Discord said:
Two words. We're friends. I think it would be slightly ridonkulous to say "That's it, I don't want to be your friend cause you don't debate a fictional character's love life properly with me!"
And honestly, even I admit she could have done better. Idk what happened, if she was overwhelmed or she really was being dishonest, but when she and I have debated any other place by email or PM or whatever, she's responded to everything. She's often misunderstood my points, but outright ignoring things isn't usually her style, at least not in my experience. So I don't feel she was being dishonest with me. But maybe I'm just not debating the right points
EDIT: and I found out she
will be returning to this thread so forget what I said before
Thank you very much, Quex. *hugs*
Okay, I've talked with Quex (Discord) about this situation via PM and on the CxA forum. We've agreed that Quex (Discord) will send me questions that people want me to answer by PM, and then I will respond in this thread.
She has already given me a bunch of questions, but I do not know who asked the questions. Therefore, I'm going to say that all quotes are by a Cloti. Sorry, but since I don't know who said what, that's the easiest way to do it.
So here goes:
===================
Quexinos said:
You also suddenly said there was slander and stuff in there and never responded to WHAT the slander was. It was just kind of random.
I will highlight anything in red that I consider slander.
Cloti said:
But... (work with me) she said Clerith makes more sense to her. Clerith can not happen if the HA scene happens, so if she's saying Clerith makes more sense to her, that means the LA scene makes most sense. We wanted to hear why she thought this.
The LA version makes more sense to me because it shows they have no romantic interest in each other. It's not that they hate one another - they just have no romantic interest in each other.
I see that as making more sense because I never see Cloud displaying romantic interest in Tifa after the HW scene (or during or before, for that matter). They seem to be living together as friends, rather than as lovers. That's supported by things such as Tifa in CoT saying that the family is made up of friends, Marlene in CoT being the one to invite Cloud into the family, a JP magazine article saying that Cloud and Tifa were "more than friends, less than lovers" (
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff97/Alexa024/Morethanfriendslessthanlovers-2.png), Cloud and Tifa having separate bedrooms, CoT saying that Tifa always slept with Marlene before Denzel moved in, etc. I could go on, but I think that's enough to give the idea.
It also makes more sense because the only love I saw in FFVII was Cloud's love for Aerith. I never saw indication that Cloud loved Tifa during the game, except for his distant crush on Tifa as a kid.
Cloti said:
And you're JUST NOW finally commenting on them, and even then only in part and with a total misrepresentation of the #*@$%'ing point?! You're actually going to throw out something like "What you said shows this had a canon ending. How does one scene with a canon ending mean that all scenes have a canon ending? That's like saying if one steak is cooked medium rare, then all steaks are cooked medium rare." Honestly, you can type this in and hit submit and be fine with that?
Yes, and I would repeat the same point again. Proving that the scene with Shadow has a canon outcome doesn't prove that the HW scene has a canon outcome.
Cloti said:
Tres never said all scenes have a canon scene. He was making a point to show that just because there is a deviation of a scene in the game IT CAN HAVE A CANON OUTCOME. Just as you agreed, in that post right there, that Shadow's optional death/survival has a canon outcome.
So why does a canon ending to Shadow's death scene mean that the HW scene has a canon outcome?
Cloti said:
And we know it has a canon outcome for the same reason we know the HW scene has a canon outcome.
Nope - that's where you're wrong. We know that Shadow's death scene has a canon outcome because we see Shadow alive at a later time. There's never a scene showing that Cloud loves Tifa after the HW scene, so it's never confirmed.
Quexinos said:
Tres, Ryu, GLD and myself wanted to know your standards for determining which scenes have a canon outcome, and which do not. At one point you even answered Tres' post but stopped right before this point was brought up. You said a couple things like if SE said, "This scene is canon" and that nothing to you seemed to prove it. They wanted to know what WOULD prove it. We can't prove it canon to you if we don't know what would make it canon to you. Like... obviously a "This is canon" would do it, but would a statement saying "This conversation Cloud and Tifa have later in the game related back to what was talked about in the HA Scene" mean anything?... obviously a kiss or something would, but is that it? Is it the same for every scene? I even said I wanted to have this conversation with you, but for whatever reason it didn't happen. We wanted to discuss this with you.
Shadow not dying in that optional scene is confirmed because we see him again later - alive. That confirms that he didn't die.
It's confirmed that a player gets Yuffie and Vincent in FFVII because they appear in AC/ACC and DoC.
In order for it to be confirmed that Cloud loves Tifa, then we have to see a scene
after the optional HW scene that shows for sure that Cloud loves her. For example, the two of them kissing, or Cloud saying "I love you" to Tifa, for example. Nothing like that ever happens, so we don't know for sure that he loves her.
I can't think of a single thing that happens after the HW scene in FFVII, during the novella's, during AC/ACC, or during DoC that can
only be explained as evidence that Cloud loves Tifa. For example, Cloud living with Tifa can easily be explained as them living together as friends. Living with each other in and of itself does not mean that Cloud loves Tifa.
And actually, I did answer that. In one post (I believe it was the one I didn't finish answering to Tres) I said something to this effect:
I'm not saying that the Low Affection version happened, but that either version could have happened. Nothing happens in the story that proves Cloud is in love with Tifa vs. Cloud is only friends with her. Cloud could still move in with her and Barret as a friend, Cloud could still start a family of friends with her, Cloud could still bring Denzel home if he was only friends with her, Cloud could still get Geostigma if he was only friends with Tifa, Cloud could still move into Aerith's Church if he was only friends with Tifa, etc. There's nothing that could happen ONLY if Cloud was in love with Tifa instead of being just friends with her.
That's the point. If something happened that proved they are in love, okay - then I'd buy that the High Affection scene is canon. But everything that happens could also happen if they are just friends. So either version could have happened.
Quex said:
Okay the question is not, "What would make the High Affection highwind scene canon?"
well I mean it IS but it also isn't at the same time...
It's "What criteria should be used for deciding which optional scenes are canon and which are not?" They're not talking just about the highwind scene, but about scenes in general. Don't answer the question here, but that's I think where lines got crossed. They assumed you were just saying "Well I didn't see this so it's not canon" whereas you were actually answering the question, just not quite the right question.
Either 1) something happens in the game which confirms it, or 2) it is blatantly stated by SE.
BTW, I do not think it was blatantly stated by SE on the FTOIL page in the 20th AU. To me, it was blatantly stated that there are optional versions of the HW scene and that a player can choose for Cloud to love either Aerith or Tifa.
Quex said:
Maybe it was too fast for you, and it took too long to load, but I that's why I pointed out important posts here:
http://thelifestream.net/forums/showpost.p...6&postcount=646
You said you would, but for whatever reason, you didn't. I found all the stuff they really wanted a response to.. but you didn't respond to it
In my last post to Tres, you, Gym Leader Devil, and that other person whose name I can't remember - at the bottom of that post I said something to the effect that I had intended to answer that at the time, but given that I had already spent 3 hours on the post, I was out of time. I was going to ask you to send it via PM so that I could answer it. Since that never happened, I'll answer it here:
Cloti said:
Now, seriously, you can continue with this bullshit, truth obscuring focus on a misreading of Ryu's comments from almost two years ago (in which case you will also have to make the plainly absurd claim that the scene with Terra lacks a canon outcome, and that Shadow's death or survival on the Floating Continent lacks a canon outcome, and that FFX-2's story does not have a canon sequence of events; and I'm inflating the length of this sentence, underlining it and including bold and italics tags around the most vital words herein to emphasize that this is the most important sentence in this entire post and that I expect you to address it if you post a response -- or just not bother replying at all; for real) or you can discuss something constructive like what criteria should be used for deciding which optional scenes are canon and which are not.
Once again, I believe I answered the bit about which optional scenes are canon. The part highlighted in red is something I consider slander.
