Gast Faremis

Gast Faremis is a minor yet significant character in Final Fantasy VII. He is a biologist and former head of Shinra's Science Research Department. Unlike his successors, Professor Hojo and Dr. Hollander, Gast pursued knowledge for its own sake, not for power. He is one of the few individuals respected by Sephiroth. Gast initially misidentified Jenova, an ancient organism, as a Cetra, leading him to initiate the Jenova Project. He later realized Jenova was not a Cetra and left Shinra. He met and married Ifalna, a true Cetra, and they had a daughter, Aerith Gainsborough. Gast lived with Ifalna and Aerith in Icicle Inn, recording his findings about the Cetra. Shinra eventually located them, and Gast was killed by Hojo while trying to protect his family. Although his research was motivated by good intentions, it indirectly led to many of the events in Final Fantasy VII, making him a complex, tragic figure. His full name is considered to be "Gast Faremis," but there isn't an official romanization of his surname.