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

[pxl_pushr]

View attachment 17003
?????????????????????? im sorry we are talking about Remake here right?
theres white doves that fly out of that sector XDView attachment 17004

Even if that’s the case, Aerith is inherently insulated from it because the Turks act as her security detail. Far enough away to be ignored, but close enough to swat danger away from her.

I think she even refers to it as a cage herself, just big enough she can ignore it if she tries, but it is still there.

 

[Yoru]

View attachment 17003
?????????????????????? im sorry we are talking about Remake here right?
theres white doves that fly out of that sector XDView attachment 17004

Bruh.... it's the elite's ultimate way of thinking and acting to keep accumulating money while the world is dying.

Make the poor fight each other.

ALL THE SLUMS ARE SHIT. That's the whole point ffs. What are these people seriously...

 

[Sacky]

They really just tried saying her house isn't a mansion because it's not as big as Tifa and Clouds childhood home I'm sorry but compared to the tiny container it's a mansion with a damm waterfall and massive private garden like wtf

 

[abzy1200]

And her willingness to believe literally anything that sounded pro-Clerith, even if it was a complete and utter pile of bullshit. She believed the wacdonald's interview and "Koibito means one who loves when you write it in Kanji" which we've come to know as the undying Koi Bito argument.

I've heard that Anastar was like 80 years old, there's no way that's true, right? Surely.

It's actually fascinating how many words turn out to mean lover but only when in reference to Aerith.

Queue the "family of friends" line.

 

[Sacky]

they said i should read the ultimania in which is describes sector 5 being more dangerous than sectror 7 because they don't have a neighbour hood watch? i looked at the ultimania and it said nothing like that it did say that for sector 6 though xd

also her house description - "A stand-alone house where Aerith and Elmyra live together. It's an Oasis of beauty in the wasteland of the slums- a curious place where nature still thrives, and where Aerith's lovingly raised flowers bloom in abundance among the gardens flower beds.

 

[Eerie]

I know what they are referring to, it's a description of the sector 5 slums that basically says it's more run down than the sector 7 slums (which is a "good" slums in the way to become a better neighbourhood. But damn if I can find the quote though, trying to get it... it has nothing to do with crime of course :')

 

[nars305]

Don’t the trials basically show that each character has a painful past lol? What is the point of comparing…They all have pretty sad things happen to them.

 

[abzy1200]

Don’t the trials basically show that each character has a painful past lol? What is the point of comparing…They all have pretty sad things happen to them.

Yeah, trying to gauge who had it worst is just completely missing the point.

 

[pxl_pushr]

I know what they are referring to, it's a description of the sector 5 slums that basically says it's more run down than the sector 7 slums (which is a "good" slums in the way to become a better neighbourhood. But damn if I can find the quote though, trying to get it... it has nothing to do with crime of course :')

Not sure where the quote is either, but I understood it that Avalanche basically improved the sector in a roundabout way between Jessie inventing the filters, Tifa’s positive influence, Barret being Barret, Biggs and Wedge supporting the town watch etc. they basically got the slum to band together somewhat vs the other sectors that have a more organized crime presence.

 

[Stiggie]

Honestly I thought Aerith had one of the happier pasts of the MC's XD

From worst to best:
1: Cloud: felt estranged and unhappy childhood filled with guilt and self-blame, failed his lifes ambition and took it BADLY, then saw his hero kill his mother, burn down his town, and (as far as he knows) kill the girl he loves. Then he's experimented on for years and then sees his best friend die because of him.

2: Tifa: Happy childhood, but that also makes it extra painful when its taken away. Murdered father, everyone she loved killed, forced to survive by herself while still very young in an unknown city filled with the criminal element.

3: Barret: Self guilt about being the reason his town was destroyed, lost his wife, lost his best friend, was mutilated and homeless.

4: RedXIII: Grew up without parents and hating his father. Was experimented on as a lab specimen.

5: Yuffie: Grew up during war and saw her country get destroyed and many people die.

