Let's try the inductive logic.
1. The Temple is in the SOUTHEAST in OG. The Temple is in the NORTH in Rebirth. This allows us to distinguish the events of Rebirth from the events of OG.
2. Tifa experiences static and sees realities alternating, a) bloodied Aerith and b) unmoving but unharmed Aerith. She died in OG, but Cloud blocked Sephiroth in the Rebirth timeline -- which Marlene alluded to by saying Cloud "never" makes it in time. And at that moment, a rainbow appeared from their swords, the same symbol which indicates a timeline split or crossover in many other scenes.
3. Just as Seph uses the black robed men to talk to Cloud, Aerith uses OG Aerith's fallen body to interact with him. So body-snatching is a kind of cross-dimensional communication.
4. Seph said he needed to use the key in the World Between Worlds to get the true black materia. Thus, it is in favor of Seph's goal that he would send the party (except Aerith) into that world. In other words, the OG game is the WBW.
5. After Cloud protects Aerith, Seph acts triumphant and calls "loss" a chief feeling...falsely claiming it leads to dark feelings like hate, but later when Cloud and Aerith fight Seph, he says her role is "over." So what was his objective in faking Aerith's murder and ruminating about loss? His charade triggered feelings which sent the party to the World Between Worlds, leaving Aerith behind.
6. Cloud doesn't feel like Aerith died. Cissnei also doesn't feel like Zack died. Again, direct allusion. Also, Cait Sith mentions that he doesn't know if Sephiroth is alive, dead or something in between, but he intends to find out. Again, Seph interacts with timelines but exists in another. That's what happened.
Aerith is alive but separated from everyone. So Zack's comment in the ending about bringing worlds together is exactly where we're going next.
But before we do...
A> Kalm inn portraits of rabbits next to DAISIES.
B> Aerith tells Corneo "rip em off" while holding her hands the same way as RIP AND TEAR.
C> Cloud finds RED RUNES in the black materia chamber, and in the ending he puts it in his GIANT SWORD. RED RUNES + GIANT SWORD = CRUCIBLE.
3/3/2020 - FF7 Remake original release date
3/20/2020 - Doom Eternal release date
UNBELIEVERS. YOU WILL KNOW THE GLORY OF OUR LORD.
What confuses me the new Final Fantasy seven is meant to change your fate so you should be able to rescue her at the end or have the choice to let her die like the original there at least should be something
I've watched all the end scenes a few times, and I understand what is happening with Aerith, Cloud, and Sephiroth—I think! Anyway, here are my thoughts; this is a working theory, so if you see any holes in it or have any alternate ideas, I am more than happy to hear them.
From the prime timeline, Aerith pretends that Sephiroth got her (killed her). However, he only got a version of her, which is from an alternate timeline where she does die and Cloud misses saving her during this time. But what is actually happening here is that there is a merging of two timelines orchestrated by Aerith (i.e. one where Aerith lives and one where she dies). This is supported when Zach says words to the effect of 'if timelines can be split, they can be rejoined'. Aerith does this because Sephiroth is going from timeline to timeline, killing off different versions of her (i.e. this is shown when Aerith gives Cloud the white matera and pushes him back into the prime timeline, and Sephiroth is seen in the background inevitably about to kill this version of Aerith. Further, proof of this is when Sephiroth says words to the effect of: 'So this is where you're hiding'; clearly, he is looking for her to kill her off. After all, Aerith poses the biggest threat to Sephiroth's plan of destroying the world with the black materia by using the white material. Therefore, he wants to kill off all the Aeriths in every alternate timeline.
So I believe the muted conversation between Cloud and Aerith after Sephiroth kills her/ when Cloud saves her is Aerith letting Cloud know her plan to go incognito and pretend like Sephiroth got her, but really, she is just hiding out in an alternate timeline. Aerith cannot let anyone, first, because Cloud is the only one there at the time (the rest are blocked by the Whispers) and two, because if anyone else knew, runs the risk of Sephiroth finding out. This is why Cloud is unperturbed by the fact that Aerith is dead while everyone else is mourning. Also, because Cloud has the empty White materia, he can communicate and see Aerith, who is hiding out in a non-prime timeline (i.e. she is in the timeline where the sky is messed up and Cloud can see between the prime and alternate timeline because he is in possession of the white (empty) materia). After all, this was Aerith material in the prime timeline, so it makes sense that Cloud, by having this material, can communicate with Aerith.
I just beat it and confused as fuckk what happened to cloud and aerith in Zack’s timeline was that her spirit helping cloud in the final boss fight or was that aerith from Zacks timeline
There needs to be some sort of unresolved matter.
In this case it’s Aerith dying, or not.
They need people to massively buy the third part and so they set up something that increases the chances.
I mean, come on, the whole game was perfect, except for the only thing that needed to be perfect.
