Due to the scene being in reference to
"If you know what happens to Aerith later in the story, it's a line that strikes emotionally," we know this scene is referring to Aerith's death.
In the Remake, Aerith knows she dies.
Aerith also knows
REAL Cloud falls in love with her in the OG.
Aerith tells Cloud not to fall in love with her this time because she knows she dies.
In the Remake, Aerith is trying to protect Cloud from falling in love with her due to her death.
Clerith is confirmed as the canon OG pairing.
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The
MOST OBVIOUS transformation of Cloud’s
“frosty exterior” in the Remake is when he starts doing high-five’s with Aerith on the reg.
At first Cloud rejects them. Then, he is about to give one but stops short. Then, you have to hold the triangle button down so he gives Aerith a high-five. Then, he gives Aerith an automatic high-five at the battle arena. The crowd chants:
“Cloud and Aerith! – Cloud and Aerith! – Cloud and Aerith!”
The high-five’s is a clear-cut, distinct transformation of Cloud’s personality. Intentionally designed by SE to show Aerith slowly melting Cloud’s
“frosty exterior.”
Given Cloud’s earlier reluctance, I got chills when Cloud & Aerith high-five’d in the battle arena.
Then, when Cloud has to remind everyone that rescuing Aerith from Shinra HQ is the #1 priority, it cemented to me that Cloud had significantly changed from the very beginning of the game.
Aerith is evoking the
REAL Cloud to the surface.
Cloud’s love for Aerith is giving us glimpses of who he truly is.
Not only are the high-five’s and quest to save Aerith from Shinra HQ significant, clear-cut examples of Cloud’s transformation, but Cloud also has a
REAL memory of his mother telling him to have an
“older girlfriend” – someone who will call him a
“silly goose” when he needs to hear it (Aerith calls Cloud
“silly” in FF7R).
Aerith shows us the
REAL Cloud's personality and triggers him into having a
REAL memory of his Mom telling him to pick Aerith as his girlfriend (ie: "older" -- "silly goose").
Cloud and Aerith dominate once Cloud falls to her flower bed.
Just as in the OG, when both women are present, Cloud's preference is Aerith (something that continues even in death and makes Tifa jealous).
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Since the other thread is analyzing the LTD and its evolution, I'll give my two-cents from the Clerith perspective on the long history of the LTD (and why Cloti is the preference in the United States):
As a kid in 1997, it was obvious to me that Cloud loved Aerith more than Tifa.
Not until I went online all these years later did I discover (shockingly) that the American FFVII fanbase had been misled by some in the FFVII fandom.
So why did they decide to launch a campaign to delegitimize Clerith?
Well, when FFVII first came out in 1997, many western gamers didn’t understand Aerith. She was (literally) foreign to them. Japanese animation was still very niche back then.
Though the Japanese adored Aerith’s spunky personality & pink dress (and saw her as the obvious romantic interest for Cloud), many men in the United States thought her hair was “ugly” and that her personality was “annoying.” Far too “anime” for their tastes. They preferred Tifa — the loyal, more American looking childhood friend — the “girl-next-door.” Plus, her big boobs didn’t hurt, either.
Of course, since FFVII inherently revolves around a love triangle, there is obviously an option to play it the Tifa way.
However, as a kid in 1997, I never saw Tifa as a threat. I saw her as the secondary, optional way to play the game. The girl you would pick on your second playthrough.
When you consider:
- The official Amano artwork
- Beginning love point totals (you have to make counterintuitive choices to catch Tifa up to Aerith’s automatic 1st place position)
- The non-optional bodyguard agreement
- The “normally” occurring CxA Gold Saucer date
- Numerous flirtatious moments & obvious hints
- Tifa’s constant jealousy
- The Promised Land scene non-optionally occurring *AFTER* the inherently variable Highwind scene
- Frequent CxA cameos
- Aerith being the first & last image we see in the entire game
…it is clear Tifa never held a candle to Aerith as the heroine, or as the primary love interest for Cloud.
To put it simply — Aerith was created first by SE. Tifa was created second. Aerith is the primary love interest. Tifa is the secondary love interest. Obvious common sense.
Unfortunately, fueled by their unyielding, irrational hatred of all things Aerith, they successfully sold the myth (for years) that Cloud x Tifa is the official canon couple of FFVII, thereby brainwashing the entire American fandom against Cloud x Aerith.
They reduced & twisted Cloud’s love for Aerith as “guilt.”
Saying that even though the Real Cloud chooses to live in Aerith’s Church, has his heart broken every time he visits her grave, reconnects with her in Flower Fields (and cameos), and seeks to find her in the Promised Land, is all due to guilt over the death of a mere friend. Saying that anything romantic shown in the OG is all a result of Zack (ie: attempted delegitimization).
I guess the symbolism of Cloud’s continued love for Aerith, and all the nuances that entails, is too cultured & sophisticated for them to comprehend. Or maybe they are purposely not comprehending the obvious?
Thankfully, the Japanese understand what all of this means. So why don’t western fans?
The only logical conclusion is because of their deep, burning, irrational hatred of Aerith as a character. Always minimizing & downplaying her role as the first & true heroine & love interest to Cloud.
But now, with the Remake perfecting Aerith’s look & personality, and making it crystal clear that these are Cloud’s REAL feelings, and that Aerith wants to move FORWARD from Zack, you are now seeing a significant swing within the fandom towards Cloud x Aerith.
The other side has spent years using Crisis Core & Advent Children to their advantage:
Essentially saying Crisis Core makes Zerith canon, and Advent Children makes Cloti canon. Simple & easy for the masses to understand, right?
So how, exactly, did they convince millions to believe their great myth?
1. Cloud & Aerith only liked each other because of Zack.
Response:
The relationship between Zack & Aerith in CC is officially described as a minor infatuation between two juveniles, much like Cloud’s childhood crush on Tifa.
In the OG, Aerith says her and Zack were NEVER serious, that their relationship is “in the past now,” and that he probably moved on to someone else because he’s a “real lady’s man.”
On the normally occurring CxA Gold Saucer date, Aerith confirms that although she initially liked Cloud because of Zack, she has grown to like Cloud for Cloud.
Within the lifestream, Aerith tells Zack that she prefers Cloud’s personality over his, and that she will only call Zack if she gets “really lonely.”
In the Remake, Aerith states she wants to move FORWARD with her life in regards to Zack.
Aerith triggers Cloud into a REAL memory of his mother suggesting he have an “older girlfriend.” This REAL memory proves the REAL Cloud was present during his interactions with Aerith. She is bringing the REAL Cloud back to the surface.
In official sources, Aerith is stated as saying she loves Cloud MORE than Zack.
Cloud is stated to be Aerith’s “koibito” (“lover” in Japanese).
Yes — Cloud adopted some memories & mannerisms from Zack, but he never transformed 100% into Zack.
It is a myth that Cloud & Aerith’s love is null-and-void because of Zack.
2. Tifa wins by default due to being alive.
Response:
Tifa winning by default due to being alive is why they hope to god Aerith doesn’t live in the Remake.
You may personally prefer Tifa, but in the OG, Cloud himself clearly prefers Aerith over Tifa, and the other side knows it (just look at the Shinra jail cell moment).
Tifa only has a chance once Aerith is out of the picture. If Aerith lives, it is all but over for Tifa.
Even in death, Cloud has an “undying” love for Aerith that will never go away. Tifa knows this to be true and is stated to be jealous of Cloud’s continued feelings for Aerith.
In the AC credits, Tactics cameo, and the Dissidia cameo, it is clear Cloud still wants to meet and be with Aerith in the Promised Land. Denying the common sense symbolism of this is a sign of someone who has a deep-rooted bias against Aerith.
Furthermore, Cloud and Tifa are in an established “family of friends,” share zero romantic moments, have tons of continued jealousy, fighting, and sleep in separate rooms. Plus, Barret returns to living with them in DoC.
Cloud & Tifa only have the possibility of being a thing if Aerith is out of the picture. The other side better pray to god Aerith doesn’t live in the Remake.
And even if Aerith dies, Cloud & Aerith will always remain a tragic star-crossed love story where Cloud forever wants to meet her in the Promised Land. Tifa’s continued jealousy confirms this to be true.
In the Remake, Cloud cries when he thinks of Aerith facing her inevitable demise. True love.
Soulmates.
PS:
Nothing I said has been any harsher than what has been said in the other thread.
