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Cause and Effect - The Theme of FFVII: Advent Children

(NB: At the time of typing, I have only read the transcript of the 20 minute long presentation that was shown at the Venice Film Festival, therefore I'm making a lot of assumptions. When the film comes out, I may review this article.)

      Just after FFVII was released, Hironobu Sakaguchi mentioned in an interview that the overall theme of the game was that of "Life". He said that the death of his mother influenced the storyline, in that he wanted it to be about life. Upon playing the game, you can see where these influences lie. FFVII is about the circle of life, how even in death, you can have an effect on the fate of the Planet. The world of FFVII sees a person's life force become one with nature; when you die you enter the Lifestream, which helps the grass grow, and the earth breathe. It's ironic that for all Shinra's search for the "Promised Land", it was a fruitless one. The Promised Land was the afterlife, it was where souls go once departed; into the earth, driving it forward. Sephiroth's search for immortality was also a pointless one, as all souls were automatically immortal as they took their place in the grand scheme of things. This is a nice utopian view of life. That it never ends, that it's always ongoing, and you can find the remains of loved ones in the air, in the ground, the sea, the very essence of the Planet itself. However, seven years on from the formation of that view, everything is different.
      Like it or not, September 11th, 2001 changed the world, it awoke everyone to the dangers of the current world climate (and perhaps US foreign policy). When everyone woke up on the 12th of September, it seemed like the world had changed. No more false optimism and living for tomorrow, we had to sort out today and sort it out fast. The consequences of our actions and the actions of our forefathers were coming back to haunt us and bite us in the arse. This, I believe, is the theme of FFVII: Advent Children.
      At the end of FFVII, some of us believed that mankind had gotten away with pretty heinous crimes against the Planet. Human greed had almost ended all life itself. The greedy search for the Promised Land and the continuing need for Mako energy had almost dried out the Lifestream. It took Meteor and Holy working together to heal the Planet. Meteor destroyed the largest threat to the Lifestream-- Midgar's reactors, whilst Holy healed the Planet by revitalising the Lifestream, but what we didn't know back then is that Holy had a sting in the tail-- Geostigma.
      Geostigma is the Planet's last laugh, and its punishment on human kind. It's the ultimate statement of, "what goes around, comes around". The purpose of Geostigma is to remind humans of what effect they had on the Planet, it is the dehabilitation they caused-- made flesh. To completely eliminate the human race would not teach them the lesson they need to learn in order to become enlightened-- to enter their Promised Land, if you will. So in order to learn, the humans needed to be shown the damage they caused, and it's only in that way they can atone for their sins against the Planet. That Cloud Strife himself is afflicted with Geostigma is notable as it shows that no one is immune.
      Geostigma isn't the only example of the effect of consequence in FFVII:AC. Cloud himself is a victim of consequence. Wracked with guilt over Aerith's death, he shuns Tifa's advances. She obviously loves him but he is so wrapped up in his self-pity he doesn't see. However, unlike the negative consequence shown in Geostigma, the consequence of Aerith's death was a positive one. Unlike the greedy members of Shinra, it seems Cloud finds himself TOO responsible for her death. In order for Cloud to get redeemed, he must learn to open his heart to others and let go of the past. Perhaps Cloud will find a cure for Geostigma, a solution that requires someone to work in harmony with the Planet instead of against it.
      In the world of FFVII:AC, it appears you reap what you sow, and when you think about it, with talk of global warming increasing thanks to the increasing use of CFC gasses, presidents of large nations causing civil unrest in oil-based economies-- only to see thousands of his own troops perish in skirmishes with guerrillas, and additive and fat laden foods causing record levels of obesity, we're ALL reaping what we sow. We're all victims of consequence, but, like Cloud, can we ever be redeemed?