Sorry if this has been posted before.

I had recently read a plot analysis of 7, which said that the only time you see the real Sephiroth is during the final battle.

However my original interpretation of the final battle was that it was a symbolic fight, Cloud jounreying inwards to defeat the part of Sephiroth inside him, which allowed him to control him.

The reason I thought this was due to the way which you go to him, through the tunnel of light. I have seen this used as a visual metaphor for going inward before. The fight too is really easy, if it had to be the real Sephiroth, I would have thought he would be stronger than that. Also when it ends and Tifa's hand is out stretched, it is as if Cloud never actually moved.

Now possibley Tifa followed him through the light tunnel, but you never see this.

So what do you guys think?. About the final battle, was it actually Sephiroth or was it just a symbolic fight?.