“There's no point in wasting our time worrying about fate if we can't change it.” An ex-SOLDIER: first class, Cloud came to Midgar to start a new chapter of his life as a mercenary. At the invitation of his childhood friend, Tifa, he accepts a job with Avalanche. Together, they confront Shinra, ultimately leaving Midgar behind in pursuit of Sephiroth and the truth ─ a quest which will lead them to defy destiny itself. Weapon: &nbsp;Sword​ He fights by switching between modes specializing in mobility and offense. A single swipe of his huge sword can knock several foes off their feet at once. Some of his abilities also allow him to take the fight to the air.

Cloud Strife

“This is the planet we're talkin' about! Y'all know she's gonna pour her heart and soul into this fight!” The leader of an independent Avalanche cell, Barret spearheads an operation to take down Shinra's mako reactors. He pays a hefty price for this, however, when the company retaliates, and his comrades die in the crossfire. Armed with the memories of his lost friends and the newfound knowledge of Sephiroth's plans, he departs Midgar in hope of saving the planet and safeguarding a future for his daughter Marlene. Weapon: Gunarm​ What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in both sturdiness and strength, converting his anger toward Shinra into raw firepower. He employs a variety of ranged attacks, from rapid-fire salvos to powerful explosions, which allow him to strike foes high in the air or across the battlefield.&nbsp;

Barret Wallace

"Ever wish you could just snap your fingers and forget the worst stuff?" Though a loyal member of Avalanche─an underground organization that opposes Shinra─Tifa nevertheless questions the group's extremist tactics, struggling to reconcile her cause with her conscience. This internal conflict reaches a fever pitch when her group's actions effectively lead to the fall of the Sector 7 plate. Racked with guilt, she leaves Midgar in search of a new path to tread. Weapon: Gloves​ She strings together swift combos while utilizing a variety of martial art techniques. Her ATB fills quickly, allowing for the use of multiple abilities in rapid succession. She also boasts several skills that deal more damage to airborne or staggered foes.

Tifa Lockhart

“Just look at it all... A living, breathing planet. Even after everything we've done to it, it's still going strong.” A flower seller who lives in the Sector 5 undercity and the last remaining descendant of the Cetra, a people known for communing with the planet. Shinra takes her prisoner in their efforts to reach the Cetra's foretold "promised land," but Cloud and company come to her rescue. She escapes Midgar and embarks on a journey into the outside world of which she has long dreamed. Weapon: Staff​ Utilizing the power of magic, she casts spells from a safe distance and launches attacks that home in on her foes. She can also conjure beneficial wards and warp between them, as well as restore the party's HP with her limit break.

Aerith Gainsborough

“I may be clad in fur...but that doesn't mean I'll purr.” Red XIII is a beast with a flaming tail, crimson fur, ​deadly claws, and the ability to speak. Cloud and ​company help him escape Professor Hojo's clutches,​ and he decides to join them on their journey. ​His species is known for their long life spans, ​and he is no exception. As this Cosmo Canyon ​native is the eldest member of the party, he offers ​its members words of wisdom from time to time. Weapon: Collar​ He sets upon foes with an unrelenting assault, laying into them with a beastly ferocity. Guarding against incoming attacks will feed his Vengeance gauge. Once it is full, he can unleash his inner beast, but sufficient skill is required to maximize its potential.

Red XIII

“If I win, you get the honor of serving yours truly!” A member of Wutai's elite corps of ninja operatives, Yuffie ​infiltrates Midgar on a mission to steal the "ultimate materia" ​from Shinra. Her plan ends in disaster, as she fails to claim the ​materia and loses her partner Sonon in the struggle. Just as ​working alone begins to take its toll on her, however, Cloud’s​ group comes into the picture. Weapon: Throwing Star​ Using her throwing star and ninja skills, she excels at both long- and close-range combat. Elemental ninjutsu allows her to exploit enemies' weaknesses without relying on spells. She also keeps opponents on their toes with a variety of aerial attacks and tricky techniques.

Yuffie Kisaragi

“Alright, everyone! By popular request:​ a fortune or two to steer you true!” A wisecracking, feline-shaped robot often seen poised atop his big moogle pal. One of the Gold Saucer's most popular mascots, he is well loved for his fortune telling─a service he also offers to Cloud and friends. His adorable appearance also belies access to a surprising amount of insider intel on Shinra.

Cait Sith

“Who dares disturb my slumber?” A self-proclaimed "security" guard who hibernates in a coffin deep below Shinra Manor. This man of mystery is swathed in a red cape and boasts the genes of a monster─as well as a hidden connection to Sephiroth.

Vincent Valentine

“Shinra don't own the skies! They couldn't stop me even if they tried.” This rogue pilot of reputable skill runs a shuttle service out of various abandoned airstrips. After Cloud and company flag him down, he flies them around the globe in his beloved Tiny Bronco.

Cid Highwind

“Don't be afraid. It's not death─it's a homecoming.” A former SOLDIER: 1st class of legendary renown, he is said to have died in the line of duty in Nibelheim five years ago. This is proven untrue when he appears at the Shinra Building and absconds with a research specimen known as "Jenova." He now toys with Cloud at every opportunity, seeking to change the course of destiny and rule the planet.

Sephiroth

“I dunno─hopes? Dreams, maybe?​ Something like that! So long as we've got those─and hold on tight and never let go.” Zack may have worked with Sephiroth as a SOLDIER: 1st class, but he trained under a different operator, and it is from this man that he both learned to take pride in his work and received his iconic buster sword. After a grueling battle in which he overcomes the odds and cheats death, Zack returns to Midgar─where he hopes to see his love Aerith─with a mako-poisoned Cloud in tow.

Zack Fair

“What a beautiful thing it is, to travel the world.” Once an employee in Shinra's Research and Development Division, he has left it and Midgar behind, thanks to Cloud. Now, he aims to reactivate the world's defunct communications towers to facilitate his understanding of the planet, for which he needs the party's assistance.

Chadley

“You took everything from me. Everything and everyone!” Dyne was once Barret’s closest friend, back when the two used to make their living in the coal mines of Corel. Now, he is a wanted man with a gun grafted to his left arm, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Dyne

Owner and operator of the Inn at Kalm. He bears a grudge against Shinra, offering to help Cloud and friends escape their would-be corporate captors. His gaunt appearance may be due to his recent bout with an unknown illness.

Broden

“As park director, it's my pleasure to welcome you to our gilded paradise.” The charismatic owner of the Gold Saucer. Famous for his brawny physique and handlebar mustache, Dio is often found participating in his park’s parades, flexing his muscles before throngs of screaming guests.

“Won't charge for my services, but I wouldn't turn down a blood sample." Though his clinic in North Corel may be small, Doctor Sheiran's heart and intellect are anything but. Lately, he has been caring for the black-robed figures that have stumbled into town, and is attempting to uncover the truth behind their mysterious illness.

Doctor Sheiran

“Be sure to mind your P's and Q's, huh? ​Lotta bigwigs on board.” The captain of the Shinra-8, responsible for overseeing safe passage for all who travel between Junon and Costa del Sol. He’s earned a sterling reputation among his crew, thanks to his unerring devotion to his duties.​ This is most evident during the various festivities held aboard his vessel,​which he personally─and passionately─emcees.​

Captain Titov

“Feast your eyes on the Turks' latest and greatest─Elena!​ But you three can call me your worst nightmare!” Though she may be a rookie, she’s as skilled with her fists and a gun as​ anyone else in the Turks unit of Shinra’s General Affairs Division.​ She and her partner Rude are tasked with pursuing the black-robed figures,​ which she is more than happy to do if it means being assigned a mission with Tseng.

Elena

"It's nothing. For a second, I thought you were someone else." Leader of the Gongaga Youth Coalition. She initially visited Gongaga after the reactor exploded as part of the relief effort, then ended up calling the village her home. &nbsp;Her past is shrouded in mystery, but her knack for both combat and leadership suggests she is no amateur. &nbsp;She employs those fighting skills while fending off fiends that have gone wild due to mako exposure.

Cissnei

“Planetology is not simply the study of the cosmos and the celestial bodies that dwell in it. Rather, it is a quest to comprehend the cyclical nature of life." Cosmo Canyon's eminent authority on planetology. This revered sage has dedicated himself to study of the planet, and now shares his teachings with countless disciples. He is also a scientist, having invented a number of clever devices, such as the wind turbines that power Cosmo Canyon, listening tubes to monitor the voice of the planet, and his enormous observational telescope.

Bugenhagen

“But to the naysayers, and to you all, I say this... The Shinra Electric Power Company will endure.” The young, newly inaugurated president of the Shinra Electric Power Company. After his father's passing, Rufus has taken up the reins as head of the corporation. He aims to break with what he views as outdated practices and instead rebuild the company with a new creed, declaring the dawn of a new era during his inaugural address.

Rufus Shinra

“You need someone to blame. I suggest you look in the mirror.” Leader of the Turks unit of Shinra's General Affairs Division. He has a knack for managing his eccentric subordinates, wrangling them into a professional team. After Rufus Shinra takes over as president, Tseng works behind the scenes as his new right-hand man.

Tseng

“Yes, yes! Only a reunion could produce such results!” Director of Shinra's Research &amp; Development Division. The professor has worked to develop numerous twisted bioweapons, paying heed to neither ethics nor common decency: to Hojo, human life is but a means to a scientific end. Currently, he is attempting to verify his "reunion" hypothesis by investigating the migration of robed men across the planet.

Professor Hojo

“Don't look at me like that! I'm not some...some sellout!“ A lovable dolt from the Sector 7 undercity prone to getting carried away. After leaving Midgar, he drifted over to Costa del Sol, where he was granted the alleged opportunity of a lifetime. Yet despite becoming the owner of a hotel in this sun-kissed vacation destination, business is far from booming: not a single person has patroned his establishment.

Red XIII

Characters