Cid Happens: Celebrating Cid Day with Every Final Fantasy Cid

April 10, 2025

Celebrating Cid Day – April 10th in Japan

In the ever-evolving multiverse of Final Fantasy, where timelines twist, protagonists brood, and summon beast-level mountains, there's one oddly consistent thing holding it all together: a guy named Cid.

Since Final Fantasy II, there's been a Cid in every mainline entry and many spin-offs. Sometimes, he's your cranky uncle type with a wrench. Sometimes, he's building the airship you're about to crash. Sometimes, he is the airship pilot you're desperately hoping doesn't crash. But always—always—Cid is there, in some form, like a spiritual mascot for engineers, rebels, and people who talk to machines like children.

Japan even honors him with an official "Cid Day" on April 10th, honestly? He deserves it. So here's a comprehensive (and lovingly opinionated) tour through every major Cid in the franchise—what makes them tick and why they've earned their status as Final Fantasy's most loyal recurring tradition.

The Genesis of Cid: Final Fantasy II

The very first Cid to ever Cid appears in Final Fantasy II, and true to form, he's already flying an airship. Cid runs a transport service in the city of Fynn and helps the player party—mostly by being the only guy who can fly above all the random encounters.

He's not flashy. He's not emotional. He doesn't hand out advice or swing a wrench. He quietly introduces one of the most iconic tropes in the series: "Need to cross the world? Better go talk to Cid." Legend begins.

Cid Haze: The Innovator of Final Fantasy III

In Final Fantasy III, Cid Haze shows up with a big beard, a big brain, and a slightly bigger heart. He's the quintessential helpful NPC: he gives you your first airship, tags along for a while, and even gets caught up in a rescue mission when things go sideways.

This version of Cid comes across like the friendly neighborhood engineer—more "grandpa who builds gadgets in the shed" than "tech mogul." He's approachable, likable, and extremely useful. As Cids go, he's a classic.

Cid Pollendina: The Loud and Loyal Wrench-Swinger of Final Fantasy IV

This Cid doesn't just build airships—he builds bombastic energy. Cid Pollendina is the chief engineer of the Red Wings and a rare early-game Cid who joins your party in battle. He's big-hearted, hot-tempered, and yells through half the game.

He fakes his own death (with dynamite, no less), then shows back up like it was just a nap. He's that ride-or-die friend who'll fix your car and blow up a fleet to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

Cid Previa: The Scientist with a Conscience in Final Fantasy V

Cid Previa doesn't fly ships—he powers worlds. Along with his grandson Mid, this Cid built the machines that channel energy from the elemental crystals. Unfortunately, those machines are the reason the crystals are shattering.

Cue guilt, redemption arcs, and much time spent fixing what he broke. Cid here is less punchy and more philosophical. He's not yelling or battling—he's writing the instruction manual and then admitting he probably should've read it first.

Cid Del Norte Marquez: The Guilt-Ridden Genius of Final Fantasy VI

Final Fantasy VI ups the emotional complexity, and Cid follows suit. This version is a yellow-coated Magitek researcher working for the not-so-benevolent Gestahlian Empire. He raises Celes like a daughter, helps develop magic mechs, and slowly realizes that he might be on the wrong side of history.

He's not flashy. He's not action-packed. But he's pivotal. He might survive, depending on how you treat him in the World of Ruin. Either way, his story hits with quiet tragedy and genuine weight.

Cid Highwind: The Profane, Pipe-Smoking Icon of Final Fantasy VII

Ah, yes, the Cid. The one everyone remembers, even if they forget what Limit Breaks are. Cid Highwind is a chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, spear-swinging airship pilot with dreams of space and a chip the size of Midgar on his shoulder.

His backstory is heartbreaking: a botched launch, a life of regret, and a dream deferred. But through Cloud's journey, he finds redemption—not just as a party member but as a guy who finally sees the stars.

He's rough but real. And he's got one of the most quotable tempers in gaming history. "Sit down and drink your goddamn tea," indeed.

Cid Kramer: The Garden Dad of Final Fantasy VIII

Cid Kramer trades airships for academia. As headmaster of Balamb Garden, he's more school principal than mad scientist, but don't let the glasses fool you—he's sitting on a war machine disguised as a university.

He's deeply involved in the story, acting as a soft-spoken moral compass. Bonus trivia: his design was inspired by Robin Williams, and honestly, that tracks. He's awkward but kind, overwhelmed but committed. It's as if your favorite teacher secretly ran an elite combat school.

Cid Fabool IX: The Frog-turned-Regent of Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy IX's Cid is an airship-building regent who, thanks to his (let's say... adventurous) marriage, spends most of the game as a bug. First, an oglop. Then a frog. And somehow, he's still running an entire kingdom.

But beneath the body, horror is a brilliant mind. Cid is constantly tinkering, plotting, and helping Zidane's team get where they need to go. He's got a sense of humor, a sense of duty, and an unfortunate sense of what counts as a romantic getaway.

Cid: The Al Bhed Patriarch in Final Fantasy X and X-2

In Final Fantasy X, Cid is the loud, gruff leader of the Al Bhed and Rikku's dad. He commands the Fahrenheit airship, and while he's not winning any parenting awards, he does crash into a sacred temple to save his niece from being forced into ritual sacrifice.

That's commitment. He returns in X-2 with slightly less gravitas and slightly more comic relief. But in both cases, he's a rebel, a dad, and a man who knows how to launch a rescue operation when it counts.

Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa: The Mad Genius of Final Fantasy XII

Meet Doctor Cid, the Cid you fight. This one's a little less "helpful mentor" and a lot more "cackling Bond villain." He's the top researcher for the Archadian Empire, obsessed with ancient power. He is the father of Balthier, your charming sky pirate companion.

He's eccentric and dangerous, and so far down the mad science rabbit hole, he's chatting with ancient godlike beings. But he's never dull. He redefines the role: Cid can be the villain, too.

Cid Raines: The Rebel Officer of Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII's Cid is a rare mix: young, sharp-dressed, and burdened by cosmic fate. As a high-ranking officer of the Sanctum, Cid Raines starts as an enemy, becomes an ally, and ends up a tragic figure trying to free the world from divine puppeteering.

He's serious, conflicted, and more philosophical than mechanical. It is not the flashiest CID, but one of the most thematically on-point.

Cid Garlond: The Magitek Renegade of Final Fantasy XIV

In the sprawling MMO Final Fantasy XIV, Cid Garland might be the most important non-playable character in the entire game. A former imperial engineer turned resistance leader, he founded Garland Ironworks and helped the Scions of the Seventh Dawn stop almost every apocalypse.

He's got range: a man of science, war, and somehow, still a man who knows when to pass you a coffee while the world burns. He's endlessly competent, weirdly endearing, and essential to Eorzea's survival.

Cid Sophia: The Grizzled Grease Monkey of Final Fantasy XV

FFXV's Cid is the oldest Cid we've seen—grumpy, tired, and done with everyone's nonsense. He runs the Hammerhead garage and occasionally upgrades your gear. Still, mostly, he's just trying to get five minutes of peace between road trip emergencies.

His big legacy? He helped raise Cindy, who became the real mechanic hero of the story. Still, he's got that classic "seen it all, fixed it all, not impressed" energy. Every party needs a cynic in cutoff sleeves.

Cidolfus Telamon: The Freedom Fighter of Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI gives us one of the most emotionally rich Cids in the series: Cidolfus Telamon, Dominant of Ramuh, outlaw, and shelter provider to Bearers escaping enslavement.

He's the kind of Cid who lights his cigarette while telling you how broken the world is—and then goes out to fix it anyway. He's noble and raw and leaves a legacy so powerful that Clive literally adopts his name and causes after his death.

Cid, in this game, becomes an idea. A symbol. A mission. And that's about as Cid as it gets.

Beyond the Numbers: Cids in Tactics, Spin-Offs, and Other Corners of Ivalice

Cid may be a staple in the numbered Final Fantasy games, but his influence doesn't stop there. In fact, some of Cid's most interesting, eccentric, and unexpectedly powerful versions appear in the series' spin-offs and alternate universes.

Cidolfus Orlandeau (Final Fantasy Tactics)

Let's start with the one people whisper about in reverent tones: Cidolfus Orlandeau, Thunder God Cid. If you've played Final Fantasy Tactics, you know the drill. The moment Orlandeau joins your party, the game ends—because nothing can survive his absurd power. He's a one-man army. A walking cheat code. A tactical nuke in plate armor.

He's not just strong, though. Orlandeau's a decorated general and a man of honor, wrapped in political intrigue and personal loyalty. He's proof that a Cid doesn't need an airship to be legendary—just a sword and a moral compass that points to justice.

Cid Randell (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance)

In Tactics Advance, we get a very different Cid—Cid Randell, the adoptive father of Mewt Randell and the Judgemaster overseeing the laws of Ivalice. Here, Cid's more of a narrative anchor than a battlefield threat. He serves as a voice of reason in a world built on escapism and denial, trying to protect his son while gently nudging him toward reality.

He doesn't pilot anything. He doesn't invent gear. But he enforces structure—and sometimes, that's exactly what a Cid is needed for.

Cid Aulstyne (Final Fantasy Type-0)

In Final Fantasy Type-0, we're back in darker territory. Cid Aulstyne is the main antagonist of the game, a chancellor-turned-warlord. He's a militaristic ideologue with godlike aspirations, manipulating entire nations in pursuit of his vision of order.

There's no airship garage or shop full of blueprints here. Just power, ambition, and cold strategy. It's one of the rare "final boss" versions of Cid—and it shows the name can carry menace just as well as mentorship.

Cid (World of Final Fantasy)

World of Final Fantasy gives us a lighter, more comic-relief version of the trope. This Cid is a tiny robot called "Cid the Smart Guy," built by Sherlotta and powered by curiosity and sass. He's adorable, awkward, and always ready to help—usually by suggesting something impractical. The series is having fun with its legacy, and this Cid is a perfect fit for the game's tongue-in-cheek tone.

Other Cameos and Quirky Cids

From Final Fantasy Explorers to Theatrhythm and even Kingdom Hearts (where Cid runs a shop and helps fix your Gummi Ship), Cid pops up wherever Final Fantasy touches down. Sometimes, he's voiced. Sometimes, he's pixelated. Sometimes, he's just a guy in a garage mumbling about calibrations. But he's always unmistakably Cid.

The Legacy of Cid: More Than Just a Name

There's a lot of change across Final Fantasy—turn-based to real-time, sprites to photo-realism, swords to space travel—but the one constant? Cid.

He's not always your party member. Sometimes, he's an engineer. Sometimes, a ruler. Sometimes, a dad. Sometimes, a villain. But he's always a part of the machine that moves the world forward—literally and metaphorically. When Cid shows up, things start to click.

And that's why April 10th is Cid Day. He's not just a background fixture—he's Final Fantasy's emotional and thematic engine. Every version, every voice, every redesign reminds us that no matter how strange the story gets, there's always someone somewhere in goggles, with grease on their hands, trying to help the world fly.

So here's to Cid—may your airships stay airborne, your wrenches stay sharp, and your legacy stays immortal.