Wow, I've watched many FF7 lore videos but this one is a gem ! The sheer attention to details (I mean, the stove being off in Cloud's home is mind-blowing), the fresh take on Cloud whose biggest weakness was his self-confidence, and so much more. Thank you for such a deep analysis !
I know, thought I saw it all by now. Truly incredible. One thing tho. Many mental disorders, of which I sadly suffer from, are on a spectrum. It's hard to guess correctly either way and is just as impossible to ever know. Even psychologists have trouble, which is why the DSM was written as a standard to having to meet at least a certain amount of stated criteria. It's the only way to get general measurements of something that can't be fully quantified. Some are comorbid with one another and can be confused, like how most my life they all said depression..when only a few years ago they now found it's bipolar disorder. Hard to tell, or gauge ar times. So it is entirely possible to carry such burdens to varying degrees, making it hard to make a strong point either way of the argument. It's not a personal hell set in black and white, but varying shades of grey. No one knows what's in our own heads, sometimes not even ourselves.
I think this is the most expansive analysis of Cloud's psychological A-Z development that I've ever seen. It mirrors a lot of my own thoughts and inferences. Not coincidentally, I was a clinical psychologist before I became disabled. So, I've had a very long time, and the necessary tools, to think about this as well. I strongly agree that Cloud's self-perceived insecurities are what kept him away from being a SOLDIER candidate in the first place. The complete memories of the Nibelheim flashback confirm, to me, that Cloud already had exceptional strength and resilience in spades; only really being hindered from SOLDIER selection by the way his developmental circumstances prevented him from self-actualizing. As you pointed out, the dev team probably didn't have a mental health professional on staff. But, you don't necessarily need to be one to imagine the circumstances that could lead to his kind of insecurities. So, I don't think it's a coincidence that the explicit and environmental storytelling paint the picture you meticulously described. I'll be heading over to watch your other video next. But, I wanted to mention that I think that there is enough evidence, within the original game, to support that some part of Cloud's semi-stable gestalt is supernatural in nature. Specifically in relation to the experimentation-which included intense Mako exposure and injections with Jenova cells-performed by Hojo. My reasons are many and varied, and I'm happy to give them and my evidence if you're interested. While I admit that the exact mechanics are left a little fuzzy, I do think that known factors are more than sufficient to validate my claim. I hope that you'll be able to continue investigating the characters from the original game, and perhaps even more. This was an incredibly lovely and well constructed video essay, and I look forward to more.
Yeah i'd love to hear them. and yeah I do think there are some super-natural elements to it (specifically Jenova cells) and I touched on that it could be a contributing factor, but didn't want to head off into the realm of speculation on how it works etc.#
Man no wonder Clouds last name is Strife, bro this man is rough life incarnate. I'm happy he was able to pull himself up but Damn man his life was tough. To be able to go through all that and still lead a some what normal life after bro Cloud is the best.
As an adult who has become very interested in psychology, how our mind works, and Buddhist ideas, playing through Rebirth I realized how great of a character Cloud is. The examination of his identity crisis and mental state was always super interesting to me as a kid, but seeing it play out in 2024 (with some phenomenal voice acting) has hit me so hard. I can’t wait to see how this story finishes. And I say this all before even watching your video. Have just started it and will comment back once I’m done! Very excited to see what you have to say.
I plan to do one on Sephiroth, and one on Hojo. I'm not sure there is enough with Tifa to make a compelling video, and what there is is mostly straightforward so i worry there wouldn't be much to analyse, but i'll definitely consider it.
Tifa is very interesting, sad and encouraging. Tifa loses her home, loved ones, and body after the nibelheim incident. Body because she spent months recovering losing all training she did to that point with Zangan. Rebuilding a life in midgar by herself, retraining and starting a bar. She makes new friends and joins avalanche. For revenge? Or because only they see how bad shinra is allowing her to talk more openly? Tifa then finds cloud, passed out on the street. Something is off about him, he knows stuff he shouldn't and where has he been this while time? Tifa keeps cloud close to figure him out but.... also cloud is her last remaining connection to her past. (In extra material, traces of two pasts, Tifa grows a foundness of cloud while he is away) Then the plate is dropped on sector 7. Tifa lost everything again. The bar Her closes friends. Taken away by shinra.... again. (First time was by Sephiroth but Sephiroth was connected to shinra at the time and tifa did also blame shinra) Cloud and Barrett are the only things left. That was my Ted talk, thank you.
Just a tip, avoid red lines at the bottom of your thumbnail. Some people may instinctually think they've already seen the vid. Great vid, can't wait for rebirth!
I skipped this video a few times. I love FF7 content so i've watched more videos than I can remember... Then tonight I noticed it was the thumbnail 😢 Almost missed this banger of a video
I also had the same thing happen, skipped it once or twice but happy I went back thinking it was my second viewing. Loved this and your previous video!
I really wish more people would watch this as Cloud is still the most misunderstood and mischaracterised character ever! It's usually people who just love to hate Cloud and who cannot understand the game that unfortunately have the loudest and most vile voices. There is a reason why Cloud has been popular for over 26 years and has been the face of the ff franchise, but as such he carries a huge target on his back and is constantly ridiculed. I just wish more Cloud fans would speak up and defend him. I'm also hoping the Remake project will make crystal clear just what a fantastic character arc Cloud goes through in becoming the true hero he really is! Sad that probably only Cloud fans will watch this! Great little video!!
@@thatstheway2429 100% agree, Are you finding an increased part of the fandom (mainly hardcore Zack dudebros) are constantly hating on Cloud's character with totally unjustified toxic comments? Cloud is just about the most well written character I have ever seen in a video game - period! It's just a shame that his character arc goes over the heads of most people who claim they have played the game!
@@cloudstruck2785 haha tbh I see far more people critiquing the ending of Rebirth than hating on Cloud. I actually think this game is making Cloud even better. I’m sure there are toxic people out there, but both in the US and Japan, Cloud is the consensus #1 favorite character. So I think he does get a lot of love 😉 (even if he’s misunderstood).
@@thatstheway2429 I'm in UK so it's really nice to hear that. I must just be unlucky with the comments I have seen on RUclips bashing Cloud's character. Thank you!
