Characters of the Final Fantasy VII series

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Final Fantasy characters

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Square's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game at the time. A major critical and commercial success, the game remains arguably the most popular title in the series,^[1][2][3][4] and is often credited with allowing console-style RPGs to achieve mainstream success outside Japan.^[2] The ongoing popularity of the title led Square Enix to produce a series of sequels and prequels under the collective title "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII". As of September 2004, Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9.5 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title.^[5]

The game's story centers on a group of adventurers as they battle a powerful megacorporation called Shinra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, conflicts escalate and the world's safety becomes the central concern as new forces, such as rogue scientists, ancient creatures and legendary soldiers emerge to challenge the original group. The main characters in Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, and Last Order are Cloud and Sephiroth, while some sequels and prequels focus on two other major characters from the original game, Vincent and Zack. Each of these characters' story is explored in their own game, other than Sephiroth who is expanded upon in tandem with Cloud. The original Final Fantasy VII game, Cloud had six companions who journeyed with Yuffie and Vincent, who were optional characters in the original game, and these nine are viewed by many as the main characters of the Compilation series. Their roles are however minor outside the original game. Nevertheless, each character has become extremely popular.

Contents 1 Concept and creation 2 Central characters 2.1 Cloud 2.2 Sephiroth 2.3 Vincent 2.4 Zack 3 Major characters 3.1 Aerith 3.2 Tifa 3.3 Barret 3.4 Red XIII 3.5 Cait Sith 3.6 Cid 3.7 Yuffie 3.8 Rufus 3.9 Turks 3.9.1 Tseng 3.9.2 Reno 3.9.3 Rude 3.9.4 Elena 3.10 Professor Hojo 3.11 Jenova 3.12 Lucrecia 3.13 Reeve Tuesti 3.14 AVALANCHE 3.15 Marlene 3.16 President Shinra 3.17 Heidegger 3.18 Scarlet 3.19 Zangan 4 Before Crisis characters 4.1 Verdot 4.2 Shalua 4.3 Azul 5 Advent Children characters 5.1 Denzel 6 Dirge of Cerberus characters 6.1 Nero 6.2 Weiss 7 Crisis Core characters 7.1 Cissnei 7.2 Genesis 8 Reception and legacy 9 References

[edit] Concept and creation

When looking at the story of the original Final Fantasy VII, character designer Tetsuya Nomura decided it was very dark and needed characters who reflected that. Thus Cloud's original character design called for slicked back black hair with no spikes, intended to serve as a contrast to Sephiroth's long, flowing silver hair.^[6] However, to give Cloud a unique feature that would emphasize his role in the game as the main character, Nomura changed the design to feature Cloud's now trademark shock of spiky, bright blond hair.^[6] For Tifa's design, Nomura has admitted to facing a difficult decision in choosing to give her a miniskirt or pants. With input from other members of the game's development staff, he eventually selected a dark miniskirt, contrasted by Aeris' long, pink dress.^[6] Vincent's character developed from horror researcher to detective, then to chemist, and finally to the figure of a former Turk with a tragic past. It has been explained that his crimson mantle was added to symbolize the idea of carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders associated with death. Nomura has indicated that Cid Highwind's fighting style resembles that of a Dragon Knight, a character class chosen because his last name is the same as that of two previous Dragon Knights featured in the Final Fantasy series, Ricard Highwind of Final Fantasy II and Kain Highwind of Final Fantasy IV.^[6]

Although the game was Nomura's favorite Final Fantasy project, he felt that Final Fantasy VII was hindered by graphical limitations, and that his designs were, consequently, very plain in comparison to his "true" style.^[6] He was however able to find other means of expressing some of his ideas. This "dark" theme described by Nomura is continued throughout the Compilation with characters such as the Tsviets of Dirge of Cerberus, Kadaj and his gang in Advent Children, and characters in all parts of the series. Producer Yoshinori Kitase stated that voice acting was one of the topic to which the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII team paid close attention. The voice actors which debuted in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children were kept for all the other titles of the project, besides Mena Suvari. As Cloud and Vincent have similar personalities, care was taken to differentiate them and their lines.^[7]

[edit] Central characters

[edit] Cloud

Cloud Strife (クラウド・ストライフ, Kuraudo Sutoraifu^?) is the game's primary protagonist and a self-proclaimed ex-SOLDIER-turned-mercenary employed by AVALANCHE. Initially, Cloud is confused and conflicted with an occasionally arrogant attitude and a cool disposition, until a traumatic experience in the Lifestream helps him discover lost memories of his true self. He wears a purple/dark blue SOLDIER uniform and is distinguished by his glowing blue eyes, a sign of having been exposed to a large amount of mako. He has spiky blonde hair and wields a Buster Sword in combat, given to him by his late friend Zack Fair.

[edit] Sephiroth

Sephiroth (セフィロス, Sefirosu^?): Sephiroth is the game's main antagonist, and is known to be the most powerful member of SOLDIER ever, rising to a prominent rank at an early age. After a traumatic incident in which he learned of what he assumed to be his true origins, he left SOLDIER and indeed civilization altogether with plans to become a god-like power by wounding the Planet with Meteor and absorbing the entirety of the Lifestream sent to heal the damage. He manipulates and tortures Cloud over the course of the game, including killing Aerith at the Forgotten City. Cloud destroys Sephiroth at the end of the game; however, he returns for a short time in the sequel Final Fantasy VII Advent Children where he is reborn through the body of Kadaj and subsequently defeated once again by Cloud. He warns Cloud that he will "Never be a memory". Sephiroth is also a member of the party for a very short period during a flashback sequence, but is controlled by the computer during combat and the player cannot change his equipment and materia.

[edit] Vincent

Vincent Valentine (ヴィンセント・ヴァレンタイン, Vinsento Varentain^?) is an optional character from the original Final Fantasy VII, and is not required to complete the game. However, he later became the protagonist in two sequels, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 2 and the mobile phone game Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII. Vincent is a dark, brooding, and sardonic man whose heart had been numbed by a tragic love. He loved Lucrecia Crescent, who saved him after he had been shot by implanting in his body the lethal weapon, Chaos, and the protomateria with which to control Chaos. Vincent is a former Turk gunman who was experimented on by Hojo approximately thirty years before the start of the game,^[8] and consequently failed to age and developed superhuman abilities and characteristics. After the numerous experiments and help of the protomateria, Vincent is able to transform into other demons while having nearly complete control. Cloud and the others eventually discover him sleeping inside a coffin in the basement of the Shinra Mansion, where he joins them in their quest.

[edit] Zack

Zack Fair (ザックス・フェア, Zakkusu Fea^?) is a non-player character from the game Final Fantasy VII, and the protagonist of its prequel, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. He also appears with Aerith in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, as a SOLDIER in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, and plays a significant role in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. In the original game, he appears only in flashback sequences, which portray him as almost identical to Cloud Strife, the game's main playable character, in physical appearance except for his black hair. When strung together, the sequences explain a great deal about Cloud's past and his connection to Sephiroth, the game's arch-villain. Zack was given the Buster Sword by his mentor, Angeal, and later gave it to Cloud moments before his death. Zack was born in the town of Gongaga, where he lived until leaving to join Shinra's militant force, SOLDIER. Eventually he worked his way up to SOLDIER 1st class. He was captured along with Cloud Strife for experimentation after a battle with Sephiroth in Nibelheim, and later escaped with Cloud and attempted to return to Aerith. He was gunned down by the Shinra army while protecting Cloud.

