If you’ve been following the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, you’ve probably come across various theories trying to make sense of the complex storyline involving multiple worlds, the Whispers, and Sephiroth’s true intentions. One of the most comprehensive theory videos I’ve encountered attempts to explain how all the puzzle pieces fit together through what I’m calling the “Shattered Planet Theory.”
What is this article about?
This article is my detailed response to a popular Final Fantasy VII Rebirth theory video that proposes an elaborate explanation for the game’s mysteries. The video suggests that the Cetra originally split the planet into multiple worlds to contain Jenova, and that Sephiroth’s plan involves reuniting these fractured realities. It’s an ambitious theory that touches on nearly every aspect of Remake and Rebirth’s lore.
The goal of this article is to provide my thoughts, analysis, and critique of this theory. I’ll be going through each major point the video makes, examining the evidence (or lack thereof), comparing it to what we know from the original Final Fantasy VII, and offering my own interpretations. Some points I agree with, some I partially agree with, and others I believe are based on faulty assumptions or misinterpretations of the lore.
Before you continue reading, I highly recommend watching the original theory video yourself so you can form your own opinions. Understanding the full context of each argument will help you better evaluate my responses.
A few notes before we begin:
- This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rebirth, and the original 1997 game
- I’ve tried to base my analysis only on information from Remake and Rebirth, avoiding spoilers from other Compilation titles where possible
- Some of my rebuttals are speculative, as we won’t have complete answers until Part 3 releases
- I welcome respectful disagreement and discussion in the comments
Now, let’s dive into the 32 points…
The 32 Points of the Theory
Point 1: The Planet’s Cyclical Nature
The planet operates through continuous cycles of convergence and divergence. Life comes from the Lifestream and returns to it upon death. The Lifestream is both a reservoir and stream containing all accumulated memories, emotions, knowledge, hopes and dreams of everyone who has ever lived. The planet has its own will and enforces that will through the Whispers.
Point 2: The Whispers as Arbiters of Fate
The Whispers are weapons of the planet that exist across all worlds. They’re drawn to those who attempt to alter destiny’s course and work to prevent such changes. They can only be seen by those who defy destiny or come into contact with someone attempting to alter destiny. They’re led by the Whisper Harbinger.
Point 3: Multiple Worlds Are Created Through Divergence
The planet encompasses multiple worlds that are constantly being created and destroyed. New worlds are born when choices diverge from the planet’s intended will, represented by rainbow effects in Rebirth. The planet materializes worlds and populates them by tapping into the Lifestream’s spiritual energy.
My Take:
This point makes sense, but timing and cause are important. Sephiroth was the catalyst – his act of defying the planet’s intended path created the first breach in Fate. As he says,
“When the boundaries of Fate are breached, new worlds are born.”
However, those new worlds couldn’t fully manifest while the Whispers still existed. The Whispers served as Fate’s enforcers, preventing divergences from becoming permanent. We saw this during Zack’s last stand, where Whispers surrounded him as if to preserve the destined outcome of his death. Only after the party defeated the Whisper Harbinger was that restriction lifted, allowing the divergence to finally succeed and Zack’s survival to become real.
Once Fate’s barriers fell, the planet’s true nature – what Sephiroth later describes in Rebirth – was revealed:
“The planet encompasses a multitude of worlds, ever unfolding.”
The phrase “ever unfolding” can be read in two ways:
1. Divergence-driven creation –
Each new world is formed when choices deviate from the planet’s original will. The planet automatically materializes a new branch in response to that act of defiance, drawing energy from the Lifestream to populate it. In this view, new realities are choice-based – a direct reflection of diverging outcomes.
2. Autonomous creation –
After Fate’s collapse, the planet’s natural creative cycle resumes without restriction. Worlds are born and destroyed continuously, not because of specific divergences, but because the Lifestream is now unstable and self-propagating. Creation becomes constant – a natural consequence of removing the limits Fate once imposed.
Either way, Sephiroth’s defiance was the spark that exposed this truth. The planet now exists in a state of perpetual unfolding, generating and dissolving realities through its own spiritual energy.
This directly connects to Point 29: if these worlds are made from the Lifestream’s energy, their eventual unification would mean that same energy being reclaimed – erasing everything those divergences produced.
Point 4: Worlds Can Be Created from Dreams and Desires
The Lifestream doesn’t distinguish between real lived memories and unrealized desires buried in people’s hearts. Aerith’s date world may have been manifested through the Lifestream using her hopes and dreams. Spiritual energy is actually a manifestation of our knowledge and memories, including our hopes and dreams.
My Take:
This idea fits perfectly with Point 3. Once the boundaries of Fate were broken, the planet’s natural ability to generate worlds was no longer limited to physical divergences – it could now draw from thoughts, emotions, and desires as well.
The Lifestream isn’t a passive flow of energy; it’s a living network made of consciousness itself – every memory, feeling, and dream ever experienced. When Sephiroth described the planet as “a multitude of worlds, ever unfolding,” that “unfolding” doesn’t just refer to alternate timelines; it can also mean worlds born from the inner lives of people connected to the Lifestream.
In that sense, Aerith’s “date world” may not be a literal alternate reality but a world manifested from within the Lifestream, shaped by her longing for connection and peace. The planet, now unrestrained, can materialize even emotional energy into tangible form.
These emotionally created worlds blur the line between what’s real and what’s imagined, showing that the Lifestream can transform subjective experiences into objective existence. Once Fate’s barriers fell, dreams and desires became just as capable of creating worlds as physical acts of divergence.
And when these emotionally formed worlds eventually collapse – just like the divergent ones – the planet feels that pain as well, a grief later expressed in the screams described in Point 28.
Point 5: Three Possibilities for Reincarnation Across Worlds
When consciousness re-enters the Lifestream and creates new life, three things could happen: (1) spiritual energy is diffused to create completely different life within the same world, (2) completely new life is created in a different world, or (3) people are reborn as themselves but in different worlds, keeping their spiritual energy intact.
Point 6: Sephiroth and Aerith Exist Across Multiple Worlds
Sephiroth is aware that multiple worlds exist and is connected as one conscious being across all worlds. He also exists outside any specific world at the edge of creation. He uses the black robes to physically manifest and manipulate people and events. Aerith also possesses some power not contained to singular worlds, evidenced by her knowledge of future events.
My Take:
This point is mostly accurate, but it needs to be viewed through the framework of what Sephiroth calls “the true nature of reality.”
The planet continuously generates these worlds through the Lifestream, and both Sephiroth and Aerith are spiritual entities capable of existing within or beyond that process. Sephiroth experiences awareness across all worlds simultaneously, though it’s unclear whether he is a single unified consciousness or multiple versions sharing the same mind. What’s certain is that his perception extends through every branch of reality, allowing him to act as if he exists both within and beyond them.
Aerith, by contrast, operates from within the flow. Rather than controlling her other selves, each version of her is linked through the shared memory of the Lifestream. When she shows knowledge of events she hasn’t yet experienced, it may be because those memories are traveling across the spiritual current connecting every Aerith born from the same source.
However, this connection doesn’t mean guaranteed survival either. When world unification occurs, it’s unknown what becomes of this collective awareness. The “Omni-Aerith” could be erased along with the rest of the Lifestream’s fragments – or she might persist in some altered form within the unified reality. The story leaves this ambiguous.
What seems clear, however, is Sephiroth’s intention: he wants to destroy every living Aerith before unification begins, ensuring that no White Materias from those worlds survive to reach the main reality. His goal isn’t only to eliminate Aerith’s presence but also to prevent the planet’s greatest defense – Holy – from existing in the unified world.
However, this plan ultimately fails. Cloud recovers the White Materia and returns it to Aerith in the main world, meaning that despite Sephiroth’s efforts, the potential for Holy still exists in the reality he’s trying to control. Whether the “Omni-Aerith” persists or vanishes after unification, Sephiroth’s attempt to erase her influence completely did not succeed.
Point 7: Rifts Indicate Dying Worlds
Worlds that are fading or about to expire have a rift visible in the sky. These rifts may only be visible to people who have accepted that the world is ending. This explains why Zack couldn’t see the rift at first but could after Elmyra mentioned the world ending, and why only Cloud can see the rift at the end of Rebirth.
My Take:
I agree that rifts in the sky are signs that the world is about to end.
However, saying that “These rifts may only be visible to people who have accepted that the world is ending” is a stretch.
Yes, Zack didn’t see the rift initially in Remake, but so what? The developers could’ve just decided NOT TO SHOW IT in that scene. This is just a logistics/directorial choice – they may have wanted to reveal it at a specific dramatic moment rather than showing it from the beginning.
The video is making a big assumption about the rules of who can see rifts based on limited evidence. There could be many other explanations:
- The rift appeared later, after Zack’s opening scene
- It was there but off-camera
- It’s a simple storytelling choice to reveal it when narratively appropriate
We don’t have enough evidence to conclude that rifts are only visible to those who “accept the world is ending.” That’s the video reading too much into what might just be a creative decision by the developers.
Point 8: All Worlds Are Connected via the Lifestream
All worlds are connected through the Lifestream, as demonstrated by Cloud seeing into Aerith’s dream world while sleeping and Aerith feeling Zack’s hand. However, individual worlds can have their portion of the Lifestream dry up, as seen with the empty reactor in Rebirth.
My Take:
This is all true and an accurate interpretation I think.
The evidence clearly supports that all worlds are connected via the Lifestream:
- Cloud seeing into Aerith’s dream world while sleeping
- Aerith feeling Zack’s hand across worlds
- Individual worlds having their own portions of Lifestream that can dry up (empty reactor)
However, I’m still confused by the mechanics of how Cloud is able to gain access to these worlds through sleep.
What is it about sleeping/dreaming that allows Cloud to cross between worlds via the Lifestream? Is it:
- Because he has Jenova cells?
- Because of his connection to Aerith?
- Something about the dream state that connects to the Lifestream?
- His fractured mental state making him more susceptible to crossing realities?
The video doesn’t explain this mechanism, and it’s an important unanswered question about how the Lifestream connection between worlds actually works for individuals.
Point 9: Worlds Can Be Manipulated by External Forces
Worlds can be united or parted through external influence that doesn’t come from the planet, such as when Sephiroth parted Cloud and Zack or sent Zack between worlds. Worlds can also be merged into one another via external intervention, which appears to be part of Sephiroth’s plan.
My Take:
After the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake, this point becomes especially significant. When Sephiroth absorbed the Whispers – the planet’s agents of Fate – he gained control over the very system that governed the flow of reality. That act made him the first being capable of directly manipulating the structure of the multiverse itself.
Unlike before, where the planet alone created and destroyed worlds (see Point 3), Sephiroth can now imitate that process. The scene near the end of Rebirth, where he separates Cloud and Zack and sends Zack into a new space resembling the church, isn’t just a transfer between existing realities – it’s the creation of a contained world, formed through Sephiroth’s will.
In other words, he’s not merely exploiting instability between worlds anymore; he’s replicating the planet’s creative function.
This explains how he’s able to merge, fracture, or fabricate realities to serve his plan. By controlling Fate’s former power, Sephiroth has effectively become an external force that can rival the planet itself.
This also clarifies the philosophical tension between him and Aerith. The planet generates worlds as a natural cycle of life, while Sephiroth creates worlds through domination – by seizing control of the system meant to maintain balance.
However, even this power has limits. When the final unification occurs (see Point 29), and all worlds are reabsorbed by the planet, Sephiroth’s control over Fate’s mechanisms may end as well. Whether he survives beyond that collapse remains an open question – but his ability to create and manipulate worlds is what enables the unification in the first place.
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Point 10: Something Feeds on Negative Energy
Something (either Sephiroth, Jenova, or the unification of worlds) feeds off negative energy like despair and grief. Sephiroth suggests that war can “put things right” and create “new unity” through anger, desolation, and hatred, making the planet “once more made whole.”
My Take:
I agree with this point, but unfortunately this is one of the mysteries. What exactly feeds off these negative energies and why?
However, this concept has evolved significantly across the FF7 timeline:
In the original FF7: This concept did NOT exist. Sephiroth’s plan was simply to summon Meteor to wound the planet, absorb the Lifestream when it gathered to heal, and become a god. There was NO concept of him feeding on negative emotions or needing despair/grief.
In Advent Children: Sephiroth traveled through the Lifestream leaving his mark on those with vulnerable spirits, spreading despair to make people more susceptible to Geostigma infection. His plan was to gather the souls of Geostigma’s deceased victims to corrupt the Lifestream and take control of the planet. So he WAS working with negative emotions, but more passively/indirectly.
In Remake/Rebirth: Sephiroth has learned to ACTIVELY harness negative emotions through Jenova to create a negative Lifestream and empower himself. A large part of his motivation is to instill as much hatred, grief, despair, and pain in the party (especially Cloud) as possible so he can harness their negative feelings and strengthen himself further.
This is a significant evolution – from no use of negative emotions (original), to passive spreading of despair (Advent Children), to active harvesting and feeding on negative emotions for power (Remake/Rebirth). This strongly suggests that this Sephiroth has learned and evolved through experiencing the events of both the original game AND Advent Children, further supporting the sequel theory.
Point 11: Jenova Arrived 2,000 Years Ago
Jenova came from space and crashed on Gaia roughly 2,000 years ago. The nature of Jenova’s arrival is unclear – it may have arrived via the Gi’s home world that it had already consumed, or the Gi may have summoned Jenova using the Black Materia before the Cetra could steal it.
My Take:
I agree Jenova arrived roughly 2,000 years ago, but I disagree with the video’s speculation about the Gi’s connection to Jenova’s arrival.
I don’t think the Gi was trying to summon Jenova. The Gi were unsuccessful in summoning Meteor using the Black Materia because the Cetra stopped them and stole it. That’s a completely different event from Jenova’s arrival.
My interpretation: Jenova may have arrived from the Gi’s home world or planet – it tried to consume that world, and then went after Gaia next. But the Gi and Jenova have NO direct relationship. These are two completely different factions or entities:
- The Gi are refugees from a destroyed world seeking freedom from their cursed existence
- Jenova is an alien parasite that destroys planets
The video is speculating a connection between them that doesn’t have clear evidence. Just because both involve catastrophic events doesn’t mean they’re related. The Gi’s story and Jenova’s arrival are separate tragedies that both affected Gaia, but there’s no indication the Gi summoned Jenova or that they’re otherwise connected.
Point 12: Jenova Can Mimic the Dead
Jenova possesses the ability to mimic the dead, stealing the faces and voices of mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers to sow discord among both the Cetra and humans. This was one of Jenova’s primary weapons against the ancients.
Point 13: The Cetra Were Planet Stewards Who Fought Jenova
The Cetra were the original stewards of the planet who could communicate with it to understand its desires and needs. They stood against both Jenova and the Gi to protect the planet. Jenova was successful in killing off almost all of the Cetra 2,000 years ago.
Point 14: Outsiders Cannot Join the Lifestream
Since Jenova did not originate from the Lifestream, it couldn’t rejoin the Lifestream, just as the Gi could not. Those not born of the Lifestream can never join its flow. This is why Jenova fell into a deep slumber rather than returning to the planet after being defeated.
Point 15: The Shattered Planet Theory – The Cetra Split the Planet
The planet was originally whole and served as the home of the ancients until Jenova arrived. Recognizing they couldn’t beat Jenova and with the planet’s survival at stake, the Cetra were forced to split their home into multiple realities – possibly the first “rainbowed action.” They used their knowledge of the Lifestream to divide the planet into multiple worlds.
My Rebuttal:
This theory has NO basis in the original Final Fantasy VII whatsoever. In the original game:
- The Cetra did NOT split the planet into multiple worlds. The Cetra defeated Jenova and quarantined it within the North Crater where it remained in stasis for millennia. There were no multiple timelines or realities involved.
- The Cetra did NOT split Jenova’s body into pieces either. Jenova was sealed whole. The different Jenova boss forms that appear in the game are NOT pieces the Cetra created. According to the lore:
- Five years after the Nibelheim Incident, Sephiroth acquired Jenova’s main body from Shinra
- Jenova (under Sephiroth’s control) left behind pieces of her body as it traveled – these transformed into the boss monsters
- Jenova∙BIRTH was created from Jenova’s arm
- These pieces were created BY SEPHIROTH/JENOVA during the game’s events, NOT by the Cetra 2,000 years ago
- This all happened in ONE world
- Multiple worlds/timelines are COMPLETELY NEW to Remake/Rebirth. The video creator is attempting to retcon the original lore to explain why Square Enix added multiverse elements to the new games. This “Shattered Planet Theory” is pure speculation with zero foundation in the original game’s established canon.
Important Question: Is this supposed change in core plot a result of the party diverging from destiny after they defeated the Whisper Harbinger at the end of FF7 Remake? Did defeating the Whispers create ripples across time that retroactively changed what the Cetra did 2,000 years ago? If so, the video should have made this explicit – that the “Shattered Planet” is a NEW timeline element created by breaking fate, not something that “always happened.” But the video presents it as if this was always the case, which contradicts the original game entirely.
Acknowledging Square Enix’s willingness to change core lore:
It’s important to note that Square Enix HAS made significant changes to core story elements in Rebirth. For example, the Black Materia’s origin was completely changed – in Rebirth, it was created by the Gi tribe when they stole a Sacred Materia from the Cetra and focused their hatred into it. This is entirely new lore not present in the original game.
So the video’s “Shattered Planet Theory” COULD potentially be another major lore change Square Enix is introducing. I acknowledge this possibility.
HOWEVER, there’s a crucial difference:
Major lore changes like the Black Materia’s origin are explicitly shown and explained in the game. We see the Gi’s story, we’re told directly about what they did.
In contrast, there is ZERO explicit evidence in Remake or Rebirth that:
- The Cetra split the planet into multiple worlds
- Jenova was fragmented across different realities
- The multiple worlds existed 2,000 years ago
In fact, the evidence contradicts this: The Cetra sealed Jenova whole in the Northern Crater, and the Jenova forms we fight in Rebirth (Emergent, Lifeclinger) are still created by Sephiroth/Jenova in the present during our journey – just Jenova shapeshifting/shedding pieces as it travels, exactly like in the original game.Until Part 3 proves otherwise, the “Shattered Planet Theory” remains pure speculation with no supporting evidence, even acknowledging that Square Enix might change lore.
Point 16: Jenova Was Splintered Across All Worlds
By splitting the planet into multiple worlds, Jenova (who was unable to be absorbed into the Lifestream) was instead pulled apart and splintered across all those worlds. This was how the Cetra managed to stop Jenova – by fragmenting it across multiple realities where it couldn’t wreak havoc in its disassembled state.
My Rebuttal:
This is built entirely on the false premise from Point 15. The Cetra sealed Jenova as one intact body in the Northern Crater – they did NOT fragment it across multiple realities. This is complete fanfiction with no basis in the original game.
Point 17: The Whispers Were Created After the Cetra’s Defiance
The Whispers were created by the planet as a reaction to the Cetra’s defiance of the planet’s will and subsequent disappearance. Without the Cetra to care for it, the planet formed its first weapon, the Whisper Harbinger, to ensure its own will is followed.
My Rebuttal:
This contradicts the fundamental nature of the Cetra and is directly tied to the flawed Point 15:
- The Cetra would NOT defy the planet’s will. The entire identity of the Cetra is that they were stewards of the planet who could communicate with it and followed its desires. Defying the planet goes against everything the Cetra represented.
- The Whispers are likely recent creations related to Remake/Rebirth’s new timeline mechanics. There’s no evidence they existed 2,000 years ago during the Cetra era. They appear to be connected to the multiverse/timeline divergence elements that are completely new to the Remake trilogy.
- This theory only “works” if you accept Point 15’s false premise – that the Cetra split the planet into multiple worlds. Since that never happened in the original game, this entire point collapses.
The video is creating an elaborate backstory to justify new game mechanics (Whispers, multiple timelines) by rewriting established lore about the Cetra’s relationship with the planet.
