Some stuff from Cloud VI that I found! (An official FF7 spinoff ultimania).
This is where the quote from Morikawa originates. His interview is a lot and somewhat ambiguous. Honestly, it’s hard to follow sometimes because of the translation, but that quote really stands out because he uses it to describe how he plays Sephiroth in an emotionally unique way. A separate, solitary voice that doesn’t betray too much emotion. The feels are there internally, but Sephiroth was brought up in a world where he wasn’t given many chances to express those emotions to others. He is forever solitary.
This is where people tried to draw the conclusion that Sephiroth’s “dormant madness” meant he was always evil at heart. I am asserting now that this phrase is in a lot of these old ultimania books and it’s almost always a reference to the “awakening” that Sephiroth experiences in Nibelheim when he comes into contact with Jenova. It’s something in his blood and cells and likely connects to Reunion. His cells desire to reunite with their Mother, and when Sephiroth draws near to her, they stir to life. It was never about his secret evil. It was biological.
Favorite quotes:
“Produced by Shinra” - cold, cruel, true.
“When the One-Winged Angel was still human”
-IT JUST HURTS OKAY
“During his time as a SOLDIER, Sephiroth was a hero who wielded his blade for Shinra. On many occasions, he would laugh and chat with his friends and fellow SOLDIERs. His manner somewhat mild, he still retained a streak of humanity.”
-He was always clinging to his humanity even when he had been produced to be something other and that’s why I adore him.
“Owing perhaps to his superhuman abilities and preternatural beauty, he possesses an air of unapproachability, with none to call friends save his fellow SOLDIERs 1st Class, Angeal and Genesis.”
-HE WASN’T TOO ALIEN STRONK OR WEIRD-PRETTY FOR THEM. THEY CARED DAMMIT. FRENS.
“Despite this, he still shows glimpses of humanity even as he fights for Shinra, at one point cracking jokes, at another agonizing over orders to eliminate a friend who defied the company. And all the while, doubts begin to grow inside him about Shinra's merciless policy of eradicating any who prove a thorn in their side.”
-Humor-roth. Agonizing-roth. These are only glimpses of humanity from an outsider’s perspective, maybe. It’s all blatant humanity to me, but too many people missed that.
“Loathing not just Shinra but all those who call the planet home, Sephiroth resolves to walk a path of domination and become the planet's ruler.”
-This gets me because….yeah. He had no home on earth that he knew of. It’s like, from his viewpoint, he is cast out from a place that was never his. Always alien to him. The people couldn’t accept him, and he forever hates them all for it. He’ll destroy the place they call home.
“And so does the hero of humanity become a menace to all mankind. Yet thanks to an unexpected struggle from Cloud, Sephiroth is sent tumbling into the mako reactor's depths with Jenova's head in his arms. However, this proves not to be the end of Sephiroth—only his humanity.”
-Only his humanity.
BYE I’M DEAD.
