Okay I Just Had To Back Up A Bit To Verify It Was You. How We Feeling About Roche

FFVII Remake Easter Eggs and compilation continuity - Part 9: EXTRAS

     CLOUD’S SECRET

Now everything makes sense

“HAIRTONIC Ideal Scalp Care. For astonishingly radiant & spiky hair!”.

     TASSELLATION

This particoular tassellation, alternating squares and octagons, present in many parts of the Remake, appeared also in other previous parts of the compilation.

     VICTORY POSES

After the victories at the Colosseum and in the Shinra combat simulator, the characters perform their OG victory poses.

     WEAPONS

If the player finds Corneo’s secret stashes they can fins three tiaras (Ruby, Emerald and Diamond tiaras) inspired to the OG Ruby, Emerald and Diamond Weapons.

     NATURAL OASIS

While in Trace of Two Pasts is stated that Elmyra’s house was full of flowers and plants even before the arrival of Aerith, it surely isn’t a coincidence that the sector she lives in, contrary to the rest of Midgar, is full of nature. Moreover the orphanage near her house is called “Leaf House” and the name of the teacher is Mrs Folia (”leaf” in Latin). 

     STARGAZER HEIGHTS

The place where Tifa lives in Sector 7, and where she suggests Cloud to live too, is a wooden building called Stargazer Heights, which is a reference to the water tower where they shared the promise. I’d say also that the presence in the same building of a black caped man isn’t a coincidence, considering that the first time these beings bould be spotted in the OG was indeed Nibelheim. 

     MATCHING OUTFITS

Tifa: Be sure to pick an outfit that goes with mine, okay?

Cloud: Will do.

Nailed it. 

Jokes aside there’s a subtle clever mechanism behind the choice of the Wall Market dresses. 

- If the player prefers Tifa, they’ll probably choose the refined dress and will have a good chance to get Chocobo Sam’s odd jobs (giving answers a bit more pro Tifa), so both Cloud and Tifa will wear the blue outfits.

- If the player prefers Aerith, they’ll maybe choose the sporty dress and will have a good chance to get Madam M’s odd jobs (giving answers a bit more pro Aerith), so both Cloud and Tifa will wear the satin outfits.

     BARRET’S DEATH

I’m not totally sure here if this was intentional, but when I saw Barret’s death I couldn’t help but think that during the first drafts of the OG he was the one who had to die instead of Aerith.

     CAPED CREATURES

We don’t know yet if there’s any connection between the Whispers and the Black caped men, but it’s hard not to notice the visual similarity of their designs. 

     BOOKS AND ADS

- PROFESSOR GAST

In Aerith’s childhood room in Shinra HQ there’s a book about the Lifestream written by Gast Farmeis, Aerith’s father.

- FAN CLUBS

In the same room there’s also a book about Stamp mentioning his fan club, which is an element that comes from Crisis Core 

- COSTA DEL SOL

There are some signs in Sector 8 - more a music disk - about Costa del Sol.

- FFVI

In one of the ads inside the trains there’s a FFVI quote from an author called “Gabbiani” - Setzer’s last name. 

- FFX-2

In Shinra’s museum there’s a picture with a FFX-2 character, Shinra.

Zerith and Cloti Lines & Quotes Parallels

FFVII Original Game, Advent Children (sequel), and Crisis Core (prequel) are written by Kazushige Nojima…. so it’s not surprised to see how he wrote both pairings in similar way as I found these parallels:

Parallel #1: KOIBITO ( 恋人 )

Zack and Aerith

The two characters deeply involved with Aerith were Zack, who would become her lover (koibito), and Tseng, her guardian.  (CC: FFVII Complete Guide)

One day, Zack is suddenly landed in a church in the slum. His cheerfulness and dependability capture Aerith’s heart and they’re being in a (koibito) lovers-like relationship. Although they can only see each other periodically, their thoughts keep them close in spirit. (Aerith’s profile, CC: FFVII Ultimania, pg. 22)

Cloud and Tifa

“Is Tifa your girlfriend (koibito)?” (Aerith asking Cloud, FFVII Remake Chapter 8)

There are many dimensions to Tifa’s character. She’s like a mother, also a sweetheart (koibito), and a close ally in battle (Advent Children Reunion Files book, pg. 19~ Nomura’s interview)

Parallel #2: SWEET YOUNG LOVE, WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT HIM 

Aerith about 16 years old Zack: 

“He’s strong, kinda funny, and there’s something special about him.”  (Crisis Core Chapter 5 - First Date) 

Tifa about 14 years old Cloud: 

“You were so small then … and cute.”  (Original Game scene 116 - Cloud Dark Past) 

Parallel #3: SHE DRESSES UP FOR THE PROMISE THEY MADE

Zack and Aerith

For when they meet again on their next date, Zack’s specific suggestion was Aerith wearing pink. Aerith–who continued to wait for Zack’s return–starts to wear pink after making this promise (CC: FFVII Complete Guide–Keyword Collection)

Cloud and Tifa

Believing in Cloud’s promise, Tifa’s waiting to see Cloud become a SOLDIER like Sephiroth. Tifa dresses herself in a pretty and sexy look. Does she do that to spirit up herself in preparing for a touching reunion? (Tifa Lockhart Character Profile from CC: FFVII Ultimania)

Parallel #4: SHE ASKED IF HE KNEW A CERTAIN SOLDIER

Zerith: Aerith asked Cloud about Zack in SOLDIER in the Playground (FF7 Remake)

“Did you have any SOLDIER friends? Any war buddies? So Cloud, you were SOLDIER 1st Class, right? Weird. Just that you were in the same rank with the first guy I ever loved.”

Cloti: Tifa asked Zack about Cloud in SOLDIER via mails (Crisis Core)

“Are there any blond guys in SOLDIER?  Well, it’s just a dream… Any girl would love to have a blond SOLDIER guy protect her when she’s in a pinch. I almost forgot. Please don’t tell anyone in SOLDIER that I asked about the blond guy. Okay?” 

Parallel #5: THEY THINK OF EACH OTHER UNDER THE SKY

Zack and Aerith – the cloudy & azure sky

Zack think of Aerith:  “I wish I could show this sky to…” (Crisis Core DMW Cloud Scene #4: Cloudy Sky)

Aerith think of Zack: “He was like a cloud drifting through the skies. As we peered skyward through the rafters of a heavenless Midgar, we made a promise. And that was the last time we spoke.” (Crisis Core 1st Official Trailer)

Cloud and Tifa – the starry & night sky

Cloud think of Tifa: “I was just thinking about the past.”  (Crisis Core DMW Cloud Scene #3: Starry Night At The Well)

Tifa think of Cloud: “Like the sky that night, the heavens were filled with stars. Did you imagine the sky? The stars were gorgeous. It was just Cloud and I. We talked at the well.”  (Original Game scene 116 - Cloud’s Dark Past)

Parallel #6: PROMISE AT THE NIBELHEIM WELL/WATER TOWER

Zack and Aerith –  CC Chapter 013: I Promise

Aerith: Hello… (calling by phone) Zack: Aerith! Aerith: Finally, got through to you! Zack: Ah, sorry about this but I’m in the middle of something right now. I’ll  give you a call a little later . Aerith: No. it’s okay. You don’t have to. Zack: I understand. I’ll come visit. Aerith: I’ll be waiting. Zack: I’Il see you. It’s a promise.

Cloud and Tifa –  OG scene 6: A Childhood Promise

Tifa: You said you wanna tell me something. Cloud: This summer… I wanna leave this town to Midgar. I wanna join SOLDIER… like Sephiroth. Tifa: Is it tough being SOLDIER, isn’t it? Cloud: Yeah, I probably could not go back to this town for a while. Tifa: Hey, why don’t we make a promise? Mmm… if you really get famous and I’m ever in a bind, you’ll come save me, alright? Whenever  I’m in a trouble, my hero will come rescue me. Cloud: Alright, I promise.

Parallel #7: SHE WON’T BE AFRAID WITH HIM, HE PROMISED

Zack and Aerith – CC Chapter 8: 23 Little Luxuries

Aerith: “When you come back from your assignment, let’s go sell flowers under the sky together. I won’t be afraid if you’re with me.”

Zack: “Yeah, I’ll go with you. That’s a promise.”

Cloud and Tifa – OG Scene 136: Understanding

Tifa: “But, it’s alright even if no one comes back. As long as I’m with you… As long as you’re by my side… I won’t give up even if I’m scared.”

Cloud: “Afterall, I promised. That if anything were to ever happen to you, I would come to help.”

Parallel #8: MUTUAL AFFECTIONS/RECIPROCAL FEELINGS

Zack and Aerith

Zack and Aerith meet by chance in a church in the Slums. They become intimate with each other. (FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania Compilation Timeline)

From the boy’s profile

Having fallen into the sector 5 slum church during a mission, Zack has a fateful meeting with Aerith, a young girl who was tending to flowers in the church. They share a “puratonikku koi” / chaste romantic love, satisfied just to be together. Those joyous days seemed like they would last forever… (Zack’s Profile, CC: FFVII Ultimania, pg. 13)

From the girl’s profile

CC shows her meeting and relationship with Zack, and the budding love between them. However, fate would tear the couple apart. (Aerith’s Dengeki Profile)

At that chosen day, she accidentally met Zack, SOLDIER 1st Class, and they were attracted to each other. (Aerith’s Profile, FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania)

The destined encounter with Zack makes them becomes the irreplaceable existence to each other.  (Aerith’s profile, CC: FFVII Ultimania)

His cheerfulness and dependability capture Aerith’s heart and they’re being in a lovers-like relationship. (Aerith’s profile, CC: FFVII Ultimania)

Cloud and Tifa

When their companions disperse to the places where people important to them await, Cloud and Tifa, who remain, reveal their feelings for each other together. (FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 198; story summary)

When Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their final hours, together they disclose their feelings for each other. (FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide, FFVII Story Summary, pg. 232)  

From the boy’s profile

Declares that the team should dissolve in the final hours before the final battle, and communicates his feelings together with Tifa, who remains behind at the airship with him. (Cloud’s Profile, FFVII Ultimania Omega, pg. 15)

From the girl’s profile 

She ventured into Lifestream together with Cloud. Amidst the course of him trying to ascertain his memories, they became aware of the thoughts/feelings which each other was holding. (Tifa’s Profile, FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania. pg. 42-47)

In FF7, Tifa is the only one who knows Cloud’s childhood, and furthermore, she holds the key to people involved in the story of Nibelheim’s burning down, which is also depicted in CC. She and Cloud came to realize their feelings for each other in the end of the story, and live together in AC and DC.(CC:FFVII Ultimania, Tifa Lockhart Profile)

For many years, Cloud and Tifa have been holding favor for one another. At last facing the impending final battle with Sephiroth, they confirm together their feelings of desire toward partnership. (Tifa’s Profile, FF 25th Memorial Ultimania)

Parallel #9: THEY GO BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONG

Zack and Aerith – Afterlife

Zack Profile in FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania: In order to help Cloud recover, he assured him from the Lifestream together with Aerith.

Aerith Profile in ACC Dengeki: She joined the Lifestream, but even then she carries on watching over the planet and Cloud. At all times, her first love Zack is always by her side.

Both are mentioned: …She starts to leave, together with the friend who had given his life to Cloud. Cloud no longer has to suffer in loneliness. And so they too go back to where they belong. Back to the current of life flowing around the planet. (FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania–Revised Edition, ACC Playback)

Cloud and Tifa – Living World

Cloud Profile in FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania: With the help of his friends, he defeated Bahamut SHIN, which Kadaj’s gang had summoned. He defeated Sephiroth after his Advent, and returned to Tifa and the children.

Tifa Profile in ACC Dengeki: At the end of a long struggle, she gently welcomes back Cloud on his return home after settling things with himself.

Both are mentioned: “Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be living back home where they belonged.” (Kazushige Nojima-the scriptwriter, Advent Children Reunion Files book)

Parallel #10: DESCRIBED AS A SINGULAR ITEM / A PAIR

Zack and Aerith described in ACC

For Cloud, they were people whom he can never forget. The two irreplaceable people; Zack, “who was sent to death because protecting me” and Aerith, “who met a tragic fate as I couldn’t protect her” became “the unforgivable sins” in his heart.

(Advent Children Complete Post Card Book)

Cloud and Tifa described in CC

Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends, both born in Nibelheim. When Cloud leaves the village, he calls Tifa out to the water tower and promises that he will become a SOLDIER. At the same time, he is also made by Tifa to promise that he will come to rescue her if she is ever in trouble.

