to Judaeo-Christian concepts as
found in Aerith, the Cetra and the Promised Land. To start with, Aerith is 22
years old and there are 22 paths of the Sephiroth. The Cetra and the Promised
Land's explanations are intertwined, so I will here present them together:
Just as an individual following the paths of the Sephiroth and seeking their
way back to God must overcome obstacles along the paths in order to achieve
this, so too must one do so in seeking their Promised Land within the game's
mythos.
This is demonstrated in-game primarily by the Cetra's journey. It is
described as a "harsh, hard journey" at the end of which they would find their
Promised Land:
Sephiroth
"This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. Cetra was a
itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on..."
"At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the
Promised Land and supreme happiness."
Referring to comments on the Cetra made by Elder Hargo of Cosmo Canyon, he
states that he believes the "harsh, hard journey" of the Cetra ended when they
were allowed to rejoin with the Lifestream. (For more on the Cetra, FFVII's
Promised Land, and this theme of hardship, refer to the article of this
document entitled "What is the Promised Land?")
In other words, their difficult journeys would end when they were able to join
with "God" in the "Promised Land." Furthermore, the Cetra's migrations mirror
the wanderings of the Israelites that left Egypt in the Pentateuch and Torah.
They too sought their Promised Land.
I hope that with this article I have successfully conveyed the symbolic nature
of Final Fantasy VII and provided you with new reasons to appreciate the
thought that went into writing it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------Spirit Energy and Memories: The Magic of Final Fantasy[6.0Sp]

An essay that explains the origins of life and magic in Final Fantasy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foreword to the 10 billionth edition [6.1Sp]
Despite the shame and feelings of time wasted that ultimately drove me to
abandon this FAQ, there are parts of it that I'm still proud of. This essay is
probably the part of which I'm most proud.
I feel that way primarily because I came to the conclusions discussed here
entirely on my own. I just noticed similarities between the various Final
Fantasy titles over time and then investigated them.
Another reason I'm proud of it is that almost every detail has been supported
over the years by various official releases from Square Enix, including the
Ultimania guides and new titles. There were a few mistakes, sure, but none
related to the concept discussed here itself.
The only mistakes I can remember off the top of my head from when this essay
was first written -- mentioned now in the interest of full disclosure -- were
thinking that Sin from Final Fantasy X was an aeon and forgetting that people
could still use para-magic in Final Fantasy VIII even if they didn't have a
Guardian Force junctioned.
If you ever feel interested in seeing an earlier version -- though I hope to
God you aren't -- you can check out this version from May 9, 2005, over on
RPGamer.com: http://rpgamer.com/editor/2005/q2/050905gm.html
Anyway, the earliest version of this article saw the light of day near the end
of 2004 on Gaia Online's forums -- before I'd ever even seen the inside of an
Ultimania. Another reason I can't help but smile when I think about how the
ideas here have gained official support.
Anyway, I hope that all who read this essay will enjoy it, gain a greater
understanding of some games they love, or both. I honestly had fun putting it
together.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And the cycle went on" [6.2Sp]
As this is a long essay, I will state its argument upfront: I believe that
memories and their derivative, spirit energy, are the source of life and magic
in many of the Final Fantasy titles. Furthermore, I believe that their worlds
-- at the very least, the worlds of VII, VIII, IX, X/X-2 and The Spirits
Within -- have a Lifestream.
In FFVII, there is a concept that the souls of those who die return to the
planet, then cycle back to the surface to live out another life:
Bugenhagen
"Well, let's get to the subject."
"Eventually... all humans die. What happens to them after they die?"
"The body decomposes, and returns to the Planet. That much everyone knows.
What about their consciousness, their hearts and their souls?"
"The soul too returns to the Planet."
"And not only those of humans, but everything on this Planet. In fact, all
living things in the universe, are the same."
"The spirits that return to the Planet, merge with one another and roam the
Planet."
"They roam, converge, and divide, becoming a swell, called the 'Lifestream'."
"Lifestream.... In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the
Planet."
"'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget."
"A new life... children are blessed with Spirit energy and are brought into
the world."
"Then, the time comes when they die and once again return to the Planet..."
We're also made aware that the game's materia (the spheres through which
people in this world access magic) are crystalized spirit energy that can be
created through both natural and artificial means. In either case, it's
created when energy from the Lifestream rises or is siphoned to the surface,
combines with other physical materials there, condenses into mako, and then
crystalizes into materia.
We're also informed that when one has died and their spirit energy returns to
the planet, it takes with it the knowledge (memories) of the individual that
it had provided life for, and it is through these memories that the wielders
of materia connect to the planet and call forth magic:
(Stated by Sephiroth on Mt. Nibel.)
"...the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia."
The same concepts show up in The Spirits Within, in which it is said that the
spirits of those who die return to the "Gaia" (the spirit of the Earth),
taking with them the experiences (memories) of their lifetimes. These
experiences then allow the Gaia to grow, with the implication offered that
the spirit energy will be recycled back onto the surface world to supply
another life form with spirit energy:
(Stated by Aki, quoting Dr. Sid's journal)
"All life is born of Gaia and each life has a spirit. Each new spirit is
housed in a physical body. ...Through their experiences on Earth, each spirit
matures and grows. When the physical body dies, the mature spirit, enriched by
its life on Earth, returns to Gaia bringing with it the experiences, enabling
Gaia to live and grow."
FFIX has this concept as well:

(Said by Mikoto in Bran Bal)
"Planets have a cycle of souls. Souls are born from the planet, and then
return to it."
Though the source of souls here is only referred to as "the light" of a planet
rather than "the Lifestream" or "the Gaia," it's made apparent that this
"light" is at the center of the planet, as with FFVII's Lifestream or TSW's
Gaia.
It becomes clear, then, that these concepts are one and the same. Each of
these worlds possesses the same spiritual properties of a Lifestream, Gaia or
"light." The planet sends out bits of its spirit to give life to each living
thing as it is born, and when those creatures die, this energy returns to the
planet's core, enabling the planet to grow through the accumulated memories of
each life form's lifetime.
Though I suspected this to be the case for several years after The Spirits
Within was released in 2001, it was confirmed to be the case for Final Fantasy
VII's Lifestream by its Ultimania Omega in 2005 (pg. 217). Even later I would
learn that Final Fantasy IX's Ultimania guide confirmed the same thing to be
true of the planets featured in its story as well (pg. 40).
What remains unclear, however, is whether all planets with a Lifestream also
have a crystal at their core, governing their cycle of souls, as is the case
with the worlds in Final Fantasy IX according to its Ultimania (pg. 40).
I personally believe it to be so. The already great similarities in play are
emphasized further by another detail mentioned on pg. 40 of FFIX's Ultimania:
when planets die, their crystal returns to the larger universe the same as the
energy from a living creature returns to its planet's crystal at death.
Those who have played Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII will know that this
same concept is part of the Final Fantasy VII mythos. When planets die, their
remaining Lifestream departs for space.
Though I don't personally accept Dirge of Cerberus into my canon, I don't have
to in order to recognize this concept. It was declared years before DC's
release in an interview by EDGE magazine with Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori
Kitase.
In the magazine's May 2003 edition (issue #123), the following statement was
made by Kitase on pg. 111:
"Sakaguchi had a great vision of the force behind the universe. He wanted to
explore the idea that planets and people share the same basic energy and so
are, in some way, intrinsically linked. He developed this philosophy from
drawing upon other cultures that stated when a planet disappears an invisible
energy is released into space."
Of further significance, on the next page, Kitase made this statement as well:
"Sakaguchi-san's main ideas for FFVII and the world he imagined for the game
(the creatures, etc.) were very closely integrated into the 'Final Fantasy'
movie."
In said movie, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, while we don't see a cluster
of energy flying off into space in the same fashion as in Dirge of Cerberus,
we do see the Phantom homeworld destroyed while a fragment of it is ejected
into space. This fragment, of course, carries the Phantom homeworld's own
Gaia -- its Lifestream, which attempts to restart its cycle of souls by
assimilating Earth's Lifestream.
If the idea sounds similar to Terra's attempted assimilation of Gaia in FFIX,
by the way, that's because it is. Terra's Lifestream survived by assimilating
other worlds' crystals/Lifestreams, again confirmed on pg. 40 of that game's
Ultimania.
In any event, what's most important to the topic at hand is this: We have all
three of these titles sharing Lifestream concepts, right down to the idea that
the worlds depicted return to space when they die -- as though there is a
"universal Lifestream." Perhaps it's the "original crystal" seen in the final
showdown with Kuja in FFIX?
It is, after all, identified as having been there before space, and had Kuja
destroyed it in the past, it was said that the entire universe would have
perished.
That in mind, I believe the spiritual properties of the worlds in Final
Fantasy VII, IX and The Spirits Within to be identical. Not only with a cycle
of souls, a Lifestream and a return to the universe at death, but up to and
including the idea that a crystal dwells at the utmost core of each planet,
governing that world's cycle of souls.
Knowing also that FFX and FFVII exist in the same universe (see the above
article entitled "Is FFVII connected to FFX and X-2?"), it stands to reason
then that the world of Spira shares similar, if not identical, properties.
Indeed, Spira seems to feature a cycle of souls -- or at least a belief in
reincarnation -- as demonstrated by a Spiran mourning the loss of a loved on
the Farplane near the end of FFX.
When speaking to this individual, they will say to the apparition of their
deceased loved one, "I hope you live your next life in a world without Sin. Do
not return to Spira."
In addition, images of the dead like this apparition can only be witnessed on
the Farplane after that individual's pyreflies -- their spirit energy -- have
been returned to the interior of the planet.
Despite the Al Bhed theory in FFX that the dead seen on the Farplane were
illusions created by one's own memories, the scholar Maechen states that no
living person's image has been seen on the Farplane. For that matter, even
dead, neither Lady Ginnem nor Seymour Guado's images appear until after
Yuna has sent the two to the Farplane.
Though Seymour's image is never actually shown there in-game, Tromell is
distressed by the fact that he doesn't appear until such time as he's been
sent:
"I have prayed and prayed, yet Lord Seymour does not appear. Has he not
reached the Farplane? Has he become a fiend? Oh, my poor Lord Seymour... Tell
me, where do you wander?"
Afterward, Tromell speaks as though he sees Seymour's image in addition to
Jyscal's, whose form is shown:
"Benevolent Lord Jyscal, and most wise Lord Seymour. The days spent in your
service were the best in this old man's life. Those of us left behind will
soon be destroyed by Sin and join you in the Farplane. I will serve you there
as I have served you in this world, always."
It would also seem that a person's soul generally journeys to the Farplane
after death without assistance -- a process greatly upset by Sin. Only in the
cases of souls with powerful wills who died with unfinished business (unsent)
or feelings of envy and resentment toward those still living (fiends) do we
see an unsent or fiend emerge. Sin's activities contributed greatly toward the
latter's numbers growing, but those who accept their death journey to the
Farplane uninhibited, as was the case with Tidus' mother.
Similarly, on FFVII's Gaia, we see unsent in the form of Sephiroth's
shinentai in Advent Children, and the Cetra spirits guarding the Temple of the
Ancients in the original game. As well, fiend-like creatures are represented
by the Gi Tribe spirits found in the Gi Cave, malevolent beings who became
such due to their resentment for the people of Cosmo Canyon.
Of further indication that there are similarities between FFVII's cycle of
souls and that of Gaia, we have the comments of Kazushige Nojima, scenario
writer of both FFVII and FFX, as well as FFVIII and FFX-2. In FFX's Ultimania
Omega, Nojima said that he conceived the spiritual properties of Spira as
identicial to those in FFVII, with pyreflies and FFVII's Lifestream being
composed of the same substance (pg. 191).
Furthermore, Nojima said that there's something like the Lifestream itself in
FFX's world. Indeed, in FFX-2, Shinra of the Gullwings describes the Farplane
-- which lay at the center of Spira, as with Gaia's Lifestream -- as housing
"the life force that flows through our planet."
Now, with the understanding that FFVII, IX, X/X-2 and The Spirits Within all
feature this same concept, let's begin looking at how magic manifests in
their worlds.
Probably most apparent is the already discussed materia of Final Fantasy VII.
Crystalized fragments of the Lifestream, they grant their wielders a
connection to the planet and the means to use its power in a variety of ways.
Similar ideas are abundant throughout Final Fantasy VII, including the
infusion of mako into members of SOLDIER, the use of the Sister Ray to break
Sephiroth's magical barrier around the Northern Crater, and the use of mako
energy for electricity.
In all these cases, the spiritual essence of the planet is used to provide
some form of power, whether it be obviously magical or a hybrid of magic and
technology.
The same ideas -- though with a much greater magic-technology hybrid
representation -- appear in The Spirits Within. There, the OVOpacks used to
power everything were harvested from micro-organisms, their "bioetheric
energy" -- spirit energy -- drawn out to be used as a power source. One of the
Eight Spirits used to counter the Phantom homeworld's Gaia was one of these
OVOpacks:
(In the battlefield wasteland of Tuscon, Arizona)
Aki
"We're very close."
Gray
"I don't see anything."
::The group spots a dead soldier::
Gray
"You're not gonna tell me it's him?"
Ryan
"That's impossible."
Aki
"It's not the soldier. It's his OVOpack."
Gray
"How do you explain that? Packs power the weapons, the barrier cities. I
mean it's just bioetheric energy."
Aki
"And to create that energy we use living tissue; single cell organisms."
Gray
"You're telling me his backpack is the seventh spirit."
Aki
"Yes."
Again, spirit energy was the source of power. Used in this case to power the
weapons employed against the Phantoms, the shields that kept them out of the
barrier cities, and also -- in another striking similarity to FFVII -- the
Zeus Cannon.
While not a source of power in this case, we see the influence of memories as
related to spirit energy in another way in The Spirits Within. Aki Ross
frequently dreams of the final moments of a Phantom who left a fragment of its
spirit energy within her.
Next, let's look at Final Fantasy IX. Here, we find the cycle of souls
interrupted by the Iifa Tree. As a result, Mist covers much of one continent
and later the whole world.
Black Mages -- beings with the inherent ability to use magic -- are created
from this Mist, which Garland reveals to be the stagnant souls of the dead
that were unable to return to the core of the planet. In other words, the
Black Mages were composed of spirit energy that could not return to the core
of the planet, was next siphoned into machines by Kuja, and then processed
into Black Mages -- a procedure with overt similarities to the mako refinement
process used in Shin-Ra's mako reactors in FFVII.
In addition, the Mist was also harnessed as a power source for airships, just
as mako was a power source for certain vehicles seen in FFVII, such as those
showcased in the Shin-Ra Motor Mobiles video in the Shin-Ra headquarters
gift shop.
Spirit energy/memories are also revealed as the origin of FFIX's Eidolons,
that game's incarnation of summon creatures.
Consider the writing on the Eidolon Wall of Madain Sari:
(Some of this text is only accessible after performing the small Eidolon Wall
sidequest)
"The Legend of Eidolons
We discovered eidolons by researching legends documented from around the
world. The Thunder God, Ramuh, is one of those legends. Some theorize that the
eidolons were created from the legends, and not the other way around."
...
"The First Eidolon Discovered, Shiva
Shiva took the form of a young girl when she was first discovered. She now
appears as a grown woman. Eidolons adapt their forms to the time and culture
in which they appear. Shiva illustrates this theory. In certain areas, Shiva
is depicted as a snow fairy. This cannot be verified, since the only written
document that remains is in the summoner village. People associate Shiva with
the snow fairy. Why she changes forms remains a mystery."
The summoners of the village determined that the legends of Eidolons are what
created them rather than the reverse -- meaning that the collective memory of
these legendary creatures amongst the citizens of a village or tribe served
as the basis for their creation. Indeed, the FFIX Ultimania confirms that the
Eidolons were born as guardians for the crystal at the center of FFIX's world
of Gaia -- created from an accumulation of memories (pg. 42).
As detailed by the Eidolon Wall, the pervasive influence of memories in the
creation of Eidolons even determines their appearances. Local customs and
conceptions determine the forms they take when manifest.
How the Eidolons came to be associated with the various objects that allow
a summoner to call them, however, remains unknown. The only one known for
certain is the ribbon that allows Eiko to summon Madeen.
It may well be that legends associating these items -- a garnet for Bahamut,
an aquamarine for Leviathan, etc. -- with the creatures led to that
association becoming reality in the same way that the legends of Eidolons
led to the creation of the creatures.
Essentially, a tangible case of mind over matter -- perception influencing
reality.
Moving forward, in Final Fantasy X and X-2, we see spheres -- which bear the
same shape as Final Fantasy VII's materia -- used as a source of power
constantly, even in the playable characters' basic battle growth (the Sphere
Grid and dressphere systems from FFX and X-2 respectively). The process of
sphere creation seems identical to that of materia as well.
In Final Fantasy X, we learn that even the most simple audio and visual
spheres are made when a special form of water absorbs and records people's
memories:
(In Macalania Woods, at the lake where the Spherimorph was fought)
Tidus
"This place..."
"It's just water, isn't it?"
Auron
"This is what spheres are made of."
"It absorbs and preserves people's memories."
Then, in X-2, we're blatantly told that spheres are composed of

pyreflies:
(In Cloister Infinity/Cloister 100 of the Via Infinito)
Rikku: "So what happened to everyone's Spheres?"
Trema: "Destroyed. Turned to pyreflies and scattered."
Detailing the matter further, Final Fantasy X's Scenario Ultimania guide
explains that spheres are composed of water that contain a high concentration
of pyreflies (pg. 59). It's also said that water and pyreflies combine with
one another easily.
On FFVII's world, materia form when spirit energy has risen to the surface and
combined with some unidentified matter, creating a compressed, physical
substance that flows like liquid. I would postulate that the substance spirit
energy combines with to form materia is water -- making the process identical
to the process of sphere formation witnessed on Spira.
Comparing the spring in Macalania -- where spheres were known to form -- with
the mako fountain on Mt. Nibel in FFVII -- from which materia were known to
form -- there are obvious similarities:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/spherespring.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/MakoFountain4.jpg
Furthermore, as seen in Advent Children, water and the Lifestream do seem to
mingle with one another quite well, as Aerith makes liberal use of such a
combination. The rain she uses to heal Geostigma is made of such a mixture,
Lifestream energy visible inside the water that first emerges from the ground
in Aerith's church:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LifestreamWater.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LifestreamWater2.jpg
Of even greater similarity to materia, the dresspheres of Final Fantasy X-2
are demonstrated to be the crystalized pyreflies/spirit energy of people from
the past. Lenne's memories were the basis for the Songtstress dressphere, and
her spirit even emerges from the dressphere after the final confrontation with
Shuyin.
It is because this dressphere was formed from Lenne's spirit energy that Yuna
often experiences Lenne's memories and feelings -- especially from the time of
her death -- in much the same way as Aki in The Spirits Within has dreams of a
Phantom's final moments. This dressphere is also the cause for Shuyin
confusing Yuna with Lenne on several occasions:
Buddy
"Lenne, huh?"
Shinra
"Yeah, the girl from the Songstress dressphere."
Yuna
"That's Lenne?"
Shinra
"Sure. She wore that dress one thousand years ago."
Rikku
"Why didn't you tell us?"
Shinra
"No one asked. Besides, all I knew was her name. What's to tell?"
Yuna (narrating)
"What Shinra said surprised me, but only a little. So there really was a
connection."
Rikku
"Okay, okay. So, the reason Shuyin keeps calling Yuna 'Lenne' is --"
Paine
"Because of that dressphere?"
Another striking example of pyreflies providing power occurs near the end of
FFX-2, when Shinra makes observations that will eventually lead to the
creation of mako reactors on FFVII's Gaia:
Shinra
"Aha..."
Yuna
Shinra
"Farplane data."
Shinra
Yuna
"Limitless energy?"
Shinra
Shinra
Brother
"Sweet!"
Shinra
Brother
"That's no fun!"
Buddy
Yuna
Yuna
Shinra
On another occasion, Seymour Guado uses the pyreflies of the murdered Maester
Kinoc and several Yevon guards for power as he transforms into Seymour Natus.
Perhaps the most frequent and overt example of pyreflies providing power on
Spira, however, comes with Sin itself.
Yu Yevon formed this immensely powerful armor by gathering pyreflies around
himself and holding them together with gravity spells (also confirmed on pg.
82 of the FFX Ultimania Omega):
(As Maester Mika turns to pyreflies and vanishes)
Rikku
"Wait, gramps! Who's Yu Yevon?"
Mika
"He who crafts the souls of the dead into unholy armor."
"An armor called Sin."
To summarize things thus far, we can conclude not only that the Lifestream of
FFVII, the "lights" of FFIX and the Gaia of The Spirits Within are the same,
but we can also determine that pyreflies and spirit energy are the same.
Concordantly, we can also identify materia and spheres as the same.
Next, I would like to draw Final Fantasy VIII into the fold of FF titles that
feature a Lifestream and utilize memories as magic. Here, we find less obvious
but no less relevant examples.
Scattered across the world of Final Fantasy VIII are draw points, areas on the
surface of the planet where tendrils of energy leak out and can be "drawn"
into one who is junctioned to a Guardian Force (Final Fantasy VIII's summons).
This energy, which resembles Lifestream energy, manifests as a variety of
magical spells at the world's many draw points, just as mako fountains on
FFVII's world of Gaia produce a variety of materia.
Equally significant is the process by which people on FFVIII's world use
Guardian Forces. Junctioning oneself to a GF causes memory loss over time,
suggesting that the GF draws on the memories of its junctioned partner in
order to supply them with its power:
(After Squall and the other main characters -- minus Rinoa -- discover that
they grew up together, but that all of them except Irvine had forgotten)
Squall
"...Why is it that we forgot?"
"We grew up together as kids...How's that possible...?"
Irvine
"How about this?"
"...The price we pay for using the GF."
"The GF provides us its power."
"But the GF makes its own place inside our brain..."
Quistis
"So you're saying that the area is where our memories are stored?"
"No...! That's just a rumor the GF critics are spreading."
Zell
"So if we keep relying on the GF, we won't be able to remember a lot of
things?"
Quistis
"There's no way Headmaster Cid would allow such a dangerous thing!"
Irvine
"Then how is it that I remember, while everyone else has forgotten?"
"Well...?"
"In my case, I hadn't junctioned a GF until recently."
"That's why I remember a lot more than you guys."
Quistis
"How about you, Selphie?"
"Your first experience with the GF was when you came to Balamb Garden, right?"
Selphie
"...Yeah."
...
Selphie
"I have a confession to make!"
Selphie
"When I was 12, I went on an outdoor training session."
"I found a GF inside one of the monsters I defeated..."
"I junctioned that GF for a while. So I have experience with GF, too."
"But...but, it's really weird! I can't remember the name of that GF!"
Quistis
"It must be the GF's fault..."
This process actually bears a great similarity to that which summoners use to
access an aeon's power in Final Fantasy X. Summoners commune with fayth,
statues in which spirits reside, in order to draw on surrounding pyreflies
and form them into aeons. These fayth provide the summoner with the
"blueprints," so to speak, for creating their particular aeon.
This is most obvious with the largest summon in Final Fantasy X: Dream
Zanarkand, Tidus' home. The entire city is a summoned construct created from
the memories of the fayth who were once the citizens of the original
Zanarkand:
Bahamut's fayth
"Long ago, there was a war."
Tidus
"Yeah, with machina, right?"
Bahamut's fayth
"Yes. A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle."
"Bevelle's machina assured their victory from the start. Spira had never seen
such power."
"The summoners of Zanarkand didn't stand a chance."
"Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion."
"That's why we tried to save it--if only in a memory."
Tidus
"What did you do?"
Fayth
"The remaining summoners and the townspeople that survived the war..."
"They all became fayth--fayth for the summoning."
Tidus
"The summoning... You mean Sin?"
Fayth
"No. I mean this place."
"A Zanarkand that never sleeps."
Tidus
"What?"
Fayth
"The dreams of the fayth summoned the memories of the city."
"They summoned all the buildings, all the people who lived there."
I would argue that the individual junctioned to a GF in Final Fantasy VIII

acts as a fayth of sorts for their summon, though they aren't providing the
blueprints for the summoning; they provide the power instead, with their
memories.
The fayth of FFX, on the other hand, provide the schematics, while the
summoner provides the power in a different way, drawing on surrounding
pyreflies -- which are spirit energy, and, thus, grew from memories.
Both processes are similar to the use of materia on FFVII's world.
Materia connect their wielder to the Lifestream, and the memories within the
sphere provide the blueprints to a spell. The established connection is then
used to manifest the spell with the Lifestream's energy -- the reason the
heroes of Final Fantasy VII no longer use materia by the time of Advent
Children, according to a comment from Tetsuya Nomura in the Advent Children
Reunion Files book (pg. 87).
Based on what we've examined here, I would conclude that Final Fantasy VIII's
world also has a Lifestream.
Now, let's turn our attention very briefly to Final Fantasy: Unlimited.
Throughout this series, various types of sandy material -- more varied in
color than even materia -- known as "soil" were the fuel for powering
certain weaponry and many machines.
As you might expect by now, the revelation eventually comes that soil is the
life crystals of the dead. In other words, soil is the crystalized spirit
energy/memories of the dead.
This tendency for spirit energy to crystalize also appears in Final
Fantasy VI, where dying Espers become crystals called magicite, and --
though only demonstrated as a gameplay mechanic here -- Final Fantasy
Tactics, where the spirits of warriors who die in battle also become
crystals. In both cases, these crystals allow those who claim them to
learn abilities that belonged to the deceased life form.
That said, the spiritual nature of the worlds featured in these three Final
Fantasy titles are not elaborated on enough for me to conclude that they also
must feature Lifestreams. In Final Fantasy VI's case, the Goddess Statues
seem to be the origin of magic and a supernatural train carries away the souls
of the dead.
That said, the Goddess Statues are spoken of in legend, and their role in
magic could be yet another example of folklore influencing reality, as with
the Eidolons of FFIX. Even the Phantom Train could simply be a manifestation
of a common cultural understanding, literally carrying the souls of the dead
to the planet's core.
I won't venture to claim that it must be so, but I wouldn't throw out the
possibility either.
In any case, spirit energy and, thus, memories are at the very least,
*a* source of magic on the worlds of FFVI, Tactics and Unlimited, if not *the*
source of magic.
Based on all that we've examined here, I believe we can confidently
conclude that Lifestreams and their associated metaphysical phenomena --
memories as the source of life and magic -- are a presence in at least
the worlds of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, X/X-2 and The Spirits Within.
As well, the worlds of Final Fantasy VI, Tactics and Unlimited at least
bear some of the associated cosmology, if not the entire framework.
This leaves us to ponder: Do all the Final Fantasy titles at some level
involve memories as the source of life and magic? Having played Final
Fantasy XII and Vagrant Story, I must admit that if the theme is present
in either, I overlooked it. In addition, given that they take place in
the same world as Tactics, that calls into question whether Tactics is
part of this theme beyond a simple gameplay mechanic.
Also, having little knowledge of Final Fantasy XI's story, I can't offer much
commentary on whether the world of Vana'diel houses a Lifestream, though my
understanding is that it does not.
Will we eventually see some retroactive plot development that encompasses all
previous Final Fantasy titles that haven't already been included in this
theme? Will Final Fantasy XIII be the next title to feature the concept? Or
has it been laid to rest?
The answers to these questions will hopefully continue to come forth, even as
the memories of these stories continue to grow.
[Addendum on January 24, 2010:
I now own the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario
guide, which features a section on pg. 8 that talks about the origins of power
and magic on the various worlds in the FF series. This section confirms much
of my theorizing written above.
Please do enjoy this translation I've performed; I know I did:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/spiritenergyandmemories
.jpg
----
SOURCE OF POWER
The world that serves as the stage of each work is supported by some great
power. In the early works, the power of the 4 elements of Earth, Water, Fire
and Wind serve this essential role, appearing alongside crystals they correlate
with. On the other hand, with "VII" and onward, a worldview on life and death
was introduced to fill the role, and the "power of life" became the essential
factor. In addition, the works beginning with "VII" filled their worlds with
many manifestations of this "power." They feature the crystalline objects of
power named "materia," "spheres," and the like, and in each, they are deeply
related to the story, being, for example, the means by which magic is used.
[Diagram at left]
Root of the world: "I", "III," "IV," "V"
Crystals<-->Power of the world (Earth, Water, Fire and Wind)
In "I," "III," "IV" and "V," the world is supported by the 4 cornerstone powers
of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. In "I," the crystals have the symbols of the
four powers, and are the source of the 4 powers in the other 3 works as well;
furthermore, in "IV," a set of these crystals exist in each of the following:
on the terran level, in the underworld, and on the moon.
[Diagram in upper-right]
Wondrous powers that permeate the world: "VII," "IX," "X," "X-2," "XII"
Power of Life ["VII," "IX," "X," "X-2"]
Source of magical powers ["VII," "X," "X-2," "XII"]
"VII" - Spirit energy (mako)
Power of life. Returns to the planet to bring about new life, but the substance
called "mako" is drawn out of the planet as a power source and for other
purposes at an abusive rate.
Condenses as: Materia
"IX" - "Mist"
Residual element of the souls that should return to the planet, but are
discharged into the atmosphere. While it can be harnessed as fuel for
airships, it has a negative influence on living things.
"X," "X-2" - Pyreflies
An energy that resides in the atmosphere, in water, underground, and in the
bodies of living things; when they gather in high concentrations, they become
visibile as clusters of light. When reacting to thoughts, they can assume
substance.
Condenses as: Spheres
"XII" - Mist
Source of magical powers. When densely concentrated, it becomes visible as a
fog. The stones called "magicite" hold mist within, and serve as the drive
mechanism for airships.
Circle of Life
"After death, a life will circle the planet and be born again as a new life.
Lives enrich the planet and make it grow" -- this worldview on life and death
underlying "VII" is similar to ideas seen in "IX" and "X." In the story of
"IX," it was defined by the idea that the crystals residing at the center of
planets circulate life, and as the memories of living beings accumulate inside
the crystals, the planets grow. In "X" and "X-2," a power of life equivalent
to that called "mako" in "VII" is featured via the phenomenon called
"pyreflies"; it is related to the underground "Farplane," where the dead
reside -- and, so, the idea of "the power of life returning underground after
diffusing into the atmosphere" takes form here as well. Also, though the
concept isn't explicitly stated within the stories of "III," "IV" and "XI," as
with the afore-mentioned works, it can be inferred that life circulates these
worlds as well.
[Caption next to a screenshot of Anna's spirit talking to Gilbert/Edward in
FFIV]
In "IV," Anna, who lost her life, speaks of "becoming one with the great
spirit" before vanishing; a worldview on life and death like that in "VII" and
the others can be inferred here.
[Diagram in bottom-right]
Stream of Life: "VII," "IX," "X," "X-2"
1) A new life is born
2) That life dies and its energy then disperses
3) The dispersed energy returns to the planet, and enriches the planet to grow
"VII"
Lifestream
A current of the power of life (spirit energy) that circulates within the
planet. An enormous swell of knowledge is woven throughout, and, when in
direct contact, can cause the mind of an ordinary person to collapse.
"IX"
Crystal
The object at the center of a planet which stores the power of life and makes
the planet exist. Once a crystal has aged, it returns to the cosmos and becomes
the source of a new crystal.
"X," "X-2"
Farplane
The place to which the deceased return. In "X-2," an enormous swell of energy
is determined to exist in its subterranean depths.
----
As can be seen, this confirms a great many of the conclusions I'd drawn about
spirit energy and memories in Final Fantasy. I even think that the diagram
that talks about FFVII, IX and X/X-2's worlds appears to indicate that I may
have been right about a crystal residing within that sphere on Spira's
Farplane -- which would also suggest that FFVII's world has one. Though some
things were not addressed, I feel confident that the reasoning and conclusions
were sound nonetheless.]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------What is the FFVII canon?--------------[7.0Wh]

An article clarifying once and for all what is and is not part of the
official continuity of the FFVII series.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction [7.1Wh]
Over the years, it s become hard work for FFVII fans to keep up with what s
supposed to be canon and what isn t. Amidst all the games, movies, novellas,
guide books, and alternate universe titles, what s a FFVII fan to do?
Read this article, that s what!
I m going to take all the work out of it on your end and lay everything out
for you, the fans, to digest in a simple, easy-to-follow manner. So, the next
time you re in a debate about FFVII with HeartlessAngel527 or
FlowerGoddess777 and they begin to reference Cloud s wing, Aerith waiting
around for a certain spikey-haired emo kid, or other stuff you know doesn t
belong, you can go all Phoenix Wright on them.
So, let s get started.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The canon [7.2Wh]
First, let s list in order of publication all the FFVII games that have come
out since 1997 and the release of the original FFVII:
-Before Crisis (2004)
-Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding (2005)
-Dirge of Cerberus (2006)
-Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode (2006)
-Crisis Core (2007)
Next, we ll list all FFVII movies, also in their order of publication:
-Advent Children (2005)
-Last Order (2005)
-Advent Children Complete (2009)
-On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel (2009)
Next up, a list of FFVII novellas:
-The diary-like entries by several characters in the FFVII Kaitai Shinsho
The Complete guide book (1997)
-Maiden Who Travels the Planet (2005)
-On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel (2005)
Case of Tifa (2005)
Case of Barret (2007)
Case of Denzel (revised edition; 2009)
Case of Tifa (revised edition; 2009)
Case of Barret (revised edition; 2009)
Case of Yuffie (2009)
Case of Nanaki (2009)
Case of Shin-Ra (2009)
Case of the Lifestream Black (2009)
Case of the Lifestream White (2009)
Finally, a list of other games that include FFVII characters or plot
elements also found in FFVII:
-Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)
-Ehrgeiz (1998)
-Chocobo Racing (1999)
-Final Fantasy X (2001)
-Kingdom Hearts series (began in 2002)
-Final Fantasy X-2 (2003)
-Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special (2004)
-Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable (2006)
-Dissidia Final Fantasy series (began in 2008)
Before going into the whys and wherefores concerning some titles being
canon and others not, I will now give you the list of titles that are
canon to the FFVII story:
-Before Crisis
-Dirge of Cerberus
-Crisis Core
-Advent Children Complete
-On the Way to a Smile (all of them)
-Final Fantasy Tactics
-Final Fantasy X
-Final Fantasy X-2
-Dissidia Final Fantasy series
Now, let s move on to those whys and wherefores. First, let s refresh on
what the term canon means.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does "canon" mean? [7.3Wh]
The word is derived from the Greek word kanon, meaning rule, standard
or measure. Itself derived from the Hebrew word kaneh, it first came
into use in its modern meaning from the councils who decided the
ecclesiastical laws and official texts of the Catholic Church, those
becoming the canon laws and texts.
Eventually adapted from that concept, canon for a fictional universe -- or
the franchise that depicts it -- is what is considered to be the official
continuity. For an illustration of this concept, let s turn to the
franchise that pioneered criteria for determining such matters where
fictional universes are concerned.
Star Wars is George Lucas s creation, and -- being officially licensed
creations as they are -- while he might take elements added to the so-called
Expanded Universe of Star Wars by other authors, only those titles with
direct involvement or approval from Lucas himself are considered the
absolute canon, the real story of Star Wars as Stephen J. Sansweet,
Director of Content Management and Head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm,
has referred to it. Though distinctions may become difficult at times due to
the Expanded Universe featuring a great many products that are all
officially licensed by Lucasfilm even while Lucas himself has no direct
involvement in their creation (consequently, the overall franchise has a
tiered hierarchy with levels of canonicity rather than a strictly in-or-out
policy), comments from Lucas in the May 2008 issue of Total Film magazine
make the matter quite simple: the movies and TV shows are all under my
control and they are consistent within themselves.
With that comment as the basis for determining absolute Star Wars canon,
the overall definitive canon of the franchise is the seven films ( The
Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars, Revenge of the
Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi ),
as well as the animated series Star Wars: Droids, Star Wars: Ewoks, and
both the Clone Wars and The Clone Wars.
Information from interviews with Lucas or his production notes also fall
under this umbrella, as do any deleted scenes from the films that are not
in conflict with the final products. In the event of new Lucas-involved
media -- including rereleases of past films -- that introduce new material
or contradict previous facts, the newer material is considered to replace
the old, and the most current vision of events becomes the new canon.
Though there is disagreement among fans about the exact mechanics of it all
where Expanded Universe titles are concerned, a simple standard often
followed is that EU titles can be considered in-continuity so long as they
do not contradict established facts from the Lucas-involved works. However,
due to his lack of involvement, they are at risk for being written out of
continuity altogether -- decanonized is the term often used -- in the
event that Lucas puts out a new work with elements that don t correlate to
those in the EU material. Without the overall protection of being a work
from Lucas himself, those elements of contradiction call into question the
rest of the work, and -- unless otherwise afforded a place in the official
continuity by a comment to that effect from Lucas -- the entire work itself
is considered struck from canon, or decanonized.
Lucas himself keeps the concept even more simple than that. As far as he s
concerned, there s two Star Wars continuities -- the universe he works
on, and the parallel Expanded Universe, which includes all the details of
his own continuity, as well as those added by other authors. As he put it
in an August 2005 interview with Starlog magazine, When I said [other
people] could make their own Star Wars stories, we decided that, like
Star Trek , we would have two universes: My universe and then this other
one."
Due to examining the Star Wars franchise, we re unavoidably getting a
bit far afield of the idea in its most general terms, so the concept of
canon as it applies to fiction is best summarized as follows: it is the
official continuity of a fictional universe as recognized by the
franchise s owners and/or creators, in which the most recent depiction of
events is considered to be the current version.
Obviously, it can become a bit tricky for situations where the original
creator no longer holds ownership rights to the creation and it s then
taken in different directions than the creator intended, but these
standards generally work pretty well. Also, while one might think it
becomes more difficult to make determinations about canon when dealing
with products such as Final Fantasy VII, where the finished product was
the work of several core creators and is also owned by a company that
they merely work for, it can actually be much easier, for reasons we re
about to see.
Now that we have a standard for determining canonicity, we ll begin
applying it to the various FFVII-related media in order to establish why
the list given earlier is the definitive canon of the franchise.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why are some FFVII titles canon and others not? [7.4Wh]
First, and most simply put, the original FFVII, as well as
Advent Children/Advent Children Complete, Before Crisis, Crisis Core, Dirge
of Cerberus, and the On the Way to a Smile novellas all fall under the
collective title, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. This series encompasses
the canon of the FFVII series.
Though once counted as part of the Compilation on pg. 25 of the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pp. 23 and 25 of the Revised Edition) in its Final
Fantasy VII series section, Last Order and Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode
were later identified as works outside the Compilation on pg. 226 of the
FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character guide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LOnotcanon.jpg
As such, these two titles are no longer considered canon to the FFVII
series.
In the case of the 2005 version of Advent Children, per the standards of
canon we discussed above, it was replaced in continuity in 2009 by Advent
Children Complete, an extended version of the original that added new scenes
and altered existing ones. Similarly, the revised editions of the three On
the Way to a Smile stories to have been revised take the originals place
in canon.
For its part, Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding is just the mini-game from the
original FFVII, and lacks any story elements. It s neither omitted from nor
included in canon any further than the story-based part of the original
game that included the mini-game.
In the case of Ehrgeiz, Chocobo Racing and the Itadaki Street games, these
also lack any story-based elements where the FFVII characters are concerned,
and none fit into the established FFVII setting anyway. Ehrgeiz takes
place on our own Earth and likely just included FFVII characters for
marketing purposes and the novelty of the idea, while Itadaki Street is
essentially a board game that s played as a video game. As for Chocobo
Racing, Cloud is just a secret character there not even involved in the
game's storyline.
The Kingdom Hearts series, meanwhile, takes place in an alternate universe
from the established Final Fantasy universes, and the FF characters
featured within are not the characters from the FF games that included
them. In an interview from issue #61 of the Official U.S. PlayStation
Magazine (October 2002 issue, pg. 139), Tetsuya Nomura made this clear
when he said, There's no relationship from FFVII to the Kingdom Hearts
stories. I consider them separate stories :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/nomurakh.gif
Dissidia, on the other hand, features actual characters from various games
in the Final Fantasy series, as established by such observations from the
first Dissidia s Ultimania as this one on pg. 530 concerning Cloud s line
from the game, If I win, are my sins forgiven? : Cloud continued to
regret the deaths of his best friend and comrade, who were dear to him,
in FFVII (translation by hitoshura of TheLifestream.net).
Furthermore, on pg. 658 of the same Ultimania, it says the following
regarding the secret ending of the first Dissidia: This event depicts
Cosmos s status after the warriors have returned to each world. In other
words, it s identifying the characters featured in the game as the
authentic characters from their respective Final Fantasy titles, as it
speaks of them returning to their respective worlds.
It also bears observation that Tetsuya Nomura, character designer of FFVII
and director of Advent Children/Advent Children Complete, served as both
character designer and creative producer for Dissidia. Furthermore,
Yoshinori Kitase, director of the original FFVII and the primary producer
of the Compilation of FFVII, served as producer for Dissidia as well.
This is where we begin to see the ease in establishing canon when multiple
core developers are involved. One need not always depend on the input or
involvement of a single individual for establishing canonicity, as in this
case, where two of FFVII s four core developers -- the other two being
scenario writer Kazushige Nojima and art director Yusuke Naora --
providing their involvement was sufficient.
Both also provided input to the effect that Dissidia should be seen as a
true installment of the Final Fantasy series. Nomura referred to it as
such in an interview from the Dissidia Ultimania (pg. 697; Although this
game is a Final Fantasy installment it s not an RPG ), as did Kitase in
an update to his 1UP.com blog on August 27, 2009:
(http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9002538&publicUserId=6049935)
Dissidia means conflict or disagreement in Latin.
Gaiden (side story or spin-off) made the game feel too distant, and we
wanted to set the right tone for DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY; it isn t a
numbered title, but has just as much spirit as a main story.
The game s director, Takeshi Arakawa, also expressed this sentiment in an
August 13, 2009 update to Kitase s blog: As a rule we were extremely
careful to treat DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY as a genuine entry in the FINAL
FANTASY series
(http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9001302&publicUserId=6049935).
Next, Final Fantasy X and its sequel are part of the FFVII canon by virtue
of ties drawn between them by Nojima, who wrote all three. During an
interview with he and Kitase from the FFX Ultimania Omega (pg. 191), the
two revealed that future Final Fantasy titles would establish a
plot-related connection between FFVII and FFX. This came in the form of
Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2, who had a small subplot in the game about
pioneering the concept of drawing energy from within the planet to harness
for various purposes, such as electricity.
Nojima expounded on some of the specifics of how all of this developed
from there in an interview in the FFX-2 Ultimania. For more on this
subject, please refer to this document s article entitled Is FFVII
connected to FFX and X-2?
Final Fantasy Tactics is perhaps the least obvious title to be among
those actually canon to the FFVII series. While this game features Cloud
and a character who shares Aerith's name, occupation and appearance, the
game wasn't developed by any of the core developers who have had a hand
in the FFVII titles featuring them. Furthermore, the Unexplored Land
and Treasure (Wonders of the Ancient World and Artefacts in the English
translation of the War of the Lions version of Tactics) narratives
filled out by the game's Proposition (Errands in War of the Lions)
sidequest is rife with references to past FF titles, including the
names of such people and places as Matoya (FFI), Pandaemonium (FFII),
the Palamecian Empire (FFII), the Forbidden Land Eureka (FFIII), the
Kingdom of Baron (FFIV), the Red Wings (FFIV), the Ronkan Ruins (FFV),
the Phantom Train (FFVI) and Setzer Gabbiani (FFVI) -- often in
descriptions accurate to their original portrayals.
Given all that, it would be easy to take Cloud's cameo in the game as
another simple reference with no actual basis in canon, despite
Cloud's inclusion in the game being written in such a way that his
presence fits neatly into FFVII's continuity.
However, the section on pg. 560 of FFVII's Ultimania Omega detailing
Cloud's appearance in Tactics treats his presence there as
legitimate, pointing out the accurate recreation of his uniform for
Tactics, lines from the script alluding to FFVII, and even going as
far as to speak of Cloud being pulled from FFVII's world into
Tactics's:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/fftcloud.jpg
"Cloud is a playable unit?!
If certain requirements have been fulfilled, Cloud can be summoned
from the world of FFVII via the power of a 'transporter device.' He
will say mysterious things upon his arrival and then leave, but later
needs backup in rescuing a flower vendor (consult the right-hand
chronicle) ; he can then be acquired as a comrade.
Cloud has the job class SOLDIER, which is exclusive to him and uses
the unique ability set Limit. Limit can be used at no cost, and so
having Cloud use it can probably be done easily and enjoyably in
many battles.
[Beside the screenshots of Cloud's sprite from FFT]
Cloud is a gallant figure in FFT. His uniform from FFVII is
faithfully reproduced.
[Beneath the screenshot of Cloud saying "There's no getting off this
train until we reach the station"[*1]]
Notice this well-known line from FFVII. In addition, "I couldn't care
less what your names are,"[*2] "What is this...this feeling in my
fingertips?,"[*3] "No, stop...Sephiroth--no!,"[*4] "I feel the flow of
the Lifestream,"[*5] etc., are various other lines that can be seen
at times.
[*1: From the English translation of FFT: War of the Lions. This
line was rendered as "There ain't no gettin' offa this train we're on"
in the English translation of the original version of Tactics on the
PlayStation and "There ain't no gettin' offa this train we're on, till
we get to the end of the line" in the English translation of the
original FFVII.
*2: From the English translation of FFT: War of the Lions. This line
was rendered as "I don't care about names" in the English translation
of the original version of Tactics on the PlayStation and "I don't
care what your names are" in the English translation of the original
FFVII.
was rendered as "My fingers are tingling" in the English translations
of both the original version of Tactics and the original FFVII on the
PlayStation.
was rendered as "Stop...stop it... phiros..." in the English
translation of the original version of Tactics on the PlayStation.
*5: From the English translations of both FFT: War of the Lions and
the original version of Tactics on the PlayStation.]
[Beside the screenshot of Cloud's unique ability list]
SOLDIER can utilize many abilities with Limit. The name of the weapon
needed in order to use these techniques is the Materia Blade, like it
were something from FFVII."
Put simply, the book treats Cloud's presence in Tactics as canon.
As mentioned above, Cloud's inclusion in the game was also written in
a way that it would fit cleanly into FFVII's continuity. Let's look
at how this is the case.
Immediately after arriving in the world of Ivalice via a machine
described as capable of facilitating "transportation across dimensions -
across the very fabric of time and space," Cloud comments that his last
memory is of being "swallowed by a current - a great stream." This is
most likely the time Cloud was enveloped by the Lifestream when
Sephiroth cast Meteor in FFVII, after which his location went unknown
for quite some time.
The mental instability Cloud suffers during his appearances in Tactics
would also seem to suggest this. He suffers headaches and uncertainties
about his identity just as he did during that period in FFVII, and on
one occasion begs Sephiroth -- who isn't even around in Tactics -- to
stop doing something causing him pain.
Due to this and the page from the FFVII Ultimania Omega quoted above,
Cloud's appearance in Final Fantasy Tactics is undoubtedly canon.
Though true that FFVII's core developers had no hand in the making of
Tactics, the game *was* developed and published by Square, which holds
ownership of Cloud and the FFVII series as a whole.
The same criteria was enough for Dissidia Final Fantasy, after all,
which featured several characters who had not appeared in games worked
on by Dissidia's core development team, and yet the game is
nonetheless considered canon for all characters involved. In fact,
Dissidia's story is of great significance to the backstory of
characters from the first Final Fantasy, and to that game's world
setting.
And though it is also true that Tactics is never mentioned among the
titles in the Compilation of FFVII, given Cloud's small role in
Tactics, and given the game's status as part of a different
Compilation-like series -- the Ivalice Alliance, as SE has dubbed it
-- it can't really be expected that it would be. What we've looked at
here is fully sufficient enough to qualify Cloud's appearance in the
game as canon.
Finally, we need to examine the writings of Benny Matsuyama, which
include the diary-like entries by several characters in 1997 s FFVII
Kaitai Shinsho The Complete guide book, as well as Maiden Who Travels
the Planet, a novella starring Aerith included in FFVII s Ultimania
Omega and based after the events of Disc 1 of FFVII.
As an employee of Studio BentStuff, which does the compiling and
editing of the information for the Ultimania guide books that Square
Enix publishes, Matsuyama is himself not an employee of SE, nor has he
had involvement in the development of any Final Fantasy games. He has
written many short stories and diary-like entries for other Final
Fantasy games, however, including FFVIII, FFX, FFX-2 and FFXII.
As such, he does have an extensive history working with SE s characters
and getting his work involving them published by Square Enix itself. Is
this enough to make his work canon, though?
With FFVIII, X, X-2 and XII -- arguably, yes. These works are not part
of so extensive a series as FFVII, and even while XII is part of its
own Compilation-like structure, Matsuyama s work involving that game
has not run into the issues that face his contributions to FFVII,
likely due to most of the various titles in the Ivalice Alliance
taking place in drastically different eras.
Due to the proliferation of FFVII-related stories, numerous reference
books have been published addressing the overall continuity, none of
which have ever so much as mentioned Maiden Who Travels the Planet or
the entries in the Kaitai Shinsho -- less even than can be said for
Cloud's appearance in Final Fantasy Tactics. The FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania s Final Fantasy VII History section (pp.
16-20 of the Revised Edition; 16-19 of the original) -- a timeline
addressing the production of numerous FFVII media from 1995 to the time
of the book s publication -- does not mention Matsuyama's writings, nor
does the same guide s Final Fantasy VII series section (pp. 21-27 of
the Revised Edition; 20-25 of the original), which, as mentioned above,
even included the now-decanonized Last Order and Dirge of Cerberus Lost
Episode.
Even the list from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character
guide book that decanonized those two titles doesn t speak of Maiden or
the Kaitai Shinsho s diary entries as part of the Compilation.
Basically, since their publication, the existence of Maiden Who Travels
the Planet and the Kaitai Shinsho diaries have been completely ignored
-- even on a list that took the time to write other titles out of
continuity -- by Square Enix. Not so much as a single Ultimania profile
has referenced them. In fact, given SE s position per the FF 20th
Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide (pp. 225 and 394) that the
Gold Saucer date in FFVII is determined by the players -- meaning there
is no canon date -- the Kaitai Shinsho diary entries are outright
contradicted by current canon, as one such entry in the book from Aerith
(pg. 164 of the Revised Edition) spoke of she and Cloud sharing the
date.
Meanwhile, another entry found on pg. 159 of the same version of the
book has Aerith speak of meeting Zack while selling flowers. While that
would be able to get a pass in continuity with the original game, it
contradicts what's shown in Crisis Core, in which Aerith meets Zack
under completely different circumstances. She doesn't even begin
selling flowers in Crisis Core until after she meets Zack and he gives
her the suggestion to do so!
That being said, for its part, Maiden Who Travels the Planet has no
actual contradictions with established canon -- neither with the
original game alone nor the wider official continuity of the Compilation
of FFVII. This is, ironically enough, something that cannot even be said
of several titles that actually are included in canon for the series (for
more on that, see this document s Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
inconsistencies article).
Despite this, fans have often leveled claims against Maiden that it is
riddled with a number of contradictions with the original game and the
Compilation. We ll look at those now and clear up these
misunderstandings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Does Maiden Who Travels the Planet at least fit into continuity even if it
isn t canon? [7.5Wh]
Here, I ll present the comprehensive list of points that have been brought
up as contradictions in Maiden, and address whether they are actually
definite contradictions with the original game or the wider Compilation.
1) Maiden says that "the entire planet's consciousness was awakened" when
the Lifestream moved against Meteor, while Aerith s 10th Anniversary
Ultimania profile (pg. 52 of the Revised Edition; pg. 50 in the original)
says she used a portion of the Lifestream to stop it
-Not a contradiction with the original game or the wider Compilation.
These two ideas are not mutually exclusive.
Having the entire Lifestream available doesn't equate to using all of it,
nor is that a reasonable reading of the material -- especially when all
visual depictions of Meteor being taken down have shown Lifestream
tendrils still pooling off the horizon, indicating that much of the
Lifestream was nowhere near Meteor.
2) In Maiden, Hojo's spirit goes into the Lifestream, where Aerith meets
him again, but Dirge of Cerberus revealed that his spirit was in the
worldwide network
Hojo's actual spirit went into the Lifestream. The entity encountered in
DC is Hojo's fragments -- a digital copy of his mind.
We know this for several reasons. First, Lucrecia referred to her own
fragments as a "memory copy":
"Jenova's cells... Vincent... Stored as data... Must leave... Thought...
I loved... Record.. Memory copy... For him... It was wrong... Wait...
Disperse... ...so sorry... Apply... ...but I... For... Fragment...
Survive... Hope... who...?"
This is true of both the Japanese and English scripts of the game.
These fragments act through Shelke and even interact with Vincent at
times during DC, even while the original Lucrecia is still alive,
residing within a crystal behind that waterfall near Nibelheim.
Second, while in the official English version of DC, Hojo's copy says,
"Three years ago, while I was still running about looking for
Sephiroth, I took it upon myself to distribute my data-- my mind, my
knowledge, my inner being, across the worldwide network," the
Japanese text from that scene says something different:
"Into the worldwide network, I scattered my fragments ...... my
mind ....... data of my thoughts and knowledge."
Here, the copy specifically refers to itself as fragments -- which
we know, thanks to Lucrecia, to be data that is a copy of someone's
mind. Hojo's copy further explains that fragments -- and, therefore,
itself -- are "data of my thoughts and knowledge."
As explained in DC, these fragments were left behind as a failsafe
in the event that something untoward should happen to Hojo after
injecting himself with JENOVA's cells during the original game:
Hojo: "I attempted to perfect my body for Omega by injecting myself
with Jenova's cells. However, that didn't go as I had planned."
Hojo: "I failed to consider the fact that the cells might try to take
over my mind and eat away at my soul."
Hojo: "And so, as a safety measure, I came up with a brilliant plan
to transmit my neurodata across the worldwide network."
He then distributed the recorded fragments into the worldwide network
with his final breath after being defeated by Cloud and co. atop the
Sister Ray during the original game. This is depicted in DC's opening,
where Yuffie detects life signs still at the top of the cannon during
an evacuation of the area on the night Hojo was killed.
Vincent scales the giant weapon to find Hojo now laying motionless in
front of the cannon's computer terminal, of which one of the screens
says "start fragment program."
In other words, the copy fought in DC was created before Hojo even
battled AVALANCHE (there sure wasn't any lab equipment on top of the
Sister Ray for scanning and recording one's mind), and distributed
into the worldwide network shortly after the battle, and immediately
before he died. The copy is simply that -- a copy. Not the original Hojo.
Granted, there is a moment where a ghost-like apparition of Hojo arises
from Weiss's body after Vincent defeats him in battle prior to Omega's
awakening, but by that point, Hojo's fragments had come to inhabit that
living body. Given FFVII's cosmology -- in which the memories of the
dead are recycled into new spirit energy to give life to new living
things -- what could the thoughts and memories that inhabit and act
through a living body be called but a spirit, even if they began as
computerized data?
In the interest of a full analysis, it does bear acknowledging that the
opening of DC was originally intended to take place on the night that
Meteor descended on Midgar and was countered by Holy, as detailed in
such places as Vincent and Yuffie s profiles from the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pp. 69 and 72 of the Revised Edition; pp. 67
and 70 of the original). That version of events was, indeed, a
contradiction between Maiden and the Compilation, as Maiden spoke of
Aerith encountering Hojo in the Lifestream prior to AVALANCHE fighting
Sephiroth.
However, that continuity error has been retconned by Case of Shin-Ra.
The opening of DC now takes place where it belonged all along -- the
night that Hojo was fought atop the Sister Ray cannon.
3) Maiden gives the impression that all other Cetra had already been
diluted into the Lifestream, while On the Way to a Smile: Case of the
Lifestream White features Aerith enlisting other Cetra consciousnesses
to aid her in her mission to counter Sephiroth's malevolent will
-Not a contradiction with the original game or the Wider Compilation.
Yes, Maiden gives the impression that all other Cetra consciousnesses
had already been diluted, as that of her mother -- the last Cetra
known to have lived prior to Aerith -- was said to have already
diffused: "My mother died and she was also a Cetra... It's been
fifteen years. In that time, maybe I'll disappear and become one with
the Planet too" (translation by XComp/LH Yeung).
However, the Cetra consciousnesses that Aerith encounters in OtWtaS:
CotL White were already diluted as well, into what the story calls
"fragments of consciousness":
(Translation by XComp/LH Yeung)
"Having lost the core of their emotions, the surface animosity
disappeared. The woman had found a solution, however more and more
spirits steeped in spite appeared, and it was too much for her to
bear. She rushed through the Lifestream in search of other souls to
help her. Ancients, on the verge of diffusing. These fragments of
consciousness accepted her undertaking."
This is consistent across the two stories.
For that matter, though, if existing in the same continuity as Maiden,
CotL White would take place some two years later. Given how little she
initially understood about being in the Lifestream during Maiden
before she began doing things like waking Zack up (something she
apparently did in canon anyway given his presence in Advent Children),
it s not hard to imagine that she could have learned more about how
her Cetra abilities could influence the Lifestream, and then sought
out what fragments of consciousness there were of past Cetra to
awaken them as well.
4) In Maiden, Aerith witnesses Tifa reconstructing Cloud's shattered
personality within the Lifestream. On pg. 33 of the Crisis Core
Ultimania, it's said that Tifa becomes the only witness to his blurry
memory during the original game, and that she also plays an important
role in him regaining his true self
Tifa *is* the only witness to Cloud's blurry memory during the original
game -- but this line wasn't in reference to the Lifestream sequence
in which she helps him reassemble his mind.
Notice that the passage says she becomes the only witness to his
questionable recollection, and that she *also* plays an important role
in him regaining his proper memories -- this second event being what
happens when the two fall into the Lifestream together.
She's the only witness to his blurry memory because she's the only one
who recognized that his memories were off throughout the first disc of
the game.
For that matter, even if the line from the CC Ultimania had been in
reference to what goes down in the Lifestream, Tifa would still be the
only living witness -- but that wouldn't preclude non-living witnesses.
They were in the Lifestream, after all, which is composed of
consciousnesses -- and at that point, Aerith's was one of them.
5) Maiden says that Sephiroth's consciousness smiled and then vanished
in a fit of laughter when Cloud defeated him at the end of the original
game. The image of Sephiroth that Cloud defeated was not shown smiling
and did not appear to be laughing as it discorporated in the game
itself
The moment before the ending FMV began, in which the camera lingered
on Sephiroth and during which he appeared to struggle to remain
standing, could be taken as this moment.
The writing of that scene in Maiden does lend the impression that
Sephiroth smiled almost defiantly while trying to resist his demise,
only to succumb:
(Translation by LH Yeung/XComp)
"The mad apostate angel smiled boldly. But the damage he had taken was
far beyond what he could endure and his spiritual body started to fall
apart as he laughed. Beams of light blasted out from inside his body as
if they were cutting him apart."
Though a smile is not obvious there, given the limited graphics of the
game and the fact that the expressions on the characters battle
animations never changes, it can t be reasonably ruled out either.
There s also the fact that the screen faded to black shortly after
Cloud dealt the finishing blow with Omnislash. There could have easily
been a smile and laughter from Sephiroth then before he was shown
looking up at Cloud in shock.
As for his laughter alone, even if it didn t come before he began
exploding into beams of light, this was a mental rather than physical
battle to begin with. Cloud was able to hear Sephiroth's laughter in
his mind prior to the battle, and it's certainly easy enough to believe
-- keeping in mind that we're discussing a game that lacked voice
acting -- that Sephiroth could have let out another peal of laughter as
he dissipated; one which would have went unheard by players.
The image of him onscreen need not have been laughing for his
consciousness to have still been laughing. It's certainly not as though
he had a physical body to demonstrate laughter with when Cloud could
hear him laughing inside his head.
While the presence of a smile and laughter is not directly corroborated
by the scene in the original game, it's not directly contradicted within
that presentation either.
6) Maiden says that Aerith was attracted to Zack by his carefree smile
when she was 17. She was 15 when she met him in Crisis Core
-Not a contradiction with the original game or necessarily even Crisis
Core. Maiden doesn't outright say that Aerith met Zack when she was 17
-- merely that his smile had attracted her to him then.
Seeing as how that was her age when she last saw him, that's not
necessarily a contradiction, as it may be commenting on her attraction
during that period.
7) Toward the end of Maiden, Zack claims to Aerith that Omnislash was
his technique. This is never corroborated by Crisis Core nor any other
Compilation materials that feature Zack. Not even any Ultimania guides
say such a thing
-Definitely not a contradiction with the original game, and not
necessarily one with Crisis Core either. Zack is playful and
flirtatious. He may have been being exactly that in this scene.
8) Aerith was unaware that Zack was dead during Maiden until his spirit
appeared. She should have been able to sense his death long before, as
demonstrated in Crisis Core. Even the original game would leave us to
think so, given that she was able to sense the spirit of Elmyra's
husband, a complete stranger to her
-Not a contradiction with the original game or Crisis Core. All CC
showed is that Aerith sensed something that distressed her, but not
that she knew what she sensed.
As for the original game, she may have only sensed the spirit of
Elmyra's husband because it had come close enough to try to see Elmyra.
Aerith, after all, did tell her adoptive mother that he was trying to
get to her: "Someone dear to you has just died. His spirit was coming
to see you, but he already returned to the planet."
In whatever case, the official position on this matter is that Aerith
was unaware of Zack's death anyway, as stated on pg. 197 of the FF 20th
Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character guide.
9) During the time of the original FFVII, Aerith had come to terms with
the knowledge that Cloud and Zack were two different people. However,
in Maiden, when she tries to remember the details of who Cloud is, her
thoughts just end up awakening Zack's spirit, as though she still thinks
of them as the same
-Not a contradiction. Maiden even says early on that Aerith had already
figured out that Cloud and Zack were different:
"At first, she thought he somehow had some similarities to her first
love. Even so, his looks, voice and personality weren't similar and he
also made her think of him as a mysterious person... But it soon didn't
matter."
For that matter, when she accidentally awoke Zack, she was basically
wringing her hair out trying to recall unique details about Cloud that
would allow her to help him recover himself -- so she naturally went
over everything she remembered him doing, including the things that
reminded her of Zack:
"'I felt something odd about him but, was everything really just made
up and part of his false character? Cloud wasn't real at all? ...No,
that can't be true. There were things that only Cloud could think of.
Things that he done because he was Cloud. He was never an empty vessel
to begin with!'
But she couldn't figure out the truth. Her thoughts just went in
circles. Aerith delved into her memories again. Memories that showed
Cloud's individuality. The way he walked. She remembered all his
actions one by one...
Most of those thoughts merged into the Sea of Mako and awakened a
character. The character recognized the image she recalled and 'he'
woke up."
She also calls attention to the differences between the two again
after Tifa helps repair Cloud s fragmented psyche, telling Zack that
he isn t simplistic and awkward like Cloud.
10) In Maiden it's said that Zack's smile attracted Aerith to him. In
Crisis Core, it's established that her eyes attracted her to him
-Not a contradiction with the original by any means, and not really
one with Crisis Core either. Maiden doesn't say that Zack's smile was
the first thing that attracted Aerith to Zack, as it was in CC, nor is
it likely to have been the only thing anyway.
In other words: you can be attracted to more than one thing about someone.
11) Aerith's overall attitude toward Zack in Maiden is less
affectionate than one would expect it to be given their interactions
in Crisis Core
-Not a definite contradiction with either the original game or Crisis
Core. While I personally would expect more out of a reunion between them
given their history from Crisis Core, that s a subjective position. At
most it could be called an awkward interaction, but she s clearly still
fond of him.
At any rate, definitely not a contradiction with the original game.
As can be seen from all of this, Maiden Who Travels the Planet -- though not
canon -- does actually fit into continuity just fine. It's my belief that
Maiden sees all the debate concerning canonicity that it does due in part to
FFVII's infamous Love Triangle Debate (see the "Who does Cloud love?"
article in this FAQ for more about that) and misconceptions on the part of
fans who believe that Maiden has potential implications for the LTD.
In actuality, Maiden tells us nothing of Cloud's romantic leanings, which is
all that really matters in debating the LTD given that we already know
both Tifa and Aerith wanted him.
So, while you might have one person who prefers Aerith and Cloud as a
couple insist that Maiden is canon and that it saying Aerith loves Cloud
much more than her first love, Zack, is a big deal, it's really not.
Likewise, while you might have someone who prefers Tifa and Cloud as a
couple insist that if Maiden were canon, then Aerith awakening Zack's spirit
instead while trying to think about features of Cloud is a big deal, it's
also really not.
Again, neither of these scenes tell us anything about what Cloud wants. The
most we hear about his feelings where the two women are concerned is the
devestation he felt over Aerith being murdered right in front of him -- and
it's not exactly breaking news that Cloud cared about Aerith or that her
death hurt him deeply.
Really, it tells us about as much about what's going on in his head where
romance is concerned as his refusal to leave Cid behind on the Shin-Ra No.
26 rocket does. Which is to say, not much.
In summary: Maiden Who Travels the Planet isn't canon but probably should
be more than Before Crisis, Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus, and caring
about someone isn't equivalent to wanting to marry them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------Compilation of Final Fantasy VII inconsistencies[8.0Co]

