Highlights

  • Jenova, an alien with a destructive purpose, appears in various forms throughout Final Fantasy 7, influencing main characters and the story.
  • Sephiroth's connection to Jenova is complex, as he takes over her will and uses her power to control those affected by her cells.
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake introduces a redesigned Jenova, showcasing a new boss form called 'Jenova Dreamweaver' in the game.

Final Fantasy 7 is perhaps the most beloved RPG ever. With its launch in 1997, a whole host of fans delved into the sometimes confusing but always fascinating world. Perhaps one of the most emblematic elements of this is Jenova, one of the villains who is at once both a source of mystery and a stumbling block to Cloud and Co.

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Jenova is a weird sort of science experiment that is entangled within the story of the main villain, Sephiroth. Now, with over 20 years of other titles separating us from the initial game, it's easy to forget just what Jenova was all about. Or maybe you never even knew. Either way, here are some facts you never knew about Jenova in Final Fantasy 7.

Updated March 5, 2024 by Jon Eakin: Final Fantasy 7 Remake has had several years to settle in, with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth being the new kid on the block. One of the most fascinating things about the lore of Final Fantasy 7 is Jenova, but she gets lost in the shuffle sometimes when fans discuss the series. We thought this was the perfect time to give this list a Mako infusion, sprucing it up and bringing to your attention some of the lesser-known facts about one of the most misunderstood characters from the series.

15 Jenova Features in Other Games

She Gets Around

Jenova held in her containment tank, her eyes flaring with light.

With Final Fantasy 7 generally considered to be the most popular and fan favorite of the series, it's no surprise that elements of the game appear in other titles as an Easter egg. Jenova is no different; appearing as a boss in the mobile title Final Fantasy Record Keeper, as well as having a server named after it in Final Fantasy 14.

Additionally, Jenova Chen, who is famed for creating the games Flower and Journey, said that Final Fantasy 7 is a massive inspiration for his work, so much so that he took his name from the game's character.

14 Jenova Is An Alien

Possibly Ancient, But Not An Ancient

The remains of Jenova held in a glass tank, from Advent Children.

When Professor Gast first discovered the body of Jenova, he mistook it for the race sometimes called the Ancients, also known as the Cetra, but he was wrong. Jenova was actually responsible for wiping out most of the Cetra and devastating their civilization. Jenova was known among the Cetra as the "calamity from the skies".

That was a pretty disastrous event, but, to their credit, they were able to seal Jenova in North Crater, the place where it first arrived, using a meteoroid as its spaceship. Additionally, Jenova is indeed true to its name, as its only purpose seems to be to destroy planets and then use the dead planet to find its next victim.

13 Shiva Helped To Save The Planet When Jenova First Arrived

Canonically Cooler Than Ifrit

A loading screen from Final Fantasy 7 Remake, featuring an image and background information of Shiva.

Though it has long been known that it was the Cetra that finally managed to seal Jenova away, Final Fantasy 7 Remake has given fans more food for thought on the matter with a particular loading screen. The screen in question claims that Shiva "once saved the planet from certain destruction by staunching a great wound with a glacier."

While the Cetra may have sealed Jenova, the planet would have died without Shiva's intervention. This also explains why the Icicle Area, where Jenova originally landed, is completely frozen. In the original game, a taped conversation found at the Icicle Inn explains that the northernmost part of the planet never melts due to all the energy that is gathered there, healing the planet’s injury.

12 Jenova Is Uniquely Suitable For Ending Planets

The Calamity From The Skies

Meteor from Final Fantasy 7 striking the planet.

Jenova's genetic makeup ensures that it can adapt to any planet that it lands on. It can take on the traits of any creature or being it finds to accomplish its destructive purpose. On the other end of things, it can insert its genes into any organism, turning them into violent monsters.

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Using these two particular abilities, it was able to infiltrate the Cetra. After killing one of them, it took their place to escape detection until it was too late. Though by some miracle, the few remaining Cetra were able to band together to seal it. One more aspect of Jenova is that its cells, once separated, will attempt to gather together again regardless of whether they're in their own form or in a host. This is called the Reunion Theory by Hojo.

11 Jenova's Etymology And Gender

Not Even Human

Jenova's mask, leaking fluids.

Contrary to what you might believe based on what you see, Jenova isn't necessarily female. Being an alien from outer space, it's unknown if Jenova even has a gender. In the game, Jenova has a female presenting form, and Sephiroth does refer to it as his mother.

However, Ifalna, Aerith's mother, refers to Jenova as a 'he' or 'it' depending on which version of the game you are playing. This gives Jenova's gender a very uncertain nature and, considering it is an alien, gender might not even matter.

The name Jenova is a portmanteau, a blend of two different words; Jehova and Nova.

Jehova comes from the Hebrew word that refers to Jesus Christ. Nova comes from the Latin adjective for new but could also refer to a terrestrial explosion, such as a Supernova.

10 Soldier Are Humans With Modified Jenova Cells

Mako Baths Included

Cloud Strife looks up at a Mako reactor in Midgar.

When Jenova was first discovered, it was believed to be a Cetra, so Shinra began experimenting with it. In their haste to find the promised land told of in the Cetra's legends, they began to fuse Jenova's cells with human subjects. The most famous example of this is Sephiroth, regarded as their most successful subject.

Sephiroth was created by injecting him with Jenova cells while he was still a fetus. Other subjects were merely treated with the cells and, as a result, turned superhuman. Not everyone who was subjected to Jenova's cells became a member of Soldier, but the most successful of them surely did.

9 Jenova Is Not Sephiroth's Mother

Mommy Issues

Sepihorth backed by flames from Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

At different parts of the game, Sephiroth refers to Jenova as his mother. The reason behind this is Hojo, who lies to Sephiroth and tells him that Jenova is the name of his mother and that she died in childbirth. Sephiroth's real mother is Lucrecia Crescent, the same woman whom Vincent fell in love with. Through a series of strange decisions, Lucrecia ended up with Hojo, and she gave birth to Sephiroth, who was injected with Jenova's cells while still in the womb.

While Jenova is not Sephiroth's mother, it did have an impact on who he became. Jenova's cells gave him power and his belief that he was the son of Jenova, one of — if not the last — Cetra, warped his personality even further.

8 Jenova's Four Forms

A Versatile Queen

Cloud, Tifa and Barret battle against Jenova in a cavern.

Throughout the original game, you fight Jenova four different times. The various forms are referred to as Jenova: Birth, Life, Death, and SYNTHESIS. The first three forms allude to the Buddhist belief of Saṃsāra, a cycle of life where the soul reincarnates to experience each state over and over. The Synthesis form is Jenova's final and possibly truest form, the one it would presumably use to destroy the planet and then move on to its next victim.

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At one point in development, each form of Jenova was intended to be a different body part, and there would most likely have been more than four forms. This is why Jenova: Birth is referred to as "the arm" by Cloud after their first boss encounter with Jenova.

7 Originally, Jenova Wasn't Going to be an Alien

More Like The X-Men

Concept art for Jenova, annotated with Japanese.

In very early planning stages, Jenova was not slated to be an extraterrestrial lifeform at all, but instead a certain gene/element, or considered as a particular region of the brain. The initial idea was that, in rare circumstances, people could be born with this gene already inside of them.

Additionally, the Jenova gene/element could be 'awakened' in people in an artificial way by exposing them to Mako energy. The name 'Jenova' was taken from an ancient Cetra book detailing the human brain. The early concept of Jenova being similar to a state of mind was instead recycled by Square Enix (Square, at the time) to be used in both Parasite Eve and Xenogears.

6 Inspiration For Jenova

More Theology Than You'd Expect

Jenova Dreamweaver awaits in a dark room

Jenova appears to be strongly influenced by the idea of Lurian Kabalā, a medieval Jewish Mysticism that is a variant of Gnosticism. Gnosticism believes that humans contain a spark of divinity within their bodies, which returns to the Absolute when they die. The Absolute appears to be a parallel of the Lifestream, as it is considered to be the source of all goodness, energy, and knowledge.

The Kabbalah, a branch of Gnosticism, believes the Absolute is a true god, whereas Gnostics view it as a false god, the demiurge. However, the demiurge believed he was a god as he was kept isolated from the truth by his mother, and set about crafting his own 'creations' as if he were a god, but nothing good ever came of his efforts. Instead, he corrupts the light, in the same way that Jenova corrupts the lifestream.

5 The Jenova Project And Reunion Theory

Mother Says It's Time To Come Home

Sephiroth holding a clone from FFVII Remake

The Jenova Project is what led to Soldier, Sephiroth, and so much more. It was split into two different and competing teams. One team worked on Project S, named after Sephiroth, and the other team worked on Project G, named after test subject Gillian Hewley. Project S was deemed the most superior by far and became the basis for Soldier. Project G had the subjects receive cells from Gillian, who had been injected with Jenova's cells.

The Reunion Theory was created by Hojo and said that, when Jenova's cells were separated, they would inevitably attempt to come back together into one form. This also includes anyone who was injected with Jenova's or Sephiroth's cells, but depending on various factors, the call could be resisted. Zack was able to ignore the call despite, or perhaps because, he was a member of Soldier. Cloud was only somewhat able to resist.

4 Jenova's Boss Mechanics And Weaknesses

Not So Tough

Cid, Vincent and Cloud battle Jenova after a confrontation between Sephiroth and Aerith.

You can get a pre-emptive start on the first form, Birth. Arguably, its most dangerous attack is the Stop spell, but it can only cast it three times before running out of mana.

Life uses a lot of water magic, so a water ring will make this fight trivial. You can also deplete its magic using the magic hammer enemy skill, but Jenova will cast Reflect in response. When it does, simply use De-Barrier or any spell that goes through reflect. LIFE can be paralyzed with Cloud's Cross-slash or certain Dazer items.

Death only uses fire attacks, so use equipment that protects against fire. Death can also be paralyzed in the same way as Life. Finally, Synthesis is Jenova's most powerful form and it has no weaknesses. Instead, utilize your best attacks to quickly dispatch the tentacles. Once those are gone, the fight shouldn't give you any trouble.

3 Jenova's Boss Fights Have Three Different Musical Themes

Turn The Volume Up

The Final Fantasy 7 logo against a black background

Interestingly, only two of Jenova's different forms — and the Hojo boss battle — play the same musical track, J-E-N-O-V-A, those are the Jenova: Birth and Death forms. Jenova: Life, perhaps most appropriately, play's Aerith's Theme. Synthesis plays its own unique track called Jenova Absolute.

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The transition from the J-E-N-O-V-A soundtrack to Jenova Absolute helps instil that now is the final battle with Jenova. It's gone through different forms, both in the game's boss battles and now in the music. Interestingly, there is no fanfare music after defeating Jenova: Life because of the events that just transpired with Aerith.

2 Sephiroth Takes Over Jenova

Heir To The Throne

Sephiorth encased in a giant piece of Materia.

There can be no doubt that Sephiroth is the main villain in the game, but as the story progresses, it gets confusing as to whether he is still alive or not. Cloud cuts him down in a flashback, so how is he alive?

When he was cut down by Cloud, he took Jenova's head with him and fell into the lifestream. The lifestream is unable to fully reintegrate him back into the planet because of his Jenova cells, so he is able to remain sentient. Sephiroth overcomes Jenova's will and substitutes it for his own; he learns how to control those affected by Jenova's cells and is able to control parts of Jenova. So, when you see Sephiroth back in Midgar, and even as you chase him across the world, that is actually the Jenova body you find in Shinra Headquarters.

1 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Redesigned Jenova

And She Looks Fantastic

Final Fantasy 7 Remake screenshot of Jenova, focusing on the skull-like face.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake introduced a new look to Jenova, adding the form known as 'Jenova Dreamweaver' as a boss that you must defeat. This ghastly aberration is an illusion that the real Jenova projects, and it appears to resemble some of the Jenova forms from the original game.

In the Japanese version, it is called "Jenova Beat.' The game's data shows that it was initially referred to as 'Jenova Pulse' for localizations. The Italian version kept this name and the German and French versions use a variation, calling it 'Jenova-Puls' and 'Jenova-Pulsation' respectively.

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