Point 18: Individual World Events Cannot Resolve the Story
Events that play out on an individual world are unable to bring about final resolution for Sephiroth, Jenova, or the Gi because those events are contained to that single reality. For anything to truly affect these aspects of the story, the disparate worlds would need to come back together – a “homecoming.”
My Take:
I partially agree with this theory, but for different reasons than the video suggests:
- Jenova’s “final resolution” requires the Reunion – gathering all its parts/cells together, which could span across multiple worlds in Remake/Rebirth’s continuity.
- Sephiroth’s endgame may involve eliminating multiple timelines because Aerith is using them to her advantage (like creating multiple White Materias across different worlds). We don’t fully know Aerith’s plan yet or whether she’s following Destiny’s design – she still sacrificed herself at the Forgotten Capital in Rebirth.
- The Gi simply want the Black Materia to summon Meteor and achieve oblivion.
However, this point has major problems:
- It’s still connected to the false premise of Point 15 – that the Cetra split the planet and Jenova across multiple worlds 2,000 years ago.
- We have NO evidence that different “parts” of Jenova exist in different worlds. Even if multiple worlds now exist due to defeating the Whisper Harbinger, there’s nothing indicating Jenova was fragmented across them. The video is assuming this based on its invented “Shattered Planet Theory.”
Point 19: The Promised Land Only Exists When Worlds Unite
The actual Promised Land has not been seen in any of the worlds shown so far. The Promised Land may not be a specific location in one world as Shinra thought, but instead only exists when all of the worlds are united as one.
My Take:
First, let’s establish what the Promised Land actually is:
The Promised Land has multiple interpretations. According to Elder Hargo at Cosmo Canyon, it’s what the Cetra called the act of returning to the planet at life’s end – joining the Lifestream and becoming one with the planet, viewed as a state of supreme happiness. However, it’s also speculated the Promised Land means something different to each person – a state of mind to find “eternal happiness” wherever possible. For example, Sephiroth’s Promised Land is the North Crater because he could become a god there.
Given this understanding, the video’s theory might not actually work or make clear sense.
What makes sense:
- Cloud’s Promised Land = being with Aerith
- Multiple worlds allow different versions/outcomes where Aerith could be alive or accessible
- This is a personal interpretation of the Promised Land
What’s confusing about the “reuniting worlds” theory:
- How does merging worlds CREATE the Promised Land?
- If the Promised Land is personal/subjective to each person, why would world unification matter?
- The video claims the Promised Land “only exists when worlds unite” but doesn’t clearly explain WHY
This point is also built on the false premise from Point 15. The video assumes the Cetra split the planet into multiple worlds and that the Promised Land only exists when they’re reunited. But since the Cetra never split the planet in the first place (that’s pure speculation), this entire interpretation of the Promised Land requiring world unification has no foundation.
Honestly, I think the video’s Point 19 is weak speculation. The connection between “unifying worlds = Promised Land appears” isn’t clearly established or logical. It seems like the video is just assuming this must be true to support Sephiroth’s plan, without solid reasoning.
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Point 20: The Cetra Scriptures Foretold Reunification
The scriptures passed down by the Ancients tell of a time when the planet they loved would once again be made whole. This was probably a distant promise to return the land back to how it was before Jenova’s arrival – before the Cetra had to split it.
My Rebuttal:
The video is completely misinterpreting the Cetra scriptures to support its false theory.
The actual Cetra scripture states: “We who are born of the planet, with her we speak. Her flesh we shape. Unto her promised land shall we one day return. By her loving grace and providence may we take our place in paradise.”
The actual meaning of “return to the promised land” is that the Cetra will return to the Promised Land at life’s end – joining the Lifestream and becoming one with the planet, which was viewed as a state of supreme happiness.
The scripture is about the cycle of life and death – returning to the Lifestream after dying. It has NOTHING to do with:
- The planet being “made whole again”
- Reunifying multiple worlds
- Reversing some supposed planet-splitting that the Cetra did
This is pure misinterpretation built entirely on the false premise from Point 15. The video is twisting ancient Cetra scripture to retroactively justify its invented “Shattered Planet Theory.” The Cetra never split the planet, so the scriptures couldn’t possibly be prophesying its reunification.
Point 21: Sephiroth Wants to Reunite All Worlds
Sephiroth has figured out the true nature of the planet and is working to reunite all the worlds. His goal is to make both the planet and Jenova whole again. He states that his “fragmented mother, these errant worlds, all shall be one again.” This reunification appears to be his ultimate endgame.
My Rebuttal:
I partially agree with this point, but the video conflates two SEPARATE goals of Sephiroth:
What I agree with:
Sephiroth has figured out the true nature of the planet and is working to reunite all the worlds
His goal is to make both the planet and Jenova whole again
He states his “fragmented mother, these errant worlds, all shall be one again”
This reunification appears to be his ultimate endgame
What the video gets WRONG:
When Sephiroth says “my fragmented mother, these errant worlds, all shall be one again,” he’s referring to TWO SEPARATE EVENTS, not one causing the other:
Reuniting the different worlds – merging the multiple timelines/realities together
The “Reunion” of Jenova – gathering Jenova’s different parts/cells together via the robed people (Sephiroth-clones) in the same world
These are distinct objectives. Sephiroth doesn’t want to reunite worlds BECAUSE that would make Jenova whole – he wants to do BOTH things separately. The Reunion of Jenova happens through the robed people gathering in one location (as established in the original game), NOT through merging multiple realities.
