Ok,
I've been writing a script for this Audio Drama thingy, and I've come to a crutial stage, I've got no real idea of what Jenova *truly* is in my own mind.
After mulling over the game repeatedly,
the game scripts,
talking to numerous people,
Still, I can't get a definitive explanation of what Jenova is, exactly.

I've got tonnes of factoids, but, I find that the bulk of which conflict with each other, and when they all add up, they don't make much sense.

If you could, correct me where I'm wrong and tell me if there's anything major I've missed out, much appreciated.


Jenova is an Ancient / Jenova is an Alien Lifeform (or Virus)
Jenova can exist in separate forms, and when separated forms a collective consciousness, however, Jenova is at it's most powerful when whole (i.e. the reason behind the reunion).
The 'Calamity from the Skies', landed on the northern continent, originally creating the northern crater.
Jenova has, or had the ability to change form.
Jenova is a Virus / Jenova can infect people with a Virus.
Jenova moved across the planet, in the same way as a Virus.
Jenova's will was to purely eradicate the Cetra / Jenova's will was to become one with the planet (i.e. the purpose of the reunion).
Jenova is in control of Sephiroth / Jenova is a part of Sephiroth (both debatable, I'm told to take both with a pinch of salt)

I agreed with most of them, but some of the others, found them questionably. I don't really know what Jenova is.

Jenova is in my opinion some sort of intelligence virus. It controls, it manipulates and it corrupts.
Jenova is an advanced lifeform o_o It shows some resemblance with the 'overmind' (Starcraft, thanks Mogk :B) ihmo.
I agree mostly xD

Come to think of it, Jenova = StarCraft OverMind isn't all that bad.

Oh well, here's what I think:
Jenova is a lifeform that travels from one planet to another, drinking the LifeStream dry in order to live. Where it is from originally, I got no idea(does the game even say so...?).

Jenvoa wanted to drink from Earth(yes it is Earth, ever seen Sephy's SuperNova attack...?), but the planet wasn't injured enough, so Jenova infitrated the Cetra by taking form of a human to learn more about the planet(Cetra's look just like humans, don't they?).

After learning from the Cetra that there was a way to hurt the planet badly, Jenova infected the Cetra with a virus, mutating them into the beasts that you fight in the game.

As Jenova nearly managed to summon Meteor, the last of the Cetra managed to entrap it up on the far north. The virus had, sadly, no cure, and they slowly faded away, leaving Man to take their place.

AAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNDDDDD so many, many years later.... the game begins.

oh dear.... this is hard for me to explain.

I'm one of those peeps who reads deep into everything ect, so i have (well, i think i have) a pretty good understanding of Jenova and the Jenova Project, but...

well, i cant be assed typing it all up, but hey, most of my knowledge is backed up here: http://jenova.org/jenova

enjoy~ :)

Very Interesting... I have never gave thought to what Jenova is and thought it was just some recurring boss. However after reading that site, I never have some understanding on what Jenova is and what she/it can do...

jenova = alien
says so in the game...

i thought sephiroth controlled jenovas cells of parts rather and i wouldnt really describe it as a virus. a virus is an organism that literally speaking, converts another organism used as a factory to produce cells into organisms that produce viruses. for all its troubles, the virus just kills the host too. in this case, it didnt kill cloud or any of the other people that were exposed. however, the jenova cells seemed to fall under control of sephiroth. especially cloud.

The ability to change forms isnt really entirely true. i think that parts of jenova were scattered, and like a frog, the pieces grew. kinda like when lizards lose a tail, they gain it back. stem cells. and the fact that each body part can control itself may show the fact that jenova had more than one brain. it is even theoretically possible in animals today. for example, the stegosaurus has a small brain. but if examined closely, the brain stems all the way down its back into a larger chamber. it is thought to have to contained another brain. it is also found in modern mammals. so, the ability to change forms is not really accurate, id say it is rather the ability to control and regrow severed body parts.

i guess the other ones i agree with... though a couple seem to be a bit hazy in terms of defiinition... :-/

Thanks for the help guys, I should be able to plough my way through the plot with this :p

The whole Sephiroth/Jenova control thing though, as I say, pinch of salt, it's more something to debate over than to explain.

Jenova, from what I gathered, is an Ancient that crashed into the Earth 2000 years prior to the game, and she gave a virus to the Cetra, therefore leaving only a select few people left as actual Cetra. Before this happened though, the Cetra managed to stop/encase Jenova before they were entirly wiped out...I just forget the real reason Jenova came to the planet though.....and it had nothing to do with "Drinking" the Lifestream.....