- "Corrupted machinery is the future of our species, Vrol."
- —Ukkon to Ketor Vrol.
Ukkon was the lead scientist of the Locust Horde and member of the Locust Council during the Lambent War and Locust War. Originally human as a child, he was afflicted with Rustlung, a fatal lung condition caused by Imulsion exposure, and transported to the New Hope Research Facility to be treated alongside other ill children. Ukkon was the first of the genetic experiments at New Hope. As Dr. Niles Samson's Patient Zero, Ukkon was transformed into a Sire by being mutated with the DNA of creatures from the Hollow. Unlike the Sires created after him, he retained his mental capacity and later became a genius. Exposure to Imulsion before and during experiments granted him the ability of accelerated healing, becoming physically immortal.
The DNA of the Sires were combined with the embryonic stem cells of Myrrah, a human born with an immunity to Imulsion, to create the Locust. Ukkon's genetic knowledge and ingenuity led to the creation and modification of Hollow creatures that aided the Locust as either weapons or transportation. His most notable works included the modification of Corpsers, Brumaks, Disciples, Zealots, and the Shibboleth. Ukkon was also designated to restock the Locust population by transforming captured humans into Drones. Ukkon and his creations were noted by the Coalition of Ordered Governments during the first year of the Locust War and was marked for assassination to prevent the Locust from gaining more strength in their army. He was eventually killed in Reap, 1 A.E. by Reyna Torres, the estranged daughter of Queen Myrrah.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Ukkon was once a human born and raised in Tyrus to an Imulsion miner during the Pendulum Wars. At a certain point, Ukkon developed a condition known as Rustlung due to over-exposure of Imulsion fumes. His father, among others in their community, also became afflicted.
Pendulum Wars[]
New Hope Research Facility[]
Due to the newfound health effects of Imulsion exposure discovered by the Coalition of Ordered Governments, the Department of Health established the New Hope Research Facility to house the children of Imulsion miners infected with Rustlung, study the toxicity of Imulsion, and to create a cure. Among the children taken and imprisoned for experiments was Ukkon, also known as Patient Zero. The Director of the facility, Dr. Niles Samson, began his experiments by injecting the children with daily doses of concentrated Imulsion to study its effects, including Ukkon. The research showed that while it caused immediate cell stress and degradation, other cells underwent point mutations that could be seen as beneficial in genetic engineering. Later, Dr. Torres discovered that one of the children, Myrrah, exhibited complete immunity to Imulsion and Rustlung. Also, Myrrah benefitted from Imulsion exposure as it decelerated her aging by 50% and supercharged her immune system. Due to this discovery, Dr. Samson hoped to transfer or replicate her immunity in the other children.
Dr. Samson theorized that indigenous creatures of the Hollow were also genetically immune to the effects of Imulsion due to their proximity. and began working with transgenics by splicing the children with the DNA of the Hollow creatures. The children were mutated in horrific creatures that became mindless, feral, and highly aggressive as well as genetically unstable, distempered, and sterile. He called these mutated children the Sires. They began to exhibit some resistance similar to Myrrah's immunity, but ultimately failed as they each resulted in death - declaring Myrrah as a medical anomaly. However, when Ukkon was transformed into a Sire, he retained his mental capacity, but he was just as sadistic as the other Sires. Despite still being afflicted with Rustlung, Ukkon gained similar genetic abilities as Myrrah. Ukkon, when exposed to Imulsion, gained the ability of accelerated healing when wounded - making Ukkon physically immortal. However, the facility developed a fail-safe called Cytostatic Gas to block Ukkon's healing abilities if he became out of control.
With Ukkon's retained mental capacity and accelerated healing abilities, Dr. Samson became convinced not to just research a cure for Rustlung, but to genetically create enhanced soldiers to end the Pendulum Wars, as well as evolving the human race in general to become stronger and healthier. As the experiments continued, Ukkon became more sadistic and intelligent, causing terror in the facility. Employees of New Hope were then victims of attacks by the Sires, causing many employees to become disillusioned and resign - with some leaking information to the press. Pvt. Sid Redburn, a guard at New Hope, became disturbed by Ukkon and the work at New Hope as well, and was able to escape the facility with research files and revealed them to Colonel Tolman about the work being done at New Hope. Colonel Tolman alerted Chairman Monroe and led the Coalition to investigate, discovering the rumors about child imprisonment, torture, and unethical experimentation at New Hope were true. The facility was then shut down all involved were indicted.
