Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: What’s Next for Zack Fair?

From a narrative perspective, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth juggles plenty of moving parts. Key events and themes from the original game are brought to life in more detail than ever, including Sephiroth having some sort of control over Cloud’s mind, Cait Sith betraying the group, and crucially, Aerith’s death, an event that has become synonymous with Final Fantasy 7. On top of this, though, the second part of the Remake trilogy also brings plenty of new material to the table. Perhaps the most prevalent of this new material is the concept of multiple timelines, which was teased in Remake but is fully fleshed out and explored in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Zack Fair is central to these timelines, and it feels like he has a big role to play in the trilogy’s finale.

Since making his debut in Final Fantasy 7, where he was shown in various flashbacks as an NPC, Zack’s backstory has been significantly fleshed out. He starred in the spin-off, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, which filled in much of the blanks surrounding his character. After joining Shinra’s elite mercenary crew known as SOLDIER, Zack devoted himself to being the best he could possibly be. He rose through the ranks of SOLDIER, eventually being promoted to First Class, and was able to rival just about anyone thanks to his impressive swordsmanship. His friendship with a young Cloud Strife would leave a lasting impression on both characters.

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Multiple Timelines Ensure Part 3 Will Be a Hot Mess, and That’s a Good Thing

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth went all-in with its take on a multiverse, and this means that the final part of the trilogy could be chaos in the best way.

Zack Fair Still Has a Part to Play in Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Narrative

Zack Fair’s death during Crisis Core‘s conclusion seemed to mark the end of his story, but developer Square Enix clearly had other ideas. The Remake trilogy’s multiple timelines have given Zack a new lease of life, allowing him to rejoin the story and granting players new insight into his motivations. His role in Rebirth, although limited, sees him serving as a key component in Cloud and Aerith’s battle against Sephiroth and Jenova. Cloud even fights alongside an alternate version of Zack at one point, allowing the two to interact for the first time in the story.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s ending sees Zack back in his own timeline, and also shows other versions of Zack succumbing to his inevitable fate: death at the hands of Shinra soldiers, just like in Crisis Core‘s climax. Despite seemingly being unable to escape his fate, it seems likely that Zack still has a part to play in this story, but it remains to be seen exactly what that is. Remake Part 3, which doesn’t have a title yet, could potentially give Zack a much larger role, and even incorporate him as a fully-fledged member of Cloud’s party, should timelines converge.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is Perfectly Primed For Zack to Feature

With the walls between timelines beginning to crack, Final Fantasy 7 Remake‘s final part could see these timelines merging, allowing characters to cross over between them. In theory, this means Zack could enter Cloud’s timeline and join the fight against Sephiroth. However, this would need Zack to abandon his own timeline, whichever one he comes from, and all the people in it. Given his relationship with Aerith, news of her demise will likely spring him into Action, and serve as his motivation for the remainder of the story.

The prospect of Cloud and Zack teaming up to defeat Sephiroth once and for all is an enticing one. The brief moments in which Zack is playable during FF7 Rebirth‘s final combat sections show him to be a fun, versatile character to play as, and this could be fleshed out in the third game to make him an integral member of the party. It’s worth noting though that this may not end up coming to fruition. It’s also a possibility that Zack plays an equally minor role in the trilogy’s conclusion, perhaps even not appearing at all, with Square Enix instead focusing on Cloud’s timeline, in which Zack is dead. Time will tell, but players shouldn’t be too surprised if Zack returns once again.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second chapter of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Once again, the story follows Cloud Strife and other members of Avalanche as they take on Shinra and Sephiroth, a mission that takes them out of Midgar.

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5

Released

February 29, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

How Long To Beat

40 Hours

Metascore

93

PS Plus Availability

N/A