Final Fantasy 7: Cloud Vs. Barret - Who Would Win?

At the very beginning of Final Fantasy 7, players were introduced to two of the JRPG's most iconic characters — Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace. At first, their allied foundation was shaky at best. But over time, both members of the AVALANCHE group grew to respect each other's ideals and combat prowess. But what if they ever came to blows? Who would eventually prevail – the Buster Sword-wielding melee machine known as Cloud? Or the hard-nosed grunt with a gatling gun for an arm, Barrett?

Both characters end up acquiring a suite of powerful abilities as they grow in strength during their planet-saving journey. Imagining Cloud and Barret stepping into the squared circle at their full potential presents a very intriguing fantasy battle scenario worth talking about. Their climactic clash would bring in an appreciate crowd if it took place at Corneo Colosseum, so let's delve into both warriors' signature combat stylings and see who'd emerge victorious.

Cloud Strife wields an unbelievably massive blade known as the Buster Sword. With that weapon in hand, he's capable of easily cutting through large creatures, machines, and even buildings with ease. His Limit Break abilities make him even more of an overwhelming threat. For example, his Braver attack sees him running towards his next victim and taking flight before coming back down with a devastating slash attack. Another powerful special maneuver of his is Blade Beam, a ranged attack that sends out a high-damage shockwave.

Along with Cloud's physical moveset, he's also quite adept at utilizing magic. The Materia he's known for bringing into the fray are usually ice, thunder, and Ultima. If he's ever on the ropes, Cloud can tap into his magical wizardry to keep his opponents at bay. Seeing as how Cloud can hold his ground against the all-powerful Sephiroth, it's pretty clear that he's a very durable fighter. Add in his amazing agility and you've got one of Final Fantasy 7's strongest main protagonists. His only weakness may just be the fact that he's quite the hot-head, which can sometimes get in the way of a more strategic approach to the battle at hand.

Barret Wallace has no use for blades, spears, or staffs. He chooses to blast anyone unlucky enough to stand in his way via his gatling gun-equipped arm. While his allies run in to deal out a close-up assault, Barret hangs back and whittles down an enemy's HP with relentless gunfire. When the time comes for him to unleash one of his Limit Break maneuvers, Barret can truly do some major damage. His Big Shot attack lets him release a huge fireball that does physical damage, while his Mindblow shot can easily deplete one's full pool of magic points.

One of the elements that makes Barret such a force is his high HP, which makes him a walking tank archetype that's pretty hard to take down. With all that in mind, he's used to soaking up a ton of damage and still moving forward when his foe may be on their last legs. Although Barret's strength and vitality levels are impressive, his magic stats are not as good. While he can still utilize his equipped Materia, he's much better off relying on his Overcharge ability to release a flood of bullets or going in for a big melee attack like Overrun.

So now that we know about Cloud and Barret's strengths and weaknesses, the question remains — who'd come out on a top in a battle between the two? Would Cloud be able to avoid Barrett's bullets and make his way in for a final sword strike? Could Barrett hold on long enough to shoot Cloud down with a debilitating blast? And would Cloud's durability cancel out Barret's tank-like exterior? You'll ultimately have to decide on answers to these questions for yourself.