Line #93 Characters/FinalFantasyVIISoldier


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3	!![[center:'''Navigation''' [[Characters/FinalFantasyVII Main]] \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIPlayableCharacters Playable Characters]] \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIShinraInc Shinra Inc]] \| SOLDIER ([[Characters/FinalFantasyVIISephiroth Sephiroth]]) \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIDeepground Deepground]] \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIOtherAntagonists Other Antagonists]] \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIOtherCharacters Other Characters]] \| [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIIBosses Bosses]] ]]
4
5	[[foldercontrol]]
6
7	[[folder:Sephiroth]]
8	See his page [[Characters/FinalFantasyVIISephiroth here]]
9
10	[[/folder]]
11
12	[[folder:Genesis Rhapsodos]]
13
14	!! Genesis Rhapsodos
15
16	[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/genesisrhapsodos_4346.png]]
17	->''"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey, in my own salvation and your eternal slumber."''
18	-->Voiced by: Creator/{{Gackt}} (Japanese), Creator/RobinAtkinDownes (''Dirge Of Cerberus'', English), Oliver Quinn (''Crisis Core'', English), Shawn Conde (''Crisis Core Reunion'', English)
19
20	A former SOLDIER 1st Class who had a friendly rivalry with Angeal and Sephiroth and is ''slightly'' obsessed with [[FictionalDocument LOVELESS]], a mysterious book of poems. When he's wounded by Sephiroth and falls mysteriously ill as a result, he defects from Shinra to wage war on them seeking a cure for his conditions.
21
22	-> Appears in: ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus'', ''VideoGame/CrisisCore''.
23	----
24	* ArchEnemy: To Zack. Genesis constantly antagonizes him through ''Crisis Core'' and takes this role as Zack’s answer to Cloud's Sephiroth.
25	* AuthorAppeal: He was heavily based on Gackt, a Japanese pop star that Tetsuya Nomura was a fan of at the time.
26	* BadassLongcoat: He wears a long red coat. One of his fanclubs even calls themselves "Red Leather".
27	* BetaTestBaddie: To Sephiroth. Genesis was just one of many people around the world who looked up to Sephiroth and wanted to be just like him. Learning that they were made from separate, competing branches of the Jenova Project, just heightened Genesis' jealousy of and ambition to surpass him.
28	* {{BFS}}: His weapon is a massive red rapier, to parallel Sephiroth's Masamune.
29	* BigBad: For ''Crisis Core''. [[spoiler:{{Downplayed}} in that Hollander is manipulating him for his own ends and Genesis is more desperate than evil. That said Genesis outlives Hollander and stopping him is the climax of the game.]]
30	* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: He's the Redhead to Sephiroth's Blonde and Angeal's Brunette.
31	* ClippedWingAngel: After Genesis Avatar is defeated, Zack must fight Genesis again in human form.
32	* ColdHam: He tends to be pretty even-toned and doesn't raise his voice a lot, but he still puts a lot of weight and drama into his sentences, especially if he's quoting LOVELESS.
33	* CoolSword: His rapier is a giant red blade that he can imbue with magic to fight.
34	* DidntThinkThisThrough: He spends much of ''Crisis Core'' being condescending towards Sephiroth and later tells Sephiroth that the latter is a monster. Despite that, he's surprised when Sephiroth refuses to share any cells with him in response to his cruel treatment of his friends.
35	* DisneyDeath: Genesis fell into a reactor, yet it becomes apparent later on that he survived.
36	* EasilyForgiven: Zack feels sorry for him and lets him live.
37	* EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory: In-universe, Genesis is obsessed with LOVELESS and has written papers on what it might mean. As his condition and sanity deteriorate and his desperation for a cure intensifies, he starts drawing parallels between the events of ''Crisis Core'' and LOVELESS, and becomes convinced it is some sort of holy prophecy or legend that he must fulfill.
38	* EvilCounterpart:
39	** To Zack. His quest to become a hero contrasts with the same quest Genesis Rhapsodos undertakes, but whereas the latter's feelings of entitlement to the moniker of "hero" lead to obsession and downfall, Zack's quest to "become a hero" has less to do with personal glory and more with making the world a better place. Zack's will to become a hero motivated him to think for himself and to be guided by his moral compass and sense of justice, whereas Genesis's obsession with becoming a hero drove him to challenge those he saw as hindrances and a need to prove himself as superior to others. Both joined SOLDIER inspired by stories of the hero First Class Sephiroth, striving to emulate him, and both fall from Shinra's graces after learning of the company's corrupt ways. In an inversion of a typical hero-villain story dynamic, Zack dies whereas Genesis lives.
40	** To Angeal as well. They are both [=SOLDIERs=] of Project G, both were inspired by Sephiroth to join SOLDIER and both can create copies of themselves. However Genesis and his copies are associated with black wings, whereas Angeal and his copies are associated with white wings, alluding to angel/fallen angel imagery. Both struggle with the man/monster dynamic, Genesis embracing it as it gives him special powers he can exploit to attain his goals, whereas Angeal begins to loath himself.
41	* EvilRedhead: A ginger villain who massacres a town (including his adoptive parents), turns those loyal to him into copies of himself, and helps drive Sephiroth over the edge at Nibelheim.
42	* {{Expy}}: Of Sephiroth, obviously. Genesis was intended to be a {{Foil}} to him in personality and appearance, so he copies many elements of Sephiroth's design while other elements are entirely different. This is probably at least partially intentional in-universe -- like many kids, Genesis idolized Sephiroth during the Wutai War and wanted to be just like him, so emulating his wardrobe and giving it his own personal touch may have been a deliberate choice on his part.
43	* FinalBoss: Of ''Crisis Core''. Not counting the scripted HopelessBossFight that follows.
44	* {{Foil}}: To Sephiroth. They're both famous First Class [=SOLDIERs=] that go rogue from Shinra and seek divine power. However, Sephiroth does so because he comes to think he's an Ancient and should rule the planet; Genesis is trying to save his own life and is resorting to desperate stretches of reason to find a way. Even their designs play into this; Genesis is short-haired, right-handed, has a wing on his left side, and wields a massive straight-bladed sword that he infuses with magic, while Sephiroth is long-haired, [[LeftHandedMirror left-handed]], with a wing on the right side, and he wields a katana that he never empowers. Also contrast Genesis' demonic-looking Genesis Avatar form with the angelic Safer Sephiroth, and Genesis' belief that he is a monster with Sephiroth's GodhoodSeeker. Finally, Genesis plays a similar role to Sephiroth that Sephiroth played to Cloud in being TheCorrupter, but Genesis's role in corrupting Sephiroth is due to a poorly thought-out attempt to convince the latter to share his cells while Sephiroth's manipulation and breakdown of Cloud is planned out and more successful.
45	* FreudianTrio: Forms one with Angeal and Sephiroth in ''Crisis Core'', as the Id; driven by emotion and personal ambition.
46	* GracefulLoser: Twice during the game:
47	** The first is during the flashback when he's fighting Angeal and Sephiroth in a training simulation. Despite his ego driving him to turn the match into a one-on-one with Sephiroth and even punt Angeal away when he tries to stop him from taking things too far, Genesis accepts defeat when Sephiroth lands a clean hit on him. [[JustAFleshWound He even tells them not to worry about his minor injury]], which becomes bitterly ironic considering that it kickstarted both his physical, and eventual [[SanitySlippage mental degradation]].
48	** The second is when Zack defeats him during the FinalBoss battle. Having been forced to accept that the "gift of the Goddess" will not save him, he makes no further attempt to resist Zack, and his final words imply that he considers being reunited with his old friends the real gift and dream come true.
49	* GreenEyedMonster: He's jealous of Sephiroth's status as TheAce (as well as the face of [=SOLDIER=]), which drives him to attempt to take him on alone during what was meant to be a light-hearted training session.
50	-->'''Genesis:''' After all, your glory should have been mine.
51	* TheHeavy: In ''Crisis Core'', he's the character that the game's events revolve around.
52	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Genesis is this with Angeal and Sephiroth before [[spoiler:[[TheParagonAlwaysRebels his separation]]]].
53	* HumanoidAbomination: In several ways.
54	** As a SOLDIER, he's a normal human that has been injected with Jenova's cells. However they manifest differently in him than in Sephiroth due to the different nature of how they received the cells, which is the major reason for his rebellion against Shinra; Genesis' genes are unstable and when he's injured in a sparring match, his body begins to undergo cellular degradation. This first shows itself when he manifests a black wing, but as the game goes on and his condition worsens, his hair lightens to white, and his skin begins to crack and scar.
55	** The Genesis Copies created by grafting his cells onto humans take on his facial appearance and hair, but they also experience the same degradation he does at an accelerated rate. The result is that while a few of them look identical to Genesis, others look even more monstrous than he does to the point they're barely recognizable as human anymore, such as the [[https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/File:G_Devastator_Artwork.jpg G-Warrior strains]].
56	** As the FinalBoss [[spoiler:in his Genesis Avatar form, Genesis transforms into a giant, armored version of himself and wields a variant of his rapier.]]
57	* InkSuitActor: His appearance is heavily based on his voice actor, Gackt. In ''Dirge of Cerberus'', they didn't even bother with the ink suit; Gackt got into costume and performed in front of a green screen to be put into the game's secret ending. Gackt had a hand in the design of his outfit.
58	* ItsAllAboutMe: He leaves SOLDIER in order to find a cure for his condition. This would be fine, except he murders a bunch of innocent people and subjects others to horrendous experimentation at Hollander's hands. He also pushes Sephiroth further into madness because he's attempting to goad the latter into curing him. Needless to say, his selfish actions do not end well for ''anyone''.
59	* KarmaHoudini: He instigated a war, killed his own parents, basically wiped out his hometown's population, subjected an immense amount of innocent people to Hollander's experments, and his presence helped drive Sephiroth over the edge at Nibelheim. Yet he's the only one of the [=SOLDIERs=] who survives the entire ordeal. He was last seen in ''Dirge of Cerberus''' secret ending with plans for something else, [[LeftHanging but it has yet to be followed up on]].
60	* KickTheDog: He spends quite a lot of time mocking Angeal and Sephiroth's inner conflicts, turns the [=SOLDIERs=] loyal to him into copies, and helps kick off the massacre at Nibelheim by pushing Sephiroth over the edge with a [[BreakThemByTalking breaking speech]].
61	* LaserBlade: He can channel magic into his sword, giving it the appearance of a lightsaber. Further, the hand motion he employs to activate this resembles the [[Series/MetalHeroes Trope namer]].
62	* MagicKnight: He fights with sword combos and magic in equal turn, and powers magic into his sword to strengthen it.
63	* MeaningfulName: "Genesis" of course parallels Sephiroth's name in Biblical symbolism, but it also means "birth" or "origin". Combined with the origin of his last name, he is "the original epic poem", referring both to his obsession with LOVELESS, and the idea that in-universe he was the original rebel SOLDIER and committed acts that Sephiroth would later repeat.
64	** More literally, while Genesis isn't the cause behind all of major problems in the world of ''Final Fantasy VII'' (that can be laid on Hojo's hands), he ''did'' instigate Sephiroth's loss of sanity in Nibelheim, and thus is partially to blame for Sephiroth becoming such a major threat to the planet in ''VII'' and later works. His name also implies that he was the first [=SOLDIER=] to be injected with Jenova cells, which would lead to Sephiroth being the perfection of it.
65	** Lastly, his last name is close to "rhapsody", to mean an enthusiastic expression of one's feelings. While cool-headed about it, Genesis is not shy about expressing how he feels about something.
66	* OneWingedAngel: Empowers himself with the Goddess Materia to transform into Genesis Avatar.
67	* TheParagonAlwaysRebels: While not as revered or powerful as Sephiroth, Genesis was still one of Shinra's greatest warriors before he turns on them, and when he defects he takes a large number of other SOLDIER members with him.
68	* PlayingWithFire: He prefers fire and fire-like attacks, such as Flash, Homing, and Dark Energy.
69	* PowerDegeneration: The procedure that granted him his powers is also what's going to kill him if he doesn't find a cure.
70	* PsychoPrototype: He's the original Project G SOLDIER. Finding out about it is what helped drive him to evil.
71	* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Wears black pants and a top under his red coat, though he's less evil and more a desperate jerk as the game goes on. This color scheme extends to the Genesis Copies, who variably wear replicas of Genesis' outfit or modified Shinra SOLDIER or infantry uniforms that have been recolored red and black.
72	* RememberTheNewGuy: Played with. No other version of the Nibelheim Incident has any mention or appearance by Genesis. However, the way he appears in ''Crisis Core'' allows him to be there without actually retconning the event's other depictions -- he appears when Zack and Sephiroth enter the reactor, and the only version of that specific scene that has been shown across the series is the one where Cloud is in Zack's place, so Genesis's absence could be given a HandWave as one of many inconsistencies in Cloud's memories.
