In honor of Valentine's Day, let's talk about death.
I'd like to start this video with a quote, if i may:
"Ever since my mother passed away, which was when we were creating Final Fantasy III, I have been thinking about the theme of "life". "Life" dwells in many things, and I was curious what will happen if I attempt to analyze "life" in a mathematical and logical way."
-Hironobu Sakaguchi, from the October 1997 issue of Computer and Video Games.
There's going to be spoilers ahead, so please be aware.
Let's get odd.
Whilst I was researching for this video, I immediately came across some discussion boards stating that "Aerith's death being a reference to Producer, Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother" is a myth, because his mother died in 1988, and Final Fantasy VII wouldn't get released until 1997.
I wholeheartedly disagree that it's a myth. Sakaguchi-chan's mother died in 1988, but the death of a loved one is not something you forget--right away, or ever. Death is such a powerful, inevitable element, one that we have no control over. It's something that has the power to shape you--your actions, your reactions, and how you see, feel, and experience the world.
Sakuguchi-chan wanted to focus on the theme of life, and so he created the Lifestream, although the Lifestream would develop and evolve with the help of the team of developers before ending up in the game. He's a producer on Final Fantasy VII, where he's working closely with Director, Yoshinori Kitase, Artist, Tetsuya Nomura, who was also contributing story and plot elements, and Scenario Writer, Kazushige Nojima, who wrote the script where Aerith dies. I believe these are all completely and utterly connected.
Because the theme of Final Fantasy VII was life, Nomura and the team of developers sacrificed Aerith in order to give weight and depth to that theme. In most video games, if a character dies, it doesn't matter. You can just reset and try again, or revive them. In Final Fantasy VII, Nomura depicts a real and true death of a main character, a beloved character--someone who cannot come back, and that death really resonated with so many fans of the game. He wanted people to understand what it means to hurt and feel a sense of loss.
I think the death of Aerith is so powerful. It's not just the death of a main character in a video game that we all love. That event is a symbol, to me at least. It's a symbol of death that we can all relate to. It's something that we have no control over, something that we cannot stop, no matter how hard we try, and no matter what we do. Despite any and all of our efforts, people who we love will die. Sorry to get morbid, but it's true, and it's a part of life, and it's the reason why that moment is so powerful.
Think about when someone close to you in your life died. Maybe you haven't experienced that yet, in which case you're fortunate, but the sad truth of it is that death is permanent and irreversible. It's something you need to cope with. It's not something you ever "get over" or "forget". It's something you learn to live with.
In the original game, the fall of the Sector 7 plate kills the members of Avalanche: Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, at least that's what we assume, because we never hear from them for the rest of the game. That also lights the fire beneath Barrett and his team to keep pushing to fight Shinra and to save the planet. Would they have kept fighting had those three characters survived? Yes, I believe so, absolutely. But those deaths were also a powerful moment, and the whole team carries the weight of their sacrifices with them for the rest of the story. Nanaki thought his father was a coward, but the truth of his father was revealed to him through a story told by his Grandpa, Bugenhagen, and I have no doubt that Nanaki realizing the truth about the death of his father not only changed him for the better, but it would also change the trajectory of the way he would live his life in the future: as a true guardian of Cosmo Canyon.
Zack Fair is a minimal character in the original Final Fantasy VII, and what I mean by that is he's barely even seen. He's alluded to a few times, but we don't experience his full story until Crisis Core, but his death is literally the reason why Cloud becomes who he is. Cloud's identity crisis is such a significant part of who he is. Ironically, for Cloud, who he isn't, is such a strong part of who he becomes. That's such a strong metaphor that shows that the death of others has the potential to inform who we can become in the future. I think about those close to me who have passed. Over time, perhaps I think about them less and less. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but I never forget about them. They're always with me, which leads me to Final Fantasy VII Remake.