Following this, the pair experience many hardships, such as the Nibelheim incident which also appears in CC, and the Jenova War in FFVII, and through these the distance between them shortens. And in AC they live together, with Barret’s daughter Marlene, and a boy named Denzel. Though there was also a period later where Cloud lived away from them after having contracted Geostigma, they finally reach a commune with each over and return to living together once again. In DC, they rush together to Vincent’s aid, in his battle against Deep Ground SOLDIER.

(CC:FFVII Complete Guide Book)

˗ˏˋ 2月7日 HAPPY BIRTHDAY AERITH! ˎˊ˗

We'd seriously need a clear paraphrase to get over the misinterpretations about this song.

Guitar is the main instrument in both Hollow and Hollow Sky, just like Crisis Core soundtrack, especially CC Aerith's theme, The price of freedom and Why, all playing at the end of the game to narrate THAT scene. And Why has a guitar acoustic version too.

Hollow sky plays in Sector 5, an homage to Crisis Core, "sky" is the symbol of Zack and, coincidentally, the new key art of Aerith has her staring at the sky.

Funny: Aerith's final line is about the sky and Hollow starts when Zack shows up at the end.

All coincidences I guess.

Tetsuya Nomura discussing the Final Fantasy VII Remake theme song

FFVII Remake Easter Eggs - Part 2

SPOILER ALERT! Spoilers about the FFVII compilation.

FFVII Remake includes a lot of Easter eggs referring to the whole FF7 compilation. This is the second post, and it will include the references to…

Crisis Core is a PSP game released in 2007. It’s a prequel to FFVII and focuses on the adventures of Zack Fair.

1. RUDE BEING…RUDE.

“Haven’t seen him before. He your new boy toy?” Rude is referring to Zack, Aerith’s boyfriend at the time of Crisis Core. Very…rude though (Chapter 8).

2. THE PUPPY

- Angeal used to refer to Zack as a puppy.

- Stamp the dog is a new misterious element added in the Remake. He’s a beagle, but at the end of the game, when Zack survives, we see it changing in a terrier.

Are you Zack the puppy? My son wrote to me once about you, zero attention span, restless as a little puppy.

3. BANORA WHITE

- There are some billboards of “Banora White” apple juice in Midgar.

- These fruits only grow in Banora, and the juice was invented by Genesis.

4. DATING

Aerith asks Cloud to be her bodyguard in exchange for one date. Yes, this was already in the original FFVII but the gesture is taken from Crisis Core (Chapter 8).

5. SELLING FLOWERS

- Zack suggested Aerith to sell flowers and they started selling them together in Evergreen Park.

- Aerith and Cloud arrive in Evergreen Park and she remembers the time she used to sell flowers there (Chapter 9).

You know, a long time ago, I used to sell flowers here.

6. YOUR EYES

In Chapter 9 Aerith stares at Cloud’s beautiful eyes the same way she did with Zack. In Japanese Zack and Cloud answer with the same sentence.

7. PINK DRESS

- Zack asked Aerith to wear something pink when they would have met again.

- The pink dress has always been Aerith’s distinctive mark since 1997, but her optional outfits in the Remake, that were not in the original FFVII, are pink too (Chapter 9).

From now on, why don’t we make a promise every time we meet? (…) For example, when we meet, you always have to dress in pink.

8. TRAINING ROOM

- The training room was a virtual reality simulator used by SOLDIERs in Crisis Core.

- Cloud, Tifa and Barret find a battle simulator in Shinra HQ in Chapter 16.

9. PROJECT S AND PROJECT G

- Hojo says he wants to breed Aerith with S and G type SOLDIERS.

- In Nibelheim Mako reactor Genesis told Sephiroth about Project S and Project G. The first gave birth to Sephiroth, the second to Angeal and Genesis. Project G was also used to create Deepground SOLDIERs (Chapter 16).

CC: “Jenova project G gave birth to Angeal and monsters like myself. Jenova project S used the remains of countless failed experiments to create a perfect monster.” 

FF7R: “We could have the Ancient reproduce. (…) I would start with candidates from SOLDIER. These would of course include S and G types.”

10. CELLULAR DEGRADATION

- Genesis was a failed experiment and his body kept degrading irreversibly.

- In Chapter 7 President Shinra, after noticing that Cloud is a SOLDIER, points out that SOLDIERs usually die pretty soon because of cellular degradation.

