Here you'll find one long, convoluted essay written by myself delving into the various aspects of the love triangle(s).
It's been 7 long years since Final Fantasy VII premiered back in 1997 and still the debate rages on over who Cloud loved and whether Aeris loved him. Moreover, without any firm confirmation from Square, fans will still dispute this issue. So, not including sequels or cameo appearances, we'll look only at FFVII itself to determine exactly the extent of how far the love triangle extends and to prove or dispel some of the alternate theories that exist.
Since many fans like to contend that time is a valid determinant of love, we will make Time a very important factor in determining the severity of a relationship.
It just seems too powerful of an argument to ignore, especially if it's against the possible romantic growth between Cloud and Aeris, whose relationship appears to be the ONLY exception in which fictional characters who haven’t known each other previously fall in love.
So then, is it that hard to believe that two people could develop amorous feelings towards each other in such a short period of as little as two weeks?
Two weeks is the minimum time that I have tallied, if all the missions of the first disc are summed together and time is allocated according to the average amount needed to accomplish (this excludes the travel time to progress to the next site and side quests). Keep in mind that there are no calculations involved and this is just an estimate. (Don Corneo's mansion didn't take days, it took hours, but the time in Midgar total did.) Also consider that the second and third disc have been grouped together, because combined they have a little more than half the missions as the first, so then two weeks plus is granted to both (remember that Tifa was unconscious for a week in the second disc, so then that would make it a little more than a week for both discs.) Accordingly, it is easily theorized that the entire adventure could not have taken more than a month since the sequel is 2 years after, and all the characters have aged 2 years, and it probably occurred in the summertime (since "Loveless" is playing) or possibly after Cloud's birth date. Once again this is the minimum time. I’ve actually heard that the adventure happened in the span of three months by Square’s count, so then that would reasonably account for travel and miscellaneous activities, as well as disprove the myth that Cloud and Aeris only knew each other for a couple of days as opposed to ≈ 45 days.
With that in mind, do you really need to know a person all your life and every minute aspect of their lives for there to truly be love? Or is that more irrational than barely knowing someone and falling in love?
What many people neglect to see is that one of the challenging parts of a relationship is not already knowing a person intimately, but getting to know him or her through spending time together and discovering more about that person. Besides, even years of living with someone is not going to promise that you’ll know everything. Maybe their habits and preferences, but certainly not everything.
Which leads us to one of the main misconceptions between Cloud and Tifa. That because they have grown up together in the same small town, and had lived next to each other for years that automatically one or the other will know the other completely and therefore know what is in their mind and/or heart.
Perhaps we wouldn’t have to scrutinize this so much if they had actually been friends, or acquaintances, or something! However truth be told, they weren’t much of anything other than neighbors and not very good ones.
So then why would Tifa be the only one to truly know Cloud?
Simply put, she isn't, and just because she viewed a fraction of Cloud’s subconscious memories doesn’t give her the right to claim that she knows him. But then again, how often does that happen?
Ironically enough, an argument validating Cloud and Aeris would have to deal with a time factor. How, you say?
Well, unlike most relationships in which two people live apart and make dates to meet and spend time, Cloud and Aeris were constantly together. They traveled for that span of time (without a break) and along with seven other people, they only had each other's company to rely upon. It's kind of like one of those popular reality shows.
Yet, this will not be the last time we’ll use Time as factor, as we will continue to use this more as we progress.
One of the most romantic appeals that most people mention about the Cloud and Tifa relationship is that they were childhood friends who made a promise of devotion and are then reunited by fate. However, the truth is that like most of what Tifa tells Cloud about their past, it's based on a lie.
Truthfully, the only thing they had in common growing up is that they lived in the same small town as next-door neighbors.
A then popular Tifa had other actual childhood friends and which did not include Cloud. Yet, even if they were not friends, they certainly were never enemies. Tifa was never mean to Cloud in the traditional sense and she never purposely went out of her way to make him feel second-rate. It was her friends and everyone else that did that so she wouldn't need to.
But, say she had cared then for Cloud as many claim, just why didn’t she ever defend him from their attacks?
The answer is, why would she? She never loved or hated him, so why interfere? She was indifferent towards Cloud and there is no emotion involved in indifference. At least had she really hated him, it would have been a little better because hate is all-consuming and requires a lot of passion and feeling even if it's negative. Indifference requires nothing, not a thought or consideration. Tifa could care less about Cloud. He wasn’t even a part of her world. Conversely, Cloud’s world revolved around Tifa then.
During that time, Cloud still needed a reason for Tifa to acknowledge him and he would do so by becoming legendary. Or better said, by becoming like the great Sephiroth. And what greater aphrodisiac is there than power?
"If I got strong like Sephiroth, then everyone might..."
"If I could just get stronger...... Then even Tifa would have to notice me......"
We'll explore this in more detail soon enough, but first we'll define Cloud's "love" for Tifa.
In his entire time in Nibelheim living next to Tifa, Cloud only spoke to her once during the well scene, so then how do we define their relationship in the past?
Cloud had an attraction to a person that he had never talked to and had only observed from afar. These are hardly grounds for a requited love. Infatuation, adoration, admiration, or obsession are more adequate descriptions of those feelings. So then why is Cloud’s “love” for Tifa called love, when it is not?
Emotions peaked as a youngster are hardly considered love by anyone’s standards. Instead these feelings are associated with the more common "crush", or feelings developed from an attraction to one's physical being or social standing. Most crushes are focused on the most unattainable of individuals, which include those that are esteemed and venerated by everyone else. And chances are if you're at the lower end of the spectrum like Cloud, you’re not. Sounding familiar?
So then Cloud’s "love" of Tifa could be interpreted as:
Any one of these could apply to Cloud’s situation. So then why is it that, years later, his crush can be qualified as being something it never was to begin with? (But we'll get back to Tifa in a little while.)
We shouldn't forget that Cloud isn't the only one with an unrequited love, and there's still the matter of Zack. Zack, Aeris’ first boy-friend and first love, was also Cloud's best friend during his years of military service. He was in the illustrious Soldier first-class division, while Cloud was a low-ranking guard. It would be their resemblance and mannerisms that would trigger the greatest controversy of whom Aeris really loved.
And because we've already established that Time is a major factor in determining love and must apply the same standands to all relationships, just how long ago did Aeris know Zack and the difference this makes?
Zack's age is unknown, so we'll rely on Cloud (21) and Aeris (22) for an estimate. Zack's parents said that Zack left 10 years ago to join Soldier. Cloud left to join Soldier 7 years ago at the age of 14. Since many of the boys from his hometown were also leaving, it's safe to assume that 14 is the average and mimimum age of recruiting. So Zack must have been no less than 14 when he left to join. 14+10=24. Zack would have to be around 24 if he were still living, 3 years older than Cloud and 2 years older than Aeris. He would be about 17 when he met Cloud and 19 during the Nibelheim incident. Aeris, 10 years ago would be 12, 7 years ago =15, and 5 years ago =17.
Zack's parents said that 6 or 7 years ago Zack wrote saying that he had a girlfriend. Aeris says that it can't be.
So exactly when did Aeris meet and become involved with Zack?
Aeris says that it was 5 years ago that he went out on a job and never came back. 5 years ago coincides with the events at Nibelheim, meaning that she was with him before those 5 years. It couldn't be 10 years ago because Aeris would be considered a child and the only character that had ties with her childhood was Tseng. It could be 6 or 7 years ago at the age of 15-16 that Aeris met Zack, but if this is true, why didn't Zack ever mention to Cloud, his best friend at the time, about their relationship, or introduce him to her (at least she would have remember if Cloud didn't)? But since Aeris denies that she was the girlfriend from 6 or 7 years ago, did she know him before then? That remains a mystery, but either way both Aeris and Zack would still be teenagers when they became an item.
Many people dismiss the idea of a love that young, so is it love? Aeris says it wasn't serious and that she liked him for a while. This could be true especially if she only knew a minimal amount of information about him and he was her FIRST boyfriend? It's possible that she could easily confuse those first feelings she experienced for love.
But say this is all just speculation and holds no real bearing, does Aeris after years of being away from Zack; not knowing his current whereabouts or state, still continue to love him?
But basically it boils down to Aeris’ characterization. If she's described as always looking forward to the future more than anyone (Tifa even confirms it), hopes to leave Midgar and find her Promised Land, take a ride on the Highwind, and even come back when it's all over; if she's constantly personified in this manner, how can she still dwell on feelings from the past. The only character shown to do this is Tifa, not Aeris. She doesn't even tell Cloud Zack's name at first because it doesn't really matter anymore. Yet, this won't be the only time that Aeris is reminded of Zack.
The next time she mentions him is in Gongaga (which she didn't even know was his hometown). Depending on the severity of a relationship, this would be one of those little details that would be known right away. And aside from that, when questioned by his parents as to whether she was the girlfriend Zack had written about in a letter years before, she says "That can't..." and leaves without any further inquries.
Perhaps, this could be the seen as her being a little perturbed, but when asked by Cloud, she goes on to tell him about how it's all in the past AGAIN. Moreover, that Zack loved women and was a real lady's man and probably found someone else and that she doesn't miss him, but feels for his parents.
Now some would say that she's in denial, and is more affected by this than she leads on. However, why would she so cavalierly tease Cloud about being jealous/envious if that option is chosen instead of the "poor guy" response? If she was so concentrated on her first love, why would she forget about him so easily and focus on Cloud? Unless that means that she is no longer still in love with Zack.
The third and final time arises during the Aeris date:
".........first off, it bothered me how you looked exactly alike." "Two completely different people, but look exactly the same." "The way you walk, gesture..." "I think I must have seen him again, in you..."
Many people interpret this scene to mean that she only liked Cloud because of his resemblance to Zack, and not Cloud himself. However, why would she use the word "bothered" to describe her initial reaction to the situation? If she only liked him for reminding her of her first-boyfriend, why would it bother her? Wouldn't she be thrilled instead and keep quiet?
"But you're different."
"Things are different..."
Aeris notices that Cloud is different and continues to want to "meet" him. Once again, if she wanted another Zack, wouldn't she be disappointed at her discovery? However, this could only mean that she didn't want another Zack and that he was a part of her past that she accepted and moved on. Cloud could very well be what she desired for the future.
Yet, many people still think that in the beginning of the game until the Lifestream event in the second disc that Cloud somehow became Zack, and therefore Aeris never knew the "real" Cloud, only a Zack impersonator.
The only problem with this interpretation is that when Cloud supposedly assumed Zack’s indentity, it was not the full appropriation they believe.
Cloud at no point referred to himself as Zack, nor did he claim to be from Gongaga, or Aeris’ first boyfriend. The only part of Zack’s life that Cloud feigned was being the First-Class SOLDIER who came to Nibelheim five years ago and then becoming the mercenary that Zack had dreamed that they would both become upon reaching Midgar.
And while Cloud did act like Zack by displaying many of the same mannerisms on occasion, his introverted personality differed from Zack’s outgoing persona and he never confused any part of his life with Zack’s.
During his re-telling in Kalm, Cloud might have replayed Zack’s role as if it had been his own, but he did not neglect to mention visiting his mother or Tifa’s room, all of which were not experienced by Zack. Cloud remembered sleeping in his own bed and not in the hotel where Zack stayed. And had he taken over all aspects of Zack’s life, these events would have not been included. Cloud only incorporated as much as Zack later told him.
Cloud never doubted growing up with Tifa or being born in Nibelheim; he knew the difference between his mother and Zack’s parents. He only became uncertain of himself after hearing that he was the clone of another Cloud from his hometown who was Tifa’s childhood friend. At no point was Cloud lead to believe that he was a Zack double. That theory is more improbable than Cloud loving Aeris because Zack was involved with her at one point and since Cloud didn’t even know about Aeris.
So then, who is the "real" Cloud, and why was Aeris unable to meet him?
The truth is that Aeris did meet the "real" Cloud, although she never said that she wanted to meet the "real" Cloud. However, she still says she wants to meet him.
But, how can this be after they have already met and Aeris tells Cloud beforehand that she is "searching" for him while he is right in front of her?
