What exactly happened to Nibelheim?

[Squall04]

Ok, so I just beat the game last night. I didn't even beat it all the way through, I just rushed through skipping any sidequests because it was my first time and I wasn't using a strategy guide.

Anyway, I was just wondering if Nibelheim really did burn down five years ago, why do none of the townspeople remember it? What about that whole thing is real and what is just made up memories of Cloud? Did I miss something somewhere that explains this?

On a side note, I love all the stuff that makes you really think about the game, like the R=U theory of VIII. Anything juicy like that in VII?

[Mirage]

Nibelheim burned down. everyone but Cloud, Tifa and Zargan died. Shinra rebuilt the town and hired actors to live there.

[Squall04]

*afraid to sound like a gullible n00b*
Really? Where's the evidence of that?

[Mirage]

In the game.

[Destai]

Very helpful.
When you revisit Nibelheim go to Tifas room, On the desk you'll find a letter from Hojo explaining everything.

[Squall04]

.... ah, ya, I missed that part. Thanks.

[Cuchulainn]

What happened to Zargan after Nibelheim? Did Shin-Ra kill him to keep him quiet?

[Destai]

Unknown. He was just a minor character anyway. He travelled around the world so its no suprise he wasnt seen after that. He just helped people out of there houses and when the fire died out was probably in enough of a haste to move on. Either that or the shinra killed him which doesnt look likely with Hojo's letter.

[Weimar Pluto Knight VII]

Do you mean the Hojo's letter in the mansion? I don't remember a letter in Tifa's room.

Can I still read it on Disc 2/3? Where exactly is it? I'm gonna go read it, then. I never knew that was there.

[Destai]

I only noticed it recently my self when a friend who was playing it for the first time pointed it out to me. *disgraced*
It should still be there disc 2/3.

[Mirage]

Very helpful.

To me it sounded like he didn't believe me, so I took an offensive stance. maybe I was wrong.

[Destai]

sorry for making you out to be in the wrong.

[Big D]

What happened to Zargan after Nibelheim? Did Shin-Ra kill him to keep him quiet?

He searched Nibelheim for survivors, but only found Tifa after he saw Cloud, Zack and the other survivors being rounded up by Hojo. He used curative magic to keep her alive till he got her to Midgar, where he found a doctor. He then went into hiding.

This is revealed in the hidden letter in Tifa's piano.

[Destai]

Really!? I only remember it saying you're my prized student and giving Tifas ulimate limit break.

[Weimar Pluto Knight VII]

Yeah, regain control of Cloud (so, post Meteor), and play the main theme's melody again, I belive it's

X,[],/\,R1+O(not sure, but you can hopefully figure it out by ear),R1+X(again, not sure),X,[],/\,R1+X,/\,[],X,[],X,

and you get the letter from Zangan detailing what Big D told us about, then Tifa (oh, right, she has to be in your party) behaves like Yuffie sometimes does, and you get the limit break.

I'm gonna go find Hojo's letter now.

Yay! Something new from my favorite game! I'm so happy there's still some text I haven't seen, yet!