Rumors | Characters
Rumors abound of secret characters, beside Yuffie and Vincent, who will join your party. Some of these characters are listed below.
1. Boxer
Boxer is supposedly a goblin who'll join your party after fighting him on Goblin Island. This is pretty interesting as Boxer's face actually appears on a game save icon in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VII. No exact method is actually known on obtaining Boxer, other than he resides on Goblin Island and needs to be fought.
Update (13th May 2001): Lord Pie states he has met Boxer during an encounter. Read his words:
"In my game I have encountered the goblin named 'Boxer'. I used Sense on him and it said 'Boxer', level 50, HP: 9999. After defeating him I was taken to a screen similar to the one where you first encounter Yuffie and persuade her to join your team. 'Boxer' posed several questions then said he felt horrible, stole an elixer and ran."
Believable? Until we get a screenshot of Boxer to confirm this rumor... you decide.
2. Sephiroth
According to this rumor, ultra-bad guy Sephiroth can join your party (can't imagine why, though). There are a number of alleged methods of obtaining good 'ol Sephy.
A. You must find twelve 1/35 soldiers scattered around Junon. Once finding these, Sephy will pop up impressed by your skills, and will offer to join your party.
B. You must find the Eight Statues of Sephiroth, carefully hidden throughout the FF7 world. Finding these is supposedly extremely hard. You can obtain a statue by playing Aeris' tune on the broken piano inside the Shinra Mansion, Nibelheim.
C. According to this rumor, there are actually TWO versions of Sephiroth - one that was 'killed' by Cloud five years ago, and the recent Sephiroth that summoned Meteor. The former Sephiroth (whom we shall call Sephy 1) will offer to temporally join your party to dispose of the latter Sephiroth (whom we shall call Sephy 2).
This is achieved by having Cloud and Tifa in your party and visiting Nibelheim. There's a 1 in 50 chance an ex-Shinra employee will be in the town. Speak to him, and he will sell a key to Jenova's room in the Nibelheim reactor. Buy the key, enter the Nibelheim reactor and open the door to Jenova's room. Once inside, explore for half a minute and Cloud will experience a fit. In steps Sephy 1, who will explain his story and then join your side as a playable character. He will leave your party once Cloud reaches Level 99.
D. Another method has been forwarded by Eecetera@aol.com. He suggests confronting the Midgar Zolom while your characters are under level 15. Defeat the monster while sustaining no wounds and proceed to the cave to kill an additional fifty monsters without gaining a scratch. Travel towards the left path and engage the Turks, and defeat them. Sephiroth will then appear, impressed by your skills, and will join you. Apparently Eecetera@aol.com believes Sephiroth will then disclose some close-guarded secrets about Cloud and himself. Whether this is actually possible remains to be seen.
E. A Sephiroth clone is available in the Japanese version of FFVII, according to mdavis@uplogon.com (he also reckons Aeris is available). Collect 1/45 soldiers and the replica of Sephiroth's sword from the Gold Saucer, and they should combine into a Seph clone. He begins at level 50, but stays there permanently.
3. Young Cloud
I don't know the method of getting Young Cloud, but it's been suggested a number of times he can join your party. I admit you can play Young Cloud during Cloud's flashback of Nibelheim. As for anywhere else, who knows.
4. Joe
(thanks goes out to Lord Sephiroth for the spelling correction)
Defeat the rider of the black chocobo at the Gold Saucer too many times, and Joe will join your party. You'll also gain his black chocobo, Teioh, which is virtually unbeatable in the chocobo races. The actual number of races needed to be won is unknown.
5. Dio
To obtain Dio, win one hundred Special Battles at the Gold Saucer during disk 3. Once achieving this, Dio will appear impressed by your fighting abilities. He will then personally challenge you. Win this fight, and Dio will consider himself in debt with you. He will then become available as a playable character.
6. Chocobo
Supposedy you can get one of those cute, fluffy chocobos to join your party. Pedro professes there is a secret 'class' of chocobos that only rarely appears when you're out Chocobo hunting. When captured, you know you have such a secret chocobo when it appears to be speaking with its beak. Send it to the Chocobo Farm when captured, and retrieve it. The Chocobo will then be playable.
7. Super Sweeper
Rumor-contributor Pedro alleges you can get a Super Sweeper (a Shinra robot) as a party member. Win one at the Gold Saucer, head for Rocket Town and Shera will take a look at it. She will then realise she can fix it... and presto. The Super Sweeper can be used as a character. This rather sounds dubious, but there's no known other use for the Super Sweeper.
8. Bugenhagen
It's been suggested Cosmo Canyon elder Bugenhagen is playable. Eecetera@aol.com says Aeris must first be resurrected. After she's returned to life, visit Bugenhagen and he will be overjoyed to see Aeris again. The elder will then indicate he's tired of overseeing Cosmo Canyon and will elect joining your party.
9. Reno
Contributor Luminous believes Turk member Reno is available for your party. Defeat him in his first and second encounter, and Reno will tire of fighting you. He will offer conciliation and join you. Beware however, if you injure Reno greatly during the confrontations, he will retreat.
10. Rufus
Luminous also alleges Shinra President Rufus is available. Defeat Rufus in Shinra HQ, and proceed with the game. Later, enter Junon and disguise yourself as a Shinra soldier. As Rufus inspects you during your march, goof up and Rufus will demand your identity. He'll discover you are Cloud, and will confront you again. Engage him, and when Rufus is almost dead, he'll be amazed and offer peace. He'll make himself available as a character.
11. Mr. Dolphin
ZeraphynAyl@aol.com proclaims you can get aquatic mammal Mr. Dolphin at Junon to join your party. Once you are at disc 3, use your submarine to fight Emerald Weapon. Upon its defeat, swim around the ocean over the crater where Emerald would hover and if you have fought enough battles over the course of the game, your submarine will get caught in an underwater current. Mr. Dolphin will come to save you and if you give him 99 elixers like he asks, he will join your party.