I prefer a protagonist who actually cares about their work, the whole time.

Cloud played the bad@ss card a bit too long, I thought. He didn't really start caring until somewhere around the time when (SPOILER)Aeris dies. Before that, he's sort of just along for the ride.

Guys like Cid (FF7 Cid, that is) serve their purpose. They'd never make a good main character, but their role as side characters is clear, and they usually fill it well, as FF games are generally well written.