PTM
04-13-2002, 08:14 AM
Remember…
*Spoilers*
Hahaha… I told you guys I’d write about the Cetra Heritage not too long ago, and now it seems that it would be the appropriate time to make good on that pseudo-promise. Well, I’ve decided to twist things and write, instead, about what the role of power was, and how good and evil play an important role in the history of Final Fantasy 7. More specifically, I’m going to describe how Evil may have been the final victor in Final Fantasy 7, making it one of the most interesting games ever (Good guys always win). A real pessimistic outlook, yet an interesting read.
A World of Evil
In the world of Final Fantasy 7, we are presented with a basic battle that is emulated from stories prior to it, to a rather interesting degree. What is shown is the classical battle between Good and Evil, between Righteousness and Corruption, and between Lightness and Darkness. Representative of these traits, beyond that of Sephiroth and Cloud, falls into the hands of JENOVA, the original “crisis from the sky,” and the Cetra.
The story starts not in the slums of Midgar, but rather “Once Upon A Time,” as most stories of this caliber do. We are shown, not directly but close to it, the story of Planet as it progresses through recent millennia. Something around two millenniums prior to Cloud’s birth, there existed two divinities – at least in the sense I shall portray them in. The Cetra, representative of all that is good, are a species of highly advanced – both technologically and culturally – magic users who are the ultimate environmentalists, literally giving their lives for the sake of Planet. They developed massive constructs intricately laced with booby traps to protect all that can harm Planet (Temple of the Ancients, which guards the Black Materia), most likely at the cost of many Cetra lives. Spending their energy to cultivate the land and search out means to heal Planet’s wounds, the Cetra are transfixed with helping that which they live on.
On the other hand, we are projected a rather harsh depiction of evilness. A classical representation, JENOVA is ugly, alien, and (throughout most of the game) headless. This hellish creature quite literally “infects” humans, and her cells have the ability to contort minds and to render the body susceptible to mind control, sharp pains, memory loss, illusions, hallucinations, and other dangerous and torturous events. JENOVA shows us the Final Fantasy representation of Satan, albeit not the traditional kind. She emulates many characteristics of Lucifer, and she works to corrupt the minds of humans and Cetra.
Interestingly enough, JENOVA is unable to act on her own throughout the game – what we are presented with is a painting of JENOVA as extremely powerful and yet unable to directly handle her own affairs, much like the Devil. Satan consistently must utilize the easily corruptible minds of sinful humans to accomplish his goals – the mirror transcribes this characteristic directly on to JENOVA. Her reliance on Sephiroth, Cloud, and ultimately the entire human race to destroy the Planet and her opposition proves how much she depicts the devil in her nature.
Equipped with mind control and the ability to mentally torment, enslave, and corrupt biological entities, JENOVA slowly infects (although not in the way she later infects Cloud, Sephiroth, and the clones) the Cetra 2000 years ago. Eventually, they learn of her treacherous ways, and attempt to confine her. Unfortunately, they are pacifists, and lack not only the will but the means to completely eradicate her – left with but one choice, the final survivors of the once great Cetra confine her to a painful existence deep within the Planet Core.
As the story progresses to the 1500 prior mark, or thereabouts, both extremities are on the verge of collapse. JENOVA, although alive, has been confined to small quarters where she can no longer exercise her powers of manipulation, is slowly losing strength and influence over the outside world. The Cetra, on the other hand, are on the verge of extinction as the virus that JENOVA released upon them claims an increasing amount of lives.
At this point, either the Cetra simply succumb to the virus and completely die off (with the exception of a few select tribes who eventually integrate into humanity), or they abandon their search for the Promised Land and evacuate Planet (see: thread “Orb Theory: *Spoilers*). In either case, we are presented with the following dilemma:
“Good and evil have annihilated themselves in some mirror image of Armageddon, and the Planet is now left in the hands of the inexperienced people known as the humans.”
Human kind now represents both sides of the coin: Like JENOVA, they garner the strength and ability to destroy the Planet (as best exemplified by Shinra Inc. and those in support of it), and like the Cetra they possess the ability to save it.
And the story progresses to the time covered in the game. Teetering on the edge of environmental disaster, it appears that humankind has, unfortunately, chosen the path of JENOVA; corrupted by wealth and power, mankind is now on the verge of committing an extreme sin. Not only do they destroy, but they have revived the destroyer and bestowed the powers of the destroyer upon themselves. JENOVA was reborn into three clones and an original (or possible four clones and an original, but we’ll get into that later) – Birth, Life, Death, and Synthesis. Representing the life cycle, Planet’s future hovers over the later portion of the span as it cries for help and wails in agony against the star studded backing of the night sky.
Remaining factors of the Great War between good and evil lie in the strength of the devil and her offspring, and in the life of one Semi-Cetra. The two halves, Sephiroth half JENOVA and Aeris half Cetra would eventually be forced to battle each other again, repeating the bloody history of so many years ago. It would seemingly be Sephiroth and his JENOVA cells that would gain the upper hand, however Aeris’ prayer would strike the final blow giving the Cetra the final laugh (perhaps not; see thread “Ending Theory: *Spoilers*”).
Originally, humanity is the overwhelming force in the two entities known as Sephiroth and Aeris, but as they progress through the game their non-human side begins to gain superiority – Aeris and her increasing ability to speak with the Planet and Sephiroth with his insatiable desire to destroy. Both are inhuman traits – mankind does not naturally feel compelled to either save or destroy, but to ignore – for ignorance is mankind’s true gift and ultimate bliss. Aeris and Sephiroth are truly representations of mankind’s struggle for identity in a complicated world of rights and wrongs. Their utter portrayal of mankind’s good side and his bad side is what makes them the two central characters in Final Fantasy 7, contrary to the belief that Cloud is the main role in the story. Interestingly, Cloud also suffers from an identity crises, but his is much more human, and represents more of a means to portray the power of Satan and the urge to sin over mankind, rather than to show him as a painting of good or evil. In any case, the two representations (Aeris and Sephiroth) end up destroying themselves for the final time and both good and evil are purged from the Planet forever.
Again the Planet is left for mankind to nurture, only this time through it is expected that they should be more aware of their actions and the dire consequences they represent, being that Planet was so close to destruction.
However, it is more interesting to note that Final Fantasy 7 tends to lean more towards evil as the victor. That which was designed to protect the Planet actually ends up hurting it (see thread “Ending Theory *Spoilers*”), and we are shown a dramatic battle in which the Planet is forced to literally save itself (the utilization of Lifestream to combat the Holy/Meteor combination). Additionally, it is unknown rather or not JENOVA was actually killed by Cloud and company – Satan may continue to thrive while Good (the Cetra) cease to exist.
If JENOVA still existed after the final battle with JENOVA Synthesis, there would be two strong arguments in the favor of this proposal:
1. JENOVA does not look like the final form that Cloud and co. fight in the Northern Crater. She is also named JENOVA Synthesis, not just plain JENOVA.
2. JENOVA Birth is engaged after many lives have ended (the entire crew on the Shinra Boat, as well as Shinra HQ and probably some Junon folks). Life is battled when Aeris dies (as in an allegory to the idea that “Evil thrives while Good swoons”), and Death is fought to gain control of the Black Materia (The reward for defeating “Death” is, ironically, the power to kill all. All three battles are representative of their respective points in the game, so JENOVA Synthesis could represent the dissolution of sanity and good as the world crumbles and bends to the whims of a demi-God (Sephiroth). I say this because it appears that every name a JENOVA clone is given counters the event that is taking place during the fight with her.
Also, it is interesting to note that the Cetra may only be protecting the Planet for their own selfish desires – an overwhelmingly evil trait. Their hell-bent pursuit of the Promised Land would justify any actions necessary to appease their zealous pseudo-religion. If they truly believed that Planet held the Promised Land within its spatial boundaries, it is not too much of a stretch to argue that they only protected it to save their treasures inside.
“It’s like if I had loaned a million dollars to a guy. If this guy is getting beaten to death, I have to save him rather or not I like him, because I really need to get my loan repaid.”
The disgusting feeling that the analogy gives is intended – it implies that the Cetra are just as evil as the force they combated. This emulation of the works of Thomas Hobbes is prominent throughout the game as well. Hobbes’ belief was as such:
“Mankind is basically evil. It is necessitated that absolute rulers contain them.”
