Wikipedia

Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife(Japanese:クラウド・ストライフ,Hepburn:Kuraudo Sutoraifu)is a character in the media franchiseCompilation of Final Fantasy VIIbySquare Enix.He is the protagonist of the role-playing video gamesFinal Fantasy VII(1997),Final Fantasy VII Remake(2020) andFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth(2024) and the animated filmFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Children(2005), and appears in several other instalments in the widerFinal Fantasyseries.He has also appeared in other media, such as theKingdom Heartsseries by Square Enix andDisneyand theSuper Smash Bros.series byNintendo.

Cloud Strife
Final Fantasycharacter
Cloud Strife artwork byTetsuya NomuraforFinal Fantasy VII.
First gameFinal Fantasy VII(1997)
Created byYoshinori Kitase,Kazushige Nojima,Tetsuya Nomura,Hironobu Sakaguchi
Designed byTetsuya Nomura
Voiced by
In-universe information
WeaponBuster Sword
FamilyMother - Claudia Strife (Deceased) Father - Unknown (Deceased)
HomeNibelheim

Cloud was designed byTetsuya Nomura,a character artist for theFinal Fantasyseries, whose role expanded to include supervision over Cloud's personality.Yoshinori Kitase,director ofVII,andKazushige Nojima,an events planner, developed the story and wanted to create a mysterious character who acted atypically for a hero. AfterVII,Nomura redesigned Cloud forAdvent Children,giving him a more realistic appearance alongside new weaponry and a new outfit. ForRemake,the team aimed to adapt his classic design for a more realistic artstyle.

Cloud has garnered primarily positive reception from critics, and has been described as one of the most iconic video game protagonists. He has also been cited favorably as an example of complex character writing in video games, as one of its firstunreliable narratorsand for the game's depiction of his mental disorder. Additionally, he is seen as a messiah figure in both the game and film for opposingSephiroth's schemes and supported by his allies.

Concept

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Early sketches of Cloud's design by Tetsuya Nomura

In contrast toFinal Fantasy VI,which featured multiple "main characters", Square's staff decided in the beginning ofFinal Fantasy VII'sdevelopment that the game would follow a single identifiable protagonist.[1]InHironobu Sakaguchi's first plot treatment, a prototype for Cloud's character belonged to an organization attempting to destroy New York City's "Mako Reactors".[2]Kitase and Nomura discussed that Cloud would be the lead of three protagonists,[3]but Nomura did not receive character profiles or a completed scenario in advance.[4]Left to imagine the stories behind the characters he designed, Nomura shared these details in discussions with staff or in separately penned notes.[4]Frustrated by the continued popularity ofFinal Fantasy IV'scharacters despite the release of two sequels, Nomura made it his goal to create a memorable cast.[3]The contrast between Cloud, a "young, passionate boy", and Sephiroth, a "more mature and cool" individual, struck Amano as "intriguing", though not unusual as a pairing.[5]When designing Cloud and Sephiroth, Nomura imagined a rivalry mirroring that ofMiyamoto MusashiandSasaki Kojirō,with Cloud and Sephiroth representing Musashi and Kojirō, respectively.[6]

Kitase and Nojima developed Cloud's backstory and his relationship to Sephiroth.[7]While drafting the game's scenario, Nojima saw a standing animation created by event plannerMotomu Toriyamathat depicted "Cloud showing off".[4]The animation impressed Nojima and inspired the idea that Cloud had developed a false persona.[4]This later led Nojima to createZack Fair,a SOLDIER whom Cloud aspired to be like, to expand on the mystery of Cloud's past.[8]Nojima left the unfolding of events regarding Cloud's identity unwritten,[8]and Kitase was unaware of the significance of Zack's addition untilplaytesting.[4]Kitase reviewed Nojima's scenario and felt that Cloud, who was neither single-minded nor righteous, offered a fresh take on a protagonist.[4]The love triangle between Cloud,Tifa Lockhart,andAerith Gainsboroughwas also viewed as novel for the series.[4]Nojima likened Cloud and Tifa's relationship to one of friends since nursery school, and compared Aerith to a transfer student arriving mid-term.[4]

In early scripts, Sephiroth would have deceived Cloud into thinking that he had created him, and he had the ability to exert control over Cloud's movements.[9]As in the finished game, Cloud would discover that Shinra's experiments and his own insecurities had made him susceptible to Sephiroth's manipulation.[9]Cloud would have also somehow injured Tifa prior to the game's events, leaving her with memory loss of the event and a large scar on her back.[10]Kitase rejected a proposed scene written byMasato Katoinvolving Cloud and Tifa walking out of aChocobostable the morning before the final battle, with Tifa following only after checking around.[4]Kitase found it "too intense" and Nojima described the proposal as "extreme"; however, Kitase maintained a toned-down scene written by Kato depicting the night before, which has Tifa speak a risqué line of dialogue before afade to black.[4]According to Nojima, none of the staff expected that the scene, despite "the line in question", "would be something so important".[4]

Nojima wanted to write scenes in such a way that players themselves could decide what Cloud was thinking.[11]Nojima used Cloud's foggy memories as a device to provide details about the world that would be unknown to the player but considered common knowledge to its inhabitants.[12]To emphasize Cloud's personality, event planners repeated elements they found interesting, such as Toriyama's standing animation and Cloud's use of the phrase "not interested".[4]

In retrospective, Nomura andFinal Fantasy VII Remakeco-director Naoki Hamaguchi have described Cloud as a "dorky character".[13]According to Nomura, although post-Final Fantasy VIItitles featuring Cloud have emphasized his "cool side", "in the original game, Cloud had many comical or lame moments".[14]Nomura believes that the reason Cloud became popular with audiences is due to the impact his personality made on Nojima's scenario.[15]

