Vincent Valentine

Vincent Valentine is a character in the Final Fantasy VII series, serving as a main character in Final Fantasy VII and the main protagonist of Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. A former Turk with a mysterious past, Vincent's secrets tie him directly to several of the Final Fantasy VII series' main antagonists.
Vincent wields handguns in battle. His Limit Breaks cause him to shapeshift as a result of the experiments Professor Hojo performed on him. When he transforms, his stats increase and he gains new powerful attacks, but becomes uncontrollable until the battle ends or until he falls into Death status.
== Profile ==
=== Appearance ===
Vincent is a man physically in his late twenties, and stands roughly six feet tall. He has crimson eyes and long black hair. He wears a red bandana with his fringe emerging over it. Vincent's most distinctive feature is his red cloak, held in place over his shoulders and lower face by several buckles. Underneath his cape Vincent's attire is black leather with several straps and buckles. Vincent wears a gun holster strapped to his right thigh and pointed golden sabatons on his feet. He wears a golden gauntlet on his left arm. In Rebirth, he gains an extra belt and has a gold armor design on his left thigh. He now wears golden armored boots instead of leather boots with sabatons. His right arm now has a long glove with black straps. The cape from his red cloak is now frayed at the edges.
Vincent has kept this look in all his appearances, with subtle variations. Vincent was originally intended to appear in Kingdom Hearts alongside Cloud Strife, but was removed, with aspects of his costume incorporated into Cloud's design, including the tattered red cloak and gauntlet.
In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Vincent's cloak was meant to have an organic feel and was difficult to animate. The developers decided changing his costume would conflict with his character, so Vincent was the only party member to appear the same as he had in Final Fantasy VII, although there are minor changes, such as a full bodysuit, a tattered cloak and a glove completely covering his previously partially bare right arm. All of the party members sport a pink ribbon on their left arm in remembrance of Aerith Gainsborough. Vincent is the only one who wears the pink ribbon on his right arm due to the gauntlet on his left arm.
In Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-, Vincent's Galian Beast and Chaos forms incorporate his design into them; Galian Beast is wearing a shorter version of Vincent's cloak as a kilt, while Chaos's feet resemble Vincent's boots.
Vincent's primary weapon in both Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- is the handgun Cerberus, named after the three-headed dog which guarded the Greek underworld for its three barrels (each of which is ornamented with a dog head in place of the iron sights). There is a key chain attached to it that bears a Cerberus-shaped charm. In the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children's prologue, when the Final Fantasy VII cast is shown fighting Sephiroth all wielding their base weapons, Vincent wields the Cerberus, rather than the Quicksilver portrayed in his official Final Fantasy VII character art, even though Cerberus is not included in Final Fantasy VII.
=== Personality ===
Dark and brooding over his past experiences, Vincent conceals many secrets. He speaks in a cryptic manner when he talks about his past, calling his traumas "sins". Despite his cold personality, he is not uncaring; at a point where Cloud admits he thought Vincent does not care about the Planet, Vincent states that is just how he is, and apologizes for the false impression.
Vincent despises Professor Hojo for his immoral actions, and it is the promise of meeting him that stirs Vincent to accompany the party in Final Fantasy VII. Vincent is reluctant to speak, although when he does, he typically has something important to say.
Kazushige Nojima has noted Vincent is naturally a loner, and had he not been a former ally of Cloud and his friends, it is unlikely he would have joined them in the battle with Bahamut SIN in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.The Reunion Files, p.49 His voice actor, Shōgo Suzuki, noted Vincent's few appearances have a profound impact and that Tifa Lockhart's remark "they're our friends", after Vincent's arrival, shows his underlying warmth. He is noted to be similar to Cloud, only more mature, which influenced his character and voice work. In Dirge of Cerberus, Vincent admits to Reeve that meeting him and the others three years ago taught him to move ahead when he thought he was nothing but a stone in the river of time.
In Rebirth, he is still dark and brooding because of the experiments and his past experiences. However, he is more aggressive as he prepares to shoot at the party after seeing Murasaku isn't with them and when Cloud stumbled a room filled with S samples. His self loathing is more visible after learning that Sephiroth is their enemy. He had many opportunities to purge him in the past but couldn't pull the trigger and felt responsible for the evil he had committed. 