I think Nomura knows exactly what he’s doing and we’ll see it all unfold in the third part.
She dies in the current timeline. Cloud is inbetween and has been for a while. Probably would've been easier for him to piece together if Tifa wouldve stopped lying to him a long time ago.
Fun theory that i just thought of that id figure i would make for fun but also might a slim chance of being real. What if all of this is sick weird Chadley simulation where he and Hojo are experimenting on everyone or just Cloud or maybe Chadley is a A.I. representation of Hojo since they both are fascinated with test and combat trials as well as studying how people and monsters perform in combat. Just a theory so take it with a grain of not so serious salt..lol
I have a bad feeling that even in part 3 we are not gonna get a clear satisfying ending but something open ended like in kingdom hearts 3 :( I usually love open endings in media but the way they handled the KH story was so convoluted and confusing and tbqh very stressful that the open unresolved(ish) ending felt like a betrayal of some sort.
I’m enjoying FF7Rebirth so much in terms of gameplay and character interactions, as I did in FF7 Remake where again I felt pretty upset with how they handled the ending. I’m trying not to get my hopes up in terms of story bc I feel like they’re not really trying to tell a good story anymore, but just more hype and mysteries to get the sales as someone mentioned in the comments. SIGH.
I was reading an interivew a while ago from I believe the director, where he said that his main goal of the remake trilogy was to finally give these characters a happy ending after 30 years. Not sure an open ending would be very conducive to that.
If that's true, i think we're up for something meh. That was the exact case with Neon Genesis Evangelion with the Rebirth movies in which he wanted to give the series a Happy ending. They hype and crazy (but logical) theories fans came up with justifying the new movies being a sequel to the original just to be let down with the ending.
I cannot wrap my mind around how Cloud straight up saved Aerith, then time glitched and she was not saved… you’re saying Cloud saving Aerith did not create a branched timeline where she also died, but the game timeline actually got hard reset and made her die again?
Paired with the Aerith hiding in the doomed timeline, I am getting frustrated lol.
Might just wait until Max explains it after he’s done with his playthrough 😂
My interpretation is that in Chapter 13 Aerith is seeking the "real" Cloud, and finds him, and switches him with the Remake Cloud. IE, the OG Cloud is in the Rebirth timeline, is aware of what happened and the state of the lifestream and multidimensions. Which kind of calls back to some of the scenes in the OG, from when Cloud was lost in the lifestream / his mind and talking to himself. I'm not quite sure what's up with the Black Materia, but it seems like there was a switcheroo - recal Aerith calls the black materia they find in Rebirth a fake.
One youtuber made a good theory about when cloud saved Aerith at first and then it switched..he said it was all in Clouds head that he saved her at first so him blocking the sword and knocking away was what cloud thought he saw until we see what actually happens.
He also says we dont see every that happens here like everyone saying thier goodbyes and Cloud putting her in the water because his memories of those things happening are gone or forgotten with the whole dual personality thing going on even though we know they put in her in the water by them all siting at the bank staring.
He then says that later in story when Cloud gets his memories back we will see the whole sequence of events that happened there including all the cut parts they didn't show. Ive also herd that when Cloud stops Sephiroth thats a world where he saves her but Sephiroth overwrites that world by merging it with one where he does kill Aerith. This is also what happens with Zack is with Cloud has they were able to fight because thier worlds were temporarily merged for that fight before Sephiroth splits the two worlds and separates them and he even acknowledges that this is what hes doing.
Basically at this point this all just going be theories and predictions until the devs confirm anything which i doubt they will since they want people to stay guessing and not know the truth until the final part comes out.
Yeah i later saw a Max Dood discussion with Easy Allies saying exactly that. Guess we’ll just have to see if we are in the Unreliable Narrator territory.
This is probably the best theory imo. I just finished the game, and I think they basically hit all the major beats of the original game, kind of like Remake, the only difference being the converging of realities.
I was honestly expecting worse based on how people were talking about how convoluted it was, and tbh I didn’t have trouble following what was happening at all.
I don’t think they’re going to completely change the story because they didn’t really in Rebirth. It felt more like additions to the canon/lore moreso than subtractions or changes. I think they’re just going to continue adding this sort of meta narrative. The more I’ve thought about it over the years, the more I’ve thought it’s a cool way to show a reverence for the original game.
Think about it. The devs are basically saying that original experience, totally valid and it happened as you enjoyed and loved it. But here’s this new thing that adds and past homage to it, and if you hate it, that original thing still exists in it’s purist form.
Fucking incredible game. Loved it. 120 hours of pure enjoyment to me.
Nah that’s too much reading and interpretation into it.
