Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Plot

Plot

See also: Characters of the Final Fantasy VII series and Final Fantasy VII#Plot

Two years have passed since the eventual defeat of Sephiroth at the hands of Cloud Strife. Since then, Cloud has been living with his childhood friend Tifa Lockhart in a city called Edge, built on the outskirts of the Planet's former capital, Midgar. Together, they have been taking care of Marlene (their friend Barret Wallace's adopted daughter), and the orphan Denzel, who Cloud met outside a church in the slums of Midgar. Cloud and many other citizens have become infected by a strange disease known as "Geostigma", the origins of which are unknown, and for which there is no known cure.

As Cloud is on his way to meet the Turks (an elite unit within the Shinra organization, the former de facto world government), he is attacked by three men — Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo — who demand to know where he has hidden their "mother". Cloud escapes from the men, and when he arrives at the meeting, he discovers that the president of Shinra, Rufus, is still alive (Rufus was thought to have been killed during Final Fantasy VII). Rufus attempts to enlist Cloud's help to stop the three men, but Cloud refuses. After Cloud has left, Kadaj arrives and demands that Rufus tell him where to find his mother. It is revealed that the mother of which he speaks is the head of Jenova, an extraterrestrial life-form whose cells were used in genetic experiments prior to Final Fantasy VII. Sephiroth was the result of these experiments, and upon discovering his origins, he came to consider himself Jenova's "child". Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo wish to find Jenova's head so as to bring about the return of Sephiroth.

After a fight between Loz and Tifa, Loz is able to capture Marlene and confiscate Cloud's stock of materia, whilst Yazoo begins rounding up children infected with Geostigma, including Denzel, promising them they will be healed. He brings the children to the Forgotten City. Cloud goes to rescue them and battles Kadaj's gang who is equipped with materias. Eventually, Cloud is overpowered and has to be rescued by his former comrade Vincent Valentine. Vincent tells Cloud that the trio is seeking the return of Sephiroth. Marlene finds Cloud and convinces him to return to Edge to face Kadaj's gang. The trio call forth several monsters, including the enormous creature Bahamut SIN. A battle begins, during which Reno and Rude of the Turks try to deal with Yazoo and Loz, who are searching for Jenova's remains in the city's central monument, whilst Cloud fights Bahamut, supported by his companions from Final Fantasy VII.

Meanwhile, in a nearby building, Rufus reveals to Kadaj that he is in possession of Jenova's head. He throws the box containing the head from the edge of the building, but Kadaj is able to recover it, although not before Rufus shoots and damages it. Having defeated SIN, Cloud pursues the trio to the ruins of Midgar, and en route Yazoo and Loz are apparently killed in an explosion. In Midgar's church, an outflow of water infused with Lifestream envelops Cloud, curing his Geostigma. Vincent explains that Kadaj's gang are actually remnants of Sephiroth himself, and it is concluded that Cloud must face Kadaj alone. Outmatched by Cloud in battle, Kadaj absorbs Jenova's head into his body, and transforms into Sephiroth. Sephiroth tells Cloud that once those who die from Geostigma return to the Lifestream, it will become corrupted, allowing him to exert control over the Planet and use it as a vessel to travel through space in search of a new planet to rule, in the same way Jenova did over 2,000 years previously. After a prolonged battle in Midgar, Cloud defeats Sephiroth, who dissipates, leaving a weakened Kadaj. After Kadaj's death, a healing rain starts falling across Edge, curing the people of their Geostigma. Cloud is then confronted by Yazoo and Loz, who had survived the explosion, but who are succumbing to the healing rain. They prepare one last attack as Cloud charges at them, resulting in a large explosion that engulfs all three.

Afterward, Cloud appears surrounded by a white light, and his deceased friends Aerith Gainsborough and Zack Fair are heard, telling him that his time to join them has not yet come. He then awakens in a pool of Lifestream-infused water in Midgar's church, surrounded by his friends, and the citizens of Edge. After curing Denzel and the other infected children with the water, Cloud turns and sees Aerith and Zack leaving the church. As they step into the white light outside, Cloud hears Aerith say, "You see, everything's all right," to which he replies, "I know. I'm not alone... not anymore."