Friends vs. Family: Cloud Living with Tifa
By Anastar
Advent Children/Complete and Case of Tifa both portray Cloud as living in the Seventh Heaven along with Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel. The 10th Anniversary Ultimania, published by Square Enix, also made several references to Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel as a “family of four”. This information is often used in love triangle debates by CloudxTifa supporters to claim that Cloud and Tifa are now involved in a romantic relationship, since they are living in the same house and acting as parents to two children. However, there’s plenty of evidence to show that Cloud and Tifa’s relationship is nothing but platonic.
In the first place, Tifa herself states in Case of Tifa that this “family” consists of friends working together and encouraging one another. Look at the following passage from Case of Tifa:
Friends were a necessity
to me so that I could live on without being suppressed by the sins in my
consciousness. Even if they were fellow companions that had the same wounds.
Even if they were fellow companions who were burdened with the same sins. We
couldn’t live without comforting each other and encouraging each other.
Maybe you could call that family. We just had to keep the family together and do our best. Tifa thought she could get over anything while being with friends that she could call her family. ~Tifa; Case of Tifa
In this passage, Tifa clearly states that her “family” is made up of friends, which means that the relationship is purely platonic. Furthermore, Tifa makes the following statement to Cloud in Advent Children/Complete:
Tifa: “You have Geostigma, don't you? You are going
to give up and die, is that it?” [Cloud is silent] “So it is...”
Cloud: “There is no cure.”
Tifa: “Yeah, but that's not stopping Denzel, is it? Don't run! Let's fight it
together! We can help each other, I know we can.”
[Cloud is silent again.]
Tifa: “I guess that only works for real families...”
This passage clearly indicates that even Tifa doesn’t consider their family to be “real”. If it’s not a “real” family, then it’s not based on the same principles as a family formed by marriage. This further reinforces the idea that Cloud and Tifa’s relationship is platonic rather than romantic.
Likewise, it must be remembered that the original members of Avalanche lived together in the first Seventh Heaven at the beginning of Final Fantasy VII. At that time, the friends living together were Barret, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, Tifa, and Marlene. According to Tifa’s own definition of “family” quoted above, this group could also be considered a “family”, since they were friends working together as one to help and encourage one another. The living arrangement in Case of Tifa is very similar to that of the original Avalanche, who lived together in Midgar with no romantic implications whatsoever.
In the second place, Cloud does not share a room with Tifa in the Seventh Heaven. One scene in Advent Children/Complete clearly shows a bed in Cloud’s office, which can be seen on the bottom left in the screenshot below.
CloudxTifa supporters like to think that this bed in Cloud’s office is used as a guest bedroom, rather than thinking this is where Cloud sleeps. However, the following passage in Case of Tifa definitely shows that Cloud has his own room:
It was night and they had closed the bar. Cloud was
drinking alcohol even though he rarely does. He drained his glass. Tifa thought
about it before going over and filling his glass.
"Shall I join you?" There was something she wanted to talk to him about.
Cloud "I want to drink alone."
Hearing that, Tifa lost control and said, "Then drink in your room."
~ Case of Tifa
Tifa telling Cloud to “drink in your room” makes it obvious that Cloud indeed has his own room at the Seventh Heaven. Cloud not sharing a room with Tifa further reinforces the idea that their relationship is based on friendship rather than romance. Furthermore, the exchange between Cloud and Tifa cited above also shows undeniable tension in Cloud and Tifa’s relationship. In fact, their incompatibility is shown numerous times in Case of Tifa, which will be further discussed in another essay.
Another thing which would indicate that Cloud and Tifa aren't romantically involved is that it's stated in Case of Tifa that Tifa always sleeps with Marlene. Here is that excerpt from Case of Tifa:
Marlene, who had always slept with Tifa, slept with her foster father Barret the night before he left. Their conversations could be heard late into the night. ~Case of Tifa
If Tifa was always sleeping with Marlene, then she obviously wasn't sleeping with Cloud. For another thing, Tifa doesn't know when Cloud catches Geostigma. She doesn't learn that he's caught Geostigma until Advent Children/Complete, which happens after Cloud moves out of the Seventh Heaven. The 10th Anniversary Ultimania says that Cloud catches Geostigma before moving into Aerith's Church. If Tifa had been sleeping with Cloud before he moved out, then she should have known when he caught Geostigma.
Nojima even stated in an interview on SE's website about On the Way to a Smile that he wrote Case of Tifa on the premise that problems would exist between Cloud and Tifa:
"Episode Tifa"... first off, there's the premise that things won't go well between Tifa and Cloud, and that even without Geostigma or Sephiroth this might be the same. I don't really intend to go about my views on love or marriage or family (laughs). After ACC, I guess Denzel and Marlene could help them work it out. Maybe things would have gone well with Aerith, but I think there is a great burden from Aerith. Oh, I just remembered. I wanted to write Cloud as a person, seen through Tifa's eyes. But he really isn't the type to open up (laughs).
Notice that Nojima specifically says that things won't go well between Tifa and Cloud, and that this may have happened despite Geostigma and Sephiroth. He even goes on to say that problems may continue between them after Advent Children Complete. Their relationship being this problematic makes it even more questionable as to whether or not they are romantically involved.
Another thing which is often overlooked is the fact that Barret is also part of the “family” living together at Seventh Heaven. Despite the Ultimania’s references to Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel as a “family of four”, Barret was initially living in the Seventh Heaven with them before leaving on a journey to “settle his past”. Indeed, as Barret leaves for his journey in Case of Tifa, he refers to the “strength of the family” as though he is part of it:
After the first week of opening, Barret said that
he would go on a trip leaving Marlene behind seeing how well the business was
going.
"I wanna go on a journey to settle my past."
Cloud nodded as if he understood.
"Settle your past...? But I want to do that too."
"You guys can do that here. Don't just take. Try proving that you can give,
too."
Marlene, who always slept with Tifa, slept with her foster father Barret the
night before he left. Their conversations could be heard late into the night.
Early the next morning, Barret set off.
Behind him Marlene shouted, "Send me some letters! Phone too!"
…
"Make sure you be a "nice" kid!"
Hearing those words, Cloud and Tifa looked at each other. Be a "nice" kid?
"I'll take care of Cloud and Tifa!"
Barret turned round and shouted, "Take care!" His voice was a little shaky. "Put
the family's strength together and keep at it!"
~ Case of Tifa
From this statement, Barret certainly seems to consider himself to be part of the family. In fact, building the new Seventh Heaven in Edge was actually Barret’s idea. In an early part of Case of Tifa, Barret says, “How about we start a business and sell this alcohol?" while talking to Cloud and Tifa. Barret goes on to suggest that Tifa manage the bar, and that Cloud work at getting the necessary supplies. In addition, Barret helps to organize and build Seventh Heaven along with Cloud and Tifa, and he keeps in frequent contact with them even after he leaves. Another reference in the Character Profile for Barret Wallace on page 54 of the FFVII Compilation Ultimania confirms that Barret is indeed part of the family:
Following the defeat
of Sephiroth and the halting of Meteor, he reflected on the involvement of so
many people in the radical anti-ShinRa activities. Thinking he could be at least
of some use to everyone before his own life was lost, he left Marlene in Tifa’s
care and set off on a journey in search of an alternative source of energy in
place of Mako. Upon finding out that Edge was under attack during the midst of
his travels, he rushed over towards the crisis faced by his family and
companions.
~Barret's profile;
10th
Anniversary Ultimania
It should also be remembered that Marlene is Barret’s daughter, and that Barret
entrusts Marlene’s care to Tifa before he leaves. How can Marlene be a member of
the “family of four” referred to in the 10th Anniversary Ultimania if Barret
isn’t part of that family? Furthermore, Marlene refers to Barret as her father
while talking to Cloud during Advent Children Complete. When you consider this, it becomes obvious that
“family of four” only refers to the four people living in the Seventh Heaven
during the time Barret is gone. Once Barret returns - and he clearly intends to
- it will become a “family of five”. In fact, Barret is seen driving around in a
truck with Cloud and Tifa in Dirge of Cerberes, so it could very well be that Barret
is now back living at the Seventh Heaven at that time.
All of this evidence shows that Cloud living at the Seventh Heaven along with Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel does not in any way prove that Cloud now has a romantic relationship with Tifa. Although Square-Enix has left it up to interpretation, there is plenty of evidence to conclude that the “family” relationship is based purely on friendship, rather than romance.
Advent Children Love Triangle FAQ
See these essays for more discussion of Cloud and Tifa in AC:
Cloud and Tifa's Relationship in AC/ACC
More About Cloud and Tifa's Relationship
Is Tifa Really Cloud's Sweetheart?
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