Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - Explaining that one confusing thing about Aerith

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is confusing. Especially with regards to Aerith's fate.
Let me explain.
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1 Hour of Relaxing Final Fantasy VII 8 Bit Remixes - Chill/Study/Sleep - Demake Music
• 1 Hour of Relaxing Fin...
8-Bit | Final Fantasy 7 - Aeris's Theme
• 8-Bit | Final Fantasy ...
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[@MrHulthen]

Schrödinger's Aerith.

[@DarthPingu07]

It's Aerith. When Cloud deflected Masamune he created a new timeline, ine where she dies. But Aerith switches them tricking Seohiroth into believing he killed her. She tells Cloud its okay and he understands the assignment and tells her "I've got this". Aerith being alive in the new timeline means she's free to activate Holy while Cloud keeps Jenova and Sephiroth busy. Which she does. It's also why Cloud isn't broken. He knows he got there and what she's doing. This is evident when she shows up to help Cloud. She says thank you and Sephiroth admits that he "underestimated you". Aerith made a point of the church being THEIR special place. When the world's merge, Cloud knows he needs to go there to reunite with Aerith.

[@solemijo7860]

You are genius

[@DarthPingu07]

@@solemijo7860 I wouldn't got that far but thank you. Unfortunately the gang doesn't know yet, they think she's dead thannks to Aerith's whispers. I mean, it's clever storytelling because everyones first reaction is YES! then No! When they see the blood but the glow on the floor and the white surroundings tell the story. Never thought Aerith would be this powerful though. It's like chess with Sephiroth.. She's playing new game plus. 👌

[@thisismobius]

@@DarthPingu07 So how did Aerith know about the future events between her, the team and Sephiroth in FF7 Remake Part 1? From what I remember they gave us hints that Aerith knew who cloud and the team were. (for example knowing Marlene was Barrets daughter despite no one telling her) How did this end up happening? It seems Aerith and Sephiroth were playing 4D chess since the very beggining while cloud and the team were basically tagging along and unknownigly served an important purpose for Aerith in future events.

[@DarthPingu07]

@@thisismobius the lifestream spans all time and worlds. In the og Aerith was like any other party member until her death. After ac Sephiroth decided to meddle and went back to change things. In the lifestream Aerith could sense Sephiroth fuckery so gave all her memories to remake Aerith. Much like how Aerith communicated with Marlene and Red or even how she appeared to Cloud during his resolution (that was og Aerith. Her demeanor, her tone, she fades away etc). It also means she knows her fate and more tragically the impact on Cloud but she loves him too much to stay away or act on her feelings. She's in limbo. But it looks like things are going to peak between them in part 3.

[@thisismobius]

@@DarthPingu07 thanks for the response things are making more sense now. When Aerith said "I miss the steel sky" in the ending of remake was it because she could see the cracked sky (the one cloud saw in the end of rebirth) too?

[@GodOfAI_]

The trilogy is LITERALLY a sequel to advent children: from the first game you can clearly tell that Aerith and Sephiroth knew what was going to happen in the future and by challenging fate multiple timelines were created so there’s still a chance to see Aerith back in the third game in fact she’s alive in Zack’s timeline.

[@CramerGamer99]

I don't think it is a sequel. I think it is exactly what the developers have been saying it is: a re-imagining that expands many areas of the original while altering others and also adding entirely new story additions to keep things surprising and fresh for returning players. In the end, the story will still conclude in a way that leads into Advent Children- not one that refutes, undoes, or is a continuation of it.

[@nicholasbloom1]

yeah multiverse is legit

[@Smoofiee]

The thing is, the developers said AC is joined with the trilogy. That does not mean this leads into it. With all the flashes and references we've already seen from AC in Remake and Rebirth, and Aerith and Sephiroth seemingly know stuf that did happen, we could say it is joined with AC indeed. I'd even go as far that it's likely this Sephiroth is the AC one, hence this leading into AC makes no sense, if you would ask me personally. It also makes sense then how this time Sephiroth has the knowledge and idea's to do it differently so that he does not get beaten. In the first appearance of Sephiroth in Remake you'll hear the AC OST as well, the only time in te game. This does not support this theory per se, just a nice to know fact. But like in everything FF7 the fanbase is divided, I'm also in the this is a sequel camp. @@CramerGamer99

[@griver007able]

Advent Children is the sequel to this trilogy.

[@jaysea838]

@@SmoofieeI personally think this the is the Sephiroth from all FF7 iterations.. Remake / Rebirth / AC (etc) have simply given the devs a means of expanding upon him more. (I’d argue Aerith is in the same camp) Since day 1 I have been on the side that they wouldn’t change anything core to FF7 (for example - Aeith’s fate) they have certainly made tweaks / added layers - but, so far, nothing that would change how one would interpret / perceive the mediums that follow. (DOC / AC etc) I understand having multiverse dynamics allows creators to do whatever but the devs have stated many times that they don’t want to heavily deviate from the core story. (Which they haven’t thus far) just my opinion / thoughts on it mind you.

[@CramerGamer99]

I think something very important that many people miss is the "date" Cloud has with Aerith in the "Zack" timeline, where he gets Holy. It constantly puts emphasis on how he can "choose", but doesn't get the thing he chose.

[@ElPsyKongroo]

Ok what does that mean tho

[@haihuynh8337]

​@@ElPsyKongroo During the date, he picked the gift and candy but ended up with another thing given by the seller. Also their comments on the candy given by the seller and that the seller's decision to start over with the couple's suggestion - for a sweeter (more sugar) and less harsh (not making the tongue tingle).

[@sepherioth5568]

This aerith clouds talking to isn’t a force ghost, and she isn’t a cloud hallucination. Cloud is experiencing two different timelines at once. Due to cloud making the timeline split (saving Aeirth) at the SAME TIME the timelines are converging (that’s Sephiroths whole goal) notice how physical clouds language is. “Will you be okay getting there?” And “what if something happens?” If she’s just a ghost showing up to say goodbye, those questions make little sense. Of course she will be, she’s already dead. Notice how the game keeps switching between a dead aerith and an alive aerith? That’s because cloud is experiencing both. It’s the same reason he can see the scar in the sky. The aeirth is alive timeline, which is half merged with his timeline, has a dying sky, meanwhile the main remake timeline that everyone else is experiencing has a fine sky. Aerith is sort of stuck in between timelines, where only cloud can see her. It’s not just “a window he’s looking through” it’s that cloud has two feet’s in two realities, because her reality is half merged in his (hence why she has to pray for the meteor to stop, because she is still PARTIALLY in this world)

[@rbelljr29]

I think Cloud experiencing both timelines at once, is what's going to cause his mental break. This, along with not truly knowing who HE is, is too much to bear, in my opinion.

[@Mehrk]

sephiroth converged the timelines where he saves aerith, and doesnt. and obviously he chooses the timeline in which cloud doesnt. now cloud is just being manipulated by Jenova by using his own memories to have him think Aerith is alive and well. cloud is also in character by creating his own delusions that she's alive, just how he forcibly forgot about zack and took on his persona as a cool hero. during the dream sequence with cloud and aerith, she literally says to focus on himself and that she'll handle sephiroth. but in the cg ending, she gets so elated that cloud said he'll go find and defeat sephiroth and even says "promise?!?" with a red glint in her eye (usually meaning its sephiroth) which is the total opposite of what the aerith in this current timeline told him to do.

[@renegade637]

The thing is you're missing some important details. The rainbow pattern that represents jumps through timelines is quite evident every time Aerith is on screen after her "death". It's there while Cloud and Aerith talk before he fights Sephiroth, it's there when Aerith reappears with the help of the white Whisperers to help fight Sephiroth at the Edge of Creation, and it's there once more when Cloud wakes up Aerith. In particular with Aerith joining Cloud in the fight against Sephiroth, Sephiroth says "It appears that I have underestimated you." Why would he say that to a ghost unless she was physically there? Then Aerith thanks Cloud for what he did. What did he do? He deflected Sephiroth's attack. One going theory is that Cloud created a parallel timeline for Aerith to exist in so that she would be dead and in the lifestream in the main timeline while still alive in the parallel timeline. In escense, she's in a limbo state.

