Gerudo Town (Dad Squad)
All leads had indicated that the Yiga hideout was in the desert, as it had been in the past. Abel shouldn't have been surprised, honestly.
The issue was that he didn't know exactly where the base was. But a group of warriors did.
Trust was nonexistent these days, in the years after the Calamity. Gerudo Town had managed to escape much of the damage, but it also was cut off from the rest of Hyrule as a result. The oasis was abandoned, only utilized by weary and lost travelers, but no Gerudo roamed the sands around it.
"So let's visit this town, then," Rusl commented after taking another swig out of his newly refilled water flask.
"We can't," Abel sighed, leaning against a rock and basking in the coolness of the shade. "The Gerudo is a matriarchal society. They don't let men inside their walls."
Rusl blinked. Blinked again. Bemused, he remarked, "Matriarchal doesn't mean sexist. Surely they'll let us in."
Abel bit the inside of his cheek. He'd made this explanation plenty of times to his men in the years past. "I don't think the Gerudo are necessarily sexist. They don't distrust or hate men. It's just their tradition - whatever the reason, only girls are born to Gerudo mothers. So they just... don't interact with men in their hometown. It's tradition at this point."
"Strange," Rusl muttered. "The Gerudo are... rare where I'm from, but their distrust was shared equally to all, no matter their sex. They just didn't like anyone who wasn't Gerudo."
Rusl's words reminded Abel that they had yet to address a rather glaring matter. Ever since they had raided the abandoned Yiga camp, Abel had been pondering the fact that the Hero of Hyrule who the Fierce Deity had been protecting was a different Hero from his son. The Hero of Time was a children's story, a tale of folklore so old that barely anything was known of it except that the Soul of the Hero had traveled across time to save multiple lands.
So little was known of the goddess' destined Hero that Abel had often questioned the validity of any of the stories. He'd had no reason to disbelieve them, but... there was little reason to believe them either.
At least until his boy had come to him holding that sword.
So if the Hero of Time was one of Links being pursued by the Yiga... that just led to so many questions. Firstly, how the hell had they managed to do this??
Secondly... what was Rusl's boy? A potential Hero who could turn into a wolf? Abel had never heard of Ordon, so perhaps this Link was different - not of the Soul of the Hero but a savior to his own land nonetheless?
And now, this talk of different Gerudo cultures. Not only were these Heroes real, they and their guardians were plucked from Hyrule's history and thrown here.
I wonder their opinions on the state of things, Abel thought bitterly. How utterly we failed to maintain what they'd fought for.
It was a good thing his son was in a coma. He knew Link wouldn't be able to stand the judgment from the other heroes, whether it was good or bad.
"Either way," Rusl said, rising and interrupting Abel's musings. "I'll scout ahead to see if we can figure anything out without talking to them."
"The desert is treacherous," Abel warned. "It's foolish to go alone."
"I've gone to plenty a dangerous place alone," Rusl reassured him with a smile. "I won't engage in anything foolish, don't worry. I'll be back before sunset. This is just reconnaissance."
Abel supposed another issue to ponder was how little Rusl spoke of his past when he was clearly more than a blacksmith who knew some sword skills, but now didn't seem the time to argue it. He'd seen the man hold his own in battle well enough. Sighing, he waved a dismissive hand, watching the Ordonian walk away.
Glancing back at the oasis, he saw Rusl converse with the Fierce Deity briefly before continuing. The deity stared at the water curiously.
Abel wandered over to him. "Is something wrong?"
"This heat is mildly draining," Fierce remarked, dipping a finger into the water.
"You're more than welcome to swim in it if that's what you're wondering," Abel said. "But people do use it as a water source as well, so I advise cleaning yourself first."
"It does seem ill advised to drink from water that people can swim in," Fierce noted, raising an eyebrow. "My greater concern is hydration."
Abel blinked. If he was worried about hydrating, then why didn't he just drink?
"How much water does one need?" Fierce asked. "I have noticed you're both drinking much more since our arrival. Is it a matter of body heat regulation?"
"Have you never been to the desert...?" Abel questioned in disbelief.
"I don't recall," Fierce answered mildly, voice growing quiet. "I believe once, in battle, I was utilized, but not long enough for it to be a great concern."
Ah. Right. The things this deity did and didn't seem to know... it made Abel have so many questions. First and foremost, how the hell he was still alive.
But secondly... utilized?
"Drink more," Abel advised. "The body loses more water through sweating, and we all sweat more in the heat. Even you are."
"I noticed that much," Fierce replied with a chuckle, as if he were entertained at being taught something so simple. He dipped the flask given to him by Rusl into the oasis and began to drink.
Abel sighed, squinting against the sunlight. Link would certainly need more water if he was being held here. Or, well, had been held here. It seemed silly to go to the desert when their lead had been near Akkala, but... all Abel knew was that the Yiga stronghold was here, and they had all woken at the other side of Hyrule. They'd not had any luck finding any hints of their boys the entire journey here, so they had nothing else to go off.
After several hours of silence (Abel wasn't a particularly talkative man, and despite the deity's curiosity, he usually wouldn't speak unless prompted), Abel recognized Rusl's wavy silhouette in the distance.
The brightly colored handkerchief he was using to wipe his face was new.
"Did you have any success?" Fierce asked.
"Not really," Rusl answered. "However, I did figure out a way that we could get in to learn more."
"Is there a secret passage into the town?" Abel asked, curious. He had always wondered. He had always respected things that were forbidden, but that hadn't meant he wouldn't imagine ways of getting around it.
"Not from what I can tell," Rusl said. "But, with my plan, you could walk through the front door."
Abel found himself both curious and skeptical. He crossed his arms. "Really?"
Rusl held out the colorful handkerchief to him. Slowly taking it, Abel recognized that it was not, in fact, a handkerchief.
"The way the Gerudo dress lends itself to disguise," Rusl explained with a mischievous smile.
Abel held the veil at arm's length as if it would attack him. "You want. To do. What."
"Well if they only let women in, we have to obtain information somehow." Rusl shrugged. "You're smaller in build than me, and your hair's all grown out."
If looks could kill, Abel would have cut Rusl into pieces. "Absolutely not."
"What is it?" Fierce asked.
"He's suggesting I dress like a Gerudo woman to get into the town," Abel hissed. "The answer is no."
Rusl furrowed his brow, clearly frustrated. "Put your pride aside, Abel. This is important."
"Do you really think something like that would actually work?!" Abel motioned angrily towards the deity. "We might as well let him stroll into town in such attire for all the good it would do us!"
The Fierce Deity plucked the veil out of Abel's grip. "Will this allow one to look like a Gerudo woman?"
"Not necessarily," Rusl answered. "The point is that it will hide that he's a man."
"The veil will, but the rest is fairly apparent," Abel snapped. "I'm missing a few key components, Rusl."
"Nothing we can't tweak a little," Rusl replied easily.
This was insane.
"What other attire did you bring?"
Abel turned to argue with the deity about the stupidity of this entire half-witted plan when he saw the mythical man trying to figure out how to put the veil on.
He can't be serious.