Once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER. Though not, alas, for very long. Accelerated cellular degradation being the most common cause of death by far.

11. KUNSEL

- Kunsel was a SOLDIER and friend of Zack.

- When some infantrymen see Cloud and recognize him they say they’ll go and call Kunsel (Chapter 16).

Cloud? You’re Cloud, right? (…) We went through training together. (…) Hey, sit tight man – I'mma go get Kunsel.

12. BARRET’S LAST STAND

“Worst route ever. Gimme a suicidal last stand. At least– At least–at least that’d have an end!” Barret says this sentence while climbing Shinra backstairs, at 49th floor – SOLDIERs floor. It’s a reference to Zack’s last stand (Chapter 16).

13. FREEDOM

Before entering in the dimensional portal Aerith says that beyond it there’s “Freedom. Boundless, terrifying freedom”. It reconnects with Zack’s iconic sentence before his last stand “The price of freedom is steep” (Chapter 18).

14. THE SKY

- In Crisis Core Aerith told Zack that the real sky frightened her.

- At the end of the Remake Aerith says “I miss it. The steel sky”, referring the upper plate that covered the real sky. In Japanese she says “The  sky…I hate it”, because it took away from her Zack and her mother. (Chapter 18).

15. THE DEFEAT OF DESTINY

- Zack had a dream in Crisis Core that foreshadowed his death. He was looking at the sky wishing to have wings like Angeal.

- In the Remake he defeats his destiny and looks at the sky in the same position (Chapter 18).

16. ZACK’S LAST STAND

This iconic scene is replicated shot-for-shot in Chapter 18

PART 1 (BEFORE CRISIS)

PART 3 (ADVENT CHILDREN)

PART 4 (DIRGE OF CERBERUS)

PART 5 (ON THE WAY TO A SMILE)

PART 6 (THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: A TURKS SIDE STORY)

PART 7 (PICTURING THE PAST)

PART 8 (FINAL FANTASY VII - 1)

PART 9 (FINAL FANTASY VII - 2)

PART 10 (EXTRAS)

I love how Nibelheim is casually actually buckwild insane in terms of ecology. Harsh mountain landscape where almost no plantlife grows and the air is filled with radiation poisoning and 90% of the random encounters aren't even escaped lab experiments or mutated beasts they're just. Normal wolves except they're 300% stronger than the wolves from the game's starting area and also sometimes you turn the corner and there's. A dragon. Completely normal and unremarkable predator, the fire breathing dragon. Also the locals believe if you climb high enough up the mountain you can get to the land of the dead but why the fuck would you do that so everyone just goes about their lives like a short hike away from the literal afterlife. Truly no other town could have produced the likes of Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart.

listen i am obsessed with this single line of dialogue. it's a Final Fantasy game full of people named crazy shit like GENESIS RHAPSODOS and WEISS THE IMMACULATE and then there's this dude. some random ass guy from the in-game lore equivalent of rural Louisiana whose name may as well be Jim.

And Jim Has Seen It All. he fell 300 meters and crashed through the roof of a church and he walked it off like it was nothing. he's seen his mentor grow one single wing and take to the skies majestically like an albatross. he survived when an alien brain fungus consumed his coworker's consciousness spurring the guy to commit arson and a small genocide. fresh outta high school he's abducted by scientists and trapped in a large petri dish for four years. he escapes and then singlehandedly mows down an entire goddamn army of hundreds of troopers and gets shot like at least twenty times. he tears a metal tree out of the ground and chucks it at a helicopter like a toy shovel, acting cool about it. "ugh mondays am i right? haha"

the rapture is coming. the sky has ripped open like a wrestler's t-shirt and everyone is mourning their impending doom and Jim is just like "it'll be fine lol" but then SEPHIROTH arrives and shoves him into a wormhole. he wanders the empty backstage of reality, and only then does he start to slightly freak out just a tiny bit. no problem. hop in hop out, quick boss battle against the brain fungus coworker, easy peasy. he gets savewarped to another universe, kinda annoying but he can deal, he thinks.

But now there's a fucking meteor crashing down on top of him. And finally, finally— Jim cracks. He can't handle this. What the actual fuck is my life, he finally wonders. "What the hell is going on!?" he finally asks.

Graphics enhancement, 23 years later!