History Characters / ElCid2020RodrigoDiaz

* GutturalGrowler: Has a noticeably gravelly voice, thanks to Jaime Lorente.

* HypercompetentSidekick: TomSancho, always doling out good advice and saving him from his own impulsiveness,

* TheMagnificent: By the end of Season 1, he's earned his title "''Campeador''" from Sancho, and the title "''Al-Sīdī''" / "''Al-Sayyid''" (AKA ''El Cid'') from al-Muqtadir of Zaragoza.

'''Rodrigo "Ruy" Díaz''' | [[Characters/ElCid2020ChristianKingdoms The Christian Kingdoms]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020KingdomOfLeon The Kingdom Of León]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020MoorishTaifas The Moorish Taifas]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020TaifaOfZaragoza The Taifa of Zaragoza]]]]]]-]

* BeardOfSorrow: In Season 2's final scene, he's grown a thick stubble after being thoroughly put through a CynicismCatalyst. Time will tell if it becomes the BadassBeard he's traditionally depicted as having.

'''Rodrigo "Ruy" Díaz''' | [[Characters/ElCid2020ChristianKingdoms The Christian Kingdoms]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020KingdomOfLeon The Kingdom Of Leon]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020MoorishTaifas The Moorish Taifas]] | [[Characters/ElCid2020TaifaOfZaragoza The Taifa of Zaragoza]]]]]]-]

* BerserkButton: In Season 1, insulting either of his parents results in [[TalkToTheFist pain]], as [[{{Jerkass}} Orduño]] finds out the hard way. In Season 2, seeing one of his men attempt to [[RapePillageAndBurn rape a Moorish woman]] sends him into a rage, and he delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown against the attempted rapist.

* GoodIsNotSoft: If anyone taunts, threatens or disrespects him, he'll be only too willing to stand up to them (as Orduño found out [[TheToothHurts the hard way]]). How he resolves Zaragoza's defiance at the start of Season 2 is another example, not least because it ends with him torching entire silk fields in a single night

* WouldNotShootACivilian: Despite his CombatPragmatist tendencies, he refuses to harm civilians. A notable example is during the burning of the silk fields of Zaragoza, where he [[BerserkButton flips out]] on seeing one of his men attempting to rape a Moorish woman, and delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown. [[spoiler: His disgust with Sancho during the siege of Zamora is likely linked to this, as Sancho explicitly states he wishes to cruelly punish not just Urraca, but ''all'' the people of Zamora for their defiance]].

!!!'''Played By:''' Jaime Lorente

* GoodIsNotSoft: If anyone taunts or threatens him, and he'll be only too willing to stand up to them (as Orduño found out [[TheToothHurts the hard way]]). How he resolves Zaragoza's defiance at the start of Season 2 is another example, not least because it ends with him torching entire silk fields in a single night

* GoodIsNotNice: While generally kind and humble, he can become a lot less friendly and a lot ''more'' threatening when the situation calls for it. His negotiations with Zaragoza in the first opening of Season 2 are a clear example of this.

* BerserkButton: In Season 1, insulting either of his parents results in [[TalkToTheFist pain]], as [[{{Jerkass}} Orduño]] finds out the hard way. In Season 2, seeing one of his men attempt to [[RapePillageAndBurn rape a Moorish civilian]] sends him into a rage, and he delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown against the attempted rapist.

* BerserkButton: In Season 1, insulting either of his parents results in [[TalkToTheFist pain]], as [[{{Jerkass}} Orduño]] finds out the hard way. In Season 2, seeing one of his men attempt to [[RapePillageAndBurn rape a Moorish civilian]] sends him into a rage, and he delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown against the man-at-arms.

* AnimalLover: Apart from being associated with birds (see below), Ruy is also kind towards horses, frequently brushing them down himself even when his rising station means he no longer has to, sayin it reminds him of who he is.

* CombatPragmatist: Both as a combatant and as a tactician. He's willing to take advantage of his opponent's confidence during duels to make surprise attacks, such as catching Jimeno off-guard [[spoiler: to deal a lethal blow with an axe]], or making use of a [[ImprovisedWeapon discarded chainmail coif]] at Graus to stun Varo before moving in for the kill. In Season 2, he's willing to raid economically-rich civilian targets, prepares an ambush against a [[spoiler: non-existent]] pursuing Leonese army, and it's he who suggests conducting a night attack [[spoiler: against the unprepared and celebrating Leonese army at Golpejera, leading to Alfonso's capture]]. TruthInTelevision for the historical Rodrigo Díaz, too.

* TrueCompanions: With Alvar, Lisardo, and Nuño. They've all known each other since they started out as pages and share a deep bond of friendship. [[spoiler: On learning that Nuño is dead, Ruy [[ManlyTears sheds silent tears]].

* UndyingLoyalty: To Sancho. Though he may sometimes disagree with the ''Infante'', he'll also follow him through thick and thin without question. He swears at the end of Season 1 to serve him even when not shown gratitude, and to die for him. [[spoiler: Season 2. however, reveals the limits of his loyalty. When faced with the fact that Sancho is willing to doom all of Zamora to an agonising death just to get revenge on ''one'' person, he angrily chews him out. When Sancho banishes him from his sight, he abandons the siege]].

* WhatYouAreInTheDark: [[spoiler: He has the chance to let Sancho execute Orduño in Season 2 after the latter is captured and Golpejerra and have his title, lands, and even Jimena passed on to him. Despite Jimena pleading with him, he appears to seriously consider letting it play out. Ultimately it's revealed that he interceded on Orduño's behalf to Sancho, leading to Orduño being pardoned after swearing an oath of fealty]].