"Well," Rusl said slowly as he pulled out more clothes. "I did grab varying sizes. The Gerudo are far taller and broader than I expected, so their clothes might actually fit you better."
"Very well," Fierce said casually, finally settling the veil in the right place. He started stripping his armor without a care, and Abel thought he was going insane. Was this actually happening right now?! A war god was going to cross dress in whatever insane attire the Gerudo chose to wear and--
And--
You know what, to hell with it. Better him than me.
When the Fierce Deity had finished switching clothes, the other two stared at him. Rusl crossed his arms, examining the disguise carefully while Abel just felt his sanity continue to slip away. He wasn't sure he cared at this point. Perhaps he could at least find some entertainment from this?
No, no he couldn't. It was too stupid.
Count your blessings, he reminded himself. At least they actually believe you about the threat the Yiga present now. They believe you enough to even try this fool's errand.
The Fierce Deity, usually a foreboding sight in his pale blue tunic and silver armor, striking attention with the royal blue scarf tied around his waist, was instead adorned in fiery red, which emphasized the paleness of his exposed, muscular abdomen and shoulders. He wore loose, baggy pants and flat footed shoes, silver hair and eyes glittering against a red and gold veil.
"This is not going to work," Abel immediately commented. "He's too big."
Too big, too broad, too muscular. The women of Gerudo were strong enough to probably lift an entire guardian off its feet, but their muscles were still distinctly patterned differently. Women's shoulders were not so broad, nor chest and waist so box-like. Whether the Gerudo assumed he was one of theirs or Hylian, he would still look too masculine to play this part.
"They'll find out immediately," he continued, feeling his stomach churn at the thought that came next. Maybe I should do it... it would be more reasonable, but... no. This entire thing is idiotic. It'll never work.
Rusl, who had been foraging for something else in his bag, suddenly pulled out two hydromelons. "Here, put these in your top."
Fierce took the fruit without argument, and Abel stared, eyes widening. Well, Rusl was certainly committed.
"Giving him breasts isn't going to fix the obvious issue that he is a man," he argued.
"Of course it'll help," Rusl replied. "He just has to... well..."
Rusl paused, staring at the deity as he fumbled to stuff the fruit in his top without them falling out and splattering on the ground.
"Play the part," Abel finished for him flatly.
XXX
Well... it wasn't an immediate disaster.
Abel and Rusl hid behind a dune as they watched Fierce approach the guards, who exchanged... baffled looks from what Abel could tell.
"Hello, fellow women," the deity greeted.
Rusl choked back a cough.
"This is not going to work," Abel hissed, his own voice strained in a competition between secondhand embarrassment, horror, and losing it.
"Hey, it would've been better if you did it!" Rusl whisper back.
Over my dead body.
Surprisingly, the guards shuffled aside to allow him passage after a few confused glances.
Abel stared.
"Ha!" Rusl huffed in triumph. "I told you it would work."
"You didn't know it was going to work!" Abel accused, turning to glare at him.
Rusl ignored him. "Let's see if we can get closer. We can peek over the far wall a little bit."
Abel sighed heavily, dragging his feet through the sand as the pair practically crawled around the edge of the town before climbing the wall opposite of the entrance. Abel half wondered why they couldn't just enter that way, but he supposed in such a small area they were bound to be noticed.
The pair peered over.
It was immediately apparent which one was Fierce. He was simultaneously blending in and sticking out like a sore thumb. His silver hair caught the sunlight, and his towering, imposing figure managed to outshine the Gerudo. Every woman who passed paused and gave him a strange side eye, but no one outright said anything. For his part, Fierce was standing still, surveying the area.
Abel groaned, pounding his forehead against the wall. "He doesn't even know what to do."
Rusl bit his lip, slowly climbing the wall and kneeling in the water that bordered the edge of the town. Abel hesitantly followed. Fierce immediately noticed of them with his superior eyesight. Rusl made little gestures, wiggling his fingers and mouthing words even Abel couldn't understand.
"What are you doing?" he hissed. "He'll never know what you're trying to tell him!"
Fierce nodded, walking slowly around the town.
"He's doing quite well for his first espionage mission," Rusl commented with a chuckle.
Abel groaned. "You're insane."
"Oh, Abel, you should lighten up. There are many ways to achieve a goal, it's not all about the sword."
"I'm aware of that."
The deity finally started to talk to women, disappearing in and out of the men's sight. Abel sighed, rubbing his face as he felt it steadily burning. Between the bright rays and the reflection from the water, he'd rival a Hylian tomato by the end of the day.
"Hopefully he can get some legitimate leads," Rusl muttered. "The sooner we can find the boys, the better."
Abel wanted to face plant into the water with the heat as bad as it was. Instead, he splashed a little on his face. "Yes, well, you're forgetting something very important."
"What?"
"Our esteemed deity is a war god with no idea how mortals function. He's probably going to ask them how they braid their hair."
"Come now, don't disrespect him like that. He's not an idiot."
"I didn't say he was an idiot. On the contrary, he's very curious. That's the problem."
"He'll focus."
Abel hummed, immediately thinking of his wife, Tilieth. Rusl clearly wasn't used to the mischief an inquisitive mind could stir up. Not to mention the deity wasn't exactly subtle. He was certain the deity's concern for his own Link would drive him forward, but he was likely to get distracted as well.
Assuming he could even keep the act up.
"A voe has been spotted! Up there!!"
Abel and Rusl both jolted, eyes wide as they looked down to see guards running their way with spears in hand.
"Time to go!" Rusl said quickly as the pair leapt over the wall back into the sand and scurried away.
Hours later as the sun cast long shadows and brought a chill to the air around the oasis, Abel paced anxiously until he and Rusl both caught sight of their companion's return.
"What did you learn?" Rusl immediately asked.
Fierce pulled the veil and shirt off, clearly having grown uncomfortable in it, and headed for his armor. "Mating customs are strange."
Abel immediately burst into laughter, vindicated. He honestly hadn't expected anything else. The day was wasted, but he supposed he could get what entertainment was available from it. Even he hadn't expected that to be the first thing out of the deity's mouth.
Rusl frowned. "What...?"
"Did Uli, your wife, assert her dominance to you, or is that a Gerudo custom?"
Abel's amusement multiplied tenfold, and he wheezed as he doubled over. Rusl stared at the deity in horror.
"I seem to recall you both spoke of varying mating customs in that village, after all."
Rusl immediately face palmed. "This... those are not the details you were supposed to be investigating."
"Fear not," Fierce continued, slipping on his trousers and under tunic. "I also learned the location of the Yiga hideout. One of the women reported having seen two boys and a wolf as well."
Abel and Rusl snapped to attention, earlier amusement forgotten.
"The Gerudo claim that the hideout was set on fire," Fierce explained. "They investigated it and discovered our heroes. My little hero apparently did not let them near him or his companions, but they were all alive as of one week ago."
One week. A million things could happen in that span of time. Link could have died in that time.
"Does anyone know where they went?" he asked breathlessly.
"The guards tracked them for a few days until they left the desert."
