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Final Fantasy VII, a role-playing video game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and originally released in 1997, features a large number of fictional characters in major and minor roles. The game follows Cloud Strife, a troubled mercenary who joins with several others to stop the megacorporation Shinra from 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 emerge to challenge the original group. Cloud and his team eventually face Sephiroth. The characters and the world they inhabit (known as Gaia but originally just referred to as The Planet) have been expanded on in a series of spin-off games and movies known as Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
The original Final Fantasy VII game features nine playable characters, two of whom—Yuffie and Vincent—are optional. These nine are viewed by many as the main characters of the Compilation series. Their roles are minor outside the original game but each character has nevertheless become extremely popular.
When looking at the story of the original Final Fantasy VII, character designer Tetsuya Nomura decided that 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.[1] 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.[1] 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 Aerith' long, pink dress.[1] Vincent Valentine'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 Dragoon, a character class chosen because his last name is the same as that of two previous Dragoon featured in the Final Fantasy series, Ricard Highwind of Final Fantasy II and Kain Highwind of Final Fantasy IV.[1]
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.[1] 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.[2]
Cloud Strife (クラウド・ストライフ Kuraudo Sutoraifu) is a self-proclaimed ex-SOLDIER-turned-mercenary employed by AVALANCHE and the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII. Initially, Cloud is confused and conflicted with an often arrogant attitude and a cool disposition,[3] until a traumatic experience in the Lifestream helps him discover lost memories of his true self. He wears a black 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.[4] Cloud also stars in Final Fantasy: Dissidia as one of the 11 protagonists, in Dissidia 012, and appears in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts II.
Aerith Gainsborough (エアリス・ゲインズブール Earisu Geinzubūru, originally romanized as Aeris Gainsborough) was a flower peddler 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.
Sephiroth (セフィロス Sefirosu) is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy VII. He 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. 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. In Final Fantasy: Dissidia, Sephiroth is one of the 11 main antagonists.
Vincent Valentine (ヴィンセント・ヴァレンタイン Vinsento Varentain) is an optional character from Final Fantasy VII and he is not required to complete the game. However, Vincent later became the protagonist of 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,[5] 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 to hunt down Sephiroth, the game's main antagonist. Vincent reveals very little about himself to the party after his original introduction.
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, Reno, Rude, Elena, and their leader Tseng serve as recurring antagonists, although they are not above forming temporary alliances with AVALANCHE (the game's group of central characters).[6]
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. The player chooses from eleven unnamed Turks, each with his or her own backstory, personality, strengths and weaknesses. Each Turk is identified based on their weapon and gender, with the exception of the legendary Turk, called "Legend (Male)". After barely surviving the pre-Final Fantasy VII events of Before Crisis, they make an appearance with Veld in Midgar during the coming of the Meteor disaster and assist the other Turks in evacuating civilians. Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Elena 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 (Cissnei) from Before Crisis, who goes under the pseudonym Cissnei, act as recurring characters. In Last Order, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and several Turks from Before Crisis appear, attempting to apprehend 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. He was also Aerith's first love. Zack was given the Buster Sword by his mentor, Angeal Hewley, 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. A year after their escape the two of them were attacked. Zack killed all of the attackers but succumbed to his wounds. His last words, spoken to Cloud Strife, were, "You'll be my living legacy. My honor, my dreams, they're yours now."
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 instructed by Zangan. She is one of the lead members of AVALANCHE and convinces Cloud to join them in their rebellion against Shinra. Tifa wants Cloud to join AVALANCHE so she could keep him close. Tifa helps to unlock Cloud's missing memories when they fall into the lifestream. She is the only one who knows of Cloud's past.
Barret Wallace (バレット・ウォーレス Baretto Wōresu) is the former leader of the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, opposed to the use of Shinra’s mako technology, which they believe to be killing the planet. He is also the adoptive father of Marlene, the child of his past friend, Dyne. 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.
Red XIII (レッドXIII Reddo Sātīn, pronounced Red Thirteen), birth name Nanaki (ナナキ), is a powerful, intelligent member of an unnamed feline -esque species with the ability to speak.[7] He temporarily joins Cloud's team after they rescue him from Hojo at the Shinra building, who was attempting to breed him and Aerith together in order to preserve what he believes to be two endangered species of animal.[8] Red XIII believed that his father, Seto, had been a coward who abandoned Cosmo Canyon during a war with the Gi Tribe. Upon returning to Cosmo Canyon, his adoptive grandfather Bugenhagen brings Red XIII to the petrified body of Seto and reveals that he had risked his life to save the village and single handedly fought the entire invading army.[9] Learning the truth, Red XIII becomes inspired and gains the courage to permanently join Cloud's group.[10] Red XIII makes an appearance in Before Crisis, in which he defends a female of his species named Deneh and is subsequently captured by the Turks. He also makes brief appearances in Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus; in the former, he aids in the fight against Bahamut and in the latter he is briefly glimpsed resting with Shelke. In the novella "Case of Nanaki", Red XIII struggles with the knowledge that he will outlive his friends.[11] Red XIII is voiced by Masachika Ichimura in Japanese[7] and Liam O'Brien in English.[12]
Cait Sith (ケット・シー Ketto Shī, pronounced Kett Shee)[13] is a robotic talking cat who is friendly, but often unreliable and speaks with a Scottish accent.[14] In Final Fantasy VII, he rides on the back of an unnamed robotic moogle; in subsequent adaptations, he either walks by himself or rides Red XIII. As a robot, he is able to be rebuilt and replaced, and is controlled by Reeve Tuesti, whose original intent during Final Fantasy VII was to infiltrate Cloud's group and sabotage their resistance efforts on behalf of his employers.[15] He is revealed to be a spy but convinces the party that he has had a change of heart[15] and later volunteers to extract the black materia at the Temple of the Ancients, noting that he was a robot and thus could easily be sacrificed. However, Cait Sith also states that, despite there being several toys with the same appearance, he was a unique being that would be willing to sacrifice himself to protect the Planet[16]—revealed by his apparent transfiction to the temple immediately crushing him. Shortly after, a second identical Cait Sith arrives, taking the place of the one destroyed.[17] Cait Sith's origins were detailed in Before Crisis and he makes a short appearance in Advent Children when he joins the reunited party to fight. Cait Sith appears sporadically throughout Dirge of Cerberus and is playable for a mission in which he infiltrates Deepground. Though not part of the storyline, Cait Sith appears as a summon for Zack called "Courage Boost!" in Crisis Core. Along with his appearances in the Compilation, Cait Sith has also appeared in Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales and Wings of the Goddess, an expansion of Final Fantasy XI. Cait Sith is voiced by Hideo Ishikawa in Japanese[7] and Greg Ellis in English.[12]
IGN felt that Cait added the "prerequisite cute factor" to Final Fantasy VII,[18] in turn naming him the game's tenth best character.[13]
Cid Highwind (シド・ハイウインド Shido Haiuindo) is an airship pilot and most uncouth of the main characters, constantly swearing, losing his temper[19] and smoking cigarettes. In Final Fantasy VII, Cid is encountered in Rocket Town, where it is revealed that he had been part of Shinra's space program and was set to be the first man in space. During the launch, a woman named Shera defied orders and stayed to double-check the rocket's oxygen tanks, leading Cid to abort the mission to save her life. Shinra concluded that space exploration was not financially viable and withdrew funding from the project altogether once they discovered that Mako energy was a far more profitable venture.[20] Cid blamed Shera for destroying his dream to go to space, and she devoted herself to doing whatever she could to atone for her "mistake", even while Cid continued to verbally abuse her.[21] However, her concern was eventually proven to have merit when an explosion of an oxygen tank temporarily traps Cid during a later successful attempt to launch the rocket; knowing this, Cid is able to forgive her.[22] Cid also appears in Before Crisis, wherein the incident with the original rocket is adapted, and in Advent Children, where he briefly rejoins the party to fight against Bahamut SIN. In Dirge of Cerberus, Cid aids the World Regensesis Organization in launching an attack at Deepground, and later in fighting the Omega Weapon. Outside of his Final Fantasy VII series role, he has appeared in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts: coded. Kazuhiro Yamaji voices Cid in Japanese[23] and Chris Edgerly voices him in English.[12]
Cid was listed by IGN as one of the top 10 characters most needing a spin-off.[24]
