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{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|ultimate=y}}
:''For fighter info, see [[Cloud (SSB4)]]. For other meanings of "cloud", see [[Cloud (disambiguation)]].''
{{forfighter|Cloud|SSB4=y|SSBU=y}} ''For other meanings of "cloud", see [[Cloud (disambiguation)]].''
{{Infobox Character General
{{Infobox Character General
|name         = Cloud Strife
|name           = Cloud Strife
|image       = [[File:Cloud_Strife.png|220px]]
|image         = {{tabber|width=300px|title1=Final Fantasy VII|content1=[[File:Cloud Strife.png|x300px]]|title2=Advent Children|content2=[[File:AdventChildrenCloud.png|x300px]]}}
|caption     = [[File:FinalFantasySymbol.svg|50px]]
|caption       = [[File:FinalFantasySymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]<br>Official artworks of Cloud from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Dissidia Final Fantasy}}'' and ''{{iw|wikipedia|Dissidia Final Fantasy NT}}''.
Official artwork of Cloud from<br>''{{s|wikipedia|Dissidia Final Fantasy}}''.
|universe       = {{uv|Final Fantasy}}
|universe     = {{uv|Final Fantasy}}
|firstgame     = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII}}'' (1997)
|firstgame   = ''{{s|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII}}'' (1997)
|games         = ''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|games       = ''[[SSB4]]''
|lastappearance = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII Rebirth}}'' (2024)
|lastappearance= ''[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Dissidia_Final_Fantasy_Opera_Omnia Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia]'' (2017) {{flag|Japan}}
|console       = PlayStation
|console     = PlayStation
|species       = Human (augmented via Mako and Jenova cells)
|species     = Human (biologically augmented with Jenova cells and Mako)
|gender         = Male
|gender       = Male
|creator       = {{iw|wikipedia|Yoshinori Kitase}}<br>{{iw|wikipedia|Kazushige Nojima}}<br>[[Tetsuya Nomura]]<br>{{iw|wikipedia|Hironobu Sakaguchi}}
|creator     = {{s|wikipedia|Yoshinori Kitase}}<br>{{s|wikipedia|Kazushige Nojima}}<br>{{s|wikipedia|Tetsuya Nomura}}<br>{{s|wikipedia|Hironobu Sakaguchi}}
|artist         = Tetsuya Nomura
|artist       = {{s|wikipedia|Tetsuya Nomura}}
|homeworld     = Nibelheim (birthplace)<br>Edge (surrogate hometown)
|homeworld   = Gaia
|voiceactor     = {{iw|wikipedia|Takahiro Sakurai}}
|voiceactor   = {{s|wikipedia|Takahiro Sakurai}}
|interwiki     = wikipedia
|interwiki     = wikipedia
|interwikiname = Wikipedia
|interwikiname = Wikipedia
|interwikipage = Cloud Strife
|interwikipage = Cloud Strife
}}
}}
'''Cloud Strife''' ({{ja|クラウド・ストライフ|Kuraudo Sutoraifu}}, ''Cloud Strife'') is the main protagonist of ''{{s|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII}}'' and its related media, the ''{{s|wikipedia|Compilation of Final Fantasy VII}}'' from the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series by [[Square Enix]].
'''Cloud Strife''' ({{ja|クラウド・ストライフ|Kuraudo Sutoraifu}}, ''Cloud Strife'') is a character from [[Square Enix]]'s {{uv|Final Fantasy}} series. He is the main protagonist of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII}}'', its [[wikipedia:Final Fantasy VII Remake|high-definition remake]], and its film sequel, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children}}''. Cloud also appears in a supporting role throughout ''Final Fantasy VII''{{'}}s related media, the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Compilation of Final Fantasy VII}}''. Cloud also makes appearances in the {{uv|Kingdom Hearts}} franchise.


==Character description==
Initially appearing as a proud, yet arrogant and aloof swordsman who claims to be a former member of the elite paramilitary group SOLDIER, Cloud is hired by the insurgency group Avalanche as a mercenary to help them in their cause against the Shinra Electric Power Company. As Cloud's journey unfolds, he rediscovers his past and, alongside his newfound friends within Avalanche, abandons his quest for power and fame in favor of fighting alongside his friends in order to defend their home planet of Gaia.
[[file:AdventChildrenCloud.png|thumb|left|130px|Cloud's appearance in ''{{iw|wikipedia|Kingdom Hearts II}}'', based on his attire from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children}}'', which inspired his [[alternate costume]] in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
Cloud was born in the mountain village of Nibelheim. He considered himself to be superior to all the other members of the village, and thus, did not enjoy their company; as a result, aside from his lifelong neighbor Tifa Lockhart, he never had any close friends growing up. At the age of 13, he left for [[Midgar]] to join SOLDIER, the paramilitary arm of the Shinra Electric Power Company who ruled the world.


Much to his dismay, he was unable to join SOLDIER, and became a mere infantryman. However, he was one of the few people selected to protect Professor Rayleigh from the insurgency group known as AVALANCHE, and despite his status as an infantryman, he showed a great amount of skill with a sword. Cloud would eventually befriend a first-class SOLDIER named Zack Fair.
Cloud made his ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' debut in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' as a [[Downloadable content|downloadable]] character, and returns in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as an [[unlockable character]].


His life was changed forever when he, Zack, and another SOLDIER named Sephiroth were sent to Nibelheim to investigate a faulty reactor. During the mission, Sephiroth discovered a lifeform named Jenova and came to believe that she was his mother. He went insane, destroyed Nibelheim, and wounded Zack and Tifa, but Cloud ambushed and managed to defeat him. Afterwards, he and Zack were captured by Shinra's corrupt head scientist, Professor Hojo, and experimented upon for four years. Zack eventually escaped with a comatose Cloud in his arms and attempted to flee to Midgar, but was ambushed by a massive army of Shinra troops, overrun, and killed.
==Origin==
Cloud first appears in the game ''Final Fantasy VII'' and is the first character the player can control directly. He was born in the mountain village of Nibelheim. During his childhood, his father died and he was raised by his mother. Due to his lack of close friends, Cloud, perhaps as a coping mechanism, considered himself to be superior to all the other village children, and thus did not enjoy their company.


The trauma of these events combined with Hojo's experimentation drove Cloud insane; his memories warped, causing him to believe that he was an ex-SOLDIER and to forget that Zack ever existed. At Tifa's behest, he joined the second generation of AVALANCHE led by Barret Wallace, and aided them in their battles against Shinra and a revived Sephiroth alongside allies including Aerith Gainsborough, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Cid Highwind, Yuffie Kisaragi, and Vincent Valentine. Eventually, he discovered that his memories were fake and, with Tifa's aid, came to terms with his past and was able to move on. Despite Sephiroth killing Aerith, Cloud and his friends eventually managed to defeat Sephiroth, saving the world.
At the age of 14, Cloud, upon learning of the legendary hero [[Sephiroth]]'s exploits and desiring to impress Tifa, left Nibelheim for [[Midgar]] to join SOLDIER, the paramilitary arm of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a megacorporation that effectively ruled the world. Although he was too mentally weak to join SOLIDER and instead became a mere infantryman, Cloud would eventually become best friends with a 1st Class SOLDIER named {{iw|wikipedia|Zack Fair}}.


In the years that follow, Cloud, Tifa, and the party go their separate ways. Cloud and Tifa settle down in the city of Edge and set up a delivery business called the Strife Delivery Service. He also takes in two children; Denzel, an orphan suffering from Geostigma, a new disease that has started to appear after the defeat of Sephiroth, and Barret's adopted daughter Marlene.
Cloud and Zack were later captured by Shinra's corrupt head scientist, Professor Hojo, and experimented upon to test Hojo's Reunion Theory, a facet of the Jenova Project. This experimentation resulted in Cloud becoming as powerful as a 1st Class SOLDIER, but also rendered him catatonic. Four years after being deemed failures during the experimentation, Zack eventually escaped with a weak and delirious Cloud in his arms, but was ambushed by a massive army of Shinra troops and killed. Cloud takes up Zack's sword and attempts to be his successor, although the trauma from Zack's death shattered Cloud's mental stability. His memories warped, causing him to believe that he was an ex-SOLDIER and to forget that Zack ever existed, essentially replacing him in his mind. Eventually, Cloud discovered that he inadvertently mimicked Zack's personality in lieu of his memories; he came to terms with his past, resumed his true personality, and was able to move on. Despite Sephiroth killing Aerith and receiving the Black Materia from a mind controlled Cloud, Cloud and his friends eventually managed to defeat Sephiroth and thus save the world.


In the years that follow, Cloud and the party go their separate ways. In the film sequel ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children}}'', Cloud, Tifa, Barret and Marlene settle down in the city of Edge and set up a delivery business called the Strife Delivery Service. He also takes in Denzel, an orphan suffering from Geostigma, a disease that has started to appear after the defeat of Sephiroth.
Cloud eventually sets out to find a cure for Geostigma, having been infected himself thanks to Hojo's experimentation. He discovers that Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, three manifestations of Sephiroth's consciousness, are responsible for the disease and have been kidnapping Geostigma-infected children with the intention of using the Jenova cells within them to revive her. Cloud confronts the trio but is outmatched; he is rescued by Vincent, who reveals that Geostigma is a plague caused by Jenova cells.
Cloud eventually sets out to find a cure for Geostigma, having been infected himself thanks to Hojo's experimentation. He discovers that Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, three manifestations of Sephiroth's consciousness, are responsible for the disease and have been kidnapping Geostigma-infected children with the intention of using the Jenova cells within them to revive her. Cloud confronts the trio but is outmatched; he is rescued by Vincent, who reveals that Geostigma is a plague caused by Jenova cells.
Kadaj eventually leads an attack on Edge to find the remains of Jenova. The former members of Avalanche reunite to face him, and Cloud manages to cure his Geostigma using Lifestream-infused water flowing in Aerith's old church. Cloud encounters Kadaj and defeats him in the ruins of Midgar, but Kadaj merges with Jenova's remains to resurrect Sephiroth. The two duel once again and Cloud emerges victorious, resulting in Sephiroth fading away while his manifestations die immediately afterward. Cloud then returns to the church with the infected children and uses the water to cleanse the Geostigma out of them.


