Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - Spoiler Mode w/ Maximilian Dood 

Sephiroth waiting patiently for Max to finish the game before enacting his master plan was my favorite part of Rebirth

See you all for the 8 hour spoiler mode in 2027

"Be distraught! I just killed Aerith, who may or may not be the woman you love most depending on your previous actions!" "Nuh uh." "...The f*ck you mean 'Nuh uh?'"

I love that max is not worried about being right or wrong. Hes just having fun

How cool would it be if the seventh infantry that you became friends with turned out to be the airman that operate the Highwind when you steal it?

Another game mechanic for story telling thing - in the jenova fight at the end she has an attack thats called something like mourning wail, it knocks the party back away from her, but cloud is immune to it. He's immune because he's not in mourning, he doesn't believe aerith is dead.

0:00: ⚔️ Discussion on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth spoiler mode with special guest Max and Huber. 16:22: ⚔️ Challenge of balancing completionist tendencies with pacing due to high quality side content in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 31:43: 🎮 Enhanced dungeon exploration in FF7 Rebirth adds excitement and variety to gameplay. 47:12: ⚔️ Discussion on the game's Dynamic mode and its design for challenging gameplay in Final Fantasy VII Remake. 1:02:46: 🎮 Impressed by seamless map transitions and lack of loading screens in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 1:18:27: 🎮 Exploration of expanded lore in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, focusing on Shinra's development and creation of the black Materia. 1:33:45: 🎮 Analysis of the plot twist in Final Fantasy VII Remake where players are led to believe they can save a character. 1:49:50: 🌀 Exploration of unreliable narration and multiverse concept in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 2:05:11: 🎮 Revelation of Rufus Shinra's manipulation and creation of Avalanche leads to upcoming major plot twist in Final Fantasy VII. 2:21:08: ⏳ Concept of infinite timelines converging into energy is emphasized, with the insignificance of individual timelines highlighted. 2:37:58: ⚔️ Cloud experiences manipulation by Sephiroth, leading to dark and unreliable narration involving his deceased girlfriend. 2:54:56: 🎮 Cloud obtains the black Materia and is warned about manipulation, while Aerith's absence raises suspicion. 3:11:20: 🌟 Speculation on the existence of a good Sephiroth working with Cloud in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 3:26:57: 🎮 Excitement builds as characters face challenges and a pivotal moment approaches in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 3:42:51: 🎮 Speculation on the title of the next Final Fantasy VII game and its storyline involving reclaiming. Recap by Tammy AI

3:29:10 The plane will break down over the mountain, they'll have to climb up, and Cloud will have a vision of Zack saying "Me? Gongaga" and it'll be game of the century

Max's storytelling is on another level, you just get gripped into it by his excitement regardless of his theory being right or wrong.

This man tasted the 30 year stew that’s been cooking and asked for seconds.

Aerith big song to Cloud : "Promises to keep, we won't ever need" Aerith at the end : "You promise ?!"

OH BOY HERE WE GO, TIME TO PULL OUT THE TINFOIL HAT, RED YARNS, AND THE CORKBOARD

WE'VE WAITED FOUR YEARS FOR THIS

2:24:40 - YES! I feel so validated! I thought the exact same thing! Cloud is the master of his illusionary world. He erased THAT from his mind, even the water burial. He's done it before; I have no doubt he can do it again. The third game is definitely gonna include putting that truth back together in his mind. Tifa's role is bigger than ever.

Jenova is the Blood queen, Aerith is is the Emerald Sorcerous. Jenova is gathering all her pawns, her servants, her power and control. Cloud her dark Knight etc.

Part 1 : remake Part 2 : rebirth Part 3 : rehab (cloud more insane than before)

It seems to me like there are 4 possibilities for what's going on with Aerith post-death. I'll list them in order of most to least likely in my opinion: 1. Aerith's spirit is communicating to Cloud through the lifestream (there's already precedent for this happening throughout the compilation) 2. Cloud can now communicate with an alternate version of Aerith who survived (that seems to be what they're insinuating with the sky rift that only he can see at the end) 3. Cloud's mind has deteriorated to the point that he's in denial about her death and just hallucinates speaking to her (I have no doubt this'll at least be the party's perspective, whether or not it's true could go either way) 4. Jenova is impersonating Aerith to further manipulate Cloud (it would be cool to see that actually happen in part 3 as opposed to the possibility just getting talked about) The thing about these theories is that none of them are mutually exclusive as far as part 3 is concerned. For example, I don't believe Aerith is Jenova in the ending of Rebirth, but that doesn't mean she wont take her form at some point in part 3. These could all end up being true at certain points.

A person in the comments had a really interesting theory that I'd like to expand upon. Remember in Remake just after the motorcycle battle, you come upon a wall of whispers with a tunnel of light. Through that threshold is a new world (or timeline). Everyone crosses the threshold and continue in a different timeline. In Rebirth at the Forgotten Capital, only Cloud manages to cross the threshold, the others had to keep it open for him. In that timeline, Cloud blocks Sephiroth's sword, allegedly saving Aerith, then the wall of whispers falls, allowing the rest of the party to enter. When the whispers disappear, the timeline that Cloud entered is no longer there, the party will instead encounter their present timeline. Cloud saves Aerith in the threshold. When the threshold disappears, it switches, and Aerith is dead in that timeline, where the rest of the party ends up. Sephiroth mentions of merging timelines. What I think is happening, is Cloud knows he saved Aerith, but since only Cloud went through the threshold, those two timelines merged somehow (where Aerith is saved and not saved). This is why only Cloud can see Aerith. This is also why Cloud can only see the tear in the sky in the end cutscene. Cloud is simultaneously in two timelines that have merged.

Good to see Max with the EZ Allies again for FF7 Rebirth; I feel these guys make good critiques on the mechanics of the game, interesting theory crafting, and debate

I think there is something really key that I haven't seen anyone talk about. When Zach makes the different choices like Biggs vs. Cloud...They all end the same way that his original timeline ended. It ends with him facing a huge squad of soldiers. It's basically trying to tell us that you can try to defy fate, but you are always coming back to your original fate. When Zach charges forward in the reactor then jumps off the side, he is defying what fate is trying to force him into his original death which is why he has a chance to break into the main timeline

The problem with Max's theory for me is that it predisposes that the ending is not woefully sad and scary otherwise. I was fully under the impression that Aerith was there as like a weird time ghost, and i still was nothing but unnerved and filled with capital D Dread, and its all because of cloud. Even if cloud is *technically* correct and theres a version of Aerith alive somewhere, he's still very broken and refuses to acknowledge that shes dead as hell. My heart breaks for every other party member and also weeps for cloud, who is at his most broken, even if he doesnt realize it.

Woah this is so soon after max beating it. I finished it litterally the day before max so this has all worked out really well timing wise for me.

I'm thinking the game's final battle will be at the edge of creation with Cloud's buster sword with the black and the white materia slotted into its two slots. Cloud can wipe out and purify Jenova and the Gi (keeping Red's promise while ending Jenova once and for all) with a combination of meteor and holy, and finally omnislashing Sephiroth to obliteration once and for all (seven seconds before the meteor hits).

Absolutely obsessed with how they make you use every character. I wasn't even excited to use Cait Sith and ended up using him for a big portion of my first playthrough. The interactions you get from the mixing and matching of party setups in battle AND within the story was truly a treat. People will be analyzing this game for years to come.

4 hours!!!!? I’d expect nothing less. Buckle in L&R

NEVER CLICKED A VIDEO SO QUICKLY IN MY LIFE

Regarding the red glint in Aerith's eyes. It appears to just be the reflection of the red bronco she is looking towards. I'm not sure I'd read that as anything beyond at this point, but who knows.

Max at 2 hrs 45 min: “I don’t wanna talk forever, what do you guys think?” 😂

I KNOW WHAT I'M WATCHING TODAY

No talk about how the whispers who seemed to be controlled by Aerith trying to stop you from going into the lost city?

I watched 9 hours of Max's stream of the ending aftermath and 4 hours of this spoiler mode lol. I have been waiting weeks for this haha

Okay, regarding Glenn: I don't think I've seen anyone mention this before, but in his final scene with Rufus he implies that "Viceroy Sarruf" is actually Rufus- the implication being that Rufus was working to create the Wutaian anti-Shinra resistance in the same vein as how he created Avalanche, but that his resistance got co-opted by Sephiroth to start an actual war.

