The world of the much-beloved Final Fantasy VII is populated by a plethora of unique, intriguing, eternally memorable characters. From Cloud Strife himself to more obscure NPCs like Dyne, everybody has a story to tell. Well, except those typical RPG townsfolk who just repeat the same line of dialogue forever.
This particular title is rife with formidable female characters, and the remake allowed the team to dive a little deeper into some of their feelings, motivations, and backstories. Today, we’re here to take a look at Tifa and Jessie, to try and decide which of them really is the best girl.
10 PLOT IMPORTANCE: Both
In the original game, of course, Tifa remains with the party throughout the entire adventure, while Jessie sadly doesn’t. It would be super unfair for total screen time to be considered a factor, then, so we’re going to try and judge the two women outside of that.
When it comes to the plot of the remake, then, both Jessie and Tifa have vital roles to play. While Tifa is a primary party member, Cloud and co. would never have progressed much further than that first reactor without the efforts of the extended Avalanche crew. Jessie is essential to their operations and would have taken part in that follow-up raid had she not been injured.
9 GLOW-UP: Jessie
Needless to say, Tifa is every inch the beautiful brawler she’s always been in the remake. The high-def coat of paint has done her the world of good. Having said that, we do think that Jessie has come much further overall than Tifa has.
Previously featuring only in the opening hours of the game, Jessie has a whole new lease of life in Final Fantasy VII Remake. We learn a little of the acting aspirations that were torn away from her, the family issues she faces, what a bold, courageous and friendly woman she is. A lot of these traits are present and correct in Tifa, too, but we’ve already had an entire game’s worth of character development to learn that.
8 STRENGTH: Tifa
Of course, there are many different kinds of strength. Strength of character, strength of morals and so on. Neither woman is really lacking in either regard, but when it comes to raw pummelling-monsters-into-grim-hunks-of-meaty-defeat-with-your-bare-hands strength, it’s all Tifa.
The designated Monk of the party, Tifa has always battled with her gloved fists alone and her physical strength is beyond compare (although not in times of base stats in the original, it has to be said). With all the sword-brandishing and gun-firing bravado in the original and the remake alike, there aren’t many other characters who can make that claim.
7 BRAVERY: Both
Just as there are many different kinds of strength, bravery takes all kinds of forms too. In their own ways, both of these women demonstrate bucketloads of it during their personal journeys.
Neither are seasoned warriors in the sense that Cloud Strife is, and neither has met opposition such as this before. Regardless, they both see the desperate need to bring the fight to Shinra, in the hopes of making a better world. Jessie seemingly gives her life in pursuit of this vision. In terms of combat itself and the drive forward into the heart of the Shinra building, Tifa is right up there with her, triumphing over her own doubts and fears in inspiring fashion.
6 INTELLIGENCE: Jessie
While Tifa frequently demonstrates her resourcefulness and quick-thinking (she perfectly counterbalances Barret’s impetuous and hot-headed nature in that sense), we don’t really get to see her do very much in a technical sense.
By contrast, Jessie tends to be regarded as the brains of our core Avalanche crew, designing and creating many of the devices that the group relies upon to pursue their aims. From our dealings with Barret, Biggs, and Wedge, it’s clear to the player that this wouldn’t exactly be their forte.
5 ICONIC STATUS: Tifa
There was never really any doubt as to the results of this category. Tifa Lockhart is perhaps the most iconic female character in Final Fantasy history (among the most iconic ladies in video game history, even), after all.
While she was designed to be conventionally beautiful, she’s far from a mere piece of eye candy (developers sometimes struggle with this concept).
A multi-faceted, formidable yet vulnerable, courageous fighter, Tifa takes the player on an emotional rollercoaster in the original game. This is replicated quite well within the time constraints of the remake (plot-wise). Meanwhile, Jessie is a character we previously only got to scratch the surface of, making her far more difficult to become attached to.
4 HEARTSTRING-PULLING FACTOR: Jessie
As we’ve just mentioned, Final Fantasy VII barely had the time to introduce us to Jessie and who she was. It was a blow when she perished along with Biggs, Wedge, and the other residents of Sector 7, yes, but not to the extent that it could’ve been. We wanted to know more about these characters.
The remake gave us this opportunity, fleshing out Jessie, the aspiring actress, and her friends to a much greater extent. Still, we knew what was coming, and when it did, it hit home to a much greater extent. This time around, perhaps, Jessie was given the send-off she deserved, in scenes that were certainly the most emotional in this first ‘chapter’ of the remake.
3 PERSONALITY: Tifa
This entry was quite the tough one to judge. As we know, everybody’s character was greatly expanded upon this time around, as the initial Midgar portion of the adventure was expanded to full-game status. There was much more time for character development as a result.
In our time with both women, they each prove themselves to be vibrant, likable, friendly, strong allies who leave their mark on everybody they meet. Tifa is presented as just a little deeper and more multi-faceted, and her overall iconic nature also creeps in there a little.
2 BIG MOMENTS: Tifa
We’ve already decided that, as far as emotional moments in the remake go, it’s tough for Tifa to compete with Jessie’s final stand on the pillar. It was harrowing to watch the various residents of Sector 7 fighting for their lives as it was, but the fates of our Avalanche friends stung all the more.
Overall, though, if we’re judging big, character-defining moments, Tifa probably wins out. From diving into Cloud’s psyche in the Lifestream to her one-on-one fight with Scarlet aboard the Sister Ray, the original game was defined by Tifa moments. The remake had much less to work with, but the likes of climbing, swinging, and jumping around the Shinra Building to make a path for the others was just pure Tifa. Where would the party be without her?
1 WINNER: Tifa
All in all, Jessie stacks up very well against Tifa, which is a feat in itself. After all, Tifa, as we know, is a gaming icon. This is a testament to the remake and how it added to everything the original did with Jessie, as well as Biggs and Wedge.
Ultimately, though, Final Fantasy VII Remake’s best girl has to be Tifa. She’s an absolute powerhouse, she’s a blast to control, she’s every bit as formidable as she’s always been, and she embraces her vulnerable side too. Fans can’t wait to see where the team takes her character next when we eventually see part two of the remake.