It’s not too hard to think that there aren’t as many people that know about Cloud Strife as you might think since when he came out he looked a lot different in the game and aside from the promotional posters he’s changed a bit over time. But he was the quintessential hero of the Final Fantasy series and still is for the most part since if you ask anyone that loves the game they might cite part VII as one of the best chapters of all time. Part X and a few others might come into play but when you really talk about heroes that are integral to the story and have managed to gain a worthy following Cloud Strife is hard to beat. His power set is stunning, his appearance is kind of deceptive, and his abilities are beyond belief, making him one of the most talked-about characters in the franchise and possibly one of the most powerful.
Here are a few things you might not have known about him though.
10. He was a boss monster at one time.
The Before Crisis-Final Fantasy VII game was never released outside of Japan and it does feature Cloud Strife as a boss you can play against but it’s completely non-canon. In any other version he’s seen as one of the heroes.
9. There’s no way to lose his final battle with Sephiroth.
Being that this fight is taking place in Cloud’s mind it is impossible to lose since anything Cloud does will harm Sephiroth no matter if it’s an attack or a passive skill that involves absolutely no damage.
8. He and Bayonetta are tied as being the most overpowered characters in Super Smash Bros.
To be honest Cloud was the best character until Bayonetta came along, and even if she has usurped his spot they’ve both been seen to be insanely powerful and likely to be taken out of the game at some point.
7. A hint to his identity was cut from the game.
There’s not a lot of explanation as to why this was cut but Cloud was originally one of the many Shinra grunts apparently and took over the identity of Zack, who obviously died at one point in the game. So it’s a matter of Cloud having become someone he wasn’t meant to be initially.
6. His face had to be remade quite a few times.
Fans do tend to make or break any type of media since their input and their attention is what sells the game. Unfortunately this means that severely picky fans kept making complaints about the way Cloud looked in the game and continually hassled the creators into remaking his face over and over and over again until it was considered to be up to their standards.
5. He has more Limit Breaks than any other character.
Cloud had two more Limit Breaks than the other characters in part VII and they show up in different parts of the Final Fantasy VII media. Cherry Blossom shows up in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT and Omnislash 5 makes an impressive appearance in Advent Children.
4. Originally there was going to be a large magnet on his back to stow his sword.
This would have been a big help but for the fact that thanks to his superior strength Cloud had no problem wielding the Buster Sword, which is still one of the most impressive weapons ever made for a video game.
3. He almost had a different look in Final Fantasy Tactics.
Depending on the game and the limitations of the system there are times when characters might look a little different and will take on the characteristics of the game they’re in so as to bring something new to their person or simply adhere to the system they’re being featured on.
2. There’s still questions about his being infused the Mako.
This has more to do with when he was infused with Mako rather than the reality that he WAS infused since gamers and fans tend to want a great deal of consistency in their stories. This is to be expected though since so many people happen to love and idolize this character.
1. He has the most chemistry with Yuffie.
This is interesting since the relationship with Aerith didn’t have a lot of opportunity to develop due to her untimely demise. But some people seem to think that he ended up with Tifa, though he seems to have far better chemistry with Yuffie, who upon kissing him in the game becomes immediately embarrassed.
Cloud is without any doubt the most popular character in Final Fantasy VII and one of those that’s both tortured but also vital to the story since a lot of it revolves around him in one way or another. His story is one that many people have heard throughout the years, but it’s also one that’s compelling enough to hear again.
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