What JUICY Secrets Are Buried in Cloud Strife's Backstory, part 1

The traumatic origins of one of gaming’s most recognizable and slightly controversial protagonists, Cloud Strife. Hey my lovelies! It’s your girl Ria, and welcome to the first episode of my character introspective series for Final Fantasy VII! Today, we're unraveling the complex, tragic, and often misunderstood past of Cloud Strife—from his early childhood in Nibelheim to his journey through Crisis Core, Before Crisis, and beyond. Is Cloud just another emo edgelord with a big sword, or is there a deeper story beneath that spiky blond hair and stoic persona? What role did Tifa, Zack, and even SOLDIER play in shaping who Cloud became? Drawing from canon sources like Traces of Two Pasts and 2000 Gil to Become a Hero, we unpack how Cloud’s feelings of inferiority, desire for validation, and protectiveness over Tifa drove him to join ShinRa in hopes of becoming a SOLDIER. We also cover Cloud’s appearances in Before Crisis and Crisis Core, examining his budding friendship with Zack Fair, his knack for swordsmanship, and his descent into a fragile mental state following rejection and failure. With a mix of canon lore, speculation, and personality analysis, it's made clear how Cloud’s broken identity was shaped long before the events of the original game. This is Part 1 of a larger breakdown, with Part 2 set to cover his continued decline in Remake and Rebirth. Have your own theories about Cloud’s past? Drop them in the comments below! I love discussing FF7 conspiracies, canon rewrites, and future speculation for Part 3 of the Remake. Catch me live on stream: → Tuesdays (variety) → Final Fantasy Fridays (every other week) Check the pinned comment for a link to my full reading of 2000 Gil to Become a Hero with Stygian Stilettos Gamer! If you love Final Fantasy lore, character studies, and deep analysis of the Compilation timeline, hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications! Like, comment, and share to help this series reach more FFVII fans like you. Happy Birthday, Cloud Strife! ~~~~~~~~~~ C H A P T E R S ~~~~~~~~~~ 00:00 - Hello My Lovelies! An Introduction to the Series 00:27 - Cloud’s Credits 00:50 - Cloud’s Bio 02:01 - Ria’s Conspiracy Theory 1 02:35 - Cloud’s Childhood 04:55 - Cloud and Tifa’s Heart to Heart in Gongaga 06:56 - Cloud’s Childhood, Continued 07:21 - Ria’s Ramble 1 08:36 - Cloud’s Childhood, Continued 10:52 - Cloud’s Decision to Enlist 11:47 - The Promise 13:37 - Ria’s Introspection 1 13:59 - Cloud Joins the ShinRa Military 16:05 - Ria’s Ramble 2 16:32 - Cloud’s Motivation 17:34 - Ria’s Introspection 2 21:00 - Breaking News 23:11 - Cloud, the Grunt 27:30 - Ria’s Introspection 3 27:50 - Those with Faith in Cloud 28:32 - Cloud’s Shame 28:51 - Confusing timelines: Before Crisis & Crisis Core 30:27 - Cloud’s Shame, Continued 31:02 - Nibelheim Tragedy 35:47 - Outro: Where Will Part 2 Pick Up? 36:58 - Credits (Stay Til the End): Bibliography, Clip Sources, Songs Used ~~~~~~~~~~ O T H E R V I D E O S T O W A T C H ~~~~~~~~~~ “2000 Gil to Become a Hero” Live Reading Part One featuring @//RiaAlexanders!: https://www.youtube.com/live/tNivLabC... ~~~~~~~~~~ H O W T O R E A C H M E ~~~~~~~~~~ Email [email protected] BlueSky @riaalexanders.bsky.social Instagram @ria_alexanders Twitch   / riaalexanders   -------------------------------------------- #FinalFantasy7 #CloTi #CloudStrife #TracesofTwoPasts #2000GilToBecomeAHero #CharacterAnalysis