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

[lyingbanana]

I always thought Cloud was aware of her feelings but didn't think her flirtation was serious and didn't want to hurt Aerith's feelings in the church (albeit, calling her weird may have already hurt her feelings, but that is perfectly in line with socially awkward Cloud).

If I understand what you are saying is that Cloud is aware of Aerith's feelings for him but doesnt think she's serious and even at times flirts back. So when she confesses at the church he doesnt want to hurt her feelings? Because this opens some perhaps unintended questions about Cloud's character.

I agree it can be read as not extrictly platonic but whenever CA are written in a more serious manner they have been very careful to stop them short.

I think how @Heartstation put it is the most beautiful way I have seen CA described. (And the whole concept of memories)

 

[frosty]

I always thought Cloud was aware of her feelings but didn't think her flirtation was serious and didn't want to hurt Aerith's feelings in the church (albeit, calling her weird may have already hurt her feelings, but that is perfectly in line with socially awkward Cloud).

I always thought that

• The scene where if you get Aerith's date the first time in the Gold Saucer was to solidify Cloud's character as being pretty innocently oblivious to even aggressive flirtations with a tendency to dismiss it as friendship and Aerith getting huffy about it, I took it as her being, I'VE BEEN SHOWING YOU ALL THE SAME SIGNS YOU DUMBASSS"
• The scene in Nibelhiem where he was like "he was head over heels for Aerith" re. Zack, feels they should tell her about his "death" is being concerned about Aerith, and he wants to do the "right" thing and clearly not interested at pursing anything romantic at this point
• Tifa's date being - "She must still have feelings for Zack"

It all implies he was taken by surprise at the dream date, thinking she was still hung up on Zack - I felt the devs were going with his expression of more "oh damn, I didn't think of that" at her confession, than "whoops, I guess I led her on"

To think that he was completely aware of her interest in him, flirted back knowing of her interest, then backed out upon her confession seems...a little too mean spirited to me

 

[Ryushikaze]

Kind of like that trope "It's obvious if you're looking for it [it being romantic feelings]"?

A bit yeah. He just wasn't looking, because his eyes were already elsewhere

I always thought Cloud was aware of her feelings but didn't think her flirtation was serious and didn't want to hurt Aerith's feelings in the church (albeit, calling her weird may have already hurt her feelings, but that is perfectly in line with socially awkward Cloud).

I always find it odd how shippers create this platonic/romantic binary and act like any fictional relationship has to be completely one or the other and these are the only options.

I can't really see the CA relationship as it's presented as strictly platonic. If we agree that the way Aerith acts toward Cloud is flirtatious, and that Cloud flirts back to an extent, then I don't think we can call it platonic. I would call it ambiguously romantic. It can be seen as romantic if you want to.

As opposed to the moments with Tifa where there is a clear physical attraction between them. There are moments when Cloud is obviously trying to flirt with her and no matter how awkward it is, she ends up liking it. I would say the CT relationship is more supported by the evidence, that is, if we had to choose one exclusive love interest for the character and had to pit Aerith against Tifa. To say nothing of the CT backstory and NIbelheim etc.

In both cases what's holding the relationship back is Cloud's amnesia and identity crisis.

I don't think he's trying to flirt with her so much as he's trying to be cool and joke with her, and it can come across as flirting, partly because he has been called oblivious to her intentions and he does get uncomfortable when she calls things dates.

I always thought that

• The scene where if you get Aerith's date the first time in the Gold Saucer was to solidify Cloud's character as being pretty innocently oblivious to even aggressive flirtations with a tendency to dismiss it as friendship and Aerith getting huffy about it, I took it as her being, I'VE BEEN SHOWING YOU ALL THE SAME SIGNS YOU DUMBASSS"
• The scene in Nibelhiem where he was like "he was head over heels for Aerith" re. Zack, feels they should tell her about his "death" is being concerned about Aerith, and he wants to do the "right" thing and clearly not interested at pursing anything romantic at this point
• Tifa's date being - "She must still have feelings for Zack"

It all implies he was taken by surprise at the dream date, thinking she was still hung up on Zack - I felt the devs were going with his expression of more "oh damn, I didn't think of that" at her confession, than "whoops, I guess I led her on"

To think that he was completely aware of her interest in him, flirted back knowing of her interest, then backed out upon her confession seems...a little too mean spirited to me

Honestly, I'm not even sure he realizes in during the Dream sequence either. Aerith comes to a realization though, and it's not one she's particularly happy about.

 

[Reaper3Delta]

IMHO Cloud is not as oblivious in regards to the girls as people paint him to be. He acts if he is BOTH interested or not interested and takes action accordingly too. Examples:
A)Jessie he tells her "are you that desperate"
B)Aerith he tells her "not to call everything a date", "another cheap date" "You are acting weird" a lots more.
C)Tifa when they are in the Skywheel Gondola "Again", "Not one Bit" and more.
He might not have experience with ladies but he is not dumb neither, He catches on what they are telling him, He knows what they mean clearly. If you do not believe me, just watch his facial expressions/ body language. He acts just like Tifa; if interested he acts, and if not he deflects not to hurt feelings. ReTrilogy Cloud is not the same as OG Cloud who expressed himself with [. . .] when questioned.

 

[Skilganon]

It's not Cloud's fault if he's not interested, lol. Unless you meant "if they were mutually romantically interested, it wouldn't work because of Cloud"?

I could have worded that better. What I meant to say was something like: Aerith's death is a great tragedy, but another tragedy is how oblivious Cloud acts when she's trying to discuss deep topics like his identity and her earlier relationship. It's not until after her death that she figures it out, if ever.

 

[Reaper3Delta]

I could have worded that better. What I meant to say was something like: Aerith's death is a great tragedy, but another tragedy is how oblivious Cloud acts when she's trying to discuss deep topics like his identity and her earlier relationship. It's not until after her death that she figures it out, if ever.

That's the thing with the plot of FF7, Of course he is going to be oblivious but is not intentional from his part. The problem with Cloud is so deep within his subconscious that no-one , not even Cloud himself knows what's really going on, up until he lets Tifa get inside and helps him solve the puzzle of his mind.