Theory: Understand the ending of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Stamps – There’s a lot of talk about the different timelines and the Stamps, the cute puppies, who appear on several labels and objects throughout Final Fantasy VII Remake — and, now, in the long-awaited Rebirth.
Has Tetsuya Nomura gone insane?
We must remember that the concept of timelines and parallel realities is something ancient and particularly common in films, series, and comics.
By adopting this concept, the team behind Remake navigates this dangerous approach that may or may not doom the future of this project. It is worth mentioning that, although many fans insist that the plot is undergoing a complete overhaul, the truth is that some events are being guided by the creative freedom of developers to encourage discussion among players and, consequently, the visibility of this IP that is already so well known by fans — and, of course, make the game sell!
Just as Yoshinori Kitase, current Final Fantasy Brand Manager, likes to say: “In the end, we will respect the essence of Final Fantasy VII…”, which leads us to believe that, despite these actions taken, the grand finale will culminate in the results already known by fans.
*Spoilers about Rebirth’s plot below*
A prime example is the conclusion of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Despite a few alterations throughout the journey, we still experienced the heartbreaking loss of a beloved character, even amidst creative differences.
Where do the timelines fit in?
The idea of timelines merging is now more apparent than ever. As Sephiroth himself hinted at the end of Rebirth, the “worlds/lines” collided, leading to Aerith’s death, even though Cloud had directly saved her from Masamune’s blow.
ENG: “When the limits of destiny are exceeded, new worlds are born”, and “Some disappear quickly, others endure” emphasizes Sephiroth during the scene – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Another significant hint about this temporal “collision” is when the party travels to the Gi temple. There, Aerith dips her hand in the lake and feels Zack’s touch, who is on a different timeline, reaching out to the hand of another character who was previously unconscious.
If we backtrack, there’s the scene where Zack and Cloud intersect between Aerith and Cloud from another timeline at the end of the Remake. Numerous hints, like Cloud clutching his arm, which later falls victim to Geostigma in the film Advent Children, or Aerith soothing Marlene at Seventh Heaven by discussing the future, already strongly suggest this in the Remake.
The Stamps
ENG: Stamps are also present in the game Ever Crisis – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Remake and Ever Crisis
Rebirth came to prove that there are timelines with parallel realities coexisting. However, not all of them will necessarily impact the “original” plot. To clarify this concept in this theory, we’ll approach the timelines as follows:
- Original: In this timeline, Stamp the dog has a beagle figure — and that’s where our protagonists live in the “now.”
ENG: The Beagle dog that appears in Remake and Ever Crisis is the same one that appears in Rebirth – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Zack (1): Timeline in which we saw Zack surviving at the end of the Remake. A notable marker is the 4-star Stamp dog wearing a hat, represented by a Yorkshire. In this timeline, Zack chooses to save Aerith/Cloud, and presumably, he’s the one who collides with the “Original” at the end of Rebirth.
ENG: The Yorkshire dog appears in the game’s opening scene when the player controls Zack and watches “Shinra News” – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Zack (2): This timeline is depicted at the end of Rebirth, where Zack attempts to save Biggs (even though it’s futile) and is symbolized by a Pug dog.
ENG: The Pug dog represents the timeline known as “Zack (2)” – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Zack (3): This is the easiest timeline to overlook, as it is symbolized by a stuffed Shiba Inu dog that Johnny hugs as he runs past the church. It’s in this timeline that Sephiroth appears on the stairs, confronting Zack.
ENG: Johnny runs in front of Zack who is sitting in the church, this scene is easily missed – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Zack (4): In this timeline, Zack chooses to save Cloud from Hojo, unlike in the Zack (2) timeline where he tries to save Biggs. Here, Zack Fair also wears Aerith’s bow tied to his hand, but there’s no specific dog symbolism – at least not noticeable to those who aren’t paying attention.
The reason this scene is excluded from the Zack (1) timeline is because of the brief appearance of the sign with Yorkshire, indicating that it’s “temporarily closed.” This directly signals that this scene is not part of that timeline.
