Part 100: Choices

Chapter 99 - Choices




With Shinra defeated and the barrier broken, our path is crystal clear -



To defeat Sephiroth.



Cloud: "You want to see everyone in Cosmo Canyon again?"

Red XIII: "...yes."



Barret: "Don't ask me that."

Everyone has the same thing in mind right now. This might be their last chance to see their loved ones. In their minds, failing to defeat Sephiroth or stopping the meteor is a real possibility.



Cloud: "Then, if we don't release the power of Holy in seven days... there won't be a planet left to protect."





Talk about depressing.



Cloud: "No! What I meant was..."

Cloud: "What are we all fighting for? I want us all to understand that."

Cloud: "Save the planet... for the future of the planet. Sure, that's all fine. But really, is that really how it is?"



Imagine the complete opposite of this discourse, and you just pictured every single episode of Arrow.



Then Tifa would probably say something in the lines of "you cannot kill Sephiroth, Cloud. You've changed." and Cloud would stare vacant at above the camera, not looking at Tifa, and say "No I haven't. That's why I need you."



All jokes aside this is one of my favorite moments of the game. There's no stupid forced character development, no "I am now something bigger than I was before", no moral discourse, no "I used to be self-centered but now I see the error of my ways" kind of crap while some generic sampled strings play on the background.



Cloud: "I think we're all fighting for ourselves."





Barret: "It sounds cool sayin' it's to save the planet. But I was the one who blew up that Mako reactor..."

Barret: "Lookin' back on it now, I can see that wasn't the right way to do things."



Barret: "At first, it was revenge against Shinra. For attackin' my town."

Barret: "But now..."



Barret: "For Marlene... for Marlene's future... Yeah... I guess I got to save the planet for Marlene's sake."



Alright. We're on to the motivational time.



Cloud: "I want you to make sure, then I want you to come back."



Cid's a cheerful fella, the sweetest lil' cutie. But he's got a point, there's nothing stopping anyone from just bailing.



Now you're just being a loser, Cid.



Cloud: "But besides that, there's something personal too... a very personal memory that I have. What about you all? I want you all to find that something within yourselves."



Cloud: "You can't fight without a reason, right? So, I won't hold it against you if you don't come back."



















































Aw Tifa .






This sequence is very Bioware-esque. Basically, this entire scene changes a bit depending on your affection with Tifa - if you have more than a certain threshold, then it's extended a bit, even if you didn't date her.



I'll be showing the extended version first, with a few notes on the differences, and the normal version after.



Tifa: "But... I'm sure someday... they'll come back, don't you think?"

Cloud: "Hmm... I wonder...?"



Cloud: "But this time, our opponent..."







Tifa: "No matter how close we are... we were far apart... before this."

Tifa: "But when we were in the lifestream, surrounded by all those screams of anguish, I thought I heard your voice..."





Tifa's a hopeless romantic.



Cloud: "You were calling me back from the stream of consciousness in the Lifestream."



But maybe, just maybe, not so hopeless .



Cloud: "I dunno, but..."



Cloud: "Someday we'll find the answer, right Tifa? That's what I learned from you when I was in the Lifestream."

Tifa: "Yea... that's right."







Cloud: "I guess nothing's changed at all... kind of makes you want to laugh..."





















Cloud: "Yeah... okay. This is probably the last time we'll have together..."













I'm totally not good at this pillow talk thing.



Yep me neither.



Cloud: "It's all right, Tifa. You said so yourself. At least we don't have to go on alone."

Tifa: "Yes... that's right!"



Tifa: "Yea... it's a little lonely without everyone."



Cloud: "I'll make a big enough ruckus for everyone. Besides, I'm the pilot."



HAHAHA yeah no Cloud, sorry.



Cloud: "It's moving..."



Barret: "O, oh... is that okay with you?"



Tifa: "Why didn't you tell me!?"

Cid: "Hey, Red XIII..."












Cue the most awkward moment in FFVII.










Seriously did you just turn your back trying to look cool





I hate you so much.





It's in my Visual Kei contract, Cloud, I can't look happy.





...



I want to punch you so much right now.






Cait Sith: "So, some people in Midgar took me in. I know I have a stuffed animal body, but I'll work really hard!"




Red XIII: "No, Yuffie's missing."

Barret: "She ain't gonna show up."



Someone holds a gruuudge.



Haha wooops.





Cloud: "Welcome back, Yuffie."



That was a great sequence. What's next?





We officially have the best crew.



"How do I get rid of it"



Cloud: "...Aeris. She was smiling to the end."



Cloud: "Let's all go together. Memories of Aeris... although she should've returned to the planet by now, something stopped her and now she's stuck..."

Cloud: "We've got to let go of Aeris' memory."


Cid: "Has anyone changed their mind?"

Cloud: "We're counting on you, Cid."



Cid: "Let me try them out."











I don't know about you but I wouldn't wanna risk experimental upgrades on the Highwind just to get to the Northern Crater.



I mean what if shit happens



Engineers to the rescue!



I like to imagine they were hiding hoping everything would work and they didn't have to show up to do anything.





A tear drops down my face. Thank you nameless henchmen.









And with this we conclude Disc 2.


NEXT TIME:

We don't actually go defeat Sephiroth! Side-Quests! Yes, there are actually still side-quests left in the game.





Bugs & Bytes:

The night with Tifa

As I said, if your affection value with Tifa isn't high enough (which happens most of the time), you get a different night than what we've seen.











Yea, that's way colder.







Afterwards he doesn't say he has "lots of stuff he wants to talk with Tifa".

















This part proceeds the same, until they get to the airship.



Instead of asking if they were watching, Tifa asks if they were listening .



And they get a lot less shy about it.

The difference can be big if you compared the sequences, buts fairly small if you're playing casually and not paying much attention. Because only some lines of dialogue change, you might as well think you remembered wrong.