Aerith Gainsborough

**Aerith Gainsborough,** mistranslated as **Aeris** in *Final Fantasy VII,* is the tritagonist of *Final Fantasy VII.* She is the last of the Cetra, an ancient race with powerful magical abilities, and so she is hunted by the Shinra Electric Power Company so they can exploit her powers. After meeting Cloud Strife in Midgar, the two became close and she joined him in hunting for Sephiroth.

Aerirth is also a supporting character who lived in Traverse Town during *Kingdom Hearts* and *Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories*, and in Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden in *Kingdom Hearts II*. She also appears in Sora's Adventures, both as a Cetra and as a Replica.

Aerith, as an ally of Leon and Yuffie, is one of the three core *Final Fantasy* characters of the series prior to her death, and takes an active support role with them in the defense of Hollow Bastion in *Kingdom Hearts II*. However, in Sora's Adventures in Twilight Town, she met her untimely death at the hands of Sephiroth's sword, similar to her death in *Final Fantasy VII,* but was revived via a Replica in Happy Valentine's Day, Sora as per the request of her boyfriend Zack Fair, who is also a Replica. She is voiced by Mena Suvari.

## Appearance

Aerith has brown hair tied into a long braid, a pink ribbon interlaced with her hair and tied into a bow at the end, the Materia orb her mother gave her in the ribbon, and green eyes. She also has separated bangs similar to Sephiroth (possibly as a leftover from being planned to be his sister at one point). Her typical outfit consists of a shin-length pink zip-up dress with a red bolero jacket, brown boots and metal bracers on her wrists and around her jacket sleeves. This is the outfit she wears in *Final Fantasy VII* and *Sora's Adventures.*

In *Kingdom Hearts*, Aerith bears a strong resemblance to her original appearance in *Final Fantasy VII*, though she lacks her short, maroon overcoat and her thick, metal wristbands are replaced with what looks like coiled wire. She also has a loose, lilac belt around her waist with a black string tied into a bow on it. Aerith wears a pink dress with magenta lining and buttons going down the front, all of which are buttoned except for the last two. She has a black string tied in the same fashion as the one on her belt around her neck and wears brown boots.

In *Kingdom Hearts II*, Aerith's look changes, now somewhat resembling the way she looked in *Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII*, albeit with several differences. Her eyes and ribbon are much brighter, while her boots are a paler brown. Aerith now wears a carmine pink and white top held up by a string that wraps around her neck. Underneath this top, Aerith wears a double layer flare skirt. The top layer is light pink with a white stripe while the bottom layer is plain white.

## Powers and Abilities

Aerith uses staves for her primary weapon due to her being a magician. She has the power to communicate with the life force of the world she's currently in, being the last of the Cetra. Her Limit Break abilities involve defending her friends from harm and support their health and other abilities.

## Role in Sora’s Adventures

Aerith is a supporting protagonist in the show. She returns to her appearance in Final Fantasy VII, and is still worried about Zack's death.

In Sora's Adventures in Twilight Town, she is central to the plot, as Saïx learns she is the last of the Cetra and wants her heart to open the Door to Darkness. After hiring a slew of Final Fantasy villains, including Sephiroth, they attack the crew and Sephiroth ultimately stabs her through the chest. However, her heart flies into Naminé as her body fades away, and she is later kept in a heart container.

Happy Valentine's Day, Sora is her second major role in the series, along with her boyfriend Zack. In this episode, Kairi wants to bring her back in a Replica so Zack can be happy, so she works with Ansem, Even, Ienzo and Naminé to revive her with a Replica. After she is revived, she reclaims her staves and Great Gospel book, then kisses Zack as the ball begins. At the ball, Aerith and Zack are announced to be the winners of the Valentine's Day King and Queen contest.