Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second part of the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. But even if it’s a retelling of existing events (or is it?), Square Enix has proven it’s more than willing to subvert fan expectations.
With that said, FF7 Rebirth story spoilers, specifically its potential ending, have found its way online and it ain’t pretty.
Less than two weeks following the release of the first demo and ahead of the second demo on February 21, a mix of fake fan-created images, spoiler-filled screenshots, and presumably legitimate claims are making fans worry about the fate of an important character.
Over the past 24 hours, sensitive story details have appeared on Reddit, Twitter, and 4Chan. Although it’s important to take these claims with a grain of salt, some of the photos, even under intense scrutiny, look legitimate if grainy. One player, in particular, recently posted their playthrough of FF7 Rebirth on TikTok but the video is no longer available.
Many of the replies to the leaks claim that they’re legitimate and it’s possible.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake drastically changes the events of the original game. For starters, Zack Fair is alive. A fan-favourite, Zack’s memories serve as the basis for Cloud Strife’s persona. He is the true first class SOLDIER and the second owner of the Buster Sword (Cloud, his close friend, was more of a Shinra grunt that survived Professor Hojo’s experiments). In a nutshell, he’s the owner of the identity that Cloud has assumed albeit unwittingly.
FF7 Remake’s ending and FF7 Rebirth’s initial reveal trailer hinted at an alternative timeline where both Zack and Cloud survived. In one sequence, Zack runs directly to the Sector 5 Slums Church to find Aerith, the love of his life. In another, several party members, possibly including Barret Wallace, Red XIII, and Tifa Lockhart, all injured if possibly deceased after what the reporter described as a “Tornado” destroyed multiple sectors of Midgar, including the expressway.
It’s worth noting that the climax of FF7 Remake saw Cloud and the rest of the party fighting against Sephiroth at the very same place before heading outside Midgard and into the open world.
None of them appear to be injured in the “original” timeline, which some fans refer to as the “Beagle” timeline. Thus, the said events could have taken place where Zack and Cloud survive, called the “Terrier” timeline.
With Square Enix promising a separate portion where Zack is playable in FF7 Rebirth, it isn’t impossible that what some of the leakers are claiming would happen.
According to them, FF7 Rebirth will switch the ending even further, seeing Cloud die at the hands of Sephiroth instead of Aerith at the Forgotten City. Zack then assumes leadership of the naturally distraught party afterwards and until, presumably, the earlier portions of the next game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. It seems outrageous until you realize that Square Enix has been hinting at changing one of the most significant deaths in gaming, all along.
Square Enix just told players they can replay FF7 Rebirth without Cloud. It’s easy to assume that the developers were referring to the three-man lineup in combat, but if what they weren’t?
The twist of Cloud dying instead of Aerith would certainly be something. Remember that Aerith’s death led to Sephiroth’s defeat in Final Fantasy 7. If Aerith isn’t in the lifestream to stop Meteor, then does that mean Sephiroth will succeed in his plans? Has Sephiroth been secretly orchestrating the events of the entire FF7 Remake Trilogy all along? We can’t wait to learn more on February 29.
But for now, if you want to avoid spoilers, stay off the internet.
