My Bloody Valentine

This was technically my first ever request for a character, so since I have no ideas at the moment, I'm gonna run with it.

The lucky winner is...

Vincent Valentine [Final Fantasy VII]

Allow me to reiterate that my thoughts about the Final Fantasy VII musical at large.  Basically, the inherent edginess of the world merits a heavy rock overtone, fitting with kind of the post-modernistic motifs in the game.  However, there should be influences, depending on the area or time of the plotline, of genres such as jazz, techno, punk, grunge, and so forth.

I know I always say this at the beginning of my posts, but this is a hard character, I think.  Vincent, while arguably a fan favorite, has very little plotline devoted to him, in the game at least.  The majority of what we learn about him is through silent flashback.

I don't like that.  I want to change that.

There are two options we have, here, I think.  The flashback needs to stay, but the animosity toward Hojo at the critical moments need to be stronger.  I hesitate to give Vincent a flourishing soliloquoy simply because I don't think it'll move the story along enough.  Doesn't seem like a strong enough objective other than "Here are my feelings, take that, world!"  We either have a song interwoven through the flashback, or we have a song (maybe a duet) directed at or with Hojo demanding repentence.

For our purposes, I'm gonna go with the former, simply because that's an easier aesthetic.  And either way, we get Hojo.

Vincent, just looking at him, screams "Macabre" at me.  Thus, I feel he'd be one of the ones with less of a rock edge and more violin and bells, but in all kinds of minor keys and a whole lot of dissonance.

So, here's some reference ambience for you, just to sink your teeth into as I continue the explanation:

Even more interesting is the waltz feeling that the above recording gives, and frankly, I think that's awesome.  Vincent's been in a tragic waltz with death and devilry for the greater part of his life, and I love personifying rhythm.  Form as it relates to content and all that.

Now close your eyes and imagine (but don't, because you need to read), Cloud and co. have just found out some eye-opening information in the Shinra Mansion Basement, when as they leave, a coffin lid slides open revealing the slumbering Vincent Valentine.  Cloud tries to stir him (a light tremolo on the violin, crescendoing until finally an eye opens).  Cloud explains a little of the situation, Sephiroth, Hojo, etc., and this obviously resounds deeply in Vincent as he was incredibly wronged by Hojo himself.  They discuss for a bit, then Vincent sends Cloud away.  Cloud shrugs and goes, leaving Vincent to himself in his reawakened thoughts.  He begins to sing to himself, almost in a lullaby fashion.  Perhaps with a sound resembling a disheveled music box or jack-in-the-box.  A kind of comfort skewed by the surroundings.  And as he tries unsuccessfully to calm himself down, he gets sucked back into his memories.  We see glimpses of Lucrecia, Vincent as a Turk, Hojo, Jenova experiments, everything, as Vincent realizes he must journey with Cloud.

He is forced to sing, to recollect all the scattered memories in his head as he races through the mansion to catch up.  As he falls deeper and deeper into his memory, the music becomes much more refined.  Guitars and drums are introduced along with the dark violin and tubular bells.  As he becomes more and more desperate to rip himself out of the memories, all the while narrating the events to himself, he falls deeper and deeper into this waltz of treachery, somewhat losing control.

Eventually he stops singing to fall into a flashback dialogue sequence in which he confronts Hojo.  It wouldn't be very long, just enough for him to interfere, then for Hojo to laugh wildly, act condescending, and shoot Vincent.  All through this dialogue build-up, the violins are crescendoing alone; all other instruments have ceased.  Eventually the tremolo reaches its height and BANG!  Vincent is ripped out of the flashback and falls to the ground in the lobby of the mansion as though he had been shot again.  The violin has silenced and the only sound we hear is a painful scream from Vincent as he relives the memory.

Vincent ideally has caught up enough over the time for Cloud to hear his scream, who runs back to assist Vincent.  Vincent, being propped up by Cloud, still a bit of a wreck, continues a verse of the song weakly, as the violins pick up quietly, still a little dissonant, but with more resolution.  Pleading to go with them and enact his vengeance, for his own love and to end his eternal nightmares.  Cloud agrees, blackout.

Hm.  That turned out to be extremely stream of consciousness...  Hope I didn't lose any of you.  It's late and I wanted to keep on schedule.

Also, FFVII now has the most song ideas on this site.  I'll try to spread the wealth a little more.