On the eve of Thanksgiving in the US, let us give thanks for the translated character profile of Zack Fair from the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania.

Zack Fair
Compilation of FFVII: FFVII – AC – BC – CC– LO

Character Profile

Sex: Male
Height: 185cm
Blood Type: O
Date of Birth: Unknown
Birthplace: Gongaga
Weapon: Sword
First Person Pronoun: 俺 [Ore]
Voice Actor: AC, CC – Kenichi Suzumura

A SOLDIER brimming with kindness, he treasures the bonds between people and would sacrifice his life without hesitation for a comrade facing a crisis. He was Aerith’s first love and close friends with Cloud and Sephiroth. Becoming one of Hojo’s samples as a result of the Nibelheim incident, he met with the last moments of his untimely death whilst escaping with Cloud. Zack’s personality had a heavy influence on the formation of Cloud’s personality when he was under Jenova’s control.

In Final Fantasy VII
The young man who holds the key to Cloud’s past.

Age: N/A

Going back to the investigation to of the Nibel Mako Reactor five years prior to the story, he was injured after trying to stop a berserk Sephiroth. He lost his life trying to escape from the clutches of ShinRa, who had been performing experiments on the bodies of Cloud and himself. Although Zack was already deceased before the start of the story, Cloud confused himself with Zack and in the process of recovering his original self, Zack’s character is also brought to light.

「 We’re friends, right? 」

The photo taken with Tifa and Sephiroth prior to the departure to the Mako Reactor. It provided and opportunity to expose the falsehood in Cloud’s memories.	Even though he had the position of an elite SOLDIER 1st Class, he open heartedly came into contact with Cloud, an ordinary trooper, and didn’t abandon him until the end, although Cloud was immobilized.

Trivia 1

The “girlfriend” reported at the parent’s house.

6-7 years prior to FFVII, Zack’s “I’ve managed to get a girlfriend” letter was left out in the parents’ home. If it was 6-7 years ago, it was about the time where he met Aerith in CC… Does that mean the girlfriend was Aerith?
________________________________________
To Dad and Mom,
How are you?
I’m sorry for suddenly rushing out of the village. The truth is that I really wanted to become a SOLDIER. I thought that saying that would worry you . . . I’m now fulfilling my dreams and working hard as a SOLDIER.

P.S. I’ve managed to get a girlfriend.

-Zack
________________________________________

[FFVII] Zack seems to have a number of female friends, but especially informing his home means there’s no doubt that the partner is a special one.	[FFVII] Showing care about the letter, Zack’s parents asked Tifa and Aerith about whether either of them were their son’s girlfriend.

「 You want to be a SOLDIER? Hang in there! 」

In Advent Children
Age: N/A

He appears in a series of scenes from Cloud’s memories and in a glimpse from the spirit world. When Cloud says “I said I’d live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise,” the memory of losing Zack has become a trigger for Cloud’s guilty thoughts. However at the end of the movie, when he sees Zack standing there, Cloud knows that his friend has been there helping him move past that negativity.

Memories of his escape with Zack rise to front of Cloud’s mind. Because Cloud was not entirely conscious during that time, his memories of how Zack saved him are heavily fragmented.

In Before Crisis
The depths of those feelings from a long time ago.

Age: 17~23

「 Never forsake your friends! 」

He was introduced as a brave and dependable SOLDIER 1st Class. Receiving direct nomination from the next most influential person after Sephiroth, President ShinRa, he took part in an operation to destroy the former AVALANCHE hideout in Icicle Lodge together with the Turk members. Also, there’s the lesser known stories behind familiar episodes such as the investigation in Nibelheim and the escape from ShinRa Manor.

He was close to the SOLDIERs whom he had been on the same mission together with only once, and even when they lost their humanity, he risked his life calling out to their consciousness to awaken.	Although he possessed outstanding skills as a swordsman, his principle was to avoid needless killing. That fact wouldn’t change even if his opponents were monsters.

The pursuers after Zack and Cloud, who had escaped from the laboratory, were none other than the Turk members whom Zack had formerly worked along side with. In order to overcome that occasion, Zack tried to appeal to their emotions and feelings but…

「 I’ll only draw my sword in times of need. Only then. 」

Compilation Check

A girl loving flirt? The other face of SOLDIER Zack.

“A guy who loves girls a lot” – That was what Aerith reflected on in FFVII, that Zack had a flirtatious streak, and was experienced in the treatment of the fairer sex. In BC, he gave compliments enough to set one’s teeth on edge to a female Turk member who was together with him on the same mission. As expected, there was a scene whereby he invited Cissnei, a young lady from the Turks, to a meal in CC. As a result of being able to surmise everything from each small deed, Aerith, who was in love with Zack, might perhaps have been jealous many times seeing all that…

[FFVII] Fleeing towards Midgar, means intending to be under the care of one of his many female friends?	[BC] Zack who was complimenting female Turk who had become his partner during Chapter 8 of BC, surprising her.

In Last Order
Zack, who continues to fight against his fate,
However, the final curtain fell suddenly.

Age: 18~23

This production, which depicts the Nibelheim Incident as well as the state of Cloud and Zack’s escape, presents Zack with a leading role. Be it dealing with Sephiroth at the Mako Reactor, or displaying magnificent sword skills against ShinRa Troopers as the opponents, the capability of a SOLDIER 1st Class is shown.

