The Case for 'The First Soldier' as a Final Fantasy 7 Remake Prequel
Final Fantasy 7 Remake does a lot to reset the original game's timeline, what with the Whispers and other changes hinted at the end of the game. That may not be all, though. A recent trademark filed by Square Enix for "The First Soldier" likely points toward a title exploring some of the changes. Square Enix had come out to say that previous spinoff titles like Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus were no longer canon, so it's likely the company will release new games to explain those now-vacant timelines. It's also possible that The First Soldier could be released as a sort of expansion for Final Fantasy 7 Remake similar to Spiderman: Miles Morales, but ultimately, no one knows. However, its name alone does seemingly carry a few implications.
The end of FF7 Remake left the door open for Zack Fair's survival, a big departure from the original story going into FF7 Remake Part 2. As a result, many fans are speculating that The First Soldier might end up as a prequel story telling the events that led to Zack helping Cloud reach Midgar and his tragic death (or maybe now a disappearance).
Zack Fair has become a fan-favorite character over the years since the original release of Final Fantasy 7. The SOLDIER from whom Cloud's false memories were drawn has featured in anime adaptations, his own game Crisis Core, and even made an appearance in the Kingdom Hearts series. With the changes made to the canon of FF7 especially after the end of the remake, many fans assumed that the new trademarks were tied to FF7 Remake and expanding its new take on the world. The name The First Soldier could mean that Square Enix is planning a new prequel story exploring Zack Fair's background with Shinra and the events of FF7 overall.
SOLDIER is an elite group of trained warriors created by the Shinra company in an attempt to create super-soldiers and to further the experiments of evil scientist Hojo and his predecessor Professor Gast. Cloud has erroneously come to believe that he was a member of that group after he was experimented on by Hojo and had become infused with the same Jenova cells and Mako energy that makes the SOLDIERs unique. Sephiroth was the most famous of the SOLDIERs and that has led to some fans believing that The First Soldier might focus on his story, but this is much less likely than a game revolving around Zack. It would be unlikely for Square Enix to make a game around one of its most infamous villains.
If the trademark does end up pointing toward a new adventure for Zack, it would be a good way for Square Enix to tie up some loose ends about the new take on the story after FF7 Remake. The title would also be interesting because Zack breaks a trend in Final Fantasy's other protagonists as he is generally depicted as much more carefree and sociable than the brooding Cloud. But with the changing of fate presented by FF7 Remake, there are some interesting questions about what a prequel game would be.
While Cloud and the rest of Avalanche are able to defy fate by the end of FF7 Remake, it is largely hinted that the events previous to this would remain faithful to the original story. This might point toward The First Soldier telling a story that fans are already familiar with and could function as a look at the infamous events in Nibelheim but from Zack's perspective. Square Enix has said that the world of FF7 Remake is only just beginning, so while it's likely to tread some familiar ground, The First Soldier may end up fleshing out the story of Zack Fair much further back than just his sacrifice to save Cloud.
Final Fantasy Remake Part 2 is in development for PS5.
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