[edit] Major characters

[edit] Aerith

Aerith Gainsborough (エアリス・ゲインズブール, Earisu Geinzubūru^?) (romanized as Aeris Gainsborough in the English version of Final Fantasy VII game but as Aerith in later publications) is a flower girl on the streets of Midgar, sought after by Shinra's research department because she is the last of the Cetra. She asks Cloud to be her bodyguard after a run-in with the Turks, and subsequently joins AVALANCHE. While with AVALANCHE, Aerith realizes that she is the one who must stop Sephiroth's plot and save the planet. Sephiroth realizes that Aerith is a danger to him and kills her in the Forgotten City as she prays. However, Aerith's spirit maintains her cognitive powers and she remains separate from the Lifestream. Aerith has also made appearances in Before Crisis, Advent Children, Crisis Core, and the novella Case of the Lifestream: White, wherein she attempts to counter Sephiroth's hatred. Aerith is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto in Japanese.

[edit] Tifa

Tifa Lockhart (ティファ・ロックハート, Tifa Rokkuhāto^?) (originally romanized as Tifa Lockheart) is a childhood friend of Cloud and a skilled martial artist, having been previously intstructed by Zangan. She is one of the lead members of AVALANCHE and convinces Cloud to join them in their rebellion against Shinra. Tifa helps to unlock Cloud's missing memories, and is revealed to have a romantic interest in him. After Final Fantasy VII, Tifa and Cloud diverge from the group and live with Barret and Marlene at the newly-created bar, Seventh Heaven, in Edge. Barret later moves out, leaving Marlene in their care, and an orphan boy named Denzel is taken in. Tifa refers to their unit as a "family". Tifa has also appeared in Before Crisis, Advent Children, Last Order, Dirge of Cerberus, Crisis Core, and the novella Case of Tifa.

[edit] Barret

Barret Wallace (バレット・ウォーレス, Baretto Wōresu^?) is the former leader of the paramilitary organization known as AVALANCHE. He is opposed to the use of Shinra’s mako technology, which he believes to be killing the planet. Barret is also the adoptive father of Marlene, the child of his past friend, Dyne. His primary weapon is a gun grafted to his arm. Initially, he distrusts and dislikes Cloud, believing him to be nothing more than a heartless mercenary-for-hire, but eventually changes his opinion of him for the better. After AVALANCHE disbands, Barret chooses to continue his mission to save the planet, though he feels that his weapon had made him a monster. Barret has made appearances in Before Crisis, Advent Children, and the novella Case of Barret, part of the On the Way to a Smile series.

[edit] Red XIII

Red XIII (レッドXIII, Reddo Sātīn^?), whose real name is Nanaki, is large, powerful, leonine and coated with fire red fur. His species possesses great longevity, which surprises the party when they learn that his 48 years only amounts to adolescence by his species' standards. Though his real name is Nanaki, he is given the name Red XIII by Hojo, and continues to be called this when the party rescues him from Hojo's laboratory. In the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, he is voiced by Masachika Ichimura in Japanese releases and Liam O'Brien in English releases.

Red XIII joins Cloud's group while they are rescuing Aerith Gainsborough from the Shinra building, where Hojo is attempting to breed Aerith with Nanaki in order to preserve what he believes to be two endangered species of animal.^[9] Red XIII believes that his father, Seto, had been a coward who abandoned Cosmo Canyon during a war with the now-extinct Gi Tribe, leaving the tribes to fight on their own. As such, he was deeply ashamed of being Seto's son. When the group later visits Cosmo Canyon, they meet the village elder, Bugenhagen, whom Red XIII refers to as his "grandfather." Here, Red XIII learns the truth about his father, who sacrificed himself to save the village. Finally knowing the truth of his proud heritage, Red XIII, with some encouragement from Bugenhagen, gains the courage to rejoin Cloud's party for the rest of their journey, during which he proves himself to be a valuable asset and friend. He is shown to be alive 500 years after the series along with his two children looking down at the overgrown ruins of Midgar.^[2]

Red XIII appears in Before Crisis, being chosen to perform a sacred ritual with a female, Deneh. Red XIII fears the ritual and is accused of being a coward by Deneh. However, when the Turks come with orders to capture a member of the Gi Tribe, Red XIII quickly defends Deneh and is taken. In Advent Children, Red XIII appears with Cait Sith to fight Bahamut SIN. In Dirge of Cerberus, he is seen with Shelke in a single cutscene.

[edit] Cait Sith

Cait Sith (ケット・シー, Ketto Shī^?) is a robotic talking cat who is friendly, but often unreliable.^[10] He rides on the back of a mog which does all of the pair's fighting while Cait Sith orders it with a megaphone. In subsequent publications, he's usually been seen on his own two feet. As a robot, he is able to be rebuilt and replaced, which happens several times throughout the series. He is controlled by Reeve Tuesti, whose original intent during Final Fantasy VII is to infiltrate Cloud's group and sabotage their resistance efforts on behalf of his employers.^[11] After Cait Sith joins Cloud's group initially, under the guise of a traveling fortuneteller, he travels with them, steals the keystone to the Temple of the Ancients, and hands it over to the Turks. Afterwards, Reeve has a change of heart, and by revealing that he has Marlene in his custody, Cait Sith is allowed to remain with the group. Cait Sith is voiced by Hideo Ishikawa in Japanese and Greg Ellis in English, and is given a Scottish accent.

While in the Temple of the Ancients, Cait Sith volunteers to extract the Black Materia as he was just a robot and could be easily sacrificed. However, when looking further into the matter it appears Cait Sith does indeed have some self-recognition.^[12] It is worth noting that after Cait Sith retrieves the Black Materia, he makes gestures towards the roof indicating that the temple would immediately destroy him. Cait Sith then exclaims that he would in fact have sacrificed himself even without the acknowledgement of the team—or Reeve's control.^[13]

Cait Sith appears within other games of the series. In Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, he is used by Reeve to support the Turks. He plays a small role in Advent Children by helping to fight, though he appears riding on Red XIII instead of the toy moogle. Cait Sith plays a small supporting role along with Reeve in Dirge of Cerberus, and he acts as a playable character during one mission. In Crisis Core, Cait Sith is available as a summon for Zack. Cait Sith also makes various cameos, such as a Dressphere costume in Final Fantasy X-2, a weapon for Lulu in Final Fantasy X, and a character in both Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales and the Wings of the Goddess expansion of Final Fantasy XI.

