How did Cloud defeat Sephiroth in Nibelheim?

[One-winged Demon]

Sephiroth stabbed him with his masamune but he held it and threw Sephiroth in the ground.

 

[Bambi]

So, you wanna know how Cloud managed to over power Sephiroth then? It's a little unclear

Im not entirely sure if Cloud had already had Jenova in him at this point, or whether it was just Mako when he tried to become one of SOLDIER, if he already had the Jenova cells, then that will be what kept him alive and gave him strength, I guess, if not, Ive no idea.... <_<

I always assumed he already had Jenova in him at this point, but Im not sure what made me come to the is conclusion, Im SURE there's some reference to it in the ShinRa mansion, but I could be getting this confused with the events afterwards...I know Ive dawn this conclusion from somewhere, but I could be wrong <_<

 

[Sylvanius]

Hmm, I remember when I played FFVII that part confused me so much...especially since with the graphics it was hard to tell what happened at all. In fact until I played CC I didn't even realize spehiroth had stabbed him...to me it had just kind of looked like Sephiroth was randomly levitating..and then Cloud got angry and Sephiroth just went over the edge for the hell of it..I remember just sitting there like...'ummmmm...repeat?'

Now that I have figured that out though unsure my best guess is that it would be a combination of things. One may just be that crazy heroic adrenaline on Cloud's part, the whole protection thing between Tifa and Zack being injured probably kicked him into overdrive and part of it could just be the fact that Sephiroth underestimated him..plus he had just gone crazy. At that point, in his newly found crazy, I doubt that good ol' Sephy was really in his prime so to speak and I am betting he saw Cloud as no threat so put very little effort into trying to kill him. The adrenaline (or heroic plot mechanism or whatever) on Cloud's part may have just gotten the better of Sephiroth in that moment of underestimation and because of Sephiroths current state perhaps his reaction time was off just enough for Cloud to get an upper hand on him.

That's my best guess anyway, I'm sure a lot of it has to do with luck on Cloud's part. He isn't even as strong as Sephiroth in AC (that was said in an interview somewhere) so there is no way he could have taken him on an even playing field then...

 

[Sora_lion_heart]

Another comment another vomit another darn it

Edward Cullen: Yeah. Um... I had an adrenaline rush. It's very common. You can Google it."

I think it was adrenaline and Cloud being pissed off more then Sephiroth. He fought with his heart like he does in AC when he does Omni Slash 5 or whatever its called. I've seen straight up weak nerds whoop ass on a bully when he had to. So its not that rare, hince the quote.

 

[Sephikross]

If a woman can find the strength to lift a car for her baby, you dont think a full grown fighting soldier can muster the strength to lift one man off the ground? Its not like sephiroths crazy power includes a gravity amplifier, all cloud had to lift was Sephiroth which is probably about 135 pounds.

What confused me is why is sephiroth using his incredible strength to keep his iron clutch to the sword thats causing him to lift off the ground. Let it go dummy. He could have just pushed cloud over after he stabbed him.

 

[Prince Oberyn Martel]

So, you wanna know how Cloud managed to over power Sephiroth then? It's a little unclear

Im not entirely sure if Cloud had already had Jenova in him at this point, or whether it was just Mako when he tried to become one of SOLDIER, if he already had the Jenova cells, then that will be what kept him alive and gave him strength, I guess, if not, Ive no idea.... <_<

I always assumed he already had Jenova in him at this point, but Im not sure what made me come to the is conclusion, Im SURE there's some reference to it in the ShinRa mansion, but I could be getting this confused with the events afterwards...I know Ive dawn this conclusion from somewhere, but I could be wrong <_<

Cloud wouldn't have either Make or Jenova cells in his body at this time. He get's both after he and Zack are taken to the Nibelheim Mansion basement lab and experimented on by Hojo.

The only explanation is adrenaline rush. Sephiroth has clearly ticked Cloud off a little so our spiky headed friend opens a suprising can of whoop-ass. Abit like when a school bully goes a bit too far and in the heat of the moment his victim endes up right hooking his nose in, with a ridiculas amont of blood and guts splashing everywhere, and sick on the side where a bystanding lass fails to control her blood phobia.

 

[One-winged Demon]

If a woman can find the strength to lift a car for her baby, you dont think a full grown fighting soldier can muster the strength to lift one man off the ground?

Cloud was just an infantryman and he was only 16 years old.And also he was stabbed in his stomach.Isn't that unfair?

 

[Prince Oberyn Martel]

But then again he has also survived stupidly large falls, caves falling in on him, being washed away to the other end of the world, being shot in the head and a night beside Barret. Face it, Cloud is one hard muddafukka.

