Fun fact: after Jenova depopulates a planet and kills its life stream, the planet “Dies” literally, then she uses that planet as a meteor to crash into the next planet, wounding it and starting the process over. At least, that’s what she does in OG FF7.

The images of Jenova just got more terrifying in the remake. Very unsettled so job well done on the developers

Jenova is literally "The Thing", but in jrpg form.

I would love to see a game set in the original battle of the Cetra against Jenova. With a The Thing vibe.

Shinra's dark secret. Hojo's treasure.

When i played this game when i was like 13 i had no idea of the underlying story, that the cells were the things motivating cloud, that sephiroth was actually dead or in the crater reassembling himself, until i read the lore a few years ago. Wish i had this video 2 decades ago, story would have made a lot more sense.

Fun Fact again: Jenova Synthesis is Jenovas true form that attacked the Cetra all those years ago. That’s why she looks different than all the other forms.

I could tell that Jenova has some heavy influences from “The Thing” given it’s ability to shape-shift, turn people into monsters and deceive people with imitations.

If there's ANYTHING I want more, is to have Cloud and Vincent in my party to fuck up Hojo in the remake. A more painful and permanent death. None of that Weiss stuff.

If you look at the mural in the temple of the ancients, it seems like the ancients were the ones to summon meteor. You can see people burning in the image, so maybe they used it to attack another group. I always thought it would have been interesting if that was the case and Jenova rode in on that very meteor.

I never suspected that Jenova killed Aerith, or that it could even take Sephiroth's form.

This is the best, most informative, comprehensive and well narrated video i've ever seen about this topic. Having played both FFVII and Crisis Core a few times, Jenova's relevance to the plot was still somewhat fuzzy to me until now Excellent work, congrats to everyone involved with this channel

All of Jenova's cells couldn't be gathered together, because some still live inside the frozen Lucrecia, which is why she was frozen in the first place so that she wouldn't become a monster.

Square should make a movie about the origins of all this stuff leading up to the start of FF7.

Really makes you wonder if there's more of her kind out there and where. Not only that, but WHY did Jenova crash on Gaia and for what purpose? Have other worlds been attacked by this and possibly other creatures of her same ilk as well...?

Great video. Just one theory though. We don't know who actually won the battle of wills between Jenova and Sephiroth. Since so much of Jenova was put in Sephiroth as a fetus, he is pretty much her child too. And for all we know, Jenova won the battle of wills and is using Sephiroth's body now as it is much stronger than her own body. Notice how quickly during the Nibelheim incident that Sephiroth changes (when he gets close to Jenova) and all of a sudden all of his goals now become Jenova's goals. He wants everything Jenova wants. And for the rest of the game, even after his body is found in the crater, everything he does is in service to what Jenova really wants. Jenova is a master of disguise and manipulation. Just before Cloud and Tifa get to the crater, Jenova (in Sephiroth's form) convinces Cloud that he's just a clone, and not even real (a lie but he believes it). Also casts major doubt on Tifa to question her own reality and memories. Jenova killed Aerith. Jenova (again using Sephiroth's form) is in the temple of the ancients manipulating Cloud to give her the black materia. Think about this, every major event that happens in the game (except for the flashback, just before nibelheim incident), it is actually Jenova doing it. All the iconic things Sephiroth does, was actually Jenova doing it in Sephiroth's form. If Jenova is powerful enough to trick the Cetra and make herself look like them, manipulate them and wipe out most of them; I think she's more than capable of beating Sephiroth in a battle of wills. Especially when her own cells are inside of him. Look how easily she manipulated and controlled Cloud, and he has less of her DNA in him. I think it's fully plausible that Jenova is fully controlling Sephiroth. And also possible in the final battle that the "Jenova" you fight is just a piece of her or a shadow of herself, and extension just like the other pieces of her that are falling off through the game, that you fight. I think her body is deteriorating, and it is possible she now put her own consciousness into Sephiroth's body so she has a physical host. The other theory is that both Sephiroth and Jenova's goals are exactly the same and they are both willing participants and that their wills join forces and combine, creating a whole new entity filled with both of them.

I've always liked to believe that JENOVA is an offshoot of the Lavos species from Crono Trigger. Thus putting both games in the same universe.

I always wondered why we never got a scene or scenario where the weapons try to attack sephiroth or the northern crater. Sephiroth was always a bigger threat than shinra

I loved Final Fantasy 7 and Crisis Core, but the relationship between her and Sephiroth was always very confusing to me. I didn't even realize I was missing so many details. This video cleared it up a lot for me.

Perfect timing. My playthrough of FF7RI reignited my curiosity about Jenova. Have also really been enjoying your guys podcast at work. Thanks for the great content.

Would love a prequel game taking place during the events of her arrival on Earth and the ancients first encounter with her and her eventual defeat.

I think it's a mistake to say Sephiroth won out over Jenova. Much of FF7 revolves around how we understand our own identities. Not only Cloud struggles with who they are and who they can be. Sephiroth makes for an successful antagonist by the end because he no longer has a singular identity. Narratively speaking his goals are the same as Jenova. To consume the power of the life stream and move on to the next planet. I argue that Reunion didn't begin when Sephiroth fell in to the life stream. It began when he became aware of his true nature in the mansion basement. It's only then that Sephiroth starts to exhibit a singular purpose bordering on madness. The same drive that forced Cloud to chase Sephiroth around the world. But unlike our blond pin cushion protagonist. Sephiroth dosen't fight that calling. Knowingly or otherwise, he embraces it. Janova is a shapeshifter and master manipulator. It may not even have the same sense of self that humans hold dear. So I ask you. If Sephiroth want's what Jenova wants. If he's made of Jenova cells and uses Jenova cells in other's to progress his designs. Is he narratively distinct from Jenova? Or has his identiy and that of Jenova fused in to something indistinguishable from a single person? Was Jenova subservient to Sephiroth when it tried to stop Cloud at the expense of it's own life at the end of the game? Or is what we saw more akin to the hands rising up to protect the head from attack.

FF7R-2 will more than likely delve deeper into Jenova in a way we haven't seen before.

The Cetra didn’t “Die out” the Cetra had peace for so long that they didn’t use their powers anymore and simply forgot about them and effectively became humans

My fellow FF7 appreciator, you did an excellent job on summarizing "Mother's" backstory. It took me some years in the fandom to find all those facts, but your narration was the perfect review I needed to continue a fanfiction about her re-rise as an individual. Also I liked how you made clear for us that in the end, Sephiroth was the one in control, in antithesis with the relationships the other ff villains showed with their respective source of outer evil.

Sepiroths entire existence was born out of a mistake made, believing jenova was a cetra

THE best Final Fantasy KZfaq channel answering the question we didn’t know we needed answers to. Love love love your stuff 👌🏻

Thanks a million to actually produce a video on my suggestion on Patreon! Ever thankful. 👏🏻

So she’s “the thing” but was released on a global scale.

Its cuz seph has a hyper high spirit. I realized when i saw he has a ring that greatly raises spirit how important the basic will to fight is possibly sephs highest importance. Seen many times strangely from artificial beings in games/film.

Jenova has so much lore to be explored in the remake, I really hope the developers don't drop the ball this time.