[edit] Cid

Cid Highwind (シド・ハイウインド, Shido Haiuindo^?), part of a long tradition of Final Fantasy Cids, is thirty-two years old and the most uncouth of the protagonists, constantly swearing,^[14] losing his temper and chain-smoking cigarettes. Despite this rough appearance, he has a good heart, and is voted temporary leader of AVALANCHE at one point when Cloud Strife is incapacitated with Mako Poisoning. The residents of Rocket Town all call him "the Captain," where he serves as something of an honorary mayor. Shinra's airship maintenance crew considers him a legend and were easily convinced to mutiny in stealing the Highwind for him. Outside of his Final Fantasy VII series role, he has appeared in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Kazuhiro Yamaji voices Cid in Japanese and Chris Edgerly voices him in English.

Since childhood, Cid dreamed of becoming the first human in space. However, just as the rocket was about to launch, Cid realized that an engineer named Shera had defied orders and run a last-minute double-check of the rocket's oxygen tanks. Cid aborted the launch to save her life. In the wake of this disaster, Shinra concluded that space exploration was not financially viable and withdrew funding from the project altogether once they had discovered that Mako energy was a far more profitable venture. Shortly afterwards, Cid's beloved airship, the Highwind, was confiscated by Shinra.^[15][16] Cid blamed Shera for destroying his dream as a result. After the incident, Shera devoted herself to doing whatever she could to atone for her "mistake", and Cid continued to treat her abominably, verbally abusing her.^[17] However, her concern over the oxygen tanks is eventually proven to have merit when an explosion of the oxygen tank she was checking during the original launch temporarily traps Cid in orbit during a later successful attempt to launch the rocket into space. After this, Cid finally forgives Shera, realizing that she probably saved his life by performing the investigation.^[18] As a result, he has a newfound respect for Shera and her work. Cid is first encountered in Rocket Town, where he waits, hoping that Rufus had agreed to restart the space mission. However, he is displeased to learn that Rufus has only turned up to requisition a prototype airplane, the Tiny Bronco, and jumps on board the plane when the party attempts to take off in it. Realizing that he is finished with Shinra, Cid joins the party.

In Before Crisis, Cid was an astronaut who longed to be the first man in space. However, the operation was aborted when Cid saw Shera doing another safety check, as he was unwilling to let the launch kill her. In Advent Children, Cid appears to help fight against the Remnants. In Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, one year after the events of Advent Children, he is a legendary airship pilot. He has become the leader of an airship division with support from the World Regenesis Organization and arrives in the game aboard the Shera, with other airships nearby. He leads the attack against the DeepGround Soldiers in Midgar and brings numerous WRO soldiers, Yuffie, and Vincent to battle. At the end of the game, he does his part in defeating Omega WEAPON by destroying a Shinra reactor, cutting off the monster's power. Other reactors are destroyed by fellow AVALANCHE members and the WRO. Cid is married to Shera at this time^{[citation needed]} and notes that she worried about Vincent^[19]. Cid Highwind is briefly mentioned in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII when Zack Fair gets mail from the Shinra News regarding a rocket launch, with Cid as the announced pilot.

[edit] Yuffie

Yuffie Kisaragi (ユフィ・キサラギ, Yufi Kisaragi^?) is an optional playable character and self-proclaimed "Materia Hunter" who joins the party hoping to steal their Materia, with the intention of restoring her country, Wutai, to its former glory. Although a skillful ninja, Yuffie is prone to sea and air sickness and shows signs of kleptomania. Outside of her Final Fantasy VII series role, Yuffie has appeared in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Ehrgeiz, Crisis Core and Itadaki Street Portable. Yuffie is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in Japanese releases. In the English, she is voiced by Christy Carlson Romano in Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children; she is voiced by Mae Whitman in all of her other appearances.

The player can encounter Yuffie during random battles in forests. If she is defeated, she may join the party depending on the player's dialogue choices. An incorrect answer causes her to steal some of the party's money and flee. Near the end of the game's first disc, it is possible for the player to set Cloud Strife up on a date with either her, Aerith, Barret, or Tifa. During the date with Yuffie, she kisses Cloud in an awkward sequence. If the Wutai continent is visited after acquiring Cid and before the party's raid in Midgar, Yuffie steals the player's materia and flees to the town of Wutai, where she plays several tricks on the party to get rid of them. In the end, she gives the materia back after being saved from Don Corneo. In another sidequest, she must prove herself to her father Godo by beating the bosses of Wutai's five-story Pagoda, including her father himself. If successful, Godo asks Cloud to take Yuffie with him on his quest, and the party receives the Leviathan materia.

Yuffie makes a brief appearance in Before Crisis when the player Turk travels to Wutai. In Advent Children, she travels to Midgar in search of the kidnapped children and joins the other characters in their fight. While in Aerith's church, Tifa and Marlene come across a box of materia which is later stolen by Loz. In Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII, a series of clips from the original game and CGI animation on the film's DVD edition, Yuffie attempts to contact Cloud to visit Barret and gives Cloud a gift: a "closed for business" sign to be used for his shop. In the novella "Case of Barret", part of the On the Way to a Smile novellas, it is mentioned that Yuffie teaches ninjutsu to the children in Wutai in the period between Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. In Dirge of Cerberus, Yuffie joins the World Regenesis Organization and assists Vincent several times throughout the game, most notably infiltrating the Mako Reactor Zero in the ruins of Midgar and shutting it off while Vincent defeats the members of Deepground. Yuffie also appears in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII during sidequests and a short stint in which Zack meets her at the Wutai temple.

[edit] Rufus

Rufus Shinra (ルーファウス神羅, Rūfausu Shinra^?) is a non-player character. He is voiced by Tōru Ōkawa in the original Japanese publications and Wally Wingert in the English dubs. His appearance is marked by neatly-groomed blonde hair, blue eyes and a white three-piece suit with a distinctive double-breasted jacket. In Final Fantasy VII, Rufus is depicted as callous, cold-hearted and ruthless.^[20] His views on how Shinra should conduct its rule over the world—through fear and intimidation rather than money—were considered dangerous by his father, and great care was taken to prevent them from influencing the company's inner workings.^[21][22] However, by Advent Children, it seems Rufus has reformed and is dedicated to helping the regeneration of the planet. He appears to enjoy subterfuge as much as he finds it useful, with his concealment of Jenova's head and use of deception in an attempt to overthrow his father. ^[23]

At the beginning of Final Fantasy VII he is the Vice-President of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a monopoly corporation and "de facto" world government. After his father's death, he becomes the president of the company. He begins running his company through fear and intimidation whilst very sure that Shinra is capable of solving the various crises facing Gaia. However, towards the close of the game he has a change of heart, and helps Cloud's group in the fight against Meteor and Sephiroth. Rufus' actions led to many positive outcomes that benefited the world, such as removing Sephiroth's energy barrier and destroying two WEAPONs. However, Rufus is thought to have died when his office in Shinra Headquarters was hit by an energy blast from Diamond WEAPON.