Mount Kadar Laboratory[]
Following the shut down of New Hope, a fringe political party within the Monroe Administration contacted Niles. As pragmatists, they believed Niles's work to end both Rustlung and the Pendulum Wars and offered to relocate him and his work to a secret facility in Mount Kadar. Niles agreed, but was unable to request vehicle transportation to not let Chairman Monroe know of their actions. Ukkon, along with the other Sires and Myrrah, walked to Mount Kadar on foot with the remaining loyal scientists of New Hope during the night in the snow.
Ukkon continued to grow in intelligence in the Mount Kadar Laboratory. As Niles continued his work, he began combining the embryonic stem-cells of Myrrah with the DNA of Sires, creating the first hybrid. As a female, the Matriarch was able to reproduce and gave birth to the Locust Horde. Like Ukkon, the Drones were intelligent. Additionally, they were able to be controlled through the Hivemind as it was discovered that all Locust shared a psychomagnetic link to each other and Myrrah, being able to communicate telepathically and with Myrrah able to control them remotely. Following the creation of the Locust Horde, Dr. Torres impregnated Myrrah and she gave birth to a human daughter, Reyna.
It was discovered that Reyna had inherited many of Myrrah's abilities, including her connection to the Hivemind. However, Dr. Torres feared his own daughter would be experimented on and fled the facility with her. Unable to recapture her, Niles lied to Myrrah that Reyna had died during the escape attempt. Grief stricken, Myrrah grew a hatred for the humans and empathy for the Locust, her children, as they longed for independence and to no longer be tortured. Myrrah, along with Locust Drone Sraak, then led the Locust Horde to rise up and slaughter all of the scientists in the facility. Ukkon, Myrrah, Sraak, and the remaining Locust managed to escape the facility and gain their independence.
Building the Locust Horde[]
At a certain point, Ukkon came to learn many aspects of science such as genetics, engineering, and biology. Inherited the scientific knowledge of Dr. Niles Samson from Queen Myrrah, Ukkon became one of the most intelligent member of the Locust Horde and became a gifted scientist.
To progress the Locust Horde, Ukkon genetically engineered many of the indigenous creatures of the Hollow, as he believed it was the future of the Locust Horde. Among his creations were the Brumak, which he bred from smaller, native apes of the Hollow, and the Corpser. He also designed the helmet technology that allowed the Locust to control them. Without the helmets, the creatures become rogue and just as dangerous to the Locust as they would to their enemies.
Ukkon also ordered the capture of humans from the surface in order to replenish the Locust Horde's stock by transforming the humans into Drones, and to use them for genetic experiments. Ukkon would then test their strength and abilities by placing them in a fighting pit. Due to his ingenuity and genius, Queen Myrrah invited him the position on the Locust Council for scientific affairs.
Lambent War[]
Scientist of War[]
- "Have we considered, even for a moment, that RAAM might be accurate in his assessment of our war with the Lambent?"
- —Ukkon
By 7 B.E., the Lambent War began. Ukkon acted as chief scientist for the Locust Horde. His studies involved machinery, weaponry, and genetic engineering. Ukkon, using recycled materials from the surface, supplied the Locust with modified weapons against the Lambent. Keter Vrol, the High Priest of the Locust Horde, saw this as blasphemy, but Ukkon, who appeared to be agnostic or atheist, saw the modified creatures as the future for the Horde.
End of the Seventh Cycle[]
Sraak choking out Ukkon.
Seven cycles after the onset of the Lambent War, Ukkon was in the Royal Palace of the Inner Hollow with Queen Myrrah, Uzil Sraak, and Ketor Vrol, watching a Corpser's view during its attack on the Bloodied Vanguard. The Corpser had been beaten, and was then executed by the blight's leader, Vold RAAM. Vrol had warned against sending the Corpser, and scorned Ukkon for having 'corrupted' the Corpser with machinery. Ukkon stated that corrupted machinery was the future of the Locust, that Vrol was stuck in a long dead era, and that once he is gone, the Locust would finally be freed from his antiquated beliefs. Vrol retorted but was interrupted by Sraak, who said that the loss of RAAM couldn't be afforded. He added that his intention behind the Corpser's attack was for RAAM to honor the Queen and Horde, and turn from his treasonous thoughts, though this recent act has made it clear that he will not.