After joining the party, he's still distant from them, but is willing to protect them against all odds. Upon reaching the Temple of the Ancients and coming across the defeated Turks, he demands them to show some dignity and get back on their feet, showing he has some loyalty to the Turk name akin to Angeal Hewey's and Zack Fair's "SOLDIER honor and pride".
== Story ==
=== Life with the Turks ===
About twenty-five to thirty years before Final Fantasy VII, Vincent was a member of the Turks, then known as Shinra Electric Power Company "Department of Administrative Research". When he was assigned to supervise the Jenova Project in Nibelheim, he fell in love with a scientist named Lucrecia Crescent, an assistant to Gast Faremis. When he discovered her link to his deceased father, Grimoire Valentine, Lucrecia distanced herself from Vincent and entered a relationship with her associate, Professor Hojo. Lucrecia became pregnant and Hojo planned to use the fetus as a test subject for the Jenova Project.
Vincent objected to the use of humans, and especially Lucrecia, as test subjects. In the interest of science, Lucrecia proceeded with the treatment and became sick as a result. Vincent confronted Hojo in the Shinra Manor's underground laboratory, and amid the heated argument, Hojo shot Vincent in the chest. Hojo used Vincent's half-dead body as a test subject for experiments involving strengthening the endurance of the human body and metamorphosis, enabling the body to transform into various monstrous forms. The experiments failed because Vincent, though still living, remained in a near death like state.
As a last resort to rehabilitate him, Lucrecia infused the Chaos-tainted mako into his broken-down body. The procedure worked, as Vincent's body, due to Hojo's previous experiments, was strong enough to become a vessel for Chaos, a mysterious entity with incredible power. Chaos was uncontrollable and was only stopped when the Protomateria a one of a kind materia—had a reaction to it. The Protomateria, discovered by Grimoire alongside Chaos, was theorized by Lucrecia to have been created by the planet "out of necessity as a means to control Chaos and prolong its own inevitable fate", and had been placed in Lucrecia's laboratory.
Lucrecia put the Protomateria inside Vincent's chest, enabling Vincent to control Chaos to a degree. Due to Hojo's experiments and the combination with Chaos, Vincent acquired superhuman abilities, such as amplified strength, speed, endurance, agility, regeneration, shapeshifting, and other powers. As Vincent later awakened on the operating table he responded to his modified body with anguish and rage.
=== Dormant sleep ===
Believing himself responsible for Lucrecia's illness after her son Sephiroth's birth, Vincent locked himself within a coffin in the Shinra Mansion basement, where he slept mostly undisturbed for over twenty years to atone for his "sins". He constantly relived his nightmare as a punishment for his inability to stop Lucrecia from submitting to Hojo's experiment on her unborn baby.
In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, when Zack Fair heard groaning emanating from a coffin in the Shinra Mansion basement, he opened it and was startled to find a sleeping person. Deciding against disturbing the slumbering man, Zack replaced the cover, which locks back into place.
Vincent's long sleep was disturbed during Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, though not ended. On December 19th, 0006, in Episode 19, the Player Turk and Verdot searched for the Support Materia for the summon Zirconiade at the Shinra Mansion. Verdot awoke Vincent, and despite the differences in their physical appearances, the two recognized each other as Vincent and Verdot had been contemporaries at the Turks.
Vincent helped the Turks fight Avalanche and displayed sharp shooting skills, though he was jaded after his long sleep. The materia was hidden in the mansion and Vincent knew of its existence; he gave it to Verdot before he returned to his rest, refusing to leave with the Turks.
=== Original continuity===
==== Awakening and planetary crisis ====
In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud and the party discovered Vincent in a locked room in the basement of Shinra Manor in Nibelheim where he was talked out of his sleep. Cloud told him about Sephiroth, and Vincent, knowing he was the child Lucrecia had conceived, considers it another "sin" and attempted to return to sleep. When Cloud tried to leave, Vincent followed and asked if they would meet Hojo. Cloud confirmed, and Vincent agreed to accompany the party with plans of claiming revenge.
