Sephiroth Clone

The Sephiroth Clones are a group of test subjects used in the Project S portion of the Jenova Project in Final Fantasy VII. They were injected with Jenova Cells by Professor Hojo to test Jenova's ability to recall her scattered cells into a "Reunion", in what he called the "Jenova Reunion Theory". There are at least fourteen known test subjects, but Hojo rejected many as "failures", leading the exact number of unfortunate people who were mutilated by this subject to be unknown.

"Clone" is in fact a misnomer. Sephiroth Clones are not genetic copies of Sephiroth, rather those who carry genetic material that allow them to be his puppets.

Storyline
After the events of the Nibelheim Incident, Professor Hojo rounded up the survivors of Sephiroth's rampage and injected with Jenova Cells, similar to the creation of a SOLDIER. However, these people were not the finest in physical and mental fitness, thus they could not keep their own egos. They became just shades of Jenova. Since Jenova was a puppet of Sephiroth, the Clones too became fanatics who would do anything for their master Sephiroth. Those that were proper slaves were engraved with a number someplace on their bodies, those that failed and kept some shred of their egos were left to die. Cloud Strife was considered a failure by Hojo because he developed a personality that combined his own and the ego of his best freind, Zack Fair. Zack, also a Sephiroth Clone was a total failure. He seems to not have been mentally affected by the experiment at all.

The 12 Sephiroth Clones that suceeded become the group of fanatics that follow Sephiroth around in Final Fantasy VII. Strangely, the Sephiroth Clones did not migrate to Jenova as Hojo predicted. Rather, the twelve began to head to the Northern Crater and hunt for the Black Materia for Sephiroth. Jenova herself broke out of the Shin-Ra Building and moved towards Sephiroth in his form and under his complete control. Cloud was influenced by both the need for Reunion and his drive to avenge Nibelheim.

In the end, only Cloud survived the journey to the Northern Crater. All the others died on the way. Because Cloud was simply a semi-failure, he had his own mind and ego, but Sephiroth could take complete control of him at will. However, this power seems to be somewhat limited, as Cloud refused Sephiroth's command to kill Aeris Gainsborough. When Sephiroth reveals that Cloud is a slave and his past an illusion, Cloud breaks down and accepts his fate as a Sephiroth Clone. He hands Sephiroth the Black Materia and is flushed into the Lifestream.

Later, with the help of Tifa Lockhart, Cloud rebuilds his psyche and is restored to normal humanity. With that, the Sephiroth Clones are finished.

However, in the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the children infected with Geostigma each carry a small portion of Jenova's cells. Kadaj tells Rufus Shinra that "[his] brothers and sisters who share Mother's cells will all assemble" as part of the Reunion he and the other Remnants of Sephiroth are planning. Thus, while those infected with Geostigma are different from and are never refered to as Sephiroth Clones, their role in the film is roughly the same.

List of Known Sephiroth Clones
Below is a list of every Sephiroth Clone that has been revealed. This list is certainly missing several Clones, for many numbers are missing.

I
Went from North Corel to Gold Saucer. Had a tatoo on the palm of his hand.

II
The man suffering from Mako poisoning in Sector 5. Probably died sometime before the fall of Meteor.

IV
One of the half-dead people found in Nibelheim. Gives an item to party like all the Clones in Nibelheim.

V
One of the half-dead people found in Nibelheim.

IX
Exited from the Temple of the Ancients before being killed. Had a tatoo on the back of his neck.

XI
One of the half-dead people found in Nibelheim.

XII
One of the half-dead people found in Nibelheim.

XIII
Red XIII, though never used as a test subject in the experiment, was originally planned to be a Sephiroth Clone. When Hojo discovered Red XIII's impressive life-span, he was instead preserved by Shin-Ra to save his species from exstinction. Though he did survive the trip to the Northern Crater, Red XIII does not count for he is technically not a Sephiroth Clone.

Cloud Strife
The main character of Final Fantasy VII. The only Clone to make it to the Northern Crater, but later threw off the control of Sephiroth. Does not have a number.

Zack Fair
The main of character of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. Died fighting the Shin-Ra Army outside of Midgar. Does not have a number.