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I love how despite having no clue what the hell is going on, Zack has complete faith in Cloud and instantly has his back. Zack is a true bro.

Schrodinger's Aierth lmao 🤣 good one

So the japanese script reveals some interesting things. Sephiroth says when the walls of fate are breached, many worlds are born. He also mentions that there's many 'layers' of worlds. Thinking of them as explicit branches like we usually do is not quite correct, as where they are layered on top of each other, it means intermingling (the verb in japanese that's been localized as confluence and such) is more easy to do at specific moments. Both of the games have pivotal OG story moments with tons of Whispers (Feelers in japanese) where fate is being altered somehow, and both Aerith and Sephiroth are up to nonsense in these moments. You can see how Zack can get shuffled around in each of these moments and how they can fight Sephiroth from different worlds at the same time. A few other interesting things to note: Sephiroth's blessing is the same word used in japanese that they localize as the planet's rapture. He also mentions that the method in which Cloud sees the world is still different than his. Pretty sure Sephiroth's blessing is really just the ability to see beyond the 'prime' world because of this, but sadly his brain is still cooked and won't let him clearly. Sephiroth's whole thing is he wants to join all these worlds as one, and he mentions this in the japanese, that the worlds will have their reunion with our world. Stands to reason any number of changes can be made to reality this way, and we already see this with misplaced Stamps in Junon, the radio broadcast in Kalm, and the tornado that occurred in our prime reality because of what happened at Destiny's Crossroads, so would make sense that Cloud could have saved Aerith and Sephirot and/or the planet swapped in one where she dies. Something also different about the ending that doesn't get talked about is that while Aerith isn't affected by the plane backfiring, but then later she IS affected by the plane's propellers starting. Two Aerith's in the ending perhaps? Maybe the one who just died and one who lived in another world? Anyway, there's a lot to unpack and I think you're on the right track mate! If you ever want some help with differences in the JP and Eng scripts, let me know!

I think the Aerith at the end is Aerith in a timeline where she was saved. I think no one can see her except Cloud because he's the only one aware of the other timelines now and can see her, but also that in this world, her physical body has perished so there's nothing for her to "posess" so to speak. My reasoning for this is 1) if it were dead Aerith's spirit, i feel like she could've just manifested herself to Cloud in the OG but i also feel like it's not so easy to just manifest whenever you want. And 2) when Cloud timeline hopped with her he was in the body that was in the wheelchair. So he was in *that* timeline's Cloud's body. I also feel like when he asked her if she could get back ok he was referring to her timeline, not the temple.

So you know, after Sephiroth knocks Aerith and Cloud off the ledge, they don’t get knocked into Zack’s timeline. It’s a different timeline, indicated when you “choose” Aerith gift you see a completely new dog That’s interesting your theory of the rift and Aerith. What do you make of Square changing Aeriths line in remake? “The sky, I don’t like it” the big theory is she could always see the scar throughout the game

I had so much fun with this game, but the ending is so confusing can't wait for part 3!

Gotta say, this is a very well structured and thought out video. Even liked how you chose appropriate background track music for the sections you were discussing. Also, have you noticed the parallels in the dialogue in Chapter 12 during the loveless performance where Cait Sith says " What is the future, but the the culmination of choices past? But they always end in a tearful goodbye (i.e, Aerith's death) but we hope that this story stays long after we are gone (I think this is a meta comment from the developers saying they hope the story of FF7 stays with the fans long after the story is wrapped up)" Then you've got what Barret says when he's playing as Lord Valvados and he says " I wonder what fate awaits you at JOURNEY'S END, will the godess grant you her blessing (potentially Aerith being the godess casting her final limit break, Great Gospel on the entire party to make them invincible) or will sorrow and hate consume you? (Basically will Cloud allow his anger from the realisation of the loss of Aerith to consume him and fuel the black materia, which is fuelled by anger and hate in which Gi Nattak himself said that the Black materia is full of hate, anger negative emotions etc. Sorry if this is too long or ive rambled on for too much but I can't help myself when it comes to this game!😅 Also, Shrodinger's Aerith made me lol😂 thank you

I really enjoyed your video From what i understand myself is FF7 is linked to 13 and 10. in 13 we learn that if you change the future you change the past the effects ripple up and down the timeline. They beat Destiny in remake which made all the possible worlds/Realities exist but none of them end.that includes Zack not dying as we seen the effects of the change in future change his faith in the past. Sephiroth took the black materia and says at the temple "This is the key..." "Which grants access to the true counterpart hidden between worlds" The black materia is key to opening the link between the worlds. The white whispers are trying to make one timeline hold, the old one. Sephiroths black whispers that he controls are trying to keep the chaos that defeating destiny had caused on going. Cloud DID in fact save Aerith our Aerith but the white whispers are making the one timeline where she dies the main reality/world again you see them floating around her setting it as the main world/reality timeline. Cloud has the Black Materia so he still has the key between the worlds. That is why when he looks up he is seeing the sky glitch but the others cant. Cloud can see the world/timeline where the Aerith he saved is and she is still trying to help. Even after Aeriths death when Zack joins Cloud in the battle between worlds Sephiroth says "Just as worlds unite,so too do they part." then he cuts Zack off again but before Zack goes he says to Cloud "Cloud! save her!" meaning we still have a chance to "make things right" que part3 :)

That aerith trial had me SOBBING...no bullshit...sobbing

12:00 aerith acting weird here is seemingly because she knows her fate and what’s about to happen, she wants to cherish her last moments on a date with cloud. It makes sense acting odd when you know you’re minutes away from dying.

One of Cloud’s possible dates in Rebirth is Red XIII. During said date, Red reveals that he and Aerith knew the future when they were still in Midgar, but the whispers took those memories when they went through the portal. Red mentions worrying about forgetting whether the whispers even exist and Cloud VERY interestingly says: We’d be better off, frankly. “There’s no point wasting our time worrying about fate…(and then the camera zooms in on his lips when he says this) …if we can’t change it.” Aerith. Is. Alive. None of the changes to this game and its plot matter in the least if she’s dead. This is a very clear meta-commentary from the creative team at square. They know that if everything remains exactly the same as it did in OG FF7 then there is NO POINT to remake or rebirth. They may as well have made an actual 1:1 Remake of FF7 and not what is VERY obviously a sequel with a “Back to the Future” type spin. The other thing that happens is Red makes Cloud promise during this scene is that he will keep Aerith safe. He says he doesn’t remember his memories, but he has a strong feeling that they were telling him that. Cloud does it this time. He KEPT her safe. He parried the blade. And none of this story would matter if he hadn’t. Ultimately, saving Aerith is the crux of the problem between the 2 sides of the fandom. Those that want an FF7 faithful remake (FF7:Remake was never this to begin with) and those that want to change what happened and want a sequel and closure to the story. This isn’t OG. That story happened, we got to experience it, FF7R adding to the story doesn’t change what you experienced the first time. And I think that’s the brilliant metatextual message of the game. If you want a world where Aerith died and the story had a theme about life and death… it exists, you got that and no one can take it away. Now you get to experience a different story. Enjoy the ride or don’t, but this time things will be different. This time we get to save our friend.

I find it weird that aerith tells cloud to not worry and take care of himself, but then on the final scene asks him to promise to defeat sephiroth, tbh seems like 2 different characters imo

Thanks for this, really enjoying the analysing of the ending and all aspects of the story. I will comment on Aerith taking Cloud to choose the gifts, candies and such, that I see it as her trying to give Cloud fun and fond memories with her, to comfort him, so that he would not get as lost to Sephiroth's manipulation, rage and sadness.. Which all seem to feed Sephiroth. Seeing that Cloud is really struggling in a lot of ways, and is at a loss of identity, those kind and sort of cheerful gestures and small extra memories in that scene might try to speak to the "real Cloud", which is quite lost to Cloud. That is what I thought about that.

I feel like Cloud can see merged worlds because he made/was the cause of the new timeline where he saves Aerith and was actively awake in that timeline.. which is why he can see her, alive, and see the tear in the sky but still be present with everyone in Beagle.

29:45 cloud isnt imagining Aerith. Red13 feels her presence, too. They explicitly included his reaction to tell us shes there in spirit form - not a mental delusion

Loved watching this play-through live. You have the best interactive streaming community. Excellent job.

The idea o having saved Aerith from being killed makes total sense to me. Although, all of this tend to push us to some mess of a puzzle, not other but a russian doll-type, so inside each conceptualization there lies some potential discrepancy underneath somewhere. But, overall it fits for me. Cloud's delusional explanation is not more than an attemp to discredit the unexpected, one to try to make the question less convoluted or not at all. Maybe that is the way it is, but think is not the way it should be, given the level of the storytelling here. Besides, the mental state of our hero does not exclude per se the existence of the alternative ending, after all that is the true essence of any rol playing game: to be able to interfere in the very basis of the game reality as it is presumed to be unfold. And this is not a vulgar RPG.

Just beat the game yesterday. Been waiting for your take. Thanks for posting.

I love the meta idea of the storyline repeating itself and the characters doing their parts each time just like us who have played the OG game repeatedly over the years

May I ask your take on Aerith's final line in Remake ? Because to me, it felt like they changed it so it would hint thay she could see the Rift in the sky when everyone else couldn't.

Love this guys narration and description man, best theory video so far

My thoughts on the ending was confusion but what I can say it feels like an empire strikes back moment or a bitter sweet loss for the characters. It’s a different loss I typically see in stories but it was unsettling to say the least. I appreciate that it’s ambiguous and ambitious.

I love that they are setting up what seems to be OG Aerith as the true hero of the world even more so than in the OG game.

I finished the game yesterday and at long last I could watch this video! What a thoughtful analysis of a very puzzling ending! I look forward to your videos breaking down each chapter. Thanks!

Thank you. You were concise, clearly explained your thoughts, humbly admitted that you could be wrong in your analysis yet remained respectful to the new concepts that the writers introduced to the series and didn't insult the writers and those who admired these new imaginings. I've watched some critiques who would belittle those who enjoyed remake and rebirth, even accusing the writers of bad intentions. As if these purists were the only ones who loved ff7. I loved the new insights and have basis for my hope that square Enid will wrap this up as beautifully as they have done or even surpass all expectations

I love your video! You went into much detail, focusing much on scrutinizing the primary source, almost like retelling the story with a clearer perspective, and less on speculation.

Very nice summary. So, are you still planning in working through the chapters in isolation? Ngl I'm hungry for more, I love the way you think and analyze.

5:25 I think it's part grooming / "See Cloud? See what you did? You're a bad person" which would overall add to his despair. Piling on the sins to REALLY break him in part 3 Fun things I noticed 6:35 Note the treats look like whispers- The white Materia is "Hollow" Cloud's theme song When the party is at the wall of whispers in the forgotten capital the party members are saying Aerith's name, but it isn't until Cloud says "Aerith" that 3 black whispers snap into action, i think this is intended- now keeping in line with that thought- 17:55 when Zack gives that playful punch to the arm, Cloud explodes with black whispers, a lil unintended effect of your "Blessing" there Seph?

Love the content. Great video! I would like to see you dive into Marlene a bit more in another video. At this point, we all know she received the vision of Aerith's death. Everyone believes it's remake Marlene but I don't think that is the case. Marlene will always be saved by Aerith as Fate was defeated afterwards. This means if there are 10 timelines, all 10 timelines of Marlenes will receive this vision when they interact at the bar. We are quick to assume its the OG death because of course, why wouldn't it be. Yet, we are shown a different version of Aerith's death at the end of the date in Chapter 14. One that matches directly to Marlene's explanation to Zack and the timeline itself where camotose versions of Cloud and Aerith reside. I like your style of breaking down each scene and would love to see if you are able to dissect this.

Great analysis. I have thought about this ending a lot. I think I see it mostly being that Aerith and Zack both being dead and will find each other in the church in the Lifestream as in Advent Children. You see the white screens for both characters showing they are both dead. Cloud can see Aerith but he's just has, his mind broken. But the best part of this ending is there are so many possible solutions to this mystery. I can't wait for the next game.

For the "Aerith is acting weird during her date with Cloud" bit, I think it's because she's trying to relive her date with Zack from Crisis Core. She was a teenager then, and it would line up with her acting more childlike and not like her normal self who Cloud knows. To me, the biggest hint is that she says she and Cloud will go to "their spot," which turns out to be the Sector 5 church. But Cloud has barely spent any time there, and it was just spent fighting Shinra. If she and Cloud had a "spot," it seems more like it should be the playground, where they actually bonded and had a meaningful connection. But her "spot" with Zack would be the church. So basically, I think Aerith's date with Zack is a treasured memory of hers, and she knows she's not going to be alive much longer, so she's trying to relive that treasured memory as much as she can.

Great Video! I was really confused at the end of the game

Love this breakdown! Subbed mate!

I think the counterpart to the Black Materia is the White Materia, which at that time was hidden between worlds in the world where Zack survived. Sephiroth knew that if he has the Black Materia that Aerith would have no choice but to retrieve the White Materia. The one that she called a fake is the one inside the temple, as that was never the real Materia. It was only a tribute

The reason that Aerith is acting "weird" is because she knows those will be her final moments as she knows Sephiroth has found her. She wants to spend her last moments with Cloud joyfully before she hands him the White Materia and sends him off the current world. She also wants to ease Cloud so that Sephiroth has fewer chances of brainwashing him.

Maybe I am reading too much into this but there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the number 7 and if you look carefully at that shot with Sephiroth explaining the true nature of reality you can clearly see 7 "bubbles" which could signify 7 different worlds/realities active right now and we got a glimpse at a few of them and in no particular order: Reality 1 - OG FF, i think we see it when Cloud is crying holding Aerith and talking, Cloud actually talks about Aerith here during her demise in the OG Reality 2 - A reality where Cloud saves Aerith and she's alive and well Reality 3- Cloud/Aerith unconscious and Zack running around Reality 4 - The "huskey" reality where Cloud and Aerith have their date. I noticed she has a pin on her jacket she doesn't have on any other.seems to be the same flower type that she prefers. two flowers together signifying a reunion Reality 5 - The reality that got "created" when Zack decides to help unconscious Cloud from reality 3 Reality 6 - The reality that got "created" when Zack decides to help Biggs from reality 3. Spanning this new reality showing Biggs eating crisps from a Pug Stamp pack Reality 7 - The reality we are living in this Remake/Rebirth This is purely theoretical and I may be missing out on "realities" but if i'm not the math is mathing. Something during the third part is going to cause a reality clash of some sort. Part 3 is going to be uncharted territory. locales will be the same sure, some certain beats will still be there but it will all be different in my opinion especially after the tagline at the end "No promises to keep at journey's end" which my takeaway is : Regardless of what Aerith makes Cloud promise and regardless of what the Aerith that said she will do all she can to stop Meteor, they will both fail and more will need to be done than what was done in OG to stop Sephiroth

I was thinking how Aerith was being so weird with Cloud, that it was because she knew she’d have to die and she made it clear she didn’t want him to blame himself. In advent children cloud was basically depressed the whole time about not being able to save Aerith. So I wonder if it is for a setup so cloud can feel like he got to spend a short fun time with her, as well as her being able to thank him and say goodbye, so he could move on and the 3rd installment won’t be about him mourning Aerith. Although he still sees her in the ending. Also where she wants cloud to pick things out for her, maybe she wanted to experience that with him (since she’s certainly not shy) but also cloud will have a memory of “giving his first gift to Aerith” or something along those lines. Like another reason for him to not stay hung up on her death in a similar fashion as in advent children. I love this game so much… it was actually depressing at one point knowing it would have to end. But unfortunately I didn’t like the ending. I’m trying to though, I enjoyed this breakdown of events!

Imagine doing this much just to say "cloud is just delusional" 😂.

One observation I disagree with is Cloud is "crying and ranting". Most of the time he is either crying or speaking, not both. And most of the time it doesn't look like he's ranting. He does look more frantic towards the end. If he he speaking the entire time when we don't see the speaking Cloud, he could be saying a fair bit. It potentially looks like he is telling Aerith something as quickly as possible. I suspect this might be an important clue hidden in plain sight. I'm not high percentage certain on this but I think he is telling Aerith to transfer his memories between worlds (memories being important to the nature of reality in FF7) which she does when she touches his face. That's the significance of Aerith having blood on her arm in one world and not in the other.

Maybe I'm too dumb for stories this complex. I'm just a guy who likes big sword warriors, big boobed fighters, and gun arms. Six-layer multidimensional trauma responses and special effects analysis and implications are too much for me to process well.

I'm thinking that in the whirlwind maze, when Sephiroth reveals to the party that Cloud wasn't there in Nibelheim, he's also going to show Cloud killing Aerith, in an attempt to fully alienate the group. Then when Cloud's mind is put back together in the lifestream, we'll see the actual scene take place, along with Cloud releasing her body into the lake.

