Movie
Description
In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which takes place two years after the events of the original game, Barret Wallace has undergone a significant personal evolution while remaining a formidable presence. He is a tall, muscular man with a deep voice and a commanding stature, now sporting his hair in cornrows and wearing an off-white vest over a fishnet shirt. The most notable change to his appearance is his right arm; the exposed gatling gun has been replaced by a sleek, mechanical prosthetic hand that can transform into a large, powerful gun, a modification that allows him to live a more integrated life while still retaining his combat capabilities.
Born in the coal-mining town of Corel, Barret’s past is marked by tragedy. He once supported the Shinra Electric Power Company’s construction of a Mako reactor in his hometown, a decision that led to disaster when Shinra, suspecting the townspeople of sabotage, burned Corel to the ground. In the ensuing chaos, Barret lost his right arm and his wife, Myrna, while his best friend, Dyne, fell to his apparent death. Barret adopted Dyne’s young daughter, Marlene, and swore vengeance against Shinra, eventually leading the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE in a campaign to destroy the Mako reactors that were draining the planet’s life energy. By the time of Advent Children, that war is over, and Shinra has fallen.
The Barret seen in the film is a changed man, no longer driven by the blind rage and vendetta that once defined him. While he retains his brash, loud, and passionate demeanor, he has matured and found a new sense of purpose. Having left Midgar to travel the world, he is now focused on atonement and rebuilding. He is searching for alternative energy sources, such as oil, to help the planet recover without the use of Mako, seeing it as a way to make amends for the destruction caused by AVALANCHE’s bombing campaigns. Despite his gruff exterior, he remains deeply caring, especially toward his adopted daughter, Marlene. The internal conflict he once felt between being a fighter and being a father has been partially resolved, as he now fights to secure a future for her and others.
In the story of Advent Children, Barret initially operates away from the main group. He has left Marlene in the care of Tifa Lockhart at her bar, Seventh Heaven, in the new city of Edge. His role is that of the returning ally. When his friends are threatened by the three Sephiroth remnants—Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz—and the monstrous creature Bahamut SIN, Barret makes a dramatic return to the battlefield. He provides crucial long-range fire support during the battle against Bahamut SIN, using his transformed gun-arm to unleash devastating attacks from the airship Highwind, demonstrating that his combat skills are as sharp as ever. He fights alongside Cloud Strife, Tifa, and the others, proving that while he may be on a personal journey, his loyalty to his friends and his commitment to protecting the planet remain absolute.
Key relationships continue to define him. His bond with Marlene is the emotional core of his character; his first concern upon reuniting with his friends is for her safety, and she serves as his primary motivation for building a better world. His friendship with Tifa is built on deep trust, as he entrusts his most precious person to her care. His relationship with Cloud has evolved from one of professional rivalry and irritation to mutual respect. He understands Cloud’s struggles and fights alongside him as a dependable comrade, not a reluctant ally. A significant off-screen relationship is with Dyne, whose memory and tragic fate continue to inform Barret’s sense of responsibility.
Barret’s development from Final Fantasy VII to Advent Children is a central aspect of his character. He has moved from being a reactive terrorist fueled by hatred to a proactive builder and protector. The novella On the Way to a Smile: Case of Barret explores this transition, revealing how he struggled with guilt over his past violent actions and his feeling of being a monster because of his weapon-arm. His new, more discreet prosthetic hand symbolizes this growth; it is a tool for both work and defense, representing his acceptance of his past while choosing a more constructive path forward. He is no longer trying to destroy an enemy, but rather trying to heal a world and guide it toward a new future, actively seeking redemption through labor and discovery rather than through further violence.
His notable abilities center entirely on his gun-arm. Unlike a simple firearm, Barret’s arm is an extension of himself. In Advent Children, his signature move is to charge his prosthetic with energy to fire a massive, high-powered blast capable of dealing significant damage to enormous foes like Bahamut SIN. He is a long-range powerhouse, using his weapon to provide suppressing fire and heavy artillery support for his close-combat-focused allies. His fighting style is practical, aggressive, and devastating, reflecting his straightforward and forceful personality.
Born in the coal-mining town of Corel, Barret’s past is marked by tragedy. He once supported the Shinra Electric Power Company’s construction of a Mako reactor in his hometown, a decision that led to disaster when Shinra, suspecting the townspeople of sabotage, burned Corel to the ground. In the ensuing chaos, Barret lost his right arm and his wife, Myrna, while his best friend, Dyne, fell to his apparent death. Barret adopted Dyne’s young daughter, Marlene, and swore vengeance against Shinra, eventually leading the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE in a campaign to destroy the Mako reactors that were draining the planet’s life energy. By the time of Advent Children, that war is over, and Shinra has fallen.
The Barret seen in the film is a changed man, no longer driven by the blind rage and vendetta that once defined him. While he retains his brash, loud, and passionate demeanor, he has matured and found a new sense of purpose. Having left Midgar to travel the world, he is now focused on atonement and rebuilding. He is searching for alternative energy sources, such as oil, to help the planet recover without the use of Mako, seeing it as a way to make amends for the destruction caused by AVALANCHE’s bombing campaigns. Despite his gruff exterior, he remains deeply caring, especially toward his adopted daughter, Marlene. The internal conflict he once felt between being a fighter and being a father has been partially resolved, as he now fights to secure a future for her and others.
In the story of Advent Children, Barret initially operates away from the main group. He has left Marlene in the care of Tifa Lockhart at her bar, Seventh Heaven, in the new city of Edge. His role is that of the returning ally. When his friends are threatened by the three Sephiroth remnants—Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz—and the monstrous creature Bahamut SIN, Barret makes a dramatic return to the battlefield. He provides crucial long-range fire support during the battle against Bahamut SIN, using his transformed gun-arm to unleash devastating attacks from the airship Highwind, demonstrating that his combat skills are as sharp as ever. He fights alongside Cloud Strife, Tifa, and the others, proving that while he may be on a personal journey, his loyalty to his friends and his commitment to protecting the planet remain absolute.
Key relationships continue to define him. His bond with Marlene is the emotional core of his character; his first concern upon reuniting with his friends is for her safety, and she serves as his primary motivation for building a better world. His friendship with Tifa is built on deep trust, as he entrusts his most precious person to her care. His relationship with Cloud has evolved from one of professional rivalry and irritation to mutual respect. He understands Cloud’s struggles and fights alongside him as a dependable comrade, not a reluctant ally. A significant off-screen relationship is with Dyne, whose memory and tragic fate continue to inform Barret’s sense of responsibility.
Barret’s development from Final Fantasy VII to Advent Children is a central aspect of his character. He has moved from being a reactive terrorist fueled by hatred to a proactive builder and protector. The novella On the Way to a Smile: Case of Barret explores this transition, revealing how he struggled with guilt over his past violent actions and his feeling of being a monster because of his weapon-arm. His new, more discreet prosthetic hand symbolizes this growth; it is a tool for both work and defense, representing his acceptance of his past while choosing a more constructive path forward. He is no longer trying to destroy an enemy, but rather trying to heal a world and guide it toward a new future, actively seeking redemption through labor and discovery rather than through further violence.
His notable abilities center entirely on his gun-arm. Unlike a simple firearm, Barret’s arm is an extension of himself. In Advent Children, his signature move is to charge his prosthetic with energy to fire a massive, high-powered blast capable of dealing significant damage to enormous foes like Bahamut SIN. He is a long-range powerhouse, using his weapon to provide suppressing fire and heavy artillery support for his close-combat-focused allies. His fighting style is practical, aggressive, and devastating, reflecting his straightforward and forceful personality.