The Jenova Thesis
This is a theoretical accumulation that I have written that nevertheless is based on factual information within the Final Fantasy VII Universe. It has to deal with the antagonistic existence and character Jenova and how she figures in with the events of both Final Fantasy VII the game and the CGI-movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Using quotes and explanations plus just a bit of logical conjecture, I form my opinion of the entity named Jenova as she plays in the events of the game and movie.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Frequent Misconceptions of Jenova
2. What is Jenova?
3. Crisis from the Sky (Jenova and the Cetra)
4. Jenova and the Shinra
-Jenova’s discovery
-Jenova Project
-Hojo and Jenova
-Nibelheim Incident
-Hojo and Jenova 2
5. Jenova’s Awakening (Final Fantasy VII)
6. Remnants of Chaos (Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children)
1. FREQUENT MISCONCEPTIONS OF JENOVA
Jenova is an Ancient/Cetra-
This was proven to be wrong by an in-game character named Ifalna, one of the last Cetra living. She told Professor Gast in an account seen in the town Icicle on Disc 2. Jenova is an extraterrestrial that crash-landed on the FFVII planet 2000 years ago.
Jenova is dead at the end of Final Fantasy VII-
Jenova is never dead until all of her is erased from the face of a world. The antagonists of Advent Children (the Silver-Haired Men) all seek to use the Jenova cells in the children who have contracted Geostigma to locate Jenova’s head by using the Reunion (see Jenova’s Awakening). Also said by Ifalna that the Planet can never heal itself as long as Jenova exists. Geostigma shows that this is true, even if Jenova only exists in a small form such as only cellular.
2. WHAT IS JENOVA?
The facts are these:
A) Jenova fell to the Planet of the game and caused a tremendous wound that is now called the Northern Crater. Using this, it’s 100% safe to conclude she is an alien lifeform from somewhere in space.
B) An entity with confirmed powers that are all of the following:
Shapeshifting
Telepathy
(Sephiroth: Cloud... Don't blame Tifa. The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova.”)
Re-forming
(Hojo: You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again.)
C) Though Jenova is referred to as “she” in the game and “mother” in the movie, no conclusive sex is associated with Jenova. Though the many transformations are indicative of a female and bare feminine traits, Jenova’s ability to change form to anything “it” desires coupled with its unknown origin, Jenova might not be male or female. However, for the sake of it, I will be referring to her as “she” for the duration of this essay.
D) Jenova is a species of existence and intellect that is difficult to classify. There are mixes signals that relate to how she thinks. It is reasonable to say Jenova just doesn’t think like we do, as to say while she possesses immense intelligence, her ability to take on the minds of others and her alien nature makes her mental state foreign to anything we can understand fully. As will be explained further on in Jenova’s Awakening, the summoning of Meteor relates to her ambition yet simultaneously does not. Also, in Remnants of Chaos, it will explore more of her intellectual being as seen in Advent Children.
3. CRISIS FROM THE SKY
Jenova landed on the Final Fantasy VII world 2,000+ years before the events of the game. She landed in a land known as Knowlespole. This collision with the world left a scar that even in the time of the game, is not yet healed. This scar is Northern Crater. To heal this wound, the Cetra used their powers together to try and heal the Planet.
Ifalna: “[The Planet] said something fell from the sky making a large wound. Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet... But, due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years."
The Cetra’s attempts to heal the land used up most of the Spirit Energy in the land, making it barren. After the unknown number of years in which the thousands of Cetra attempted to undo the damage Jenova had done, the Planet told them to leave the area. As to why, is unknown. Possibly it knew the threat that was about to befall them, or it could tell they could do no more work there. In any case, Ifalna tells of the first accounts of Jenova on this world and her interaction with the indigenous population.
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...”
Look at Ifalna’s terminology “He first approached as a friend, deceived them.” Highly revealing text. Ifalna knows more of this tragedy than any other and she clearly tells it as an act of pure malicious design and brutality that resulted from a thinking mind. Instincts can prompt animals to slip among other species for the act of eating, but “approached as a friend” is a fete only a processing and sentient mind can achieve.
Now, none of that text implicates Jenova is the one. That’s why we move onto Film 2 of the video record left by Professor Gast.
Ifalna: “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."
Her talk of him mistaking Jenova for an Ancient will be further elaborated on in Jenova and the Shinra. As to the matter at hand, Ifalna’s statement indicates that no matter how small a portion of Jenova that remains on this Planet, it can cause damage to the Planet and keep it from ever truly reversing the damage Jenova initially brought about. There is no further explanation of how many Cetra Jenova ultimately infected, but judging from the lack of them in the current time, it was most likely a significant portion. To counter Jenova, the Planet itself spawned Weapon, a monstrous weapon that was meant to remove Jenova’s existence so that the Planet could heal itself. However...
Ifalna: 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."
Similarly, there is no detail given on how the Cetra confined Jenova. We do know Jenova will remain sealed and inactive for a over a millennium. However, take note of Ifalna’s statements. The one previous and this one.
Ifalna: “Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time... The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still watching Jenova."
As did happen much later on. Let’s review what we learned in this chapter.
-Jenova fell from space and caused a wound in the land known as Knowlespole.
-Several thousand Cetra gathered to try and heal the damage done by Jenova’s landing.
-The Planet told the gathered Cetra to leave for unknown reasons. As they tried this, Jenova approached them and using her telepathic and shapeshifting capabilities, deceived them all before infecting them with a virus that first drove them insane and finally mutated them into some type of monstrosity.
This is basic knowledge, but key. It shows Jenova’s powers as well as confirms Jenova has a level of thinking above mere instincts. Jenova has eliminated an X number of Cetra before her eventual imprisonment by the Cetra. Jenova will remain in this dormant state and undisturbed for two millennia.
4. JENOVA AND THE SHINRA
Jenova’s Discovery
An unknown amount of years before the game begins, a scientist working for Shinra named Professor Gast came upon the body of Jenova.
Sephiroth: (reading a report in the Shinra Mansion basement) “…an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova…X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient.”
This is Sephiroth reading an account left by the researchers of Shinra. At an unspecified time, Jenova’s hidden and trapped form was found and recovered. At this time, Shinra most likely moved the body to a research facility, and confirmed it to be an Ancient by the scientists. As said by Ifalna, this was incorrect.
The Jenova Project
Under this incorrect preface, the Jenova Project was launched to create people with the power of the Ancients/Cetra in modern times. A scientist under Professor Gast named Hojo offered forth the woman bearing his child for the project. Jenova’s cells were injected into this woman’s (Lucrecia’s) womb. The result was Sephiroth.
Hojo and Jenova
We know that sometime into the project (presumably after Sephiroth’s conception as he knew the professor), Gast left and Hojo fully took control of the Jenova Project. At this point, Hojo began using Jenova’s cells to produce abominations of science and nature. In the Mt. Nibel Reactor, Sephiroth and Zack came across these atrocities.
Sephiroth: Now…what does Mako energy became when it's further condensed?”
*Cloud: “Uh, ummm…… Oh yeah! It becomes a Materia.”
Sephiroth: Right, normally. But Hojo put something else in there. …”
(NOTE: This is Cloud’s dialogue displayed, but it was really Zack who was with Sephiroth. All dialogue that is questionably said by Cloud will be indicated by a * before his name)
We can safely assume that this additive was Jenova cells. Thus, these were normal members of SOLDIER, subjected to a higher degree of Mako than normal and also exposed to Jenova cells. Hojo being the mastermind behind all this would know a great deal about Jenova’s abilities from these experiments. With Jenova cells administered with Mako to humans, they became dangerous and ferocious monsters. Sound familiar?
Ifalna: “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.”
This line above all proves that the additional something Sephiroth mentions most certainly is Jenova cells.
Nibelheim Incident
In the town of Nibelheim, dangerous and hostile monsters were being produced by the malfunctioning Mako Reactor there. First Class SOLDIER Sephiroth and a small group were sent to investigate. This group included Zack, fellow SOLDIER, and a couple basic Shinra troops which included Cloud. Upon entering the town, Sephiroth turns to ask Zack how it feels to return to his hometown and Zack makes an inquiry about Sephiroth’s parentage.
Sephiroth: “My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me.”
So, someone (possibly Gast) misinformed Sephiroth for whatever their motivations. Later the next day, Sephiroth’s group heads off to the Reactor with a guide, a young martial artist named Tifa. Upon arrival and entrance, Sephiroth and Zack proceed to make their way into the Reactor and into a chamber full of pods and a staircase that leads up to a room.
*Cloud: This is…… Jenova, right? The lock won't open…
He was standing at the entrance to the room with Sephiroth. This indicates (and is later proven) that this is the locale Jenova was moved to after her discovery. Then Sephiroth and his companion have an interesting dialogue and Sephiroth begins to act extremely violent and wild.
Sephiroth: “…Was I created this way too? Am I the same as all these monsters……”
*Cloud: “…Sephiroth.”
Sephiroth: “You saw it! All of them…were humans…”
At the same time, Sephiroth has drawn his blade and is striking the containers in the room violently and at random. From voice and action, he seems to be losing some grip on reality, his formerly calm and reserved self giving way to self-doubt that blossoms from nowhere apparently. After this, Sephiroth immersed himself in texts detailing Jenova and Shinra’s doings in a library he found in the Shinra Mansion basement. After reading this large assortment of material, Zack comes to seek him and Sephiroth seems no longer like himself at all.
Sephiroth: “You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on… At the end of their
harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an
easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors”
Now, examine this short rant carefully. “But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return!” Where do you think it is stated anywhere in that mound of scientific accounts and information that there was a sect of lazy normal individuals who chose to laze about while the Cetra went on their journey? I would say it is HIGHLY unlikely that Sephiroth read that anywhere in the writings he found. So, where did this illogical conclusion sprout from? He rambles on.
Sephiroth: “Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped… They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After
that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports.”
Further rambling, now even more accusatory. Sephiroth has come upon the notion that all other persons except himself are the enemy. Why?
Sephiroth: “Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients……no, the Cetra! …I am the one that was produced.”
So, after reading an extensive account of Shinra’s research, Sephiroth concluded that his mother was Jenova and that she was a Cetra and that all humanity were slothful and were as responsible for the Cetra’s demise as the “disaster” that struck the planet. Now, let’s travel into the realms of guesswork that still are logical theories.
Sephiroth began exhibiting abnormal behavior when he entered the reactor. He was at a closer proximity to Jenova than he had ever been. At this time, he also learned of Hojo’s experiments and somehow linked this with worries and distress over his own birth and origins. Later on, Sephiroth reads records of Shinra’s and though he did read quite a bit of material, I find it highly unlikely to say that any of the books told of how the Cetra were destroyed by a disaster while the rest of humanity cowered and hid themselves away. Based off this information, it is not far-fetched at all to assume that the Jenova cells in him were coming to power. At such a close range to Jenova’s body and in such a distraught state, it is not beyond the line of reason to say that Jenova was asserting some level of influence over his mind. Some could say Sephiroth was just off put by finding a group of monsters created by science and SOMEHOW came to wonder of his own origins, but this is beyond reason and my own theory. Furthermore, his filling in the gaps of the Shinra information with tales of an evil race of populating louts in humans and a heroically pure race of peaceful people in the Cetra came from somewhere and in such a state of mental anguish, suggesting he formed this idea entirely on his own is laughable.
After this diatribe to Zack, he storms out and begins his infamous rampage through Nibelheim, setting the town ablaze and killing the citizens. He marches back to the Mt. Nibel Reactor. We find him in the chamber with the monster containers just outside the door leading to the room with Jenova inside. Sephiroth is seen outside the door, pushing at it to no avail.
Sephiroth: “Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door.”
Look at this. The door WON’T OPEN. Then, after slashing away Tifa, he turns back to find it opening for him. He didn’t visibly use any sort of means to make it open, it just did after he made a request to Jenova for its release and his entrance.
Once Zack enters the chamber behind Sephiroth, he (Sephiroth) begins to rant once more.
Sephiroth: “With her superior power,
knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet.”
Now, look at how his perception of Jenova has shifted even more in her favor. He went from considering her and the Ancients as peaceful and noble peoples to regarding her as the destined leader of all existence on the Planet. Why this is manic, it marks a very subtle transition in his way of thinking. In short, he now has come to regard Jenova as an entity beyond all others instead of just a Cetra. Following the idea that Jenova is projecting some level of influence over his mind, this fits very well.
Saying Sephiroth vilified all humanity beyond himself and finally states openly his idea that Jenova far surpasses all else (even the Cetra judging by his statement) with no influence gained from Jenova is just ludicrous.
Sephiroth: “I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet. I have orders to take this planet back from you stupid people for the Cetra.”
Orders from the Cetra? Wait, what did he just say before this?
Sephiroth: “But they… Those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother. But now I'm here with you so don't worry.”
Judging from these two lines, it is not the orders from the Cetra he is following, but Jenova’s own orders. Or maybe it’s just his distressed mind has fabricated this idea but as previously stated, saying he concluded and constructed this idea and the tale of the Cetra with no outside influence is beyond logic.
Now we go to the proper memory. After Sephiroth defeats Zack, Cloud approaches swiftly, vengefully and un-sensed by the euphoric Sephiroth and plunges Zack’s Buster Sword into Sephiroth’s form.
Sephiroth: “Aaarrrgh...... who... who are you?”
Look at this. People often say to discount lines such as these that “Sephiroth barely knew Cloud.” But Sephiroth still knew the people he was with. Maybe he didn’t know Cloud by name, but he wouldn’t not recognize a person he had been on missions with previously and had just spent a truck-ride and finally a trek with. While Zack undoubtedly would have been identified more easily, Sephiroth would just not know Cloud all of a sudden unless something was effecting his mind beside psychosis. His sudden madness did not seem to inhibit his memory in any other way and saying he just didn’t recognize Cloud because of that doesn’t fit at all. He didn’t recognize Cloud because Jenova was asserting more and more pull in his mind.
After this, Sephiroth limped out clutching the only piece of Jenova he could carry in his current state, her head, and Cloud pursued him. Sephiroth wheeled about and slabbed Cloud, lifting him up and making an agonized statement Cloud should not push his luck. Cloud, fueled by adrenalin, overcame his deadly injury and seized the Masamune, tossing Sephiroth and Jenova’s head into the reactor below.
Hojo and Jenova 2
An undisclosed time later after this event, Hojo of Shinra began attempting to replicate Sephiroth without the whole process of injecting Jenova cells into a fetus. These would become the incomplete “Sephiroth clones” people injected with Jenova’s cells. These were the inhabitants of Nibelheim who survived the incident and needed to be dealt with my Shinra. After injection with the cells, Hojo apparently let them all back onto society as he makes a statement saying he expected the clones to gather at Midgar and we see a man with one of the distinctive tattoos in the Slums. The tattoos go from I-XIII which is Red XIII of our party. The exception is Cloud who, after the incident, was kept in a pod in the basement of the Shinra Mansion. He did react to Jenova, but never was graced with a number. Hojo’s true motives behind this whole project could be the proving of his Jenova Reunion Theory which will be elaborated on in the next chapter. Also of note is that during this time, Jenova’s body (headless now) is moved to the Shinra Building in Hojo’s laboratory.
5. JENOVA’S AWAKENING
Now, we move on to the actual events taking place in the time period of the game. The first mention of Jenova in the game is when Cloud, Tifa and Barret bust into Shinra HQ and reach Hojo’s laboratory where we know Jenova has been moved after the Nibelheim incident.
Cloud: (reading the label of the specimen container) “Jenova...”
We see a shot of the contained Jenova, still missing her head and then we see Cloud again, clutching his head and for lack of a better term, “freaking out.”
Cloud: “It's moving… …still alive?”
After over two millennia and even without its head, Jenova lives on still. We know that Cloud has Jenova cells in him and he is directly right in front of the Jenova container. Like Sephiroth in the Mt. Nibel Reactor, Cloud is now the closest he has ever been to the body of Jenova (since his injection with her cells, at least). And so his head begins to ache and his whole body shakes. Events following this confirm Jenova definitely still is alive. Following Cloud’s group’s jailing, the group sleeps and Cloud awakes to find his cell door open, a dead guard, and even more ominously, a trail of blood. Upon examination of the corpse, Red XIII comments.
Red XIII: “No human could've done this.”
Foreshadowing declaration there. Following Red XIII the group arrives at Hojo’s laboratory and makes an interesting discovery.
Red XIII: “Jenova Specimen… Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens.”
Note that where Jenova was stored is clearly busted outward. Let’s now add all the pieces.
Cloud: “[Jenova’s] moving… …still alive?”
Red XIII: “No human could've done this.”
Coupled with the evidence of Jenova’s container being forcibly broke out of and not into, we can say with 100% proof that Jenova was the entity that murdered the guard and all the others in the Shinra Building. Now, let’s fully understand this. Jenova’s body, to the best of our knowledge, was inactive physically for a large amount of time. However, upon Cloud’s intrusion into Hojo’s lab and his nearness to her form, Jenova began moving. Later that night, Jenova broke out from her holding pod and began to slaughter every human in her reach and at sometime opens Cloud’s cell and that correlates to the Reunion as will be talked about later on in this chapter.
However, it was not Jenova that the people saw. It was another... Upon reaching the top floor, Cloud’s group finds President Shinra dead with a very memorable sword stabbed through his chest. It’s Sephiroth’s sword. Then appears a Shinra executive named Palmer.
Cloud: “What happened?”
Palmer: “Se …Sephiroth. Sephiroth came.”
Sephiroth..? But how can this be?
*Sephiroth: “The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova.”
(NOTE: Sephiroth actually speaks no lines throughout the game after Nibelheim. From his mouth, in any case. All dialogue taken from this questionable Sephiroth will be indicated by a * before the name)
So, we have these facts:
-Jenova is still alive.
-Jenova began moving once Cloud, a person with her cells in him, came near her.
-Later that night, Jenova fully awoke and began moving, killing all the people in the building and opening Cloud’s door.
-She takes on Sephiroth’s appearance.
Now we get into the speculative bit of Jenova’s actions. Why did she take on Sephiroth’s appearance? People who promote the idea Sephiroth was controlling her will claim he was impressing his will onto her. No explanation or evidence stated in the game offers forth an idea that Sephiroth was capable, or willing, to do such an act. However, we do know Jenova has certain abilities and whether instinctual or sentient, can delve into the minds of others and use what she finds there for her own purposes. This would conceivably be accomplished to an even greater extent in those with her cells. Jenova’s intelligence is not really a question here. It can be instinct or cunning, but it is not at all hard to conclude that when Jenova awoke and reached out to Cloud, she found at the core of his psyche, imprinted forever in his mind was...Sephiroth. The same goes to all the clones. As survivors of the Nibelheim Incident, they would similarly have Sephiroth eternally etched onto their consciousness. Finding this common link in all the carriers of her components, she took on Sephiroth’s appearance because it was effective. Ifalna herself offers proof Jenova has such abilities (again, primal or intellectual is not involved in this section).
Ifalna: “That's when it appeared! It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
It is Jenova and Jenova looked into their minds and found the same thing she found when she looked into the minds of Cloud and the others who survived Nibelheim and then became parts of Hojo’s Sephiroth clone project. It was Sephiroth and she knew that adopting his form would help guide the clones even more. It would not just have to be an instinctual control of her cells in their body, but a physical dominance over their mind by manipulating their still clear and vivid remembrance of Sephiroth.
This makes me theorize on an interesting idea. Red XIII is marked number 13 with the same tattoo Hojo put on every other incomplete Sephiroth clone. However, he never does exhibit any sign of odd behavior (like Cloud) or seem to be a quivering mass only seeking to follow (the rest of the clones). Following this idea, is it not too far-fetched to say he never did this because he, unlike the others, had no tie to Sephiroth? If Jenova morphed her form into Sephiroth to manifest a tangible control over the clones because of their shared feelings of Sephiroth, then it would have no visible effect on Red XIII because he was not at Nibelheim and barely knows of Sephiroth. I would go so far as to say the fact he did not become like the rest is somewhat conclusive proof that Jenova became Sephiroth for just the reason stated.
Moving on in the story, we do not see Jenova or ‘Sephiroth’ again for quite some time. The group passes through Kalm and Cloud recounts his distorted memory of Nibelheim and eventually the group reaches Junon and become stowaways on a Shinra Cargo Ship bound for a new continent. There is an alert about a mysterious person onboard and once the group discovers it’s not them, they believe it to be Sephiroth and head down into the holds. They find dead bodies and a guard dies before their eyes right before a voice is heard a figure appears, going right through the floor.
Mysterious Voice: “…After a long sleep… …the time…… …time has ..come…”
Barret: “Look, Cloud!”
Cloud: “Sephiroth! You're alive!”
*Sephiroth: “……Who are you?”
Cloud: “You don't remember me!? I'm Cloud!”
*Sephiroth: “Cloud…”
This apparition does not seem to know Cloud, just like Sephiroth did not seem to know Cloud back at the reactor when Cloud attacked him. Following the idea that this is merely Jenova taking on the guise of Sephiroth for her own ends, we know that Jenova does not really know Cloud. Sephiroth most definitely would remember the name of the person, or at least eh appearance of the person, who hurled him to his near doom. However, this is not really Sephiroth at all. It is Jenova and she knows nothing of a guy named Cloud. This also explains why “Sephiroth” is moving right through solid material. After this short talk, “Sephiroth” vanishes and we fight a form of Jenova named Jenova-BIRTH. After the fight, we see a part of Jenova, identified by the party themselves. It appears to be a tentacle or arm of the body of Jenova. This truly confirms it was Jenova’s main body onboard the Cargo Ship.
We will not see Jenova again until we reach Nibelheim. However, along the way we stop at Gold Saucer and after the Chocobo Race for freedom, the owner of the Saucer sends Cloud an intriguing note with this post-script.
Dio: “P. S. I just recently et Sephiroth.”
He met Sephiroth? I don’t think so... Let’s look at this simply. Jenova, in the form of Sephiroth, has been traveling away from the Shinra Building. She slaughtered all those In the HQ and then those on the Cargo Ship. She has apparently reacted hostilely to all those she meets. However, Dio claims to have met Sephiroth and does not report any vicious attack or killing spree. This coupled with other information leads us to say that it was not Jenova’s main body in the form of Sephiroth that met Dio, but one of the black-caped men, or the clones that are flocking after her. Reports of the black-caped men go all the way back to Kalm and later in Junon, a Shinra soldier mentions it, but he does also mention that the man killed Shinra soldiers. That along with the fact it was Jenova’s main body on the ship would suggest that the reported Sephiroth there was in fact Jenova’s main body in disguise. We know Cloud utilized Jenova’s cells to help find himself in Tifa’s memory, so we can see that Jenova cells can be used somewhat by their hosts for the hosts own purposes. This would explain how a clone took on the form of Sephiroth, but it would not elaborate on why. The only reason can be is Jenova is compelling them to for her own purposes, as reportedly, “Sephiroth” is searching for the Black Materia. Very little conclusive information gleamed from this fragment of dialogue.
We next see “Sephiroth” in the rebuilt Nibelheim, standing in the same basement where he had poured over innumerable books to discover “who he was.”
*Sephiroth: “Being here brings back memories.”
Memories? What memories is he exactly detailing here? Saying Sephiroth remembers all from before his fall is obviously false because look at what he next says.
*Sephiroth: “Jenova will be at the Reunion.”
Look at how he addresses her. Simply as “Jenova.” Not “mother” as he had done five years previous. If Sephiroth is somehow reliving his moments back then, why does he simply call the one he was essentially rampaging through Nibelheim for just as he would address any other person? I feel the answer is self-evident - it’s not really him, as already stated. Sephiroth, as will be shown later, has an incomplete form of memory that based on what Jenova herself found when she constructed his persona for the form she adopted. Jenova would not know of his “mother” idea of her at all.
After this, Sephiroth flies out of the Mansion and the group pursues him/Jenova to the Temple of the Ancients. This is, in my honest opinion, the most open-for-debate moment of Sephiroth’s and Jenova’s actions. Let us lead into this murky water of interpretation and hopefully emerge with reason in hand.
*Sephiroth: I became a traveler of the Lifestream and gained the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients.”
Now, we can conclude “Sephiroth” learned of the Black Materia and Holy on his way to Northern Crater. He absorbed their knowledge, but how much of it is the question we must ask ourselves. For instance, does the knowledge he took on include that Jenova was not an Ancient? The “true” Sephiroth in Nibelheim spoke of an unknown disaster that struck the Planet. This was part of his rationalization of why he was to kill all the people around him, because he alone was not a member of the .group that escaped by sacrificing the Cetra. So, surely Sephiroth learned of this in the Lifestream? It would most definitely be part of the wisdom of the Ancients. But, wait, look at his previous statement preceding his declaration of where he gained his insight.
