Cid Pollendina

"The jolly, knowledgeable chief of the airships who yearns to fly like a bird in the skies."

Cid Pollendina is a playable character in the game Final Fantasy IV. He is a master engineer, and he designs the airships that make up the Red Wings in Baron. He is thus an old acquaintance of Cecil Harvey, and is adventurous and fun-loving, despite the fact that he is over fifty years old. He has a firm belief in right and wrong as well. He has a daughter who lives with him in the town of Baron, and she often scolds him when he comes home late from work. He is also very lazy, and has a tendency to snore very loudly.

Story
Cid is first seen in Baron after Cecil is discharged from his post as captain of the Red Wings. He heard the bad news, and apologizes to Cecil. However, he has to rush home before his daughter scolds him. He is next seen sleeping in his bed in the town of Baron. At this time, he is also working on a new prototype airship, the Enterprise. However, he notices that the king is not acting like his normal self and is performing many evil deeds. As a result, Cid hides the Enterprise and refuses to show it to the king. He is thus imprisoned for treason.

Cecil, Tellah, Yang Fang Leiden, Palom, and Porom have to free Cid by defeating the king, who turns out to be Caignazzo, the Fiend of Water. After Caignazzo is defeated, Cid is free and runs to meet Cecil, and then joins his party after he learns about what happened to Rosa Farrell. He then agrees to show Cecil and his friends the Enterprise. However, Caignazzo had one last trick up his sleave. When Cecil tried to escape, the walls began to cave in. Palom and Porom had to save Cecil's party by petrifying themselves. Tellah tried to heal them, but to no avail. Cid then took them to his newest airship, the Enterprise.

Cecil could not escape on the Enterprise without an encounter with the Red Wings. Kain Highwind issued an ultimatum to Cecil. Cecil would either get Kain the Crystal of Earth in Toroia or Rosa would die. Cecil had no choice but to go to Toroia. There, he learned from the Clerics that the Dark Elf, a monster who lives in Cave Magnes to the north, had stolen the Crystal. He also found Edward Chris von Muir who was recovering from the Leviathan attack. Edward gave Cecil a Twin Harp because he was too weak to help Cecil out.

Cecil's party then headed to Cave Magnes to meet with the Dark Elf. However, the cave was covered in a magnetic field, and Cecil and his friends could not equip metallic weapons or armor. The Dark Elf was thus able to defeat Cecil. Edward was able to sense this, and began to play a melody on his harp. The Twin Harp reacted to this, and the Dark Elf lost control of himself. As a result, he became weak, and Cecil could attack him with his sword. He was then able to reclaim the Crystal of Earth. He and his party then headed back to Toroia, where Kain contacted him and made him get on the Enterprise. Kain then guided Cecil's party to the Tower of Zot, where Golbez was holding Rosa prisoner. Golbez told Cecil's party that he wanted them to "receive" the reward, and made them come to him. Cecil's party then climbed the tower, and had to fight The Magus Sisters at the top. After the fight, they met Golbez, who took the Crystal and would not free Rosa. Tellah then attacked Golbez out of vengeance for Anna, and began casting spells on Golbez. However, they had no effect. He then cast Meteo on Golbez, severely wounding him. Cecil then rushed forward to strike, but Golbez knocked him down. Golbez then told Cecil that it was not over, and escaped. However, his control of Kain was broken. Cecil's party surrounded Tellah, who was dying due to the effects of him casting Meteo. He asked Cecil, Yang and Cid to avenge Anna for him, and then died. Cecil's party then talked to Kain, who was free of Golbez's control, and took the party to Rosa. Cecil then saved Rosa, and shared a kiss with her. Cid made fun of them, but Yang scolded him. Rosa and Kain both joined after. However, they could not escape the tower without fighting Valvalvis, the Fiend of Air. Rosa then cast the Exit spell and the party was warped to Cecil's room in Baron.

Cecil's party was now worried, as Golbez now possessed all four Crystals. However, Kain spoke of the Dark Crystals, which were in the hidden in the Underworld. These Crystals had only been rumored to exist, but Golbez knew they existed. Kain then explained that Golbez needed the Crystals to open "the way to The Moon." Cecil then decided that his party had to head underground to protect the remaining Crystals. Kain then showed Cecil the Key of Magma, which could be used to enter the Underworld. Cid told the party that the Enterprise was back in Baron due to a remote control feature it had. The party then headed for the town of Agart and threw the Key of Magma in the well, which opened the way to the Underworld. The party entered the Underworld via the Enterprise, however, they were too late. The Red Wings had already begun battling with the tanks that the Dwarves used for war. The Enterprise was damaged in this battle, and Cecil's party had to seek help from the Dwarves in their castle. There, they met King Giott, the ruler of the Dwarves. He asked the party for help, and they agreed. However, Cid had to take a leave of absence in order to repair the Enterprise and wrap its body in Mystic Silver, which could be used to help the Enterprise withstand the intense heat. While he is there, he tells his crew to put a hook on the Enterprise should Cecil ever return to Baron. That way, the Hovercraft could be carried to new locations.

Cid makes his return just in time to save Cecil's party from falling into the lava. He introduces himself to Rydia, a Summoner from Mist, and makes her call him "uncle." The Enterprise is wrapped in the mystic silver that allows it to fly over the lava. However, the Red Wings have been modified as well, and they have the Enterprise in a dogfight around the Underworld. In order to escape, Cid orders Cecil to take the wheel and exit the Underground, while he closes the hole with a bomb, and jumps off the airship in a desperate attempt to save Cecil. He is thus assumed dead.

However, Cid miraculously survives. The Dwarves found him and began taking care of him. When Cecil returns in his new airship, the Falcon, Cid decides to wrap its body in mystic silver as well so it can fly over the lava. When Cid meets Edge Geraldine, they have a shouting match that Rydia has to break up. Cid makes Edge work on remodeling the airship as a result. However, he becomes fatigued after the remodeling, and has to rest again. Later, Cid has to attach a drill to the head of the Falcon in order to open the hole to go back to the Overworld. Once again, however, he becomes fatigued by the work, but he is healthier than he was before. He eventually recovers fully, and builds a new fleet of airships which he leads in an attack on the Giant of Bab-il. Cecil's party boards his airship in order to enter the Giant. After the Giant is destroyed, Cid prays for Cecil in the Tower of Wishes in Mysidia. In the Game Boy Advance version of the game, he can rejoin the party at this point.

In the ending, Cid is the best man at Cecil and Rosa's wedding.

Equipment and Stats
Cid is a physical fighter, and his stats show him as such. His weapon arsenal includes bows, arrows, daggers, hammers, shields, helmets, armor, gloves, and tunics. When Cid equips a hammer, he fights with two hands, and thus cannot use a shield.

Abilities
Cid is an Engineer, and his ability is called Peep, which is similar to the White Magic spell of the same name. It allows Cid to check an enemy's HP, MP, level, and weaknesses.

Music
Cid's theme is called Hello, Cid! This song was also used as Cid's Theme in Chocobo Racing.