If you haven’t played the original Final Fantasy 7 or Crisis Core, then you might not have the background information about Zack to explain who he is. There’s also the question of how he knows Aerith. So, here’s how Zack and Aerith are related in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: How Zack and Aerith are Related
Zack and Aerith first meet during the events of Crisis Core, when Sephiroth was still a SOLDIER First Class and not trying to summon a meteor. They start talking, which leads to dating. While Zack was unconscious and subjected to experiments, Aerith kept sending him letters. However, she never heard from him again in the original timeline. Their relationship was limited to that of a first love for both of them.
In the original timeline, Zack and Aerith seem to rekindle their relationship, or at least spend time together as friends. We see this in Advent Children as they stand in the doorway together, watching over Cloud as he finds the cure for geostigma. Seeing that the world is healing, Aerith and Zack give Cloud a final smile and nod, then turn away and return to the Lifestream together. However, the new timeline in FF7 Rebirth could change up the ultimate fate that Aerith and Zack experience.
Zack Continues Searching for Aerith
In Zack’s case, it doesn’t feel like years passed because he was unconscious. So, in the timeline where he survives, he goes to Aerith’s church in search of her. He also stops by Elmyra’s house because he still considers her his girlfriend and wants to find her. However, it seems that he realizes that he’s in a different timeline and might not find her himself. As such, when he fights with Cloud, he asks him to save her, referring to Aerith.
And that’s how Zack and Aerith are related in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Even if you’ve played every FF7-related game and watched Advent Children, it’s tough to keep up with everything happening in these remakes. With splitting timelines that seem to overlap, it’s getting harder to predict what might happen next or how some characters know each other. In this case, we know a definite answer thanks to Crisis Core. From here, check our guides hub for more content like how to skip the Rebirth demo Chapter 1 or how to redeem your preorder and demo rewards.
