There's a Reason Cloud Can't Use Phoenix Down on Aerith in Final Fantasy 7

Final Fantasy 7 is a fan-favorite entry in the franchise, and it has one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire series: Aerith's death. With the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, you get to witness this moment again with better graphics, and a lot more confusion. In the case of the Remake trilogy, Aerith seems to still be alive in a second timeline, or Cloud is so unable to deal with the guilt that he still sees her.

But if you focus on the original timeline where Aerith is killed by Sephiroth, then the confusion tends to come from wondering why Cloud didn't use Phoenix Down to revive her. There's actually a clear answer to this topic that makes perfect sense.

Phoenix Down has Limitations

It's Mostly a Combat Mechanic

Phoenix Down is primarily an item used for the sake of combat mechanics rather than being a lore item in Final Fantasy. When you have a character in your party hit 0 health points in combat, they're knocked out. To revive them without using magic, you can use a Phoenix Down. So, it's basically the smelling salts of the Final Fantasy universe, not a magical tool that can bring the dead back to life, which is a misconception that having "phoenix" in the name doesn't help, considering they are birds born from ashes.

As a result, Cloud not using the Phoenix Down on Aerith isn't a plot hole or an act of neglect. Instead, there's just no purpose in Cloud using a Phoenix Down because it wouldn't help in this situation. If Aerith was just unconscious, it could help. However, Aerith is dead, and Phoenix Down is unfortunately unable to help her.

Why Aerith has to Die in FF7

Although, She's Still Alive in the Remake (Sort of)

Aerith's death isn't just for the shock value, and that might be why she continues to the exact spot of her death in FF7 Rebirth, despite it seeming like she knows the path that the future takes and that it's where she'll die. She successfully summons Holy into her previously empty materia, which was the initial goal for going to pray as the last Cetra. However, Holy alone isn't what shields the planet at the end of the game.

It's helped by the Lifestream, or, more specifically, by Aerith in the Lifestream using her power as a Cetra to use it to help protect the planet. Without being dead and sending her spirit into the Lifestream, Aerith would be unable to wield the power it holds to help her friends and save the planet in the final battle. She's also able to help after the events of the game with other issues in Gaia through the Lifestream to a limited extent, as you see in the Advent Children movie. Rebirth changes this path a bit by having Aerith apparently alive in one timeline, which raises questions about what the last part of the trilogy has planned for her.

Aerith is a beloved character who shows that strength doesn't only come from hitting things, but from protecting and nurturing the things you care about, and that makes her death so devastating to watch, no matter how many times you see it. This love that players have for her helped fuel the discussion as to why Cloud didn't revive her with a Phoenix Down, but when you look at the actual way the Phoenix Down works, it becomes clear that even this item with its mythical name is not enough to bring Aerith back from the dead in any version of Final Fantasy 7.