***Note*** **This post is based on: (1) the Nintendo Switch version of FF4 Pixel Remaster, (2) the officially published Japanese novel (shown in the profile image), (3) the Super Famicom version of FF4 (faint memories), and includes my own interpretations.**



Last time, I wrote about Edge. This is the 4th entry in a series where I dig into each character one by one.

This time, I want to focus on Cid—the one who instantly saw through Edge’s feelings for Rydia and hit the mark.



When you think of Cid, you probably picture an airship engineer—energetic, rough, bold, positive, and straightforward. But this time, instead of that surface-level image, I want to take a slightly more grounded look at him through the lens of “insight.”



First, let’s revisit the scene where Edge and Cid meet for the first time. In the game, the party encounters Cid resting in the infirmary of the Dwarf Castle.

 At that moment, Rydia says to Edge, “Come on, he's still hurt—don't upset him!” 

Right after that, Cid teases Edge: “What's the matter? Are you being henpecked by Rydia?” Edge, having been hit right on the mark, tries to play it off—“Shut up!”—but later, he ends up helping Cid reinforce the Falcon with mythril plating. It’s a pretty amusing sequence.



Now, in the official novel, this exchange is written like this:



**\[Excerpt from the Official Novel\]** 

Cid: “Hey, you’re Edge, right? Mind giving me a hand?” 

Edge: “W-why me?” 

Cid (whispering): “You know, Rydia likes men who can handle machines and hard work. Don’t you think this is your chance to impress her?” 

Edge: “…F-fine, I guess.”



It’s great, right? Just from this little exchange, Edge gets completely roped into it—and he’s too straightforward to even dislike for it (lol). By the way, when attaching the drill to the Falcon’s bow, Cid even leans in and says, “Alright, another chance to shine.” (lol)



At first glance, this whole interaction just feels like a joke. But looking at it more carefully, I think it shows that Cid is actually picking up on a “gap.” Edge is acting tough. But in reality, he accepts what Rydia says. There’s a difference between the image he presents and what he actually feels—and Cid notices that.

This feeling of “something being off”—in everyday life, most people just brush it off as “probably nothing.” But when you look back later, that discomfort often turns out to be right.

Cid isn’t reading minds. He’s not using any special magic. And yet, for some reason, he notices things before others do.



A scene that especially symbolizes this is Troia. The eight sisters who serve as clerics can use white magic. They say: “The Earth Crystal was stolen by the Dark Elf. Retrieve it, and we will lend it to you.” Up to this point, everything matches what is shown in the game.



But in the novel, what’s happening behind the scenes is explored more deeply.



**\[What the Official Novel Reveals\]** 

*The clerics were wary of Baron stealing the crystal. To avoid a direct invasion of Troia, they deliberately let the Dark Elf hold onto it. In other words, saying it was “stolen” was not entirely true.*

*Another important detail is their attitude. When Cecil’s party first visits, the clerics are highly suspicious and even somewhat hostile. They only accept the party after Tellah—someone they trust—vouches for them. Then, when Cecil and the others actually return with the crystal, something feels off. There’s no real sense of gratitude—something that should naturally be there. Instead, there’s hesitation and surprise. Their words don’t quite line up with the situation.*

*This is where Cid feels it. “This reaction is strange for people we risked our lives for.” That sense of discomfort. And Cid puts it into words:*

*“You never intended to lend it to us from the start, did you?”*

*Faced with that, the clerics admit the truth. They never truly planned to entrust it to Cecil’s group—it was always a way to buy time.*



What’s happening here is a mismatch between “words” and “emotion.” That’s what creates the discomfort. This moment isn’t depicted in the game at all, but in the novel, it works as a very clear complement to show Cid’s “insight.”



Finally, this insight of Cid is condensed into his battle command: **“Analyze.”** He’s the only character who can grasp conditions as numerical data. 

By carefully examining enemies, he identifies their stats and weaknesses. And it makes sense—he’s the head engineer of an airship fleet, capable of building something incredibly precise.

That’s not just about being a mechanic. It also means being someone who notices “gaps” and adjusts them.



Looking at Cid this way, it feels like when we try to understand people, what we’re actually observing isn’t their words or even data. It’s the gap between expectation and reality. That gap is what we call a sense of discomfort. It is a “misalignment.”

Cid doesn’t overlook that. And maybe that’s exactly why he’s capable of moving massive airships—and people's hearts.



That unease might not be a mistake.It might be the entrance to the truth.



So, this time I explored Cid’s insight.

See you next time. 

Next, I’m planning to introduce what I think is Cid’s greatest “creation” as a character. Stay tuned!

[FFⅣ Game Archaeology] Vol. 4 – Why Can we sense the truth from “Discomfort”? — Learning Insight from Cid