Final Fantasy 7 Remakeis a whole new beast compared to the original, and that’s not just in reference to its graphical and combat upgrades. It introduces a ton of new plot points that fans of the original may come to appreciate, as it sets up plenty of surprises down the road. NOTE: This article containsMAJOR SPOILERSforFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, so readers who haven’t finished it yet, please turn back now.
Many fans of the franchise are likely familiar with the story ofZack Fair, the SOLDIER First Classwho plays a huge role in Cloud’s character development. He didn’t play a role in the originalFinal Fantasy 7, instead being later flashed out in expansions upon the core story. Indeed, Zack Fair remains incredibly important, and theFF7 Remakeintroduces some new lore for the character.
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Who is Zack Fair?
For those less invested inFinal Fantasy 7, Zack Fair is an easy character to miss. His story is hinted at but never fully developed untilCrisis Core. It turns out that Zack was Aerith’s first boyfriend and a SOLDIER first class who befriends Cloud, a Shinra trooper who could never make it as a SOLDIER. Zack and Cloud are experimented on and injected with Jenova Cells to basically beSephirothclones; interestingly enough, Zack actually looked up to Sephiroth until this all happened.
Long story short, Zack ends up slaughtered by Shinra trying to get Cloud to Midgar, bestowing upon Cloud the very Buster Sword his mentor, Angeal, bestowed upon him. That sword has seen three generations of SOLDIER wield it…except for the blatant fact that Cloud was never a SOLDIER in Final Fantasy 7 (or the remake for that matter). Witnessing Zack’s death created a some identity issues in Cloud, a point that is nicely driven home in the latest remake.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Episode 2: Zack Fair’s Return?
However, it’s clear that theFF7 Remakecreates a new timeline, in which the events of the greaterFF7universe aren’t necessarily going to be the same. Episode 2 and so on, for that matter, won’t be the same based on the events of the first game, in which Cloud and company agree to challenge fate. Whispers exist to ensure that everything goes according to the way the original game unfolded, but that’s clearly no longer the case. The end of Final Fantasy 7 Remakemakes clear that the future is not set in stone, and neither is the past apparently.
It shows glimpses of what appears to be Zack surviving the Shinra slaughter, meaning he’s alive during the events of the original game. It’s possible that he is still dead, just not in the way many expect, but it’s also possible that he’ll be encountered in futureepisodes ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Considering Cloud’s warped identity, it would be interesting to say the least to see the two come together; at this point, anything is possible. Zack Fair may return, although in what role remains up in the air.
