8 Final Fantasy VII Details That Reveal How Much Sephiroth Was Always in Control

Final Fantasy VII has one of the more compelling stories in video game history, and at the center of it all is arguably the most iconic villain in the medium, Sephiroth. This silver-haired master swordsman-turned-villain is so uniquely evil and mysterious that his motivations are still being dissected to this day.

There are hints of Sephiroth throughout the game, and some are harder to notice the first time around, though subsequent playthroughs have you looking for such hints, and they reveal the truth far earlier than you might've expected.

We're going to check out a bunch of moments that show it wasn't Jenova in charge, but Sephiroth behind the curtain all along.

8 A Moth to the Flame

The Bloody Trail

While Sephiroth uses far more elaborate methods of control throughout the story, his initial manipulation is nothing but clever planning. The blood trail you find in Shinra Headquarters is all a perfect lure to get you on the path that he ultimately needs you on. You only see a glimpse of Sephiroth here, and yet he has full control over you. The dead president of Shinra, the way Cloud is pulled and compelled from that point forward, it was all just psychological manipulation of Cloud to get him on Sephiroth's trail.

It's a subtle method for sure, and the fact that he could engineer this type of attack and not physically even be in his body would be just a hint of the power and what he'd be capable of as the story progressed.

7 A Cruise of Fate

So Far Away

Sephiroth doesn't play his hand that early in the story, but the first meaningful encounter happens on the ship on the way to Costa del Sol. While Cloud believes this is Sephiroth he's encountered here, there are hints within Sephiroth's speech that suggest that's not really what is happening. One quote in particular is Sephiroth saying, "I'm far away." At the moment, you may just take that as being obscure villain speak, but on subsequent playthroughs, you know it's much more than that.

This is Sephiroth controlling Jenova from afar, all the way from the North Crater, to guide the party on the path he needs them to travel to ultimately do the thing he needs them to do. That thing, of course, is to deliver the Black Materia to summon Meteor and then absorb the power of the Lifestream.

6 The Clone Migration

Return to the Source

The clone migration that happens in Final Fantasy 7 isn't as in-depth as it gets in the remake saga, but it's one that points to Sephiroth's overall control over everything in an interesting way. Cloud sees and interacts with these clones and is completely shocked by what they're doing and saying, and yet, these are just ways to suggest to him that he's subject to that same calling. Sephiroth knows, but Cloud doesn't know that he's being led on the same migration to the North Crater.

While Cloud's migration is very different from the hooded clones', he's still being controlled in the same way. He's compelled to face off against Sephiroth, at least that is what it appears to be, even when the truth is that he has no power to resist it and is perhaps just speaking that way to convince the others it's the right thing to do when, in reality, he has no other choice.

5 The Jenova Pull

The Breadcrumb Monster

You encounter Jenova a handful of times throughout Final Fantasy 7, but if you're paying attention, they happen at pivotal points in the story. And they are specifically not encounters where Jenova is hunting you down, but rather appearing at a moment to confirm that the part is on the right trail in terms of the pursuit of Sephiroth. Each encounter is hand-placed by Sephiroth in the North Crater. He is sending remnants of Jenova to attack the party in moments where his involvement isn't particularly obvious.

It's a subtle way that Sephiroth controls the momentum and the path of the party here. The fights appear to be an attempt by Jenova to stymie the party, but upon a replay, you can see it's anything but. It's a breadcrumb sent by Sephiroth to maintain the party's momentum toward the moment where the Black Materia would come into play.

4 Rewriting History

Do Thy Bidding

Sephiroth has methods of control that might not even be apparent to him, and none is more exemplary of this than Nibelheim. The place was burnt to the ground, and the majority of the civilians were slaughtered. And yet, when the party finally returns there, it looks as if nothing has happened. Buildings were restored, there are tons of people, all without a concern in the world, and most importantly, no recollection of any disaster that happened not too long ago.

And that's because Shinra covered it all up. They rebuilt the town and filled it with actors who would support Shinra's history erasure. Erasure of their mistake: Sephiroth. However, what this serves to do is further control Cloud by making him doubt reality, and doubt what his memories were, and most importantly, who he is as well. It's unintentional by Sephiroth, and yet, it's still his actions that are controlling everyone to march in line right to the beat of his plan.

3 Special Deliveries

A Bomb and a Beauty

Another unique way Sephiroth controlled everything was how he didn't pursue it at any time, even though there were clear obstacles to his ultimate plan. First, there was the delivery of the Black Materia. This was needed to summon Meteor and scar the planet like he was planning, and yet, he couldn't get it himself. He needed Cloud and company to do it for him, and then, once the deed was completed, he used his power over Cloud to deliver him his ultimate weapon like he was an obedient dog. It's a chilling scene and one of the best moments of the game as it finally reveals just how powerful Sephiroth was.

The same thing happens with his final obstacle, Aerith. The last of the ancients could stop Sephiroth with the spell Holy, but she had to be in the city of the ancients to complete the prayer. It's here that Sephiroth possesses Cloud once more and has him try to kill Aerith. This is one of the only times that his control fails, and yet, because of his power over the pieces of Jenova, it was enough to do the dirty deed himself. He couldn't risk fighting the party alone, so he waits for Aerith to be vulnerable in her holy place and uses that timing to end her life and the dream of ever stopping Meteor.

2 Absence Makes the Cloud Grow Fonder

The Hidden Pull

One of the most powerful ways that Sephiroth controls events in the story is by never actually appearing. The only time you really encounter Sephiroth is at the end of the game in the North Crater. Because of that, Sephiroth himself is not under any threat at any time. This allows him to antagonize and pull Cloud and the party danger-free for the entirety of the game.

The writers made him almost a mythic-like figure, which comes from the show-don't-tell aspect of the character that is delivered very uniquely. You see his deeds, you're not told what they are. But you don't necessarily see him all that much, and when you do, it's only a tease; no matter how bad the party wants to stop him, he's always a step ahead, because he was never there in the first place. Think of teasing an animal with a treat. That's Sephiroth throughout the game. Just getting a rise out of the party, leading them to what ultimately would be the end of days.

1 Tainted Memories

Broken Cloud

The Nibelheim flashbacks are some of the most compelling examples of evidence that Sephiroth is controlling more than meets the eye in the world of Final Fantasy 7. Cloud is one of video games' most famous unreliable narrators, and the reason for that is that Sephiroth is already controlling the narrative in his head. His control has set up Cloud to be his rival, once friends and now enemies. It sets up the pull to find Sephiroth all the stronger.

As those who have played the game now know, though, Zach was the one in those memories. Cloud was nothing but a low-class SOLDIER in the Shinra army. He barely had any relationship with Sephiroth, but that wouldn't compel him to find Sephiroth if he knew the truth. He needed that false information to drive him forward and that belief that he could even stand toe to toe with Sephiroth at all. If Cloud knew who he was from the start of the game, would he have even bothered following Sephiroth? Likely not.