When the party discovered Lucrecia in Lucrecia's Cave, Vincent relived memories from his past, remembering the argument between himself and Hojo over her, and Hojo shooting Vincent and experimenting on him. When Lucrecia asked him about Sephiroth, Vincent lied that he was dead, presumably to spare Lucrecia from the truth of what her son had become. When the party confronted Hojo at the controls of the Sister Ray, Vincent learned that Hojo "thought of Lucrecia as a tool" and claimed it was Hojo, not him, who was meant to sleep and atone for his crimes. The party defeated him.
Vincent, along with Yuffie, is not present in the ending FMV due to being optional characters. Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- retcons that the two returned to Midgar early to help evacuate the city before Meteor hit, saving many lives, including a heavily injured president of the Shinra Company, Rufus Shinra. This occurs following Sephiroth's defeat, while the other party members watch the events from above in the airship Highwind. However, in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, both are seen with the rest of the group fighting Sephiroth during the last battle.
==== Post-crisis ====
Vincent appeared briefly in On the Way to a Smile "Episode: Yuffie". He left Cloud and the others in the City of the Ancients with a cold "bye", and Cid speculated that he was going "to his woman, probably." He appeared more prominently in On the Way to a Smile "Episode: Nanaki", where later during his journeys he followed a Turk helicopter and arrived at a hunter camp near Nibelheim. He shot down Red XIII, one of his former companions while in Cloud's party, when he attacked one of the huts. He explained to Red XIII his actions were wrong and left.
Vincent met Red XIII later at the Forgotten City. Red XIII feared that, due to his long lifespan, he would lose everyone he loves and live a life of loneliness. Vincent comforted him, and revealed he will always be with him because he is immortal, and the two agreed to an annual meeting in Midgar.
==== Geostigma crisis ====
It is revealed in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children that during the year following Final Fantasy VII Vincent traveled the world, mysteriously popping in and out, retrieving information and helping those in need, keeping looser connection with his friends than the rest of the party. In 0009 he followed rumors to the Forgotten City, where the Remnants of Sephiroth were stationed. After two former Turks who still worked for Rufus, Tseng and Elena, were struck down and tortured by the trio at the North Crater, Vincent rescued them and helped them recover, while getting as much information about the remnants as he could.
When the leader of the remnants, Kadaj, fought Cloud in the Forgotten City, Vincent rushed in and opened fire at Kadaj while picking up Cloud and carrying him to safety. Resting in a remote part of the forest, Vincent told Cloud about Geostigma—the new disease infecting people around the planet—and Sephiroth's impending rebirth. Cloud, still tormented over his guilt at being unable to prevent his friends Aerith's and Zack's deaths, asks Vincent if sins are ever forgiven. Vincent replied with "I've never tried". Cloud decided to try and told Vincent he would "phone in the verdict".
Vincent showed up with the rest of Avalanche for the battle against Bahamut SIN, asking Tifa where he could buy a cellphone (he apparently was the only member of Avalanche without one; in the Dirge of Cerberus opening, Vincent and Yuffie used walkie-talkies). Aboard the Shera, the party's airship, Vincent explained to the party Kadaj was Sephiroth's "larva form" and would become him, while Cloud dueled him atop the Shinra Building remains. Although the party was eager to help, Vincent said Cloud could handle him alone.
During the bonus feature, "Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII", Vincent called Cloud. At some point after Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Vincent finally purchases a cellphone and made a point to relay a message to Yuffie that she has no right to call it.
==== Deepground conflict ====
A year following the events of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, in 0010 when Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- takes place, Vincent was in Kalm as a festival is being held to celebrate the restoration of the Worldwide Network. The town fell under attack by a mysterious group of soldiers who gathered up select people while killing the others. Unknown to Vincent, the soldiers were hunting him down. He was confronted by a large man named Azul the Cerulean and a young girl, demanding the location of the Protomateria. The girl fainted and incoming World Regenesis Organization (WRO) troops forced Azul to take the girl and retreat.
After securing Kalm, Vincent meets up with Reeve Tuesti, a former Shinra executive, who told him the new town of Edge on Midgar's outskirts was under attack. En route, Reeve told Vincent the mysterious soldiers were from Deepground, a group born from secret experiments that took place underneath the Shinra Building meant to create a new breed of supersoldiers that would have no sense of morality, and Azul belonged to their elite unit known as the Tsviets. Vincent also he would learn that, like those in Kalm, people across the world have been suddenly vanishing.
Vincent found Edge deserted and would meet up with WRO scientist Shalua Rui. At outside, Vincent encountered another Tsviet, who's named was Rosso the Crimson, demanding the Protomateria, as Deepground needed it to control the final Weapon, monstrous creatures that has the planet has created, Omega. During their fight, Vincent unwillingly transformed into Chaos and unleashed a blast of energy that forced Rosso away but caused Vincent to collapse.
Shalua found him and brought him to WRO Headquarters, where he learned of Lucrecia's connection to Omega and Chaos. A Deepground squadron led by Azul stormed the headquarters, and as he battled the soldiers, Vincent re-encountered the young girl from Kalm. Shalua was shocked to see it was her long-lost little sister, Shelke, who was a shadow of her former self due to the ten years of torture she has been suffered at the hands of Deepground. After Shalua and Reeve failed to reason with Shelke, but Vincent would battle and sedated her.
After Vincent subdued Azul, he would revisit Shinra Manor in Nibelheim to find answers. deep within the manor He found a hologram of Lucrecia that talked of her scattered data on Omega, which she had left in the mansion. After recovering the remaining data, Rosso would quickly ambushed Vincent and ripped the Protomateria out of his chest. Before she could finish off Vincent, he was saved by a cloaked Yuffie.
Returning to the WRO Headquarters a few days later, Vincent found it again overrun by Deepground and a reborn Azul on a rampage. Under their leader Weiss the Immaculate's orders, Azul sought to kill Shelke for no longer being so useful to Deepground, and to prevent the WRO from gaining possession of Lucrecia's data within her. Shalua opened a door for the three of them to escape, but after Vincent entered, it began to close, however prompting Shalua to place her robotic arm between the doors. as Shalua pushed the reluctant Shelke through the small opening between the closing doors. Vincent tried to open the doors, but they continued to close as the pressure destroyed Shalua's arm. Shalua exchanged final words with Shelke and would ask Vincent to take care of her. A loud thud emanated, and beige liquid seeped out from undereath the door as Azul pummeled Shalua into a coma.
Unable to understand the point behind Shalua's actions, Shelke requested Vincent to explain why someone would give their life for others. Vincent's response caused Shelke to experience one of Lucrecia's memories. Reeve entered and explained the Omega Report Vincent gave him was incomplete, and the remaining data was needed for the WRO launch an assault on Deepground's base in Midgar.
Shelke had previously absorbed some of Lucrecia's data into her mind to study it to find the Protomateria. She offered to combine the data with the rest Vincent found in Nibelheim to give them a clearer picture of what they would be up against and regain control of her mind.
Once Aboard the Shera, Reeve completed the Omega Report and Shelke performed a Synaptic Net Dive to provide everyone with a better understanding of Omega. The WRO learned Deepground's goal: by sacrificing a vast amount of people untainted by Geostigma, they sought to amass a pure lifestream the planet's life energy to trick Omega into awaking prematurely and destroy the world.
As everyone prepared for battle, Chaos momentarily overtook Vincent. Having had possession of Vincent's cellphone since the events at Kalm, Shelke returned it to him before he departed after modifying it so he could call her directly for guidance. The Battle of Midgar began as Deepground attacked, and the WRO launched a simultaneous land and air assault while aided by the former members of Avalanche. Vincent descended into Midgar on a hoverboard but was thrown off course and landed in the remains of Sector 7.
Shelke contacted him on his cellphone and instructed him on how to reach the remains of the Shinra Headquarters and infiltrate Deepground. As he ascended the Central Complex, Vincent again crossed paths with Rosso. They engaged in an all-out battle and Rosso was defeated. She told Vincent that Azul was waiting for him and, not wanting Vincent to have the pleasure of killing her, sliced off the platform she was standing on and fell to her death.
