Cloud and the gang finally returned this year with Final Fantasy 7 Remake in a surprisingly faithful re-imagining of the original game. Practically every major story beat in the remake followed the same narrative progression in the original game, but all of the main and supporting characters were fleshed out and given more screen time in a way that didn't fundamentally change their personalities or growths. But with all of Remake's consistencies with the original game, there were plenty of significant changes to the story. Case in point: the timeline has been shifted thanks to the interference by and the defeat of the Whispers.
Described only as "arbiters of fate," Whispers are hooded ethereal spirits that are present throughout key portions of the story. Whether it's a moment pulled straight from the original game or something completely new, numerous times throughout Final Fantasy 7 Remake the Whispers make their appearance. Theories have gone wild since then among Final Fantasy fans, attempting to determine their true purpose in the grand scheme of things. Considering their connection to major events throughout this first episode, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's second part could be vastly different compared to the original game.
What We Know About the Whispers
The first few trailers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake never really elaborated on what the Whispers truly were. It wasn't till the fourth official trailer for the game when these mysterious "enemies" were shown, certainly confusing fans of the original game who didn't recognize them. Eventually, subsequent trailers started to hint that these ghost-like figures were more than just cannon fodder, and as fans made their way through Final Fantasy 7 Remake upon release, they discovered the true identity of the Whispers. The gist was that they were a much larger threat than Shinra, but their connection to the world and the story runs far deeper than that.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake fans notice very quickly that these dark specters, known only as the Whispers, are clearly hinged to important beats throughout the story. Cloud doesn't even recognize or see the Whispers until him and Aerith first meet after the first reactor bombing. From there, numerous times throughout Remake, the Whispers appear to drastically alter events as they occur throughout the story. Conveniently, every time Whispers alter the story, they do so in favor of sticking to Final Fantasy 7's original story beats. These beings are tied to the planet as some kind of harbinger of "destiny," meant to influence people and events that don't align with the planet's timeline.
The Whispers' Effect On Remake's Story
The Whispers appear in several pivotal moments during Final Fantasy 7 Remake that don't exactly follow the narrative timeline of the original Final Fantasy 7. The Whispers make their first big appearance in the Slums, actively fighting Cloud, the main party, and members of Avalanche only to injure Jessie's ankle before disappearing. After the second Mako reactor bombing, the Whispers seemingly rescue Cloud after he takes a (presumably fatal) fall from the destroyed bridge and landing in the church. Whispers whisk Cloud and Aerith to the back of the Sector 5 Church after Reno and the Turks arrive to capture her. Whispers arrive when President Shinra and Barrett are murdered by Sephiroth, only to revive Barrett before swarming Shinra tower.
Numerous times throughout Final Fantasy 7 Remake do the Whispers severely alter the events in the narrative as they play out. In fact, many times they appear beforehand like clairvoyant spirits, knowing that something is about to pivotally change destiny's timeline and they're appearing to stop it. Cloud and the main party actively fight the Whispers as a final boss of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, known only as the "Whisper Harbinger." From what the game tells players, the Whispers are acting on behalf of the planet's intended fate. It's vaguely inferred that Sephiroth's more prominent role in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is because he's attempting to change fate itself. Ironically so are Cloud, Aerith, and every other character in the main party.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is Changing Fate Itself
The lasting effects of the Whispers and how they've affected Final Fantasy 7 Remake's subsequent episodes remain to be seen. During the penultimate boss fight with the Whisper Harbinger, Cloud and his team are presented glimpses of their fate through iconic scenes from the original Final Fantasy 7 timeline: Aerith's death, a summoned Meteor headed for Gaia, Red XIII in the far future gazing at the ruins of Midgar. These are all events that occur in the original Final Fantasy 7 timeline, events that may no longer be set in stone. Red XIII describes these visions as "a glimpse of tomorrow if we fail here today," potentially comparing the destruction of the Harbinger to altering fate itself.
This is where all of the fan theories around the internet have been going nuts, and rightfully so. Final Fantasy 7 Remake has blatantly, but also ambiguously, altered the course of the original story of Final Fantasy 7. These pivotal events that the Whispers highlighted may be preventable, assuming the destruction of the harbinger marks the breaking of fate's chains. Aerith may not die, Meteor may never make impact with the planet, Holy may never need to be summoned, all of these events' validity has now come into question.
For the sake of the game itself, it's unlikely that these events just won't occur period. The defeat of the Whispers is going to bring into question how these events could be altered or even prevented entirely. It is loosely confirmed that, upon the ending of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cloud and the party has altered fate itself. Zack being alive in some kind of alternate timeline seems to prove that. A clashing of timelines may occur in Final Fantasy 7 Remake's second part, and could alter the course of events the original fans are expecting.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in development.
