Final Fantasy VII 033 - Cloud's True Past

So uhh... where's Genesis in all this?
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System: PS1 to be played on PS3
Language: EN
Playthrough: First (shocking I know, I've never played FF7 before)

[@aldwyck7177]

Cloud finds himself again. Best part of the entire game. The moment he took off his helmet...

[@estania]

I know!!! This was my favourite part of the game. My eyes watered when I got to this part. Holy moly.

[@dannyv2230]

This game is such a masterpiece that it is not only hard to pick a best moment, but also a best song in the game. I could go on forever about the greatest moments in the game but it would be easier to just play the game since it is all amazing.

[@uncannyplays1220]

That moment solidified the 20 year long love I've had for this game

[@beautifulsoul9477]

What's the track called that played when that happened?

[@aldwyck7177]

@@beautifulsoul9477 I do believe it's just a part of the over world theme. When you're out running around, if you listen to the music long enough you'll hear it.

[@Frost-259]

Personally always loved this part the most. Finding out the truth about what really happened. But knowing that Cloud was always there, watching over Tifa. Hiding his face cause he was ashamed he wasn't the hero he wanted to be like sephiroth. But when the chips were down and he watched his hero become a monster Cloud became the hero he needed to be.

[@KozyKool2287]

Well said.

[@JoeyLuckyBoyNato]

Frost 259 beautifully said

[@jeffk1722]

They did well to have a few guards accompanying characters throughout the game, so you don't think much of the extra one walking around with Tifa, Sephiroth, and Zack (Cloud in the original memory).

[@megasean3000]

Frost 259 Being a hero isn’t something you choose to be, but made to be.

[@jaybomb5638]

Yes

[@zeaferjones1404]

Sephiroth only told Cloud half the truth because he was embarrassed that he was defeated by an ordinary dude. Its during this scene you realize it isn't Sephiroth that torments Clouds mind its Cloud who torments Sephiroth's mind. When Cloud was a first class soldier it made sense how Sephiroth knew so much about him but Sephiroth knowing so much about Cloud the ordinary foot soldier proves that Sephiroth is bitter about the whole thing.

[@holitinne]

Zeafer Jones that’s what I thought too, he was bested by someone he considers weak. In his intoxicated state of vanity and lust Sephiroth was impaled by a normal human being. This why FFVII is the best. It’s a story of perseverance against astronomical odds.

[@starvoltnexus3139]

Hey your right

[@Soki7000]

That’s actually a very good point

[@galten7361]

Cloud and Sephiroth are two sides of the same coin. They're both weapons of Shinra who put up personas around others so they see them the way each wants to be seen. In the Japanese version the two even share the same maniacal laughter. Cloud defeating Sephiroth in Mt. Nibel's reactor was an affront to all Sephiroth built himself into as a man. He couldn't forgive that a lowly grunt did so, so he sought to ruin that grunt (hence roping him into his plans even though he never needed him to begin with).

[@Jonbo117]

@@galten7361 Yeah you're right. He could have fulfilled his plans without cloud every step of the way. Even the black materia and the reunion could've gone off without him. Salty Sephiroth is salty hah

[@KoKoYoung]

This was the moment when I realized what FF7 is truly about. It's about accepting who you are and being true to yourself.

[@iam4026]

Another thing I also realised what FF7 is about is that the hero you’ve always wanted to meet is much more similar to you than you think, and you can be your own hero greater than he is

[@redsterxwarrior7197]

I know it's late, but I feel like the accepting yourself plot is more of the plot of Cloud as a character

[@elderchief8576]

I thought it is about be positive and dream big, act like it and soon you will achieve your dream

[@KoKoYoung]

@@elderchief8576 lmao this is not a shonan

[@Cuentaparaperdereltiemp0]

Accepting yourself?! Gurl no… it’s about loss. Cloud erased his memories and made Zacks Life and memories his own after the trauma of loosing his best friend and his family. All the game is about loss. Believe it or not things like this happen to people in real life. Loss and trauma are very powerful

[@spotter121877]

There's just something so charming about how they had the pixelated characters conveying their emotions and behaviors back in the day.

[@TheSlammurai]

I love how even though the main theme starts when Cloud takes off the helmet, the build-up continues to loop until Cloud resists and picks up Sephiroth. Then the music finally reaches its crescendo when Sephiroth is about to be thrown off.

[@timmoh]

TheSlammurai Pure genius

[@terutend077]

What’s even cooler is that the newer ports of the game found on PS4/Switch/Xbone, they lock you out of the 3X speed up feature during this scene, so the musical timing remains

[@XIIIMPC]

@@terutend077 That is so cool. I love that. The timing makes the moment so triumphant. Not only in the past of Cloud beating Sephiroth, but also the present of Cloud regaining his memories, the reassurance that he's not just some random clone in the shape of Cloud. And that music swell hammers that home.

[@Sawngawkuh]

@@terutend077 Unfortunately, the timing doesn't remain. Because the remaster is built on a wonkier build that the original PC version used (due to Square scrapping work quickly back in the 90s), the loop is completely messed up and the climax of the piece happens early. Depending on certain patches, the triumphant moment would either be accompanied by Mako Reactor or just silence now.

[@nataliealtemose9191]

Drives me to tears every time. How did they do that?

[@FallicIdol]

The whole time, Sephiroth, the unbeatable soldier, was afraid of Cloud. Cloud was superior all along

[@USMCHelloKitty]

Cloud never became the hero he wanted to be. But he was always the hero Tifa needed.

[@BlackWingedSeraphX]

It was such a big twist for me as a young gamer at that time. I thought this was one of the best stories ever. So Cloud was there! Just not the Soldier with the big sword! I got chills when I first saw it

[@phralvim]

BlackWingedSeraph it was enginious

[@chadmarx7718]

Zack's alive in the fukin remake. Utter horseshit. And the voice actor does bot capture the zack we all know. And the new zack's eyes look too flat.

