Whoa, hold up! Final Fantasy VII speedrunners Just Found a Way to SAVE Aerith?!
Final Fantasy VII: A Speedrunner's Accidental Miracle – Aerith Lives?!
For almost 30 years, Final Fantasy VII players have mourned Aerith's death. That scene's a gut-punch for almost anyone who’s played this epic RPG and a critical and infamous plot point that affected most fans in one of the most impactful moments found in all of Final Fantasy VII! That moment has been utterly ingrained within every single playthrough ever since. But recently? Two speedrunners, AceZephyr and Kuma, might have just found a glitch that could change that. Yes, a glitch. And yes, it might be really broken. Luzbel789 shared the news on X (formerly Twitter). Prepare to have your mind completely blown!
This discovery happened completely unintentionally! That kind of massive surprise made the resulting impact felt globally even stronger across various communities which helped increase awareness concerning how broken certain mechanics really might be! While there are remakes and many other options to experience this story; speedrunning remains that truly beloved pursuit which continues to this day; for the original 1997 game! And this surprise? This accidental plot change which results in the revival of Aerith really highlights what amazing things might possibly happen! This event became incredibly memorable.
The Mind-Blowing Glitch: A Chocobo Ride to a Miraculous Escape
The trick itself is extremely hard! The Kuma YouTube tutorial showcases that extremely precise technique and several moments of highly specialized actions; showcasing exactly how challenging that exploit actually is! The process involves Cloud riding a Chocobo and then using a very specific series of steps that enable a special action to “walk on water”, letting Cloud traverse the ocean! After some insanely precise steps – he gets to the Forgotten Capital! A total game-changer. Because a crucial plot moment in that journey and storyline never triggers: The one that involves Aerith leaving the party!
It means she continues on, surviving the entire series, completely unaffected! The unexpected impact, considering that critical storyline which occurs as part of that classic Final Fantasy VII narrative! And this makes for something else entirely. What had otherwise never happened is completely possible through this speedrunner exploit; completely altering an integral moment which created a deeply remembered moment that impacted millions.
Our Take: A Glitch in the Matrix? What About THAT Aerith?
While saving Aerith is awesome; some additional complexities result from using that exploit: Another Aerith still dies when she's supposed to (by Sephiroth); making those instances of gameplay and those scenes even more bizarre, intense, and thought-provoking! One particular and interesting narrative choice occurs from the perspective of that unaffected Aerith; that preserved character witnessing this extremely shocking and unusual second death!
That added element gives a totally different lens: that extra, surprising layer of tragedy—and that very thought-provoking aspect shows just how messed up that particular encounter is. It makes it completely intriguing: What if that preserved Aerith was just a clone? This really shows those creative possibilities available and further demonstrates exactly what kind of deeper level storytelling might happen. This glitch could spark endless ‘what-if’ scenarios which only players may contemplate; completely rewriting how those encounters were experienced.
Conclusion: A Speedrunning Feat for the Ages – and a Testament to the Game's Legacy
Saving Aerith using an exploit in a game released 27 years ago is insane; creating some significant additional considerations regarding game design and how many years that these types of games might be played. This specific speedrunner exploit is only just the tip of the iceberg, though that particular accomplishment remains incredibly memorable. This emphasizes just how incredible that initial game was, how deeply impactful it was to millions globally.
Even though it requires extreme skills to actually make it happen, that lingering possibility continues, as attempts for more user-friendly and streamlined strategies for recreating this particular sequence will continue as additional speedrunners attempt and find alternative solutions, showing that Final Fantasy VII continues to inspire.
