| This article pertains to Xenogears: the sub-database of Xenosaga Wiki. |
- This article is for the character in Xenogears. For the character of the Xenosaga series, see Vanderkam.
| “ | Pull back the deck gunners and prepare to engage the Kefeinzel's main cannon... I'll annihilate them into pure energy... | ” |
Vanderkam (ヴァンダーカム, vandākamu), known as Vanderkaum in the English localization, is a character from Xenogears. He has a distinctive tattoo of a purple plus sign on his face.
Biography[]
Once part of the Jugend Military Academy[1], Vanderkam was originally the commander of the Aveh military base. When he was demoted, he was sent to command at the Aveh-Kislev border. His over-reliance on large naval guns over strategy has come at the cost of many lives under his command.[2]
Xenogears[]
Vanderkam first appears with Shakhan in Bledavik as they witness the arrival of Kahran Ramsus and Myyah Hawwa. Ramsus chews him out for being easily beaten and focusing only on force. Shakhan was particularly glad that Ramsus replaced Vanderkam as the Aveh supreme commander, he hoped that this would lead them to the Fatima Jasper.
He later reappears as the captain of the Kefeinzel, having been demoted to Aveh's border fleet. In order to keep the Kefeinzel at bay as Bart's forces infiltrate Bledavik, Fei Fong Wong leads a small group of Gears from Bart's crew to the Aveh-Kislev border.
As Fei's group charges in, the crew of the Kefeinzel begin evasion procedures, which Vankerkam promptly halts, opting instead for a second destroyer squadron to approach Gears' flank, in order to bait Fei's squad into the path of the Kefeinzel's main gun. As Fei's squad approaches, Vankerkam argues with his crew, who insist the Gears are too fast to be properly aimed at.
After Fei's squad destroys the Kefeinzel's guns, the crew evacuates the sinking ship, leaving Vanderkaum behind. As a final attempt to destroy Fei's squad, Vanderkaum pilots the Dora, a special gear that was stored away, but is defeated again. As Fei and his squad move away, Grahf arrives in his Gear, offering Vanderkam "the power", which he accepts.
As Fei's group receives word that Bart and the Yggdrasil are in trouble, the Dora reactivates and attacks them. General Maitreya orders Fei to gather the wounded and go to assist Bart while he and his unit fend off the Dora to buy them some time. Fei refuses to leave, and helplessly watches the entire unit be slaughtered by the Dora. The trauma causes Id to emerge, and Vanderkam is destroyed.
Trivia[]
- Vanderkam has the unique distinction of being the only Xenogears character to be brought over into Xenosaga with virtually no changes to his character, aside from tweaks to his backstory and his facial tattoo being changed from a plus sign to an x.
- Vanderkam also shares similarities to Xenoblade’s Vangarre (Vandamu or Vandamme in the Japanese release), Xenoblade Chronicles X's Vandham, Xenoblade 2’s Vandham, and Xenoblade 3’s Guernica Vandham. While each character is different in their personalities and relationships with the main cast of each game, they all display quirks of a drill sergeant personality, as well as have names beginning with 'Van-'.
- Like all the characters listed above, the name "Vanderkam" may be a reference to Jean-Claude Van Damme, a professional actor that has starring in and directed several martial artist action films.
- In the Proto Merkabah in Xenosaga Episode I, a boss called "Proto Dora" is fought. In the Episode II portion of Xenosaga I & II, Vanderkam shows up on Old Miltia and confronts Shion Uzuki and her companions in the Proto Dora.
- Out of the three men who received "the power" from Grahf, Vanderkam was the only one who actually accepted it.