This article is the work of TLS member Morello.

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This is the script of the original “Advent Children”, not “Advent Children Complete”. It’s based on the dub, but in “Advent Children” there are many marked differences between the dub and the subtitles so I’ve included the subtitles as well whenever the differences seem to affect nuances of meaning.

 

Text: To those who loved this world and knew friendly company therein: this Reunion is for you.

(Opening scene – no dialogue. The ‘camera’ pans down from a view of the clouds to a valley where Nanaki and two cubs are running. They bound up the rocky slopes and stand overlooking the now green ruins of Midgar. Nanaki roars.)

Text: 498 Years Earlier

Retrieving Jenova’s Head

(View of Northern Crater in a snowstorm. Tseng and Elena’s voices are heard over the helicopter radio.)

Elena: Tseng! Look at this.

Tseng: Pay dirt.

Elena: Not a pretty sight, is it?

Reno (piloting helicopter): Who cares? Just get the damn thing.

Tseng: Reno – the chopper.

Reno: You got it. (Helicopter descends into the crater out of view.)

Gun shots.

Tseng: Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Elena: Reno, hurry! Reno!

Reno: Who the hell is that?

(Elena makes sounds of pain.)

Tseng: Elena!

Elena: G – get out! (Confused sounds and more gunshots.)

(More sounds of pain, shots, static. Reno says “damn it!” It is audible, but un-subtitled. General air of confusion. The chopper rises out of the mist and flies away.)

Marlene Explains the Story So Far

(As Marlene narrates we see images of the things she’s describing. Melancholy choral music plays in the background.)

Marlene: The Lifestream. That’s what we call the river of life that circles our planet, giving life to the world and everything in it. The Shinra Electric Power Company discovered a way to use the Lifestream as an energy source. Because of Shinra’s energy, we were able to live very comfortable lives. But wasn’t that because we were taking away from the planet’s life? A lot of people thought so. Shinra used their power to try and stop anybody who got in their way. Shinra had a special group of warriors called SOLDIER, and all of the SOLDIERs had Jenova cells put inside them. Jenova was a calamity that fell from the sky a long, long time ago and tried to destroy the planet.

Anyway, there was one SOLDIER named Sephiroth who was better than the rest. But when he found out about the terrible experiments that made him he began to hate Shinra. And then, over time, he began to hate everything. Shinra and the people against them. Sephiroth, who hated the planet so much he wanted to make it go away. And the people who tried to stop him. There were a lot of battles. For every battle, there was more sadness. Someone I love went back to the Lifestream too.

And then, it came. The chosen day. In the end, the planet itself had to make the battles stop for good. The planet used the Lifestream as a weapon and when it burst out of the earth all the fighting, all the greed and sadness, everything was washed away. “Sadness was the price to see it end.” It’s been two years since they told me that.

(Cut to scenes of Edge – the central square busy with traffic, the meteorfall monument (we see a quick shot of meteor itself), street scenes, a man entering the ‘Hazama WareHouse’, a sign to ‘Midgul Edge North’, showing ‘Find the Way Street’ and ‘Silence Street’. Children are playing by a bridge.)

Small boy: Let’s go.

Girl: Yeah!

(The boy jumps into a puddle. As Marlene narrates we see sick children on the streets, in alleys and doorways.)

Marlene’s voice narrating: But it looks like the planet is a lot madder than we thought.

(Cut to Marlene watching Denzel, who is ill in bed.)

Marlene (still as voice-over): They call it geostigma.

Denzel: Well, Marlene? How does it look?

(Marlene doesn’t reply.)

Marlene (as voice-over): Please. Please don’t take Denzel away.

(Cut to shot of angel statue, and then the outside of the 7th Heaven.)

Tifa at home

(Tifa is cleaning the bar and washing glasses etc. A phone is ringing.)

Tifa: He’s not here any more…

Denzel: Cloud, where are you?

(Tifa climbs the stairs and answers the phone.)

Tifa: Hello, Strife Delivery Service. You name it, we deliv – May I ask who’s calling? (Giggles) Yeah, I remember you.

Cloud meets the Remnants

(Cut to Cloud’s wolf by Zack’s rusting sword on the bluff overlooking Midgar/Edge. Then cut to titles over the following scene. Cloud on Fenrir, picks up a message from Tifa.)

Tifa’s message: You got a call from Reno. He’s in Healin. Says he’s got work for you. Cloud, how have you been?

Automated voice: You have no more messages – (Cloud switches off phone. He clutches his arm briefly to show he’s not well, puts on his goggles and rides off. Sinister music plays. The Remnants, on bikes, arrive on the cliff overlooking Midgar. Kadaj kicks over the sword.)

Yazoo: Hey, Kadaj? Is that where Big Brother lives?

Kadaj: Yeah.

Yazoo: Do you think he’ll be glad to see us?

Kadaj: Not a chance.

Loz: Don’t cry, Yazoo.

Yazoo: But Mother’s with him.

Kadaj: Maybe not…

Yazoo: Don’t cry, Loz.

Kadaj: Hold on, he’s coming.

Yazoo: Hm.

Loz: Hm. (They look at each other. Kadaj gives them the nod, and they set off on their bikes after Cloud. Fight – Cloud vs. Loz, Yazoo and some Shadow Creepers. Kadaj watches from the hill, and phones Healin.)

Loz: Where’s Mother?

Yazoo: We know you hid her, Brother.

Kadaj (on the phone – presumably talking to Reno): Don’t tell me you’re leading me on? Because I think you do have Mother there. No need to shout. I don’t want to talk to you any more. Put the president on.

(Cloud is almost overwhelmed by the Shadow Creepers when Kadaj calls them off. Loz and Yazoo leave with Kadaj. Cloud looks puzzled.)

Cloud at Healin Lodge

(Cloud is on his way to Healin. We hear a phone message from Barret.)

Barret: What up, fool, it’s Barret! I am the man! Oil, Cloud! I just found the biggest damned oil filed you ever seen! Surveyin’s done, so I should be able to get out there and see Marlene soon. You let her know, all right, Spiky?

(Cloud passes the sign for “Healin Lodge – Geostigma Sanatorium in love of silence”.)

Tifa’s voice on message: Reno called again. He says to hurry, and he sounded kind of strange… Be careful, okay?

