FF7 Story

[sam_justice]

Firstly. Hey, my name is Sam I'm new to the forums.
Okay, I first played FF7 when I was very young when it first came out. Obviously back then I couldn't understand the story for crap. I just finished it again, and still do not understand it, is there a thread here that tells the story start to finish properly? Or would anyone be so kind to tell me ?
Thanks

[Christmas]

NO WORRIES.

But it will be good that you just post those that you dun understand so that someone can answer it for you.

[A7X_Weapon]

yeah i dont quite understand all tht stuff mainly about clouds past, and his screwed up memory and all that

[Christmas]

Cloud was a misfit in Nibelheim when he was a kid and couldn't get along with others even though he wanted to.

Cloud: "I used to think... they were all stupid."

Tifa: "What?"

Cloud: "You were all childish, laughing at every little stupid thing."

Tifa: "But we were children, back then."

Cloud: "...I know. I'm the one that was stupid. I really wanted to play with
everyone, but I was never allowed into the group. Then later... I began to
think I was different... That I was different from those immature kids."
(Lifestream Sequence)

Later he rescued Tifa in an incident.

Kid Tifa: How 'bout those that died? Did mama pass through the mountain? I'm
going!

A kid left and kid Cloud saw where Tifa's going. Later in the white void...

Shadow Cloud: I don't remember the path I walked. Tifa missed her step. I ran
to her... but didn't make it in time. Both of us fell off the cliff. Back then,
I only scarred my knees but......

A man appeared at the scene.

Man 1: Cloud! Why'd you bring Tifa to a place like this!

Man 2: What the hell's the matter with you!?

Man 1: What if she dies!?

Kid Cloud: Tifa was in a coma for seven days. We all thought she wouldn't make
it. If only I could've saved her... I was so angry... Angry at myself for my
weakness. Ever since then, I felt Tifa blamed me... I got out of control... I'd
get into fights not even caring who it was. That was the first time I heard
about Sephiroth. If I got strong like Sephiroth, then everyone might...

Shadow Cloud: If I could get stronger...... Then even Tifa would have to notice
me......

So he decided to go become someone strong and also famous like Sephiroth. He left for Midgar.

The camera shows Cloud and Tifa as kids playing in the playground.

Tifa: Sorry I'm late. You said you wanted to talk about something?

Cloud: Come this spring…I'm leaving this town for Midgar.

Tifa: …All boys are leaving our town.

Cloud: But I'm different from all of them. I'm not just going to find a job. I
want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth!

Tifa: Sephiroth… The Great Sephiroth. Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?

During the Nibelheim's incident five years ago, he was one of the regular soldier that accompany his friend Zack and Sephiroth to check on the reactor instead of the flashback shown in Kalm with him taking the role of Zack instead.

Zack: Hey Cloud. If you're feeling sick, why don't you take that mask off?

Cloud: Yeah...... Yeah... this is... me.

The camera switches to the truck from the past.

Cloud: I ...never made it as a member of SOLDIER. I even left my hometown
telling everyone I was going to join, but... I was so embarrassed...... I
didn't want to see anybody...

The flashback in Kalm indeed happened instead that Zack is taking the role of Cloud instead. The flashback in Kalm ended when Cloud which actually should be Zack confronting Sephiroth.

After which, Zack was defeated and Cloud appeared.

Cloud: I saw... everything...

A soldier took Zack's sword and pursues Sephiroth. The soldier approaches
Sephiroth and plunges Zack’s sword into Sephiroth’s stomach.

Sephiroth: Aaarrrgh...... who... who are you?

Soldier: Mom... Tifa... my town... give it back... I had so much respect for
you... I admired you...

Tifa too met Cloud five years ago but regretfully, she couldn't remember.

The camera shows another flashback in Mt. Nibel Mako Reactor of the past.

Tifa: ...You came. ...You kept your promise. So you really did come when I was
in trouble!

Cloud: Sorry... I didn't get there... fast enough...

Tifa: It's all right... Cloud.

Sephiroth: Just like you.

Zack: Cloud... Kill Sephiroth...

Cloud goes after Sephiroth.

Cloud: Sephiroth!!

Sephiroth plunges his sword into Cloud’s right chest.

Sephiroth: Don't... push... your luck...

Cloud pulls out Sephiroth sword from his wound and throws him into the chasm.

Sephiroth: ...It can't be!

Sephiroth fell into the reactor and dies at the scene. The camera switches to
the surreal world.

After the incident, Tifa was rescued by her master Zangan and was sent to Midgar. During Cloud's flashback in Kalm you can learn a music sequence to play on Tifa's piano ("Do Re Mi Ti La Do Re Mi So Fa Do Re Do."). If you return to Nibleheim on Disc 3 and play the tune you will get a short scene that explains how Tifa came to escape from Nibelheim and end up in Midgar. It takes the form of a letter from Tifa's martial arts instructor Zangan and the text is as follows

"Tifa, what's happened to our town? Was it all an illusion, or just a dream?
No, it was neither. I remember trying to get people out of the flames, but not
having the strength... Burning with anger, I went to the reactor to kill
Sephiroth.

But he was nowhere to be found. Instead, I found you, collapsed inside. I felt
saving you was far more important than going after Sephiroth. There were
several others that were still alive inside, but I was only able to save you.

As I was coming out of the reactor, Shinra troops were just arriving. I recall
a scientist named Hojo was in charge. He ordered the troops to gather up
everyone still alive for the experiment. I didn't know what type of experiment
he was talking about, but I wasn't about to let them have my dearest student.

Putting you on my back, I headed down the mountain to the village. I used the
Cure spell on you many times and started to head for Midgar to look for a
doctor for you. I don't like that city, but my Cure spells weren't helping.

I decided to go to Midgar to find a doctor I could trust. I'm worried about
you, but I can't settle down in one place for very long. Have you recovered
fully? Are you well?

I wonder how many years have passed since then? I just got into town again, but
I can't believe it... The whole town is back to normal, except for the strange
beings with black clothes all around...

The town reeks of Shinra, but I won't go after them. You may think I'm running
from them, but it's just that I don't want anything to do with Shinra anymore.
Feels like time is running out.

I'm sure you'll find this letter. And this gift for you. It should come in
handy. I can't even jump anymore. But I hope you continue to sharpen your
skills and remember what I taught you.

To my most precious student, From Zangan."

Cloud and Zack was captured by Hojo and undergo a series of experiments to create Sephiroth's Clones. Anyway, if you revisit the basement laboratory of Nibelheim Mansion on disc 3 Cloud will have a long flashback about how he and Zack came to escape from Nibelheim and how he ended up in Midgar.

Zack and Cloud was locked in capsules until Zack broke up and rescued Cloud. However, Cloud wasn't able to resist the treatments unlike Zack and his mind was blank when everything happened.

"C project
specimen (B) code c
"A scratch left by a fingernail inside the beaker.
'Lets get out of here'."

"C project
specimen (A) code z
"A scratch left by a fingernail inside the beaker.
'Feeding time', that's our chance!"

A further search of the library next to the lab reveals reports on the hunt for
Zack and Cloud.

"Escape report no.1
X month X day
The two escapee's located near Midgar"

"Escape report no. 2
Description at the time of capture.
A - Former member of SOLDIER/Number ( )
No effect could be detected from either Mako Radiation Therapy or Jenova on him
B - Regular/Number ( )
Reaction to Jenova detected."

The stuffs can be found if you look around in the Nibelheim Mansion Lab and A refer to Zack while B refer to Cloud.

Zack: "Oh, here!! Put on this. It smells a little though don't complain.
You
look pretty good with that. Well..."

Zack put his clothes onto Cloud and travelled to Midgar. While on a truck travelling to Midgar, Zack talked about becoming a mercenary together with Cloud after being inspired by the truck driver. Cloud had a vague concept of being a mercenary from there.

Later which, they reached the outskirts of Midgar and Zack was killed by Shinra Soldiers.

Soldier: "What should we do with this?"

Cloud: " ...Ah... ughhhhh......"

Captain: "...Forget it. Just leave him."

They decided to spare Cloud and later, Cloud picked up Zack's sword and went to Midgar. He wasn't that all sane during that time and was pretty confused. So it is not strange that he couldn't remember what happened.

"Escapee report no.3
Concerning their disposal.
A - Shot for resisting.
B - Escaped during A's resistance."

"Escapee report no.4
Other.
B's whereabouts is currently unknown. But, we submit there is no need to
pursue him, due to his diminishing consciousness. Awaiting further
instructions."

Note they hide the truth that they spared Cloud to save them the trouble.

Weapons were released from the Crater. One of the
Weapon's attack knocked Tifa unconscious. The Airship flies away to Junon.
Meanwhile in Tifa's dream...

Tifa: Cloud... Cloud... ......I didn't know what to do. I was always like
that...

Tifa sees Cloud at the Train Station.

Guard: What's the matter?

Cloud: Ohhh...

Guard: ......poor kid.

Cloud: Ooouugh......

Tifa: Are you all right?

Cloud: Oo... uh... agh Uh... uh... Tifa...?

Tifa: ...? Tifa! ...............? Oh, Cloud!

Cloud: That's right. I'm Cloud.

Tifa: Is it really you, Cloud? I never thought I'd find you here!

Cloud: Yeah, it's been a while.

Tifa: What happened to you? You don't look well.

Cloud: ......Yeah? It's nothing. I'm okay.

Tifa: How long has it been?

Cloud: (after some shocks) Five years.

Tifa: ............

Cloud: What is it?

Tifa: ...it's really been a long time. Actually, it's been seven years. You got
your wish and joined SOLDIER, quit after the Sephiroth incident, and now you're
a mercenary... You told me a lot about what happened after you left
Nibelheim... But... Something's wrong. I felt there was something strange about
the things you talked about. All the things you didn't know that you should.
And other things you shouldn't know that you did... I wanted to make sure...
But then I heard... you were going far away... And I didn't want that... ...I
didn't know what to do. So, I thought I need more time. And that's why I told
you about the AVALANCHE job. I wanted to be with you, watch you.

Cloud met Tifa later on in the in the Sector 7 train station wher she recommend him the AVALANCHE job.

Cloud: "I left my village looking for glory, but never made it in to SOLDIER...... I was so ashamed of being so weak; then I heard this story from my friend Zack... And I created an illusion of myself made up of what I had seen in my life..... And I continued to play the charade as if it were true. I'm physically built like someone in SOLDIER. Hojo's plan to clone Sephiroth wasn't that different. 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 for worse, only the strong can enter SOLDIER. It has nothing to do with the 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 weaknesses are what created me. Everyone knew that. I'm...... Cloud, the master of my own illusionary world. But I can't remain trapped in an illusion any more...... I'm going to live my life without pretending."

Cloud's brain is too ashamed to admit he never made it in SOLDIER and so a massive self-denial sets in. Zack's memories are merged into Cloud's life and he becomes the person he always wanted to be.