harbingers-lullaby

Latest Posts by harbingers-lullaby

LADS is really making me post/reblog more often huh, but i love this event so why not.

Reva (meaning rain) & Rainyblobbu 🌧

🌸lemme see y’all’s mc and blobbus!!! here’s mine

daisy and daisyblobbu 🌸🌼🪷

Normally, I don't post often, but I'm really proud of this cake design!

*Adds to FF7 Lore Breakdown/Speculation list*

The parallels between Masamune & Robio and Sephiroth & Nibelheim cases are so on the nose, it's not even funny.

FS ep. 2 chapter 2 makes a point of using similar expressions when describing Masamune's and Sephiroth's descent into madness and subsequent murder spree.

(Sephiroth): And that was it. He stayed holed up in the basement...reading and reading... like a man POSSESSED. (Masamune): Robio's tools and weapons were the responsibility of a single smith. One day, he took up his hammer as if POSSESSED, and poured all of his energy into crafting a remarkable blade.]

As a result, both men's behaviour is described as obsessive to the point of appearing possessed.

This possessed-like behavior eventually leads to a very specific type of carnage: the settlement is burned down, and the townspeople are slaughtered one by one. The opening sequence for the FS, episode 2, emphasizes the parallel by depicting a young Sephiroth standing amidst burning Robio in the same iconic pose as during the Nibelheim massacre. Furthermore, one of the first FS teasers cleverly superimposed Nibelheim footage over that of FS to create the glitching dejavu effect, almost as if history repeats itself.

In the case of Sephiroth, we can be fairly certain that his proximity to Jenova, combined with prolonged mental and physical degradation due to stress, lack of sleep, food, and so on, caused his mind to "slip" — or be hijacked.

What about Masamune? According to Alissa's account, as far as it can be trusted, the massacre was motivated by villagers coveting the masterwork weapon for themselves, which resulted in hostilities and infighting. Thus, it can be concluded that the problem began with the forging of a weapon, both the process and the end result.

(The villagers started fighting amongst themselves to claim the sword as their own. Some even attempted to sneak into the smith's home and steal it for themselves.)

Incidentally, to the point of being conspicuous, Alissa plants the idea that Sephiroth is deserving of a weapon as special as himself.

Eventually, Sephiroth makes a rather odd statement, that he feels the sword calling out to him. It's not the first time Sephiroth demonstrates some kind of extrasensory perception, despite vehemently denying it out loud.

Shortly before those purple orbs first appear on-screen in Chapter 1, Sephiroth mentions that he feels they're being watched. Later he makes an even creepier remark that he senses the presence of a strong will of some sorts.

The statement is linked to the fact that Masamune the swordsmith is thought to have been alive for the past 500 years, and that some power — allegedly the strong will that Sephiroth senses — is seemingly responsible for keeping him alive. 

Excluding ShinRA's R&D vicious experiments with biological samples and various types of Mako, there's only one known case of keeping one's body in an undying state — and that is the case of Lucrecia, according to whom Jenova cells keep her from dying. Jenova itself is mentioned by the Cetra as not capable of dying during the Temple of Ancients exploration. 

Moreover, why would Sephiroth sense a presence? Unless, of course, he shares a strong link to the source, perhaps on a cellular level.

I've already discussed the possible link between Masamune and Jenova here [read here].

(In ancient times, before the discovery of smelting, people forged weapons and tools from **meteoric iron**. Interestingly, there is a phenomenon known as telluric iron, derived from the Latin word for earth, "tellus," as seen in terms like "Telluric Fury" or "Telluric Scriptures.")

In short, in the distant past, people forged cold arms from using matter from meteors. Oddly enough, the most recent chapter mentions meteors, as Bachman relays a "hogwash" rumour that ShinRA creates their new breed of SOLDIER by scraping something (cells) off a meteor.

A strange introduction to the meteor subject, given that the general lore held that ShinRA unearthed an alien body and used it as a source of tissue. In the previously linked post I theorized that the meteor Jenova had arrived on splintered upon entering the atmosphere, and a piece landed in Wutai vicinity, centuries later to be discovered by Masamune and used in the forging of the sword. This splinter may have contained some of Jenova's organic matter. It fits well with the newly introduced concept of "special cells" being scraped off a meteor. On the other hand, the rumour clearly contradicts known lore; it could have been purposefully planted by ShinRA to obscure the true source of SOLDIER procedure in the hopes that it would be perceived as too absurd to be taken seriously.

Another similarity connects Robio's story to that of a "calamity from the skies". If Alissa's story is to be believed, a great battle took place in that area — a fight between Ancients and a vicious beast, similar to the story told by the Cetra hologram in the Temple of Ancients.

(But then, without warning, a fearsome beast invaded the region. Its attacks on the village claimed the lives of its people and their animals. The fiend existed only to slaughter.)

Specifically, the game depicts Cetra battling Jenova as a tentacled monster, a BEAST, that transforms into a human Goddess-like figure upon defeat.

Powerful fire magic was mentioned as being at work in Robio (fire being exceptionally good at eroding organic matter as well as preventing deadly bacteria/diseases from infecting new hosts), but more importantly, the village area is repeatedly mentioned in conjunction with the concept of "sealing". Angeal, Sephiroth and others initially conclude that the zone is abandoned, "forbidden," and "sealed" to prevent the truth about the heinous massacre from being revealed, but later hypothesize that the village was sealed together with whatever evil emerged there.

One detail that comes to mind is that since the Cetra's "celestial adversary" could not truly die, so it could not be defeated in a true sense, which is why the Ancients sealed/imprisoned it in geological strata (where it fell into slumber, per Temple of Ancients narrator).

So, here's the idea. The Temple of Ancients refers to "celestial adversary" as having been scattered in some way since the Age of Ancients [more on this here].