Rufus makes sporadic appearances in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII where he is seen supplying funding and information to AVALANCHE as an "anonymous benefactor," while suggesting to the Turks that there may be a leak in the company. He intended to use AVALANCHE to kill his father in an attempt to become President of the Shinra Company. The plan failed and Rufus was exiled to Junon. In Advent Children, Rufus is shown to be alive and with the intention of repairing the damage his company had caused to the world, despite being in a wheelchair due to the disease Geostigma. However, it was revealed that the wheelchair was just a façade.^[24] Nonetheless, he was capable of standing to toss Jenova's head off the side of a building, then leaping off as Kadaj dove after it. He plays a significant role in the story, having come into possession of Jenova's remains. At the end of the movie, he is cured of his Geostigma by healing rain empowered by Aerith's spirit. In his intent to repay the planet, Rufus is hinted as being the main, but anonymous, funder for the World Regenesis Organization in Dirge of Cerberus.^[25]

[edit] Turks

The Turks (タークス, Tākusu^?) are a group that perform covert operations on behalf of Shinra, including espionage, kidnappings and assassinations. They also scout for potential candidates for Shinra's elite military unit, SOLDIER, and serve as bodyguards for the Shinra executives. The group's full name is the Department of Administrative Research. Within the original game, the Turks Reno, Rude, Elena, and their leader Tseng serve as recurring antagonists throughout, although they are not above forming temporary alliances with AVALANCHE, the game's group of central protagonists.^[26]

Final Fantasy VII's prequel, Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, focuses exclusively on the Turks in the years leading up to the events of Final Fantasy VII. They also appear in Advent Children, set two years after the original. Here, they serve as allies to Cloud, as well as bodyguards to Rufus Shinra and aid in his self-appointed mission to restore the world's vitality. In Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and the Shuriken Turk from Before Crisis, who goes under the pseudonym Cissnei, act as recurring characters. in Last Order, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Turks from Before Crisis appear, attempting to apprehend Zack.

[edit] Tseng

Tseng (ツォン, Tson^?) is the stern, but polite and calm leader of the Turks. He has long, black hair and what appears to be a tilak in the middle of his forehead. Though he is young, he has been an active member of the Turks for more than 10 years,^[27] under the wing of the previous Turk leader Verdot. Tseng once accompanied Zack, whom he befriended prior to Final Fantasy VII, on a mission. Later, Tseng attempted to retrieve Zack and Cloud in a nonviolent manner, but the presence of Shinra soldiers did not allow it. Tseng also had met Aerith Gainsborough, for whom he seemed to have had romantic feelings^[27][28]. Tseng is voiced by Junichi Suwabe in Japanese and Ryun Yu in English.

Throughout the original game, Tseng is leader of the Turks under Rufus's command, trying to capture Aerith. Tseng is the only Turk not fought at any point during Final Fantasy VII. He is wounded by Sephiroth during an investigation of the Temple of the Ancients. Though never seen in the game after that point, Elena later remarks that he is alive, though hospitalised.

Tseng appeared in Before Crisis, appearing in some episodes and assisting the player. He also has his own "episode", which details earlier work with Verdot. Tseng re-appears in Advent Children, wherein he and Elena retrieve Jenova's remains from the Northern Crater before being attacked and captured by Kadaj's gang. After enduring torture at the villains' hands, he is rescued, along with Elena, by Vincent Valentine, and the two of them later appear in Edge to rescue Rufus. The only other time he appeared in Advent Children before that was on the picture of his I.D. Card, splattered with blood and when he and the other Turks are witnessing the recovery of Rufus from Geostigma. In Last Order, Tseng acts as the narrator and connects the Nibelheim incident and Zack and Cloud's escape from Shinra. Later, he appears in a helicopter attempting to locate Zack and capture him alive. Tseng plays a prominent role in Crisis Core, befriending and working alongside Zack Fair. Zack relies on him to protect Aerith while he had been dispatched to Nibelheim and collects letters from Aerith to eventually send to Zack. When Shinra sends military units to kill Zack, Tseng makes an effort to save his life by sending out multiple Turks, though it proves to be unsuccessful.

[edit] Reno

Reno (レノ^?) is a prominent member of the Turks, ranking directly below Tseng. He sports a lanky physique, and unkempt red hair terminating in a long pony-tail. He has two symmetrical red tattoos across his cheekbones and wears goggles on his forehead. He is much less attentive to dress code than his colleagues, wearing the Turk uniform but with his jacket unzipped and his shirt untucked and open-necked without a tie. He uses a retractable, metallic stun baton, called an Electro-Mag Rod, as a weapon. Reno is characterized as cocky, cynical, and somewhat lazy, but is highly skilled and takes pride in his work. Reno also has a penchant for gossiping and is a competent helicopter pilot. He is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in Japanese and Quinton Flynn in English.

Reno is first encountered in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII during Midgar's assault by Genesis copies. His first contact in FFVII is when he enters a derelict church in the slums of Midgar's Sector 5 in an attempt to capture Aerith. Not long after, he activates the bombs that blow up the Sector 7 support pillar before having a brief battle with Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Barret Wallace. This fight leaves him temporarily incapacitated. He can be seen in a bar at Junon, and later reappears outside of Gongaga with his long-time partner, Rude, having been assigned to intercept AVALANCHE. Despite the rivalry between the two groups, he is not beyond teaming up with Cloud and his companions in Wutai, where both parties had to work together after each had a member kidnapped by Don Corneo. After this incident, Reno's group receives new orders to search for Cloud but Reno decides not to fight Cloud on the pretext of being off duty. Near the end of Disc Two of Final Fantasy VII, the player has the option to fight Elena, Reno, and Rude, or refuse the battle.

Reno has a role in Before Crisis, appearing originally as an unplayable character, but later starring in his own "episode". Reno has a prominent role in Advent Children. Consistent with his attitude at the end of the original Final Fantasy VII, Reno possesses no true hostility towards his former enemies.^[29] Reno and Rude primarily serve as the film's comic relief. Reno assists Cloud and his friends in defeating the three Remnants, though still works under Rufus. Later, Reno and the other Turks are seen watching Rufus recover from Geostigma. In Last Order, Reno has a cameo appearance, working under Tseng in the capture of Cloud and Zack. In Crisis Core, Reno is encountered in Midgar and appears in a DMW. At the end of the game, he is flying a helicopter and working with Rude to find Zack.

[edit] Rude

Rude (ルード, Rūdo^?) is a tall, naturally bald^[27] man with a slight goatee. He always wears sunglasses and carries a number of spare pairs with him. Rude is rarely seen without his long-time partner, Reno, and is rather taciturn, tending to relegate the talking to Reno. Rude is a superb physical combatant and prefers to use his fists in battle, though also carrying an impact baton. The extent of Rude's training allows him to use a special technique, Grand Spark, which sends a power wave ripping across the ground toward his target. In Final Fantasy VII, he reveals to Reno that he has a crush on Tifa Lockhart, a skilled martial artist like himself, though no close relationship develops between them. However, he will never attack Tifa during battle, even if she is the only party member remaining. Rude is voiced by Taiten Kusunoki in Japanese and Crispin Freeman in English.

Rude appears Before Crisis, detailing his crush on an AVALANCHE spy, Chelsea. Rude has a prominent role in Advent Children always seen with his partner Reno. He and Reno use "Shinra's finest" explosives to kill Loz and Yazoo, but fail, as Yazoo and Loz eventually commit suicide together. However, Rude and Reno survive the explosion and are later shown standing around Rufus with the other Turks, watching him recover from Geostigma. Rude makes a brief appearance in Last Order, working under Tseng and trying to capture Zack. In Crisis Core, Rude appears with Reno and Midgar and later appears in a DMW. At the end of the game, Rude and Reno are, under Tseng's command, attempting to capture Zack.

