And Your Thoughts On Aeris Are...

[tetrasmaster]

Well, I used to hate Aeris. Loathe, more like it. And yes, I admit that my liking of Tifa contributed to it a bit. After awhile though, I dismissed that and began hating Aeris because I thought she was too flirty, too selfish, too clingy, and most of all--- what she did around Zack's parents.

After I read Maiden, I had completely changed my mind. And after reading that, I decided to replay the game and I actually gave her a chance instead of "GRR I HATE U AND UR STUPID FLOWERZ" mentality. And, I didn't really like her in the beginning, still. XD I didn't start liking her until the part where they went to the Temple of the Ancients with her, and there on.

I guess I realized that Aeris has her flaws, and her naivity causes her to not realize when she is sometimes acting a bit selfish. But she still had a way of warming people up and cheering them up, even Tifa. Tifa liked her as a friend, and that was clear. I think I had to realize that for myself--- that Aeris WASN'T out to make Tifa's life a living hell. . .
I'm really naive myself at times. It's one of my personality flaws, and we all have them. Even Aeris.
I guess she admitted a lot of things in Maiden that made me respect her more.

So yeeah.
I loves her now! She's sweet, and nice and... yeah.  

[Twindream]

Me too Lunar. xd I just hated Aeris. She always seemed to be the "Mary Sue" type of character. Her perkiness always annoyed me and she was rude, selfish, insensitive. But I too began to respect her...a little in The Maiden. In a lot of ways, her personality was the same in FFVII, but she was more likable because it was just...about her, how she acted. It was more clear how she was. And she didn't seem the naive, clingy girl like we see in FFVII. In fact, I kind of liked her because of her spunkiness. Well, she was a bit spunky in FFVII, but it was more apparent in The Maiden. I respected her, but I still didn't like her that much. It wasn't until I joined the AerTi Guild that I actually grew to respect Aeris. I don't love her as I love Tifa, but I think she's a pretty decent character. 3nodding  

[Truthiness3x4]

Not my favorite character, and she's definitely not the goddess some of her fans make her out to be, but she's alright. What she did took a lot of strength and courage and I respect her for it. My only problem with her is she seemed a little inhuman, not really someone I could relate to.  

[Sara Hysaro]

I viewed Aeris with an open mind when I played the game. I really didn't care to much for her clingly, flirty ways in the beginning, but I still thought that she wasn't a bad character. While she really didn't seem to care too much in the beginning, in the end she did what she had to do to help ensure everyone's future.  

[Silent-Dreamer025]

I enjoyed Aerith in the game she was useful in the battle with her magic basically. I think people underestimate her or overestimate her, I didn't like how the author showed her in the maiden, but from what I seen in Crisis Core I like her as that, but personally I do enjoy her. I mean she is into guys cross dressing.  

[Sara Hysaro]

Silent-Dreamer025

I mean she is into guys cross dressing.

I loved that part of the game. xd  

[tetrasmaster]

Sara Hysaro

Silent-Dreamer025

I mean she is into guys cross dressing.

I loved that part of the game. xd

Gotta respect any girl who's into that. XDD

OMG Twin! Me too! I thought she was spunky in Maiden in a different way than in VII. xD  

[Silent-Dreamer025]

I thought the author made her a bit snobbish in maiden, I may have to read it again though, but it does make her a CloTi fan in it a bit, but having guy cross dress to save his girl is the best thing ever in my book.  

[Twindream]

I don't know about "fan" since she said she was a bit jealous. xd But her personality was a bit different in "The Maiden". The author wasn't part of the staff, but they did say they supervised the novel. I don't really like that...but it's published anyway so might as well take it. I'd want someone from the staff to write it...and actually put Aeris more in her original character. But still, I liked her spunk. biggrin  

[Bereave Of Steve Burnside]

Wow, what I feel about Aeris… Frankly put, not intended to hurt any feelings, I think she is the counterproductive of what humans are striving for towards perfection. The near epitome of what people point at, can sigh, and thank God that at least they are not that low on Darwin’s score. Think it harsh, but during the game I could find little of value in her at all, and what I set the belief on is not blank air.

I’ll admit that I had a bias before I had ever seen her in Final Fantasy, but I believed that at most she was just an irritating character as my friends tend to over-react when ranting to me about their soon to be effigy of the month.

However, as I played, watched, read… I began to feel stronger feelings against her. I didn’t mind her when you first few times that you met her… she was down right normal in reaction and character. Down to earth… relatable as it was, asking for help, wanting to go home, a nearly cliché, but apt account of how one would act. My opinion of her really only started to turn sour when, after knowing Cloud for almost no amount of time, she offers herself for a date, as payment… Cloud is by no means warm to this, by no other means, stranger, and yet she goes straight to this. Cloud is not being coy by any means saying that it will cost her, we all saw after the explosion how intent he was on getting his money.

Not only arrogant by all means, but more than that. My thoughts were split between, the idea that she was retarded, or a whore. She grew up in the slums for Shiva’s sake. Would that not instill a bit of self preservation? Would any sane person not be concerned that someone just fell through the roof, the same person that you saw during the explosion of the first reactor? Most people’s reaction might be close to wondering about the fact that this is obviously not an innocent, well-wishing, harmless man… My mind would go to the type of people that I assuredly grew up around, the fact that there are dangerous people around, most people would be less careless than to, overly stated, offer themselves up as a payment.

Especially as she just finds out that he is a mercenary that will “do what ever is needed,” but still wants to go on a date… Intelligence just springs eternal on this one, doesn’t it?

That right there dented her character for me… she threw herself at a stranger, one that she knew was not harmless by any means.

It only got worse….

The part that sticks out in my mind worst of all was the scene where you are allowed to set Tifa as your girlfriend. No matter what you pick, she still acts the same, which is more than conniving by any means. It is obvious that she gets jealous as the thought of competition, giving that I did choose Tifa as my girlfriend, and she acts in a way that we have all frowned upon. When in school we did not look at the girl lusting over a spoken for man with compassion… pity maybe. I am sure that most of us did not condone, no push, her behavior of trying to snake the man out his loving relationship. Now I understand that, yes, Cloud and Tifa, were not dating, but Aeris did not, and she would have acted the same regardless. Hell, I wouldn’t want a person like that around my children, let alone my party.

It got worse too… no matter that Cloud was not welcoming, no matter that he NEVER gave any hint that he wanted her to join… in fact he spelled it out clearly that he did not want her coming, and she still followed. One might consider this loyalty, but loyalty is something for someone you trust, some one that you know… again this was set towards an absolute stranger. Far from loyalty as I see it. Cloud even tries to respect Aeris’s mother’s wishes that she not get involved. But Aeris practically imprisons Cloud in her home, this may be extreme, but I nearly drove myself batty trying to leave her house. Cloud! A grown, fully functional man, being confined to some freak show’s house, not being allowed to leave. It bothers me that she listened that closely, and could not take the hint… when the man tries to sneak out the bedroom window, it tends to mean that he don’t want you. Then when you finally escape she’s out there waiting for you! Stalker much? I have heard arguments on that being devotion… yeah…. To a man she’s know for a day… who has shown little interest in her… maybe a bit too much devotion.

That entire scene made me thank God that I did not know people like her… I would fear for my life every waking moment… I wouldn’t sleep… ‘cause it appears that she doesn’t…

The parts of the game with her droned on… I had to cringe every time she made an inane, useless comment. For me, respectively, she offered no valid input, her fighting with me held no gain on my part.

Now, the part about Aeris that got me the worst was the bit about Zax. I am a hardcore Zax fan ^^;; And I felt terribly for Zax throughout the entire game. Yes, I understand that she didn’t know that he had died, but that doesn’t excuse her callous treatment of his, for the lack of a better word memory. While in Gongaga, it is confirmed about his disappearance, but she still feels that he found some one else, faithful little thing, isn’t she? It is not just bitter left over feelings about not getting any closure. If anything, she uses the fact that no one has seen this man for at least five years, and tries to get a little more out of Cloud.

“Are you… jealous? Hmm? Hmmm? Are you Cloud?” She does apologize but it is after Cloud, saying nothing, turns away. Typically in final fantasy, that does not symbolize embarrassment, it’s more of a cold shoulder. She apologized to save face. Wow… conniving, damn-near heartless, and two faced. Don’t we just love her. Trying to gain something over the disappearance, and it must be serious if he hasn’t even written his parents (which he obviously did if he was able to inform them of the fact that he had a girl friend) for sometime, and whom she claimed to have loved. …That does not symbolize some one with a new love… it just symbolizes a b***h…

She plays the part of the damsel, but tries to be so much more to Cloud. It doesn’t work…

Aeris fans were the last straw…. If you like a character, more power to you, but don’t be ignorant. More than once have I had to listen to point after point, story after story. Of this loving, caring girl… don’t make me sick. Put some evidence. Yea, she may have warmed up Cloud, but lets not give her that much credit. The world does not revolve around her, contrary to what many Aeris fans have tried to tell me. The entire journey helped heal Cloud, and, depending on who you put in your party, Aeris may have had a part in it. I am not denying that much. Saying, however, that it was all her, well… that’s just nuttier than squirrel crap. They completely ignore the Tifa factor, even the Barret one, liking a character is fine, being blind is not so. I have seen her placed on a pedestal and I die on the inside, it makes that one little part of me that hopes for a better world from humanity get run through along with Aeris in my oh so favorite scene.

I am not going to lie… I am not a Saint, nor do I pretend to be, and, certainly, no one is setting me as such… unlike many do with Aeris.
Perhaps, if so much of the game didn’t center her, she would be tolerable, many of her reactions are quite human. Albeit, not a very model sort of citizen, but few people are. It may have been how the game was run, but trying to put so much attention on her, allowed more room to see her faults, which for whatever reasons I was quite in tune with, but somehow people are able to ignore them.

In short, in Aeris all I see is an immature, conniving, almost lost person.

I am, of course, almost bypassing any sort of positive that she has. But that is where my bias comes in (that and the fact that it is only based on her personality from the PS game, not the story, or anyother resources of her). Maybe I have felt that she doesn’t need more people to sing her praises. I may be wrong, who knows, maybe she was so kind to Cloud in the beginning for simply that reason, maybe she was just a kindhearted person… But all that it does is push me to believe in her ignorance in that scene. This becomes almost totally contradictory throughout the rest of the plot. I would love to go on about this, it, obviously, gets me going. However… I have wasted enough of my life force on her totally waste of space, I do not care what other’s feel about her, nor will I care what they feel about my opinion on her, but this is it.

People can agree, or, as many Aeris fans would be so inclined to do, argue with me about it, on the validity of these statements to defend her, go ahead, you only prove my point further. (These opinions are, most likely, the far extreme of the spectrum, and, by most, going to far, but with out this extreme, people with less of an opinion would be going to far, the extremes are a necessity.)

There are faults with other characters, true, but when one sees an almost ethereal aura around her, it is so much easier, not to mention fun, to shoot the wannabe angel down to the ground, on earth where she belongs, with the rest of us.  

[tetrasmaster]

Daaaamn, Reno! Some of those points made me laugh. x] Because they were true, yes? And the way you put things, only further made me smile. : ] Not saying that what you posted was a joke, but rather thought out and humorous yet serious at the same time. Like an essay you wrote for English class, or something.

I'd like to quote you on a few things though! To agree and to clarify, if you don't mind.

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my friends tend to over-react when ranting to me about their soon to be effigy of the month.

Remember how I used to rant about how much I hated her in school?! I'm glad you mentioned that this was my "effigy of the month". That cuts to the bone. xD I guess it's kinda true though, even if I had hated her like 5 other years before this one. I changed my mind though, even so... your post reminded me of some reasons why I had hated her in the first place.

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ould that not instill a bit of self preservation? Would any sane person not be concerned that someone just fell through the roof, the same person that you saw during the explosion of the first reactor? Most people’s reaction might be close to wondering about the fact that this is obviously not an innocent, well-wishing, harmless man… My mind would go to the type of people that I assuredly grew up around, the fact that there are dangerous people around, most people would be less careless than to, overly stated, offer themselves up as a payment.

Especially as she just finds out that he is a mercenary that will “do what ever is needed,” but still wants to go on a date… Intelligence just springs eternal on this one, doesn’t it?

That right there dented her character for me… she threw herself at a stranger, one that she knew was not harmless by any means.

Here's where the clarifying comes in! Cloud fell through her roof just like Zax did to her. That's how she first met Zax, in fact. Cloud was also wearing almost the EXACT same outfit as well. Aeris asked Cloud for a date, just as Zax did to Aeris after he fell through her roof. Zax says this to her as a joke, (Which is what I gather) and I think Aeris was doing the same thing. Which justifies nothing on her part, because she constantly asks Cloud for the same date over and over again. >>; Which did annoy me. But anyway, Cloud seemed rather harmless in that scene. Aeris said Cloud reminded her of Zack. Same out fit. Same way of meeting. Same Mako eyes--- of course she's intrigued by him. He's ZAX with blonde hair! xD (Not really. His personality is totally different, but I can see how she is reminded of Zax, and why she would then, be so trusting of Cloud even if Cloud were part of ShinRa like she should have assumed.)