There are a lot of theories and speculations about the game. It's possible that the end of the original Final Fantasy VII leads directly into the beginning of Remake, which would make Remake a sequel. There are theories that Aerith will live, and that Zack is alive. Look, I would love it if both Aerith and Zack were alive. I would love it if my two aunts were still alive. I wish all of my old pets were still alive. I wish we could all go down to a garden somewhere and eat sea-salt ice cream, but sadly, that's just not how life works, and that's not how death works. And as cliche as it sounds, you can't always get what you want. You can't have life without death.
I don't know what the future holds for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2. I didn't think it was a sequel, but honestly, the more I think about the possibilities, the more intriguing it becomes to me, but I don't think the developers would have gone to all that trouble of killing off these memorable characters that we care so deeply about, just to simply resurrect them again. It takes away all of the stakes. It takes away from the power of their sacrifices and their memories. I don't think that's what the developers are doing, but who knows.
At the end of the original Final Fantasy VII, Meteor is headed towards the planet, but even in death, Aerith commands the Lifestream to emerge from the planet, pushing Meteor back, and allowing Holy to destroy it. I think the Lifestream, and that event in particular, is a very potent metaphor, showing that even in death, the spirits of those who have passed still have the power to inspire you, push you, and help you. The memories, emotions, and knowledge of those who have died never leave us, but they return to the planet, and get passed on.
After recent events, and especially while making this video, I thought about that cliche quote, I forget it exactly, but something like: When you hug someone, hug them like it's the last time you'll hug them, because one day it will be, and it's very true. Life is short, so embrace your dreams. And call your mom.
Stay odd and keep on playing.
I'd like to start this video with a quote, if i may:
"Ever since my mother passed away, which was when we were creating Final Fantasy III, I have been thinking about the theme of "life". "Life" dwells in many things, and I was curious what will happen if I attempt to analyze "life" in a mathematical and logical way."
-Hironobu Sakaguchi, from the October 1997 issue of Computer and Video Games.
There's going to be spoilers ahead, so please be aware.
Let's get odd.
Whilst I was researching for this video, I immediately came across some discussion boards stating that "Aerith's death being a reference to Producer, Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother" is a myth, because his mother died in 1988, and Final Fantasy VII wouldn't get released until 1997.
I wholeheartedly disagree that it's a myth. Sakaguchi-chan's mother died in 1988, but the death of a loved one is not something you forget--right away, or ever. Death is such a powerful, inevitable element, one that we have no control over. It's something that has the power to shape you--your actions, your reactions, and how you see, feel, and experience the world.
Sakuguchi-chan wanted to focus on the theme of life, and so he created the Lifestream, although the Lifestream would develop and evolve with the help of the team of developers before ending up in the game. He's a producer on Final Fantasy VII, where he's working closely with Director, Yoshinori Kitase, Artist, Tetsuya Nomura, who was also contributing story and plot elements, and Scenario Writer, Kazushige Nojima, who wrote the script where Aerith dies. I believe these are all completely and utterly connected.
Because the theme of Final Fantasy VII was life, Nomura and the team of developers sacrificed Aerith in order to give weight and depth to that theme. In most video games, if a character dies, it doesn't matter. You can just reset and try again, or revive them. In Final Fantasy VII, Nomura depicts a real and true death of a main character, a beloved character--someone who cannot come back, and that death really resonated with so many fans of the game. He wanted people to understand what it means to hurt and feel a sense of loss.
I think the death of Aerith is so powerful. It's not just the death of a main character in a video game that we all love. That event is a symbol, to me at least. It's a symbol of death that we can all relate to. It's something that we have no control over, something that we cannot stop, no matter how hard we try, and no matter what we do. Despite any and all of our efforts, people who we love will die. Sorry to get morbid, but it's true, and it's a part of life, and it's the reason why that moment is so powerful.
Think about when someone close to you in your life died. Maybe you haven't experienced that yet, in which case you're fortunate, but the sad truth of it is that death is permanent and irreversible. It's something you need to cope with. It's not something you ever "get over" or "forget". It's something you learn to live with.
In the original game, the fall of the Sector 7 plate kills the members of Avalanche: Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, at least that's what we assume, because we never hear from them for the rest of the game. That also lights the fire beneath Barrett and his team to keep pushing to fight Shinra and to save the planet. Would they have kept fighting had those three characters survived? Yes, I believe so, absolutely. But those deaths were also a powerful moment, and the whole team carries the weight of their sacrifices with them for the rest of the story. Nanaki thought his father was a coward, but the truth of his father was revealed to him through a story told by his Grandpa, Bugenhagen, and I have no doubt that Nanaki realizing the truth about the death of his father not only changed him for the better, but it would also change the trajectory of the way he would live his life in the future: as a true guardian of Cosmo Canyon.
Zack Fair is a minimal character in the original Final Fantasy VII, and what I mean by that is he's barely even seen. He's alluded to a few times, but we don't experience his full story until Crisis Core, but his death is literally the reason why Cloud becomes who he is. Cloud's identity crisis is such a significant part of who he is. Ironically, for Cloud, who he isn't, is such a strong part of who he becomes. That's such a strong metaphor that shows that the death of others has the potential to inform who we can become in the future. I think about those close to me who have passed. Over time, perhaps I think about them less and less. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but I never forget about them. They're always with me, which leads me to Final Fantasy VII Remake.
There are a lot of theories and speculations about the game. It's possible that the end of the original Final Fantasy VII leads directly into the beginning of Remake, which would make Remake a sequel. There are theories that Aerith will live, and that Zack is alive. Look, I would love it if both Aerith and Zack were alive. I would love it if my two aunts were still alive. I wish all of my old pets were still alive. I wish we could all go down to a garden somewhere and eat sea-salt ice cream, but sadly, that's just not how life works, and that's not how death works. And as cliche as it sounds, you can't always get what you want. You can't have life without death.
I don't know what the future holds for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2. I didn't think it was a sequel, but honestly, the more I think about the possibilities, the more intriguing it becomes to me, but I don't think the developers would have gone to all that trouble of killing off these memorable characters that we care so deeply about, just to simply resurrect them again. It takes away all of the stakes. It takes away from the power of their sacrifices and their memories. I don't think that's what the developers are doing, but who knows.
At the end of the original Final Fantasy VII, Meteor is headed towards the planet, but even in death, Aerith commands the Lifestream to emerge from the planet, pushing Meteor back, and allowing Holy to destroy it. I think the Lifestream, and that event in particular, is a very potent metaphor, showing that even in death, the spirits of those who have passed still have the power to inspire you, push you, and help you. The memories, emotions, and knowledge of those who have died never leave us, but they return to the planet, and get passed on.
After recent events, and especially while making this video, I thought about that cliche quote, I forget it exactly, but something like: When you hug someone, hug them like it's the last time you'll hug them, because one day it will be, and it's very true. Life is short, so embrace your dreams. And call your mom.
Stay odd and keep on playing.
Final Fantasy VII and the Power of DEATH | The developers of Final Fantasy VII did such a powerful job of depicting life and death. It was the first video game that I played which depicted life and death in a very realistic and significant way. Let's talk about the themes of life and death in FF7.
Please be aware of SPOILERS.
WATCH NEXT:
○ Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 PREDICTIONS - https://youtu.be/m_BWaPg-ak4
○ Final Fantasy Product Reviews - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK...
○ Final Fantasy VII Remake World Preview - https://youtu.be/QnBOtzzTwgY
Connect with Odd Drummer Gaming
https://instagram.com/odd_drummer
https://twitter.com/odd_drummer
https://twitch.tv/odd_drummer
#FF7 #FF7R #OddDrummerGaming
Final Fantasy VII and the Power of DEATH
https://youtu.be/g45mrscighc
Please be aware of SPOILERS.
WATCH NEXT:
○ Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 PREDICTIONS - https://youtu.be/m_BWaPg-ak4
○ Final Fantasy Product Reviews - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK...
○ Final Fantasy VII Remake World Preview - https://youtu.be/QnBOtzzTwgY
Connect with Odd Drummer Gaming
https://instagram.com/odd_drummer
https://twitter.com/odd_drummer
https://twitch.tv/odd_drummer
#FF7 #FF7R #OddDrummerGaming
Final Fantasy VII and the Power of DEATH
https://youtu.be/g45mrscighc
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