Advent Children FAQ

3. At the end of Advent Children/Complete, Cloud understands that he will never be alone again because he has Tifa.

~ False. At the end of Advent Children/Complete, Cloud says that he is no longer alone because he has learned that Aerith will always be with him. For more information, see:

Last Night Under the Highwind: Low Affection Version - script and screenshots

4. Since Cloud loved Tifa in Final Fantasy VII, then he must also love her in Advent Children/Complete.

~ False. The level of Cloud's affection for Tifa is totally optional to the player in Final Fantasy VII. How much Cloud likes Tifa is fully governed by the Date Mechanism. Therefore, Cloud's feelings for Tifa are not a "fact" determined by the script. Instead, Cloud's feelings for Tifa are completely optional, since they're determined by choices made by the player. For more information, see:

Analysis of the Highwind Scene: Low Affection Version

About the Highwind Scene in the Ultimanias

5. Since Cloud had a childhood crush on Tifa, he must still love her as an adult.

~ That's a very illogical assumption. How many people are still in love with someone they had a crush on when they were a kid?

6. Cloud and Tifa must be romantically involved since they live together.
~ False. Living in the same house is not conclusive proof of a romantic connection. In the first place, Tifa lived with Barret, Wedge, and Biggs in the original Seventh Heaven in Final Fantasy VII, yet no one thought that she had a romantic relationship with them. Since Tifa has lived with other male friends on a platonic basis, then Tifa may also be living with Cloud on a platonic basis. Furthermore, it was confirmed in both Advent Children/Complete and Case of Tifa that Cloud has his own room in the Seventh Heaven, which means that he is not sleeping with Tifa. For more information, see:

7. The ending of Advent Children/Complete shows that Aerith and Zack have been reunited as a couple.

~ False. Case of Lifestream-White by Kazushige Nojima specifically states that Cloud is Aerith's sweetheart or boyfriend, which means that Aerith moved on from her feelings for Zack. Aerith is also shown by herself during the credits of Advent Children as she waits for Cloud, with Zack nowhere in sight. Furthermore, Aerith clearly states in Maiden of the Planet that she loves Cloud more than Zack and that she's not anxious to spend time with Zack. For more information, see:

Aerith and Zack in Maiden of the Planet

Aerith's Relationship with Zack

Maiden of the Planet

8. Aerith and Zack are now a couple because they were reunited in the Lifestream.

~ False. It's clearly stated in Case of Lifestream-White by Kazushige Nojima that Cloud is Aerith's sweetheart or boyfriend. This obviously means that Aerith has moved on from her feelings for Zack. Aerith also makes it clear to Zack in Maiden of the Planet that she is no longer interested in him as a boyfriend. It's also shown in Maiden of the Planet that Zack is unconscious a great deal of time in the Lifestream while Aerith is awake, so their spirits actually spend little time together. For more information, see:

Aerith and Zack in Maiden of the Planet

Aerith's Relationship with Zack

Maiden of the Planet

9. Cloud resolved all of his problems in Advent Children/Complete, so now he's ready to move on with Tifa.

~ There is no evidence of that. Even though Cloud resolved his guilt and his Geostigma got cured in Advent Children/Complete, there is no evidence that he will now "move on" with Tifa. The end of Advent Children actually shows Cloud riding out to a flower field to be with Aerith, rather than going back to the Seventh Heaven to be with Tifa. Even the ending of Advent Children Complete doesn't show Cloud returning to the Seventh Heaven. There's also no evidence that Cloud and Tifa are romantically involved in Dirge of Cerberes, which happens a year after Advent Children/Complete. Besides, there's a great deal of evidence that fundamental problems exist in Cloud and Tifa's relationship, such as lack of communication and understanding. For more information, see:
Devotion and Doubt

Aerith Lives in Cloud's Heart

Evidence that Cloud Still Loves Aerith

10. Cloud's relationship with Aerith is over because she's dead.

~ False. Nomura specifically says in Distance that Aerith's consciousness lives on inside of Cloud. The bonus video Calling at the end of Advent Children also showed that Cloud is able to meet with Aerith in the flower field. That is still suggested by the ending of Advent Children Complete as well as Reminiscence. Furthermore, the final scene of the movie shows the interior of Aerith's Church, which is a clear suggestion that he visits there often and that Aerith continues to be significant to Cloud. For more information, see:
Devotion and Doubt

Aerith Lives in Cloud's Heart

Evidence that Cloud Still Loves Aerith

Is Tifa Really Cloud's Sweetheart?

11. Nomura confirmed in the Reunion Files that Tifa is Cloud's sweetheart.
~ False. Nomura actually stated in Japanese magazine Dorimaga that he has no idea whether Cloud and Tifa were romantically involved between FFVII and Advent Children/Complete. Therefore, Square Enix obviously still wants to leave Cloud and Tifa's relationship open to interpretation. This claim is being made due to a statement made in the Reunion Files, where Nomura describes Tifa’s character as being that of a sweetheart. However, Nomura does even not mention Cloud in that statement, so it cannot be assumed that Cloud is associated with it. Furthermore, it is also written in the novella Case of Lifestream - White, by Kazushige Nojima, that Cloud is Aerith's sweetheart. It should also be noted that the FFVII Relationship Chart in the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania (written in 2008 after the Reunion Files and the 10th Anniversary Ultimania) only shows that Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends (see scan here). For more information, see:

Koibito

Tifa: Mother or Sweetheart?

12. Square Enix has confirmed that Cloud and Tifa are "together", which means they are a couple.

~ This claim is due to a misunderstanding of two statements made by Square Enix. One was made by Kazushige Nojima in the Reunion Files when he said something about Cloud and Tifa being "together". However, the context of the page shows that Nojima was speaking about locations, rather than relationships. Therefore, Nojima only meant that Cloud and Tifa would both be located in Edge. The second statement is something said by Barret in the novella Case of Barret to Cid. Again, Barret was only speaking about their location, not their relationship. Both statements are discussed in:

Tifa: Mother or Sweetheart?

13. Cloud and Tifa are shown in a Yin-Yang position in Aerith's church, which symbolizes their love for one another.

~ False. In the first place, their bodies are not truly in a Yin-Yang position. Cloud's body is actually angled away from Tifa’s and there’s a large blank space between them, which prevents the Yin-Yang symbol from being formed. In the second place, Yin-Yang relationships do not always symbolize love. For more information, see:

The Symbolism of Yin-Yang

14. Cloud and Tifa must be romantically involved because they're in a family together.

~ False. Tifa explicitly states in Case of Tifa that she could "get over anything with friends that she could call family." Therefore, the “family” is based on friendship rather than romance. Furthermore, Barret is really considered to be part of the family, too. The ending of Advent Children/Complete also implies that all of Avalanche, including Aerith, are now part of Cloud's "family". For more information, see:

15. Cloud and Tifa are raising children together, so they must be romantically involved.

~ False. Barret specifically tells Cid in Case of Barret that he left Marlene in Tifa's care, without mentioning Cloud. Furthermore, it’s also quite obvious that Marlene still considers her father to be Barret, rather than Cloud. For more information, see:

16. There's a romantic scene in Advent Children/Complete where Cloud takes Tifa in his arms.

~ That's purely a matter of opinion, since not everyone considers the scene to be romantic. In fact, Cloud also takes Kadaj in his arms near the end of Advent Children/Complete, yet no one considers that to be proof of a romance between them. For more information, see:

17. There's a picture of Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel all happy together as a family.

~ Again, this is purely a matter of opinion. Many people actually think that Cloud looks very depressed and unhappy in that picture, since it shows him looking down at the ground with a frown on his face while turning away from Tifa and the children. For more information and a view of the picture, see:

18. Tifa is wearing Cloud's Cloudy Wolf ring, so they must be engaged or married.

~ False. Denzel is wearing Cloud's Cloudy Wolf ring on a chain around his neck. Furthermore, Barret is also wearing the same ring, so it can't symbolize a relationship between Cloud and Tifa. For more information, see: