In his youth, Godo is implied to have been a fierce warrior and an independent king, standing up against the Shinra Electric Power Company to defend Wutai's honor and culture. By the time of Final Fantasy VII however, he is thought by Yuffie to be a shell of his former self who spends the day sleeping and has let Wutai become a tourist resort. After she defeats him in battle, Godo tells Yuffie that the war made him realize that in using their power to fight, Wutai was no different from Shinra, and now realizes from Yuffie that to make a true difference, one needs not just strength, but determination. In the same scene, Godo shows he has the same obsession Yuffie has with Materia, though not as prominent.