Genesis Rhapsodos

Genesis Rhapsodos, originally known as G, is a mysterious character who appeares in both Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- and Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. He appears to have exceptionally bright mako eyes, and he bears a single wing on his left side, in contrast to the one Sephiroth bears on his right. His link to the Deepground organization has been explained through the Crisis Core Ultimania, since only the Tsviets which have 'colors' are injected with his cells. Genesis has the ability to cast magic without Materia. What is known is that he is one of the original productions of Project Jenova, along with Angeal. Weiss and Nero of Deepground are referred to as his brothers in both Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core, however.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
Childhood friend of Angeal Hewley, and product of Jenova Project G (Gillian). He was, either at birth or during his childhood, given Jenova "G" Cells by Dr. Hollander, in an attempt to create the ultimate lifeform before Hojo. The attempt was a failure, resulting in Genesis' constant degeneration, unless periodically exposed to Stagnant Mako. He's always been good friends with Sephiroth, though ultimately became jealous of him and his status of a hero. Unable to accept that he was both inhuman and a failure, he set out to accomplish the goals of a monster, which are, according to Angeal, "Revenge and world conquest."

Genesis is first heard of in Chapter 2 when Lazard of SOLDIER gives both Zack and Angeal a mission to find and bring back Genesis, who at this time has gone rogue. During this chapter, many Genesis clones in Wutai soldier armor attept to take down Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth, but are defeated.

Genesis' first appearance is during the middle of Chapter 3 when both Zack and Tseng make their way to his homedown of Banola. When they do find him in his house, Genesis recites a part of LOVELESS, a well-known book, and has had many comeo appearences in Final Fantasy VII, and the Compilation, on posters. As Genesis stands, he throws a Fira at Tseng, knocking him down. Soon after, Angeal enters, pointing his blade at Genesis. As Genesis makes his way out after telling Angeal that can he live in the world where he killed his friend, Angeal follows Genesis out, leaving both Zack and Tseng in the room. Soon after, Zack checks if Angeal is at his mother's house, but to his horror, he finds Angeal standing infront of Gillian Hewley with an emotionless face, and she is dead on the floor. In rage, Zack throws Angeal of of the house, and soon as he does so, Genesis shows up at the doorway. Wanting answers as Angeal stands and walks off, he runs out of the house, but Genesis moves out his leg, tripping Zack. Genesis summons Bahamut, but Zack takes Bahamut down. As he does so, he asks him what happened to his pride as a SOLDIER. Telling him that he is a monster, Genesis moves his hand over his face, and his large wing speads out to his left. Finally telling Zack that both him and Angeal have lost both their dreams and their pride due to becoming monsters, he flies off with his wing.

During Chapter 4, parts of Midgar suddenly become under attack by Genesis clones, but are stopped by the Turks, Sephiroth, a 1st Class Zack Fair, and many members of SOLDIER. After this conflict is resolved, Zack meets with Sephiroth in Dr. Hollander's study. As they speak, Sephiroth talks about what happened a few years ago.

A flashback sequence is seen when Genesis, Sephiroth and Angeal, train together at Junon. At the beginning, Genesis reads the opening of LOVELESS, and Sephiroth approaches both him and Angeal who are at together. Stating that the part he had just read was LOVELESS act 1, Genesis jokingly says that it's sad. Sephiroth then jokes that he remembers such horrible things listening to Genesis talk about LOVELESS all the time, and so Angeal backs up Genesis telling Sephiroth than he shouldn't go dropping his sword since he is too scared. Questioning this asking which one is he talking about, Angeal and Genesis run up, and jump towards Sephiroth. This battle between the three last for about a few moments before Genesis willingly tells Angeal that he wants to duel Sephiroth alone, and he too could be a hero. As the battle rages onward, with Sephiroth dominating Genesis in spite of bareyl exerting himself. Each attack got more aggresive. When they both are flung into the air, Genesis casts Fira at Sephiroth, but he cuts them up. Genesis quickly calls back Fira, hitting Sephiroth until he is fully engulfed in a ball of Fire. As Genesis prepairs to finish Sephiroth for good, Angeal jumps up, and tells Genesis to stop before things got too out of hand. Genesis quickly places his hand on the face of Angeal, and tells him that all he wants to become is a hero, then casting Fira once more, blowing up, and sending Angeal to plumet down to the seas of Junon. As Genesis looks back at the ball of fire, Sephiroth suddenly breaks out, sending multiple shockwaves at Genesis, but he nutralizes them, but each begun to cut up the cannon of Junon. Landing, Genesis cuts up a part of the cannon where Sephiroth lands, and jumps back to watch. Sephiroth, on the collapsing part of the cannon stands, watching Genesis, and Genesis does the same. As the face of Sephiroth disappears, sparks begin to fly as Sephiroth jumps up, slicing through the cannon. As he lands, he begins to slice the cannon in hopes of hitting Genesis, but has no such luck. They coninue their brutal duel on what remains of the cannon as it slowly collapses, until Angeal reappears, and dives inbetween the two, stopping Sephiroth's blade with his Buster Sword on his back, and Genesis' blade with his standard SOLDIER sword. Genesis, enraged, shouts at Angeal to get out of his way, and uses a Thundaga spell to his hand. Destroying Angeal's sword in an attempt to strike past him at Sephiroth, the end of the destroyed sword managed to fly towards Genesis' pauldrons and cut his shoulder, wounding him. As he was injured, the whole background of Junon broke apart into pieces, revealing that they had all been dueling in a simulation room, labled 'LV 49 Training room'. Genesis, on his knee holding his shoulder, explains to them that it's only a cut, picks up his sword, and walks past them both reciting a part of LOVELESS as he leaves. Both Sephiroth and Angeal refusing to look at him as he left.

A few moments later after the flashback ends, we learn that Genesis went to Dr. Hollander. Angeal, worried, checks up on Genesis' condition, but he gives news that he is not doing so well. Explaining to him that he has tried injecting Mako inside his body, he tells him that it had no effect. Angeal being Genesis' best friend wants to know any other ways in which Genesis can become better again, and Hollander explains that they could try blood. Wanting to help, Sephiroth offers his own blood for Genesis, but is stopped by Angeal, and Hollander tells him that his blood is no good. As that flashback ends, Zack and Sephiroth both find Hollander's reports on a project known as "Project G", but also states that Genesis is deteriorating. As Hollander suddenly enters, Genesis swoops down, and speaks more lines from LOVELESS. After listening, Sephiroth tells Genesis that he has not changed a bit, reading LOVELESS and quoting it often. Angeal enters, and Genesis speaks that the three friends are now here, and that one becomes chased, one takes flight, and the last remaining friend becomes the hero. The idea itself came from the story of LOVELESS, and the idea being that Angeal was the one being chased, Genesis being the one who takes flight, and finally Sephiroth being the one who becomes a hero. Sephiroth comments on his short quote, and Genesis questions who is the hero, himself, or Sephiroth. Sephiroth willingly says that Genesis can be the hero, and Genesis states that Sephiroth's fame should have originally have been his.

Making his appearance in Chapter 5, Genesis and Angeal arrive in Hojo's laboratory where both Hojo and Zack are. Angeal tells Genesis to stop what he is doing just before he quotes another line from LOVELESS. As Genesis states that the quote was from Act 4, Hojo comments that he too remembers LOVELESS, and states that it is a very old story. Angeal then asks if there was an end to it, but Hojo tells them that is is unknown weather there is or not. However, Genesis claims that there is an end, then asks them all what meaning do they think the 'Gift of the Goddess' is for them, and then flies off through the wall. Angeal and Zack chase after him, and eventually catching up to him, only to have Zack fight the summoned beast, Bahamut Restu, as Angeal follows Genesis.

During Chapter 6, Genesis is found in a warehouse in Modeoheim holding his sword to heck of Dr. Hollander. Zack quickly swings, and knocks Genesis' sword out of his hand, allowing Hollander to escape, but was caught by Cloud Strife. Hollander breaks free, and knocks down Cloud, and explains to Genesis that he does not know where the Jenova Cells are stored, so he is useless to him. Never the less, Genesis tells him he will keep on deteriorating, and he will keep living that way until he finds them. Dr. Hollander runs off, and so Cloud runs after him, leaving Genesis and Zack alone to duel. Instead of summoning a beast, this time Genesis decides to test out his own skills against Zack. Soon after, Genesis quotes a few lines of LOVELESS, before jumping down to the darkness bellow in the pits underneath the warehouse, and was now presumed dead.

At the end of Chapter 7, Genesis, alive, is standing at the end of Junon Cannon with his wing out, and holding a Banola apple in his right hand. After quoting another line from LOVELESS, he watches the sunset, until moving onward.

