Let's discuss Cloud's main love interest: Aerith or Tifa

[Shishikabob]

Okay I think I threw too much info into this post at once and people are like OMG WTF
Let me start over

I'm Shishikabob and I think that Cloud loves Tifa for many reasons. I won't post them all right away, but I would like to point out the one I think is most important.

In FF7, Tifa is the only one who knows Cloud’s childhood, and furthermore, she holds the key to people involved in the story of Nibelheim’s burning down, which is also depicted in CC. She and Cloud came to realize their feelings for each other in the end of the story, and live together in AC and DC.

This is probably the most important quote because it's one that can stand on it's own. Now I've heard arguments to the effect of, "It doesn't say what feelings, it could be feelings of friendship." but that doesn't make sense for a few reasons. One of which is that Cloud and Tifa were already friends at that point. So they could not be realizing a feeling they already had. Second of all, have you ever in your entire life known the phrase "feelings for each other" to mean anything except romantic feelings?

Now I want to hear from you. Who do you think Cloud loves and why?

My original TL DR PostHello, I think it's time we discuss who Cloud's main love interest is. I'm Shishikabob and I'll be your host this evening.

Now when I talk about the love triangle of FFVII, I believe there IS an answer. A definite answer. This isn't me saying, "Well my opinion is the answer is Tifa but it's up in the air." This is me saying, "It's Tifa, she is the answer. Always was always will be." BUT I know people disagree and I'd like to hear and discuss your thoughts on it. I do believe that Cloud had romantic feelings for Aerith at the start of the game, but after the Lifestream event, it was all about Tifa.

Here are some reasons why I think so.

In FF7, Tifa is the only one who knows Cloud’s childhood, and furthermore, she holds the key to people involved in the story of Nibelheim’s burning down, which is also depicted in CC. She and Cloud came to realize their feelings for each other in the end of the story, and live together in AC and DC.

This is probably the most important quote because it's one that can stand on it's own. Now I've heard arguments to the effect of, "It doesn't say what feelings, it could be feelings of friendship." but that doesn't make sense for a few reasons. One of which is that Cloud and Tifa were already friends at that point. So they could not be realizing a feeling they already had. Second of all, have you ever in your entire life known the phrase "feelings for each other" to mean anything except romantic feelings?

Here's a few quotes from the 10th Anniversary Ultimania.

In Advent Children
The happier he is now,
The more Cloud is tormented by painful “memories” of the past.

Now running a delivery business while helping out Tifa with the newly opened “Seventh Heaven” bar, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel lived together like a family.
...........
The more he realizes how happy he is living with Tifa and the children, the more the fear of losing that and regrets toward the past trouble Cloud…
...........
With the support of former allies and Tifa, an important woman to him and now also part of his family, Cloud regains the courage to move forward.
...........

Cloud is happy with Tifa and forming a family with her and they're raising children. This isn't something you do with a college room mate. I've heard arguments to counter this to say that Avalanche was once staying at the 7th heaven long before Cloud came there and they were also all raising Marlene, but Tifa never referred to Marlene as her daughter back then. Plus that unit is never referred to as a family where as Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel have been MANY times.

I've also heard some say that Barret is part of the family and the father figure and Cloud is more like a big kid. The claim of Cloud being a "big kid" comes from a statement in the Reunion Files that says:

Nomura "Tifa was a very difficult character to create. Like Aerith, she has a maternal side to her, but in a different sense. Not only was she looking after Marlene and Denzel, but she also felt a certain maternal bond to Cloud, who is a 'big kid' himself in some respects. Yet despite this, she continues working as the manager of Seventh Heaven without a complaint." ~Nomura; Reunion Files

While it's true Cloud's stated here to be a big kid there's a couple things we need to take into consideration. First of all, that “Maternal bond” line isn't in the original Japanese text. It simply states that Tifa took care of Cloud and the kids. Second of all, so what if Cloud is like a big kid? I'm like a big kid myself. I still watch cartoons, I love action figures and plushies and I love video games and things like that. Plus there have been times when I felt a “maternal bond” to my BF whom I've taken care of when he's been sick. Feeling motherly toward someone at times doesn't mean you can't love them romantically.


As for the other argument, there are absolutely 0 claims to support Barret is part of the family. I'd like to also point out that the family is in fact Cloud's.

Here are a few more quotes to support my claim:

· After traveling to several places with Cloud and Barret, Tifa opens the bar Seventh Heaven in Edge on the advice of those around her. She was given custody of Marlene from Barret, who had left on a journey to find a new energy source. Together with Cloud, the 3 of them began living together as a family.

Notice the part I bolded. It specifically states the three of them are a family. Just the three of them.

Also from the 10th Anniversary Ultimania:

Cloud brings Denzel back from the slum’s church and Denzel joins Cloud’s family.

Right there it states that the family is Cloud's.

Also in FFVII AC Cloud calls the family his.
"Tifa I don't think I'm fit to help anyone. Not my family, not my friends, nobody."

Lastly there's the ACC playback. This guide also specifically states who's in the family:

When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the children, freed from their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking for Cloud to heal his Geostigma– his family were waiting. Engulfed in celebration, he realises where he is meant to live. He realises that he was able to forgive himself.

In order we have
1. His friends.
2. The children
3. Tifa, Marlene and Denzel... his family! No mention of Barret or anyone else being in the family. Tifa, Marlene and Denzel are separated from the rest.

Now I know some people say that Marlene had to put Cloud in the family herself, but that doesn't mean the family isn't his. If I suggested you and your SO get married and you guys start a family, is the family not yours then?

Also yes Barret is still Marlene's adoptive father and she still calls him Daddy. He will always be her adoptive family, but part of Cloud's family he is not. So we have, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel as a family unit. This isn't something you do with a good friend.

That ends the family point of my debate so let me point out some more quotes that put Cloud and Tifa together:

Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be back home where they belonged.

That's self explanatory and no it is not talking about locations.

Tifa, who from 2 years ago has been the only one Cloud opened his heart to. Now he has closed off his heart even from her.

Okay I know that opening your heart to someone doesn't mean confessing your love, but that's not the part you should pay attention to. The point is this statement says the only person Cloud ever opened his heart to was Tifa. Not Aerith or anyone else, but Tifa. He must trust Tifa on a level that no one else can compare to. Would Cloud have opened his hear to Aerith had she lived? It's possible, but he certainly never had time to in the two weeks that he knew her.

Tifa is also said to be an important woman to Cloud:

With the support of former allies and Tifa, an important woman to him and now also part of his family, Cloud regains the courage to move forward.

Again we have Tifa listed as important and we again, have the family being referred to as Cloud's. Now Some like to say Aerith was important to Cloud but let's look at those quotes really quick:

Behind these actions lies feelings of guilt towards his past failure to protect people who were important to him, but through his battle with Kadaj’s gang, the legacy of Jenova, he regains the courage to face reality.

Here we have his failure to protect “PEOPLE” who were important to him. It doesn't just say Aerith, thus Aerith and Zack are both important to him.

Two years after returning to the planet, Aerith still lives on in the hearts of her friends who saved the planet. And in particular to Cloud, as a symbol of his failure to having being unable protect those dear to him, she was a major factor in causing him to close himself off.

What is Aerith here? Not a girlfriend or a love interest or a member of his family but a symbol of his failures. And uhm... DUH Aerith was one of the reasons he closed off his heart! And it's the guilt that Cloud feels about her death that's causing him to get depressed etc etc...

Also in the AC playback book from this quote:

"The place where he awakens-
That is Cloud's Promised Land

As he sleeps, Cloud hears two voices. The voices of two people very dear to him, who are no longer with him. Playfully and kindly, they give him a message: he doesn't belong here yet.

When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the children, freed from their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking for Cloud to heal his Geostigma- his family were waiting. Engulfed in celebration, he realises where he is meant to live. He realises that he was able to forgive himself.

And when he turns around- 'she' is starting to leave. Together with the friend who had given Cloud his life. Cloud no longer has to suffer in loneliness... And so they too go back to where they belong.

Back to the current of life flowing around the planet-."

Aerith is put on the same level as Zack emotionally. Two people "very dear to him," not "his true love and his buddy Zack" or anything like that. If Aerith really was more important to Cloud than anyone, it would not put her on the same level as Zack.

For the final nail in the Clerith coffin, or the way I see it anyway is this quote by Nojima when being interviewed about OTWTAS:

"First, there’s the premise that things aren’t going well between Tifa and Cloud, and that even without Geostigma and Sephiroth, it would still be the same. I don’t mean to get into my views on romantic love, marriage and family. (laughs) After ACC, maybe Denzel and Marlene can get them to work it out. Perhaps things would have gone well with Aerith, but Aerith’s responsibility is big, I think." ~Nojima, interview about On the Way to a Smile

Simple question: Why would Nojima bring up love, marriage and family in the context of Tifa and Cloud and Case of Tifa, and then mention Aerith as a hypothetical love interest if Tifa was not a current love interest? Put it in perspective, imagine you and your friend, I don't know, Steve had a fight. And I said to you, "Hey things between you and Steve aren't going so well.. not that I intend to go into my views on love, marriage and family." You'd be very confused wouldn't you?


There are many more reasons I feel that Cloud and Tifa are canon couple and THE canon couple of FFVII, but I won't go into them all here, I'll let other people talk first. Sorry if I typed too much. I'd like to hear any and all opinions on this and look forward to discussing this with you guys.