Joann Liu

Joann Liu
(ジョアン・リュー, Joan Ryū?)
Biographical information
Affiliation	Shinra Electric Power Company
Occupation	Bodyguard Special Geological Survey Initiative (former)
Physical description
Race	Human
Gender	Female
Gameplay details

Joann Liu is a character in Final Fantasy VII Remake: Picturing the Past. A member of the Shinra Electric Power Company military and bodyguard of Lilisa Meg, she meets Lonny and helps him reconcile his past and learns how it became entangled with hers.

History

Joann Liu grew up in the slums of Midgar. She enlisted in the Shinra military at the age of 19, where she met Lilisa Meg as well as Glen Reiner, who enlisted the same day. The three became a trio of friends, and Reiner soon invited Geddie Bach, from Shinra's Research and Development, to join the group, making Bach a regular fourth. The group would spend nights and weekends together, cooking meals, drinking, and talking about their ambitions. Liu was particularly ambitious, once joking that one day she would be giving Heidegger orders; Reiner shared her ambition and Bach was inspired by it, while Meg was content to be in uniform.

Liu and Reiner's ambition led them to volunteer for the Special Geological Surveey Initiative, a classified project where surveyors reported to President Shinra himself to search for places high in mako reserves. Meg threw a party for the two the next day, but partway through begged Reiner not to go and confessed her love for him. Liu felt that Meg had crossed a line and left to go home, only to discover that Meg's casserole had mako in it, and the other three were poisoned. Though Bach recovered shortly after with mild symptoms, Meg and Reiner did not.

The night after, Bach offered to take Reiner's place in the Special Geological Survey Initiative so that Reiner's dream stayed alive, and stole dog tags from Reiner's hospital room. Liu at the time thought this was an incredibly noble and selfless act, and agreed to it. Liu and Bach then embarked together and were taken aboard Jack Klein's helicopter, Liu attempting to teach Bach how to use a parachute. After Liu was dropped off at Fort Condor, Bach, who was supposed to be taken to Cosmo Canyon.

Years later, Liu came to live in military housing, and was the bodyguard of Meg, who had not recovered, and would occasionally go on walks to the train graveyard gatherings with other people who were mako poisoned and also wore black robes.

Liu was visited by Lonny, who tracked her down to try and search through his past and admonish his own guilt for giving Aerith the image that led Bach to poison his friends. After Liu explained her story to Lonny, Lonny snuck out, only for Liu to find her the next day, showing up with Meg on one of Meg's trips. Liu grappled Lonny until Lonny told Liu about Aerith Gainsborough's drawings as the source of the Special Geological Survey Initiative pictures. After the explanation, Liu told Lonny not to blame himself as Bach's actions were his own choice and that Lonny was not to blame for the meddling done by Reaerch and Development, before telling him that she knew an Aerith selling flowers in the plaza in front of Sector 8 Station.

Characteristics

Joann Liu is described as a short-statured woman of around forty (when Lonny met her), with a "physique that made it plain she didn't skimp on PT".

Liu was described as appearing strict on herself, and stricter on everyone else. Ambitious in her early years, Liu's commitment to taking care of Meg later in life shows she eventually abandoned her ambition. Liu's decision not to chase out of anger after Lonny after Lonny had dodged her questions but instead to return inquisitively, as well as her not lashing out at Bach despite his actions, suggests she also became quick to forgive.