Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth pays homage to the original game in various ways, such as during the first encounter with Rude and Elena. A clever nod to the original game is seen when a player dodges Elena’s Knuckle move near a cliff edge, causing her to tumble down the side before returning to the fight.
This references a scene in the original game where Elena rolls down a snowy hill at Icicle Inn after Cloud dodges her punch. The game is a celebration of the original title while also offering a unique experience, filled with references, foreshadowing, and delightful moments for fans of the original Final Fantasy 7 to appreciate.
Some of these nods are so subtle that they continue to be discovered even weeks after the game’s launch. Twitter user SG_ANGUS noticed a subtle nod to the original game during the first fight with Elena and Rude in the Mythril Cave.
In this scene, Elena uses a move called the Elena Knuckle, which is slow and telegraphed. By quickly running to a nearby cliff edge and dodging her punch, players can cause Elena to comically tumble down the cliff side before rejoining the fight.
For those familiar with the original Final Fantasy 7, this fight clearly references a scene where Elena confronts Cloud at Icicle Inn. In that scene, players had to dodge Elena’s punch, leading to her rolling down a snowy hill.
The similarity in Elena’s movement in Rebirth to the original scene is a nod to this joke. Now that this nod has been revealed, it’s likely that more players will attempt to replicate Elena’s cliff dives in future playthroughs.
