Characters of the Final Fantasy VII series



Final Fantasy VII, a role-playing video game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and originally released in 1997, features a large number of fictional characters in both major and minor roles. The game follows Cloud Strife, a troubled mercenary who joins with an eco-terrorist group to stop the megacorporation Shinra from draining the life of the Planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, conflicts escalate and the world's safety becomes their central concern as new forces emerge to challenge the original group. Cloud and his team eventually face off against the game's antagonist, Sephiroth.

The characters and the world they inhabit (referred to as "The Planet" in Final Fantasy VII, but retroactively named "Gaia" ) have been expanded on and added to in a series of spin-off games, films and stories collectively known as the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.

Concept and creation
When looking at the story of Final Fantasy VII, character designer Tetsuya Nomura decided it was very dark and needed characters who reflected that. Thus Cloud's original character design called for slicked back black hair with no spikes, intended to serve as a contrast to Sephiroth's long, flowing silver hair. However, to give Cloud a unique look that would emphasize his role as the game's protagonist, Nomura changed the design to feature Cloud's shock of spiky, bright blond hair. For Tifa Lockhart's design, Nomura has admitted to facing a difficult decision in choosing to give her a miniskirt or pants. With input from other members of the game's development staff, he eventually selected a dark miniskirt, contrasted by Aerith Gainsborough's long, pink dress. Vincent Valentine's character developed from horror researcher to detective, then to chemist, and finally to the figure of a former Turk with a tragic past. His crimson mantle was added to symbolize the idea of carrying a heavy weight associated with death on his shoulders. Nomura has indicated that Cid Highwind's fighting style resembles that of a Dragoon, a character class chosen because his last name is the same as that of two previous Dragoons featured in the Final Fantasy series, Ricard Highwind of Final Fantasy II and Kain Highwind of Final Fantasy IV. Although the game was Nomura's favorite Final Fantasy project, he felt that it was hindered by graphical limitations, and that his designs were, consequently, very plain in comparison to his "true" style.

The "dark" theme described by Nomura is continued throughout the Compilation, with characters such as Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and the Tsviets in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. Producer Yoshinori Kitase stated that voice acting was one of the topics to which the Compilation team paid close attention. As Cloud and Vincent have similar personalities, care was taken to differentiate between them and their dialogue.

Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife (クラウド・ストライフ) is the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. When Final Fantasy VII begins, he is a mercenary employed by the eco-terrorist organization AVALANCHE, who claims to be a former SOLDIER 1st Class. Cloud exhibits an often arrogant attitude and a cool disposition, until a traumatic experience in the Lifestream helps him discover lost memories of his true self. He wears a black SOLDIER uniform and is distinguished by his glowing blue eyes, a sign of having been exposed to a large amounts of Mako. He has spiky blonde hair and wields a Buster Sword in combat, given to him by his late friend Zack Fair, whose past had become confused with Cloud's own memories.

Cloud also appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles that expand his character. He is also featured in several other games from Square such as as Dissidia Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Tactics, the Kingdom Hearts series, Itadaki Street Special, Itadaki Street Portable, Chocobo Racing, Ehrgeiz and LittleBigPlanet 2. He is voiced in Japanese by Takahiro Sakurai and in English by Steve Burton.

Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine (ヴィンセント・ヴァレンタイン) is an optional character in Final Fantasy VII, where he is not required to complete the game. However, he later became the protagonist of two sequels, Dirge of Cerberus for the PlayStation 2 and the mobile phone game Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII. Vincent is a dark, brooding, and sardonic man whose heart was numbed by a tragic love. Approximately thirty years before the start of Final Fantasy VII, whilst working as a Turk, Vincent fell in love with the scientist Lucrecia Crescent, who saved him after he had been shot, by implanting him with the Chaos gene, and the protomateria with which to control Chaos. He was subseqeuently experimented on by Hojo, and consequently failed to age, also developing superhuman abilities. After the numerous experiments and with the help of the protomateria, Vincent became capable of transforming into four different demons. Cloud and the others eventually discover him sleeping inside a coffin in the basement of the Shinra Mansion, where he joins them in their quest to hunt down Sephiroth. Vincent reveals very little about himself after his original introduction, and his backstory is explored in Dirge of Cerberus as well as other Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles. He is voiced in Japanese by Shōgo Suzuki and in English by Steven Blum.

Turks
The Turks (タークス) are a group that perform covert operations on behalf of Shinra, including espionage, kidnappings and assassinations. They also scout for potential candidates for Shinra's elite military unit, SOLDIER, and serve as bodyguards for the Shinra executives. The group's full name was originally the "Investigation Division of the Department of General Affairs". In Final Fantasy VII, Reno, Rude, Elena, and their leader Tseng serve as recurring antagonists, although they are not above forming temporary alliances with the game's group of central characters. They are the protagonists of the Final Fantasy VII prequel, Before Crisis, which focuses exclusively on their actions in the years leading up to the events of the original game. The player chooses from eleven unnamed Turks, each with his or her own backstory, personality, strengths and weaknesses. Each Turk is identified based on their weapon and gender, with the exception of the legendary Turk, called "Legend (Male)".

The Turks make additional appearences throughout the Compilation. In Last Order, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and several Turks from Before Crisis attempt to apprehend Zack and Cloud after they escape from Shinra Mansion. In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", the Turks make an appearance during the Meteor crisis, and with their former leader, Veld, they assist other Turks in evacuating civilians. In Advent Children, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Elena serve as allies to Cloud, as well as bodyguards to Rufus Shinra, aiding him in his self-appointed mission to restore the world's vitality. In Crisis Core, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Cissnei feature throughout. In the novel Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, Tseng, Reno, Rude and Elena are central characters.

