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Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)

 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
type
TVTItem
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
label
Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
page
MidgarSyndromeTheFinalFantasyHouse
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
comment
Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) is a 20-minute dramatization of the real-life "Final Fantasy House" incident by punishedbread. As the description says, it is "based on the amazing true story of a man getting abused by a cult who believes they are reincarnated characters from the video game Final Fantasy 7."The video, taking place in Pennsylvania in 2002, follows a college freshman who is a fan of FFVII and runs a site dedicated to the characters Cloud Strife and Zack Fair. He is approached online by two fans going by married couple Hojo and Jenova/Jenny-Nova, after two of the main villains of the game. Jen explains to him her belief that they are actually the characters of FFVII reincarnated on Earth, and assigns him the character of Zack. He believes they're just role-players and agrees to stay with them for a bit, not seeing anything really wrong, and befriending the other members of their group, also assigned various FFVII characters.But soon, he begins to realize that their beliefs are very real, and that Jen believes she can connect to their past selves through 'soul-bonding.' And so, "Zack" plunges into a dark pit as he sees just how twisted this cult really is.Note: the following examples will only trope the fictionalization. If something does not appear in the video itself, it is not tropable.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
fetched
2023-04-30T22:43:39Z
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
parsed
2023-04-30T22:43:39Z
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Dropped link to DownTheRabbitHole: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
processingComment
Dropped link to ZeroWing: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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DBTropes
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_16ddefda
type
Alcohol-Induced Idiocy
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_16ddefda
comment
Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: Rather than tell Jen her ideas about him being a video game character reborn is nonsense, the protagonist replies that it could make sense, leading to him to agree to meet her. This winds up getting him entangled in her cult, and in his narration he admits that it only made sense to him because he was a college freshman drunk on vodka.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_16ddefda
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_16ddefda
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_19b6f396
type
Alternate Timeline
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_19b6f396
comment
Alternate Timeline: Jen, in her first conversation with Zack on the web, espouses multiverse theory as an explanation for her belief that she and he are reincarnated video game characters.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_19b6f396
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_22a59b45
type
Self-Harm
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_22a59b45
comment
Self-Harm: Jen cuts her arms in a non-lethal manner when Aeris tries to leave her cult to get sympathy from the rest of her followers and turn them against Aeris.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_22a59b45
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_24321e44
type
Only Sane Man
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_24321e44
comment
Only Sane Man: Zack is basically the only member of the titular household who does not believe in the cult of people who think they are FFVII characters, and views the whole thing as crazy.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_24321e44
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_40cc0c7e
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Bittersweet Ending
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_40cc0c7e
comment
Bittersweet Ending: The protagonist has finally left the cult and is back with his mom in Brookyln, but only after irreversibly damaging his friendship with Crystal/Aeris, who the ending narration notes goes on to build her own cult in turn. Meanwhile, cult leader Jen and her wife Hojo go into hiding, never being punished for their acts.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_40cc0c7e
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_4ae690ca
type
Laughing Mad
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_4ae690ca
comment
Laughing Mad: Upon being woken up in the middle of the night and dragged to a forest to "see the magic around us", Zack starts laughing in despair at never being allowed to sleep.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_4ae690ca
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_50b05d30
type
Disproportionate Retribution
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_50b05d30
comment
Disproportionate Retribution: One day, Zack criticizes Jen and Hojo for their abuse of him to Crystal/Aeris in confidence. Jen learns what he said and, in retaliation, locks him in the basement, chained to a table leg, until he finally cracks and starts going along with the cult.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_50b05d30
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_53f5119f
type
The Dragon
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_53f5119f
comment
The Dragon: Hojo, Jenny-Nova's wife, is also her right-hand woman in the cult.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_53f5119f
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1.0
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6220d661
type
Loony Fan
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6220d661
comment
Loony Fan: The antagonists are a group of Final Fantasy VII fans who believe that they are reincarnated characters from the game and have built an entire lifestyle around 'soul-bonding' with their past lives, whether it be listening to game music or practicing 'magic' from the game.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6220d661
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_62f9d08e
type
Freeze-Frame Bonus
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_62f9d08e
comment
Freeze-Frame Bonus: When Zack's computer screen is shown in the beginning, it has several humorous usernames and signatures on the sidebar. For example, Zack's username is demon-sushi, and his signature says "admin and cool dude(tm)."
