Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has successfully continued the retelling of the 1997 PlayStation RPG started by Final Fantasy 7 Remake in 2020. This new remake series does bring in a lot of nostalgia, especially for old-timers. However, readers should note that it is not a simple retelling as the remake is peppered with new events and set in a different timeline.
Throughout Remake and Rebirth, we learned how fate can be defied. This is quite interesting as it leads to events that were considered non-cannon in the 1997 title. Likewise, one such character with a different fate in the remake series is Zack Flair.
Who is Zack Flair in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
Everyone noticed a black-haired guy featured beside Cloud Strife and Sephiroth on Rebirth’s cover. That man was none other than Zack Flair, a crucial character in the Final Fantasy series and the protagonist of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7.
Like the FF7 protagonist Cloud, Zack is also a former Shinra SOLDIER. He was Cloud’s senior and a brother figure to him. Moreover, Zack was the owner of the iconic Buster Sword before he passed it on to his brother-in-arms.
Is Zack Flair alive in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
In the original timeline, Zack died protecting a helpless Cloud from Shinra forces. However, the remake timeline ensures Zack’s survival. The former SOLDIER successfully took down the Shinra forces and took Cloud to Midgar.
Zack takes Cloud and Aerith to Elmyra’s house and tracks down Biggs, whom the Whispers carried over from the original timeline. However, the Shinra forces kill Biggs, and Marlene reveals a prophecy to Zack about Sephiroth killing Aerith. The revelation leaves the former SOLDIER in a dilemma of whether to protect his brother-in-arms or a girl he loves.
The game then shifts to the main timeline, but Cloud and company want to prevent Sephiroth’s evil plans before they take the fight to Shinra. In the final boss battle against Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack’s timeline merges briefly. The former SOLDIER brothers fight Sephiroth together before Zack is pushed back to his original timeline. However, he is confident about meeting Cloud once again.
What is Zack Flair’s relationship with Sephiroth?
Zack and Sephiroth are both former SOLDIERS who first met on the mission to find and eliminate Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos. The SOLDIER duo discovers that Angeal and Genesis have joined hands with Dr. Hollander, who plans on making an army of supersoldiers using the alien Jenova’s cells.
On a mission to investigate a Mako reactor near Nibelheim with Zack and Mako, Sephiroth discovers his origin. He is also a result of Dr. Hollander’s experiment with the Jenova cells. This revelation drives Sephiroth to insanity and Zack is forced to watch as the former vows to attain godhood by destroying the world.
Did Zack Flair date Aerith Gainsborough?
When Zack was first defeated by Angeal in Crisis Core, he was thrown into the slums of Midgar. However, Aerith Gainsborough rescued him from that place and took care of him. Over time, the former Shinra SOLDIER and the flower girl develop romantic feelings for each other. However, they never got to reveal their feeling, especially because Zack died in the original timeline.
In the original timeline, one of the reasons for Aerith to like Cloud was because he acted like Zack, especially after the Jenova’s cell experiment forced their memories to converge. In fact, some believe the jumbled memories could also be the reason for Cloud to like Aerith back.
Now that Zack is alive in the remake timeline, it would be interesting to find out how things end up between him and Aedith. From FF7 Remake, we also know that Zack is aware of Aerith getting killed by Sephiroth. So, will he be able to protect his timeline’s Aerith?
Hence, from the looks of it, Zack Flair will definetly have a significant role in the final installment of the remake trilogy. However, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s director Naoki Hamaguchi hinted that the sequel could take a long time to develop.
