How Many Endings Are in FF7 Remake?
Let‘s get straight to the point: Square Enix‘s massive Final Fantasy VII Remake project features two endings in the first part of this multi-chapter epic – a "bad ending" and the even more cryptic "good ending." For fans who have eagerly awaited this re-imagining of the beloved 1997 PS1 classic for 15 years, understanding FF7 Remake‘s ambitious new take on Cloud, Sephiroth and deeply-nuanced endings is key.
The Straightforward "Bad" End: Dangling Threads Point to the Future
FF7 Remake‘s bad ending simply involves completing the base game – finishing the 18 chapters that comprise the Midgar portion of Final Fantasy VII‘s expansive story. At the climax, the party flees Midgar after defeating the Whisper Harbinger meta-entity as a section of the upper city crumbles. The bad ending is rather open, focusing more on setting up intrigue and anticipation for future releases than resolving key plot threads.
According to co-director Naoki Hamaguchi, this was an intentional choice, saying "we wanted to have this ending hint towards the next installment." For fans, this means playing through Remake‘s 30+ hour Midgar tale is just part one of a much longer, interconnected narrative across multiple games with endings that will undoubtedly vary based on player decisions.
Key "Bad End" Scenes & Implications
The bad ending involves:
- The party witnessing ominous signs of fate changing after defeatin the Whisper Harbinger, but no context is given.
- Zack Fair from Crisis Core surviving his last stand against Shinra troops – yet how he factors into Remake‘s story remains a mystery.
- Aerith questioning whether she will be forced to face her destiny from the original game as the screen cuts to black.
These scenes directly point to deeper endings yet to come. With at least 2 more games slated in the years ahead, bad ending analyse indicate Square Enix is playing the long game, positioning deeper endings in later chapters once all the narrative pieces are in play across Remake‘s complete chronicle.
The "Good" Ending Provides Closure, But Upends Expectations
Remake‘s good ending provides more decisive closure in exchange for upending expectations and hinting at an alternate timeline. But accessing it takes work – players must complete side quests in Chapters 14, 15 and 17 featuring three figures from Aerith’s past tied to the game‘s themes of moving on from trauma and finding inner peace.
Only by helping this trio resolve their personal arcs does the full good ending play out. And what an ending it is – Aerith avoids her seemingly fated death, the party reunite to take down Sephiorth, and a cryptic shot of Zack surviving teases reinvented destinies ahead.
According to co-director Motomu Toriyama, the good ending signals "the completion of this journey". But for those decoded Remake’s endings, Aerith’s fate, and Zack’s presence hint that the true completion involves a rewritten timeline where anything is possible in later sequels.
The Key "Good End" Scenes
FF7 Remake‘s good ending contains:
- Aerith possibly avoiding her canonical death from the original game
- Zack surviving his stand against Shinra troops
- The party reuniting to face Sephiorth after he returns
These moments directly recontextualize expectations from the original story. And based on the endings themes of defying destiny’s grip, the emotional closure feels precisely because the story enters uncharted territory not beholden to 1997’s fixed outcomes.
Other Ending Elements – Sephiroth Forms & Character Fates
Beyond FF7 Remake‘s two core endings, other key elements shape their meaning. These involve Sephiroth‘s multiple forms and the unresolved fates of Zack Fair and Aerith Gainsborough.
Sephiroth‘s Four Forms
Remake director Tetsuya Nomura revealed that Sephiroth actually appears in four different forms:
- Illusion – Manifesting to manipulate Cloud
- Harbinger-possessed – Controlled by the Whisper Harbinger
- Physical – His true self, summoned by Cloud
- Safer ∙ Sephiroth – One-winged final boss form
Knowing these variants helps decode Sephiroth‘s layered influence and machinations regarding the endings, fate, and Cloud‘s mental state across timelines.
Unresolved Fate of Zack & Aerith
Both endings also leave the fates of Zack Fair and Aerith Gainsborough wide open. The bad ending shows Zack surviving, while Aerith ponders her destiny, and the good ending shows Aerith possibly living while Zack still stands after his last stand.
These deliberate ambiguities set up radically different paths ahead. If one or both live because of fate rewritten, how will their presence reshape the story going forward? Not even the game‘s co-directors can say, with Motomu Toriyama commenting: "We created this ambiguity on purpose, so players can talk about this later on." And talk they have!
The Future: More Endings, More Possibilities in Later Chapters
If the layered endings of Remake’s 1st act are any indication, the sequels may present exponentially more ending outcomes. Square Enix themselves confirmed the full project will be three games, with 2023’s Rebirth chronicling the journey beyond Midgar.
That means events woven into Remake’s endings regarding Zack’s fate, Aerith’s destiny, Sephiroth’s powers and the defeat of destiny itself will play out across two entire new games with roughly 30-40 hours apiece if the first game is any measure.
| Game | Release Year | Est. Playtime |
|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | 2020 | 35 hours |
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | 2023 | 35 hours (predicted) |
| Final Fantasy VII Re??? | TBA | 35 hours (predicted) |
With so much impending story left to tell, the seeds planted in Remake’s dual endings hint that player agency, fateful reversals and dramatic, unexpected resolutions could be on the menu in the years ahead.
Player Decisions May Shape Conclusions
What bolsters this theory further is Remake already contains player decisions subtly altering scenes with the main cast throughout the journey. Key choices players make change dialogue with Aerith, Tifa, Barret and more. These small narrative variations are expected to truly bear fruit when transposed across the grand scale of the series‘ remaining chapters.
If player agency impacts outcomes this early, it’s easy to envisage even greater divergence stemming from difficult choices across 60+ hours left tell. And that likely points to more endings awaiting players who wish to steer fate and influence the resolution on their own terms by Re???’s potential finale in 4-5 years time.
The Curtain Rises on a Revitalized Fantasy Epic
Ultimately, Final Fantasy VII Remake’s first chapter concludes with two cryptic and evocative endings while seeding narrative elements that could blossom into even deeper endings in sequels to come.
With the curtain only rising on this long-awaited re-telling spanning hundreds of hours overall, Remake’s initial endings represent a jumping off point into the great beyond. One where destiny is now just a suggestion, beloved characters have new leases on life, and the one winged angel Sephiroth may not have all the answers.
Strap in, Final Fantasy fans – Remake’s endings are only the beginning. The best is yet to come.