Part 3, FFVII Rehab 😅 Realistically I can see it being called Revelation(s)

1:58:16 _"upon reviewing"_ Cloud hurt Tifa's feelings in a genuinely serious way. Think back to a scene shortly after Aerith's apparent death, when she sits - mostly off screen - to the left of Cloud. We see Cloud and Aerith talk with one another. _What I noticed when watching Max review stuff in the aftermath on stream:_ the camera pans out to show everyone present in the immediate area, seated by or close to someone, presumably grieving. Grieving and comforting one another. Find Tifa in this scene. Tifa is seated to the right of Cloud, looking... well, looking like she would appreciate someone to talk to or cry with. Cloud is sitting closer than an arm's length next to her and yet? Cloud has his head turned entirely away from Tifa, seemingly because he is looking at and interacting with Aerith. However, if Aerith is not there and Cloud is not actually talking aloud -- Whatever is happening in this scene, it is contributing to a rift between Tifa and Cloud.

Cant wait for Jack to walk through a portal talking about killing Chaos, and Vincents standing there with his arms crossed

I have kept this video in my watchlist for 4 months and now I have finally played Rebirth and it's time to watch it ^^

Another thing: Sephiroth wants Shinra engaged in war with Wutai because he does not want the Sister Ray firing at him

One thing in reference to Aerith and her connection to other versions of herself in other timelines/universes... Aerith also actually director references this in a joking manner during the beach scene in Costa del Sol when she says something along the lines of meeting her future self she can't wait to do so.. After watching the ending and looking at all these theories about the ending, that sticks out SO much (as well as when Aerith is on the boat on the Cave of the Gi and she puts her hand in the water and has a moment where she seems to have a vision of what's really going on.. Her whole demeanor on the game changes after that moment) 🤷💭

This is required post-game content. Square should have this entire podcast embedded at the end of rebirth lmao

Damn I wish Brad was here for this. He added a lot to the discussion when talking about Remake, Intermission, and the Rebirth theory video

I’m still in the mind Cloud is seeing 2 timelines at once honestly. I just can’t see past the rainbow effect in the scene where he’s holding an alive Aerith, they always used it to signify timeline shenanigans. Also am I the only one that feels like it was the SAME Zack jumping through different timelines. It didn’t feel like different versions of him to me, but I might have to watch it back.

Also, remember the 3 fortunes that Cait sith gives cloud at the Golden saucer. 1.Things are looking up so throw caution to the wind,put your trust in others and a last- minute twist may pleasantly surprise you? 2.watch your belongings.lucky color black? 3.seek and you are sure to find.you shall forever lose...what you cherish most.

Story discussion begins at 1:04:00

This video should be titled *FF7 Rebirth Spoiler Seminar with Professor Maximilian Dood* Seriously I could listen to this man give a 5 hour symposium about this game and all of FF7.

The Cait Sith part was atrocious.

Hey, y'all. Just so you are aware, Chocobo Stop benches that require a cushion to rest at will actually recover MP in Hard mode. So you can grind and recover MP in Hard Mode so long as you have access to a Chocobo Stop.

About Glenn being Cloud's dad, it's said in a light novel that Cloud's dad left him and his mom 2k gil each and then disappeared. Glenn in First Soldier owes his buddy 4k exactly in gil for an undisclosed reason. Cloud's dad is also known to say "As long as you've got 2k gil in your pocket, you can make it through anything." And what price is Cloud always quoting for his mercenary services? 😉

This game is a miracle. I love it so much. Just finished last night. And my first impulse was to come here for some Max Spoiler Mode. Now the long wait for part 3 begins lol

I just realized, in the Nibelheim flashback at the scene where Cloud's mother died, you can hear her voice like she is talking to cloud from up close but you don't see it because it's distorted. I think that you'll see the full Nibelheim flashback including the death of his mother, the death of his best friend, and the death of his supposed girlfriend. This is about to get dark....

Just to clarify--Holy (which was being blocked by Sephiroth before the party defeated him) did not stop meteor. It was not working, and actually making things worse. Then "Lifestream Aerith" decided that she'd take things into her own hands and led the lifestream like a commander of an army to neutralize the threat. This is what is implied at that last shot of Aerith in the OG when they play those iconic musical notes. The party did not save the world. Aerith did. She has always been OP--even in the original.

