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Tifa Lockhart is a shy and soft-spoken character, so her combat skills can come as a shock once she debuts on the battlefield. Her physical strength is unrivaled, but many forget the power she wields behind the spoken word. Throughout the events of the game, Tifa delivers some of the most powerful lines to have ever featured in the Final Fantasy series.
10 “I’ll Be Fine. You’ve Seen How Much Ass I Can Kick.”
To gain access to Don Corneo’s mansion, Tifa decides to audition to be his next wife. As she journeys to Wall Market, she is discovered by Cloud. The mercenary insists that her plan is far too dangerous, to which Tifa responds “I’ll be fine. You’ve seen how much ass I can kick.”
Tifa knows that her plan is far from safe, but if her friends and family are in danger, she will do anything to protect them. She believes the only way to find out what the Don is up to is to confront him on his turf, even if it results in her being imprisoned by him.
9 “They Took Everything From Us. Again.”
The Shinra Electric Power Company has destroyed countless lives in its quest for power, but one life has been impacted more than others. If not for Shinra, Tifa’s hometown of Nibelheim would have never been destroyed, her father would still be alive, and the Sector 7 plate would never have fallen.
The emphasis Tifa places on “Again” showcases the suffering Shinra continues to cause her. It seems no matter where she goes, Shinra is always close behind, ready to dismantle her life once more.
8 “I Don’t Care! I Don’t Want Anyone Else To Die, Please!”
Tifa joins Barret and Cloud as they venture to destroy their second Mako Reactor. Upon boarding the train that will bring them topside, their identities are discovered, resulting in Shinra deploying multiple Slug-Ray robots to attack them.
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Tifa ushers the remaining passengers out of the carriage before one of them asks why she is helping them. He reminds her that he works for Shinra and that he is the enemy, but Tifa responds “I don’t want anyone else to die.” Though Shinra constantly attempts to ruin her life, Tifa is still able to distinguish between the good and bad figures associated with the company.
7 “You Gotta Be Better Than This… If You’re Gonna Play The Hero.”
After sparring with Rufus Shinra, Cloud is shot at from a Shinra Military Helicopter. He loses his footing and is left clinging to the side of Shinra Headquarters before he loses his grip. Tifa shows up in the nick of time to grab him before he plummets to his death.
She says “You gotta be better than this… if you’re gonna play the hero,” implying that he has no right to give up as easily as he does. Even if all odds are against him, Tifa encourages him to smile in the face of danger as that is what a true hero would do.
6 “Spill The Beans, Or… I’ll Smash ‘Em.”
As the narrative progresses, Tifa becomes more assertive in her life. Primarily regarded as a shy character who seldom speaks her mind, the line “Spill the beans, or… I’ll smash ’em” reveals the extent of her devotion to protecting those she cares about.
She infiltrates Corneo’s lair and demands that he reveals why he sent his goons to ask about Avalanche in the Sector 7 slums. When he denies any knowledge of this, she threatens him with this line, revealing the Don’s cowardice. Tifa’s fury often comes from her fists, but this line showcases the true strength of her words.
5 “Cloud Can Carry All Our Stuff.”
Tifa allows a great deal of her rage to be conveyed through her fists, but there are few outlets in which she allows her sense of humor to show. Aerith asks Tifa what she will do once she saves Sector 7 and Tifa ponders the idea of going shopping topside.
She says she would like to buy a few additions for her bar and Aerith asks to join her. While they walk together, Tifa remarks that “Cloud can carry all our stuff.” It is refreshing to see Tifa so carefree, especially when the world around her is constantly seeking to disrupt her happiness.
4 “What’s With You All Of A Sudden? Like You’re Losing That Hard Edge.”
Cloud’s journey to Sector 7 revealed that he had become an entirely different person from the one Tifa once knew. Since their time together as children, Cloud underwent a substantial change in character, and Tifa calls him out on this.
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Cloud reveals that he accepted Tifa’s request to assist Avalanche solely because it was she who asked. As a child, Cloud promised to save Tifa if she was ever in trouble, and returning to her side during the events of the game was his way of fulfilling this promise. Upon revealing this to her, Tifa remarks that Cloud is “losing that hard edge.”
3 “I’m Sick Of This. I’m Sick Of All Of This.”
Upon discovering Shinra’s plan to paint Avalanche as the villains, she exclaims “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of all of this,” but this is not the first time she said these words. A brief flashback depicts Tifa holding her lifeless father in her arms. This scene sees her utter the same line before picking up Sephiroth’s sword and walking away to confront the One-Winged Angel.
This line marks Tifa’s breaking point, a point she rarely gives in to. Having once been the victim of Shinra’s cruel methods, she refuses to be hurt by them again. She is tired of having to suffer the pain they cause her and these lines serve to highlight her frustrations.
2 “Oh My God, That Makeup, And That Dress!”
After entering Don Corneo’s mansion, Tifa is held captive in the mansion’s dungeon before seeing the Don. While she waits, two more candidates are brought in to join her, but it takes her a moment to recognize one of them.
Cloud’s makeover has rendered him unrecognizable to Tifa. It is only when Cloud asks if she is okay that she begins to piece his identity together. Instead of questioning Cloud’s new fashion sense, she immediately goes to compliment him on his newfound style. This line further cements the idea that Gaia is a world where “notions of gender do not apply.”
1 “‘We’ll Meet Again.’ It’s A Symbol Of Reunion.”
The theme of reunion is the most prominent element seen throughout the entirety of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Sephiroth’s reliance on the reunion of Jenova’s cells is perhaps the most notable, but not all ideas of reunion originate from evil.
After Cloud gifts her a flower, she researches it to uncover its meaning. She learns that it symbolizes reunion and later explains its meaning to Leslie Kyle, one of Corneo’s henchmen. Before vanishing, Leslie’s girlfriend gifted him a locket, but he was unsure what it meant. Tifa suggests it may be a “symbol of reunion,” rekindling Leslie’s hope of one day finding his lost lover.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in development.
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