Why did Cloud forget Zack?
Cloud forgot Zack because his mind was warped by trauma and he essentially turned himself into a Cloud/Zack hybrid, taking on some of Zack’s persona and history while seemingly erasing Zack’s existence from his memory. This was a defense mechanism to block out the memories of Zack’s death, the experiments, and his own shame for breaking his promise to Tifa and never making it into SOLDIER.
Understanding Cloud’s Past
To understand why Cloud forgot Zack, it’s essential to delve into their past and the events that led to Cloud’s memory loss. Cloud and Zack were close friends and comrades in the Shinra military organization, with Zack being a First Class SOLDIER and Cloud being an infantryman. After Zack’s death, Cloud’s mind was affected by the trauma, causing him to forget Zack and create a new identity for himself.
FAQs
1. What happened to Zack before he died?
Zack died in the weeks leading up to the opening of Final Fantasy VII, to protect Cloud from Shinra’s army after they had escaped from imprisonment.
2. Why did Cloud take Zack’s memories?
Cloud took Zack’s memories because his mind was warped by trauma, and he essentially turned himself into a Cloud/Zack hybrid, taking on some of Zack’s persona and history.
3. Does Cloud eventually remember Zack?
Yes, Cloud eventually remembers Zack, and it is revealed that he had been remembering fragments of his past with Zack throughout the game.
4. Why did Tifa forget about Zack?
Tifa forgot about Zack because she was in shock and traumatization after her hometown was destroyed, and she was also injected with a drug by someone from Shinra.
5. How old was Cloud when Zack died?
Cloud was 21 years old when Zack died, and Zack was 23 years old at the time of his death.
6. Did Zack ever tell Cloud about Aerith?
No, Cloud doesn’t know Aerith because he was never told about her, and his memories of her are scattered and altered.
7. Who was stronger, Zack or Cloud?
Zack was stronger than Cloud in terms of physical strength, but Cloud eventually surpassed Zack in strength and abilities.
8. What does Cloud do after Zack dies?
After Zack dies, Cloud regains some awareness and crawls over to Zack, who entrusts the Buster Sword to him, telling his legacy will live on inside Cloud, before dying.
9. Did Cloud become stronger than Zack?
Yes, Cloud became stronger than Zack, and by the end of Final Fantasy VII and beyond, Cloud had completely surpassed Zack in strength and abilities.
10. Why does Cloud hate Sephiroth?
Cloud hates Sephiroth because he is a reminder of his failure and weakness, which nearly cost Tifa’s life, the person who motivated him to join SOLDIER in the first place.
11. Did Aerith know Zack died?
No, Aerith didn’t know Zack died until she dipped into the Lifestream, and Zack’s death was never reported in the news.
12. Why is Zack better than Cloud?
Zack is considered better than Cloud because he cares about everyone and has a strong love for all the people around him, and he wears that on his sleeve and radiates it out into the world.
13. Is Cloud a clone of Sephiroth?
No, Cloud is not a clone of Sephiroth, but rather a regular soldier who was experimented on and connected to Sephiroth, making him super powerful as a result.
14. Why does Zack Fair look like Cloud?
Zack was originally designed to be a mysterious character, but as his character grew, he morphed into a double for Cloud, making them look similar.
15. Did Cloud and Tifa sleep together?
No, there is no evidence to suggest that Cloud and Tifa slept together, and their physical positions being identical in both the supposed ‘romantic’ version and the ‘apathetic’ version proves that nothing romantically physical occurred between them.