Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Ending Explained: Zack and the Multiverse

In the closing part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, something major came to light—there was more than one timeline in play. The main events we follow happen in one of them, while another shows Zack Fair surviving a Shinra attack. But Rebirth doesn’t stop at just two timelines.

It reveals that countless versions of reality exist—yes, an endless multiverse has now been introduced into the Final Fantasy 7 story. Sephiroth gives a cryptic explanation that when fate’s rules are broken, fresh realities start to exist.

So, when Cloud and his group defeated the Whisper Harbinger at the end of Remake, they unintentionally created a timeline where Zack made it out alive. But Rebirth takes it even deeper by showing that simple actions are enough to cause a split.

Near the end of Zack’s path, he faces a tough choice: should he rescue Biggs, Cloud, or Aerith? Each decision leads to its version of reality. These parallel timelines are marked by a dog mascot called Stamp, who shows up in different forms depending on the universe.

In the main world, Stamp is a beagle with a helmet. In the alternate reality where Zack survives, Stamp becomes a border terrier wearing a cap. A bulldog in a bucket hat shows up in the version where Zack picks Biggs, while a corgi with a collar represents the timeline where Aerith is chosen.

By tracking Stamp’s appearance, one can figure out which version of reality is in play. Even with these differences, Rebirth hints that certain events remain stubborn across the board. When Zack saves Cloud or Biggs, Shinra forces still come after him, reminding players of his fate in the original timeline.

Aerith’s situation shows something similar—Sephiroth’s pursuit of her seems unavoidable. The Whisper beings—first introduced in Remake—also come back, showing that fate hasn’t truly been removed. So, despite the branching timelines, a fixed path still seems to exist, one that events continue trying to follow.

Homecoming

Now, how do these endless versions of reality tie into Sephiroth’s plans? As expected, he’s aiming to cause chaos. Back in the original Final Fantasy 7, Sephiroth’s goal was to call down a meteor that would slam into the planet, causing its Lifestream—the source of all life—to leak out.

He intended to absorb this energy and turn it into a god. In Rebirth, he takes it even further. His ambitions now stretch beyond godhood—he wants to dominate every existing reality. This time, Sephiroth outlines his new plan, calling it “Homecoming.”

He aims to merge all the different realities into one. According to him, all universes are headed for destruction, and we’re shown a few timelines where the sky looks torn apart. When these realities collapse, their energy flows back into the planet—the Lifestream, but on a multiversal scale.

While Sephiroth never fully explains how he plans to bring these realities together, his continued search for the Black Materia implies he still wants to summon Meteor. If draining one world’s Lifestream was enough to lift him, doing that across multiple realities could give him the control over infinity that he seeks.

Aerith’s Fate

Before Sephiroth can destroy the multiverse, he needs to eliminate any threats. One of those is Aerith, the final member of the Cetra, and the only one who can activate White Materia and summon Holy—a spell strong enough to guard the planet. So, he targets her.

But before we get there, let’s look at the events leading to her death. In the Temple of the Ancients, we learn Aerith inherited the White Materia from her mother. However, repeated contact with the Whispers drained it of its memories and power.

By the time she left Midgar, it had become useless. So, to stop Meteor, Aerith needs a different White Materia. Thankfully, with the multiverse in play, more than one Aerith exists.

In what appears to be a dream, another version of her pulls Cloud into her collapsing world and hands him her own White Materia before Sephiroth arrives to attack. Cloud returns to his timeline and gives the new Materia to his Aerith, restoring her chance to defend the planet.

Now, many would expect what happens next—Sephiroth killing Aerith, as he did in the original game. That moment still arrives but with a few changes. Cloud manages to block Sephiroth’s sword at first, and we even see Aerith alive in his arms. Still, she dies shortly after.

The exact reason isn’t fully clear. A burst of rainbow light during the scene may represent another change in fate—this effect shows up in other parts of the story when timelines change. So, it might be Cloud witnessing a version of reality where Aerith lives.

On the other hand, the little green sparkles around her body could be signs that her spirit is speaking through the Lifestream, giving Cloud some comfort before departing. However, the glitchy visuals might also mean Cloud’s mental state is to blame.

Throughout Rebirth, we’re told his mind and body are weakening, which makes his version of events less dependable. This topic comes back later if you’d like to go further into it. Right after Aerith dies, the game jumps into a drawn-out, multi-phase boss fight.

During its final phase, Aerith’s spirit shows up to help the team defeat Sephiroth. Though multiple Aeriths exist, this seems to be the spirit of the one from the main reality. After the battle, she fades away in glowing green lights—signifying her return to the Lifestream.

Even though she’s gone physically, her presence hasn’t completely vanished.

Promises

The closing moments focus on how the group deals with Aerith’s death. Yet, even as they mourn, her spirit is visibly standing nearby. Though the others can’t interact with her, Cloud sees her clearly—and even has a conversation with her.

During these last moments, Aerith assures Cloud, saying she’ll give everything she has to stop Meteor. Cloud also swears to defeat Sephiroth. This mirrors the ending of the original game, where it’s believed that Aerith’s spirit supports the planet through the Lifestream while Cloud fights on.

Meanwhile, Zack also experiences something similar in his timeline. He saw his world briefly overlap with Cloud’s, allowing both of them to face Sephiroth Reborn together. Now that their realities have pulled apart again, Zack wonders if another meeting might still be possible.

This hope matters to him because Cloud in Zack’s world is dying from mako poisoning, while Aerith lies in a coma due to what happened in Midgar. If there’s a way to cross realities once more, then Zack might be able to see healthy versions of both of them again.

Reunion

Though Aerith seems to stay connected to Cloud as a kind of guide, the situation isn’t entirely positive for him. One strange thing is that he’s the only one who notices a rip in the sky above his world. This could be tied to his journey through different timelines.

But there’s also the possibility that it’s linked to his deep psychic link with Sephiroth.