Cloud x Tifa Cloud x Tifa

Throughout Final Fantasy VII, Cloud’s true self is buried, trying to reach Tifa. Deep down, he knows that she is the key… Because Tifa is his one true love.

Up until the Lifestream scene in FFVII, Cloud’s true identity is hidden or ‘sleeping’ beneath a false persona. This false persona- the “EX-SOLDIER First Class” persona, is built on a combination of three things:

-his ideal self

-Jenova cells

-His true self/memories/experiences

𝙄𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛: Cloud’s ideal self is constructed primarily through his personal desires to be a ‘cool hero’ who can save Tifa. This construct is rooted in his childhood experiences & his feelings for her – being unable to save her on the mountain when they were children and being unable to break past his introversion & prejudice against her friend group to spend more time with her & express his true feelings.

This becomes his motivation to join SOLDIER & invite her to the water tower to share his intentions with her leading to his promise to save her one day if she ever needs him. With that in mind, Cloud’s ideal self is cool, tough, and strong – someone who made it into SOLDIER, possessing the characteristics of a man who can keep that promise to Tifa.

𝙅𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨: The Jenova cells Cloud has from the experimentation 5 years ago glue together & fill in the holes of his false persona via its mimetic abilities. Jenova alters Cloud’s memories to ‘prop’ up his ideal self & provide the gateway for Sephiroth’s manipulation of Cloud & to push him towards the Reunion.

These cells read Tifa’s memory for her image of Cloud upon their reunion, & finding her memories of him – the boy who made her a promise before he left for SOLDIER- reinforce Cloud’s ideal, the cool hero who can save her.

𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛: Cloud’s true self makes up part of his false persona by filling in gaps in his memory & experiences so he can function & maintain the facade of his EX-SOLIDER persona. Cloud’s cold, aloof, & sometimes aggressive or confrontational behavior is informed by his real introverted, surly, indignant, & independent nature.

Cloud’s real memories & experiences as an infantryman & the second-hand experiences he heard from Zack, combined with abilities granted to him by the Jenova experimentation, allow him to demonstrate skills and knowledge consistent with that of a SOLDIER.

His true memories and experiences as a participant in the Nibelheim Incident allow him to weave a complete fabrication that suits his ideal self, especially in conjunction with Jenova’s ‘help’.

This elaborate persona acts as a coping mechanism to help Cloud navigate the world upon awakening from severe trauma & mako poisoning when Tifa finds him in Sector 7. But beneath this persona, Cloud’s true self is dormant & trying to break free, notably, to reach Tifa.

While the construction & maintenance of this false persona occur through a combination of dissociation & delusion, Cloud’s true identity sleeps beneath, trying to find a way out. Internally, Cloud knows there is something wrong with him – he isn’t sure what to do about it.

Cloud’s true self is attempting to rectify this with spontaneous attempts to surface. Most occur in connection with Tifa, showcasing not only her importance to him, but his belief that she is the key. subconsciously realizes he has to be there for Tifa for him to find himself.

Cloud is constantly fighting back the effects of his trauma & the manipulation of Sephiroth & the Reunion. He repeatedly tries to reconnect & reclaim his psyche via his interactions with Tifa – by protecting her, listening to her, comforting her – by keeping his 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚.

Cloud’s true persona even goes so far as to try to get him to connect the dots by urging him to ask Tifa why they never got a chance to spend time together 5 years ago – a conversation that unfortunately, in Junon, cannot happen yet.

Note: In Rebirth, this interaction is massively upgraded to Sephiroth’s intense gaslighting of Cloud by trying to convince him that Tifa is Jenova, more dramatically driving a wedge between them throughout the game.

By the time the party reaches the Northern Crater, Cloud is completely unstable from the events leading up to the Reunion, & his true self is at risk of being completely shattered. Sephiroth’s gaslighting of Cloud & Tifa & his use of Tifa’s memories against them are the final straw, resulting in Cloud’s complete loss of himself. But it is because he loses Tifa’s faith & belief in who he truly is that Cloud breaks.

Cloud’s sense of self is restored in the Lifestream not simply because Tifa can help him reclaim his memories, but because Tifa affirms who Cloud is – his real self – & his feelings, the ones that made him feel inadequate & need to impress her in the first place. Tifa not only affirms that she noticed Cloud, but that 𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚. These are Cloud’s true desires – because he has always been 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧.

The events in Mideel are critical to all of this. Although Cloud is unaware, Tifa selflessly devotes herself to his care. Such a display of unconditional love proves that Tifa returns Cloud’s deeply held inner feelings, even if he doesn’t know it. When Mideel is attacked, Cloud emerges briefly enough to warn her – once again keeping his promise to protect her, as he does again when they fall into the Lifestream and she calls out for his help.

This is the pattern of Cloud and Tifa’s relationship throughout FFVII- a constant call-and-response of protection & care that culminates with mutual understanding in the Lifestream and mutual affection under the Highwind.

Cloud, at his very core, is driven by his love for Tifa. The multifaceted depths & complexities of his character are underpinned by this very human, empathetic notion of love, and it is one reason he is my favorite character in any form of media.