Cid Sophiar

Cid Sophiar is a non-player character in Final Fantasy XV. He is the owner and operator of the Hammerhead garage, as well as Cindy Aurum's grandfather. Cid is a recurring character in the Final Fantasy series, usually appearing as an older man with engineering aptitude. The Final Fantasy XV incarnation of Cid can help the player by upgrading their weapons.
==Dossiers==
:Owner and operator of the Hammerhead Service Station. He traveled with Regis thirty years ago as the royal house mechanic, but their journey together hit a bump in the road when Cid disagreed with the king's conservative approach to the refugee crisis born from the Great War. Disappointed in this decision, Cid cut ties with Regis and waved farewell to the Crown City for good. Though the two did not speak for decades, they eventually reconciled when the late king came to ask for a favor of his old friend: take care of his son, Noctis.
:Regis was not always the paragon of composure he later came to be. Thirty years ago, he was a rather reckless driver, inadvertently crashing the car shortly after leaving the Crown City. He and his royal retinue stumbled upon an old gas station on the Leiden highway where Cid managed to get the Regalia up and running again. Cid then gave the hammer he used that day to Regis, hoping it would serve as a cautionary reminder to handle the car with care. After he left Insomnia, Cid returned to the old roadside stand and transformed this special spot into the Hammerhead Service Station. As for the infamous hammer, Regis ultimately returned it to his friend, signifying that he had honed his own mechanical skills to the point that he no longer needed any assistance.
==Profile==
===Appearance===
Cid is an elderly man with silver hair and hazel eyes. He wears a red leather jacket, a blue shirt, black gloves, jeans, and a red baseball cap that bears the Hammerhead logo.
===Personality===
Cid presents himself as bad-tempered and unfriendly, but this is a ruse. He is truly a kind, caring individual. His biography in Final Fantasy XV: Comrades describes him as "surly, crotchety curmudgeon" who yet holds Noctis, "Reggie's boy", in a special place in his heart.
==Story==
Cid was born in Insomnia and became a close friend with Regis Lucis Caelum before the latter became king. Cid worked as a mechanic for the royal house. He had a son, but no further details of his family are known.
In M.E. 725, Regis fought alongside Cid, Clarus Amicitia, Cor Leonis and Weskham Armaugh on their trip to Accordo during the Great War. Due to the defeat of the Lucian-Accordian allied forces 120 years ago, the Niflheim army had breached the Lucian continent and had established bases outside the Wall. Niflheim developed the magitek infantry and prepared to overwhelm Lucis. Regis, as the prince, traveled to Accordo with a select few to seek the restoration of an allied force. The group's car, the Regalia, broke down during the first leg of the retinue's journey, but Cid found a place where he could fix it. Cid gave the hammer he used that day to Regis to serve as a cautionary reminder to handle the Regalia with care.
Regis was forced to withdraw to the Crown City due to the Lucian army's defeat. The range of the magical Wall that protects the Crown City was pulled back to its ramparts to maintain the strength to resist the empire's invasion efforts, but this left many formerly protected areas vulnerable to imperial aggression. Cid and Regis fell out sometime before Regis's coronation, which Cid was not invited to attend, due to the monarchy's strict policy in accepting refugees into Insomnia. They never saw each other again as Insomnia became isolated from the rest of Eos behind the magic Wall to be upheld by Regis, but eventually reconciled and reestablished contact.
Cid established the Hammerhead Service Station to the Leide region on the Lucian outlands at the spot where he had once repaired the Regalia during their trip. He seems to have named the establishment after what Regis had carved into the hammer he had returned after mastering his own mechanic's skills, calling Cid "Mr.Hammerproof Thickskull." A juvenile named Takka tried to rob Hammerhead but the attempt was thwarted by Cid, who took Takka in and got him to turn over a new leaf from marauding outlaw into outstanding chef, as Takka opened Takka's Pit Stop diner at Hammerhead. At some point Cid's son Mid and daughter-in-law Melba died in an accident, leaving him to raise their daughter Cindy alone in the mechanic trade. When Regis heard his wife Aulea was suddenly entering into labor, he and Cor dropped everything and raced the Regalia to the hospital in such a manner they damaged the car. Cor later recounts that Cid was not happy about it, implying he may have been the one to repair it. At some point, Cid drew up instructions on how to convert the Regalia to an off-the-road model.
The war with the Niflheim Empire drags on. After Regis's son and the heir apparent to the throne, Noctis Lucis Caelum, turns twenty, Lucis begins peace negotiations with Niflheim as upholding the Wall is draining Regis's life-force and he has become frail. Knowing the negotiations to be a ruse, Regis plans to send Noctis away from Insomnia. As depicted in Final Fantasy XV Prologue Parting Ways, the day before Noctis's departure, Regis had called Cid, who had demanded to see Regis face-to-face. Regis had declined, knowing it would be the last time they would talk. Afterward, he had talked with Clarus Amicitia, his bodyguard and close friend, on how he had been unable to tell Cid and Noctis the truth and wondered how his legacy will be remembered.
Noctis departs Insomnia with his retinue of friends. Regis's car they are using breaks down and they push it to Hammerhead. Noctis meets Cid who recognizes Noctis as Regis's son. He doesn't act respectful toward him, implying he doesn't think Noctis is ready for the position of king. Cid directs Noctis and his friends to become hunters to earn money for their journey, and after the Regalia is fixed, Noctis continues on.
After Niflheim attacks Insomnia and Regis is killed, Noctis returns to Hammerhead. Cid assures that Regis orchestrated the turn of events to save Noctis, who remains upset over the perceived selfishness Regis's actions. Noctis begins his quest to collect the royal arms of his forebears and forge covenants with the Astral gods of Eos to gain the power to restore his kingdom. As he needs passage to Altissia, Cid and Cindy go to Cape Caem to make preparations for Noctis's trip. Though the ferry from Galdin Quay doesn't run under the current conditions, King Regis has a royal vessel in a secret harbor at Caem. Cid meets Talcott Hester there, a young boy who has lost his family who is seeking refuge at the abandoned outpost. Cid gives Talcott his Hammerhead cap, and Talcott keeps it as a memento, coming to view Cid as a grandfather-figure.
Noctis goes out to collect mythril to fix King Regis's ship. As they are ready to depart, Cid reminds Noctis that his friends—Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia and Prompto Argentum—are more than mere bodyguards, and asks Noctis to always depend on them. Noctis's journey mirrors that of the one Regis embarked on in his youth with Cid and their other friends, and Cid recognizes the parallel. Cid steers the ship to Altissia and shows his old travel documents to the border control to have them let through. He stays behind as Noctis continues onward. Cid survives the town's annihilation by Niflheim forces and Leviathan, and returns to Hammerhead.
When Noctis disappears, Cid is initially ready to die and be buried under Hammerhead as the world plunges into darkness. Cindy brings him to Lestallum, mankind's last defense against daemons, where Cid's engineering ability makes him a valuable asset. He begins aiding the former members of Kingsglaive, who have taken it upon themselves to protect the populace in the king's absence, by upgrading their weapons.
After Noctis awakes from his ten-year slumber after receiving enlightenment from Bahamut, he returns a decimated Galdin Quay with Regis's ship. He meets the boy Talcott who has grown into an adult, who drives Noctis back to Cid's garage. After Noctis disappeared the sun gradually vanished from the world. Hammerhead has been liberated from daemons and been set up as a daemon-hunter stronghold. Almost all in Eos has taken refuge in the city of Lestallum, whose light provided by the power plant can keep the daemons out of the city. Cid, who is about 87 at this time, didn't want to leave his garage behind, and so had turned it into a hunters' stronghold and checkpoint which he co-manages with Cindy. Though still alive and well, he is not as active as he once was. Ignis, in Noctis's absence, acted as his caretaker.
==Gameplay==
===Final Fantasy XV===
Cid acts as a mechanic who upgrades the player's weapons designated by a "+" symbol. This includes the Engine Blade, Drain Lance, and various machine weapons, so long as he is provided with the corresponding material. Upgradable weapons were made sellable in patch 1.03, but if the player sells them they can't complete Cid's quests.
Once Cid upgrades the player's Engine Blade III to the Ultima Blade, he will give Noctis his Old Hammer, which Regis carved with "Property of Mr.Hammerproof Thickskull". This was the weapon Cid used during his adventure with the soon-to-be king, but it is not usable in battle, and instead is a key item.
After giving Cid the weapon and the material he needs for an upgrade, the player needs to wait for the upgrade to be completed. The first two upgrades for Engine Blade and Drain Lance are immediate, but for the following quests the player will need to pass time and wait for Cid's call. What can cause confusion is that the quest log asks the player to pass time while Cid upgrades the weapon as soon the quest is unlocked, and not when the player actually hands the weapon over to Cid to be upgraded. Initially Cid only upgraded one weapon at a time and did not accept a new weapon until giving back the weapon he was currently upgrading. This has since been changed, and Cid accepts numerous weapons at once and can return them at the same time as well.
The time passes by doing quests, hunts always being a good option as they can be undertaken at any time and can be repeated. The next time the player rests at a camp or lodging after the requirements have been met, Cid will call Noctis when he wakes up in the morning to come pick the upgraded weapon up. The amount of time it takes for Cid to upgrade a weapon is different for each one. Cid will not call the player to let Noctis know the upgrade is ready when they have Iris as guest party member, and when Gladiolus is not in the party. Thus, the player may need to wait until the end of the power plant segment in Chapter 8 to get Cid to call. If he doesn't already have a weapon at this time, the player can still give him one to upgrade, but he will not return it until after the first mission of Chapter 8 is complete. Cid will also not call when the player stays at a luxury hotel (Altissia or Galdin Quay), or if someone else calls Noctis instead as part of another quest.
Many players have found the Cid quest-line to glitch, causing him not to give the quests for upgradeable weapons. The change of Cid accepting more than one weapon at a time for an upgrade may be part of the fix for this.
===Final Fantasy XV: Comrades===
Cid again upgrades the player's weapons. He can also guest-cook for the player, making Pit Crew's Meat Wraps. This recipe is also added to the main game, where it is one of Noctis's favorites and boosts attack and HP moderately.
==Other appearances==
===A King's Tale: Final Fantasy XV===
Cid is an assist character whom Regis can call on. When summoned, Cid leaps onto the scene and slams down his hammer that sends out a ground-traveling energy wave. When summoned in Armiger, Cid makes several powerful strikes with his spear on one opponent, and is the second character to strike before Regis.
==Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances==
===Tekken 7===
Cid appears as a background character in the DLC Hammerhead stage.
===Minecraft===
Minecraft FFXV Cid.png|Minecraft skin
==Behind the scenes==
Cid was designed by Roberto Ferrari.
There is a drawing of Cid with Takka and Cindy in Takka's diner. It was drawn by the Caricaturist. The description for Magitek Exosuit says it was recovered and repurposed by Cid.
Some of Cid's characteristics allude to Cids of past installments. Sophiar's use of hammers and spears may allude to the two playable Cids from the main series: Cid Pollendina from Final Fantasy IV who wields hammers, and Cid Highwind from Final Fantasy VII who wields spears. They are also all mechanics. According to Talcott, Cid's favorite dishes are seafood prepared by Ignis. This may allude to Cid Del Norte Marguez of Final Fantasy VI, as there is a sequence that involves feeding him fish.
Cid's son, Mid Sophiar, is mentioned in passing by NPCs in the Hammerhead diner and in some dossiers. Mid had married Melba Aurum, Cindy's mother, and died alongside her when daemons attacked their car when Cindy was still young. Cindy has her mother's surname and it appears Mid never changed his, as Holly Teulle's final dossier simply calls the pair as Melba Aurum and Mid Sophiar.
===Voice===
He is voiced by Nobuyuki Katsube in Japanese and Jack Angel in English.
==Gallery==
Cid-FFXV.png
Noctis-Cid-Ignis-FFXV.png|Cid with Noctis and Ignis.
Cor and Cid in Cape Caem lighthouse basement from FFXV.png|Cid at Cape Caem secret basement.
Cid shows travel documents in Altssia from FFXV.png|Cid shows travel documents to Altissian border control.
Cid Sophiar on the royal vessel in FFXV.png|Cid on the royal vessel.
Cid Closeup Art.jpg|Concept art by Roberto Ferrari.
Cid-Sophiar-Artwork-FFXV.png|Concept art by Roberto Ferrari.
Weskham-Regis-Clarus-Cid-FFXV-Art.jpg|Weskham, Regis, Clarus and Cid.
Cid Icon FFXV.png|Icon.
Cid-Hammerhead-Storyboard-FFXV.png|Storyboard.
Cid-Storyboard-FFXV.png|Storyboard.
Cid-FFXV-Storyboard.png|Storyboard.
Noctis-Cid-Hammerhead-FFXV-Storyboard.png|Storyboard.
FFXV-Windows-Mod-Tools-Official-Wallpaper.jpg|Mod tools wallpaper.
==Etymology==
"Sophiar" is derived from sophia, which means "wisdom" in Greek.
==References==
pt-br:Cid Sophiar
ru:Сид Софьяр
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