Greek Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII

by M.J. Gallagher, Cael Lyons (Illustrator)

Final Fantasy is one of the most iconic and beloved videogame series in the world. Since its inception, its titles have adopted names, themes, and stories from across global mythology. There has been no greater contributor to this than the beliefs of the ancient Greeks. This book embarks on a detailed exploration of the huge extent to which classical lore influenced the writing and design of Final Fantasy VII – arguably the most critically acclaimed of the franchise –, its wider compilation, and the more recent remake project.
Which characters can be compared to the gods of Olympus and which share similarities to divine heroes?
What are the connections between the Cetra and water, and how do these relate to the underworld?
How closely do the summoned beings Hades, Titan, Typhon, and Phoenix match their mythical namesakes?
To what degree does Final Fantasy VII Remake incorporate links to the Fates and the Delphic oracle?

Following the success of Norse Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII, award-winning community author M. J. Gallagher returns to answer these questions and many, many more. Suitable for newcomers and enthusiasts alike.

This work is presented as a tribute to the metaseries Compilation of Final Fantasy® VII. The author proposes that the speculative comparisons between classical mythology and the Compilation of Final Fantasy® VII are unique, and use original thinking and analysis to interpret the inspirations, context, and content of the metaseries. The book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved in creating or producing Final Fantasy®, the videogames, films, or publications.

Genres: Nonfiction

487 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2023

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Reviews

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think anyone can deny that FFVII certainly takes some inspiration from Greek mythology (some of the names alone are direct connections) but I felt like the comparisons and parallels were a lot more loose and vague than the ones made in Gallagher's book on Norse mythology in FFVII. The book definitely still makes for an enjoyable exploration and analysis of the Compilation, though.

[Lully Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.J. Gallagher's Greek Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII is a must-have addition to any Final Fantasy VII fan's collection (and looks really nice next to his previous work, Norse Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII). His knowledge of Greek mythology is apparent in his ability to compare and contrast the events of Final Fantasy VII with these ancient stories.

While I've seen criticism that some of these comparisons feel like a stretch (and I would likely agree), I would argue that the ability to analyze VII's events even loosely with Greek mythology is an exercise in understanding the ways in which tropes echo throughout media--intentionally or otherwise. When honing a lens in which to view the world, it becomes a new way to understand everything around you.

I always highly recommend M.J.'s work--keep an eye out for his upcoming novels for Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (analyzing/comparing it to The Trojan War) and Final Fantasy XVI!

[Day Powell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two subjects of interest to me. Seems like two good books, one on mythology and one on FFVII but abstract in connections making it difficult to read and long winded.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hesitate to rate this one because I really respect the time and research that must have gone into it, but I ended up DNF’ing this one. I read the previous book about Norse myths, and even though that book had a few comparisons that felt like a stretch, it was still much more sound than I feel this one was. This one is much longer-winded for far more loose connections, I felt.

There is an excellent summary of the compilation at the beginning that should be required reading heading into FF7 Rebirth, though, and the author is great at giving the Cliffnotes on Greek mythology.

[Okabe Tomomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book. I'm currently rereading it after combing through the digital copy as slowly as I could. To start with: Mr. Gallagher is fantastic at informative writing. I say this with high praise and fondness. Part of my university experience was combing through thousands upon thousands of pages of mythological references, notes from their transcribers, and being flummoxed by how certain authors organize their thoughts. This is the opposite of my experience while reading through this book multiple times.

The book is laid out beautifully, cohesively, and with intent. It’s obvious an incredible amount of thought was placed into the ordering of concepts. So, it’s easy to follow. It also includes citations for all things you may have even a bare spark of inspiration to look-up. This is ideal for any kind of book trying to reference historical information and made my interest in revisiting old stories come back with full force.

I’m not an expert by any means on mythology, but I do have a bit of background with Greek, Roman, and Ancient Egyptian myths. If you know any source material at all then I genuinely believe you will enjoy reading through this book. Be it Greek mythology inspiring stories and characters within a digital realm, or as a Final Fantasy VII fan that has more curiosity than they know what to do with. If both are true—well, you’re even better off. You’re going to have an enjoyable time.

When this book was launched, I admittedly spent far too much time harassing Mr. Gallagher online to get his thoughts and launch questions at him. I have no regrets—but it’s very possible he might.

So, what did I really like about this book? Myths are amazing, and as I wrote in my review for Norse Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII, it’s important that we keep culture and legacy alive via these old stories. However, I wanted to step away from that train of thought with this one. What really endeared me to this title is the attention spent on smaller bits of lore in the Final Fantasy VII universe that simply isn’t so attended to by the wider audience.

As an example, I was a mid-teen when Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core launched. I was not a mid-teen or even twenty-something when I finally put it down. The game had a startling impact on my desire to dig into storytelling tropes and background information. While the desire already existed, the urge was pushed into action. Most of the official Ultimania for Final Fantasy VII gloss over the events of this game. Which I find to be a shame. The characters are compelling and from the focal point of the start of the story occurring during this era of the lore—it really left me feeling left out of something.

This book doesn’t leave those characters as a footnote. Even the ones Square-Enix seem to want to forget in some cases. They have their own dedicated time and chapters to digging deeply into their mythological references. Yes, I’m talking about Angeal and Genesis. Of course I am. While the rest of the book endeared me, the portions that focused on the characters I’ve always had an interest in enthralled me. It isn’t official information, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s focus on something that provides influence and background to something I genuinely care about.

If you’ve any interest in the universe of Final Fantasy VII or its characters, I am recommending this book to an extreme extent. It is irreplaceable. You should at least read it for the historical value with an entry point of something you’re already a fan of if nothing else.

Don’t let this book gather dust on a shelf. There’s been multiple times I’ve played through a newer Final Fantasy VII game and had this reference to give me just a bit more of an inkling where something was headed.

Usually, it’s right.

[Marija · Rating 4 out of 5]

There might be many conjectures and speculations related to the connections made between the game and the mythology, but there is a given reason for each and every topic addressed. Admittedly, some of the parallels seem a little bit thin.
Also, some of the same information is repeated quite a lot of times in the book and that just feels redundant.
Nevertheless, it is an interesting book for all Final Fantasy fans.

[Nico Solheim-Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely interesting book. As a fan of various mythologies as well as FF7, I really enjoyed reading this. It was certainly eye opening to see just how much of Greek, and by extension, Roman Mythology actually had an influence on FF7 as well as appearing or being alluded to in the game (and the subsequent spin offs).

[Eggith · Rating 3 out of 5]

not gonna return to this for while. but seems like good place to stop as i havent picked it up in a while. i will return to it.

good triva and some stuff about greek myths i have forgotten or didnt know. makes ya wanna jump into the world of ff7 and its games

[Lauri Shore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What can I say?? Gallagher's insights on how Greek myths have most likely inspired FFVII & the Compilation is just... incredible. Can't wait for the next book!