It took me awhile to appreciate that dynamic between Tifa and Aerith as well! I think it's so funny they way they immediately do a huddle as soon as they meet and Cloud is left out in the cold.

I never thought of the connection between the flowers and the Farplane, but I like that concept. All of the afterlife ideas in various Final Fantasy games seem to have a lot of continuity - that idea of returning to the planet when you die.