Story & Visual Archive

TL Note: The Keyword Collection was originally listed in Japanese Alphabetical order. In an effort to make a list of 274+ keywords more useful, they have been grouped together topically (some have duplicated links where appropriate). Numbers in (parenthesis) are the original page number the keyword was on. Words in 【brackets】 were originally part of the Extra Keywords that dealt with Compilation terms that CC itself didn’t need to bring up or go into.

Table of Contents

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Story & Visual Archive

Keyword Collection

There are 274 keywords in this book. This section introduces a variety of terms, ranging from concrete terms such as the names of people and places to abstract terms such as staging directions and presentation.

Extra Keywords

Below are some keywords that are not directly referenced in this work, but are useful for understanding the “FFVII” series as a whole. Please refer to pages 281, 287, 295, and 298 for more keywords.

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The Planet/The Lifestream

The Lifestream (297)

The Lifestream is spiritual energy that surrounds the planet [the rock], bringing forth new life all over the world while receiving energy from life that has died all over the world. The cycle of life created by the Planet consists of this circulation of the Lifestream.

Planetology (287)

A field of research into the “Planet” born in Cosmo Canyon. It perceives the Planet to be as a singular life [form] and explains the relationship between the circulation of life and the Lifestream. In other words, the idea is that when life brought forth by the Planet dies, it becomes Lifestream and returns to the Planet, and the Planet again uses the returned energy to create life again.

The Planet’s Divine Protection (294)

In Scene 10-04, Genesis mentions the Planet’s divine protection, which refers to the Lifestream, the energy of the Planet itself. Genesis took on the role of the Hero of Loveless by gathering the Lifestream into his body, that is, by receiving the Planet’s divine protection.

Mako Overdose (294)

A condition Cloud developed because of the Sephiroth Copy experiment. It is caused by being flooded with high concentrations of mako, or by being swept up in the flow of the Lifestream. This is because the Planet’s vast store of information flows into the target’s brain through the Lifestream, and the brain blows out from the amount of information, leading to the target’s spiritual collapse.

TL Note: “overdose” is literally “poisoned/addiction”. This is not a *literal* addiction or poisoning though… and as there are people that really are addicted to mako in Deepground, I decided to change the name to avoid confusion.
“blows out” is literally “is punctured”… specifically in reference to how a tire is punctured and then blows out. It’s also used figuratively to mean “explode from a large amount”.

“That which ills the Planet” (294)

An existence the Planet considers harmful to itself, and is the target of Weapon and Holy’s attacks. This applies specifically to Jenova, who tried to hijack the Planet, and Shinra, who continues to mine mako. However, Holy didn’t attack the humans, and together with the Lifestream, they stopped Meteor and protected the Planet.

Weapons (277)

Existences that eliminate “that which ills the Planet”. They were produced by the Planet to protect itself when Jenova invaded 2000 years ago. However, the Ancients had successfully sealed Jenova by this time, so the Weapons remained inactive and slept. The only Weapon that appears in the story is an unidentified one that lies in the depths of the Banora Underground, sleeping in preparation for a crisis of the Planet.

These Weapons woke up in various places for the first time when Sephiroth summoned Meteor in FFVII, and started attacking not only Sephiroth, but the entire human race. For the Weapons, the humans who were driving the Planet to ruin by pumping up mako were also judged as “that which ills the Planet”, and the Shinra strongholds of Midgar and Junon were specifically targeted for attack.

With few exceptions, Weapons are named after gems such as “Diamond” and “Emerald”.

【Omega】(281)

An existence that transports the life of the Planet to another Planet when the Planet is dying. It appeared in DC.

【Chaos】(281)

An existence that reaps all the life that exists on the Planet and delivers that life to Omega when the Planet is on the verge of death. This Chaos [genetic] factor has been transplanted into Vincent’s body.

Materia (295)

A spherical object formed from highly concentrated mako. It is said to be full of the Knowledge of the Ancients, who could communicate with the Planet. By possessing it, one can retrieve the Knowledge of the Ancients, and be able to use magic or be granted unique abilities. Some of them, like the White Materia and Black Materia, can influence the fate of the Planet.

Most materia are made by Shinra using a special machine to condense mako based on data collected from mako stones. Although natural materia also exists, it is very rare because there are few places in nature where materia is abundant. There is a special case where a large amount of mako is transformed into energy, and the mako condenses into a giant piece of Huge Materia. It is used for huge weapons such as the Mako Cannon because it is extremely  powerful but not portable. Incidentally, in this story, Genesis and his team successfully created a quasi-Huge Materia in the Banora Underground, but they were not able to create a more complete materia than the ones generated in mako reactors.

The White Materia (285)

The materia needed to invoke the ultimate white magic, “Holy”. It is the counterpart to the Black Materia. In FFVII and BC, it is revealed that Aerith possessed it as a memento from her mother, but this fact is never mentioned in this story.

【Holy】(295)

The ultimate white magic that erased Meteor in FFVII. It was activated when Aerith, while possessing the White Materia, prayed to the Planet.

The Black Materia (280)

The materia needed to invoke the ultimate black magic “Meteor,” and the counterpart to the White Materia. It was too powerful, so the Ancients had transformed the materia into the shape of a temple and treated [the materia] so that no one could remove it [from the temple]. In FFVII, Sephiroth sought out this materia, and Cloud and the others tried to stop him, but in the end, it passed into Sephiroth’s hands and Meteor was cast.

【Meteor】(298)

The ultimate black magic, which summons asteroids. Sephiroth used it in FFVII to throw the Planet into a [state of] crisis.

Magic (295)

A power brought forth by using materia to retrieve the Knowledge of the Ancients, which links the Planet to the user of the materia. The Ancients could freely harness the power of the Planet. In general, magic that attacks the target is called black magic, while magic that heals the target is called white magic. There is also summoning magic that calls up summoned beasts.

Summons (285)

Existances that are called out by means of summoning materia. Many of them have the appearance of monsters. As seen in this game and FFVII, many of the summons bring their targets into their own space to attack. However, there also exist summons that attack and interfere with the real world, such as Bahamut SIN in AC.

【Zicronaide】(295)

A summon out of legends that was summoned by Avalanche in BC. The Turks mobilized their entire force to defeat it.

The Ancients (282)

A race that has lived on this Planet since time immemorial and has the power to communicate with the Planet. They are also known as the “Cetra”. The Ancients are said to have continued to make the Planet prosperous by opening veins of Lifestream in various places.

Although they sealed Jenova about 2000 years ago, the cost was great and most of the Ancients died out during this time. This is why only two Ancients have appeared throughout the FFVII series: Aerith and Ifalna, Aerith’s mother.

The Promised Land (297)

A place where supreme happiness is promised for the Ancients. Shinra considers this Promised Land to be a land flooded with mako. In FFVII, Sephiroth thought the Great Northern Cave was the Promised Land, but the truth of the Promised Land remains unknown to this day.

Icicle Inn (275)

A village on an island in an extremely cold region. It is Aerith’s birthplace, and where her parents, Gast and Ifalna, lived. But when Aerith was 20 days old, on February 27, [ μ ] -εуλ 1985, Hojo, who wanted an Ancient as an experiment specimen, abducted her entire family. This is also the incident when Gast resisted [Hojo] and was shot and killed.

The region around the village used to be called the North Pole. This was the region where the Planet and the land were injured by Jenova 2000 years ago. As the Planet is concentrating to heal its wound, it cannot channel enough energy to this region, so this region has lost its vegetation and has been transformed into an extremely cold place.

Minerva (296)

Clad in majestic golden armor, she is an existence that transcends all things. Underneath her helmet, she has the face of a beautiful woman with blond hair and green eyes. In addition to her sudden encounter with Genesis in Scene 10-06, she appears in Mission No. 288 [The Reigning Deity]. Although she is often interpreted as the goddess described in Loveless, she really is an existence similar to a summon, and the purpose behind her actions seems to imitate the intentions of Lifestream.

A Sudden Encounter with Minerva (296)

In Scene 10-06, Genesis has a sudden encounter with Minerva in a space overflowing with the Lifestream. The development staff was asked about the plans for the exchange between the two, and the answer was as follows.

“Minerva is like a summon, and Minerva’s intentions are not the reason why Genesis survived. Minerva is an image whose actions and facial expressions reflect the intentions of the Lifestream.

“Genesis has reached a point where he is “not afraid of degradation and death” because he is determined to regain his SOLDIER Honor and fulfill his role of a SOLDIER. That is, Genesis is a state of “overcoming death”. An impression of Genesis’ strong will to “fulfill his role as a SOLDIER” was accepted by the Lifestream, which concluded, “Go fulfill it.”

“Minerva’s facial expression implies that the Lifestream has concluded “Genesis has not yet fulfilled his role as a SOLDIER”, and that “something remains for Genesis to accomplish”.

“In this way, Genesis “overcame death” with the intention of carrying out its [the Lifestream’s] mission. And this is linked to the future actions of Genesis.”

The Gift of the Goddess (297)

What the three men sought in Loveless. Genesis searched for the Gift of the Goddess as a way to heal his degradation, and came to the conclusion that the Gift of the Goddess would be bestowed on him when he reenacted Loveless. After the battle with Zack, Genesis realized the Gift of the Goddess was the “SOLDIER Honor” that had been sleeping inside of himself.

There is also a common theory that the Gift of the Goddess is a fountainhead of life that is effectively immortality. The theory also says that this fountainhead of life refers to the Banora White. There is also [another] theory that it is not people who become immortal, but the Planet, in which case the Gift of the Goddess is suggested to be either “all-encompassing destruction” or “all-healing salvation”.

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Mako (The Lifestream)

Mako (294)

The spiritual energy that fills the Planet and is synonymous with the “Lifestream” in Planetology. The effects of mako are diverse: in small doses it can enhance the physical capabilities of the human body, but in larger doses it can have negative effects on the human body and in some cases even cause a spiritual collapse. There are also some non-human animals and plants that become monsters when they are strongly influenced by mako.

Mako can be formed into energy in a mako reactor. Only then can it be used for power or electricity. Its energy efficiency is much higher than that of coal, etc., and it is useful in people’ s daily lives as well as in military applications.

However, mako is originally spiritual energy circulating the Planet, and once it is altered by the mako reactor, its original nature is transformed and it cannot return to the flow of the circulation of the Planet’s energy. Therefore, it is said that transforming mako into energy in the mako reactors will consume the Planet’s spiritual energy and eventually lead to its destruction.

Mako Overdose (294)

A condition Cloud developed because of the Sephiroth Copy experiment. It is caused by being flooded with high concentrations of mako, or by being swept up in the flow of the Lifestream. This is because the Planet’s vast store of information flows into the target’s brain through the Lifestream, and the brain blows out from the amount of information, leading to the target’s spiritual collapse.

TL Note: “overdose” is literally “poisoned/addiction”. This is not a *literal* addiction or poisoning though… and as there are people that really are addicted to mako in Deepground, I decided to change the name to avoid confusion.
“blows out” is literally “is punctured”… specifically in reference to how a tire is punctured and then blows out. It’s also used figuratively to mean “explode from a large amount”.

Materia (295)

A spherical object formed from highly concentrated mako. It is said to be full of the Knowledge of the Ancients, who could communicate with the Planet. By possessing it, one can retrieve the Knowledge of the Ancients, and be able to use magic or be granted unique abilities. Some of them, like the White Materia and Black Materia, can influence the fate of the Planet.

Most materia are made by Shinra using a special machine to condense mako based on data collected from mako stones. Although natural materia also exists, it is very rare because there are few places in nature where materia is abundant. There is a special case where a large amount of mako is transformed into energy, and the mako condenses into a giant piece of Huge Materia. It is used for huge weapons such as the Mako Cannon because it is extremely  powerful but not portable. Incidentally, in this story, Genesis and his team successfully created a quasi-Huge Materia in the Banora Underground, but they were not able to create a more complete materia than the ones generated in mako reactors.

Mako Stones (294)

A crystallized form of materia in which mako energy is condensed. Although it does not function as a materia, it can be formed into a materia by treating it. The higher the quality of the mako stone, the higher the quality of the materia that will form. Due to the usefulness of this mineral as a research material, SOLDIERs are sometimes given the mission of mining mako stones.

Mako Recovery Unit (294)

The device used to restore mako power in the Fusion Chamber of the Shinra Building. While injecting a reasonable dose of mako can restore the subject’s mako power, an overdose of mako will have a negative effect on the human body. In addition, the device that appears in the story has a defective switch that stops the mako injection.

Monsters (297)

An organism such as a plant or animal that has been mutated by excessive exposure to mako. Broadly speaking, there are those that are born naturally in regions where mako gushes out of the ground, and those that are created by Shinra in experiments. The reason why monsters are seen in various places, even in regions without an abundance of mako, is that the monsters created by Shinra in the previously mentioned experiments escaped and became feral when they were used in the war.

Mako Capsules (294)

A capsule filled with a high concentration of mako. It is used to make Genesis and Angeal Copies. Incidentally, Zack was also placed inside one of these capsules when he was being used as a specimen for the Sephiroth Copy experiment.

Makonoids (294)

A human being who has been exposed to so much mako they have turned into a monster. Besides the ones that were cultivated in the mako capsules of the Nibel Mako Reactor, there are others that were made in the Banora Underground through the research of Genesis and others.

Mako Reactor (295)

A facility managed by Shinra that pumps up mako from underground and transforms it into electricity and other forms of energy. Because they are a symbol of Shinra, they are often attacked, and three years after the start of this story, Elfe’s Avalanche blew up the Corel mako reactor. Seven years after the start of this story, that is, shortly after the start of FFVII, Barret’s Avalanche blew up the No. 1 and No. 5 Reactors in Midgar.

After the Jenova War, operation of the reactors was suspended all over the world, but when the DeepGround Soldiers rose up in DC, the No. 0 Reactor became their headquarters. They wanted to restart the mako reactors and manufacture a clean flow of Lifestream by extracting unaltered mako from the kidnapped children in order to revive Omega.

Rural Mako Reactor (289)

A general term used to refer to mako reactors built outside Midgar. These include the mako reactors at Nibelheim, Fort Condor, Junon, Corel, and Gongaga.

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Jenova and the Jenova Project

Jenova (284)

The “life form excavated from the earth” described in “The Ancients Project – Outline” in Scene 03-18 refers to “Jenova”, an intelligent life form known as the “Calamity from the Sky”, that attacked the North Pole with a meteorite about 2000 years ago. Jenova has an instinctive intention to destroy the Planet, and drove the Ancients to near extinction by using its ability to turn targets into monsters by injecting them with a virus, and its ability to mimic the thoughts of others. After that, it was sealed away in a counterattack by the Ancients, and it slept underground until it was excavated about 30 years ago.

The relationship between it and Sephiroth is like that of a parent and child, and in FFVII, it and Sephiroth continued to act in concert to call Meteor and destroy the Planet. As a result of the battle, it lost its body after being defeated by Cloud and the others, but its thoughts live on in the Lifestream, and it manifested thoughtforms such as Kadaj in AC.

Jenova Cells (284)

Jenova Cells are used in things like the Jenova Project and in the SOLDIER procedure. Individuals who are injected with these cells will experience physical changes,  such as improved physical abilities and a partial inheritance of Jenova’s abilities. However, those with weak spiritual aspects are unable to withstand Jenova’s thoughts, resulting in spiritual abnormalities.

The Jenova Project (284)

A project started by Gast when Jenova was excavated from the earth about 30 years ago. Also known as “The Ancients Project,” the ultimate goal of this project was to artificially create a reborn race of Ancients using Jenova’s cells and have them search for the Promised Land. Projects S and G are also part of this project.

The project was implemented based on the fundamental misconception that Jenova was the Ancient it was originally misidentified as. Realizing this, Gast resigned from his position and left Shinra.

SOLDIER Procedure (288)

A procedure to change a human body into a SOLDIER by transplanting Jenova Cells and exposing it to mako. The procedures performed in Projects G and S were theoretically the same, but the treatment method of the Jenova Cells to be transplanted, the timing of the transplantation of the cells, and the technique of mako exposure are what differed from the usual [procedure].

The Jenova Doll (284)

A metallic doll shaped like Jenova that was installed in front of it in the Nibel Mako Reactor and was destroyed by Sephiroth in the story. The details of its function are unclear, but it was doing some kind of treatment to the Lifestream it pumped up.

The Split Jenova (293)

In Scene 08-20, Jenova’s body is split by Sephiroth into the head and torso. The head fell into the Lifestream with Sephiroth, but the torso was brought back to the Shinra Building in Midgar by Hojo. This was because Hojo believed that one day Jenova’s torso would pull in the head and conduct a Reunion, and he wanted to keep the torso close at hand.

However, the torso is actually pulled toward the head, as depicted in FFVII. At that moment, perhaps influenced by the fact that Sephiroth had started to use the power of the head to restore his own body, the torso mimicked Sephiroth and headed towards the Great Northern Cave where the head and Sephiroth were waiting. This means that the Sephiroth who appeared for most of the story, including the murder of Aerith in FFVII, is not his real body, but the torso of Jenova.

【Reunion】(298)

An ability Jenova possesses. The scattered body [parts] come together on a cellular level and then recombine to reconstruct and restore the body.

【Jenova War】(281)

The battle between Cloud and the others and Sephiroth in FFVII to prevent Meteor’s descent. After overcoming the tragedy of losing Aerith, Cloud and the others finally won and protected the Planet.

【Geostigma】(287)

A disease prevalent in AC. The immune system overreacts to eliminate the Jenova Cells that have invaded the body, causing intense pain. In the worst cases, it can lead to death.

【Jenova’s Thoughtform】[Tulpa] (281)

An existence created from the thoughts of Jenova drifting in the Lifestream. It refers to Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, who in AC were aiming to find Jenova’s body and invoke a Reunion.

TL Note: “thoughtform” is literally “thoughtbody”. Looking up what a “thoughtform” and “tupla” are leads to a supernatural concept that does exactly what the Remnants are doing.

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Project G

Project G (293)

Its official name is “Project Gillian”. It was an experiment led by Hollander as part of the Jenova Project. G-Series SOLDIERs were born as a result of this experiment.

The experiment involved transplanting Jenova Cells into Gillian, and then transplanting Gillian’s Cells, where Jenova Cells had become established, into the fetus, Genesis. Angeal, on the other hand, was born from Gillian’s egg cell, where Jenova cells had become established, so no cell transplantation was performed [on him]. However, Project G was considered to be a failure because the data detected at birth for both Angeal and Genesis was no different from that of a normal child.

The reason why Gillian, who directly transplanted Jenova Cells into her body, was able to commit suicide, unlike Lucrecia, who indirectly received Jenova Cells from Sephiroth and became immortal, is because of the differences in the treatment methods of the Jenova Cells.

G-series SOLDIERs (274)

A being created by Project G. It refers to Angeal and Genesis (and, in a broader sense, to Hollander, who underwent the same procedure himself in the story).

Their ability to copy is influenced by Jenova’s ability to transplant viruses generated by its own body into its targets to turn them into monsters, and by its ability to read the memories and emotions of its targets and mimic anyone [the targets] know. However, G-series SOLDIERs whose Jenova Cells have not become established will experience the degradation of their bodies as time goes on.

Mako Capsules (294)

A capsule filled with a high concentration of mako. It is used to make Genesis and Angeal Copies. Incidentally, Zack was also placed inside one of these capsules when he was being used as a specimen for the Sephiroth Copy experiment.

Copy Technology (282)

By transplanting the cells of a G-series SOLDIER into a target with a strong body, this technology replicates the abilities, appearance, and characteristics of the person who donated the cells to the target. However, it does not always result in a complete copy, and there are differences such as in appearance and in the abilities expressed, depending on the latent capacity of the target. For example, the reason why the Genesis and Angeal Copies seem weaker than the originals [Genesis and Angeal] is because the latent capacity of the target is inferior to the original, and they are not able to fully manifest their inherited capacity.

Copying also affects the intentions of the target, and if the target’s intentions are weak, as in the case of the SOLDIERs who became Genesis Copies, their self-awareness will collapse as their intentions become completely dominated by the cell donor’s intentions. On the other hand, if the target’s intentions are strong, as in the case of Lazard, who became an Angeal Copy, the target can maintain its self-awareness while being influenced by the intentions of the cell donor.

Genesis Copy (283)

A copy[ed] body made using Genesis Gells with copy technology. Just as there are individual differences in the development of similar people, there will be  variations in the abilities and physical appearance expressed depending on the latent capabilities of the copied individual, such as the cases of G Assailant and G Warrior. Similarly, there are individual differences in the speed of degradation, but this is largely influenced by the state of Genesis’ cells, and when his cells degrade, the speed of degradation increases in all the Genesis Copies.

Angeal Copy (276)

A copy made using Angeal’s cells with copy technology. In the story, Lazard and all sorts of monsters appear as Angeal Copies. In this case, monsters that become Angeal Copies do not look like Angeal, but rather have Angeal’s face appear on parts of their bodies. The reason why the only monster copies in the story are Angeal Copies is because only Angeal’s cells can be copied into monsters, and Genesis’ cells cannot be copied into monsters.

Furthermore, copies with Angeal’s cells can roughly determine each other’s location when they call to each other. It was this ability that allowed the Angeal Copy that lived the church to determine Lazard’s location and reach Banora in Chapter 10.

SOLDIER Degradation Phenomenon (289)

A peculiar symptom that occurs only in failures or copies of G-Series SOLDIERs. It is caused when the [genetic] factor code that structures the body is scattered due to the incomplete establishment of Jenova Cells. As the degradation begins, the color of the skin and hair changes, and additionally, the skin and skeletal structure rots due to a declining healing capacity. Furthermore, they lose the rationality that restrains their ferociousness and outbursts of power. As a result, their combat abilities improve, but they become more dangerous, like monsters.

Hollander’s Degradation (294)

In Scene 09-14, Holander’s degradation is due to the fact that he used the same cells that were transplanted into Genesis to reform himself into a G-series SOLDIER. The reason for the extreme degradation and the small size of the one wing is that Hollander did not have the kind of physical strength that Genesis had.

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Project S

Project S (293)

Its official name is “Project Sephiroth”. It was an experiment led by Hojo as part of the Jenova Project. Sephiroth was born as a result of this experiment.The experiment involved directly transplanting Jenova Cells (S cells) into the fetus Lucrecia was pregnant with. Unlike Project G, Sephiroth was considered a success story of the Jenova project because the data detected at birth showed the expected values. The reason why Sephiroth’s physical abilities are noticeably superior to those of other SOLDIERs is largely due to the fact that he was transplanted with Jenova Cells in the early fetal stage.

TL Note: “to conceive” and “to be pregnant” are the same word in JP. So it’s unknown if Lucrecia was currently pregnant with Sephiroth when he received Jenova Cells or not.

SOLDIER (288)

An enhanced soldier in Shinra’s SOLDIER Department who possesses inhuman physical abilities. They are created by performing the SOLDIER Procedure (i.e., exposing a person to an appropriate amount of mako and injecting the person with Jenova Cells) on a person with the right qualities (physical toughness, spiritual strength, etc.). 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes are determined according to their combat ability and their ability to execute missions. There are only a few 1st Class SOLDIERs, the strongest of which are Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis.

S Cells (274)

Jenova Cells uniquely treated by Hojo for Sephiroth Copies. Given the initial “S” and the fact that the cells are used in the Sephiroth Copy experiment, it is speculated Sephiroht’s cells are related to them. Genesis interpreted that incorporating these cells into his body would stop his degradation, but when a Genesis Copy actually incorporated the cells, the degradation went out of control instead of being cured. However, in this case, the cells were from Zack, and not from Sephiroth who has S Cells that are unadulterated. Cloud’s cells are thought to be unadulterated, but have not been tested.

The Last Unadulterated S Cells (282)

This refers to Cloud’s cells as S Cells were transplanted into Cloud as part of the Sephiroth Copy experiment. Genesis and Hollander determined that they were the last unadulterated S Cells because they had finished examining Zack’s cells in Scene 09-10, and had also finished examining the cells of the Sephiroth Copies wandering around Nibelheim by Scene 09-14. This left Cloud as the only possessor of S Cells that had not been examined by that point.

TL Note: “unadulterated” is litterally “pure/unmixed”. Given the dialouge describing what is going on in the game, “unmixed” fits best… which makes for odd usage of “unmixed” in English.

Mako Capsules (294)

A capsule filled with a high concentration of mako. It is used to make Genesis and Angeal Copies. Incidentally, Zack was also placed inside one of these capsules when he was being used as a specimen for the Sephiroth Copy experiment.

Sephiroth Copy (287)

The twelve survivors of the Nibelheim Incident who were transplanted with S Cells and exposed to mako at the Shinra Manor (Zack and Cloud are not included in the number because they were considered failures). They are called copies, but unlike the G-series SOLDIER Copies, Sephiroth’s abilities and appearance are not copied. They have also lost most of their self-awareness due to the influence of the S Cells. But instead, they have a strong cellular connection with Sephiroth, and when the Reunion (the rejoining of Jenova’s scattered body) happens, they are naturally drawn to Sephiroth and Jenova.

According to Hojo, it is “My knowledge, skills, and insight, combined with Jenova Cells and mako, [that] have created a life of science and mystery”. Since the Copy Technology in this story had a considerable influence on his insight, he used the term “Copy” for the name of his experimental subject.

TL Note: Re-translated the OG line for obvious reasons.

Sephiroth Copy Experiment (287)

An experiment proposed by Hojo to demonstrate the Reunion of Jenova with the characteristics of Sephiroth Copies. In FFVII, with the awakening of Sephiroth (Jenova), the Sephiroth Copies sensed the location of the Reunion and headed to the Great Northern Cave. However, the bodily strength of the Sephiroth Copies was not enough to reach Sephiroth, and the experiment failed. But at this time, Cloud, ironically a failed Sephiroth Copy, reached Sephiroth and verified the Reunion [Theory]. Although he was able to verify his theory, the results of the experiment left Hojo unsatisfied.

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Zack

Zack’s Parents (283)

They live in Gongaga, and both parents are confirmed to be alive and well in FFVII. During that time, they are worried about their son who never returned home after running away from the village, saying he would become a SOLDIER. They are never seen in this story, but when Cissnei visits their house, they invite her to marry their son.

Limit Breaks (298)

Techniques that can be activated right when one’s spirit has surged to its limit and is in sync with one’s body. Among [Zack’s] Limit Breaks, “Healing Wave” is extraordinarily very similar to “Healing Wind”, one of Aerith’s Limit Breaks in FFVII. In the same way, “Meteorain”, one of Cloud’s Limit Breaks in FFVII, is a Limit Break very similar to “Meteor Shot” used by Zack in this game.

“Zack the puppy” (281)

A nickname for Zack that Angeal gave Zack without telling him. The reason behind it was because Zack had zero concentration and was as restless as a puppy. It seems Angeal did mention this nickname to his close friends, including Genesis and his mother, Gillian.

Zack’s Fan Club (283)

The receptionist at the Shinra Building is the chairwoman of Zack’s fan club, and Cissnei is also a member. In this story, Zack himself can join as member number 012. It survived for a few years after Zack’s death in action was announced, but was later dissolved due to financial problems.

Zack’s Relationship With Women (282)

In Scene 01-04, Zack is told by Kunsel, “But don’t just read mail that you get from girls!” In FFVII, he was described by Aerith as “a ladies’ man”, and he enjoys being around women. Zack himself, while fleeing the Shinra army after the Nibelheim incident, told Cloud that he had several girlfriends who could hide him in Midgar. In fact, he flirts with Cissnei and the receptionist in this story, as well as the first female Turk he meets in BC. However, Aerith seems to be the only one who was special to him, and he wrote a letter to his parents informing them that he had a girlfriend (Aerith).

Zack’s Hairstyle and the Scar on his Cheek (282)

Zack’s hairstyle, which appears in other FFVII series titles, and his trademark scar on his cheek are related to his battle with Angeal, which is described in Chapter 5 of this story. The battle left him with a scar on his cheek, and the death of his friend and mentor, Angeal, caused him to change his hairstyle and have a change of heart. The first time he showed his new hairstyle to Aerith, she burst out laughing at how much it had changed.

TL Note: “heart” is “心”.

Essai (278)

A 2nd Class SOLDIER who appears in BC. He and Zack had been close friends ever since they had shared a mission in the past. He took part in the mission to destroy Avalanche in Icicle Inn in the year [ν]-εγλ 0002 and was killed in action. There is a scene where Zack and others visit the grave markers of him and Sebastian in Tseng’s flashback in the D.M.W.

Sebastian (287)

A 2nd Class SOLDIER who appears in BC, and is teamed up with Essai. Like Essai, he was a close friend of Zack, but he was killed during the Icicle Inn mission to destroy Avalanche.

“We’re all coming back here alive, you hear me?” (279)

A line from Scene 05-10 where Zack speaks to rookie SOLDIERs. Zack frequently used a similar line in the Icicle Inn mission to destroy Avalanche in BC, telling the troopers and SOLDIERs who accompanied him on the mission, “We’re all coming back here!”

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Zack and Aerith

Aerith’s Ribbon (278)

The pink ribbon Zack gave to Aerith as a “one-day anniversary gift” in Scene 04-09. In FFVII and BC, she wears the White Materia, a memento of her mother, together with this ribbon. Also, in AC, those who fought with Aerith in the Jenova War and Barret’s daughter, Marlene, wound a pink ribbon around a part of their bodies to remember her.

The Date in the Park (281)

In Scene 04-10, Zack and Aerith have a date at Green Park in the Sector 6 Slums. A similar situation is depicted in FFVII, when Cloud and Aerith are on a date in the same park.

Beach Umbrella (292)

Zack’s umbrella, that he quickly grabbed and used as a weapon when he was attacked by Genesis Copies during his vacation in Costa del Sol. In FFVII, there was an exclusive weapon for Aerith called the “Umbrella”, which is similar to this umbrella.

Flower Wagon (291)

In order to implement Zack’s “Operation: Midgar Full of Flowers, Wallet Full of Money”, Zack built this wagon for Aerith so that she could carry a lot of flowers. In this story, three types of wagons can be made, each containing a sub-event.

In the Epilogue and FFVII, Aerith sells flowers in a basket instead of using a wagon because the wagon is broken. Aerith didn’t fix the wagon because she didn’t like the idea of someone other than Zack fixing [it].

Tiny Wishes (282)

In Scene 07-05, Aerith, who was not satisfied with how finished the flower wagon was, expressed a tiny wish to Zack. She had 23 wishes in all, but only one that she really wanted. When Zack read her note of tiny wishes in Scene 09-06, it said, “I’d like to spend more time with you.”

“A Promise? For when to meet next time?” (275)

Zack’s suggestion to Aerith that from now on, they should decide to promise to meet again for the next date every time they go on a date. Zack specifically suggested that Aerith should wear pink. Although this promise was never fulfilled, Aerith began to wear pink after making it (including in the epilogue of this game, “FFVII” and “BC”) as she continued to wait for Zack’s return.

Zack’s Mental Landscape (283)

In Scene 09-02, there is a scene where Zack stands on the water’s surface while looking up at white feathers dancing through the blue sky. The development staff was asked about their plans regarding the direction of this scene, and they gave the following response.

“Zack has inherited Angeal’s dying wish, but he can’t help anyone, and on top of that, he is imprisoned in Nibelheim, suffering from a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. Angeal scolds him for his wretched situation, and Zack resolves to take action again. This resolve is represented in the mental landscape at the beginning of Chapter 9.

“The blue sky represents Zack, the white feathers represent Angeal, and the water’s surface represents Aerith.

“The blue sky, as used in the logo of CC, represents Zack, an ideal 1st Class SOLDIER, as imagined in FFVII. It is the image of Zack in his best, complete state of mind. To give a bit more perspective, it can be said to represent ideals, goals, and dreams.

“The white feathers represent Angeal as well as “wings”. It implies the “wings” that go through the “blue sky” also [represent] the existence of Angeal. This suggests [Zack] has to overcome many difficulties to attain the heights of [his] dreams.

“The “water’s surface” reflecting the “blue sky” represents Aerith. The interpretation is that when Aerith hears the voice of the Planet, she is accessing the Lifestream. The imagery is of Aerith’s consciousness flowing through water, which suggests the Lifestream. Or it represents the Lifestream itself, which is like the Planet’s intentions.

“By drawing a connection between the three, the entire story is implied.”

Aerith’s Letters (278)

Letters written by Aerith to Zack, who had gone missing after the Nibelheim incident. Over four years, a total of 89 letters were written, 88 of which were entrusted to Tseng, and the last one to the Angeal Copy who lived in the church.

“It’s already been four years now.” (276)

A line from Aerith’s letter in Scene 10-09. Zack only realized that the research being performed on him at the Shinra Manor had been going on for such a long time when he read this.

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Aerith

Aerith’s House (278)

Aerith’s house in the Sector 5 Slums. She and her stepmother, Elmyra, live in the house. While not appearing in this game, in FFVII and BC, there is a flower garden with various types of flowers blooming in the garden.

Aerith and Tseng (278)

Tseng accepted the mission to secure Aerith, the world’s only Ancient, and has been making requests to Aerith to cooperate with Shinra for many years. However, Aerith, who lost her parents to Shinra, hates Shinra and always turns down requests for cooperation. Undeterred, Tseng continued to persuade her without coercion.

The relationship between the two is also depicted in FFVII and BC. Rumors within the Turks suggest that Tseng has special sentiments for Aerith, but it’s not clear if they are romantic or not. On the other hand, Tseng’s existence was a little special to Aerith as well. In FFVII, she says, “…Tseng’s with our enemy, the Turks, but I’ve known him since we were little… There’s not a lot of people I can say that about. In fact, there are probably only a handful of people in the world who really know me.”

Aerith and Flowers (278)

Drawing on the heritage of the Ancients, Aerith can read the feelings of flowers and is able to make them bloom even in a barren land like Midgar. In this story, we see how she learns to enjoy selling flowers (closer to enjoying giving flowers to others than financial gain) after meeting Zack. This experience is probably the reason why Aerith continues to sell flowers in FFVII.

Moreover, she has a merciless attitude toward those who disturb her flower garden. Various people, including Zack in this game, Reno in FFVII, and Sears and Fuhito of Avalanche in BC, have all experienced her wrath.

Angeal and Aerith (276)

In Scene 05-03, a white feather is swept away by the wind in front of the church. This proves Angeal and Aerith were in contact at this time. Angeal believes Aerith’s existence will be a great support to Zack. He thought that with Aerith, Zack would be able to overcome many difficulties.

However, the more Aerith’s existence becomes a big part of Zack’s life, the more Angeal realizes that he must protect Aerith for Zack’s peace of mind. Zack is often away from Midgar on missions and needs Aerith to be safe so he can concentrate on his work. This intention is what motivated one of the Angeal Copies to defend Aerith in Scene 07-02 after Angeal’s death.

Flower Prices (291)

In Scene 07-08, Zack and Aerith set the price of flowers at 10 gil, but the price of flowers sold by Aerith in FFVII varies from person to person. It seems that she charges a low price for someone she likes and a high price for someone she doesn’t like. For example, she charges 1 gil for Cloud and 300 gil for the ruffians in the Sector 6 Slums.

Flower Sales (291)

Aerith’s letter says that the flowers are selling well. It seems that the flowers really were popular in the Sector 5 Slums, and in FFVII, the man in the materia shop decorated his room with the flowers he purchased from Aerith.

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Zack and Cloud

Victory Pose (285)

When Zack wins a battle, he spins his sword around and then slings it over his shoulder in the same motion as Cloud does when he wins a battle in FFVII.

Squats (287)

A common training method for strengthening the legs and feet. It is also used to measure a SOLDIER’s physical strength. Incidentally, squatting is one of Zack’s favorite pastimes, which is why he does it whenever he can. There are many scenes with squatting existed in FFVII as well, such as Zack squatting on the way to Nibelheim and in the back of a truck while on the run with Cloud, and Cloud’s squatting match to get a wig for his female costume at the gym in the Sector 6 Slums.

The Buster Sword (291)

A single-edged sword as tall and broad as a man’s body and with a solid form. It is not only a weapon, but the living testimony of Angeal and Zack, a symbol of their dreams and honor.

It was originally given to Angeal by his stepfather when he joined Shinra. Eventually, when Angeal died at Modeoheim in [ν]-εγλ 0001, the sword was inherited by Zack. From then on, it was used as Zack’s favorite sword, but in [ν]-εγλ0007, when Zack was fatally wounded by the Shinra army in the wastelands outside Midgar, it was inherited by Cloud just before [Zack] died. In FFVII, Cloud continued to use it, but at the end of the Jenova War, Cloud returned it to Zack as a proxy gravestone on a small hill overlooking Midgar, where Zack was killed.

The Group Photo (285)

A group photo of Zack, Sephiroth, and Tifa taken just before heading to the Nibel Mako Reactor. When Sephiroth shows this photo to Cloud in FFVII, Cloud realizes that the young 1st Class SOLDIER  who visited Nibelheim was not him, but Zack.