73	** From a broader perspective, both Genesis and Angeal were never mentioned in ''VII'' alongside Sephiroth, despite both being close friends of Sephiroth, having fan clubs, and major roles in a war felt throughout the world.
74	* SanitySlippage: Undergoes one throughout the game, with his dialogue devolving into cryptic and borderline-incoherent recitations of LOVELESS the more desperate he gets. It takes being directly spurned by the "goddess" he was seeking out for him to (somewhat) come to his senses and accept the futility of his actions.
75	* SelfMadeOrphan: He killed his adoptive parents, though we never find out who his biological parents are.
76	* SissyVillain: His English voice actor goes down this route, and the {{Bishonen}}y appearance, flamboyant hand gestures and ''constant'' recital of LOVELESS just add to it.
77	* ThenLetMeBeEvil: Implied with his statement to Zack that as a monster, he has neither dreams nor honor (admittedly a claim that is later disproven by his desire to regain his pride as a SOLDIER).
78	* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler: He's one to Hollander who manipulated him into going against his former friends on the pretense that he can cure Genesis' degradation, even though Hollander has no intentions of doing so until Hollander himself suffers from degradation]].
79	* UsedToBeASweetKid: According to Angeal's mother, he was a nice guy growing up.
80	* WickedPretentious: He's one of the world's leading scholars on LOVELESS and is implied to have published writings about his theories to its meaning. Normally, this may have had him come across as WickedCultured, but his tendency to spout MeaninglessMeaningfulWords at the drop of a hat turns him into a downplayed version of this trope. It doesn't help that literally ''every other named character'' familiar with LOVELESS considers it [[StylisticSuck absolute dreck]].
81	* WithFriendsLikeThese: On the giving end. He's extremely petty towards Angeal and especially Sephiroth, whether out of not taking their concerns seriously (Angeal) or simple jealousy (Sephiroth). It's pretty telling that Sephiroth tells him he can ''rot'' after everything he pulls.
82	* WoundThatWillNotHeal: When Angeal interrupts his duel with Sephiroth, his sword breaks in two and part of the blade strikes Genesis in the shoulder. While Genesis treats it as OnlyAFleshWound, it ends up not healing and getting worse, kicking off his cellular degradation.
83	[[/folder]]
84
85	[[folder:Angeal Hewley]]
86
87	!! Angeal Hewley
88	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/angeal_hewley_from_crisis_core_reunion_promo_render.png]]
89
90	->''"Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero you need to have dreams... and honor."''
91
92	-->Voiced by: Creator/KazuhikoInoue (Japanese), Josh Gilman (English), Bill Milsaap (''Crisis Core Reunion'', English)
93
94	Zack's superior in SOLDIER, he's a First Class member and is respected and admired as a symbol of heroism and strength in the company. When Genesis declares war on Shinra, Angeal goes rogue, torn between loyalties to his friends and his career.
95
96	--> Appears in: ''Crisis Core''
97	----
98	* AnimalisticAbomination: The Angeal Copies are created by grafting his cells onto monsters; the Ahriman, Sahagin, Griffon, and Guard Hound. [[spoiler:As Angeal Penance he fuses with one each of these copies, and the result is a centaur-like chimera with Angeal's torso and head on the front and various parts of the copies making up the rest of his body.]]
99	* AntiVillain: He's not a villain at all, he's just trying to do the right thing and sometimes is on the side of Shinra's enemies. The few times Angeal acts outright antagonistic to Zack is when he's in a ThenLetMeBeEvil mood.
100	* TheArtifact: Not Angeal himself, but the Buster Sword in the ''Reunion'' remake. In the original ''[[VideoGame/CrisisCoreFinalFantasyVII Crisis Core]]'', the sword had a much more decorative and ornate grip and crossguard design inherited from ''Anime/AdventChildren'', befitting its origins as a more decorative weapon that justifies Angeal withholding from using it. In ''Reunion'' it was changed back to the original ''VII'' design that ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'' used, a far more industrial and iron-wrought design that no longer lines up with its own backstory.
101	* ArtisticAge: He's 25, but acts much older.
102	* {{BFS}}: The original owner of the Buster Sword, however unlike those that wielded it after him. He prefers to [[OrnamentalWeapon not use it]] and goes for the more practical longswords used by Shinra SOLDIERs.
