I saw FFVII: AC again and I was wondering what’s with the wolf? You see a wolf several times throughout the movie, plus, there are references to other wolves (sort of). Cloud’s motorcycle is the Fenrir, he has a wolf earring on his left ear, and what looks like a wolf-shaped door knocker on his shoulderpad. Plus, the sequel to AC, Dirge of Cerberus is called Dirge of Cerberus. And let’s not forget that Red XIII is a wolflike animal. So what’s with the wolves?
It’s supposed to symbolise Zack.
In addition, wolves are cool, and the developers know that FFVII’s gross target holds “coolness” in much higher regard than “substance”.
QFT
:hahaha; well said
Don’t forget that Tifa also wears a wolf ring. Though how a wolf is meant to represent Zack I dunno…
Eh? My online vocabulary’s not that great. What’s that mean?
Really? I can see a ring, but it’s never close enough to see it clearly.
Quoted for Truth
In other words, I agree 100 percent with what he said.
I don’t think it represents Zack. It appears at Zack’s deathplace, true, but it also appears at the City of the Ancients, and Aerith’s Church, both of which have no relevance to Zack. I think it’s more abstract, that it represents Cloud’s guilt over the deaths of Zack and Aerith, and now he has become a “lone wolf”, living away from his friends. I would guess that Tifa’s wolf ring represents her dedication to Cloud, even though he’s a lone wolf. Red XIII being a wolf-like creature was simply a character design decision made way before AC. However, Cerberus is a three-headed dog, not a wolf (see the pics on the monster section of the site!) and the only presence of Cerberus is just the keychain on Vincent’s gun. It really has zero relevance to anything in the game beyond that.
Also, wolves are cool, there’s plenty of them in anime.
Wolf’s Rain had pretty much nothing but wolves.
Anyway, I came to pretty much the same thought when I watched the movie, it appeared at times when he was feeling guilty and it disappeared after he forgave himself.
Yeah, but why would he be feeling guilty about Zack during that bit in the church where he passed out beside Tifa from the GeoStigma?
And if I can remember, I read somewhere that Cloud gave Tifa the ring, and it was supposed to mean something…but I can’t remember what… 
He felt some guilt about Zach because he had just laid there while Zach had died protecting him probably but mostly the guilt thing was about Aeris. Because he had just stood there as sephiroth killed her, and that he infact almost killed her himself.
It was Aerith’s church, and he’s standing there holding the only other girl in his life, his best friend in the world, and Aerith’s parallel, passed out, maybe dying. He’s definitely going to feel some guilt. It’s about Aerith though.
I don’t know where you heard about the ring though. I skimmed the two prologue books and couldn’t find a mention of it.
I know THAT, I meant in the church…
Why would he feel guilt about Aerith, when he’s holding Tifa, as you say, his best friend, maybe dying, maybe who means something more to him…and he feels guilt over AERITH?
Come on, something isn’t right about that…
And I don’t know where I heard about the ring either…it might have been a Tifa shrine or something…it defo wasn’t fanfiction…but I know I read it, because I thought it was cute… (yes I’m a cloti lol 8-P)
Well in my opinion the similarity between this and Aerith’s death, would bring back all the memories, including the feeling of guilt about it all. Of not being able to save her.
Now I’m not saying he is not feeling guilty over not being able to help Tifa, but his guilt would be for both his past with Aerith, and his present situation with Tifa. And that would be why the wolf is there.
Spoken better than I could.:biggrin:
I 'unno, I’m still with Seraphim on this one.
Are you talking about that particular scene at the church? Why would Cloud’s guilt over Zack be evoked while in Aerith’s church, among Aerith’s flowers, while holding the still living equivalent of Aerith’s who may be dying a death like Aerith’s.
If you’re speaking generally, then yes, the wolf represents both Aerith and Zack, that’s why we see the wolf at Zack’s death place. It represents an emotion, not a person. There’s no reason it can’t be both. It’s also the reason he sees both of them at the end.
I agree with Seraphim that “wolves are cool” and like theWallflower’s idea that it symbolizes how Cloud is a “lone wolf.” Of course that is a result of Cloud’s guilt over Aeris and Zack’s deaths, which I guess is why the wolf appears in areas that are linked to Cloud’s guilt: The edge of a cliff (where Zack died), in Aeris’ church (where Tifa almost died) and in the City of the Ancients (Where Aeris died).