List of terms in Xenosaga
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The following is a list of other items from the PlayStation 2 series Xenosaga that do not fit the current lists.
| Contents: | Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Ω |
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A
Abel's Ark
Abel's Ark is a star system-sized object that appeared upon the crucifixion of the Messiah on Lost Jerusalem. The Galaxy Federation perceives it to be a giant Gnosis; however, it is actually one of the "eyes of U-DO"; U-DO's observational terminal in this dimension (along with Abel, U-DO's human form). According to the Episode III database, it has the power to change its perceived shape based on circumstances, and it only serves as an observer.
It is the form of Abel's consciousness manifested in real space (similar to the Testaments). The real space and the imaginary space are the two planes of existence interwoven with each other in the Xenosaga universe. Real space is the plane of existence consisting of physical being and flesh, while imaginary space consists of consciousness. As the Ark is from the Imaginary Domain, it does not exist physically. Abel's Ark is the form of Abel's consciousness while Abel is the form of U-Do's physical being. They are referred to as "U-Do's eyes" because U-Do exists outside of the universe (in what's referred to as the "Higher Domain"). Abel's Ark and Abel are the way those within our universe (The "Lower Domain") perceive U-DO's observation.
Its primary shape resembles a crystalline tree or chandelier. The ringed object in the center of its structure is not a planet, but an energy field.
Abyss
The Abyss was a binary pair of massive black holes located near the space that Old Miltia once occupied. In reality, Old Miltia was sucked into the black holes immediately after the Miltian Conflict, due to Joachim Mizrahi's activation of the Original Zohar. In order to reach Old Miltia, the Y-Data was needed to find the path through the Abyss. In Episode II, the U.M.N. gate to Old Miltia is unlocked by Albedo after he retrieves the codes from MOMO's Y-Data. After Old Miltia emerges from the Abyss, the two black holes vanish and do not reappear again.
Episode I's U.M.N. Database makes mention of the fact that the term "Abyss" can also be used to refer to Hell.
A.G.W.S.
A.G.W.S. (Anti-Gnosis Weapon System, pronounced "aegs") are a mobile weapon similar to A.M.W.S. ("ams") that are normally stationed onboard starships. The true distinction between an A.G.W.S. and an A.M.W.S. is that A.G.W.S. are equipped with special equipment to combat Gnosis, while A.M.W.S. are general purpose units which are designed to carry out a number of tasks, although they do appear to be generally much larger in size than A.G.W.S. units. A.G.W.S. were designed to respond quickly to Gnosis attacks, which tend to occur with very little warning. A.G.W.S. are powered by a Transmit Generator which draws energy from the powerplant of the starship the A.G.W.S. is stationed on. The mech uses no physical fuel, nor does it produce its own energy. It is constantly being fed energy by its parent generator. Therefore, as long as the A.G.W.S. does not stray from the Transmit Generator's area of influence it can remain operational indefinitely so long as the starship or base is still operating as well.
A.G.W.S come in various forms, which are dictated by their functions. The Federation military's standard issue A.G.W.S. are all fitted with standardized chassis which can be interchanged and customized with armaments and equipment depending the uniqueness of the situation. Military A.G.W.S. are normally built by the enigmatic Hyams Group. Vector Industries' A.G.W.S. are not mass produced and are only available to select buyers. Only certain government Special Ops. units, certain divisions of the military, and wealthy companies or organizations like the Kukai Foundation have access to these models. People like 1st Lieutenant Virgil, Mary and Shelley, and Jr. are seen piloting A.G.W.S. several times over the course of the game. Main character Shion Uzuki and others also have A.G.W.S. available to them in battle but are not seen piloting them in the actual storyline sections of Episode I with the exception of Junior who is shown piloting his first A.G.W.S. unit during his first appearance.
A.M.W.S.
