Final Fantasy VII Remake: Cloud Strife (ISFP)

This is our second installment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake character analyses. We have been working our way through both games that are currently out: Final Fantasy VII Remake and Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII – Reunion. We ultimately intend to type all of the prominent characters, if at all possible. For now, the one’s currently in the works are Aerith and Tifa. While we have general theories as to the personality types of characters like Sephiroth and Zack, there isn’t enough evidence yet to support them. Cloud was among the easiest to identify, and we landed solidly on ISFP for him. We briefly considered ISTP, but overall ISFP fit Cloud much better. 

Fi:

“Find something you enjoy and stick with it. Put your heart and soul into getting better. It’s as simple as that.”

“If it feels wrong, don’t do it.”

“You don’t know me.”

As a young child, Cloud’s dream is to join SOLDIER, which he fails to achieve. Instead, he becomes a regular infantryman. After crossing path with Zack, the two bond. Cloud looks up to him, even idealizing him to a certain degree. Later, at the end of Crisis Core, Cloud undergoes some trauma, which results in him inadvertently adopting Zack’s persona as his own, a persona which was always the ideal image that Cloud had of himself. In Final Fantasy Remake VII, as far as Cloud is concerned, he had always been a member of SOLDIER.

Cloud always remains true to his feelings and who he believes himself to be, which he reinforces with others. For instance, when someone wants to refer to him as “bro”, Cloud tells him no, because to him, they aren’t bros. In another example, when told that being nice to people will get him free stuff, Cloud responds by saying “that’s not my style.” Similarly, when giving advice to Tifa, he essentially tells her to trust her feelings, by saying, “If it feels wrong, don’t do it.” While he may often come across like a thinker because he’s not emotionally expressive, Cloud does occasionally make statements that generally sound feeling-oriented, such as affirming to Tifa that crying is not a waste of time.

As a result, Cloud can come across as cold or stubborn, refusing to adjust himself to others. This can make him struggle to be a team player. He shows no desire to work with others, or connect with others. (Tifa and Aerith constantly advise him to form connections, because of his failure to think that way on his own.) Instead, Cloud prefers to remain focused on himself and his objectives. Due to this, Barret views Cloud as selfish. Until it becomes personal for Cloud, he can’t truly adopt Avalanche’s mission as his own.

Se:

“I’d worry less about the planet and more about the next five seconds.”

“Then leave and don’t look back. That’s what’s always worked for me.”

Cloud is present-oriented. In the game, he initially appears to have no specific plan or long term goal of his own. He just goes with whatever gets presented to him, essentially relying on opportunity. The game starts out with him working with Avalanche on a temporary basis, as a mercenary for hire. Following the initial mission, he seems to just get dragged around by one person after another, all the while insisting that he get paid by the time it’s over.

Cloud’s focus on the current moment gets reinforced by statements he makes throughout the game. At one point, he gets annoyed with another character for worrying about the planet, and tells the individual to worry more about the next five seconds. Cloud also expresses being the type to easily leave the past behind. When Barret is complaining about the plate in the sky making life difficult for the people below, Cloud tells Barret to just leave and not look back, because that’s always worked for him.

Ni:

“Maybe he did. But I’ve got a feeling he’s still alive.”

“Trick coin. I had a hunch.”

“It’s not like that. More like… I don’t know how to explain.”

Cloud trust his instincts, as many low Ni users do. After the fact, he’ll claim to have had some insight into a situation due to a hunch. He never attempts to explain beyond that, which is a general trend for him. Cloud is not one to do a lot of explaining and avoids it if at all possible. In fact, he struggles at times to put his thoughts into words. Similarly, he’s often not interested in a lot of explanations or details from others. For instance, at one point, he’s asked to find some missing kids. When Aerith offers to give him a description of the kids, he tells her not to worry about it, because he’ll know when he sees them. This general tendency toward and preference for vagueness is common in those who utilize their Ni.

Cloud also has a fairly easy time remaining focused on his goals, whenever he forms them. This is in stark contrast to Barret, who is tempted to run wild by his Se. Instead, Cloud’s Ni fixates on the outcome he wants and avoids any distractions. The main example for this during their mission to rescue Aerith.

Te:

“We need to stay on mission.”

Much of the Te that we see Cloud use throughout the game is indicative of Te grip. Having played through the two games and doing further research, it is outlined that Cloud is in a psychologically fragile state. As such, he leans on his inferior Te to present himself as a hardened mercenary. Cloud basically gets stuck in mission-mode, even when he’s without a mission, and gets frustrated with anyone who tries to distract him from whatever he’s currently trying to do. Naturally, the positive side effect is that he’s disciplined and focused. However, it’s almost pointless because he has no true goal to direct himself toward.

His clumsy use of Te often times makes him come off as short, rude, arrogant, disinterested in the plights of others, and generally self-centered. Those that are afforded the opportunity to be around him long enough are able to see past his clumsy use of Te and reveal the kinder, caring nature that is being concealed underneath.