The Final Fantasy 7 Remake reinvented not only the gameplay of the 1997 original but also charted bold new territory for one of the most beloved narratives in the franchise. Characters and events that were only briefly mentioned or given momentary spotlight in the original were expanded upon and given more depth, and the ending chapters of Final Fantasy 7 Remake established a willingness of the developers to abandon key story beats in order to take beloved characters in exciting and new directions that would surprise longtime fans. One of the primary examples of this uncharted path for character development is found in the game's treatment of its antagonist, Sephiroth.
In the original Final Fantasy 7, Sephiroth is first introduced toward the end of disc 1 during the party's invasion of Shinra Headquarters and is only spoken of in terms of his connection to Cloud. It's not until disc 2 that the party learns of the shared history between Cloud and Sephiroth and why he's considered to be one of the most powerful beings on the planet. With the Final Fantasy 7 Remake split into 3 separate games that roughly equate to each of the original game's 3 discs, the backstory and development of Sephiroth have already departed significantly from the established story beats, and the developers should go all-in on further exploring Sephiroth in the Remake trilogy's upcoming pivotal second chapter.
The Title of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Could Refer Directly to Sephiroth
Given the events that play out in the re-imagined storyline of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, one could be forgiven for assuming that the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was a nod to the revelation that characters who were deceased in the original game (particularly, Zack Fair) are now living. However, the title could have a figurative meaning that applies directly to Sephiroth and his connection to both Jenova and the Whispers that were introduced as part of Remake's narrative. There is a very real possibility that this new FF7 timeline contains more than one Sephiroth.
The introduction of the Whispers acted as a metatextual plot device serving to "protect" the timeline of the original Final Fantasy 7. They are defeated at the conclusion of Remake, which serves to "shatter fate". The final moments of the game give players a hint as just how different this new timeline will be. One of the effects of this divergence could very well be two Sephiroths existing simultaneously, with one being the corporeal manifestation of Sephiroth and the other being the spiritual being manifested by Jenova - with one a potential hero and the other a villain.
Final Fantasy 7's Second Disc is Sephiroth-Centric
Regardless of how Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will handle the convergence of the original timeline with the new reality established in Remake, the second disc of FF7 is all about Sephiroth and his relationship to Cloud as his arch-nemesis. Several of the original game's most important events in disc 2 feature Sephiroth in a key role and Rebirth will undoubtedly approach many of them through a new lens, fleshing out and expanding on the original story in ways similar to their treatment of the first disc's events in Final Fantasy Remake.
The death of Aerith at the hands of Sephiroth in the original Final Fantasy 7 is still considered one of the most shocking and impactful moments in video game history. It's likely that Rebirth will need to address this event and, whether it plays out exactly how players expect or is another departure from the established narrative, will have Sephiroth featuring in a pivotal role. The backstory and personality of Sephiroth have already been more thoroughly explored in Remake, and there's precedent to expect that players will learn more about one of the series' best antagonists when Rebirth launches later this year.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to release in Winter 2023 for PS5.
