SPOILERS LTD Remake — It's like New Coke except ... no, it's exactly like New Coke

[loozzer]

I agree to an extent but I think you’re underestimating Aerith’s popularity.

I actually think this is more of a case of “well, Aerith has Zack” so we can still give her a “happy” ending. And since we can do that, we can focus on Cloud and Tifa.

I definitely know aerith is also loved. I guess I mean tifa has become much more popular as a love interest compared to aerith.

 

[GamerSkull]

I definitely know aerith is also loved. I guess I mean tifa has become much more popular as a love interest compared to aerith.

Yeah, and I think one of the reasons for that is Zerith has increased in popularity.

 

[Axiom]

Tifa won.

Even if Cloud loves both girls, Tifa wins for obvious reasons. At the end of Advent Children, Cloud realizes his promise land is with Tifa, Denzel and Marlene. He spends the rest of his life with them. The Aerith endgame is only possible if Cloud has absolutely zero interest for Tifa. I can believe Cloud likes Aerith. I dont believe that Cloud likes Aerith to remain a virgin for life living next to Tifa. Tifa, in case anyone hasnt noticed, looks like Tifa.
Rebirth shows us that not only does Cloud like Tifa, but Cloud's feelings for Tifa are stronger. So the only thing shippers have to bicker about anymore is whether or not Cloud also likes Aerith. Which again, ultimately changes nothing.

Y'all wanna know why the LTD went on for so long? And why remake is only now making things so obvious? Because the graphics sucks back in the day. It woulda been awkward af to animate blockheads making out, so almost everything was toned down and/or implied during the highwind scene. Now that we can get these characters in 4k 30fps, there's no way Square Enix isnt milking the highwind scene for all it's worth. Which means they gotta set itnup in the previous games so Cloud and Tifa get progressively more intimate. So they dont just confess, and immediately start having sez in the last game.

 

[GamerSkull]

Tifa won.

Even if Cloud loves both girls, Tifa wins for obvious reasons. At the end of Advent Children, Cloud realizes his promise land is with Tifa, Denzel and Marlene. He spends the rest of his life with them. The Aerith endgame is only possible if Cloud has absolutely zero interest for Tifa. I can believe Cloud likes Aerith. I dont believe that Cloud likes Aerith to remain a virgin for life living next to Tifa. Tifa, in case anyone hasnt noticed, looks like Tifa.
Rebirth shows us that not only does Cloud like Tifa, but Cloud's feelings for Tifa are stronger. So the only thing shippers have to bicker about anymore is whether or not Cloud also likes Aerith. Which again, ultimately changes nothing.

Y'all wanna know why the LTD went on for so long? And why remake is only now making things so obvious? Because the graphics sucks back in the day. It woulda been awkward af to animate blockheads making out, so almost everything was toned down and/or implied during the highwind scene. Now that we can get these characters in 4k 30fps, there's no way Square Enix isnt milking the highwind scene for all it's worth. Which means they gotta set itnup in the previous games so Cloud and Tifa get progressively more intimate. So they dont just confess, and immediately start having sez in the last game.

But you don’t understand, all that happens during the Highwind scene is that Tifa rests her head on Cloud’s shoulder. /s

 

[Ryushikaze]

I fail to see the difference, really, between Aerith stepping back and Aerith not being alive anymore. In either case, Aerith isn't in the picture. Perhaps you might argue that one is willing and the other less so, but the end result is the same.

The difference is that if Aerith lived and Cloud picked Tifa, there wouldn't be a horde of shippers claiming he only did so because he had no choice. I agree, the outcome is the same IN NARRATIVE, it's outside the narrative I'm discussing.

Anyway, my main point was that no matter how compelling and obvious the case for Cloud x Tifa, there will always be some who simply don't want to believe and find ways to ignore it. Indeed, one of my favourite articles on this site back in the day was your own, now 14 years old, declaring the LTD officially over. How little we knew

I've said it many times, the LT is solved, it's the debate that continues despite that.

Which novel? Someone else brought it up. I asked the title, and got no answer

The FF15 Novel is called Dawn of the Future and includes what was meant to be in the game as various DLCs including a "true ending" where Noct, Luna and Ardyn join forces to fight Bahamut for rigging the game from the start.

 

[GamerSkull]

See, I don’t think it would make much difference. I think the LTD would basically be the same had Aerith survived. Possibly worse because people could just head canon that he left Tifa for her post-AC.

 

[Maidenofwar]

Aerith is a virgin for life though, and remains so those lips untouched

 

[GamerSkull]

Aerith is a virgin for life though, and remains so those lips untouched

I’m sure Zack will fix that.

 

[Stiggie]

See, I don’t think it would make much difference. I think the LTD would basically be the same had Aerith survived. Possibly worse because people could just head canon that he left Tifa for her post-AC.

If that were the case we'd see more shipping wars as vitriolic as this one, but they all died down once a girl was picked. Hinata vs sakura, orihime vs rukia, rem vs Emilia, the list goes on. Sure, people still prefer whichever girl or story they prefer, but no one is arguing canonicity

 

[GamerSkull]

If that were the case we'd see more shipping wars as vitriolic as this one, but they all died down once a girl was picked. Hinata vs sakura, orihime vs rukia, rem vs Emilia, the list goes on. Sure, people still prefer whichever girl or story they prefer, but no one is arguing canonicity

Hmm… that’s a good point. Although I do remember how bad those got lol

I still fail to see the difference though since Tifa was picked and Aerith is simply dead. Any sort of reunion in the Lifestream would not be a conscious one.

 

[starcape91]

For the mental health of all, it needs to be resolved with 100% clarity so that those who struggle with media literacy can grieve and let go.

Edit: if this sounds like an insult it’s seriously not meant to be. Stringing people along is not fun for anyone.

 

[billy22]

Re: the traces/Tifa's past love stuff, most posters have already answered this nicely. How Tifa really felt about Cloud when she was 12 has no bearing on what her or his feelings are when the game starts or ends. It doesn't matter.

For the mental health of all, it needs to be resolved with 100% clarity so that those who struggle with media literacy can grieve and let go.

It was resolved 15 years ago.

...oh you mean this "debate" thingy we still do. No, this is purely for our own entertainment. And because we're all masochists.

 

[Ryeleigh]

Nal, according to many Cloud treats Aerith like trash on all their dates, and the NPCs all treat Aerith like trash too, so why would I want to see that?

I know this is from, like, pages ago but I just wanted to say that I honestly doubt Cloud will treat Aerith like trash. C'mon, even if Cloud never had romantic feelings for her (because, you know, they're both kinda irrevocably in love with other characters), they're still friends. Nakama. He's the symbol of all she holds dear and she's one of the things he cherishes.

Just because there isn't a romance there, it doesn't mean it wasn't important? I honestly don't understand why people keep downplaying their friendship for romance? (And that goes to both sides of the ship war, I think.)

Edit: Wanted to add that I certainly want to see Zack and Aerith kiss too, lol. They deserve it.

 

[Nal]

Nal, according to many Cloud treats Aerith like trash on all their dates, and the NPCs all treat Aerith like trash too, so why would I want to see that?

Spoiler

He doesnt treat her like trash at all and the npcs in the game don't treat Aerith badly at all. The thing people are referring too isn't really npcs in a sense. The brutal thing people talk about isn't something from cloud its what aerith wants from cloud which he isn't

 

[Nal]

Spoiler

He doesnt treat her like trash at all and the npcs in the game don't treat Aerith badly at all. The thing people are referring too isn't really npcs in a sense. The brutal thing people talk about isn't something from cloud its what aerith wants from cloud which he isn't

Spoiler

Cloud is very nice to Aerith throughout the game with optional stuff to make him act even nicer but Aerith is confused about her feelings, if they are even real. Cloud just gets annoyed with her sometimes at certain scenes when he thinks shes acting strange

 

[Maidenofwar]

Alright, thank yous

Edit: Thank you both so much, that sounds great, honestly was just feeling kind of emotional today with life in general, and that just brightened my day.

 

[LNK]

The FF15 Novel is called Dawn of the Future and includes what was meant to be in the game as various DLCs including a "true ending" where Noct, Luna and Ardyn join forces to fight Bahamut for rigging the game from the start.

Oh, I have that. I thought you were talking about an ff7 novel

 

[faefolk]

Guys the

Spoiler

GONGAGA

scene has dropped in the new trailer?

Don't know if you can post it tho

Where is a new trailer?? :o

 

[LNK]

For the mental health of all, it needs to be resolved with 100% clarity so that those who struggle with media literacy can grieve and let go.

That's on those that struggle with these kind of scenarios though. Those that create the art shouldn't change things because some people lack the ability to cope with things.

Those people have bigger things to work on outside media literacy.

 

[null]

Where is a new trailer?? :o

This maybe?

Spoiler: Rebirth (Tifa scenes/commercial)

Not a straight up trailer though

 

[Legend45]

This maybe?

Spoiler: Rebirth (Tifa scenes/commercial)

Not a straight up trailer though

Yeah that's what I meant I should have worded it better

 

[Ryushikaze]

Oh, I have that. I thought you were talking about an ff7 novel

No, you brought up liking 15 and I was curious what you thought of the novel and its expanded/ altered version of the ending.

 

[faefolk]

This maybe?

Spoiler: Rebirth (Tifa scenes/commercial)

Not a straight up trailer though

Thanks! That's a cool compilation of scenes

 

[LNK]

No, you brought up liking 15 and I was curious what you thought of the novel and its expanded/ altered version of the ending.

Ohhhhh, jeezus lol. I definitely still like 15 even with the books release. They never said it was meant to override the games ending, so I like the idea of it. The games ending is definitely my favorite in the series. I love how even through all the death/loss throughout, Noctis still sacrifices himself cause he believes its the right thing to do. It was very powerful

 

[shady]

The difference is that if Aerith lived and Cloud picked Tifa, there wouldn't be a horde of shippers claiming he only did so because he had no choice. I agree, the outcome is the same IN NARRATIVE, it's outside the narrative I'm discussing.


I've said it many times, the LT is solved, it's the debate that continues despite that.


The FF15 Novel is called Dawn of the Future and includes what was meant to be in the game as various DLCs including a "true ending" where Noct, Luna and Ardyn join forces to fight Bahamut for rigging the game from the start.

See, I don’t think it would make much difference. I think the LTD would basically be the same had Aerith survived. Possibly worse because people could just head canon that he left Tifa for her post-AC.

In this game Cloud does a lot of things with Tifa that would heavily suggest he likes/loves her in a romantic sense regardless of Aerith being alive. The narrative of "Tifa is just second choice because Aerith isn't around" is out of the window now.