Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,the second part of theFinal Fantasy Remaketrilogy, will continue the journey of Cloud Strife and his friends as they explore the world beyond the city of Midgar and look for a way to defeat the villainous Sephiroth. LikeRemake,developer Square Enix has confirmed thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwill expand on and enhance the story first told in the originalFinal Fantasy 7.However, many classic elements of the original game will return, and certain memorable boss fights will likely be among them.
Square Enix has not yet confirmed exactly how much ofFinal Fantasy 7’sstory will be adapted inRebirth,only that it will be the second in a trilogy with a still untitled third game coming later. However, it has been confirmed both thatRebirthwill explore the larger world beyond Midgar and thatFinal Fantasy 7’s regionswill not be visited in the same order as they were in the original title. These facts make it difficult to determine exactly which boss fights will be appearing inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.However, a few returning enemies from the original are likely to show up in the second part of theRemaketrilogy.
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The Turks
The Turksare a group of soldiers employed by Shinra Corporation, one of the major antagonistic forces working against Cloud and his party. Two Turks, Reno and Rude, were encountered as bosses inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake.First, each was fought separately; they were later encountered together as Cloud and his allies began to move more aggressively against Shinra. Both characters survived their encounters with Cloud’s party, and will likely reappear inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Other members of the Turks may also be fought in the second part of the remake trilogy.Elena, the newest recruit among the Turks' forces, was fought alongside Reno and Rude in a boss battle in the original game. It is highly likely that this boss battle will be recreated inRebirth.It is also possible that Elena, like Reno and Rude before her, may be given a solo fight in order to better flesh out her character. Other Turks who could potentially be fought include Tseng, who kidnapped Aerith inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,and any of the members who previously appeared in the spinoff gamesBefore CrisisandCrisis Corebut may be given a larger role in the remake trilogy.
The Dragon
The scripted encounter with a nameless Dragon is one of the most infamous fights in the originalFinal Fantasy 7,not because of its difficulty or memorability, but because of its wasted potential. Appearing in a flashback, this Dragon attacks Cloud and Sephiroth when they are exploring the Mt. Nibel area. Sephiroth theorizes that the Dragon has become angry and agitated due to the malfunction of the Nibel Reactor. Unfortunately,Sephiroth defeats the Dragonin a few attacks, without the player ever getting the chance to go up against this fearsome foe.
The original Dragon battle primarily existed to show offhow powerful Sephiroth wasand build him up as an even bigger threat to Cloud and his allies. However,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthcould expand on this enemy by making the Dragon a full boss fight rather than a scripted encounter. This could give players the chance to control Sephiroth and try out his unique powers for themselves, as well as provide a rare opportunity for Cloud and Sephiroth to work together rather than fighting each other.
Lost Number
An optional boss from the originalFinal Fantasy 7,Lost Number was encountered by Cloud and the party while they explored the Shinra Mansion. Players had to fight it if they wanted Vincent Valentine to join their party, as this monster dropped a key that was needed to unlock the mansion’s basement where Vincent was located. Defeating Lost Number also rewarded players with anultimate Limit Break, Cosmo Memory. Lost Number is best remembered for its unique gimmick: it can switch between two forms, one which is strong against physical attacks and one which is strong against magical attacks.
While fans are unsure if the Shinra Mansion section will appear inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,many speculate that it is likely due toVincent Valentine’s popularity. If Shinra Mansion makes an appearance, then Lost Number will almost certainly return, although it is unclear whether it would remain an optional boss or be made mandatory. Lost Number, which is theorized to be a failed experiment carried out by Professor Hojo, could also serve as a way for Cloud and his allies to learn more about Hojo’s past and his many scientific secrets.
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Demon’s Gate
TheFinal Fantasyseries loves reusing or paying tribute to classic bosses, and the terrifying Demon’s Gate is no exception. It was inspired by the Demon Wall, a boss that appeared inFinal Fantasy 4, Final Fantasy 4 Interlude,andFinal Fantasy 4: The After Years.TheFinal Fantasy 7version of the Demon’s Gate is fought in the Temple of the Ancients. It can cast Petrify and Slow on the party, as well as using the powerful Ice elemental attack Cave-In.
Currently, a popular fan theory is that the Temple of the Ancients will serve as the ending ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,with everything beyond it being saved for the final entry in the trilogy. The reason behind this theory is that this section was where party member Aerith met her infamous end, dying at the hands of Sephiroth. While fans are unsure whetherAerith will live or die in theRemaketrilogy, it is likely that some sort of dramatic confrontation in the Temple of the Ancients will occur. If this is indeed whereRebirthends, then Demon’s Gate could serve as a challenging final or near-final boss forRebirth.
Jenova
Although Sephiroth serves as the primary antagonist ofFinal Fantasy 7,thealien life-form Jenovais also a major force opposing Cloud and his allies. After being captured by Shinra, her cells were used in a number of experiments, including the experiments that gave Sephiroth his unusual powers. While Jenova’s main body remains inactive, many forms of her created from her limbs- Jenova.BIRTH, Jenova.LIFE, Jenova.DEATH, and Jenova.SYNTHESIS - are fought in the originalFinal Fantasy 7.A new form, Jenova Dreamweaver, was added inFinal Fantasy 7 Remakein order to introduce Jenova to the plot earlier. Dreamweaver was specifically described as an illusion of Jenova, rather than the real thing.
Most likely,at least one of Jenova’s formswill appear as a boss inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.It is even possible that the first three, depending on how much of the game’s plot the second part of the trilogy covers. Jenova.BIRTH attacks the party while they are traveling on a cargo ship to Costa del Sol, Jenova.LIFE is encountered in the Forgotten City, and Jenova.DEATH appears in the Whirlwind Maze located at the bottom of the North Crater. Jenova.SYNTHESIS, which appears deep in the North Cave near the end of the game, will likely be saved for the final game in the trilogy.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis currently scheduled to release in Winter 2023 for PS5.
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