Lovers, partners, beloved person, destined ones
①The beloved person
Settle everything once and for all…
The admiration of his boyhood, the enemy who took away his beloved person—Sephiroth, also the matrix of their reunion. As the enemy of the Planet and his fated rival, unless Cloud can settle things with him one-on-one, his battle will never end.
②For the beloved person
In For the One I Love, the secret date is the two of them's date
③Cloud is her koibito (lover)
The Path to a Smile
Cloud is a friend of women, and also a lover、a symbol of what is precious, and a existence that should be protected.
Japanese:恋人
Spanish: amante
German: Geliebter
French: amant
④Reunion with the one they love
For the reunion
(When the party goes to Shinra to rescue Aerith in the main story)Leslie gave them the guns, and they wished each other luck in reuniting with the ones they love, respectively. Leslie left, and the three prepared to climb the wall
⑤Cloud loses his beloved
The ending of Rebirth recreates one of the most famous moments in video game history, allowing a new audience to experience it. Some players, in their reactions after finishing the game, expressed confusion about how to interpret the new development in this scene. What kind of reaction did the staff hope players would have, and what message did they want to convey? Or, for players who found this new version of events confusing or unsatisfying, is there anything you would like to say?
(Omitted)...
[Kitase]: In addition, to supplement this and offer another perspective, when discussing this scene with Nomura and Nojima, we also talked about how in the original, what is shown is Cloud's perspective, his pain at losing his beloved, like a hole left in his heart. When considering how to portray this in the Remake series, we wanted to express not only the pain of losing that person, but also what a person goes through when experiencing loss—being unable to force themselves to forget that person, almost unable to accept reality—struggling against the possibility of having lost someone. That, too, is what we hoped to present in Rebirth.
Regarding the original, its first disc ends with an enormous loss. I remember some people didn't even want to keep playing and simply switched to the second disc, because they didn't want to play any further—precisely because of that feeling. It was an enormous loss and despair, but I do think there was an emotional synchronization between the player and Cloud; everyone was struggling with "How do I deal with this feeling?" The sense of loss, and the process of how a person strives to bear it, were both happening. We imagined that players of Rebirth would have that same emotional resonance.
⑥ Aerith and Cloud are famously an intimate couple
An intimate couple (lovebirds)
⑦ Filled with love
—On what basis was Aerith's tragic story written this way?
[Nojima]: Although the story script had not yet been fully finalized when I joined the development team, I had already received the request to "write a script in which the heroine disappears partway through the story." We then decided to have Aerith disappear partway through, while Tifa, a witness to Cloud's childhood, became the character who could remain until the end of the story. Because Aerith disappears partway through, we deliberately staged the events before her disappearance using a romantic approach。By the way, Aerith's surname "Gainsborough" was borrowed from the French singer Serge Gainsbourg.
⑧ A love story that can never be realized
(Multi-country trailers for the original game; about the promotional line when "Love" appears. For whether these trailers are official, see whether the old trailers came from official sources)
European version: Bitter war of love…and hate.
North American version: A story of a love... that could never be.
French version: Une histoire d'amour impossible.
⑨ The two are called a couple
The two were called a couple, and Cloud never refuted it
In the Japanese version, the two are called a couple, dating, etc., 7 times
In the English version, the two are called a couple, dating, intimate couple, 9 times
⑩ The romance keeps growing warmer
Were there any other little episodes in creating the track titles?
[Toriyama]: For the English title of the dance-battle song in the Honeybee Inn, we wanted to convey, in a sexy atmosphere, the feeling of the two people's romance growing warmer, but with my vocabulary it was a bit difficult, so I picked the one closest to that impression from the localization team's proposals. I trust Japanese players will also find the title very cool.
⑪The old man says Aerith is a girlfriend
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"You'd better treasure her!"
⑫Aerith and Cloud are closely tied to "love"
──In the movie The Greatest Showman, you sang songs while playing a character, moving many people. When singing "No Promises to Keep" this time, was there anything you were conscious of?
[Loren]: "Playing the role of Aerith well" is my foremost mission. Aerith's character's personality, her relationship with Cloud... her emotions have always been tightly bound to the element of "love". I love work like this where I can play a role, so I was really happy this time! In short, when I sang, I put playing Aerith well as my top priority.
⑬important person (he loved)
[Kitase]: The most impactful scene in the original is Aerith's tragedy at the Forgotten Capital, and how to portray it with modern techniques was a very difficult problem.
The original aimed to depict the loss and sorrow of having an important person suddenly vanish before one's eyes, but I heard that because the sense of loss was so intense, quite a lot of people stopped playing after Disc 1.
In Rebirth, the sense of loss is expressed through another form, the protagonist Cloud's feeling of being unable to forget what happened to the important person before his eyes is importantly portrayed. It began with creative director Tetsuya Nomura's thoughts on life and death, and the game's production team and editing team actually recreated the idea wonderfully as a game scene.
Actually, in Rebirth's ending, people who saw things differently from the original will have all kinds of thoughts and interpretations, and such scenes are very memorable.
[Hamaguchi]: I believe this remake trilogy will become the most beloved and most famous game in gaming history.
(The simultaneous interpreter rendered "important person" as "he loved")
⑭BE Cloud's introduction: failed to protect the one he loves
He blames himself for failing to protect the one he loves in the past, and closed off his heart because of it
⑮BE Cloud's outfit: failed to protect the one he loves
⑯the person destined by fate
In the updated Gold Saucer date main story, the title Aerith obtains from dating Cloud is
English: The one destined for her
(She knew as soon as she met him that he was the one for her. The moment she met him, she knew at once that he was her destined one)
Japanese: 约定之人
The later English version updated this to Special Friend.
⑰FFB Bride and Groom Together
The interaction name is "Feelings in the Heart"
⑱FFB Emperor and Empress
Someone precious
①The precious thing that was lost
Regarding Sephiroth's whereabouts, Cait Sith's fortune-telling yielded three results. Besides the first two, the third prophecy, which prompted Cait Sith to travel with the party, is intriguing — "You will get what you desire, but you will lose something precious."
If the story is advanced to the Forgotten Capital, it can be understood that "losing something precious" means losing Aerith. If the story is advanced to the Northern Crater, it can be seen as foreshadowing Cloud's impending breakdown of self.
(For what Cloud's "precious thing" refers to, see Was Cloud's lost precious thing Aerith or his self?)
② Someone precious resonating with Vincent
Can sin be forgiven? — Vincent asks Cloud. Because they both share the guilt of having "failed to protect someone precious", these words strike a heavy chord of resonance.
③ A symbol of the sin of failing to protect someone precious
Two years after returning to the Planet, Aerith still lives on in the hearts of the companions who saved the world. Especially in Cloud's heart, Aerith has become a symbol of "the sin of failing to protect someone precious to him", and a factor that closes off his heart. He extended a helping hand to Cloud and to the Planet, once again facing danger. Like a mother, she watches over the entire Planet, letting everyone feel her presence in every corner of the world.
④ Guilt toward someone precious
While helping Tifa run the bar "Seventh Heaven", he also ran a delivery business, living like family with her, Marlene, and Denzel — but after contracting Geostigma, he disappeared. Behind his behavior lies the guilt of having failed in the past to protect someone precious to him. But through his battles against Kadaj and the others, products of Jenova, he regains the courage to face reality. But through his battles against Kadaj and the others, products of Jenova, he regains the courage to face reality.
⑤ The important person
Failing to protect an important person—the sin of it. So thinking, Cloud closed off his heart. What will his reunion with Aerith bring him?
⑥ The precious thing Sephiroth seeks to take away
[Sephiroth]: What is precious to you?
There are 3 shots of Aerith in the flashback, while Zack, Tifa, Denzel, and Marlene each have only 1 solo shot.
⑦ One of his precious people
The place where awakening comes (This scene takes place in the church flower field)—that is the place of Cloud's promise.
Sleeping, Cloud heard voices. The voices of two people dear to him, who were no more's voices. With joy and concern, they told Cloud that he did not belong here.
When he woke, he found his companions all there. There were children rescued from a fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel, who wanted his hands to heal the scar on the star—his family was waiting for him. Surrounded by blessings, he learned where he belonged, and knew that he had forgiven himself.
Turning back suddenly—"she" had already risen and departed. Together with the friend who had given Cloud life. He no longer had to suffer in loneliness...... so they too could return to the place where they belonged.
Back into the Lifestream that surrounds the planet.
⑧The person dear to him (he loved)
【Nojima】: The most shocking scene in the original is Aerith's tragedy at the City of the Ancients, and expressing it with modern techniques was a very difficult problem.
The original aimed to depict the loss and sorrow of having someone dear suddenly vanish before one's eyes, but I've heard that the sense of loss was so intense that quite a few people stopped playing after Disc 1.
In Rebirth, the sense of loss is expressed through a different form, the protagonist Cloud's feelings of being unable to forget what happened to the person dear before his eyes are importantly conveyed. It began with creative director Tetsuya Nomura's thoughts on life and death, and the game's production team and editing team actually recreated those ideas wonderfully as game scenes.
In fact, the ending of Rebirth is a very memorable scene, as people who see it will have all kinds of thoughts and interpretations different from the original.
【Hamaguchi】: I believe this remake trilogy will become the most beloved and most famous game in gaming history.
(The simultaneous interpretation here rendered "the person dear to him" as "he loved")
⑨Cloud suddenly losing someone dear
In the end, was he unable to stop it from succeeding?
【Nomura】: First of all, I think most players would hope to defy fate, to have Cloud block the attack and avert that destiny. In the original, in order to depict the destiny of "suddenly losing someone dear", Cloud was powerless against Sephiroth, and parted without even being able to speak to Aerith. But in the real world, when someone dear is truly lost, people cannot accept it right away. This time we decided to make "being unable to accept the loss of someone dear" our creative principle.
⑩Sephiroth, who took away what was dear to him
【Cloud】: I want to protect it—even if I don't remember, I still want to protect it
That guy took away what was dear to me, and this world he wants to take it away too
a monster that destroyed what was dear's monster
(For what Cloud's "dearest thing" refers to, see Is what Cloud lost—Aerith or his sense of self?)
⑪Having lost what was dear
【Cloud the stranger】: I lost... something dear... something so very dear...
I've lost something very dear to me. I must go to the place of the promise。
(For what Cloud's "dearest thing" refers to, see Is what Cloud lost—Aerith or his sense of self?)
Irreplaceable, remembered for a lifetime, important companions
① Remembered for a lifetime
"Tifa Lockhart", Cloud's childhood friend, a girl who uses martial arts.
"Aerith Gainsborough", a girl who inherited the blood of the Cetra, whom he remembered for his entire life.
"Red XIII", the last survivor of a race that lives in harmony with nature and is regarded as a guardian deity of the world.
"Cait Sith (Reeve)", a Shinra spy who approached Cloud and his companions in the guise of a fortune-telling robot.
"Yuffie Kisaragi", a ninja girl single-mindedly pursuing materia for her homeland Wutai, which had lost its vitality.
"Vincent Valentine", a man whose body was modified by Shinra scientists and who slept for 30 years.
"Cid Highwind", a legendary pilot, a man who was supposed to become the world's first astronaut.
② Irreplaceable people, unforgivable sins, unforgettable existences
To Cloud, they are existences he cannot forget. Zack, who "died because of his own fault", and Aerith, who "suffered a tragic fate because he failed to protect her". The two became irreplaceable in Cloud's heart, his "unforgivable sins"。
③ Important companions
FFVII Advent Children is a direct sequel to FFVII, made not as a game but as a high-quality full-CG film. The story takes place two years after the fall of Meteor. Cloud and Tifa live together with orphans, but the regret and guilt he carries over losing his important companions make him live a solitary life. One day, his delivery service receives a phone call requesting an escort. Kadaj and his henchmen, pursuing the client, soon attack Cloud and his companions. What is their aim? Can Cloud overcome the trauma in his heart?
Two years after the war. Midgar, the mako city slowly recovering from the destruction brought by Sephiroth, is struck by a mysterious calamity. An incurable disease known as "Geostigma" is claiming life after life.
As if in response to this disease, new enemies appear. Cloud, who blames himself deeply for the important companions he lost in exchange for peace and has shut his heart, is troubled by the battle unfolding before him that he cannot avoid.
"Can sins be forgiven?"After a long struggle, Cloud finally decides to fight.
What is the enemy's aim? Why do people fall ill? After a battle beyond human comprehension, what truth awaits him?