Designs

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In addition to testing models ported from Square's1995 SIGGRAPH demo,Nomura and several other artists created new characters, including an early design of Cloud.[2]Sakaguchi, impressed with Nomura's illustrations and detailed handwritten notes forFinal Fantasy VandVI,[16]tasked him with designingFinal Fantasy VII'smain characters.[17]

Nomura's notes listed Cloud'sjobas magic swordsman(Ma pháp kiếm sĩ,mahō kenshi).[10]Cloud's design underwent several revisions.[18]Nomura's first draft of Cloud featured slicked-back black hair to contrast with the long silver hair of the game's primary antagonist, Sephiroth,[19]and to minimize the model'spolygoncount.[20]However, to make Cloud stand out more and emphasize his role as the game's lead protagonist, Nomura altered Cloud's design to give him spiky, bright blond hair.[21]Nomura also made Cloud taller than he appeared in the SGI Onyx demo,[2]while a discarded iteration drawn "more on the realistic side" depicted Cloud with a taller head and body and more muscular physique.[18]

Yoshitaka Amano,who handled character illustrations for previousFinal Fantasytitles, painted promotional images for the game by taking Nomura's "drawings and put[ting his] own spin on them".[22]According to Amano, because of the hardware limitations of thePlayStation,the platform Square had settled on forFinal Fantasy VII,characters could not be rendered realistically.[23]Amano thought that Cloud's baggy pants, which taper at the bottom, reflected a "very... Japanese style", resembling the silhouette of ahakama.[5]

Early renditions of Cloud's weapon, the Buster Sword(バスターソード,Basutā Sōdo),depicted a smaller, thinner blade.[15]Variations included additions such as a small chain connected to the pommel, magnets securing the blade to Cloud's back,[10]and a more detailed design that resembled a "Western-style sword".[18]The Buster Sword's blade grew in subsequent illustrations,[24]and Nomura called it "the Giant Kitchen Knife", envisioning it as unrefined steel.[24]Square's staff conceived of aminigameinvolving Cloud driving a motorcycle at the start of the game's development,[25]and Nomura's illustrations included Cloud riding a "Hardy-Daytona"(ハーディ＝デイトナ,Hādi-Deitona),a Shinra motorcycle based on a real-life motorbike, theYamaha VMAX.[26]

Further development

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Advent Childrencharacterization

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ForAdvent Children,Nomura agreed to direct the project largely because of his attachment to Cloud's character.[27]Although Nomura stated that Cloud was a more positive character inFinal Fantasy VIIthan inAdvent Children,he did not believe that such an "'upbeat' image of him is what stuck in the minds of the fans", and the script was written to explain why Cloud returned to a state of mind "consistent with the fans' view of him".[28]Nomura describes Cloud's life as peaceful but, hurt by the losses he experienced during the original game, one which he grew scared of losing.[29]Blaming himself for things outside of his control, Cloud, Nomura elaborated, needed to overcome himself.[30]In contrast to other heroes, who Nomura sees as typically possessing character defects amounting only to quirks, he believed Cloud's weakness to be humanizing.[31]

Nojima viewed the theme of the story as one of forgiveness, which he believed required hardship; by taking up his sword and fighting, Cloud struggles to achieve it.[32]Nojima sought to establish Cloud's withdrawn personality by depicting him as having a cell phone, but never answering any calls. He originally intended for Aerith's name to be the last one displayed in the backlog of ignored messages that appear as Cloud's cell phone sinks into the water, but altered the scene because it "sounded too creepy".[33]The wolf which Cloud imagines "represents the deepest part of Cloud's psyche" and "appears in response to some burden that Cloud is carrying deep in his heart",[34]vanishing at the film's end. Nomura cites one of the film's final scenes, in which Cloud smiles, as his favorite, highlighting the lack of dialogue and Cloud's embarrassment.[35]The scene influenced composerNobuo Uematsu's score, who grew excited after coming across it in his review of the script, commenting on the difficulty players who had finishedFinal Fantasy VIIwould have had imagining Cloud's smile.[35]

Nomura sought to make Cloud's design distinctly different from the other characters.[24]About thirty different designs were made for Cloud's face, and his hair was altered to give it a more realistic look and illustrate that two years had passed since the game's conclusion.[36]The staff attempted rendering Cloud based on the game's original illustrations, but concluded that doing so left his eyes unrealistically big, which "looked gross".[37]Further revisions were made to Cloud's face after completion of the pilot film, which featured a more realistic style.[38]In contrast to his hair, Cloud's clothes were difficult to make in the film.[39]After deciding to give Cloud a simple costume consistent with the concept of "clothes designed for action", the staff began with the idea of a black robe, eventually parring it down to a "long apron" shifted to one side.[36]

Cloud's weaponry was based on the joking observation that because his sword in the original game was already enormously tall, in the sequel, he should use sheer numbers.[40]Referred to as "The Fusion Swords"(Hợp thể kiếm,Gattai Ken)during the film's development,[41]early storyboard concepts included Cloud carrying six swords on his back,[40]although the idea was later modified to six interlocking swords. While the idea wasn't "logically thought out" and the staff did not think that they could "make it work physically", it was believed to provide "an interesting accent to the story".[42]Cloud's new motorcycle, Fenrir(フェンリル,Fenriru),was designed by Takayuki Takeya, who was asked by the staff to design an upgraded version of Cloud's "Hardy-Daytona" motorcycle fromFinal Fantasy VII.The bike got bigger as development continued, with Takeya feeling its heaviness provided an impact that worked well within the film.[43]In the original game, Cloud's strongest technique was the Omnislash(Siêu cứu võ thần bá trảm,Choukyūbushinhazan,lit. "Super-ultimate War-god Commanding Slash" ).For his fight against Sephiroth in the film, Nomura proposed a new move, the Omnislash Ver. 5(Siêu cứu võ thần bá trảm ver.5,Choukyūbushinhazan ver.5),a faster version of the original Omnislash. The staff laughed at the name of Cloud's move during the making of it, as Nomura was inspired by a sports move fromFinal Fantasy X,whose protagonist,Tidus,explained the addition of a more specific name would make people more excited.[44]

Themes expanded upon in thedirector's cutAdvent Children Completeinclude Cloud's development with links to otherFinal Fantasy VIImedia in which he appeared.[45]To further focus on Cloud'sgrowth,Square decided to give him more scenes when he interacts with children. Additionally, the fight between Cloud and Sephiroth was expanded by several minutes, and includes a scene in which Sephiroth impales Cloud on his sword and holds him in the air, mirroring the scene in the game where he performs the same action. The decision to feature Cloud suffering from blood loss in the fight was made in order to make his pain feel realistic.[46]

Remakehandling

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In the making of the fighting gameDissidia: Final Fantasy,Nomura stated that Cloud's appearance was slightly slimmer than inFinal Fantasy VIIbecause of the detail the 3D of the PlayStation Portable could give him. While also retaining his original design and hisAdvent Childrenappearance, Cloud was given a more distinct look based on hisFinal Fantasy VIIpersona.[47]

Cloud's initial redesign forFinal Fantasy VII Remakewas initially more different than the original, but was later altered to more closely resemble Nomura's original design.[13]Early on inFinal Fantasy VII,Cloud crossdresses in order to find Tifa, and Nomura noted this event was popular with the fans and reassured that the remake would keep this part. On the other hand, the character designer stated that their final design was not decided yet.[48]Kazushige Nojima worked on making Cloud's interactions with Tifa and Barret natural. Despite fear of the possible result, Nojima also wanted players to connect with the character once again.[49]Kitase further claimed that in the remake they aimed to make Cloud more inexperienced and informal than inAdvent Children,due to him not being fully mature.[50]

Co-director Naoki Hamaguchi noted that since the original game offered the option for the player to decide Cloud's interest in a female character, he wanted the remake to retain this in the form of an intimate conversation when splitting from the main team.[51] The theme song "Hollow" is meant to reflect Cloud's state of mind, with Nomura placing high emphasis on the rock music and male vocals.[52]

Voice actors

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Takahiro Sakurai (left) and Cody Christian (right) voiced Cloud Strife.

The originalFinal Fantasy VIIdid not have voice acting. For theEhrgeizfighting game,Kenyu Horiuchivoiced Cloud in the arcade version andNozomu Sasakivoiced him in the home console version.[53]SinceKingdom Hearts,Takahiro Sakuraihas been the Japanese voice of Cloud, with Teruaki Sugawara, the voice director at Square, recommending him to Nomura based on prior experience.[54]Nomura had originally asked Sakurai to play the protagonist ofThe Bouncer,Sion Barzahd, but found that his voice best suited Cloud after hearing him speak.[54]Sakurai received the script without any accompanying visuals, and first arrived for recording under the impression that he would be voicing a character other than Cloud.[55]ForAdvent Children,Nomura wanted to contrast Cloud and Vincent's voices because of their similar personalities.[56]As a sequel to the highly popularFinal Fantasy VII,Sakurai felt greater pressure performing the role than he did when he voiced Cloud forKingdom Hearts.Sakurai received comments from colleagues revealing their love of the game, some of them jokingly threatening that they would not forgive him if he did not meet their expectations.[55]

During recording, Sakurai was told that "[n]o matter what kind of odds are stacked against him, Cloud won't be shaken".[57]Sakurai says that while he recorded most of his work individually, he performed alongsideAyumi Ito,who voiced Tifa, for a few scenes. These recordings left him feeling "deflated", as the "exchanges he has with Tifa can be pretty painful", with Sakurai commenting that Cloud—whom he empathized with as his voice actor—has a hard time dealing with straight talk.[58]Sakurai says that there were scenes that took over a year to complete, with very precise directions being given requiring multiple takes.[59]

According to Sakurai, Cloud's silence conveys more about him than when he speaks. While possessing heroic characteristics, Sakurai describes Cloud's outlook as negative, and says that he is delicate in some respects.[55]A fan ofVII,Sakurai had believed Cloud to be a colder character based on his original impression of him, but later came to view him as more sentimental.[54]After the final product was released, Sakurai was anxious to hear the fans' response, whether positive or negative, and says that most of the feedback he received praised him.[55]While recordingCrisis Core,Sakurai felt that Cloud, though still introverted, acted more like a normal teenager, and modified his approach accordingly. Cloud's scream over Zack's death left a major impression on Sakurai, who says that he worked hard to convey the emotional tone of the ending.[55]Sakurai has come to regard Cloud as an important role, commenting that Cloud reminds him of his own past, and that, as aFinal Fantasy VIIfan himself, he is happy to contribute.[55]

For the remake ofFinal Fantasy VII,Sakurai found Cloud more difficult to portray than his previous performances. He re-recorded his lines multiple times, and credited the voice director with guiding him.[60]Nomura elaborated that the remake's interpretation of Cloud has a distinct personality; he attempts to act cool, but often fails to do so and instead comes across as awkward, which Nomura asked Sakurai to reflect in his acting. Another challenge for the developers was finding a suitable voice for the teenage Cloud seen during flashbacks. In order to better match Cloud's rural upbringing, they decided to hire a child from a rural area rather than an established actor, and ultimately went with 13-year-old Yukihiro Aizawa.[61][62]

In most English adaptations, Cloud is voiced bySteve Burton,who was first hired to voice Cloud after a Square employee saw his role in the 2001 filmThe Last Castle.[63]Burton's work as Cloud inAdvent Childrenserved as his first feature-length role, an experience he enjoyed.[64]Calling the character a rare opportunity for him as an actor, Burton describes Cloud as having a "heaviness about him".[65]Burton says he is surprised when fans recognize him for his work as Cloud, whom he has referred to as "[one of the] coolest characters there is", and considers himself lucky to have voiced him.[64]