Maxs Red 13 take is flimsy… what I would bring up is that Red is supposed to be the “sense” guy. Who Aerith could confide in about the larger plot… but I imagine the Cetra were also pretty great at sensing things, well… Jenova fooled them good. Personally, I can’t commit to a theory, which is indicative of good writing. I feel they’ll land the “surprising yet inevitable,” which all writers should aim for. Edit: I like this “redemption” idea. In my opinion we never really interacted with sephiroth in the original 7. We interacted with jenova cells controlling him just like “he” controls Cloud. This could be him breaking from her control. Cool idea!

I havent seen people talk about this yet, but the 3 humans shown attacking the Cetra in the Temple of the Ancients looks a LOT like the 3 heroes/friends from the Loveless play. Additionally, in the same scene showing the Cetra fighting Jenova, they mention that she went dormant since she couldnt return to the planet. The visual shows her turn from her monstrous alien form into an angel that looks EXACTLY like Jessie when she is playing the part of the goddess. It puts the whole Loveless "gift of the goddess" in a different perspective. Is the gift of the goddess Jenova cells? Theres the line from Loveless, that of the three heroes, one dies early, one is slain, the last is a prisoner. If the three characters are Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth, it might make Sephiroth the one who recieves the gift of the "goddess' Jenova, who is imprisoned in the northern crater. Idk if this theory has any legs, but i keep trying to figure out who the three heroes/friends are, or if its just a red herring. I never cared about Loveless theories in Crisis Core because that game is a mess, but the Cetra visions and the Loveless play have my tinfoil hat firmly strapped on

I love how when watching Max’s FF7:Rebirth finale livestream, he hit all the major lore points and theories. The *lore* this game gives is absolutely amazing. (Like he said, the writers have been COOKING for 30 years) The previous FF7 Spoiler Mode was so gigabrianed and same here. God I can’t wait for this game to come out on PC. Then the 3rd game

Reflection in eyes is just the plane…

Here it is. This is it. This is what we’ve been waiting for!

Great discussion as always, the Damiani/Max cookoff was great to catch live. Can't wait to see what new info we learn from the devs, when the Ultimania releases next month!

Dood is undeniably great at interpreting the lore in FF7, but I don’t believe this is a multiverse story as we know them today. The entire story is taking place in the lifestream, and while they may represent other realities the lifestream is where these timelines take place. The lifestream plays a larger part than Dood posits here.

I think the situation with Cloud and Aerith is a lot more simple, esp since we just dealt with an entire section dealing with choices creating new world. We saw that Sephiroth's fuckery merge Biggs and Marlene into a world they didn't come from. Timelines and reality is just breaking down entirely. So with cloud there are 2 things happening: 1) he has Jenova in him which we have evidence throughout the game that Jenova can communicate across these worlds (which makes sense if there's 1 lifestream) 2) Much like how Zach had choices that spawned realities, Cloud saving and not saving Aerith are two different realities but because of Jenova existing in the lifestream he can simultaneously exist in both timelines where he saved and didn't save her. She did survive but she also didn't. This is indicated by Cloud seeing the tear in the sky when he's communicating with Aerith, There is clearly another world going on here. In fact, Aerith surviving is the thing that could completely mess up what happens in the OG. If Holy protects the lifestream then it doesn't matter which world holy is cast as long as it can reach the lifestream. This is why Sephiroth is annihilating every single Aerith. Also I thought it was super interesting scene direction that cloud did not directly observe her death or saving. In quantum theory, each outcome is true until you observe it at which point the waveform collapses and we observe a single outcome. The party arrives and observes her dead, when cloud finally looks at her, he sees her alive.

Love max but damn... I think he is so wrong about Aerith bring Sephiroth at the end. He's thinking way too much there.

