Mariketsu
I Am the Darkness, I'm the Monster
- AKA
- Razael
Okay, this is something I been contemplating for months now and have managed to put together a theory, regarding Sephiroth as a villain.
Also, first off, I am NOT trying to make him out to be innocent or mindlessly absolve him of what happened, this is ONLY a theory, NOT a stupid fanfic-based assumption. Secondly, this in a manner of a realistic and psychological standpoint, so Ultimanias will be disregarded for the most part. Lastly, I will warn you, my memory on the original game is a tad shoddy, and I have no way of replaying it so forgive me if there are some misconceptions.
---------
Now then, this theory is meant to propose the question, what if Sephiroth as the villain we all know is not the way it seems?
For this, I wish to bring up 2 definitions:
Poltergeist- an entity that usually consists of purely negative energy, having been created by very negative emotions from a person who has suffered severe depression and/or stress. These entities have been known to be dark in terms of bearing no soul but only a consciousness and thrive on the negative energy the host continues to give off to remain in existence.
Personality Disorder- the point in which the mind suffers a severe breakdown from exposure to something that causes often severe psychological trauma, thust forcing the mind to "split" into two (or more) new personas with either being the real person as the original personality falls dormant.
As well, I would like to add that Sephiroth and his Will were often referred to separately.
Now, with this in mind, let's look at Crisis Core, the point in which Sephiroth began to lose his sanity... It became apparent through the game that Sephiroth was deeply bothered by why he felt so different all his life and was increasingly curious of his background as he grew older. This perhaps may have peaked during his time in Nibelheim, especially when Genesis eventually dropped disturbing information about his "mother" whom he referred to as a monster. This would also include the apparent fact that Sephiroth had been, tho vaguely, lied to about his mother, having been told "her name was Jenova and that she died when he was born". Ontop of all that, his seemingly apparent inner fear of being a monster himself, which would leave room for him to become disturbed and his sanity begin to unravel. In other words, being he had not known of any of this at a young age, it would only create deeper, psychological trauma in him. Then, after reading all of the partially flawed documents in the basement, he finally snaps and his sanity is lost, which also in includes the documents describing the experiment procedure he was part of (iirc).
I would think this would create a severe, psychological traumatization that he obviously mentally broke from, and herein, my theory lay: Perhaps this massive amount of trauma may have triggered a "split" in his personality, and began to do so as he wandered about Nibelheim, causing the destruction he was known for. I also surmise, that his death, at Cloud's hands may have eventually made way for something else to be born... herein lay the second part of my theory: If a mental break as massive as his creates a phenomenal amount of cast-off negative energy (with the elements of his strength in it), at the time his mind would've perhaps partly split in 2, theoretically, I believe this would create an extension of a secondary personality...
In other words, his Will, born out of the psychological trauma that shattered his mind, a combo of both himself and Jenova's original will.
At this, I would like to propose in theory, the reason he did not dissipate into the Lifestream, is because this second personality as it's own entity, his Will, held him together and possibly managed to keep him alive in some way or form (possibly managing to save part of his body or mayabe his mind itself). Here is where I believe the Will has taken over. Now, something else I'd like to add here, the reason 'Sephiroth' still refers to Jenova as his mother: being his Will was born out of trauma, it would only have largely the memory of what caused the trauma, the notion that Jenova was (a misidentified) Ancient and that Sephy, having her genes, was the last of their kind. This would only combine with Jenova's original will, to destroy the planet; from this we get the notion that the Will runs on the plan to "take back the planet" from the humans, deeming them inferior and would further use the planet as a vessel, before destroying it completely, to create a new future (perhaps void of humans). For that, he would still refer to Jenova as "mother" but merely uses her as a puppet (perhaps deeming her the 'monster', instead).
To further elaborate, it is widely known and accepted (also argued) that Sephiroth used Jenova's body in FFVII to shapeshift into his form, each time Cloud and the gang encountered him. As part of this theory, what if it was not Sephy pulling the strings, but the Will itself? It would control Jenova in the same way to come into direct conflict with Cloud and company, while Sephiroth's real body was reforming in the mako crystal, hidden in the Northern Cave (possibly the same body that fell into the mako pit in Crisis Core). I would also like to point out, the reason he often came off very evil in FFVII is because the Will as a created entity from a host, has no soul and is only a will and consciousness, made out of negative energy, all the while Sephiroth's real self is left deep inside, locked in a half-insane, mentally unstable state, unable to recover from the trauma. This would bring the grim and ironic revelation that Sephiroth himself was a puppet to his own Will, using his trauma-induced state to further keep itself in existence.