Although Burton expressed his desire to voice Cloud for the remake ofFinal Fantasy VII,he was replaced byCody Christian;Burton thanked Square for his work, and wished Christian luck.[66][67]Christian said that he was honored to portray what he described as an iconic character, and vowed to give his best performance.[68]He also commented on Burton's previous work, stating, "Steve, you paved the way. You made this character what it is and have contributed in shaping a legacy".[69]Christian used Burton's works as an inspiration for his portrayal of the character.[70]Teenage Cloud was voiced in English by Major Dodson.[71]For the next installment, Christian said that that the character differed fromRemakeas he aimed to explore more his sensitive side like his past or intimate relationships he is often involved.[72]

Appearances

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InFinal Fantasy VII

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Cloud is introduced as a mercenary employed by AVALANCHE, an eco-terrorist group opposed to the Shinra Company, and who claims to be formerly of SOLDIER 1st Class, an elite Shinra fighting unit.[73]Beginning the game with theplaceholder name"Ex-SOLDIER"(Nguyên ソルジャー,Moto Sorujā),Cloud assists AVALANCHE's leader,Barret Wallace,in bombing a Mako reactor, power plants which drain the planet's "Lifestream". Despite appearing detached[74]and more interested in the pay of his work, Cloud demonstrates moments ofcamaraderie,such as prioritizing Jesse's security over his escape during the Mako Reactor 1's explosion.[75]Players can choose to interact in a friendlier manner with AVALANCHE's members.[76]After being approached by his childhood friend and AVALANCHE member,Tifa Lockhart,[77]Cloud agrees to continue helping AVALANCHE.[78][79]Cloud encountersAerith Gainsborough,a resident ofMidgar's slums, and agrees to serve as her bodyguard in exchange for a date.[80]He helps her evade Shinra, who are pursuing her because she is the sole survivor of a race known as the Cetra. During the course of their travels, alove triangledevelops between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith.[81][82]

Following the player's departure from Midgar, Cloud narrates his history with Sephiroth, a legendary member of SOLDIER and the game's primary antagonist, and the events that led to his disappearance five years prior. Cloud joined SOLDIER to emulate Sephiroth, and explains that he would sign up for a "big mission" whenever they became available, as the conclusion of Shinra's war with the people of Wutai ended his chances for military fame.[83]Sephiroth started questioning his humanity after accompanying him on a job to Cloud's hometown of Nibelheim and discovering documents concerningJenova,anextraterrestrial lifeformand Sephiroth's "mother".[84]This ultimately led to Sephiroth burning down Nibelheim. Cloud confronted Sephiroth at Mt Nibel's Mako Reactor and was believed to have killed him, but Cloud dismisses this as a lie, as he knows he would be no match for Sephiroth. He is troubled with the fact that although he most likely would have lost the fight, he lived after challenging Sephiroth.

However, numerous visual and audio clues suggest theunreliability of Cloud's memory.Cloud will spontaneously remember words or scenes from his past, sometimes collapsing to the ground while cradling his head,[85]and appears not to remember things that he should, such as the existence of a SOLDIER First Class named Zack.[86]As Sephiroth begins manipulating his mind,[87]he takes advantage of his memory by telling him that his past is merely fiction and that Shinra created him in an attempt to clone Sephiroth.[88]Cloud learns he cannot remember things such as how or when he joined SOLDIER and resigns himself as a "failed experiment",[89]then goes missing. The party later discovers a comatose Cloud suffering from Mako poisoning.

It is revealed that Cloud never qualified for SOLDIER, and instead enlisted as an infantryman in Shinra's army. During the mission to Nibelheim, he served under Sephiroth and Zack and hid his identity from the townspeople out of embarrassment. Following Sephiroth's defeat of Zack at the Mt. Nibel Mako reactor, Cloud managed to ambush him and throw him into the Lifestream, and believed him to be dead. Both he and Zack were then imprisoned by Shinra's lead scientist, Hojo, for experimentation. Zack later escaped with Cloud to the outskirts of Midgar before Shinra soldiers gunned him down. As a result of exposure to Mako radiation and the injection of Jenova's cells,[90]Cloud's mind created a false personality largely based on Zack's, inadvertently erasing the latter from his memory.[91]After piecing together his identity, Cloud resumes his role as leader and silently expresses his mutual feelings with Tifa the night before the final battle. At the game's conclusion, Sephiroth reappears in Cloud's mind a final time, but is defeated in a one-on-one fight.[92]

InCompilation of Final Fantasy VII

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Cloud was redesigned for the 2005 filmFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Childrenand had his Buster Sword replaced with the pictured Fusion Swords and bike Fenrir.

Cloud appears in a minor role in themobile gameBefore Crisis,a prequel set six years before the events ofFinal Fantasy VII.The player, a member of the Shinra covert operatives group, theTurks,encounters Cloud during his time as a Shinra infantryman working to join SOLDIER. The game portrays Cloud's natural talent for swordsmanship,[93]and recounts his role during Nibelheim's destruction.

In the 2005 animated filmAdvent Children,which is set two years after the conclusion ofFinal Fantasy VII,[94]Cloud lives with Tifa in the city of Edge along withMarlene,Barret's adopted daughter, andDenzel,an orphan affected by a rampant and deadly disease calledGeostigma.Having given up his life as a mercenary,[95]Cloud now works as acourierfor the "Strife Delivery Service"(ストライフ・デリバリーサービス,Sutoraifu Deribarī Sābisu),which Tifa set up in her new bar. After Tifa confronts him following the disappearance of Denzel and Marlene, it is revealed that he also suffers from the effects of Geostigma, and he responds that he is unfit to protect his friends and new family.[96]

However, after Tifa urges him to let go of the past,[97]Cloud sets out for the Forgotten City in search of the children. There, he confrontsKadaj, Loz, and Yazoo,genetic remnants of Sephiroth left behind before he diffused into the Lifestream completely.[98]Cloud's battle with Kadaj takes them back to Aerith's church, where Cloud recovers from his Geostigma with Aerith's help.[99]After merging with the remains of Jenova, Kadaj, resurrects Sephiroth. Cloud, having overcome his doubts, defeats Sephiroth once more, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place.[100]At the film's conclusion, Cloud, seeing Aerith and Zack, assures them that he will be fine and reunites with his friends.

Cloud appears inOn the Way to a Smile,a series of short stories set betweenFinal Fantasy VIIandAdvent Children."Case of Tifa" serves as an epilogue toVII,and portrays Cloud's life alongside Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel. "Case of Denzel" relates how Cloud first met Denzel,[101]and was later adapted as a shortoriginal video animationfor the release ofAdvent Children Complete,On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel.[102]

Cloud appears in a supporting role in thePlayStation 2gameDirge of Cerberus.A year after the events ofAdvent Children,[103]Cloud, working alongside Barret and Tifa, lends his support to the ground forces of theWorld Regenesis Organizationand his allyVincent Valentinein their siege of Midgar and counterattack against the rogue Shinra military unit, Deepground.[104]

In thePlayStation PortablegameCrisis Core,Cloud is presented as a young Shinra infantryman who befriends Zack.[105]During the game's conclusion, a dying Zack gives Cloud his Buster Sword, telling him that he is his legacy.[106]The game ends with Cloud heading to Midgar, reprising the start ofFinal Fantasy VII.[107]Zack and Cloud's connection was meant to be expanded upon near the game's ending, with both of them planning to flee to Midgar, but due to limitations in the console's hardware, these scenes could not be implemented and they instead decided to focus on Zack.[108]

Cloud reprises his role from the originalFinal Fantasy VIIin the2020 remake,which is part of a planned trilogy of games remaking the original 1997 game. While marketed as a remake to the original 1997 game, Square claims that there are other different meanings in this game.[109]He was featured once more as the protagonist inFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth.

InKingdom Hearts

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Nomura redesigned Cloud for his appearance inKingdom Hearts.He is depicted with a crimson cape and a clawed version of his left-handed glove, while the Buster Sword's blade is wrapped in bandages. Nomura stated that Cloud's left arm was inspired byVincent Valentine,and explained that he wanted to give the character a more demon-like appearance due to his ties to the dark side in the game.[110]Nomura also stated that he wanted to leave the question of whether Cloud was searching for Aerith open to the player's interpretation.[110]In the first game,Kingdom Hearts,Cloud appears in theOlympusColiseumworld, withHadeshiring him to killHercules,and fightsSoraas a prerequisite.[111]After the fight, Hades sendsCerberusto attack Cloud and Sora, who Hercules saves. Cloud meets with Sora afterward and explains that he is searching for someone.[112]InKingdom Hearts: Final Mix,there is an additional scene where he battles Sephiroth. During the credits, Cloud is shown reuniting with the residents of Hollow Bastion. A memory-based version of Cloud appears in theGame Boy AdvancesequelKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memoriesas abossin the Olympus Coliseum[113]and later as a summon card for Sora.[114]

Cloud reappears inKingdom Hearts II,depicted with hisAdvent Childrendesign. He is searching for Sephiroth,[115]and in turn Tifa is searching for him.[116]Cloud fights alongsideLeon's team during theHeartlessinvasion of Hollow Bastion. Should the player choose to engage Sephiroth and win the battle, Cloud returns and fights Sephiroth, which ends with both of them disappearing in a flash of light after Tifa gives Cloud her support. Sora concludes that Cloud is still fighting with Sephiroth, and will not stop until he is defeated.[117]A digital replica of Cloud also appears inKingdom Hearts codedin the Olympus Coliseum, helping Sora and Hercules battle Hades.[118]Cloud also appears in theKingdom Heartsmanga adaptations, reprising his original role.[119][120]

In other media

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The OVALast Order: Final Fantasy VIIserves as an alternate retelling of Nibelheim's destruction and Zack and Cloud's escape from Shinra imprisonment.[121]Animated and produced byMadhouse,based on a script by Kazuhiko Inukai, several scenes diverge fromFinal Fantasy VII'sdepiction of events, such as reinterpreting Cloud's rescue of Tifa by having her view his face.[122]Although it is associated with and makes references to theCompilation of Final Fantasy VII,Last Orderis considered an outside work.[123]

Cloud has also appeared in various games outside of theFinal Fantasy VIIcontinuity. He is a playable character in thePlayStationversion ofEhrgeiz.[124]InChocobo Racing,Cloud is a hidden character that rides a motorcycle.[125]Cloud is one of several playableFinal Fantasy VIIcharacters inItadaki Street Specialfor the PlayStation 2 andItadaki Street Portablefor thePlayStation Portable.LittleBigPlanet 2features Cloud as a downloadable character model.[126]Cloud is a playable character representingFinal Fantasy VIIin therhythm gameTheatrhythm Final Fantasy,[127]with hisAdvent Childrenpersona serving as downloadable content.[128]Players inFinal Fantasy Explorerscan briefly transform into Cloud, enabling use of his Omnislash Limit Break fromFFVII.[129]Cloud is the protagonist ofFinal Fantasy VII G-Bike,a mobile game for which Nomura designed a new costume for him.[130]This was inspired by Cloud'sAdvent Childrenfights which producer Ichiro Hazama thought was "very cool, and radical", and influences from the title went into the game.[131]CyberConnect2CEOHiroshi Matsuyamasought to improve Cloud's popularity with this game.[132]

