Maybe it’s just me but I assumed Cloud brought up ZA in the CT GS date because in his head ZA share mutual feelings. It fitted the romantic atmosphere, that’s why he considers it a touchy subject because it’s the romantic situation of his and Tifa’s mutual friend, its a touchy subject to Aerti because it alludes to his identity crisis, but for Cloud the topic of ZA is about
feelings of mutual love with no closure as of yet (which was relevant to CT’s current situation), and when he said “Aerith must still have feelings for Zack” it’s because
Cloud still has feelings for Tifa and wanted to tread on the topic of people
still having feelings for someone they knew for a long time. (I thought this was his way of gauging Tifa’s thoughts on the topic of first love; since iirc he overheard them talking about it back in Junon too, right?)
Also I love Zerith, it’s my otp, but in my opinion the biggest reason why Aerith can’t exactly move on from Zack is because Cloud has a persona based on Zack traits. Zack has been gone for 5 years, and after Aerith wrote him the 89th letter, to me that was already a sign of willing to let go of her unresolved feelings for him. So why couldn’t she let go? Because Cloud is the trigger. Because ever since she met Cloud, whenever she looks at him, she admittedly sees
Zack. And this wouldn’t happen if Aerith became interested in any other person— just with Cloud. She would’ve moved on normally, but Cloud appeared. That’s why her feelings are complicated because she knows it’s been 5 years but Cloud’s presence reignites her feelings; Cloud makes her feel how much she truly loved Zack, his presence by itself makes her miss Zack to the point of subconsciously recreating
their memories together — but with Cloud instead.
She must be so conflicted and bothered, I imagine in her perspective it’s like “finally after 5 long years of pain and no response from that other guy here’s another chance at falling in love— but wait why is he so suspiciously similar with the first one?” And she likes Cloud, I’m of the opinion that she truly wanted to get to know him in a romantic way (that she was attracted to Cloud beyond seeing Zack in him) but I can admit the depth of those feelings for Cloud are arguably not as deep as those she felt for Zack. And her liking Cloud now does not do her any favors in regard to moving on from Zack because liking Cloud means liking the Zack parts that he’s currently emulating, which just reinforces her already established love— for Zack. And inevitably she doesn’t get to know the side of Cloud who’s the truest form of himself, and that’s part of her tragedy. But because Cloud is emulating Zack, Aerith must think does she
like like Cloud— or only because of the Zack parts? For the players some have already decided on an answer, but it’s still currently muddled for Aerith.
It’s not as black and white as “oh she can’t love another man because she’s still in love with Zack”. Zack has been GONE and she understands that. Aerith is still alive and whether or not she knows Zack died, she was still left hanging, her love unrequited for YEARS. She
wants to move on clearly proven by her actions but can’t have closure because Cloud’s memories are a mess + Cloud himself is a walking symbol of Zack. Cloud doesn’t get why Aerith’s feelings are complicated because he isn’t self-aware of his Soldier!persona. If Aerith were to open up to Tifa it would be something similar to “I thought I was over him (Zack), but Cloud acting like that makes me confused.” That’s how Tifa would understand that Aerith’s feelings are complicated.
for me, Cloud’s Soldier!persona can be divided into 3 parts,
- his ideal version of himself who made it into Soldier,
- the Zack parts,
- and the Sephiroth parts(the cruel and violent part, the version of him who Sephiroth constantly manipulates).
The Sephiroth parts are what both Tifa and Aerith are trying to suppress. The “ideal version of himself” is the one Aerith is crushing on (regardless of the fact that Cloud as a whole favors Tifa over any other girl) ALONG with the Zack parts.
Yes this might be irrelevant on a larger view of the LTD, because most discussions center on
who Cloud loves but it matters for Aerith’s character, because we can recognize and acknowledge her effort in wanting to get closure and wanting to moving on, she doesn’t
have to think of Zack whenever she hangs out with Cloud, (but she can’t help it
because of Cloud himself, and that’s the point) and she’s definitely not obligated to. To me it’s just inaccurate to say “oh she’s still so hung up on Zack” yes she struggles when dealing with grief but she’s also an optimistic character who lives for tomorrow; she knows it’s not healthy to still be fully in love with a person who’s been gone for 5 years. That’s why she’s sensitive when Cloud asks her if she still likes Zack in Gongaga, (those unanswered feelings for Zack are deeply personal to her) and that’s why she’s not sure in her wording when she answers him; because she’s not exactly proud of having feelings reminiscent of the past, reminiscent of the suffering she endured when she was missing Zack, which is natural.
But she knows (or realizes) that it’s also not healthy to completely love a person who will always inevitably remind you of that tragic love from long ago, the same one you want to move on from (especially if you have no knowledge of the real identity of this new person, no knowledge of the person she’s trying so hard to find). And what’s even the point of being fully committed to a new guy if the feelings you feel for him aren’t as deep as the one before? But to Aerith, what matters is that she
tried loving this new guy, she gave him a chance because that’s what life is all about, she got to spend time with Cloud, go on “dates”with him and that’s enough. It’s a testament to her worldview— she wants to live normally; fall in love normally. But even when her freedom is constricted, even if she can’t have everything she wants, she makes do of what she has, makes do of what short time they have together and makes precious memories out of it, which she treasures regardless.
If you compare CA and ZA, Tifa’s existence as the woman revealed to be the one Cloud loves all this time, along with Cloud’s identity crisis are both the biggest hurdles of that ship coming to fruition, whereas for ZA the only thing that ever came between them was physical separation (and this is made clearer in Rebirth) and that’s why when ZA reunite, it’s going to be fulfilling on both ends.
(Sorry for the long rant, just needed to let it out)
