Final Fantasy fans are living the dream right now. The series is probably in the best place it has been since the early 2000s when Final Fantasy X came out, completing a string of solid legendary 3D games spanning from 1997 to 2001.
Final Fantasy XIV is riding high, Final Fantasy XVI is on the horizon, and of course Final Fantasy 7 Remake made dreams come true. As detailed and big as the first entry in the remakes is, several important characters did not manage to make the cut. Some of them show up so late in the story, there is a chance they won't even get mentioned in the sequel.
10 Vincent Valentine
While the two secret party members are optional, Yuffie and Vincent are considered just as integral to the main cast as everybody else. Vincent is a little trickier to find and shows up later, but he quickly became a fan favorite none the less. It will be interesting to see how his transformations are handled in gameplay. Will players control the monsters he becomes?
9 Elena
The Turks play a huge role in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, committing one of the worst atrocities of the epic journey when they blow up the Sector 7 plate. By the time the party escapes Midgar, Elena has yet to join them. She's a little softer than the cruel and calculating Rude, Reno, and Tseng. We wonder how the Turks will change over the course of the remakes. While they never become friends in the original, the Turks definitely feel less menacing by the end of the original adventure.
8 Bugenhagen
One of the smartest and wisest people players meet on their journey, Bugenhagen lives in Cosmo Canyon and helped raise Red XIII. Going up into his observatory is a memorable moment of the original 1997 classic. When he shows up in the remake, will he still be floating around or will he be walking on two legs like everybody else? We are also super psyched to hear a new rendition of the cosmo canyon theme.
7 Shera
Shera is Cid Highwind's wife and fellow scientist. Players immediately feel sympathy for her because of how Cid talks and treats her. She does not resist his cruelty, feeling guilty for ruining her husband's dream for space flight. This is really no excuse for the way Cid acts, however, and he eventually learns his lesson. Will the interactions between the two of them be toned down in the remake, or will Cid be just as aggressive towards her?
6 Dio
Dio, the owner of the Gold Saucer, is certainly brimming with self confidence. It takes a lot of self-esteem to walk around in a speedo everywhere.
Given how faithful some of the weirder designs in Midgar are in Final Fantasy VII Remake, we imagine Dio will don the same outfit once players reach the Gold Saucer in the future. In addition to him, we cannot help imagine the types of mini games that will be available at the amusement park.
5 Genesis
While not even mentioned in the original Final Fantasy VII, Genesis is a key component of the prequel Crisis Core and even mentioned by Hojo in Final Fantasy VII Remake. He is a member of SOLDIER and the antagonist of the PSP game starring Zack Fair. In it, he tries to find a way to prevent his degradation thanks to Hojo's experimentation. With Weiss having shown up in the Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade trailer, it is clear these compilation games still have a place in the lore.
4 Gast Faremis
Professor Gast has a minor part in the original Final Fantasy VII, but it is important. As a researcher for Shinra, he fell in love with Ifalna and the two eventually had a daughter, Aerith Gainsborough.
Players see Aerith's mother in a flashback sequence in the 2020 remake, but Gast only receives minor lip service. We imagine the flashback sequence detailing Ifalna and Gast's relationship will be fleshed out a bit in the remakes.
3 Dyne
This character does not show up until players reach Corel and the Gold Saucer. He is an old friend of Barret Wallace and Marlene's biological father. Through this chapter players understand where Barret's hatred for Shinra really comes from. Dyne similarly has a gun arm and an equally tragic story, though he takes his anger out on anybody who is around. The scenes involving him and Barret will be especially dramatic with modern graphics.
2 Lucrecia
Lucrecia has a small part in the 1997 game, but it is significantly expanded upon in the spin-offs. Even in the original title, she is still an important part of the puzzle. She is Sephiroth's biological mother, after all. Her story is filled with lots of details, but just know her life nosedives into a downward spiral of tragedy and regret. Overcome with guilt and grief, she eventually encases herself in crystal, which is where she can be found in the first game's world map.
1 Cid Highwind
The last mandatory party member found in Final Fantasy VII, Cid Highwind is a foulmouthed rocket scientist who is also a dragoon for some reason. How anybody has the time to study rocket propulsion, aerodynamics, and combat with a lance is beyond us. Considering the next game probably will not be rated M, Cid's language will most likely be toned down a bit. Less cursing, but still the same amount of yelling.