A.M.W.S. (Assault Maneuver Weapon System, pronounced "ams") mechs are larger than A.G.W.S. but not as powerful as E.S. units. The major difference between an A.M.W.S. and an E.S. is that the E.S. are equipped with Anima Relics. Two popular A.M.W.S. are the Scutum and Pilum, piloted by Ormus/U-TIC officers Herman and Richard respectively. Another popular A.M.W.S. was a machine piloted by Jin Uzuki during the Miltian Conflict. Jin's A.M.W.S. was capable of slicing other mechs literally in two with its signature weapon, a massive sword. The unit is abandoned after sustaining heavy damage during a battle with multiple rogue Federation A.M.W.S.s and is not seen again. Some other A.M.W.S. use melee weapons, but many units are equipped with projectile or energy weapons.
In Episode III, both A.M.W.S. and A.G.W.S. are referred to by the term "mobile weapons"(which is reminiscent of anime such as Gundam). The units can be distinguished because A.M.W.S. are in fact units that are used for general purposes, but are not equipped to fight Gnosis, as they lack Gnosis combat equipment (such as D.S.S.S. sensors to "see" the Gnosis. Furthermore, A.M.W.S. units tend to be significantly larger than A.G.W.S., more on the scale of E.S. units.
Anima Relics
An "Anima Relic" is the power source of an ES unit. In general they look like a spine.
There are only 12 known Anima Relics. One in each of the 12 E.S. models: E.S. Dinah, Reuben, Dan, Joseph, Judah, Naphtali, Asher, Gad, Issachar, Levi, Zebulun, and Simeon.
Auto-Techs
Auto-Techs are automatons used for a variety of tasks. They are considered to be intelligent tools and generally have a nonhuman appearance. Examples include a UTIC attack vessel that infiltrates the Elsa in Episode I and a humanoid combat model used by Mai Magus in Episode III.
B
Beach of Nothingness
The Beach of Nothingness is a mysterious and otherworldly all-white beach seen in both Episodes I and III. It is a Limbo-like place visited by those who are either near death or have previously died. In Episode I, Shion Uzuki and Andrew Cherenkov visit the Beach of Nothingness after Cherenkov transforms into a Gnosis and later dies. He relates his past to Shion here and tells her he likes the beach because there is nothing else there but himself. Before disappearing completely, Cherenkov notes that Shion will one day arrive here. Whether she will or not is in doubt after the end of Episode III. In Episode III, Shion once again finds herself on the Beach of Nothingness accompanied by the spirit of Joachim Mizrahi, and together they witness of a vision of KOS-MOS in her true human form, Mary Magdalene.
Bormeo University
Bormeo is a commended college that many of Vector Industries' employees have attended, including Allen Ridgely and Kevin Winnicot (at age 14, no less).
It is revealed in Episode II during a side game that the Professor also attended this university and graduated at the top of his class, before he supposedly disappeared (this is from the account that the lesser known Other Professor made). The Other Professor and the Dark Professor were his known colleagues.
C
Camelle
Camelle is a term used to refer to individuals employed by Federation government, military or corporations, those not are called Elleles. They generally have better job and benefit access due to their affiliation; most of the primary characters such as Shion and Allen are camelles.
Cathedral Ship
Cathedral Ship is a massive type of Gnosis roughly ten thousand kilometers in diameter. In Episode I, the Elsa became lost inside a Cathedral Ship that was the transformed planet Ariadne, which vanished during a Link Experiment experiment with a Zohar Emulator. Remnants of the planet are also found inside the Cathedral Ship when exploring it. Gnosis are attracted to the Zohar as well as to its emulators, so, when the Woglinde attempted to leave with the Zohar Emulator, the Cathedral ship sent legions of Gnosis to collect it. The Zohar Emulator remained inside of the Cathedral Ship until Shion and friends were drawn into its core. Commander Cherenkov, sent to retrieve the Emulator for Margulis, was turned into a Gnosis right in front of the protagonists, just before its disappearance. The Zohar Emulator then fell into the hands of the Kukai Foundation.
Compass of Order and Chaos
The Compass Of Order and Chaos is an artifact that Wilhelm can look into and see the order in phenomena happening before it occurs. It is the artifact found in the very beginning of Xenosaga Episode I, a glyph with a small silver colored Zohar that was put in the middle by Dr. Masuda during early 20XX AD.
In the game a mysterious girl named Nephilim quotes that Phenomena occurs in waves created by little ripples in time, or peoples actions, that are always changing. Obviously Wilhelm can see past this and tell what happens no matter what.
In Episode I it is referred to only as the Compass of Order, because only the Order ring on the Compass is presently working. The Chaos ring of the Compass has not spun in some time.
In the epilogue of Episode I, the Compass of Order goes haywire, glowing brightly and wildly changing directions when chaos's hands begin to glow, possibly suggesting that it can't predict chaos's intervention. However, Wilhelm seems hardly put off by this; instead, he appears fascinated.
In Episode III it is revealed that the Compass is a terminal interface for Zarathustra, which resembles the Compass on a colossal scale. It also collects and processes the data from Program Canaan and sends it to Zarathustra, enabling it to track the progress of those under surveillance by Canaan units. In the Official Perfect Guidebook, it is stated further that the Compass is actually part of Wilhelm, it is his manifested ability to predict all possible futures. He has used it since the beginning of time to help him guide humanity from behind the scenes.
Because it is a relic of God, it was not meant to be touched by human hands. When Voyager is tricked by Canaan into accessing the "source" of Wilhelm's power, he connects to the Compass and by extension Zarathustra and is overwhelmed and obliterated by its power, along with Canaan.
The Compass of Order and Chaos also serves as the logo for the title of Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra.
D
DME Addiction
DME Addiction is a physical and mental illness caused by the consumption of Realian flesh. Realian skin and neurological (brain) tissue is extremely addictive, almost like a drug. Furthermore, like a drug, the Realian skin and neuro tissue causes physical mutation and complete emotional addiction, primarily due to the tissue chemical being absorbed into the bloodstream, while the small, solid particles collect around the veins. Lieutenant Virgil had a severe case of DME Addiction. His skin was completely hardened, and a majority of his veins were clearly visible as long bumps on the surface. This is one of many examples of obvious Realian mistreatment.
Dock Colony
The Dock Colony featured in Episode I is a space station located near Second Miltia. The Elsa briefly stops at Dock Colony prior to its encounter with the Cathedral Ship. During the stay, Cherenkov is attacked by a local gang.
E
Encephalon
The Encephalon is a massive, virtual reality world normally accessed through the assistance of special goggles. Furthermore, the Encephalon can recreate locations in absolute detail. However, in some cases, this may have an effect on the brain; whatever happens in virtual space can still affect the body’s state in the real world (which is very similar to The Matrix). The Encephalon is extremely realistic and complex, almost as if it is another dimension on its own. Shion Uzuki and friends encounter many strange people and events in the Encephalon. The Encephalon could be compared to the online world of .hack; both worlds seem to have divine beings and phenomena throughout their structure. Nephilim, Febronia, and many other enigmatic figures seem to exist in the Encephalon, as seen through the minds of KOS-MOS and MOMO. It should also be noted that these figures seen in the Encephalon have some sort of connection to the Zohar.
Erde Kaiser
Erde Kaiser is a giant mech which the Professor creates for the party in Episode I. It is the most powerful summon spell in Xenosaga. Furthermore, Episode II features "Erde Kaiser Fury" and "Dark Erde Kaiser", a central figure on one of the game's sidequests.
Each of its four components ( in Episode II) has a separate attack corresponding to an order of angels, (Thrones, Seraphs, Cherubs, Dominions).
Episode III allows the player to summon all three incarnations of Erde Kaiser.
The name "Erde Kaiser" is German for "Earth-Ruler, or Earth-Emperor."
E.S.
E.S. are massive mechs similar to A.M.W.S., equipped with Vessels of Anima, which draw power from the Zohar and grant greater power than the standard mobile weapons available in the Xenosaga universe. E.S. are primarily used by [[List ois capable of flying to anywhere in space from anywhere else in space without having to go to specific U.M.N. Column areas to initiate hyperspace gate-ins. Designed specifically for KOS-MOS, it interlinks with her space bike and primarily uses beam weapons. It can still perform the X-buster attack and utilize the D.S.S.S. sensory system. In Episode III the frame is altered, sporting a larger set of wings and additional energy weaponry. At the beginning of Episode III, the Dinah is in the possession of Shion Uzuki as her personal craft, though it is officially on loan to the Kukai Foundation from Vector. Like KOS-MOS, Dinah is considered to be obsolete technology by this time, although it is actually still quite powerful.
