Characters

FF IV TOP

JAPANESE

CECIL HARVEY
DARK KNIGHT / PALADIN

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From the Official Book (NTT PUB.1991)

An elite youth who is a "dark knight" and also a captain of the "Hikuuteidan" ("Airship Force"). Since the Airship Force has the most militaristic power in the Kingdom Baron, it can be inferred that the king placed a lot of confidence in Cecil.
At first, he was only a platoon leader of the Baron Rikuheidan ("Baron Land Army"), which was a low-level regiment. After his skills were recognized there, he became a dark knight and was appointed the first captain of the Airship Force, which was established at this period.
This was based solely on ability, because he did not have the advantage of noble birth. He was an orphan, raised by the King of Baron since the age of two. He grew up under the king, and he and Cain, his schoolmate, entered the Baron military academy as soon as they finished school.
Although the particularities of his birth may be unknown, many of both men and women find his honest personality magnetic.

In the Story

After he objected to the royal order which he could regard only as one-sided pillage, Cecil's fate was put into motion. He was exiled with his best friend and forced to rebel against his ex-homeland, only to find he was powerless against it. And then reality got crueler: the person in whom he had once placed complete trust wanted to kill him, the person dearest to him was taken hostage, and he was wrenched apart from his comrades. When he awakes, he finds that the place where he has washed up, alone, is the very land that he had once invaded as a commander.
Still, in order to move forward, Cecil chooses to face a "battle with himself." He struggles with whether he should seek to slay the person he once was, who has committed so many atrocities, and whether the justice of that act takes priority. Then, he hears a familiar voice filled with sadness: "Now I put my spirit into the power of Light and entrust it to you... My son..."
From that time on, this youth becomes the person who will determine the fate of the world.

The friends who sacrificed themselves for him were too many, his birth contains a truth which he is almost unable to accept, and he wonders if he can forgive a person who seems impossible to forgive. The person who murdered his king, plunged the world into fear and confusion, sacrificed so many of his friends, and caused so much pain to those dear to him, is his only ... brother.

Personal Opinion

I like him.
It's not a fanatic mentality; he's more of a target of admiration for me -- like, "I want to become that kind of human being." Although he generally tends to be branded as irresolute. Even for the captain of the Airship force "Akai Tsubasa" ("Red Wings"), the strongest in the eight forces of Baron Kingdom, it can be viewed as treason if any mere soldier refuses a royal order. I think he's got tremendous moral strength and courage to oppose the order of that organization. Of course, it's never good to knock the successor to the throne of a foreign country, but he had surely been liked by the members of the Red Wings anyway -- cause he's a beauty. (^^)

He also has real strength -- however painful it is, he accepts the facts for what they are, and never tries to escape his responsibility. At the ordeal to become a Paladin, where he must bear the blows of the dark knight rather than fighting back, I interpret it as him looking squarely at his past crimes. It was because of his strength that he could call Golbeza (Golbez), "Niisan" ("elder brother"), I think. If I were him, I couldn't accept that that embodiment of evil was a blood relation.
But even though he accepted that Golbez was his brother, he's probably worried what the people around him will think of that fact. I wonder what his expression was like when he proposed to Rosa. (^^)

Regarding his succession to the throne at the ending, I can't help but feel a little incredulous.
True, he is a hero and the strongest commander in the forces, but who would usually recommend an unidentified man (moreover, Golbez's brother) to be king? Even though he grew up under the king, he seems to be overly optimistic about government. I think of him as a symbolic king, and hope that the bureaucrats of Baron do their best.

Grammar and expression were checked by Catherine Rain and Nistelle.
(This page was rewritten on 25 Dec. 2004)

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