Square Enix has unveiled a fresh trailer forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, showcasing intriguing alternate reality manipulations. Two noteworthy events occur in the trailer: first, Aerith is found dead along with the other main characters; secondly, towards the end, a significant moment occurs where Tifa from the flashback era appears to be severely wounded or even murdered by Sephiroth during the Nibelheim incident. As a fan of both characters, these things make me nervous.
First, let’s look at Aerith’s situation. Yes, Aerith dies in Final Fantasy 7. Her death in the story is quite a monumental event,and for me, it was the second death of a character that I ever experienced. I still remember feeling like someone real close to me had died as Cloud held Aerith’s body and waxed poetic about how she would never be able to do things you take for granted. It was hard to jump back into the fight, especially since she was healer and all my best materia was on her. I barely scraped by, using Yuffie’s Clear Tranquil limit break to emergency heal my group.
While I’ve accepted this as the canonical event for the original game, Remake has thrown the proverbial playbook out the window, hinting at alternate timelines and possibility of characters like Zack cheating death. I’m not 100% banking on the idea that she’ll be alive for the entire Remake trilogy, but there’s a quiet hope that maybe, just maybe, my favorite FF7 character will make it out alive.
Despite this hope, the trailer’s opening footage makes it seem even more flimsy. The most captivating moments of the trailer unfolded right from the start, hinting at the demise of key characters in Rebirth. Tifa, Red XIII, Barret, and Aerith were all depicted being carried away on stretchers, creating an air of intrigue and uncertainty. Specifically, Aerith is depicted as being dead — again. If that’s the alternative timeline, that means that there’s a possibility that, no matter what timeline she’s in, her fate is sealed. And no, I’m not happy about that.
When Tifa’s fate is taken into account, things become even more complicated. According to Sephiroth’s words in the trailer after striking her, “Who is she?”, it is possible that the person you have witnessed all this time may not be Tifa.
Initially, Tifa being struck down by Sephiroth wasn’t fully explored, so this theory wouldn’t be completely out of left field. You just knew that she survived. This may be the developer’s chance to flesh out the possibilities and unanswered theories behind it. It is possible that Tifa underwent a different fate as part of the infamous Jenova Project, which involved the injection of Jenova cells.
Next:I Hope Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Builds on Gambit System
Both Cloud and Zack were affected by this procedure, carried out by Professor Hojo. Despite his strength, Zack was able to resist the influence of these cells, while Cloud was more vulnerable. So, in this new timeline presented by Remake, what if Tifa, instead of being rescued by Zangan, found herself unwillingly subjected to the Jenova Project with Cloud and Zack? Could it be the reason why Sephiroth suggests that she is not the same person anymore, hinting at the alterations caused by Hojo’s experiments?
Aerith and Tifa’s emotional momentum is also building up to grand proportions. There is a book by Square Enix called Final Fantasy VII Remake: Traces of Two Pasts, which is set not long after the events of Remake. Their bond becomes deeper as they share more intimate moments, delving into their own pasts. A little quiet moment between the two is shared in the trailer, which directly references the book. They confide in each other, but most importantly, Tifa confides in her about her concerns with Cloud not being present in the events of Nibelheim. She asks Aerith if she knows anything, but Aerith throws the question right back at her. Will their conversations and the events in the book play a bigger role in Rebirth?
I’m also concerned that Square Enix might be planning to save Aerith while sacrificing Tifa in the process. The latest trailer suggests that the original timeline has been altered, raising the possibility that Aerith’s death might no longer be inevitable. In such a scenario, could Final Fantasy 7 decide to eliminate another character like Tifa in order to fill that narrative void? After all, one of the most important and brain-twisting moments involves the theme the game seems to convey — fate, and the ways it can and will be changed. At the end of Remake, Aerith tells the group in a rousing speech: “I know that together, we can do this. But if we do… We’ll be changing more than fate itself. If we succeed…if we win…we’ll be changing ourselves… I guess…maybe, that’s why I hesitated.” Later, you see a potential alternative storyline in which fate changes for Zack, who gets up and returns to the slum church where he assumed Aerith was.
Looking online and listening to different fans also opens up the theory that the footage Shinra shows in the beginning is nothing more than a red herring. Pay attention to the logos displayed on the screen: “Shinra Broadcasting Service” in the top left and “SNNet News” in the bottom right. These logos reveal the existence of the Shinra News Network, which serves as the propaganda machinery of ShinraCorp. There is a reasonable assumption that the footage showing lifeless Avalanche members has been altered intentionally for the purpose of deceiving the public. It wouldn’t be out of place to consider, given the source of the broadcast, that this footage is “fake news.” Even if there is a slight possibility that the main characters were injured or killed in this alternate timeline, it wouldn’t be out of place to consider that they are deceased.
The only comfort I can take from this “fake news” theory is that Aerith might still be alive. Original story be damned, but I would love to have some timeline in which Aerith lives. For years, I was glued to the tragic romance trope because it seemed to be the most likely outcome for a young queer gamer like me. I found comfort in the sadness because expecting it made me feel more prepared to deal with it. But now, I have a more hopeful look at the future, and seeing Aerith defy her original fate would have me standing up and clapping as I finish the trilogy.
And what if it’s at the expense of Tifa? That’ll hurt, but if I’m pushed to make a choice…it’ll be Aerith. And ironically it’s not for Aerith to be with Cloud, but instead to be with Zack.Zerith is life, even in death.
It becomes clear as you explore Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that uncertainty is shrouding our theories. Are our efforts to unravel its mysteries likely to be fruitful, or will they be mere speculation? Our collective desire for a compelling narrative is what matters most. So far, the signs are promising. Embrace the enigma and anticipate the story that awaits, for true wonder lies in the unknown.
