Nibelheim Incident

Cloud ‘s story[]

The Nibelheim Incident is first tell to the party by Cloud when the group stop at Kalm . Cloud is tells tell that after leave his hometown of Nibelheim he join soldier and became 1st Class , and befriend Sephiroth despite him rarely talk about himself , and that they come to trust one another . They is helped help Shinra put down any resistance after the Wutai War and afterward were dispatch to Nibelheim with two guard to investigate a mako reactor on Mt. Nibel , where monster had been report appear .

During the ride Cloud was excited (to the annoyance of Sephiroth) at the prospect of seeing some action, as he had joined SOLDIER too late for the Wutai War, and wanted to prove himself. The truck ran into a dragon (implied to be one of the monsters created by the Nibel Reactor), and Cloud and Sephiroth stepped out to face it, with Cloud stating he did nothing as he was mesmerized by the way Sephiroth fought. Cloud explains to his listeners Sephiroth’s power surpassed any other person he has met, and is beyond any story they may have heard about him.

Sephiroth and Cloud in the inn.

The group is arrived arrive in Nibelheim and Sephiroth ask Cloud how it feel return to his hometown , curious as he had no hometown of his own . Sephiroth is revealed reveal his mother ‘s name was Jenova , but say nothing about his father . Sephiroth is stayed , Cloud and the two infantryman who accompany them stay the night at the inn even if Sephiroth ask whether Cloud want to stay with his family . Sephiroth is mentioned also mention recognize the scenery at the inn , cause him to ponder why he feel as though he ‘s been at the town before . Cloud is visited visit his mother , but could only remember bit and piece of their conversation . He is visited also visit Tifa ‘s house , but find it empty . Tifa ‘s father is was was unreceptive of Cloud due to him join soldier , and he learn from instructor Zangan that Tifa had become a talented martial artist under his tutelage .

Next day, Sephiroth hired Tifa to guide them up the mountain and they set off after a fan took a photo of him, Tifa and Cloud together. During the expedition a rope bridge snapped, and one of the guards was lost in the fall. After passing through several mysteriously colored caves they came into a Mako Fountain and Sephiroth revealed what he knew about Materia and magic.

At the reactor Sephiroth and Cloud entered alone. At the top of the chamber was a sealed door with the plaque “Jenova”. Sephiroth deduced that the refinery had malfunctioned due to a broken purification tank, and asked Cloud to seal the valve. He wondered why the tank had broken and discovered the tanks contained makonoids—vaguely humanoid monsters—submerged in mako. When Cloud asked if the makonoids were being made in a manner similar to the process of empowering SOLDIER members and specifically insinuated a connection with Sephiroth, Sephiroth questioned if the disconnect he had always felt from others meant he was created this way as well, lashing out at the pods in a rage.

Sephiroth inthe library .

After they returned to town Sephiroth retreated to the abandoned Shinra Mansion where Shinra Electric Power Company scientists once worked. When Cloud had come looking for him, he found Sephiroth ina secret basement full of books and journals on Jenova, whom the Shinra scientists Professor Gast and Professor Hojo had discovered in the North Crater and believed to be a Cetra, a member of an extinct species of humans thought to have supernatural powers. Their research had led to the Jenova Project, and Sephiroth spent three sleepless days perusing the research notes, wondering why he was never told the truth. When Cloud asked if he was alright, he told Cloud to leave. The next time Cloud checked on Sephiroth, he had gone insane.

Sephiroth had come to believe Jenova is a Cetra from the time their civilization was abandoned to die by normal humans during an ancient catastrophe. Sephiroth believed he was Jenova’s son, artificially produced from her cells, and therefore the last Cetra. He set off to meet his “mother” with Cloud in pursuit but Cloud was too late to stop Sephiroth from setting the village ablaze and slaughtering many citizens. As Cloud and Zangan searched for survivors, Sephiroth headed off to Mt. Nibel.

Tifa confronts Sephiroth.

Cloud pursued Sephiroth to the reactor and found Tifa outside the inner chambers, standing over her father’s body with Sephiroth’s Masamune stuck in his corpse. Tifa, full of anger and hatred, grabbed the katana while proclaiming her hatred towards Shinra and Sephiroth. She ran after Sephiroth trying to stab him, but he disarmed her and knocked her down the stairs before entering Jenova’s chamber. Cloud carried the severely wounded Tifa aside and followed Sephiroth, witnessing him tear off a mechanical effigy of Jenova from its setting, revealing Jenova herself suspended in animation in a tank. Fueled by grief over the loss of his home, friends and family, the enraged Cloud confronted the remorseless Sephiroth who proclaimed Cloud didn’t need to be sad as his mission was to take back the Planet for the Cetra. With Cloud seeing Sephiroth is no longer the man he looked up to, he raised his Buster Sword in preparation for the incoming battle, but cannot remember anything beyond this moment. Cloud doubts the news of Sephiroth being dead because Shinra controls the media, and also because he knows he did not have the skill to kill him, wondering why Sephiroth spared his life.

true event[]

Sephiroth tells Cloud he is a Sephiroth-clone.

After the party track Sephiroth down at the Whirlwind Maze , he is projects project an illusion of the Nibelheim Incident , show a black – haired soldier in Cloud ‘s place , tell Cloud he was never at the scene . Sephiroth is tells tell Cloud his memory are a lie for he is nothing but a Sephiroth – clone . Sephiroth is shows show Cloud a picture take of the three by a villager , show the black – haired soldier in Cloud ‘s place , hold the Buster Sword . Cloud is refuses refuse to accept these vision , until Sephiroth note Tifa ‘s hesitation .

Tifa admits Sephiroth’s words are true, and that Cloud was never at the town, although she refuses to believe Cloud is not the true Cloud she knows from her childhood. Cloud suffers a mental breakdown and comes to believe he is just another drone to Sephiroth made in memory of a kid called Cloud that Tifa used to know. Cloud hands the Black Materia to Sephiroth who uses it to call Meteor. The Weapons rouse and the party flees without Cloud who falls into the Lifestream, but surfaces at Mideel where Tifa and the others find him at a hospital suffering from Mako Poisoning. Tifa volunteers to stay with Cloud while the party leaves to deal with the Weapons and Shinra’s new mission of collecting Huge Materia. An earthquake destroys Mideel and Cloud and Tifa fall into the Lifestream and into Cloud’s subconscious.

Cloud remembers the true events.

Tifa is convinced Sephiroth was lie about Cloud being made after her memory of a kid call Cloud she is knew know from her childhood , and attempt to repair the damage cause by Cloud ‘s mental complex , lead into a retelling of the Nibelheim Incident . The incident is involves as remember by Tifa involve the black – haired soldier , Zack , in Cloud ‘s place , but otherwise proceed as Cloud tell it until Tifa was attack by Sephiroth and knock unconscious .

Cloud ‘s true memory surface and he reveal he was at the town when it was destroy — he is was was a Shinra guard who accompany Zack and Sephiroth , and was the lone guard to survive the climb up Mt. Nibel . As he had pledge to join soldier upon leave town , Cloud is concealed had conceal his face by his helmet and ask Zack not to mention him by name , ashamed to face the town with his failure . With Cloud ‘s true memory restore , he is tells tell Tifa what happen from his perspective .

Zack is arrived and Sephiroth , accompany by Cloud and another guard , arrive at the town and visit the reactor . Sephiroth is returned return to read the research note in the library as Cloud originally remember . After Sephiroth raze the town , Cloud is regained regain consciousness to see Zack chase Sephiroth up the mountain . At the reactor Zack is tended tend to Tifa before he confront Sephiroth inJenova ‘s chamber , but was quickly send fly in defeat . Cloud is arrived arrive and pick up Zack ‘s Buster Sword , attack Sephiroth off his guard , and stab him through his low back . Sephiroth is sensed sense Cloud ‘s arrival and turn around , but was not able to defend himself in time . Cloud is demanded demand that Sephiroth return his mother , Tifa , and the entirety of Nibelheim while lament he once respect him .

