On First Love (And Second): A Final Fantasy Tradition

Final Fantasy VII has confounded its fanbase for decades with its notoriously messy romance threads. The infamous love triangle between Cloud, Aeris, and Tifa is further confounded by Aeris's own alleged love triangle between Cloud and her "first love," Zack. To some fans, this simplified the story: rather than accept an ambiguous love story between … Continue reading On First Love (And Second): A Final Fantasy Tradition →

The Perfect Girl For Cloud, According to Cloud’s Mom (Hint: It’s Aerith)

After Aeris contracts Cloud to be her bodyguard (in exchange for one date), she brings him to her house in Sector 5, where she lives with her mother, Elmyra. It's a quaint, homey cottage surrounded by flower gardens - a sharp visual contrast from the rest of the cyberpunk junkyard of Midgar's slums that Cloud … Continue reading The Perfect Girl For Cloud, According to Cloud’s Mom (Hint: It’s Aerith) →

All the times Cloud and Aerith are called a couple in Chapter 9

Cloud and Aerith have one major purpose in Chapter 9 of Final Fantasy VII Remake, and it isn't to rescue Tifa from Don Corneo's mansion - it's to convince everyone around them that they are in a romantic relationship. Which they do - without even trying. [Bandit] Hold it right there, lovebirds! [Barker] Welcome to … Continue reading All the times Cloud and Aerith are called a couple in Chapter 9 →

HOLLOW: Cloud’s Ballad to Aerith

Final Fantasy VII Remake's soundtrack flaunted clever rearrangements and medleys of beloved tracks from the original game, but the game's end credits theme song was something completely new. Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu returned to compose the piece, which featured vocals performed by Yosh of Survive Said The Prophet. FF7 lead writer Kazushige Nojima … Continue reading HOLLOW: Cloud’s Ballad to Aerith →

30th Anniversary “Farewell” Exhibit Featured Clerith

In honor of the Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary in 2018, from January 22 to February 28, Square Enix held a “Farewell Stories Exhibition” at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. As the title implies, the exhibits were focused on the sad "farewell" stories of the Final Fantasy series, exploring tragic good-byes and … Continue reading 30th Anniversary “Farewell” Exhibit Featured Clerith →

Kingdom Hearts: A Clerith Story

Clerith fans looking for a canon, alternate dimension outlet where the lovers can be alive and happy together need look no further than the Kingdom Hearts series. Kingdom Hearts, released in 2004 and directed by Tetsuya Nomura, featured cameos from a number of Final Fantasy characters. For Final Fantasy VII, this included Cloud and Aerith, … Continue reading Kingdom Hearts: A Clerith Story →

On Canon Vs. Fanon: Love, Sex, and Cloud and Tifa Under the Highwind

At the end of disc 2 in Final Fantasy VII, Cloud asks his party members to leave, go home, and find out what it is they are really fighting for prior to the final showdown with Sephiroth. With a Meteor tearing through the sky, and a demi-god of an enemy at the helm, they all … Continue reading On Canon Vs. Fanon: Love, Sex, and Cloud and Tifa Under the Highwind →

Clerith “Love Love” in FF7’s Debug Room

The "debug room" of Final Fantasy VII is a hidden area present in every copy of the game that isn't intended for players to ever visit. It existed only for the developers to test scenarios and other assets - as well as work through stress with a bit of maniacal humor - and normally, we … Continue reading Clerith “Love Love” in FF7’s Debug Room →