It's way easier and more simple than what they're saying - Yes, there are at least 2 versions of Aerith; one that dies in our main world and main storyline, and a different, multi-world "Dream Aerith" in her "dream world" date with Cloud; how many others is unclear. But, the Aerith that Cloud is seeing post her death is simply the Omni/Dream Aerith, who still actually is alive in an alternate reality, who is able to commune with Cloud, and this is evidenced by Red feeling her presence. No time travel, to the past or future, has ever actually occurred here - each jump the player goes through is to an alt world that is parallel in time to the main world we play in. So multi-verse, or many worlds? yes. Multiple timelines? not so much, cause no actual "time travel" to a past or present happens. Visions of such, yes, but no travel. Further evidence of this occurs when that same Omni/Dreamworld Aerith appears from the fucking multi-verse portal to help Cloud fight Sephiroth. What does that set the stage for? well with Zack saying "Who's to say they (the multiple worlds) can't be brought together again?" Sounds straight forward to me. That how they bring her and Zack back; the worlds will merge, all of them, and everyone teams up to fight an even bigger, badder Sephiroth/Jennova fusion stronger than ever fought before. AND HERE IS THE REAL KICKER - It's actually Cloud that is hyper aware of all of this. Knowing his part to play in Aerith's plan. He is let "IN" on it through Omni/Dream Aerith in her dreamworld, AND Zack during their team up, AND he is the only one who is aware, meanwhile knowing the rest of the party is not going to understand that, because only Cloud gets the reveal of multi worlds via Aerith, Zackm AND EVEN Sephiroth, when Sephi shows him the "true nature of reality". That evidence is stronger in my opinion. Cloud is actually closer to revocering mentally at this point now than he was in the OG game, as evidenced by him now acknowledging Zack as a separate person, recognizing him and remembering him during their team up. The only thing is, Cloud is both aware, and unaware - meaning he thinks Omni-Aerith is the same Aerith that he saved - but it is not. She did die, and Aerith intervenes to hide that from him, to prevent Sephiroth from feeding on that power of loss.

3:11:53 interesting note about multiple sephiroths. There are 2 enemy Intel entries for "normal" sephiroth for 2 different locations. No other boss gets that. Even Gilgamesh who has two very different boss fights and enemy Intel entries, one as enigmatic warrior (or whatever) and one as Gilgamesh only has ONE line entry. The Gilgamesh entry overrides the older one. And that happens for every boss you fight more than once. The newer overrides the older entry. But not sephiroth, he has two. And they are both completely blank. No info about either one and they have the same character model. What's the point of having two entries if the info is gonna be black regardless, unless the devs want to tell us that there are 2 different sephiroths

What a time to be alive! Looking forward for the next 4 hours!

I am so happy Damiani mentioned the checkpoint options during the final boss. I died on the last stage of it, only a couple hits away from victory and I chose the wrong option and started the entire fight again. I was choked.

The hardest thing in the game for me: The expert level sit-up challenge. Fuck that shit.

while i disagree with max theory and dont like direction of this at all if it real but i hope people not take his opinion personally we just finish fantastic game and have fun theorize the thing we love we dont need to againts other person opinion dont harrass and do something disrespectful to other people that not thing the same with you right now we should celebration this for what a fantastic experience from FF7rebirth that give it to us all ❤

I just imagine the story team of part 3 sitting taking notes on all Max's predictions.

In the book, "A Tale of Two Pasts" there is mention of Cloud's father being a wanderer who goes up the mountain and disappears. This obviously doesn't say "Glenn is Cloud's dad!" but it does show that they put that mystery into the compilation for this game. If the mystery has been put out there, it might be because they intend to answer it, and if they do Glenn would be a reasonable answer. Especially since that would make relations between Rufus and Cloud even weirder. Not buying into it. Not trying to die on this hill. Just saying it isn't completely implausible.

I think Square- Enix intent was for us to be confused and emotionless to feel what Cloud is feeling. Basically putting us in Clouds shoes. Plus in Tifas (mideel like flashback) in lifestream she sees Cloud and Sephiroth in a white dimension (between worlds). Symbolizes that Sephiroth and Cloud are in fact between or seeing all timelines.

Glen being Cloud’s father comes from A Tale of Two Pasts and some passages in Ultamania and First Soldier. In FS, Matt (one of the characters) says Glenn borrowed 4000$ from him. Cloud’s father was “wanderer”. He swept Claudia off her feet at the Nibelheim Inn. They had Cloud, he disappeared into the mountains, leaving Claudia and Cloud each 2000 gil. Glenn was a soldier, part of the original. He was on Sephiroth’s first mission, and at first hated him but later became friends with the First Soldier 1st Class super soldier. He tried to teach Sephiroth compassion. Glenn split off from Shinra and went on the run, becoming a Wutai soldier.

