The Price Of Freedom - Zack Fair Echoes in Cloud's mind

[StormC]

A little surprised I was the first to make this thread. This is also my first character thread. Let's get this out of the way:

SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY VII AND THE COMPILATION AHEAD.

Who is Zack Fair?

Zack Fair was a SOLDIER who worked for the Shinra corporation on various missions, wielding the Buster Sword that Cloud would one day use. He has made various appearances in the Compilation Of Final Fantasy VII, usually in flashback form, but is the protagonist of the PSP prequel Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, which shows his journey from being a SOLDIER to a mentor figure to Cloud, who is a low ranking grunt in comparison. After being betrayed by Shinra, Zack and Cloud go on the run, and after a tragic run-in with Shinra military, Zack is assassinated. Traumatized by these events, in his delusion, Cloud's mind forms a different backstory; he was the legendary SOLDIER and wielder of the Buster Sword all this time, and enters Midgar to join AVALANCHE as an ex-SOLDIER. And so begins the story of Final Fantasy VII...

So what's his personality like?

Zack is Cloud's opposite in many ways; Cloud is withdrawn, sullen, and mysterious. Zack is energetic, goofy, and charming, and something of a self-styled ladies man. He always tries to help people in need, but his naivety and eagerness can lead to him jumping into situations before fully understanding what's at risk. A true hero at his core, Zack will stop at nothing to fight evil - even when his friends and comrades are the evil.

Has Zack been on a Nintendo console?

He has! He appeared in the 3DS title Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call. This is significant because Sakurai said he might have misgivings about adding Cloud if he was not on a Nintendo console. Cloud's appearances on Nintendo consoles amount to nothing more than spin-off cameos, so Zack should be just as qualified as Cloud is.

Why should Zack be in Smash Bros.?

Echo fighters so far have been fan favorite characters - Daisy, Richter, Dark Samus, and Chrom are all popular, either in the context of Smash or within their own series. Zack is one of the most popular Final Fantasy protagonists, and his prequel game is generally regarded as the best part of the Compilation outside of the original. Due to having the same outfit and weapon as Cloud, Zack would be significantly easier to make as an echo fighter compared to many others, and Richter has proven that third party series are, at the very least, able to have additional echo fighters. Thematically, it also ties in very well, since Cloud's appearance and persona in Final Fantasy VII is a subconscious attempt to imitate Zack; it can be brought full circle by having Zack imitate Cloud in Smash Bros.

What are his chances?

For the base game? Very low. It's likely the remaining echo fighters will be chosen from the ballot or general fan favorites in the Smash community. Given that the ballot closed before Cloud was revealed, it's extremely likely that Zack received a grand total of zero votes on the ballot, so unless Sakurai decided to throw FF fans another bone, it doesn't seem like he will be in the game at launch. However, this thread might be a good place to generate interest and see if we could get him added as DLC.

If you'd like to see Zack as an echo fighter, please post here! Or don't, and just let this thread gather dust.

1st Class SOLDIERS
1. StormC
2. Guybrush20X6
3. Rie Sonomura
4. toonito
5. Ultinarok
6. Aussie the Naturist
7. GodBarrierDjinn
8. Xeno610
9. JarBear

 

[Guybrush20X6]

While many would cite SE's lack of willingness to bring in content outside the bare-minimum, I'd like to point out one important thing, Everything they did included in 4 had a direct momentary gain, be it Cloud himself, the stage with only two songs and the Geno outfit. So why would Zack get in the base game? I can answer that

amiibo!

Simply put, Zack's addition would mean that Square gets another cut of the merchandising money and they have to do is give the voice actor's phone number.

As for Zack himself, he could work similarly to Cloud as he can use all of Cloud's limit breaks in Crisis Core but with one minor exception. IIRC his version of Omnislash isn't as elaborate as Cloud's so he'd need a different animation on that.

I'm not sure Square would splash for it but I support.

 

[StormC]

Oh man, I didn't even think about a Zack Fair amiibo... god that would be awesome.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

Sign me up, if there’s two more Square Enix characters I’d like to see, they’re Neku (from TWEWY) as a unique fighter, and Zack as a Cloud echo.

 

[toonito]

i support Zack as a Cloud echo

 

[Ultinarok]

I literally just thought about this happening today. And yeah I can't believe this thread didnt exist either, Zack is a no-brainer Cloud Echo. (Although if we're counting the in-game lore, Cloud is the real echo). I'd be down for Seph as a newcomer and Zack as an Echo, maybe without the Limit mechanic but slightly stronger/faster all the time, for a more consistent but less explosive Cloud.

I just wish there was some way to incorporate the DMW into his moveset as a Limit replacement, but I can't imagine a way it would work. The reels would either be too luck-based, too distracting, too complicated in tandem with his specials, or any combination of those. But yeah if Simon can get Richter, Cloud can get Zack.

 

[Ultinarok]

While many would cite SE's lack of willingness to bring in content outside the bare-minimum, I'd like to point out one important thing, Everything they did included in 4 had a direct momentary gain, be it Cloud himself, the stage with only two songs and the Geno outfit. So why would Zack get in the base game? I can answer that

amiibo!

Simply put, Zack's addition would mean that Square gets another cut of the merchandising money and they have to do is give the voice actor's phone number.

As for Zack himself, he could work similarly to Cloud as he can use all of Cloud's limit breaks in Crisis Core but with one minor exception. IIRC his version of Omnislash isn't as elaborate as Cloud's so he'd need a different animation on that.

I'm not sure Square would splash for it but I support.

Actually Zack only uses one Cloud limit break, Meteorain (although his version is called Meteor Shots) when Cloud is the line-up on the DMW. His other limits are derived from other people he's close to, like Healing Wind from Aerith and Octaslash from Sephiroth (this is the "less elaborate Omnislash" you're thinking of.) Ironically, Meteorain is the only Limit Cloud doesn't use in Smash. This means Zack having Cloud's Limits would admittedly be improvised like Ness and Lucas, but Cloud emulated Zack for most of FF7 so it's not that farfetched.

Oops sorry for the double post.

 

[StormC]

I agree that for simplicity's sake, Zack can just use Cloud's Limit Breaks and his own Final Smash should be Octaslash. Perhaps there could be a cosmetic version of the DMW that appears during his Final Smash, if not having any bearing on his gameplay.

Also, if Shulk can have his swim trunks, Zack should totally have this as an alt:

Maybe even with the umbrella included.

 

[AwesomeAussie27]

I agree that for simplicity's sake, Zack can just use Cloud's Limit Breaks and his own Final Smash should be Octaslash. Perhaps there could be a cosmetic version of the DMW that appears during his Final Smash, if not having any bearing on his gameplay.

Also, if Shulk can have his swim trunks, Zack should totally have this as an alt:

Maybe even with the umbrella included.

Oh hell yes. This is perfect alt material.

That aside, I am all for him as an echo.

 

[GodBarrierDjinn]

I really want him to have Angeal's FULL LENGTH Buster Sword. Also would be nice if he gets both of his hairstyles. I wish we get him or Tifa. Really don't want it to be Geno.

 

[Deleted member]

I have played Crisis Core and only got up passed the point where Zack got the Buster Sword. After that, my PSP effectively died; it freezes and has trouble reading the mini discs, disrupting gameplay.

From what I've played though, I really do like Zack as a character and he's by far one of my most wanted characters for Dissidia NT.
For Smash though? I'll support! When it came to echo fighters, Zack was oddly enough the first character that I thought of to be an echo fighter... not someone like Daisy or Dark Samus, but Zack Fair. (it would also be ironic that Zack is a clone of Cloud when Cloud copied him)

And remember... embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER.

 

[StormC]

I'd guess Zack would have his older hairstyle if he's in because that's how styles it when he has the Buster Sword. Having both would be nice though.

 

[JarBear]

Zack fits perfectly as a Cloud Echo. I am in support of that.

 

[Ultinarok]

I'd guess Zack would have his older hairstyle if he's in because that's how styles it when he has the Buster Sword. Having both would be nice though.

His older hairstyle is also his Final Fantasy 7 hairstyle, so it's more iconic.

I feel the best thing working in Zack's favor is Richter. No one expected him, no one really asked for him because they didn't think he could happen, yet here he is, a 3rd party Echo that came out of nowhere. He's basically paved the way for any 3rd fighter to be able to get an Echo: Bass or Zero for Mega Man (didn't happen), Ken for Ryu, Shadow for Sonic, Ms. Pacman for Pacman, Liquid Snake or Raiden for Snake and Zack for Cloud. It's all possible now because of Richter breaking the mold. Of course, it's also doubtful that they'd ALL get an Echo, but Zack has a chance now.

 

[GodBarrierDjinn]

https://twitter.com/GodBarrierDjinn/status/1035753880397606912

 

[roydgriffin]

So on the smash wiki it says zack is a spirit, but I just dug through all the spirit mode sections of the direct and sakurais little presentation and saw no trace of him.
Can anyone confirm?

 

[GodBarrierDjinn]

Man I really hope it's a mistake

 

[VongolaFair]

Zack is my favourite FF character and deserves to be in as an echo fighter, sign me up!

 

[VongolaFair]

How many 3rd party echoes are people expecting for Ultimate’s DLC?

 

[Deleted member]

Wait can Zack really work as an Echo because Cloud has moves that Zack doesn't even use.

 

[silenthunder]

I support. I just got into Final Fantasy 7 because I mained Cloud. Zack is also my best friend's (before he decided to socially isolate) favorite final fantasy character. I really support this guy.

 

[Gengar84]

I would love a bunch more echoes and Zack is a great choice as far as echo characters go. Count me in.