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Tseng is a recurring character in the Final Fantasy VII series. He is an antagonist in Final Fantasy VII with an expanded role in Final Fantasy VII Remake. He is playable in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, and also appears in numerous entries of the series as a supporting character, including Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-, and Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-.

Tseng succeeded Verdot as director of the Shinra Electric Power Company's special task force, the Turks. As a veteran on the frontlines, he is highly trusted in the company.[2][3] Tseng handles his duties as a leader with pride and composure, showing little emotion and concealing his true feelings.[4][5][4] He rarely enters the field and usually gives orders to his reliable subordinates Reno, Rude, and Elena.[2] He also has special feelings for Aerith Gainsborough.[5][6]

Despite mainly filling out paperwork and relaying commands to his subordinates, Tseng is a skilled agent and pilot.[2][6] He is never fought as a boss in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Remake, but appears as a training mode boss in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- and also appears as a boss in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

History[]

Before Final Fantasy VII[]

Tseng was born in 1977. Much of his early life is shrouded in mystery as he refuses to talk about it, but it is known that he joined the Turks at a young age.

At 15, Tseng was assigned to monitor the last surviving Ancient, Aerith Gainsborough, with the goal of persuading her to cooperate and return to Shinra. However, he was initially cautious based on the unfortunate circumstances surrounding her mother Ifalna's death, merely watching her for weeks without action.[7]

Tseng continued to surveil Aerith over the years, developing special sentiments toward her, frequently visiting Elmyra Gainsborough's house, and still refused to take her back to Shinra by force. He once told Elmyra about the Ancients and why Aerith was so important to the company, explaining that she would lead them to the "land of eternal happiness".[8]

During "A Dream Picnic" in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, Tseng assisted Aerith in rescuing a boy named Henry in the Sector 5 slums from a monster. He then discreetly trailed Aerith as she shopped for a picnic to honor her deceased mother. When Wall Market thugs hounded Aerith, Tseng fired at them and scared them off. A grateful Aerith gave Tseng a sandwich and rebuked Shinra, to which he silently accepted and departed.

Original continuity[]

Rookie operations[]

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BCVeldTsengHospital

Verdot saved Tseng's life.

In "Episode: Tseng" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, a rookie Tseng embarked on a mission assigned by Verdot to infiltrate a rival faction's ship in Costa del Sol and rescue a captive soldier. During the operation, he discovered illegal sales of stolen Shinra weaponry but prioritized the soldier's rescue. However, this decision led to a scolding from Verdot, prompting a return to destroy the weapons and related information on the ship. Later, Tseng rescued Verdot, receiving injuries in an explosion, and Verdot saved him, gaining a scar in the process. After a brief hospitalization, Tseng resumed his duties and earned praise from Verdot.[9]

In "Episode: Legend" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, an initially displeased Tseng was tasked with assisting Legend in rescuing a kidnapped arms dealer. During the mission, Tseng gave instructions, but Legend disobeyed, resulting in house arrest in Costa del Sol. Tseng reflected on the mission, disapproving of the lenient punishment. Verdot later shed light on Legend's tragic past, offering Tseng a newfound understanding. Two years later, Tseng was sent to Costa del Sol in an attempt to reenlist Legend into the Turks. Although Legend initially declined, he eventually rejoined the Turks a year later to combat Avalanche in Junon.[9]

Avalanche Insurgency and Genesis War[]

BeforeCrisisTseng

Tseng in the Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- opening.

Tseng assigned a rookie Turk to patrol Sector 8 in Midgar during "Those That Lurk in the Night" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. When Avalanche, led by Shears, attacked the mako reactor and eventually withdrew to Junon, Tseng sent the rookie and Reno to protect President Shinra in Junon.[9]

Tseng received reports about Avalanche's raid in Junon during "In the White Light of Day, the Assassin Smiles" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. Fuhito and Elfe led the attack to control the mako cannon and target Midgar. Tseng ordered the rookie Turk to take control of the cannon's command room in "Swords Clashing in the Evening Shadows". Sephiroth ultimately intervened and defeated Elfe, causing Avalanche to retreat.[9]

Tseng instructs Zack at Banora from Crisis Core Reunion
Tseng covers Zack from Crisis Core Reunion

Tseng and Zack investigate Banora.

