Fight for Survival

Chapter 12: Fight for Survival is the twelfth chapter in Final Fantasy VII Remake. The chapter comprises events when Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Barret Wallace attempt to stop the Shinra Electric Power Company from destroying the plate above the Sector 7 slums.
Completing the chapter unlocks the bronze trophy The Collapse.
==Story==
Avalanche members defend the stairs of the Sector 7 pillar amid a shootout against the Shinra Public Security Division. Barret, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge join them as a Shinra helicopter tells them to surrender as Shinra Electric Power Company does not negotiate with terrorists. They threaten Barret and his group with lethal force as Barret argues back by firing at the helicopter. Two Shinra soldiers and a helicopter take out one Avalanche member, who plummets from the pillar.
Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa, who have just arrived at the Sector 7 slums, see the pillar under attack. Tifa runs ahead as Aerith and Cloud chase after her. The mysterious specters show up and bar their way. The group defeats an Enigmatic Spectre as the swarm disperses, with some heading towards the pillar.
The three find the undercity residents gathering around the pillar entrance. They see Barret high up the staircase firing at the Shinra helicopter. An explosion sends Wedge falling over the edge, who tries to use his grappling gun to hang on. A part of the pillar collapses, Wedge lets go of the grappling gun, and hits the ground near the entrance to the pillar. Cloud asks if he is okay, Wedge being glad Cloud came, and says Shinra is trying to take out the pillar. Wedge wants to go back and rejoin the fight, but Cloud tells him to stay, asking Aerith and Tifa to take care of him while he climbs the pillar to go help Barret and the others. Before entering, two more specters whiz past on their way up the pillar.
An injured Biggs is fighting the Shinra troops and sees Cloud coming, deciding to help him by defeating the Shinra soldiers nearby. As Cloud reaches the severely injured Biggs, two specters are watching him but leave as Cloud checks on Biggs. Biggs is glad Cloud made it, but tells him that he will not. He asks Cloud about Wedge, Cloud saying he will bounce back. Biggs is glad to hear that. Cloud tells Biggs to not talk, but Biggs warns that it is "very bad" at the top and asks Cloud to promise not let their fight to be for nothing. Cloud can either promise him or ask what he will will do. Biggs will either say that Cloud is a good man, or tell him that he still has some fight left in him as he lets go of Cloud. Biggs reminisces about visiting the kids at the Leaf House, wanting Cloud to continue his charity there for him, but Cloud tells Biggs to handle that himself. Biggs figures Cloud is not a fan of kids, but affectionately compares Cloud to them. He says the future lies in Cloud's hands and passes out.
Cloud continues to climb the pillar and defeat Shinra soldiers when stopped by the beam of a Shinra helicopter. Reno aboard announces over the megaphone that Shinra will stop Avalanche from destroying the pillar. Reno asks Rude, who is piloting the helicopter, if the announcement was good enough, and Rude agrees. Reno realizes the person on the stairs is Cloud, the renegade SOLDIER who beat him at the Sector 5 slums church, and aims the aircraft's mounted firearms at him. Cloud runs and hides behind steel pipes on the next floor. Rude uses the megaphone to demand Cloud to throw down his weapon and surrender, as Shinra does not negotiate with terrorists. Reno tells Rude to stop the announcements as he continues to fire at Cloud, destroying some of the steel pipes.
Meanwhile, Tifa protects Aerith and Wedge from the falling steel pipes. Aerith thanks her and helps Wedge get up, who is fine now. Tifa says she must go and help Cloud and the others. Aerith tells her to follow her heart. Tifa starts to tell Aerith about Seventh Heaven, but Aerith knows Tifa wants her to go save Marlene, who is somewhere inside. Tifa is confused at first with how Aerith knows Marlene, but Aerith smiles at her and gains Tifa's trust, who tells Wedge to show Aerith where the bar is. Wedge says that he will and encourages Tifa to destroy Shinra.
Aerith follows Wedge, who tells the undercity residents to evacuate. Two Shinra officers guard the gate to Sector 6, and get aggressive toward Wedge when he demands the gate to be opened. Wedge sighs that he is no good to anyone. Aerith disagrees and says they can still save the people. Wedge wants to believe they can stop the plate collapse, but feels like it won't happen. Aerith insists that regardless they must keep trying, even if the situation seems hopeless. A Shinra drone crashes down from the pillar as Wedge yells at the Shinra officers guarding the gate. Wedge doesn't want to regret the choices he made tonight and tells them to open the gate or else the people will die. A nervous Shinra officer opens the gate despite the other's objection and tells the people to evacuate. Wedge tells Aerith Tifa's bar is just up ahead and promises to get the people to safety.
As Aerith continues alone towards Seventh Heaven, she tells the passing residents to get out of Sector 7. Marle asks what is going on, Aerith saying that Shinra is going to drop the plate. Marle tells the Neighborhood Watch Members to escort the people out and asks if Aerith is a member of Avalanche, Aerith answering she is their friend. Marle tells her to pass on her message to Tifa to lay low, and that they will take care of things around here.
A Shinra helicopter collides with another helicopter and crashes to the slums, injuring Aerith and blocking the road to the bar. She looks for another route, but the helicopter explodes, blocking that way as well. The panicked undercity residents are running all around her, and Aerith spots Betty trip and fall. Aerith gets her back up and tells her not to cry as she sees Marle leading the residents to a tunnel. Aerith takes Betty to Marle, and Betty's dad shows up, relieved. Aerith continues towards Seventh Heaven, with Marle futilely telling her to turn back. A Shinra helicopter fires at a crashed helicopter down in the slums, causing an explosion, which injures Aerith. Tseng in the helicopter is reporting on the situation and spots Aerith lying on the ground. He changes the plan and tells the others to take care of things themselves. Aerith gets up and finally reaches Seventh Heaven.
Aerith hears crying and finds Marlene behind the bar and introduces herself as a friend of Tifa's. She says the bar is not safe anymore, Marlene worrying her home is going to be destroyed. Aerith comforts the crying girl, who suddenly senses something from Aerith, and stops crying. Marlene hugs Aerith, saying she smells like a flower, and shows her the flower Aerith had given to Cloud, which is in a vase on top of the counter. Aerith grabs Marlene's hand and leads her out where the helicopter's light is shining upon them from the window. Tseng barges in with Marlene hiding behind Aerith. Tseng sees Aerith is with a child, pointing out her options are limited. Aerith tells Marlene there is nothing to be scared of as she makes a deal with Tseng who lets Aerith and Marlene board the Shinra helicopter.
Meanwhile, Reno is still firing upon the crouching Cloud. Rude spots Tifa climb the stairs, and steers the helicopter, making Reno miss when aiming at her, destroying the stairs instead. Tifa jumps from the stairs collapsing under her and grabs Cloud's outstretched hand, exclaiming that she is not leaving when he objects to her coming. Reno asks Rude what was that for, Rude lying his hand slipped. Cloud and Tifa continue to make their way up, Tifa recapping to Cloud what happened with Aerith and Wedge, while the Turks give up on them.
Cloud and Tifa hear an explosion, finding Jessie using grenades to attack the Shinra troops. Jessie throws another grenade at a Shinra helicopter, but the specters are watching as the helicopter explodes. After fighting off some more Shinra forces and climbing more stairs, Cloud and Tifa find the exploded helicopter with an injured Jessie being watched by specters. Tifa pushes the specters out of the way as Cloud removes the rubble on top of Jessie. Jessie is glad Cloud can hear her last words, but he tells her to snap out of it. Jessie mourns that her bombs created so many victims, feeling dying here is an apt punishment for her. Cloud tells Jessie to hang on, with her wishing Cloud and the others could come over to her parents' house to enjoy her mom's cooking once more. Cloud tells Jessie that she owes him a pizza, but Jessie thinks she cannot keep her promise. She sees Tifa crying, confused if she said something wrong, and says they have somewhere to be as she succumbs to her injuries. Tifa cries more as she and Cloud move on.