*Sephiroth: “I'm far superior to the Ancients.”
Again, we know Sephiroth himself actually believed himself a descendant of the Cetra and the rightful heir to the Planet. As explained in Jenova and the Shinra, the Nibelheim Incident, it is evident his ideas of Jenova’s superiority to all other forms of existence made he himself decide he would “take the Planet back.” Everything we hear currently contradicts what we know the real and true Sephiroth came to believe and yet, he still does not seem to know things Sephiroth should know if he indeed did take on the wisdom of the Cetra. My conclusion here again is it was Jenova. Jenova, upon re-awakening in Shinra HQ, reached out to her body parts, whether cells or even her “head.” Remember? Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream with her head. Her head made that journey with Sephiroth to Northern Crater, and logically, similarly was imbued with the knowledge of the Cetra in the Lifestream. This would explain why the Sephiroth in Temple of the Ancients’ talk about what he has learned and concluded does not tally with what Sephiroth originally spoke of. Stating Sephiroth just happened to totally revise his position at the loss of his “righteous” claim to lead the Planet is unfounded. However, following the idea Jenova herself learned of such things as Meteor in the Lifestream fits perfectly.
Now, it becomes necessary to explain why it is Jnoeva, yet it is not Jenova. Sephiroth’s short speech about becoming a god, of absorbing the energy gathered by the Planet to heal the wound left by Meteor is in fact a part of Sephiroth and yet, is not. Again, Ifalna’s recount of Jenova and the Cetra 2,000 years ago supports this.
Ifalna: “It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
What Jenova did when she awoke is clear. She found Sephiroth and she made a whole double of him in effect. Both mind and body are replicated, spawning a false persona to complete the body she formed. That is the “will” of Sephiroth. The unreal personality erected over the unreal body she took on thinks it is destined for godhood. However, as shown, the disconnected thoughts of this Sephiroth and the Sephiroth we saw in Nibelheim is confirmation of this. A false personality of Jenova’s creation would not recognize Cloud, nor be aware of Sephiroth’s previous ideas of Jenova being “mother.” To complete this thought, we hear Meteor will destroy the Planet, reducing it to nothing. Sephiroth’s “God Plan” to leech the life off the Planet would fall to nothing, as the lifeblood would all be erased when Meteor struck, along with Sephiroth. Thus, concluding this was all Sephiroth’s plan In light of the facts and logic of saying it was the construct of a Sephiroth identity brought into being by Jenova has too many flaws. The Planet will be annihilated by Meteor and such a wide amount of devastation seems in line with Jenova’s previous deeds of destruction. In fact, it’s the ultimate action she has yet taken.
Now, we move on to the first signs of Sephiroth’s power over Cloud is seen.
Cloud: (shaking) “Ha ha ha... Black Materia. Ha ha ha... Call Meteor.”
A bit of seemingly senseless words, but as we know, Cloud is a Sephiroth clone. As will shortly happen hereafter, Cloud will give “Sephiroth” the Black Materia. Cloud is unlike the others in the respect he does not admittedly follow Sephiroth or mumble of the Reunion. The thing is, unlike Cloud, they are themselves. They never took on another’s memory and constructed an incomplete past. They know only what they know. Cloud, in failure along with the trauma of the experiments, made a new self that harbors a grudge against Sephiroth. This grudge that compels him to follow Sephiroth is really only his underlying instinct and drive to join at the Reunion.
After receiving the Black Materia, “Sephiroth” vanishes and is not seen again until a kind of “real dream” by Cloud. After talking to Aeris, “Sephiroth” appears.
*Sephiroth: “Hmm...... She's thinking of interfering? She will be a difficult one, don't you think? We must stop that girl soon.”
Not too much to examine here. It can be seen however that, as Jenova herself nearly caused the complete extinction of the Cetra, that this is caused by her drive to eliminate them all finally. Of course, that is neither here nor there. It’s far too ambiguous to decide anything conclusively.
Cloud’s group reaches the City of the Ancients and after resting, set out. Cloud finds Aeris at an altar and is overcome by the same power that made him give Sephiroth the Black Materia. He draws his blade and walks towards Aeris, preparing to strike her down until the terrified words of his fellows jerk him out of his “trance” and makes him fall back in confused horror at what he was about to do. As Aeris looks at him, “Sephiroth” descends and stabs her through the back. She falls and her White Materia drops into the waters below. Cloud then mourns over her body. This short exchange is highly revealing.
*Sephiroth: “Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the
snowy fields. There I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl......”
Cloud: “...Shut up. The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing. Aerith is gone. Aerith will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry...... or get
angry...... What about us...... what are WE supposed to do? What about my pain? My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!”
*Sephiroth: “What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings too?”
Now, his actions and words are what is so key here. His first line is uttered in a very grandiose-manner, yet once he hears Cloud tell him about his feelings, he looks down in perplexity. The real Sephiroth with Sephiroth’s memories know that Cloud is very much human, that he can feel. Yet, Jenova only is aware of the “fake” Cloud before her that she first found back in Shinra HQ. Jenova would indeed not understand that Cloud can feel, since all she knows him as is what she herself says following this.
Jenova: “Because, you are...... a puppet.”
The one and only line ever uttered clearly by Jenova. It furthers my assertions and ideas on the fact that if it was indeed Sephiroth manifesting himself in Jenova, he would be aware of Cloud’s existence beyond his false self, something Jenova would not be aware of and such, the confusion over Cloud’s emotions and the line calling him a puppet. Also note that once “Sephiroth” flies off, he leaves behind yet another piece of Jenova. I have heard theories on that it was a clone looking like Sephiroth, but why would a clone be carrying a piece of Jenova? It makes more sense to say this is her main body continuing on its way to Northern Crater for the Reunion.
Cloud’s party lays Aeris to rest and proceeds to the town of Icicle where they find the account of Professor Gast’s recorded many years previously. Passing through the town, they climb to the peak of a mountain and arrive at the Whirlwind Maze. Here, we see the clones gathered. They are marching in a single line, yet many fall and perish along the way. Finally we see “Sephiroth” himself along with what seems to be the only two clones to have survived and reached “him.”
*Sephiroth: “This is the end...for all of you.”
Examine this for what it is. Sephiroth’s will is not evident because Sephiroth has no use to murder the clones and help along the Reunion. Yet, following the line of thinking we’ve had since the beginning, Jenova would be inclined to slaughter them to complete the Reunion as her cells trapped in them would merge with her body. After seeing this, Cloud and the others rush up to confront “Sephiroth.”
*Sephiroth: “You're right. This is the end of this body's usefulness.”
This line is open for interpretation, unfortunately. Sephiroth supporters will say he is commenting on his inevitable ascension to Godhood or that he is saying Jenova’s body and the clones are no longer of use, but in accordance with the thesis, it can easily be made out to be Jenova saying her need for Sephiroth’s body is no longer of necessity. Still, let’s press on. After “Sephiroth” vanishes and the group fights Jenova-DEATH...
Cloud: “Jenova's cells... ...hmm. So that's what this is all about. The Jenova Reunion.”..
Tifa: “Not Sephiroth!? You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we've been after?”
Cloud somehow finally understands. It was not all about bringing the Black Materia to “Sephiroth.” Sephiroth has no need for a Reunion to get ahold of his Black Materia. It was Jenova’s sudden awakening in Shhinra HQ and her instinctual Reunion coupled with the thing she’s been doing since she came onto this world; destroy. It could be instinct for destruction or a mind of her own, that is up for debate. What is not really challengeable is the notion that the dialogue here along with the explanation given of the events of the game proves the Jenova Reunion and Jenova herself was the driving force behind it all.
Now, continuing on, Cloud makes an interesting statement here.
Cloud: “He's here. The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. It's both incredibly wicked and cruel... But it's releasing a powerfully strong will from deep within this planet's wound.”
Now, he says Sephiroth is beyond here, but look. “ But >IT’S< releasing a powerfully strong will.” Why would Cloud suddenly refer to Sephiroth as an “it?” Simple, he wouldn’t. This line is inconclusive, but Cloud’s mention of “it” and “its” will is not to be overlooked.
The party presses on. Suddenly, they are engulfed in the unknown and emerge in a reconstruction of Nibelheim. Jenova does wield the power of illusion.
Ifalna: “[Jenova] looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
“Sephiroth” is showing them what is reality, showing how it was Zack who was the fellow SOLDIER who accompanied Sephiroth.
*Sephiroth: “You are just a puppet... You have no heart... and cannot feel any pain... How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, this is the illusion. ...”
Further confirmation it was Jenova and her mind running the whole show. As previously stated, Sephiroth knew Cloud prior to even Nibelheim. He knew Cloud as a living human being. Yet, all “he” ever says during the game clearly shows he does not know Cloud at all, by sight or name.
*Sephiroth: “Five years ago you were... ...constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt. A puppet made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her
knowledge, and the power of the Mako. An incomplete Sephiroth-clone. Not even given a number. ...That is your reality.”
Nonsense, of course. Some say Sephiroth was simply lying to Cloud. This really does not make a lot of sense as Sephiroth only needs the Black Materia, right? He does not have to, for some unfathomable reason, pretend to not know Cloud for any purpose. Yet, Jenova knows that as “reality.” Jenova knows only the Cloud that was experimented on, the one she found when she awoke. I find the idea that it’s Jenova saying untruths because that’s all she knows more accurate and sensible to Sephiroth lying for some indiscernible reason.
After Cloud finally begins to realize his faulty past and fake memory, the illusion ends and we see the top heads of Shinra, most interestingly Hojo, in Northern Crater. We see the wall shake and Hojo says it is Weapon, which you will remember were monsters created by the Planet to eradicate Jenova. We jump now to see Tifa running towards the group and telling them to go on ahead. As they run off, Tifa turns into “Sephiroth” and laughs. As the group catches up with Cloud, Cloud has caved-in emotionally and decides to “fulfill” his purpose and takes the Black Materia. Cloud floats up and away and Hojo gives an intriguing and informative speech. A bit narcissistic though.
Hojo: “[Cloud’s] a Sephiroth clone I created after the real Sephiroth died five years ago. Jenova cells and Mako, with my knowledge and skills, have been combined with science and nature to bring him to life. ...I'm not wild about the failure part, but the Jenova Reunion Theory has now been proven.”
So, Hojo himself says Cloud was nothing but a clone. This is untrue, so Hojo is lying already.
Hojo: “You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again. That's what is meant by Jenova's Reunion to start. Five years have passed, and now the Clones have began to return.”
As I stated in Jenova and the Shinra, his reason behind the whole “Sephiroth clone” experiment was to prove his theory. It is safe to say from events in the game and movie that it was true.
Hojo: “I thought the Clones would begin to gather at Midgar where Jenova is stored. But my predictions were not entirely correct. Jenova itself began to move away from the Shinra Building. But being a genius that I am, I soon figured it out. You see it was all Sephiroth's doing. Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will into the Lifestream; he wants to manipulate the Clones itself.”
Now, you have to examine this at what it is. People automatically read “it was all Sephiroth’s doing” and seem to miss the rest. Sephiroth’s doing, maybe, but not the real Sephiroth. The real Sephiroth has no way of engendering the clones to all flock to him, nor any use for it. Similarly, Hojo says “Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will into the Lifestream.” Now, as the process of life in Final Fantasy VII is that once yo die, your body’s spirit energy becomes part of the Planet, Hojo most likely means by “diffuse his will” that Sephiroth did not just want to become part of that all. He wanted to stay his own self. You can’t diffuse your will into the Lifestream unless you are part of it and Sephiroth was never part of it, only traveled through it. Also it is not best to judge everything on Hojo’s ideas. He does not know what we know and what we saw. He is working on ideas and making conjecture from them. Anyway, Cloud gives the Black Materia to the first real Sephiroth we have yet to see outside of the flashback. He is encased in a cocoon of Materia and his eyes are closed.
Hojo: “Did you see it!! It's Sephiroth! So he IS here! This is perfect! Both Jenova's Reunion and Sephiroth's will! They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here! Mwa, haa, ha,.....”
This line really irritates me. I can not truly figure what Hojo is saying. “They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here!” Is he saying the Jenova Reunion won’t be diffused into the Lifestream? Jenova can not become part of the actual Lifestream because of her origins. How Hojo uses will is a lot like how characters in Xenosaga or Shakespeare in one of his legendary sonnets uses it. Will does not clearly mean just “the will to be.” Or anything. As said, Sephiroth can not subject his will onto Jenova or the Planet due to his location and limitations of abilities. This dialogue is too ambiguous and gibberish to decipher correctly. I don’t think anyone will say Hojo was a completely sane man, though. I do not pretend to fully understand what Hojo is saying because, as I think others will agree, it is rather illogical.
The whole group flees. An energy barrier is made to cover the Northern Crater and the Weapons are released unto the world. We find Cloud in a town called Mideal, hospitalized for severe Mako poisoning. The exact nature of his condition is unknown, but once Cloud discovers who he really was, his poisoning fades as well. Bugenhagen accompanies the party to the City of the Ancients and we discover Aeris had summoned Holy, but it’s being stopped by something... The logical conclusion being Sephiroth, we head off only to hear of a Weapon (Diamond WEAPON) is heading for Midgar. Simultaneously, Shinra has created a new Mako Cannon that is actually powered by all the Mako Reactors in Midgar. It’s titled the Sister Ray and its purpose is to destroy the barrier covering Northern Crater. However, one of the reactors is seized by Hojo who is increasing the power levels for the cannon beyond reasonable limits that endangers all of Midgar. We see Hojo commenting on what he’s doing.
Hojo: “ Go beyond the powers of science... Before [Sephiroth’s] presence, science is powerless... I hate it, but I'll concede to it. Just... let me see it.”
We last saw Hojo, trumpeting the success of his theory and his work. Now we see him, laughing wildly and willing to kill tons of people to see...what? Sephiroth go beyond the limits of science? When did Hojo ever start getting this idea from? What in the world prompted him to do this? Cloud’s group enters the reactor to stop Hojo and they confront him at last.
Hojo: “Sephiroth seems to be counting on
the energy. So I'm going to lend him a hand.”
When did he contract the notion Sephiroth needs Mako energy shot at him? Cloud asks Hojo why he’s doing all this.
Hojo: “Quit asking me why, you moron. Hmm... actually, you might be cut out to be a scientist. Energy level is at...... 83%. It's taking too long. My son is in need of power and help. ...That's the only reason.”
So, Hojo has come across fatherly affection for his spawn a good two decades plus after his conception? Again, completely untrue and unlikely. But, then, where did Hojo gain his sudden “urge” to help Sephiroth?
Hojo: “I've injected Jenova's cells into my own body!
Heee, hee, hee! Here are...... Heee, hee, hee! ...my results!!”
Coincidence Hojo begins to act maniacal and needs to help out Sephiroth once he has injected himself with the cells of Jenova? Well, a far cry more likely than saying he just snapped for no reason or that he’s come across repressed love for his son. We know that Sephiroth is busy gaining strength back from summoning Meteor and that’s why the barrier is erected. He sleeps in the bottom of Northern Crater, blocking Holy. Unless you want to call Sephiroth god of Final Fantasy VII world, you can’t say Sephiroth was somehow making Hojo perform this act of “empowering” Sephiroth while also holding Holy at bay. Of course, I can not completely disagree nor disprove an argument Hojo just went insane upon injection of the cells into his body, but such coordination with insanity, assuming control of an entire reactor and waiting by while is powers up is not something I’d attribute to a person suffering madness. I would however say it could very well be Jenova once again, aiding the one who is about to cause the supreme act of destruction and bring about the plan we’ve seen laid out since Shinra HQ.
Hojo is defeated and the reactor shut down. The barrier above Northern Crater is now gone, having been destroyed by the Sister Ray. The party descends into the depths of Northern Crater, eventually reaching what seems to be the very center of the Planet. Here, we find the final form of Jenova. Jenova-SYNTHESIS. Judging from the name, it is most probable this is in fact the result of the Reunion. Her body and the cells of the dead clones all merged and synthesized into this final form. However, Cloud and his fellows defeat it and are plunged deeper into the Planet, standing before Holy. Emerging out of the glow is...Sephiroth. He utters no words, but merely attacks the party with rings of energy. Once the party is grouped, they begin their final assault on Sephiroth. His first form is Bizarro Sephiroth, which has TWO HEADS and this is highly revealing. The larger one greatly resembles Sephiroth’s own visage, while the smaller one looks like Jenova’s. It would seem the Jenova head to be in control, as seen in when Bizarro Sephiroth strikes. His final form, Safer (or Seraph) Sephiroth is angelic. We first saw Jenova in the reactor being wings and an angel-like appearance. Coincidence Sephiroth has these two forms? Not at all. It is a sign that not only is he himself as of now, some part of Jenova is granting him this morphing power, but also the same part seems to have become linked with him. It was obviously not Jenova’s main body, but simply going by what is presented in his transformations it is 100% safe to say he and Jenova has almost “become one.” Sephiroth is however, defeated and the remnants of him and Jenova will not visibly be seen for two years,...until Advent Children.
6. REMNANTS OF CHAOS
Two years have passed since the events of Final Fantasy VII, since the defeat of Meteor, Sephiroth and Jenova. However, Jenova’s presence is not erased from this world. It is not yet free of her and her every essence that seems to cause havoc and tragedy. As said, this means the Planet can not heal.
Ifalna: “You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."
Jenova still exists in Advent Children. After her and Sephiroth’s defeat at the center of the Planet, her body fell into the Lifestream. As an alien substance and a form of “anti-Lifestream” that can not fully be taken on by the Planet, it still stayed in its own form when the Lifestream was flung at Meteor. Thus, Jenova’s cells in the Lifestream descended onto the people of the planet and they were infected.
Vincent: The Geostigma... It is cause by an overloading of suppressing spirit energy.
Spirit energy flow within our body just like Lifestream... It fights against the invasion of wicked substances. In which eventually creates Geostigma.”
What is this wicked substance?
Vincent: "Sephiroth element... Jenova's cells...Call it what you want."
The body’s spirit energy is essentially trying to combat the Jenova cells entered into their system. This can not be done as even the Planet’s own energy can not fully extract the viral cells from the systems of the people contaminated. The result is Geostigma and as the body’s energy continues to fail at defeating the Jenova cells, the body wears down and the person perishes.
What is important to notice is that, though infected with Jenova cells, they never show violent behavior. They do not grow angry or violent or lose their sanity. This is most probably due to the fact Jenova’s main body no longer exists. Jenova is not truly gone from the world, but no compelling force is being directed at those with her cells in them. This would similarly explain why Cloud has Geostigma. Though he has had Jenova cells in him since the beginning, they are inactive and the body must expel them.
Moving passed this, we now come across the Silver-Haired Men; Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz. We first see the group, desecrating the monument to Zack Cloud left and then we hear their first line.
Yazoo: "Hey Kadaj, is that where big brother is?"
They refer to Cloud as big brother. Why exactly is not immediately explained but we need not recount all the events of the movie. These three are...
Vincent: "That [Kadaj’s] a remnant of Sephiroth.
You could say he's kind of like a larva."
Kadaj and compatriots are what was left of Sephiroth in the Lifestream, made manifest. However, it is not through Sephiroth’s will alone they came into being. He does not possess such powers and the three’s goal is not the re-creation of Sephiroth, but...
Loz: "We just want to be united and [Jenova’s] going to decide everything.”
The group are searching for Jenova’s head. They are imbued with her power, yet as stated, with no controlling force behind Jenova’s cells, they offer no guiding light as to speak. They search in desperation yet can not find it. The group’s dedication and belief in Jenova is represented all throughout the movie. Loz cries even, so lost and wanting for his “Mother” he is. Finally Kadaj conceives a plan to find her head and end their fruitless search.
Kadaj: “I can cure you. You won't have to suffer anymore, then we'll all go to Mother together! We'll go beyond the limit of Gods and take back what is rightfully ours!”
Look at this key phrase: “then we’ll all go to Mother together!” Kadaj is speaking to orphans infected with Jenova’s cells. He then proceeds to fill water with what appears to be a high concentration of Jenova’s cells and once the children drink from it, their eyes go cat-like and blank. They are now slaves, with as much mind as the clones who flocked towards Jenova during Final Fantasy VII. Jenova’s cells have now gained prominence in their mind and body and Kadaj is hoping to use this to replicate the Reunion and have the children lead him to the head of Jenova.
I commented earlier that these three are a leftover piece of Sephiroth, but obviously not Sephiroth through-and-through. As Cloud did with his Jenova’s cells, he formulated a new personality that was not entirely Zack’s and not entirely his own. Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo were made from Sephiroth, but clearly developed wills and ideas of their own. These wills and minds found a common link in their “Mother” or, Jenova if you prefer. The following lines prove as much.
Rufus: "You said you would be complete once you get all Jenova's cells... What did you mean by that?"
Kadaj: "[Sephiroth]... will return."
Look at the hesitancy in which he speaks these words, followed by
Kadaj: “It really irritates me. Is it Me or Sephiroth?
which one will Mother decide..."
He is obviously uncertain and bitter, but he certainly does not want to become Sephiroth. Similarly, he leaves his fate up to Jenova’s decision. This entire movie revolves around Jenova’s will. Look at Kadaj’s short talk about Jenova.
Kadaj: "You know, Mother made a long journey to come to this planet. To erase a bunch of fools from space, you see... But... you already knew, don't you? Nothing has changed here since the time when Mother came. That's why I'm going to make Mother happy. I'll follow all of her commands. I'll do anything she wishes."
This is oddly reminiscent of Sephiroth in Nibelheim. Hatred and accusation to all mankind, but obedience and servitude to the will of “Mother.”
Kadaj: "As long as you guys are here, the same thing will keep happening." (all others are the enemy)
Cloud: "What are you gonna do now?"
Kadaj: "Mother will tell me." (devotion to Jenova)
As stated previously, Sephiroth’s conclusions on the worthlessness of humanity and the superiority of Jenova was something he himself could not truly come to believe without some sort of influence considering the state of his mind at the time. The same applies to Kadaj and his crew. As what is left of the Sephiroth at Nibelheim, the real Sephiroth I must stress, they inherit this taint of mind. They will trek in the footsteps of Jenova and her whim and even be willing to give up their existence to another for her. As stated and clearly seen in the movie, Jenova is not physically in any way calling out to her cells. Hence Kadaj’s Reunion, to awaken Jenova and her will to pull on her cells in him and his brothers. This above all proves they are remnants of Sephiroth, coming to possess his Jenova-induced ideas of “Mother” and hate to all humanity while simultaneously using the Jenova cells in them to construct their own individual personalities. Another simple fact to point out it is not all Sephiroth’s doing is that the three call Cloud “big brother.” Doubt vessels of Sephiroth under the supreme command of Sephiroth would come to think that.
When Kadaj finally does gain Jenova’s head, he absorbs what remains in the box which is her cells. Upon this, as Vincent stated, he becomes Sephiroth. Sephiroth’s talk possibly above all else shows this is the real Sephiroth. This is the Sephiroth we saw in the Nibelheim flashbacks as opposed to the one we see in the time frame of FF7 which already said above was all Jenova.
Sephiroth: “What I really want, Cloud... is to travel the darkness of cosmos using this planet as my vessel. As Mother did before me... One day we will discover a new world. We will create the future on that ground.”
Key word he uses. “MOTHER.” The “Sephiroth” we see throughout the game never refers to Jenova as Mother except for when it is really Sephiroth himself, the Sephiroth in Nibelheim. Look at what he is describing also. Traveling with Jenova, his Mother, to a locale of opportunity and bliss. What did the real Sephiroth in Nibelheim want?
(from Final Fantasy VII)
Sephiroth: “I've thought of a great idea. Let's go to the Promised Land.”
Judging from the similarity of these two lines, we can safely come to the conclusion that the idea presented in the previous chapter that the Sephiroth shown in the game is merely the Sephiroth persona brought into being by Jenova for her own purposes. We see now that the goals of what we know are the real Sephiroth remains unchanged. He still views Jenova as Mother and wants to go with her to a new land, neither of which are aspirations of the Sephiroth we pursue through the game.
However, this most likely marks the end of Jenova. Sephiroth is defeated and fades, bringing back Kadaj who dissolves into Lifestream and is gone. The same fate befalls Loz and Yazoo, following their brother. Thus, the last known incarnations of Jenova’s will are erased from the world. There is no indication of a resurfacing in the future, but whether Jenova is finally and ultimately eradicated is yet to be seen.
This is a theoretical accumulation that I have written that nevertheless is based on factual information within the Final Fantasy VII Universe. It has to deal with the antagonistic existence and character Jenova and how she figures in with the events of both Final Fantasy VII the game and the CGI-movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Using quotes and explanations plus just a bit of logical conjecture, I form my opinion of the entity named Jenova as she plays in the events of the game and movie.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Frequent Misconceptions of Jenova
2. What is Jenova?
3. Crisis from the Sky (Jenova and the Cetra)
4. Jenova and the Shinra
-Jenova’s discovery
-Jenova Project
-Hojo and Jenova
-Nibelheim Incident
-Hojo and Jenova 2
5. Jenova’s Awakening (Final Fantasy VII)
6. Remnants of Chaos (Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children)
1. FREQUENT MISCONCEPTIONS OF JENOVA
Jenova is an Ancient/Cetra-
This was proven to be wrong by an in-game character named Ifalna, one of the last Cetra living. She told Professor Gast in an account seen in the town Icicle on Disc 2. Jenova is an extraterrestrial that crash-landed on the FFVII planet 2000 years ago.
Jenova is dead at the end of Final Fantasy VII-
Jenova is never dead until all of her is erased from the face of a world. The antagonists of Advent Children (the Silver-Haired Men) all seek to use the Jenova cells in the children who have contracted Geostigma to locate Jenova’s head by using the Reunion (see Jenova’s Awakening). Also said by Ifalna that the Planet can never heal itself as long as Jenova exists. Geostigma shows that this is true, even if Jenova only exists in a small form such as only cellular.
2. WHAT IS JENOVA?
The facts are these:
A) Jenova fell to the Planet of the game and caused a tremendous wound that is now called the Northern Crater. Using this, it’s 100% safe to conclude she is an alien lifeform from somewhere in space.
B) An entity with confirmed powers that are all of the following:
Shapeshifting
Telepathy
(Sephiroth: Cloud... Don't blame Tifa. The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova.”)
Re-forming
(Hojo: You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again.)
C) Though Jenova is referred to as “she” in the game and “mother” in the movie, no conclusive sex is associated with Jenova. Though the many transformations are indicative of a female and bare feminine traits, Jenova’s ability to change form to anything “it” desires coupled with its unknown origin, Jenova might not be male or female. However, for the sake of it, I will be referring to her as “she” for the duration of this essay.
D) Jenova is a species of existence and intellect that is difficult to classify. There are mixes signals that relate to how she thinks. It is reasonable to say Jenova just doesn’t think like we do, as to say while she possesses immense intelligence, her ability to take on the minds of others and her alien nature makes her mental state foreign to anything we can understand fully. As will be explained further on in Jenova’s Awakening, the summoning of Meteor relates to her ambition yet simultaneously does not. Also, in Remnants of Chaos, it will explore more of her intellectual being as seen in Advent Children.
3. CRISIS FROM THE SKY
Jenova landed on the Final Fantasy VII world 2,000+ years before the events of the game. She landed in a land known as Knowlespole. This collision with the world left a scar that even in the time of the game, is not yet healed. This scar is Northern Crater. To heal this wound, the Cetra used their powers together to try and heal the Planet.
Ifalna: “[The Planet] said something fell from the sky making a large wound. Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet... But, due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years."
The Cetra’s attempts to heal the land used up most of the Spirit Energy in the land, making it barren. After the unknown number of years in which the thousands of Cetra attempted to undo the damage Jenova had done, the Planet told them to leave the area. As to why, is unknown. Possibly it knew the threat that was about to befall them, or it could tell they could do no more work there. In any case, Ifalna tells of the first accounts of Jenova on this world and her interaction with the indigenous population.
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...”
Look at Ifalna’s terminology “He first approached as a friend, deceived them.” Highly revealing text. Ifalna knows more of this tragedy than any other and she clearly tells it as an act of pure malicious design and brutality that resulted from a thinking mind. Instincts can prompt animals to slip among other species for the act of eating, but “approached as a friend” is a fete only a processing and sentient mind can achieve.
Now, none of that text implicates Jenova is the one. That’s why we move onto Film 2 of the video record left by Professor Gast.
Ifalna: “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."
Her talk of him mistaking Jenova for an Ancient will be further elaborated on in Jenova and the Shinra. As to the matter at hand, Ifalna’s statement indicates that no matter how small a portion of Jenova that remains on this Planet, it can cause damage to the Planet and keep it from ever truly reversing the damage Jenova initially brought about. There is no further explanation of how many Cetra Jenova ultimately infected, but judging from the lack of them in the current time, it was most likely a significant portion. To counter Jenova, the Planet itself spawned Weapon, a monstrous weapon that was meant to remove Jenova’s existence so that the Planet could heal itself. However...
Ifalna: 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."
Similarly, there is no detail given on how the Cetra confined Jenova. We do know Jenova will remain sealed and inactive for a over a millennium. However, take note of Ifalna’s statements. The one previous and this one.
Ifalna: “Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time... The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still watching Jenova."
As did happen much later on. Let’s review what we learned in this chapter.
-Jenova fell from space and caused a wound in the land known as Knowlespole.
-Several thousand Cetra gathered to try and heal the damage done by Jenova’s landing.
-The Planet told the gathered Cetra to leave for unknown reasons. As they tried this, Jenova approached them and using her telepathic and shapeshifting capabilities, deceived them all before infecting them with a virus that first drove them insane and finally mutated them into some type of monstrosity.
This is basic knowledge, but key. It shows Jenova’s powers as well as confirms Jenova has a level of thinking above mere instincts. Jenova has eliminated an X number of Cetra before her eventual imprisonment by the Cetra. Jenova will remain in this dormant state and undisturbed for two millennia.
4. JENOVA AND THE SHINRA
Jenova’s Discovery
An unknown amount of years before the game begins, a scientist working for Shinra named Professor Gast came upon the body of Jenova.
Sephiroth: (reading a report in the Shinra Mansion basement) “…an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova…X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient.”
This is Sephiroth reading an account left by the researchers of Shinra. At an unspecified time, Jenova’s hidden and trapped form was found and recovered. At this time, Shinra most likely moved the body to a research facility, and confirmed it to be an Ancient by the scientists. As said by Ifalna, this was incorrect.
The Jenova Project
Under this incorrect preface, the Jenova Project was launched to create people with the power of the Ancients/Cetra in modern times. A scientist under Professor Gast named Hojo offered forth the woman bearing his child for the project. Jenova’s cells were injected into this woman’s (Lucrecia’s) womb. The result was Sephiroth.
Hojo and Jenova
We know that sometime into the project (presumably after Sephiroth’s conception as he knew the professor), Gast left and Hojo fully took control of the Jenova Project. At this point, Hojo began using Jenova’s cells to produce abominations of science and nature. In the Mt. Nibel Reactor, Sephiroth and Zack came across these atrocities.
Sephiroth: Now…what does Mako energy became when it's further condensed?”
*Cloud: “Uh, ummm…… Oh yeah! It becomes a Materia.”
Sephiroth: Right, normally. But Hojo put something else in there. …”
(NOTE: This is Cloud’s dialogue displayed, but it was really Zack who was with Sephiroth. All dialogue that is questionably said by Cloud will be indicated by a * before his name)
We can safely assume that this additive was Jenova cells. Thus, these were normal members of SOLDIER, subjected to a higher degree of Mako than normal and also exposed to Jenova cells. Hojo being the mastermind behind all this would know a great deal about Jenova’s abilities from these experiments. With Jenova cells administered with Mako to humans, they became dangerous and ferocious monsters. Sound familiar?
Ifalna: “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.”
This line above all proves that the additional something Sephiroth mentions most certainly is Jenova cells.
Nibelheim Incident
In the town of Nibelheim, dangerous and hostile monsters were being produced by the malfunctioning Mako Reactor there. First Class SOLDIER Sephiroth and a small group were sent to investigate. This group included Zack, fellow SOLDIER, and a couple basic Shinra troops which included Cloud. Upon entering the town, Sephiroth turns to ask Zack how it feels to return to his hometown and Zack makes an inquiry about Sephiroth’s parentage.
Sephiroth: “My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me.”
So, someone (possibly Gast) misinformed Sephiroth for whatever their motivations. Later the next day, Sephiroth’s group heads off to the Reactor with a guide, a young martial artist named Tifa. Upon arrival and entrance, Sephiroth and Zack proceed to make their way into the Reactor and into a chamber full of pods and a staircase that leads up to a room.
*Cloud: This is…… Jenova, right? The lock won't open…
He was standing at the entrance to the room with Sephiroth. This indicates (and is later proven) that this is the locale Jenova was moved to after her discovery. Then Sephiroth and his companion have an interesting dialogue and Sephiroth begins to act extremely violent and wild.
Sephiroth: “…Was I created this way too? Am I the same as all these monsters……”
*Cloud: “…Sephiroth.”
Sephiroth: “You saw it! All of them…were humans…”
At the same time, Sephiroth has drawn his blade and is striking the containers in the room violently and at random. From voice and action, he seems to be losing some grip on reality, his formerly calm and reserved self giving way to self-doubt that blossoms from nowhere apparently. After this, Sephiroth immersed himself in texts detailing Jenova and Shinra’s doings in a library he found in the Shinra Mansion basement. After reading this large assortment of material, Zack comes to seek him and Sephiroth seems no longer like himself at all.
Sephiroth: “You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on… At the end of their
harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an
easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors”
Now, examine this short rant carefully. “But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return!” Where do you think it is stated anywhere in that mound of scientific accounts and information that there was a sect of lazy normal individuals who chose to laze about while the Cetra went on their journey? I would say it is HIGHLY unlikely that Sephiroth read that anywhere in the writings he found. So, where did this illogical conclusion sprout from? He rambles on.
Sephiroth: “Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped… They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After
that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports.”
Further rambling, now even more accusatory. Sephiroth has come upon the notion that all other persons except himself are the enemy. Why?
Sephiroth: “Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients……no, the Cetra! …I am the one that was produced.”
So, after reading an extensive account of Shinra’s research, Sephiroth concluded that his mother was Jenova and that she was a Cetra and that all humanity were slothful and were as responsible for the Cetra’s demise as the “disaster” that struck the planet. Now, let’s travel into the realms of guesswork that still are logical theories.
Sephiroth began exhibiting abnormal behavior when he entered the reactor. He was at a closer proximity to Jenova than he had ever been. At this time, he also learned of Hojo’s experiments and somehow linked this with worries and distress over his own birth and origins. Later on, Sephiroth reads records of Shinra’s and though he did read quite a bit of material, I find it highly unlikely to say that any of the books told of how the Cetra were destroyed by a disaster while the rest of humanity cowered and hid themselves away. Based off this information, it is not far-fetched at all to assume that the Jenova cells in him were coming to power. At such a close range to Jenova’s body and in such a distraught state, it is not beyond the line of reason to say that Jenova was asserting some level of influence over his mind. Some could say Sephiroth was just off put by finding a group of monsters created by science and SOMEHOW came to wonder of his own origins, but this is beyond reason and my own theory. Furthermore, his filling in the gaps of the Shinra information with tales of an evil race of populating louts in humans and a heroically pure race of peaceful people in the Cetra came from somewhere and in such a state of mental anguish, suggesting he formed this idea entirely on his own is laughable.
After this diatribe to Zack, he storms out and begins his infamous rampage through Nibelheim, setting the town ablaze and killing the citizens. He marches back to the Mt. Nibel Reactor. We find him in the chamber with the monster containers just outside the door leading to the room with Jenova inside. Sephiroth is seen outside the door, pushing at it to no avail.
Sephiroth: “Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door.”
Look at this. The door WON’T OPEN. Then, after slashing away Tifa, he turns back to find it opening for him. He didn’t visibly use any sort of means to make it open, it just did after he made a request to Jenova for its release and his entrance.
Once Zack enters the chamber behind Sephiroth, he (Sephiroth) begins to rant once more.
Sephiroth: “With her superior power,
knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet.”
Now, look at how his perception of Jenova has shifted even more in her favor. He went from considering her and the Ancients as peaceful and noble peoples to regarding her as the destined leader of all existence on the Planet. Why this is manic, it marks a very subtle transition in his way of thinking. In short, he now has come to regard Jenova as an entity beyond all others instead of just a Cetra. Following the idea that Jenova is projecting some level of influence over his mind, this fits very well.
Saying Sephiroth vilified all humanity beyond himself and finally states openly his idea that Jenova far surpasses all else (even the Cetra judging by his statement) with no influence gained from Jenova is just ludicrous.
Sephiroth: “I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet. I have orders to take this planet back from you stupid people for the Cetra.”
Orders from the Cetra? Wait, what did he just say before this?
Sephiroth: “But they… Those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother. But now I'm here with you so don't worry.”
Judging from these two lines, it is not the orders from the Cetra he is following, but Jenova’s own orders. Or maybe it’s just his distressed mind has fabricated this idea but as previously stated, saying he concluded and constructed this idea and the tale of the Cetra with no outside influence is beyond logic.
Now we go to the proper memory. After Sephiroth defeats Zack, Cloud approaches swiftly, vengefully and un-sensed by the euphoric Sephiroth and plunges Zack’s Buster Sword into Sephiroth’s form.
Sephiroth: “Aaarrrgh...... who... who are you?”
Look at this. People often say to discount lines such as these that “Sephiroth barely knew Cloud.” But Sephiroth still knew the people he was with. Maybe he didn’t know Cloud by name, but he wouldn’t not recognize a person he had been on missions with previously and had just spent a truck-ride and finally a trek with. While Zack undoubtedly would have been identified more easily, Sephiroth would just not know Cloud all of a sudden unless something was effecting his mind beside psychosis. His sudden madness did not seem to inhibit his memory in any other way and saying he just didn’t recognize Cloud because of that doesn’t fit at all. He didn’t recognize Cloud because Jenova was asserting more and more pull in his mind.
After this, Sephiroth limped out clutching the only piece of Jenova he could carry in his current state, her head, and Cloud pursued him. Sephiroth wheeled about and slabbed Cloud, lifting him up and making an agonized statement Cloud should not push his luck. Cloud, fueled by adrenalin, overcame his deadly injury and seized the Masamune, tossing Sephiroth and Jenova’s head into the reactor below.
Hojo and Jenova 2
An undisclosed time later after this event, Hojo of Shinra began attempting to replicate Sephiroth without the whole process of injecting Jenova cells into a fetus. These would become the incomplete “Sephiroth clones” people injected with Jenova’s cells. These were the inhabitants of Nibelheim who survived the incident and needed to be dealt with my Shinra. After injection with the cells, Hojo apparently let them all back onto society as he makes a statement saying he expected the clones to gather at Midgar and we see a man with one of the distinctive tattoos in the Slums. The tattoos go from I-XIII which is Red XIII of our party. The exception is Cloud who, after the incident, was kept in a pod in the basement of the Shinra Mansion. He did react to Jenova, but never was graced with a number. Hojo’s true motives behind this whole project could be the proving of his Jenova Reunion Theory which will be elaborated on in the next chapter. Also of note is that during this time, Jenova’s body (headless now) is moved to the Shinra Building in Hojo’s laboratory.
5. JENOVA’S AWAKENING
Now, we move on to the actual events taking place in the time period of the game. The first mention of Jenova in the game is when Cloud, Tifa and Barret bust into Shinra HQ and reach Hojo’s laboratory where we know Jenova has been moved after the Nibelheim incident.
Cloud: (reading the label of the specimen container) “Jenova...”
We see a shot of the contained Jenova, still missing her head and then we see Cloud again, clutching his head and for lack of a better term, “freaking out.”
Cloud: “It's moving… …still alive?”
After over two millennia and even without its head, Jenova lives on still. We know that Cloud has Jenova cells in him and he is directly right in front of the Jenova container. Like Sephiroth in the Mt. Nibel Reactor, Cloud is now the closest he has ever been to the body of Jenova (since his injection with her cells, at least). And so his head begins to ache and his whole body shakes. Events following this confirm Jenova definitely still is alive. Following Cloud’s group’s jailing, the group sleeps and Cloud awakes to find his cell door open, a dead guard, and even more ominously, a trail of blood. Upon examination of the corpse, Red XIII comments.
Red XIII: “No human could've done this.”
Foreshadowing declaration there. Following Red XIII the group arrives at Hojo’s laboratory and makes an interesting discovery.
Red XIII: “Jenova Specimen… Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens.”
Note that where Jenova was stored is clearly busted outward. Let’s now add all the pieces.
Cloud: “[Jenova’s] moving… …still alive?”
Red XIII: “No human could've done this.”
Coupled with the evidence of Jenova’s container being forcibly broke out of and not into, we can say with 100% proof that Jenova was the entity that murdered the guard and all the others in the Shinra Building. Now, let’s fully understand this. Jenova’s body, to the best of our knowledge, was inactive physically for a large amount of time. However, upon Cloud’s intrusion into Hojo’s lab and his nearness to her form, Jenova began moving. Later that night, Jenova broke out from her holding pod and began to slaughter every human in her reach and at sometime opens Cloud’s cell and that correlates to the Reunion as will be talked about later on in this chapter.
However, it was not Jenova that the people saw. It was another... Upon reaching the top floor, Cloud’s group finds President Shinra dead with a very memorable sword stabbed through his chest. It’s Sephiroth’s sword. Then appears a Shinra executive named Palmer.
Cloud: “What happened?”
Palmer: “Se …Sephiroth. Sephiroth came.”
Sephiroth..? But how can this be?
*Sephiroth: “The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova.”
(NOTE: Sephiroth actually speaks no lines throughout the game after Nibelheim. From his mouth, in any case. All dialogue taken from this questionable Sephiroth will be indicated by a * before the name)
So, we have these facts:
-Jenova is still alive.
-Jenova began moving once Cloud, a person with her cells in him, came near her.
-Later that night, Jenova fully awoke and began moving, killing all the people in the building and opening Cloud’s door.
-She takes on Sephiroth’s appearance.
Now we get into the speculative bit of Jenova’s actions. Why did she take on Sephiroth’s appearance? People who promote the idea Sephiroth was controlling her will claim he was impressing his will onto her. No explanation or evidence stated in the game offers forth an idea that Sephiroth was capable, or willing, to do such an act. However, we do know Jenova has certain abilities and whether instinctual or sentient, can delve into the minds of others and use what she finds there for her own purposes. This would conceivably be accomplished to an even greater extent in those with her cells. Jenova’s intelligence is not really a question here. It can be instinct or cunning, but it is not at all hard to conclude that when Jenova awoke and reached out to Cloud, she found at the core of his psyche, imprinted forever in his mind was...Sephiroth. The same goes to all the clones. As survivors of the Nibelheim Incident, they would similarly have Sephiroth eternally etched onto their consciousness. Finding this common link in all the carriers of her components, she took on Sephiroth’s appearance because it was effective. Ifalna herself offers proof Jenova has such abilities (again, primal or intellectual is not involved in this section).
Ifalna: “That's when it appeared! It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
It is Jenova and Jenova looked into their minds and found the same thing she found when she looked into the minds of Cloud and the others who survived Nibelheim and then became parts of Hojo’s Sephiroth clone project. It was Sephiroth and she knew that adopting his form would help guide the clones even more. It would not just have to be an instinctual control of her cells in their body, but a physical dominance over their mind by manipulating their still clear and vivid remembrance of Sephiroth.
This makes me theorize on an interesting idea. Red XIII is marked number 13 with the same tattoo Hojo put on every other incomplete Sephiroth clone. However, he never does exhibit any sign of odd behavior (like Cloud) or seem to be a quivering mass only seeking to follow (the rest of the clones). Following this idea, is it not too far-fetched to say he never did this because he, unlike the others, had no tie to Sephiroth? If Jenova morphed her form into Sephiroth to manifest a tangible control over the clones because of their shared feelings of Sephiroth, then it would have no visible effect on Red XIII because he was not at Nibelheim and barely knows of Sephiroth. I would go so far as to say the fact he did not become like the rest is somewhat conclusive proof that Jenova became Sephiroth for just the reason stated.
Moving on in the story, we do not see Jenova or ‘Sephiroth’ again for quite some time. The group passes through Kalm and Cloud recounts his distorted memory of Nibelheim and eventually the group reaches Junon and become stowaways on a Shinra Cargo Ship bound for a new continent. There is an alert about a mysterious person onboard and once the group discovers it’s not them, they believe it to be Sephiroth and head down into the holds. They find dead bodies and a guard dies before their eyes right before a voice is heard a figure appears, going right through the floor.
Mysterious Voice: “…After a long sleep… …the time…… …time has ..come…”
Barret: “Look, Cloud!”
Cloud: “Sephiroth! You're alive!”
*Sephiroth: “……Who are you?”
Cloud: “You don't remember me!? I'm Cloud!”
*Sephiroth: “Cloud…”
This apparition does not seem to know Cloud, just like Sephiroth did not seem to know Cloud back at the reactor when Cloud attacked him. Following the idea that this is merely Jenova taking on the guise of Sephiroth for her own ends, we know that Jenova does not really know Cloud. Sephiroth most definitely would remember the name of the person, or at least eh appearance of the person, who hurled him to his near doom. However, this is not really Sephiroth at all. It is Jenova and she knows nothing of a guy named Cloud. This also explains why “Sephiroth” is moving right through solid material. After this short talk, “Sephiroth” vanishes and we fight a form of Jenova named Jenova-BIRTH. After the fight, we see a part of Jenova, identified by the party themselves. It appears to be a tentacle or arm of the body of Jenova. This truly confirms it was Jenova’s main body onboard the Cargo Ship.
We will not see Jenova again until we reach Nibelheim. However, along the way we stop at Gold Saucer and after the Chocobo Race for freedom, the owner of the Saucer sends Cloud an intriguing note with this post-script.
Dio: “P. S. I just recently et Sephiroth.”
He met Sephiroth? I don’t think so... Let’s look at this simply. Jenova, in the form of Sephiroth, has been traveling away from the Shinra Building. She slaughtered all those In the HQ and then those on the Cargo Ship. She has apparently reacted hostilely to all those she meets. However, Dio claims to have met Sephiroth and does not report any vicious attack or killing spree. This coupled with other information leads us to say that it was not Jenova’s main body in the form of Sephiroth that met Dio, but one of the black-caped men, or the clones that are flocking after her. Reports of the black-caped men go all the way back to Kalm and later in Junon, a Shinra soldier mentions it, but he does also mention that the man killed Shinra soldiers. That along with the fact it was Jenova’s main body on the ship would suggest that the reported Sephiroth there was in fact Jenova’s main body in disguise. We know Cloud utilized Jenova’s cells to help find himself in Tifa’s memory, so we can see that Jenova cells can be used somewhat by their hosts for the hosts own purposes. This would explain how a clone took on the form of Sephiroth, but it would not elaborate on why. The only reason can be is Jenova is compelling them to for her own purposes, as reportedly, “Sephiroth” is searching for the Black Materia. Very little conclusive information gleamed from this fragment of dialogue.
We next see “Sephiroth” in the rebuilt Nibelheim, standing in the same basement where he had poured over innumerable books to discover “who he was.”
*Sephiroth: “Being here brings back memories.”
Memories? What memories is he exactly detailing here? Saying Sephiroth remembers all from before his fall is obviously false because look at what he next says.
*Sephiroth: “Jenova will be at the Reunion.”
Look at how he addresses her. Simply as “Jenova.” Not “mother” as he had done five years previous. If Sephiroth is somehow reliving his moments back then, why does he simply call the one he was essentially rampaging through Nibelheim for just as he would address any other person? I feel the answer is self-evident - it’s not really him, as already stated. Sephiroth, as will be shown later, has an incomplete form of memory that based on what Jenova herself found when she constructed his persona for the form she adopted. Jenova would not know of his “mother” idea of her at all.
After this, Sephiroth flies out of the Mansion and the group pursues him/Jenova to the Temple of the Ancients. This is, in my honest opinion, the most open-for-debate moment of Sephiroth’s and Jenova’s actions. Let us lead into this murky water of interpretation and hopefully emerge with reason in hand.
*Sephiroth: I became a traveler of the Lifestream and gained the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients.”
Now, we can conclude “Sephiroth” learned of the Black Materia and Holy on his way to Northern Crater. He absorbed their knowledge, but how much of it is the question we must ask ourselves. For instance, does the knowledge he took on include that Jenova was not an Ancient? The “true” Sephiroth in Nibelheim spoke of an unknown disaster that struck the Planet. This was part of his rationalization of why he was to kill all the people around him, because he alone was not a member of the .group that escaped by sacrificing the Cetra. So, surely Sephiroth learned of this in the Lifestream? It would most definitely be part of the wisdom of the Ancients. But, wait, look at his previous statement preceding his declaration of where he gained his insight.
*Sephiroth: “I'm far superior to the Ancients.”
Again, we know Sephiroth himself actually believed himself a descendant of the Cetra and the rightful heir to the Planet. As explained in Jenova and the Shinra, the Nibelheim Incident, it is evident his ideas of Jenova’s superiority to all other forms of existence made he himself decide he would “take the Planet back.” Everything we hear currently contradicts what we know the real and true Sephiroth came to believe and yet, he still does not seem to know things Sephiroth should know if he indeed did take on the wisdom of the Cetra. My conclusion here again is it was Jenova. Jenova, upon re-awakening in Shinra HQ, reached out to her body parts, whether cells or even her “head.” Remember? Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream with her head. Her head made that journey with Sephiroth to Northern Crater, and logically, similarly was imbued with the knowledge of the Cetra in the Lifestream. This would explain why the Sephiroth in Temple of the Ancients’ talk about what he has learned and concluded does not tally with what Sephiroth originally spoke of. Stating Sephiroth just happened to totally revise his position at the loss of his “righteous” claim to lead the Planet is unfounded. However, following the idea Jenova herself learned of such things as Meteor in the Lifestream fits perfectly.
Now, it becomes necessary to explain why it is Jnoeva, yet it is not Jenova. Sephiroth’s short speech about becoming a god, of absorbing the energy gathered by the Planet to heal the wound left by Meteor is in fact a part of Sephiroth and yet, is not. Again, Ifalna’s recount of Jenova and the Cetra 2,000 years ago supports this.
Ifalna: “It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
What Jenova did when she awoke is clear. She found Sephiroth and she made a whole double of him in effect. Both mind and body are replicated, spawning a false persona to complete the body she formed. That is the “will” of Sephiroth. The unreal personality erected over the unreal body she took on thinks it is destined for godhood. However, as shown, the disconnected thoughts of this Sephiroth and the Sephiroth we saw in Nibelheim is confirmation of this. A false personality of Jenova’s creation would not recognize Cloud, nor be aware of Sephiroth’s previous ideas of Jenova being “mother.” To complete this thought, we hear Meteor will destroy the Planet, reducing it to nothing. Sephiroth’s “God Plan” to leech the life off the Planet would fall to nothing, as the lifeblood would all be erased when Meteor struck, along with Sephiroth. Thus, concluding this was all Sephiroth’s plan In light of the facts and logic of saying it was the construct of a Sephiroth identity brought into being by Jenova has too many flaws. The Planet will be annihilated by Meteor and such a wide amount of devastation seems in line with Jenova’s previous deeds of destruction. In fact, it’s the ultimate action she has yet taken.
Now, we move on to the first signs of Sephiroth’s power over Cloud is seen.
Cloud: (shaking) “Ha ha ha... Black Materia. Ha ha ha... Call Meteor.”
A bit of seemingly senseless words, but as we know, Cloud is a Sephiroth clone. As will shortly happen hereafter, Cloud will give “Sephiroth” the Black Materia. Cloud is unlike the others in the respect he does not admittedly follow Sephiroth or mumble of the Reunion. The thing is, unlike Cloud, they are themselves. They never took on another’s memory and constructed an incomplete past. They know only what they know. Cloud, in failure along with the trauma of the experiments, made a new self that harbors a grudge against Sephiroth. This grudge that compels him to follow Sephiroth is really only his underlying instinct and drive to join at the Reunion.
After receiving the Black Materia, “Sephiroth” vanishes and is not seen again until a kind of “real dream” by Cloud. After talking to Aeris, “Sephiroth” appears.
*Sephiroth: “Hmm...... She's thinking of interfering? She will be a difficult one, don't you think? We must stop that girl soon.”
Not too much to examine here. It can be seen however that, as Jenova herself nearly caused the complete extinction of the Cetra, that this is caused by her drive to eliminate them all finally. Of course, that is neither here nor there. It’s far too ambiguous to decide anything conclusively.
Cloud’s group reaches the City of the Ancients and after resting, set out. Cloud finds Aeris at an altar and is overcome by the same power that made him give Sephiroth the Black Materia. He draws his blade and walks towards Aeris, preparing to strike her down until the terrified words of his fellows jerk him out of his “trance” and makes him fall back in confused horror at what he was about to do. As Aeris looks at him, “Sephiroth” descends and stabs her through the back. She falls and her White Materia drops into the waters below. Cloud then mourns over her body. This short exchange is highly revealing.
*Sephiroth: “Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the
snowy fields. There I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl......”
Cloud: “...Shut up. The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing. Aerith is gone. Aerith will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry...... or get
angry...... What about us...... what are WE supposed to do? What about my pain? My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!”
*Sephiroth: “What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings too?”
Now, his actions and words are what is so key here. His first line is uttered in a very grandiose-manner, yet once he hears Cloud tell him about his feelings, he looks down in perplexity. The real Sephiroth with Sephiroth’s memories know that Cloud is very much human, that he can feel. Yet, Jenova only is aware of the “fake” Cloud before her that she first found back in Shinra HQ. Jenova would indeed not understand that Cloud can feel, since all she knows him as is what she herself says following this.
Jenova: “Because, you are...... a puppet.”
The one and only line ever uttered clearly by Jenova. It furthers my assertions and ideas on the fact that if it was indeed Sephiroth manifesting himself in Jenova, he would be aware of Cloud’s existence beyond his false self, something Jenova would not be aware of and such, the confusion over Cloud’s emotions and the line calling him a puppet. Also note that once “Sephiroth” flies off, he leaves behind yet another piece of Jenova. I have heard theories on that it was a clone looking like Sephiroth, but why would a clone be carrying a piece of Jenova? It makes more sense to say this is her main body continuing on its way to Northern Crater for the Reunion.
Cloud’s party lays Aeris to rest and proceeds to the town of Icicle where they find the account of Professor Gast’s recorded many years previously. Passing through the town, they climb to the peak of a mountain and arrive at the Whirlwind Maze. Here, we see the clones gathered. They are marching in a single line, yet many fall and perish along the way. Finally we see “Sephiroth” himself along with what seems to be the only two clones to have survived and reached “him.”
*Sephiroth: “This is the end...for all of you.”
Examine this for what it is. Sephiroth’s will is not evident because Sephiroth has no use to murder the clones and help along the Reunion. Yet, following the line of thinking we’ve had since the beginning, Jenova would be inclined to slaughter them to complete the Reunion as her cells trapped in them would merge with her body. After seeing this, Cloud and the others rush up to confront “Sephiroth.”
*Sephiroth: “You're right. This is the end of this body's usefulness.”
This line is open for interpretation, unfortunately. Sephiroth supporters will say he is commenting on his inevitable ascension to Godhood or that he is saying Jenova’s body and the clones are no longer of use, but in accordance with the thesis, it can easily be made out to be Jenova saying her need for Sephiroth’s body is no longer of necessity. Still, let’s press on. After “Sephiroth” vanishes and the group fights Jenova-DEATH...
Cloud: “Jenova's cells... ...hmm. So that's what this is all about. The Jenova Reunion.”..
Tifa: “Not Sephiroth!? You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we've been after?”
Cloud somehow finally understands. It was not all about bringing the Black Materia to “Sephiroth.” Sephiroth has no need for a Reunion to get ahold of his Black Materia. It was Jenova’s sudden awakening in Shhinra HQ and her instinctual Reunion coupled with the thing she’s been doing since she came onto this world; destroy. It could be instinct for destruction or a mind of her own, that is up for debate. What is not really challengeable is the notion that the dialogue here along with the explanation given of the events of the game proves the Jenova Reunion and Jenova herself was the driving force behind it all.
Now, continuing on, Cloud makes an interesting statement here.
Cloud: “He's here. The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. It's both incredibly wicked and cruel... But it's releasing a powerfully strong will from deep within this planet's wound.”
Now, he says Sephiroth is beyond here, but look. “ But >IT’S< releasing a powerfully strong will.” Why would Cloud suddenly refer to Sephiroth as an “it?” Simple, he wouldn’t. This line is inconclusive, but Cloud’s mention of “it” and “its” will is not to be overlooked.
The party presses on. Suddenly, they are engulfed in the unknown and emerge in a reconstruction of Nibelheim. Jenova does wield the power of illusion.
Ifalna: “[Jenova] looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
“Sephiroth” is showing them what is reality, showing how it was Zack who was the fellow SOLDIER who accompanied Sephiroth.
*Sephiroth: “You are just a puppet... You have no heart... and cannot feel any pain... How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, this is the illusion. ...”
Further confirmation it was Jenova and her mind running the whole show. As previously stated, Sephiroth knew Cloud prior to even Nibelheim. He knew Cloud as a living human being. Yet, all “he” ever says during the game clearly shows he does not know Cloud at all, by sight or name.
*Sephiroth: “Five years ago you were... ...constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt. A puppet made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her
knowledge, and the power of the Mako. An incomplete Sephiroth-clone. Not even given a number. ...That is your reality.”
Nonsense, of course. Some say Sephiroth was simply lying to Cloud. This really does not make a lot of sense as Sephiroth only needs the Black Materia, right? He does not have to, for some unfathomable reason, pretend to not know Cloud for any purpose. Yet, Jenova knows that as “reality.” Jenova knows only the Cloud that was experimented on, the one she found when she awoke. I find the idea that it’s Jenova saying untruths because that’s all she knows more accurate and sensible to Sephiroth lying for some indiscernible reason.
After Cloud finally begins to realize his faulty past and fake memory, the illusion ends and we see the top heads of Shinra, most interestingly Hojo, in Northern Crater. We see the wall shake and Hojo says it is Weapon, which you will remember were monsters created by the Planet to eradicate Jenova. We jump now to see Tifa running towards the group and telling them to go on ahead. As they run off, Tifa turns into “Sephiroth” and laughs. As the group catches up with Cloud, Cloud has caved-in emotionally and decides to “fulfill” his purpose and takes the Black Materia. Cloud floats up and away and Hojo gives an intriguing and informative speech. A bit narcissistic though.
Hojo: “[Cloud’s] a Sephiroth clone I created after the real Sephiroth died five years ago. Jenova cells and Mako, with my knowledge and skills, have been combined with science and nature to bring him to life. ...I'm not wild about the failure part, but the Jenova Reunion Theory has now been proven.”
So, Hojo himself says Cloud was nothing but a clone. This is untrue, so Hojo is lying already.
Hojo: “You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again. That's what is meant by Jenova's Reunion to start. Five years have passed, and now the Clones have began to return.”
As I stated in Jenova and the Shinra, his reason behind the whole “Sephiroth clone” experiment was to prove his theory. It is safe to say from events in the game and movie that it was true.
Hojo: “I thought the Clones would begin to gather at Midgar where Jenova is stored. But my predictions were not entirely correct. Jenova itself began to move away from the Shinra Building. But being a genius that I am, I soon figured it out. You see it was all Sephiroth's doing. Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will into the Lifestream; he wants to manipulate the Clones itself.”
Now, you have to examine this at what it is. People automatically read “it was all Sephiroth’s doing” and seem to miss the rest. Sephiroth’s doing, maybe, but not the real Sephiroth. The real Sephiroth has no way of engendering the clones to all flock to him, nor any use for it. Similarly, Hojo says “Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will into the Lifestream.” Now, as the process of life in Final Fantasy VII is that once yo die, your body’s spirit energy becomes part of the Planet, Hojo most likely means by “diffuse his will” that Sephiroth did not just want to become part of that all. He wanted to stay his own self. You can’t diffuse your will into the Lifestream unless you are part of it and Sephiroth was never part of it, only traveled through it. Also it is not best to judge everything on Hojo’s ideas. He does not know what we know and what we saw. He is working on ideas and making conjecture from them. Anyway, Cloud gives the Black Materia to the first real Sephiroth we have yet to see outside of the flashback. He is encased in a cocoon of Materia and his eyes are closed.
Hojo: “Did you see it!! It's Sephiroth! So he IS here! This is perfect! Both Jenova's Reunion and Sephiroth's will! They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here! Mwa, haa, ha,.....”
