Summary
TheGears of Warseries of video games are mainly third-person shooters that have the player battling through waves of a brutal enemy known as the Locust Swarm. Even in spin-off games, likeGears: Tactics, The Locust is the primary threat. In the far future, humans are waging war on an Earth-like planet called Sera. In an effort to prevent extinction, the humans try to create a race of super soldiers, but this attempt fails and leads to the creation of The Locust Horde instead.
These brutal creatures live underground andcome in many forms,from Boomers to Berserkers to Wretches to Corpsers. Although players spend most of the gamesbattling through these minions,there are even more vile villains pulling the strings behind the scenes. They come in all shapes and sizes, and each one is more evil than the last.
It may seem strange to see a human appearing as a villain in theGears of Warseries, but General Loomis’actions inGears of War: Judgmentare something most players will not forgive. The fourth installment of the franchise seesprotagonist Lieutenant Damon Bairdon trial for disobeying COG orders on the field of battle.
As Baird and his associates reveal the circumstances behind their decision to disobey their orders, it becomes clear to the player that General Loomis is not interested in their defense. Whether the man has a secret agenda or has just let power go to his head, Loomis continues with this overblown trial while a war with The Locust is raging outside. As such, his stubbornness clouds his priorities and probably costs humanity hundreds of lives.
The Locust Horde may be an incredible force of military precision, but even these monsters need a commander. InGears of War 2, that job is given to Skorge. This large Locust is a maniacal, chainsaw-wielding brute who is unlikely to take prisoners.
Throughout the game, Skorge is shown to be a brutal leader, one who is relentless in his pursuit of human bloodshed. However, it is the leader’s love of bloodshed that prevents him from being the figurehead The Locust Swarm needed. His pursuit of Marcus Phoenix, and penchant for explosions, ends with him being killed by the player as the final boss in the game.
During the firstGears of Wargame, it becomes clear to players thatThe Locust Swarm is more than just a mindless hordewhen they encounter General RAAM. This imposing commander is far more intelligent than the average enemy in the game, and he is extremely powerful, as he is always surrounded by a cloud of Kryll; bat-like creatures that eat human flesh.
Standing at over seven feet tall, General RAAM is the first real test that players will face in the franchise. He is the final boss of the first game and wields a heavy mini-gun to cut down anything, or anyone, in front of him. The loss of General RAAM hits The Locust Swarm hard, and they are unable to unite in the same way as when this General was giving them orders.
Not all Locusts are interested in wiping out the human race on the front lines of battle, and that fact is made most clear by Ukkon’s appearance inthe spin-off game,Gears: Tactics.Ukkon is a scientist working for The Locust Swarm and the main villain of the game. He may not be as strong as some of the other high-ranking members of The Locust, but his cunning mind makes him just as dangerous.
Ukkon’s main expertise lies in the field of genetics, and his passion has created some of the most fierce forms of The Locust Swarm. Any player that has had the misfortune of fighting a Brumak one-on-one has the evil Ukkon to thank for that encounter.
Dr. Niles Samson is one of the main reasons why the human race has to struggle in its fight against The Locust Horde in the first place. He was a respected scientist on the planet Sera, and he was tasked with curing a disease that would one day wipe out all humans on the planet.
Instead of using the planet’s resources to perform this take, however, Dr. Samson worked on a much more dangerous experiment, as revealed inGears 5.This research was responsible for bringing The Locust Horde to life, and they eventually fled underground to begin their war with humanity. It is later revealed that Dr. Samson was also the one who created The Locust threat, Ukkon.
In order for Dr. Niles Samson to create his Locust Horde, he first needed the stem cells of a willing participant. Myrrah willingly agrees to give her DNA to help bring the doctor’s experiment to life, and she is made Queen of The Horde as a result. Since The Locust Swarm carries her DNA, Queen Myrrah views them as her children and will stop at nothing to ensure they succeed in taking over the planet Sera.
Queen Myrrah is first revealed at the end of the firstGears of Wargame, but she is not properly introduced until the sequel and is the final boss inGears of War 3.She was everything the series needed in its main antagonist, and Queen Myrrah’s cruel and relentless pursuit of The Locust Swarm’s victory makes her the best villainin the franchise.