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:06 pm
Wow, what I feel about Aeris… Frankly put, not intended to hurt any feelings, I think she is the counterproductive of what humans are striving for towards perfection. The near epitome of what people point at, can sigh, and thank God that at least they are not that low on Darwin’s score. Think it harsh, but during the game I could find little of value in her at all, and what I set the belief on is not blank air.

I’ll admit that I had a bias before I had ever seen her in Final Fantasy, but I believed that at most she was just an irritating character as my friends tend to over-react when ranting to me about their soon to be effigy of the month.

However, as I played, watched, read… I began to feel stronger feelings against her. I didn’t mind her when you first few times that you met her… she was down right normal in reaction and character. Down to earth… relatable as it was, asking for help, wanting to go home, a nearly cliché, but apt account of how one would act. My opinion of her really only started to turn sour when, after knowing Cloud for almost no amount of time, she offers herself for a date, as payment… Cloud is by no means warm to this, by no other means, stranger, and yet she goes straight to this. Cloud is not being coy by any means saying that it will cost her, we all saw after the explosion how intent he was on getting his money.

Not only arrogant by all means, but more than that. My thoughts were split between, the idea that she was retarded, or a whore. She grew up in the slums for Shiva’s sake. Would that not instill a bit of self preservation? Would any sane person not be concerned that someone just fell through the roof, the same person that you saw during the explosion of the first reactor? Most people’s reaction might be close to wondering about the fact that this is obviously not an innocent, well-wishing, harmless man… My mind would go to the type of people that I assuredly grew up around, the fact that there are dangerous people around, most people would be less careless than to, overly stated, offer themselves up as a payment.

Especially as she just finds out that he is a mercenary that will “do what ever is needed,” but still wants to go on a date… Intelligence just springs eternal on this one, doesn’t it?

That right there dented her character for me… she threw herself at a stranger, one that she knew was not harmless by any means.

It only got worse….

The part that sticks out in my mind worst of all was the scene where you are allowed to set Tifa as your girlfriend. No matter what you pick, she still acts the same, which is more than conniving by any means. It is obvious that she gets jealous as the thought of competition, giving that I did choose Tifa as my girlfriend, and she acts in a way that we have all frowned upon. When in school we did not look at the girl lusting over a spoken for man with compassion… pity maybe. I am sure that most of us did not condone, no push, her behavior of trying to snake the man out his loving relationship. Now I understand that, yes, Cloud and Tifa, were not dating, but Aeris did not, and she would have acted the same regardless. Hell, I wouldn’t want a person like that around my children, let alone my party.

Aeris as well as Tifa fans have told me that this isn't a valid statement, since the choice to choose to say Tifa is your girlfriend, is optional. But the fact that it IS an option, means something. CERTAINLY it does. The fact that you can say that Tifa is your girlfriend and the fact that Aeris can STILL bring herself to flirt with you while you say so, is hard to say... if it's valid or not. You can be mean to Aeris, but Cloud will still be upset when she dies. You can be mean to Tifa, but she'll still sit with him under the highwind, and save him in the lifestream. So, the optionial things are hard to use as proof. I don't use this as a reason to hate her anymore. Because on the flip side, if you say Tifa isn't your girlfriend she has every right to flirt with you. And, even if you say this, her flirting gets out of hand anyways, so you don't even need this part to be proof on your side anyways.
All in all, you're in the right here. ^^

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Cloud was not welcoming, no matter that he NEVER gave any hint that he wanted her to join…

Careful. I watched you play the game at this part. You chose every option against Aeris. If you had choosen nicer answers, true--> They wouldn't have been that more inviting, but they still would have shown that Cloud was at least softening up to her a bit.

BUT! About Cloud trying to sneak out--- I agree completely. That was not devotion but rather--- something quite creepy. The fact that she is waiting for you after you leave her house, was even creepier... O_x That is a bit stalkerish, if you ask me. But I don't think I will blame her that much. The poor thing has been alone with just Elmyra for a long time. Zax never came back for her, either. I feel bad for her that she had to be alone and she's that desperate for company--- company that reminds her of Zax, no doubt. But I know you are not so forgiving. XD

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I wouldn’t sleep… ‘cause it appears that she doesn’t…

Lmfao. Too funny!

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she offered no valid input

She really will, later in the game. ^^ Plus, who says she should have to?

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Yes, I understand that she didn’t know that he had died, but that doesn’t excuse her callous treatment of his, for the lack of a better word memory.

