Red XIII's species refers to an unnamed species of sentient mammals in Final Fantasy VII that reside on the planet. The most prominent member of the species in the series is Red XIII, though a handful of others have been seen throughout Final Fantasy VII series.
Despite Red XIII's importance and the unique traits of his species, the species is never named; in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, Professor Hojo[1] refers to Red XIII as a "protector", when identifying him and Aerith Gainsborough as surviving members of endangered species, but it is not clear whether this is intended as a formal designation or merely a descriptor.
Characteristics[]
Picture of two pups in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
The species is known for its longevity with lifespans of hundreds of years, and their affinity to fire. They resemble real-world big cats with their roaring, body shape, sharp claws, teeth, and overall movement, although they share some characteristics with wolves and other canines, such as howling and non-retractable claws. They have bright red-orange fur, and the end of their long tail hosts an ever-burning flame. Red XIII's tail is never shown emitting smoke or lighting anything on fire, but he uses it to deliberately singe Barret Wallace when annoyed in Final Fantasy VII Remake.[2]
The members of the species wear adornments with resemblance to real world Native Americans, such as face-paint, beads, and feathers, with Red XIII's equipment being headdresses. In a concept artwork for an older Red XIII and a cub, the cub has the same tattoo Red XIII has without the XIII numeric. As Seto, Red XIII's father, also has the tattoo, it can be taken to be the symbol of their tribe.
Though they are equally as intelligent as humans, with the ability to speak with perfect grammar, there is no evidence of the species creating a civilization, except for possibly Cosmo Canyon. The flame of Cosmo Canyon, said to burn eternal to protect it, may be connected to their flaming tail.
For unknown reasons, the species died out to near extinction levels and is said to be down to only Red XIII. Red XIII's father, Seto, died protecting Cosmo Canyon, the only known home of the species, from the Gi tribe. His unnamed mother died some time afterward. In Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, another member of his species appears, a female named Deneh. Professor Hojo kidnaps Red XIII to use him as a test subject and Deneh is spared, though she makes no further appearances. Red XIII is seen with two cubs of his species 500 years after Meteorfall, presumed to be his children, possibly with Deneh.
During the planning stages of Final Fantasy VII there were plans for two more members of his species, Cobalt XIV and Indigo XV, also experiments of Hojo, but they were cut from the final version of Final Fantasy VII.
Other media[]
Django's red-fur alternate attire.
The fighting game Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring features several characters from Final Fantasy VII, and one of the playable characters, Django, is a gray-furred individual who resembles the same species as Red XIII, although Django has no official connection to the Final Fantasy series. Django's moveset is compiled of references to Red XIII, Seto, and Final Fantasy summons. He also has a palette-swap colored similarly to Red XIII's fur.
Gallery[]
Citations[]
- ↑ Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, Professor Hojo: "Lending a helping hand to an endangered species... A protector and an Ancient, both on the brink of extinction..." – Final Fantasy VII Story Chapter 3, Main Section 2, Episode 2 "Pursue Professor Hojo!"
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4sammrWBVZs?t=649