I think Sephiroth still needs Cloud to actually bring the black materia to him. If it’s like in the OG, his physical body is still inside a crystal in the Northern Crater

What do I think? If you're reading this chances are you won't like what I have to say. The Remake structure as a whole is a practice of post modern story telling. Events and interactions are far more anchored into a subjective and malleable framework intentionally built around the user's interaction and interpretation rather than one that is intended to be concretely and objectively analyzed. My proof? It doesn't really matter, but, whether or not you choose to furiously mash L2 and R2 when Cloud is struggling against the whispers OR NOT results in the same conclusion. What is that conclusion? The one you think it is. That entire date scene in the end was putting forth the same philosophy. Aerith could've chosen what she wanted, but she wanted to give Cloud the opportunity to fulfill her wish instead. The end result of the present she received matters far less than the feeling Cloud gets for making the conscious choice to bring happiness to another human being. It's not about what happens, it's about your choice and how you feel about the choice you made and the struggle you endure in the process.

Wow, just wow, your perspective is very interesting, Zack ending up in the OG WORLD ?!! I do wonder if there’s any indication of the physical appearance of the church Zack is in that can give us clues as to where he is, maybe COMPARING the church’s between this scene and the church in OG as well as remake can give us some visual clues.

Aaaah S6, think about the bomb ImaFknLegend dropped on your stream the other day and how the final gauntlet unrolls.... : First you get Jenova with everyone's limit break but cloud's, so she can, during the fight separate you form everyone else... Just so cloud says : "I've done it before, I can do it again" (fight Jenova's influence, alone?). Then, when the whole party is reunited to land the final blow (in a very FF7AC fashion) Jenova falls, and before her next phase, the cutscene clearly shows her normally "human looking" eyes turn.... Bright glowing purple. (which is yet again another detail I've seen no one focus on yet, surprisingly enough....) Has the defeat of Jenova in the physical world allowed sephiroth to take control of/part of her attributes/powers?.. How would that play out when the Tifa enquires about the physical location of cloud, right before sephiroth reborn shows up?... Could it bring further implications toward the next statics flashes cloud gets, especially when he comes back to pick up aerith? And.... More so when she "comes back"?... (yes guys, she's dead as in deader than dead) See, these 2 cts are that, in my opinion, this whole 'timelines' stuff will be revealed as a full blown out retcon only representing cloud's divided mind and personalities... But what do I know! Buckle up buttercup, part 3 is gonna be the greatest game ever made !

I have no idea what is what, and Schroedinger Aerith is a term I like, but I prefer largely the theory that it's in Cloud's mind, because that is exactly what he did in OG. He created a world where he wiped his trauma and was the hero. In OG, he couldn't cope with his failure at becoming SOLDIER and was further broken by Hojo experiments and Zack's death. Here, if the writers went the route "Cloud can't cope with his failure to save Aerith and creates a world in his head where he succeeded", I would sincerely like it, the theme remains the same. Now, if it's something else, I won't mind (if it doesn't betray the OG themes too much) but i'll have to see how they tie it all up. I personally have no theory/certainty and i'd rather have none, there is nothing worse than one believing they are right when nothing has been said officially. Great video,mate

Absolutely massive game. Took me 230 hrs to finish. I was really exploring and doing as much as possible in each section. Haven’t even done hard mode fully yet or brutal/ legendary challenges.

“We all know Sephiroth’s gonnashowhim, come on” haha spot on. I admit my first impression of this ending was also Cloud being broken rather than anyone else’s doing. I have found the other theories super entertaining and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the future

Chapters 13-14 of the game are a masterpiece. The ending really destroyed my expectations, it was exceptional.

When Cloud and the party are in the meadow at the end, and he sees the rift in the sky that they don't, the rift seems to be more rainbow-colored than the rift we saw in the Terrier world. The one in the Terrier world looked more like a muted gold. So perhaps what Cloud is seeing up there isn't the rift of his own world, but the rift of another world, or perhaps all the dying worlds. I think that in part 3, we'll still mostly be following the party in the "main" world. We are "in the world that will be saved," as the JP trailers say, and it will lead into Advent Children. But all the other branched worlds will die off.

Quick thought. From what we know of Part 1, when we step through "Destiny's Crossroad" that is an exact moment when we have the ability to change fate (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ac-YeLGIquCxaHk.htmlsi=k7LWFHaDZiYlq-6p&t=289). In Rebirth, I believe we enter again; with even Berrett referencing the original's Highway Portal as an indicator (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i9Bios1z2JO2d6s.htmlsi=1zED085K5t7zqnAR&t=1117) with even the same bright light as the opening. When the way is open, only Cloud can enter this time, not the rest of the party. This is why after he "Saves" Aerith, nobody else is with him. Given what we know from the previous ending in Remake, this changes are the only ones that are reflective on the original world (hence the unbroken sky). The fact that Only Cloud can see the rift at the end, makes things interesting and is an indication that he traversed to the failed timeline in which he didn't save her. Thoughts?

