title: Cloud Strife

text: Nomura's notes listed Cloud's job as . Early renditions of Cloud's weapon, the , depicted a smaller, thinner blade. Variations included additions such as a small chain connected to the pommel, magnets that would secure the blade to Cloud's back, and a more detailed design that resembled a "Western-style sword". The Buster Sword's blade grew in subsequent illustrations, and Nomura called it "the Giant Kitchen Knife", envisioning it as unrefined steel. Square's staff conceived of a minigame involving Cloud driving a motorcycle at the start of the game's development, and Nomura's illustrations included Cloud riding a , a Shinra motorcycle. The Hardy-Daytona is based on a real-life motorbike, the Yamaha VMAX.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Kitase and Nojima developed Cloud's backstory and his relationship to Sephiroth. While drafting the game's scenario, Nojima saw a standing animation created by event planner Motomu Toriyama that depicted "Cloud showing off". The animation impressed Nojima and inspired the idea that Cloud had developed a false persona. This later led Nojima to create Zack Fair, a SOLDIER whom Cloud aspired to be like, to expand on the mystery of Cloud's past. Nojima left the unfolding of events regarding Cloud's identity unwritten, and Kitase remained unaware of the significance of Zack's addition until playtesting. Kitase reviewed Nojima's scenario and felt that Cloud, being neither single-minded nor righteous, offered a fresh take on a protagonist. The love triangle between Cloud, Tifa Lockhart, and Aerith Gainsborough was also viewed as novel for the series. Nojima likened Cloud and Tifa's relationship to one of friends since nursery school, and compared Aerith to a transfer student arriving mid-term.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In early scripts, Sephiroth would have deceived Cloud into thinking Sephiroth had created him, and Sephiroth could exert control over Cloud's movements. As in the finished game, Cloud would discover the truth that Shinra's experiments and his own insecurities had made him susceptible to Sephiroth's manipulation. Cloud would have also somehow injured Tifa prior to the game's events, leaving her with memory loss of the event and a large scar on her back. Kitase rejected a proposed scene written by Masato Kato involving Cloud and Tifa walking out of a Chocobo stable the morning before the final battle, with Tifa following only after checking around. Kitase found it "too intense," and Nojima described the proposal as "extreme"; however, Kitase maintained a toned-down scene written by Kato depicting the night before, which has Tifa speak a risqué line of dialogue before a fade to black. According to Nojima, none of the staff expected that the scene, despite "the line in question", "would be something so important".


title: Cloud Strife

text: Nojima wanted to write scenes in such a way that players themselves could decide what Cloud was thinking. Nojima used Cloud's foggy memories as a device to provide details about the world that would be unknown to the player but considered common knowledge to its inhabitants. To emphasize Cloud's personality, event planners repeated elements they found interesting such as Toriyama's standing animation and Cloud's use of the phrase "not interested".


title: Cloud Strife

text: In retrospective, Nomura and "Final Fantasy VII Remake" co-director Naoki Hamaguchi have described Cloud as a "dorky character". According to Nomura, although post-"Final Fantasy VII" titles featuring Cloud have emphasized his "cool side", "in the original game, Cloud had many comical or lame moments". Nomura believes that the reason Cloud became popular with audiences is due to the impact Cloud's personality made in Nojima's scenario.


title: Cloud Strife

text: For "Advent Children", Nomura agreed to direct the project largely because of his attachment to the character of Cloud. Although Nomura stated that Cloud was a more positive character in "Final Fantasy VII" than in "Advent Children", he did not believe that such an "'upbeat' image of him is what stuck in the minds of the fans", and the script was written to explain why Cloud returned to a state of mind "consistent with the fans' view of him." Nomura describes Cloud's life as peaceful but, hurt by the losses he experienced during the original game, one which he grew scared of losing. Blaming himself for things outside of his control, Cloud, Nomura elaborated, needed to overcome himself. In contrast to other heroes, who, in Nomura's view, typically possess character defects amounting only to quirks, Nomura believed Cloud's weakness to be humanizing.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Nojima viewed the theme of the story as one of forgiveness, which he believed required hardship. Cloud, by taking up his sword and fighting, struggles to achieve it. Nojima sought to establish Cloud's withdrawn personality by depicting him with a cell phone, but never answering any calls. He originally intended for Aerith's name to be the last of those displayed while the backlog of ignored messages appears as Cloud's cell phone sinks into the water, but Nojima altered the scene because it "sounded too creepy". The wolf which Cloud imagines "represents the deepest part of Cloud's psyche" and "appears in response to some burden that Cloud is carrying deep in his heart", vanishing at the film's end. Nomura cites one of the film's final scenes, in which Cloud smiles, as his favorite, highlighting the lack of dialogue and Cloud's embarrassment. The scene influenced composer Nobuo Uematsu's score, who grew excited after coming across it in his review of the script, commenting on the difficulty players who had finished "Final Fantasy VII" would have had imagining Cloud's smile.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Nomura sought to make Cloud's design "distinctly different from the other characters." About thirty different designs were made for Cloud's face, and his hair was altered both to give it a more realistic look and to illustrate that two years had passed since the game's conclusion. The staff attempted rendering Cloud based on the game's original illustrations, but concluded that doing so left his eyes unrealistically big, which "looked gross." Further revisions were made to Cloud's face after completion of the pilot film, which featured a more realistic style. In contrast to his hair, Cloud's clothes were difficult to make in the film. Deciding to give Cloud a simple costume consistent with the concept of "clothes designed for action", the staff began with the idea of a black robe, eventually parring it down to a "long apron" shifted to one side.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud's weaponry was based on the joking observation that because his sword in the original game was already enormously tall, in the sequel, he should use sheer numbers. Referred to as during the film's development, early storyboard concepts included Cloud carrying six swords on his back, although the idea was later modified to six interlocking swords. While the idea wasn't "logically thought out" and the staff didn't think that they could "make it work physically", it was believed to provide "an interesting accent to the story." Cloud's new motorcycle, , was designed by Takayuki Takeya, who was asked by the staff to design an upgraded version of Cloud's "Hardy-Daytona" motorcycle from "Final Fantasy VII". As development continued, the bike got bigger, with Takeya feeling its heaviness provided an impact that worked well within the film. In the original game, Cloud's strongest technique was the swordplay . For his fight against Sephiroth in the film, Nomura proposed a new move, the , which is a faster version of the original Omnislash. The staff laughed at the name given to Cloud's move during the making of it as Nomura was inspired by a sport move from "Final Fantasy X" whose protagonist, Tidus, explained the addition of a more specific name would make people be more excited.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Themes expanded in the director's cut "Advent Children Complete" include Cloud's development with links to other "Final Fantasy VII" related media where he appeared. In order to further focus on Cloud's growth, Square decided to give him more scenes when he interacts with children. Additionally, the fight between Cloud and Sephiroth was expanded by several minutes, and includes a scene in which Sephiroth impales Cloud on his sword and holds him in the air, mirroring the scene in the game where he performs the same action. The decision to feature Cloud suffering from blood loss in the fight was made in order to make the character's pain feel realistic.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In the making of the fighting game "Dissidia: Final Fantasy", Nomura stated that Cloud's appearance was sightly slimmer than in "Final Fantasy VII" due to the amount of detail that the 3D could the PlayStation Portable game could give him. While also retaining his original design and his "Advent Children" appearance, Cloud was given a more distinct look based on his "Final Fantasy VII" persona.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud's initial redesign for "Final Fantasy VII Remake" departed more dramatically from the original's, but was later altered to more closely resemble Nomura's original design. In an early event from "Final Fantasy VII", Cloud crossdresses in order to find Tifa. Nomura noted this event was popular with the fans and reassured the remake would keep this part. On the other hand, the character designer stated that their final design was not decided yet. Kazushige Nojima worked on making Cloud's interactions with Tifa and Barret natural. Despite fear of the possible result, Nojima also wanted the players to connect with the character once again. Kitase further claimed that in the remake they aimed to make Cloud more inexperienced and more informal than in "Advent Children", due to him not being fully mature.


title: Cloud Strife

text: The main reason for Cloud acting more reckless than people of his age was because he spent five years in a coma, so he was made to have social problems. One example was Cloud trying to emotionally support Tifa during a sad scene, imitating Barret's actions but he fails to cause the same impact. As a result, the staff state that Cloud is a teenager trying to act like an adult in this scenario. When it comes to being close to other characters, Cloud is annoyed by Jessie's flirting but instead tries acting cool with Aerith. Square made Aerith warn Cloud to avoid getting emotionally attached to her, giving the players multiple interpretations in regards of this in case they are warned of Aerith's tragic fate or instead just looking down on him. In the climax of the remake, Cloud encounters his nemesis, Sephiroth, once again. Sephiroth's words following the fight were kept as ambiguous.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Co-director Naoki Hamaguchi noted that since in the original game, the player could decide Cloud's interest in a female character, he wanted the remake to give this possibility again in the form of an intimate conversation when splitting from the main team.


title: Cloud Strife

text: The theme song "Hollow" is meant to reflect Cloud's state of mind with Nomura placing high emphasis on the rock music and male vocals.


title: Cloud Strife

text: There was no voice acting in the original "Final Fantasy VII". For the "Ehrgeiz" fighting game, Kenyu Horiuchi provided Cloud's voice in the arcade version while Nozomu Sasaki replaced him in the home console version. Starting in "Kingdom Hearts", Takahiro Sakurai has been the consistent Japanese voice of Cloud. Teruaki Sugawara, the voice director at Square, recommended him to Nomura based on prior experience. Nomura had originally asked Sakurai to play the protagonist of "The Bouncer", Sion Barzahd, but found that his voice best suited Cloud after hearing him speak. Sakurai received the script without any accompanying visuals, and first arrived for recording under the impression that he would be voicing a different character other than Cloud. For "Advent Children", Nomura wanted to contrast Cloud and Vincent's voices given their similar personalities. As a sequel to the highly popular "Final Fantasy VII", Sakurai felt greater pressure performing the role than he did when he voiced Cloud for "Kingdom Hearts". Sakurai received comments from colleagues revealing their love of the game, some of them jokingly threatening that they would not forgive Sakurai if he did not meet their expectations.


title: Cloud Strife

text: During recording, Sakurai was told that "[n]o matter what kind of odds are stacked against him, Cloud won't be shaken." Sakurai says that while he recorded most of his work individually, he performed alongside Ayumi Ito, who voiced Tifa, for a few scenes. These recordings left him feeling "deflated", as the "exchanges he has with Tifa can be pretty painful", Sakurai commenting that Cloud—whom he empathized with as his voice actor—has a hard time dealing with straight talk. Sakurai says that there were scenes that took over a year to complete, with very precise directions being given requiring multiple takes.


title: Cloud Strife

text: According to Sakurai, Cloud's silence conveys more about the character than when he speaks. While possessing heroic characteristics, Sakurai describes Cloud's outlook as negative, and says that he is delicate in some respects. A fan of "VII", Sakurai had believed Cloud to be a colder character based on his original impression of him, but later came to view him as more sentimental. After the final product was released, Sakurai was anxious to hear the fans' response, whether positive or negative, and says that most of the feedback he received praised him. While recording "Crisis Core", Sakurai felt that Cloud, though still introverted, acted more like a normal teenager, and modified his approach accordingly. Cloud's scream over Zack's death left a major impression on Sakurai, who says that he worked hard to convey the emotional tone of the ending. Sakurai has come to regard Cloud as an important role, commenting that Cloud reminds him of his own past, and that, as a "Final Fantasy VII" fan himself, he is happy to contribute.


title: Cloud Strife

text: For the remake of "Final Fantasy VII", Sakurai found Cloud more difficult to portray than his previous performances. He re-recorded his lines multiple times, and credited the voice director with guiding him. Nomura elaborated that the remake's interpretation of Cloud has a distinct personality; he attempts to act cool, but often fails to do so and instead comes across as awkward, which Nomura asked Sakurai to reflect in his acting. Another challenge for the developers was finding a suitable voice for the teenage Cloud seen during flashbacks. In order to better match Cloud's rural upbringing, they decided to hire a child from a rural area rather than an established actor, and ultimately went with 13-year-old Yukihiro Aizawa.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In most English adaptations, Cloud is voiced by Steve Burton. Burton was first hired to voice Cloud after a Square employee saw his role in the 2001 film "The Last Castle". Burton's work as Cloud in "Advent Children" served as his first feature length role, an experience he enjoyed. Calling the character a rare opportunity for him as an actor, Burton describes Cloud as having a "heaviness about him". Burton says he is surprised when fans recognize him for his work as Cloud, whom he has referred to as "[one of the] coolest characters there is," and he too considers himself lucky for having voiced him.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Although Burton expressed his desire to voice Cloud for the remake of "Final Fantasy VII", it was announced in June 2019 that he would be replaced by Cody Christian; Burton thanked Square for his work, and wished Christian luck. Christian stated that he was honored to portray what he described as an iconic character, and vowed to give his best performance. He also commented on Burton's previous work, stating, "Steve, you paved the way. You made this character what it is and have contributed in shaping a legacy." Christian used Burton's works as an inspiration for his portrayal of the character. Teenage Cloud was voiced in English by Major Dodson.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud is introduced as a mercenary employed by AVALANCHE, an eco-terrorist group opposed to the Shinra Company. Beginning the game with the placeholder name , Cloud assists AVALANCHE's leader, Barret Wallace, in bombing a Mako reactor, power plants which drain the planet's "Lifestream". Cloud claims to be formerly of SOLDIER 1st Class, an elite Shinra fighting unit. Despite appearing detached and more interested to the pay of his work, Cloud demonstrates moments of camaraderie, such as prioritizing Jesse's security than his escape during the Mako Reactor 1's explosion. Players can choose to interact in a friendlier manner with AVALANCHE's members. When approached by his childhood friend and AVALANCHE member, Tifa Lockhart, Cloud agrees to continue helping AVALANCHE. Cloud encounters Aerith Gainsborough, a resident of Midgar's slums. Agreeing to serve as her bodyguard in exchange for a date, Cloud helps Aerith evade Shinra, who pursue her because she is the sole survivor of a race known as the Cetra. During the course of their travels, a love triangle develops between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Following the player's departure from Midgar, Cloud narrates his history with Sephiroth, a legendary member of SOLDIER and the game's primary antagonist, and the events that led to Sephiroth's disappearance five years prior. Joining SOLDIER to emulate Sephiroth, Cloud explains that he would sign up for a "big mission" whenever they became available, as the conclusion of Shinra's war with the people of Wutai ended his chances for military fame. Sephiroth started questioning his humanity after accompanying him on a job to Cloud's hometown of Nibelheim, discovering documents concerning Jenova, an extraterrestrial lifeform and Sephiroth's "mother". This ultimately led to Sephiroth burning down Nibelheim.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud confronted Sephiroth in the Mt Nibel's Mako Reactor and was believed to have killed him, but Cloud dismisses this as a lie as he knows he would be no match for Sephiroth. He is troubled with the fact that despite most likely losing the fight, he lived after challenging Sephiroth.


title: Cloud Strife

text: However, numerous visual and audio clues suggest the unreliability of Cloud's memory. Cloud will spontaneously remember words or scenes from his past, sometimes collapsing to the ground while cradling his head, and appears not to remember things that he should remember, such as the existence of a SOLDIER First Class named Zack. As Sephiroth starts manipulating his mind, he takes advantage of it by telling him that his past is merely a fiction and that Shinra created Cloud in an attempt to clone Sephiroth. Cloud learns he cannot remember things like how or when he joined SOLDIER. Cloud, resigning himself as a "failed experiment", goes missing. The party later discovers a comatose Cloud suffering from Mako poisoning.


title: Cloud Strife

text: It is revealed that Cloud never qualified for SOLDIER, and instead enlisted as an infantryman in Shinra's army. During the mission to Nibelheim, Cloud served under Sephiroth and Zack, hiding his identity from the townspeople out of embarrassment. Following Sephiroth's defeat of Zack at the Mt. Nibel Mako reactor, Cloud managed to ambush him and throw him into the Lifestream, and believed him dead. Both he and Zack are then imprisoned by Shinra's lead scientist, Hojo, for experimentation. Zack later escapes with Cloud, bringing him to the outskirts of Midgar before Shinra soldiers gun Zack down. Due to exposure to Mako radiation and the injection of Jenova's cells, Cloud's mind creates a false personality largely based on Zack's, inadvertently erasing the latter from his memory. After piecing back together his identity, Cloud resumes his role as leader and the night before the final battle expresses his mutual feelings with Tifa without words. At the game's conclusion, Sephiroth reappears in Cloud's mind a final time, but he is defeated in a one-on-one fight.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud appears in a minor role in the mobile game "", a prequel set six years before "Final Fantasy VII". The player, a member of the Shinra covert operatives group, the Turks, encounters Cloud during his time as a Shinra infantryman working to join SOLDIER. The game portrays Cloud's natural talent for swordsmanship, and recounts his role during Nibelheim's destruction.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In the 2005 computer-animated film "", set two years following the conclusion of "Final Fantasy VII", Cloud lives with Tifa in the city of Edge, along with Marlene, Barret's adopted daughter, and Denzel, an orphan affected by a rampant and deadly disease called Geostigma. Having given up his life as a mercenary, Cloud works as a courier for the that Tifa set up in her new bar. Confronted by Tifa following the disappearance of Denzel and Marlene, it is revealed that he also suffers from the effects of Geostigma, and he responds that he is unfit to protect his friends and new family.


title: Cloud Strife

text: However, when urged by Tifa to let go of the past, Cloud sets out for the Forgotten City in search of the children. There, Cloud confronts Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, genetic remnants of Sephiroth left behind before he diffused into the Lifestream completely. Cloud's battle with Kadaj later takes them back to Aerith's church, where Cloud recovers from his Geostigma with Aerith's help. Kadaj, merging with the remains of Jenova, resurrects Sephiroth. Cloud, having overcome his doubts, defeats Sephiroth once more, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place. At the film's conclusion, Cloud, seeing Aerith and Zack, assures the two that he will be fine and reunites with his friends.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud appears in "On the Way to a Smile", a series of short stories set between "Final Fantasy VII" and "Advent Children". "Case of Tifa" serves as an epilogue to "VII", and portrays Cloud's life alongside Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel. "Case of Denzel" relates how Cloud first met Denzel, and was later adapted as a short original video animation for the release of "Advent Children Complete", "On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel."


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud acts in a supporting role in the PlayStation 2 game "". A year after the events of "Advent Children", Cloud, working alongside Barret and Tifa, lends his support to the ground forces of the World Regenesis Organization and his ally Vincent Valentine in their siege of Midgar and counterattack against the rogue Shinra military unit, Deepground.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In the PlayStation Portable game "", Cloud is presented as a young Shinra infantryman who befriends Zack. During the game's conclusion, a dying Zack gives Cloud his Buster Sword, telling him that he is his legacy. The game ends with Cloud heading to Midgar, reprising the start of "Final Fantasy VII". Zack and Cloud's connection was also meant to be expanded upon near the game's ending, with both of them planning to flee to Midgar. However, due to limitations in the console's hardware, these scenes could not be implemented, and instead, they decided to focus on Zack.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud reprises his role from the original "Final Fantasy VII" in the 2020 remake, which is also part of the "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII". While marketed as a remake to the original 1997 game, Square claims that there are other different meanings in this game.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Nomura redesigned Cloud for his appearance in "Kingdom Hearts". He is depicted with a crimson cape and a clawed version of his left-handed glove, while the Buster Sword's blade is wrapped in bandages. Stating that Cloud's left arm was inspired by Vincent Valentine, Nomura explained that he wanted to give the character a more demon-like appearance due to his ties to the dark side in the game. Nomura also stated that he wanted to leave the question of whether Cloud was searching for Aerith open to the player's interpretation. In the first game, "Kingdom Hearts", Cloud appears in the Olympus Coliseum world. Hired by Hades to kill Hercules, Cloud must fight Sora as a prerequisite. After the fight, Hades sends Cerberus to attack Cloud and Sora, who is then saved by Hercules. Cloud meets with Sora afterward and explains that he is searching for someone. In "Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix" there is an additional scene where he battles Sephiroth. During the credit roll at the end of the game, Cloud is shown reuniting residents of Hollow Bastion. A memory-based version of Cloud appears in the Game Boy Advance sequel "" as a boss in the Olympus Coliseum and later as a summon card for Sora.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud reappears in "Kingdom Hearts II", this time depicted in his "Advent Children" design. He is searching for Sephiroth, and is himself being sought out by Tifa. Cloud fights alongside Leon's team during the Heartless invasion of Hollow Bastion. Should the player choose to engage Sephiroth and win the battle, Cloud returns and fights Sephiroth, which ends with both of them disappearing in a flash of light after Tifa gives Cloud her support. Sora concludes that Cloud is still fighting with Sephiroth, and will not stop until he is defeated. A digital replica of Cloud also appears in "Kingdom Hearts coded" in the Olympus Coliseum, helping Sora and Hercules to battle Hades. Besides the video games, Cloud also appears in the "Kingdom Hearts" manga adaptations, reprising his original role.


title: Cloud Strife

text: The OVA "" serves as an alternate retelling of Nibelheim's destruction and Zack and Cloud's escape from Shinra imprisonment. Animated and produced by Madhouse, based on a script by Kazuhiko Inukai, several scenes diverge from "Final Fantasy VII" depiction of events, such as reinterpreting Cloud's rescue of Tifa by having her view his face. Although it is associated with and makes references to the "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII", "Last Order" is considered an outside work.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud's character has also appeared in various games outside of the "Final Fantasy VII" continuity. He is a playable character in the PlayStation version of "Ehrgeiz". In "Chocobo Racing", Cloud is a hidden character that rides a motorcycle. Cloud is one of several playable "Final Fantasy VII" characters in "Itadaki Street Special" for the PlayStation 2 and "Itadaki Street Portable" for the PlayStation Portable. "LittleBigPlanet 2" features Cloud as a downloadable character model. Cloud is a playable character representing "Final Fantasy VII" in the rhythm game "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy", with his "Advent Children" persona serving as downloadable content. Players in "Final Fantasy Explorers" can briefly transform into Cloud, enabling use of his Omnislash Limit Break from "Final Fantasy VII". Cloud is the protagonist of "Final Fantasy VII G-Bike", a mobile game for which Nomura designed a new costume for him. This was inspired by Cloud's "Advent Children" fights which producer Ichiro Hazama thought was "very cool, and radical", and influences from the title went into the game. CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama sought to improve Cloud's popularity with this game.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud appears as a playable guest character in the 2014 Nintendo crossover fighting games "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS" and "Wii U", sporting his character designs from both "Final Fantasy VII" and "Advent Children". According to the games' director Masahiro Sakurai, "Final Fantasy" characters were heavily requested to appear in the "Super Smash Bros." series, with Cloud receiving the most support out of all of them. Reflecting on his inclusion in an interview with Tetsuya Nomura, while other characters from the "Final Fantasy" series were considered Sakurai ultimately felt that none of them could match Cloud's popularity and he could not imagine including a character that wasn't him. His model was primarily based on his appearance in the "Dissidia" series, with slight alterations under Nomura's supervision. He was revealed in a Nintendo Direct broadcast on November 12, 2015, and was made available as in-game downloadable content alongside a stage based on Midgar on December 15, 2015. He returns as a playable character in the 2018 follow up, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate", and is now playable in the game's base roster. A pair of Cloud amiibo figures were released on July 21, 2017. As part of the update adding Sephiroth to the game as downloadable content in December 2020, Cloud was given his "Omnislash Ver. 5" to use against opponents, being exclusive to his "Advent Children" costumes.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud was a candidate guest character for "Soulcalibur II" but he was replaced by Heihachi Mishima from "Tekken", which similarly to "Soulcalibur" is a Namco fighting game franchise that even shares Yoshimitsu as a regular character for both series.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In the PlayStation game "Final Fantasy Tactics" and its PlayStation Portable update, "", Cloud is accidentally pulled into the world of Ivalice by an ancient machine called "the Celestial Globe", which was activated by Ramza Beoulve. Cloud is disoriented after arriving in Ramza's world, and after a short exchange with Ramza and the others, he leaves. He wanders into Zarghidas Trade City, where he encounters a flower girl named Aerith. As Cloud is leaving the area, Aerith is accosted by a man demanding payment. Cloud returns to help Aerith escape, and Ramza and his party catch up to him. After the battle, he joins Ramza's party as a playable character. Cloud also appears as an enemy unit in the "Brave Story" series of battles as part of Rendezvous, the unlockable cooperative multiplayer mode in "The War of the Lions".


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud serves as the representative hero of "Final Fantasy VII" in "Dissidia Final Fantasy", a fighting game featuring characters from the "Final Fantasy" series. He is depicted in his "Final Fantasy VII" design, while his "Advent Children" design is also available. His fight against Sephiroth in this game is based on their battles from "Final Fantasy VII" and "Advent Children". Along with the entire cast, Cloud reappears in the prequel "Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy" as a Warrior of Chaos. Concerned for Tifa, who is on the opposing side, Cloud tries to defeat Chaos alone; after nearly being killed, he is saved by the goddess Cosmos, and becomes one of her warriors. Cloud's main outfit is based on Yoshitaka Amano's original artwork concept, while his "Kingdom Hearts" outfit is offered as downloadable content. Cloud again appears as a playable character opposite Sephiroth in the series' third entry, "Dissidia Final Fantasy NT", wearing his "Advent Children" outfit. The development staff worked carefully to translate Cloud's original moves from his previous role, most notably his swordplay Omnislash which was developed to be his strongest move.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Although Cloud does not appear in "", his "Final Fantasy VII" attire appears as an alternative for the main character alongside the Buster Sword. The "Advent Children" outfit is also present in "". Cloud's original attire is also present in the mobile phone game "Mobius Final Fantasy", and "Final Fantasy Explorers-Force". Cloud's buster sword appears in "Astro's Playroom".


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud has been mostly well received by critics. In his review of the PC release of "Final Fantasy VII", Ron Dulin of "GameSpot" commented that "a simple understatement will have to suffice: Cloud is easily the most interesting and complex character ever presented in a game." "RPGamer"s Abadi Aujang called Cloud "one of the most complex characters Square has created", as well as "the first truly complicated main character". Unicorn Lynx of Sharon Packer identifies Cloud as having mental illness in the form of dissociative identity disorder (DID), while Katie Whitlock identifies him as having involuntary memory resulting from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


title: Cloud Strife

text: Kurt Kalata of "Gamasutra" stated that Cloud is "somewhat of a weakling" with grandiose delusions and other psychological issues. He also called Cloud one of the first unreliable narrators in a role-playing video game. According to Patrick Holleman, "no RPG has ever deliberately betrayed the connection between protagonist and player like "FFVII" does." The game's use of the unreliable narrator literary concept has drawn comparisons to films such as "Fight Club" (1999), "The Sixth Sense" (1999), "American Psycho" (2000), and "Memento" (2000), with Patrick Holleman and Jeremy Parish arguing that the game takes the unreliable narrator concept a step further, by its interactivity establishing a connection between the player and the protagonist. Jack Ridsdale of "PCGamesN" argues that Cloud is a deconstruction of the hero archetype and toxic masculinity, and compares the plot twist about his true identity to that of "Fight Club".


title: Cloud Strife

text: The book "Japanese Culture Through Videogames" addresses Cloud as a complex fictional character, comparing him with "Metal Gear"s Solid Snake, "Final Fantasy VI"s Terra Branford and "Tekken"s Jin Kazama due to his identity issues. Chi Kong Lui, writing for "GameCritics", stated that while "Final Fantasy VII" features "some of the most complex characters ever created, by video game standards", their personalities are "paper-thin". He criticized Cloud's "childish motivations", stating that "Final Fantasy VII" could not "match the depth of screenplay in Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" or the complexities of characters exhibited in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver"". "GamesRadar" liked the cross-dressing scene in the game. Cloud and Aerith's tragic relationship was also popular with writers. Cloud and Terra were also compared with Zidane Tribal from "Final Fantasy IX" as they all shared existential crisis upon realizing that they are not who they actually think they are, something which was noted to be common Japanese role-playing game from 1990s by the time Zidane debuted, making him repetitive instead.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud's redesign in "Kingdom Hearts" was praised of the best in the game by "PSXetreme" and "Animefringe". His development in "Advent Children" was praised by "DVD Talk" as one of the best parts from the film. Cloud's guilt over Aerith's death was effective enough to move viewers, "Newtype USA" also praised Cloud's role in "Advent Children" due to his heroic traits despite being a reluctant hero. "Joystiq"s Andrew Yoon opined that the director's cut version of the film provides more depth to Cloud's development, taking advantage of its longer runtime by better "humanizing [him]". "GamesRadar" stated that while Cloud felt like a "miserable" character in the film, his coming to terms with his past was appealing alongside his new swords stored in his bike. Yoshinori Kitase stated that the fight between Cloud and Sephiroth was popular enough to make Japanese gamers do a remake of it for the crossover "Dissidia Final Fantasy" and expected Western fans also emulate it. Steve Burton's performance in "Advent Children" was also praised to the point of being one of the best English actors. In the "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition" of 2011, Cloud was voted as the fifth best video game character. In a poll, Cloud was voted as one of the best characters voiced by Takahiro Sakurai. Meristation praised Cloud's new appearance in "Advent Children" and how it came across appealing in the spin-off "Dirge of Cerberus" even if he was no longer the main character and thus had less screentime. "HobbyConsolas" also included Cloud on their "The 30 best heroes of the last 30 years."


title: Cloud Strife

text: When deciding on using a "Final Fantasy" representative for Nintendo's crossover fighting games "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS" and "Wii U", Nomura and "Super Smash Bros." series creator and director Masahiro Sakurai quickly agreed with adding Cloud to the cast. This was mostly because of Cloud's high popularity within the series in contrast to other "Final Fantasy" characters like Bartz or Terra, and multiple requests from fans of the character by extension. According to Sakurai, he envisioned Cloud as being a relatively easy to play character in anticipation of a large variety of players using him, and stated that the Buster Sword served as a lynchpin in regard to developing his sword swings. Cloud's popularity and addition to the "Super Smash Bros." series generated multiple response, most notably in Twitter's trends. Although "The Verge" pointed out that such a crossover game also featured similar characters like Solid Snake, as well as title characters Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog, they nevertheless expressed surprise over Cloud's inclusion because of "Final Fantasy VII"s lack of release on a Nintendo console. Despite of that, he was well received.


title: Cloud Strife

text: During anticipation for the remake of "Final Fantasy VII", Cloud's role in the trailers were the focus of multiple journalists. "IGN" highly praised the design and marketing involving his visual appearance. "TechSpot" noted fans were interested in Cloud's love interests but claimed that Cloud's relationship with Aerith was subtle in retrospective. "Comic Book Resources" also looked forward to this love triangle. Despite noting his antisocial attitudes in the remake, "IGN", "Metro" and "GameSpot" commented Cloud is the character who has through the most notable arc in the entire remake with Christian's performance helping to improve his appeal. In a feature article, "GameSpot" compared Cloud with Kazuma Kiryu from Sega's "Yakuza" video game series due to both sharing similar features and development across the narrative through Midgar.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud set a trend in the "Final Fantasy" series in regards to the characterization of main characters. Following "Final Fantasy VII", Nomura designed Squall Leonhart, the lead of "Final Fantasy VIII" giving him a similar anti-hero persona. Tasked with creating a "female version of Cloud" for "Final Fantasy XIII", Nomura designed Lightning with Cloud's success in mind, stating that he "desired for her to be ... loved for a long time, like Cloud." After Lightning was voted as the most popular female character in the series by Japanese fans, Mollie Patterson of "EGMNOW" commented: "Some have also brought up that Lightning is kind of the female equivalent to Cloud, which might be why she gets so much love." However, for "Final Fantasy X", the staff aimed for a more contrasting hero would act more cheerful in the narrative, Tidus. Similarly, Nomura created Noctis Lucis Caelum from "Final Fantasy XV" with another different characterization from Cloud and Squall's and instead more insecure.


title: Cloud Strife

text: "IGN" stated that Cloud set a trend for role-playing video game heroes, describing his "spiky blond hair" and "gigantic Buster Sword" as "instantly identifiable icons, recognized by gamers around the world". "Edge" described Cloud as an example of "excellent design and characterization". "Famitsu" in 2010 published a seven-page tribute to Cloud, showcasing his many appearances throughout the years. In 2014, "IGN" held a poll for fans to vote for the most favorite "Final Fantasy" character of all time, as well as individually in each title. Over 2 million votes were cast in. Cloud ranked number one of all the characters. He also took the same place in the "Final Fantasy VII" title alone as well. In 2013, "Complex" ranked Cloud as the eighth greatest soldier in video games. In 2005, "Electronic Gaming Monthly" placed Cloud seventh in their list of top video game characters. He was named best character of all time in "Dengeki PlayStation"s 2007 "Den-Play Awards". "IGN" in 2008 ranked him third in both their lists of top "Final Fantasy VII" and "Final Fantasy" series characters. "GameSpot" published a video titled "Greatest Game Hero: Cloud Strife" for his inclusion in their 2009 "All Time Greatest Game Hero" poll, showcasing scenes of Cloud as he appears in "Advent Children". "UGO Networks" placed him first in their 2010 list of top Japanese RPG characters, stating "Cloud is the cloth from whom the great majority of JRPG characters were cut." That same year, "GamesRadar" listed Cloud as the second best "Final Fantasy" hero of all the time, describing him as "one of the most well-rounded and thought-out characters in the series." He was also ranked as the second best "Final Fantasy" character in a 2010 list by "VideoGamer.com", who called him a "poster boy for the entire JRPG genre". In 2011, "Empire" ranked Cloud as the 13th greatest video game character, stating: "He is, and always will be, the definitive "FF" poster child – an enduring axiom of character design." "GameZone" ranked Cloud second in their 2012 list of top "Final Fantasy" characters, attributing the success of "Final Fantasy VII" largely to his character. In 2013, "Complex" named him the greatest "Final Fantasy" character of all time, citing his "killer backstory, iconic weaponry, and a great game to the boot." In 2021, Rachel Weber of "GamesRadar" ranked Cloud as 18th of their "50 iconic video game characters."


title: Cloud Strife

text: In an Oricon poll conducted in 2008, Cloud placed second overall for most popular video game character, ranking second among men and third with women. In a 2010 ASCII Media Works poll asking fans which video game or manga character they would like to name their children after, Cloud's name ranked third for male characters. That same year, "Famitsu" readers voted Cloud as the third best video game character of all time.


title: Cloud Strife

text: In promoting the "Final Fantasy VII" remake, artwork of Cloud was used in buildings from Los Angeles.


title: Cloud Strife

text: Cloud has been merchandised extensively, in many different forms, including figurines and jewelry. In commemoration of the franchise's 20th anniversary, Square released figurines of him alongside other "Final Fantasy" protagonists. Square Enix's manager of merchandise, Kanji Tashiro, said at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con International that Cloud's likeness has produced some of the company's best-selling items, and that fans could look forward to further adaptations of the character in the future. Popular models at the time included Cloud's "Advent Children" figurine and "Final Fantasy VII" Hardy-Daytona bike set, both of which sold particularly well in European and North American markets. Square has also released two promotional books primarily focusing on Cloud's character: "Cloud vol.1", which was released in 2007, and "Cloud message", in 2008. In 2013, a replica of the Buster Sword was created by blacksmith Tony Swatton for the webseries "Man at Arms".


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Mubi (; stylized as MUBI; The Auteurs before 2010) is a global curated film streaming platform, production company and film distributor. Mubi produces and theatrically distributes films by emerging and established filmmakers, which are exclusively available on its platform. Additionally, it publishes "Notebook", a film criticism and news publication, and provides weekly cinema tickets to selected new-release films through Mubi Go.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Mubi's streaming platform is available in over 190 countries on the web, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku devices, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and LG and Samsung Smart TVs, as well as on mobile devices including iPhone, iPad and Android.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: The Auteurs was founded in 2007 by Efe Çakarel, who began work on the business model for Mubi after being unable to watch "In the Mood for Love" online while in a café in Tokyo.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: The Criterion Collection began to provide video-on-demand (VOD) in partnership with The Auteurs in 2008.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Mubi is a curated streaming service, which offers an ever-changing collection of hand-picked films, introducing one new film each day.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Mubi is also a distributor and producer. Co-productions include "Memory" (Michel Franco), "One Fine Morning" (Mia Hansen-Løve), "Port Authority" (Danielle Lessovitz), "Farewell Amor" (Ekwa Msangi), "Our Men" (Rachel Lang), and a true crime documentary from David Farrier. Mubi is also an executive producer on "Maniac Cop" (Nicolas Winding Refn).


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: In January 2022, Mubi announced the acquisition of The Match Factory, the international production and sales company.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Prior to the 79th Venice International Film Festival world pemiere, Mubi entered the TV industry by acquiring "The Kingdom Exodus" miniseries. They also brought out the first two seasons of the original series in never-before-seen director's cuts.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: In 2021, Mubi launched two original podcasts. An English language podcast called "Mubi Podcast" produced with Rico Gagliano, and a Spanish language podcast titled "Mubi Podcast: Encuentros", produced in collaboration with La Corriente del Golfo, the production house founded by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.


title: Mubi (streaming service)

text: Mubi is a distributor. In addition to releasing films on the platform, it started distributing theatrically in the United States and United Kingdom in 2016.


title: Antony Kidman

text: Antony David Kidman (10 December 1938 – 12 September 2014) was an Australian psychologist and academic. He was the father of actress Nicole Kidman and journalist Antonia Kidman.


title: Antony Kidman

text: Kidman was born in Randwick and grew up in North Sydney, the oldest of four children to Arthur David Kidman and Margaret Emily Mary Callachor. He was of Scottish descent.


title: Antony Kidman

text: Kidman attended St Aloysius' College and then completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Sydney and a Master of Science at the University of New South Wales. He accepted an American Cancer Society Scholarship and undertook a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.


title: Antony Kidman

text: In the late 1960s, Kidman moved to Washington, D.C. to work at the National Institute of Mental Health at St. Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital. He returned to Australia in the early 1970s to take up a position as a lecturer in biochemistry at Monash University. He moved to the University of Technology Sydney in 1972 and worked there until his death.


title: Antony Kidman

text: In 1977, Kidman established the Foundation for Life Sciences, a non-profit organisation focused on youth mental illness. It was renamed the Antony Kidman Foundation after his death.


title: Antony Kidman

text: After his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1980s, Kidman trained in cognitive behavioural therapy and became a clinical psychologist. In 1985, he established the Health Psychology Unit at the University of Technology, from where he conducted research into the biological and psychological aspects of cancer. He wrote over 150 journal articles and nine books.


title: Antony Kidman

text: Kidman married Janelle Glenny, then a student nurse, in 1963. They had two daughters: Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman (born 1967) and journalist and television presenter Antonia Kidman (born 1970).


title: Antony Kidman

text: In 2005, Kidman was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to clinical psychology.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The Chrysler Crossfire is a rear-wheel drive, two-seat sports car that was sold by Chrysler and built by Karmann of Germany for the 2004 to 2008 model years.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Developed during the union of Daimler and Chrysler, the two-seater is based on the Mercedes-Benz R170 platform which shares 80% of its components with the first generation SLK. The second generation SLK was built on a new R171 platform starting in the 2005 model year; the R170 platform was essentially handed down to Chrysler for use in building the Crossfire. Having initially arrived in 2001 as a concept car styled by Eric Stoddard, the Chrysler was further refined by Andrew Dyson before production began in 2003 for 2004 model year sales.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The name "Crossfire" refers to the two character lines that run from front to rear along the body sides — their crease directions cross below the mirrors on the door panels. Conceived during the period of Chrysler's ownership by Daimler-Benz, the name also refers to the collaboration of the two companies.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The Chrysler Crossfire concept car was introduced at the 2001 North American International Auto Show and the production version was unveiled at the 2002 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2004 model "is as faithful a translation from concept to production as any in recent memory." The concept car was made "to evoke a strong, passionate, emotional response. We had to retain that. We want to polarize our audience—we want people to love it or hate it." Conceived to be a two-seat image building or halo car for the Chrysler brand, the marketing objective was also to make use of available components using a two-seat roadster chassis. The production car shares about 39% of its parts with Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Chrysler dealers were required to invest in special equipment, tools, and parts to be able to sell the new luxury model. The rear-wheel-drive Crossfire coupe design objective was to make an "impression" with looks that are "unique, almost sculptural."


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The Crossfire's visual presence includes a wide body raked over relatively huge 19-inch rear wheels and 18-inch front wheels. The most distinctive design element is the fastback roof and broad rear fenders made for a rear end design that prompted automotive journalists and writers to compare the new car to American Motors' 1965–1967 AMC Marlin. The "distinctive boat-tail rear end that reminds more than one observer of the old Rambler Marlin." For example, Rob Rothwell wrote "... when I first espied the rear lines of the Chrysler Crossfire I was instantly transported back to 1965 and my favorite car of that year, the Rambler Marlin." "Motor Trend" also compared the "provocative boattail theme" of the 2004 Crossfire's sheetmetal to that of the AMC Marlin fastback. Likewise, the new Chrysler's boat-tail is "formed as the edges of the roof converge into a kind of teardrop shape, leaving the rear fenders to flare out over the rear wheels."


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Chrysler themselves said the Crossfire took inspiration from the 1930s art deco period and buildings such as the Chrysler Building. Motor Trend cites vehicle influences from 1930s including Bugattis and the Talbot Lago. Chrysler wanted to once again offer a performance coupe reminiscent of the luxury reputation they enjoyed during the late 1950s to mid-1960s with the Chrysler 300 letter series coupes and convertibles.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Chrysler executed the interior and exterior styling. All other elements of the car such as wheelbase, track, engine, transmission, chassis structure, suspension components, are shared with the R170 platform. An example of this is the engine bay of the Crossfire, which is virtually identical to the Mercedes-Benz SLK320 on the R170 platform. The seats from the Mercedes-Benz SLK320 would bolt directly into the Crossfire chassis. The dashboard layout, controls, and instruments are also similar to those on the Mercedes-Benz SLK320.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The standard transmission is a 6-speed manual with an optional 5-speed automatic. Base (standard) and Limited models, originally sold beginning in the 2004 model year, were equipped with a Mercedes-Benz M112 3.2 L, 18-valve, SOHC V6 engine that was rated by Chrysler at and of torque.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The SRT-6 models were equipped with a supercharged version of the M112 engine built by Mercedes' performance branch, AMG. The SRT-6 models came only with the 5-speed automatic transmission, consistent with AMG cars of the same era. The 6-speed transmission used by the Chrysler Crossfire is a variant of the Mercedes sourced NSG-370. The 5-speed automatic transmission in the Crossfire (known as 5G-Tronic) is also Mercedes-sourced and a variant of the 722.6 family. The automatic achieves a better EPA fuel efficiency rating over the 6MT, mostly due to the difference in gear ratios.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Unlike most cars of its time, the Crossfire does not use a rack and pinion steering system; instead, it utilizes a recirculating ball system as employed on the donor R170 platform. Front suspension is unequal length (SLA) double wishbone suspension with 5 point multi-link in the rear. Just like the concept car, all Crossfire models were built with two different wheel sizes measuring 18x7.5-inch on the front and 19x9-inch on the rear. Standard all-season tires were 225/40R18 on the front and 255/35R19 on the rear.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The first production Crossfire was driven off the assembly line on 3 February 2003, by Chrysler Group's COO Wolfgang Bernhard in Germany.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The Chrysler Crossfire's standard features included large alloy wheels with performance-rated tires, a Becker (part of Harman/Kardon)–sourced AM/FM stereo with anti-theft system and a single-disc CD player, keyless entry with security alarm, a power-retractable rear wing spoiler, leather-trimmed seating surfaces, dual power front sports bucket seats, full instrumentation, a 3.2 L V6 engine with a manual transmission, rear-wheel-drive (RWD), a leather-wrapped and stitched steering wheel, a power-retractable cloth convertible roof (for convertible models), front floor mats, and air conditioning.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Optional features on the Chrysler Crossfire included an automatic transmission, a six-speaker premium Infinity sound system with two "subwoofers" mounted directly behind each seat, a CD-based GPS navigational system, exterior paint colors, and additional interior color choices.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The original contract with Karmann to build the Crossfire was for about five years with an annual sales target of 20,000 units in the United States. Sales of the Crossfire were slow, with an average 230-day supply of the vehicles during November 2005. A small number of Crossfires were imported to the United States and Mexico for 2006 (and almost all of these were roadsters).


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: Chrysler discontinued the Crossfire after the 2008 model year, as part of its restructuring plans. The last Crossfire rolled off of the assembly line on December 17, 2007.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: For the first model year (2004), only the coupe was offered (with no trim levels), equipped quite similarly to the next year's Limited model. Two models were available for the 2005 model year; Coupe and Roadster, each with three trim levels: Base (with fewer amenities), Limited, and SRT-6 (supercharged). An SE Roadster model (essentially a base model) in 2006-2007 was available only in Blaze Red Crystal Pearl and with black accented 15-spoke SRT-6 style wheels. Base Crossfire models, both Coupe and Roadster, have black painted windshield frames, black filler plugs (in place of fog lights) in the front fascia, and fabric seats with separate, movable headrests. Limited and SRT-6 models, both Coupe and Roadster, all have silver-painted windshield frames and are equipped with fog lights. The Limited has leather upholstery. The SRT-6 model has unique leather/Alcantara upholstery. All Base and Limited Crossfire models included an electronic wing on the back hatch that would go up at about 65 mph and comes back down at 45 mph. The wing had a manual switch to raise it and lower it at any speed.


title: Chrysler Crossfire

text: The SRT-6 trim level, as both coupe and convertible, featured a Mercedes-Benz AMG M112 3.2 L V6 supercharged engine delivering and of torque. Other SRT-6 model-specific features included suspension and brake modifications, a front fascia air dam and a fixed rear spoiler. The Crossfire SRT-6 model used the same drivetrain, suspension, and braking components as those used on the Mercedes-Benz SLK 32 AMG. The standard tires were upgraded to Z-rated Michelin Pilot Sports, sized 225/40R18 on the front and 255/35R19s in the back.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki (Abenaki: "Wαpánahki") are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was predominantly spoken in Maine, while the Western Abenaki language was spoken in Quebec, Vermont, and New Hampshire.


title: Abenaki

text: While Abenaki peoples have shared cultural traits, they did not historically have a centralized government. They came together as a post-contact community after their original tribes were decimated by colonization, disease, and warfare.


title: Abenaki

text: The word "Abenaki" and its syncope, "Abnaki," are both derived from "Wabanaki", or "Wôbanakiak," meaning "People of the Dawn Land" in the Abenaki language. While the two terms are often confused, the Abenaki are one of several tribes in the Wabanaki Confederacy.


title: Abenaki

text: "Wôbanakiak" is derived from "wôban" ("dawn" or "east") and "aki" ("land") (compare Proto-Algonquian "*wa·pan" and "*axkyi") — the aboriginal name of the area broadly corresponding to New England and the Maritimes. It is sometimes used to refer to all the Algonquian-speaking peoples of the area—Western Abenaki, Eastern Abenaki, Wolastoqiyik-Passamaquoddy, and Miꞌkmaq—as a single group.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki people also call themselves "Alnôbak", meaning "Real People" (c.f., Lenape language: "Lenapek") and by the autonym "Alnanbal," meaning "men".


title: Abenaki

text: Historically, ethnologists have classified the Abenaki by geographic groups: "Western Abenaki" and "Eastern Abenaki". Within these groups are the Abenaki bands:


title: Abenaki

text: The homeland of the Abenaki, which they call "Ndakinna" (Our Land), extended across most of what is now northern New England, southern Quebec, and the southern Canadian Maritimes. The Eastern Abenaki population was concentrated in portions of New Brunswick and Maine east of New Hampshire's White Mountains. The other major tribe, the Western Abenaki, lived in the Connecticut River valley in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The Missiquoi lived along the eastern shore of Lake Champlain. The Pennacook lived along the Merrimack River in southern New Hampshire. The maritime Abenaki lived around the St. Croix and Wolastoq (Saint John River) valleys near the boundary line between Maine and New Brunswick.


title: Abenaki

text: English colonial settlement in New England and frequent conflicts led many Abenaki to migrate to Quebec. The Abenaki settled in the Sillery region of Quebec between 1676 and 1680, and subsequently, for about twenty years, lived on the banks of the Chaudière River near the falls, before settling in Odanak and Wôlinak in the early eighteenth century.


title: Abenaki

text: In those days, the Abenaki practiced a subsistence economy based on hunting, fishing, trapping, berry picking and on growing corn, beans, squash, potatoes and tobacco. They also produced baskets, made of ash and sweet grass, for picking wild berries, and boiled maple sap to make syrup. Basket weaving remains a traditional activity for members of both communities.


title: Abenaki

text: During the Anglo-French wars, the Abenaki were allies of France, having been displaced from Ndakinna by immigrating English settlers. An anecdote from the period tells the story of a Maliseet war chief named Nescambuit or Assacumbuit, who killed more than 140 enemies of King Louis XIV of France and received the rank of knight. Not all Abenaki natives fought on the side of the French, however; many remained on their native lands in the northern colonies. Much of the trapping was done by the people and traded to the English colonists for durable goods. These contributions by Native American Abenaki peoples went largely unreported.


title: Abenaki

text: Two tribal communities formed in Canada, one once known as Saint-Francois-du-lac near Pierreville, Quebec (now called Odanak, Abenaki for "coming home"), and the other near Bécancour (now known as Wôlinak) on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, directly across the river from Trois-Rivières. These two Abenaki reserves continue to grow and develop. Since the year 2000, the total Abenaki population (on and off reserve) has doubled to 2,101 members in 2011. Approximately 400 Abenaki reside on these two reserves, which cover a total area of less than . The unrecognized majority are off-reserve members, living in various cities and towns across Canada and the United States.


title: Abenaki

text: There are about 3,200 Abenaki living in Vermont and New Hampshire, without reservations, chiefly around Lake Champlain. The remaining Abenaki people live in multi-racial towns and cities across Canada and the US, mainly in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and northern New England.