(Cloud climbs the stairs and opens the door. He briefly ‘fights’ Reno, who stumbles past him, ending up outside. Cloud shuts the door on him.)

Reno: Okay, so you’re good. (Cloud locks him out. Rude enters the room) Yeah, Rude, looking sharp! (He can somehow tell this from behind the door!)

(Rude extends a baton, but Cloud threatens him with his sword, and he backs off. Rufus Shinra enters the room in a wheelchair.)

Rufus: Good. You fight like the SOLDIER you once claimed to be. You haven’t lost your touch. (Subtitles – You haven’t rusted a bit.)

(Shots of Diamond Weapon’s attack on the ShinRa building.)

Cloud: Rufus Shinra. Do I feel sorry for you.

(Rude clears his throat disapprovingly.)

Rufus: The day of the explosion –

Cloud: What do you want from me?

Rufus: – I managed to get out of the building –

Cloud: Who were the guys that attacked me?

Rufus: – before it colla –

Cloud: I’m leaving.

Rufus: We need your assistance, Cloud.

Cloud: Not interes –

Rufus: I acknowledge that Shinra owes the planet a lot. It goes without saying that my company and I are the ones who put the world in the sorry state it’s in. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to set things right.

Reno: I’m still out here…

Rufus: As a first step we have commenced an investigation in Sephiroth’s wake.

Reno (still outside the door): Yup, at the Northern Cave!

Rufus: What do you think we found? Nothing. Nothing at all. You can relax. However, not all went as planned. We were interrupted by the same three who attacked you. Kadaj and his gang.

Cloud: Kadaj?

Rufus: It seems he doesn’t want us finishing what we started. Really, what could they be thinking?

Cloud: What does that have to do with me?

Reno: You’re our buddy, aren’t ya? (Cloud kicks the door.)

Rufus: Kadaj’s group is young and violent. As dangerous as they come. That’s why we decided it might be in our best interests to hire a little muscle.

Cloud: Too bad. I’m a delivery boy now.

Rufus: You’re all we have. Cloud, look – you’re an ex-SOLDIER aren’t you?

Cloud: Ha! In my head. (Pauses, having opened the door) What’s this stuff about “Mother”?

Rufus: Why, did Kadaj say something to you? No surprise. There are plenty of kids who miss their mothers. That’s the world we live in. I hear there are orphans living with you. Think about it. Don’t you want to put smiles back on their faces? All we want in the end, is to rebuild our world, Cloud. (Rufus holds out his hand.)

Cloud: But I…

Reno: Come on Cloud. Think about it. Together we could rebuild ShinRa!

Cloud: Not interested.

Rude: Reno!
Rufus: Reno…

Tifa and Marlene in the church

(Cut to the church in the slums. Tifa and Marlene enter and discover evidence that Cloud has been there. “Tifa’s Theme” plays throughout the scene.)

Marlene: Does Cloud live here?

Tifa: I guess he does.

Marlene (finds closed box of materia): What’s this? (Tifa shakes her head.)

(Tifa and Marlene find a bandage with signs of geostigma on it.)

Marlene: It’s just like Denzel! Is Cloud sick?

Tifa: Why didn’t he say something?

Marlene: Did he leave because he’s sick?

Tifa: He just wants to fight alone.

Marlene: Fight?

Tifa: No. I don’t think that he will.

Marlene: Tifa?

Tifa: Let’s go home, Marlene.

Marlene: We can’t! Cloud’s not here yet!

Tifa: I know, sweetie. I miss him too.

Marlene: Yeah.

Tifa: So say he comes back?

Marlene: We’ll all go home!

Tifa: Not until he gets a lecture.

Marlene: Uh-huh!

Kadaj confronts Rufus at Healin

(Reno and Rude are on the floor, too wounded to move.)

Kadaj: Boy, do I hate liars.

Rufus: I apologise. Ths time you get the truth. The object you seek fell from the helicopter while we were running from you. I’m afraid we were careless.

Kadaj: Is that right?

Rufus: I swear it.

Kadaj: Fine. Then swear on these. (He throws the bloody ID badges of Tseng and Elena at Rufus.)

Rufus: Why did you do this?

Kadaj: We need Mother’s power. The Reunion is coming and we need her.

Rufus: Reunion?

Kadaj: My brothers and sisters who share Mother’s cells will all assemble. And together we’ll take revenge on the planet! We’ve already sent out the invitations, but, you know, someone’s gone and hidden the guest of honour.

Rufus: Invitations?

Kadaj: The stigma? But you know all about that, Sir. Mother’s memetic legacy lives on in the Lifestream and makes it happen. She does so much for us, and we – we don’t even know where to find her. But what can we do? We’re just Remnants – merely remnants of Mother’s legacy. Until we find Mother and receive her cells, we can’t be whole again. Geostigma and a legacy aren’t enough. Not for a true Reunion.

Rufus: What do you mean?

Kadaj: But, Sir, surely you’ve noticed? (Kadaj kneels and does that ‘looking like Sephiroth’ thing!)

Memories of Zack

(Cut to hill overlooking Midgar. Cloud puts Zack’s sword back upright, Kadaj having kicked it over.)

Cloud (talking to Zack, symbolised by the sword): I said I’d live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise.

(Flashback of memories of Zack, cutting from one to the next.)
Zack: So you wanna be in SOLDIER? Hang in there. (While Cloud has mako poisoning) Hey, you doing okay? (In truck on the way back to Midgar) Well, what are you gonna do once we get to Midgar? We’re friends, right? (Before battle with ShinRa troops) Cloud, run! (Shots of Sephiroth, Kadaj and the wolf.)

(End of flashback.)

(Cloud has a geostigma attack with visions of Sephiroth.)

Tifa Fights Loz

(Cut to church. Marlene and Tifa are waiting for Cloud. The doors are flung open. Tifa jumps up happily expecting Cloud, but it’s Loz.)

Loz: Wanna play? (Tifa holds Marlene and glares at Loz.) I guess that’s a no. Where’s Mother? (Loz walks into the middle of Aerith’s flowers and holds his nose in disgust at their perfume.) Ugh! Gross! Hey, where’s Mother?

Tifa: There’s no one here!

Loz: Fine. Play with me.

