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Tifa and Aerith on a couch
Screenshot by GameSkinny
Category:
Culture

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Makes One Romance Its Intended Choice

Does the Tifa or Aerith shipping war finally have a definitive answer?
Image of Melissa Sarnowski
Melissa Sarnowski
|

Published: Apr 2, 2024 07:59 am

Romances, especially when there are actual dating options in-game, are highly debated topics that lead to shipping wars. The shipping war for Final Fantasy 7 has been raging since its release in 1997 over whether Cloud should be with Aerith or Tifa. Now, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth makes one romance its intended choice.

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: The Intended Romantic Choice

Tifa looking at the sky in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Screenshot by GameSkinny

The much anticipated Gold Saucer date moment in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth took sides when it came to the Aerith versus Tifa romance debate. While the game doesn’t explicitly say it takes a side, the differences in Gold Saucer scenes between Aerith and Tifa are rather striking. It’s particularly interesting to note that Tifa’s skywheel scene is the only date scene that includes a kiss with Cloud. So, it seems like the developers favor Tifa in this shipping war.

Why Aerith isn’t a Romantic Fit for Cloud

Aerith ready to go in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Screenshot by GameSkinny

Part of this decision to give Tifa more tender moments with Cloud and a deeper relationship could come from their shared past. But that’s not the only reason that Tifa makes a logical partner for Cloud. She offers him stability that Aerith can’t, and Cloud certainly needs that stability, given his unreliable memory and trauma from Nibelheim.

Aerith, on the other hand, dies and leaves Cloud behind in most timelines so far. Not only that, but she mentions her past with Zack in both Remake and Rebirth. It gives the impression that she hasn’t come to terms with him going missing on his mission. Considering Zack’s efforts to save her in other timelines, it looks like he hasn’t given up on their relationship either. As such, Aerith seems like a much better fit for Zack than Cloud.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth makes one romance its intended choice, but because there are choices, all options are valid, and shipping wars are just for fun. I love both Tifa and Aerith and their individual strengths, so all I want is for them to have happy endings. From here, check out our guide hub for more content, like 10 great lines of dialogue in FF7 Rebirth or the best way to level up materia.

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Author
Image of Melissa Sarnowski
Melissa Sarnowski
Melissa Sarnowski has been working as a gaming writer professionally for two years, having been at GameSkinny for over a year now as a horror beat writer. She has an English degree from University of Wisconsin - Madison. While she focuses on all things horror, she also enjoys cozy games, MMOs like FFXIV and WoW, and any and everything in between.
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