[edit] Elena

Elena (イリーナ, Irīna^?) is a junior member of the Turks, and the only female member seen in the original Final Fantasy VII. She is a young woman with short, blonde hair and brown eyes. Elena obtained her position as the newest recruit after Reno sustained injuries battling AVALANCHE in Midgar during Final Fantasy VII. Elena is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese and Bettina Bush in English.

Elena is shown as naive, impetuous and somewhat overeager, with a loose tongue that sometimes causes her to inadvertently reveal secret information. She takes her work much more seriously than Reno and Rude do, and also became quite frustrated with their laid-back attitudes.^[27] She has a crush on Tseng and temporarily holds Cloud's party accountable for the injuries he suffered while investigating the Temple of the Ancients. Near the end of Disc Two of Final Fantasy VII, the player has the option to fight Elena, Reno, and Rude, or refuse the battle.

Elena has a minor role in Before Crisis, as a young student who resented her sister for outperforming her. After an encounter with the Turks, Elena decides to become a Turk. Elena appears briefly in Advent Children, spending most of the movie off-camera recovering along with Tseng after being tortured by Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz. The first time she appears in the movies is on her bloodied I.D. card, which Kadaj drops in front of Rufus Shinra. The second time she appears is when she and Tseng both save Rufus when he falls pursuing Kadaj. She last appears when she and the other Turks witness the recovery of Rufus from Geostigma. In Advent Children Complete, she makes an additional appearance by coming to Reno and Rude's aid with a helicopter on Midgar's highway.

[edit] Professor Hojo

Hojo (宝条, Hōjō^?) is Shinra's resident scientist with a God complex, who undertook radical experiments without any regard for ethics or the potential consequences of his research on his test subjects.^[26] Hojo regards the subjects of his experiments as mere "specimens," though most are human or otherwise sentient. It is revealed later on that he is Sephiroth's father, being responsible for the Planet's crisis to see the results of his greatest experiment. He is voiced by Nachi Nozawa in Japanese and Paul Eiding in English.

Thirty years prior to the start of the game, he was sent by Shinra to Nibelheim to assist Professor Gast and Lucrecia with the Jenova Project, a project headed up by Gast and intended to produce modern day humans with the abilities of the Cetra, which Jenova, in actuality, a world-devouring alien entity, was mistakenly believed to be a member of. Hojo believed that the goal could be reached by testing Jenova cells on an unborn child. Thus, the three Shinra scientists injected some of Jenova's cells into the womb of Lucrecia, who was pregnant with Hojo's child at the time. The child that would come of the experiment was Sephiroth. Prior to Sephiroth's birth, Hojo experimented on Vincent Valentine. Once Meteor began to descend toward the planet, Hojo grew bored of experimenting on others and injected himself with Jenova cells; however, Hojo succumbed to Jenova and mutated into a monster as he willingly attempted to give Sephiroth the power of the Planet with the Sister Ray so that he could witness his most esteemed experiment reach its ultimate stage of development. While attempting to carry out this process, he was mortally wounded by AVALANCHE and was left for dead.

In Before Crisis, Hojo is revealed to have put Zirconiade, a powerful monster, into Elfé. Hojo is seen in Last Order, after Zack and Cloud are brutally injured by Sephiroth. Much to Tseng's distaste, Hojo decides to experiment on the two. In Dirge of Cerberus, it is revealed that Hojo managed to barely return into his body for a brief moment to upload his mind into the World Network as a backup before it was destroyed during Meteorfall. However, due to Meteor, his conscious mind was fragmented. His mind took three years to "reunite". Deciding to finish what he started, Hojo took over the body of the 'in-stasis' Deep Ground SOLDIER commander Weiss. However, upon Weiss' defeat, Nero appeared and merged into Weiss's body, "defiling" Hojo's host and forcing Hojo to leave Weiss' body as all traces of himself were eliminated. In Crisis Core, Hojo managed to take Professor Hollander's position as head of Shinra's Science Department, using its resources to set up his Jenova Reunion theory, with Zack and Cloud among the people injected with Jenova's cells.

[edit] Jenova

Jenova (ジェノバ, Jenoba^?) is one of the major antagonists in the original Final Fantasy VII game. Jenova is indicated to be an extraterrestrial lifeform, composed of strange cells that carry her will and power even when separated. However, Sephiroth's will and ambition were great enough that he was allowed to control Jenova's cells.^[30] Furthermore, through Ifalna's description of Jenova's approach to the Cetra and Sephiroth's statements concerning—and his use of—Jenova's abilities, it is known that Jenova's cells can change their form, even from male to female appearance.^[31][32] In the Playstation version of Final Fantasy VII, Ifalna refers to Jenova as he, yet refers to the creature as "it" in the PC version. This concept is also confirmed by the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω guide.^[33] In the original game Sephiroth refers to Jenova as "Mother" as opposed to using her real name. This reference is continued in Advent Children, with Sephiroth and the Remnants—Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz—continually calling Jenova "mother". Some fans see similarities between Jenova and Giygas, the main villain in Mother (EarthBound Zero) and EarthBound, particularly in the latter when Giygas was a swirling red mass of evil.

In Final Fantasy VII, many characters, including Cloud Strife and Zack, had been injected with Jenova cells at some point in their lives. All members of SOLDIER were also given Jenova cells, as were the "Sephiroth clones" in Nibelheim. Additionally, all these individuals were infused with mako. This procedure leaves its subjects stronger and more resilient to physical attacks, but the cells and mako can also have various effects on one's mind, some beneficial (improved magical ability) and others detrimental (insanity). Sephiroth's case is more advanced as he was injected with Jenova cells while in the fetal stage, becoming more powerful than any other subject as a result. When it first crashed on Earth, Jenova began infecting the Ancients with its cells, transforming them into monsters under its control. Because of this transformation and Jenova's origins in space, the Ancients gave it the name "The Calamity from the Skies." Ifalna refers to it as "the virus", an evil entity that infects others with its cells and mutates them for its own use. Jenova's full form is first revealed in a flashback, seen preserved in liquid in a large glass tank in the Mt. Nibel mako reactor. Here, Jenova appears to be human-sized and is in the shape of a nude, blue skinned woman. Jenova fights the party several times in various forms and, before fighting, Jenova takes the form of Sephiroth.^[34]

In Advent Children, Jenova is seen in flashbacks and is mentioned frequently, as Rufus had acquired its last remains and the Remnants wish to bring Jenova back to life. Jenova appears in Before Crisis, Last Order, and Crisis Core, when Sephiroth attempts to retrieve it. Unable to take the entire body, he cuts off its head. In Before Crisis and Last Order, Sephiroth proceeds to jump into the reactor core, while in Final Fantasy VII and Crisis Core, Cloud throws him in.