Tseng and Zack Fair of SOLDIER investigated Banora in Chapter 2 of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Angeal Hewley's hometown and Genesis Rhapsodos's last known location. Tseng shared details about the Banora White apples and Angeal and Genesis's friendship. They found the village under Genesis's control, with the villagers massacred, except for Angeal's mother. Their search led them to a factory where they faced Genesis's clones and himself, but Angeal's intervention enabled their escape. Shinra deemed Banora a security risk and firebombed the village. They slightly delayed the bombing at Tseng's request, which allowed Zack a chance to escape.[10]

Tseng learned of the disappearance of SOLDIERs Essai and Sebastian from Icicle Inn during "The Darkness Obscuring the Light" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. Suspecting Avalanche, he dispatched a Turk to investigate and later confirmed the suspicion when the Shinra outpost was found in ruins. They discovered a full-sized Avalanche base, leading to an order for its destruction. Tragically, Essai and Sebastian were transformed into powerful Ravens by Avalanche. Despite their efforts, Shinra and the Turks were overwhelmed and forced to retreat.[9]

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The Turks and their notable allies.

In "One Step Further Toward Uncertainty" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, President Shinra blamed Verdot for the information leak and demoted him to surveillance duty. Tseng, Reno, and Rude were left uncertain about their future as Turks. Heidegger smugly took charge, sending them to guard Junon without clear instructions. Tseng reached out to Verdot and expressed dissatisfaction at him for taking the fall. As if to finish off the leaderless Turks, a large contingent of Avalanche raided the city, heightening their struggles. Meanwhile, Verdot confronted President Shinra, threatened to expose the company's secrets, and was reinstated as director. He gave the Turks a long-awaited order, rekindling their hope.[9]

Avalanche breached Professor Hojo's lab, releasing monsters that ran amok in the Shinra Building during "The Lone Discerning Alignment" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. The Turks were assigned to exterminate the monsters, with Tseng coordinating staff evacuations on the lower floors. Fuhito and Shears convinced Hojo to join them, offering rare research material, and they escaped on a helicopter. Tseng and his team pursued them and eventually defeated an attacking Shears, but were then hindered by a modified dragon. Sephiroth arrived and downed both the dragon and helicopter. Afterward, Tseng told an agreeing Hojo to return to Shinra.[9]

In "The Dash to Freedom" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Tseng encountered a fellow Turk who thwarted Avalanche's attempt to capture Aerith. He intended to visit her, but the Turk stopped him, emphasizing they were off duty. Tseng assured the Turk that his purpose was not to harm Aerith, but to convince her to cooperate with Shinra, elaborating on the company's interest in her due to her Ancient heritage.[9]

Tseng refocuses Zack from Crisis Core Reunion

Tseng declines Zack's offer to help and refocuses him.

Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Cissnei defended Sector 8 of Midgar from Genesis's attacks and sought to apprehend Professor Hollander in Chapter 3 of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. Zack offered to assist, but Tseng declined, emphasizing Zack's mission. Despite defeating Genesis's forces, Hollander managed to escape to Modeoheim. Later, Tseng encountered Zack in the Sector 5 slums, stating Aerith was not at the church and that he was needed in Modeoheim. When Zack asked about his connection to Aerith, Tseng described it as complicated. Tseng also inquired if Aerith had shared any information with Zack, received a negative reply, and said he would not either.[11]

Tseng, Zack, and Cloud crash in Modeo Ravine from Crisis Core Reunion
Hollander caught in Modeoheim in CCVIIR

Tseng, Zack, and Cloud crashed in Modeo Ravine and later arrest Hollander.

Tseng, Zack, and Cloud Strife had their helicopter shot down in the Modeo Ravine by Genesis's army while flying to Modeoheim, forcing them to continue to the village on foot. Tseng instructed Zack to infiltrate a mako excavation facility turned base for Genesis's army. Meanwhile, Cloud witnessed a tense exchange between a deteriorating Genesis and Hollander, before being told to run. Zack confronted and defeated Genesis, prompting Tseng and Cloud to continue to the Modeoheim Bathhouse. They were injured by Angeal but provided encouragement to Zack, guiding him to seize Hollander and warn him about Angeal. Zack fought and killed Angeal, allowing Tseng to arrest Hollander and detain him in Junon.[10]

The Turks and Zack in Junon from Crisis Core Reunion

Tseng, Cissnei, and Zack arrive in Junon to combat Genesis's army.

