Final Fantasy XVI’s Cid Is The Game’s Breakout Star
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When it comes to characters in the Final Fantasy franchise, the name Cid is one that is well-known and beloved by fans. The character has appeared in many of the games in the series, often as a party member or an antagonist, and Final Fantasy XVI is no exception. This time around, Cid is a Dominant, a title given to those who are linked to the legendary Eikons, the game's version of summons. He is linked to Ramuh, who commands thunder and lightning, which explains why he is able to cast electric spells when he aids the game's protagonist, Clive.
When Cid first appears in the game, he makes one hell of an entrance, taking out enemy forces with a series of lightning bolts. He then walks into frame alongside the goodest of good boys, Torgal, and his voice, provided by Ralph Ineson (who can also be heard as Lorath in Diablo IV), is low and Yorkshire-accented. Between the chiselled, sexy man walking into frame and a dog showing up to cleanse the sad vibes from a game that had been dealing some emotional low blows, players were already dealing with sensory overload. Then Cid’s voice hit their eardrums, and they knew they’d follow this man into whatever version of Hell there is in Final Fantasy XVI.
The Cid character hasn’t been beholden to any specific role over the years, and Final Fantasy XVI’s version is no exception. He is not a party member this time, but he is a powerful ally and mentor to Clive. He doesn’t seem to relish his fate in the early hours, telling Clive it wasn’t his choice to become a Dominant, but he is dealing with the hand Ramuh dealt him. This makes him an angsty king, just trying to do his best while bearing the terrible weight of a tortured soul.
It’s no surprise, then, that Cid has become a standout character in Final Fantasy XVI’s cast. Edmond Tran over at GamesHub highlights Cid as a standout character in Final Fantasy XVI’s cast, saying his “charisma transcends the screen to effortlessly win over both yourself and Clive.” Mitchell Saltzman from IGN says Cid’s “probably [his] new all-time favourite Final Fantasy character,” while Alex Donaldson at VG24/7 said Final Fantasy XVI’s Cid would likely rank at the top of a hypothetical “best Cid” ranking. Corey Plante says in Kotaku’s review that Cid “is an absolute scene-stealer who’ll go down in history as one of the best Final Fantasy characters ever.”
Interestingly enough, Final Fantasy XVI seems to imply that Cid might be queer, as he remarks that Clive is “pretty,” but also says he’s not his type. A quick line of dialogue is hardly explicit confirmation of anything in a game that has a canonically queer couple elsewhere. However, Ineson and Clive actor Ben Starr say the line was part of the two riffing together during recording sessions, so while it might not be an intentional reference to Cid being queer, it does give fans some subtext to read into.
Ineson has thanked fans for their kind reception to Cid (as well as his recent role in Diablo IV), saying he started work on both games back in 2020. Ineson’s video game portfolio is small compared to his film and television credits, which include The Witch and Game of Thrones. Previously the only games he’d worked on were Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and the Deathly Hallows tie-in. So he’s having a banger few weeks right now for great video game roles.
I’m still early in Final Fantasy XVI, and thanks to some devastating early story beats, I was already pretty much on-board even before I met Cid. But now I will follow him to the ends of the earth. Or at the very least, to the end of the game. Assuming he makes it there. But given Final Fantasy XVI’s Game of Thrones inspiration, I am prepared to have my feelings hurt.
