After the warm reception of the first game, it seems like hype for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is at an all-time high. Many are eager for news and information, but there's nothing other than the first game to go off of. However, because of the new Whisper plot introduced in the game, there is indeed a lot to take in and analyze. NOTE: The following contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for FF7 Remake and the original game.
Perhaps one of the biggest is how Cloud and gang managed to break free from the confines of destiny in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, throwing the remaining events of the title into question, and that's especially true given the return of one character who defined Cloud's very psyche.
Cloud's Mental Health
As many know from the original game, Cloud's not a SOLDIER. His memories are derived from his experience with Zack Fair, a close friend who was indeed a SOLDIER. The FF7 Remake does a good job of teasing this broken psyche of his, but one big change makes it an even bigger challenge for Part 2. It is heavily implied by the ending of FF7 Remake that Zack Fair somehow survived, meaning Cloud's memory will pose even bigger questions if he once again comes face to face with Zack.
With Zack's death and Cloud's resulting trauma, it's a relatively safe story to tread because Cloud's healing comes way of his subconsciousness. The events there unfold, helping Cloud realize who he really is, but this a really abstract of resolving his trauma. With Zack Fair presumably alive, it means that Cloud's recovery and his mental health challenges are likely to take a much more realistic, physical approach.
As far as story telling goes, this may even better because there's not a whole lot of games that really do a deep dive into the mental health of its characters. That doesn't make it easy, though. Because of this, the abstract and easy answer seems like it will be changed for something different and more realistic. Demonstrating that in Final Fantasy 7 Remake will mean portraying it accurately, lest it lose its importance to the story or fail to be an accurate depiction of mental health.
How Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Can Get This Right
There's a lot of potential avenues for this, but perhaps the most important is that it is tackled up front and personal. Side-skirting it or relegating it to the side would be a seriously bad move, both in terms of narrative and representation. What this really means is that, if not in Part 2, then at least in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, Cloud has to come face to face with Zack. He has to realize his memories are not his own, and he has to have that support system there to get him through it.
His healing has to be portrayed well. It's not something that's going to clear up with a simple face to face; it has to show how Zack, Aerith, and Tifa help bring him back from the brink. It needs to be emotional, or it will be betray the very character. At the end of the day, it remains to be seen how Square Enix changes its approach given the fate of the Whispers, but it's important that this is something the Remake nails.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in development.