Idk why there's something so funny about Zack screaming at the great sephiroth himself through a phone having a temper tantrum and Seph's only response is 😑
The best part about Zacks character development is that he WANTED to become a hero, but the way it finally happens is against his wishes. He wants to be a hero, but he's still the reluctant hero, which makes it all more tragic. Watching this happy go lucky naive puppy become an adult inspiring hero was great. And playing this game, knowing how it would necessarily end, was just heartbreaking, I knew it had to end this way, but I still wasn't prepared. Aerith and Zacks story is just too painful. Another thing that makes me love him is that while every other FF our protag has a team of 8 friends to surround and support him, Zack is all alone, having to support Cloud, genesis, and Angeal, and Sephiroth, he's the most social of our heroes, but he's by himself, having to keep going forward, staying strong, keeping up his smile for those like Cloud who depend on him, and in the end, he dies alone in the rain, so close to Aerith, because he wouldn't abandon a friend. Zack is the fantasy Hero that Cloud wishes he was but could never be, but in the end, the fantasy hero falls, and Cloud, whose just a guy, pick up where Zack left off and succeeds because ultimately he is not alone. I love that.
And also the fact that he is so strong. Not just physically, mentally too. Like, he tried to save the 3 friends (Sephiroth, Angeal and the love poem guy) and failed. He kept Aerith waiting for how many years, he was betrayed by shinra, imagine the loneliness that this guy has to endure. And then, he finally saved someone. But it cost him his life. He still smiles even after dying. Wtf.
"My honor, my dreams.. they're yours now." Well put analysis. Zack will always be my favorite FF character. Despite his almost perfect but tragic storyline, I'd still love to see him come back to life in the current FF7 remake
Couldn't have sum it up better myself. Agree with everything you've written! That's what make me fall in love with him 12 years ago, when I played the game and after the Nibelheim incident, everything was so gloomy, having to drag Cloud around, Sephiroth went insane- As the player I feel so alone, witnessing Zack's journey, you can't help but wish for the forlorn to end. It was such an emotional rollercoaster ride. Esp after defeating Genesis, eating the Dumbapple with Director Lazard(which at the time of the storyline, he symbolizes Angeal), with Genesis, Zack still carried on with a smile. My God, I swear the man is pefect (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Zack wasn't alone, but his back was against the wall in a crumbling system. If he would've gotten out of the Nibelheim Event, without the massive injuries he had - he would've left Shinra, taken Aerith with him (if she wanted to), and brought along any of his other friends who would've wished to defect. That includes Tseng, Cissnei, Kunsel, Cloud (with Tifa) and others. He was never truly alone.
He's a standout because FF really doesn't have anything quite like himself and or those standard shonen protags. Only difference is that he doesn't get to utilize a party or the power of friendship like all the other shonen protags do as all of his friends... are dead or die by his own hands(or drugged). Thus he has to do everything himself and why he has a sad and untimely end.
Zack is a classic shonen hero _without_ the power of friendship, which leads to his defeat. Meanwhile, Cloud is a shonen anti-hero (think Sasuke or Vegeta) who succeeds thanks to the power of friendship. :)
its funny how back then they felt cloud was the less cliche choice of protagonist and zack was the typical idea of a hero, but now clouds architype is the most commonly expected from Japanese games. Zack didn't have the power of friendship or plot armor, for how outgoing and friendly he was.. dude was fighting a rather lonely battle. he got his ass kicked by pretty much everyone in crisis core (even the scientist dude)
@@madelinemcmillan4020 it's just so sad to think about. he had friends and so many people who looked up to him but no one to really fight by him like cloud does in ffvii. not to mention zack was being cloud's 24/7 caretaker for almost a year only to die protecting him. it's sad to think that he had no one to really confide in and probably had inner conflicts that were never really resolved in the end. did he still think he was a monster in his last moments? yet he still put a smile on his face for cloud. a true hero indeed
Honestly, Zack is too cute and sunny for this game. I smiled every moment when he appeared in any way, this is my favorite character in the whole Final Fantasy franchise. You, little sunshine, will always be a hero for us
yet some ppl say he's an uninteresting/irrelevant character like bro?? he's literally entertaining & well written. if only those mfs would stop comparing him and cloud. they both carried the plot
People who shit talk this game and character are just miserable, unhappy people. How can you not love him? Even if the writing isn't always up to par, this man is absolutely wonderful.
What I find kind of tragic is that Zack and Sephiroth would've been good friends if given the time. Maybe even close to the same level as Sephiroth's friendship towards Angeal and Genesis. I mean Sephiroth was at the top of his group being SOLDIER 1st Class. Nobody else was probably willing to even be honest with him due to his high status and cold demeanor, but Zack, despite his initial view of Seph, could see that he was just like any other person, lost, confused and hurting. And on the other hand, even our one-winged angel seemed to find Zack's earnestness amusing at the very least and sometimes even would help our bubbly boi. Really just sucks that things went the way they did for these two.
Zack died with honor protecting his friend, his living legacy. That friend would go on to save the world and it all goes back to Zack Fair saving his life 😭
So, I was just at work, and hadn't looked at my phone while I was there. I'm off now, and the first thing I saw when I opened my phone was Zack in the thumbnail for this video. Truly wonderful.
Crisis Core is the only FF game I have ever played in my life. Not having context for the rest of the series, I thought the whole game was beautifully bonkers. And Zack essentially became my favorite person ever.
I kinda feel bad to him, he's such positive and happy go lucky personality and yet his fate is worse than cloud. He has gone through worse and he's still maintain his personality I am surprised why he didn't break
tbf zack was always a whiny dork, he's just a whiny dork that became a hero. we love zack because he goes from a dork who wants to be cool to a hero who leaves an impact on everyone around him. Rick Gomez is my fav Zack voice, but i don't think either take is bad.
I love how animated his face is in the original Crisis Core. It's why I could never give that remake version a try, it might look better in still images but in motion it's just not the same at all.
