SPOILERS Cloud and Sephiroth in the Remake (*Open Spoilers*)

[Tennyo]

Can we spend some time talking about Cloud and Sephiroth in the Remake? Sephiroth came off as so creepy. He no longer seems like he's just being manipulative for the sake of revenge against Cloud, he's straight up possessive of him. "I am your everything." "Don't deny me, embrace me." "I will not end, nor will I let you end." I mean...

And Cloud just seems so frightened half the time. I really wonder if Sephiroth is doing more of a number on him this time around than previously. What does he really want this time?

This moment in particular gives me some goosebumps:

 

[Odysseus]

yeh mén, dey pretty gay lol

I do think this new Sephiroth has a different vibe about him than than the older versions. Between his "runaway" line at the beginning, the "you failed again" scene, and him asking Cloud to work together at the end, its almost like he's being supportive in his own way. Maybe that's just him being condescending or manipulative, but its definitely a little different from "SHALL I GIVE U DIS PEAR? GET ON YER KNEES AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!"
granted, he says both those lines during the boss fight...

 

[Makoeyes987]

I fucking love it.

I mean, that's the seductive, yet malicious and manipulative evil Sephiroth exemplifies.

"A merciless spirit hidden behind a beauteous wall."

Murderous hatred masked with grace and seduction. That's Sephiroth.

And Sephiroth carries a serious complex and obsession for the one person who, at the height of his arrogance towards his ascension of becoming a god who was furtherest away from humans... Made him feel more vulnerable and mortal than he ever did in his entire life.

Sephiroth's world turned upside down thanks to Cloud. He never, ever suffered a loss, injury or moment of vulnerability in his entire career as a SOLDIER. Yet when he finally decides he's no longer human and the inheritor of the planet, some punk kid got the drop on him, impaled him, and then subsequently defied physics to the point he lost his life.

Sephiroth's a narcissist and that kind of narcissistic injury is beyond traumatic. It's a splinter in his mind that will never heal, until he's satisfied. He's the kind of villain who carries a hatred that's so obsessive and visceral, that it becomes obsession and becomes a strange sorta attachment, rivalry, and fixation. That's Sephiroth's weakness, his blindspot. No one else brings that out in him.

 

[Master Bates]

It makes sense for Sephiroth, tbh. And Cloud ought to be deathly terrified of Sephiroth as of this point.

But what I dislike about this isn't so much on the portrayal, but on the amount of screen time he gets. It diminishes his intrigue and mystique, qualities that were what draws the player to his mystery in the original game. The Sephiroth this time around doesn't really intrigue me as much. But I'm aware that's probably because I've been desensitized to his appearances over the years.

I don't know how he affects new players though.

 

[Wol]

I think this is relevant for this thread.

 

[Tennyo]

The subtle differences between English and Japanese is interesting. I guess it doesn't really alter anything story wise TOO much, but I do kinda wish there was an option for a subtitle of a straight translation.

But at the end tho. "But we can still make it in time," vs "Plenty of time for you, perhaps." The Japanese is, obviously, folloing the theme a little more.

 

[Wol]

I wonder if a cycle of eternal return is at play here... where as long as there is a planet, history will repeat itself, and Sephiroth and Cloud can return to play their roles... But if the planet ceases to exist, there's no soil for a "remake" anymore.

TooMeta4Me

Nojima played with the Eternal Return concept in Mobius and that Rufus dialogue in AC kinda leads to a similar interpretation.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

I do think this new Sephiroth has a different vibe about him than than the older versions. Between his "runaway" line at the beginning, the "you failed again" scene, and him asking Cloud to work together at the end, its almost like he's being supportive in his own way. Maybe that's just him being condescending or manipulative, but its definitely a little different from "SHALL I GIVE U DIS PEAR? GET ON YER KNEES AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!"

It's the same approach he took in the original Dissidia, isn't it? Where he's "supporting" Cloud, but not out of any benevolence.

 

[Odysseus]

Never touched dissidia, but I'll take your word for it.

 

[Tennyo]

It's been a very long time since I played so I don't quite remember. I know what all of the characters had amnesia.

 

[CaptainLayla2006]

Oh god, the shippers are gonna go crazy from this.

 

[Rydeen]

Cloud’s abusive ex-boyfriend.

In all seriousness, I really enjoyed a lot of Seph’s dialog in this game. Especially that bit about how suffering was all Cloud really wanted (the price to become a badass). Another thing I liked was how after numerous flashbacks they set it up for the viewer to question whether the Sephiroth in the Shinra building was real.

 

[Odysseus]

I'll say, despite all the controversy surrounding the ending, I really liked the "seven seconds" scene

 

[oty]

I mean...let's be real. That soundtrack straight from "You can hear the cry of the Planet" is absolutely sublime. Hard not to like a scene when the atmosphere is so amazing.

 

[Theozilla]

Yeah, other than pronoun difference of "we/us" vs. "you", I don't see much difference in meaning between the official and that fan translation.

 

[Mayo Master]

So... silly question, as I just re-watched the ending excerpt from Wol's post...
Is it just me or the cluster of stars in the background exhibits the same silhouette as Safer Sephiroth?

Spoiler: That

Or pareidolia much?

 

[Makoeyes987]

I see it too, however I also see a giant spherical crystal surrounded by a nebula of stars too.

I dunno if it's intentional or not, but it's an interesting aspect of the scene. What it's meant to be is anyone's guess.

 

[Glaurung]

Can we spend some time talking about Cloud and Sephiroth in the Remake? Sephiroth came off as so creepy. He no longer seems like he's just being manipulative for the sake of revenge against Cloud, he's straight up possessive of him. "I am your everything." "Don't deny me, embrace me." "I will not end, nor will I let you end." I mean...

And Cloud just seems so frightened half the time. I really wonder if Sephiroth is doing more of a number on him this time around than previously. What does he really want this time?

This moment in particular gives me some goosebumps:

View attachment 5764

Let's remember that both have Jenova cells inside them. Jenova, if I'm not mistaken, was an entity with hive mind, bent on reunite again all its cells scattered to the four winds thanks to Hojo and the Shinra labcoats. Maybe that's where Sephiroth's obsession can come from from a biological standpoint. Then there's the mental side on which, as Mako said, he was nearly a god until some SOLDIER reject punk-ass kid caught him off guard and killed him.

Anyway, I almost laughed during that scene because I thought about the many fanficts and doujins that will arise out of it

The music, however, gave me goosebumps. Can't stop watching that scene over and over again.