Cloti said:
Even if this line of thinking was true, how does one go from 'mutually confirmed feelings of disinterest for each other' to 'Cloud feels he can succeed at his new life where previously he had failed because this time he will have Tifa by his side in a different way that before' How does mutual disinterest lead to the two of them deciding to form a family together, raise children together, and have a future together? 'Mutual disinterest' does not logically follow with the rest of the compilation.
1) This time he will have Tifa by his side
Let's look at that passage:
Meanwhile, Cloud was sitting next to her gazing at the same scenery but was smiling peacefully. It was a smile that she hadn't seen before during their journey. Cloud noticed her gaze and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Cloud, you're smiling."
"I am?"
"Yeah."
"Everything starts now. A new..." Cloud looked for the right words, "A new life."
"I'm going to live. I think that's the only way I can be forgiven. We've been through... all sorts of things."
"I guess you're right..."
"But when I think about how many times I've thought about starting a new life, it's funny."
"Why?"
"I've always failed to do it."
"That's not funny."
"...I think it will be all right this time."
Cloud became very quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Because you're always with me."
"I haven't always been with you."
"That's how it will be starting from tomorrow," Cloud replied smiling again.
Source:
http://ffviinovels.lhyeung.net/caseoftifa/page03.php
1) First of all, Tifa doesn't respond as if Cloud means anything romantic by it.
"I haven't always been with you" doesn't sound to me like she's taking it romantically.
IF the HA HW scene had actually happened, then it seems to me that she would realize that Cloud meant it romantically.
2) Second, if Cloud meant that romantically, then how come Barret comes along with them? Seems to me that Cloud and Tifa would go off on their own if they had romantic intentions.
3) Third, neither of them have family to go back to - that's the same reason they stay behind at the HW together, whether they get the Low Affection or the High Affection version. Since it can be LA or HA for them to stay together at the HW, why can't it be LA or HA for them to stay together after FFVII?
2) in a different way than before
Where does it say "in a different way than before"?
The translation above is from here:
http://ffviinovels.lhyeung.net/
I've always been told that's a reliable source. I see that Danna's translation at TLS translates it like this:
Cloud was silent for a long time before he spoke again.
“Because I have you this time.”
"You've always had me."
"What I mean is kind of different," Cloud answered with another smile.
I think it's strange that the translation is so different. As far as I remember, the translation at
http://ffviinovels.lhyeung.net/ was updated with the revised edition.
At any rate, Cloud doesn't actually say that their relationship should be different than before. He says that what he means is different from the way Tifa took it. He does not say in what way it's different. Nor does he show in what way it's different. It's left up to speculation.
It
could mean that he intends for them to start a romantic relationship, but we never see that confirmed in any way. Then again, it could also mean that it will be different because they won't be fighting battles every day like they did during FFVII. After all, he says a bit later after they visit Kalm that he wants to go back to their "suspended reality". When Barret asks what he means by that, Cloud says, "Or normal lives".
That sounds like something different to me - so that could easily be what he means.
3) How does mutual disinterest lead to the two of them deciding to form a family together?
You left an important word out. The phrase should be "mutual
romantic disinterest". Having no romantic interest in each other doesn't mean that they aren't friends. Shrouded (a good friend of mine at the CxA forums) and I have no romantic interest in each other, but I consider us good friends. If he had no place to stay and he was in my area, he'd be welcome to live in my house in the guest bedroom for as long as he wanted.
Furthermore, Barret and Tifa lived together in Midgar before FFVII, and they seemed to be as close as family. Tifa was also helping raise Marlene at that time. Does that mean Barret and Tifa were in love?
Also, Cid and Shera were living together when Avalanche got to Rocket Town, but Cid had never forgiven Shera for the oxygen tank incident that prevented the rocket take off. He had absolutely no romantic interest in Shera until he found out that she had been right about the oxygen tank in Disk 2. We heard nothing about romantic interest between them until the novella's, actually. Yet, they were living together and Shera was cooking for him and keeping house for him like a wife.
4) deciding to form a family together
They didn't decide to form a family together. It was all Tifa's idea, and she wasn't sure how Cloud would feel about it. Marlene was the one to invite Cloud into the family, so it wasn't Cloud's idea.
