Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth saw a drastic change in the main party's relationship dynamic from what gamers may from the original Final Fantasy 7. Rebirth ends on uncertain grounds, with the bond between Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart strained, and Barret Wallace attempting to hold the squad together. The death of Aerith Gainsborough is less of a unifying traumatic event for the group and more of a splinter. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 will need to explore this plot point and how it may affect a call back to the original storyline, the hunt for the Huge Materia.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.]

The Huge Materia, renamed Magnus Materia in Rebirth, is a form of natural weaponry used by the planet to protect it. Both Cloud Strife's party and the Shinra Corporation compete to collect all the pieces, but during the beginning of the hunt, Cloud's mind is shattered and he is a broken husk of himself in Mideel. Tifa remains by his side to care for him and the group elects Cid Highwind as their new temporary leader. If Part 3 follows this story thread, the characterization of the team is so different from the original, their chosen leader may differ dramatically.

There Are Some In The Party Who Simply Do Not Fit

A Good Team Needs Followers And Leaders

Out of the collection of party , there are a few who would not slot that well into the position of temporary leader. They may have their own strengths which increases the team's abilities, but they serve far better as followers and ing roles within the team's dynamic. Some of the obvious contenders who can be instantly dismissed are Cait Sith for Reeves' connection and placement in Shinra, as well as being a stuffed toy, and Vincent Valentine's lack of interest in leading the group, ing the party solely for his own purposes.

Yuffie Kisaragi's playful behavior offers levity to dark situations, but her recklessness in her way of approaching serious situations could put the party in peril. Red XIII would not consider himself suitable to lead the team, wanting to prove his reliability first. All in all, they may both have the potential to be great leaders one day, but are not quite ready for such a weighty responsibility. There are three of the team to rank higher as the most likely candidates.

Cid Highwind Was The Only Choice In The Original

Rebirth's Cid Is More Of A ing Companion

Cid played the role of leader during Final Fantasy 7, whilst both Cloud and Tifa left the party. He may not have wanted the responsibility but, at the time, he seemed like the only viable option. He was no stranger to bossing people around and the airship the party were using was his Highwind. The decision to make him leader may have also been a purposeful attempt to give him more screen time due to his late addition to the game, allowing the character to make a bigger impression on the player.

Cid in Rebirth is a ing character, only having a subtle connection to Aerith through meeting her mother, Ilfana. When the team entered the Temple of the Ancients together, he remained outside. These small details paint a larger picture of his lack of close kinship that others share. His new personality may actually make him a better pick for leader, but since he has not experienced everything the party has together, it would feel as if he was inserting himself into the leadership role rather than earning it.

Barret Wallace Accepted His Leadership Flaws

Rebirth Barret Proves He Can Still Lead

Barret's personality shift from the original is not so obvious on the surface but hidden among his mannerisms and his perspectives. Rebirth Barret still has the wild streak from before, not always thinking before he acts and allowing his emotions to drive his decision-making. However, there is also time in his character development for retrospect and consideration of his past actions. When the Barret from the original simply carried the guilt of AVALANCHE's death in Sector 7, Rebirth Barret has accepted his flaws and attempts to grow as a person.

Rebirth Barret steps up as a reliable leader, not always leaving Cloud to make the call. In fact, Cloud's place as leader seems shaky, only really taking the lead role when the situation called for his expertise, such as in Junon. The power struggle between the pair may not be one of animosity and conflict, but the power dynamic still shifts between them from time to time. By the end of Rebirth, Barret seems to be taking charge of maintaining the group's direction and morale, making him a far more likely candidate. Almost as likely as the last member of the new AVALANCHE team.

Tifa Lockhart Left The Party For Cloud

Rebirth Tifa Has Many Who Rely On Her

Tifa loyally stands by Cloud's side and cares for him when his mind is broken due to the lifestream and mako poisoning. She leaves the party to handle Shinra and Sephiroth whilst she resigns to possibly remain beside Cloud until the end. Throughout the original Final Fantasy 7, Tifa's love for Cloud is always apparent, and many of her actions are dictated by her wishing to protect Cloud from harm and to ensure he never leaves her side again. She is in love with him to a fault. Rebirth Tifa has her own personal ambitions of being more than she is, by achieving in saving the planet.

A major plot twist in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was when Cloud tries to kill Tifa in Gongaga. As she travels through the lifestream, a scene of foreshadowing of Tifa's potential future shows Dr. Sheiran tells her not to die, as many people still rely on her. With the obvious rift between Tifa and Cloud, it seems likely that if the same difficult decision in staying with Cloud or following the mission to save the planet through, Tifa will pick the latter, and truly display to the party and to the player why she is the best choice for the team's new temporary leader. Tifa has the resolve of Barret but more self-control and the drive to do better.

The Call Back To The Original May Give A Surprise Choice

There Is One Character Who Was Not In The Original

With the dance between timelines, Part 3 may take an entirely different approach, which would allow the party to stay at full strength and keep the party leader with similar character rendering. If Zack Fair is able to the heroes in the prime timeline, there is an opportunity for him to prove himself as the hero Final Fantasy 7 Part 3 needs. Considering he was dead long before the beginning of the original Final Fantasy 7, he never had the chance to showcase his leadership qualities.

Zack has appeared in a number of other Final Fantasy 7 games, such as Crisis Core, and is considered a fan favorite. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth invested a great amount of screen time and story on developing the character further, only for Zack to be whisked away at the conclusion of the game, his fate unknown. His return to the franchise and perhaps even to the main party is heavily anticipated.