The story of Final Fantasy VII can be a bit daunting and slightly complex the first time you experience it. After all, there is a lot going on, with the gameplay stretching over hours and hours. It can be a lot to take in, or you may miss some val👍uable information during the excitement of your first playthrough.

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One of the things you'll see mentioned a lot throughout the opening sequences of Final Fantasy VII is SOL꧂DIER. This elite security group is responsible for guarding the buildings and Mako Reactors that you and AVALANCHE are infiltrating. But what is SOLDIER exactly? Here s༒ome facts and bits of trivia you never knew about them.

UPDATED May 16th, 2020 by Russ Boswell: The Final Fantasy 7 Remake has burst on-scene and brought tons of nostalgia with it for dedicated fans. The first part of the release tosses us into the hustle and bustle of Midgar, following Avalanche as they fight back against The Shinra Electric Power Company and the vicious ranks of SOLDIER. Those familiar with the original release likely know a lot about this powerful organization but many of you entering the Final Fantasy 7 fray for the first time have a lot to learn about the military-esque group. These 13 facts dive a bit further into the lore surrounding SOLDIER to uncover some deep-rooted facts some of you may be completely unaware of. 

13 They're Coloꦗr Coded In T꧒he Original Release

Although it isn't showcased much in the older games and many of the ranks of SOLDIER have been "thinned out" during the events of Final Fantasy VII, the group was once filled to the brim with members. Big names like Sephiroth, Zack, and Cloud spring to mind when ༺someone mentions SOLDIꦍER but the organization also featured a wide array of personnel.

It's easy to recognize some of SOLDIER's elite members thanks to their over-the-top outfits but lesser ranks can be identi𒁃fied by the color of their clothi🐲ng. 1st Class members are clothed in Purple, 2nd Class in Red, and 3rd Class in Blue.

12 Foot Soldiers U♓sed Different Techniques

Knowing a SOLDIER member's clothing color can help you identify more than just🌟 their rank. It's likely that many players were too busy slashing and burning their way through these "lesser mobs" to really notice but each rank (and color) actually identifies how a particular enemy will behave in battle.

ꦚAny 3rd Class members will toss a flying sickle, bring Sleepel Materia to the table, and can tap into Level 2 Bolt and Ice Materia. 2nd Class baddies use no Materia but will slice and dice at your heroes with a technique called Sword of Doom. 1st Class enemies will attac𝔍k the party with the Sword of Doom technique and have access to Silence Materia.

11 Th🅺e Deepground Facility

Via: Tumblr

Because Shinra is never satisfied in their quest to create the ultimate supersoldier (something that would come back to bite them on a few occasions), they were꧃ constantly looking for new and innovative ways to push their members to the limit.

This led 🏅to the creation of the Deepground, a specialized facility located 🐎below the main Shinra building. Originally, the area was crafted as housing for Mako Reactor 0, as well as a clinic to help heal wounded SOLDIER members. Later on, the facility would be repurposed and turned into a secret sector that performed a multitude of strange and random experiments on soldiers in an attempt to make them stronger.

10 🀅 The Mighty Restrictors

A lot of the SOLDIER members are shrouded in mystery as they're not exactly a pivotal part of the Final Fantasy VII storyline. Once you leave Midgar you won't be diving deep into much lore concerning the group and a lot of the information we have has come from other games and Final Fantasy media.

The Restrictors are a great example of this. These mysterious entities (only one was focused on) were introduced in the Final Fantasy VII spin-off, Dirge of Cerberus. According to Lore, these mighty units ruled the Deepground with an iron first and the leader went so far as to surgically implant chi🌳ps into his subordinates to "make sure they couldn't ignore orders."

9 💝 It's N🅘ot A Traditional Military

Via: STEM Education Caucus

When first learning about SOLDIER in Final Fantasy VII, it would be easy to assume that it's a particular military branch or a governmental sector. The reality is that SOLDIER is actually a privately-owned 🔴fighting force that was created and maintained to protect the interes꧒ts of the Shinra Electric Power Company.

Although the titles may suggest that the gr🅺oup is military in nature, they actually have no public or 🍌governmental obligations.

8 Memb🎶ers Are Di🌊vided Into 3 Classes

Via: Comic Vine

The Shinra Electric Powe♋r Company has a lot of valuable secrets and technology that they wish to protect. Because of this, they implement a strict hierarchy of SOLDIER members, giving precedence and tougher "missions" to those that prove t🍒hemselves worthy. Anyone who joins the ranks will start as a Class 3 member, which are more-or-less footsoldiers.

Those who prove to be valuable assets or show promise will be promoted to Class 2, where the෴y will be given access to lesser missions or oversee "easier" tasks. It takes a truly distinguished Class 2 member to be considered for a Class 1 promotion. Only the best of the best are placed in this tier, and Class 1 members serve leadership over all other SOLDIERs (except other Class 1 elites).

7 🐼 SOLDIER Has Recruitment Propaganda

Via: Tech Raptor

Shinra isn't exactly a "nice and wholesome" business. They're involved in a lot of "strange" things and perform experiments that would definitely borderline on criminal. The world of Final Fantasy VII isn't a happy-go-lucky place filled with teddy bears and sunshine. It's a magical realm teeming with monsters and other dangers. Be🃏cause of this, Shinra's fighting force is bound to l🍬ose a few SOLDIERs on "routine missions."

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In order to keep their numbers up, they pander to the younger crowds. Many of the💞 Class 1 elite soldiers have their own fan clubs, and a lot of the youth in Midgar and the surrounding areas dream of one day serving alongside the heroes they idolize.

6 They Aren't Normal Humans ♛

The world of Final Fantasy VII is filled with all many of magic, monsters, and strange celestial powers. The SOLDIER program isn't just a ragtag group of🅰 hum🍃ans that are thrust into the line of fire without adequate training or protection.

But SOLDIER members don't develop their powers ov♐er time—they're simply given them through a process involving a substance known as Mako. The Mako energy that is collected from the "Earth" is infused with these soldiers, giving them access to powers and abilities that surpass that of normal humans.

5 💛 All SOLDIER Members Can Use Limit Breaks

Via: Final Fantasy Wiki

Final Fantasy VII was the first title in the franchise to use the term "limit break," but it's something that has been included in the Final Fantasy series ever since Final Fantasy VI. The basic concept is that individuals will "break the limit of their power" when put under extreme stress or harm. The more a player takes damage in Final Fantasy VII, the faster the limit break gauge fills.

Because of their infusion with Mako, any SOLDIER member, regardless of their class, is a▨ble to store energy and use a limit break attack should they be put under enough stress.

4 🎉 Some Have Alien Attributes

Via: Final Fantasy Union

Those who have played through Final Fantasy VII are very likely to remember their clash with Jenova. Although simply a "boss" to most, this particular cr𒆙eature plays a very important part in the development of SOLDIER. On𝔍ce thought to be a Cetra, it turns out that Jenova simply crash-landed on Gaia and was mistaken for one of the ancients.

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Shinra managed to capture the alien and used it to harvest cells to inject into specific SOLDIER members, hoping to create special Cetra-human hybrids to carry on their bidding. Sephiroth is one o𝐆f the most prominent members to receive these alien cells.