A look at the various inconsistencies between the new Compilation of FFVII
titles and the original game, as well as inconsistencies that appear *among*
the new titles. It's also discussed here why Before Crisis, Crisis Core, Dirge
of Cerberus, On the Way to a Smile: Case of Yuffie and On the Way to a Smile:
Case of Nanaki are not counted among canon for me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction [8.1Co]
Just to warn you in advance, dear readers, this is not the fun part of this
section. That's down below, entitled "The lists." Its ctrl+f navigation code
is [7.2Co]. This part is where I get on my soapbox, rant, preach and wag my
finger.
All, might I add, with very little consideration given to editorial concerns
like length, redundancy and beating a dead horse. This is the Internet, after
all. Space is pretty much unlimited.
So, if that sounds painful to you, I advise moving on down to the fun part of
this section. If you're the masochistic type, however, and eye bleeds are your
cup of tea, keep reading.
I have little doubt that this new section of the FAQ will easily be the most
controversial. More so than the article about FFVII being connected to
FFX/X-2 ever was. Maybe even more than the "Who is Cloud in love with?"
article.
The irony of that is it will likely incur the disfavor of those arguing the
very points I once did. Heck, many who I've seen reference canon as the final
word in debates since I stopped participating have done so while referring to
arguments I made.
That kind of sucks.
Seriously, I didn't know what I was doing back when I was such a huge part of
the Final Fantasy fan community. I was terribly unqualified to argue any of
this stuff. Today, I'm ashamed of many of the arguments I put forth.
A significant number of fans were influenced by me to some degree, and to
those who I've encouraged to believe the buck stops at the author, I'm sorry.
Canon *is* the official word, but so what? That's all that it is: the official
continuity.
Yet "official" doesn't ensure "quality. Doesn't denote "coherent." Doesn't
even necessarily connote "good" these days.
Don't make excuses for sloppy work and laziness. If a sequel, prequel,
midquel, interquel, etc. is full of plotholes and contradictions, you don't
have to sit there and try to explain them away in some attempt at arguing that
it's still good, that it all makes sense somehow, and that we should all look
for a way to include it in the overall narrative because it's got the official
stamp on it.
Really, that sort of thing is the author's job.
Yes, as I argued in my September 9, 2009, update comments, a work like Final
Fantasy VII is a collaborative effort. One between writers, artists,
programmers, etc. and the players as well.
But that doesn't mean it's supposed to be the audience's job to ensure that
events that happened in a previous title are still part of the fictional
reality in the newest title.
An author choosing to neglect that sort of thing is neither making a creative
statement nor casting away restrictive boundaries that are only the domain of
geeks living in their mom's basements.
It's just bad writing.
I've seen a few individuals who are currently heavily involved in the FFVII
fan community make the argument that a lot of people want to cherry pick what
they count as canon rather than accepting the Compilation as a whole. This is
true, but, really, if they want a coherent narrative, what choice do they
have?
Even Square Enix does it. Heck, they cherry pick more than anybody.
As an example, the original Final Fantasy VII shows irrefutably that Red XIII
believed himself to be the last of his race. Before Crisis, however, features
a female of his kind named Dinne -- whom he knew prior to his capture by
Shin-Ra, and whose whereabouts he knew. When he gets to Cosmo Canyon during
the original game, however, he doesn't ask about her -- even though that's
where she is!
Toward the game's end, he and Bugenhagen speak of Red XIII finding a mate as
though it's a hypothetical situation in which there may be a female of his
kind out there somewhere in the world for him to find. Yet both knew of Dinne.
Who's right there. In Cosmo Canyon. Where they are. Double-you tee eff much?
Was there any kind of failure on players' parts for speculating for years
where Red XIII might have found the mate that fathered his children from the
post-ending epilogue? Obviously we knew he found her somewhere since we saw
that he'd reproduced, but can SE come along years later with Dinne and expect
us to contrive excuses for them that allow absuridities like Red agonizing
over being the last of his kind?
His once understandable and sympathetic anguish from the original becomes
absurdly pathetic whining.
How about Last Order? It was the first of three retcons to the massacre in
Nibelheim, and the beginning of the massacre in the village of Continuity.
Shin-Ra did a real bad job of covering that one up.
Anyway, I made excuses for it at first, as did many other fans. Most said
the original game's presentation of that incident was unreliable due to
Cloud's fragmented memories.
At least they used their imaginations to explain it away. I just accepted --
and encouraged others to do the same -- that FFVII was SE's baby and they
could do whatever the hell they wanted to with it. I was an idiot.
Before Crisis comes along not long after that and further retcons the scene,
though not by much. It's still pretty much the same. There's just a Turk there
now. And the appearance of JENOVA's room, retconned by LO, is now retconned
back to its original appearance.
Then Crisis Core, of course, comes along a couple of years later and retcons
both LO and BC. No Turk now, plus a lot of other changes.
It was that third retcon which finally made me throw up my hands and stop
making excuses for SE's lack of concern for quality in their products.
Imaginative and still loyal fans apparently then began a practice that
continues to this day: explaining away BC and LO as simply having occurred
from Tseng and the Turks' perspective.
After all, they say, Tseng was reading a report on the Nibelheim massacre and
reflecting on it during LO. Well, the problem with this is that the text from
the report is legible to the viewer and clearly states what SE had intended to
be the case at one point in time: that the Turks believed Cloud killed
Sephiroth before passing out from his own wounds.
Right there on Cloud's profile in the Nibelheim report are these words: "By
the report ... it is considered that Cloud killed Sephiroth even though he
suffered ... ."
Here's a screenshot even:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/cloudkilledseph.jpg
This being their conclusion is consistent with what is shown in BC, where the
player's Turk calls Tseng to inform him that Sephiroth has *fallen* into the
mako and is dead. As Sephiroth deliberately jumped into the mako in both BC
and LO, the Turk on the scene obviously didn't witness the full incident.
They merely heard Sephiroth and Cloud talking/fighting, then saw that
Sephiroth was nowhere in sight, saw Cloud looking over the edge, and then
drew the conclusion -- which Tseng accepted -- that Cloud knocked him down
there and killed him. Even in what may be considered Tseng's memory in LO,
where he remembers Hojo having Cloud and Zack taken to the Shinra Mansion to
be used as experiments, we find Hojo commenting that Cloud is the one who
killed Sephiroth.
As if the various pieces of dialogue Tseng couldn't possibly have been aware
of in LO weren't enough to indicate that the flashbacks weren't simply his own
understanding of what went down, the information in Cloud's profile clenched
it. Hojo's comment further solidifies it. But that didn't stop SE from trying
to use it as an out years later.
The 10th Anniversary Ultimania came along at the time of Crisis Core's release
and SE themselves resorted to using this blatantly fallacious excuse for LO's
events (pg. 80; pg. 82 of the Revised Edition). The book even acknowledged the
discrepancies in Sephiroth being thrown into the Lifestream or jumping, yet
made no attempt to explain them away. It merely said that the same results
followed either way, suggesting it wasn't important how it actually happened.
Well, if you want a cohesive universe where A is A, it is kind of important,
SE. It's actually really important.
For the record, I recognize that some may be confused for my inclusion of
Advent Children Complete into my continuity while I exclude Crisis Core.
Despite ACC featuring a couple of FMVs from Crisis Core, I really see no
reason why the scenes in question can't mesh with the way things went down in
the original game. Someone familiar with the original game but unfamiliar with
Crisis Core could watch ACC without any confusion or continuity errors
arising in their mind.
Yes, Cloud and Zack weren't shown having a conversation before Zack died, but
it's easy enough to swallow that it could have happened. What was shown in the
original game could easily be an abridged version of his death, especially
given that it was Cloud experiencing a memory.
In his earlier memory to how things actually happened in Nibelheim, I doubt
anyone thought that Zack ran into JENOVA's room and was knocked straight out
of there without saying anything to Sephiroth first. That was simply a case of
time being condensed so that the player wouldn't have to sit there for
possibly a minute before something else happened.
Certainly every new title in the Compilation that has gone back to that
showdown has done so with the assumption that there was some exchange between
the two, so it's not an unprecedented notion by anyone's reckoning.
I realize this is cherry picking, but, again, I don't see the problem with
that. If it's problematic, I expect SE to stop doing it first.
In the event that anyone is also confused about my inclusion of On the Way to
a Smile: Case of Tifa, I can explain that as well. The only concern I can see
being raised is that this story features Cloud telling Elmyra of Aerith's
death following Sephiroth's defeat at the end of the original game, even
though she'd already been told about it well before that point.
That's a case of a mistake in translation in the official English version of
CoT included with North America's Limited Edition release of Advent Children.
The word translated as "told" here was "hanashimatta" in Japanese. It simply
means "talked." So what was actually said here is that Cloud talked to Elmyra
about Aerith's death, not that he informed her of it.
And that actually makes the most sense given that, otherwise, Elmyra seemed
pretty quick to accept the whole thing and wouldn't have been portrayed as
having a particularly sorrowful reaction.
I can also see someone being confused as to why I would accept Maiden Who
Travels the Planet given the numerous debates amongst fans concerning that
story and whether it contradicts the original game or wider Compilation.
Really, though, Maiden is one of the few new works about FFVII that
actually fits cohesively with everything else. Search for the "What is the
FFVII canon?" article within this document for more about that.
In the event that there's any suspicions to the contrary, I want to dispel
them now: While I'm cherry picking based on what works as a single, consistent
narrative, I'm not cherry picking based on what titles I like or would prefer
to see as the official continuity.
As far as it goes, I *like* Dirge of Cerberus. I enjoyed it a whole hell of a
lot. I think parts of it are terribly written and more than a few are
nonsensical, but I like that game. I liked the new characters, adored the
characterization of old ones, and appreciated the overall story as well.
I also loved the levels, the voice acting, the music, and pretty much the
whole of the presentation.
That cutscene of the battle between Deepground and the WRO outside Midgar is
one of the coolest battle sequences in any Final Fantasy, and the game's
ending is beautifully executed on every level. Vincent seemingly sacrificing
himself followed by that amazing credits sequence was fantastic.
I'll also admit upfront that Shelke's among my top favorite Final Fantasy
characters. She is simply made of win.
Even the gameplay was pretty awesome, with the exception of the right button
on the d-pad activating items instead of scrolling right. Bad, SE!
Counterintuitive controls are no beuno!
Heck, I actually finished all of the game's extra missions. Yes, all of them.
Even "Cait Versus the World" and "Missilebreaker Deathmatch."
So you know there had to be some measure of passion there.
Actually, I enjoyed most of the extra missions. "Rains of Gehenna," "Stygian
Sewers," "Vincent the Beast," "Gatling Shower," "One-Handed," "Unlimited DG,"
"Two-Handed," "Deepground" and "Stronghold Impervious" are all great stuff.
I even played around with the missions enough that I discovered you can
actually kill enemies with magic in the "Messenger from Hell" mission if
you blast them enough.
"Deep Labyrinth," by the way, is *so much easier* with the Manasoul.
For that matter, I honestly like several elements of Crisis Core. Genesis is
an awesome character, and CC has what I consider the best final battle and
ending sequence of any of the new games in the Compilation.
Again, establishing a personal canon isn't at all about picking what I like or
what I think should be in the official continuity. Were I cherry picking in
that way, I'd be finding some way for Dirge of Cerberus to fit.
As I said in my update comments, SE can have their official continuity. I want
one that doesn't contradict its own existence at every turn.
If anyone feels I'm looking at this thing the wrong way and can set me
straight on the matter, I'm more than open to hearing you out.
Also, yeah, I realize that the important thing to ask at the end of playing
one of these games is whether I enjoyed it. Haven't lost sight of that. What I
also realize, though, is that it's difficult *to* enjoy them at times when I
have so many continuity voids trying to suck me in.
I also feel conscientiously opposed to excusing lapses in artistic integrity,
which -- let's face it -- much of the Compilation has been.
With that, I turn things over to the fun part of this article.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lists [8.2Co]
--Abbreviation guide--
FFVII = Final Fantasy VII
ACC = Advent Children Complete
AC = Advent Children
BC = Before Crisis
CC = Crisis Core
DC = Dirge of Cerberus
LO = Last Order
OtWtaS: CoD = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel
OtWtaS: CoT = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Tifa
OtWtaS: CoB = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Barret
OtWtaS: CoY = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Yuffie
OtWtaS: CoN = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Nanaki
OtWtaS: CoS = On the Way to a Smile: Case of Shin-Ra
* = used in more than one list
[Note: Despite the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character
stating that Last Order is "a work outside" the Compilation of Final Fantasy
VII (pg. 226; http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/LOnotcanon
.jpg), given its coverage on even that very page -- as well as the extensive
coverage it has been given in the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania and its
Revised Edition, the latter released after the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania
series -- I'm including it here because it is treated like part of the
Compilation.]
Plotholes and contradictions between the original and the new titles in the
Compilation
--------------------------------------
(In multiple titles)
Four different versions of the Nibelheim reactor fight (one each in FFVII,
BC, CC and LO)*
Cloud and Tifa talk in the Mt. Nibel mako reactor in LO, while no such
conversation happens in the original or in CC (the dialogue heard there in
LO is the same as that from Cloud and Tifa in the present day in the original
while watching Cloud's memory of the event)*
The original game referred to the JENOVA Project as Professor Gast's project,
with Hojo even implying that Gast was still there when Lucrecia was injected
with JENOVA cells. The Ultimania Omega for the original game also says this
outright (pg. 210). However, CC, the developer Q & A in its Ultimania, and DC
all leave the impression that Gast resigned from his position well before that
point, with Hojo in charge of all the research and experimentation that led to
Sephiroth's birth
The Turks' uniforms were all blue in the original game, but now they've been
changed to black in almost all pre-original appearances. The black wasn't that
weird in AC since it came after, and also wasn't a plothole as a result. Its
presence in CC, BC and LO, however, is. DC is the only new title in which a
Turk is seen wearing a blue uniform prior to the events of the original FFVII*
Zack's uniform is purple in BC and the original game (he was already 1st Class
by then and had the Buster Sword); it was changed to black in LO and CC, along
with all 1st Class uniforms, while Zack's purple outfit was a 2nd Class uniform
unique to his use*
Tseng, Reno and Rude now have a rather extensive past with Cloud, courtesy of
LO, CC and BC, yet none of them mention it in the original game. This, despite
their sense of guilt over turning him over for experimentation in BC and then
pursuing him after he and Zack escaped
(BC)
In the original, Barret said he was on his way back from a trip out of town
visiting a mako reactor when Corel was attacked by Shinra. In BC, he's working
in the mines just outside town the morning before the attack begins,
inspecting trucks so as to get things ready to dig for coal with his neighbors.
He even helps guide a Turk through the mountain to the reactor that day, in an
attempt to stop the original AVALANCHE from blowing it up. He was definitely not
presented as being on his way back from a trip out of town in BC
In the original, Barret believed the destruction of the Corel mako reactor to
be due to an accident. In BC, he knows that it was terrorism. In addition, it
seems a little unlikely that he would name his terrorist unit after the one
whose activities got his hometown destroyed. This is laughably explained in the
FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 55; pg. 57 of the Revised Edition) as
being because he didn't know the name of the group -- even though he names his
own after them because he was impressed by the trouble their radical
activities had caused for Shin-Ra
Red XIII thinks he's the last of his kind in FFVII, and says as much upon his
return to Cosmo Canyon. He cites the death of his mother as leaving him as the
last, while in BC he had full knowledge that there was another of his kind,
Dinne (a female), still there when he was taken by the Turks. What's more, the
Turks had allowed her to go unhindered into a shrine where she was to stay for
three years, and we're given no indication that Nanaki believed another of his
kind had been kidnapped by Shin-Ra at a later date. For that matter, Hojo
certainly wasn't trying to breed Red XIII with Dinne in the Shin-Ra building.
If, for some reason, Red XIII did believe Dinne to have died, then his
explanation for being the last should have included her as well, and not just
his mother ... though that matter is moot, as he hadn't even had time to learn
that she was dead if, in fact, she was. He had only spoken with the guy at the
entrance to Cosmo Canyon before relating his tale of woe
In BC, when AVALANCHE takes over the Junon Cannon, they intend to use it to
fire at Midgar -- which shouldn't be possible given that the cannon can't turn
more than 90 degrees to the right, and also given that there are mountains
between Midgar and Junon.
In BC's Special Episode of the Legendary Turk, during an incident which took
place eight years before the events of FFVII, some hostage takers demand the
release of political prisoners from Corel Prison -- a facility that didn't
exist until three years before the events of FFVII, following the destruction
of Barret's hometown, Corel
Elena wasn't promoted until after Reno was injured during the original game.
If BC is to be taken as in-continuity, then they had already recently lost
eight to 10 other Turks permanently, and on the same day no less. So it's not
like Reno taking a leave of absence a few days later should have been such a
massive change to the status quo as to warrant promoting a new Turk if the
other event wasn't
The "lost" Turks were apparently busy fighting Jade WEAPON for a while after
their final battle in BC. The WEAPON had been awakened when they defeated
Zirconiade, and it then came after them because the summon had been an
important part of Gaia's ecosystem. Despite this being enough to awaken Jade
WEAPON, the other WEAPONs inexplicably remained dormant until Sephiroth cast
Meteor -- and even then, apparently the one seen in the cave near Banora in
CC was not awakened. They don't even react to Jade WEAPON being destroyed,
despite it awakening at Zirconiade's destruction
(CC)
The Ultimania Omega for FFVII says that Aerith met Zack while selling flowers
(pg. 31), while she hasn't started doing that yet when she meets him in CC.
Granted, this is a discrepancy between CC and a guidebook published by Square
Enix rather than a discrepancy between CC and the original game itself, but it
still demonstrates a lack of attention to detail on someone's part
Though this is yet another guide discrepancy, this time it actually does
contradict the original game, as well as the FFVII Ultimania Omega. In the
Crisis Core Complete Guide, the "S-Cells" entry of the Keyword Collection (pg.
286) refers to Cloud as a failed Sephiroth copy -- despite the original game
and the FFVII Ultimania Omega (pg. 213) making it clear that he was not
In line with the above, Crisis Core itself features a document in the middle
of the lab where Zack and Cloud escape identifying Cloud as a failure -- this,
despite the documents on the floor of the same lab in the original game
making it clear that Cloud had the desired reaction to JENOVA. In other words,
these documents clearly contradict each other, where in one game, they identify
Cloud as a failure, and in the other, are the final clue that he, in fact, was
a success
Another guidebook discrepancy is that Zack's year of birth is listed as 1984
in the Crisis Core Ultimania (pg. 12), but is listed as 1985 in the FFVII 10th
Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 82; pg. 84 of the Revised Edition). This was likely
just a typo in the latter -- as Zack is supposed to have been 23 at the time of
his death in the year 0007 according to the same book's profile (pg. 85) -- but
all of these inconsistencies begin to add up and discourage one's confidence in
the application of quality assurance
Yet another guidebook inconsistency: The Crisis Core Complete Guide claims in
its Keyword Collection that Aerith's father, Gast Faremis, deserted Shin-Ra
after realizing that JENOVA wasn't an Ancient -- and that Ifalna "escaped with
him" to Icicle Inn. The Ultimania Omega for FFVII, however, states twice that
Ifalna was a local at Icicle Inn, whom Gast met after moving there to conduct
new research (pp. 59 and 210)
In the original, Cloud and Zack planned an escape from the Shinra Mansion at
feeding time. In CC, Zack apparently broke the glass of his containment tube
during a bad dream, and then used the opportunity to escape
In the original game, Zack dresses Cloud in a SOLDIER 1st Class uniform after
they leave Nibelheim; here, they start to leave Nibelheim, then go back to the
mansion before they reach the exit; back at the mansion, Zack redresses Cloud
In the original game, Zack's parents had no idea who his girlfriend might be.
In Crisis Core, Cissnei tells them it was her
In the original game, Cloud is left to die by the soldiers who kill Zack.
They assume he'll expire on his own. In CC, they don't see him at all because
Zack had hidden him
Why was Hojo unable to confirm the existence of the WEAPONs until visiting
the Northern Crater when there's one in the cave in Banora, a place where
Shin-Ra had been mining?
(DC)
How does Cait Sith speak in DC without Reeve speaking at the same time? In the
original, it didn't seem to work that way
Also in the original, during some optional dialogue on the Highwind, Vincent
said he'd figured out that Lucrecia chose Hojo to protect the scientist since
he was considered inferior to Gast. Considering that DC shows Lucrecia telling
Vincent that she got his father killed, and then has her running straight to
Hojo, Vincent would have to be absurdly dense to not connect the dots for over
20 years, only to get it completely wrong when he does "finally understand"
Galian Beast and Chaos' appearances in DC are significantly different from
their appearances in the original
Hojo didn't have a pony tail during the time of the JENOVA Project, but DC
presents him with one during that time; it also gives him a significantly
different appearance in general from the one he had in Nomura's design of him
for the original game
It's in a different room in DC that Vincent has his argument with Hojo and
Lucrecia concerning human experiments
The original game featured Lucrecia collapsing in a room in a house in
Nibelheim during the days of the JENOVA Project; in DC, she's shown collapsing
in a room in the Shinra Mansion instead
The Ultimania Omega for FFVII says that Vincent confronted Hojo due to
Lucrecia disappearing about 23 years before the game's main events occurred
(pg. 47). Even without the guide, the original game suggests that Vincent
confronted Hojo due, at the least, to Lucrecia having complications while
giving birth to Sephiroth. In DC, Lucrecia is still present in the Shinra
Mansion at the time of the confrontation and Vincent's death at Hojo's hands.
This becomes all the more strange since it's left unexplained for DC what
Vincent must, then, have been shouting at Hojo about there when he asks, "Why
did you let this happen?!"
Both the original game and the Ultimania Omega (pg. 47) say that Lucrecia's
body became hideous because of the JENOVA Project, but this isn't shown or
spoken of in DC
Hojo claims that he got the idea of using JENOVA's cells to make his body fit
enough to be the host for Omega after witnessing Vincent transform into Chaos
right in front of him. Prior to the battle on the Sister Ray -- by which time
Hojo had already injected himself -- when would he have had the opportunity to
witness this? He and Vincent don't encounter one another at any other time,
with the exception of the Reunion, where Vincent wasn't doing any fighting
In an interview prior to DC's release, Nomura said that the game would offer
an in-story expanation for why Vincent and Yuffie weren't shown in FFVII's
ending (http://forums.daeya.org/showthread.php?p=28518). Via Vincent and
Yuffie's profiles (pp. 67 and 70 respectively; pp. 69 and 72 in the Revised
Edition) -- as well as pg. 134 (pg. 136 of the Revised Edition), from the plot
synopsis for DC -- the 10th Anniversary Ultimania for FFVII states that it's
the opening scene of DC that offered this explanation, which many fans had
already inferred to be what Nomura was referring to. It further goes on to say
that this opening scene happened after Yuffie and Vincent assisted in the final
fight against Sephiroth in the Northern Crater. This unnecessary explanation --
unnecessary because everyone always knew they weren't in cutscenes of the
original game because the player may not have picked them up, and limited disc
space prevented four different versions of FMV cutscenes -- was always
problematic in that Advent Children showed both Vincent and Yuffie
participating in the fight with Sephiroth in the Northern Crater. So, many fans
took the impression that DC retconned Vincent and Yuffie's presence in that
fight, placing them in Midgar during that time instead. Whatever the case, if
they were there for the fight against Sephiroth, then they couldn't possibly
have been in Midgar evacuating citizens after the fight given that by the time
the Highwind reached Midgar following Sephiroth's defeat, the city was already
being trashed by the struggle between Meteor and Holy. OtWtaS: CoS later
relocated the night of Rufus' rescue from the ruins of the Shin-Ra building
from a week after the night Diamond WEAPON destroyed his office to the same
night -- with the Turks spotting members of AVALANCHE assisting citizens with
evacuations. So, the scene was granted plausible timing within the canon
continuity, though it still leaves a mess of contradictions between the
official materials*
(Miscellaneous)
In LO, Cloud continues to wear his Shin-Ra regular unfirom even up to the
time when he and Zack are intercepted while traveling to Midgar
Where is Reeve's father in OtWtaS: CoD? While his absence doesn't amount to
the level of a contradiction, it is an unexplained plothole nonetheless.
Granted, it could be as simple a thing as that he went on a trip out of town
Plotholes and contradictions between the new titles in the Compilation

--------------------------------------
Four different versions of the Nibelheim reactor fight (one each in FFVII, BC,
CC and LO)*
Cloud and Tifa talk in the Mt. Nibel mako reactor in LO, while no such
conversation happens in the original or in CC (the dialogue heard there is the
same as that from Cloud and Tifa in the present day in the original while
watching Cloud's memory of the event)*
In an interview prior to DC's release, Nomura said that the game would offer
an in-story expanation for why Vincent and Yuffie weren't shown in FFVII's
ending (http://forums.daeya.org/showthread.php?p=28518). Via Vincent and
Yuffie's profiles (pp. 67 and 70 respectively; pp. 69 and 71 in the Revised
Edition) -- as well as pg. 134 (pg. 136 of the Revised Edition), from the plot
synopsis for DC -- the 10th Anniversary Ultimania for FFVII states that it's
the opening scene of DC that offered this explanation, which many fans had
already inferred to be what Nomura was referring to. It further goes on to say
that this opening scene happened after Yuffie and Vincent assisted in the final
fight against Sephiroth in the Northern Crater. This unnecessary explanation --
unnecessary because everyone always knew they weren't in cutscenes of the
original game because the player may not have picked them up, and limited disc
space prevented four different versions of FMV cutscenes -- was always
problematic in that Advent Children showed both Vincent and Yuffie
participating in the fight with Sephiroth in the Northern Crater. So, many fans
took the impression that DC retconned Vincent and Yuffie's presence in that
fight, placing them in Midgar during that time instead. Whatever the case, if
they were there for the fight against Sephiroth, then they couldn't possibly
have been in Midgar evacuating citizens after the fight given that by the time
the Highwind reached Midgar following Sephiroth's defeat, the city was already
being trashed by the struggle between Meteor and Holy. OtWtaS: CoS later
relocated the night of Rufus' rescue from the ruins of the Shin-Ra building
from a week after the night Diamond WEAPON destroyed his office to the same
night -- with the Turks spotting members of AVALANCHE assisting citizens with
evacuations. So, the scene was granted plausible timing within the canon
continuity, though it still leaves a mess of contradictions between the
official materials*
Absence of a Turk in the CC version of the Nibelheim reactor fight (there was
a Turk there in the pod room in BC and LO), as well as the absence of a large
crater in the pod room from Sephiroth attacking the Turk
One final guidebook inconsistency: As mentioned in the introduction to this
section, pg. 80 (pg. 82 in the Revised Edition) of the FFVII 10th Anniversary
Ultimania claims that LO took place from Tseng's perspective -- despite the
depiction of Sephiroth jumping into the Lifestream being at odds with the text
on the report Tseng is reading, which says: "By the report ... it is considered
that Cloud killed Sephiroth even though he suffered ..."
Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth all have public fan clubs in CC, yet Genesis
only disappears from the public eye a few years before FFVII begins. Despite
this, the G Reports from DC tell us that "all records of this man's [Genesis]
existence have been deleted," and that the only memory of him is the letter
"G" ... like people aren't going to remember. It even goes so far as to say
that "there is so little information on 'G' that his existence might be a
fabrication." Completely nonsensical
When did Reeve get his "Inspire" ability that brings inanimate objects to life?
Even in BC, Cait Sith was just a robot controlled by remote, while in DC, he
seems to be somewhat alive -- able even to speak independently of Reeve
The Shin-Ra building isn't broken in half in DC, even though it takes place
after AC
Why is Deepground still able to access mako from Reactor 0 in DC? In OtWtaS:
CoB, it's said that the Lifestream's flow had changed so that mako couldn't be
siphoned in the vicinity of Midgar anymore. Granted, Reactor 0 is deep beneath
the surface and may be able to tap into the flow where the other reactors
could not
The Turks' uniforms were all blue in the original game, but now they've been
changed to black in almost all pre-original appearances. The black wasn't that
weird in AC since it came after, and also wasn't a plothole as a result. Its
presence in CC, BC and LO, however, is. DC is the only new title in which a
Turk is seen wearing a blue uniform prior to the events of the original FFVII*
Zack's uniform is purple in BC and the original game (he was already 1st Class
by then and had the Buster Sword); it was changed to black in LO and CC, along
with all 1st Class uniforms, while Zack's purple outfit was a 2nd Class uniform
unique to his use*
In AC, Zack is shown from Cloud's memory to have been running past Cloud while
shouting "Cloud, run!" before taking a hit from a bullet just before what is
obviously his death scene (this was similar to the original game where Zack ran
past Cloud and then turned around before being shot down). In CC, there was no
opportunity for any such event to occur. Zack hides Cloud behind some rocks,
goes to fight, is forced to the cliff edge where he dies, and is then shot full
of holes. Granted, this isn't a problem for ACC, where the above memory is
absent
Similar to the above, in CC, Zack has Cloud hidden out of sight, but in ACC,
when Cloud flashes back to Zack going to fight his final battle, he actually
recalls seeing Zack standing in front of all the soldiers he fought. This
depiction is actually more in line with the original game than anything else
It took Zack and Cloud nine months to get from Nibelheim to Midgar according
to BC, while LO suggests that the whole thing occurs over the span of four
days. While at his desk before opening the case file on the Nibelheim massacre,
Tseng said it had been 72 hours since they'd received word of the escape. He
continues flipping through the file all night until he receives a call in the
early hours of the morning, at which time he gets in a helicopter to intercept
Zack and Cloud outside Midgar along with the other Turks
In LO, Cissnei/Shuriken (Female) and Katana (Male) aren't part of the team
sent to capture Cloud and Zack, either initially after they'd escaped, or
later when they were approaching Midgar. In BC, they were part of the team
sent to capture them after the initial escape, and in CC, Cissnei was one of
the Turks trying to intercept them before they could reach Midgar
In BC, Tseng and the Turk who find Zack and Cloud shortly after their escape
from Nibelheim have a lengthy conversation on the phone, during which the
Turk tells him that they have escaped and that Zack is one of them. This
prompts Tseng to tell the Turk to return to headquarters (essentially meaning
he was letting them go for the time being), at which point she tells Zack that
he and Cloud have escaped, and then leaves; in CC, the Turk in this situation
(Cissnei) just phones Tseng, says that the targets have eluded capture and
then hangs up, deciding alone to let them go before giving Zack the keys to a
motorcycle to aid in his escape. Furthermore, in BC, the Turk who finds them
has an actual fight with Zack, but in CC, Cissnei doesn't
In CC, Cissnei gives Zack the motorcycle he and Cloud use to travel toward
Midgar while on the run from Shin-Ra. In LO, he takes it from some of the
regular Shin-Ra soldiers sent to recapture them
In LO, Tseng gets in a helicopter in the early hours of the morning (before
the sun rises) and is flown to intercept Zack and Cloud as they travel toward
Midgar. The chopper he's in is over the road seconds before Zack and Cloud
are shot at. In CC, Tseng is shown still in his office with the full light of
morning coming through his window just before Zack and Cloud are targeted. In
other words, he isn't there this time
In OtWtaS: CoY and OtWtaS: CoN, Yuffie is unable to kick open a door that has
been nailed shut or carry a teenage boy, but in AC, she's capable of running
up the side of a building and then jumping off it to sail dozens of feet
before landing on her hands -- only to then throw herself back into the air
from that position. And she does it all while throwing and catching a large,
metal shuriken, which sailed even further than she did before bouncing off
Bahamut and sailing dozens more feet through the air. Her strength is clearly
not consistent across these titles
In OtWtaS: CoY, when Yuffie calls to find out from Cloud if there's a
materia that can cure geostigma, why does Tifa even need to go ask Cloud
this? Would she not know already if there was or wasn't one? For that matter,
Cloud wouldn't just be sitting on the cure if he had it
Self-contained plotholes in the new titles in the Compilation

