Pancakes vs Waffles. Cake vs Pie. Red vs Blue. These are common debates made throughout history and in the land of video games, there is another that is greater. Who is the best girl in Final Fantasy VII?
That is to say should Cloud have ended up with Aerith, or should it have been with Tifa? This article will look at the original and remake to determine the outcome. In order to do this properly spoilers will need to be discussed. For fans that played both games, there is a big one on the tip of their tongues right now so let’s get to it.
9 Tifa: Combat Power
In the remake, of the two characters, Tifa is more fun to play. Her agility is a nice counter to Cloud’s broad strength and Barret’s long-range specialty. Now, this is better than the original game because everyone ultimately played the same. The only difference between them all were their weapons, Limit Breaks, and Materia equipped. The remake does an excellent job of diversifying everyone. Poor Aerith is a bit more unwieldy than the others though.
8 Aerith: Magical Prowess
While Aerith isn’t as fun to play in the remake, she does at least have more magical strength. One of the best things about her in the original was her healing based Limit Breaks. It was tricky to get, especially before she dies, but Great Gospel is very useful. Playing as a White Mage in a game might not be as exciting as playing an acrobatic Monk-like Tifa, but they are still crucial to the party.
7 Tifa: Childhood Friend
This is a trope explored in a lot of RPGs and or anime. Should the male hero fall for a new girl, or end up with the childhood friend? In harem type anime, the choices are more vast, but let’s get away from that comparison for now.
In the case of Final Fantasy VII, Cloud should definitely fall for Tifa. He seemed to like her as a kid. He even promised to come rescue her after he became a SOLDIER which he ultimately did albeit as a normal recruit. This revelation was a sweet moment in the original game and is hopefully just as touching in the remake.
6 Aerith: Instant Spark
That said, there’s no denying the chemistry Cloud and Aerith share. Sure, Cloud may come across as a grumpy mute in the beginning, but let’s not forget he is suffering from amnesia and mistaken identity. The Mako does stuff to the body, that’s kind of the whole point of the game. Cloud’s journey is about opening up and Aerith is a huge part of that. Let’s also not forget that perhaps Aerith is into Cloud for the wrong reasons as she reminds him of her first love, Zack.
5 Tifa: Body Language
To quote Ursula from The Little Mermaid, “Don’t underestimate the importance of body language.” Tifa has curves and she knows how to use them. That’s probably why she dresses the way she does. Not to attract Cloud, but to flirt with customers at her bar. It comes with the territory in order to get tips. Even though no one seems to gather there except for AVALANCHE, it can be presumed she has been busy in the past.
4 Aerith: Sweet And Funny
Aerith’s personality mixes kindness with a wacky sense of crude humor and it is perfect. She can go from talking to kids in one scene to having the bloodlust in another. The remake is full of comedic bits and Aerith’s lines are among some of the best. “I’ll rip them off” still slays fans.
3 Tifa: Still Alive
Cloud really didn’t have a choice on who to fall in love with in the original game. With Aerith dead, Cloud only had Tifa.
That sounds like a default victory, but again, their bond is strengthened with Aerith’s passing similar to how Gwen Stacy's passing in Spider-Man strengthened Mary Jane's bond with Peter Parker. One could even say Aerith is a matchmaker. It’s even implied that they spent the night together before the final battle. Some fans found cut dialogue in the game’s code to prove this.
2 Aerith: Planetary Savior
Aerith may be dead and thus can’t be with Cloud physically, but like the Jesus metaphor that she is, she will always be with him spiritually. This is made abundantly clear in Advent Children. Not only that but her sacrifice saved the entire planet. Without her death the Holy Materia could not be activated in order to destroy Meteor. She’s sweet, funny, and noble to boot.
1 The Verdict
This is ultimately a tie. In the original game, as it was just stated, Tifa wins by default. Does that mean Tifa and Cloud are in love? According to Advent Children, Cloud is pretty mopey so maybe the victor isn’t as clear after all. In regard to the remake, well, anything is possible. For some fans, they want Jessie to get that final kiss from Cloud. At the end of the day both women are impressive characters be it in the original, or remake. In fact, they might be too good for Cloud and that is the real lesson here. Cloud, shape up.