The video falsely assumes reuniting worlds = reuniting Jenova’s fragments, which is based on the debunked Point 15 theory that the Cetra split Jenova across multiple worlds. That never happened.
Point 22: Sephiroth Doesn’t Want Cloud to Die
Sephiroth doesn’t want Cloud to die – rather, he wants Cloud’s help. He tells Cloud “I will not end. Nor will I have you end” and asks Cloud to “lend me your strength” and “defy destiny together.” He needs Cloud alive for his plan to succeed.
My Take:
I agree that Sephiroth doesn’t want Cloud to die, and I think I understand part of why.
Why Sephiroth doesn’t want Cloud to die:
- Cloud is the last remnant of the Jenova Project who retained his sense of self
- Unlike the robed people (Sephiroth-clones), Cloud has Jenova cells but didn’t completely succumb to them
- Cloud maintained his own will and identity despite the cells
Why Sephiroth wants Cloud’s help – “defy destiny together”:
- The key phrase is “defy destiny together”
- In the original FF7, Sephiroth was ultimately defeated by Cloud
- That defeat IS the “destiny” Sephiroth is trying to avoid
- Sephiroth knows that if things play out as they originally did, Cloud will kill him
- By getting Cloud to join him and “defy destiny together,” Sephiroth could prevent his own defeat
So Sephiroth needs Cloud alive and on his side – not as an enemy who will defeat him (as destiny dictates), but as an ally who will help him change that outcome.
However, there’s still so much we don’t know about what specific role Cloud plays in Sephiroth’s plan beyond avoiding his own defeat. But we won’t know the complete picture until Part 3.
Point 23: The Black Materia Is Key to the Plan
Sephiroth wants the Black Materia, presumably to call forth a meteor capable of causing catastrophic damage to the planet. However, when Sephiroth grabbed it, he called it “the key which grants access to the true counterpart hidden between worlds,” suggesting its purpose is more complex than simple destruction.
My Take:
I partially agree with this point, but need to clarify what changed in Rebirth.
In the original FF7: Sephiroth’s plan was to use the Black Materia to summon Meteor upon the Planet and absorb the Lifestream’s energy as it would rush to heal the Planet, ascending to godhood. The Temple of the Ancients itself was the Black Materia, transfigured by the Ancients, and would transform back into the materia. The Black Materia’s origins weren’t explicitly explained, and the Gi tribe had no connection to it.
In Rebirth (major lore change): The Black Materia was created by the Gi tribe when they stole a Sacred Materia from the Cetra and focused all their immense hatred and resentment into it. The Cetra stole it back and hid it away in a space away from the physical realm. The Temple of the Ancients still transforms/collapses, but what they obtain is a dull replica that serves as a key to finding the original Black Materia.
The function of the Black Materia hasn’t changed – it still summons Meteor. The changes are: (1) we now know the Gi created it, and (2) what the Temple produces is a replica/key that accesses the real Black Materia “hidden between worlds,” rather than being the actual Black Materia itself.
So Sephiroth’s ultimate goal with the Black Materia remains the same as the original – summon Meteor. The “key” language just refers to this additional step of using the replica to access the real one.
What this major lore change tells us about Point 15: This Black Materia origin change proves that Square Enix IS willing to alter core story elements from the original FF7. So the video’s “Shattered Planet Theory” from Point 15 – that the Cetra split the planet into multiple worlds and fragmented Jenova – COULD potentially be another major lore change they’re introducing.
HOWEVER, there’s a crucial difference: Major lore changes like the Black Materia’s origin are explicitly shown and explained in the game. We see the Gi’s story, we’re told directly about what they did.
In contrast, there is ZERO explicit evidence in Remake or Rebirth that:
- The Cetra split the planet into multiple worlds
- Jenova was fragmented across different realities
- The multiple worlds existed 2,000 years ago
In fact, the evidence contradicts Point 15: The Cetra sealed Jenova whole in the Northern Crater, and the Jenova forms we fight in Rebirth (Emergent, Lifeclinger) are still created by Sephiroth/Jenova in the present during our journey – just Jenova shapeshifting/shedding pieces as it travels, exactly like in the original game.
Until Part 3 proves otherwise, the “Shattered Planet Theory” remains pure speculation with no supporting evidence, even acknowledging that Square Enix might change lore.
Point 24: Sephiroth Needed the Party to Destroy the Whisper Harbinger
Sephiroth needed the party to help destroy the Whisper Harbinger and break the planet’s hold over destiny so he could take control of the Whispers himself. This would allow him to unbind those born on Gaia from the planet and Lifestream and bind them to whatever Sephiroth wants to create instead.