Kadaj eventually leads an attack on Edge to find the remains of Jenova. The former members of AVALANCHE reunite to face him, and Cloud manages to cure his Geostigma using Lifestream-infused water flowing in Aerith's old church. Cloud encounters Kadaj and defeats him in the ruins of Midgar, but Kadaj merges with Jenova's remains to resurrect Sephiroth. The two duel once again, and Cloud emerges victorious, resulting in Sephiroth fading away while his manifestations die immediately afterward. Cloud then returns to the church with the infected children and uses the water to cleanse the Geostigma out of them. He then says a final farewell to the spirits of Zack and Aerith.
As ''Final Fantasy VII'' became the best-selling and most recognized game in its series, Cloud is widely considered the most famous ''Final Fantasy'' character. Despite the unconnected nature of each main game, Cloud is often used to represent the franchise as a whole (much like [[Marth]] for {{uv|Fire Emblem}}), and frequently shows up in crossovers with other series. In some of his more notable side appearances, Cloud has been playable in every ''{{iw|wikipedia|Dissidia Final Fantasy}}'' title to date, and has served as a boss, side character, or an ally in multiple {{uv|Kingdom Hearts}} titles.


Cloud was originally voiceless in his game of origin, and it was not until his appearance in ''Kingdom Hearts'' that he was given a voice-over; he was voiced by Takahiro Sakurai and Steve Burton in Japanese and English respectively throughout later appearances (the latter does not reprise his role in ''Smash'').
Cloud was originally voiceless in his game of origin; although he is voiced by {{iw|wikipedia|Kenyu Horiuchi}} and {{iw|wikipedia|Nozumu Sasaki}} in the arcade and PlayStation versions, respectively, of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Ehrgeiz}}'', it was not until his appearance in ''{{iw|wikipedia|Kingdom Hearts|video game}}'' that he was given a consistent voiceover. In Japanese, Cloud is voiced by {{iw|wikipedia|Takahiro Sakurai}} in all appearances since ''Kingdom Hearts''. In English, Cloud was voiced by {{iw|wikipedia|Steve Burton|actor}} from ''Kingdom Hearts'' up until ''Final Fantasy VII Remake'', with {{iw|wikipedia|Cody Christian}} replacing Burton as the English voice for ''Final Fantasy VII Remake''. However, Burton was not asked to reprise his role for ''Super Smash Bros.'' due to conflicts regarding his contract with Square Enix, so Sakurai's voice is used in all international versions.


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
[[File:Cloud SSB4.png|thumb|left|175px|Cloud as he appears in ''SSB4''.]]
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Cloud (SSB4)}}
{{Main|Cloud (SSB4)}}
During the November 12, 2015 [[Nintendo Direct]], Cloud was announced to appear in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' as [[downloadable content]]. This makes him the fifth third-party character to appear in ''SSB4'', and the first representative of [[Square Enix]]. According to [[Masahiro Sakurai]], Cloud was the most requested ''Final Fantasy'' character to appear in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.
[[File:Cloud SSB4.png|thumb|200px|Cloud, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
Cloud appears as a [[newcomer]] in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', and was formally announced during a [[Nintendo Direct]] on November 12, 2015.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3AnGHbG6s Nintendo Direct Presentation - Mario, Zelda, Pokemon & More | Game Overviews (11/12/15)]</ref> This makes him the second character to be both [[downloadable]] and from a third party developer, the sixth character overall to be from a third party developer, and the first fighter hailing from [[Square Enix]]. According to ''Super Smash Bros.'' series creator [[Masahiro Sakurai]], ''Final Fantasy'' characters were heavily requested to appear in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, with Cloud receiving the most support out of all of them.<ref name=SakNom/>


Cloud currently ranks 3rd out of 58 on the ''SSB4'' [[tier list]], making him one of four characters in the S tier. Cloud's strengths include a highly [[disjointed]] range thanks to his [[Buster Sword]], surprisingly fast attacks relative to his range, and effective overall mobility, all of which give him a very offensive-based style that is capable at combos and excels at aerial combat, especially [[edgeguard]]ing, despite his status as a heavyweight. Additionally, his unique [[Limit Break]] mechanic slightly boosts his attributes and converts all his special moves into fast and powerful KO options once it's full, further improving Cloud's offensive presence to the point that he can score KOs even at fairly low percentages. However, Cloud has some glaring issues, such as one of the weakest grab games among the cast, polarized aerial movement and a lackluster recovery that gives him low off-stage survivability. Most notably, his KO potential fluctuates due to having very few easy-to-land KO moves outside of his Limit Break special moves. Overall, Cloud, like {{SSB4|Mario}}, boasts numerous advantages that are supplemented by a relatively low learning curve, which have contributed to him achieving very noticeable tournament results and representation.  
While discussing potential candidates from the ''Final Fantasy'' series to include in ''SSB4'', Sakurai stated in an interview with Square Enix veteran Tetsuya Nomura that he could have included characters such as, [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Bartz_Klauser Bartz Klauser] from ''Final Fantasy V'', or [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Terra_Branford Terra Branford] from ''Final Fantasy VI''.<ref name=SakNom>[https://www.sourcegaming.info/2016/01/20/sakurai-x-nomura-creator-interview-2016-part-one/ Sakurai x Nomura: Creator Interview 2016 (Part One) - Source Gaming]</ref> However, Sakurai ultimately said it was difficult to imagine a ''Final Fantasy'' character to include that was not Cloud, primarily owing to his design and iconic status.<ref name=SakNom/>
 
