When Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches next year, it will offer the second chapter in a trilogy remaking the classic RPG. Things started out pretty faithful to the original Final Fantasy VII, but that changed at the end of the first chapter, where fans were given a glimpse at Zack Fair, alive and well. The character died prior to the events of the original game, and many fans have been wondering if his changed fate might mean the same for Aerith Gainsborough. Now the game's official Twitter account is teasing just that with a new Tweet featuring Zack and Marlene.

The Tweet features a moment that appeared in the game's most recent trailer. There, we can see Zack meeting with Marlene, who tells him "when she wakes up, a scary man is gonna kill her." The Tweet can be found embedded below.

"When she wakes up, a scary man is gonna kill her."

What could Marlene's words mean...? #FF7R pic.twitter.com/QciIPbboLU

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) December 21, 2023

While Square Enix is playing coy, Marlene is likely referencing Aerith's death at the hands of Sephiroth. The Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is all about Sephiroth attempting to change fate. We know that's happened for Zack, and Avalanche member Biggs is now alive, as well. What we don't know is whether Aerith's fate will also change. The Tweet above has already led to a ton of speculation, not only about Aerith's survival, but also the role Zack will have to play in the game.

Zack and Aerith
While Zack played a very minor role in Final Fantasy VII, he was the main character in the prequel game Crisis Core. Crisis Core explored Zack's relationships with several characters from Final Fantasy VII, including Cloud and Yuffie. However, the character we got to see him interact with most was Aerith. The two developed clear feelings for one another, but had a doomed romance, with Zack dying at the end of the game. The spirits of Zack and Aerith would later appear together in the sequel film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

Now that Zack is back and possibly being warned about Aerith's death by Marlene, it's becoming clear what his goal will be in the new game. It remains to be seen whether Zack can stop Aerith's death at Sephiroth's hands, but his presence is bound to have a major impact. Of course, if Zack tries to save her and fails, it could make Aerith's death even more tragic. We should have an answer by the end of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, as the game will conclude with the events at the Forgotten Capital.

Multiple Timelines
While Square Enix has revealed many details about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, there's a lot we still don't know. Fans have been speculating that the game will take place across two different timelines: one where the main characters reside, and another where Zack and Biggs are alive and well. All of this should become a lot clearer when the game launches February 29th on PlayStation 5.

Posted: Dec 25, 2023 7:11 pm
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum

Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-aerith-survival-tease/