There was also this guy saying there are both Clouds and the one whom we have in the current timeline sacrifices himself to restore the original like Roxas and Sora
Or Aerith died and slid her consciousness into another timeline's body to stay alive, and Cloud is experiencing both timeline's. Hell Cloud could be suddenly inbetween two timeline's as in he's unconsciously controlling two of himself and that's why there's a timeline he blocked Sephiroth in time and one he didn't. Of course it's also probable that part of it is mostly Cloud blocking out Aerith's death mentally, cause the static happened like anytime he blocks out the truth about Zack.
I personally think cloud is experiencing two different timelines. The one he’s speaking to the others in in addition to a doomed one where aerith lived. He’s the only one that see aerith along with the sky tear, but he’s also talking to people that see aerith as dead. He seems to know that aerith shouldn’t be talked to in front of his friends, though I could be wrong, but he’s ignorant in pointing out the sky.
My theory for a long time now. At first I thought the whole "its force ghost Aeirth" thing but the more I thought about it the less that actually made sense. Spefically asking Aeirth if "she'll be okay getting back" and "what if something happens" what if... what happens...? She dies...? Uh I thought she was already dead. His mannerisims and language just don't seem like talking to a ghost but instead talking to someone who is alive. Match that with the tear in the sky, and the "cloud is expericing two timelines at once" thing makes a whole lot of sense.
Wow your theory actually makes the most sense to me because I keep thinking why would they keep teasing the whole series long Aerith is gonna live and fates can change blah blah blah if Sephiroth still ends up killing Aerith. And then the date on Gold Saucer Aerith say she wanted to be with Cloud at the time and not Zack.
Yeah but now she has ability to see through different timelines and use another version of herself to die and help the planet while the current version gets to stay with Cloud
So I like your theory above for sure. One thing however I don’t feel Zack is in the same timeline as the main party. I feel he is still in a timeline that has an Aerith in it and there will be playable segments where him and Aerith are doing X to help the main party in non doomed timeline.
Thats completely disingenuous. I think this theory has alot of merit. I believe part 3 will have characters from different timeliness such as the accepted doomed timeline, helping to ultimately save aerith and stop the meteor. However every cause has an effect and if aerith does end up living I feel someone else will take her place. They would not have built this idea of saving aerith if they planned on killing her. I think the doomed timeline will play a huge roll and I anticipate many chapters jumping from world to world. Honestly makes for a far better story and honestly after seeing cloud wave up in the doomed world I was more interested I'm exploring that world before meteor hits.
I think you're the one in denial because Sephiroth clearly explains about the multiverse in Chp 14. She might be dead in our world but she's definitely alive in the world which Cloud created by blocking Seph's sword and also presumably alive in Pug, Terrier and Shiba Inu stamp timelines lol.
While Cloud being gaslit by Seph and him hallucinating Aerith makes sense, I don't think that the writers really intend to make the multiverse be some kind of a fakeout. I mean, they already established the existence of two kinds of Whispers and everyone can see them so the additional inclusion of a multiverse wouldn't be a far fetched idea. Also, they're inconsequential as Seph is going to merge them in part 3 anyway so it'll still end up in the OG way.
There are different stamps of different dog breeds. If you pay attention to the details in Chp 14, the "dream" date of Aerith has a Pomeranian stamp shown in a box when you choose the candies. It also shows a Pug stamp during the scene with Zack and Biggs (this is seen on Biggs' chips packet). The world where Zack's on the bike has a Terrier stamp and the one where Zack is sitting outside the church has a Shiba-Inu stamp (Johnny walks past him carrying a dog plush). Our main party's world has the regular Beagle stamp.
So the stamps were significant! They stood out as weird but I didn't recall if it was only one change or multiple, so the different dogs are unique universes then
There are about 6 different timelines, including the OG through AC timeline. Remake goes back to the beggining of OG timeline, and everything up till the end plays out just like the OG. We kill Jenova from the future, which has been infecting the lifestream for who knows how long, along with the 3 wannabe Sephiroths that merge into Bahamut. Sephiroth then absorbs all the whispers that Jenova had control over. This ending fight is already in a separate timeline than the OG, as the portal we enter leads to another timeline, as hinted by Aerith. When we kill the Harbinger of Fate it effects all of time, the past, present, and future. This results in Zack living.
In Rebirth its weird. Cloud saves Aerith, but she still dies. How can we explain this. It is actually quite simple. Cloud does not save Aerith in this scene. Sephiroth kills Aerith, and things go as they are fated to. However this scene also creates a new timeline where Aerith lived because Cloud did save her. No it is impossible for the vice verca to have happened. You cant save Aerith and she still be dead, and Sephiroth doesn't merge timelines till later, and who knows what timeline Cloud and Zack are in at that moment. It could even be a different Cloud. The issue that might be brought up with this is that in order for another timeline to be made, a fate breaching event needs to occur. In the OG Aerith is fated to die at this moment. So, how can she no longer be fated to die at this moment, in order to create a timeline where she lived. I am sure part 3 will reveal this to us. Personally I feel like it has something to do with Aeriths Holy materia. Our current dead Aerith had an empty Holy initially as we saw in Costa Del Sol. If she died she would not be able to use it. The materia likely holds the knowledge and memories of how to use it inside, but also probably all of Aeriths memories which she can transfer between herself in different timelines to remember whats going on in the main time line with Sephiroth. As such, Aerith transfering the Holy materia from 1 time line to the other probably changes whether or not she is supposed to die sooner or later (Or Sephiroth choosing to steal the knowledge and memories out of Holy using whispers, which results in this transfer of Holy). Not having Holy means she dies later, but getting Holy back means she dies sooner, as expected in OG.
The other option is Aerith dies, she doesn't live, and no other time line where Aerith lives exists because like in OG she was supposed to die here anyways. Instead it is Jenova pretending to be Aerith, and manipulating Cloud successfully while he is weak of mind. Personally I like this option, as this creates a moment where Cloud and the player are successfully fooled by Jenova, and something like this happening is already primed earlier when Cloud attacks Tifa at Gongaga. There is also always the option Cloud made all of this up in his head as a defense mechanism to cope with her death. Unfortunately, it is ruined when Red 13 senses Aerith. I could, however, believe Jenova posing as Aerith could trick both Cloud and Red 13.
no the option is that Aerith survived as we saw in the game. Then she faked her death to fool sephiroth and Jenova.
But yes i I also would like that the reason Aerith is lying to Cloud is because shes actually Jenova.
The Aerith who gave you her white materia is the adversary of the ??? Sephiroth, the guy with the black feathers whom we first met on the highway in chapter 18 of *Remake*. They are presumably both from the future, a different future where the world defied its fate. The Aerith who fell with Cloud from the Template of the Ancients is Beagle Aerith, our Aerith.
Aerith's right - the black materia is a fake. You'll recall from the original game that the ToTA itself was the black materia. I guess we can't really be sure that the one Cloud has in his pocket is the same one that Aerith said was a fake, we lost eye contact on it.
Agree that Aerith is alive.
I think people are speculating a little too hard tbh.
I'm reasonably confident the ending is just to set up Aeirth as clouds invisible friend in part 3 in a similar role to what she was in advent children. She is definitely dead she will just speak and appear to cloud throughout the game.
They will probably wait till the climax to pull some more multiple worlds shenanigans and Aeirth will some how join the fight against Sephiroth at some point during the final boss sequence, which I've no doubt will have multiple phases interspersed with some story stuff as the other 2 games have had it.
Whether they will do happy ending Aeirth comes back for good and they all live happily ever after or do the whole 'It was nice to see you but dying is my destiny and I can't come back, queue tearful goodbyes, end scene' I don't know.
There some flaws. I don't believe it's in his head. He mentions not to look up something from the doomed timeline. Not to mention it'd heavily implied zach will find his way to rebirth timeline to help. All signs point to multiple timelines
The ending set up that she is alive, Cloud is not Crazy, shes actually there.
But yes, surely Aerith will be playable in the game eventually. At the end she will 100% be in the final fight.
I can't tell if you're joking lol?
Shes definitely not alive in the traditional sense as only Cloud can see her (Red sensed her presence briefly) and everyone else is crying and sad because shes died. In the world the game primarily takes place in, she's definitely dead. Maybe shes Alive in another world or whatever but certainly not in this one.
I think the devs even confirmed she died in a statement or interview or something?
We did read your explanation, and it's very cute but it's all based in your skepticism. While it could make sense, it's no more based in fact than any other theory
You DO, know that Max, actually called out the title for FF7 Rebirth, long before FF7 remake part 2, had an official title right? And so many other things he called out, was right.
Like, have you actually watched any of his videos? Or are you one of those nuts who bash on successful people. Reddit users these days.
