Final Fantasy 7 is a title that has captivated fans for decades. Fans laud it as one of, if not the greatest Final Fantasy game of all time. As such, FF7 has been reviewed time and time again for an intuitive combat system, character depth, world-building, optional side quests, and the sheer volume of content alone.
With such an illustrious history and a plethora of side content, Final Fantasy 7 has solidified itself in the Great Hall of Video Games. The memorable characters helped sell the story, and they’ve delivered a ton of equally iconic quotes that will stand the test of time.
24 “Barret, Be Careful! Attack While Its Tail Is Up! It’s Gonna Counterattack With Its Laser!” - Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife’s quotes are the stuff of legends in Final Fantasy 7, barring this one infuriating instance.
The translation of Final Fantasy 7 was notorious for being pretty low quality, with several mistakes that have become iconic due to their prominent placement in one of the most popular games of all time.
One such typo occurs during the first-ever boss fight in the game. Players are forced into making an error when the scrolling text confusingly tells players to attack the Guard Scorpion when its tail is up, only for the boss to counterattack with a damaging Tail Laser attack — something that Cloud mentions only AFTER the fact, which is quite frustrating indeed.
23 “This Guy Are Sick.” - Aerith Gainsborough
Speaking of infamous typos, it would be impossible not to mention one of the most known spelling mistakes in video game history. This typo occurs in the Sector 5 Slums.
After encountering a sickly man in his ‘home’ — a term used extremely loosely here — Aerith utters a legendary Final Fantasy 7 quote that has become notorious among the fans of the title. This is the type of grammatical error that elevates a throwaway line into a legendary one.
22 “Alright Everybody, Let’s Mosey!” - Cloud Strife
The plot twist regarding Cloud’s real identity is one of the most shocking and well-known moments in Final Fantasy 7. The character’s personality is turned right on its head after he’s revealed that he was never the man he thought he was.
This causes massive conflict in Cloud’s mind, following which he finally decides to stay true to his own personality. Cloud utters this line near the end of the game when he tries to convince the gang to give it their all one last time in the final battle against Sephiroth.
21 “I’ll Be Going Now. I’ll Come Back When It’s All Over.” - Aerith Gainsborough
Aerith’s quotes in Final Fantasy 7 are generally quite chirpy and reflective of her upbeat character. However, the final thing she says to the party before heading off into the Forgotten City is quite chilling.
Aerith’s statement of going and coming back after everything’s over takes on a whole new meaning when you realize this is the last thing that she says in the game before dying at the hands of a diabolical Sephiroth.
20 “What Are You Saying? Are You Trying To Tell Me You Have Feelings Too?” - Sephiroth
Speaking of Final Fantasy 7’s antagonist, one has to mention that his demeanor after ending Aerith’s life is quite chilling. He just stands in place and starts monologuing while a helpless Cloud tries to come to grips with the fact that Aerith is no more.
During this monologue, Cloud ends up telling Sephiroth to shut up before lamenting Aerith’s loss. This causes a bemused Sephiroth to question Cloud’s ability to feel, which is rather cold even by his standards.
19 “It’s Cuz of that !W#$ ‘pizza’ that everyone down here is suffering.” – Barret Wallace
Barret is easily one of the most energetic characters in FF7. While a good deal of his quotes contain expletives, as evidenced here, Barret is a natural leader and the driving force of the early events in the game. Despite his harsh exterior, Barret often shows a level of depth that is accentuated by his heart of gold.
For those unfamiliar with this quote, it comes early in the game. First-time players might laugh, not fully considering the depth of what is being said. The “pizza” Barret refers to is the upper city of Midgar which is essentially the high-class section of the city while all others live below.
18 “It’s like this train. It can’t run anywhere except where its rails take it.” – Cloud Strife
Rolling along with a second quote from the same conversation, Cloud makes a profound observation on the lives of citizens in Midgar. After Barret makes the statement above, he goes on to discuss how polluted the land is underneath the plate, and how people stay because they love their homelands. Cloud then makes this statement.
What is so profound about this statement is how applicable the metaphor is in real life. We all have choices. We are all able to continue down our chosen paths. At the end of the day, we can only move where our paths take us, and we are all locked on a rail of sorts.
17 “…You gotta understand, there ain’t no getting offa this train we on till we get to the end of the line.” – Barret Wallace
Fans of FF7 will immediately recognize this quote as an inspirational one used to reaffirm the party’s commitment and to motivate Cloud away from his identity crisis. In saying this, Barret is essentially stating that the party is bound together despite differences and struggles in each character’s background.
This quote really epitomizes perseverance and friendship. The metaphor of a train returns and stands valid. As stated earlier in the game, life can be a bit like a railroad. Everyone is committed once they are on it, and the only way to get off is to ride it until the end.
16 “I’ll smash em.” – Tifa Lockheart
In a sign of the times when FF7 was created, there are a number of questionable scenes which many fans will agree hold a more humorous spot in our hearts. During the early part of the game, in Sector 6’s Wall Market, the player has to infiltrate the mansion of a man named Don Corneo by having the two female characters, Tifa and Aeris, as well as Cloud, dress up for a date to be appraised.
There are many pieces of this sequence that make it memorable and inappropriate. The quote here is one of three threats made toward Corneo in order to get him to talk. What will be smashed if he doesn’t comply will go unnamed, but it’s unlikely that you don’t already know if you’ve played the game.
15 “…because it’s our job.” – Rude
This quote also involves Don Corneo, but it is a much different audience he is entertaining.
Reno and Rude are members of an operative group called the Turks which work for the Shinra Electric Power Company. Shinra is a major organization throughout the world in FF7, supplying energy through the refinement of Mako which powers all the conveniences used. The organization serves as the home for most of the game’s antagonists.
Reno and Rude are often the comedic relief of the game, displaying a sort of buffoonery throughout. This statement is the last spoken to Don Corneo before his death and serves as a reminder that despite the laughs, they are dedicated professionals. And we all have to do our job.
14 “Words aren’t the only thing that tell people what you’re thinking.” – Tifa Lockheart
The silent love story which plays out between Cloud and Tifa throughout FF7 sticks in your mind long after the credits roll. Throughout the game, Tifa reaches Cloud’s vulnerable side and reveals her own vulnerabilities time and time again. Perhaps it is the tough exterior which both portray which compels her to make this quote to Cloud.
As is the case with many of these quotes, this is a perfect concept to keep in mind. There is an adage that states that actions are louder than words, and this quote is directly in line with that statement.
13 “These hands are a little too stained to carry her anymore” – Dyne
An example of the depth of characters in this game comes to light when you consider Dyne. From the beginning, Barret is seen to have a daughter named Marlene. Following events at the Gold Saucer, your party is thrown in prison for a crime Barrett is mistakenly accused of. In the junkyard of the prison, they find the “boss,” a man named Dyne.
Dyne is the father of Marlene. After an extremely emotional sequence where Barret tries to take Dyne back to Marlene, Dyne makes this quote before throwing himself over a cliff. The story is truly thought-provoking and illustrates two opposite examples of how we carry trauma. Dyne’s quote is echoed by Barret, but only one has the strength to persevere and carry on.
12 “Will you all come with me?” – Cloud Strife
There’s more to unpack than just this single line. During the monologue which includes it, Cloud is explaining the control which Sephiroth has over him. He explains that something inside of him made him give Sephiroth the Black Materia and put Aeris’ life at risk. But he also explains that he must stop him.
When he asks his friends to join him, it is to save him from doing something terrible. Whether asking them to restrain him, asking them to give him resolve, or just asking them to ensure that his course doesn’t change, Cloud knows the power of friendship and looks to his friends to be his strength.
11 “How many people in this world do ya think really understand themselves?” – Barret Wallace
Once again displaying his depth, Barret offers this bit of reflection to Cloud when he is at his lowest and ready to give up. He addresses Cloud’s depression and reminds him that people get depressed but continue on. He essentially says that is just a part of life and that Cloud has to continue his pursuit.
This is a valuable piece of advice which we should all retain. How many teenagers need to know that it’s okay to question what you thought you knew? How many of our friends are struggling to find who they’re supposed to be? We all have to push forward instead of running away if we ever want to reap the benefit of our struggles.
10 “What you pursue will be yours, but you will lose something dear…” - Cait Sith/Reeve Tuesti
The final item on this list is the true prophecy offered by the awkward companion Cait Sith who is initially encountered as a vague fortune teller. Upon giving the prophecy, Cait Sith insists that the player party must take him along with them.
This prophecy is clearly a reference to Aeris’ death, and while it is a stunning moment for most players when they realize this, the quote is absolutely applicable to everyone’s life. Nothing is gained without sacrifice, and the way that this game invests you in the sacrifice made to achieve your goals is a hard thought to overcome.
9 “We’re busy runnin’ back and forth! Even my bikini goddess would be pantin’ about now!” - Cid Highwind
Leave it to Cid Highwind to lower the bar when it comes to eloquent communication. Ever the potty-mouth, Cid had a tendency to say things that would definitely get him booted from the local 5-star restaurant.
This infamous quote is also one of his funniest. Who knew that a simple trip to Midgar would lead to such a hilariously odd quote.
8 “Our battlefield is now beneath the earth…The gate to tomorrow is not the light of heaven, but the darkness of the depths of the earth.” - Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine had a knack for waxing poetic, and he does so with this highly stylistic quote.
When the time comes to battle Sephiroth for the final time, Vincent utters the quote as a means of convincing Cloud to commit to the mission. It’s certainly one for the history books.
7 “How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion.” - Sephiroth
If Sephiroth was good at one thing, it was manipulating his enemies. Sometimes he even used the truth to do it. In the case of Cloud, he unveiled one of the most shocking plot arcs of the game.
When Cloud and company are dragged into an illusion created by Sephiroth, he uses the opportunity to reveal Cloud’s true origins, leaving everyone in a state of denial. The truth is that Cloud was a failed clone of Sephiroth, a realization that has drastic repercussions moving forward.
6 “I just want to do everything in my power to help. All of you - and the planet.” - Aerith Gainsborough
Few quotes sum up the nature of Aerith’s personality better than this one. Selfless and kind, she’s the linchpin of the entire story, even if her character didn’t make it all the way to the end.
This quote also foreshadowed the influence her life force had on the final events of the story, which prevented a catastrophe. In the end, she lived up to her words in the most amazing manner possible.
5 “Aerith will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry……or get angry……What about us……what are WE supposed to do? What about my pain? My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!” - Cloud Strife
The death of Aerith was an immense shock to every single FF7 player and for good reason. What should have been a key party member right to the end was snuffed out in the most unceremonious manner possible. It had also been revealed just recently that she was the last of a dying race known as the “Ancients” – the key to stopping Sephiroth.
This quote sums up the sense of loss that gamers felt upon watching her die; a moment that will live in infamy as one of the most tragic scenes in video game history.