Yuffie Kisaragi (ユフィ・キサラギ Yufi Kisaragi) is an optional playable character and daughter of the leader of Wutai, who feels her country has lost its former glory and has become a resort town.[25] Yuffie is prone to motion sickness and obsessively steals and collects Materia, originally having joined the party with the intention to steal theirs. After Yuffie joins the party in Final Fantasy VII and they enter Wutai, Yuffie steals their materia and hides, only to be kidnapped by the crime lord Don Corneo. After being rescued, she returns the stolen materia and continues working with the party.[26] Yuffie appears within Before Crisis when the player Turk visits Wutai and they are forced to work together in order to survive. In Advent Children, she reunites with the group to fight against Bahamut SIN, and the film's prequel novella "Case of Yuffie" details how Geostigma spread to Wutai and the measures Yuffie took to find a cure.[11] Yuffie reappears in Dirge of Cerberus to help Vincent and aid the WRO in their fight against Deepground, and makes brief cameos in Crisis Core; after Zack encounters her, she enlists his help to find treasures in several side missions. Outside of her Final Fantasy VII series role, Yuffie has appeared in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Ehrgeiz, and Itadaki Street Portable. She is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in Japanese.[27] For the English releases of Kingdom Hearts and Advent Children, Christy Carlson Romano voices Yuffie,[12][28] while Mae Whitman voices all other appearances.[29]
Rufus Shinra (ルーファウス神羅 Rūfausu Shinra) is the former Vice President of Shinra, who is promoted to President after his father is killed by Sephiroth. He is depicted as callous, cold-hearted and ruthless during much of Final Fantasy VII[30] and 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, so great care was taken to prevent them from influencing the company's inner workings.[31][32] He is encountered shortly after his father's death, claiming control over the company and engaging Cloud in battle alongside his Guard Hound, Dark Nation (ダークネイション Dāku Neishon), and quickly begins running the Shinra through his preferred method. He is later seen personally leading the Shinra effort to find the Promised Land, and also leads Shinra's military in battling the Weapons. Rufus was thought to have died when his office in Shinra Headquarters was hit by an energy blast from Diamond Weapon, but is revealed to have survived, albeit with sustaining great injury. The novella "Case of Shinra" depicts his survival, as well as his plans for the future and how he contracts the disease Geostigma.[11] He reappears in Advent Children, in possession of Jenova's remains, and claims that he intends to repair the damage Shinra had caused[33] Rufus uses a wheelchair and covers himself with a white sheet for most of the film, and though these are later shown to be a facade,[34] he still uses them after being healed by Aerith's rain. In Before Crisis, Rufus anonymously supplies information to AVALANCHE, while suggesting someone is leaking information.[35] He had intended to have AVALANCHE kill his father, but his plan failed and he was put under house arrest in Junon. Rufus is glimpsed briefly on a stretcher as Midgar is being evacuated in Dirge of Cerberus, and Reeve also hints that he is supplying funding to the WRO.[36] Rufus is voiced by Tōru Ōkawa in the original Japanese publications[37] and Wally Wingert in the English dubs.[12]
Tseng (ツォン Tson) is the stern, polite, and calm leader of the Turks who bears what appears to be a Tilaka on his forehead. Though he is young, he has been an active member of the Turks for more than 10 years,[38] under the wing of the previous Turk leader Veld. In Final Fantasy VII, Tseng's primary objective was to capture Aerith and give her to Shinra. He is later wounded by Sephiroth during an investigation at the Temple of the Ancients; Aerith cries shortly after seeing him, remarking that they had known each other since she was young. Though he had been previously charged with bringing her to Shinra, Tseng delayed it for many years and is explained to have "special feelings" for her. Although he was seen attempting to ask Elena out before the Temple of the Ancients. Tseng's past duties as a Turk under Veld are explored in Before Crisis, and he stars in the episode "Special Episode of Tseng". Tseng has a small role in Advent Children; early in the film, Tseng is captured by the Remnants at the Northern Crater and is tortured until rescued by Vincent. He later returns to assist Cloud under Rufus' orders. Tseng is the narrator for Last Order, which reveals his conflicted and changing feelings towards his job and position,[39] and appears throughout "Case of Shinra", explaining the actions he took after Meteorfall and his struggles to rescue the kidnapped Rufus. In Crisis Core, Tseng is shown to be a close friend to Zack, even earning a slot on his DMW. When Zack is being hunted down by Shinra, Tseng deploys several Turks in a desperate attempt to save his life and give him the letters Aerith had sent him. Tseng is voiced by Junichi Suwabe in Japanese and Ryun Yu in English.