Shinra Inc., a corrupted mega-conglomerate truly shows how (at least in terms of Final Fantasy 7) right Thomas Hobbes was. Consumed by their own greed, the company becomes infatuated with money, and the idea of garnering more and more of it. No matter the cost, a profit must be drawn – and frankly, Shinra doesn’t care from where it is drawn. Planet, Cetra, etc. – it doesn’t matter to them, so long as the money is there. This human, but condemnable trait helps prove that Final Fantasy 7 is a depiction of the evil side of mankind, and not just a traditional story about saving the world. Sephiroth furthers this claim by showing that, unchecked, mankind can easily tend towards its evil side. With nothing to stop him except himself (Hobbes demands some force to check mankind if its slide into ruin is to be prevented), Sephiroth allows his human mind to be fully infected with JENOVA and thus completely purges himself of any real compassion, love, or positive feelings. Mankind’s increasing laziness as it depends more and more on Mako power (and their contempt for the slavish ways before Shinra) shows how the common man exemplifies the works of Mr. Hobbes. Repeatedly throughout the game we are greeted with phrases like:
“I can’t imagine life without Mako.”
This leaves a rather horrendous (but ultimately more accurate representation of real life) ending:
“The world is basically corrupted, and there is absolutely nothing left to stop the evil from spreading to fully encompass every living being capable of being a possible receptacle for it. The only reason that ‘good’ was victorious, was because of an automated task designed by nature for an entity (Planet) to save itself (this means Lifestream). This want to stay alive may even be construed as selfish in itself, because it ignores the fact that spending up precious Lifestream to defeat Meteor helps to destroy the parasites (life forms) that populate Planet (see thread “Ending Theory *Spoilers*”). What we are left with is a realm of complete evilness, where even the Planet itself is inherently a being of sinful desires. The only solace that one can find in the game is that Cloud Strife made himself an exception and overcame evil.”
- ***
Copyright (c) 2002-2003
Please ask permission before using this theory!
[EDIT: Changed a format issue; clarified some content]
[EDIT: Fixed a few grammar issues; clarified some content]
*Spoilers*
Hahaha… I told you guys I’d write about the Cetra Heritage not too long ago, and now it seems that it would be the appropriate time to make good on that pseudo-promise. Well, I’ve decided to twist things and write, instead, about what the role of power was, and how good and evil play an important role in the history of Final Fantasy 7. More specifically, I’m going to describe how Evil may have been the final victor in Final Fantasy 7, making it one of the most interesting games ever (Good guys always win). A real pessimistic outlook, yet an interesting read.
A World of Evil
In the world of Final Fantasy 7, we are presented with a basic battle that is emulated from stories prior to it, to a rather interesting degree. What is shown is the classical battle between Good and Evil, between Righteousness and Corruption, and between Lightness and Darkness. Representative of these traits, beyond that of Sephiroth and Cloud, falls into the hands of JENOVA, the original “crisis from the sky,” and the Cetra.
The story starts not in the slums of Midgar, but rather “Once Upon A Time,” as most stories of this caliber do. We are shown, not directly but close to it, the story of Planet as it progresses through recent millennia. Something around two millenniums prior to Cloud’s birth, there existed two divinities – at least in the sense I shall portray them in. The Cetra, representative of all that is good, are a species of highly advanced – both technologically and culturally – magic users who are the ultimate environmentalists, literally giving their lives for the sake of Planet. They developed massive constructs intricately laced with booby traps to protect all that can harm Planet (Temple of the Ancients, which guards the Black Materia), most likely at the cost of many Cetra lives. Spending their energy to cultivate the land and search out means to heal Planet’s wounds, the Cetra are transfixed with helping that which they live on.
On the other hand, we are projected a rather harsh depiction of evilness. A classical representation, JENOVA is ugly, alien, and (throughout most of the game) headless. This hellish creature quite literally “infects” humans, and her cells have the ability to contort minds and to render the body susceptible to mind control, sharp pains, memory loss, illusions, hallucinations, and other dangerous and torturous events. JENOVA shows us the Final Fantasy representation of Satan, albeit not the traditional kind. She emulates many characteristics of Lucifer, and she works to corrupt the minds of humans and Cetra.
Interestingly enough, JENOVA is unable to act on her own throughout the game – what we are presented with is a painting of JENOVA as extremely powerful and yet unable to directly handle her own affairs, much like the Devil. Satan consistently must utilize the easily corruptible minds of sinful humans to accomplish his goals – the mirror transcribes this characteristic directly on to JENOVA. Her reliance on Sephiroth, Cloud, and ultimately the entire human race to destroy the Planet and her opposition proves how much she depicts the devil in her nature.
Equipped with mind control and the ability to mentally torment, enslave, and corrupt biological entities, JENOVA slowly infects (although not in the way she later infects Cloud, Sephiroth, and the clones) the Cetra 2000 years ago. Eventually, they learn of her treacherous ways, and attempt to confine her. Unfortunately, they are pacifists, and lack not only the will but the means to completely eradicate her – left with but one choice, the final survivors of the once great Cetra confine her to a painful existence deep within the Planet Core.
As the story progresses to the 1500 prior mark, or thereabouts, both extremities are on the verge of collapse. JENOVA, although alive, has been confined to small quarters where she can no longer exercise her powers of manipulation, is slowly losing strength and influence over the outside world. The Cetra, on the other hand, are on the verge of extinction as the virus that JENOVA released upon them claims an increasing amount of lives.
At this point, either the Cetra simply succumb to the virus and completely die off (with the exception of a few select tribes who eventually integrate into humanity), or they abandon their search for the Promised Land and evacuate Planet (see: thread “Orb Theory: *Spoilers*). In either case, we are presented with the following dilemma:
“Good and evil have annihilated themselves in some mirror image of Armageddon, and the Planet is now left in the hands of the inexperienced people known as the humans.”
Human kind now represents both sides of the coin: Like JENOVA, they garner the strength and ability to destroy the Planet (as best exemplified by Shinra Inc. and those in support of it), and like the Cetra they possess the ability to save it.
And the story progresses to the time covered in the game. Teetering on the edge of environmental disaster, it appears that humankind has, unfortunately, chosen the path of JENOVA; corrupted by wealth and power, mankind is now on the verge of committing an extreme sin. Not only do they destroy, but they have revived the destroyer and bestowed the powers of the destroyer upon themselves. JENOVA was reborn into three clones and an original (or possible four clones and an original, but we’ll get into that later) – Birth, Life, Death, and Synthesis. Representing the life cycle, Planet’s future hovers over the later portion of the span as it cries for help and wails in agony against the star studded backing of the night sky.
Remaining factors of the Great War between good and evil lie in the strength of the devil and her offspring, and in the life of one Semi-Cetra. The two halves, Sephiroth half JENOVA and Aeris half Cetra would eventually be forced to battle each other again, repeating the bloody history of so many years ago. It would seemingly be Sephiroth and his JENOVA cells that would gain the upper hand, however Aeris’ prayer would strike the final blow giving the Cetra the final laugh (perhaps not; see thread “Ending Theory: *Spoilers*”).
Originally, humanity is the overwhelming force in the two entities known as Sephiroth and Aeris, but as they progress through the game their non-human side begins to gain superiority – Aeris and her increasing ability to speak with the Planet and Sephiroth with his insatiable desire to destroy. Both are inhuman traits – mankind does not naturally feel compelled to either save or destroy, but to ignore – for ignorance is mankind’s true gift and ultimate bliss. Aeris and Sephiroth are truly representations of mankind’s struggle for identity in a complicated world of rights and wrongs. Their utter portrayal of mankind’s good side and his bad side is what makes them the two central characters in Final Fantasy 7, contrary to the belief that Cloud is the main role in the story. Interestingly, Cloud also suffers from an identity crises, but his is much more human, and represents more of a means to portray the power of Satan and the urge to sin over mankind, rather than to show him as a painting of good or evil. In any case, the two representations (Aeris and Sephiroth) end up destroying themselves for the final time and both good and evil are purged from the Planet forever.
Again the Planet is left for mankind to nurture, only this time through it is expected that they should be more aware of their actions and the dire consequences they represent, being that Planet was so close to destruction.
