Refresh my memory.

Right, so I've played VII once. I loved it, but never got round to playing it any more than that. And this would be... ooooh, a decade ago? So I've forgotten damn near everything.

The main, and most frustrating, blank spot is to do with Cloud vs Sephiroth. I remember the scene in which Cloud gets a bit stabbed, and reacts very poorly to it (i.e. he kicks Sephiroth's ass). I cannot remember why this was. Why was Cloud so strong? When did he become so strong? How? Why did Sephiroth go stab-happy?

Please fill in these blank spots, and save me from a life of misery. Much obliged. :)

If I got stabbed, I'd react poorly too!

Erm, I can't think of this scene. Nearest I can think of is the one in the flashback with the Nibelheim reactor after Sephi concluded he was an Ancient and needed to kill everyone or some trout. And the flashback ended with a standoff, no stabbing seen.

I know what scene he's talking about. It's after Cloud comes to terms with the fact that he never actually made it to SOLDIER and he came back with Zack and Company. Zack got his ass handed to him after Sephiroth stabbed Tifa and Cloud bursts in chases Sephiroth gets stabbed and lifts Sephiroth up by the sword (I should remark that Sephiroth's defeat came from his inability to let go of a sword that obviously wasn't doing any good) that is still impaled in his tummy and throws him. This is because just because and I don't remember it ever being explained as anything more than CLOUD R STRONG.

Sephiroth is made to have a combination of characteristics and abilities which make him unbeatable in a normal battle. Because he is the strongest and knows it as well as is proud of this strength he is an incredibly arrogant person. Cloud is the only one who can use that arrogance to stop Sephiroth because a) Sephiroth almost only shows it when he is in a battle with Cloud sicne Sephiroth shows his arrogance when he demonstrates his power and b) Cloud is angry about Sephiroth. Cloud is written to mobilize incredible strength, I call it the "hero factor", everytime Sephiroth underestimates him and makes him angry. It is This way he can surprise him an defeat him even though he is weaker. When Sephiroth did not pay attention to the rest of the world Cloud was so angry about his dead mother, Tifa and Nibelheim that he was able to surprise Sephiroth. It is not about Masamune itself or something like that, Cloud is simply chosen to be the only one who is a real challenge fot Sephiroth - in case he can mobilize his strength. In a normal battle he is still by far weaker. The Ultimania Omega tells more about it, actually about the battle in Advent Children. Sephiroth has made his own arch enemy with Cloud because he has attacked "everything he cherished" when he was young. Those are my words now since they are fitting because of what he says in Advent Children. This way he made Cloud angry for the first time and he defeated Sephiroth. Sephiroth was so angry about being defeated by a normal soldier and holds a grudge against Cloud because of that. And because of that he always makes the mistake of not killing him normally but he wants to destroy him mentally first. And this again makes Cloud angry, et cetera. A devil's circle which makes Sephiroth vulnerable.

Cloud's hero factor has no other official explanation other than that. He needs it to defeat Sephiroth and his reasons to fight are what give him this strength. However, even without his super power he is now pretty much the same high class fighter Zack was. Even more than that.

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Erm, I can't think of this scene. Nearest I can think of is the one in the flashback with the Nibelheim reactor after Sephi concluded he was an Ancient and needed to kill everyone or some trout. And the flashback ended with a standoff, no stabbing seen.

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It is on CD 2 when Cloud's discovers what was true about his past. You already know at that time that Sephiroth is no Ancient and see how he attacked Cloud who followed him.

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(I should remark that Sephiroth's defeat came from his inability to let go of a sword that obviously wasn't doing any good)

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It was because Sephiroth was overwhelmed and surprised. Sephiroth can fly and controls many of his alien abilities even at that time. So that would not be the problem. Imagine being Goliath and getting defeated by David.

Ah yeah, of course, the later version of the scene.

I took it as one of those "extreme adrenalin strength rush" moments. You know how you hear of people suddenly finding the strength to lift a car off themselves or something. Like that.

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Originally Posted by Cloudane

I took it as one of those "extreme adrenalin strength rush" moments.

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Yes, it is something like that. Just even more powerful and fantasy-like written for Cloud.

And there you have it: what?

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Originally Posted by Cim

And there you have it: what?

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Could you be more precisely, please?

I actually regret remembering now. I could've sworn it wasn't just an unexplained plot device. :(

What a fascinating story.

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Originally Posted by Quinter Wonderland

I actually regret remembering now. I could've sworn it wasn't just an unexplained plot device. :(

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At least it is not plot device only. Final Fantasy VII often has the "why do you fight" and "what reason do you have to fight" question.