(Tifa pushes Marlene out of the way. Marlene watches from behind a stone pillar as Tifa pulls on her gloves.)

Loz: Huh! This’ll be fun.

(Tifa and Loz fight in spectacular and gravity-defying fashion while battle music plays until Tifa flings Loz into some pews and he disappears from sight.)

Marlene (impressed): Tifa!

(The victory fanfare sounds. Tifa and Marlene look around, surprised. It’s Loz’s phone. Loz gets to his feet and answers his phone.)

Loz (to either Kadaj or Yazoo, sounding irritated): She’s not here. I’m not crying! No, I got it. I’ll bring the girl. (Loz readies his big weapon!) Where were we?

(This time Loz easily defeats Tifa. He’s about to deliver the killing blow, when Marlene throws an orb of materia at him. Distracted by all the shiny materia in Cloud’s box, Loz leaves Tifa and heads for Marlene menacingly.)

Marlene: Cloud!

Tifa: Just run!

Yazoo Takes the Children

(Cut to Denzel on the street near the 7th Heaven, looking shocked, as though he can sense some of what’s happening. Moogle Girl appears.)

Moogle Girl: You’ve got the stigma too? (Denzel looks at her.) Come on – they’re gonna fix us.

(She leads him through some alleys until they come to a truck where Yazoo is gathering children together. Several children are already in the truck.)

Yazoo: Hm.

Cloud Finds Tifa in the Church

(Cut to church. Cloud enters and finds Tifa, unconscious.)

Cloud: Tifa? Tifa!

(Tifa half comes around.)

Tifa: You’re late.

Cloud: Who did this?

Tifa: He didn’t say. (Tifa suddenly remembers) Marlene! (She loses consciousness again.)

(Cloud looks around and realises that the materia has gone.)

Cloud: Damn! (He has another stigma attack and collapses, unconscious. Shot of a blue drop of water falling into a lake – Aeirth? Shot of unconscious Cloud and Tifa among the flowers as music plays. Cloud’s wolf is lying nearby.)

Back at the 7th Heaven

(Cut to bedroom in the 7th Heaven.)

(Cloud opens his eyes and sees Tifa still unconscious in the next bed. He gets up to look at her when Reno speaks behind him.)

Reno: You know, you’re pretty heavy.

Rude: Weren’t there some kids living with you?

Reno: ‘Cause they ain’t here.

(Cloud looks at the floor.)

Rude: You don’t care?

Cloud: I just… (He looks back at the unconscious Tifa. Reno and Rude look at him expectantly, but he says nothing.)

Reno (exasperated): Ah! You’re a real handful. (I wonder if he’s this polite in Japanese! Reno and Rude leave, Rude slamming the door behind him.)

At the Forgotten City

(Cut to Loz and Kadaj in the Forgotten City. Loz has hold of Marlene. The remnants are looking at the materia Loz stole from Cloud.)

Kadaj: Look at what Brother was hiding. Powers forged in the Lifestream. With this materia, those powers will be ours. (Subtitles: This materia will give us renewed power.) (Kadaj pushes the materia into his arm. His body seems to absorb it.)

(Flashback) Cut to 7th Heaven bedroom. Night. Tifa comes round.

Cloud: Reno and Rude are out looking. (Shot of Cloud on his bike going to the Forgotten City. Cut back to bedroom.)

Tifa: You have geostigma, don’t you? (Back to Cloud on bike. He seems to be remembering the conversation with Tifa as a flashback. Back to bedroom.)

Tifa: You’re going to give up and die. Is that it? (Cloud says nothing.) So it is.

Cloud: There’s no cure.

Tifa: Yeah, but that’s not stopping Denzel, is it? Don’t run. Let’s fight it together. (Brief shot of Cloud on bike.) We can help each other, I know we can. (Cloud doesn’t respond.) I guess that only works for real families.

Cloud: Tifa… I’m not fit to help anyone. Not my family, not my friends. Nobody.

Tifa: Dilly-dally shilly-shally. (Cloud looks up.) Dilly-dally, shilly-shally…

Reno (who has appeared silently in the room, along with Rude): I think she wants you to move on, man.

Tifa: Did you find them?

Reno: No, only a witness. Kadaj’s gang took the kids.

Cloud: Where are they? (Reno goes to answer but Rude gets there first. Is this because he wants Tifa to notice him?)

Rude: They’re at their base now. The Forgotten City.

(Cut to Cloud riding through the Forgotten City. Cut again, to the remnants standing in front of the big shell by the pool where Cloud ‘buried’ Aerith in the original game. Marlene is still with Loz. On the opposite side of the pool a lot of children – 30 or more – are gathered, including Moogle Girl and Denzel.)

Kadaj (Proclaiming): Mother has given me a very special gift: the power to fight against a planet that torments humanity! She gave this gift to all her children. That’s right. You and I are brethren. Brothers and sisters chosen when we inherited Mother’s memetic legacy through the Lifestream. But – the planet doesn’t approve of that at all. It’s doing everything it can to hold us back. That’s why it’s racking our bodies with pain and filling our hearts with doubt! Now I shall heal you. And we will go to Mother together! We will join as a family and strike back at the planet! Do as I do.

(As he enters the pool, the water turns black around him. He drinks the black water, and the children copy him. When they drink, their eyes change to having vertical slit-like pupils, like the remnants.)

Marlene: Denzel! (He takes no notice, and drinks the water.) Denzel! (Kadaj laughs.)

(Denzel’s eyes change. ‘Camera’ pans to shot of huge full moon, very similar to our own… Pans down to Cloud approaching on his bike. Suddenly he stumbles into a white space, and finds himself – in his mind? – standing back to back with Aerith.)

Aerith: You came. Even though you’re about to break. (Cloud feels Aerith’s hand on his arm and breaths in sharply.) That’s a good sign. So… why did you come?

Cloud: I think… I want to be forgiven. Hm. More than anything.

Aerith: By who?

(Cloud turns to look at her, but he’s back on the bike, and Loz and Yazoo are shooting at him. Kadaj summons all the children, Denzel at the front, so Cloud is forced to brake to avoid him. Fenrir skids and Cloud falls to the ground.)

Kadaj: I’m glad you could make it.

Cloud: I only came for the kids.

