Kadaj



Kadaj (カダージュ) is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children until the last act. Taking Kadaj's unbalanced personality into account, Kadaj self-assuredly leads the Remnants of Sephiroth competently to their constant subordinance. Since the early moments of Kadaj's life, along with the other Remnants, he's lived only to find Jenova, quite mainly because Kadaj arguably rightly sees Jenova to be Mother, to bring about what Kadaj calls the reunion. Kadaj is, without shame, a deeply emotionally unbalanced, amoral individual, similar to a demented child, consistent with being aware of leading a life of basically being a puppet, only being part of a person.

Appearance
Kadaj was designed by Tetsuya Nomura. Kadaj's appearance, like the other Remnants, is markedly inspired by Sephiroth's design. Kadaj appears in a long black coat, although he wears his zipped up, unlike Sephiroth, whose coat is closed only by a single buckle. He also has shoulder-length silver hair and green eyes. He wields a double-bladed katana called Souba in battle. Kadaj is also left-handed like Sephiroth. In particular due to all their similarities, Vincent Valentine describes Kadaj as a "larval" form of Sephiroth, foreshadowing Kadaj's transformation. In this, Kadaj seems to be the Remnant closest to Sephiroth himself, able to briefly take on Sephiroth's appearance at times.

Kadaj's appearance was greatly shaped by his Japanese voice actor Shoutaro Morikubo - his dialogue when recording for Kadaj gave a clear image of how Kadaj would look, and designing his appearance and modeling him was easy. Kadaj's English voice actor is Steve Staley.

Character
Although Tetsuya Nomura wanted Sephiroth to appear in the film from early in production, a secondary villain just as evil and cruel was needed, if not a villain more evil due to the film's limited timeframe. It is for this role that Kadaj was made. Before Kadaj was given a name or his brothers were designed, the character model and artwork for Kadaj were called "Lost Name".

Kadaj embodies Sephiroth's cruelty and insanity. Kadaj was not given an exact age, but was given a young appearance and made the leader of the Remnants to give the sense of a psychotic, unstoppable child. Kadaj's voice actor Shotaro Morikubo in the original Japanese version of the film, helped shape his character as a lost and dazed youth with an insanity streak - Nomura describes him as "talking quickly, then speaking slowly or breaking into laughter for no apparent reason". Morikubo joked that Kadaj's lines were thus difficult to get right, and it was only after failing to get them right and "losing his cool" that the desired effects would be achieved.

However, unknown to him is the influence of Sephiroth over Jenova's remains, and so Kadaj is unaware that he is merely a tool for Sephiroth's resurrection, although he knows that Sephiroth is more favored by Jenova.

Kadaj, above his brothers, is aware of the existence and plans of Jenova and Sephiroth, as neither Loz nor Yazoo even indicate they know Sephiroth exists. In spite of, or perhaps because of this, Kadaj's dedication to his Mother's cause is accompanied by a deep insecurity over his inferiority to Sephiroth in her eyes. Despite this, he is still a highly skilled warrior and a strong leader.

Several of Kadaj's scenes, such as his death with Aerith's presence and his conversations with Rufus, expand on the plot and his character, and were original cut from the film. His death scene was meant to give a sense that he had found some sense of relief. The staff envisioned Kadaj as a reminder of what Cloud once was - a puppet to Sephiroth's will - which led to the inclusion of the line in which Kadaj reminds Cloud of this. The line endeared Kadaj to the staff, which led to the development of more scenes featuring him.

Story
Kadaj initially appears to summon Shadow Creepers to attack Cloud Strife while he is out riding his motorcycle. After speaking to one of the Turks over the phone, he recalls his monsters and sets off to find Rufus Shinra. Arriving shortly after Cloud leaves Rufus, Kadaj reveals that the plague Geostigma is caused by the remnants of Jenova in the Lifestream, and that those infected are part of a plan for a second Jenova Reunion that will recreate Sephiroth. However, Geostigma alone isn't enough, Jenova's remains are needed, and Kadaj believes Rufus knows where they are.

With a group of infected children brought to the Forgotten Capital, Kadaj proceeds to tell them that Geostigma is caused by their bodies rejecting Jenova's influence, and that her presence makes them brethren. Kadaj has the children drink from a pool of dark water, activating the latent "reunion instinct" in their Jenova cells. Cloud arrives afterward and battles Kadaj and his brothers. Outnumbered and weakened by his own Geostigma infection, Cloud is defeated but is saved by Vincent Valentine. It is at this time that Vincent reveals to Cloud what Geostigma is, and the impending rebirth of Sephiroth it could mean, although he does not yet reveal Kadaj's connection to Sephiroth.

With the reunion instincts of the children to guide them, the Remnants go to Edge, where Loz and Yazoo battle the Turks and Kadaj summons Bahamut SIN to attack the city. During the attack, Kadaj confronts Rufus again, and confirms that Sephiroth is about to be reborn. After Cloud and his friends defeat Bahamut SIN, Rufus reveals Jenova's head in a box concealed under his cloak. Casting the box off the building where they are standing, Kadaj leaps after it and catches it. The ensuing chase between the Remnants and Cloud along the highways into Midgar apparently kills Yazoo and Loz. Kadaj gains the lead and stops at the Sector 5 Church to inspect Jenova; he is promptly horrified at what is left of her and cries. Cloud bursts in, and an enraged Kadaj attacks him. However, Aerith calls a geyser of healing water to erupt from the flowerbed, wounding Kadaj and causing him to flee. The water also cures Cloud of his Geostigma.

Cloud confronts Kadaj outside the ruins of Shinra Headquarters. Kadaj is unaware of what to do with Jenova's remains now that he finally has them; when Cloud points this out, he attacks. Now that he is cured and back to his full strength, the battle ends with Cloud as the victor and Kadaj hanging from the edge of a tower. With no other option, he leaps into the air and absorbs Jenova's cell into his body, leading to the recreation of Sephiroth moments later. After Sephiroth is defeated, Kadaj is reformed from his dissolving remains, and he attempts a half-hearted attack on Cloud but collapses into his arms, mortally wounded. Weakly calling him "brother", Cloud holds him while Aerith speaks to Kadaj from the Lifestream. Believing her to be Jenova, Kadaj calls her "Mother" and happily dissolves into the Lifestream with her guidance, dying in peace.

Strength
Kadaj is a highly skilled swordsman and is able to battle Cloud competently one-on-one, although he is defeated. When Cloud is weakened due to Geostigma, Kadaj is able to match and defeat him, and he is evidently strong enough to defeat both Reno and Rude by himself, as they are incapacitated when he confronts Rufus without his brothers. Kadaj also has access to Materia in the film, and uses it both to summon Bahamut SIN and to cast Matra Magic. Even without the aid of Materia, Kadaj is able to summon Shadow Creepers at will. In Advent Children Complete, Kadaj is able to infiltrate Healin Lodge by transforming into a black mist.

Upon walking into the water at the Forgotten Capital, it turns dark and the Jenova cells within the children become active when they drink it. As the Materia orb in Kadaj's gauntlet does not glow when he uses this power, it has been speculated that this may be some form of Limit Break due to the way Kadaj himself glows.

Etymology
Kadaj's name is derived from the Persian word khadaj, which means "incomplete". This is obviously a referral to Kadaj as a remnant of Sephiroth, and to his reformation as Sephiroth himself after merging with Jenova.

Kadaj