*Cloud Strife is the playable protagonist of Final Fantasy VII. He is a former Shinra soldier from Nibelheim who became a mercenary for hire in the Midgar undercity which led to him joining AVALANCHE and opposing the forces of Shinra and his tormented past by his archrival Sephiroth.

In Final Fantasy VII, due to the combined effect of mako poisoning and the influence of Jenova's cells in his body, Cloud unknowingly holds a fake persona created by the Jenova cells mixing his memories of Zack's personality with the somewhat cocky and selfish attitude he believes a SOLDIER 1st Class would act.

However, during the events of the game he eventually restores his original personality, and shows genuine concern for the fate of the planet, a sharp contrast to his persona at the start of the game where he claimed he didn't care about the planet and only agreed to help AVALANCHE for the right price.

Once his true memories are restored, Cloud holds the same personality, although his guilt over the events that he allowed to occur as a result of his false memories never left him.

Cloud's childhood thus far has only been covered in Final Fantasy VII, in flashbacks. Cloud was born in the sleepy mountain village of Nibelheim, and was neighbors with Tifa Lockhart. His father died when he was young and was raised by his mother.

He grew up isolated from the rest of the village children, feeling himself somehow better than them, though it is implied that he longed for the friendship of the others.

He developed a crush on Tifa, but hated her friends. Although the two consider each other (and are considered by others) to be childhood friends, by her own account they were not that close growing up, despite the fact he was her neighbor.

At the age of thirteen, Cloud learned of Sephiroth and his exploits. Resolving to become a hero like him, Cloud decided to set out and join SOLDIER. He called Tifa out to the water tower to tell her about his departure, silently hoping to impress her. Upon her request, he agreed to come save*