Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's ending explained

GamesJRPGFinal FantasyFinal Fantasy 7 RebirthFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s ending explainedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesJRPGFinal FantasyFinal Fantasy 7 RebirthFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s ending explainedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Square Enix) Jump to:Final Fantasy 7 Remake recapAerithThe Sky’s the LimitThe Inevitability of Fate Jump to:Final Fantasy 7 Remake recapAerithThe Sky’s the LimitThe Inevitability of Fate Before we continue, take this as your main spoiler warning that you’ll want to finishFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthbefore reading on – or maybe you don’t! That’s also fine, as long as you know what you’re getting into. Square Enixhas saidon several occasions that the goal of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy isn’t to rewrite history, but to provide a retelling that expands upon it and introduces an additional narrative that gives you plenty to ponder on the journey through it all. So far, if you’ve played the original, then the main story beats are largely intact. It’s what the future holds that prompts plenty of speculation. On that note, nothing put forward here is guaranteed to happen and you don’t need to have all the answers yourself. Community speculation is part of the fun, so here’s what we’ve put together about the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending. Final Fantasy 7 Remake recap (Image credit: Square Enix) FF7 Rebirth guidesHow long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth mapFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth fast travelFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth upgrade weaponsFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth Pressure enemies FF7 Rebirth guides How long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth mapFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth fast travelFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth upgrade weaponsFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth Pressure enemies How long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth mapFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth fast travelFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth upgrade weaponsFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth Pressure enemies Just look at how we got here. As we delved into with our previousFinal Fantasy 7 Remake ending explainer, the RPG is largely faithful to the source material aside from tweaks to accommodate one-third of a game becoming a full-blown experience and the odd expansion or retcon of the lore. What left us with plenty to ponder was the introduction of arbiters of fate – known as Whispers – who attempted to ensure that history followed the correct path. They occasionally appeared during the story before being defeated at the end, giving follow-up Rebirth room to deviate from the plot. The following scene showing the once-dead character Zack Fair alive only fueled theories further that this would be a multiverse affair. The point is that Final Fantasy 7 Remake unfolds largely how the Midgar section of the original does – we clash with Avalanche before a quest for Sephiroth takes us beyond the city. All the added elements only made the road to Rebirth less clear. Much like Remake, though, we’ve been left with plenty of food for thought over what comes next, so let’s break down some of the bigger twists of the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending and what it means. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending - Aerith (Image credit: Square Enix) Much like in the original, Aerith dies in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Here, though, there’s more mystery around it. While the original is pretty clean-cut in communicating that Sephiroth kills Aerith and she’s gone for good, Rebirth adds a ‘but’ to each step. Sephiroth still appears from the sky to strike the killing blow, though we see Cloud parry his blade this time. At first, it appears Square Enix is rewriting historybutonly for a moment – in the next shot we see Aerith dying. The boring explanation is that Square Enix might be recasting the scene in a way that doesn’t spike the age rating skyward, though what comes after suggests not. Once Aerith dies in the original, she’s very much gone and that’s the end of it.Butin Rebirth, that’s not the case for everyone. While the last of the Cetra still appears before Cloud during and following a climactic multi-stage battle with Sephiroth, you can tell from the rest of the party’s reaction that she’s gone. There’s a hint that Red 13 can sense her, though everyone else falls into mourning and doesn’t acknowledge her presence. So why can Cloud still see her? The surrounding events throw up a few possibilities. Square Enix could merely be trying to give the iconic character a huge send-off before she sits Part 3 out, but there are other ways you can read into it. After we finish with the Temple of the Ancients, Cloud and Aerith fall into the differing timelines we’ve seen up until this point. While Aerith dies in the prime timeline we follow, Cloud being exposed to other timelines in which she still lives could strengthen their link enough that she might appear before him, illusion or not. It’s a theory not unlike Cloud’s link to Sephiroth. Before the events of the original game and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cloud is injected with Jenova’s cells, not unlike Sephiroth himself – making him somewhat of a clone. That and history are largely why the antagonist appears before the protagonist. While Cloud’s relationships with Aerith and Sephiroth differ largely, both can be seen to influence the brooding mercenary in how he acts and the lines of dialogue from both he openly quotes. Rebirth sees Cloud struggle with Sephiroth’s influence, and Aerith might be here to provide the balance. Or, you could see Aerith appearing before Cloud as a representation of his guilt at failing to save her. Set after the game’s events, Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children – yes, themovie Square Enix says we’re linking up with– deals with Cloud trying to reconcile himself with that failure. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s ending might just be the first step on that journey. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending - The Sky’s the Limit (Image credit: Square Enix) What’s likely to draw the most chatter is the sky and the impending doom it spells if we fail in Remake Part 3. One of the main ways we differentiate between Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s main timeline and the others is the state of what’s above. That, and the breed of Shinra mascot Stamp the Dog differs depending on what realm we’re visiting – it’s a beagle in the primary timeline, whereas in others we see a terrier, pug, and others. The sky in Rebirth appears clear for the majority of our runtime, whereas in other realms we can see an aurora suggesting the sky is fragmented. The melancholy feeling is locked in within one realm where we see everyone at peace with the world ending. You can imagine the sinking feeling of returning home and seeing the sky there now fragmented too. Looking at the signs, though, it was always so. One clue has drawn more emphasis recently, withone of Aerith’s final lines in Remakebeing changed from, “I miss it, the steel sky,” to “This sky… I don’t like it.” While Aerith’s brush with the Whispers at the end of Remake appears to jumble her memories, we’re often given hints prior that she knows what’s to come. It’s also worth pointing out that the primary timeline’s sky only appears different to Cloud – whose view we primarily see the game from – once he’s jumped through a few different timelines, still appearing bright and blue to the rest of our party. As for what it means, it reflects the damage that’s been done when we defeated those who held fate together and a reminder of the perils to come if we don’t succeed in ensuring Remake 3 leads to an end akin to the original. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending - The Inevitability of Fate (Image credit: Square Enix) As we already touched upon, the aim of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy isn’t to rewrite history. To that end, you already likely have an idea of what’s to come in Part 3. That said, the seeds have been sown to give us some idea of how we get there. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake project appears alike to many multiverse narratives in that fate is presented as inevitable. That’s presented best through Zack and Aerith during our multi-dimensional adventure that forms part of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s ending. At various stages during that segment, we see Zack confronted with a squad of Shinra troopers, not unlike the scene that leads to his own death before the original Final Fantasy 7 begins – the irony isn’t lost on him, as he draws attention to the fact himself with a quip. Aerith is no different. One alternative reality scene sees Cloud meet Aerith in a church, only to be pushed through a rift back to our timeline as Sephiroth arrives, himself remarking that Aerith can’t escape her own fate and what’s about to come. Given everything, it says that Sephiroth has his own fate he can’t escape. His plans are loftier in the Remake project, though still involve using the black materia to cast the spell Meteor down onto the planet. How he plans to avoid what’s intended for him remains to be seen, though it’s sure to make Part 3 anything but predictable. © GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more TOPICSSquare Enix TOPICS CATEGORIESPS5PlatformsPlayStation CATEGORIES More about final fantasyHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureDragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is completeLatest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► More about final fantasyHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureDragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is completeLatest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► More about final fantasyHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureDragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is complete More about final fantasy How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureDragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is complete How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future Dragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is complete Dragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is complete Latest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► Latest 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” See more latest► Most PopularHow to fix gear trains for the Indiana Jones Khmer cogwheel puzzleHow to get the Indiana Jones A Game of Wits Mak-Yek board game safe 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keyEverything in the Helldivers 2 Urban Legends WarbondWhere to find all Serpent’s Chest keys in Indiana JonesHow to complete the Sanctuary of the Guardians in Indiana Jones Most PopularHow to fix gear trains for the Indiana Jones Khmer cogwheel puzzleHow to get the Indiana Jones A Game of Wits Mak-Yek board game safe codeWhere to find the Fast Recon Vehicle in Helldivers 2FC 25 Globetrotters guide brings boosted cards for Ronaldo and SalahWhat is Infinity Nikki Vital Energy and how to get itEverything revealed about the Pokemon TCG Pocket Mythical Island expansionBest Path of Exile 2 Ranger BuildWhere to find the Indiana Jones Royal Army uniform and keyEverything in the Helldivers 2 Urban Legends WarbondWhere to find all Serpent’s Chest keys in Indiana JonesHow to complete the Sanctuary of the Guardians in Indiana Jones Most Popular How to fix gear trains for the Indiana Jones Khmer cogwheel puzzle How to get the Indiana Jones A Game of Wits Mak-Yek board game safe code Where to find 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that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”