SEPHIROTH: The sanctity of "canon" as an idea is simply as fake as it gets, Cloud. The story that we live in is malleable - a mere building block for whatever greatness you can possibly imagine.
SEPHIROTH: Tifa and Aerith can be lesbians, you can be trans, I can murder twice as many people. Genesis can read Homestuck. It's all left up to you.
CLOUD: WHY WON'T YOU FUCKING DIE
SEPHIROTH: I'm too iconic of a character to disappear from the minds of the Final Fantasy fanbase, Cloud. I can never die.