The Love Triangle of FFVII – An Analysis by Squall_of_SeeD

First, while the narration that says, “Cloud was her friend, her koibito,” is made by the third-person narrative voice, it’s done as a reflection of Aerith’s point of view. It’s not a third-person objective voice making an irrefutable statement no more than Case of the Lifestream Black was when it made the following comment about Sephiroth’s defiance of dissolving into the Lifestream:

(Translated by Xcomp)
“The planet was to be his to rule, and to become a part of that system would be nothing short of defeat.”

Rather than making an objective declaration that Sephiroth was going to win and take over Gaia, it was simply using a third-person subjective voice that reflected what Sephiroth was feeling. That sort of writing makes for variety in sentence structure and more pleasurable reading. Constantly seeing “… he thought …” or “… she felt that…” would quickly get tiresome.

This style of writing shows up in Case of Tifa as well, where Tifa “called
out her daughter’s name” early in the story — the word daughter (“musume”) present in both the Japanese and official English versions. Marlene is not actually Tifa’s daughter, but, as explained a few paragraphs later, “That’s how Tifa would introduce her.” The earlier line simply reflected Tifa’s feelings about Marlene.

What’s also overlooked in this matter is that even if this was an objective third-person voice, it would be unreliable on the basis that there is no demonstration that Cloud and Aerith ever got together in the original game.

Up to the point in time where Aerith is thinking about Cloud while in the Lifestream — immediately after the end of the original game and already well after Aerith had died — there had been no significant scene of romance portrayed between Cloud and Aerith. Certainly even a date at the Gold Saucer wouldn’t be enough to make a word like “lovers” apply to them, especially given SE’s position in the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania (pg. 37) that “Both Aerith, who is forthright, and Tifa, who is demure, have feelings for Cloud but he is none the wiser to them.” This would at least apply up to close to the point in the game where she died. The Ultimania comment is accompanied by a screenshot of the Gold Saucer date.

There was no time for Cloud and Aerith to become lovers or express such feelings to one another before her death.

The Clerith perspective, however, feels that Cloud had expressed such
feelings in Cosmo Canyon when he said, “But I’m….. we’re here for you,
right?” when Aerith was feeling alone after learning more about the Cetra. This point of view then takes Aerith asking Cait Sith how compatible she and Cloud are as a sign of reciprocity.

As well, had Cloud been clueless to her intentions before, it’s believed that he should have been able to pick up on it at that point.

This article will not venture to disagree that Cloud cared for Aerith. As
well, it wouldn’t disagree that he was attracted to her, comfortable around her, or even interested in her.

Furthermore, no disagreement shall be forthcoming that Cloud would have to be beyond slow not to pick up on Aerith’s intentions at the Temple of the Ancients.

Where disagreement arises on this matter is in whether either of these comments reflect a decision on Cloud’s part to begin a romantic relationship with Aerith, or that either comment rises to the level of qualifying as a mutual discussion that the two are now a couple. Such a conversation never took place between them.

For that matter, Cloud simply saying that he’s there for Aerith at a time
when she’s feeling alone is no more a declaration of deciding to be in a
relationship with her than was the similar comment Cloud made to Marlene in Advent Children Complete when he said it’s his turn to be there for her. Aerith certainly didn’t take it that way, at any rate, when he said it to her.

Also, “koibito” — when broken into its separate components, “koi” and “bito” — provides the understanding of a “loved person.” Given the purely romantic/sexual connotations of “koi,” it might be better read as “desired person.”

So Cloud’s simply Aerith’s koibito to her — and in this context, the word is probably better translated as “sweetheart” or “beloved.”

While on the subject of the word “koibito,” it’s been used in reference to Tifa before as well, in the Advent Children Reunion Files book (pg. 19). Nomura said, “There are many dimensions to Tifa’s character. She’s like a mother, a sweetheart [koibito], and a close ally in battle“:

A more accurate translation than that printed in English in the book would be, “Various positions come together in Tifa. She’s also like a mother, is also a koibito, and is also a close ally in battle.”

The Japanese sentences (“Tifa wa ironna tachiba wo awase motte irun desu ne. Haha no you demo ari, koibito demo ari, isshou ni tatakatte kita senyuu demo aru“) contain separate thought endings for each noun Tifa’s identified as. The presence of “demo ari” — meaning “is also” — indicates the end to a complete thought, so Tifa is only described with “like a” for “like a mother.”

“No you” — meaning “like” — would need to be before each use of “demo ari” in order for Tifa to also be “like a koibito” and “like a close ally in battle.” She simply is identified as “also” (“demo”) being those things.

Though there’s been some debate about whether these words were used to refer to Tifa’s traits or to her roles, the word that became “dimensions” in the official translation was “tachiba,” meaning such things as “position” or “situation.” Basically, it refers to actualized, lived aspects of someone’s life, so “role” would make the most sense.

So, that leaves us then to identify who she’s like a mother to, is a close ally in battle to, and is a lover/girlfriend/desired person to. We know she’s like a mother to Marlene and Denzel, and is a close ally in battle to the rest of AVALANCHE. That leaves her to be a koibito to someone. Who else could it be but Cloud?

Though there have been counterarguments that suggest it’s Johnny — remember him? Yeah, probably not — since he’s still around in On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel and still likes her, it seems a rather insignificant matter in the large scheme of things. Johnny’s completely irrelevant to Advent Children and mentioned nowhere else in the Reunion Files.

His enduring crush on her is hardly worth mentioning alongside the children she’s actually raising and the teammates she’s actually in life-and-death battles with. Likewise, Rude’s crush on Tifa from Final Fantasy VII isn’t mentioned in either the Reunion Files or Advent Children itself, so it seems unlikely to be referring to him either.

Cloud’s feelings for Tifa — whatever they may be — are of significance to Advent Children, and are the only ones that would matter to be brought up in the Reunion Files — which, of course, is about Advent Children. While Cloud is never identified by name here, for that matter, neither was Aerith in the entirety of On the Way to a Smile: Case of Lifestream White. She was just known as “the woman” in the story. The same capacity for deductive reasoning that would lead us to conclude that the novella could only be talking about Aerith, however, would lead us to conclude that Nomura’s comment in the Reunion Files is most likely talking about Cloud.

It is this comment from Nomura, by the way, that I believe negates his earlier comment in Dorigama that he had “no clue” whether there had been a romantic relationship between Cloud and Tifa following the events of FFVII. For that matter, the notion that Cloud didn’t reciprocate the romantic feelings we all know Tifa had for him runs counter to a comprehensive analysis of all available data on the matter.

I’ll grant, Nomura has also made the following comments in an interview with Famitsu PS2, published in their October 24, 2003, issue:

“I believe for those who formerly traveled with her as comrades and for the viewers, each carries their own feelings and love for Aerith. In this story, Cloud also carries his own undying feeling for Aerith, even to this very day… It’s relation with the church scene is… Yup. I’ll leave this part to your imagination. (laughs)”

This interview, however, took place well before even the original Advent Children came out. Nomura was teasing the eager fans. He didn’t identify exactly what Cloud’s unique undying feeling for Aerith was, but he hinted that it would be related to the church and revealed in the film.

What is this feeling that’s ultimately given so much attention in the film? Guilt, as we’ve discussed before. The wolf that symbolizes Cloud’s guilt even appears in the church, and the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania refers to Aerith as a symbol of his failures to protect those he cares about(pg. 50)— reproducing Nomura’s comment here point for point, and explicitly identifying “Cloud’s unique feeling” as guilt: “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 … protect those dear to him.”

For the record, the word used in Japanese and translated as “love” was “aijou.” Rather than sticking with that when talking about Cloud’s additional undying feeling, the word “omoi” — which usually means “thoughts” or “feelings” — was used. While it could be used to denote love or affection, its various possible meanings are far more numerous than the direct “aijou.”

Of course, Nomura also said that Cloud has love for Aerith, as “those who formerly traveled with her as comrades” would include Cloud. But, then, he said that everyone on the team had love for her. Cloud just has additional “undying thoughts” unique to him — and that was guilt. The same thing he’s got going on with Zack.

Not to be outdone just yet, there’s also a line from the Dirge of Cerberus instruction manual describing Aerith that is frequently referenced for LTD arguments in favor of CloudxAerith. In the official English version, it was translated as, “A girl with the blood of the Ancients flowing through her veins who Cloud would never forget.”

Alternate translations have been offered by fans to the effect, “A girl with the blood of the Ancients flowing through her veins who is forever engraved in Cloud’s heart.” This is certainly a more accurate translation, taken word for word, than the official one.

That said, I really don’t feel that it offers Aerith a completely exclusive position. She holds a unique spot in Cloud’s heart forever, no doubt, and not just one of guilt, yet, that said, another official source — the FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania guide — says Cloud’s promise to Tifa about protecting her is also engraved within his memory (pg. 40).

For that matter, does anyone think that if Tifa had been the one to die, Cloud wouldn’t carry her around in his heart forever as well? Especially if she died right in front of him and he wasn’t able to do anything about it? Would she not be described in much the same way?

Obviously, he would, and she would. Cloud carries both women around with him, but inevitably in different ways.

So, in this zero-sum game, that leaves the two ladies balanced as far as the use of that particular idea goes.