Again in ACC, the Will may have found some way to possibly to keep Sephy alive somehow and then created the 3 brothers, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, to search for the remains of Jenova's head, in order to use it and create a new physical form.. but since it is only part of her head, the Will would need another pseudo-body to recreate Sephy's form completely... Kadaj. Thus when Kadaj, combines the remains of her head with himself (under false pretenses), his body becomes Sephiroth's form and the Will itself takes over again, to face Cloud. It's also rather likely the Will has a deep hatred for Cloud (as Cloud killed the insane Sephiroth in CC) and revels in making him suffer, which would explain why he merely toys with the blonde every time they battle, slowly torturing him.
Lastly, I would like to propose an extension of this theory to the 3 brothers themselves. Now, it seemed rather apparent both Yazoo and Loz were hive-minded drones (with fragments of separate personas to give them partial differentiation) and only seemed focused on the task of finding "Mother"... Kadaj, however seemed to carry more sentience. Tho he too was focused on the task of finding "Mother", there were also times he seemed to question other things and seemed more like he was cryptically wanting help. Tho his notions of "Mother choosing Sephiroth over him" may have been somewhat warped, it seems to me Kadaj himself may have been a "leak", if you will, of Sephiroth's true self. It also seems curious that, theoretically, by ACC, Cloud may have been aware of this to some degree, seemingly not showing any anger or hatred to Kadaj, but moreso curiously came off feeling sorry for him, also evidenced by the act of catching Kadaj from falling after the battle. It's also curious to me that Cloud didnt seem to show any hatred to Sephiroth in ACC, but mainly determination to stop him.
Well, that's pretty much what I had thought out, and forgive me it's a bit shoddy, I was never adept at creating theories but, I tried. I understand if you guys don't agree, I just been thinking on it for months on end now. Well, have at it, I guess xD.
~ Beelzemon
EDIT: OMG that is the LONGEST poast I have ever written O.O! Huzzah... *collapses from tiring out* X_x
Also, first off, I am NOT trying to make him out to be innocent or mindlessly absolve him of what happened, this is ONLY a theory, NOT a stupid fanfic-based assumption. Secondly, this in a manner of a realistic and psychological standpoint, so Ultimanias will be disregarded for the most part. Lastly, I will warn you, my memory on the original game is a tad shoddy, and I have no way of replaying it so forgive me if there are some misconceptions.
---------
Now then, this theory is meant to propose the question, what if Sephiroth as the villain we all know is not the way it seems?
For this, I wish to bring up 2 definitions:
Poltergeist- an entity that usually consists of purely negative energy, having been created by very negative emotions from a person who has suffered severe depression and/or stress. These entities have been known to be dark in terms of bearing no soul but only a consciousness and thrive on the negative energy the host continues to give off to remain in existence.
Personality Disorder- the point in which the mind suffers a severe breakdown from exposure to something that causes often severe psychological trauma, thust forcing the mind to "split" into two (or more) new personas with either being the real person as the original personality falls dormant.
As well, I would like to add that Sephiroth and his Will were often referred to separately.
Now, with this in mind, let's look at Crisis Core, the point in which Sephiroth began to lose his sanity... It became apparent through the game that Sephiroth was deeply bothered by why he felt so different all his life and was increasingly curious of his background as he grew older. This perhaps may have peaked during his time in Nibelheim, especially when Genesis eventually dropped disturbing information about his "mother" whom he referred to as a monster. This would also include the apparent fact that Sephiroth had been, tho vaguely, lied to about his mother, having been told "her name was Jenova and that she died when he was born". Ontop of all that, his seemingly apparent inner fear of being a monster himself, which would leave room for him to become disturbed and his sanity begin to unravel. In other words, being he had not known of any of this at a young age, it would only create deeper, psychological trauma in him. Then, after reading all of the partially flawed documents in the basement, he finally snaps and his sanity is lost, which also in includes the documents describing the experiment procedure he was part of (iirc).
I would think this would create a severe, psychological traumatization that he obviously mentally broke from, and herein, my theory lay: Perhaps this massive amount of trauma may have triggered a "split" in his personality, and began to do so as he wandered about Nibelheim, causing the destruction he was known for. I also surmise, that his death, at Cloud's hands may have eventually made way for something else to be born... herein lay the second part of my theory: If a mental break as massive as his creates a phenomenal amount of cast-off negative energy (with the elements of his strength in it), at the time his mind would've perhaps partly split in 2, theoretically, I believe this would create an extension of a secondary personality...
In other words, his Will, born out of the psychological trauma that shattered his mind, a combo of both himself and Jenova's original will.
At this, I would like to propose in theory, the reason he did not dissipate into the Lifestream, is because this second personality as it's own entity, his Will, held him together and possibly managed to keep him alive in some way or form (possibly managing to save part of his body or mayabe his mind itself). Here is where I believe the Will has taken over. Now, something else I'd like to add here, the reason 'Sephiroth' still refers to Jenova as his mother: being his Will was born out of trauma, it would only have largely the memory of what caused the trauma, the notion that Jenova was (a misidentified) Ancient and that Sephy, having her genes, was the last of their kind. This would only combine with Jenova's original will, to destroy the planet; from this we get the notion that the Will runs on the plan to "take back the planet" from the humans, deeming them inferior and would further use the planet as a vessel, before destroying it completely, to create a new future (perhaps void of humans). For that, he would still refer to Jenova as "mother" but merely uses her as a puppet (perhaps deeming her the 'monster', instead).
To further elaborate, it is widely known and accepted (also argued) that Sephiroth used Jenova's body in FFVII to shapeshift into his form, each time Cloud and the gang encountered him. As part of this theory, what if it was not Sephy pulling the strings, but the Will itself? It would control Jenova in the same way to come into direct conflict with Cloud and company, while Sephiroth's real body was reforming in the mako crystal, hidden in the Northern Cave (possibly the same body that fell into the mako pit in Crisis Core). I would also like to point out, the reason he often came off very evil in FFVII is because the Will as a created entity from a host, has no soul and is only a will and consciousness, made out of negative energy, all the while Sephiroth's real self is left deep inside, locked in a half-insane, mentally unstable state, unable to recover from the trauma. This would bring the grim and ironic revelation that Sephiroth himself was a puppet to his own Will, using his trauma-induced state to further keep itself in existence.
Again in ACC, the Will may have found some way to possibly to keep Sephy alive somehow and then created the 3 brothers, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, to search for the remains of Jenova's head, in order to use it and create a new physical form.. but since it is only part of her head, the Will would need another pseudo-body to recreate Sephy's form completely... Kadaj. Thus when Kadaj, combines the remains of her head with himself (under false pretenses), his body becomes Sephiroth's form and the Will itself takes over again, to face Cloud. It's also rather likely the Will has a deep hatred for Cloud (as Cloud killed the insane Sephiroth in CC) and revels in making him suffer, which would explain why he merely toys with the blonde every time they battle, slowly torturing him.
Lastly, I would like to propose an extension of this theory to the 3 brothers themselves. Now, it seemed rather apparent both Yazoo and Loz were hive-minded drones (with fragments of separate personas to give them partial differentiation) and only seemed focused on the task of finding "Mother"... Kadaj, however seemed to carry more sentience. Tho he too was focused on the task of finding "Mother", there were also times he seemed to question other things and seemed more like he was cryptically wanting help. Tho his notions of "Mother choosing Sephiroth over him" may have been somewhat warped, it seems to me Kadaj himself may have been a "leak", if you will, of Sephiroth's true self. It also seems curious that, theoretically, by ACC, Cloud may have been aware of this to some degree, seemingly not showing any anger or hatred to Kadaj, but moreso curiously came off feeling sorry for him, also evidenced by the act of catching Kadaj from falling after the battle. It's also curious to me that Cloud didnt seem to show any hatred to Sephiroth in ACC, but mainly determination to stop him.
Well, that's pretty much what I had thought out, and forgive me it's a bit shoddy, I was never adept at creating theories but, I tried. I understand if you guys don't agree, I just been thinking on it for months on end now. Well, have at it, I guess xD.
~ Beelzemon
EDIT: OMG that is the LONGEST poast I have ever written O.O! Huzzah... *collapses from tiring out* X_x
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