6: Vincent: Lost the woman he loved and was HEAVILY experimented on.

7: Aerith: Grew up sheltered during years where she wouldn't quite be aware and self-sufficient enough to emotionally require great degrees of freedom, mother is who took the brunt of the negative consequences while she made the best of it with wall drawings etc. Then lost her mother while still relatively young and adaptable, gained a second mother and grew up in a paradise where everyone loves her with bodyguards. I am sure there was a shadow over all this but I'd choose this over all those the other backstories.

8: Cid: his childhood dream kinda got shafted when he was an adult, this one is definitely the best.

9: Cait sith: Forgot this one, rich dude, even better I guess.

I take age into consideration. I think at young ages you are very adaptable and some things wouldn't hit quite as hard, and I think the same thing applies to fully grown adults. Exactly WHAT hits harder and softer also changes with age I think.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

It's actually fascinating how many words turn out to mean lover but only when in reference to Aerith.

Fascinating in the same way as a biologist studying scat to inform themselves on unusual animal diets. It's genuinely fascinating, but still requires digging through miles of shit.

I think he's just as suck of fandom bullshit as a lot of us are, really.

Good, he already wrote this shit once, now he can write into a hammer to bring down on the fingers of poor dangling off a ledge CAltists.

Yes. Avoid cultish thinking and falling into mental traps.

Failure to heed this advice has some nasty consequences folks. Be wary.

I can't say as I ever had anything quite so bad as that, but in my youth I suffered migraines that often required total darkness to alleviate, and would leave me with my sense of touch so jacked up that just sitting around doing nothing was interminable because everything felt like it was being scoured with a wire brush.

Different sensory scramble from mine, otherwise I know well the feeling you speak of. I partially lose color vision and have my hearing go nuts for the really crippling migraines. So yeah, retroactive sympathy back man.

I suppose I shall take it.

See that you do, a tiny bit of healthy reinforcement to balance the tons of vitriol you've suffered in LTD discussions won't hurt much.

"Excessively bland and inoffensive" was the thought there.

Could work. I imagine them apologizing for how loud their scattergun is even as they pile up corpses.

The Buggy, Tiny Bronco, Part of Gold Saucer, part of the cruise liner, what else would make for a good level? Chocobo race track?

Chocobo Race Track gets my vote.

That's an excellent question. I can't decide if it's funnier if she does or doesn't.

They definitely both have comedic value. Choosing is hard.

True, true.

It's always fun when he tries to do the real human life thing and falls off the wagon into hero stuff same day.

It's the angry nerd from the early issues peeking back out, really.

That angry nerd has never truly left him, even at the best of times. He will forever inform a part of what Peter is and can be... barring editorial going too far the other way I guess.

Honestly, She-Hulk fucking Juggsy is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, even for fuckups involving either Jennifer or Cain. Probably the biggest one involving them both, but I could always be convinced otherwise.

Agreed. Problematic as it truly is, by comparison it's nothing at all.

Zero's the reason we basically only see Fairy in Drakengard.

Mikhail's reaction to Zero solving the dairy problem will never not be gold.

Now you have me remembering typing with ever increasing frustration "Shall I take your continued avoidance of this topic as a concession that you cannot address it?" and similar words.

There were times you ended at least ten posts in a row that way. It rarely got addressed by anyone on the opposing side.

And her willingness to believe literally anything that sounded pro-Clerith, even if it was a complete and utter pile of bullshit.

Even when, for it to be true, it would need to disprove three other "Clerith proofs" at once.

She believed the wacdonald's interview and "Koibito means one who loves when you write it in Kanji" which we've come to know as the undying Koi Bito argument.

Hook, line, sinker. Anastar would swallow the whole tackle box if it was pink.

It's sort of interesting, I've seen it on several occasions, and please believe that this is not an exaggeration, I have seen a Clerith ask for backup because Cloti arguments were making too much sense and they were worried they were being brainwashed.

I believe you, I've witnessed it myself. In person, once, had a coworker in TX call a friend over to reinforce their worldview regarding Clerith.

