SPOILERS LTD Remake — It's like New Coke except ... no, it's exactly like New Coke

[Rin]

I understand your point. But people are already losing their minds, so I can't imagine what it would be like if she received the same treatment as OG (more or less non-existent after CD1. It's crude, I know, but it's kind of true).

The characters have taken on far too much importance over the years. Even if she's really dead at the end of Rebirth (which I personally think she is), they'll still can't help but bring her into the picture via the LS and so on.

You're 100% right and it's exactly what I expected from them so I'm not shocked at all. ACC / Case of the Lifestream already had me prepped for Aerith to die but still be heavily present in the story. I mean, canonically she's still heavily present 2 years after OG, so it would be weird if she just poofed from the retrilogy narrative. It's better for the devs to stick to their post mortem deification of her vs. trying to walk it back.

I’m generally curious how they’ll approach marketing for Part 3. Will they be baity for marketability reasons? Will they do it because of Rebirth allegedly selling poorly?

Moreover, how will this affect Part 3’s development. I’m expecting a 2027 release so I expect they’ll start marketing the game towards the end of 2025 or early into 2026.

It’s gonna be interesting, for sure.

It'll probably be similar to Rebirth's marketing tbh. Like they used Zack lines ontop of certain scenes to generate hype and make us wonder what was going on there, especially the "Sorry, feel like I failed you" line. And then the great thing with Schrödinger's Aerith as @Ryeleigh so aptly put it, is that they can honestly show whatever they want in regards to her as a way to get dialogue flowing amongst the fans w/o it necessarily being a spoiler bc you'll have people arguing whether its Aerith traversing through the LS or Aerith living in an alternate reality lmao

 

[Yoru]

I know it won't be the case. But my only wish would have been that they'd clearly dropped the Schrödinger Aerith story. Let them spill the beans right away, and stop getting people's hopes up for nothing. One way or the other.

 

[Eerie]

i do wonder cause most of the game they show will be a spoiler. Its all so plot heavy from here. Yet they gotta hype
people and showing lifestream stuff and highwind would do that. So would midgar raid. Pretty much do the opposite of Rebirth and don't show all Zack scenes in the trailer but a few. Then have those sections be 7 min walking sims

There are Weapons, the Highwind, a submarine, Wutai… they should be fine lol.

 

[Yoru]

Because if you go by the developer interviews in the latest Ultimania, from my point of view, there's not too much mystery. But first, it's so strangely straightforward that I find it almost suspicious that they'd be so open about it. And secondly, they're not the ones in charge of marketing, and there's no way in the world they're going to deny themselves the opportunity to tease so easily for 3 years!

 

[overheat28]

The star crossed lovers narrative is ZA. Its a mutual love story. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they could not be together.

It's especially funny because ZA is exactly the star-crossed lover romance so many CAs are looking for, in their own words. Probably harder to self insert as Zack than Cloud end of the day with some of them.
The way some of them want Cloud to jump across worlds looking for Aerith is telling, oh wait someone else is already doing that very thing as we speak.

Orpheus and Eurydice. Odysseus and Penelope. I mean they're right there, folks. Leave the wholesome country hicks alone. You're being catered to already. Kirito just isn't meant to be with flower girl, it's Goku with Guts' sword instead - and that's the 27 year old issue in a nutshell.

 

[pxl_pushr]

It's especially funny because ZA is exactly the star-crossed lover romance so many CAs are looking for, in their own words. Probably harder to self insert as Zack than Cloud end of the day with some of them.

Orpheus and Eurydice. Odysseus and Penelope. I mean they're right there, folks. Leave the wholesome country hicks alone. You're being catered to already. Kirito just isn't meant to be with flower girl, it's Goku with Guts' sword instead - and that's the 27 year old issue in a nutshell.

I’ll take your Zack and Aerith and raise you Squall and Rinoa… because the story as they describe sounds eerily similar to FF8 with different names and proper nouns.

 

[overheat28]

I’ll take your Zack and Aerith and raise you Squall and Rinoa… because the story as they describe sounds eerily similar to FF8 with different names and proper nouns.

Yes, agree completely Squall and Rinoa are exactly what CAs are looking for. That soldier Cloud personality is Squall to a tee and Rinoa is basically Aerith with Tifa's looks. Not to mention the plot.

 

[Someonesbunny]

Yes, agree completely Squall and Rinoa are exactly what CAs are looking for. That soldier Cloud personality is Squall to a tee and Rinoa is basically Aerith with Tifa's looks. Not to mention the plot.