Unlike most playable characters, Cloud has two distinct models that comprise his costumes: his classic ''Final Fantasy VII'' design (albeit with his slightly modified attire from ''Dissidia Final Fantasy''<ref name=SakNom/>) is his default costume alongside the Buster Sword, while his "Cloudy Wolf" design from ''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' is an alternate costume alongside the Fusion Sword.
 
Cloud's strengths include highly [[disjointed]] range thanks to his [[Buster Sword]], surprisingly fast attacks relative to his range and power, and quick overall mobility.<ref name=SakNom/> Despite being a heavyweight, these traits collectively give him a heavily offensive playstyle that is useful for combos and excellent at aerial combat, especially [[edgeguard]]ing. Additionally, Cloud's unique [[Limit Break]] [[fighter ability]] slightly boosts his attributes and converts his special moves into powerful, single-use KOing options once it is full, further improving his offensive presence to the point that he can score KOs even at fairly low percentages.
 
However, Cloud has a few glaring weaknesses in spite of his tremendous strengths. The most notable of these is his inconsistent KO potential, which is due to his very small number of easy-to-land KOing options outside of his Limit Break special moves. Aside from this, Cloud's polarized aerial movement results in his recovery and off-stage endurance both being lackluster.<ref name=SakNom/> Lastly, his grab game is one of the worst among the cast, and some of his moves have noticeable amounts of ending lag.<ref name=SakNom/>
 
Overall, Cloud, like {{SSB4|Mario}}, boasts numerous advantages that are supplemented by a relatively low learning curve,<ref name=SakNom/> which have contributed to him achieving very noticeable tournament results and representation. As a result, Cloud is ranked 2nd/3rd out of 54 on the current [[tier list]], tied with {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}; this places him in the S tier and posits him as a top tier character.
{{clrl}}


===Trophies===
===Trophies===
;Cloud
{{main|List of SSB4 trophies (Final Fantasy series)}}
:''The protagonist of FINAL FANTASY VII, Cloud wields the enormous Buster Sword, a memento from his comrade Zack. Once a SOLDIER of Shinra, he now fights as a mercenary against the corporation he originally served. His decision to join AVALANCHE's insurgence, however, will transform his destiny.''
{{Trophy
|name=Cloud
|image-3ds=CloudTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=CloudTrophyWiiU.png
|desc=The protagonist of FINAL FANTASY VII, Cloud wields the enormous Buster Sword, a memento from his comrade Zack. Once a SOLDIER of Shinra, he now fights as a mercenary against the corporation he originally served. His decision to join AVALANCHE’<!--Do not change to a normal apostrophe, single-quote is used in the game-->s insurgence, however, will transform his destiny.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=FINAL FANTASY VII|release1=11/1997}}
}}
{{clrl}}


;Cloud (Alt.)
{{Trophy
:''Filling the Limit Gauge allows Cloud to perform a Limit Break, supercharging his next special move. His down special becomes Finishing Touch. With a huge swing of his sword, Cloud summons a whirlwind that inflicts only 1% damage, but boasts brutal launch power. Go for a KO while foes' damage is still low!''
|name=Cloud (Alt.)
|image-3ds=CloudAltTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=CloudAltTrophyWiiU.png
|desc=Filling the Limit Gauge allows Cloud to perform a Limit Break, supercharging his next special move. His down special becomes Finishing Touch. With a huge swing of his sword, Cloud summons a whirlwind that inflicts only 1% damage, but boasts brutal launch power. Go for a KO while his foes' damage is still low!
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=FINAL FANTASY VII|release1=11/1997}}
}}
{{clrl}}
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Cloud (SSBU)}}
[[File:Cloud SSBU.png|thumb|Cloud, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.]]
Cloud returns as a playable character in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. He was formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via ''Ultimate''{{'}}s E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch]</ref> Although his moveset is largely unchanged aesthetically, Cloud received noteworthy mechanical changes, particularly to his Limit Breaks. Unlike in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', the Limit Gauge is now constantly displayed next to his [[damage meter]], and a full Limit Charge must be used within 15 seconds or else it will deplete entirely.
 
As of update 10.1.0, Cloud's "Cloudy Wolf" costumes use Omnislash Ver. 5 like in ''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'', complete with Takahiro Sakurai reprising his role as Cloud's voice actor. Compared to [[Omnislash]], Omnislash Ver. 5 has the same total damage output and knockback, but consists of 11 initial hits instead of 14 (with each hit inflicting 0.6% more damage to compensate) and has different hitbox placements. This same update also made Tetsuya Nomura's artwork of Cloud from the PlayStation release of ''Final Fantasy VII'' into his default fighter spirit, although the player can still swap between it and his ''Ultimate'' render fighter spirit.
{{clr}}
 
===Spirits===
<center>
<center>
<gallery>
<gallery>
CloudTrophy3DS.png|Classic (3DS)
SSBU spirit Cloud.png|1,004. '''''Cloud'''''
CloudTrophyWiiU.png|Classic (Wii U)
SSBU spirit Cloud (Advent Children).png|1,005. '''Cloud (Advent Children)'''
CloudAltTrophy3DS.png|Alt. (3DS)
CloudAltTrophyWiiU.png|Alt. (Wii U)
</gallery>
</gallery>
</center>
</center>
{{clr}}
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Cloud poster.jpg|Cloud's Poster for ''Smash 4''.
Cloud Advent Children SSB4.png|Cloud in his ''Advent Children'' costume, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.
Cloud-Alt1 SSBU.png|Cloud in his ''Advent Children'' costume, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.
</gallery>
 
==Names in other languages==
{{langtable
|ja={{ja|クラウド|Kuraudo}}, ''Cloud''
|en=Cloud
|fr=Cloud
|es=Cloud
|de=Cloud
|it=Cloud
|nl=Cloud
|pt=Cloud
|ru={{rollover|Клауд|Klaud|?}}
|ko={{rollover|클라우드|Keullaudeu|?}}, ''Cloud''
|zh=Cloud<ref>Prior to version 10.0.0</ref><br>{{rollover|克劳德|Kè láo dé|?}}, ''Cloud''<ref>In version 10.0.0 onwards</ref>
}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Cloud is the only third-party character whose debut game never released on a [[Nintendo]] system in any form, though ''Final Fantasy VII'' originally began development as a {{iw|wikipedia|Super Nintendo}} game before moving to the [[Nintendo 64]] and then finally moving to and releasing on the {{iw|wikipedia|PlayStation|console}}.
*As of ''Ultimate'', Cloud, [[Mewtwo]], [[Hero|Luminary]] and [[Sephiroth]] are the only characters to use Japanese voice acting in the international versions of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series despite having established English voice actors.
*Cloud is the second playable character in ''Super Smash Bros.'' to originate from a franchise containing an M-rated entry (Final Fantasy Type-0 HD received an M-rating from the ESRB), the first being [[Solid Snake]], and the third being [[Bayonetta]].
**He and Sephiroth are the only ones whose speaking lines are not replaced with generic grunts in the international versions.
**Unlike Snake or Bayonetta, however, Cloud himself has never been featured in a Mature-rated game.
*Cloud, Sephiroth, [[Richter Belmont]], Joker and Hero are the only third-party characters who did not debut in the first game of their respective home series.<!--This excludes Sonic's cameo in Rad Mobile and Banjo's cameo in Diddy Kong Racing.-->
**Also unlike Snake and Bayonetta, Cloud's series general rating is T while both Snake and Bayonetta's series general rating is M.
*Cloud, [[Young Link]] and [[Toon Link]] are the only swordsmen in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series capable of [[wall jump]]ing.
*Cloud is the only third-party character who didn't debut in the first game of his series.<!--This excludes Sonic's cameo in Rad Mobile.-->
*Due to having access to his "Cloudy Wolf" attire from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children}}'', Cloud is the only character with an alternate costume directly taken from a movie.<!--As opposed to referencing one indirectly, like Luigi's purple-yellow alt or Terry's OVA alt.-->
*Cloud is one of the only three swordfighters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series to have the ability to [[wall jump]], the others being [[Toon Link]] and [[Young Link]].
*Cloud is the first character to have his [[victory theme]] continuously play over the results theme.
*Cloud is one of the few playable characters who is only voiced in Japanese, much like [[Marth]] and [[Roy]]. However, unlike them, Cloud already had a well-established English voice actor, {{iw|wikipedia|Steve Burton|actor}}, and yet he did not reprise his role. According to Burton, he was [https://twitter.com/1SteveBurton/status/665628225687707648 never asked to voice Cloud in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'']. This was mainly due to the fact that Steve Burton is a union-based voice actor; Square Enix only allows Burton to be the voice of Cloud in English if he is credited as such, disallowing the workaround that Antony Del Rio (voice actor for {{SSB4|Pit}} and {{SSB4|Dark Pit}}) and Hynden Walch (voice actress for [[Viridi]]) took of voicing their characters while remaining uncredited in the game.
*Prior to update 10.1.0 in ''Ultimate'', Cloud was the only third-party character in the game who did not use pre-existing artwork for his [[fighter spirit]]s. However, his ''Advent Children'' costume's fighter spirit continues to feature his ''Ultimate'' render only.
*Cloud, Sephiroth, and Hero each hail from one of the two companies that merged into Square Enix, as Cloud and Sephiroth were from Squaresoft and the Hero was from Enix.
*Cloud is the first fighter whose [[Final Smash]] was substantially altered in an update, and consequently the first fighter whose Final Smash varies in name and appearance depending on the [[alternate costume]].
*Prior to update 10.0.0 of ''Ultimate'', if the game's [[language]] was set to either variant of Chinese, Cloud's name was shown in English on the [[character selection screen]] and the [[Spirits (mode)|Spirits mode]], as with several other characters in the Chinese and Korean translations of the game. As of update 10.0.0, he has his name written properly in hanzi. This is presumably due to the release of ''Final Fantasy VII Remake'', which is the first game in the ''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' series to receive an official Chinese translation.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.twitter.com/Peachi_Ying39th/status/1339843168905252867|title= クラウド、ついに繁体字中国語で名前が「漢化」!欧文から漢字表記に変更されたことを確認。 #中国語 #スマブラSP #SmashBrosSP #NintendoSwitch|language=ja|author=@Peachi_Ying39th on Twitter|date=December 18, 2020}}</ref>
**However, the [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site|official site for ''Ultimate'']] was never updated to reflect this in either variant of Chinese.


