Editing Rydia

{{Tab}}
{{Wikipedia}}
{{Infobox Character
|image=
<tabber>Child=[[File:Rydia child FF4 art.jpg|250px]]<br>Artwork of Rydia as a child in ''Final Fantasy IV''|-|Adult=[[File:Rydia adult FF4 art.jpg|250px]]<br>Artwork of Rydia as an adult in ''Final Fantasy IV''</tabber>
|jname=リディア
|romaji=Ridia
|games=''[[Final Fantasy IV]]''<br>''[[Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-]]''<br>''[[Final Fantasy IV: The After Years]]''
|bloodtype=
|hometown=[[Mist (location)|Mist]]
|age=7 (''Final Fantasy IV'')
|class=[[Summoner]]
|gender=Female
|height=3'6" (1.07 m)
|weight=40 lbs (18 kg)
|species=Human
|englishva=Caroline Macey
|japanva=Noriko Shitaya
}}
'''Rydia''', sometimes referred to as '''Rydia of Mist''' or '''Rydia Drake''', is a [[Summoner]] from the village of [[Mist (location)|Mist]]. She is one of the main characters in ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'' and its two sequels, ''[[Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy IV: The After Years]]''. Rydia wears green clothes and has green hair.

In ''Final Fantasy IV'', Rydia is among the most powerful summoners from Mist. This is partially attributed to her being 7 years old, as creatures in [[Feymarch]] trust young girls more than adults.

==History==
===''Final Fantasy IV''===
Rydia's importance in the story of ''Final Fantasy IV'' occurs much earlier than almost all of the other playable characters. [[Cecil Harvey|Cecil]] and [[Kain Highwind|Kain]], is sent by the king to deliver a package to the village of Mist. To reach the village, they must first venture through [[Mist Cave]]. At the end of the cave, they encounter the [[Mist Dragon]] and kill it. When they then enter Mist Village, their package, the [[Carnelian Signet]], sets the entire village ablaze. This surprises Cecil and Kain, who had already been questioning the king's rule when he demanded that Cecil steal the Water Crystal from the innocent mages of Mysidia. They soon meet Rydia, who is weeping over the loss of her mother. Rydia then explains that her mother summoned a dragon to protect the village, and when it died, so did her mother. Cecil then admits that it was Kain and himself that killed the Mist Dragon. Rydia is less than happy and summons a Titan which causes a massive earthquake. Cecil awakes in Kaipo Desert with Rydia, unconscious, but no sight of Kain.  He soon takes Rydia to Kaipo so she can rest. Rydia is initially unwilling to speak to Cecil, but when he protects her from Baron soldiers who demand that she be handed over to be killed, she agrees to accompany him.

The next morning, Cecil and Rydia discover that Cecil's beloved [[Rosa Farrell]] has come down with the desert fever in her search for Cecil.  The only way they can cure her is by finding the Sand Ruby in the Antlion Cave, near Damcyan castle, where the Fire Crystal lies.  Rydia decides that she will join Cecil on his journey. On the way to Damcyan, the two encounter the sage [[Tellah]], who is going to Damcyan to find his daughter, Anna, who eloped with the "spoony bard" [[Edward Chris von Muir]] - the prince of Damcyan.  The three temporarily join forces to make it through the Water Cavern.  When they reach Damcyan, they discover that the castle was almost completely destroyed by [[Golbez]], the new commander of the Baron's airship military force - the Red Wings. Along with Edward's parents, Anna was killed.  Tellah then promises to kill Golbez and leaves the party in a rage. Edward, understanding Cecil's feelings for Rosa and realizing that Rydia also lost her parents but is able to bear the loss and continue, joins the party to help them find the Sand Ruby. Once they obtain it in Antlion Cave, they return to Kaipo and heal Rosa, who also joins the party.

The team of four then speculates that Golbez's next target is Fabul, where the Wind Crystal lies.  To reach Fabul, they must climb Mt. Hobbs, but its trail is blocked by thick ice. Rosa insists that Rydia use a fire spell to melt it, but Rydia states that she hates fire, as it destroyed her village. Rosa soon convinces Rydia that she must cast the spell to save many people, and Rydia finally casts Fire, learning it for the first time. Her doing so allowing them to venture over Mt. Hobbs, where they meet [[Yang Fang Leiden]], the high [[monk]] of Fabul. Soon, Baron's army comes to seize the Crystal.  Cecil, Edward, Yang, Rosa, and Rydia succeed in protecting the castle until they fight Kain, who has sided with Golbez and the king. In truth, he is really being controlled by Golbez, who is in fact being controlled by [[Zemus]]. Kain knocks out the party and then kidnaps Rosa. Cecil and the rest think that Kain might have taken Rosa to Baron. The next day, Cecil, Rydia, Edward, and Yang set sail for Baron. On their voyage, they are attacked by the sea monster [[Leviathan]], who wrecks the ship. The entire party is split up: Cecil washes ashore outside Mysidia, Yang near Baron, Edward near Troia, and Rydia taken by Leviathan to the Land of Summons.

