NOTE: I wrote this two years ago or so, it’s been rotting in my drafts ever since. Might as well release it. Warning: it’s long. I have not edited it, so it’s got that authentic two-years-ago me feel.
My disdain for Crisis Core is something I’m pretty vocal about. I mention some of my reasoning in this ask. A while back, I was actually talking to my friend about how I think it could’ve been improved to become something that I wouldn’t have so much of an issue with.
First thing’s first, no Genesis at Nibelheim. Just no. The scene was already wonderful as it is, his addition to it only removes Sephiroth’s agency and destroys any subtlety there may have been before. However dramatic it sounds, his appearance actively ruined the moment for me. The ‘you are a monster!’ interaction can happen before the trip to Nibelheim; though Sephiroth may not believe it at first. But I think it’s best that it doesn’t happen at all.
Secondly, I dislike that Sephiroth was said to have had a friendship with Genesis and Angeal, when in the original it’s implied Zack was his one friend (I think it’s more thematically relevant for him to be largely alone, in spite of all his admirers). Maybe if it had been executed better I wouldn’t mind, but frankly, the chemistry is lacking and we’re only told they’re friends, not shown. I think it would be better if a) Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal’s friendship is actually shown, where we see more than just a small playfight and Genesis’s jealousy, but them sharing a scene or two with actual chemistry and depth and we see how they click, or b) Sephiroth is not friends with them at all, but rather, befriends Zack, or c) Sephiroth is on good terms with them, but recognises that they’re much closer with each other, and largely grew to know/like him because of his ‘hero’ status– this could also be a source of emotional conflict for him. I think c could actually make for something very interesting.
If it has to exist, at least make it a decent poem. And for God’s sake do NOT try to tie it into the plot.
The main things I would change would be the Genesis rebellion plot, the presentation of Shinra, the discussion of man and monster, and Angeal’s presentation of honour.
‘Some aspects of the plot were weak to me too; like with the whole 'Genesis causes a rebellion' thing, but... how? We're never shown how he convinced masses of soldiers to join him, why they'd join him, they just do because 'plot', and frankly that's just uncompelling storytelling to me.’– Me.
So you know how I’d change this?
There are no Genesis copies... but there is a rebellion.
Hear me out. Genesis joins Shinra, full of hope and pride, wanting to be just like Sephiroth, a hero for everyone to look up to, basking in glory. With his friend Angeal he rises the ranks to a first-class SOLDIER. He hears of honour, dreams, blah blah blah, but the more he learns of Shinra...
... the more he understands that this is all just an illusion. Angeal may buy into the idea of ‘soldier honour’, but Genesis sees right through it. He slowly comes to understand what this company really is, that there is no real honour in working for a megalomaniacal company that harms the planet and controls the people, destroying any who dare stand up to it... and the last straw is the realisation that he was the product of Project G, doomed to degrade.
With this realisation, and understanding that he has nothing to lose, Genesis rallies his fellow SOLDIERS to escape Shinra and bring it down. They’ve wronged him, they’ve wronged his comrades, and now, it is time for them to face consequences. I think this makes more sense, because why on earth would these soldiers just be okay with turning into Genesis copies with nothing to gain??? Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to have their own personal stakes in the rebellion, with Genesis showing them that Shinra has manipulated them all into their personal pawns, and they each fight for the sake of their freedom, as well as that of their friends? I think this would also help make Genesis a more interesting character, with how we’d see him go from someone who completely trusts Shinra and buys into their propaganda, to someone who realises the horrifying truth, and decides to do something about it. He’d be an antagonist, but a damn sympathetic and understandable one. Perhaps you’d even want to root for him.
Another part of his development would be the understanding that Sephiroth is not a hero, quite the opposite in fact. He’d feel conflicted because he’d know Sephiroth is a nice guy, but he’s been raised to be the pawn of the company Genesis fights against. This would further add interesting conflict to their relationship, in which Genesis tries to slowly open Sephiroth’s eyes to the truth, and Sephiroth is left to wonder if, perhaps, the red soldier truly is in the right– and his life has truly been a lie the whole time.
Shinra is more directly criticised within the narrative, and it’s far more clear that you, as the protagonist, act on behalf of a greedy, villainous force. None of that ‘soldier honour’ bull getting played straight.
This won’t be as black and white as portrayed in CC, where it’s essentially ‘monster bad, no honour, no dream... hooman good. Honour. Dream.’
No. None of that here. Instead, the question is turned towards human morality. After all, they create the violent monsters we see, right? From the mutated creatures roaming the lands, to the soldiers bathed in mako, to Sephiroth himself, they are simply products of humanity’s own ignorance, greed, and malevolance. The lack of honour is found in those who exploit and pillage and destroy, not the victims who suffer the consequences. We embrace the non-human here, people! Don’t be surprised, I’m a misanthropist. And yes, I think there’s an argument for the soldiers being human, including Genesis and Angeal... but not Sephiroth. His non-humanness is, in my frank opinion, integral to his character. I’ve said this many times, but ‘human Sephiroth’ simply would not be Sephiroth.
Of course, it won’t be as in-your-face in its presentation as I made it out. The question would be left largely ambiguous, up to the player to reach their own conclusions, as they see the sides and opinions of the different characters reacting to the situation.
I’m also quite biased as I know when people say ‘Sephiroth is human’, the word ‘human’ carries positive connotations. But for me, it actually carries very negative ones. That’s very much a ‘me’ thing, and it’s going to bleed through into my ideas for this story.
Angeal’s Presentation of Honour
No ambiguity here. Angeal is misled, the ‘SOLDIER dreams and honour’ will not be played straight as it is in the game. Where the hell can you find any of that in a power-hungry company like Shinra, that kills so many innocents and harms so many?
I really dislike what was done with him in CC... but I do think his character has potential if it was in better hands. I think the changes I described with the rebellion would actually be enough to mould him into a character I’d really love. He can keep his Loveless obsession, but it would be reduced to a character quirk, and not something with plot relevance.
Some of Sephiroth’s big conflicts would be losing loyalty to the Shinra company as he questions it more and more, and the conflict between him and Genesis. He’d understand at a certain point that Genesis was interested in being his friend largely due to his hero status, and because of this, questions its validity, as well as the honesty of Genesis telling him that he’s but a pawn (thinking this may be spoken out of jealousy). This would add a realistic complexity to their relationship, and a conflict I personally would find very compelling. It would serve to contrast with Zack’s friendship with Sephiroth, as the devs have mentioned Zack was the one person to treat him as a person rather than some untouchable hero.
His talk of honour and dreams will be subverted, as he’s little more than a pawn for a company forced to do the dirty work. A victim of propaganda; a good person twisted into doing bad things. Maybe he can realise the truth at some point as he joins Genesis in his rebellion, but by then it’s too late. Or maybe he never does, and this strikes a rift between him and Zack. Either way, he needs ACTUAL MOTIVATIONS- something that he literally COMPLETELY LACKS in CC.
I honestly really like Zack with his energy and idealism, but as with everyone else, the concept of heroism should be subverted because of the nature of their role in the company. I also like the idea of him becoming Cloud’s hero at the end, but there should be some ambiguity as he realises the infantrymen he’s fighting are just like the both of them: manipulated by propaganda and genuinely convinced they are doing the right thing. But by this point, it’s kill or be killed– and Zack understands he has no choice. I think he should be a bit more on the morally grey side, just a smidge, as I think it could make for something very interesting– or maybe he comes to realise he’s not as good a person as he believed he was, and works to become better as he lets go of Shinra.
