Sephiroth.
He is hailed by many fans of the Final Fantasy series as the most malevolent and powerful villain Square Enix has ever created.
Heck, he’s so powerful there was a whole epic classical-style song written about him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh0a5sWJwDk
But when it comes to the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake, we haven’t really seen much of of the game’s signature antagonist, save for a few quick shots in the trailer.
That’s because Final Fantasy VII Remake is being released in parts, and Sephiroth doesn’t have a huge impact on the original game until later on. It seems as though this first installment of one of the most anticipated remakes in the history of gaming is going to focus primarily on the struggle between the megalomaniacal Shinra Corporation and the rebel faction AVALANCHE.
But Sephiroth still looms over the story like a spectre, and Square Enix wants you to know that he’s there, lurking in the shadows.
The company recently released some brand new art and a character biography on the legendary SOLDIER.
First off, the image. It pretty much speaks for itself.
Yuuuuuup.
That’s a huge bucket of yup!
This scene recreates one of the earliest images released of the original 1997 game. Sephiroth, surrounded by flames of his own creation, walking stoically through them with no fear as his hair billows and his massive Masamune sword hangs behind. It’s a breathtaking visual, and one that was even included in the trailer for the original game’s release back in the 90s.
But Square went a little further with its fleshing out of this hero turned monster. They offered some backstory in the form of a character biography.
“Sephiroth is famed as the finest member of Shinra’s elite SOLDIER unit,” Square says. “His gallant efforts during the war with Wutai made him a hero – and he’s inspired many a brave youth to join SOLDIER. Sephiroth is believed to have died during a top secret mission, but there may be far more to the story than people know…”
This bio is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Sephiroth’s epic backstory and overall impact on the world of Final Fantasy VII. His actual presence in Final Fantasy VII Remake has been debated for some time, with no one really knowing how much screen time he’s going to get.
However, Square did include a few more Sephiroth related screenshots to wet our collective appetites.
This shot shows Sephiroth standing in the office of President Shinra. Longtime fans of the series will understand what his presence there means, but in the name of keeping things spoiler-free, for new players that’s all that will be said on the matter!
Final Fantasy VII Remake will release on the PlayStation 4 on March 3, 2020.
