Copy technology

Copy Technology is a term in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. Copy technology is employed by Hollander to create an army by endowing other creatures with the cells of Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley.

Creating Copies
A copy is created when the cells of a G-type SOLDIER are implanted on a living subject. As an extension of Jenova's ability to read the memories of others and shift its appearance based on those memories, this confers the donor's abilities, appearance, and other characteristics on the subject. The capacity of the subject to manifest their new abilities varies depending on their mental and physical integrity. The vast majority of subjects seen in Crisis Core lack the same integrity as Genesis and Angeal, and thus only receive a fraction of the ability that their donors have, the exact level of transference varying between individuals.

Aside from transferring abilities and physical characteristics, there are two large downsides to creating a copy. Implanting the cells of the G-type SOLDIER strains the subject's mind, and if they are weak-willed their sense of self will break down, rendering them entirely obedient to the donor's own mind. Subjects with a strong will are able to maintain their sense of identity, but will still be influenced by the donor's mind. The mental and physical integrity of the subject also affects their Degradation, subjects who are physically weak will experience a much higher rate of degradation than those who are strong. The level of degradation in the donor also affects the rate of degradation in the subject, the more degraded the donor is the faster the subject will experience degradation.

Genesis Copies
Genesis Copies comprise the bulk of the forces of the Genesis Army. The subjects imbued with Genesis's cells take on his facial appearance, and others dress like him in replicas of his red coat and SOLDIER uniform. Because Genesis was undergoing degradation during the game already, his state passes on to his copies, resulting in several of them experiencing accelerated degradation.

Genesis Copies are able to mutate into demi-humanoid forms. An otherwise normal Genesis Copy transforms into G Eliminator upon consuming a lock of Zack's hair, which contain S-cells from Project S. G Warrior, G Purgatorio, and several palette swaps of them also appear heavily mutated. If these mutations are a result of the subject's latent potential, degradation, Mako exposure, or a combination of these and other factors, is unknown.

Because Genesis did not receive the full abilities of his own donor, Gillian Hewley, he was unable to imbue monsters with his abilities, and once he was wounded, his own nature as an imperfect subject manifested in the beginnings of his genetic degradation.

List of Genesis Copies

 * ??? (Essentially a G Assassin)
 * G Assassin
 * G Avenger
 * G Assailant
 * G Commando
 * G Valiant
 * G Prowler
 * G Intruder
 * G Scutatus
 * Mock Trooper A (Mock Soldier A)
 * G Hoplite
 * G Peltast
 * G Attacker
 * G Trooper
 * G Legion
 * G Veritas
 * G Spartan
 * G Centurion
 * G Diver
 * G Marine
 * G Eraser
 * G Smasher
 * G Blader
 * G Slayer
 * G Baldor
 * G Paladin
 * G General
 * G Renegade
 * G Warrior
 * G Battler
 * G Deleter
 * G Predator
 * G Devastator
 * G Guardian
 * G Enforcer
 * G Caina
 * G Antenora
 * G Ptolomea
 * G Judecca
 * G Lucifero
 * G Purgatorio
 * G Fine

Angeal Copies
The second type of copy seen in Crisis Core are Angeal Copies. The monsters imbued with Angeal's cells do not take on Angeal's appearance, but instead Angeal's face appears grafted onto their bodies, and they take on a silver, black and gold color scheme. Angeal copies have the limited ability to sense each other and call for aid from other copies, such as how Lazard Deusericus was able to call an Angeal Copy in Midgar to aid him at Banora, and Angeal is able to summon several Angeal Copies to himself to become Angeal Penance.

Only one human Angeal Copy is seen in Crisis Core, Lazard, who received Angeal's cells at an unidentified point prior to Angeal's death. Several years after being transforms, Lazard's face has taken on Angeal's features, and his hair is white from degradation. Though he still has his own identity, Lazard is influenced by Angeal's will to aid Zack in his battle with Genesis, and has Angeal's white wings that allow him to fly.

As Angeal was born directly from Gillian and received the full weight of her abilities, he does not suffer degradation at all. This boon also carries over to his copies, who experience a very slow degradation compared to Genesis Copies. However, as with Genesis Copies, the rate of ability transference and degradation varies between individual subjects.

List of Angeal Copies
In addition to the types of copy listed below, there is a fifth type of copy that appears in the Sector 5 Church and stands guard over Aerith Gainsborough after Zack leaves Midgar. This fifth copy type is never given a designation, or fought as an enemy, and is the only copy of its type to be seen.


 * Lazard Deusericus
 * A-Ahriman
 * A-Griffon
 * A-Hound
 * A-Sahagin

Other Copies
Hollander eventually injected cells from Project G into himself - in-game Hollander claims he used cells from Genesis, however the Crisis Core Complete Guide states he used cells directly from Gillian, making him a G-type SOLDIER like Genesis and Angeal, rather than a normal copy. Because Hollander is very weak physically, he experiences an accelerated rate of degradation, and the wing he manifests is small and sickly.

If Hollander used Gillian's cells to transform himself, presumably he would be able to create copies from his own cells as Genesis and Angeal can. However, due to his own rate of degradation, any created copies would likely be very weak and prone to even more rapid degradation themselves, making them ineffective as warriors.