Ukkon asked if anyone had considered whether RAAM's assessment of the Lambent War was accurate, then spoke directly to Myrrah, stating that RAAM's thoughts on the Lambent are only part of what troubles him. Sraak then begged privilege to Myrrah that he would kill RAAM himself. Myrrah opposed this, stating that RAAM was the Horde's most promising Vold, and that action against him would divide the Locust. Ukkon said that every eventuality should be planned for, but Vrol argued that the Hollows would never fall; that they are a birthright created by the Trinity and evolved into the incubator of the Sires. Ukkon believed this to be logical, but Sraak grabbed him by the neck, telling him to attend to his strange machines and leave matters of war to the true spawn of the Sires. Myrrah shouted enough, stating that RAAM remains Vold of the Bloodied Vanguard but to not think her a fool. If RAAM moves against her, they would strike against him; until then, he has every chance to prove his loyalty.[1] Later on, he was present at another meeting where RAAM and Skorge made their case about how the war with the Lambent was lost, after the Assault on the Temple of the Trinity. RAAM proposes that the Horde would invade the surface and kill the humans and claim the surface for themselves, delighting Ukkon, who thought of all the new technology that awaited them.
At some point during the Seventh Cycle, Vold Karn discovered a deformed Corpser with a missing leg and decided to nurture it, calling it the Shibboleth. Vold Karn then requested that Ukkon help mend and modify the Shibboleth. Ukkon not only devised a metal leg for the Shibboleth, but modified it with armor plaiting, Troikas, Imulsion bombs, and designed it with the ability to expel Nemacysts and Diggers and to breathe fire.
Ukkon in his laboratory with Skorge
Locust War[]
Emergence Day[]
While not present on the surface when the Locust Horde emerged, his creations were and aided in the killing of billions of humans on Emergence Day. Uzil RAAM also agreed to his deal with Ukkon and established a quota of live humans to be captured and experimented on.
In the following months, Ukkon began to perform recon missions on the surface. Due to this, the Coalition High Command was able to document Ukkon and discover that he was the Locust's geneticist responsible for creating the creatures that aid the Locust army.
Assassination of Ukkon[]
Destruction of Aldair Army Base[]
Shortly after the Hammer of Dawn Strikes, Ukkon led an attack on Aldair Army Base, destroying the bunker and killing everyone inside of it.
Having been sent to retrieve a classified file on Ukkon, Sgt. Gabriel Diaz and Major Sid Redburn returned to the devastation that Ukkon had left behind. Diaz contacted Chairman Richard Prescott who revealed that Ukkon was "a monster who makes monsters" such as Corpsers and Brumaks and that Prescott was assigning Diaz to lead an operation to kill Ukkon before he could create anything even worse.
Assault on Industrial District[]
Having witnessed Ukkon at a warehouse in the Industrial District of Aldair, Stranded leader Mikayla Dorn led Alpha Squad there. However, they found Ukkon gone and only his Imulsion supply left behind which they blew up.
Mission to Claybourne[]
Scientist Ukkon had been sighted for weeks in the cities of Aldair and Claybourne. On 35th Bloom, 1 A.E., Ukkon's forces managed to destroy a COG bunker in Claybourne and occupy both it and the Claybourne Dam. However, COG forces: Sgt. Gabriel Diaz, Major Sid Redburn, and Stranded leader Mikayla Dorn arrived at Claybourne following Mikayla's lead on Ukkon's frequent whereabouts.
After clearing the Claybourne Dam of Ukkon's soldiers, Alpha witness Ukkon arriving to collect the four Gears taken prisoner. As one Gear attempted to reach for his Lancer, Ukkon broke his arm, lifted him by the throat, and broke his neck. Turning his attention to the three other Gears, he was shot in the jaw by Mikayla Dorn. After seconds of incapacitation, Ukkon arose and healed his jaw, summoning a Brumak to destroy the Gears.
Ukkon regenerating after his jaw got blown off.
Assault on UIR Laboratory[]
The Gears in the area managed to kill the Brumak, but were unable to kill Ukkon due to his healing abilities. Alpha Squad then relocated to Vasgar to train their recruits and prepare the battle for Ukkon. Meanwhile, Ukkon also arrived in Vasgar in search of immune boosters, as the Nedroma Health Institute of Vasgar also researched Imulsion and developed a temporary treatment to Rustlung.
Ukkon became determined to develop a base of operations for his experiments in Vasgar and thus found an abandoned UIR laboratory filled with Stranded. After invading the lab, he discovered Dr. Torres and with him, Queen Myrrah's daughter, Reyna. Ukkon murdered Torres and everyone else inside the lab except for Reyna to keep Myrrah's daughter alive. He then personally took Reyna's amulet that once belonged to Myrrah. He began to redesign the facility with Imulsion pumps to build his creations, including the Hydra.
Battle of Imtik Imulsion Rig[]
Finding the haul of immune boosters in Nedroma, Ukkon was able to supply himself with more health and treat his Rustlung condition. However, his discarded canisters led Alpha to locate his haul at Nedroma. Ukkon became desperate to look for his stolen immune boosters, and as usual listened over the radio comms, learning that a truck full of them were spotted north of Imtik. Upon arriving to the truck full of immune boosters, Ukkon opened the door to two harpoon guns which impaled and trapped Ukkon.
Sgt. Diaz, Major Redburn, and Mikayla Dorn then eradicated Ukkon's escorting Drones and surrounded him. Ukkon then recognized Sid Redburn from their days together at the New Hope Research Facility. Major Redburn knocked out Sgt. Diaz and prepared to drive with Ukkon back to Ephyra to parade the truth about the COG creating the Locust. Mikayla prevented Major Redburn from leaving before Ukkon was able to amputate his right arm and escape the trap. Regenerating his limb, he summoned a Corpser to deal with the squad while he escaped. However, the squad were able to kill the Corpser.
Battle of Ukkon's Laboratory[]
Somehow, Reyna managed to escape from Ukkon and was rescued by Sgt. Diaz. Wanting to avenge her father, Reyna showed Alpha where Ukkon's lab resided. While Ukkon unleashed his newest army of Disciples, the entire Alpha convoy arrived and attacked his laboratory. Mikayla Dorn, armed with the knowledge of Ukkon's weakness due to Sid Redburn's intel, threw a Cytostatic Gas Grenade at Ukkon - halting his healing process and making him vulnerable.
- "Witness to my masterpiece"
- —Ukkon presenting the Hydra to the gears as his most perfect creation.
Ukkon then retreated inside while his army fought the convoy. Sgt. Diaz, Major Redburn, Mikayla, and Reyna entered the facility and found Ukkon, who was prepared to unveil the Hydra to kill them all. As Alpha fought his unleashed army, Sgt. Diaz and his squad destroyed all the Imulsion pipes to weaken his experiments. The Hydra then emerged, with Ukkon riding it. Despite its sheer size and strength, Alpha was able to shoot at and damage its mechanics, and kill the Hyrdra.
Death[]
- "You think you've won. But your suffering is only beginning. Humanity is weak, soft. My creatures, my perfect creations, will outlive you all!"
- —Ukkon's last words.
With his Hydra dead, Ukkon came face to face with Sid Redburn, Mikayla Dorn, Gabriel Diaz and Reyna Torres. Although Ukkon attempted to heal himself with the immunity booster, he was still suffering the effects of the earlier Cytostatic Gas Grenade and Dorn warned that she had more if they needed it. Ukkon proclaimed that they would never stop all of his creations and that the Locust would survive and win as humanity was weak and inferior. Ukkon was cut off in mid-sentence by Reyna shooting him in the head with a Snub pistol. With his regenerative powers weakened by the grenade, Ukkon was unable to heal himself and was killed instantly by the shot. Reyna then recovered her mother's amulet from Ukkon's corpse.[2]
Legacy[]
Although Ukkon was dead, his creations survived. Gabriel Diaz decided to devote himself and his forces to hunting down Ukkon's monsters separate from the COG.[2]
In 42 A.E., after Gabriel and Reyna's daughter Kait sought information about her father, Colonel Victor Hoffman told her that there were things even he didn't have access to and that although he knew about them, they were secrets that needed to die. Hoffman told Kait that the right person to learn it from was Richard Prescott despite him being dead. He also told Kait that there was one name she should pay attention to when she came across it: Ukkon. Kait committed Ukkon's name to memory and thought that it sounded familiar, as if she had heard it before in childhood. However, Kait's memory of where she had heard of Ukkon before was elusive, possibly even deliberately sealed away.[3]
Personality and Traits[]
Ukkon was a dedicated and skilled engineer and geneticist who believed his inventions and creatures were the future of the Locust. Ukkon longed to see his creations rise and achieve a desired outcome, but as a scientist, he was always aware that there was room for improvements.
