Tifa: Mother or Sweetheart?
By FF_Goddess and Angelalex242
CloudxTifa supporters like to believe that Advent Children portrays Cloud and Tifa as a couple who are romantically involved. However, one has to wonder exactly where this was shown in the movie. Perhaps it was when Cloud moved into Aerith's church? Or maybe it was when Cloud took Aerith's hand during the Bahamut battle? Perhaps it was when Cloud smiled at Aerith after following her into the Church? Or was it in Calling when Cloud rode Fenrir into the flower fields where Aerith was shown to be waiting for him?
In truth, the only relationship confirmed between Cloud and Tifa by the creators is that of family. This family relationship was clearly defined in Case of Tifa as that of friends living together, which means that the foundations of the family are purely platonic. This aspect of Cloud and Tifa's relationship is discussed further in other essays on this website, including Friends vs. Family – Cloud Living with Tifa.
Those who support the CloudxTifa pairing also frequently claim that Tetsuya Nomura actually confirmed that Tifa is Cloud's sweetheart in the Reunion Files. However, various passages from the Reunion Files, as well as other sources, contradict this. If anything, there is ample evidence to show that the creators feel that Tifa is actually more of a mother-figure to Cloud than a sweetheart.
For example, Nomura states in the following passage from the Reunion Files that Tifa has a "maternal bond" with Cloud and that Tifa looks over Cloud in very much the same way that she watches over Marlene and Denzel:
"Tifa was a very difficult character to create. Like Aerith, she has a maternal side to her, but in a different sense. Not only was she looking after Marlene and Denzel, but she also felt a certain maternal bond to Cloud, who is a 'big kid' himself in some respects. Yet despite this, she continues working as the manager of Seventh Heaven without a complaint." ~Nomura; Reunion Files
Although Nomura states that both Tifa and Aerith
have maternal sides to them, he specifically says
that Tifa's maternal side is qualitatively different from Aerith's. He then
applies Tifa's maternal side directly to Cloud.
It should also be noted that this passage where Nomura talks about Tifa's "maternal bond" with Cloud comes right before the sentence where Nomura describes Tifa as being "like a mother, a sweetheart, and a close ally in battle". (That sentence is fully discussed in the essay Is Tifa Really Cloud's Sweetheart?) It would be very contradictory for Nomura to state first that Tifa is like a mother to Cloud, only to turn around and say that she's his sweetheart. Besides, there is further evidence to back up the idea that Tifa is indeed more of a mother-figure to Cloud.
For example, Nomura also
says in the passage quoted above that Cloud is like a “big kid”, and in many respects,
he is. During much of Advent Children and Case of Tifa,
Cloud acts very much like a rebellious teenager by doing things like running off
on his motorcycle without telling anyone where he's going,
not answering Tifa's calls, hiding things from her, and so forth. In response, Tifa
often acts like a concerned parent who worries about Cloud. She even scolds him on
a number of occasions. The following excerpts from Case of Tifa show this
distinctly:
[During a conversation with Tifa] ... Cloud made a
familiar face, like a child who knew a scolding was inevitable...
Cloud gazed at Tifa with
the expression of a child whose worst secret had just been let out of the bag...
...He's like a child, Tifa thought. While it made her sad that Cloud could see another world she knew nothing about, the idea his world was expanding at all was a welcome one. Yes... Maybe this is kind of what a mother feels like. Once she saw Cloud off, Tifa was alone with the new emotions growing inside her and was happy.
~Case of Tifa
In the last example,
Tifa actually verbalizes her maternal feelings for Cloud, so it's obvious that
even she
is aware of it. In fact, from what she says, Tifa seems to be very happy in that role. If Tifa has
indeed accepted being a mother-figure to Cloud and
actually
enjoys being in that role, then it’s hard to imagine that the two of them are
romantically involved.
In addition to the passages
where Tifa is referred to as a mother-figure to Cloud, further evidence suggests that the
creators actually do not consider Tifa to be in a romantic relationship
with Cloud. For example, look at the following statement made by Nojima in the Reunion Files:
"Although there's a lot to Tifa's character, she's
actually very much like any other woman who's been left behind by a man. The
director, Nomura, said he wanted to make sure she wasn't a clingy woman, but to
portray her as though she's been hurt emotionally in a way that others around
her cannot easily detect. But Tifa has expressed her feelings plainly to Cloud a
number of times." ~Nojima; Reunion Files
Nojima specifically states in
this passage that Tifa is "very much like any other woman who's been left behind by a man".
He also states that Tifa doesn't understand the complexities
of Cloud's heart and that she's been hurt emotionally. Furthermore, Nojima
states that Tifa has expressed her feelings plainly to Cloud "a number of
times". Does this sound as though Cloud and Tifa are involved in a romantic
relationship? If anything, this statement implies that Cloud has actually
rejected a romantic involvement with her.
More evidence suggesting that Cloud and Tifa are not
romantically involved can be found in the Dirge of Cerberus strategy guide. Of
course, Dirge of Cerberes happens two years after Advent Children. Prior to the
release of this game, CloudxTifa supporters were expecting that it would confirm
a romantic relationship between Cloud and Tifa. However, the game shows nothing
of the sort. In fact, the game's strategy guide refers to them only
as friends:
"After helping Cloud set up his delivery service, Tifa
got involved with the displaced youth of Midgar and opened an orphanage. She
keeps in close contact with Cloud and Barret and remains the steadying force she
always was - or at least tried to be. Although she has a small role in this game,
she remains as likable as ever and continues to show the traits that always made
her such a great friend."
Nothing here implies that Coud and Tifa are romantically
involved. Instead, the strategy guide specifically refers to Tifa as a friend.
Also, the guide says that Tifa keeps in close contact with both Cloud and Barret,
which implies that she has the same relationship with both men. In the game
itself, Tifa is shown by herself at the Seventh Heaven. The only scene in which
Cloud and Tifa are shown together is when Tifa is driving a truck with Barret
sitting next to her in the front seat, while Cloud rides in the back with Fenrir.
In addition, the following statements can be found in the Dirge of Cerberes game booklet:
Tifa Lockhart, Cloud's childhood friend and a master
of martial arts.
Aerith Gainsborough, a girl with the blood of the Ancients running through her
veins, who Cloud would never forget.
Once again, Tifa is referred to only as Cloud's friend,
rather than as his sweetheart. It's quite interesting that Aerith is described
in the game booklet as someone "who Cloud would never forget", especially when Aerith doesn't even appear in this game. The reference to her as someone "who
Cloud would never forget" has far more romantic implications than Tifa's
description as "Cloud's childhood friend".
If the creators of Advent Children had
indeed intended for the movie to convey the message that Cloud is now ready to
"move on" and
share a romantic relationship with Tifa, then Dirge of Cerberes was a perfect
opportunity for them to confirm it. Instead, the creators used Dirge
of Cerberes to remind us that Cloud will never forget Aerith.
Advent Children Love Triangle FAQ
See these essays for more discussion of Cloud and Tifa in AC:
Is Tifa Really Cloud's Sweetheart?
More About Cloud and Tifa's Relationship
Friends vs. Family: Cloud Living with Tifa
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~ The novella cited in this essay can be found here: Case of Tifa