Summary
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirthemphasizes Weapons at the midpoint of its story, though the creatures that appeared were not those remembered from the original. The Weapons ofFinal Fantasy 7are remembered as colossal, gem-themed beasts called forth by the planet during times of crisis. While Square-Enix included these same thematic ideas leading to the Weapons reveal, the creatures themselves look vastly different.
The Weapons featured inRebirthare diminutive compared to their original counterparts and aremuch more closely tied to the lifestream— the river of life central toFF7’slore. Because of these unexpected shifts,Rebirth’sWeapons were met with confusion and mixed responses by players. However, considering the game’s reliance onFF7’s expanded universe, these Weapons are likely tied to an ongoing plot thread woven throughout the Remake Trilogy’s story.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Aerith’s Secret Confirmed By Developers
Many players have noticed something off about Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and developers confirmed there is indeed something going on with her.
Rebirth’sWeapons Are There For A Reason
Tifa’s Adventure In The Lifestream Wasn’t Filler
Final Fantasy 7: RemakeandRebirthhave drawn on material from across theCompilation of Final Fantasy VII.Considering this, there’s little reason to assume that these new Weapons aren’t a part of this same lore-expanding strategy. Despite player reactions,Rebirth’sWeapons are likely part of an effort to include the novelOn The Way To A Smile’sloreinto theRemaketrilogy.
Player reactions to these new Weapons have been mixed, often leaning toward the negative, with many feeling confused as to Square-Enix’s intentions by including such different-looking creatures so early in the story. The original Weapons only appeared well pastthe events of the Forgotten Capitalwhen Cloud and the party made their way to the Northern Crater. Instead, inRebirth,Shinra’s executives mention the Weapons during Chapter 6, “Fool’s Paradise.” Further, thedialogue suggests they are linked to the “Magnus Materia,“assumed to be the updated translation of “Huge Materia” from the original story.
Square-Enix Gave These Weapons a Surprising Design
Rebirth’sAquatic Weapons Point Toward A Larger Plan
It is not these elements, though, that garnered mixed reactions. Rather, it is the new Weapon’s designs that leave players confused as to their purpose. Particularly in Chapter 9, “The Planet Stirs,” the inclusion of the Weapon’s reorchestrated theme as Cloud and the party make for the Gongaga rector sets an expectation in player’s minds that theywill come face-to-face with the familiar beasts from the original. Instead, theseWeapons appear to be simply large, aquatic fiends with massive materia in their chests: a far cry from the beloved staples like Ultima Weapon.
It should be noted thatRebirthincludes references to the classic Weapons, just asRemakedid before, but it’s unclear if the classic Weapons will appear in the trilogy. These Easter eggs may be a nod to an element that was left out of the final narrative, though this would be a massive blow to fans. What’s more likely is that they are meant to build excitement surroundingRemake Part 3’sstory, which, given the plot of the original, must largely include the Weapons. However, this doesn’t explain the necessity of including new Weapons.
Square-Enix Is Calling Back to The Advent Children Era
Aerith And Sephiroth Are Directly Connected To These New Weapons
On The Way To A Smileby Kazushige Nojima, published in 2009, fills in lore presented byFinal Fantasy 7: Advent Children.Aerith’s journey through thelifestream frames the novel and is explicit about her ability to traverse time. This powerprovides a foundation for the multiple timelinesseen in the Remake Trilogy and paves the way for the oddness regarding both multiple Sephiroths and Aeriths.
While Weapons are not central toOn the Way to a Smile, they’re mentioned as a collective within the lifestream. This may point toRebirth’sdirection.FF7’sWeapons are not only a small squad of massive kaiju but an entire genus of creatures born from the planet, patrolling its lifestream much like white blood cells do. Twitter (formerly X) userdeltasyngives their own insights into the Weapons designs, with some interesting implications.
During Chapter 9, Tifa’s time inside a Weapon lets her see the lifestream physically. She views white and black whispers there, undoubtedly a nod toOn The Way To A Smile’ssections “Lifestream White” and “Lifestream Black,” which explain Sephiroth’s intentions:
“Eventually the woman discovered that the man, spreading hatred around the world, was trying to manifest on the surface. She wondered how he was planning to do that. Summoning up all her courage she approached the man’s spirit. However, he spotted her and chased her off, but soon gave up chase. She knew the man was laughing at her. you may’t do anything. However, she had caught what he was planning. He was apparently going to use separate entities to be his agents.”
On The Way To A Smile, p. 180
While these may reference the plot ofAdvent Children,their implications resound throughRebirth’sstory. Aerith and Sephiroth’s back-and-forth relationship in the text mirrors their exchange inRebirth’sconclusion. For this to be a coincidence would be underestimating Square-Enix’s commitment to the Remake Project.
A Look Into The Future For Rebirth
A Popular Returning Character
These new Weapons reflect the lifestream battle between Aerith and Sephiroth inRebirth.Their ability to control and guide white whispers suggests that they are a replacement for Aerith as the planet’s arbiter, as she is still alive in the eyes of the player. However, her ability to guide and control white whispers atRebirth’send harkens back to Chapter 9. It suggests that the final installment of the Remake Trilogy will see Aerith take a more active role in this battle — something players may get to witness, consideringAerith’s ability to interact with Cloud despite being dead.
As players grapple with the implications ofFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirth’s ending, the Weapon’s and Aerith’s futures remain uncertain. However, what is certain is Square-Enix’s purposeful nods to them throughout the game, setting up exciting possibilities for the Remake Trilogy’s conclusion. Regardless of specifics, it is likely thatRemake Part 3will see Aerith interacting with the Weapons within the lifestream as they battle Sephiroth together.