Once he reached the Shinra Building, Vincent started losing control of Chaos again and, in Lucrecia's voice, Shelke told him about Chaos's nature and how the Protomateria had enabled him to control it until Rosso took it from him. Vincent got a call from Tifa, who sent him a map of the Shinra Building.
As he descended towards Deepground, Vincent battled Azul after which he turned into Chaos, impaled Azul with his own cannon, and blasted him off the elevator to his death. Vincent continued through Deepground's complex and met Nero the Sable, Weiss's brother. He asked what Nero had done with Shelke, and he responded that she was inside him, trapped in darkness. Defeating Nero, Vincent was engulfed in Nero's darkness, but thanks to Chaos, remained unaffected.
Vincent found Shelke within a cracking shield-bubble and rescued her. After placing Shelke in a regeneration tube so she could regain her strength, Vincent and Yuffie found an unconscious Weiss. Drawing their weapons, Nero consumed them in his darkness, but Vincent saved Yuffie and defeated Nero once more.
When Nero stumbled to his awakened brother, Weiss plunged his hand into his stomach and cast him aside. Weiss was possessed by Hojo, who had originally planned to perfect his body by injecting himself with Jenova cells and merge with Omega, the planet's last resort; when all life on was threatened, Omega would be born and Chaos, another being born with Omega, would send all life to the lifestream, after which Omega would take the residing and incoming lifestream into its being. When finished, it would fly into space and from there, the cycle of life begins anew. Complications arose and, as a back-up plan, Hojo had uploaded his mind into the Worldwide Network before his death so when it came back online and the fragments of the program reunited, he was reborn in a "neo-Reunion". Hojo had used Weiss to control Deepground and continue his agenda.
Vincent nearly transformed into Chaos, but a hologram of Lucrecia created by an awoken Shelke implored him to take control of Chaos's power while retaining his human form. Vincent defeated Weiss/Hojo and Nero merged with Weiss, destroying Hojo once and for all.
The main mako reactor was reactivated, and Omega was summoned as Vincent turned into Chaos. Shelke performed an SND to dive into Omega, retrieve the Protomateria, and return it to Vincent, letting him regain control. He connected with Lucrecia, who apologized for all the suffering she had caused him, but was happy that he survived. Vincent retrieved Shelke and placed her outside the Shinra Building before flying off to stop Omega. The others shut down the reactors and cut off Omega's power, and Vincent defeated Omega Weiss. Omega began to ascend and leave the planet. Vincent dived into Omega and forced it back but disintegrated.
About a week later, Vincent was alive and well in Lucrecia's Cave making amends. Having forgiven himself for his "sin", Vincent told her Omega and Chaos had returned to the planet and thanked her for being the reason he survived. He found Shelke waiting for him outside, and although she did not know why the others sent her to get him, she did not mind. Seeing Lucrecia in Shelke, Vincent smiled as they gazed at what appeared to be Omega's remains in the sky.
=== Remake continuity ===
Cloud and the party discovered Vincent in a room in the basement of Shinra Manor in Nibelheim and awakened him while searching for the terminal. He interrogates them over having Murasaki's credentials despite not being the man, allowing them to proceed after hearing their reasons before returning to his sleep, musing over having another sin to bear. However, upon sensing Cloud entering the room filled with samples of Sephiroth, Vincent confronts the group for their trespass before Chaos assumes control of his body and mutates him into a berserk Galian Beast.
Vincent returns to normal after being severely weakened with Cait recognizing him from his files, telling the robot that his identity is none of his business. He refuses an offer to join Cloud's group and clicks the remote to open the exit while returning to his coffin. But Vincent changes his mind and joins Cloud's party as Cid takes them to the Gold Saucer via airship to find a Keystone, stating that he has some unfinished business with Sephiroth like them.
After Cait Sith's betrayal, Vincent uses his knowledge as a former Turk to track frequency they used to communicate but only uses old device. He manages to find it and tells the group they are heading towards the northern continent. 
== Gameplay ==
===Final Fantasy VII===
Vincent is an optional playable character in Final Fantasy VII who must be recruited in the Shinra Mansion after obtaining the Mansion key. By opening the safe, with the input RIGHT TO 36, LEFT TO 10, RIGHT TO 59, RIGHT TO 97, the party can fight Lost Number to unlock the room in the basement in which Vincent is found. After some dialogue, he can join the party. Vincent and Yuffie are the only two characters whose menu portraits are skewed to the right. Everyone else's portrait is facing left.
Vincent wields guns, which are long range and have a mediocre Attack Power, but two of them have the maximum chance to hit. His Limit takes away all control of him but allows him to deal and resist a lot of damage. His ultimate weapon is the Death Penalty, which becomes more powerful with the number of enemies Vincent has killed and can cause an overflow glitch.
=== Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- ===
Vincent is fought as a boss in the Training Mode.
=== Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- ===
Vincent's default weapon, Cerberus, holds eighteen rounds and fires thrice the trigger is pulled. The weapon can be upgraded to either be lighter, hold more ammo (84 rounds at most), or do more damage. Vincent acquires two other guns early. One, a bolt-action rifle, is christened the "Hydra". The other, the "Griffon", resembles a Thompson machine gun, and has a rapid-fire ability, although shoots slowly enough to only shoot one bullet. Later, he can acquire secret "gimmicked" versions of his main weapons. The new rifle is the Bayonet Rifle, which increases the power of Vincent's melee attacks when equipped.
The new machine gun is the Blast Machine gun, which is weak and inaccurate, but always knocks down enemies when an attack hits. The new handgun is a "model gun", which starts out useless, but can be upgraded into the Ultima Weapon, the second strongest gun. Finally, Vincent can use the Death Penalty in the final chapter, which produces an explosion with each shot. With the exception of the Death Penalty, all guns can be equipped with accessories, such as longer or shorter barrels, a scope, and Materia.
The tutorial, framed as a training session during Vincent's days as a Turk, implies his natural Limit Break increased his strength and defense for a time.
===Final Fantasy VII Rebirth===
Vincent appears in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Just like Red XIII in Final Fantasy VII Remake, Vincent along with Cid Highwind do not join the party in battle. 
== Musical theme==
Vincent's theme is "The Nightmare Begins". It plays in several key scenes regarding Vincent and his past, including his introduction in the Shinra Mansion basement and during his flashback about Lucrecia.
== Other appearances ==
Vincent has made appearances in the following games in the Final Fantasy series:
*Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia as a playable character.
*Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call as a playable character.
*Pictlogica Final Fantasy as a playable character.
*Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade as a summonable Legend.
*Final Fantasy Artniks as a series of cards.
*Final Fantasy Record Keeper as a playable character.
*Final Fantasy Brave Exvius as a summonable vision.
*Mobius Final Fantasy.
*World of Final Fantasy as a cameo.
*Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as a series of cards.
*Triple Triad as a card.
== Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances ==
Vincent has made key guest appearances in the following non-Final Fantasy games:
* Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring.
== Other media ==
=== Games ===
In Gunslinger Stratos 2, a game developed by Square Enix, a costume based on Vincent's was released on November 6, 2014.
Vincent's costume appears as DLC for LittleBigPlanet 2.
GS2_Vincent.png|Vincent's outfit in Gunslinger Stratos 2.
VincentLBP2.jpg|Vincent costume in LittleBigPlanet 2.
=== Dead Fantasy ===
Vincent was set to appear in the fan-made movie Dead Fantasy created by Monty Oum. A preview of Dead Fantasy VIII showed that Naminé summoned Vincent with her red, black Keyblade, and that he would have fought alongside her against Ryu Hayabusa and Momiji. He was summoned from a red portal, and the red from the portal collated into his cloak. Vincent's main rival was Ryu Hayabusa.
== Behind the scenes==
According to the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega Vincent's character changed several times during development, from horror researcher to chemist to detective, and finally to a former member of the Turks. An early artwork by Tetsuya Nomura depicts Vincent wielding a scythe rather than a handgun. Although his connection to the Turks is only mentioned once when recruiting him in Final Fantasy VII, it is explained in detail in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. In Final Fantasy VII, a deleted scene involving Cloud explaining SOLDIER to the party would have involved Vincent, who would outright state he was a former Turk who investigated "the Sephiroth project" that would lead to SOLDIER's development.
