Shinra INC becomes the leader of the energy market after harnessing the power of the Planet itself: Mako energy. Although this new fuel is by no means infinite in its supply, Shinra continues to suck the Planet dry of its very essence for the sake of profit. Swaying the energy monopoly in its favor, Shinra's influence explodes until it has developed its own league of armed forces. It even reduces the mayor of the thriving metropolis Midgar to a mere figurehead, a simple front of democracy and a system of the past. With such advancements, Shinra launches an assault on the average civilian's living room with control over the distribution of energy as well as -- and perhaps most significantly -- the media.
With the Wutai War in full swing, Shinra rallies support for their troops by putting their best foot (and general) forward in the papers. Growing up in the boring, rural town of Nibelheim, Cloud is awed by the published heroics of Shinra's finest, and he dreams of one day appearing in those same stories. It is during this period of naive romance that Cloud sees no reason that he couldn't be the one admired and decorated. The more he feels out of place in his hostile town, the more appealing an escape and chance to prove himself becomes.
Upon enlisting in Shinra's ranks, however, it is too late to be deployed in the war that is now drawing to a close, and Cloud's would-be hero image is further crushed by an assignment to work as a guard. To make matters worse, a mishap in Nibelheim reveals a darker side of Shinra when Cloud and the only other surviving SOLDIER, Zack, are taken into custody and left at the mercy of the science branch.
A flair of insanity sparked by years as a Shinra test subject buries Cloud's hatred for the corporation when he is first hired under AVALANCHE, causing him to feign indifference in the face of the rebellion and its mission. In actuality there is a deep feeling of abhorrence towards Shinra, but because it is so deep he is unable to tap its source and understand it fully. As more of his past is unraveled and Shinra continues to abuse the Planet, Cloud is able to grasp for more control of the situation. Ultimately, he begins to see more clearly through his muddled thoughts and starts to understand his motivation: the corporation has done wrong, and he will do all that is in his power to end it.
After the fallout
In addition to displaying an affinity for escaping exploding buildings, in Advent Children, Rufus Shinra -- Shinra INC's young president -- claims to be a changed man. Although still manipulative, the burns and Geostigma scars have changed the direction of his organization. Rufus wants to revitalize the Planet and its population, and he is hell-bent on not letting Kadaj have his way, so much so that he may even seem... heroic.
Cloud of course is as wary of Shinra's intentions as ever. When Rufus requests his help in dealing with Kadaj and his gang, Cloud turns the offer down coldly. Although it is to be noted that Cloud is currently suffering from Geostigma and has more or less resigned himself to his fate, the intensity of the confrontation is certainly an indicator to the lack of trust that remains between the two parties. However, when push comes to shove, Cloud finds himself in an uneasy alliance with the Turks. When the children are abducted and both he and Tifa fall to unconsciousness, it is Reno and Rude who come to their awkward rescue. With Tifa still injured, Cloud has no choice but to trust the Turks in the search to find the lost orphans--including Denzel and Marlene. Although not friends by any means, Rufus, his Turks, and Cloud's party realize that -- whether they like it or not -- they're all in this together.