While there were a lot of good tidbits in this, the area you discussed about Cloud and his mom was really good...things that hadn't really occurred to me, probably because of the order in which they happen. In particular, when you mentioned that when his mom asks if the uniform he's wearing is a SOLDIER uniform, and the game eludes to he tells her that he never made it...and she just continues to dote and love on him anyway. What a sweet things to realize. Another great video, thank you!
You managed to put into words all that I saw and thought about Cloud when playing the game. I really enjoy the attention to detail on not only Cloud, but also the FF 7 world. I also appreciate that you stuck to the original 1997 game. This is some high-quality content and I am excited to check out the rest of your videos.
I love the detail and care you put into this deep dive, and I especially appreciate you pointing out that real-life mental illnesses are substantially different from their popular culture representations. The funniest thing I came to realize watching you summarize Cloud's journey is that he's REALLY good at falling from heights.
This is some really good stuff. Personally, I like the idea of Zack-Cloud being caused by Jenova's ability to mimic people. The mimicry manipulate Cloud's brain as he was in a catatonic state. I think it's safe to say that I have stumbled onto a great channel, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next. Let's mosey.
It's definitely possible, and is probably a factor in Clouds illusory Identity. But why choose Zack specifically? There's no benefit to doing so, who is it trying to deceive? And also, then why not turn into Zack completely, instead of just having his personality
@TheFirstLore Maybe it's part of Cloud being a "failure" and the Jenova cells weren't fully active? Cloud's mind just mimicked the last person he really got to know while he was down and out. As stated in your videos, it really is a lot more fun when the answers aren't just given to us, and we get to have discussions like this.
Few thoughts. It's been decades since I last played. So if I am wrong or misremembering things. Please correct me. As we know by the end of the game. Only Clouds memories were altered in some way. When the team gets to Nibelheim and Cloud tell everyone what happened 5 years prior. Why doesn't Tifa (whose memories are fine) not say something when Cloud puts himself in conversations and areas he wasn't in? She would have remembered Zach.
Good questions, firstly a minor correction, Cloud tells everyone of his past in Kalm, long before they go to Nibelheim itself. There's three reasons why Tifa didn't say anything: 1) She does briefly remember seeing Cloud there, he came to rescue her after she had been near fatally wounded 2) As above she was near fatally wounded and unconscious for a long time (the time it took Zangan to travel to Midgar with her). So her own memory of events will be blurry/confusing 3) If she confronted him overtly she was afraid she would lose him, and he was the only part of her past she had left. (also as she explains it's part of her personality to be indecisive/non-confrontational)
Great videos! The timing is absolutely perfect as well. Question, what platform are you playing the game on? The detail in the graphics are stunning for a game two and half decades old.
Steam on PC. Check the video description for the mods i'm using. In the last few years, some amazing Mods have come out that update the detail of or AI upscale the old graphics without betraying the art style of the original. In the years before this there was this kind of grotesque striving for realism when it came to FF7 graphical mods that totally didn't work and made the game look worse. But these recent mods are fantastic.
It is implied in Trace of Two Pasts (Nojima novel) that the fact that Cloud was disliked by the adults in his hometown is because his mother was a single mother. It is also stated that Tifa was educated to become a good wife, which she rejected by training under Zangan. Nibelheim is a conservative town. No wonder why Cloud wanted to appear like a man, and why showing emotion was labeled as a weakness.
I am going to need to go back through the game now. I think my young brain back in the late 90s didn’t get the plot so well because I found myself wanting Cloud to still be the confident merc that was introduced in the beginning. I think I actually stayed in denial of Cloud’s actual path long after Cloud moved into acceptance. I am starting to finally see how the game is so much better with accepting the actual truth.
i have a theory that remake sephiroth is our og cloud who has succumb to (the reunion) jenova cells and turned into sephiroth then travels in remake to change history so remake cloud doesnt turn and destroy the world which redxvIII saw at the end of og
After watching your video, I thought a lot about Cloud last night. Do you think if Cloud never took part in the Nibelheim Incident that he would become similar to what Sephiroth had become? Cloud generally didn't have love for many people, and really, the only difference between Cloud and Sephiroth is that Cloud eventually made many new friends, and found such great support and love amongst those in the party, which makes him really lose his disdain for people, even WITH his amnesia and memories being blocked. Sephiroth never really had anyone and wandered through life alone.
Cloud had his Mother, who was obviously a great person. and Also he did obviously care about people internally, he just couldn't show it. So I don't think so personally. But as you say it's easy to say that as life took him down a different path.
Very good video. Only thing I don't fully agree with is the idea that Cloud didn't fail SOLDIER selection physically. He could've failed the physical tests via his psychological self-doubt, and as a former servicemember I'd argue this is the most likely case. Psych batteries exist as I'm sure you know, but irl they are quite basic ans easy to pass (when administered by the DOD). The only exception being unit specific selection for "tier 1" units (which, for example, is more like the Turks than SOLDIER, which I argue is more similar to the Green Berets or a standard SEAL team). I think he probably doubted his abilities and fumbled the obstacle course or something, and then was sent infantry (instead of being sent home) due to his physical and mental fitness. Not a big disagreement at all lol Great video bro, good luck with your psych rotation.
Ive just found your channel and just wanted to say your content is fantastic! You are very well spoken and have clearly done your research regarding everything you talk about. I have a request for a video idea if it interests you? Do you think there is enough background story around all the iconic weapons in this game? The Buster Sword was passed from Angeal to Zack to Cloud and is more than "Just a sword" Sephiroths Masamune must have a backstory? Even Barret losing his arm saving his friend then getting his gun attached (I know this is a bit different but you get what I mean) Anyway.... That would be a cool video. Great content 👍
Thanks I appreciate it. Hmmm that's a tough one, i think it would very quickly become speculative and pure theory crafting, which I try to avoid. For example in FF7 we only know that the buster sword was Zacks and then Cloud took it once he died. All we know about Sephiroth's masamune is that he is the only one that can wield it. I'm not really interested in exploring anything from the expanded FF7 stuff as i don't consider it canon.