(“Heed well to our warning of that which is to come…<...> The reunion. When our adversary's scattered malignancy shall converge to plague the Planet once more.”)

Indeed, what if, upon arrival, Jenova was fragmented, either by meteor splintering or by design (Ancients cleaved it into pieces to weaken it, defeat it bit by bit, and eventually prevent the parts from converging into a single organism). Whatever the case, the Robio area may contain some of Jenova's organic remnants, such as a meteor (or its metallic core within Masamune's sword) or a body part sealed in the Petra-inspired temple. Masamune the swordsmith discovered it over 500 years ago and became exposed to its mind-altering properties, which resulted in corruption (perhaps unsealing and a letting the contaminant outside?), subsequent crazed behavior, and an eventual massacre. In its turn, the villagers' sporadic coveting of the blade and hostile behavior evokes some strange parallels with a "celestial adversary" sowing discord among men.

Interestingly, the settlers of Robio—I'd call them proto-Wutaians—are said to be Ancients or their descendants. The interesting part is that the descendants of those who defeated "the beast" appear to die in the same way the beast was slain: they are burned down, as if in vengeance.

And to point out the obvious: it oddly mirrors Sephiroth's deranged decision to burn down the town of Nibelheim, all while sticking to a paranoid delusion that humankind attempted to take something of his [The Planet]. Like the sword, like the world.

----

@pen-and-umbra

Odd Observation: Is it just me or is Sephiroth's wing clipped in the new Ever Crisis wallpaper with Genesis. Maybe it's just the rendering of his wing, but that straight line at the bottom of his feather looks unnatural.

I think it's just the angle. BUT it is a fun headcanon. As far as I can tell, Sephiroth didn't know about his wing until after he went insane. But if he did? Shinra would either (symbolically) clip it or they'd leave him JUST enough feathers to maybe get a field advantage in battle, but not enough to fly away and escape.

And after he's crazy and doing his own thing, his feathers finally grow back in full. He will finally fly on his own, free at last. At the cost of his own morality and sanity.

Gi Lore Analysis Rewrite

(I deleted my previous theory post on the matter. I loved writing it but I want false information lingering on my page, especially after the ultimania proved it wrong.)

Words:

Subsume – include or absorb (something) in something else.

Wane – decrease in vigor, power, or extent; become weaker.

Correction on Pervious Theory:

So I was wrong about the GI being the original inhabitance of Gaia. At the time I read “…until at last it was subsumed by your own” , alongside the description of the calamitous event being an indication of The Omega weapon arriving. Thanks to Dirge of Cerberus and information regarding the Chronicles of Yore, that the Omega weapon will collect the Lifestream one day leave Gaia. To sail through the cosmos for another planet to inhabit (It’s also the plan that Sephiroth wanted to enact in Advent Children).

However, as I was going over my analysis to see how I went wrong, after learning through the new ultimania for rebirth said that GI did in fact come from another world.

So with that being said I would like to update my analysis. So we now know GI home world did in fact merge with Gaia, after the gi’s home world began to reach the end of its life. I don’t know how the merging happened but from the lines “the earth shook, sea’s boiled, sky shattered, and time stopped”, and “Few of my people survived the chaos and calamity. Those who did began a new life here”. It wasn’t someone the Gi planned for but tried to make the most of it. Only to be rejected by the planet and later on the Cetra. I still believe that Lifestream during the merging of these two worlds that gaia had override the system in whichh the GI has been a part of. Due to their system being compromised and the Lifestream was just stronger in comparison.

This still leads to the GI suffering and the creation of the Black Materia (or corruption of a white materia) and the events of the game so far.

New Theory:

I now believe that the reason why the Black Materia summons Meteor is because that is how the merging of the Gi’s home world happened. Ff7 has this theme of returning from where you came from, whether it be through the Lifestream, facing your past, or rediscovering who you are. So why wouldn’t this apply to the GI.

Their want for freedom from existence is manifest through the black materia. And since materia is created through memories, the meteor might represent the memory on how they arrived. So in a way their salvation/destruction comes form the memory of their former home.

@rosy-crow Don't apologize! I live for analysis like this, big or small.

I just realized that two of the most impactful people that Sephiroth has ever killed both have bows in the back of their hair.

I just realized that two of the most impactful people that Sephiroth has ever killed both have bows in the back of their hair.

FF7 Rebirth: All Region Intel

Wanted to make a way to easily access & read all the world/region intel you can get in Rebirth so here's a giant post for that. Everything below the cut.

GRASSLANDS

Kalm: A Recent History

This humble town serves as a transport hub for the grasslands, hence the distinctive bailey built for the monitoring of commercial and private traffic. During the war with the Republic of Junon, Shinra saw fit to occupy Kalm, due to its stout fortifications and strategic value, and it has remained under company control ever since.

As it lacks a reactor of its own, Kalm is reliant on Midgar and its pipelines for a steady supply of mako, which is stored in a large tank for regulated use. This arrangement allows the residents to enjoy both modern conveniences and a healthy environment—a combination that has attracted many new residents of late.

Ten years ago, a significant portion of the town was “damaged,” though Shinra quickly intervened and carried out a comprehensive reconstruction effort. Details regarding the incident and the extent of the destruction are sparse.

Flora and Fauna of the Grasslands

In stark contrast to the barren, mako-ravaged outskirts of Midgar, the ecosystem of the grasslands remains relatively unscathed. Streams flowing from the central mountain range nourish the lush meadows below, which sustain a diverse range of species. Ranchers and farmers also benefit greatly from this bountiful environment.

