In the Final Fantasy VII universe, time travel is never mentioned as a possibility.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy has sparked a lot of debate, and with a month to go until Rebirth’s launch, theories about the next game in the saga just don’t stop popping up. However, it is important to consider some fundamental aspects of this universe that we fell in love with during the theory.
To present my point of view, I will take as a basis the videos of our friend Kode, who is passionate about Final Fantasy VII and does extraordinary work with the content of the theory.
Demolition Theories Part 1
Kode took some time to dissect my thoughts on the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, so I’ll try to explain the most important aspects he commented on. Logically, I’ll start with a video published by Eldiariodecode that debunks the article Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Why the Remake trilogy is not a sequel to Advent Children and is not about alternate realities. [Parte 1].
First of all, I should make it clear that the concept of Final Fantasy VII Remake continuity and Sephiroth traveling to the past at the end of Advent Children has been around for a long time. In fact, the game reached a lot of people before the official release date due to the epidemic, and I remember that before they played the game, it was a sequel and we were fighting with the Advent children Sephiroth (the spoilers were everywhere and I even saw parts of the final battle).
Final Fantasy VII Collection
If the code in the video is not consistent, the Remake trilogy says that it makes no sense to take all the elements of the composition. Personally, I don’t think what I’m talking about is unusual because the developers have already made it clear to you.
The statements that are always considered to defend the concept of a series are the following: the first is that the developers said that the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is the fifth part of the series, and the other is in what they say. The new games do not replace the original. I think it’s a weak argument to hold that as valid evidence because those words could easily be interpreted in another way.
The creators behind Final Fantasy VII said that they wanted to use the elements that were created in the setting because they didn’t exist when the original game was released in 1997. You can easily consider the new games as the fifth part of the series. There was nothing like this when the original Final Fantasy VII came out.
I think that it is reasonable that the remake does not replace the original, we must not forget that there will be people who like the 1997 game more and continue to change (in the development of events and gameplay) ) It will not bother them, you will enjoy it completely. They don’t want the game that defined a generation to go dark.
The curious thing for me is that these statements are very important to confirm the concept of the series, but it can be the key to understand the new direction that another is taking, trying to change it. Let’s remember that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth director Tetsuya Nomura commented that the end of the Remake trilogy will be connected to the Advent Children. It should be calm.
If you want, you can interpret these words to mean that the connection is that the remake trilogy takes place after Advent Children. However, why does Nomura express himself this way, although the real question should be: what makes more sense, saying that fans should not worry because this is not really a reboot, but a series, or because the end of this trilogy will be more similar to what we will see later in Advent Children agree?
In my view, the second interpretation is more meaningful, because it is a little more convenient to justify the other theory. I must make it clear that I do not put my hands in the fire for developers (they are developers trying to sell their products), I am not trying to over-examine their words.
Echoes, a real headache for any Final Fantasy VII fan
Now let’s get to the point of Echoes, because Kode mentions that it’s not possible to be the souls of dead people with Jenova’s cells, because there isn’t that much. If that’s the case, we have to ask the minds behind Final Fantasy VII how two years after the end of the original game, the multi-souled Black Life stream could appear on Advent Children. On the other hand, a few years ago the novel Final Fantasy VII Remake was released. A backstory of two with a small episode about Hojo’s experiments with Genova cells a few years ago.
Signs of Final Fantasy VII Remake
As for Lucretia’s case, she may be right and the only part of the play in which Vincent acted should not be used to say that the signs are of Genova. However, this should also apply to the Advent Children scene, which is always used to prove that this is a story that always repeats itself. Below, I share the said scene (starts after 7 minutes)
It’s the only moment in the entire Final Fantasy VII collection where they talk about it, and even then it’s pretty open to interpretation. Rufus could indicate that as long as humans are alive, they will face any destruction whether they are Sephiroth, Genova, or any other being. I don’t think there was any discussion since then that they thought they were going to tell a story where Sephiroth goes back to the past to change events. Also, why does Rufus know such a thing.