In Chapter 6 of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Tseng and Cissnei closely monitored Zack during his "vacation" in Costa del Sol, given Zack's position in SOLDIER and his knowledge on Shinra. Tseng contemplated Genesis's fate and whether he was controlling his army from the lifestream. They were suddenly attacked by Genesis copies, which they swiftly dealt with. News of another attack in Junon prompted them to rush to the city. Tseng instructed Zack to find and protect Hollander, who held crucial confidential information about Shinra. Meanwhile, Tseng and Cissnei coordinated the evacuation efforts, guiding civilians and injured soldiers to safety in a central tunnel. Upon returning to Midgar, Tseng observed Zack and Aerith selling flowers. When Aerith humorously referred to him as a customer, Tseng insisted that surveillance was just a part of his duty.[12]

Tseng sent a Turk to investigate the reactor staff's disappearance in Nibelheim during "The Awakening of the Dark Harbinger" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. He provided remote support and received updates. The Turk reported Sephiroth's destructive rampage in the village and his violent confrontation with Zack, Cloud, and Tifa Lockhart in the reactor. After the incident in "The Scar that Sunders the Calm", Tseng landed, ordered the Turks to rescue any survivors, questioned Hojo's examination of Shinra corpses, and joined in the cleanup.[9]

After finding Avalanche's headquarters in Wutai during "All of Our Resolve and Longing" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Shinra assigned the Turks to destroy it. Tseng actively supported the operation on the field. After the mission succeeded, Tseng met a fellow Turk and Yuffie Kisaragi, a mischievous yet helpful youth who opposed Avalanche and Shinra's presences in her homeland. Realizing they were with Shinra, Yuffie demanded they leave.[9]

After Avalanche's apparent destruction, public trust in Shinra had shaken. President Shinra aimed to rebuild confidence by organizing a rocket launch ceremony with Cid Highwind as the pilot in "Onward to the Distant Heavens" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. Tseng assigned a Turk to guard Rufus Shinra during the event. Despite this, Avalanche sabotaged the rocket, prompting a one-day delay. On the following day, Tseng instructed the Turk to find the missing Cid, who was searching for the culprits. However, further complications arose, leading to the cancellation of the rocket launch.[9]

Upon hearing about the reemergence of Avalanche in Corel during "The Muddy Course of Inexorable Fate" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Shinra immediately ordered the Turks to reclaim the seized reactor. Tseng, Reno, and Rude formed a team and headed for the mountain. After a reunion with the other Turks, including Verdot, they were surprised by Rufus's unexpected presence. It was then revealed that Rufus was the Shinra informant, and Verdot was ordered to apprehend him. However, their gathering was interrupted by Avalanche. After a tense standoff, Verdot chose to abandon the Turks and save his daughter, Elfe, who had just regained her memories. As a result, the president marked him a traitor and ordered his assassination due to his possession of sensitive Shinra information. Furthermore, they discovered Fuhito's ominous plans before he fled with the unconscious Elfe. Three months later, Tseng updated a Turk who had recently awakened from a coma in "The Howl That Shook Heaven and Earth", recounting the events at the Corel Reactor and Verdot's disappearance, indicating he was targeted for elimination.[9]

Tseng
Turks in Last Order

Tseng and the Turks in Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-.

After enduring four years as Hojo's imprisoned test subjects, Zack and Cloud escaped. Tseng instructed Cissnei to capture them during "The Choices We Made in the Beginning and the End" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. She found them in Chapter 9 of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, but chose to assist them, prioritizing her feelings over her duties. Tseng reflected on his involvement in the tragic Nibelheim incident during Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-. He read records and recalled Hojo instructing the Turks to rebuild a fake version of the village to bury evidence of the event. He was displeased with the order and how he had no choice but to obey it. As Zack and Cloud approached Midgar, Tseng sighed, knowing he had to deny their freedom once again.[13]

Tseng assigns Cissnei to save Zack from Crisis Core Reunion

Tseng tasked Cissnei with saving Zack.

Tseng enacted a plan, ordering a determined Cissnei to save Zack from being eliminated by Shinra in Chapter 10 of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. Stressing the importance of Zack's survival due to 88 letters from Aerith, he mobilized the Turks for a rescue. However, they arrived too late, and Zack had already been fatally shot. The weight of this failure burdened Tseng's conscience.[14]

During "The Consequences of Our Choices" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Scarlet, executive of the Advanced Weaponry department, informed President Shinra about the Turks' breach of trust. In response, Tseng and his team allied with Verdot, who directed them to seek assistance from Reeve Tuesti. Guided by Reeve's robot cat, Cait Sith, the Turks embarked on a personal mission to acquire four special materia crucial for saving Elfe.[9]

Upon learning President Shinra's plan to take Verdot hostage and eliminate the Turks in "Resolve to Reach the End" of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Tseng grew apprehensive. When Verdot was captured by Shinra, the Turks devised a desperate counterattack plan to rescue him. Tseng, Reno, and Rude set out to locate Verdot, finding nothing until Rufus provided the information at a price. Tseng and his fellow Turks were met with an overwhelming Shinra force, but fought with pride and persevered. Tseng and his team succeeded at rescuing Verdot in "Veering Wildly Towards an Unstoppable End". Simultaneously, another group of Turks pursued Fuhito, the individual responsible for summoning an imperfect Zirconiade. Tseng, Reno, and Rude rendezvoused with Shears, but only found an ailing Elfe and were soon cornered by Shinra troops. Amidst the chaos, Tseng and Verdot had a significant conversation about the present and future.[9]

During "The Concerto: Played Out to its Straining Point" in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, Verdot, concerned about the Turks' future, urged Tseng to stage him and his daughter's assassination. Although reluctant, Tseng agreed and carried out a non-fatal shooting, simulating their deaths and feigning grief after. Meanwhile, the remaining Turks emerged victorious against Zirconiade. A couple of months later, the president had an inquiry and held the Turks accountable for their actions. However, Rufus rushed to their aid, preventing severe punishment and persuading his father to allow them to continue their service to the company.[9]

Midgar bombings and Sephiroth[]

Tseng kidnaps Aeris

Tseng captures Aerith.

Tseng participated in the attack on the Sector 7 support pillar during "Prevent the Fall of the Plate". Amidst the chaos, he forcefully captured Aerith and negotiated a deal. Aerith agreed to return to Shinra, provided Marlene Wallace's safety was ensured. After Cloud's party defeated Reno, Tseng arrived via helicopter with Aerith. He taunted them, emphasizing their inability to disarm the bomb and threatened Aerith if they attempted to. Cloud inquired about Shinra's intentions for Aerith, and Tseng revealed his orders to capture the last Ancient, leaving further plans undecided. Tseng mentioned the difficulty of capturing her, planned to report to President Shinra, and laughed at the party's chances of survival while Aerith urged them to escape.[15]

Tseng trapped and captured Cloud's party in "Storming the Shinra Building" during their mission to rescue Aerith. Upon being informed that Sephiroth broke into the Shinra Building and stole Jenova from Hojo's lab, the Turks were assigned to track him down.[16]

Tseng mythril mines

Tseng in the Mythril Mine.

Tseng and the Turks tracked Sephiroth's whereabouts to Junon. During their journey through the Mythril Mine in "Going After Sephiroth", they unexpectedly crossed paths with Cloud's party. An exasperated Tseng tried to prevent Elena from revealing sensitive details about their mission, but she persisted. He eventually instructed her and Rude to continue pursuing Sephiroth.[17] Upon reaching Junon, Tseng, Rude, and Elena stopped at a Shinra bar in Lower Junon during Rufus's inauguration parade in "The Stowaway Strategy" before resuming their mission.[18]

In "Gongaga, the Village of Sadness", Tseng and the Turks headed to Gongaga. Tseng, along with Scarlet, conducted an unsuccessful search for "huge materia" near the ruined reactor. They had a discussion that turned into the idea of creating an ultimate weapon using the materia and the increased budget for the Weapon Development division in Hojo's absence, which stirred envy in Tseng. He remained silent as Scarlet insulted Heidegger's intelligence.[19]

At some point during "Secret Date", the Turks found themselves stranded at the Gold Saucer due to a ropeway malfunction. Tseng was relieved him and Elena were not selected to play the leads in the night's theater production, obliviously noticing Elena was bummed and wishing she conducted herself better off-duty.[5] Tseng later utilized Cait Sith as a spy for Shinra in Cloud's party to obtain the Keystone for the Temple of the Ancients. Impressed with Cait Sith's success, Tseng and Elena headed to the temple.[20]

Upon entering, Tseng and Elena discovered a significant mural, prompting Tseng to send Elena to inform the president. Before she left, Tseng invited Elena to dinner once their mission was complete, flustering her. Shortly after, Tseng was confronted by Sephiroth, questioning him about the Ancients, the "promised land", and the planet. A deriding Sephiroth attacked and gravely injured him.[21] At the temple's entrance during "Within the Temple of the Ancients", Cloud's party found Tseng injured. He confessed to being deceived, revealing Sephiroth's true intentions and surrendering the keystone. Tseng regretted his actions, acknowledged Aerith's emotional words, and criticized the president's choices. He directed the party to place the keystone on the altar. As the temple transformed into the Black Materia and Cloud's party departed, Tseng was left behind.[21]

TurksMeteorfall2

Tseng and the Turks evacuated Midgar during Meteorfal.

Tseng accepted his fate in Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile, reflecting on his past mistakes as he quietly awaited death, but he was unable to sense the lifestream. He was ultimately rescued by Cait Sith, fell unconscious, and was brought to the hospital in Junon. His friends thought he died and were happy to see him alive and recovered. As Meteor descended toward Midgar, Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Elena searched for a missing Rufus in the ruins of the Shinra Building. They eventually found him and soon began evacuating civilians with the rest of the Turks, Verdot included.[9][22]

Post-Meteorfall[]

The day after Meteor's destruction in "Episode Shinra" of Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile, Rufus gathered the Turks and asked for their plans moving forward. They all agreed to stand by him. Rufus issued two orders: assess the situation in Midgar and rally support. Taking charge, Tseng and Elena set out to gather intel, eventually venturing into the remnants of Wall Market in the Sector 6 slums. Amidst mounting criticism against Shinra, they decided to change into civilian attire to blend in and entered a local bar. Inside, Tseng keenly observed an unconscious man in black from a distance, encouraging Elena to talk. She almost confessed her romantic feelings for Tseng, but he got up and approached the man. Upon closer examination, Tseng discovered the man was covered in an unusual black substance and had succumbed to an unknown disease, sparking panic among the bar's patrons. Tseng and Elena made a quick exit, discussing the disease as they walked back to Kalm. Tseng pondered whether the disease was a form of punishment brought on by the lifestream.[22]

Back in Kalm, Tseng insisted Rufus should have a guard, but he declined, wanting to be discreet. Later on, Rufus mysteriously disappeared, prompting Tseng to instruct Reno and Rude to search for witnesses. Unfortunately, they faced discontent and hatred due to their affiliation with Shinra. Despite their efforts, the Turks found no leads regarding Rufus's whereabouts, but Tseng continued the search. Eventually, the Turks left their residence in Kalm and returned to Sector 5 of Midgar, repurposing a company residential building into an office. Tseng approved Elena's idea to spread rumors about Midgar's collapsing, hoping to hasten the city's evacuation since many of Shinra's secrets remained. Outdoors, Reno informed them about a gathering of former Shinra soldiers from Junon. Tseng and Elena went to investigate while Reno and Rude secured weapons. Tseng provided them with a passkey to the main warehouse, only to find it already opened. Reno and Rude ventured to the Sector 4 warehouse and discovered civilians had gathered tools and machinery to rebuild Midgar. They learned a soldier named Mütten Kylegate was leading this initiative, and all the workers were volunteers.[22]

Late into the night, Tseng and Elena joined Reno and Rude in their efforts. They were eventually delighted to reunite with Verdot, their former mentor. Tseng, though unsure how to address him, proceeded to question him. Verdot shared his moral motivations for the rebuilding, along with details about Kylegate's reputation and his mansion in Kalm. Before departing to aid Reeve in Junon, Verdot urged Tseng to look after the president. Tseng quietly expressed his wish that Verdot had observed him in a leadership role, as he once did. The Turks hurried back to Kalm, only to witness a blazing inferno consuming Kylegate's mansion. It became clear that Kylegate had captured Rufus, prompting the team to spring into action and rescue him.[22]

The Turks eventually met Kilmister, a former scientist under Hojo, who had been tending to Rufus during his illness. Intrigued by the disease, Kilmister was eager to study it and quickly deduced its connection to Jenova. He had been experimenting with diluted SOLDIER stimulants on patients to combat the illness, but found no cure. Drawing from his memory of Cliff Resort's origins as a Shinra sanatorium, Tseng led Kilmister there to further study the disease. Adhering Kilmister's wishes, the Turks transported many of the afflicted patients from Kalm to the resort. It was later revealed that the disease was caused by Sephiroth and grew more fatal when the afflicted lost hope.[22]

Kilmister managed to recover Hojo's research, envisioning the creation of a being surpassing Sephiroth. However, he was fatally shot the next day by a patient named Judd. Tseng examined Kilmister's body and questioned the confessing Judd about the source of the weapon, receiving an elusive response. Tseng then reported to Rufus, who seemed unsurprised and affirmed that Shinra would secure Jenova, instructing Tseng to make the necessary preparations.[22]

New Shinra era[]

In Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story, Tseng, alongside fellow Turks Reno, Rude, and Elena, continued their duties under Rufus's command at Healen Lodge for two years. Tseng supervised the creation of a Meteorfall monument in Edge and supported Elena in developing a stimulant for geostigma patients. During their time at Healen Lodge, Evan Townshend and Kyrie Canaan arrived, prompting Tseng to reveal Evan's true lineage to his mother, Annette Townshend. However, their conversation was interrupted by a group of thugs—Fabio, Keough, and Doyle—who attacked the lodge to rescue their friend Thropp. Evan negotiated with the Turks, securing the thugs' release in the end.[7]

Tseng advent children complete

Tseng was injured by the Remnants of Sephiroth in the Northern Cave.

