Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players discovered a clever detail referencing a tragic moment in the franchise during the sequel’s final boss fight.
Spoilers ahead for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth fans have noticed a clever detail in the game's final boss fight. The release of the second game in the Remake trilogy was met with both excitement and dread by many longtime followers of the franchise, particularly because of a tragic event from the original 1997 classic, which many believed would be reenacted during Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's climactic ending. But fans weren't the only ones affected when the gut-wrenching scene transpired, as one small detail hints at the party's own grief.
Since the original iteration, Final Fantasy 7's Limit or Limit Break system has been a core mechanic in the game's combat. The system made a return for the Remake trilogy, and though it received a few modifications, remained largely the same. A character's Limit bar was still directly tied to some of their most powerful moves, such as Tifa's Dolphin Flurry and Cloud's Finishing Touch. However, a character's Limit bar cannot be charged with items or over time like health, MP, or the ATB gauges. Instead, a Limit bar can only be filled by damage, either by dealing it out or, most notably, by enduring it.
As it turned out, the damage also doesn't have to be physical, as some fans on Reddit have pointed out how Cloud's party started with maxed Limit bars during the game's final boss fight. For context, the climactic battle takes place right after the death of Aerith, who was tragically killed by Sephiroth just as she was in the original 1997 version. This understandably enraged the party, with the only exception being Cloud as, from his point of view, he had saved Aerith from Sephiroth.
Users have praised the detail as a clever way of showing a character's mentality with Final Fantasy 7's built-in mechanics, with some pointing out how Cloud is also the only one who isn't thrown back by Jenova's Mourning Wail attack — likely because he's the only one not in mourning. Longtime veterans of the franchise additionally compared it to similar scenes from other Final Fantasy games, such as when several characters from Final Fantasy 9 entered battles in their Trance state, which can be induced by a surge of powerful emotions.
The Finale of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy
It's safe to say that Aerith's death has loomed over the fan base since the reveal of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. However, with the new story elements introduced into the Remake trilogy, there is still a chance that she might return in the upcoming final entry as a full-fledged party member. Fans have speculated how the introduction of multiple timelines might affect the title's overall story. Most questions remain unanswered for now, but players can at least be grateful for the fact that developers are hoping for a faster release for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3.
Franchise Final Fantasy Platform(s) PlayStation 5 Released February 29, 2024 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Genre(s) RPG ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence How Long To Beat 40 Hours Metascore 93 PS Plus Availability N/A