Kadaj (to the children): See this man? He’s our big brother. But alas, in our happy flock he’s what you’d call a black sheep. (He raises his sword to kill Cloud…)

Marlene: Cloud!

(Marlene’s distraction gives Cloud time to grab his sword. He fights Loz and Yazoo and then Kadaj. Just when it seems things are looking bleak, Vincent appears in a swirl of red cloak, and rescues Cloud. Cloud’s phone falls into a pool.)

Kadaj (irritated): tch!

Cloud Talks to Vincent

(In another part of the forest)

Cloud: See, I knew I’d be no help. Vincent. What do you know about this?

Vincent: I come here often. I’ve seen what Kadaj’s group is doing. The stigma. It’s a symptom of alien matter infesting the body. The body tries to eliminate it and overcompensates. Inside our bodies is a current, like the Lifestream. That current is what fights off any malevolent intruders.

Cloud: What do you mean by “intruder”?

Vincent: The Sephiroth gene. Jenova’s memetic legacy. Call it what you want.

Cloud: You’re well-informed.

Vincent: Tseng and Elena. They were brought here half-dead. They must have been brutally tortured. I did what I could to save them, but… Well, we’ll see. (Subtitles: but it was ugly.)

Cloud: Tortured?

Vincent: They had it coming. They got their hands on Jenova’s head.

Cloud: Then when Kadaj says he’s looking for “Mother”…

Vincent: Heaven’s dark harbinger. The calamity, Jenova. If they wanted to, they could re-create Sephiroth.

Cloud: Kadaj… What is he?

Vincent: Hm. I’d rather not know.

(Cloud jumps up and draws his sword, startled by rustling in the bushes. It’s Marlene.)

Cloud: Marlene!

Marlene: Cloud! Denzel! And Tifa!

Cloud: Tifa is all right.

Marlene: I wanna talk to her! (Cloud realises that his phone has gone. Marlene turns to Vincent.) May I? (Vincent throws back his cloak to reveal that he has no phone!) You don’t have a phone?

Cloud: Vincent, will you bring Marlene to Tifa? I’m gonna go see Shinra and get a few answers.

Vincent: I can’t do that.

Cloud: But I –

Marlene: Forget it, Cloud! Why don’t you ever pay any attention to us? (Marlene runs to Vincent.)

Cloud: Marlene, please give me some time. There’s a battle to be fought… but it’s not as simple as just fighting it. Understand?

Marlene: No, I don’t! (and who can blame her?)

Vincent: Cloud, you sure this is about fighting?

(Flashbacks.)

Cloud’s voice: Where are they?

Rude’s voice: They’re at their base now. (Cut back to the scene in the bedroom at the 7th Heaven.)

Rude: The Forgotten City.

Cloud (to Reno and Rude): Go. (Reno and Rude look at Cloud. So does Tifa, who is sitting on the bed.) I have to talk to Rufus.

Tifa: Stop running! I know. Even if you find the kids, you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never un-happen. That scares you, doesn’t it? But you need to think about now. Really take it in. (Subtitles: You really need to think about now.) Look at you! You think you’ve got it so damn hard. Well, you hate being alone, so let people in! Sure you might not answer the phone, but I don’t see you throwing it away either!

(While she speaks Reno and Rude have a disagreement in the background. Reno wants to leave – Rude physically turns him around and makes him stay. Is this because Rude still has a crush on Tifa?)

Reno (to Cloud): You go. The base is all yours. (Reno leaves, followed by Rude.)

Tifa: Which is it? A memory, or us? (Subtitles: Why do we have to lose out to a memory?)

(Cut to Cloud against a white background, in the Lifestreamy headspace where Aerith is.)

Cloud: But – I let you die.

Aerith (Sighs): Dilly-dally, shilly-shally. Isn’t it time you did the forgiving? (Subtitles: “Boo-hoo. Poor little me.” Cloud, why can’t you forgive yourself?)

(End of flashbacks. Cut back to forest.)

Cloud: Are sins ever forgiven?

Vincent: I’ve never tried.

Cloud: You mean… Never tried? Marlene, let’s go.

(Marlene nods.)

Cloud: Well, I’m gonna try. I’ll phone in the verdict. (Subtitles: I’ll let you know how it goes.)

(Cloud takes Marlene’s hand and walks away.)

Cloud’s Phone in the Pool

(Cut to Cloud’s phone spiralling down through the water of the pool. Various messages are heard all overlapping each other)

Voices:

Reeve: It’s me, Reeve. How’s work going? I saw your flyer. How in the world do you stay in business? Huh! You never change, Cloud. If it’s all right I was thinking about helping you out, but I guess I’ll call back another time. Goodbye for now.

Yuffie: Surprise! It’s me, Yuffie. So, hey, all the kids are suddenly missing from Wutai. Weird. Have you heard anything about it? Give me a ring and fill me in okay?

Barret: What up, fool, it’s Barret! I am the man! Oil, Cloud! I just found the biggest damned oil filed you ever seen! Surveyin’s done, so I should be able to get out there and see Marlene soon. You let her know, all right, Spiky?

Tifa: Reno called again. He says to hurry, and he sounded kind of strange… Be careful, okay?

(The phone reaches the bottom of the pool.)

Aerith: I never blamed you, not once. You came for me. That’s all that matters.

(The phone goes dead. Cut to the shell by the pool where Aerith entered the Lifestream. Cloud’s wolf is looking into the water.)

Battles in Edge

(Cut to the plaza in Edge by the ShinRa-built monument to Meteor. The children stand in a circle around the monument. Loz and Yazoo have attached chains to the monument and are planning to pull it down, searching for “Mother”. An angry crowd has gathered.)

Voices in crowd: What do you think you’re doing? Give us back our children! Hey – can’t you hear us?

Man: Hey, you listening?

Second man, being restrained by woman: How can you sickos justify this? (Subtitles: What have you done with these kids?)

Woman’s voice: Give me my baby!

(More angry voices. Loz and Yazoo look at each other, and Yazoo raises his hand. A shadow creeper appears and attacks the first man. Four more shadow creepers appear. The crowd panics and everyone runs around. Tifa is looking for Denzel, and finally spots him.)

