Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Why Cloud Constantly Gets Headaches

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Cloud's headaches in aren't just random: there's a very specific reason for these sudden bursts of pain. Cloud is a very conflicted character, and throughout the game, he suffers from splitting headaches at various moments. The original game had Cloud experiencing the same thing, but it's even more drastic and dramatic in the. Cloud sees random visions, hears painful scratching noises, and clutches his head whenever a headache comes on.

So, Cloud's headaches are obviously more than the average migraine. There's something else going on with Cloud, but the truth remains a mystery for most of 's runtime. The reason for the headaches is directly tied to Cloud's past, but there are a few different interpretations about which events influence them. And even though Cloud's headaches were also a part of the original, story changes in the remake trilogy mean there could now be extra layers.

Cloud's random headaches and visions could be a result of his identity crisis, a persistent conflict throughout the compilation of. Cloud introduces himself in as a former SOLDIER, First Class. This is the most elite rank in Shinra's army, one achieved only by the most decorated war heroes like Sephiroth. This isn't revealed explicitly until, but in truth, Cloud was never actually in SOLDIER, and only ever served as a Shinra grunt. Zack Fair, the black-haired character in 's ending, is an actual SOLDIER, First Class, but Cloud gets his and Zack's memories mixed up as a result of Mako exposure.

In, Cloud becomes friends with Zack as a new recruit, and the pair are sent on a mission with Sephiroth. That mission ends in the Nibelheim Incident, when Sephiroth learns that his DNA has been spliced with the alien Jenova's, and razes Cloud's entire hometown. After confronting Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack are captured by Shinra and put through Professor Hojo's experiments for years. Both Cloud and Zack are pumped full of Mako, and infused with Jenova cells to try and create another Sephiroth.

Zack