Spoilers For Final Fantasy VII Remake Ahead!
Fans have wondered whether Square Enix was misleading consumers by using the Final Fantasy VII Remake name without putting a “Part 1” or similar subtitle on the end. The game only covers the Midgar portion of Final Fantasy VII, so fans might be misled into thinking that Final Fantasy VII Remake covered the entire game.
It turns out that the big end twist of Final Fantasy VII Remake explains the name. Final Fantasy VII Remake is only a remake of the Midgar section of the game, as the story will be different from Final Fantasy VII going forward. The main characters fought the literal incarnation of fate and broke free from the chains of destiny. Events like the death of Aerith now no longer need to happen as fans expected them to.
Defying Fate
The cast of Final Fantasy VII Remake is hassled by spirits throughout the events of the game. Red XIII explains that these creatures are called Whispers and that they act as the guardians of fate, ensuring that destiny happens as it’s supposed to.
At the end of Final Fantasy VII Remake, Cloud and his friends defy their fate and defeat the leader of the Whispers at the edge of Midgar. Sephiroth appears and he battles the party. He takes Cloud to a place with a view of the galaxy and claims that they are on the edge of creation. Sephiroth asks for Cloud’s help in defying fate, but Cloud refuses.
The player is given a glimpse of a timeline where Zack Fair defeated the Shinra army and made it to Midgar with Cloud. The main characters leave Midgar as it starts to rain. Aerith and Zack seemingly glimpse each other as they pass, but Zack lives on in a different timeline separate from the new one. Now that the group has defied their fate, they are no longer bound to the original story and the game ends with a message saying that the unknown journey will continue.
What’s Different In The New Timeline?
There are a few key differences in this new timeline. The biggest is that the events of Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, On the Way to a Smile, The Kids Are Alright, and Dirge of Cerberus no longer need to happen. Red XIII has a glimpse of his children from the ending of Final Fantasy VII and it’s made clear that this moment is no longer destined to take place. This means that Aerith could survive, that Deepground could be retconned out, and that Sephiroth could succeed in his plans and ascend to godhood.
One of the biggest changes in the timeline is that Biggs from Avalanche survived the destruction of Sector 7, so he could now play a role in future events. Wedge’s fate is also left ambiguous, as he last seen fighting off Whispers, so he could also still be alive.
There are several faction differences going on in the world. The original version of Avalanche from Before Crisis is still active and retains some of its military might. The Shinra Corporation spent most of Final Fantasy VII Remake trying to tie Avalanche’s activities to Wutai, suggesting a new war between the two countries in future entries of the series.
There is a big question regarding what characters know about future storylines. It’s unclear whether Cloud is aware of his connection to Zack Fair and his muddled memories, while Sephiroth’s bizarre behavior suggests that he knows more than he is letting on and that his plans might be different going forward. There is a lot to process with the ending of Final Fantasy VII and the fans have several years worth of speculation ahead of them before the next entry in the series is released.
