Elena (Final Fantasy VII)

Elena is a recurring character in the Final Fantasy VII series. She is a minor supporting antagonist in Final Fantasy VII, with an expanded role in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. She also appears in other entries of the extended universe, including Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.
Elena is an operative with the Turks unit of the Shinra Electric Power Company's General Affairs division, led by Tseng. She was recruited as Rude's temporary new partner after Reno was injured during the Sector 7 job. Elena is enthusiastic and hard-working, but is careless and lacks a filter. She admires and respects Tseng, whom she has a crush on.
Elena is a newer member of the Turks, lacking experience but compensating with her proficiency in hand-to-hand combat and firearms. She is fought as a boss in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
==History==
===Before Final Fantasy VII===
Elena was born in 1989. Her father was a military leader and an instructor at Shinra's military academy. She trained in martial arts and graduated from the academy as a prodigious student. Elena worked as a hostess at a bar in Wall Market, where she was familiar with Turk patrons but disliked them. Elena has an older sister named Emma, who was also a Turk.
====Avalanche Insurgency and Genesis War====
Elena noticed a fight between Shinra troops and Avalanche's Ravens and decided to follow them during "The Threat that Pierces the Heavens" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. They kidnapped her, but she was saved by the Turks at the expense of a support materia. Elena was impressed by her rescue and was motivated to join the Turks.
===Original continuity===
====Jenova War====
Elena was hastily recruited into the Turks after Reno was injured during the Sector 7 operation and was temporarily paired with Rude. After Rufus Shinra became Shinra's new president, he ordered the Turks to track down Sephiroth and locate Jenova. 
Elena traveled through Mythril Mine to Junon with Rude and Tseng during "Going After Sephiroth" in Final Fantasy VII, where they encountered Cloud Strife' party. Elena stepped in when Rude struggled to explain their objective, carelessly spilled classified information about their assignment, and was reprimanded by Tseng before departing. Upon arriving in Junon for Rufus's inauguration in "The Stowaway Strategy", Elena joined Tseng and Reno at a bar. She was eager to continue their mission but was entertained by her companions.
Elena headed to Gongaga with Reno and Rude during "Gongaga, the Village of Sadness", standing watch as Tseng and Scarlet searched the ruined mako reactor for huge materia. While Reno and Rude gossiped about whom they liked, Elena thought about her own feelings for Tseng. Upon noticing Cloud's party, she told Reno and Rude to attack before rushing off to alert Tseng.
Elena vacationed in Wutai with Reno and Rude during "Homecoming of a Miserable Daughter" on orders to locate Don Corneo, who revealed Shinra's plans to drop the Sector 7 plate to Cloud's party in Midgar. She berated Reno and Rude for neglecting their orders and Cloud's party before storming off. Corneo kidnapped Elena and Yuffie Kisaragi, and held them at the Da-chao Statue. Reno and Rude briefly teamed up with Cloud's party to rescue them. Afterward, Elena thanked her companions, received a scolding, and they ignored Tseng's new orders to find Cloud. While the Turks were stranded at the Gold Saucer due to a ropeway malfunction in "Secret Date", Elena gave herself a pep talk, determined to eventually build up the courage to ask Tseng out.
Elena explored the Temple of the Ancients with Tseng during "Within the Temple of the Ancients", where they discovered an important mural. Tseng invited her to dinner once their mission was over, leaving her flustered. Elena was instructed to report their findings to Rufus and departed. Elena later blamed Cloud for Tseng's injuries in the Temple of the Ancients and sought revenge in "Beyond the Snow Fields". She confronted Cloud at Icicle Inn, disregarded reason, and lunged at him but tumbled down the snowboarding course. After venting her frustrations, she tossed Cloud's party into Gast Faremis's house and left.
Elena returned to Midgar with her comrades after Sephiroth summoned Meteor during "Mako Cannon Rampage". The Turks confronted Cloud's party in the Corkscrew Tunnel on their way to the Sister Ray, determined to stop them and avenge Tseng.
Elena was overjoyed when Tseng returned alive and hugged him during "Episode: Shinra" in Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile. She was directed to help evacuate Midgar from Meteor's threat. After evacuating Sector 3 in the second epilogue of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, she regrouped with the Turks and Verdot to continue their efforts in Sector 5.
