Tales of Midgar:
History
The Bombing of Mako Reactor No.01 happened on
MAY 1st, 2000.
Sephiroth's age is unknown. He seems to be between 26 years old and
21 years old. Anyone know for sure?
I am presuming that President Shinra is about 52 when Mako 1 blows. I
am also presuming that he started up Shinra on his own, and that it
did NOT exist for many years.
Compare the technology of FF VII to the current world. THE
TECHNOLOGY IS VERY SIMILAR!!!! Mako is comparable to Nuclear power,
but a bit more mysterious and advanced. Take the current world,
pretend that there's a Nuke reactor in everything from cars to guns
and you have a pseudo FF VII world.
ESPECIALLY keep that in mind when you think about bio-engineering and
other testing! Were humans manipulating genes extensively ninety
years ago?
If anyone still plays the game, and comes across some important
history, make a note of it. I want to especially note Vincent
Valentine and Sephiroth, who seem to have shrouded pasts.
2000 years ago: Jenova crashes into the planet and slowly begins to
eliminate the Ancients.
1948: President Shinra is born in Junon.
1950: Materia is discovered. At this time, Materia was a very rare substance, available to only the very brave.
1964: Shinra finds a shard of materia when exploring a cave.
1965: Barret Wallace is born.
1967: Cid Highwind is born.
1970: Gast, then an independent scientist for a separate firm, discovers Jenova, and dubs it an Ancient.
1971: Shinra tries to start a company in Junon. It initially
starts off in his garage; Shinra was repairing cars for the local
neighbourhood. He eventually sells his materia for a high price and
purchases a factory. Shinra Motor Vehicles started off as a company
for cars, but with the breakout of the war, he moved to weapons,
especially large artillery and ammunition.
1972:
There was a small war. At this point of time, 'Earth' (as dictated by
Supernova) was a multi-polar world. This war in the past was a war
between the eastern continent, which consisted of the slightly more
advanced cities of Junon and the Eight Cities of the Midgarian Plain,
versus the western continent, which consisted of Corel and Costa del
Sol. The war was fought on a basis of ideals; more racism than
anything else. This war lasted for four years. The main fronts were
Junon/Costa del Sol, and much of the warfare was naval. As the East
Continent successfully fended off the strongest West naval fleet in a
decisive battle at Junon, a peace treaty was signed, and mutual
agreements were written. Good relations between the West and the East
have remained since this war.
Professer Gast, in his R&D firm, helped the government
research new weapons. Grants enabled him to discover more about
materia, Mako, and Jenova. However, none of these advancements were
fully developed by the time the war ended. However, the experient
invovling the injection of Jenova cells into a human womb is started.
Lucrecia is injected with Jenova, and late in the year, Sephiroth is
born. Gast begins to question the ethics of testing, and he quits
within a month after Sephiroth's birth. Hojo is promoted to
Head of Science.
After the war, the Government for both east and west is
relocated to the Midgarian Plains, and the eight separate cities are
renamed as the city of Midgar.
1973 (during the war):Shinra rises to prominence. They are
NOT a monopoly, but they were rich enough to buy out Professer Gast's
R&D firm. Along with the firm, they bought the secrets of Jenova, the
idea of Mako Reactors, and Mako Infusions. Although this knowledge
was known to the government, they left it in the hands of Shinra to
develop these discoveries further. Tests were carried out rapidly
within Shinra Inc; the first practical Mako reactor was built within
the same year, at Nibelheim. In addition, the first Mako infusions
are successfully completed, creating the first potential members of
SOLDIER. (The government was still in charge of training military
personnel and Shinra left it to them for that job).
The Government gives the name SOLDIER to those with Mako infusions,
and dictates them an elite group of infantry. In hopes of re-creating
and improving these results, the Jenova project is initiated.
1975: It is discovered that materia is made in reactors; this
is taken and sold to various communities for profit. About this time
(before Sephiroth's birth,the exact date is unknown), Lucrecia has
Jenova cells injected into her womb. The Nibelheim reactor is used
for a base for most Jenova testing, behind the back of the government.
Vincent Valentine, enraged at how his love was being used, tries to
resist, but it subdued.
1977: Aeris Gast is born. Ten days later, Ilfana, Gast, and
Aeris are discovered in Icicle Town. Gast is subdued and Ilfana
and Aeris are taken away for testing.
1979: Rufus is born of President Shinra. Due to problems
during childbirth, Mrs. Shinra dies. Cloud Strife is born.
1980: Tifa Lockheart is born. Population of Midgar is
reported to be in excess of five million people. Population of Junon
exceeds two million people.
1982:
A war with Wutai is initiated. Shinra, at this time, is a strong
corporation with a good reputation, running factories in Junon and
Midgar, and a reliable reactor in Nibelheim. The war was initiated
due to the Ninja's agressiveness (or perhaps it was just a
misunderstanding). Landfall was made on the Western Continent (west
coast), where the Samurai started deplying search parties. Perhaps
they trespassed over a Shinra's property and he agressively attacked
them; because the first instance of violence was a Shinra security
guard found dead by sword at the neck. Nonetheless, neighbouring
villages began contacting the governments of the West and the East,
asking them to defend their land from these invaders.
That was done. Shinra helped jump-start the war efforts with
a generous donation of rocket launchers, turrets, and ammunition. As
the war magnified, Shinra's flow of money did too. At this point,
volunteers for Mako infusions doubled. Shinra began to distribute
materia to those in the army. With the first use of SOLDIER in actual
combat, previous weapons such as tanks are considered impractical and
are scrapped. Funding from taxes and the government permit Shinra to
build reactors in Corel and Gongaga. Contracts for upper plate
contruction for Midgar and Junon are signed. Junon's plate is
finished soon after.
1983: Mako Energy is used in guns and artillery; it is also
used in boats. The Corel and Gongaga reactors are finished. Three
months after, the plate contruction for Midgar is completed. Gas
powers Midgar until the Midgar Reactors are completed.
1985: The Underwater Reactor in Junon is finished. The Midgar
Plains reactors (two then) are also finished. The Shinra Space
program begins. The point of the program is to use rockets as weapons
to bomb Wutai.
1986: Aeris and Ilfana escape from the Shinra labs. Aeris is
adopted by Elmyra Gainsborough. Ilfana disappears.
1988:
A decisive battle against the Capital of the East and
West continents (then located in the vicinity of Midgar Plains) is won
by Wutai. Midgar is placed under martial law. The Prime Minister of
the East and West is killed and the government collapses. Two months
later, President Shinra, with assistance from reserve forces in Junon,
recapture the city under the name of Shinra. After Shinra regains
control, they began contruction of the remainng six reactors. Midgar
is unified into one large city, of about six million people. Shinra
is hailed as a hero and a worthy replacement for the outdated
government.
1990:
The famous Pagoda Strike conquers the capital of Junon.
All that is left is simple guerrilla resistance in the neighbouring
countryside. Shinra occupies the city under martial law and declares
the ending of the war.
At this time, Shinra is a monopoly in a Uni-polar world. The
government has collapsed and Wutai is no longer in power. All that is
left is to put down the resistance from Wutai. Shinra institues
martial law in most of its cities. The results of Mako Reactor
pollution becomes evident; the sky around Midgar begins to turn
black. Also at this time, the reactors would start exploding,
causing much of the hatred that Shinra sees now.
The Shinra Space Program is cancelled with the failed launch
of Number 25. Number 26 remains on the pad.
1993: Cloud Strife leaves Nibelheim to join SOLDIER.
1995: The famous Nibelheim incident which burned Nibelheim and
killed Sephiroth occurs. Jenova's head is stolen, and is now lost.
The remains of Jenova are transported to Shinra HQ. Sephiroth clones
are now started; with Cloud and Zack being the first recipients of
testing. Eventually, the clone of Sephiroth, 1, is created.
Tifa is brought by Zangan to Midgar.
1996: The Corel reactor explodes. Shinra blames terrorists in the town.
They burn the city. Barret Wallace, in his rage, leaves Corel and
goes to Junon to demand an answer. He is denied access.
Barret Wallace gathers three of his friends, Wedge,
Biggs, and Jessie, and meet in Cosmo Canyon to form the group now
known as AVALANCHE. In Midgar, they meet Tifa Lockheart, who runs a
bar.
The Gongaga reactor explodes. This explosion takes out
almost the entire town, and it did not come to a large surprise to
Shinra. Therefore, no troops were sent.
Circa 1997: Zack and Cloud escape from Nibelheim. They reach
Midgar, where Zack is killed.
Circa March, 2000: Tifa finds Cloud in Sector 7. She tells him
about the AVALANCHE job because of her suspicions.
May 1st, 2000: Midgar's Reactor No. 1 is bombed.
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