However, it is more interesting to note that Final Fantasy 7 tends to lean more towards evil as the victor. That which was designed to protect the Planet actually ends up hurting it (see thread “Ending Theory *Spoilers*”), and we are shown a dramatic battle in which the Planet is forced to literally save itself (the utilization of Lifestream to combat the Holy/Meteor combination). Additionally, it is unknown rather or not JENOVA was actually killed by Cloud and company – Satan may continue to thrive while Good (the Cetra) cease to exist.
If JENOVA still existed after the final battle with JENOVA Synthesis, there would be two strong arguments in the favor of this proposal:
1. JENOVA does not look like the final form that Cloud and co. fight in the Northern Crater. She is also named JENOVA Synthesis, not just plain JENOVA.
2. JENOVA Birth is engaged after many lives have ended (the entire crew on the Shinra Boat, as well as Shinra HQ and probably some Junon folks). Life is battled when Aeris dies (as in an allegory to the idea that “Evil thrives while Good swoons”), and Death is fought to gain control of the Black Materia (The reward for defeating “Death” is, ironically, the power to kill all. All three battles are representative of their respective points in the game, so JENOVA Synthesis could represent the dissolution of sanity and good as the world crumbles and bends to the whims of a demi-God (Sephiroth). I say this because it appears that every name a JENOVA clone is given counters the event that is taking place during the fight with her.
Also, it is interesting to note that the Cetra may only be protecting the Planet for their own selfish desires – an overwhelmingly evil trait. Their hell-bent pursuit of the Promised Land would justify any actions necessary to appease their zealous pseudo-religion. If they truly believed that Planet held the Promised Land within its spatial boundaries, it is not too much of a stretch to argue that they only protected it to save their treasures inside.
“It’s like if I had loaned a million dollars to a guy. If this guy is getting beaten to death, I have to save him rather or not I like him, because I really need to get my loan repaid.”
The disgusting feeling that the analogy gives is intended – it implies that the Cetra are just as evil as the force they combated. This emulation of the works of Thomas Hobbes is prominent throughout the game as well. Hobbes’ belief was as such:
“Mankind is basically evil. It is necessitated that absolute rulers contain them.”
Shinra Inc., a corrupted mega-conglomerate truly shows how (at least in terms of Final Fantasy 7) right Thomas Hobbes was. Consumed by their own greed, the company becomes infatuated with money, and the idea of garnering more and more of it. No matter the cost, a profit must be drawn – and frankly, Shinra doesn’t care from where it is drawn. Planet, Cetra, etc. – it doesn’t matter to them, so long as the money is there. This human, but condemnable trait helps prove that Final Fantasy 7 is a depiction of the evil side of mankind, and not just a traditional story about saving the world. Sephiroth furthers this claim by showing that, unchecked, mankind can easily tend towards its evil side. With nothing to stop him except himself (Hobbes demands some force to check mankind if its slide into ruin is to be prevented), Sephiroth allows his human mind to be fully infected with JENOVA and thus completely purges himself of any real compassion, love, or positive feelings. Mankind’s increasing laziness as it depends more and more on Mako power (and their contempt for the slavish ways before Shinra) shows how the common man exemplifies the works of Mr. Hobbes. Repeatedly throughout the game we are greeted with phrases like:
“I can’t imagine life without Mako.”
This leaves a rather horrendous (but ultimately more accurate representation of real life) ending:
“The world is basically corrupted, and there is absolutely nothing left to stop the evil from spreading to fully encompass every living being capable of being a possible receptacle for it. The only reason that ‘good’ was victorious, was because of an automated task designed by nature for an entity (Planet) to save itself (this means Lifestream). This want to stay alive may even be construed as selfish in itself, because it ignores the fact that spending up precious Lifestream to defeat Meteor helps to destroy the parasites (life forms) that populate Planet (see thread “Ending Theory *Spoilers*”). What we are left with is a realm of complete evilness, where even the Planet itself is inherently a being of sinful desires. The only solace that one can find in the game is that Cloud Strife made himself an exception and overcame evil.”
- ***
Copyright (c) 2002-2003
Please ask permission before using this theory!
[EDIT: Changed a format issue; clarified some content]
[EDIT: Fixed a few grammar issues; clarified some content]