Summary

• Rebirth adds a twist on FF7's iconic Weapons, tying them closely to the lifestream and receiving mixed responses from players.
• These new Weapons showcase a surprising design change from the original colossal beasts, hinting at a larger narrative.
• Aerith and Sephiroth's connection to the new Weapons suggests a deeper lore explored in the novel Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile, paving the way for a thrilling conclusion.

Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth emphasizes Weapons at the midpoint of its story, though the creatures that appeared were not those ed from the original. The Weapons of Final Fantasy 7 are ed as colossal, gem-themed beasts called forth by the planet during times of crisis. While Square-Enix included these same thematic ideas leading to the Weapons reveal, the creatures themselves look vastly different.

The Weapons featured in Rebirth are diminutive compared to their original counterparts and are much more closely tied to the lifestream — the river of life central to FF7's lore. Because of these unexpected shifts, Rebirth's Weapons were met with confusion and mixed responses by players. However, considering the game's reliance on FF7's expanded universe, these Weapons are likely tied to an ongoing plot thread woven throughout the Remake Trilogy's story.

Rebirth's Weapons Are There For A Reason

Tifa's Adventure In The Lifestream Wasn't Filler

Final Fantasy 7: Remake and Rebirth have drawn on material from across the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Considering this, there's little reason to assume that these new Weapons aren't a part of this same lore-expanding strategy. Despite player reactions, Rebirth's Weapons are likely part of an effort to include the novel On The Way To A Smile's lore into the Remake trilogy.

Player reactions to these new Weapons have been mixed, often leaning toward the negative, with many feeling confused as to Square-Enix's intentions by including such different-looking creatures so early in the story. The original Weapons only appeared well past the events of the Forgotten Capital when Cloud and the party made their way to the Northern Crater. Instead, in Rebirth, Shinra's executives mention the Weapons during Chapter 6, "Fool's Paradise." Further, the dialogue suggests they are linked to the "Magnus Materia," assumed to be the updated translation of "Huge Materia" from the original story.

Square-Enix Gave These Weapons a Surprising Design

Rebirth's Aquatic Weapons Point Toward A Larger Plan

It is not these elements, though, that garnered mixed reactions. Rather, it is the new Weapon's designs that leave players confused as to their purpose. Particularly in Chapter 9, "The Planet Stirs," the inclusion of the Weapon's reorchestrated theme as Cloud and the party make for the Gongaga rector sets an expectation in player's minds that they will come face-to-face with the familiar beasts from the original. Instead, these Weapons appear to be simply large, aquatic fiends with massive materia in their chests: a far cry from the beloved staples like Ultima Weapon.

It should be noted that Rebirth includes references to the classic Weapons, just as Remake did before, but it’s unclear if the classic Weapons will appear in the trilogy. These Easter eggs may be a nod to an element that was left out of the final narrative, though this would be a massive blow to fans. What's more likely is that they are meant to build excitement surrounding Remake Part 3's story, which, given the plot of the original, must largely include the Weapons. However, this doesn't explain the necessity of including new Weapons.

Square-Enix Is Calling Back to The Advent Children Era

Aerith And Sephiroth Are Directly Connected To These New Weapons

On The Way To A Smile by Kazushige Nojima, published in 2009, fills in lore presented by Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children. Aerith's journey through the lifestream frames the novel and is explicit about her ability to traverse time. This power provides a foundation for the multiple timelines seen in the Remake Trilogy and paves the way for the oddness regarding both multiple Sephiroths and Aeriths.

While Weapons are not central to On the Way to a Smile, they're mentioned as a collective within the lifestream. This may point to Rebirth's direction. FF7's Weapons are not only a small squad of massive kaiju but an entire genus of creatures born from the planet, patrolling its lifestream much like white blood cells do. Twitter (formerly X) deltasyn gives their own insights into the Weapons designs, with some interesting implications.

During Chapter 9, Tifa's time inside a Weapon lets her see the lifestream physically. She views white and black whispers there, undoubtedly a nod to On The Way To A Smile's sections "Lifestream White" and "Lifestream Black,” which explain Sephiroth's intentions:

"Eventually the woman discovered that the man, spreading hatred around the world, was trying to manifest on the surface. She wondered how he was planning to do that. Summoning up all her courage she approached the man's spirit. However, he spotted her and chased her off, but soon gave up chase. She knew the man was laughing at her. You can't do anything. However, she had caught what he was planning. He was apparently going to use separate entities to be his agents."

On The Way To A Smile, p. 180

While these may reference the plot of Advent Children, their implications resound through Rebirth's story. Aerith and Sephiroth's back-and-forth relationship in the text mirrors their exchange in Rebirth's conclusion. For this to be a coincidence would be underestimating Square-Enix's commitment to the Remake Project.

A Look Into The Future For Rebirth

A Popular Returning Character

These new Weapons reflect the lifestream battle between Aerith and Sephiroth in Rebirth. Their ability to control and guide white whispers suggests that they are a replacement for Aerith as the planet's arbiter, as she is still alive in the eyes of the player. However, her ability to guide and control white whispers at Rebirth's end harkens back to Chapter 9. It suggests that the final installment of the Remake Trilogy will see Aerith take a more active role in this battle — something players may get to witness, considering Aerith's ability to interact with Cloud despite being dead.

As players grapple with the implications of Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth's ending, the Weapon's and Aerith's futures remain uncertain. However, what is certain is Square-Enix's purposeful nods to them throughout the game, setting up exciting possibilities for the Remake Trilogy's conclusion. Regardless of specifics, it is likely that Remake Part 3 will see Aerith interacting with the Weapons within the lifestream as they battle Sephiroth together.

Source: deltasyn/X, Kazushige Nojima/On The Way To A Smile