How Do You Revive Aeris?
I know this has been dead for quite some time and I hate revive the matter, but I would like to point out that it remains possible to revive Aerith without cheats or codes or sarcastic videos of simply using a revive spell when Aeris is dead in battle. I believe the reason why Square hasn’t announced it is due to a couple of different reasons:
1. The amount of debate and argument that has arisen about this one moment of one game is ridiculous and to add to it by proving that Aerith can be revived would ruin any anticipation of a remake or direct video game sequel; both of which Square hopes to release in the next few years as a surprise after squashing a lot of rumours of it happening.
2. After so many rumours that are grandiose and well-thought out; Square felt embarassed that the truth of the matter was so simple and so easily over-looked. Why embarass their fans at that point by pointing out the truth? Better to let them make their own theories and keep the hope alive because; as has been proven by now; there are a large amount of people who are going to believe what they want to believe regardless of what’s actually said.
3. Simply because there’s enough evidence pointing to the idea that it is impossible to revive Aeris. It has been hashed out and every rumour tried and tested with the same answer: false.
This was never meant to be the closely-guarded secret that it has become and it will be a lot easier to revive Aeris in the remake; which will pave the way for the direct video game sequel which will act as an in-between for Final Fantasy 7 and Advent Children. A story of the adventures leading up to the discovery of Jenova’s Head and a much bigger explanation of Geo-Stigma. In the remake, it is planned to incorporate a couple of the fan-made rumours about Aeris’ revival; but they also intend to keep the original method intact as well and finally explain it at the moment of unveiling.
OK, enough foreshadowing. The way to revive Aeris is so simple and so overlooked that it’s no wonder everybody else missed it.
Like a lot of the rumours say, start out by being nice to Aeris. But don’t stop there; be nice to everyone. When given the choice in a conversation, always choose the option that shows positive improvement in Cloud’s Character. Aeris is caught between her first love, Zack, and Cloud, who resembles Zack in everything from mannerisms to hair colour to even choice of clothing. She see’s Cloud as a mess, even from Disc 1 before leaving Midgar. As much as she sets out on the road to learn more about her own heritage; she sets out to find the truth about Zack and Cloud.
Play the game normally up until Aeris dies; you don’t have to go out of your way to get her final limit break or get her up to level 99; just play. If you want her in your party, have her in it; but you can opt not to have her in your party without consequence. Be sure to take the phoenix down from the chocobo’s on Mt. Corel. I know that it seems like the wrong thing to do, but everything happens for a reason.
Your main goal is to repair the relationship between Cloud and Tifa; the only natural relationship Cloud can have in the game that isn’t with another man (Barret) and isn’t with a girl who is about to die (Aerith). Tifa is Cloud’s childhood friend and it’s obvious there was the want for romance even when they were kids, so this remains as the only logical choice for constructive growth of Cloud’s Character and the dynamics of the rest of the group make sense in conjunction with it.
After Aerith dies, it becomes a time trial to do everything right and get to the end of the game to beat it within a certain amount of time. You have to prove that your entire group wants Aerith back and just as much wants the threat to the planet to be destroyed. You must beat Sephiroth and all the Weapons within 12 hours of Aerith’s death (game time) and your final game time must be less than 20 hours total. That may seem impossible, but it isn’t; just very, very difficult.
What you can do to speed it along:
1. Focus on a core group of players and level them up; I suggest Cid, Cloud and Barret just because of their final limit breaks and devastating physical attacks. Everyone else will level up just by being in contact with the rest of the group and will always remain close behind your core group; the only thing stinted is their limit breaks at that point, which aren’t always necessary if you have the right materia.
2. Get your materia leveled up fast and smart; get your gear that gives double to triple AP and then hit up mobs that give great AP. The Movers and Pots in the final stage of the game and the Cactuars of Cactuar Island will always be your best bet, but there’s still others that give decent returns.
