This is a good point, also I'd point out that in Remake she is comfortably manipulating people and is willing to take a gamble. I agree that maybe her development might be the inverse of OG, but I also wouldn't rule out something happening to her psychologically in Remake that develops her. I wouldn't rule out her surviving and someone else dying instead being at her feet.
I also agree with this, I think with Zack being around her romantic arc is going to revolve around Zack more.
On the last point, I think she is hiding a lot, but I also think her knowledge of the future is patchy. If she knew everything that would be too much, shes already a walking, talking Deus ex Machina without her having crystal clear knowledge of the future. I wouldn't be surprised if she has future knowledge through the lifestream in a "these are the important bits you need to know" kinda way. Like recieving a gossip.
Also, Aerith died not knowing Zacks fate, I got the impression she was shown Zack in an attempt to coax her into taking a risky gamble.
I've never understood this "Manic Pixie Aerith" thing, nor "Innocent Little Flower Aerith". I think a lot of it comes from some people interpreting her as some virginal woman child in OG. In the OG Japanese script she definitely wasn't that and was probably the most emotionally mature member of the group, she was just a little bit quirky and odd. That seems to be there in Remake too, but I think how some people interpreted her in OG has caused people to try and superimpose that on top of her a little.
I got the impression she was shocked, I wouldn't expect her to rush in like Cloud does, shes got a more reasoned head on her shoulders and is more of a brooding, internalising character. Stuff like this can often become "the OP fantasy versions of who we want the characters to be" rather than who they actually are. I think we will get much more development on her own grudge against Shinra and Sephiroth though, they've seeded it all nicely so far. Also, we do have to come at this with the consideration that we know the story already, not all players do and for newcomers, they don't know yet. This scene was the first time we even got a glimpse that she has shit with Sephiroth too.
No, Tifa looked shocked and Aerith "snarled" at him. I think they saw him.
True that. And let's not forget that she lived for 5 years in a world where Sephiroth was dead. I can't imagine how someone would react in her feet - fear, shock, probably not anger though. Not understanding what's happening, why he's there, etc.
I would be able to accept Tifa just being shocked....IF there had been a callback. And remember, it's not like there wasn't a perfect point for it.
The game literally ended with people talking about why they're going after Sephiroth.
Cloud talks about how "Sephiroth, as long as he's still out there...I", we've seen the flashbacks through his eyes, we understand everything in his expression at that moment.
Barret talks with passion about how he's in too, "bastard wants to the destroy the planet does he? An enemy of hers is an enemy of avalanche?
Aerith gave several passionate speeches about why Sephiroth needs to be stopped.
Red XIII gave a technical reason why they'd be able to use him.
Aerith gets a scene showing her connection with Zack, Cloud gets the edge of creation, showing his fued with Sephiroth, Barret gets an emotional final scene with Marlene, showing why he is fighting.
But what did they give Tifa? The girl who literally joined a terrorist organization because of what Sephiroth did to her? Who lost everything because of Sephiroth, whose current life was basically defined by Nibleheim? Who had just learned that the cause of everything that happened to her is still alive mere hours earlier?
Well she says "need some help" during the battle, smiling. And then "what now?", "Count me in" in the final cutscene....
Really game? Not gonna touch on her motivations for a second? Not even a clenched fist close up on her face? No indication of what she's feeling at that moment? .....great storytelling.
Honestly, just the more I think about this the more it bothers me.
Edit, I just realized there is PERHAPS, one small moment where it's hinted at, and it's when Aerith asks Tifa "but what about you, how are you holding up?", to which she responds with "Oh, I'm fine", when she clearly isn't.
I originally took that as Aerith asking Tifa about how she's dealing with the whole Cloud situation, although it Could also be about the sephiroth situation.
I was thinking about this again today, and the conversation around the pizza line reminded me a lot of this:
