Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion is a prequel to FF7, which includes familiar characters, as well as some brand-new ones that don't appear in the mainline entries in the series. Crisis Core stars Zack Fair, as he rises through the ranks of the SOLDIER unit and bears witness to the shady dealings of the Shinra Electric Power Company. There are lots of familiar FF7 characters in Crisis Core, including Cloud, Sephiroth, Aerith, Tifa, and Yuffie, but there are also new characters that are part of Zack's life and whose actions were important in later games, even if they don't show up in the flesh.
The story of Crisis Core begins at the end of the Wutai War, with the Shinra Electric Power Company finally dealing with the last nation that opposed them. Not all is well within the company, as its secret method of creating super soldiers comes to light and some of the most powerful members of SOLDIER choose to defect, with Sephiroth being chief among them, in events that were originally shown in FF7's Nibelheim flashback. Crisis Core is an FF7 prequel, but it also has a lot of new material, as Zack had his own friends, enemies, and adventures, before the fateful trip to Nibelheim.
Angeal Hewley Is Zack Fair's Mentor In The FF7 Universe
Angeal Hewley is a First Class rank member of the SOLDIER unit and the mentor of Zack Fair. He is a strong believer in his code of honor and his pride as a SOLDIER, which are traits that Zack emulates during his own rise through the ranks. While Angeal starts out as the most level-headed and sociable of the high-ranking SOLDIER members, he soon has to face hard truths about himself and his role within SOLDIER, and becomes caught up in a search to uncover the past regarding his own background and those of his friends.
Angeal is also FF7's first Buster Sword user. In FF7, the Buster Sword was just the default weapon used by Cloud, and most players swapped out for a better one when they found it. Crisis Core added a whole backstory for the weapon, which was originally forged for Angeal as a gift upon his acceptance into SOLDIER, and would later make its way to Zack, and then Cloud. The Buster Sword was given further significance in FF7 Remake and especially in the INTERmission DLC.
Lazard Deusericus Is The Director Of SOLDIER In Crisis Core: FF7 Reunion
The SOLDIER unit is one of the most important military assets of the Shinra Electric Power Company, as their presence on the battlefield will often result in an overwhelming victory. The members of SOLDIER answer to Director Lazard Deusericus, who acts as the overall manager of SOLDIER operations and is the one who directs their most important missions. Unlike most of FF7 Remake's high-ranking Shinra executives, Lazard grew up in the slums of Midgar, living beneath the plate that covers most of the city. Lazard's talent allowed him to swiftly rose through the ranks of the Shinra members, and he is currently one of the most powerful executives in the company, being only a few steps away from the top position.
Kunsel Is A Friend Of Zack (Who Might Be Important In FF7 Remake)
Not all of the characters in Crisis Core are high-ranked executives or genetically-enhanced super soldiers, One of Zack's best friends within the Shinra Electric Power Company is Kunsel, who keeps Zack updated about the goings-on within the company. Kunsel guides Zack during the tutorial at the start of the game and offers advice and commentary between missions.
Kunsel is a minor character, and he might not have appeared in this article, if not for FF7 Remake referencing Crisis Core. There's a moment in the FF7 Remake when Cloud's team is confronted by Shinra soldiers, and one of them mentions talking to Kunsel. This is one of the few instances where a character from Crisis Core is directly addressed by name in FF7 Remake, as characters like Angeal and Genesis are only hinted at. It's possible that Kunsel will have a role in future FF7 Remake games, especially following the events of the INTERmission DLC, where its ending hinted that there is more story to tell in Midgar.
Cissnei Is The Turk That Connects Crisis Core To Ever Crisis
Cissnei is a member of the Turks who is exclusive to the FF7 prequel games and has yet to appear in the remake timeline. She originally debuted as an unnamed playable character in the Japan-exclusive FF7: Before Crisis, but most fans are familiar with her role as one of Zack's allies in Crisis Core. The two start as friendly rivals, seeing as they belong to the Turks and SOLDIER, but this blossoms into a genuine friendship over time.
Cissnei becomes one of Zack's most vital allies within the Shinra Electric Power Company, and having a friend among the Turks is an invaluable asset, as they are the ones that the Shinra executives turn to when dirty work needs to be done, especially for assassinations and espionage. Fans will likely get a chance to see more of her in the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, as she should appear in the Before Crisis and Crisis Core sections of the game.
Genesis Rhapsodos Is One Of The Most Important FF7 Characters
Like Angeal Hewley and Sephiroth, Genesis Rhapsodos is a First Class ranked member of SOLDIER and one of the most powerful warriors in the service of the Shinra Electric Power Company. Unlike his more reserved friends, Genesis is an emotional and driven person, who is obsessed with the epic poem called LOVELESS, to the point where he attempts to emulate the events that happen within its story.
Genesis soon comes into conflict with the Shinra executives and his fellow members of SOLDIER, kicking off the events of Crisis Core. Genesis' actions go on to have long-running ramifications throughout the story of FF7, to the point where Dirge of Cerberus' hidden ending could be the key to understanding what is happening in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series. If Genesis' actions are important going forward, then he might be the reason why Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core - Reunion was made in the first place.