Tifa Lockhart is a fictional character in Square's (now Square Enix) role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII.   Created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura, she has since appeared in the fighting game Ehrgeiz and made cameo appearances in several other titles, as well as the CGI film sequel to Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children and related games and media in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. A member of the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE and owner of the 7th Heaven bar in the slums of Midgar, Tifa is the childhood friend of Cloud Strife, the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII.   Convincing him to join the group to keep him close and safe, she later assists him in saving the Planet from the game's villain, Sephiroth.   Installments in The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII later expanded upon her character, such as in the film Advent Children, where she attempts to convince Cloud to let go of his self-imposed guilt, and move on with his life after Sephiroth's defeat. Named the pin-up girl of the "cyber generation" by The New York Times, Tifa has been compared to Lara Croft as an example of a strong, independent and attractive female character in video games.   Media have repeatedly praised both the character's strength and appearance and described her as one of the best female characters in gaming. In flashbacks, it is revealed that as children Tifa and Cloud had decided to follow a path to a mountain near their hometown of Nibelheim.   However, they were both injured and Tifa was in a coma for a week, with her father holding Cloud responsible for the incident.   Cloud eventually left to join Shinra's SOLDIER program in order to become stronger, but it is later revealed that he did it primarily to attract her attention.   In response, she requested if she was ever in danger, he would return to save her.   Years later, after Sephiroth destroyed the town of Nibelheim, Cloud rescued Tifa after she was wounded by Sephiroth.   Surviving the incident, Tifa was taken to safety by her martial arts instructor Zangan, eventually arriving in Midgar and meeting AVALANCHE's leader, Barret Wallace.   Upon recovering, she joined AVALANCHE so as to get revenge for the destruction of her home.   She eventually encountered an incoherent Cloud at the city's train station, and convinced him to work for Barret, so as to keep him close and safe.   This is the point at which the game begins. In battle, Tifa relies on her martial arts techniques.   Her statistics (stats) in Final Fantasy VII are designed around the Monk character class from previous Final Fantasy games; thus her physical stats are better than her magic stats, and she equips claw and glove type weapons.   She has lower HP (health or hit points) growth than other characters, but her Strength growth gives her the second highest potential strength of any character (second only to Cloud). === Excerpts from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tifa_Lockhart  and  finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Tifa_Lockhart === ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for viewing. Comments, suggestions and/or critiques are always welcome. Just a little reminder, when viewing mine or other artist's work,check out the full size view... bigger is better!