Black Materia (Final Fantasy VII)

The Black Materia is a mysterious and incredibly powerful Materia, as well as one of the oldest, having existed since the time of Jenova and the Ancients in Final Fantasy VII. It and its counterpart, the White Materia, are the two unique Materia, there being only one of each. It is used to summon the "Ultimate Destructive Magic", Meteor, which has the power to destroy the entire Planet. Few know of its existence, let alone how to use it.
In the original continuity, the Black Materia is black and dark purple, but in the Remake continuity, it’s black and dark red.
==Story==
After Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream following the Nibelheim Incident, he concocted his plan for world domination. Immersed in the Lifestream, he learned of the Black Materia and schemed to use it to summon a Meteor upon the Planet and absorb the Lifestream's energy as it would rush to heal the Planet, ascending to godhood.
Upon learning Sephiroth is seeking the Black Materia, the party rushes to the Temple of the Ancients to try to stop Sephiroth from obtaining it. They discover the temple itself is the Materia, transfigured by the Ancients. It can only be transformed into Materia by solving its puzzles but the person attempting to obtain the Materia would be crushed within the Black Materia as a final defense against any evil trying to use it.
Cait Sith offers to use his mechanical body to solve the puzzles. Unlocking the Black Materia, he is destroyed but a second Cait Sith arrives to take his place. Cloud retrieves the Black Materia from the hole left in the temple's place, but Sephiroth bends his will through the Jenova cells in Cloud's body and forces Cloud to pass it over to his control.
After defeating Jenova∙DEATH in Whirlwind Maze, the party reclaims the Black Materia. Cloud can entrust it to either Barret Wallace or Red XIII, although no matter whom he gives it to, Sephiroth tricks the holder into returning it to Cloud who delivers it to Sephiroth's true form resting in a Materia cocoon within the Northern Cave. Sephiroth uses it to summon Meteor before the Weapons awaken, and the Materia is never heard of again.
===Remake continuity===
As revealed in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the Black Materia was created by the Gi tribe when they stole a Sacred Materia from the Cetra and focused all of their immense hatred and resentment into it. They planned to use it so they could summon Meteor and destroy the Planet to free themselves from their suffering as lost souls, But the Cetra stole the Materia from them and hid it away in the space between alternate timelines so that no one could use it.
Unlike in the original, the Temple of the Ancients is not the materia itself, but instead houses a dull replica that serves as a key to finding the original.
After fighting through the temple's security, the party finds an altar with the Black Materia. When Cloud, under Sephiroth's control, takes it, the temple starts a self-destruct sequence by collapsing and imploding on itself, which couldn't be averted by placing the Black Materia back. Cloud takes the materia in the confusion and the party escapes.
Outside, when Barret notices Cloud has the materia, he snatches it and tosses it aside. Sephiroth takes it and uses it to summon forth a more vibrant version that is presumably the original that rolls to Cloud. When Cloud is about to give the materia to Sephiroth, Tifa tackles Cloud. Aerith gets the materia, but Sephiroth influences Cloud to chase her. Aerith gives the materia back to Cloud, who gives it to Sephiroth.
However, after the events in the Forgotten Capital, it's revealed that Cloud still possessed the materia. He integrates it into the Buster Sword to hide it.
==Characteristics==
As its name suggests, the Black Materia is dark, appearing purple, blue, or black depending on the light. The Materia is large enough to fill the holder's palm.
In its transfigured form as the Temple of the Ancients it is in the shape of a ziggurat (step pyramid), with its entrance at the top of a long staircase in a manner similar to the pyramids of the Aztecs. Within it are several passages, some of which have carved murals. In its resting place, at the end of wide and long hall, the Materia floats upon a wide slab pedestal. The painted murals within this hall explicitly depict the results and consequences of using the Black Materia.
The Black Materia is the strongest known Materia. Sephiroth can only utilize its power among the abundance of Lifestream energy at the Northern Cave.
==Other appearances==
===Final Fantasy Tactics===
There is an Artefact that can be obtained from an Errands called Black Materia.
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
Black Materia is a Super Soul Break for Sephiroth, learnt from the katana Yoshiyuki (VII). A physical attack, Sephiroth summons the stone to transform into Meteor fragments that crush a single foe four times in succession. Once mastered and integrated, Sephiroth also gains 10 ATK.
===Other media===
Sephiroth's congratulation screen in Super Smash Bros Ultimate alludes to when Cloud gave him the Black Materia in Final Fantasy VII.
==Behind the scenes==
A shop in Icicle Inn has stairs behind the counter that cannot be accessed in a normal playthrough as the player cannot get to the other side of the counter. If one hacks their game to get past the counter, they can find an enlarged Black Materia model at the top of the stairs.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpNxDHXLug The model serves no purpose in the scene, however, as the object is named "goods" in the scene data, it may have been intended to be used as a representation of the shop's wares that was never fully implemented into the game.
==Merchandise==
Because of its ties to Sephiroth, the Black Materia has been released in merchandise as an item related to him, and is the focus of several Final Fantasy pendants and keychains.
==Gallery==
Black materia scene concept.png|Original concept for Sephiroth's Black Materia scene from 25th Anniversary issue of Famitsu.
==Etymology==
==Citations==
it:Antimateria
ru:Чёрная Материя (Final Fantasy VII)
Category:Materia in Final Fantasy VII
Category:Key items