It’s finally here. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is officially out now and Final Fantasy fans all over the world are hungrily playing to discover what becomes of Aerith, the Midgar flower seller who’s won hearts since she first came into our lives when the original game was released back in 1997. The Rebirth team knows Aerith’s fate has been front and center in the minds of fans since the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake and the Rebirth launch trailer appears to be their final tease before players discover the truth for themselves.
Thirteen seconds into the trailer, Sephiroth menacingly utters the words, “Good, Aerith. Pray.” This is an obvious attempt to raise dark memories of Aerith’s final moments in the original game–just before Sephiroth ends her life while she’s kneeling in prayer. Progress a few seconds more into the trailer and the party finds Aerith in danger with Vincent Valentine looking straight into the camera while imploring, “She needs you. Go.” Then, finally, as the biggest emotional punch to the gut, while speaking with Cloud, Aerith herself feeds into all this nerve-racking uncertainty with six words.
“Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”
With the arrival of The Whispers and how Final Fantasy VII Remake has reimagined elements of the original narrative, there’s been an underlying hope that Aerith’s fate could be reversed in Rebirth. After all, Biggs–who originally dies along with his fellow Avalanche team members, Wedge and Jessie, in Final Fantasy VII–is alive and kicking in Rebirth. Could Aerith and her millions of fans end up being equally fortunate? Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is out today, and it’s only a matter of time before the first players find out.