Benedicto Santiago, affectionately known as Benny, was the son of Dominic Santiago and Maria Flores and brother to Sylvia Santiago.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Benedicto Santiago was conceived by teenagers Dominic Santiago and Maria Flores. The two married in 4 B.E. and Benedicto was born in Frost of that year. Benedicto was named after the middle name of Dominic's older brother, Carlos. After Benedicto's birth, Dominic felt responsibility for his son and family, and thus became a Gear in the Coalition of Ordered Governments Army. While Benedicto's father was in the military, his mother took care of him without the assistance of his grandparents.
Pendulum Wars[]
Childhood[]
Within Benedicto's first year, he was moved to an apartment in lower Jacinto City. By the time Benedicto was one year old, his parents conceived another child, a girl. Dominic visited Benedicto and Maria once after conceiving their second child. He had returned home from commando training and received his commando knife. Dominic spent the next few days with Benedicto and helping prepare Maria for the new baby. However, Dominic was called back early for an upcoming battle: the Battle of Aspho Fields.
The day before the Battle of Aspho Fields, Benedicto became an older brother to his younger sister, Sylvia Santiago. However, his Uncle Carlos died during the battle. Following the battle, Dominic was awarded the Embry Star and planned on giving it to Benedicto when he would get older. During the next two years, Benedicto grew up with his younger sister and parents in their apartment in Jacinto. Sometime after, Dominic and Maria rented a house in the suburbs of Ephyra for Benedicto and Sylvia to grow up in. Benedicto had his own room and, at a young age, was a fan of Thrashball and already had equipment for when he played with his father.
Two years after the Battle of Aspho Fields, the Pendulum Wars had ended. Dominic Santiago returned home on permanent leave as Sera secured peace among all nations. Benedicto then began to spend more time with his father as the war was over. With his new civilian life, he and Maria would take Benedicto and Sylvia to a local park and play, as Dominic hoped Benedicto and Sylvia would grow up into a world without war and conflict.
Locust War[]
Emergence Day[]
Six weeks after the end of the Pendulum Wars, Benedicto and Sylvia were sent, by Maria, to her mother and father's apartment, as she wanted to surprise Dominic with giving themselves the day off together. Benedicto and Sylvia were especially excited to be with their grandparents as they had just moved and taken in a new cat.
Unfortunately, this day would become Emergence Day, in which a race of subterranean creatures called the Locust Horde emerged from the Hollow and invaded every major city on Sera, including Ephyra, to slaughter every man, woman, and child without prejudice. Benedicto and Sylvia were separated from their parents on that day, and were in the southern region of Ephyra, which was the most damaged by the Locust invasion. During the attack, Maria's parents were killed by the Locust Horde.
Death[]
During Emergence Day, both Benedicto and Sylvia were killed as they fell through an opening Emergence Hole, falling to their deaths. Maria and Dominic were unable to bury Benedicto and Sylvia due to their bodies being lost underground, but were able to bury Maria's parents in the family graveyard in her hometown in Mercy.
Legacy[]
Both Dom and Maria suffered the loss of their children, as well as both of their parents. However, Dom was more able to grieve as he already experienced the death of loved ones such as his brother. Dominic would keep track of how old his kids would be if they were alive. Maria, however, continued to blame herself for their deaths for years, and eventually began to hallucinate that they were still alive, searching for them when she could.
Maria spent weeks without talking or eating, and spent her time crying while cleaning their bedrooms as if they were still alive. She was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and was prescribed anti-depressants. However, no amount of medicine or grief counseling could help Maria and eventually left Dominic in 4 A.E. to search for her children, and disappeared ever since until she was found in 14 A.E. by Dominic as a lobotomized, Locust prisoner - later euthanizing her.
Appearances[]
- Aspho Fields (First appearance)(Appears in flashback(s))
- One Day (Appears in flashback(s))
References[]
- ↑ Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg. 89