Fans of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are still discussing the game’s ending and Aerith’s fate. Although the scene seems to show her dying at the hands of Sephiroth, other factors add complexity. In other words, she’s not dead, at least not confirmed to be dead. The developers themselves have made sure to clear up the confusion about the ending.
Spoilers ahead. The latest update from the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Ultimania guidebook, a book on the development of the game. It spoke about the ending and how confusing it was around Aerith’s fate. Although the guidebook doesn’t offer clear answers, it does acknowledge the varying perspectives on what may have happened to Aerith.
After Aerith’s apparent demise, Cloud interacts with her in the game while the other party members mourn her loss. The Ultimania confirms this difference, noting that the party fights the final boss with a full Limit Break gauge, showing their anger and grief, while Cloud’s meter remains incomplete. The party also visits Aerith’s original resting place, further emphasizing their perception of her absence.
The Ultimania doesn’t definitively confirm Aerith’s state, leaving it open whether she’s alive, a ghost, or a product of Cloud’s imagination. The presence of Zack Fair in Rebirth’s story and the “cracks in the sky” suggest the possibility of alternate timelines or a multiverse. Basically, this version of the game could be an alternate to the original, so we may have seen her death in the other, and she may have survived this one.
Fan theories suggest that Cloud’s actions saved Aerith, creating a split timeline, or that her lingering spirit somehow influenced events. The Ultimania does not officially endorse these interpretations.
Square Enix intentionally planned the absence of clear answers, as the development team has stated in the past. It seems that they aim to create an air of mystery and interest around Aerith’s destiny, keeping players involved and speculating until the last part of the trilogy is out.
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