====Post-Meteor====
The day after Meteor's destruction, during "Episode: Shinra" in Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile, Elena and her comrades met with Rufus in Kalm and agreed to continue serving Shinra. She was sent to gather information in Midgar with Tseng, where they disguised themselves and infiltrated a bar in Wall Market. Elena nearly confessed her feelings for Tseng but was interrupted by the discovery of the first Geostigma casualty. They later returned to Kalm, found Rufus missing, and unsuccessfully attempted to search for him.
The Turks relocated to a new base in Sector 5. She suggested spreading rumors of Midgar collapsing to keep Shinra's secrets hidden, prompting many civilians to evacuate. While investigating an assembly reported by Reno with Tseng, they discovered a rebuilding effort led by Mütten Kylegate. Elena later helped Reno and Rude change Shinra warehouse passkeys. The next morning, Verdot informed them of Kylegate's plans and Rufus's capture, who was held at Kylegate's mansion in Kalm. A worried Elena and her comrades rushed to Kalm, saw Kylegate's mansion ablaze, and found no signs of Rufus, who was already abducted by Kilmister.
The Turks established a new base at Cliff Resort and complied with Kilmister's demands for stimulants until he led them to Rufus, whom they saved from a flooded cave. With Rufus's approval, Elena began distributing Geostigma stimulants to Midgar civilians. After discovering that Nibel bear tails were used in the stimulants, she set off to gather supplies. Elena and her companions eventually learned that the disease, Geostigma, was connected to Sephiroth and Jenova and was fatal to those who lost hope.
====Rebuilding Shinra====
Two years later, during Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story, Elena continued serving Rufus at the renamed Healen Lodge, overseeing former Shinra scientists as they developed Geostigma medicine. She grew bored due to the lack of action and discovered that Fabio Braun was stealing medicine. Elena was displeased with how Reno and Rude mishandled the situation by mistaking Fabio for Evan Townshend. She personally visited Fabio, brutally punished him until understanding his reasons, and soon captured and interrogated Thropp. Elena later suffered minor injuries when Fabio, Keough, and Doyle attacked the lodge to rescue Thropp. Evan ultimately bargained for Rufus's life and the Turks were forced to let them go.
Elena accompanied Tseng on different missions, during which Reno and Rude were unable to reach them. She and Tseng later joined Reno and Rude in Midgar, where the latter was repairing a helicopter for them. Tseng informed them of new orders to locate Jenova, Reno noticed someone eavesdropping, and Elena was sent to capture them. She then traveled with Tseng to a refurbished Under Junon, where they stayed in a beach house, awaiting reports from their old colleagues.
After Reno and Rude brought Evan to Junon, he tried to escape with Kyrie Canaan, but Elena shot him in the shoulder. Once Evan recovered, Reno suggested taking him to Nibelheim to search for his mother, and Elena informed him. Tseng agreed but had Elena and Reno go instead while Reno and Rude handled their duties in Junon. In Nibelheim, they allowed Evan and Kyrie to question the villagers, then transported them to Icicle Inn after receiving a letter from Goulde Aarde. Elena and Tseng stayed in the helicopter, listening to Evan through a bug planted on his bag and later moved to a room adjacent to Evan and Kyrie's. Despite Tseng urging her to rest, she covertly followed Evan outside. She eventually caught up to Tseng and Evan at the guardhouse, where they encountered a silver-haired boy resembling Sephiroth, Kadaj, who attacked and disappeared. Elena and Tseng searched for Kadaj while Evan returned to the inn.
Elena contacted Reno and Rude, informed them of their location, and returned to the helicopter with Tseng. While piloting toward Evan and Kyrie, Kadaj attacked the helicopter. Elena and Tseng held off Kadaj but hesitated to fire a missile at him per Tseng's orders, fearing harm to Evan or Kyrie. Reno and Rude arrived, joined by Doyle and Leslie Kyle, but when Elena told them to prepare for an attack, she was met with silence due to a supposed radio malfunction. Left to act alone with Tseng, she was instructed to carry out the attack but insisted on continuing to pilot. After Tseng fired a missile at Reno and Rude's helicopter hijacked by Kadaj, Elena and him returned to Under Junon. 
====Geostigma crisis====
The Turks traveled to the North Crater by helicopter to retrieve the remains of Jenova's head in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Elena and Tseng secured the head on the ground and passed it off to Reno and Rude before being ambushed by the Remnants of Sephiroth—Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. Kadaj's gang captured and tortured Elena and Tseng until Vincent Valentine eventually rescued them and helped them recover.