[edit] Lucrecia

Lucrecia Crescent (ルクレツィア・クレシェント, Rukuretsia Kureshento^?) worked as a Class A biotechnologist for the Shinra Electric Power Company under the direction of Grimoire Valentine, Vincent Valentine's father. Her thesis on Omega and Chaos had suffered much criticism and she was anxious to prove her colleagues wrong. During one of her investigations she happened upon the suspected location of the dormant Chaos. While performing an experiment with the recovered materials found at Chaos's resting place, an incident occurred which claimed Grimoire's life. This tragedy continued to haunt Lucrecia from hence forth and prohibited her from returning Vincent's affections out of guilt for causing his father's death. Out of desperation, she turned to her superior, Professor Hojo, and agreed to conceive a child for the Jenova Project. Lucrecia is voiced by Rio Natsuki in Japanese and April Stewart in English.

During events before Final Fantasy VII, Lucrecia was assigned as an assistant to Professor Gast alongside Professor Hojo in the town of Nibelheim. They were to investigate an excavated specimen from the Northern Crater which was suspected to be a Cetra. Upon analysis they falsely believed it to be a Cetra and attempted to extract its cellular DNA in order to artificially produce soldiers with the Cetra's abilities. She used her unborn child as the subject of the Jenova Project's first in vivo experiment despite objections from Vincent Valentine. During pregnancy, Lucrecia began receiving visions of the horrors her unborn son, Sephiroth, would commit, and in an untimely encounter, discovered Vincent shot by Hojo. Fearing for his life, Lucrecia exposed him to stagnated mako, causing the being known as Chaos to be absorbed into his body. Though his life was saved, he was left in a feral madness. Disgusted with all that she had done to those she cared about and the changes Jenova's cells had wrought in her own body, she attempted to kill herself. However, she was unable to easily die because of the presence of the Jenova cells, and, thus, she isolated herself in a cave and trapped herself within mako crystals. She was later discovered by Vincent and the others, and she asks if Sephiroth had died yet. Vincent, hoping to help her rest in peace, tells her that he had.

In Dirge of Cerberus, Vincent's past is revealed, including his relationship to Lucrecia. Throughout the game, Vincent is often seen sitting in front of Lucrecia's crystalized body. She is constantly heard telling him "I'm so sorry," though Vincent is unsure about why she is apologizing. Lucrecia later explains that she is sorry for making so many mistakes and hurting Vincent, though is happy that he survived.

[edit] Reeve Tuesti

Reeve Tuesti (リーブ・トゥエスティ, Rību Tuesuti^?, IPA: [ɹiv tuɛsti]) is the former head of Shinra's Urban Development Department and controls the robotic cat Cait Sith. Though originally working against AVALANCHE, Reeve later decides to help them in their quest to defeat Sephiroth. Years later, he establishes an organization dedicated to restoring the world. Reeve is voiced by Banjō Ginga in Japanese and Jamieson Price in English.

Due to his job, Reeve is responsible for both the building and running of Midgar, hence his concerns about damages and rebuilding costs after Shinra collapsed the Sector 7 plate. He has the job of overseeing the construction of upper Midgar and recognising the greater architectural vision of the Shinra regime. Reeve used Cait Sith as a way for him to spy on—and later aid—AVALANCHE. Along with Mayor Domino, he is one of the few officials in Shinra who has a genuine concern for the common people. He is briefly arrested by Heidegger's men after the apparent death of Rufus but is released in time to organise the evacuation of Midgar's population before the arrival of Meteor.

Reeve briefly appears in Before Crisis as the architect responsible for designing mako reactors, and later aids the Turks with the use of Cait Sith. In Advent Children, Reeve has a voice-over cameo, having left a message on Cloud's cellphone. In Dirge of Cerberus, Reeve leads the World Regenesis Organization, aiding Vincent in the battle against Deepground and Omega. Reeve appears in the novella The Case of Denzel, part of the On the Way to a Smile series, as Denzel attempts to persuade Reeve to let him join the WRO. Reeve listens to Denzel's story, but informs him that children aren't allowed to join.

[edit] AVALANCHE

Three minor AVALANCHE members assist Cloud, Barret, and Tifa in the game. Biggs (ビッグス, Biggusu^?) is a slightly cocky and arrogant member who gradually comes to respect Cloud. Wedge (ウェッジ, Wejji^?), his close friend, is on the contrary very warm-hearted and kind to others, but he easily loses his composure when nervous.^[35] Jessie (ジェシー, Jeshī^?) is an explosives and fake IDs technician fascinated with gadgetry and other "flashy stuff".^[36] She gives Cloud a lesson on the Midgar rail system and the structure of the city itself. The player, in choosing the right dialogue options, can learn of her crush on Cloud. All three characters are eventually killed by Shinra in the collapse of Sector 7. In Before Crisis, AVALANCHE is led by Elfe, the daughter of Verdot and whose real name is Felicia. She works alongside Sears, who cares deeply for Elfe, and Fuhito, who plans to destroy all human life to save the planet. The Ravens are a genetically modified battle squad of AVALANCHE. Tierce, Kyneugh, and Kanos are the only named Ravens.

[edit] Marlene

Marlene Wallace (マリン, Marin^?) is the young daughter of Barret's friends, Dyne and Eleanor, and the adopted daughter of Barret. In Final Fantasy VII, Marlene is left in the care of Elmyra, though is later kidnapped by Reeve. However, Reeve has a change of heart, and later returns Marlene to Elmyra.

In Advent Children, Marlene lives with Cloud, Tifa, and an orphan named Denzel, while Barret is away searching for new power sources. She is kidnapped from Tifa by Loz in an effort to lure Cloud into a trap. It's through conversing with her and Vincent that Cloud comes to terms with his guilty conscience and decides to stop running from the inevitable battle. She's last seen holding Cait Sith in a photograph with the main cast. In Advent Children, Marlene is voiced by Miyu Tsuzurahara in Japanese, by Grace Rolek in the English version of FFVII: Advent Children and by Ariel Winter in the English version of FFVII: Advent Children Complete.

[edit] President Shinra

President Shinra (プレジデント神羅, Purejidento Shinra^?) is the first President of the Shinra Company. He built it from a simple weapons development company to a corporation that controlled the world in a single generation. He was a remarkably capable manager who excelled at the science of predicting human nature and guiding public opinion. It was his theory that one could control the world by grasping the masses' hearts with money. He found the opinions of his son, Rufus, dangerous and ensured that they were kept away from company affairs by assigning him duties in "far away" lands. The President dedicated a large amount of Shinra Inc's resources and money into research of the Cetra with the hope of finding "The Promised Land" and building a powerful Mako Reactor there. President Shinra listens to Joseph Haydn's Oratorio, The Creation as the Sector Seven Plate collapses. Shortly after Shinra Inc managed to capture a living Cetra, President Shinra was murdered by Jenova who had disguised herself as Sephiroth. President Shinra appeared briefly in Before Crisis, arguing with Rufus.

