trevelyan1983 said:
That . . . makes a lot of sense, actually. And I could see Cloud retreating into that kind of mindset out of fear, or a misplaced self-sacrifice, or even not understanding his value to his friends.
But at the same time, Zack and Aeris showed him, if you're going to die, you don't go out like a bitch. Ever.
Yeah. The point is, Cloud, after regaining his memories, started to think of himself the worst humanly possible.
I couldn't save my mother, I couldn't save my hometown, I couldn't save my best friend, I couldn't save the woman I loved. As terribly illogical and human that is, these things have an higher value than a whole planet for a person. Add to that that he got ill, he felt even more useless and unworthy of even breathing his friends' same air.
Regarding SephirothVSCloud:
1) Yeah, that was pure luck, even if there, Cloud showed balls of steel. I mean, he got stabbed through the stomach and he raised Sephiroth with his own blade and threw him into the lifestream while still being stabbed through.
2) I'm not talking about the battle with Bizzaro and Safer Sephiroth, but after, when everyone gets out of the lifestream but Cloud gets sucked in to the center of the planet where him and Sephiroth do battle in singolar tenzone.
3) In AC... More than an asspull, it was a repeat of how he killed him the second time. Lots of stabbing around, Omnislash and there he goes down.
And regarding Cloud would be better if he was like Zack... No. Just... No. Nonono. We have come to like Cloud because he is like he is. Stop. Being like Zack, he would just be a clone with blonde hair. Just... No. His friends and Aeris loved him like he was, as in: nothing like Zack. So... Just no. Zack is Zack, Cloud is Cloud. Stop trying to turn the second into the first one just because you like it more.
@Genocidehearth: Well, people revere FFVII because if it wasn't for the game, RPGs would have probably stayed a niche genere, and they would have probably stayed in Japan. Before it came out, just two Final Fantasies had come out of Japan. Figures the other series... Earthbound had to be fanslated a decade later. It has even aged well, and it is the only Final Fantasy that has spawned a 'compilation', even if, I agree, there are other games that have helped define the 90s more than it, that's true.
Returning in topic... Well, the point is, fusing together Dragon Age and FFVII will take a lot of work. First thing, have you actually played Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Age origins? That's the first thing you should do before even thinking about writing the story. Play both games to 100%, because the premise you gave is similar to about 75% of the stories posted on FF.Net today, and they're not good at all.
If your idea for a crossover is 'OMGLET'SSENDALLTHESOLDIERSTODRAGONAGEAND
MAKETHEMKICKASS!', drop the keyboard. Don't even attempt it.
First thing that is a big punch in the eye: all of them reformed?
First nitpick about this: SEPHIROTH REFORMED?! O_O NOt even DEATH reformed him. Even from beyond the grave, his hate for the human race and Cloud in particular keeps him trying to mess things up. O_O
The other three? They're dead. That's a big 'how the hell'? Also, Aeris. She does have power over the lifestream of the planet, but on the lifestream of the whole universe? Well, that could be solved easily enough... From DoC we understand that there's indeed an 'universal lifestream', so, I guess that a call of distress for help from the planet of Dragon Age could be transmitted to the others.
There's the problem of the 'why' the DA planet would ask for help... I mean, he does have the grey wardens. Even if the whole Ferelden group got wiped out, there are the others in the other countries. Also, why a call of help for the Planet only?
Well... There's a way, actually... Something to make things even worse and to require help from someone who went through the same thing... Jenova. Or better, another Jenova. Landing in Ferelden right as the blight starts.
So, on top of having to deal with the Blight, there's a planet-destroying monstruosity.
You could make it like this. On one side, there's the Grey Warden and his group having to deal with the blight. On the other side, there's the help sent by the Planet to deal with Jenova-2, who is spreading her cells around already. Create another, different storyline, basically. Other challenges, other fights... But in a few points, make the two groups meet. Of course, the help sent should be Cloud. Case in point, he's the most powerful thing on the planet, and if Aeris asked him, he would agree.
I'd suggest giving him a completely original group of comrades, but I guess you could make him go with two of his old comrades. Your choice. Everyone would be confusing.
To bring in Sephiroth and the others... That's easy. Sephiroth tags along with Cloud for his trip and starts infecting the fade to help one of his 'relatives', who he believes to be a survived ancient, I guess. To stop him or at least halt his spread, Zack and Angeal get sent. According to the end of DoC, Genesis is still alive.
Wow... That's a lot of text.