Final Fantasy’s Cid is a series hallmark, not just present in the best Final Fantasy games, but present in literally every game in the series. Whether it’s a mobile spinoff or a full-fledged RPG, you won’t find a Final Fantasy without Cid – even if he’s just a passing mention or a loner living in a windmill. Like the series itself, Cid has evolved countless times over the decades, playing hero and villain alike and always envisioning a world that could be just a little bit better, even if the means it takes to get there are a bit illegal and probably count as war crimes.
With Final Fantasy 16 putting Cid at the forefront, we decided to rank every Final Fantasy Cid appearance.
33
Cid – Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light
4 Heroes of Light’s Cid is the most perfunctory Cid appearance in the series. He lives in a windmill – a twist on Cid Highwind, perhaps – and tells you how long you’ve played the game. Thanks I guess?
32
Cid – Final Fantasy Explorers
The Final Fantasy Explorers version of Cid is a legend, a giant among explorers, which makes his role in the game a bit jarring. He handles tutorials.
31
Cid Haze – Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
The mobile spinoff Airborne Brigade features some fun character moments for almost everyone in the Final Fantasy series, including a memorable June wedding event one year – except Cid. He might share a name with Final Fantasy 3’s Cid, but he’s just here to spruce up your weapons.
30
Cid – Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Record Keeper’s Cid is basically the asme as Airborne Brigade’s, although in addition to improving your equipment, he also lends you an airship to travel outside the archives with. This Cid is technically part of the strike force that’s dedicated to purging corruption from the archives, but he doesn’t really do a lot.
29
Cid - Final Fantasy I
Cid doesn’t actually appear in the first Final Fantasy, but Square Enix retconned his existence in later versions of the classic, including the Pixel Remasters. Now, the long-gone ancient Cid is officially responsible for helping you save the world by inventing flying. That’s a pretty good legacy to leave behind.
28
Cid – Final Fantasy Dimensions
Dimensions’ Cid leads an airfleet brigade and sends a strike team of Warriors of Light to steal some crystals and sabotage important research. He technically has more presence than the previous Cids, but his character development is limited to “hates robots and then gets saved by them,” which isn’t the most gripping character arc in the series.
27
Cid of the Lufaine – Dissidia Final Fantasy
Cid of the Lufaine sounds more interesting than he actually is. He’s the narrator of the Final Fantasy fighting game and, in a surprising twist, is actually the mind behind the cycles of conflict that bring chaos to the worlds. It’s a nifty idea, but it’s also a fighting game, so story is hardly at the forefront.
26
Cid – Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy 11’s Cid is a bit forgettable, aside from his giant hammer (not a euphemism) that never leaves his side. He does the usual Cid things and sends you on a few MMO-flavored quests, but FF 11 definitely isn’t interested in doing anything deeper or out of the ordinary with this Cid.
25
Cid Haze – Final Fantasy III
The original Cid Haze also created airships, though he’s more than a distant memory in Final Fantasy 3. His technological advances changed the world, and he even saves the party from certain doom when Xande, the main villain, attacks them – but not before scuttling his precious airship to help open a path forward. He doesn’t play a huge role here, but he still has quite a bit of personality.
24
Cid Tonberrini – Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Is a Tonberry blacksmith called Cid really a Cid? It is in this list, if only because it’s such a bizarre choice that’s totally in keeping with how off-the-wall Stranger of Paradise is anyway. Cid Tonberrini lives in SoP’s DLC, and you gradually learn more about him as you improve your relationship, including the existence of a relation called Mid.
23
Cid – Mobius Final Fantasy
It’s a shame that such a distinctive-looking Cid has almost no importance to Mobius Final Fantasy’s story. Why does he look so miserable? What happened to his eye? Probably something in the tournament he fought in to save Princess Sarah and his village from Chaos, but while Cid’s tragic role in the fight against darkness is quite the heroic tale, Mobius isn’t too concerned with telling much of it.
22
Cid of Clan Gully – Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Cid has some important matters of his own to attend to in FF Tactics A2, but once you drop in the middle of them, his story gets wrapped up in yours. He’s essentially Montblanc the Moogle from the first Tactics Advance. He’ll guide you through the world, teach you about clans, and always be there to support you. He’s a good guy, even if he doesn’t get much character development.
21
Cid – Final Fantasy II
This is the progenitor Cid, the original airship master and friend to the heroes. Cid gave up a life fighting the Palamecian Empire and decided to run an airship company instead, helping the folks of Flynn on the side. He gets involved in the cause more directly once you come along and ends up paying a steep price for his loyalty.
20
Mogcid – My Life as a King
Moogle-form Cid is adorable and plays a vital role in rebuilding your kingdom. He and his brothers take people to live in your realm, so even though they don’t really do too much, your kingdom-building efforts wouldn’t amount to much without them.