Actually, this is debating due to the CC ending. She looked like she knew he died. And, she's an Ancient. She knows when someone has passed and "returned to the planet".
BUT in Maiden, she is surprised that Zax is there. She's still VERY cold to him. I'm surprised you didn't mention that Aeris said: "Someone who loves so many can not be a lover".
Now, I think she's a hypocrite here. Because she went after Cloud instantly, without even thinking about Zax feelings. Even if she weren't still with him at that time, she's really confusing me! Is she denying his death, or does she REALLY think he found another woman, and so she's going off with another man that reminds her OF him? She still wears the pink ribbon that's FROM him WHILE flirting with Cloud?
None of what she is doing here makes sense to me, which is why I call her a wishy washy character like so many tend to argue with me about.

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“Are you… jealous? Hmm? Hmmm? Are you Cloud?” She does apologize but it is after Cloud, saying nothing, turns away. Typically in final fantasy, that does not symbolize embarrassment, it’s more of a cold shoulder. She apologized to save face. Wow… conniving, damn-near heartless, and two faced. Don’t we just love her. Trying to gain something over the disappearance, and it must be serious if he hasn’t even written his parents (which he obviously did if he was able to inform them of the fact that he had a girl friend) for sometime, and whom she claimed to have loved. …That does not symbolize some one with a new love… it just symbolizes a b***h…

I agree. I am still upset that she did those, though again it is an optional thing.

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Of this loving, caring girl… don’t make me sick. Put some evidence.

I like Aeris. So, do you really want me to? Because she really is.

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In short, in Aeris all I see is an immature, conniving, almost lost person.

I agree. Less on the "conniving" part, but I agree that she is immature and lost. Sometimes naive and selfish, and all around confused and in no way a mystery.

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to shoot the wannabe angel down to the ground, on earth where she belongs, with the rest of us.

Harsh, yet somehow true. xD An angel is someone completely pure and holy. Aeris is very flawed, I think. What she did towards the end gave her more aspects of an angel I suppose, but it's not how I would describe her.

Nice points! I hope I get to hear... what other people have to say. ^_^


 

[Mystifying Social Disease]

Hmm...How I feel about Aeris, you ask? Well, I've never tried to put it into words before. Now, much like some of you have admitted, I didn't like her on the spot. I didn't even have a somewhat respect for her like I do now. From the moment I saw her I wanted burn her cheap flowers and rip her braid from her head. (...As I came to realize, violence and arson are never the answer mrgreen ... Especially not when it comes to a fictional character.) I hated her my entire way through the game, and was more than ecstatic when she got killed. (Angels were singing hallelujah was in my mind, if I recall correctly. I have very vivid mental images.) Only upon attempting the game for the second time through, did I give up some of the prejudices. (Most of which I only had because I immediately liked Tifa more than Aeris.) I realized she had a lot of flawed qualities about her, but they all did, that's what made the characters human. And who am I to judge when I've got my flaws just like her and the rest of them? As far as the relentless flirting goes, well, in all honesty, if it came down to it, I'd probably flirt with a hot guy like Cloud too if given the chance( or chances 3nodding heart ) . So, while I still don't love her character, I've come to like it.  

[Truthiness3x4]

lmao, Reno. heart  

[Sara Hysaro]

That was a nice essay. biggrin

As for her flirting? I find it annoying, but I suppose I can forgive it somewhat. I'm too shy to flirt like she does, but that's just me. Aeris isn't shy in the least bit, and that's okay.  

[Twindream]

Bereave Of Steve Burnside......that was so beautiful......you almost made me forget that I respect Aeris. xd

I have to agree with you in her negative points.

My hate for her began with the date. It really was a weird time to ask for one now I that I think about it. Though in Crisis Core it does explain that Cloud fell just like Zack through the ceiling, the fact that she just asked for a date after that....irks me, even though she was just copying Zack...since when he fell from the ceiling, he was the one who asked for a date.

Funny...I heard this one Cleris fan say that Tifa was a stalker. xd

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It bothers me that she listened that closely, and could not take the hint… when the man tries to sneak out the bedroom window, it tends to mean that he don’t want you. Then when you finally escape she’s out there waiting for you! Stalker much?

When the party went to Gongaga, I was expecting Aeris to react more strongly, rather than just go out and think to herself and then flirt with Cloud. But perhaps here she was trying to forget. A point here might actually be that she still holds strong feelings for him. Also in "The Maiden" when Zack appears in the lifestream, she remembered why she loved him.

Of course...in Crisis Core....we can bet that her bad qualities won't be there. She'd be a perfect angel. However, her true personality will forever be engraved in FFVII...and most canon as well.