Tifa: Denzel! (She runs to him and shakes his shoulders.) Denzel! Denzel! (She sees that his eyes have changed, and gasps.)

(Cut back to Loz and Yazoo at the monument. They’re about to pull it down…)

Reno’s voice: And what are we up to?

Loz and Yazoo: Huh?

Yazoo (smiling): Hm. We know. Mother is here.

Rude: Oh yeah?

Loz: Yeah. This thing… Monument thing? Shinra made it.

Reno: Oh no, you’re just too clever! (Subtitles: Now, now, don’t think yourself to death.)

Rude: Except, you’re wrong.

Reno: And wherever she is, we just don’t know.

(Reno and Rude snigger.)

Yazoo: What, the peons aren’t trusted? (Subtitles: As if anyone would trust you.)

(Reno and Rude look at each other, angrily.)

(Having been outwitted (!) Reno attacks.) Hi-yah!

Rufus Questions Kadaj

(Cut to Rufus and Kadaj on an unfinished building in Edge, Rufus still in his wheelchair.)

Rufus: Say Kadaj. I’ve got a question for you.

Kadaj: I’ve got an answer.

Rufus: You told me that you needed Jenova cells in order to be whole again, right? What did you mean by that?

(Shot of Jenova as Sephiroth removed her head.)

Kadaj: Him. He’s coming back.

(Shot of Sephiroth.)

Rufus: Sephiroth. The nightmare.

Kadaj: So they say.

Rufus: You mean –

Kadaj: I’ve never known Sephiroth. I just… I sense him there. (Subtitles: I don’t know Sephiroth, but I know he’s close.) (Shot of Jenova in her tank.) It’s unbearable to think Mother might want Sephiroth more than – (Subtitles: It gets under my skin. What if Mother loves him more than…?)

Rufus: Poor little Remnant. (Subtitles: Poor little avatar.)

Kadaj: It doesn’t matter who she picks! You’ll all meet the same end! Mother came to this planet after a long journey. To rid the cosmos of fools like you! But you know as well as I do – nothing’s changed since she got here. I have to change it, to make her happy. If Mother willed it, I’d do anything! (Shots of a Meteor-like object approaching the planet – or it could be Meteor. Shots of ruined Midgar.)

Rufus: Hm. The nightmare returns. (Subtitles: It’s Nightmare Junior.)

Kadaj: As long as you exist, the nightmares will come again and again.

Rufus: The Lifestream courses through our planet, back and forth across the borders of life and death. If that cycle is the very truth of life, then history, too, will inevitably repeat itself. So go on, bring your Jenovas and your Sephiroths. It won’t matter. We’ll do as life dictates, and stop you every single time.

(As Rufus speaks we see shots of the Lifestream, and of the Sister Ray firing.)

Kadaj: Please, Sir, is that your excuse for going after Mother yourself? (Shot of the Shinra helicopter rising out of the Northern Crater.) You don’t seem all that sorry. (Subtitles: Don’t tell me you’re feeling remorse?)

Rufus: Sorry? (Subtitles: Remorse?) Why, I’ve never had this much fun.

Kadaj: Good. Then let’s put an end to all this.

(He summons Bahamut Sin!)

Fighting Bahamut

(Bahamut Sin appears in the sky. Citizens gasp in shock and make horrified noises. As the Bahamut flies towards them they scream and run. Tifa is still trying to get Denzel to acknowledge her.)

Tifa: Denzel, we’ve got to get away!

(Bahamut Sin attacks. Tifa punches it, but it keeps coming. Tifa holds Denzel protectively. Bahamut Sin leaves them and flies to the top of the monument. Reno and Rude, rushing to attack Yazoo and Loz, notice Bahamut Sin. Reno accidentally whacks Rude with his magrod.)

Reno: Oooh boy! Hello… (Subtitles: Holy…)

Rude: Hell, no. (Subtitles: …shit!)

(Reno and Rude run away, pursued by Loz and Yazoo. On the way Reno and Rude pick up three of the children to save them from Bahamut Sin.)

Reno: Is it after us?

Rude: I’m not looking! (Subtitles: Why don’t you ask it?)

(Tifa ducks, shielding Denzel as Bahmut Sin destroys the monument. Reno, Rude, the three children they’re carrying, Loz and Yazoo are all blown off their feet in the blast. Bahmut Sin roars in triumph. Cut to Reno and Rude lying on the ground, dazed. The children get up and stagger away. Reno and Rude start to get up. Loz and Yazoo are watching them.)

Yazoo: Are we having fun yet, huh?

Reno: The time of my life!

(Reno and Rude fight Yazoo and Loz)

Reno: When are you gonna call it a day?

(Yazoo jumps onto a high building!)

Yazoo: What? Just as soon as you give back Mother, that’ll be the end of everything.

(Reno scales the building and attacks Yazoo again. Rude is fighting Loz.)

Rude: Punks! What do you need Jenova’s head for?

(Loz throws Rude a long way. Reno is still fighting Yazoo on the roof.)

Reno: Forget your little Reunion and get a grip!

Yazoo: All we want is to be with Mother!

(Yazoo kicks Reno across the square. He bumps into a building, presumably dislodging the sign that lands on Rude later. Rude lands on the ground. Loz approaches him.)

Loz: Mother will know. When she gets here, she’ll decide what’s best. Now, where’s Mother?

(Rude gets to his feet. A huge metal sign advertising Loveless lands on his head.)

Rude: Argh! Son of a –

(Reno lands on Rude, who manages to catch him before they both fall to the floor. As Reno gets up he accidentally steps on Rude’s sunglasses, breaking them. Rude gets to his feet, looking at Reno reproachfully.)

Reno (brushing himself down): Mother, shmother. It’s Jenova’s frigging head!

(Rude gets out another pair of sunglasses.)

Loz: Hey!

Yazoo: I will not have you refer to Mother that way.

Loz: You meanie!

Rude: (Putting on the sunglasses) Our apologies.

Reno: Your ma’s cool – What the hell am I saying?!

(They attack. Reno actually manages to jump kick Yazoo, and Rude gets in a punch on Loz. Then Loz punches both of them half way down the street. They get up, battered. Yazoo laughs.)

Cut to Bahmut Sin, searching the rubble of the monument for Mother. Tifa and Denzel lie stunned on the ground nearby. Denzel comes to, no longer under the remnants’ influence.

Denzel: Tifa! (He turns to look at Bahamut Sin.) Son of a bitch! (He runs to attack. Bahamut Sin roars and Tifa comes around, but before she can move, Barret appears, moving Denzel out of the way and attacking Bahmut Sin with his gun arm.)

Barret: You look after Momma.

Tifa: Barret!

Barret: Marlene better be safe, huh? (Barret charges Bahamut Sin. Nanaki and Cait Sith appear and join the fight, Nanaki, biting Bahamut Sin, gets carried into the air, Cait Sith on his back.)

Cait Sith: We cannae handle this! (Subtitles: Jings, crivvens!)

(Barret’s gun jams but he’s saved by Yuffie’s shuriken, as she enters by parachute.)

Yuffie (to Tifa): All right, who’s been touching my materia?

Tifa: The bad guys. Naturally.

Yuffie: Oooh! (Runs to join the fight.)

Denzel: Who’s that?

(Tifa just smiles at him mysteriously! Shadow Creepers attack. Cid appears, fights off the Shadow Creepers and points at his new airship above them.)

Cid: She’s a beaut! My Shera, the latest model! I’ll give you the grand tour afterward!

(Vincent appears.)

Vincent: Where can I buy a phone? (Without waiting for a reply, he goes to join the fight.)

Denzel: Who’s he?

Tifa: They’re our friends.

(Denzel’s expression is priceless!)

(Cloud appears on his bike.)

Cloud: Marlene will be safe. I took her home.

(Tifa nods, pleased.)

Cloud: I feel lighter. Maybe I lost some weight. All that dilly-dallying. (Subtitles: It’s easier now. I was ready to drag myself along until there was nothing left.)

Denzel: I’m gonna go back to see Marlene, okay Cloud? We’ll wait for you! (He runs off, then turns and pauses.) We’ll see you there, won’t we, Cloud?

(Cloud says ‘mm’ and nods. Denzel smiles and runs off. Tifa gets back on the bike, and they go to join the fight.)

(Back in the square, Barret fires at Bahamut Sin, who fires a flare at Barret, knocking him off the high building he’s on. He manages to grab a girder and hang on. Vincent and Cid both attack the Bahamut, and Cid is rescued by Nanaki and Cait. Vincent and Yuffie continue attacking, Yuffie running up a vertical beam! Nanaki and Cait also attack, and get into trouble until aided by Cid. Barret is almost crushed by falling girders, but Cloud appears just in time and saves him.)

Barret: The hell you been? (Subtitles: Take your damn time!)

(Cloud makes no reply, but rushes to attack Bahamut Sin. He fights until Bahamut Sin falls to the ground, then does some impressive flips and lands on a beam. But Bahamut Sin is only winded, and flies upwards again.)

(Cut to Kadaj and Rufus on the unfinished building.)

Kadaj: This is too fun, sir! Any requests for the next act? (Subtitles: Isn’t this fun, Mr. President? What should we summon next?)

(Rufus gets out of his wheelchair and throws aside his blanket to reveal that he’s had Jenova’s head in a box all the time! Kadaj gasps.)

Kadaj: Mother!

Rufus: A good son would have known. (Rufus throws the box off the building. Kadaj yells in fury and launches a fireball at Rufus.)

Kadaj: Aaargh!

(Cut back to Cloud’s fight with Bahamut Sin. Cloud follows Bahamut Sin upwards, each of the party helping him on his way.)

Barret: Alley-oop!

Cid: Giddyap!

Cait Sith (from Nanaki’s back): There you go!

Yuffie: Aaaah!

Vincent: Fly!

Tifa: No giving up!

(Bahamut Sin launches a huge flare at Cloud, who magically penetrates it. Inside he sees Aerith, who gives him her hand, transferring to him the strength of the Lifestream (?).)

Aerith: Ready?

(With this strength, Cloud defeats Bahamut Sin with one blow, sending it crashing to the ground where it dissipates. Cloud lands neatly on a beam. His attention is caught by Kadaj’s yell.)

(Back on the unfinished building, Rufus avoids the fireball, but falls off the building. Unfazed, he draws his collapsible gun and starts firing at Kadaj, as the fireball explodes.)

Kadaj: Mother!

(Kadaj throws himself after the box containing Jenova’s remains.)

(At the bottom of the tower, Reno and Rude see what’s happening, and watch with horror as Rufus falls.)

Reno and Rude: Sir, no! (Subtitles: Boss!)

(Cloud has retrieved Fenrir and is coming to help stop the remnants. Rufus fires at the box containing Jenova to stop the remnants getting it. He hits it and it starts to leak. Tseng and Elena appear and fire net grapples which attach to buildings and catch Rufus! Kadaj lands on the ground unhurt, but looks worried when he sees the box is leaking. Reno and Rude get ready to fight, and Cloud is approaching. All three remnants jump onto their bikes and speed away. Reno climbs the building like a spider to help Rufus. Rude tries to follow him, but falls off!)

Pursuit to Midgar

(Cloud chases the remnants on Fenrir. When they reach the ‘WRO Only’ sign across the highway, Kadaj rides through it. Loz and Yazoo attack Cloud from their bikes, while Kadaj rides ahead, taking a higher road. Cloud enters a tunnel, hotly pursued by Loz and Yazoo. Loz rides up the curved tunnel wall to get ahead of Cloud and much fighting ensues. Loz throws his whole bike at Cloud, who cuts it in half with his sword, and all three of them leap from bike to bike as the fight continues. Finally Cloud gets away. Loz lands on the back of Yazoo’s bike, and they travel together after throwing away a broken gun. The only dialogue is grunts of exertion during the fight.)

(Kadaj continues along the highway. Beyond the tunnel, Reno and Rude wait, their helicopter in the background. They’re holding bombs.)

Reno: Hey, partner. This thing got any bite to it?

Rude: ShinRa technology at its finest.

Reno: Oh, so you made this.

Rude: If nothing else, it’s flashy.

Reno: Oh good.

Rude: You love it. I know.

Reno: Looks like today we’re clocking out early. (Subtitles: No overtime tonight, eh?)

(Cloud emerges from the tunnel and rides between Reno and Rude. By the time Loz and Yazoo get there a few seconds later Reno and Rude have gone, leaving the bombs in the road. Too late, Yazoo realises what’s going on. Reno laughs from wherever he is! The bombs explode. Cloud and Kadaj both look back at the explosion, then Cloud finally catches up with Kadaj. They fight on the bikes, sword to sword, bikes locked together, but the road ends and they fall into the remains of the Midgar slums below.)

Cloud’s Fight with Kadaj

(As they land in the slums of midgar, Kadaj speeds off while Cloud is forced to stop. He puts away his sword and removes his torn sleeve revealing the red ribbon he wears and the marks of geostigma. Then he chases after Kadaj who had gone to Aerith’s church. In the church Kadaj looks in horror at the liquid seeping from the box containing the remains of Jenova.)

Kadaj: Mother! (He starts to cry.) Mother! (Shouting): MOTHER! Aaaaargh!

(Cloud arrives and they fight in the church destroying it even more. Kadaj casts various spells at Cloud and is about to cast another when a spring of mystical Lifestream water erupts into a fountain and creates rain that hurts Kadaj but heals Cloud. A drop of water falls into the pool created by the rain, and Aerith’s voice is heard.)

Aerith: Let’s go, Cloud.

(Cloud follows Kadaj towards the central support pillar and the ruins of the ShinRa building. When he gets to where the road ends, Kadaj is waiting for him. Cloud gets off his bike and readies his sword.)

Kadaj: Brother. I’m with her at last.

Cloud: So what’s gonna happen now?

Kadaj (laughs): Mother’s going to tell me.

Cloud: I guess a Remnant wouldn’t really know. (Subtitles: I guess avatars don’t get the memo.)

Kadaj: So what if I’m a puppet? Once upon a time… you were too!

(Kadaj and Cloud begin to fight, leaping around the ruins. Kadaj looks up as the Shera arrives.)

(Cut to onboard the Shera.)

Yuffie (her arms full of materia): Cloud – I brought your materia! (She slips as the ship moves.) Whoa! Hey watch it!

Barret: Yo, Cid! Park this turkey!

Cid: Shut up! You want off? Then jump! Get off my back!

Vincent: He can handle this alone. (Subtitles: Let Cloud fight his own battle.)

Yuffie: Huh?

Vincent: Kadaj is a remnant of Sephiroth. Think of him as a sort of larval form.

Yuffie: Larva? You mean he’s an insect?

Cait Sith: Lassie, shut your gob! (Subtitles: Haud yer wheesht, lassie.)

Cid: So the punk’s gonna become Sephiroth.

Tifa: Vincent, does Cloud know – about Kadaj?

Vincent: One would think. (Subtitles: Probably.)

Tifa: Then you’re right. It’s his fight now.

Yuffie: Why? I don’t get it. Why can’t we help out?

Cid: This is man talk.

Yuffie: Sexist. Sexist!

Cait Sith: Crikey lass, shut yer mooth! (Subtitles: Wheest, lassie, shut yer geggie!)

Barret: The men don’t get it either.

Tifa: Two years ago… think of the strength we all had when we fought that last battle. It’s only been a couple years, but already that feeling is gone. But Cloud – I think he’s found it again.

Barret: He’s got ten minutes.

Yuffie: That Cloud’s a royal pain in the ass, like always.

Tifa: Cloud is Cloud! (Subtitles: You said it!)

(Cut to Cloud fighting Kadaj. Kadaj attacks Cloud, who repels him. Kadaj leaps to attack, but is thown backwards and ends up clinging one-handed to a ledge on the ShinRa building. He still holds Jenova’s remains, but loses his katana, Souba. He looks up at Cloud who stands above him, waiting. Kadaj throws the box containing Jenova’s remains into the air. As the lid comes off the box, Kadaj throws himself after it. He grabs the box, taking what are presumably the remains of Jenova’s head, and discarding the box.)

Kadaj: My Reunion. Bet you’re dying to watch. (As Cloud jumps after him, Kadaj appears to push the remains of Jenova into his body, over his heart. This seems painful and he cries out. He lands on a lower piece of the building, reaches up and stops the falling Cloud. As he does so, Masamune appears in the air, and Kadaj instantly becomes Sephiroth.)

Cloud Fights Sephiroth

Sephiroth: Good to see you, Cloud. (Subtitles: It’s been a long time, Cloud.)

(Cloud’s eyes widen. Sephiroth repels him with Masamune, and jumps back onto a higher bit of building. The One Winged Angel music starts playing and continues throughout the following fight.)

Sephiroth: Your geostigma is gone? That’s too bad.

Cloud: Sephiroth – what do you want?

Sephiroth: The last thoughts of geostigma’s dead. Those Remnants will join the Lifestream and girdle the planet – choking it, corroding it. What I want, Cloud, is to sail the darkness of the cosmos with this planet as my vessel, just as my mother did long ago. (Sephiroth raises his hand, and the sky goes dark and swirly!) Then one day we’ll find a new planet and on its soil we’ll create a shining future.

Cloud: What about this planet?

Sephiroth: Well, that’s up to you, Cloud.

(Sephiroth attacks. Weird tendrils of dark Lifestream (?) appear in the sky, and the scene cuts to Marlene and Denzel watching from the window of their room in the 7th Heaven. Denzel’s geostigma is affected by the dark energy. Marlene hears a drip of water, and thinks of Aerith.)

Marlene: Is it her?

(Cut to shots of the church, and Aerith praying. Cut back to the ShinRa building. Rain and lightning. Cloud and Sephiroth battle each other on and inside the ruined building. Cloud locks swords with Sephiroth.)

Sephiroth: Oh – where did you find this strength?

Cloud: I’m not about to tell you!

Cloud repulses Sephiroth, and leaps to attack him. Back outside the building they fight some more.)

Sephiroth: I’ve thought of a wonderful present for you. Shall I give you despair?

(Sephiroth seems to be getting the upper hand. He cuts off bits of building which Cloud has to deflect. Sephiroth stands on a higher part of the building, looking down at Cloud.)