He was also always eager to acquire any new technology from the surface, believing it would advance his work and that of the Locust - a prime reason why he supported RAAM and Skorge in their plan to invade the surface of Sera and attack humanity. RAAM and Skorge noted that Ukkon was much more of a visionary compared to his fellow councilmembers as a result. Like other Locust leaders, Ukkon considered humans too soft and frail to inherit the world, while his creations and the Locust were the only ones fit to rule Sera. Further, he took sadistic delight in torturing, experimenting, or murdering humans who were at his mercy.
Due to his more scientific viewpoint, Ukkon possessed little respect for anything religious, making him atheistic or agonistic. He often clashed with Ketor Vrol, High Priest of the Trinity of Worms, as he believed that ingenuity and automation was the future of the Locust, not worshipping the Riftworm gods. Ketor Vrol also saw the creatures of the Hollow as sacred beings, whereas Ukkon saw them as tools to improve and use in the field. Thus, he had no qualms in creating new creatures of the Hollow or weaponizing them, much to Ketor Vrol's fury.
As one of the oldest members of the Locust species, Ukkon had full knowledge of what he and his kind really were, for the memories of New Hope remained fresh in his thoughts. He recognized Major Sid Redburn and taunted him on the atrocities he witnessed at New Hope and how the COG ironically created that which is destroying humanity.
Due to the beneficial effects of Imulsion upon him, Ukkon had powerful regenerative powers that effectively made him immortal, though he still suffered from Rustlung. His only weakness was Cytostatic Gas, which blocked his regenerative powers and made Ukkon vulnerable to harm. The effects of a single dose of the gas seem to last for awhile on Ukkon as he was still affected enough to be killed a while after being hit with a Cytostatic Gas Grenade.
Appearance Gallery[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Ukkon is voiced by Jason Spisak in Gears Tactics.
- Ukkon was one of the few Locust who could speak fluent Tyran due to having been human once and was able to retain much of his intelligence and sanity when he became a Sire.
- Ukkon was among the oldest of the Locust Horde, along with Myrrah, Sraak, Vrol, and Droak.
- The fact that Ukkon was called Patient Zero at New Hope suggests that he was likely the first human to be transformed into a Sire.
- During Gears Tactics, Ukkon was to have a large worm as a pet. It would have been seen wrapped around his shoulders and the size of an anaconda. This concept was later removed.
- Originally, Ukkon would have self experimented and mutated throughout the game. In each encounter, he would look different and larger - and by the final boss be in his ultimate form. This idea was moved to his creatures instead.
- Ukkon is the final boss of Gears Tactics, succeeding General RAAM, the Lambent Brumak, the Tempest, the Hive Beast, the Kraken, and Shibboleth from Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Gears of War 4, Gears 5, and Gears of War: Judgment respectively.
- Ukkon made his multiplayer debut inside of Gears 5’s Operation 7.
Appearances[]
- The Rise of RAAM (First appearance)
- Gears Tactics
- Gears 5 (Multiplayer only)
- Bloodlines (Mentioned only)
References[]
- ↑ Gears of War: The Rise of RAAM Part Two
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gears Tactics
- ↑ Gears of War: Bloodlines pages 346-347
| Locust Leaders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Queen Myrrah · High General RAAM · High General Sraak · General Karn · High Priest Skorge · High Priest Vrol · High Priest Droak · Scientist Ukkon | ||