Sorry this post is not about new info :P I'm just trying to open up an interesting discussion over ZXAXC here.


Yesterday my brother finished playing CC and we briefly exchanged comments. He says Zack should be a perfect guy for Aerith than Cloud, for he can always cheer her up with his sunny disposition, and he's also brave to protect her. They're all both optimistic ppl so they will have similar values in everything. My brother thinks Aerith is much more like a normal girl in love when she's with Zack. If Aerith is with Cloud, she'll always need to act maturer since Cloud's awkward like "a big kid."

Well, that's all my brother saying.
For me, it's not all similarity that makes CXA perfect. Aerith has cheerful characteristics, that's for sure, but deep inside of her, she also hides insecureness(not 'bout affection, but her living surroundings, due to her living background ). Cloud's the guy who will always consider her safety prior to everything, and protects her from any possible danger. On the contrary, Cloud, though is a tough guy,is emotionally weak, he has no confidence in a relationship, dubious 'bout other people's feelings for him and he's too unsocial/awkward to ask. For this part, Aerith can offer everything he needs: clear and direct affection, social skills, delightfulness...(OMG I got tons of them~ :lmao:
As for Zack, he's really sweet ideed, his enthusiasm in CC almost wins my heart.(I mean, he's going to complete all her 23 wishes? how thoughtful! :fangirl: ) During hisconversations with Aerith, he sometimes even overshines her. If they get together, I'll bet it's Zack who takes the leading position in the future; he won't be arbitrary but gentle to her. Zack knows tricks to flatter women, and this is something Cloud would never be, me guess.

However, does all those perfections fit Aerith? Zack likes social and exciting challenges(I'd never seen guys like him who's hyper in fights--) But for me, although Aerith is a brave woman but I don't picture her a jackbooted girl who dreams to be a top fighter. She loves gardening, which leads me to imagine she may prefer static interests. So compare this to Cloud, we know he probably likes bike(actually there's a thread hinted in Ultimania Book :lol: ), it's not a static interest I know, but for some reason, I just think Cloud and Aerith will have happy joyrides to all flowerbeds around the world~! :cleris:

I'll add some more, but I do love to hear any other ZXCXA comments! :gift:

NOTICE:
I didn't mean to open a LT thread here, so no "who loves who more/which pairing canon most" discussion. What's more, it'll be much more fun if we could ignore storyling or setting, and simply talk about ur ideas of those two pairings, considering their personality, likes, living background, etc. Fear no worry 'bout sharing love for ZXA here! We all know we're in pinky domain~

How is getting Cloud to dress in drag mature? :P

I like Z/A and C/A both, although I've only read CC summaries and haven't played the game yet. They both work really well for her, but in the end of course I'm going to have to choose Cloud as the better partner. While her feelings for Zack were deep and true, she reflects that her feelings for Cloud are stronger. She prefers Cloud's awkward nature to Zack's forward one. It's more like, while she and Zack are sort of on the same level and can play off one another very well, she and Cloud make more of a balance because their personalities are different.

You've summed my feelings up pretty well. While I don't mind Zeris, I love Cleris more because of the whole "balance" ordeal. Two people being similar doesn't always work out anyway: Cloti, for example.

The one thing I'd like to comment on is the whole idea of Zack being more brave and better able to protect Aerith. I disagree with it in a sense. Although emotionally unstable, Cloud can be very brave too. I imagine one must have to be brave in order to take the lead in saving humanity and the world. The only reason why he coudn't save Aerith was because he wasn't in control of his mind at the time. Put a clear-headed Cloud in there and he would have jumped to her rescue and most likely pulled through. I haven't played CC, but I doubt Zack's skills are that much greater than present Cloud's. Oh, and as for cheering Aerith up...I don't really think she needs anyone to cheer her up. She already has that in her. I was actually thinking that cheerfulness coming from both Zack and Aerith might be too overwhelming and sugar-coated for my taste. :cleris:

This is a pretty interesting idea your brother has... that Aerith has to "compensate" for Cloud's anxieties and might, one day, consider it almost like a burden. Whereas your brother thinks that Aerith and Zack stand on equal ground, so she doesn't have to carry his weight as well as hers.

Of course, first you have to assume she even thinks of it as a burden. But let's just say she does, in the same way caregivers feel frustrated while caring for a home patient.

I think the depressed, confused Cloud we see in parts of FFVII and AC is not the true Cloud. He may have awkward social skills, but I feel that it's his life experiences that made his issues-- insecurity, low self-esteem etc.-- almost destructive. (Seriously, replacing your friend's heroics with yourself is NOT healthy.) Since I don't think being emo is encoded in his DNA, he is capable of overcoming those issues.

