If someone decides to playCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, then chances are they already know who Sephiroth is. The silver-haired, large katana-wielding bad guy has gone down in video game history in the last twenty-five years, just ashis mortal enemy Cloud Strifehas. However, he wasn’t always such a ruthless antagonist, and now fans can see it for themselves in the newly remastered release.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionacts as a prequel to the originalFinal Fantasy 7. InCCFF7R, players take on the role of Zack Fair, who they may already know as Cloud Strife’s deceased best friend. As Zack, players work their way through the ranks of SOLDIER to become 1st Class as numerous Shinra conspiracies come to light. During their journey, they also watch as Sephiroth becomes entangled in the mess, and what it turns him into.
RELATED:Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Shows How PS Plus Premium Is Underplaying Its Hand
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Shows Who Sephiroth Was
Sephiroth has always been Cloud’s idol as a child, known as a great SOLDIER hero.Crisis Coreallows the series to turn back time and showcase just what Sephiroth was like back before he was the series' most threatening villain. While he still seems standoffish and cold, he also shows a bit of a kind heart underneath his proud attitude. The prequel makes it a point to showcase Sephiroth’s vulnerabilities through his friends Angeal Hewley andGenesis Rhapsodos.
Once Angeal and Genesis both desert SOLDIER after learning the truth of their existence, Sephiroth suddenly withdraws and thrusts any missions dealing with his friends onto Zack. Sometimes he ends up crashing the missions to help in his own cryptic ways. Angeal even comments at one point that Sephiroth looks thin, implying he hasn’t eaten due to the stress of the situation. InCrisis Core,Sephiroth is given plenty of humanityonly for it to be taken away later on.
Sephiroth’s Fall in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
Things naturally come to a head inChapter 8 ofCCFF7R. In the Mt. Nibel reactor, Genesis speaks of Project S, the experiments that led to the creation of Sephiroth. It’s here that Sephiroth has to face who he actually is; a “monster” just like Angeal and Genesis. He tells Zack that he’s known that he wasn’t normal and sought the truth as to why throughout his entire life, but he himself is very clearly distraught by what the reason is.
After questioning if he’s monster just like his friends, Sephiroth takes matters into his own hands and searches for the truth. By the time he seals himself up in Nibelheim’s Shinra Manor, players know he’s stressed and has been pushed to his limit after everything that’s happened. Between Angeal and Genesis betraying their bond and how much he cares for them, along with finding out his entire life was fabricated by the company he worked and excelled for, the stress drives him insane. He comes to the conclusion that he’s the chosen oneborn by Jenovaand burns Nibelheim down.
While some fans may find the Sephiroth inCrisis Corestrange at first, especially as he does nice things like protecting Angeal and Genesis against Shinra, it ultimately leads to the creation of the villain players have known and loved for decades. It also gives Sephiroth a tragic backstory while managing to double down on his motivations. Sephiroth is a monstrous enemy that’s ultimately the fault ofhis makers at Shinra.
Some fans may be worried that giving Sephiroth such a heart-wrenching backstory to how he became such a huge threat might lead to him getting a redemption arc down the line where he returns to his normal self. However, fifteen years have passed sinceCrisis Corefirst released, and Sephiroth remains as formidable as ever. It seems like the kind, quiet Sephiroth is gone, and now fans have only the villainous and Jenova-obsessed Sephiroth in his place. More of the iconic antagonist is certainly on the waywhenFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthreleasessometime next year.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion- What Do Mako Reactors Do?
