Cpl. Kait Diaz's vision inside the Hivemind.
- "I was in their network."
"Network. What network?"
"This! This whole goddamned hive. It's all connected." - —Sgt. Marcus Fenix to Delmont Walker.
The Hivemind, also called the Rift by the Locust, is an inherited, psychomagnetic link shared by all members of the Locust and Swarm. Located in the temporal lobe, the Hivemind acts as a collective consciousness. It allows those connected to communicate with each other telepathically, and can manually be controlled by the Queen. The Hivemind was discovered after the creation of the Locust by Dr. Niles Samson. Children ill with Rustlung were mutated by DNA from creatures of the Hollow into Sires. Sire DNA was combined with the embryonic stem cells of Myrrah, a child with a genetic immunity to Imulsion, to create the Matriarch - the progenitor of the Locust and their Hivemind.
Only human females directly related to Myrrah can control the Hivemind completely. The Matriarch was subservient to Myrrah, but also amplified her connection - allowing her greater control over the Locust. Myrrah's human daughter, Reyna Torres, and granddaughter, Kait Diaz, have access. Within the Hivemind, the Queen is capable of illusions, hallucinations, mind control, telepathy, and consciousness transferal; making her practically immortal. When the Hive lacks a physical Queen, they remain unguided until they seek a vessel for her. In 42 A.E., the Scions were capable of materializing the Hivemind into a fungal-like organism called the Swarm that operated out of Hives, connecting all life to the Hivemind.
History[]
Creation[]
- "The bond [the Matriarch] seemed to have developed with [Myrrah] continues to intrigue me. All at once, this mighty, matriarchal beast can be calmed into quiescence by no more than a glance! Dr. Torres has developed a containment module for [the Matriarch]. He believes that by suspending her in cryptochromic fluid, the psychomagnetic bond she and [Myrrah] appear to share could be amplified. I am skeptical but willing to entertain his flight of theoretical fancy."
- —Dr. Niles Samson on the Matriarch's bond with Myrrah.
When ordered to discover a cure for Rustlung, Dr. Niles Samson genetically altered the children of Imulsion-poisoned miners with the DNA from indigenous creatures of the Hollow, mutating them into what he called "Sires" and believed that he was using genetic power to evolve humanity into becoming immortal. One his patients, Myrrah, was genetically immune to Imulsion. By combining Sire DNA with her embryonic stem cells, they created a hybrid known as the Matriarch, which produced the Locust Horde.
Due to the fungal nature of Imulsion, the Locust were connected by a psychomagnetic link in which they were able to communicate with each other telepathically, establishing a collective consciousness. With Myrrah's embryonic stem cells used in the creation of the Locust and their Hivemind, she also had a connection to this Hivemind and was able to communicate with them telepathically. When exposed to the Matriarch, Myrrah's abilities to communicate with the Locust were amplified to where she could control them. A device was made to connect Myrrah's consciousness to the Matriarch's mind, allowing the scientists to study Myrrah's power and control the Locust better.
Myrrah finally learned about the extent of her powers, but she began to empathize with the Locust who felt imprisoned and tortured by the scientists and longed for freedom, but were unable to do so without the guidance of an intelligent queen. Samson found that without a Queen, the Locust could not hope to learn or grow as a species. Myrrah later gave birth to a human daughter named Reyna, fathered by Dr. Torres. Reyna inherited her mother's connection and abilities to the Hivemind. Torres feared the experimentation of his own daughter and escaped with her from the lab. Samson, unable to recapture Reyna, lied to Myrrah that Reyna died in the escape attempt.
Myrrah's grief coincided with her empathy for the Locust and newfound hatred of the humans. She began to prepare the Locust for freedom by guiding their intelligence. Samson and the other scientists began to notice that the Locust were becoming more mindful and organized, following the orders of Myrrah. The scientists feared the worst and attempted to prevent a violent outcome by curtailing Myrrah's exposure to the Matriarch, but it was too late. Myrrah, fulling realizing her power, led the Locust to rebel and slaughter the scientists. After escaping from the facility, Myrrah became Queen of the Locust Horde and led them deeper into caverns of Mount Kadar to build their own civilization of Nexus.
Locust Civilization[]
- "Ketor Droak the First was writing about his experiences with the Rift. A spiritual plane for those with the knowledge and access."
- —Ketor Vrol discussing the Hivemind to Skorge as the Rift.
In order to build Nexus, Queen Myrrah relied on the Hivemind to compel the Locust into extreme labor. As Nexus was completed, Queen Myrrah reinstated some free will while maintaining control over the Hivemind.
Meanwhile, the Locust began to create their own religion, known as the Trinity of Worms. Based on the Riftworms, whose tunneling led to the creation of the Hollow network and ecosystem within, the Locust believed the Hollow was theirs by birthright and were created from the Riftworms. The original High Priest of the Trinity, Ketor Droak, began experimenting with Imulsion fumes. By inhaling the fumes, he discovered it could allow one to access the Hivemind and command certain beings of the Horde, as well as receive prophetic visions. He referred to this as the "Rift". At some point, Ketor Droak died and was replaced by Ketor Vrol, who took in his writings. During his rule, Ketor Vrol appointed Acolyte Skorge as his apprentice.
