Summary
The developers behindFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthhave shared some thoughts on the well-known love triangle between series protagonist Cloud and party members Tifa and Aerith. The trio has spawned debates since the originalFinal Fantasy 7launched in the 1990s, and even now, players ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcan get pretty passionate about it.
While it’s well-known thatAerith meets a bad end inFinal Fantasy 7, players have nonetheless looked at the chemistry Cloud has with both Aerith and Tifa and argued over which is a more appropriate matching. The bittersweet nature of Cloud and Aerith’s relationship was made even more intense following the release ofFinal Fantasy 7 Advent Children, and theRemakeandRebirthreleases have leaned into it even more. Now, two of the games' developers are discussing the well-known love triangle.
In a recent interview withInverse,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthproducer Yoshinori Kitase, as well asFF7 Rebirthdirector Naoki Hamaguchi, talked about the game and the complex relationship between the characters. One topic focused on was the new scenes set between Cloud and Aerith, where they go on a “date” in a dream or alternate reality. Hamaguchi said that the scene can have “many interpretations,” perhaps referring to some players taking it as making their love relationship canon, while others have disagreed and thought Tifa was a better choice for Cloud. Hamaguchi notes that Aerith is a “sort of sisterly character” to Cloud, who understands her fate and uses this opportunity tohelp push Cloud along to meet his destiny.
Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud is a “Lucky Guy”
While Hamaguchi seemed to indicate a more sibling-like relationship between Aerith and Cloud, Kitase quipped after Hamaguchi’s comment that “Cloud’s thought of deeply by two different women. What a lucky guy.” Fan shippers are likely to be worked up by this line, as seems to emphasize the potential forromance between Cloud and Aerith or Tifa. However, it’s worth noting that Kitase was the director of the originalFinal Fantasy 7. Perhaps the difference in commentary between Hamaguchi and Kitase is indicative of how the story and angle of the seventh entry in the franchise has changed and evolved over time.
No matter who fans think is right for Cloud, over 20 years after the original title’s release, it’s clear that players are still passionate about this topic. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact Aerith has on thethird game in theFinal Fantasy 7remake trilogyand whether it continues to shake up the relationship between them.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
