Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife (クラウド・ストライフ Kuraudo Sutoraifu?) is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and a major character in Compilation of Final Fantasy VII from the Final Fantasy series by Square Enix. He appears as a downloadable fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and is the sixth third-party character to be a playable fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series altogether following Solid Snake, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Ryu. Cloud returns to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a veteran fighter.

## Character description

Cloud is an arrogant and proud swordsman at first, claiming to be an ex-member of an elite warrior unit called SOLDIER. He assists an environmental terrorist group named AVALANCHE, a faction which his childhood friend, Tifa Lockhart, is a member of. AVALANCHE's goal is to save the planet from the hands of the ShinRa Electric Company, which drains the life-energy of the planet, known as the Lifestream, to fuel both its machines and ambitions.

Eventually, Cloud discovers that his memories are false, being instead the memories of his friend Zack Fair, who he witnessed gunned down by ShinRa troops, memories that Cloud later absorbed into his own psyche out of trauma. Both Cloud and Zack were experimented on by a ShinRa scientist named Hojo, in order to become "Sephiroth Clones". They were infused with JENOVA Cells (genetic code of an alien) and Mako (the industrialized energy from the Lifestream). Both were labelled as failures and fled.

With the help of his friends, Cloud learns there is more to being a hero than possessing physical strength and fame and comes to terms with his own fractured mental state and self, trying to find a meaning in his existence and stop the plans of Sephiroth, a former legendary member of SOLDIER, who has a plan to purge the world by summoning a large meteor to crush the earth.

Cloud's weapon is known as the Buster Sword, an incredibly powerful bladed weapon that is massive in size; Cloud being able to lift the sword is a feat of strength all on its own. The Buster Sword is capable of carrying out attacks and some magic abilities provided that Materia is applied to it. The sword was originally owned by SOLDIER Angeal Hewley, who gave it to Zack Fair in his dying moments as a reminder of his honor; in turn, Zack gave it to Cloud after sacrificing himself to defend Cloud from a Shinra army as a reminder of his dreams of being a hero.

In Advent Children, Cloud uses a new weapon called the "Fusion Sword", a large weapon consisting of six interconnecting swords that form a larger blade resembling the original Buster Sword. His former sword rests at the place Zack died.

Originally voiceless in Final Fantasy VII, from Kingdom Hearts onward Cloud would be voiced by Takahiro Sakurai and Steve Burton (the latter who does not reprise his role in Smash Bros.).

## Buster Sword/Fusion Swords

The Buster Sword is Cloud's weapon. It is a massive broadsword that was previously wielded by Zack Fair and Angeal Hewley, and has become a symbol of the dreams and hopes as a member of SOLDIER.

In the original Final Fantasy VII, little information was given on the Buster Sword's origin beyond the fact that it was previously wielded by SOLDIER Zack Fair. However, in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, the origins of the Buster Sword were revealed as owned by SOLDIER Angeal Hewley, whose father forged it to commemorate Angeal joining the elite SOLDIER program. However, due to the symbolic value and the subsequent death of his father, Angeal seldom uses the Buster Sword unless necessary. However, after a confrontation with his protege Zack Fair in Modeoheim, Angeal entrusts the Buster Sword as a symbol of his dreams and honor. Zack would continue to use the Buster Sword until his last stand against Shinra troops on the outskirts of Midgar, and entrusts the weapon to a vegetative Cloud before passing away.

Following Meteorfall, Cloud discards using the Buster Sword to preserve Zack's memory in favor of wielding the Fusion Swords, which consists of a single main blade and five auxiliary blades, which can be combined into a single sword that resembles the Buster Sword. Cloud uses the Fusion Swords in his battle against the Remnants of Sephiroth, Bahaumat SIN, and a resurrected Sephiroth.

Cloud uses the Buster Sword/Fusion Swords in all his attacks except his pummel, throws, and down tilt.