How is Zack Alive in FF7 Rebirth?

Whether you are a newcomer or a returning Final Fantasy 7 player, you may be wondering how Zack Fair is alive in Remake and in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. This guide will answer the How is Zack alive in FF7 Rebirth question you’ve all been asking.

FF7 Rebirth Zack Alive Explained

Before we get into this, let me be honest and say that the story in FF7 Rebirth is incredibly complex. There are also various plot details that are left vague at the end of Rebirth, so to a degree, we are left speculating to truly understand what is going on. However, there is a basic explanation for how Zack is still alive in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. So buckle up, as it’s about to get weird!

Editor’s Note: The section below is going to contain MAJOR story spoilers about the ending of FF7 Rebirth. If you don’t want to get spoiled, please click away now.

In FF7 Rebirth, it is revealed that Cloud and his team created a new timeline after defeating the Whisper Harbinger at the end of Final Fantasy VII Remake. By destroying the force, a new world was born where Zack Fair was never killed by the Shinra Soldiers attacking him. So, throughout Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, we are jumping back and forth between the two timelines.

However, things get even more complicated when we learn that there is an infinite number of worlds. This revelation is unveiled by Sephiroth at the end of FF7 Rebirth, who calls it the “true nature of reality.” In the Chapter 14 end-game sequence, Cloud is briefly shown the various worlds that exist, where different events and people have happened. Sephiroth then states, “When the boundaries of Fate are breached, new worlds are born.”

The basic idea is that an infinite number of worlds can be created when fate is altered by the decisions people make at key moments in a timeline. So while we don’t know the exact amount of timelines that are featured in the main Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy storyline, we have already been shown over a handful of them. And there might be even more! But to answer the question, Zack Fair is alive in FF7 Rebirth because Cloud created a new timeline where he was never killed.

Zack in FF7 Rebirth Explained

As mentioned above, there are several different timelines that have already been teased in FF7 Rebirth. Most of these story moments involve Zack Fair. In fact, one of the most interesting moments in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a scene where Zack has to decide between saving Cloud, Biggs, or Aerith. The cutscene implies that there are different realities where Zack makes a different choice.

To demonstrate the different timelines, here is an image of the FF7 Rebirth Zack scene where he is trying to make a decision between three choices:

After Zack decides to help Cloud out, we then get a scene that shows that this pivotal decision has resulted in the creation of another world. The implication is that in this key moment of fate, Zack made a decision that then created another timeline where events played out differently as a result of his choice.

Yeah, I know pretty heavy stuff, right? Of course, understanding the finer details of this multiverse plotline requires speculation. Until we get to the final game in the trilogy, we won’t know fully how the timeline mechanics work. However, what we do know is that the characters in the Final Fantasy 7 world are able to make decisions that defy fate, which can then lead to the creation of a new world or timeline.

Interestingly, we know of four timelines due to Square Enix, including visual changes to the world in FF7 Rebirth. In Final Fantasy VII Remake, players were introduced to the adorable canine mascot named “Stamp.” The dog was used as military propaganda by the Shinra Electric Power Company, and was featured on posters and even had a theme song in the game’s Jukebox. In FF7 Rebirth, it appears we can tell which timeline we are in based on how the Shinra propaganda changes.

Here is what Stamp normally looks like in Final Fantasy VII Remake:

And here is how Stamp changes in two pivotal timelines in Remake and FF7 Rebirth, where Zack lives:

There are actually more Stamp Easter Eggs in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as well. More importantly, though, Sephiroth actually shows Cloud the different worlds during their final fight in the game. In the finale scene, Cloud flies through a wormhole of sorts, as Sephiroth gives commentary on the various timelines, including the ones where Zack made his pivotal decision.

If you find all that confusing, that is totally understandable. Not since Steins; Gate have I been this engrossed in a storyline this mind-bending. However, the key thing to takeaway from this is that Zack is alive in FF7 Rebirth because Cloud altetered fate in Remake to create a new world where he never died in.

How the Whispers and Aerith ultimately play into this, only time will tell. While we know the answer to how Zack is alive, the bigger question is what is his role in the trilogy’s overall plot? One of the biggest FF7 Rebirth cliffhangers is which timeline Zack Fair will be in when the third game is finally released.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is now available on PlayStation 5.