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| Your View Of Cloud's Character? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 14 2010, 08:10 AM (954 Views) | |
| Raquelborn | Sep 14 2010, 08:10 AM Post #1 |
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Member
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How do you personally see Cloud's character? I ask as I've been reading fan fictions lately which I feel have got Cloud's character slightly off or people have said ways they think my characterisation of Cloud doesn't quite fit with theirs. I think a lot of people see Cloud as he is in AC/C: depressed, angsty and mopy. But, when you look at how he behaves in Reminiscence of FFVII and in Dirge of Cerberus (the little we see of him), he has an almost cocky air at times. He doesn't say more than he needs to but he's not necessarily shy etc. That's how I see him anyway... So how do you see him? P.s. I wasn't sure where to put this topic. Hope this fits. |
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| Hades' Daughter | Sep 14 2010, 06:15 PM Post #2 |
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Cleris Extremist
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To me, Cloud isn't shy or cocky. He is, as Nojima says, someone who doesn't open up easily. He doesn't say much because he's the type to keep his thoughts, opinions, and concerns to himself. While I don't believe that he's constantly depressed as some people seem to think he is, the fact that he's so closed off makes him appear that way. Speaking of cocky, I personally think Cloud's the opposite of that. He's pretty thick-headed and doesn't seem to realize just how awesome he is or how others admire him. Now Zack is the cocky type. He seems to enjoy attention
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| FeraNelia | Sep 14 2010, 09:55 PM Post #3 |
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'I kept waiting...'
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Well, the Cloud in the beginning of VII and the one in AC/C sure are different at first sight. People tend to underline AC/C where Cloud was drowning in depression, and when some people remind how he was in VII, some others will see that OOC. To some people, Cloud simply is a quiet, angsty man. And to some, he's like the Holy father of heroes. In my eyes Cloud is somewhere between those lines. Yes, he was angsty in AC/C but he did have his reasons. Like Hades' Daughter said, Cloud doesn't open up easily, thus others see him as serious, quiet - and angsty. I think Cloud is a more quiet person, since he keeps his thoughts to himself; he takes things seriously and won't back off when others need him. He can be quite rude, but not in a fully bastard way. He has his warm side and a big heart - he shows no mercy to his enemies, and on the other hand shows affection towards people close to him. He can get lost, but after a push from other people, he'll find the right path and becomes determined to protect everyone else and end it all for good. As for character flaws, I'd say that sometimes he runs away from things that haunt him, thus becoming even more distant. He won't let other people in - well, except maybe Aeris... So I don't see him as an angsty sulker, but he's not a blushing wimp either. He's just a grown man who has gone through a lot in his life. But I can't ignore that his character has seemed to change during these years - and I'm not talking about the time in the games. When comparing the Cloud from VII to how he's being portrayed today, I feel the slight difference. So altough Cloud hasn't become angsty, he has become more quiet. Well, maybe it's just me, but that's how I feel it~ (Forgive all the grammatical errors, too sleepy... Zzz...) |
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| PianoxLullaby | Sep 15 2010, 03:06 AM Post #4 |
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Cloud's Little Sistah
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There's so much to say about Cloud. I could dissect his personality for hours, which is something I haven't done yet so this is a very interesting topic to take part in. :) As a child Cloud was outcasted, wimpy, but somehow determined. He was also very resentful and I can still see some of that in VII, though only faintly. He's not one for making scenes, or at least, intentionally. However, as a child he did try causing scenes, I would wager, as he picked fights a lot to prove himself to the village. Growing up in such a way would cause someone to be closed off. He barely even opened up to his mother if he did at all (only judging from what I've seen of her, I wish she had more screen-time, I adore her!). There are trust issues there, which is completely understandable. There is a wall between Cloud and those that approach him, and Aerith seems to be the only one able to knock that wall straight down to the ground when the time comes. You mentioned that you felt Cloud was somewhat cocky, and though I can see where you're coming from, I wouldn't say he's cocky, I'd say he's self-reliant and determined to do what HE wants to do. The difference between Cloud and Zack (Zack being known for being a ladies' man and having a cocky