My toxic trait is reminding everyone that Cloud Strife is the main character of FF7. The story fundamentally cannot work without him; no Aerith, Sephiroth, Tifa, or any of the other characters are not "more important" than him. All of them are important and have their own plots going on, but All of them still need the context of their relationship to Cloud (both textually and meta textually) for any part of the story to work and go as it does. Cloud is the glue that binds Avalanche together; hence, why it all goes to hell post-Northern Crater and doesn't get better until he does.
Notice how all of Avalanche and the important side-characters/antagonists have their own themes? Notice how Cloud doesn't have one dedicated theme and one could argue has multiple associated with him? His theme is the main theme of FF7 because It's His Story (and Hollow + all Hollow Skies variations but I feel like that still serves my point because one of his themes being Remake's ending credits/theme song with lyrics all about Cloud's grief, wanting things to be different, yet being unable to change a past he feels responsible for underpins the whole thematic narrative of the Remake Project).
Angeal's Buster Sword being meant for the hands of an honorable hero, representing the hopes and dreams of not only its wielder but of those they protect, is not something they just did for flavor text. Angeal himself was unable to use the sword for what it was meant for because he did not want it to succumb to wear and tear--he could never have been the hero meant to wield it even though it was made for him. Zack put the first bit of wear into it, but his life was cut short before he could have maybe used the Buster Sword for what it was meant to do.
He passed that sword and its meanings onto Cloud Strife. Was Cloud the destined hero? Was he this perfect champion? Fuck no. He's a backwater kid who never got into SOLDIER, got exceptionally lucky in killing Sephiroth the first time, he's rude and an asshole, and he woke up and decided he didn't give a fuck about anything unless he got paid to care.
But the point of Cloud Strife is that he eventually, slowly, chooses to care not only about Avalanche but all of Gaia and the people who live there. He cares about others constantly and consciously. He's not a man without severe mental health issues--he still gave the villain the "End the World" button, but he's also the only person who could actually defeat Sephiroth. Cloud not being a lone wolf, needing people at his side to get the job done, overcoming his traumas and worst aspects of his person to build a brighter future is the whole point of FF7. A wolf is a social animal and lives a worse life if it is alone. So are people.
In that, Cloud is a perfect representation of Gaia itself--full of weird people who don't always make the correct decisions, can be selfish, fall for propaganda, are operating on limited information, and might be deluding themselves about reality. But, ultimately are people who can choose to care, who want to protect their families, friends, and homes, and will do what they can to protect what they cherish. Not all of them, but enough of them.
Cloud is the last of the three Buster Sword wielders, and he was the one who became a hero.
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