Mobile phone game Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis has been around for a few years now, but only in last night’s update did it’s abbreviated retelling of the Final Fantasy VII story finally reach the climactic end of the original game’s disc 1. OG players – and really, most fans of Final Fantasy whether they have played the original 1997 game or not – know what that means: Ever Crisis reached the point in the story where the game’s heroine Aeris dies – and Cloud’s heart breaks.
Unlike in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, which introduces lofty concepts of fate, destiny, and multiple worlds – ultimately leaving Aerith’s fate ambiguous – Ever Crisis recreates a collection of scenes from the original game, albeit in a rather Spark Notes-esque format, in its latest chapter. Starting from the Temple of the Ancients, Cloud, Aeris, and the party work their way to uncovering the truth behind the Cetra’s mysterious edifice – as well as Sephiroth’s ultimate gameplan (spoiler: he wants to kill everyone and become a god.)
However, he needs the Black Materia spell Meteor to do it, and lo and behold, the Temple of the Ancients itself is the Black Materia. But the only way to convert it to its true form as an orb of the ultimate destructive magic, one must be inside the Temple itself – which means whoever takes on this task will be crushed to death. Luckily, the party has Cait Sith, a fortune-telling animatronic doll who is keen to redeem himself after betraying the party’s trust when its revealed he works for Shinra.
Ever one to mend bridges – especially to ease the awkwardness of a self-sacrificial gesture – Aerith asks Cait Sith to cast them one more fortune before he goes: specifically, on how romantically compatible she and Cloud are. The music changes to Words Drowned by Fireworks (the same piece that plays during the gondola date scene) and Cait Sith reveals that Cloud and Aerith’s stars match perfectly. Not only are they the perfect pair, Cait Sith offers to be the preacher at their inevitable marriage.
After the Temple is converted to the Black Materia, Sephiroth appears. He flaunts his mind-control over Cloud, whom he forces to hand him the Black Materia. Cloud, wrestling against Jenova’s puppet strings and his own horror at his sense of self crumbling away, shoves Aerith (no, he does not attack her in Ever Crisis’s version) and passes out. Aerith enters his dreams, tells him to focus on himself and let her handle Sephiroth. She then promises to come back when it’s all over.
But she doesn’t. At least not in any physical sense. The next time Cloud finds her, she is murdered by Sephiroth.
Cait Sith’s prophecy serves a heart-wrenching purpose. The narrative spelling out that Cloud and Aerith are soulmates frames the anguish Cloud feels when losing her. Indeed, the prophecy is one of their final moments together, arguably, the final moment of normalcy before everything goes wrong.
The script differs just slightly from the original English localization.
Aerith: Why don’t you read our fortunes?
Cait Sith: Say, that’s right… I haven’t done it in a while, huh? I’m so excited. Right or wrong, I’m still the same ol’ me. Now, what should I predict?
Aerith: Hmm, let’s see how compatible Cloud and I are!
Cait Sith: Here I go!
[Tifa turns away and huffs, crossing her arms. Cait Sith does his fortune-telling dance, and the music shifts from ‘Cait Sith’s Theme’ to ‘Words Drowned by Fireworks.’]
Cait Sith: This isn’t good. I can’t say it.
Tifa: Hm? What is it?
Cait Sith: No, I can’t. I just can’t…
[Aerith runs over to Cait Sith’s side.]
Aerith: No! Tell me! I promise I won’t get mad.
Cait Sith: Is that so? Then I’ll tell you. Looks good. You are perfect for each other! Your stars are in perfect alignment! They promise a great future!
[Cait Sith turns to Cloud.]
Cait Sith: Cloud, I’ll be your matchmaker, preacher… I’ll do whatever you want me to! Just call me when I’m needed!
Ever Crisis‘s version is nearly identical, but gently amends some awkwardness of the original. In the original, Cait Sith hesitates to reveal the fortune and mutters “Poor Tifa”, after which occurs Aeris’s line promising not to get mad. This version makes more sense, cutting the “Poor Tifa” line and keeping Cait Sith’s hesitation more obviously ambiguous, which makes Aeris perhaps wonder if the reading is not in her favor – thus her promise not to get mad no matter what is says.
Prior to this point, Ever Crisis had watered down a few of the more romantic lines in the story – perhaps for brevity, perhaps for an attempt at neutrality. This led some fans to worry that this scene would also be cut. Keeping it in underscores just how important the prophecy is to setting up for Cloud losing Aeris.
The prophecy scene also connects to an earlier augury cast by Cloud’s mother, Claudia. She describes a go-getter type older girl who can lead Cloud forward – and says that would be the perfect (ぴったり) type for him. Cait Sith’s fortune uses the same word, perfect (ぴったり), to describe Cloud and Aeris’s compatibility.
Watch the full scene here.
Want to know more about Cloud and Aeris’s wedding prophecy and Cait Sith’s fortune? Read here to see how the star-crossed lovers’ wedding was played out – in part – in another official mobile phone game, Final Fantasy Brigade.
Earth & Sky: A Cloud x Aeris Love Story 