When Cloud and Aerith properly introduced themselves to one another at the beginning of the story, they hit it off so well that Aerith hired Cloud to be her bodyguard. The payment? One date! In Remake, it seemed the invoice had been more than settled with their epic string of sexy shenanigans in Chapters 8 and 9 – content officially referred to as “dates” by the devs themselves. Turns out, though, Cloud and Aerith still had a bill to settle – and it was officially negotiated up to five times in Rebirth.
That’s right – there are five scenes in the second installment of the Remake trilogy that are officially referred to as dates between Cloud and Aerith.
1. The Clock Tower Date
A Date with Aerith
After reuniting with Aerith at the base of the clock tower, she and Cloud climb up to the observation deck.
One of the earlier scenes in the game, this date takes place in Kalm – the first location you can control present-day Cloud. Cloud can wander around the quaint, castle-esque city nestled on the outskirts of Midgar and speak with his each of his companions. The opportunity to interact with each of them introduces the player to the affection mechanic: that is, during each conversation, the player must select one of three dialogue options (with each netting a specific number of “affection points” for that particular character.)
The reward for character with the highest points toward the end of the game will, of course, be the ultimate Gold Saucer date. In Kalm, this is hinted toward with a mandatory mini-date with Aerith. The player can’t skip this date, which is referred to as such both by Aerith in dialogue as well as in the menu’s quest description.
The scene itself is cute and heartfelt. Aerith takes Cloud’s hand to pull him forward into the clock tower (demonstrating her iconic “pull you along” personality that Cloud’s mom Claudia thought would constitute the perfect girlfriend for her son.) At the top, Aerith reveals her more emotionally observant side: she asks Cloud if he and Tifa had been fighting. She then wistfully reveals that she would have given anything to have had a childhood friend and tells Cloud not to take Tifa’s friendship for granted. (In reality, we know that Cloud also had no friends, not even Tifa, growing up – so this scene illustrates that Cloud and Aerith, while polar opposite in personality, grew roots in the same soil.)
2. Costa Del Sol Date
Search for seashells while enjoying a date with Aerith on chocoback.
On the party’s first visit to Costa del Sol, a sidequest becomes available: three fashion designers choose Cloud and Aerith to be their muses in their newest line of romance-inspired swimming suits. As such, they task Cloud and Aerith with going on a date together. The pair must play a few minigames, ride chocobos together and stroll along the beach searching for seashells.
It’s as adorable from start to finish as it sounds. Not only will it make any Clerith fan grin that the fashionistas pegged Cloud and Aerith as a couple, the quest is filled with cute banter between the pair (mostly with Cloud flailing at dating, which he admits is not his strong suit.) When Aerith asks Cloud what his ideal date would be, he suggests a simple walk – which is how the pair will spend their final date (more on that later!)
3. Gold Saucer (Part 1)
[Original Italian] Naoki Hamaguchi: Una scena che credo sarà veicolo di grande emozione è quella dell’appuntamento al Gold Saucer. Non mi riferisco solo alla sequenza della Gondola con Aerith, e alla conversazione tra lei e Cloud, ma a tutte le fasi precedenti che portano a quello specifico momento. Questa rielaborazione è concettualmente simile a quella dell’HONEY BEE IN presente in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Abbiamo ricreato la scena per renderla più moderna. Ogni sua parte sarà memorabile, e abbiamo messo tutto l’impegno possibile per realizzarla.
[English translation] Naoki Hamaguchi: A scene that I believe will be a vehicle of great emotion is the date at the Gold Saucer. I’m not referring just to the Gondola sequence with Aerith, and the conversation between her and Cloud, but to all the previous phases that lead to that specific moment. This reworking is conceptually conceptual to that of the HONEY BEE IN present in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. We recreate the scene to make it more modern. Every part of it will be memorable, and we put all the effort into making it happen.
Things are getting exciting now! Part 1 of the Gold Saucer date features whoever has the highest amount of affection points with Cloud in Chapter 8 – similar to the original game, this moment takes place the first time the party visits Gold Saucer. Note that director Hamaguchi treats the Aerith date as not only a default of sorts in his promotional interviews, but even said not only the date itself would be a “vehicle of great emotion” but all the build-up between Cloud and Aerith that lead the player there.
