Editing Cloud

|enval=Steve Burton (actor)

{{q|I'm looking for someone. Hades promised to help. I tried to exploit the power of darkness, but it backfired. I fell into darkness, and I couldn't find the light.|Cloud}}

[[File:A Mysterious Contender 01 KH.png|thumb|left|210px|Cloud competes in the Games in order to assassinate Hercules.]]

Sometime before [[Sora]] and company arrived at the [[Olympus Coliseum]], Cloud struck a deal with [[Hades]]: if Cloud eliminates [[Hercules]] in battle, Hades will lead him to his nemesis [[Sephiroth]]. However, Cloud also has to fight [[Sora]], so that he may move on to Hercules in the preliminaries rankings. In the ensuing battle, Sora emerges victorious, or Cloud succeeds in defeating Sora, but refuses to finish the young Keyblade wielder off. Regardless of the outcome, Cloud fails to defeat Sora, and Hades summons [[Cerberus]], who catches Cloud off-guard and pins him to the ground.

[[File:The Showdown 01 KHFM.png|thumb|210px|Cloud finally manages to track down Sephiroth and challenges him.]]

Afterwards, Cloud waits at the entrance to the Coliseum, deep in thought. Sora asks him why Cloud worked for someone as shady as Hades, and Cloud replies that he was looking for someone, and tried to use the [[darkness]] to his advantage, but failed. He admits that he fell into darkness, and couldn't find the [[light]]. But Sora comforts him, saying that he too is searching for his light. Cloud then grants Sora the [[Sonic Blade]] [[ability]], and walks off, but not before Sora offers a re-match. Cloud confidently says he'll pass, but later in the game, he can be fought in certain cups at the Olympus Coliseum.

Later on, Cloud is led by [[Cid]] to [[Hollow Bastion]], and reunites with [[Leon]], [[Aerith]], and [[Yuffie]] in the Library.

Cloud appears on the Olympus Coliseum floor in [[Castle Oblivion]], constructed from Sora's memories. Again, he serves as a mercenary for Hades. However, Cloud is working for Hades to regain his lost memories, not to find Sephiroth. Hades promises to help him, but only if Cloud competes in the games and defeating Hercules.

Completely ignoring Sora, Cloud confronts Hercules. However, Cloud only manages to wear Hercules down. Hades, no longer having any use for Cloud, fires him and knocks him out. Hades then attempts to defeat Hercules on his own now that he is exhausted. However, Sora interferes and defeats the God of the Underworld.

Cloud aids the residents of Hollow Bastion in defending against the [[Battle of the 1000 Heartless|Heartless invasion]]. He and Leon are seen at the [[Ravine Trail]], back to back with their swords raised as [[Heartless]] surround them. The two banter playfully back and forth, then proceed to fend off the Heartless. However, as he fights, he ends up separated from Leon, and Sephiroth makes his appearance. Cloud expresses his belief that once Sephiroth is defeated, his darkness will go away. However, Sephiroth reminds Cloud of his dark past, though it is not elaborated on. Cloud denies it, claiming that Sephiroth doesn't know him, but the winged being says otherwise. [[Tifa]], who had been searching fervently for Cloud, also arrives. However, her presence causes Cloud to see the light, making him wince. Sephiroth then vanishes, and Cloud runs off before Tifa can get to him.

Cloud has then seen with Leon again, who is worried about Sora, [[Donald]], and [[Goofy]] when they are teleported to the [[Realm of Darkness]]. Cloud assures him they are strong enough to take care of themselves. As he leaves, he remarks that Sora is "a lucky kid".

[[File:Conclusion 03 KHII.png|thumb|210px|Cloud clashes with Sephiroth.]]

Cloud, still searching for Sephiroth, can be found in the town center after this. Sora, having just fought Sephiroth, reveals that he is at [[The Dark Depths]], prompting Cloud to go off to settle the score. Upon arriving, Cloud becomes enraged when Sephiroth comments on how Cloud can never let go of his darkness and the two battle. However, Sephiroth claims that defeating him will be futile, for Cloud's darkness will always hold him back. Sephiroth's words begin to drag him into the depths of despair, but Tifa appears to help him. Ignoring Cloud's warning to leave, Tifa retorts that as long as Cloud is surrounded in light, the darkness within him can't be reached by Sephiroth. Tifa attacks Sephiroth as Cloud watches, but when flashes of light blind Cloud, Sephiroth attempts to strike him. However, Cloud successfully parries the attack, and takes a stand between Sephiroth and Tifa. Tifa offers Cloud her light, and though Sephiroth insists that the light doesn't suit Cloud, he begins to glow with a bright light, and the fight resumes. In a final brilliant flash of light, Cloud and Sephiroth rise into the air and vanish.

Data-Cloud makes a deal with Data-Hades about visiting other worlds with the Secret of Heroes. He wants to break away from his past and his powerlessness after he takes care of Data-Hercules and [[Data-Sora]]. It seems the reason he bargained with Data-Hades is so he could become stronger to protect someone. He learned from Data-Sora and Data-Hercules that his true strength comes from his [[heart]] when he protects someone; for example, blocking one of Data-Hades's fireballs from hitting his allies.

A statue of Cloud appears as the Narrator explains how Hades used him to further his plans but failed.

In ''Kingdom Hearts'', ''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories'', and ''Kingdom Hearts coded'', Cloud has an appearance similar to his appearance in ''Final Fantasy VII''. However, he also has a flowing red cape and a metal claw on his left hand, much like {{ff|Vincent Valentine}}, another character in ''Final Fantasy VII'', though there are some notable differences. Protruding from his back is one large demonic wing, a counterpart to Sephiroth's angelic one. The wing is not always extended, sometimes only appearing when he uses [[Omnislash]]. He also wields the {{ff|Buster Sword}}, though it is covered in bandages, possibly as a symbol of his bound self and past.

 

In ''Kingdom Hearts II'', Cloud's design changes dramatically. He is dressed in his outfit from ''Final Fantasy VII Advent Children'', with his hairstyle changing to match. He wields his {{ff|Fusion Sword|sword}} from ''Advent Children'' as well, although it is bandaged like the Buster Sword. The outlines of the component blades appear to be simply engraved, rather than actual edges. His wing is absent, although his face is nearly the same as Sephiroth's; an oddity remarked on by Goofy.

In ''[[Kingdom Hearts Re:coded]]'', when Data-Sora uses [[Subjugate]], Cloud uses the magic-casting animation from ''{{ff|Final Fantasy VII}}''. Additionally, when completing Olympus Coliseum with Cloud in the party, his victory pose matches his victory animation from ''Final Fantasy VII''.

In an interview, {{w|Kazushige Nojima}} stated that while Cloud makes a big deal of looking for Sephiroth in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'', he is actually running from something, the "something warm" that Tifa was after in ''Advent Children''.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania]]''''', pg. 718; '''Interviewer:''' "This was the first appearance of Tifa from ''Final Fantasy VII''." / '''Kazushige Nojima:''' "Tifa wasn't planned to appear at first. I was talking with Tetsu about what Cloud could be doing in Hollow Bastion, and we eventually moved towards him chasing after Sephiroth, but also being chased by something himself. So Cloud's really running from something, but goes around pretending, saying that he's chasing Sephiroth. Then we decided to make it him running from the 'something warm' like what Tifa was after in ''Advent Children''."</ref><!-- https://thelifestream.net/lifestream-projects/analysis/4698/the-love-triangle-of-ffvii-an-analysis-by-squall_of_seed/7/ & https://www.ign.com/faqs/2014/final-fantasy-vii-plot-analysis-faq According to online sources, this interview was originally on KH2.uk.co, but we need a direct source and credit the translation-->

His motivations for running, a combination of guilt and worry that he will be unable to protect the people he cares about, in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series is depicted similarly to Cloud's portrayal in the ''Final Fantasy'' universe.

When fighting, Cloud remains in a "combo" of astonishingly rapid sword strokes, only fighting normally when he seems to be winning and Sora or the others are near. Although Cloud is a much weaker boss than Sephiroth in ''Kingdom Hearts'', the fact he was able to go head-to-head with him in ''Kingdom Hearts II'' implies that he wasn't fighting as hard as he could against Sora. Cloud is, by far, the most powerful ally in ''Kingdom Hearts II''; along with being immune to damage, he is able to deal a large amount of damage in a very short amount of time. When using a cheat device to place him in the party, he often single-handedly obliterates even the most dangerous bosses in the game.

Cloud's recurring techniques include '''[[Cross Slash]]''', a three-hit sword combo with his sword, '''[[Sonic Blade]]''', a rushing attack he can often use repeatedly, '''Climhazzard''', a down-thrust attack from the air, and '''[[Omnislash]]''', a technique that allows him to fly around, slashing with his sword when getting close.

Cloud is also required for [[Cross-slash+]], which performs similarly to Cross-slash, except Cross-slash+ makes Cloud teleport behind the enemy before attacking it. Additionally, Cloud can be used as part of magic sleights that require the use of any summon card.

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Cloud appears as a party member in Olympus Coliseum. He can use Omnislash as a special attack.

{{ff|Cloud Strife}} was originally the main protagonist from ''Final Fantasy VII'', a console role-playing game that was developed by {{w|Square Co.|Square}} and published by {{w|Sony Computer Entertainment}} for Sony's {{w|PlayStation}}. It was released in Japan on January 31, 1997, and in North America on September 7, 1997.

Cloud was born and raised in the small town of Nibelheim, the same village Tifa is from. When he was 14, he aspired to be in {{ff|SOLDIER}}, an elite military group working for the Shinra Company.

Contrary to his journal entry in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', Cloud never made it into SOLDIER in ''Final Fantasy VII'', but instead suffered trauma during the {{ff|Nibelheim Incident}} that caused him to take on the persona of [[Zack|Zack Fair]], a best friend of his who was an actual SOLDIER 1st Class. He and his allies seek to defeat Sephiroth, a legendary SOLDIER whose descent into madness led him to burn down Nibelheim, killing many people including Cloud's mother and Tifa's father.