Cloud Strife
In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud is the main protagonist of the game. He is introduced as a mercenary and former member of SOLDIER, a militaristic organization part of the fictional, antagonistic Shinra Corporation. During a mission in which he worked with the anti-Shinra organization AVALANCHE, he encounters a young woman by the name of Aerith Gainsborough, who is wanted by the secret police branch of Shinra called "Turks." Cloud was born in the mountain village of Nibelheim, along with his childhood friend Tifa Lockhart. He grew up isolated and ostracized from the rest of the village children; however, when Tifa and a group of other children attempt to climb Mt. Nibel, Cloud follows them. Incidently, Tifa falls from a bridge and her father blames Cloud for what happens. Cloud resolves to join SOLDIER, hoping to prove to Tifa and the others of his hometown that he could be as strong as the popular SOLDIER 1st Class Sephiroth.
Early in the game, however, Cloud's past is a mystery. He claims that he was in the village of Nibelheim when Sephiroth went berserk and massacred the local population. After finding Tifa wounded, Cloud confronts Sephiroth. During the course of the game, it becomes apparent that Cloud's memories of these events and others are filled with empty plot-holes that prevent them from making total sense. It all comes together later in the game; as it turns out, Cloud suffers from a mixture of amnesia and mind control. Although he had been in Nibelheim during Sephiroth's rampage, he was not there as a top ranking member of SOLDIER, but a regular Shinra arm guard under the command of both Sephiroth and another man named Zack Fair. Following the incident, Cloud and Zack are experimented on with the remarkable genetic material from an alien lifeform, called "Jenova cells," for four years by a man who works for Shinra named Professor Hojo. The two subsequently escape, but are chased down by Shinra's armed forces. Zack is mortally wounded after trying to protect Cloud from the pursuing Shinra foot soldiers. Cloud crawls to Zack before he dies, and Zack tells Cloud that he will be his living legacy. Cloud leaves in a stupor after Zack's death. The next scene, reminiscent of Zack, shows Cloud onboard the roof of the train headed for the #1 Mako Reactor at the start of Final Fantasy VII.
[edit] Related Final Fantasy VII appearances
Cloud in Final Fantasy VII Advent ChildrenCloud appears numerous times in the various titles in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. He plays a minor role in the cell phone game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII. During the course of the game, which takes place over the six years leading into Final Fantasy VII, the player encounters Cloud while he is serving under Zack and Sephiroth's command. In the CGI film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Cloud lives with Tifa in the city of Edge. Staying with them is Marlene, Barret's adopted daughter, and Denzel, an orphan with a rampant deadly disease called Geostigma, which appeared as a result of the events of Final Fantasy VII. Cloud works as a courier for the "Strife Delivery Service" that Tifa set up in her new tavern. Over time, Cloud begins suffering symptoms of the Geostigma as well, keeping his left arm cloaked to hide the symptoms. Since the end of Final Fantasy VII, Cloud grew apart from the others out of the guilt for Aerith's death, and as result, he moves out of the tavern and takes refuge in the old church in which Aerith once raised flowers.
Cloud is attacked by a mysterious trio of young men; Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, who are genetic "remnants" of Sephiroth left behind before he could diffuse into the Lifestream completely. The three begin luring and kidnapping children that are inflicted with Geostigma, intending to have the children lead them to the remains of Jenova, an alien antagonist of the Final Fantasy VII video game. Upon confronting them for a second time, Cloud finds himself outmatched by the trio and is rescued by Vincent Valentine. Cloud confronts them once again and defeats Loz and Yazoo. In confronting Kadaj, the battle takes them back to Aerith's church, where the Lifestream-influenced water cures Cloud of his Geostigma. Kadaj later merges with the remnants of Jenova, causing Sephiroth to be reborn. The two battle until Cloud clinches the battle with a Limit Break attack. When Sephiroth is once again defeated, he dissipates, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place.