"Cloud..." "I'm searching for you..."
"............?"
"I want to meet you."
"But I'm right here."
(I know, I know... what I mean is...) "I want to meet..... you."
The confusion results from how "meet" and "search" are use in the sentenced and the semantics linked with both words. Many people automatically associate "meet" with being introduced and "search" with coming to know or probe; therefore, Aeris is [coming to know] Cloud, and wants to be [introduced] to the "real" him.
Similar sentences in the same context: "It’s nice to finally meet you." "I searched inside myself for an answer."
However, “meet” and “search” have several definitions that could equally and easily be substituted in their place. “Meet” can also mean to come together and “search” could be to seek or look for.
Similar sentences in the same context: "Let’s meet tomorrow at the park." "I’ve been searching for you all my life."
Although, this is only one alternate interpretation, both are still valid. And once again, she never says the word "real"; it is just "you" before an ellipsis pause. It can only be assumed that there is an emphasis on "you", not a definite one. Moreover, just as these words are not restricted to a set definition, neither is the "real" Cloud.
The "real" Cloud is not limited to Cloud's identity but could be in reference to his personality, and if in fact she is looking for the "real" Cloud. Perhaps the "real" Cloud is the one who helped her escape when she was been pursued by the Turks, the one who rescued her from the Shinra building, and the one who overall cares for his friends and not the one controlled by Sephiroth or posing as Zack or the man who only cared about the planet if money was involved.
However, say that Aeris still loves Zack even after all those years. In order for love to exist, it must be mutual.
So then how much did Zack love Aeris?
We find out during Cloud's flash back of his escape from the Shinra Mansion with Zack. On their way to Midgar, Zack does indeed allude to Aeris:
"I got a place I can crash for a while..." "No wait, the mother lives there, too..." "Guess that's out..."
Notice that he doesn't say he has a girlfriend, or love, or give a name, or even say it's a person. He has a "place". It's easy to assume that since Aeris lives with her adoptive mother, that her home in the sector 7 slums must be that place. He basically plans to use Aeris for her house, abuse of her hospitality, and bring along a friend! Neither of which revolved around being reunited with a lost love. Unfortunately for him, he has to change his plans to visit and inform Aeris of his return.
However, let's return back to Tifa.
No doubt about it Tifa has strong feelings for Cloud at the beginning of the game and throughout. She never expresses those sentiments though, but you can't blame her because she doesn't tell Cloud many things, and their past together being at the topmost of the list.
Yet, Cloud later admits that he's the master of his own illusionary world, does Tifa make an equal affirmation?
A relationship is built on trust, so then why doesn't Tifa just tell Cloud the truth when she knows that his version is false?
The worst that could have happened, would have been that Cloud would become upset, tell her she's wrong, and leave as he was planning to do.
"You told me a lot about what happened after you left Nibelheim..."
"But..." "...Something's wrong. I felt there was something strange about the things you talked about." "All the things you didn't know that you should. And other things you shouldn't know that you did..." "I wanted to make sure..." "But then I heard... you were going far away..."
"And I didn't want that..." "I didn't know what to do. So, I thought I needed more time." "And that's why I told you about the AVALANCHE job. I wanted to be with you, watch you."
Tifa's only way to keep Cloud around was to conceal what she knew and she had every opportunity to tell Cloud the truth on their journey. It could have been when she first met him at the train station, or anytime it was mentioned afterwards like:
or basically at any moment before Gaea's Cliff when the truth is revealed and Sephiroth takes possession of Cloud's psyche.
Yet, some claim that Tifa is protecting Cloud rather than protecting her own self interests. However, as we later find out it is Tifa's "protection" that causes the greatest damage of all. So that can only contradict the previous statement.
Nonetheless, Tifa does succeed in obligating Cloud to stay at her side under false pretenses and does so by consciously creating a relationship with Cloud and pretending that she was unaware that they were never friends.