Genesis does not appear in Chapter 8, however, he gains a major role and a part in Sephiroth's madness, even before he visits Shin-Ra Mansion in Chapter 9 at Nibelheim. During Zack Fair and Sephiroth's visit to Mt. Nibel's Reactor, Genesis (Off-screen) sends two Firas at both Zack and Sephiroth. Zack floored, but Sephiroth easily deflects it. Walking on-screen, Genesis begins to tell Sephiroth that he was born from the Jenova Project, thus making Sephiroth the biggest monster of all. As Zack gets up, he is suprised of how Genesis is alive after the events in Chapter 6. Genesis can only state what he thinks, and explains that how can he even be called alive in his current condition. Moving on, Genesis goes on to telling Sephiroth about the Jenova Project, and its general term which uses Jenova cells for the experiment. He then begins to tell Sephiroth than all he has heard was her name, and it would be hard for Sephiroth to remember her, thus making it painful and hard for him. As he continues, Genesis begins to state that Jenova is a stratum discovered over 2000 years ago, and calls Jenova a monster. He then tells them both that Angeal was born out of Jenova Project G, as well as himself, and Jenova Project S was designed to create the perfect monster. Finally, Genesis tells Sephiroth that he does not have the power to create clones, thus the deterioration doesn't happen. Genesis asks Sephiroth for his cells, since Jenova Cells can halt his deterioration, and finally quotes a line of LOVELESS. Confused, Sephiroth questions all of this as being something Genesis had thought up, or the truth he had been searching for, and then leaves the reactor. Genesis talks to himself, claiming that he now knows that it was used to create the perfect monster, and so walks out of the reactor, leaving Zack. After a few seconds to digest the information, Zack chases after them both, but he finds no one in or outside of the reactor.

In Chapter 10, after 4 years Zack and Cloud finally break free from Shin-Ra Mansion's laboratory, and take a bike to escape. He leaves Cloud in a safe place as he drives onward, but he is persued by 2 Genesis Clone. As he prepairs to face off with them, the real Genesis soars down from the sky, and knocks Zack down. Genesis quotes a line from LOVELESS, and Zack suprisingly says his hair. Genesis explains that he heard he was being used for one of Hojo's experiments, Project S, so Zack holds Jenova Cells. Genesis tells him that those cells to him are the 'Gift of the Goddess', and with them, his deterioration will stop. As Zack shouts to him that the monster is Genesis, Genesis quotes another line from LOVELESS, before flying away with one of his clones, leaving one to face off against Zack. The Genesis Clone is easily defeated by the 1st Class SOLDIER. When Zack eventually makes his way back to Gongaga, more Genesis Clones attept to kill him, wanting S Cells, but are stopped by Dr. Hollander, and the real Genesis, who at this moment is carrying a white Banola apple. Genesis begins to talk about the 'Gift of the Goddess', the S cells, and once they get them, their deterioration would be of no concern. As he finishes, he begins to talk to Zack about his escape from Shin-Ra Mansion, since the reports say that 2 SOLDIERs escaped. Of course, Zack protects Cloud, and tells him that only he escaped. Genesis, not believing a word, talks more about the report that states that there are two escapees: One ex-SOLDIER, and regular SOLDIER. As soon after he finishes, Hollander states that only the regular SOLDIERs contain the last of the S cells, and flies off with many other clones, in search for Cloud (Who is hidden on the Bike). Zack soon realizes this, and runs towards them in hope of taking one or two of them down, but Genesis stops him as they take flight. As he stops him, Genesis asks Zack if he knows what the last 4 phrases of LOVELESS are, but Zack does not care about the story. Genesis quotes another line of LOVELESS, but Zack says he finds it all too depressing. Of course, Zack does not understand, and so Genesis explains that it is unfortunate for him not to understand the lines. He even claims that he himself has difficulty understanding it sometimes, and goes on to quoting another line. Finally, he states to Zack that the final chapter is lost and with it exists dismissals of its existence, but claims that the correct version is his own interpretation. Zack, now fed up of LOVELESS and Genesis, dives at him, but Genesis flies away, leaving Zack with nothing more and nothing less than the Banola apple.

Back to Banola in the Final Chapter, Zack travels down a tunnel into a cave where a deteriorating Genesis is standing. He quotes another line from LOVELESS, and tells Zack that he had inherted Angeal's will, and received a part of Sephiroth, thus Loveless has been reproduced. Zack shouts to Genesis, telling him that he is wrong, and to open his eyes to reality. Nothing to say to him, Genesis speaks another line from LOVELESS, as Zack tells him that he came to save him from himself. Not listening to him, Genesis continues to quote more and more lines. Zack questions one of the quotes, and Genesis explains that a gift was born of the nature that surrounds Banola. A confused Zack asks that wasn't the gift the Jenova Cells, but Genesis tells him that there are several interpretations. Zack begins to tell Genesis that he does not understand it all, but he is interupted by him, and is told that the feelings that surround Zack are also the gift. Suddenly, Genesis begins to gather the lifestream, surrounds him, and transforms him. Zack still wants to help, but now he stands infront of a new Genesis, a true monster named Genesis Avatar. Prepairing for battle, Zack readies himself for Genesis. Throughout this brutal battle, Genesis casts multiple spells, and creates clones of himself to kill Zack, but eventually, after a long battle, Zack defeats the monster that is Genesis. Genesis is transformed back after his defeat, but reborn, showing no signs of his deterioration. He quotes one of the same lines from LOVELESS once more, gathers up the last of his energy, and charges at Zack with the little strength he has left. Zack strikes down Genesis, sending him up into the air along with his sword falling out of his grasp. Genesis seems to suddenly have a dream, that he suddenly appears in the lifestream. As he looks around, he sees a statue in the distance. Suddenly, it begins to glow, and so Genesis walks towards it. The statue begin to morph into a female figure who is named Minerva, the goddess of Gaia, who bears a resemblance to Safer Sephiroth. She bears the rings on her back, has a wing above her head, and carries a lance. As Genesis stands in front of her, she disappears, and everything turns black. Genesis begins to fall into the darkness, and the lifestream follows and gathers with him.

Back to reality, Zack carries Genesis out of the cave on his back, and attepts to find Lazard, who now has turned into an Angeal Clone, and aided Zack when he needed him at the end of Chapter 10. On the next day, Zack decides to find 4 Banola apples, one each for himself, Cloud, Lazard (Who had passed away), and Genesis. As Zack takes a bite from the blue apple, Genesis, sat by the side of the chair of which Cloud is sat on, and opposite to Lazard, asks if it tastes good. Zack compliments the Banola apple, and Genesis questions it as to being the 'Gift of the Goddess'. Zack the questions Genesis as to the apple being the 'gift', but Genesis shakes his head. He tells Lazard (Who he thinks is Angeal) that the 'dream has been fulfilled, which probably is another referance to the story plot of LOVELESS. As he finishes, Genesis quietly passes away, dead.

Shortly after Zack and Cloud's leave, a Shin-Ra Helicoptor lands a few meters away from where Genesis' body is located, and two 1st Class SOLDIERs in their black uniform with Deepground symbols on their belts jump out of the helicopter. One of the two SOLDIERs have black hair, which is Nero, and the other being his brother with spikey white hair, who is Weiss. As they walk towards Genesis' body, Nero finds this mission important, having being sent to Banola. Weiss on the other hand, states that this mission has something to do with their older brother. Weiss takes ahold of Genesis, carry him into the Helicopter, and from there, they fly to Deepground.

It is revealed in the Crisis Core Ultimania that Genesis was braught back to life (Possibly by Nero), and that Weiss and Nero chose to take him away and to persuade him to join in their rebellion against the Restrictors, current leaders of Deepround and 14th Lost Force. Tetsuya Nomura explained that Genesis ends up declining this offer, and decides to seal himself in the flooded cavern beneath Midgar (As seen in Dirge of Cerberus) in order to protect the Planet (possibly due to his near-death experience dream about Minerva).

Dirge of Cerberus
In the G Reports, the text mentions that he draws his power from "G Substance" (a.k.a., the Stagnation of the Lifestream) If one talks to one of the personnel aboard the Highwind later in the game, he reveals that according to Scarlet's private files, the Deepground Soldiers are a result of his evolution. This is because the Tsviets are injected with Genesis' cells, and not all people in Deepground are injected with them, only the 'coloured'.

The G Reports also state that the Tsviets are the spawns of his evolution. Genesis was said to be pursued and taken down by a 1st Class SOLDIER known as Zack Fair. However, in the Secret Ending of the game, Genesis is shown to be still alive and reclaims Weiss's lifeless body, proclaiming that their work is not done. However, in the Crisis Core Ultimania as Nomura explained, it now seems more likely that he's appearing to protect the Planet, not take revenge on it, as some players may have originally thought.

Design
Genesis is voiced by Gackt, one of the more famous Japanese Pop/Goth idols, in the Japanese version of the game. Genesis' physical appearance is also completely based off of Gackt's. Finally, Gackt wrote and performed the game's theme song, Redemption. He actually wears his Genesis costume in the music video, though his hairstyle has changed.

Screen shots and promotional art indicate he will have a central role in Crisis Core, possibly as a high-ranking member of SOLDIER, like Sephiroth once was. He is seen to wear SOLDIER gear beneath a long red overcoat.

Etymology
His name is derived from the Greek term "Genesis" meaning "origin", and "Rhapsod(i)os" meaning "one who performs an epic poem (rhapsody)". His name can thus be interpreted as meaning "the original performer of the epic poem"; the epic poem being, of course, the theme song One-Winged Angel, thus symbolizing Genesis' status as Sephiroth's "predecessor".

On the other hand, Genesis's last name could also refer to the book he commonly quotes in the game Crisis Core called LOVELESS. It is a book of poetry that he usually quotes before, "Losing his mind."