sephiroth, “tol alien boy”, SOLDIER first class. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
supersoldier) wrote2020-01-23 09:47 am
supersoldier) wrote2020-01-23 09:47 am
aefenglom app.
Player Information
Name: Jen
Age: Over 18
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
aurajen
Other Characters: N/A
Character Information
Name: Sephiroth
Canon: Final Fantasy VII
Canon Point: After having his photo taken in Nibelheim.
Age: Early 20s.
History: Here!
Personality:
The fire of Nibelheim acts as a dividing line in canon that splits Sephiroth’s personality in half — between the respected SOLDIER and the unhinged megalomaniac into which he transforms. Given his canon point, I will be focusing on the former, with reference to how certain decisions in accordance with the latter were not so much surprising as they were dormant, the potential long laid into his core.
First impressions are generally correct. Sephiroth is reticent and aloof, so edged in professionalism that it can be difficult to converse with him. He is to-the-point and rarely parses words to spare someone’s feelings, having no reason to be adept at social niceties while he was growing up and therefore never curating the habit in the present. He is militaristic in both his thought process and his outward demeanor; brusque, neat, efficient, not sparing superfluous effort where it isn’t needed. It is difficult to faze him and even harder to win any kind of extreme reaction from a man so often calm and collected. To an outsider, this can portray him as cold and intimidating; while he certainly isn’t a warm individual by any stretch the imagination, Sephiroth is not always anti-social. He’s simply unused to forming personal connections with strangers, as it was never expected of him to do so.
After all, he’s painted as larger-than-life. A man so incomparable in strength and skill on the battlefield that Shinra utilized him as a propaganda tool, inspiring others to join the SOLDIER program. Sephiroth is viewed as a hero, an idol marketed for the world to see in a very specific light; the result of this adulation is an ingrained detachment, an invisible wall which separates him from the rest via talent, strength, and status. And Sephiroth is well-aware of these differences, knowing he is unlike the rest — he’s special, a personal certainty only strengthened by external factors, creating further distance between himself and others. He’s proud of his skills and vaguely arrogant about them, too — never battling with someone at full capacity to start, only matching their skill level as if it were a game — and while he doesn’t fight with purposeful flash and flair, he can be smug and never lacks confidence. Even if none of this is ill-intentioned, it's still another factor making him difficult to relate to.
It is an isolating existence, making it harder to form close relationships with the people around him. He can count the amount of friends he has on one hand (a grand total of two), and even then, it’s arguable he had been close with Genesis and Angeal only because they were similar in station to him — other 1st class-ranking SOLDIERS and somewhat closer to Sephiroth in skill level, as well as unwilling participants in the Jenova Project, though unknown at the time. Still, he is unerringly loyal to those he cares about, though very few stand in this particular circle.
However, Sephiroth isn’t a rude or awkward individual. Neither is he unfriendly when he does deign to approach someone, his restrained and sometimes proud manner aside. He is known to employ a very dry kind of humor, usually plainly-delivered and dully sarcastic, and while his first impression may be that he can’t bother to give someone the time of day, he does prove helpful when need be — offering to be a blood donor for a transfusion after Genesis is injured, or subtly suggesting Zack spend time with the girl he likes before they head off on a mission, to name a few examples. He is keenly observant, and like most people who prefer to keep on the boundaries of a crowd rather than within it, is a bit of a people-watcher, and therefore able to read them with surprising awareness. Unlike the crazed murderer he has the potential to be, he begins the narrative with humanity, shown in small snippets here and there. He avoids missions that have him tracking down Genesis and Angeal, because he knows it will be difficult for him to face his friends as an enemy. He opens up to Zack and co. when they first arrive to Nibelheim about what he knows of his family and asks Cloud what it feels like being back home. He even freely offers up information about Mako energy and materia while they’re there, skewing the initial idea that he’s aloof and allergic to outgoing conversation.
But even these more humane aspects of Sephiroth aren't enough to dislodge the sticking point of his character — the sense of being different, of being detached (and in some ways, of being alone), from the rest of the world. His dialogue implies he’s always wondered at those differences between himself and others, and at a parental heritage he knew very little about. In all the events culminating to Nibelheim, Sephiroth’s once unerring loyalty to SOLDIER having cracked, the question of who or what he is brought into stark spotlight, coupled with Genesis’ declarations that he’s nothing more than a monster, exposes these questions as what they really are: insecurities.
Insecurities enough to sever any sense of connection he had with the rest of the world, and instead of denial, Sephiroth goes the other direction — he embraces the idea of being other if it means he’s given a new purpose, having begun to question the old one. His turn to insanity, while extreme, can be interpreted as the only route he saw available to him. The apparent truth of what made him different was twisted enough in his favor that it turned him delusional, but it offered him a secure “place” in the world where his foundations had otherwise been shaken.
A note: his canon point will not reflect this grand, villainous revelation, but it is still worth noting, as character traits from before can be utilized to explain his future (and unforgivable) actions.
Abilities & Skills:
This section reflects the skills available to Sephiroth at his current canon point!
Combat Ability - Sephiroth possesses enhanced speed, strength, agility, resilience, recovery, and combat superiority. Due to the Jenova cells in his body, coupled with the process of infusing Mako into every SOLDIER, these abilities are greater than the capabilities of any normal human. Sephiroth, in particular, is leagues beyond that of even his fellow SOLDIERs.
Swordsmanship - He excels in swordsmanship, able to utilize his weapon (Masamune) with swiftness and ease. His move set changes depending on which part of the compilation he appears in, but the gist is often the same -- he relies on speed, accuracy, and the guarantee that his blade can cut through almost anything. He’s also able to fight reliably mid-air, as well as leap great heights.
Magic - Excels at utilizing materia to cast magic. These equippable items are mastered, meaning that his spells are more potent than average.
Jenova Cells - With Jenova cells in his own body, specifically S-cells, this dictates that Sephiroth would be able to sense and, with cognizant effort, control those who also are also in possession of them. Given his canon point, he is currently unaware of his ability.
Inventory/Companions:
The clothes on his back; essentially his 1st Class attire. It's a lot of black.
Masamune, his signature and very long sword.
His materia, which are spheres of condensed Mako that allow the wielder to use magic. In-game, they will be rendered useless, but these are the ones he has in his possession: Restore, Earth, Fire, Lightning, Ice, and Revive. (All mastered.)
Choice: Harpy
Reason: Sephiroth’s own visual motifs align with that of the harpy, something which is too tempting for me not to explore — wings, feathers, flight. Beyond the physical changes, however, several other attributes complement his character as shown throughout canon. Most prominently, Sephiroth’s ability to pull those under the thrall of Jenova to him (and his persuasion/control over them) is reminiscent of the harpy’s siren-like abilities. He also possesses a graceful appearance, with the potential to be quite fearsome and intimidating, regardless. This falls in line with the harpy’s tendency to be ‘notorious for being as beautiful as they are fearsome if provoked’ as stated in the description.
Sample:
LOG SAMPLE 1
LOG SAMPLE 2
Name: Jen
Age: Over 18
Contact:
Other Characters: N/A
Character Information
Name: Sephiroth
Canon: Final Fantasy VII
Canon Point: After having his photo taken in Nibelheim.
Age: Early 20s.
History: Here!
Personality:
The fire of Nibelheim acts as a dividing line in canon that splits Sephiroth’s personality in half — between the respected SOLDIER and the unhinged megalomaniac into which he transforms. Given his canon point, I will be focusing on the former, with reference to how certain decisions in accordance with the latter were not so much surprising as they were dormant, the potential long laid into his core.
First impressions are generally correct. Sephiroth is reticent and aloof, so edged in professionalism that it can be difficult to converse with him. He is to-the-point and rarely parses words to spare someone’s feelings, having no reason to be adept at social niceties while he was growing up and therefore never curating the habit in the present. He is militaristic in both his thought process and his outward demeanor; brusque, neat, efficient, not sparing superfluous effort where it isn’t needed. It is difficult to faze him and even harder to win any kind of extreme reaction from a man so often calm and collected. To an outsider, this can portray him as cold and intimidating; while he certainly isn’t a warm individual by any stretch the imagination, Sephiroth is not always anti-social. He’s simply unused to forming personal connections with strangers, as it was never expected of him to do so.
After all, he’s painted as larger-than-life. A man so incomparable in strength and skill on the battlefield that Shinra utilized him as a propaganda tool, inspiring others to join the SOLDIER program. Sephiroth is viewed as a hero, an idol marketed for the world to see in a very specific light; the result of this adulation is an ingrained detachment, an invisible wall which separates him from the rest via talent, strength, and status. And Sephiroth is well-aware of these differences, knowing he is unlike the rest — he’s special, a personal certainty only strengthened by external factors, creating further distance between himself and others. He’s proud of his skills and vaguely arrogant about them, too — never battling with someone at full capacity to start, only matching their skill level as if it were a game — and while he doesn’t fight with purposeful flash and flair, he can be smug and never lacks confidence. Even if none of this is ill-intentioned, it's still another factor making him difficult to relate to.
It is an isolating existence, making it harder to form close relationships with the people around him. He can count the amount of friends he has on one hand (a grand total of two), and even then, it’s arguable he had been close with Genesis and Angeal only because they were similar in station to him — other 1st class-ranking SOLDIERS and somewhat closer to Sephiroth in skill level, as well as unwilling participants in the Jenova Project, though unknown at the time. Still, he is unerringly loyal to those he cares about, though very few stand in this particular circle.
However, Sephiroth isn’t a rude or awkward individual. Neither is he unfriendly when he does deign to approach someone, his restrained and sometimes proud manner aside. He is known to employ a very dry kind of humor, usually plainly-delivered and dully sarcastic, and while his first impression may be that he can’t bother to give someone the time of day, he does prove helpful when need be — offering to be a blood donor for a transfusion after Genesis is injured, or subtly suggesting Zack spend time with the girl he likes before they head off on a mission, to name a few examples. He is keenly observant, and like most people who prefer to keep on the boundaries of a crowd rather than within it, is a bit of a people-watcher, and therefore able to read them with surprising awareness. Unlike the crazed murderer he has the potential to be, he begins the narrative with humanity, shown in small snippets here and there. He avoids missions that have him tracking down Genesis and Angeal, because he knows it will be difficult for him to face his friends as an enemy. He opens up to Zack and co. when they first arrive to Nibelheim about what he knows of his family and asks Cloud what it feels like being back home. He even freely offers up information about Mako energy and materia while they’re there, skewing the initial idea that he’s aloof and allergic to outgoing conversation.
But even these more humane aspects of Sephiroth aren't enough to dislodge the sticking point of his character — the sense of being different, of being detached (and in some ways, of being alone), from the rest of the world. His dialogue implies he’s always wondered at those differences between himself and others, and at a parental heritage he knew very little about. In all the events culminating to Nibelheim, Sephiroth’s once unerring loyalty to SOLDIER having cracked, the question of who or what he is brought into stark spotlight, coupled with Genesis’ declarations that he’s nothing more than a monster, exposes these questions as what they really are: insecurities.
Insecurities enough to sever any sense of connection he had with the rest of the world, and instead of denial, Sephiroth goes the other direction — he embraces the idea of being other if it means he’s given a new purpose, having begun to question the old one. His turn to insanity, while extreme, can be interpreted as the only route he saw available to him. The apparent truth of what made him different was twisted enough in his favor that it turned him delusional, but it offered him a secure “place” in the world where his foundations had otherwise been shaken.
A note: his canon point will not reflect this grand, villainous revelation, but it is still worth noting, as character traits from before can be utilized to explain his future (and unforgivable) actions.
Abilities & Skills:
This section reflects the skills available to Sephiroth at his current canon point!
Inventory/Companions:
Choice: Harpy
Reason: Sephiroth’s own visual motifs align with that of the harpy, something which is too tempting for me not to explore — wings, feathers, flight. Beyond the physical changes, however, several other attributes complement his character as shown throughout canon. Most prominently, Sephiroth’s ability to pull those under the thrall of Jenova to him (and his persuasion/control over them) is reminiscent of the harpy’s siren-like abilities. He also possesses a graceful appearance, with the potential to be quite fearsome and intimidating, regardless. This falls in line with the harpy’s tendency to be ‘notorious for being as beautiful as they are fearsome if provoked’ as stated in the description.
Sample:
LOG SAMPLE 1
LOG SAMPLE 2