Despite all the fuss over Cloud's love triangle, Final Fantasy VII is not a romantic game. Nevertheless, in having played it several times, I've come to the conclusion that it offers more interesting and logically possible alternative pairings than any other FF game to date.

Of course, some matches are more likely than others, and I believe Vincent x Tifa is one of them. Even just superficially, there are so many rings to it. These are two popular characters who are strongly romantic in nature. They compliment each other physically (the red and black, the expressive eyes — Tifa's, so warm and almost innocent, and Vincent's, so cold and exotic). Even their last names fit nicely together: Valentine, Lockhart.

But as with any alternate pairing, there are issues to address before they can get together.

There are quite a few Vincent fans who contest that he'll "never get over Lucrecia." His musing in recent FFVII add-ons aside, Vincent seems to hold no personal attachment to Lucrecia in the original FFVII. His cold treatment of her in the cave behind the waterfall demonstrates this. Rather, it was his inability to protect her from her own choice that is the crux of his suffering. Vincent is hung up over what he calls his own sin, not Lucrecia herself. She exists in his mind as an irretrievable ghost, a relic of the past, someone who is not important for who she was, but for what she represents. Vincent's real hurtles to starting over with romance are the abstract concepts of guilt and skepticism.

Being one third of Cloud's love triangle, Tifa will never be allowed to show romantic interest in any other character in future FFVII storylines. But this doesn't mean that it's logically impossible for her to move on from Cloud. Tifa is compatible with so many other characters in FFVII, and she certainly has more than enough strength of personality to find a new path and embrace a different future if circumstances demand — be that future Vincent or someone else.

But, like with Vincent's guilt, it will take some time.

Whenever fans of an illogical pairing come across logic and reason, their first method of defense (or attack) is to scream "opposites attract" over and over again. They seem to be totally unaware of what that colloquialism really means. It's based on the opposite traits being merely superficial. A relationship can't happen if the characters in question have nothing in common.

Vincent x Tifa is a good example of "opposites attract." Tifa is optimistic on the surface, a strong believer in seeing things through, while Vincent is pessimistic and less inclined to put faith in situations so easily. However, despite those shallow differences, the two of them have much in common.

First there's the lost love similarity (if you believe that Cloud and Tifa don't end up together, that is, or if you're willing to make an exception in such a case). Tifa has a lot in common with the Vincent of the past: hopeful, gentle, and almost naive in romantic matters. She is a reincarnation of the faith Vincent had before he lost Lucrecia. Initially, this discovery would doubtlessly intrigue him. Were she to be rejected by Cloud, there's a perfectly logical chance that Tifa could end up the same way as Vincent, or at least understand how he felt.

Vincent and Tifa are also both generally shy creatures. They are deeply emotional; they are roused to action through feeling. And when this occurs, they shed their shy guises and become true extroverts, going to even rash lengths to achieve their goals (Tifa choosing not to flee and leave Cloud behind during the Mideel earthquake; Vincent confronting Hojo after learning about the experimentation on Lucrecia). This makes them two of the most passionate members of AVALANCHE.

A few more superficial opposites between the two:

• Born on May 3, Tifa is a Taurus, which is an Earth sign. With his October 13 birthdate, Vincent is a Libra, an Air sign. Earth and Air are opposite elements. Yet both Taurus and Libra are ruled by the planet Venus, which gives them several things in common, including good manners, a love of beauty, and an appreciation for the arts.
• According to Square Enix, Tifa's blood type is B ("hunter"). Vincent's blood type is A ("farmer"). A and B are opposite blood types, like O and AB.

Perhaps a comparison/contrast between Lucrecia and Tifa would be a good idea here, since the former was successful in attaining Vincent's affections. As far as similarities go, both women are reserved and gentle. Despite their professions, they embody the feminine mystique to the hilt. Thus there is a reasonable basis for attraction to Tifa on Vincent's part. But the difference is critical: Tifa is more decisive and determined than Lucrecia, who seemed to just go with the more aggressive people whenever it came to making a decision. Tifa has the perserverence required for bringing Vincent out of his self-made shell.

I'm a 'shipper of a long list of couples in the FFVII fandom; in all cases, logic plays a big part in what I 'ship. Hopefully, this piece got you to see a little of the logic behind Vincent x Tifa.