Cloud Strife | Emp

[adventwolf]

⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player: Lin
Contact: seabutterfly
Age: 25
Current Characters: Ventus (brokenlight


⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character: Cloud
Age: 24
Canon: Final Fantasy VII
Canon Point: Post-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

Background: Wiki

Personality:
When Cloud was first introduced in Final Fantasy VII, he was initially introduced to be an arrogant man, too sure of his skills. Despite working with AVALANCHE who worked hard to save the Planet from ShinRa’s use of the mako reactors powered by the Lifestream--which is the energy of the Planet itself--Cloud didn’t display any sort of concern for the Planet at all. Rather, he seemed more focus on the job he was getting paid for instead.

”It's not my problem. The only thing I care about is finishin' this job before security and the Roboguards come.”

However, regardless of his apparent arrogance, there was still a part of Cloud that was still...kinder. This kindness is in truth part of the “real” Cloud as it was later revealed that the persona he was using wasn’t his real one. Rather, his “cocky ex-SOLDIER” persona had been a fabrication of mixing his old friend, Zack Fair’s, personality along with his own former ideal dream of being in SOLDIER as well. This personality of his came into question upon meeting Aerith who knew Zack from before, along with Tifa’s own memories contradicting with his. In time, it was revealed that due to trauma (concerning the burning of his hometown, Nibelheim, Zack’s death, and being experimented on for four years by Hojo), Cloud had unconsciously blocked all of those memories by taking on an “ideal” persona for an ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary.

Once Cloud is forced to come to realize that the “life” he had lived up until now was a fabrication of his mind, he began to experience a mental breakdown. Upon realizing he had JENOVA cells inside of him due to Hojo’s experiments, Cloud began to feel himself slipping as Sephiroth began to reach out to control him like one would control a puppet. A couple of examples of Sephiroth forcing his will onto Cloud’s to force him to hand over the Black Materia which the team was trying to prevent and when he forced Cloud to watch him kill Aerith in the Forgotten City. The moment Cloud was finally able to regain his “true” self, it revealed a different side in contrast to the one he had shown before.

Truly, Cloud was a gentle soul who held several insecurities, but possessed the courage to lead a group of misfit people in order to save the Planet. Partially because Aerith sacrificed herself for it, one part because he felt like it was his responsibility to stop Sephiroth after being forced to aid the man, and because he felt like it was his duty to save it as a way to atone for his mistakes. Once the mask had come off, Cloud revealed himself to have a rather dry sense of humor, often being sarcastic and had no trouble in teasing his friends; for example, calling Barret a marshmallow after seeing the older man dressed up in a sailor uniform. He also held his friends in high regard, valuing them greatly as he was willing to go fight Sephiroth alone if it meant being able to spare them from being killed by the crazed ex-SOLDIER.

But even with the Planet seemingly saved and Cloud’s true personality returning to him, there would always be something that would plague him.

Two years had passed since the fight for the Planet, and Cloud and Tifa had made a life together living in Edge, located on the outskirts of Midgar. Despite their happiness, Cloud soon became plagued with guilt over Aerith and Zack’s deaths. This had led him to leave the old Buster Sword on the edge of the cliff where Zack died as his grave marker and to caring for the flowers left behind in the church that Aerith frequented as a way of keeping their memory alive and as a way for atoning for his sins. However, the moment Cloud was afflicted with Geostigma, he pulled away from Tifa and silently moved to the church. He began to isolate himself from the people he cared about as he tried to handle his own forming depression with survivor’s guilt as well as being unable to find a cure for Geostigma--mostly for the children he and Tifa had taken in more for his own sake. Despite his self-imposed isolation, however, Cloud seemed to hate being lonely. This was proven when he kept his cellphone to listen to the voices of his friends despite not talking to them, and when Tifa lectured him about it after he revealed to her that he wanted to try to do everything on his own.

Yet, in spite of his flaws and in spite of his self-deprecation, Cloud always strives his best to keep his family safe. This was evident when he had chosen to keep his Geostigma a secret from his family and friends, and how he still went to go save Marlene and the other children when Kadaj and his brothers took them to the Forgotten City. Cloud always does what he can to keep them safe; however, everything tends to go around in full circle. While Cloud tried to distance himself from his friends, they were the ones who talked sense into him, making him realize that he didn’t have to do things alone. When he reunited with Tifa during the attack on Edge, he told her:

””I feel lighter. Maybe I lost some weight with all that dilly-dallying.”

Once he had come to accept his own faults and once more accepted the help from his friends, Cloud was able to face his past in the form of Sephiroth when he was resurrected by Kadaj. He came to treasure the bonds he formed with his friends, along with the memories of the friends he had lost along the way. When Sephirth asked him what was his most “treasured” thing so that he can take it away from him, Cloud told him: ”I pity you. There’s nothing in this world that I don’t cherish.”

He was able to let go of the weight that he placed on himself, allowing himself to take a step forward from his past. In order to strive for this new life, Cloud had polished the rusted Buster Sword and placed it in the church by Aerith’s flowers, just as he planted flowers on the edge of the cliff where Zack died.


Abilities:
Cloud is a sword user, primarily using broadswords like the Buster Sword given to him by Zack, before developing his own version of the Buster Sword made up of two swords. Due to being experimented on by Hojo after Sephiroth’s attack on Nibelheim, Cloud was infused with JENOVA cells and mako, which grants him superhuman speed and strength. He is also capable of using Limit Breaks, which are usually powerful moves that he is capable of using after a certain amount of time. His limit breaks includes:
- Braver
- Cross-Slash
- Beam Blade
- Climhazzard
- Meteorain
- Finishing Touch
- Omnislash

Aside from these, Cloud is also capable of using Materia, which can allow Cloud to cast spells, summons, give command abilities, or even give boost stats. How many Cloud is capable of using depends on the armor and weapon combo that he is utilizing. However, in Advent Children Complete, Cloud isn’t shown using Materia and rather on his own abilities while fighting Kadaj and his gang.

Alignment:
Thras:
Cloud falls under Thras' jurisdiction more due to the fear he felt for most of his life. He dealt with fear from hurting his friends after Sephiroth possessed him in order to destroy the Planet, he was afraid of being unable to help his friends when they needed him due to his dangerously low self-confidence that had him pulling away from his friends in the first place. Cloud had struggled with trying to do the right thing, especially during the events of Advent Children Complete because he felt as though he wasn't good enough to protect anyone. However, just as there is fear, there is also bravery. Cloud has shown he can overcome his fear (with the help of his friends), being able to find the courage to fight Kadaj and his "brothers" and finding the strength to step out of the shadow of his past that has haunted him for so long.

Other:


⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉

General Sample:
Sample

Emotion Sample:
Sample

Questions: