The Promised Land of Grief & Tranquility (FF7 Rebirth SPOILERS)

Рет қаралды 6,184

Күн бұрын

An extended/improved version of this video can be viewed in this hour-long thematic analysis supercut here:
• REBIRTH RESOLVED - Ext...
FF7 Rebirth goes so hard. Let's explore its relationship to life, death, timelines, and The Promised Land. Spoiler warning!
Chapters:
Intro: 00:00
Myths of Wishful Thinking: 00:48
Mortality Copium: 01:27
Fear of the Unknown [Journey]: 02:24
Momma & Poppa: 04:23
The Lonely Traveler: 06:05
The Onion Knight: 07:23
Loss Now, Grief Later: 08:13
Dreamscapes: 10:21
She Who Travels the Planet: 11:01
The Worlds of Nihilism & Optimism: 12:22
A Tale of Two NPCs: 14:02
Timeline of the Spirit: 17:16
All at Once: 19:23
Twitter:
/ joshiepoo25
#finalfantasy #finalfantasy7 #finalfantasyvii #endingexplained #spoilers #videoessay #analysis #aerith #clerith #cloti #sephiroth

Пікірлер: 109

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

~ CORRECTIONS ~ 8:50 - Zack didn't die 5 years ago; it was less than that. 13:34 - The music that reminds me of TS3 is from the general interlude sequence, not really the one specific goodbye scene.

@chroipahtz Ай бұрын

It's not death, it's a Return.

@phantomslay5612 Ай бұрын

Homecoming!!! Homecoming!!!

@RowdyRafe Ай бұрын

Great video. I'm a 36 year old gamer with a wife and kid. I played the OG when I was 11 years old. No other game gave me the same feels the remake/Rebirth gave me. You deserve more views!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@porhawj8075 17 күн бұрын

@@Joshiepoo2525 would Aerith survive in part 3 ?

@mrbonjangles4408 Ай бұрын

Jesus this is one heck of a video made me emotional. This is life and this is death. What a great time to be living.

@andrewlavigne44 Ай бұрын

Interesting thoughts. I wonder if Nojima's mention of Jungian collective unconsciousness refers less to the Lifestream and more to the Promised Land itself. i.e. what it is can change based on the collective belief system. it was something different for the Cetra than it would be to modern day mankind. The only certain thing I can say is that there's a huge likelihood we eventually get some sort of Lend Your Energy to Goku moment out of it.

@zoubachan Ай бұрын

Bruh you can't end a video like that T__T Seriously though, great job! The effort and thought just oozes out while watching it.

@patriciaviles4033 Ай бұрын

FINALLY someone points out the heartbreaking depth of cloud’s denial. No matter what “actually” happened, it’s clear that Cloud firmly believes that he did in fact save her. Like you said, he did it with Zack, it’s more than plausible that he would do it for aerith. Cloud’s trauma meter is full and he just nopes out of anything he isn’t prepared to handle…which also follows the themes of the original perfectly. It’s going to bite him on the ass when he does realize it, but it’s only through his journey working through and accepting that loss that he can “defeat” Sephiroth (both literally and metaphysically). Awesome video.

@kevindie Ай бұрын

*_Amazing video! So glad to see more videos pointing out that this ISN’T A MULTIVERSE!!! LOL_*

@schrodingersbabyseal Ай бұрын

Gonna be watching this on stream again...

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Hell yeah. Thanks, goat.

@Nyla_emotes Ай бұрын

we need a new addition to Seal Team 7!!! great video!!!

@dreamxhollow Ай бұрын

This was absolutely beautiful. I cried at the end. You did an amazing job on this.

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you 🥺

@Bpace777 Ай бұрын

I wish that everyone that did not like the ending of Rebirth could see this video. It is ironic though that they do not want to accept the main point of the story which is the stages of loss.

@watchamigos1232 Ай бұрын

I'm pretty sure many simply critic Rebirth's ending due to what happens on the surface and get quick at terming it **multiverse bullshit** and that it should have been focused on Aerith's death and Cloud's speech should have been there. The ending itself is genuinely powerful and terrifying the more you come back to it since Aerith's death at the forgotten Capital isn't the pivotal point of the ending at all: It's Cloud, especially his mental state, and Sephiroth. Ever since Remake, Clouds had headaches and by the time we reach Rebirth's Chapter 9, Cloud's Sephiroth stance says it all: he's not in his control. This state is further amplified when he's repeating Sephiroth's lines, killing men in cold blood, his obsession with the black materia and the Reunion. Aerith's death is when he's done. He tries to grieve but his mind can't and once again, he's rearranging memories, believing that Aerith never died, she's simply resting and alive so he gently lays her on the floor as he prepares to deal with Sephiroth just like how he usually deals with any boss, commenting his usual lines. That's not normal. That's what alienates the party, especially Tifa from Cloud since she literally has nothing to say to Cloud because he's chilling after seeing Aerith being murdered.

@watchamigos1232 Ай бұрын

On top of that, in case people think they missed by not including the speech or the lake scene, come on! We had foreshadowing of the Lake scene so many times in Remake and Cloud's speech is also in Rebirth but muted since he's blocking himself out. It's being saved for part 3 and I can't wait. I just really, REALLY hope that the quality of Part 3 is stellar just like Rebirth because Square hasn't been doing so well with sales and cancelled $140 million worth of projects

@b.h.4249 Ай бұрын

This is the best video I've seen discussing the message and ending of Rebirth and the trilogy itself. I actually teared up at the end, thank you so much for this.

@xvivastpaulix Ай бұрын

Interesting video, minor note: If I remember correctly Zack didn't die 5 years ago but shortly before the start of FFVII. It might also add more weight to Cloud's inability to accept yet another loved one's death, since the other significant one happened not long ago.

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Oops you’re right

@DragovianCloud Ай бұрын

Best analysis of this I've seen so far. Very enlightening. Gets me even more excited for the finale

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thanks!

@nevaeh2727 Ай бұрын

Oof. The ending of this broke me. Incredible video, thank you for sharing.

@SarmKhanTV 18 күн бұрын

One of the most beautiful video i've seen about the FF7. The ending is so touching and warm...really captivating thoughts.This game motivated me to learn more about eastern philosophy and buddhism as well. Outstanding job, thank you so much

@Joshiepoo2525 18 күн бұрын

Thank you!

@Kean_Bean Ай бұрын

Great video. It feels like the setup for a dream world version of Aerith being used to tempt Cloud into creating eternity has been laid out. Both Cloud and the player will have to reject this concept by beating the game and rejecting the false promises of eternity. Accepting real loss. At which point Aerith and Zack will “RETURN” to the planet and we will get our “tearful goodbye “. Cait Sith never misses.

@ryanharvey4303 Ай бұрын

Another banger video! A ton of heart and hard work put into this! Great work!!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you! I feel burnt out lol. 3 days ago the script wasn’t even done and I hadn’t started editing.

@ryanharvey4303 Ай бұрын

@@Joshiepoo2525 Wow, hope you can rest easy for a bit, you deserve it!

@FusionRey Ай бұрын

Great video! I love these kinds of thoughtful analysis videos. It’s boring to see people just talk about the surface level things in a game. But you digging deeper into the meanings, symbolism, themes, etc, is very refreshing!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@MysterEeee Ай бұрын

The insights we needed brought to the surface. So so good. Bring on the era of the Way of the Lifestream ~~~ Great work and glad to hear another voice on our journey towards the end of it all and what comes thereafter.

@JasonMcMullen 20 күн бұрын

10:40 They are worlds constructed in the lifestream out of thoughts and memories. In this sense it is very similar to FFX's Zanarkand except instead of using an altered copy of a soul (Tidus for example) they include actual souls that can live there and have some self awareness within them. In a way its more realistic than FFX and they fit the lifestream model, and the fact that they depict the future also has to do with how the lifestream works. The crossover between worlds is actually people's souls being able to crossover (as we have seen with multiple characters.) IMO this is the only way they actually make sense

@erinfee5104 Ай бұрын

After seeing so many interpretations of Rebirth's ending from a theory-crafting angle (which is fun in small doses but misses the forest for the trees, in my opinion), it's SO refreshing to have an honest to god literary analysis.

@arxzcm Ай бұрын

Great job on the thumbnail! Gonna listen to this while finishing off work for the day!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thanks!

@Radriar___9946 Ай бұрын

Great video brother. The lifestream sequence has some much potential to be more impactful than it was in the original. I think a great title for part 3 would be FF7 Relive, as it continues the double meanings of remake and rebirth. Relive could refer to reliving the memories of a game we love, the fact that Zack or Aerith might be alive in some capacity, or just the theme of life in general.

@axvlore Ай бұрын

Amazing video Josh, the outro got me!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

hehe yay

@maynuva1809 Ай бұрын

Cloud doesn't accept Aerith's death right after laying her to rest the whole point is that the party has no time to grieve, no time to process what just happened the whole point of AC is to show what happened afterwards when they finally do get the time and all of a sudden all those feelings catch up to them. Cloud is so distraught over her loss that he basically lets himself die because he'd rather be dead and meet her again than continuing on without her and with the guilt of having lost her.

@holographicwing Ай бұрын

"His one remaining sympathetic character trait seems to be his odd infatuation with Cloud" wow genuinely shocked you just came right out and said it like it is. So many guys especially seem to ignore the text and subtext of how he treats Cloud lol

@Nyla_emotes Ай бұрын

wow just subscribed, great video and editing!!!

@PKRockin7 Ай бұрын

Wow, what a watch A tremendously good and well realized essay with some strong arguments to back up your points I'm so happy I came across this

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@PetarBladeStrok Ай бұрын

Beautiful video!

@Mubarak2507 Ай бұрын

Your videos are really great. Keep it up!

@arjunarman5814 Ай бұрын

Great video and great points made. The Promised Land takes many forms in our lived in discourse, whether or not it is a actual geographical place, a point in past or future time, or "Beyond the Realms of Death" as an escape (see Judas Priest's monumental song in the "Dream Deceivers" documentary) from life's horrors. "There's got to be an Invisible Sun, that gives us hope when the whole day's done". Sex and death/eros and thanatos/maya or moksha are embodied in our art creations. Final Fantasy 7 was an important conduit to these ideas for many of us. It may be clouded (rimshot) by the winds of commerce and nostalgia but being that we cannot come to definite answers in this haunted present, we repeat the same ones over and over again like a ruminating mind. Will I see my loved ones again in this promised land? Will we be safe? Can we truly return home? "Then we will be one step closer to home" sang Ptoe.

@Valborn_ Ай бұрын

Beautifully put together. Thank you for this!

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

No, thank you.

@paleriderpalehorse55 Ай бұрын

Then the Remake trilogy could likely be Cloud reflecting on everything on the moment of his death.

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

I think it’s a strong possibility.

@shunkun8668 Ай бұрын

Amazing video and narration ❤

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thanks!

@Marta-fu1et Ай бұрын

I am glad I stumbled upon your video: it gave me closure, it gave me tranquility.

@CiaraC-hh7rm 20 күн бұрын

Beautifully well said

@user-du9rk1gy3s Ай бұрын

Dope. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

@sisyphus4889 Ай бұрын

Thank you for this absolutely stunning and beautiful video... Thank you for catching what I think is the true essence of this wonderful game. 😭

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Aww thank you.

@viggstable305 Ай бұрын

this is great , thank you for sharing i think your right here.

@dreamphoenix Ай бұрын

Fantastic video. Moving ending. Thank you.

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@mattnardo Ай бұрын

This video was honestly fantastic. I'm 23 years old and recently played through Rebirth after being skeptical of it and man, what a fantastic experience. I never played the original, but can't wait for part 3.

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Aww thanks

@ssspaceman86 Ай бұрын

This is the best video yet, about FF7 REBIRTH.

@Centrioless Ай бұрын

I agree completely with everything in this video.

@dianabolanos9766 Ай бұрын

I loved this so much.

@supertaco2896 Ай бұрын

very good

@cynicalidealist11 Ай бұрын

Love this video. What do you think part 3 will be called?

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Return.

@Bpace777 Ай бұрын

I guess flashing it on screen multiple times still isn’t enough lol

@gatorssbm Ай бұрын

Its nice seeing someone appreciate the change in Aeriths death scene it 100% does deserve a new way to look at it vs how much less opportunities OG had to flesh it out. Still feel a bit dicey on the long as heck fight plus the fake out at the end but as for the moment itself when Aerith died I really do think it lands that feeling of denial initially when you lose someone so important to you.

@alyss4192 Ай бұрын

Knowing that in this game the players are Cloud, everthing we're looking at was through Cloud's eye glasses. And safe to say, we're gonna go through what he goes through, including the stage of grief, Denial - Aerith seems alive ("multiverse"). Bergaining - in part 3 we'll probably try to "save" Aerith, the attemp to save will lead us to redemption. Acceptance - we are faced with truths from various perspectives, the best choice to save the planet is retaliation, to accept, to leave the "multiverse".

@TerryLe-ug2id Ай бұрын

This guy basically says ‘no matter what you see on the screen, I’m right’

@jmiester25 Ай бұрын

Where did he say or imply that?

@TerryLe-ug2id Ай бұрын

@@jmiester25around 8:40

@TerryLe-ug2id Ай бұрын

And what he says about coping with zacks death is pulled out of thin air. First Zack did not die 5 years ago. Would it kill to put a disclaimer saying something like ‘did not play OG or know anything before remake” It’s just weird saying FF7 is about this and that, grief when they don’t have knowledge of OG FF7 The devs has said loveless is the main theme/template here, so aerith isn’t necessarily dead and whispers, fate, multi world visuals and details are not for nothing

@darkhorsedouglas4789 Ай бұрын

The only piece I'm struggling to fit in is Marlene. If these other worlds are just built on the memories of those that have died. There's no reason Marlene should be with Elmyra. No one currently dead would know she had been left with Elmyra. No one currently dead would have a strong enough connection to either of them to make memory versions of them. Biggs would have a memory Jessie and Wedge before Marlene. And Zack met Elmyra once Maybe Twice 5 years before.

@TerryLe-ug2id Ай бұрын

Disagree that remake is about accepting aerith’s death. Although the themes are ingrained in various characters, saying that accepting aeriths death being a theme and has to be for no other reason than it being part of the OG is one of the worst arguments in the entire video. It somehow will ignore all story details and plot devices that suggests aeriths survival just because it simply is not accepting aeriths deaths. Yes there’s elements of grief but It’s also about defying fate and the consequences of it. There’s no meaningful uses by adding in ‘fate’ if it can’t be changed. To trick players, subvert expectations, enhance the experience? If the truth of this video is just to reassure everyone that aerith is dead. I get it.

@wmen48 Ай бұрын

Soo beautiful...

@agravain9006 Ай бұрын

Near 10/10 video

@yudollia 12 күн бұрын

What about the theory thay ffx and ff7 are connected. Dreams might come back into play

@zekiel2533 Ай бұрын

I don't think these are dream like world's that are in the life stream. The lifestream connects all these world's together through memories but that's all. Sephiroth stated when fate is breached new world's are born. That ties back to fate and destiny as a theme in remake. It still plays a major role along with loss unlike the original game where fate didn't exist as a theme. These worlds are real and not a dream. Zack says so at the end of the game because of how it felt to him. Tifa sees two different scenes of aerith death. Sephiroth calls them a confluence of worlds and emotions. Cloud physically disappeared after the fight with jenova then fought with Zack. The holy materia was given to aerith and she game him the clear materia which he has at the end of the game. The new world that appeared due to fate being breached showed tifa red barret etc dead and so on in the terrier world. After all that it's more then a spiritual experience. Sector 6 analysis is one you should check out. Its pretty solid kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fr-pls1yqbCtj40.htmlsi=pg-RYha9IKIIp5qB

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

All of that can be true while the worlds are dreams too. Holy is made of knowledge so no need for physical transfer. Nobody in the game ever says anything that outright dismisses them as dreams. Cosmo NPC outright tells us her dead parents are in another plane made of their dreams and memories. Exact description of the interludes. Plus, there’s a good chance the beagle world is a dream too, in which case all rules are flexible.

@maillardsbearcat Ай бұрын

I get what they're doing and it could very well be a masterpiece by the end of it, but I don't think it was handled well. The ending was borderline incoherent at first watch.

@christianmartinezperez9953 Ай бұрын

Wow

@ryu2683 Ай бұрын

So would the Lifestream be the collective mind of the multiverse where all possibilities would come true?

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

I think there’s many terms that can effectively describe it. I don’t personally find multiverse the most accurate so far but it’s possible it will in part 3. So far I think the worlds we’re seeing are the dreams, or the promised lands, of those who died. But it’s possible some of them (and the world of Remake entirely) are dreams of the planet itself.

@ryu2683 Ай бұрын

@@Joshiepoo2525 Yeah, whenever a video game/TV series plot involves the multiverse, time travel, dreams, nature of reality, the spiritual world, etc, our minds get confused. I hope that after 500 years of the end of OG Cloud and his friends are all in the Lifestream in a total state of peace. Perhaps they can plan to return to the planet and reincarnate to continue having experiences and adventures that only by being incarnated can one experience.

@LordFoxxyFoxington Ай бұрын

Where was the dialogue at the end of the video taken from?

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Midnight Mass, says on the screen.

@LordFoxxyFoxington Ай бұрын

@@Joshiepoo2525 Thank you.

@oshkeet Ай бұрын

I actually feel like Sephiroth works better as someone you think is attractive and its purely the bad vibes down you spine clueing you in. Not that he should be openly spooky. The new cat eyes are silly. People infused with Mako have eyes that are already supposed to be unnerving, I woulda leaned into the creepiness there and had the infamous green color leak into the sclera or something (TBF it doesnt help theyre kinda lazy about having Cloud's eyes ACTUALLY look weird either instead of just pretty). Maybe mess with the fingertips like a creepy frostbite and thats why SOLDIERS wear gloves all the time. I dont know why the mutantangelmonster form and/or the song encouraged Nomura to give a literal wing. Its goofy looking and even worse as graphics have gotten beter.

@HikariYamada Ай бұрын

This guy gets it!!!

@jeremyfields9009 Ай бұрын

If the worlds are dreams and memories why is Sephiroth combining them?

@Joshiepoo2525 Ай бұрын

Suffering in a dream is still suffering. Merge all dreams, harness ultimate suffering.

@federicamacchia1656 Ай бұрын

We forget too often that the entire Life of Sephiroth it's been loss and suffering...he was doomed since before he was born....probably,in some way,he's trying to change this.If he becomes the Destiny himself,he could change this.He's NEVER been in peace,he's unable to accept death,Because he's NEVER be free to live HIS Life,his hopes and Dreams..nobody gave him Justice,protection,acceptance......He's like a desperate poltergeist with no Place to return.But in the memories inside the lifestream,there's not only THIS Sephiroth..there Is the One he once was too,the One before the incident of Nibelheim,an Immortal picture in a frame that nothing can delete.....and this One,this Sephiroth,deserves peace, deserves his promise Land..

@jeremyfields9009 Ай бұрын

@@federicamacchia1656 He killed Aerith, Sephiroth gets NO sympathy from me. 😤😤

@federicamacchia1656 Ай бұрын

@@jeremyfields9009 probably you forget that he's in the same situation of Cloud...he has not anymore true free Will,since Is Jenova Who influences his action and his vision of everything...the devs cleared this point in AN interview (to Nojima) in Advent Children Réunion Files,when they explained that the return of Sephiroth was not his will but Jenova's...We see Cloud doing terribile things ti his companions( he almost kills Tifa) Because he's under the same control...

@EvelynL.1112 Ай бұрын

@@jeremyfields9009 Yet a lot of deranged Clerith stans LIKE YOU hate Tifa and Zack more than Aerith's murderer.

@metastase895 Ай бұрын

You want optimism and tranquility in the cycle of life and death? That's easy bro, just go to the multiverse. The purpose of the inclusion of the multiverse is to remove any stakes from the story and make all emotional impact from any death meaningless. And the reason why the devs wanted this is just so they can course correct on the fly based on the audience in order to boost sales. Consider: there are 2 physical white materia in Beagleworld now (one empty, one at the pond). Thus, the only possible explanation for this is that the main world ALSO exists in the Lifestream and is not a physical reality at all. Because of this, there is no difference saying the other worlds are afterlife worlds, there is literally nothing stopping Zack from popping up in the main world. In fact, he may already have. There is absolutely no way to fix this story anymore. It's what lazy multiverse does to everything it touches.