Reno (レノ) is a prominent member of the Turks, ranking directly below Tseng, and whose main weapon is a retractable, metallic stun baton called an Electro-Mag Rod. He is characterized as cocky, cynical, and somewhat lazy, but is nonetheless highly skilled and takes pride in his work. Reno's partner and friend is Rude, and they are seen accompanying each other throughout the Compilation. In Final Fantasy VII, Reno is rivals with Cloud and the party who is fought on several occasions; however, in one instance he willingly teamed up with them to rescue Elena and Yuffie after they have been 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. When he reappears in Advent Children, Reno possesses no hostility towards the group[40] In the film, Reno acts under Rufus' orders, aiding Cloud and understanding Shinra's part in the near-destruction of the world, though also expresses that he wants Shinra rebuilt. Like the other Turks and Rufus, Reno appears in the novella "Case of Shinra", where he attempts to rescue the kidnapped Rufus and shows his discontent with the Turks from Before Crisis leaving Shinra and moving on with their lives. In Before Crisis, Reno is a teammate to the player and is the main focus of the game's chapter "Special Episode of Reno", in which he was trapped in an elevator shaft. He also has brief appearances during Last Order with the other Turks, noting Tseng's serious demeanor and giving no opinion on Zack and Cloud's escape, remarking that the Turks will accomplish any mission regardless of its nature. Reno is encountered once during Crisis Core after Genesis copies invade Midgar, waiting for Tseng's orders to move out, and later appears in a DMW phase "Heart Image". Near the end of the game, Reno is revealed to have been one of the Turks sent by Tseng to find Zack. He is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in Japanese and Quinton Flynn in English. The personality of Axel from Kingdom Hearts is purposely similar to that of Reno. They have the same voice actors for both English and Japanese and similar looks also.
Rude (ルード Rūdo) is a tall, naturally bald[38] Turk and Reno's partner. In response to the notion that Rude was African in descent, Nomura stated that he thought of him as more South American.[41] Rude is a superb physical combatant and prefers to use his fists in battle, though generally doesn't speak much. In Final Fantasy VII, he appears alongside his Turk colleagues and reveals to Reno that he has a crush on Tifa Lockhart, though no close relationship develops between them. Rude appears in Before Crisis, which details his crush on an AVALANCHE spy named Chelsea; she leaves because of their differing lifestyles and the player Turk is left to confront Rude about her departure. In "Case of Shinra", Rude still works for Shinra and works with the Turks to find Rufus, and returns in Advent Children, where he assists Cloud. During the course of the film, Reno refers to the bombs Rude had built to destroy Loz and Yazoo as "Shinra's finest". Rude and Reno later regroup with Tseng and Elena, and are shown witnessing Rufus getting cured from Geostigma. Rude makes minor appearances in both Last Order and Crisis Core; in the former, he works under Tseng to try to capture Zack, while in the latter appears with Reno, awaiting Tseng's command to defend Midgar against Genesis copies. He later appears in a DMW sequence with Reno and Cissnei, and at the end of the game is sent out by Tseng to retrieve Zack alive. Rude is voiced by Taiten Kusunoki in Japanese and Crispin Freeman in English.
Elena (イリーナ Irīna) is a junior member of the Turks who obtained her position as the newest recruit after Reno sustained injuries battling AVALANCHE in Midgar. Elena takes her work more seriously than Reno and Rude do and has shown to become frustrated with their laid-back attitudes.[38] During Final Fantasy VII, Elena is captured with Yuffie by Don Corneo, and Cloud and the party temporarily team up with Reno and Rude to save her. Elena has also been shown to have a crush on Tseng, and temporarily holds Cloud and the party accountable when he is injured while investigating the Temple of the Ancients. This attraction is carried on in "Case of Shinra", where she appears with the other Turks, still working for Shinra and trying to locate Rufus. She appears briefly in Advent Children; while searching the Northern Crater, she and Tseng are captured and tortured by the Remnants until being rescued by Vincent. She later returns to help Cloud along with the other Turks, and witnesses Rufus' recovery from Geostigma. Elena served a minor role in Before Crisis as a young student resenting her sister for outperforming her; as such, she refused to become a Turk while her sister was employed. After working together with the player Turk to fight against the Ravens, Elena decides to become a Turk and surpass her sister. Elena is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese and Bettina Bush in English.
Professor Hojo (宝条 Hōjō) was the head of Shinra's science department until he resigned after being attacked by Red XIII in the Shinra HQ building. He was a scientist who undertook radical experiments without any regard for ethics or the potential consequences on his test subjects.[6] He was responsible for Sephiroth's creation, having led the scientific experiment that created him. The experiment had involved injecting Jenova cells into the Sephiroth's fetus while it was still in Lucrecia's womb; Lucrecia later froze herself inside of a crystal after Hojo mortally wounded Vincent and her child was born, leading Vincent to deeply despise Hojo. In Final Fantasy VII, Hojo works with Shinra and explains that he had fathered Sephiroth; he considers him his greatest experiment and wants to see the results of it. Hojo is fought by the party, but in Dirge of Cerberus, he is revealed to have survived long enough to place a computer-simulated copy of himself into the Worldwide Network; he subsequently embeds himself in Weiss' and attempts to use him to forcefully summon Omega who, after collecting the Lifestream, would depart from the Planet. He is stopped by both Vincent and Nero, who merges with Weiss and frees him from Hojo's control. Hojo's experiments are examined in Crisis Core, wherein he is encountered sporadically throughout the game and turns both Cloud and Zack into Sephiroth clones, though labels them as failed projects. Hojo appears in Last Order, where he collects Zack and Cloud for experimentation, and Before Crisis as well, in which he implants the Zirconiade materia into Elfe. Hojo is voiced by Nachi Nozawa in Japanese and Paul Eiding in English.
Jenova (ジェノバ Jenoba) is an extraterrestrial life form who was composed of cells that carry her will and power even when separated. Sephiroth is the result of a being that can successfully fuse with Jenova's cells.[42] Furthermore, Jenova's cells can change their form and appearance. For example, he changes into Sephiroth before battle. [43][44][45] Jenova originally crashed into the Planet and began infecting the residing Ancients until they almost died out. However a small unknown group of ancients manage to seal Jenova away.It was later excavated by Shinra and mistakenly thought to be an Ancient. Scientific experiments were done with Jenova's cells in an attempt to make stronger soldiers, and as a result, SOLDIER was born; each member was injected with Jenova cells, with the exception of Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal. Angeal's mother Gillian was injected with Jenova cells allowing those cells to pass on to Angeal from her. Sephiroth was injected with Jenova cells during the fetal stage and Genesis was injected with Gillian's cells while in the fetal stage. Sephiroth and Jenova's goal for Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children was to take control of the Planet and roam through space until they found a planet that they could thrive on.[46] In Advent Children, Jenova's last remains are acquired by Rufus and three Remnants of Sephiroth hope to find them and resurrect Sephiroth. The creature is also responsible for the disease Geostigma, which infects all those who contain Jenova cells or came in contact with tainted Lifestream liquid. The incident at Nibelheim, where Sephiroth becomes insane and dismembers Jenova's head and proclaiming that they would go to the Promised Land, is adapted in Before Crisis, Last Order, and Crisis Core; in each installment, Jenova appears as a human-like, nude, blue-skinned woman preserved inside of a glass tank filled with liquid.
Lucrecia Crescent (ルクレツィア・クレシェント Rukuretsia Kureshento) was a scientist for Shinra and who mothered Sephiroth, allowing both herself and the fetus to be injected with Jenova cells for science. She had previously worked under the scientist Grimoire Valentine and had found the dormant creature Chaos; during an experiment involving Chaos, Grimoire was killed protecting Lucrecia. Grimoire's son, Vincent, was later assigned as a bodyguard to her scientific team, but her guilt over Grimoire's death kept her from returning his affection. Lucrecia instead went on to conceive Hojo's child for experimentation purposes. In Final Fantasy VII, Lucrecia can be found frozen inside a crystal inside of a cave, where she briefly awakens to explain her past and that, unable to kill herself, she had sealed herself inside the crystal. Flashbacks during Dirge of Cerberus flesh out her past and reveal that she had visions of what Sephiroth would become. She had also saved Vincent after he had been nearly killed by Hojo by implanting Chaos and the Protomateria to control it within him; she is constantly heard stating that she is sorry to Vincent during the game, apologizing for the troubles and hurt that tormented him. Lucrecia is voiced by Rio Natsuki in Japanese and April Stewart in English.
Reeve Tuesti (リーブ・トゥエスティ Rību Tuesuti) is the former head of Shinra's Urban Development Department and controller of the robotic cat Cait Sith. In Final Fantasy VII, Reeve originally worked against AVALANCHE until later deciding to help them in their quest against Sephiroth. Due to his job, Reeve is responsible for both the building and ruin 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 recognizing the greater architectural vision of the Shinra regime. Reeve is one of the few Shinra officials with genuine concern for the common people; he recognizes AVALANCHE's goal to save the Planet, and begins spying on Shinra officials, using Cait Sith as a means of communication. Reeve is temporarily arrested after Rufus' apparent death, but is released in time to organize an evacuation of Midgar's population before the arrival of Meteor. Reeve is not seen in Advent Children, but is heard leaving a message on Cloud's cell phone offering help. He plays a significant role within Dirge of Cerberus, having established the World Regenesis Organization, dedicated to restoring the Planet and defeating Deepground. In the novella "Case of Denzel", wherein Denzel tries to persuade Reeve to let him join the WRO, Reeve interviews Denzel and listens to his story, before finally informing him that children are not allowed to join the WRO and thanking him for watching over his mother, Ruvie Tuesti. Reeve serves a minor role in Before Crisis as the architect responsible for designing mako reactors and aiding the Turks with the use of Cait Sith. Reeve is voiced by Banjō Ginga in Japanese and Jamieson Price in English.
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.[47] Jessie (ジェシー Jeshī) is an explosives and fake IDs technician fascinated with gadgetry and other "flashy stuff".[48] 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 Veld (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.
Marlene Wallace (マリン Marin) is the young daughter of Barret's friends, Dyne and Eleanor, and the adopted daughter of Barret. Eleanor is killed by an attack from Shinra and Dyne assumes Marlene to be dead as well; in actuality, Barret adopts her, thinking Dyne to be dead. Barret later encounters Dyne, who insists that he wants everything to be destroyed and soon after commits suicide. For most of Final Fantasy VII, Marlene is left in the care of Elmyra. During Advent Children, she lives with Cloud, Tifa, and Denzel while Barret is searching for a new power source. Marlene questions Cloud's motives for leaving his friends and family, and urges him not to give up. In Advent Children, Marlene is voiced by Miyu Tsuzurahara in Japanese and Grace Rolek in the English. Sumire Morohoshi and Ariel Winter provides her Japanese and English voices respectively for Advent Children Complete.
President Shinra (プレジデント神羅 Purejidento Shinra) is the first President of the Shinra Company, who built it from a simple weapons development company to a corporation that controlled the world in a single generation. President Shinra believed in leading and ruling people using money; as such, 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. To ensure that the public would hate AVALANCHE, he ordered for the Sector 7 plate to be collapsed and subsequently blamed the event on AVALANCHE. During the collapse, the President is seen in his office listening to Joseph Haydn's Oratorio, The Creation. He 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, but is killed by Jenova disguised as Sephiroth shortly after Shinra captures Aerith. President Shinra also appears in Before Crisis and is shown to have a distant and argumentative relationship with Rufus, who hopes to have him killed and to replace him as the president.
Heidegger (ハイデッガー Haideggā) was the head of Shinra's Public Safety Maintenance Department, a euphemism for Shinra's military and the Turks. Heidegger is generally seen as a yes man and nicknamed "Gya ha ha" by Reeve for his horse-like laugh. He also was the one behind the destruction of Sector 7 and the subsequent public relations exercise that implicated AVALANCHE with the crime. Heidegger attempted to assume control of the Shinra company after a WEAPON attack presumably killed Rufus, but died shortly after when the Proud Clod (a mecha that he and Scarlet were piloting) exploded after a battle with AVALANCHE. In Before Crisis, Heidegger is given control of the Turks until Veld, the past Turk leader, blackmails President Shinra into giving him back his job. After Veld is revealed to be a traitor, Heidegger is placed as the commander of the Turks once more. He is named after the philosopher Martin Heidegger.
Scarlet (スカーレット Sukāretto) was the head of Shinra's Weapons Development Department, who aspired to make the perfect weapon but didn't trust Heidegger to use it properly. Reeve nicknamed her "Kya ha ha" for her peculiar laugh. Scarlet is one of the more evil-minded Shinra executives and was directly responsible for the destruction of Barret's home town of Corel, as well as the loss of Barret's forearm; during Final Fantasy VII, she also attempts to execute Tifa using a gas chamber. Scarlet was responsible for turning Junon's Sister Ray into the Mako Cannon to combat WEAPON, and later dies in the explosion of her weapon, the Proud Clod. In Before Crisis, she is ordered to capture Veld and assassinate the Turks, and is cited in Dirge of Cerberus as one of the few Shinra executives to know about Deepground.
Zangan (ザンガン) was Tifa's martial arts instructor at Nibelheim. In Final Fantasy VII, his letter to Tifa shed light on the events following the burning of Nibelheim and the cover-up that ensued. After retrieving Tifa after she is mortally wounded by Sephiroth, Zangan used cure spells to heal her and transported her to Midgar. Zangan appears in Before Crisis and Last Order, where he is shown rescuing Tifa; in the former, Zangan makes note of Tifa's white cat leading him to her. Zangan is voiced by Hiroshi Fujioka in Japanese.
Johnny (ジョニー Jonī) is a young man who has had a crush on Tifa since their childhood in Nibelheim. He eventually departed from the town and went to Midgar, and is encountered in several areas during Final Fantasy VII. In the novella "Case of Denzel" and its OVA rendition, Johnny is revealed to have opening up a café in Edge named Johnny's Heaven, having been inspired by Tifa's decision to build a new 7th Heaven pub in the city. He would often tell his customers about how Tifa inspired him and would unknowingly lose most of his potentially regular customers to 7th Heaven by doing so. During the novella and OVA, Johnny listens to Denzel explain his past to Reeve, interrupting sometimes to give his opinion.