The Nibelheim Incident (290)

The Nibelheim Incident refers to all of the events described in Chapter 8 of this story. That is, the events leading up to Cloud defeating Sephiroth after Sephiroth learned the truth and set Nibelheim on fire after coming to investigate the mako reactor.

This incident is told from Cloud’s point of view in FFVII and from Turks’ point of view in BC. In both games, there are many scenes that do not appear in this game. FFVII depicts the conversation in the truck as Zack and the others travel from Midgar to Nibelheim, Cloud and his mother reuniting, and the presence of Tifa’s Dad and Zangan. BC depicts the time between Sephiroth’s death in the Nibel Mako Reactor and Hojo recovering Zack and Cloud, as well as the existence of Tifa’s cat.

Interactions in the Capsules (279)

Zack and Cloud were confined inside mako capsules during the Sephiroth Copy Experiment. Although not depicted in this story, it is revealed in “FFVII” that the two had been planning an escape by exchanging written messages by scratching the glass sides of the capsules.

Research Specimen Capture Mission (281)

A mission to capture research specimens (Zack and Cloud) that escaped from the Shinra Manor. It was issued by Shinra in a scene that corresponds to Chapter 9 or later of this story. The escaped specimens were not only the top-secret research subjects that Hojo was involved with, but also Zack and Cloud, who knew the truth about the Nibelheim Incident, so not only was the Shinra Army mobilized to capture them, but so were the Turks. The details of the Turks’ movements are not shown in this story, but are depicted in BC.

The [Stage] Direction of the Prologue (293)

There are some similarities between the prologue of this game and FFVII in terms of [stage] direction. The first is that in both cases, the protagonist rides on top of the Shinra train and heads to the Sector 1 Station. Although they have different objectives (Zack’s battle with the Wutai soldiers and Cloud’s mission to blow up the No. 1 Mako Reactor) they share the same dynamic staging of riding on top of a moving train. The second is that the first person they fight after getting off the Shinra train is a Shinra Trooper in both games.

Meeting Aerith (278)

The scene in this story where Zack falls from the Sector 5 Mako Reactor into the church in the slums and meets Aerith is almost the same situation as the meeting between Cloud and Aerith in FFVII. According to development staff member Nojima, this was intentionally created as a linked scene. Similarly, Zack’s “one date” line is linked to the “one date” line that Aerith said to Cloud in FFVII.

The Date in the Park (281)

In Scene 04-10, Zack and Aerith have a date at Green Park in the Sector 6 Slums. A similar situation is depicted in FFVII, when Cloud and Aerith are on a date in the same park.

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Cloud

Cloud’s Mother (280)

Cloud’s mother lives in Nibelheim, and her specialty dish is stew. She often worries about her son, like about how he is doing in Midgar and whether or not he has found a girlfriend. She was killed in the Nibelheim incident caused by Sephiroth.

Cloud’s Sword Skills (280)

As an ordinary soldier in the Shinra Army, Cloud’s basic armament in this game is an automatic rifle, but he is familiar with using large swords, as seen when he pierced Sephiroth with the Buster Sword in Scene 08-19. He seems to have a background in swords, and there is a scene in BC where he fights back with a large sword against Avalanche’s elite troops.

Cloud’s Motion Sickness (280)

Cloud is very weak to vehicles, as shown by his feeling nauseated during the helicopter ride in Chapter 6. According to descriptions in FFVII, he was also nauseated on the truck on the way to Nibelheim, although it is not depicted in this story. During the time when he hallucinated he was a 1st Class SOLDIER in FFVII, he got better, but after he recovered his true self, he relapsed and felt sick when riding airships, submarines, and Gold Saucer attractions. However, he has become somewhat tolerant to motion sickness since he runs a delivery business using a motorcycle in AC. In addition, he shares a strange sense of solidarity with Yuffie, who also has a weakness for vehicles.

Cloud and Tifa (280)

Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends from Nibelheim. When Cloud left the village, he called Tifa to the water tower and promised her that he would become a SOLDIER.

Since then, the two have grown closer through numerous twists and turns, including the Nibelheim Incident, which is also depicted in this story, and the Jenova War in FFVII. And then by AC, there are four of them, including Marlene, Barret’s daughter, and a boy named Denzel, living together in the city of Edge. Later, when Cloud developed geostigma, there was a phase when they were living apart, but eventually they got on the same wavelength and they came to live together again. Furthermore, in DC,  the two of them are together when they rush to Vincent’s side to fight DeepGround Soldiers.

TL Note: “got on the same wavelength” is an idiom that is literally “commuting hearts joined together” where “heart” is “心”.

Omnislash (289)

This name only appears in the question given when joining the Premium Fan Club. In FFVII, it is the strongest Limit Break that Cloud uses and is a technique that boosts his energy to the limit and then performs 15 consecutive attacks. In the final stage of the Jenova War, Cloud used this technique to finish off Sephiroth. The same technique was used in AC to finish off Sephiroth, but by this time it was called “Omnislash ver. 5”, an evolved version of the technique.

【Jenova War】(281)

The battle between Cloud and the others and Sephiroth in FFVII to prevent Meteor’s descent. After overcoming the tragedy of losing Aerith, Cloud and the others finally won and protected the Planet.

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Tifa

Tifa’s Dad (290)

Tifa’s father, who has a strong sense of justice. In this story, his existence is only talked about in an email from Tifa, but he was killed when he tried to stop Sephiroth from going out of control during the Nibelheim Incident.

Zangan (283)

The master who taught Tifa martial arts. In BC and FFVII, he is depicted saving a dying Tifa during the Nibelheim Incident. His name and appearance are not shown in this story, but his existence is referenced in an email from Tifa. Apparently, he has 128 disciples all over the world.

The Guide (279)

Mt. Nibel is feared by the locals as “a mountain that can never be crossed alive,” and the mountain path is complicated, requiring a guide who is familiar with the area. In Chapter 8, Tifa is selected to be the guide because she was recommended by Turks, who had previously investigated the Nibel Mako Reactor before Zack and the others arrived in Nibelheim.

Cloud and Tifa (280)

Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends from Nibelheim. When Cloud left the village, he called Tifa to the water tower and promised her that he would become a SOLDIER.

Since then, the two have grown closer through numerous twists and turns, including the Nibelheim Incident, which is also depicted in this story, and the Jenova War in FFVII. And then by AC, there are four of them, including Marlene, Barret’s daughter, and a boy named Denzel, living together in the city of Edge. Later, when Cloud developed geostigma, there was a phase when they were living apart, but eventually they got on the same wavelength and they came to live together again. Furthermore, in DC,  the two of them are together when they rush to Vincent’s side to fight DeepGround Soldiers.

TL Note: “got on the same wavelength” is an idiom that is literally “commuting hearts joined together” where “heart” is “心”.

The Group Photo (285)

A group photo of Zack, Sephiroth, and Tifa taken just before heading to the Nibel Mako Reactor. When Sephiroth shows this photo to Cloud in FFVII, Cloud realizes that the young 1st Class SOLDIER  who visited Nibelheim was not him, but Zack.

The Nibelheim Incident (290)

The Nibelheim Incident refers to all of the events described in Chapter 8 of this story. That is, the events leading up to Cloud defeating Sephiroth after Sephiroth learned the truth and set Nibelheim on fire after coming to investigate the mako reactor.

This incident is told from Cloud’s point of view in FFVII and from Turks’ point of view in BC. In both games, there are many scenes that do not appear in this game. FFVII depicts the conversation in the truck as Zack and the others travel from Midgar to Nibelheim, Cloud and his mother reuniting, and the presence of Tifa’s Dad and Zangan. BC depicts the time between Sephiroth’s death in the Nibel Mako Reactor and Hojo recovering Zack and Cloud, as well as the existence of Tifa’s cat.

【Jenova War】(281)

The battle between Cloud and the others and Sephiroth in FFVII to prevent Meteor’s descent. After overcoming the tragedy of losing Aerith, Cloud and the others finally won and protected the Planet.

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Yuffie

Ninja (291)

A skilled Wutaian who uses unique martial arts, and often uses a shuriken as a weapon. Yuffie, who fights with Cloud in FFVII, is also a ninja, and there is a scene in this story where she calls herself a ninja.

Lines from Yuffie’s Introductions (297)

These are the introductory phrases Yuffie uses to announce herself when she first appears. “One ……, two……, three……. and then at the end, Yuffie says her name. This is considered to be her standard style. In DC, she announced herself when she was introduced like this: “I am the champion of the earth and the sky. I am the conqueror of evil. The single white rose of Wutai. Yuffie Kisaragi!”

“Wham-Bam-POW!” [SFX of Yuffie’s signature air punch] (285)

When Yuffie tries to restrain her opponent, she thrusts her fist out as if to deliver a body blow. She performs it countless times in FFVII and DC.

Fake Save Point (290)

There is a scene in one of the missions where Yuffie uses a fake save point to take advantage of Zack. This trick was also used in FFVII in the scene where the player gets Yuffie to join the party, and if the player falls for it, Yuffie will steal their money.

Treasure Hunter (278)

The profession Yuffie gave herself in her emails when she calls Zack. It says a lot about Yuffie’s character that she proudly calls herself a “beautiful” treasure hunter.

Materia Hunter (295)

A title that calls out to those who pursue materia. In this story, the name appears as the name of a mission [series]. In FFVII, Yuffie, who is obsessed with collecting materia, self-identifies as a materia hunter.

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Angeal

The Buster Sword (291)

A single-edged sword as tall and broad as a man’s body and with a solid form. It is not only a weapon, but the living testimony of Angeal and Zack, a symbol of their dreams and honor.

It was originally given to Angeal by his stepfather when he joined Shinra. Eventually, when Angeal died at Modeoheim in [ν]-εγλ 0001, the sword was inherited by Zack. From then on, it was used as Zack’s favorite sword, but in [ν]-εγλ0007, when Zack was fatally wounded by the Shinra army in the wastelands outside Midgar, it was inherited by Cloud just before [Zack] died. In FFVII, Cloud continued to use it, but at the end of the Jenova War, Cloud returned it to Zack as a proxy gravestone on a small hill overlooking Midgar, where Zack was killed.

Angeal’s Stepfather (276)

The man who married Angeal’s mother, Gillian, when Angeal was still a child. When Angeal passed the SOLDIER exam, his stepfather even borrowed money to buy the Buster Sword and gave it to Angeal in celebration because he loved Angeal as his own son. However, after overworking himself to pay off the debt he owed, his body was wrecked and he died. Furthermore, Angeal himself did not know that his father was really his stepfather until Genesis told him the story of his birth in Banora.

Angeal’s Thriftiness (276)

Both Angeal and others admit he is thrifty. He is careful not to defile his Buster Sword and specializes in cooking for himself using leftovers. It seems that it affirms the family ties between his mother and stepfather, who lived a poor but modest life.

“Zack the puppy” (281)

A nickname for Zack that Angeal gave Zack without telling him. The reason behind it was because Zack had zero concentration and was as restless as a puppy. It seems Angeal did mention this nickname to his close friends, including Genesis and his mother, Gillian.

The Forest Society [Keepers of Honor] (286)

The general term for Angeal’s fan club. Members were emailed newsletters with information such as Angeal’s official profile, but it was dissolved when it was announced that Angeal was killed in action.

Angeal’s Hidden Profile (276)

An uncovered  profile of Angeal, written in the Forest Society [Keepers of Honor]’s newsletter. He loves to read “Famous Gardens Monthly”, a magazine specializing in woodlands and orchards, and he likes to photograph landscapes with a camera given to him by his mother. He is also thrifty and specializes in cooking with leftovers.

Incidentally, one of his hobbies is “doting over dogs,” which refers to taking care of his “puppy,” Zack. Although he doesn’t express himself much in the story, it is clear how much Angeal enjoys Zack’s company.

One White Wing (285)

The white wings that grow from Angeal’s right shoulder. The mechanism behind the growth of the wings as well as the black wing is unknown, but according to development staff, it was set to white to account for the character’s role and the concept of good and evil.

Angeal Copy (276)

A copy made using Angeal’s cells with copy technology. In the story, Lazard and all sorts of monsters appear as Angeal Copies. In this case, monsters that become Angeal Copies do not look like Angeal, but rather have Angeal’s face appear on parts of their bodies. The reason why the only monster copies in the story are Angeal Copies is because only Angeal’s cells can be copied into monsters, and Genesis’ cells cannot be copied into monsters.

Furthermore, copies with Angeal’s cells can roughly determine each other’s location when they call to each other. It was this ability that allowed the Angeal Copy that lived the church to determine Lazard’s location and reach Banora in Chapter 10.

Angeal and Aerith (276)

In Scene 05-03, a white feather is swept away by the wind in front of the church. This proves Angeal and Aerith were in contact at this time. Angeal believes Aerith’s existence will be a great support to Zack. He thought that with Aerith, Zack would be able to overcome many difficulties.

However, the more Aerith’s existence becomes a big part of Zack’s life, the more Angeal realizes that he must protect Aerith for Zack’s peace of mind. Zack is often away from Midgar on missions and needs Aerith to be safe so he can concentrate on his work. This intention is what motivated one of the Angeal Copies to defend Aerith in Scene 07-02 after Angeal’s death.

Zack’s Mental Landscape (283)

In Scene 09-02, there is a scene where Zack stands on the water’s surface while looking up at white feathers dancing through the blue sky. The development staff was asked about their plans regarding the direction of this scene, and they gave the following response.

“Zack has inherited Angeal’s dying wish, but he can’t help anyone, and on top of that, he is imprisoned in Nibelheim, suffering from a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. Angeal scolds him for his wretched situation, and Zack resolves to take action again. This resolve is represented in the mental landscape at the beginning of Chapter 9.

“The blue sky represents Zack, the white feathers represent Angeal, and the water’s surface represents Aerith.

“The blue sky, as used in the logo of CC, represents Zack, an ideal 1st Class SOLDIER, as imagined in FFVII. It is the image of Zack in his best, complete state of mind. To give a bit more perspective, it can be said to represent ideals, goals, and dreams.

“The white feathers represent Angeal as well as “wings”. It implies the “wings” that go through the “blue sky” also [represent] the existence of Angeal. This suggests [Zack] has to overcome many difficulties to attain the heights of [his] dreams.

“The “water’s surface” reflecting the “blue sky” represents Aerith. The interpretation is that when Aerith hears the voice of the Planet, she is accessing the Lifestream. The imagery is of Aerith’s consciousness flowing through water, which suggests the Lifestream. Or it represents the Lifestream itself, which is like the Planet’s intentions.

“By drawing a connection between the three, the entire story is implied.”

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Genesis

Genesis’ Foster Parents (283)

The landowner of Banora and his wife, who adopted Genesis after he was offered as a foster child. They are Shinra affiliates, and their original objective for adopting Genesis was monitoring the failures of Project G. However, as the years went by, their love for Genesis grew so deep they even funded the fan club of their adopted son. But their love didn’t get through to him, and when Genesis learned the secret of his birth, he became furious at his parents’ surveillance and killed them both.

Genesis’ Desk (283)

Genesis’ desk in the Banora Underground was put there when Genesis used the Underground as a secret base when he was a child. This is why the trophy for the “Processed Foods Category, National Agriculture Awards, First Prize,” a memento from his childhood, and photos from those days were displayed there.

Genesis’ Dream (283)

In Scene 10-09, Genesis says “The dream… came true”. Genesis’ “dream” is “to serve the hero Sephiroth our apples one day”. This is why in the same scene, Zack says, “Sorry I’m not the real thing, but…” where ” the real thing” refers to Sephiroth, and “not the real thing” refers to Zack and Cloud, who are Sephiroth Copies.

Rapier (298)

Genesis’ favorite double-edged sword with a red blade. Its blade is wider than what is commonly called a rapier, and its hilt and knuckle guard feature a bird motif. When attacking, it is possible to charge the sword with magic power. When doing so, characters emerge on the blade and the blade is engulfed in light. Furthermore, when Genesis changed into Genesis Avatar, this sword became enormous in the same way as Genesis.

The Red Leather [Coats] (275)

The largest group among Genesis’ fan clubs. It is funded by Genesis’ parents. Their main activities are emailing newsletters and selling merchandise. After Shinra announces Genesis’ death in action in Chapter 3, they begin to plan an event like a memorial service. However, due to low demand for ” Banora Apple Jewelry” and the absence of funding from Genesis’ parents, the fan club is in serious financial trouble as of Chapter 7, and the fan club’s very existence is in doubt.

Study Group (293)

There is another Genesis fan club concealed in the shadow of the Red Leather [Coats]. It has its roots in the members of the Red Leather [Coats] who became independent by recruiting volunteers in order to deepen their understanding of Genesis’ beloved Loveless. Later on, it published a research paper on Loveless based on Genesis’ theories. This became a bestseller.

The SOLDIER Mass Desertion Incident (288)

An incident where Genesis, while on a mission in the Wutai War, disappeared and took SOLDIERs who participated in the same mission [with him] (some of the SOLDIERs voluntarily disappeared with Genesis). As a result, the forces of the SOLDIER Department greatly declined. The incident was planned out by Lazard and Hollander to gather forces for revenge against Shinra and Genesis carried it out on the condition that Hollander would cure him of his deterioration. The SOLDIERs who were taken at this time were remodeled into Genesis Copies, and later became soldiers in the Genesis Army.

One Black Wing (280)

The wing that grows from Genesis’ left shoulder in this story, and from Sephiroth’s right shoulder in FFVII and AC. The mechanism behind the growth of wings is still unknown and shrouded in mystery. According to development staff, the wing color was set to black after taking into account the concept of good and evil.

Genesis Copy (283)

A copy[ed] body made using Genesis Gells with copy technology. Just as there are individual differences in the development of similar people, there will be  variations in the abilities and physical appearance expressed depending on the latent capabilities of the copied individual, such as the cases of G Assailant and G Warrior. Similarly, there are individual differences in the speed of degradation, but this is largely influenced by the state of Genesis’ cells, and when his cells degrade, the speed of degradation increases in all the Genesis Copies.

Genesis Army (283)

An army organized by Genesis, Hollander, Lazard and others. It is comprised of Genesis Copies and Angeal Copies and is based in Banora and Modeoheim. The people who were transformed into Genesis Copies are the people Genesis took away in the Soldier Mass Desertion Incident.

The Red Orb (275)

A giant red orb installed in a large tree growing in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground. Genesis discovered this type of materia by accident, and installed it as the “Gift of the Goddess” for his performance of “Loveless’ Reenactment”. In this story, it is depicted as absorbing the surrounding Lifestream and giving it to Genesis, but the exact effects are unclear.

The Goddess Statue (297)

A statue of the goddess installed in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground. Genesis brought it in to reenact the circumstances of Loveless. It crumbled away after Genesis’ sudden encounter with Minerva.

The Gift of the Goddess (297)

What the three men sought in Loveless. Genesis searched for the Gift of the Goddess as a way to heal his degradation, and came to the conclusion that the Gift of the Goddess would be bestowed on him when he reenacted Loveless. After the battle with Zack, Genesis realized the Gift of the Goddess was the “SOLDIER Honor” that had been sleeping inside of himself.

There is also a common theory that the Gift of the Goddess is a fountainhead of life that is effectively immortality. The theory also says that this fountainhead of life refers to the Banora White. There is also [another] theory that it is not people who become immortal, but the Planet, in which case the Gift of the Goddess is suggested to be either “all-encompassing destruction” or “all-healing salvation”.

Loveless’ Final Act (274)

Loveless’s Final Act is missing except for one sentence: “Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return”. The greatest mystery is what happened to the world after the Gift of the Goddess was bestowed on it, and various opinions about it fly back and forth between Loveless researchers.

In Scene 10-10, Genesis’ feather adds, “To become a drop of hope for the Planet, At the end of the earth, beyond the sky, in a vast expanse of water, I offer thee this silent sacrifice” to the Final Act, but this is a line Genesis came up with, not an official one. What he wrote in the Final Act reveals that he regained his SOLDIER Honor after losing to Zack, and decided to become an existence that protects the Planet himself. It seems that since Sephiroth and Angeal are dead, he concluded that he was left behind to protect the world. Furthermore, “in a vast expanse of water” suggests the water prison Genesis is confined to in DC.

TL Note: Translated the Loveless lines so they fit the sense of the JP better. Translating 星 as “land” when it is always “the Planet” in the context of FFVII is probably the biggest localization error in Crisis Core.

Interpreting Loveless (274)

Loveless is a story that can be interpreted in various ways by its readers, both in the world of this story and in the real world. We received some answers from the development staff about their interpretation of Loveless, which can be found below.

“Genesis regards himself as the “Hero” of Loveless and tries to “Reenact Loveless” by fighting Zack. By doing this, he hoped the “Gift of the Goddess” would be bestowed on him.

“By fighting Zack, Genesis regains his SOLDIER Honor and is released from his fear of degradation and death. He reached a point where he was willing to “degrade and die” because he was determined to “fulfill the role of a SOLDIER”. In other words, by fighting Zack, Genesis realized that he did not play the role of the “Hero” of Loveless, but that the “Gift of the Goddess” was bestowed on him when he dedicated himself to the role of the “Prisoner of War”.

“For that reason, “SOLDIER Honor”, the motivation behind his change in values, is the “Gift of the Goddess” for Genesis. Given that “SOLDIER Honor” is a concept that represents “Angeal’s Thoughts”, I concluded that “Zack”, who inherited “Angeal’s Thoughts”, was the “Gift of the Goddess” as far as Genesis was concerned.

“As a side note, “One flies away,” “One is captured,” and “One becomes a hero” from Loveless is based on the interpretation that Angeal flew away, while Genesis became a prisoner of war, which leads to Zack’s final line, “Would you say I became a hero?”.”

Reenacting Loveless (274)

What Genesis tried to reenact in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground was the duel between the close friends in Loveless Act 4, with himself as the “Hero,” Zack as the “Prisoner of War,” the goddess statue as the “Goddess,” and the red orb as the “Gift of the Goddess”. By reenacting it, Genesis thought he could give himself the Gift of the Goddess and be saved from the abominable degradation phenomenon.

In Scene 10-05, Zack says to Genesis, “Does this mean… you knew… from the beginning?” He means, “Does this mean you knew to reenact Loveless from the beginning?” However, Genesis was not thinking specifically of reenacting Loveless when this story began. It was only when he learned that Hollander could not cure his degradation at Modeoheim in Chapter 5 that he decided to try to reenact Loveless in order to obtain the Gift of the Goddess.

The Planet’s Divine Protection (294)

In Scene 10-04, Genesis mentions the Planet’s divine protection, which refers to the Lifestream, the energy of the Planet itself. Genesis took on the role of the Hero of Loveless by gathering the Lifestream into his body, that is, by receiving the Planet’s divine protection.

A Sudden Encounter with Minerva (296)

In Scene 10-06, Genesis has a sudden encounter with Minerva in a space overflowing with the Lifestream. The development staff was asked about the plans for the exchange between the two, and the answer was as follows.

“Minerva is like a summon, and Minerva’s intentions are not the reason why Genesis survived. Minerva is an image whose actions and facial expressions reflect the intentions of the Lifestream.

“Genesis has reached a point where he is “not afraid of degradation and death” because he is determined to regain his SOLDIER Honor and fulfill his role of a SOLDIER. That is, Genesis is a state of “overcoming death”. An impression of Genesis’ strong will to “fulfill his role as a SOLDIER” was accepted by the Lifestream, which concluded, “Go fulfill it.”

“Minerva’s facial expression implies that the Lifestream has concluded “Genesis has not yet fulfilled his role as a SOLDIER”, and that “something remains for Genesis to accomplish”.

“In this way, Genesis “overcame death” with the intention of carrying out its [the Lifestream’s] mission. And this is linked to the future actions of Genesis.”

“Our [Older] Brother” (298)

Weiss’ comment on Genesis. This is also related to the code name “G”, the details of which were not revealed in DC. This is because some of the DeepGround Soldiers, including Weiss, are injected with the “G”, or Genesis, [genetic] factor. Although they are not directly blood-related to each other, it seems that [Genesis] is metaphorically referred to as an “older brother” because of the cellular combining caused by the [genetic] factor injection and the spiritual [emotional] bond that accompanies it.

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Loveless

Loveless (274)

This is an epic poem that has been passed down from time immemorial, and is the legend that Genesis is devoted to. It consists of a prologue, four acts, and the final act, but the final act is missing. The prologue is considered to be an outlier, and it is often referred to as a five-act work.

The first act describes three men searching for the Gift of the Goddess: a hero, a nomad, and a prisoner of war. The prisoner of war is the protagonist. In the second act, the protagonist escapes and lives with a woman from the enemy nation. The third act depicts the protagonist’s return to his wandering journey in search of the Gift of the Goddess. The fourth act, where the friends reunite and duel each other, has survived, but the final act is lost, and the ending is shrouded in mystery.

In addition, when the epic is performed on stage, the leading role is played by the woman from the enemy nation, and the romance between her and the prisoner of war in chapters 2 and 3 is usually the focus of the performance. The performance is annually held at Robson’s Theater on Loveless Avenue, and has been attended by people such as Kunsel in this story and Cid in FFVII.

The Gift of the Goddess (297)

What the three men sought in Loveless. Genesis searched for the Gift of the Goddess as a way to heal his degradation, and came to the conclusion that the Gift of the Goddess would be bestowed on him when he reenacted Loveless. After the battle with Zack, Genesis realized the Gift of the Goddess was the “SOLDIER Honor” that had been sleeping inside of himself.

There is also a common theory that the Gift of the Goddess is a fountainhead of life that is effectively immortality. The theory also says that this fountainhead of life refers to the Banora White. There is also [another] theory that it is not people who become immortal, but the Planet, in which case the Gift of the Goddess is suggested to be either “all-encompassing destruction” or “all-healing salvation”.

The Planet’s Divine Protection (294)

In Scene 10-04, Genesis mentions the Planet’s divine protection, which refers to the Lifestream, the energy of the Planet itself. Genesis took on the role of the Hero of Loveless by gathering the Lifestream into his body, that is, by receiving the Planet’s divine protection.

Loveless’ Final Act (274)

Loveless’s Final Act is missing except for one sentence: “Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return”. The greatest mystery is what happened to the world after the Gift of the Goddess was bestowed on it, and various opinions about it fly back and forth between Loveless researchers.

In Scene 10-10, Genesis’ feather adds, “To become a drop of hope for the Planet, At the end of the earth, beyond the sky, in a vast expanse of water, I offer thee this silent sacrifice” to the Final Act, but this is a line Genesis came up with, not an official one. What he wrote in the Final Act reveals that he regained his SOLDIER Honor after losing to Zack, and decided to become an existence that protects the Planet himself. It seems that since Sephiroth and Angeal are dead, he concluded that he was left behind to protect the world. Furthermore, “in a vast expanse of water” suggests the water prison Genesis is confined to in DC.

TL Note: Translated the Loveless lines so they fit the sense of the JP better. Translating 星 as “land” when it is always “the Planet” in the context of FFVII is probably the biggest localization error in Crisis Core.

Interpreting Loveless (274)

Loveless is a story that can be interpreted in various ways by its readers, both in the world of this story and in the real world. We received some answers from the development staff about their interpretation of Loveless, which can be found below.

“Genesis regards himself as the “Hero” of Loveless and tries to “Reenact Loveless” by fighting Zack. By doing this, he hoped the “Gift of the Goddess” would be bestowed on him.

“By fighting Zack, Genesis regains his SOLDIER Honor and is released from his fear of degradation and death. He reached a point where he was willing to “degrade and die” because he was determined to “fulfill the role of a SOLDIER”. In other words, by fighting Zack, Genesis realized that he did not play the role of the “Hero” of Loveless, but that the “Gift of the Goddess” was bestowed on him when he dedicated himself to the role of the “Prisoner of War”.

“For that reason, “SOLDIER Honor”, the motivation behind his change in values, is the “Gift of the Goddess” for Genesis. Given that “SOLDIER Honor” is a concept that represents “Angeal’s Thoughts”, I concluded that “Zack”, who inherited “Angeal’s Thoughts”, was the “Gift of the Goddess” as far as Genesis was concerned.

“As a side note, “One flies away,” “One is captured,” and “One becomes a hero” from Loveless is based on the interpretation that Angeal flew away, while Genesis became a prisoner of war, which leads to Zack’s final line, “Would you say I became a hero?”.”

Reenacting Loveless (274)

What Genesis tried to reenact in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground was the duel between the close friends in Loveless Act 4, with himself as the “Hero,” Zack as the “Prisoner of War,” the goddess statue as the “Goddess,” and the red orb as the “Gift of the Goddess”. By reenacting it, Genesis thought he could give himself the Gift of the Goddess and be saved from the abominable degradation phenomenon.

In Scene 10-05, Zack says to Genesis, “Does this mean… you knew… from the beginning?” He means, “Does this mean you knew to reenact Loveless from the beginning?” However, Genesis was not thinking specifically of reenacting Loveless when this story began. It was only when he learned that Hollander could not cure his degradation at Modeoheim in Chapter 5 that he decided to try to reenact Loveless in order to obtain the Gift of the Goddess.

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Sephiroth

Hero (278)

Although it can also mean a hero in general, in this world, it frequently refers to Sephiroth himself. In particular, the media gave Sephiroth a tremendous amount of attention during the Wutai War, which increased his popularity as a hero.

Masamune (295)

This is the sword possessed by Sephiroth. It has a blade so long that it exceeds the height of a man. When Sephiroth temporarily fights alongside [Cloud] in FFVII, his stats can be seen. His Power stat is 99 and his Hit Rate is 255, which are some of the highest values in the game. As a side note, the Masamune Blade, a lifelike imitation sword designed to make [the wielder] feel like a SOLDIER, is given as a prize in the Gold Saucer. However, it is not a weapon, so it can’t be equipped.

Premium Fan Club [Silver Elites] (292)

Sephiroth’s premium fan club. They recruit only once every six months, and [such] detailed knowledge of Sephiroth is necessary to join, that it is said joining them is like chasing a mirage. Its chairwoman is a person with the initial “H”.

Rare Information on Sephiroth (288)

Top secret information distributed only to the members of Sephiroth’s Premium Fan Club. It explains why Sephiroth’s hair is so silky, and introduces the dangerous games that Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal and the others play inside the Shinra Building.

The Chairwoman of the Premium Fan Club (292)

A person who knows the history of Sephiroth’s Premium Fan Club, which has been in existence for over 20 years. It is a person with the initial H who writes stiffly like a scientist. It is speculated that this is someone who has access to the Shinra Building, as they can obtain Sephiroth’s private information and pictures.

Sephiroth’s Authority (288)

Sephiroth refused to go on the mission to Banora in Chapter 2, which was an exercise of a privilege of a 1st Class SOLDIER. Unofficially, a 1st Class is given the right to carry personal equipment, use non-standard items during missions, and veto orders.

Reference Room (285)

The reference room in the Shinra Building where Sephiroth secluded himself in Chapter 5. In FFVII, there is a reference room on the 62nd floor of the Shinra Building. At the same time, in the Reno Special Chapter of BC, there is a Science Department archive on the 45th floor, where a Genesis Copy is stealing data. It’s unclear which of the two is the reference room in this story, but since Sephiroth is investigating the Science Department’s past research, it’s most likely the latter.

“I’ll remain loyal to SOLDIER” (285)

The words spoken by Sephiroth in Scene 07-06. As this line indicates, Sephiroth in BC frequently followed orders, such as defending the Mako Cannon and guarding Hojo. Accordingly, Shinra also appreciates Sephiroth’s loyalty and treats him as a hero.

The Group Photo (285)

A group photo of Zack, Sephiroth, and Tifa taken just before heading to the Nibel Mako Reactor. When Sephiroth shows this photo to Cloud in FFVII, Cloud realizes that the young 1st Class SOLDIER  who visited Nibelheim was not him, but Zack.

The Planet’s Rulers (294)

Immediately after the Nibelheim incident, Sephiroth thought that Jenova was an Ancient, and that the Ancients should be the rulers, as they are superior to the current human race. Later in FFVII, Sephiroth learns the truth through the Lifestream, and aims to become the Planet’s ruler, not as an Ancient, but as a new god.

The Nibelheim Incident (290)

The Nibelheim Incident refers to all of the events described in Chapter 8 of this story. That is, the events leading up to Cloud defeating Sephiroth after Sephiroth learned the truth and set Nibelheim on fire after coming to investigate the mako reactor.

This incident is told from Cloud’s point of view in FFVII and from Turks’ point of view in BC. In both games, there are many scenes that do not appear in this game. FFVII depicts the conversation in the truck as Zack and the others travel from Midgar to Nibelheim, Cloud and his mother reuniting, and the presence of Tifa’s Dad and Zangan. BC depicts the time between Sephiroth’s death in the Nibel Mako Reactor and Hojo recovering Zack and Cloud, as well as the existence of Tifa’s cat.

The Split Jenova (293)

In Scene 08-20, Jenova’s body is split by Sephiroth into the head and torso. The head fell into the Lifestream with Sephiroth, but the torso was brought back to the Shinra Building in Midgar by Hojo. This was because Hojo believed that one day Jenova’s torso would pull in the head and conduct a Reunion, and he wanted to keep the torso close at hand.

However, the torso is actually pulled toward the head, as depicted in FFVII. At that moment, perhaps influenced by the fact that Sephiroth had started to use the power of the head to restore his own body, the torso mimicked Sephiroth and headed towards the Great Northern Cave where the head and Sephiroth were waiting. This means that the Sephiroth who appeared for most of the story, including the murder of Aerith in FFVII, is not his real body, but the torso of Jenova.

Sephiroth’s End (288)

When Sephiroth fell into the mako reactor’s Lifestream in Scene 08-20 of this story, he lost his body. However, his thoughts are still alive in the Lifestream, and after five years of accumulating knowledge of the Planet, he activated a Reunion in the Great Northern Cave using his own Jenova Cells and the head of Jenova that fell into the Lifestream with him. He was revived in FFVII.

When he was defeated by Cloud at the end of FFVII, his body collapsed again, but he was revived in AC through the medium of Kadaj, who emerged as Jenova’s thoughtform. In this way, Sephiroth has become an existence that continues to live in the Lifestream while his body repeatedly disappears and is revived.

Sephiroth Copy (287)

The twelve survivors of the Nibelheim Incident who were transplanted with S Cells and exposed to mako at the Shinra Manor (Zack and Cloud are not included in the number because they were considered failures). They are called copies, but unlike the G-series SOLDIER Copies, Sephiroth’s abilities and appearance are not copied. They have also lost most of their self-awareness due to the influence of the S Cells. But instead, they have a strong cellular connection with Sephiroth, and when the Reunion (the rejoining of Jenova’s scattered body) happens, they are naturally drawn to Sephiroth and Jenova.

According to Hojo, it is “My knowledge, skills, and insight, combined with Jenova Cells and mako, [that] have created a life of science and mystery”. Since the Copy Technology in this story had a considerable influence on his insight, he used the term “Copy” for the name of his experimental subject.

TL Note: Re-translated the OG line for obvious reasons.

Sephiroth Copy Experiment (287)

An experiment proposed by Hojo to demonstrate the Reunion of Jenova with the characteristics of Sephiroth Copies. In FFVII, with the awakening of Sephiroth (Jenova), the Sephiroth Copies sensed the location of the Reunion and headed to the Great Northern Cave. However, the bodily strength of the Sephiroth Copies was not enough to reach Sephiroth, and the experiment failed. But at this time, Cloud, ironically a failed Sephiroth Copy, reached Sephiroth and verified the Reunion [Theory]. Although he was able to verify his theory, the results of the experiment left Hojo unsatisfied.

The Black Materia (280)

The materia needed to invoke the ultimate black magic “Meteor,” and the counterpart to the White Materia. It was too powerful, so the Ancients had transformed the materia into the shape of a temple and treated [the materia] so that no one could remove it [from the temple]. In FFVII, Sephiroth sought out this materia, and Cloud and the others tried to stop him, but in the end, it passed into Sephiroth’s hands and Meteor was cast.

【Reunion】(298)

An ability Jenova possesses. The scattered body [parts] come together on a cellular level and then recombine to reconstruct and restore the body.

【Meteor】(298)

The ultimate black magic, which summons asteroids. Sephiroth used it in FFVII to throw the Planet into a [state of] crisis.

Supernova (287)

The strongest technique used by Safer Sephiroth in FFVII. Energy expands the sun to destroy the planets, triggering a supernova explosion and burying the enemy. In this story, only the name appears as part of the Premium Fan Club membership test.

【Geostigma】(287)

A disease prevalent in AC. The immune system overreacts to eliminate the Jenova Cells that have invaded the body, causing intense pain. In the worst cases, it can lead to death.

One Black Wing (280)

The wing that grows from Genesis’ left shoulder in this story, and from Sephiroth’s right shoulder in FFVII and AC. The mechanism behind the growth of wings is still unknown and shrouded in mystery. According to development staff, the wing color was set to black after taking into account the concept of good and evil.

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Shinra — People

President Shinra (292)

The President of the Shinra Company. In just one generation, he developed Shinra Manufacturing Works from a weapons manufacturing company into a giant corporation. In this story, he announces the end of the Wutai War, but he never appears in front of Zack and the others. He is also the reigning president of Shinra in FFVII and BC, but was killed by Jenova who duplicated Sephiroth’s appearance in FFVII.

Rufus Shinra (298)

The son of President Shinra, the president of Shinra. He is the Vice President of the company. In this story, he is on a business trip and appears in name only. He is a proud and very ambitious man, and even plotted to overthrow his father in BC.

In FFVII, he becomes the president of the company after his father’s death, and plans to use fear to rule the world. Despite rumors of his death circulating among the public after the Weapon attack, he reappeared in AC. At that time, he said, “I acknowledge that Shinra owes the planet [world] a lot. It goes without saying that my company and I are the ones who put the world in the sorry state it’s in. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to set things right.”It is difficult to interpret his words at face value, since he is someone with a hidden side [of his personality/character], but it does seem to be true that he is supporting the World Regenesis Organization in DC and AC, and is exerting his efforts to reconstruct the ravaged world.

TL Note: That first sentence is not a typo. The first name of “President Shinra” really is “president” in katakana.

Scarlet (287)

A talented woman who takes pride in overseeing Shinra’s Arms Development Department. In this story, she appears in name only. She has a brilliant mind, with a beautiful face and an excellent figure, but she is a ruthless sadist with a distinctive “Kya-ha-ha!” laugh. In FFVII and BC, the development of a number of weapons is depicted. In FFVII, she and Heidegger challenged Cloud to a battle with an anti-weapon armament they had designed, but the tables turned on them and they died in an explosion.

Heidegger (291)

He oversees Shinra’s Security Department, which has jurisdiction over the army and the Turks. In FFVII, he appears as an enemy who opposes Cloud and the others. Despite his fierce look and hearty laugh, he has a very petty and foul personality. He and Scarlet took on Cloud and the others on an anti-Weapon armament, but died in the explosion after being defeated.

Reeve Tuesti (298)

The man who oversees Shinra’s City Planning Department. He possesses the ability to inspire life in inorganic matter, and can operate the cat-like robot Cait Sith. By using this ability, he fought alongside Cloud in FFVII. After the Jenova War, he became the director of the World Regenesis Organization (WRO), and is focusing his efforts on restoring the devastated world.

Palmer (292)

The head of Shinra’s Space Development Department, who is known for his habit of repeating “Tra, la, la!”. He is the oldest of the executives, but his statements are often childish. In FFVII, he witnessed the murder of President Shinra, and was in charge of launching the rocket to intercept Meteor.

Cid Highwind (284)

He is called a legendary pilot, and although he is not shown in this story, he is talked about as the astronaut who will be aboard the Shinra No. 26. Incidentally, the airship Highwind, which Shinra is developing, was named after him. In FFVII, he became one of Cloud’s companions and fought in the Jenova War.

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Lazard

President Shinra’s Mistress (292)

The woman from the slums who was President Shinra’s mistress, and Lazard’s mother. Shortly after Lazard was born, she was abandoned by President Shinra. She died several years before the start of this story.

Lazard and President Shinra (298)

Although it is never stated in this story, Lazard is the illegitimate son of President Shinra and a woman from the Slums. For Lazard, this relationship is one where “[the] parent and child [are] unhappy even if tied by blood,” where “feelings of respect and appreciation” are non-existent. For that reason, Lazard harbored “ill blood” against President Shinra.

Lazard’s Disappearance Incident (297)

The incident where Lazard vanished from Shinra when he sensed an investigation would be conducted on him because Hollander, who had been allied with him to take revenge on Shinra, was captured in Chapter 5. However, since it is not preferable for Shinra’s reputation to have a department head vanish for such a reason, the official announcement is that Lazard was killed in action.

Lazard’s Revenge (298)

Lazard’s purpose for joining Shinra was to take revenge on his father President Shinra for abandoning his mother. To achieve this, Lazard allied with Hollander and used Genesis to cause the SOLDIER Mass Desertion Incident to form the Genesis Army to build a force that could compete with Shinra. Then, they planned the Midgar Raid and other incidents, and began attacking Shinra.

Furthermore, Lazard’s revenge drama ultimately ends up being unfulfilled. This is because Lazard, who became an Angeal Copy during this story, was so strongly influenced by Angeal’s intentions that he abandoned his petty idea of revenge.

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Shinra — The Science Department

Science Department (279)

The department that researches and invents the various sciences and technologies that Shinra is world famous for. Typical inventions include technology using mako energy and the method of producing SOLDIERs. It is currently headed by Hojo, a man who will stop at nothing to satisfy his own academic desires, and as a result, many inhumane experiments are conducted in the Science Department. Hollander also belongs to the Science Department, although he is of lower rank than Hojo in the story.

Gast Faremis (279)

Aerith’s father, a genius scientist famous for his research on the Ancients. Between [μ]-εγλ 1970 – 1980, he was the head of the Science Department at Shinra, and he proposed the Jenova Project, which aimed to bring back the Ancients using Jenova who was discovered underground. However, midway through the project, he realized that Jenova was not an Ancient, and he fled Shinra, wracked with guilt over the mistaken research. After that, he and Ifalna fled to Icicle Inn where the two of them lived together and had Aerith. But 20 days later, he was shot and killed while trying to protect his wife and daughter from being kidnapped by Hojo.

Gast Laboratory (279)

The lab where Gast, once the head of the Science Department, had been employed. He had produced some of the best research results in the Science Department at the time. Hojo, who was also employed in the Science Department, seemed to be jealous of Gast, who was also a genius. This may be one of the reasons why Hojo ridiculed the mistaken research that was conducted during his time in Gast’s lab, which mixed up the Ancients with Jenova, and calls it an “unenlightened era” in Scene 04-15.

Lucrecia Crescent (298)

Although she doesn’t appear in this story, she is Sephiroth’s real mother. She appears in FFVII and DC. She was a researcher in the former Science Department, the wife of Hojo, and is the one Vincent loves. When she gave birth to Sephiroth in Project S, she was affected by the Jenova Cells, which made her body incapable of dying. Afterwards, she escaped from Shinra and secluded herself in her small shrine in the remote mountains, where she sealed herself in crystal.

TL note: “small shrine” is what Lucrecia’s “cave” is called in the OG as well.

Research at Shinra Manor (286)

Gast’s laboratory was located in the Shinra Manor about 30 years ago, and after Gast’s disappearance, the manor was taken over by Hojo. The research conducted in the manor was typified by Project S, and included experiments with the injection of the Ancient Materia into Vincent and the injection of the Zicronaide summon materia into Elfe. After that, the Shinra Manor was closed down, but as depicted in this story, after the Nibelheim Incident, the manor was once again opened as a research facility for the Sefiroth Copy Experiment.

Research Material (281)

Extensive amounts of research materials are stored in the basement of the Shinra Manor. The experiment reports of Project S that was performed at the Manor are archived in printed form. Sephiroth learned of his birth by analyzing these documents, which led to his madness. Also left in the mansion, though not shown in this story, are research materials other than those of Project S, such as a report on the experiments performed on the survivors of the accidental bombing of Kalm, and a disk summarizing the research on Omega.

Science Department’s Power Struggle (279)

Hojo and Hollander fought for control of the Science Department, an event that occurred around [μ]-εγλ1980, when the former head of the Science Department, Gast, disappeared. The deciding factor was that Hojo’s Project S ended up being a success, while Hollander’s Project G was judged to be a failure, so Hojo won the position. Meanwhile, the defeated Hollander was demoted.

Hojo’s Research Facility (293)

The facility where Hojo, the head of the Science Department, is in charge of research. His research consists mostly of manufacturing experimental monsters using data and the Fusion Chamber. The reason why there are so many monsters in the vicinity of Midgar at the time of this story is because the number two man in the Science Department has been releasing experimental subjects from here.

Experiment Cylinder (284)

A huge cylinder placed in the center of the Fusion Chamber. When Zack enters it, he is experimented on by Hojo. Originally, its main purpose was to combine experimental specimens with each other, and in FFVII, there was a scene where Aerith and Red XIII were almost combined in this cylinder.

The Chairwoman of the Premium Fan Club (292)

A person who knows the history of Sephiroth’s Premium Fan Club, which has been in existence for over 20 years. It is a person with the initial H who writes stiffly like a scientist. It is speculated that this is someone who has access to the Shinra Building, as they can obtain Sephiroth’s private information and pictures.

The Split Jenova (293)

In Scene 08-20, Jenova’s body is split by Sephiroth into the head and torso. The head fell into the Lifestream with Sephiroth, but the torso was brought back to the Shinra Building in Midgar by Hojo. This was because Hojo believed that one day Jenova’s torso would pull in the head and conduct a Reunion, and he wanted to keep the torso close at hand.

However, the torso is actually pulled toward the head, as depicted in FFVII. At that moment, perhaps influenced by the fact that Sephiroth had started to use the power of the head to restore his own body, the torso mimicked Sephiroth and headed towards the Great Northern Cave where the head and Sephiroth were waiting. This means that the Sephiroth who appeared for most of the story, including the murder of Aerith in FFVII, is not his real body, but the torso of Jenova.

Subject P (292)

A test subject of the ESP Development Project who has precognitive abilities. Ever since he was taken into custody by Shinra as a child, he has been subjected to various experiments as a research specimen. Due to the classified nature of his existence, all information connected to Subject P has been erased.

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Shinra — The Turks

The Turks (289)

Also known as the “General Affairs Department: Investigation Section” from the Security Department. It is a department with a long history and has existed since Shinra was a weapons development company. If SOLDIER is Shinra’s trump card for maintaining order in the public eye, then the Turks are their trump card behind the scenes. Their main duties include handling classified information, espionage, talent scouting SOLDIER candidates, and doing the dirty work of covering up scandals.

This department has appeared in every work in the FFVII series, including this one, and their uniform is a black suit. Their members, including Tseng and Cissnei, are all elites with superior physical capabilities and specialized knowledge, and they are a group with a sense of professionalism focused on carrying out their mission. In the past, Vincent was a member of this group.

Turk Surveillance (289)

It is one of the Turks’ duties to monitor Shinra employees who are in danger of leaking information or escaping, as well as outside parties who monopolize information that is useful to Shinra. In this story, Aerith, who is an Ancient and is said to know the secrets of the Promised Land, and Zack, who was deeply involved in the truth of Project G at Modeoheim, were put under surveillance by the Turks.

SOLDIER Recruitment (288)

In Scene 05-06, Zack talks about how easy it was for him to become a SOLDIER, and how there are two main routes for recruiting SOLDIERs. The first is a test open to the public that Zack and Cloud took. Although there is a written test, the most important thing is the physical fitness test, and anyone with the physical and spiritual strength to withstand the exposure to mako will pass. The reason why the written test is given is because SOLDIERs are admired by people, so it is given as a token gesture to leave room for people to dream and hope that “if they work hard, they too can one day become one”. The other route is being talent scouted by the Turks. This usually involves being compulsively scouted out, and this case applies to Shelke and Azul, who both appeared in DC.

TL Note: “token gesture” is “建前”. It is the idea of “face” or that of an “official stance” or “public position/attitude”.

“Shinra lapdogs!” (286)

A common insult used to describe Turks and SOLDIERs by organizations or individuals who are opposed to Shinra’s activities. This line is often said in works where the Turks are the protagonists, such as BC. In this story, Genesis used this term to describe Zack and Tseng in Chapter 2.

Veld (278)

The Chief Turk, Tseng’s and Cissnei’s superior. He has a stern personality and a professional approach towards his job. He is a long-time employee of Shinra from when Shinra was still a small weapons manufacturing company, and is deeply trusted by President Shinra. In this story, he is only referred to as the “Chief,” but he never appears or is named specifically, even though he is one of the key players in BC. He takes command of the anti-Avalanche forces, but when he finds out that his daughter Elfe is in Avalanche, he leaves Shinra to help her as a father.

Executives’ Meeting (297)

A meeting held in the executive conference room on the 66th floor of the Shinra Building. It is often open to executive positions such as the president, vice president, and department heads. Also, Veld, the Chief Turk at the time, frequently attended the executive meetings in BC, perhaps because many of the issues involved Avalanche, or perhaps because the President trusted him deeply.

Aerith and Tseng (278)

Tseng accepted the mission to secure Aerith, the world’s only Ancient, and has been making requests to Aerith to cooperate with Shinra for many years. However, Aerith, who lost her parents to Shinra, hates Shinra and always turns down requests for cooperation. Undeterred, Tseng continued to persuade her without coercion.

The relationship between the two is also depicted in FFVII and BC. Rumors within the Turks suggest that Tseng has special sentiments for Aerith, but it’s not clear if they are romantic or not. On the other hand, Tseng’s existence was a little special to Aerith as well. In FFVII, she says, “…Tseng’s with our enemy, the Turks, but I’ve known him since we were little… There’s not a lot of people I can say that about. In fact, there are probably only a handful of people in the world who really know me.”

Battered Camera (294)

A battered camera with “TSENG” written on it can be found in front of the Church in the Sector 5 Slums when searching for materials for the flower wagon in Chapter 7. TSENG is the English word for Tseng, so we can assume that it belongs to Tseng. However, it is unclear what this camera was used for. It remains a mystery whether Tseng filmed Aerith for surveillance purposes or if he took a hidden picture out of petty feelings.

TL Note: The joke here is that Tseng’s name is usually written in katakana, but on the camera it’s written in the Western Alphabet instead. And Zack can’t figure out that the name being spelled out is the Western way of writing Tseng’s name!

Miss in Black (280)

Cissnei’s username in Zack’s fan club. She posts rare information that could only be known by someone close to Zack. Apparently, she is a member of the fan club not because of the Turks’ mission, but because of her personal feelings.

TL Note: Literally “black suit-san”… and the localization missed out on the “san” part. Okay, and the Turks were just begging for a Men in Black reference/pun to be made somewhere… Thank you CL for this suggestion!

Cissnei’s Real Name (284)

In Scene 09-12, Cissnei reveals to Zack that the name “Cissnei” is a code name and not her real name. However, the real name of Cissnei is not revealed in this story. According to the development staff, “Tian” was also a candidate for the code name.

“Sector 8 is Turks’ jurisdiction” (291)

What Reno said to Zack during the attack on Midgar. This is because the first mission for new Turk recruits is to patrol Eighth Avenue. Even Tseng, Reno, and Rude patrolled Eighth Avenue as their first mission.

Subduing Avalanche (276)

The suppression of the Elfe’s Avalanche was done primarily by the Turks. The crackdown lasted for more than six years, from February 30, [ν]-εγλ 0001 to October 5, [ν]-εγλ 0007. Later, when the Barret’s Avalanche emerged, the Turks led the extermination operation against them.

The Nibelheim Reconstruction (290)

The reconstruction of Nibelheim was led by the Chief Turk, Veld, to cover up the violent actions of Sephiroth, the hero of Shinra. The village buildings were almost completely restored, and Shinra employees began to play the roles of villagers, so that the Nibelheim incident would not become public knowledge.

【Zicronaide】(295)

A summon out of legends that was summoned by Avalanche in BC. The Turks mobilized their entire force to defeat it.

【Deaths of Veld and Elfe】(275)

Veld and Elfe appear in BC. In the second half of the story, the two were continuously pursued by Shinra, and finally their deaths were officially announced. However, it was because of reports fabricated by Rufus and Tseng that they were reported dead, and both of them actually survived.

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The Gold Saucer

Dio (290)

The friend the girl in the marketplace in the Sector 5 Slums refers to is Dio, the director of the Gold Saucer FFVII. At this time, Dio is busy traveling around the world, writing his combat diary and collecting rare items that will later be displayed at the Gold Saucer. Incidentally, he is not the same person as Duo, the owner of the online store, but it is rumored that they are close because their names are so similar.

Combat Diary (281)

A diary written by Dio, the director of the Gold Saucer, describing his days of intense fighting. It is in the process of being written in this story, but it was finished by the time FFVII started, and it will be presented to those who have completed the Battle Square attraction.

Chocobos (289)

A bird-like creature traditional to the FF series. In this game, it appears not only by name, but also as a summon. In FFVII, there were many varieties of chocobos that could run on terrain according to their names, such as mountain chocobos, river chocobos, mountain-river chocobos, and ocean chocobos.

Chocobo Racing (290)

Races in which chocobos compete against each other. There are both amateur and professional races. In FFVII and BC, there are professional races of six chocobos in the Gold Saucer.

Joe (285)

He is a famous chocobo rider who rides the jet-black chocobo Hyperion, and is the “chocobo-riding prince” according to Shinra’s female employees. In this story, he is still an amateur, but five years later, in FFVII, he is a professional chocobo racer and is actively competing in the Gold Saucer.

Hyperion (290)

Joe’s partner, a jet-black chocobo. He has won many races with his quick​ pace. In FFVII, he and Joe compete in the Gold Saucer Chocobo Race, dashing their way through consecutive victories.

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Other Characters

Ifalna (276)

She was Aerith’s mother and the last living pure-blooded Ancient. She and Gast, who she got to know at Shinra, escaped the company together and got married in Icicle Inn. On February 7, [μ]-εγλ 1985, she gave birth to Aerith. However, just 20 days later, her husband was murdered at the hands of Hojo, and she and her daughter were taken to the Shinra Building in Midgar as research specimens.

Seven years later, she escaped from the Shinra Building with her daughter, but years of experimentation had weakened Ifalna’s body. When she reached the station platform in the Sector 7 Slum, she had exhausted her strength and told a passing woman (Elmyra), “Keep Aerith safe…” before dying.

Vincent Valentine (277)

A quiet gunman who harbors the [genetic] factor of “Chaos,” the life form that harvests life for the Planet. In this story, he continues to sleep in the underground caverns of Shinra Manor, and is the source of ” Underground Moaning,” one of the Seven Wonders of Nibelheim.

He is a companion who fought alongside Cloud in the Jenova War in FFVII, and is the protagonist of DC. He was once a member of the Turks, guarding the researchers at the Shinra Manor, but his involvement in Project S at the manor and his love for the female researcher, Lucrecia, massively derailed his destiny.

Barret Wallace (292)

A coal miner from Corel who fought alongside Cloud in FFVII. After losing his wife in the mako reactor bombing on May 8th, [ν]-εγλ0003, he formed the anti-Shinra group, Avalanche, with Tifa and others in Midgar to conduct terrorist activities.

In this story, he appears in name only as a member of the Midgar Mako Reactor Inspection Team. But when he does, he is remembered by the wrong name, such as Magnum or Bullet.

