Final Fantasy VII timeline

This is a timeline for the events of Final Fantasy VII.

Timeline Of Final Fantasy VII
This timline works assuming that the events of the game take place in late 2007, which was sourced from the Ultimania Guide, and also pieced together from information presented in the Compilation Of Final Fantasy VII.

Over 2,000 Years Ago

 * The Cetra begin their long journey to heal the Planet.
 * A being known as "Calamity from the Skies" crashes into the Planet's northern polar icecap on a meteor, gravely injuring the Planet. The Cetra gather at this location so that they may heal the planet.
 * The Calamaity from the Skies emerges from the crater left by the meteor, bringing with it deceit and treachery as a great pestilence falls upon the Cetra and the Planet.
 * The planet creates six powerful weapons to combat the Calamity from the Skies: Jade Weapon, Sapphire Weapon, Diamond Weapon, Ultimate Weapon, Ruby Weapon, and Emerald Weapon.
 * Having nearly wiped out the entire Cetra race, the Calamity of the Skies is finally defeated and sealed in a geological stratum. Due to this, the Weapons remain dormant as they have never had to act.
 * The Cetra's numbers continue to dwindle as time goes on, eventually being swallowed up by the ever-growing human population. Over time, the Cetra assimilate into human civilization, but still maintain their ancient knowledge and powers.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1867

 * Bugenhagen is born.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1956

 * October 13th – Vincent Valentine is born to Grimoire Valentine.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1959

 * Nanaki (Red XIII) is born in to Seto in Cosmo Canyon.
 * Cosmo Canyon is attacked by the Gi Tribe. During the battle, Seto leaves the front lines to hold off a group of Gi Tribe forces that plan to use an underground cave to sneak into Cosmo Canyon and flank its defenders. Ultimately, Cosmo Canyon is victorious against the Gi Tribe, but Seto, having been shot with many poison arrows during his defense of the cave, is eternally petrified.
 * September 23rd – Shinra Manufacturing Works discovers mako energy.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1970

 * Professor Gast Faremis becomes head of the Shinra Science Department.

Circa [ μ ] – εуλ 1970

 * Shinra scientists Grimoire Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent, having done extensive research into an ancient legend surrounding two entities born of the Planet known as Chaos and Omega, make new progress in their research when they discover the Crystal Cave, the place where Case is said to awaken at the appointed time. After mistakenly awakening Chaos's malevolent spirit, Grimoire is killed while protecting Lucrecia from the attacking Chaos. Shortly after, the Shinra Science Department scraps the project.
 * Professor Gast unearths the Calamity from the Skies from the geological stratum. Gast gives the Calamity the name "Jenova" and misidentifies it as an Ancient (Cetra).
 * The Shinra Science Department begins the Jenova Project, with the goal further studying the unearthed being so that they may learn more about the Ancients and their powers as well as the possibility of implementing these powers into humans. The project his headed up by Professor Gast Faremis, with help from fellow Shinra scientists Professor Hojo, Dr. Hollander, and Lucrecia Crescent.
 * As the Jenova Project advances in its stages, the scientists of the project decide to attempt genetically engineering a human with cells from Jenova. However, Professor Hojo and Dr. Hollander have differing methods for how this process should be carried out. In the end the two scientists establish two different projects for this under the Jenova Project: Hojo establishes Project S, which based in Nibelheim's Shinra Mansion, while Hollander establishes Project G, based in Banora Village.
 * The Department of Administrative Research, also known as the "Turks," assigns Vincent Valentine to protect the Shinra scientists for Project S as they carry out their research in Nibelheim, much to the surprise of Lucrecia.
 * Dr. Hollander uses Shinra Science Department Employee, Gillian Hewley as a test subject for Project G (which is named after Gillian herself), injecting Jenova cells into the woman's body.
 * Using Gillian's DNA, now infused with the Jenova Cells, Dr. Hollander seeds the genome of a fetus with Jenova cells.
 * As a part of Project G, Gillian becomes pregnant, her child inheriting the Jenova cells present in her body.
 * Genesis Rhapsodos is born, yielding the results of Hollander's attempt of incorporating Gillian's DNA with a human fetus. When it is discovered that Genesis only has the ability to create clones but not to incorporate others into him, he is labeled a failure and given over to the landlord of Banora, so his family could raise them as their own.
 * Angeal Hewley is born to Gillian Hewley as apart of Project G. Unlike Genesis before him, Angeal is labeled a success, having the ability to make clones of himself and incorporate others into himself. However, due to Shinra's lack of support, and ultimate abandonment of Project G, Angeal was left in the custody of his mother to be raised as a normal boy.
 * During their time in Nibelheim, Vincent and Lucrecia start to get romantically involved. However, this later comes to an end when Vincent discovers that Lucrecia not only knew his father, but was involved with his death. This causes Lucrecia to distance herself from Vincent, seeking comfort from her colleague, Hojo, to whom she later bears a child.
 * Hojo convinces Lucrecia to use their unborn child as a test subject for Project S by injecting Jenova cells into the fetus.
 * Sephiroth is born to Hojo and Lucrecia. He is taken away from Lucrecia immediately following his birth so that he may be studied. The presence of the Jenova cells is apparent in the boy's body from an early age, therefore labeling him a success.
 * Lucrecia becomes ill from the experiments that are performed upon her, the Jenova cells now coursing through her own body as well. When an enraged Vincent confronts Hojo about this, the scientist shoots him. Hojo then performs experiments upon Vincent, which in increase his body's durability and gives him the power of metamorphosis. However, Vincent ultimately dies during the experiment.
 * Lucrecia uses Vincent's body in an experiment to make him a vessal for Chaos. She is able resuscitate him by infusing pure mako into him, and successfully merges Chaos's spirit with Vincent's own essence, putting the Protomateria in his chest to keep Chaos under control. Shortly after this, Lucrecia leaves Nibelheim, hiding away from the rest of the world in the Crystal Cave.
 * Vincent awakens in the basement of Shinra Mansion, where he changes into the Galian Beast. Horrified by this, Vincent thinks this to be punishment for his failure to stop Lucrecia from allowing herself and her unborn child to be experimented upon.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1972