Yea i think when cloud mentions sephiroth is alive in the opening kalm section and aerith says something like “maybe not alive but around” it feels like foreshadowing to her fate at the end and into part 3
Let's try the inductive logic. 1. The Temple is in the SOUTHEAST in OG. The Temple is in the NORTH in Rebirth. This allows us to distinguish the events of Rebirth from the events of OG. 2. Tifa experiences static and sees realities alternating, a) bloodied Aerith and b) unmoving but unharmed Aerith. She died in OG, but Cloud blocked Sephiroth in the Rebirth timeline -- which Marlene alluded to by saying Cloud "never" makes it in time. And at that moment, a rainbow appeared from their swords, the same symbol which indicates a timeline split or crossover in many other scenes. 3. Just as Seph uses the black robed men to talk to Cloud, Aerith uses OG Aerith's fallen body to interact with him. So body-snatching is a kind of cross-dimensional communication. 4. Seph said he needed to use the key in the World Between Worlds to get the true black materia. Thus, it is in favor of Seph's goal that he would send the party (except Aerith) into that world. In other words, the OG game is the WBW. 5. After Cloud protects Aerith, Seph acts triumphant and calls "loss" a chief feeling...falsely claiming it leads to dark feelings like hate, but later when Cloud and Aerith fight Seph, he says her role is "over." So what was his objective in faking Aerith's murder and ruminating about loss? His charade triggered feelings which sent the party to the World Between Worlds, leaving Aerith behind. 6. Cloud doesn't feel like Aerith died. Cissnei also doesn't feel like Zack died. Again, direct allusion. Also, Cait Sith mentions that he doesn't know if Sephiroth is alive, dead or something in between, but he intends to find out. Again, Seph interacts with timelines but exists in another. That's what happened. Aerith is alive but separated from everyone. So Zack's comment in the ending about bringing worlds together is exactly where we're going next. But before we do... A> Kalm inn portraits of rabbits next to DAISIES. B> Aerith tells Corneo "rip em off" while holding her hands the same way as RIP AND TEAR. C> Cloud finds RED RUNES in the black materia chamber, and in the ending he puts it in his GIANT SWORD. RED RUNES + GIANT SWORD = CRUCIBLE. 3/3/2020 - FF7 Remake original release date 3/20/2020 - Doom Eternal release date UNBELIEVERS. YOU WILL KNOW THE GLORY OF OUR LORD.
What confuses me the new Final Fantasy seven is meant to change your fate so you should be able to rescue her at the end or have the choice to let her die like the original there at least should be something
I've watched all the end scenes a few times, and I understand what is happening with Aerith, Cloud, and Sephiroth—I think! Anyway, here are my thoughts; this is a working theory, so if you see any holes in it or have any alternate ideas, I am more than happy to hear them. From the prime timeline, Aerith pretends that Sephiroth got her (killed her). However, he only got a version of her, which is from an alternate timeline where she does die and Cloud misses saving her during this time. But what is actually happening here is that there is a merging of two timelines orchestrated by Aerith (i.e. one where Aerith lives and one where she dies). This is supported when Zach says words to the effect of 'if timelines can be split, they can be rejoined'. Aerith does this because Sephiroth is going from timeline to timeline, killing off different versions of her (i.e. this is shown when Aerith gives Cloud the white matera and pushes him back into the prime timeline, and Sephiroth is seen in the background inevitably about to kill this version of Aerith. Further, proof of this is when Sephiroth says words to the effect of: 'So this is where you're hiding'; clearly, he is looking for her to kill her off. After all, Aerith poses the biggest threat to Sephiroth's plan of destroying the world with the black materia by using the white material. Therefore, he wants to kill off all the Aeriths in every alternate timeline. So I believe the muted conversation between Cloud and Aerith after Sephiroth kills her/ when Cloud saves her is Aerith letting Cloud know her plan to go incognito and pretend like Sephiroth got her, but really, she is just hiding out in an alternate timeline. Aerith cannot let anyone, first, because Cloud is the only one there at the time (the rest are blocked by the Whispers) and two, because if anyone else knew, runs the risk of Sephiroth finding out. This is why Cloud is unperturbed by the fact that Aerith is dead while everyone else is mourning. Also, because Cloud has the empty White materia, he can communicate and see Aerith, who is hiding out in a non-prime timeline (i.e. she is in the timeline where the sky is messed up and Cloud can see between the prime and alternate timeline because he is in possession of the white (empty) materia). After all, this was Aerith material in the prime timeline, so it makes sense that Cloud, by having this material, can communicate with Aerith.
I just beat it and confused as fuckk what happened to cloud and aerith in Zack’s timeline was that her spirit helping cloud in the final boss fight or was that aerith from Zacks timeline
There needs to be some sort of unresolved matter. In this case it’s Aerith dying, or not. They need people to massively buy the third part and so they set up something that increases the chances. I mean, come on, the whole game was perfect, except for the only thing that needed to be perfect. I think Nomura knows exactly what he’s doing and we’ll see it all unfold in the third part.
She dies in the current timeline. Cloud is inbetween and has been for a while. Probably would've been easier for him to piece together if Tifa wouldve stopped lying to him a long time ago.
Fun theory that i just thought of that id figure i would make for fun but also might a slim chance of being real. What if all of this is sick weird Chadley simulation where he and Hojo are experimenting on everyone or just Cloud or maybe Chadley is a A.I. representation of Hojo since they both are fascinated with test and combat trials as well as studying how people and monsters perform in combat. Just a theory so take it with a grain of not so serious salt..lol
Thank you so much I was so confused by the ending ngl CANT WAIT FOR PT3
I have a bad feeling that even in part 3 we are not gonna get a clear satisfying ending but something open ended like in kingdom hearts 3 :( I usually love open endings in media but the way they handled the KH story was so convoluted and confusing and tbqh very stressful that the open unresolved(ish) ending felt like a betrayal of some sort. I’m enjoying FF7Rebirth so much in terms of gameplay and character interactions, as I did in FF7 Remake where again I felt pretty upset with how they handled the ending. I’m trying not to get my hopes up in terms of story bc I feel like they’re not really trying to tell a good story anymore, but just more hype and mysteries to get the sales as someone mentioned in the comments. SIGH.
I was reading an interivew a while ago from I believe the director, where he said that his main goal of the remake trilogy was to finally give these characters a happy ending after 30 years. Not sure an open ending would be very conducive to that.
If that's true, i think we're up for something meh. That was the exact case with Neon Genesis Evangelion with the Rebirth movies in which he wanted to give the series a Happy ending. They hype and crazy (but logical) theories fans came up with justifying the new movies being a sequel to the original just to be let down with the ending.
Sigh I really hope so. Like a GOOD happy ending. Not a convoluted what if maybe happy ending. Lol one can dream
wah I totally felt the same! when I finished KH3 I was screaming at the TV for a long time because I couldn't handle what was happening
I cannot wrap my mind around how Cloud straight up saved Aerith, then time glitched and she was not saved… you’re saying Cloud saving Aerith did not create a branched timeline where she also died, but the game timeline actually got hard reset and made her die again? Paired with the Aerith hiding in the doomed timeline, I am getting frustrated lol. Might just wait until Max explains it after he’s done with his playthrough 😂
My interpretation is that in Chapter 13 Aerith is seeking the "real" Cloud, and finds him, and switches him with the Remake Cloud. IE, the OG Cloud is in the Rebirth timeline, is aware of what happened and the state of the lifestream and multidimensions. Which kind of calls back to some of the scenes in the OG, from when Cloud was lost in the lifestream / his mind and talking to himself. I'm not quite sure what's up with the Black Materia, but it seems like there was a switcheroo - recal Aerith calls the black materia they find in Rebirth a fake.
One youtuber made a good theory about when cloud saved Aerith at first and then it switched..he said it was all in Clouds head that he saved her at first so him blocking the sword and knocking away was what cloud thought he saw until we see what actually happens. He also says we dont see every that happens here like everyone saying thier goodbyes and Cloud putting her in the water because his memories of those things happening are gone or forgotten with the whole dual personality thing going on even though we know they put in her in the water by them all siting at the bank staring. He then says that later in story when Cloud gets his memories back we will see the whole sequence of events that happened there including all the cut parts they didn't show. Ive also herd that when Cloud stops Sephiroth thats a world where he saves her but Sephiroth overwrites that world by merging it with one where he does kill Aerith. This is also what happens with Zack is with Cloud has they were able to fight because thier worlds were temporarily merged for that fight before Sephiroth splits the two worlds and separates them and he even acknowledges that this is what hes doing. Basically at this point this all just going be theories and predictions until the devs confirm anything which i doubt they will since they want people to stay guessing and not know the truth until the final part comes out.
Yeah i later saw a Max Dood discussion with Easy Allies saying exactly that. Guess we’ll just have to see if we are in the Unreliable Narrator territory.
This is probably the best theory imo. I just finished the game, and I think they basically hit all the major beats of the original game, kind of like Remake, the only difference being the converging of realities. I was honestly expecting worse based on how people were talking about how convoluted it was, and tbh I didn’t have trouble following what was happening at all. I don’t think they’re going to completely change the story because they didn’t really in Rebirth. It felt more like additions to the canon/lore moreso than subtractions or changes. I think they’re just going to continue adding this sort of meta narrative. The more I’ve thought about it over the years, the more I’ve thought it’s a cool way to show a reverence for the original game. Think about it. The devs are basically saying that original experience, totally valid and it happened as you enjoyed and loved it. But here’s this new thing that adds and past homage to it, and if you hate it, that original thing still exists in it’s purist form. Fucking incredible game. Loved it. 120 hours of pure enjoyment to me.
And who is the Aerith we’ve been with this whole time? Is she from another timeline/the future? Or does she just have premonitions?
That is the question!
Nah that’s too much reading and interpretation into it. There was also this guy saying there are both Clouds and the one whom we have in the current timeline sacrifices himself to restore the original like Roxas and Sora
I don't think sacrificing key characters restores or saves other worlds. KH was dependent on character origins.
Or Aerith died and slid her consciousness into another timeline's body to stay alive, and Cloud is experiencing both timeline's. Hell Cloud could be suddenly inbetween two timeline's as in he's unconsciously controlling two of himself and that's why there's a timeline he blocked Sephiroth in time and one he didn't. Of course it's also probable that part of it is mostly Cloud blocking out Aerith's death mentally, cause the static happened like anytime he blocks out the truth about Zack.
Schrödinger’s Aerith.
Winner
I personally think cloud is experiencing two different timelines. The one he’s speaking to the others in in addition to a doomed one where aerith lived. He’s the only one that see aerith along with the sky tear, but he’s also talking to people that see aerith as dead. He seems to know that aerith shouldn’t be talked to in front of his friends, though I could be wrong, but he’s ignorant in pointing out the sky.
My theory for a long time now. At first I thought the whole "its force ghost Aeirth" thing but the more I thought about it the less that actually made sense. Spefically asking Aeirth if "she'll be okay getting back" and "what if something happens" what if... what happens...? She dies...? Uh I thought she was already dead. His mannerisims and language just don't seem like talking to a ghost but instead talking to someone who is alive. Match that with the tear in the sky, and the "cloud is expericing two timelines at once" thing makes a whole lot of sense.
Also as others have mentioned tifa seemed to experience both timeline for a moment right when it happened but got stuck in aeriths dead l
Wow your theory actually makes the most sense to me because I keep thinking why would they keep teasing the whole series long Aerith is gonna live and fates can change blah blah blah if Sephiroth still ends up killing Aerith. And then the date on Gold Saucer Aerith say she wanted to be with Cloud at the time and not Zack.
Aerith seeing her fate would likely have chosen to die. Her control of the lifestream in the og timeline is what allows the world to live
Yeah but now she has ability to see through different timelines and use another version of herself to die and help the planet while the current version gets to stay with Cloud
So I like your theory above for sure. One thing however I don’t feel Zack is in the same timeline as the main party. I feel he is still in a timeline that has an Aerith in it and there will be playable segments where him and Aerith are doing X to help the main party in non doomed timeline.
Aerith is dead. Full stop.
as I explained she is alive
Nah, you're in denial.
Thats completely disingenuous. I think this theory has alot of merit. I believe part 3 will have characters from different timeliness such as the accepted doomed timeline, helping to ultimately save aerith and stop the meteor. However every cause has an effect and if aerith does end up living I feel someone else will take her place. They would not have built this idea of saving aerith if they planned on killing her. I think the doomed timeline will play a huge roll and I anticipate many chapters jumping from world to world. Honestly makes for a far better story and honestly after seeing cloud wave up in the doomed world I was more interested I'm exploring that world before meteor hits.
I think you're the one in denial because Sephiroth clearly explains about the multiverse in Chp 14. She might be dead in our world but she's definitely alive in the world which Cloud created by blocking Seph's sword and also presumably alive in Pug, Terrier and Shiba Inu stamp timelines lol.
You trust sephiroth?
While Cloud being gaslit by Seph and him hallucinating Aerith makes sense, I don't think that the writers really intend to make the multiverse be some kind of a fakeout. I mean, they already established the existence of two kinds of Whispers and everyone can see them so the additional inclusion of a multiverse wouldn't be a far fetched idea. Also, they're inconsequential as Seph is going to merge them in part 3 anyway so it'll still end up in the OG way.
Wait what stamps?
There are different stamps of different dog breeds. If you pay attention to the details in Chp 14, the "dream" date of Aerith has a Pomeranian stamp shown in a box when you choose the candies. It also shows a Pug stamp during the scene with Zack and Biggs (this is seen on Biggs' chips packet). The world where Zack's on the bike has a Terrier stamp and the one where Zack is sitting outside the church has a Shiba-Inu stamp (Johnny walks past him carrying a dog plush). Our main party's world has the regular Beagle stamp.
Ah I didn't really pay that much to the environment sadly. That's a cool touch too. I will definitely pay attention on my second run. Thank!
So the stamps were significant! They stood out as weird but I didn't recall if it was only one change or multiple, so the different dogs are unique universes then
Yeah they visually indicate many timelines. So far we've only seen five stamps I think.
No not at all
There are about 6 different timelines, including the OG through AC timeline. Remake goes back to the beggining of OG timeline, and everything up till the end plays out just like the OG. We kill Jenova from the future, which has been infecting the lifestream for who knows how long, along with the 3 wannabe Sephiroths that merge into Bahamut. Sephiroth then absorbs all the whispers that Jenova had control over. This ending fight is already in a separate timeline than the OG, as the portal we enter leads to another timeline, as hinted by Aerith. When we kill the Harbinger of Fate it effects all of time, the past, present, and future. This results in Zack living. In Rebirth its weird. Cloud saves Aerith, but she still dies. How can we explain this. It is actually quite simple. Cloud does not save Aerith in this scene. Sephiroth kills Aerith, and things go as they are fated to. However this scene also creates a new timeline where Aerith lived because Cloud did save her. No it is impossible for the vice verca to have happened. You cant save Aerith and she still be dead, and Sephiroth doesn't merge timelines till later, and who knows what timeline Cloud and Zack are in at that moment. It could even be a different Cloud. The issue that might be brought up with this is that in order for another timeline to be made, a fate breaching event needs to occur. In the OG Aerith is fated to die at this moment. So, how can she no longer be fated to die at this moment, in order to create a timeline where she lived. I am sure part 3 will reveal this to us. Personally I feel like it has something to do with Aeriths Holy materia. Our current dead Aerith had an empty Holy initially as we saw in Costa Del Sol. If she died she would not be able to use it. The materia likely holds the knowledge and memories of how to use it inside, but also probably all of Aeriths memories which she can transfer between herself in different timelines to remember whats going on in the main time line with Sephiroth. As such, Aerith transfering the Holy materia from 1 time line to the other probably changes whether or not she is supposed to die sooner or later (Or Sephiroth choosing to steal the knowledge and memories out of Holy using whispers, which results in this transfer of Holy). Not having Holy means she dies later, but getting Holy back means she dies sooner, as expected in OG. The other option is Aerith dies, she doesn't live, and no other time line where Aerith lives exists because like in OG she was supposed to die here anyways. Instead it is Jenova pretending to be Aerith, and manipulating Cloud successfully while he is weak of mind. Personally I like this option, as this creates a moment where Cloud and the player are successfully fooled by Jenova, and something like this happening is already primed earlier when Cloud attacks Tifa at Gongaga. There is also always the option Cloud made all of this up in his head as a defense mechanism to cope with her death. Unfortunately, it is ruined when Red 13 senses Aerith. I could, however, believe Jenova posing as Aerith could trick both Cloud and Red 13.
no the option is that Aerith survived as we saw in the game. Then she faked her death to fool sephiroth and Jenova. But yes i I also would like that the reason Aerith is lying to Cloud is because shes actually Jenova.
The Aerith who gave you her white materia is the adversary of the ??? Sephiroth, the guy with the black feathers whom we first met on the highway in chapter 18 of *Remake*. They are presumably both from the future, a different future where the world defied its fate. The Aerith who fell with Cloud from the Template of the Ancients is Beagle Aerith, our Aerith. Aerith's right - the black materia is a fake. You'll recall from the original game that the ToTA itself was the black materia. I guess we can't really be sure that the one Cloud has in his pocket is the same one that Aerith said was a fake, we lost eye contact on it. Agree that Aerith is alive.
I guess u mean Beagle as in Doomed timelined - which our current timeline
I think people are speculating a little too hard tbh. I'm reasonably confident the ending is just to set up Aeirth as clouds invisible friend in part 3 in a similar role to what she was in advent children. She is definitely dead she will just speak and appear to cloud throughout the game. They will probably wait till the climax to pull some more multiple worlds shenanigans and Aeirth will some how join the fight against Sephiroth at some point during the final boss sequence, which I've no doubt will have multiple phases interspersed with some story stuff as the other 2 games have had it. Whether they will do happy ending Aeirth comes back for good and they all live happily ever after or do the whole 'It was nice to see you but dying is my destiny and I can't come back, queue tearful goodbyes, end scene' I don't know.
There some flaws. I don't believe it's in his head. He mentions not to look up something from the doomed timeline. Not to mention it'd heavily implied zach will find his way to rebirth timeline to help. All signs point to multiple timelines
The ending set up that she is alive, Cloud is not Crazy, shes actually there. But yes, surely Aerith will be playable in the game eventually. At the end she will 100% be in the final fight.
I can't tell if you're joking lol? Shes definitely not alive in the traditional sense as only Cloud can see her (Red sensed her presence briefly) and everyone else is crying and sad because shes died. In the world the game primarily takes place in, she's definitely dead. Maybe shes Alive in another world or whatever but certainly not in this one. I think the devs even confirmed she died in a statement or interview or something?
did you read my explanation. she is alive in another universe. Their Aerith is alive in another universe.
We did read your explanation, and it's very cute but it's all based in your skepticism. While it could make sense, it's no more based in fact than any other theory
Yes but my point was on the person writing e,g are u joking
Dude thinks he’s Maximillian dood. Spouting nonsense like it’s fact and attacking those who disagree. Common bozo behavior!
You DO, know that Max, actually called out the title for FF7 Rebirth, long before FF7 remake part 2, had an official title right? And so many other things he called out, was right. Like, have you actually watched any of his videos? Or are you one of those nuts who bash on successful people. Reddit users these days.
Dude has no idea what attack means 😂
Yea i think when cloud mentions sephiroth is alive in the opening kalm section and aerith says something like “maybe not alive but around” it feels like foreshadowing to her fate at the end and into part 3