All Final Fantasies have in common one thing: They're role videogames, but each one is different. I mean that each Final Fantasy has it's own story&characters and nothing similar to the other ones.

Final Fantasy VII is perhaps the best number of the well-known rol-videogame saga. It's story and characters have conquered the hearts of so many people all over the world. Released in 1997 it was a big hit in Psx market; great graphic design by Squaresoft, 3D scenes, light effects, ... we all knew it was going to be our greatest fantasy. According to this tecnological advance, a new concept of game was included. Innovate using Active Battle Time (which means a fight with turns for you and for your enemies to take part). But all these things aren't enough to make a good game. But what really made Final Fantasy VII reach the stars are its characters. Although the story is so tender, you need good characters to support a good plot, as you need good actors to get a good film. And FF7 has them.

SHINRA is an international company which owns an energy business, similar to our nuclear powerstations. The SHINRA reactors extract 'the power of the land' which is a kind of fluid that all the things all over the world produce, called Mako, when there's a lot of Mako together, it produces some kind of little balls called 'Materia'. All produces Materia (and there are Materia from different kinds) The living creatures, or the mountains, the oceans, ...

But that exploitation is making the planet die. The ordinary people don't know those things and are convinced that the Mako energy makes their lives better. But the truth is that is only good for the company, because it gives so much money (there aren't any competitors) and they don't really care about the future of the planet, because it is now in the present, where they're making money. The government is like a puppet, the company is more powerful than anything in the world. So the president of SHINRA is also the president of the world.

They also have their own army, called SOLDIER. The best fighters, enter there, and are trained to fight using Materias, which used with wisdom, can increase the soldier's force, quickness, luck, health, etc. And being there, like any employees of SHINRA, gives a lot of prestige.

SHINRA's SOLDIER was created to fight strange creatures, monsters, that started to appear in every town with the Mako reactors (mutants). The people don't know where they came from, and SHINRA doesn't admit the truth.

And there's more. SHINRA enjoys making scientific experiments, and has a lot of scientists employed. Of course, the purpose is to find new ways of getting more ways to exploit the energy of the planet; or even get better soldiers...

There's a legend between the origins of FF7's world. There was a time, when a group of visitors came from space, and lived some years in the FF World. They were called 'The Ancients' (but their real name was Cetra) and looked just like normal people, but they had their bodies, full of energy of the planet. They were able to make MAGIC. And they were such wise and tender people, golden-hearted. The humans learned from The Ancients, how to use Materias and make magic with them or call fantastic creatures and sacred gods. Time passed, and people don't really know why they started to attack the Cetra. Most of them left the world. But others stayed, and had children. Nowadays, the Cetra seem to the people just like a myth. But it is true. And SHINRA has lots of secrets. For example, a living ancient, called Jenova, inside the reactor of a little village called Nibelheim. Jenova' has been sleeping in the reactor for 2000 years. But no one (except SHINRA employees) knows it. And the scientists also lie to the young soldiers, and inject them Jenova cells to increase their abilities, instead of the Materia.

Hojo was a mad scientist whose dream was to make the ideal soldier. He seduced a beautiful woman called Lucrecia, but he didn't really love her, he only needed her body. He used her in his experiment. He put Jenova cells in her, and nine months later a lovely baby came life. She called him Sephiroth, as one of the seventh angels who ward the sacred writings. And Hojo tattooed in his arm, a very big, number one. Hojo will make a lot of fetus the same way and also clones of him. But they all were defective. Lucrecia knew very late the kind of man she was living with. She couldn't see her son anymore, so she retired into a secret cave, to live alone, and doesn't keep any contact with the human world.

