What kind of organization is the Shinra Company that Zack is affiliated with, and what are the SOLDIERs with Shinra like? Before getting into the story, let’s study some of the fundamental terms of this game and the FFVII series.
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Shinra Company
Shin-Ra Electric Power Company
A giant corporation that effectively controls the world. The founder and chief executive of the company is President Shinra. Originally a small weapons development company called Shinra Manufacturing Works, it quickly became the world’s largest company when it discovered a process of converting the life energy of the Planet, “mako”, into electricity. After moving its headquarters to Midgar, a city sustained by the energy supply of several mako reactors, it created a powerful army as a product of its military and scientific research, and since then it has dominated the world in terms of political, economic and military power.
↑ SOLDIER consists of three classes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Each class is issued a black, purple, or light blue uniform, but 1st Classes are allowed to wear personal clothing.
>>> SOLDIER
The elite soldiers of Shinra. They are created by performing a unique procedure on candidates who volunteer or are recruited from around the world, and then exposing those who can tolerate the procedure (IE: those with SOLDIER aptitude) to mako. They are divided into three classes based on their abilities. The highest class, 1st Class, has only a handful of members. At the beginning of the story, it is under the jurisdiction of the SOLDIER Department.
>>> The Turks
The Shinra Company’s General Affairs Department: Investigation Section. A covert task force made up of selected employees, its missions include not only scouting for SOLDIER candidates, but also espionage, cover-ups, and even neutralizing opponents. Although it is under the jurisdiction of the Security Department, it is directly commanded by the Chief Turk.
↑ In Midgar, they are in charge of guarding Sector Eight. The Chief during the CC era is a man named Veld, and Tseng is his deputy.
The Wutai War and Shinra
Shinra discovered a region rich in mako and began to construct a reactor to pump up the mako. In many cases, the construction of a mako reactor was welcomed as it would contribute to the growth of the region, but Wutai, the country to the west, rejected it, and the Wutai War broke out. Despite Shinra’s overwhelming military strength, Wutai’s opposition is relentless, and the two sides have been locked in a stalemate for years.
← The story begins when a large number of SOLDIERs are sent in to end the Wutai War.
Rise of the Anti-Shinra Organizations
While public opinion of Shinra has been favorable due to its success in significantly improving people’s lives, there are many who disagree with its reckless use of mako. They form groups to protest and are known as “anti-Shinra organizations”. The most famous of them, Avalanche, poses a threat to Shinra by carrying out extreme acts of sabotage in various locations.
← Avalanche was founded by a group of planetologists who believe in the circulation of the Planet’s lives.
Mako/The Lifestream
The Lifestream
A term that refers to the current of life energy circulating through the Planet. The name “mako” was given to it by Shinra, who discovered it and began using it as a power source. In the teachings of planetology, it is called “The Lifestream”. Although planetologists have warned Shinra that the Planet will be destroyed if it runs out of mako, most people are indifferent about its use.
>>> Mako Reactor
A facility built by Shinra to pump up magic from the ground and convert it into electricity. More than 30 years before CC, the first reactor was built in Nibelheim. With the exception of Midgar, most of them are built in remote regions with the expectation of developing the local community. But in some cases, such as the Wutai War, the construction of a mako reactor may cause conflict between the region and Shinra.
← With a total of nine reactors, from number zero to number eight, Midgar is called “The City of Mako”.
>>> Materia
A spherical object in which mako energy is condensed. It is full of the Knowledge of the Ancients, a race that was able to freely harness as magic the power of Planet. By acquiring it, one can use magic, unique skills, and display extraordinary abilities. Most common materia are manufactured by Shinra to sell on the market, while natural materia are few and far between.
← In an area rich in mako, underground mako may naturally solidify to form materia.
The Ancients
The Cetra
A people with the ability to communicate with the Planet, who are now nearly extinct. They are also known as the “Cetra”. They took on the role of protecting the Planet, and opened up veins of Lifestream in various places to help the Planet prosper. Having interpreted the Promised Land as a place of abundant mako, Shinra is trying to harness the power of the Ancients, as it said they know where the “Promised Land” of supreme happiness lies.
Jenova and the Ancients
Jenova is a mummified life form that was discovered about 30 years ago. Thinking that it was an Ancient, Shinra implemented the “Jenova Project,” a project to bring back the Ancients in the present day so they could find the Promised Land. But in reality, Jenova is an unusual life form that flew in from outer space about 2,000 years ago, and is the one responsible for driving the Ancients to extinction. Unaware of this fact, Shinra created the “Children of Jenova” who harbor its cells, and they continue to this day.
“Loveless”
Loveless
A classic epic poem known as “a story of love and friendship headed for destruction”. It follows three best friends in search of the “Gift of the Goddess” who eventually share the road ahead and end up fighting each other. Loveless is divided into five acts, but the ending is unknown because the last act is missing. Acts 2 and 3 are particularly famous, and are performed every year in Midgar as a romantic drama to great acclaim.