You get a save screen after laying her to rest in the original release, iirc. But the actual end of disk one is at the end of the Whirlwind Maze with Cloud's breakdown (after Icicle Inn and the Great Glacier). Disk 2 picks up at the execution in Junon.
@@gogauze Disc 1 ends with Aerith's death and disc 2 begins right after it. I would still argue that Aerith's death being put as the end of disc 1 is highly effective because it marks a huge turning point in the game and it's to put even more uneasiness in the player because...what else could go wrong now? Which does end up happening, everything goes to hell after Aerith dies and it's like she took any idea of possible hope with her.
I’m 37 as well…I didn’t want to do a disk transition at first. Then, I wanted to slay Sephiroth as revenge. I’ll never forget that moment or the music. Part of the reason I took up piano. To learn that theme and never forget Aerith
Genuinely, I'm amazed that you're not aware of one of the most famous moments in video game history. But I'm glad to see a first-time reaction to this moment in modern days. Still heartbreaking and your crying made me tear up again.
Right? I legitimately zoomed in on her because I kant watch this scene point blank. 4 wat it's worth think we were all ⬆️ in '97... 98 4 me ;--) (I screwed around in tisk 1 about a year) actually I was at the north kontinent in the winter so all that snow really made me veel right at home
This video popped up in my recommendet list for some reason. I am 40 years old, have not played the remake yet. I played this game literally 26 years ago and I totally thought I was over this moment but when she started to cry, I started to cry, god damn I am still not over it! I still remember being upset and depressed for days back then.
The developers were complete savages, killing one of your primary main characters of the story, well also not allowing you time to collect your thoughts after the shocking twist and then had the gall to throw you into a boss battle right after, haha. I don't think any rpg I ever played has been that unforiving.
Apparently, they actually wanted everyone who wasn't in your team on the last mission to die, but 1 of the guys decided to just make it Aerith at an earlier point in the game instead.
Your reaction is so reminiscent of mine 25 years again when I was a 13 year old boy. So rare that a video game can invoke such an emotional connection to a character where the grief feels so real!
Aertith's death is by far the most famous in video game history, so there is even a reference to it in the film Wreck-It Ralph. There is a short scene with Aerith Lives written on a wall. I have rarely lost so many tears at the death of a character.
FF7 was my all time favorite FF for years but last year when I experienced FF14 the story of a particular expansion blew me away, I’d say which one but it was the surprise of it that made it so much sweeter for me.
It's amazing you were able to play this without being spoiled. So many young gamers will never experience the beauty of this game and it's storytelling.
@@mdiciaccio87 You don't lose her accessory, only her weapon and armour. Pretty gracious of her to give everything back and travel with just her weapon, armour and the White materia. She knew how powerful it was lol
Two of my friends, in two different weddings (and not to each other), walked down the aisle to Aerith's Theme from FF7 instead of using the more traditional wedding march. They knew what the song was from, but the rest of their families and most of the wedding guests weren't gamers and while they thought the music was beautiful, they didn't know what it was from and certainly not what the context was.
It's not even the saddest moment in this game. Red XIII learning the truth about his father and Dyne jumping off a cliff are both a lot sadder. You may say I'm being a bit of a hipster, but look, when I was a kid I wasn't affected by this moment at all because I thought... we have phoenix downs, right? we're going to revive her, right? It's pretty hard to get invested in a party member "dying" when you know you can revive them. By the time I realized a few hours later that she truly was dead, I didn't really care.
@@ESPirits87 I realize this is anecdotal and not necessarily representative of the whole, but my Zoomer sister knew, and she's never played an FF game in her life. When I asked her how she knew about that, she looked at me as if I'd asked how she knew that green means go, and replied "Everyone knows that."
@@BezoRazo FF was not that big among kids here in Europe I feel like. I played this game last year and I also had no idea despite not being a zoomer and having gamed my whole life.
As a 37 old man, played this masterpiece decades ago. I reacted similar. In someway i still react nowadays. I can feel your pain. Thank you for sharing this.
27 years later, it still bring me to tear every time i see this scene. this year we get to watch it in 4k ultra detail. ill probably cy my hearts out again
It's been like, 20 years and a lot of still aren't over it. I was right there on the front lines day one, about 12 years old or so, when everyone at school was sharing rumours of how to revive her, how to abuse the glitch ghost in the church, there was some trick involving the Gongaga reactor and the Super Sweeper item, etc. It was all BS of course, short of cheats or hacks (or Remake shenanigans, possibly) she's dead, not coming back. But back then nobody could accept it. Before this we all played Mario and Sonic, simple games with no drama. Then we're suddenly exposed to this heartbreak and we just couldn't cope. It was devastating. For me it made me realise the impact of good writing and characterization, which led me to my career as a writer. So, silver lining I suppose.
Technically, the ghost in the church after she dies isn't a glitch itself. It's a legit intentional scripted event with defeating Jenova-LIFE as the trigger. You can't interact with her, but if you talk to the kids while she's on screen their dialogue is different. There's even an 'After Aeris's Death' option in FF7's debug room that takes you to the scene. There are a few glitches associated with it, though, and only the ghost tending to the flowers is the actual scripted event. (I actually just recently learned this all myself.)
If you think about it, it's really near impossible to get a genuine reaction. The original game came out close to a decade before RUclips was launched, and people have only started posting these reaction videos over the last decade or so.
@@Jon_from_LI to be honest i am very very surprised shes not heard about this famous scene before. To have stayed completely blind from it is impressive
@@Jon_from_LII While I didn't record my reaction to seeing her death for the first time within the game itself, I had genuine tears and couldn't hold it in. It was such a moving scene that even after years of seeing it be turned into a meme and casually spoiled, it still hit like an absolute truck. Descending down those magical stairs to that place where Aerith meets her fate felt like a puzzle piece falling into place.
