In the chronology of the Mass Effect universe, our first piece of fiction is the tie-in graphic novel, Mass Effect: Evolution, written by one the Mass Effect series' lead writers, Mac Walters, scripted by John Jackson Miller with art by Omar Francia. It is interesting to note that it was published nearly four years after the first game.
Evolution details a key event in the history of a very important figure within the Mass Effect series: the Illusive Man.
By Chronology By Publication Date Title Publication Date Title Publication Date Evolution 9/21/2011 Revelation 5/1/2007 Revelation 5/1/2007 Mass Effect 11/16/2007 Mass Effect 11/16/2007 Ascension 7/29/2008 Incursion 6/21/2010 Galaxy 6/22/2009 Redemption 1/6/2010 Redemption 1/6/2010 Ascension 7/29/2008 Mass Effect 2 1/26/2010 Galaxy 6/22/2009 Incursion 6/21/2010 Paragon Lost 4/7/2011 Inquisition 6/21/2010 Mass Effect 2 1/26/2010 Retribution 7/27/2010 Retribution 7/27/2010 Paragon Lost 4/7/2011 Inquisition 6/21/2010 Conviction 7/26/2011 Deception 1/31/2012 Evolution 9/21/2011 Conviction 7/26/2011 Invasion 11/19/2011 Invasion 11/19/2011 Deception 1/31/2012 Infiltrator 3/6/2012 Infiltrator 3/6/2012 Homeworlds 4/25/2012 Homeworlds 4/25/2012 Mass Effect 3 11/18/2012 Mass Effect 3 11/18/2012
As I mentioned in my first post, there will be spoilers in this blog post.
The Story
The story begins in the midst of the First Contact War, which, if you'll remember from the Codex entry, was humanity's first encounter with an alien species, the turians. The war itself was short-lived, but its consequences reverberated throughout the galaxy for decades (as we shall see over the coming weeks).
Shanxi, a human colony established beyond our solar system, is attacked and devastated by the might of the turian military. Jack Harper leads a small band of mercenary humans in covert hit-and-run operations against the invaders (though, from the turians' perspective, humans are the invaders). They are assisted under the table by Alliance General Williams, a man who shares an intense dislike for the turians with Jack.
The mercenaries ambush a patrol and capture a high-ranking member of the turian military, General Desolas Arterius. Jack learns that the turians have recovered an ancient relic and no one is sure where it came from. Jack and Ben, a member of Jack's team, are exposed to the relic. It seemingly kills Ben and knocks Jack unconscious. Desolas takes Jack and Eva, another human mercenary and part of Jack's team, captive.
When Jack comes to, he and Eva are aboard Desolas' ship under he watchful eye of Desolas' brother - another very important figure in the Mass Effect series - Saren. From him, the humans learn that the Citadel Council has intervened and that the First Contact War is over. They are returned to the Systems Alliance military. But, General Williams doesn't trust the turians, nor any of the aliens aligned with the Citadel, and enlists Jack's aid to track down the relic.Before long, Jack begins exhibiting strange behavior. He can suddenly communicate with other alien races in their own language even though he never knew them before. Additionally, he is able to feel where the relic is located and uses that to track it to the planet Illium. As they get closer to the relic, they are attacked by Saren and a group of cloaked figures. They are horrified to learn that one of them is a resurrected Ben, but he barely resembles the man he once was.
Captured, Jack and Eva are once again brought to Desolas, who has become obsessed with the relic and its potential. The general explains that the relic turned Ben and the original turian scientists that found it into organic-synthetic hybrids with incredible strength and resilience. These hybrids obey Desolas' every command so long as they are able to be near the relic.
The turian general brings the relic and the humans to Palaven, the turian homeworld. Arriving as a savior to his people, Desolas plays on long forgotten religious myths to reopen Temple Palaven, the old centerpiece of turian beliefs.
He establishes himself as a sort of high priest and keeps Jack captive because the human's exposure to the relic did not completely turn him like the rest of the hybrids. Desolas hopes to use Jack to better understand the relic and orders him begin deciphering ancient texts within the temple walls that resemble the language used by the hybrids. Saren, however, grows uneasy with the relic and its effect on his brother.
Despite Saren's unease, Desolas houses the relic, now called the Arca Monolith, within the temple and begins exposing more and more turians - even children - to the monolith in order to build up an army of hybrids, all in the name of advancing the turian race.
Jack and Eva escape from their guards and try to find Ben, but instead they find the cloaked hybrids digging deeper within the temple. Saren finds and confronts Jack. In turn, Jack tries to convince him that what his brother is doing will destroy the turians rather than bring them forward. As they argue, the hybrids break through a nearby wall, uncovering another relic similar to the Arca Monolith. This convinces Saren that Desolas must be stopped and relics destroyed.
Desolas attempts to kill Jack, but Ben, overcome with despair at what he has done, breaks through the relic's hold over him and throws the turian general at the relic. Saren intervenes, but Desolas is still exposed though not fully. Jack takes Eva's body and leaves Palaven, warning Saren again that the relic will destroy the turians.
When Desolas comes to, Saren begins talking with him over a communicator. Saren apologizes to his brother, but the turian people must be protected. A strike from an orbital cannon destroys the temple along with everything and everyone inside. Saren vows revenge. The story ends with Jack Harper, now the Illusive Man, sitting in his office as he finishes telling his version of events as part of his manifesto.
My Thoughts
To be honest, I was surprised by how much this story tied in with the rest of the fiction. At first, I thought it would just be a side story that showed some of the Illusive's Man's exploits that influenced him. The inclusion of Saren and the relic was a stroke of brilliance on the part of the writers.
It not only gives more reason to the why of the Illusive Man and his staunch beliefs in protecting humanity, but also that of Saren, perhaps even more so for the turian. From his perspective, a human exposed his brother to the relic. With Desolas now beyond saving, Saren is forced to kill him and dozens of his own people (albeit, hybrid versions of his own people, but still). Talk about messing a dude right the heck up. This sheds more light on the events that happen in Revelation and in the first Mass Effect game. The existence of the Arca Monolith and its sister within Temple Palaven actually answered one my own questions from Mass Effect 3: Where are all these hybrid bad guys coming from? Now, I know.
Note to anal Mass Effect fans: I know the correct term instead of "hybrid" is "indoctrinated," but we haven't gotten to that yet in the overarching story.
I will say this, Evolution might be a little difficult to understand for the uninitiated. Meaning, if this is your first exposure to the Mass Effect universe, you might get a little lost in places. The writers are trying to accomplish what they do in a very short space and don't spend much time on background beyond what is directly relevant to the story. For instance, the Citadel, a key component of Mass Effect, is given a passing comment. Also, not knowing who the Illusive Man is and his role in galactic events lessens the impact of the last two pages.
Having said that, Evolution is still a great comic. Well written and illustrated, it gives more background and weight to some of the larger aspects of Mass Effect. My only gripe: I would love to have seen how Jack eventually becomes the Illusive Man, not just his motivation. I think a story that shows him manipulating his way into the leadership of Cerberus would be very interesting. But, who knows, some of that may shake out in later stories. I haven't read them all yet, so we'll see what happens.
Next week we look at the first Mass Effect novel, Revelation.
No comments:
Post a Comment