In another early draft, Vincent was a detective working on supernatural cases, most of them bogus. His last job was investigating Shinra's secrets to expose them to the world for the benefit of a rival company. Vincent's relationship with Hojo would have gone back to the Midgar University medical department, and then the Shinra Research Lab. Using leverage with Hojo's assistant, Lucrecia, Vincent delved deeper into Hojo's work. Hojo captured Lucrecia and used her as part of the Jenova Project, and Vincent tried to rescue her, but Hojo puts him to sleep for thirty years.
According to a relationship chart made early in development, some elements of Vincent’s design were originally taken from an early version of Sephiroth’s design.
When the party found him, Vincent had no idea what year it was, or even that he had vile experiments done to him. He would join the party to get revenge on Hojo and find out Lucrecia's fate. The player would not know Vincent could transform into monsters, and when it happened, Vincent would be the most shocked of all. His transformations could carry outside of battle, changing cutscenes depending upon his form. In this draft, Vincent's personality was wildly different with a far more suave and talkative demeanor. He would even go out of his way to flirt with female party members.
Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima has noted that, although Vincent does not have many scenes, when he does speak, he usually has much to say. Nojima compared him to Auron from Final Fantasy X, as "even though he's supposed to be a silent character, he still tends to talk a lot".
Vincent's job Class was originally listed as "Horror-Terror (Horror Researcher)". Vincent's vampiresque character design and his Limit Break forms take on themes associated with various genres of horror movies, from monster horror, slasher/serial killer, and the occult.
Vincent makes his remake project debut in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Queen's Blood was originally a much smaller-scale minigame, but its growth resulted in the developers giving it an overarching story that would incorporate legends of Jenova with the conflict between the evil queen and the emerald witch being based on folk tales of the war between Jenova and the Cetra. Motomu Toriyama wanted to add Vincent as an opponent, as having unique opponents would be important for a card game; this is why the latter half of the Queen's Blood quest has "stranger" participants. Additionally, Vincent lacked opportunities to do much in the main story in Rebirth, so Toriyama wanted to give him more attention by giving him a larger role in the card game.
=== Voice ===
Vincent's Japanese voice actor is Shōgo Suzuki, and he is voiced by Steven Jay Blum in English. In the remake version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Blum was replaced by Matthew Mercer.
== Merchandise ==
Vincent has appeared in numerous merchandise items. The main Final Fantasy VII cast had action figures made by Bandai back in 1997, and later on Vincent had two Play Arts action figures made. The first one is with a Quicksilver gun in Volume 2 of the Final Fantasy VII Play Arts action figures, and another one in Volume 1 of the Advent Children: Final Fantasy VII Play Arts figures, where Vincent has a tattered cape and the Cerberus gun rather than Quicksilver.
Other figures include the Final Fantasy Trading Arts Vol. 2. figure, and the collectible Coca-Cola figurine with both colored and "red crystal" versions. A resin statue by Kotobukiya was released in 2001, and unlike the original Final Fantasy VII resin statues, the ones issued later do not have serial numbers and are not as valuable as the original collector’s items. Final Fantasy VII characters have appeared in key chains originally available from Japanese crane catcher games. Vincent is part of "Set B" of these figurines. Vincent has a diorama figurine from the Square Millennium Collection for Ehrgeiz.
The emblem on his weapon in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- has appeared in jewelry and key rings, t-shirts and even a Zippo lighter.
Released in 2017, Vincent had a statue made for the Static Arts Gallery line.
== Gallery ==
== Etymology ==
 Due to his "horror movie" presentation, Vincent's name may have been inspired by the late Vincent Price, an American actor best known for his performances in horror films. The choice of surname may allude to Valentine's Day in juxtaposition to his love for Lucrecia having been instrumental in how he ended up.
== Citations ==
== External links ==
* Vincent Valentine on Wikipedia
de:Vincent Valentine
es:Vincent Valentine
fr:Vincent Valentine
pt-br:Vincent Valentine
ru:Винсент Валентайн
Category:Characters in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Category:Characters in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-
Category:Main characters
Category:Secret characters
Category:Gunners
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth