Stupidity
It is so clear cleriths do not understand what Cloud’s false identity was. I have seen all of them say “Why does Cloud remember Aerith when he regains his true self if he was Zack” He WASN’T Zack. Nowhere is it ever stated he was Zack. “His facade is him pretending he’s not in love with Aerith” Ok. Why does he have a facade before even meeting Aerith? Why does his facade break down around Tifa when he doesn’t even know her name. Why does he very clearly not want anything to do with Aerith when she’s trying to give him a flower. He still had his facade there huh? And her telling him not to fall in love with her you’d think that’d be the start of this “facade” in which he’s pretending he isn’t. Cloud’s facade exists independently from Aerith. Cloud’s false identity is not because he’s pretending to not be in love with her because she said not to (wtf they actually think this omfg)
Cloud’s facade/false persona was created before the game even started. The Remake ultimania does not confirm he “is pretending not to love Aerith” it’s saying what the past ultimanias have always said. Cloud’s true self only emerges around Tifa, not Aerith, he has a false persona around Aerith and she is acknowledging this. Both in OG with her “I want to meet you” admitting she has not met the real Cloud, and with the Remake in which she says any feelings he may feel towards her wouldn’t be real because he is not truly himself.
Sources:
Enigma of the voice 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, as – due to Hojo’s Sephiroth Clones experiment –Zack’s personality merged with his, creating the present day Cloud, producing a conflict of multiple personalities- 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
Cloud had been stricken with Mako poisoning on two separate occasions, once in the 7th Street slum train station, and again in Mideel. Both times it had been Tifa’s voice calling to him that had restored him to consciousness.- FF20th Anniversary Ultimania Vol 2: Scenario pg. 206
Due to the influence of the Jenova cells implanted in his body he acted out a false persona, but with the support of his friends he regains his true self and grows as a person.- FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Cloud’s profile pg. 36-41
At first he calls himself “ex-SOLDIER, 1st Class”, and affects a condescending attitude towards the people around him, but this is a false pretence born from Cloud’s own desires. - FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Cloud’s profile pg. 36-41
At the age of 16 Cloud was sent on a mission to his hometown of Nibelheim, where Sephiroth went out of control (what is commonly called the “Sephiroth Incident”). Cloud, having suffered heavy injuries during the incident, was injected with cells from Jenova, an extraterrestrial life form. These cells, which Sephiroth also had in his body, controlled Cloud’s thoughts and created a separate personality, and tried to manipulate Cloud into joining with Sephiroth. Even the Meteor crisis was indirectly caused by Cloud having become a puppet to Sephiroth. In FFVII Cloud finally regains his true self and defeats Sephiroth, but this doesn’t mean he’s completely freed from the will of Jenova, and in AC he is tormented by the Remnant’s call for the Reunion.- - FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Cloud’s profile pg. 36-41
While still just a grunt, he aims to be in SOLDIER. He strikes up a friendship with Zack, a SOLDIER 1st Class; what influence will he have on Cloud, that would lead to Cloud imitating Zack’s personality - FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Cloud’s profile pg. 36-41
What Cloud Inherited from Zack
Under the effect of Jenova’s cells, Cloud mimics his best friend Zack and creates a new persona, but the mental aspects weren’t the only things he received from Zack. - FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Cloud’s profile pg. 36-41
Zack’s personality had a heavy influence on the formation of Cloud’s personality when he was under Jenova’s control. -FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Zack’s profile pg. 82 - 85
He lost his life trying to escape from the clutches of ShinRa, who had been performing experiments on the bodies of Cloud and himself. Although Zack was already deceased before the start of the story, Cloud confused himself with Zack and in the process of recovering his original self, Zack’s character is also brought to light. -FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Zack’s profile pg. 82 - 85
The photo taken with Tifa and Sephiroth prior to the departure to the Mako Reactor. It provided and opportunity to expose the falsehood in Cloud’s memories. -FF7 10th anniversary Ultimania, Zack’s profile pg. 82 - 85
First love Zack Aerith’s first love was Zack, a young SOLDIER 1st Class who she lost contact with 5 years ago. He was Cloud’s best friend, and his personality has had a great influence on Cloud’s behavior. Aerith is unaware that the two were best friends, and takes an interest in Cloud because she sees Zack in him. -pg. 197 of the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character
Aerith’s first love is Zack, the object of Cloud’s basic personality of being an “ex-SOLDIER.” . We could say Cloud’s speaking and acting like Zack is a big reason why Aerith started to have good feelings towards Cloud. -pg. 29, FFVII Ultimania Omega
"I’m looking for you."…"So you won’t have a beakdown." - what Aerith told Cloud had many deep meanings. Aerith detected that the present Cloud is not the real him during their encounters. She knows it because of her mysterious, inherent ability. -pg. 29, FFVII Ultimania Omega (Aerith knows the real Cloud bit cleriths in the ass because in the remake she tells Cloud his feelings aren’t real.)
Jenova's mimic ability Jenova has a mimic ability which allows it to read the memories and feelings of others, then adjust its appearance, speech and behaviour accordingly to immitate what it has seen. Jenova once used this ability to get close to the Ancients and infect them with its virus, which killed many of them.
This ability is not limited solely to Jenova itself, for those who have its cells within them possess it as well, though in an incomplete form. Immediately prior to the start of the game, when Cloud's mind was shattered, he ran into Tifa and seemed to immediately return to "normal" (-->P.13); this was because the mimic abilities of the Jenova cells inside Cloud read her mind, seeing her memories of him, which were then combined with his own ideal vision of himself, fashioning a new personality for him. -FF7 Ultimania Omega
Why does Cloud remember Aerith after regaining his true self?
Because the real Cloud was never gone, it was always there trying to regain control. That’s why the voice speaks to Cloud throughout the game in OG, the real Cloud is TRYING to come back. The real Cloud has memories because he wasn’t blacked out throughout disc 1. He’d remember Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge too. His flashbacks in AC also show he has memories Shinra exploding, and has memories of Zack when he was in his mako poisoned comatose state! Tl;Dr
What Cloud’s false persona/facade was/is: A combination of memories and Cloud’s own desires with Zack as a basis--brought about by the Jenova cells in his body. His true self emerges only around Tifa, and Tifa is the one who helps him regain his true self. What Cloud’s false persona/facade is not: Aerith told him not to fall in love with her so he’s putting on a facade that he’s not in love with her.
P.s. As for Maiden and Dismantled, they were both written by a man who was never involved with the development of FF7 or its compilation, and funnily enough cleriths claim Aerith knew the real Cloud but cite Maiden--in which Aerith admits she doesn’t know the real Cloud and can’t help him regain himself. Ironic.