@@dan290786I mean, it depends. If you’re into gaming, then yeah you know it. But, if you pull a random person off the street and have them play through the game, chances are that they would have no idea Aerith dies
You share the same feelings most of us felt when we witnessed this heartbreaking moment in gaming history. It still produces a lump in the back of my throat.
I seen that moment when she dies before I even had a desire to play Final Fantasy. I was shocked when I got to that part when first playing FF7. I too assumed it happens near the end of the game.
@@ShirouBrando tbh i doubt they do that, they Will be with the safe route of "now finally you can save her, change the destiny blablabla" the remake part1 was full of fanservice, lik "this guy dies un the original what about Let him live this Time? Basically that"
i remember playing this in 97-98. hit that point, ugly cried for half an hour, saved my game and shut it off. i couldnt bring myself to play it again until my anger at sephiroth outweighed my grief. took several days. was the first emotional moment i ever had in a video game. i was maybe 13 years old at the time. we didnt really have the internet at the time to spoil everything for us. everyone hit that journey on their own. my buddy who played the game before me didnt give me any spoilers. hit like a truck.
This scene man….. always gets someone right in the feels 😢. Every single time. Even Crisis Core had a a scene that made me actually feel deeply about a character that much.
Just found your channel tonight. You have one of the best reactions I’ve seen to Aeriths death. I played this game complete blind and by myself in 1999, and the entire game was so unexpected, and the first time I realized games could be art through storytelling.
I played it as soon as it came out, without having any idea what was coming. Up until this exact moment, it had never even occurred to me that a character in your game could actually just *die*. In the story. That simply was not an option in any game before this. YOU could die, but then you just reset and everything is better. But having to continue the rest of the game minus one character was mind-blowing.
Seeing a genuine reaction was terrifyingly beautiful. I remember playing this back in '97 when I was 9 and I was devastated. She's my favourite character and I couldn't process it! Especially being thrown into the fight with Jenova and having her theme play... Thanks for sharing this! Can't wait to see you play Remake.
Yeah, it was tough on everyone who played the game. But those of us who preferred Aerith...I daresay we had more of a heartbreak than the Tifa fans out there. Nothing against Tifa, of course, but I just *really* liked Aerith. And then she was gone. Can't say I'd ever played a game that kills off a playable character mid-game before I played FF7, so it never even crossed my mind that was a possibility 'til it happened.
That’s one of the most famous moments from one of the most famous games ever made. Awesome that you managed to feel it all these years later without it being spoiled.
Here watching along on Aerith's birthday! While it must have felt like pure anguish to experience THAT scene, just remember that the depth of your connection with her is why it hurt so bad (I still can't get through it without tearing up). Thank you for sharing your playthrough!
A purge genuine reaction. Something remarkable about 25 years after the original was released. Back when it was released, there WAS NO RUclips. There were no reaction videos and game spoilers being posted online. You played the game and had no idea what to expect when you reached that point. That was essentially my reaction when I played it in my college dorm room in '97.
The european back covers of FF7 had a screenshot of Aeriths funeral scene on it (the one where Clouds puts her in the lake) Imagine getting spoiled THIS by the backcover.
If anyone ever wonders why VII is so damn high in ranking......it is this moment seared into memories for time in memorium. I do not think anything else in the game truly matters. And the tears are natural. Millions upon millions of tears were shed for Aerith almost 30 years ago.
This game's music, story, and characters really touched a lot of guys hearts. The most heart-breaking moment for me back in the 90's was when I decided to power level my healer so she could keep up with the boys, and then this happened. So much work and effort lost. =(
9:30 - 9:36 - The most raw and most powerful emotion you can see without sound, just from the expression and eyes. This hit me harder than knowing what happens next. Because you're head starts to guess what will happen, and the denial is the part that hurts the most. First time seeing Frankie, and honestly, I'm glad I got this recommendation on my front page. Subscribing ASAP.
@@nyxurich8959 again, mere semantics; it was done with him fully knowledgeable about it, under his command, his _direct control._ There was functionally no separation of the entities, no difference between them. They were one and the same, just in different places. To try and claim otherwise just smacks of a Sephiroth apologist
Ever notice in the original opening scene Aerith's eyes are open to begin with when we fade in to her face, and then after the Lifestream helps Holy to defeat Meteor, her eyes are closed then open before the credit roll. In the Remake the opening scene begins with her eyes closed and then they open, just like the ending of FF7 OG.
@@ComicalHealing I just looked this up and its true. supports the idea of the remake being a sequel. i don't think OG was all a vision. I think she's looping. trying to get it right and save the planet as the last ancient.
@@KazuhasKatana can't be. Stuff changed from the original prior to the beginning of the remake. So, bare minimum, it'd have to be am alternate timeline.
I played this when I was a child, and I stopped playing my 1st playthrough after this scene. I started it from scratch many years later and still felt this scene T_T
The most epic and meaningful scene there will ever be in video game history. No matter how many times you play it, wven when you know it's coming, it always moves you in so many ways.
OMg she got the Yuffie fight ON ACCIDENT?? I remember reading a gameFAQ and trying to get the fight for like 20 minutes walking around that specific forest.
I played this game with 2 friends when we were teenagers. After Aerith's death and the following battle, we all just sat there in silence for a really long time. Finally, one friend said "That sucks." and turned off the console. Then without a single other word, we all just got up and went home. I remember sitting alone on my back porch for several hours when I got home, staring blankly at nothing and trying not to think. I grieved for her for weeks. I have had beloved family pets whose passing affected me less.
yeh... this was my 2nd rpg... wild arms was my first. I was broken at this moment. My dad was wondering why i was so sad that day.
