While playing FFVII and re-reading the scripts, I noticed some odd coincidences. There's already, of course, a heapload of evidence direct from Square that they have a preference among them between Cloud x Tifa and Cloud x Aeris. That being the latter. Though, with the default date being Aeris, and some of the dialogue, it really seems Square was pushing for players to vouch for this couple all along.

Odd Coincidence #1: Cover materia
You find this in Aeris's garden. The cover materia gives the user the ability to protect another character by taking the hit for them. The first time Cloud and Aeris go into battle territory is Sector Six. I'm not counting the church scene, because you have the option of pushing the barrels and preventing Aeris from doing any fighting. Usually when I get materia, I equip it right away. It's just a tiny bit coincidental, what with Cloud being Aeris's bodyguard and all, that I receive the Cover materia (bodyguard = protects) in Aeris's garden. Must've been meant to be.

Odd Coincidence #2: Landing in the Sewer
After Don Corneo drops everyone in the sewer, part of the date mechanism comes into play. Whoever Cloud talks to first, gets +3. Isn't it a little coincidental that Aeris just happens to be the one closest to Cloud when this sequence takes place? So naturally, most people who are unaware of the date mechanism, will talk to the one closest.

Odd Coincidence #3: Who is Cloud thinking of
Remember that scene we all love when Cloud and everyone has been captured in Shinra HQ. You go to the door and the options come up, "I wonder how [so and so] is doing." In every optional sequence the arrow points at the first option. This must be the exception because the arrow has somehow maneuvered itself and is pointing to the last option: Aeris. +3 for Aeris.

Odd Coincidence #4: Gongaga Village
So Aeris was in your party, heard about Zack, and she walks out. This is like a freebie pretty much, because when you talk to her, the options will come up, "Poor guy," and "(jealous... envious...)." No matter what you pick though, Aeris will get a + something. Tifa as well, but with Aeris you can attain +2.

I tend to look at the optional sequences as the first option being what Cloud is most likely to say (in most cases). The Date Mechanism really only feeds on the optional dialogues and actions, leaving a lot of what Cloud has done and said in regards to Aeris the real deal. "Are you all right?" "Aeris?! You safe?" "I just can't let you go in alone," "No Aeris! I can't let you get involved," "Aeris, I got you mixed up in all this." It's no wonder Aeris said, "Hey that's Cloud's line, 'It's too dangerous, I can't get you involved, bla bla bla.'" She picked up on that real fast, because in that short amount of time, Cloud's bodyguard status really took priority and he became very protective of her very fast.

In regard to odd coincidences, I'm not even gonna begin to question the fact that their names were written together in Parasite Eve, and that Square stealthily added in a reference couple to them in FFIX. Except I will say, I don't think it's just a coincidence, like with most everything I've gone through. :P

Very good observations! I have thought of some of those myself as well! It is so obvious with what Square wants us to see! :lol:

wooh yeah those are very very concidental events. Good job on picking them out! :)

That's some really wierd stuff, and I LOVE your siggy... hee!

Especially #3, it's funny that it happens to be on the 3rd option that one time... Also, in regards to the Gongaga village thingy, Tifa is also standing MUCH farther away from Cloud than Aeris, so it would be a lot easier for an unsuspecting player to miss her altogether, taking away affection points from Tifa.

Well like your sig says, Velvy, it's only been hinted 60 million times. *giggle* ^_^

Very nice observations!! And yep, your sig kicks butt! ^_^

Wow, awesome observations, Velvy! :D I am sure that is not a "coincidence", as we all know which pairing Square prefers. :lol:

Very good observations, Velvy! Yes, there's lots of hints like that found in the game and in the Date mechanism, too.

Another hint is that the Date mechanism is actually structured in order to favor Aerith. Aerith’s starting affection value with Cloud is a 50, while Tifa’s starting affection value is a 30. It's also possible to bring Tifa's affection value with Cloud down to zero, while the lowest possible score for Aerith is a 24. If you tabulate the average possible scores for each girl, Tifa would get a 40.5 on average, while Aerith would get a 56... which means that Aerith would be the one to go on a Date with Cloud most often.

OOoooo someone did their homework!!! Very good, Watson ;). I love your sig too, it's so sweet. Any idiot could tell Cloud and Aeris were in love during the game. Oooo... *fic bulb comes on above head*

As everybody's said, very good observations! I hadn't noticed the one about the Jail*writes that down*

Finally! Very well said! I've observed them myself from before but I thought I was dreaming. <_< And I was quite unsure to bring it up because I really thought I was dreaming... :lol:

*is very impressed* i never knew about the date mechanism thing, so it's news to me. Good observations! Go Cleris!

I wanted to add another "odd coincidence." We all know about that couple in FFIX that briefly remind us of Aeris and Cloud. The soldier's full title is Pluto Knight VII (...VII?).

Oooooh yeeeah-never thought about the cover materia-that's real coincidental. Great observations-I just wish Cloti's would except the truth and move on. It seems even Square is telling them Cloud loves Aeris, they just seem to be ignoring this.

Also, I've seen that Tifa's opinion lower not only if you show affection for Aerith, but also if you don't act heroic, like in the jail, whne Tifa asks Cloud if he can do somthing to escape, and if you say no, her opinion of you will go down, and you can repeat it this all the time you want, if it's possible you can make her opinion of Cloud goes below zero, but I think it can only reach zero, isn't it?

But the only way you can make Aerith's opinion of you get lower, is by showing affection for Tifa, but all those choices (in wich you show affection for Tifa) are never the default (first) choices. Funny, isn't it?

Excellent point Velvy... I think the FFIX Aerith-Cloud reference is underappreciated


some other thoughts on that too...

The Flower Girl is wearing yellow and red (the color of the flowers in the church, and Aerith's color [pink/red]), which, if I'm not mistaken, is also Garnet/Dagger's outfit color combination as well...

I don't know if this is an odd coincidence but when Aerith disappears after Cloud and Ramza try to rescue her in FFT, Ramza says something like
"Cloud, there's someone in your world waiting for you. We have to send you back"
But Cloud says he must go to the Promised Land.
Seems to me he's choosing to go after Aerith instead of going back to that 'someone' who's still waiting for him back in his world.
And that 'someone' is... ;)

I'm not sure about this as I haven't played the game but I really wonder who it is that is waiting for him. :ermm:

I don't think that Ramza strictly meant that it was someone in his "world" as the Planet itself, but to his time, he had to return to his time, because in his time, there was someone that was waiting for him. His world was his time.

Also we had seen that Cloud met, a girl that resemble a lot like Aerith, and that had her name as well. Also Cloud said that he was seariching for the Promised Land, therefore, it means he was searching for Aerith. Then we are told by Ramza that someone is waitng for him in his world, I'm sure that with the refernce that he was searching for Aerith, it can only mean that the wan waiting for him in his world was Aerith.

.....that's really confusing.... :blush:

Ooh...that's really interesting. ^^ And like your sig says..it really HAS been hinted like, 60 million times. :P Thanks for pointing them out!

This is really interesting, actually. I've only played ff7, so I dont know about the other games. But all I know is, that Cloud and Aerith are meant to be! :P

I never noticed that before. There is alot of things that I haven't noticed. *goes to replay the game to find them out*

Those are awesome. I think I'm going to replay the game and try to figure some out that you haven't mentioned! Hey, I'll bring a notebook and some paper to write the hints downand post them all!

...I think I'll need two notebooks. :cleris:

You'd do that for us? Awww, I love you.

Aww! Thank you! :)

The only problem is when I get my list, the results may be a little bias, because I always tend to dote all my love upon Aeris. :P

But I heart you too!

thats why you joined cleris---we dont mind!! :cleris:

Yeah!

:blush: Maybe I ignore Tifa a little too much...ah well, sucks to be her. :devil:

I love Tifa and all, but I also bash her.

I shan't say anything about that.... :devil:

I won't say anything about Tifa,because both the Cloti and the Claerith would hate me,but all I can say is,excellent digging.

I am sure there are more hints to be discovered.

By the way,this is alittle off topic,but in a since,cloud is always at the promise land,and Aerith is not,think about.Aerith is the promise land,no matter if she's alive or dead,but should be alive though.

You know, as I'm re-reading this topic, I do remember see/reading all of those things. But most of them are all fuzzy, like it's a dream or something. You know what I mean? Anyway, when I first played though (the second time) I never realized that the Cover Materia was in her garden at her house. Well, I did, but I didn't think anything about it. I was just like, "Big whoop, more Materia." It wasn't until I read the list that I actually thought about it.

You know, speaking of "Odd Coincidences." No one seems to look at the "coincidence" of Amano. I think amano likes Cloud and Aeris as a couple, just look at the images.
Amano images of Cloud and Aeris:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Amano images of Cloud and Tifa:
NONE

I rest my case. :whistle:

I'd also like to point out that Eris (pronounced the same as Aeris) is known as the Greek goddess of discord and strife.

I'm almost positive that this is pure conincidence, but I thought it was a neat littkle one. Also, on that note, I've been known to use "Descord" as Zack's last name in fanfics.

Since the Amano drawings were brought up, I'd like to point out something very interesting about the Amano drawings...

People say Amano drew these images before Tifa was thrown into the picture and Aeris was decided to be killed off. But that isn't the case. Amano HAS drawn a picture of Tifa, as well as two pictures of Aeris's death. The pictures of Aeris's death convey a very strong feeling of "lost love" from Cloud's gestures in the pictures alone. Square is the company that requests these drawings (and a majority of them are Cloud / Aeris), and it further caters to the idea that Cloud x Aeris were decidedly canon before the game even came out.

Just curious, what's the Tifa one like?

http://www.ffcompendium.com/chara/7-tifa-a2.jpg

It's her, by herself. It's titled "Rhythm", probably describing her coordination as a martial artist. ;)

It's pretty, but it sure doesn't show her like Aeris with Cloud. :cleris:

There are ones of Aeris' death but Amano describes it as Sephiroth slitting her neck.
See.
Aeris' death 1
Aeris' death 2

Some people think this is a SephirothxAeris proof. I think not.

As fond as I was of the Sephiroth x Aeris pairing, I could never consider Amano's art as proof. Their expressions show it all.