Rufus tasked Tseng and the Turks with locating Jenova. Tseng took Elena with him and instructed Reno to finish the monument while assigning Rude to helicopter repairs in Midgar's Sector 8. Their search led to a beach house in lower Junon, where they heard a commotion nearby. Tseng and Elena found Kyrie, brought to town by a red beast that Tseng recognized as Red XIII. They visited a local doctor's office run by Eugene Dimitri and saw Kyrie chatting with a silver-haired boy named Kadaj. Kadaj's handshake caused Tseng and Kyrie to lose consciousness. When they woke up, Tseng warned Kyrie not to trust Kadaj based on her reaction. When Reno and Rude arrived in Junon, Tseng had Evan and Kyrie join them in the search for Jenova. Evan and Kyrie, suspecting the Turks in Fabio's death, tried to escape, but Elena shot Evan in the shoulder. Injured, Evan lost hope of finding his mother, but Reno proposed taking him to Nibelheim, a plan Tseng and Elena agreed to.[7]

Following a brief stop in Nibelheim, Tseng and Elena accompanied Evan and Kyrie to their next destination, Icicle Inn. While at the inn, Tseng spotted Kadaj observing them through a window and investigated, finding no trace of him. Discovering that Kadaj was also seeking Jenova, they pursued him. During the chase, Tseng ordered Elena to fire at Kadaj, but they hesitated to avoid hitting Evan, who had Jenova in his possession. In a critical moment, Evan kicked Jenova into the lifestream, prompting Kadaj to leap in after her. After the battle, Tseng was taken back to Under Junon.[7]

Geostigma crisis[]

Tseng - Advent Children Complete

A recovered Tseng helps his comrades defeat Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo.

During Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Tseng and Elena sought to recover Jenova's remains from the Northern Cave but were ambushed and tortured by Kadaj, now accompanied by Yazoo and Loz. They were saved by Vincent Valentine, who helped them on their road to recovery. A recovered Tseng and Elena later rescued Rufus from a deadly fall during his clash with Kadaj on a building. They also aided Reno and Rude in a helicopter after their own was shot down in a skirmish against Loz and Yazoo. After the defeat of the Remnants of Sephiroth, Tseng witnessed Rufus being cured of geostigma.[23]

Remake continuity[]

Midgar bombings[]

Tseng often went to Aerith's house when she was young to try and persuade her to willingly return to the Shinra Building, and to watch over her. On one occasion, he explained to Elmyra Gainsborough about the history of the ancient Cetra, the "promised land", and why Shinra wanted her assistance.[24]

Tseng played a pivotal role in the attack on the Sector 7 support pillar. While Cloud's party maneuvered the train graveyard in "Haunted", they overheard him relay the plate separation code to Reno and Rude, but the signal was poor and the party were unable to hear it. Not long after, Tseng requested a status report from Reno, sent reinforcements to deal with the militia defending the pillar, and instructed he contact him once the mission was completed.[25]

FFVIIR Aerith Tseng Marlene angle

Tseng captures Aerith.

Tseng landed a helicopter outside Seventh Heaven in "Fight for Survival", reported the loss of a another helicopter, and adapted his plans upon noticing a "little too adventurous" Aerith. He followed her inside, hindering her escape and commenting on the "merry chase" she led them on. A defiant Aerith then proposed a deal: she would willingly return to the Shinra Building with Tseng if Marlene Wallace was taken to safety and he accepted. After Cloud's party brutally defeated Reno and Rude atop the pillar, Tseng appeared to them via transmission, asserting their inability to prevent the separation of the plate. He revealed that their actions inadvertently led them to an Ancient, who was now in Shinra's custody, expressing his gratitude and condemning Sector 7. A captured Aerith then urged her friends to escape the impending destruction, but Tseng doubted their chances.[26]

Tseng at the Turks Office from FFVII Remake

Tseng in the Turks' office.

