I’m finally upgrading my SSD because Rebirth is simply too much of a chonker. These date scenes, which will be decided depending on how close Cloud is to certain members of the party, were a highlight of the original game and are arguably even better here.
Some are funny while some are touching, but there’s one in particular that should put to rest any debates about Cloud’s canonical love interest. If you go with Tifa on the Gold Saucer date (which you should), then the scene is very clearly meant to be romantic, with the two talking about how long they’ve known each other and how close they’ve gotten.
Tifa then says she’s getting ahead of herself, which causes Cloud to hold her hand, pull her in for a hug, and then kiss her. On the flip side, Cloud’s date with Aerith does have some romantic tension, but it’s nowhere near as clear-cut as it is with Tifa, with the pair only holding hands by the end of it.
That’s not to say that the two don’t have some feelings for one another, but the separate dates make it clear who Cloud really likes. Of course, there’s a chance you won’t see either of these dates play out and instead ride the Ferris wheel with Barrett or Red XIII.
Bros before Chocobos, and all that. If you’re an Aerith and Cloud shipper, that’s totally valid and up to you, but it’s hard to deny that Rebirth just made things a whole lot more difficult for you to argue your case.