8 месяцев назад+1
I didn't cry when I saw this for the first time more than 20 years ago but watching your reaction and your genuine scream made me cry more than I ever did playing any video game. 😢
In my opinion, one thing that makes Aeris' death so powerful is the fact that she dies INSTANTLY. She doesn't say any cheesy "final words"; she just dies, right when she gets stabbed, and that's it.
That feeling, that moment of grief and pain was something that so many of us felt then and for years later. It was the first time in a major game were a beloved character died and there was nothing we could do. I recall people calling each other about it, rumors springing up but in the end she was gone. Now with the new FF7 so many are wondering if there will be a way to save her. Great reaction..
There I was, on my 15th birthday, thinking that im finally about to finish the first of 4 discs to the biggest Final Fantasy to ever exist, and my still forming teenage brain was expecting Cloud to jump and swat Sephiroth away. Truly one of the hardest moments to stomach in my entire childhood. I didn't know anybody else who bought the game the day before my birthday let alone marathon it like I did to get to the end of the first disc so fast. I was alone, in the 20th century where you would get beaten to a pulp by your friends if you even HINTED at any spoilers to an event like this. How was I supposed to process this? Game of Thrones the TV show is still 14 years away. The loss of Aeris/Aerith will forever be a life changing video game event in my life. I am happy you had the chance to witness the powerful story telling of Final Fantasy 7 without it being spoiled for you.
Congrats on making it to 2021 without knowing this happened. Regrettably, I only made it to Summer of 1997 (and the American version released in fall 1997), so, I already knew to un-equip the good Materia off her in time.
I'll always remember the first time I experienced this as a kid 24 years ago. I remember crying and hitting the wardrobe shouting "why, why did she have to die"... I'll never forget that memory.
I love watching these reactions. I don't know how I missed this one. This was probably the best reaction to this scene I've ever seen. I remember playing it for the first time when it originally came out. I was 18. I walked away from the game for a few hours. I was just crushed.
34 years old, played this game as a young teen, and I remember the absolute shock and awe of the moment. Seeing someone experience this scene for the first time, and being blindsided by Sephiroth’s attack… it’s raw emotion, and I can see it in your eyes. You felt what I felt, and I can feel you feeling it. It hurts, and it’s awful. But it also warms my heart to know that across all these decades, Aerith is still so beloved, that this is the kind of reaction we still see. I am not looking forward to the 4K version of this scene in the remake series, but I’ll be there with tear-filled eyes, along with everyone else. 😢
When I played it for the first time I was 13 years old, I played it on summer vacation, I spent all night playing alone on the only TV we had in my house. When I get to this part it is something that I will never forget, how I felt at that moment, I remember turning off the console and watching TV with static for just over 1 hour. That was the moment where my life changed. Then I played it from the beginning again. I will be waiting for your reaction to Rebirth.
I felt your pain back in 1997... My friend Anthony was so mad he didn't even turn it back on to this day. The evil sob, takes the most pure and endearing member of your group from you because she's the biggest threat to his psychotic plan. This game has broken people..
Ngl, THIS is the game that made me learn english. Seriously, i sat with a dictionary, translating word by word, not understanding shit. Great vid, always love seeing people discover this game for the first time. Makes me nostalgic for my childhood ❤
It was 2003 when I first played this game, I can still recall the moment I saw this, at that time I was around 14 years old, was emotionally invested in RPG games and this part made me realize that these games can hurt me.
Yep, we've all been there. I was only 9 years old when this game was released, and I barely spoke English back then but I remember this scene and how much of a talk it was. I played this later when I was more grown up and knew English and it actually got even harder.... Now as an adult, I can't even imagine how I will feel seeing something like this in the remake. I doubt Square Enix will set up for disappointment.
The only thing I'm willing to put bets on in the Remake is that she doesn't die the same way at the same time. Narratively, the game assumes you know what's coming from having played the OG. This is the ultimate expectations moment for the game, and we're shouting from both sides of the rafters over it. If it happens as usual, it almost feels like it would be a letdown. If it doesn't, it feels cheapened and wrong by the setup. My thoughts are that they are going to lean into that wrongness, then give us catharsis in a different death to punctuate that fate isn't just spooky ghosts but also meaningful actions that only the conviction of certain people can allow. Canon wise, there's a laundry list of things that make that feasible. Even resurrection, in a less complete capacity I think, is on the table. But, in it end, I really don't think we're going to see the scene actually play out like usual.
1. We all needed a moment to process that... 2. Hats off, yet gain, to a gaming community that did not spoil this moment! 3. OMG, I've never seen Vincent's response in this scene...
I will never forget this moment the first time I saw it happen back in the late 90’s and it still hurting after the numerous other play throughs of me and my brother, my reaction the first time was very similar
Recently became a Final Fantasy fan and playing through the remake seeing Aerith become one of my favorite characters. If she dies in Rebirth like this I’m gonna break emotionally. It’ll be like a Plague Tale Requiem all over again.
Your reaction can make me cry over over again now, same feels back then, the music..., i paused the game gathered my thoughts leaving me SAD WITH JENOVA BOSS!
When Aeriths theme hit she knew she was gone. I believe yours was the exact reaction they were hoping for. You're a joy to watch. Brings me back. I know its old and less updated graphics but FF IV would be great to see you play. The DS version was a like a chibi 3D.
You got scared by Midgar Zolom! That's one of the achievements in FF7 :D - and most of all, thank you for letting me to relive the end of disc 1. It hits even more now through your feelings. You're awesome.
The fact that Aerith's theme tune played the whole time during the Jenova fight was pretty heartbreaking. You bursting into tears gave me PTSD from playing this moment at age 9, maybe 10
And I won't lie, I was PRETTY pissed off that I'd levelled Aerith up for NOTHING by this point 😂 she was one of my main party members, essentially the White Mage with her healing limit break abilities. Sephiroth, you messed with my game 😂
The murder of Aerith, Sephiroths monologue, Clouds anguish and then... Immediate fight against Jenova while Aerith's theme plays in the background :'( I have no idea how we'll handle the newest rendition of this pivotol scene in REBIRTH :(
I was 19 when I first played this game. It both broke me and made me love the Final Fantasy series games. I’ve never gotten over this. Saddest moment I’ve seen in a game.
I’m 37 and still remember staring blankly at the tv with “please insert disc 2” for an eternity after all this
Ah man, hardest disk transition ever.
Yea I put the game down for a couple days after that. The rest of the game was a fog then I finished it.. That was back in '99-00 I wanna say.
You get a save screen after laying her to rest in the original release, iirc. But the actual end of disk one is at the end of the Whirlwind Maze with Cloud's breakdown (after Icicle Inn and the Great Glacier). Disk 2 picks up at the execution in Junon.
@@gogauze Disc 1 ends with Aerith's death and disc 2 begins right after it. I would still argue that Aerith's death being put as the end of disc 1 is highly effective because it marks a huge turning point in the game and it's to put even more uneasiness in the player because...what else could go wrong now? Which does end up happening, everything goes to hell after Aerith dies and it's like she took any idea of possible hope with her.
I’m 37 as well…I didn’t want to do a disk transition at first. Then, I wanted to slay Sephiroth as revenge. I’ll never forget that moment or the music. Part of the reason I took up piano. To learn that theme and never forget Aerith
Genuinely, I'm amazed that you're not aware of one of the most famous moments in video game history. But I'm glad to see a first-time reaction to this moment in modern days. Still heartbreaking and your crying made me tear up again.
Right? I legitimately zoomed in on her because I kant watch this scene point blank. 4 wat it's worth think we were all ⬆️ in '97... 98 4 me ;--) (I screwed around in tisk 1 about a year) actually I was at the north kontinent in the winter so all that snow really made me veel right at home
And with this scene, prozac was born.
This video popped up in my recommendet list for some reason. I am 40 years old, have not played the remake yet. I played this game literally 26 years ago and I totally thought I was over this moment but when she started to cry, I started to cry, god damn I am still not over it! I still remember being upset and depressed for days back then.
You felt as me on 1998 when I played the game for the first time. And I fall in love with FFVII forever.
It is nice to see someone else's first impression of that scene ! I Remember it messed me up when I first saw it !
11:47 Watch this. You can actually pinpoint the second when her heart rips in half
The scream was a good hint...
haha, poor Ralph
I choo, choo, choose you.
Too bad you can't choo Choo choose to save Aerith.
@@neb3195 unless Square Enix makes you pay for a DLC that prevents her from dying
Congratulations. You just experienced one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire history of video games.
We just... st...sit? we just stand there, and her fuxing music plays, through the boss fight.
"I KNOW I DID YOU WRONG but WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?"
The developers were complete savages, killing one of your primary main characters of the story, well also not allowing you time to collect your thoughts after the shocking twist and then had the gall to throw you into a boss battle right after, haha. I don't think any rpg I ever played has been that unforiving.
Not to mention keeping her theme music playing instead of cutting to the regular boss battle theme.
@@Michelle-DiPalo I always cry in that part
Apparently, they actually wanted everyone who wasn't in your team on the last mission to die, but 1 of the guys decided to just make it Aerith at an earlier point in the game instead.
It actually wasn't the first time FF did that.
And keeping Aerith’s theme throughout the whole thing. Lmao. It got me so shook back then.
Your reaction is so reminiscent of mine 25 years again when I was a 13 year old boy. So rare that a video game can invoke such an emotional connection to a character where the grief feels so real!
Aertith's death is by far the most famous in video game history, so there is even a reference to it in the film Wreck-It Ralph. There is a short scene with Aerith Lives written on a wall. I have rarely lost so many tears at the death of a character.
Ff 7 is the best one yet... An with each ff game that comes out no one had dethroned sephiroth yet he is literally the strongest boss of all ff gamrs
FF7 was my all time favorite FF for years but last year when I experienced FF14 the story of a particular expansion blew me away, I’d say which one but it was the surprise of it that made it so much sweeter for me.
It's amazing you were able to play this without being spoiled. So many young gamers will never experience the beauty of this game and it's storytelling.
She was crying because she lost all that materia Aerith had equipped.
Nope. It should be back in the materia menu.
@@loganthevillager9176 correct. It gets put back in your materia menu as soon as the demon gate is defeated ending the temple of the ancients.
You lose her armour and accessory though.
@@mdiciaccio87 You don't lose her accessory, only her weapon and armour. Pretty gracious of her to give everything back and travel with just her weapon, armour and the White materia. She knew how powerful it was lol
@@kidkytes6233 i stand corrected. Yeah, she was always thinking of others
Two of my friends, in two different weddings (and not to each other), walked down the aisle to Aerith's Theme from FF7 instead of using the more traditional wedding march. They knew what the song was from, but the rest of their families and most of the wedding guests weren't gamers and while they thought the music was beautiful, they didn't know what it was from and certainly not what the context was.
That is amazing! I hope to use FF's Main Theme for my wedding one day lol
That's a great strategy to genuinely drop some tears in your wedding.
Possibly the saddest moment in gaming. :(
Not only from gaming but from all movies, tv-shows, etc.
And you'll never hear her theme the same way again. Those three notes hurt every time.
@@ikijiigoku so true, after that scene, Aerith theme is one of the saddest song ever.
It's not even the saddest moment in this game. Red XIII learning the truth about his father and Dyne jumping off a cliff are both a lot sadder. You may say I'm being a bit of a hipster, but look, when I was a kid I wasn't affected by this moment at all because I thought... we have phoenix downs, right? we're going to revive her, right? It's pretty hard to get invested in a party member "dying" when you know you can revive them. By the time I realized a few hours later that she truly was dead, I didn't really care.
Maybe ... or until Tidus vanished in FF X
Wait, so you somehow managed to avoid that spoiler? Damn, that’s insane.
Seriously. The only one that's harder to avoid is Vader & Luke.
What? Vader kills Luke? I did not know that yet 😱
@@BezoRazo Not really, FF7 is not as big today as it used to be, if you haven't played any FF games chances are slim you know what happens.
@@ESPirits87 I realize this is anecdotal and not necessarily representative of the whole, but my Zoomer sister knew, and she's never played an FF game in her life. When I asked her how she knew about that, she looked at me as if I'd asked how she knew that green means go, and replied "Everyone knows that."
@@BezoRazo FF was not that big among kids here in Europe I feel like. I played this game last year and I also had no idea despite not being a zoomer and having gamed my whole life.
Hi there! Welcome to the club!
None of us are okay.
As a 37 old man, played this masterpiece decades ago. I reacted similar. In someway i still react nowadays. I can feel your pain. Thank you for sharing this.
Wow, I’m genuinely impressed that you weren’t spoiled on the most iconic but spoiled-to-death plot twist in video game history.
The worst part is if you're not prepared and you lose to jenova, which isn't hard to do, you gotta watch her die again.
I thought the game gave your party free limit breaks so it’s impossible to lose. That’s what it seemed like to me.
Also if you equip the water ring before the fight , then it’s impossible to die
@@LezSpringfield that's in the ps4 version if you activate one of the 3 "cheats" they gave you. The others are full health always & no random battles.
@@febulamc right but I'm talking if you were unprepared your first time through
@@callmeshaggy5166 I never turned that on
27 years later, it still bring me to tear every time i see this scene. this year we get to watch it in 4k ultra detail. ill probably cy my hearts out again
I'm not ready😭
You should've seen Yuffie's reaction to Aerith's death. Most heartbreaking imo.
20 something years later without knowing this 😭
I like how Cait Sith dances on her corpse!
@@TheDancerMacabreyeah I’ve seen that one. Bro really emoted
I'm now old enough to see the next generation experience my generation's classics.
I'm watching this like "yuuuuup, that's how I felt too"
It's been like, 20 years and a lot of still aren't over it. I was right there on the front lines day one, about 12 years old or so, when everyone at school was sharing rumours of how to revive her, how to abuse the glitch ghost in the church, there was some trick involving the Gongaga reactor and the Super Sweeper item, etc. It was all BS of course, short of cheats or hacks (or Remake shenanigans, possibly) she's dead, not coming back. But back then nobody could accept it. Before this we all played Mario and Sonic, simple games with no drama. Then we're suddenly exposed to this heartbreak and we just couldn't cope. It was devastating. For me it made me realise the impact of good writing and characterization, which led me to my career as a writer. So, silver lining I suppose.
I played this in 97 when I was 8 years old. No one understood why I was crying school the next day :') hahah
Ditto same age and all damn man even like the same effect wow. Certainly changed me as a person.
Technically, the ghost in the church after she dies isn't a glitch itself. It's a legit intentional scripted event with defeating Jenova-LIFE as the trigger. You can't interact with her, but if you talk to the kids while she's on screen their dialogue is different. There's even an 'After Aeris's Death' option in FF7's debug room that takes you to the scene. There are a few glitches associated with it, though, and only the ghost tending to the flowers is the actual scripted event. (I actually just recently learned this all myself.)
I think remake wants us to think she can be saved, just so we can lose her again and experience it all over again
@@MrGophercakes Nah it will be much worse when it's Tifa. 😭
Oh my god I've never seen a genuine reaction to Aeriths death before.. It's like someone's innocence is being taken away. 😢
If you think about it, it's really near impossible to get a genuine reaction. The original game came out close to a decade before RUclips was launched, and people have only started posting these reaction videos over the last decade or so.
@@Jon_from_LI to be honest i am very very surprised shes not heard about this famous scene before. To have stayed completely blind from it is impressive
@@Jon_from_LII While I didn't record my reaction to seeing her death for the first time within the game itself, I had genuine tears and couldn't hold it in. It was such a moving scene that even after years of seeing it be turned into a meme and casually spoiled, it still hit like an absolute truck. Descending down those magical stairs to that place where Aerith meets her fate felt like a puzzle piece falling into place.
Nyxipuff:Hold my potato
@@dan290786I mean, it depends. If you’re into gaming, then yeah you know it. But, if you pull a random person off the street and have them play through the game, chances are that they would have no idea Aerith dies
11:37 the single greatest mark in Video game history
If you mean traumatic to children? Yes 😄 🤣
You share the same feelings most of us felt when we witnessed this heartbreaking moment in gaming history. It still produces a lump in the back of my throat.
I always forget this happens on Disc 1. It always feels like something that happens later in the game.
I seen that moment when she dies before I even had a desire to play Final Fantasy. I was shocked when I got to that part when first playing FF7. I too assumed it happens near the end of the game.
Disc 1 is almost half of the game
And thus my quest to save Aerith begun. Still searching for a way to save her to this day.
Doing God's work
FF7 Remake is actually still FF7 but taking place in an alternate timeline, we're gonna have a chance to save her - bet my life on it.
Pro tip: Just never go to the Temple of the Ancients. She'll still be alive if you never continue with the story.
@@360Fov I still think there gona make you think we can save her just to kill her anyway it would be just as evil as this if not more
@@ShirouBrando tbh i doubt they do that, they Will be with the safe route of "now finally you can save her, change the destiny blablabla" the remake part1 was full of fanservice, lik "this guy dies un the original what about Let him live this Time? Basically that"
i remember playing this in 97-98. hit that point, ugly cried for half an hour, saved my game and shut it off. i couldnt bring myself to play it again until my anger at sephiroth outweighed my grief. took several days. was the first emotional moment i ever had in a video game. i was maybe 13 years old at the time. we didnt really have the internet at the time to spoil everything for us. everyone hit that journey on their own. my buddy who played the game before me didnt give me any spoilers. hit like a truck.
Yes. All of this.
This scene man….. always gets someone right in the feels 😢. Every single time. Even Crisis Core had a a scene that made me actually feel deeply about a character that much.
Just found your channel tonight. You have one of the best reactions I’ve seen to Aeriths death. I played this game complete blind and by myself in 1999, and the entire game was so unexpected, and the first time I realized games could be art through storytelling.
I played it as soon as it came out, without having any idea what was coming.
Up until this exact moment, it had never even occurred to me that a character in your game could actually just *die*. In the story. That simply was not an option in any game before this. YOU could die, but then you just reset and everything is better. But having to continue the rest of the game minus one character was mind-blowing.
Same here. I played it in '97 and I was absolutely wrecked. The cutscene is done so beautifully.
Seeing a genuine reaction was terrifyingly beautiful. I remember playing this back in '97 when I was 9 and I was devastated. She's my favourite character and I couldn't process it! Especially being thrown into the fight with Jenova and having her theme play...
Thanks for sharing this! Can't wait to see you play Remake.
Yeah, it was tough on everyone who played the game. But those of us who preferred Aerith...I daresay we had more of a heartbreak than the Tifa fans out there. Nothing against Tifa, of course, but I just *really* liked Aerith. And then she was gone. Can't say I'd ever played a game that kills off a playable character mid-game before I played FF7, so it never even crossed my mind that was a possibility 'til it happened.
I never get tired of watching people experience 7 and especially the bit with aerith ...
really hard to belive that someone doesnt know she dies. its like the "Luke i am your father" of Videogames. 😆
I played it for the first time last year and I also didn't know
@@TruEcho well i guess there is allways someone. how did you like it?
She is young prolly
I've never seen a Star Wars, so it's possible I suppose.
@@Footsoldier1234 but do you know the line "Luke i am your father" 👀😆
Never fails…when the orb hits, the music hits, then the feels hit 😩😩
That’s one of the most famous moments from one of the most famous games ever made. Awesome that you managed to feel it all these years later without it being spoiled.
Well acted lol
It's been 25 years from the first time I watched that scene, and today STILL some tears fall of my eyes...and I'm a 42 yo man...
To see someone not know what's coming. To genuinely react to this scene with surprise and anguish. It's heartbreaking in a different way.
Here watching along on Aerith's birthday! While it must have felt like pure anguish to experience THAT scene, just remember that the depth of your connection with her is why it hurt so bad (I still can't get through it without tearing up). Thank you for sharing your playthrough!
I can't even count how many times i've finished FF7 and watched plenty of playthroughs - the Disc 1 ending still hits hard every time. 💔
Gotta confess, I stopped playing the Switch version at the City of Ancients. Couldn’t bear to go through it again…
A purge genuine reaction. Something remarkable about 25 years after the original was released.
Back when it was released, there WAS NO RUclips. There were no reaction videos and game spoilers being posted online. You played the game and had no idea what to expect when you reached that point. That was essentially my reaction when I played it in my college dorm room in '97.
The european back covers of FF7 had a screenshot of Aeriths funeral scene on it (the one where Clouds puts her in the lake) Imagine getting spoiled THIS by the backcover.
@@KEEYBLADEseriously? That's messed up...
@@KEEYBLADE That seems almost unbelievable. Is there an image available on the internet?
Me, traumatized since 1998, "First time?"
If anyone ever wonders why VII is so damn high in ranking......it is this moment seared into memories for time in memorium. I do not think anything else in the game truly matters.
And the tears are natural. Millions upon millions of tears were shed for Aerith almost 30 years ago.
The reaction at 3:10 is way too genuine lmao
And extremely relatable! Can’t wait for her to visit wutai!! 🤫😈
This game's music, story, and characters really touched a lot of guys hearts.
The most heart-breaking moment for me back in the 90's was when I decided to power level my healer so she could keep up with the boys, and then this happened.
So much work and effort lost. =(
"So she could keep up with the boys" and "touched a lot of guys' hearts"
Gee you sound like a *class* act -_-
Searched for this clip just to cry with you. I'm 41- I was just a teenager when I experienced this and it never left me.
12:05 That little bit of the music starting up in FF7 Remake was probably one of the fastest "I'm already crying" moments. Its iconic for a reason.
This is gonna hurt 100 times more after ff7 rebirth seeing it in 4k
9:30 - 9:36 - The most raw and most powerful emotion you can see without sound, just from the expression and eyes. This hit me harder than knowing what happens next. Because you're head starts to guess what will happen, and the denial is the part that hurts the most.
First time seeing Frankie, and honestly, I'm glad I got this recommendation on my front page. Subscribing ASAP.
Sephiroth just t posing after killing her is the funniest thing I've seen all day.
You do know that wasnt sephiroth that killed her.. yes he had her killed by his clone....
@@nyxurich8959 semantics
@@crpineo i speak the truth you even fight rhe clone right there...
@@nyxurich8959 again, mere semantics; it was done with him fully knowledgeable about it, under his command, his _direct control._ There was functionally no separation of the entities, no difference between them. They were one and the same, just in different places. To try and claim otherwise just smacks of a Sephiroth apologist
@@crpineo maybe
Aeriths last words "I'll come back when it's all over"
Now play Remake again and understand what it all really means.
Ever notice in the original opening scene Aerith's eyes are open to begin with when we fade in to her face, and then after the Lifestream helps Holy to defeat Meteor, her eyes are closed then open before the credit roll. In the Remake the opening scene begins with her eyes closed and then they open, just like the ending of FF7 OG.
@@ComicalHealing Yes!!! I believe that theory more than any other. She basically waking up from a vision the planet/lifestream showed her!
@@ComicalHealing Holy shit.
@@ComicalHealing I just looked this up and its true. supports the idea of the remake being a sequel. i don't think OG was all a vision. I think she's looping. trying to get it right and save the planet as the last ancient.
@@KazuhasKatana can't be.
Stuff changed from the original prior to the beginning of the remake.
So, bare minimum, it'd have to be am alternate timeline.
I cried my eyes out when I was younger and first experienced this.
I played this when I was a child, and I stopped playing my 1st playthrough after this scene. I started it from scratch many years later and still felt this scene T_T
Pretty much the same as my reaction back in 1998.. Still gets me, to this day..
I’ve cried those same tears.
Subbed, because misery loves company.
Aerith+Cloud forever.
The most epic and meaningful scene there will ever be in video game history. No matter how many times you play it, wven when you know it's coming, it always moves you in so many ways.
30 years later and it still destroys me every time not happy u were crying but happy to see it resonate with you the same way
11:41 "Seven Seconds 'till the end...."
OMg she got the Yuffie fight ON ACCIDENT?? I remember reading a gameFAQ and trying to get the fight for like 20 minutes walking around that specific forest.
I played this game with 2 friends when we were teenagers. After Aerith's death and the following battle, we all just sat there in silence for a really long time. Finally, one friend said "That sucks." and turned off the console. Then without a single other word, we all just got up and went home. I remember sitting alone on my back porch for several hours when I got home, staring blankly at nothing and trying not to think. I grieved for her for weeks. I have had beloved family pets whose passing affected me less.
I'm so glad I'm that old I got to play this in 1997 without spoilers, the end of disc 1 is the most powerful moment in any video game.
yeh... this was my 2nd rpg... wild arms was my first. I was broken at this moment. My dad was wondering why i was so sad that day.
I didn't cry when I saw this for the first time more than 20 years ago but watching your reaction and your genuine scream made me cry more than I ever did playing any video game. 😢
In my opinion, one thing that makes Aeris' death so powerful is the fact that she dies INSTANTLY.
She doesn't say any cheesy "final words";
she just dies, right when she gets stabbed, and that's it.
That feeling, that moment of grief and pain was something that so many of us felt then and for years later. It was the first time in a major game were a beloved character died and there was nothing we could do. I recall people calling each other about it, rumors springing up but in the end she was gone. Now with the new FF7 so many are wondering if there will be a way to save her. Great reaction..
We Millennials have been through so much. Mufasa's death, Aerith's death. Good thing Goku can be revived with the dragon balls.
I was 13 years old when I first played FF7 in late 1997, I admit I had a lump in my throat reliving this moment through you’re reaction
Oh dear, sorry you had to go through this. But atleast you got to experience it spoiler free. :)
Oh and i'll always love FFVII, played it several times since I was a teen. Love it every time
There I was, on my 15th birthday, thinking that im finally about to finish the first of 4 discs to the biggest Final Fantasy to ever exist, and my still forming teenage brain was expecting Cloud to jump and swat Sephiroth away.
Truly one of the hardest moments to stomach in my entire childhood. I didn't know anybody else who bought the game the day before my birthday let alone marathon it like I did to get to the end of the first disc so fast. I was alone, in the 20th century where you would get beaten to a pulp by your friends if you even HINTED at any spoilers to an event like this. How was I supposed to process this? Game of Thrones the TV show is still 14 years away.
The loss of Aeris/Aerith will forever be a life changing video game event in my life. I am happy you had the chance to witness the powerful story telling of Final Fantasy 7 without it being spoiled for you.
Congrats on making it to 2021 without knowing this happened. Regrettably, I only made it to Summer of 1997 (and the American version released in fall 1997), so, I already knew to un-equip the good Materia off her in time.
The fact that you immediately tried to steal from Yuffie was amazing XD
I'll always remember the first time I experienced this as a kid 24 years ago. I remember crying and hitting the wardrobe shouting "why, why did she have to die"... I'll never forget that memory.
I love watching these reactions. I don't know how I missed this one. This was probably the best reaction to this scene I've ever seen. I remember playing it for the first time when it originally came out. I was 18. I walked away from the game for a few hours. I was just crushed.
Same. Couldn’t play for a while. She was my favorite. Still devastating now. Especially after Rebirth.
And remember kids, if they die in a cutscene, they're dead for good
34 years old, played this game as a young teen, and I remember the absolute shock and awe of the moment. Seeing someone experience this scene for the first time, and being blindsided by Sephiroth’s attack… it’s raw emotion, and I can see it in your eyes. You felt what I felt, and I can feel you feeling it. It hurts, and it’s awful. But it also warms my heart to know that across all these decades, Aerith is still so beloved, that this is the kind of reaction we still see.
I am not looking forward to the 4K version of this scene in the remake series, but I’ll be there with tear-filled eyes, along with everyone else. 😢
I was 8 Years Old…
I cried so much..
Now i‘m 30 Years Old…
And i‘m crying again..
RUclips algorithm sent me this, and I knew I was with my people when I heard your reaction to the Midgar Zolom @ 1.19.
When I played it for the first time I was 13 years old, I played it on summer vacation, I spent all night playing alone on the only TV we had in my house. When I get to this part it is something that I will never forget, how I felt at that moment, I remember turning off the console and watching TV with static for just over 1 hour. That was the moment where my life changed. Then I played it from the beginning again. I will be waiting for your reaction to Rebirth.
I felt your pain back in 1997... My friend Anthony was so mad he didn't even turn it back on to this day. The evil sob, takes the most pure and endearing member of your group from you because she's the biggest threat to his psychotic plan. This game has broken people..
Ngl, THIS is the game that made me learn english. Seriously, i sat with a dictionary, translating word by word, not understanding shit.
Great vid, always love seeing people discover this game for the first time. Makes me nostalgic for my childhood ❤
4:02
Frankie's longest YEAH BOI ever
It was 2003 when I first played this game, I can still recall the moment I saw this, at that time I was around 14 years old, was emotionally invested in RPG games and this part made me realize that these games can hurt me.
Yep, we've all been there. I was only 9 years old when this game was released, and I barely spoke English back then but I remember this scene and how much of a talk it was.
I played this later when I was more grown up and knew English and it actually got even harder.... Now as an adult, I can't even imagine how I will feel seeing something like this in the remake. I doubt Square Enix will set up for disappointment.
The only thing I'm willing to put bets on in the Remake is that she doesn't die the same way at the same time.
Narratively, the game assumes you know what's coming from having played the OG. This is the ultimate expectations moment for the game, and we're shouting from both sides of the rafters over it. If it happens as usual, it almost feels like it would be a letdown. If it doesn't, it feels cheapened and wrong by the setup. My thoughts are that they are going to lean into that wrongness, then give us catharsis in a different death to punctuate that fate isn't just spooky ghosts but also meaningful actions that only the conviction of certain people can allow.
Canon wise, there's a laundry list of things that make that feasible. Even resurrection, in a less complete capacity I think, is on the table.
But, in it end, I really don't think we're going to see the scene actually play out like usual.
@@gogauze Or they will set it up that we think we're going to be able to stop it, but ultimately can't. We're slaves to time, space and the keepers.
1. We all needed a moment to process that...
2. Hats off, yet gain, to a gaming community that did not spoil this moment!
3. OMG, I've never seen Vincent's response in this scene...
I was 12 when i played this in '98. THAT scene changed me, as a person (child), down to my core. I wasn't the same after it 😅
Congratulations.....you are now officially....one of us. Welcome home gamer.
I will never forget this moment the first time I saw it happen back in the late 90’s and it still hurting after the numerous other play throughs of me and my brother, my reaction the first time was very similar
Recently became a Final Fantasy fan and playing through the remake seeing Aerith become one of my favorite characters. If she dies in Rebirth like this I’m gonna break emotionally. It’ll be like a Plague Tale Requiem all over again.
The irony.. gunna steal from Yuffie🤣🤣
I’ll be back in the remake for your reaction. I feel like it’ll help my grieving process 😅
I had the same reaction 25 years ago. I teared up watching you I forgot how hard this part of the game was.
Your reaction can make me cry over over again now, same feels back then, the music..., i paused the game gathered my thoughts leaving me SAD WITH JENOVA BOSS!
This scene was a masterpiece, back in 97'.
And it still is, after all these years.
This one and the ending of FFX are the 2 Final Fantasy moments I've cried the most with...
When Aeriths theme hit she knew she was gone. I believe yours was the exact reaction they were hoping for. You're a joy to watch. Brings me back. I know its old and less updated graphics but FF IV would be great to see you play. The DS version was a like a chibi 3D.
You got scared by Midgar Zolom! That's one of the achievements in FF7 :D
- and most of all, thank you for letting me to relive the end of disc 1. It hits even more now through your feelings. You're awesome.
The fact that Aerith's theme tune played the whole time during the Jenova fight was pretty heartbreaking. You bursting into tears gave me PTSD from playing this moment at age 9, maybe 10
And I won't lie, I was PRETTY pissed off that I'd levelled Aerith up for NOTHING by this point 😂 she was one of my main party members, essentially the White Mage with her healing limit break abilities. Sephiroth, you messed with my game 😂
I just cried watching it again. Years later I can still remember how brutal the boss fight was with the music still rolling.
This is exactly how I reacted back in 1997 I still haven’t got over it I feel your pain
I subscribed your channel solely based on this one video and your honest, emotional reactions, which frankly, made me cry ... Again.
To be play this game in 2022 and not know about this happening. I remember playing this back in 2000 and just being stunned.
There will never be a more amazing summon than a mog riding a chocobo 😂
The murder of Aerith, Sephiroths monologue, Clouds anguish and then...
Immediate fight against Jenova while Aerith's theme plays in the background :'(
I have no idea how we'll handle the newest rendition of this pivotol scene in REBIRTH :(
I was 19 when I first played this game. It both broke me and made me love the Final Fantasy series games. I’ve never gotten over this. Saddest moment I’ve seen in a game.