[@bantenggila1154]

@@chadmarx7718 nope it's just flashback. Part of Cloud Memory.

[@lordrald09]

@@bantenggila1154 Nope, in crisis core, Zack dies shortly after he annihilates the shinra grunts and talks to Cloud for the last time telling him to be "his legacy". In the remake's ending, it shows a different timeline where Zack lives and he is seen carrying an unconscious Cloud out of the battlefield

[@sleepyclaus3750]

I heard people saying that at the end of the remake, the 'rain' thing meant that Zack's death was closer

[@Kwendtster]

The scene where Cloud throws Sephiroth into the Mako still gives me shivers! When I was a kid, it was a powerful scene, and it remains so. Thank you for the upload!

[@rvlast]

+Kwendtster No prob.

[@ZonnexNecton]

The music to that moment is absent in the HD version. Unless a lot of folks voiced the issue, SquareEnix will not address it.

[@rychito7207]

Just finished the remaster and i was dissappointed that i might have remembered this scene wrong for the last 22 years, that exact moment makes a lot of difference

[@zachweidenbach]

@@ZonnexNecton The main theme of FFVII is also sometimes referred to as Cloud's theme. I think how it was used in this scene where he gets the better of Sephiroth makes it his theme. Such a shame that in the FFVII Last Order retelling of this, Sephiroth just jumps into the mako pit on his own. It ruined what made Cloud great in that moment. Hopefully the remake doesn't bungle this moment, which I think is the best moment of the original story.

[@marche800]

The music does wonders for that scene

[@murdock8694]

I still love that moment where Tifa is waiting for them to first arive, hoping to see Cloud, but he hides in his mask out of shame. Felt weak, but ended up being a total badass.

[@LangdonOrr]

These scenes single handedly show why Tifa is one of the most vital characters to the plot. Without her, Cloud wouldn’t be able to move on from his identity crisis and correctly remember what happened during his visit in Nibelheim. Tifa not only saved the Planet; she also saved Cloud.

[@rjfink]

This scene was every bit as big of a character moment for Tifa as it was for Cloud

[@ultrixsoma2736]

No kidding, this game had some really poweful moments. As well as the rich lore and fucked up things surrounding it.

[@victorhugocosta1127]

@@ultrixsoma2736 Sadly, Vincent and Lucrecia were the only characters that hadn't got their deserved focus (the game was already packed as is). Also Reeve

[@omegaspringfield3517]

@@victorhugocosta1127 THIS I AGREE.

[@wholesome_masochist4113]

I'd have to disagree heavily. Aerith and Zack could've also done this as both were in the lifestream here as well.

[@Charlie94781]

Cloud followed Tifa into the mountains and got blamed for her coma

[@awakenow7147]

I always thought that was fucked up.

[@starvoltnexus3139]

Every hero in final fantasy seven and nine need hugs

[@ultrixsoma2736]

@@starvoltnexus3139 Except Reeve (Cait Sith).

[@starvoltnexus3139]

ultrix soma Fair

[@ezarrgames3108]

@laubrig 0 I was about to, but then I remembered he was just a doll.

[@AKASUKIJOE]

This was the coolest moment when Cloud a regular ass infantry man bests the worlds most powerful warrior with just guts and determination and does so by turning what should have been a deathblow against his foe picking him up and just fucking tossing him. Also I love how Zack had absolute faith that Cloud could do it maybe it was delirium from the wounds but the fact that he just tells Cloud to kill Sephiroth shoe on some level Zack believed his little buddy COULD win despite the astronomical odds

[@Reach1335]

Well I'd argue a huge adrenaline boost while in shock from his wound after weakening Sephiroth with a surprise attack.

[@blackrat1228]

Zack is a true bro

[@geektothebones6180]

No it was just goofy I forgot how dumb this game is

[@ethansolorzano5989]

well zack was actually still helping in training cloud to become a soldier, as its been showing they could always take the test again.

[@amarcellus1714]

​@geektothebones6180 it's okay to be a dumbass 😅

[@yashawarahmawan7502]

I liked how it showed how Cloud was never weak and he killed the real Sephiroth

[@astrahcat1212]

Injured Sephiroth

[@Xerxes926]

​@@astrahcat1212 He killed him.

[@LordMalice6d9]

@@astrahcat1212 Cloud did kill Sephiroth. But Sephiroth's will and hatred was so strong that the Lifestream couldn't dissolve him back into the planet.

[@Soki7000]

When I was young I used to dislike this part because it was full of exposition but the older I get the more I actually enjoy it . Cloud really is a relatable character and I can appreciate how deep he’s written. I love this game.

[@senantiasa]

Me too. I disliked this part the most not because I didn't find it interesting, it was because it was the only confusing part in the entire enjoyable storyline. Stupid me, LMAO

[@apt7prod]

I couldn't imagine ever hating this part. I used to replay the game just to get to this part so I could experience it again

[@eleventhknight9744]

15:42 As soon as the heartbeat started, the first time I played, the breadcrumbs of the way this story was framed, finally came together. The anger, the rage, seeing his comrade wounded, seeing his mother be killed, his closest friend hurt, taking Zack's sword and being the one to have actually killed Sephiroth (as himself), in that fury. This was a liberating moment.

[@Kerokittycat]

Cloud receiving the blame for taking tifa to the mountain always makes me so sad for him, the idea of telling a child he could have killed his friend is just so cruel especially since he was just following her

[@jonbradley4044]

Average male experience: being blamed/accused for shit we didn't do and held accountable for everything we did Do.

[@BlackWingedSeraphX]

16:35 the moment that resonated with me til this very day and inspired me to become a writer.

[@jonathandiosa5739]

BlackWingedSeraph what a plot twist!

[@tim72184]

Ditto. I'll never forget it.

[@marsirenas]

That great

[@frankevans7039]

This game was more of A super great novel than a game.why the stories remain in us

[@marsirenas]

@@frankevans7039 Is a a mix of psychological and socialogical Case Study+novel+new era of videogame in one. AA+.

[@kujinsan26]

To think Cloud beat Sephiroth at level 5. Cloud truly underestimated himself lol

[@philthee04]

It was due to that pre-empative materia

[@cliffturbo2146]

It's never about your level or experience points. *It's about guts*

[@andy56duky]

​@philthee04 luckily it landed on the 10% chance.

[@astrahcat1212]

Injured Sephiroth

[@Flm04]

Stumbled upon this vid. SE you better not screwing this scene up in remake part 3. I mean it. We mean it.

[@talmanes4589]

Forget about them finally coming together under the Highwind or the new kiss in rebirth, this right here might be the most intimate thing imaginable. Way more than anything physical. Can you imagine having the person you love literally rummaging around in your head? Then she puts him back together. The power of true love.

[@Copenhageek]

When something becomes terribly popular eventually people will call it "overrated" and "for normies". But the truth is that FF7 had an amazing storyline.

[@BlackWingedSeraphX]

And the FF6 Fanboys STILL can't accept it. Everytime you go to an FF6 video they are bashing 7 in some way. Like an insecure girl.

[@S3aCa1mRa1n]

BlackWingedSeraph Some dude made a video saying 6 is the best and 7 second best. I was bitch wtf ff7 is getting a remake for a reason

[@chrisprusinowski5287]

@@S3aCa1mRa1n Maybe. But FF6 is still the 2nd most popular game in the FF series. And developing a remake for FF6 would be a much more difficult and daunting task since VII was already developed in animesque 3d polygon graphical style.

[@joeywalker2061]

@@BlackWingedSeraphX i loved ff6 but ff7 is definitely king its the one i can always replay definitely one of the GOATS of gaming.

[@SliderZero]

I think the FANBOYS are overrated. Personally, FF6 is my favorite, but 7 is a DAMNED close second for this scene alone...really, trying to compare the two is a bad idea. They are both master classes in storytelling for different reasons. You just have to accept which one you like more and run with it.

[@sikaliptica8720]

4 years more guys

[@hanslim7]

4 more years....

[@user-jw9jf2bz7v]

Ughhh

[@dragonstormx]

Cloud is not designed to be your typical RPG hero. It makes all the more an amazing twist when we find out that despite being a nobody he actually beat Sephiroth in the flashback.

[@kriss007G]

Cloud just keeps kicking his ass😂😂

[@cyanimation1605]

as someone with memory loss, FF7 is one of the few cases of an amnesiac protagonist that feels right. When you regain memories, your mind fills in the gaps and you start doubting your own lived experiences. But it's at the core of FF7, at the core of Cloud's development. Not something used for exposition or just a plot twist for the sake of a plot twist like Knights of the Old Republic. Revan continues doing what he was doing. But this revelation changes everything about Cloud's life.

[@JacobDTulio]

As somebody with complex PTSD, I really appreciate how sensitively this character was written.

[@D_Robbb]

The best part of this game and story by far. I cannot wait to see the Remake give this scene the justice it deserves.

[@formeitwastuesday]

Just wait 70 more years and you'll see it.

[@rld14344]

With the current ending of Remake. It is more like a sequel and this past would just be a past now

[@m.firdauseffendi]

i doubt about the remake will be going this way.. they change alot the ending on remake....

[@danidran]

@@m.firdauseffendi They won't change anything. This is the past, it already happened.

[@rld14344]

Well what about Zack at the ending? It is a past too, right? It got changed though we still not sure what is that about. The theory about it so far is a multiverse or something. Like Sephiroth coming from other timeline, hints that he came from past too or he just knew the future early about the original ffvii events. Well whatever it is, still hype for the next one and this remake is good hahahha

[@Max760]

At 19:35 when cloud overpowers sephiroth and throws him into the mako and the way the music is playing still gives me goosebumps over 20 years later. I remember looking on the back of the game case and reading “ quite possibly the greatest game of all time” yea damn right.

[@andreseh87]

There’s a reason it’s still celebrated to this day. What a masterpiece.

[@lagunacorona]

The story in this game was better than 6 or 8 even Chrono wasn't as complex

[@jonathanbradley4896]

​@@lagunacorona I put 6, 7 and 10 on a tier of their own as far as story is concerned. Personally 6 takes it for me but 7 is right there.

[@lagunacorona]

@@jonathanbradley4896 10 was boring didn't get into it at all and I bought it!! 😂What a shit show it was......I think voice acting just kills it for me .......MGS for ps1 is the only good voice acting since voice acting has been introduced

[@killerkdawg88]

What I love the most about this is that it showed that the imposter Cloud (the cool, badass , “strong” one) wasn’t strong enough to beat Sephiroth, but the real Cloud (the dorky, awkward, “weak” one) always was.

[@makisbizarreadventure4669]

this scene is so iconic and if they mess it up in the remake ill be so upset. First time i saw this and Cloud removing that helmet i almost lost it as a kid. He raised up to be a hero and did keep his promise to protect Tifa.

[@unaanuiwan774]

So far, the two released games really do justice and add some interesting depths. I am pretty sure the last part will improve this scene.

[@LS95774]

Some pieces come about a little early but I think they're doing it pretty well so far

[@guts-141]

Cloud was a goddamn nobody and he took down the famous Sephiroth

[@Castle24]

I was 11 years old, struggling through this game, really just full yoloing it, and I got to this point. I had already been moved to various emotions during the game, such as when Aeris died - but this scene changed me as a person. I remember realizing how powerful it is to be yourself, unashamedly, and to live that way, surrounded in truth. Yes, at 11. Now I'm approaching 34, and I still appreciate this game for everything. The fun, the story, the simple things, and these seemingly pretentious moments. Masterful art.

[@Brian626]

Right on my dude.

[@Rejjis]

Can't beat this games plot and narrative. SE really did the most for this game in that time.

[@MutantAireo]

Dextrux FF7 changed my life when I was 18.

[@andreseh87]

It’s amazing how mature this game’s themes were. There are a lot of things from childhood that you just can’t relate to now. But this game and this sequence in particularly I’ll carry for the rest of my life.

[@Eliocall]

Same here, I was 15 and the Aerith death changed my life forever, I was in denial after the battle with Jenova, and the music is heartbreaking 😢.

[@DiegoRodriguez-dw7pv]

The scene when we find out the truth is easily one of the best videogame scenes of all time. No fancy graphics, no nuanced voice acting, just peak storytelling.

[@avradio0b]

This is going to look so good in part 3 of the remakes

[@unaanuiwan774]

IKR ? I can't wait another 4 years thooooooooooo

[@dakr1x659]

​@@unaanuiwan774the only choice we have is to wait and suffer in silence

[@komradkookoo]

@@unaanuiwan774 It'll be less than 3 years. 2027 will be the FF7 30-year anniversary.

[@NiceHatVeton]

So glad that the main spoiler people know about FF7 is Aeris dying. But this is really the most important scene in the entire game. People who are gonna play it the first time during the remake are in for a good time. Edit: Nevermind they ruined this moment in remake. I even made a video about how much they botched this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4rMfGacjtqZn80

[@dionysusxx]

I couldn't agree more

[@XradicalD]

Yeah, I never played the game but knew about Aeris. I finished the game a couple of months back and I could've never figured out what I was in for. This was really big for me.

[@DarkArtistKaiser]

Yeah, when I played and got to the part where they get a vision of what really happened from Sephiroth, I was under the impression that I already knew all the big twists of the game. But when I saw Zack walk up my first impression was "...who the **** are you." Suffice to say, that was a twist I never knew of.

[@Neezy2]

You guys should try Crisis Core if u get a chance, its great too

[@-zSoloSz-]

you say that yet people still believe cloud is a clone....

[@holitinne]

Cloud was never 1st class...he was above that as Sephiroth tumbled to the reactor’s bottom.

[@slyfly6934]

Seems like someone forgot that sephiroth just had a fight with zack and somehow managed to leave with injuries

[@holitinne]

Defender Faith it was Sephiroth’s hubris and vanity that didn’t see Cloud coming. And Cloud is no one special, yet the universe gave him an opening to strike Sephiroth in his most vulnerable moment, the moment where he thought he was safe with his mother.

[@andreseh87]

@@slyfly6934 Crisis Core is retcon BS.

[@slyfly6934]

@@andreseh87 just because they hyping cloud over newest game doesnt mean the other part is bad. ff7 is great as a whole

[@Lunatic89097]

Excellent story telling. We were led to believe into the story Cloud told, there was a twist in it with Zack, and then another twist where Cloud was there and did the work. Incredible. This scene still gives me chills!

[@ethosterros9430]

Tifa was always there for him, cuz he was the first one to show up for her when it mattered

[@marsirenas]

This is my favorite part of FF7 and all FF series. I love it. It is so lovely. Tifa honestly taking care of ☁ Cloud. ❤ She was a natural loving therapist to him and did not gave up. Just the best.

[@Brian626]

It really touched me, seeing her stay behind and take care of Cloud like that. A real keeper, she is.

[@enthiegavoir5955]

Im so glad i somehow never had this twist spoiled to me. I first played this game when i was in my last year of university. I was going to be a teacher, but i had my practicum the year prior and i was horrible at it, and i never enjoyed the classroom, the final nail being that the teacher outright disrecommended me from teaching. Spent the year after being really aimless and isolated (covid) and playing this old video game I'd heard so many stories about. As cheesy as it sounds, finding out that Cloud was a wash out as well connected to me on such a deep level, and this scene of Cloud's real past in a way helped me keep going. Im thankfully not a teacher today, but im still doing really well, even if my life took a very different turn.

[@shinyespurrz]

Oh me too!! I played crisis core for the first time when they made reunion and then I went down the rabbit hole for the first time. Starting there made VII hit so much harder for me. ❤ it truly changed me and honestly reminded me how much little acts of kindness can go a long way. Via Zack stopping for everyone pretty much everywhere & cloud really showed me, no matter what shame we may feel being yourself despite the hiccups is rewarding.

[@83jbbentley]

It took me forever to realize Sephiroth died and that Jenova was his will in the lifestream. Entirely two different entities.

[@Sawngawkuh]

Sephiroth's spirit refused to diffuse into the Lifestream and he resurrected himself through the knowledge and power gained within his time in there. Then, through his will, he took control of the Reunion instinct/Jenova cells and acted through those Jenova parts, having them serve as his avatars of sorts.

[@philiptucker7590]

What….???? Nah man Sephiroth survived dude 😂 He was able to survive because of how strong he was and because he was basically and Jenova clone….Which is why you have to kill him in the end lol…

[@philiptucker7590]

@@Sawngawkuh exactly, no idea what this dude is talking about “2 different sephiroths” lol 😂

[@thedarkderp2520]

​@@philiptucker7590 how did you cone to that conclusion off the sentence "entirely two different entities" I'm curious did you just misread their comment?

[@starvoltnexus3139]

So he wasn’t possessed and Jenova is dead

[@georgeliquor1236]

Normies will cry at Aerith's death, but for me this moment in the game makes me more emotional. I'm glad that the big spoiler twist of the game is Aerith's death and not this.