Though Yang and Edward are rediscovered not too long after Cecil becomes a [[Paladin]], Rydia does not make her return until much later in the game.  Due to this and her being reported as having been swallowed by Leviathan, she is thought to be dead for much of the game.  After Yang, Rosa, and Kain rejoin the party, they go with Cecil and his engineer friend [[Cid Pollendina]] to the Underworld to gather the Dark Crystals.  While Cid tends to the ship, the other four encounter Golbez, who is also after the Dark Crystals.  Golbez summons his Shadow Dragon which knocks out all but Cecil. When all seems lost, Rydia returns as a young woman to save the day, summoning the Mist Dragon that her mother had used before to defeat the Shadow Dragon.  She explains that time flows faster in the Land of Summons; therefore, she has grown older and wiser in her magic, and is now able to use a greater variety of summons. She informs the party that Leviathan was actually trying to bring her to the land of summons instead of just randomly attacking the ship. When the characters return to the Land of Summons she can speak to the King and Queen of that world, Leviathan and Asura respectively. After defeating them in battle she can gain the ability to summon them. 

Together, Rydia and Cecil defeat Golbez and his dragon.  Rydia (along with Rosa) remains with Cecil through the rest of the journey.  Deeply committed to their cause, she becomes completely devastated by the "sacrifices" made by Yang and Cid later in the journey (later, though, the team discovers that they lived), especially when she sees that Edge's relentless pursuit of Rubicant, despite his recently losing to him, may cost him his life.  Sparks fly between Rydia and the [[ninja]] prince of Eblan [[Edward Geraldine|Edge]], who joins the team to find his kidnapped parents. In the end, Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Rydia, and Edge defeat Zemus, saving the world. Rydia returns to the Land of Summons after the battle, then pays a visit to Baron Castle for Cecil and Rosa's wedding. 

In [[reissue|remake]]s starting with ''[[Final Fantasy IV Advance]]'', child Rydia returns in her section of the Lunar Ruins, in a test in which she is forced to survive without the use of her summoned beasts. She must defeat Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh and Titan, and finally the main boss Lunar Dragon (all of whom are the summons she receives by default as a summoner) before she can leave.

==Skills==
===Summon===
As a summoner of Mist, Rydia possesses [[summon]] magic. Using the '''Summon''' ability, she can bring forth such monsters as [[Shiva]], [[Ifrit]], [[Chocobo]], and [[Bahamut]], all of which are very famous in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. In ''Final Fantasy IV Advance'' and later remakes, her trial produces the Mist Ring, which powers up the Mist Dragon summon and casts image on the party when it is used.

===White Magic===
As a child, Rydia is able to use her '''White''' ability [[White Magic]] and can gain more White Magic as she progresses in level, although it is very limited. However, upon her return from the Land of Summons, she loses the ability to cast White Magic while gaining the ability to summon more powerful beasts. She had to sacrifice the ability to cast White Magic to gain access to these summons. During her trial, Rydia, in the guise of her younger self, temporarily regains the use of White Magic.

===Black Magic===
Though Rydia is not classified as a [[Black Mage]], she is the only character able to use [[Black Magic]] at the end of the game, although ''Final Fantasy IV Advance'' and later remakes allows the player to take Palom to the final level. Black Magic, such as Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder spells, provide quite an advantage against the Four Fiends of the Elements, and other enemies with elemental weaknesses. It is interesting to note Rydia uses Black Magic as her secondary skill, whereas the more modern Final Fantasy summoners, such as [[Garnet Til Alexandros XVII]] and [[Eiko Carol]] from ''[[Final Fantasy IX]]'' and [[Yuna]] from ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'', all use White Magic as their secondary skill; this decision may have been made to balance Rydia's character as a specialist in offensive magic.

{{Nav FF4}}
[[Category:Summoners]]
[[Category:Females]]
[[Category:Final Fantasy IV characters]]