List of Gears of War characters

This article provides a list of characters and organizations encountered in the video game series Gears of War by Epic Games.

Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG)

Long before the Pendulum Wars, the Coalition of Ordered Governments existed only as an obscure world-government philosophy, created by socialist politician Alexiy Desipich and based on eight guiding principle values: Order, Diligence, Purity, Labor, Honor, Loyalty, Faith, and Humanity. During the 79-year-long Pendulum Wars, the COG grew into a legitimate political party and one of the two superpowers.

The Pendulum Wars began soon after the discovery of Imulsion, a substance exploited for its energy applications. Nations with little Imulsion available waged war with those that had a surplus of it. The wars ended 6 weeks before "Emergence Day," (E-Day) when the Locust Horde began their attack. COG leaders were the only ones who took the steps needed to help humanity to survive, instituting martial law and taking charge of the effort against the Locust. Fourteen years later, the COG is the only form of government left on Sera, the world where Gears of War takes place.

Delta Squad

The original Gears of War trilogy focuses on the members of a COG unit known as Delta Squad. During the first act of Gears of War, several characters rotate in and out of Delta Squad. The squad's line is augmented throughout the game's chapters due to casualties, and the inclusion of the remnants of other squads, particularly Alpha Squad.

Marcus Fenix

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Sergeant Marcus Fenix (voiced by John DiMaggio) is the main protagonist of the series. Marcus led a promising military career during the Pendulum Wars. During the Battle of Epyhra, he abandoned his post to rescue his father, Adam Fenix. Marcus is unable to save his father and is later court-martialed and sentenced to 40 years in a dilapidated prison. At the beginning of Gears of War, Dom Santiago, his best friend and long-time comrade, liberates Marcus from the prison. He is recruited to help the ‘Delta Squad’ deploy the light-mass bomb, but the group sustains heavy casualties during their mission. When their commanding officer, Lt. Minh Young Kim is killed in battle, Marcus is promoted to the lead of the group. He retains the position throughout the Gears of War trilogy, and plays a pivotal role in helping humanity defeat the Locust Horde and Lambent forces. He is instrumental in the destruction of both species, personally killing the Locust Queen and having a major role in the deaths of the two Locust Generals, RAAM and Skorge. He is in love with Anya Stroud, though he does not outwardly display affection to her much.

Augustus Cole (Cole Train)

Private Augustus "Cole Train" Cole (voiced by Lester Speight or more commonly known as Terry Tate) is a soldier in the COG military. Cole is a vibrant and enthusiastic character, who is often outspoken. In Gears of War, Cole and his comrade Baird are members of Alpha Squad but join Marcus and Dom after their squad mates are killed in combat. He is well known by soldiers and civilians for his career as a ‘Thrashball Player’ prior to Emergence Day. He played for the Hanover Cougars. Cole is briefly a playable character in Act One of Gears of War 3's single player campaign, where he leads a small force to search for supplies in his hometown.

Damon Baird

Corporal Damon Baird (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is a cynical, smart-mouthed and skeptical soldier, whose main strengths lie in his intelligence. In Gears of War, he often makes sarcastic remarks and frequently undermines Fenix's authority. Baird is initially a member of Alpha squad, but is folded into Delta squad along with Augustus Cole. Baird is a very capable mechanic and hacker (Baird wanted to be an engineer -something his wealthy parents disapproved of). Early in Gears of War, Baird expresses disdain for Fenix, and indicates that he thinks he should have been promoted to lead Delta squad. However, Fenix quickly earns his respect through his battlefield leadership. In Gears of War 2 he and his jumpmate Tanner are taken prisoner by the Locust and Tanner is killed; Baird is rescued by Delta Squad.

In Gears of War 3 Baird is needed to repair the Hammer of Dawn for Hoffman and succeeds in doing so. In the second half of Act III and in Act IV, his whereabouts with Cole remain unknown till the final act when they both arrive with backup from the UIR in the final battle with the Locust and Lambent. Despite his usual indifference, Baird displays genuine sorrow at the death of Dom and later Adam Fenix and helps rescue Adam and fight off Queen Myrrah to allow Adam to activate his weapon.

Baird is the main protagonist in Gears of War Judgement. He previously held the rank of lieutenant and leader of Kilo Squad. After using a weapon known as the Lightmass Missile to try to kill General Karn, Baird was put on trial for his actions and while the charges were ultimately dropped, Colonel Loomis demoted him to private and destroyed any chance of him becoming an officer again. The Aftermath campaign showcases his return to the city of Halvo Bay in search of a ship to reach Azura during Gears of War: 3 and his reuniting with former comrade Garron Paduk.

Anya Stroud

Lieutenant Anya Stroud (voiced by Nan McNamara) is a mission controller, turned infantry soldier that originally dispatches Delta Squad as well as Marcus Fenix's love interest.

