Jim from Louisiana

One thing I didn't notice until playing Rebirth myself not very long ago is that even in Rufus' first proper scene, we see signs of him very likely being Sarruf.

I think he likely tried to start the war with Wutai under the expectation that his father would be around to see it. Obviously, things changed, and now Rufus is left in a sticky situation where he has to act as President while also instigating this war with Wutai that he started himself.

Obviously, everything is much more complicated than he realizes. I thought it was interesting to give him even more on his plate than he had in the original. He can't focus on the Sephiroth issue because this war takes precedence.

I think Glenn was also trying to cause problems for Rufus by having that SRC broadcast where he "introduced" Viceroy Sarruf knowing that Rufus could not and would not show up. I think it's less about making Rufus "pick a side", so to speak, and more about causing Rufus to get flustered and make mistakes. Every time we see Glenn, he toys with Rufus in some way or another. Trying to distract him, trying to not let him see the real scope of things. He wants Rufus to flounder, specifically so that Sephiroth's goals can be achieved without Shinra's intervention.

This is a good translation of Angeal’s words here, but I wanted to explain something very painful that we learn from the Japanese.

Dissidia:

ところがひどく心配させたようでな

やつれた顔を見たときは悪いことをしたと思った

However, it seems it caused him to be extremely worried.

When I saw his haggard face, I thought I had done something wrong.

Crisis Core:

セフィロス やつれたか?

Sephiroth, are you haggard?

Angeal uses the same word to describe Sephiroth’s condition in Dissidia that he did in Crisis Core.

やつれた

“yatsureta”

I found a good definition of it for English-speakers:

Angeal noticed that Sephiroth was gaunt, exhausted, and worried. Unhappy. We can see this exact state of Sephiroth in Crisis Core. Many of us describe him as depressed and worn. I think that is a fair assessment, because it was evidently so noticeable that Angeal saw it immediately.

In Dissidia, it’s a key point of regret. Angeal remembers how Sephiroth looked and realized it was because of his and Genesis’ disappearances. When he tries to speak to Sephiroth in Dissidia, he also realizes that Sephiroth was alone when he discovered his origins.

“Sephiroth…did you come to know of your birth? I had Genesis at that time…but you…”

Angeal regrets. He wishes he was there and communicated better to his dear friend. He did not understand at the time, just how far Sephiroth would fall after, from his perspective, being left behind.

Zack: “You all had a really good relationship.”

Sephiroth: “Hmph, I wonder…”