"The Demon also Surrender"

"I'm sorry I left, I promise It wont Happen again_—Damon to Bonnie

[dansantcaparet]

Clerith was such a huge hit (for the 2nd time in 20 years) that they decided to Remake the Retcon.

We already know CxT & ZxA are past puppy love crushes.

Meanwhile, CxA has always been PRESENT DAY — the very first love story we were introduced to in all of the FFVII lore.

Remaking all of the compilation will never change the original intent of the OG, which is that Cloud x Aerith is canon.

Again:

Remaking all of the compilation will never change the original intent of the OG, which is that Cloud x Aerith is canon.

Why are they so excited????

I’ve dealt with people who played CRISIS CORE first for years. Same old story (“cLOuD iZ zAcK!!”)

Past crush & puppy love is nothing compared to the chapters we saw between CxA in the Remake.

A Bodyguard losing his beloved Flower Girl is & will forever be iconic video game magic.

[imashitowareto]

Artist : https://twitter.com/demi_co/status/1538474475230212096?s=21&t=T__zKwN08V4GGfC9Lrh0gg.

Super fabulous Clerith artwork!!

[eblana]

The thing that baffles me the most about FFVII ship war is the implication that Aerith and Tifa are equal in importance and Cloud just has to choose.

Aerith is the literal main character, the moving force behind the plot, the only hope the world has left. She doesn't just give strength and purpose to the party but she is the thing Shinra needs the most and the thing Sephiroth fears the most. Her death isn't a tragedy for the party alone, Sephiroth killed the last flower on a decaying Planet, dooming it. If it wasn't for Aerith still managing to find a way to save the world, even after the party kills Sephiroth, the Meteor would have destroyed all life in a moment.

You have no idea how many times I heard "I hate damsel in distress-like characters so I really don't like Aerith" or "I like Tifa better because she's a better fighter while Aerith is weak" so I ask myself... did these people understand the FFVII plot?

1) Aerith had to grow up between labs and slums, wanted by the most powerful organization in the world, next door to Wall Market and never let anybody touch her. She keeps telling Cloud she can protect herself and when Cloud's bodyguard "shift" was over she had to bodyguard him back to Sector 7 because he didn't know the way... also her biggest dream since childhood wasn't being saved by a man, just saying.

2) Ask Sephiroth if Aerith is weak: he had to kill her because she was the only one who had the power to stop him... and she still managed to stop him anyways.

Take Tifa away and the plot doesn't change, take Aerith away and there's no plot anymore.

[relentlessescapism]

nothing will ever enrage me like the fact that we got this whole moment of desi looking on as riley and mac shared the longest most caring hug in the world after something that could’ve potentially ruined their friendship or maybe even furthered it into something more

and the next few episodes we got absolutely nothing of desi telling mac she knows there’s something lacking between her and him?? no acknowledgement of what she saw in mexico city? 

she brings up the proposal to further her own backstory but doesn’t express even a little doubt in their relationship or her asking mac how he felt about what was revealed? she didn’t give a shit that something might’ve changed? didn’t even try to ask if he was okay or wanted to talk about it? she tried to erase what had happened with a “let’s just pretend the last 24 hours never happened”. like sure, maybe she was trying to push mac away by telling him about evan but in the end she held on when she realized that nothing would make him leave her because he doesn’t think he deserves better and she did him wrong by letting him stay especially when she sat down and blatantly told him she might think he was a stand-in for evan at certain points and i know mac and desi are both fucked up from their relationships and lives but she clearly had some new perspective here and just didn’t say anything else??? i know they’re both clinging onto each other but god it was toxic

[blankbeat]

Spreading this quote is really getting them to freak out. Hahahaha 🤣 Keep spreading the truth!!

Aerith: the NON-OPTIONAL girl

🌸💒🎀

#teamPINK since ‘97

[dansantcaparet]

[take-me-to-heaven]

you came for me.

that's all that matters.

[dansantcaparet]

Aerith Gainsborough: Not your typical damsel in distress

Female characters in video games are a funny thing. They, just like women in the real-world, receive unfair and often sexist criticism no matter how they act. 

With the current trend of female protagonists reaching new heights in Hollywood, I think it’s important to remember one particular heroine we were introduced to in 1997: the Flower Girl and last remaining Cetra – Aerith Gainsborough. 

Aerith, unlike many female characters, was unafraid to be opinionated. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and is sometimes criticized for doing so. Many gamers found her to be “annoying” or “bossy”. But what I saw was someone that wouldn’t let anyone, especially a man, tell her how to behave. This was both refreshing and, well, awesome.

I just wanted to scream: YOU TELL HIM AERITH! 

This Flower Girl sure as hell wasn’t going to let Cloud get away with that comment, and good for her! She was unapologetic as a woman in charge of her own destiny and choices, and felt comfortable taking the lead. As she so bluntly put it:

Aerith had a confidence about her that was captivating.

She was unafraid to go after what she wanted, something female characters are rarely shown doing. Aerith was attracted to Cloud and boy did she let him know it!

I’m truly grateful Square Enix showed us a female protagonist that was unapologetic in her quest to get what she wants. Unfortunately, whenever women are shown acting this way, they are accused of being overly aggressive and slutty. My response? This is the 21st century.

Women should never feel guilt or shame in chasing their dreams or desires, something Aerith taught us in Final Fantasy VII. This confidence is what drew Cloud to Aerith and kept him infatuated with her. It’s no surprise he told Marlene he ‘hoped’ Aerith liked him and decided to infiltrate the Shinra headquarters to save her. He even re-affirms his commitment to be her bodyguard in-front of Tifa.

What started out as a physical attraction soon grew into an emotional attraction on Cloud’s end. He just couldn’t get enough of this spunky Flower Girl, and neither could I. Both her confidence and blunt humor had me cracking up at every turn:

But what made Aerith a truly remarkable female character is she was so much more than just a confident, pretty girl. She was also unafraid to show vulnerability and ask for help, two things truly confident people are comfortable doing. When she knew she was in over her head with the Turks, she sought Cloud’s assistance. Aerith wasn’t stubborn and knew that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. 

Beneath her confidence was a woman filled with conflicting and complex feelings regarding her heritage and history. Often times her humor and confidence masked these feelings, but as with all humans, Aerith is multidimensional and has her own personal struggles. What truly makes her remarkable is she was confident enough to show that yes, even confident people can be vulnerable sometimes.

Unfortunately, her confidence could never change the fact that she is the last remaining Cetra and her biological Mother and Father were taken from her at an early age. Part of what made Aerith so strong is because she survived these tragedies. But these tragedies also reveal a real person and someone that needs a shoulder to lean on every now and then. It takes someone truly confident to reveal their inner-most thoughts, fears, and struggles. Cloud adored Aerith for this, as shown by his reaction to her confession in Cosmo Canyon. Cloud wanted Aerith to know that he would always be there for her, showing us that these two truly did complete one another.

Aerith brought to the surface the caring and compassionate side of Cloud, while Cloud brought Aerith the security she needed to allow herself to let her guard down and be vulnerable. He made sure she knew that no matter what, she would never be alone as long as she had her bodyguard. They both brought out a side in one another that was rarely seen, which is exactly why they are perfect for each other.

While playing Final Fantasy VII, I felt stronger and safer having Aerith in my party. I was confident in her because of her confidence as a strong female heroine, something we desperately needed against the seemingly invincible Sephiroth. Her combination of fearlessness and unimaginable power as the last remaining Cetra made me feel as though we had a fighting chance against Sephiroth.

And guess what? I was right. 

[faremises]

CLOUD & AERITH MOMENTS ↳ requested by @palamecian-melody

[kiiseru]

Aerith from Cloud’s POV || 3/?

[kura-ea]

FINAL FANTASY VII

[dansantcaparet]

OG canon 1997 couple

[dansantcaparet]

The Zack Factor

CloTi nonsense: “Aerith only loved Cloud because of Zack”/“Aerith is still in love with Zack.”.

