AngelWingsVIII

empathy and intelligence

This distinction is crucial because Eloise’s critique has never been directed at love itself but at the institution through which love is mediated. In Regency era England, marriage functions as a patriarchal structure that transfers women from the authority of their fathers (or in her case, elder brother) to the authority of their husbands. Women’s legal, economic, and social identities become inseparable from their marital status. When Eloise rejects marriage, she is not rejecting companionship. She is rejecting the expectation that companionship requires the surrender of her individuality.

It is important to acknowledge from the outset that the Eloise of the novels and the Eloise of the series adaptation are not identical characters. Significant aspects of her characterization have been altered, expanded, and modernized to suit audience preferences. Nevertheless, the central conflict remains the same. Eloise desires freedom. She wants the same intellectual opportunities, independence, and respect afforded to the men around her. What frustrates her is not necessarily the existence of marriage but the reality that, for women in Regency society, marriage often becomes the entirety of their identity.

Throughout the series, Eloise repeatedly expresses her fear of being reduced to a wife. She observes how women are expected to dedicate their lives to securing a husband, producing heirs, and maintaining a household. Her resistance stems from the fact that these expectations leave little room for individuality. She wants to be recognized as a person first. Consequently, when Eloise rejects marriage, she is rejecting what marriage represents within a patriarchal society rather than the possibility of partnership itself.

This distinction becomes especially clear in the books. Eloise’s decision to leave home and correspond with Sir Phillip is not born from a sudden desire to conform. Rather, it emerges from an uncomfortable realization about her own life. After Penelope Featherington marries, Eloise looks around and discovers that she is alone. Her siblings have established families of their own. With the exception of Gregory and Hyacinth, everyone has moved forward into a new stage of life. Eloise remains a spinster living with her mother and youngest siblings.

Although it is importantly to acknowledge that this is a life she chose for herself. Deciding something does not mean it fulfills one’s deepest desires. Moreover, this completely disregards her growth as a character, the life she envisions for her self at eighteen, when she debuts, is vastly different from the one she wants at twenty eight, the age she marries in the books.

When fans criticize Eloise’s decision to marry they are treating the opinions she holds at eighteen as immutable truths rather than the beliefs of a sheltered young woman who has yet to experience much of adult life. To deny her the possibility of changing her mind is to deny her the complexity afforded to other characters. For instance, her brother-in-law, Simon Basset, had also never intended to marry and have children before meeting Daphne Bridgerton.

Growth does not require abandoning one’s principles; often it means applying those principles to new circumstances. The twenty eight year old Eloise is not less of a feminist than her younger self. She is simply older, more experienced, and more aware of the gap between ideological desires and human need. Abstaining from marriage has not brought Eloise any closer to equality with her brothers. Society still does not view her as their equal. The freedom she sought remains inaccessible. Instead, she finds herself increasingly isolated, watching the people she loves build lives that no longer include her in the same way they once did.

This realization is not a rejection of her principles. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that loneliness is not liberation. Eloise comes to understand that refusing marriage has not freed her from the constraints of her society. It has merely left her without companionship, romantic love, or a family of her own. What she mourns is not the loss of independence but the possibility that she may never experience the forms of love available to everyone else.

The show adaptation offers similar possibilities for character development. By this point in the story, Eloise has witnessed several examples of love that challenge her assumptions. She sees Penelope, her closest companion and intellectual equal, marry and begin a family. She watches Francesca, her younger sister, lose her husband and grieve not only the loss of a partner but also the future they planned together, including their desire for children. As Francesca struggles, Eloise is forced into the unfamiliar position of supporting someone through a pain she cannot fully understand. Such experiences inevitably complicate her understanding of marriage.

Likewise, Benedict, the sibling to whom Eloise is arguably depicted as closest, serves as evidence that unconventional people can still find meaningful relationships. Benedict has never fit neatly into society’s expectations, yet he ultimately finds love without sacrificing himself. For Eloise, this raises an important question: if her brother can pursue both authenticity and companionship, why must she believe the two are mutually exclusive?