Funny to mention FF8 because not really knowing "what kind of 'like'" she feels is actually directly a Quistis moment. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Yes, agree completely Squall and Rinoa are exactly what CAs are looking for. That soldier Cloud personality is Squall to a tee and Rinoa is basically Aerith with Tifa's looks. Not to mention the plot.

Fun fact since we brought up the lying nature of media recently (Not that a love that could never be actually helps that cause because you know, it can never actually be... Sorry Aerith), but the FF8 commercial portrays Squall as being the one trying to win Rinoa's heart, when, you know, she pursues him.

 

[nars305]

Random question…

The Aerith and Cloud in the dream date…was that not the Cloud and Aerith Zack was caring for? I didn’t pay attention to the dogs enough but I thought it was because that was the Aerith would had the white materia to give him and Cloud got out of the wheel chair.

 

[pxl_pushr]

Funny to mention FF8 because not really knowing "what kind of 'like'" she feels is actually directly a Quistis moment. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun.

Quistis “my pursuit of my student/subordinate is problematic” Trepe and the king of idgaf Squall is a scene I’ve grown to appreciate more with time.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Random question…

The Aerith and Cloud in the dream date…was that not the Cloud and Aerith Zack was caring for? I didn’t pay attention to the dogs enough but I thought it was because that was the Aerith would had the white materia to give him and Cloud got out of the wheel chair.

Narratively, it has to be, even if cosmologically it might be in a different stamp world. This is part of why I currently follow the branching worlds at split timelines idea, as it's a lot simpler to track things, and we have narratively fewer entities to consider.

 

[Rin]

Random question…

The Aerith and Cloud in the dream date…was that not the Cloud and Aerith Zack was caring for? I didn’t pay attention to the dogs enough but I thought it was because that was the Aerith would had the white materia to give him and Cloud got out of the wheel chair.

It's a different world but they're in the same predicament so it would seem like they have to be the same ones he was caring for. I don't get or know how it works but the dogs are different. Zack's dogs are a terrier (happy and sad), a pug, and a corgi. Dream date dog is a chihuahua who looks uncannily like Zack and is carrying a Labrador on his back that looks uncannily like Cloud.

 

[imach0c0]

It's a different world but they're in the same predicament so it would seem like they have to be the same ones he was caring for. I don't get or know how it works but the dogs are different. Zack's dogs are a terrier (happy and sad), a pug, and a corgi. Dream date dog is a chihuahua who looks uncannily like Zack and is carrying a Labrador on his back that looks uncannily like Cloud.

The "Zack" dog is wearing a collar with a blue sky and clouds pattern. Not sure if that's a coincidence but its an interesting detail seeing as the "fair" sky is symbolic of Zack.

 

[A-to-Z]

Random question…

The Aerith and Cloud in the dream date…was that not the Cloud and Aerith Zack was caring for? I didn’t pay attention to the dogs enough but I thought it was because that was the Aerith would had the white materia to give him and Cloud got out of the wheel chair.

It’s not the same world proven by the different Stamps and also by considering the Zack who cared for Aerith and Cloud took her ribbon with him. (It’s also not the same world as the Zack who stayed just outside the church, because there’s also a different Stamp) I think in the dream date continuity, Zack still died. Zack’s Interlude including the dream date is named “A World Apart” So imo it wouldn’t make sense if he was present there.

 

[Hellenic]

Aerith in her Remake resolution is an Aerith who was pulled from the Lifestream, so dead.

I actually thought of her being dream date Aerith (before going to her resolution scene) but I’m not sure they actually match tbh. To me she looks more like our Aerith once dead. Like she too needs closure, not only this Aerith we know nothing about. It’s honestly a big disconnect to me because I’m not sure how I should care about this Aerith, all she did was create confusion and many fans hated what she did there. It just does look like a CA fanservice scene that ends badly, for all I know. Or it’s just a scene to explain Cloud’s feelings (since again this Aerith’s feelings, IDK why I should care if they have no bearing on our Aerith), to point out that Cloud’s feelings are platonic since there’s this big weird scene happening as our Aerith dies.

I just think overall it did a disservice to Aerith’s character and I say that as I am 100% persuaded that it’s that scene that made my husband dislike her so strongly.

This is also why i kinda dislike this multiple Aeriths thing we have going on here.

The devs keep throwing these big scenes for us for Aerith, but it's never with the Aerith of the present time who we have traveled with and gotten to learn about. I wanna learn how the one i've been with on this adventure feels, not some dead or future version of hers that has had time to ponder things over.

Wish they just kept this stuff a lot more simpler without all this stupid meta messaging through different time Aeriths.

 

[Rin]

This is also why i kinda dislike this multiple Aeriths thing we have going on here.

The devs keep throwing these big scenes for us for Aerith, but it's never with the Aerith of the present time who we have traveled with and gotten to learn about. I wanna learn how the one i've been with on this adventure feels, not some dead or future version of hers that has had time to ponder things over.

Wish they just kept this stuff a lot more simpler without all this stupid meta messaging through different time Aeriths.

I feel similarly. I don't even know why we have alternate Aeriths in the first place... Multiple Sephiroths? I get it. But even though Aerith is his foil, I don't think we needed to have multiple versions of her as well.

 

[pxl_pushr]

I feel similarly. I don't even know why we have alternate Aeriths in the first place... Multiple Sephiroths? I get it. But even though Aerith is his foil, I don't think we needed to have multiple versions of her as well.

Only thing I can see is that they are perhaps giving her a bit of an arc in part 3 outside of her unsure feelings about Cloud and her reunion with Zack.

How all of it ties together I’m not sure, but surely she’s not gonna just info dump a couple times then show up to boop Sephiroth on the nose in the marathon that will be the final dungeon of part 3.

Right?…. Right?

 

[Rin]

Only thing I can see is that they are perhaps giving her a bit of an arc in part 3 outside of her unsure feelings about Cloud and her reunion with Zack.

How all of it ties together I’m not sure, but surely she’s not gonna just info dump a couple times then show up to boop Sephiroth on the nose in the marathon that will be the final dungeon of part 3.

Right?…. Right?

Lettuce pray

 

[Ryushikaze]

View attachment 16384

Please tell me we have the context behind this image. I want to know.

 

[Hellenic]

Different, yes. But ZA not involved in it....? I.... don't know lmao
If anything, it's different enough from Rebirth to have a 3 party of Cloud - Zack - Aerith vs Sephiroth since Rebirth did 2 v 1 w/ CA and ZC.

I kinda hope Tifa gets to kick Sephiroths ass in a meaningful fight in the third game honestly. Like not getting big hopes for that, but i'd prefer her being there in a decisive battle this time instead of just Zack and Aerith getting all of these.

 

[abzy1200]

Please tell me we have the context behind this image. I want to know.

It's a shitpost that's mocking One Piece theorybros, I think.

Whatever it is, it's hilarious.

 

[Rin]

I kinda hope Tifa gets to kick Sephiroths ass in a meaningful fight in the third game honestly. Like not getting big hopes for that, but i'd prefer her being there in a decisive battle this time instead of just Zack and Aerith getting all of these.

Same and I do think she will be involved of course but I also just cannot see a world where SE being able to keep Zerith out of it lmao

 

[GamerSkull]

I kinda hope Tifa gets to kick Sephiroths ass in a meaningful fight in the third game honestly. Like not getting big hopes for that, but i'd prefer her being there in a decisive battle this time instead of just Zack and Aerith getting all of these.

This is quite fair. I feel like there needs to be more for her in relation to Sephiroth as she's the other major character that he has directly wronged. However, it always seems like she kinda gets left out of the climactic confrontations with him.

I mean, I understand Cloud because of obvious reasons. And Aerith because Sephiroth literally murders her. But like... Tifa also lost her village, friends and family to Sephiroth and they don't ever explore it as much as I think they should.

 

[LunarTarotGirl]

I think the the disconnect is remake had some good setups and hints regarding Aerith's attraction to Cloud. Such as wanting to spend more time with him and her being curious about his Soldier profession. However, in Rebirth, there are no follow-ups to that and it never gets explored any further. I agree, its kinda like a reset. I don't agree with the argument that due to her losing her memories, she got reset because those were memories of the future. So its irrelevant to what she experienced with Cloud since the first day she met him, as that is the past.

Yeah I don't think the reset is due to her memories because those were her memories of the future. However she probably lost context for a lot of things and she probably even forgot she was going to die and Sephiroth's plan and whatever was going on with Zack. I think the information she lost was context.

It's also funny because when I played Remake I thought Aerith would not pursue Cloud like at all. And in Rebirth she technically doesn't. At least not outside of optional scenes. In the main story she doesn't up till the dream date. So I think that also added to the confusion because we're not told of her feelings outside of the GSdate scene prior to the dream date. While in OG it is very obvious here it really wasn't.