A cheerful and friendly SOLDIER with dreams of being a “Hero”
Profile
Age: 16 years old (story start) ~ 23 years old (story end)
Height: 185cm (at age 18)
Birth Date: [μ]-εγλ 1984
Weapon: Sword → Buster Sword
Blood Type: Type O
Birthplace: Gongaga
Voice Actor (JP): Kenichi Suzumura
Voice Actor (ENG): Rick Gomez
A bright and energetic 2nd Class SOLDIER with the grand dream of “Being a Hero”. Although he can be reckless and naive, he possesses the strength to push forward no matter what kind of difficulties he encounters. Under the guidance of his trusted mentor Angeal, he aims to become a 1st Class SOLDIER, but when he is sent on a mission to Wutai, he becomes aware of the true nature of SOLDIER and Shinra. Despite the conflicts caused by the harsh realities of life, he is able to grow as he searches for his own path.
Zack’s “Hero”
Born and raised in Gongaga, a remote village surrounded by jungle, Zack saw the heroic exploits of Sephiroth, the 1st Class SOLDIER, and wanted to become a hero like him, so he left for Midgar to become a SOLDIER. But the image of a hero in Zack’s mind changes as he experiences a series of encounters and separations from Sephiroth and Genesis, the 1st Class SOLDIERs he admires. What is the final image that comes to Zack’s mind of the type of person he should be striving to become?
↑ Zack learns the true character of the “hero” Sephiroth, who is heartbroken over his best friends. While he shares the same feelings as Sephiroth, Zack walks his own path.
Meeting the Girl Named Aerith
While on a mission, Zack falls into a church in the Sector 5 Slums and has a fateful encounter with a girl named Aerith who is tending the flowers in the church. Just being together fills them with contentment, a chaste love. It seemed as if those happy days would last forever…
TL Note: “Chaste” is literally “platonic”. I changed it as dev quotes make it *very* apparent they had romantic feelings for each other, but maintained a chaste relationship… which is not what you call a “platonic” relationship in English…
↑ Aerith lives a cheerful life, never showing her own pain. She and Zack gradually become inseparable.
From “Admirer” to “Admired”
Throughout the story, Zack gradually grows into an adult through many encounters and separations. Zack has grown out of his superficial behavior, but he still maintains his cheerfulness and dreams, and is gradually making progress. His image as an ideal SOLDIER has earned him the respect of many.
↑ Zack tells the newcomers what it means to be a SOLDIER as their upperclassman. Deep in his heart lies the teachings of Angeal.
“No— To become a hero!”
——The Shinra Building: Lazard asks if his dream is to be a 1st Class SOLDIER
“Hey, how about one date?”
——The Church in the Slums: Offering Aerith a “thank you” for her assistance
“One day, I’ll show you a beautiful sky.”
——Sector 5 Slums: To Aerith, who says she is afraid of the sky
“Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, never let go of your pride as a SOLDIER.”
——The Shinra Building, etc: Instructing his younger colleagues and himself
← Zack says his dream is to become a hero. Even when he becomes aware of the situation of the “heroes” and is almost shaken by their bitter reality, this dream remains unchanged until the end.
↑ Aerith is afraid of the sky in the slums where the heavens are blocked, but Zack, who has sky-blue eyes that reflect freedom, promises to show her the real sky.
←↑ Over time, Zack becomes a leader as a 1st Class SOLDIER and passes on the words Angeal taught him to many of his younger colleagues.
Zack’s Personal History
[μ]-εγλ 2000/11
Ordered to be on standby at corporate headquarters, he spends all his time in training simulations, until he is deployed to Wutai as a replacement for Genesis, who has disappeared.
[μ]-εγλ 0001/04
Is promoted to SOLDIER 1st Class.
[μ]-εγλ 0001/Fall
Changes his hairstyle because of a change of heart. Becomes a mentor to his younger colleagues.
[μ]-εγλ 0002/07
Ends vacation in Costa del Sol. Eliminates the monsters that attacked Junon.
[ν]-εγλ 0002/9/22 approximately
Visits Nibelheim to investigate the cause of the mass monster outbreak.
[ν]-εγλ 0006/12/19
Is experimented on in the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim, but escapes with Cloud.
2nd Class Era
(16~17 years old)
Zack, 2nd Class, as seen at the beginning of the story. The roguish expression on his face reveals his recklessness and innocence.
1st Class Era
After inheriting the Buster Sword
(18~23 years old)
After the mission to Modeoheim, he changes his hairstyle, which gives him a more mature presence. This appearance is familiar from “FFVII” and other games.
Link to the FFVII Series
The Source of Cloud’s Feigned Personality
By FFVII, Zack has already died. He appears in the fragments of Cloud’s past that Sephiroth shows Cloud, but because Cloud has lost sight of his original self and has merged his memories with Zack’s, Zack’s own identity has been shrouded in mystery. What kind of person is Zack, and what did he actually do? CC answers these questions.
↑ In the international version, the escape scene of Zack and Cloud was added, but the true nature of Zack was still unclear.
Cloud’s Promises Now Revealed
In FFVII, Cloud imitates the memories and personality of Zack. This is because the Jenova Cells have the ability to copy, but if the story of CC is followed to its conclusion, it turns out it is not only because of the effect of Jenova Cells, but also because of the firm friendship and the promise between the two men.
↑ In AC, Cloud stares at the Buster Sword he set up as a tombstone for Zack, and says, “I said I’d live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise.” The details of how he made that decision are depicted in CC.
← The scene where Zack supports Cloud’s dream first appeared in AC, but in CC, the fact that Cloud appreciated it is shown (→pg. 521).
The Mystery of the Crossed Scars on His Cheek
A closer look at Zack’s face in AC reveals that he has an x-shaped scar on his left cheek. How did he get this scar? It is revealed in CC…
→ The first time the scar on his cheek was drawn was in an illustration for the fighting game Ehrgeiz.
← This close-up scene of Zack’s face while hitchhiking with Cloud is recreated in CC.
Zack can do Squats?
In CC, Zack is so famous for his squatting, Lazard sarcastically says, “I thought for sure that all he was good for was doing squats”. Cloud seems to have even copied Zack’s special skill(?), and in various scenes in FFVII, he can be seen doing squats. Incidentally, in the Kalm flashback scene in FFVII, when Cloud squats excitedly in the truck on the way to Nibelheim, it’s really Zack squatting.
↓ There is also a squatting mini-game in CC. However, it is a fitness test.
↑ Cloud challenges him to a squatting match for a woman’s outfit.