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{{Character
|name=Lambent
|image=[[File:LambentEmblem.jpg|350px]]
|homeland=[[Hollow]], [[Sera]]
|death=Bloom, 17 A.E.
|species=Parasitic Organism 
|gender=
|height=
|weapons=  
|eyes= Yellow
|era=[[Pendulum Wars]]<br>
[[Lambent War]]<br>
[[Locust War]]<br>
[[Stranded Insurgency]]<br>
[[Lambent Pandemic]]
|types= [[Lambent Stalk]]<br>
[[Lambent Polyp]]
|notable= *Can infect almost all living beings on Sera 
*Less than 1% immunity to Lambency on Sera 
*Sensitive to extreme radiation 
|affiliation= [[Imulsion]]
|weight =
}}
{{Quote|That's what freaks me out more than anything. Grubs- you '''knew''' they could think. But these things- they're just animals. Or '''plants''' even, like the damn stalks. What's driving them? What do they want? They're not even eating us.|Sgt. [[Drew Rossi]], reflecting on the nature of the Lambent}}
The '''Lambent''', often called '''Glowies''' by [[Serans]], were a race of semi-sentient organisms [[Lambent Infection|infected]] by [[Imulsion]]. Lambency was caused by exposure to Imulsion fumes and had the ability to subvert and mutate its host, robbing them of their free will and transforming them into mindless vectors with no other goal than to spread the infection. Upon death, all Lambent organisms would explode to release the large store of Imulsion in their bodies due to the volatile nature of their rapidly mutating physiology. This also allowed the infection to spread as the Imulsion exuded toxic fumes into the air around nearby organisms, replenishing their ranks.<ref name="AG">[[Gears of War: Anvil Gate]]</ref>

While Imulsion poisoning, in the case of [[Rustlung]], was discovered and studied extensively during the early [[Pendulum Wars]], the Lambent weren't discovered until Doctor [[Elain Fenix]] recovered an infected Rock Shrew from the [[Hollow]] in 17 B.E., though her findings were never published. By 7 B.E., the [[Locust Horde]] began a [[Lambent War|war]] against their infected brethren. Queen [[Myrrah]] of the Locust Horde employed the assistance of Professor [[Adam Fenix]], husband of the late Dr. Elain Fenix, to cure Lambency, which he was unable to do. The Locust were forced to [[Emergence Day|invade]] the surface in order to colonize Sera and escape the Lambent.    

Publicly, the Lambent were discovered by the COG during the [[Locust War]] as [[Lambent Wretch]]es emerged with the Locust during the invasion, though sightings were rare and believed to be rumors. In 14 A.E., Lambency caused a [[Lambent Pandemic|pandemic]] due to the [[Sinking of Jacinto City|sinking]] of [[Jacinto City]], in which Imulsion rose into the soil and the oceans, saturating the planet. The Lambent were eliminated in Bloom, 17 A.E., when Professor Fenix detonated the [[Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon|Imulsion countermeasure]], a targeted-radiation device aimed at killing Lambent cells, ending the pandemic. 

=History=
==Discovery of the Infection==
Around a century before Emergence Day, the substance known as Imulsion was considered to be more of a scientific curiosity than a practical resource after its discovery, and was essentially useless until Dr. Helen Cooper created the Lightmass Process. The process was capable of refining Imulsion into an efficient energy source. In the early years, scientists had no reason to consider Imulsion a parasite or a living being at all.

Sometime later, in the early years of the Pendulum Wars, COG officials and scientists such as [[Niles Samson]], discovered poisoned, infected Imulsion miners. In order to cure the Lambency for continued use of the fuel, the [[New Hope Research Facility]] was opened to attempt to find a cure for Lambency. However, Niles, after discovering that one test subject, [[Myrrah]], was immune to Imulsion, began experimenting on the people infected with Lambency, ultimately creating the [[Sire]]s. Eventually, due to information leaks, recent attacks by the Sires, and failures to find a cure, New Hope was decommissioned as well as the project, and all sources related were erased. This information, however, carried on about the health risk with Imulsion with Chairmen and COG officials. This would remain secret until a public discovery in 15 A.E. Niles, some of his test subjects and all of his research were relocated by a [[Fringe COG Party]] to [[Mount Kadar Laboratory|a secret laboratory]] beneath [[Mount Kadar]] where he continued his experiments, eventually creating the [[Locust Horde]].

[[File:Gears5 Lambent.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A Lambent; Theron, Grenadier and Drone.]]
==Lambent War==
The Lambent and the Locust eventually entered into [[Lambent War|a war]] with each other over control of the [[Hollow]].<ref name="ROR">[[Gears of War: The Rise of RAAM]]</ref> With the Lambent spreading, they began driving the Locust Horde into extinction, and a desperate [[Queen]] [[Myrrah]] entered into a pact with [[Adam Fenix]]; if he could find a solution to the Lambent infection, the Locust Horde would not have to invade the surface. Unfortunately, the [[Pendulum Wars]] forced Adam to create another weapon to help the COG instead of the Locust Horde, taking up his time to make a countermeasure weapon against the Lambent. By the time the Hammer of Dawn was completed, the Locust Horde was preparing to invade the surface after the Pendulum Wars ended.<ref name="G3">[[Gears of War 3]]</ref> With the Locust losing ground against the Lambent, General [[RAAM]] pushed for an invasion of the surface by the Locust, a plan that Myrrah agreed with.<ref name="ROR" />

==Locust War==
Fourteen years after E-Day, during the [[Lightmass Offensive]], [[Delta-One]] discovered Lambent Wretches for the first time at the [[Lethia Imulsion Facility]] and engaged them while trying to gain access to the [[Hollows]] and deploy the Sonic Resonator. The Lambent Wretches were reported to have been seen before by the COG and had in fact been seen six weeks after Emergence Day during the [[Destruction of Halvo Bay]]. Unlike the rest of the Lambent, the Lambent Wretches did not appear to be hostile to the Locust and worked with them on the [[Tyro Pillar]]. Their presence there may have just been coincidental, as while they did attack, they didn't attack at the same time as the Locust.<ref>[[Gears of War]]</ref>

During the [[Siege of Nexus]], Delta-One infiltrated [[Nexus]] and discovered that the Locust were already engaged in an urban battle with the Lambent. At the time, the COG did not know the full effect of the Lambent infection. With the Horde losing ground to the Lambent, the COG discovered how they were able to make great progress in the Hollows, because the Locust were split losing on their home front. Sgt. [[Marcus Fenix]] later discovered a Locust defense plan of the city of Nexus showing that the Lambent were attacking from under the city.<ref>[[Gears of War 2]] collectible</ref> During the battle, Augustus Cole killed a [[Lambent Drone]] which didn't explode and its Imulsion moved on its own up a cliff to the other Lambent Drones there. Later, the squad used the [[Hammer of Dawn]] to detonate the [[Lambent Brumak]] to sink Jacinto and flood the Hollows.

==Lambent Pandemic==
[[File:NewLambentanddrones.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Three Lambent Drudges.]]
Several months after the sinking of Jacinto and the flooding of the Hollow, the Lambent infection spread to the surface. By this time, they had developed the capability to appear all over the place through the [[Lambent Stalk]]s and deploying various different forms. Although at first believed by COG to only infect Locust, [[Former]]s - humans infected by [[Imulsion]] - begin to appear in areas such as [[Mercy]]. [[Adam Fenix]] developed [[Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon|a weapon]] capable of destroying Imulsion and all those that were heavily infected by it, thus the Lambent and the Locust, but Adam was captured by the [[Queen's Guard]] during the [[First Battle of Azura]] before he could activate it. When the remnants of the COG and the [[Gorasni]] [[Second Battle of Azura|launched an attack]] on the island, the Lambent attacked as well, battling everyone present. Eventually Adam managed to activate the weapon and a wave of [[Drudge]]s were sent to try to stop him, but were killed by the weapon before they could succeed. The weapon was successfully activated and destroyed all Imulsion and everything infected by it, including Adam, the Locust and all Lambent lifeforms, marking the end of the Locust War and Lambent Pandemic.

=Lambent Forms=
The Lambent consist of an organic root parasite that infects other organisms, causing them to rapidly mutate into impulse-driven, feral, monstrous forms of their former selves. This parasite is linked to the Imulsion fluid that exists on Sera, as exposure to Imulsion vapors are what causes the Lambent infection. The size, shape, and severity of the Lambent mutations vary based on the host and their environment. When a Lambent lifeform dies, they typically self-detonate in order to spread the Lambent contagion. 

==Lambent Organisms==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
|'''[[Lambent Polyp]]'''
|[[File:Gow-3-polyp.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Polyps''' were the most basic form of Lambent organisms. Polyps had a crab-like appearance, hunted in large packs, and were normally released from Lambent hosts after they had been mutated or destroyed. Polyps were capable of climbing walls and ceilings. Their methods of infection were spewing Imulsion and latching onto the backs of potential hosts to possess their bodies. 
|-
|'''[[Lambent Stalk]]'''
|[[File:Stalks.png|290px]]
|'''Lambent Stalks''' were huge, fungus-like organisms that spawned from the ground and acted as the fruiting bodies of Imulsion. They expelled fumes that carried spores into the air and released Imulsion to contaminate the surrounding soil. Their main feature was to unleash other Lambent organisms from its pods, typically Polyps but they were also known to release Lambent Locust.
|}

==Infected Organisms==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
|'''[[Lambent Berserker]]'''
|[[File:Lambent Berserker.png|290px]]
|'''Lambent Berserkers''' were infected Locust [[Berserker]]s and one of the deadliest Lambent organisms. Maintaining the speed, strength, and aggression of the Berserkers, they also gained greater jumping heights and distances with the use of their spider-like appendages and were also capable of expelling Imulsion fumes. Due to their impervious skin, the only way to kill a Lambent Berserker was to shoot inside their ribcages when it would open upon charging.
|-
|'''[[Lambent Gunker|Lambent Boomer]]'''
|[[File:Gow-3-lambent-gunker.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Boomers''', or '''Gunkers''', were infected Locust [[Boomer]]s, mainly infected [[Butcher]]s. The Gunkers had their right arms mutated to envelop their [[Butcher Cleaver]]s while their left arms mutated into a spoon-like claw, which poured and hurled balls of Imulsion from afar. Their right cleaver arm was then used to extend from extreme lengths, killing their victims with the cleaver. They were not produced until during the Lambent Pandemic in 17 A.E.
|-
|'''[[Lambent Brumak]]'''
|[[File:Lambent Brumak2.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Brumaks''' were infected [[Brumak]]s and among one of the largest known Lambent organisms. They were nearly triple the size of a regular Brumak and sported large, snapping tentacles and a pharyngeal jaw. Only one has been known to exist during the [[Sinking of Jacinto City|sinking]] of [[Jacinto City]] by triggering its combustive nature with the [[Hammer of Dawn]], thus causing the surrounding seawater to flood the [[Hollow]].
|-
|'''[[Lambent Drone]]'''
|[[File:Lambentwarss.jpg|290px]]<br>[[File:Druge.png|290px]]
|'''Lambent Drones''' were infected Locust [[Drone]]s and the most common of Lambent Locust. Despite the feral nature of the Lambent, infected Drones were still capable of using weaponry and military tactics. They were the main combatants of the Lambent War and Lambent Pandemic. Lambent Drones later evolved into [[Lambent Drudge]]s. These creatures lost all form of sentience and gained the ability to morph their ligaments and heads, forcing their enemies to constantly change tactics. Drudge mutations included extending their body height, growing tentacles that fired Imulsion and a head-snake that spit fire, and releasing Polyps from their torso. 
|-
|'''[[Former|Lambent Human]]'''
|[[File:Former.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Humans''', or '''Formers''', were infected [[Human|humans]] following constant Imulsion exposure. During the Lambent Pandemic, cities that had major Imulsion refineries, like [[Mercy]], [[Char]] and [[Halvo Bay]]; were the first cities to have their citizens turn Lambent. The Lambent Humans typically swarmed in large numbers and had increased speed, agility, and strength. Upon death, the Lambent Humans did not explode but instead slightly combusted into a cloud of Imulsion fumes.
|-
|'''[[Lambent Leviathan]]'''
|[[File:Gow-3-dommarcus-silverbacks.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Leviathans''' were infected [[Leviathan]]s and the largest known Lambent organisms. Inhabiting the [[Serano Ocean]] and first surfacing in 15 A.E., the Lambent Leviathans attacked the island [[Vectes]] during the [[Battle of Pelruan]] and the [[First Battle of New Jacinto]]. Lambent Leviathans were capable of launching Lambent Polyps. Extreme artillery was used to destroy the Lambent Leviathans, but their explosions were known to be the most catastrophic.
|-
|'''[[Lambent Wretch]]'''
|[[File:Lambent Wretch 3.jpg|290px]]
|'''Lambent Wretches''' were infected [[Wretch]]es and one of the most common Lambent organisms, capable of reaching numbers in the millions. The Lambent Wretches were one of the first known instances of Lambency for both the [[Locust Horde]] and [[Human]]s. Lambent Wreteches invaded the surface of Sera along with the Locust during the [[Locust War]] since [[Emergence Day]], causing the humans to incorrectly assume the Lambent were under the control of the Locust.
|-
|'''Various Lambent Animals'''
|[[File:Lambent Eel.JPG|290px]]
|During the Lambent Pandemic in 15 A.E., several animals on the surface and in the [[Serano Ocean]] came into contact with high amounts of [[Imulsion]] and later turned Lambent. Known examples were [[Lambent Dog]]s, [[Lambent Cat]]s, [[Lambent Eel]]s, and [[Lambent Bull]]s. In a short amount of time, Lambency was capable of jumping the species barrier to infect more living organisms on the surface. 
|}

=Relations=
==Locust Horde==
{{Quote|We cannot allow the Lambent to pollute the surface. We must bury their infection here!|[[Queen]] [[Myrrah]]}} 
The Locust Horde and the Lambent are in a state of war and fighting for control of the [[Hollow]]. [[Queen]] [[Myrrah]] regards the Lambent as an infection to the Locust Horde and lower life forms, and that it is the duty of the Locust to stop the spread of the Lambent parasite to the surface of [[Sera]]. The Lambent is also the reason that the Locust invaded the surface: the Lambent were driving them from the Hollow.

In reality, the Locust Horde's origins are partially traced back to the Lambent due to Doctor [[Niles Samson]]'s experiments on humans infected with [[Rustlung]] leading to the creation of the [[Sire]]s and later the Locust.

==Humans==
The Humans now view the Lambent as a huge threat to the society of the Serans, and now attempt to stop them at all costs. The Lambent also find the humans as a new source of "species barrier" jumping as said by Marcus Fenix when first finding Formers in the sewers of Mercy. The Lambent is the reason why the humans are on full alert to them, most notably because of the Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon.

=Behind the Scenes=
*Queen [[Myrrah]] was the first to refer to the glowing, infectious organism as Lambent.<ref>[[Gears of War: The Slab]] pg 40</ref>
*It is unknown if the Lambent have some sort of hivemind, as they always attempt to stop the Gears throughout ''Gears of War 3''. This is evidenced when the Warehouse Stranded Leader says how tons of Lambent start appearing when the COG show up, and how the Stadium Leader blames the COG for getting their home overrun because of them.
**It's possible that Imulsion's hivemind was responsible for the creation of the [[Locust Hivemind]], as Imulsion was used to create the Locust through genetic experimentation. 
*The Lambent may have been inspired from Bungie's ''Halo'' series as there is a counterpart to them; the Flood. Both are infectious parasites that attack and kill their victims, only to possess their bodies to spread their plague. When infected, both have their skin colors turn into jet black (Lambent) or decaying flesh (Flood). When the vessel is destroyed, both leave none or little remains behind.
* Lambent skins for various Locust characters are playable in ''Gears 4'' and ''Gears 5'', like the Locust, they are affiliated with the Swarm. Being a customized model of the base character, they bleed blood rather than Imulsion and do not explode on death.

==Horde==
The Lambent make an appearance in Horde 2.0 and [[Horde (Gears 5)|Gear 5's horde mode]].

In ''Gears of War 3'', most Lambent are encountered as enemies in Horde if the wave theme is set to Lambent, with the exception of stalks and leviathans. Locust appear alongside them during the waves, but despite their hostility in-game, are tolerant towards each other unless friendly fire occurs, in which the two factions will fight each other instead.

In ''Gears 5'', the Lambent return in its horde mode, albeit with a much smaller pool of only Drones, [[Lambent Grenadier|Grenadier]]s and [[Lambent Theron|Theron]]s. As with ''Gears of War 3'', the Lambent will usually be supported by the [[Swarm]], initially maintaining tolerance until friendly fire occurs.

=Appearances=
*''[[Gears of War: The Rise of RAAM|The Rise of RAAM]]'' 
*''[[Gears of War: Judgment]]''
*''[[Gears of War: The Slab|The Slab]]''
*''[[Gears of War]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Gears of War: Ultimate Edition]]''
*''[[Gears of War 2]]''
*''[[Gears of War: Dirty Little Secrets|Dirty Little Secrets]]'' 
*''[[Gears of War: Anvil Gate|Anvil Gate]]''
*''[[Gears of War: Coalition's End|Coalition's End]]''
*''[[Gears of War 3]]''
*''[[Act VII: Aftermath|Aftermath]]''
*''[[Gears of War 4]]'' {{MPo}}
*''[[Gears 5]]'' {{MPo}}

=References=
<references/>
{{Enemy Species}}
[[Category:Articles needing citations]]
[[Category:Lambent Locust]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Creatures in Gears of War: Judgment]]
[[Category:Creatures in Gears of War]]
[[Category:Creatures in Gears of War 2]]
[[Category:Creatures in Gears of War 3]]