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Theories concerning the origins of LV 4 Limit Techniques...

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
I was very bored last night, and my mind began to wander. This is where my mind wound up in its meandering.

So, everyone in the playable party of FFVII has an ultimate fighting technique of some sort, which they learn from a manual found at different places throughout the game. Here are my thoughts on the matter, in no particular order.


Highwind: Found at the Sunken Gelnika. Allows Cid to call in an airstrike from the airship of the same name.
Origin: It seems clear from dialog during the game that the Highwind has been modified somewhat between Shinra taking it from Cid and the time the party takes it back. The manual found on the Gelnika is likely a technical manual describing the weapons modifications.

Final Heaven: Found along with a letter from Zangan to Tifa in Nibelheim. Allows Tifa to release explosive force through her fist after a moment of concentration.
Origin: A martial arts technique, created either by Zangan himself or another teacher back along the line of Masters in his school of martial arts. The manual is very likely to be the same sort of training manual used in real martial arts schools to describe and document secret techniques.

Chaos: Found in the Crystal Cave behind the waterfall, after meeting Lucrecia there. Allows Vincent to transform into Chaos.
Origin: As shown in DoC, Lucrecia and Grimoire Valentine discovered Chaos and Omega during research in the very cave where the manual is found. In all likelihood, the manual is a scientific report from Lucrecia much like those later found in DoC, which makes Vincent aware of Chaos inside him, thus allowing the transformation.

All Creation: Obtained from Godo after completing the Pagoda of Five Mighty Gods. Allows Yuffie to gather and fire a wave of destructive energy.
Origin: Based on it being obtained alongside Leviathan after defeating Wutai's strongest fighters, this manual is likely a training manual describing a secret technique of Wutai's ninja arts.

Great Gospel: Found in the home of the Weapon's Seller, after providing him Mythril to work with. Allows Aerith to call upon the Planet for the ultimate restorative magic.
Origin: The Weapon's Seller is a known collector of Cetra artifacts, as evidenced by his once having the Keystone in his possession. Dio strong-arming him into selling the Keystone may be why he keeps the manual hidden/locked up. This manual was likely written by a Cetra in times gone by, to teach the technique to Cetra healers.

Cosmo Memory: Found in the safe of the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim. Allows Nanaki/Red XIII to summon an explosive force of energy.
Origin: The Shinra have been shown to have some interest in Nanaki's unnamed species, or tribe, in several Compilation titles. This manual is likely a scientific report concerning the tribe's ultimate fighting technique, as evidenced by its storage in Shinra Manor, a known site of Shinra's research. This may be one of the reasons for Hojo's interest in the species in later times.

Catastrophe: Obtained from a grateful citizen of North Corel. Allows Barret to fire a blast of energy from his gun-arm.
Origin: More difficult to theorize on than most others, this training manual may perhaps have been written by Old Man Sakaki, the scientist who designed and installed the gun-arm used by Barret. The technique itself seems to be a variation of his original Limit, Big Shot. Both involve gathering and concentrating spirit energy to be fired from his weapon. Catastrophe is to Big Shot what, in DBZ, Final Flash is to Big Bang Attack (forgive the out of universe analogy please) in that one is a ball of energy while the other is a beam or wave of it that has more destructive potential.

Omnislash: Obtained from Gold Saucer's Battle Square. Allows Cloud to rapidly and repeatedly attack with powerful slashes and thrusts of his sword.
Origin: The most difficult Limit Technique to pin down with any theory. I do, however, have one *cough*crack*cough* theory (and this is for you, Tres). In the story Maiden Who Travels the Planet, Zack utters the line "That one was all mine" in reference to Omnislash. This is one of many occurrences that are looked down on, as it makes Zack appear overly flippant/outright dishonest. However, I posit that, as an accomplished swordsman, Zack could in fact have created the technique and written/drawn diagrams in a manual, though he never mastered the technique himself. After his imprisonment/escape/death, the manual eventually fell into the hands of Dio, not surprising as he is a known collector. He then proceeded to place it as a prize at his favorite attraction, the Battle Square, assuming that any warrior who could gather the high amount of BP needed to win that prize would appreciate the powerful technique even if they were not a swordsman themselves. Thus that technique is, in fact, all his. :monster:

Sorry to all three of Cait Sith's fans for not writing a section for him, but he has no Lv 4 Limit at all, and his two Limits that he does have are impossible to explain, at least for me.

So, thoughts anyone?

Edit: Slight alterations to Catastrophe to better explain the DBZ analogy and to correctly identify the designer of Barret's prosthesis, as per info given later in the thread. Thanks guys! :D
 
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Alex

alex is dead
AKA
Alex, Ashes, Pennywise, Bill Weasley, Jack's Smirking Revenge, Sterling Archer
I think its a big assumption to say that Cait Sith has fans.
 

Dashell

SMILE!
AKA
Sonique, Quexinos, Pinkie Pie, Derpy Hooves
I think its a big assumption to say that Cait Sith has fans.

Why did I win funniest member if you're making posts like this XD

Also I love the theory on how Onmnislash was really Zack's and how you included Maiden to prove it XD GO YOU :monster:
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
@Quex: Thank you, boredom is the root of some of my finest moments. :awesome:

@Oerba: I wanted to include the possibility that Cait Sith has a fan or three. It could happen. Maybe.
 

DrakeClawfang

The Wanderer of Time
Omnislash: Obtained from Gold Saucer's Battle Square. Allows Cloud to rapidly and repeatedly attack with powerful slashes and thrusts of his sword.
Origin: The most difficult Limit Technique to pin down with any theory. I do, however, have one *cough*crack*cough* theory (and this is for you, Tres). In the story Maiden Who Travels the Planet, Zack utters the line "That one was all mine" in reference to Omnislash. This is one of many occurrences that are looked down on, as it makes Zack appear overly flippant/outright dishonest. However, I posit that, as an accomplished swordsman, Zack could in fact have created the technique and written/drawn diagrams in a manual, though he never mastered the technique himself. After his imprisonment/escape/death, the manual eventually fell into the hands of Dio, not surprising as he is a known collector. He then proceeded to place it as a prize at his favorite attraction, the Battle Square, assuming that any warrior who could gather the high amount of BP needed to win that prize would appreciate the powerful technique even if they were not a swordsman themselves. Thus that technique is, in fact, all his. :monster:

Except how do you explain Cloud using Omnislash in the final battle even if he hasn't learned it from the manual?
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
Except how do you explain Cloud using Omnislash in the final battle even if he hasn't learned it from the manual?

Same way I explain everyone not being able to learn their LV4 unless they know all their other Limits: Gameplay mechanics. After all, if the Highwind has air-to-ground missles, Cid can call in an airstrike whether he knows Big Brawl or not... except as a gameplay mechanic. Basically, I consider the canon version being Cloud getting the manual.

Alternately, perhaps Zack talked to Cloud about the technique he was working on while he wrote the manual, and when finishing off Sephiroth Cloud is able to piece that back together from memory and use the technique.
 

DrakeClawfang

The Wanderer of Time
Same way I explain everyone not being able to learn their LV4 unless they know all their other Limits: Gameplay mechanics.

Nothing personal, but you say "gameplay mechanics", I say "cop-out". Sorry, that doesn't work for me, not in this case. :no:

EDIT - Also, if Zack was the one who created the Omnislash technique, why didn't he ever use it? You use Maiden as a source, but its canon value is questionable.
 
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Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
Fair enough :P Omnislash doesn't work for you. What'd you think of the others?

Edit: Also forgot to ask, how would you theorize the origin of Omnislash, since mine doesn't work for ya? :monster:
 
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Kai Schulen

... ... ...▼
AKA
Trainer Red
I suppose Cait's limits breaks could be explained by the fact you first meet him in Gold Saucer, so it wouldn't be all that surprising for him to be able to use dice and slots as his limit breaks.
 

DrakeClawfang

The Wanderer of Time
Fair enough :P Omnislash doesn't work for you. What'd you think of the others?

Edit: Also forgot to ask, how would you theorize the origin of Omnislash, since mine doesn't work for ya? :monster:

Given that Cloud is able to use it even if he doesn't get the manual, I figured it was Cloud's own technique that unlocked his inner strength. Why he needs a manual to figure that out, could be the Gold Saucer manual doesn't say exactly how to use Omnislash, but how to draw out the user's true power, which manifests as Omnislash for Cloud.
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
Given that Cloud is able to use it even if he doesn't get the manual, I figured it was Cloud's own technique that unlocked his inner strength. Why he needs a manual to figure that out, could be the Gold Saucer manual doesn't say exactly how to use Omnislash, but how to draw out the user's true power, which manifests as Omnislash for Cloud.

If that's the case, why does that manual only work for Cloud? Your description sounds like its an all-purpose manual anyone could use to draw out their maximum power.
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
Same reason Cid is the only one who can radio the Highwind - game mechanics!

*rimshot*

:lol: That's good ol' fashioned family hypocrisy right there :monster: Well played sir, well played.

I suppose Cait's limits breaks could be explained by the fact you first meet him in Gold Saucer, so it wouldn't be all that surprising for him to be able to use dice and slots as his limit breaks.

Ok, so Cait Sith's Limits are not so hard to explain when you think about it. He's a robot, Reeve designed him like that. His gaming themed Limits and resemblance to the moogle-mouth entrance of the Gold Saucer is probably why Reeve stationed the robot there to meet up with the party, he sort of fits there. But, he has no technique learned from a manual, so he still doesn't really fit in on this list :monster:
 
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Ryushikaze

Deus Admiral Parsimonious, PHD, DDS, MD, JD, OBE
AKA
Tim, Ryu
There is a very valid point that you're trying to make story excuses for what are essentially game mechanics, and even using game mechanics to excuse other game mechanics.

Interesting ideas. Nothing worldshaking or really verifiable, but pfeh.
 

Makoeyes987

Listen closely, there is meaning in my words.
AKA
Smooth Criminal
How can it be gameplay mechanics when the story itself literally makes Cloud have Omnislash at that very time so he can use it to specifically curbstomp Sephiroth? :monster:
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
I concede, my use of the words gameplay mechanics makes no real sense. The alternate explanation makes more sense, and should now be my primary explanation.

Yes, all of them are unverifiable, but you gotta agree, most of them do make sense, right?
 

The Twilight Mexican

Ex-SeeD-ingly good
AKA
TresDias
Just want to say two things:

1) It was Old Man Sakaki who designed Barret's prosthetic, not Shalua (see Case of Barret).

2) I really like this thread.
 

Gym Leader Devil

True Master of the Dark-type (suck it Piers)
AKA
So many names
Thank you Tres and Mog. I enjoyed writing this thread. And Tres, next time you feel like arguing how well Maiden fits even if it did get removed and someone brings up Zack, send em here ;)
 

Ryushikaze

Deus Admiral Parsimonious, PHD, DDS, MD, JD, OBE
AKA
Tim, Ryu
Just want to say two things:

1) It was Old Man Sakaki who designed Barret's prosthetic, not Shalua (see Case of Barret).

2) I really like this thread.

IIRC, Sakaki designed the prosthesis, Shalua built 'gun arms' in general.
 

Loxetta

Pro Adventurer
The only problems I'd have with the Zack's Omnislash theory is are:

1) If he wrote a manual on it, his name would have been on it somewhere :monster: Unless it was just a rough draft he had scribbled in a spiral notebook laying on his coffee table or something.

2) Omnislash (the original) is similar enough to two of Zack's other limit breaks from CC -- Octaslash and Chain Slash -- that it doesn't make very much sense to say he didn't or couldn't master the technique and use it. Zack had years of training and practice as a swordsman, and if he was able to design it and write it down, possibly with diagrams, and make it understandable enough for someone like Cloud to understand it and master it, why wouldn't Zack himself have used it?



Otherwise, I love all the theories for the other characters. I think I especially like Cid's, because it makes a ton of sense in his own storyline.
 
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