 

[ACardAttack]

But for Cloud to lift him up by the sword with the sword in Cloud does not seem possible, it seems like the weight of Sephiroth would cause that sword to cut through Cloud even more, or at least make the pain unbearable to the max

 

[Sylvanius]

Face it, Cloud is one hard muddafukka.

Or just REALLY lucky I'm still going with adrenaline...and the rules of survival in the FF verse....stab wound to the stomach? psh, just a scratch.

it seems like the weight of Sephiroth would cause that sword to cut through Cloud even more, or at least make the pain unbearable to the max

Well yeah..it probably would cut him more, I'm not sure how to explain that one...as for the pain...I will go with adrenaline on that one too...and probably some shock.

 

[Fusionist]

lulz, I don't think there's need for too much thought for this. As other's said, it was probably the likely adrenaline rush thing/heat of the moment type of reaction. Sephiroth burning down his home, killing many in the process including his mother, wounding Tifa and Zack, I'm sure Cloud would've found some hidden power in him, ya know?

But more likely than not it's just a scene where the under-dog manages to over-power the momma's boy. It's not the first time a scenario where a much weaker person over-powers someone a helluva lot stronger than them. I'm sure the whole point was that Cloud, while not making the cut for SOLDIER, still over powered the poster boy Sephiroth all on his own.

 

[Dragon Mage]

Sylvanius pretty much hit it right on the nose. Adrenaline rush and determination stemming from the wish to protect his friends.

Also, there's always that added element of fate. Who can know that for sure though?

 

[Vladislak]

I'm gonna agree with what people have said here, that it was most likely adrenaline brought on by the moment.
When people or animals get desperate, they manage to pull of some amazing things.

I also think it was partly Sephiroth's fault for getting a bit too cocky and underestimating his foes.

Another detail; Sephiroth had just finished fighting Zack (he had to expend some energy), and had gotten stabbed in the back with the Buster sword immediately afterwords. I don't care how good you are in a fight, after that there is no way that he's still in peak condition.

Sephiroth isn't invulnerable, I'd be willing to bet that his wound from the Buster sword was dripping quite a bit of blood. With all that blood loss, it's no wonder his reaction time and strength levels were only a fraction of what they normally are. He was probably walking around in a daze as it is.

 

[Sylvanius]

Another detail; Sephiroth had just finished fighting Zack (he had to expend some energy), and had gotten stabbed in the back with the Buster sword immediately afterwords. I don't care how good you are in a fight, after that there is no way that he's still in peak condition.

Hmm, if I recall correcty (which I may not) I think in that scene in crisis core that from the way sephiroth was walking after he fought Zack made him look pretty beaten up so I would say that had a lot to do with it as well. I had totally forgotten about that until now, I was just thinking of the scenes from FFVII itself which is pretty vague.

 

[SOLDIERis1337]

How did he defeat him, you ask? It was a combination of numerous factors. First off we have the fact that Jenova was influencing Sephiroth, he was too focused on his "mother" to notice Cloud sneaking up behind him. After this attack he was pretty much bisected, his spine was severed and many of his organs were damaged, if he weren't the perfect Jenova/human hybrid he was created to be then he wouldn't be walking around after that. After receiving a wound of this magnitude he was reduced to limping around, he was nowhere near his physical peak. To add to this physical draw back he was very mentally unstable after learning the truth and going nuts thanks to Jenova's influence, unable to focus as he could when thinking clearly. Then there's the fact that Cloud was being fueled by a rage induced adrenaline high thanks to his family and town being wiped out, giving him quite a boost.

These factors gave us a weakened and unstable Sephiroth who couldn't think, "hey, I should let go of the handle of my sword since he's lifting me up," which led to his falling into the lifestream, learning the truth, usurping Jenova's will, and trying to take over the world business.

 

[Fizzban]

If a woman can find the strength to lift a car for her baby, you dont think a full grown fighting soldier can muster the strength to lift one man off the ground? Its not like sephiroths crazy power includes a gravity amplifier, all cloud had to lift was Sephiroth which is probably about 135 pounds.

What confused me is why is sephiroth using his incredible strength to keep his iron clutch to the sword thats causing him to lift off the ground. Let it go dummy. He could have just pushed cloud over after he stabbed him.

I basically agree. The hardest most badass mother hubbard around runs some fool through with his huge sword and he doesn't die? I'd be shocked too. Cloud used his rage and his strength of will to throw Sephiroth into the Mako..and he survived to boot. Hence why Hojo saw the potential of inplanting Jenova cells and Mako into him in the first place. Hojo thought he was a failed specimin because he had mental issues but Cloud even overcame those (with a little help from Tifa) to become even greater than Sephiroth.