At the same time, the people Eloise once considered her equals are moving into different stages of life. Penelope is married and has a child. Their friendship remains, but it is no longer the same. Eloise increasingly occupies a liminal space, neither fully participating in society nor fully escaping it. Her growing sense of isolation reflects a reality many women experience: watching friends build romantic relationships and families while feeling left behind themselves. Which is perhaps this is why Eloise resonates so strongly with many readers and viewers.

Speaking from personal experience, I understand her reluctance toward marriage. Growing up, I watched as the women around me suffer emotional and physical abuse at the hands of their husbands. Those experiences taught me to associate marriage with danger rather than security. Like Eloise, I learned to value independence because dependence on a man unreliable. And yet, despite those fears, there are moments when I look at my friends and their relationships and feel envy. I want what they have. I want someone to love and someone who loves me in return. I understand the ache of watching friendships change as people begin building lives with partners. Independence can be fulfilling, but it does not erase the human desire for connection.

I feel similarly about children. On a practical level, I do not want them. I do not want the physical sacrifices of pregnancy or the lifelong responsibility of raising another person. Yet when I spend time with my nieces and nephews, I sometimes feel an overwhelming sense of loss for something I have never had. I find myself grieving possibilities that I simultaneously reject. Human desires are often contradictory, and Eloise’s character captures that contradiction remarkably well.

Eloise’s feminism is compelling precisely because it emerges from fear as much as conviction. She has witnessed the consequences of marriage for women around her and therefore associates marriage with confinement. Yet she remains vulnerable to the same desires for intimacy, companionship, and belonging that motivate everyone else. The tension between those impulses is not a flaw in her characterization. It is the source of her humanity.

Life with Sir Phillip offers her something fundamentally different from the marriages she spent years criticizing. Phillip’s home is already unconventional. Eloise is not entering the carefully curated world of the marriage mart she spent years mocking. She is stepping into a chaotic, imperfect family that needs her as an individual rather than as a social ornament. In many ways, Phillip’s home offers her more freedom than Mayfair ever could. Unlike the men of the ton, Phillip does not expect Eloise to perform femininity according to society’s standards. He values her intellect, appreciates her eccentricities, and accepts her as she is.

For Eloise, marriage to Phillip is not about becoming a wife in the eyes of society. It is about finding a person with whom she can be entirely herself. After a year of correspondence, she believes she has found someone who understands her in ways few others do. With Phillip, she is no longer performing for the ton or attempting to satisfy expectations she never believed in. Instead, she is choosing companionship on her own terms.

Ultimately, Eloise Bridgerton’s marriage does not invalidate her feminism nor does it represent the triumph of patriarchy over feminism. Rather, it exposes a fundamental misunderstanding of feminism itself. Feminism is not the rejection of marriage, motherhood, or domestic life; it is the refusal of coercion. The question is not whether a woman marries but whether she is free to choose marriage without sacrificing her personhood. Feminism is the belief that women should have the freedom to choose those things, or reject them, without their worth being determined by that choice.

Ironically, some of the criticisms towards Eloise’s storyline reproduce the same restrictive logic they seek to challenge. A patriarchal society tells women they must marry. So the audience, in turn, insist that a truly feminist woman must remain unmarried. Both positions impose limitations on women’s choices. Eloise’s story rejects both. Her freedom comes not from categorically rejecting marriage but from choosing it for herself.