[@GymnopedieTornado]

Lol that’s real it actually surprised me. Never played the game when it came out, only did a year or so ago but even I heard about Aerith’s dying. This completely changed a character I had thought of as simply a badass for like 20 years

[@icecatti]

I played through this part for the first time yesterday and I cannot stop thinking about it. It's absolutely wonderful... There has never been a FF game before or since that told such a grounded character story in this way. I love how so much of the glue revolves around these events and places and how characters have internalized them. I love the way they are presented so abstractly but in such a unique way. I love how every character, even Cloud and Tifa in this moment, always talk past each other... they're so fully realized as insecure people despite their devotion to each other. this whole scene has got massive End of Eva vibes. It's very loopy but seriously contemporary. I can't imagine that modern day Square can ever again capture such a revolutionary approach to psychosis... But we'll always have this original. Not everything works in this game but what did work utterly blew me away.

[@lagunacorona]

The reason why ff7 is the BEST....I love 6 and 8 but goddamn this part was my god revolutionary in storytelling gaming history. The greatest game ever made.

[@victoriasharpe1661]

No matter how much they change the remake, I really hope they keep this in. Some scenes from the original are just too unique, essential and emotional

[@astahesta123]

even if they do, people will still swallow it up and call Nomura a genius

[@Herecomesdatboi12]

how could they not add this scene in the remake? it will be in the remake for sure.

[@nataliealtemose9191]

I think part of what made this so powerful was the lack of voice actors, Lego graphics, etc. It will never match what we saw in our minds. That's why this era of gaming hit us so hard. It's almost like a book... Sort of.

[@philiptucker7590]

The remake is so bad….they gave fans exactly everything they said they didn’t want in a remake 🤦🏼‍♂️ how do you mess up such an easy and straightforward literal gold mine I have no damn idea 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@derekringer7143]

@@Herecomesdatboi12 Because the FF7 Remake trilogy is not a remake, it's a sequel. Things could happen differently in the new plot so that this scene would no longer make sense. If Zack is alive and he ends up meeting Cloud, this scene would be redudant because we already know that Cloud wasn't a 1st class Soldier, and we would also probably know that he has already defeated Sephiroth once (because Zack would've told him).

[@jacknecron123]

19:28 One of the greatest, most profound moments in gaming. Cloud was always a hero; he just needed to be reminded of so.

[@Mikeanglo]

Love this scene. It's the only instance where Sephiroth shows any fear. He's completely caught off guard by Cloud who is basically running off of anger and adrenaline here...stabbing him, and then chucking him into the mako like Vader tossing the fucking emperor.

[@talmanes4589]

That's what happens when a man thinks you've taken everything from him. His mother and the woman he loves.

[@megasean3000]

Cloud’s memories were a puzzle just waiting to be solved. Sephiroth only half finished it to mentally torture Cloud, by only showing him the information Sephiroth wanted Cloud to see. It took Tifa going into the Lifestream and completing the puzzle for Cloud to finally understand himself.

[@crazycactuar1465]

I love how at 19:50 the song is timed to play a really heroic and triumphant part of the song, it really connotes that Cloud is in fact a hero and has some untapped strength within himself at that point.

[@kriss007G]

I liked to believe it was his limit break

[@Jammineyeonline]

This is when you learn the truth! That main theme song of final fantasy 7, is clouds theme!

[@dangerwarg9682]

It's surprising how many people don't know how messed up Cloud is.

[@felmargego2534]

"You're sure messed up, Cloud!"

[@talmanes4589]

Even among their little group, only Tifa really sees that something is very wrong with him.

[@dangerwarg9682]

​@@talmanes4589 Barret grows to suspect there's something seriously wrong with Cloud. But Tifa wants him to roll with it until she can get to the bottom of what's going on with Cloud.

[@jonathanbradley4896]

I gotta say the biggest drawback of ReBirth is just how overt they're making Clouds fall from sanity and the fact that apart from some concerned looks from Tifa and the odd "what's gotten into you man?" From Barrett the party just sorta rolls with it.

[@dangerwarg9682]

@@jonathanbradley4896 That's because it is overt at that point. In the original Cloud did attack Aerith and the others, and his episodes got worse and worse. Barret is following Tifa's lead. Yuffie, Vincent and Cid were on board too soon to notice or say anything if they had. I don't know Yuffie's stance on it now that she's mandatory in Rebirth. But Vincent and Cid are even more out of the loop. Cait is in no position to say anything, even if he noticed. Even though he did finally snap at Barret. Aerith knew right away something was wrong. And Red was the only one who didn't catch on. Or maybe he was too loyal and naïve to question it. Tifa knew Cloud wasn't well, which is why she hired him in the first place. To keep him from disappearing again until she can solve the mysteries behind his being -well, lack there of- and why he knows things he shouldn't but doesn't know things that he should. Only Zack knew Cloud was suffering from mako poisoning, but he died. So..........yeah. However that fact is elluded to frequently, especially when people note Cloud's eyes having an unusual gleam of green.

[@why_not_you1790]

19:45 one of clouds finest moments. Still holds up when I was a kid playing this . Smiling from ear to ear 😌

[@Nothing-Special-]

I love how the music reaches its crescendo when Cloud chucks Sephiroth into the mako! It’s the moment that made me fall in love with this game!

[@DarkArtistKaiser]

I think the last scene sold me fully on Cloud. That was one of the most bad ass things I've seen done in this series. "Ha, got you!" "No, I go yoU!*Grabs hold of sword and flings holder while its still in them*"

[@holitinne]

19:50 this moment is still powerful after all these years.

[@luciohernandez2283]

It hit me recently…Cloud’s name…his mind is Clouded, by thinking he’s someone he isn’t.

[@MBeist-vi7ho]

No, his name is Cloud Strife. Or Cloud Warfare. The game is about the lifestream and the name is a reference to what is being done to the Earth in real life.

[@PopADoseYo]

Strife being conflict too. Clouded memories, a disagreement in his mind;conflict (strife). Never noticed that before!