Zack Fair
Zack Fair (ザックス・フェア) is a minor character in Final Fantasy VII, although he is the protagonist of its prequel, Crisis Core. In the original game, Zack appears only in flashback sequences, which portray him as almost identical to Cloud in physical appearance, except for his black hair. When Cloud is able to resolve his conflicted memories, Zack's true past is revealed. Zack was Aerith's first love, and it was he who gave the Buster Sword to Cloud, as it had been given to him by Angeal Hewley. He was born in the town of Gongaga, where he lived until leaving to join SOLDIER. Eventually he worked his way up to SOLDIER 1st class. He was captured along with Cloud after a battle with Sephiroth in Nibelheim, and experimented upon. After four years, he was able to escape with Cloud, and attempted to return to Aerith in Midgar. A year after their escape, however, Zack was killed by Shinra.

Zack also appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles Before Crisis, Last Order and Advent Children, as well as in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Ehrgeiz. He is voiced in Japanese by Kenichi Suzumura and in English by Rick Gomez.

Sephiroth
Sephiroth (セフィロス) is the antagonist of Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. Recognised as the most powerful SOLDIER of all time, he rose to a prominent rank in the organization at an early age. After a traumatic incident in which he learned of what he assumed to be his true origins, he left SOLDIER and civilization altogether with plans to become a god-like entity by wounding Gaia with Meteor and absorbing the entirety of the Lifestream into himself. He manipulates and tortures Cloud over the course of Final Fantasy VII, and kills Aerith at the Forgotten City. Cloud ultimately destroys him at the end of the game, but he returns in Advent Children, where he is reborn through the body of Kadaj, and subsequently defeated once again by Cloud.

Sephiroth also appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles Before Crisis, Last Order, the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Lifestream – Black and White" and Crisis Core, as well as in Dissidia Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Itadaki Street Special, Itadaki Street Portable, Ehrgeiz, LittleBigPlanet and LittleBigPlanet 2. He is voiced in Japanese by Toshiyuki Morikawa and in English by George Newbern.

Aerith Gainsborough
Aerith Gainsborough (エアリス・ゲインズブール) was a flower peddler on the streets of Midgar, sought after by Shinra's research department because she was the last of the Cetra (also known as the Ancients), and as such, Shinra believed she was the key to finding the fabled Promised Land. She asks Cloud to be her bodyguard after a run-in with the Turks, and subsequently joins AVALANCHE. While with AVALANCHE, Aerith realizes that she is the one who must stop Sephiroth's plot and save the planet. However, Sephiroth realizes that Aerith is a danger to him and kills her in the Forgotten City as she prays. Despite her death, however, Aerith's spirit maintains her cognitive powers and she is able to retain herself while in the Lifestream.

Aerith also appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles Before Crisis, the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Lifestream – Black and White", Advent Children and Crisis Core, as well as in Final Fantasy Tactics, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, Itadaki Street Special, Itadaki Street Portable and LittleBigPlanet 2. She is voiced in Japanese by Maaya Sakamoto and in English by Mandy Moore in Kingdom Hearts, Mena Suvari in Kingdom Hearts II and Advent Children and Andrea Bowen in Crisis Core.

Tifa Lockhart
Tifa Lockhart (ティファ・ロックハート) is a childhood friend of Cloud and a skilled martial artist, having been instructed by Zangan. She is one of the lead members of AVALANCHE and it is she who initially convinces Cloud to join them in their rebellion against Shinra. She ultimately helps to unlock Cloud's missing memories when they fall into the Lifestream together, and she is the only character who knows of Cloud's past.

Tifa appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles Before Crisis, Last Order, On the Way to a Smile, Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus, Crisis Core and Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, as well as in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts II, Itadaki Street Special, Itadaki Street Portable, Ehrgeiz and LittleBigPlanet 2. She is voiced in Japanese by Ayumi Ito and in English by Rachael Leigh Cook.

Barret Wallace
Barret Wallace (バレット・ウォーレス) is the former leader of the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, opposed to Shinra's use of Mako technology, which he believed to be killing Gaia. He is also the adoptive father of Marlene, the daughter of his dead friend, Dyne. Initially, he distrusts and dislikes Cloud, believing him to be nothing more than a heartless mercenary-for-hire, but eventually changes his opinion of him for the better. After AVALANCHE disbands, Barret chooses to continue his mission to save Gaia by trying to find a new energy source to replace Mako.

Barrett appears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles Before Crisis, On the Way to a Smile, Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus, as well as in Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. He is voiced in Japanese by Masahiro Kobayashi and in English by Beau Billingslea.

Red XIII
Red XIII (レッドXIII), birth name 'Nanaki (ナナキ), is a powerful, intelligent member of an unnamed feline-esque species with the ability to speak. In Final Fantasy VII, he temporarily joins Cloud's team after they rescue him from Hojo at the Shinra building, who was attempting to breed him and Aerith together in order to preserve what he believes to be two endangered species. Red XIII believed that his father, Seto, was a coward who abandoned their home, Cosmo Canyon, during a war with the Gi Tribe. Upon returning to Cosmo Canyon, however, his adoptive grandfather, Bugenhagen, brings Red XIII to the petrified body of Seto and reveals that he had sacrificed his life to save the village and single handedly fought the entire invading army. Learning the truth, Red XIII becomes inspired and gains the courage to permanently join Cloud's group.

Red XIII makes additional appearances throughout the Compilation. In Before Crisis, he defends a female of his species named Deneh and is subsequently captured by the Turks. In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Nanaki", Red XIII struggles with the knowledge that he will outlive his friends. He also appears briefly in Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus; in the former, he aids in the fight against Bahamut SIN and in the latter he is briefly glimpsed resting with Shelke. In Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, he saves a young girl from drowning, and briefly encounters Tseng. He is voiced in Japanese by Masachika Ichimura and in English by Liam O'Brien.

