Summary
Aerithhas been a beloved character in the series ever since she debuted in 1997 viaFinal Fantasy 7. She even cameoed in games outside ofFinal FantasylikeKingdom Hearts. There’s a big reason why she was cemented in the minds of so many fans, which is a spoiler for those that never played the original game orFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Do those events play out the same inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth? That won’t be spoiled just yet, but what will be spoiled are the following lines. From energetic fan girl moments to moving speeches,Aerith says it all.
8“Question, Does That Make Me A Dumbass?”
Chapter 1, Kalm Inn
Chapter 1 ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis all about Cloud’s backstory, particularly him dealing with Sephiroth in Nibelheim. In the middle of the story, Aerith brings up how Shinra’s news channel talked about Sephiroth dying as a war hero, which Barret goes on a rant about.
He thinks anyone who believes in the news is not smart, which is when Aerith brings up this point. Her delivery is great to shake up Barret’s ideals. He believes the news is a sham, but he also doesn’t want to offend Aerith, whom he is starting to grow fond of along with the other party members. More importantly, he knows Aerith isn’t dumb, which means he may need to re-examine his views.
7“Moving On Costs Money.”
Chapter 2, Bill’s Chocobo Ranch
Chapter 2 is when the world opens up inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,as players get to freely roam The Grasslands. They need to get a Chocobo to traverse the swamp so they end up going to a local ranch.
As they are leaving, Choco Billy mentions his sister, Chloe, has a task for them. Cloud doesn’t want to do it, but Aerith reminds him that they need Gil to move on. Her sentiment is right, but it’s more like the developers speaking through her. Do side quests to earn rewards and to become more powerful for the story tasks ahead.
6“Umm, Excuse Me, Stow The Tude.”
Chapter 6, Costa Del Sol
Costa del Sol is a delightful little resort for the crew to relax in for a bit. There are a lot of quests and mini-games, and many of the cast have their own little side adventures while staying there. Tifa and Aerith, for example, go on a girl’s date, which is when they run into Jenny.
Jenny is also from Midgar, and she is in love with Johnny despite him being in love with Tifa. That’s why she’s being so rude to Tifa’s character, but thankfully, Aerith is there to back Tifa up and support her like a good girlfriend should.
5“I’m Not Gonna Lie, I’m A Teensy Bit Jealous.”
Chapter 8, Gold Saucer
In the original game, players got to go on one date with a character in Gold Saucer based on invisible stats. Thoseparty stats are now visible inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, making it easier to determine who the date happen with on in the first Gold Saucer visit. If players get Tifa, they will run into Aerith in the spaceship arcade room, who is a little bored from running around alone.
When she suggests trying to meet a random stranger, Cloud is vehemently against the idea, and Tifa gives him an odd look. Even without player choice, Cloud is poised as someone trying to “play the field” with Aerith, Tifa, and maybe even Yuffie.
4“He’s Never Given Me A Reason Not To.”
Chapter 9, Gongaga Village
This is another great example of Cloud not making up his mind about girls. In Gongaga, Aerith meets with Zack’s parents to talk about him. Cloud wants to know if she still has feelings for Zack, which is when she says this line.
Aerith is just as conflicted about love as Cloud. She clearly likes Cloud, but wants to encourage Tifa to go for him all the same. Then there is Zack, who she misses but probably knows is dead. Or is he? It’s a bituncertain by the end ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
3“Excuse Me, Am I Intolerant Too?”
Chapter 10, Cave Of The Gi
This is a great callback line from the Kalm Inn. This time, Aerith is mad about being called intolerant by a Gi warrior. This undead warrior is talking down about the Cetra and how they weren’t as great as people make them out to be.
This whole scene is astory change inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, as the Gi never really had a presence in the original game beyond background lore. Suffice it to say Aerith is probably the most tolerant person on the team, even after suffering through years of Hojo’s experiments while still coming out clean.
2“Still I Hope Someday You’ll Come And Find Me.”
Chapter 12, Gold Saucer
Aerith has another great moment at Gold Saucer, but this one happens inChapter 12 ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This quote is the last lyrics of “No Promises to Keep,” which is the game’s theme song. Contextually, Aerith writes it for the Loveless play that everyone gets to experience through VR, which doesn’t make a lot of sense, especially with the inclusion of Jessie, but it is a fun moment in the game.
Aerith wrote this song as an ode to Zack, or players may even be able to argue that it’s really about Cloud. Regardless of the song’s inspiration, it’s a good song and moment for Aerith.
1“True Strength Comes From Our Ability To Forgive.”
Chapter 13, Temple Of The Ancients
Chapters 13-14 inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthare back-to-back crammed with thoughtful speeches from Aerith. These are basically her last moments in this universe, and she makes the most of them to invigorate the team. This quote happens right after everyone relives their dark moments in the Temple of the Ancients.
Aerith wants to make sure everyone knows that to heal the planet, they must learn empathy. Through forgiveness comes great power in being the bigger person, hypothetically. Cloud undercuts the speech with some killer sass, but he’s going through a lot here, and Aerith knows that.