Sephiroth was greatly weakened, and Cloud returned to move Tifa’s unconscious body aside. Sephiroth stumbled from Jenova’s chamber carrying her severed head, and Cloud followed him to the reactor entrance, a catwalk over a pool of Mako. Cloud attacked Sephiroth again, but Sephiroth impaled Cloud on the Masamune. Cloud summoned unknown strength and used the sword as a lever, hurling Sephiroth into the Mako pit where he was consumed by the Lifestream.

Aftermath[]

Weakened by the confrontation, Zack, Tifa and Cloud laid unconscious within the reactor. Zangan found the three and took Tifa away, but Shinra had already arrived when he attempted to return for Cloud and Zack. Professor Hojo learned of Sephiroth’s deeds and put his “Jenova Reunion Theory” into action, injecting the town survivors, including Zack and Cloud, with Sephiroth’s cells, and bathing them in Mako, turning them into Sephiroth-clones. Since Zack had gone through a similar process in SOLDIER, his body naturally resisted the experiments, but Cloud’s body succumbed to them with ease and he developed a severe case of mako poisoning. Hojo labeled the two as failures and placed them in cryogenic stasis. The town was rebuilt to cover up the incident with Shinra employees hired to play the part of the townspeople. Shinra sealed Sephiroth’s records and he was declared missing in action, but many assume him dead. After resurfacing five years later, Sephiroth uses the backdrop of the incident to manipulate Cloud into doubting his identity.

remake continuity[]

Sephiroth’s iconic scene.

The Nibelheim Incident is mentioned when Cloud is confronted by an illusion of Sephiroth after blowing up Mako Reactor 1. Sephiroth warps the surroundings to make it look like the burning Nibelheim. Unlike in the original, Cloud believes he had killed Sephiroth with his own hands, and also remembers himself on the ground unable to do anything while his family’s house burned. Sephiroth does not refute Cloud’s claims, even calling Cloud’s supposed defeat of him was a “crowning moment” to their time together. Sephiroth mocks that Nibelheim burned so bright and says Cloud’s mother had begged him to spare Cloud before he had killed her, not by the fire, but by his blade.

Cloud is remembers remember being home during his visit to Nibelheim .

Cloud is remembers also remember Tifa cry over her father ‘s corpse and Sephiroth proclaim himself as an Ancient in later recollection . Cloud is remembers remember meet his mother when he spend a night in his old house during his mission to Nibelheim .

Cloud’s recount of the incident itself is largely the same in Rebirth as it is was was in the original game . However , there are several minor change , mainly lead up to it . Inparticular , the monster that the Shinra team fight are different ; rather than a dragon , they are attack by disgorgon enroute to Nibelheim and encounter a Materia Guardian feed from the mako reactor on the mountain path . Sephiroth is also depict as comparably soft than the original game , take time to coach Cloud as well as attempt to go back for the infantryman who fall into the ravine and lament his loss , whereas in the original he react with indifference .

Whereas in the original Tifa remained silent on her recount of the incident until the party reached the Northern Cave, in Rebirth she confides in Aerith that, to her knowledge, Cloud was never in Nibelheim. This causes Tifa to confront Cloud and question him regarding his whereabouts during the five year time-gap between the incident and the present. However, he is unwilling to answer and turns the question back on her by claiming that he feared that Sephiroth killed her during the incident, causing her to get angry at being accused of deception and show him the scar that she got from the encounter.

Rebirth also include a new sub – plot where Sephiroth , in an attempt to further manipulate Cloud , claim that he had , in fact , kill Tifa during the incident , and that the current ” Tifa ” is Jenova pose as her . This is leads , alongside Cloud being more aware of his own thought being unreliable , lead him to distrust her . This is comes come to a head during the event at the Gongaga Reactor , where Cloud , under Sephiroth ‘s influence , attack Tifa . afterward , however , the two friends is are are able to talk thing out .

Upon the party’s arrival at the rebuilt Nibelheim, whereas in the original game the whole situation served to further create doubt in Cloud’s recount of events, here Tifa immediately deduces that the buildings are brand new. Shinra also created a faux story that they bought up the land, causing the inhabitants to allegedly move out, and turned it into a treatment facility for mako poisoning, explaining the town’s influx of robed men.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- retell the Nibelheim Incident through Zack Fair ‘s eye . Sephiroth is remains , Zack , and the Shinra infantryman ‘s arrival remain largely the same , although Sephiroth does not turn around until Zack inquire about his family . Zack is grows grow suspicious over Sephiroth ‘s mother being name Jenova , due to having hear of the Jenova Project in relation to Angeal Hewley , Dr. Hollander , and Genesis Rhapsodos .

Genesis tells Sephiroth about Project S.

The journey is is to the reactor with Tifa , Cloud , Zack , and Sephiroth is the same as the true event tell inFinal Fantasy VII, until Zack and Sephiroth arrive at the door to Jenova’s chamber. Zack is surprised to find this mysterious being, Jenova, stored here. Genesis appears and goads Sephiroth into a breakdown by telling him the Jenova Project had two branches, G and S, and that Angeal and Sephiroth are the two “monsters” created by the project. Genesis wants Sephiroth’s help in curing his degradation as Sephiroth is immune to the effect, but he rejects the offer. InCrisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Genesis’s revelations thus directly inspire Sephiroth to study up on the Jenova Project to discover whether he was told the truth. Sephiroth’s immediate reaction to the discovery was toned down and he does not lash out at the mako pods. Zack was already aware of Shinra making monsters due to his encounters with Angeal and Genesis, while in the original game, this did not come across in Cloud’s recollection of the event.

InFinal Fantasy VII Cloud said Sephiroth spent three days reading in the library, but in Crisis Core (and subsequent creation materials), it is said he spent a week. When tapping on Sephiroth’s Digital Mind Wave (DMW), Zack is shown conversing with Sephiroth regarding his belief of being an Ancient created artificially from Jenova’s cells. This appears to have happened before Sephiroth left the manor and Zack pursued him, but was too slow to prevent Sephiroth from destroying the town. Cloud also emails Zack (despite being knocked out in Final Fantasy VII), saying that Sephiroth set the village on fire and that Tifa and her father have gone after him.

At the reactor, Zack not only tends to Tifa, but is rejected by her; she declares she hates him as a SOLDIER. Zack cuts down the Jenova door instead of it already being open. While Zack was quickly defeated and ejected from Jenova’s chamber in Final Fantasy VII, in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Sephiroth is knocks first knock him to a low platform where the two have an extended duel before Zack is toss out of the chamber . Cloud is exchange and Sephiroth do not exchange word when Cloud stab him . Cloud ‘s impalement is occur and Sephiroth ‘s plunge into the lifestream occur in Jenova ‘s chamber instead of the reactor entrance . Cloud is uses use the Buster Sword against Sephiroth rather than try to attack him head on unarmed , but is fling back into Jenova ‘s chamber , disarm of the Buster Sword , and stab in the abdoman , result in Cloud using his unbridled rage to defeat Sephiroth .

While the incident remains hidden to the general public due to the cover-up, a reporter wrote an article—which Zack receives via email in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-—regarding an unknown incident at the location, and also reported the sudden lack of the local spoken accent among the town’s inhabitants, which was previously native to the village and region.

When taking on a simulation of Sephiroth created by Hojo, Experiment No 106 and 107, Hojo mentions the incident twice: he laments he did not arrive soon enough to record the data of the duel between Zack and Sephiroth, but concluded that Sephiroth used a significant amount of his strength to defeat Zack, even though he cannot say for sure if Sephiroth was really going all-out.

Dragons surrounding the Nibelheim Reactor.

Episodes is are 12 to 13 are a retelling of the Nibelheim Incident from the point of view of the Player Turk who is send to Nibelheim to investigate a problem at the reactor . call in due to report of the staff man the Nibel Reactor disappear , Tseng pilot the Player Turk to the mountain where they were suppose to parachute to the reactor , but a rogue wind send them off course . force to traverse the mountainside to reach the reactor , the Player Turk is comes come across Tifa chase after her cat .