Point 25: Sephiroth Doesn’t Want the White Materia
Sephiroth didn’t want the Remake Beagle world to have a White Materia. When Cloud possessed it after time in Aerith’s dream world, Sephiroth stated “that doesn’t belong here.” He may have formed the Singularity at the end of Remake knowing Aerith would need to use or empty her White Materia to modify it, thus getting rid of it.
My Take:
I partially agree, but there’s important clarification needed about what emptied the White Materia.
In Rebirth, Aerith’s White Materia appears clear/empty. When asked about its color, Aerith says it was white back in Midgar, before the Whispers stole her memories.
According to the FF7 Remake Ultimania guide, the Whispers were trying to take Aerith’s memories to stop her from changing the timeline.
So it appears the WHISPERS emptied the White Materia by stealing Aerith’s memories, not that Aerith used it to modify the Singularity as the video suggests. The video’s speculation about Sephiroth forming the Singularity to trick Aerith into emptying her White Materia is interesting, but there’s no clear evidence for it.
What we do know: Sephiroth definitely doesn’t want the White Materia around (saying “that doesn’t belong here”), and somehow the Whispers stealing Aerith’s memories resulted in the White Materia becoming empty. The exact mechanism and whether Sephiroth orchestrated this remains unclear.
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Point 26: Outright Destruction Isn’t Sephiroth’s Intent
Despite his desire to obtain the Black Materia and summon Meteor, outright destruction of the planet doesn’t seem to be Sephiroth’s actual intent. His statements suggest he’s trying to create something new rather than simply destroy everything.
My Take:
I agree this could be the case, based on significant evidence.
The Sephiroth at the Edge of Creation is fundamentally different from other versions – in Japanese, he uses the pronoun “ore” (俺) which he only used before the Nibelheim incident, rather than “watashi” (私) which he’s used since becoming a villain. The FF7 Remake Ultimania specifically highlighted this as significant. Many fans speculate this may be a different version of Sephiroth – possibly one who has experienced the events of the original FF7.
This Sephiroth’s dialogue suggests something beyond simple destruction:
- He asks Cloud to “lend me your strength” and “defy destiny together”
- He tells Cloud “I will not end. Nor will I have you end”
- He uses “our” when saying “Our world will become a part of it…one day”
- He doesn’t want Cloud or himself to cease existing
- His goal seems to involve unifying worlds and creating some new state of existence
However, we still don’t fully understand what Sephiroth is trying to create or why. The video is correct that his intent appears more complex than just destroying the planet, but the specifics of his plan remain unclear until Part 3. The fact that he still wants the Black Materia (which summons Meteor) suggests destruction is still part of his plan, even if it’s not the ultimate goal.
Point 27: Sephiroth Is Creating an Eternal “Forever”
Sephiroth’s endgame involves creating an eternity or “forever” in which the cycle of life and death would be disrupted. He tells Aerith “there’s no such thing as forever” and responds “Ah, but there will be.” He wants to create a state where “I will not end. Nor will I have you end.”
My Take:
I agree this is likely what Sephiroth is trying to do, though it’s pure speculation since we don’t have enough information until Part 3.
Based on what we’ve seen, I think Sephiroth doesn’t like the way the planet operates. When people die, they return to the Lifestream – but as a result, their individualities are erased. They’re reduced to nothing more than energy.
I think Sephiroth doesn’t want that. He wants to change this fundamental system. However, the way he’s going to do it will likely be catastrophic and harmful.
Interestingly, he might actually believe he’s doing the right thing – which would make him see himself as a hero, just like he was during Crisis Core. This could add a tragic dimension to his character.
But again, this is all speculation until we get more concrete information in Part 3.
Point 28: Unifying Worlds Causes the Planet to Scream
Sephiroth has been unifying worlds, resulting in the screams of the planet. Those born into the world who lived, died, and returned to the Lifestream are “howling in pain” because of what Sephiroth is doing. Their voices don’t reach him, and memories roll off him without effect.
My Take:
If the planet contains countless worlds – each sustained by its own portion of the Lifestream – then unifying those worlds means forcing those portions to collapse back into one. The “screams” we hear are the planet’s literal reaction to that violent compression: the sound of its energy and consciousness breaking under the strain.
Every soul and memory tied to those worlds is being torn apart as the Lifestream reabsorbs its fragments. To the planet, this is agony. To the people once connected to it, it’s the sensation of existence being erased.
This connects directly to Point 29, which explains the mechanism behind these screams: during unification, the Lifestream consumes its own extensions, erasing all life and energy bound to those fractured worlds. The planet’s cry in this point is the first sign of that collapse – a physical manifestation of what Point 29 describes in full.
Sephiroth, however, remains detached from that pain. As Aerith says in Final Fantasy VII Remake, “their voices don’t reach him, and memories roll off him without effect.” Through her deep connection to the planet, she already sensed that Sephiroth had become completely severed from the planet’s emotional flow – aware of the suffering around him but untouched by it. Even then, Aerith might have felt the beginnings of what he would later call the “reunion of worlds,” understanding that his disconnection from the planet made him able to act without being restrained by its grief.
It’s possible that Sephiroth wasn’t the one creating or merging these worlds, but rather the one who recognized and exploited the process once the boundaries of Fate were broken. His defiance of destiny may have been the spark that fractured reality, prompting the planet to create the Whispers as a defensive mechanism to preserve its intended flow. In that sense, the Whispers exist because of Sephiroth’s influence – but the collapse of worlds that follows is the planet’s own reaction, not his doing.
Point 29: People in the Lifestream May Cease to Exist During Unification
If people have died and their essence or consciousness is in the Lifestream at the time worlds are unified, they may cease to exist. This is why the planet is screaming and souls are howling in pain – they’re being erased by the unification process.
My Take:
This point shouldn’t be limited to people who have already died. It’s not just about the souls themselves – it’s about everyone inside these other worlds, because these worlds are the Lifestream itself. Each world contains its own portion of the Lifestream that sustains all life within it.
When unification begins, those portions of the Lifestream collapse back into the main flow, reclaiming all the spiritual energy they used to create their respective worlds. That includes every living being and every soul that exists within those portions of the Lifestream. So it’s not simply the dead who are being erased – it’s entire worlds and everyone inside them being pulled back into the source.
The planet’s scream is the collapse of those worlds, and the people’s howls of pain are the voices of countless lives being erased as the Lifestream devours everything it created. Nothing from these Lifestream-born worlds survives this process.
Point 30: Living People Across Worlds Will Converge
When Sephiroth successfully executes the final unification, all the worlds will converge and there will be a single version of every living person who ends up in one unified world. The question is whether multiple versions merge or only one survives.
My Take:
According to Sephiroth’s description of “the true nature of reality,” when the boundaries of Fate are breached, new worlds are born – and eventually, all return to the planet’s embrace. In that sense, the unification he seeks isn’t a simple merging of timelines or realities, but the Lifestream reclaiming every world it produced.
When Sephiroth says, “Let go of the past, Cloud, for the future is bright. We are to bear witness to the reunion of worlds,” there are two possible ways to read his words:
1. The annihilation perspective –
Sephiroth’s “bright future” could be a poetic disguise for oblivion. The “reunion of worlds” might really mean the collapse of all worlds and the erasure of everything within them, as the Lifestream devours its creations and all individuality dissolves into one flow. From this angle, his promise of unity is actually a euphemism for total loss of self.
2. The transformation perspective –
Alternatively, “the future is bright” could mean that Sephiroth envisions something new emerging after unification – a world fundamentally different from what came before. In this view, the process isn’t merely destruction but recreation: a reality freed from Fate, where existence itself is rewritten under new rules.
Both readings reinforce the same core idea: unification is not just a physical convergence of worlds but a spiritual and metaphysical event that redefines what “life” and “reality” even mean. Whether it leads to complete erasure or a transformed existence depends on how one interprets Sephiroth’s vision of that “bright” future.
Point 31: Sephiroth Is Hunting Aerith Across All Worlds
Sephiroth is intentionally hunting Aerith in every world with the intent to kill her and seeking her out in different realities. This explains why Aerith runs when Sephiroth’s theme plays at the beginning of Remake.
My Take:
I agree with this point.
Sephiroth does appear to be hunting Aerith across different worlds with the intent to kill her. The evidence supports this throughout both Remake and Rebirth.
One important note: Aerith running away when Sephiroth’s theme plays at the beginning of Remake didn’t happen in the original FF7. This is a completely new scene. This adds credence to the theory that Remake/Rebirth is actually a sequel rather than just a retelling – Aerith seems to have knowledge or awareness of Sephiroth as a threat from the very beginning, which she wouldn’t have had in the original timeline.
Point 32: Sephiroth Must Eliminate Aerith Before Final Unification
Sephiroth is trying to eliminate Aerith from all worlds prior to executing the final unification. This would leave her spiritual energy in a limbo period across all worlds so she wouldn’t be present as the remaining Cetra to rival him in the new unified forever he’s creating. As the last Cetra, only she can stop him.
My Take:
I agree with this theory, and I think I understand WHY Sephiroth is hunting all the Aeriths.
The White Materia was emptied in the main world. Sephiroth DOESN’T WANT the other White Materias from other worlds entering the main world. BUT Aerith WAS ABLE TO GIVE the White Materia to Cloud from the “dream world.”
This is the key: If Sephiroth kills all the Aeriths from all the different worlds/timelines and THEN unifies these worlds, then:
- Aerith would not exist in that unified world
- No other White Materias from other worlds could be brought into the main world by other Aeriths
In the original FF7, he only had to deal with one Aerith and one White Materia in one world. Now with multiple worlds and multiple White Materias, he needs to eliminate all the Aeriths to prevent any of them from bringing their White Materias into play.
This also connects to Point 29: As for how this would prevent Aerith from using the Lifestream to stop Meteor (like she did in the original) – that’s another question. UNLESS Point 29’s theory is correct and people in the Lifestream DO cease to exist during world unification! If that’s the case, then killing all Aeriths before unification would ensure she can’t help from within the Lifestream either, because she’d be erased during the unification process.
This would make Sephiroth’s plan comprehensive – eliminate all Aeriths physically (preventing White Materia use) AND ensure they can’t help spiritually (because unification erases them from the Lifestream).