The Legend of Final Fantasy VII E-Book

Nicolas Courcier

• Herausgeber: Third Editions
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: The legend of final fantasy
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 445

Beschreibung

What gamer hasn’t tried Final Fantasy VII?

The game, released in 1997, is now the standard-bearer of a whole generation, and it’s also the one which catapulted Sony’s PlayStation onto center stage. To celebrate this mythic video game’s 15th anniversary, Third Editions wanted to throw itself back into this unbelievable universe. This carefully crafted publication takes a look back at all the titles that helped forge Final Fantasy VII’s mythology (including the Compilation of FF VII), and deciphers their content through examination and original analysis.

This book was written by Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi, former authors and now publishers. The first print was release in 2011.

An essential book to (re) discover the universe of the mythical series Final Fantasy!

EXTRACT

"To celebrate one of the most important RPGs in the history of video games, Third Editions has decided to publish a tribute book: a heartfelt edition, but also one that truly analyzes the games that revolve around this legendary RPG. Indeed, the subject of this book is not only Final Fantasy VII, but the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, from Advent Children to Before Crisis, including Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus, without forgetting Last Order.
To get this journey off on the right foot and refresh your memory, we begin by summarizing the Final Fantasy VII saga. For the first time ever, the full story will be told in chronological order: from the Planet’s origins to the awakening of Genesis, as depicted in the secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus. Once the entire saga has been told, we will take you behind the scenes so that you can discover how the video game compilation was created. You will learn about the people whose unexpected decisions changed the game’s design. We will also provide a number of anecdotes pertaining to the game’s overall development. A complete interpretation will then be offered for each title, paving the way for numerous reflections."

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi - Fascinated by print media since childhood, Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi wasted no time in launching their first magazine, Console Syndrome, in 2004. After five issues with distribution limited to the Toulouse region of France, they decided to found a publishing house under the same name. One year later, their small business was acquired by another leading publisher of works about video games. In their four years in the world of publishing, Nicolas and Mehdi published more than twenty works on major video game series, and wrote several of those works themselves: Metal Gear Solid. Hideo Kojima’s Magnum Opus, Resident Evil Of Zombies and Men, and The Legend of Final Fantasy VII and IX. Since 2015, they have continued their editorial focus on analyzing major video game series at a new publishing house that they founded together: Third.

Grégoire Hellot is a French freelance journalist who specializes in video games. He began his career in the field more than twenty years ago when he joined Joypad magazine. As a pioneer dealing in Japanese video games, he has contributed to the French public’s acceptance of these unique titles. Today, he contributes to the Gamekult website and is also the Managing Director of Kurokawa Editions, created in 2005 by the publishing house Univers Poche. Grégoire is also known for his role as the Silver Mousquetaire in the TV series France Five.

Leseprobe

For Erik “Gronkh” Range

The Legend of Final Fantasy VIIby Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi is published by Third Editions 32 rue d’Alsace-Lorraine, 31000 TOULOUSE, France [email protected] www.thirdeditions.com

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All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form, without the written consent of the copyright holder.

Any copy or reproduction, by any means, constitutes a copyright infringement subject to the penalties authorized by French Law No. 57-298 of March 11, 1957 pertaining to copyright protection.

The Third logo is a trademark of Third Editions, registered in France and additional countries.

Edition: Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi

Text: Nicolas Courcier, Mehdi El Kanafi Chapter III “The Secrets of Final Fantasy VII.” Léonard Neveu Subsection “The Music in Final Fantasy VII:” Damien Mecheri Subsection: “The Symbolism of Advent Children:” Selami Boudjerda Proofreading: Thomas Savary Layouts: Julie Gantois Covers: Johann Blais Cover Layout: Frédéric Tomé Translated from French by: Jennifer Ligas (ITC Traductions)

This reference work is presented by Third Editions as a tribute to the video game metaseries Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.The authors propose tracing the history of the Final Fantasy VII video game in this unique collection, which uses original thinking and analysis to interpret the inspirations, context, and content of this series.

Final Fantasy is a registered trademark of SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All rights reserved. The visual content on the cover is inspired by the work of Tetsuya Nomura: Final Fantasy VII character designer.

English Edition, copyright 2017, Third Editions.

All rights reserved.

ISBN 979-10-94723-55-5

PREFACE

Final Fantasy VII is a game that left its mark on an era. With its multiple levels of symbolism, players find it either unnerving or fascinating. And yes, like it or not, the truth remains that it revolutionized the world of digital edutainment in several small ways, not only in France but worldwide. First, the game’s advertisements divided those familiar with the medium into two groups: for the first time ever, Final Fantasy broke with Nintendo and was released for use on a console made by Sony, an outsider at the time. Back then, as a journalist who was fortunate enough to specialize in video games, this was a bit of a galactic slap! Second small revolution: the very first pictures of the game did not appear in Famitsu, or in any other Japanese magazine, but rather on the publisher’s new website. In 1996, the Web was still new; in fact, it was practically non-existent.Looking up pictures on the Internet was unprecedented, something that my colleagues and I had never done before. A Sony console? Internet pictures? Square has gone berserk!

Today, in an era of multiplatform games and social networks, this seems rather comical. At the time, however, it was perceived as completely mad! Using the era’s 33k modem, it took an entire night to load an MP3; we thought this was magical! Well, maybe not at first, because frankly, we did wonder how Square could possibly distinguish itself by plagiarizing Alone in the Dark and its punk hero, accustomed as we were to such adorable little sprites.

And then, the juicy gossip and amusing anecdotes began to circulate. Did you hear that Square was flagged by the CIA? The company was suspected of planning to launch missiles using the powerful computers they had purchased to work out their graphics! To call attention to the amount of work that they’d just accomplished, the developers would later boast about this episode, sharing it with avid fans in the chat rooms of the 3615 Joypad (Minitel page of a French magazine). What, you thought there were Internet forums in 1997? And, of course, there were flying cars too, right?

Nevertheless, back then, the CIA story fired up our imaginations, sustaining us until the first trailers were released. And then, finally, the game arrived. We were presented with three adventure-packed CDs narrated in a revolutionary style, interspersed with “cinematic” videos; it was a far cry from the animations produced by PC Engine who continued to offer titles such as Far East of Eden for Saturn. Attractive, time-consuming, and vibrant, FF VII was an influential precursor of Japanese RPGs. Given that this genre was only available at home (in France) in the form of a few timid English translations of Phantasy Star for Megadrive, fans of JRPGs had to have a good Japanese dictionary if they wanted to enjoy regular adventures! But then, FF VII arrived in France, bursting onto the screen. Distributed by Sony, the game was promoted in numerous—misleading—television ads highlighting the quality of cinematic scenes using computer-generated images. Admittedly, the game was so widely advertised that it was quite successful, but a lot of unhappy customers returned it to the stores because they believed that they were buying an interactive film rather than an RPG. FF VII is also a leading precursor of “manga culture,” with its trendy characters and narration that resemble the works of Japanese anime. It must be said that it arrived at the right time: Japanese anime cartoons, considered too violent, were no longer on television and the explosion of comics at the cinema was still a long way away.

FF VII, distributed with great fanfare by Sony, opened the door to the publisher’s other big games: FF Tactics, FF VIII, FF IX, and Romancing SaGa. Today, Square’s merger with its long-time rival Enix is now complete, and the company has an office in Paris. High priced goodies (mostly made in China) no longer exist, and an official store now offers the same items that are available in Japan; new products come to us entirely translated with only a short three-month delay. This was unthinkable twenty years ago. Back then, as I well remember, RPG consoles were regarded as UFOs or oddities. Robots with blue hair and cat-women were a far cry from the standards imposed by the Ultima series, and others such as Bard’s Tale, that were popular at the time.

In this regard, FF VII also significantly helped pave the way for both Japanese and Western RPGs to move in a different artistic direction, proving that fantasy, whether dark, steam, or punk, could be in vogue. Today, it is fashionable to openly mock Final Fantasy VII and its imagery: there is, of course, a tortured hero, with a great big sword, who is accompanied by a ditzy heroine. Nevertheless, if the game is equally mocked in the age of Skyrim and the Dragon Age series, it’s mainly because of the impression that it has made. The adults who scoff at it today were the teenagers who used to rave about it. And while many are dreaming of a remake that can be played on an HD console, this book pays FF VII the glowing tribute that it deserves. Because we can dislike, hate, scoff at, or minimize the attributes of the game, but we can hardly deny all that it brought to the world of Japanese video games. And, if you’re still not convinced, you can always reconsider after you’ve finished this book—because the “New Game Plus” mode is always in style.

GREGOIRE HELLOT

Grégoire Hellot is a French freelance journalist who specializes in video games. He began his career in the field more than twenty years ago when he joined Joypad magazine. As a pioneer dealing in Japanese video games, he has contributed to the French public’s acceptance of these unique titles. Today, he contributes to the Gamekult website and is also the Managing Director of Kurokawa Editions, created in 2005 by the publishing house Univers Poche. Grégoire is also known for his role as the Silver Mousquetaire in the TV series France Five.

NICOLAS COURCIER AND MEHDI EL KANAFI

Fascinated by print media since they were children, Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi were quick to launch their first magazine, Console Syndrome, in 2004. After five issues, whose distribution was limited to the Toulouse region, they decided to create a publishing house of the same name. One year later, the small business was bought by a market-leading publisher dedicated to the video game medium. During the four years they spent in the business, Nicolas and Mehdi published more than twenty books dedicated to the flagship series, many of which they wrote themselves: Zelda. The History of a Legendary Saga, Resident Evil. Of Zombies and Men and The Legend of Final Fantasy VII and IX. Since 2015, they have continued to pursue their editorial work, centered around the analysis of great video game sagas, in the new publishing house that they founded: Third.

FOREWORD

ON JANUARY 31, 2017, the game Final Fantasy VII celebrated its twentieth anniversary. All players familiar with this 1997 role-playing game hold fond, undiminished, and enduring memories of the exciting adventure. Even after so many years, the game still enjoys a legendary reputation; every mention of Cloud, Sephiroth, or Jenova unleashes hysteria and revives passions. This is because Final Fantasy VII revolutionized the Western gaming world, introducing it to the king-in-the-land-of-the-rising-sun genre: the Japanese role-playing game.

To celebrate one of the most important RPGs in the history of video games, Third Editions has decided to publish a tribute book: a heartfelt edition, but also one that truly analyzes the games that revolve around this legendary RPG. Indeed, the subject of this book is not only Final Fantasy VII, but the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, from Advent Children to Before Crisis, including Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus, without forgetting Last Order.

To get this journey off on the right foot and refresh your memory, we begin by summarizing the Final Fantasy VII saga. For the first time ever, the full story will be told in chronological order: from the Planet’s origins to the awakening of Genesis, as depicted in the secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus. Once the entire saga has been told, we will take you behind the scenes so that you can discover how the video game compilation was created. You will learn about the people whose unexpected decisions changed the game’s design. We will also provide a number of anecdotes pertaining to the game’s overall development. A complete interpretation will then be offered for each title, paving the way for numerous reflections.

If you are holding this book in your hands, it is because Final Fantasy VII evokes some emotion in you. Nostalgia, joy, wonder...The list could go on in this manner for several pages, as could the praise many lavish on this game. Although we are also in love with this legendary RPG, we were careful not to get lost in an endless array of superlatives. Our goal is not to explain to you just how exceptional Final Fantasy VII is, but rather WHY it is exceptional.

NOTE

Aerith/Aeris: in the original Japanese, the character’s name is (earisu). Her name (which is very similar to the Japanese word for “Earth”) was chosen to highlight the character’s connection to the Planet. Due to the fact that there is no sound corresponding to “th” in Japanese, the character’s name was phonetically mistranslated as “Aeris.” We chose to use “Aerith,” since it is more familiar to Western audiences and was formerly adopted (at a later date) by Square Enix in Crisis Core, Advent Children, Kingdom Hearts 2, and the steam version of FFVII.

CHAPTER I — UNIVERSE

IN THE BEGINNING

Long before the slightest spark of life emerged. Long before the hegemony of men. Long before anyone trampled its soil... It was there: the Planet. Over time, primitive life forms evolved. The Planet was so hospitable that a countless number of animal and plant species found a place in its welcoming bosom. It became the heart of an immutable, perfectly self-regulating ecosystem. The sum of all this life formed a current, a primary spiritual energy that was vital to the Planet. Its entrails were now impregnated by a river laden with this force: the Lifestream. When a living creature dies, it returns to the Planet and its spiritual energy then rejoins the Lifestream’s trajectory. The soul of the deceased—his or her life force—arrives at the depths of the Planet to unite with those who have gone before. In this way, the spiritual energies of every person, plant, and animal unite and blend together upon their death, contributing to the rebirth of other living beings. If one regards the Planet itself as a living organism, it also has its own immune system, a method of self-protection comparable to that of humans. To protect itself when injured, it summons as much spiritual energy as possible to converge around the wound so that it can heal; in other words, it forms a scar. In the same way that the Lifestream constitutes the Planet’s circulatory system, the spiritual energy that travels through it is, in a sense, its blood.

THE CETRA

The Cetra people were the first civilization to occupy the Planet. Originating from the outer confines of the universe, these nomadic people saw the Planet as their Promised Land, a perfect place in harmony with their vision of supreme happiness: a paradise. Nevertheless, the concept of a Promised Land is subject to individual appraisal; it is not the same for everyone. And so, some of the Cetra left the Planet when they did not find the fulfillment they were seeking. In contrast, those who remained became its permanent residents.

The Cetra people had extraordinary powers, including the ability to communicate with the Planet. The Planet could therefore entrust them with the task of ensuring its preservation and development. To accomplish this undertaking, the Cetra traveled tirelessly from place to place to cultivate the land, plant trees and flowers, and raise animals. Thus, the Planet was continually nourished by spiritual energy. The Planet and the Cetra lived in harmony; each profited from the resources and strength of the other. Nonetheless, some of the Cetra grew tired of these continual treks. These people decided to put an end to their perpetual migrations; they chose to settle down and live a sedentary life. In time, the Cetra belonging to this offshoot lost their ability to communicate with the Planet. Humans are the descendants of this particular tribe.

CALAMITY FROM THE SKIES

While some of the Cetra chose to settle down in homes and no longer concern themselves with the needs of the Planet, others continued to work hard to ensure that a perfect balance was preserved. These nomadic Cetra continued to live a harmonious existence until the day that a large object fell from the sky and crashed. The Cetra instantly heard the cry of the Planet, a cry of pain. They soon discovered the wound that the object from the sky had inflicted: a gigantic crater located in the northernmost reaches of the globe. Thousands of Cetra congregated and tried their best to heal the Planet. Gathering in force around the crater, they began to summon the spiritual energy needed to nourish the Planet. The Planet, however, persuaded them to leave. While the Cetra were preparing to abandon the land that they loved and had cultivated out of respect, something emerged. A strange creature appeared before them. This entity, which the Cetra would later refer to as “the Calamity from the Skies,” had the power to alter its voice and features to take on any appearance. It passed itself off as one of their own and, therefore, the Cetra trusted it. This shapeshifter approached them under the guise of friendship to deceive and take advantage of them. It unleashed a virus of unknown evil provenance upon the Cetra, driving those that were infected mad and transforming them into genuine monstrosities. The virus began to propagate, infecting the Cetra worldwide. The Planet concluded that it had to destroy the Calamity from the Skies; as long as this menace survived, its injuries would never heal.

To protect itself from this new danger, the Planet created the Weapons: gigantic and ultra-powerful creatures whose sole objective was to destroy all forms of life in order to generate spiritual energy. Of all the Weapons, Omega was the most powerful and intended as a last resort. If the day came when the Planet felt dangerously close to its demise, it would wake Omega at the last moment and channel all of the Lifestream’s spiritual energy into this one Weapon. Once entrusted with this power, Omega would then fly off carrying the entire Lifestream through space so that it could survive elsewhere. If this great journey were to be undertaken, Omega would need the assistance of his messenger, Chaos. The latter would be entrusted to help Omega assemble all of the Planet’s spiritual energy. Thus relieved of its earthly package, the Planet would survive thanks to Omega, who would ensure the transference of its soul.

Despite the damage caused by the Calamity from the Skies, the Planet did not have to resort to using the Weapons at this particular time. Some of the Cetra, who had survived the virus, emerged victorious from their battle with the creature; they managed to entrap it within the center of the crater from whence it had emerged. The Planet placed the Weapons in hibernation in the North Crater; even if the Calamity from the Skies had been neutralized, it would one day, no doubt, break free from its chains.

THE SHINRA

Millennia passed by, and humans no longer maintained their relationship with the Planet; the very existence of their ancestors, whom they now called the Ancients, had long seemed mysterious to them. Nevertheless, over time, they learned to use magic in other ways, using spheres formed by the condensation of spiritual energy. Referred to as materia, these spheres enabled the wisest men to reconnect with their ancestors, whose knowledge continued to flow in the Lifestream.

Human society evolved and saw the development of a market economy around which everything else would eventually gravitate. Consequently, a gigantic corporation came to rule the world: the Shinra Electric Power Company. More commonly known as Shinra, this consortium had initially prospered by developing heavy industries such as armament and vehicle production. It then turned primarily toward the discovery and exploitation of new energy sources. Shinra thereupon made a discovery that completely revolutionized people’s perception of the environment: the company’s most eminent scientists ascertained that the planet secreted a substance in its soil—an unparalleled potential energy source. They didn’t know it at the time, but this substance actually contained the Planet’s spiritual energy. Immediately, researchers began working to exploit this new material so that its energy could be used on a daily basis; they called this substance Mako.

