Profile for Somarium
[Character Name] Sephiroth
[Canon] Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
[Point Taken from Canon] Canon point is the day after Sephiroth, Zack and Cloud arrive in Midgar for the doomed Nibelhem mission, just before finding the monsters in the reactor.
[Age] Not given canonically, but speculated to be approximately 26 at canon point. Nevertheless, Sephiroth seems to be much older, having held high military rank for most of his life. Upon first meeting, it could be speculated the General was in his early thirties, perhaps.
[Gender] Male
[Sexual Orientation] Classified
[Eye Color] Aqua-green
[Hair Color] Silver
[Height] 6'4"
[Other] Carries a big-ass sword, has vertical pupils and hair to his knees.
[Clothing] There's no mistaking him for anyone else, believe me. Although when not in uniform, he prefers nondescript clothing, dark or khaki slacks/jeans, grey/white shirts, ect. Example, example.
[Background] Sephiroth was born approximately thirty years ago to Professor Hojo and Lucrecia Crescent, both scientists for ShinRa’s Jenova Project. The professor injected his pregnant wife with DNA taken from an extra-terrestrial entity known as Jenova, mistakenly thought to be one of the Cetra, or “Ancients”, at her consent, while unknowing of the damage it would cause her unborn son. The cells merged with the child in Lucrecia’s womb, evolving Sephiroth into the first successful super soldier “created” by Shin-Ra.
However, as it was later revealed, "Jenova" was no Ancient, but a monster. Her cells were considered a "calamity" by the true Ancients, and carried within their DNA the potential for total and complete destruction. Many specimens were injected with trace amounts of these cells, but Sephiroth was the only one exposed before his birth, thus allowing him to be born as Jenova's "true son".
Sephiroth was raised in a military/laboratory environment, taught from a very young age the ways of SOLDIER. Told that his mother's name had been "Jenova" and that she'd died during his birth, he wasn’t aware that the scientist monitoring him and conducting seemingly endless experiments during his development was his own father.
Despite the lack of "family" in his upbringing, Sephiroth nevertheless became the very first SOLDIER, attaining the highest rank - that of First Class - very quickly. President ShinRa became impressed with the young man's strength and power, coming to rely on him in emergencies.
The other "specimens" of the Science Department, Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley, also earned First Class rank in the SOLDIER program, and the three soon became good friends and compatriots. Genesis and Angeal had grown up together in the village of Banora and Sephiroth's lack of socialization during his early years might have put more of a strain on their bonds than other outsiders realized, but nevertheless, they mostly functioned as a unit.
However, a few years later, Genesis began to suffer from degradation, and, despite all of Processor Hollander's efforts - the scientist assigned to Project G - began to decline. Finally, he deserted entirely, leaving Angeal and Sephiroth both stunned and saddened, Angeal more than Sephiroth, as Genesis had always coveted Sephiroth's ability, power and strength, any of which Sephiroth would have willingly given him had he been able.
During the war between Shin-Ra and Wutai, Sephiroth served honorably. In the absence of Angeal Hewley, who had also defected and gone after Genesis on his own, hoping to talk sense into him, Sephiroth stepped in as a mentor to young Zack Fair, he and the Gongaga native investigating Dr. Hollander and the Genesis Project.
Coming to the conclusion that Genesis was targeting MAKO reactors across the planet, the ShinRa department heads decided to send their General, his second Zack Fair, and a Third Class SOLDIER, Cloud Strife, to the remote village of Nibelheim, to ensure no disruptions to the reactor were forthcoming.
[Personality] Sephiroth is quiet, introspective and coolly professional. Although as Shin-Ra’s premiere SOLDIER, he categorically refuses to acknowledge such a title and carries out his assigned duties with calm dignity. Intelligent, eloquent and confident - at times almost to the point of arrogance - he judges people on his own scale, but his aloof reserved demeanor ofttimes projects uncaring coldness towards others, although this shell hides away a rather cynical sense of quiet humor. Always polite and respectful to those deemed worthy, Sephiroth is always in control of his voice and actions.
To those few individuals he counts as friends he is a steadfast companion, a true pillar of unswerving loyalty. He has even refused direct orders from Shin-Ra’s president when they conflicted with his personal relationships among the other First Class SOLDIERs. He is patient with a few of the other cadets in Shin-Ra’s military program, at times delivering speeches to boost morale and team spirit. A natural leader, he's more than capable of making snap command decisions for the good of his "men" and categorically refuses to send another where he himself will not go. As such, he is used to giving orders and having them carried out; negotiation unfortunately isn't a strength, especially when in a combat or emergency situation.