==External links==
==External links==
*Article on the [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Cloud_Strife Final Fantasy Wiki]
*Article on the [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Cloud_Strife Final Fantasy Wiki]
*Article on the [[khwiki:Cloud|Kingdom Hearts Wiki]]
==References==
{{reflist}}


{{characters}}
{{characters}}
{{Final Fantasy universe}}
{{Final Fantasy universe}}
[[Category: Cloud]]
[[Category:Cloud| ]]
[[Category: Third party characters]]
[[Category:Third-party characters]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)]]
[[Category:Square Enix]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[es:Cloud Strife]]

Latest revision as of 01:36, September 14, 2024

For fighter info, see Cloud (SSB4) and Cloud (SSBU). For other meanings of "cloud", see Cloud (disambiguation).
Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife.png
AdventChildrenCloud.png

FinalFantasySymbol.svg
Official artworks of Cloud from Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
Universe Final Fantasy
Debut Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Smash Bros. appearances SSB4
Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024)
Console/platform of origin PlayStation
Species Human (augmented via Mako and Jenova cells)
Gender Male
Place of origin Nibelheim (birthplace)
Edge (surrogate hometown)
Created by Yoshinori Kitase
Kazushige Nojima
Tetsuya Nomura
Hironobu Sakaguchi
Designed by Tetsuya Nomura
Voice actor Takahiro Sakurai
Article on Wikipedia Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife (クラウド・ストライフ, Cloud Strife) is a character from Square Enix's Final Fantasy series. He is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII, its high-definition remake, and its film sequel, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Cloud also appears in a supporting role throughout Final Fantasy VII's related media, the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Cloud also makes appearances in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Initially appearing as a proud, yet arrogant and aloof swordsman who claims to be a former member of the elite paramilitary group SOLDIER, Cloud is hired by the insurgency group Avalanche as a mercenary to help them in their cause against the Shinra Electric Power Company. As Cloud's journey unfolds, he rediscovers his past and, alongside his newfound friends within Avalanche, abandons his quest for power and fame in favor of fighting alongside his friends in order to defend their home planet of Gaia.

Cloud made his Super Smash Bros. debut in Super Smash Bros. 4 as a downloadable character, and returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an unlockable character.

Origin[edit]

Cloud first appears in the game Final Fantasy VII and is the first character the player can control directly. He was born in the mountain village of Nibelheim. During his childhood, his father died and he was raised by his mother. Due to his lack of close friends, Cloud, perhaps as a coping mechanism, considered himself to be superior to all the other village children, and thus did not enjoy their company.

At the age of 14, Cloud, upon learning of the legendary hero Sephiroth's exploits and desiring to impress Tifa, left Nibelheim for Midgar to join SOLDIER, the paramilitary arm of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a megacorporation that effectively ruled the world. Although he was too mentally weak to join SOLIDER and instead became a mere infantryman, Cloud would eventually become best friends with a 1st Class SOLDIER named Zack Fair.

Cloud and Zack were later captured by Shinra's corrupt head scientist, Professor Hojo, and experimented upon to test Hojo's Reunion Theory, a facet of the Jenova Project. This experimentation resulted in Cloud becoming as powerful as a 1st Class SOLDIER, but also rendered him catatonic. Four years after being deemed failures during the experimentation, Zack eventually escaped with a weak and delirious Cloud in his arms, but was ambushed by a massive army of Shinra troops and killed. Cloud takes up Zack's sword and attempts to be his successor, although the trauma from Zack's death shattered Cloud's mental stability. His memories warped, causing him to believe that he was an ex-SOLDIER and to forget that Zack ever existed, essentially replacing him in his mind. Eventually, Cloud discovered that he inadvertently mimicked Zack's personality in lieu of his memories; he came to terms with his past, resumed his true personality, and was able to move on. Despite Sephiroth killing Aerith and receiving the Black Materia from a mind controlled Cloud, Cloud and his friends eventually managed to defeat Sephiroth and thus save the world.

In the years that follow, Cloud and the party go their separate ways. In the film sequel Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Cloud, Tifa, Barret and Marlene settle down in the city of Edge and set up a delivery business called the Strife Delivery Service. He also takes in Denzel, an orphan suffering from Geostigma, a disease that has started to appear after the defeat of Sephiroth.

Cloud eventually sets out to find a cure for Geostigma, having been infected himself thanks to Hojo's experimentation. He discovers that Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, three manifestations of Sephiroth's consciousness, are responsible for the disease and have been kidnapping Geostigma-infected children with the intention of using the Jenova cells within them to revive her. Cloud confronts the trio but is outmatched; he is rescued by Vincent, who reveals that Geostigma is a plague caused by Jenova cells.

Kadaj eventually leads an attack on Edge to find the remains of Jenova. The former members of Avalanche reunite to face him, and Cloud manages to cure his Geostigma using Lifestream-infused water flowing in Aerith's old church. Cloud encounters Kadaj and defeats him in the ruins of Midgar, but Kadaj merges with Jenova's remains to resurrect Sephiroth. The two duel once again and Cloud emerges victorious, resulting in Sephiroth fading away while his manifestations die immediately afterward. Cloud then returns to the church with the infected children and uses the water to cleanse the Geostigma out of them.

As Final Fantasy VII became the best-selling and most recognized game in its series, Cloud is widely considered the most famous Final Fantasy character. Despite the unconnected nature of each main game, Cloud is often used to represent the franchise as a whole (much like Marth for Fire Emblem), and frequently shows up in crossovers with other series. In some of his more notable side appearances, Cloud has been playable in every Dissidia Final Fantasy title to date, and has served as a boss, side character, or an ally in multiple Kingdom Hearts titles.

Cloud was originally voiceless in his game of origin; although he is voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi and Nozumu Sasaki in the arcade and PlayStation versions, respectively, of Ehrgeiz, it was not until his appearance in Kingdom Hearts that he was given a consistent voiceover. In Japanese, Cloud is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai in all appearances since Kingdom Hearts. In English, Cloud was voiced by Steve Burton from Kingdom Hearts up until Final Fantasy VII Remake, with Cody Christian replacing Burton as the English voice for Final Fantasy VII Remake. However, Burton was not asked to reprise his role for Super Smash Bros. due to conflicts regarding his contract with Square Enix, so Sakurai's voice is used in all international versions.

In Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Cloud (SSB4)
Cloud, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Cloud appears as a newcomer in Super Smash Bros. 4, and was formally announced during a Nintendo Direct on November 12, 2015.[1] This makes him the second character to be both downloadable and from a third party developer, the sixth character overall to be from a third party developer, and the first fighter hailing from Square Enix. According to Super Smash Bros. series creator Masahiro Sakurai, Final Fantasy characters were heavily requested to appear in the Super Smash Bros. series, with Cloud receiving the most support out of all of them.[2]

While discussing potential candidates from the Final Fantasy series to include in SSB4, Sakurai stated in an interview with Square Enix veteran Tetsuya Nomura that he could have included characters such as, Bartz Klauser from Final Fantasy V, or Terra Branford from Final Fantasy VI.[2] However, Sakurai ultimately said it was difficult to imagine a Final Fantasy character to include that was not Cloud, primarily owing to his design and iconic status.[2]

Unlike most playable characters, Cloud has two distinct models that comprise his costumes: his classic Final Fantasy VII design (albeit with his slightly modified attire from Dissidia Final Fantasy[2]) is his default costume alongside the Buster Sword, while his "Cloudy Wolf" design from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is an alternate costume alongside the Fusion Sword.

Cloud's strengths include highly disjointed range thanks to his Buster Sword, surprisingly fast attacks relative to his range and power, and quick overall mobility.[2] Despite being a heavyweight, these traits collectively give him a heavily offensive playstyle that is useful for combos and excellent at aerial combat, especially edgeguarding. Additionally, Cloud's unique Limit Break fighter ability slightly boosts his attributes and converts his special moves into powerful, single-use KOing options once it is full, further improving his offensive presence to the point that he can score KOs even at fairly low percentages.

However, Cloud has a few glaring weaknesses in spite of his tremendous strengths. The most notable of these is his inconsistent KO potential, which is due to his very small number of easy-to-land KOing options outside of his Limit Break special moves. Aside from this, Cloud's polarized aerial movement results in his recovery and off-stage endurance both being lackluster.[2] Lastly, his grab game is one of the worst among the cast, and some of his moves have noticeable amounts of ending lag.[2]

Overall, Cloud, like Mario, boasts numerous advantages that are supplemented by a relatively low learning curve,[2] which have contributed to him achieving very noticeable tournament results and representation. As a result, Cloud is ranked 2nd/3rd out of 54 on the current tier list, tied with Diddy Kong; this places him in the S tier and posits him as a top tier character.

