Alright time to clear this up (SPOILERS)

[Karn1254]

I thought I had the Cloud is a clone but not really thing figured out but I played the game again and now I'm confused again, so I am making this topic so someone can post exactly whats going on and then not just me but anyone else who's confused will know whats going on. Just explain what you know in the way you feel best. In other words HHHHHHHHEEEEELP!!! MMMEEE!!!  

[Captain Glomps]

o....k *scratches head* here goes my attempt.

5years before FF7 takes place

Zack and Cloud, both barely alive (though Zack, having a stronger constitution, is healthier) are captured by Hojo of Shinra, taken to the basement of the Shinra Mansion, and used as part of his new experiment, to attempt to create Sephiroth clones (most of the victims are from the ruins of Nibelheim). All previous clones are failures, resulting in a vegetable-like state. Cloud does not take to the treatment, lacking the willpower. Hojo labels him a failure, but keeps him around.
When a guard comes to give Zack his food, he knocks out the guard, rescues Cloud (who can barely move) and hitches a truck to Midgar. After debating with himself, he decides that he and Cloud will become mercenaries (the words echo in Cloud's head). However, before they can reach Midgar, they are chased down by Shinra soldiers. Zack is shot dead, but they leave Cloud, the failure. Cloud manages to crawl to Zack's body and take his sword.
Sephiroth finds that he can control his attempted "clones" with his mind, although he cannot make them do anything of any value due to their state. However, he finds that he can control Cloud more subtly but more effectively due to his "failure" status.
Cloud's mind, awash in pain and fear, constructs its own version of the facts, in which Cloud takes Zack's position in the occurrences, and becomes a member of SOLDIER, 1st class. He also glosses over his friendship with Tifa as if they were best friends. He somehow manages to make his way to the Midgar train station. Tifa finds him there, and decides to watch over him for a while.  

[Captain Glomps]

ok *deep breaths* i'm done (phew)  

[Karn1254]

metal-gear-gear

o....k *scratches head* here goes my attempt.

5years before FF7 takes place

Zack and Cloud, both barely alive (though Zack, having a stronger constitution, is healthier) are captured by Hojo of Shinra, taken to the basement of the Shinra Mansion, and used as part of his new experiment, to attempt to create Sephiroth clones (most of the victims are from the ruins of Nibelheim). All previous clones are failures, resulting in a vegetable-like state. Cloud does not take to the treatment, lacking the willpower. Hojo labels him a failure, but keeps him around.
When a guard comes to give Zack his food, he knocks out the guard, rescues Cloud (who can barely move) and hitches a truck to Midgar. After debating with himself, he decides that he and Cloud will become mercenaries (the words echo in Cloud's head). However, before they can reach Midgar, they are chased down by Shinra soldiers. Zack is shot dead, but they leave Cloud, the failure. Cloud manages to crawl to Zack's body and take his sword.
Sephiroth finds that he can control his attempted "clones" with his mind, although he cannot make them do anything of any value due to their state. However, he finds that he can control Cloud more subtly but more effectively due to his "failure" status.
Cloud's mind, awash in pain and fear, constructs its own version of the facts, in which Cloud takes Zack's position in the occurrences, and becomes a member of SOLDIER, 1st class. He also glosses over his friendship with Tifa as if they were best friends. He somehow manages to make his way to the Midgar train station. Tifa finds him there, and decides to watch over him for a while.

uuhhhh how can that be right it just doesn't sound right and the facts say other wise. Apparently Zack is not a Sephiroth clone, and Sephiroth killed him at the nibel Mako reactor remember?  

[Captain Glomps]

Karn1254

metal-gear-gear

o....k *scratches head* here goes my attempt.

5years before FF7 takes place

Zack and Cloud, both barely alive (though Zack, having a stronger constitution, is healthier) are captured by Hojo of Shinra, taken to the basement of the Shinra Mansion, and used as part of his new experiment, to attempt to create Sephiroth clones (most of the victims are from the ruins of Nibelheim). All previous clones are failures, resulting in a vegetable-like state. Cloud does not take to the treatment, lacking the willpower. Hojo labels him a failure, but keeps him around.
When a guard comes to give Zack his food, he knocks out the guard, rescues Cloud (who can barely move) and hitches a truck to Midgar. After debating with himself, he decides that he and Cloud will become mercenaries (the words echo in Cloud's head). However, before they can reach Midgar, they are chased down by Shinra soldiers. Zack is shot dead, but they leave Cloud, the failure. Cloud manages to crawl to Zack's body and take his sword.
Sephiroth finds that he can control his attempted "clones" with his mind, although he cannot make them do anything of any value due to their state. However, he finds that he can control Cloud more subtly but more effectively due to his "failure" status.
Cloud's mind, awash in pain and fear, constructs its own version of the facts, in which Cloud takes Zack's position in the occurrences, and becomes a member of SOLDIER, 1st class. He also glosses over his friendship with Tifa as if they were best friends. He somehow manages to make his way to the Midgar train station. Tifa finds him there, and decides to watch over him for a while.

uuhhhh how can that be right it just doesn't sound right and the facts say other wise. Apparently Zack is not a Sephiroth clone, and Sephiroth killed him at the nibel Mako reactor remember?

yeh. I think it probably goes a little further back then that and is a mixture of theory sweatdrop . i haven't played the game since i was about 10  

[Pierre42]

They ain't clones but they were experimented on. Something different I think which is why Zack and Cloud were alright BUT you will notice that Cloud reverted to the Clone-like behaviour after being thrown into the lifestream.....so maybe the others suffered from Mako poisoning but never recovered and Cloud and Zack are the only two survivors of the poisoning.  

[Karn1254]

Ok this is what I'm thinking is going on. Cloud tells you the story about what happened 5 years ago, Which later you find out is not true, You realize that Cloud was actually the soldier in the uniform and that the boy with the giant sword was actually Zack. Zack runs in when Sephiroth is trying to take Jenova and gets killed in one hit. Cloud rushes in and stabs Seph, but he comes back out and then stabs his sword thorugh Cloud but Cloud chucks him of the edge, and then it almost looks like Cloud died here as well. This is where its confusing Because it looked like they were all massacred right there except for Tifa, so now we gotta figure out how five years later they both come back!  

[Pierre42]

Tifa was sliced....when Zack was sliced he was rescuing Tifa. I don't know how Tifa survived but Zack and Cloud were taken by Hojo and recovered with medical care see?  

[Karn1254]

Yeah I figured they were taken or atleast Cloud, don't know what happened to Zack. So when Hojo took Cloud to be healed he expirimented on him with Mako trying to make a being as strong as Sephiroth, but It failed so then he ditched Cloud. Alright! we got it basically!  

[Pierre42]

They took Zack and experimented on him too....he helped Cloud escape  

[Karn1254]

How do you know this?  

[Pierre42]

Zack is the green tube beside Cloud in the basement during the BIG-explain-alot flashback. He's the one who scratched into the glass "I have a plan" he's practically the hero in this case.  

[Karn1254]

Is there actually a site or peice of information that says that? I beleive you for now I understand but I would just like to read it myself thats all.  

[Pierre42]

Nononono it's actually a flashback in the game...might be a hidden one but it's definately there I fouind it didnt use no internet  

[Karn1254]

hhhmm interesting tell me where to find it and what disk its on hopefully I didn't miss it!