Vast wetlands make up much of the southern region. In days past, boats and chocobo carriages were a common sight, but as most goods are now transported by sea or air, traffic through the wetlands has steadily decreased. Moreover, as an immense, man-eating serpent dubbed Midgardsormr has been sighted in this area of late, few dare to brave the old trails. Even those capable of evading the gargantuan snake may yet fall victim to one of the many inescapable quagmires.

The Mythril Mine: Changing with the Times.

A natural passage through the mountains between Junon and the grasslands, this mine has long served as a rich source of mithril. The mineral boasts an exquisite shimmer and remarkable strength, and was historically used to fashion the very finest weapons and armor, but it fell out of favor after Shinra developed superior synthetic materials.

After the mine was closed, the Republic of Junon converted it into a tunnel for the general public, allowing travel to and from the grasslands. The glistening mithril deposits drew regular sightseers as well. Following Shinra’s triumph over the republic, however, the tunnel has been effectively abandoned. Various sections have fallen into disrepair, and the depths are host to untold dangers.

JUNON REGION

The Rise and Fall of the Republic of Junon

The people of Junon were once largely seafarers, who only returned to the shore to peddle the bounty of the ocean. Unlike other communities that settled in a single location and gradually expanded their territory, these sailors preferred the freedom of the open sea, and over time banded together with like-minded souls to form a unique society.

As a republic, they repurposed a flotilla of large vessels to construct a floating city that would serve as the center of their trade network. Having forged a robust infrastructure, they then set their sights on uniting the disparate peoples of the world.

Though Junon ushered in an era of economic and cultural prosperity, it was not to last. Shinra’s revolutionary mako technology put paid to their ambitions, and their once proud city now slumbers beneath the waves.

Junon: The Fortress City

Having conquered the Republic of Junon, Shinra constructed a nigh-impregnable fortress on the coast in the heart of their enemy’s former territory. Powered by the world’s only underwater mako reactor and equipped with a colossal cannon capable of firing as far as Wutai, the stronghold resembles a vast battleship, risen from the deep to defend the eastern continent.

Junon is a city composed of multiple levels, each of which is lined with uniform buildings that were originally designed to serve the needs of military personnel. After the war with Wutai, some were converted into hotels and retail outlets, and the arbor and airport now see a constant stream of civilian visitors.

Military exercises are still conducted frequently, however, and should the need arise, defense countermeasures can be deployed at a moment’s notice, transforming the city in to a fortress, ready to repel would-be invaders.

COREL REGION

Costa del Sol: A Recent History

Though Costa del Sol is now a renowned beach resort, it was once home to a string of humble fishing villages. However, when relations between Shinra and the Republic of Junon began to deteriorate, Shinra annexed this portion of the coast. After the war, the company designated the area for redevelopment, transforming it into the must-visit location for avid sunseekers that it is today.

Costa del Sol offers vacation packages to suit any budget, allowing travelers from every corner of the globe to savor the idyllic beaches. Plans that include a trip to the Gold Saucer have proven particularly popular.

Corel: A Tale of Decline

Coal was in high demand in the days of the republic, and the wealth of Mt. Corel drew miners from far and wide. Though the work was hard and dangerous, the laborers banded together to overcome their difficulties, forming a close-knit community in the process.

Alas, the advent of mako saw the price of coal plummet, spelling disaster for the people of Corel. As they struggled to find a way forward, Shinra proposed the construction of a mako reactor, and after much debate, the villagers accepted the offer.

The reactor was constructed with astonishing haste, but just prior to being brought online, it was torn apart by an immense explosion, and has been left in ruins ever since.

The Rise of the Gold Saucer

The tale of the Gold Saucer began with a Shinra employee named Dio, who convinced the company to build a museum called the Reliquary. Although it was doomed to failure, Dio was not to be deterred, and he set about founding the world’s largest theme park, which he first conceived as a small-scale fairground.

In the wake of the Corel Mako Reactor explosion four years ago, plans were set in motion to revitalize the local economy. Hearing this, Dio decided to relocate his fairground to the region, eventually transforming it into a state-of-the-art entertainment complex.

Now known as the Gold Saucer, it is powered by several modular reactors, which are responsible for the surrounding area’s accelerated desertification. In light of this, the reactors are now run at minimum output, in an attempt to mitigate further damage to the environment.

GONGAGA REGION

Gongaga: A Recent History

In ancient times, Gongaga was settled by descendants of the Cetra, who lived in quiet seclusion. The region was largely ignored by later kingdoms and empires, until the Republic of Junon thought to expand its influence westward. They soon discovered, though, that the expense of establishing trade routes through such dense jungle far outweighed the benefits of reaching the small communities there, and elected to instead construct an airstrip and little else.

When war erupted between the republic and Shinra, people the world over were impacted to varying degrees. Those in Gongaga were the rare exception, as being so far removed from the theater of war meant that they were not subject to forced conscription, nor were their villages ever host to the bloodshed.

Life in Gongaga

The village of Gongaga lies at the heart of the humid jungle, where many species of moss, fern, and mushroom thrive. Its people have a long tradition of self-sustenance, growing only enough produce and raising only enough livestock to support their collective. Though the village is by no means commercially enterprising, the Gongaga mushroom endemic to the region is renowned for its rich aroma, and commands a high price.

Gongaga’s fortunes took a turn for the worse following an explosion at the nearby mako reactor. Though much of the jungle was temporarily declared a disaster area, due to its elevation position, the village itself escaped the worst of the fallout—a small mercy considering the devastation wrought below.

The Gongaga Mako Reactor Incident

First generation mako reactors based on the one built in Nibel are prone to malfunction due to flaws in the pressurization system’s design. This, however, did not deter Shinra from installing them at various locations throughout the world, including Gongaga.

The company’s failure to follow their own inspection and maintenance procedures led to a disastrous explosion which claimed the lives of many villagers. Acknowledging its part in the incident, Shinra dedicated a monument to the victims.

