When Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released, gamers experienced much more than a simple remake or remaster, but instead an entirely new game where the story and characters were fleshed out well beyond those in the original PlayStation title. Supporting cast members like Jessie, Biggs and Wedge went from fairly one-note characters, present seemingly only to fill out the ranks of Avalanche, to three-dimensional characters with more fully defined personalities and arcs. As the FF7 Remake series continues forward, many fans are curious which other NPCs might receive the same character elaboration in upcoming chapters.
While the original Final Fantasy 7 was a hit at the time of its release, with a style of presentation that was unheard of for an RPG of its era, the cinematic approach largely began and ended with the visuals for FF7. The storytelling of the game, while competent, fit in more with the games of its time, with major events being followed with minimal time to unpack the resulting emotions, and characters existing as broad-stroke archetypes more than fleshed out or dynamic characters. Visuals have clearly improved since the original PlayStation release, and storytelling standards have as well. Games like FF7 Remake fully embrace the emotional character growth previously associated with novels, movies, and prestige television series.
One of the first characters in need of more screen time and growth is Shera, a scientist who worked with Cid Highwind on the creation of a rocket intended for space flight. Cid had aborted the original launch of the rocket due to Shera being present in the hold doing final safety checks. Had he launched while she was still there, she would have died. Shera and Cid alike blame her for ruining his dreams of a successful space flight with her overcautiousness and poor judgment, and she accepts verbal rebuke from Cid without complaint.
FF7's Shera And Dyne Can Do More In FF7 Remake Part 2
Cid later learns that her concerns were valid, as the oxygen tank she was inspecting was, in fact, faulty, and nearly led to his death. Later Final Fantasy 7 media would note that Cid went on to marry Shera and named an airship after her. Though she serves largely to facilitate Cid’s character arc, Shera herself is certainly in need of more in-game growth, as her prudence and wisdom went unappreciated for many years.
As Shera plays a role in Cid’s arc, the story of Dyne was pivotal for Barret Wallace’s background. Dyne was Barret’s best friend, and the biological father of Marlene. When Shinra betrayed the village of Corel, Dyne and Barret’s wives were both killed, and Dyne believed his daughter died as well. Scarlet ordered Shinra soldiers to fire as Barret held Dyne over a cliff, costing each of them an arm. When Barret encounters Dyne later at Corel, transformed from a town into a prison, Dyne has become nihilistic and destructive, and plans to kill everyone he can, including his daughter, so they can be reunited in the afterlife with his wife.
Barret stops Dyne’s murderous plans, and Dyne takes his own life, leaving behind a memento for Marlene. Dyne’s story is tragic, mirroring Barret’s as a man who had everything taken away from him. Whereas Barret battled to improve things, Dyne had given up on the world. Dyne deserves more time for the weight of his story to resonate as it should in FF7 Remake Part 2.
Mentors Like Zangan And Bugenhagen Can Grow From FF7
Other characters that could benefit from elaboration include some of the mentor characters from the original. Tifa was FF7’s character embodying the Monk job class of prior Final Fantasy games, and she had learned martial arts from a traveling master named Zangan. Very little is revealed about Zangan, other than that he would “travel around the world teaching children martial arts,” and that he had 128 students.
Zangan had carried Tifa to safety, and later to Midgar for medical attention, following her grievous injury from Sephiroth at the time the town of Nibelheim was destroyed, an event Cloud had difficulty remembering properly until later in the game. Zangan’s letter to Tifa noted he may have also suffered an injury, preventing him from fighting like he used to. More information on this enigmatic martial arts master is definitely needed.
Many other supporting characters could benefit from the added dialogue and development of the first Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and could likely receive it in subsequent follow ups. Other mentors like Bugenhagen need more characterization along with Zangan. Aerith’s biological parents, Professor Gast and Ifalna, require more development for their tragic love to have its needed impact as well. Given its strong start, RPG fans can be hopeful that many other NPCs will end up as well developed as Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge.