"Then let's carve our names into history. I would feast upon the terror of all Sera before the end. I will demand recognition from our gods."
—RAAM's declaration before commanding the assault on Jannermont
Uzil RAAM was a quiet but ruthless Locust. RAAM was once a Drone soldier, then a member of the Theron Guard. His skill, intellect, strength, and his loyalty to the Horde and Queen Myrrah earned him the title of head of the military leadership of the Locust Horde. RAAM led the Bloodied Vanguard with Skorge against the Lambent durning the Lambent War. [1] He was also a member of the Locust Council durning the Lambent War. RAAM had a passion to wipe out all of the Lambent and Humanity, and with his intelligence and willpower, he almost succeeded.
Little is known about RAAM's early life. As the Locust Horde's civilization was in full bloom, RAAM was a visionary of sorts - always having ambition for the Locust Horde to become stronger and dominant.
Lambent War
Early Military Career
For years, the creatures of the Hollow began exhibiting mutations. This was due to the fungal parasite Imulsion, that was capable of infecting, hijacking, and mutating its host. Soon, members of the Locust Horde began becoming infecting and an epidemic soon followed. Queen Myrrah labeled the infected as Lambent and thus initiated a war against the Lambent in 7 B.E., as the Lambent Locust were either trying to kill or infect all living things they could find.
RAAM spent one year as a Drone fighting in the Lambent War before proving his skill and intelligence, elevating him to the Theron Guard. During this time, RAAM had quickly proved himself to be even stronger and smarter in the elite unit. But for unknown reasons, RAAM was cast out of the Theron, who at the time thought his ideals were pure lunacy. Despite this, RAAM eventually earned the rank of Vold, and led the Bloodied Vanguard against the Lambent. Sometime during this, he became close friends with Skorge, a Kantus shunned by his fellow priests for his visions and forced to join RAAM on the battlefield as his second-in-command. He also became rivals with fellow Vold Karn, due to the two's conflicting views on the Lambent War and leading their respective blights.
As the Lambent War waged on, RAAM envisioned a life without fear and war, and thought that colonizing the surface and leaving the Lambent in the Hollows to drown would allow for him and his species to live in peace. During his daily visits to the surface of Sera, he was the first of the Locust Horde in near a century to see the Human race, or "groundwalkers" as he referred to them. Over time he saw how the various armies of Humanity waged war on one another in the name of territory and resources, a flaw the Locust did not have. This warped RAAM's view of Humans, hating and believing them undeserving of the surface, and sough to, once Sera was conquered, wipe them all out.
Siege on the Gorgon Front
During one battle with the Lambent, they lose Gorgon Front, an outpost to the abominations and only through explosives were they able to repel them, at the cost of the outpost. After the battle, RAAM has Skorge tell their troops of his visions, boosting their morale. Then RAAM showed a confused Skorge the human city of Jannermont above the Hollows, and revealed his plan to lead the Locust armies to the surface, exterminate humanity, and claim the surface for themselves. Though Skorge cautiously reminded him of Uzil Sraak, who would kill them both for even suggesting it, and that fighting Humanity would be a battle on both fronts. RAAM is undeterred, and convinces Skorge to trust him, with the latter even offering to convince the Kantus of their plan.
They take their case to Sraak, who is unwilling to even hear them out, despite both RAAM and Skorge presenting evidence that the war with the Lambent is lost. RAAM tries to speak with Queen Myrrah, but Sraak refuses, causing the former to attack him, only for Sraak to brutally beat RAAM, leaving Skorge to take him to safety. Though when Skorge asks what he had to gain from trying to fight Sraak, RAAM reveals that he had not been trying to convince the general, but rather Queen Myrrah, who he knew had been hiding in the shadows listening to RAAM's assessment. With their task completed, they head back to their posts, and though Skorge remains sceptical on why RAAM believes the queen would even remember the meeting, RAAM reminds him that Myrrah cares about their people, and would not take his warning lightly. Before they can ponder more, they are attacked by a Corpser, sent by Sraak to execute them both.
Abandoning the Hollow and Assault on the Temple
When regular means cannot kill the Corpser, which uses it's legs as a shield, RAAM orders their troops to open fire on the beast's legs, with Boomers finally managing to destroy them and crippling the beast. While RAAM kills the Corpser, Skorge laments that Sraak did not possess the intelligence to give the Corpser armor, leading them to realize he had help from Ukkon, the head scientist. Despite realizing they now had little to no chance of convincing the queen now, RAAM is undeterred, and after giving yet another speech to his soldiers, reveals his plan to involve Karn and Ketor Vrol, high priest of the Kantus, in their plot. Though now Skorge snaps, accusing RAAM of being out of his depth due to being a pariah like Skorge, and questions RAAM on how he expects Vrol to listen to Skorge when even he doesn't believe in the latter's gift of prophecy. RAAM reaffirms Skorge that he is the only one capable of the task and manages to convince him to talk to Vrol. All the while the two are unaware that the Locust council, including Queen Myrrah were listening in on their conversation.
RAAM then goes to meet with Karn at the Expansion Hollow, mocking the latter over his inability to control his troops. Karn greets RAAM and reveals that just like RAAM, Karn has all but declared the war lost. RAAM slowly begins to manipulate his fellow officer, questioning if he too wished for a way to end the war, to which Karn admits to. RAAM then makes an example out of a drone who had disobeyed Karn's orders, slicing his head open with a knife. When Karn questions how he can assist RAAM in his plan to end the war, he is caught off-guard when RAAM reveals that he wants Karn to purposly allow the Lambent into the Inner Hollow, and reluctantly Karn agrees. After Skorge had failed to convince Vrol to aid them, a horde of Lambent procceeded to attack the temple, with a wounded Karn and a few drones managing to escape. RAAM and a squadron of Boomers arrive and procceed to blast the Lambent apart. As predicted, Vrol realizes that RAAM and Skorge were telling the truth, the latter and Karn convince him to aid them in their plan to convince the queen.
Promotion to High General
Before going to the meeting, RAAM meets with his old Theron comrades, while initially expecting them to denounce him, they reveal that they also see the truth in RAAM's plan, and hint to support him when the time comes, causing RAAM to laugh as he enters the meeting hall. Here RAAM and Skorge are able to present their case (with Vrol backing them up) to Myrrah, who is shocked that their reports are so different to Sraak's, who tries to threaten RAAM as the council argues, accusing him of deliberatly setting recent events in motion. Before he can go on, a wounded Karn barges in, slightly worrying RAAM and Skorge. Karn reveals that RAAM is right in that the Lambent are slowly winning, and that their people are doomed. This causes Myrrah to lash out at Sraak, who is embarrassed at this point. She then questions RAAM on how he intends to win the war, causing him to reveal that he plans to lead their army onto the surface and destroy Humanity, taking the surface for themselves and flooding the Hollow with sea water, therefore drowing the Lambent.
After consideration, Myrrah agrees with his plan, and promotes him to Uzil, demoting a humiliated Sraak to RAAM's former rank of Vold as punishment. She then orders everyone, but RAAM to leave the meeting hall. She reveals to her new general her planning with a Human who had promised a solution to the Lambent but failed to deliver, forcing her with no other choice but to invade the surface. Myrrah reveals that she has known of RAAM's plot since the beginning, and that while she agreed with it, she was waiting for him to take action. Before he can react, Myrrah threatens RAAM, choking and forcing him to understand that while they both wish the same thing, trying to dethrone her would result in his death, leaving a gasping RAAM to prepare for war.
Meeting with Karn, RAAM reveals that Myrrah has agreed to invade the surface. Karn questions RAAM on how it felt to be in the queen's presence, with RAAM lamenting that it felt strange, and how Karn could not comprehend it. Karn reveals to RAAM that he has dreamed of slaughtering Humans for sometime, despite not knowing their appearance, and is elated when RAAM comments they would be easy to kill. Despite their good mood, Karn also reveals that his men had been slowly losing the Expansion Hollow for some time, and his belief that the Lambent were not mindless monsters, that they were being led by something, and not knowing what made it impossible to destroy them. RAAM agreed with Karn's assessment, and promoted him to the rank of Zamil, and informed him that he would lead the destruction of the Republic of Gorasnaya.
RAAM and Skorge at the start of Emergence Day.
Locust War
Emergence Day
RAAM then meets up with Skorge, who informs him that Ukkon agreed to assist them, in exchange for allowing him to use the Humans as test subjects for his modified Corpsers. The two then lead an army of Locust up to the surface, ready to destroy the Coalition of Ordered Governments with Jannermont being their first target. They ambush a group of Gears in a training hall, killing most of them, with the last survivor being personally executed by RAAM. Skorge approaches him and cautiously reminds RAAM of his vision: that RAAM would not survive the war, though the Uzil is not fazed by this, instead revealing that he intends for Skorge to succeed him should he perish. They then successfully lead the attack on the base, efficiently slaughtering any Gear soldier in their path.
As RAAM and Skorge revel in their victory, they are suddenly attacked by a crazed Sraak, who is determined to kill them both regardless of Myrrah's orders, and challenges RAAM for the right to be Uzil once again. RAAM accepts and the two fight. Sraak quickly gains the advantage due to his armor protecting him from all of RAAM's attacks and even prepares to to kill RAAM by strangulation. But RAAM manages to kick clear and signals two nearby Theron Guards. The Theron Guards shoot Sraak with their Torque Bows, destroying the chest piece of his formidable armor and seriously wounding Sraak. Mocking Sraak on how his reliance on his armor has become his downfall, RAAM proceeds to tear out Sraak's heart with his bare hands, killing his former superior.
RAAM then reveals to the two Theron Guards that he had anticapated Sraak's bold yet reckless attempt at regaining power, and promotes the two to the rank of Krav in return for their service. RAAM then converses with Skorge, thanking him for seeing Sraak's actions through a vision. Though Skorge is quick to point out that despite dealing with the former Uzil, RAAM would still not live to see the war's end. RAAM is still undisturbed by this, and offers his brother-in-arms to join him in slaughering as many Humans as they can before perishing. They then begin to lead their troops to destroy the surface.
The Evacuation of Ilima
"Rrrrrriise!"
—RAAM, upon his emergence in IlimaAround a decade after Emergence Day, RAAM directed a Kryllstorm to assaultIlima on the Jacinto Plateau, as a stepping stone towards an attack on the COG capital of Ephyra. Three hours before the Kryllstorm hit, RAAM emerged in the center of the city with two Mauler Elites, Theron Elite, and a Tremor, which could summon Seeders that could ink out the sky. Myrrah spoke to him telepathically, ordering him to escort the Tremor to the first emergence point. RAAM threw a car out of his way, and then directed his shield of Kryll to rip
RAAM entering Ilima City.
apart a Gear. He kicked through a COG barricade, then RAAM and his bodyguards wiped out all of the Gears defending it. The Tremor then began planting a Thumper, and then more Gears attacked, trying to stop it. RAAM and his forces killed them all, and a Seeder emerged near their location. Myrrah complemented RAAM on his good job, and ordered him to move to the next location. She also warned him that the COG had deployed Gears wielding the One-Shot. RAAM killed several Gears that emerged from a nearby building, and entered a courtyard. He slaughtered the Gears defending it, including one with a One-Shot, and brought down a King Raven by overwhelming it with Kryll. RAAM kicked a van through a door to the second seeder location, and he and his bodyguards protected the Tremor as it summoned another Seeder. They then headed for the next emergence point, and RAAM killed a Gear piloting a Silverback and the other Gears at the location. He then smashed through another wall, and took out two more Silverbacks and several other Gears. RAAM and his bodyguards repelled the COG counterattack on the location, and a third Seeder was summoned.[2]
RAAM executing one of the Onyx Guards sent to stop him.
Assault on Alpha Checkpoint
"Venngeeance!"
—RAAM, after summoning the last of the Seeders needed to darken the skies above IlimaAn hour after this, RAAM emerged with his bodyguards and the Tremor at a COG evacuation outpost. They quickly smashed through the initial defenses, and RAAM and the others guarded the Tremor as it planted another Thumper to summon a Seeder. COG reinforcements arrived, but they were all defeated, and another Seeder emerged, deploying more Nemacyst to ink up the sky. RAAM led his forces through the area around Ilima City Hall, crushing more COG resistance, and they arrived at the final spot to summon the remaining Seeders. After clearing out the last of the Gears, a modified King Raven flew over the battlefield and dropped off two Silverbacks and dozens of Onyx Guard, who attempted to stop RAAM and his bodyguards. After several minutes of hard fighting, the Onyx Guards were all killed, and three more Seeders emerged onto the battlefield. Myrrah congratulated RAAM on his success, and ordered him to move to the final spot to summon the last of the Seeders needed to completely darken the skies above Ilima.[3]
When there were only a few minutes left until the Kryllstorm hit, RAAM led his forces to attack the Children's School of Hope, one of the last remaining areas in the city not under Locust control. As his Drones attacked the squad guarding it from one direction, RAAM advanced on the Gears from behind to catch them off guard. As he approached, one of the civilians that the Gears were protecting, Jace Stratton, tripped on the body of a dead Gear as he tried to grab the Gear's Lancer, and RAAM picked him up by the head and prepared to stab him. Jace kicked RAAM in the face, knocking him off balance for a moment, and Pvt. Alicia Valera knocked Jace out of his grasp and attempted to cut him with her Chainsaw Bayonet. His armor protected him, and RAAM brought his knife up through Valera's stomach, killing her. This caught the attention of the rest of the Gears, who opened fire on RAAM. His Kryll shield protected him, but he fell back and summoned his personal Reaver, taking to the skies to continue his assault. As the Gears counterattacked the Locust advance, RAAM destroyed the bridge that led to the orphanage, cutting them off and destroyed their APC, preventing any escape using the vehicle. RAAM flew over the battlefield, and when he spotted a Gear firing on him from a platform, he crushed the soldier, causing the platform to collapse. When he saw another Gear outside of the orphanage, he fired a Kryll Grenade from his Reaver, and the Gear was devoured.[4]
RAAM injured after his Reaver was shot down by Zeta squad
Battle With Zeta Squad
RAAM then landed on a nearby building and fired at Zeta Squad, which had made it back to the orphanage and killed all of his bodyguards. He was driven off the building when his Reaver was injured, but continued this pattern of attack to try and kill the Gears as Emergence Holes opened around the orphanage. However, his Reaver became too injured and crashed, knocking RAAM off before it flew away. RAAM confronted the Gears on foot, supported by various Grenadiers, Cyclops and dozens of other Drones from the E-Holes. However, the Gears were able to close the holes, and took advantage of whenever he directed his Kryllshield away to fire upon him relentlessly. RAAM eventually had enough of this, and when his Reaver returned, he took back to the sky, flanked by two other Reavers. As they assaulted the Gears on the ground, RAAM's flanking Reavers were eventually killed, and his Reaver was shot down as well. He crash-landed behind the orphanage, and his left leg was badly wounded and stuck. As he attempted to pull it out, Lt. Minh Young Kim appeared in front of him, determined to get revenge for Valera. As Kim charged at him, RAAM managed to call a shield of Kryll to defend himself, but Kim continued trying to get through it. Cpl. Michael Barrick arrived and pulled him back just before RAAM directed hundreds of Kryll at them. RAAM watched, frustrated, as Zeta-Six and the civilians in the orphanage escaped in KR Eighty-Four, unable to stop them.[4]
RAAM commanding a squad of Theron's against Midnight Squad.
Operation Midnight
"Sssssssuffer..."
—RAAM, arriving at Ferro Bridge with his Theron squadDuring the Coalition of Ordered Governments's Operation: Midnight four years later, RAAM led a squad of Theron Guards in an attack on a Gearsquad that was stationed on the Ferro Bridge, who were attempting to keep it open for a convoy to pass through. They advanced on the Gear squad, killing two of the Gears, until RAAM and his Therons cornered the remaining Gears on one end of the bridge. When they were about to advance and overwhelm the Gears, four King Ravens appeared and opened fire on RAAM and his soldiers. RAAM jumped over the side of the bridge into the water below to escape while his minions were killed. He swam to shore, and watched angrily as the Gears succeeded in carrying out their mission and the COG convoy crossed the bridge.[5]
Lightmass Offensive
RAAM killing Minh Young Kim.
Early Offensive
When the COG launched the Lightmass Offensive later that year, RAAM personally led the Locust counterattack. He led an ambush of two Gear squads at the Tomb of the Unknowns, intending to hunt down and kill the Gear leader. He isolated and personally killed the leader of Delta Squad, Lt. Minh Young Kim, whom he recognized from Ilima City. He ordered the other Locust to leave Kim to him, and punched him in the face before picking him up and impaling him upon his knife, staring into Kim's eyes as he died. RAAM then tossed the body aside and turned his attention to the other Gears, but they had already retreated into the Tomb of the Unknowns.[6] Following the retreat of Delta and Alpha Squad into the tomb itself, RAAM ordered the release of a Berserker into the tomb to kill the survivors and prevent them from escaping with the Sonic Resonator.[7]
RAAM using a captured Gears helmet com to listen to Delta's plan.
Late Offensive
However, when that failed, he captured a Gear shortly after Delta attacked the Lethia Imulsion Facility, and used his com device to discover the humans' whereabouts of the Lightmass Bomb, and its need for targeting data. RAAM then crushed the Gears helmet and snapped his neck with a single hand, and, acting on that intel,[8] he sent forces to East Barricade Academy, where they attempted to prevent Delta Squad from obtaining Adam Fenix's targeting data on the Hollows.[9]
RAAM confronting Marcus and Dom on the Tyro Pillar.
Hijacking the Tyro Pillar
"Ssserve the Queen!"
—RAAM, when encountering Marcus and Dom aboard the Tyro PillarRAAM personally set out to hijack the Tyro Pillar with armed forces as well, in order to capture the Lightmass Bomb. While RAAM's forces in East Barricade failed to stop Delta Squad from obtaining targeting data, RAAM was able to take control of the Tyro Pillar, throwing many of the defending Gears off the high-speed train while they were still alive.[10] RAAM guarded the bomb while his soldiers secured the train and attempted to stop more Gears from boarding, but two Gears, Sgt. Marcus Fenix and Pvt. Dominic Santiago, were able to jump aboard as it passed through Timgad Station.[11]
—RAAM, as he fights Marcus and Dom on the train.RAAM stayed with the Lightmass Bomb at the front of the train as Sgt. Marcus Fenix and Cpl. Dominic Santiagofought through all of his forces on the train, killing them and preventing the Locust efforts to stop the Tyro Pillar. RAAM confronted the two Gears at the head of the train, determined to stop them from reaching the Lightmass Bomb and inserting the targeting data. RAAM held his ground, advancing on the Gears while firing a Handheld Troika Heavy Machine Gun at them and shrouding himself in Kryll. Reavers also attacked the Gears in support of RAAM, but a King Raven manned by Col. Victor Hoffman, Cpl. Augustus Cole, and Pvt. Damon Baird prevented them from drastically interfering. RAAM was unable to kill the two Gears, and was eventually killed by them when they broke his shield of Kryll and shot him to death; avenging Kim and Valera's deaths. They left his body on the Tyro Pillar as it drove into the Imulsion pit and launched the Lightmass Bomb into the Outer Hollows.[12]
RAAM's corpse sinking to the bottom of the Imulsion lake along with the Lightmass Bomb.
Legacy
"So who the hell was that screaming Locust guy, anyway?" "No idea. Crazy bastard cut through a friggin' tank, though. He's gotta be a Locust big shot or something." "What? Like RAAM?" "Maybe... but he made RAAM look like a goddamn pushover."
—Benjamin Carmine, Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago comparing RAAM with SkorgeTo the people of Sera, news of RAAM's death was met with rejoicing. But to the Locust Horde, RAAM's failure and death seemed to spell certain doom; with the destruction of the Outer Hollows, the Horde lost of millions of drones and tamed Hollows creatures, including the Kryll, turning the tide of the war to the humans' favor, and weakening the Horde's defenses against the Lambent. But the Lightmass Bomb also awakened a Riftworm, and RAAM's brother-in-arms, Skorge was able to use the awakened Riftworm and lead a massive counterattack against Jacinto City.[13] Skorge seemed to use even more brutal methods than RAAM did, such as capturing Gears and "processing" them, with even Sgt. Marcus Fenix, one of RAAM's killers, stating that Skorge made RAAM look like a pushover.
Personality and Traits
RAAM was a quiet but merciless warrior, earning the favor of Queen Myrrah herself. He was intelligent, methodical and calculating, as seen by using a captured Gear's radio to eavesdrop on the COG during the Lightmass Offensive. He was ruthless and merciless, despising the Humans and Lambent as much as everyone else in the Horde, if not more. As brutal as he is powerful RAAM chooses particularly unpleasant ways of killing humans unfortunate enough to meet him personally, such as lifting them up by their skulls and then beheading them with his serrated sword.[2]
Fear was not part of RAAM's vocabulary. Even when Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago cleared the Tyro Pillar of his forces, RAAM alone stood his ground and fought to the bitter end. However, the general did know when to retreat, as evidenced during Operation: Midnight.
RAAM was added to Gears of War at the last minute; due to time constraints and production deadlines. The reason for him being on Tyro Pillar was never explained until Gears of War PC.[14]
RAAM was named after the owner of a local Indian restaurant that Epic staff members ate at.[14]
If you kill General RAAM on hardcore you'll get the achievement "A Dish Best Served Cold".
RAAM appears smaller than his original height in multiplayer but is still taller than most other COG and Locust soldiers.
RAAM has been released as a figurine in a two-pack with Lt. Minh Young Kim. He comes with his Troika and serrated knife from the game.
An exclusive action figure of RAAM was released at Toys R Us.
In the Gears of War top 5 Deadliest Locust Video, RAAM was named number one.
RAAM is included in the Gears of War 3 HeroClix Toyline.
RAAM appears briefly at the beginning of the Dust to Dust trailer, leading the Locust against Marcus and Dom.
RAAM is playable in his own mini-campaign for Gears of War 3, a DLC called RAAM's Shadow, which was released on December 13, 2011. He also acts as the game's primary antagonist when the player is not in control of him.
RAAM has his own unique Execution move in said DLC. He can grab a downed Gear by the head, lift him into the air, look the Gear in the eyes and then decapitate the Gear with his serrated blade. He finishes the execution by throwing the head over his shoulder in a very unentertained manner. In addition, RAAM can also impale Gears with his knife similar to how someone would be impaled by a Retro Lancer but RAAM only uses one hand to do it and with very less effort.
If you kill 50 Gears as RAAM with your Kryll finger you'll get the achievement "Finger of Doom".
In Gears of War 3, RAAM has an Easter Egg in Bullet Marsh called "RAAM's Gift", in which RAAM sends his Kryll to give you a hand-held Vulcan Cannon if you find all four of his swords in the correct order. These swords can only be collected from the sniper-roosts and northern warehouse when the power is out and the Kryll are there.
RAAM's hand-held Troika appears to be based on the body of the Boomshot, the trigger group, and receiver have stayed the same but the large grenade launching barrel has been replace by two Troika barrels. The cylinder magazine stayed the same also, but was probably modified to hold Troika ammunition.
RAAM's strategy of killing Gear officers to demoralize other enemy soldiers is not unlike a strategy Germany utilized in WWII. German soldiers were instructed to target ally officers so as to disorganize the enlisted servicemen and ensure victory. However, like RAAM, the tactic ultimately failed as American Sergeants, Corporals, and Privates had the courage and skill to take over leadership of their squads. A trait shared by Marcus Fenix and the rest of Delta Squad.
RAAM had a close friendship with Skorge throughout the Gears of War: The Rise of RAAM Comic Series. It was RAAM who chose Skorge to take over the Locust Army once he met his demise.[16]
Multiplayer
RAAM is available as a player in Gears of War, and is the leader during Assassination.
He is also an unlockable character in Gears of War 2 Multiplayer, if the player has received the A Dish Best Served Cold achievement, acquired after killing RAAM on the Hardcore difficulty. In order to acquire RAAM, you must sign into Xbox Live after obtaining the A Dish Best Served Cold achievement.
In the Unreal Engine 3 trailer for Gears of War 2, RAAM is still shown as leader, even though he is replaced by Skorge in game.
RAAM is a multiplayer character in Gears 5. He was only initially unlocked by players unlocking his "Gilded" skin by completing three challenges in Gears of War 4 by June 2019. RAAM only had his “Gilded” variant available at Gears 5 launch, however, his regular character skin can now be either purchased or unlocked via competing totem challenges.