The things that I find most fascinating about the story of Final Fantasy VII, particularly the antagonists, is firstly, Jenova becomes a lot more horrifying when you read and understand some of Lovecraft's works and the concept of Eldritch horrors. Jenova could easily be an entity from Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos and a lot of fans of this game and the 1982 movie "The Thing" have noted that there are some stark similarities between the titular monster/alien in the movie and Jenova. Particularly that both assimilated others and took their forms to sew mistrust and paranoia. The second thing that fascinates me is the incredibly tragic story of Sephiroth. Most people who knew him maintained that, before the Nibelheim incident, he was a heroic and inspirational leader. He's very much surrounded in myth within the FFVII lore. When he and the other ShinRa personnel for to Nibelheim, before Cloud even asks, Sephiroth gives him permission to visit his friends and family. Likewise, in Crisis Core, he's shown to care very much for his subordinates. When Angeal clones are reported in Midgar, Sephiroth takes immediate notice of Zack's concern for Aerith and simply says "Permission to go to Midgar is granted." I'm also not sure if this was taken into consideration as well, but it's certainly a fascinating coincidence at the very least, but Sephiroth's English voice actor for Advent Children, Crisis Core, etc. also did the voice for Superman in numerous animated adaptations. Sephiroth was, by all accounts, a kind and noble figure. I always interpreted his turn as a villain as a descent into madness. Perhaps the realization of the experiments that birthed him drove him mad, maybe he became power hungry. What I used to believe, thanks to the localization errors and confusion, is that Jenova took over Sephiroth after his defeat at Nibelheim. The revelation that Sephiroth is actually the one in full control is shocking. His disposition has changed completely and, rather than continuing on as a heroic figure after learning to exert his will over Jenova, he's fully on board with her plans.

Hojo kills Gast, Hojo’s son kills Gast’s daughter.

After seeing the Ancients Flash back in Remake, I really hope we to see a flashback of the Cetra fighting and sealing away Jenova. Sephirtoh was always the villain but....honestly he too was a victim. But Jenova was always the REAL threat, An wanted to destroy the planet. Also Jenova was always Sephiroths motivator, he wanted to destroy the planet or become a God like her. An truly believed that was his destiny. But we know so little of Jenova, an it would be cool if she actually returned. In her real form, instead of just possessing people or trying to control people. But the real her, an Cloud and the gang, trying to stop her for good. As much as I loved FF7 story, I always didn’t like how we didn’t get enough Jenova. Like why did she return to earth...did she plan to come back one day. Or would she if it weren’t for Cloud and the gang defeating Sephiroth. But instead Sephiroth was just always the main focus villain. Hopefully we see her in the sequels of remake story.

I believe the female form we see is essentially a Cetra hero that contained Jenova within herself as a self sacrifice last ditch effort to deal with the calamity. This would explain why Gast was fooled into believing Jenova was a Cetra, as well as why Sephiroth is able to manipulate the lifestream, something only the Cetra should be able to do. He can do this because the Jenova cells are impure, containing cells of the Cetra who imprisoned Jenova.

Could not have clicked on a video quicker 😂 But yeah fantastic video again guys! Very informative and put a new perspective on Jenovas role and how that role married up with the other antagonists within the series!!

Excellent video! The overlayed videos from the OG FFVII, Remake, and Crisis Core helped me a lot with characters and timeline. Nice work!

I've been waiting 24 years for this video.

Great video. I literally remember the first trailers for ff7 back in 1997. Insane so much time has passed but I am still a huge fan

In my headcanon I always believed that Jenova and Sephiroth fused together. There was no real battle of wills they just wanted the same thing, and Jenova saw the opportunity that Sephiroth presented by having a really powerful physical form.

thx for the video,actually cleared allot up for me

great video! 21 years playing this gem and I just don´t get tired.

Great video as usual, guys! I seriously wouldn't know 1/4 of the actual story of FFVII if not for you guys and these origins videos. These continue to renew my interest in the games I already love.

Great vid man. Definitely for those of us that are intrigued by the lore but didn’t have all the pieces. This ties a lot of the interest I had altogether. I like it!

What a pleasure this was to watch. Excellent work. Thank you.

This is incredible.. I know the story but got chills hearing it put so perfectly. Thank you

Great video. Spot on with the description of Jenova’s influence throughout the game.

Holy carp this is amazing! Thank you so much for putting this together.

We need another FF Origin, a story way back in the time of Jenova and the Cetra.

So I took it upon myself to find the exact pages within the Ultimania Omega that pinpoint this topic and have found some very interesting information that actually states that both Sephiroth and Jenova are involved together, but there’s a big asterix on the “both” and “Jenova” parts to this. There are actually pages dedicated completely to parsing which specific Sephiroth sightings are Sephiroth or Jenova (pg. 212), but again, there’s still a caveat to the latter. I had a hard time translating that particular page, but I believe my simple layout in the next two paragraphs states it accurately. Beginning with Sephiroth, anything and everything to do with Cloud and the Sephiroth clones who had Jenova cells injected into them (the black cloaked people who were mentally broken from the Nibelheim fire and experimentally tested upon by Hojo) are being controlled by Sephiroth. That’s confirmed clearly on pg. 211 on a picture excerpt, the second from the bottom. The exact quote states: “Reunion is an ability as a Jenova (part/cell), but orders to Sephiroth Copies are for (from) Sephiroth as their master.” (Direct translation, but anything in parentheses here is actually what I believe the imperfect translation is saying. I don’t think any of my additions are stretches, merely clarifications that make it easier to read). The other part to it is Jenova, more specifically her body parts (throughout the game, not including the one names SYNTHESIS at the end) which as I stated before, are confirmed to be acting purely on the impulse of mimicking Sephiroth’s will instinctively, even if there was a time thousands of years ago where she was alive and aware of the use of her abilities to shapeshift, deceive, close proximity, and infect. So during FF7 proper she’s not conscious of this, and also Sephiroth is not directly controlling her, but she is still carrying out his will instinctively because she’s instinctively mimicking is personality, memories, desires, and thus his will. She is simply a husk of her former self, the same way the Cetra are also not conscious anymore, but expressed now through the judgement of the planet. So instead of being more of a puppet being controlled by Sephiroth, she’s really more of a minion, albeit one for a super being who is congruent with her instinctive purpose. This is also clearly confirmed on pg. 211, on the second large paragraph of the page: “Once upon a time (said in this way as to insinuate not anymore), Jenova used this ability to get close to the Ancients and plant a virus in them, causing them to die.” Continuing in that very same paragraph, again on pg. 211, it’s even confirmed that Cloud’s cool demeanor during the beginning of the game is actually not him at all OR even a front, but the Jenova cells within him instinctively copying Tifa’s memory of Cloud whenever they met just before the start OG FF7 before Cloud agreed to help Avalanche, where he started acting very funny and unstable until he meets Tifa. Tifa elaborates on this before they really delve deep into Cloud’s subconscious in the lifestream if my memory serves me well. The quote on that page states: “Not only Jenova itself, but also those who possess the cell have the ability to speak (not sure exactly what this is supposed to mean exactly), albeit imperfectly. Just before the start of the story, Cloud, who had a mental breakdown, returned to a seemingly normal state as soon as he met Tifa. By Jenova’s ability within him, because Jenova’s cells read Cloud in Tifa’s memory and Cloud's ideal image, it formed a new personality” (which is the personality Cloud is expressing in the start of the OG FF7). It’s confirmed again on pg. 213, where the quote states: “Cloud, perhaps because he was weaker than ordinary people both mentally and physically, could not become a SOLDIER and could not even maintain himself as a Sephiroth copy like the other residents of Nibelheim, and his spirit completely collapsed. After reuniting with his childhood friend Tifa in Midgar, he was supported by a false personality that was neither a copy of himself nor his original self.” These examples are here to show how Jenova(‘s remains) can have her (their, in relation to her remains) abilities instinctively (also to say unconsciously) work in other aspects even outside of the Jenova/Sephiroth original debate. So while both Sephy and Jenova are involved and shown in Sephiroth’s image, sometimes it’s Sephy actually taking control (like the cases of Cloud and those in black cloaks) and sometimes it’s an instinctive Jenova part, which instinctually mimics the shape, memories, and will of Sephiroth, again more like a minion, as Sephiroth isn’t actually directly controlling her 3 main parts, but she is robotically going through the motions of doing what she does as a mimic, and she has most likely instinctively mimicked what would most closely serve her instinctive purpose of destroying a planet and moving on to the next one to do the same. Sephy probably learns of Aeris’ death on his own, as she went back to the lifestream he was inhabiting when she passed (maybe Sephiroth also has some way of learning what parts of his will are carried out by her parts somehow as well? Not sure and can’t speak to it atm, but just a thought that came to my mind along this logical path of thought). Something else that speaks to Sephiroth and his power is stated on pg. 213 regarding why some like Cloud get overcome, some like Zack don’t, but again mainly why Sephy has his power: “The case of Sephiroth is extremely special. Until he learned the secret of his birth, he lived as a human despite his legendary strength, and five years ago he began to walk a different path from humans. However, instead of being placed under Jenova's control, he seizes Jenova's initiative and controls their actions. This fact makes us feel the extraordinary strength of the life form Sephiroth.” It’s also stated within the book that Sephiroth does officially die in Nibelheim 5 years ago (around the same pages mentioned already but if you want a specific passage I’d gladly go back in and find it), showing within FF7 proper itself how the great mechanic of the lifestream that speaks to the beautiful theme of life that the game is conveying is also what allows Sephiroth to be this Lovecraftian type fear and entity, one who does not die or completely cease, always looming, who can actually come back to the surface through the means of a weak/broken mind (or possibly even a willing participant). Please let me know if you would like pdfs of these pages as well in case you would like to copy and paste them into translation programs to see it for yourself. Pdfs of the Ultimania Omega can also be found on google, as well as more translations about these topics and many other pages of support from the Ultimania Omega on gamefaqs.com (can also provide that to you as well). I’d also love to hear your opinion on all this as well. Let me know if you have anything you’d like to share.

