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Black Materia

Sephiroth and the Black Materia.

The Black Materia (黒マテリア, Kuro Materia?) is a mysterious and incredibly powerful Materia, as well as one of the oldest, having existed since the time of Jenova and the Ancients in Final Fantasy VII. It and its counterpart, the White Materia, are the two unique Materia, there being only one of each. It is used to summon the "Ultimate Destructive Magic", Meteor, which has the power to destroy the entire Planet. Few know of its existence, let alone how to use it.

In the original continuity, the Black Materia is black and dark purple, but in the Remake continuity, it’s black and dark red.

Story[]

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

As revealed in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, when the Gi tribe realized that they could not enter the Lifestream due to their extraterrestrial origins, and condemning their souls as wandering spirits, they stole a Sacred Materia from the Cetra and focused all of their immense hatred and resentment into it, creating the Black Materia. They planned to use it so they could summon Meteor and destroy the Planet, freeing their spirits. However, the Cetra managed to steal it back and hid it away so that no one could use it.

Black Materia Puzzle

The Black Materia's "treasure chest" in the Temple of the Ancients.

After Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream following the Nibelheim Incident, he concocted his plan for world domination. Immersed in the Lifestream, he learned of the Black Materia and schemed to use it to summon a Meteor upon the Planet and absorb the Lifestream's energy as it would rush to heal the Planet, ascending to godhood.

Upon learning Sephiroth is seeking the Black Materia, the party rushes to the Temple of the Ancients to try to stop Sephiroth from obtaining it. They discover the temple itself is the Materia, transfigured by the Ancients. It can only be transformed into Materia by solving its puzzles but the person attempting to obtain the Materia would be crushed within the Black Materia as a final defense against any evil trying to use it.

Sephiroth Rising FFVII Storyboard

Storyboard for the scene where Cloud gives the Black Materia to Sephiroth.

Cait Sith offers to use his mechanical body to solve the puzzles. Unlocking the Black Materia, he is destroyed but a second Cait Sith arrives to take his place. Cloud retrieves the Black Materia from the hole left in the temple's place, but Sephiroth bends his will through the Jenova cells in Cloud's body and forces Cloud to pass it over to his control.

After defeating Jenova∙DEATH in Whirlwind Maze, the party reclaims the Black Materia. Cloud can entrust it to either Barret Wallace or Red XIII, although no matter whom he gives it to, Sephiroth tricks the holder into returning it to Cloud who delivers it to Sephiroth's true form resting in a Materia cocoon within the Northern Cave. Sephiroth uses it to summon Meteor before the Weapons awaken, and the Materia is never heard of again.

Remake continuity[]

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Spoilers end here.

Characteristics[]

Black Materia

As its name suggests, the Black Materia is dark, appearing purple, blue, or black depending on the light. The Materia is large enough to fill the holder's palm.

Field model of Black Materia.

In its transfigured form as the Temple of the Ancients it is in the shape of a ziggurat (step pyramid), with its entrance at the top of a long staircase in a manner similar to the pyramids of the Aztecs. Within it are several passages, some of which have carved murals. In its resting place, at the end of wide and long hall, the Materia floats upon a wide slab pedestal. The painted murals within this hall explicitly depict the results and consequences of using the Black Materia.

The Black Materia is the strongest known Materia. Sephiroth can only utilize its power among the abundance of Lifestream energy at the Northern Cave.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy Tactics[]

FFT Black Materia

These stones, developed by the ancient Saronians, are the result of experiments in storing knowledge within gems for later generations. They are said to enhance the abilities of the possessor.

Description

There is an Artefact that can be obtained from an Errands called Black Materia.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade[]

Black Materia Brigade
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Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]

FFRK Black Materia Icon

Black Materia is a Super Soul Break for Sephiroth, learnt from the katana Yoshiyuki (VII). A physical attack, Sephiroth summons the stone to transform into Meteor fragments that crush a single foe four times in succession. Once mastered and integrated, Sephiroth also gains 10 ATK.

Other media[]

Sephiroth's congratulation screen in Super Smash Bros Ultimate alludes to when Cloud gave him the Black Materia in Final Fantasy VII.

Behind the scenes[]

Black Materia at Icicle Inn in FFVII

Mysterious Black Materia object in Icicle Inn.

A shop in Icicle Inn has stairs behind the counter that cannot be accessed in a normal playthrough as the player cannot get to the other side of the counter. If one hacks their game to get past the counter, they can find an enlarged Black Materia model at the top of the stairs.[1] The model serves no purpose in the scene, however, as the object is named "goods" in the scene data, it may have been intended to be used as a representation of the shop's wares that was never fully implemented into the game.

Merchandise[]

BlackMateriaPendant

A Black Materia pendant.

Because of its ties to Sephiroth, the Black Materia has been released in merchandise as an item related to him, and is the focus of several Final Fantasy pendants and keychains.

Gallery[]

Etymology[]

Materia means "matter" or "substance" in Latin, Spanish, and Italian; it also means "subject" in Italian and Spanish, and is the root of Portuguese "Matéria".

References[]

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