With time, Sephiroth will grow up, healthy and strong, and with time, he'll become an expert swordsman (masamune). With time, the best soldier ever dreamed. The people really loved him. Men admire him. Women fall for him. Children wanted to be like him. Everybody wanted The Great Sephiroth. He was perfect. He had power, wisdom, faith. But he was unhappy. Hojo never told him the truth. He told her that his mother, called Jenova, died when he was born. He grew up, healthy and strong. He had fame, power, wisdom, faith. He was perfect. But he also grew up misterious, and selfish. Never had family, never had love; never had past? All his memories... were real? was he human? He wanted answers, he asked questions. The people turned deaf... and just looked at him... looked at The Great Sephiroth... (to be continued)

The game starts. You're Cloud Strife, an ex-member of SOLDIER with a dark past, who enters Avalanche (an ecologist-terrorist group) because he needs money. After making his job, the people of Avalanche pay him for his services, he can leave them now.But something happened to the cold Cloud while he spent his time with the rebels. He learned something. He won friends. He found people who take care of the rest of the world, and wanted to save it from the monopoly of SHINRA company. He decided to stay. And finally, he'll be chosen as their boss. Meanwhile, he meets a tender, golden-hearted woman. There is sweetness in all she does. She sells flowers. But The Turks are chasing her... very strange. Is she only a poor, innocent girl, or what secrets does she hide? Cloud decides to follow her, and fight with The Turks.

Aerith

The girl's name is Aeris Gainsborough. She lives in an abandoned little church, and between the ruins she grows her magic flowers. She fell in love with Cloud, because she reminds her promised who was also a member of SOLDIER; but he's gone somewhere and never coming back, and she got so sad all these years. She doesn't tell Cloud, because she's frightened of losing him. But decides to follow him and the others, to fight SHINRA. They accept because she's very useful, she can cure with a great magic. While the game gets on, Cloud will discover she's the only daughter of a man and a Cetra.

She's a very strong and pretty woman who learned martial arts. She can destroy everything with her leather fists. Although she can look agressive, she can be very sweet with children (for example, the little Marlene). Barret and Cloud, feel attracted to her, but she doesn't decide anything. Perhaps she's afraid of loving someone (she's got the heart locked =P ) or doesn't want anyone to suffer. But it is clear that she loves Cloud, since they were kids, but never told him (When Cloud suffers a crisis of personality, I think it is a great detail that Tifa left the others and their work to save the world, to help Cloud and take care of him). Cloud also loved her from that times, but she had a lot of friends that didn't like him, he thought it was because he was so weak. He had to be apart of Tifa, when the others were with her. When he got older, went to Migdar, the gratest city of the world (where's the greatest Mako reactor and the central office of SHINRA) to became a member of SOLDIER, to be as good as Sephiroth, and perhaps that way, the other guys in town will accept him. Tifa makes him promise he will take care of her, and come back some day, when she gets in trouble, to save her, as he always wanted. Cloud promised and that's why he first accepts the mission in the beginning of the game.

The best pilot in the FF World. Or it used to be... Cid loved planes, flying things and mechanics since he was a child. He learned to fly everything that had wings. His dream was to reach the stars someday, search the universe with a great spaceship. That daydream came true. SHINRA financed the project to launch a rocket in his town, he was so lucky, they employed him and his wife Shera (a good engineer) to work in the project. The day of the launching, Shera discovered an error in the engines, which could make the rocket explode while launching, or fall to the ground before reaching the atmosphere. She knew how important the rocket was for her husband, and decided to hide between the engines and solve the problem. She knew the engines were going to get so hot when she finished, but didn't mind to sacrifice her life for Cid's dream. But she had to repair it anyway, because the rocket could explode with the crew inside.

Nomura Tetsuya's official design

Meanwhile, the countdown started. But Cid noticed that there was a person working in the engines. He knew it was Shera... In ten seconds he had to decide which was more important in his life: His dream, or his wife. He didn't doubt, and stopped the launching. All the people in the outside couldn't believe. The rocket was still there. SHINRA became very angry and withdrew the money for the experiment. The crew went out, and no one said a word about it anymore. After that, visitors will call it 'The Rocket Town' because years passed, and passed, and the rocket was still there. Never took off.

Cid always loved his wife, but since that day, he never really talked to her. Instead he's always had a gold-heart, he became a bit quick-tempered, and never forgot his dream... Many years later, Cloud and his friends meet him in Rocket Town. They needed a pilot for Strong Wind a great ship they stole from SHINRA. He was also able to fight with lances

They meet accidentally, and he decides to follow them. Before leaving, Shera and Cid will forgive each other for the time lost.

