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How would you feel if the Final Fantasy VII Remake allowed you to change Aerith's fate?

UltraMagnus

UltraMagnus

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
15,670
It would be a cop out creativity. It's like saying "well what if Titanic didn't sink at the end of the movie, test audiences want a happy ending".

The story's theme is centrally about death and sacrifice, you do that and you devalue the story's impact entirely.
 
McScroggz

McScroggz

The Fallen
Jan 11, 2018
5,973
I would be really upset. Her character and role in the story is super important, and to change events would mean changing a lot about the narrative for no other reason than to subvert expectations. This is a remake, with small changes and additional stuff, sure, but it would be an entirely different thing if they started making changes that big.

George Lucas could make Obi Wan Luke's father instead of Darth Vader in the next rerelease. Nobody would expect that!
 
Vigamox

Vigamox

Member
Nov 13, 2017
238
I don't think it should be changed, but if they really wanted to I'd prefer if it were like a new game+ thing (how would new game+ even work in the remake since it's split up?) or some obscure out of the way optional thing.
 
Chackan

Chackan

Member
Oct 31, 2017
5,097
NineConsonants said:
At the end of the game when he is in Aegis' lap on the rooftop. He has a peaceful death. The game makes it ambiguous and it seems like he's just sleeping. But Aegis' words and the events in the late part of the game hint that he is dying.
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Shit, I know I played it almost a decade ago, but I really didn't remember that. I gather it was also in the PSP version right?
 
DiipuSurotu

DiipuSurotu

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
53,148
Jonathan Lanza said:
Have they EVER brought back dead FF character in anything ever that wasn't a spin off?
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FwPeppM.jpg
 

Deleted member 8257

Oct 26, 2017
24,586
Aeris needed to die so Holy can be cast. If you save Aeris, then the world gets destroyed by Meteor
 
Death Penalty

Death Penalty

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
3,305
As a non-canon alternate reality DLC thing, I wouldn't have issues with it.

As a choice in the core game? I'd be extremely disappointed.
 
GongagaSOLDIER

GongagaSOLDIER

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,297
I feel it would rob the game of a key narrative beat. Also, in terms of the plot her death makes the most sense to progress the story and there are multiple ways it is set up throughout the game even as early as Midgar. The fact they've introduced the Watchmen of Fate or whatever seems to indicate they will be leaning into this foreshadowing even more in the Remake. Killing someone else doesn't hit home narratively, all it would be is for shock value which is when story telling suffers. Shift the death? Sure. But taking out completely seems a misstep, especially since it acts as a focal point for what Sephiroth is and what he will do to enact his plan.
 
Professor Beef

Professor Beef

Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,501
The Digital World
RustyNails said:
Aeris needed to die so Holy can be cast. If you save Aeris, then the world gets destroyed by Meteor
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Actually, she didn't. Sephiroth was just a second late in stopping her. Her death is tragic in-game, but unnecessary in casting Holy.

EDIT: now if you're referring to him stopping it from working in the finale, that's arguably also not required to kill her.
 
KrillinLikeAVillan

KrillinLikeAVillan

Member
Nov 8, 2017
6,315
Stockholm, Sweden
Why tho? That was the most powerful moment in the entire game why would you want to lessen it.

Then they would have to shoehorn her into the plot of the rest of the game, it would be a mess and a huge retcon.

if-she-dies-she-dies.jpg
 
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McScroggz

McScroggz

The Fallen
Jan 11, 2018
5,973
I'm genuinely surprised at how many people are saying they would be okay with the change. So what you are saying is you want the story of Final Fantasy VII and the poignant place that Aerith fits within it to be changed because...we like her? To have a more natural healer? To be surprising?

I mean I would argue Aerith is the most important non-villain character in the story. She has specific things about her that literally no other character can replicate.

Do people just not care about the actual story of Final Fantasy VII or something? Because this would be bad. Like if some of the minor characters can live, okay cool. But Aerith? That would be betraying the whole purpose of them remaking this game.