Sephiroth: On your knees. I want you to beg for forgiveness. (Half the top of the building collapses down towards Sephiroth and Cloud. Cloud manages to deflect it, and Sephiroth appears out of the falling debris and attacks Cloud again. Cloud is getting the worst of it, but keeps coming back to the attack. Sephiroth eventually spears Cloud through the shoulder with Masamune.)

Sephiroth: Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away? (He dives for Cloud, about to run him through and finish it. Cloud looks up at him. We see quick frames of Aerith praying, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel and Zack. Cloud puts his hand on Sephiroth’s blade and pulls it out of his shoulder.

Cloud: I pity you. You just don’t get it at all. There’s not a thing I don’t cherish!

(Sephiroth chuckles. Cloud launches his final attack, his sword splitting into five swords, surrounding Sephiroth. Sephiroth looks shocked for the first time, realising that he may not win after all. Cloud attacks Sephiroth from five angles at once, to devastating effect. Sephiroth is defeated.)

Cloud (looking up at Sephiroth, who hovers in the air. His wing appears.): Stay where you belong. In my memories.

Sephiroth: I will… never be a memory. (He closes his eyes and wraps his wing around himself. All the feathers fly away, leaving Kadaj. Kadaj falls to the ground. He tries to attack, but is too weak. He falls, and Cloud catches him. Kadaj is almost spent.)

Aftermath

Kadaj: Brother…

Aerith’s voice: Kadaj?

Kadaj: Huh? (The dark sky has gone with Sephiroth. Healing rain starts falling from bright clouds.)

Aerith’s voice: You don’t have to hang on any longer. (Subtitles: You can let it go now, if you want.)

Kadaj: Mother! Is that…?

Aerith’s voice: Everyone’s waiting, if you’re ready.

(Kadaj nods his head slightly in acceptance. He holds out his hand, and slowly evaporates into the Lifestream. Cloud watches, looking sympathetic.)

(In the streets of Edge people look up into the rain as the sun comes out and the sky lightens. Children discover that the rain heals their geostigma. Moogle Girl stands at the centre of a group of children as the rain heals them.)

(In an alley between two tall buildings Tseng, Elena, Reno and Rude watch as Rufus, in his wheelchair, is healed by the rain.)

(On the Shera the former members of Avalanche celebrate.)

Yuffie (jumping in the air): Oh yeah! We Rock! (Subtitles: Yeah! And stay down!)

Barret: See, what’d I tell you fools? (Subtitles: Shit, what’d I tel you?)

Cait Sith: That’s ma boy, Cloud! You’re the chips and gravy! (Subtitles: Aye, yer a douchty fighter, Cloud!)

Tifa: A little push is what he needs, that’s all! (Subtitles: You just have to put your mind to it.)

Cid: Y’all calm down. Hang on to your britches!

Tifa (looking out at the falling rain, reflected in a single raindrop): Somehow, I knew you were there. (Subtitles: You never left us, did you?) Thank you.

(Cloud looks up at the Shera, smiling, relieved. He tilts his head back and lets the rain fall on him. Suddenly he is shot in the back by Yazoo!)

Yazoo (on the point of disintegrating): We’ll go… together…

Loz: Together…we’ll play.

(Cloud struggles to his feet and rushes to attack the two remnants. Loz and Yazoo face him, materia in their arms glowing. With a cry, the explode!)

(On the Shera)

Yuffie: Ah!

Tifa: Cloud!

(In their room at the 7th Heaven Denzel and Marlene witness the explosion.)

Denzel: He’ll come back. He said that he would.

Everything’s All Right

(Cloud is floating in a white space – the Lifestream? A kind of Limbo? Aerith’s hand touches his forehead. Cloud’s eyes remain closed throughout the time he is in this place. “Aerith’s theme” plays.)

Cloud: Mother?

Aerith’s voice: Again? Why is everyone calling me their mother lately?

Zack’s voice: I guess they must be fond of you.

Aerith’s voice: This one’s a little too big to adopt. (Subtitles: I think this one’s outgrown me.)

Zack’s voice: Tough luck, friend. Sounds like you don’t have a place here.

(Cloud seems to fall away. He comes to rest still floating in whiteness. The wolf appears, then vanishes. Children’s hands rest on Cloud’s chest. He opens his eyes and finds himself in the pool in the church surrounded by six children. Other children, adults and the former party members wait on the edge of the pool.)

Moogle Girl: It’s like she said: “Wait here and Cloud will come back.”

Marlene (from the edge of the pool): Welcome back!

(Yuffie, Cid, Denzel, Tifa, Marlene, Vincent, Barret, Nanaki and Cait Sith nod to Cloud, who smiles and nods back.)

Cloud: I’m back. (Subtitles: Thanks.)

Nanaki (looking from Denzel to Cloud): There are still children with the stigma.

Cloud: Yeah.

Tifa (to Denzel): Hey. Let’s get you fixed up.

Cloud: Come on, I’m here.

Tifa: It’s okay.

(Cloud lifts Denzel into the water and pours water over him. Denzel’s geostigma vanishes. He looks at his reflection in the water as though he can’t believe it. Cloud nods to reassure him and Denzel laughs. On the edge of the pool everyone laughs and cheers.)

Cid: Last one in’s a rotten egg!

Yuffie: It’s working!

(All the children jump into the water. Tifa nods to Cloud. Cloud looks towards the door of the church and sees Aerith talking to some children and Zack leaning against the door. Aeirth walks towards Zack, then turns to smile at Cloud.)

Aerith: You see? Everything’s all right.

(Aerith and Zack walk away into the light, Zack waving to Cloud.)

Cloud’s voice (in his head, as he smiles): I know. I’m not alone. Not anymore. (The scene fades to white.)

End Credits and Cloud’s Journey

Credits on a black background are followed by shots of clouds. The ‘camera’ tracks Cloud, on Fenrir, riding through a real landscape which becomes increasingly lush and green. There is a field of yellow flowers beside the road at one point, and we briefly see Aerith in the field among the flowers. She turns her head, smiling.

After the last of the credits we see Cloud’s desk at the 7th Heaven. The desk is covered in photos of landscapes from the journey we’ve just seen, and a stem of yellow flowers from the field. There are two framed photos on the desk, one of Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel, and the other of the whole ‘Avalanche’ crew smiling happily with Denzel and Marlene. We see a closeup of this second photo, with the yellow flowers lying in front of it.

The End