A spiral train tunnel that winds around Midgar's central pillar, connecting the plate's topside cityscape to the slums below. The security onboard the trains is airtight, and ID scans are required for all passengers. If any suspicious persons are spotted, security drones are mobilized to eliminate the threat.
The Corkscrew Tunnel, also known as the Winding Tunnel[note 1] and as Spiral Tunnel,[note 2] is a location in Midgar in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Remake. It is a large spiral tunnel encased in the tall circular structure that supports the center of the city.
The Corkscrew Tunnel is an important area in Midgar, being the primary method of transportation between the upper plates and the slums below via the railroads that run through it. Absent of a train, a motorcycle can be used to drive through them.
History[]
Before Final Fantasy VII[]
The Midgar train system was built around 1974-75, initially using a switchyard in the Sector 7 slums area (which would later be abandoned and become the train graveyard) to facilitate transport between the ground and the plate. Midgar construction was complete in 1976, meaning this would be the population began using the trains around Midgar.[1]
Bugs began to make nests in around the tunnels, and were mutated to become monsters by mako. The Shinra Electric Power Company largely neglected the problem aside from sending a few Flametroopers there, who gave the job a quick once-over and clocked in.[2]
Original continuity[]
In "To the No. 5 Reactor", Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, and Tifa Lockhart entered the tunnel after being forced to escape the train they were on while making their way to Mako Reactor 5. The tunnel led them to the Sector 4 plate, where Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie Rasberry awaited them, as they were able to remain on the train using disguises.[3]
Remake continuity[]
Heidegger watching the tunnel from security footage.
In "Mad Dash", Cloud Strife, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie Rasberry used Motonox Gust motorcycles to travel the Corkscrew Tunnel to reach Sector 7's plate. After being spotted by an ID scan,[4] Shinra attacked them, sending troops, drones, and eventually sending a SOLDIER: Third Class, Roche.
Later, in "Dogged Pursuit", Cloud, Barret, and Tifa traversed the Corkscrew Tunnel on their way to Mako Reactor 5 after being forced to jump out of the train to Sector 4. Using Stamp graffiti that had been put there by Avalanche members to guide their way, they tracked them down to the Sector 4 plate.[2] Meanwhile, Heidegger watched them, abusing his subordinates as he demanded they take Avalanche out.[5] Shinra deployed their Crab Warden mech against them, which they defeated, causing the officers to report to Heidegger that an "anomaly" had caused its failure. Heidegger was frustrated, but told President Shinra that everything had been fine and that they were playing into his hands all along, as he knew where they were going.[6]
Geography[]
The Corkscrew Tunnel comprises a series of dimly-lit metal winding railroad tunnels. On the sides of the rail tracks are platforms used for maintenance with some control terminals, as well as some doors leading to maintenance rooms found at the end of concrete corridors. Graffiti can be seen on the walls, some of which is graffiti of Stamp, used by Avalanche to navigate the tunnel.[2] Some walls contain maps for the rail routes, and between some routes, a staircase leads to a bridge over to cross from one to the other.
As seen in Final Fantasy VII Remake, suspended above the railways are metal passageways, joined by staircases, used to connect the sections of the tunnel. Some construction material is seen along the way. More notably, grashtrike nests grow here, and near the nests, cobwebs are found along the adjacent passageways.
Connected to the tunnels are concrete maintenance corridors leading into the lower Midgar plates, as one is seen leading to the lower Sector 4 plate.
Gameplay[]
Final Fantasy VII[]
Winding Tunnel.
The Winding Tunnel is visited in "To the No. 5 Reactor" after Cloud, Barret, and Tifa are forced to escape the train while making their way to the next reactor. A few enemies are fought here before the group reach the reactor. The entire field comprises only a few, mostly identical screens before reaching the Sector 4 Plate.
Final Fantasy VII Remake[]
Exploring the tunnel.
The Corkscrew Tunnel is the site of "Motor Chase", the first quest in Chapter 4, "Mad Dash", The player controls Cloud on the Motonox Gust motorcycles, on their way to Upper Sector 7, and the quest is the first of two bike minigame quests. After defeating enemies on the way, Roche arrives as the boss who must be defeated to proceed.
The Corkscrew Tunnel is returned to as the site for most of Chapter 5, "Dogged Pursuit." During this, Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Barret Wallace fight their way through monsters and Shinra soldiers on the way to Mako Reactor 5.
The Corkscrew Tunnel is significantly lengthier than in the original Final Fantasy VII, with a greatly expanded area.
Notes[]
Annotations[]
Citations[]
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII Remake Material Ultimania § "Midgar Timeline", p. 258-259
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "The Nose Knows"
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII script § "To the No. 5 Reactor"
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Motor Chase"
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Looking for a Friend"
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Secret Passageway"