"They left the desert a week ago?" Rusl repeated. "That... so we must have--"
The Ordonian let out a strangled, frustrated groan, turning away as he shook his head. Abel felt similarly. They'd just missed them.
He wondered if the encampment near Akkala had been a more recent lead, after all. Then again, it had taken them a week to get here.
"We need to leave," he said. "The coolness of the night will be good to travel through in the desert."
The other two didn't argue. Rusl was growing frustrated and concerned at how long it had been. Abel was panicking at his son's condition. The three set out within minutes, determination set on stony faces.
Hylia... I... haven't prayed lately, I know, but... please...
Protect him. Protect... protect them all.
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MASSIVE dump of thoughts about Rebirth. Obvious major spoiler warning for pretty much every story beat aside from side quests. That goes for the compilation as a whole.
Think of this as a collection of what would otherwise be literally hundreds of separate obnoxious text posts. Half-review, half liveblogging. Genuine praises and criticisms interspersed with unhinged nonsense. This post is so long it's making my computer lag, so make of that what you will.
To keep it organized and make it easier to find specific moments, this is split up chapter by chapter. I cover the Zack/Biggs stuff in a separate section just before the final chapter, and then follow up with some miscellaneous thoughts.
I'm not of hardcore OG FFVII faith. I love the original, and I view it as separate from Remake/Rebirth, so I embrace most of the major changes. This is generally a very positive review, aside from a few nuisances *cough cough WHISPERS cough* and only one genuinely upsetting letdown. Rebirth is more than I could ever have asked for, and I can't wait to spend the next 4+ years obsessively gushing about it. And now, without further ado...!
Chapter 1: Fall of a Hero (The Nibelheim Incident)
NAILED it.
Love seeing Cloud's teenage squishiness scrambled together with the Zack mannerisms. Restless as a little puppy! Body language, facial expressions, etc. I wonder if they animated a lot of it with Zack's model first, and then replaced it with Cloud? Modders are gonna have a field day with this when the PC version drops.
Sephiroth really was just Some Guy, huh? It's very refreshing to see him acting fully human for once. Helps sell the catastrophic mental shitshow that ensues.
Horfin' down those sandwiches Strife style
"You went into my room?" "I did..." LMAOOO THE SHAME IN HIS VOICE. Cody Christian doing god's work voicing this sopping wet pathetic mess of a man
Zangan manhandling Cloud like that was NOT on my Rebirth bingo card.
The bridge collapse scene is beautifully expanded upon. Such a delicious moment if you know the real story. RIP Ramirez. o7
There is NO fucking way Sephiroth just... stood there unfazed by waist high rushing water. Y'all have any idea how dangerous just ankle-deep water is at those speeds? At least the generous use of artistic license in physics is established very early on.
Tifa demonstrating incredible self restraint by choosing not to strangle Zack to death at the mako spring. I would have walloped his cocky ass lol
"Such a puppy." We're establishing the homoerotic tension right away as well, thank god.
oooOOOouhh the way you can pinpoint the precise moment that Sephiroth starts to lose control at the reactor. The way he walks up those stairs.......
Mwahaha-ing over the visual parallels. Raising his hand to the candle flame... Jenova's face flickering over his own... wow. Every shot, every angle is carefully chosen. Cinematography at it's finest.
OG painted a picture of "no survivors," so it surprised me how many people seemed to have escaped from Nibelheim. Although, it's not certain what their ultimate fate was. I imagine they did it this way to show that the incident impacted far more people than just Cloud and Tifa. Makes sense, considering "sheer scale of suffering" is a recurring theme throughout the Re-trilogy so far.
Sephiroth's mass slaughter is bone chilling. The music, the tension, the iconic shot of the flames framing his figure. Goddamn. And then there's the poor trooper, reaching out for his mom.........
"Why didn't they just shoot him?? They had him surrounded!!" 1, Fear doesn't give a damn about rationality. 2, It's SEPHIROTH. They were almost certainly correct in assuming that their dinky little hunting rifles weren't gonna do jack shit.
Catch me giggling over the most mundane shit. LOVE the detail of the sword tip clanking on the metal floor as Tifa drags it. I'm obsessed with lovingly crafted, nearly unnoticeable sound design like that.
"Mother, they have come again." THANK FUCK they kept this line. I don't even know why, it just stuck with me so hard from OG.
Not sure why people are cranky that the flashback cuts off. It ends at the exact same point as in OG. That's the point, it's supposed to be frustrating.
Seeing an unfathomable number of dumbass comments going "huh??? why did cloud tell the story all wrong??? that's not what happened!!" Dear Lord Please Give Me The Strength
AERTI!!!!!!! hell yeah
Tifa being proactive instead of stewing in confusion!! Love that for her. But damn it didn't go down well, huh. "I was so happy to see you again, but maybe I shouldn't have been." BIG OOOOOF
OUCH. Cloud. At least take off the pauldron if you're gonna sleep on that side LOL
Chapter 2: A New Journey Begins (Kalm and The Grasslands)
Very interesting news broadcast ya got goin' on there, Shinra...
Kalm is so so so so pretty. Feels like an actual full sized city now! Wish we could have seen more of it at night, like in the OG.
Broden!! I like him. I want the best for him. I know he's fucked. But really, it's cool to see more SOLDIER characters. We get to see Cloud's uh-oh brain static moments from the outside perspective, and boy howdy, it ain't pretty.
Broden says he's "...on your side. Got a contact at HQ." Meanwhile, my delusional ass: CONTACT? KUNSEL? IS IT KUNSEL? DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE NAMED KUNSEL?
Mentioned it in a different post— I suspected they changed the arrangement of Midgar's sectors. Sure enough, it's confirmed by looking at Rebirth's world map. Is this a meta fate-has-been-altered thing, or is it just a curious retcon? Maybe a bit of both?
HOLLOW REMIX HOLLOW REMIX HOLLOW REMIX HOLLOW REMIX HOLLOW REMIX AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Oh my god, her name is CHLOE????????? "Chole" was a typo this whole fucking time???? I can't handle this
NOT CHOCOBO BILL BLINDSIDING US WITH THE CLOUD GETTING DOUBLE PENETRATED IN A NASTY SWAMP SHACK IMPLICATIONS???? HELLO?????????
My sweet son Chadley has returned from the time void.
Ok serious talk. Wtf is up with the audio mixing. Someone gave the thumbs up for this production?! The default music volume is WAY too loud and overpowers voice lines. Doesn't help that Remake's npc dialogue deluge in crowded areas hasn't been addressed at all. C'mon people, you had years to fix this shit. It's a shame too, because I would love to hear all of the beautiful music and talented voice acting, just... separately, please.
The Soggy Strife Agenda is off to a great start!
I know Midgar Zolom was a blind idiot translation, but I dunno man. Midgardsormr just doesn't do it for me. Zolom sweetie come home :(
FUCKING. FUCK. WHERE'S THE LINE. FUCK!!! Apparently Sephiroth Did Not Do This. Goddammit. Fucking blasphemy. Genuinely gutted that they didn't include that line. Imagine if they had pulled that shit with Me Gongaga. Unacceptable.
Chapter 3: Deeper into Darkness (Mythril Mines)
"Enough for her Standard Course twice, right?" keep it up Aerith you're doing amazing :)
Ah, the opening area of the mines has been converted into a museum. No wonder people are allowed to just waltz right on in.
ELENA!! Oooooh I love her voice!! She's got that young overconfident sass. Fits her perfectly. She's got me sweating bullets seeing her kick a grenade around like a soccer ball though YIKES
Those Boulders Are Not Made Of Solid Rock
Not much else to say about the mines. Love when the original version of the music kicked in. Barret and Red's dynamic is so good!
Chapter 4: Dawn of a New Era (Junon)
We just, uh, waiting for the bus there, folks? OH SHIT sorry about the bird of prey thing man, that sucks. Hope you feel better soon
Contrary to maybe popular opinion, but I actually love it when you know exactly what a character is going to say or do next. It means the writers have done a great job at getting that character across. Predictable does not always equal bad; tropes exist for a reason after all.
Under Junon. mwah <3
Priscilla!! Omg she's so cute and annoying. Just how I remember.
Soggy Strife Episode 2. This time featuring an off-putting amount of romantic tension between Cloud And That Dolphin
Lowkey disappointed that they cut the uncomfortably long CPR minigame. Gamers nowadays have no idea how good they have it. Back in my day, we had to give mouth-to-mouth for 5 minutes straight in deafening silence.
YUFFIE!!!!!! Oh my god the leakers weren't exaggerating about the naruto run
Yeah ok just. gonna do some good night crunches. Very. Uh. Normal of you, Cloud Strife. God I love this weirdo
ROCHEEEEE My Boyfriend Has Returned
Aerith and Priscilla doing the arm bump thing............ yeah...........
Yeah you work those tanker controls gay boy. I was really expecting a jumpscare as the tanker lifted up. Would have actually shrieked if Sephiroth was just like "sup lol"
WOW the sister ray!!! Honestly the first moment that made me go "DAMN this is Final Fantasy alright!" What a view.
Glad they kept Junon's silly amount of elevators.
Oh hi Glenn
So Aerith wants to know if there are any good restaurants in Junon. Well, maybe if this guy hadn't been busy barfing in an alleyway....
Gee Tifa and Aerith, it's a good thing you guys practiced your highly choreographed military drill, just in case you ever had to pretend to be a trooper during an inaugural parade. Gotta be prepared for even the most unlikely scenarios! (As a writer, I know how it is with suspension of disbelief. But it's still kinda doofy lol)
That being said, I'd let the commander have her way with me
THE MUSIC
Tee hee omg it's so cute to see Cloud in his element! Look at that boy go. He's so into it. I like hearing all of the Seventh Infantry's interactions, too. Really hammers it in that they're all just normal people with their own worries and hopes.
Oopsie daisy. I am not immune to Shinra Propaganda. Huh. Well done, writers.
THE GLABRESCENT!! EXCLUSIVE CLUB FOR BALD PEOPLE
Awww look at all the 1/35 soldiers! Man. This whole chapter is just one huge love letter to the OG. So much nostalgia, plus so much new exciting stuff. God I could go on and on
This Just In, Entire Junon Nursing Home Full Of Elderly People Dies Of A Heart Attack After Rufus Shinra Decides To Fire The Fucking Cannon
Roche please sign my forehead
Uh oh. Yuffie
Yeah Ok don't mind me, just a SOLDIER 1st Class, protecting these little infantrymen with my life. No parallels to be found here, folks
GENUINELY HONEST TO GOD I AM SO SORRY FOR SLICING YOUR BABY ANGEL IN HALF LIKE THAT ROCHE PLEASE FORGIVE ME. Cloud say you're sorry Right Fucking Now.
Oh good no hard feelings. Well. Actually. Uh
Chapter 5: Blood in the Water (Shinra-8/Ship to Costa)
Oh to be a girl hiding away in a cargo hold with another girl.......
Little bit of Traces of Two Pasts! So Aerith told Tifa about Faz, the weird guy that was a little bit too nice to Ifalna. Apparently Aerith is still shaken up by that. Don't blame her.
Ok. I've been avoiding the topic of Queen's Blood, because frankly, my opinion on it is completely unfounded and irrational. I fucking hate card games in video games that are not supposed to be solely about card games. I can't help it. I'm here for the pretty people rpg and the gut-wrenching t4t heartbreak, not for the Magic the Gathering subplot. Any time this game so much as breathes the name Queen's Blood in my direction, I feel something visceral welling up inside of me. So as you can imagine, The Chapter Where You Play Queen's Blood is not my personal favorite.
But I get it! It's not like there was much to do here in the OG. I like that they went out of their way to flesh the ship out and give it more to remember. And for people who like Queen's Blood, I'm happy for them!!
Silly boy humming the victory fanfare I love himmmm
*wiggles*
Gotta get me one of them bigass cardboard cutout palm trees to put on display inside of my grungy metal hallway. Wow what a vibe
DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULD DEMAND THE MANAGER, RED
THE MOONWALK SJHSYAFDFKKFFJF oh mny fuckijngh god the terrified kid crying his eyes out LMAOOOOO
Dang It! I wanted to see what Cloud looks like swaddled up in that hammock. Why do you deny me that which I desire. Screw your fade to black.
Good to know Hojo is just as disgusting and disturbing as he should be! Yayyyyy :(
"Holy shit..." YUFFIE SAME????? TITOV BOUTTA BLOW SOME TITS OFF????
YEEEHAAWWWW time for another absolute fucking banger of a Jenova remix!!!! I cannot praise the soundtrack enough.
Chapter 6: Fool's Paradise (Costa del Sol)
Obligatory beach episode
Johnny!!!!! My favorite dramatic idiot with a heart of gold! It's ok babygirl I love your seasmell hotel. I'll stay there anytime.
Cloud acting like that lei is strangling him. Sameeee dude same but no really. This place sucks. Too many people trying to force this poor guy to have fun against his will.
If I have to hear "hang loose" one more time, there will be bloodshed.
I do not trust that man to ride safely and sanely on that wheelie. He can't even walk on his own two feet without endangering every physics object in the vicinity.
Empty materia moment actually made me gasp out loud
AERTI DATE AERTI DATE AERTI DATE AERTI DATE
OUTFIT REVIEW TIME
Cloud's Tits Out: An unusual sight. I feel like he should be smooth under there like Link BOTW. He looks a little too robust for someone who's got Big Oil And Brain Worms In There and hasn't slept in weeks. I appreciate the commitment to making him pale as paper and flat as a board. No top surgery scars lose points big time. I'm neutral about the toes. 4/10
Cloud's Business Casual: Immaculate. Tastefully hideous. That blue is NOT your color, girl. Chocobo imagery is always a plus. Absolutely mystified by the untied capris + 3/4 sleeve scoop neck combo. Pretty sure he's not wearing any socks with those tennis shoes. Sneakers in the sand is a helluva sensory experience for an autistic guy like him, I deeply respect it. 9/10.
Tifa's Frilly Miniskirt: Cute and confident. Split between it being utterly out of character for her, or 1000% perfect for her. The white and purple is a great color combo. Slightly concerned about the structural integrity of the neck strap. Uncooperative hairstyle is understandable but kills the vibe a bit. Jealous of the sandals. 8/10
Tifa's Tie Front: DAMN. Stripes with the collar, black jean shorts, hell yeah. The giant belt buckle is just asking for a nasty burn mark, though. Whatever. She's rockin' it. I dunno man, I'm at a loss for words, you just gotta see it to believe it. 10/10.
Aerith's Keepin' It Simple: Tried and true. Pink always works in her favor. Love the little matching flowers in her hair. The wrap around wallet chain is a welcome sprinkle of weirdness. Otherwise masterfully boring; it suits her city-slickin' down-to-earth attitude. 9/10
Aerith's Floral Cover Up: Classy. Got that Final Fantasy princess look with the ruffled sleeves and the push-up cut. The long skirt is nothing short of perfection. Lovestruck by the splash of lime green with the leaf pattern. Can't imagine how annoying those shin-high sandal straps might be though, that's gonna leave a mark. 9/10
Barret's Bear Wearing A Marshmallow: Pillsbury Dough Man at his finest. Faithful to the original, exquisite in 4K HD. Hoist hook arm adds that extra sailor flair, sealing the look. He's having fun with it, and that's what matters most. 10/10!
Ok back to reality
uh oh.
Yup, somehow they managed to make Hojo even more nauseating than ever before. Good. The more we hate him, the worse it'll sting when he keeps dodging his comeuppance. Hohohohoho.... That's Good Writing, Babie! Twist that knife. Keep us ravenously thirsty for revenge!!
Seen a lot of complaints about the women that accompany Hojo to the beach and shower him with compliments and oohs and aahs. Not sure why. Pretty sure it's heavily implied that they're being paid SHIT LOADS of gil to act that way. It's stated outright that they're working for Mayor Kapono, and it's well established by that point that the mayor is wrapped tight around Shinra's pinky finger.
The moment that beach fight started, I knew right away... GRAB THAT UMBRELLA, DO YOUR LEGACY PROUD
Aerith showing her vengeful side, just a tiny bit. So much pent up hatred and grief. Love how it mirrors Cloud's character. She's so forgiving, she doesn't know how to turn anger into action. He's so caught up in his anger, that he forgets what forgiveness could do for him. Man. :'(
Yuffie joins the team!!! Cloud's just like. >:/ lol
Chapter 7: Those Left Behind (Corel)
Fun time is over folks
Huh. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but that's not even close to being a Weapon. Major retcon, or legendary fakeout?
Sighh... Aerith looking up at the sky like that... The longing sure is long isn't it
WELL! Ain't that the dolly zoom of a lifetime! It's absolutely wild to watch Cloud's mental state worsen gradually in real time. Seeing him almost walk off a cliff was freaky. Good stuff
I WILL LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR CLOUD JUNIOR
Poor Barret...... damn dude. The people of Corel were nasty to him in the OG, but they cranked that up to eleven in Rebirth. Wow.
"She your new wife? Well good for you..." istg i'll reach through that screen and choke you out with my bare hands bitchass
"NO." Well that settles that! Gee I wonder why Cloud's not interested in helping out the doctor with his test...... hmm......
Yuffie honey... read the room.........
Chapter 8: All That Glitters (Gold Saucer First Visit)
And now for a jarring tonal shift! Yeahh... this game suffers from awkward pacing. A lot. Though I do suppose that's the point— hellish suffering juxtaposed with distasteful extravagance, just how Shinra prefers it.
Dio should snap him in half like a twig. I think it would be good enrichment for Cloud.
Ok. I'm pretty sure this is like. the fourth time Cloud's pupils have gotten all blown out upon seeing Sephiroth. There may be a clinical explanation for this, but there sure as hell ain't a straight one. The submissive little gasps are NOT helping.
I'm fucking pissed on behalf of anyone who has to stay the night at this dumbass hotel. Oh my god. How could anyone fall asleep in this obnoxious hellscape.
At least the receptionist looks good tied up and struggling ;)
Cait Sith meowing his own theme song is doing something unfathomable to the part of me that almost became a furry back in middle school. Oh god no he's so adorable. I'm screwed
I'm going to dismantle that tonberry robot bolt by bolt.
Aerith and Cloud commentating the races omg kicking my feet like a little schoolgirl i love them so muchhhh
The bike minigame is just not the same without Roche's "encouragement"
Jessie 😭
Ok I'm glad that it's made clear from the get-go that Barret isn't responsible for the shooting, and he also doesn't try to take the fall for Dyne. That left a bad taste in my mouth in the OG, so this is a welcome change.
Cait Sith is a little bit too enthused about the muggin' maimin' and murderin' lmao
OH MY GOD CLOUD. Baseball bat to the back of the head was genuinely shocking. As if he didn't have enough brain damage to begin with D:
Oh yuck. Gus is insufferable and nasty. I've known this guy for all of five seconds, and I already hate his guts. Fantastic characterization right outta the gate. The music is hilarious.
Billy???? How the hell did you end up here????? Kid you GOTTA get tf out of this place
LMAOOO Elena is my favorite turk confirmed. "NO VANILLA."
Oh man. Dyne time. This entire part is so damn good. Barret wants so badly for Dyne to be the beloved friend he used to be, but he's just way too far gone. So much resentment and grief.
Second half of the Dyne battle is a little bit weird, but I can tentatively accept it.
Was definitely wondering how they would handle Dyne's suicide given the teen rating. They circumvented the issue by having Shinra troopers gun him down in a crazed last stand. Different from the OG, but still believable and well written, considering their limitations.
Now that I think about it, this game is REALLY pushin' it with the teen rating. I'm willing to bet the rating boards were like, "yeah uh we can make an exception. it's FFVII we're talkin' about." Still... wonder why they couldn't go as far with Remake.
"You carry that guilt... That weight..." Wow. That line.
Annnnd jarring tonal shift! Robot frog fight versus the comedy relief villain. To be fair, I can't think of any other decent place to put this boss, either. On the bright side, Anuran Suppressor is awesome. Favorite fight in the game so far!
I need this soundtrack in my possession right fucking now.
Oh hi Glenn
Chapter 9: The Planet Stirs (Gongaga)
dune buggy :)
Oh Yuffie... just keep a barf bucket on hand or somethin will ya?
"I just... I feel like I've been here before." Well wouldja look at that... no jenova static...
Going over the hill and seeing the reactor... damn.
CISSNEI!!!! Ouuugh girl you know EXACTLY who tf he is, don't lie.
Noooo give Cait his little mushroom back you meanie :(
Ah. The deranged picnic music.
Gongaga has a much different vibe than it did in the OG. The intense feeling of mourning and hardship is missing. No hazy purple hues or Anxiety playing. Seems like they went in more of a CC direction, with the bright blue sky and uplifting soundtrack. Can't lie, I'm a tiny bit disappointed; I was really hoping for something more heavy and melancholic.
The existence of ordinary chickens in the FFVII universe has some frightening implications for the true nature of chocobos. If you have ever kept backyard chickens, you'll know what I mean.
Ohhhhhhh.... Zack's home............. :((((((
No. No. Don't play Sky Blue Eyes. Don't fucking do this to me. I'm gonna fucking cry. Oh my god no.
"They do say no news is good news, right?" I'm gonna do it.
You know shit's bad when even Cloud "I'm Fine" Strife admits he needs to have a lie down. Yikes.
Man, I really wish we knew more about Tifa and Aerith's chats. Dramatic irony's a bitch.
They sure went all out with the mushroom thing, huh. I know they were trying to differentiate Gongaga in terms of gameplay and worldbuilding, but I feel like they went a little overboard. Gongaga was its own unique thing in OG, not sure why they felt the need to quote unquote improve upon it. Just kinda weird.
Now the reactor is a different story. They did an incredible job here. The scale of the reactor, the unprecedented destruction—
Oh God Damn It The Whispers Are Back
Seriously trying so hard to justify in my own mind why the whispers are here. I don't despise them as a concept, but their implementation is awkward and overdone. In the Gongaga reactor, they fulfill the same narrative purpose as the black robes would: to facilitate the Reunion by mentally dragging Cloud along. Sigh... I get it's because they want to familiarize the player with the whispers in anticipation of future scenes, but it still pisses me off.
That being said, the whispers' theme goes HARD and I'm elated to hear it again. It also fits super well in the Gongaga reactor. So I guess I'm not that pissed.
Touch Me renamed to Amphidex. Can't have shit in Gongaga :/
ooOOOOO!!! The mako fumes getting to Cloud's head! Poor guy's about to pass out. Nice touch.
Sephiroth/Jenova taking advantage of Cloud's mako poisoning... Oh man... the instant change in demeanor is nuts. So fucking good. Here we get to see the first time that Sephiroth has total control over Cloud, and it does not disappoint. Ruthless.
Tifa honey how and why tf are you keeping it together right now. Girl, you do NOT have to fix him. You do not have to show him your boobs a second time. You do not have to take a single thing he says seriously. You can just get up and leave I promise he's doomed by the narrative until further notice 😭😭😭
Telluric Orca Vore Moment was also not on my rebirth bingo card but Okay
Teasing the lifestream. Sure, I can get down with it. Just... y'all got a bit of a whisper problem down here. Want me to call pest control?
"No! Don't take him too!" Damn...
I would not feel safe alone in a room with a man who just tried to kill me, let alone even remotely consider intimacy, but maybe that's just me. It is refreshing to see Tifa and Cloud actually talk things out for a change.
Cloud knows there's something wrong with him and he's so scared... man :'(
What does Aerith say to her???????????? ARRRGHHH
So we're all just perfectly fine with Cloud continuing to be in charge? Nobody's got any objections to that? Alrighty Then
SURPRISE Cid Highwind!! Leaks were right, he's cleaned up. No cigs, less swears, very friendly guy. Not as off-putting as I worried it might be. I'm convinced it's just because he's got a business to run— we'll see good ol' cranky Cid in part 3.
ROCHE NOOOOOOOOOO DON'T!!!!!!!! :(
Chapter 10: Watcher of the Vale (Cosmo Canyon)
Red's real voice reveal! Red's real name reveal!! Though I really would have preferred to see his name change to Nanaki in the menu and subtitles...
Cosmo Canyon is coming off as a hippie stoner tourist trap. Yeah all of these people are correct about the planet and the lifestream, but dang if it doesn't feel like someone's about to heckle me into buying healing crystals and dreamcatchers.
The nostalgia is A++. Beautiful remaster of the music, too.
BUGENHAGEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOO!!!!!!! SO jealous of him zoomin around on that sick af crystal ball. Screw the Costa wheelies, I want one of these bad boys.
...A legendary fakeout in the making, I think!
The observatory is stunning. Can't even put it into words. The planetarium brought me to tears, it's such a flood of nostalgia and a deeply emotional scene. I love the nice detail of the planet being different from Earth— mako tinted oceans instead of deep blue. Watching the model planet rot and crumble broke my heart.
Sobbing the whole way through Aerith's speech. My god. Poor girl. Knowing what her fate is in the OG makes it hurt even worse.
Gi Nattak. Would
Expanding upon the Gi. Unexpected but super cool. Their story reminds me of FFIX, with the parasitic planet Terra lurking deep within Gaia. The Gi and the Cetra seem to have something similar going on. Who was here first? It almost sounds like the Cetra and their lifestream are invaders.
I could easily relate to the Gi's opinion, that the endless cycle of the lifestream and the persistence of the spirit is tantamount to torture. Never being able to truly rest in peace sucks. Don't worry friends, I'll bring you the black materia! :) (THIS USER CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE BLACK MATERIA)
Aerith sticking her hand into the mako..............
Chapter 11: The Long Shadow of Shinra (Nibelheim)
The intense gaslighting about Nibelheim was one of my favorite things about the OG. It also helped seed even more doubt into Cloud's existence as a real person, setting up his descent into madness over the black materia and vulnerability as Sephiroth's puppet. So the changes they've made to Nibelheim in Rebirth are... unnecessary, to put it lightly.
The villagers do not argue with Tifa or Cloud about their memories of the town. They greet them and tell them all about the town's development into a mako poisoning treatment center. Sigh... Part of what made OG's Nibel revisit so dreadful was the unshakeable feeling that you are not welcome there, and that you're being watched like a hawk. I feel a little bit too comfy here in Rebirth Nibelheim, with how friendly and open everyone's being.
Love the chat with Tifa in her old room. We get so much insight into her thoughts and feelings about Nibelheim, Avalanche, and about Cloud and herself.
"Every time we made eye contact, you'd look away. And when I tried to talk to you, you'd ignore me." ouch, don't gotta poke him in the autism like that
Ohoho. The hotel's digging up some memories. I've said my piece.
dillydally
LORD have mercy. This boy's noodle is scrambled like you wouldn't believe. Good news, he remembers Zack, sort of. Bad news, he thinks he fucking drowned?!???? It's intimidating to see the lengths Jenova/Sephiroth will go to to obscure the truth from Cloud. Damn.
Ok Yuffie is actually starting to get a bit obnoxious. Please stop interrupting emotionally charged moments. We get it, you're excited about materia. Cut it out.
If I were Tifa I would be shitting my pants terrified right about now. Girl I do NOT know how you're holding it together.
And now for the most distasteful tonal shift and momentum killer of all time. It's silly kitty cat hijinks time!! ...What the actual fuck. I like Cait Sith, but this is unacceptable. The basement is supposed to be a sickening place of fear and tragedy. Turning it into a cutesy little box chucking playground is downright disrespectful to the original FFVII. I can't even believe I'm writing this, it's so absurd as a concept. This is the only major change that I'm legitimately seriously upset about.
And by god does it drag on. Every time you think, surely this is the final section!... nope. It just keeps on fucking going. Fuck my life, my blood is boiling. Unreal. Remake's slow ass hand-crane highway thing is nothing compared to this. I'll take a Queen's Blood tournament and a hurricane of whispers any day over this unrivaled masterclass in unnecessary bullshit. Fuck.
At least to some people, the reward for getting through the Cait Sith Crate Slog is worthwhile— a few cutscenes starring Vincent Valentine, and a battle against Galian Beast. But if you're like me, and you're not utterly obsessed with Vincent Valentine or Matt Mercer, then by this point, you're just feeling drained and disappointed.
Overall... least favorite chapter. Mellow start, juicy build up with great potential, completely shafted by baffling nonsense.
RIP Roche. Heartbreaking. It's been a good run. Side note, Roche's conversion into a black robe was... quite bizarre. That's just, uh, how that works, I suppose? Okie dokie then
Oh hi Glenn
Chapter 12: A Golden Key (Gold Saucer Revisit)
Always felt weird about the Gold Saucer revisit in the OG. Unusual pacing. Well, at least Rebirth's being consistent in that regard.
What's the point of the theater if you're just going to do a VR performance instead? I know it's a silly little nitpick, but I wanna hear some soles squeaking on a hardwood stage!
Ah, that's the point of the VR. So Shinra can use a dead woman's likeness to keep selling tickets to their overhyped shows. Surprised none of the characters say anything about that, given Avalanche's well-established anticapitalist message.
This is what Genesis Rhapsodos decided to hyperfixate on? No wonder the guy's hair started turning grey and falling out in chunks. [SARCASM]
Barret sobbing uncontrollably, right next to Nanaki looking like a rejected Crash Bandicoot reboot clapping his paws together. Sums up this entire game so far.
The "audience participation" in the play is altered significantly from the OG. It's, uh, very neat and tidy. I strongly prefer OG's hysterical secondhand embarrassment and awkward ad-lib.
I NEED to know what happens if you fail all of the QTEs. Please tell me it goes off the rails and Cloud gets booed off stage PLEASE.
Pretty song. But my god if that is Not What She Would Sound Like.
The gondola rides!! Overall fantastic. So difficult to pick a favorite. Tifa's is obviously phenomenal, but I think I still have a soft spot for Aerith's. I like that Barret's is taken more seriously; it's such a heartfelt moment. Yuffie reminiscing about Zack was adorable, as well as Cloud relating to her being bad with feelings. The Cait Sith/Cid/Vincent one had me laughing out loud, it was so stiff and awkward lmaoo
THE SCOTCH AND KOTCH DISS TRACK IS SENDING ME???????? SKSJKHAGAAAFDSDSDHHBFD I'm so happy to see these freaks doing their thing again.
RUFUS SHINRA?????
Yeah, no Cait Sith, you ain't garnering any pity from me. Not happening after the crate incident.
Chapter 13: Where Angels Fear to Tread (Temple of the Ancients)
So the temple is to the north now. Understandable, since that's where the Forgotten Capital is, too. Still took me by surprise. Also means we won't be going back to Gongaga... aww :(
HOLY FUCK the way the temple assembles itself... now THIS is what I'm talkin' about!
Teasing us with that fractal square symbol since all the way back in Remake...!
Roche....... "my... friend..." :(((((((
These troopers are NOT getting paid enough for this shit lmao
Oh howdy there Rathalos from Monster Hunter, you look a bit different than I remember
Thank goodness the Cetra had the foresight to incorporate some aesthetically appropriate rest benches into their temple's design!
Aerith's seance + the camera angle of the whole team watching... beautiful nod to FFX...? <3
That better not have been Kunsel.
Reno jumpscare
Elena's pretty pink pistol with the charms and stickers is so goofy. I love her. Hopefully Cloud won't try to chop her head off within the next sixty seconds or anything like tha— uh, nevermind.
oooOOURGHH Cloud is SO fucking terrifying throughout the whole temple. Cody hitting it out of the ballpark BIG TIME with the voice acting. DAMN.
Everybody but Cloud has memories to retread... broke my heart. Sad and scary. By the way Hey uhh Temple? Why the fuck would you do this to us? :(
ugly sobbing
Followed up by the Gayest Thing I Think I've Ever Seen In Video Game History
YOU! WITH THE WING!! GET DOWN HERE!!! YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!
Oh god no you're going to make me fight Demon Gate aren't you
THERE'S TWO OF THEM??!?!?!??!?!!! AAHGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HORRIFYING BUT RELATABLE, CLOUD
Wait. Cloud. Hey. Can we talk about it for a sec. Come back please
"There's no point fighting over a fake." WHOA I actually straight up forgot about that twist! Hell yeah! What a wham line!
"I wish I hadnae skipped leg day." pFFFFT LMAOOOOO
"Yeah... I'm good." The Fuck You Ain't
PHHWAAHH HE JUST GETS CRUSHED AWWW!! RIP LMAO WHAT A WAY TO GO
The temple's transformation is breathtaking. And that music score, too, holy fuck.
Honestly I'm not even mad about the whispers being there, they're just a setpiece at this point. Adds to the frantic atmosphere. I'm choosing to ignore their narrative relevance until absolutely necessary.
ROCHE? YOU GOOD THERE BUDDY?
THAT BOY on his hands and knees SCRAMBLING for that black materia. Gayass
CLOUD AARHGRFGGFFFFF OHHGGHH SEPHIROTH HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER HIM HHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
OUUGRRHHHH OAWWWWGGHH
LISTEN. Listen I cannot formulate coherent thoughts about this. Go see it for yourself. Just go.
tee hee hee he's so proud of himself handing it over :3
It Begins.
Interlude. The Zack Moments so far:
Yeahhhh not a huge fan of Zack just dropping Cloud off at the nearest recognizable npc. Not after he almost gave his goddamn life to protect him.
MAN! Finally get to see what it's like to enter/exit Midgar. No fade to black, just on your feet and out the gate. Feels good; kinda surreal honestly. Never realized how bad I wanted this.
Regardless of what you think about the Zack thing, you gotta admit, the atmosphere during his sections is ethereal. So beautiful and calming in such a tragic way.
Love how he fights different than Cloud. Throwing punches, brutal kicks, shoulder checks, much like in Crisis Core.
HOLY FUCK don't mind me just gonna uhhh rip this five hundred pound metal post out of the ground and chuck it like a toy hammer. Suddenly the Buster Sword doesn't seem all that unwieldy.
......RIP Barret, Nanaki, and Tifa. Oof. What a way to go out.
DON'T MAKE MY SWEET BOY CRY LIKE THAT FUCK YOU!!! :(((((
Damn bitch you live like this??? To be fair, that's probably the most luxurious resting spot he's had in literal YEARS. Like wow there's a mattress!! And a roof!!!!!
Good to know that Cloud's goofy ass flinging himself out of bed straight into a combat stance thing from Remake is actually a Zack mannerism lol
Ohhh... my heart... seeing things from Cloud's perspective... I like the how this expands upon what the OG established, about "dreams" of this type. Sort of like the sleeping forest scene. Also makes Aerith's resolution scene in Remake all the more curious.
Aww... walking out onto the balcony and seeing the whole garden dead...
Obsessed with the music that plays during Zack's sections. Wow.
Awwww Marlene and Zack are such a silly duo :')
Biggs wtf did you do????????
Ziggs crashing hard onto my list of OTPs. Oops.
Divine intervention preventing a headshot? I'm sure some CS:GO players can relate.
Biggs' and Zack's conflicting memories of Cloud, plus the "broken internal clocks" is intriguing.
"Zack-of-all-trades" tickles me :D
All of their dialogue together is so self-aware... two characters who have had their narrative purposes torn out from under them, desperate to find a new one. The fact that there is no reason for them to be here is the whole point.
"We're all headed for the same place. You'll see your daddy and Tifa again." Oh ok yeah sure go ahead and rip my heart right out of my chest Elmyra
"Hello in there..." 🥺
So Remake Aerith bestowed memories of her future death upon Marlene. Is childhood innocence a prerequisite for this ability to work? Seeing as she did something similar with Nanaki. Otherwise, you'd think she would try to entrust her own fate with someone more influential, like Tifa or Barret.
I cannot fucking believe that Zaclerith endgame is real. Am I dreaming
Aww Zack has Aerith's ribbon tied around his hand...
Chapter 14: End of the World (Forgotten Capital/Final Chapter)
Ok Tsengru shippers. I finally see it. You are 100% correct about them.
Now we're getting WILD with it. The timeline shenanigans are in full swing. Speculation aplenty ahead.
"...or 'homeward bound' maybe?" Still trying to make sense of what exactly these sky-rift worlds are. Aerith's line here seems to imply that this is some kind of purgatory...? Where timelines go to wallow in their death throes? That's my understanding, so far. Especially with all of the mournful npc dialogue.
Aww... Aerith's date with Cloud mirroring the one she had with Zack in Crisis Core :')
I tell you what, the Stamp figurine made me GASP. So that's three timelines now. Beagle, Terrier, Spitz.
So Terrier Zack goes to Hojo in hopes of finding a cure for Cloud. Not his finest idea... but oh well. Jealous of his motorcycle. ;)
Sephiroth is combing timelines for one version of Aerith in particular...? Am I on the right track here? Is this the same Aerith from her resolution scene in Remake?
THE PUG made me spit my fucking drink out. Hot damn, there's four! We saw this timeline's conception in the form of the bright flash of light when Terrier Zack chose to go to Hojo.
So Pug Zack instead goes to Biggs at reactor 6. I really, really love this scene. The pump is dry, the planet's life is flashing before its eyes. A heartfelt moment shared between two characters who have had their narrative purposes torn out from under them. Zack gets a delicious bit of character progression, wanting to take back control of his life. Price of Freedom playing in the background has got me wailing like an air horn.
"I'm sick of taking its shit!" WHOA Zack swearing caught me way off guard. He flees from battle for once, instead of facing Shinra head on in this timeline. Wonder how that'll change things.
"You don't look like you're on a date... More like 'at a funeral.'" Mhm. duly noted
Give it up for timeline number five! Corgi Zack is sitting on the stairs at the church.
"Cloud, Biggs, or Aerith... How the hell am I supposed to choose?" You don't have to, darling. It's called a polycule.
Sephiroth slashes a hole in reality, and the black whispers drag Corgi Zack through it. Starting to think I shoulda done my Lifestream Black/Lifestream White homework.
So far, Aerith+Cloud's date "dream" has taken place entirely in the Spitz timeline. It's not clear if this is also true of the scene inside of the church, especially since Sephiroth comes waltzing in after we just saw him outside in the Corgi timeline. I'm getting the impression that time and space are a very hand-wavey thing in this layer of reality.
HEART EXPLODING GHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And now for one of the most exhilirating things I think I've ever seen in MY LIFE.
"Behold... The true nature of reality. When the boundaries of fate are breached, new worlds are born. The planet encompasses a multitude of worlds, ever unfolding. [...] In the planet's embrace, all life is as one." Sephiroth's entire dialogue here... I got goosebumps. That's all.
"Very poor form." LMAO
I notice now on my second watch through, that as early as the sleeping forest scenes, we're cutting back and forth between two different timelines, I believe. Whenever the black or white whispers rush past, we shift perspective from one timeline to another. Pay close attention. Two worlds, simultaneous, but different.
Cloud delivers the white materia from one Aerith to another. Is this the same white materia we see from the beginning of Rebirth? I don't think she swaps the materia out, just transfers its power into her own empty materia, then hands Cloud the newly empty one.
Interesting! Looks like the timeline had already split, all the way back when Cloud handed over the black materia. Previously we saw Cloud and Aerith fall, but now— the white whispers rush past— and we see him rescue her and pull themselves up before they fall. Interesting!
Some youtube theorycrafter will piece together the symbolic significance of literally every tiny detail in this prerendered cutscene and make perfect sense of it. Looking forward to it too, because this is WAY above my paygrade.
Hello, whiper pest control services? Hi, yes, I would like to know why the white whispers are suddenly getting in the way? I thought they were my friends :(
Aerith's prayer :(((((((((
OHHGH MY GOD fucking legendary use of the haptic/adaptive triggers. Holy shit.
👁️ 👁️
Meanwhile, Zack Fair
me, banging my fists on the table: KISS! KISS!!! KISS! KISS!!!! JUST KISS ALREADY!!!!!! KISS!!!
Lmao Zack is so indifferent to this interdimensional insanity. After being the protagonist of Crisis Core, he's just like "lol whatever this is fine"
"Look at you takin' charge! I like it!" 😏
Zack+Cloud synergy attack!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!
"What in the hell is going on!?" SAME ZACK, SAME
AERITH!!!!!!!!!
OH FUCK IT'S THE SONG
the hand hold 💔
i'm incoherent. i'll figure out my thoughts about this some other time
Oh hi Glenn— OH SHIT??!?
THE SWORD CAN DO THAT?????? what
Man... the in-game skybox does NOT do that rift in the sky justice. Absolutely staggering in the final prerendered cutscene.
Next time I have a migraine aura, I'll be at ease knowing that it's just the timelines rippling and merging. No big deal
Two separate worlds, one where she lives, one where she dies. Realities overlapping and intertwined. Cloud's fragile mind fluctuating between both… wow. Can't wait to see where this leads in part 3.
Misc. thoughts, not chapter specific:
Love the accentuated mako in SOLDIER eyes. It irked me that the iconic mako color was so muted in Remake, so seeing it so vibrant in Rebirth is sexy as hell.
Um. No comment on Glenn, really. I'm not heavily invested in his story; maybe I'd be more interested if SE had actually done anything substantial with First Soldier and Ever Crisis. I don't mind that he's here, and the Jenova/Sephiroth twist was pleasantly surprising. Matt and Lucia name drop was also a nice touch. It's pretty obvious that the only reason Glenn is here is to help set up a confict against Wutai for part 3. Fair enough.
So no Kunsel? *SMASHES PHONE ON THE GROUND* *CRUSHES SKATEBOARD*
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