Early Material Files Worldview & Terminology – p. 523-525 of the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega

The last segment of the FFVII Early Material Files has been translated by hitoshura, and this one by far, offers the best look into the possible world of FFVII had the creators gone a different route. Below is a collection of notes and definitions regarding the world scenario and plot points of the draft of FFVII. Many things here are different from the original, finalized game, so please keep that in mind and don’t let yourself actually think this has anything to do with the finalized story. With that, enjoy!

Materials on the worldview and terminology, with many parts in common with the final game. Additionally, we have included “Another Hypothesis” which, while quite different from the final game, is an interesting interpretation.

Worldview

When they die, everything abandons their physical body and becomes solely spiritual energy.

For a while this spiritual energy wanders, but gradually they meld into a larger body of spiritual energy. Like a drop of ink in a glass of water, which at first retains its shape and colour but gradually diffuses, they start to assimilate into the larger spiritual mass. This large spiritual body is, in other words, the life of the planet. The life of the planet undergoes divisions in small units. These become new lives. All life exists within this cycle.

Spiritual energy grows through a process of separation, joining and diffusion. This occurs in the same way on a biological, planetary, and galactic level. In other words, the universe is a developing giant body of spiritual energy. And when its energy increases, the universe divides a smaller mass of spiritual energy, like giving birth to a child. This is an egg for a universe. The egg goes to another dimension and ignites a big bang, and there it creates a universe and by dividing itself creates galaxies, planets, lifeforms… And it grows through the process of division and joining.

The universe didn’t begin in nothingness. It started in a state of highly concentrated, pure spiritual energy. The world of this story has turned this spiritual energy into a source of power and is at the height of its prosperity. But behind the surface the planet, due to having its spiritual energy drained out of it, is sick and verging on death.

[About magic]

On the surface magic doesn’t exist, and is something only very few people can use.  Only people with the ability to materialize spiritual energy as they will it and utilize that can cast magic. In the modern world only SOLDIER exhibits this power. The Ancients (people who flourished in ancient times) were said to be able to use magic.

[The Mako City, Midgar]

In the pitch black darkness, beams of light rise up as if that place is the opening to another dimension. The Mako City, Midgar… The cultured people, despising the slums where the lower classes gather, constructed pillars 50 meters tall, and atop a plate upon those pillars they built a city.

The size is enough to completely encompass all of Tokyo’s 23 wards, but due to rapid development it is a chaotic city with erratically constructed buildings with pipes of various widths carelessly sticking out. That said, it’s not necessarily like rows of modern buildings, it’s a world where stone pavements and pipes seemingly made up of tin-plate and strange streetlights (powered by mako energy) and gimmicky tram engines co-exist. In the center of the city stands the massive Shinra Company building. Wastelands surround the pizza-shaped circular city, and monsters sent out by Shinra keep the people of the slums from escaping.

[Note “Tokyo’s 23 wards”: Tokyo is made up of 23 separate districts which make up the city: You can read about them here.]

[Shinra Co.]

A company from a certain country, with Old Midgar as its capital. They developed and constructed weapons, and practically monopolize the defense industry. Received vast profits from a long-lasting war with  another nation (they also secretly exported weapons to the enemy country as well. The traces of this can been seen in various towns and cities afterward. Characters such as Barret notice this.)

At the start of the war they had already began practical use of mako energy. Towards the end of the war they create “SOLDIER” utilizing mako energy. Due to the actions of SOLDIER, the country on Shinra’s side obtained an all-out victory in the war.

After the war, because of their monopolizing of technology relating to mako energy, they control the country economically. After changing Midgar into a plate city, that control structure was perfected.

[Shinra’s Goal]

Shinra discovered a technology to mine the spiritual energy hidden underground. Large cylindrical structures known as mako reactors suck up the energy from underground like a well, and preform the function of purifying it. The one who took control of this energy and extended their ruling power was the Shinra (SINRA) Company, with President Shinra at its top. Making use of that financial power, they created many secret organization within the company.

[SOLDIER]

Warriors bathed in mako energy. Can use magic. An army formed to suppress regional rebel elements opposed to the construction of the mako reactors. However, what is there true motive?

The war with another nation which took place on this planet dragged on due to the strength of each country being equal. That was when SOLDIER appeared. Only those whose aptitude had been acknowledged, having been selected from the general army or civilian population and after undergoing many examinations, were able to enter the SOLDIER training facility. At the training facility, in addition to training, were also exposed to mako energy.

Although only those who had been selected in the first place could enter the SOLDIER training facility, only a handful of them manage to make it into SOLDIER. Many people, perhaps due to the mako energy, become physically and mentally ill and drop out. These were dealt with in secret. So there are an extraordinary number of accidental deaths and suicides at the training facility. (There may be some people somewhere who have successfully escaped. They may be able to tell you many secrets.)

The SOLDIER operatives who were sent to the war were an elite few, and with guerrilla warfare shifted the state of the war to favor the nation on Shinra’s side. The activities of their new weapon “SOLDIER” were broadcast in detail, and the people view SOLDIER as heroes. They are idolized by children. Cloud was also one of these children…

– After the end of the war… In an time without war, the duty of SOLDIER turned towards ‘maintaining the peace’. This of course includes ‘suppression of rebel elements’.

– Difference from the government troops… To the people the government is as good as worthless. Only Shinra will protect them. The fact is the government will do nothing for them. The government does have an army. However, the one who actually commands the army is Shinra. Just like the government, they are under Shinra’s power.