Just finished the game. Can’t wait for Part 3. Regardless of how the changes to the Ending went, that incoming Tifa Cloud segment was set up pretty well with this game.

3:36:38 I had a very similar idea. In OG FF7 Shinra broadcasted “Tifa’s execution”. They played it off as Cloud and the crew were responsible for Meteor. Well let’s say after that situation the whole world believes it. They realize in order to stay hidden they have to change their clothes. They switch to the Advent Children clothes while still having the option for the OG clothes (in case some want to wear AC). Cloud’s clothes change would be the most significant since he realizes who he truly is. He’s not a soldier or more specifically Zack. He puts on the Advent Children clothes as a representation of himself. I would take it one step further and have him obtain the Fusion Sword early too. Maybe him and Barret both get their respective weapons from the creator of Barrett’s gun (since it was mentioned the gun was made very impressively in the Gongaga sidequest). This would allow us to also see Cloud’s true sword skills with the ability to switch the sword type. And finally this could be how the developers scratch the AC itch by having scenarios like having Cloud ride the AC bike during the Return to Midgard

I dont know what kind of drugs maximilian use but must be something heavy to say that this game ends with jenova/aerith, with no promises to keep in the background ofc…….. yeah they killed aerith only to show shortly after jenova at the end of the game, not Aerith one LAST time….

it's a 10/10. TEN OUT OF TEN. They built an ultimate golden era style FF game with every conceivable aspect of media tuned to utter perfection, somehow hid from my eyes a game I already knew so intimately. Incredible. They even built in schitzo fan theories TO THE FORE -AND- included some of the new threat mod. I am just jaw on the floor how good this game was. GOD DAMN

Seeing FF7 prophet max again is a real treat but 4 hours of FF7 Rebirth discussion?! I'm allll in!!!

also I dont agree with because nanaki/red is still a child that he might be fooled by jennova, when Aerith touch nanaki, he said "Aerith!" he know immediately that touch is Aerith cause that touch is special, he will not mistake it for jennova's touch? in og he got fooled by Jennova because he used his eyes, jennova can impersonate the one you love but she cant imporsonate the feel, the touch, the love, and also just because nanaki is a child, doesnt mean that he is so easy fooled, by that logic is that means marlene also easily fooled and cant be trusted? that she see Aerith's death? when she told Zack? in many case adult that was really easy fooled cause adult like you max, thinks too much lol

2:24:47 Just want to point out that Sephiroth only begins his speech about the convergence of world after Tifa and the others come in and see Aerith, at that point Cloud wasn’t sad or angry anymore since Aerith had touched his cheek at that point, so Sephiroth was primarily referring to everyone else’s anger not Cloud’s specifically in that scene.

I think the writers intentionally let the ending be really ambiguous and open to interpretation because they don't want to write themselves in the corner. Is it Jenova manipulating everyone? Is Aerith alive in another timeline? Are there actually other timelines? You can't definitively say either way and I think they did it that way so the can steer the story in the direction they want to after reading players interpretation of the story.

I'm so happy this appeared on my feed. My friends have not yet played all of Rebirth and I'm starved for theory discussions! ❤

Man those theories were mind blowing. It got me thinking i wonder if the reason aeirth got a new holy materia from another timeline is so she can stop meteor and not use the lifestream in return saving everyone from dealing with geostigma thats in advent children and not having humanity die out from a virus

Mad Dood thank you for your ambassadorship. Can’t think of anyone better for the job

I’m with Max on this one. From the moment Aerith showed up next to Cloud, when the party was just sadly staring at the water in the city of the Ancients, all the little hairs in the back of my neck stood up and I thought: Ew, no way that’s Aerith. What is that? Couldn’t exactly put my finger on what made me feel that way, though. So thank you Max for pointing out all the things that were off about the whole thing. We could be proven wrong in the next game though, and I love that. Can’t wait to find out. Hands down the best game I ever played.

