Quote repository
If anything here is missing, or incorrect, message me so I can fix it.
Final Fantasy 7 Ultimania Omega (2005)
Declares that the team should dissolve in the final hours before the final battle, and communicates his feelings together with Tifa, who remains behind at the airship with him.
-Pg. 15, Cloud’s profile
Even though Cloud was holding favor for Tifa from some time ago, Tifa’s interest in Cloud did not start until the time when the promised was exchanged. It might have been her loneliness due to her surrounding friends leaving one after another, but more than that, it seems largely in part to him making the promise to become her hero. Incidentally, Tifa did not realize that Cloud was holding favor for her until he informed her in the Lifestream. Even though she was called and it was just the two of them, she can be quite clueless.
- pg, 25
When Cloud proposes that the group separates temporarily, she remains behind at the airship and communicates her feelings together with Cloud.
-pg. 27, Tifa’s profile
Deep inside Cloud’s heart, feelings were hidden that no one knew about. Even though there were important memories to himself, many of them were forgotten. In the process of looking for the real Cloud, Tifa learns a lesson about the complexity of the human heart, and the feelings are earnestly transmitted.
-pg. 27
On Disc 3, Tifa hardens her resolve as they head toward the final battle, but she is unable to suppress her fear. On the bridge of the airship, she says to Cloud, “Would you tell me ‘It’s all right’?” Although Tifa is forlorn and somewhat childish here, when Cloud tells Tifa “It’s all right,” it is heartwarming.
-pg. 27
Yuffie is unaware that Cloud and Tifa had just spent the night together. Woman’s intuition is as perceptive as ever, no?
-pg, 39.
The memory of Cloud and Tifa exchanging promises on the water tower 7 years ago has a vital significance when searching for “Cloud’s true self” in the Lifestream. Also, the promise to “come to Tifa’s rescue if she is in trouble” forms the reason for Cloud assisting AVALANCHE in this scene, but he has in fact already fulfilled this promise 5 years ago in the Nibel mako reactor.
-Pg, 71
When their companions disperse to the places where people important to them await, Cloud and Tifa are the only two to remain behind. They reveal their feelings for each other in their final hours, and…….
-pg. 198
Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Files (2005 - 2006)
There are many dimensions to Tifa’s character. She’s like a mother, a sweetheart(koibito), and a close ally in battle.
-Nomura, Pg. 19
Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be back home where they belonged.
- Nojima, pg. 70
Final Fantasy 7 10th Anniversary Ultimania (2007)
Nojima: “Oh, the scene with the risqué line of dialogue? It was Katou who wrote that as well, not me.”
―”The line ‘Words aren’t the only way to tell someone how you feel,’ right? That was quite a mature conversation for a FF game.”
Kitase: “But I remember having to get another version that was too intense toned down.”
Nojima: “The original idea was more extreme. The plan was to have Cloud walk out of the Chocobo stable on board the Highwind, followed by Tifa leaving while checking around, but Kitase turned it down.
Before leaving the village, he boldly called to Tifa, a girl he liked romantically, and declared he would become a SOLDIER.
-pg. 12
On the request of his childhood friend Tifa, Cloud assists the anti-ShinRa organization “AVALANCHE” led by Barret.- Cloud profile
-pg. 36 – 41
Concerning Advent Children
The happier he is now, the more Cloud is tormented by painful “memories” of the past.
-Cloud profile, pg. 36 - 41
The more he realizes how happy he is living with Tifa and the children, the more the fear of losing that and regrets toward the past trouble Cloud…-Cloud’s profile,
-pg. 36 - 41
With the support of former allies and Tifa, an important woman to him and now also part of his family, Cloud regains the courage to move forward.-Cloud’s profile,
- Pg. 36 – 41
Now running a delivery business while helping out Tifa with the newly opened “Seventh Heaven” bar, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel lived together like a family.
A Promise to Tifa, Etched in his Memory.
-Cloud’s profile, pg. 36 – 41
(In Before Crisis) If he runs out of strength part way through the story, he will say regretfully that he “couldn’t come through on my promise to her.
- Cloud’s profile, pg. 36 – 41
(Last Order) He lifts a collapsed Tifa up in his arms, and upon seeing her aware of him, he smiles gently.
She ventured into Lifestream together with Cloud. Amidst the course of him trying to ascertain his memories, they became aware of the feelings which each other was holding.
-pg. 42 - 47, Tifa’s Profile
Apart from being Cloud’s childhood friend, she is also the woman who understands him all too well and devotedly supports the mentally-weak side of him
-pg. 42 – 47
I want to see Cloud — Marlene’s honest words, which reflected what Tifa felt in her own heart, caused her to smile. The present Tifa isn’t just Cloud’s childhood friend, but also the mother of the ‘family’ they were forming in Edge
-pg. 42 - 47
Tifa, watching over Cloud warmly as he regains the strength to move forward. Having been together with him since they were young, she is able to believe in his recovery for certain.
-Tifa’s profile, pg. 42 - 47
Though he has only been living with them a short while, he admires Cloud and Tifa like parents and has strong bonds with them.
-Denzel’s profile, Pg. 99
Cloud and Tifa, who remain, reveal their feelings for each other and clarify them together. story playback section
-pg. 118 (120 in revised version)
The place where he awakens —
That is Cloud’s Promised Land
As he sleeps, Cloud hears two voices. The voices of two people very dear to him, who are no longer with him. Playfully and kindly, they give him a message: he doesn’t belong here yet.
When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the children, freed from their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking for Cloud to heal his Geostigma — his family were waiting. Engulfed in celebration, he realises where he is meant to live. He realises that he was able to forgive himself.
And when he turns around — “she” is starting to leave. Together with the friend who had given Cloud his life. Cloud no longer has to suffer in loneliness … And so they too go back to where they belong.
Back to the current of life flowing around the planet
—. pg. 131 Story Playback (133 in revised version)
Aerith lends her power to the people suffering from Geostigma in Edge, and personally provides for Cloud’s recovery. Geostigma is cured. Cloud returns to Tifa and the children.
(concerning Cloud hearing a voice talking about Tifa)
As Cloud is trying to place the bomb, a mysterious voice speaks to him. Later, this same kind of mysterious voice resounds in Cloud’s head in the scene where he and a voice have a conversation, and it offers him reminders. These voices are the original Cloud
-FF7 Ultimania Omega, pg. 68
When staying at a private house, the mysterious voice echoed inside Cloud’s mind again, asking him why he didn’t see Tifa before leaving to the Mako reactor 5 years ago. In truth, Cloud didn’t want his identity known as a regular trooper/soldier and avoided Tifa, but this memory is sealed. Does the voice trying to awaken him belong to Sephiroth, who made Cloud his puppet? Or is it Cloud trying to return to his original self? – Judging from the dialogue, “It was a great chance for you two to see each other again,” it seems to be the latter. The voice also says things that see through to Cloud’s hidden feelings.
-FF7 Ultimania Omega, pg. 110
Still bearing the pain from her past, she lived together with Cloud, Marlene and Denzel, a boy who had sought shelter at the slum’s Church.
~ FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania Tifa Lockhart Character Profile p 42-47
Cloud brought Denzel back from the slum’s church and from then, it became the four of them living together.
~ FFVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania Tifa Lockhart Character Profile p 42-47
“Cloud brings Denzel back from the slum’s church and Denzel joins Cloud’s family.”
~ FFVII 10th Anniversary Complete Timeline
Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core Ultimania (2007)
Before leaving for Midgar, Cloud declared ‘I’m going to become a SOLDIER’ to Tifa, a village girl he had started falling in love with, and also promised to protect her.
-pg. 24
The only woman who knows Cloud’s past. In FF7, Tifa is the only one who knows Cloud’s childhood, and furthermore, she holds the key to people involved in the story of Nibelheim’s burning down, which is also depicted in CC. She and Cloud came to realize their feelings for each other in the end of the story, and live together in AC and DC.
-pg. 33
Cloud and Tifa
Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends, both born in Nibelheim. When Cloud leaves the village, he calls Tifa out to the water tower and promises that he will become a SOLDIER. At the same time, he is also made by Tifa to promise that he will come to rescue her if she is ever in trouble.
Following this, the pair experience many hardships, such as the Nibelheim incident which appears in CC, and the Jenova War in FFVII, and through these the distance between them shortens. And in AC, they live together with Barret’s daughter Marlene and a boy named Denzel. Though there was also a period later where Cloud lived away from them after having contracted Geostigma, they finally reach a commune and return to living together once again. In DC, they rush together to Vincent’s aid, in his battle against Deep Ground SOLDIER.
-pg. 280
Water Tower
The water tower erected in the center of Nibelheim. The large wooden cask catches rain water, and filters it to supply the townspeople with water to use in their daily lives. In the game, it is counted as one of the 7 Wonders of Nibelheim, as a place where the water runs red, due to the color of a red summon materia that was in the tower seeping into the water. Also, the tower at night appears to be a date spot for the town’s young residents, and Cloud had also called Tifa out here and talked to her before leaving Nibelheim for Midgar
-pg 280
Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (2007)
“Words aren’t the only thing that tell people what you’re thinking…”
—Prarie: What she said to Cloud the night before the final battle when he said there were many things he wanted to talk about.
-pg. 195
Cloud: Yeah… okay. This is probably the last time we’ll have together……
-Pg. 199, “Impressive Scenes”
Cloud reveals his feelings for Tifa in the mental world.
-pg. 229
And when Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their final hours, they reveal their feelings for each other together.
-pg. 232, Story Playback
The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with Sephiroth, he confirms with her feelings that can’t be expressed in words.
-pg. 394
Dengeki Magazine Advent Children Complete (2009)
A member of the anti-Shirna organization AVALANCHE, and Cloud’s childhood friend. She is the only person who knows his past, and the one person who understands him.
-Tifa profile
But after reuniting with her childhood friend Cloud, she sets out with him on a journey in pursuit of Sephiroth. She continued to support him at all times, such as when Cloud fell into the Lifestream, and she devotedly nursed over him.
-Tifa profile
At the end of a long struggle, she gently welcomes back Cloud on his return home after settling things with himself.
-Tifa profile
Dissidia 012 Ultimania (2011)
His adamant will reaches the throne of Cosmos. Cosmos rescues Cloud after he is defeated by Chaos and on the verge of disappearing. Ironically, that whom he set out to protect sacrificed herself to protect him.
-Cloud’s character museums
Final Fantasy 7 15th Anniversary Interview (2012)
For many years, Cloud and Tifa have been holding favor for one another. Facing the impending final battle with Sephiroth, they at last confirm together their feelings of desire for one another.
-pg. 23
The Fateful Night the Two Share
An event near the time of the final battle with Sephiroth, where Cloud and Tifa stay at the airship Highwind together. With this possibly being the end — an evening overcome with a flood of feelings becomes something special.
The True Wish Revealed
When Cloud was a young child, he was isolated from those around his age, and so he tries convincing himself that he must be special. However, Tifa was still important to him — this childhood awakening of love is revealed in the spirit world.
-pg. 21
Ultimania plus (2021)
For now these are descriptive, direct quotations coming. Only indented text are direct quotations/translations. “For Cloud this isn’t just any hug. Cloud’s dormant and true desires spurred his actions. The ultimania describes Clouds feelings in a sexually suggestive way (夜の過ち) as someone who has crossed the boundary in a friendship.”
Cloud begins to lift his hand to put it on Tifa’s back, wondering if he should dare to hug her. Deep in the recesses of his memory, his desire since youth to be cool and save Tifa, gives him the push in confidence he needs to wrap his arms around her.
“It sounded like what her mother (Thea) said about how beautiful Cloud is had a big impact on her Thea compares Cloud with Sephiroth made her felt like Cloud is something very beautiful, but also out of reach, like a star in the sky, she realized that’s why her heart always flutter when she talks to Cloud”
“The moment she realized he is not a star in the sky but just a boy right next to her….. he became special to her."
- ToTP
Concerning Canonicity:
Nomura : “AC is a piece of work made by Japanese people. In Hollywood movies, I think there is a tendency where the meaning of all the scenes have to be expressed clearly but, this isn’t something like that. With our work, the viewer is free to decide how they interpret or enjoy it. The staff has their own answers to all the scenes in the movie such as the angel statue that makes an appearance many times. But, even if someone who has watched it interprets it differently, then that is just another answer. I guess “comparing answers” with friends is one of the ways you can enjoy the movie. I think AC is a movie that makes those who have watched it, want to talk about it with others.” ~FFVII AC Prologue Book
Note, this shows that while SE considers all interpretations valid, the part in bold illustrates that that does not mean that there is no canon answer.
It was an exciting task to introduce a new current of wind to FINAL FANTASY VII, but at the same time, there was some fear. The original game used cartoon-like, stylised art, and the story was completed by players using their imagination to supplement portions that couldn’t be depicted as a result. Even if they were seeing the same scene, the information they took away from it and how they interpreted it differed depending on the viewer. Perhaps it’s what might be considered a narrative form of storytelling nowadays.
In FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, there will be much less room for player imagination. This fact will probably change the feel of the story considerably. People who know the original might not know quite how to take it. Such is the fear that I have. But I also have conviction. It should be possible to feel a much deeper connection to Cloud as you join alongside him. It would be amazing if you could feel that fiery flame together with him. - Nojima
(from square enix blog post)
And now there will be even less interpretation, since people being free to interpret doesn’t change canonicity.
A Final Fantasy VII fan interviewed Tetsuya Nomura for Dorimaga magazine and asked “How many girls has Sephiroth ever loved?”. In reaction, Nomura spoke evasively in anticipation of more questions regarding Cloud and Tifa’s love life, which have nothing to do with Sephiroth. Tetsuya Nomura: What kind of question is that? I’ve never thought about it. Honestly, I don’t care who loves whom. I think you could imagine the scenerios that we don’t mention however you want to. You could enjoy talking about that with friends. For example, I was frequently asked if there had been romantic relationship between Tifa and Cloud for two years, after FF7 ended, but I don’t have any clue.
~Dorimaga magazine; interview with Nomura; November, 2005
Note to self, this translation was erroneous if I remember correctly, needs to be updated.
These next two might be the same quote, needs more info.
Tetsuya Nomura: “I’d say, [who Cloud likes] is all how you perceive the game. Cloud, as you know, is a very popular character, so I don’t want to confirm the answer either way. Since the players have affection towards him, I want to leave it up to the players to decide who Cloud likes.”
Note, that while Nomura doesn’t want to confirm the answer, he doesn’t state that there is no answer.
Question: Okay then, so the person who Cloud is searching for is Aeris, right? Nomura: Well, what do you think? If indeed it was Aeris, then the bit in the ending was the answer. You might say it was made so that you can take it that way. Cloud is a popular character, and I don’t really want to decide myself, yes he is like this. Because players make strong conclusions by themselves, I want to leave room for everyone’s line of thought. From: Kingdom Hearts Ultimania Guide Translations by Thorfinn Tait
Note, while Nomura wants to leave room, that doesn’t preclude there being an actual answer, in fact, it was ultimately revealed that Cloud was searching for Sephiroth.
Question: What was the thought behind bringing back Aeris [in Kingdom Hearts]? Nomura: Yes, she died in Final Fantasy VII, but there’s no real relation to where she was at or what role she played in FFVII. There’s no relationship from FFVII to the Kingdom Hearts stories. I consider them separate stories. But if you play Kingdom Hearts, toward the end, some of the questions about the relationship between Cloud and Aeris in FFVII might be answered. It’s sort of like a side story, and this was an extra bonus that I wanted to give to players.
~Official U.S. Playstation Magazine; October, 2002, page 139-140
This quote shows the concept that while players are free to interpret, there are actual answers. If there is no canon, then there are no answers. Yes, the developers try to keep the story open for alternative interpretations, but they’re still “alternatives” to the “canon” interpretation. (ps, the relationship is shown to be on of guilt).
I was been told to be vague (more freedom) in creating this work, and that’s a big difference than what I usually have to work with. The biggest challenge for me is how compact the lyrics have to be, in terms of size, I really don’t have much words to express Those two factors add together means I have to accept the facts that some people will perceive the song in the wrong way. And that’s hard for me to swallow.
~ Nojima on “hollow” in Famitsu
Note that this once again shows that there are actual wrong interpretations, just because the developers don’t punish incorrect interpretations, and allow for fan-interpretation, doesn’t mean they’re not wrong. Unkown origin (let me know if you know exact source)
Autotranslate for now, let me know if anyone can find an official or better translation. “Tifa and the two of us., Let’s go see the nostalgic people one day”. (aka, end of FFVII is not about Cloud going to see Aerith, but Cloud and Tifa going to see their lost loved ones TOGETHER).
