Cloud...

[Wolf Kanno]

Yes AC Cloud actually was a terrible character. But that is not the same character in VII. It may be the same person, but like Reno in AC he's not the same character and this topic started off being about VII Cloud.

Cloud may have began VII as an ass, but he grows up a lot as a character once we finally meet the real Cloud he goes from a self doubting guy whimp into the natural born leader he always could be. Don't do what Square did when they made AC- forget all about his character's growth.

I interpreted it as Cloud as a whole since the original poster never implied this was exclusively about VII. Besides, I think most of us would have assumed Cloud made it with Tifa had the Compilation not come into being.

I agree to an extent. Cloud does have a few moments after he finds himself where he speaks pessimistically and doubts his own abilities and usually Tifa, Barret, or Cid have to knock him out of it.

Though I don't like AC Cloud either you are reading WAAAAY to much into this.
He says he's not fit to help anyone, that there is no cure but what he says most of all is that he wants to be forgiven. That's not along the lines of what you're saying, he's contrasted with Vincent who flt out states that never tried to be forgiven. And you really should check out the Complete version.

Watch Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (Dub) | Watch Anime Online

Marlene says that what he was doing while away actually WAS looking for a cure and he doesn't deny it. And most of all after the credits he comes to the place where Zack died with Denzel and when Denzel asks him what this place is Cloud says "This is where a hero started his journey." Referring to himself.

I have issues with a movie that has to be remade to tell the story right, so I don't think highly of ACC as it sounds to me it was created to appease the major complaints of the original film.

This just goes against my ideas of writing and how I don't really believe in going back to a film and fixing the mistakes that were noticed from hindsight. Especially when the gap between the original and remake is very short. It just tells me SE knows they screwed up.

But once again, Cloud doesn't come to his own realization by himself. He has to get a pep talk from Vincent (who should really listen to his own advice since he's just as bad as Cloud) and even then Cloud really doesn't start to get back into his old groove until he's cured, which he basically interprets to mean he's "forgiven" which doesn't make sense since he never did anything wrong in the first place. His guilt is self-inflicted and has no basis in reality. He really thinks the two happiest people in the VII universe would hate him for events that happened outside of anyone's control? It doesn't make sense.