Melphie Kusakabe is a supporting character in an additional episode introduced in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. She was a young ninja warrior from Wutai and the younger sister of Sonon Kusakabe.
History[]
Melphie was born and raised in Wutai and is Sonon's younger sister. As youths, both trained as warriors under Godo Kisaragi and fought in the Wutai War.[1]
Melphie's death caused Sonon immense emotional pain.
In "Wutai's Finest", a grief-stricken Sonon told an interested Yuffie Kisaragi about Melphie, as she reminded him of his sister. He fondly remembered her motion sickness, their warrior training, and her "promise". Sonon revealed a Shinra mech went haywire toward the war's end and attacked a crowd of civilians, insisting to Yuffie that Melphie "had to do something". She died in the arms of her devastated brother.[1]
A dying Sonon imagined being with Melphie again.
After sacrificing himself to save Yuffie and being mortally wounded by Nero the Sable in "Covert Ops", Sonon's consciousness began to fade. He imagined being with Melphie again and eating Da-chao beans with her. He was unable to bite into his bean and tearfully hugged his sister in his final moments.[2]
Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Melphie was a young woman with a slim and athletic physique. She had fair skin, short black hair with a pinwheel-shaped hair clip worn on the left side. She had dark brown eyes and wore a navy blue jacket with the sleeves rolled up over a black tank top, black shorts, tall black socks, and black boots. Sonon noted Yuffie's physical similarities to Melphie.
Melphie wears a pinwheel-shaped hair clip. The turning of the pinwheel represents one of the Buddhist teachings, Rinne Tensho, reincarnation. It can also be seen as representing the cycle of life and becoming a child again, which is why pinwheels are passed around during Kajimaya events in Japan.
Personality[]
Melphie was selfless, sacrificing her life to save civilians from an attacking Shinra mech. Sonon noted the similarities she shared with Yuffie, which is why he acted so protective, caring, and concerned for her.[1]
Melphie had a close relationship with her older brother, Sonon. He recounted his memories of her motion sickness and warrior training to Yuffie. Melphie's death caused Sonon immense emotional pain, fueling his hatred toward Shinra and want for revenge.[1] He imagined being with her in his final moments, smiling at her as they ate Da-chao beans.[2]
Musical themes[]
Melphie has two musical pieces associated with Sonon's flashbacks of her. "Melphie and Sonon", track 6 of disc 2 on the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Original Soundtrack, plays while Sonon recounts Melphie's death to Yuffie aboard the train. "Seeing Melphie Again", track 4 of disc 3 on the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Original Soundtrack, is heard during Sonon's final moments when he imagines being with his sister again.