I'd be willing to make any avatar bet available that Aerith will absolutely die. It's 100% going to happen.
 
kinjx11

kinjx11

Banned
Jan 24, 2019
299
it really depends

do i want to leave Tifa lonely at the endgame ? or do i want to stick with Tifa ?
 
Bit_Reactor

Bit_Reactor

Banned
Apr 9, 2019
4,413
It would be the last straw for me personally. It would go from Remake to insulting the original story.

It would irritate me that the future of the people talking about the series and/or its story would be all related to FF7:R instead of the original.

McScroggz said:
Do people just not care about the actual story of Final Fantasy VII or something?
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From most the threads I see, the answer to that question is typically no. Thanks to ADvent Children and Compilation shenanigans I'd argue the things that people are like are caricatures of the original versions. But last time I took too much time posting in a thread about that.

Just replying because I wanted to express how much I relate to this question.
 

Samemind

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,129
Great. With combat being expanded and the cast being diversified in playstyles, it would be nice to have the option to keep playing as her.
 
Regulus Tera

Regulus Tera

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,458
Would explicitly go against the core themes of the story so that would be the ultimate example of writing self-sabotage.
 
The Unsent

The Unsent

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,438
DonB(qv.YankeeTeachings) said:
It would actually be really cool as a secret/difficult thing for NG+, though in a game like this that would mean a lot of extra voice work and motion capture for cinematics (assuming she wasn't just a mute character tagging along w/ no interactions, which would be lame). And the plot would have to change in some big ways too that are hard to imagine them investing in for NG+. Still....
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I don't think they should cater to power fantasies of bringing her back, back in the day so many people wanted to cheapen the death of how important it is for the last of the cetra to influence the lifestream at the end, that they famously wanted cheat books and sidequests to ressurect her. That shouldn't be catered to, even if it's non canon...
 
Balfour

Balfour

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,547
kinjx11 said:
it really depends

do i want to leave Tifa lonely at the endgame ? or do i want to stick with Tifa ?
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With Nomura straight out saying Aerith and Tifa are double heroines, I don't see how it would be an issue either way. I assume there will still be some choice in that regard. At least up until that point. Because when she dies, it'll be a moot point anyway
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,685
Professor Beef said:
Actually, she didn't. Sephiroth was just a second late in stopping her. Her death is tragic in-game, but unnecessary in casting Holy.

EDIT: now if you're referring to him stopping it from working in the finale, that's arguably also not required to kill her.
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Holy didn't work at all. Aeris needed to command the Lifestream from within to surge out and destroy Meteor.
 
The Unsent

The Unsent

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,438
Professor Beef said:
Actually, she didn't. Sephiroth was just a second late in stopping her. Her death is tragic in-game, but unnecessary in casting Holy.

EDIT: now if you're referring to him stopping it from working in the finale, that's arguably also not required to kill her.
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It's arguable they can make stuff up so she can survive and they can still stop meteor... of course they could, but Aeris returning to the planet and what is implied to be the promised land is a culmination of the story, and the world building of the study of life/life cycle that Bulgenhagen kept waxing on about.
 
OmegaDL50

OmegaDL50

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,685
Philadelphia, PA
UltraMagnus said:
It would be a cop out creativity. It's like saying "well what if Titanic didn't sink at the end of the movie, test audiences want a happy ending".

The story's theme is centrally about death and sacrifice, you do that and you devalue the story's impact entirely.
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Pretty much. In fact when Sakaguchi admitted during FF7's development he lost his mother and one of the central themes he wanted to include in the game was dealing with the loss of a loved one.

To remove this aspect would undermine one of the central themes established for the game. Sakaguchi may no longer be at Square but one of core storytelling themes of when we die and we return to earth (for FF7 that being returning to the Lifestream) this is something I don't think should be ignored.
 
