The rivalry between Cloud and Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most iconic confrontations in gaming. However, even die-hard fans may have difficulty unraveling the origins of their legendary feud. Cloud is an unreliable narrator in FF7, and the truth is not revealed until the end of the game. While the key events that led to the pair’s showdown remain unchanged – Sephiroth destroys Cloud’s homeworld of Nibelheim, mortally wounds a childhood friend, and Cloud fights back – the history and reality of Cloud describes the changes in the feud between the two characters.
Cloud initially claims to be a former member of Shinra’s elite unit, SOLDIER. He joins Avalanche as a mercenary fighting alongside Tifa, who has recognized him since childhood. When Cloud first describes the destruction of Nibelheim, FF7 describes Cloud as a hot-tempered young soldier serving under Sephiroth – the show’s most prominent member. Cloud says he joined the army because he wanted to be like Sephiroth and claims they became friends; however, Tifa still seems to have doubts.
Cloud and Sephiroth are sent to Nibelheim when the Mako reactor malfunctions, spawning dangerous monsters. Tifa is the local guide who escorts Sephiroth and the rest of Shinra’s forces. The discovery of the reactor causes Sephiroth to question his origins and search for answers. The revelations of his existence cause him to massacre most of Nibelheim’s residents and burn the entire town. He turned around to get Jenova’s head, his biological mother’s head; however, before doing so, he stabs Tifa before fighting Cloud for the first time.
Why does Sephiroth remind Cloud of his failure in Final Fantasy VII
In FF7, Sephiroth’s origins are later explained in more detail, revealing that Jenova is a destructive alien entity and not a member of the Cetra race as Sephiroth initially believed. The game also sheds light on Cloud’s past. He was trapped inside his head like a plant while Tifa was by his side taking care of him. Tifa enters Cloud’s consciousness when an earthquake throws them both into the lifestream. Together they overcome the obstacles of self-deception and trauma that cloud his memories.
Tifa doubts Cloud’s earlier account of the events in Nibelheim because it contains half the truth. Most of these facts were accurate, but she didn’t remember Cloud being there. Instead, a soldier named Zack accompanies Sephiroth. False memories aside, it is known that Cloud was present as one of the masked support troops accompanying Zack and Sephiroth to Nibelheim.
He joined Shinra in hopes of becoming a soldier but was unable to advance and was instead assigned as a regular Shinra infantryman. Cloud was so embarrassed that he failed Project Soldier that he wore a mask and did not appear in front of Tifa. When Sephiroth went mad and injured Tifa, Zack tried to fight him but was unsuccessful. Cloud then takes Zack’s sword and stabs Sephiroth in the back before throwing him into the reactor.
Why is Cloud’s first battle with Sephiroth so important?
Cloud’s shame and pain cause him to identify himself as Zack, a successful soldier betrayed by his idol. In the Lifestream scene, Cloud reveals that he serves Shinra to impress Tifa. Although they loved Tifa from afar when they were young, they were not close. One of the moments they shared was when Cloud confided in her under the stars, expressing his desire to become a soldier. Cloud left Nibelheim with the intention of becoming one of Shinra’s elite members to gain Tifa’s approval, not because he admired Sephiroth. By reimagining his Zack origins, Cloud forgets what truly motivated him in the first place.
The later stages of Final Fantasy VII show that Cloud despises Sephiroth because he reminds him of his own failures and weaknesses that nearly led to Tifa’s death – it was Tifa who inspired him to join SOLDIER right from the start. To Sephiroth, Cloud is just another nameless soldier standing up to him as he tries to claim the inheritance of Jenova’s power. For Sephiroth, Cloud is a constant reminder that even seemingly insignificant people can go through great hardships to protect those they love.