When he was alive...

...and after death

One of the most misterious characters of the game. Member of SHINRA's Turks, expert on shooting, died at the age of 27, unknown cause of death (May be murder? -_^ )

Polite, smart, quiet, and loyal. His situation isn't very clear in the game. What we know is that he's the image of a regretful lover. Don't know if he was Lucrecia's real husband and many people think he's Sephiroth's real father. Undoubtedly he has a lot of things in common with Sephiroth.

Cloud & company find him buried in a coffin at the basement in SHINRA's Mansion (Nibelheim) He's a vampire. Well, not exactly; I think Hojo killed him and used his body for experiments, and some results were used in Sephiroth's birth. He feels guilty because he wasn't able to protect Lucrecia, and should have avoided the experiment. He feels like a monster, living after death. It is hard for one single man to fight SHINRA he couldn't avoid his death, and Lucrecia's experiment, and Sephiroth's birth; but when Cloud and the others find him, he also finds a new reason for keep living. Decides to stop sleeping, remember the painful past and fight for a better world.

And one day, Vincent will find Lucrecia's secret cave...

When Cloud enters SOLDIER, he finally meets his hero: Sephiroth. From the first time, he felt the magic, strength and mistery around him. He was a very quiet and serious person, but gentle and gold-hearted. Cloud was part of a squadron of soldiers in charge of Sephiroth, which had to go Nibelheim to fight some strange creatures that started appearing from the reactor in Nibel mountain. It's the first time Cloud returns home, after leaving to became a soldier in Midgar. There were a lot of rookies, and the only one who really had a title was his friend Zack, who left Nibelheim at the same time for the same thing. Cloud was still so weak and clumsy. But they were all little thing near Sephiroth, they all feel secure when he was near. He fought incredible monsters, specially great dragons, the rest were on the battle area too, but just watching the master move. With only one cut he could kill a dangerous magic creature.

Cloud talks with Sephiroth a couple of times, and tells him about Nibelheim and his family. Sephiroth gets on with him a bit, he thinks Cloud's a nice boy instead he's so clumsy and helps him many times. When they arrive, Sephiroth feels a bit sick, and confess him that he hasn't got family and don't really know very much about his past. He doesn't even know his age or the place that was born. He only knew SHINRA and grew up in SOLDIER.

When they visit The old SHINRA Mansion, Sephiroth's life will change completely and then, the world's destiny.

The Old SHINRA Mansion is completely abandoned. Many things were told about the house secrets... They came in to snoop a little... Nothing but a piano and dust. But Sephiroth has a bad feeling about it. There's something hidden in that house. One night, he enters alone while the others were sleeping. He found a secret door, to the basements. A laboratory and a big library... He took a single book... "Day X of the Jenova experiment" Jenova...

Another book... 'Day X of cloning' Another book... and just another... and many more, that night, the following day, week, ... Sephiroth had all his answers. Cloud went into the house. He was so worried, what's happening? He found a door opened, a door he hadn't notice before. Went downstairs, and talked to...Sephiroth? There was something strange in his big green-Mako eyes...

Where was the gold-hearted Sephiroth? Where was their teacher, leader, father? He asked him, but he wasn't there...

He was more quiet than ever. They all walked through the Nibel mountain. Sephiroth fought like he's never done before. Quickly they reached the top, and they came into the Mako reactor. They all knew there was something wrong... and Sephiroth had a face to face with the past.

Jenova. Born in 2000 a.C. One of the Cetra who stood on Earth. The books told the truth, he's an experiment. He's not human. His mother is a sleeping freak who feeds the electric systems of the cities. Nothing more to see, nothing more to ask. All clear.

Sephiroth went mad. That's what Cloud saw, the eyes of a madman. While visiting the reactor, he killed most of his companions, and took Jenova's head.

(It's one of the best moments of the game, where the dramatism of the scenes is absolutely shocking)

Then, Sephiroth fires Nibelheim. Cloud couldn't believe it. He runs and fights with The Great Sephiroth... Him, the clumsy soldier.

After that, no one would see Sephiroth anymore. Some say he's dead. Other's that he's just sleeping...