Imagine if at one point we see parts of the Nibelheim fire from Zack's perspective, and when he sees Sephiroth standing in the flames he doesn't give us that perfect crazed smile we've been waiting to see again since the OG version (and seeing it was awesome), but instead has that hate filled grimace similar to Advent and Crisis. Maybe Cloud remembers a smile that wasn't there because the real time Sephiroth smiled was the part Cloud blocked out when Sephiroth killed his mom.

Good afternoon sir! 👋🏽😊

Here's something to look at: study the scene where Cloud is staring at the empty White Materia. The camera cuts to the Tiny Bronco, and cuts back to Cloud. The White Materia is now the Black Materia. Food for thought.

33:15 the lighting does a good job of obscuring it, but the cross in the back of the church is gone, so I suspect Zach wakes up back in Terrier-Verse. Which may or may not still have a Zach of its own. Maybe Aerith is actually building herself a harem of Zach's, as a little treat

I do agree with a lot of points and personally think this is a branch timeline from og in which aerith is and isn’t alive in the old. Idk I hope it works out.

Want to throw out a few things 1) the Zack that fought with us wasn't even "terrier-verse" Zack. They make a point of showing Johnny walk by with a different stamp. All of Zack's and the "dream" scenes seems to be about fate always reaching the same place, even when you get the illusion of choice. You can choose different gifts, but always get the same one. You can choose different paths, but Zack will always face the firing squad 2) Sephiroth wanted Cloud to save Aerith and split the timeline. It was at the end if remake, they made a point of showing it again (7 seconds), and he only let's cloud in to see Aerith (the black whispers open the portal he goes through). I just can't figure out why. It means he's in denial instead of grieving, but to what end I can't figure out. Maybe without the grief he's easier to control? 3) this is less important, but those weapons at the end are very clearly red and blue making me think they're sapphire and Ruby weapon. I'd have to check the colors of all the weapons we see in game, but I'm willing to bet they are all in a"larval" stage and that scene was showing them growing in power to become to weapons we know. Sapphire, ruby, emerald, diamond, and Ultima

When they show the frame with the Masamune embedded in the floor, you can see the classic "distortions" he experiences when he distorts reality, such as when Zack is mentioned, and you hear the famous three notes of the intro, the same ones you hear when a tear escapes in the Remake. In the third part of the game, they could show the same scene with Sephiroth actually pulling the bloodied sword from Aerith's body. In fact, upon closer observation, there are two angles and two different floors. One is just in Cloud's head where he deflected the attack, and another with the sword impaled THROUGH Aerith's body and blood starting to flow. Sephiroth smiles, pulls out the sword (from the body), and we see the classic scene of Aerith falling as the music starts. Even when the rest of the team approaches, you see the classic disturbances with a bloody scene and a clean one (in Cloud's head). Although it's intentionally done to confuse and mislead, we simply see what actually happened and what Cloud sees from the moment his psyche begins to deny Aerith's death, including her telling him "it's all right" and him laying her on her back. After defeating the boss, we see Tifa and the others looking at the deceased body lying on its side, while when Cloud approaches, he only sees her lying on her back, even opening her eyes and responding to him, obviously only in his head. I mean, even him rejecting Sephiroth's sword is all a product of his imagination. In the end, this guy literally saw Zack die before his eyes and removed it all from his memory. Obviously, what really happened, including him laying Aerith's body in the lake, will be revealed in the last part when Cloud, fallen into the lifestream, regains control of his memories and himself 😢

These hack writers have literally turned Aerith into Cloud's dark passenger.

The only thing I don't understand about the plot is for what reason did they need to take the black matter? As long as it was in the temple, Sephiroth had no access to it. They wanted to get it and what to do with it? Then once they got it and saw that Cloud was acting strangely Barret threw it away like it was trash....

I feel like here the multiverse works more like in Everything Everywhere All at Once ... so liie all tge versions of tye characters are fundamentally the same being ... and Aerith and Sephiroph have tye conciousness of all their versions ... the others however are only aware of their memories from the world they are in, and not the alternate ones ...

I really feel like a part of Aerith went into Cloud. During the final Jenova battle where everyone has a limit break except Cloud- this could be Aerith’s limit break providing the rest of the party their limit break.

I think the rainbow coloration represents aerith spirit more than it represents timelines. It could mean aeriths traversal threw the life stream. But I think the rainbow is life stream aerith in general. So with that said. When cloud deflects sepiroths sword and we can see the rainbow coloration. It’s basically all an illusion. It’s not cloud actually saving her in any world at all. The illusion was created by aerith hints the rainbow color during the block. The assumption is she did it to help cloud cope with her death for now until he can be fixed by tifa. Aerith says it’s not about her it’s about saving the planet and cloud. Saving cloud from what? Himself and his fragile mind. This is all about clouds mind. Aerith has hinted at this for a minute. She told cloud to focus on himself and try to find the real him. And not blame himself for what happens. It’s pure purpose is to keep cloud from falling to deep into darkness/despair. Which is exactly what sephiroth wants. Which I think sephiroth wasn’t happy that cloud wasn’t seeing aeriths death. And that is why he said that he couldn’t see the truth with clouded eyes.

Its Cloud whose different, not the other characters. He's the one breaking down. A foreshadowing was tifa, Zack and cloud's recollection of what happened at nibelheim. Cloud somehow got Zack's memories with his own. TIFA says cloud wasn't at nibelheim but cloud was wearing a helmet and did not interact with tifa yet in cloud's mind, he was himself and talked to tifa all the way.... Cloud is doing it again. Hallucinating some parts. I know the writers won't pull a st elsewhere (hospital drama where in the finale, it all took place in the mind of a savant autistic patient, a fantasy. But these multi verse theories etc might just be a red herring, compared to what the developers are planning

33:00 Zack’s world here looks so colorful, bright and alive… he might be really reborn instead of Sephiroth.

My Theory : The Real Sephiroth is Dead and Areith is also Dead. They Both want to save the World, Cloud is Too traumatized to see Sephiroth is trying to help. There is is no multiple time. Cloud is so broken that he believe certain events didn't happened. When another time line is shown, Cloud is zoned or out asleep. Second Theory : Jenova is manipulating both Cloud and Sephiroth, The multiple worlds is actually Sephiroth And Clouds different points of views. Also Sephiroth believes what’s he doing is good and might realized too late what he is actually doing is wrong. I just hope they don't pull a Marvel Multiverse.

Wait so the party at the end of the first remake game died in the tornado? And cloud traversed the worlds?? I think I misunderstood something

I'm open to including meta-commentary elements in the story, but it's crucial that they wrap it up well in the third game. Otherwise, the major changes will end up being deeply more disheartening than beneficial. Given Square's inconsistent history with concluding narratives, I'm skeptical about their ability to end this in a good way. Their most prominent titles tend to conclude with endings that are open to interpretation, often leaving the audience puzzled. However, the redeeming factor lies in the journey the characters take to reach those endings, which is invariably memorable and engaging. At this point, my continued interest stems from the aspects Square elevates directly from the OG FF7, which are executed exceptionally well.

And so it begins. The three years of story-crafting.

I think Zack is back in the real world now because of the flowers. All the other world's he was in at the church had dead flowers but the real world didn't

I still think the merging is completed with rebirth, it seemed to me sephiroth wanted all aeriths dead. He says "Good, Aerith. Pray." followed by "It's upon us. The reunion - when worlds merge.. when spite and sorrow are harvested to feed the planet" while opening a rift. After that the party is blocked from progressing by black whispers and when it's ready the black whispers open the way to aerith. The merging ends with aeriths death, sephiroth powering up. That's why we get sephiroth reborn early. The last different world we see is the collapsing one with zack and I think after that he appears in our world, the reunited one.

Why do you say that the white materia was activated? It wasn't glowing light green

i have a question is tifa going to save cloud from his mental state in part 3

Nice

if rebirth taught me anything it's not to interpret too much into all this. fate is inevitable. ff7 3 (reunion?) will pretty much follow the story, fill it with the wutai stuff and in the end fight safer sephiroth. in the remake triology we just see the "behind the scenes" stuff which happned parallel to the og. they are setting up cloud for some major breakdown, which they flushed out pretty nicely in rebirth.

Just saying, sephiroth is the ultimate troll

The comments section definitely scream nobody knows wtf is going on 😂😂😂 ... Nomura just laughing at us.

Why is the Glenn and sephiroth thing so weird? That's exactly what sephiroth does with Cloud and all the other sephiroth clones. Basically glenn is Glenn. And sephiroth is playing them all as jenova "puppets" per usual.

Im telling you guys, everything in me said something is WRONG with the Aerith we see after the unseen burial scene. They mentioned Jenova's mimicry a few times throughout the game for a reason. I just hope that Jenova plays a big role in pt 3, it never made sense to me that Sephiroth was able to take control of her with absolutely no trouble. Shes a cosmic destroyer that lost herself to a being that was empowered with her cells? I love Sephiroth like the rest of us, but that never sat right with me if I stopped to think about it.

The two shopkeepers you interact with at the start of Ch14 - there's a couple of points earlier in the game where you control Zack and wander through those alleys, and those two shopkeepers are there. Only difference is that the hairclip guy has no Stamp figurine, but the lady with the confectionery, everything's there but the Stamps Champs are Terrier ones.

~43 minutes? Lucky us!

I really enjoy this breakdown. The only thing I kinda had to add as far as speculation is that aerith is communicating with someone in shinra in the past who originally made stamp? Each stamp has a different number of stars so my guess is pug line is the 6th followed timeline that aerith follows? There is always a chance as well that cloud cuts a new time line that saves aerith but then someone stitched them back together almost immediately. So cloud can see the doomed timeline sky stitches and still physically be bound to the chosen timeline with the 5 Star stamp? I also don't think the aerith at the end is jenova because it's not slightly grey/desaturated like when she's usually using her influence? But the static definitely feels like his mind is being messed with so maybe it was aerith trying to delete his memory of the holy materias location since this timeline is under the impression that they only have a drained holy materia and no way to save the planet. I question if they may make it into a new materia of sorts since the holy was made white by the cetra to protect the world, the black materia is black and red made by the gi to irradicate it to find absolution, and maybe jenova will make a new one thats grey and purple using the empty materia and multiple jenova timeline memories and desires that can control worlds and not just destroy them? Since both the gi and jenova are not of this world they probably have similar thoughts but jenova can still do stuff while the gi cant do anything until they are lost to blind rage. Just a few theories I have since I never finished the original ff7 but know all the major bits from dierge of Cerberus and advant children and crisis core and what not. Just not sure if anything i said is already answered/contradicted by the original.

This video is April Fools! Just jk?! Looking forward to this!

You missed the dome of whisper in Nibelheim at 33:55 (like it was in Midgar), watch the ending again and look on the side of the screen and on the background direction south (not visible in your edit)

how many worlds are there ? well thats easy, how many breeds of dogs are there ?

April Fools?😊

What a dog's breakfast these FF7 remake games are!

I dont know how people haven’t realized this yet, but the developers are making this quite obvious. Jenova is the main baddie in the remake. She is clearly controlling both Cloud and Sephiroth. I always found it odd how Sepiroth turns, even in rebirth. But check again he gets the same mental glitches Cloud gets when he finds out about his origin, again in the library, whenever he is struggling with the truth. Its all Jenova. Remember that she feeds into hatred and dispair, when Sephiroth feels this he opens his vulnerability to her. Sephiroth is doing Jenovas will and he doesnt even realize it. Hes a puppet too. I also think that these other worlds are born from dreama and wishes, in this case clouds. He wants Zack and Aerith alive, so the livestream creates these worlds he envisions. Its all in his head and manifasted in the livestream, and Jenova and Sephiroth are using these as gateways. This will all come to play when Cloud finds himself with Tifas help.

Thats not aerith in the end. That is jenova. “But she touches Red and he says Aerith!” You say? Who gave Sephiroth the black materia. It wasnt just Cloud. It was Red, He was fooled by Sephiroth to give it to Cloud. The devs are building that up.

Cloud is going through the 5 stages of grief. He’s still in denial of Aerith’s death. Let’s see if he goes through the other stages in part 3.

All of this stupid time travel, multiverse stuff because SE cant commit to killing characters. Sigh...

Still not a fan of the whole multiverse thing. Overcomplicates the story too much.

So what is there 3 white materia now? The one that turns clear, the one that Aerith gives Cloud, then she still has a white one in her hair that falls out after Sephiroth stabs her. How did she have another white materia in her hair when that's the one that turned clear?