In the aftermath of the plate collapse during "The Belly of the Beast", Tseng found himself in the Turks' office, accompanied by Rude and a recovering Reno, who Tseng said was due R&R. Reno and Rude contemplated the morality of their involvement with the plate drop, but Tseng attempted to dismiss their feelings of guilt. He first suggested that, since someone else would have had to carry it out if not them, that they were sparing them the burden of a guilty conscience; when this proved unsuccessful, he suggested that the casualties were a "sacrifice to balance the scales" of what Shinra had taken from the planet. When Reno and Rude received this attempt even more poorly than the first, Tseng coldly responded that it did not matter if he believed it or not, before answering a call from Vice President Rufus Shinra, requesting their immediate presence.[27]

After Cloud's party escaped the Shinra Building during "Destiny's Crossroads", Tseng accompanied Rufus, who was now president of the company. He noticed he was distracted by something and inquired if anything was wrong, but received no response. Unaware of the Whispers surrounding the building that Rufus could see, Tseng remained oblivious to their presence. As Tseng received information that his men were on standby for further instructions, Rufus ordered he bring them in.[28]

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Characteristics[]

Appearance[]

Tseng is a 30-year-old man with a slim build, tan skin, straight long black hair, dark brown eyes, and a bindi accessory on his forehead. He sometimes ties his hair in a ponytail, usually when in the field.

Tseng dons the standard Turks uniform with a more formal appearance. In Final Fantasy VII, he wears a full dark blue suit, but in his subsequent Compilation of Final Fantasy VII appearances, he wears a black suit. Both variations of his outfit are worn with a white dress shirt, a black tie, and black dress shoes. Additional accessories worn in the Final Fantasy VII remake project include black leather gloves and dark stud earrings.

Personality[]

Tseng is cool-headed, self-possessed, well-mannered, and stern.[4][5][6] He is intelligent, quiet, loyal, and earnest.[29] Tseng takes pride in his duties as a Turk, aspiring to act professional, but leading casually due to his inexperience. Despite representing the darker side of Shinra, he conceals his true feelings and adapts his personality to the present situation. His tied-up hair indicates his strong compassion and reluctance to take on nefarious missions.[4]

Tseng is pragmatic and has a stoic, prideful, no-nonsense attitude as the chief director of the Turks, but also feels silently bitter and dissatisfied with Shinra's decisions.[9][4][30] He respected his former leader and mentor Verdot, and even fabricated death reports on him and Elfe since Shinra continuously pursued the two.[9] Shinra and the Turks involvement in Verdot's fall from leadership, the Nibelheim Incident, and Zack's death were heavy on Tseng's conscious, even accepting his death as atonement in his supposed final moments.[22] Nonetheless, he is deeply trusted by the other members of the company for his calm judgment and excellent insight.[29] Tseng values his eccentric subordinates Reno and Rude, relying on them for field work.[25][26] Though harshly dismissive of their concerns, he cares for their well-being, suggesting Reno needed some "R&R" after the Sector 7 plate dropped.[27] He values Elena and often works with her in the field, but gets easily annoyed by her tendency to be overly talkative.[7][17][31] She has a crush on him and when he asked her to dinner in the Temple of the Ancients, she was flustered. His colleagues were also happy to see he survived after his apparent death.[7] Tseng is close and loyal to Rufus, acting as his right-hand man and conducting personal missions for him.[9][31][28]

Tseng-playground

Tseng monitored Aerith and had a trusting relationship with Zack.

Tseng rarely displays his emotions and maintains casual relationships with his friends.[29] He has complex and vaguely affectionate feelings for Aerith, though it is uncertain if they are romantic.[29] When he was first assigned to monitor capture her for Shinra, he was unsure he was fit for the job and cautiously watched over her for weeks instead.[22] In his efforts to persuade her to return to Shinra, Tseng was adamant about not using force.[29][8][24] He continued his surveillance throughout the years and she also considered him special,[8] even crying when he was seemingly dying.[21] Tseng also shared a trusting friendship with Zack. The two aided each other on multiple assignments, joked with one another, and Tseng even went against his orders to try and save Zack from being executed, a failure that continues to pain him.[10][30][12][14]

Gameplay[]

Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-[]

Tseng is fought as a boss in the Training Mode.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-[]

Tseng has a spot on Zack's Digital Mind Wave, known as "Air Strike". Tseng calls in a helicopter, spraying all enemies with machine gun fire, and launches missiles at them. Air Strike is unlocked at the moment the player meets up with Tseng in the second chapter, and is usable since the start of the third chapter.


Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy Artniks[]

BCFF7 Tseng SR I Artniks
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Behind the scenes[]

The original English localization to Final Fantasy VII gave the impression that Tseng died at the Temple of the Ancients, making his later appearance in Advent Children seem like a retcon. When met in Icicle Inn, Elena originally accused Cloud of "doin' in her boss", but the line was changed in the PC-version to say Cloud "messed my boss up", which is more accurate. In Tseng's last appearance in Final Fantasy VII, after giving the Keystone to Cloud and sitting down, his eyes blink and he twitches every now and then. When the player inserts the Keystone and sinks into the temple, Tseng's eyes have closed and he is no longer moving. This, alongside the original translation, further gave cause to believe that Tseng had died.

Final Fantasy VII Remake has an unused model for a younger Tseng where he has shorter hair.[32] Rather than using this younger model, the flashback scene where Tseng addresses the young Aerith still uses his regular character model. This was never addressed in subsequent re-releases of the game.

Voice[]

Tseng is voiced by Junichi Suwabe in the Japanese releases of the Final Fantasy VII series. He was originally voiced by Ryan Yu in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, but was succeeded by Vic Chao in the Final Fantasy VII remake project.

Etymology[]

Tseng's name was initially misunderstood to be pronounced Shion in Japanese for English audiences, following an early fan translation of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children by Jasconius. Rather than translating by ear, Jasconius used the Japanese subtitles included on the DVD. ツォン (Tson?), the correct katakana form of "Tseng", was misread as the similar-looking シオン (Shion?). Many viewers were confused upon reading "Shion" but seeing Tseng (rather than a new character named Shion) in the film, and attempted to explain the error resulted in the aforementioned misconception. Tseng's name is indeed pronounced as "Tsung" in English.

"Tseng" is written as Tson in katakana as it is a Cantonese name (曾, which means great-grandfather, is a common Chinese family name) where e represents a sound resembling the short o of English, also approximated in Japanese with an unlengthened o vowel.

In the Final Fantasy VII Official Establishment File, prior to the English localization and the release of the game in Japanese, Tseng's name was written in Latin-text as "Zeng", which is the way his name is written in pinyin—a romanisation system of Mandarin that uses the Roman alphabet.[33] After the release of the game's localization, efforts were made to use universal Latin-text for Japanese and English publications, which decided on "Tseng".

In spite of this, in Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-, Tseng's name is written as "Zheng" in English, which is how he signs a document near the beginning. His name is later written as "Zeng" in the credits. In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Zack can come across a camera near the church in Sector 5, but even after reading the inscription as "T-S-E-N-G", he does not realize it is Tseng's and wonders how to pronounce that. This inscription is the same in the Japanese version, where the joke makes more sense because the gap between the Japanese pronunciation and the written text is greater.

Notes[]

Annotations[]

Citations[]

  1. Final Fantasy VII Remake Ultimania, p.051
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Final Fantasy VII Official Establishment File, p. 56-58
  3. Final Fantasy VII Kaitai Shinsho The Complete, p. 28-29
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Ultimania, p. 45-55 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "CCU" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega, p. 56-65 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "FFVIIUO" defined multiple times with different content
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Final Fantasy VII Remake Ultimania, p. 45-55 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "FFVIIRU" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Final Fantasy VII script § "Aeris's Secret"
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- script § "Chapter 2"
  11. Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- script § "Chapter 3"
  12. 12.0 12.1 Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- script § "Chapter 6"
  13. Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-
  14. 14.0 14.1 Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- script § "Chapter 9"
  15. Final Fantasy VII script § "Prevent the Fall of the Plate"
  16. Final Fantasy VII script § "Storming the Shinra Building"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Final Fantasy VII script § "Going After Sephiroth"
  18. Final Fantasy VII script § "The Stowaway Strategy"
  19. Final Fantasy VII script § "Gongaga, the Village of Sadness"
  20. Final Fantasy VII script § "Secret Date"
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Final Fantasy VII script § "Within the Temple of the Ancients"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile
  23. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
  24. 24.0 24.1 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "In Search of Hope"
  25. 25.0 25.1 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Haunted"
  26. 26.0 26.1 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Fight for Survival"
  27. 27.0 27.1 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "The Belly of the Beast"
  28. 28.0 28.1 Final Fantasy VII Remake script § "Destiny's Crossroads"
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 Crisis Core Complete Guide
  30. 30.0 30.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LO
  31. 31.0 31.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named FFVIIAC
  32. Unused Tseng model in Final Fantasy VII Remake (Accessed: June 10, 2020) at petitepistol @tumblr
  33. Final Fantasy VII Official Establishment File p.056
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