So the Planet has created a time loop to review events and form a judgement, kind of like watching an action replay to see whether the goal-scorer was offside or not, and Holy enables it to do this. The purpose is to decide whether humanity should be saved or not.
And yet events in the time loop can alter, because this isn't an video-recorded replay, it's a live action replay, a re-enactment if you will. Human beings retain their free will. And this involves a risk that the Planet will not be judging humanity on what they previously did, but on what they may choose to do this time around. But they can't actually be allowed to choose differently this time around, otherwise the judgement won't be... fair? They're basically being compelled to re-enact everything they did so that the Planet can... have more time to think it over? Because the Planet wasn't paying attention the first time?
It's a
remaking of events.
After all, there's a double meaning towards the title "Remake" regarding FFVII. I think I see what they're talking about here regarding that. It's a
literal remake not just in terms of the product, and design philosophy guiding it.. But narratively as well.
Because of what went down in Part 1, Cloud and the others actually can choose differently this time. Hence why I think there's the theme of "the future is a blank page." Because going by what went down previously, it's very possible humanity would have been judged and found wanting. Maybe this is why there was a last minute miracle and humanity was ultimately saved at the last minute by the planet by the Lifestream. We don't know. But it'd be an interesting way of tying it together through the player's own experience and choice to see things through once again. A way of making it impact the narrative.
The planet wouldn't haven really paying full attention the first time because it's only a bystander and victim of the life that inhabits it. The planet has never been proactive, only reactive. Like a system meant to perpetuate and protect itself, not actually fully choose. Simply along for the ride. This is why Holy is considered "judgment." Because it would make the planet decide who lives, and who goes. It's why Bugenhagen said Holy was a risk.
Just... why? It's very complex and clever, but it's also meaningless. There's no message embedded here, nothing actually worth thinking about, unlike the themes of identity, memory, life, loss, and enviromentalism that informed the OG.
Sorry, Mako. I really do think it is brilliant in way, incredibly convoluted and imaginative, but I don't see what I gain from being exposed to these ideas. (not from you, I mean. From SE).
Because this is in essence what a Remake is, on a reality based level. The writers would now simply be taking the step of working it into the narrative.
Why do consumers and audiences enjoy Remakes?
Because they want to re-experience and re-evaluate a previous narrative that existed before. They want to re-watch it, re-experience, and see it again with new eyes to judge it, enjoy it, consume it, etc. They wish to re-visit the same experience to witness it unfold before them with new eyes. They want to see it closer, more realized in proper fidelity, with new elements, changes, etc. But the problem is, is no Remake can ever be a perfect re-creation of what was before, unless it's just a copy. And even when it's a copy, there still is difference due to the context, environment and time period that surrounds it. Those type of experiences never get 100% recreated.
So the writers are leaning into that, and demonstrating that theme within the narrative itself. It's as if the characters themselves are being given a chance to have their own Remake and not simply be passengers along for the ride of a recreation of their previous experience. It's not just a simple retelling. It's a remake, in every way.
Edited to add: this set-up seems to negate any possibility of redemption or atonement, which was such a big element of the OG and the Compilation too. The error you make once is the error to which you are committed for all eternity. Second chances are merely an illusion.
If anything, it actually does set up that possibility because things can change. This is why Aerith is no longer a simple bystander carried along by her fate. This is why the characters are being more expressive and doing choices that would never have been done before. We see this collision of wills opposing what's "supposed to be" throughout the Remake. They don't want to just sit by quietly and let things happen the way they are. Wedge's entire spiel during the Plate Collapse is indicative of this. Aerith telling him that regardless, it's always important to try and know you've done all you can, reflects this. This is exactly the theme they're wishing to explore here. By destroying the Arbiters of Fate, yes. Second chances are very real. I think that's part of the motivation behind teasing Zack having survived his last stand in the ending.
Well, if SE really goes on Mako's or similar route, they can try to go into many other themes. Free will (the Price of Freedom?), humans behaviour of unpredictability that is good and bad, and even second chances as you yourself put it. This very well maybe the chance that humanity (represented by Cloud amd the gang) took to make it better. I'm kinda just rambling, but there are a lot of themes that they might find with whichever route they go. That isnt really the big problem here. I'd reckon the execution is something we are all worried about.
I definitely see that being the case. This is something that was ultimately examined and shown already so I certainly see it being a thing later on.
It's also probably the reason why Rufus is able to see the Arbiters of Fate. He's the only Shinra member who is shown connected to them. Because given his future and connection to events that will happen down the line, he's an important actor regarding what will go down for the planet.