However, it is impossible to say that Tifa was unmindful of their past, because unlike Cloud, who states that the story that he had heard from his friend Zack and what he had seen in his life were the basis of his illusion along with the combination of Jenova cells, Sephiroth's strong will and his own weaknesses, Tifa was never exposed to any of that so there would be no reason for a lapse in her memories causing her to be unsure.
Had she no previous knowledge of their past, she would be unable to conveniently remember a promise made with a childhood stranger and their false friendship, while forgetting the day her mother died, two near-death experiences, and the even more traumatic ordeal 5 years ago of a destroyed hometown and her father's murder which lead to her hatred of Shinra and her alliance to AVALANCHE. After all she's been through, how could she?
So then what was Tifa's response to Cloud's confession about lying to his friends:
"You're sure messed up, Cloud!"
Some, on the other hand, say that Tifa’s "love" for Cloud always existed. However, the more correct scenario would be that she became interested after the infamous well scene. Why? Because, Cloud’s mission was to impress Tifa and to get her to notice him. So then if she were already taken by Cloud, she wouldn’t need him to ensnare her with tales of great conquest. However she does.
"It's true that we weren't THAT close, but..."
"After you left town, I really thought about you a lot."
Once again, Tifa had everything at that point: friends always at her side (almost), a father to protect her and satisfy her every whim, the adoration of the rest of the town’s people. Why would she be interested in someone inferior to her with no valuable prospects?
Realistically, she wouldn't be and it is not until the well scene that she does begin to notice Cloud and weave her own great expectations.
"Come this spring.... I'm leaving this town for Midgar."
"........All boys are leaving our town."
"But I'm different from all of them. I'm not just going to find a job." "I want to join SOLDIER." "I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth."
"Sephiroth.... The Great Sephiroth."
It was Cloud’s opportunity to finally be up to her standards. And it is afterwards and not before, that she does look for him in the newspapers and await his return.
"Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"
"...I probably won't be able to come back to this town for a while."
"...huh?"
"Will you be in the newspapers if you do well?"
"I'll try."
"Hey, why don't we make a promise?" "Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind....." "You come save me, all right?"
And while this is exactly what Cloud lead her to believe, it should not be without mention that browsing the newspaper is not the same as keeping a personal correspondence. Newspapers publish noteworthy events and individuals, not lowly guards which Cloud was. Had Tifa really loved Cloud then, she would have been less passive about reaching the man she loves. Instead she sat by, waiting to hear about the supposed greatest Cloud promised and raising her hopes higher.
And why place so much emphasis on this?
When Cloud actually came back to his hometown, much to his chagrin, he did not run into Tifa’s arms as would be expected of a man desperate to reunite with the woman he loves. Instead he hid from her and concealed his identity. Obviously by his actions alone, it shows that he was afraid to encounter Tifa, who had at long last acknowledged him.
"What?"
"Whenever I"m in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me." "I want to at least experience that once."
"Come on--! Promise me----!"
"All right.... I promise."
Remember that Cloud made Tifa believe that he would return a hero. However, since Cloud came back a failure like before, it is only logical to assume that he feared being rejected anew by the same person who had always made him feel unwanted and inferior in the past.
So then it is understandable why he only visited his mother, a woman who loved him and would not care whether he was in First-Class, and avoided the one person he was sure to disappoint (Tifa).
Cloud once thought that Tifa blamed and hated him after she fell from the bridge, and surely she would resort back to disliking him if she ever discovered the truth, and therefore, it was imperative that she would never find out. And it wasn't until the Lifestream event, that Tifa realizes that Cloud did arrive after she was slashed by Sephiroth and partically in accordance with their promise.
However, had Cloud been positive of Tifa's feelings for him, and had she actually had those feelings, then he would have never needed an excuse to impress her or felt he had to cower away if he wasn't what she expected. Love, like friendship, is based on understanding and acceptance, and not intimidation.
Yet, the irony is that had he never told her of his departure, she probably wouldn’t have ever realized he left.
Or, if Tifa "loves" Cloud when they were children after one conversation, after the proceedings five years ago, "loves" him at the beginning of the game, and continues to "love" him before and after the Lifestream event, then that could be considered as some real unwavering love.
But, one of the other main arguments against Cloud and Aeris, is that Aeris didn’t know the real Cloud. The "Real Cloud" that many say is Cloud's usurption of Zack's life. Yet, if this is true, then at the beginning when he assumes Zack’s "identity", he wasn’t the real Cloud, but Tifa "loved" him then?
That's odd since combined with the notion that Tifa’s the only one who’s ever known the real Cloud, something doesn’t add up. How could she really love someone when she doesn't know them, when they’re someone else, and when they’ve return to themselves? If she doesn’t know him at all, how does she know which one she’s in love with? Ay there’s the rub. She doesn’t. And to think that she was about to tell him she loved him on their date, before he was the real Cloud!
Probably one of the biggest arguments for Cloud and Tifa comes from Tifa’s constant vigilance of Cloud and more so after he becomes comatose. Tifa vows to care for Cloud at that point, alone, in his greatest time of need and resigns everything else.
"I don't care about anything else, only Cloud......"
"I...... want to be by his side......"
As some exaggerate, she’s dedicated all her life to him and it’s only fitting that Cloud return the favor, as the nurse in Mideel implied.
However, since Time is a definite factor in determining everything, when juxtaposed between ≤13 years of neglect in which they had 1 conversation (the well scene), 2 years later in which they would have another line of dialogue (while Cloud thought she was a goner), and 5 years in which nothing was known of the other (Cloud was encased in a tube), until the beginning of the game where they were a little more than strangers, for a total of ≤20 years (Tifa is 1 year younger, so her age is used as the maximum) in which they weren’t friends or had any significant amount of interaction, a few days (2-3, as would be the average time that Barrett and Cid spent trying to recover the large materia) of watching Cloud, is equal to all the time in which she would otherwise have nothing to do with him, and that’s devotion!?
Sorry if that sounds a little harsh, but it wasn’t as though Tifa had been caring for Cloud for longer than that time as sometimes it’s overstated. Meteor had already been summoned and had Cloud not recovered, she really wouldn’t have been able to either.
Still it's quite obvious that from the break out of Shinra Headquarters to the rest of their journey together, Tifa only wants to be at Cloud's side. But just how far does Tifa purposely attach herself to Cloud?
"What about you all?" "I want all of you to find that something within yourselves." "If you don't find it, then that's okay too." "You can't fight without a reason, right?" "So, I won't hold it against you if you don't come back."
Cloud had no one by default as all his friends left to find their reason for fighting, but did Tifa really have nowhere to go or was that another opportunistic ploy to at last conquer the heart of the man she "loves"?
"What are you going to do, Tifa?"
"Did you forget?" "I'm... all alone. I don't have anywhere to go."
Some would say OF COURSE she's alone! Her hometown was torched five years ago and she was left as the only surviving member of her family! The impudence!
Now, yes that was rather bold, but let's figure in something that is often times left out of this equation.
In the span of the five years in which she was away from Nibelheim living on her own and estranged from Cloud, she had made some new friends. Given, three of those new friends were killed when the plate collapsed, but that didn't mean that Tifa was as alone as she claimed.
To Tifa's relief, she still had the two people who would become like a second family to her: Barrett and his young daughter Marlene. When exactly Tifa was introduced to them is unknown, but it did happen in that time frame. At some point, Tifa began running the Seventh Heaven and joined Barret's AVALANCE, providing him and his crew with a hideout. And in that meantime, she also became a surrogate mother/older sister figure to Marlene. One could definitely say that by her actions, she cared very much for the two of them.
If Tifa loved Cloud as much as is alleged, then why is it that instead of immediately searching for a missing Cloud after he falls from the plate (remember Cloud stumbles upon Tifa's whereabouts, not the other way around), Tifa goes into Don Corneo’s lair, endangering her safety and dignity to retrieve information for Barret, and even blames herself for being unable to protect Marlene when Aeris was kidnapped. To Tifa, Marlene was not only Barret's concern, but hers as well.
Barret, in turn proved his loyalty by saving Tifa when she was in trouble in the gas chamber and bestowing her with his constant support. Marlene, too, was considerate enough not to tell Tifa of Aeris’ blooming interest in Cloud as to not cause further friction. However in what could be her final days, she didn’t even think about them?
It's true, she did travel with Barret throughout their expedition, but when there was less danger she showed worry, but now nothing? (Although I've already said I wasn't going to incorporate the sequel in this essay, in "Advent Children", it is Tifa who is now taking care of Marlene once again.)
Considering everything, was it so much that Tifa had no where to go, or refused to go anywhere else that did not include Cloud?
Maybe it's deserving, or karma even, that during a time of such uncertainty, by not choosing the people who were more amicable towards her, that Tifa would be spurned by the person she decided upon staying by, the same someone whom she didn't know as well, the same someone who was oblivious to her misdirected affection, and more tragic still, the same someone who didn’t even think of her as his reason for continuing.
"I know why I'm fighting." "I'm fighting to save the planet, and that's that." "But besides that, there's something personal too..." "A very personal memory that I have."
They survive of course, and which can only lead us to the Lifestream event wherein Tifa "helps" Cloud restore his memories. It's used as one of the main proofs to show how much their pasts are intertwined as well as their hearts. Many use this scene as an example of their "love" surpassing time. It's here we discover about Cloud's past feelings for Tifa, and since this occurs in his subconscious, they must still be fresh on his mind and directly correlated to how he still feels now.
However, what we see is a part of his past memories and not all. These memories were suppressed. These are the memories that were once warped and needed clarification, but are not the only memories that Cloud has lodged in his mind or the only important ones. There are certainly no memories of his recent journey in that scene, or anything indicating the present. These are all from the past years before. Things change. People change. Besides, in the meantime, he's made plently more, many that include Aeris.
The human memory is a vast compound composed of millions of memories, both significant and not so significant. Some things are so deeply pounded in our subconscious that the data is so lucid it’s as if it happened only seconds prior. While others (the trivial bits we choose to remember) are not, and in recalling them most of the surroundings or dialogue are lost. So which category would we classify the death of a friend/loved one? Typically when someone dies, especially someone that was valued or cherished, all memories of that person are not quickly erased and forgotten completely.
There are times when over time, ours minds can be overcome by other matters, but it’s always there. The hurt and pain of losing that certain someone is difficult to bear and can be evoked by the mere mention.
So then it only raises the question, would Cloud be so quick to put Aeris’ memories behind him entirely?
"We've got to let go of Aeris' memory."
It's true that Cloud doesn’t show grief over her death at every moment, but it’s not as though she’s not in his thoughts nor does he let go of that memory as is quoted from the game. That line is more relevant to releasing Aeris’ spirit rather than her memory, and fits better within the context of Cloud’s speech.
And like he said in Cosmo Canyon, Cloud thinks about her a lot. However, he is on a mission seeking revenge against Sephiroth for her death amongst other things. And even after that’s accomplished, he’s not going to hastily overlook everything he’s endured. If he’s unable to disregard what happened five years ago, would a fresher wound heal faster?
We shouldn't forget though that this isn't the only time that we enter Cloud's subconscious. At the very end of the game in the final FMV, that scene in which Cloud travels through the winding tunnel to encounter Sephiroth is not the actual Cloud as many believe. This is the representation of his metaphysical catharsis. Cloud is purging himself of the demons that still haunt him and were placed there by his worse enemy. He's purifying his being. In that final battle, he's not killing the real Sephiroth, but the figurative destruction of the evil within. And by doing so, what has Cloud really accomplished?
"Although she should've returned to the planet by now, something stopped her and now she's stuck......"
That's right, by destroying what was obstructing Aeris’ passage, he can now be reunited with her, the person he desires to "meet" the most and his "Promised Land". Although only a hand is shown reaching out to Cloud, it's Aeris’ theme playing in the background. To misconstrue this into Aeris’ hand leading him to Tifa would be doing Cloud an injustice. Tifa is not a part of that dream any longer nor will she ever be again.
So ultimately whatever you interpret that scene to mean or your stance on the love triangle, Cloud will always say:
"...I think I'm beginning to understand." "An answer from the Planet..." "the Promised Land..." "I think I can meet her... there."
Other Thoughts On Tifa