Rufus and Cloud...friends?
I bet this is once entry some of you were not expecting, I intended to post it a while back, but never got to it. My topic for today concerns Rufus and Cloud, of Final Fantasy 7. After the events of Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children, would any of you consider Cloud and Rufus to be some friends, if not, someday will be? I know this might sound like an odd thing to ask, but it has just been on my mind for a few days. Well, let's first quickly review their relationship in the FF7 game.
Cloud: I'm Cloud, former SOLDIER First Class!
Rufus: Well, I'm Rufus. The President of Shinra, Inc.
Rufus: I'll let you hear my new appointment speech. …Old man
tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working. The
population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, get your
pay. If a terrorist attacks, the Shinra army will help you. It looks perfect on
the outside. But, I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear. It
takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds
of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them.
Cloud: This is the real crisis for the Planet!
Cloud: Just take my word for it now! I'll go after I take care of him!
Rufus: Why do you want to fight me?
Cloud: You seek the Promised Land and Sephiroth.
Cloud: I can't let either you or Sephiroth have the Promised Land!
Rufus: I see. I guess this means we won't become friends.
(After Cloud defeats Rufus)
Rufus: Heh, that's all for today.
Rufus grabbed the Shinra Helicopter’s landing bar and got away from the scene.
I thought the best way to think of the relationship between Cloud and Rufus was to bring up their very first encounter with each other. The way Rufus addressed AVALANCHE in the start of the game; it made you wonder if he really hated them at first. He was very calm, and addressed them as total strangers, but I am sure he has some idea of how the group really was, but he just pretended to be 100% clueless. I came to the conclusion that Rufus thought that with him in charge, the fighting Shinra and AVALANCHE went through would end, since his father "old man," was dead. It looked like he had no real intention to actually fight them in any way. I guess he though that they would except his policy of ruling by "fear," and just leave it be. As for Cloud's impression, I guess at first he some what despised Rufus. Even though his father was a very wicked person, I suppose Cloud was expecting Rufus to feel a sense of pity. It was as if his Rufus' emotions towards the death of his father really got to him, it was so cold. He shouldn't have been all that shocked, after all, "nobody has seen him bleed or cry."
So after Cloud recognized Rufus as "the crisis" of the Planet, he quickly had a 1 on 1 conversation. What I find interesting is that Rufus was shocked that Cloud wanted to fight him. After he said that, I began to wonder if Rufus had any intention to kill off Cloud and company in the first place. Like I mention earlier, he must have thought that they would except his policy and leave things at that. What really blew my mind is when Rufus said "I guess this means we won't become friends." Some people may look at that as a sarcastic comment, but I felt as though he meant it. Now if Rufus was not able to escape, I can not imagine Cloud "finishing him of," there and then. He would have probably left him pretty injured, and tried talking some sense into him, you know those "now let's hope we don't have to have this talk again," kind of thing. So that's my thoughts about him and Cloud in the game.
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As for Advent Children, it was quite obvious that Cloud was shocked and moody when he learned that Rufus was indeed alive. Judging from how the conversation went between them in the movie, it looked like Rufus put on that same personality he used when they first met. In other words, he was trying to some what befriend Cloud in his own way. It's pretty safe to say that Rufus learned allot from friendship since it looks like he and the Turks have become very close over the pat 2 years. It didn't look like he really cared for them in the game, but in the movie, you can sense the bond they all have. Anyway, after Cloud leaves, did any of you notice that Cloud wanted to see Rufus again after their first meeting? I know he wanted information and all, but for who guy who everybody claims to hate Rufus, he really wanted to speak with him again. Were his words really getting to Cloud? did his opinion about him change? My final point is the stunt Rufus performed. Did Cloud see Rufus shooting at Jenova's box? I think he arrived in the middle of it all. So when he saw that, I wonder what was going through his mind. To rap up what I am saying, I strongly believe that there is a chance that Rufus Shinra, along with his Turks would eventually become friends with AVALANCHAE.
So what do you think?
Cloud: I'm Cloud, former SOLDIER First Class!
Rufus: Well, I'm Rufus. The President of Shinra, Inc.
Rufus: I'll let you hear my new appointment speech. …Old man
tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working. The
population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, get your
pay. If a terrorist attacks, the Shinra army will help you. It looks perfect on
the outside. But, I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear. It
takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds
of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them.
Cloud: This is the real crisis for the Planet!
Cloud: Just take my word for it now! I'll go after I take care of him!
Rufus: Why do you want to fight me?
Cloud: You seek the Promised Land and Sephiroth.
Cloud: I can't let either you or Sephiroth have the Promised Land!
Rufus: I see. I guess this means we won't become friends.
(After Cloud defeats Rufus)
Rufus: Heh, that's all for today.
Rufus grabbed the Shinra Helicopter’s landing bar and got away from the scene.
I thought the best way to think of the relationship between Cloud and Rufus was to bring up their very first encounter with each other. The way Rufus addressed AVALANCHE in the start of the game; it made you wonder if he really hated them at first. He was very calm, and addressed them as total strangers, but I am sure he has some idea of how the group really was, but he just pretended to be 100% clueless. I came to the conclusion that Rufus thought that with him in charge, the fighting Shinra and AVALANCHE went through would end, since his father "old man," was dead. It looked like he had no real intention to actually fight them in any way. I guess he though that they would except his policy of ruling by "fear," and just leave it be. As for Cloud's impression, I guess at first he some what despised Rufus. Even though his father was a very wicked person, I suppose Cloud was expecting Rufus to feel a sense of pity. It was as if his Rufus' emotions towards the death of his father really got to him, it was so cold. He shouldn't have been all that shocked, after all, "nobody has seen him bleed or cry."
So after Cloud recognized Rufus as "the crisis" of the Planet, he quickly had a 1 on 1 conversation. What I find interesting is that Rufus was shocked that Cloud wanted to fight him. After he said that, I began to wonder if Rufus had any intention to kill off Cloud and company in the first place. Like I mention earlier, he must have thought that they would except his policy and leave things at that. What really blew my mind is when Rufus said "I guess this means we won't become friends." Some people may look at that as a sarcastic comment, but I felt as though he meant it. Now if Rufus was not able to escape, I can not imagine Cloud "finishing him of," there and then. He would have probably left him pretty injured, and tried talking some sense into him, you know those "now let's hope we don't have to have this talk again," kind of thing. So that's my thoughts about him and Cloud in the game.
-----------------------------
As for Advent Children, it was quite obvious that Cloud was shocked and moody when he learned that Rufus was indeed alive. Judging from how the conversation went between them in the movie, it looked like Rufus put on that same personality he used when they first met. In other words, he was trying to some what befriend Cloud in his own way. It's pretty safe to say that Rufus learned allot from friendship since it looks like he and the Turks have become very close over the pat 2 years. It didn't look like he really cared for them in the game, but in the movie, you can sense the bond they all have. Anyway, after Cloud leaves, did any of you notice that Cloud wanted to see Rufus again after their first meeting? I know he wanted information and all, but for who guy who everybody claims to hate Rufus, he really wanted to speak with him again. Were his words really getting to Cloud? did his opinion about him change? My final point is the stunt Rufus performed. Did Cloud see Rufus shooting at Jenova's box? I think he arrived in the middle of it all. So when he saw that, I wonder what was going through his mind. To rap up what I am saying, I strongly believe that there is a chance that Rufus Shinra, along with his Turks would eventually become friends with AVALANCHAE.
So what do you think?