This line really irritates me. I can not truly figure what Hojo is saying. “They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here!” Is he saying the Jenova Reunion won’t be diffused into the Lifestream? Jenova can not become part of the actual Lifestream because of her origins. How Hojo uses will is a lot like how characters in Xenosaga or Shakespeare in one of his legendary sonnets uses it. Will does not clearly mean just “the will to be.” Or anything. As said, Sephiroth can not subject his will onto Jenova or the Planet due to his location and limitations of abilities. This dialogue is too ambiguous and gibberish to decipher correctly. I don’t think anyone will say Hojo was a completely sane man, though. I do not pretend to fully understand what Hojo is saying because, as I think others will agree, it is rather illogical.
The whole group flees. An energy barrier is made to cover the Northern Crater and the Weapons are released unto the world. We find Cloud in a town called Mideal, hospitalized for severe Mako poisoning. The exact nature of his condition is unknown, but once Cloud discovers who he really was, his poisoning fades as well. Bugenhagen accompanies the party to the City of the Ancients and we discover Aeris had summoned Holy, but it’s being stopped by something... The logical conclusion being Sephiroth, we head off only to hear of a Weapon (Diamond WEAPON) is heading for Midgar. Simultaneously, Shinra has created a new Mako Cannon that is actually powered by all the Mako Reactors in Midgar. It’s titled the Sister Ray and its purpose is to destroy the barrier covering Northern Crater. However, one of the reactors is seized by Hojo who is increasing the power levels for the cannon beyond reasonable limits that endangers all of Midgar. We see Hojo commenting on what he’s doing.
Hojo: “ Go beyond the powers of science... Before [Sephiroth’s] presence, science is powerless... I hate it, but I'll concede to it. Just... let me see it.”
We last saw Hojo, trumpeting the success of his theory and his work. Now we see him, laughing wildly and willing to kill tons of people to see...what? Sephiroth go beyond the limits of science? When did Hojo ever start getting this idea from? What in the world prompted him to do this? Cloud’s group enters the reactor to stop Hojo and they confront him at last.
Hojo: “Sephiroth seems to be counting on
the energy. So I'm going to lend him a hand.”
When did he contract the notion Sephiroth needs Mako energy shot at him? Cloud asks Hojo why he’s doing all this.
Hojo: “Quit asking me why, you moron. Hmm... actually, you might be cut out to be a scientist. Energy level is at...... 83%. It's taking too long. My son is in need of power and help. ...That's the only reason.”
So, Hojo has come across fatherly affection for his spawn a good two decades plus after his conception? Again, completely untrue and unlikely. But, then, where did Hojo gain his sudden “urge” to help Sephiroth?
Hojo: “I've injected Jenova's cells into my own body!
Heee, hee, hee! Here are...... Heee, hee, hee! ...my results!!”
Coincidence Hojo begins to act maniacal and needs to help out Sephiroth once he has injected himself with the cells of Jenova? Well, a far cry more likely than saying he just snapped for no reason or that he’s come across repressed love for his son. We know that Sephiroth is busy gaining strength back from summoning Meteor and that’s why the barrier is erected. He sleeps in the bottom of Northern Crater, blocking Holy. Unless you want to call Sephiroth god of Final Fantasy VII world, you can’t say Sephiroth was somehow making Hojo perform this act of “empowering” Sephiroth while also holding Holy at bay. Of course, I can not completely disagree nor disprove an argument Hojo just went insane upon injection of the cells into his body, but such coordination with insanity, assuming control of an entire reactor and waiting by while is powers up is not something I’d attribute to a person suffering madness. I would however say it could very well be Jenova once again, aiding the one who is about to cause the supreme act of destruction and bring about the plan we’ve seen laid out since Shinra HQ.
Hojo is defeated and the reactor shut down. The barrier above Northern Crater is now gone, having been destroyed by the Sister Ray. The party descends into the depths of Northern Crater, eventually reaching what seems to be the very center of the Planet. Here, we find the final form of Jenova. Jenova-SYNTHESIS. Judging from the name, it is most probable this is in fact the result of the Reunion. Her body and the cells of the dead clones all merged and synthesized into this final form. However, Cloud and his fellows defeat it and are plunged deeper into the Planet, standing before Holy. Emerging out of the glow is...Sephiroth. He utters no words, but merely attacks the party with rings of energy. Once the party is grouped, they begin their final assault on Sephiroth. His first form is Bizarro Sephiroth, which has TWO HEADS and this is highly revealing. The larger one greatly resembles Sephiroth’s own visage, while the smaller one looks like Jenova’s. It would seem the Jenova head to be in control, as seen in when Bizarro Sephiroth strikes. His final form, Safer (or Seraph) Sephiroth is angelic. We first saw Jenova in the reactor being wings and an angel-like appearance. Coincidence Sephiroth has these two forms? Not at all. It is a sign that not only is he himself as of now, some part of Jenova is granting him this morphing power, but also the same part seems to have become linked with him. It was obviously not Jenova’s main body, but simply going by what is presented in his transformations it is 100% safe to say he and Jenova has almost “become one.” Sephiroth is however, defeated and the remnants of him and Jenova will not visibly be seen for two years,...until Advent Children.
6. REMNANTS OF CHAOS
Two years have passed since the events of Final Fantasy VII, since the defeat of Meteor, Sephiroth and Jenova. However, Jenova’s presence is not erased from this world. It is not yet free of her and her every essence that seems to cause havoc and tragedy. As said, this means the Planet can not heal.
Ifalna: “You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."
Jenova still exists in Advent Children. After her and Sephiroth’s defeat at the center of the Planet, her body fell into the Lifestream. As an alien substance and a form of “anti-Lifestream” that can not fully be taken on by the Planet, it still stayed in its own form when the Lifestream was flung at Meteor. Thus, Jenova’s cells in the Lifestream descended onto the people of the planet and they were infected.
Vincent: The Geostigma... It is cause by an overloading of suppressing spirit energy.
Spirit energy flow within our body just like Lifestream... It fights against the invasion of wicked substances. In which eventually creates Geostigma.”
What is this wicked substance?
Vincent: "Sephiroth element... Jenova's cells...Call it what you want."
The body’s spirit energy is essentially trying to combat the Jenova cells entered into their system. This can not be done as even the Planet’s own energy can not fully extract the viral cells from the systems of the people contaminated. The result is Geostigma and as the body’s energy continues to fail at defeating the Jenova cells, the body wears down and the person perishes.
What is important to notice is that, though infected with Jenova cells, they never show violent behavior. They do not grow angry or violent or lose their sanity. This is most probably due to the fact Jenova’s main body no longer exists. Jenova is not truly gone from the world, but no compelling force is being directed at those with her cells in them. This would similarly explain why Cloud has Geostigma. Though he has had Jenova cells in him since the beginning, they are inactive and the body must expel them.
Moving passed this, we now come across the Silver-Haired Men; Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz. We first see the group, desecrating the monument to Zack Cloud left and then we hear their first line.
Yazoo: "Hey Kadaj, is that where big brother is?"
They refer to Cloud as big brother. Why exactly is not immediately explained but we need not recount all the events of the movie. These three are...
Vincent: "That [Kadaj’s] a remnant of Sephiroth.
You could say he's kind of like a larva."
Kadaj and compatriots are what was left of Sephiroth in the Lifestream, made manifest. However, it is not through Sephiroth’s will alone they came into being. He does not possess such powers and the three’s goal is not the re-creation of Sephiroth, but...
Loz: "We just want to be united and [Jenova’s] going to decide everything.”
The group are searching for Jenova’s head. They are imbued with her power, yet as stated, with no controlling force behind Jenova’s cells, they offer no guiding light as to speak. They search in desperation yet can not find it. The group’s dedication and belief in Jenova is represented all throughout the movie. Loz cries even, so lost and wanting for his “Mother” he is. Finally Kadaj conceives a plan to find her head and end their fruitless search.
Kadaj: “I can cure you. You won't have to suffer anymore, then we'll all go to Mother together! We'll go beyond the limit of Gods and take back what is rightfully ours!”
Look at this key phrase: “then we’ll all go to Mother together!” Kadaj is speaking to orphans infected with Jenova’s cells. He then proceeds to fill water with what appears to be a high concentration of Jenova’s cells and once the children drink from it, their eyes go cat-like and blank. They are now slaves, with as much mind as the clones who flocked towards Jenova during Final Fantasy VII. Jenova’s cells have now gained prominence in their mind and body and Kadaj is hoping to use this to replicate the Reunion and have the children lead him to the head of Jenova.
I commented earlier that these three are a leftover piece of Sephiroth, but obviously not Sephiroth through-and-through. As Cloud did with his Jenova’s cells, he formulated a new personality that was not entirely Zack’s and not entirely his own. Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo were made from Sephiroth, but clearly developed wills and ideas of their own. These wills and minds found a common link in their “Mother” or, Jenova if you prefer. The following lines prove as much.
Rufus: "You said you would be complete once you get all Jenova's cells... What did you mean by that?"
Kadaj: "[Sephiroth]... will return."
Look at the hesitancy in which he speaks these words, followed by
Kadaj: “It really irritates me. Is it Me or Sephiroth?
which one will Mother decide..."
He is obviously uncertain and bitter, but he certainly does not want to become Sephiroth. Similarly, he leaves his fate up to Jenova’s decision. This entire movie revolves around Jenova’s will. Look at Kadaj’s short talk about Jenova.
Kadaj: "You know, Mother made a long journey to come to this planet. To erase a bunch of fools from space, you see... But... you already knew, don't you? Nothing has changed here since the time when Mother came. That's why I'm going to make Mother happy. I'll follow all of her commands. I'll do anything she wishes."
This is oddly reminiscent of Sephiroth in Nibelheim. Hatred and accusation to all mankind, but obedience and servitude to the will of “Mother.”
Kadaj: "As long as you guys are here, the same thing will keep happening." (all others are the enemy)
Cloud: "What are you gonna do now?"
Kadaj: "Mother will tell me." (devotion to Jenova)
As stated previously, Sephiroth’s conclusions on the worthlessness of humanity and the superiority of Jenova was something he himself could not truly come to believe without some sort of influence considering the state of his mind at the time. The same applies to Kadaj and his crew. As what is left of the Sephiroth at Nibelheim, the real Sephiroth I must stress, they inherit this taint of mind. They will trek in the footsteps of Jenova and her whim and even be willing to give up their existence to another for her. As stated and clearly seen in the movie, Jenova is not physically in any way calling out to her cells. Hence Kadaj’s Reunion, to awaken Jenova and her will to pull on her cells in him and his brothers. This above all proves they are remnants of Sephiroth, coming to possess his Jenova-induced ideas of “Mother” and hate to all humanity while simultaneously using the Jenova cells in them to construct their own individual personalities. Another simple fact to point out it is not all Sephiroth’s doing is that the three call Cloud “big brother.” Doubt vessels of Sephiroth under the supreme command of Sephiroth would come to think that.
When Kadaj finally does gain Jenova’s head, he absorbs what remains in the box which is her cells. Upon this, as Vincent stated, he becomes Sephiroth. Sephiroth’s talk possibly above all else shows this is the real Sephiroth. This is the Sephiroth we saw in the Nibelheim flashbacks as opposed to the one we see in the time frame of FF7 which already said above was all Jenova.
Sephiroth: “What I really want, Cloud... is to travel the darkness of cosmos using this planet as my vessel. As Mother did before me... One day we will discover a new world. We will create the future on that ground.”
Key word he uses. “MOTHER.” The “Sephiroth” we see throughout the game never refers to Jenova as Mother except for when it is really Sephiroth himself, the Sephiroth in Nibelheim. Look at what he is describing also. Traveling with Jenova, his Mother, to a locale of opportunity and bliss. What did the real Sephiroth in Nibelheim want?
(from Final Fantasy VII)
Sephiroth: “I've thought of a great idea. Let's go to the Promised Land.”
Judging from the similarity of these two lines, we can safely come to the conclusion that the idea presented in the previous chapter that the Sephiroth shown in the game is merely the Sephiroth persona brought into being by Jenova for her own purposes. We see now that the goals of what we know are the real Sephiroth remains unchanged. He still views Jenova as Mother and wants to go with her to a new land, neither of which are aspirations of the Sephiroth we pursue through the game.
However, this most likely marks the end of Jenova. Sephiroth is defeated and fades, bringing back Kadaj who dissolves into Lifestream and is gone. The same fate befalls Loz and Yazoo, following their brother. Thus, the last known incarnations of Jenova’s will are erased from the world. There is no indication of a resurfacing in the future, but whether Jenova is finally and ultimately eradicated is yet to be seen.
Thank you for the compliment. It took me a while and a lot of thought plus research and attention to detail but I am very satisfied with it. I'm glad you approve, good miss. 