The original Final Fantasy 7 has been improved and expanded on in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, including the portrayal of Barret Wallace – the Avalanche leader of the Midgar cell known for his fiery passion that comes off as both inspiring and brash. His aggressiveness has been known to rub some people the wrong way, but his reasons behind this hostility help rationalize them. Having a range of emotion, detailed facial expressions, and a literal voice in FF7 Remake allows Barret to be a more thorough, motivating, and endearing leader – flaws and all.
In fact, it is arguably Barret’s imperfections and the lessons he learns throughout his journey that make him such a well-rounded character and inspirational leader. Sure, this isn’t new to FF7, but FF7 Remake does such a great job of honing in on Barret’s self-realization as a side-effect of his endeavors that evoke a new level of empathy and character understanding. That, and the many sides players get to see of this warrior, leader, eco-terrorist, friend, and father.
Reimagining 1997 Barret for a 2020 game couldn’t have been easy. His tough-guy appearance and profanity often likened him to a generic stereotype, and staying true to “Barret” while not making him feel like a caricature presents a challenge that not all felt was handled perfectly. In an interview with media news site Comic Book, voice actor John Eric Bentley details the preparation and pressure he undertook for this role: Bentley was very aware of fans’ concerns, and he strived to portray Barret in a way that would “represent [his] people, race, culture, family and self with all the dignity, strength, compassion, leadership and pride that [he] could.” A lover of the original title, Bentley carefully researched his role and thoroughly practiced his acting so he never felt any particular scene was difficult to execute.
[Warning: SPOILERS for Final Fantasy 7 & Final Fantasy 7 Remake Below]
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Changes Barret For the Better
Barret’s introduced with a black-and-white view of the world. He sees Shinra as an evil entity that must be stopped at any cost – casualties included. This mentality isn’t so different from the organization he despises – one that’s indeed hurting the planet by exploiting Mako energy but has also made people’s lives easier with it. Barret was even on board with Shinra until it cost him dearly, as his backstory reveals in FF7. This moment was pivotal for Barret’s development, yet YouTuber Final Fantasy Peasant points out it also serves as his climatic spotlight. Barret even later admits he’s no leader, designating that role to Cid when Cloud’s out of commission.
FF7 Remake is already handling things differently. Barret still comes to terms that his righteousness for the planet – although genuine – is a façade for revenge; He actually spares President Shinra’s life, who calls Barret out for wanting to clear his name more than saving the planet. This causes Barret to question his own priorities. It’s these moments of self-realization which humanize him and are feasibly more engaging than his action-packed scenes. When the Sector 7 plate collapses in FF7 Remake, Barret momentarily experiences a similar sacrifice he so easily brushed off when blowing up the reactors. Believing Marlene dead, he tells Cloud, “Give me something to hang on to! Even if she’s not [safe]. I won’t blame you for it, I swear! – Who am I kidding. I’d probably try to tear your head off.” This understanding of self and humility shows a profoundness easily missed in FF7.
At the end of Chapter 14, Barret admits he was initially wrong about Cloud, and never really offers this verbal support until much later in the original FF7. Right before that, in the sewers, Barret first tells Leslie he doesn’t trust him; but before even exiting, retracts that and encourages him to keep looking for his fiancé. This, combined with Barret’s heartwarming Marlene scenes in FF7 Remake, his clear concern for Avalanche and its mission, and the gusto he evokes through his motivational speeches, allows Barret to be a better leader in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as he’s clearly someone who can be humbled, learn from his mistakes, and not lose sight of the mission ahead. This will be expanded upon in the second installment, as fans will likely see Barret’s backstory, and so much momentum of character development isn’t likely to fizzle out like it did in the original FF7.
