In the AC trailers we have seen a very depresed Cloud, who says that he wants to be forgiven. It can be understood that he feels guilty about Aerith's death, but, by whom he wants to be forgiven? He knows that Aerith is dead, and that he can't undo that. At first it can be thought that he might find forgiveness by saving the planet, as well as making Aerith's sacrifice worth, but he already did it once, and still felt sda and guilty. Now if he wants forgiveness, how can he achieve it if the person he wants to be forgiven by is dead?

Is forgivness what he wants? Can it be that he doesn't understand the way he feels? Or is his meaning of forgiveness is more complex, than we can understand, or than he can understand? What does he mean with forgiveness?

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EDIT: I made this thread to see what did you thought about Cloud's meaning of forgiveness, not to have Cloud's actual meaning, but Cloud's meaning from your point of view.

Even after Aerith tells him in the flower field that she never blamed him, Cloud asks Vincent about forgiveness. So Aerith has already forgiven him, yet Cloud is still searching for forgiveness. That's part of the reason I wonder if Cloud is really understanding his own feelings about this.

Aerith has already forgiven him. She is communicating with Cloud, and tells him that he was never to blame. Many people take that to mean that Cloud has to forgive himself.

A good question. We may have to wait for the movie for an answer to that. My guess is that Cloud is feeling much more than just guilt...

Clerith-son you are a truley smart person that thinks way to much somtimes thinking is a bad thing this is one of those questions that we'll have to watch
to see :P

You're right, but one can't help to think of what may be in Cloud's mind. To me, the reason he may still be searching for forgiveness maybe more complex than just words being said. He may want a sign or for Aerith to be by his side (ok... I'm fantsising :P ) to show that he is forgiven.

Actually, I made this thread, just to see what do you think that is Cloud's meaning of forgiveness. I know that I'll only get the anwer for that by watching the movie, but now I just want to know what do you think of it, but I think that I didn't specify that on my previous post. I haven't posted what do I think of it, because I haven't polished my ideas, but when I have them clear, I'll post it.

hahaha, nothing at all wrong with that... some people like to "wax philosophical," and Clerith-son is just one of those people.



As far as my thoughts on the forgiveness issue are concerned, I think it's as much Cloud needing to forgive himself as much as it is his need to be forgiven. I think that, and coming to terms with his feelings for Aerith (whatever they may be... ahem), are going to have some importance to the storyline in AC. But, like everyone says, we'll just have to wait and see...

I think Clerith-son is raising a good question. It's interesting. :rolleyes:

But what more can Cloud do to forgive himself? He already fought Sephiroth and Jenova in FFVII to see that Aerith's death wasn't in vain. He already freed Aerith from Sephiroth's control so that Holy could be unleashed. Aerith has already forgiven him. Since Cloud's already done all of that, what more can he do? He can fight the SHM, Sephiroth, and Jenova in AC in Aerith's name, but how would that be greater than what he already did for her in FFVII?

Since Aerith has already forgiven him, I think Cloud is feeling more than just guilt. Cloud either doesn't understand that, or he's unable to verbalize it right now. I think that what he's really feeling is grief for the woman that he loves.

I totally agree with you that Cloud is feeling MORE than just guilt, and that feeling revolves around his grief over losing the womane he loves (that's what I was partially hinting at in my last post - I guess I was being too subtle, sorry!). But I get the feeling that Cloud's sense of guilt is as much a self-reflection of his feelings of helplessness and personal failure as it is his guilt over the death of Aerith per se. In other words, Cloud will have to come to terms with himself before he is going to be able to realise his true feelings of love for Aerith, and/or, perhaps, feel worthy of receiving Aerith's love in return. The plot for AC may be as much "Cloud vs. himself" as it is "Cloud vs. Seph/SHM/Jenova/insert-bad-guy-of-choice-here." Just my personal impression.

As far as what more Cloud could do forgive himself? Dunno, it strikes me that it may be more a question of Cloud reaching some inner "revelation" than doing any sort of external "heroic doing." Undoubtedly he will have to "be" the hero again in AC, but the question is whether not he will ever "feel like" the hero. I think the "feeling," not the "doing," is going to be Cloud's key to get through his emotional baggage and "find" his emerald-eyed lady waiting for him... But, it's all just my impression based on what I've seen so far from trailers and press releases. Thoughts?

I think you've hit the nail on the head there. I have the same impression. I agree that he's feeling unworthy of Aerith's love, which is why his back is turned toward her in the flower field... and that may be why he hasn't tried to find her in the last two years. Or has he? I don't think we can be certain of that, because I suspect that the flower field scene was incorporated into the film festivals in a different context than it will happen in the movie.

I'm not sure whether Cloud needs to feel like a hero. I agree that Cloud has to work through emotional baggage within the movie. What I see happening is that Cloud doesn't really understand his feelings of "guilt". So many questions are being directed to Cloud in the trailers and film festivals, and they all center on his feelings of "guilt". Marlene asks Cloud why he doesn't listen to them. Tifa asks why he doesn't fight Geostigma. The WCM asks why Cloud won't fight the SHM. Aerith asks why he wants forgiveness. It seems to me that Cloud has to understand and/or admit that his feelings of guilt aren't really guilt at all, but grief for the woman he loves.

I think that Anastar gave you enough credit, but let me do it by myself. I share your point as well. I think that he can't see Aerith to the eyes, because he feels unworth of it, since in his mind, he let her down, he may also feel ashamed as he feels guilty, that might be another reason with he didn't saw Aerith, into her eyes, he felt ashamed and unworth. So that forgiveness for him, might be to find a way, in wich he became worth of being with Aerith again. Might it be, sacrfying his life for the sake of the Planet, as Aerith did?

I don't think that he will have to be or feel like a hero, to find Aerith, I think that he has to feel worth of being with her, in order for him to find her. As his guilt feelings concern, I think that he knows why he feels guilty, but I think that what is making him suffer are some bigger feelings within him, that he does not pay atention to, since he's centered only in his guilt. But I share the point that he'll have to work through emotion baggage, and to find some inner revelation, in order to fully understand, his feelings.

Perhaps Cloud being the "hero" in the traditional since is wrong. I was thinking more along the lines of Cloud's sense of self-worth (or trying to reach such) from the standpoint of him trying to become "bigger and stronger" and join SOLDIER to gain attention... and how that translated to him being "heroic" for Aerith as her bodyguards. What I should have said, maybe, is that Cloud needs to be able to feel like Aerith's hero again...