Therefore, Aerith doesn't have to "carry his burden" forever... just until he's worked through his problems. When he does, Cloud will be capable of holding his own in the relationship.

We rarely get to see Aerith depressed in the game, but I can think of two instances: at Cosmo Canyon and the Temple of the Ancients. In both cases, note how Aerith reacts to Cloud's attempt at comforting her-- I wouldn't say she pushes him away, but she's not opening up to his attempts either. To use a term from icor's fanfic, she's rather blunt.

I think Aerith isn't the kind of girl who needs people to cheer her up. Some people need emotional support from friends or they'll just crumble, but others just need time alone to work through their thoughts. Aerith seems to be that kind of person, which might explain why we almost never see her troubled-- because she doesn't go to Cloud with her burdens (and most of the game is from Cloud's POV). In that sense she becomes a very private person, similar to Cloud (and maybe even moreso). I also got the impression from Elmyra that as a child, Aerith rarely went to her for help.

(On that note, that whole "cheering up" thing seems more fitting for Tifa. :lol: Fack 4evar~)

In fact, I could imagine Aerith becoming downright snappy if Zack doesn't get the message and continues prodding her. Cloud, OTOH, seems to understand the need to think alone.

Yeah, I think that's very possible. Aerith and Zack, being two very extroverted people, would be in a constant tug-of-war to determine who's in charge. You could even phrase it as a conflict. Sometimes couples like this sort of "challenge", but I think it will get tiresome after several years.

However, here's something to chew on: Does that mean that in a relationship with Cloud, Aerith would be able to dominate him? *bats away kinky ideas* If we human beings are inherently selfish creatures, then it's possible some hidden part of Aerith's mind prefers Cloud because she can lead and that makes her happy (as for Cloti, it seems no one takes the lead in that relationship XD).

Do you imagine Aerith to be a girl who would like a quiet life?

I always thought she had a bit of a wandering flair to her (she unhesitantly left Midgar to journey into the unknown world, and her yearning for the sky/airship struck me as yearning for freedom). But her CC dialogue about normality seemed like she wanted a more down-to-earth life. I guess that's expected after a lifetime of abnormality (science experiments, voices in your head, a secret organisation always "keeping an eye" on you).

Hmm. I'd probably categorise her as a mix of both. I just can't see Aerith living a "sedate" life, picket fence and all.


And here's something I just thought of: Could Aerith also have the fear of losing Cloud? In CC, she never got to travel with Zack. And what happened? He went and died, the bugger. :P So could it be that, what with all the freaky similarities with Cloud happening, she has this fear that if she doesn't accompany him, she may lose him just like Zack? (I'm comparing this to Tifa's fear: she once said in the game that she feared Cloud would "disappear" if she ever took her eyes off him.)

We like to say that Aerith insists on accompanying Cloud into danger because she doesn't let him treat her like a damsel, which I think is also true. But who knows, her prior experience with Zack could also contribute to her insistence. Aerith has lost her parents and Zack. She'd probably be damned before she lost Cloud too.

...

*chases plot bunnies* :bunny:

Zelda:

Buhaah!! (*choke with laughters) My bad, Zelda, I can't believe I'd forget this, you're awasome!! And how could I define a girl, dragging some solemn guy to have a play on stage mature?? :thump:

Love your ideas about balance between Cloud and Aerith, can't agree more. But sometimes I think if Zack gets a chance to have more time understanding Aerith, things would go differently(since he's kept busy in CC, missions after missions, while Cloud carries her to the journey for a long time---psss, you lucky fool, Cloud!) To talk about depth, Zack's feelings to Aerith IS clear and true, too(if not, the ending of CC wouldn't kills so much) so basically he's at the same status with Cloud. The key point is that Aerith's affections to them are different. With Zack, she's much like a "receiver", being touched by everything Zack bestowed upon her(he removes her fear of sky, soldier, and helps her carry out dreams); at this point, Aerith and Cloud seem alike. Aerith's cheerful character cannot be presented to the fullest cuz Zack's the similar kinda optimist(Oh....but the hug in the Church is beautiful :blush: )
Compared with Zack, when Aerith accompanies Cloud, she is like a "giver" here; Aerith's aware of his needs and actively pours her energy to help. I mean, it's easier to be a "receiver" in a relationship, we all love to be spoiled. However, Aerith's love to Cloud is much more stronger, and she cares about him more than herself.... That's the slight difference from Zerith, I guess.


