Square Enix shared a post on social media explaining the symbolism behind the yellow flowers that Aerith sells in FFVII Remake. The developers explained the meaning behind Aerith, saying she is following the yellow flowers.
This particular piece of dialogue is taken from the beginning of Chapter 17 after Cloud and the party reunite with Aerith on the 65th floor of the Shinra Building. In this scene, Aerith is surrounded by the Whispers while she explains that the Shinra Electric Power Company isn’t the real enemy and that there’s a bigger threat out there.
After explaining that every time the Whispers touch her, she loses a part of herself, she says, “Follow them. The yellow flowers.” In the original Japanese text, this line is slightly different. Aerith instead says, “The yellow flowers were guiding me.”
The FFVII Remake Scenario Staff explained that the yellow flowers symbolize the experiences and feelings Aerith has seen since her first appearance in Sector 8, as well as those that have been “taken away” by the Whispers.
The Scenario Staff also said that this symbolism is split between the flower that the people of Midgar step on in the opening of the game, the flower Cloud received during their first meeting, and a hypothetical flower that will be able to bloom in the planet in the future freely. Aerith seems perplexed by the idea that, like the crumbling flower in this scene, she seems to be fading away with each interaction with the Whispers.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is immediately available for the PS4, PS5, and Windows PC. FFVII Rebirth will appear for the PS5 on February 29, 2024.
