The Remnants of Sephiroth: A Psychological Triad
I wanted to do a quick write-up about this, as my husband made an interesting observation when we were watching Advent Children last night. I'm going to finish it in a bit because I needed to go to bed. Justin is not deep into FF7 like I am. He sometimes will give his takes to me, and he has been using this to keep me distracted.
This is a brief write-up. It's still stuck in my queue and I'm not here. Enjoy this piece.
When looking at the Remnants in Advent Children, it’s easy to see them simply as fragmented clones, even though we know they are Shinentai. As he doesn't follow FF7, he doesn't know the trio are thought forms. However, looking at them as a single, fractured psyche split into the Freudian/Jungian structural models of personality breathes entirely new life into their dynamics. Together, they form a complete, albeit deeply dysfunctional, mind.
Loz: The Id (The Primal Emotion)
The Id is the most primitive part of the personality, driven by basic impulses, raw emotion, and the pleasure/pain principle. It doesn't hide what it feels; it reacts instantly.
Loz is pure physical power and uninhibited emotion. He is a massive, formidable brawler, yet he bursts into tears at the slightest provocation and throws tantrums when frustrated.
He embodies the raw, unfiltered inner child of the trio. He acts on instinct: whether that instinct is to fight, cry, or seek comfort. He represents the basic emotional vulnerability and chaotic drive that the other two try to suppress or control.
The Ego (The Controlled Reality)
The Ego is the realist, operating on the "reality principle." It is the conscious mind that tries to balance the wild impulses of the Id and the rigid moralizing of the Superego, presenting a calm, collected front to the outside world.
Yazoo is aloof, elegant, and chillingly detached. While Loz is crying or Kadaj is giving impassioned speeches, Yazoo is calmly shooting with precise aim. He moves with a quiet, lethal grace.
Yazoo represents the functional, conscious surface of the Remnants. He is the anchor to reality, managing the logistics of their goals without letting emotion (Loz) or obsession (Kadaj) entirely derail the immediate moment. He is the cool mask worn to navigate the world.
Kadaj: The Superego / The Idealized Self (The Obsessive Drive)
The Superego is the moral compass, the keeper of ideals, and the source of conscience—but when warped, it becomes a harsh, punishing force driven by an obsession with perfection and parental approval.
As the leader, Kadaj is entirely consumed by "Mother" (Jenova) and the overarching mission. He is rigid, deeply judgmental of humanity, and driven by a desperate, agonizing need to be the good son.
Kadaj acts as the absolute authority of the trio. He punishes the others (and himself) for shortcomings and holds them to an impossible, idealized standard dictated by Jenova. His existential angst stems entirely from the Superego’s ultimate fear: failing the parent figure and being deemed unworthy.
For me, what makes my husband's point so brilliant is that Sephiroth himself possesses all of these traits. When Sephiroth was dissolved into the Lifestream, his consciousness didn't just split randomly. It fractured along the exact fault lines of a psyche.
Loz inherited Sephiroth's raw, unspoken grief and trauma.
Yazoo inherited Sephiroth's cold, calculating coolness and poise.
Kadaj inherited Sephiroth's fanatic, world-ending obsession with his mother and his self-righteous judgment of Planet.
I think he did pretty good for not really caring about FF7 outside of me talking about it. His FF is either 6 or 8.
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