Al-Cid Margrace

Al-Cid Margrace is a recurring character in the Ivalice Alliance. A member of the ruling family, Margrace, of Rozarria, he is a romantic man with a heavy Spanish accent. However, behind his romantic gestures is a man well aware of the world and its workings. Al-Cid is a gentleman of fortune who has no tolerance for those who intend to harm women.

Although he is likened to a prince in Grimoire of the Rift, he is quick to state he is but one of many, perhaps suggesting that either he is not in direct line to the throne but rather a younger sibling or cousin to the true heir, or that the title means little to him.

Final Fantasy XII
In Final Fantasy XII, Al-Cid is first encountered in the Temple of Kiltia in Mt Bur-Omisace. Always following behind him is a maid, perpetually silent, and always willing to carry anything he hands her. During the end credits, one of the Yoshida sketches shows that Al-Cid has four maids, although this idea may have been abandoned later on.

Al-Cid wants peace between Rozarria and Archadia. As such, he is in talks with Larsa for a peaceful resolution between the two empires. However, with Emperor Gramis's assassination, he is forced to change his plans. When Larsa leaves with Judge Gabranth in an attempt to ensure peace on Mt Bur-Omisace, Judge Bergan attacks with Al-Cid defending himself from the Judge's troops as the Gran Kiltias is murdered by Bergan himself.

Exhausted from his fight, as Bergan is defeated by Ashe and her group, Al-Cid offers Ashe to accompany him back to Rozarria for her safety, but she declines. Respecting her choice, Al-Cid departs to Rozarria, to continue his best to keep war from breaking out.

The party meet Al-Cid one last time at Balfonheim, where he tells the party a great battle is about to begin—the Resistance and Rozarria against Archadia—and the battlefield will be Dalmasca. He then leaves, asking Ashe to visit Rozarria sometime.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
While Al-Cid makes no direct appearance in the game, Ashe briefly mentions her recent visit to Rozarria, implying she did indeed take Al-Cid up on the offer he issued in Final Fantasy XII. What actually transpired is unknown, and no references are made to what Rozarria looks like or what kind of culture it has.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift


Al-Cid returns as a playable character in Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift. He uses a gun as his weapon, and his set Job, Agent, revolves around protecting women. The player battles him in the mission A Dashing Duel.

Once the player completes the game and finishes A Dashing Duel, they can check the notices in the pub and go to Targ Wood to get him as a recruit. Al-Cid is popular with Adelle while Luso Clemens comments on his "attitude", although it does not bother him as much when he finds out Al-Cid is a prince. Luso is also outraged when Cid accepts him into the clan, while Penelo comments it is because Cid "understands him".

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Al-Cid has access to the unique Job, Agent. The descriptions of his action-abilities are several of his quotes from Final Fantasy XII (such as "I would lay down my life at a single word..." and "What do my little birds have to say?"), rather than actual descriptions of the ability's effect.

Strangely, he is the only unit in the game who cannot change his Job class. He can therefore only use Reconnaissance and Items, and has no access to Support or Reaction abilities despite previously having them when the player battled him during the "A Dashing Duel" mission.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Al-Cid appears in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game with his Final Fantasy XII in-game render and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings artwork. Both cards are Thunder-elemental.

Etymology
The name of Al-Cid is likely inspired by the historical Spanish hero , the hero during the Taifa wars in Vandalusia/Andalucia (Arabic Al-Andalus). The term "El Cid" comes from Al Sayid, which means "The Lord" in Arabic. Margrace is likely an alternate form of the title Margrave which itself comes from the German word Mark-graf (a "Boundary/Land-Count").

An "alcid" also is a bird in the Alcidae family, such as a puffin. This may have influenced the developers' decision to have Al-Cid to repeatedly reference "my little birds" when asked how he received information.

Al-Cid Margrace Al-Cid Margrace