After the conclusion of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the developer, Square Enix, made it clear that all bets were off with its re-do of the seminal JRPG. The established canon could be altered in numerous ways, possibly following a format similar to the original with subtle changes. With the arrival of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, fans are now pondering whether this second part of the trilogy will also diverge from the original's structure.
Fans are fixated on the ending of it and on the question of whether Aerith will die or not.
How Does Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth End?
Before the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Square Enix had disclosed that the game's conclusion would take place at the Forgotten Capital. This information led FF7 enthusiasts to anticipate that the ending would involve Aerith's demise, a modified version of her death, or an entirely different narrative than the original. However, they were in for a surprise, as the conclusion encompassed elements of all three scenarios.
Aerith took off on her own in the Forgotten Capital, Cloud reached her while she was knelt down praying. Only the whispers are circling her and Cloud advanced towards her, but the whispers tried to hold him back. He used his sword to push through them. In the following scene, Cloud struggled to raise his sword right in front of Aerith, and then Sephiroth descended with his Masamune blade ready to deliver the killing blow to the Cetra.
Suddenly, Cloud broke free of the Whispers and deflected Sephiroth’s blade, which flew off and planted into the ground. It seemed like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth changed Aerith’s fate but then, something unusual happened. Visuals flashed on screen and we saw Aerith’s blood pooling from Masamune, as if Sephiroth had indeed killed her. Aerith then started to fall over.
Jump cuts continued in this scene showing different versions of the same scene. In one of the shots, Aerith didn't seem fine but was still unhurt, but in another, blood was on her clothes and wrist. Cloud was seen crying as he held Aerith in one version of the scene, while in another he was mouthing some incomprehensible words. Soon Sephiroth explained that the confluence of worlds and emotions had kicked off. He hinted that a universe where Aerith dies and this one were now literally bleeding into each other. Sephiroth added that Aerith won't make it regardless of Cloud’s efforts.
Both Cloud and Aerith eventually accepted their fate and the climactic battles began.
By the end, Sephiroth was beaten and the party, more specifically Cloud, hardly felt victorious. The scene then shifted back to the Forgotten Capital. Cloud was seen lifting Aerith’s body while telling her to wake up, and she did. However, it became clear in the subsequent scene it was not what we believed. Aerith was only visible to Cloud, while the rest of the group mourned her, even as she looked on.
After showing Cloud in a final scene with Aerith, he entered the Tiny Bronco, which took to the sky once again. Aerith kept watching from the ground, no longer a key member of the party.
So, it appears that Aerith is dead but could she continue as a main character in this alternate reality? In order to know whether the two realities will blend or not, we will have to be stay tuned For the third game.