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Unattainable dreams are the best kind.
Lazard
Lazard Deusericus is a SOLDIER union executive in Shinra Electric Power Company, and makes appearances throughout Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. He sends Zack Fair on missions throughout the game's first few chapters. At this time, the SOLDIER department is independent, and the union executive oversees SOLDIER's management and draws up rough strategy guidelines.
Lazard does not have the combat abilities of a SOLDIER and thus does not operate directly in the field. Within the company organization, he has received promotions at an exceptional speed to attain his present status. Despite his calm and cool exterior, Lazard actually bears a burning ambition and a strong sense of justice for the people of the slums.
Appearance and Personality
Lazard wears a striped blazer paired with a pink or white shirt, a purple or blue tie, and a pair of white gloves. He wears blue glasses. He has coiffed blond hair and blue eyes. As an Angeal Copy, Lazard takes on Angeal's hairstyle and face, but due to the many years he has begun to degrade until his hair is white and his clothing faded. He bears the same two white wings on his right side that Angeal does.
Lazard is polite, courteous and friendly to his SOLDIER subordinates, but maintains a professional conduct about them at the same time. He recognizes skill in Zack and praises him for the quality of service he contributes, personally having him handle missions of importance after seeing him in the field in spite of only being a Second Class. When speaking to Zack while at the end of his life as an Angeal Copy, Lazard tells Zack that he aided Hollander and Genesis out of a desire for vengeance against Shinra, but now that he is an Angeal Copy, his desire for revenge has faded, and he now wishes to help Zack and rescue Genesis to save the world. Zack attributes this to Angeal's will living on with in Lazard, but if this is the reality or not is unclear.
Story
Early Life
Lazard was born to a slum-dweller and though raised by his poor mother, acquires a job working for Shinra Electric Power Company, eventually becoming the Director of SOLDIER. He learns he is actually President Shinra's illegitimate son (and thus the older half-brother of Rufus Shinra). Despite his supposed loyalty to Shinra, Lazard never discards his support for the "children of the slums".
Director of SOLDIER
Zack meets Lazard.
Lazard in Wutai.
Lazard sends Zack Fair and Angeal Hewley on many missions, often associated with the rogue 1st Class SOLDIER, Genesis Rhapsodos. Lazard has aligned with the Science Department for a move against Shinra, and after Genesis suffers an injury while sparring with Sephiroth, Dr. Hollander informs Lazard of the SOLDIER's origin and from that point on the three work to form the Genesis Army to enact a war against Shinra.
When Angeal calls a SOLDIER 2nd Class whom he is mentoring, Zack Fair, to the Shinra Headquarters Briefing Room, Lazard explains to him Genesis was sent on a mission to Wutai, but has not returned, and that they are all leaving for the remote western nation. In Wutai Lazard arrives late to the battle and is greeted by Angeal and Zack. Lazard uses his field inexperience as an excuse for being late, but Angeal is nevertheless happy to see him. Lazard explains he decided to do this because he had guided their forces during the war and wanted to watch them win with his own eyes. Lazard praises Zack for distracting the enemy and helping Angeal and wants to him for the next mission, and Zack escorts Lazard back to the camp.
The entire event was in part a cover-up that allowed for Lazard to check in with the members of the Genesis Army stationed in Wutai (the true reason for him being late for his meeting with Angeal and Zack) as well as to evaluate Zack as a risk to their plans.
After Angeal goes missing Zack asks Lazard if he's heard anything, but Lazard tells him he cannot get a hold of Angeal even by phone. Lazard explains to Zack he is to investigate the 1st Class SOLDIER Genesis's hometown of Banora with Tseng of the Turks. He states Genesis's parents claim he is not around, but labels them untrustworthy sources. Lazard says he had sent people previously, but has had no contact with them since.
After Genesis's operations in Banora are uncovered by Zack's mission, Lazard promotes him to a 1st Class SOLDIER. Zack says he does not feel as elated as he thought he would, but Lazard understands, telling him that a lot has happened within the last few days. Lazard asks Zack to assassinate both Genesis and Angeal, with Sephiroth going with him. Unhappy, Zack wants to know why he has to do such a thing, but Lazard claims the Shinra army is asking him to. The alarms activate and Lazard says they have intruders. He tells Sephiroth to protect the President and deploys Zack to the entrance.
After Genesis Army's attack on Shinra Headquarters Lazard disappears. Many at Shinra believe he was secretly funding Dr. Hollander with the company's money, as Lazard had done an unusual amount of research on Hollander, his cover for funding the man's research as well as the Genesis Army.
Life as an Angeal Copy
Lazard talks with Zack about his new image.
Lazard is transformed into an Angeal Copy due to injecting himself with Angeal's cells. He breaks off his alliance with Hollander and Genesis and embarks on a search for Zack, but begins to suffer from the same degradation Genesis and his copies suffer from. During the four years Zack is imprisoned in Nibelheim many sightings of Angeal are reported but these sightings are, of course, Lazard. Zack searches for Lazard after escaping from Nibelheim, believing him to be Angeal. Their paths cross in Zack's hometown of Gongaga when Lazard flies in to help Cloud, who, at this point, is feeling the effects of the Mako poisoning and Jenova cells.
Lazard is easily knocked down by Hollander, who is after Cloud who possesses Jenova cells, but Zack kills Hollander. Lazard tells Zack he is a clone of Angeal. He had been following Dr. Hollander since Junon after assisting in his escape but after becoming a copy forgot about his revenge. Instead, Lazard's feelings changed to the feelings Angeal once had: to help Zack, to save Genesis, and to save the world.
Lazard's last conversation with Zack.
Zack, a comatose Cloud and a degrading Lazard set off to Genesis's hometown of Banora Village where the Lifestream shoots up into the sky. Soon after Zack leaves to investigate, Lazard is attacked by Shinra soldiers while looking after Cloud. As Zack returns after a battle with Genesis, he finds Lazard with Cloud next to a Banora White tree. With his last breath, Lazard tells Zack he fought Shinra troopers while protecting Cloud with another copy. Zack realizes the one who fought alongside Lazard was the canine Angeal Copy that once protected him before. Lazard and the Angeal Copy soon return to the Lifestream and as the copy disappears, a letter for Zack from Aerith is left behind in its place.
Creation and development
Voice
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In the English release of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Lazard is voiced by Stefan Marks. He is voiced by Junpei Morita in the Japanese release.
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Gallery
Etymology
Lazard is a French surname derived from the Eastern European name Lazar, meaning "God help him". The name is also considered to be connected to the New Testament story of Lazarus.
Deusericus is a reference to Shinra. It bears the same meaning as the kanji used to write Shinra (roughly "Silken God"), but written in Latin (the other meaning for the second kanji is "Rome", which is used in the Japanese word for Latin).
Lazard's surname "Deusericus" was added to the game's English version and was never explicitly stated in the Japanese version. However, in the Japanese version one of the MPs working on the investigation surrounding him mentions that some of his personal and family records may have been falsified. This may include his surname.
Trivia
- Lazard is the only known human Angeal Copy.
- Several hints about Lazard being President Shinra's son are hidden throughout Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. If Zack speaks to a woman outside Aerith's church until Chapter 6, she will give him details about the President's affair with Lazard's mother. Also during Chapter 6, the Shinra guard outside Lazard's office says Lazard reminds him of the VP (Rufus Shinra).
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