Woozies

Woozies

Member
Nov 1, 2017
18,998
I'd only be down for it if doingnso completely fucks your run.


Like "Enjoy your saved waifu and the literal end of the world."
 
TheDarkKnight

TheDarkKnight

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,530
I would hate that decision. Make those things have impact and have consequences. It's one of the key story beats. Don't touch it. It's like asking to undoing the events from FF6. They need to happen with no easy undo button

It reminds me of the JRPG last year that did this crap and I hated it.
dragon quest 11 undoing the character death and destruction was a total cheap move to pander to all happy ending. Even if it's a different timeline.
 
Woozies

Woozies

Member
Nov 1, 2017
18,998
Also saying "Just swap her with tifa" is like the single most tone deaf suggestion I've seen in in regards to an FF game.

Like it completely ignores who both of those characters are and their role in the story to just go "what if you replaced this love interest... with this love interest?!"

Would reduce the entire situation to just fridging.
 
Strangelove_77

Strangelove_77

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,392
It's be cool. Aerith dying in 2020 isn't going to have the same impact it had in 1997. It really won't be a big deal to new gamers who play it for the first time. Stop being nostalgic.
Also - FF7's overall plot isn't great. I great narrative isn't being tampered with. It's just anime nonsense.
 
The Unsent

The Unsent

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,438
Plinko said:
I hope so. I want them to throw surprises in there. Everybody knows the original story.
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You shouldn't need shit suprises that don't respect the original themes, to make the game fun.

Those crude chibi models and no voice acting didn't realise the full potential of the original vision (and some of those mini games are really clumsy) Exploring more of Midgar's sectors could be exciting too.
 
DXLelouch24

DXLelouch24

Member
Oct 28, 2017
741
There's only one way I'd be ok with it, and that's if doing so gave you a bad end game over and have to reload your save file
And the cutscene that plays is Meteor destroying the planet for your stupid choice
Also you people suggesting Tifa die instead need to get help, Cloud suffers enough through this game without his girl/childhood friend dying
 
DonB(qv.YankeeTeachings)

DonB(qv.YankeeTeachings)

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,127
PlanetSmasher said:
Holy didn't work at all. Aeris needed to command the Lifestream from within to surge out and destroy Meteor.
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This always bothered me - why didn't Holy work? It's supposed to be the diametric opposite of Meteor, and she manages to cast it, but....

When I first played I figured summoning the lifestream must be part of Holy at work, though that doesn't match the explicit text.
 

4Tran

Member
Nov 4, 2017
1,531
DonB(qv.YankeeTeachings) said:
This always bothered me - why didn't Holy work? It's supposed to be the diametric opposite of Meteor, and she manages to cast it, but....

When I first played I figured summoning the lifestream must be part of Holy at work, though that doesn't match the explicit text.
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Holy was supposed to represent the will of the Planet. The problem was that humans in general and Midgar in particular was using Mako to drain the life out of the Planet, so the Planet wanted Meteor to wipe out everything. That's why it was essential for Aerith to convince the Lifestream to save everyone. And for that to happen she had to actually join the Lifestream, so her surviving would have ruined everything.
 
JahIthBer

JahIthBer

Member
Jan 27, 2018
10,382
All the people who got mad when FF7 mods did this, better not defend it when Square does it

It's a dumb idea, her death is iconic because she doesn't come back, the pain of loss is always there, especially if you left items on her when she died.
 
Pagusas

Pagusas

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,876
Frisco, Tx
They wouldnt, not should they. It's too key a theme to the narrative. Plus if she's back alive she can't be in the life stream saving the planet at the end. Or protecting Tifa from Mako poisoning as she works to rescue cloud.

I think they should put a wild goose chase in that gives us another decades of people swearing up and down there is a way to revive her. I'd find that fitting and humous.
 
Septimus Prime

Septimus Prime

EA
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
8,500
I hope they do it. And then the twist will be that this isn't just a retelling of FFVII but rather a time heist version of it.
 
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