「 You are no longer the Sephiroth I once knew! 」

Zack who turned the brunt of his anger toward his comrade-in-arms who had swum in deeds unthinkable by mankind.	He fought off large numbers of soldiers by himself while protecting Cloud, who was immobilized due to Mako poisoning, and aimed toward Midgar.

「 I wouldn’t go and leave my friend behind, would I? 」

Zack, working over their plans thereafter on the deck of the truck which they were hitchhiking on. He was talking about the future with a bright expression, but just then…

In Crisis Core
Friendship, love and betrayal,
The hero who matures through undergoing various experiences.

Age: 16~23

He takes on an active role in the story as the protagonist. Still a SOLDIER 2nd Class at the point in time of the opening, he trained hard all the time, aiming to become promoted to 1st Class. Although he dreamed of becoming a hero, many incidents which he passed through prompted him to think deeply about what a hero was exactly. Apart from the conflicts surrounding his close friend, Angeal, his encounter with Aerith and exchanges between Cloud and Sephiroth amongst others bring to attention his relationship with various characters.

「 I will become a hero! 」

SOLDIER 1st Class Angeal was an important friend to Zack and a person whom he respected. However, they were cruelly torn apart by fate…

「 Angeal would never betray me! 」

Sephiroth, not only did he take up the same mission as a SOLDIER, he also shared the disconsolate thought of facing off against Angeal and Genesis.

「 With Cloud and I around, there’s nothing to fear in this region! 」

The soldier walking beside him is Cloud. Both of them built a friendship which transcended the rank gap between a SOLDIER and a normal trooper.

「 Hey, how about going on a date once? 」

Constantly hovering and surveilling Aerith is the figure of Tseng. Is a love triangle surrounding Aerith developing?	One of those defending the city from the monsters was a young lady called Cissnei, a Turk who wielded a shuriken as her weapon and whom Zack encountered and fought alongside with.

Aerith, the girl whom he met at the slum’s church. The existence of the girl, who had earnestly come to love Zack with sincerity, eventually became irreplaceable to him.

「 Embrace your dreams. And no matter what happens, never let go of your pride as a SOLDIER. 」

Trivia 1

Before Zack obtained the Buster Sword.

Zack’s weapon of choice is the enormous Buster Sword. After his demise, it was passed onto Cloud. Yet the truth is that the sword did not belong to Zack originally, but was the weapon of his close friend, Angeal. As for the whole story of how Zack became its wielder… It will all become clear in CC.

[CC] Angeal, who does not use the Buster Sword for thoughtless things. It seems he dislikes getting the sword damaged but….

Zack Map
— Gongaga
Zack’s birthplace, a village enclosed by jungle. There used to be a Mako Reactor present, but during the time when Zack was held at the ShinRa Manor, an explosion incident occurred.

— Nibelheim
The place where Zack’s fate took a sudden turn. He experienced the farewell from his friend Sephiroth, and his days as an experiment sample were inevitable.

— Midgar
Zack became a SOLDIER in this metropolis when he was a teen, and at the end, tried to return here using all his strength.

Zack Fair – Timeline
[Compilation of FFVII]

[ μ ] – εуλ 1985

• Is born. (EDITOR’S NOTE: The CC Ultimania lists Zack’s birth year as 1984)

[ μ ] – εуλ 1997

(Age 13)

• CC – Gongaga
Determined to be a SOLDIER, he heads off towards Midgar.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0000

(Age 16)

• CC – Midgar
He spent all his time on training and missions as a SOLDIER 2nd Class.

• CC – Wutai
In order to conclude the war, he joined the dispatch unit together with Angeal to replace Genesis, whose whereabouts had become unknown. He linked up with Sephiroth here.

• CC – Banora Village
He visited the birthplace of the missing Genesis together with Tseng for the purpose of investigation.

• CC – Midgar
Following the end of the Wutai War, he was promoted to 1st Class. He fell from the plate during a battle to protect the city and encountered Aerith in the Slum Church.

• CC – Modeo Valley
Dispatched to investigate the Mako mining facility, he encountered Cloud, an average ShinRa trooper who had been called to the same mission.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0002/1/16

(Age 17)

• BC – Icicle Lodge
Together with the Turks, he took part in the operation to destroy AVALANCHE’s secret hideout. He took care of his fellow SOLDIERs, Sebastian and Yishay, as their death approached.

• CC – Junon
In the midst of the battle to protect the city, he was reunited with Cloud, who had been tasked to rescue the citizens.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0002/9/22

(Age 18)

• FFVII/BC/CC/LO – Nibelheim
In order to launch a full scale investigation of the Mako Reactor at which monsters had sprung forth in large quantities, he visited the Nibel Mako Reactor together with Sephiroth and Cloud.

10/1

• FFVII/BC/CC/LO – Nibelheim
He tried to stop Sephiroth, who was running wildly and had reduced the village to ashes, but was instead defeated by him at the Mako Reactor.

• FFVII/BC/CC/LO – Nibelheim
Captured under Hojo’s instructions, he became a sample in the Sephiroth Copy Project in the basement of the ShinRa Manor.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0006/12/19

(Age 22)

• FFVII/BC/CC/LO – Nibelheim
Taking Cloud, who was experiencing Mako poisoning, he fled from the basement of the ShinRa Manor.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0007/09

• FFVII/BC/CC/LO – The Wasteland
With Midgar in sight, the army caught up with them and he was shot to death while protecting Cloud.

• AC – Midgar
In order to help Cloud recover, he assured him from the Lifestream together with Aerith.