I will always love the content here... but adding the soundtrack really hits the emotions man. Thank you

I got so confused when Angeal and Genesis started rapidly degenerating out of nowhere during Crisis Core. I never made it far into FF7 as a kid and playing Crisis Core as a teen I was really lost at a lot of different points. This explains a lot for me. Regardless of what I missed on plot when younger, the emotional attachment was always strong.

It's kinda of crazy that, not counting flashbacks, you don't see the real sephiroth until you give him the black materia in the northern crater, and then you don't fight him until the final boss fight of the game.

Thanks for the vid guys, it's nice to re-learn the lore, especially when Jenova is a core element in the grand scale of things. Imagine the things we'll discover in due time!

This explanation gives more light and clears my confusion on the Final Fantasy 7 lore

I still tend to prefer my own head Cannon wherein Jenova slowly turned Sephiroth into what he became. I like the idea of some insane Lovecraftian monster changing someone by merely being.

The best cutscene in FF7 Original is when the Weapons awake seeing Diamond climb up the cliff, and look up to Ultima where he is screaming with the Highwind next to it. And then the crater explodes a d Ruby and Sapphire fly out as well

Ever since FF7R implied that Shiva was the one to seal Jenova in ice, it's now my headcanon that Jenova's female torso and head is a mimicry of Shiva herself. They look quite alike, don't they? And yes yes, I'm sure there is some other official explanation like Jenova is meant to resemble Sephiroth or Aerith. I just thought it would be a decent explanation for Jenova's feminine appearance.

This made everything make way more sense, thank you!

Been playing the OG game almost once a year since 97, played through every EU game at least once, yadda yadda - you still gave me some clarity about some standing questions especially surrounding Jenova appearing as Sephiroth during OG, and how sephiroth survived falling in the lifestream during the incident and surviving until you find his body at north crater

Your videos are so top notch, keep it up! I love them.

This video is what i needed, i have a jenova tattoo and always wanted to teach my girl exactly who/what jenova is. Trying to get her to give ff7 a play through too!

Great video!!! I’m 25 years old and I been playing Final Fantasy 7 since the 1st grade. I played all the spin-offs, remake, watch the movie, and I’m still learning about the story. The story is complex and confusing but after watching this video, I get it now lol.

I was about to suggest you to make this exact video, so thanks for reading my mind c:

I would love to see an Emet-Selch origin video. His part in Shadowbringers was absolutely astounding. Plus, I believe his tale isn’t quite over yet.

Awesome love it man!

watching this right now before I go to sleep 🤗🤗🤗 Good morning Sunday 🙂

Can't wait to watch this! Have always wondered about jenovas origins! Thank you for everything you guys do!

It's not too dissimilar from The Thing. Except that Jenova is able to maintain control over its constituent parts, whereas the Thing will split into separate instance with no shared consciousness (or so I assume, given that each piece of the Thing acts individually, hence how they were able to do the blood test in the movie).

I loved how in Remake they basically showed us that the Ancients were the pre-FF7 Amano type of characters. What if 4 is the past of 7 (Cecil and Kain and Rosa and all them are Cetra) and Jenova is a Lunarian? Perhaps a descendant of Zemus? I see a connection in those two universes. Maybe it’s the extraterrestrial thing?

Awesome video I've played FF7 multiple times over the years and still learned alot from this video

Ah, so Jenova is the meteor site and Sephiroth is Pennywise.

Genova can't be the only one.. also was the the best written enemy that I can see closer to reality than fantasy

I think you hit the nail on the head, Jenova's role as an existential threat that served more as the catalyst rather than the main threat felt extremely unique for JRPGs. It being an evolution of something like The Thing made its presence in the story so, so eerie

Well narrated. Outstanding job!

Finally, a FFVII Jenova origins video :D !

I’m curious why you’re so sure that Sephiroth is commanding Jenova? I always thought the whole point of the story was to make you think he was the big bad, but actually looking deeper and realising a horrific eldritch space horror was controlling him through her cells…

Such a great documentary!

Damn lots of interesting and nice to know Info! Thanks for the Video!

Not sure if a origins video for Noel would be too similar to Caius' but I would love to see Noel and Yeul's story again

Is Sephiroth really completely in control here?

amazing video! great job!

I can't wait to see more about Jenova!!!

Jenova is the great mystery to me. Iv heard her name since i was a child, caught glimpses of her from Advent Children, and am currently awaiting the rest of the remake because iv never played the original FF7 game

As a kid, i just thought Sephiroth was an astral projection that sprinkled Jenovah pieces in front of the party.

I swear ive beaten 7 MANY times and STILL, new information brings clarification to me regarding story.

JENOVA remix in the back is great

I thought that during the game when jenova looks like sephroth, it’s because he is possessing her body essentially. Not that she was just under orders, more like she was a half dead corpse he is puppeting.

Awesome video!!! Love hearing all these facts complied to help make more sense to these complicated characters! Especially one like JENOVA! I remember playing FF7 for the first time and when it became clear that JENOVA was controlling all these bodies it was terrifying. Also that such a creature and Sephiroth seemed to be working together helped the feeling of intimidation from facing such antagonists! I can't wait to see what direction the Remake takes with this. I'm also curious if there will be more possibly revealed in the new adaptions of the FF7 Compilation. In Crisis Core, Genesis had such a large role. Then is taken away by a mysterious duo at the end. (Possibly Weiss and Nero?) Then his reappearance at the very end of Dirge of Cerberus, in the scene with Weiss, always made me wonder if that was somehow because of JENOVA as well. It gave that game almost a hopeless feeling simply because it seemed at that point that there was no way to get rid of the alien entity entirely.

Great breakdown!!!

Love the videos keep up the good work

I'm a simple man, I see Jenova, I click.

I really can not anticipate a re-imagining of Jenova as the final boss for the FFVII Compilation as a godly Cosmic being. Hopefully as a beautiful female, that has multiple transformations. That is what i wish for at least!

I'd love to see Square release more info about the origin of Jenova in the future.

Props for using TPR’s music. He deserves more credit

I want to see an episode for Laguna next.

MY NOTIFICATIONS ARE ON, BABY

Jenova kinda reminds me of the monster from The Thing. It crashed onto the planet from space, it has Shapeshifting abilities, and it can infect people turning them into monsters.

Can you make an Emet Selch origins video?

No one: FF Union: AND SUCH WAS…