Despite all of Shin-Ra's PR, their elite General cannot be considered a "people person". He doesn't do very well in crowds, tending to generate aloof silence which is sometimes misconstrued as stoic coldness, when the opposite is the case. Sephiroth has not had the benefits of a well-rounded upbringing, therefore situations in which he is not familiar make him nervous. Nevertheless, with his close companions - of which there are indeed few, alas - the great General can let down his fortress and allow his rather kilted personality to come to the fore, coupled with dry wit, razored cynicism and sometimes dirty mirth.
The loss of Angeal and Genesis hurt him deeply, driving him further into his shell, for Sephiroth was fiercely cut by what he deemed to be the ultimate betrayal; the betrayal of friendship. He considered them both brothers, probably closer than blood kin, but they both "deserted" both him and the SOLDIER unit. This has succeeded in keeping him even more closed emotionally, reluctant to extend any sort of friendship or camaraderie, no matter how hesitant. He did establish a working relationship with Zack Fair after the younger SOLDIER made First Class; the two became as close as Sephiroth would allow, considering his reservations regarding trust and friendship.
On the flip side, however, there are times when he feels he might be more than just a man, something "terrible" and "full of darkness". There are times when he can hear the whispers clearly and they only add to his aloofness from the rest of the world, and because of his engineering, he has come to loathe ShinRa along with its Research and Development department. Inherently mistrustful of science and all of its hostilities, Sephiroth prefers to avoid it altogether, focusing his mind and energy on the SOLDIER program and the cadets within it. A commander's first loyalty is to his men, after all.
[Specialties/Abilities] The Wiki states: "Even after so many appearances in several different titles, Sephiroth's true power is unknown." Throughout the entire game series, there have been very few characters able to stand against competently against Sephiroth, including Genesis Rhapsodos, Zack Fair, and Elfe, AVALANCHE's original leader. ShinRa Company made a fortune engineering the proverbial "super soldier program", and in that program, only Sephiroth stands supreme. Even Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley, though friends throughout their youth and earlier projects of the Science Department, are overcome when sparring against Sephiroth; he takes them on concurrently and quickly overpowers both.
So saying, Sephiroth is a master swordsman. He handles the Masamune with amazing ease, despite the sword's power, length and strength; it's a katana over seven feet long hilt to tip, and is powerful enough to slice through foot-thick steel when wielded with Sephiroth's strength.
As a product of scientific engineering, having been altered while enwombed, Sephiroth possesses genetically enhanced speed, strength, stamina, and resilience. He can take damage above and beyond the human limits, and deliver just as much, if not more, in return. Of all the elite SOLDIERs in ShinRa's employ, Sephiroth stands supreme, unbeaten in the training simulators and on the battlefield.
He has mastered all of his materia and wields them at their highest levels. Materia are small baubles of Mako, which is the liquid form of the Lifestream, the river of energy running through the planet of Gaia. This river broaches the planet's crust at random places and oxidizes, forming materia. ShinRa has developed an artificial way to produce materia, settling on five basic types, which can be mixed and matched to create different materia depending on the original used. It's typically "equipped" by sliding a materia bauble into a bracelet, as with offensive spells like Fire and Ice, or into a weapon's slot for supportive magic, giving extra power, support, ect. Materia can also be used several different times until the energy in the bauble is exhausted; it does not have to be delivered in one full dose.
Sephiroth's materia use is mainly in the area of offensive spells, favored for use are Dark Firaga and Hell Thundaga. He also possesses curative materia, as well, but thanks to his engineering, doesn't have to resort to it very often.
However, since a cap on overly powerful characters is necessary, I will limit him to the following "power moves", only to be used in the event they are truly needed:
◊ Octaslash - a series of eight successive strikes from the Masamune which are almost unable to avoid
◊ Heartless Angel - a massive physical blow which reduces the enemy's health to 1 (used only in rare cases as it is draining to Sephiroth himself)
For the rest of Somarium, his genetic engineering should suit well enough.
[Affection] Sephiroth has issues with physical or tactile encounters. He's spent most of his life being poked and prodded by various people in white coats and has developed a healthy "do not want" for any sort of touch to his person. He's very closed off and aloof, hence the only sort of affection he will give is a slight smile, and usually only to those he trusts. Which, granted, are very few.
[Fighting] Feel free to provoke him all you wish. It takes a lot to get under Sephiroth's skin, but if you insult any of his men, that's your ass. He takes his responsibilities seriously and no one gives offense, be it verbal or physical, to those under his command. He's a force to be reckoned with but doesn't go out of his way to prove it or wave his amazingness around. That's just uncool.
[Other Permissions] Due to Jenova's influence, I'm going to say no on the telepathy/mind reading. She does enough to his poor brain as it is. As mentioned, Sephiroth's very aloof and standoffish; he doesn't let people get close.
[Other Facts] Lots of head-canon which has developed over the years. Feel free to check it out, as mentions of the quirks will probably come out from time to time.
[Canon] Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
[Point Taken from Canon] Canon point is the day after Sephiroth, Zack and Cloud arrive in Midgar for the doomed Nibelhem mission, just before finding the monsters in the reactor.
[Age] Not given canonically, but speculated to be approximately 26 at canon point. Nevertheless, Sephiroth seems to be much older, having held high military rank for most of his life. Upon first meeting, it could be speculated the General was in his early thirties, perhaps.
[Gender] Male
[Sexual Orientation] Classified
[Eye Color] Aqua-green
[Hair Color] Silver
[Height] 6'4"
[Other] Carries a big-ass sword, has vertical pupils and hair to his knees.
[Clothing] There's no mistaking him for anyone else, believe me. Although when not in uniform, he prefers nondescript clothing, dark or khaki slacks/jeans, grey/white shirts, ect. Example, example.
[Background] Sephiroth was born approximately thirty years ago to Professor Hojo and Lucrecia Crescent, both scientists for ShinRa’s Jenova Project. The professor injected his pregnant wife with DNA taken from an extra-terrestrial entity known as Jenova, mistakenly thought to be one of the Cetra, or “Ancients”, at her consent, while unknowing of the damage it would cause her unborn son. The cells merged with the child in Lucrecia’s womb, evolving Sephiroth into the first successful super soldier “created” by Shin-Ra.
However, as it was later revealed, "Jenova" was no Ancient, but a monster. Her cells were considered a "calamity" by the true Ancients, and carried within their DNA the potential for total and complete destruction. Many specimens were injected with trace amounts of these cells, but Sephiroth was the only one exposed before his birth, thus allowing him to be born as Jenova's "true son".
Sephiroth was raised in a military/laboratory environment, taught from a very young age the ways of SOLDIER. Told that his mother's name had been "Jenova" and that she'd died during his birth, he wasn’t aware that the scientist monitoring him and conducting seemingly endless experiments during his development was his own father.
Despite the lack of "family" in his upbringing, Sephiroth nevertheless became the very first SOLDIER, attaining the highest rank - that of First Class - very quickly. President ShinRa became impressed with the young man's strength and power, coming to rely on him in emergencies.
The other "specimens" of the Science Department, Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley, also earned First Class rank in the SOLDIER program, and the three soon became good friends and compatriots. Genesis and Angeal had grown up together in the village of Banora and Sephiroth's lack of socialization during his early years might have put more of a strain on their bonds than other outsiders realized, but nevertheless, they mostly functioned as a unit.
However, a few years later, Genesis began to suffer from degradation, and, despite all of Processor Hollander's efforts - the scientist assigned to Project G - began to decline. Finally, he deserted entirely, leaving Angeal and Sephiroth both stunned and saddened, Angeal more than Sephiroth, as Genesis had always coveted Sephiroth's ability, power and strength, any of which Sephiroth would have willingly given him had he been able.
During the war between Shin-Ra and Wutai, Sephiroth served honorably. In the absence of Angeal Hewley, who had also defected and gone after Genesis on his own, hoping to talk sense into him, Sephiroth stepped in as a mentor to young Zack Fair, he and the Gongaga native investigating Dr. Hollander and the Genesis Project.
Coming to the conclusion that Genesis was targeting MAKO reactors across the planet, the ShinRa department heads decided to send their General, his second Zack Fair, and a Third Class SOLDIER, Cloud Strife, to the remote village of Nibelheim, to ensure no disruptions to the reactor were forthcoming.
[Personality] Sephiroth is quiet, introspective and coolly professional. Although as Shin-Ra’s premiere SOLDIER, he categorically refuses to acknowledge such a title and carries out his assigned duties with calm dignity. Intelligent, eloquent and confident - at times almost to the point of arrogance - he judges people on his own scale, but his aloof reserved demeanor ofttimes projects uncaring coldness towards others, although this shell hides away a rather cynical sense of quiet humor. Always polite and respectful to those deemed worthy, Sephiroth is always in control of his voice and actions.
To those few individuals he counts as friends he is a steadfast companion, a true pillar of unswerving loyalty. He has even refused direct orders from Shin-Ra’s president when they conflicted with his personal relationships among the other First Class SOLDIERs. He is patient with a few of the other cadets in Shin-Ra’s military program, at times delivering speeches to boost morale and team spirit. A natural leader, he's more than capable of making snap command decisions for the good of his "men" and categorically refuses to send another where he himself will not go. As such, he is used to giving orders and having them carried out; negotiation unfortunately isn't a strength, especially when in a combat or emergency situation.
Despite all of Shin-Ra's PR, their elite General cannot be considered a "people person". He doesn't do very well in crowds, tending to generate aloof silence which is sometimes misconstrued as stoic coldness, when the opposite is the case. Sephiroth has not had the benefits of a well-rounded upbringing, therefore situations in which he is not familiar make him nervous. Nevertheless, with his close companions - of which there are indeed few, alas - the great General can let down his fortress and allow his rather kilted personality to come to the fore, coupled with dry wit, razored cynicism and sometimes dirty mirth.
The loss of Angeal and Genesis hurt him deeply, driving him further into his shell, for Sephiroth was fiercely cut by what he deemed to be the ultimate betrayal; the betrayal of friendship. He considered them both brothers, probably closer than blood kin, but they both "deserted" both him and the SOLDIER unit. This has succeeded in keeping him even more closed emotionally, reluctant to extend any sort of friendship or camaraderie, no matter how hesitant. He did establish a working relationship with Zack Fair after the younger SOLDIER made First Class; the two became as close as Sephiroth would allow, considering his reservations regarding trust and friendship.
On the flip side, however, there are times when he feels he might be more than just a man, something "terrible" and "full of darkness". There are times when he can hear the whispers clearly and they only add to his aloofness from the rest of the world, and because of his engineering, he has come to loathe ShinRa along with its Research and Development department. Inherently mistrustful of science and all of its hostilities, Sephiroth prefers to avoid it altogether, focusing his mind and energy on the SOLDIER program and the cadets within it. A commander's first loyalty is to his men, after all.
[Specialties/Abilities] The Wiki states: "Even after so many appearances in several different titles, Sephiroth's true power is unknown." Throughout the entire game series, there have been very few characters able to stand against competently against Sephiroth, including Genesis Rhapsodos, Zack Fair, and Elfe, AVALANCHE's original leader. ShinRa Company made a fortune engineering the proverbial "super soldier program", and in that program, only Sephiroth stands supreme. Even Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley, though friends throughout their youth and earlier projects of the Science Department, are overcome when sparring against Sephiroth; he takes them on concurrently and quickly overpowers both.
So saying, Sephiroth is a master swordsman. He handles the Masamune with amazing ease, despite the sword's power, length and strength; it's a katana over seven feet long hilt to tip, and is powerful enough to slice through foot-thick steel when wielded with Sephiroth's strength.
As a product of scientific engineering, having been altered while enwombed, Sephiroth possesses genetically enhanced speed, strength, stamina, and resilience. He can take damage above and beyond the human limits, and deliver just as much, if not more, in return. Of all the elite SOLDIERs in ShinRa's employ, Sephiroth stands supreme, unbeaten in the training simulators and on the battlefield.
He has mastered all of his materia and wields them at their highest levels. Materia are small baubles of Mako, which is the liquid form of the Lifestream, the river of energy running through the planet of Gaia. This river broaches the planet's crust at random places and oxidizes, forming materia. ShinRa has developed an artificial way to produce materia, settling on five basic types, which can be mixed and matched to create different materia depending on the original used. It's typically "equipped" by sliding a materia bauble into a bracelet, as with offensive spells like Fire and Ice, or into a weapon's slot for supportive magic, giving extra power, support, ect. Materia can also be used several different times until the energy in the bauble is exhausted; it does not have to be delivered in one full dose.
Sephiroth's materia use is mainly in the area of offensive spells, favored for use are Dark Firaga and Hell Thundaga. He also possesses curative materia, as well, but thanks to his engineering, doesn't have to resort to it very often.
However, since a cap on overly powerful characters is necessary, I will limit him to the following "power moves", only to be used in the event they are truly needed:
◊ Octaslash - a series of eight successive strikes from the Masamune which are almost unable to avoid
◊ Heartless Angel - a massive physical blow which reduces the enemy's health to 1 (used only in rare cases as it is draining to Sephiroth himself)
For the rest of Somarium, his genetic engineering should suit well enough.
[Affection] Sephiroth has issues with physical or tactile encounters. He's spent most of his life being poked and prodded by various people in white coats and has developed a healthy "do not want" for any sort of touch to his person. He's very closed off and aloof, hence the only sort of affection he will give is a slight smile, and usually only to those he trusts. Which, granted, are very few.
[Fighting] Feel free to provoke him all you wish. It takes a lot to get under Sephiroth's skin, but if you insult any of his men, that's your ass. He takes his responsibilities seriously and no one gives offense, be it verbal or physical, to those under his command. He's a force to be reckoned with but doesn't go out of his way to prove it or wave his amazingness around. That's just uncool.
[Other Permissions] Due to Jenova's influence, I'm going to say no on the telepathy/mind reading. She does enough to his poor brain as it is. As mentioned, Sephiroth's very aloof and standoffish; he doesn't let people get close.
[Other Facts] Lots of head-canon which has developed over the years. Feel free to check it out, as mentions of the quirks will probably come out from time to time.