103	* BigBrotherMentor: To Zack, instilling with him what it means to be a true SOLDIER and why those values are important.
104	* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: He's the Brunette to Sephiroth's Blonde and Genesis's Redhead.
105	* EldritchAbomination: As Angeal Penance, he's a [[spoiler:bipedal chimera-entity formed from several Angeal Copies, with Angeal's face and chest on the torso.]]
106	* FreudianTrio: Forms one with Sephiroth and Genesis in ''Crisis Core'', as the Ego; the level-headed mediator between the two. Fully demonstrated in the duel between the two when Angeal has to intervene to stop them from taking it too far.
107	* GoldAndWhiteAreDivine: The Angeal Copies created from his cells take on a prominently silver, white, and gold color scheme. [[spoiler:This naturally extends to Angeal Penance as well, a chimera of the copies with Angeal himself.]]
108	* GoodCounterpart: To Genesis. [[spoiler:While Genesis rebels against Shinra to heal himself, Angeal does it because he's torn between loyalty to Shinra and loyalty to his oldest and best friend. As well, while they're both experiments of Project G, Angeal is the "perfect" result of Hollander's efforts and has a different set of abilities than Genesis does.]]
109	* GoodWingsEvilWings: In contrast to Genesis and Sephiroth's black wings, Angeal's wings are white and pure.
110	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Being torn between his self-loathing, his loyalty to Shinra, his brotherly affection for both Sephiroth and Genesis, and his desire to protect Zack, which side Angeal is on changes in almost every scene he's in. [[spoiler:He ultimately opts for SuicideByCop at Zack's hands in order to deal with his inability to resolve his inner turmoil.]]
111	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Angeal is this to Genesis and Sephiroth [[spoiler:[[SuicideByCop before his death]]]].
112	* HumanoidAbomination: He's a SOLDIER, so he's been infused with Jenova cells and Mako energy to create this. [[spoiler:As a Project G experiment though he's even more on the "abomination" side than normal SOLDIER members.]]
113	* ICannotSelfTerminate: Pretty much the reason why he [[spoiler:transformed and fought Zack to the death.]]
114	* MeaningfulName: Angeal = Angel. Lampshaded when Zack says his wings are those of an angel, not a monster. Secondly, Hewley: he's hewn in two due to his conflicting loyalties. Thirdly, Angeal Penance, representing [[spoiler:Angeal's desire to invoke DeathEqualsRedemption by forcing Zack to kill him and take up his legacy]].
115	* MeaninglessMeaningfulWords: He uses the words "dream" and "honor" a lot. As in pretty much every other sentence. Usually when they're in an improper context. Sephiroth lampshades it when he tells Zack about receiving "one of Angeal's famous lectures".
116	* MentorOccupationalHazard: Shockingly, this mentor to Zack and hero of Shinra you've never heard of does not survive the game.
117	* MistakenForMurderer: Zack is horrified when he sees Angeal standing over his own mother's dead body, thinking that his mentor had just committed matricide. It's only later that Angeal reveals that his mother Gillian actually [[DrivenToSuicide killed herself]] since she couldn't bear the guilt of her role in Project G any longer.
118	* NoCureForEvil: Averted, [[spoiler:End of Gluttony restores his HP.]]
119	* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:He merges with other Angeal Copies]] to become Angeal Penance.
120	* OrnamentalWeapon: The Buster Sword costs so much for his parents to have custom-made for him that he dislikes using it to avoid damaging it. Opting to fight with the standard SOLDIER sword instead.
121	* TheParagon: Along with Sephiroth and Genesis, he's one of Shinra's most famous and respected [=SOLDIERs=], and many aspire to his example.
122	* TheParagonAlwaysRebels: And he ends up siding with Genesis.
123	* PowerGivesYouWings: Just like Genesis and Sephiroth, though he gets two and his are white.
124	* RapidFireFisticuffs: The DMW attack associated with him, Rush Assault, is a flurry of punches and kicks.
125	* RealMenWearPink: An in-game email from his fan club states that he loves dogs, cooking, and gardening.
126	* TeamDad: To Zack, and most of the SOLDIER.
127	* ThemeNaming: As Angeal Penance, all his special attacks are named after the Seven Deadly Sins.
128	* WhatHaveIBecome: He does not take the revelation of what he really is well.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Lazard Deusericus]]
132	!! Lazard Deusericus
133
134	[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lazard_deusericus_from_crisis_core_reunion_render.png]]
135	->''"Unattainable dreams are the best kind."''
136	-->Voiced by: Junpei Morita (Japanese), Stefan Marks (English), Francis Ausley (''Crisis Core Reunion'', English)
137
138	The director of SOLDIER, he was born in the slums and has worked his way up through Shinra's ranks through hard work and determination. He advises Zack on furthering his dreams in the company and provides him missions and assignments. However, he acts behind the scenes on a secret agenda.
139
140	-->Appears in: ''Crisis Core''
141	----
142	* AffablyEvil: He's very friendly and polite, but [[spoiler:he's working with Hollander and Genesis.]]
143	* AntiVillain: He's [[spoiler:aiding Hollander and Genesis]], but his motivations are much more sympathetic, and he [[spoiler:eventually realizes the error of his ways and aids Zack.]]
144	* TheAtoner: Post-time skip.
145	* BigGood: Inasmuch as he can be considering the GreyAndGrayMorality of Shinra, but he is the director of SOLDIER and is known and respected among the company's military branch for being a good leader.
146	* EveryoneHasStandards: Realizing that he's [[spoiler:the bastard son of President Shinra, effectively [[ParentalAbandonment abandoned]] by his father he never knew, and that said father was an absolute ''monster'' in charge of the company]] cements Lazard's actions for the rest of the story [[spoiler:in supporting Genesis and Hollander to rebel against Shinra, albeit for his own agenda.]]
147	* FirstNameBasis: His subordinates refer to him as ''Director Lazard'' and his last name is largely ignored.
148	* {{Foil}}:
149	** To Hollander. [[spoiler:They both have been snubbed by Shinra and are using Genesis for revenge, but Lazard undergoes a HeelFaceTurn to help Zack while Hollander continues to aid Genesis. And while Hollander becomes a Genesis Copy, Lazard becomes an Angeal Copy.]]
150	** Also one to [[spoiler:Rufus Shinra]] once you find out his full backstory. [[spoiler:While Rufus was born into his power and position, Lazard had to work his way up from the slums, and is a much better person than Rufus.]]
151	* HeroicSacrifice: He is mortally wounded protecting [[spoiler:Cloud from Shinra forces while Zack is fighting Genesis beneath Banora.]]
152	* HumanoidAbomination: He eventually becomes [[spoiler:an Angeal Copy. By the time he finds Zack at the end of the game, he's fully taken on Angeal's face and hairstyle, save for his hair going white due to his degradation.]]
153	* InformedAttribute: He's said to have not forgotten his roots and has sympathy for others living in the slums, but it doesn't come into play much.
154	* LukeIAmYourFather: He is [[spoiler:President Shinra's]] illegitimate son with a slum woman. This also makes him [[spoiler:Rufus's older brother and thus rightful heir to the company if his lineage were to be revealed. His discovery of this is why he helps Hollander and Genesis wage war on the company.]]
155	* TheManBehindTheMan: He's the one [[spoiler:funding Hollander and Genesis.]]
156	* MeaningfulName: "Deusericus" is Latin for "silken god", a potential alternate reading of the kanji for "Shinra".
157	* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: [[spoiler:As an Angeal Copy]], he wishes to help Zack stop Genesis and save the world. Zack speculates that it's [[spoiler:Angeal's cells]] influencing his mind.
158	* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: While Zack is fighting [[spoiler:Genesis in the caverns beneath Banora]], Lazard sacrifices his life to [[spoiler:protect Cloud from being captured by Shinra.]]
159	* PowerGivesYouWings: He sprouts a pair of white wings [[spoiler:due to being an Angeal Copy.]]
160	* PutOnABus: He goes missing sometime between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7, [[spoiler:presumably because Cissnei tells Zack in Chapter 7 that Shinra was beginning to suspect he was the one funding Hollander and Genesis. He reappears near the end of the game to aid Zack in the final chapter.]]
161	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He's polite, friendly and sociable with his subordinates, and recognizes Zack's exceptional performance for a Second Class and decides to call on him more often for future assignments.
162	* SelfMadeMan: He came from a single mother in the slums and has worked his way through Shinra to become one of the most powerful men in the company.
163	* WalkingSpoiler: His ''true'' hand in the game's events is a major reveal.