This accident was not an isolated occurrence, though, as at least one other reactor is known to have exploded in a similar fashion. Stranger yet, Shinra has been investigating alleged sightings of gigantic life-forms known as “Weapons” near the remains of these destroyed mako reactors.

COSMO CANYON REGION

Cosmo Canyon: Environmental Conditions

Cosmo Canyon is located in the south of the western continent, where countless valleys and caverns have formed in the red clay. In ages past, seismic activity forced this soil to the surface, where it was later eroded by the surging lifestream below, giving the region its unique appearance.

Throughout the year, the canyon sees very little rainfall, and the temperature variation between the plateaus and gorges is considerable. As such, it is extremely difficult to grow crops, and the mere act of survival is a daily struggle. Nevertheless, the canyon is ap rime destination for students of planetology. In addition to scholars and devotees, many tourists can also be found here, seeking to take in the “mystical” air. In more practical terms, the arid conditions and lack of cloud cover facilitate the observation of celestial bodies, making the canyon popular among astronomers.

Life in Cosmo Canyon

The founders of the canyon’s eponymous village made use of the naturally formed caves, and following the emergence of planetology, more and more people found themselves drawn to the place. The makeshift walkways and tent-like domiciles have only increased in number as the settlement continues to expand to this day.

Rather than rely on mako, the villagers built an array of windmills, and each home is equipped to store the generated electricity. A leading planetologist, Bugenhagen, introduced this form of wind power to Cosmo Canyon, and it is said his technical marvel was inspired by the ways of the Cetra.

When it comes to nutrition, the villagers’ diet consists mainly of grain and legumes grown around the village, supplemented by game meat obtained with traditional hunting methods.

The Cetra and the Gi

In the distant past, the Cetra made contact with the Gi, entities who could not return to the lifestream. Pitying their plight, the Cetra build altars to commune with and calm these tormented souls in the hope of finding a means to coexist peaceably.

Over time, the Cetra grew increasingly aware of the dire fate that would befall the planet, and resolved to entrust their knowledge to the people of Cosmo Canyon. These teachings would become the foundation of planetology, which continues to be refined through research and discourse even as it is spread throughout the world.

When the Cetra finally departed Cosmo Canyon, none remained to provide solace to the Gi, who in their festering anguish and rage were driven to turn on the villagers. Many brave warriors gave their lives to beat back these vengeful spirits, entombing them in their prison once more.

NIBEL REGION

Mt. Nibel and the Birth of Mako Energy

It is said that beyond the desolate, jagged crags of Mt. Nibel lies the land of the dead, and few dare to approach its slopes. Indeed, even plant life struggles to find a foothold here, and with tumbling boulders and rockslides a constant threat, the locals see little reason to make such a perilous journey.

Many of the mountain’s caves are filled with mako vapor, and the inner reaches contain mako springs and naturally formed materia. Shinra’s search for a new energy source led them to Mt. Nibel, and its abundant supply of mako made it the ideal site for the world’s first reactor.

Although it played an instrumental role in the proliferation of mako energy, the Nibel reactor’s time in the spotlight was brief, and it now operates at greatly reduced capacity.

Nibelheim: A Recent History

In the shadow of the jagged formations at the foot of Mt. Nibel, the village of Nibelheim had little to offer the outside world. However, their quiet existence would change dramatically with Shinra’s discovery of vast reserves of mako within the mountain.

The company’s efforts began with the construction of Shinra Manor on a plot of leased land. It was there that the head of Research and Development, Professor Gast, and his assistant, Professor Hojo, pioneered studies on mako and Jenova.

Shinra’s financial investment delivered the people of Nibelheim from poverty. Their newfound happiness and prosperity would be short-lived, though, as the entire village was burned to the ground and countless innocents slaughtered by Sephiroth.

A perfect reconstruction of Nibelheim was later erected on the site in secret, and now serves as a treatment center for victims of mako poisoning.

thinking about how zack was such a fighty angry kid at first in crisis core, and how he learned to bottle it all up because nobody took his feelings seriously.

i bet zack died on that cliff resentful and enraged and covering it up with a thin layer of heroic cheer, just like he always has.

he was so close. he was so tired. he tried to be a hero and it turned him into a monster instead, slaughtering hundreds and hundreds of infantrymen, all to protect just one. and it didn't even matter because they still won. shinra still fucking won.

zack lost his entire sense of self and identity to SOLDIER and shinra, and now they're taking his life too, right when he was this close. not just to physical freedom, but mental freedom too. and he copes with the indignation the same way he always has: he's so Nice about it.

and so he dies as a friendly nobody, instead of what he really was deep down: a scared, angry, exhausted kid.

Zack Fair, Violence, and Tragedy

Over the last month or two I’ve seen several posts about the nature of Zack Fair’s tragedy and his seeming heel-toe-turn and thought I’d chime in. 

Also like last time: this is only my interpretation of canon, there is no one true analysis to take as gospel. If you disagree/differ in opinion/even just want to talk please reblog or dm! I enjoy talking to other people about this sort of thing, fandom is all about discussion after all!

While I agree with the sentiment I’ve seen going around that Zack’s relationship to violence plays a role there are other nuances and factors at play here. I’d argue that it’s more accurate to say that Zack is becoming more aware of personal and professional culture outside of SOLDIER and outside of both ShinRa’s constraining grip and Angeal’s attempts at protection. Even then it takes great personal tragedy caused by the inherent contradictions of ShinRa’s reality for him to realize that he has functionally been on the wrong side.  

Sure he’s not callous like Cloud is in the beginning of original and Remake, but he certainly isn’t horrified at his actions just because there is violence. I’d argue the violence of his actions isn’t the main horror to him in isolation. I’d argue that even the death that results from violence isn’t what the core of the issue is either. 

Zack’s hinging point is more his loyalty and his pride. What he does for other people and what he believes in and of himself. Specifically these things in conjunction with his desire to be a good person. 

The language of Pride, the non-localized direct translation of the word hokori or 誇り(JP CC Script), is what’s going to be used here rather than Honor. 

誇り | Hokori - To take pride in; To boast of

Definition Sources: 1, 2, 3

Just keep in mind that I’ve written this from as neutral a point of view as possible on the matter of pride since the Western perception definitively does not apply. To be proud is not a crime and it is not foolish it simply is. 

Zack initially places his pride in SOLDIER- in what being a SOLDIER means to him. In how being a SOLDIER is his and that they are his people and thus he lets ShinRa policies define how he frames his morality. Thus ShinRa defines good in Zack Fair’s life. 

Zack wants to be a hero. He wants to help people. He is trusting and kind and respectful to people consistently outside of the conflict of the mass desertion. Zack genuinely wants to be a good person and help other people, good or otherwise. He is led to believe by ShinRa propaganda that the best way to help people or to be anything meaningful in this world is through them. This is a baited trap that he falls into, Zack is prime prey this trap was intended to catch. 

He is angry at Genesis and horrified by Angeal, especially at the beginning, not for cruelty or violence or even really death… He is angry at them for their betrayal. Sure he is violent and angry in the instance he thinks Angeal has murdered his own mother, as with Genesis and his parents, but that does not define his antagonism, his hatred, his regret, his sense of justice with them at all. 

 Zack does not raise his sword at Genesis for the people of Banora, he raises his sword for SOLDIER. 

Zack understandably feels, and has been, betrayed. 

He is hurt and angry and alone in a way he’s never been since he got into the SOLDIER program. He falls deeper into the illusions of ShinRa for that reason, angry and hurting and grieving the life he had with people in it who will never return. There is a deep sense of nostalgia throughout Crisis Core in the sense of the word’s initial meaning: the pain of missing home. Specifically the homes we find in people.

Even as he believes in ShinRa's twisted reality Zack wants to help. He wants to protect those he cares for. Zack wants to be good. Unfortunately in Zack Fair’s life the undisputed definition of good is now written by the ShinRa Electric Power Corporation alone.

Then he meets Aerith. 

Suddenly ShinRa’s version of right and wrong have opposition but the control that ShinRa has over his life, total and complete as it is, prevents that from sinking in. Zack is perceptive though, around Aerith he is her version of good and then he has to go back to what equates to his phase of reality. A sanctuary is not safe, not truly, when watchers are peering in through the back door ready to drag you out by your feet if you misstep. 

Zack wants to be a man Aerith or anyone won’t be scared of. He wants to do that not because he is suddenly horrified at his own violence but rather in consideration of others. Zack is highly empathetic after all once he can see someone else’s perspective. He wants to be what Aerith wants, even if he doesn’t really and truly understand it yet, because he cares about her and cares about her opinion. He cares about her comfort. Zack still puts most of his pride within SOLDIER though. That means that Aerith’s morals cannot sink through his skin to his center, not like Angeal’s had. She makes him think but she is not shaping his mind, he is left to do that himself.

 Zack spends a lot of time questioning Angeal and being upset at and about him off screen even more than on screen. We don’t get a front row seat for all of it. The big takeaway is that Zack doesn’t shed Angeal’s morals that he’s taken on himself. He can’t after all, not with ShinRa only just seeming tarnished. ShinRa would need to rust and crumble fully before he actually can let them go. Before he can be free in his own mind.

ShinRa chips and rusts in an instant under Sephiroth’s hand. The last holdout crumbled in the fight of two victims of ShinRa and someone who will become one soon. ShinRa is no longer the defined of good, not after what Zack sees is the response to the Nibelheim Incident.

ShinRa not being good, worse even ShinRa being bad breaks the entire morality system. The illusions crack and Zack is forced to examine himself, his actions, and his biases in ways Aerith made him want to but that he couldn’t afford to truly indulge in. Even more that he was scared of self introspection in a sense, of the paradigm of his reality shifting even further. 

He eventually truly reframes his actions and has to reckon with them (and himself) at the end of the game, chapter 9 and onwards. It is only then that he actually LOOKS and is fully horrified by what he sees of himself. That horror only progresses as he fights for both his and Cloud’s lives. That horror only builds as he realizes he’s exactly the person who his girlfriend SHOULD be terrified of despite his best attempts- that he’s everything she was talking about. He’s everything she was talking about even after trying to change the way he acts around her. 

To abuse the innate metaphors: Zack Fair goes to Nibelheim, a well trained attack dog, still seeing relatively little wrong with fulfilling ShinRa’s orders. Zack is only then on the cusp of figuring out that he does not want to be there, that he is the antagonist of the planet’s (and Aerith’s) story unwittingly. 

Zack Fair leaves Nibelheim beaten. He tries to go back to the safety of what was once his home prior to ShinRa only to be waylaid. 

Zack Fair leaves Banora free and irrevocably changed. 

He is free in the sense that the illusions he held himself too are crumbling even more with knowledge that his demons are men too. He is free through the knowledge that he is one of those demons. , that he has been shaped to be one, and that good intentions pave a terribly walkable path to hell. 

Zack leaves with the knowledge that he was the monster in the closet. The knowledge that his sword was not just the executioner’s blade but the enforcer’s. The sword kept clean in favor of bloody hands and higher risks is now drowning in pools of it. Zack leaves with the knowledge that he never would have been truly free. 

Yet he is in the sense that he can choose- actually choose- what he wants, what he values. He chooses Aerith and he chooses Cloud as he has each time before. He chooses violence. It is something he knows and among what he is good at. It is not all he is but it is a tool he can use. 

He chooses to pay the price of freedom. 

Crisis Core is a tragedy and Zack and Genesis both are tragic figures at its center. Zack’s arc is angled to the viewer for maximum effect but Genesis’s does mirror it in a way just on an offset path already initiated. Sephiroth is also a tragic character, undeniably so. However structure wise his role is more murky given the way he has the ability to be the god waiting in the machine, a guaranteed victory or unavoidable altered trajectory should he choose to act, for most of the story. 

And that’s a large part of why I love Zack as a character, aside from things I’ve said before about what makes him such a good narrator. Zack is the unlucky prodigy at the center of a story about wars, abusers, connections, and perspectives. He wants to be good, he wants to be a person that helps. 

He can’t, not really, not in the way he wants. 

Crisis Core is a cautionary tale about exactly that going wrong and how anyone can be taken advantage of. 

Beautiful

ITS DONE. Abbey by Mitski with Sephiroth

Things you can watch for in this video: Sephiroths hair and bangs getting bigger over the course of the vid.

Me sobbing on my knees: go watch this right now

I thoroughly enjoyed this analysis.

Ok wild fuckass theory that probably works more as some type of fan fic AU or fix-it (loosely) and probably won’t happen but chekekfj

This is gonna be very rambly but bear with me

To me it seems that TFS and new details in Rebirth are setting up that Jenova is in more control than we previously thought. While I still believe there is some level of fucked up symbiosis, I question how much is actually Sephiroth (insane or not) and how much is Jenova. Would Jenova want revenge on Rufus for killing Glenn? Probably not because that is a very human, Sephiroth thing to want.

Jenova is a calamity that destroys worlds, we’ve known this since the OG and we’ve known that the Nibelheim Incident was because Sephiroth was rightfully angry, betrayed, and upset at what he had learned (false info but hey). In Rebirth we see it flashing between Sephiroth and Jenova, especially in the reactor where their faces are overlayed for a second. It makes me wonder, while Sephiroth was 100% having a mental breakdown, would he have killed and burned the entire village if it wasn’t for Jenova’s influence. In Crisis Core before leaving for Nibelheim, he was talking about deserting/leaving after this last mission. Without Jenova, i could see him wanting to get revenge on the people who wronged him, take down Shinra, and other such things. But since Jenova’s sole purpose is to be a world destroying calamity, she would twist that want of revenge on those people into just getting rid of all of it and become a god.

Side Tangent. I find the length of Sephiroth’s bangs to be important on telling what Sephiroth we are looking at (sane, short. insane, long) and Square seems to have just kinda forgotten about CC Seph having shorter bangs ig for optimization but it makes moments like in Chapter 8 of TFS confusing where we see very much sane Sephiroth from right before the CC era with long bangs and it cuts to Sephiroth with the same model, as far as i can tell, at the Edge of Creation. That leaves two options I can think of; 1: the Edge of Creation is a Jenova created sub space or mind space that she has been taking Sephiroth to and he has no idea wtf it is yet (unlikely). 2: That little scene was Sephiroth during the Remake Trilogy slowly gathering old memories and maybe even realizing that Jenova is in more control and influenced him more than he originally thought and is slowly regaining his identity. This feels more likely so thats what im gonna continue this rambling with. But please Square, you can sacrifice a few more megabytes to add another hair model to swap in.

Anyways, going with that Sephiroth is slowly remembering who he was, and how episode 1 of TFS seemed to be drawing some pretty harsh parallels between Sephiroth and Rosen plus everything they seem to be setting up with Jenova, i think Square is setting up a type of redemption for Sephiroth. It won’t be a true redemption but it would be something. The line from Rosen, “There is no place for me in your world,” feels very intentional and VERY Sephiroth. The parallels between Sephiroth and Rosen’s isolation and being trained from a young age to do one thing only for Sephiroth to kill him because Rosen feels that he can’t be a part of society feels like a set up for how Sephiroth’s story will ultimately end. If Cloud and crew somehow manage to separately Sephiroth from Jenova or something, there is no place for Sephiroth in the world anymore for very different reasons than Rosen. He’s killed, tortured, tried to end the world; no one would accept him after everything he did. Clearly, sane Sephiroth felt a lot of guilt over who he had killed and was trying his best to be the hero he never truly wanted to be to maybe right his wrongs. But if he gets his mind back, there is no righting the wrongs he had committed. There is no place for him anymore. He had been a dead man for 5 years anyways. The only thing he deserves is death and to finally join the Lifestream. The only catch is if Cloud can show the same empathy young Sephiroth did for Rosen. Any in the end, I think Cloud will be able to. In Advent Children, he showed some level of empathy and compassion for Kadaj in the end.

In the small snippet of Sephiroth we got in chapter 8 of TFS, he was thinking about how hate breeds more hate but compassion can end that cycle. And I think that is going to be the key to finally ending the cycle of FFVII.

Why is the last scene giving Edge of Creation, like besides the music, the way he looks up is very similar to the way he looks at the dying universe (ultimania).

New Teaser

This is the reason I love this fandom.

The second episode of the Remake, FF7 Rebirth, has proven to be a terrific experience thus far. SE obviously made a few big decisions here and there.

It is seemingly implied now that Jenova wasn't "brain-dead", and it is hinted that Sephiroth was addled during his breakdown.

It all begins with a strategically placed cut, when Sephiroth touches the door bearing the name Jenova and instructs "Cloud" to close the valve. The scene is merely functional for new fans, yet leaves a vacant space that Crisis Core players will quickly fill in with the inferred arrival of Genesis. Smart move that, leaving the interpretation to the player. Whether Genesis exists inside the Remake's continuity or not, the moment reads differently to each fan. Quite frankly, I was half-expecting “Cloud” to come across a banora apple, rolling on the floor, but I suppose that would be telling.

What's remarkable is that they give Sephiroth almost identical symptoms to those that Cloud has in the remake. Glitches and odd headaches superimpose themselves nicely over the original Crisis Core scene. And, as much as I loathe Tyler Hoechlin's acting in the game, he lends a tangible sense of rage to Sephiroth's disparaging remarks about Hojo and his experiments. You can hear the hatred, a touch of pity, and disgust directed at Hojo's work and the creatures he tortured. In Crisis Core, he refers to the test subjects as “abominations” with the same touch of bitterness.

Back to the point: glitches, pupil dilations, and headaches are visual cues for Jenovaroth's influence or proximity, as shown in the first part of the Remake. However, at this point, Sephiroth is still sane — cracking, but still himself — so the only agent who can exert influence on him is, well, Jenova.

Now, a widely established fan hypothesis maintained that Jenova was brain-dead or comatose. Bodily functions sustained, but brain activity plateaued. Rebirth, however, strangely suggests otherwise.

When "Cloud" returns to Sephiroth in the manor's basement for the second time, Sephiroth recites an excerpt from a journal purportedly written by Professor Gast: 

“The specimen, found in a strata dating back two thousand years, smiled with what could only be described as 'ethereal grace'… Though the truth eluded me at first, I later determined that she was an Ancient - or a 'steward of the planet', as they are referred to in legend”. 

Remembering the battles with Jenova Dreamweaver and Jenova Emergent, the creature is far from "graceful" or "ethereal". There is nothing graceful about her figure in the tube either, and she is not smiling. The game goes out of its way to lampshade the glaring contradiction by showing the flashes of Jenova’s fanged skull and grotesque body as Sephiroth quotes the passage. So how could Gast perceive her as such?.. The answer is most likely found in Jenova Dreamweaver's description given in Ultimania: the entity has the ability to induce hallucinations in individuals who come into proximity with it, which is further corroborated by Jenova Emergent description.

An ancient lifeform that Shinra Company has kept under strict confidentiality. Those who come into contact can have their conscience interfered as well as see illusions. Professor Hojo has dedicated half of his life to researching Jenova, and within the Shinra Company building's top floors lies a secret research center called the "Dome," where Jenova's cells are injected into lifeforms or machinery to conduct experiments. (Ultimania)

Gast even writes that “the truth eluded him at first”, but LATER he determined the specimen belonged to the race of Ancients, as that answer was suggested. The implication is chilling: Jenova may have purposefully misled Gast in order to present itself as an Ancient. As Sephiroth later explains in the FF7Rb, Jenova is capable of seeing deep into one's soul and impersonating individuals you fear, love, or hate.

If ShinRA and Gast were determined to unravel the mysteries of Ancients and their Promised Land, it would make sense for Jenova to "scan" Gast and determine the best course of action: disguise itself as an Ancient in order to escape captivity in geological strata jail.

The scene in which Sephiroth reads Gast's notes is possibly the final time he is more or less himself, before Jenova's image intermingles with his for a brief moment. Again, I appreciate Tyler's voice acting in this particular section and the real rage he brought to it. Admittedly, I was concerned that with next-gen visuals, they would take a more gruesome approach, displaying Sephiroth conducting the Nibelheim carnage with sadistic pleasure, but they took a different route. Slow, zombie-like movements, and a glassy expression.

He speared the militiamen as casually as if he were spearing bugs, which is far more frightening from a narrative point. What jumped out was how they emphasized the possessed-like behavior: from snarling and flailing the book like a suffering person to an empty countenance and automaton-like strides, as if he was being beckoned. Which is what "Mother is waiting" implies.

The final segment of the Nibelheim flashback is likely the most essential as well. According to previous developer claims, Sephiroth's will took precedence over Jenova's, and he was in control — whether Jenova was brain-dead or simply of lesser willpower.  However, the Rebirth appears to suggest something different right off the bat. First, "Cloud" shouts, "I believed in you… No… Not you — whoever the hell you are!", highlighting the significant personality change and the resulting lack of recognition. But then "Cloud" sees Jenova's image superimposed over that of Sephiroth in a rapid, glitch-like succession.

In other words, he sees Jenova inhabiting Sephiroth's body as a vehicle to once again escape the confinements. Whatever that means, whether it suggests that Jenova is in control from the start, or whether Sephiroth is literally the greatest functional agglomeration of her cells, and therefore literally “becomes” Jenova. 

If Jenova's original body was severely damaged — either as a result of eons of incarceration or Hojo's tinkering — it stands to reason that, if she wished to carry out her plan, she would need a new body, one capable of moving at the very least. Perhaps Sephiroth, an able-bodied skilled Mako-infused fighter of considerable might, served as a better "vessel" than her original damaged one. 

But the crux of the matter lies elsewhere. The possibility of Jenova being conscious and influencing Gast is very terrifying. With the potential to affect others in close vicinity, she may have influenced the minds of the whole science team behind the Jenova Project, particularly those who had long-term contact with her tissue — Gast and Hojo. It could turn out that the whole idea to revive an “Ancient” was planted by Jenova in order to grow itself a powerful host. In fact, if it could "peer into one's soul," i.e. read minds and memories, it might have easily identified a pressure point to indoctrinate people who could forward her objective. It's one thing to inject tissue samples into an adult body; it's quite another to devise a plan to inject cells into a developing human fetus. Who knows. Perhaps Hojo is such an obsessed Jenova nutcase in large part because he fell under its spell; feelings of inadequacy and being overshadowed by his colleague may have offered a crack in his defenses.

One that Jenova easily took advantage of. After all, as Dirge of Cerberus implies, Hojo ended up implanting himself with alien organic material.

Again, Jenova's power to extract information from an individual when in proximity supports a bleak reading of the events leading up to Nibelheim's ransacking. A person who kept on carrying a photograph of his supposedly late mother and badgered others about his background, as suggested by Ever Crisis episodes, was literally wearing his weakness on a sleeve.

Perhaps the 30-something years of the Jenova Project were supposed to bring Sephiroth there.

Perhaps the chain of events had been nudged in that direction, starting from the very discovery of a derelict non-human lifeform. Nudged by an intelligence both cunning and incomprehensible. And that makes Jenova a much, much scarier presence in the remake than it was ever suggested in OG.

This is why I love the tragedy that is Sephiroth.

"You are too weak to save anyone."

"Not even yourself."

I know this is a crazy theory but I thinkSephiroth Goal in the Re trilogy isn't to be a god but to finally Die.

In-game he uses the pronoun "Ore" more often than "Watashi", but it seems in both cases they are still aligned with his OG goal. However, what makes me think this is the Executioner symbolism with Cloud, every time Cloud strikes him down he never fights it. At one point he even gives him his Blessing. What also helps me think this is the whole new lore with the gi tribe and Sephiroth being there but not saying a word (all the while the gi are chanting their one true desire "freedom in death".

I would be game for seeing Sephiroth having a definitive end. So long as it's done tastefully, of course. It would actually be pretty cool if one of these versions of Sephiroth is a Seph from a universe in which he actually wins and just...wants to end himself at long last after figuring out godhood is lonely and meaningless. That said, I don't think they'd be that profound, especially if this supposedly leads into AC. Sephiroth will keep coming back again and again in new convoluted ways, never learning his lesson.

I've said it before--the best (and kindest) conclusion you could take Sephiroth's character is to put him out of his misery. Both to avenge the lives he's taken and also to end the existential grief and tragedy that began with his birth. Sephiroth has to accept the pull of the Lifestream and dissolve. And if not that, then just cease to exist entirely. It sounds harsh, but it's an end to everyone's pain, Sephiroth included.

This is going to cause some serious brain rot for me.

Final Fantasy

VII

Rebirth

More Information I found about the Angel Symbolism in FF7 (Part 2):

I believe Zack Fair is an Angel in a traditional sense. An Angel is a being that becomes the bridge between Man and God, they have many responsibilities but the most important is the protection of the righteous.

- Zack's story has all of these aspects, he is the bridge between Shinra and the everyday person (his missions in crisis core being a prime example, and his most notable actions are in the protecting Cloud (a kid caught up in the cross fire).

Finally there Cloud Strife, who I believe without a doubt symbolizes as an Archangel (An Archangel is Leader of the regular angels within the Lord's heavenly Army). But I don't believe Cloud is just any Archangel I believe he is the Archangel Michael for two reasons, one Michael is prophesy to rise up at a time of great tribulation like the world has never seen, and two Micheal is the Angel who defeated Satan during his rebellion and cast him out to the Earth.

-Cloud the leader of the party, and he is the one at the end to rise above the circumstance & defeat Sephiroth during the Meteor Crisis.

Extra: Also many believe Satan or Lucifer was a Seraphim before his fall (fits Sephiroth's fall), and so Cloud being an Archangel is Poetic for their endless battle.

Dude...

These are so interesting! You've really got an eye for imagery. I need to replay everything to pick up on some extras...

Fun Scenario Idea:

Lazard finds the paperwork he just finished completely destroyed after he comes back from a meeting. How does he react, who does he blame first, and who actually did it. (Lazard needs more love)

*There's a lot of screaming and swearing from Lazard's part. Then he goes to find the obvious suspects. Cue Lazard marching through the floor dragging both Genesis and Zack by the ears*

Zack: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Genesis: I didn't do it! This is a calculated accusation! A smear campaign against my person!

Zack: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Lazard: I KNOW IT WAS YOU TWO! WHO ELSE WOULD THINK OF PLAYING FIRAGA PING-PONG IN MY OFFICE!?

*They disappear around the corner en route to Lazard's office for discipline*

*Meanwhile Sephiroth and Angeal are watching all of this go down from the sidelines. Both of them are holding charred ping-pong paddles and have soot on their faces*

Sephiroth:

Angeal:

Sephiroth: My conscience is clear.

Angeal: Yeah same here.

Thought this would be fun to share:

So I recently was researching angelology for a project of mine, and I just realized Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis each represent one of the three highest Angels. Not just design-wise but symbolically.

Sephiroth is a Seraphim. A Seraphim's main purpose is worship, making them the closest to God and the highest level of Angel. Considering Sephiroth's strong devotion to Jenova after Nibelheim, even after he learns that truth about Jenova in the lifesteam. Seraphim are also called The Burnings Ones, and considering fire is a reoccurring theme for Sephiroth it speaks for itself.

Angeal is a Cherubim. A Cherubim main purpose is the protection of sacred places like the Garden of Eden and the Arc of the Covenant. Angeal's whole arc is about him losing his Soldier Pride/Honor, something that he considered sacred to himself, is what lead him to his own demise. Cherubim are the only high level Angel among the three that wield a sword.

Genesis is a Ophanim/Throne. Ophanim or Thrones main purpose is to guard the Throne of God. This shows itself more in Genesis resolution at the end of Crisis Core, with him finding a new purpose after seeing Minerva.

- Crisis Core Ultimania:

- So as result, Minerva/the lifestream stops his degradation and allows him to live on in order to complete his duty. He then later vows to aid the planet when it needs him in the future. So I guess one could say that Genesis's connection to Minerva/the lifestream/planet is to serve as it's sentinel or guardian.

I never thought of it that way before! There's a lot of symbolic layers to these characters for sure! I always learn something new about them every day!