PROJECT REVIVAL

Classification: Cetra Restoration Initiative
Status: Terminated
Location: Kalm, Gaia
Operational Period: July 1978 – July 1979
Outcome: Partial Biological Success / Ethical Failure

Overview

Project Revival was a clandestine scientific initiative designed to restore the Cetra (Ancients) bloodline, believed to be functionally extinct following the Jenova Crisis. The project operated in secrecy beneath a women’s health clinic in Kalm, allowing repeated implantation cycles without drawing Shinra attention.

Unlike Shinra’s mako- and Jenova-based enhancement programs, Project Revival focused on true Cetra reproduction, utilizing preserved Cetra genetic material, hybrid gestation, and embryological experimentation rather than forced mako saturation.

A total of twenty-six pregnancies were recorded. Of these, twenty-four resulted in failure, and two viable births were achieved. These surviving children—Faye and Joel—were later classified as Neo-Cetra.

Origins and Purpose

Project Revival originated from Dr. Quinn Carlisle’s access to restricted Cetra research archives, including cryogenically preserved Cetra sperm and ova recovered from ancient sites and Shinra-controlled storage.

The project pursued three primary objectives:

Preservation of the Cetra bloodline and prevention of complete extinction
Scientific validation that Cetra revival was possible without Jenova contamination
Ethical divergence from Shinra doctrine, rejecting Hojo’s reliance on mako poisoning and human weaponization

Dr. Belgemine joined as co-lead, providing medical oversight and ethical restraint.

Leadership and Infrastructure

Project Leads

Dr. Quinn Carlisle — Lead geneticist and architect of Project Revival
Dr. Belgemine — Medical director and ethical oversight

Supporting Personnel

Gippal, Clasko — Logistics, patient handling, and facility support

Facilities

Public-facing women’s health clinic in Kalm
Subterranean laboratory equipped for IVF, embryo engineering, and gestational monitoring

Experimental Methodology

Project Revival was conducted as a multi-arm reproductive research program, with multiple experimental approaches running concurrently. Failed attempts did not result in project suspension; continued experimentation was considered necessary to identify viable methods.

Primary Experimental Arms

Pure Cetra IVF
Cetra sperm and ova implanted into human surrogates.
Result: Near-total early embryonic failure due to placental incompatibility.
Cetra Nuclear Transfer
Cetra nuclear DNA inserted into human ova.
Result: Partial development followed by late miscarriage or maternal collapse.
Hybrid IVF (Cetra–Human)
Fertilization using one Cetra gamete and one human gamete, sometimes combined with light stabilization.
Result: Highest viability; produced both surviving children.
Modified Embryos
Human embryos edited using Cetra DNA as a template.
Result: High instability, mosaic development, fetal non-viability.
Chimeric / Mosaic Constructs
Experimental cell-line combinations tested briefly.
Result: Immediate developmental arrest.

Repeated implantation cycles were conducted across multiple participant batches.

Participants

A total of 26 women participated between July 1978 and December 1978. Participants were selected based on genetic compatibility, immune tolerance, and physical resilience. All provided informed consent, though long-term risks were not fully understood at the time.

By February 1979, only two viable pregnancies remained.

Outcomes and Casualties

Successful Births

Faye (Embryo F) — born May 12, 1979
Joel (Embryo J) — born June 13, 1979

Both children exhibited immediate Cetra markers, including ocular luminescence and innate Lifestream interaction.

Fatalities

Rosa — died during childbirth
Lucil — died approximately one month postpartum following systemic deterioration
Fran — died earlier due to severe pregnancy complications

Neo-Cetra Classification

Faye and Joel were genetically confirmed as Cetra, but their stabilized hybrid development differed significantly from ancient Cetra populations. They were therefore designated Neo-Cetra.

Neo-Cetra are defined by:

Innate manipulation of the Lifestream without materia
Enhanced biological affinity for mako
Divergent and unstable expressions of Cetra traits

The classification reflects functional divergence, not species separation.

Documented Neo-Cetra Phenotypes

Joel — Receptive Instability

Joel exhibits extreme sensitivity to the Planet, resulting in:

Involuntary reception of Planetary voices
Visions composed of Lifestream memory fragments
Progressive psychological strain
Eventual mental breakdown under sustained exposure

His condition demonstrates the danger of unfiltered Cetra signal reception in a damaged Planetary system.

Faye — Energetic Instability

Faye does not experience Planetary voices. Instead, she displays:

Involuntary mako absorption
Accidental siphoning of energy from materia, reactors, and mako-rich environments
Localized energy collapse during emotional or physiological stress

Her body treats mako as a biological fuel source and lacks a natural regulatory limit.

Innate Magic and Mako Interaction

Neo-Cetra do not require materia to cast magic. Their bodies function as direct conduits for ambient Lifestream energy.

This absence of external regulation introduces risks:

Spell recoil
Energetic burnout
Planetary feedback

Faye’s instability manifests as energy overload, while Joel’s manifests as informational overload.

Reasons for Termination

Despite achieving living Cetra births, Project Revival was terminated due to:

Extreme maternal mortality and pregnancy loss
Increasing instability in Neo-Cetra development
Ethical concerns regarding continued experimentation
Dr. Carlisle’s realization that his work was beginning to mirror Hojo’s methods, despite different intentions

This recognition marked the project’s definitive end.

Data Containment and Aftermath

No Project Revival data was destroyed. All research materials, genetic data, and procedural records were sealed and secured, recognized as too important to eliminate.

No viable embryos remained following project termination.

Dr. Carlisle assumed guardianship of Faye and Joel.
Dr. Belgemine continued operating the Kalm clinic independently.

Historical Significance

Project Revival represents:

The only verified restoration of Cetra biology since Ifalna
Proof that Cetra genetics remain viable under controlled conditions
Evidence that Cetra evolution is possible, but inherently unstable

Neo-Cetra are not a return to the past, but a continuation shaped by survival in a damaged world.Project Revival was a secret scientific initiative conducted in Kalm between 1978 and 1979 to restore the extinct Cetra (Ancients) bloodline. Led by Dr. Quinn Carlisle with medical oversight from Dr. Belgemine, the project used preserved Cetra genetic material, hybrid gestation, and repeated implantation trials to achieve true Cetra reproduction without Shinra’s mako- or Jenova-based methods. Of twenty-six recorded pregnancies, only two children survived—Faye and Joel—later classified as Neo-Cetra, genetically Cetra but with stabilized yet divergent traits. Both can use magic without materia and interact directly with the Lifestream; however, each exhibits severe instability, with Joel suffering from overwhelming Planetary voices and visions, and Faye involuntarily absorbing mako in dangerous, uncontrolled ways. Although Project Revival proved Cetra restoration was possible, it was terminated after multiple maternal deaths and growing ethical concerns, when Carlisle recognized his work was beginning to mirror Hojo’s methods; all research was sealed rather than destroyed, leaving the project as a partial scientific success and a profound moral failure.

Project Revival