I have gotten to think that the voice really was Zack from the lifestream, or what Cloud would think Zack would say: when the voice in lower Junon asks him to try asking Tifa, then Tifa says, "oh what's going on outside!" And ignores it. But I really like the line Tifa says to herself when unconscious after the crater explosion, and she sees when she found Cloud at the train station sitting in the gutter holding his sword out. "All the things you didn't know that you should, and other things you shouldn't know that you did." I feel that is something a lot of people could get into sympathizing with, when Cloud as a kid started getting into fights with everyone. That is such a good point about Nibelheim being poor and everyone else having a heating stove and not Cloud's mom's house. And Sephiroth setting Nibelheim on fire, I just imagine him doing his ALL-FIRE 3 on it... I've also many times thought of how towns in games are probably more than what you see, you just have to use imagination, or else it does seem way underpopulated than what other things would indicate. So glad you mentioned the old guy who was former SOLDIER in Junon selling accessories and later weapons. As a kid, I totally missed that Cloud was beating Aerith, lashing out at her, some reason. Guess a lot of people do get frustrated even over little things and lash out at people around them, maybe blaming them for making them lose focus, maybe spill a glass of milk. Then she sorta forgives him, and says in the dream, "Take care of yourself. So you don't have another breakdown, okay?" Her spiritual affinity maybe lets her know Sephiroth is controlling him. And in the Remake, they have Aerith see the smoke monsters. Then, at the crater, when they get the Black Materia from the Sephiroth/Jenova piece, too bad they couldn't all turn back. Yeah the self-image homunculus, that is something, people mostly grabbing and talking. "Weak people like me get lost in the whole thing... Cloud, the master of my own illusionary world." Then, it's always funny how the people who have all the money and control, and those in the enforcement or whatever, their mental health is never brought into question, they are never considered psychotic or mentally unwell and unfit, but everyone else can be, and get liquidated for more pittance.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it is unclear who the 'voice' is, and i put that down to it's questionable presentation, it could have been handled better. But i think it is pretty clearly Cloud's inner self when you appraise everything it says to Cloud. Also in the Honeybee Inn, it is literally visually represented as Cloud in the corner of the room.
Remember just before Cloud fell through Aerith's Church a voice inside him said "Back then I only got scraped knees"? This is referring to when Cloud and Tifa fell when the were young. Tifa was in a coma for 7 days but Cloud only got scarred knees. So to me it's pretty clear it's the real Cloud talking to himself.
Definitely good points, and I guess I only thought in one playthrough maybe it could be Zack because the way it's written, "it was a great chance for the two of you to see each other again," and when Zack was talking to Cloud the Shinra grunt, but that's something Cloud could say to himself, sure. And Maybe I thought of Advent Children and Zack talking to Cloud in the fight with Sephiroth. But yes, definitely Cloud himself, that's the whole thing about his diverted personality.
@@erikofskullisland3987 I think any notions of it being Zack are usually informed by the compilation tbh. As you yourself said, you thought of a scene in AC. That sort of thing is fine for compilation enthusiasts I suppose, but it's important to remember that none of that was constructed in the context of the original game, which is why I appreciate First Lore's content so much. He is attempting to set the record straight and restore the original integrity of FF7 '97, something that gets harder and harder to do as time goes on.
@@rattlethecages yeah I do like the story as it is originally presented. I just play this game almost every year, and get a hankering for it, and I get stupid ideas. Like I said I imagine sometimes Sephiroth using his Fire-All but it was his Fire materia which was unlinked. Lol.
I really like your comparison of the cortical homunculus to the desolate nature of video game civilizations. Hardware limitations is easy enough for most people to understand, but this explanation fits well with the theme of the game. How did you think of this? What was your thought process? It seems a bit unique, at least to me.
So basically i've had thoughts on abstraction in video gaming for some time, especially around the debate between real time and turn based combat (this conversation rears its head with every new final fantasy entry and when FF7:Remake was being developed. I noticed in this debate that a lot of people fail to grasp and moreover, enjoy, the fact that turn based combat is an abstraction to represent 'real' combat. This seems especially prevalant in the younger generation of gamers, but it's not their fault, they've grown up in a video game culture where striving for realism is king. But they don't seem to grasp that even the biggest open world game or settlement or whatever in the game is still an abstraction of a larger or more dynamic or more complex thing. So in that framework disliking any video game abstraction seems asinine, but having said that of course it's okay to have preferences. So in terms of the actual analogy, I'm a medical doctor so this i guess i drew from my field of expertise to rationalise/explain the concept of abstraction in this sense.
Just a question. Does the thumbnail have a red bar at the bottom to make people think they've watched it before... Cause it worked on me and I instantly took notice. If not, do it again.
it's not supposed to haha, someone else commented this. it's just that that is the cherry red colour of the squaresoft logo so i chose it for my thumbnaul
Cloud's weakness was never physical. It was only ever mental. His insecurities are what resulted in him failing the mental tests required for entry into SOLDIER. He even says himself that he is physically built like someone in SOLDIER. And of course, by the end of the game, he is an even more capable fighter than Sephiroth.
@TheFirstLore fantastic video, as was the previous one, too! My comment was only intended to underline the point about Cloud's weakness. Looking forward to your future content!
No i definitely wouldn't go that far. He is just someone who found himself in the middle of something and rose to the occasion (eventually). Also I think the word messiah has lots of connotations that wouldn't really fit cloud or the themes of the game. However definitely parallels between Sephiroth and the idea of a Messiah.
@@TheFirstLore Well, when I say Messiah, I view it from Judaic perspective as someone who comes to change things profoundly. True, Sephiroth definitely has Messianic notions more than Cloud. And yes, Cloud doesn’t change things really, he tries for things not to fall apart too much. Though some times I see Angeal, Zach, & Cloud almost holy trinity. While Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis are literally Fallen Angels of God who happens to be Jenova. FF7 is really so deep and can be analyzed from many perspectives. Just something about it.
@@GenesRapture Ah i see, i think i don't know enough about Judaic beliefs to comment , Also can't comment on anything from the compilation of final fantasy 7 as i only consider the original piece of art canon.
This video was awesome! Can I ask, which version of FF7 is this? Is it a mod or remaster? Which platform is it on? It looks so cool, I would love to play this version
So it's the steam version of FF7 with the 7th Heaven mod launcher and some mods that improve the visuals without betraying the original artistic design. If you look in the description of my other video I have a list of all the mods active during my recording.
Agree with most and great video but where you’re wrong is he most definitely shows every single symptom of ptsd and has been through plenty of trauma that would have triggered it.
