Early Life
Better known as 'Doctor Cid' or simply 'Cid', his life prior to the events in Final Fantasy XII are relatively unknown. He was one of the chief architects and designers behind most of the Arcadian Empire's technological advancements including airships and weaponry. He has a son(Ffamran aka Balthier) who he would later raise to be an Arcadian Judge just before discovering the Occurian named Venat and would as a result become insane.
Cid traveled to the city of Giruvegan, discovered how to manipulate ancients artifacts called Nethecite and slowly became obsessed and mad over his lust for power. Unknown to everyone else, Cid was speaking to a being called Venat even though it appeared to everyone else that he was simply babbling to himself. Eventually his own son saw his father's sanity slip away until he couldn't stand the sight of him anymore. As a result, he abandoned his identity and took up a new name.
During Final Fantasy XII
Balthier is forced to confront his father again when the party explores Draklor Laboratory. Seeing that his father has fallen even further into insanity, Balthier and his allies fight and defeat him. From there, Cid leads them on a goose chase until finally the party encounters him again at the Pharos of Ridorana. This time, Cid is destroyed and even in his dying moments doesn't regret anything he's done and still stands by his reasoning of giving 'the reins of history back in the hands of man'. He dies after unleashing his final creation, the airship Bahamut. During both fights, Cid employs the power of nethecite to give himself super powers. In the second fight, Cid also uses Famfrit as a summon.
Personality
Cid is quite obviously insane and is absolutely certain that what he's doing is right. He cares for nothing but his own lust for power and barely gives any heed of sentiment to his own son who he simply refers to as 'pirate scum of the skies' after seeing him for the first time in many years. He cackles maniacally in self-amusement as his rants on and on about his ambitions to whoever is listening while not caring if they agree with him or not. His only loyalty lies with Vayne Solidor and of course, Venat.
Trivia
- In other Final Fantasy games, the character whose name is Cid is the owner of the party's airship. In FFXII's case, it's not Cid but his son who pilots the airship.
- Despite their many differences, Balther and his father still bear an almost exact physical resemblance separated only by age and clothing. They also both share a liking for firearms in combat.
- Both Balthier and Cid's last name, Bunansa is shared by another father-son pair in Final Fantasy Tactics, Besrudio and Mustadio.
- Dr. Cid is the first "Cid" in a Final Fantasy game to be a prominent antagonist.
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