During a conflict with a rival Empire, the game's antagonist Kefka poisons the water supply, killing not only most inside but also Cyan's wife and child.

[6] After the party defeats him, Cyan makes peace with his grief and not only unlocks the full extent of his Bushido skill, but he also gains the sword Masamune.

These moments were intended to show a private side to his character, though were never meant to lead to romantic feelings as Cyan was devoted to his deceased wife.

Given full creative freedom, Amano wanted to make "real" and "alive" characters, though with consideration for their representation in-game as small computer sprites.

[21][4] In his finalized design, Cyan appears as a tall older man with long balding hair pulled back into a ponytail, a thick mustache, and wearing dark blue and brown armor.

Destructoid writer Chad Concelmo praised how Cyan's grief was portrayed, and stated that the act of seeing his dead wife and child allowed the player to better relate to him as a character than if told through exposition alone.

As a result, the player's emotions are tied to the character, and the appearance of his wife and child boarding the Phantom Train triggers the same response it does in them as it does for Cyan, adding "to the drama exponentially".

[8] Aoife Wilson of Vice on the other hand stated that while she felt the character "a bit of an idiot" and "one of those party members people tend to gloss over" in favor of others in part due to his manner of speech, she shared similar sentiments to concelmo regarding the Phantom Train conclusion.

Describing it as a "sobering, heart-wrenching moment", she added that it instilled a sense of empathy and respect in the player for a character they may have previously seen as "kind of a loser".

His portrayal as a husband and a father in Maugein's eyes gave the character more gravity, and allowed him to be seen as a "potential leader, both humane and fierce, while still maintaining a sensitive side."

[26] Sebastian Deken in his book examining Final Fantasy VI and its themes saw Cyan representative of the philosophical concept of "the other" when observed through an American gaze, though felt Japanese players may see him as more of a conservative character compared to their current societal standards.

This was demonstrated both through views of the world and manner of speaking, but also the visual differences from the other characters, particularly his uniquely black hair and his more narrow eyes shown on his sprite when compared to the rest of the game's playable cast.

Deken also felt that he was representative of the concept of extinction, as he's the sole person to carry his people's memory and culture forward after the genocidal attack upon his country.