And for that matter I have literally been accused of brainwashing people by a Clerith.

It's a good feeling. It reminds me of an occasion where Jehovah's Witnesses came a knocking at my house. One thing led to another and suddenly one Witness is all but physically dragging the other back to the car... because a certain Devil had nearly converted them to paganism for shuts and giggles

It'll do her good. She can chat with Veronica about being dead. Difference there is that Veronica's death was undone through time Travel. Aerith wasn't designed by Akira Toriyama though, so she's SOL there.

Never let the CAltists get the Dragon balls.

CC Reunion and Rebirth back to back made them really scared about Zack. Almost like the writing was on the wall regarding his being Aerith's actual love interest.

Can I just get some slum graffiti in sector 5 that says "Aerith + Zack Forever" already? Let the writing be literally on the wall.

They absolutely are trying. Those quotes are devastating to the CA narrative. I mean, plenty of quotes about Tifa are, hence why they all see some mangling from time to time, but those especially.

Unfortunately CT too stronk. It dulls the shredder blades and blows out the fire. No matter how much they're mangled to misinform noobs and neutrals, once you know the real quoted you can only be deceived willingly.

It would hurt to much to admit to being wrong, for their chosen ship to be sunk.

It's like a...

It's an emotional sunk cost fallacy, in a way.

That

 

[pxl_pushr]

Honestly I thought Aerith had one of the happier pasts of the MC's XD

From worst to best:
1: Cloud: felt estranged and unhappy childhood filled with guilt and self-blame, failed his lifes ambition and took it BADLY, then saw his hero kill his mother, burn down his town, and (as far as he knows) kill the girl he loves. Then he's experimented on for years and then sees his best friend die because of him.

2: Tifa: Happy childhood, but that also makes it extra painful when its taken away. Murdered father, everyone she loved killed, forced to survive by herself while still very young in an unknown city filled with the criminal element.

3: Barret: Self guilt about being the reason his town was destroyed, lost his wife, lost his best friend, was mutilated and homeless.

4: RedXIII: Grew up without parents and hating them. Was experimented on as a lab specimen.

5: Yuffie: Grew up during war and saw her country get destroyed and many people die.

6: Vincent: Loved the woman he loved and was HEAVILY experimented on.

7: Aerith: Grew up sheltered during years where she wouldn't quite be aware and self-sufficient enough to emotionally require great degrees of freedom, mother is who took the brunt of the negative consequences while she made the best of it with wall drawings etc. Then lost her mother while still relatively young and adaptable, gained a second mother and grew up in a paradise where everyone loves her with bodyguards. I am sure there was a shadow over all this but I'd choose this over all those the other backstories.

8: Cid: his childhood dream kinda got shafted when he was an adult, this one is definitely the best.

9: Cait sith: Forgot this one, rich dude, even better I guess.

I take age into consideration. I think at young ages you are very adaptable and some things wouldn't hit quite as hard, and I think the same thing applies to fully grown adults. Exactly WHAT hits harder and softer also changes with age I think.

Ehh I still maintain that comparing hardships is a dead end street. Aerith may never know what it’s like to have her hometown violently burned down, but Cloud and Tifa will never know what it’s like to be the last of what may as well be an alien species.

I hope they’re doing for Cid what I think they’re doing, because if so I think some criticism about his changes will need to be walked back a bit.

 

[Ryeleigh]

I've been rewatching Welonz's let's play of Remake and I find it interesting how the English translation does muddy the waters even for someone who knows Japanese or at least kanji. For example, Welonz said herself that the Japanese for the reunion flower doesn't have the word "lovers" but after Cloud gets future memories of Aerith's altar scene, she still speculated if they were lovers and Cloud just doesn't remember it. And I thought that was so interesting.

She also said Aerith in Chapter 8 doesn't seem romantically interested in Cloud which was also interesting. What I also found curious is that Cloud is nice to Aerith, he takes his bodyguard job seriously, even with his battle lines like "I'll handle this" and "I'll protect you" to which Aerith replies "You mean, we'll handle this" and "I can protect myself, you know", but on the other hand, he's grumpy and sighs a lot and then he has bratty kid lines like "Quit acting like you know me", lol. But in light of Rebirth I wonder if Cloud subconsciously remembered Aerith's name and Zack's incessant gushing about her, lol?

What also piqued my interest is when Aerith asks Cloud "So, Cloud... you don't know the slums that well, do you?" which could be just an innocent getting-to-know-each-other line (if a bit curious after asking if Cloud knows his way back to Sector 7 slums), or a hint at Aerith's future memories, but I wondered if Aerith was already trying to work out the differences between Zack and Cloud?

And this one's silly but there was a real contention about it in certain fandom spaces: the homemade buster swords that the Leaf House kids have. CAs were absolutely adamant that the kids made those because of Cloud which... doesn't really make sense that they would whip out homemade buster swords for patrol five minutes after Cloud saved a few of them in the hideout. I mean, Cloud saves a few of them in the hideout, they get back to the Leaf House, Ms Folia laments that five kids are still on patrol, and gives the homemade buster swords as an identification marker. So those swords are definitely a Zack reference, right?

Another thing I noticed is that Chapter 8 feels very Zack. I mean, just the way Cloud moves in the Sector 8 terrain like monkey-barring across roofs which feels very Zack-like. It could be just my imagination, though. And this isn't me trying to "take away" from CA or anything, I'm just voicing my thoughts which might be wrong, lol.

 

[Yoru]

She also said Aerith in Chapter 8 doesn't seem romantically interested in Cloud which was also interesting. What I also found curious is that Cloud is nice to Aerith, he takes his bodyguard job seriously, even with his battle lines like "I'll handle this" and "I'll protect you" to which Aerith replies "You mean, we'll handle this" and "I can protect myself, you know", but on the other hand, he's grumpy and sighs a lot and then he has bratty kid lines like "Quit acting like you know me", lol. But in light of Rebirth I wonder if Cloud subconsciously remembered Aerith's name and Zack's incessant gushing about her, lol?

What also piqued my interest is when Aerith asks Cloud "So, Cloud... you don't know the slums that well, do you?" which could be just an innocent getting-to-know-each-other line (if a bit curious after asking if Cloud knows his way back to Sector 7 slums), or a hint at Aerith's future memories, but I wondered if Aerith was already trying to work out the differences between Zack and Cloud?

And this one's silly but there was a real contention about it in certain fandom spaces: the homemade buster swords that the Leaf House kids have. CAs were absolutely adamant that the kids made those because of Cloud which... doesn't really make sense that they would whip out homemade buster swords for patrol five minutes after Cloud saved a few of them in the hideout. I mean, Cloud saves a few of them in the hideout, they get back to the Leaf House, Ms Folia laments that five kids are still on patrol, and gives the homemade buster swords as an identification marker. So those swords are definitely a Zack reference, right?

Another thing I noticed is that Chapter 8 feels very Zack. I mean, just the way Cloud moves in the Sector 8 terrain like monkey-barring across roofs which feels very Zack-like. It could be just my imagination, though. And this isn't me trying to "take away" from CA or anything, I'm just voicing my thoughts which might be wrong, lol.

The first time I played the game I thought they were clues to the fact that Aerith knows about the future and so on. But replaying it, and even more so now with Rebirth, I think from the moment he fell through the church roof she went into Zack investigation mode.

The boundary between Zack and Cloud is so complex that I think it can be interpreted any way you want. For example, when she says that it's a special day and that Cloud doesn't understand, she could very well be talking about this virtual meeting with Zack, that Cloud allowed her to relive her first meeting with Zack... just as she could be talking with knowledge of the future and that she's happy to have seen Cloud again.

Personally, I think they're trying to play with us, and that she doesn't know as much as we think and that it's really Zack's shadow that hangs over all their discussions.

 

[Sacky]

I've been rewatching Welonz's let's play of Remake and I find it interesting how the English translation does muddy the waters even for someone who knows Japanese or at least kanji. For example, Welonz said herself that the Japanese for the reunion flower doesn't have the word "lovers" but after Cloud gets future memories of Aerith's altar scene, she still speculated if they were lovers and Cloud just doesn't remember it. And I thought that was so interesting.

She also said Aerith in Chapter 8 doesn't seem romantically interested in Cloud which was also interesting. What I also found curious is that Cloud is nice to Aerith, he takes his bodyguard job seriously, even with his battle lines like "I'll handle this" and "I'll protect you" to which Aerith replies "You mean, we'll handle this" and "I can protect myself, you know", but on the other hand, he's grumpy and sighs a lot and then he has bratty kid lines like "Quit acting like you know me", lol. But in light of Rebirth I wonder if Cloud subconsciously remembered Aerith's name and Zack's incessant gushing about her, lol?

What also piqued my interest is when Aerith asks Cloud "So, Cloud... you don't know the slums that well, do you?" which could be just an innocent getting-to-know-each-other line (if a bit curious after asking if Cloud knows his way back to Sector 7 slums), or a hint at Aerith's future memories, but I wondered if Aerith was already trying to work out the differences between Zack and Cloud?

And this one's silly but there was a real contention about it in certain fandom spaces: the homemade buster swords that the Leaf House kids have. CAs were absolutely adamant that the kids made those because of Cloud which... doesn't really make sense that they would whip out homemade buster swords for patrol five minutes after Cloud saved a few of them in the hideout. I mean, Cloud saves a few of them in the hideout, they get back to the Leaf House, Ms Folia laments that five kids are still on patrol, and gives the homemade buster swords as an identification marker. So those swords are definitely a Zack reference, right?

Another thing I noticed is that Chapter 8 feels very Zack. I mean, just the way Cloud moves in the Sector 8 terrain like monkey-barring across roofs which feels very Zack-like. It could be just my imagination, though. And this isn't me trying to "take away" from CA or anything, I'm just voicing my thoughts which might be wrong, lol.

the problem is people get mad when you compare Cloud to Zack but the whole game and the whole story is doing that XD like that's just what we are being told maybe somethings we think are wrong. Though i gotta say the end of rebirth is very interesting with Why Cloud randomly does the protect your honour as SOLDIER at the same time and synergies with Zack they might actually be making more of a connection than people realise.

 

[Eerie]

I still think Aerith is an empath who had knowledge of the future through her dead self (who sent her limited knowledge of what was going to happen, in order to be better prepared to fight Sephiroth).

And Jenova imprinted Zack's memories onto Cloud right after Zack died (it took a while).

 

[Yoru]

the problem is people get mad when you compare Cloud to Zack but the whole game and the whole story is doing that XD like that's just what we are being told maybe somethings we think are wrong. Though i gotta say the end of rebirth is very interesting with Why Cloud randomly does the protect your honour as SOLDIER at the same time and synergies with Zack they might actually be making more of a connection than people realise.

She admitted it herself during her GS date....

Like... bruh. That's not an interpretation. That's the story of the game. She just looked at him looking for Zack... and that's unfair... so she apologized... and now she wants to see him for what he is. Cloud Strife.

And she dies the day after... before she even had a chance to do so. This is the tragedy of Cloud and Aerith's relationship...

 

[Sacky]

She admitted it herself during her GS date....

Like... bruh. That's not an interpretation. That's the story of the game. She just looked at him looking for Zack... and that's unfair... so she apologized... and now she wants to see him for what he is. Cloud Strife.

And she dies the day after... before she even had a chance to do so. This is the tragedy of Cloud and Aerith's relationship...

people have wildly misunderstood that scene as her getting over that quickly after meeting Cloud despite the fact she still looks him dead in the eyes and says "everytime i looked at you i saw him"

 

[abzy1200]

Anybody who claims that Aerith isn't chasing a shadow of Zack up until her very final hours are missing something crucial:

Aerith and Tifa's situations are meant to be a parallel, they are both looking for the man they love in somebody who is both neither Cloud or Zack but also a mix of them at the same time.