164	[[/folder]]
165
166	[[folder:Kunsel]]
167	!!Kunsel
168	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kunsel_from_crisis_core_reunion_render.png]]
169
170	-->Voiced by: Riki Kitazawa (Japanese), Creator/CrispinFreeman (English), Travis Mościński (''Crisis Core Reunion'', English)
171
172	Another aspiring Second Class SOLDIER, he's one of Zack's closest friends in the organization and has a knack for learning things going on in the company that he relays to Zack.
173
174	--> Appears in: ''Crisis Core''
175	----
176	* TheFaceless: He never takes off his helmet so we have no idea what he looks like beneath it.
177	* MauveShirt: He has enough screentime to be more than just an anonymous SOLDIER, but not enough to really be considered part of the core cast, even within the single title he appears in.
178	* MissedHimByThatMuch: From the Remake: [[spoiler:based on his knowledge of Zack's last mission, his loyalty to Zack, and his tangential knowledge of Cloud, he and Cloud's grunt buddy could have resolved a lot of holes in Cloud's Nibelheim story. Given this was the first game in a trilogy, the plot/fate couldn't allow the unnamed grunt to bring Kunsel back to talk to Cloud, so Cloud bails before the grunt returns.]]
179	* MrExposition: He knows a lot about what goes on in Shinra that he explains to Zack.
180	* UndyingLoyalty: To Zack, to the point he says in his last emails after Zack awakens at Nibelheim that he's gonna leave Shinra to find him and help him.
181	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: His final email says he's going to come look for Zack, but we never find out his fate. He gets namedropped in the remake, revealing he was alive during the original game, but it's unknown if the remake is canonical to ''Crisis Core''.
182	[[/folder]]
183
184	[[folder:Luxiere]]
185	!!Luxiere
186	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kunsel_from_crisis_core_reunion_render.png]]
187
188	Another aspiring Second Class SOLDIER, he meets Zack after Zack's promotion to First Class and promptly comes to idolize him.
189
190	--> Appears in: ''Crisis Core''
191	----
192	* TheFaceless: He also never takes off his helmet so we have no idea what he looks like beneath it.
193	* {{Foil}}: To Kunsel. Both are loyal to Zack, but when push comes to shove, Luxiere is willing to capture Zack to get ahead in SOLDIER (though he claims he might be able to use said influence to help Zack), while Kunsel is willing to risk his career to save Zack.
194	* HeroWorshipper: Idolizes Zack, as expressed in his emails.
195	* MauveShirt: He makes exactly one appearance in the flesh, before contacting you through mail to be more than just an anonymous SOLDIER, but he's not even as involved with the story as Kunsel is.
196	* MrExposition: His only appearance involves him delivering an explanation for where Sephiroth is when Zack needs it.
197	* UndyingLoyalty: To Zack, less loyal than Kunsel, though he muses that perhaps he could capture Zack to get a promotion and then use that influence to help Zack.
198	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We have no idea what happens to him after this game, and he's not even mentioned in ''Remake''.
199	[[/folder]]
200
201	!!P0 Class [=SOLDIERs=]
202
203	[[folder:Glenn Lodbrok]]
204	!!Glenn Lodbrok
205	[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/82b9f7b1376e0764565892ad768d800c_2.png]]
206
207	-->Voiced by: Creator/BenjaminDiskin (English, Rebirth), Creator/DaikiHamano (Japanese)
208
209	An early Shinra SOLDIER operative, surveyor, and aspiring team leader of "Team Glenn," consisting of himself, Matt Winsord, and Lucia Lin. A brash, headstrong man who is the protagonist of ''Ever Crisis: First Soldier''. At the beginning of the story, the three are assigned a top secret mission to survey Rhadore Archipelago and its capability for hosting a new mako reactor. He primarily wields greatswords, axes, and scythes.
210
211	--> Appears in: ''First Soldier'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIEverCrisis Ever Crisis]]'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRebirth Rebirth]]''
212	----
213	* {{BFS}}: His swords are large enough to approach Buster Sword levels.
214	* BlackComedy: Glenn seems to appreciate this form of humor, as after their helicopter crashes on Rhadore Archipelago and he and Lucia struggle to find Matt, he flippantly wonders if Matt was eaten. Lucia has to tell him DudeNotFunny.
215	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: While on the helicopter to Rhadore Archipelago at the opening of the game, he has a dream about his confrontation with Sephiroth eight years later.
