JENOVA Cell Acceptance and Limit Sterilization
Since the matter of Hojo’s experimentation upon Vincent has come up several times recently, I endeavored to consider the matter more closely. Previously, I speculated that the experimentation involved JENOVA cell injections, and that his Limit Break transformations were a side effect of this treatment. However, I now find it more likely that Vincent did not receive JENOVA treatment, or, if he did, suffered adverse reaction to it.
My reasoning for this deals with the concept of Limit Breaks in FFVII. All party members, notably, have Limit capabilities. Enemies, on the other hand, do not. While this would seem to be a mere battle convention, the matter becomes more complicated when one considers that, in the Kalm flashback, neither Sephiroth nor “Cloud” (in effect, Zack) are able to use Limit Breaks. More striking still is that Limit potential seems inherent to all human beings; recall the scene in Beginner’s Hall where Cloud instructs a young boy on Limit Breaks. Here, we see a child, outside of battle physics, unleash a powerful attack after receiving a certain amount of punishment. One might even look to the man in the Battle Arena who wants to use an overpowered kick technique against Meteor. These examples belie such a conventional view of the Limit Break. However, an explanation can be reached.
My thesis, in essence, is that bodily acceptance of JENOVA cells sterilizes one’s Limit potential; he or she loses the ability to unleash Limit Breaks. The acceptance of the JENOVA cells is crucial; Cloud’s adverse reaction to them would leave him fully capable of Limit use.
Quote:
Cloud: I'm physically built like someone in SOLDIER. Hojo's plan to clone
Sephiroth wasn't that difficult. It was just the same procedure they use when
creating members of SOLDIER. You see, someone in SOLDIER isn't simply exposed to
Mako energy. Their bodies are actually injected with Jenova cells...... For
better or worse, only the strong can enter SOLDIER. It has nothing to do with
Jenova Reunion. But weak people...... like me, get lost in the whole thing. The
combination of Jenova cells, Sephiroth's strong will and my own weakness are
what created me.
As JENOVA is certainly an alien, malignant, and altogether unnatural entity, it makes a degree of sense that JENOVA cells might neutralize inherent Limit ability. However, one must consider precisely why any being is capable of Limit Break use in the first place. I believe that this is due to the Lifestream. Carrying the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients, and the very life of the planet, it is capable of manifesting itself powerfully. In organic beings, comprised from Spirit Energy and derived from the Lifestream, this power can be realized in Limit techniques. It can be theorized, then, that JENOVA, an otherworldly being (and perhaps this otherworld having its own Lifestream as well, similar to the situation in FF: TSW; Squall of SeeD’s Spirit Energy and Memories thread offers a complete overview of this idea) would be contradictory to the intent of the Lifestream, manifested in Spirit Energy. Thus, acceptance of this alien form might negate the ability of the Lifestream to allow Limit use.
Outside of humans whose bodies have accepted JENOVA therapy, then, all people are able to use some form of a Limit Break. However, we must next address the problem of monsters. Among the myriad monsters that populate Gaia, none uses or has a Limit technique. Further, as evidenced by Red XIII, Limit Breaks are not exclusive to humans (furthering the point created by Limit/Lifestream theory). However, drawing on the idea of JENOVA treatment, an explanation can be reached. Recall that the entity JENOVA, on first reaching the planet, infected the Cetra at the Knowlespole with a virus. Ifalna, as recorded at the Icicle Inn tapes, goes on to state that these Cetra turned into monsters. She also notes that JENOVA moved on and infected other Cetra clans.
Quote:
Ifalna: Yes, the energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the
land... then the Planet... The Planet tried to persuade the Cetra to leave the
Knowlespole, but...
Gast: Ifalna... Let's take a break.
Ifalna: I'm all right... When the Cetra... were preparing to part with the
land they loved... That's when it appeared! It looked like... our... our dead
mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past.
Gast: Who is the person that appeared at the North Cave? I haven't any idea.
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...
Now, the game makes it clear that Mako, in excess quantities, has mutagenic properties. One needs only recall the Kalm flashback, where Hojo had created monsters by this very technique.
Quote:
Sephiroth: Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with
Mako. You're different from the others, but still human. But, what are they?
They've been exposed to a high degree of Mako, far more than you.
Cloud: ...is this some kind of monster?
Sephiroth: Exactly. And it's Hojo of Shinra that produced these monsters.
However, the game also suggests that this was to blame for an increase in monster attacks. We can assume, then (as we logically would, anyway), that monsters predate Mako technology. If this is the case, then it is entirely possible that monsters are the descendents of the Cetra originally infected and transformed by Jenova.
In-game enemies can be subdivided into three primary groups: monsters, humans, and robots/machinery. By this thesis, the vast majority of monsters can be presumed to have no Limit capabilities as a result of their original infection. Even if the original Cetra did not “accept” the infection, the JENOVA cells in any progeny would have likely been integrated naturally (similar to Sephiroth having been given JENOVA treatment prior to birth). Thus, JENOVA acceptance explains away the inability of monsters to use Limit Breaks, barring an exception that will be addressed later in this document. We are left, however, with the questions of human opponents and mechanical foes.
Most robots/machines are incapable of using Limits, which can easily be explained since they are inorganic beings. As a result, the Lifestream could not generate Limit potential within them. This calls into question, however, Cait Sith. This issue will be addressed at a later point in the thread.
Humans, however, prove the most troublesome. The theory immediately explains why Sephiroth, Zack, SOLDIER: 3rd’s, SOLDIER: 2nd’s, and SOLDIER: 1st’s have no Limit abilities. However, there do appear to be humans encountered in battle with no Limit Breaks, and no JENOVA exposure. These humans are, specifically, the Turks, Palmer, Rufus, and a variety of grunt soldiers, lackeys, and henchmen.
At this point, I will examine all characters and opponents which would, in one way or another, seem to be at odds with the Limit sterilization theory.
First, I will address Vincent Valentine. As a result of this theory, I now believe that Hojo’s experimentation and anatomical reconstruction did not involve JENOVA cell use. Alternatively, if it did, Vincent’s body rejected the therapy. However, the possibility remains that Vincent was given and accepted JENOVA cells. Despite earlier claims, however, Vincent’s unique case might still allow for Limit use under these circumstances. Recall, first, that Vincent was probably killed after being shot by Hojo. Anatomic reconstruction and experimentation, however, restored Vincent to life. This is suggested by a passage from the Ehrgeiz manual…
Quote:
An ex-gunman of the Shinra Intelligence Sector (The Turks) who has had a dark past and was put to sleep in the Shinra Mansion. After being killed by someone within the Shinra Mansion, Vincent underwent anatomic reconstruction, and was brought back to life. He now possesses new and improved abilities beyond those of normal men.
…as well as the depiction of a dead-on shot in the waterfall flashback. His death and resuscitation would also explain the fact that Vincent has not aged for roughly thirty years. It is important, however, to remember that Vincent is not undead; note that, at the least, curative magic does not harm him. Vincent, then, exists as a revived being. I feel, then, that he may have a subconscious understanding of or connection to the Lifestream, allowing him to realize Limit potential. However, said death (and possible JENOVA therapy acceptance) result in unnatural Limit manifestation. Hence, we have Vincent’s transformations, atypical and perhaps unnatural expressions of Limit ability.
Next, I will examine storyline humans who can be assumed not to have received JENOVA therapy. This includes the Turks, Palmer, and Rufus. There seems to be no explanation for the inability to use Limits. However, I feel that it is entirely possible that these individuals can, in fact, use Limit Breaks! As a result of the story, though, it can never happen. Note that these characters are never killed after they are vanquished in battle. Every time the Turks are defeated, they retreat. Rufus escapes via helicopter after battling Cloud. Palmer runs away in Rocket Town (although he does get hit by a truck :D) It is my contention, then, that their Limit gauges simply never fill. Recall that, in Battle Square, a weak hit can fill the Limit gauge if one’s max HP has been significantly reduced by the penalties. If we assume these characters to have immense max HP (perhaps by means of excessive HP Plus materia artificial augmentation), then the damage inflicted by the party would not be sufficient to raise the Limit gauge to the point of Break.
There is another possible explanation, which must necessarily be examined in the case of grunt soldiers and other minor human opponents. These figures often do appear to die after falling in battle. One would assume, then, that a near-fatal hit or succession of hits should allow for Limit status. There may be, however, a reason why such is not the case. Note that, for example, Sadness status reduces the rate at which the Limit gauge rises. Emotion clearly plays a role in Limit Breaks, and it may simply be that, while in combat, some people are simply incapable of realizing or calling upon their innate ability in critical situations. Alternatively, battle inexperience, fear, carelessness, or a variety of similar factors might cause the gauge to rise extremely slowly.
This should cover any questions regarding human beings. Machines, as already mentioned, simply should not have Limit Breaks. However, Cait Sith clearly contradicts this idea. There are, however, key differences in his case. Note first that most machines seem to operate by means of some AI system. Cait Sith, however, is controlled by Reeve, a human who presumably has some sort of Limit ability. Also, recall that the start-up manual describes the giant Mog upon which Cait Sith rides as having been brought to life by magical means.
Quote:
Cait Sith rides around on the back of a huge stuffed Mog he magically brought to life.
I would contend, then, that Cait Sith’s Limit Breaks are actually an extension of Reeve’s own Limit abilities. Magic in FFVII suggests Spirit Energy or materia in some form, which could have conceivably been integrated into Cait Sith. In this way, Reeve’s Limit ability could be channeled through Cait Sith and manifested as Dice or Slots. Reeve, however, would not actually be performing the Limit Break(s). This explains, as I see it, why Cait Sith is the only character not to have four levels of Limits, or to need a manual to “learn” the final Limit. Cait Sith’s Limits are something of a vicarious experience, and so do not wholly correspond toward normal Limit patterns.
Monsters have been, for the most part, explained. However, we must examine one more case. This is, of course, WEAPON. Described by Hojo as…
Quote:
Hojo: ...Weapon. Monsters created by the Planet.
…it would seem that JENOVA played no role in their creation. In fact, according to Ifalna, WEAPON was created to combat JENOVA. In the case of WEAPON, however, I would argue that Limits are indeed manifested! Recall that Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ultimate Weapons all use stylized energy attacks. Emerald has Emerald Shoot and Emerald Beam; Ruby has Ruby Ray (and possibly Ruby Flame as well); Diamond has Diamond Flash; Ultimate has Ultima Beam. While the party never actually fights Sapphire, it clearly attacks Junon with a sort of energy beam, a technique consistent of the other monsters of WEAPON. Of course, these attacks require no gauge, no damage impetus. This can be explained, however, in that WEAPON was created as, well, a weapon. Its original purpose, as described by Ifalna, was to combat JENOVA.
Quote:
Gast: Ifalna, can you comment on the thing called 'Weapon'?
Ifalna: Yes, Professor. 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."
Gast: Back then, Weapon was a weapon the Planet produced of its own will?
Ifalna: Yes, but... 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.
Later, Hojo describes WEAPON as having the ultimate purpose of returning Spirit Energy to the Lifestream by causing death.
Quote:
Hojo: Weapon... Then it really does exist... I didn't believe in it.
Rufus: What does this mean?
Hojo: ...Weapon. Monsters created by the Planet. It appears when the Planet is
in danger, reducing everything to nothingness. That's what was stated in
Professor Gast's report.
In this case, the aspects of WEAPON may have been granted a unique gift; immediate access to Limit use. Note that in this thread we see Ultima Beam described as a refined attack utilizing the Lifestream. Presumably, however, if even WEAPON were somehow infected by JENOVA, Limit ability would be lost, or somehow compromised.
Thus, we return to the original point. Comprised of Spirit Energy, organic beings are capable of utilizing that energy, the stuff of the Lifestream, to perform specialized attacks. However, if the body accepts a malignant foreign host, this ability is lost or compromised. This would seem to be the case with Sephiroth, Zack, and all members of SOLDIER. Likewise, JENOVA-created monsters would have had their Limit ability ‘sterilized.’ And most robots, non-organic entities, would never have had Limit access in the first place. In general, however, the Limit Break seems innate to natural beings of Gaia.
As always, your thoughts, opinions, and comments are appreciated.