On the other hand, Code mentions that all the things related to the visions that happened in Genoa make no sense, and yes, he’s quite right. Perhaps I should have spoken about this in a different way or I should have been more clear about this topic in the article, but we must not forget that the Sefirot are gaining knowledge by being in the Lifestream. Let’s think about everything that Sephiroth learns on his journey, added to the Genova cells that infect everything, the result is a creature that grows more and more (in fact, it becomes less powerful than the person who transferred his consciousness from the past).
Even though the villain is using Echoes, they still have knowledge and memories, which appear in the form of symbols to give a hint of what could be. However, from my point of view, everything about Echos is related to Sephiroth, Jenova and the planet, not just Gaia trying to stop the villain.
I should also clarify that there are many stories that involve signs or visions and this does not mean that they are sequential or that events have already happened.
The appearance of Echoes in Final Fantasy VII Remake
Another important point is the appearance of Echoes. According to Kode, it makes no sense to have Sephiroth connect Cloud to Eris, and I don’t think it’s worth discussing this, maybe I’m wrong to mention it. Perhaps, at this time, it does not make sense to look for an explanation (it is an argument that comes to nothing), it is clear that the echoes caught the girl. However, this neither disproves nor proves any theory.
Then Kode breaks down my view of Cloud’s sleep scene in Chapter 4. First of all, I would never say that Sephiroth’s voice is from one of Echoes, and secondly, I don’t understand his logic. The Echoes want Cloud to stay asleep (like Sephiroth) so they can take action and hurt Jesse, so our protagonist joins the mission. I don’t see the point in ruining the beings who want to wake up Cloud so that he can confront them.
Kode mentions that they didn’t take action when they were about to shoot President Shinra Barrett because it hadn’t happened yet and it wasn’t even known if he would die. The problem is that the plan to escape with a friend who is seriously injured (or about to die) will be a big problem. Regarding Barrett’s importance to the team, Code suggests that Sephiroth has no reason to save him because he is not important to Cloud. The list covers some of the things that might happen (not everything), so when he sees the team at the meeting, the plan includes all of them.
Now, Kode’s idea about Barrett can be applied if we think of the Echoes as true guardians of the planet or guardians of destiny. If Barrett isn’t as useful as Eris or Tifa, why save these creatures?
For example, we know from the original Final Fantasy VII that Rufus must be present in the northern crater when Sephiroth summons the meteor. I mentioned this in Remake Rufus sees Echoes in Chapter 18 but Tsengu doesn’t.
The fight against Omen
I won’t bring up the topic of the battle with Omen because I thought it would comment on many of the same points already covered. In that fight we see a suspiciously purple monster that looks reminiscent of Genova, and here’s my question: Is Sephiroth in full control when he absorbs the Echoes? In my opinion, this point is another indication that Sephiroth somehow controlled them before.
As for the in-battle memories, I don’t think there’s much to add. The only thing I will mention is the one with red, apparently Final Fantasy VII Remake will show you that our heroes don’t understand it (I wouldn’t be surprised if the red mark happens in the case of humanity’s disappearance, but when we get to the end of the trilogy, they show us that. The same scene but with the difference that people survived).
The two Aeris
Another issue where the scene in Cloud’s Dream sees Eris is one I mention in the article because it’s so controversial. I repeat, the developers want to expand the girl power as shown in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Traces of two pasts. It can appear to someone else, and the person who sees it perceives the situation as a dream. That’s what happened in the remake, which makes the concept of the two Eris lose its power.
To finish the first video, I have to say that if Sephiroth of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy wants to become a god and travel the planet through the cosmos, that doesn’t prove that these games are a sequel. Maybe the developers took that idea to expand the story a bit (it’s an extension of the original plan).
Demolition Theories Part 2
Now it’s time to talk about Code’s second video Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Why the Remake trilogy is not a sequel to Advent Children and not about alternate realities. [Parte 2].
I’ll start by saying that Kode misunderstood the part of the article where I said Sephiroth might have been following events for a long time. I’m talking about the fact that the villain doesn’t want Zack’s fate to change because it doesn’t make sense that he wants him to survive, according to Code.
At one point in the video, Kode says the dog in the bag of potatoes theory was discussed by him and @SEPH7ROTH, noting that he didn’t mention it. Obviously, I wouldn’t call it a code because I don’t know where the concept came from. On the other hand, if one of the developers shows up alive because a character who is supposed to die because he exists in another world, that’s when I start to think that Big is definitely dead. Although other content creators may have similar ideas, this is what I came up with myself.
Also, in fiction, for many people living in the afterlife or the spirit world (or similar places) is like a new life. So the developer’s word doesn’t invalidate the Lifestream theory.
To finish in the second paragraph, we need to talk about the church and Zech. Of course, Kode explained this issue better than other Saga fans. However, while it’s not a very common sighting, other Final Fantasy VII fans have also realized that the people they find there may be ghosts. Still, great job with my code for realizing it.
Demolition Theories Part 3
The article Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Why the Remake trilogy is not a sequel to Advent Children and not about alternative realities [Parte 3] For Rebirth he was focused on finding the logic behind the things seen in the film.
I have to make it clear that the feather theme in the first trailer is something that should catch the attention of any Final Fantasy VII fan. I mention it because I don’t even know if my code has argued about this.
The time travel problem in Final Fantasy VII
As for whether or not the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is a sequel, we must not forget that time travel can cause a lot of problems for the game’s narrative (in my opinion). In fact, if Sephiroth fails to know too much again, his character seems pretty bad as a villain.
Let’s consider the problem that a subsequent theory might pose. If the villain wants to change events, why not transfer his consciousness to Eris so that he has a clear path and can achieve his goal?
Another time Sephiroth can channel his consciousness is after summoning a meteorite. The villain will have a chance to prevent Tifa from helping Cloud find himself. This is important because without Cloud, the team cannot stop Sephiroth, so the famous villain has a free hand to capture the Saint.
In the same way, you can look for different times when the Sefirot can transmit its consciousness and make it easier to achieve its purpose. Traveling back to the beginning of Final Fantasy VII seems like a long way off to me. I say this with the respect Code Theory deserves. You should also ask yourself how this journey works, because if Sephiroth has a lot of power to do this, he can use it at any time when he sees that the situation is not suitable for him.
Sephiroth constantly torments the clouds
In Code’s video, Sephiroth mentions that showing Cloud images of his dead colleagues makes no sense because our main character is with them. The detail is that this is actually in the Final Fantasy VII Remake, he shows Tifa and Barrett’s corpses with him. In fact, you can see the Midgar-destroying storm that seems to continue in the Shinra building in the latest trailer.
As for Wutai, when I talk about the nation, I don’t mean that it is directly at war with Shinra, but that there are people from Wutai who are in conflict with the organization.
We know trailers are meant to confuse and show scenes without context, which is why I’m giving my opinion on them from my point of view. Placing two different shots as if they were in the same spot is useful for constant confusion between training sessions. Again, I am not saying that what I am saying in the article is true, I am explaining it.
If Zach’s world was an alternate reality, how little coherence it would have
In the third article, if the world of Zach and Biggs is an alternate timeline, it will be a problem for the narrative because they have to explain a lot of things. Develop the history of that Midgar.
If Zack’s episode is just a plain explanation of what’s going on in that world, it’s going to be boring, even if it’s an alternate line that I don’t see the developers finding consistency with Biggs in Zack’s scenes. (in order of events).
What is the relationship between humans and spirits in Final Fantasy VII?
Kode also said that if the developers gave them more power, they would kill off Aeris as a character, which the developers are already doing. In Final Fantasy VII Remake. Traces of Two Paths show you a more complete Eris in terms of her powers. Also, Kode suggests that our Marlene doesn’t see that she can talk to Zack without problems because he doesn’t believe that he is cheating (he doesn’t say this, but he suggests that something like this happens when they communicate) at any time to do so.
I must make it clear that if Marlene (to call a plane change somehow) goes to Zach’s world to communicate, she should not be shaken (although it is funny to see this) that they will easily influence. The level we are moving to: Take the form of Zack to see the conversation from his point of view. You can imagine Cloud seeing Eris and Zack in the Advent Children, or talking to the flower girl in the Sector 5 church because the children weren’t annoying, in the original Final Fantasy VII.
I could go on about other points in my code video, but I think I’ve already touched on the most important ones. I must clarify that these articles on Final Fantasy VII theories are pure entertainment, they should not be taken as attacks.
Aspects that I consider during theory
After going over the points Kode made about the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth articles, I’d like to make some final comments. Echoes’ looks are always understated, saying that Nomura just likes hats, and that may be true. However, by the same token, one can say that the one-winged Sephiroth is not a futuristic version, what happens is that the developers think that the villain looks more serious this way.
Similarly, if you’re one of those who think that the inhabitants of Midgar in the intro to Final Fantasy VII Remake are in the Sector 5 Church at the end of the DLC, it’s no coincidence and that what’s being seen represents some kind of spiritual world (I believe), so at least the pattern of Echoes was created for a reason. You have to consider the possibility. I say this because it’s a similar issue, ie the fan might consider the resident theory that Square Enix is using the same character designs as silly.
On the other hand, we know that Echoes Rebrum, Viridi and Croceo are related to Advent Children Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo because it was confirmed by Motomu Toriyama (co-director and scenario designer of Final Fantasy VII Remake) but what if? does not . Let’s assume that some fans are commenting that these creatures are very reminiscent of Sephiroth’s remains in the movie, probably telling them that they are crazy and that Nomura likes colorful characters or something like that.
Also, the developers don’t deny that they are trying hard to make Echoes remind us of Sephiroth’s clones. Just watch Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Final Battle for Rebirth in Movie Trailers.
The @CloudyLeaf6235 account thinks the same and shared some images showing Echoes’ relationship with Sephiroth and Jenova. He does this when he publishes his (very interesting) theory about the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy.
One point that Kode makes is that the concept of controlling Sephiroth’s situation is not very good because everything that happens in the game is because of the villain. First, that Square Enix wants to overuse the feature (like it or not) and secondly, what I’m suggesting is that he has some knowledge from being in Lifestream, he doesn’t know everything (like it doesn’t). Now he even knows what our heroes eat for breakfast).
Regarding Kode’s comments about the Echos concept, I personally find it counterintuitive to argue against the idea that the Sephiroth control these beings, but support the theory that the villain transferred his consciousness to the past. I say this because if you think dealing with Echoes will make everything revolve around Sephiroth and become overpowered, you should think the same way if the villain knows what’s coming.
I mean, if Sephiroth activates his consciousness to change events, the whole story revolves around him trying to win at this point, he knows everything, maybe while our main characters are sleeping (sorry, I had to make a joke.) Actually, Echoes will be the result of what the villain is doing, that is, Code. Theory shows us a story that revolves entirely around what Sephiroth is doing and we are faced with an exaggerated version of the character, with Sefirot only superficially interfering in controlling Echoes.
On the other hand, if the continuity theory is true, one of the questions that could arise from this is whether the events of Final Fantasy VII happened multiple times or just once. If the story happened more than once, the question is how to explain it correctly. If it only happened once, then how does Rufus know that the cycle would repeat itself if it didn’t happen to the Advent Children then?
I also wanted to comment that I personally (and without offending) think that having a theory about a rebuild or a recall is playing it safe. If you make direct references to past events (similar to the Evangelion movies), the theory is unquestionably true, but if you don’t change anything important, any fan can only have one vague line of dialogue to say. It can be considered as a sequel. The last thing I mentioned is similar to the concept of the dead Squall in Final Fantasy VIII, which continues to be debated today.
Kode’s theory says that the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is a sequel, but that important events will still take place. I would like to comment on this point, because I don’t see much sense in Sephiroth knowing a lot about what is going to happen and letting major events remain unchanged. If it’s a sequel, it would make more sense for major changes to happen from a certain point (I don’t think we’ll see it because I don’t believe this is a sequel).
It is clear from the theory that we fans of Final Fantasy VII are creating that Kazushige Nojima has achieved what he wanted, we followers of this universe in the trilogy Remake. However, all these articles are based on theories, no one has absolute truth. So, since I don’t work at Square Enix I can’t get everything right, some parts or almost nothing.
I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Kode on his great work, there are quite a few content creators who have dedicated themselves body and soul to making all kinds of videos related to the Final Fantasy VII universe. I recommend following him on his social media to know more about the franchise we all fell in love with. Also, keep an eye out for El Septimo Cielo, who has been uploading summaries of each Final Fantasy VII collection. Also, I want to thank @SEPH7ROTH and all the people who have supported and shared my theory posts.