Leslie Kyle

Leslie Kyle is a character in the Final Fantasy VII series, serving as a minor supporting character in Final Fantasy VII Remake. He is a major character in Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story. He is a lackey working under Don Corneo in the Wall Market district of Sector 6 where he holds an elevated position. He renounces his allegiance and leaves to search for his missing fiancée, Merle. In The Kids Are Alright, he helps Evan Townshend and Kyrie Canaan with their investigations.
==History==
===Before Final Fantasy VII===
Leslie got engaged to his girlfriend, Merle. Six months ago, she took part in one of Don Corneo's bridal auditions, and before departing, gave Leslie a pendant. The same night as her audition, she vanished without a trace. Intent to learn of her fate, Leslie became one of Corneo's henchmen and eventually rose in rank.
===Original continuity===
In The Kids Are Alright, Leslie stayed in the Midgar slums after Meteorfall and settled down with his wife, Merle. He became acquainted with Kyrie Canaan and Evan Townshend, and together they founded the detective agency, Mireille's Investigative Services. The three, along with Fabio Braun, frequently visited the new 7th Heaven in the city of Edge for meetings and other work-related matters.
Before Evan began his journey to Nibelheim to search for his mother, he asked Leslie for directions to Don Corneo's mansion in Wall Market, believing he could buy fuel there. Leslie warned Evan to never mention Corneo again in front of his pregnant wife. Evan later returned with a photograph of Merle, which he had ripped off the wall in Corneo's bedroom. Leslie told Evan not to worry when Evan apologized for any consequences that might come from destroying the picture. Leslie exacted his revenge on Corneo by burning down his mansion and taking his fuel and weapons, which he handed to Evan.
After Evan and Kyrie left for Nibelheim, Dr. Drake informed Leslie and Doyle that Evan needed urgent checking for a treatment. In Junon, Reno and Rude offered to help Leslie and Doyle in their search for Evan and Kyrie. They traveled to Icicle Lodge by helicopter, only to find the entire town in flames; Tseng and Elena had been chasing after Kadaj, with Evan and Kyrie caught in the mix. Leslie, Doyle, Reno, and Rude escaped as their helicopter was destroyed with the enemy inside. After a short while, Leslie reunited with Evan and Kyrie.
===Remake continuity===
During "The Town That Never Sleeps", Leslie stopped Cloud and Aerith at the entrance to Corneo's mansion, saying the don had no interest in "pretty boys". Cloud explained they were looking for someone. Leslie asked if it was Cloud's first time in Wall Market and informed that people—especially men—weren't allowed to just walk into the mansion. Leslie refused to let Aerith in, despite her pleading, and despite the two lackeys commenting somewhat favorably on her appearance. Leslie reiterated that she required approval to enter, and suggested Cloud and Aerith seek out the Trio.
Leslie spectated the Corneo Cup at Corneo Colosseum later that night. He sat with the Trio, informed an angry Madam M that Corneo had tacked on another match, said it wasn't his call, and then left for the mansion. Cloud returned to the mansion with a letter of approval, but Leslie said those applied to women only. When Cloud told him it was for Aerith, Leslie still barred him from entering. Cloud prepared to attack, but Leslie convinced him otherwise as Corneo would retaliate, potentially harming someone Cloud cares about, or someone he didn't even know. He told Cloud there was some time before the audition and urged him to return with Aerith if they were so adamant, but advised against it.
Cloud returned wearing a dress with Aerith, shocking and baffling Leslie. He said he hoped they knew what they would be getting into, stepping aside and reluctantly granting them entry. Sometime during the audition, Leslie conspired with Andrea Rhodea, peacefully returning Cloud and his friends' gear to them. He promised to clean up the mess of unconscious thugs left by Tifa and Aerith, telling them just to finish the job.
Around the time of the Sector 7 plate collapse, Corneo tasked Leslie to track down Avalanche and bring them to him. During "In Search of Hope", Cloud, Barret, and Tifa returned to Corneo's mansion and encountered Leslie, explaining they were looking for a way topside. Leslie offered his aid should they help him with some "unfinished business". Leslie guided Cloud's party through the sewers, relying on them for protection, but they struggled to trust him, especially Barret. Along the way, Tifa asked why he risked it all for them back during the audition. He said Andrea told him to and cryptically said he "couldn't bring himself to let it happen again".