Lambent War[]
- "By the Glowing Fog, the thrice-riven tunnel bore out into the Rift. I saw through each the eyes of the Trinity, and their mind was my mind."
- —Acolyte Skorge's prophecy of connecting with the Riftworms.
By 7 B.E., the Locust and other creatures in the Hollow were becoming Lambent - in which they were infected, possessed, and mutated by the Imulsion parasite. During the war, Acolyte Skorge inhaled Imulsion fumes and gained access to the Hivemind. Through which, he received prophetic visions that assisted the Locust during the war.
Acolyte Skorge received a prophecy that, unless another course of action would be taken, the Locust and Hollow would fall to the Lambent. Pressured by the Kantus monks, Ketor Vrol banished Skorge for blasphemy as his vision implied the Riftworms were dead or had long abandoned the Locust to allow for their extinction and loss of the Hollow. Banished, Skorge joined the Locust army where he assisted Vold RAAM in the Bloodied Vanguard by accessing the Hivemind and predicting the best outcomes for each battle against the Lambent. By the end of the seventh cycle, Skorge used the Rift during the Siege of the Gorgon Front, and determined that it would fall. Uzil RAAM decided to destroy the fortress themselves and take the Lambent down with it, leading them to victory.
Unlike the Kantus, Vold RAAM believed in Skorge's prophecy of losing the war, as he had led the frontlines that resulted in the loss of Locust and the Hollow. Arranging a coup against Uzil Sraak, Vold RAAM wanted to convince Queen Myrrah to lead a war against the humans in order to colonize the surface and escape the Lambent from below. While Vold RAAM went to arrange the plot, Skorge was sent to convince Ketor Vrol to vouch for them on the Queen's counsel. Ketor Vrol welcomed Skorge's return and discussed that the Rift had protentional to awaken the Riftworms and use them against the Lambent, but Skorge saw it as futile - as he prophesied that the Temple of the Trinity would fall. Moments later, the Temple was attacked by the Lambent, as a part of Vold RAAM's plot by abandoning the Expansion Hollow. Vold RAAM led the defensive and was victorious in securing the Temple. Ketor Vrol, convinced of Skorge's visions, allowed RAAM and Skorge to meet the Queen.
At the Locust Council, Vold RAAM and Skorge convinced Queen Myrrah to engage in a war with the humans, demoting Uzil Sraak to Vold and promoting Vold RAAM to Uzil. Requesting to be alone with Uzil RAAM, Queen Myrrah revealed that she had been planning the war against the humans for years, and was waiting for a Locust of true strength to take the initial steps. She also made Uzil RAAM aware that she was always watching him and knew his intentions through the Hivemind, and revealed that she will never be out-maneuvered by him due to his thoughts being known by Queen Myrrah.
Locust War[]
Uzil RAAM was successful in leading the Locust to attack the humans in Emergence Day. Nine years after E-Day, Uzil RAAM led an attack on Ilima to occupy it as a stepping down to reaching Ephyra, the COG capital and the one of the few places the Locust could not dig through because of the Jacinto Plateau's granite bedrock. Throughout the invasion, Queen Myrrah used the Hivemind to guide Uzil RAAM and warn him of potential threats.
In 14 A.E., the Locust learned that the COG was planning the Lightmass Offensive, in which they plant a Sonic Resonator to map the Hollow and use the date to deliver the Lightmass Bomb. When the Locust received intelligence that Alpha was in the ruins of Ephyra with the Sonic Resonator, Uzil RAAM attacked them. As Delta-One came to rescue Alpha, Uzil RAAM was commanded by Queen Myrrah through the Hivemind to assassinate Lt. Minh Young Kim in order to render the Gears without their leader. The following day, Queen Myrrah used the Hivemind to speak with the Locust regarding the death of Uzil RAAM and the destruction of the Outer Hollow, pledging to continue the war against the humans.
In Frost, 14 A.E., the COG invaded Nexus during Operation: Hollow Storm with the intent of assassinating Queen Myrrah and destabilizing the Hivemind, rendering the Locust without their leader. The COG was unsuccessful in eliminating Myrrah but was able to sink Jacinto and use the surrounding seawater to flood Nexus before the Locust could completely evacuate. With the majority of the Locust drowned, and the surviving Locust scattered, Queen Myrrah was unable to properly lead her entire Horde. The Queen's Guard remained within her control, but other surviving Locust scattered across the surface of Sera reverted to a feral mindset - unguided and unable to properly grow as an advanced species.
Lambent Pandemic[]
The Queen's Guard managed to stay organized due to Myrrah's presence as they converted the Endeavor Naval Shipyard, and later Azura, as their new base of operations. As for the Savage Locust who made their homes in the ruins of Sera, there was still some ingenuity among them, such as new weapons and artillery. When Queen Myrrah revealed herself to the Savage Locust in 17 A.E., the Hivemind was restored as they pledged their allegiance to her once again - becoming coordinated in their efforts to stop the COG from reaching Professor Adam Fenix.
After Professor Fenix activated the Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon, the Locust collapsed in a hibernating state as their bodies began to form an impenetrable crystalline shell composed of the Imulsion in their cells to develop a chrysalis for their evolution, as designed by Niles Samson. Despite this, many of the Locust managed to avoid the radiation and remained unaffected. Myrrah was killed by Sgt. Marcus Fenix during the end of the war, but her consciousness continued to exist within the Matriarch. As the humans began to bury the Locust bodies, the surviving Locust were commanded to stop them, but were eradicated by the 81st "Brash" Brigade.
Swarm Invasion[]
- "Surely you see I've done you a kindness. You are no longer vulnerable to the Hivemind, and your mother has been awakened. Well. So to speak."
- —Dr. Niles Samson to Cpl. Kait Diaz.
Because the Locust were designed to be evolutionary, both the Locust and their Hivemind survived the countermeasure, albeit in a dormant state. In 42 A.E., the Hivemind was reactivated as members of the Locust emerged from their Imulsion chrysalis shells, transformed into Scions. Despite Queen Myrrah's physical body being killed in 17 A.E., her consciousness survived within the Hivemind via the Matriarch and managed to guide the Scions into creating a new army. By physically materializing the Hivemind into a fungal-like organism, the Scions were capable of transforming all life and connecting it to the Hivemind, known as the Swarm - creating Hives within the Locust burial sites.
The Scions became leaders of these Hives, whose primary goal was to expand and build their army. The Swarm Hivemind was still fairly rudimentary, and the Scions themselves longed for the singular driving voice they once had. Therefore, Myrrah concluded that possessing a body would be necessary in order to fully restore the Hivemind. When she learned that her daughter, Reyna, was still alive, she guided the Speaker to the Outsider settlement, Fort Umson, to capture Reyna and make her the required vessel. These ambitions were cut short when Reyna was disconnected from the Hivemind and the Speaker was killed by Reyna's daughter, Kait Diaz.
As Kait Diaz remained her last possible vessel, Myrrah began to use the Hivemind to haunt Kait with horrifying visions and nightmares to sow paranoia and distrust among her human friends and compel her to join the Swarm. Meanwhile, Reyna's body was reconnected to the Hive and preserved as a last-resort should Kait fail to become their Queen. After four months, Kait Diaz traveled to the Mount Kadar Laboratory to disconnect herself from the Hivemind. Niles Samson learned the Locust had evolved into the Swarm and offered to disconnect Kait, but instead used Kait's connection to redirect Myrrah into Reyna's body, reawakening her from her death and providing the Swarm Hivemind the Queen they desperately needed.
Despite Kait destroying the Matriarch and severing her connection with the Hivemind, Myrrah was still able to possess Reyna and became the Swarm's new Queen. With a fully functional Queen, the Hivemind's intelligence began to grow considerably, in their aggression and planning of tactics, alongside the creation of some rudimentary weapons of their own, such as the Claw Light Machine Gun and Breaker Mace. Damon Baird discovered that the Hivemind can be temporarily disrupted by flooding Swarm creatures with high amounts of electricity. JACK was enabled with a hijack function to temporarily disconnect a Swarm creature from the Hivemind, causing it to attack other Swarm members.
Queen Reyna led the Swarm to attack New Ephyra, revealing herself to Kait Diaz and murdering one of her friends. The COG was able to repel Queen Reyna's attack with the Hammer of Dawn, but understood that the war with the Swarm was just beginning.
Behind the scenes[]
- A hivemind was first implied in Gears of War when Queen Myrrah seemingly communicated with Uzil RAAM telepathically during his assassination of Lt. Minh Young Kim, commending him of his work and urging him to continue with their plan.
- This was later confirmed during the sections of RAAM's Shadow. During the sections in which player takes the role of RAAM, Myrrah repeatedly communicates with RAAM telepathically - indicated by the lack of radio equipment and the peripheral of RAAM's vision being obscured each time she speaks.
- This is further supported by the perspectives of the Speaker in Gears of War 4 and Kait Diaz in Gears 5, as their field of vision resembles the same dark, cloudy frame around their peripheral.
- As the Hivemind is referred to as the "Rift" by the Trinity of Worms caste, it's possible that the Kantus have an innate ability to control various creatures of the Hollow, revive their fallen brethren, and receiving prophetic visions by interacting with the Hivemind, which can be accessed by inhaling Imulsion fumes.
- Real-world fungi can send electrical impulses and signals underground through long, thread-like structures called hyphae, which expand to form a network of mycelium. This is called the mycorrhizal network. Imulsion has been likened to fungi, specifically mycelium in its liquid state. This aspect of fungi is most likely what gives the Locust their ability of collective consciousness.
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