 * Reeve Tuesti is born to Ruvie Tuesti.
 * December 15th – Barret Wallace is born in the coal mining town of Corel.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1975

 * February 22nd – Cid Highwind is born in Rocket Town.
 * Tseng is born.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1976

 * The city of Midgar is constructed. The Shinra Company headquarters is relocated to Midgar.

Late 1970s
Unique experiments begin in the secret department beneath the ShinRa building, known as Deepground.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1977

 * Azul is born.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1978

 * Rude is born.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1980

 * Professor Gast leaves Shinra, setting out on a journey across the Planet in order to find answers to the many questions he has about Jenova, the Ancients, and the Planet in general.
 * In Gast absence, a power struggle occurs within the Shinra's Department of Scientific Research between Professor Hojo and Dr. Hollander over who the new department head will be. In the end, Hojo obtains the position, his achievements in Project S being more recognized by Shinra than Hollander's Project G.

Early 1980s

 * During his travels, Gast visits Cosmo Canyon, home to a group of people who know much about the Planet. During his time in Cosmo Canyon, Gast provides Begenhagen with scientific equipment so that he may better monitor the planet.
 * Professor Gast meets meets a woman named Ifalna, one of the last Ancients on the Planet. Initially, he takes an interest in her, wanting to know more about her people and the planet. However, they eventually fall in love and retire to Icicle Inn, on the Northern Continent.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1982

 * Reno is born.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1985

 * February 7th – Aerith Gainsborough is born to Gast and Ifalna at Icicle Inn.
 * February 27th – Hojo tracks Gast down to his home at Icicle Inn. Professor Gast is shot to death by the troops accompanying Hojo, who then takes both Ifalna and Aerith into custody at the Shinra Building in Midgar.
 * Zack Fair is born in Gongaga.
 * Rufus Shinra is born.
 * Rosso is born in Deepground.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1986

 * ''Shalua Rui is born.
 * August 11th – Cloud Strife is born in Nibelheim.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1987

 * Nero is born in Deepground as the result of an experiments involving the injection of stagnant mako into fetuses. As he was born, a void of darkness formed around the infant's body, pulling his mother into it, never to be seen again. Nero is the only successful result of these stagnant mako injection experiments.
 * May 3rd – Tifa Lockhart is born in Nibelheim.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1990

 * Midgar begins construction of the Plate—eight sectors built above the smaller settlements on the ground, which in turn gradually become nameless slum areas.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1991

 * Shelke Rui is born.
 * November 20th – Yuffie Kisaragi is born to Godo Kisaragi in Wutai.

Circa [ μ ] – εуλ 1992

 * The Wutai War begins between the forces of Wutai and Shinra, which seeks conquer the last major land free of their influence and harvest the mako energy within the land. Among the Shinra troops deployed to Wutai are Elmyra Gainsborough's husband and Sephiroth, now a Soldier, 1st Class.
 * Sephiroth's unparalleled strength and skill gains recognition during the Wutai War, quickly becoming a world-famous war hero.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1992

 * Elmyra receives a letter saying that her husband is coming home on leave. Anxiously awaiting his safe return, Elmyra goes to the Sector 7 train station every day after receiving this letter in hopes of being reunited with her husband.
 * Ifalna and Aerith escape from the Shinra building, fleeing to the Sector 7 Slums by train. Upon arriving at the Sector 7 train station, Ifalna collapses, then dies. Elmyra, having been at the train station when this happened, takes Aerith into her home. The young girl adapts to her new home fairly quick.
 * Elmyra's husband is killed in action. Aerith is somehow able to sense his death and tells Elmyra, but she does not believe her. A few days later, Elmyra receives a notice saying that her husband has died.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1995

 * Tifa's mother dies.
 * Grieving over her mother’s death, Tifa climbs Mt. Nibel, believing that she will find her mother waiting for her there. In the process, she falls from a suspension bridge along with Cloud, who had been running after her. Suffering severe injuries, she was in a coma for 7 days. Cloud, miraculously, suffers only minor injuries but is blamed for the accident. The guilt that he feels from this causes him to become somewhat more aggressive, constantly getting into fights with other kids.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1997

 * Determined to join SOLDIER, Zack Fair leaves Gongaga and heads off to Midgar.
 * Tseng, a young member of the Turks, makes a name for himself by uncovering a group of smugglers selling Shinra weapons on the black market while working on the case of a kidnapped trooper.

[ μ ] – εуλ 1999

 * Denzel is born to Abel and Chloe in Midgar.
 * The Legendary Turk is put under house arrest in Costa del Sol for abandoning his mission to rescue a kidnapped weapons trader.

[ μ ] – εуλ 0000

 * Shelke Rui is kidnapped by the Turks, and taken to Deepground where she is turned into a Deepground SOLDIER.
 * Cloud and Tifa make the promise by the well. Cloud leaves Nibelheim, but fails to get into SOLDIER. He becomes an ordinary Shinra soldier and cuts off all contact with his hometown and old friends; so ashamed is he that he failed again.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0001

 * Early Spring – End of the Wutai War.
 * February 30th – AVALANCHE (under Elfe) makes their first attack on Shinra. Sephiroth stops them at Junon.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0002

 * June 17th – AVALANCHE attempts to kidnap (a willing) Hojo and Sephiroth is called in to stop it.


 * September – The Nibelheim Incident – Reports of monsters disrupting life for the workers at the Mt. Nibel Mako Reactor. This results in Sephiroth, Zack, and Cloud being sent to Nibelheim to investigate. On reaching Nibelheim, Cloud keeps his identity hidden from Tifa and the other townspeople. He cannot bear to be seen as just an "ordinary" soldier.

Tifa takes the party to the Mako reactor. Tifa and Cloud stay outside. Inside, Sephiroth discovers Jenova's body and sees all the mutated "failed" experiments of Hojo's. He begins to realize his origins may be similar and becomes upset. Zack is disbelieving at first, but when one of the mutated humans falls out of a pod he also begins to be concerned. The party returns to Nibelheim Mansion.


 * September 22nd-29th – Sephiroth finds all the notes of Jenova Project in the basement of the Mansion. He is aware of Professor Gast’s initialization of the project but has not been told how Gast died or Hojo's full involvement in his creation. Later in the night Zack goes to speak to Sephiroth and finds Sephiroth a changed man. Sephiroth has discovered Gast's notes he made at Icicle Lodge about the Ancients. He now believes he is descended from the Ancients and regards normal humans as traitors who abandoned the Cetra to a terrible disaster. However he does not seem to accept Jenova is the cause of that disaster. He rants and raves at Zack before leaving quickly to see Jenova whom he refers to as "Mother".

Zack follows him outside and sees the whole village in flames. Many people are dead or dying, a Shinra Soldier (Cloud) tends to his dying mother. Sephiroth heads for the reactor with several townsfolk in hot pursuit. Tifa and Zack chase after him, Cloud following behind.

At the reactor, Tifa discovers her father's body. Sephiroth has killed him. As Sephiroth moves towards the Pod with Jenova in it, Zack tries to attack him but is batted away. Tifa picks up Sephiroth's discarded sword and attacks him, but he takes the sword back and cuts her down. Cloud arrives to witness this and he tenderly moves Tifa into a more comfortable position before confronting Sephiroth.

Sephiroth opens the pod and tries to free Jenova. As Cloud approaches Sephiroth tells Jenova he has come to reclaim the Planet for her. Cloud stabs Sephiroth then returns to tend to Tifa. Injured, Sephiroth can only take Jenova's head with him. He leaves the pod room, walking past Cloud. Cloud follows him onto the bridge above the Lifestream running far below at the bottom of the reactor. Sephiroth stabs Cloud though the chest, but Cloud keeps a hold of the sword and uses it to flip Sephiroth and Jenova's head into the bottom of the Mako reactor, into the Lifestream. Cloud then passes out due to his wounds.


 * October 1 – In the immediate aftermath, Zangan (Tifa's tutor) arrives at the reactor and takes the wounded Tifa to Midgar. Here she sets up a bar called "Seventh Heaven" in the Sector 7 slums when she has recovered. Cloud, Zack, and the surviving residents of Nibelheim are gathered up and used by Hojo to create clones of Sephiroth, as he believed the original was dead. Jenova is moved to Shinra Headquarters (now minus her head), for safekeeping. After the cloning project proves to be a failure, Hojo moves back to Midgar permanently and carries on research there.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0003

 * Marlene is born to Dyne and Elenor.


 * April 11 – The failed launch of Rocket Shinra 26.

Barret, swearing revenge on Shinra decides to start targeting their reactors in Midgar. He hooks up with Tifa (who is also harboring anger towards Shinra) and uses the basement of her bar as a center of operations for the environmental terrorist group AVALANCHE.
 * May 8 – Corel Incident – Shinra persuade the people of Corel to accept the building of a Mako reactor. Barret, seeing that coal has no future, pleads Shinra’s case. His best friend Dyne opposes it, but Barret talks him round. One day Barret and Dyne come back from a trip out of town and find Shinra burning down Corel. They discover that Shinra have blamed several explosions at the new reactor on sabotage by Corel townsfolk. Barret and Dyne are both severely injured in the fighting. Dyne falls over a cliff and Barret believes him dead. Barret goes back to Corel to be with his now dead wife Myrna. He sees Dyne's wife Eleanor is also dead, but Dyne's daughter Marlene isn't. He decides to take Marlene and flee to Midgar.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0004

 * Gongaga Reactor explosion kills many of the townsfolk.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0006

 * October 30 – Nanaki's capture by Shinra.


 * December 19th – After years of experimentation, Zack and Cloud escape the Shinra Mansion. Cloud is nearly catatonic from the Mako and Jenova treatments. Zack dresses him in a spare SOLDIER uniform and they manage to get to the mountains near Midgar before Shinra catches up with them. On their journeys, Zack tells Cloud all about his life in SOLDIER and what happened when he was alone with Sephiroth. Cloud is still too confused and messed up to respond, but Zack takes care of him.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0007

 * December 22nd – When Shinra find the ex-SOLDIERS just outside of Midgar, Zack is shot dead. Cloud is left alive, as he is considered no threat. However Cloud manages to pick up Zack's sword and make it to Sector 7 railway station in Midgar, where Tifa finds him still confused. As he gets better, Cloud's mind takes Zack's experiences and mixes them with his own, setting up the split personality that would allow Sephiroth such control over him. Tifa talks him into helping AVALANCHE destroy the Sector 1 reactor.


 * Late 0007 – Early 0008  – The events of Final Fantasy VII.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0008

 * Last third of January – Meteor destroys Midgar.
 * Geostigma begins to infect the Planet’s population.
 * Early Spring – Edge is constructed by the inhabitants of Midgar, and the WRO are founded by Reeve (and funded by Rufus).
 * June 29th (in the early afternoon) – Denzel is found by Cloud just outside of Aerith's church.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0009

 * The Events of Advent Children.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0010

 * Deepground begin attacks on Kalm and Edge. The Events of Dirge Of Cerberus.

Unspecifed Future

 * 500 Years After the End of Final Fantasy VII – Final scene of the game, wherein Red XIII (and his children) view the ruins of Midgar.