Hoo. It's been a long time since I've written a musing. I sort of lost my fire there for a while. And it's hard to devote time to sit down and think of these things. But I've got a small one today. I'm sorry it's not the best of quality.
Today we'll be talking about the discrepencies between Cloud in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. So in that case, we'll need a warning...
WARNING: The following content may or may not contain spoilers for the game Final Fantasy VII and the movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Read at your own disgretion.
I recieved the box set of Advent Children for Christmas this year and I was flipping through the extra merchandise and spent a particular amount of time studing Cloud's poster. He looked especially reserved, quiet, and depressed. Or perhaps a better way to put it would be "deep in thought." I thought over the movie and then the game. It seems to me that Cloud isn't exactly the same as he was in the game.
In FFVII, Cloud started out as sort of a bad ass. Okay, maybe not sort of. And he was a jerk with more than enough cocky. My guess is that these were more of Zack's traits showing. After his strange coma thing, it's more than likely that his real personality came out. He seemed vulnerable, sensative, needy, weak, unconfident. Maybe I'm being harsh here. Regardless, he was a LOT less reserved by the end of the game. I will always remember his line when the party gets ready to fight Jenova and Sephiroth:
"Alright everybody...Let's mosey!"
O_o' Did you just say that, Cloud? I couldn't stop laughing.
However, in AC, Cloud is a loner, almost hermit-like, and seemingly much more depressed. Some of his old traits are still there, like his lack of confidence (which also seems to be the center of much of his character developement in the movie). But he seems more...passive? I don't know if that's the right word to use. Closed. "Closed" is a better word. It's almost a reversion to his old self. Granted, a lot can happen in two years. I just find it odd that the same Cloud who said "mosey" turned out like he did in AC two years later. It's not the direction that was expected.
Yet it's not totally unexpected. The movie, I think, plays more on the uncertainty and guilt that Cloud has. Obviously things like that don't just up and disappear. The lighter side of his personality (it's debatable that he even had a lighter side to begin with) is downplayed. Although there are moments when he's not so serious.
Again, I'm sorry that this isn't the greatest quality of musing here. Hopefully the next one will be better. Hope you all enjoyed your holidays.
