Final Fantasy: Who is Sephiroth?

Originally published December 29, 2020. This article tells the origins of the Final Fantasy villain Sephiroth.

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Sephiroth is notorious as one of the most sinister villains in Final Fantasy. He is powerful beyond belief. He is the main antagonist in Final Fantasy VII, but he is not evil simply just to be evil. He is more than just rage and destruction. His origins have lead him to this point.

Sephiroth’s story begins long ago, far before the beginning of the fantasy RPG. Let’s discover what truly makes him such a great counterpoint to Cloud Strife.

The Shinra Electric Power Company

The Shinra Electric Power Company revolutionized the entire modern world, ever since they discovered how to harness and drain the spiritual energy of their Planet, Gaia, as a means of electricity. This energy, called the Lifestream, that gives life to everything on the planet, is getting weaker. The planet is dying, while the Shinra Company thrives.

Some groups on the planet intended to defeat and destroy the planet-killing megacorp, including one of Gaia’s oldest civilizations: the Cetra. The Cetra are spiritual beings with a great connection to the Lifestream. They have the ability to communicate with the planet. Most of the Cetra were wiped out 2000 years ago when a massive powerful alien called Jenova crash-landed on the planet with the intent of world domination.

Creating Sephiroth

Even though the Cetra imprisoned Jenova, the Shinra company’s researchers believed that Jenova was the last of the Cetra. So with the hopes of exploiting the Lifestream in yet another way, Shinra began the Jenova project, using Jenova’s cells to perform strange experiments. Shinra wanted to see if they could recreate the Cetra.

While they didn’t create the Cetra, they did create something entirely new. By genetically infusing human cells with Jenova’s cells, they altered these humans and granted them more power than anyone ever expect. Sephiroth was the first human being to be infused with Jenova’s cells, paving the way for even more experiments, which eventually lead to Cloud.

Sephiroth’s True Strength

Due to being infused with Jenova’s cells before birth, Sephiroth was stronger, faster, and even smarter than those around him. And since he was an experiment, he wasn’t allowed to be with his parents. He was made into a heartless weapon. Instead, he was raised by the Shinra Company, working as one of their elite fighters in a group called SOLDIERS. The SOLDIERS were excellent defenders and mercenaries, but Sephiroth was said to be the best of them all.

After years of working for Shinra and being praised as a war hero, Sephiroth came to learn about the experiments performed on him. He realized that the Shinra company used Jenova, just like they used him. Believing Jenova to be his mother, he decided he’d follow in her footsteps, and try and take over the Gaia. And instead of allowing Shinra to drain the planet’s energy, he’d harness the Lifestream himself to become as powerful as a God.

His devious plan was to destroy the planet with a meteor, releasing the ultimate Black Magic. The planet would respond by releasing the Lifestream to heal itself. Then, Sephiroth would take all the Lifestream for himself, and leave this planet behind, using his god-like powers to conquer other worlds. With Jenova’s cells empowering him, he is able to create a clone of himself to execute his plan. He is able to exert control over Jenova’s cells wherever they are, even sometimes in Cloud Strife. Sephiroth could never predict Cloud’s true strength.

His power is formidable, his plan devious, and his origin horrid. But that is what makes Sephiroth such a terrifying and terrific antagonist. What’s your favorite moment in Final Fantasy? Let us know at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network. And don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!