Tifa is 20 years old during the game. She is the bar hostess of "Tifa's 7th Heaven". When Barret is not around, she takes care of little Marlene. She's one of my favorite female characters to ever appear in a game and I'm so glad that her character is close to Barret's.
The book gives the following description: Bright and optimistic, Tifa always cheers up the others when they're down. But don't let her face fool you, she can decimate almost any enemy with her fists. She is one of the main members of AVALANCHE. She and Cloud were childhood friends, and although she has strong feelings for him, she will never admit it.
Tifa Lockheart
Barret and Tifa are close because they are partners. They are almost opposites so their personalities tend to bring
out various aspects from one another. Barret is also very protective of Tifa, since she is younger, and especially
when Cloud is not present. One scene that comes to my mind is the gas chamber sequence.
Tifa dreams - she is meeting Cloud at the sector 7 railway station. She
remembers being uncomfortable about his memories, how he knew some stuff he
shouldn't and how he forgot other stuff he should. How she wanted him to join
AVALANCHE so she could keep an eye on him.. She awakens to find that she and
Barret are locked up back in Junon Harbour. Barret explains that she has been
out cold for seven days, in that time WEAPON is tearing the place up and
Sephiroth has summoned a huge meteor that is hanging ominously in the sky.
Rufus shows up and tells them they are to be executed to make the people feel
better. They are being blamed for all the calamity Sephiroth has caused.
Barret: You'll be better soon. You've been a sleep for a long time.
Tifa: I'm...... hungry...
Barret: Hey, why don't you ask? About him.
Tifa: ...Because I'm scared.
Barret: Don't worry. I don't know what happened to Cloud either. Guess
I shouldn't tell you not to worry... None of them know if he's all
right either.
Tifa: He's still... alive, right? How long... was I asleep?
Barret: Lessee now...... Must've been about 7 days.
Tifa: What about Sephiroth?
Barret: You ain't over it yet. Remember that huge light, in the
Northern Cave? Since then, the crater's been surrounded by a huge
barrier of light. Everyone knows Sephiroth sleeps in that big hole,
protected by the barrier. We can't do a damn thing about it. We just
gonna wait till he wakes up. An' on topa that, some huge monster called
Weapon's been on a rampage.
Tifa: ...Weapon?
Barret: Remember that huge monster that was with Sephiroth, at the
bottom of the crater? Well it's up here now. They say it's some
legendary monster from the past.
Tifa: Weapon... is protecting Sephiroth?
Barret: Dunno. But he's up here goin' around tearin' shit up. Right now
Rufus' fightin' it. I hate to say it, but he's got guts. We shoulda
been the ones to destroy it, but we ain't got no time...
Tifa is put in the gas chamber. As Scarlet locks her in WEAPON attacks. Using
this as a diversion a disguised Cait Sith incapacitates Scarlet and frees
Barret. Rufus is throwing everything he has at WEAPON but still it attacks.
Scarlet recovers and locks Barret and Cait Sith out of the room where the gas
chamber is. Luckily the guard dropped the key in the confusion and Tifa
manages to let herself out. Rufus fires Junon's huge cannon at WEAPON, which
retaliates by tearing a hole in the side of the harbour. Tifa is able to climb
up and is chased down the barrel of the Sister Ray by Scarlet. They have a slap
fight. Tifa then runs to the end of the cannon and leaps off, only to grab a
ladder coming out of the side of the Shinra Airship (the Highwind). Cid is in
control and Cait Sith, Barret and Nanaki are also safe and well.
Tifa tries to think of what to do next, but she is very despondent. She wants
to see Cloud again. Nanaki thinks that Cloud may have washed into the
Lifestream. He says there are places where the Lifestream gushes up through
cracks in the Ocean floor. So they head to one of these places, Mideel.
Sure enough, in an amazing stroke of luck they find Cloud at Mideel. He washed
up on the shore about a week before, but he is a wreck. He has been poisoned
by Mako and is a drooling, shuddering shell. Sat in a wheelchair he can only
jerk his head and mumble broken words. Gutted, Tifa lays her head on his knee
and cries. Outside the clinic, the Doctor tells Barret and Cid that Cloud has
had so much knowledge drenched Mako forced inside him that he has literally
shut down mentally. Tifa decided she wants to stay with Cloud, Barret asks her
if she is sure its him and not Sephiroth's shadow. She is adamant. So the
others return to the Highwind and try to think of what to do next.
Barret:You okay?
Tifa: My cheeks hurt a bit. Forget about that, what's all this about?
Cait Sith: Well, I'll catch the details later. In any case, the
Airship, Highwind, is now yours.
Barret: (to Cait Sith) Dammit! Why didn't ya tell me you could fly an
airship!? I thought...... Tifa was gone for good.
Tifa: Meteor is coming, and Weapon is on the rampage...... At a time
like this, I don't know what I'm supposed to do...... No idea at all...
Barret: Get a hold of yourself Tifa! C'mon, let's think about this! No
way we can get offa this train we're on!
Tifa: ......If only Cloud was here, everything would be fine. Cloud
would...... Stand that cocky little way he did, and tell us what to do.
He'd say, 'Everything's under control, Tifa'.
Barret: Tifa! When'd you become such a wimp!
Tifa: I'm sorry Barret. I'm kind of shocked myself. I'm so depressed.
Red XIII: And Tifa...... the reason why we all thought it was Cloud was
because......
Tifa: ......I know. That's why I want to make sure. That's why I have
to see him again.