This scene of Red XIII sprinting across the land, with the camera panning toward the ruins of Midgar, is a direct recreation of the post-credits scene from the original Final Fantasy VII game.
Longtime fans immediately recognized it as the scene set five hundred years in the future.
At the time, no one really understood why Red XIII appeared in the ending, running through a wasteland with two cubs, or what it truly meant.
Based on biological lifespans, Red XIII's longevity wasn't unusual—especially considering he was a genetically modified creature, potentially with enhanced endurance and lifespan.
This brief but powerful closing scene has sparked countless fan theories over the years.
It's often likened to interpreting a literary classic, with fans passionately dissecting every frame of that mysterious five-hundred-year jump.
The most popular interpretation is that the entire story of Final Fantasy VII is a tale Red XIII recounts to his offspring, passing on the legacy of the heroes he once fought alongside.
Of course, that's the straightforward take. Others have suggested a more symbolic meaning: that the scene represents the insignificance of human ambition in the face of time itself.
In the span of centuries or millennia, things like "saving the world" or "ruling the world" become meaningless.Time is the real final boss—and all villains, no matter how powerful, are merely ants before its unstoppable tide.
...
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Besides these theories, others have taken a more abstract or surreal approach. The point is—Takayuki intentionally left this ending open to interpretation, which not only extended the game's lifespan but kept discussions alive for years.
To this day, there are still "500 Years Later" discussion threads online, where fans endlessly debate the symbolism of that final scene.
Now, this iconic moment had returned in a completely new visual form.
In the original Final Fantasy VII, this ending scene marked the dawn of the 3D era. It was one of the first fully 3D animated sequences in a video game, a huge milestone at the time.
But now, thanks to years of refinement with the Unreal Engine and continual tech advancements, the animation in this new movie had leapt forward by orders of magnitude.
While you could still tell it was CGI, the visual quality was strikingly close to reality.
The 3D-rendered environment—the textures, lighting, modeling—surpassed nearly every other VFX suite in the industry.
Audiences were stunned. Once again, Gamestar Electronic Entertainment had proven that it wasn't just breaking boundaries in gameplay, but also redefining the limits of visual storytelling in digital media.
As the camera zoomed out from the ruined city of Midgar, the main story began.
A mysterious sword-wielding man pushes a wheelchair-bound figure into what looks like an under-construction skyscraper. Their relationship is unclear, but when the man mentions "Mother," many fans instantly reacted.
In Final Fantasy VII, "Mother" refers to Jenova, a key antagonist.
And anyone who calls Jenova "Mother"... is definitely not a good guy.
The scene cuts to a snowy mountain range. A helicopter bearing the Shinra logo flies overhead.
A familiar red-haired character appears—Reno.
In the original game, Reno's appearance was vague—he was a minor character, after all.
But now, with full CG detail, fans were seeing Reno's face clearly for the first time.
"Whoa, Reno's actually super handsome?"
"I never imagined he looked like this!"
The fans were delighted.
This level of animation was beyond anything they'd ever seen. If Gamestar hadn't explicitly stated that the entire movie was made in Unreal Engine, no one would've believed it wasn't shot in live-action.
The helicopter scene ends, and the main movie finally begins.
A young girl's voice narrates the overall story of Final Fantasy VII.
The legendary villain Sephiroth had once tried to destroy the world. A group of heroes united to stop him.
One of the most powerful moments followed—a brief shot of the spiky-haired hero holding a woman in a pool of water.
Many fans couldn't hold back tears.
"Ugh, my Aerith…"
This was the iconic moment when Cloud said his final farewell to Aerith, returning her body to the Lifestream.
Next came Cloud's final battle with Sephiroth.
The movie didn't show the entire fight—just a few brief clips. But that was enough to bring back floods of memories for the fans.
This truly was a film made for the fans.
If not for the all-CG angle and nostalgia factor, non-fans likely wouldn't connect with the emotions here. To outsiders, it might just look like "some girl died and the good guys beat the bad guy."
After the prologue, the camera returns to Midgar.
After the great battle with Sephiroth, the city lies in ruins. But humanity is rebuilding—slowly, but surely.
Familiar faces begin to appear: Tifa, a slightly older Marlene, and of course, Cloud.
Each time a character showed up, fans quietly gasped in excitement.
It was like coming home.
At this point, viewers unfamiliar with the game's plot might have started to feel bored. The pacing was slow. They were only watching because a free trial allowed them to.
And just as the free trial was about to expire, the movie delivered its first high-octane scene.
Cloud, riding his signature oversized motorcycle, is heading back into the city…But suddenly, three shady-looking characters appear on their own motorcycles, grinning like classic anime villains.
"Oh? A chase scene? But wouldn't it be cooler if they were racing through city streets?"
Some casual viewers perked up slightly, curious to see where it was going.
Then, things went absolutely wild.
One of the villains summons jet-black panther-like creatures from the ground, who sprint toward Cloud's bike, initiating a visually stunning high-speed combat sequence.
No one had ever imagined you could choreograph an action scene like this on motorcycles.
The bikes moved in wild, physics-defying ways, circling Cloud at insane speeds while attacking him.
It was pure, unapologetic adrenaline.
Viewers who had hovered over the "close" button now froze in place.
"This… is ridiculous."
"This shouldn't work."
"But I can't look away."
Ding.
"Dear user, your free trial has ended. To continue watching, please subscribe for just $10 per month."
The viewers were outraged.
"You monsters! How dare you cut off the movie right here?!"
But…
They couldn't resist.
Ten bucks?
Screw it—TAKE MY MONEY.