19
Cid – Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
This Cid is a Lilty craftsman who’s determined to end the world’s reliance on crystals. There’s an echo of this Cid in Final Fantasy 16’s Cid, though the Lilty version doesn’t get a whole lot of time or development in Crystal Bearers.
18
Cid Kramer – Final Fantasy VIII
Cid Kramer is the mastermind behind Balamb Garden’s resistance to Final Fantasy 8’s big bad. He’s responsible for SeeD, training cadets to battle the evil sorceress, and guiding Squall and his friends in the right direction, and at the end of it all, he’s there to welcome Squall back home. Kramer isn’t the most interesting Cid in Final Fantasy, but his role in the Garden is a nice evolution of the Cid we see in Final Fantasy 2.
17
Al-Cid – Final Fantasy XII
FInal Fantasy 12 has two Cids – sort of. Al-Cid is technically not the Cid. But he’s still called Cid, so we’re ranking him anyway, especially since Final Fantasy 16 plays with his origins a bit. Al-Cid is the part of the ruling family of Rozzaria, which is awfully close to FF 16’s Rosaria, and that family’s name is Margrace. He’s Lord Margrace, the same as the hooded man in FF 16’s early hours.
Anyway, Al-Cid plays a minor narrative role in Final Fantasy 12, but he’s a key part in keeping war from starting and offers help to the party when they need it most.
16
Cid Sophiar – Final Fantasy XV
Cid Sophiar’s glory days are behind him, and that’s not just a trite saying. His biggest role in Final Fantasy XV’s story is ferrying Noctis around a few times, but before the prince’s adventure begins, Cid Sophiar was a close friend of Noctis’ father and helped keep the kingdom safe in its many conflicts.
He also made the unforgivable mistake of calling his granddaughter Cindy, when Cidny is literally right there.
15
Cid Previa – Final Fantasy V
Cid Previa blames himself for the state of the world in Final Fantasy 5, and for good reason. He’s an engineer like usual, but one who built the devices that use crystals to power technology and ultimately end up damaging them. The shattered crystals don’t just knock the elements out of order.
They release Exdeath, the main antagonist, into the world. Previa and his grandson Mid throw themselves into their redemptive work to help the Warriors of Light put things right, efforts that include turning an airship into a submarine and even dabbling in time travel.
14
Cid Highwind – Final Fantasy VII
Cid Highwind is a bit of an odd one. He’s become an iconic Cid, thanks in part to his unique design and salty attitude. His big role in Final Fantasy 7 is providing much-needed vehicular support to the party, and a dash of moral support when Cloud and friends need it most later in the game. He doesn’t really get much character development, though. His main arc is hating the woman who saved his life and then realizing she saved his life and not hating her anymore.
There’s admittedly a bit more to him than that – at heart, he’s a sad man with no dreams left – though that takes a backseat to story events. Maybe in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, we’ll see his character fleshed out a bit.
13
Cid – World of Final Fantasy
World of Final Fantasy made Cid a robot who’s impossibly cute, despite looking a bit like a trash can. He grew up with Celes, in a charming nod to Final Fantasy 6, and sticks with her as a permanent companion now that he no longer needs to sleep or eat. Whether he’s fully man or machine is up for debate, but at least he won’t leave Celes alone anymore.
12
Cid Pollendina – Final Fantasy IV
Cid Pollendina might have some mildly disturbing character art and a tendency to blow himself up, but he’s an important advisor for our hero Cecil when the poor, troubled knight needs it most. Everyone else in Baron might turn on Cecil after the Dark Knight questions the madness of their ruler, but Cid remains a stalwart ally. He’s also the first playable Cid, the father of Cecil’s love interest, and a dab hand at everything mechanical, a trait that comes in handy during combat.
11
Cid – Final Fantasy X
Cid gets some welcome emotional depth in Final Fantasy X. He does the usual Cid thing of getting the party airborne, but he also tries his best – albeit in a misguided way – to keep his family and surrogate children safe, after his sister and her husband died. This Cid, understandably, has a problem with the summoner situation in Spiria and is the driving force behind the Al-Bhed’s kidnapping attempts, all so the summoners don’t throw their lives away.
In X-2, Cid embraces tourist culture and ends up on Yuna’s ship tending the bar there. It’s not the greatest reprisal, but by this point in his life, the man deserves a bit of rest after all.
10
Cidolfus Orlandeau – Final Fantasy Tactics
Cidolfus Orlandeau is a decorated military veteran known as the Thunder God, but his refusal to cooperate with the sinister forces plunging Ivalice into chaos marks him for death. He knew Ramza, the protagonist, as a young child and joins forces with our hero after Ramza frees him from prison, fighting to save a world that’s more than happy to believe the malicious lies told about him. This Cid is far from a lighthearted Cid, but he’s one of the strongest characters in the game and a blueprint for Final Fantasy 16‘s take on the character.
