When Aerith Gainsborough was first introduced in 1997’s Final Fantasy VII, she captured the hearts of players around the world with her plucky, confident personality. The Sector 5 Flower Girl only continued to grow in popularity over the years, reappearing in various capacities during the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts series.
Like many reimagined aspects of the original game, Final Fantasy VII Remake explores the last Cetra in new and unexpected ways. Those who grew up accustomed to a dreamy and sagacious Aerith will be surprised to experience a different Aerith who is often spritely and outgoing, while newcomers to the series are introduced to a strong female lead who cements herself as an integral part of the Final Fantasy VII world.
10 Worse: Aerith Tries Imitating Corneo’s Laugh In The Sector 6 Sewers
One of the strangest moments in Remake occurs after the party’s clash with Don Corneo’s pet Abzu in the Sector 6 sewers. Following the battle, Aerith wonders aloud if the creature lived in the sewers. Cloud responds by speculating that they were probably supposed to be Abzu’s dinner, which causes Aerith to make a strange “neighing” sound in reaction.
Many players were likely confused by Aerith’s sudden horse-like sound when initially playing through Remake. Fortunately, Aerith voice actor Briana White clarified in a play through livestream that Aerith is actually trying to emulate Corneo’s laugh here, which makes sense in the context of the conversation. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a bizarre moment that the developers could have tweaked to allow the scene to progress more naturally.
9 Better: Hojo Doesn’t Try To Cross-Breed Aerith and Red XIII
In the original Final Fantasy VII, party members Aerith and Red XIII are imprisoned together in a containment tube during their time in the Shinra Building. When Cloud, Tifa, and Barret arrive to free them from their captivity, Hojo implies that he intends to crossbreed the Cetra and the sentient feline-like species in order to produce Cetra offspring with extended lifespans.
Remake sought to change this highly controversial moment, like many other moments, from the original game. In this most recent iteration, Hojo suggests breeding Aerith with members of SOLDIER during a Shinra executive board meeting. Although slightly more “humane,” Hojo’s motives remain disgustingly heinous.
8 Worse: Aerith Complains A Lot About Cheating In Wall Market
Wall Market is the place where unscrupulous individuals reside among the slums of Midgar. Cloud and Aerith are forced to pass through The Town That Never Sleeps after discovering that Tifa has chosen to audition as one of Don Corneo’s brides. Given Aerith’s light-hearted and trusting personality, Remake chooses to present the flower girl as a naïve victim of the many duplicitous antics the duo encounter while in Wall Market.
While this sets up a nice contrast of reactions throughout the chapter like Chocobo Sam’s coin trick and the skewed matchups in the Corneo Colosseum, Aerith’s complaints about everyone cheating can quickly become irritating. Furthermore, Aerith seems to display some cognizance of the dangers that Corneo’s town presents before arriving in Wall Market, calling into question her subsequent lack of awareness.
7 Better: Aerith Seems To Know What The Future Holds
Given her nature as an Ancient, Aerith has always had an aura of enigmatic power surrounding her. Remake adds an additional level of complexity to Aerith’s character by way of her interactions with the Whispers. As the story progresses, players may notice that Aerith drops hints to suggest that she knows more than she’s letting on, which is most notable when she warns Cloud not to follow in love with her during their resolution scene.
Remake smartly tries to capitalize on the ambiguity of Aerith’s knowledge to try and obfuscate the character trajectory so many players are familiar with, encouraging a swath of metadiscourse and theory crafting as to what would happen if Aerith does have knowledge of future events. This, ultimately, leads to the question: Will Aerith die?
6 Worse: Players Are Required To Use Aerith At Certain Points
Anyone who knows anything about Final Fantasy knows that Aerith dies at the hands of Sephiroth relatively early on in the original game. This has resulted in many players refusing to use Aerith as a party member since they permanently lose her after a certain point in the main story.
Furthermore, many players dislike dealing with the emotional gravitas that comes with Aerith’s death scene. Yet Remake forces players to use Aerith during the story, going as far as to create certain segments that are exclusive to her like the mission to rescue Marlene from Seventh Heaven. Consequently, these linear scenarios ask players to place an emotional investment into a character who may meet an abrupt and tragic end.
5 Better: Aerith’s Sassy, Playful Side Turns Her Into A Multidimensional Character
Players familiar with Aerith prior to Final Fantasy VII Remake are used to a portrayal of the Cetra as a calm, sleepy character filled with wisdom. Remake explores a new side to Aerith that is sassy, playful, and even flirtatious at times, building on her relationships from the expanded narrative, with particular nods to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.
Aerith’s different personality lends itself to a profound reimagining of her interactions with Remake‘s other characters. The multidimensionality of her character enables Aerith to successfully engage with the diverse cast of the world she inhabits, whether it be using her charm to disarm Cloud’s cool personality or demonstrating her kindness to kindle a friendship with Tifa.
4 Worse: Leslie Kyle And Madam M Mock Aerith’s Outfit In Chapter 9
Not only is Aerith a character of renown across video game culture, but she is also a figure of empowerment. One of the most refreshing aspects about Aerith in Final Fantasy VII is that she isn’t constantly put in the over-sexualized garb that we often see in the gaming world.
However, Aerith is mocked several times during her brief visit to Wall Market for her choice of apparel. Leslie scoffs at her down-to-earth clothes when she and Cloud first try entering the Corneo Mansion and Madam M informs Aerith that her “plain-looking getup” isn’t sufficient for Corneo’s audition. While these comments make sense in the context of the story, they nevertheless undermine empowering vibes that Aerith champions.
3 Better: Aerith Shares A Surprisingly Strong Chemistry With Cloud
One of the largest debates surrounding Final Fantasy VII is the love triangle between Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa. Unfortunately, Aerith has some major narrative elements working against her, including her previous relationship with Zack, not sharing a history with Cloud (like Tifa has,) and her untimely demise.
Despite these facts working against her, however, the powerful chemistry between Aerith and Cloud during their interactions in Remake creates a compelling argument for their relationship. Disarmed by Aerith’s charm and wit, players are able to witness a rare glimpse into Cloud’s tender side during Chapter 8 when he asks Aerith to elaborate on her conversation with the flowers.
2 Worse: Aerith’s Magical Prowess Is Inconsequential On Lower Difficulties
Without a doubt, Aerith has always been the primary mage of any Final Fantasy VII party. Remake doesn’t hesitate to continue this trend. When her attacks are strung together correctly, Aerith is able to put out an extraordinary amount of magic damage that exceeds any other playable party member in Remake.
However, because this damage is always magic, Aerith’s damage output is not necessarily the most useful unless the player is actively targeting enemy weaknesses on higher difficulty levels. The accessibility of lower difficulties, along with the plethora of healing options at players’ disposals, mean that Aerith’s magical prowess is often not needed in the limited parts of the game she is playable.
1 Better: Eligor Reveals That Aerith Is Afraid Of Being Alone
While Aerith displays a strong, willful personality that sharply contrasts Tifa’s “shy timid one” persona, there is one particular moment in Remake that shines a light on Aerith’s vulnerability. When Eligor kidnaps Aerith in the Train Graveyard, players are given a glimpse of one of Aerith’s greatest fears: loneliness.
It’s a surprising and revelatory development for an already strong character, and crafts a nuanced connection with her worry about revealing her true origins as an Ancient to her friends.
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