[@alster724]

Sephiroth: Don't... push... your... luck. Cloud: Then I will push YOU instead! *Pushes Sephiroth* LOL!

[@jlgjr291]

More like tosses

[@The_Gallowglass]

Yeah, I mean, no matter how powerful you are...taking Buster sword stab to the torso will severely curtail your physical strength and endurance.

[@alster724]

@@jlgjr291 It's a pun on Sephy's line.

[@alvaromiranda7576]

How many times we feel lost and all it takes is a beloved one to help us make us whole again? How many times we have been afraid of something and all we need is a good friend to remind us who we are and what we can do? How many times our expectation turn out to be the opposite of what we were looking for? This 20-or-so minutes are one of the reasons why this game is considered by many as the best of all time. From the music and its pacing to the dialog and visuals to the amount of feelings you build up for the characters up to this point... this is (or should be) a world heritage piece of art PERIOD.

[@lagunacorona]

100 percent agree, this version of the game should be preserved

[@GracelessTarnished]

Greatest moment in gaming history! That moment when everything falls into place and Cloud removes his helmet. 25 years later and it still gives me chills. God, what a story!

[@lezard2102]

One of the things we should all be grateful for is that Aerith died. Because if Aerith hadn't died, this moment right here would be spoiled the fuck out. But since she did, that's the one thing people spoil most often when talking about the game, when in reality this right here is the major and biggest twist of the game.

[@fraxl91]

Best part of the game for me. Really hope they will not cut this off in the Remake, Tifa has always been the only key for Cloud's heart.

[@andreilacerda5634]

It has always been about her... At least, when we're talking about the TRUE Cloud. His true self. It was always Tifa

[@nicolas3095]

Such powerful scene for cloud to find the truth about himself and accept it. And Tifa who stayed with him all this time when he was an vegetable, such heartfelt : most iconic part of ff7. Yeah Aerith death was shocking but all this scene in cloud's mind was deeper

[@hpesojogladih9782]

I really can't wait what they are going to do with this part in part 3 of the remake trilogy 👍🏻.

[@tohopes]

17:18 none of these guys have regulation haircuts.

[@plutonium120]

heinous.

[@tallestred8245]

Anime protagonists be like:

[@ThePresentation010]

What are Shinras' haircut regulations?

[@FungusUSMC]

FF7 is the greatest feel-good story about Stolen Valor.

[@PoorStargazer]

Their hair is an OSHA violation

[@_Brennus]

This scene is cathartic.

[@SagaSagaVGM]

Still a absolutely incredible sequence. Blew my mind when I first saw it. All the needless spin-offs, sequels, remakes, and fluff added to the world of FFVII hasn't ruined it one bit.

[@TheEffectOfMass]

That moment when the music goes completely silent, then the acoustic guitar starts and Tifa says "The day Mom Died..." at 11:08 hits right in the gut so hard. I still get teary eyed all these years later playing it.

[@simmeringoo3507]

thank you for uploading this! i've been looking for the original ps version of this. the main theme is so critical to this scene, with the crescendo at cloud's epic moment of throwing sephiroth off.

[@GozUnlimited]

Totally agree, this video timed the music so well to climax at the moment Cloud throws him off. The original PS1 version (also on the ps3 store) is the only version that should be played for a newcomer. The pc port and all others seem to ruin various aspects of the original.

[@SerpentGirl21]

@@GozUnlimited how so? What was changed in the PC version?

[@GozUnlimited]

@@SerpentGirl21 I'm just hyper critical when it comes to FF7, so my view wouldn't matter to most. I'm just a bit of a purist when it comes to the game, to me the original PS1 version is the gold standard. The PC version is probably better then it used to be but the biggest issue for me was the audio/music. They weren't the original and were a lot worse quality. This has been fixed since I believe. But it did ruin the game for me as the music is half the experience of Final Fantasy VII. I've also seen plenty of KZbin videos where they're playing from the PC version, and the music is still not correct in timing. And it plays music when it shouldn't and doesn't play it when it should. And also plays the wrong music at certain times. And it kills it for me. Players aren't experiencing it the true way the developers intended. To have the wrong music playing at key points in the game just kills the experience. The original pc port from the beginning was a very bad port, that has since received patches to try and fix various issues. But there are still issues and it doesn't hold up to the original PS1 version (which can be played on PS3). For comparison, please see this video from 29:00: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2m5mqWmq5yhrrs Then compare that to this video we are now in from 18:00. Please note how bad the quality of the music is in the pc version, how it doesn't loop the track correctly but rather plays the entire main theme to finish in silence. And then plays the Mako reactor music (?!??!?) which was never in the original. That's why I can't stand the pc version. I'm also not a fan of the shaded character that was introduced with the pc version too as it pops out too much from the backgrounds. I would still recommend playing it on pc if it's easier though. But just know it likely isn't going to be the complete original experience, but honestly it's mostly intact and people should play the game and enjoy it. I'm not overly fussed about the pc version but I do feel strongly against the PS4 port of FF7 (not to be mistaken with the new remake). The ps4 port of the original is an absolute travesty and should be blasted into a digital abyss and never seen again. Do check out the FF7 Remake though. It is a masterpiece. It breathes so much life into the game it truly enhances the original.

