Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will likely contain references to the larger Final Fantasy 7 expanded universe, but fans probably shouldn’t expect to see the nefarious Genesis make an appearance. Although the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is essentially a reboot of the classic 1997 JRPG, there have already been multiple nods and cameos from other titles in the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7, such as Dirge of Cerberus villains Nero the Sable and Weiss the Immaculate appearing in the Episode INTERmission. At the very least, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Tetsuya Nomura says that the games will eventually connect to the Advent Children animated film.

This has naturally sparked speculation about what other Compilation elements could be introduced in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, especially after an updated version of the PSP prequel Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 was released last December. Set seven years before the events of Final Fantasy 7, Crisis Core centers around SOLIDER member Zack Fair and his role in the backstories of Cloud and Sephiroth. Another major player in this dark story is Genesis Rhapsodos, a former friend and comrade of Sephiroth who was born of the same sinister experiments that gave the iconic Final Fantasy 7 villain his world-ending powers.

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Genesis (who is modeled after real-life Japanese Rock/Pop singer Gackt) carries some strong connections to Sephiroth’s origins and the threat he poses to the planet in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but the poetry-obsessed archvillain likely won’t appear in the flesh. Tetsuya Nomura recently spoke with French Final Fantasy fansite Final Fantasy Dream (via The Gamer), where he was asked if Rebirth would feature any references to Genesis. Nomura shrugged off this question by saying that he can’t reveal anything about him, before pivoting toward already confirmed Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth characters like Zack and Vincent Valentine.

While Nomura’s non-answer doesn’t necessarily rule out a Genesis cameo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it does cast significant doubt that the renegade SOLIDER will appear in the upcoming sequel. This could be a blessing and a curse for fans, as Genesis is one of the most controversial characters in the Final Fantasy 7 universe. Some players love Genesis for his interesting backstory and connections to popular characters like Sephiroth and Angeal, while others decry him for his constant monologues and how he was retconned into Sephiroth’s descent into evil in Crisis Core.

Nonetheless, Genesis’s eventual return to the forefront of the Final Fantasy 7 continuity was teased during Dirge of Cerberus’s post-credits scene, which remains an unresolved cliffhanger to this day. Said cliffhanger might not be picked up in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, though, as Tetsuya Nomura’s latest interview hints that Gackt’s digital counterpart is remaining on the sidelines for a while longer. Fans will have to wait and see what connection Genesis has with the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, assuming he is seen or mentioned at all.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second chapter of Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Once again, the story follows Cloud Strife and other members of Avalanche as they take on Shinra and Sephiroth, a mission that takes them out of Midgar.

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5

Released

February 29, 2024

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Genre(s)

RPG