Anya is the daughter of Major Helena Stroud. Helena's death, along with Carlos Santiago, brings Anya and Marcus together. She is usually detailing location information through radio for Marcus, Dom, or Kim — particularly where to go next, if the Hammer of Dawn is online or whether hostiles are en route, and during the middle portion of Gears of War, directs mine carts used by Delta squad for transportation. She is only visible once throughout the first game, on board a King Raven helicopter, but appears more frequently in Gears of War 2. When she appears to have drowned in the sinking of Jacinto, Marcus is devastated, yet is quickly reassured when she appears on a separate raven alongside Cole, Prescott and Hoffman, where she waves to Marcus and murmurs "see you in Port Farrall." She is helpful to the Delta Squad in Gears of War 1 and 2, guiding them through their missions from CIC and firing the Hammer of Dawn for them when they need it. In Gears of War 3 she becomes a playable character in campaign and multiplayer as a result of her being promoted to the front-line. She comforts Marcus after the death of both Dom Santiago and Adam Fenix, taking his hand at the end of Gears of War 3 (to which Marcus does not reject) and telling him they "finally have a tomorrow."

Clayton Carmine

Private Clayton Carmine (voiced by Michael Gough) is the eldest of the four Carmine brothers. He is more muscular than his brothers and is an experienced soldier. Clayton bears tattoos on his arm to honor Anthony and Benjamin. Clay made his first appearance in Gears of War 3. Before the game's release, Epic created a fan voting contest, which would determine whether Clayton would survive or die at the end of the game. Clayton manages to avoid death multiple times throughout the game and ultimately survives a helicopter crash during the final assault on Queen Myrrah, becoming the only known surviving Carmine brother.

Carmine appears in Gears of War: Judgement where he joins Baird and Cole in their mission to Halvo Bay to get a ship to travel to Azura. He aids them and their old friend Garron Paduk in getting the ship and is surprised that Baird and Cole even know Paduk who is a former Gear and squadmate of theirs.

Jace Stratton

Corporal Jayson 'Jace' Stratton made his first visual appearance in Gears of War 3, Originally, he was going to be voiced by rapper Drake, but a scheduling conflict prevented him from working with Epic Games. He was replaced by Michael B. Jordan. In Chapter IV, in co-op campaign, the second player controls Jace. Jace was a featured character in the Gears of War 3 downloadable content and prequel to the original game, "RAAM's Shadow", where he was rescued from the Locust forces by Zeta-Six. He returns at the end of the story where he joins with the Gears to defend an orphanage and fight off General RAAM, the event that leads to him enlisting as a Gear.

Samantha Byrne

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Private Samantha "Sam" Byrne (voiced by Claudia Black), Sam's father, Sergeant Samuel Byrne, fell in battle at the Siege of Anvil Gate in Anvegad, Kashkur before the birth of his daughter. Sam has followed in his footsteps ever since. She first became acquainted with Delta at Vectes Naval Base, and later served alongside Marcus and company against the rise of the Stranded insurgency at New Jacinto. Sam is headstrong, aggressive, and has a knack for tattooing; she was responsible for the angelic depiction of Maria on Dom's arm, whom she shared somewhat of a relationship with. She acts as a part of Delta Squad in Gears of War 3 and has a somewhat adversarial/romantic relationship with Baird.

Former members of Delta squad

Dominic Santiago (Dom)

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Corporal Dominic Santiago (voiced by Carlos Ferro) is a veteran soldier, first introduced in the original Gears of War as a second playable character. He is close friends with Marcus, his longtime comrade. Like Marcus, he is a seasoned veteran with a strong sense for family, and often thinks of his wife Maria, whom he attempts to locate in Gears of War 2. They lost their two children, Sylvia and Benedicto, on E-day, and, four years later, when that day's trauma became too much, Maria disappeared. He finds his wife eleven years later, imprisoned by the Locust. He euthanizes her because she has been tortured and traumatized beyond recovery. Before Emergence Day he was a special forces commando towards the end of the Pendulum Wars fighting in Operation Leveler, led by then Major Victor Hoffman. His older brother, Carlos Santiago, was killed during the Battle of Aspho Fields, along with Helena Stroud while fighting alongside Marcus.

Dom makes his final appearance in Gears of War 3. As Delta is surrounded by Lambent forces, Dom sacrifices himself by driving a large truck into a fuel pipe. The ensuing explosion destroys all hostile forces and allows the rest of Delta squad to escape to later regroup with Baird and Cole. Marcus uses Dom's combat knife to kill Queen Myyrah in the final Act of Gears of War 3

A Pendulum War era Dom, "Commando Dom LE" is a downloadable multiplayer character in Gears of War 3.

Michael Barrick

Corporal Michael Barrick (voiced by Rick Wasserman) is a soldier in the COG army. He is a former stranded, who enlists with the Gears shortly after E-Day. Michael is a playable character in Gears of War 3's "RAAM's Shadow" DLC as a member of the Zeta-Six squad, where he fights alongside Minh Young Kim, Alica Valera and Tai Kaliso. In the comics, Delta was low on ammo after fighting Locust. Barrick tells Marcus to escape with Dom and Jace while he held off the Locust. Barrick managed to hold off the Locust but is killed in the process.

Minh Young Kim

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Lieutenant Minh Kim (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) is a strictly by-the-book soldier, who closely follows the COG's rules and code of conduct. His name indicates that he is of Korean descent. Early in Gears of War, Hoffman entrusts Kim to lead Fenix and the rest of Delta squad to locate Alpha squad. They succeed in finding Alpha squad, but fail to acquire extraction. Kim is separated from his comrades during an intense fire-fight with the Locust when awaiting retrieval and is killed by General RAAM.

Kim returned for the new downloadable content for Gears of War 3, "RAAM's Shadow" DLC. He is a playable character for multiplayer.

Anthony Carmine

Private Anthony Carmine (voiced by Michael Gough) is one of the original members of Delta squad and the second oldest of the four Carmine brothers. He possesses a bright and gung-ho attitude. He serves with Delta squad through earlier segments of Gears of War, but is shot in the head and killed by a Locust sniper while dealing with a weapons malfunction. When Marcus is having a nightmare about his father's "death," he imagines Anthony and his brother Benjamin are fighting with him.

His younger brother, Benjamin, fought in Gears of War 2 and after Ben died as well, Clayton, the fourth and eldest Carmine brother, got a tattoo of Anthony and Benjamin on his biceps to defend their honor.

Benjamin Carmine

Private Benjamin Carmine (also voiced by Michael Gough) is a rookie soldier that joins Delta squad at the beginning of Gears of War 2. He is the younger brother of Anthony and Clayton Carmine. He receives training from Marcus and Dom in the game's tutorial, during which he reveals that he was Anthony Carmine's brother; this may be missed if player chooses to skip the tutorial and head into the game straight away. He is reluctant to fight in combat due to his inexperience, but eventually earns praise from Marcus. Once Benjamin and his squad arrive in the Hollow, he is the sole survivor and tags along with Marcus and Dom. As Delta squad is escaping from the Hollow, Benjamin is shot and wounded while defending Delta Squad from the Locust. He manages to make it back to the squad's extraction helicopter, but falls out of it once the Riftworm emerges. He and the helicopter are both swallowed by the worm. Benjamin is mortally wounded and dies inside the worm.

Ben had a letter to Clayton Carmine which was picked up by Marcus after Ben died and given to Clay, who was full of rage hearing that both of his brothers were killed in action. Ben appears in a nightmare Marcus has of his father's death, fighting alongside him and Anthony in the effort to rescue Adam.

Tai Kaliso

Corporal Tai Kaliso (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is a spiritual and meditative warrior from a tradition of honor-bound fighters, who fought with Fenix during the Pendulum Wars. He views the war from a spiritual standpoint, which often confuses the other soldiers. Nonetheless, he is still well liked by his fellow squad members. Tai is introduced in the beginning of Gears of War 2. Throughout the game, Tai is a resilient and well-disciplined soldier, prompting Marcus to claim that he is "as tough as a Brumak." Early in the game, Tai separates from Delta squad to defend them from Skorge. Delta squad later discovers Tai inside of a Beast Barge, where he has been severely tortured and traumatized. Marcus, unaware of the extent of the psychological damage Tai has suffered, hands Tai a shotgun to help fight the Locust, but he uses it to commit suicide after being tortured beyond recovery. Technically, Tai is not an actual member of Delta Squad, he only joins Delta when his squad is killed by a ticker swarm.

Tai returned for Gears of War 3's RAAM's Shadow DLC as a member of Zeta-Six Squad and as a new multiplayer character.

Other Gears

Richard Prescott

Richard Prescott (voiced by Charles Cioffi in Gears of War 2 and Dwight Schultz in Gears of War 3 ) is the ex-chairman and dictatorial military leader of the COG. He was a Gear during the Pendulum Wars but never saw combat. Prescott mandates several sweeping authoritarian powers to the government to control the remaining human population and fight off the Locust Horde. These actions have made him unpopular with those who feel the COG has overstepped its bounds in the name of security. Shortly after the sinking of Jacinto, Prescott abandons the COG forces for 18 months during which the government quickly falls apart and the remaining COG forces are left to fend for themselves. This makes him hated by most, if not all of the former COG civilians and soldiers. He returns to the COG remnant at the beginning of Gears of War 3 with news that Adam Fenix has discovered a way to destroy all the Lambent and Locust forces. The Lambent shortly assault their position, and Prescott is mortally wounded in the ensuing battle. Before dying, he discloses Adam's location to Marcus and gives him the key to the data disk A2897 which Hoffman carries.

Victor Hoffman

Colonel Victor Hoffman (voiced by Jamie Alcroft) commands Fenix and Delta squad and is one of the best surviving COG officers. He frequently communicated with Delta squad throughout Gears of War. Early in Gears of War, Hoffman is reluctant to reinstate Fenix into the military, stating "A tratior like you doesn't deserve to wear a uniform". However, given the COG's dwindling number of armed forces, he allows Fenix to fight. Hoffman eventually grows to trust Fenix; Hoffman allows him to lead Delta squad, and ultimately helps save him from falling from a King Raven in the game's end sequence. He receives a slightly larger role in Gears of War 2's plot, and even assists Delta squad during the game's final act. He has a much larger role in the novels, where he is responsible for the defense of Anvil Gate during the Pendulum Wars, and assists Chairman Prescott in leading the COG throughout the years since E-Day. Hoffman returns to command Anvil Gate in Gears of War 3. Marcus and Delta squad seek Hoffman to decipher an encrypted data disk, which contains information on Adam Fenix's whereabouts and plan to destroy the Lambent and Locust forces. He helps them fight off a Locust and Lambent attack and after deciphering the information, directs them to a nearby shipyard to get an abandoned submarine for the trip to the island of Azura. Hoffman gives them vehicles for the trip, including a fuel tanker, but chooses to remain behind to defend Anvil Gate for as long as he can while they try to enact the plan. At the end of the game, he is shown watching the destruction of the Locust and Lambent with Bernie.

Bernadette Mataki

Sergeant Bernadette "Bernie" Mataki (voiced by Tess Masters), is a survival expert and considered by her peers as one of the best snipers in the COG. She fought in several of the most important battles of the Pendulum Wars, including the Battle of Aspho Fields. After Emergence Day, she was stranded on her home island until she heard about the recall to Ephyra, and decided to go on a several year trek across the world to rejoin the COG, eventually reaching the Jacinto Plateau. She reunited with her oldest friend, Victor Hoffman, restarting a relationship with him, and served in Delta-One briefly after the Lightmass Offensive and again after Operation: Hollow Storm, as well as during the Stranded Insurgency and the beginning of the Lambent Pandemic. When the COG collapsed, Bernie traveled with Hoffman, several hundred Gears, and thousands of civilians to Anvil Gate. In Gears of War 3, Bernie assists Delta Squad as they rescue Anya and Sam from an ambush outside of Anvil Gate, but chooses not to travel with them to Azura, finally accepting she is too old to continue fighting and stays to defend Anvil Gate from any further Locust or Lambent attack. At the end of the game she is shown with Hoffman watching Adam Fenix's weapon finally destroy the Locust and the Lambent.

Dizzy Wallin

Private Dizzy Wallin (voiced by Peter Jason) is a Gears Conscript who comes from a family of Stranded rescued by Operation Lifeboat, a COG program which evacuated Stranded families to COG-controlled safe zones in exchange for the able-bodied men of the family serving in the military. In Gears of War 2 Dizzy operates an Assault Derrick he named Betty, which is used as part of a COG assault on Landown. Before the grindlifts activate after arriving at the town of Landown, where the assault began, Dizzy and Delta squad are attacked by Skorge. Along with Tai Kaliso, Dizzy remains behind to hold Skorge off while Dom and Marcus tunnel underground in the grindlifts. After Delta finds Tai who commits suicide afterward, believed Dizzy was killed by Skorge. In Issue #7 of the Gears of War Comic, it is revealed that Dizzy ran away from the battle after Tai insisted that he escape. He is found alive and well in the novel Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant, where he rejoins the COG after the destruction of Jacinto. In Gears of War: Anvil Gate he remains a Gear, but people (except for other Gears, particularly Delta Squad) look down on him for being a former Stranded. However, he's trusted by Delta Squad and even Colonel Hoffman and participates in the battle to protect Vectes in the book and survives. In Gears of War: Coalition's End more backstory is given on him and he moves to Anvil Gate with Hoffman and his daughters when the COG disbands. In Gears of War 3, while on a supply run for the fort, he comes under attack by Locust forces and is rescued by Delta Squad who are nearby and hear his distress call. Dizzy helps defend the fort against Locust and Lambent attack and offers his assistance as a former member of the merchant navy in piloting a submarine. Dizzy drives the fuel tanker to Mercy and defends it and is used as a hostage by Aaron Griffin to ensure Delta's cooperation. In the attack that follows, only Dizzy and Aaron survive before Delta rescues them. Dizzy repairs and pilots the submarine to Azura and remains off-shore during the final battle in case Delta needs the submarine for a quick escape. When the battle ends, Dizzy comes ashore and reunites with Delta and the other Gears and watches as Marcus and Anya sit on the beach and contemplate the future. Though originally conscripted as a driver, he becomes popular with the infantry soldiers and becomes an able infantryman.

Adam Fenix

Adam Fenix (voiced by Peter Renaday) is Marcus Fenix's father. Fenix is hailed as one of Sera's greatest minds, whose radical and innovative research greatly influenced the COG's technology.

In the novel Gears of War: Aspho Fields, set several decades prior to Gears of War, Adam joins the COG army during the Pendulum Wars, rising to the rank of major while gaining a considerable reputation. When Marcus joins the COG army himself, Adam tried to use his influence to enroll Marcus in an officer's academy, but Marcus refuses; Adam's disappointment in Marcus' career was a point of tension in their relationship. Ten years after E-Day, Adam is supposedly killed during a Locust offensive on the COG capital, Ephyra. In a flashback in Gears of War 3, Adam is buried under falling debris at the Fenix Estate as Marcus and Dom try to rescue him.

During the fourth act of Gears of War 2, Delta squad discovers recordings of Adam detailing a plan to kill the Locusts by deliberately sinking Jacinto to flood Nexus with water. At the conclusion of the game, after the COG have sunk Jacinto, a transmission from Adam Fenix is played at the end of the credits asking, "This is Adam Fenix, is anyone out there...? Can you hear me...? This is Adam Fenix, can you hear me...? What have you done...?" Adam Fenix is a main part of Gears of War 3 as the game focuses on Marcus trying to find his father. Marcus learns that his father is alive, but is held captive on the top-secret research island of Azura to find a way to kill the Lambent under Prescott's orders.

When Azura is taken over by the Locust, Adam's life is spared in order for him to refine his Imulsion-destroying weapon so it will not affect the Locust and will eradicate out the humans as well. Adam manages to send a message to Marcus through Prescott and Delta Squad comes to Azura with an army to retake the island and implement his solution. Adam guides the squad through Azura using security cameras to monitor their progress and informs them of what he knows. Adam is rescued by Delta and they defend him from Myrrah as he activates his weapon. Adam succeeds in activating his weapon and wipes out the Locust, Lambent and Imulsion, but dies as well as he infected himself with Imulsion to test its life-cycle. Adam's last request is that his son live his life with no regrets or looking back.

Epic Games announced on May 16, 2011 that players who purchase the Limited or Epic Edition will receive a code on Adam Fenix's medal to unlock Adam Fenix as a playable character in multiplayer.

Alicia Valera

Private Alicia Valera (voiced by Laura Bailey), known as "Val" by her squad mates, was a Gear soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments. She was part of Zeta squad, fighting alongside Michael Barrick, Minh Young Kim and Tai Kaliso. In Chapter 4 of RAAM's Shadow, she is killed attempting to chainsaw General RAAM, in doing so saving the life of a young Jace Stratton.

Carlos Santiago

Private Carlos Santiago was a Gear soldier and Dominic Santiago's older brother, as well as Marcus Fenix's best friend and brother figure. He inspired both Marcus and Dom to join the Coalition of Ordered Governments army. Since he was a child, he was Marcus's closest friend, and later became his squad mate in the army. Carlos would go on to fight at the Battle of Aspho Fields, where he was killed in action. Carlos' death was the event that pushed Marcus over the edge, turning him even more emotionally distant from others. Dom mourned the death of his brother, but would learn how Carlos really died until he forced Bernie to tell him fourteen years after Emergence Day.

Carlos is not shown or mentioned in the games.

Sofia Hendrick

Sofia Hendrik (voiced by Ali Hillis) is a Gear soldier in the COG army who served in Kilo Squad. During the Pendulum Wars, Sofia was a journalist, but joined the army after Emergence Day, and was sent to the Onyx Guard Academy in Halvo Bay. She believed in doing things by-the-book, and felt that ethics should not be compromised for victory. Despite this, she is the one to suggest firing the Lightmass Missile at Karn and goes along with it even when it is against the rules. When ordered to arrest Paduk and Baird, she chooses instead to rescue another squad in trouble and continue with the plan and nods her ascent when the squad is threatened with execution if they use the missile. At some point after the battle, she leaves the COG to be with Paduk and they start a community of survivors in the ruins of Halvo Bay that is made up of both COG and UIR people who don't care about their former national identities. According to Paduk, Sofia is kidnapped by a group of men, with her fate unknown. Paduk manages to kill one and learns that at least that one and presumably the others were actually Gears, increasing his hatred of the COG.

Garron Paduk

Private Garron Paduk (voiced by Chris Cox) is a Gear soldier in the COG army and a member of Kilo Squad. During the Pendulum Wars he served as a Major in a militia unit for the Union of Independent Republics in his homeland of Gorasnaya. After Gorasnaya was devastated by the Locust, Paduk and some of his fellow countrymen were rescued by COG naval forces, and he joined them to take revenge upon the Locust. Despite hating the COG, he follows Baird's lead during the Battle of Halvo Bay and saves Colonel Loomis' life despite his intense hatred for the man, though he rejects Colonel Loomis' hand when he offers it to shake. Sometime after the battle, Paduk leaves the army and Sofia joins him and they start a relationship, establishing a survivors' community in the ruins of Halvo Bay that isn't Stranded and is made up of both COG and UIR members. Seventeen years after he last saw them, Baird and Cole return to the city with Clayton Carmine to look for a ship to take them to the island of Azura. Paduk leads them to the ship, refusing to join his own people in safety until he's finished helping, but Paduk refuses to join the assault, revealing that Sofia was kidnapped by a bunch of men, at least one of whom was a Gear which makes him hate the COG even more. Telling Baird that if they are to remain friends they must never see each other again, Paduk leaves to rejoin his own people.

Ezra Loomis

Colonel Ezra Loomis is a stern, by the book COG commander, Loomis is a career soldier who has little regard for the lives of civilians. A veteran of the Pendulum Wars, Loomis has had a difficult time adjusting his tactics to deal with the inhuman Locust threat, and disapproves of Kilo Squad's unorthodox tactics. When Sofia Hendrick comes up with the idea to use the Lightmass Missile to take out General Karn, Loomis refuses and Kilo goes against his orders. When the time comes to fire the missile, Loomis threatens to execute them if they do, but they fire it anyway. Keeping to his word, Loomis puts together a tribunal, refusing to stop even amidst a Locust attack. Loomis nearly executes Kilo before the Locust burst in and Private Garron Paduk, who he shares a hatred with, saves his life. Loomis flees, but later rejoins Kilo in trying to reach a King Raven. Loomis aids Kilo in taking down Karn and his mount Shibboleth and personally executes Karn afterwards. In light of what happened, Loomis drops the charges against Kilo, but demotes Baird to Private. He also offers a hand to Paduk as a peace offering that he refuses. Loomis is later killed trying to defend Halvo Bay in a fight that costs him and his men all of their lives. A memorial is erected in his honor as the "Hero of Halvo Bay," one that survives for seventeen years of war and destruction.

Locust Horde

The Locust Horde is a collection of various species. Most of them are humanoid, while others are distinctly bestial, varying in size and shape. The Horde inhabited the subterranean regions of Sera, until Emergence Day, when they emerged across the surface in a massive, overwhelming attack against the human population. The Locust Horde inhabits extensive underground tunnel networks that honeycomb the crust of the planet Sera, known collectively as "the Hollow." It was revealed in Gears of War 2 that the Locust consume worms. According to a Locust transcript found in the bowels of the Locust's subterranean capital city, Nexus, the explosion of the lightmass bomb that occurred in Gears of War caused the giant Riftworm to "awaken." The Locust were able to communicate with the awakened worm, and eventually convinced it to aid them in their war efforts against humanity. The Locust's only known objective was the complete and total annihilation of the human population of Sera, until Gears of War 2, when it is discovered that the Locust are also trying to annihilate an infected form of Locust. The subset of infected Locust are known as the Lambent Locust, and have been mutated by extensive contact with Imulsion. The Lambent Locust and the unaffected Locust factions (called Savage Locust in Gears of War 3) are engaged in a civil war, in which the Lambent Locust appear to be successful in driving the Locust out of the Hollow. This leads to the desperate Locust attacks on the COG at Jacinto and the Locust plot to sink COG cities, as they are trying to re-take the surface of Sera to ensure survival, and kill the Lambent Locust. The whole reason for the war is to take the surface of Sera in order to survive being pushed out of their homes by the Lambent. After Gears of War 2, the Locust home is flooded by the COG and most are killed with the survivors turning feral on the surface and building their own version of the home in the Deadlands. The Locust are all killed along with the Lambent by Adam Fenix's Imulsion destroying weapon.

Myrrah

Myrrah (voiced by Carolyn Seymour) is the Queen of the Locusts and the series' central antagonist. In the credits sequence of Gears of War a character called "Myrrah" is listed; however, such a character was never seen during the course of the game. At various times throughout the game, narration is provided by an unknown female character, somehow affiliated with the Locust Horde. Her voice is heard during the opening cinematic, the death of Lieutenant Kim, and the end-game sequence, as well as during split-screen or online multiplayer when playing as the Locust.

Myrrah first physically appears in Gears of War 2. At the beginning of the game, Myrrah (referred only as "The Locust Queen" by other characters) provides a voice-over introduction discussing humanity's violent nature, adding that, though she feels pity for the humans, they brought the war with the Locust upon themselves. Far through the game, Delta squad manages to penetrate Nexus, the Locust capital, where the Locust queen is issuing a series of propaganda broadcasts ordering the Locust to fight against the "Lambent Locust." Later on, Delta Squad finally tracks down the queen in her palace, accompanied by Skorge, and discovers that she either is, or appears to be, at least partially human. She orders Skorge to kill Delta, and escapes on a Reaver during the subsequent battle. Myrrah appears to have known Marcus' father, Adam Fenix.

In Gears of War 3 she battles Delta Squad atop the Tempest to stop Adam from unleashing his weapon that will destroy the Lambent as she believes it will also kill the Locust. Delta defeats the Tempest with the Hammer of Dawn, but Myrrah survives and crawls out from the remains after Adam is killed by his own weapon. She mocks him and is then killed by Marcus who stabs her in the ribs with Dom's knife, saying that it was from Dom and everyone else she killed.

She is also a playable character in Gears of War 3 as the Locust leader in Capture the Leader and a playable multiplayer persona.

General Karn

A malformed Theron Guard shunned early on in his career but through superior tactics and guile he reached higher status. He rides a massive spider-like creature that he nursed back to health after finding it with a broken leg early in his career, called the Shibboleth. He attacked Halvo Bay 30 days after Emergence Day, and also laid siege to Gorasnaya, effectively destroying it despite their military's best efforts to repel him. During Gears of War: Judgment, he leads the attack on Halvo Bay and Kilo Squad attempts to kill him with a secret COG weapon known as the Lightmass Missile. He is apparently killed, but somehow survives and later attacks Kilo again at the Plaza of Tyran Dead. Kilo, with the help of nearby King Ravens, take down his mount Shibboleth, severely injuring Karn. As they wonder what to do with him, Colonel Ezra Loomis executes Karn with a shot to the head from his Boltok Pistol. He is the central antagonist of Gears of War Judgment

General RAAM

General RAAM (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a Locust general and is the central antagonist of the first Gears of War. RAAM is far more physically imposing than any other Locust, standing between eight and nine feet tall. He is extremely strong, and able to operate an unmounted Troika machine gun with his bare hands. RAAM also has an ability to control the Kryll, using a small swarm of them as both a weapon and a shield. RAAM is first seen in Act I of Gears of War, where he is responsible for the death of Lieutenant Kim. In Act V, Marcus and Dom encounter and ultimately kill RAAM, who is guarding the Lightmass bomb. RAAM is mentioned briefly in Gears of War 2, where Marcus and Dom describe him as a 'pushover' compared to Skorge. In Gears of War 3, RAAM is a multiplayer DLC character from the third downloadable content, RAAM's Shadow. RAAM is the main antagonist of RAAM's Shadow, and in parts of the DLC, is actually a playable character.

Skorge

Skorge serves as the leader of the Kantus monks within the Locust Horde and is an antagonist in Gears of War 2. He wields a double-bladed chainsaw staff, and wears an elaborate headdress. Martin Robinson, a columnist for IGN.com, noted that the character possessed a physical resemblance to the eponymous creature from the 1987 film, Predator. During the course of Gears of War 2 he is shown assaulting COG troops, leading the massive Riftworm, and battling Delta squad. Towards the end of the game, Skorge pursues the escaping members of Delta squad on his Hydra. Skorge is defeated by Delta after they destroy his Hydra which sends him flying onto the ground, killing him.

Riftworm

The Riftworm is a giant, miles-long worm that is apparently one of three such worms that dug most of the Hollow before entering hibernation. The Riftworm is worshipped by the Locust Horde as a god and is awakened by the Lightmass Bomb. The Horde contacted it and began using it, under the control of Skorge, to sink the cities of Tollen, Montevado and Ilima as part of a plan to sink Jacinto Plateau. During Operation: Hollow Storm the Riftworm can be seen several times, once being controlled by Skorge and sinking Ilima. Eventually the Riftworm swallowes the King Raven carrying Delta Squad and they decide to kill the worm from the inside before escaping. The squad cuts the arteries to the Riftworm's three hearts, causing it to surface and crash to the ground and die. Delta Squad were then able to cut their way out with their chainsaw bayonets just before they drown in its blood. Benjamin Carmine was killed inside the Riftworm.

Leviathans

The Leviathans are species of massive aquatic creatures that inhabit bodies of water on Sera. Their bodies are protected by thick and resilient plating, rendering them almost impervious to damage to small-arm fire. A Leviathan first appeared in Gears of War 2, where it attacked Fenix and Dom while they were trying to cross an underground lake. The soldiers dispatched the beast by cutting off its tentacles, shooting its eyes, and finally throwing a grenade into its mouth. The Leviathans are also adversaries in Gears of War 3, including a mutated Lambent variant.

The Stranded

The Stranded are the human survivors of E-Day living outside of Jacinto. They live in poor conditions, ravaged by war and suffering from malnutrition. Their former way of life was destroyed when the COG enacted a scorched earth strategy to stop the Locust assaults. This course of action led the Stranded to refer to COGs as fascist pigs. The Gears and the Stranded do not get along well, but will occasionally fight together against their common enemy, the Locust Horde. After the Locust started sinking cities in Gears of War 2, groups of stranded started hiding underground thinking it was safe as long as they stayed away from Nexus and the Locust highway.

Franklin

Franklin (voiced by John DiMaggio) is a Stranded that has come into possession of a Junker APC critical to the Gears. Dom acquires the Junker from Franklin by "calling in a favor." He spends most of the Nightfall act in Gears of War guiding Dom and Fenix through the ruined city and two checkpoints to Chaps' Aspho Gas Station. He is also the one helping Dom find a mysterious "lady" (Santiago's missing wife, Maria Santiago). Franklin makes an appearance in Gears of War 2 multiplayer, acting as the Meatflag in Submission mode. He also appears in "Road to Ruin" downloadable deleted scene where Dom gives Franklin a shotgun and helps Fenix and Dom into Nexus.

Hanley

Hanley (voiced by Peter Jason) is a drunken Stranded who is situated at Checkpoint Two, on the way to Chaps' Gas Station. Marcus and Dom make their way to Checkpoint Two where they give Jack to Hanley, in order to help them traverse the darkness. Hanley guides Marcus and Dom through various buildings and streets whilst they make their way to the gas station. Hanley makes an appearance in Gears of War 2 multiplayer, acting as the Meatflag in Submission mode.

Chaps

Chaps (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) is the elderly, foul-mouthed Stranded who runs the gas station where Franklin's Junker is parked. He supplies ammo and cover at the arrival of Fenix and Dom. When the Locust Horde ambush the gas station, he fights alongside Fenix and Dom. He also accompanies Fenix and Dom on the highway as they drive the Junker back to the Stranded base camp, giving notices as to which directions Kryll attack from during their run. Chaps later appears in Gears of War 2, as part of a Stranded camp hiding under Mount Kadar. Chaps displays knowledge of Nexus and the Locust actions, informing Delta of how to find Nexus and that the Locust are now capturing people when they didn't before. Dom then shows him a picture of his wife Maria and unlike everyone else he has ever shown the picture to, Chaps recignizes her as part of another Stranded group that was captured by the Locust. Chaps directs Dom and Marcus to Maria's likely location before leaving with Baird and Cole, telling Marcus and Dom they won't be able to get in unless they are a Locust. Chaps makes an appearance in Gears of War 2 multiplayer, acting as the Meatflag in Submission mode.

Other characters

Maria Santiago

The wife of Dominic "Dom" Santiago of Delta Squad. She fell in love with Dom when they were kids and became pregnant with their first child when they were sixteen. As a result, Dom married her and they raised their son together. A year later, while Dom was taking part in the Battle of Aspho Fields, she gave birth to a second child, a daughter. Maria and Dom's happy life was shattered on Emergence Day when their children, which Maria had sent to her parents so she and Dom could have a day to themselves, were killed along with her and Dom's parents. Maria survived Emergence Day, but fell into a deep depression as a result of her children's deaths and would go out for walks looking for them, believing they were still alive. Eventually, four years after Emergence Day, the depression got too much for Maria and she disappeared, leaving Dom to live with the Stranded. For eleven years, Dom searched for her, showing a picture of them to everyone he could find asking if they saw her, trying desperately to find her. In 15 A.E., Anya found what was apparently Maria in a Jacinto hospital, but the woman, whether or not it was Maria, disappeared before Anya could check it out. Dom continued his search, later informed by Anya that Maria could've moved underground for safety with other Stranded. This ultimately panned out as Dom, while questioning the Stranded Chaps for information on the Locust capital of Nexus, asked him about Maria and he recognized her as a Stranded that had moved underground. However, he informed a horrified Dom that Maria's group had been captured by the Locust. Dom and Marcus were able to follow the information Chaps gave them and locate a Locust prison camp where Maria was and finally rescue her, but she was severely emaciated, disfigured and in a near-vegetative state from the torture and treatment she went through. Choosing not to let Maria live like that, Dom euthanized her with a shot to the head. Dom later discussed her condition with a doctor who believed that even if Dom and Marcus had gotten Maria out, she was beyond saving with many incurable conditions. Maria's death and his failure to save her haunted Dom for the rest of his life with Dom getting his tattoo of her changed into the form of an angel and sometimes thinking random people he saw were her.

Niles Samson

Niles Samson was the lead researcher and programmer of security at the New Hope Research Facility, years before Delta Squad's investigation of the abandoned outpost. When Marcus and Dom enter the Facility, Niles's system, programmed with his personality, rambles and talks about the importance of security and cleanliness. Later, it is revealed that Niles was creating creatures called "Sires" along with other subjects, and he had done something on Mount Kadar involving a group of his subjects and left the Sires in stasis before leaving. In letters from different New Hope researchers, it seems that Niles did not realize how dangerous his test subjects were and that he called them "children." Driving the project was his obsession of creating a better future. The Sires at some point may have evolved into the different breeds of Locust throughout the years, though this could be left to speculation. In the book The Slab, Prescott notes after hearing a recording of Niles on Azura calling him long dead. A note found in the Illma sinkhole notes a Juila Samson looking for help at a mansion in the city. Any relation to Niles is not specified, but he may be from a wealthy background. He serves as a minor antagonist in Gears of War 2

Aaron Griffin

Aaron Griffin (voiced by Ice-T) is a former entrepreneur who maintains his wealth and influence by running an imulsion fuel empire. He is the CEO of Griffin Imulsion, which is located in the ruined city of Char. Many of Griffin's employees died on E-Day when the COG destroyed the city in an attempt to stop Locust Horde. He thus harbors a deep hatred and resentment to the COG. In Gears of War 3, Marcus and his comrades encounter Griffin while searching for a supply of Imulsion. He berates the Gears, but reluctantly sends them on a mission to recover some Imulsion. After returning to Griffin, The Locust Horde attacks Char, killing many of Griffin's employees. He again blames the Gears for the destruction when only himself and Delta Squad survive the attack. It was never revealed what happen to him after the game ended.

External links

• Gears of War official website