ENG: This identification plate serves to signal that the York dog’s timeline is “closed” – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Why might this Zack (4) timeline be the “Original”? When Zack takes the right path, you can spot a Stamp in the column on the far right. It is impossible to determine what breed the dog is, but it is very similar to the Beagle Stamp design.
ENG: Its short coat suggests it’s the Beagle – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
If we look carefully, the game indicates that Zack is leaving the “Zack (1)” timeline, since before the character decides which path he will take, the dog York appears in the background. However, when he points to the path he will take next (which is further ahead), the dog shown appears to be the Beagle breed, that is, the dog we call the “Original” line here. This suggests that the character is making this temporal transition.
- Cloud & Aerith: This timeline illustrates that Aerith was already aware of her destiny, as the Sector’s shopkeepers dropped hints that events weren’t unfolding correctly, and Aerith herself mentions it’s like a dream. This timeline is marked by the Chihuahua dog breed.
ENG: “In a world that has accepted its fate,” says Sephiroth to Aerith – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
ENG: The Chihuahua dog is constantly highlighted in scenes with salespeople – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
One easily overlooked detail occurs during the soldiers’ grand presentation to Rufus in Junon, where both the Beagle and the Yorkshire dog are visible. However, the Yorkshire dog, representing the Zack line (1), has the phrase “temporarily closed.” The end of the game reveals that these timelines eventually converge, resulting in Zack and Cloud appearing together on the same plane, even if only temporarily.
ENG: We’re unleashing our inner “Stamp” to paw through our own tracks – Reproduction/Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
By the end of Rebirth, only three characters appear to be aware that timelines exist. They are Cloud, who is affected by the influence of the Black Materia; Zack, who promised to return; and Aerith, which indicates that she may appear as a sort of guide for Cloud.
Another topic worth highlighting is that in the “original” line, only Cloud sees the rupture “between the worlds” in the sky, but the characters in the other timelines can contemplate it too and signal it as an omen for the end of time.
ENG: Besides Cloud, none of the other living characters in this timeline can see the rupture in the sky – Reproduction/ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
What about the Whispers?
The use of parallelism in timelines and allusive representations in the narrative, such as the break in the sky and the figurative insertion of “dark” and “light/correct” in Whispers, for example, can be elements that will make many fans crammed with theories — just like the developers wanted.
After finishing Rebirth, the question remains: “What was the reason to include Zack?” This leads us to a theory that ties together all the loose ends raised previously.
It’s worth noting that we now have two types of Whispers represented: the dark ones under Sephiroth’s influence, disrupting the preordained destiny, and the white Whispers, embodying the planet’s influence to maintain the natural course.
Regarding this course in question, in the scene in which Tifa is inside the Weapon, we have the allusion that these great creatures, together with the white Whispers, are fighting for the planet and its natural course. Another fact that corroborates the Whispers’ color banners is the events they try to influence.
ENG: The Whispers accompanying the Weapons were white – Reproduction/ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
When Biggs was saved, he was enveloped in white Whispers, whereas when Zack survives, only the dark ones are present. During their conversation in another timeline, the topic of these beings arises, but neither of them mentions the colors and representations.
ENG: While the Whispers that saved Biggs were white, those who saved Zack were dark. – Reproduction/ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Zack as a hero?
To ensure events follow their natural course, it’s evident that the planet will attempt to intervene in events caused directly by Sephiroth to maintain order, which explains its involvement in the plot.
As promises are always upheld, especially when it concerns Zack Fair, the character vowed to return to the timeline we refer to as the original. It’s at this juncture that the Whispers can influence this “comeback.”
ENG: Cloud will be affected by Sephiroth’s influence – Reproduction/ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
With the rift opened and the barrier between worlds already breached, we might anticipate future events where Cloud, influenced by Sephiroth and the Black Materia, could take on a darker role.
When this occurs, Zack will step in to intervene and save his friend once more. However, he may ultimately need to sacrifice himself to ensure the preservation of the natural order in the original timeline, leading to the closure of events as fans already know.