Cait Sith
Cait Sith (ケット・シー) is a robotic talking cat who is extremely friendly, but often unreliable. In Final Fantasy VII, he rides on the back of an unnamed robotic moogle; in later installments in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, he either walks by himself or rides Red XIII. As a robot, he can be rebuilt and replaced, and is controlled by Reeve Tuesti, whose original intent during Final Fantasy VII was to infiltrate Cloud's group and sabotage their resistance efforts on behalf of his Shinra employers. Cait is revealed to be a spy at the Temple of the Ancients, but he convinces the party that he has had a change of heart and later volunteers to extract the Black Materia, meaning his death. However, he notes that he is a robot, and thus can easily be sacrificed and replaced. However, he also states that, despite there being several models with the same appearance, he is a unique being that would be willing to sacrifice himself to protect Gaia. Shortly after, a second identical Cait Sith arrives, taking the place of the original. IGN felt that Cait added the "prerequisite cute factor" to Final Fantasy VII, in turn naming him the game's tenth best character.

Cait Sith's origins were detailed in Before Crisis. He also appears in Advent Children and throughout Dirge of Cerberus, when he is a member of the World Regenesis Organization (WRO) and is playable for a single mission. Though not part of the storyline, Cait Sith appears as a summon for Zack called "Courage Boost!" in Crisis Core. Along with his appearances in the Compilation, he also appears in Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales and Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess. He is voiced in Japanese by Hideo Ishikawa and in English by Greg Ellis.

Cid Highwind
Cid Highwind (シド・ハイウインド) is an airship pilot and the most uncouth of the main characters, constantly swearing, losing his temper and smoking cigarettes. In Final Fantasy VII, Cid is encountered in Rocket Town, where it is revealed he had been part of Shinra's space program and was set to be the first man in outer space. During the launch, however, an engineer named Shera defied his orders and stayed behind to double-check the rocket's oxygen tanks, leading Cid to abort the mission to save her life. Shinra subsequently concluded that space exploration was not financially viable, after discovering that Mako energy was a far more profitable venture, and they withdrew funding from the project altogether. Cid blamed Shera for destroying his dreams to go to space, and she devoted herself to doing whatever she could to atone for her "mistake", even while Cid continued to verbally abuse her. However, her concerns regarding the oxygen tanks were eventually proven to be correct when an explosion temporarily traps Cid during a later successful attempt to launch the rocket. Knowing this, Cid is able to forgive her, and by the time of Dirge of Cerberus, they had married, and Cid had named his new airship after her. He was listed by IGN as one of the top 10 characters most needing a spin-off.

Cid also appears in Before Crisis and in Advent Children, where he briefly rejoins the party to fight against Bahamut SIN. In Dirge of Cerberus, he aids the World Regenesis Organization in launching an attack on Deepground headquarters, and later in fighting Omega WEAPON. Outside of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, he appears in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts coded. He is voiced in Japanese by Kazuhiro Yamaji and in English by Chris Edgerly.

Yuffie Kisaragi
Yuffie Kisaragi (ユフィ・キサラギ) is an optional character in Final Fantasy VII, where she is the daughter of the leader of Wutai, who feels her country has lost its former glory and has become a resort town. Yuffie is prone to motion sickness and obsessively steals and collects Materia, having originally joined the party with the intention to steal theirs. However, after doing so, she is kidnapped by the crime lord Don Corneo. After being rescued, she returns the stolen materia and continues working with the party.

Yuffie also appears in Before Crisis when the player Turk visits Wutai and they are forced to work together in order to survive. In Advent Children, she reunites with the group to fight against Bahamut SIN, and in the film's prequel On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Yuffie", she sets out to find a cure for Geostigma. She reappears in Dirge of Cerberus to help Vincent and aid the World Regenisi Organization in their fight against Deepground, and she appears briefly in Crisis Core; after Zack encounters her, she enlists his help to find treasures in several side missions. Outside of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, she appears in Dissidia Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, Itadaki Street Portable and Ehrgeiz. She is voiced in Japanese by Yumi Kakazu and in English by Christy Carlson Romano in Kingdom Hearts and Advent Children and by Mae Whitman in all other appearances.

Rufus Shinra
Rufus Shinra (ルーファウス神羅) is the former Vice President of Shinra, who is promoted to President after his father is killed by Sephiroth. He is depicted as callous, cunning and ruthless during much of Final Fantasy VII, where his views on how Shinra should rule over the world — through fear and intimidation rather than appeasement — were considered dangerous by his father, so great care was taken to prevent him from influencing the company's inner workings. However, almost immediately upon his father's death, he claims control over the company and quickly begins running it by way of his preferred method. He later leads Shinra's efforts to find the Promised Land, as well as Shinra's military in battling the WEAPONs. Rufus was thought to have died when his office in Shinra Headquarters was hit by an energy blast from Diamond WEAPON, but in Advent Children, it is revealed that he survived, albeit after sustaining great injuries. The On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra" depicts his survival, as well as his plans for the future, and how he contracts Geostigma.

He appears in Advent Children in possession of Jenova's remains, and claims that he intends to repair the damage Shinra had caused to Gaia. In Advent Children, Rufus uses a wheelchair and covers himself with a white sheet, and although these are later shown to be a facade, he still uses them after being healed by Aerith's rain. In Before Crisis, Rufus anonymously supplies information to AVALANCHE, while suggesting to Veld that someone is leaking information. He had intended to have AVALANCHE kill his father, but his plan failed and he was put under house arrest in Junon. Rufus is glimpsed briefly on a stretcher as Midgar is being evacuated in Dirge of Cerberus, and Reeve also hints that he is supplying funding to the WRO. In Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, Rufus has his Geostigma medication stolen, prompting him to send the Turks out to apprehend the thief. He is voiced in Japanese by Tōru Ōkawa and in English by Wally Wingert.

Tseng
Tseng (ツォン) is the stern, polite, and calm leader of the Turks, who bears what appears to be a Tilaka on his forehead. Although he is young, he has been an active member of the Turks for more than 10 years, under the wing of the previous leader Veld. In Final Fantasy VII, Tseng's primary objective was to capture Aerith for Shinra. He is later wounded by Sephiroth during an investigation at the Temple of the Ancients; Aerith cries shortly after seeing him, remarking that they had known each other since she was young. Although he had been charged with bringing her to Shinra, Tseng delayed it for many years and because he had developed feelings for her.

Tseng's past duties as a Turk under Veld are explored in Before Crisis, and he stars in the episode "Special Episode of Tseng". Tseng is the narrator for Last Order, which reveals his conflicted and changing feelings towards his job and position, and he appears throughout the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", explaining the actions he took after Meteor, and his struggles to rescue the kidnapped Rufus. He has a small role in Advent Children; early in the film, Tseng is captured by the Remnants at the Northern Crater and is tortured until rescued by Vincent. He later returns to assist Cloud, under Rufus' orders. In Crisis Core, Tseng is shown to be a close friend of Zack's. When Zack is being hunted down by Shinra, Tseng deploys several Turks in an attempt to save Zack's life and give him the letters Aerith had sent him. However, he fails, and Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. How Tseng came to be captured by the Remnants is dealt with in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-. Tseng is voiced in Japanese by Junichi Suwabe and in English by Ryun Yu.

Reno
Reno (レノ) is a prominent member of the Turks, ranking directly below Tseng. He is characterized as cocky, cynical,sexy, and somewhat lazy, but is nonetheless highly skilled and takes pride in his work. Reno's partner and friend is Rude, and they accompany one another throughout the Compilation. In Final Fantasy VII, Reno is rivals with Cloud and although the Turks fight with Cloud and his allies many times, they also willingly team up with them in order to rescue Elena and Yuffie, after they have been kidnapped by Don Corneo. After this incident, the Turks receive new orders to search for Cloud's party, but Reno decides not to fight on the pretext of being off duty. When he reappears in Advent Children, he possesses no hostility towards the group. In the film, Reno acts under Rufus' orders, aiding Cloud and acknowledging Shinra's part in the near-destruction of the world, although he also expresses his desire to see Shinra rebuilt.

In Before Crisis, Reno is the main focus of the "Special Episode of Reno", in which he is trapped in an elevator shaft. He also make a brief appearance in Last Order, where he appears with the Before Crisis Turks, and notes Tseng's serious demeanor. He gives no opinion on Zack and Cloud's escape, remarking that the Turks will accomplish any mission regardless of its nature. Like the other Turks, he also appears in the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", where he attempts to rescue the kidnapped Rufus, and shows his discontent with the Turks from Before Crisis who left Shinra. He is encountered once during Crisis Core, after Genesis clones invade Midgar. Near the end of the game, Reno is revealed to have been one of the Turks sent by Tseng to find Zack. He features throughout Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, where, amongst other things, he searches for the remains of Jenova. He is voiced in Japanese by Keiji Fujiwara and in English by Quinton Flynn.

Rude
Rude (ルード) is tall, naturally bald and Reno's partner in the Turks. In response to the notion that Rude was African in descent, Nomura stated that he thought of him as more South American. Rude is a superb physical combatant and prefers to use his fists in battle, generally not speaking very much. In Final Fantasy VII, he appears alongside his Turk colleagues and reveals to Reno that he has a crush on Tifa Lockhart. He also appears in Before Crisis, where he has a crush on an AVALANCHE spy named Chelsea, although she ultimately leaves because of their differing lifestyles. In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", Rude works with the Turks to find the kidnapped Rufus, and returns in Advent Children, where he assists Cloud in fighting the Remnants.

Rude makes minor appearances in both Last Order and Crisis Core; in the former, he works under Tseng to try to capture Zack, while in the latter he appears with Reno, awaiting Tseng's command to defend Midgar against Genesis clones. At the end of the game, he is sent out by Tseng to retrieve Zack alive, although he arrives too late. He also features throughout Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, where, amongst other things, he searches for the remains of Jenova. Rude is voiced in Japanese by Taiten Kusunoki and in English by Crispin Freeman.

Elena
Elena (イリーナ) is a junior member of the Turks who obtained her position as the newest recruit after Reno was injured battling AVALANCHE in Midgar. Elena takes her work more seriously than Reno and Rude and tends to become frustrated with their laid-back attitudes. During Final Fantasy VII, Elena is captured with Yuffie by Don Corneo, and Cloud and the party temporarily team up with Reno and Rude to save her. She has a crush on Tseng, and temporarily holds Cloud and the party accountable when he is injured while investigating the Temple of the Ancients. This attraction is carried on in the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", where she appears with the other Turks trying to locate Rufus.

Elena has a minor role in Before Crisis, as a young student resenting her sister for outperforming her; as such, she refused to become a Turk while her sister was employed. After working together with the player Turk to fight against the Ravens, Elena decides to become a Turk and surpass her sister. She appears briefly in Advent Children; while searching the Northern Crater, she and Tseng are captured and tortured by the Remnants until being rescued by Vincent. She later returns to help Cloud. How she was originally captured by the Remnants is explains in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-. Elena is voiced in Japanese by Megumi Toyoguchi and in English by Bettina Bush.

Reeve Tuesti
Reeve Tuesti (リーブ・トゥエスティ) is the former head of Shinra's "Department of Urban Development", and is controller of the robotic cat Cait Sith. In Final Fantasy VII, Reeve originally worked against AVALANCHE, until later deciding to help them in their quest against Sephiroth. Reeve's job makes him responsible for both the building and ruin of Midgar, hence his concerns about damages and rebuilding costs after Shinra collapse the Sector 7 plate. He is one of the few Shinra officials with genuine concern for the common people; he recognizes AVALANCHE's goal to save Gaia, and begins spying on Shinra officials, using Cait Sith as a means of communication. He is temporarily arrested after Rufus' apparent death, but is released in time to organize an evacuation of Midgar's population before the arrival of Meteor. He also brings the news of Aerith's death to Elmyra Gainsborough the adoptive mother of Aerith.

Reeve plays a minor role in Before Crisis, as the architect responsible for designing Mako reactors and aiding the Turks with the use of Cait Sith. He is not seen in Advent Children, but is heard leaving a message on Cloud's cell phone. He plays a significant role in Dirge of Cerberus, where he has established the World Regenesis Organization, which is dedicated to restoring Gaia. In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Denzel" and its OVA adaptation On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel, Denzel tries to persuade Reeve to let him join the WRO, and Reeve listens to Denzel's story, before finally informing him that children are not allowed to join and thanking Denzel for watching over his mother, Ruvie Tuesti, during the Meteor crisis. He is voiced in Japanese by Banjō Ginga and in English by Jamieson Price.

Professor Hojo
Professor Hojo (宝条) was the head of Shinra's "Department of Science and Research", until he resigned after being attacked by Red XIII in the Shinra HQ building. He was a scientist who undertook radical experiments without any regard for ethics or the potential consequences on his test subjects. He was also responsible for Sephiroth's creation, having led the scientific experiment that created him; injecting Jenova cells into Sephiroth's fetus while it was still in Lucrecia Crescent's womb. After Sephiroth's birth, Hojo mortally wounded Vincent (who was working for the Turks at the time), and Lucrecia saved Vincent's life by injecting him with the Chaos gene. However, overcome by guilt at her part in Hojo's actions, Lucrecia, with whom Vincent was in love, froze herself inside a crystal. This led to Vincent despising Hojo. In Final Fantasy VII, Hojo is defeated by Cloud and his allies, but in Dirge of Cerberus, he is revealed to have survived long enough to have placed a computer-simulated copy of himself into the "Worldwide Network"; he subsequently embeds himself in Weiss' body and attempts to use him to forcefully summon Omega WEAPON who, after collecting the Lifestream, would depart from Gaia. He is stopped by both Vincent and Nero, who merges with Weiss and frees him from Hojo's control.

Hojo also appears in Before Crisis, where he implants the Zirconiade materia into Elfé, and in Last Order, where he collects Zack and Cloud for experimentation. His experiments are dealt with in Crisis Core, wherein he is encountered sporadically throughout the game, and turns both Cloud and Zack into Sephiroth clones, although he labels them as failed projects. Hojo is voiced in Japanese by Nachi Nozawa and in English by Paul Eiding.

Jenova
Jenova (ジェノバ) is an extraterrestrial lifeform who crash landed on Gaia 2000 years prior to the events of Final Fantasy VII. Sephiroth is the result of a successful fusion between Jenova's cells and human cells. Furthermore, Jenova's cells can change their form and appearance; for example, Kadaj changes into Sephiroth prior to fighting Cloud in Advent Children. Sephiroth and Jenova's goal in both Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children is to take control of Gaia and use it to roam through space until they find a planet where they can build a "shining future". When Jenova originally crashed, it began infecting the Cetra with a virus, to the point that they were almost wiped out. However, a small group managed to seal Jenova in a tomb, which was later excavated by Shinra, and Jenova mistakenly identified as a Cetra. Scientific experiments were carried out on Jenova's cells, in an attempt to make stronger soldiers, and as a result, SOLDIER was born; each member was injected with Jenova cells, with the exception of Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal. Sephiroth and Genesis were both injected with Jenova cells during the fetal stage, whilst Angeal's mother Gillian was injected with Jenova cells prior to Angeal's conception.

In Advent Children, Jenova's last remains are acquired by Rufus, whilst the Remnants hope to find and use them to resurrect Sephiroth. Jenova is also responsible for the disease Geostigma, which infects all those who came into contact with the tainted Lifestream after Sephiroth was defeated in Gaia's core. The incident at Nibelheim, where Sephiroth takes Jenova's head, is depicted in Final Fantasy VII, Before Crisis, Last Order and Crisis Core. In each, Jenova appears as a human-like, blue-skinned woman preserved inside of a glass tank filled with liquid. Her character model in Crisis Core shows that her skin is actually gray; the blue is caused by the fluids in her tank.

Lucrecia Crescent
Lucrecia Crescent (ルクレツィア・クレシェント) was a scientist for Shinra, and Sephiroth's mother. Whilst pregnant with him, she allowed both herself and the fetus to be injected with Jenova cells. She had previously worked under the scientist Grimoire Valentine and had found the dormant creature Chaos. However, during an experiment involving Chaos, Grimoire was killed protecting Lucrecia. Grimoire's son, Vincent, was later assigned as a bodyguard to her scientific team, and he subsequently fell in love with her, but her guilt over Grimoire's death kept her from returning his affection. Lucrecia instead went on to conceive Hojo's child for experimental purposes. In Final Fantasy VII, Lucrecia can be found frozen inside a crystal, where she briefly awakens to explain her past and that, unable to kill herself, she had sealed herself away from humanity.

She also appears in flashbacks throughout Dirge of Cerberus, where it is revealed she had visions of what Sephiroth would go on to become. After Vincent was mortally wounded by Hojo, Lucrecia was able to save him by injecting him with the Chaos gene and the Protomateria with which to control it. Over the course of the game, she is constantly heard stating that she is sorry to Vincent, apologizing for the trouble and hurt she has caused him. Lucrecia is voiced in Japanese by Rio Natsuki and in English by April Stewart.

AVALANCHE
AVALANCHE makes two appearances in the Compilation. In Final Fantasy VII, three AVALANCHE members assist Cloud, Barret, and Tifa. Biggs (ビッグス) is slightly cocky and arrogant, but he gradually comes to respect Cloud. Wedge (ウェッジ), Biggs' close friend, is very warm-hearted and kind to others, but he easily loses his composure when nervous. Jessie (ジェシー) is an explosives technician fascinated with gadgetry and other "flashy stuff". She gives Cloud a lesson on the Midgar rail system and the structure of the city itself. All three are killed by Shinra in the collapse of the Sector 7 plate.

AVALANCHE's other appearance is in Before Crisis, where it is a much more aggressive and militant group, led by Elfé, the daughter of Veld. She works alongside Sears, who cares deeply for her, and Fuhito, who plans to destroy all human life in order to save Gaia. The Ravens are a genetically modified battle squad of AVALANCHE, that include Tierce, Kyneugh and Kanos.

Marlene Wallace
Marlene Wallace (マリン) is the young daughter of Barret's friends, Dyne and Eleanor, and the adopted daughter of Barret. Eleanor was killed by an attack from Shinra prior to the events of Final Fantasy VII, and Dyne assumes Marlene to be dead as well. In actuality, Barret adopts her, thinking Dyne is dead. Barret later encounters Dyne, who insists that he wants everything to be destroyed, and, after forcing Barret to fight him, commits suicide, entrusting Marlene's care to Barret. For most of Final Fantasy VII, Marlene is left in the care of Elmyra, Aerith's adopted mother.

Marlene also appears in The On the Way to a Smile novellas "Case of Barret", "Case of Tifa" and "Case of Denzel". During Advent Children, she lives with Cloud, Tifa, and Denzel, while Barret is searching for a new power source for Gaia. She questions Cloud's motives for leaving his friends and family, and urges him not to give up. In Advent Children, Marlene is voiced in Japanese by Miyū Tsuzurahara and in English by Grace Rolek. In Advent Children Complete, she is voiced in Japanese by Sumire Morohoshi and in English by Ariel Winter.

President Shinra
President Shinra (プレジデント神羅) is the first President of the Shinra Company, which he built up from a simple weapons development company to a megacorporation that acted as the de facto world government. President Shinra believed in leading and ruling people using money, employing a "Bread and circuses" style of appeasment. As such, he found the opinions of his son, Rufus, who favored leading by instilling fear in people, to be dangerous, and ensured that they were kept away from company affairs. In an attempt to turn the public against AVALANCHE, he ordered for the collapse of the Sector 7 plate, and then blamed the incident on AVALANCHE. During the collapse, Shinra is seen in his office listening to Joseph Haydn's oratorio, The Creation. He dedicated a large amount of Shinra's resources and money into researching the Cetra, with the hope of finding "The Promised Land" and building a powerful Mako reactor, thus creating what he termed "Neo-Midgar". However, he was killed by Sephiroth shortly after Shinra captured Aerith.

President Shinra also appears in Before Crisis, where he is shown to have a distant and argumentative relationship with Rufus, who hopes to have him killed and replace him as the president.

Heidegger
Heidegger (ハイデッガー) was the head of Shinra's "Department of Public Relations and Public Safety Maintenance", a euphemism for Shinra's military and SOLDIER. He was also in charge of the "Department of General Affairs" and the "Investigative Division of the Department of General Affairs", i.e. the Turks. Heidegger is generally seen as a yes man, Reeve nicknames him "Gya ha ha" for his horse-like laugh. He was the one behind the destruction of Sector 7 and the subsequent public relations exercise that implicated AVALANCHE. After the apparent death of Rufus, he attempted to assume control of Shinra, but died before he could consolidate his power, killed by Cloud and his allies.

He also appears in Before Crisis, where he is placed in charge of the Turks, until Veld blackmails President Shinra into reinstating him as the leader. After Veld is revealed to be a traitor, Heidegger is placed as the commander of the Turks once again.

Scarlet
Scarlet (スカーレット) was the head of Shinra's "Department of Weapons Development", which aspired to make the perfect weapon. Reeve nicknamed her "Kya ha ha" for her peculiar laugh. Scarlet is one of the more evil-minded Shinra executives and was directly responsible for the destruction of Barret's home town of Corel, as well as the loss of Barret's forearm; during Final Fantasy VII, she also attempts to execute Tifa using a gas chamber. She was responsible for moving Junon's Sister Ray to Midgar, and powering it with Mako in the fight against Diamond WEAPON. She is ultimately killed by Cloud and his allies.

In Before Crisis, she is ordered to capture Veld and assassinate the Turks.

Bugenhagen
Bugenhagen (ブーゲンハーゲン) was Red XIII's adoptive grandfather. He is an eccentric 130 year old man who moves about by floating on a green ball. Formerly a Shinra employee, he retired to Cosmo Canyon — where he is the elder of the Bugah Tribe — to pursue the Study of Planet Life, and where he finds a peaceful harmony between technology and nature. He has an observatory at the top of Cosmo Canyon, and provides vital information to Cloud and his allies regarding how to stop Sephiroth and Meteor. He dies of old age near the end of Final Fantasy VII.

Bugenhagen also appears briefly in Before Crisis, where he converses with Fuhito.

Zangan
Zangan (ザンガン) was Tifa's martial arts instructor at Nibelheim. In Final Fantasy VII, his letter to Tifa shed light on the events following the burning of Nibelheim and the cover-up that ensued. After retrieving Tifa when she is wounded by Sephiroth, Zangan used cure spells to heal her and takes her to Midgar.

Zangen also appears in Before Crisis and Last Order; in the former, he makes note of Tifa's white cat leading him to her, in the later he is shown rescuing Tifa. He is voiced by Hiroshi Fujioka.

Johnny
Johnny (ジョニー) is a young man who has had a crush on Tifa since their childhood in Nibelheim. He eventually departed from the town and went to Midgar, and is encountered in several areas during Final Fantasy VII.

In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Denzel" and its OVA adaptation, On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel, Johnny is revealed to have opend up a café in Edge named Johnny's Heaven, inspired by Tifa's decision to build a new 7th Heaven pub in the city. He would often tell his customers about Tifa and would unknowingly lose most of his potential business to 7th Heaven by doing so. During the novella and OVA, Johnny listens to Denzel explain his past to Reeve, occasionally interrupting to give his opinion.

Veld
Veld (ヴェルド) is the strict former leader of the Turks. He is called Veld in the English version of "Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII Compilation", but called both Veld and Verdot in official materials. He is introduced in Before Crisis where he supervises the Turks and mentors Tseng. He had a daughter, Felicia, and a wife, both of whom he had believed to be dead when their town was razed due to his misinterpreted commands. In actuality, his daughter survived and went on to become the leader of the radical eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, under the name Elfé. Veld is portrayed as being a father to the Turks, a man who cares about them deeply; Elfé is also very important to him, and he defects from Shinra after discovering she is alive.

Veld is briefly mentioned in both Last Order and the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Shinra", where he supplies information to the Turks about Rufus' kidnapping.

Cissnei
Cissnei (シスネ) was a female member of the Turks whose primary weapon was a large, crimson shuriken. She originally appeared in Before Crisis under the name "Shuriken (Female)". In Crisis Core, she goes under the name Cissnei, however, she tells Zack that this is not her real name. The Turks expressed an interest in recruiting her when she was still living in an orphanage; she later joined, making her the youngest Turk in history.

In Crisis Core, she meets Zack and the two become friends. After Zack and Cloud escape from Shinra Mansion, Cissnei was ordered to hunt them down; however, upon recognizing Zack, she reports to Tseng that she has lost their trail. Near the end of the game, Cissnei is still under orders to kill them, but Tseng requests that she capture Zack alive, and she departs to find him, although she fails to save his life. Cissnei is voiced by in Japanese by Asumi Nakata and in English by Carrie Savage.

Denzel
Denzel (デンゼル) is a young boy who resides with Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene in the city of Edge. He first appears in Advent Children, where he is suffering from the incurable disease Geostigma. He is persuaded to accompany several other sick children to the Ancient City of the Cetra, where he is manipulated and falls under the control of Kadaj. However, Denzel regains control of himself after Tifa protects him from Bahamut SIN, and soon after he returns to their house to wait with Marlene. After receiving a phone call, he and the other townspeople head to Aerith's church, where he is healed of his Geostigma by the water.

Denzel's backstory is expanded upon in the On the Way to a Smile story "Case of Denzel" and its OVA adaptation, On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel. Here, he explains his past to Reeve in the hope of joining the WRO. He was the son of Chloe and a Shinra worker named Abel, but was orphaned after the Sector 7 plate collapsed, and was taken in by Ruvie Tuesti. After she died from the Lifestream burst during the Meteor incident, Denzel settled in the Midgar ruins until his friend, Rick, left for Edge. While wandering, Denzel came across Cloud's motorcycle, suffered from a Geostigma attack and subsequently collapsed. Cloud brought him back to Aerith's church, believing that Aerith had led Denzel to him. He also appears in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-. In Advent Children, Denzel is voiced in Japanese by Kyōsuke Ikeda and in English by Benjamin Bryan. In Advent Children Complete, he is voiced in Japanese by Kazumu Izawa and in English by Aaron Refvem.

Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo
Kadaj (カダージュ), Loz (ロッズ) and Yazoo (ヤズー) are the antagonists of Advent Children. Known as the "Remnants of Sephiroth", they are the remains of Sephiroth's will and spirit in physical form, whose goal is to retrieve Jenova's cells so as to resurrect Sephiroth himself. Kadaj is the leader and serves as Sephiroth's avatar when he acquires Jenova's cells and absorbs them into his body. He represents Sephiroth's cruelty. Loz represents Sephiroth's strength. Yazoo represents Sephiroth's allure. Kadaj is voiced in Japanese by Showtaro Morikubo and in English by Steve Staley, Loz by Kenji Nomura in Japanese and Fred Tatasciore in English and Yazoo by Yūji Kishi in Japanese and Dave Wittenberg in English.

Kadaj also appears in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, which deals with the encounters between the Turks and the Remnants in the days leading up to Advent Children.

Shalua Rui
Shalua Rui (シャルア・ルーイ) is a scientist who originally appeared in Before Crisis, where she was seaching for Shelke, her younger sister, who had been kidnapped by Shinra ten years previously. Shalua asks AVALANCHE for help, but after witnessing how corrupt the group was, she turns away from them. AVALANCHE was responsible for severely injuring her, including the loss of both her left eye and left arm, the latter of which was replaced with a cybernetic limb.

Shalua is later encountered in Dirge of Cerberus, working as a scientist for the WRO, who she joined in her efforts to find Shelke, who, is now a member of Deepground's Tsviets. After they are reunited, Shalua is attacked by Azul and ends up in a coma. She is thereafter stored inside a capsule on Cid's new airship, the Shera, in the hope that she can be revived at some point in the future. Shalua is voiced in Japanese by Yū Asakawa and in English by Kim Mai Guest.

Weiss the Immaculate
Weiss the Immaculate (純白の帝王ヴァイス) is the leader of the Tsviets and Nero's older brother. He wields two primary weapons, both of which consist of a katana blade and a revolver. In Dirge of Cerberus, Weiss remains in an unconscious state until reborn. Upon awakening, it is revealed that Hojo had taken over Weiss' body. To save him, Nero transfers himself into Weiss, causing Weiss' "pure" body to be contaminated. Free from Hojo's grasp, Weiss proceeds to walk to a Mako reactor and vanish in a ball of light, awakening Omega. Weiss is later fought by Vincent and apparently killed, but an unlockable cutscene shows Genesis picking up Weiss's body and telling him that they still have work to do.

Weiss also makes a brief appearance with Nero in Crisis Core, collecting Genesis and bringing him to a helicopter. Weiss is voiced in Japanese by Jōji Nakata and in English by Dave Boat.

Nero the Sable
Nero the Sable (漆黒の闇ネロ) is a member of the Tsviets and Weiss's younger brother. He first appears in Dirge of Cerberus, where he has the power to control darkness, and uses this power to engulf others. When Vincent arrives at Weiss' chambers, Nero transports himself and Vincent to another dimension. When Vincent defeats him, they return to the chambers and Weiss awakens, fully reborn. However, Weiss has been taken over by Hojo, and immediately impales Nero, noting he no longer has any use for him. However, due to the injections of stagnant Mako, Nero was able to infect Weiss' "pure" body by transferring himself inside of Weiss, thus freeing him from Hojo's control.

Nero also makes a brief appearance in Crisis Core, carrying the unconscious Genesis to a helicopter with Weiss. Nero is voiced by in Japanese by Ryōtarō Okiayu and in English by Mike Rock.

Azul the Cerulean
Azul the Cerulean (蒼きアスール) is a member of the Tsviets. Aside from his normal appearance, Azul has two other forms; Neo Azul and Arch Azul, the latter of which appears as a large beast. He was first introduced in Before Crisis, where he was being scouted by Shinra. Azul returns in Dirge of Cerberus as a high-ranking member of Deepground. He is killed when Vincent changes into his Chaos form and subsequently impales him.

Azul is voiced in Japanese by Tesshō Genda in Japanese and in English by Brad Abrell.

Shelke the Transparent
Shelke the Transparent (無色のシェルク) is a member of the Tsveits and Shalua's younger sister. Her primary weapons are two orange electromagnetic sabers. Ten years prior, at age nine, she was abducted by Shinra and subjected to numerous experiments by Deepground. As a result, she is permanently stuck in her nine-year-old body and needs a daily mako treatments in order to survive. She has the unique ability to perform a Syneptic Net Dive (SND), to project her consciousness into the Worldwide Network to retrieve information. Shelke's primary role in the Tsveits is to locate the carrier of the Protomateria needed to awaken the Omega WEAPON: Vincent Valentine. Shelke had also absorbed some of Lucrecia Crescent's research on Omega, causing her to experience Lucrecia's memories and emotions as a side effect.

She initially opposes Vincent and his friends, but changes sides after Azul tries to kill her for outliving her usefulness, and her sister Shalua sacrifices herself for her. Through another SND on Cid's airship, Shelke provides Vincent and the WRO with Lucrecia's research to help them understand what they are up against. During the assault on Midgar, she helps Vincent reach Deepground's layer until she is captured by Nero. Vincent saves her in time and places her in a capsule so she can heal. However, after Omega awakens and Vincent turns into Chaos, Shelke performs another SND to help him. She dives into Omega, retrieves the Protomateria, and gives it to Vincent, enabling him to regain control of Chaos.

A week after Omega's defeat, Shelke is now staying with Cloud and Tifa at 7th Heaven, starting to fill the 10-year hole in her life and regain her own emotions. They send her to get Vincent out of the Crystal Cave, after which she tells him that the others are waiting.

Shelke is voiced in Japanese by Fumiko Orikasa and in English by Kari Wahlgren.

Angeal Hewley
Angeal Hewley (アンジール・ヒューレー) is a SOLDIER 1st Class who is Zack Fair's friend and mentor, the original owner of the Buster Sword, and a close friend of Genesis and Sephiroth. Like Genesis, Angeal is a product of Jenova Project G, born with Jenova cells injected into him as a fetus. Angeal developed two white wings on his right side and the ability to make copies of himself. He trains Zack to help him achieve his dream of becoming a SOLDIER 1st Class. After a mission in Wutai, Angeal apparently deserts Shinra and turns traitor as Genesis did.

The two traitors encounter Zack in their hometown of Banora and later in one of Midgar's Mako reactors. During this time, Angeal begins to think of himself as a monster. Meeting Zack in the bathhouse in Modeoheim, Angeal asks Zack to end his suffering and merges with several of his copies, transforming into Angeal Penance. Before dying, Angeal gives Zack the Buster Sword and tells him to always protect his honor. Over the next few years, the SOLDIER director Lazard is turned into an Angeal copy and a sole surviving copy help Zack in his quest to defeat Genesis. After which they die, thus ending Angeal's memory on the Planet. After Zack's death, Angeal takes him into the Lifestream, acting as an angel as Zack called him years before.

Angeal voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue in Japanese, and Josh Gilman in English.

Genesis Rhapsodos
Genesis Rhapsodos (ジェネシス・ラプソードス) is the main antagonist of Crisis Core, a SOLDIER 1st class. Although he originally appeared in the secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus, his name was not revealed until Crisis Core. In Dirge of Cerberus, he is referred to only as "G" in collectable items called "G Reports", which contain sketchy information on his origins. If all are collected, a secret ending is unlocked which features Genesis retrieving Weiss's body and telling him they still have work to do. Chronologically, this is the last scene in the Compilation.

In Crisis Core, Genesis is introduced as an AWOL SOLDIER suffering from biodegradation. A result of Project G involving the injection of Jenova cells whilst he was still a fetus, Genesis developed a large black wing, as well as the ability to makes copies of himself. Considered a traitor to Shinra, he was a close friend of Angeal and Sephiroth. Upon meeting Sephiroth at the Nibelheim Mako reactor, Genesis explains to Sephiroth that Jenova was an alien and that they were all monsters, indirectly leading to the Nibelheim incident. His degrading eventually stops, and he becomes a friend of Zack's, but he is soon taken aboard a helicopter by Nero and Weiss, who talk with him about joining them in Deepground. The Crisis Core Ultimania reveals that Genesis was asked to join their rebellion against the Restrictors (the original leaders of Deepground prior to the Tsviets), but he rejected their offer, and sealed himself in a cave beneath Midgar until the time he'd awaken to protect the Planet.

Genesis is voiced by in Japanese by Gackt, and in English by Robin Atkin Downes in Dirge of Cerberus, and Oliver Quinn in Crisis Core.

Reception and legacy
The characters of Final Fantasy VII have been overall well-received by critics. Sephiroth remains one of the most popular villains in video game history, unanimously voted number one by the staff of Electronic Gaming Monthly in their "Top 10 Video Game Bosses" list in October 2005. During spring of the same year, Sephiroth earned the most user votes in a villains-themed popularity contest at GameFAQs. In late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Cloud Strife the best character of all time in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation. Aerith placed fifth, Tifa placed eighth and three other characters placed in the top 50; Sephiroth at fourteenth, Reno at fifteenth, and Yuffie at forty-second.