[edit] Heidegger

Heidegger (ハイデッガー, Haideggā^?) is the head of Shinra's Public Safety Maintenance Department, which is simply a euphemism for Shinra's military and the Turks. Heidegger has a strong personality of his own but is generally seen as a yes man who sucks up to President Shinra and Rufus. It was he who masterminded the destruction of Sector 7 and the subsequent public relations exercise that implicated AVALANCHE with the crime. He attempted to assume control of the Shinra company after the WEAPON attack on Midgar that presumably kills Rufus but died shortly afterward when the Proud Clod (a mecha that he and Scarlet were piloting) exploded after a battle with AVALANCHE. He was nicknamed "Gya ha ha" by Reeve for his horse-like laugh.

In Before Crisis, Heidegger is given control of the Turks until Verdot, the past Turk leader, blackmails President Shinra into giving him his job back. After Verdot is revealed to be a traitor, Heidegger is placed as the commander of the Turks once more.

[edit] Scarlet

Scarlet (スカーレット, Sukāretto^?) is the head of Shinra's Weapons Development Department. She aspires to make the perfect weapon, but doesn't trust Heidegger to use it properly. Scarlet is one of the more evil-minded Shinra executives and was directly responsible for the destruction of Barret Wallace's home town of Corel and for the loss of Barret's forearm. She helps in creating a large mako cannon, Sister Ray, used to fight WEAPON. Reeve nicknamed her "Kya ha ha" for her peculiar laugh. She died along with Heidegger in the explosion of the Proud Clod. In Before Crisis, Scarlet is given orders to capture Verdot and assassinate the Turks, though she fails.

[edit] Zangan

Zangan (ザンガン^?) is Tifa's martial arts instructor, and rescued her after she was wounded by Sephiroth. In Final Fantasy VII, his letter to Tifa shed light on the events following the burning of Nibelheim and the coverup that ensued. Zangan was quite active and possessed some ability with magic, using Cure spells on Tifa as he transported her to Midgar. Zangan is voiced by Hiroshi Fujioka in Japanese.

Zangan appears in Before Crisis, aiding Tifa after she has been wounded by Sephiroth. Zangan notes that Tifa's white cat had led him to her. In Last Order, Zangan is shown warning Tifa not to go to the reactor in an attempt to rescue her father, and is later seen carrying Tifa on his back, wishing safety to Cloud and Zack.

[edit] Before Crisis characters

The main characters of Before Crisis are all Turks. The player chooses from eleven unnamed characters, each with his or her own backstory, personality, strengths and weaknesses. Six of these Turks also appear in Last Order, where they act as support for Tseng, Reno, and Rude, but they are not given proper names and few have dialog. Each Turk is identified based on their weapon and gender, with the exception of the legendary Turk, called "Legend (Male)." The female Turk identified as "Turk (Shuriken)" has been shown to appear in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII where she goes by the name "Cissnei", though she later remarks that it isn't her true name. After barely surviving the pre-Final Fantasy VII events of Before Crisis, they make an appearance along with Verdot in Midgar during the coming of the Meteor disaster and assist the other Turks in evacuating civilians. Their whereabouts after Final Fantasy VII are unknown.

[edit] Verdot

Verdot (ヴェルド, Verudo^?) is the past leader of the Turks and appears in Before Crisis. In Special Episode of Verdot, Verdot, unlike in the game's other "episodes", acts as the main playable character. He is very particular on matters relating to succeeding in missions and very unforgiving when it comes to failure. Tseng considers him a role model and eventually succeeds him. Though many of his subordinates are intimidated by his severity, they all deeply respect him. When Heidegger usurps his position at one point during the story, Verdot blackmails President Shinra into returning it. Formerly a resident of the town of Kalm, he had a daughter, Felicia, and wife that he believed perished when the town was razed due to his own misinterpreted commands. In actuality, his daughter survived, and is eventually revealed to be the leader of AVALANCHE, Elfe. He cares very deeply for the Turks, and does not wish for them to suffer any events similar to what he has. He also cares very much for his daughter, defecting from Shinra when he discovers she is alive. Verdot appeared only in Before Crisis, but is mentioned in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII.

[edit] Shalua

Shalua Rui (シャルア・ルーイ, Sharua Rūi^?) is a female WRO scientist and acts as a supporter and aide to Vincent. Originally, she appeared in Before Crisis, until given a larger role in Dirge of Cerberus. Shalua spends much of Dirge of Cerberus trying to locate her younger sister, Shelke. She is voiced by Yuu Asakawa in Japanese and Kim Mai Guest in English.

Shalua originally had a small role in Before Crisis, searching for her younger sister Shelke after she had been kidnapped by the Turks. She turned to AVALANCHE for help, but decided to leave after seeing how corrupted it was. AVALANCHE was responsible for giving her many injuries and, though saved by doctors, Shalua vowed to never forgive AVALANCHE. Throughout Dirge of Cerberus, Shalua acts as a member of the WRO. It is later revealed that she had joined the organization in hopes of finding her sister, Shelke, who had joined Deepground. Eventually, Shelke and Shalua reunite, but soon afterward, Shalua is injured and falls into a coma. She is put in a capsule in an attempt to revive her and carried on the Shera, but the capsule later falls and lands in Midgar.

[edit] Azul

Azul the Cerulean (蒼きアスール, Aoki Asūru^?) is a member of the Tsviets. Azul appears as a large man with blue hair and carries a large cannon as a weapon. His first appearance is in Before Crisis, and he later appears in Dirge of Cerberus. Azul is voiced by Tessho Genda in Japanese and Brad Abrell in English.

In Before Crisis, Azul is introduced as a man who longs to be in SOLDIER. In Dirge of Cerberus, Azul is encountered and revealed to be a member of the Tsviets. He is under the command to destroy the WRO and retrieve the protomateria, and he often battles Vincent for these reasons. Due to the experiments performed on him, Azul has the ability to transform into two other forms, Neo Azul and later Arch Azul, a large monster. Azul is seen firing his cannon at the WRO when they attack Deepground, and is killed when Vincent, in his Chaos form, impales Azul with his cannon and blasts him off the large elevator they had been fighting on.

[edit] Advent Children characters

[edit] Denzel

Denzel (デンゼル, Denzeru^?) is a young brown-haired boy who resides with Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene in Edge. Denzel's first appearance was in Advent Children, and is the focus of Case of Denzel, part of the tie-in series of novellas On the Way to a Smile. He is the son of a woman named Chloe and a Shinra worker named Abel. Reeve's mother, Ruvie, raised Denzel until her death. Eventually, Denzel is found by Cloud and taken to live with him, Tifa, and Marlene. Denzel is voiced by Kyōsuke Ikeda in Japanese, by Benjamin Bryan in the English version of FFVII: Advent Children and by Aaron Refvem in the English version of FFVII: Advent Children Complete.

In Case of Denzel, Denzel's parents are killed by the collapse of the Sector 7 plate. Before dying, Abel entrusted Denzel to an inhabitant of Sector 5 named Arkham, and Denzel was subsequently raised by Ruvie Tuesti. When Ruvie died in the chaos resulting from the Lifestream burst, Denzel settled in the Midgar ruins with Rick, a new friend, helping to collect material for the construction of the new town Edge. Rick later left Denzel, who wandered and eventually comes across Cloud's motorcycle. Soon afterwards, Denzel suffered a Geostigma attack and collapsed and was found by Cloud. Cloud believed that Aerith's influence had led Denzel to his bike and, as a result, Cloud brought him home with him.

