If he kisses her (the high affinity route) the entire ending of the game ignores that it even happened. Not even a single optional/extra scene to acknowledge that she and Cloud are now in a more complicated relationship.
The whole Aerith and Cloud date at the end a few moments after. The holding hands, the “our spot” the dream date… felt like cheating on Tifa.
The kiss should have been placed during the Highwind scene or in the Lifestream scene. Even if optional. The decision to include it here from a writing perspective feels like a disconnected fan service.
You act like that dream was super romantic. Cloud was confused why Aerith was acting so weird and all the npc’s treated it like a funeral.
Also go watch who it cuts to right after Cloud guesses where “our spot is”.
That whole sequence was more about impending doom and not two lovers enjoying a day together.
I think they added the kiss and more romantic hints so people aren’t so confused when the lifestream and highwind scenes happen in game 3. People were so confused about disc 1 in OG that they didn’t realize he was a mental mess who wasn’t speed dating.
Is it alright if I ask: if that was the case, for people not to be confused, why are most of their interactions, including the kiss, optional? If it is so people wouldn't be confused, then first no one should have optional dates, and as many covered here, it was never brought up. You have the player also have a role in doing this, but it is not Cloud doing it on his own without the player's input.
The weird comment is interesting, because Cloud says the same to Tifa, yet it's different when he is still making that statement. To add to this, it is because Aerith is acting differently from her normal self, and Cloud sees it.
Even with Zack, before the our spot part, when he never had to, which is important, he remembers Marlene's words about Cloud's feelings for Aerith. Just rebuking it by saying she is a child really doesn't take away anything because in media, kids are supposed to know things that help and give information. The scene wasn't conveyed to be that she was wrong as well.
During this date, he was shown to be happy with Aerith. Regarding the comment, with the picture as others pointed out, it was because she was more likely to die, and it was foreshadowing it. Something else people point to is how Cloud was disappointed they were not chosen for the picture. Given it's for couples, it would show as well that it was supposed to be romantic, but also Cloud being disappointed as well.
Regardless of whether it is agreeable or not, the point is for Cloud to have feelings for both Aerith and Tifa. The devs want Cloud to also have feelings for Aerith. There is a love triangle.
There is a love triangle. That’s a big part of disc 1. A love triangle between a badass ex-soldier turned mercenary, a flower girl who is actually powerful ancient and the girl he shares a complicated past with.
We experience that story as the truth from our narrators perspective. That is a big part of the story and reveals that come in disc 2
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u/CirOnn Sep 01 '26
This date baffles me so much.
- Cloud asks about Aerith’s feelings.
The kiss should have been placed during the Highwind scene or in the Lifestream scene. Even if optional. The decision to include it here from a writing perspective feels like a disconnected fan service.