Aerith Gainsborough - Final Fantasy
Aerith Gainsborough is a character first introduced inFinal Fantasy VII , an RPG game developed by Carré and released for the PlayStation 1 in 1997. Aerith was designed by Tetsu Nomura. Since her introduction in Final Fantasy VII, Aerith Gainsborough has appeared in the feature film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children , and numerous other spin-off titles, remakes, and spin-off titles like Kingdom Hearts and the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. On March 3, 2020, Aerith will return with better-than-ever graphics in the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. Aerith Gainsborough has received widespread critical acclaim in the media, with many praising her as a series legend and the epitome of a damsel in distress.
Profile
In Final Fantasy VII, Aerith Gainsborough is the target of the Shinra Electric Power Company and has been hunted her entire life. She is the last and only remaining member of the Cetra, an ancient race with the ability to produce powerful magic. She is being hunted for this power by the Shinra Electric Power Company, who want to harness it. As a character who fights with magic, in combat, Aerith wields staffs and is positioned in the back row as her attacks consist primarily of magic. She is a very valuable defensive member of Cloud's party, as she can heal, restore abilities, and grant status buffs to other characters.
Background story
Aerith was born to parents Ifalna and Professor Gast Faremis at Icicle Inn on February 7, 1985. She is half-human, half-Cetra. When she was still a baby, Professor Hojo hunted down Gast and murdered him, capturing Ifalna and Aerith. The two were subjected to several experiments under Hojo and Shinra as they searched for the Cetra.
Seven years later, Ifalna and Aerith finally managed to escape Shinra headquarters. However, Ifalna was injured and only made it to the train platform in the slums before collapsing. Elmyra Gainsborough was there, waiting for her husband to return from the Wutai War, and before she fainted, Ifalna asked her to protect Aerith, so Elmyra took Aerith home.
In Final Fantasy VII, Aerith is first encountered selling flowers, where she is met by Cloud Strife , who is escaping the imminent bombing of a Mako Reactor. They later end up in a slum in Sector 5, where she is pursued by the Turks. She asks Cloud to be her bodyguard, and although she is eventually captured, she is rescued by Cloud and his group. She eventually joins them in their fight against Sephiroth. After failing to prevent his theft of the Dark Materia, Aerith goes alone to the Forgotten City. Cloud and his group follow her and eventually find her praying at an altar. As Aerith looks up at Cloud, Sephiroth appears and impales her, resulting in her death. Aerith is the last member of her race, the Cetra. The Cetra are an ancient civilization that resembles humans with magical powers.
Creation
The character of Aerith Gainsborough was created by game director Hironobu Sakaguchi , writer Yoshinori Kitase , and concept artist Yoshitaka Amano . Initially, she was formulated as Sephiroth 's first lover, but it was decided that this role should instead be taken on by Zack Fair . Her character design itself, with Aerith wearing a long dress and green eyes, was intended to portray a more feminine personality, to be a contrast to Tifa Lockhart's short skirt and blue eyes.
Aerith was one of three original characters considered for the game, the other two being Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace. After much debate over which character should die, Barret or Aerith, the producers chose Aerith.
Appearance and personality
Aerith wears a long pink dress, brown boots, and a red bolero jacket. She wears metallic bands around her wrists and biceps. She also wears a pink ribbon and a flower necklace. She has long brown hair that reaches well past her shoulders and beautiful green eyes. With an optimistic and upbeat personality, she often cheers up her friends. Aerith also has a strong sense of forgiveness and often flirts with Cloud, expressing her carefree and often naive nature. However, when Aerith has made up her mind about something, she displays a stubborn side to her personality.
Death
Aerith Gainsborough's death at the hands of Sepiroth in a temple in the Forgotten City is the climax of the first CD of Final Fantasy VII. In the aftermath of a battle between Cloud and Sepiroth, Aerith falls victim to Sepiroth's blade. After the scene, the climax concludes with Cloud holding Aerith's body as he buries her in a lake, vowing to avenge her death and settle his score with Sepiroth.
The death of Aerith Gainsborough, one of the main characters in the story, sparked enormous controversy, to the point that a petition was signed and sent to Yoshinori Kitase asking her to be brought back to life. Her death is often considered one of the most cinematic and emotional moments in video game history. In 2011, IGN ranked her death scene number one on its list of "Greatest Video Game Moments."