After Kadaj summoned Bahamut SIN in Edge, a recovered Elena and Tseng saved Rufus from falling off a building during his fight with Kadaj and regrouped with Reno and Rude. Elena and Tseng later pursued the Remnants of Sephiroth by helicopter as they chased Cloud on the Midgar Expressway. Elena lowered a rope ladder after Yazoo crashed Reno and Rude's helicopter, air-dropping them ahead to set bombs that were detonated as Kadaj's gang passed by. After the Remnants of Sephiroth were eliminated, Elena and her companions witnessed Aerith Gainsborough's healing rain cure Rufus of Geostigma. 
===Remake continuity===
====Pursuit of Sephiroth====
Elena was recruited to temporarily fill Reno's position after he was injured during the Sector 7 job, acting as Rude's partner. After Rufus became president, he assigned the Turks to follow the black-robed figures and locate Sephiroth.
Elena, Rude, and Tseng passed through the Mythril Mine on their way to Junon during "Deeper into Darkness" in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Elena asked about Reno and questioned their assignment, preferring to eliminate the robed men like Tseng would, but Rude reminded her of their orders. When Cloud's party appeared, Elena introduced herself as the newest Turk and their "worst nightmare" before engaging them in battle. After their defeat, Elena kicked a grenade at the party, allowing Tseng to cover their escape. Upon arriving in Junon for Rufus's inauguration in "Dawn of a New Era", a humiliated Elena drank at Le Sourire in Junon, feeling like Rude disliked her and Tseng wanted her fired, preferring to be left alone.
Elena piloted a helicopter with Rude during "Those Left Behind", picking up robed men in Corel but later releasing them for being unruly. She sassed Cloud's party and unleashed the Custom Valkyrie before departing. She and Rude later flew Palmer to the Gold Saucer to distribute Avalanche wanted posters in "All That Glitters", asserting he was following the president's wishes despite his complaints. At the Haunted Hotel, Elena was startled by the concierge's jump scare and frustrated by the canceled room reservations. She later tracked Dyne in the desert following his attack at colosseum. While Rude protected Palmer during the chocobo races, Elena called to complain about the heat, and Rude offered her ice cream, though he hung up while she continued venting. 
Elena was eventually given ice cream and joined Rude in a helicopter to search for Dyne and Cloud's party. She agreed with Rude to deploy the Anuran Suppressor despite doubts about Palmer's piloting. While Rude was held off by Dio, Elena chased Cloud’s party by helicopter as they fled in a buggy. The heavily damaged mecha shot down her helicopter, forcing her to jump out and land on the buggy. Elena demanded they pull over, accused Tifa of drunk driving, and was flung off, falling to her knees in exhaustion and disappointment. A digital version of Elena later appeared in virtual combat simulators at Turk training facilities in Gongaga during "The Planet Stirs".
Elena returned to the Gold Saucer with Tseng, Rude, and Rufus to retrieve the keystone for the Temple of the Ancients in "A Golden Key". She was excited about discovering the "promised land" and supported Tseng's theory that the temple was this fabled location of Cetra legend. After Cloud's party won the Fight for Naming Rights and received the keystone, Elena and Rude intercepted it, tossing it between them before passing it to Cait Sith. Following a brief rest, they tussled with Cloud's party in a grudge match, officiated by Dio, but were defeated. Rufus instructed them to wait with Tseng while he rematched Cloud. Elena and her companions later departed the Gold Saucer via helicopter after Cait Sith gave them the keystone.
Elena and her comrades met in Junon before heading to the Temple of the Ancients during "Where Angels Fear to Tread". Elena was concerned, believing Rufus was sending them to their deaths, but Rude reassured her that he would be with them. She accompanied Tseng as he inserted the keystone into an altar causing the temple to appear. Once inside, Elena feared for their lives and an agreeing Rude shushed her. When Tseng paired everyone into teams, she was thrilled to be paired with him. 
Elena and Tseng later encountered Aerith, Red XIII, and Yuffie while investigating the temple's mysteries. Tseng wanted to avoid fighting but Elena was provoked by Yuffie's taunts. After being defeated, Elena protected Tseng, allowing him to venture deeper into the temple. The ceiling above collapsed, causing Reno, Rude, Cloud, Barret, and Tifa to fall. Cloud, under Sephiroth's influence, nearly killed Elena, but Tifa restrained him. Elena and her companions were later saved by Vincent. After the Turks escaped the temple with a wounded Tseng, Elena looked after him as they returned to Midgar in "End of the World".