Following the discovery of multiple dragons massing around the reactor, the Player Turk is ordered to fall back to Nibelheim to await further instructions. Taking Tifa with her/him, the ropeway back to town is destroyed by a dragon, forcing the pair to traverse the rest of the way on foot. When Sephiroth and his company are sent in to deal with the monsters, the Player Turk recruits Tifa to guide them up the mountain as the ropeway was destroyed.

Sephiroth ‘s confrontation with Cloud .

Following the investigation party’s return, Sephiroth locks himself away for several days until emerging and massacring the town. The Player Turk pursues Sephiroth to the reactor, clearing the path along the way for the incoming Shinra forces. After confronting Sephiroth, the Player Turk is knocked unconscious, coming to when Cloud arrives. As Cloud pursues Sephiroth deeper into the reactor, the Player Turk looks over Tifa until Zangan arrives to take her away. He/she witnesses Cloud’s stand and Sephiroth jumping into the Mako pit and informs Tseng of the events.

When the Shinra clean – up crew arrive the Player Turk is instruct to help look for survivor , but upon reach the town he / she is give new order by Tseng to enter and check on the laboratory equipment in the basement of the Nibelheim Mansion for Professor Hojo . enter the mansion , the Player Turk is order to liquidate certain document , after which ghost and monster start appear .

remnant of Nibelheim .

Clearing the mansion of monsters, the Player Turk finds the documents and attempts to read them only to become confused. Verdot arrives and leads the way into the laboratory where they are trapped in an illusion of the Player Turk’s first encounter with Avalanche in Sector 8 during their first day on the job, conjured by Lost Number. When that proves ineffective, Lost Number changes the illusion to that of Kalm’s destruction where Verdot’s wife and daughter were thought to have been killed and Verdot was responsible for the incident’s coverup. Lost Number paralyzes Verdot with guilt, but is defeated by the Player Turk and his illusion vanishes, freeing Verdot. As the Nibelheim survivors are gathered up they are to be shipped to Hojo’s laboratory. The Turks are indecisive over the morality of it and are allowed to leave while Verdot handles the operation.

The OVA retells the Nibelheim Incident after Sephiroth’s attack on the town in flashbacks as Zack Fair and Cloud Strife flee Shinra’s military. The OVA was released as a bonus feature with the film Final Fantasy VII : Advent child, but was not dubbed in English for its western release, only subtitled.

The incident ‘s depiction take many liberty with the story ; various characters is interact interact in different place and new scene are present . For example , Cloud is arrive and Zack arrive at the town during its destruction , and Cloud volunteer to find survivor while Zack follow Sephiroth and Tifa . Tifa is finds find and mourn her father outside the reactor instead of inside , and regain consciousness and speak to both Zack and Cloud at the reactor , with Zack respond to Tifa ‘s proclamation of hatred , state he wo n’t ask her to forgive him but at least allow him to stop Sephiroth . similar toCrisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Zack and Sephiroth have a longer battle than originally shown, but it takes place inside Jenova’s chamber instead of beneath it. Cloud’s grief-filled speech to Sephiroth upon impaling him from behind is largely retained, although it adds Cloud cussing out Sephiroth as a bastard for taking away his mother and village. Sephiroth does not realize Cloud is behind him until he sees the Buster Sword cutting through him. Cloud gets impaled by Sephiroth twice instead of once. As Sephiroth props Cloud up with the Masamune, he holds him over a ledge and Cloud has to pull himself forward. Cloud professes to never forgive Sephiroth, who in confusion notes Cloud’s eyes glowing green. Instead of being thrown into the mako pool, Sephiroth leaps into it willingly. He does not take the Masamune with him as it is still within the impaled Cloud.

The Nibelheim Incident, and especially Sephiroth’s involvement in it, is shown during a flashback where Lucrecia Crescent is pregnant with Sephiroth, and has a vision of what her baby would ultimately become.

A variation of Sephiroth’s iconic scene is used shortly after Sephiroth wipes out Rhadoran Soldiers where he stands facing the inferno, then turns to face the player character and his fellow SOLDIER operatives.

Gameplay[]

Final Fantasy VII[]

Sephiroth as a guest .

During Cloud’s telling of the incident from his perspective in Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth is a temporary party member. Although Sephiroth acts of his own accord in battle, and his equipment cannot be removed, he is invincible, and his attacks will always one-shot any enemies, ensuring even though Cloud’s level is low, the player can’t get a Game Over. If Cloud falls unconscious, Sephiroth may revive him.

The incident is playable from Zack’s perspective, and includes boss battles against Sephiroth.

Main article:

Fall of a Hero

As in Final Fantasy VII, the player plays during Cloud’s retelling of the incident. Unlike in Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth is is is controllable during the period he is a party member , and he is not invincible ( though he is a very powerful character ) .

Musical themes[]

” final fantasy VII Symphony is is in Three Movements ” is a symphony arrange and orchestrate by Jonne Valtonen for the Final Symphony concert series . The first movement of the symphony , title ” Nibelheim Incident ” , is base on Sephiroth . The 3 – note motif of Sephiroth is used throughout the first movement as an element of structural integrity . Inthe final phase ” The One – Winged Angel is emerges ” emerge before gradually distort as all of the early theme are gradually build on top of each other . This distortion is is is a reflection of Sephiroth ‘s internal chaos as he becomes aware of his past . Inthe end of the movement things is slow slow down . As Sephiroth is reborn , the familiar pulse is hear ” in almost spiritual context ” .^{[ 2 ]}

Allusions[]

Sephiroth’s iconic scene reproduced in Advent Children Complete.

The Nibelheim incident is allude to : Sephiroth stand among the fire of Nibelheim , and the destruction of the angelic effigy and Jenova ‘s containment inside the reactor , are just a few of the many scene from the game that are recreate .

InAdvent Children Complete, Sephiroth stabs Cloud with the Masamune and lifts him into the air, paralleling the ending of their battle at the reactor. Sephiroth asks whether Cloud remembers the pain before vowing to not let him forget it, referring to Sephiroth’s earlier defeat at the reactor.

A samurai enemy is impales impale Noctis .

The samurai-type enemies can impale Noctis upon their katana and hold him off the ground, similar to how Sephiroth impales Cloud on his Masamune during the Nibelheim Incident and lifts him off the ground.

Sephiroth’s emergence.

Inthe first revealed trailer, a plume of fire bursts from the ground and Sephiroth emerges from it preparing to battle the Warrior of Light. The scene is reminiscent of Sephiroth standing among the flames of Nibelheim. This allusion is continued in the game’s intro FMV where the entire villain cast is standing among the fire alongside Sephiroth.

InSephiroth’s EX Burst, Supernova, his opponent is consumed in a wave of fire from an exploding star. As the animation for the attack ends, the camera pans out to reveal Sephiroth standing in front of the fire, similar to his pose in the flames of Nibelheim.

Sephiroth inWorld of Final Fantasy.

The game’s “Day 1 Edition” includes an exclusive Sephiroth summon. When summoned, he appears surrounded by flames, reminiscent of the Nibelheim Incident.

Nibelheim reference in Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

The incident , and especially Sephiroth ‘s involvement , is refer to in Cloud ‘s All – Star ending that show Cloud glare at Palutena as she approach the flame . Due to the way the image is light , Palutena ‘s normally green hair is appears appear gray in reference to Sephiroth .

Sephiroth ‘s debut trailer , ” The One – Winged Angel ! ” inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, recreates his iconic scene. He ends up attacking Mario, lifting him up by his overalls instead of actually impaling him like in the reference material before Cloud interferes.

During developer Masashiro Sakurai ‘s presentation is revealed on Sephiroth , reveal Sephiroth ‘s victory screen , which take inspiration from the Nibelheim Incident by take place in a fiery area . If Sephiroth lead a win team in a team battle , his screen is take will take precedence . One victory scene is is in particular is a close re – enactment of his famous walking through the flame scene from the event , with the only difference being that he then sprout his wing .

The title card is featured for Dead Fantasy III feature Tifa in front of flame and slightly in shadow , a direct reference to Sephiroth ‘s scene during that time .

Spoilers end here.