Shinra’s energy needs soon grew enormous: energy was needed to supply homes and promote the development of various industries. To extract the spiritual energy more efficiently, Shinra immediately began building huge reactors whose purpose was to distill the tremendous amount of energy contained within Mako and make it available for consumption. The first Mako reactor was built on Mt. Nibel, but it was soon proven insufficient. An ever-increasing quantity of Mako needed to be extracted. Consequently, Shinra built the city of Midgar, a veritable megalopolis organized around eight reactors that divided the city into the same number of sectors. These were organized in a circle and had the Shinra tower, which was the company’s headquarters, at its center. Midgar quickly became the capital of the world. The city was divided into two parts. The underprivileged inhabitants lived down below in the slums. These poor neighborhoods did not have the same access to daylight: monumental platforms hid their view of the sky. These platforms were used to support the upper part of the city, which was reserved for the elite. The powerful Shinra company dominated the entire globe thanks to its Mako energy, which supplied all the electricity, heat, and fuel for the Planet’s homes.

There were, however, some people who denounced Shinra’s practices, which were literally draining the Planet of its vital resources. Such rebellions were marginal; despite various protests, the rest of the population was too busy indulging in comfort and refrained from asking any questions. Not satisfied with its role as the major economic and political power, Shinra eventually began to exert its devious control and interfere in all areas of activity: politics, regional development, the army... The scope of its activities enlarged to the extent that President Shinra had to create multiple departments within his company. Each of these was placed under the authority of a director. And, in keeping with the tyrant that he was, President Shinra made a point of naming his son to one of these key positions. Numerous projects, both military and scientific, emerged from these new business activities. They became increasingly excessive. The Investigation Sector of the General Affairs Department was set up, supposedly to ensure the security of the company and the residents of Midgar. It was placed under the control of the Turks, a secret militia charged with investigating confidential matters. This militia currently conducts a variety of illegal maneuvers (murders, kidnappings, etc.) and follows orders, handed down directly by the president, without question.

THE JENOVA PROJECT

Professor Gast is a brilliant researcher at the company—it was his research that led to the discovery of Mako energy. Gast’s interest in the origin and composition of Mako explains why he is so intrigued by the Ancients’ legends. He spends considerable time listening to the elders’ theories and tales about the Ancients in Cosmo Canyon, where other researchers are busy studying the Planet. Cosmo Canyon is a major scientific hub. An observatory was built there so that extensive research on the origins of the universe could be conducted. In fact, it is Professor Gast who funds the laboratory of an on-site scientist by the name of Bugenhagen. Many would describe Bugenhagen as a sage, an old scholar who seems to know a lot about the Planet—or at least more than anyone else. Nevertheless, Gast’s field of investigation is not limited to the city of Cosmo Canyon. He began research in the North Crater, in the same spot where the Calamity from the Skies crashed thousands of years before. It is here that he makes a strange discovery: a mysterious organism, imprisoned in ice, that appears to have been buried in a distant age. Miraculously preserved by the cold, this foreign body is transported to Midgar to be studied. Back in the metropolis, Gast carries out initial tests and they prove staggering: the scholar has never before seen an organism endowed with a similar constitution. He immediately assumes that the body is that of an Ancient, and he names his discovery Jenova.

At Shinra headquarters, it is believed that Jenova could be a due confirming the existence of the Promised Land, that blissful place described in the Ancients’. Gast is asked to continue studying the specimen, but to do so outside of Midgar. The professor’s laboratory is therefore transferred to the cellar of a mansion owned by Shinra and located in the city of Nibelheim. Two assistants are assigned to help the scientist: Professor Hojo and Lucrecia Crescent. Both are extremely bright and work for to the Shinra Research Department.

Before being assigned to Nibelheim along with Hojo and Gast, Lucrecia worked on a thesis devoted to the Weapons Omega and Chaos. She presented the results of her research to others at Shinra, but her work was rejected and she became the laughing stock of her colleagues who refused to believe these “fables” about a Weapon created by the Planet. Nevertheless, Lucrecia did find an ally in another scientist by the name of Grimoire Valentine; he took her theory seriously since the Ancients’ writings were unanimous on the subject. One day, Grimoire led her into a cave: there were strong indications that this was to be the place of Chaos’ awakening. The cave was also a natural source of materia; Grimoire and Lucrecia decided to take a sample, which crystallized once it was brought to the surface. Back in her laboratory, Lucrecia began experimenting on the mysterious substance in her possession. Unfortunately, Grimoire was mortally wounded during one of the experiments.

Although several years have passed, Lucrecia is still deeply affected by this occurrence. While she is working with Gast in Nibelheim, she is surprised to discover that the young Turk recruit, assigned by Shinra to ensure the laboratory personnel’s safety, is none other than Vincent Valentine: Grimoire’s son. She keeps the circumstances of Grimoire’s death to herself and takes refuge in her research. While the Jenova project continues, it has no clear purpose. At best, everyone hopes that it will enable Shinra to find some type of path to the Promised Land. The president of the company already imagines it to be a fabulous place with an abundant supply of Mako, thus ensuring his capacity for unlimited energy production. While Professor Gast is following a strict protocol for the study of the specimen, Hojo begins envisioning new experiments of his own. Without consulting his superior, he begins performing various tests on the organism. Hojo extracts some of Jenova’s cells and injects them into human beings. These genetically modified subjects appear to attain physical skills superior to that of ordinary humans. However, none of these new superhumans survive the experiments. When Professor Gast learns of Hojo’s horrific acts, he indignantly withdraws from the Jenova Project.

Hojo then becomes the sole head of operations. As for Lucrecia, she complies with the mad scientist’s ravings, seeing as he is now her superior. As the days go by, she becomes closer and closer to Vincent, the Turk responsible for their protection. They soon become friends, and Vincent promptly declares his love for Lucrecia. Unfortunately, these feelings are not reciprocal: Lucrecia is more overwhelmed than ever by the weight of the guilt she feels over Grimoire’s death. The scientist rebuffs the young Turk and finds solace in the arms of Hojo, with whom she will soon have a child. Vincent decides not to oppose their union, preferring to see Lucrecia happy. Pregnant, the young woman pursues her own research on the strange Chaos materia that she discovered with Grimoire.

Within Shinra’s scientific division, experimentation on human subjects has become increasingly important. Hojo is completely obsessed with his research; little by little, his fascination transforms into pure madness. He now plans to inject Jenova’s cells into Lucrecia’s unborn child. While Vincent could accept the relationship between Hojo and Lucrecia, he cannot condone such a barbaric act. He tries to prevent the injection and is shot by Hojo without warning. Unscrupulously, Hojo subjects Vincent’s body to various experiments. During the course of these, an artificial left arm is grafted onto Vincent. While Hojo is conducting these experiments, Lucrecia, who is devastated by the loss of her friend, attempts to reanimate the Turk. To accomplish this, she must use the Chaos materia—which she promised herself she would never again wield after Grimoire’s death. The experiment is a success: the fusion with Chaos works, ironically, thanks to Hojo’s experiments which contributed to strengthening the Turk’s body. Vincent now has materia buried deep inside of him. This “protomateria,” as it is dubbed by Lucrecia, enables him to control his transformation into Chaos. Hojo quickly finds out about the deception, realizing that the legends regarding Omega were true—information that he carefully keeps to himself and ruminates over in his deranged mind.

Upon awakening, Vincent is horrified to discover what has happened to his body. He cannot accept his transformation into one of the living dead. Believing that this is his punishment for failing to put an end to Hojo and Lucrecia’s insane plans, he decides to shut himself up in a coffin in the mansion’s cellar and remain there forevermore.

Some time later, Hojo, who has gone completely mad, delightedly attends the birth of his son, whom he names Sephiroth. Separated from her child and grief-stricken, Lucrecia mysteriously disappears without anyone knowing what has become of her. But Sephiroth’s birth is not enough to satisfy Hojo. Hoping to further advance his research, he is ready to sacrifice everything and decides to inject himself with Jenova’s cells.

The initial tests that Hojo performed on Sephiroth were extremely encouraging, and he is sure that the child will become the most powerful being on the Planet. Hojo aspires to extend his operations and expand the scope of the Jenova project to include Shinra’s entire army. If the entire militia were to be injected with Jenova’s cells, the company would have an invincible army. This is how the SOLDIER Division is born: each candidate receives a treatment of Mako energy solution. After this treatment, a member of SOLDIER can easily be identified by the color of his eyes, which are tinged a unique shade of blue from his intense exposure to Mako. SOLDIER quickly makes the Shinra Army famous. The unit is feared by its enemies and admired by all others.

THE GILLIAN PROJECT

While Hojo was busy working on the Jenova project in Nibelheim, Dr. Hollander, another eminent Shinra scientist, was concentrating on Project G. This body of work ran concurrently with Project Jenova and took place in Hollander’s secret laboratory located in the village of Banora. The animosity that Hollander feels for his colleague drives him. Indeed, he lost every single battle in the power struggle he had with his rival within the scientific leadership division, which cost him his job. Despite his animosity for Hojo, Hollander shares many distinctive traits with him, such as his ruthless fondness for human experimentation and the pride that he feels in creating monstrosities. Like Hojo, Hollander sought to implant the cells that both scientists believe belong to an Ancient in a human fetus in the hope that the unborn child would have singular abilities. His principal subject was a woman named Gillian Hewley. Like Lucrecia, Gillian was also injected with Jenova’s cells when she was pregnant. As a result of this experiment, Angeal was born. The genes from the Calamity from the Skies were successfully implanted into this child. Hollander believes that this experiment has produced the perfect creation, his creation—unlike Genesis, a child who ensued from another experiment which was considered a failure.

THE BIRTH OF AERITH

Sickened by Hojo’s actions, Professor Gast left Shinra and his former colleague’s experiments far behind. Shortly after his desertion, he met an attractive woman named Ifalna, who happened to be the last living descendant of the nomadic Cetra. They quickly fell in love with one another and, because of their relationship, Ifalna revealed the truth of her lineage to the professor. She also told him about the Ancients’ history and the arrival of the Calamity from the Skies. This is when Gast realizes his mistake: Jenova is not a Cetra at all. On the contrary, she contributed to the Cetra’s extinction. If Shinra continues its to experiment on Jenova, the company is doomed.

In order to hide lfalna’s existence from Shinra, Gast decides to take refuge at Icicle Inn, not far from the North Crater. Believing that they are safe, the professor continues his research on the Planet and the Cetra. As a result of the love between Gast and Ifalna, a baby girl is born: Aerith. Unfortunately, the new family’s happiness is short-lived. Having finally managed to discover where Gast is hiding, Hojo appears at the house with his bodyguards. He quickly deduces the lineage of the two people whom Gast is trying to protect and abducts Ifalna and her daughter. (Hojo has been tirelessly stalking descendants of the Cetra since he learned of their existence; he is keen to subject them to his insane experimentation.) When Gast tries to intervene, he is gunned down in cold blood by a soldier. Professor Gast dies in front of his wife and daughter. Before leaving, Hojo swipes his former colleague’s documents.

THE WUTAI WAR

Shinra’s world domination is total. Politics, the economy, the army: there is no sector that escapes the hegemony of this corporation. Only the continent of Wutai, in the Far West, is struggling to challenge Shinra’s domination. In the capital, Godo Kisaragi, the Wutai chief, is adamantly opposed to Shinra’s directives and to the use of Mako energy. For the inhabitants of Wutai, this unbridled exploitation of the Planet’s energy is unjust and in contradiction with the values of their ninja ancestors. Consequently, Godo rejects firearms, motorized vehicles, and all other machines powered by Mako energy. Shinra has tried to impose its authority through the use of force, but all attempts have ended in failure. Infuriated by these diehard rebels, President Shinra officially declares war on the continent. To swell the ranks of its army, Shinra undertakes an unprecedented large-scale propaganda campaign. Young recruits flock from all over to join the army. Many of these novices, mostly from Midgar, are sent to the front to protect the honor and especially the interests of Shinra, the company that nonetheless enslaves them.

It is during this dark period that many women lose their husbands and sons. One of these women is named Elmyra Gainsborough. She has been desperate ever since her spouse left to fight in the battle taking place in Wutai and has been waiting impatiently for the train that is supposed to bring her husband back from the front. He doesn’t get off this train or any of the others. Elmyra refuses to lose hope and often returns to the platform at the Midgar station. And yet, unbeknownst to her, never again will her husband set foot on the sidewalks of Sector 5.

One day, while Elmyra is waiting on the platform for the train, she notices a young woman, who is obviously very weak, among the passengers. The woman is accompanied by a little girl. Elmyra rushes over to offer them her help. The stranger tells Elmyra that her name is Ifalna and that the child’s name is Aerith. Both of them have managed to escape from a Shinra laboratory where they were subjected to Professor Hojo’s experiments. Ifalna knows she is dying; she begs Elmyra to take her daughter to a safe place and watch over her. She makes a point of letting Elmyra know that her daughter is “special.”

With Aerith around to brighten her days, the young woman’s wait for her husband doesn’t seem quite as long. Aerith turns out to be a wonderful child who is full of life. Bursting with energy, she spends the vast majority of her time making flowers grow in the Sector 5 church in Midgar—a genuine miracle that her adoptive mother is unable to explain. It’s because of such occurrences that something finally clicks for Elmyra. Week after week, she observes Aerith’s strange abilities. It’s as if the young girl has gift; she is extremely sensitive to her environment and it always seems to be listening to it. One day, a group of agents working for Shinra shows up at Elmyra’s home: the Turks are looking for Aerith. Although this militia has tried to kidnap the young girl several times, she always manages to escape. Eventually, Elmyra asks her daughter why the most powerful company in the world appears to have a keen interest in her. Aerith confesses that she is a Cetra and has the power to communicate with the Planet. She then claims that the Planet told her that Elmyra’s husband has died in the war. Extremely hurt by these words, Elmyra reprimands her child; but, a few days later, she receives a letter confirming Aerith’s assertion. Elmyra then grasps the magnitude of the role that her adoptive daughter will be called upon to play.

THE PROMISE

Nibelheim is a small town in the mountains which lies at the foot of Mt. Nibel, where a Mako reactor is hidden. Two children, who would go on to have extraordinary destinies, lived there: Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart. Although they were neighbors, they did not yet really know one another. While Tifa was a popular girl, who was always surrounded by boys, Cloud was more subdued. The neighborhood children never invited him to join them, and he felt excluded. Naturally, he was worried: was he somehow different from everyone else? Because of these ruminations, Cloud came to a decision: maybe if he grew stronger, Tifa would notice him...

One day, having just learned of her mother’s death, Tifa left her house in tears. Broken-hearted, she decided to climb Mt. Nibel to be alone. Cloud saw her leave and proceeded to follow her so that he could comfort her. Admittedly, he was already smitten with her, but he also knew just how she was feeling. He had lost his father not long before. Tifa was still heading up toward the mountains when she tripped. She was on the verge of falling off the cliff. Cloud rushed to save her... but it was too late, and he fell with her. Later, the inhabitants of the village held Cloud responsible for bringing Tifa to such a dangerous location. It took seven days for Tifa to regain consciousness. Cloud blamed himself; his weakness made him furious! It was during this time that he first heard about a member of SOLDIER who possessed exceptional strength: Sephiroth. In Cloud’s mind, if he had been endowed with this soldier’s extraordinary abilities, he could have saved his friend. Sephiroth thus became Cloud’s role model. Even though he was only nine years old at the time, he had made up his mind about his future: he would also join SOLDIER. After awakening from her coma, Tifa began hanging out with Cloud. Her insistent prodding overcame Cloud’s shyness. Tifa’s opinion of the boy gradually changed, and Cloud became a good friend instead of just a neighbor. Years went by.

In order to join SOLDIER, Cloud had had to wait until his fourteenth birthday. The day of his long-awaited birthday has now arrived, and he knows that the hardest part will be telling Tifa that he is leaving Nibelheim. He has set up a meeting with his friend late in the evening, near the well in the village’s main square, so that he can tell her the news. The young woman is convinced that Cloud is finally going to open his heart to her and confess his feelings; she, herself, has fallen in love with the boy, but has refrained from telling him so. When evening arrives, she puts on her prettiest dress before making her way to the meeting site. Cloud is already there looking serious. In a trembling voice, he manages to tell Tifa that he is going to Midgar to begin his military career as a member of SOLDIER, Shinra’s elite armed guard. Shaken up, Tifa asks why he has chosen to do this. The boy has no ready answer; he simply wants to prove his strength and value to the world since he has constantly been judged and criticized by the residents of Nibelheim. Nevertheless, Cloud wants to reassure his friend. He promises that he will always be there to protect her. Tifa is shattered by this revelation, but she knows that Cloud will keep his word: if danger is imminent, Cloud will return to make sure that she is safe. This small consolation persuades her to stay in Nibelheim until Cloud has finished his classes. Once he becomes a member of SOLDIER, she thinks, the two of them will be free to love one another in peace.

UP-AND-COMING SOLDIER MEMBERS

Although the Wutai War is still going on and the continent continues to resist, it seems as if nothing can put an end to Shinra’s overwhelming world domination. Sephiroth is now a bright young man who belongs to the SOLDIER elite (the famous 1st class) even though he is only twenty years old. His combat abilities—which are literally superhuman thanks to Hojo’s experiments—have earned him a prominent place in the army. Another SOLDIER fighter has also proven himself within the 2nd class. His name is Zack Fair. Young, feisty, and full of enthusiasm, Zack was placed under the command of Angeal Hewley, who was also the result of a scientific experiment (conducted by Dr. Hollander) and who is now one of the most exemplary and courageous members of the Soldier division. Zack trains a great deal. Although he often relies on Angeal to channel his energies, he is impatiently awaiting his next assignment. Clearly, his dream is to join the 1st class like Sephiroth and Angeal but, more than anything, he wants to become a hero.

Time passes and, at headquarters, Zack is growing impatient. One day, however, the desertion of Genesis Rhapsodos is officially announced. To date, Genesis has been one of the most esteemed members of SOLDIER. He has fled with a few other warriors from the 2nd and 3rd classes. The confusion is total; no one knows what the deserter’s intentions are. Genesis is the son of a rich family; he joined SOLDIER when he was very young, along with his childhood friend, Angeal. Both soldiers garnered attention due to their exceptional fighting skills. They soon became friends with Sephiroth, and the three soldiers quickly became the most famous and respected of the Shinra fighters.

AN EMERGING REBELLION

As time goes on, Shinra’s total domination becomes more and more stifling. Not only is Shinra the only company authorized to supply Mako, which has become the sole established source of energy, but it now controls the television, radio, and press—indeed the entire media—inundating the world’s population with all sorts of propagandized messages. And finally, it seems as if the last obstacle in Shinra’s path is about to give up. After more than ten years of fighting, the Wutai War is drawing to an end. Godo Kisaragi can no longer hold out against Shinra’s attacks... But, just as the last stronghold against Shinra’s world domination prepares to fall, the voices of new dissidents emerge. The company’s shameless exploitation of the Planet’s resources and its totalitarian polices are breeding not only admirers, but also enemies. In opposition to Shinra’s ever-tightening grip, an organization has started to take shape: a few rebels have gathered and will eventually raise an army. Named AVALANCHE, this movement is led by a strong woman with a tenacious personality: Elfé. Her prodigious combat capabilities won the respect of all her troops and catapulted her into the role of AVALANCHE’s commander upon the death of the movement’s founder. Standing with Elfé are Shears and Fuhito. Shears may not be as powerful as his superior but, within the ranks of AVALANCHE, he is second to none but Elfé in combat. He is also entrusted with the most arduous missions. He is, in a sense, Elfé’s right-hand man. As for Fuhito, he is the brains of the group. Fuhito is an extraordinarily brilliant scientist and an unparalleled military strategist. Forming the heart of the AVALANCHE movement, the trio formed by Elfé, Shears, and Fuhito will stop at nothing in their endeavor to put an end to Shinra’s hegemony. To this end, they see all means as justified. AVALANCHE is an extremist group; it is violent and impervious to compromise, refusing to shrink before the sacrifices that it deems necessary to achieve its goals. It is because of this that the organization is outlawed and considered a terrorist group. Fortunately for AVALANCHE, a mysterious backer ensures its sustainability.

THE NEW PUBLIC ENEMY

The AVALANCHE organization wastes no time in launching a frontal assault against Shinra. During the attack, the group succeeds in shaking Midgar’s foundations. The company’s advisory board quickly takes drastic measures to counter this new threat. Veld, who is the director of the Investigation Sector and therefore the head of the Turks, deploys his men and orders them to find out who is behind the terrorist attack. To find those responsible for the explosion, he enlists the help of Reno. While this Turk is feisty and impertinent, he is nevertheless effective in his methods.

Through copious attempts, AVALANCHE has managed to slightly weaken the global energy giant’s dominance, but Elfé believes that their progress is too slow. She secretly devises a complex operation whose goal is to take control of the gigantic cannon in the military city of Junon, with the aim of directing it toward Midgar. To accomplish this, AVALANCHE assembles its best operatives, the majority of whom are part of Raven, an elite unit formed by Fuhito to compete with SOLDIER. Reno also arrives in Junon to protect President Shinra, who is making an official visit to the city. During the course of his investigation, the Turk learns of AVALANCHE’s plans to show up during the president’s visit. Two other Turks, Tseng and Rude, join Reno to lend him a hand. As planned, the president arrives in Junon to inspect the city. A confrontation between the Turks and AVALANCHE is inevitable. Although Elfé realizes that her operation to seize the cannon is compromised, she refuses to sit back and do nothing. Exasperated, she attacks her adversaries but is stopped by Sephiroth, the famous SOLDIER fighter sent by Rufus to protect his father. A frenzied fight ensues between the best soldiers of both sides. After several blows are exchanged, Elfé orders AVALANCHE to withdraw. Shinra avoids disaster, but AVALANCHE is now considered public enemy number one.

AVALANCHE’S COUNTER-OFFENSIVE

AVALANCHE is making progress; the attacks on Shinra are engendering serious repercussions. Nevertheless, in the wake of her fight with Sephiroth, Elfé is still stunned by the silver-haired soldier’s strength. She orders her troops to obtain data about SOLDIER so that Fuhito, the brains of the operation, can examine it. As always, it is AVALANCHE’S mysterious benefactor and backer who provides the information that is needed to advance the group’s inquiries. The information thus acquired reveals that a doctor by the name of Rayleigh, a member of Shinra’s scientific division, is in Midgar. Apparently, he is in possession of highly classified information. In order to ensure the doctor’s safety, the Turks are hired as his escort. AVALANCHE decides to send the elite Raven squad to intercept the documents. On site, the Shinra soldiers and Veld’s Turks struggle to repel AVALANCHE’s formidable attacks. When Raven takes the upper hand, a young soldier by the name of Cloud Strife intervenes to defend Dr. Rayleigh. While the recruit appears to be inexperienced in the use of firearms, he proves to be quite skilled with a sword in hand and succeeds in driving off his assailants. Rayleigh’s life has been spared thanks to Cloud, but AVALANCHE has successfully absconded with the data. Once this data is deciphered, Elfé realizes that the SOLDIER project began with Professor Hojo.

Meanwhile, little by little, Fuhito’s motives come to diverge with those of his comrades-in-arms. He is now only interested in furthering his research and experimenting on Raven. He decides to make his move and contends that Hojo must be captured. Convinced that her tactician is correct and eager to find out more about Sephiroth, Elfé plans to abduct the scientist.

AVALANCHE IN DlSARRAY

President Shinra and his son take a dim view of the Turks’ repeated failures. Rufus goes so far as to take malicious pleasure in harassing the militia, accusing them of harboring a spy in their midst: how else could AVALANCHE have anticipated the Turks’ actions? However, the winds of fortune are changing. The militia seems to have finally located AVALANCHE’s headquarters! Veld and President Shinra make a joint decision to strike hard: they must quickly sabotage the terrorists before AVALANCHE can make plans for retaliation. Since Sephiroth has already been assigned to another mission, young Zack is chosen to ensure the safety of the convoy heading to the terrorist organization’s headquarters. Realizing that all is lost for AVALANCHE, Fuhito decides to booby trap their headquarters in the hopes of killing numerous Shinra soldiers. Zack manages to escape, but the casualties are substantial.

STATUS QUO

Back in Midgar, the death toll—for both the Turks and SOLDIER—is high. President Shinra is furious. Having openly suspected the presence of a mole within the Turk organization, Rufus takes advantage of the turmoil to relieve Veld of his duties as head of the militia. Upon his dismissal, Veld designates Tseng as his successor. Rufus has other ideas and appoints Heidegger to supervise the Investigation Sector. Although this reorganization of personnel suits Shinra’s vice president, it doesn’t help the Turks in the least: their failures continue to multiply. It is ultimately during one of their Junon missions that the president reinstates Veld. He is called upon to save the Turks from AVALANCHE’S mercenaries after Heidegger’s over-reliance on heavily armed militiamen got the operatives into serious trouble.

After this debacle, the president begins to give credence to his son’s suspicions about a traitor within Shinra who is sympathetic to AVALANCHE’s cause. An anonymous message arrives that confirms his suspicions: not only is there an informant, but the snitch is someone very influential within the company. The president immediately suspects Hojo, believing that he will do anything to satisfy his delusions of grandeur and successfully complete his bizarre experiments. Nevertheless, the scientist soon appears to be innocent: during a surprise attack, he is abducted by AVALANCHE.

In the helicopter commandeered to transport Hojo, Fuhito strikes up a shocking conversation with his prisoner. Contrary to all expectations, the AVALANCHE scientist proposes an alliance. To convince Hojo, Fuhito advances a number of surprising arguments that pique the Shinra scholar’s curiosity. According to Fuhito, Elfé is “different;” she has special gifts that set her apart from others; thus, Fuhito has decided to betray AVALANCHE and indulge in experiments on his leader so that he can confirm his suppositions. Such an opportunity tantalizes Hojo, who is ready to accept Fuhito’s offer. It is at this moment that Sephiroth intervenes and “saves” the scientist against his wishes.

THE SPY UNMASKED

Astonished and puzzled by his dismissal from the Turks, Veld launched an official investigation whose aim was to track down the mysterious traitor hiding in their ranks. He immediately realized that it could not be Hojo. His instincts urged him to look higher up, within Shinra’s management. Following the clues, Veld eventually concluded that the despicable mole was none other than Vice President Rufus. The latter has continuously supplied AVALANCHE with information, arms, and money in an attempt to overthrow his father and usurp his place. However, knowing that he is being closely monitored by the vice president, Veld cannot make this information public.

FUHITO’S TRUE NATURE

Although the organization has successfully avoided the worst-case scenario, AVALANCHE’s situation continues to deteriorate. After the destruction of its headquarters, the organization has become more and more scattered. To begin with, Elfé’s health is deteriorating: the morale of her troops is directly affected by her strange symptoms. Furthermore, Fuhito continues to keep his distance from the group. Following his attempt to win over Hojo, he has become interested in a child named Aerith: according to certain reports, she is the last descendant of the Cetra. He attempts to approach the girl, under the guise of wanting to find the Promised Land and protect it from Shinra’s grasp. However, the Aerith is too smart for him: she won’t be manipulated.

Feeling that the tide is turning, Fuhito’s true nature emerges: he has only joined forces with Elfé because he knows that she has extraordinary materia hidden within her body. When Elfé was just a young child, she was separated from her father and subjected to Hojo’s experiments. Hojo concealed Zirconiade materia within her body. This materia is capable of summoning a terrible creature, of the same name, whose power is strong enough to reduce the Planet to ashes. Once again, Fuhito’s Machiavellian nature is revealed by his ability to anticipate and meticulously plan his actions. As the source of Elfé’s limitless strength, the Zirconiade is also the cause of her health problems. These problems have been plaguing her more and more since the fragmented materia was implanted. This materia had initially been broken into several pieces in order to contain its power. It now continuously drains the life force of its bearer. Fuhito wants to extract the Zirconiade to “save” the Planet, destroying humanity in the process. Faced with this unprecedented danger, AVALANCHE and the Turks decide to join forces against the scientist, who has now demonstrated that he has clearly lost his mind. This astonishing collaboration is facilitated by Veld’s discovery that Elfé is actually his own daughter, Felicia, who disappeared years earlier. Veld goes to Cosmo Canyon to question Bugenhagen about the Zirconiade materia.

In the presence of Nanaki, his feline guardian, Bugenhagen explains to his guest that there are actually four fragments of this materia. Once assembled, they are capable of summoning Zirconiade, but only partially so. It is therefore possible to save Elfé and fight the monster, since Zirconiade can only be called upon to manifest itself “imperfectly.”

STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES

Meanwhile, at Shinra headquarters, Angeal entrusts his student Zack with a new mission: he is to investigate the recent desertions. While Genesis’ disappearance has only recently been made official, it actually dates back to his last assignment in Wutai. To clarify the situation, Zack is sent there under Angeal’s command. The two men arrive in Wutai while the war is nearing its end. It is here that Zack first meets Sephiroth, the legendary fighter whom he so admires. When the group finds two dead bodies on the road, Sephiroth remarks that they both have Genesis’ face. It would seem that Shinra’s recently stolen copy technology has been used: it is obvious to the three men that Genesis is now able to transfer his abilities to various members of SOLDIER, and to monsters as well. Shortly after this discovery, Sephiroth notices that Angeal has disappeared and does not hesitate to report it as a desertion! Once Sephiroth and Zack have returned to Midgar, wanted posters for Angeal are tacked up.

NOTE