216	* FreudianTrio: Glenn is the Id in the trio of himself, Matt (Superego), and Lucia (Ego). He is the most outgoing and confrontational of them.
217	* GuysSmashGirlsShoot: Glenn is the primary smasher of the group, as all of his main attacks comprise of him getting into close range (with the exception of materia, which they all use). Matt is fairly balanced, but Lucia is exclusively a sniper.
218	* LineOfSightName: Out of universe, this is how Testuya Nomura came up with the name for this trio. He was drinking green matcha tea at the time, so "Glenn" came from green.
219	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: While it may not be his ''only'' motivation, as he is an aspiring team leader, he is focused on getting a monetary reward for his job. It is implied to be because he is supporting his grandmother.
220	* ShootTheDog: ''Almost'' literally. He asks for Lucia's gun to shoot a dog so they could use it as a distraction to get away from some monsters, but instead the dog leads them to safety.
221	* SmellyFeetGag: After the helicopter crash, he threatens to wake Lucia up by taking off his socks, but she hurries to her feet before he can.
222
223	[[/folder]]
224
225	[[folder:Lucia Lin]]
226	!!Lucia Lin
227	[[quoteright:239:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ff7ec_lucia_lin_artwork.png]]
228
229	-->Voiced by: Yuki Tanaka (Japanese), Grace Rolek (English, ''First Soldier'')
230
231	First appearing as the player's commanding officer in ''First Soldier'', she later becomes a playable party member in ''Ever Crisis: First Soldier'' and part of survey unit "Team Glenn." The group's sniper, she has a level head and took on the job of keeping her teammates out of trouble. Glenn and Matt affectionately call her the "Marksqueen," both for her skill and her insistence that they keep their hands off her gun, "The Queen."
232
233	-->Appears in: ''First Soldier'', ''Ever Crisis''
234	----
235	* ConsummateProfessional: She tends to be focused on the next task at hand, and when Glenn talks about owing Matt money, she discusses how P0 [=SOLDIERs=] as a whole are called "[[MythologyGag Class]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyTypeZero Zero]]" because they result in zero debt for Shinra if they die or fail their mission. Due to this, they are considered outdated and expendable and this doesn't seem to bother her.
236	* FreudianTrio: Lucia is the Ego, striking a balance between the impulsive Id Glenn and the thinker Superego Matt.
237	* FriendlySniper: While she can be a bit no-nonsense at times, she is overall a very friendly person and cares a lot for her teammates.
238	* GuysSmashGirlsShoot: Lucia is exclusively a sniper and long range fighter, while Glenn fights up close and Matt keeps a balance.
239	* LineOfSightName: Out of universe, Tetsuya Nomura named her and the other two while he was drinking green matcha tea. She was named for "tea" (in Japanese, her name is ''Rutia'').
240	* OnlySaneWoman: Despite Matt having the name "The Professor," it is Lucia who is noted for keeping them out of trouble.
241	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: She the only female member of the team.
242
243	[[/folder]]
244	[[folder:Matt Winsord]]
245	!!Matt Winsord
246	[[quoteright:184:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_ffviiec_matt.png]]
247
248	-->Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi (Japanese)
249
250	A member of "Team Glenn" who first appeared in ''First Soldier'' before becoming playable in ''Ever Crisis: First Soldier''. Nicknamed "The Professor" by his teammates, Matt is close friends with both Glenn and Lucia and is a critical part of the surveying of Rhadore Archipelago.
251
252	-->Appears in: ''First Soldier'', ''Ever Crisis''
253	----
254	* AffectionateNickname: Glenn calls him "The Professor" for his smarts. Matt keeps telling him not to, but it sticks.
255	* FreudianTrio: Analytical Matt is the Superego, contrasting with headstrong Id Glenn. Lucia, the Ego, balances the two of them out.
256	* LineOfSightName: Out of universe, Tetsuya Nomura was drinking green matcha tea at the time he named the trio, so Matt's name comes from "matcha."
257	* MultiRangedMaster: Matt wields both a pistol and a sword, enabling him to fight at both close and long range.
258	* SurvivalMantra: Matt recites the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_sequence Fibonacci sequence]] when under stress, and in general he is calmed by patterns and numbers.
259	* SwordAndGun: Matt wields both a pistol and a sword, displaying his technical skill with the ability to use both weapons at the same time.
260

Context Characters / FinalFantasyVIISoldier