[@MrHulthen]

Oh i'm not saying that Aerith isn't there when fighting Sephiroth, i meant as in after he gets transported back to the Temple. But yeah, i could see that being the case - That she's still alive, but stuck in a limbo.

[@Sarmeris]

You also have to consider, when you scan reborn Sephiroth, that it says he's trying to fragment the timelines in a specific manner. Aerith is Sephiroth's main problem. He loses if she's dead, he loses if she's still alive. Sephiroth needs to create a timeline where holy can't be summoned at all in order to rule over the universe.

[@Sarmeris]

I would also like to add: In the ending of Rebirth, the holy materia is empty, while the black materia is loaded, which means Sephiroth needs to create a timeline in which holy hasn't been and can't be summoned. This means that Sephiroth will do more fragmenting in the next game. I think Aerith is still alive, especially after Zack said to save her.

[@renegade637]

@@Sarmeris You know, there is the Materia that fell out of Aerith's hair bow and off the edge that was still white. Cloud's Materia that's empty that Aerith gave him in her dream world was the Materia that Aerith used to get her memories back. Then, there was that point during which Aerith discusses with Red how her Materia used to be white. Well, aside from the fact that that seems to indicate that at least one Materia should still be white, this seems to imply even more heavily a link between all theses Aeriths.

[@Sarmeris]

@@renegade637 it makes it very complex and I fear, in a sense, that the authors are trying too hard to mimic the OG while letting Sephiroth have another go for his master plan.

[@georgehouliaras7239]

This Aerith primitive had it coming, Commander. In my Cycle, we were not amused by the Cetra's hippie ways so we threw them all out the airlock.

[@itsdantaylor]

I initially thought what we were seeing was just 'Aerith in spirit form' near the end but with ALL the things we were shown in the final chapter, I JUST can't say that for sure. WE the audience are shown alternate timelines being created, not Cloud (IE something to be used to later manipulate him) WE the audience are not shown his death dialouge and her water burial, two VERY IMPORTANT SCENES I don't think the devs would skip just for a 'gotcha she's still dead moment'. And we are shown that Cloud and Aerith, previously were connected to their AU selves in different timelines. Cloud even being pulled into his AU body to be given the white materia and sent back. I think the main timeline Aerith died and then moved into her AU body. It's why her AU self was shown awake, sleeping, and then woke up again after her main timeline self faded away. ULTIMATELY what I think happened is that Cloud created a new timeline BUT due to 'destiny/fate' what not, the 'main' timeline still had to have her death. BUT since Cloud was the ONLY ONE behind the whisper wall this time, and the fact that he has traveled dimensions before, he is like, straddling the timelines. He experienced saving Aerith while what has happened in the regular timeline is like being fed into his mind. I do think this means that Aerith will remain 'dead' in the regular timeline and this 'branch' is something that only Cloud will be able to interact/perceive for the time being. With talk of world's merging/reunion it is possible she may 'come back' but I'm guessing given the foreshadowing, that world's will seperate leaving Cloud to later desire to search for the world where she lives. The dev's have specifically stated that the big reveal 'ie cloud's identity ' this time around will be less of a 'unreliable narrator' and more of a 'unreliable world'. That tracks with a bunch of multiverse shennaigans. BUT I admit I could just be inhaling a bunch of 'copium' I just don't thin we would have been shown all these things without them playing some part in the ending.

[@MrHulthen]

Yeah so i agree, it's an odd 'gotcha' moment since they've gone through the trouble of starting an entire multiverse here only to confuse people with Cloud's fractured mind. Personally, i am indeed coping & hoping for Aerith to come back haha, might be because i'm a sucker for happy endings & i've grown sick of the constant barrage of tragic & dark endings that's so prevalent in today's media.

[@arhangeo]

Those graphics look insane. Colors are just right.

[@necropig]

I just don't see the point of doing all these multiverse shaninigans if all we do is end up with the exact same scenario where Aerith is dead. Like don't even bother with any of this and just make it 1 to 1 No promises to keep lyrics have to have some meaning along with Aerith and Clouds' promises before the game ending with 'no promises to keep'

[@nubbylittlecat1753]

Cuz almost no one cares about it actually being 1 to 1 and we enjoy having something new

[@rozalinkie]

In the Japanese version they don't say "Promise", they just say they trust each other... No promises needed. Just like the song. I wish English translations would convey this more

[@necropig]

@@rozalinkie lots of these mistranslations are coming to light. Thanks for the insight

[@jeremyfields9009]

That’s why Aerith will be alive

[@garywood97]

I'm pretty sure the entire point of this stuff is that they just don't want everything to be predictable. They worry it would lose some of the hype and tension if everyone knew everything that was gonna happen.

[@laithamekir5778]

I think its like Aerith said Its all about saving Cloud... I believe Jenova is doing what zhes always done, used peoples loved ones against them. Cloud returning to The Lifestream, would be Jenovas final hope to gain entry. So when we see Cloud at the edge of creation in remake, thats the end, the beginning of creating a world without Jenova and no memory of Sephiroth. They are trying to remove all of thr Jenova cells from Cloud. This would be a great way to bring it full circle. We all retun to the lifestream, and Cloud is fighting to make it to aerith, and the promise land where everyone can live happily... This is why Sephiroth is fighting so hard, trying to find the hopeless timeline that would allow him to take control of Cloud... I believe the edge of creation happens when clouds in the life stream and everyone is waiting at the church for him. He comes too and can physically see Aerith and Zack, this is where he knows that every possible future that could happen did happen, and we should find comfodt that somewhere out there Zack abd Aerith are alive, same for Biggs Jesse Wedge and all others who may be lost. We will see them again. Someday. Its just a matter of the real reunion, where you merge with the life stream to find your happiness. Your promised land.

[@leegregory7893]

People seem to forget that cloud has a link to the lifestream like aerith and sephiroth its just never shown properly. Cloud is the most successful unsuccessful sephiroth clone hojo made by accident. His body accepted the g cells, s cells and mako but the mental traumor he had beforehand hurt him. So cloud being able to see aerith but everyone else can't make sense (red reacting to aerith helps the theory she is real also) it's just that at the time of the ending cloud is still coming to terms with himself, but in this game he is doing it by himself mainly so he still is mentally messed up. Especially since he can see multiple universes also having traveled to another version of himself later in the game with all the rainbows. This aerith could be the one cloud saved since he thinks he blocked sephiroth. Its not fully tifa helping him like in the OG game this time memory wise. Also cloud is leagues above stronger then his OG game self, maybe even up there with advent cloud in strength.

[@fermorustico12]

However, I assume that the book On the Way to a Smile and Advent Children are part of the canon. However, the Case of Aerith in On the Way to a Smile describes how she, on the one hand, takes care of her friends through prayer, but on the other hand suffers from not being able to contact them. It is only in Advent Children that Cloud feels Aerith's care more strongly, how it brings a smile back to his face and Cloud says: "I know; I'm not alone. Not anymore...". If it is only in Advent Children that he is supposed to be healed of his sadness, guilt and feelings of loneliness, it would not fit if he feels Aerith's presence now....

[@JeanneFeisont]

It just seems pointless to show us all this alternate timeline shit just for Aerith to be dead still.