Trophies[edit]

Main article: List of SSB4 trophies (Final Fantasy series)
Cloud's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Cloud's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Cloud
The protagonist of FINAL FANTASY VII, Cloud wields the enormous Buster Sword, a memento from his comrade Zack. Once a SOLDIER of Shinra, he now fights as a mercenary against the corporation he originally served. His decision to join AVALANCHE’s insurgence, however, will transform his destiny.
FINAL FANTASY VII (11/1997)
Cloud (Alt.)'s trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Cloud (Alt.)'s trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Cloud (Alt.)
Filling the Limit Gauge allows Cloud to perform a Limit Break, supercharging his next special move. His down special becomes Finishing Touch. With a huge swing of his sword, Cloud summons a whirlwind that inflicts only 1% damage, but boasts brutal launch power. Go for a KO while his foes' damage is still low!
FINAL FANTASY VII (11/1997)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Cloud (SSBU)
Cloud, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Cloud returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via Ultimate's E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.[3] Although his moveset is largely unchanged aesthetically, Cloud received noteworthy mechanical changes, particularly to his Limit Breaks. Unlike in Super Smash Bros. 4, the Limit Gauge is now constantly displayed next to his damage meter, and a full Limit Charge must be used within 15 seconds or else it will deplete entirely.

As of update 10.1.0, Cloud's "Cloudy Wolf" costumes use Omnislash Ver. 5 like in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, complete with Takahiro Sakurai reprising his role as Cloud's voice actor. Compared to Omnislash, Omnislash Ver. 5 has the same total damage output and knockback, but consists of 11 initial hits instead of 14 (with each hit inflicting 0.6% more damage to compensate) and has different hitbox placements. This same update also made Tetsuya Nomura's artwork of Cloud from the PlayStation release of Final Fantasy VII into his default fighter spirit, although the player can still swap between it and his Ultimate render fighter spirit.

Spirits[edit]

  • 1,004. Cloud

    1,004. Cloud

  • 1,005. Cloud (Advent Children)

    1,005. Cloud (Advent Children)

Gallery[edit]

  • Cloud's Poster for Smash 4.

    Cloud's Poster for Smash 4.

  • Cloud in his Advent Children costume, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

    Cloud in his Advent Children costume, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

  • Cloud in his Advent Children costume, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

    Cloud in his Advent Children costume, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name
Japan Japanese クラウド, Cloud
UK English Cloud
France French Cloud
Germany German Cloud
Spain Spanish Cloud
Italy Italian Cloud
China Chinese Cloud[4]
克劳德, Cloud[5]
South Korea Korean 클라우드, Cloud
Netherlands Dutch Cloud
Russia Russian Клауд
Portugal Portuguese Cloud

Trivia[edit]

  • As of Ultimate, Cloud, Mewtwo, Luminary and Sephiroth are the only characters to use Japanese voice acting in the international versions of the Super Smash Bros. series despite having established English voice actors.
    • He and Sephiroth are the only ones whose speaking lines are not replaced with generic grunts in the international versions.
  • Cloud, Sephiroth, Richter Belmont, Joker and Hero are the only third-party characters who did not debut in the first game of their respective home series.
  • Cloud, Young Link and Toon Link are the only swordsmen in the Super Smash Bros. series capable of wall jumping.
  • Due to having access to his "Cloudy Wolf" attire from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Cloud is the only character with an alternate costume directly taken from a movie.
  • Cloud is the first character to have his victory theme continuously play over the results theme.
  • Prior to update 10.1.0 in Ultimate, Cloud was the only third-party character in the game who did not use pre-existing artwork for his fighter spirits. However, his Advent Children costume's fighter spirit continues to feature his Ultimate render only.
  • Cloud, Sephiroth, and Hero each hail from one of the two companies that merged into Square Enix, as Cloud and Sephiroth were from Squaresoft and the Hero was from Enix.
  • Cloud is the first fighter whose Final Smash was substantially altered in an update, and consequently the first fighter whose Final Smash varies in name and appearance depending on the alternate costume.
  • Prior to update 10.0.0 of Ultimate, if the game's language was set to either variant of Chinese, Cloud's name was shown in English on the character selection screen and the Spirits mode, as with several other characters in the Chinese and Korean translations of the game. As of update 10.0.0, he has his name written properly in hanzi. This is presumably due to the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, which is the first game in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series to receive an official Chinese translation.[6]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nintendo Direct Presentation - Mario, Zelda, Pokemon & More | Game Overviews (11/12/15)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Sakurai x Nomura: Creator Interview 2016 (Part One) - Source Gaming
  3. ^ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch
  4. ^ Prior to version 10.0.0
  5. ^ In version 10.0.0 onwards
  6. ^ @Peachi_Ying39th on Twitter (December 18, 2020). クラウド、ついに繁体字中国語で名前が「漢化」!欧文から漢字表記に変更されたことを確認。 #中国語 #スマブラSP #SmashBrosSP #NintendoSwitch (ja).


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Playable characters
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New in Melee Bowser · Dr. Mario · Falco · Ganondorf · Ice Climbers · Marth · Mewtwo · Mr. Game & Watch · Peach · Pichu · Roy · Sheik · Young Link · Zelda
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v • d • e
Final Fantasy (universe) Final Fantasy universe
Fighters Cloud (SSB4 · SSBU) · Sephiroth (SSBU)
Stages Midgar · Northern Cave
Other Aerith Gainsborough · Bahamut ZERO · Barret Wallace · Chocobo · Ifrit · Leviathan · Odin · Ramuh · Tifa Lockhart
Trophies & Spirits Trophies · Spirits
Music SSB4 · Ultimate
Related universe Kingdom Hearts
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