gaming Could Aerith's Death Have Been Prevented? (FFVII)

[PonyFunk 155]

Aerith's death by Sephiroth from FFVII is one of the most infamous, shocking and heartbreaking deaths in gaming history. It's a pivotal point in FFVII's storyline, but I must ask the question: could have it been prevented?

 

Now, when I say prevented, I don't mean entering in a cheat code to keep her in your party, I mean could something in the story have happened to keep her alive? Would the game be as powerful and memorable as it is today had she not died?

I must hear your thoughts.

 

BTW, how do you think this scene will play out in the remake? How should it be executed?

[Megas 27,061]

No, I don't think so. The thing with Aerith's death was that it comes out of nowhere(as in, Sephy shows up to everyone's surprise and impales her)

Edited October 15, 2015 by Megas75

[Sunwalker 981]

I read some time ago old interviews of the devs, where they talked about the subject. At first they said that the idea was that the death came from nowhere, without greater significance, but at a later interview (about when some people did a petition to change the death) they said that it could not be done because her death was pivotal to the plot. Honestly, I find both statements conflicting, if there is not a greater significance then it cannot be important for any element in the story... Or maybe something got lost in translation

 

Anyways, her death make it possible that she join the Lifestream and so can control it in order to use it to stop the Meteor from hitting the world. Plus it gave the heroes the motivation to continue their journey, and gave the players a reason to want the head of Sephiroth in a plate . The game would not be the same without those elements . On the top of that, the idea that a innocent person needed to die in order to save the world gives to the game an unintentional Christian symbolism, which might be what made it appeal to western audiences. Or at least I think that it was unintentional . 

Edited October 15, 2015 by Sunwalker

[BrilliantVenture 334]

Well...according to certain "theorists"...yes.

 

Aerith was just paralyzed after Sephiroth's sword went through her.

 

Cloud Drowned her...in the game, YOU kill aerith.

 

Yeah...it's messed up, but apparently there's scientific evidence to support it.