Aerith's Secret [Full Ver.] - FFVII Remake Mysteries [2/4] | Game Analysis #24

[@kevinmcdonald6560]

Need time to watch through all of these, 10 minutes in and I can see the quality and depth of analysis here, well done

[@Tsuki-Yomi]

Interesting video. Thank you for giving us your point of view. :) I honestly don't think that Aerith is so clairvoyant as to behave with Cloud just to repeat the exact beat of the original storyline in Migdar. Like being a kind of guardian of destiny herself or something. I think she has an extremely fragmented vision of the original story, that she has specific strong insights, but she is clearly scared and don't really know what's going on. For example, before and during the park scene, I don't think Aerith is trying to "buy time" or to teach Cloud the path to take later with Barret and Tifa. I think she really wants to extend that moment with Cloud and Cloud wants to stay with her as well. This makes the scene romantic and cute as in the OG. We're talking about an atmosphere that the developers have confirmed they want to create in the Evergreen Park Remake scene again, from the dialogues to the music. The insight of Briana White, (Aerith EN voice actress) about this scene confirms this intention (here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqaZn6ikfMyesJY from 23m45). If Aerith had a clear awareness of the future and wanted to spare Cloud the pain of losing her, I don't think she would have asked Cloud on a date again, and flirted with him to begin with. In Ultimania, it is confirmed that Aerith intuitively knows that Cloud is a "Nandemoya" in the church. It's like an intuition she has, a feeling that she doesn't know how to explain but that is there. However, she doesn't know Cloud past. She's not the Aerith of the OG and doesn't know the immediate future neither. In Aerith's room (Shinra Tower), when she tells Cloud and the rest of the group that she is a Cetra, she admits that she is lost, that every time the whispers touch her, she loses a part of herself. Interesting fact: during this scene, the background music is a fusion of Cloud's and Aerith's themes. That's why Cloud's resolution scene is really heartbreaking. Even though Aerith warns him not to fall in love with her, it's too late. The feelings are already there, on both sides. Cloud answers 'mukae ni iku', and she says 'ureshii'. In other words, Cloud states that he wants her to be near him. And for Aerith, his decision makes her happy. I think Aerith failed to prevent this moment not because she knew the future but precisely because she barely knew it... and because she doesn't want to/can't change their feelings for each other too. These two heroes have a common destiny which is the very story of FF7 ("star-crossed lovers", after all). There is also the possibility that this Aerith in the dream sequence is not the Aerith inside the Shinra tower, but the Aerith of the future, in the lifestream. It's a possibility, but I think it would be quite chaotic from a narrative point of view to have multiple Aeriths in this sequel. Only time will tell us. But in any case, it just confirms the feelings they have for each other. After playing this Remake several times, it became clear to me that the goal of this whole Remake/Rebirth/Reunion trilogy project is to undo the Advent Children timeline. The (in)famous "bad ending" of the OG. That's why Hollow's theme is played in Aerith's sector 5 when she leaves Cloud, why it's played again in the end credits just before Aerith and Cloud's themes. Sephiroth has a new plan. Maybe he wants to use Cloud's strength and not have to fight him. Maybe Sephiroth wants Cloud to save Aerith this time because the opposite would ruin his new agenda. It's hard to figure out what's going on. This makes this sequel very exciting. The unknown journey will continue. But this time with hope, fighting against destiny. In order to change the fate of the planet on one hand, and to change the fate of Cloud and Aerith on the other.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Thanks and you're welcome :) I think it's both. She clearly knows a LOT, but cannot act on that knowledge more than she does in Remake. For one because of the Whispers who would just swoop in, correct her meddling and rob her of that additional knowledge and for another, revealing too much or acting too much against the "destined" flow of events would mess up Cloud and many other things. She needs to be careful. Still, it's unclear how much she actually knows so you've got a point there, but if her resolution scene is of any indication (and many more remarks throughout the game) she's aware of everything. At least her true essence who's feeding her memory version we see in the game and the one who appears to Cloud in his dream (resolution scene).

[@Northstar1109]

One of the interesting things I found about the scene where she talks about Corneo, she subconsciously uses her hands to make a rope tying motion to match her analogy. Corneo of course actually used rope to tie up Yuffie and Elena when he kidnapped them and Yuffie makes a crack about wishing shed taken rope escape lessons more seriously.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Nice observation! Although, it's most likely a gesture to underline Aerith's words as she says the following in Japanese: "No matter how strong of a girl she is, he'll slowly tighten his grip around her heart until it breaks with a snap." So, no matter how strong you are, he'll turn the situation against you, breaking your heart in the process. Like Leslie says: if Cloud causes trouble, Corneo will make sure someone he cares about will get hurt and pays for it. I'm not too familiar with Japanese gestures, but it's possible that the gesture in this context is the same as one's hands being tied up. Your observation has still merit, though and if that was the developer's intention, color me impressed!

