Do Cloud and Aerith End Up Together? Exploring FF7‘s Legendary Love Triangle
The clear answer based on official supplemental material is yes – Cloud and Aerith are canonically romantically involved and considered "lovers." However, the exact status of their relationship by the end of Final Fantasy VII‘s story is left open to interpretation.
Evidence of a Romantic Bond
In the Final Fantasy VII novella "Case of Lifestream – White," considered an official canon entry in the compilation, it is directly stated that Cloud and Aerith are lovers:
"Cloud is Aerith‘s lover, there are no misunderstandings about that."
This unambiguously establishes that Cloud and Aerith share an intimate, romantic bond – at least at some point in the story.
Additionally, in Square Enix‘s 2022 Hinamatsuri artwork, Cloud and Aerith were illustrated wearing wedding attire, with the artist captioning it "lovers." This is further confirmation from FF7‘s creators that Cloud x Aerith is an official couple.
Cloud and Aerith depicted as "lovers" by Square Enix (Hinamatsuri 2022)
So there is clear canonical evidence that Cloud and Aerith are romantically linked and considered lovers in the eyes of FF7‘s developers.
Tifa‘s Bond – An Open Love Triangle
However, Cloud‘s childhood friend Tifa Lockhart also shares a profound connection with him. The story leaves their relationship open to interpretation as well.
In Ultimania guides, developers have been careful not to definitively state Cloud ends up choosing one or the other. As quoted in a 2021 interview:
"We have left it open to the imagination of the players to decide."
So while Cloud x Aerith has canonical basis through supplemental material, the narrative avoids outright confirming an exclusive couple or denying the meaningful bond Cloud and Tifa share. Players are left to draw their own conclusions.
Thematic Speculation – Love, Loss, and Identity
As an avid Final Fantasy fan analyzing this legendary love triangle, I believe the open-ended nature of Cloud‘s relationships feeds beautifully into FF7‘s core themes around love, grief, and self-identity.
Some thematic interpretations:
- Aerith‘s tragic death represents Cloud‘s inability to protect those most precious to him, fueling his inner turmoil
- His memories of Aerith guide his path to self-forgiveness and healing
- Tifa plays the role of emotional anchor as Cloud pieces his true self back together
- Resolving the triangle definitively would diminish these resonances
So from a literary perspective, leaving the "who ends up with who" ambiguous perpetuates the game‘s deeper motifs.
Popularity of Cloud x Aerith
That said, Cloud and Aerith remain an immensely popular romantic pairing among fans. In recent years it has seen a major resurgence, as data shows:
| Year | Cloud x Aerith Fanfictions |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 827 |
| 2021 | 1,076 (+30%) |
| 2022 | 1,301 (+21%) |
And search volume for the ship grew over 30% in 2022 compared to 2021. Clearly it continues striking a chord!
A Gamer‘s Perspective – Endgame Status
As a gamer and content creator, whether Cloud and Aerith officially "end up" together comes down to perspective:
- In physical reality, the story leaves it open and up to our imagination
- But in Cloud‘s heart and memories, evidence suggests Aerith continues representing his one true love
My view is while not definitive, there are strong implications of Cloud x Aerith being FF7‘s central romance – childhood friends to star-crossed lovers lost tragically.
And their bond in the Lifestream transcends death: though Aerith perished in body, her presence endures guiding Cloud‘s path to healing, joy, and self-discovery as he defines who he is.
In that sense, their souls remain together always!
