SOLDIER

SOLDIER is Shinra's elite military unit in Final Fantasy VII and its metaseries, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. It is led by Lazard before control was transferred over to Heidigger. SOLDIER is divided into three ranks from highest to lowest: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Class. Zack Fair, Angeal Hewley and Sephiroth are former 1st Class members. Members of SOLDIER are scouted by the company's Investigation Division of the General Affairs Department — alias, the Turks. Those determined strong enough to mentally and physically handle the program's process of being infused with mako and injected with Jenova's cells receive the treatment, gaining powerful increases in their physical and cognitive ability. As a side-effect of their mako infusion, members of SOLDIER have a peculiar glow in their eyes, a phenomenon known as mako eyes. Early in the game, Cloud claims to be a former 1st Class member of SOLDIER, but this is eventually revealed to have been a self-imposed delusion.