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I don’t think people realise what they’re doing when they say the Buster Sword represents Zack.
The Buster Sword is one of the most iconic pieces of game design ever created. It’s both the first and last thing a player of the OG sees. For many players, it’s shorthand for the incredible experiences they had with FF7 growing up, a symbol tied to some of their most memorable moments in gaming.
It’s intrinsically attached to the FF7 brand. Arguably even more so than the meteor in the logo itself. Specifically, it's a symbol of Cloud, the protagonist taking you on this beautiful journey.
Zack is an important part of the story. He’s the missing link for Cloud, a key motivator and the person who saved his life. He starts Cloud’s journey. He’s also a great addition to the series: a ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world. He’s an important part of Cloud’s character.
But having a character who played only a small role in the original FF7 (largely due to development constraints) subsume so many of these symbolic elements risks undermining what made those moments special. It slowly detaches long-time fans, the people who have been there since the beginning, from some of their core memories of the game.
Yes, supplementary material expanded Zack’s role. But we shouldn’t pretend those works reached the same audience. The novels, and even Advent Children, were experienced by only a fraction of the players who played the mainline game.
For many fans, Zack represents the era where the Compilation wasn’t firing on all cylinders. A period where some creative missteps were made, especially when compared to the Remake titles.
If we start attributing core imagery and symbolism to characters other than the protagonist people originally connected with, it risks undermining the very foundation that made all that supplemental material possible.
The Buster Sword was owned by Zack. Before Zack, Angeal.
But it has always been and will always be, the symbol of Cloud and his journey.
Anything else feels disingenuous to those who remember the magic of the original: when Square were creating legendary IP that helped define a console generation.
That's why the flower and sword, may evoke memories of Zack, or signify a journey, or even represent a fragmented mind - but ultimately, those two objects represent two of the OG's most enduring characters. Cloud and Aerith.
*Beautiful image by NCCRYPT - purchase here redbubble.com/people/nccrypt
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