personality) is that Cloud doesn't expect to be considered a hero, whereas Zack craves the title of being a hero, so he talks about himself as if he IS one. Cloud is merely a "I do things my way" type of guy. He's not the type to do something he doesn't want to do; it takes a lot of persuading and nagging to get him to do something as such. Cloud has a hard time showing how he really feels. As I said, there are some trust issues there, and wagering from his childhood, he's also very socially awkward as he never had friends when he was younger. He DOES care about people, but shows it faintly or in small amount. He has his own special way of showing people that he cares. As was said before, he's not an open book. Aerith describes him perfectly as well: He's simplistic and awkward. |
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| Shiva | Sep 15 2010, 01:03 PM Post #5 |
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Legendary Member
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To me, the only time Cloud was cocky was when he was portraying a false persona and trying to act like Zack at the beginning of the game. Once he dropped that false persona, though, he wasn't that cocky guy anymore. He was quiet and never spoke about his feelings and didn't talk about himself a whole lot. Like it said in RF, Cloud speaks with his eyes. |
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| Anastar | Sep 15 2010, 04:41 PM Post #6 |
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To touch the light I see in your eyes...
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This is when I see Cloud as being the most cocky. As a child, he picked fights a lot in order to prove himself. There were also options during the game that made him appear to have that same personality: Tifa "How about..." "...something to drink?" <CHOICE> I don't feel like it Give me something hard ***Cloud Give me something hard Tifa "Just a minute. I'll make one for you." (She mixes Cloud a drink.) Tifa "You know, I'm relieved you made it back safely." Cloud "What's with you all of a sudden? That wasn't even a tough job." Tifa "I guess not..." "You were in SOLDIER." (Cloud sets down his drink.) Tifa "Make sure you get your pay from Barret." Cloud "Don't worry. Once I get that money, I'm outta here." ***Cloud I don't feel like it Tifa "OHH!!" "I can make a drink just as good as anyone else." "Everyone says, my drinks taste the best!" That's just one random example, but Cloud *does* have the option to act somewhat cocky, like he's doing in the highlighted choices. As Shiva said, though, this is part of a false persona where Cloud's trying to act like a tough guy from SOLDIER. I have to point out, too, that it's also optional. I think Cloud can still act cocky at times, but you only see it now when he's talking to an opponent like Kadaj or Sephiroth. An example from AC/ACC: Sephiroth: Where did you find this strength? Cloud: I'm not about to tell you! So the only time we see that cockiness now is when he's fighting an opponent. I also think Cloud tended to be more verbal in FFVII simply because he had a lot to say about their battle situation. They had to make plenty of choices about where to go next and what to do about Sephiroth and the black materia. Avalanche also had a lot of questions about the power of Jenova and Sephiroth as well as the history of Nibelheim, and Cloud was the one who had answers to those questions. So he had more *reason* to talk during the game. As PianoxLullaby said, Cloud is basically simplistic and awkward in social situations. That's probably due to being an outcast as a kid, where he wasn't included in social situations or groups, as FeraNelia mentioned in her post. For another thing, I think Cloud is more of a person who *reacts* verbally to things said by other people rather than being someone who *initiates* conversation. He tends to react when challenged (this brings out his cockiness), when someone has a question, or when someone asks for an opinion. He's not the type to initiate casual conversation on his own. That's why he tends to be more verbal around the kids, who ask him questions about the places he's been and the people he knows, or who have questions about school work. He feels comfortable about answering, and he doesn't have to initiate conversation. He's also not the type to talk about his feelings. I think talking about feelings or personal issues makes Cloud uncomfortable. Nojima even said that he's not the type to open up: Nojima: Oh, I just remembered. I wanted to write Cloud as a person, seen through Tifa's eyes [in Case of Tifa]. But he really isn't the type to open up (laughs). ~Nojima, interview about On the Way to a Smile Being angsty and depressed isn't typical for Cloud. He just had reason to feel that way during the novella's and AC/ACC. I think his smile at the end of AC/ACC was supposed to indicate that his depression is now over. On the other hand, I don't think Cloud is super self-confident, either. He has a tendency to doubt himself and to be insecure, as we saw in AC/ACC. But his insecurity is largely focused on his nature, rather than his actions. He's quick to decide what to do when facing opposition. But if you asked Cloud whether he's a hero, I would wager that he'd say no. |
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| PianoxLullaby | Sep 15 2010, 05:59 PM Post #7 |
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Cloud's Little Sistah
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Exactly. He's not exactly self-conscious, but he's doubtful and unsure. He probably doesn't trust himself much after all that's happened. He's failed a lot and is probably afraid a bit on the inside. This is what AC/C is about, Cloud being afraid of failing again, afraid of losing everything he cared about as he lost people he truly, deeply cared about in the past. However, he's definitely not a super-emo-tastic type of guy, either. He's not brooding like Vincent is, but it can appear that way on the outside to anyone who doesn't know them better. You know, I've always had to wonder how Cloud feels now. As a child he had no friends, was outcasted, blamed for things, failed, just a typical nobody, but now look at him! He's saved Gaia, twice, has a bunch of friends, I'm sure he's well-known around the planet now. He's definitely come a long way. I wonder how many times he looks back and goes: "Wow." But... like we said before, he probably doesn't think of himself as a hero, so maybe he doesn't think of his feats as accomplishments, but as just normal things that had to be done. At the beginning of FFVII he was the anti-hero, the guy who was only looking out for himself but if his goal meant saving the planet along the way, that's cool. You know what I'm saying? This is why I love Cloud, he's such a complex and relate-able character. <3 This is why his my favorite character of all time. |
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| Anastar | Sep 15 2010, 06:26 PM Post #8 |
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To touch the light I see in your eyes...
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I've been trying to find the quote and can't. It seems to me that at the end of ACC, Denzel asks Cloud who's buried at Zack's grave and Cloud tells Zack that it's where a hero started his journey. That, of course, is where Cloud started his journey so it's a reference to himself. However, he doesn't personalize it. He refers to that hero in third person, as though it's not something he owns or believes about himself. It's someone other than himself.
IIRC, though, the creators said in one interview that Cloud and Vincent are similar to one another. Again, I can't find the quote. (Damn - I used to know where these quotes are!! <_<) I don't mean that Cloud's super-emo-tastic, but he *is* the solitary type. Remember that his job requires him to spend a lot of time on his own, and that he went to the Church to live on his own before AC/ACC. |
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| PianoxLullaby | Sep 15 2010, 06:32 PM Post #9 |
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Cloud's Little Sistah
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Well, yes, I do think Cloud and Vincent are similar, haha, but I think their general temperament is a little different. As you said, they're both rather solitary, which is how they're pretty similar, but Vincent is kind of... what's a good word for this? Well, you know where I'm going with this. Cloud isn't super depressed, Vincent... kind of is? I still can't think of the proper word for it. Though I think DoC he has a similar revelation as Cloud in AC/C, that he wasn't blamed for what happened. He gets a sense of closure. So yes, in many ways they are similar. |
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| Raquelborn | Sep 19 2010, 12:42 PM Post #10 |
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Member
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Well, take my following examples from when Cloud's true personality is restored and when he is not under the gloom of depression like in AC/C: In DoC - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLfmgEwwoEE#t=7m21s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLfmgEwwoEE#t=6m27s His line, "Sorry about the wait" is said with a confident smile, tone and tilt up of his chin. He just comes across as exuding a lot of male confidence to me there - a slight, playful cockiness. Then, in his call to Vincent he laughs "What do you think" when Vincent asks about how they're coping on the battlefield. Again, it's playfully very confident. (I can't say overconfident because Cloud is, what, the most strongest man on the planet? lol <3) In Reminiscence - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8sr-4p8toM#t=5m55s When Cloud asks Tifa to close the bar for one day (we don't hear her reply but whatever it is) he says, "That was easy." I felt that was slightly cocky. In Kingdom Hearts II - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asHesIT7Nfw#t=5m22s Cloud's confidence with his "Might be tough if one more shows up" and "What? You're fighting too?" bantering lines with Leon are, I feel, allowing some of the true Cloud to show through despite his depression. It's playful cockiness yet again. So yeah, at certain moments like the above I think the real, stable Cloud shows a playful humour that could be seen as cocky.
That's very true. That sort of quality often comes across as arrogant in every day real life as it is, any way.
I like how you phrased that. I definitely agree. |
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| Hades' Daughter | Sep 19 2010, 02:40 PM Post #11 |
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Cleris Extremist
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I personally didn't really see anything cocky in those clips. Maybe we all define it differently. I associate cockiness with desiring attention...not determination. I'm not saying that there's no way Cloud's capable of being cocky, just that it's not really him. He's not the type to crave attention(although it's what he was seeking as a child). I'm going to mention Zack again because it's so apparent with him. You can tell right off the bat that he's cocky. I can't see that in Cloud, not even in the clips that you showed. In the KH one with Leon, I noted the little humor he tried to throw in there but I still didn't see that as cockiness. If anything, Leon's the one who sounded a little cocky
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| Raquelborn | Sep 19 2010, 04:05 PM Post #12 |
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Member
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At the very least he's not a shy, almost spineless little boy besides when he's fighting, as a couple of people on FFnet I ran into tried to make out. That's more what I meant by cocky. I still think his humour is kind of cocky, though. Even if he himself is not. Hmmm.. |
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| Hades' Daughter | Sep 19 2010, 04:18 PM Post #13 |
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Cleris Extremist
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Oh, I would agree that Cloud isn't shy or spineless. Rather, what really sticks out about Cloud's personality is that he can appear a little cold at times because of his inability to open up to people and he's actually quite determined once he makes up his mind about something. I just don't view his determination or his little attempts at humor as being cocky...but I think I understand what you're trying to say. |
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| Alan Bates | Sep 20 2010, 12:19 AM Post #14 |
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That one guy
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Cloud is never as cool as he wants people to think, and often messes up trying to act that way. He tends to dwell on the bad side of things. He's the kind of guy that sits there feeling sorry for himself kinda hoping that somebody will come and try to cheer him up but at the same time not actually wanting to open up to anybody. He's also very stubborn and determined to do things his way, yet frequently drops the ball when the chips are down. |
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| Anastar | Sep 20 2010, 01:38 PM Post #15 |
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To touch the light I see in your eyes...
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Whoa, hold on. "His true personality is restored"? Depression is part of his true personality. You make it sound like he had a psychotic break or something. :lol: He got over his depression, yes - but I wouldn't say that his depression wasn't part of the "real him". ![]() I have to agree with Hades' Daughter - I don't really see those clips as showing "cockiness". Dictionary.com defines cocky as: cock·y –adjective arrogant; pertly self-assertive; conceited: I think of cocky as being pretty much the same as arrogant, so I see Sephiroth and Kadaj and Rufus as being cocky. I do see Cloud being cocky when he's battling bad guys like Sephiroth - he's basically just matching their cockiness coz he's not gonna let them belittle him. He was also pretty cocky at the beginning of FFVII. In cases like the above, I see him being acting self-assured and confident - but without the arrogance. |
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Depression is part of his true personality. You make it sound like he had a psychotic break or something. :lol: He got over his depression, yes - but I wouldn't say that his depression wasn't part of the "real him". 

12:53 AM Jul 11