Cloud, in the OG game, is definitely heavily coded with traits that reflect things like PTSD and dissociative disorder. Thats not the same as being literallt diagnosed with mental illness, but there's a reason Cloud was the JRPG poster child for mental health issues, even before the Compilation and Remake Also, to say that characters in FF7 are just built different bcs their world is plagued by monsters devalues the very real traumas that NPCs talk about in every location. Tifa and Cloud are clearly traumatized by Nibelheim,Tifa by her mother's death, and Cloud by his isolated childhood. Granted, the Compilation and Remakes do a better job of exploring this in detail (Aerith's encounter with the Eligor and Hojo are stonach churning) bcs of better graphics and deeper focus on character backstories. I think its fair to say that Cloud is PTSD and survivor's guilt-coded, especially in Advent Children and the Remake. In the AC novels, we learn that while Cloud initially bounced back, he fell into a depressive stupor in the years following Meteorfall. He drinks to cope, sleeps in Aerith's church, and is plagued by traumatic memories of the original game and visions of Sephiroth. On top of this, he has a terminal illness and isolates himself from his friends to avoid having to confront them about both his illness and unhealthy coping mechanisms in response to Aerith's death.
Thanks to Smash Bros it introduced me to cloud, final fantasy vii is my first time experiencing an amazing story not only this had an amazing story but this game was also in inspiration to me and I guess this is the part where I start admiring the game including other fans
I like to believe that Cloud is able to over power Sephiroth because Sephiroth is using his right hand for his sword in that scene. Iaido, which is how Spehi fights, is very dominant hand based, so using his right hand combined with the initial wound Cloud inflicted, contirbuted to Cloud being able to overpower Sephiroth when his dominant hand was holding Jenova's head. Any number of other factors could've also been involved, but use your less dominant hand against ANYONE using both of their hands and see what happens.
I have loved FFVII since I was a boy and it first came out, but dang, the way that Cloud kills Sephiroth during the Nibelheim Incident will never not be hilarious to me. Sephiroth, just let go of the damn sword! He should've gone le morte d'arthur on him, and just ran himself further through on the Masamune so that he could actually close the distance and get his hands on Sephiroth
Zack Fair height: 6’2” Sephiroth height: 6’1” Cloud Strife height: 5’7” Cloud didn’t get into SOLIDER because he didn’t pass the physical. Mental resilience and physical aptitudes weren’t his shortcomings. He was just too short.
@@TheFirstLore I googled Zack’s height. I reckon it’s based on the j formation from crisis core. I dunno about you, but Cloud does seem pretty short. In the remake he seems shorter than most men NPCs.
@@dantedecastrolichi2987 My video only considers the original game canon so i can't really comment on any of that. But I believe the demo is set in Clouds past, when he was only 16 years old? Very few males reach their full height by that age
@@dantedecastrolichi2987 I know cloud is 5'7 at 21. I was referring to you saying he was shorter than other NPC's in the remake demo, which takes place when he was 16.
Definitely open to interpretation but I have to fundamentally disagree. I think it is clearly happening in the lifestream. Cloud's consciousness clearly *leaves* his body on the field map before the FMV. If it were inside Cloud's head instead we would get something akin to a zoom in on Cloud's mind. In the FMV sequence Cloud is clearly 'travelling'. The essence around Cloud has elements of green and white within it. As does the place where Cloud and Tifa reconstruct Cloud's identity, which we know for sure is in the lifestream. And remember this is lifestream as it is represented as a metaphysical plane. Not just the purely physical plane (where yes it is a paleish green). Also, after the battle with Sephiroth, Cloud is surrounded by a swirling substance, and Cloud literally says "Lifestream?". Furthermore it is established that ones consciousness can travel the lifestream, Sephiroth has done it, Cloud and Tifa have done it also and we experienced with them. At no other point in the game does anyone ever travel through or have a battle within their own mind, there is no precedent. So again, We can't know definitively, but on the balance of the evidence, Saying it takes place within Cloud's mind is incorrect.
No need to be passive aggressive about my decision. Please watch my previous video Intro to understand my rationale. Then come back with a reasoned argument as to why you think this was a mistake.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow, I've watched many FF7 lore videos but this one is a gem ! The sheer attention to details (I mean, the stove being off in Cloud's home is mind-blowing), the fresh take on Cloud whose biggest weakness was his self-confidence, and so much more. Thank you for such a deep analysis !
Never Meet Your Hero's is a trophy in Rebirth after completing the Nibehime section of the game.
You got this game figured out dude. Good job.
This is some high quality FF7 content. It's never to late to enter the game when talking about a masterpiece.
I know, thought I saw it all by now. Truly incredible.
One thing tho. Many mental disorders, of which I sadly suffer from, are on a spectrum. It's hard to guess correctly either way and is just as impossible to ever know. Even psychologists have trouble, which is why the DSM was written as a standard to having to meet at least a certain amount of stated criteria. It's the only way to get general measurements of something that can't be fully quantified. Some are comorbid with one another and can be confused, like how most my life they all said depression..when only a few years ago they now found it's bipolar disorder. Hard to tell, or gauge ar times. So it is entirely possible to carry such burdens to varying degrees, making it hard to make a strong point either way of the argument. It's not a personal hell set in black and white, but varying shades of grey. No one knows what's in our own heads, sometimes not even ourselves.
I think this is the most expansive analysis of Cloud's psychological A-Z development that I've ever seen. It mirrors a lot of my own thoughts and inferences. Not coincidentally, I was a clinical psychologist before I became disabled. So, I've had a very long time, and the necessary tools, to think about this as well.
I strongly agree that Cloud's self-perceived insecurities are what kept him away from being a SOLDIER candidate in the first place. The complete memories of the Nibelheim flashback confirm, to me, that Cloud already had exceptional strength and resilience in spades; only really being hindered from SOLDIER selection by the way his developmental circumstances prevented him from self-actualizing.
As you pointed out, the dev team probably didn't have a mental health professional on staff. But, you don't necessarily need to be one to imagine the circumstances that could lead to his kind of insecurities. So, I don't think it's a coincidence that the explicit and environmental storytelling paint the picture you meticulously described.
I'll be heading over to watch your other video next. But, I wanted to mention that I think that there is enough evidence, within the original game, to support that some part of Cloud's semi-stable gestalt is supernatural in nature. Specifically in relation to the experimentation-which included intense Mako exposure and injections with Jenova cells-performed by Hojo.
My reasons are many and varied, and I'm happy to give them and my evidence if you're interested. While I admit that the exact mechanics are left a little fuzzy, I do think that known factors are more than sufficient to validate my claim.
I hope that you'll be able to continue investigating the characters from the original game, and perhaps even more. This was an incredibly lovely and well constructed video essay, and I look forward to more.
Yeah i'd love to hear them. and yeah I do think there are some super-natural elements to it (specifically Jenova cells) and I touched on that it could be a contributing factor, but didn't want to head off into the realm of speculation on how it works etc.#
I never thought about it much, but man, Cloud’s mother was truly a great person
My favorite game, my favorite character and my favorite video of the poster boy. Great stuff! Hats off.
Man no wonder Clouds last name is Strife, bro this man is rough life incarnate. I'm happy he was able to pull himself up but Damn man his life was tough. To be able to go through all that and still lead a some what normal life after bro Cloud is the best.
Oh hell effing yes. The timing of this couldnt be better and the content is so awesome. Can't wait to see what's next! ❤❤
Thanks for watching and enjoying, don't forget to check out my prior video!
Best breakdown of Cloud's backstory and personality inconsistencies on the internet. Keep up the great work!
Thanks, appreciate it
I cried a bit. That was such a treat, thank you for this wonderful video, you put a lot of work and research in it
20:00 After playing the demo of Rebirth, you absolutely nailed this on the head
As an adult who has become very interested in psychology, how our mind works, and Buddhist ideas, playing through Rebirth I realized how great of a character Cloud is.
The examination of his identity crisis and mental state was always super interesting to me as a kid, but seeing it play out in 2024 (with some phenomenal voice acting) has hit me so hard.
I can’t wait to see how this story finishes.
And I say this all before even watching your video. Have just started it and will comment back once I’m done! Very excited to see what you have to say.
Been waiting for this! Watching now.
Love this kind of applied psychology videos. It'd be great to see one on Tifa. I've always found her tremendously interesting
I plan to do one on Sephiroth, and one on Hojo. I'm not sure there is enough with Tifa to make a compelling video, and what there is is mostly straightforward so i worry there wouldn't be much to analyse, but i'll definitely consider it.
Tifa is very interesting, sad and encouraging.
Tifa loses her home, loved ones, and body after the nibelheim incident.
Body because she spent months recovering losing all training she did to that point with Zangan.
Rebuilding a life in midgar by herself, retraining and starting a bar.
She makes new friends and joins avalanche.
For revenge? Or because only they see how bad shinra is allowing her to talk more openly?
Tifa then finds cloud, passed out on the street.
Something is off about him, he knows stuff he shouldn't and where has he been this while time?
Tifa keeps cloud close to figure him out but.... also cloud is her last remaining connection to her past. (In extra material, traces of two pasts, Tifa grows a foundness of cloud while he is away)
Then the plate is dropped on sector 7.
Tifa lost everything again.
The bar
Her closes friends.
Taken away by shinra.... again.
(First time was by Sephiroth but Sephiroth was connected to shinra at the time and tifa did also blame shinra)
Cloud and Barrett are the only things left.
That was my Ted talk, thank you.
Just a tip, avoid red lines at the bottom of your thumbnail. Some people may instinctually think they've already seen the vid. Great vid, can't wait for rebirth!
that's a good point actually ahah, but i really like the layout
I skipped this video a few times.
I love FF7 content so i've watched more videos than I can remember...
Then tonight I noticed it was the thumbnail 😢
Almost missed this banger of a video
@@BishopCDN I'm still in denial about having to change the layout 😅
I also had the same thing happen, skipped it once or twice but happy I went back thinking it was my second viewing. Loved this and your previous video!
Skipped it for a week
Amazing video! Very interesting and well put together
Please check out my other video?
@@TheFirstLore I’m watching it right now as I type this ! 🤠
I really wish more people would watch this as Cloud is still the most misunderstood and mischaracterised character ever! It's usually people who just love to hate Cloud and who cannot understand the game that unfortunately have the loudest and most vile voices. There is a reason why Cloud has been popular for over 26 years and has been the face of the ff franchise, but as such he carries a huge target on his back and is constantly ridiculed. I just wish more Cloud fans would speak up and defend him. I'm also hoping the Remake project will make crystal clear just what a fantastic character arc Cloud goes through in becoming the true hero he really is! Sad that probably only Cloud fans will watch this! Great little video!!
Best main character of any game I’ve ever played.
@@thatstheway2429 100% agree, Are you finding an increased part of the fandom (mainly hardcore Zack dudebros) are constantly hating on Cloud's character with totally unjustified toxic comments? Cloud is just about the most well written character I have ever seen in a video game - period! It's just a shame that his character arc goes over the heads of most people who claim they have played the game!
@@cloudstruck2785 haha tbh I see far more people critiquing the ending of Rebirth than hating on Cloud.
I actually think this game is making Cloud even better.
I’m sure there are toxic people out there, but both in the US and Japan, Cloud is the consensus #1 favorite character. So I think he does get a lot of love 😉 (even if he’s misunderstood).
@@thatstheway2429 I'm in UK so it's really nice to hear that. I must just be unlucky with the comments I have seen on RUclips bashing Cloud's character. Thank you!
Underrated video. Thanks for taking the time to make this. More, please
Gotta say, your video was a fresh take on Cloud's character ark, and I thought I knew everything about him. Great analysis and work you put into it.
thanks!
While there were a lot of good tidbits in this, the area you discussed about Cloud and his mom was really good...things that hadn't really occurred to me, probably because of the order in which they happen. In particular, when you mentioned that when his mom asks if the uniform he's wearing is a SOLDIER uniform, and the game eludes to he tells her that he never made it...and she just continues to dote and love on him anyway. What a sweet things to realize. Another great video, thank you!
Happy to be subscriber #200. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, means a lot
@@TheFirstLore Expect many more !
Damn bro this is insane. You really put a lot of time in this. Great video
You managed to put into words all that I saw and thought about Cloud when playing the game. I really enjoy the attention to detail on not only Cloud, but also the FF 7 world. I also appreciate that you stuck to the original 1997 game.
This is some high-quality content and I am excited to check out the rest of your videos.
I love the detail and care you put into this deep dive, and I especially appreciate you pointing out that real-life mental illnesses are substantially different from their popular culture representations. The funniest thing I came to realize watching you summarize Cloud's journey is that he's REALLY good at falling from heights.
This is some really good stuff.
Personally, I like the idea of Zack-Cloud being caused by Jenova's ability to mimic people. The mimicry manipulate Cloud's brain as he was in a catatonic state.
I think it's safe to say that I have stumbled onto a great channel, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next. Let's mosey.
It's definitely possible, and is probably a factor in Clouds illusory Identity. But why choose Zack specifically? There's no benefit to doing so, who is it trying to deceive? And also, then why not turn into Zack completely, instead of just having his personality
@TheFirstLore Maybe it's part of Cloud being a "failure" and the Jenova cells weren't fully active? Cloud's mind just mimicked the last person he really got to know while he was down and out.
As stated in your videos, it really is a lot more fun when the answers aren't just given to us, and we get to have discussions like this.
Few thoughts. It's been decades since I last played. So if I am wrong or misremembering things. Please correct me. As we know by the end of the game. Only Clouds memories were altered in some way. When the team gets to Nibelheim and Cloud tell everyone what happened 5 years prior. Why doesn't Tifa (whose memories are fine) not say something when Cloud puts himself in conversations and areas he wasn't in? She would have remembered Zach.
Good questions, firstly a minor correction, Cloud tells everyone of his past in Kalm, long before they go to Nibelheim itself.
There's three reasons why Tifa didn't say anything:
1) She does briefly remember seeing Cloud there, he came to rescue her after she had been near fatally wounded
2) As above she was near fatally wounded and unconscious for a long time (the time it took Zangan to travel to Midgar with her). So her own memory of events will be blurry/confusing
3) If she confronted him overtly she was afraid she would lose him, and he was the only part of her past she had left. (also as she explains it's part of her personality to be indecisive/non-confrontational)
This is an amazing deep-dive into Cloud's psychology. I hope you do more, like Squall maybe?
Plan to do Sephiroth & Hojo so far (seperately)
Love Nomura's original artwork
Great analysis, loved the video!
this was so good. I look forward to your future videos
Great videos! The timing is absolutely perfect as well.
Question, what platform are you playing the game on? The detail in the graphics are stunning for a game two and half decades old.
Steam on PC. Check the video description for the mods i'm using. In the last few years, some amazing Mods have come out that update the detail of or AI upscale the old graphics without betraying the art style of the original. In the years before this there was this kind of grotesque striving for realism when it came to FF7 graphical mods that totally didn't work and made the game look worse. But these recent mods are fantastic.
This was REALLY, REALLY good!
It is implied in Trace of Two Pasts (Nojima novel) that the fact that Cloud was disliked by the adults in his hometown is because his mother was a single mother. It is also stated that Tifa was educated to become a good wife, which she rejected by training under Zangan. Nibelheim is a conservative town. No wonder why Cloud wanted to appear like a man, and why showing emotion was labeled as a weakness.
in my analysis i don't take the further works to be canon but still very interesting!
Fantastic video, I love so much of what you talk about, thank you for making this.
I am going to need to go back through the game now. I think my young brain back in the late 90s didn’t get the plot so well because I found myself wanting Cloud to still be the confident merc that was introduced in the beginning. I think I actually stayed in denial of Cloud’s actual path long after Cloud moved into acceptance. I am starting to finally see how the game is so much better with accepting the actual truth.
I know youre busy so make content at your own pace, bro. I like it.
Great video! Keep em up!
i have a theory that remake sephiroth is our og cloud who has succumb to (the reunion) jenova cells and turned into sephiroth then travels in remake to change history so remake cloud doesnt turn and destroy the world which redxvIII saw at the end of og
All theories are welcome but i can't personally comment on anything related to the later works as i don't consider them Canon!
Thats such a fun theory 😁
That is really interesting. If you want to develop it with facts, I will be happy to hear. ❤
After watching your video, I thought a lot about Cloud last night. Do you think if Cloud never took part in the Nibelheim Incident that he would become similar to what Sephiroth had become? Cloud generally didn't have love for many people, and really, the only difference between Cloud and Sephiroth is that Cloud eventually made many new friends, and found such great support and love amongst those in the party, which makes him really lose his disdain for people, even WITH his amnesia and memories being blocked. Sephiroth never really had anyone and wandered through life alone.
Cloud had his Mother, who was obviously a great person. and Also he did obviously care about people internally, he just couldn't show it. So I don't think so personally. But as you say it's easy to say that as life took him down a different path.
I love this Video. Cloud Strife is my favorite protagonist Ever. U did an amazing job with this video
Appreciate it thank you
19:00 dude i never knew that... i got spine chills
Very good video.
Only thing I don't fully agree with is the idea that Cloud didn't fail SOLDIER selection physically. He could've failed the physical tests via his psychological self-doubt, and as a former servicemember I'd argue this is the most likely case. Psych batteries exist as I'm sure you know, but irl they are quite basic ans easy to pass (when administered by the DOD). The only exception being unit specific selection for "tier 1" units (which, for example, is more like the Turks than SOLDIER, which I argue is more similar to the Green Berets or a standard SEAL team).
I think he probably doubted his abilities and fumbled the obstacle course or something, and then was sent infantry (instead of being sent home) due to his physical and mental fitness.
Not a big disagreement at all lol
Great video bro, good luck with your psych rotation.
Ive just found your channel and just wanted to say your content is fantastic! You are very well spoken and have clearly done your research regarding everything you talk about. I have a request for a video idea if it interests you? Do you think there is enough background story around all the iconic weapons in this game? The Buster Sword was passed from Angeal to Zack to Cloud and is more than "Just a sword" Sephiroths Masamune must have a backstory? Even Barret losing his arm saving his friend then getting his gun attached (I know this is a bit different but you get what I mean) Anyway.... That would be a cool video. Great content 👍
Thanks I appreciate it. Hmmm that's a tough one, i think it would very quickly become speculative and pure theory crafting, which I try to avoid. For example in FF7 we only know that the buster sword was Zacks and then Cloud took it once he died. All we know about Sephiroth's masamune is that he is the only one that can wield it. I'm not really interested in exploring anything from the expanded FF7 stuff as i don't consider it canon.
Never forgot the year this came out
I was 18
I have gotten to think that the voice really was Zack from the lifestream, or what Cloud would think Zack would say: when the voice in lower Junon asks him to try asking Tifa, then Tifa says, "oh what's going on outside!" And ignores it.
But I really like the line Tifa says to herself when unconscious after the crater explosion, and she sees when she found Cloud at the train station sitting in the gutter holding his sword out. "All the things you didn't know that you should, and other things you shouldn't know that you did."
I feel that is something a lot of people could get into sympathizing with, when Cloud as a kid started getting into fights with everyone.
That is such a good point about Nibelheim being poor and everyone else having a heating stove and not Cloud's mom's house.
And Sephiroth setting Nibelheim on fire, I just imagine him doing his ALL-FIRE 3 on it...
I've also many times thought of how towns in games are probably more than what you see, you just have to use imagination, or else it does seem way underpopulated than what other things would indicate.
So glad you mentioned the old guy who was former SOLDIER in Junon selling accessories and later weapons.
As a kid, I totally missed that Cloud was beating Aerith, lashing out at her, some reason. Guess a lot of people do get frustrated even over little things and lash out at people around them, maybe blaming them for making them lose focus, maybe spill a glass of milk. Then she sorta forgives him, and says in the dream, "Take care of yourself. So you don't have another breakdown, okay?" Her spiritual affinity maybe lets her know Sephiroth is controlling him. And in the Remake, they have Aerith see the smoke monsters.
Then, at the crater, when they get the Black Materia from the Sephiroth/Jenova piece, too bad they couldn't all turn back.
Yeah the self-image homunculus, that is something, people mostly grabbing and talking.
"Weak people like me get lost in the whole thing... Cloud, the master of my own illusionary world."
Then, it's always funny how the people who have all the money and control, and those in the enforcement or whatever, their mental health is never brought into question, they are never considered psychotic or mentally unwell and unfit, but everyone else can be, and get liquidated for more pittance.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it is unclear who the 'voice' is, and i put that down to it's questionable presentation, it could have been handled better. But i think it is pretty clearly Cloud's inner self when you appraise everything it says to Cloud. Also in the Honeybee Inn, it is literally visually represented as Cloud in the corner of the room.
Remember just before Cloud fell through Aerith's Church a voice inside him said "Back then I only got scraped knees"? This is referring to when Cloud and Tifa fell when the were young. Tifa was in a coma for 7 days but Cloud only got scarred knees. So to me it's pretty clear it's the real Cloud talking to himself.
Definitely good points, and I guess I only thought in one playthrough maybe it could be Zack because the way it's written, "it was a great chance for the two of you to see each other again," and when Zack was talking to Cloud the Shinra grunt, but that's something Cloud could say to himself, sure. And Maybe I thought of Advent Children and Zack talking to Cloud in the fight with Sephiroth. But yes, definitely Cloud himself, that's the whole thing about his diverted personality.
@@erikofskullisland3987 I think any notions of it being Zack are usually informed by the compilation tbh. As you yourself said, you thought of a scene in AC. That sort of thing is fine for compilation enthusiasts I suppose, but it's important to remember that none of that was constructed in the context of the original game, which is why I appreciate First Lore's content so much. He is attempting to set the record straight and restore the original integrity of FF7 '97, something that gets harder and harder to do as time goes on.
@@rattlethecages yeah I do like the story as it is originally presented. I just play this game almost every year, and get a hankering for it, and I get stupid ideas. Like I said I imagine sometimes Sephiroth using his Fire-All but it was his Fire materia which was unlinked. Lol.
Great content
This is on a very high quality level
I really like your comparison of the cortical homunculus to the desolate nature of video game civilizations. Hardware limitations is easy enough for most people to understand, but this explanation fits well with the theme of the game.
How did you think of this? What was your thought process? It seems a bit unique, at least to me.
So basically i've had thoughts on abstraction in video gaming for some time, especially around the debate between real time and turn based combat (this conversation rears its head with every new final fantasy entry and when FF7:Remake was being developed. I noticed in this debate that a lot of people fail to grasp and moreover, enjoy, the fact that turn based combat is an abstraction to represent 'real' combat.
This seems especially prevalant in the younger generation of gamers, but it's not their fault, they've grown up in a video game culture where striving for realism is king. But they don't seem to grasp that even the biggest open world game or settlement or whatever in the game is still an abstraction of a larger or more dynamic or more complex thing. So in that framework disliking any video game abstraction seems asinine, but having said that of course it's okay to have preferences.
So in terms of the actual analogy, I'm a medical doctor so this i guess i drew from my field of expertise to rationalise/explain the concept of abstraction in this sense.
I agree, never thought of it that way but it seems so logical
Easy sub. Great job.
Just a question. Does the thumbnail have a red bar at the bottom to make people think they've watched it before... Cause it worked on me and I instantly took notice. If not, do it again.
it's not supposed to haha, someone else commented this. it's just that that is the cherry red colour of the squaresoft logo so i chose it for my thumbnaul
@@TheFirstLore It's perfect!
Sorry you were at 777 subs but I had to go ahead and bump that up !
No more lucky 7's :(
Cloud's weakness was never physical. It was only ever mental.
His insecurities are what resulted in him failing the mental tests required for entry into SOLDIER.
He even says himself that he is physically built like someone in SOLDIER. And of course, by the end of the game, he is an even more capable fighter than Sephiroth.
I'm not sure if you've finished the video, but that's pretty much the conclusion I also came to.
@TheFirstLore fantastic video, as was the previous one, too!
My comment was only intended to underline the point about Cloud's weakness.
Looking forward to your future content!
Very interesting analysis man. Good job. Would you consider Cloud as an actual Messiah of this world? Going from OG to Advent Children that is.
No i definitely wouldn't go that far. He is just someone who found himself in the middle of something and rose to the occasion (eventually). Also I think the word messiah has lots of connotations that wouldn't really fit cloud or the themes of the game. However definitely parallels between Sephiroth and the idea of a Messiah.
@@TheFirstLore Well, when I say Messiah, I view it from Judaic perspective as someone who comes to change things profoundly. True, Sephiroth definitely has Messianic notions more than Cloud. And yes, Cloud doesn’t change things really, he tries for things not to fall apart too much. Though some times I see Angeal, Zach, & Cloud almost holy trinity. While Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis are literally Fallen Angels of God who happens to be Jenova.
FF7 is really so deep and can be analyzed from many perspectives. Just something about it.
@@GenesRapture Ah i see, i think i don't know enough about Judaic beliefs to comment , Also can't comment on anything from the compilation of final fantasy 7 as i only consider the original piece of art canon.
@@TheFirstLore Fair enough. I’m beginning my journey thru FF7 more on a deeper level than just a game. Look forward to you other videos.
This video was awesome! Can I ask, which version of FF7 is this? Is it a mod or remaster? Which platform is it on? It looks so cool, I would love to play this version
So it's the steam version of FF7 with the 7th Heaven mod launcher and some mods that improve the visuals without betraying the original artistic design. If you look in the description of my other video I have a list of all the mods active during my recording.
@@TheFirstLore Thank you!
My favorite gaming protagonist ever
Agree with most and great video but where you’re wrong is he most definitely shows every single symptom of ptsd and has been through plenty of trauma that would have triggered it.
Thank for watching! What's your source/credentials on this out of interest?
23:10 it's called a Final Attack, Cloud's just happened to be special.
but cloud didn't have Final Attack Materia equipped!
Nice video.
Thanks, let me know what you think of my previous video!
Cloud, in the OG game, is definitely heavily coded with traits that reflect things like PTSD and dissociative disorder. Thats not the same as being literallt diagnosed with mental illness, but there's a reason Cloud was the JRPG poster child for mental health issues, even before the Compilation and Remake
Also, to say that characters in FF7 are just built different bcs their world is plagued by monsters devalues the very real traumas that NPCs talk about in every location. Tifa and Cloud are clearly traumatized by Nibelheim,Tifa by her mother's death, and Cloud by his isolated childhood. Granted, the Compilation and Remakes do a better job of exploring this in detail (Aerith's encounter with the Eligor and Hojo are stonach churning) bcs of better graphics and deeper focus on character backstories.
I think its fair to say that Cloud is PTSD and survivor's guilt-coded, especially in Advent Children and the Remake. In the AC novels, we learn that while Cloud initially bounced back, he fell into a depressive stupor in the years following Meteorfall. He drinks to cope, sleeps in Aerith's church, and is plagued by traumatic memories of the original game and visions of Sephiroth. On top of this, he has a terminal illness and isolates himself from his friends to avoid having to confront them about both his illness and unhealthy coping mechanisms in response to Aerith's death.
Thanks for watching! I don't consider the expanded ff7 works in my analysis unfortunately.
Thanks to Smash Bros it introduced me to cloud, final fantasy vii is my first time experiencing an amazing story not only this had an amazing story but this game was also in inspiration to me and I guess this is the part where I start admiring the game including other fans
Cloud is my main in ultimate! Although I haven't played in many years
I like to believe that Cloud is able to over power Sephiroth because Sephiroth is using his right hand for his sword in that scene. Iaido, which is how Spehi fights, is very dominant hand based, so using his right hand combined with the initial wound Cloud inflicted, contirbuted to Cloud being able to overpower Sephiroth when his dominant hand was holding Jenova's head. Any number of other factors could've also been involved, but use your less dominant hand against ANYONE using both of their hands and see what happens.
very very cool, never noticed this
I have loved FFVII since I was a boy and it first came out, but dang, the way that Cloud kills Sephiroth during the Nibelheim Incident will never not be hilarious to me. Sephiroth, just let go of the damn sword!
He should've gone le morte d'arthur on him, and just ran himself further through on the Masamune so that he could actually close the distance and get his hands on Sephiroth
Good video.
Thanks! please check out my prior video and tell me what you think!
He was broken and then he wasn't
13:00 it clicked for me here
Bravo
Zack Fair height: 6’2”
Sephiroth height: 6’1”
Cloud Strife height: 5’7”
Cloud didn’t get into SOLIDER because he didn’t pass the physical. Mental resilience and physical aptitudes weren’t his shortcomings. He was just too short.
Cloud is average height for a Japanese man, also we have no idea what Zacks height is hehe
@@TheFirstLore I googled Zack’s height. I reckon it’s based on the j formation from crisis core.
I dunno about you, but Cloud does seem pretty short. In the remake he seems shorter than most men NPCs.
@@dantedecastrolichi2987 My video only considers the original game canon so i can't really comment on any of that. But I believe the demo is set in Clouds past, when he was only 16 years old? Very few males reach their full height by that age
@@TheFirstLore cloud’s height is from the manual. It’s safe to assume that this measurement was based on when he was 21 during the events of FF7.
@@dantedecastrolichi2987 I know cloud is 5'7 at 21. I was referring to you saying he was shorter than other NPC's in the remake demo, which takes place when he was 16.
Pre-emptive materia 🤯
cloud has amnesia level: takes someone elses identity
The final showdown is within Clouds own mind, not the lifestream. Lifestream is green, not white.
Definitely open to interpretation but I have to fundamentally disagree. I think it is clearly happening in the lifestream. Cloud's consciousness clearly *leaves* his body on the field map before the FMV. If it were inside Cloud's head instead we would get something akin to a zoom in on Cloud's mind. In the FMV sequence Cloud is clearly 'travelling'. The essence around Cloud has elements of green and white within it. As does the place where Cloud and Tifa reconstruct Cloud's identity, which we know for sure is in the lifestream. And remember this is lifestream as it is represented as a metaphysical plane. Not just the purely physical plane (where yes it is a paleish green). Also, after the battle with Sephiroth, Cloud is surrounded by a swirling substance, and Cloud literally says "Lifestream?". Furthermore it is established that ones consciousness can travel the lifestream, Sephiroth has done it, Cloud and Tifa have done it also and we experienced with them. At no other point in the game does anyone ever travel through or have a battle within their own mind, there is no precedent. So again, We can't know definitively, but on the balance of the evidence, Saying it takes place within Cloud's mind is incorrect.
Good details but too academic! You don’t need to disclose whether you are professional at diagnosing psyche stuff!
I am not a design 😂😂😂
Why do the long robes make him gay?
If youre going to ignore two decades of lore, your work is incomplete.
Come back to us when you deserve to earm your grade.
No need to be passive aggressive about my decision. Please watch my previous video Intro to understand my rationale. Then come back with a reasoned argument as to why you think this was a mistake.
Thank you for such an insightful comment, great FF7-ologist. Can't wait to read your 3-part encyclopedia on the matter.
@@solipsisme8472 12-part, actually