When fanon bleeds into canon

[LicoriceAllsorts]

In a game as old and popular and riddled with half-baked ret-cons as FFVII, a lot of plotholes appear and a lot of unanswered questions arise. What I'm hoping this thread will discuss is those fanon theories and beliefs that become so widely accepted that many fans think they are canon. For example (a point a raised on another thread a couple of years ago) the almost universal belief that Reno is a smoker.

I'd love to see us discuss both the fanon-turned-to-canon and the reasons why this happens.

Here's one to start off: In BC, the Turks and President Shinra discover that Rufus has been funding Avalanche, and as a result Rufus is held in close confinement by the Turks for about four years. Publicly it's given out that he's on an 'extended business trip overseas'. It's so widely believed in fanon that Rufus was held in Junon during those four years that this notion has been presented as canon on several different websites, although there's no direct evidence to support it; what little evidene there is suggests Rufus was being held in Midgar.

I haven't been able to track down where this fanon-canon originated, but I'm guessing it came about because the idea of the Turks hiding Rufus inside the Shinra building was just too implausible, and Junon is their second city.

What other fanon has acquired the weight of canon?

 

[Roger]

...Was Rufus being based out of Junon canon before BC?

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

I don't think so.

That's just one example. I'm interested in others people may know of, particularly for characters whose canon I don't know so well.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

There are those who think Tifa has a scar somewhere on her torso, even though this is unlikely given the LO and CC versions of the Nibelheim incident.

And of course there's the crazies who think Cloud and Aerith were/are in a relationship.

 

[Vivi]

I like this game!

I haven't been able to track down where this fanon-canon originated, but I'm guessing it came about because the idea of the Turks hiding Rufus inside the Shinra building was just too implausible, and Junon is their second city.

I'm not entirely sure on this, but I think a part of this theory comes from the fact that Rufus opted to have his inauguration in Junon, instead of Midgar.

I think that another widely accepted headcanon is that Reno was raised in the slums. Although I don't really agree with this one -- I always pictured him as a middle-class kid who got into too much mischief.

 

[jazzflower92]

There is one fanon theory that Hojo was originally from Wutai.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

I like this game!
I'm not entirely sure on this, but I think a part of this theory comes from the fact that Rufus opted to have his inauguration in Junon, instead of Midgar.

Yes, Rufus seems to act as if Junon is his headquarters. That makes sense. Thought you'd think that after being imprisoned somewhere for four years, you'd be glad to see the back of it.

I think that another widely accepted headcanon is that Reno was raised in the slums. Although I don't really agree with this one -- I always pictured him as a middle-class kid who got into too much mischief.

I agree. Of the two of them Rude seems more like the one bred in the slums and rising above it.

I suppose Hojo looks vaguely Wutaian, if we accept that Wutai is supposed to be China/Japan, and he has a Japanese name, and he's the only Shinra exec whose name is written in kanji as far as I know. It's the same with Tseng - he has a Chinese name and has straight black hair so he must be from Wutai. But half the people in Wutai have Russian names! But yeah, there's nothing in canon to state that either Tseng or Hojo come from Wutai.

 

[Carlie]

Due to some nice fanart that came from this forum and some fanfictions I'm under the belief that Tifa did in fact played the piano, to me it really fits with her character. She has a tendency to bottle up her emotions so I just imagine her sitting down and letting it out with her piano.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

I'm sure she did play the piano. Why else would she own one? That's nigh-canon already. I'm not sure if we've gotten official confirmation that she actually ever played her piano, but it's nowhere near unreasonable to assume she did. At the very least we know Cloud could play the piano.
By the way, have we ever gotten official confirmation about Cloud stealing Tifa's panties? I've always assumed he did, but I'm curious as to if it's ever been confirmed.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Are we sure it's pants and not a bra? Because it doesn't really make sense for Tifa to have orthopedic pants, in fact I can't think of a reason why anyone would - but it does make sense for her to have an orthopedic bra. I thought that was the joke, actually.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

Are we sure it's pants and not a bra? Because it doesn't really make sense for Tifa to have orthopedic pants, in fact I can't think of a reason why anyone would - but it does make sense for her to have an orthopedic bra. I thought that was the joke, actually.

Actually Orthopedic underwear was a mistranslation/localization change. In the Japanese version, it's called the Stretched Panties. So yes, we know they're panties.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Gotcha.

 

[Unlucky]

For years I thought it was fact that Tifa's father was the mayor of Nibelheim.

It's implied in the dialogue, but "mayor" was never specified exactly.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

I do have this theory that Cloud stole one of Tifa's bras at one point during his stay at 7th Heaven and then wore it during the crossdressing sidequest though.

 

[jazzflower92]

Going with the fan theory that Hojo might be Wutain since the guy is Sephiroth's father people then conclude Sephiroth is half Wutain.

 

[SirVival]

And of course there's the crazies who think Cloud and Aerith were/are in a relationship.

Wait, what?

 

[Roger]

Yes, Rufus seems to act as if Junon is his headquarters. That makes sense. Thought you'd think that after being imprisoned somewhere for four years, you'd be glad to see the back of it.

Well, that's why I asked. Rufus being imprisoned by Shinra was some BC introduced years later. When they had Shinra's top executives meet and had Rufus not be among them in the OG that wasn't a thing yet, or when they designed that kickass office with the great view at Junon, I always assumed that was the Vice-Presidents office.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

Wait, what?

You can't be in a romantic relationship if one of the people in said relationship isn't aware they're in a relationship.

And don't get me started on the people who think Cloud is trying to meet Aerith in the flowerfield for spirit sex at the end of AC/C.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

Sorry Matt, but your LTD thread is in another castle!

 

[S and G]

Here's one to start off: In BC, the Turks and President Shinra discover that Rufus has been funding Avalanche, and as a result Rufus is held in close confinement by the Turks for about four years. Publicly it's given out that he's on an 'extended business trip overseas'. It's so widely believed in fanon that Rufus was held in Junon during those four years that this notion has been presented as canon on several different websites, although there's no direct evidence to support it; what little evidene there is suggests Rufus was being held in Midgar.

Rufus is in Midgar (at least by the last of the four years) as he is clearly shown to be in prison having a face-to-face chat with Tseng while Tseng is confirmed to be in Midgar. On top of that, President Shinra states that he is being held at the Turks' HQ which is in the Shinra Building.

While I haven't read it in a couple of years and I'm 99% sure it is not given there, you may find the answer in OTWTAS: Case of Shinra.

 

[Flintlock]

I may be wrong on this, but my first thought when reading this thread was that Sapphire Weapon's name originated in the fandom and was later adopted quasi-officially in the Ultimania guides.

 

[Shademp]

I may be wrong on this, but my first thought when reading this thread was that Sapphire Weapon's name originated in the fandom and was later adopted quasi-officially in the Ultimania guides.

You appear to be wrong. The "Perfect Guide" Bonus Disc to FFVII International has a page on Sapphire Weapon.

Spoiler: SW stats

It reads サファイアウェポン (Safaia Wepon) so the name is not a fanon one. It dates back to, at least, 1997.

EDIT: The concept art also names it 'Sapphire Weapon'. I assume this artwork to be from 1996 because it's supposed to be "making of" material.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Sapphire's name is more a fanon irony than anything. Fans outside Japan were calling him that before anyone had confirmed whether that's what he was called. I remember there being debates about this back in the early 2000s.