"A family." (Tifa)
"Yeah." (Marlene)
Marlene cheerfully answered in response to Tifa's murmur.
"I'll put Cloud in our family too." (Marlene)
"I appreciate that." (Cloud)
After Cloud thanked Marlene's innocent offer with his serious face, he looked at Tifa. Tifa nodded a little. Would there be various problems arising after this? However, Tifa decided that she would stop worrying about the relationship between the two of them.
Furthermore, Tifa said that the family was made up of friends:
Friends were a necessity to me so that I could live on without being supressed by the sins in my consciousness. Even if they were fellow companions that had the same wounds. Even if they were fellow companions who were burdened with the same sins. We couldn't live without comforting each other and encouraging each other.
Maybe you could call that family. We just had to keep the family together and do our best.
Tifa thought she could get over anything being with friends that she could call family.
Cloud reinforced that idea in Dissidia 12 when he called Tifa his "nakama".
5) raising children together
- Where does it say they decided to raise children together? Does Cloud ever say to Tifa that he wants to have kids with her, or does Tifa say that to Cloud? As I remember, Barret asked them to take care of Marlene when he left Marlene with them. It wasn't really their choice. Then Cloud brought Denzel to the Seventh Heaven because he thought Aerith brought Denzel to him. He wanted to take care of Denzel because Aerith brought Denzel to him, not because he wanted to raise kids with Tifa.
6) have a future together
- Where does it say they will have a future together? Cloud says, "That's how it will be starting from tomorrow", but he doesn't say, "let's have a future together". If Shrouded moved into my house, I could suggest that we start a business together. If he agreed to that idea, I could say that's how it'll be starting from tomorrow. Does that mean we're in love?
Cloti said:
Lines talking about romantic feelings
1. (U20 Scenario, pg. 394)
"VII - The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings match."
We KNOW this one is romantic because it's on the FTOIL page.
Or it could mean either one, since there's a page reference at the top of the HW picture for page 232, where it specifies that there are two versions of the scene. Also, IIRC, the picture on the FTOIL page is found in both the LA and HA versions.
In addition, there's also a picture of Cloud and Aerith on the FTOIL page. The HW scene picture and the Clerith Date picture are the
ONLY pictures on the page that are said to have deviations (according to a Clerith translator). FFVII is the only game on the page with two pictures showing Cloud with different women. That makes it pretty clear that there's two possible love interests. Since both are specified as optional, then it's also pretty obvious that the love interest is left up to player choice.
Cloti said:
2. (FFVIIUO, pg. 27)
"If Tifa's affection regarding Cloud is high, when the two stay behind at the airship, they will confirm that their feelings of desire/wanting for one another match."
We know this is romantic because it's talking about the high Affection version.
And it specifically says
"If Tifa's affection regarding Cloud is high", so we know that only happens in the High Affection version. It doesn't say that the HA version is canon, it just says what happens in the HA version. The FFVII UO also says this on page 198:
After stopping Hojo from going amuck, the conversation with Tifa before they rush into the Northern Crater diverges into two conditions, according to Tifa's affection rating for Cloud. When the affection rating is low, the conversation in the scene where they spend the night will be apathetic and ends quickly. ~page 198, Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega
So the FFVII UO specifically says that there are two versions depending on Tifa's affection rating. It does not say that one version is canon.
Cloti said:
3. (FFVII 10th AU, pg. 118; pg. 120 in the Revised Edition)
"Cloud and Tifa, who remain, reveal their feelings for each other and confirm them to match."
Talking about the HA version.
How do you know this is about the HA version? It doesn't say HA version. It doesn't say that they confirm romantic feelings - it just says that their feelings match. Well, their feelings for each other match in the LA version, too.
ADDED NOTE: Quex said to me later that she knows it's talking about the HA version from the context of the page. As a result, I say that it has no bearing on whether or not the HA version is canon because the page specifies which version it's talking about.
Cloti said:
4. (U20 Scenario, pg. 232; main body of story summary)
"And when Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their final hours, they disclose that their feelings for each other match."
Talking about the HA version.
Again, there's no indication that it's talking about the HA version, so how does he know? It doesn't say "romantic feelings", so we don't know what kind of feelings they're talking about. Cloud and Tifa's feelings for each other match in the LA version, too.
ADDED NOTE: Again, Quex said to me later that she knows it's talking about the HA version from the context of the page. As a result, I say that it has no bearing on whether or not the HA version is canon because the page specifies which version it's talking about.
Cloti said:
Quotes that don't say which feelings:
1. (FFVIIUO, pg. 15)
"Declares that the team should dissolve in the final hours before the final battle, and communicates his feelings together with Tifa, who remains behind at the airship with him."
2. (FFVIIUO, pg. 27)
"When Cloud proposes that the group separates temporarily, she remains behind at the airship and communicates her feelings together with Cloud. "
3. (FFVIIUO, pg. 198)
"When their companions disperse to the places where people important to them await, Cloud and Tifa are the only two to remain behind. They reveal their mutual feelings in their final hours, and......."
4. (CCU, pg. 33)
"She communicates her feelings together with Cloud in the final stages of the story, and in AC and DC they live together."
So HALF of the quotes posted talk about romantic feelings no ifs ands or buts. That's a lot if you ask me. So which makes more sense. That half the quotes are speaking of some feelings we don't know, or that they are all talking about the same thing?
I see no reason to comment on the quotes that show no feelings, since it just reinforces what I was saying before. When no feelings are specified, it could easily be talking about either the LA or HA version.
However, I will comment on the bolded part:
"So HALF of the quotes posted talk about romantic feelings, no ifs ands or buts". Those half of the quotes are specified to be talking about the High Affection version, so that means romantic feelings happen
ONLY in the High Affection version. How does saying what happens in the HA version mean that it's canon when it specifically says that it happens in the HA version only?
Once again, SE has clearly said that the Clerith date scene is default (and no, I don't think "default" and "canon" necessarily mean the same thing). If they're willing to say that the Clerith date scene is default, then it looks like they'd be willing to say that the HW scene has a canon version
IF it really did have a canon version.
Cloti said:
In a scene where all leave to find those most important to them, Cloud and Tifa remain behind to spend the night together.....to discuss how much they are not interested in each other?
Do you realize how little sense you make? [more slander]
If two people aren't interested in each other, then romance simply doesn't enter the conversation. It is assumed that unless two people do share their loveydovey feelings for each other, that they are NOT a couple. We do not need a whole #*@$%'ing declaration to tell us they aren't. I do not see Cloud and Yuffie holding conversations about their mutual disinterest in each other. Or Tifa and Barret.
First of all, I consider the part in red to be slander.
In the second place, you'll need to ask SE since I didn't create the scene. If SE calls the "Low Affection" version "Low Affection", then it means there is no romantic interest shown in that scene. A player gets the "Low Affection" version when Tifa's affection level is below 40 (IIRC). Tifa has a low affection rating for Cloud when Cloud doesn't show romantic interest in Tifa during the game. If Cloud doesn't show romantic interest in Tifa during the game, then he has no romantic interest in her. Therefore, their feelings are mutual.
SE's the one who created the LA scene, and they obviously made it because they wanted it to be optional whether or not Cloud shows romantic interest in Tifa. You'll have to ask SE why they created a scene where the two stay behind and disclose that they have no romantic interest in each other - not me.
What I think is obvious is that SE chose to make a demonstration of romance
optional. If Cloti was supposed to be canon, then SE could easily have made the High Affection version
non-optional. But SE wanted there to be an alternative. Cloud is able to show romantic interest in Tifa, but he doesn't have to. Therefore, romantic feelings for Tifa are optional.
Apparently, SE didn't want to create a non-optional scene where Cloud says he loves Tifa. That must mean that SE wanted to leave Cloud's love interest up to player choice.
=====================
That's all I'm answering for now because I've been working on this since 10:00 am and it's now 1:00 pm. That's enough for one day.
I will answer more as Quex provides questions for me and as I have the time to answer. I hope this format will work better for everyone.