Skip To...
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth brings even more depth than Remake by expanding the world and lore of 7‘s original series. It led veteran players to be curious as to whether or not the endings saw any change. Do certain characters share the same fate as before? Or is there a way to change such a thing? It’s easy to conclude why Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth still needs the ending explained. There’s no shame in that, as things can get a bit confusing. We’ll dissect it all, so this goes without saying: spoilers will follow.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Ending – All About Aerith
One of the most prominent questions lifelong fans pondered was whether or not Aerith died in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as she did in the original. The simple answer is: yes, Aerith does die. Sephiroth swoops in as per usual, with the killing blow primed and ready. However, the more complicated answer to this question is: yes, but…
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth added a “but” to the ending, which is why many of us needed it further explained. This is because lines are blurred or reality shifts. When Sephiroth comes in, Cloud parries the blow. You’d think that he managed to save Aerith this time. But things quickly change as reality morphs. Cloud (and us) notice two possibilities:
- Possibility 1: Aerith is murdered by Sephiroth
- Possibility 2: Aerith is alive and well
It is brief. However, it’s a stark contrast to how clear-cut Aerith’s fate was in the original.
Rebirth Ending and Advent Children Connection
Perhaps one of the best explanations for Aerith’s ending in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the overall connection to Advent Children. Producer Yoshinori Kitase explained some time back that the remake is canon to the film, and if you haven’t seen the film, more spoilers will follow.
In Advent Children, Cloud gets a vision of Aerith via the Lifestream. From there, he winds up interacting with her, and Aerith serves as a spirit guide for Cloud. This leads to the idea that Aerith is truly dead in the FF7 Rebirth ending.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Ending – Alternate Timelines
Back in Remake, the world expanded to include alternate timelines, something the original did not have. This further takes the ending of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth into question. When Cloud sees Aerith dead at one point and alive at another point, more specifically after the battle with Sephiroth in which he runs off to fight another day, we realize that there are separate timelines at work here.
In one timeline, Cloud and the others all mourn Aerith, leaving no doubt that she is dead. However, Rebirth also shows Zack awakening in the church in a reality where Aerith is alive. Later on, Cloud is the only one who witnesses Aerith standing nearby while everyone else continues to mourn her. As Cloud and Zack are well aware of the alternating timelines, the ending to FF7 Rebirth can be explained as follows: Aerith is both alive and dead. Almost like Scrodinger’s cat, or Scrodinger’s Aerith, if you will.
What the FF7 Rebirth Ending Means for the Future
There are plenty of questionable things that lead to the conclusion of the trilogy. For one thing, we know that Zack becomes adamant about reuniting the timelines. Where that can lead, knowing that Square Enix is making steady changes from the original, is up in the air. We also discover that Shinra may find themselves in opposition with Sephiroth again, thanks to the epilogue with Rufus and Glenn.
Concerning Aerith, her story remains an interesting aspect. We see Cloud bidding farewell, although she claims she’s staying to focus on Meteor. We also see no one else in Cloud’s group noticing Aerith hanging around nearby. The concluding title card is even ominous. So, what does all this mean for the future? On one hand, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth does a great job at keeping the OG fans happy while leaving some hope for those who wished Aerith would have a happier conclusion to her story.
Of course, everything depends on the final edition of the trilogy. There’s plenty of time for more things to change or for the remake to stick strictly to canon the rest of the way through. Only time will tell now.