In this date, Cloud and Aerith wander around Gold Saucer for the first time, and the banter is adorable. Whether riffing about being space cadets or pretending to be chocobo race announcers together, their dynamic is on point.
4. Gold Saucer (Part 2)
We’ve made it to chapter 12 and the major culmination of the game’s affection mechanic. If Aerith is your highest affection companion, she will be your date for the gondola ride and play Princess Rosa in Loveless.
Her playing Princess Rosa across from Cloud’s Alphreid is not only a beautiful performance to watch, but there’s ample evidence that Aerith is the “canon” princess Rosa. Both Rosa and Aerith are mages. Aeris is the default date option and by far easiest to achieve in the original game – and in Rebirth, if your date is anyone other than Yuffie or Tifa (that is, if your partner is Barret, Red XIII, or Cid/Cait Sith/Vincent, then Aerith will still play the role of Rosa.) The forboding dialogue about lovers parting ways applies to Aerith’s actual story. And finally, Aerith is always pictured as Rosa in Rebirth’s end credits.
Finally, we get to the gondola. When entering, Aerith offers Cloud her hand, which he takes. (When exiting, Cloud will offer her his hand, in a lovely parallel.) During the ride, Cloud is awkward and doesn’t quite know how to handle the enormous romantic tension. As always, Cloud, who strives hard to pretend to be a cool, controlled dude, is pushed off-balance by Aerith’s directness. There’s a moment when Aerith falls into Cloud’s arms and he catches her, hands wrapped behind her back, and their lips get close.
Then, things get serious. Aerith admits that she was first drawn to Cloud due to his resemblance to Zack, her first love who disappeared from her life five years ago. But she articulates that things are different now, and utters her famous line: “I’m trying so hard to find you.”
Aerith’s phrase in Japanese of “I want to meet you” has a romantic connotation, and the English dub doubles down on this by having Aerith say “It’s you I want to be with” – making it obvious that her interest now is in Cloud himself, not Zack. Then she leans again him, and in the high affection version of the date, Cloud gently takes his hand in her own and holds it as they nestle up side by side against the backdrop of fireworks.
5. Dream Date
Chapter 14 is the final chapter of the game, and as such, its events are the emotional climax of Rebirth‘s story. How does it open? With Cloud and Aerith awakening in an alternate world and going on a non-optional date.
Within it, Aerith and Cloud take a walk around Sector 5 . (Remember how during their date in Costa del Sol, when Aerith asked Cloud what his ideal date was, he said a walk?) Aerith teases Cloud into getting her a present (which he willingly does, and even gets annoyed when the vendor doesn’t allow them to take his choice of gift.) They eat horrible candy together. They hold hands between stalls – the second time, Cloud initiates taking her hand. Cloud leads them to a couples’ photography contest, does cute and romantic poses with Aerith, and gets mad when they aren’t picked as the winners.
All of this while an instrumental version of Rebirth‘s theme song, No Promises to Keep, plays in the background. What’s it called? “One Last Date – My Dream.”
Note that in the same location of Remake, the first installment of the trilogy, an instrumental of Rebirth’s theme song “Hollow” plays. What a parallel!
Then, Aerith challenges him to take her to “their spot.” Easy – it’s the church! Cloud will invite Aerith to give him a “harder” challenge next time – implying he wants to date her again. (His dialogue will differ slightly based on if you took Aerith on a date earlier in the game, with the high affection version involving him looking at her and smiling, making Aerith overjoyed.)
At that point, Aerith confesses her feelings to Cloud. And then..
They share a long, romantic embrace – no matter who you dated or built affection points with. That’s right, even if you dated Tifa, Cloud will still embrace Aerith following her love confession in the game’s final chapter, suggesting that Cloud knows where his heart is no matter what the player had him do.
What an epic finale to five adorable dates!
Earth & Sky: A Cloud x Aeris Love Story 