Square Enix releases Final Fantasy VII Remake art for Cloud’s mom

“So this is a SOLDIER uniform?”

Cloud’s mom has always been a cryptic element of the Final Fantasy VII mythos. In the original release, she wasn’t even named — and was only referred to as “Claudia” in design documents. Now her name is fully canon thanks to Final Fantasy VII Remake, which expands upon this scene a bit with a full look at Claudia’s face.

This past weekend, Square Enix pulled back the curtain a bit and gave us a glimpse at art of Claudia for Mother’s Day. While her in-game Remake model has a strong familial resemblance to Cloud, her character art is a bit more distinct of a design.

In any case, it’s highly likely that the mythos of Cloud will be expanded in future entries, which could impact the overarching meta-narrative behind the “remakes” themselves. Wait did I just use the term “remakes?” How will Square Enix find the time to make more games when they’re so invested in live service and potentially play-to-earn and the Metaverse?

Here is Square Enix’s concept art for Cloud’s mom, as well as an in-game Remake model, and a screen from the PlayStation game:

今日は #母の日 ！💐🫶
クラウドの母「クラウディア」のアートをご紹介します！🍴🍎
お母さん、ありがとう！Happy Mother’s Day！❤️🎁#FF7R #FF7R_inter #MothersDay pic.twitter.com/UNXiY4N8bA

— FFVII REMAKE (@FFVIIR_CLOUD) May 8, 2022

Here is the Claudia flashback in the Remake:

Here is how the Cloud’s mom flashback was handled in the original Final Fantasy VII: