I've been coming to a slow realisation, thanks to
@TurquoiseHammer's translations, and especially the one with Tifa's resolution; I think that Cloud, the current one as he is now, is unable to "love" as we mean it. I've made a whole Twitter thread about it but since my Twitter is locked, I thought I'd post it here:
I think this realisation is one that came slowly - we talked a lot with Peko about Cloud's reactions to traumatic events, I'll be back to it - but was solidify by the Ultimania's description of Tifa's resolution, and in hindsight, Aerith's as well. Let's go!
I think the first comment was Peko who once told me "Cloud's reaction to Jessie's death is weird" followed by "it's like he's not feeling anything, or really muted". While it's not really what's happening there (the Ulti does say he doesnt know YET that he can cry to mourn a fallen companion; notice the YET? Because he's going to learn that with Aerith). However, I feel that was the start. Starting looking at how he reacted to Sephiroth playing with him, how he reacted to the vision of Aerith dying, and most importantly what do the Ultimanias said about such or such scene?
Looking back at the OG, I feel that they did expand on his character; but whatever Cloud does they kept him unaware of the girls' feelings for him.
And the basis to that, for me, is that one thing:
Cloud as he is, in his fake persona, cannot understand what true love is. He is unable to explain his relationship with Tifa *because* he's unable to unlock the meaning of these feelings. They are hidden, even to him. Cloud is complicated in his head, there's no denying it. He's attracted to Aerith, but at the same time, he will give a LOT of attention to Tifa and agree to everything she says or wants. Even if he hates it (see: letting her go see Corneo alone).
But then, Aerith tells him "you can't fall in love with me (which part she also says to herself), but IF you think you did, than it's all your IMAGINATION". This is, I think a double entendre; we know that it's related to the OG and the fact that true Cloud's love is Tifa. It's also a reference to the fact that the player chose if Cloud fell for Aerith or not (which is why his feelings for Aerith have never and will never be canon; because they differ from a player to another). However, the fact that Briana, her EN VA said that
Cloud is not emotionally available is yet another pointer (and so did Marle). What if Aerith said that also because Cloud, as he is, is simply unable to love anyone?
Let's see what about Tifa's resolution then?
In Tifa's resolution, we are told a few things:
- that true Cloud comes out;
- that he's (a bit too) happy to be her hero;
- that it's romantic;
- that he doesn't understand Tifa's feelings.
In Aerith's resolution, he was utterly confused about what she told him. Do you see the pattern?
Cloud is unable to understand the girls' feelings; the only really strong feeling he ever displayed during Remake was when Sephiroth toyed with him about his mother. When he cried for the memory of Aerith's death, he didn't understand. Cloud right now is 16 in his head and the worst thing? He's getting owned and manipulated by an alien installed in his cells. Which doesn't really help - Cloud was, at 16, an akward boy, someone who's really not used to social interactions which SHOWS in Remake. But the thing with Jenova? Totally messes him up.
Even if you look at Cloud once he's back to himself in the OG, he still didn't understand Aerith.
Cloud in his SOLDIER self IMAGINES what "being in love" must be, just like he imagines being an ex-SOLDIER. To me, this is the way that Remake uses to push the illusion through the LT, more than the LT in itself. If Cloud understood what love is, he'd look at his feelings for Tifa which he is unable to, because he's being cockblocked by Jenova.
So yes, Cloud is unable to love. And I think it's really wanted by the devs because
"love" is only unlocked when he gets to be himself again. It's one of the things that will really separate SOLDIER Cloud from his true self.
Yes, but Tifa you will ask? His true self shows up! Yes, he does, but he does not often. What we see mostly is him being relaxed and himself around her, not his *TRUE* self. His true feelings are here, yes, and he doesn't understand them.
He's not able to fully love her and that is why he makes a blunder in her resolution; yes he was desperate to be her hero, to console her, but if he had understood her, he'd be as devastated as she was, because it's THEIR loss. Only his true self will be able to connect fully with her which is pretty logical and why I don't think we'll get more than what we got in part 1 (I fully expect the dynamics of the ships to remain the same).
Yes, we can see that Cloud is kind, that he does bond with people, that he cares about them. But feelings that are too deep, too raw - and that includes love - are definitely being blocked by Jenova who doesn't want to lose her puppet, especially seeing his importance re: Sephiroth. Clearly Jenova is disconnecting him from feelings that are deep and raw, maybe in the fear they'd lose him too early.