- E.S. Gad — It is revealed in Xenosaga I&II that E.S. Gad is a U-TIC Ein Sof that is undergoing restoration along with E.S. Joseph. While Gad is out of commission, its Anima Vessel is partially aligned with Richard's AMWS Pillum and codenamed P.S. Gad. In Episode III Gad's Anima Vessel is fully aligned with Pillum and it becomes E.S. Gad. Gad looks remarkably similar to Pillum, although has a taller headplate reminiscent of a Bishop's miter. Between it and its partner E.S. Joseph, Gad is geared for the offense role of the team, armed with rapier as its primary weapon and the ability to summon the Naglfar, a beam cannon nearly three times its height. In Xenosaga III, it gains a shield like the one used by Scutum/Joseph.
- E.S. Issachar — An older E.S. Unit piloted by U-TIC Commander Pellegri under direct orders from Margulis. Uses the weapon system Aird, similar to the Vierge’s Aerods and the Crescens Claw. Issachar also appears in the anime adaptation of Episode I, Xenosaga: The Animation. In the anime, Pellegri had been following Ziggy and MOMO since they left Pleroma. When the Kukai Foundation is surrounded by the Federation Fleet before arriving at Second Miltia, Margulis authorizes her to use Issachar to covertly break the blockade (which the U-TIC Organization orchestrated in the first place). Her mission is to destroy the evidence clearing the Foundation of guilt in the sinking of the Woglinde by hacking into KOS-MOS' Encephalon and corrupting the data. She is stopped when chaos and Jin Uzuki break into her Encephalon Dive and prevent her from accomplishing her mission.
- E.S. Joseph — It is revealed in Xenosaga I&II that E.S. Joseph is a U-TIC Ein Sof that is undergoing restoration like E.S. Gad was. While Joseph is out of commission, its Anima Vessel is partially aligned with Hermann's AMWS Scutum and codenamed P.S. Joseph. In Episode III Joseph's Anima Vessel is fully aligned with Scutum and it becomes E.S. Joseph. Joseph looks remarkably similar to Scutum, although like its partner Gad, it has a taller headplate. Of the duo, Joseph is designed for the defensive role of the team, as it chassis holds heavy armor. Its main weapons are a large polearm in its right arm and a thin shield in its left arm.
- E.S. Judah — The machine piloted by Kevin Winnicot, the Red Testament. Kevin's mech is red, much like his cloak and appears to be a humanoid mech similar in configuration to E.S. Dinah with spiky wings instead of solid ones and blades attached to its arms. It has appeared twice in Episode II, once on the Ω System and once in the epilogue and also appears in Episode III extensively. It, and the redesigned E.S. Simeon, is the only E.S. to not participate in a battle in either gameplay or the storyline. The Episode III database describes E.S. Judah as a fierce fighting machine capable of striking targets through the U.M.N., making it nearly impossible to defend against.
- E.S. Levi — The black mech piloted by Margulis in Episode III. Margulis' E.S. is quite similar to Pellegri's E.S. Issachar; a very dark black and orange mech that carries a giant-sized sword with two floating wing-like attachments similar to Issachar's Crescens Claw. These attachments also function as a logical drive. It was originally designed as a multi-role unit, but because its pilot prefers melee combat above everything else, it has been stripped of most of its longer-ranged weapons. It is instead equipped with a long sword for close-range combat and kunai like objects which are thrown from the arms of the unit.
- E.S. Naphtali — The blue machine piloted by Luis Virgil, the Blue Testament. It is briefly glimpsed in Episode I after Proto Merkabah appears. It next appears at the end of Episode II with the other E.S. of the Testaments and again in Episode III when Virgil confronts Shion and her friends on the landmass Rennes-le-Chatâeu. It also appeared as a boss battle in Xenosaga I&II for the Nintendo DS. Naphtali was made primarily as a mobile gunnery platform, as it possesses a scorpion-like body with numerous built-in guns and a large rifle that can be teleported in.