Cloud appears as a playable guest character in the 2014 Nintendo crossover fighting gamesSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DSandWii U,sporting his character designs from bothFinal Fantasy VIIandAdvent Children.According to the games' directorMasahiro Sakurai,Final Fantasycharacters were heavily requested to appear in theSuper Smash Bros.series, with Cloud receiving the most support out of all of them. Reflecting on his inclusion in an interview with Tetsuya Nomura, while other characters from theFinal Fantasyseries were considered, Sakurai ultimately felt that none of them could match Cloud's popularity and he could not imagine including a different character.[133]His model was primarily based on his appearance in theDissidiaseries, with slight alterations under Nomura's supervision. He was made available as in-game downloadable content alongside a stage based on Midgar in December 2015.[134]A pair of Cloudamiibofigures were released in July 2017. He returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate(2018), and is now playable in the game's base roster.[135]As part of the update adding Sephiroth to the game as downloadable content in December 2020, Cloud was given his "Omnislash Ver. 5" to use against opponents, being exclusive to hisAdvent Childrencostumes.[136]

Cloud was considered for inclusion as a guest character in the PlayStation 2 version ofSoulcalibur II,but this did not come to pass, withHeihachi MishimafromTekkentaking the spot instead.[137]

In the PlayStation gameFinal Fantasy Tacticsand its PlayStation Portable update,The War of the Lions,Cloud is accidentally pulled into the world ofIvaliceby an ancient machine called "the Celestial Globe", which was activated by Ramza Beoulve.[138]Cloud is disoriented after arriving in Ramza's world, and after a short exchange with Ramza and the others, he leaves.[138]He wanders into Zarghidas Trade City, where he encounters a flower girl named Aerith.[139]As Cloud is leaving the area, Aerith is accosted by a man demanding payment.[140]Cloud returns to help Aerith escape, and Ramza and his party catch up to him.[141]After the battle, he joins Ramza's party as a playable character.[142]Cloud also appears as an enemy unit in the "Brave Story" series of battles as part of Rendezvous, theunlockablecooperative multiplayermode inThe War of the Lions.

Cloud serves as the representative hero ofFinal Fantasy VIIinDissidia Final Fantasy,afighting gamefeaturing characters from theFinal Fantasyseries.[143]He is depicted in hisFFVIIdesign, while hisAdvent Childrendesign is also available. His fight against Sephiroth in this game is based on their battles fromVIIandAdvent Children.[144]Along with the entire cast, Cloud reappears in the prequelDissidia 012as a Warrior of Chaos. Concerned for Tifa, who is on the opposing side, Cloud tries to defeat Chaos alone; after nearly being killed, he is saved by the goddess Cosmos, and becomes one of her warriors. Cloud's main outfit is based onYoshitaka Amano's original artwork concept,[145]while hisKingdom Heartsoutfit is offered as downloadable content.[146]Cloud again appears as a playable character opposite Sephiroth in the series' third entry,Dissidia NT,wearing hisAdvent Childrenoutfit.[63]The development staff worked carefully to translate Cloud's original moves from his previous role, most notably his swordplay Omnislash which was developed to be his strongest move.[147]

Although Cloud does not appear inLightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII,hisFinal Fantasy VIIattire appears as an alternative for the main character alongside the Buster Sword.[148]TheAdvent Childrenoutfit is also present inFinal Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.[149]Cloud's original attire is also present in the mobile phone gameMobius Final Fantasy,[150]andFinal Fantasy Explorers-Force.[151]

Legacy

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Cloud has been merchandised extensively, in many different forms, including figurines and jewelry.[152][153]In commemoration of the franchise's 20th anniversary, Square released figurines of him alongside otherFinal Fantasyprotagonists.[154]Square Enix's manager of merchandise, Kanji Tashiro, said at the 2008San Diego Comic-Conthat Cloud's likeness has produced some of the company's best-selling items, and that fans could look forward to further adaptations of the character in the future.[155]Popular models at the time included Cloud'sAdvent Childrenfigurine andFinal Fantasy VIIHardy-Daytona bike set, both of which sold particularly well in European and North American markets.[155]Square has also released two promotional books primarily focusing on Cloud's character:Cloud vol.1,which was released in 2007,[156]andCloud message,in 2008.[157]In 2013, a replica of the Buster Sword was created by blacksmithTony Swattonfor the webseriesMan at Arms.[158]

Critical reception

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Game designersHiroshi Matsuyama,Masahiro SakuraiandYoko Tarospoke favorably of Cloud's character and his impact in gaming.

Cloud has been mostly well received by critics. In his review of the PC release ofFinal Fantasy VII,Ron Dulin ofGameSpotcommented that "a simpleunderstatementwill have to suffice: Cloud is easily the most interesting and complex character ever presented in a game ".[159]RPGamer's Aujang Abadi called Cloud "one of the most complex characters Square has created", as well as "the first truly complicated main character".[160]Sharon Packer identifies Cloud as having mental illness in the form ofdissociative identity disorder(DID),[161]while Katie Whitlock identifies him as havinginvoluntary memoryresulting frompost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD).[162]The bookJapanese Culture Through Videogamesaddresses Cloud as a complex fictional character, comparing him withMetal Gear'sSolid Snake,Final Fantasy VI'sTerra Branford,andTekken'sJin Kazamadue to his identity issues.[163]Kurt Kalata ofGamasutrastated that Cloud is "somewhat of a weakling" with grandiose delusions and other psychological issues. He also called Cloud one of the firstunreliable narratorsin a role-playing video game.[164]According to Patrick Holleman, "no RPG has ever deliberately betrayed the connection between protagonist and player likeFFVIIdoes ".[165]The game's use of the unreliable narrator literary concept has drawn comparisons to films such asFight Club(1999),The Sixth Sense(1999),American Psycho(2000), andMemento(2000), with Patrick Holleman and Jeremy Parish arguing that the game takes the unreliable narrator concept a step further, by its interactivity establishing a connection between the player and the protagonist.[166][167]Jack Ridsdale ofPCGamesNargues that Cloud is a deconstruction of the hero archetype andtoxic masculinity,and compares the plot twist about his true identity to that ofFight Club.[168]In Alana Hagues from RPGFan said Cloud's shock when Sephiroth kills Aertih has a major impact on her as Cloud properly expresses depression over death, something no video game has ever done to her.[169]While Cloud is never addressed as a God, he has to protect the peace as Sephiroth plays the role of Satan and his Shadow, with Cloud having to surpass him in the narrative.[170]

Cloud's respective relationships with Aerith and Tifa were also popular with writers.[171][172][173][174]The popularity of both relationships, how they were written and their partial ties to the original game's affinity mechanics have led to multiple instances of fan creations, fandom debates andship wars,with many debating and arguing topics ranging from Tifa and Aerith's compatibility with Cloud to the canonicity and intent of his feelings towards either heroine through story and character analysis and authorial or supplemental materials (such as the Ultimanias, developer interviews and tie-in novels) across much of theCompilation of Final Fantasy VIIin the years since the original game's release.[175][176]RPGamerwriter Marie Freed states that she saw Tifa's loyalty and love for Cloud, even in the light of having to relive her own traumas, as admirable, and a welcome contrast to the "destined" romance seen in previous titleFinal Fantasy IV.[177]Siliconera writer Cory Dinkel claims thatFinal Fantasy VIIultimately has no love triangle by the end due to multiple story and character developments and revelations surrounding the characters involved and that Cloud and Tifa's relationship is the truly canonical romance despite the suggested complexity surrounding it in the sequel filmAdvent Children.[178]These particular relationship aspects as well as other facets spanning the entire main cast of theFinal Fantasy VIIfranchise were given further prominence within the character writing and story ofFinal Fantasy VII RemakeandFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth,with the latter specifically having a major emphasis on bonds through further expanded characterization, bonding mechanics and the revamped Gold Saucer dates tied to them; An aspect that has also sparked further analysis and discourse.[179][180][181][182]

Cloud's redesign inKingdom Heartswas praised as being the best in the game byAnimefringe.[183] His development inAdvent Childrenwas praised byDVD Talkas one of the best parts from the film.[184]In regards to the remains of Midgar fromAdvent Children,Destructoid noted the message within its writing regarding the characters' lives in Midgar, as its people are able to move on with their lives, but Cloud is unable to due to past trauma over Aerith's death.[185]Kotakusaw the focus on Midgar's ruins as a parallel with psychological trauma due to how some of its survivors suffer from Geostigma, a disease that cannot be fought physically.[186]Joystiq's Andrew Yoon opined that thedirector's cutversion of the film provides more depth to Cloud's development, taking advantage of its longer runtime by better "humanizing [him]".[187]GamesRadarstated that while Cloud felt like a "miserable" character in the film, him coming to terms with his past was appealing alongside his new swords stored in his bike.[188]Yoshinori Kitase said that the fight between Cloud and Sephiroth was popular enough to make Japanese gamers do a remake of it inDissidia Final Fantasyand expected Western fans would also emulate it.[189]Meristation praised Cloud's new appearance inAdvent Childrenand how it came across appealing in the spin-offDirge of Cerberus,despite him having less screentime due to the narrative focusing on Vincent.[190]

When deciding on using aFinal Fantasyrepresentative forSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DSandWii U,Nomura andSuper Smash Bros.series creator and directorMasahiro Sakuraiquickly agreed with adding Cloud to the cast. This was mostly because of Cloud's high popularity within the series in contrast to otherFinal Fantasycharacters like Bartz or Terra, and multiple requests from fans of the character. According to Sakurai, he envisioned Cloud as being a relatively easy to play character in anticipation of a large variety of players using him, and stated that the Buster Sword served as a lynchpin in regard to developing his sword swings.[47]Cloud's popularity and addition to theSuper Smash Bros.series generated multiple response, most notably inTwitter's trends.[191]AlthoughThe Vergepointed out that the series had featured other third-party characters likeSolid Snake,Mega Man,andSonic the Hedgehog,they nevertheless expressed surprise over Cloud's inclusion because ofFinal Fantasy VII's lack of release on a Nintendo console.[192]Despite that, he was well received.[193][194]

During anticipation for the remake ofFinal Fantasy VII,Cloud's role in the trailers were the focus of multiple journalists.IGNhighly praised the design and marketing involving his visual appearance.[195]TechSpotnoted fans were interested in Cloud's love interests but claimed that Cloud's relationship with Aerith was subtle in retrospective.[196][197][198]Despite noting his antisocial and aloof attitudes in the remake,[199]In a feature article,GameSpotcompared Cloud withKazuma KiryufromSega'sYakuzavideo game series due to both sharing similar features and development across the narrative through Midgar's cities as both protagonists have a tendency to help civilians.[200]When it comes toRebirth,Digital Trend saw Cloud's failures to save Aerith as a story about dealing with trauma as the returning player find a possible way to stop Aerith's death like Cloud attempts and instead ends in tragedy again.[201]Cloud's rivalry with Sephiroth was also the subject of praise inRebirthas it allows two characters be allies before the latter becomes the antagonist while the former comes across as a rookie in comparison.[202][203]

For his performance as Cloud inFinal Fantasy VII Remake,Cody Christian received a nomination for "Performer in a Leading Role"at the17th British Academy Games Awards.[204]For the 2024Golden Joystick Awards,Christian won "Best Lead Performer" for his work as Cloud inFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth.[205][206]

Cultural impact

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Cloud set a trend in theFinal Fantasyseries in regards to the characterization of main characters. FollowingFinal Fantasy VII,Nomura designedSquall Leonhart,the lead ofFinal Fantasy VIIIgiving him a similar anti-hero persona. Tasked with creating a "female version of Cloud" forFinal Fantasy XIII,[207]Nomura designedLightningwith Cloud's success in mind, stating that he "desired for her to be... loved for a long time, like Cloud".[208]After Lightning was voted as the most popular female character in the series by Japanese fans, Mollie Patterson ofEGMNOWcommented: "Some have also brought up that Lightning is kind of the female equivalent to Cloud, which might be why she gets so much love".[209]However, forFinal Fantasy X,the staff aimed for a more contrasting hero would act more cheerful in the narrative,Tidus.[210][211]Similarly, Nomura createdNoctis Lucis CaelumfromFinal Fantasy XVwith another different characterization from Cloud and Squall's and instead more insecure.[212]When the gameNierfailed to be a success in North America despite portraying an elder as a protagonist to appeal to Westerns, directorYoko Taroconvinced other staff members to use instead a younger type for the English remaster version, using Cloud as an influence.[213]

IGNstated that Cloud set a trend for role-playing video game heroes,[214]describing his "spiky blond hair" and "gigantic Buster Sword" as "instantly identifiable icons, recognized by gamers around the world".[215]Edgedescribed Cloud as an example of "excellent design and characterization".[216]Famitsuin 2010 published a seven-page tribute to Cloud, showcasing his many appearances throughout the years.[15]He was named best character of all time inDengeki PlayStation's 2007 "Den-Play Awards".[217]GameSpotpublished a video titled "Greatest Game Hero: Cloud Strife" for his inclusion in their 2009 "All Time Greatest Game Hero" poll, showcasing scenes of Cloud as he appears inAdvent Children.[218][219]

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  61. ^@theatreacademy (April 10, 2020)."Bổn nhật phát mại!! PS4ゲームソフト “ファイナルファンタジーVIIリメイク” ムギ dịch # trung thôn văn đức エアリス ấu thiếu dịch # điền trung thiên không マリン dịch # mai kỳ âm vũ ベティ dịch # liêm điền anh liên nại ティファ(8 tài /13 tài ) # tam bổn thải hương クラウド(13 tài ) # tương trạch hạnh ưu giai さん, thị phi du んチェックしてみてください!! #FF7R #FF7リメイク "[ "Released today!! PS4 game software" Final Fantasy VII Remake "Wheat playing # Fuminori Nakamura Aris's childhood role # Chizora Tanaka Marine role # Otowa Umezaki Betty role # Hidefa Kamada Tifa (8 years old / 13 years old) # Kusaka Sanbon Cloud (13 years old) # Yukyuu Aizawa Everyone, please check it out!!! # FF7R # FF7 Remake" ] (Tweet) (in Japanese).RetrievedMay 2,2020– viaTwitter.
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  73. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII.PlayStation. Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Barret:Yo. Cloud! There's somethin' I wanna ask ya. Was there anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today? /Cloud:None. I'm positive. /Barret:You sound pretty sure. /Cloud:If there was anyone from SOLDIER you wouldn't be standing here now. /Barret:Don't go thinkin' you so bad jes cuz you was in SOLDIER. "
  74. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:I don't care what your names are. Once this job's over... I'm outta here.
  75. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:Wedge!! You all right!? /Wedge:.......Cloud...... You remembered..... my name. Barret's up top....help him....... An' Cloud.... Sorry, I wasn't any help. /Cloud:I'm going up! Aeris, you look after Wedge.
  76. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Biggs:What!? you tellin' me you're too good to drink with me? Don't act big-headed jus' because you were in SOLDIER! / Yeah, why not?/Biggs:Oh!! That's more like it! Even if you were with SOLDIER, you're still a rookie here.
  77. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:But I'm different from all of them. I'm not just going to find a job. I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth. /... /Tifa:Hey, why don't we make a promise? Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind... You came save me, all right? /Cloud:What? /Tifa:Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to at least experience that once. /Cloud:What? /Tifa:Come on--! Promise me----! /Cloud:All right... I promise.
  78. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:I'm not a hero and I'm not famous. I can't keep... the promise.
  79. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:This is my pay? Don't make me laugh. \Tifa:What? Then you'll...!! /Cloud:You got the next mission lined up? I'll do it for 3000. /Tifa:Thanks, Cloud.
  80. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Aerith:Then, get me out of here. Take me home. /Cloud:OK, I'll do it... but it'll cost you. /Aerith:Well then, let's see...... How about if I go out with you once? / [Cloud makes an affirmative nod.]
  81. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Aeris:I knew that Cloud would come for me. /Cloud:Hey, I'm your bodyguard, right? /Aeris:The deal was for one date, right? /Tifa:............oh, I get it. /Aeris:...!? Tifa! Tifa, you're there too! /Tifa:EXCUSE me.
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  83. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you. But by the time I made First Class, the war was already over. My big hopes of becoming a hero like you ended with the war. That's why I always sign up whenever there's a big mission. Kind of a way to prove myself.
  84. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.Cloud:Traitor? /Sephiroth:You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on... At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors. /Cloud:Sephiroth... /Sephiroth:Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports. /Cloud:What does that have to do with you? /Sephiroth:Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients......no, the Cetra!...I am the one that was produced.
  85. ^Square (September 7, 1997).Final Fantasy VII(PlayStation). Sony Computer Entertainment America.It was a great place for you two to see each other again. /Cloud:...You're right. / Why couldn't you see each other alone? /Cloud:...I don't know. I can't remember clearly... / Why don't you try asking Tifa? "
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Further reading

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