[@brileonn]

That's what I'm banking on. There's just so much to consider, all the dialogue about how the future can be changed, nothing is forever, the rainbow stuff and all the "you have to save her!"s at the end of Rebirth. Maybe I'm delusional because I love Aerith too much to let her go but why would they do all of this for nothing?! Pleeeeaase... 😭

[@velocityraptor7188]

The Aerith scene sword deflection created a new timeline / worlds, one where she lives, another where she dies. Cloud was the only one who was able to get ahead of the party to reach Aerith. Simlar splits or new worlds were created with Zack noted by the different dog characters. 0. ogFF7. No dogs? Aerith dies. 1. Rebirth from players perspective. Aerith dies. 2. Rebirth. Zack lives. New world, world dies. Zack now in world 1. 4. Rebirth. Aerith lives. New world. 5. Zack goes to Hojo. 6. Zack goes to Biggs. 7. Zack indecisive. Fights with Cloud. Derived from 2. Ends up in 1. Aerith is a Cetra. So, she can world hop between different versions of herself. She died in ogFF7 so that version of her returned to the lifestream. Sephiroth can also world hop because of Jenova + being in the Lifestream also from ogFF7. Sephiroth wants to bring all possible worlds together and destroy all life with a successful Meteor summon ending in a singular dead world and a lonely new god, a rrue rebirth, a Jenova 2.0... while Aerith wants to save the planet, save all worlds, save everyone and save Cloud. Going off of Red's vision in remake, OgFF7 led to a bad end, good for the planet not so much for humanity. In remake, red said this is the world should we fail here today. Part 3. No clue whats going to happen. But looking forward to Aeriths Great Gospel. 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@chaosdark4123]

So far I've beaten rebirth and went back and re-played remake. I know that alot of reviewers are trying to make sense of the ending of rebirth but I have yet to see anyone take in the events from part 1 into the storyline. In part 1 Aerith seems aware of everything that is about to happen as if she is living on the future timeline while also traveling with the group. There's also a quote from Sephiroth telling cloud that there is only 7 seconds till the end and asks him what he will do with it. What I think is happening is we are witnessing Aerith and Cloud trying to stop the meteor from hitting the planet. It's literally 7 seconds from destroying the world and the events we are currently witnessing is Aerith trying to change the past while using cloud as a transport to these other realms. Why Cloud can do this is unknown as of yet but Sephiroth is very aware of Cloud's ability to not only view other realms but also transfer certain objects to and from them. As that is what Aerith did with the Holy materia when she was talking to Cloud in the forest.

[@spardasquadspqr3535]

Interesting theory. I personally think that something changed after they destroyed arbiter of fate in rdmake. Zack and Aerith plus Cloud made it to different world where Biggs remembers Cloud as giga merc of sector. Then same Aerith gives working Holy to Cloud so he can give it to Aerith in his world. Its like all 4 of them are living in multiple timelines but only one that can physically jump between the realms is Cloud. Somehow people think that part3 will have Cloud mind breaking after meeting Sephiroth in crystal but i think that it already happened and we will have Cloud remembering more and more of what really happened .

[@hack051]

I was preparing for this touching moment but this multiverse moment charade got so confused that I couldn't have that emotional impact

[@egokaiso4941]

Finally, someone who doesn't think is just Cloud losing his mind!! I think exactly the same, plus I will add a thing about your video. You said, when Cloud is hugging Aerith on the ground, that the rest of the party of that "new timeline" is not there. Well, If you notice the Rainbow area wich we always see when a new world is created, is only around Aerith and the White Whispers (wich are the will of the planet, I assume). Well, what If, when Cloud reflected Masamune, he didn't create a WHOLE new timeline, only a a "place" or a pocket universe where Aerith is alive?? After all, when a new timeline is created, we can see a huge rainbow, but we only see a small one when the whisper's "reflect" the bullet that kills Zack. And we need to remember too, from the moment Aerith gets the White Materia again, she regains all the knowledge, and too, she knows how to communicate with the planet much better, thanks to the events in the Temple of the Ancients. We too, know that Sephiroth can switch between timelines, so making a full new one can make him aware of that. My guess is that was a trcky move of Aerith, letting her be alive in her own pocket timeline, but dead in the Rebirth one. Of course, I'm sure we will se her again in the 3rd part.

[@egokaiso4941]

Btw, another important thing, and the clue of all this, will be what she and Cloud are talking about, when we are switching between timeline, just after Cloud deflects Masamune's

[@josevitorcalfa2]

I have a million-dollar question here: If Aerith's death ended up backfiring on Sephiroth (She casts Holy from the afterlife), why on earth does he insist on killing all versions of her? Nobody usually asks this question. I have a possible theory for this: Aerith casting Holy at the end of OG FF7, even though she was dead, was an improvisation that Sephiroth didn't expect. In fact, I believe that she could cast a much more powerful version of Holy alive, Sephiroth knows this and that's why he insists on always killing the girl. Maybe Holy is the McGuffin that can save the universe? Who knows? Either way, the future is uncertain. One thing is certain: there is no way the conclusion of the remake trilogy will be unanimous, no matter the choice. Be it traditionalist and closing a perfect loop with AC, or a new future with Aerith and Zack alive, it will be a divisive end. Team OG FF7 or Team Save Aerith, there is no way to please both parties.

[@Simplechioces]

It would be rad if, in the beginning of the next game. You can choose the timeline.

[@delriver77]

So there may be now 2 new timelines, the canon one, where Aerith dies, and the one where Cloud blocked Sephiroth's sword and she is alive and with us. However, we don't get to see the second one (except the frames with the sword), and, in the canon timeline, Cloud doesn't realize that Aerith is dead (his plain emotions are a reflection of this, and the fact that he enters the Jenova fight immediately afterwards without the limit, when all the others have it), since her spirit communicates with him and gives him comfort, and Cloud blocks out all the harsh memories, like the legendary scene where they let her go into the lifestream. One could argue that Sephiroth is the one messing with Cloud's perception, or that he's gone crazy and sees stuff that's not there. I don't think either are true, since Red XIII was able to sense Aerith too in the final scene, which would not happen if it were a deception. I think Cloud's madness is blocking out some parts of reality, and Aerith's spirit is trying to soothe his soul because she's afraid that he might break and doesn't want him to feel guilty for her death in this canonic timeline. He will unblock the memory when he's ready, and we'll see the actual Aerith death scene, and the classic scene where they let her go. In the third and last part, 4 years from now, we should have some references from the Aerith we allegedly saved (creating a new timeline) as well. The whole overarching theme of the remake was changing destiny (saving Aerith), the alternate timeline Zack's last words to Cloud were "save her", and the official song of FF7 Rebirth is about Aerith and Cloud longing for a reunion. It would feel like a shoot in the foot if the creators decided to go now into a completely different route and show that destiny is all-mighty, leading to an exact replica of the original FF7 story. Their way out IMO could be a canonic timeline where things happen the way they're meant to, and other branching realities where you finally get your win over destiny. All this to say that I basically agree with how you explained everything, thanks a lot for putting this up, I hadn't picked up on the fact that Cloud may still be unaware of her death, and that narrative change might have huge implications for Cloud's "demise" in part 3.

[@tonymullins8989]

Started following you for Mass Effect. Had no idea you were into FF7 too! Been a fan since 1997. Can get my info for my two favourite game franchises right here❤

[@fileman1239]

02:45 i think you mean The Forgotten Capital, not the temple of the ancients

[@MessereHawke]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet: Marlene, in Zack's timeline, tells Zack to make Cloud well before Aerith wakes up. After the battle with Sephiroth. Also, for anyone that has played Bioshock Infinite, it feels like the same concept of infinite choices and outcomes is introduced here and the future can be undone (for 1 or more or all timelines), if meddling too often and too long. Or I could just be overthinking and overshooting with my strange imagination.

[@tim92019]

So many timelines maybe cloud will find the infinity stones and gunlett to eliminate Shira and Sephora

[@RIPDixie1865]

She will most definitely rejoin the party as a major playable character in Re3. There's too much left untouched with her in terms of gameplay. Where is her final limit break and ultimate weapon? Also, she never got to team up with Cid or Vincent in combat. She's dead but will rejoin the canon world from her own living timeline roughly 1/3 of the way through Re3. It just wouldn't make any sense for them to have built this whole "changing fate" storyline just for her to become a background character like in the original.

[@Judah.Waterfalls]

Cid is the key moment of the game that everyone is missing as a clue. When he says "what did Aerith actually do anyway?" that's a huge moment for me. It foretells so so many things. It's ambiguous for a reason. Cid doesn't feel a sense of loss, although, if we rewind a few chapters back, he felt a need to help Aerith because of Ifalna. Does that really indicate that she is gone? I think we're jumping between 2 timelines again. In the end, when cloud observes the group from afar while CID is fixing the Bronco, he is seen holding the empty white materia. But I noticed, as soon as the camera switches angles, he's holding the black materia instead. Unless that's a weird glare on my TV. But i'm pretty sure he was holding a different materia. Anyways, i think we will continue to jump between timelines, not knowing what truly happens until the end of Part 3.

[@mari-khaleesi]

I hope they show us the scene where she dies in that timeline to see everyone's reaction at that moment. I really was hoping to see that moment where Cloud lashes out at Sephiroth about how he will never be able to see her smile and such. I read he did say "My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!" but we just couldn't hear it. Ugh I hope there will be more Aerith in the third game. I absolutely adore her.

