FF7 Remake: How Barret Changed From The Original

With the first chapter of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series Square Enix made it clear the story will go in a different direction from the PlayStation original. The game also made changes to how some of its central characters are presented, and Barret Wallace may be the one that has benefited the most from this. The original localization of Final Fantasy 7 took liberties with Barret, giving him a cruder dialect than other characters that seemed like an unflattering caricature of a Black hero from older western media. In FF7 Remake, all of Barret’s gruffness and intensity remain, but the character is more nuanced. For those who played the original game, they now can see a version of Barret whose passion clearly stems from his traumatic backstory and his convictions, rather than simply occupying the role of an “angry Black man.” Barret exhibits more empathy and humor than he ever did before, and he has evolved from a riff on a Mr. T-style walking arsenal to one of the most complex and fascinating characters in FF7R.

Some supporting characters who lacked characterization in the original Final Fantasy 7 receive more development in FF7R, like Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge. These members of Barret’s anti-Shinra group were given distinct characteristics, but the group’s structure itself changed also. The revolutionary group Avalanche was led by Barret in the original Final Fantasy 7, while in the Remake, Barret leads only one cell of a larger group called Avalanche.  Barret’s group, dubbed the “Midgar cell,” employs extreme and dangerous methods to save the planet from Shinra, according to a loading screen in FF7 Remake. This provides a more realistic scope for the revolutionary group, with a cell structure that better reflects real-world structures for such organizations. The change also recasts Barret subtly, not as the sole voice who inspired insurrection against Shinra, but as the rebel who takes the most chances, wanting to see Shinra brought down now, rather than playing a long game like Avalanche HQ.

The initial story beats of Final Fantasy 7 Remake do not stray far from the Barret of the PlayStation era, albeit minus some of the dialect choices. Barret’s distrust of Cloud and his determination to see Shinra’s reactors destroyed remains consistent. The Remake version of Barret quickly transitions to displaying empathy for Avalanche members, including Tifa, whose death may have been foreshadowed in FF7R, and Cloud, an ex-Shinra SOLDIER. Barret’s anger toward Shinra stems from the company’s assault on his former hometown of Corel, where he believed his best friend Dyne was murdered by Shinra forces. Barret adopted Dyne’s daughter Marlene, and his scenes with the girl make it clear that while Barret’s persona is one of righteous anger and indignation at Shinra, his underlying motive is to make a better world for Marlene to grow up in.

The FF7 Remake Barret Knows The World Cannot Wait For Shinra To Fall

Barret learned of the “Planetary Life” study that originated in Cosmo Canyon after the attack on Corel, and he gained a deeper connection with the planet and a clearer understanding of the ecological damage done by Shinra’s Mako Reactors. Shinra has a complex hierarchy in FF7R, which includes a good amount of infighting and jockeying for power. Barret takes the most direct route to saving the planet by targeting the reactors themselves, the engines that drain the Lifestream of the world to provide power. This makes Barret’s Midgar cell of Avalanche the public face of the insurrectionists. While Barret’s group goes for high-risk, high-result missions, other Avalanche sects play political games every bit as much as Shinra. Some Avalanche groups ally with the foreign nation of Wutai, one which Shinra recently battled, accepting weapons and Materia from the country in order to bring down their mutual foe.

Whether gamers played Final Fantasy 7 Remake on a PS4, a PS5, or the more recent PC port of FF7 Remake: Intergrade, they were treated to a more realistic take on Midgar and its inhabitants. Barret’s physical design has improved along with the rest of the cast, showing him as a towering muscular figure who would not be out of place in a Gears of War game. This is a far cry from the stylized polygonal models used outside of battle in the original Final Fantasy 7, where Barret’s featured massive forearms and relatively stubby legs. The added verisimilitude makes Barret more intimidating than ever.

When Barret lashes out at Shinra employees, causing appropriate terror, his motives come across more clearly now. The rank-and-file Shinra workers willingly bury their heads in the sand, unwilling to look at the long-term consequences of Mako energy due to the short-term benefits they receive. The executives knowingly damage the planet in exchange for wealth and power. Barret has seen the ruthlessness of Shinra from his experiences at Corel, and he knows the existential threat they pose due to his research. Barret’s anger and desperation are absolutely justified, and FF7 Remake makes this more evident than the original.

The improved characterization of Barret makes him a better leader in FF7R, and a more three-dimensional character. Barret’s desperate attempt to cling to hope when the Sector 7 plate collapses over a heavily populated area shows real vulnerability. Barret’s warmth toward his adopted daughter shows a nurturing side that is not at odds with his covert missions of industrial sabotage, but rather, in complete harmony. The one-armed guerilla fighter even displays more humor than he did in the PlayStation original, singing the iconic Final Fantasy series’ “victory tune” at several points. Though the story is a long way from over, the opening chapter has already provided a very different take on Barret. His fury against Shinra is not at odds with his love for Marlene and his concern for his friends, but entirely holistic.

Barret’s Motives Are More Concise In FF7 Remake

Barret is not simply an angry man out for revenge, and using ecological concerns as a rationalization, in FF7 Remake. Barret is a futurist, someone who has seen firsthand the lengths Shinra will go to in order to protect their investments. He knows they will bring disaster to the planet, if left unchecked, and that their bottomless greed will override even common sense and self-preservation. Barret lost his arm in Final Fantasy 7 when Shinra gunfire separated him from his friend Dyne. He desperately clings to what is left of Dyne, his daughter Marlene. Barret knows Shinra will continue to destroy the environment and wreck the lives of anyone who threatens their profit margins unless someone stands up to them. He is not content to wait, forming alliances with Wutai and slowly moving pieces on a chessboard, like Avalanche HQ. Barret does not command from the rear, but leads the charge every time, risking his own life to make a better future for the world, and his daughter.

There are many fantastic story beats to look forward to in future installments of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The machinations of the Whispers, which also serves as meta-commentary about FF7 fans, and Sephiroth’s new plans, both provide fascinating mysteries to unravel. Seeing Barret’s backstory revealed in the cinematic style of modern AAA games, and with the improved take on his character, is equally exciting. The “remade” Barret is a father, a leader, a friend, and a hero, to some, a killer and a terrorist to others. Most importantly, his convictions are entirely in line with his actions, now.

He does not come across as a man fueled by vengeance, using the rhetoric of environmentalism as justification. The Barret of Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a quintessential hero, risking his own life and making the hard choices to stand against a monolithic megacorporation, to make a better world for his daughter, and to save the planet itself. Barret has one arm that is a weapon, and another that can cling to those he loves. This is more than a way to compensate for the loss of a limb, but a statement on who Barret Wallace is as a person, in his much improved modern incarnation.

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