Warning! The following post contains spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
By theend ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, developer Square Enix established that all bets are off with its re-do of the seminal JRPG. What was once canon could be changed in any number of ways, or it could follow a similar format to the original, albeit with some slight changes. Now thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis upon us, the question lingering on most fans’ minds is whether this second game in the trilogy will deviate from the original’s structure as well. More specifically, they wanted to know how it would end and more specifically whether Aerith would die?
What are the Whispers in Final Fantasy 7?
To best understand the concepts at play in theFinal Fantasy 7remake universe, one has totalk about the whispers. These are the Harry Potter dementor-looking figures that are entities of fate. InFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, it is revealed that only certain characters (basically the main characters) in the game can see these whispers, and their interactions with them will typically try to push the narrative towards mirroring the original game. For example, Aerith is saved by the whispers to prevent her from meeting a fate different from her prescribed one.
InFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, we learn that there are two kinds of whispers: dark and light. The light whispers are the ones trying to keep the events of the game in line with fate (i.e. the same as the original) whereas the dark whispers are agents of Sephiroth, and seemingly working towards chaos. We see both types of whispers throughout Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but nowhere is their presence felt more than in the ending.
How Does Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth End?
Square Enix had revealed ahead of time thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwould conclude at the Forgotten Capital. For FF7 fans, they knew this meant that the conclusion would either featureAerith’s death, some variation of Aerith’s death, or an outright deviation from Aerith’s death. Little did they know they would get a little bit of all three.
After Aerith takes off on her own in the Forgotten Capital, Cloud reaches her as she is kneeling down praying. It’s an iconic scene fromFinal Fantasy 7, only the whispers are circling her inRebirth. Cloud advances towards her, but the whispers try to hold him back. As he uses his sword to push through them, Cloud struggles to raise his sword right in front of Aerith, and then Sephiroth descends with his Masamune blade ready to deliver the classic killing blow to the Cetra.
Surprisingly, Cloud breaks free of the Whispers and deflects Sephiroth’s blade, which flies off and plants into the ground. For a moment, it seems like the predictions were correct andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthchanges Aerith’s fate.
Does Aerith Die in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
But then, something strange happens. The visuals flash in the same way they do when Cloud struggles with his memories, and we see Aerith’s blood pooling from Masamune, as if Sephiroth was successful in his efforts. Aerith then starts to fall over and her bow unties, while the white materia that she kept hidden slowly plinks off of the platform and falls into the water below.
The jump cuts continue, showing different versions of the same scene. In one shot, Aerith is incapacitated yet seemingly unhurt, but in another, blood is on her clothes and wrist. Cloud, meanwhile, is crying as he holds Aerith in one version of the scene, while in another he is mouthing words that are never heard. Simultaneously, only the white whispers are circling the two, hinting that fate is back on track.
Sephiroth explains that the confluence of worlds and emotions has begun, suggesting that a universe where Aerith dies and this one are now literally bleeding into each other, and Aerith is seemingly not going to make it regardless of Cloud’s efforts.
The Final Bosses in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
In an extremely emotional scene, Aerith accepts her fate and Cloud is forced to do the same. Sephiroth taunts him and the climactic battles begin. First, the cast faces off with another iteration of Jenova called Jenova Lifeclinger, with different party members swapping in with Cloud or forming their own unique groups. It’s a chance to see everyone from Barrett toCait Sith shine, as everyone works together to fell this latest Jenova threat.
Once that fight concludes, Sephiroth challenges Cloud, who unites withZack Fair from the alternate universecreated at the end ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. They have a quick duel with Sephiroth before the two are separated and Sephiroth transforms into Sephiroth Reborn, a massive creature that is a fitting final boss for a Final Fantasy game.
Throughout the Sephiroth Reborn fight, the action jumps between several different groups including Cloud by himself; Barrett, Caith Sith, and Red XIII; Zack by himself; and Tifa, Yuffie, and Red XIII. It’s an epic showdown that will have players switching up strategies and facing seemingly insurmountable odds. And then the action shifts back to Cloud.
Here, Cloud is once again face to face withSephiroth in his “one-winged Angel” form, but Aerith appears to help him. It’s an epic showdown thatFinal Fantasy 7fans should love for its visuals and soundtrack alone, but also for the hope it might foster.
While Sephiroth is beaten by the end of the fight, the party, and more specifically Cloud, hardly feels victorious. Aerith departs after a tender moment with Cloud, and Zack returns to his universe. The scene then shifts back to the Forgotten Capital and Cloud lifts Aerith’s body telling her to wake up, and she does.
Aerith’s Fate in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Although it might look like a happy reunion for Cloud and Aerith, it becomes clear in the subsequent scene that all is not as it seems. Aerith is only visible to Cloud, while the rest of the group mourns her, even as she looks on. Cid is repairing the Tiny Bronco to prepare for the continued pursuit of Sephiroth, while Cloud and Aerith share some moments together. Cloud also sees that, in addition to the empty materia (which was once the white materia), he also has the black materia. He fuses the black materia with hisBuster Swordand tells the group they must head North to find Sephiroth.
After a final scene with Aerith, Cloud enters the Tiny Bronco, which takes to the sky once again. Aerith is left watching from the ground, no longer a key member of the party.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Ending Explained
While the ending toFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcan be a bit confusing, it seems clear that Aerith is no longer alive. How exactly that happened is up to interpretation, but the suggestion seems to be that the events ofRemakethat deviated from the structure of the original are now forced to contend with scenes from the original overwriting reality. Perhaps in the third game in theFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogywe will see visions of Aerith, as a type of force ghost.
The biggest question, though, is what this means for Zack’s world, where Aerith is presumably still alive, only incapacitated. Marlene explained that helping Cloud would save Aerith, but at least in the main universe that didn’t come to pass. Perhaps Zack’s helping the team defeat Sephiroth Reborn will allow his version of Aerith to survive, or wake up, or…something.
Square Enix doesn’t reveal much about this alternate reality inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, so there is still a lot of theorizing to be done around that secondary narrative. Could Aerith continue as a main character in this alternate reality? Will the two realities blend in the third game? And most of all, will Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 end the same as or differently than the original?
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
