Rebuttal to: "Riddle of the Promised Land"

by Kenzie Pommier

Original Editorial: Riddle of the Promised Land

In Peter Marcroft's original article, he expressed his thoughts of where the Promised Land of Final Fantasy VII might lie, such as the North Crater, the Temple of the Ancients, and even Midgar itself. However, he also used Aeris's quote, "You wander until you feel it and you just know, this is the Promised Land."

Maybe the Promised Land isn't one place or many to gather, but many places where one stays.

Allow me to explain myself: In Cloud's flashback, Sephiroth tells Cloud (and us, as well) that the Cetra was a wandering race of beings Along the way some of them stopped traveling, being bored with the constant searching, or so we assume. This is where Aeris's quote comes into play: "You wander until you feel it and you just know, this is the Promised Land."

It's quite possible that the ones who stopped wandering felt that the spot they were in, be it Midgar or Cosmo Canyon or Icicle Inn, was the Promised Land. They were destined to live there, have children there, and die there. They would be happy.

Unfortunately for their children, they may not be happy in Midgar or Cosmo Canyon or Icicle Inn. That place might not be their personalized Promised Lands.

Let's use Cloud as an example. Cloud was born and raised in Nibelheim, but he had few friends and was picked on. He decided that, at the age of sixteen, he would leave and go to Midgar to join SOLDIER. Maybe there he would find his happiness.

It's in this way that the people of Final Fantasy VII are still attached to their Cetra roots. People still wander, looking for their Promised Lands where they can be happy and raise children, and the children will leave to wander and find where they belong.