I was just reading through this old topic (which challenged the popular idea that Cloud had a childhood crush on Tifa), when I realised something. I've always thought (and I think I argued in the old thread) that he did in fact have a crush on Tifa as a young boy but that it was just a crush (and not "kidz twu wuuuub!") based on his loneliness and alienation and Tifa representing the complete opposite of that. I also don't think that Young!Tifa is some kind of selfish, snotty, fame-hungry goldigger but just a normal little girl who just happened to be impressed by Cloud's big dream at the time.

Anyway, lot of people here disagree with me and don't believe that Cloud ever wanted more than to be her friend (which is fine, and not really the point of this thread), but if he did have a crush on her, there's a whole new angle on it I think we can consider... :shifty:

Who is Tifa to Cloud? We know that they weren't actually childhood friends and in fact barely knew each other, despite being neighbours. He doesn't know her in a personal sense at all (the same applies for her too). To him, she is what he sees. He doesn't have the chance to get to know the person underneath.

So, what does he see? How does Young!Tifa come off to someone looking at her from far away? What did he see in her?

Unlike Grownup!Tifa, she seems very happy and bubbly. She's surrounded by friends and is the most popular girl in the town. She's everyone's friend and everyone is worried when she's hurt. She's the star of the show - the girl who stands out, the one everyone notices and feels close to. She's liked by everyone and seems to have something that charms everyone she meets. She gets on especially well with the boys, and is probably a little bit flirty, or at least aware that she was so liked. Cloud says that she and friends were always laughing. So maybe it was about "every stupid thing", but she knew how to enjoy herself in those days. She came off as a bright and cheerful girl. Even when she's torn up with grief, she shows some daring and spirit by deciding to climb the Nibel Mountain, and isn't put off when all her friends leave her. She's brave, and doesn't mind going it alone if she has to.

Even as a 15-year-old, she's quite different to her older self. She's more independant, is eager to lead a group of Shinra SOLDIERS up a dangerous mountain and doesn't let her dad talk her out of it. She's also got a bit of attitude too ("You'd better take REAL good care of me then!").

So...does she sound a bit familar? Not so much like the Tifa we know now, but a certain someone else? :whistle:

If Cloud had a crush on Tifa, who's to say it was her (who he didn't know in any real or meaningful way at all at the time) he was drawn to all along (which would mean that maybe he could feel that way about her again)? If he didn't really know her, then isn't it much more likely that he was drawn to the surface-personality? What he saw of her character from far away?

She was a much bubblier, more social, more spirited and happier girl at the time. Who's to say it wasn't THAT he was attracted to? And isn't it possible that that kind of persona could be what he's always attracted to in women? :aeris:

I'm not saying that Young!Tifa was some carbon copy of Aeris or that Aeris is a substitute for Young!Tifa. Tifa was always her own person and probably had her insecurities and doubts underneath the happy surface, but Cloud was never there to see that. Her real friends would've known that side of her, but not Cloud. From his distance, he only saw the happy girl. And Tifa's bubbliness is quite different to Aeris' - Tifa's was based on being so loved, sheltered and supported, that when all those people and their support were taken away and she was left alone and traumatised, the happy persona crumbled and she matured into a very different person. On the other hand, Aeris' cheerful and upbeat attitude is more solid and genuine because it's where her strength comes from. She's had terrible things happen to her in her childhood and managed to have a positive outlook despite that.

But Cloud could never have known that there was more to Tifa's personality than the happy and laughing surface he could see, just like he couldn't know that she wouldn't always be like that. Because he was so distant from her, the only thing he could have been drawn to wasn't Tifa's true self and the woman she'd become after losing her cheery and girlish outlook, but instead what he saw as a happy, bright and bubbly girl who could draw people to her and was the friend of so many.

Tifa will never be that girl again. She wasn't that kind of girl when she knew him in FFVII, she wasn't that kind of girl in CoT, she wasn't that kind of girl in AC. And if anything more is ever added to the Compilation (and it's not a prequel) then she won't be that kind of girl in that, either.

But guess who is that kind of girl, and will always be? The kind of girl Cloud has shown to be drawn to from his youngest days. :fangirl:

:cleris:

Phew...that's it! Let me know what you think! ^_^

..................


IMO, if there had never be a Aerith in FF7 Compilation, I still don't see any future between CloudXTifa.....(*irresponsibly run away~*)

Yes, long Hyper posts! XD

Cloud was probably attracted to more of what Tifa represented than who she actually was. As you said, they really didn't know each other - Cloud simply watched her from afar. He craved attention, to be loved by many, and it seemed like that came easily to Tifa.

But of course when they meet as adults, Tifa's no longer like that and Cloud is distant. Aeris is loved, yes, but Cloud doesn't need to see her surrounded by people who adore her - she simply gives off the aura of a person who's very loving and open, and people are compelled to be open and love her in return. But the difference between Aeris and Tifa is that Cloud isn't just attracted to those qualities, Aeris actually starts showing Cloud he's already someone loved all on his own.

blah blah i'm rambling~ XD

I just don't think it's a crush... the game would have made Cloud more fond of the idea (on his own, not by player choice) whenever he's alone with Tifa. I just don't see where it came from...

I've never seen how people could NOT see that Cloud had a thing for her. It always seemed extremely obvious to me, the way he's talking about TIFA, not being popular, not fitting in, not anything like that. he wants to impress and be around TIFA.

Well, not nessisarily her, but who he thought she was, which is a different story altogether. When you watch somebody for afar, you start to put together an idea in their head of who they actually are, but in this case it was way off base.

Plus I fel it better frame the relationship to have Cloud have a crush on Tifa without realy knowing her, and later in life it's exactly the reverse.