HD:

Yeah, but somehow I think it's the game system/setting to be damned, since Zack isn't a hero in the crisis that involves Metreo that would destory the world, and the game is shorter and easier(imo) than a PS game. SE focuses too much on endless breath-taking amv to make him a super tragic hero, the easy system of fighting lets his braveness nowhere to see. :ermm:

Ahaha~~ :lmao: I know what you mean! I'm fine with Zerith's puppy love, but I prefer Cloud and Aerith's lovely interaction moooooore! I mean, it sureprises me to see tiny little reaction can reveals amazing sweetness in CXA~


@Lynn:

OMG LYNN YOU ROCK!!!!! I love the way you analyze CXA here!! (*jump to your lap) Bravo!! Bravo!!:fangirl:


You're so right, Aerith's the kinda girl that would never bring her "burden" into a relatinship, that's why I hate ppl condemn her not being true enough to Cloud(her ex, her Cetra history). Aerith hides it for the sake of guys she loves, she knows it clear that this "burden" shouldn't interfere a relationship or that won't be simple at the very beginning. At this point I worship her so bad!!!


OH~I haven't finished reading your post, I just can't hold it when I see these lines~~LYNN YOU"RE AWESOME!! :huggle: makes me wanna share it with my Zerith friends, can I? :blush:

(*run to read the rest)

:lmao: It works like this...
Cloud>Aerith>Zack
happy(?)>happier>happiest
Believe me, I love Zack and Aerith <3, but Cloud and Aerith still tops it!! ^__^
Well, people are different!!! ^_^ Now, let's not deny, Aerith does love Zack in CC truly. She even thought he's the one and only and the perfect guy for her. But he went away, right? It hurt her, but she was able to move on in years, and found new love from her ex-boyfriend's best friend :fangirl: , Cloud. Though, I still believe Aerith loves Zack, just not the same way for Cloud. :cleris:

Anyway, about Zack...if Aerith doesn't want him back I would gladly welcome him in my life... XD

I love this phrases!!!! It suits Clerith totally, me thinks so :cleris: so romantic, I would loooooveeee to watch this in CG sequence :fangirl:

Meh. I dunno. I just always thought of Cloud and Aerith more compatible because of their contrasting personalities that compliment eachother.

Like Lynn said before, Aerith and Zack are both very extroverted people, and in the future, it could lead to a conflict. I don't know if Aerith was truly in love with Zack in CC or not, but she even said it herself: she loves Cloud more and prefers his awkward personality to Zack's. That's more than enough answer for me.

Anyway, I personally don't like Zerith very much, so I'm probably a little biased, but that aside, it just seems to me that Cloud and Aerith fit better together.

I agree, Kuraudo. Like you said, I always saw Aerith and Cloud as more compatible because of their contrasting personalities that compliment one another. That's also another reason that I don't like Tifa and Cloud together... they're way too much alike, and their mutual anxieties and insecurities only seem to drag one another down like a dead weight. :lol:

At any rate, I read this observation by TheOmega at ACF Devotion, and I thought it was rather interesting:

Aerith's personality is noticeably different. She's still sweet, caring, and fun to be with, but she's also a bit more soft-spoken--something noticeably different comparing her to the FFVII Aerith we all know. This makes me feel like Zack has left a big impact on her. I feel like by the end of this game he will leave her with his outgoing, spunky, people-person attitude. And I'm certainly glad he did so! With her new outlook on life and overcoming her fear of the sky, Aerith can pass her positive attitude on other people--mainly Cloud.

I never really thought that Aerith seemed soft-spoken as a child in FFVII, but we really didn't see that much of her as a child, either. I'm curious what others think about this, especially those who are playing the game.

She is definitely different in CC. Soft spoken, I completely agree with. But I mainly notice she is much shyer and she has less of a sense of humor (since she takes Zack's joking around too seriously). And she seems down lot. When she brings up topics that can be taken as serious, she hangs her head. VERY different from what she is in FFVII.

I don't really like how she is in CC because she seems very childlike. Even at the age she is there, she acts more like she's a 10 year old who needs a hand to hold in a new scary world. VERY different from the FFVII Aerith everyone loves. This is another reason why I dislike Zack/Aerith because they both seem to not know what they're really doing with each other in a relationship sense.

Zack is...something of a catalyst. Without Zack, Aerith doesn't mature into the sort of woman who can take care of Cloud. Without Zack, Cloud doesn't continue living at all. If Zack had a will, he left his attitude to Aerith. Well, part of it. And that attitude becomes crucial to saving the world someday.

Think of Zack less as an ex-boyfriend, and more like the true matchmaker behind the scenes, and he becomes much more awesome. It's his work in Crisis Core that makes Cait's predictions come true.

As for the rest of it...oh, I dunno. If she can get Cloud to crossdress, she just might persuade him to be chained to something and... ;)

That's essentially what I think that poster in Devotion was trying to point out. It's an interesting perspective, but it also sounds rather "forced" by SE.

It's really disappointed to hear that Aerith acts so differently in CC. As I remember, she seemed rather bold as a young girl in the few scenes we saw in FFVII.

You are SO bad!!!! :lmao: