Final Fantasy 7: Cosmo Canyon

I think I skipped right over Cosmo Canyon in my discussions, though I guess I've been doing pretty bad at staying in Chronological order. Hey, have you ever noticed how you start off on the first continent at Midgar and leave from Junon, yet the two cities are basically right next to each other? Same thing for Costa Del Sol and Rocket Town. You pretty much just tour each continent, walking in a huge circle around their mountainous cores.

Anyway, Cosmo Canyon is at about the half-way mark in your circuit around the second continent.

When I was exploring those ruins near Flagstaff I couldn't get the Cosmo Canyon music out of my head. It seemed pretty clear to me that the music, the architecture, and the natural features of the canyon were inspired by the Native Americans of the southwestern United States.

Anyway, I think it's funny that Red XIII seemed pretty uninterested in joining AVALANCHE when Barret was talking to him about it in the prison cell at Shinra HQ since Red XII is basically the last member of a race of AVALANCHE members, more or less: warriors bent on saving the planet.

That said, there isn't much evidence of his race really accomplishing much in that area. We're simply told that his race protects the planet, yet the only specific story we get is about Red XIII's father protecting the canyon from invaders.

Also, does anyone else find Seto's story and Red XIII's discovery of it sadder than the loss of Aeris? At least, it always choked me up more. I don't think I ever shed a tear for Aeris, but I'm pretty sure I've shed tears for Seto.

Which is a little funny, since Seto is a major Gameplay and Story Segregation situation. Seto is clearly still alive, and we've been stocking Softs ever since those guys in Costa Del Sol warned us to start bringing them along...

Anyway, I had forgotten that Bugenhagen was once a Shinra employee, but he's 130 years old. HOw old was he when he was part of Shinra? How old is the Shinra company? What was he doing there?  How old was he at the time? How does he float around like that? Apparently he was friends with Gast.

Anyway, I guess Cosmo Canyon was the birthplace of AVALANCHE. It's pretty close to Corel, so has Barret been there? He certainly mentions how he wanted to bring Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse there at some point.

Anyway, I guess Cosmo Canyon is free from Shinra control, mostly because they live in a desert, and I guess Shinra assumes that Mako only exists in fertile lands. Good thing they never noticed the Ancient Forest.

Still, it's clear that Bugenhagen gets electricity from somewhere. He's kind of a gear nut, it turns out. While Cosmo Canyon in general seems to be pushing for a "one with nature" philosophy, Bugenhagen represents a balance; an appreciation for the balance of both nature and technology.