[@ShuusakuSama]

the @8:40 on transferring memory on to Cloud is nice, never thought of it that way, but the connection makes sense, amazing how you noticed . . . now, time to watch the rest . . .

[@Chokken97]

This is amazing and everyone needs to watch it. This is so thorough and answers all questions I had (and possibly could have had) without leaving any holes. This needs to be seen by more people.. ...Did SE hire you to leak all of their information for them?

[@akiinmoonlight79]

so grateful that this channel exist ❤

[@illegalalienfromsalviaspac449]

Bro this is the best analysis video I've seen on this subject. It deserves 100x more views.

[@haraldharaldson1563]

After watching all 2h i have bad feeling, that she treats Cloud and others like tools.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

I wouldn't worry too much. To me, if feels more like she wants to prepare everybody for what's coming, to provide them with the "tools" to combat Sephiroth: stronger bonds and less unresolved baggage.

[@haraldharaldson1563]

Well to me if you are correct it's like she is not the real person, but someone like player who just play the same game another time therefore everything she does in remake isn't authentic. To compare to something it's like me playing RPG game which i good know, because completed multiple times like Dragon Age or Gothic. Know which dialogue option choose to be in good relations with other characters, which option choose to quicker complete quest or get better prize, avoid NPC's death etc.

[@haraldharaldson1563]

It hurts me especially, because i discover FF7 franchise just 1,5 month ago, watching Remake walkthrough is my first contact in this universe, and these history and Cloud and Aerith characters left big mark on me and it's still fresh.

[@Tsuki-Yomi]

Well, that's exactly the same feeling I would have if the developers made Aerith an all-knowing character. She will inevitably appear to many players as a terrible manipulator, faking emotions, faking smiles. The developpers will completely take away the authenticity of all the moments spent with Cloud/the player in this Remake (the evolution of Cloud and Aerith relationship and their story arcs are for me the greatest achievement of this remake. The writing of chapters 8 and 9 is incredible in this regard.). Such decision would ruin Aerith character imo. Also, if the original story repeats in this trilogy, I think Cloud character would be ruined too. The whole first part of this Remake project is focused on destroying the guardians of time and destroying the flashbacks of Nanaki and Aerith's death. The objective here is to prevent the fate of Midgar/the planet, the fate of humanity and avoid Cloud terrible breakdown in AC timeline. I think that if Cloud has to go through the same misery again, besides being a failure, he will never overcome the pain.

[@Msflammer]

Really amazing video! Do you think that in the future Aerith will be conflicted between what she wants as a person and her goal to save the planet? As you showed, post advent Aerith is indeed the perfect motherly figure and healer but in lifetream black and white (at least that how I see it) she could have easily saved and protected the planet and the people she knew if she just had taken more direct methods like sephirot, what keeps her from doing that is her personal feelings for cloud (Her beloved as stated in lifestream white 1 ending). The only times we see her hesitate in the game is when she faces something personal (like in evergreen park) and specially in the end when she faces the possiblity of being freed from fate, so It makes me think that in part 2 we will see a conflict between her selfish wants (Maybe she doesn't want to give up her dreams for her future, in the OG it's something very important to her, like hoping to fly in the highwing or asking cait sith the predictions of her future with cloud) and her ultimate goal of saving the planet at the cost of her life. And since Cloud has now some hints of her fate, maybe he'll do everything to not let her go this time (like beautifully explained in Hollow). Anyway thanks for the video, what's amazing about FF7R is all the discussion and theories that can be shared :D

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Yes, it's certainly a possibility that she now tries to be a bit more selfish. With "fate" gone, she has a chance to realize 1 or 2 dreams of hers along the way while still making sure to free the planet from Sephiroth and Jenova. And i'm with you regarding Cloud. His flashes of the future must play into the new narrative somehow. I think that every new element they set up in the Midgar arc will be built upon in subsequent games. I'm also very much looking forward to character dynamics with this new starting point, especially Cloud and Aerith as well as Red XIII as all 3 of them now have more knowledge than in the OG (Cloud less so). I also wonder which resolution scene will be considered canon or if choices in part 1 will even have an effect in future titles.

[@Msflammer]

@@Vyzzuvazzadth I can't say if this information comes from an official source or it's just a theory, but I remember reading that all resolution scenes are canon since they adress something important for cloud and don't contradict each other, all happening at different points of the night before chapter 14. Barret's resolution scene is about camaraderie, tifa's about Friendship and Aerith's about love.

[@Tsuki-Yomi]

@@Vyzzuvazzadth Just to say that all the resolution scenes are officially canon. The game is meant to be played 3 times, to find out what motivates Barret, Tifa and Cloud to attack the Shinra tower and rescue Aerith. None of the scenes contradict each other. Quite the opposite, they add depth to the development of each character. The scene with Barret takes place at the beginning of the night. The one with Tifa takes place in the middle of the night. And the one with Aerith just before sunrise. Barret discuss about Avalanche, his desire to fight for the planet. This is the start of his friendship with Cloud. Tifa realizes that there is something going on between Cloud and Aerith. She also realizes that she has lost everything again (after Nibelheim, now sector 7 and her bar). She bursts into tears and Cloud doesn't know what to do. So he decides to hug her like Barret did before, but in an awkward way. So Tifa asks him to stop. Finally, Cloud's resolution allows him to assume his feelings towards the flower girl. Interesting fact: the scene with Aerith is the only one that appears in the end credits. Not because it's the only one that's canon (as said earlier, all 3 scenes are canon). It's just that it's the resolution of Cloud, the hero of the game.

[@crescent4996]

You suggest when Aerith does her praying stance, she is communicating with the planet. There is another such instance I haven't seen mentioned anywhere. When Aerith is running toward the bar to save Marlene, a helicopter is shot down and its headed in a straight line to crash into the bar, but Aerith does her praying motion, and the helicopter immediately veers off course at an unnatural angle and misses the bar!

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

I just re-watched the scene and you're right! How could I miss this?! Makes perfect sense, though. If our current theory is true and this game represents the memories within the Lifestream, Aerith surely would be able to influence events this way, to make sure Marlene survives. But this begs the question: why were there no Whispers to save Marlene? Her dying would introduce a heavy deviation in the timeline, especially for Barret and Elmyra. Maybe the general chain of events would not have changed, but that's highly debatable. Either they did help out upon Aerith's request and just weren't visible, or there's something else in play. Each time the Whispers intervened, we, the players, were able to see them in some form. Their absence therefore leads me to believe that they truly weren't there. Why? Sephiroth's influence. He wants Cloud to suffer. All Whisper appearances from chapter 12 onward either stop the party from preventing a catastrophic event (Plate Fall), make sure they can keep going (party members nearly dying during the escape) or to prevent Cloud from remembering his true past (Deepground & Hojo). All work in Sephiroth's favor. He wants to torture Cloud but still needs the group to defeat the Whispers and free him from his prison and destiny's shackles. Marlene dying would then fall into the category of torturing Cloud and those around him. Current conclusion: Aerith can influence the Lifestream's memory at will it seems. This sudden change in trajectory would also explain why the helicopter's tail breaks off before hitting anything. Thoughts?

[@crescent4996]

It *is* puzzling that we only see whispers direct changes apart from this. If Aerith can plead for interventions, why not other times. Other than perhaps she knows Marlene's is supposed to survive and it was a moment of desperation in which she had to act. Also Marlene and Aerith appear to share a special connection, which Aerith would already have knowledge about, perhaps the planet was more willing to intercede directly to save a future guardian? The clues really seem endless the more you dig! Thanks for the thoughtful response.

[@ndrcalrryx2094]

Omg you are awesome! That 22:45 analysis gave me goosebumps!!!!!!!!

[@ma5tertonberry]

Lovely analysis. Looking forward to more!

[@victordapp6424]

Great job as always cco!

[@senhua1980]

Very nice and detailed hypothesis and speculative. a little add to the last Aerith line: "I hate clear/blue sky", In very end of Japanese CC : the last line of Zack also state: "she always hate blue sky". Dunno why the line differ on the west ver of remake. Cannot wait for your next VIIR video.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Thank you for mentioning the Japanese Version of Zack's last line in CC! I didn't know that. It might have been a deliberate choice to reflect Crisis Core's ending, like an echo. This game just keeps giving!

[@diacor4life489]

Ok all my points and likes to you sir, for casually saying, without any underlining and joking around, ""after the encounter with the guy that are sick". I'm so happy, from now on, anything you'll say is a fact xD Thank you!

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

You're welcome! :D

[@duydz1164]

49:30 Do u think Aerith wanna save Cloud from being sufer, living in guilt for not saving the girl he loved???

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

She certainly seems to try and lead Cloud onto a path of less suffering, yes. If he has a clearer head and isn't plagued by guilt, he's less susceptible to Sephiroth's manipulation and more likely to make the right choice. Only time will tell, though.

[@memaa369]

Great job! Loved it.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Join us on Discord! discord.gg/EyjHzbZ We post additional content on Twitter: twitter.com/CC_Observatory

[@AlvinsonOuji]

@21:50 brutal! lol

[@ZombiiChix]

I would love to see you do an analysis on Aerith and her role in rebirth 😭 I want to believe in the chance that Aerith could somehow have a happy ending where she ultimately survives, not just for shipping, but also so she can be happy and enjoy life with EVERYONE that is special to her

[@monalisacarido6573]

Aerith my favorite character ❤

[@TheMrGiannisgr]

Aerith likes Cloud & Cloud likes Aerith in the Remake. It just will never work out and Aerith knows it.

[@MargaritoTrevino]

Does anyone know what video goes over aeriths past about elmyra being a gang leader or mob boss?

[@karimmessaoudi4327]

if it's possible to do a video about the triangle love, cloud tifa and aerith and your opinion about that. Ps; i like your videos

[@haraldharaldson1563]

Just found this Channel. Don't know who is sick. Guy who is producing 2h films about FF7 theories. Or i who is watching this.

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Both. Now watch the 4h 38m one 👀 (Thank you for watching all the way through! I hope you found what you were looking for.)

[@mauromingo2904]

Problem here is why dose she not change zacks fate

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Because she probably can't just change anything she wants but is limited to using her past self as the actor of change. She also can't just change stuff without consequences (butterfly effect). Furthermore, the Whispers would just reset everything and kick her Lifestream essence out again. That's why she stays on course for the most time and only manipulates smaller events which don't change the main storyline but alter enough details to counteract Sephiroth's meddling and prepare the group for what's to come. Maybe she even tried to change Zack's fate before and failed miserably. She seemed to have learned her lesson as she tries to be subtle about her interventions. and anytime she doesn't, the Whispers appear.

[@TeAXIIIT13]

35 minutes in and so far youve basically said that the events only play out like the original because aerith is manipulating it to be

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

No. She tries to change events but the Whispers keep interfering, so she tries to find a balance between keeping the main events the same but change more subtle aspects to not trigger the Whispers. Though her main objective is most likely to counteract Sephiroth's meddling.

[@TeAXIIIT13]

@@Vyzzuvazzadth thats the thing, all of the points in the video were Aerith is trying to “change” things, one; the “change” she does is what actually causes events to play put like the original and 2; the whispers never show up

[@ali-d7662]

God damn it. So Zack is alive? I was kinda digging it until that. That’s seems like way too much

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

Yes, according to the ending and the developer's comments, Zack now lives, whatever that entails. I'll go more into that in a future video. I personally don't know how to feel about this. It's a bit of an extreme change, but depending on how they handle it, it might turn out good, but I remain skeptical.

[@ali-d7662]

@@Vyzzuvazzadth theory: is it possible that he is still dead and that it was a vision? The white magic Aerith uses is run on memories right? So if we were to go by crisis core, she technically remembers Zacks death because she sensed it. So if it was run on memories and she remembers Zacks death, could it have been a vision or dream that represents the fact they broke fate?

[@Vyzzuvazzadth]

I think you're mixing several different ideas into one. I also don't think Aerith is using White Magic as we know it. She's using her innate ability as a Cetra to influence memories residing within the Lifestream. The ending with Zack (where they "cross" paths) however doesn't take place in the planet's memory anymore (at least that's my current theory) so them "crossing" paths is neither a vision nor a dream. It would also not follow any visual cues established in the game. Any vision (we only ever see Cloud having those) is accompanied by visual glitches. While memories or dreams (like Cloud meeting Tifa on the water tower or him remembering/dreaming about his mother) don't show any visual glitches, Aerith is certainly not dreaming during the ending and neither is she remembering anything as Zack never survived before. She also can't remember Zack's death as if she had witnessed it because she wasn't there when it happened. She only sensed his passing. Nothing more. Anyway, I don't want to go into what I think is happening here and save it for that future video. A reply cannot do this topic any justice. ^^

[@ali-d7662]

@@Vyzzuvazzadth hopefully they know what they are doing and this isn’t a KH mess. 😤