Few titles are as well-known and groundbreaking as the original Final Fantasy 7. When a Final Fantasy 7 Remake was announced in 2015, longtime fans were content with an upgraded and modern retelling of the original narrative. However, the title subverted all expectations by deviating from the original path, leading to a final chapter that established an entirely new timeline for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy's second and third installments. The second installment, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, will be the story's first step into the unknown since the launch of the original title. With its ability to reinvent and revitalize such a revered property, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's new timeline is too smart to restrict to Gaia.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the sequel to 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While originally considered a "remake" of the original title, the term took on a new meaning as players quickly learned that the events of the narrative would remake the future for its characters. Rebirth picks up right where Remake left off, with Cloud and his team hitting the road while characters from its DLC Intergrade being their own journeys, which will no doubt intersect with the core narrative. The title is slated for a 2023 release, though a date and time are not yet available.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirths New Timeline
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's timeline is not something fans saw coming when they began their journey through Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Just a few hours into the title, fans can feel that something isn't right. Cloud experiences hallucinations of Sephiroth, which seem to stop time and addresses him directly. New enemies called Harbingers of Fate, which Cloud first encounters after making physical contact with Aerith, appear throughout the title to seemingly keep the narrative on track. Aerith herself slowly reveals knowledge of future events, and toward the end of Remake leads the party in a conflict with fate itself, establishing a new timeline for Rebirth.
There's no telling when Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's timeline will go completely off the rails, but defying fate in Remake has immediate and jarring results. Most significant, perhaps, is the survival of Zack Fair, Cloud's former best friend and mentor, as well as Aerith's former boyfriend. Zack's death is the catalyst for the existence of Final Fantasy 7's Cloud. The trauma and circumstances of Zack's death and Cloud's mental health cause Cloud to combine Zack's memories with his own, giving birth to the fierce and determined persona of Cloud that fans have come to know. This change alone has drastic implications for Rebirth, setting it on a new path on which anything is possible.
Rebirth's Timeline Could Work Wonders for Other Final Fantasy Titles
Despite title numbering having only reached 15, there are over 20 mainline Final Fantasy titles. While none have achieved the renown of Final Fantasy 7, a few, such as Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 10, and Final Fantasy 12 are tremendously popular in their own ways. With the most recent of these being over 15 years old, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's approach to continuity could work wonders for these titles as well. Perhaps a fresh timeline could even create continuity between some mainline titles, ushering in a new era of Final Fantasy storytelling.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's timeline will take Aerith to new heights, as the original party member becomes the pioneer of a new narrative landscape. Applying this approach to other titles is a smart way to subvert expectations and tell stories that could not stand on their own at the time of their original release. Restricting this approach to Rebirth's Gaia would rob the Final Fantasy franchise of a reinvigorating future. Square Enix will likely look to fans' feedback on Rebirth's timeline to determine how players may respond to its application for other fan-favorite titles.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth releases in winter 2023 for PlayStation 5.