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Elena is a young woman with a slender physique, fair skin, brown eyes, and neck-length blonde hair styled in an inverted bob. She wears the standard Turks uniform that includes a dark blue or black suit, paired with a white dress shirt, black tie, and heeled dress boots. As a student, she wore a red uniform with white trim and black accents, completed with a blue tie, black skirt, tall gray socks, and black shoes. In the Final Fantasy VII remake project, Elena wears silver stud earrings and wields a customized pink and silver gun adorned with flower details, rhinestones, and other embellishments.
Elena artwork FFVII.png|Concept art by Tetsuya Nomura for Final Fantasy VII.
Elena-ffvii-field.png|Field model from Final Fantasy VII.
BC Elena 1.jpg|Student portrait from Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-.
FFVIIBC ElenaIcon.jpg|Turk portrait from Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-.
VII Elena.jpg|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Elena from FFVII Ever Crisis.png|Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis
===Personality===
Elena is spunky, enthusiastic, and impulsive. She is hard-working and dutiful, driven by her convictions and judgment, taking her duties as a Turk seriously, and putting her all into everything. However, Elena tends to act careless and reckless, casually revealing confidential details about missions and taking action before thinking. She is competitive and strives to surpass her older sister, Emma, who is also an accomplished Turk.
Elena greatly admires and respects Tseng, whom she has an unrequited crush on. She is always eager to team up with him on missions and does her best to impress him. Elena looks up to Reno and Rude and listens to them without question, but openly disapproves of their casual work philosophy. Despite occasionally bumping heads, they both care for her well-being. Elena is loyal and respectful to Rufus, following his orders and asserting his authority.
===Abilities===
Elena is skilled in martial arts, firearms, and explosives, having trained in combat since a young age. She is also a competent pilot.
==Gameplay==
=== Final Fantasy VII ===
As a member of the Turks, Elena fights along with her partners, Turks:Reno and Turks:Rude. Although Reno and Rude are fought at least once in mandatory battles, the battle at Sector 8 of Midgar is optional if the player completed the Wutai sidequest. This will give Elena a sense of attachment to the party, which will let the player opt out of the battle, and thus the player does not have to fight her.
=== Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ===
Elena is fought three times, alongside Rude for the first two battles and then alongside Tseng for the third in chapter 13, "Where Angels Fear to Tread".
==Other appearances==
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy===
PFF Elena Illust.png|Portrait.
PFF Elena Sprite.png|Player sprite.
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
FFAB Area Bomb - Elena Legend SR.png|Area Bomb (SR).
FFAB Entice - Elena Legend SR.png|Entice (SR).
FFAB S-Mine - Elena Legend SR.png|S-Mine (SR).
FFAB Area Bomb - Elena Legend SR+.png|Area Bomb (SR+).
FFAB Entice - Elena Legend SR+.png|Entice (SR+).
FFAB S-Mine - Elena Legend SR+.png|S-Mine (SR+).
===Final Fantasy Artniks===
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
Elena is a playable character who could be initially recruited during the Challenge Event Masters of the Planet as a First Time Reward for completing the event's Wutai - Da-chao Statue stage on Classic difficulty. She also occasionally appears in dedicated Final Fantasy VII stages as a boss.
== Behind the scenes==
In the beginning of the second trailer, and one of the newly done scenes for Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, the view of Tseng and Kadaj's gang firing at them is from Elena's point of view.
When Kadaj confronts Rufus, and holds up Tseng and Elena's bloody ID cards, her ID number is revealed to be "077".
===Voice===
Elena is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese. She shares the same voice actress with her older sister in Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-, Paine from Final Fantasy X-2, Qun'mi Tru'e from Final Fantasy Type-0, and from the series.
Elena is voiced by Bettina Bush in the English release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. In the English releases of the Final Fantasy VII remake project, she is voiced by Piper Reese.
==Etymology==
 Her name was initially translated as Yrena as depicted in few official data books releases, such as Final Fantasy VII Official Establishment File, which include names romanization.
The Japanese name is Irina, which is the Russian form of the Greek name Eirene, which means "peace".
==Notes==
===Annotations===
===Citations===
=== References===
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Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII
Category:Characters in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Category:Characters in On the Way to a Smile
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Category:Antagonists