--------------------------------------
(CC)
What's up with Zack and Cloud escaping from the Shinra Mansion, Zack
fighting soldiers there to capture them at the gate, and then going *back* to
the Shinra Mansion and camping out for the rest of the day and most of the
night unmolested, only for the town and its perimeter to be crawling with
soldiers early the next morning -- as well as a Turk? Did none of these people
think to check the mansion, where Zack and Cloud were just taking it easy in a
bedroom like it was a Super 8 motel? Did Zack not consider that going back into
the lion's den to "regroup" was a stupid idea? Seriously, what the hell?
Why were there sniper rifles conveniently placed around Nibelheim's perimeter
for Zack's use? Seriously, looking at this and the above situation, was Shin-Ra
*trying* to let the guy escape?
How did Genesis get hundreds of SOLDIERs to desert Shin-Ra with him? It may
have involved Lazard's help, as he was in charge of SOLDIER at the time, but
the specifics are left completely up in the air
Why didn't Genesis just take the pure JENOVA cells straight from the creature
when he was in the reactor at Nibelheim? Did he not make a connection between
the name on the door at the back of the room and the creature whose cells he
was looking for?
The cause of Genesis and Angeal's wings sprouting is not explained in either
Crisis Core itself or its Ultimania; it apparently just happens sometime after
they're told how they were experiments. Also, why didn't Sephiroth get a wing
after learning about his origin?
How did a WEAPON get inside Genesis' cave near Banora? The scenario Q&A
section in the Ultimania for the game says that the cave had previously been
where Shin-Ra was creating a mako mine, but that they lost interest. Assuming
the WEAPON was there all along, why didn't Shin-Ra take it? Hojo would have
wanted it. Why was it there instead of with the other WEAPONs in the Northern
Crater? What makes this WEAPON different from those?
(DC)
According to the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pp. 100-101; pp. 102-103
of the Revised Edition), experiments were performed on Rosso that were thought
to bring her closer to immortality than most humans, and experiments were
conducted on Weiss that were thought to push human strength to its apex. What
were these experiments? Why did they have these results?
According to the Crisis Core Complete Guide, Deepground's attack on Kalm at
the beginning of the game was to specifically gather up the children. While we
do see the Deepground SOLDIERs trying to kill adults, at the end of the
opening FMV, we also see them corraling both adults and children into the
transport boxes they were using for prisoners
Why were the Tsviets not used against Sephiroth during the JENOVA War? With the
Restrictors' ability to bind them, they couldn't have exactly refused, despite
their unpredictable behavior. Weiss had a virus that would kill him if he didn't
follow orders, and the situation was certainly critical enough by the time
Meteor showed up that there was nothing left to lose. Since they were going to
send regular Shin-Ra soldiers to the Northern Crater to fight (talk to the
soldiers in Junon late in the game to learn of this), it hardly makes sense that
they wouldn't go all out and send Deepground since it had some warriors that
might have actually had a chance
Why did neither Vincent nor Cloud and his team ever stumble across that materia
recording left by Lucrecia in the Shinra Mansion? It wasn't exactly well hidden.
All you had to do was walk into the room and it came rolling out, apparently.
This is especially absurd since Vincent had apparently looked around the mansion
enough to know the location of the materia there needed for the Zirconiade
summon in BC
Where did the above materia come rolling from? Why did it roll out at all?
Why did Azul and Deepground stop attacking when they demolished the WRO
headquarters? Azul even had Vincent running since his guns weren't having any
effect on Azul's Behemoth form. The attack seemingly stopped abruptly with no
explanation and none of the characters commenting on it. Was this just plot
contrivance so the WRO could get an opportunity to retrieve Shalua's body?
How did Vincent's cell phone emerge unscathed through the bombing of his hotel
room at the beginning of the game?
Why does Hojo look the same in the flashbacks to the days of the JENOVA Project
as his hologram does in the present day?
If Hojo knew that Vincent gained Chaos from a tainted Lifestream and that
Omega would need to be grown from a clean one, why did he supposedly attempt
making his body strong enough to contain it by using JENOVA's cells (the
injection that led to his transformations in the original game)? He wasn't
suggested to have gained any new knowledge about the two beings after copying
his mind into the worldwide network, so it hardly makes sense, especially given
how adamant he was that Nero craft mako without any of JENOVA's cells included
(as Omega needed a clean host)
How did the image of Lucrecia appear inside Omega WEAPON and easily retrieve
the Protomateria?
During the time when the player controls Vincent in Chaos form as he approaches
Omega WEAPON, why is it that Mako Reactor 1 (identifiable by the kanji on the
front of it) isn't operating, despite Reeve saying that Deepground had tied
Reactors 1 through 8 to 0's mainframe in order to increase its output?
What purpose did Vincent flying through Omega WEAPON's body serve? He didn't
destroy or otherwise damage anything but antibodies
Why does the mako snow at the end of the game heal Shelke of her need for
constant mako showers when the constant mako showers themselves hadn't healed
her?
How does Weiss have a body at the end of the game at all? It had dissipated
once and then presumably been reformed out of pure spirit energy inside of
Omega WEAPON, and was apparently then reformed again for Genesis to find after
it was destroyed in the game's final battle
Where is Argento in DC's main story?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------Acknowledgements--------------[9.0Ac]
Thanking people, recognizing copyrights and some other boring legal stuff.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks [9.1Ac]
I would like to thank the following members of GameFAQs for their
contributions -- unintentional though they occasionally were -- toward the
initial writing of this FAQ:
Leuchest/The Dark Legend
MobiusGear1
Katicflis
I also must extend a very special thanks to the staff and contributors of
TheLifestream.net, as well as LH Yeung/Xcomp for his dedication to this fandom
as manifested through his excellent FFVII Web Novels website. All of your work
-- and many of your forum discussions -- have been invaluable in the updates
for this FAQ that began in September of 2009. Really, enough thanks can't be
given to you guys.
In particular, though, I would like to thank hitoshura and Mako Eyes of
TheLifestream.net. The former for his numerous translations, and the latter
for his numerous contributions to and suggestions for this FAQ -- as well as
his dedication in shaping TheLifestream.net into the best Final Fantasy VII
fansite on the web.
As well, several members of the Cloud x Aerith forums and TheLifestream.net's
forums are owed my gratitude for their contributions to the "Who is Cloud in
love with?" article. It wouldn't be half of what it is without your past
debates to draw upon and your recent comments and suggestions about the
initial release of the article.
Namely, I'd like to thank the following members from each forum.
From Cloud x Aerith: Anastar, FF_Goddess, Beatrix,
EdgarxTerra/MagitekElite/AerithGainsborough, nyrin and Silent Chaos.
From TheLifestream.net: Isabella, Ryushikaze, Vendel/Darth Malak, Loxetta,
Splintered, Mako Eyes, Fairheartstrife, Raquelborn, Terra Branford,
TheMadHatter, Frostwave, Fighter, Shademp, I Am Not Me, The Notorious M.O.G.,
Celes Chere/EVA/Cissy/Yusei and Tennyo.
From both forums: Quexinos, Mira/M-Mira, KissTheRain, Zelda/Zee, Heaven's
Cloud/Lena, DrakeClawfang and Winter/Like Vines.
In particular, Quexinos, Isabella and Ryushikaze likely influenced the
article most with their various comments on the Love Triangle Debate.
Both of the latter two have made a number of illuminating points, as well
as said things more succinctly and meaningfully than I believe I could
have, while Quexinos has always brought new material to my attention or
called upon me to think about things another way.
Celes/EVA/Cissy/Yusei also gets a special thanks for providing me scans
of all the relationship charts from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File
1: Character discussed in this FAQ, as well as for using my subtitles to
make this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMoYIF0oJmg
Sheila of rinoa.nu is also owed a thanks for providing me with photographs
from the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide prior to me
purchasing my own copy.
I must also thank a fellow that goes by the name of Mimeblade for his *huge*
contributions to the "Spirit Energy and Memories" article. It is dedicated to
him.
I would also like to thank Square Enix and the staff of each title discussed
in this document for having made them. Even for Dirge of Cerberus. And to a
lesser extent for Crisis Core, Last Order and Before Crisis.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources used in the creation of this document [9.2Ac]
-Final Fantasy VII
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete
-Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile (all of them)
-Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII
-Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
-Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
-Last Order: Final Fantasy VII
-Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
-The Distance: The Making of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
-Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Ultimania
-Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Ultimania Revised Edition
-Final Fantasy VII Kaitai Shinsho The Complete (Revised Edition)
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Prologue
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Advent Pieces script
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Limited Edition script
-Advent Children Reunion Files
-Crisis Core Ultimania
-Crisis Core Complete Guide
-Final Fantasy VI
-Final Fantasy VIII
-Final Fantasy IX
-Final Fantasy X
-Final Fantasy X-2
-Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission
-Final Fantasy XI
-Final Fantasy XII
-Final Fantasy Tactics
-Final Fantasy: Unlimited
-Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
-Dissidia Final Fantasy
-Kingdom Hearts
-Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
-Kingdom Hearts II
-Ehrgeiz
-Itadaki Street Special
-Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character
-Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario
-Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania
-Final Fantasy IX Ultimania
-Final Fantasy X Scenario Ultimania
-The Making of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
-Dissidia: Final Fantasy Ultimania
-Kingdom Hearts Ultimania
-Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania
-EDGE (May 2003; issue #123)
-Dengeki PlayStation 3 (April 2009; issue #445)
-Electronic Gaming Monthly (October 2005; issue #196)
-Famitsu PS2 (October 24, 2003)
-Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (October 2002; issue #61)
-Official Japanese Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children website:
www.square-enix.co.jp/dvd/ff7ac/
-Official North American Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children website:
na.square-enix.com/dvd/ff7ac/
-TheLifestream.net site and forum
-LH Yeung/Xcomp's Final Fantasy VII Web Novels website:
http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/ff7novels/
-RyuKaze's Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega FAQ:
-pmog's translations from the FFX Ultimania Omega:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genmessage.php?board=2000008&topic=21477330
-Cloud x Aerith forum:
http://z8.invisionfree.com/Cloud_x_Aerith/index.php?act=idx
-Clerith.com
-CloudandAerith.com
-DarkAngel's Gunshot Romance website, a Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis
fansite:
http://www.freewebs.com/gunshotromance/index.htm
-Marcelo X's translation of the Last Mission scenario from Final Fantasy X-2:
International+Last Mission, which can be found on his site:
http://www.warmech.net/warmech.html
-Spira to Midgar: The Final Fantasy Connection website:
http://www.willamette.edu/~ejohnson/findex.htm
Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children,
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to
a Smile (all of them), Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus:
Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Last Order: Final Fantasy
VII, Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, The Distance: The Making of Final
Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final
Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission,
Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy:
Unlimited, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Dissidia Final Fantasy,
Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts II, and Itadaki
Street Special are all registered trademarks of Square Enix. They own the
rights to these works, their featured characters and the likenesses of those
characters.
The publishing copyrights to the Final Fantasy VII Kaitai Shinsho The
Complete (Revised Edition) are held by Famitsu/Aspect.
The publishing copyrights to the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega, the
Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania, the Final Fantasy IX Ultimania, the Final
Fantasy X Scenario Ultimania, the Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega, the
Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania, the Dissidia Final Fantasy Ultimania, the
Kingdom Hearts Ultimania, the Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania and the Crisis Core
Ultimania are held by Square Enix.
The publishing copyrights to Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Prologue are
held by Shueisha, Inc.
The publishing copyrights to the Advent Chilren Reunion Files are held by
SoftBank Corp.
The publishing copyrights to the Crisis Core complete Guide are held by
ASCII Media Works.
The publishing copyrights to The Making of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
are held by BradyGames.
The publishing copyrights to issues of EDGE are held by Future Publishing.
The publishing copyrights to issues of Dengeki PlayStation 3 are held by
ASCII Media Works.
The publishing copyrights to issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly are held by
Ziff Davis Media, Inc.
The publishing copyrights to issues of Famitsu PS2 are held by Enterbrain,
Inc.
The publishing copyrights to issues of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine are
held by Ziff Davis Media, Inc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redistributing this document [9.3Ac]
The following websites have permission to post this document at any time,
anywhere on their sites:
-GameFAQs.com
-IGN.com
-NeoSeeker.com
-TheLifestream.net
This article may be linked to on other sites. Further, it may be quoted on
other websites -- even in full -- so long as the URL to this webpage is
provided. However, it may not be otherwise distributed publicly without
advance -- and extensive -- written permission from me. Use of this document
in any other form of public display -- especially for commercial ends -- is
totally not cool with me, and is a violation of copyright.
================================================================================
==========================
-03 Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Translations
*Translator*
Ryu Kaze/Ryu Sinclair; contact: omegaomnislash@gmail.com
*Time period of translations*
April, 2006
*Last updated*
June 4, 2006
*Current Version*
1.00
****Notes to make yourself aware of****

==MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY X & X-2 ARE IN THIS FAQ==
Also, be aware that at any point the in the translations where you see
something in brackets, it is something that I have added to the translation,
either for the purpose of clarifying the wording (Japanese does not always
translate directly into English in such a way that it's entirely coherent), or
to offer an analysis of a certain section of the translation.
Also, for your convenience, be aware that you can use the numbers to the right
of each section in the table of contents to do a ctrl+f search and instantly
get to the section of your choice.
*****Table of contents*****
-1: Version history (001)
-2: Statement of purpose (002)
-3: Post-FFX/pre-FFX-2 timeline from the FFX-2: International+Last Mission
Ultimania (003)
-4: Translations from the Story of FFX-2 -- Four Puzzles section of the FFX-2
Ultimania Omega (004)
-5: Translations concerning the plot-related connection between FFVII and
FFX/X-2 (005)
-6: Recommended further reading (006)
-7: Acknowledgements about the game, the Ultimanias and this FAQ (007)
****Version history**** (001)

June 4: Added new site to the list of sites authorized to host this FAQ
April 26: Clarifying "continuation" as meaning "sequel"
April 23: Translations completed and FAQ published
Adding slight elaboration to one of the analyses in the translations
from the Four Puzzles section
Added another translation to the FFVII-FFX/X-2 section
****Statement of purpose**** (002)

This FAQ's purpose is to provide an English translation of some of the notable
storyline related sections of the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania guidebooks to
the fans of Final Fantasy X and X-2 who may be unable to acquire or translate
the books themselves. I've tried to maintain as accurate a translation here as
possible, and I believe I've managed to keep all the explanations true to the
original Japanese information offered in the books.
I do have faith that I've accurately conveyed the intent of everything present
in those sections I translated, and I've tried to maintain a
Japanese-to-English wording as consistent with the original as possible. Where
that wasn't always possible (and it's never going to be), I've inserted
brackets ([ ]) to indicate the words that I had to insert in order to maintain
the same flow we would use in English. Surprisingly, I've not had to do it all
that much.
Also, be aware that (also contained in brackets) at the end of many sections
you'll find an analysis section where I offer some kind of clarification or
comment on the section you've just read.
I do hope you'll enjoy this FAQ and that it will be of benefit to many fans of
Final Fantasy X and X; both those who weren't able to read the books for
themselves and those who just want to see another take on the wording. Enjoy.
****Post-FFX/pre-FFX-2 timeline from the FFX-2: International+Last Mission

Ultimania**** (003)
(Page 583)
[Immediately after FFX]
*Spira's Eternal Calm begins
*Many groups begin to dissolve
*Brother and Buddy discover the airship Celsius
*Trema closes down the training facility on the Calm Lands. The depowered
Yevon priests begin a motion to put forth the truth
Half a year later [after FFX]
*Sphere Hunters begin appearing at this time
*Wakka and Lulu marry
*Trema establishes the New Yevon party. He begins monopolizing the collection
of spheres
1 year later [after FFX]
*Nooj founds the Youth League
*Trema enters the mausoleum of Saint Bevelle (after this, he disappears), and
destroys the collected spheres
*Kimahri becomes the elder of the Ronso Tribe
*The Youth League begins rebuilding the port of Kilika
*The New Yevon party's second generation chief ascends [to power] and his son
is inaugurated as praetor
*Gippal forms the Machine Faction
*Brother becomes a Sphere Hunter. He founds the Gullwings
2 years later [after FFX]
[Eternal Calm]
*Rikku shows Yuna the "Journey's Start Sphere" that Kimahri found. Yuna leaves
Besaid
*Yuna joins the Gullwings
*A bloodless coup d'état occurs within the New Yevon party. The party chief
and praetor fall from power, and Baralai is inaugurated as the [new] praetor
------------------------
[Analysis: Plenty of interesting info here; tells us when Wakka and Lulu got
married, when the temples of Yevon lost their power and revealed the truth to
the people, and plenty of other interesting tidbits. Not a huge treasure trove
by any means, but interesting stuff to know nonetheless.]
------------------------
****Translations from the Story of FFX-2 -- Four Puzzles section of the FFX-2
Ultimania Omega**** (004)
***Lenne & Shuyin*** (Pages 86-87)
The dressphere of the ancient songstress Lenne resonates sympathy from Yuna.
She lost her beloved, Tidus -- just like [Lenne] with Shuyin -- and became
gripped by despair. The information surrounding the pair is detailed here.
**Tragedy of 1000 years ago**
In ancient times, in the summoner city of Zanarkand, there was a songstress
named "Lenne" who was expected to face certain defeat in an upcoming conflict
of the Machina War, and with the battle almost at hand, she was soon to be
sent forth. It was then that the whereabouts of her lover, Shuyin, became
unknown. In an effort to save his love, he had planned to take Vegnagun, the
secret weapon of Bevelle [, their enemies]. Before long, a spy from Zanarkand
brought news to Lenne that Shuyin had been seen, and she intuited that he
planned to enter Bevelle. Just before Shuyin could activate Vegnagun, Lenne
discovered him and restrained him, but immediately afterward, the lovers were
attacked by Bevelle soldiers and killed.
------------------------
[Analysis: This tells us how Lenne knew where to go to find Shuyin, which is
good to know.]
------------------------
**The thoughts that reside in the Dressphere**

Lenne's thoughts remained attached to the songstress dressphere [that
features] the same outfit she wore. 1000 years then passed with this remaining
the case, and then the time of the Eternal Calm arrived for the world, with
the dressphere being discovered and utilized; Lenne's thoughts would then be
imparted to Yuna as she wore it and would occasionally rise to the surface of
her consciousness.
When Yuna attaches the songstress dressphere to her body, little by little
Lenne's thoughts flow into Yuna via the clothing and her behavior begins to
reflect this. When she recovers it in Luca during Chapter 1, she begins to
dance uncontrollably; in Chapter 3, when she meets Shuyin in the abyss of the
Farplane, the thoughts leave her unable to move......Also, during the concert
in Chapter 4, due to the effect of the sphere wave from Shinra's sphere
screen, it produces on the screen a projection of Lenne's memories of the
past.
This kind of phenomenon is only seen in matters concerning Yuna, and the
summoner also shares [with Lenne] that their beloved sweethearts bear
appearances that are much the same, a link [that is] an odd turn of
chance......The truth behind the cause of this link is not certain.
------------------------
[Analysis: Doesn't really tell us anything we didn't know before.]
------------------------
**Yuna's dreams**
During Chapter 2, as a result of Lenne's memories -- which were having an
influence on Yuna -- of her and Shuyin being shot to death, Yuna has a dream
of her and Tidus running [from someone] together and then them being shot in
an area shown in the images on a sphere (-->P.105). In truth, Lenne and Shuyin
did not take one another's hands and attempt escaping together. Yuna's dreams
linger with her, but it had been someone else -- who looked much like Tidus --
who was killed underneath Bevelle while running away in these fragmented
thoughts, though her own feelings and memories of Tidus and two years ago had
melded with them to produce these dreams. As for what really happened with
Lenne and Shuyin, this can be seen during the concert in Chapter 4 and inside
the sealed cave in Chapter 5.
------------------------
[Analysis: Now here's some clarification. It was always quite confusing to me
before how it was that Tidus and Yuna -- who were obviously supposed to
be in the place of Shuyin and Lenne in Yuna's dreams -- had been escaping
together, but Lenne had "just gotten there in time" to stop Shuyin from using
Vegnagun. According to this, that scene with them running together while
holding hands never actually happened. It was just a result of Yuna's own
memories playing with what memories of Lenne she was getting from the
songstress dressphere.]
------------------------
**Outline of events of 1000 years ago (< > denotes the related representation
seen in-game)**
*Lenne is a famous songstress in Zanarkand. Young Maechen was a fan of hers
and shook her hand during an event <related by the "Splendor of Zanarkand"
sphere>
*The Machina War begins
*It is decided that Lenne will participate in the Machina War
*In an attempt to rescue Lenne with Vegnagun, Shuyin infiltrates Bevelle. He
is arrested by Bevelle soldiers and placed in the Bevelle Underground's prison
<related by the "Journey's Start" and "Prison of 1000 years ago" spheres>
*Lenne goes after Shuyin and infiltrates Bevelle
*Shuyin breaks out of the prison. He starts up Vegnagun, but while doing so,
Lenne enters and tells him to stop; their pursuers then shoot them <related by
Yuna's dreams, the images seen during the concert, and the images seen in the
sealed cave>
------------------------
[Analysis: Nothing new here.]
------------------------
**"Shadow"**
In regard to the young man named "Shuyin," the "Shuyin" that appears in the
story is not Shuyin himself. It is not exactly his corpse. The Shuyin in the
story is full of the despair, hatred and negative destructive thoughts of the
Shuyin of 1000 years ago, preserved by pyreflies -- which became the "shadow"
of Shuyin.
As seen in the Yevon Dome in X, in places where pyreflies are densely packed,
they will remember moments from the past and project them. In regard to the
Shuyin in the story, these kinds of phantom thoughts began acting on their
own, in a unique case of those who have died.
The difference between the corpse and the "shadow" is that its pyreflies do
not possess the means of ordinary physical interaction. While the "shadow" of
Shuyin lacks physical substance, it is possible for it to produce extensions
of itself and for it to directly influence the state of mind of those around
it (as seen inside the sealed cave). In order for it to begin physically
interacting with the living world outside, it needed to possess someone to act
as a vessel. In order to be a suitable vessel for it, someone must be of
similar disposition and have the physical and spiritual strength he needs.
Furthering this need to find what is considered a suitable vessel is that if
the current vessel should lose consciousness, transferring to a new one is not
possible.
------------------------
[Analysis: This is slightly confusing. Though the game itself does establish
that the Shuyin we're dealing with is a "shadow" and that it took form from
pyreflies that had begun to act on their own after absorbing Shuyin's powerful
emotions, there's little to no clarification on what exactly happened with the
pyreflies/spiritual energy that belonged to Shuyin himself, nor any
explanation for how his memories became attached to some pyreflies in the
first place. There's also no explanation as to why these pyreflies cannot
physically manifest. Even if these pyreflies didn't belong to the flesh and
blood body of Shuyin before his death, that shouldn't make a difference, as
all pyreflies have previously displayed the capacity to physically manifest,
either through unsent, fiends or when tapped into from the surrounding area to
be used in the formation of aeons. This also leaves us to wonder why Shuyin
WAS able to physically manifest himself for the final battle of the game.
Even the game itself leaves us with that question due to Nooj having said "He
acts through another's body. Stop the body and you stop him," so this isn't an
issue with the Ultimania Omega being inconsistent.
In regard to the "shadow" business, for my own part, I would speculate that
for the memories and despair of Shuyin to have been imparted to other
pyreflies, they would have needed to come in contact with them after his
death, and that they may have merged with them. Otherwise, I don't believe we
can reasonably account for how this came to happen, or why there aren't tons
of these Shuyin apparitions all around Spira. I would also say that -- for all
intents and purposes -- this Shuyin we deal with IS Shuyin himself, for it has
his memories and his emotions. That being the case, it might as well be him,
especially in lieu of us having any reason to believe that all traces of his
memories and despair were not in the Den of Woe in the first place.
In terms of being helpful, though, this section does slightly elaborate on
the concept behind Shuyin taking possession of other people's bodies and his
vulnerabilities in this state.]
------------------------
**Connection to Nooj and his friends**

2 years ago, during the Crimson Squad's final excercise, Shuyin entered the
death-seeking heart of Nooj. With [Nooj's] flesh as a vessel, [Shuyin]
intended to activate Vegnagun and destroy Spira. However, Nooj's will was
strong and the control by Shuyin's feelings could not influence his actions
very much. The only time Shuyin's will took over Nooj's own was on the Mi'hen
Highroad, immediately after the 4 [survivors of the Crimson Squad excercise]
parted ways. After the crisis passed and the other three had been shot, Nooj
became calm again as his consciousness rose back to the surface and Shuyin's
was sealed into his subconscious.
In order to try controlling Nooj's body completely, he kept sending him
unconscious thoughts about finding Vegnagun, which beckoned to him little by
little. As a result, Nooj eventually arrives at Vegnagun's location, but his
animosity for it caused it to flee. Having come here, Shuyin attempted to
fulfill his objective by taking another vessel.
When 3 individuals held a secret meeting in the Bevelle Underground during
Chapter 3, it presented the perfect opportunity for Shuyin. After Baralai
pointed at a gun at him, in but a moment, he had passed from Nooj's heart and
withdrawn from his body. Finding him to also be suitable, [Shuyin] possessed
Baralai and leaped into the nearby hole that led to the Farplane, making his
way toward Vegnagun.
------------------------
[Analysis: Not really anything we wouldn't know from playing the game.]
------------------------
**Connection with Tidus?**

The appearance and voice of Shuyin resemble Tidus, but the two are completely
different in actuality. Shuyin is a man of the past; he lived 1000 years ago
in Zanarkand, the metropolis city of summoners. Tidus, a pyreform, was a
resident of its summoned replica, Dream Zanarkand.
Be that as it may, Dream Zanarkand was in fact created with the idea in mind
that it be the ideal [representation] of Zanarkand's existance, a wish given
form. Since its existance was the model for everything in Dream Zanarkand,
this extends to its inhabitants also. When thinking about this with regard to
Tidus, one cannot deny the possibility that this [was the case] with his
personage and Shuyin. However, most inhabitants of Dream Zanarkand would marry
one another and have children, continuing the cycle of life. For this reason,
the genes of the dream's inhabitants began to blend in a complicated way, and
with these impurities, the duplication of [Shuyin's] personage cannot be
certain. Even if it is true that Shuyin was the model for Tidus, this would
not mean that their connection is close.
------------------------
[Analysis: This offers us little clarification on the matter, but it's
probably pretty much impossible that Shuyin was the model for Tidus, if only
because the Dream Zanarkand version of Shuyin should have been created 1000
years in the past. He should have long since died. It's possible, though, that
Tidus is a descendant of Dream Zanarkand's Shuyin. That would actually make a
lot of sense.]
------------------------
****Translations concerning the plot-related connection between FFVII and

FFX/X-2**** (005)
As some fans of Final Fantasy VII, X and X-2 may or may not know, the worlds
of the two games share a plot-related connection. The connection's existance
was established during an interview with Yoshinori Kitase (lead developer of
the Final Fantasy series) and Kazushige Nojima (the scenario writer of Final
Fantasy VII, Before Crisis, Advent Children, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy
X, Final Fantasy X-2 and the Kingdom Hearts series) in 2002, as featured in
the Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega guidebook, an official Square-Enix
publication.
This interview established that there would be a connection between the two
worlds, though it didn't detail it. However, based on what was later revealed
to be the connection, it's clear that it had already been conceived, as
Kitase hints at it with his final word on the subject. In 2003, the exact
nature of the concept was finally revealed in the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania,
having been hinted toward by a few elements of the game.
Nojima revealed that Shinra of the Gullwings, an Al Bhed child prodigy and
inventor of various machinery, would attempt using the remains of Vegnagun --
the behemoth machina Shuyin tried to destroy Spira with -- to extract life
energy from the Farplane and use it to power machines. Shinra would attempt
doing this as a result of his analysis of the Farplane late in the game.
During this diagnostic, Shinra concluded that there was a great deal of energy
floating around inside the Farplane, and that it was most likely the life
force of Spira, which could be extracted and used as a power source; however,
he concluded that it would take generations to properly implement the idea.
Further of note is that Nojima explained that the Al Bhed entrepeneur Rin also
was interested in extracting mako from the Farplane, and that he provided
Shinra with the funding to make the attempt. For his part, Rin's desire to do
this is revealed during the game should he be uncovered as the culprit behind
covering up the malfunctioning machina disaster on the Mi'hen Highroad.
Nojima went on to say that Shinra's attempts to use Vegnagun's remains failed
and that he was unable to complete the concept of mako-extraction, just as
Shinra had predicted. However, some 1000 years later, once space travel became
possible, Shinra's descendants would go on a voyage to the world of Final
Fantasy VII. There, at some point in the future, they would be successful in
utilizing the concept, and would provide electricity from the Planet for a
price; these descendants would found the Shin-Ra Company of Final Fantasy VII.
The connection would again be hinted toward in the Final Fantasy X-2:
International+Last Mission (released in 2004) game's Last Mission scenario, in
which Rikku revealed that Rin and Shinra had begun working together. Finally,
the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guidebook (released in 2005) also brings
forth mention of the concept.
I will here present the dialogue from Final Fantasy X-2 that hints at the
connection, as well as the interviews and other translations that establish
its existance as part of official Final Fantasy continuity.
***Dialogue with Rin from Final Fantasy X-2***
Rin
Yuna
"You put the investigation in our hands because we were amateurs. You hoped we
would botch the case."
Yuna
Yuna
Rin
Rikku
"Why, Rin?"
Rin
"If word got out that machina pose a danger, people would fear them and stop
using them."
Paine
Rin
development."
Rin
Yuna
Rin
Rin
"We are researching ways to extract the vast energy that sleeps in Spira, and
use it to power machina."
Paine
"You're a jackass."
Rin
***Dialogue with Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2***

Shinra
"Aha..."
Yuna
Shinra
"Farplane data."
Shinra
Yuna
"Limitless energy?"
Shinra
Shinra
Brother
"Sweet!"
Shinra
Brother
"That's no fun!"
Buddy
Yuna
Yuna
Shinra
***Dialogue with Rikku from Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission***
Paine
"These days, people are always looking for sunken machina."
Rikku
"Yup-yup!"
Yuna
"Oh? Has Shinra been helping you with that?"
Rikku
"Ahh, now that you bring it up..."
Rikku
"Well, he left the ship and got together with Rin, and what do you think all
that research they've been doing is about?"
***Interview with Yoshinori Kitase and Kazushige Nojima in the Final Fantasy X
Ultimania Omega*** (Page 191)
**FFVII and FFX are connected?!**
--"Previously, with a conversation in the FFX Scenario Ultimania, you made
certain inferences, and since it's been about half a year since then, is there
anything new you'd like to clarify about FFX?"
Kitase
"That's true...... Now that FFX International is out and we're in the future,
I'm in a predicament; it really isn't that hard to think of another story
[set] in that world; room for expansion was left possible there without too
much difficulty, don't you think? Speaking conversely, FFX received a splendid
reception and made us think of adding to it."
Nojima
"After FFVII was finished, we were easily able to add Zack's open[-ended role]
into the International version. But, with X, there was an older story with a
partly-finished world and an opening that this new one could be added to and
[, in doing] so[,] complete it."
Kitase
"So, you could say [in terms of] time, Nojima-san decided to designate it to
act as a sequel to VII, if you follow me."
--"It's a sequel to VII!!"

Kitase
"Well, there was a joke right there. Simply put, in VII's ending, Holy came,
and the next thing you knew, it was over without closing things up, and then
it was the "500 years later" [scene] in the future. There's a large margin
buried there. A margin for the imagination. Nojima-san and Toriyama are going
to be filling something of that with VII, though, while they're at their best
and can do it."
--"So, will it become a sequel to VII's story?"

Nojima
"I have a strong feeling that they're going to be connected."
--"Huh, so VII and X ARE connected?"

Nojima
"Well, there's not many specifics to it. I know that what becomes of people
when they die is among them; you could say that it's basically the same. Both
[concepts came to] function along the same line of thought as I wrote the
stories. Sometimes my thoughts just flow out like that, even though pyreflies
distinctly aren't green."
--"When you speak of the dead becoming [something] green, do you perhaps
[mean]......?"
Nojima
"Yes. In my mind, pyreflies and VII's Lifestream are the same substance."
Kitase
"Nojima-san's even considering making use of an idea like this -- [with] an
addition to the idea of life origin -- in a sequel to FFX International.
That's just a little bit of the thought that's been going into what to do with
VII."
Nojima
"That's right. There's something like the Lifestream [in X's world
also]......."
--"'An addition to the idea of life origin'......does that mean you're going
to revise life origin concepts or something?"
Nojima
"I can't say......it's a secret (laughs)."
Kitase
"It's a surprise with how someone from the story conducts theirself with
regards to the Farplane."
***Interview with FFX-2 creators from the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania***
(Page 723)
**"So, what of this child, Shinra......"**
--"Among these latest stories, 'connected' is one of the key words becoming
applicable, isn't it?"
[Daisuke] Watanabe
"I personally like the word 'connected,' but there's one aspect where that
applies well."
Nojima
"During the game's progression, various vague things will be tied together to
reveal it."
--"For example, the name 'Shinra' suggests a connection with VII? There's
[what's said] in the 'Graduation Mission' scenario [ -- 'graduation'
referring to Shinra being soon to leave the Gullwings -- ], and the 'I am not
alone in my thinking' line from the 'Rin's Detective Work' scenario seems to
have some particular significance."
Nojima
"Actually, it does. After quitting the Gullwings, Shinra received enormous
financial support from Rin, and began trying to use Vegnagun to siphon Mako
Energy from the Farplane. But, he is unable to complete the system for
utilizing this energy in his generation, and in the future, when traveling to
distant planets becomes possible, the Shin-Ra Company is founded on another
world, or something like that....... That would happen about 1000 years after
this story, I think."
--"So VII's story is after that?"

Nojima
"Well, you could say the feelings I have are like that. When I think about the
characters, those are the kinds of feelings I already have. Shinra is a good
child, but his descendants are going to end up becoming like the president [of
Shin-Ra] (laughs)."
Watanabe
"With you said about VII, after seeing your episodes with Shinra, one of the
people on the [development] staff said that the first shot of the Bevelle
Underground 'gives the impression of somewhere else.'"
[Motomu] Toriyama
"Certainly; it looks like the opening shot of Midgar in VII."
***Information on Shinra of the Gullwings in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania

Omega*** (Page 563)
Shinra is a boy who supports the Gullwings, the group which the main
protagonist, Yuna, belongs to. He carries a name that gives him an association
to the Shin-Ra Company, and he is researching a method that could utilize the
energy of "the life force that flows through our planet." The results of this
cannot be seen in FFX-2, but maybe one day his descendants will establish a
"company that supplies the energy of the planet"?
The words of Shinra, which can be heard at the end of the story. This world
has something similar to the Lifestream that is worthy of attention.
***Interview with FFVII creators from the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania
Omega*** (Page 571)
--"At E3 (the world's largest game show, which was held in America), as a demo
for the PS3, the opening of FFVII was shown; was its purpose to serve as
something of a preliminary announcement?
Kitase
"Well, in regard to that, please think of it as a mere demonstration. Because
the production period for its imagery was [going to be] so short, we made the
opening of FFVII, as it was easy to represent. Beyond that, there is no
particular deeper meaning.
--"In that case, it's not a remake; when might you be making something to
serve as the direct continuation of FFX-2?"
Kitase
"Producing something like that holds the same problem as a remake [of FFVII],
as our schedule just isn't open for it [right now]."
****Recommended further reading**** (006)

-Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega Translations:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/final_fantasy_vii_ultramania_omega.txt
http://faqs.neoseeker.com/Games/Playstation/final_fantasy_vii_ultramania_omega
.txt
This is my translations from the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega,
Square-Enix's official explanation of the story of Final Fantasy VII.
-Xcomp's "The Final Fantasy VII Collection" website:

http://xthost.info/ffwebnovel/
This is a really great site, featuring translations of Before Crisis episodes,
the Advent Children Prologue book, On the Way to a Smile (Case of Tifa and
Case of Denzel) and Maiden who Travels the Planet (from the Final Fantasy VII
Ultimania Omega).
-Squall_of_SeeD's "Final Fantasy VII & Advent Children Plot Analysis" FAQ:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/file/final_fantasy_vii_ac_plot.txt
This comprehensive FAQ on the original Final Fantasy VII and its sequel Advent
Children contains a lot of verified theories and explanations about the game
and the movie. It also has a few translations, but it's more of an extensive
story analysis guide than a translation FAQ.
****Acknowledgements about the game, the Ultimanias and this FAQ (007)****
***Thanks in the making of this FAQ go to...***
...my wife and daughter, simply for the wonderful life you've given me. I love
you two so much.
***Publications cited in this FAQ***

-Final Fantasy X, X-2 and X-2: International+Last Mission themselves
-Final Fantasy VII
-Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega
***Notes on the Final Fantasy VII Ultimanias***

-Edited by Studio BentStuff
-Published by Square-Enix
-Publishing rights held by Square-Enix
***List of sites authorized to host this FAQ***

-Any site ran by me
-GameFAQs
-IGN
-Neoseeker
-Super Cheats
Final Fantasy VII, X, X-2 and all of their derivatives are registered
trademarks of Square-Enix. They own the rights to them, their characters and
the designs of those characters.
Square-Enix owns the rights to the information in the Ultimanias, but I own
the rights to the interpretation of those words seen in this FAQ. Feel free to
quote this guide, but I'd appreciate it if you'd say where you got your info
when you do it, and I'd appreciate it twice as much if you'd throw in a link
to the FAQ as well. Please remember that quoting this FAQ verbatim without
acknowledging it as the source is a violation of copyright, as is publically
displaying it somewhere else without my permission.
If you don't see your name/affiliated site of employment/ownership on that
list of sites authorized to host this thing, it shouldn't be on your site
without you getting permission from me to host it. My e-mail's at the top of
the page, so please ask first. As I've said in the other FAQs I've written, I
probably won't say no if you ask me to let you host it somewhere else, but I'd
like the courtesy of having the opportunity to say no anyway; if you don't
give me that opportunity and I find out about it, the answer is an automatic
no from there on out.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
================================================================================
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[Table Of Contents]

-00 Table Of Contents

****Notes to make yourself aware of****

****Version history**** (001)

****Statement of purpose**** (002)

****Translations from the character profiles segment of the book**** (003)

***[From Aerith's bio]*** (Page 30)

***Stop the vehicle, please!*** (Page 37)

***Sephiroth's will and Jenova's will*** (Page 53)

*Public Safety Maintenance Department*

*Weapons Development Department*

*Space Exploration Department*

*Urban Development Department*

***Zack*** (Page 59)

***Zangan*** (Page 59)

***Tifa's dad*** (Page 59)

***Gast Faremis*** (Page 59)

***Ifalna*** (Page 59)

***Lucrecia*** (Page 59)

***Biggs*** (Page 60)

***Jessie*** (Page 60)

***Johnny*** (Page 61)

***Bugenhagen*** (Page 63)

****Translations from the Story Playback segment of the book**** (004)

***The open cell door*** (Page 94)

***[From the Story Playback segment of the book]*** (Page 102)

***Jenova inside the ship*** (Page 112)

***Tseng on the verge of death*** (Page 150)

***The Sephiroth of the water altar*** (Page 157)

***Elena burns with vengeance*** (Page 158)

***Rufus' last moment?*** (Page 197)

***Vincent's anger*** (Page 198)

***Jenova-SYNTHESIS*** (Page 204)

***Cloud's final battle*** (Page 204)

**Jenova Relation 1: The Jenova Project** (005.1A)

*Professor Gast and the Jenova Project*

*The product of the project: Sephiroth*

*Jenova's mimic ability*

**Jenova Relation 2: The Reunion* (005.1B)

*The movement of Jenova's main body for the Reunion*

**Jenova Relation 3: The Sephiroth Clones** (005.1C)

*Successful work, failure work*

*The Sephiroth Clones that make appearances in various places*

***The Ancients*** (Page 214) (005.2)

**The Ancients Relation 1: The Promised Land** (005.2A)

***Meteor and Holy*** (Pages 214-215) (005.3)

***The WEAPONs*** (Page 215) (005.4)

**The WEAPONs that appear in the story** (005.4A)

***Lifestream*** (Pages 216-217) (005.5)

**Lifestream Relation 1: Mako Energy** (005.5A)

*The various mako reactors*

*Materia and postwar society*

**Lifestream Relation 2: The Study of Planet Life** (005.5B)

*The Planet's circle of life*

*The anti-Shin-Ra organization*

***Lifestream Relation 3: SOLDIER*** (005.5C)

****Translations of the vehicle specifications**** (006) (Pages 301-313)

***SHINRA Transportation unit GELNIKA***

***uV type Submarine***

***B1A type Helicopter***

***B1B type Helicopter***

***sA-27 type Motor tricycle***

***bA-37 type Motor tricycle***

Notes to make yourself aware of

Version history (001)

Statement of purpose (002)

Translations from the character profiles segment of the book (003)

[From Aerith's bio] (Page 30)

Stop the vehicle, please! (Page 37)

Sephiroth's will and Jenova's will (Page 53)

Public Safety Maintenance Department

Weapons Development Department

Space Exploration Department

Urban Development Department

Zack (Page 59)

Zangan (Page 59)

Tifa's dad (Page 59)

Gast Faremis (Page 59)

Ifalna (Page 59)

Lucrecia (Page 59)

Biggs (Page 60)

Jessie (Page 60)

Johnny (Page 61)

Bugenhagen (Page 63)

Translations from the Story Playback segment of the book (004)

The open cell door (Page 94)

[From the Story Playback segment of the book] (Page 102)

Jenova inside the ship (Page 112)

Tseng on the verge of death (Page 150)

The Sephiroth of the water altar (Page 157)

Elena burns with vengeance (Page 158)

Rufus' last moment? (Page 197)

Vincent's anger (Page 198)

Jenova-SYNTHESIS (Page 204)

Cloud's final battle (Page 204)

Jenova Relation 1: The Jenova Project (005.1A)

Professor Gast and the Jenova Project

The product of the project: Sephiroth

Jenova's mimic ability

The movement of Jenova's main body for the Reunion

Jenova Relation 3: The Sephiroth Clones (005.1C)

Successful work, failure work

The Sephiroth Clones that make appearances in various places

The Ancients (Page 214) (005.2)

The Ancients Relation 1: The Promised Land (005.2A)

Meteor and Holy (Pages 214-215) (005.3)

The WEAPONs (Page 215) (005.4)

The WEAPONs that appear in the story (005.4A)

Lifestream (Pages 216-217) (005.5)

Lifestream Relation 1: Mako Energy (005.5A)

The various mako reactors

Materia and postwar society

Lifestream Relation 2: The Study of Planet Life (005.5B)

The Planet's circle of life

The anti-Shin-Ra organization

Lifestream Relation 3: SOLDIER (005.5C)

Translations of the vehicle specifications (006) (Pages 301-313)

SHINRA Transportation unit GELNIKA

uV type Submarine

B1A type Helicopter

B1B type Helicopter

sA-27 type Motor tricycle

bA-37 type Motor tricycle

pA-86 type Automobile

Rocket SHINRA No.26

Dialogue with Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2

Dialogue with Rikku from Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission

Notes on information in the Advent Children Reunion Files book (008)

Character and plot notes (008.2)

Miscellaneous notes (008.3)

Recommended further reading (009)

Publications cited in this FAQ

Notes on the Ultimanias

List of sites authorized to host this FAQ

Notes to make yourself aware of

Version history (001)

Statement of purpose (002)

The thoughts that reside in the Dressphere

Connection to Nooj and his friends

Connection with Tidus?

Dialogue with Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2

Recommended further reading (006)

Publications cited in this FAQ