[@JArt872]

No wonder the sells in Japan fell down to 90%, What the hell have they done?

[@GSpotFrenzy]

I think Aerith knows she has to die to join/influence the Life Stream to stop meteor. However, as we saw her do earlier when jumping Cloud to another version of herself to get a fresh white materia, I think when it's all said and done she will inhabit the comatose Aerith body (or the one where she's alive from the diverted sephiroth strike) and be "reborn" after the world is saved.

[@MrHulthen]

That's a cool idea to look at it! Her consciousness joins with her alternate self (like we saw with comatose Cloud). I could really see that happening!

[@jeremyfields9009]

That’s great! So Aerith and Cloud can finally create Sora from Kingdom Hearts! I always knew those were his parents.

[@user-cy4bt2dw1w]

@@jeremyfields9009😂that’s a good one

[@monocon0]

Remember that Sephiroth killed that version of Aerith as well as we see him walk in to the church with sword drawn

[@Tyler-ty1ty]

I love all the butthurt neckbeards who are screetching that its not a copy and paste of the original game. From the very first few chapters of Part 1 it was evident that this was a sequel over a remake. The theme is of this trilogy "challenging fate", but they still grip to the false hope that each instalment will be a regurgitated remaster even though that was never the plan. I love the direction its going in, and im from the original fanbase in the 90's. These characters deserve a happy ending. Sometimes ambiguity gets old. Sometimes you want a complete ending that makes you feel good. Bring on the multiverse and close this story out where no stones are unturned and every character gets a positive conclusion to their respective stories.

[@guiltynessness8926]

Completely agree. I played it when it came out in 97 and have seen her die enough. It would be way more emotional and impactful to save her this go. It will be 30 years. We have seen that enough. Think about how emotional it would be to see a loved one again you lost. That ending now would be way more emotional.

[@WYTTSYmusic]

The scene where she wakes up in clouds arms, isnt the same timeline that we are playing through. The timeline split again when he defied destiny in an attempt to stop sephiroth. So now you have the mainline timeline where aerith died, and also a new timeline where cloud succeeded. The version of aerith cloud sees is the aerith that was saved during this new timeline :) My theory is that each new timeline thats created has an “expiry date” which is why they each have those cracks in the sky. The crack we see at the end is the crack that has appeared in the new timeline where he saved aerith

[@lysith3aPS5]

I don't think I have the words necessary to properly convey just how much I hated the not one, but two fake outs. She's alive, she's dead. She's alive, she's dead. Awesome.

[@GodOfAI_]

I don’t get this

[@Voidsway]

Agreed. Dragging this out cheapened her death.

[@jakemiller270]

​@@Voidsway spoiler This feels like DLC content to save a character and combine timelines that Zenoblade tried.

[@robkiller205]

I really hope we get to see Cloud have a moment where he finally lets out all of his emotions, kind of like the end of The Mist

[@TevyaSmolka]

I love this game it’s amazing

[@brandon7540]

Question I was wondering if the OG Sephiroth is the one meddling in the remake & rebirth world or if it's another one. Bc it seems both him and Aerith are in the space between worlds and having their own meta battle. Like Aerith is trying to help the doomed worlds, and Seph is trying to create multiple worlds for his plan. But if he died in OG and returned to the lifestream then how was he able to see another timeline.

[@Ralthazar]

I think it is og sephiroth that we see because I think at the end of the OG game his will to just kill/mess clouds life was so strong that he wasn't fully dead and somehow went into remakes timeline because hes doing things that he should not know like in remake there's a part where sephiroth shows up and taps aeriths shoulder and says to cloud "you are too weak to save anyone" but that's just my thoughts on the matter and it def up to interpretation

[@ElPsyKongroo]

He is able to invoke his spirit onto the Jenovah Sephiroth clones from any timeline through the lifestream

[@lionrage27]

Great video and explanation! I do have an alternate take on the events, however. There is one very short, but crucial, scene where Cloud falls asleep at the Gold Saucer, only to ‘dream’ seeing Aerith in a comatose state. We know now that this was the Aerith from Zack’s timeline. If Cloud from the mainstream timeline were able to ‘wake’ in an alternate reality Cloud temporarily, what if the alternate reality Cloud actually awoke in mainstream Cloud to block the attack from Sephiroth? This too would also be temporary, as was the dream he had of seeing comatose Aerith. Also, while Cloud is an unreliable narrator due to his mental state and Jenova integration, he doesn’t typically create events out of thin air. These events have actually happened, either to him or to Zack. He simply changes who they happen to, not the actual event itself - in the case of the Nibelheim incident, if we go off of FF7 OG, he was actually there and did find Tifa. All of the other events from that incident that Zack experienced, Cloud placed himself in those scenarios, but they still did happen. In my view, the deflection of Sephiroth’s attack actually DID happen, but instead of it replacing the mainstream timeline, it created yet another timeline where Aerith survived. Some of this, I believe is a way for the DEVs to keep hold of our attention and imagination for the next several years while they create FF7 Reunion (yes, pretty certain that’s gonna be the title!) I know it would be a simple ending to just pick one - does she live or die? But I happen to love philosophy and this kind of stuff gets my mind racing! Would love to debate alternate viewpoints, and none of us are right until the third installment comes out.

[@MrBenTheBear]

Aerith seems to live between the multiverses realities. She seems to have memories across time and space, thus the comment on "So this is where you have been hiding". She even said Cloud will love her future self on some point on the beach. In another scene she explains that dying is not the end, but you still miss the person being around. Cloud is messed up though, but I think the fracture is partially because he has the ability to peer across universes as well. In his case he is not equipped for it so it messes him up. Anyway, just another theory.

[@subtlefps]

Remember the portal barret held open and only cloud went in. Isn’t that why clouds teammates can’t see Aeirth? Cloud is the only in that timeline besides Aerith. Is it possible we are just in the OG timeline at the end because there is no crack in the sky for anyone but cloud.

[@tezza7]

hi.. i think in part 3 we will hear how the conversation ended where cloud tells aerith to wake up.. in the game it cuts back to the whole party right, but this is what we are seeing when all the flickering happens right after our aerith dies and cloud is holding her.. notice in the flickers he is holding her on her other side like he is when he says aerith wake up and she does.. in the flickers you see his lips moving and talking but you cant hear him.. he will say something like "im cloud from another world and my aerith just died and sephiroth will get you too eventually" etc and aerith may already know all this but either way they will make a plan to stop sephiroth and we will find this out in part 3.. dead aerith can only communicate with cloud at the end of the game because they are at/by the capital of the cetra and aerith was a cetra and cloud can only see her because he has the holy materia.. aerith said the black materia sephiroth had was a fake because she had the real one and thats how cloud got it later.. she knew that this sephiroth with extra whisper power needed an even stronger cloud to defeat him

[@realxtraki11er]

I didn't like how they did the ending. I knew she was gonna die and prepared myself for it the whole playthrough but because of the timeline jump and seeing her alive then dying then waking up then dead again took away the impact. I thought her death would bring sorrow but it just brought confusion and I just wasn't invested as I thought I would be

[@Escanor4473]

My theory is that cloud is actually living in all the timelines. He is kinda like Aerith from the lifestream where he can see and feel what’s going on. I think this is like that movie everything everywhere all at once. At the end, all the members in the party might see what cloud sees too when the timelines merge

[@jesuitsebastian400]

Okay here me out guys. Spirit Aerith from og can open portal to different timeline. We could see that with Zack being saved in the end. What if in the rebirth timeline Aerith was actually saved. What if the rainbow color means a portal opening and and switching Aerith from OG timeline and Rebirth. This is done to fool Seph. The reason i am going this route cuz I saw that the way Speh sword landed in Rebirth after being deflected in kinda straight but when the switching happens the sword is little bit towards the side. My theory is that both his sword and Aerith was switched to make Seph believe that she died. What we see now in the rebirth time line is infact her spirit of the og timeline. The part where Cloud says to wake up what if like the youtuber said a different timeline except its not the rebirth timeline but the og version. The youtuber got that part jumbled😮. Well i haven’t played the game so I may be wrong but if I was a script writer this would be the best twist i can think off. In the final fight where Aerith joins cloud against Seph, that could either be the rebirth version which is alive or the spirit version. I m leaning towards the spirit version since seph does say he underestimated her. Meaning it was the spirit versions entire plan. Ohh well. We will find out soon.

[@patrickrudolph1258]

Barret keeps kooking at Cloud like "We are so fucked."

[@ImaFknLegend]

I genuinely dont see how people are thinking this is multiple timelines. The imagery, along with the lore, gives context for all of this.

[@omensoffate]

It literally is multiple timelines 😂

[@drakenfist]

Sephiroth even says it himself when he explains the multiple timelines and he says to Aerith "Ah!, so this is where you have been hiding. In a world that has accepted it's fate". Even the side quests point to multiple timelines like the protorelic where Chadley himself says that the visions of that goofy samurai guy come from a "alternate dimension".

[@annabel6038]

If there's a timeline where Aerith survives, does that mean the other party members in that timeline all know she's alive? But then surely she'd just carry on the journey with them. If Cloud is seeing two timelines at once, why would alive Aerith in the other timeline stay behind at the Forgotten Capital?

[@kagekun1198]

As I see it, there are two explanations: either Cloud has gone mad with denial (which is going to get worse as he hits rock bottom at the first visit to the Northern Crater), or Aerith has pulled an Obi-Wan (Strike me down, and I'll become more powerful than you could possibly imagine!) Honestly, the worst thing is the ambiguity. The way the devs wrote it out, they wanted to have their cake like animating Cloud finally block that fateful blow after 27 years since that historic event in video game history, yet are too tepid to truly commit to a rapid change in the story. Can you imagine the insane hype the players would have got if they showed Aerith to be unambiguously alive? (I'd pre-order Part 3 on the spot.) I consider it a cop-out if they turn Aerith into a spirit advisor like in Advent Children but up to eleven. I have my reasons. First of all, there were so many hints that Remake was like a second run for Cloud, Aerith and Sephiroth. So many references to the original timeline, that long-running discussed subject about fate and whether it's right to submit to it, all pointing toward the negative. Why kill Aerith again after all that song and dance when the Remake brings up the weight of the original timeline again and again? If this is a stealth sequel, why aren't you committing to the decisions and actions players wished Cloud would have took? If you want the same story but with modernized controls and graphics, why not just do the thing like Persona 3 Reload did? Anyway, I'm still processing and coping with this very ambiguous ending. As it stands, I think Aerith has ascended into the Lifestream and can now interact and do things with it on the same scale as Sephiroth. In a sense, she's now going to interfere with him on a more active scale compared to the OG. I don't think Cloud has gone mad with denial. That acknowledgement from Red XIII was more reassuring than first glance. But still, I really wanted her to live.

[@krystalstardust1457]

She tells him not to fall in love with her, because it’s not real. I think this means the version of her he is seeing now. Or maybe a version of her that is caused by Jenova to give the materia to Sephiroth.

[@iwishihadgoodinternet7766]

I've seen theories that the Aerith with cloud at the end is Jenova, since in the temple we were told "Jenova can take the form of our loved ones" .

[@spardasquadspqr3535]

But she still need to have physical form. Jenova shows herself when part of it is nearby. Didnt notice Sephi throwing Jenova ass/leg/boob at Cloud😂

[@Dabuin]

Oh god... The moment in part 3 when Cloud realises he didn't save her. ouch. 💀

[@MrHulthen]

Yep, i'm expecting a breakdown of earthshaking proportions

[@CramerGamer99]

@@MrHulthen When Sephiroph mind breaks him over Zack, he is going to hit him with the double whammy that "Aerith is Dead" too. Tifa will have to confirm it wasn't him in Nibelheim and also that Aerith is dead (or at least seems that way to everyone else). Cloud will lose it and then everything will get worked out in the lifestream sequence.

[@PalexcGaming]

im assuming the reason why the team can't really see aerith its because probably aerith didnt really touch them yet, if you realize zack can see cloud but he did not see him until he actually taps him i think aerith is actually alive but on a different timeline and the reason why he can see her its prolly because he lives in both timeline thats why Sephirot says he feels alot of emotions at that point love turning into hate, yada yada so i assume he is also on the other timeline to where aerith is also alive but the team can see him so they are all happy, to where the original timeline she is dead and they all just wants to kill sephirot

[@weeblife9755]

Just realized cloud and aerith, and Zack are only 1-2 years apart. From the way they act it seemed like they were 5-10 years apart

[@OZRaviii]

I hope Aerith comes back

[@joeblanquie3561]

in the timeline that Cloud saves Aerith he branched a new reality, we know because of the rainbow colors which represents a new path, where Aerith was able to give him the white materia before Sephiroth killed her in the church. I believe that is why she thanks him because him breaking free from the control for that split second, 7 seconds maybe, enabled her to get the new white materia to her in the current timeline we play in. I think Cloud is able to see the multiverse due to Zach touching him in the dimensional rift, or maybe something to do with Aerith. So the Cloud we play as can see the different dimensions, or tears in them. My best guess is the 3rd game while stay true to the OG, until the end of course, and the final battle will be a Merged Sephiroth from all the realities, or worlds as they call them, and will be fought by Cloud / Zach / Aerith. As the game shows, fate is inevitable, even if it's dodged, see Zach / Biggs etc - so ultimately we get the happy ending with the OG crew while Aerith and Zach can rest easy in the life stream. On a side note, cannot wait for the scene of Cloud and tifa in the lifestream!

[@aaronw6195]

I am not sold on that being the spirit Aerith just yet because of Cloud ALSO being able to see the crack in the sky and telling his party not to look up in the same scene. In the original game Cloud can actually see Aerith again after she dies. You have to go back to Midgar and go to the church with the flowers growing in the hole in the floor. She appears there briefly with a few short lines dialogue. It's kind of a cool homage if you've never seen it. Other than those two nitpicks I enjoyed your synopsis anyway. I played through the game and like the mysterious story that raises more questions than answers.

[@knaz7468]

Best game ever. Exceeded all my expectations.

[@slugshotgun]

The part where cloud deflects sephiroth's sword and presumably saves aerith but one moment later she's stabbed like what happened in the original was rather cheap and confusing. I couldn't take the game seriously from that point onwards.

[@sherlin7953]

I think cloud’s mind is playing tricks on him. Sephiroth even said he’s blinded. Clouds mind might be so jacked up he has hallucinations of all this. Everything is probably playing out the same exact way. But, I could be wrong. Who knows, your explanation is so good though!

[@linkofhyrule6580]

this is the most cogent take ive heard. people are popping off on some crazy theories.

[@omgkittyXD]

Okay so as someone who has never played 7, should I play the OG, then remake, then rebirth??

[@MrHulthen]

That's entirely up to you! The remakes were made partly to bring in a new audience & you're in for more of a refined experience with the remakes, yet the OG takes you through the story with less stuffing (and as we've seen it differs quite a bit in parts of the story) so yeah, i'd say go for the entire series to get the full picture

[@omgkittyXD]

@@MrHulthen thanks 😊 will go for the OG first, then

[@callmeehnova]

What was the message of cloud deflecting the sword and saving aerith if the story gives you a ghost aerith leading to the 3rd installment? Is it just showing us ... yeah you saved aerith but lets put her on another timeline and give you a dead aerith instead

[@whiteblack5533]

I dokt mind square making another 60$ dlc where aerith survived....fuqin take my money!!! GIVE HER BACK!

[@guiltynessness8926]

Lol. I feel the same

[@karakusironheart9420]

Yeah what this guy said

[@77icky]

Why is Square enix afraid to show the murder of Arith?

[@SuperRamos619]

For this game specifically its a combination of obfuscation of the truth, and a POV of Cloud who can't accept the truth.

[@RedDragonForce2]

I would imagine Aerith’s survival not being noticed by the others is intentional to the spirit of the original game. Aerith may have survived, but because she’s not apart of the party moving forward in the original timeline, she has to stay behind when they leave by plane. Red/Nanaki, being more attuned to the Planet, sensed her presence, but nothing more. Red couldn’t be sure his grief was playing tricks on him. The final entry of the trilogy will bring everything home. The Aerith from Zack’s timeline being alive and never meeting Cloud would still love Zack. The current Aerith that survived, would probably want to be with Cloud due to their greater connection and that she hadn’t seen Zack in over five years at this point. There’s also Tifa who loves Cloud, but… given how comfortable Tifa was with Aerith when they went through the train graveyard, pretty sure she wouldn’t mind sharing Cloud. 😏😏😏 But hey, fans be wanting unrealistic things at times… Though Rex was the Chad the broke the mold and married Pyra, Mythra, AND Nia, so maybe this Cloud can do something similar and be with Tifa and Aerith… and maybe even Yuffie.

[@cronoesify]

Aerith survived in the timeline that she woke up in. The whispers were white, and those are hers/the planets whispers. There is a timeline that she lives, and Cloud has the ability to see/interact/phase between these timelines. He is currently the only one that does, and that fits well with his character dilemma. In the OG, he was a split personality. He had multiple personalities, evidenced by the multiple silhouettes of him throughout the original game. In this game, that multiple personality problem is shown by the fact that he sees different versions of the timeline, but they always accompany that headache/distorted camera lens look with each hit. Its directly related to his split. This is a setup for how they are going to handle his recombining in the next game. The mystery went from his background (his not being an ex-SOLDIER), to something else that he needs to deal with. I think it has great potential for a good payoff on a character that has no mystery that desperately needed it for its impact to work back in 1997. Coincidingly, Aerith and Zack being alive due to the planet's interference (whispers saving Zack in the timeline we saw throughout the game, and Aerith at the end) is a reference to the novel that depicted Aerith and Zack countering Sephiroth through the lifestream during the events of the OG. Apparently, everyone is going to have a happier ending - and they don't need to keep Aerith alive at the end of it all to do it.

[@taiwandidnt3790]

I agree… I think once Cloud is “fixed” he will realize that in his world that Aerith and Zack truly are gone. But the happy ending is that they are alive living in another timeline. Still holds the trauma of the OG but satisfies fans who want the happy ending. That’s how I see it. I don’t see how Aerith is truly dead. If she was why would 1) she not tell cloud 2) Sephiroth be surprised by her and “underestimate” her and 3) Aerith is completely different in the final fight with Cloud. Super confident and aware of the threat as if the plan had been this the whole time. To me… I don’t see how Aerith isn’t alive in some form

[@mettatonneoex]

The shock and horror of realising Aerith will just sacrifice another timeline ver of herself or even timeline to get the best outcome. Maybe her being a part of the lifestream she becomes a constant? (White Matera that shares her memories is a Constant)

[@fireraider98]

So, did you skip all the side content to get to the ending

[@Voidsway]

Bruh game was fucking long lol 120 hours to complete all side quest and every side quest. To beat the game and still have more stuff open. I'll be stuck in this game for another 50 hours... 😂

[@fireraider98]

@@Voidsway same

[@HolySilverStrike]

Also, Red 13 seems to be aware of her cause when she touched him he said ‘Aerith?’

[@MrHulthen]

Yep, so she's definitely "there" somehow

[@Aamonn]

Nothing seems to be set in stone and she is now basically Schrodinger's Aerith until the next part comes out.

[@ilusomu]

but do aerith in zack timeline likes cloud?

[@renzocalcagno536]

Cloud has schizophrenia because he sees people who aren't really there.

[@cb8953]

Just 4 years to see if you're right😢

[@RandomWandrer]

Right. Now another video on How in the Actual Fck did Cloud end up with the black materia?

[@MrHulthen]

Well, actually! I have no answer to that whatsoever...

[@garywood97]

Presumably the last sephiroth they fought must have planted it on him before he left?

[@user-or4ct5ow6b]

is not even that difficult, took me only a day to realize lol. one nights sleep. When the gang encounters sephiroth with the black materia, aerith literally says "no point in fighting over a fake black materia". After some cutscenes, she ends up holding the "fake" black materia, and sephiroth instructs cloud to get it for him. Cloud turns instant puppet and chases after aerith. She runs up a branch/ brigde until theres no more room to run. Then she gives cloud the materia. Cloud runs back like a puppy to his master sephiroth and gives him the materia. Then in a brief moment, he snaps out of it and sees aerith dangling on the branch...he runs to her to grab her arm and stop her from falling. We see sephiroth destroy the branch and cloud and aerith fall down. Everything turns white. Cloud wakes up in aeriths house. The "white materia" she gave him inside his head. Is none other than the black materia that Cloud STOLE from aerith. On the branch, bridge, aerith gave cloud "the fake" black materia, which he gave to sephiroth (this is in a cutscene). The REAL black materia is hidden behind aeriths head, behind her head, under her hair. Which we see Cloud STEAL from her. While he was holding her arm to stop her from falling. Presumably becoz he "snapped out of puppet mode", he was no such thing. The control over cloud is absolute. Even when he was trying to save her from falling, his other hand, reaches out to behind her head and steal the real black materia from her. We see this in a flash black scene right after aerith pushes him down in the flower. after sephiroths "alternate worlds mumbo jumbo".

[@spardasquadspqr3535]

​​​@@user-or4ct5ow6bproblem is that Aerith takes white materia from Cloud after his dream since hers lost its power and became transparent. That explains why hy had holy in his hand. Black materia came straight out of his ass. Just like she was planted her there. By Who?

[@risquecat]

When Aerith touches Red, he senses her presence and whispers her name

[@abhayshenoy8556]

Pretty sure aerith is alive in some way. Either her consciousness merged with the variant of her that's alive or something else. But what i don't get is that they make it really seem like when Zack first finds aerith in the beginning, they make it seem like she already died in that timeline. There's a lot that doesn't make sense and I'm hoping the final part makes sense of it all. Also if y'all are mad at the new direction, just go play the original? The whole point of remake was to open up possibilities.

[@AlexCole272]

Cloud is a Cetra, well tainted, Aerith has always helped cloud, in the original, disc 3, is you took a trip to the church, she’ll flash up and disappear giving us signs that she’s still around in the lifestream. Then in advent children, she has Zack by her side, and it shows clearly during the bahamut fight that she’s there to help as she gave him the extra boost. Yeah at first, they show it as motivational, but after he beats kadaj, it’s important to listen to the dialogue there, Aerith is talking to kadaj, and he’s calling her mother. So Aerith is a God or Goddess. If Cloud saved her, eventually she has to die no matter what to achieve that form, just like Biggs, somewhere, he has to die, and Biggs is dead in their timeline through the game but alive in another. Unfortunately, Sephiroth knows the lifestream as well or he’s not permitted to die just like the Gi. So he’s going to be a nut case until they put him into some type of prison. Sounds familiar 😅

[@ArtificialChaos80]

You mischaracterize what Sephiroth said. He never said "timelines" he said "worlds." And he also tells you flat out that the "worlds" don't persist, which is why timeline is not the appropriate term. Timeline implies that it continues on, parallel to the timeline we're playing in, in perpetutiy, but with all the accumulated differences of other choices. But we were explicitly told that the worlds exist for some time before ending. Some last longer than others but they do not persist. (Seemingly, one cannot defy the planet's will forever, apparently) Everything we need to know is contained in Sephiroth's monologuing. She's dead. She may "reappear" in her role as depicted in Advent Children, as a will within the lifestream, but she's dead and in the lifestream. And she should be. Her death is an integral part of the story. This is not Marvel Multiverse of Madness. The wishful thinking that she will "live" somehow is just asking to alter the story in a nonsensical way. Like Herman Melville coming back to life and rewriting Moby Dick and, in the end, Captain Ahab lives happily ever after.

[@brinelim1671]

Nah. It’s pretty much a sephy with his black materia vs aerith with the white. Currently the black is winning as it is more powerful, but as the white gathers more strength, aerith will “appear” and sephy will “disappear” Much like how advent children sees sephy revived. Aerith can be revived the same way, in a method explained in part 3

[@KigurumiAlice]

Aerith is a spirit 😮

[@drakenfist]

It's a VERY meta ending. All I'm hearing reagarding the backlash and criticism of the ending is that OG fans wished her death was handled more like the OG. But Remake/Rebirth has made a point of showing how different and how much more fractured Clouds mind is at this point compared to the OG. At this moment we the player are Cloud, and this whole time we wanted to save Aerith. We didn't want her to die. Showing everything play out as it did in the OG would be a form of acceptance. But we like Cloud are still not willing to accept her fate. She died, that part is clear. But we are still unable to let go. She is very much alive to us. Whether we actually get her back or not in the third game. I think the third game is going to bring those Advent Children like concepts of acceptance to the forefront and will be very much a trippy exploration of life and death and learning to let go.

[@knaz7468]

This is the first comment I agree with. She is in fact dead and we, like cloud, need to deal with it.

[@atem7]

ahh the mulitverse excuse again.. of course now everything magically makes sense :( what's the point of a remake if it's the same experience just looks better and extended with unreasonable side quests

[@77noctis]

Can't agree more ! Multiverse bullshit 😢should be FF7 reboot not remake

[@Oleus]

I totally agree. Cloud doesn't realize Aerith truly died in his reality because he cannot tell the difference between what's real and what isn't at that point. His grasp on reality was to weak already so his travels in parallel universes shattered even further his perception of things. He's creating a narrative in his own mind where Aerith just leaves the party to pray and her spiritual essence seems to go along with his delusion because she knows nobody can reach him right now and all he needs to eventually break free of Sephiroth's grip is support from his loved ones. Cloud's attitude right after Aerith' burial and later on that flower field is outright horrifying. Tifa and Barret are almost speechless seeing his reaction but they just shut up like everybody does during the game everytime Cloud goes bananas. His trip to the lifestream in part 3 will be something, oh boy. He will have to remember the real death of his mother (who talked to him while passing, in the remake continuity), see Zack's gory death and face the fact that "what he cherished most" died right in front of him (even if they'll probably diminish that realisation later with timeline shenaningans and stuff that will let the ending more open than it should). But you know, I'm kinda sad for newer fans of the story. I feel like they were robbed of a very sad and impactful moment there. They deserved to see the gruesome horror of Aerith's death and hear Cloud's monologue before the battle against Jenova.

[@user-or4ct5ow6b]

his mind shows us he deflected sephiroths blade and "saved" her. Who is to say, it was never sephiroth but actually cloud who swung the final blow to her...

[@DarthPingu07]

She's alive though. It's Aerith who changed things. The floor glows like it did in the church. She switched her death to fool Sephiroth so she can cast Holy and not draw attention. Cloud understands this which is why he looks so unhinged to everyone else. He's crying when he smiles at her and the water edge because she's been ripped from him.

[@Oleus]

@@DarthPingu07 you see, that's exactly why making things so convoluted was a mistake on the devs part. Aerith is clearly not alive to anyone but Cloud at the end. So, you can say that maybe a version of her lives somewhere else but, for every character living in the world we interact with, she's just dead, plain and simple. We are not switching from a reality to another in the last scene. There is only one reality and other worlds are just possibilities that Cloud may or may not be able to see. Will this multiverse thing have an impact on the narrative later on ? Yeah obviously, but the reality won't change. Even if they decided to say a version of her survived somewhere, I wouldn't expect her coming back to life in the main continuity at the end of the story if I were you. Now, concerning Cloud's mental condition, people are so focused on all the multiversal shenanigans they don't see how abnormal he acts, speaks and even moves in the last cutscene. Something is completely off about him. The guy kept rewriting things in his mind during the whole game, he even switched that random guardsman and Zack on the fly to preserve his false narrative when coming back to Nibelheim, so yeah that's very likely also what he did right after Aerith' burial scene (which wasn't shown but clearly happened). When he sees Aerith sitting next to him and says "yup, let's move" or something like that, his grip on reality is almost entirely gone. If I were to guess anything about the multiversal mess they're creating, I'd say maybe Aerith made a possibility of her surviving to stop Sephiroth once and for all, but the possibility might be all that's needed. We know her death is absolutely needed in the original story because that's what stops the meteor in the end, but maybe her survival would also be needed to stop Sephiroth after Advent children or something, so she created a world were she would be alive to oppose him. When his presence would be finally erased from the lifestream once and for all (something they basically failed to do in canon), the continuum would be brought back to normal, with every dead character staying dead.

[@DarthPingu07]

@@Oleus well that all hinges on the theory that the other worlds are not timelines when indeed they are. Sephiroth says himself that he plans to merge all the world's and claim dominion over everything. Aerith saved Cloud when he caught her and they were falling by waking his consciousness in Zack's world. She saved him again by pushing him through a portal BACK to the main timeline. What gives away that this isn't ALL in Clouds head is the flooring. When she pushes him back the floor is glowing like a rainbow showing us, the player, that Aerith can do crazy shit. When he saves her it glitches and the floor is glowing. Aerith is using her magic to manipulate the world and the timelines. It shows us straight up that she lives and dies. By shoving him through the portal we're left with 1 Cloud. 1 Zack and 1 Aerith still alive as Sephiroth possibly kills that Aerith in the church. When he merges the timelines all 3 will be brought together.

[@Oleus]

@@DarthPingu07 well, it's not exactly a theory I came up with myself. According to Sephiroth the new timelines are born only "when the boundaries of fate are breached" and most of these possible worlds disappear quickly anyway. Even the ones that survive longer than others are doomed to disappear or so he says. All realities are part of the lifestream it's true but the flow of fate normally only recognizes one true path, a reality that's meant to endure no matter what, and that's the main timeline protected by the Arbiter of fate and the whispers. That's how things are supposed to work anyway but Sephiroth is most likely trying to hijack destiny to prevent his inevitable defeat at the hand of Cloud. So, yeah, I'm calling the other timelines "possibilities" because that's what they are unless the merging happens... But, if I follow you, you think this multiversal merging Sephiroth is trying to do will truly happen. It will obviously start during the final boss fight, sure, but ain't the goal of the whole story to stop Sephiroth' schemes ? 😅 I mean, If his plan works and history is rewritten, what's the message of the trilogy ? That you should let the bad guy try and enact his evil plan and just kill him at the very end so that he won't rule over the world he's created ? 😬 Doesn't feel quite right. FFVII is a story about acceptance. Acceptance of your true self, acceptance of your traumatic past, acceptance of your losses and acceptance of the consequences of your own actions. I don't believe for a second the team behind the new narrative plans to erase the consequences of anything by merging realities in a definitive way. Nah, the merging has to be stopped and, to be fair, even the whole remake continuity will probably correct itself to realign with the og at the end of it. As Sephiroth said in part one "even our world will become part of [the edge of creation]", implying even their current continuity is not meant to survive if he fails his plan. So why introduce timeline stuff at all if nothing changes, you might ask ? Because they will use that new storyline to explain how Sephiroth will finally be erased from the lifestream, I presume. Making him disappear forever is something they failed to do thus far so that could be the trilogy's twist. Anyway, none of this multiversal theorizing changes what MrHulthen and I were saying about Aerith being dead in the main continuity of the game. 😅

[@TheColtar556]

One part I keep seeing people not talk about is the beach scene. Where Aerith makes a promises to her future self and tells Cloud "Can't say when you'll meet, but trust me, you'll love her. Just you wait". Plus when you add in the play at the Gold Saucer. The two music songs one from Remake and the other from Rebirth. All seems like they going to be reunited by the end of game 3. Along with events thought the 2 games. It looks like her and Sephiroth know about other timelines/the pass game. They have been playing chess in both remake and rebirth agents one another. Plus with the rainbow lights indicating new timeliness and Cloud making a timeline where she doesn't get killed by Sephiroth. I truly think she has made plans or set things in motion for herself to be reunited with everyone at the end of game 3. This could be done by all the worlds being connected into one. World jumping with one of the alive Aeriths which we saw Cloud do or even being revived in the main timeline where she is currently dead.

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

I think there’s a huge piece to the puzzle that is missed, they show us the reality where Aerith dies. I think the next game will pick up in the timeline where he saves Aerith, and that will be the zinger. They show us the alternate timeline. Why would they show the sword being deflected first, then show the screen glitch to her death. If the main timeline is of Aerith dying, she would have died then it would have glitched to her surviving. One of the marketing slogans for the game is “What’s real and what’s a lie” or something to that effect. The last scene of the game is especially odd because the Cloud they show us can both see Aerith and the ripples in the sky. This is another hint, why can he see the sky like this? There is no clear cut answer why that is, other than speculation. I think this Cloud at the end of the game is not the same Cloud we’ve been playing as throughout Remake. The name of the game is Rebirth, so who was reborn? Aerith? Cloud?

[@DevilHunter1994]

When the screen glitches, it's because Cloud's memories are being repressed by Jenova. This is why the glitching shows the scenes of Aerith dying. That is what really happened. Those are the true memories that Jenova is trying to block out. Cloud almost manages to recall them, but because of Jenova's interference, he doesn't get all the way there, and only sees very brief flashes of the truth. Rebirth refers to Sephiroth. The name of his new form is literally Reborn Sephiroth.

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

@@DevilHunter1994 that’s not it at all.

[@DevilHunter1994]

@@TypicallyUniqueOfficial I'm pretty sure it is. Every other time Cloud has had headaches, and the screen went all green and glitchy, it was because his Jenova cells were preventing him from recalling a part of his memory. I really think people are overcomplicating what's going on here. This is entirely consistant with how his memory worked in the OG game as well. Whenever we saw a flash, or a glitch, it meant that part of Cloud's memory was being repressed, or altered. Cloud did not save Aerith. Him saving Aerith is the fiction. Those flashes in his mind are showing him brief glimpses of the truth that he is, at least at this point, still not ready to accept.

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

@@DevilHunter1994 Sephiroth explains that when fate is defied, new worlds are created. During the ending sequence, it shows you each of Zack’s decisions, whether to save Cloud, help Biggs, or help Aerith. The consequences of each action is also denoted by a rainbow effect (the rainbow effect alluding to a critical decision made and a new world is created). When Zack goes to help bigs, the rainbow effect shoots through the tunnel. When Cloud saves Aerith (yeah, he saves her) there is the very same rainbow effect that shows up, denoting once again a new world has been created. During the sequence of Aerith being saved and dying, these are not the same world. The game is showing you 2 outcomes from 2 different worlds. The very last fight of the game, when Aerith comes to help fight, there’s a reason why the camera zooms in on the bow in her hair, this is not the Aerith that had died. The game has also shown that Aerith can communicate with the other versions of herself, as well as know what is to come. You should go back to replay because you are missing a lot of detail, and your suggestion is not accurate within what’s been depicted.

[@DevilHunter1994]

@@TypicallyUniqueOfficial The Aerith we fight alongside at the end is the Aerith that died. She gets her bow back after she becomes a ghost. She's a spirit, so she can appear to Cloud in any way that she wants. She's not limited by the laws of the physical world anymore. In the film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, we see that Cloud and Aerith share some kind of spiritual connection. Cloud is able to see, and speak to the spirit of Aerith in the lifestream. Everytime she appears to him in that film, she has the bow in her hair, despite the fact that she lost the bow when she was killed. The Aerith Cloud fights alongside, and speaks to at the end of Rebirth is the ghost of our Aerith. We are seeing the origin of that spiritual connection that was first shown in the film. Sephiroth is not exactly a trustworthy source of information. The man is famous as a villain for manipulating others, and speaking almost exclusively in half truths. Yes, we see Zack create two different possible realites with one simple choice, and both of those realities ended the same way. In the reality where he tries to find a cure for Cloud, he gets ambushed by Shinra Troopers in the Shinra Building lobby, and then dies. In the world where he tries to rescue Biggs, the two get ambushed by Shinra Troopers at the reactor, and both die. This shows that even when fate is changed, the world always seems to have a way of correcting itself eventually. The only Zack that manages to actually escape their intended fate, at least for the moment, is the one who waited at the church, was taken by the Black Whispers, and then was seemingly rescued by Aerith, presumably so that he could support Cloud in the upcoming fight. He was given a reprieve, though that's likely all that it is. The same kind of thing happens with Cloud. In the main world, Aerith dies exactly as she's supposed to, and Cloud reacts exactly as he's supposed to, but Cloud's memories of what happened in the main reality are being shut away, deep inside his mind, by Jenova.. At the same time, Cloud is also able to interact with another possible reality, one where he's able to block Sephiroth's sword and push him back. Hooray, Aerith is saved!...But after that, she falls to the ground anyway, Cloud holds her in his arms, and she starts leaking out lifestream particles. Living people do not do that. If you're leaking lifestream, it means you're dying. So again, even with Cloud having defied fate in this timeline, the world is still once again finding a way to correct itself. Both Aeriths still die, and this other world that was created is likely soon to follow, as worlds that split off from the main one typically never last long. So Cloud may have stopped Sephiroth's sword in that reality, but it ultimately didn't matter. Unfortunately, because Cloud didn't really understand what the hell was happening in that reality, and because his memories of the main reality are being repressed by Jenova, Cloud is currently under the mistaken belief that he actually succeeded in saving Aerith...He did not. What was meant to happen still happened. The idea that Cloud could truly save Aerith was just Sephiroth's cruel joke.

[@ricardorodriguez8497]

So I guess advent children is the story he wanted to tell originally lmao.

[@cooperjordan1554]

To put it simply Zack is from a doomed timeline where our edgelord with one Wing wins, and everyone is just trying to live as comfortably as possible until they die from meteor. Cloud keeps on getting transported between the original timeline and the reboot timeline. That's why when we see Aerith die and all the scenes from the original game that's cloud learning how he can save aerith in the new timeline. He's not creating a new timeline HE IS in that timeline cause in the original aerith and sephiroth DON'T KNOW the future. They do in the reboot timeline we've been playing through for two games now.

[@cooperjordan1554]

I think you have it backwards

[@user-or4ct5ow6b]

this is why i hate multiverse BS...i tried to read it twice and even then i could not figure out what u r trying to say lol

[@cooperjordan1554]

@@user-or4ct5ow6b Cloud was going back to the original timeline to see it's events so he could stop them in his, Zack is from a world where sephioroth wins with only him cloud and aerith surviving. Cloud is able to use these visions of the original world to save aerith and stop her from dying that's why the white materia is empty he used it to heal her.

[@beavertom]

Perfect use of ksi

[@CorruptedYT]

And someone tell me why there would be a third game? I thought this was the originals ending too

[@flotoe4465]

Dude this was the ending to disc 1. Theres 3 of them. Go play the OG its amazing

[@rbdchocolaterbd]

If aerith dies then it’s not a remake but a remastered. Makes 0 sense

[@blackwidow7804]

Aerith have become force ghost and only Cloud can see her lol.

[@elowei9919]

How is red sensing her when she pets him at the end then?

[@blackwidow7804]

@@elowei9919 life stream. And animals have better senses.

[@micahisarat55]

I didn't see nothing wrong about the ending of that game

[@NotTsoGeneral]

So she's dead and all Cloud is seeing is a ghost, got it.

[@elowei9919]

No. If she’s just a ghost cloud is seeing how did Red feel her when she petted him at the end and he said her name?

[@geraltofrivia4936]

​@elowei9919 because she's a ghost. That's what ghost do 😂😂😂😂😂

[@R3ldi]

Cya.

[@alivegman3155]

I finished the story last night and ough finishing at 4AM was not a great decision. Poor Cloud needs some therapy (and an excorsist) after that whole experience

[@MrHulthen]

Oof, r.i.p sleep? Oh yeah, atleast a years worth of therapy. ATLEAST.

[@dtho16]

Honestly love what they’re doing with ff7. If this was a pure 1:1 remake you’d play the game and it’s over. Boring. At least now I’m excited to see all the theories people come up with before the final game of the trilogy lol and excited to see what they do with everyone.

[@albertsteven13]

U guys think aerith my get revived or some how comes back? Im not done with the video but I wana know wat u guys think

[@pyramidhead156]

Timeline, Timetravel, and Multiverse plotlines are almost never (99.9999%) good. Nomura knows this and still gave it the go through.....cheapens everything, makes the plotline absolutely ridiculous and throws away the original's value altogether. This was beyond disappointing.

[@VANTARTS]

zack is still alive COPIUM

[@almostfaceman]

Hmmm, looks like they made the whole Aerith thing more convoluted than necessary. Like a bad anime. 😉 😄

[@PaulAnthony0717]

Aerith destined die and live in 3rd dimension