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My personal theory derived from my own thoughts and from the analysis one of the forum members pointed out - June 7 2004
My assumptions are the following:
1) Sephiroth, along with Cloud, was just a puppet of Jenova, a puppet of the real villain and threat to Planet, the Calamity from the Skies, the Crisis for the Planet - that’ s to say, Jenova itself.
2) Jenova, as we know from the information and from the trailers leaked out of Advent Children, has not been defeated yet, for her ability to replicate herself has somehow granted her survival - her “ head ” is still lurking somewhere, and her cells are still propagating, either within those who were injected with them ( like Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo may very likely have ) , or via the plague that Jenova, after the fall of Meteor, is spreading. As a matter of fact, it just seems that history is repeating itself, and Jenova’ s patterns of action are still the same: she injured the Planet through Meteor ( the Geostigma ) just as she had done two thousand years before when the Cetra were around, and she infiltrates with illusions among society while spreading a lethal disease to the people ( the Star Scar Syndrome ) , affecting mostly the children of the surviving humanity ( “ Children are always the first to suffer ” ) . And obviously, as she had tried before, she is attempting another “ Reunion ” , that’ s to say the gathering of all her scattered cells in order for her to become one again and to finally accomplish her rise to power. If the Silver-Haired Men, Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, really possess some of the Jenova’ s cells within their bodies ( and that would explain their awesome physical and magical powers ) , they could be not only other Shin-ra’ s experiments ( Nomura said that the wallpaper showing them with the Shin-ra logo was not a coincidence ) , but also and quite surely the new puppets for Jenova to control, her new means to achieve her horrible goals, her new tools of destruction and manipulation ( they are stirring - and I think deceiving - the children for purposes we do not know of, but we can easily guess that they are related to Jenova’ s plans ) .
3) “ Old Brother ” , the caped man on the wheelchair, in these regards can only be Sephiroth, while it’ s still not clear why he has got his right arm again ( he had a wing instead of it last time Cloud faced him ) and why it seems that the left is missing ( it could be covered, but it seems really lacking ) . Of course, Jenova’ s ability to replicate and reconstruct can easily lead to body regeneration for those injected with her cells, so this may explain it all ( and maybe Nomura showed us the right arm on purpose, trying to convince us it was not Sephiroth’ s ) . So it is Sephiroth, another puppet of Jenova’ s someway still alive ( but I doubt he will even be able to move ) , guiding the three men, his ( or better, HER ) offspring, to the same goals Jenova tried to reach two years before.
4) And now comes the interesting part: Aeris & Cloud. Let’ s remember a couple of lines:
“ The secret is just up here. At least it should be. I feel it. It feels like I’ m being led by something. Well, I’ ll be going now. I’ ll come back when it’ s all over. ”
According to the excellent analysis Dark Albatross made us aware of, it seems clear that Aeris, when she decided to “ handle Sephiroth ” and go to the Forgotten Capital to pray for Holy, already knew Jenova was the real threat and she should have been clearly aware that Sephiroth, who was after her, would have tried to stop her and kill her. But she knew something greater was protecting her, and she wasn’ t afraid… “ She smiled to the end ” . Yes, she was smiling, kneeling at that altar, she was smiling even after Sephiroth ( Jenova ) tried to force Cloud to stab her, and she was smiling just before Sephiroth came down to murder her. She knew Holy would protect her, she knew that it wouldn’ t be the end: she said to Cloud, “ I’ ll come back when it’ s all over ” , implying that with the power of Holy ( the Ultimate White Magic, the magic of Healing, so the only one who could have the power even to resurrect her ) , she couldn’ t die. Her sacrifice served to let her reach Holy and activate her, she gave her life in order for the Planet to be saved, and when all would have been over, she would have come back.
But what were the prerequisites for her to return? Cloud’ s feelings, Cloud’ s love, obviously: if he had held within his heart her memory and his love for her, if he had really thought she was the only one for him and he could not have lived without her, when everything was over, she would have returned to him.
“ I think I’ m beginning to understand… ”
“ What? ”
“ An answer from the Planet… The Promised Land… I think I can meet her… there. ”
“ Yeah, let’ s go meet her. ”
Yes, Cloud comes to this realization talking to Tifa at the end of the game, he understands that the Promised Land isn’ t a physical place, but it lies inside his heart ( as Aeris told him… “ Like you just know, ‘this is the Promised Land’ ” ) … and as long as he will keep Aeris’ memory and his feelings for her deep within his heart, she wouldn’ t die, but he would meet her again one day.
And here’ s Advent Children introduction notes: we know that Cloud, who could have loved Tifa instead, has chosen to lead a lonely life separating himself from the others, from the old friends, even from the woman who was his childhood friend and cared so much for him. Why? We know why! Because Cloud is keeping Aeris’ ( and Zack’ s ) memory within himself, because he keeps feeling guilty for her death and feels a terrible remorse ( Ore wa yurusaretaindatomo… hun… ore wa yurusaretai – I think I want to be forgiven… yes, I want to be forgiven ) , and, last but not least, I think he keeps desiring and hoping, even though he may think it would be just a meaningless hope, to see Aeris again someday, to embrace her again.
But when the Silver-Haired Men appear, when the plague spreads among the humans, when the peace and the world’ s safety that Aeris gave her life for is once again threatened, Cloud feels it’ s about time to come back to the battlefield and fight again, in order for Aeris’ s sacrifice not to be vain. So, “ It’ s not over yet… this isn’ t the end yet… ” , everything is not over yet, the Planet is still in danger, and a new battle must be fought for its salvation. “ And so he takes sword in hand… once again! ”
By the way, when this struggle too will end, it will be then ( and that is my hope, Cloud’ s hope, and the hope of almost 100% of Final Fantasy VII fans and players ) that Aeris will show up again, if Cloud’ s love ( our love, our affection, the affection of us videogamers who have been showing it since 1997, through our websites, our petitions, our discussions, our poems… things that Square-Enix surely is aware of and could not ignore ) will still be there in his heart. Think about it: we’ ve seen three trailers of Advent Children up to now, and many images, and the programmers showed us almost all the main characters, Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Vincent, Marlene, even the Turks, not to mention Sephiroth himself who was one of the first to re-appear… aren’ t we missing something? Where is Aeris? We see the flashback of her burial, but it’ s just a few seconds shot with a distant camera, but we don’ t see her face, and I’ m positive we won’ t see her until the movie itself will come out. But although we don’ t see her, we hear her speak ( " The way I died was a good way… is that what you think? " ) and we PERFECTLY KNOW she’ ll be there, somewhere, somehow, in spirit form, or in material form, but she’ ll be there, rather certainly at the end of the OAV, in the last 5 minutes where all our affection and devotion in the past 7 YEARS will be finally fulfilled and rewarded. At least it’ s my utmost hope.
In the end, in fact, why is Cloud fighting again, what is his new purpose, what is he fighting for now?
“ Is it for the children? ” - for the safety of the children and of the surviving humanity he struggled for in the past?
“ For a memory? ” - for the preciousness of Aeris’ memory and sacrifice, to prevent her sacrifice to lose its meaning, to fulfill her will to save the Planet and all the lifeforms on it?
“ Or… for himself? ” - or for his personal, even selfish, wish for his loved one to come back to life, his righteous desire to be reunited with the girl he loved most, with Aeris Gainsborough?
Only time will tell…
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Latest information from the japanese magazines - May 25 2004
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children at the present time is about 20-30% complete, and it should last 70-80 minutes. It will be released in the dvd format and in the Playstation Portable format, and no information has been confirmed about a European release.
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TRANSLATION from japanese magazines featuring Advent Children details and an interview with Tetsuya Nomura ( March 19 2004 ) by Kionae
The Playstation 2 "Two years later, three men appear in Midgar"
"The true face of the enemy finally becomes clear?!"
Picture: The ruins which are thought to be Midgar, with the three men on motorcycles
Three silver haired men who sit over the motorcycles of strange form, they appear gallant. Key persons of "FFVIIAC", it is Kadaj, Loz, and Yazuu. What is the purpose of the three?
"Star scar syndrome": The man who wears the white cloth and Kadaj exchange a secret conversation. If you guess that this man is somehow related to the star scar syndrome which prevails in the town, you probably will not be wrong.
"Star scar syndrome" (Picture: Person in white and Kadaj)
"Kadaj instigates the populace": Kadaj shouting directions to the children, the his temper rises. Explaining what is expected of them?
"Kadaj instigates the populace" (Picture: Kadaj who speaks before the populace)
"That power which is concealed!?" (Picture: After accumulating magic in his arm, Kadaj shoots magic toward the sky)
Tifa Lockheart: Two years have passed but presently it seems that she works again at the bar "Seventh Heaven" of Midgar Sector Seven
She fights with Loz with proud technique. Is the reason which she visits this place because this is where the memory of Aeris is? .... From the mini-skirt she changes the clothes to the half-skirt.
"You probably think this is fun -----" (Picture: Tifa fights with Loz at what is thought to be the Aeris' church)
Barret, the leader of the anti-Shinra organization "Avalanche", who fought with Cloud. The daughter of his close friend Dyne who was killed by Shinra, Marlene, he has raised like his own child. It is not clear, what the place where Marlene is means?
"I want to go with Cloud" (Picture: A worried Marlene clings to someone)
Vincent Valentine: He seems to have some knowledge concerning what is occuring in Midgar. Is the latest incident related to a past relationship? - could Lucrecia be involved? N.d. Daniele
Is that also Turks appearing?: Inside the Shinra company, the élite group who undertakes the dirty work single-handed. Reno and Rude make a reappearance!
"This picture from behind...?" (Picture: The man with red hair and the skinhead and Yazuu and Loz confront each other)
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Weekly Famitsu MONTHLY A.C. Vol.1
The names of the three silver haired men are introduced.
"Star Scar syndrome" ( GeoStigma ) : In the town which in chaos, the people suffer from the illness of unknown cause. Somehow, this illness exerts an adverse effect the children, it seems.
Vincent Valentine: The former gunman of the Turks has some knowledge, concerning what is happening.
Tifa Lockheart: A principal member of anti-Shinra organization "Avalanche" who know the past of Cloud accurately. Presently she works at "Seventh Heaven".
"You probably think this is fun -----" (Picture: Tifa fights with Loz at what is thought to be the Aeris' church)
Person veiled in white !?: Yazuu, who attacks Cloud, has a conversation. Are the three men receiving orders to go after Cloud from this person?
"Why is he attacked?" (Picture: Cloud vs Yazuu)
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Famitsu PS2 "FINAL FANTAY VII ADVENT CHILDREN preface" hot news report
Concerning various puzzles we have a direct hit from the staff!
"As for older brother mentioned?": Is the older brother Sephiroth?
Nomura: What kind of connection is there between these siblings [Kionae says: I'm not really sure about the siblings part...], and Sephiroth? Who are they pointing to, calling older brother? That is something I'm going to let you look forward to [Kionae says: Interpret that as 'I'm not telling!']!"
"Three youths": These three people seem to have much in common, but it likely that they are siblings?
Nomura: Yes, it is so. They could also be called Advent Children.
As for the reason they attack Cloud....
Nomura: What? Perhaps they just don't like him.
Kadaj: He can be calm, atrocious and immature, intellectual. His state of mind is extreme.
Yazuu: He is very aloof. He is a man of few words, and does what he pleases.
Loz: You can see a difference in his eyes. He is immature and has a short temper.
[Kionae says: Not the best translation, but it's 1 am... best you're going to get from me.]
All from Nomura
What about a relationship between Tifa and Cloud?
Nomura: Do you think that it is possible to grasp the whole truth concerning the relationship? It is simple to express in word, but...
True madness of Kadaj: Kadaj is the leader who holds the key to the story.
Nomura: I'm not sure whether the word "true madness" is agreeable.
Relation to the Shinra company: In the latest photograph, Reno and Rude of the original Turks to appear. Two people look like Kadaj (*it is Loz and Yazuu)... perhaps they are working together?
Nomura: Eventually it will become clear. Please wait for follow-up story.
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Previous information and speculations
YES!!! It has been confirmed!!! For those of you who were eager to know what happened after Meteor crashed on the land at the end of our most beloved RPG, Final Fantasy VII, and who also longed for a SEQUEL itself, here is the answer Square gave you/us: on SUMMER 2004, in Japan, the COMPUTER GRAPHICS MOVIE titled " Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children " , approx. 70-80 minutes long, will be released in the DVD format!!! Let us hope for an american or european release as soon as possible!!!
This is all the information I got about the story: it is 2 years after Meteor fell down, and Cloud and the (few?) humans who are left must face a new threat to the peace early restored: the " Star Scar Syndrome " , perhaps some kind of disease caused by some sort of radiations/pollution spread from the impact of Meteor. It seems that new enemies, bearing a striking resemblance to Sephiroth, have arisen, that some "children" are in danger and Cloud wants to protect them without asking help from anyone, and that most of the characters we well know from FFVII will come back with a brand new look and powers. Incidentally, Cloud has got a cooler motorbike, the Fenrir, which holds up to 6 swords, and it' ll be likely to see some flashbacks of the events in Nibelheim and of Aeris' burial in the lake of the Forgotten Capital.
RUMORS: my personal ( and I repeat, personal ) opinion about those grey-haired characters, who fight Cloud in the trailers, is that they might possibly be Sephiroth' s offspring, at the extent they could be other, maybe more successful, clones, or some beings who were given birth by the consequences of the impact of Meteor with Jenova' s or Sephiroth' s cells...
And the figure that appears in the trailers, sitting in a wheelchair and cloaked in white, whose hand is gently touched by that mysterious character, and whose identity the programmers haven' t revealed yet on purpose, might be associated to a " motherly " or " fatherly " entity... perhaps Sephiroth or Jenova ( or better, what remains of them) , or Hojo itself...
I guess much speculation can be done about this and other elements in the screenshots and in the trailers, but only time will tell us the truth! Of course, your opinions as well as other precious information you manage to find are always well accepted! Regarding this matter, contact me via the "Contact me" link at the top of this page!
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