Midgar, that is not only the top of the technological progress, unique phenomenon of the world and artificial miracle but also a complex multifaceted symbol able with its discovering to show much left beyond the scopes of the narration. Attention to the Metropolis united into itself eight lost their names towns is being paid during the whole story as if it is an axis some global idea rotates on. Midgar will be a memorial after 500 years.

A wide-spread thesis says that the name "Midgar" is a reference to Midrard from the Scandinavian mythology. However, any reasoning usually ends at this maxim. Before we start with historical information about origin of Midgar and about the idea it carries inside let's investigate the assertion about connection between Midgar and mythology, especially with the facet that its name is also symbolic and may serve as a pointer to the direction we are going to move in. An opinion exists that "Midgar" is a perverted spelling of word "Midgard" and because of that The Authors of The Game are blamed in ignorance, illiteracy and other deadly sins. However in fact the situation is diametrically opposite: "Midgar" is common transliteration of the original appellation "Midgardr" and "Midgar" is a proper transliteration of the correct pronunciation of the "Middle World" from Scandinavian epos. In the light of primary thesis of this article the fact the Authors are familiar with such details takes an important part.

So, how Midgar has came into the world. In Niflheim the source Hvergelmir outwelled whereof twelve ice streams Elivagar came out. From the ices of Elivagar during their melting in the distance of Niflheim the giant Imir or Aurgelmir came out - the first living creature. Imir was killed and from his body Midgar was created. In that way we can see that this name conforms to Midgar very neatly as to the habitat of people, created at the expense of damage caused to a living creature - the Planet. Furthermore, we are able to notice an allegory with Mako-metropolis that materia allowed to exist to: the first Mako-reactor was constructed in Nibelheim, most likely in a place of the fist discovered spring of the Lifestream. During the streaming of waters of Elivagar and melting of its ices Imir has assumed his shape; initially materia produces during the natural crystallization process of Mako. Legend says that Midgar will be destroyed by the fire from the sky at the time of Ragnarok; Reason of the destruction different sources connect sometimes with fallen celestial body sometimes with runes exploded in the sky and broken up into flaming pieces. Midgard in different variations of its name appears in mythology of different cultures: from Mittel-Erge to Middle-Earth. Also the fact of destruction of some giant settlement by a sky curse travels from one myth to another; one of the most famous m the legends is the one about tower of Babel.

We can see the popularity of the idea of collision between a peak of attainment of civilization and some power arrived from the sky and brought the end to the impetuous progress growing from greediness, arrogance or violence that we also see in case of Midgar. Such sameness always leads researchers to the idea about a real foundation of a myth or legend. The confirmation of this idea relating to different Midgards, Midgars and Mittel-Erdes was found in year 1987 and a story about this confirmation is appropriate here as a discovery of certain aspects concerning Midgar particularly and the Game world generally.

In 1987 year on territory of South Ural, Russia, archeologists carried on an investigation during the construction of the canal system and in the end of their work by an accident discovered unprecedented phenomenon which importance had turned out great so much that government consented to drop the construction works despite the made investments. Archeologists found a city that later became considered as the cradle of the civilization having disproved already existed data. This city is older than Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations: when Egyptian culture was just at the beginning of its grown the settlement had passed a peak of its progress. Arkaim - is a city of the most ancient civilization - Aryan. For that time the settlement was enormous - it was able to lodge 1500-2500 people; in the ratio with usual quantity of tribe or clan 15-25 people - it is a great size for a settlement. We also remember that Midgar is a giant city by measures of FFVII world. The city was named Arkaim after nearby mountain and it was granted the status of protomegapolis.

The city is round in its form and has central circus where are some fragments that has been identified as remains of some high building (it can be compared with Shin-Ra HQ). Around the circus, city is divided in eight sectors; one sector looks as if it is unfinished. It can be considered as 6th sector, uncompleted by the time of the Game events and being dwelled in AC. Arkaim is in heath surrounded by high hills from every side and can be seen only from nearest rocks or from the sky. Researches of Arkaim have shown that it located close to uranium mines still unexhausted by present days - we may remember Mythril mines nearby Midgar. Within the city enormous for that time smelting furnaces that was a part of an established structure of mineral production right within precincts of living spaces were found. A lot of exhausted radio-active wastes allowed making of two conclusions. First one - that people of Arkaim culture was familiar with using of the energy of disintegrated atom and this energy was a basic energy for them. However this conclusion loses its sense because there was not found any devices for producing and distribution of nuclear energy. The second one - that they used some energy that now mythologists calls Other (or Different) Energy and our civilization currently is able only to extremely irrationally use exhausted wastes of this Energy - here we mean nuclear weapon. Other, unknown to us Energy and to the search of it had been devoted far more than one archeological expedition - may it be Mako? We know that Mako can initiate mutations and changes in consciousness. Know also that Nibelheim located close to the first-ever in the world of FFVII Mako-reactor is city with strange and awful destiny and Sephiroth lets us see that probably there was contagion of Mako. That means also that probably Mako can leave wastes after itself that we habitually call radio-active. In that way, Arkaim lived at cost of some Energy that been extracted from interior of the Earth; It correlates with the principle of existing of Midgar as Mako-megapolis with reactors within the limits of city.

But the key secret of Arkaim and its main reference to Midgar is unusual end of its existence. Arkaim was abandoned by citizens and after that it burned out and became a great monument. The fact of fire allowed establishing of the complete picture of the events: burned wood can be stored for ages. Researches discovered that the exodus of citizens was not a spontaneous escape, but it was intentional leaving of a settlement. In city houses there are no even small utensils, and there are no remains of humans in the city. Archeologists faced the abandoned city. That region was rich of natural resources, infrastructure was well-established, and there are no any tracks of vandalism that rejects the idea about a war. Metapaleontologists, basing on the idea about definition of death as of changing space existence of both single organisms and whole planets, suppose that people moved in some another dimension. It gives us associations with leaving to the Promised Land as to the Lifestream. These facts and theories became sensationally known all over the world in 1991; this date is quite agreed with probable date of first conception of FFVII and can be considered as a proof that as basis for Midgar was taken a real-existed city and a real story that shocked the world with its inscrutability and mystique. Furthermore, the fact that archeologists are present in FFVII and the fact that the Authors have an intimate knowledge in mythology and anthropology mentioned above add a peace of reality in this assumption.

So then, what do we receive from this tracing of the Midgar origin from the mythology notion to its historical roots for understanding of FFVII world. At first - it is a proof of the facet that the Authors of FFVII are educated people who draw their inspiration not from known retellings of a textbook, but in serious scientifically valid theories. It applies on the audience an obligation of a serious attitude to the information given by the Game: if some fact is presented in the Game and we do not understand it, it usually means not a mistake of the Authors but our ignorance in one or another thing. FFVII may serve as a catalyst for increase of educational level and it is its doubtless plus as a phenomenon in the shell of videogame. Secondly, the try of the explanation of data given by some "fairy-tale" artwork in isolation from the world history and mythology will certainly lead a researcher to distorted interpretation of this data. And since we are trying to discover as far as possible all meaning layers of FFVII, the information connecting the "fairytale" with the world fund of symbols is invaluable for us. Tthirdly, reference of the story of Midgar to the sensation of Arkaim adds one more point of view in the discussion about is it our world in The Game or not. To the versions being discussed "our world in future" and "not our world at all" joins "our world in past". The place of living of people in FFVII named abstractedly: The Planet. It is like an illustration of the fact that this Planet can really be any planet that can be a place for such events. On this planet Jenova finishes her travel over the space, therefore the Planet takes some part of a cosmic global scale staying at the same time an abstract notion.

As Arkaim that has become a prototype for many legends about Midgard shows, we have extremely small knowledge about the past of our Planet that always seemed to be so familiar and explored long time ago. It is underlined in The Game: the scientist of Cosmo Canyon writes a book, he hopes that someday it will be found by the people who will leave after the Meteor and will read about their past; people collect information about attainments, sciences and Cetra's way of life; Nanaki (Red XIII) brings his descendants 500 years after the Meteor to show them the History recorded on the Planet body. In such way, the events can happen relative to present both in the future and in the past - human knowledge in history can not unambiguously disprove it. Fourthly, collecting together information about Midrard from myths, story of real Midgard-Arkaim and facts about Midgar from FFVII we get similar data: a huge advanced settlement, which prosperity is based on a damage to a leaving being or on worst strains of human character is destroyed by the fire from the sky; people abandon the settlement moving to the new level of development together with the whole world. This entirety allows us to apply for information to the books as a vast reference source that can help in detailed discovering of the story layer about changes in consciousnesses in scale of civilization. How was changing consciousnesses of people of the world from temporary problems - through panic madness before doomsday - to the enlightenment which result had grown in creation of W.R.O.

Lifecycle of Midgar pierces all events as permanent thread, connecting them with its symbolism. The image of Midgar is being constructed, exploded, fired, abandoned, Midgar taking the clash of space-level powers, bewailed, revived and stayed even after five hundred years as an impressive and sad monument, of Midgar at the end accepted by The Planet as its equal part, - it is a reflection of everything is being happened, like a record of events to a monumental storage. The monument had been erected by the time of AC - is a memorial to the victims of Meteor and to Midgar itself. And although the monument has been destroyed, as a symbol of eternity of Midgar remains untouched engraved motto: "Keep on Rockin' in Midgar".