Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth have already proven Square Enix is not afraid to deviate from its source material. While the first two parts have faithfully recreated iconic moments, they've also subtly hinted at a future drastically different from the original game's ending. Part 3, therefore, holds the power not just to conclude the story but to adjust it. It's one of those rare opportunities that fans of the series would love to see.

[Warning: Spoilers for the origina Final Fantasy 7 & FF7 Rebirth.]

There are plenty of opportunities for Part 3 to give players more than the original game did. These opportunities are already being set up thanks to deviations and the idea that this is a different timeline, as theorized by the Aerith scene in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. While the original is great and has some unforgettable moments, there are plenty of changes that could benefit the narrative. In fact, if players knew that things would be different, they may anticipate the release even more instead of turning attention toward other possible Final Fantasy remakes.

10 Don’t Kill Aerith

Let Aerith Live

The death of Aerith in the original Final Fantasy 7 remains a pivotal, emotionally devastating moment. However, the Remake trilogy has already left this situation open to interpretation. Without spoiling too much, Aerith's fate in FF7 Rebirth remains arguably ambiguous. The game has already subtly deviated from the original narrative, hinting at a possible alternative fate for Aerith. Her survival isn't merely a matter of fan service; it allows for a richer exploration of her character and relationship with Cloud.

The death of Aerith is a memorable moment in Final Fantasy 7, and that doesn't change just because the remake didn't do things exactly the same. The developers couldn't recreate the feeling fans had in that scene; it can give fans a chance to keep Aerith, which arguably would mean much more now that fans know her death is a possibility. If anything, that fight against fate makes having played the original game first even better.

9 Change the Way the Planet Survives

Don't Let The Planet Save Itself

The original Final Fantasy 7's ending, while emotionally resonant in its depiction of sacrifice, leaves a lingering unsatisfactory taste. The planet's survival feels less like a hard-won victory and more like a pre-ordained event, diminishing the impact of Cloud's arduous journey and the sacrifices made by the Avalanche team. To sum up, Cloud and his friends are somewhat successful, but they still fail. However, the planet saves itself, which means the team could have done nothing and the asteroid wouldn't have destroyed the planet anyway.

Final Fantasy Remake Part 3 has the opportunity to rectify this by actively making the team heroes who made the difference when Sephiroth tried to destroy the world. This shift would give the player a far more impactful sense of accomplishment, demonstrating that their journey was not in vain but essential for the planet's survival and its future. The focus should be on a hard-fought, earned recovery, not a pre-determined, inevitable one.

8 Give Us Post-Game Content

Or A Way To Keep Playing

One significant area where Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 can drastically alter the original's ending is by offering post-game content. Today, RPGs are expected to let players run around after the end is over. Having to leave a game after it's done has become somewhat disappointing, especially if there is still stuff to do. The final chapter could unlock a new epilogue, perhaps focusing on the aftermath of the events in Midgar and beyond.

This could involve exploring the rebuilding of Midgar, the fallout from Sephiroth's defeat, and the long-term effects on characters like Cloud, Tifa, and Barret. It doesn't have to be much, and the game will likely come with a New Game Plus mode. In fact, the Mass Effect series did this well by telling players anything they did after the post-game was just what happened before they did the final mission, similar to how playing Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom after beating it just reloads a save prior to the final boss.

7 Red XIII’s Future

More Than Just A Pack

The original Final Fantasy 7’s abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying depiction of Red XIII's post-Meteor is just strange. Simply showing him alive and seemingly content among a pack of Cosmo Canyon pups comes out of nowhere. Part 3 has a golden opportunity to rectify this. It would be nice to see Red XIII actively contributing to the rebuilding of Cosmo Canyon, using his unique abilities and knowledge to aid the planet's recovery.

Red XIII's final scene is meant to be far in the future, but it's still worth changing.

Perhaps he will become a mentor figure, training younger generations in survival skills or even acting as a spiritual leader, drawing on his connection to the planet and his ancestral lineage. Alternatively, his survival could be intertwined with a more significant plot point, maybe leading him to discover a hidden truth about the planet's healing process or even uncovering a new threat that requires his unique skills to overcome. This would provide a far more emotionally resonant and fulfilling conclusion to his journey instead of just treating him like some random animal.

6 Multiple Endings

Let Players Change The Ending

The inescapable ending of the original Final Fantasy 7 is a double-edged sword. While it arguably left a lasting impression, it also limits the potential for narrative exploration in the Remake trilogy. There are a few RPGs that don't give players a way to affect the ending in a unique way. A way to alter the ending for Part 3 could offer players genuine agency, allowing choices made throughout the game to influence the ultimate fate of the planet and its inhabitants.

This doesn't mean the ending needs to diverge completely. It could be something as simple as an ending to a Bethesda game. Bethesda's endings aren't especially deep, but the slight adjustment of ending pieces helps players feel like they made a difference. This contributed to how underwhelming Starfield's ending was. However, if Square Enix can build from that, at least players will feel like everything they did mattered in the end.

5 Change Wedge's Fate

Wedge Can Still Be Saved

The deaths of Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie in the original Final Fantasy 7 served a crucial narrative purpose. This was to show the harsh realities of rebellion against Shinra and the devastating cost of fighting for a better future. However, they were able to survive, and each ended up dying in a non-ceremonious way. However, Wedge never gets confirmed, despite falling from a great height.

Wedge fell off a building and there was a clear sound of an impact, but that can still be explained away.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 can at least let players keep Wedge. Instead of sticking with this awful way of killing them off, the remake can let players keep one of them or at least give Wedge a death worthy of a hero. He could come back and then die holding off enemies or something similar. Biggs is killed by a random enemy, Jessie dies off-screen, and Wedge gets pushed off a tower to keep the old timeline; it feels very cheap.

4 Let Cloud Keep His Romance

Don't Just Eliminate The Competition

The romantic subplot in Final Fantasy 7 felt significantly underdeveloped. The game essentially forced players to end up with Tifa, even if they were already trying to romance Aerith. The remake seems to be doing a lot more work than that and giving players a way to make a difference. However, the romance in Rebirth didn't end very romantically either – it felt like players did all the work for a cutscene of kiss.

Then, the party went back to saving the world, and it seemed like a big waste of time. This is made worse when players consider that the Advent Children movie pretty much ignored any romance between Tifa and Cloud and kept things as ambiguous as possible. The remake needs to give players a real romantic ending that feels cathartic.

3 Give Every Character an Ending

We Want To See What Happens To Everyone

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 should give conclusive endings for all major characters. The original didn't give players any confirmation on what happened to the characters after the world was saved. Fans could always play future games or watch the movies, but that's like paying more to get more narrative.

Instead, just give players the confirmation that the characters they've been playing will get some kind of ending. Red XIII has an ending; it was weird, but it was also an ending. That's what players should see at the end of Final Fantasy 7 Part 3. Instead of just assuming all players want to know is that the world is safe, assume that players want to know everyone has a happy ending.

2 Multiple Romantic Paths

Don't Just Switch Out The Character Model

The original Final Fantasy 7's ending, while iconic, presented a somewhat constrained romantic narrative. Essentially, the most well-built relationship that stuck was the one between Cloud and Tifa. The Remake trilogy has already started to expand on this. The games offer a genuinely branching romantic subplot that respects the player's choices and investment in Cloud's relationships. This isn't simply about allowing a romance with Aerith, although that is a significant request from fans.

The remake needs to develop those relationships to feel like they're unique. It won't cut it if it just switches out the romance partner but plays the same scene. Instead, make players feel like each partner was made just for them. Also, the final part of the Remake trilogy should let the player stay romantically involved with Aerith.

1 Kill Sephiroth

Don't Let Him Survive

The original Final Fantasy 7 had players beat Sephiroth – kind of. While impactful at the time, it feels less satisfying in the modern era because fans know Sephiroth survived. Sephiroth's survival was ultimately confirmed in Advent Children and undermines the dramatic weight of his supposed defeat. For Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 to truly stand on its own and deliver a cathartic conclusion, Sephiroth must be beaten without any doubt or evidence to the contrary.

Knowing that Sephiroth will return cheapens the ending. If players know he's gone for good, then this will mean a clean break from the original and a focus on the evolved narrative of the Remake trilogy. A definitive Sephiroth death will bring closure and will give players the feeling that they made a real difference in the third part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.