title: Abenaki

text: In December 2012, the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation created a tribal forest in the town of Barton, Vermont. This forest was established with assistance from the Vermont Sierra Club and the Vermont Land Trust. It contains a hunting camp and maple sugaring facilities that are administered cooperatively by the Nulhegan. The forest contains . The Missiquoi Abenaki Tribe owns forest land in the town of Brunswick, Vermont, centered around the Brunswick Springs. These springs are believed to be a sacred Abenaki site.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki language is closely related to the Panawahpskek (Penobscot) language. Other neighboring Wabanaki tribes, the Pestomuhkati (Passamaquoddy), Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), and Miꞌkmaq, and other Eastern Algonquian languages share many linguistic similarities. It has come close to extinction as a spoken language. Tribal members are working to revive the Abenaki language at Odanak (means "in the village"), a First Nations Abenaki reserve near Pierreville, Quebec, and throughout New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York state.


title: Abenaki

text: The language is polysynthetic, meaning that a phrase or an entire sentence is expressed by a single word. For example, the word for "white man" "awanoch" is a combination of the words "awani" meaning "who" and "uji" meaning "from". Thus, the word for "white man" literally translates to "Who is this man and where does he come from?"


title: Abenaki

text: In "Reflections in Bullough's Pond", historian Diana Muir argues that the Abenakis' neighbors, pre-contact Iroquois, were an imperialist, expansionist culture whose cultivation of the corn/beans/squash agricultural complex enabled them to support a large population. They made war primarily against neighboring Algonquian peoples, including the Abenaki. Muir uses archaeological data to argue that the Iroquois expansion onto Algonquian lands was checked by the Algonquian adoption of agriculture. This enabled them to support their own populations large enough to have sufficient warriors to defend against the threat of Iroquois conquest.


title: Abenaki

text: In 1614, Thomas Hunt captured 24 Abenaki people and took them to Spain, where they were sold into slavery. During the European colonization of North America, the land occupied by the Abenaki was in the area between the new colonies of England in Massachusetts and the French in Quebec. Since no party agreed to territorial boundaries, there was regular conflict among them. The Abenaki were traditionally allied with the French; during the reign of Louis XIV, Chief Assacumbuit was designated a member of the French nobility for his service.


title: Abenaki

text: Around 1669, the Abenaki started to emigrate to Quebec due to conflicts with English colonists and epidemics of new infectious diseases. The governor of New France allocated two seigneuries (large self-administered areas similar to feudal fiefs). The first was on the Saint Francis River and is now known as the "Odanak" Indian Reservation; the second was founded near Bécancour and is called the "Wolinak" Indian Reservation.


title: Abenaki

text: When the Wampanoag people under King Philip (Metacomet) fought the English colonists in New England in 1675 in King Philip's War, the Abenaki joined the Wampanoag. For three years they fought along the Maine frontier in the First Abenaki War. The Abenaki pushed back the line of white settlement through devastating raids on scattered farmhouses and small villages. The war was settled by a peace treaty in 1678, with the Wampanoag more than decimated and many Native survivors having been sold into slavery in Bermuda.


title: Abenaki

text: During Queen Anne's War in 1702, the Abenaki were allied with the French; they raided numerous English colonial settlements in Maine, from Wells to Casco, killing about 300 settlers over ten years. They also occasionally raided into Massachusetts, for instance in Groton and Deerfield in 1704. The raids stopped when the war ended. Some captives were adopted into the Mohawk and Abenaki tribes; older captives were generally ransomed, and the colonies carried on a brisk trade.


title: Abenaki

text: The Third Abenaki War (1722–25), called Father Rale's War, erupted when the French Jesuit missionary Sébastien Rale (or Rasles, ~1657?-1724) encouraged the Abenaki to halt the spread of Yankee settlements. When the Massachusetts militia tried to seize Rale, the Abenaki raided the settlements at Brunswick, Arrowsick, and Merry-Meeting Bay. The Massachusetts government then declared war and bloody battles were fought at Norridgewock (1724), where Rale was killed, and at a daylong battle at the Indian village near present-day Fryeburg, Maine, on the upper Saco River (1725). Peace conferences at Boston and Casco Bay brought an end to the war. After Rale died the Abenaki moved to a settlement on the St. Francis River.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki from St. Francois continued to raid British settlements in their former homelands along the New England frontier during Father Le Loutre's War (see Northeast Coast Campaign (1750)) and the French and Indian War.


title: Abenaki

text: The development of tourism projects has allowed the Canadian Abenaki to develop a modern economy, while preserving their culture and traditions. For example, since 1960, the Odanak Historical Society has managed the first and one of the largest aboriginal museums in Quebec, a few miles from the Quebec-Montreal axis. Over 5,000 people visit the Abenaki Museum annually. Several Abenaki companies include: in Wôlinak, General Fiberglass Engineering employs a dozen natives, with annual sales exceeding C$3 million. Odanak is now active in transportation and distribution. Notable Abenaki from this area include the documentary filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (National Film Board of Canada).


title: Abenaki

text: The Penobscot Indian Nation, Passamaquoddy people, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians have been federally recognized as tribes in the United States.


title: Abenaki

text: Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, Koasek Abenaki Tribe, Elnu Abenaki Tribe, and the Missiquoi Abenaki Tribe are all state-recognized tribes in the United States, all in the state of Vermont.


title: Abenaki

text: Recognition allows applicants to seek certain scholarship funds reserved for American Indians and to for members to market artwork as American Indian or Native American-made under the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act.


title: Abenaki

text: In 2002, the State of Vermont reported that the Abenaki people had migrated north to Quebec by the end of the 17th century. Facing annihilation, many Abenaki had begun emigrating to Canada, then under French control, around 1669. The Odanak band of the Abenaki First Nation, denounced any groups claiming to be Abenaki in the United States.


title: Abenaki

text: New Hampshire does not recognize any Abenaki tribes. It has no federally recognized tribes or state-recognized tribes; however, it established the New Hampshire Commission on Native American Affairs in 2010.


title: Abenaki

text: In 2021, a bill was introduced to the New Hampshire legislature to allow New Hampshire communities to rename locations in the Abenaki language. This bill did not pass.


title: Abenaki

text: There are a dozen variations of the name "Abenaki", such as Abenaquiois, Abakivis, Quabenakionek, Wabenakies and others.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki were described in the "Jesuit Relations" as not cannibals, and as docile, ingenious, temperate in the use of liquor, and not profane.


title: Abenaki

text: Abenaki lifeways were similar to those of Algonquian-speaking peoples of southern New England. They cultivated food crops and built villages on or near fertile river floodplains. They also hunted game, fished, and gathered wild plants and fungi.


title: Abenaki

text: Unlike the Haudenosaunee, the Abenaki were patrilineal. Each man had different hunting territories inherited through his father.


title: Abenaki

text: Most of the year, Abenaki lived in dispersed bands of extended families. Bands came together during the spring and summer at seasonal villages near rivers, or somewhere along the seacoast for planting and fishing. During the winter, the Abenaki lived in small groups further inland. These villages occasionally had to be fortified, depending on the alliances and enemies of other tribes or of Europeans near the village. Abenaki villages were quite small with an average number of 100 residents.


title: Abenaki

text: Most Abenaki crafted dome-shaped, bark-covered wigwams for housing, though a few preferred oval-shaped longhouses. During the winter, the Abenaki lined the inside of their conical wigwams with bear and deer skins for warmth.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki were a farming society that supplemented agriculture with hunting and gathering. Generally the men were the hunters. The women tended the fields and grew the crops. In their fields, they planted the crops in groups of "sisters". The three sisters were grown together: the stalk of corn supported the beans, and squash or pumpkins provided ground cover and reduced weeds. The men would hunt bears, deer, fish, and birds.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki were a patrilineal society, which was common among New England tribes. In this they differed from the six Iroquois tribes to the west in New York, and from many other North American Native tribes who had matrilineal societies.


title: Abenaki

text: Storytelling is a major part of Abenaki culture. It is used not only as entertainment but also as a teaching method. The Abenaki view stories as having lives of their own and being aware of how they are used. Stories were used as a means of teaching children behavior. Children were not to be mistreated, and so instead of punishing the child, they would be told a story.


title: Abenaki

text: One of the stories is of Azban the Raccoon. This is a story about a proud raccoon that challenges a waterfall to a shouting contest. When the waterfall does not respond, Azban dives into the waterfall to try to outshout it; he is swept away because of his pride. This story would be used to show a child the pitfalls of pride.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki smash the flowers and leaves of Ranunculus acris and sniff them for headaches. They consume the fruit of Vaccinium myrtilloides as part of their traditional diet. They also use the fruit and the grains of Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides for food.


title: Abenaki

text: Many other plants are used for various healing and treatment modalities, including for the skin, as a disinfectant, as a cure-all, as a respiratory aid, for colds, coughs, fevers, grippe, gas, blood strengthening, headaches and other pains, rheumatism, demulcent, nasal inflammation, anthelmintic, for the eyes, abortifacent, for the bones, antihemorrhagic, as a sedative, anaphrodisiac, swellings, urinary aid, gastrointestinal aid, as a hemostat, pediatric aid (such as for teething), and other unspecified or general uses.


title: Abenaki

text: They use Hierochloe odorata (sweetgrass), Apocynum (dogbane), Betula papyrifera (paper birch), Fraxinus americana (white ash), Fraxinus nigra (black ash), Laportea canadensis (Canada nettle), a variety of Salix species, and Tilia americana (basswood, or American linden) var. americana for making baskets, canoes, snowshoes, and whistles. They use Hierochloe odorata and willow to make containers, Betula papyrifera to create containers, moose calls and other utilitarian pieces, and the bark of Cornus sericea (red osier dogwood) ssp. sericea for smoking.


title: Abenaki

text: They also use Acer rubrum, Acornus calamus, an unknown Amelanchier species, Caltha palustris, Cardamine diphylla, Cornus canadensis, an unknown Crataegus species, Fragaria virginiana, Gaultheria procumbens, Osmunda cinnamomea, Phaseolus vulgaris, Photinia melanocarpa, Prunus virginiana, Rubus idaeus and another unknown Rubus species, Solanum tuberosum, Spiraea alba var. latifolia, Vaccinium angustifolium, and Zea mays as a tea, soup, jelly, sweetener, condiment, snack, or meal.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki use the gum of Abies balsamea for slight itches and as an antiseptic ointment. They stuff the leaves, needles and wood into pillows as a panacea.


title: Abenaki

text: Before the Abenaki, except the Pennacook and Miꞌkmaq, had contact with the European world, their population may have numbered as many as 40,000. Around 20,000 would have been Eastern Abenaki, another 10,000 would have been Western Abenaki, and the last 10,000 would have been Maritime Abenaki. Early contact with European fishermen resulted in two major epidemics that affected Abenaki during the 16th century. The first epidemic was an unknown sickness occurring sometime between 1564 and 1570, and the second one was typhus in 1586. Multiple epidemics arrived a decade prior to the English colonization of Massachusetts in 1620, when three separate sicknesses swept across New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Maine was hit very hard during the year of 1617, with a fatality rate of 75%, and the population of the Eastern Abenaki fell to about 5,000. The more isolated Western Abenaki suffered fewer fatalities, losing about half of their original population of 10,000.


title: Abenaki

text: The new diseases continued to strike in epidemics, starting with smallpox in 1631, 1633, and 1639. Seven years later, an unknown epidemic struck, with influenza passing through the following year. Smallpox affected the Abenaki again in 1649, and diphtheria came through 10 years later. Smallpox struck in 1670, and influenza in 1675. Smallpox affected the Native Americans in 1677, 1679, 1687, along with measles, 1691, 1729, 1733, 1755, and finally in 1758.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki population continued to decline, but in 1676, they took in thousands of refugees from many southern New England tribes displaced by settlement and King Philip's War. Because of this, descendants of nearly every southern New England Algonquian tribe can be found among the Abenaki people. A century later, fewer than 1,000 Abenaki remained after the American Revolution.


title: Abenaki

text: In the 1990 U.S. Census, 1,549 people identified themselves as Abenaki. So did 2,544 people in the 2000 U.S census, with 6,012 people claiming Abenaki heritage. In 1991 Canadian Abenaki numbered 945; by 2006 they numbered 2,164.


title: Abenaki

text: Lydia Maria Child wrote of the Abenaki in her short story, "The Church in the Wilderness" (1828). Several Abenaki characters and much about their 18th-century culture are featured in the Kenneth Roberts novel "Arundel" (1930). The film "Northwest Passage" (1940) is based on a novel of the same name by Roberts.


title: Abenaki

text: The Abenaki are featured in Charles McCarry's historical novel "Bride of the Wilderness" (1988), and James Archibald Houston's novel "Ghost Fox" (1977), both of which are set in the eighteenth century; and in Jodi Picoult's "Second Glance" (2003) and "Lone Wolf" (2012) novels, set in the contemporary world. Books for younger readers both have historical settings: Joseph Bruchac's "The Arrow Over the Door" (1998) (grades 4–6) is set in 1777; and Beth Kanell's young adult novel, "The Darkness Under the Water" (2008), concerns a young Abenaki-French Canadian girl during the time of the Vermont Eugenics Project, 1931–1936.


title: Abenaki

text: The first sentence in Norman Mailer's novel "Harlot's Ghost" makes reference to the Abenaki: "On a late-winter evening in 1983, while driving through fog along the Maine coast, recollections of old campfires began to drift into the March mist, and I thought of the Abnaki Indians of the Algonquin tribe who dwelt near Bangor a thousand years ago."


title: Abenaki

text: Letters and other non-fiction writing can be found in the anthology "Dawnland Voices". Selections include letters from leader of the early praying town, Wamesit in Massachusetts Samuel Numphow, Sagamore Kancamagus, and writings on the Abenaki language by former chief of the reserve at Odanak in Quebec, Joseph Laurent as well as many others.


title: Abenaki

text: Accounts of life with the Abenaki can be found in the captivity narratives written by women taken captive by the Abenaki from the early New England settlements: Mary Rowlandson (1682), Hannah Duston (1702); Elizabeth Hanson (1728); Susannah Willard Johnson (1754); and Jemima Howe (1792).


title: Abenaki

text: Maps showing the approximate locations of areas occupied by members of the Wabanaki Confederacy (from north to south):


title: Interstate 60

text: Interstate 60 (also known as Interstate 60: Episodes of The Road) is a 2002 American independent road film written and directed by Bob Gale, in his directorial debut, and starring James Marsden, Gary Oldman, Amy Smart, Christopher Lloyd, Chris Cooper and Kurt Russell, with a cameo by Michael J. Fox.


title: Interstate 60

text: The opening introduces O.W. Grant, who carries a pipe in the shape of a monkey-head. He demonstrates his mysterious powers in an encounter with a businessman, when granting the man's wish results in the businessman being hit by a truck. O.W. Grant stands for One Wish Grant.


title: Interstate 60

text: Neal Oliver aspires to be an artist, despite the lack of support from his domineering father and analytical girlfriend. At a party for his 22nd birthday, O.W. Grant is the waiter who serves the cake. After Neal blows out the candles, he says he wished for an answer to his life. His father responds by handing him an admission letter to law school. As the family goes outside to look at the red convertible that Neal's dad bought him, a bucket falls onto Neal's head, knocking him out.


title: Interstate 60

text: Neal wakes up in the hospital, where a doctor named Ray comes in and does a quick sight test using playing cards. Neal has to name the suit on the cards. Neal asks if he got it right, and Ray points out that the cards actually had red spades and black hearts, emphasizing that things aren't always what they seem.


title: Interstate 60

text: After getting out of the hospital, Neal sees the mystery woman that he's been dreaming about in a billboard advertisement, but the billboard company insists that the billboard is blank. When Neal checks the billboard, he sees a new picture of the beautiful blonde, this time with a framed inscription "Call 555-1300". Neal calls the number, and a recorded message tells him that he has an appointment at 555 Olive Street, Suite 1300.


title: Interstate 60

text: At the appointment, he again meets Ray, who gives him a package to deliver to a Robin Fields in a town called Danver in Colorado (not "Denver"). Ray tells him that he'll find Danver by taking Interstate 60.


title: Interstate 60

text: With no Interstate 60 on the roadmap, Neal sets out west and encounters O.W. Grant on the roadside. Grant gives Neal directions to the unlisted Interstate 60, and on his journey, Neal meets various characters including a man who can consume unnatural quantities of food and drink; a promiscuous woman looking for perfect sex; a lonely mother looking for her son, who is living in a city where the population is addicted to a government-controlled drug; a dying ex-advertiser who is on a crusade to punish dishonesty; and Mrs. James, who runs the Museum of Art Fraud that actually contains real masterpieces posing as fakes.


title: Interstate 60

text: When Neal reaches the town of Morlaw, where all citizens are lawyers who spend their days suing each other, he finally finds Lynn, the imprisoned mystery woman he has been dreaming about and painting. Lynn explains that she met O.W. Grant and wished to find the right guy. They spend the night together at the "Fork in the Road" motel. Neal also makes a painting of the motel. Neal leaves to deliver the package in Danver, while Lynn stays behind.


title: Interstate 60

text: On the radio, Neal hears a report of a reported murderer on the loose, and the description matches his car. He abandons his vehicle to hitchhike. Arriving in Danver, Neal meets "Robin Fields", who turns out to be O.W. Grant. After opening the package (which holds a replacement monkey-head pipe for O.W.'s broken one), Grant uses his magic powers to "warp" Neal back in time, where he wakes up in the hospital before he first encountered Ray.


title: Interstate 60

text: Leaving the hospital, Neal confronts his father and asserts his right to live his life without his father's interference. His sister takes him to an art gallery where Neal sees his painting of the "Fork in the Road". A girl who resembles Lynn talks to him about commissioning him to do a series of paintings on roadside motels and diners.


title: Interstate 60

text: The DVD includes several deleted scenes and the "bridges" where they would be placed in the film. They include:


title: Interstate 60

text: Robert Koehler, writing in "Variety," criticized the film's "juvenile obviousness" and says the themes do not feel genuine.


title: Interstate 60

text: Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes lists 4 reviews, and reports 3 positive and 1 negative review.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson; March 9, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf played college basketball for the LSU Tigers from 1988 to 1990 and was a consensus first-team All-American both seasons he played. He was chosen as the 3rd overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. Abdul-Rauf was selected for the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1993, appeared in the Slam Dunk Contest at the 1993 NBA All-Star Weekend, and was one of the league's most accurate free throw shooters. After his NBA career, he played in multiple leagues around the world.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf sparked controversy during his NBA career when he refused to stand for the national anthem in a sign of protest and called the flag of the United States a symbol of oppression.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf was born Chris Jackson in Gulfport, Mississippi, the son of Jacqueline Jackson. He was raised in a single-parent family, along with his two brothers, Omar and David. His childhood was characterized by poverty, as there were times when he and his brothers were not able to have proper nutrition. Abdul-Rauf missed the fourth grade and was later placed in special education classes. He had a moderate form of Tourette syndrome, a condition that went undiagnosed until he was 17. Abdul-Rauf managed to overcome difficulties to become a basketball prodigy for Gulfport High School. In his senior season in high school he averaged 29.9 points and 5.7 assists per game and was called up to the McDonald's All-American Game. He was also named Mississippi Mr. Basketball twice, in 1987 and 1988.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Having never played an organized game, Abdul-Rauf was discovered by a middle-school girls coach in Gulfport, MS during lunch period on the playground. Recognizing his skill, she convinced his mother to allow him to play organized basketball. In his first game, despite not knowing the rules, Abdul-Rauf scored 24 points. (Source: Beckett Publications)


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf was a standout freshman for LSU, scoring 48 points against Louisiana Tech in just his third game for the school. He set the scoring record for a freshman, with 53 points against Florida. On March 4, 1989, he scored 55 points against Ole Miss to top his personal best, while also setting a career-high for three-pointers made, with 10. In the same game, Ole Miss' Gerald Glass scored 53, making their 108 combined points the most ever by two players in an SEC game He appeared in 32 games in his freshman season, setting the NCAA record for points by a freshman (965) and points per game by a freshman (30.2). He was named SEC Player of the Year and First-team All-American. In his sophomore season, he produced similar numbers with his scoring average slightly falling to 27.8 per game. On February 10, 1990, he tied his career-high for three-pointers made, while finishing the game with 49 points. He was named SEC Player of the Year and First-team All-American for a second year in a row. After a remarkable two-year stint at LSU, Abdul-Rauf declared for the NBA draft.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. In his first season in the NBA he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Despite the fact that he never dunked in an actual game, he participated in the 1993 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, after Nuggets president and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff sent NBA league officials a tape of Abdul-Rauf showcasing his dunking ability. Abdul-Rauf led the league in free throw percentage in the 1993–94 and 1995–96 seasons. His free throw percentage of .956 in 1993–94 is the third highest seasonal percentage in NBA history, behind Calvin Murphy (.958, 1980–81) and José Calderón (.981, 2008–09). He played with Denver until 1996, and was a key player on that team, winning the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1993. In November 1995 he scored 30 points and a career-high 20 assists against the Phoenix Suns. On December 8, 1995, Abdul-Rauf posted a career-high 51 points against the Utah Jazz. In June 1996, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Sarunas Marciulionis and a second-round pick.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: In 1998 Abdul-Rauf signed a two-year, $3.4 million contract with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketball League. He left the club without finishing the season, stating he would retire from basketball due to loss of interest in the game. After not playing for the entire 1999–00 season, he signed with the Vancouver Grizzlies in August 2000. In December 2003 Abdul-Rauf signed with Ural Great of the Russian Basketball Super League. In 2004, he signed with Italian Serie A club Sedima Roseto. Averaging 18.4 points and 2.2 assists per game in the 2004–05 season he signed a contract with Udine in July 2005, but he sat out the entire season due to a torn achilles tendon. For the 2006–07 season, he came out of retirement for the third time in his career to play for Aris Thessaloniki. In November 2007 he signed a contract with Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Basketball League. In August 2009 he signed with Basketball Japan League team Kyoto Hannaryz. He averaged 17.9 points in 38 games in his first season in Japan. In July 2010, he re-signed with Kyoto Hannaryz for the 2010–11 season.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: He is currently playing in the BIG3 basketball league for the Three Headed Monsters. In 2018 he placed 5th in 3 point fg percentage hitting them at a 45.5% clip.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: In 1991, he converted to shia Islam. He changed his name from Chris Jackson to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1993. He is the father of five children. Following his NBA career, Abdul-Rauf moved to Florida after his house in Necaise, Mississippi was burned to the ground in 2001. Investigators determined it was arson, and the FBI investigated, according to the Clarion-Ledger, but no one was ever charged. In December 2001, Abdul-Rauf appeared on an episode of HBO's "Real Sports" where he stated that the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. were an "inside job" and declared that he was sure Israel was involved in the attacks and had framed Al-Qaeda for them (https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/revival-mahmoud-abdul-rauf/story?id=45562375). At the time, the New York Knicks had been negotiating with Abdul-Rauf's agent about him coming out of retirement to play for them, but upon the episode's airing the franchise publicly stated that they had ended discussions and would not sign him to a contract, and Abdul-Rauf would in fact never play in the NBA again.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: Abdul-Rauf is perhaps best known for the controversy created when he refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games, stating that the flag was a symbol of oppression and that the United States had a long history of tyranny. On March 12, 1996, the NBA suspended Abdul-Rauf for his refusal to stand, costing Abdul-Rauf $31,707 per missed game. Two days later, he worked out a compromise with the league, whereby he would stand during the playing of the national anthem but could close his eyes and look downward. He usually silently recited Islamic prayer during this time for those who are suffering from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds.


title: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

text: In an apparent publicity stunt linked to this controversy, four employees of Denver's KBPI radio station were charged with misdemeanor offenses related to entering a Colorado mosque and playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" on a bugle and trumpet, in a provocative response to Abdul-Rauf's refusal to stand for the national anthem.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: Michelle Louise Faye Dewberry (born 9 October 1979) is a British businesswoman, politician, presenter, and media personality.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: Dewberry was born and raised in a council estate in Kingston upon Hull, Humberside, England. Leaving school at 16 with two GCSEs, Dewberry worked at St John Ambulance, KCOM and Kwik-Save. When Dewberry was seventeen, her nineteen-year-old sister, Fiona, was killed when she fell from a building.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: After working her way through the ranks at Kingston Communications, Dewberry was head-hunted by ISP, Tiscali as a project manager. After a successful period at Tiscali, and aged 24, she decided to start her own business, "transformation consultancy".


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: In 2006 Dewberry won the second British series of reality TV show "The Apprentice", in which candidates compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for businessman Alan Sugar.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: In 2007 she published her autobiography, "Anything is Possible." In December 2009, Dewberry joined the magazine "Business Matters" as a monthly columnist.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: She appeared on ITV gameshow "The Chase" in 2016 alongside Olympic ski jumper Eddie the Eagle and musician Shaun Ryder. She got through to the final with Edwards but failed to beat Paul Sinha. She was awarded £1,000 which she gave to a charity for abused women.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: In April and October 2017, Dewberry made appearances on BBC's "Question Time". She appeared on the programme again in March 2018. She was a frequent panellist on "The Pledge" on Sky News.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: In 2021, it was announced that Dewberry would join GB News with a prime time show. "Dewbs & Co" airs at 6 pm on weeknights on the channel.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: Dewberry stood as an independent pro-Brexit candidate in the 2017 general election in Hull West and Hessle. She came fourth out of seven candidates, with 5.5% of the vote. She stood again in Hull West and Hessle in the 2019 general election for the Brexit Party. She came third with 18% of the vote.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: In 2007, Dewberry ran the London Marathon in to raise funds and awareness for the NSPCC. She also ran in 2009. She is also an ambassador for Women's Aid and The Prince's Trust.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: She was in a relationship with fellow "Apprentice" contestant Syed Ahmed during and after the show, before their relationship ended in late 2006. Dewberry has spoken about her struggles with mental health, depression and suicidal thoughts.


title: Michelle Dewberry

text: On 22 July 2020, after experiencing PPROM at just 28 weeks pregnant, Dewberry gave birth nine weeks early to her first child, a baby boy. Dewberry's partner and father of their son is businessman and former Crystal Palace Football Club owner Simon Jordan.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Guan Xiaotong (; born 17 September 1997) is a Chinese actress and singer of Manchu descent. She is known for her roles in films "The Left Ear" and "Shadow"; and the television series "To Be a Better Man". From an early age, her family encouraged a passion for the arts, and she first starred in Nuan at the age of four. Forbes China listed Guan under their Asia 2017 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial effect in their fields.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Known as the "Nation's Daughter" in China, Guan is regarded as one of the "Four Dan Actresses of the post-90s Generation" and as one of the "New Four Dan actresses of the "post-'95s" Generation" by CCTV.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Guan was born to a family of actors in Beijing. Her father, Guan Shaozeng, was an actor, and her grandfather, Guan Xuezeng was the founder of Beijing Qinshu. From an early age, her family encouraged a passion for the arts, and she first starred in "Nuan" at the age of four.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2016, Guan was admitted into the Beijing Film Academy after placing first in both the practical and written section of the Chinese College Entrance Examinations.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Guan first gained attention when she starred in "Nuan", adapted from author Mo Yan's short story, "The White Dog and the Swing". The film garnered positive reception from both China and Japan.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Guan rose to prominence as a child actress through Chen Kaige's film "The Promise", playing the younger counterpart of Cecilia Cheung's character. She continued to build up her filmography, starring in television series and films.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: Her popularity rose as she starred in the 2014 television series "May December Love", which received high ratings in China. She also starred in "One Servant of Two Masters", which won her the Best Supporting Actress award at the Hengdian Film and TV Festival of China. Following the airing of these dramas, Guan was dubbed as the "Nation's Daughter" by the Chinese media.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2015, Guan starred in coming-of-age film "The Left Ear", and won the Most Promising Actress award at the inaugural Gold Aries Award held by Macau International Movie Festival. The same year, she also released her first solo album, "Eighteen".


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2016, Guan starred in the family drama "Papa Can You Hear Me Sing", a remake of the classic Taiwanese film of the same name.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: She then starred in the romance drama "To Be A Better Man". Both series earned high ratings in China, and Guan won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Shanghai Television Festival for her performance in "To Be a Better Man". She also starred in her first adult leading role in the fantasy drama "", and won the Best Actress award at the 7th Macau International Television Festival for her performance.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2017, Guan played the female lead in fantasy action drama "" and romance comedy series "Love of Aurora".


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2018, Guan starred in the historical romance drama "Untouchable Lovers" as well as sports romantic comedy series "Sweet Combat". The same year, Guan starred in Zhang Yimou's wuxia film "Shadow", receiving positive reviews for her portrayal of a double-faced princess.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: The same year, she was cast in the fantasy romance film "The Story of Turandot" alongside Dylan Sprouse. "Forbes China" listed Guan under their 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial effect in their fields.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: In 2017, Guan became the ambassador for "World Life Day", a joint campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme, International Fund for Animal Welfare and The Nature Conservancy.


title: Guan Xiaotong

text: On October 8 2017, Guan and Chinese actor-singer Lu Han, her co-star in "Sweet Combat" admitted that they were dating


title: Pasión de Gavilanes (season 2)

text: The second and final season of the Colombian telenovela "Pasión de Gavilanes" takes place 20 years after the events of the first season, that aired in 2003. The season is produced by Telemundo Global Studios and CMO Producciones.


title: Pasión de Gavilanes (season 2)

text: The season was announced on May 12, 2021, at Telemundo's upfront for the 2021-2022 television season. The season stars an ensemble cast featuring Danna García, Mario Cimarro, Juan Alfonso Baptista, Natasha Klauss, Paola Rey, and Zharick León, with Michel Brown in a guest role.


title: Pasión de Gavilanes (season 2)

text: Twenty years after the events of the previous season, the Reyes-Elizondo family are forced to face new challenges that threaten their family. The murder of professor Genaro Carreño, shakes the family as evidence points to the sons of Juan and Norma as the culprits. Tensions continue to grow with the arrival of Samuel Caballero (Sergio Goyri), a powerful and cruel man who will not hesitate to do whatever it takes to get back his daughter and his wife, Rosario Montes (Zharick León), whose return to San Marcos has caught everyone's attention.


title: Pasión de Gavilanes (season 2)

text: On 12 May 2021, Telemundo announced that it would be reviving "Pasión de Gavilanes" for a second season. Filming of the season began on 18 October 2021, and concluded in March 2022.