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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the emotional scars of Cloud Strife
The latest title in Square Enix’s flagship franchise is not afraid to reveal the psychological vulnerability of its protagonist, setting him up for what can only be a cathartic third and final part of the trilogy.
- *WARNING*— The following article contains heavy SPOILERS for the original Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII, and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children ahead. Proceed at your own risk.
If you’re a fan of video games, then the name Cloud Strife is familiar to you. The man who, along with Sephiroth, Tifa, Aerith, and a few others, has become synonymous with the success of the Final Fantasy franchise in the late 90’s. Cloud was the main star in a story that talked about many difficult and complex issues, such as life, death, capitalism, the environment, etc. And showed the world that yes, you can use video games to address these topics.
But despite the significance of his role in the events of the original Final Fantasy VII, it can be said that we don’t get the time to understand what Cloud is going through. Who he is or who he is trying to be. What’s going on inside his mind? What happened to make him this way? How does he process the events that are happening before his very eyes? Who is Cloud Strife? Due to time constraints and technological limitations, those were all questions left unanswered at the time.
In 2005, the world received a better image of Cloud Strife through the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. In this movie, which takes place a couple of years after the main events of the original Final Fantasy VII, we see a Cloud burdened by guilt. A Cloud who’s unwilling to forgive himself and who’s distanced himself from everyone. A Cloud who’s even willing to give up and die from a disease known as geostigma. It isn’t said during the film, but you can see that he’s willing to die as a form of punishment for the crimes he (thinks he) has committed. He’s full of guilt until his friends come in and lift the burdens off his shoulders.
