Zack and Aerith in Advent Children

[simondelvert]

I've thought about this a very long time, and googled it, but I just can't figure out what the ending in advent children mean. Is Zack and Aerith together again in the lifestream?

[matt]

I dont know if they are "together again" but I was also interested in this among many other things that are confusing in the game, I know they both had an interset in each other in Crisis Core, but Aeris had a thing for Cloud too so maybe she is waiting for him.

[BDub2277]

I think in the optimistic sense it's meant to be taken that they are together again in the lifestream/death, serving as some supernatural guardians of the planet. With that view it doesn't really fit that Zack would be there though, with Aerith being a Centra, and having that special connection to the lifestream yes, however, Zack was just a normal human, one would think his life essence would follow suit according to what you learn at Cosmo Canyon in VII, and be used to create new life on the planet.

[Unknown Entity]

They might not necessarily be together, as there's no way to tell from that final scene if they are or not. It's certainly nice to think it though, and not completely out of the question.

It so happens that Zack and Aeris are two people that Cloud feels like he is responsible for; he had once "become" Zack, living his life through Zack's memories, and he believed for over two years that it was his fault Aeris has died. Cloud's development Advent Children went from him self pitying himself over their deaths, and living away from everyone else, to him finally believing he's forgiven and that he doesn't have to be alone any more. Them walking away at the end, and Zack's casual wave could symbolise Cloud moving on from that.

It's a sketchy explanation, but it's what I like to think.

[FeyLenne13]

I think it was more of a guardian angel thing. Zack watched over Cloud from the pretty much the moment they met so naturally, he would continue watching over Cloud after he was gone if you believe in that sort of thing. Aerith started watching over Cloud after he gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth and after that, she kinda watched out for the whole planet as well as Cloud. Cloud kinda had two or three rude awakenings towards the end of the game and it took awhile for him to sort them out. First, he blamed himself for Aerith's death. Then, he realized that another friend, Zack, had also died for him so he kinda blamed himself for that after blaming himself for lying to everyone and fooling himself. Two years was a long time for him to be carrying around those blames so I think the ending was kinda of like, okay, you're better now so your guardian angels don't need to be so close anymore. I don't really know, it's just a thought lol.

[Pete]

I think it was more of a guardian angel thing. Zack watched over Cloud from the pretty much the moment they met so naturally, he would continue watching over Cloud after he was gone if you believe in that sort of thing. Aerith started watching over Cloud after he gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth and after that, she kinda watched out for the whole planet as well as Cloud. Cloud kinda had two or three rude awakenings towards the end of the game and it took awhile for him to sort them out. First, he blamed himself for Aerith's death. Then, he realized that another friend, Zack, had also died for him so he kinda blamed himself for that after blaming himself for lying to everyone and fooling himself. Two years was a long time for him to be carrying around those blames so I think the ending was kinda of like, okay, you're better now so your guardian angels don't need to be so close anymore. I don't really know, it's just a thought lol.

I actually really agree with this explanation. It signifies that the both of them are essentially "ok" and not trapped or listless spirits. I always got the impression that they were still helping to fight the good fight. It's kind of like how it's known that Aeris is essentially responsible for the white materia still kicking in and how lifestream worked to destroy the meteor. I suppose it could be said that Zack gave the personality for Cloud, in that Cloud only did the heroic things that he did because that's what he felt Zack would have done, and he was either pretending to be him or actually believed that he was him.

But yeah, I think that their waving to Cloud and the gang is their way of saying that they're not needed anymore, and that Cloud has come to terms with their deaths.

[Tepsha]

Yes, they are

[markandrewkinzett]

That is an interesting question. I think they are together cuz Cloud and Aeris never raelly 'got it on' really so to speak and now she is dead she can go with Zack without any feeling of guilt so I would say yes and if they are not why not?