Final Fantasy 7 Remake has more than its fair share of charming characters and memorable moments. From the Honeybee Inn dance number, to motorcycle driving minigame, to climbing the stairs, the entire story is packed with moments that create an exciting gameplay and narrative experience.
Some characters are more memorable than others, though, and most would agree that Aerith is towards the top of the list. Aerith is full of light and hope despite the dark world she lives in, and her spirit rubs off on the other characters. There are tons of wonderful moments with Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but there are a few that stand out the most.
Falling into the Sector 5 Church
Cloud officially meets everyone's favorite flower girl just after blowing up Mako Reactor 1, but it isn’t until he falls into Aerith's church in Sector 5 that he gets to spend some time with her. Aerith is the first person Cloud sees when he wakes up, and the scene is memorable for several reasons, many of them leaning heavily on nostalgia.
Aerith makes several comments in her first major scene that sets the stage for her character. Her relationship with nature is immediately established through the flowers that grow inside the church. She also makes a reference to the Holy materia hidden inside her hair ribbon, saying that it was given to her by her mother and isn’t good for anything at all.
When the materia is discussed, Cloud has a brief vision that appears to be Aerith praying and the materia falling out of her hair. This is a huge clue about what’s to come in Aerith’s story. Cloud’s vision confirms that the infamous scene will happen in some form, and it’s a memorable, emotional moment for returning fans. For new fans, it’s still a memorable piece of foreshadowing.
The Wall Market Red Carpet Entrance
For Final Fantasy 7 Remake fans who managed to unlock Aerith’s red dress, her red carpet entrance is one of the most stunning moments in the game. Aerith is pretty without being all glammed up, but she has a very simple style with her pink dress, combat boots, and red jacket. In contrast, her makeover by Madam M is absolutely beautiful and sells the moment. There’s a reason why fans grind through every Aerith side quest to get the red dress.
Aerith's red carpet reveal in Wall Market paints her in a completely different light, and it’s memorable not only because of her new look, but because of the way Cloud reacts to it. Fans have always been divided on whether Cloud should be with Aerith or Tifa since the original game, and the love triangle is still there in the remake. Aerith’s red carpet entrance is the first moment where players see Cloud begin to fall in love with her.
Aerith’s makeover, combined with Cloud’s reaction, the variation on Aerith’s Theme playing in the background, the flashing lights of the “paparazzi,” and the cinematography all make this one of Aerith’s most memorable and iconic moments.
Imitating Don Corneo’s Laugh
There’s one Aerith moment that is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but that took over the internet for a while because of how odd it seemed. That moment occurs after Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith escape from Don Corneo’s mansion and are in the sewers below Wall Market. Aerith makes a whinnying sound that seems completely random and almost sounds like a horse.
Fans weren’t sure what to make of it until Aerith’s voice actress, Briana White, explained it during a stream of her playthrough. She explained that Aerith is imitating Don Corneo’s laugh, but she’s not very good at it which is why it sounds so weird. According to White, it was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do as an actress. She had to imitate Don Corneo badly, and do it in Aerith’s voice.
The result is an eyebrow-raising moment that, while not completely understood by fans, definitely captured the audience’s attention. In context, it makes a lot more sense and is completely fitting for Aerith’s innocent, sometimes awkward charm.
Aerith Tells Cloud Not to Fall in Love with Her
If players prioritize Aerith over Tifa in the first acts of the game, they are treated to a scene with Aerith in the garden at her house. Aerith has been kidnapped by the Turks and is already trapped in Hojo’s lab, so the moment is some kind of vision where Aerith is communicating with Cloud from captivity.
Cloud is determined to save Aerith, but she seems much less concerned about her own safety. Instead, Aerith tells Cloud that he shouldn’t fall in love with her. Even if he thinks he already has, she says, it isn’t real. Cloud is taken aback and it’s clear that, while he feels for Tifa too, he has started to fall in love with Aerith.
The moment is memorable because of how sad it is, but also because it’s so mysterious. Regardless of whether the version of Aerith in this scene is from the present or the future, she seems to know something. Aerith always seems like she knows something she’s not quite ready or willing to share.
The Last Line in the Game
Aerith has the last line in the game, and it’s one of the most powerful moments in the story for more reasons than one. After an epic battle against Sephiroth, the party finally manages to escape Midgar and enter a new world where they have limitless freedom. They are no longer bound by fate, including the fates they met in the original story. As they leave, Aerith says, "I miss it, the steel sky."
Moments before Aerith’s last line, several things happen. First, it starts to rain, which isn’t that crazy except for the fact that rain would never have reached the slums of Midgar because of the plates above, creating the “steel sky.” Experiencing rain in that final moment is powerful because it highlights how different the next step in the journey will be. Aerith’s line also highlights how the entire party is leaving everything that’s familiar to them, and even though it might be a better world, the unknown isn’t as comfortable as what they’re leaving behind.
The other reason this moment is so memorable is because of the other small event that happens just before: in another timeline or reality, Zack Fair passes Aerith while helping Cloud get to Midgar. As she usually does, Aerith clearly senses their presence. Zack, Aerith’s former love, is dead in the original Final Fantasy 7. His survival, even in some kind of alternate reality, has massive implications for the rest of the story and for Aerith as a character.
Square Enix has been teasing Zack Fair quite a bit, so he’ll definitely have a big role to play in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2. Aerith’s last moment in the game is packed with meaning and leaves players dying to know what happens next.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available now on PS4 and PS5.