The Jenova Thesis

This is a work of my own design that is currently in progress. It spans all the revelations in FFVII and goes into Advent Children. As of right now however, it just deals with the basics and events occuring time-wise before FFVIi begins. I will add more as I continue. Feel free to make your commentary.

1. FREQUENT MISCONCEPTIONS OF JENOVA

Jenova is an Ancient/Cetra-
This was proven to be wrong by an in-game character named Ifalna, one of the last Cetra living. She told Professor Gast in an account seen in the town Icicle on Disc 2. Jenova is an extraterrestrial that crash-landed on the FFVII planet 2000 years ago.

Jenova is dead at the end of Final Fantasy VII-
Jenova is never dead until all of her is erased from the face of a world. The antagonists of Advent Children (the Silver-Haired Men) all seek to use the Jenova cells in the children who have contracted Geostigma to locate Jenova’s head by using the Reunion (see Jenova’s Awakening). Also said by Ifalna that the Planet can never heal itself as long as Jenova exists. Geostigma shows that this is true, even if Jenova only exists in a small form such as only cellular.

2. WHAT IS JENOVA?

The facts are these:
A) Jenova fell to the Planet of the game and caused a tremendous wound that is now called the Northern Crater. Using this, it’s 100% safe to conclude she is an alien lifeform from somewhere in space.
B) An entity with confirmed powers that are all of the following:
Shapeshifting
Telepathy
(Sephiroth: Cloud... Don't blame Tifa. The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova.”)
Re-forming
(Hojo: You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again.)
C) Though Jenova is referred to as “she” in the game and “mother” in the movie, no conclusive sex is associated with Jenova. Though the many transformations are indicative of a female and bare feminine traits, Jenova’s ability to change form to anything “it” desires coupled with its unknown origin, Jenova might not be male or female. However, for the sake of it, I will be referring to her as “she” for the duration of this essay.
D) Jenova is a species of existence and intellect that is difficult to classify. There are mixes signals that relate to how she thinks. It is reasonable to say Jenova just doesn’t think like we do, as to say while she possesses immense intelligence, her ability to take on the minds of others and her alien nature makes her mental state foreign to anything we can understand fully. As will be explained further on in Jenova’s Awakening, the summoning of Meteor relates to her ambition yet simultaneously does not. Also, in Remnants of Chaos, it will explore more of her intellectual being as seen in Advent Children.

3. CRISIS FROM THE SKY

Jenova landed on the Final Fantasy VII world 2,000+ years before the events of the game. She landed in a land known as Knowlespole. This collision with the world left a scar that even in the time of the game, is not yet healed. This scar is Northern Crater. To heal this wound, the Cetra used their powers together to try and heal the Planet.

Ifalna: “[The Planet] said something fell from the sky making a large wound. Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet... But, due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years."

The Cetra’s attempts to heal the land used up most of the Spirit Energy in the land, making it barren. After the unknown number of years in which the thousands of Cetra attempted to undo the damage Jenova had done, the Planet told them to leave the area. As to why, is unknown. Possibly it knew the threat that was about to befall them, or it could tell they could do no more work there. In any case, Ifalna tells of the first accounts of Jenova on this world and her interaction with the indigenous population.

Ifalna: “That's when the one who injured the Planet... or the 'crisis from the sky', as we call him, came. He first approached as a friend, deceived them and finally...... gave them the virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad... transforming into monsters. Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole. He approached other Cetra clans...... infecting them with... the virus...”

Look at Ifalna’s terminology “He first approached as a friend, deceived them.” Highly revealing text. Ifalna knows more of this tragedy than any other and she clearly tells it as an act of pure malicious design and brutality that resulted from a thinking mind. Instincts can prompt animals to slip among other species for the act of eating, but “approached as a friend” is a fete only a processing and sentient mind can achieve.

Now, none of that text implicates Jenova is the one. That’s why we move onto Film 2 of the video record left by Professor Gast.

Ifalna: “The one the Professor mistook for a Cetra... was named Jenova. That is the 'crisis from the sky'. The Planet knew it had to destroy the 'crisis from the sky'... You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."

Her talk of him mistaking Jenova for an Ancient will be further elaborated on in Jenova and the Shinra. As to the matter at hand, Ifalna’s statement indicates that no matter how small a portion of Jenova that remains on this Planet, it can cause damage to the Planet and keep it from ever truly reversing the damage Jenova initally brought about. There is no further explanation of how many Cetra Jenova ultimately infected, but judging from the lack of them in the current time, it was most likely a significant portion. To counter Jenova, the Planet itself spawned Weapon, a monstrous weapon that was meant to remove Jenova’s existence so that the Planet could heal itself. However...

Ifalna: There is no record of Weapon ever being used. A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it. The Planet
produced Weapon... But it was no longer necessary to use it."

Similarly, there is no detail given on how the Cetra confined Jenova. We do know Jenova will remain sealed and inactive for a over a millenium. However, take note of Ifalna’s statements. The one previous and this one.

Ifalna: “Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time... The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still watching Jenova."

As did happen much later on. Let’s review what we learned in this chapter.

-Jenova fell from space and caused a wound in the land known as Knowlespole.
-Several thousand Cetra gathered to try and heal the damage done by Jenova’s landing.
-The Planet told the gathered Cetra to leave for unknown reasons. As they tried this, Jenova approached them and using her telepathic and shapeshifting capabilities, deceived them all before infecting them with a virus that first drove them insane and finally mutated them into some type of monstrosity.

This is basic knowledge, but key. It shows Jenova’s powers as well as confirms Jenova has a level of thinking above mere instincts. Jenova has eliminated an X number of Cetra before her eventual imprisonment by the Cetra. Jenova will remain in this dormant state and undisturbed for two millennia.

4. JENOVA AND THE SHINRA

Jenova’s Discovery
An unknown amount of years before the game begins, a scientist working for Shinra named Professor Gast came upon the body of Jenova.

Sephiroth: (reading a report in the Shinra Mansion basement) “…an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova…X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient.”

This is Sephiroth reading an account left by the researchers of Shinra. At an unspecified time, Jenova’s hidden and trapped form was found and recovered. At this time, Shinra most likely moved the body to a research facility, and confirmed it to be an Ancient by the scientists. As said by Ifalna, this was incorrect.

The Jenova Project

Under this incorrect preface, the Jenova Project was launched to create people with the power of the Ancients/Cetra in modern times. A scientist under Professor Gast named Hojo offered forth the woman bearing his child for the project. Jenova’s cells were injected into this woman’s (Lucrecia’s) womb. The result was Sephiroth.

Hojo and Jenova

We know that sometime into the project (presumably after Sephiroth’s conception as he knew the professor), Gast left and Hojo fully took control of the Jenova Project. At this point, Hojo began using Jenova’s cells to produce abominations of science and nature. In the Mt. Nibel Reactor, Sephiroth and Zack came across these atrocities.

Sephiroth: Now…what does Mako energy became when it's further condensed?”

*Cloud: “Uh, ummm…… Oh yeah! It becomes a Materia.”

Sephiroth: Right, normally. But Hojo put something else in there. …”

(NOTE: This is Cloud’s dialogue displayed, but it was really Zack who was with Sephiroth. All dialogue that is questionably said by Cloud will be indicated by a * before his name)

We can safely assume that this additive was Jenova cells. Thus, these were normal members of SOLDIER, subjected to a higher degree of Mako than normal and also exposed to Jenova cells. Hojo being the mastermind behind all this would know a great deal about Jenova’s abilities from these experiments. With Jenova cells administered with Mako to humans, they became dangerous and ferocious monsters. Sound familiar?

Ifalna: “He first approached as a friend, deceived them and finally...... gave them the virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad... transforming into monsters.”

This line above all proves that the additional something Sephiroth mentions most certainly is Jenova cells.

Nibelheim Incident

In the town of Nibelheim, dangerous and hostile monsters were being produced by the malfunctioning Mako Reactor there. First Class SOLDIER Sephiroth and a small group were sent to investigate. This group included Zack, fellow SOLDIER, and a couple basic Shinra troops which included Cloud. Upon entering the town, Sephiroth turns to ask Zack how it feels to return to his hometown and Zack makes an inquiry about Sephiroth’s parentage.

Sephiroth: “My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me.”

So, someone (possibly Gast) misinformed Sephiroth for whatever their motivations. Later the next day, Sephiroth’s group heads off to the Reactor with a guide, a young martial artist named Tifa. Upon arrival and entrance, Sephiroth and Zack proceed to make their way into the Reactor and into a chamber full of pods and a staircase that leads up to a room.

*Cloud: This is…… Jenova, right? The lock won't open…

He was standing at the entrance to the room with Sephiroth. This indicates (and is later proven) that this is the locale Jenova was moved to after her discovery. Then Sephiroth and his companion have an interesting dialogue and Sephiroth begins to act extremely violent and wild.

Sephiroth: “…Was I created this way too? Am I the same as all these monsters……”

*Cloud: “…Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth: “You saw it! All of them…were humans…”

At the same time, Sephiroth has drawn his blade and is striking the containers in the room violently and at random. From voice and action, he seems to be losing some grip on reality, his formerly calm and reserved self giving way to self-doubt that blossoms from nowhere apparently. After this, Sephiroth immersed himself in texts detailing Jenova and Shinra’s doings in a library he found in the Shinra Mansion basement. After reading this large assortment of material, Zack comes to seek him and Sephiroth seems no longer like himself at all.

Sephiroth: “You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on… At the end of their
harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an
easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors”

Now, examine this short rant carefully. “But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return!” Where do you think it is stated anywhere in that mound of scientific accounts and information that there was a sect of lazy normal individuals who chose to laze about while the Cetra went on their journey? I would say it is HIGHLY unlikely that Sephiroth read that anywhere in the writings he found. So, where did this illogical conclusion sprout from? He rambles on.

Sephiroth: “Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped… They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After
that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports.”

Further rambling, now even more accusatory. Sephiroth has come upon the notion that all other persons except himself are the enemy. Why?

Sephiroth: “Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients……no, the Cetra! …I am the one that was produced.”

So, after reading an extensive account of Shinra’s research, Sephiroth concluded that his mother was Jenova and that she was a Cetra and that all humanity were slothful and were as responsible for the Cetra’s demise as the “disaster” that struck the planet. Now, let’s travel into the realms of guesswork that still are logical theories.

Sephiroth began exhibiting abnormal behavior when he entered the reactor. He was at a closer proximity to Jenova than he had ever been. At this time, he also learned of Hojo’s experiments and somehow linked this with worries and distress over his own birth and origins. Later on, Sephiroth reads records of Shinra’s and though he did read quite a bit of material, I find it highly unlikely to say that any of the books told of how the Cetra were destroyed by a disaster while the rest of humanity cowered and hid themselves away. Based off this information, it is not far-fetched at all to assume that the Jenova cells in him were coming to power. At such a close range to Jenova’s body and in such a distraught state, it is not beyond the line of reason to say that Jenova was asserting some level of influence over his mind. Some could say Sephiroth was just off put by finding a group of monsters created by science and SOMEHOW came to wonder of his own origins, but this is beyond reason and my own theory. Furthermore, his filling in the gaps of the Shinra information with tales of an evil race of populating louts in humans and a heroically pure race of peaceful people in the Cetra came from somewhere and in such a state of mental anguish, suggesting he formed this idea entirely on his own is laughable.

After this diatribe to Zack, he storms out and begins his infamous rampage through Nibelheim, setting the town ablaze and killing the citizens. He marches back to the Mt. Nibel Reactor. We find him in the chamber with the monster containers just outside the door leading to the room with Jenova inside. Sephiroth is seen outside the door, pushing at it to no avail.

Sephiroth: “Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door.”

Look at this. The door WON’T OPEN. Then, after slashing away Tifa, he turns back to find it opening for him. He didn’t visibly use any sort of means to make it open, it just did after he made a request to Jenova for its release and his entrance.

Once Zack enters the chamber behind Sephiroth, he (Sephiroth) begins to rant once more.

Sephiroth: “With her superior power,
knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet.”

Now, look at how his perception of Jenova has shifted even more in her favor. He went from considering her and the Ancients as peaceful and noble peoples to regarding her as the destined leader of all existence on the Planet. Why this is manic, it marks a very subtle transition in his way of thinking. In short, he now has come to regard Jenova as an entity beyond all others instead of just a Cetra. Following the idea that Jenova is projecting some level of influence over his mind, this fits very well.
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And for anyone hwo might come in here trumpetting the UOG's statement of Sephiroth's control, look at the guide more closely. It's NOT written by Square. Nor does it say approved by the FFVII writers or directors. This is the same problem Takahashi had when he left Square. He wanted to continue the Xenogears series but due to the fact SQUARE owns the rights, not the actual person who originated the concept or directed the game, he couldn't. Square big-wigs could have easily slapped an official Square backing on it with no dealings with the actual writers of the game. Call this petty, but it's really how business works. Business IS petty.