You can only believe something this absurd if you completely ignore the many times Aerith has said otherwise.

          a. In the game, Aerith clearly states that her relationship with Zack was in the past and that they were NOT serious. From FFVII (at the playground): Cloud: “You were…serious?” Aerith: “No. But I liked him for awhile.” Cloud: “I probably knew him. What was his name?” Aerith: “It doesn’t really matter.” That’s a pretty strange attitude for someone who is still supposedly so hung up over her ex-boyfriend, isn’t it? She clearly states that they weren’t serious and then follows up by saying she doesn’t really care if Cloud knows him. If Aerith were still hung up over Zack at this point, wouldn’t she be dying to know some news about him? But, from this conversation alone, we learn that, not only are Aerith’s feelings for Zack all in the past, she obviously considers her first love to have been a mere fleeting fancy and nothing more. This is confirmed in Maiden of the Planet when Zack is referred to as Aerith’s “light taste of first love” and is also confirmed to be “now a very dear friend” and nothing more. This becomes even more apparent in the FFVII prequel, Crisis Core, where the affection level between Aerith and Zack is completely optional, Zack has multiple girlfriends, and Aerith has moved on without him by the end of the game.           b. Aerith did not act all that concerned when she found out that Zack had been missing for 5 years and was possibly dead. From FFVII (Gongaga): Aerith: “What a shock…. I didn’t know Zack was from this town.” Cloud: “You know him?” Aerith: “Didn’t I tell you? He was my first love.” Cloud: “……” Aerith: “Zack…. SOLDIER First Class. Same as Cloud.” Cloud: “Strange, there aren’t that many who make First Class, but I’ve never heard of him.” Aerith: “That’s all right. It’s all in the past now. I was just worried because I heard he’s been missing.” Cloud: “Missing?” Aerith: “I think it was 5 years ago. He went out on a job, and never came back.” “He loved women, a real lady’s man. He probably found someone else.” For someone who is supposedly still pining over her ex-boyfriend, Aerith sure took that news well. All she did was shrug it off, say that their relationship was all in the past, and assume that he had probably run off with another woman. Aerith later follows up this conversation by saying that she doesn’t mind that she hasn’t heard from him. I’m sorry, but I don’t see any indication here of Aerith still being in love with Zack. Honestly, if she were, wouldn’t she be going insane over the news that he has been missing for the past 5 years and no one has heard a peep from him? Instead, she acted as though it really didn’t matter and you even have the in- game option of making Aerith tease Cloud for being jealous over Zack.        c. Aerith states, more than once, that she understands that Cloud and Zack are different and she loves Cloud more anyways.                   1. From FFVII (the date scene): Aerith: “First off, it bothered me how you looked exactly alike. Two completely different people, but look exactly the same. The way you walk, gesture… I think I must have seen him again, in you… But you’re different. Things are different…” First of all, please note that Aerith states that it bothered her that Cloud looked like Zack. She didn’t say she was happy about it or even excited. Bothered. Some definitions of bother: “to give trouble to; annoy; pester; worry” “to bewilder; confuse” So, Aerith was either worried about Cloud’s resemblance to Zack or confused by it. Neither of these suggest that she was particularly happy about it. I am sure the “Zack-ness” of Cloud was what initially drew Aerith to him. However, Aerith learned very quickly that Cloud was nothing like Zack, hence her words “But you’re different.”               2. From Final Fantasy VII Dismantled, an official book which has sections that focus on the thoughts of the FFVII characters, there is a section that speaks of Aerith’s feelings for Cloud. She states that she realizes that Cloud is nothing like Zack and that she loves Cloud more than Zack anyways: “At first when I met Cloud, I believed he was similar to Zack. Little actions, the way he spoke… his kindness. But Cloud is Cloud. I, now undoubtedly, love Cloud much more than Zack. But Cloud is clueless.” (FFVII Dismantled, Aerith’s monologue in Gongaga, p. 159) This statement alone is enough to completely trump Zack x Aerith. I mean, Aerith blatantly states that she loves Cloud more than she ever loved Zack, which means she is over Zack and has moved on with Cloud. And this is from an official source, people, not some made up delusion that CloTis like to pawn off as truth.              3. From the official novella Maiden of the Planet, Aerith tells Zack that his “bad point” was that he was nice to everyone (in other words, he’s a flirt). That and the fact that he wasn’t “simplistic and awkward like Cloud”. And so Aerith is stating she prefers Cloud’s simplistic, awkward behavior to Zack’s flirty, womanizing behavior. Aerith obviously prefers Cloud over Zack, and says so quite clearly. And… the ultimate nail in the coffin of this absurd theory: “She loved him [Cloud] much more than her first love.”  You can’t get much clearer than that! This is the second time that Aerith has confirmed in an official source that she loves Cloud far more than she ever loved Zack! RIP Zerith…. XD    d. Aerith completely rejects Zack in the Lifestream (Maiden of the Planet): Zack: “Man, you know Aerith. Out of all the girls I’ve gotten along with, you truly are the best. After that mission, we could’ve stayed the way we were and might have been able to continue to go out with each other after I returned home. I hate Sephiroth. And I hate Shinra who’s been hiding all the stuff they’ve been doing.” Aerith: “Someone who’s gotten along with so many girls can never become a lover.” Zack: “How mean. I’m nice to everyone.” Aerith: “And that’s your bad point. You’re not simplistic and awkward like Cloud.” And… Zack: “But whenever you feel lonely, call me Aerith.” Aerith: “Only if I get really lonely. Goodnight, Zack.” So, how anyone can believe that Aerith still harbors feelings for Zack is beyond me. She states multiple times that she loves Cloud more than Zack and that she completely understands he is different from Zack. Actually, Aerith seems to prefer Cloud’s type now that she is a mature woman, only being attracted to Zack when she was much younger and inexperienced. Throw in the fact that Aerith rejects Zack’s advances in the Lifestream, and the evidence becomes so rock-solid, I really don’t see why people continue to live in denial of the facts. And, as usual, I saved the best for last….       e. In Case of Lifestream: White, it is stated that Cloud is Aerith’s koibito. Case of Lifestream: White is a novella written by Kazushige Nojima. It takes place directly before and during AC/ACC and allows one to view the events taking place within the Lifestream. Case of Lifestream: White focuses on Aerith, while Case of Lifestream: Black focuses on Sephiroth. During the novella, Aerith is referred to as “the woman”. Below is the excerpt of interest: “Cloud was her friend, her beloved — a symbol of what was important to her, and someone to be protected.” Please note that the word translated as “beloved” is koibito in Japanese. Besides “beloved”, it can also be translated as “sweetheart”, “lover”, or “boyfriend/girlfriend”. There are no official translations for this novella as of yet. The important thing to note is that Cloud is, at the very least, considered Aerith’s “beloved”. Clearly, if Aerith considers Cloud her beloved, then she no longer harbors any feelings of a romantic nature for Zack. Zack, BTW, was glaringly absent in Aerith’s novella.

[mayamymya]

After school hours 🍃 ☀️

[floppydisk7000-deactivated20250]

if you put everything together…this is how the scene really was.. 😭🥺

[rukiadriedhisrain]

@ichirukimonth:​

day 8 / warm tones/ cool tones

poem insp

[heliousdeluna]

The poem is so beautiful. I love it

[astroflowershop]

Biggest issue with Orihime and ichihime in general:

She is afraid of him. Literally. Go read Hueco Mundo, when he turns hollow she's afraid. She steps back away even though she was begging him to save her.

Ichigo was pretty much killed and she wasn't even worried, just scared.

How can you love someone and be scared about them? This is the thing, Orihime doesn't love Ichigo, it's a crush, an idolization. She sees him as a perfect, flawless knight in the shining armor. She knew about his mother's death and never cared much about it.

She's against him regaining his powers as seen in the fullbringer arc. She doesn't want Ichigo to hight, not for his own sake but for hers, because she thinks he doesn't need to. You can clearly see how he wishes and wants to fight, how he wants his powers back to protect others and see Rukia again.

Then you have Rukia. Look at it all, how she did think,but never stepped in during his fight with the hollow that killed his mom. Hell, she's a Shinigami, a hollow killer, and she wasn't scared of hollow Ichigo, just.... Worried. But she had no qualms after she was sure he could control it. Never against him fighting, only against him putting himself into danger headfirst without care for himself. Hell, you can see how she's worried about how far he's going without caring for himself in TYBW, meanwhile Orihime, a healer, doesn't want him to fight because he'll get hurt, even though she can literally cure him

Rukia is worried sure, but she makes sure to be stronger too instead of trying to hold Ichigo back, so they can have each other's back as always, because she knows that otherwise, Ichigo will shoulder it alone. She's worried but just as Ichigo does for her, she does too.

Ichigo was worried since the first arc about being unable to stay alongside her. What did he do? Cried about it? No. He made sure to become better, to be able to stay at least close but with the target to always be able to stay alongside her. not to stop her from being a Shinigami but to be there by her side, to have her back and make sure she'd be okay, and vice versa.

That's my biggest issue. Being scared and restricting someone you supposedly love, when that will hurt them, instead of understanding them to support and help them.