[@SerpentGirl21]

@@GozUnlimited I understand what you mean with the song synching issues. Like...the trimphant music playing instead of the ominous build up when Sephiroth is talking to Cloud. The triumphant main theme should've been playing when Cloud tosses Sephiroth into the reactor in the original. The tone is kinda ruined in that regard. It's been many years since I played the original FF7 but I was lucky enough to play the original on an emulator. I can see how my experience with the game would completely change I had played the PC version. FF7 REMAKE SPOILERS AHEAD!!! I actually just beat 7 Remake. I really enjoyed it, though I am confused about how they ended it. Cloud doesn't even remember Sephiroth until later in the game and he (Sephiroth) didn't have the slow burn build up that made him such an interesting villain in the original. The end felt really fan service-ey in general. I hope they don't stray too far from the original in part two with all this weird timey wimey nonsense they introduced

[@GozUnlimited]

@@SerpentGirl21 I agree with you. I've actually only got to Tifa's bar so far. But I have briefly watched parts further in the game on KZbin so am sort of aware of what you're referring to. There are definitely things in the Remake that I don't like. Roche needs to be deleted. Just straight up deleted. Him and his bike are just ridiculous. I've heard bits about what the whispers and the ending is, and I wish they had just kept it to the original story. Like you say, the ending robs the story pacing of the original somewhat. But this is all give and take. I wasn't going to buy the remake because lots of new remakes (star wars, star trek) for me have ruined the originals. Final Fantasy VII is my favourite game and means a heck of a lot. So I was really concerned that the remake would ruin the original for me. But it's done the opposite. I watched the game on KZbin up to Jessie's parents and I just had to buy it. I cannot believe how good this game is on the whole. And I am hyper critical of anything FF7. It has taken me 5 hours to get to Tifa's bar, because I cannot stop staring at the environments. All those views I could never see in the original. The amount of life breathed into each character, the world is just amazing. Biggs Wedge and Jessie meant very little to me in the original. But I really love their characters now. The remake really has kept the original feel but fleshed it out so so much. I'm gonna stop talking now cos I could talk endlessly about this game. But I was pleasantly surprised and really happy with the remake. 95% of the game has just blown my mind and for that I can forgive the 5% that I didn't like so much. I really thank them for making this.

[@andreilacerda5634]

7:40 ".........You, that's who." It was always about Tifa. Since he was a kid, he wanted her to notice him... It seems some people forgot about this part of the game... Cloud's true self.

[@MacenW]

5:18 when I beat this game in November 2018, I thought this part was mind-blowing. I've seen gameplay of Crisis Core but I had no idea that Zack was going to make an appearance in this game, it was such a foreshadowing moment. As of now, I beat the Remake a few days ago, and I really hope they don't take the story in a different direction because the story was fine how it was.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

I think most of what they did with the story thus far, at least the bits I've seen, were expanding on the story. Depicting a genocidal act like dropping the Sector 7 plate was easier to accept in the PS era as there weren't a lot of NPCs there, but in Remake, making the slums seem crowded and teeming with life meant that all those lives would be crushed in high resolution Unreal Engine 4 graphics. So they added the evacuation sequence, opening the way for the "return to sector 7" bits. Turning what was a 30 second low-res FMV into a miniseries of sorts was a really good move, and it allowed us to see what Aerith did while Cloud and Tifa climbed the tower. So I'm fairly confident that this pivotal sequence is going to be amazing.

[@evilintheformofloli6107]

15:33 Zack: I am coming in, hellooo ... 15:41 Sephiroth: Go away, bye ~ : D

[@merlin_shin]

Funny moment

[@flashholter]

I remember this scene as it was one of the biggest revelations in the game. I can recall clearly when Cloud saved Tifa in 18:30 the music at 19:50 started playing and I got chill ran down my spine.

[@Reach1335]

4:41 That moment when Cloud walks through himself as a common soldier to Zack's spot.

[@hystericbunny76]

this is the underrated story of cloud, cloud was always helpful to others and always protected tifa, although he is weak and always late in the scene, he never give up on helping others,

[@Order-Sol]

Zack: You did it, Cloud... *Then he starts to pass out*

[@ayyachris]

Can’t wait to see the remake of this in FFVII RE… (remake part 3) in 2027

[@louisminati]

The music in this section was so flawlessy done man

[@Chris-qe2dq]

Do you know the name of the theme that starts at 18:00??

[@louisminati]

@@Chris-qe2dq it's the last 2 minutes of the map theme (overworld)

[@TheGoldCrow]

This is my favourite moment in the game. Cloud was insecure and ashamed showing himself back home never making SOLDIER after promising he'd become a hero like Sephiroth. Which is why after Hojo turned his mind into spaghetti after the Mako experiments, his mind subconsciously imposed his memories of Zack; a guy who was a 1st class Soldier on himself to cover his shame. The fake memory ended with Zack confronting Sephiroth which created a contradiction, because Zack lost that fight and was where Cloud actually stepped in, so he had no clue what happened because he thought so little of himself for failing goals and promises his mind removed him completely from the Nibelheim events. But what actually happened is when his idle turned into a monster- hurting and killing people he cared for, he was the hero being himself and not measuring himself to SOLDIER or Sephiroth.

[@SilentNova_]

This scene is going to go crazy in Part 3

[@raynel8495]

Nah, they'll ruin it.

[@thatstheway2429]

Nah, they’ll nail this one. If there’s anything the remake series has done right it’s get the characters right. This is the biggest character moment in all of FF7, and they’ve done a great job setting it up. Hell, somehow they made Cloud even more fucked up in the head than in the OG.

[@cheef825]

​@@thatstheway2429bros brain is even more cooked than before. I didn't think it was possible lmao

[@thatstheway2429]

@@cheef825haha his voice actor crushed it. The temple of the ancients scene he was such a creep at the end 😂

[@BigLipBoy]

@@raynel8495they nailed and set up the lifestream sequence already with tifa, they won’t fumble

[@zappa2001]

If you're reading this in 2024... The new games, they might be future Cloud reliving his past in the lifestream as an unreliable narrator. The rainbows, the different "worlds" created as Cloud invents them to deal with trauma. We will see what happens when Tifa (whom also saw a different type of Cloud at the end in Rebirth) saves him in the 3rd act. But right now, it's not "omni-Aerith", it's Cloud dealing with his past and we are reliving it.

[@abdurrahmanf.a.5624]

Barret line is perfect : "There ain't no getting off this train." When the party lost direction, it's Barret who keep them on track.

[@pallafox]

Aerith's death was like the red herring before this massive plot twist. such a mind blowing moment and so ahead of its time. To discover that our main hero was a zero.

[@codkast2154]

I used to play demo discs of metal gear solid, medieval and spyro and such. This was the first full game, when I was seven years old, that showed me a game could have a story, a real story and I cried watching this.

[@thienphucn1]

16:40 The people who played the Crisis Core remake before FFVII will never be able to comprehend how awesome this moment is

[@smileykarate-kid4318]

First I played this game, I was so impressed the story of this game.

[@oneminutewonder77]

The amount of sheer details in this game is something games in the modern era cant hope to have.

[@gonzo_o_o]

This moment, especially 16:38 and 19:49, is one of the greatest segments in gaming for me... I knew about the *other* big plot twist, but playing this for the first time without any knowledge of this sequence was absolutely mindblowing - once-in-a-lifetime kinda story

[@nataliealtemose9191]

this version, with the crescendo at the exact right moment. jesus. this had a hold on us that nothing else likely will in our lifetimes

[@Warewolfgirl1]

I cannot wait to see this sequence in the remake. The animation and voice acting will be everything!

[@cangri1788]

Have to wait a couple of years tho

[@yeetusdeletus3072]

That is. If they'll follow the original storyline. The way they ended the disc 1 is making the storyline open for different endings. As the arbiters of fate are gone now, nothing can protect the characters from dying anymore, anyone can die and the persons who are meant to perish might live. I'm excited as to how they'll push through. Will they folllw the OG Storyline in just a rounabout way? Or will they create a new storyline? If so they better make it at least on par with the OG Storyline or better. 💞

[@awakenow7147]

@@yeetusdeletus3072 I'm excited too. But at the very least, they need to preserve Cloud's story arc. This is an absolute must. Without the theme of identity, it simply isn't Final Fantasy VII. There are some things that need to be preserved at all costs. This is not a lot to ask.

[@killblom3969]

It'II probably get cancelled.

[@ChronoX720]

I can’t wait to see how Cloud’s revelation is done in the remake. I’m curious how his speech and demeanor will change in this modern version.

[@SunriseFestival]

When we finally get to experience this scene again in part 3... my god.

[@samoliv7426]

I wonder how they will recreate it. I know for sure it will be epic!!

[@raynel8495]

​​@@samoliv7426I wonder how they are going to RUIN IT! Like they ruined every other major scene in the remake.

[@amuroray9115]

@@raynel8495 why are you lying? It just makes FF7 fans look pitiful. This is worse than nostalgia. It’s just ignorance

[@raynel8495]

@@amuroray9115 Lying about what?

[@amuroray9115]

@@raynel8495 read your own comment again. Every major scene. Hyperbole

[@billybatts8283]

If they put mini games in this section in part 3 I'll punt a baby fuckin' chocobo.

[@user-jw9jf2bz7v]

😭😭💀real

[@BiggestGal]

16:15 I wish this line was in Crisis Core's version of the Nibelheim incident.

[@HORIZON00236]

Yeah pity they didn’t do justice in making cutscenes in final fantasy reunion and just made the graphics instead of

[@elliemellie4337]

i swear- the moment he took off his helmet my reaction was “WAIT WHAT……”

[@grumreapur]

Thank you for this, I stepped out of the room for one second thinking I could leave the text as a makeshift pause like other cutscenes, comeback to it being finished.

[@TheTourist28]

I like how this showed up on my KZbin feed a week before Rebirth comes out lol.

[@alster724]

Cloud: Let me tell you a story about Sephiroth... See, I was a SOLDIER... Wait, I was the guard protecting Tifa!

[@rossmerchant8435]

Finally played FF7 this month. I had only been familiar with the older games, and this one specifically through some awareness of the extended universe and from playing crisis core. I thought the whole thing sounded like a convoluted mess and this same sequence of events didn't really do anything for me when I went through it in CC, but this whole lifestream sequence gave me goosebumps. Really effective storytelling, having Cloud lay bare his insecurities to his best friend and coming to terms with them. I especially love how, after not hearing the main theme of the game because of the change in overworld music after meteor being summoned, they bring it back and time it's climax right when Cloud flings Sephiroth into the wall with his own sword. I knew this was going to happen, but the music and the buildup makes it so much more cathartic in the original game.

[@motionista]

The most iconic game scene in history for me

[@mikegilbertson831]

I can’t wait to see this in 4K.

[@AspieMediaBobby]

Cloud never met Genesis and only absorbed a portion of Zack`s memories.

[@galten7361]

Just call it the retcon it is.

[@Binks129]

Galten There is no retcon he never met Genesis in Crisis core either. He was in a coma.

[@victorhugocosta1127]

@@Binks129 Still a Retcon

[@Binks129]

Victor Hugo Costa In what way? He never met him, he’s never mentioned except in side games by side characters..

[@revolvingworld2676]

@@victorhugocosta1127 You dont know what a retcon is do you?

[@tce222]

Hum i am wondering about 1 point, the cloud's "cherished" moment was when he went to tifa's bedroom when her mother died and they went to Nibel mount (moment Tifa didnt remember at all in the OG). But in Rebirth, when Tifa fell into the lifestream, she saw this scene and had a conversation about it with Cloud in Kalm... Aww I hope they wont take this point out Cloud life stream moment because i find it quite important... But as Tifa is aware about it in the remake i really wonder how they will show it. Also, i am quite sad to see how some people devalue Tifa's role in FF7 just to put Aerith forward more... But this scene shows how important she is in the game.

[@lockhart-vz3ol]

oh I’m interested to see what they would do after everything in chapter 9 but yeah people who don’t understand the importance of tifa are either haters or people who never played the og