【Marlene】(298)

The daughter Barret is raising and the orphaned daughter of his best friend. She appears in FFVII and AC.

【Red XIII (Nanaki)】(298)

A [member of] an endangered species that lives in Cosmo Canyon. He fought in the Jenova War alongside Cloud and the others in FFVII. He also appears in BC, AC, and DC.

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Midgar

7th Heaven (288)

A bar named by Zack in Scene 07-04 that will be built in the Sector 7 Slums. In FFVII, it is the headquarters of Barret’s Avalanche. It collapsed when the Sector 7 Slums were destroyed in the same story, but it was rebuilt in the city of Edge by AC and DC.

[Slum] Markets (294)

A market in the slums where a variety of goods are gathered. In addition to the Sector 5 Slum market that appears in this game, there are also the Sector 7 Slum and Sector 6 Slum markets that appeared in FFVII.

Don Corneo (290)

The uncle of the girl in the street of the Sector 5 Slums who is waiting for her to return is Don Corneo, a dirty old man with a “ho-ho-ho” laugh who appeared in FFVII. Why he is exterminating monsters and why the girls like him may be the biggest mystery of this story.

Corneo’s Mansion (282)

The “Gilded House”, a house of ill-repute, is located in Wall Market in the Sector 6 Slums. This is Corneo’s mansion from FFVII. The interior of the building is designed in a Chinese style and furnished with many Chinese characters that are puzzling “ateji” such as “古留根屋 (Koruneo)” and “業座 (Gyoza)”.

TL Note: “ateji” are kanji that are only read for their meaning or pronunciation, but not both.

Slum Train Graveyard (287)

A place in the Sector 7 Slum where old Shinra train cars are discarded. During the time of this story, the MK100-70 has been abandoned. It also appears in FFVII and DC, where the train cars are also being dismantled.

The Plate (292)

The plate that is supported by mechanical towers that serves as scaffolding for Midgar. In FFVII, when the mechanical tower supporting Sector 7 was blown up, the plate collapsed, causing Sector 7 and the slums below it to cave in.

Battles on the Highway (291)

The Midgar highway is the setting for battles in this and other games in this series. FFVII and AC featured high-speed battles while riding motorcycles, and BC had a special mini-game.

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The Shinra Building

The Information Center (277)

Two receptionists wait at the information desk located in the entrance hall of the Shinra Building. Their main duties are to receive visitors and manage employees’ schedules. Additionally, they are also responsible for responding to lost children in the exhibition rooms, which are open to the public.

Shinra Building Security (286)

The basic security of the Shinra Building works by restricting access to special blocks by means of employee IDs and constant surveillance from a monitoring room. In the event of an emergency, security is even tighter, with automatic bulkheads, protective shutters, and guard machines that start to eliminate outside enemies. When the security level is set to S, the highest level, all stairwells in the building are sealed off to prevent classified information from being taken out of the company.

Company Employee ID (284)

In the Shinra Building, access to the 60th to 70th floors, known as the special block, is controlled by a key-card type of employee ID. The only special block floors appearing in this game are the 67th and 68th floors, but in FFVII, you could go to the 60th~70th floors by using several employee IDs.

Reference Room (285)

The reference room in the Shinra Building where Sephiroth secluded himself in Chapter 5. In FFVII, there is a reference room on the 62nd floor of the Shinra Building. At the same time, in the Reno Special Chapter of BC, there is a Science Department archive on the 45th floor, where a Genesis Copy is stealing data. It’s unclear which of the two is the reference room in this story, but since Sephiroth is investigating the Science Department’s past research, it’s most likely the latter.

Solitary Confinement (290)

A cell set up on the 67th floor of the Shinra Building, on the floor of the Science Department. In this story, it is used as a warehouse, but in FFVII, Cloud and the others were temporarily housed here after being captured in the Shinra Building.

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Other Locations

Kalm (279)

A town located near Midgar, it is surrounded by high walls, which might be a countermeasure against monsters. Although it is only mentioned by name in this story, it is a town that suffers many disasters. BC reveals that in the past, the town was destroyed by a misfire by the Shinra Army, and the survivors were taken to the Shinra Manor by Shinra, who wanted to cover up the incident, and used as experimental subjects. In DC, the DeepGround Soldiers raided the city, slaughtered its inhabitants and kidnapped its children to use them as material for the mako needed to summon Omega.

Mythril Mines (295)

A mine located beyond the swamps that spread south of Midgar. It is the setting for Mission No. 228 in this story. In FFVII, it appeared as a dungeon on the way to Junon.

Fort Condor (282)

A fort where a condor lives. In the story, it is decided that Kunsel will be dispatched here. The fortress was built directly into the rock face with the mako reactor on top of it. In FFVII, volunteers gather to protect the condor’s nest, and serves as a fortress that resists Shinra.

Vacationing in Costa del Sol (282)

Costa del Sol, where Zack and Cissnei visited, is often used by Shinra personnel for vacations. President Shinra’s villa is located here, and in FFVII, Hojo also visits here for a vacation. In the story, there was also a mission to defeat an experimental monster that Hojo brought here, which was annoying the residents.

Bar de Sol (291)

[One of] Zack’s suggestions for the name of the bar in Scene 07-04. It is an actual bar in Costa del Sol, and appears in FFVII as a bar that is popular for its stylish cocktails.

Corel (282)

A village named in this story as a possible site for the construction of a mako reactor. Later, the completed reactor was blown up by Avalanche (Elfe’s faction) and the village was destroyed by Shinra in an attempt to cover up the incident. Later, Shinra remodeled the site of the village into a prison compound, Corel Prison, and the Gold Saucer, an entertainment facility, was built high above it. The village of North Corel in FFVII was constructed by the people who were driven out of Corel.

Cosmo Canyon (282)

The birthplace of planetology. When Zack is driving down the highway in Scene 09-10, its landscape can be seen. It is a village where prominent planetologists gather, and the planetologist who founded Avalanche in BC is from here. It is also the home of Red XIII, who appears in FFVII. His tribe has been performing a ceremony called the “Planet Calming Ceremony” once every 50 years, but when the village was attacked by a tribe called the Gi, they were wiped out, leaving Red XIII and a female named Dinah behind.

Starlet (287)

[One of] Zack’s suggestions for the name of the bar in Scene 07-04. In FFVII, it is an actual tavern in Cosmo Canyon that specializes in original cocktails called Cosmo Candle and Lifestream.

Icicle Inn (275)

A village on an island in an extremely cold region. It is Aerith’s birthplace, and where her parents, Gast and Ifalna, lived. But when Aerith was 20 days old, on February 27, [ μ ] -εуλ 1985, Hojo, who wanted an Ancient as an experiment specimen, abducted her entire family. This is also the incident when Gast resisted [Hojo] and was shot and killed.

The region around the village used to be called the North Pole. This was the region where the Planet and the land were injured by Jenova 2000 years ago. As the Planet is concentrating to heal its wound, it cannot channel enough energy to this region, so this region has lost its vegetation and has been transformed into an extremely cold place.

The Great Cavern of Mysteries (290)

A mysterious giant cave discovered near the Great Northern Cave. The Shinra, Wutai, and Genesis Armies were in a three-way battle  in pursuit of something hidden deep in the cave, but the Wutai and Genesis armies were wiped out, leaving only the Shinra Army’s SOLDIERs. In addition, many of the monsters and machines in the cave were abnormally powerful, but this was because of the energy emitted by Minerva, who reigned in the deepest part of the cave.

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Nibelheim

The Water Tower (280)

A water tower built in the center of Nibelheim. A large wooden barrel collects rainwater, which is filtered to provide domestic water to the residents. In this story, it is counted as one of the Seven Wonders because red water infrequently flows out of the tower. This is because the red color of the summon materia in the water tower seeps out into the water.

At night, the water tower seems to have been one of the most popular dating spots for the young people in the village, and Cloud once called Tifa here to talk before he left Nibelheim for Midgar.

The Son of a Nibelheim General Merchant (290)

A man in white overalls on the street of the Sector 5 Slums. He says he is in correspondence with his girlfriend in the country, but this is half true and half false. The girlfriend is Tifa, and while it is true he is sending her letters, it is not true that they are dating.

“The group” (290)

Refers to the two Shinra soldiers other than Cloud who went to Nibelheim with Zack in Scene 07-11. More details about them are given in FFVII. One was the driver who took Zack and the others to Nibelheim, and returned without entering the village. The other went along with the investigation [team] to the mako reactor, but was lost when the suspension bridge on Mount Nibel collapsed along the way.

The Guide (279)

Mt. Nibel is feared by the locals as “a mountain that can never be crossed alive,” and the mountain path is complicated, requiring a guide who is familiar with the area. In Chapter 8, Tifa is selected to be the guide because she was recommended by Turks, who had previously investigated the Nibel Mako Reactor before Zack and the others arrived in Nibelheim.

The Photographer (279)

The photographer who accompanied Zack and the others in their investigation of the Nibel Mako Reactor in Chapter 8. Although the story of what happened after the photo shoot is not told in this game, in FFVII, he was killed by Sephiroth when Nibelheim went up in flames.

The Group Photo (285)

A group photo of Zack, Sephiroth, and Tifa taken just before heading to the Nibel Mako Reactor. When Sephiroth shows this photo to Cloud in FFVII, Cloud realizes that the young 1st Class SOLDIER  who visited Nibelheim was not him, but Zack.

Seven Wonders of the Village (296)

The Seven Wonders that the children of Nibelheim gossip about. These include “Bloody Water”, ” The Girl Slipping Out of a Painting”, “Rouge Bombs”, “The Laughing Vault”, “Underground Moaning”, and “The Treasure in the Flames”. And finally, the seventh wonder is the existence of Nibelheim, a “Fabricated Village” that was restored by Shinra after the Nibelheim incident.

Zangan (283)

The master who taught Tifa martial arts. In BC and FFVII, he is depicted saving a dying Tifa during the Nibelheim Incident. His name and appearance are not shown in this story, but his existence is referenced in an email from Tifa. Apparently, he has 128 disciples all over the world.

The Nibelheim Incident (290)

The Nibelheim Incident refers to all of the events described in Chapter 8 of this story. That is, the events leading up to Cloud defeating Sephiroth after Sephiroth learned the truth and set Nibelheim on fire after coming to investigate the mako reactor.

This incident is told from Cloud’s point of view in FFVII and from Turks’ point of view in BC. In both games, there are many scenes that do not appear in this game. FFVII depicts the conversation in the truck as Zack and the others travel from Midgar to Nibelheim, Cloud and his mother reuniting, and the presence of Tifa’s Dad and Zangan. BC depicts the time between Sephiroth’s death in the Nibel Mako Reactor and Hojo recovering Zack and Cloud, as well as the existence of Tifa’s cat.

The Nibelheim Reconstruction (290)

The reconstruction of Nibelheim was led by the Chief Turk, Veld, to cover up the violent actions of Sephiroth, the hero of Shinra. The village buildings were almost completely restored, and Shinra employees began to play the roles of villagers, so that the Nibelheim incident would not become public knowledge.

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Banora

Banora’s Soil (291)

Banora soil is the only soil in the world where the Banora White grows. A vast amount of Lifestream flows through the Banora Underground, and this is related to the formation of the unique soil.

Banora White (292)

This plant grows only in Banora’s soil and produces apple-shaped fruits with a blue-purple skin. The villagers affectionately call them “dumbapples” because of the way they bear fruit in any season of the year. Because the fruit can only be harvested in this region, it sells for a high price on the market, but the village children don’t seem to know this, and when Angeal was a child, he used to steal dumbapples from the farms and eat them.

Banora White Juice (292)

A canned juice made from the Banora White, a specialty of Banora. It is sold at 120 gil per can. Its developer was a boy named Genesis, who won first prize in the processed food category of the National Agriculture Awards for this invention. The advertising slogan for the drink is “Refreshing and Smooth”.

Canned Apple Logo T-shirt (298)

A T-shirt with the Banora White Juice logo, a favorite of Hollander’s. The color of the shirt’s fabric is orange, and the logo is red.

Banora Apple Jewelry (292)

Apple-shaped jewelry made by members of the Red Leather [Coats], one of Genesis’ fan clubs, after Genesis was killed in action, based on the motif of a Banora White, a specialty of Genesis’ hometown. It was sold at the memorial service for Genesis, but the sales were poor and a lot of it remained unsold.

The Goddess Materia (297)

Materia for opening the Portal of Severance in the Banora Underground. It can be activated by placing seven of them on the pedestal in front of the portal.

The Goddess Statue (297)

A statue of the goddess installed in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground. Genesis brought it in to reenact the circumstances of Loveless. It crumbled away after Genesis’ sudden encounter with Minerva.

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Shinra — Departments/Organizations

The Shinra Company (285)

An ultra-giant corporation that controls the world under the umbrella of its monopoly of mako technology. Often abbreviated as “Shinra”. It is a business conglomerate with multiple operations, with corporate headquarters in Midgar and a branch office in Junon. It used to be just a weapons company called Shinra Manufacturing Works, but since the discovery of mako energy in [μ]-εγλ 1959, the company rapidly grew to its current size. It also appears as a giant corporation in FFVII and BC, but it was destroyed by the attacks from Weapon and the damage from Meteor during the Jenova War in FFVII.

Department Head (290)

This is a Shinra position given to the senior bureaucrat of each department, and it is sometimes referred to as the department head. They are not selected based on seniority, and even the young Lazard, Scarlet, and Reeve were selected based on talent first.

TL Note: literally “unification” or “to unify”. English completely skips this term and calls it “department head” or “head of x department”.

Executives’ Meeting (297)

A meeting held in the executive conference room on the 66th floor of the Shinra Building. It is often open to executive positions such as the president, vice president, and department heads. Also, Veld, the Chief Turk at the time, frequently attended the executive meetings in BC, perhaps because many of the issues involved Avalanche, or perhaps because the President trusted him deeply.

Arms Development Department (293)

A department that develops Shinra weapons, headed by Scarlet. In this story, they developed anti-Genesis Copy weapons, and because of this achievement, the department expanded to have a higher budget than the Security Department. In FFVII, they are working on remodeling the mako cannon installed in Midgar and developing the anti-Weapon armament Proud Clod.

Special Weapons Laboratory (290)

A research institute for Shinra’s technological development, where weapons with the latest technology are developed without considering mass production. Besides developing the Spider and Death Machine series of specialized machines, it also handles the organization of mechanized squads.

Security Department (289)

A department that maintains the security of Midgar and the world through its powerful armed forces. Heidegger is in charge of it, and the department includes the Shinra Army and the Turks. By FFVII, it had absorbed the SOLDIER Department, and became a much larger department.

Shinra Army (286)

The armed forces of Shinra, with land, sea, and air forces. The smallest troop unit is the platoon, and each platoon is assigned Shinra soldiers, as well as Shinra weapons such as Sweepers and monsters such as Guardhounds. In principle, all of these forces are part of the Security Department but only in this story is SOLDIER special and operates under the chain of command of the SOLDIER Department.

Shinra Soldiers [Troopers/MPs] (286)

A soldier in the Shinra Army. All soldiers on duty have the same basic uniform, and their rank is distinguished by the color of their scarf. Green for ordinary soldiers and red for captains. Their main weapons are an automatic rifle and tonfa, and some of them carry grenades as side weapons.

The Turks (289)

Also known as the “General Affairs Department: Investigation Section” from the Security Department. It is a department with a long history and has existed since Shinra was a weapons development company. If SOLDIER is Shinra’s trump card for maintaining order in the public eye, then the Turks are their trump card behind the scenes. Their main duties include handling classified information, espionage, talent scouting SOLDIER candidates, and doing the dirty work of covering up scandals.

This department has appeared in every work in the FFVII series, including this one, and their uniform is a black suit. Their members, including Tseng and Cissnei, are all elites with superior physical capabilities and specialized knowledge, and they are a group with a sense of professionalism focused on carrying out their mission. In the past, Vincent was a member of this group.

Orphanage (281)

An orphanage managed by Shinra as part of its philanthropy projects. But in reality, the purpose of the program is to train children to become future Turks and SOLDIER candidates through harsh training. Cissnei was also from this facility and was recruited by the Turks after enduring harsh training. Incidentally, the children from this orphanage escaped in Mission No. 7-5-1~7-5-6 [Orphans Escaping].

SOLDIER Department (289)

The department that the Shinra SOLDIERs, including the protagonist Zack, belong to. After Lazard’s disappearance, it continued to exist without supervision as a temporary measure, but it was later absorbed into the Security Department.

【Deepground】(295)

A facility built in the basement of the Shinra Building for the purpose of manufacturing the strongest human beings with no regard for morals. The Soldiers created here caused the events of DC. In addition to Weiss and Nero, who appeared in this story, Rosso, Azul, and Shelke also belong to this group.

Science Department (279)

The department that researches and invents the various sciences and technologies that Shinra is world famous for. Typical inventions include technology using mako energy and the method of producing SOLDIERs. It is currently headed by Hojo, a man who will stop at nothing to satisfy his own academic desires, and as a result, many inhumane experiments are conducted in the Science Department. Hollander also belongs to the Science Department, although he is of lower rank than Hojo in the story.

City Planning Department (290)

Reeve is the head of the Shinra department that is pushing for the advancement of the construction plans for Midgar. It is responsible for the essential utilities for the citizens of Midgar, such as the distribution of mako energy and the pricing of utilities, as well as the manufacturing and refining of the items that are distributed in Midgar.

Space Development Department (278)

The department in charge of Shinra’s space program. Palmer is in charge of it, and Cid, the legendary pilot, belongs to this department. At the time of this story, the department is in its prime, with the launch of the “Rocket Shinra No. 26” just around the corner. However, after the failure of the rocket launch, as told in FFVII and BC, the department downsized. After that, it did not become relevant again until the Jenova War, when the rocket was used as a countermeasure against Meteor.

News Department (293)

The department that manages Shinra News and other media information. It is so influential that it has almost complete control over the mass media. In FFVII, at Scarlet’s request, they were going to broadcast Tifa’s public execution.

Shinra News (286)

An informational television program produced by Shinra’s News Department. In addition to briefings from the president and others, Shinra employees receive emails with statements from their head of department and personnel information. However, news that is not in Shinra’s best interest will be falsified or covered up, so the information is not very credible.

Meteorological Agency (280)

An agency that forecasts the weather using cutting edge technology. Since Shinra manages it, any information detrimental to Shinra is covered up, such as how it was not disclosed that Bombs [the monster] were the cause of Costa del Sol’s rising water temperature.

The Media (297)

There are many media regulated by Shinra in this story, such as Shinra News, which is managed by Shinra’s Press Department. By using the power of these media organizations, Shinra has increased the company’s popularity by setting Sephiroth up as a hero and giving the company a clean image.

Shinra Tourist Bureau (285)

An organization within Shinra that investigates tourist information. It seems they were working on a national scale, such as looking into the village-operated public bathhouse in Modeoheim before it was abandoned.

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SOLDIER

SOLDIER (288)

An enhanced soldier in Shinra’s SOLDIER Department who possesses inhuman physical abilities. They are created by performing the SOLDIER Procedure (i.e., exposing a person to an appropriate amount of mako and injecting the person with Jenova Cells) on a person with the right qualities (physical toughness, spiritual strength, etc.). 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes are determined according to their combat ability and their ability to execute missions. There are only a few 1st Class SOLDIERs, the strongest of which are Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis.

SOLDIER Department (289)

The department that the Shinra SOLDIERs, including the protagonist, Zack, belong to. After Lazard’s disappearance, it continued to exist without supervision as a temporary measure, but it was later absorbed into the Security Department.

SOLDIER Recruitment (288)

In Scene 05-06, Zack talks about how easy it was for him to become a SOLDIER, and how there are two main routes for recruiting SOLDIERs. The first is a test open to the public that Zack and Cloud took. Although there is a written test, the most important thing is the physical fitness test, and anyone with the physical and spiritual strength to withstand the exposure to mako will pass. The reason why the written test is given is because SOLDIERs are admired by people, so it is given as a token gesture to leave room for people to dream and hope that “if they work hard, they too can one day become one”. The other route is being talent scouted by the Turks. This usually involves being compulsively scouted out, and this case applies to Shelke and Azul, who both appeared in DC.

TL Note: “token gesture” is “建前”. It is the idea of “face” or that of an “official stance” or “public position/attitude”.

Physical Fitness Test (289)

Since a SOLDIER’s body is exposed to mako, their physical condition is difficult to manage. As a result, routine physical fitness testing is mandatory for SOLDIERs. Specific tests include one minute of squatting in the training room, and one’s physical fitness is measured by the number of squats.

SOLDIER Procedure (288)

A procedure to change a human body into a SOLDIER by transplanting Jenova Cells and exposing it to mako. The procedures performed in Projects G and S were theoretically the same, but the treatment method of the Jenova Cells to be transplanted, the timing of the transplantation of the cells, and the technique of mako exposure are what differed from the usual [procedure].

SOLDIERs’ Eyes (288)

When a SOLDIER, such as Zack, is bathed in mako, a blue glow appears in the back of their eyes. An exception are the Tsivets, who were assigned the rank of a colored DeepGround SOLDIER, and some of them have red or yellow eyes.

Missions (296)

These are special missions given to SOLDIERs by Shinra, and can be received by SOLDIERs who have entered their personal information on the mission board for access from their mobile devices. Many of these include experiments involving Shinra’s Science and Weaponry Departments, exterminating hostile forces, and searching for rare and valuable items. Even if someone is not affiliated with Shinra, they can order a mission in secret if they know how to get access to the target SOLDIER’s mobile device. The “fanfare” that plays when a mission is cleared is a familiar one from the FF series. It is played during battle victories in many games including FFVII, and in AC, it is used as the ringtone for Yazoo’s mobile device.

Supply Pods (284)

Supply pods installed in the briefing room on the Soldier Floor of the Shinra Building. The pods are numbered from “01” to “07”, and combat items such as accessories and materia are provided for SOLDIERs before they go on missions [in them]. In addition to this, SOLDIER uniforms are also provided in these pods. Zack’s pod number is “06” for regular supplies, and “04” for uniforms. Incidentally, it is rumored that the company purposely does not notify SOLDIER when the contents of the pots will be regularly collected or newly restocked in order to cut costs.

Sephiroth’s Authority (288)

Sephiroth refused to go on the mission to Banora in Chapter 2, which was an exercise of a privilege of a 1st Class SOLDIER. Unofficially, a 1st Class is given the right to carry personal equipment, use non-standard items during missions, and veto orders.

SOLDIER Uniform (288)

SOLDIER uniforms are colored differently depending on class, with light blue for 3rd, purple for 2nd, and black for 1st. However, Zack as a 2nd Class is dressed differently from the other 2nd Class SOLDIERs, by wearing an indigo uniform and not equipped with a mask. 1st Classes are also permitted to wear personal clothing in addition to uniforms by unspoken consensus.

Shinra Army Sword (286)

The double-edged sword that Angeal equips, and is evaluated as a “toy sword” by Sephiroth in Scene 03-15. Since other SOLDIERs and Shinra soldiers are equipped with the same type of sword, it can be assumed that it was provided by Shinra.

Signature Pose (280)

A pose that Zack taught to one of the troopers accompanying him on the investigation of Nibeheim’s mako reactor. This pose, with the right hand on the waist, the left leg slightly apart and the chest out, seems to be the basic stance for a SOLDIER who must always be aware of other’s attention as an object of admiration.

“Shinra lapdogs!” (286)

A common insult used to describe Turks and SOLDIERs by organizations or individuals who are opposed to Shinra’s activities. This line is often said in works where the Turks are the protagonists, such as BC. In this story, Genesis used this term to describe Zack and Tseng in Chapter 2.

The SOLDIER Mass Desertion Incident (288)

An incident where Genesis, while on a mission in the Wutai War, disappeared and took SOLDIERs who participated in the same mission [with him] (some of the SOLDIERs voluntarily disappeared with Genesis). As a result, the forces of the SOLDIER Department greatly declined. The incident was planned out by Lazard and Hollander to gather forces for revenge against Shinra and Genesis carried it out on the condition that Hollander would cure him of his deterioration. The SOLDIERs who were taken at this time were remodeled into Genesis Copies, and later became soldiers in the Genesis Army.

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Shinra — Vehicles

Shinra Railway (286)

Trains run between the city sectors and slums of Midgar. When moving between the top and bottom of the plate, [the train runs on] a spiral rail that passes through the column that supports the plate. At points the train passes through, there are areas that detect the IDs of passengers, and information such as the identity of all passengers is sent to a host computer in the Shinra Building, to help search for suspicious persons.

MK100-70 (296)

This train was the predecessor of the MK93 II. It is an excellent machine that has undergone more than 5,000 improvements, but it is no longer in service and was discarded in the Train Graveyard in the Sector 7 Slum  after finishing its service run.

MK93 II (296)

The train Zack jumped on in the prologue. It is the type of Shinra train running in Midgar at the time of the start of this story.

MK100-90 (296)

This new train is an improved version of the MK100-70, with a more complex exhaust structure to achieve huge horsepower. This is the train Cloud is riding on in the epilogue of this story.

Shinra sA-18 Automatic 3-Wheel (285)

A motorcycle with a sidecar that Zack receives from Cissnei in the Nibel Plains while a fugitive in Chapter 9. It helped him escape with Cloud, who was overdosed on mako. Since Zack and [Cloud] hitchhiked to Midgar on a truck in the epilogue, it is inferred that [the motorcycle] was destroyed by the Shinra Army during their escape.

Shinra sA-27 Automatic 3-Wheel (285)

It is popular as a standard single-passenger vehicle, but the transition to the new sA-37 model is underway. This car passes by Aerith in the epilogue of this story.

Shinra sA-37 Automatic 3-Wheel (285)

This three-wheeled truck is a new model of the popular sA-27. In addition to being displayed in the exhibition room, it is also parked on LOVELESS Avenue. When Cloud and the others escape from the Shinra Building in FFVII, Aerith and Tifa escape down the highway in this vehicle.

Shinra pA-86 (286)

A new four-wheeled sports car based on the Shinra sA-27 is displayed in the exhibition room. In FFVII, it can be seen in Corel Prison.

Hardy-Daytona (291)

A motorcycle that prides itself on its monstrous horsepower thanks to the V-DOH engine developed by Shinra’s Advanced Weaponry Department. It is a monster machine that chooses its rider through its marvelous performance. Cloud rides it to escape from the Shinra Building in FFVII.

Shinra B0A Series Helicopter (286)

A helicopter armed with machine guns and missiles. It is mainly used for transporting personnel and providing combat support, but it has a limited flight range and cannot travel between continents. Its successor, the Shinra B1A helicopter (also known as the Skip), appears in FFVII.

Call Sign of the Gamblehead (279)

The scouting ship named Gamblehead deployed in the Nibel Plains in Chapter 9 displays the aircraft’s call sign when sniping. It uses the name of a blitzball player from FFX and the names of Biggs and Wedge, two of the most famous supporting characters in the FF series can also be seen.

Gelnika (281)

The airship that bombed Banora in Scene 02-16. A transport ship with the same name appears in FFVII, but it is the next generation model of the Gelnika that appeared in this story, and has some details that differ such as the position of the engines.

Shinra Airship Aise (286)

A large airship owned by the Shinra Air Force that is docked at Junon Airport in Chapter 6. It is shaped like an airship, with few metal parts and more cloth-covered parts.

The Airship “Highwind” (292)

A large, high-speed airship built by Shinra at great expense. It is named after the captain of the ship, Cid Highwind. Although it does not appear in this story because it is still undergoing testing, in FFVII, it flew around the world at the hands of Cloud and the others, but it was completely destroyed in the collapse of the Great Northern Cave during the final phase of the Jenova War.

The Rocket Shinra No. 26 (298)

A new type of rocket developed by the Space Development Department. The exhibition room of the Shinra Building is decorated with small models. In FFVII and BC, the actual [rocket] is seen in Rocket Town instead of a model.

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Shinra — Technology

Mobile Device (281)

A mobile device that has the ability to make calls, send emails, and access missions. It is provided by the company to people involved with Shinra, including SOLDIERs and the Turks. After the Jenova War, Shinra itself no longer existed, but the antenna stations that transmit radio waves are still in use, and mobile devices are still used in DC and AC. Incidentally, the “PHS” that appeared in FFVII was a similar type of mobile device.

Email (296)

A feature on a mobile device. Shinra employees receive a company newsletter that summarizes events related to Midgar and Shinra, information on personnel changes, and information on the epartments to which they belong.

Shinra Weaponry (286)

This refers to a wide variety of weapons, including firearms, machines, and bombs, manufactured by Shinra’s Advanced Weaponry Department. Shinra’s precursor was a small weapons company called Shinra Manufacturing Works, and weapons development is still considered an important part of its business, despite the fact that it is now working with mako. In addition, many of the weapons manufactured by the company are distributed to the Shinra Army.

Sniping Scope (288)

The gun made by Shinra that Zack used to shoot his way across the Nibel Plains in Chapter 9. It had an Auto Assist System, a feature for beginners, so even Zack, who was inexperienced with handling guns, was able to use it.

Anti-Genesis Copy Weapon (289)

A new type of self-propelled weapon deployed in Midgar by the Advanced Weapons Department. It is represented by the Gamblehead. It performed exceptionally well in the cleanup of the Genesis Copies in Midgar. However, its IFF (identify friend-foe) function is flawed, and its sensors react to and attack not only Genesis Copies, but also SOLDIERs and monsters.

Virtual Reality System (275)

An installation that can generate data of a prepared virtual space for a subject. Because virtual spaces can be configured into a variety of situations, and monsters can also spawn in them, they are often used for training Shinra’s army or for special experiments. However, it can be dangerous to use, as the subject will have the injuries it receives in reality.

In addition, the goggles worn by Zack in the prologue are capable of collecting physical data from the person who wears them. So it is mandatory to wear them to measure training results in detail, or when testing for promotion to the next SOLDIER class.

Materia Testing Sensory Device (284)

The “Virtual Reality System” generates a virtual space in which users can test materia. It is located in the Fusion Chamber under Hojo’s supervision. It is an extremely expensive device, and its value is equivalent to 24 times the salary of Zack, a 1st Class SOLDIER, in repair costs alone.

Experiment Cylinder (284)

A huge cylinder placed in the center of the Fusion Chamber. When Zack enters it, he is experimented on by Hojo. Originally, its main purpose was to combine experimental specimens with each other, and in FFVII, there was a scene where Aerith and Red XIII were almost combined in this cylinder.

Mako Reactor (295)

A facility managed by Shinra that pumps up mako from underground and transforms it into electricity and other forms of energy. Because they are a symbol of Shinra, they are often attacked, and three years after the start of this story, Elfe’s Avalanche blew up the Corel mako reactor. Seven years after the start of this story, that is, shortly after the start of FFVII, Barret’s Avalanche blew up the No. 1 and No. 5 Reactors in Midgar.

After the Jenova War, operation of the reactors was suspended all over the world, but when the DeepGround Soldiers rose up in DC, the No. 0 Reactor became their headquarters. They wanted to restart the mako reactors and manufacture a clean flow of Lifestream by extracting unaltered mako from the kidnapped children in order to revive Omega.

Rural Mako Reactor (289)

A general term used to refer to mako reactors built outside Midgar. These include the mako reactors at Nibelheim, Fort Condor, Junon, Corel, and Gongaga.

Mako Cannon (294)

A supermassive cannon installed in Junon, with a Huge Materia as its core, officially named the “Sister Ray”. In this story, it appeared in Sephiroth’s recollection scene. In FFVII, after the Huge Materia is used to counter Meteor, it [the mako canon] is removed from Junon and installed in Midgar. It was then remodeled into an artillery battery that would fire energy directly from Midgar’s mako reactors.

Mako Recovery Unit (294)

The device used to restore mako power in the Fusion Chamber of the Shinra Building. While injecting a reasonable dose of mako can restore the subject’s mako power, an overdose of mako will have a negative effect on the human body. In addition, the device that appears in the story has a defective switch that stops the mako injection.

Mako Capsules (294)

A capsule filled with a high concentration of mako. It is used to make Genesis and Angeal Copies. Incidentally, Zack was also placed inside one of these capsules when he was being used as a specimen for the Sephiroth Copy experiment.

Materia Synthesis (295)

A technology that produces new materia by combining two materia. Particular items other than materia can also be used for synthesis. However, materia synthesis is a developing technology, and the information is highly confidential. Therefore, it can only be done by a limited number of entities, such as 1st Class SOLDIERs.

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Shinra — Incidents

Shinra’s Damage Control Policy (286)

When an incident occurs, Shinra will use any means necessary to cover its tracks, such as the aerial bombing to cover up the rebellion in Banora in Chapter 2 of this story. Two especially cleverly concealed incidents were the Kalm Misfire and the Nibelheim Incident, which were directed by the Chief Turk, Veld. On the other hand, there have been some sloppy cover-ups, such as the one conducted by Scarlet, the head of the Advanced Weaponry Department, to cover up the Corel Reactor Bombing Incident, where there were many eye-witnesses.

The SOLDIER Mass Desertion Incident (288)

An incident where Genesis, while on a mission in the Wutai War, disappeared and took SOLDIERs who participated in the same mission [with him] (some of the SOLDIERs voluntarily disappeared with Genesis). As a result, the forces of the SOLDIER Department greatly declined. The incident was planned out by Lazard and Hollander to gather forces for revenge against Shinra and Genesis carried it out on the condition that Hollander would cure him of his deterioration. The SOLDIERs who were taken at this time were remodeled into Genesis Copies, and later became soldiers in the Genesis Army.

Midgar Attacks (296)

A total of two attacks were carried out by the Genesis Army against Shinra. The first one took place in Chapter 3, and caused sabotage throughout Midgar and a system malfunction throughout the Shinra Building. The second one refers to the attack on the Shinra Building by the Genesis Army and occurs in Chapter 4. The confusion caused by the first attack allowed Genesis to break in, and the head of the Science Department, Hojo, was exposed to mortal danger.

Lazard’s Disappearance Incident (297)

The incident where Lazard vanished from Shinra when he sensed an investigation would be conducted on him because Hollander, who had been allied with him to take revenge on Shinra, was captured in Chapter 5. However, since it is not preferable for Shinra’s reputation to have a department head vanish for such a reason, the official announcement is that Lazard was killed in action.

Simultaneous Assaults (290)

The incident when Lazard mobilized the Genesis Army to rescue Hollander, who was being held in Junon. In this story, only the turmoil in Junon is depicted, but at the same time, as a diversion, the Genesis Army was also attacking other parts of the world, which is why they were called simultaneous assaults.

The Nibelheim Incident (290)

The Nibelheim Incident refers to all of the events described in Chapter 8 of this story. That is, the events leading up to Cloud defeating Sephiroth after Sephiroth learned the truth and set Nibelheim on fire after coming to investigate the mako reactor.

This incident is told from Cloud’s point of view in FFVII and from Turks’ point of view in BC. In both games, there are many scenes that do not appear in this game. FFVII depicts the conversation in the truck as Zack and the others travel from Midgar to Nibelheim, Cloud and his mother reuniting, and the presence of Tifa’s Dad and Zangan. BC depicts the time between Sephiroth’s death in the Nibel Mako Reactor and Hojo recovering Zack and Cloud, as well as the existence of Tifa’s cat.

The Rocket Launch (298)

The launch of the rocket Shinra No. 26, as reported by Shinra News, took place on April 11, [ν]-εγλ 2003. At this time, however, a female staff member named Shera was left behind inside the rocket, and Cid, the pilot, had to perform an emergency shutdown of the launch. The launch failure later caused the space program to be stopped and the rocket was abandoned, but Shinra launched the same rocket to destroy Meteor in FFVII.

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Shinra — Missions/Plans

Shinra’s Employee Discharge Policy (286)

Those who have held positions dealing with classified information in Shinra, as well as SOLDIERs whose own bodies are classified, are not allowed to simply resign due to the need to prevent information from being leaked to outsiders. Even if they are able to leave Shinra, their future actions will be constantly under Shinra’s surveillance. Those who escape from the surveillance will be pursued by Shinra for the rest of their lives, and in the worst cases, their existence will be erased.

Potion Campaign (294)

A trial campaign for the new potion model at the entrance of the Shinra Building. The general public is charged a fee, but it is given out free of charge to SOLDIERs and Shinra Troopers.

The drink product “FINAL FANTASY VII 10th ANNIVERSARY POTION (manufactured and sold by Suntory)” was released on the same day as this game in the real world and is a collaboration product of the potion that appears in the game.

Midgar Construction Plan (296)

The construction plan for Midgar promoted by the City Planning Department. At the time of this story, the Shinra Building and four city blocks are under construction. When FFVII started, this plan was on schedule, and most of the construction plans had been completed, except for a few city blocks.

Midgar Mako Reactor Observation Team (296)

A group of people from Corel came to observe the mako reactors in Midgar, and Barret was one of them. It seems that he had always behaved like a leader, and the members of the Shinra Army who accompanied the observation team as guards complained that they had trouble handling him.

Joint Training Exercises (281)

Joint training proposed by the Security Department to the SOLDIER Department. The training is in the form of live combat between the SOLDIER Department and the Security Department, and is handled as a mission in the game. Although the Security Department invested a large part of its budget into this training, all six training sessions ended in victory for the SOLDIER Department.

New Equipment System Plan (285)

This plan is designed to test the new equipment system of the Shinra Army by conducting field tests of special forces focused on urban warfare and test the operation of new Shinra weapons.

Monster Investigation Plan (297)

A plan aimed at gathering information on monsters that are appearing all over the world. This is a dangerous investigation that requires close contact with monsters, so it is considered to be a SOLDIER mission. They are harsh missions that sometimes involve investigating the monsters of Midgar and other times involve traveling to islands unexplored by mankind.

Operation: End the Wutai War (277)

This operation was designed to eliminate  the remnants of the Wutai Army, which had continued to resist even after the end of the Wutai War. At the beginning of the operation, the focus was on eliminating the forces of the remnants operating in Midgar and other places with close ties to Shinra. Later, the operation’s aim was destroying the remnants’ stronghold on the mainland of Wutai.

ESP Development Project (291)

A top-secret project to develop human precognition. The location that Subject P, as he is called, indicates in his reading is investigated by a SOLDIER to confirm that the prediction results are correct.

The Nibelheim Reconstruction (290)

The reconstruction of Nibelheim was led by the Chief Turk, Veld, to cover up the violent actions of Sephiroth, the hero of Shinra. The village buildings were almost completely restored, and Shinra employees began to play the roles of villagers, so that the Nibelheim incident would not become public knowledge.

Research Specimen Capture Mission (281)

A mission to capture research specimens (Zack and Cloud) that escaped from the Shinra Manor. It was issued by Shinra in a scene that corresponds to Chapter 9 or later of this story. The escaped specimens were not only the top-secret research subjects that Hojo was involved with, but also Zack and Cloud, who knew the truth about the Nibelheim Incident, so not only was the Shinra Army mobilized to capture them, but so were the Turks. The details of the Turks’ movements are not shown in this story, but are depicted in BC.

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Wutai

The Water God (286)

The water god Leviathan, who is worshiped as a guardian deity in Wutai. In this story, a statue of the Water God is installed in Fort Tamblin. In FFVII, it appeared as a summon, and the materia needed to summon it was possessed by Godo, a renowned warrior of Wutai.

Wutai War (277)

Wutai’s objections to Shinra’s proposal for the construction of a mako reactor led to complicated negotiations that eventually turned into a fight, the Wutai War. The war had been going on for a long time, and when the situation had reached a stalemate, Shinra decided to deploy SOLDIERs. However, the first group of SOLDIERs deployed at this time disappeared with Genesis (the Soldier Mass Desertion Incident). This is when Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth are deployed, and the situation finally changes drastically. As a result, in [μ]-εγλ 2000, the fall of Fort Tamblin, a strategic position of the Wutai Army, forced them to surrender. Thus, the long war came to an end in [ ν]-εγλ 0001 when President Shinra declared the end of the hostilities.

Godo Kisaragi (282)

Yuffie’s father. In this story, he is referred to only as “old man” and his appearance and background are not shown. His true identity is that of a warrior and the leader of the Five Great Sages of Wutai. But in FFVII, he spends most of his time sleeping because he lost the war against Shinra, and Yuffie calls him “lazy pops”.

The Blond Man (280)

The person who gave Yuffie’s father, Godo, the SOLDIERs email addresses and information about treasure after the end of the Wutai War. Possible names for the blond man include Lazard, who knew the SOLDIER’s personal information and harbored a grudge against Shinra, and Rufus, who was familiar with the Avalanche based in Wutai, but the truth remains unknown.

Wutai Army (277)

The Wutai Army is made up of soldiers and monsters. In general, mechanical ordinance are rarely used, although small arms are used by soldiers. The army is organized in platoons, and the captain leads the soldiers in the platoon. Although they were defeated by Shinra in the Wutai War, some of the soldiers rallied under the Five Saints of Wutai and continued to carry out guerrilla activities against Shinra after the war.

Wutai Soldiers (277)

Soldiers belonging to the Wutai Army. The color of the uniforms and masks differ according to rank, with privates wearing green uniforms and captains wearing orange uniforms, as well as embroidered pants. Soldiers are assigned names from the ten signs of the [Chinese] zodiac according to their abilities, such as A[甲] soldiers, B[乙] soldiers, and so on. Both privates and captains are armed with gun-spears, which is a submachine gun in the shape of a rifle fitted with a blade that can be used for both slashing and thrusting. In addition, some soldiers, such as those who belong to the Crescent Unit, are assigned to a special force according to their mission.

Anti-SOLDIER Monsters (289)

The Wutai army captured and used wild monsters to oppose SOLDIERs. Some of them were given part of the country’s name, such as Vajradhara Wu and Tai, possibly in anticipation of them being war assets.

Ninja (291)

Skilled Wutaians who use unique martial arts, and often use a shuriken as a weapon. Yuffie, who fights with Cloud in FFVII, is also a ninja, and there is a scene in this story where she calls herself a ninja.

Crescent Unit (278)

Special forces of the Wutai Army. A group of elites who describe themselves as “we [who] appease the wrath of Leviathan, and smite the enemies of Wutai.” They are skilled not only in combat but also in espionage. Like the Wutai soldiers, they are armed with gun-spears. Regarding uniforms, the privates wear gray uniforms and pants embroidered with round moon rings, while the captains wear black uniforms and pants embroidered with dragons, plus masks. It is customary for each member of the unit to be given the name of a month. The Five Saints of Wutai also belong to this unit, and after the end of the Wutai War, the entire unit organized the remnants of the Wutai Army. They also hate Zack, who caused the Wutai Army to suffer fatal losses in the Battle of Fort Tamblin.

The Saints of Wutai (277)

The five people who organized the remnants of the Wutai Army after the end of the Wutai War. They all belong to the Crescent Unit, and their names are “Maezuki” (first spear), “Gozuki” (second spear), “Saizuki” (third spear), “Ukizuki” (fourth spear), and “Nakazuki” (fifth spear). In FFVII, there is a group with a similar name to the Five Saints of Wutai called the Five High Sages of Wutai, which includes Yuffie’s father Godo, but there is no connection between them.

TL Note: All the names are variants of “[position Moon]”. So, the first spear is named “Front Moon”, the 3rd Spear is named “Left Moon” and so on… In JP, the “Crescent Unit”‘s name also has the term “moon” in it… so the theme naming they’re going for is pretty obvious…

Remnants of the Wutai Army (277)

After the Wutai War, the remnants of the Wutai army continued to resist Shinra, refusing to accept the surrender of their home country. The Five Saints of Wutai were at the center of organizing the army. After the Five Saints of Wutai were defeated in Shinra’s operation to end the Wutai War, the Crescent Unit reorganized their forces and continued their resistance against Shinra.

Turtle Paradise (279)

[One of] Zack’s suggestions for the name of the bar in Scene 07-04. In FFVII, it appears in the town of Wutai as a tavern serving Wutaian food and local sake. It is a national chain of stores, including the flagship store in Wutai, and also handles products through online shopping. In FFVII, Reno, Rude, and Elena from the Turks visited here on vacation, and there was also a flier campaign where people who found a total of six “Turtle’s Paradise posters” in Midgar and Cosmo Canyon were given luxurious prizes.

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Avalanche

Avalanche (275)

Two organizations that oppose Shinra exist, both with the same name but with different characteristics. The original Avalanche was founded by the planetologists of Cosmo Canyon, and after the destruction of this organization, its name and legacy were carried on in Avalanche, an anti-Shinra organization led by Barret in FFVII.

The Avalanche in this story is the former, and as told in BC, its second leader, a woman named Elfe, began an armed uprising with the slogan “Bring Shinra to Justice!”.

Exclusive News Reporter (290)

A journalist who exposes the darkness of Shinra. He is being hunted by Shinra because all the articles he writes touch on Shinra’s confidential matters. However, in his true form, he is a member of Avalanche, and his goal is to gather classified information about Shinra and give the public a bad impression of Shinra.

Avalanche’s Hideout (275)

Avalanche, the famous anti-Shinra organization, has two separate hideouts in different locations, as described in the “Avalanche” entry. Elfe’s Avalanche hideout is one of the towers in Wutai. The tower has a similar architectural style to the Tower of the Five Gods in FFVII, but is a different building. Meanwhile, Barrett’s Avalanche hideout is in 7th Heaven, a bar in Midgar. The hideout of the anti-Shinra organization that the carpenter is trying to build in Scene 07-04 will later be known as 7th Heaven. Incidentally, both hideouts would be destroyed in extermination operations led by the Turks.

Subduing Avalanche (276)

The suppression of the Elfe’s Avalanche was done primarily by the Turks. The crackdown lasted for more than six years, from February 30, [ν]-εγλ 0001 to October 5, [ν]-εγλ 0007. Later, when the Barret’s Avalanche emerged, the Turks led the extermination operation against them.

【Deaths of Veld and Elfe】(275)

Veld and Elfe appear in BC. In the second half of the story, the two were continuously pursued by Shinra, and finally their deaths were officially announced. However, it was because of reports fabricated by Rufus and Tseng that they were reported dead, and both of them actually survived.

Barret Wallace (292)

A coal miner from Corel who fought alongside Cloud in FFVII. After losing his wife in the mako reactor bombing on May 8th, [ν]-εγλ0003, he formed the anti-Shinra group, Avalanche, with Tifa and others in Midgar to conduct terrorist activities.

In this story, he appears in name only as a member of the Midgar Mako Reactor Inspection Team. But when he does, he is remembered by the wrong name, such as Magnum or Bullet.

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Other Topics

[μ]-εγλ (274)

[μ]-εγλ is the notation for the year. [μ] indicates the era, and the numeral following εγλ indicates the number of years. After the year [μ]-εγλ 2000, the era changes to [ν] and is written as [ν]-εγλ 0001.

The year at the start of this game is [μ]-εγλ 2000, and the year at the start of the other “FFVII” series games are [ν]-εγλ 0001 for BC, [ν]-εγλ 0007 for FFVII, [ν]-εγλ 0009 for AC, and [ν]-εγλ 0010 for DC.

Limit Breaks (298)

Techniques that can be activated right when one’s spirit has surged to its limit and is in sync with one’s body. Among [Zack’s] Limit Breaks, “Healing Wave” is extraordinarily very similar to “Healing Wind”, one of Aerith’s Limit Breaks in FFVII. In the same way, “Meteorain”, one of Cloud’s Limit Breaks in FFVII, is a Limit Break very similar to “Meteor Shot” used by Zack in this game.

Restoring Body Temperature (289)

In Modeoheim, squats restore the body’s low temperature. Similarly, in FFVII, there was a scene in which the player restores their low body temperature by moving their body on Gaia’s Cliffs leading to the Great Northern Cave.

【World Regenesis Organization (WRO)】(287)

An organization formed for the purpose of restoring the devastated world after the Jenova War. Its official name is the World Regenesis Organization.

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Developer Commentary

The [Stage] Direction of the Prologue (293)

There are some similarities between the prologue of this game and FFVII in terms of [stage] direction. The first is that in both cases, the protagonist rides on top of the Shinra train and heads to the Sector 1 Station. Although they have different objectives (Zack’s battle with the Wutai soldiers and Cloud’s mission to blow up the No. 1 Mako Reactor) they share the same dynamic staging of riding on top of a moving train. The second is that the first person they fight after getting off the Shinra train is a Shinra Trooper in both games.

Cissnei’s Real Name (284)

In Scene 09-12, Cissnei reveals to Zack that the name “Cissnei” is a code name and not her real name. However, the real name of Cissnei is not revealed in this story. According to the development staff, “Tian” was also a candidate for the code name.

One White Wing (285)

The white wings that grow from Angeal’s right shoulder. The mechanism behind the growth of the wings as well as the black wing is unknown, but according to development staff, it was set to white to account for the character’s role and the concept of good and evil.

One Black Wing (280)

The wing that grows from Genesis’ left shoulder in this story, and from Sephiroth’s right shoulder in FFVII and AC. The mechanism behind the growth of wings is still unknown and shrouded in mystery. According to development staff, the wing color was set to black after taking into account the concept of good and evil.

Zack’s Mental Landscape (283)

In Scene 09-02, there is a scene where Zack stands on the water’s surface while looking up at white feathers dancing through the blue sky. The development staff was asked about their plans regarding the direction of this scene, and they gave the following response.

“Zack has inherited Angeal’s dying wish, but he can’t help anyone, and on top of that, he is imprisoned in Nibelheim, suffering from a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. Angeal scolds him for his wretched situation, and Zack resolves to take action again. This resolve is represented in the mental landscape at the beginning of Chapter 9.

“The blue sky represents Zack, the white feathers represent Angeal, and the water’s surface represents Aerith.

“The blue sky, as used in the logo of CC, represents Zack, an ideal 1st Class SOLDIER, as imagined in FFVII. It is the image of Zack in his best, complete state of mind. To give a bit more perspective, it can be said to represent ideals, goals, and dreams.

“The white feathers represent Angeal as well as “wings”. It implies the “wings” that go through the “blue sky” also [represent] the existence of Angeal. This suggests [Zack] has to overcome many difficulties to attain the heights of [his] dreams.

“The “water’s surface” reflecting the “blue sky” represents Aerith. The interpretation is that when Aerith hears the voice of the Planet, she is accessing the Lifestream. The imagery is of Aerith’s consciousness flowing through water, which suggests the Lifestream. Or it represents the Lifestream itself, which is like the Planet’s intentions.

“By drawing a connection between the three, the entire story is implied.”

Genesis’ Dream (283)

In Scene 10-09, Genesis says “The dream… came true”. Genesis’ “dream” is “to serve the hero Sephiroth our apples one day”. This is why in the same scene, Zack says, “Sorry I’m not the real thing, but…” where ” the real thing” refers to Sephiroth, and “not the real thing” refers to Zack and Cloud, who are Sephiroth Copies.

Loveless’ Final Act (274)

Loveless’s Final Act is missing except for one sentence: “Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return”. The greatest mystery is what happened to the world after the Gift of the Goddess was bestowed on it, and various opinions about it fly back and forth between Loveless researchers.In Scene 10-10, Genesis’ feather adds, “To become a drop of hope for the Planet, At the end of the earth, beyond the sky, in a vast expanse of water, I offer thee this silent sacrifice” to the Final Act, but this is a line Genesis came up with, not an official one. What he wrote in the Final Act reveals that he regained his SOLDIER Honor after losing to Zack, and decided to become an existence that protects the Planet himself. It seems that since Sephiroth and Angeal are dead, he concluded that he was left behind to protect the world. Furthermore, “in a vast expanse of water” suggests the water prison Genesis is confined to in DC.

TL Note: I reworked the Loveless lines a tad so they fit the sense of the JP better. Translating 星 as “land” when it is always “the Planet” in the context of FFVII is probably the biggest localization error in Crisis Core.

Interpreting Loveless (274)

Loveless is a story that can be interpreted in various ways by its readers, both in the world of this story and in the real world. We received some answers from the development staff about their interpretation of Loveless, which can be found below.

“Genesis regards himself as the “Hero” of Loveless and tries to “Reenact Loveless” by fighting Zack. By doing this, he hoped the “Gift of the Goddess” would be bestowed on him.

“By fighting Zack, Genesis regains his SOLDIER Honor and is released from his fear of degradation and death. He reached a point where he was willing to “degrade and die” because he was determined to “fulfill the role of a SOLDIER”. In other words, by fighting Zack, Genesis realized that he did not play the role of the “Hero” of Loveless, but that the “Gift of the Goddess” was bestowed on him when he dedicated himself to the role of the “Prisoner of War”.

“For that reason, “SOLDIER Honor”, the motivation behind his change in values, is the “Gift of the Goddess” for Genesis. Given that “SOLDIER Honor” is a concept that represents “Angeal’s Thoughts”, I concluded that “Zack”, who inherited “Angeal’s Thoughts”, was the “Gift of the Goddess” as far as Genesis was concerned.

“As a side note, “One flies away,” “One is captured,” and “One becomes a hero” from Loveless is based on the interpretation that Angeal flew away, while Genesis became a prisoner of war, which leads to Zack’s final line, “Would you say I became a hero?”.”

Reenacting Loveless (274)

What Genesis tried to reenact in the Light of Doom in the Banora Underground was the duel between the close friends in Loveless Act 4, with himself as the “Hero,” Zack as the “Prisoner of War,” the goddess statue as the “Goddess,” and the red orb as the “Gift of the Goddess”. By reenacting it, Genesis thought he could give himself the Gift of the Goddess and be saved from the abominable degradation phenomenon.

In Scene 10-05, Zack says to Genesis, “Does this mean… you knew… from the beginning?” He means, “Does this mean you knew to reenact Loveless from the beginning?” However, Genesis was not thinking specifically of reenacting Loveless when this story began. It was only when he learned that Hollander could not cure his degradation at Modeoheim in Chapter 5 that he decided to try to reenact Loveless in order to obtain the Gift of the Goddess.

A Sudden Encounter with Minerva (296)

In Scene 10-06, Genesis has a sudden encounter with Minerva in a space overflowing with the Lifestream. The development staff was asked about the plans for the exchange between the two, and the answer was as follows.

“Minerva is like a summon, and Minerva’s intentions are not the reason why Genesis survived. Minerva is an image whose actions and facial expressions reflect the intentions of the Lifestream.

“Genesis has reached a point where he is “not afraid of degradation and death” because he is determined to regain his SOLDIER Honor and fulfill his role of a SOLDIER. That is, Genesis is a state of “overcoming death”. An impression of Genesis’ strong will to “fulfill his role as a SOLDIER” was accepted by the Lifestream, which concluded, “Go fulfill it.”

“Minerva’s facial expression implies that the Lifestream has concluded “Genesis has not yet fulfilled his role as a SOLDIER”, and that “something remains for Genesis to accomplish”.

“In this way, Genesis “overcame death” with the intention of carrying out its [the Lifestream’s] mission. And this is linked to the future actions of Genesis.”

Meeting Aerith (278)

The scene in this story where Zack falls from the Sector 5 Mako Reactor into the church in the slums and meets Aerith is almost the same situation as the meeting between Cloud and Aerith in FFVII. According to development staff member Nojima, this was intentionally created as a linked scene. Similarly, Zack’s “one date” line is linked to the “one date” line that Aerith said to Cloud in FFVII.