Bugenhagen (ブーゲンハーゲン Būgenhāgen), Red XIII/Nanaki's adoptive grandfather.[49] He is an eccentric 130 year old man who moves about, floating on a green ball. Formerly a Shinra worker, he retired to his home of Cosmo Canyon — where he is the elder of the Bugah Tribe — to pursue the Study of Planet Life, and where he finds a peaceful harmony between technology and nature.[50] He has an observatory at the top of Cosmo Canyon, and provides vital information to AVALANCHE regarding how to stop Sephiroth and Meteor. He dies of old age by the end of FFVII, moments after giving Red XIII his ultimate weapon, the Limited Moon. Bugenhagen also appeared in Before Crisis, wherein he converses with Fuhito.
Veld (ヴェルド Verudo) is the strict past leader of the Turks. He is called Veld in the English version of "Reminiscence of FFVII Compilation", but called both Veld and Verdot in official materials.[51] Veld is introduced in Before Crisis where he supervised over the Turks and mentors Tseng. He had a daughter, Felicia, and a wife, both of whom he had believed to be dead when their town was razed due to his misinterpreted commands. In actuality, his daughter survived and went on to become the leader of the radical eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE under the name Elfe. Veld is portrayed as being a father to the Turks, and cares about them deeply; Elfe is also very important to him, and he defects from Shinra after discovering she is alive. He briefly returns in "Case of Shinra" to supply information to the Turks after Rufus' kidnapping, and is mentioned in Last Order. Though Veld is an unplayable character for the majority of Before Crisis, he is the main playable character in the game's chapter "Special Episode of Veld".
Shalua Rui (シャルア・ルーイ Sharua Rūi) is a scientist who originally appeared in Before Crisis. In the game, she searches for Shelke, her younger sister, who had been kidnapped by Shinra. Shalua temporarily seeks AVALANCHE for help, but left after witnessing how corrupted the group was. AVALANCHE was also responsible for giving her many injuries, including the loss of both her left eye and left arm, the latter of which was replaced with a cybernetic limb. Shalua is later encountered in Dirge of Cerberus, working as a scientist for the WRO; she is later revealed to have joined it in her quest to find Shelke, who had joined Deepground. After the two are reunited, however, Shalua is attacked by Azul and is sent into an unresponsive state. She is thereafter stored inside a capsule on the Shera in the hope that she could be revived, but the ship takes a hit from the battle raging below it and the capsule falls, landing in Midgar. Shalua is voiced by Yuu Asakawa in Japanese and Kim Mai Guest in English.
Azul the Cerulean (蒼きアスール Aoki Asūru) is a member of the Tsviets whose primary weapon is a cannon. Other than his initial appearance, Azul has two other forms known as Neo Azul and Arch Azul, the latter of which appears as a large beast. In his appearance in Before Crisis, Azul is introduced as a strong man being scouted out by Shinra, who planned to take him to use in their military force. Azul returns in Dirge of Cerberus as a high-ranking member of Deepground under the command to attack the WRO and retrieve the Protomateria from Vincent's body. He is killed when Vincent changes into his Chaos form and subsequently impales him with his canon and blasts him off the elevator they had been battling on. Azul is voiced by Tesshō Genda in Japanese and Brad Abrell in English.
Cissnei (シスネ Shisune) was a female member of the Turks whose primary weapon was a large, crimson shuriken. Cissnei originally appeared in Before Crisis under the title "Shuriken (Female)", with her name chosen by the player; in Crisis Core, she goes under the name Cissnei, though states it isn't her real name. The Turks expressed interest in recruiting her when she was young and at an orphanage; she later joined, making her the youngest Turk. Cissnei was a playable character in Before Crisis who became available during episode 18 of the game, and is presumed defected and living freely of Shinra afterward. In Crisis Core, Cissnei meets Zack and the two become friends, with her earning a slot on his DMW. After Zack and Cloud had escaped from experimentation, Cissnei was ordered to take them down; however, upon recognizing Zack, she reported to Tseng that she had lost their trail. Near the end of the game, Cissnei is still under orders to find them, but Tseng also requests that she capture Zack alive, and she departs to find him. Cissnei is voiced by Asumi Nakata in Japanese and Carrie Savage in English.
Denzel (デンゼル Denzeru) is a young boy who resides with Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene in Edge. He first appears in Advent Children, and is shown to be suffering from the incurable disease Geostigma. He is persuaded to accompany several other sick children to the Ancient City of the Cetra, where he is manipulated and falls under the control of Kadaj. Denzel regains himself after Tifa protects him from Bahamut and soon after returns to their house to wait with Marlene. After receiving a phone call, he and other townspeople head to Aerith's church, where he is healed of his Geostigma by her healing water. In "Case of Denzel" and its OVA rendition, Denzel explains his past to Reeve in the hope of joining the WRO. He was the son of Chloe and a Shinra worker named Abel, but is orphaned after the Sector 7 plate collapses, and is taken in by Ruvie Tuesti. After she dies from the Lifestream burst, Denzel settles in the Midgar ruins until his friend, Rick, leaves for Edge. While wandering, Denzel came across Cloud's motorcycle and suffered from a Geostigma attack and subsequently collapsed. Cloud brought him back to Aerith's church, believing that Aerith had led Denzel to him. Denzel is voiced in Japanese by Kyōsuke Ikeda and Kazumu Izawa in Advent Children and Advent Children Complete respectively, while his English voice actors are Benjamin Bryan in Advent Children and Aaron Refvem in Advent Children Complete
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, who first appears in Dirge of Cerberus. He has the power to control darkness, as he had been injected by stagnant mako when he was still a fetus, and uses this power to engulf others. When Vincent arrives at Weiss' chambers, Nero transports himself and Vincent to another dimension; when defeated, they return 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. Due to the injections of stagnant mako, Nero was able to infect Weiss' "pure" body by transferring himself inside of Weiss, thus freeing him from Hojo. He also briefly appears in Crisis Core with Weiss, wherein they carry the unconscious Genesis to a helicopter. Nero is voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu in Japanese and Mike Rock in English.
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 wields two primary weapons, both of which consist of a katana blade and a revolver. In Dirge of Cerberus, Weiss remains in an unconscious state until reborn. Upon awakening, it is revealed that Hojo had taken over Weiss' body; to save him, Nero transferred himself into Weiss, causing Weiss' "pure" body to be contaminated. Free from Hojo's grasp, Weiss proceeds to walk to a mako reactor and vanish in a ball of light, awakening Omega. Weiss is later fought by Vincent and presumably killed, but an unlockable Cutscene shows Genesis picking up Weiss' body and telling 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. Weiss is voiced by Joji Nakata in Japanese and Dave Boat in English.
Genesis Rhapsodos (ジェネシス・ラプソードス Jeneshisu Rapusōdosu) is the main antagonist of Crisis Core. He is a 1st-Class SOLDIER who rebelled against Shinra. Though he originally appeared in Dirge of Cerberus, his name was not revealed until Crisis Core. Genesis is a childhood friend to Angeal, he carries a book containing the famous play LOVELESS and quotes from it frequently. In Dirge of Cerberus, he is referenced as "G" in collectable items called "G Files", which contain information on his origins. If all are collected, an ending sequence featuring Genesis awakening is unlocked. In Crisis Core, Genesis is introduced as an AWOL SOLDIER suffering from degradation, who hopes to find a cure. He was a result of Project G, an experiment in which a woman named Gillian was injected with Jenova cells before her cells were harvested and injected into Genesis' fetus. Due to the experiment that Hollander did for him, Genesis began to degrade and developed a large black wing as well as the ability to makes copies of himself so he tried to kill Hollander, but was stopped by Zack. Genesis was considered a traitor to Shinra. He was a close friend of Angeal and Sephiroth. Upon meeting him at the Nibelheim reactor, Genesis explains to Sephiroth that Jenova was an alien and that they were all monsters, indirectly leading to the Nibelheim incident. Genesis attempts to recreate the world of LOVELESS, but is defeated by Zack; upon defeat, he is sent to a black space filled with the Lifestream and sees the Goddess, a being mentioned throughout LOVELESS. However, when he attempts to approach her, she returns him to the Planet. Though weak, Genesis' degrading stops and then he becomes a friend of Zack but he is soon taken aboard a helicopter by Nero and Weiss, who converse about him joining them. The Crisis Core Ultimania reveals that Genesis was asked to join their rebellion against the Restrictors, but rejected the offer. He is voiced by Gackt in Japanese and played him in Dirge of Cerberus; a collaboration between Gackt and Hideki Imaizumi, the producer of Crisis Core, has resulted in Genesis.[52] Genesis is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes in Dirge of Cerberus and Oliver Quinn in Crisis Core.
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.[53] During spring of the same year, Sephiroth earned the most user votes in a villains-themed popularity contest at GameFAQs.[54] In late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Cloud Strife the best character of all time in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation.[55] Aerith placed fifth, Tifa placed eighth and three other characters placed in the top 50: Sephiroth at 14th, Reno at fifteenth, and Yuffie at forty-second.[55]
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, the popular Disney/Final Fantasy crossover series Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy Tactics.
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