The group reached a door that Leslie claimed was their destination. Cloud and Barret asked him about their deal, but he said their mission wasn't that simple before the supposed "key" got snatched by an Abzu Shoat, leaving him frantic. Together, they chased after the shoat and recovered the key, revealed to be a pendant. Leslie gave a somber apology to Cloud's group, and Barret asked if it belonged to a family member. Leslie told them it belonged to his fiancée, who was chosen to be one of Corneo's brides; however, she disappeared that same night. Tifa asked why he had brought them to the sewers, and Leslie explained it was for revenge and that he needed closure or else he couldn't move on. Cloud and Barret consoled Leslie, reassuring that they'd help.
Upon returning to the door, Leslie entered alone, much to Cloud's party's concern, soon following after him. Leslie confronted Corneo at his hideout in the sewers and held him at gunpoint. Corneo subdued him and divulged his secret plans, preparing to execute him, but Cloud's party intervened. Corneo unleashed Abzu onto the group and escaped. Leslie blocked Abzu from striking Tifa and was knocked unconscious and flung through a door. Once awake, he was informed that Corneo had escaped, but said he would track him down eventually. The others offered comforting words to Leslie, who grabbed a bag and headed outside. Leslie gave grappling guns to Cloud's party, who revealed they were looking for someone, too, encouraging him to do the same. He said the grappling guns were one-way tickets, telling them to arrange their affairs before departing. Cloud's party and Leslie bade each other farewell and went their separate ways.
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Leslie is a lean young man with fair skin, spiky medium-length silver hair, and yellow-hazel eyes. He wears a black cap, a black leather jacket with red and black panther patterned lining, a white undershirt, knee-length black shorts, tall boots, a black glove, a striped black and white wristband, and a dog tag necklace.
===Personality===
Leslie is an apathetic and ill-tempered youth with a stone-cold gaze. Stoic and calm, he has great negotiating skills and isn't easily moved. At first glance, he seems like another one of Corneo's obedient lackeys, but his gaze suggests a tragic past. He shows genuine concern and advises against Aerith's plea to get into Corneo's audition.
Leslie cares deeply for his fiancée, Merle. Though he complicity serves Corneo, he hates him for the role he played in Merle's disappearance. Corneo seems to have thought highly of him and intended to give Leslie a part in a new Wall Market should Neo Midgar be built. Despite this, Leslie sought revenge on Corneo, later renouncing his allegiance to him and enlisting Cloud to help kill him. His quest for vengeance went unfulfilled, but with renewed hope, he set off to find Merle.
==Musical themes==
"Leslie's Theme", track 6 of disc 6 in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Original Soundtrack, plays during the "Through the Underground Waterway" quest when Cloud's party first encounter Leslie in "In Search of Hope". "Leslie's Theme - One Day...", track 32 of disc 2 in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Original Soundtrack Plus, is a sad variation of "Leslie's Theme" that plays while Leslie speaks about his missing fiancée during the "Recovering the Key" quest. Another more hopeful variation of "Leslie's Theme" plays when Leslie gives the party grappling guns and bids them farewell during the "Over the Wall" quest.
==Behind the scenes==
Both Scenario Writer Kazushige Nojima and Director Tetsuya Nomura wanted to include Compilation of Final Fantasy VII works to the remake, and thus Leslie and Kyrie were included in to the first part.
Merle's pendant appears to depict a lily similar to the ones Aerith grows and sells. Aerith says this flower symbolizes "reunion".
==Gallery==
The_Trio_at_the_Corneo_Colosseum_from_FFVII_Remake.jpg|Leslie with The Trio in the Corneo Colosseum.
Cloud holds Leslies pendant from FFVII Remake.jpg|Cloud holds Leslie's pendant.
FFVIIR Leslie Item.png|Gazing at his fiancée's pendant.
Leslies pendant from FFVII Remake.jpg|The pendant.
Corneo subdues Leslie from FFVII Remake.jpg|Corneo subdues Leslie.
Tifa cheers Leslie from FFVII Remake.jpg|Tifa encourages Leslie.
Leslie loading screen from FFVII Remake.png|Loading screen.
==Etymology==
Leslie is both a first and last name that derives from an anglicization of the Gaelic term leas celyn meaning "holly-garden". The name is typically spelled "Leslie" when given to boys and "Lesley" when given to girls in the United Kingdom, though "Leslie" is used primarily as a feminine name elsewhere. The earliest use of the name comes from the Scottish Leslie Clan.
Kyle is a common first name and also a surname that transfers from a region of the same name in southwestern Scotland. Kyle is a topographical term derived from the Scottish Gaelic word caol, meaning a sound or a strait.
==Citations==
ru:Лесли Кайл
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Remake
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-