It seems the legacy of Aerith's character seems to contradict the personality she displays in-game. To me, I find this frustrating to nobend considering I find her actual in-game personality infinitely more interesting.
When we're first introduced to Aerith we're portrayed a feminine, outgoing, adventurous character who has a tendency to flirt, a love of fashion, a quick wit, and even a mischevous side to her. She threatens Don Cornei's genitalia, taunts playfully at Cloud during the cross-dressing scene, and seems to outsmart Cloud and others continously throught much of the game. She has spunk, she has character, she's shown to possess a guile of her own that demonstrates an independent spirit of an early-20's urban female. She knows Cloud's a fake somehow, and for all her flirtatious nature towards him, seems to almost pity him rather than seem attracted to him.
She is highly, feminine, yes. She also is a below-average in combat, far less experienced than any other character. She has a maternal nature to her and has a spiritual connection to The Planet. However, none of these traits really reflect on her personality very much, yet they seem to define her in Compilation entries and warps her personality.
Why is this? Her extroverted and playful attitude is far more appealing, and dare I say, progressive, for a sacrifical spiritual figure than the anime-esque demure "broken bird" archetype usually reserved for such a character. Why change it? She has a more stereotypical air to her, but feels less like a character and strips her of her humanity and nuance. It sheds her role in the plot and her doomed fate of its gravitas and tragedy. How can one mourn for the loss of a person who didn't demonstrate much autonomy to begin with? What is truly tragic about her loss of life was also the loss of her zest for it.
Aerith, for all her exceptional qualities, was very much normal in a lot of ways which made her and her fate infinitely more interesting. She had a love for life, a compassion, a gentleness, and yes, a spiritual nature. Her love of cute dresses, playful demeanor, and plucky independence humanizes those traits, not diminishes them. I hope Square and its fanbase will recognize this Flanderization and repair it. It really does cause the story and message to lose its heart.
Off-topic: Emma Stone fits my ideal casting profile for my interpretation of Aerith's character. Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be my Cloud, for I also find him highly misunderstood for the worse.
Agree? Disagree? Discuss.