Quote Originally Posted by Kefka_Almighty View Post

No, Jenova was a tool. While she was responsible for the destruction of the Cetra, she was technically killed by the remaining ones and her body used as a tool by Shinra and specifically Hojo when they found it. While Sephiroth claims what he's doing is his "mother's" will, it's really more like he came to his own conclusions after reading everything he could find in the underground library in Nibelheim and decided that the desires and goals he felt to complete were the same as what Jenova wanted, not that he himself honestly knew or was being told what they were. On top of that, Jenova was already brain dead by this point as Ryushikazu has already pointed out; she had absolutely no control over what was going on, and was merely a tool. A tool, therefore, cannot be described as the villain of the game.
finally a valid arguement. I might just shut up now. Oh wait:

uh...Jenova never died. She was sealed. Then she was found by Shinra. Her head was taken by Sephiroth. Her body escaped from shinra. Jenova had the ability to live in separate pieces, but these pieces would eventually return to the head. These pieces include the body and the cells injected into humans.(Which explains why Sephiroth, who had jenova cells in him, went crazy took the head in the first place)

It is clear that Jenova has the power to manipulate those with its cells inside them. Whenever Cloud became close to Jenova (usually disguised as Sephiroth), he did some terrible things, like hand over the Black Materia, beat up Aeris, allow Aeris to be killed, you get the picture. What I don't understand about the "Sephiroth is the true villain" idea is what gave Sephiroth the ability to use this manipulation power rather than become subject to it like Cloud.

It just doesn't hold up as well.