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_62f9d08e
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6d332aea
type
Driven to Suicide
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6d332aea
comment
Driven to Suicide: Subverted. Jen threatens to kill herself when Aeris tries to leave her cult, and is seen on the floor, with a knife next to her and arm wounds. But Zack, who has engaged in cutting Self-Harm prior, can tell that her wounds are not truly suicidal or intended to kill her, but to gain sympathy and turn her followers against Aeris.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_6d332aea
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9331f162
type
Sad-Times Montage
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9331f162
comment
Sad-Times Montage: Around halfway through the video, Zack is shown trying and failing to sleep in various locations throughout various nights while having to listen to Jen and Hojo argue, showcasing just how miserable he is living with them.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9331f162
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_970c790a
type
Big Bad
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_970c790a
comment
Big Bad: Jenny-Nova is the leader of the soul-bonding cult who abuses Zack throughout the video to make him join her cult of people who believe they are Final Fantasy VII characters.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_970c790a
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9970d26b
type
Cannot Tell Fiction from Reality
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9970d26b
comment
Cannot Tell Fiction from Reality: The cult of soul-bonders believe they are the reincarnations of Final Fantasy VII characters.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_9970d26b
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_a7850fbf
type
Only Known by Their Nickname
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_a7850fbf
comment
Only Known by Their Nickname: In part to protect the identities of the real people involved in the actual incident, the characters are only referred to by their FFVII identities. For example, the protagonist is called Zack despite him not believing in the soul-bonding nonsense, while the cult leader is referred to as Jenova, Jen, and Jenny-Nova despite her name being public knowledge and available online.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_a7850fbf
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_aef5c283
type
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_aef5c283
comment
Off-into-the-Distance Ending: Zack is shown walking on the snow-covered road away from the titular house in the ending, while text appears on-screen explaining the fates of the various people involved.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_aef5c283
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1.0
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_aef5c283
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b2f26025
type
Genki Girl
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b2f26025
comment
Genki Girl: Jen, the cult leader, is depicted as a rare villainous variant. She uses cutesy language and mannerisms, as seen in her physical introduction which has her do a little twirl, introduce herself to Zack, and excitedly ramble on about herself while telling Zack's fortune with cards. Rather than make her endearing, it shows just how detached from reality she is.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b2f26025
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b77808f2
type
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b77808f2
comment
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: After Zack comes to his senses and successfully flees the house, text appears detailing what happened to him and the other cult members. Zack spends a few days homeless before reclaiming his belongings and returning to his mom, Jen strains her marriage with Hojo further by dating another woman who moves into the house, and Aeris forms a new cult based around Suikoden and moves to southern California. Eventually, Zack writes an expose on LiveJournal that sends the cult members into hiding and causes "Final Fantasy House" to become an online byword for abusive living conditions.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_b77808f2
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: The end credits names the Down the Rabbit Hole episode on the real-life "Final Fantasy House" as being the inspiration for the video, though referring to the series creator Fredrik Knudsen rather than the series name. When Zack's screen is shown, the signature of the user Psycopath says "All base belongs to us."
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c75df49a
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c819533b
type
Rage Breaking Point
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c819533b
comment
Rage-Breaking Point: Zack is willing to take all manners of abuse from the cult and even start believing in their crap... until they steal his shoes. He lampshades that it seems absurdly small, but after everything else they did to him, this was the last straw that convinced him to finally leave.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_c819533b
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_d3f16712
type
Dramatization
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_d3f16712
comment
Dramatization: The film is one of the LiveJournal posts by a man who temporarily lived with a cult of people who believed themselves to be Final Fantasy VII characters. The intro lampshades that the names themselves are unchanged, as the original post never gave out real names in the first place, only using their nicknames derived from the FFVII characters.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_d3f16712
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_dd6dcee0
type
Tradesnarkâ„¢
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_dd6dcee0
comment
Tradesnark™: Zack's signature on his site says "admin and cool dude(tm)."
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_dd6dcee0
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_deecc9eb
type
Awful Wedded Life
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_deecc9eb
comment
Awful Wedded Life: According to Zack, Jen and Hojo's arguments are frequent enough to keep him awake at night.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_deecc9eb
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_ef63ad3b
type
TwoPlusTortureEqualsFive
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_ef63ad3b
comment
2 + Torture = 5: The protagonist initially refuses to play along with the cult and their delusions that they are FFVII characters reincarnated. But he notes that after two months of little food, no sleep, constantly being watched at all times, and having his social life limited to the cult, he slowly lost his resistance, until they one day chained him to a table leg in the basement and left him there for daring to insult the leader and her wife. He broke right there, and subsequently participates in the cult's attacking of Aeris for wanting to leave the house- the very same treatment he was subjected to. Thankfully, after his shoes are stolen, he is able to snap out of it and leave the cult forever.
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_ef63ad3b
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 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_f1d3f0c9
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Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video) / int_f1d3f0c9
comment
Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: While Hojo doesn't use super-complicated terms, she is depicted as using more formal language and tone with Zack than the other housemates, likely as an attempt at emulating her Final Fantasy VII namesake (who she believes herself to be a reincarnation of).
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Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Loony Fan / int_cdbce0d7
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Off-into-the-Distance Ending / int_cdbce0d7
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Rage Breaking Point / int_cdbce0d7
 Midgar Syndrome (The Final Fantasy House) (Web Video)
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Web Video / int_cdbce0d7