The ending toFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeraised plenty of questions regarding how Square Enix would continue reimagining the events of the original, and the ending to this year’sFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthseems to have left fans with only more questions. There is no shortage of discourse on the meaning ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s ending, which creates plenty of exciting new territory for the third and final entry in the remake trilogy to cover if it’s going to still touch on the events of the 1997 original. Still, there’s a distinct possibility that it’s all carefully curated misdirection.
One of the biggest points of discussion among fans following the events ofFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeandRebirthis the concept of a “Final Fantasy 7multiverse.” Careful observation of visual cues during cutscenes and subtle (or even overt) hints delivered through character dialogue only seems to confirm as much. But given what players know about the original story, as well asmain protagonist Cloud Strife’s inability to be a reliable narrator of events, the multiverse-centric plot twists set up in the first two entries may come crashing down in spectacularly tragic fashion in the third and final chapter of the remake saga.
Cloud’s Character Development Arc in Final Fantasy 7 Could Unravel the Multiverse Theory
The following contains MAJOR spoilers forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthand the originalFinal Fantasy 7.
Theending toFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthshakes up what many players would anticipate given how the game’s events align with the core reality of the original game, and this follows suit fromFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s introduction of the Whispers. The Whispers, referred to inRemakeby Red XIII as “arbiters of fate,” are supposed to show up to safeguard against deviation from predetermined destiny.
That said, players see that Cloud and his companions' intervention against Sephiroth inRemakesplinters the timeline, creating not one but multiple new branches, signified by the different appearance of Shinra’s dog mascot, Stamp, across each reality. Despite the convergence of multiple realities, the game also makes frequent references to the importance of the future over the past, and the need to let go of what’s impossible to change.
Cloud is an active narrator in the originalFinal Fantasy 7, but players learn that he is an unreliable narrator. Although players experience the world through his eyes, that reality is frequently called into question. The end ofRebirthsees Cloud still communicating with Aerith while the rest of the party cannot see her, and it’s potentially the latest crack in the foundation showing Cloud’s rapid mental decline. It’s possible that rather than experiencingRemakeandRebirth’s events as an active participant players are viewing them from within the interpretation of Cloud’s psyche as he lies catatonic in Mideel.
How Cloud’s Condition Could Affect the Structure of the Third Final Fantasy 7 Remake Chapter
The introduction of a multiverse theory into the coreFinal Fantasy 7timeline created several new story threads that the series would need to resolve in the third chapter of the remake trilogy, but the entire scenario may be a creation of Cloud’s psyche as a self-defense mechanism. The events of the originalFinal Fantasy 7see Cloud fall into the Lifestream not long afterAerith’s death, and it’s Tifa who helps to ground him and bring him back to reality while also helping him come to terms with his past.
This begs the question of what Cloud’s development arc could look like in the final chapter if players discover they’ve been replaying the events ofRemakeandRebirthfrom the hero’s memory.
Rather than get into the convoluted territory of introducing a multiverse as canon, the third and final chapter of theFinal Fantasy 7remake trilogycould very well pull back the curtain to reveal that the entire concept of Whispers is just that—whispers. The Whispers, and the idea of multiple worlds, are Cloud’s futile attempt to grasp at any possibility that Aerith is still alive, that his cells aren’t deteriorating due to Mako poisoning, and that he’s capable of breaking free from Sephiroth’s sway.