Cloud and Tifa find Barret at the summit firing at a Shinra helicopter. Barret is fine, but tells the group they will need to keep moving if they want to stay alive. The gas containers they were hiding behind explode, but the group escapes. The Turks' helicopter arrives, Reno telling Rude he wants a rematch with Cloud as Rude passes him his weapon. Reno jumps down from the descending helicopter and attacks Cloud, who blocks it with his sword. Reno begins running, dodging Cloud's attack. Rude stops Cloud by firing at him from the helicopter, with Barret providing counterfire. Barret tells Reno that he is next, but Reno tells Barret that he has no time for that and begins to operate the console at the top of the pillar, which is asking for the plate separation to be authorized. Reno is about to press a button when Cloud attacks and is blocked. Cloud dares Reno to press the button, who battles Cloud, Barret and Tifa. Halfway through the battle, Barret shoots down Rude's helicopter, Reno at first thinking Rude is dead. Rude emerges from the flaming wreckage and joins Reno in the fight against Cloud, Barret and Tifa.
Cloud, Barret, and Tifa defeat both Reno and Rude and Tifa rushes to the console, which is still asking for confirmation for plate separation. A few specters float around her as Cloud asks Reno how to stop the plate separation procedure, holding him with his sword, preventing him from reaching his weapon. Reno says that he doesn't know and faints. Barret, who was holding Rude at gunpoint, is distracted, and Rude makes a run for the console. Barret and Cloud try to stop him, but a bunch of specters block their way. The pair attacks the specters as Cloud realizes Tifa was also attacked. The specters clear out as Cloud approaches the console. Rude presses the button, initiating the plate separation and tells them to evacuate. Barret is enraged and Cloud moves in to attack Rude, who dodges, and goes to grab the still unconscious Reno. Barret fires at the console while Cloud checks up on Tifa who is lying on the floor. The Turks evacuate on a Shinra medical helicopter.
Cloud, Barret, and Tifa look at the console, Tifa despairing what they should do. Tseng appears on the console screen and declares there is nothing they can do. Tifa argues Shinra cannot do this when Aerith appears next to Tseng, her hands now restrained behind her, to tell them she found Marlene. Barret asks what she did with her as Cloud asks Aerith where she is. As Aerith is about to answer, Tseng stops her and a Shinra soldier drags her away. Tseng thanks the group, for their actions allowed Shinra to capture Aerith, the last Ancient in the world. Cloud asks what an Ancient is as Aerith's voice pleads for them to get out of Sector 7. Tseng sarcastically wonders where will Avalanche go as the call ends. The floor rumbles and the group has 30 seconds to escape. Tifa is still despairing, but Cloud helps her up. Barret finds a zip line and tells Cloud and Tifa to join him. He destroys the lift door and grabs a hook on the zipline as Cloud and Tifa grab onto him.
As the group rides down the zipline, the plate separates from the pillar with an explosion. Wedge is on the slums' floor saving his cats while fighting the specters, the plate coming down right on top of him. Watching from his office in the top of the Shinra Building, President Shinra is pleased with the sight of the carnage. In another area, an animated plush toy Cait Sith watches the plate collapse, and bangs his fists on the ground in frustration. Cloud, Barret, and Tifa zipline their way to Evergreen Park as the Sector 7 is consumed in flames.
==Quests==
*Head for the Pillar
*Link Up with Avalanche
*Evacuation Orders
*Saving Marlene
*The Rescue
*To the Top
*Showdown
In the first quest, a party of Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Aerith Gainsborough fight Mysterious Spectre and Enigmatic Spectre enemies. Shortly after this, a solo party of Cloud fights through Shinra enemies at the pillar in the form of elite security officers, elite riot troopers, and others.
The quests "Evacuation Orders" to "The Rescue" are solo non-combat quests involving Aerith through the slums. After this, Tifa rejoins the party with Cloud to fight more Shinra soldiers such as helitroopers on the way to the top of the pillar. In the final quest, "Showdown", Barret Wallace joins the party as the three battle Reno and Rude at the top of the pillar.
Category:Chapters in Final Fantasy VII Remake