Social 7th Heaven - Cloud Social Thread

[777Laser]

Actually, you want to know the funny thing about Cloud's behaviour in Advent Children Complete? It wasn't just his guilt over failing to protect the people he cared about. Fun little piece of trivia, since I've pretty much studied the character and the lore front and back,

After Meteor fell and they defeated Sephiroth, Cloud started over with Tifa in the newly established Edge. Eventually he found his own way in life as to run a delivery service to help the bar and bring in more business. Everything was going pretty well for Cloud, until he got a delivery request from Elmyra (Aerith's adoptive mother), to take a bouquet of flowers to the Forgotten City where Aerith died. It was this moment that put Cloud down a slippery slope, he started drinking more and became closed off from his family (namely Tifa and Marlene who was with them while Barret was out discovering better sources of energy to replace mako). But something happened! Tifa actually talked with Cloud about it, he confessed about being unable to bring back the dead and how Zack and Aerith's deaths weighed heavily on him.

They talked it out, Cloud actually MOVED ON (or so we thought he did) from this and went back uphill in life! Eventually he took Denzel in who he couldn't help but feel partially responsible for with how Meteor destroyed Midgar. It was around this time that a mysterious disease was plaguing the Planet (primarily, Midgar and surrounding areas). Geostigma, the corruption left behind from Meteor and Jenova/Sephiroth's influence to be precise. People were dying on the streets, and Denzel turned out to be infected too. So Cloud sprung into action, started to do research on the human body and on ways that this Geostigma can be cured while balancing work, fought so hard to find a cure for Denzel. So what happens despite his efforts?

Cloud gets infected with Geostigma too. That's why when Denzel was like "Guess I was the last straw..." in the movie, that's because it was that moment where Cloud broke. How was he supposed to help his family and friends if he couldn't even help himself? It also brought back that past guilt over Zack and Aerith he thought he'd overcome. He's only human, despite being kind of a monster beneath it all thanks to all those experiments that were done to him.

"I just thought... I couldn't care for myself...let alone anyone else."

Thus we get this 'emo' Cloud in Advent Children.

--

It's stuff like this, and how Cloud was able to come back despite it all, stronger than before after having to put up with SO MUCH CRAP in his life? Is why he's my #1 favorite character in all of fiction, and my fictional role model (real spot goes to my late Dad of course). Cloud shows signs of weakness, being vulnerable, struggles like anyone else, but decides for himself in the end to try, and when he tried, he won.

He's not perfect. THat's why he's so awesome to me. Anyways, that's my little short version of explaining why Cloud got the bad 'emo' rap afterwards. Lastly? In Dirge of Cerberus? We can see the fruits of his labor after overcoming what he did, being more upbeat by comparison to before and coming into his own self. He wasn't some mercenary, he wasn't some Ex-SOLDIER. He was a goofball named Cloud Strife.

Cloud was already my favorite video game character, but you just made me like him even more.

 

[Kuraudo]

He got the bad emo rap because a majority of fanfic peeps chose the crappy wah wah dialogue choices in FFVII instead of the I'm a cocky badass ones. You can write whatever you want in a novella but that doesn't mean much if it stays locked up in japan.

And since the novella was locked in Japan that's where a majority of English fans would get confused on why Cloud transitioned from confident to identity crisis to confident to depression to confidence again.

Yup. Fanfic has a tendency for twisting things no matter what really. I can't deny that. I don't blame fans for the confusion either. Advent Children Complete helped that a lot, but if we had some mini-animated series that gave us the inbetween of it all, maybe Cloud would be in less of a compromising situation in the eyes of 'haters'.

NOW! That being said? On The Way to a Smile has been translated over and over again, along with the other novellas too. In this day and age where so many people cry foul at english work and go "JAPANESE OR BUST!" (no pun intended), if it became more common knowledge that there's this content inbetween VII and ACC, I feel like Cloud's image wouldn't be so skewered. So many people were hyped for a Final Fantasy VII movie back in the day. But as the internet became more popular and the vagueness of Advent Children (minus novellas) didn't help...yeah...

Cloud's one of those characters that'll survive the test of time, IMO. He's popular, for better or for worse he'll have haters (opinions are like noses; everyone has one). So either way, if people wanna call him an emo dude?

 

[Cutie Gwen]

I saw someone mention FFVII abridged. Should I check it out?

 

[Champ Gold]

What Kuraudo posted showed me 3 things.


Cloud had a hard life
He's better guy to be around than Squall
And Denzel was a mistake

 

[Smooth Criminal]

And since the novella was locked in Japan that's where a majority of English fans would get confused on why Cloud transitioned from confident to identity crisis to confident to depression to confidence again.

Not like it's hard to find a translation of it out there, if you really were so predetermined, but you got a point about the more nonchalant members of the fandom. They're not gonna go out of their way to look for it and jump the shark.

tbh, I didn't find his transition to being kind of a downer all that surprising, even with my incomplete understanding of the character. Advent Children did not paint a very happy picture of Gaia after Meteor bodybagged the planet anyways, so I always imagined Cloud carrying that weight around. Kind of a Pyrrhic victory if you ask me; I mean, yeah, great, you saved the world! Now clean up this ****ing mess that was left behind.

Still, it's interesting to know all of that other stuff. Makes his character gel together a little bit better, I think.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Kuraudo]

What Kuraudo posted showed me 3 things.


Cloud had a hard life
He's better guy to be around than Squall
And Denzel was a mistake

LMAO

Love the kid, but, lol get wrecked Denzel.

Smooth Criminal

Totally random but lmfao that Dedede in your sig gets me every single time. I just crack up cause it's like, "Mehp."

 

[MagiusNecros]

Translations are out now but back on AC release many were kinda waiting on one when the novella was first released.

Might watch ACC again sometime soon though. Or just watch fight scenes.

 

[CrusherMania1592]

*looks at thread title*


Well...that was an very interesting pun to start this thread


I haven't played FF7 in awhile. I should probably do so when I'm on Christmas break

 

[WindHero]

tbh, this Cloud business has me tempted to go back and finish grinding on FFVI to go kick Kefka's rump and FINALLY FINISH THE GAME. I just got tired of failing to steal Celestriads from Tyrannosaurs..... Locke, get it together, man... And Relm, can't you keep them restrained just two more turns??

I still don't get how the heck dinosaurs can cast Ultima..........

Also, lol'ing at a picture someone posted in the Robin social of a supposed leak that Hatsune Miku is getting in Smash... Fake man, fake.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I still don't get how the heck dinosaurs can cast Ultima..........

Video game logic is the answer to everything weird, my friend.

 

[meleebrawler]

Video game logic is the answer to everything weird, my friend.

We had to learn our spells from somewhere, right?

 

[Quarium]

People who say Cloud's it's just some "emo edgy kid" and actually say it seriously just don't know **** about the character, have 0 immersion, don't understand storytelling very well or have bad attention span or something.

The dude goes through an identity crisis as big as it can freaking get in FF7, the whole game seems to be around the idea of this ****ing guy trying to just find who the hell he really is and WHAT he really is, all along with all the crazy crap that goes in the messed up world the game's setting is in(There really is too much crazy **** going on to list when you think about it)... That's a lot of **** to pull through mang, especially while being lost in the world after realizing you were basically trying to be SOMEONE ELSE(Zack) and denying your own reality for a long ass time.

In short? **** went down in that game, some crazy **** and Cloud gets justifyingly affected by it.

Best part? He pulls through, they all do but he is especially a character you cannot help but to admire after all it's over! His biggest demons get defeated by him and all after he finally realizes who truly "Cloud" is along with his friends to support him!

I don't even think FF7 is that great of a game in the "game" sense and I played the game in 2010(at 17) so I have no nostalgia bias or anything.

It might have been some crazy ass convoluted writing but DAMN if it wasn't GOOD crazy ass convoluted writing.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

We had to learn our spells from somewhere, right?

Why learn when we can just deus ex machina that ****?

 

[ChikoLad]

Numara called him an "Emo Boy" but yet no character he has created equals Cloud. Sora is his favorite character but his personality is a very generic "let's all love" kind of thing. I love KH but I always found Sora to be corny..

I agree with that in regards to KH2 as KH2 seriously flanderised Sora, and I've heard he's even worse in DDD (I haven't played that yet though since I'm holding out for 2.8), but in KH1, CoM, and Re: coded, Sora (or Data-Sora in Re: coded, as he was technically a different character with some slightly different traits) had way more to him than just being the "happy go-lucky" kid.

Spoiler

I mean you can't seriously say he's just pure happy go lucky in CoM especially, when he's making this face when he finally defeats Marluxia:

Seriously, NOTHING good happened to him in that game, apart from making friends with Naminé.

Cloud is the opposite of Sora. He was initially a pretty balanced character with a cocky element to him, but he did seriously get flanderised into an edgy, broody emo guy. I still think Sora came out better though, especially since they've already said he will be more mature in KH3.

In fact outside of FFVII and Crisis Core (which gave us a younger, more innocent Cloud which was interesting to see), I think Kingdom Hearts has handled Cloud's portrayal the best. He still feels like FFVII Cloud. Especially that one scene with him and Leon in the 1,000 Heartless Battle.

 

[JesseMcCloud]

Morning, everyone! We're officially one day closer to playing as our favorite SOLDIER!
So Nintendo released his trailer in all the different languages today. No update on his release date, though

 

[ChikoLad]

And they still haven't put up his character page and poster. Really eager to see what his poster will be like.

Spoiler

If it's drawn by Tetsuya Nomura and it includes Rosalina, one of my dreams will have come true. :V

 

[Drakonis]

As wrong as some of the info is, if weren't for them I would never have noticed how Cloud's dsmash starts by smacking them with the hilt.

They say the taunt afterwards represents his attitude and moodiness, and while I see the attitude, if he's so moody, then why is he smiling? It pretty much looks like he's thinking to himself "hehe... dumb***" after owning a foolishly charging opponent.

That taunt is probably a reference to an animation he has on the field in FFVII. If you have played FFVII or Crisis Core you might realize what I mean.
He puts his hand on his hip in a similiar way but since he doesn't have his sword out in those, the Smash animators had to improvise where to put it.

I saw someone mention FFVII abridged. Should I check it out?

It's from Team Four Star, the makers of Dragon Ball Z abridged.
I had to warm up to it for a couple of episodes (so far they follow the story relatively well but completely changed the characterizations), but I thought the latest two or so where actually pretty fun.

 

[TTTTTsd]

Watch his poster is gonna be drawn by Amano and we're gonna see what the hell Mario would look like if he was drawn like that.

DANG NOW I WANT TO KNOW!

 

[MagiusNecros]

Watch his poster is gonna be drawn by Amano and we're gonna see what the hell Mario would look like if he was drawn like that.

DANG NOW I WANT TO KNOW!

All pale and girly looking with elaborate brush strokes?

 

[TTTTTsd]

All pale and girly looking with elaborate brush strokes?

I feel like it'd look incredibly silly but also amazing, like damn. Imagine Amano DK or Amano Dr. Mario. Amano Marth would work too well, let's try AMANO BOWSER!

The possibilities are endless for incredibly bizarre and strange designs that will simultaneously look good but also make me laugh like an idiot. Mostly the latter. (<3 you Amano)

But yeah, pale and girly looking among the other Amano standard stuff. Would be a sight for sure.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

D3 drawn in Amano's style.

...holy **** I want it looooooool

Smooth Criminal

 

[TTTTTsd]

D3 drawn in Amano's style.

...holy **** I want it looooooool

Smooth Criminal

He'd definitely have this creepo smile and probably freak me the **** out.

LET'S SEE IT NINTENDO COME ON NOW

 

[Quarium]

I need him to Draw Rosa... and JIGGLYPUFF.

Edit: Yo, can we get nomura into this too?

I just love his lovely retro anime style

 

[Hanku Hirru]

I tell you h'what; an Amano drawn Ike would likely look pretty bad ass, albeit a bit flowery.

So, is it safe to say the Smash community's reaction to Cloud's inclusion has been relatively positive? I've noticed a naysayer here and there, but it appears to be an overwhelming amount of shock and disbelief followed by excitement.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

So, is it safe to say the Smash community's reaction to Cloud's inclusion has been relatively positive? I've noticed a naysayer here and there, but it appears to be an overwhelming amount of shock and disbelief followed by excitement.

Nope, no one causd a strife in the community yet...

 

[ChikoLad]

Best part is that Cloud has his female "version" and all.

 

[Tri Knight]

Imagine if Cloud didn't have the Buster Sword? Like what if he just had a normal sword? I wonder if he'd be as iconic.

 

[ChikoLad]

Imagine if Cloud didn't have the Buster Sword? Like what if he just had a normal sword? I wonder if he'd be as iconic.

It probably wouldn't make much difference. Buster Swords are actually a type of sword that had been well established since before Cloud became a thing. Plus, most players probably don't use the default weapon throughout the game anyway.

 

[dezeray112]

Do we know what Cloud's stage entrance would be?

 

[JesseMcCloud]

Do we know what Cloud's stage entrance would be?

We don't, but I'd love to do some speculating.
Rides up on his motorcycle? Gets dropped in from the Highwind?
As long as it's better than Shulk's.

 

[Drakonis]

We don't, but I'd love to do some speculating.
Rides up on his motorcycle? Gets dropped in from the Highwind?
As long as it's better than Shulk's.

Those two would be the ones I expect the most, too.
Other than that? Riding in on a chocobo, Jumping off a train (which would be hillarious in some stages), falling out of the sky (could be interpreted as either the Highwind or Cloud's unfortunate habit of falling off of high places) or being teleported in via lifestream (like in the weird sequence before the final Sephiroth battle) would be other possibilities.

Of those, only the final two wouldn't require creating an extra model, so those might be more likely than I first thought.

 

[Login_Sinker]

How about his victory screen animations? Those are always badass, and there's a lot of room for possibility with Cloud.

 

[JesseMcCloud]

How about his victory screen animations? Those are always badass, and there's a lot of room for possibility with Cloud.

Well, we can all agree on at least one of them:

 

[Drakonis]

Well, we can all agree on at least one of them:
View attachment 83264

I hope they'll also reference this:

Otherwise... if they want to go overboard with the models (as if Midgar with all the summons wasn't enough), they might add someone else from FFVII appearing. Tifa cheering with Cloud or maybe the Zack/Aerith and Cloud back to back flashback scenes from Advent Children.

 

[ThatOnePeachMain]

Outside of Cloud, what other party member in FFVII do you guys like? I've yet to play the game, but I'm quite fond of Yuffie

Personally, my Favorites are Yuffie Tifa and Aerith. Also, what do you guys think of the leaked December 3rd realease date?

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Personally, my Favorites are Yuffie Tifa and Aerith. Also, what do you guys think of the leaked December 3rd realease date?

The December 3rd leak was confirmed fake iirc

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

Personally, my Favorites are Yuffie Tifa and Aerith. Also, what do you guys think of the leaked December 3rd realease date?

December 3rd?

please?

 

[meleebrawler]

Do any of you get the feeling there will be materia other than the summon ones on Midgar?

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

Do any of you get the feeling there will be materia other than the summon ones on Midgar?

I'd say that it's possible...but which ones?

 

[WindHero]

We don't, but I'd love to do some speculating.
Rides up on his motorcycle? Gets dropped in from the Highwind?
As long as it's better than Shulk's.

You got somethin' ya don't like with muh 'nado boy?

If nothing else though, I find it strangely fitting that I would get hyped over the wielder of a Buster Sword, while I play Shulk with his Buster Art. I wonder, who would win that battle?
(My guess is that Shulk's mobility will be a huge problem for Cloud players.)
I also wonder how well Cloud will handle projectile users...