9
Cid Raines – Final Fantasy XIII
Cid Raines is one of just a few people who think maybe the floating paradise of Cocoon isn’t so great after all. Final Fantasy 13’s villain manipulates Cid into almost starting a civil war in Cocoon in a bid to convince the citizens there that Cid and his faction are just power-mongering liars, and his noble efforts earn him a tragic end.
In Lightning Returns, we see Cid in the land of the dead, acting as a guide for lost souls – an admirable mission for one of the more complex Cids in the series.
8
Cid Del Norte Marguez – Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy 6 builds on the Cid Previa model and makes Cid’s actions even more destructive. Cid Del Norte Marguez created Magitek, the technology that fuels the Gestahlian Empire’s war machine, and infused Kefka with esper power. He’s the poster child for “just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” though by the time he realizes the results of his actions, it’s too late.
On the bright side, he practically adopted Celes – which is good or bad, depending on what happens in the World of Ruin – and helps the Returners escape the empire before Kefka turns the world upside down. He’s definitely part of the problem, though he does his utmost to make things right again.
7
Cid Fabool IX – Final Fantasy IX
Like much of Final Fantasy 9 itself, Cid is an amalgamation of what came before in the series. He’s an arrogant philanderer whose wife turns him into a bug, but he’s also a brilliant engineer who gives the party their wings and the mastermind behind Princess Garnet’s kidnapping.
Under his foppish exterior is a keen mind that sensed something was amiss in Alexandria and took action to stop it. He and his fleet of ships play a crucial role in the game’s climax, and Cid and his wife Hilda even adopt Eiko after peace returns to the world. It’s a fitting end to a generation of Cids and Final Fantasies alike.
6
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa – Final Fantasy XII
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa is Balthier’s dad and a rather nasty piece of work. His obsession with using technology to empower humanity twists his mind and eventually brings him into conflict with Vaan and friends as they delve into the dark heart of Ivalice’s politics. The outcome is bleak and explosive, and there’s no redemption for this Cid – but then again, he doesn’t he really want it anyway.
5
Cid – Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is one of the stranger games in the series, one that simultaneously has a deep, intriguing story and does cameo crossovers with pop stars as playable characters. From a Cid perspective, though, it’s one of the best and gives the engineer a starring role, albeit as a baddy.
Cid finds himself banished in an alternate dimension, separated from his family and willing to do whatever it takes to restore his fortunes. What follows is a sad, twisty tale, where the story of Cid’s children intertwines with his own as the truth behind the crystals and the regime that upholds them gradually becomes clear.
4
Cid Aulstyne – Final Fantasy Type-0
Cid Aulstyne looked at Final Fantasy 12 Cid and said “hold my ale.” He dreams of freeing the world from the dominance of the crystals and their l’Cie – Type-0 released when FF 13 lore was still strong – but unlike other Cids, he’s not too concerned with the means he uses to see it done.
This Cid is a completely different caliber of villain, one who orders unspeakable acts, harms the innocent, and sanctions the destruction of entire nations just to realize his goals. Things don’t go quite according to plan, and the end result of it all is one of the most memorable, difficult endings in the Final Fantasy series.
3
Cid Randall – Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Cid Randall is the biggest departure of any Cid in the series. Forget talented mechanics and commanders of air fleets. Cid Randall is just a sad, broken man whose inability to accept his wife’s death drives his son, Mewt, to create a fantasy world where Mewt isn’t lonely and Cid isn’t a failure. He turns up frequently as the chief judge who sets all of Ivalice’s laws and won’t let you destroy his son’s dream so easily.
2
Cid nan Garlond – Final Fantasy XIV
The award-winning MMO’s version of Cid has seen some things, so much that he starts out as an amnesiac monk who lost his memory to protect against the horror of it all. He plays a pivotal role in A Realm Reborn as both mechanical mastermind and peerless pilot, stands alongside the Warrior of Light as they delve into the dark heart of Ishgard, and pops up frequently in later expansions, usually when Weapons are involved.
Folks also tend to think he’s hot, because of course they do.
1
Cidolfus Telamon – Final Fantasy XVI
Maybe it’s recency bias, but Cid Telamon isn’t just one of the most well-developed Cids. He’s one of the strongest characters in Final Fantasy 16. This Cid has experienced every hardship and come out the other side strong and determined to shatter Valisthea’s oppressive social order.
He’s a balance to Clive’s violent emotions, a mentor to the Bearers they liberate, and a leader with more wisdom than his glib, sarcastic remarks would suggest. He’s a friend, protector, visionary, and warrior with a clear vision for the future, the culmination of every Cid who came before.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