Lol, I love Max but I think evil Jenova ghost Aerith is taking it one step too far lol. I was like 97% with him until that part

issue with jenova aerith is she stays behind to "pray" so whats the point if she isnt with cloud its an excuse for her death so cloud isnt talking to himself and thats just clouds crazy way of coping

Please someone explain this to me ... When Cloud is in that wheelchair, he is wearing two shoulder pads, just like Zack uniform. But when Aerith wakes him up, he is only wearing one, just like the one he wears throughout the game. Now, the Cloud who is wearing the two shoulder pads, I don't think he met Aerith yet. Am I correct? Is this another confusing timeline?

Also doesn't Zack use an umbrella at the beach to fight off some divers originally which is what Cloud does in Rebirth?

Just can't get on board with Max's end theory. The red in her eye he speaks of is the Tiny Bronco reflecting in her eyes. She is not only around when Cloud is paying attention, she watches the Tiny Bronco fly off. Jenova would not say "goodbye" like she did. Its a fun theory, but it just doesn't line up for me.

No one mentioning Aerith dialogue with cloud during fight with sephiroth, She said "I saw what you did back then, thank you". This is disturbing, Aerith thanking cloud for saving her but later this is only in Cloud's head refusal.

I went back and watched the end scene with the “red pixel” in Aerith’s eyes, and it’s quite obviously a pinkish colour that’s simply a reflection of the Tiny Bronco. It know it’s all fun and games but it makes his wilder takes harder to follow, what with this level of copium. Still love the guy, though.

Not at all on board with Max's Aerith theory.

It's crazy to me that people saw the final scene of this game initially and didn't think it was really dark and sad. My immediate reaction was good lord Cloud is seeing shit and tripping out and Tifa is crying everything is about to go off the rails in this next game lol

That red reflection in aeriths eyes is the tiny bronco

I actually think Aerith is alive but kinda in a limbo state due to the whispers and only clound can see her for the same reason he can see the rend in the sky, cause he travelled the timelines so he can see the "truth" and Aerith being in her current state alao protects her from Sephiroth so she stays behind to fuel holy with more prayer. Seeing as she cant interact with the party

Revelations btw gents

Hahaha love Max’s theorizing, but this time his “Aerith is sephiroth” is too much

If Aerith is ultimately dead in this story arc then all of this is going to feel like a gigantic waste of time. Why do all this stuff with branching realities and rainbow light showing up, all that just so the story turns around and goes “oh yea sorry everything’s the same gotcha! Yea GOTCHA, we just wanted to pretend things would be different.” lol you might as well of just done a faithful remake of if we are ending up at the exact same spot. I would have preferred that. But I honestly feel like they’re setting up a possible scenario where Aerith lives. The reality is, they need to ultimately deliver on something different or what’s the point? I can just play the original if that’s what they’re doing lmao. “Oh they want you to think you can save her so when you realize you can’t itl hurt more.” Omg PISS OFF with that lmao.

I have two possible explanations for the ending. One is more sinister and one is more hopeful. And imo I see evidence for both in the final CGI cutscene. First things first. Aerith IS dead. Maybe we can bring her back in game three, maybe that is what Nomura talked about. But no matter, at the moment she is dead/in the lifestream. So Cloud absolutely did not save her, not in our nor any other reality. Sephiroth traversed the mulitverse and killed her in everyone. So the more sinister interpretation is that the Aerith we see at the ending is another Jenova manipulation. Jenova is playing "god cop bad cop" with Cloud. Tauning him with Sephiroth and simultaniously making him even more vulnerable by showing him an Aerith that is alive and well only to break the illusion at a moment where it will absolutely destroy Cloud. And my evidence in the final scene would be that Aerith does not adress Cloud having the black materia or that she's dead or anything. She plays along with his fantasy and that to me is a sign that things are far worse than they look. But there is also a more hopeful look. In the beginning of the game Cloud says that Sephiroth is "alive" and Aerith answers something like "not alive but AROUND". And now the exact same thing is true for her. She is dead, her body is gone, but she has become one with the lifestream and as such has gained immense power. You could say she is also "manipulating" Cloud but from a benevolent point. Her goal isn't to destroy him or the others but to save them and the planet. And so she's going to be talking to Cloud as a counter to Sephiroths manipulation. And my evidence for that would be her touching Red XIII and him recognizing her. Why would Jenova do that? To me the story unfold kinda like this: Sephiroth and Aerith are battling in the life stream in Advent Children. The party beats him again. He finds out that he can manipulate fate so he travels back in time. Aerith is close behind, giving her past/ alternate self as much info as she can. Remake happens and Sephiroth identifies Aerith as "the real problem". But his solution is as flawed as it was in the OG. In the OG he thought that killing her would take her out of the equation but the opposite is true, she becomes more powerful that him. And in Rebirth he thinks "well its only because I havent killed ALL of you" and hunts her down in every reality. But it is the same mistake because while he's fucking up different worlds and gains power through their suffering he also grants more and more power to "Omni-Aerith". And ultimately I think this will be his downfall. He thinkgs Cloud is his trump card in winning but actually Cloud will be the key to his ultimate defeat. And ironically if he had just left Aerith alive and KEPT her alive she wouldn't have become so powerful. So my prediction: - Aerith is gonna stay dead BUT we are going to get her reunited with Zack and know that they find each other in the life stream - Sephiroth/ Jenova will be gone - I think the lifestream of the planet will change in a way that mako can no longer be used. So humanity is back to square one

28:30 is one of my biggest complaints about Rebirth. Having to swap materia when you're forced into a certain party comp was infuriating. I wasted so much time with that bullshit. Some open world mechanics felt repetitive but for the most part it worked for me. I found the navigation/controls infuriating at times. My chocobo would randomly decide "lets go mach 10" the second I got on him. Slow the hell down bro, I just hopped on. Several mini games felt intentionally difficult/frustrating. (Crunches, boxing, and mushroom pulling being the first 3 that come to mind.)

I think in the third game the sky rifts are going to open up to show meteor descending across all of time.

2:05:55 Wow so you're telling me that the leader of a powerful industrialized nation deliberately fanned the flames of terrorist organizations for their own benefit and then used the heightened tensions as an excuse to flaunt the boundaries of a cease-fire until a full-on war is provoked? Man I'm sure glad this is fiction and I never hear about stuff like that happening in the real world. 😅

1) Obviously, spoilers ahead. I have nothing but appreciation for Max, so keep that in mind. (Early TLDR: if he's right about the ending, I'm not sure it's written/directed well. My criticism is with that, not him.) I think he's spot-on about a lot, i.e. Part 3 being set up for plenty of Cloud mind-screw moments (because of course.) I can't fully get on board with every how/why of his take on the finale though, especially points like "she doesn't even look like herself" or "there are tiny glints of red in her eyes (as she "stands" next to a red vehicle) so she must be evil." Those aspects of the "Jenova theory" feel pretty far-reaching. To me, her parts of the scene just read as a farewell - from "lifestream Aerith," "force ghost Aerith," or whatever - even with Cloud's mind not being quite right. If that version of Aerith is there purely to manipulate Cloud, why is her final line a quiet "goodbye" as she stands alone watching the team fly away with her song from Gold Saucer swelling in (a piece meant to have a "sweet feeling" according to Uematsu) if the point is only to hint at a dark twist? No doubt Aerith will be central in painful moments to-come, but that shouldn't mean she can only be a malevolent vision at this point in the story. If Max is right, I feel it dramatically undercuts what could be an actual touching finale otherwise. Cid hums the original main Final Fantasy leitmotif, Cait and Barret amusingly bicker, Aerith cheers for them as they fix the Bronco then stands by Yuffie and comforts Red before taking pause to share in Tifa's sadness, and so on. There's a little moment with everyone. When she's on-screen, the score features a beautiful, gentle version of Aerith's theme that's anything *but* sinister. She's not *physically* there, but her presence is around in some fashion, whether some feel it deeply (Red) or she's merely on their mind, i.e. Cid asking about her as she "shows up." As much as it could be mined for creepy subtext, her final conversation with Cloud could just as easily be boiled down to "I'm okay here - now let's save the day" if you wanted. Then, there's the goodbye as the party flies off without her and the "Promises" reprise kicks in. No, it isn't projecting a falsely upbeat "happy ending." It's bittersweet, which of course is a complexly sad yet beautiful feeling often underlining farewells.