Bodyguard x Flower Girl

Love at First Sight:

Cloud Strife: “Here I met a Flower Girl. She’s a girl with impressive eyes. She’s around my age, or elder by one or two years. But the innocent radiance in her eyes simply makes her suddenly look younger. Aerith Gainsborough: ”Excuse me, what happened?” She asked me the question, and then I bought a flower from her, which is rare in Midgar. Maybe she’s pleased that the flower was sold, because the worried look on her face had vanished. If this smile costs only one gil, it is a good purchase.” ~Final Fantasy VII Dismantled; Square Enix

Becoming a Bodyguard for the Price of a Romantic Date:

This is the typical beginning of a classic love story: love at first sight and the hero protecting his heroine [in exchange for a romantic date, nonetheless!]. Afterwards, Cloud and Aerith start developing chemistry together, with Cloud laughing for the first and only time in the game with Aerith. She even convinces Cloud to dress up like a girl! 

Romantic Flashback:

Before this flashback, Cloud thought Aerith’s smile was a “good purchase” and her eyes were “impressive.” He left their initial meeting with a “mysterious feeling”. Shortly after, he agreed to be Aerith’s bodyguard for the price of a romantic date. All of these moments are what triggered Cloud into this flashback. This was no coincidence.

While Cloud is being taken care of in Aerith’s house, Square Enix decides to throw in a flashback where Cloud’s Mother talks about having an older girlfriend that will take care of him — two things Aerith qualifies under. Cloud wasn’t interested in this until he met the exact woman described by his Mother: Aerith Gainsborough.

Date in the Park:

“Date in the Park: In Scene 04-10, Zack and Aerith have a date in Green Park in the sector 6 slum. An identical situation is seen in “Final Fantasy VII” as well, which features a scene of Cloud and Aerith on a date in the same park.” ~Crisis Core Ultimania; Square Enix

Cloud and Aerith discuss romantic relationships while on their first of two dates, setting them up as star-crossed lovers.

Hoping for Mutual Romance:

“Marlene is a sharp girl - Even though she’s only 4 years old, Marlene is perceptive and well attuned to the woman mind. The scene where she ascertains that Aerith has favor for Cloud and tells him so, then says “I won’t tell Tifa!” demonstrates this grownup behavior.” ~Final Fantasy VII 25th Anniversary Ultimania, Square Enix

In order for Marlene to say “I won’t tell Tifa,” Cloud is required to say he “hopes” Aerith likes him. Therefore, this is the canon version of this scene:

Marlene: “Guess what? Guess what? Aerith was asking me lots of questions. Like what kind of person Cloud is. I bet she likes you, Cloud!” Cloud: “Let’s hope so.” Marlene: “I won’t tell Tifa.”

Exclusive World Together:

“The thing which she is unable to hide in her irritation towards Cloud is the fact that he isn’t merely dragging the past around, but because that reason might perhaps be related to Aerith. Final Fantasy VII: Seeing Cloud and Aerith developing their world together before her eyes, she inadvertently lets slip her peevish feelings.” ~Tifa’s character profile; 10th Anniversary Ultimania; Square Enix

Cloud vows to save Aerith from the Shinra headquarters “by all means.”

Once inside, Cloud and Aerith share a romantic exchange. Aerith, very flirtatiously says, “I knew that Cloud would come for me.” Cloud responds with, “Hey, I’m your bodyguard, right?”

Cloud references back to the conversation he and Aerith had in her Church, when Aerith promised Cloud a romantic date in return for his protection.

Aerith picks up on Cloud’s flirtation and responds with, “The deal was for one date, right?”

Cloud and Aerith were very obviously flirting back-and-forth. If Tifa hadn’t been in the jail cell with Cloud, the flirtatious banter between Cloud and Aerith would have most certainly continued. However, because Tifa was in the same room as Cloud, she picks up on this flirtation, which is why she interrupts with, “…………oh, I get it.” and says, “EXCUSE me.” 

The mutual romance in this scene is so obvious, even Tifa can’t deny it, which is why she let’s slip her “peevish feelings.”

Classic Romantic Confession:

Having a character accidentally express feelings for another, and then backtrack from their slip-up, is a common literary device to show romantic attraction from one character to another. Square Enix is using a classic romantic trope during this scene. Cloud’s dialogue in Cosmo Canyon is a subtle (yet obvious) way to show Cloud is falling in love with Aerith.

Magical Date:

The Cloud x Aerith Gold Saucer date is confirmed as canon within the compilation:

”#111: The Planet’s largest amusement park is run by Dio. Cloud and company visit this place many times in their battle. They meet Cait Sith here. A promised date that ends in a magical night. In the city of desire that floats above the sands, the light memory of the two people is asleep even now…Aerith: “I think I must have seen him again, in you… But you’re different. Things are different… Cloud… I’m searching for you…” ~Final Fantasy Art Collection; Square Enix

“In Aerith’s case, if you play the game normally, the partner that generally comes will be Aerith.” ~Final Fantasy VII Dismantled; Square Enix

“Oh, Cloud…I enjoyed our date at the Gold Saucer. The view from the gondola that night was really beautiful. I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget you, Cloud…” ~Aerith; Final Fantasy VII Dismantled; Square Enix

Cloud doesn’t date Tifa unless the player chooses to have him do so. In order to get the date with Tifa, the player has to play the game in a way that isn’t considered “normal.”

During this canon date, Aerith begins to realize she loves Cloud not only for who he is rather than for who he initially reminded her of, but that she actually loves Cloud more than Zack:

“Although in the beginning Aerith felt close to Cloud because he behaves like Zack, her interest in Cloud himself grows and she is attracted to him.” ~Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega, Square Enix

“At first when I met Cloud, I believed he was similar to Zack. Little actions, the way he spoke… his kindness. But Cloud is Cloud. I, now undoubtedly, love Cloud much more than Zack.” ~Final Fantasy VII Dismantled; Square Enix

Cloud and Aerith’s canon date is also pictured on Square Enix’s "For the One I Love” page:

“Through the long journeys, the love of the protagonists develop. Occasionally they become separated, but the two’s value to one another gives them the great strength to overcome whatever crisis may come.” ~Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania; “For the One I Love” page; Square Enix

Lines to remember:

"…the love of the protagonists develop.” “…the two’s value to one another…”

Only the *pictured* and *canon* Cloud x Aerith date can be applied to Square Enix’s “For the One I Love” page.

Wedding Prediction:

“Looks good. You are perfect for each other!” “Aerith’s star and Cloud’s star! They show a great future!” “Poor Tifa!” ~Cait Sith, Final Fantasy VII

“After solving the puzzle about Cait Sith’s replaceable body, he tells one last fortune of Cloud and Aerith’s affinity. Cait Sith’s lines, which seem to expect Cloud and Aerith’s wedding, now makes it more painful.” ~Final Fantasy VII Dismantled, Square Enix

Cait Sith’s wedding prediction becomes “more painful” after Aerith’s death. The only way Aerith’s death would make a wedding prediction “more painful” is if Cloud and Aerith had a mutual romance that would have led to a marriage had she not died.

Star-Crossed Lovers:

“It was the sound of Cloud’s heart cracking. It was the cry of his heart that could never be healed of the grief he had towards Aerith’s death, the blame towards himself and the hatred he had for Sephiroth…” ~Maiden of the Planet; Square Enix

Cloud’s heart broke when Aerith died.

Love Beyond Death:

Despite Aerith’s eventual death, their love transcends traditional boundaries. Cloud associates his Promised Land [his supreme happiness] with Aerith at the end of Final Fantasy VII, and they will one day reunite in the lifestream.

“An answer from the planet… the Promised Land… I think I can meet her… there…"  ~Cloud Strife; Final Fantasy VII

Good Night Bells Hells

Good Night Mighty Nein

The Champion’s Curse 🍃

THE (almost?) KISS SCENE EXISTS 🥹 Just one of many ideas for the Jinumi date, but I sense that sb is already making a fanfic out of this XD

They say they have more stuff too 👀

Source

Edit: Oh my God there's more

Release ALL the kiss cuts!!!

you're doing amazing sweetie KPOP DEMON HUNTERS (2025)

bonus: