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“ | Break the Gate and open the path to Solaris.
That will lead to the land dweller's freedom. Please, Fei.
|
” |
Solaris (ソラリス, Sorarisu), also known as the Sacred Empire of Solaris, is an advanced society in the skies. Its city sits high above the planet, hidden from view.
For 800 years, Solaris has manipulated the balance of power and other key events on the surface. As such, they essentially control both the events and the people on the planet, which they call the Lambs, through subjugation.
Its capital is Etrenank, whose technology is far beyond that seen in the surface cites below.
History[]
Solaris was created in 9164 by Emperor Cain, the Gazel Ministry, and Myyah Hawwa, for the purpose of System Deus, and to establish direct control of the surface.
In 9496, Solaris took advantage of the chaotic political landscape of the surface by invading countries one by one, escaping the notice of all save Shevat, who kept a watchful eye on them.
All of this was to spearhead the M Plan, or Malahk Plan, which used gene manipulation to re-create humans into powerful biological weapons called 'MalakH', or Angels, as well as materials to build a mobile fortress for Deus called Merkava, and parts for Deus itself.
In 9499, facilities called Soylent Systems were established all over the world to help accelerate the M Plan. As this was discovered, countries all over the world rebelled and began to band together, forming the Anti-Solaris Alliance.
After the Shevat-Solaris War, and the Diabolos Collapse killed the majority of humanity, Solaris' existence became hidden from the public.
Planning to rule behind the scenes, Solaris established the Ethos Church organization in 9511.
In 9698, Solaris begins the first invasion of Shevat.
In 9701, Solaris begins the second invasion of Shevat.
By the time of Xenogears, Solaris is separated from surface via dimensional gates, and knowledge of Solaris and its existence was then erased from all surface dwellers as an added countermeasure.
Xenogears[]
After the party climbs the Babel Tower to get into contact with Shevat, the party learns the truth of Solaris and decides to ally with Shevat in over take down Solaris, and go to it using Seibzehn after destroying the gates.
The party separates, and Fei and Elly explore Solaris, meeting Elly's parents Erich Van Houten and Medena Van Houten in the process.
While investigating deeper into Solaris's facilities, the group realizes Solaris has been secretly producing food and medicine out of Wel corpses in the Soylent System facility. Citan soon reveals himself to be Hyuga Ricdeau, a spy who has been working for Emperor Cain. The party also learns that the Gazel Ministry seeks to revive Deus and achieve eternal life, while Karellen seeks to obtain Elly, as she is needed to resurrect Deus.
The fate of Etrenank is sealed when Fei loses control, becoming a "complete manifestation" of Id.[1] He annihilates Solaris's main city in Weltall-Id, causing it to explode and sink in the sea.
Later, Solaris' mobile weapon force attacks Shevat during the peace settlement between Aveh and Kislev. A recently upgraded Yggdrasil IV battles Ft. Hurricane.
The group then engages in a race against Solaris to locate the remaining Anima Relics.
After the ministry uses the Gaetia Key and Mahanon rises from the ocean, a percentage of the world's population transforms into Wels, including most of the remaining population of Solaris.[2]
Once most of Solaris' population, citizen and Gebler alike, are transformed into weapons, the nation of Solaris and the Gebler organization, having exhausted their purpose, cease to exist.[3]
Society[]
Solarians generally believe that they are superior to surface dwelling Lambs, as well as persecute and doubt even those of mixed heritage, though most citizens seem unaware of the world outside their city walls.
Some Solarians call themselves the "Abel", or "Shepherds", claiming that it's by divine providence that they are the chosen people.
Solarians are taught to persecute and discriminate against Lambs, see them as a resource for slave labor, or as a potential threat, should they invade restricted areas. Military who are deployed to the surface, such as Elly, are instructed to kill any Lambs that they come into contact with.
Lambs who are promoted through the class system, like Dominia, often take this trait to an extreme, while others who still remember their origin disassociate from it entirely.
Class System[]
Solaris's society is divided into three classes, distracting its citizens with the faint possibility of upward mobility.
- 1st Class citizens, called Gazels (not to be confused with the Gazel Ministry) live rich, wealthy, privileged lives. They inhabit huge luxurious mansions that often have indentured servants from the surface. Their status and comfortable existence often lead them to ignore or even encourage wrongdoing. Almost all Gazels seen in the game have blonde hair and blue eyes, a factor that made Elehayym stand out, due to her appearance.
- 2nd Class citizens are described by Perfect Works as "a mix of classes", which function as a sort of middle class. They serve as a contrast to the 3rd Class level, and give 3rd Class citizens a 'goal' to aspire to. While some, like Elly's squad, mention they were once 3rd class citizens, it's unclear at what rate 3rd Class civilians are actually 'promoted'.
- 3rd Class citizens, also referred to as 'worker bees', are slaves who live in a prison-like honeycomb of tiny pods, only leaving when it's time to work. Most are kidnapped, brainwashed Lambs from the surface. Though some, like Citan Uzuki, manage to rise to the 2nd class and work in the sectors like the military, the reality for a typical 3rd Class citizen is grim, having to work in harsh conditions and suffer from mental and physical abuse. If a person speaks out, they are killed immediately by drones. Those that try to escape, if they are caught, are 're-educated' and at worst, 'rearranged'.
Language[]
Solarians speak a different language from the Lambs, and Elly acts as a translator for Fei. When Elly isn't with Fei and Fei attempts to speak to Solarians, it results in "!%#?&+!"
This later results in a short scene where Fei, no longer having Elly there to translate, has to navigate the city, unable to understand what any citizens are telling him.
Military[]
Solaris' military is known as Gebler. The Elements are part of Gebler and are trained at Jugend Military Academy.
Ethos (religion)[]
- Main article: Ethos
While it initially appears that Solaris is supporting Aveh to help it win its war with Kislev, it is really covertly managing both nations through the use of a religious institution known as the Ethos. On the surface, the Ethos provides both nations with powerful excavated weapons in addition to supplying religious services and aid, but its true purpose is to monitor and control humans of both countries. Solaris uses the religion, the Ethos, to further its agenda. The Ethos brainwashes surface dwellers (Lambs), while secretly kidnapping its downtrodden and using them for experiments or slave labor in Solaris.
Characters from Solaris[]
All characters who were born in Solaris or have lived in Solaris, either through will or kidnapping are as follows:
Leaders:
- Gazel Ministry
- Emperor Cain
- Myyah Hawwa (998th body)
- Karellen
Residents and/or military figures:
- Elehayym Van Houten
- Medena Van Houten
- Erich Van Houten
- Shakhan (operates on the surface)
- Kahran Ramsus (since 9975)
- Isaac Stone (Isaac Stein)
- Dominia Yizkor (since 9993)
- Kelvena
- Tolone
- Seraphita
- Vanderkam
Special cases:
- Citan Uzuki (Hyuga Ricdeau) (from 9970 to 9996) - Citan was former slave who rose up to the military. He secretly works for Emperor Cain.
- Jessie Black (from 9965 to 9990) - After learning the dark truth of Solaris, he escaped Solaris with his family, changed his identity, and is now on its wanted list.
- Billy Lee Black (since birth to 9990)
- Racquel Black (left in 9990)
- Sigurd Harcourt (from 9983 to 9987) - Once a kidnapped slave of Solaris, he joined the military. After remembering his past, he escapes to rescue his half-brother.
Slaves or escapees:
- Maria Balthasar - born in 9986 in Shevat, kidnapped at an unknown point in time, and escaped Solaris in 9990 to Shevat.
- Claudia Balthasar - 9987-9990
- Nikolai Balthasar
- Samson - killed during the game
Etymology[]
Solaris may be a reference to a 1961 Polish philosophical science fiction novel Solaris by Stanisław Lem. The book centers upon the themes of the nature of human memory, experience and the ultimate inadequacy of communication between human and non-human species.
In probing and examining the oceanic surface of the planet Solaris from a hovering research station the human scientists are, in turn, being studied by the sentient planet itself, which probes for and examines the thoughts of the human beings who are analyzing it. Solaris has the ability to manifest their secret, guilty concerns in human form, for each scientist to personally confront.
Trivia[]
- Solaris keeps watch over Fei Fong Wong and his allies via the Memory Cube savepoints. Each time the player accesses it, the Ministry tracks where Fei is. Citan also mentions the memory cubes are meant for obtaining living data.
- While never directly mentioned or referenced by staff in interviews, there are many allusions and references to Nazism in Solaris, such as the general hair and eye color of Gazel society, the names of organizations such as Jugend Military Academy, and the mentions of an Anonelbe, or "long awaited man of god", which seems to be a mistranslation of "Ahnenerbe".
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ CITAN: "Little by little, the number of incidences of his disassociation and their length began to increase. And then at Solaris, a complete manifestation of Id occurred."
- ↑ FEI: "Those people destined by god, regardless of whether they were surface dwellers or Solarians, began to change shape, one after the other..."
- ↑ FEI: "... But, by now, neither the nation of Solaris, nor the organization known as Gebler, existed anymore. The only thing that was left there was an innumerable accumulation of weapons. Almost all of the Solarians had been transfigured into weapons... The Gazel Ministry now reigned over them as their commanders."