In Advent Children, Denzel's Geostigma continues to weaken him to the point that he agrees to accompany Yazoo to be "cured." Denzel, along with other abducted children, are taken to the Ancient City of the Cetra. There, Kadaj manipulates them and they fall under his control, having been awakened to a "Reunion Instinct." After a failed rescue attempt by Cloud, Denzel and the other children are taken to Edge, acting as human barriers for Yazoo and Loz whom attempt to tear down the Midgar memorial. Denzel regains himself after Tifa protects him from Bahamut SIN and returns to 7th Heaven to be with Marlene. Denzel is cured of his Geostigma by Cloud using Aerith's purified water. He is last seen at the end of the film in a photograph on Cloud's desk depicting the entire main cast.

[edit] Dirge of Cerberus characters

[edit] Nero

Nero the Sable (漆黒の闇ネロ, Shikkoku no Yami Nero^?, lit. "Nero the Jet-black Darkness") is a member of the Tsviets and Weiss's younger brother. Nero has black hair, masks nearly all of his face, and has a set of mechanical wings. He has the power to control darkness, as he had been injected by stagnant mako when he was still a fetus. Nero is voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu in Japanese and Mike Rock in English.

Nero first appears in Dirge of Cerberus, using his power to engulf others. Throughout the game, Nero protects Weiss and keeps others from disturbing his resurrection. When Vincent arrives at Weiss's chambers, Nero transports himself and Vincent to another dimension. Upon his defeat, Nero returns to the chambers and Weiss awakens, fully reborn. However, Weiss has been taken over by the scientist Hojo, and immediately impales Nero after awakening, noting he no longer has any use for him. Nero, who had been injected with stagnant mako, transferred himself into Weiss's body, infecting Weiss's "pure" body and freeing him from Hojo. Nero has a brief appearance with Weiss in Crisis Core, wherein he and Weiss carry the unconscious Genesis to a helicopter.

[edit] Weiss

Weiss the Immaculate (純白の帝王ヴァイス, Junpaku no Teiō Vaisu^?, lit. "Weiss the Immaculate White Emperor") is the leader of the Tsviets and Nero's older brother. He appears as a strong man with long white hair, and wields two gunblades. Weiss is voiced by Joji Nakata in Japanese and Dave Boat in English.

Weiss first appears in Dirge of Cerberus. When Weiss is reborn, he attempts to kill Nero by impaling him through the chest, and throws him against a wall. It is revealed then that Weiss's body had been taken over by Hojo. To save him, Nero transferred himself into Weiss, causing Weiss's "pure" body to be contaminated, and freed him from Hojo's grasp. Weiss proceeds to walk to a mako reactor and vanish in a ball of light, awakening Omega. Weiss is later killed by Vincent. However, in the unlockable cutscene, Weiss's body is shown being picked up by Genesis, who tells him that they still had work to do. Weiss makes a brief appearance with Nero in Crisis Core, collecting Genesis and bringing him to a helicopter.

[edit] Crisis Core characters

[edit] Cissnei

Cissnei (シスネ, Shisune^?) is a female member of the Turks and wields a crimson Shuriken called "Rekka." Cissnei is not her real name according to her in-game dialogue, but she goes by it just the same. Cissnei originally appeared in Before Crisis as an custom-named playable Turk, and was later given a role in Crisis Core as a friend of Zack. While still in an orphanage at a young age, the Turks expressed an interest in recruiting Cissnei. She joined, thus making her the youngest Turk to be employed.^{[citation needed]} Cissnei is voiced by Asumi Nakata in Japanese and Carrie Savage in English.

In Before Crisis, Cissnei was a playable Turk for several missions. In Crisis Core, Cissnei befriends Zack and provides information on certain events and people. Cissnei is later sent to capture two escaping test subjects, though she was not aware that they were Zack and his friend Cloud. Upon recognizing Zack and talking to him, Cissnei decides to call Tseng and report that she had lost their trail. Under Tseng's request, Cissnei attempted to capture Zack alive, but he was gunned down before she could find him.

[edit] Genesis

Genesis Rhapsodos (ジェネシス・ラプソードス, Jeneshisu Rapusōdosu^?) is a 1st-Class SOLDIER who rebelled against Shinra and disappeared during the Wutai War. His birth is similar to Sephiroth, though he was infused with the cells of Gillian, Angeal's mother, who had been infused with Jenova cells. Due to the experiment, Genesis developed a large black wing on his left shoulder and began to degrade. Genesis became a close friend of Angeal during their childhood, and later befriended Sephiroth. He carries a book called "LOVELESS," a famous play whose fifth act had been lost, and quotes from it frequently. Genesis was the result of a collaboration between Gackt and Hideki Imaizumi, the producer of Crisis Core.^[37] Genesis is voiced by Gackt in Japanese, and played him in Dirge of Cerberus. In English, he voiced by Robin Atkin Downes in Dirge of Cerberus and Oliver Quinn in Crisis Core.

Genesis is first mentioned in Dirge of Cerberus, though is only called "G". Throughout the game, "G Files", which contain information on Genesis and his origins, can be collected. If all G Files are found, an ending sequence featuring Genesis's awakening can be unlocked. Throughout Crisis Core, Genesis is a rogue SOLDIER operative attempting to stop his degradation. During the Wutai war, Genesis abandoned Shinra and kidnapped Professor Hollander to help stop his degradation. Using a stolen machine, they created Genesis copies from other SOLDIERS. Genesis eventually attempts to recreate the world of LOVELESS, but is defeated by Zack. Once defeated, he is summoned to a black space filled with the Lifestream and before him is a Goddess. He approaches her, captivated, but she sends him back to the planet. After the encounter, Genesis is weak, but is no longer degrading. After Zack leaves, Genesis is left alone and taken aboard a helicopter by Nero and Weiss. In the Crisis Core Ultimania, it is revealed that Genesis rejected their offer to help them revolt against the Restrictors, and instead seals himself inside a cavern.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Reception and legacy

The characters of Final Fantasy VII have been overall well-received by critics. Sephiroth remains one of the most popular villains in video game history, unanimously voted number one by the staff of Electronic Gaming Monthly in their "Top 10 Video Game Bosses" list in October 2005.^[38] During spring of the same year, Sephiroth earned the most user votes in a villains-themed popularity contest at GameFAQs.^[39] In late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Cloud Strife the best character of all time in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation.^[40] Aerith placed fifth, Tifa placed eighth and three other characters placed in the top 50: Sephiroth at fourteenth, Reno at fifteenth, and Yuffie at forty-second.^[40]

Due to their popularity, several characters from Final Fantasy VII have made cameo appearances in other Square Enix titles, most notably the fighting game Ehrgeiz and the popular Disney/Final Fantasy crossover series Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics

[edit] References

v • d • e Final Fantasy VII and Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Video games Final Fantasy VII • Before Crisis • Dirge of Cerberus • Crisis Core Films Advent Children • Last Order Universe Gaia • Characters (Cloud • Sephiroth • Vincent • Aerith • Barret • Tifa • Zack) Media Discography • Unofficial Famicom version