The fate of Aerith in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has been revealed, exploring whether she escapes her original game destiny.
The release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has finally answered the biggest question surrounding the game. Fans were eager to know if Aerith would meet the same fate in the remakes as in the original game. Aerith’s death in the original Final Fantasy VII was a pivotal moment with significant implications for the storyline and the character of Sephiroth. Despite leaks about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Aerith’s ultimate fate remained uncertain until now. [Warning: spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ahead]
In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Aerith appears to die towards the end of the game, with the cast mourning her loss at the hands of Sephiroth. However, her death is not straightforward and involves the complex multiversal elements central to the game’s plot.
Throughout the game, characters like Cloud encounter “whispers,” entities guiding them to follow the original game’s narrative. Sephiroth also reveals the existence of multiple realities, explaining why characters like Zack Fair are alive despite their deaths in the original timeline. When Sephiroth attempts to strike Aerith, Cloud breaks free from the whispers and intervenes. Despite Sephiroth not landing the killing blow, Aerith still falls into Cloud’s arms as he witnesses multiple converging scenes, some where Aerith survives and others where she perishes.
After a intense boss battle, Aerith returns to assist Cloud in facing Sephiroth once more. Following the battle, Cloud sees his companions mourning Aerith, but he urges her to wake up, and she does, though only visible to him. As the game concludes, Cloud departs with the party while Aerith remains behind.
It seems that Cloud is perceiving multiple timelines or realities simultaneously. While Aerith is indeed deceased in the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth timeline, Cloud is also experiencing a reality where she is alive. This unresolved plot point is likely to be addressed in the final installment of the series, shedding light on the continuation of the story without Aerith’s presence, yet still incorporating her as a significant character beyond her tragic demise. Hopefully, future explanations will clarify whether the Aerith Cloud sees is from his timeline, a parallel universe, or simply an apparition visible only to him.