3. Fight Smart. Boss battles and Weapons and Jenova and Sephiroth. All of these will be hard because due to the constraints of the time-trial you won’t be able to level up enough to make these fights easy. There are various strategies for each of them to deal with how to beat them when you’re not at the top of the game, so find those and utilize them. Your fight with Emerald should last about 45 minutes to an hour, Ruby should take about the same amount of time and Ultima Weapon should only take about 20 minutes.
4. Keep trying. If you die, reset and keep trying; if you get frustrated, turn your game off until you cool down. Remember that it is possible to do this.
5. Find all of the hidden cutscenes involving Zack and Cloud because Aerith will be witness to these events after her death.
6. If you managed to make all of the right choices throughout the game signifying positive growth with Cloud; managed to find all of the cutscenes; managed to defeat all of the weapons and Jenova and Sephiroth within 20 hours total and 12 hours after Aerith’s death; you will see a different ending. This ending will show Cloud traveling through the Lifestream after his final fight with Sephiroth, but this time Aerith will join him and say: ‘I knew you could do it.’ She’ll smile at him and touch his hand and then vanish, leaving Cloud to continue on the Lifestream and enter the normal FMV that we all see of everyone escaping from the Northern Cave and then on the Airship. Much of the conversation is the same as normal, but there are bits and pieces that are different and allude to the fact that Aerith is pleased with how everything turned out. Everybody will decide to visit her grave one more time where they are met by her spirit who thanks them all in turn for all of their efforts to save the planet and is visibly moved by how much they care about her to go through with renewed effort after her death to beat all the threats to the world in record time.
The game will then end as it normally does with all of the stars shooting past you. Instead of doing a hard reset or turning your game off; do a soft reset and load your game again from the last save point. Head out of the Northern Cave and return to where Aerith was laid to rest. She’ll be there waiting for you this time and her spirit will sink into her body in an fmv cutscene showing Cloud using the Phoenix Down he took from the Chocobo’s Nest on Mt. Corel. Upon being revived, Aerith comments about the loss of the chocobos after Cloud destroyed their nest, but thanks them for giving her life again.
Now you have time to level up to 99 and get limit breaks, etc. Aerith is a lot stronger than she was before she died, but starts on level 1 again.
Some of the rumours have stated that there is coding signifying other conversations with Aerith throughout the game and that you only get to see them by using a gameshark. That’s true enough. There was coding in the game to allow for the ressurection of Aerith throughout multiple parts of the game, but due to the deadline for the game; they weren’t able to go through and remove that coding after they finally decided on their method of revival. So, we’re stuck with the bits until they release the remake. It will mess with your game if you try to force it with a gameshark and your game will freeze in parts, so I don’t suggest anybody going that route.
And that’s about it. You don’t need any tissues; you can’t help that guy in Midgar; getting Aerith to level 99 and with her final limit break in the first disc is completely trite and time-consuming and does actually nothing for you, as it’s faster and easier to wait.
As for the remake and direct video game sequel; don’t expect those until Square decides to release them. The more noise the fans make about it, the longer Square will wait because they’re building suspense so they can make the most money off of the sales; which will be through the roof. They know that fans want those games and are just waiting for the right time to capitalize.
Good luck and happy gaming!
The death of Aeris is one of the most dramatic moments in modern gaming history, so much so that many gamers have devoted much time and effort to finding ways to bring her back. Sadly, this is impossible. There is no way to bring Aeris back from the dead. Still, there remain numerous Internet rumors about different methods of doing so. Go to the Golden Saucer Battle Arena and get 100 tissues. Go to Mideel and find the crying woman. Give the woman all the tissues and she’ll tell you how to revive Aeris. Insert the second disc. Select a new game. The game will prompt you to insert disc one. Continue playing. This is, of course, impossible, but if you manage to do so, when Sephiroth tries to stab Aeris, Cloud will push her out of the way. Insert your Gameshark. Turn on the Playstation and start the game. Input the code 8009CBDE FF03. Whoever the third person in your party is will become Aeris.
