Aerith Gainsborough

Detailed Introduction

Aerith is compassionate, upbeat, and joyful, as well as street-smart with a spunky and cocky attitude. Aerith maintains a hopeful and positive outlook in the face of sadness and danger, cheering the others on when she can, and always tries to see the good in people.[note 5] She is nonetheless still able to identify an unequivocal evil, in the form of Shinra[71] and Sephiroth.[72] Against such threats, Aerith wishes to help however she can, but is morally opposed to violence and sees it as a last resort.[51][73] She is not above harboring resentment for those who wrong her, although she puts on a front of cold defiance and conceals her weaknesses when distressed.[note 6] Aerith loves nature, particularly flowers,[31] and tries to commune with them.[76]\n\nAerith craves freedom and the ability to make decisions for herself. Raised in the slums of Midgar, she is almost entirely unfazed by the danger of monsters or Shinra.[note 7] Aerith is familiar with the slums, imparting her knowledge to Cloud,[52] and has grown to love her surroundings for the few flowers that grow, as well as the passions of the denizens, to the point she wants to stay.[78] In spite of this, Aerith still loves adventure and trying new things,[78] craving one day to ride on an airship.[37] Coupled with Aerith's adventurous nature is her stubbornness, with both Elmyra and Cloud recognizing they cannot talk her out of something after she has made up her mind, regardless of how much danger she is putting herself in.\n\nAerith is quick to make friends, as can be seen with Cloud,[31] Tifa,[56] Marlene,[62] and Red XIII.[79] Aerith supports them and pushes them forward, though also relies on them to have her back when she is unsure of herself.[note 8] This can be seen in her close friendship with Tifa, whom Aerith greatly admires for her beauty and fighting skills[80]: Aerith helps put Tifa's mind at ease when she is distressed,[57] while Tifa in turn promises to protect her and help find a way through her struggles.[65] Aerith is flirty to both Zack and Cloud, and with the latter she is able to see through his hardened persona, and gets him to open up a little more.[note 9] Though Aerith cherishes having Cloud as her bodyguard, she does not appear too reliant on him for physical protection so much as she simply enjoys his company.[77] Aerith has apparent romantic feelings for Cloud, and remarks he reminds her of Zack.[31][53]\n\nIn Final Fantasy VII Remake, Aerith appears to have deeper knowledge of unfolding events before they happen,[note 10] leading Tifa to question her behavior.[57] She emphasizes a wish to live in the moment and cherish the present,[64] and believes that the future is a blank page that can be made right.[57][61] This belief motivates her to ultimately defy the Whispers' fate, despite hesitating due to the potential risks. She hates Sephiroth for his selfish desire to defy destiny without care for the consequences.[72] Aerith acts incensed when insulted over her appearance, though tends to take Cloud's early rude remarks in stride, even reciprocating with her own good humor. She coldly defies Hojo though distressed upon learning of the treatment of her mother's remains. Despite the hardships she endures, Aerith returns to her friends with as much emotional strength as ever before.\n\nAs the last living Cetra, Aerith has many unique powers in her ability to commune with the planet's life force. This leads her to being able to sense the loss of life around the world, seen most clearly with the loss of Elmyra's husband.[9][10] The exact means of her communication with the planet are unknown: though Aerith talks to flowers, she confessed to Cloud they do not simply have a conversation with her, but nonetheless she believed they had something important to say.[76] Aerith's powers also allowed her to reach out to Red XIII and calm him,[79] imparting knowledge to him.[65] Her powers also include an ability to somehow affect the portal to the Singularity to follow Sephiroth, though her abilities are weaker than his as she is unable to control the Whispers as he is. In Final Fantasy VII Remake, it is implied that Aerith has inklings on what will happen in the future.

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