Aerith sees or saw Zack in Cloud, she says as much.

Tifa catches glimpses of the actual Cloud, this is why she continues to have faith in him.

 

[Sacky]

damm they really don't like us here huh XD

 

[imach0c0]

I've been rewatching Welonz's let's play of Remake and I find it interesting how the English translation does muddy the waters even for someone who knows Japanese or at least kanji. For example, Welonz said herself that the Japanese for the reunion flower doesn't have the word "lovers" but after Cloud gets future memories of Aerith's altar scene, she still speculated if they were lovers and Cloud just doesn't remember it. And I thought that was so interesting.

She also said Aerith in Chapter 8 doesn't seem romantically interested in Cloud which was also interesting. What I also found curious is that Cloud is nice to Aerith, he takes his bodyguard job seriously, even with his battle lines like "I'll handle this" and "I'll protect you" to which Aerith replies "You mean, we'll handle this" and "I can protect myself, you know", but on the other hand, he's grumpy and sighs a lot and then he has bratty kid lines like "Quit acting like you know me", lol. But in light of Rebirth I wonder if Cloud subconsciously remembered Aerith's name and Zack's incessant gushing about her, lol?

What also piqued my interest is when Aerith asks Cloud "So, Cloud... you don't know the slums that well, do you?" which could be just an innocent getting-to-know-each-other line (if a bit curious after asking if Cloud knows his way back to Sector 7 slums), or a hint at Aerith's future memories, but I wondered if Aerith was already trying to work out the differences between Zack and Cloud?

And this one's silly but there was a real contention about it in certain fandom spaces: the homemade buster swords that the Leaf House kids have. CAs were absolutely adamant that the kids made those because of Cloud which... doesn't really make sense that they would whip out homemade buster swords for patrol five minutes after Cloud saved a few of them in the hideout. I mean, Cloud saves a few of them in the hideout, they get back to the Leaf House, Ms Folia laments that five kids are still on patrol, and gives the homemade buster swords as an identification marker. So those swords are definitely a Zack reference, right?

Another thing I noticed is that Chapter 8 feels very Zack. I mean, just the way Cloud moves in the Sector 8 terrain like monkey-barring across roofs which feels very Zack-like. It could be just my imagination, though. And this isn't me trying to "take away" from CA or anything, I'm just voicing my thoughts which might be wrong, lol.

In the ultimanias, its mentioned that Aerith's initial interest in Cloud was because of his similarities to Zack. I think the re-trilogy has not only explored that narrative but to show how Zack still resides in Aerith's heart. One of things that indicates this to me is the use of certain dialogue choices and camera shots with Aerith are parallel to those used with Zack. Its apparent in JP because some of the lines (and kanji) are either very similar or are verbatim to the dialogue in CC. I find the nuance in the dialogue gets lost in translation in the ENG localization as it does not transfer over in the same way.

Here are some examples of the parallels:

When Aerith first encounters Cloud at Loveless Street (when Cloud "sees" Sephiroth), she says to Cloud: "Are you ok?" (JP translation)
The way this shot is framed at an angle with a close-up of Aerith's face is VERY similar to the flashback shot in AC of Zack saying: "Are you ok?" to Cloud.

When Aerith gives the Reunion flower to Cloud, she says: "Think of it as a memento of our meeting" (JP rough translation)
In CC, Zack says a similar line to Aerith when he buys her a bow.

In the church, Aerith offers Cloud a "date" to repay him for being her bodyguard. (Note: Aerith mimics Zack's body language)
In CC, Zack offers Aerith a date to repay her for saving him.

When Cloud catches Aerith when she trips on the roof, she says: "How reliable" (JP rough translation)
In CC, Aerith says the same thing verbatim to Zack when he fights off the monsters.

When Aerith sneaks out to meet Cloud in the night, Cloud asks: "What the heck are you doing?" (JP rough translation) and Aerith replies: "Waiting" (JP translation)
In CC, when Zack promised to visit Aerith, she said she'd WAIT for him.

Cloud asks: "Why?" (JP rough translation) Aerith says: "Because I want to spend time with you" (JP rough translation)
In CC, in the church, Zack jokingly says this to Aerith: "You just want to spend time with me." (JP translation). "I want to spend time with you" (JP rough translation) is also one of the 23 wishes Aerith wishes for Zack.

When Aerith is talking to the yellow flowers in her garden, there is a line where she says: "So it was that kind of day" (JP translation)
In the CC limited edition set, one of Aerith's letters to Zack is included. In that letter, one of lines she writes is: "So it was that kind of day"(JP translation)

At the park, Aerith looks leans into Cloud and looks into his eyes and says: "Pretty, your eyes"
Cloud says: "Mako infused eyes, a soldier trademark"
In CC, this line of dialogue (Zack and Aerith) is verbatim and Aerith also leans towards Zack as she looks into his eyes. Its interesting how Aerith seems to relive a memory but in a different context. In CC, it was lighthearted and fun, whereas in Remake its tragic.

I think at this stage in the story, Aerith's interest in Cloud is mainly motivated by the "Zack" she may be seeing in Cloud. Its also creating a setup of the mystery of Zack and his connection to not only Cloud, but to Aerith. Also - I think Aerith continuing to repeat dialogues she shared with Zack holds significance because Aerith and Zack had a history of repeating each other's lines in CC.

 

[imach0c0]

the problem is people get mad when you compare Cloud to Zack but the whole game and the whole story is doing that XD like that's just what we are being told maybe somethings we think are wrong. Though i gotta say the end of rebirth is very interesting with Why Cloud randomly does the protect your honour as SOLDIER at the same time and synergies with Zack they might actually be making more of a connection than people realise.

I haven't looked into it to deeply but at first glance, its interesting how Cloud had a VERY similar battle stance to Zack when he stands next to Aerith after the Cloud x Aerith Sephiroth fight. Especially when Zack was in similar battle stance with Cloud during the Zack x Cloud Sephiroth fight a few scenes prior.

Also, in the opening of Rebirth, Zack has a "dead" Aerith in his arms and cries. Cloud has a similar scene when he holds a "dead" Aerith in his arms and cries at the FC. I don't know if this is intentional but its interesting to observe.

 

[abzy1200]

To add on to Aerith searching for Zack in Cloud, and that she is not over him before or during the events of ff7:

I saw it on Shady's thread and I was reminded of it's existence

In what world is this about Cloud? Sure, the last 4 probably are, but she's not speaking of him in the way she is about her feelings for Zack.

 

[Sacky]

I haven't looked into it to deeply but at first glance, its interesting how Cloud had a VERY similar battle stance to Zack when he stands next to Aerith after the Cloud x Aerith Sephiroth fight. Especially when Zack was in similar battle stance with Cloud during the Zack x Cloud Sephiroth fight a few scenes prior.

Also, in the opening of Rebirth, Zack has a "dead" Aerith in his arms and cries. Cloud has a similar scene when he holds a "dead" Aerith in his arms and cries at the FC. I don't know if this is intentional but its interesting to observe.

part 3 might go even further into the zack connection im not gonna lie here theres some weird stuff Cloud had no reason to do that SOLDIER chant at that point in time Bizaro Seph wasn't attacking

 

[imach0c0]

part 3 might go even further into the zack connection im not gonna lie here theres some weird stuff Cloud had no reason to do that SOLDIER chant at that point in time Bizaro Seph wasn't attacking

I'm inclined to think that as well. (regarding Part 3 exploring the Zack connection) I don't think the ZackxCloud soldier honor was just fan service.

Also, Cloud "remembered" Zack drowning in the river. But he fights alongside Zack during the Bizarro Sephiroth fight. It will be interesting if Cloud "remembers" fighting with Zack in Part 3.

Both Cloud and Zack have yet to experience the truth of about Zack's living legacy. So it will be interesting how all that gets resolved.