- E.S. Reuben — Reuben appears for the first time in The Missing Year, as an E.S. under the jurisdiction of the S.O.C.E. that is loaned to Jin Uzuki by Juli Mizrahi. E.S. Reuben is Jin Uzuki's new E.S. unit and in keeping with the tradition surrounding his character it is an agile mech wielding two katana and is painted dark green. Although it lacks long-range weaponry and is lightly armored, Jin's style of combat compensates those deficiencies.
- E.S. Simeon — Albedo’s E.S. Unit. Like the E.S. Issachar and E.S. Zebulun, Simeon uses the weapon system known as Aird. Along with Albedo, it dematerialized half-way through Episode II and while Albedo later reappeared, E.S. Simeon did not. E.S. Simeon's system is known as the Relic Drive. This drive fuels the E.S. by absorbing the 'Will' of living beings. In the Xenosaga: the Animation it directly absorbs a Kirschwasser seen bound to its Vessel of Anima and transforms into a giant bio-organic monster with hundreds of tentacles and a gaping maw. It is reduced to a pool of molten flesh and comments from chaos and Jr. suggest that it didn't have a proper Vessel to begin with. E.S. Simeon is later seen in the anime's epilogue restored to its original mechanical form. The mech seen piloted by Albedo as the White Testament at the end of Episode II and in Episode III is indeed E.S. Simeon, or more precisely Simeon's Vessel of Anima aligned to a new mech chassis. The new frame has no legs and a series of dragon-like extensions rising from the shoulders. These extensions may be meant to resemble the many heads of the Hydra, which would be fitting considering the inborn ability of the pilot. The new E.S. Simeon is not fought at any point in Episode III and only appears once at Rennes-le-Chatâeu.
- E.S. Zebulun — An E.S. provided by Vector Industries constructed especially for use by MOMO as it is the only playable E.S. Unit capable of using Ether in Episode II. Like Issachar and Simeon, this unit makes use of the Aird system, a set of remote-controlled gun drones. Like Dinah, Simeon and to a lesser extent Issachar, Zebulun undergoes a remodeling for Episode III. The bashing blades that encompass its arms and the blades on its heels (see above picture) are removed, its arms are connected to its shoulders instead of its head and a pair of small wings are attached to its hips.
Ether
Ether is short for Especial Theory of Rudimentary. It consists of a very wide range of abilities which are similar to magic but based upon purely scientific reasoning. It refers to nanomachine abilities that many Xenosaga characters have the ability to tap into ("Open Ether Circuit") for various purposes. Some Ether abilities include the Medica series (uses nanomachines to heal), attack Ethers (similar to Magic in other RPGs), and support effects.
Ether is also used as a general term for many varied abilities. While most characters and NPCs use nanomachine based Ether (even recovery items appear to be nano-med kits) some characters rely on different sources. Several characters exhibit psychic powers such as energy emission, mind manipulation, psychokinesis, and other physiological abilities beyond the human norm, some of which can either be explained by contact with U-DO, mutation, genetic manipulation, or archaic skills. A few characters prominently exhibit the ability to summon equipment via teleportation. This is done through the U.M.N. however biological beings are noted as being unable to cross space this way without detrimental effects.
In Episode II, characters could combine their Ether powers for a greater effect. MOMO's craft, the E.S. Zebulun was specially made to channel her Ether ability through the mech for use during battle.
Notably, Episode I featured unique character Ether based upon their professions or species. Gnosis are also known to use similar effects. Although U.R.T.V. units like Albedo and Rubedo can regenerate or 'preserve' themselves in that order, this may or may not fall within the Ether classification. However, chaos and Jr are among few who have powers based on more traditional notions of magic, although this is also referred to as Ether. These powers are more like the Force, such as in Star Wars, or powerfully psychic otherworldly powers.
Ether could also come from the word "aether," which is the Greek personification of the sky/heaven, from Aether, the substance that supposedly fills all of space and was often considered a fifth element in science and philosophy. Aether was also the substance which was breathed by the Olympian gods (as opposed to the aer, or air, breathed by humans).
Executive Committee Director
The Executive Committee Director is much like the President or Prime Minister of the Xenosaga universe. This person chairs the Executive Committee and is the most powerful person (politically) in the entire Universe. Because of the enormous influence this person has over federal policy making, he or she must be elected into office by a majority vote from the entire Federation Government, all 500,000 representative members. The Executive Committee Director runs the government from Fifth Jerusalem, the Federation's capital planet.
Wilhelm, the CEO of Vector Industries was once Executive Committee Director but stepped down from the office several years before the start of Episode I. It is unknown whether he took a leave of absence from Vector while he chaired the Committee or not.
F
FAE
FAE is the acronym for Fuel Air Explosion. It is seen in Episode I on the Woglinde. Lt. Virgil survived because he was in an A.G.W.S., but Shion was completely unprotected; it is unknown how she survived the attack, though the M.W.S. entry does state that it contains spatial-phase shielding. It's possible she may have been just far enough away to avoid the brunt of the explosion. A type of Gnosis known as Manticores have been known to fire these from their tails.
Fragments of Lemegeton
The name for those who store elements of the Lemegeton Program' developed on Lost Jerusalem (Earth) before its disappearance. Those who carry it can transform into Gnosis but retain their memories and will, as well as attract other Gnosis to them. In the web series A Missing Year, Shion encounters a Realian girl who carries the program.
FTL
FTL is the acronym for Faster Than Light travel. For more information, see the FTL article.
G
Gnosis
Gnosis are entities shrouded in mystery with a definite hostility toward mankind. The Gnosis exist in a unique dimension separate from the physical plane called the Imaginary Numbers Realm; therefore, it is normally impossible to come into contact with them. Strangely, despite their destructive powers and obvious sentience, they are mostly comprised of sodium chloride (pure salt), when translucent they are composed of water and sodium hydroxide. If someone is touched by a Gnosis, they either die by breaking down into salt, or become Gnosis themselves. The latter of which occurs if one is touched but survives. However, Shion Uzuki was touched by a Gnosis and failed to turn into a Gnosis. This most likely comes from the Gnostic belief that in the quest for enlightenment, three things can happen: One can be unworthy, and one just dies (turning into salt.) One's soul can be considered worthy, but one's material body is still impure (turning into a Gnosis.) Or one can be of the few who reach enlightenment without losing one's body (Shion surviving being attacked by a Gnosis). This concept may have originated from the story of Lot in the bible, where his wife is turned into a pillar of salt after looking back on God's destruction of the city of Sodom.
Gnosis are human wills who resonate passively with Anima to the point of seeking dispersal and destruction. Because they fear and reject other people, they reject the entire collective consciousness of humanity. People who become infected with this fear by contact with Gnosis may also become a Gnosis themselves if they submit to the fear or try to escape from it. People who resonate purely with Anima do not become Gnosis, which may be why Shion never turns into a Gnosis after being attacked and almost whitened.
Gnosis come from the Imaginary Numbers realm that occupies the same space as the Real Numbers realm. The collective consciousness of the Lower Domain (the universe of human consciousness) is composed of both the real(physical) and the imaginary(spiritual) sides. What looks human on one side looks like a Gnosis on the other side. Everything that exists in the real world also exists in the imaginary world, which is why there are even Gnosis planets, such as Cathedral Ship. Although the term Gnosis generally applies to the wills that seek dispersal, everything that exists on the imaginary side is composed the same as a Gnosis. This is also why Abel's Ark is seen as a giant Gnosis, yet at the same time it is not a Gnosis.
According to Jr., Gnosis have been reported throughout history, albeit in very few sightings and nothing near the scale at which they currently appear. But it was during the Miltian Conflict that the Gnosis came into our dimension en masse. It was this event that caused the dispersal phenomenon that was destroying the universe to rapidly advance.
By activating the Hilbert Effect, Gnosis within the radius of the effect are drawn into the same physical plane as humans, allowing them to be affected by conventional weapons. Due to the variations in their external appearance, the standard practice is to categorize and name Gnosis after mythical, legendary and folkloric creatures. Examples of these are Goblins (top-heavy white bipeds), Golems (gangly humanoids with flexible arms), Manticores (large greenish caterpillars) and Gremlins (fishlike beings, one of which merged with an A.G.W.S. in Episode I as a boss on the Woglinde). Other common types include boxlike whales and amber-skinned seals.
Gnosis also appear to have the ability to possess machinery and integrate it into their body, thus giving themselves extra abilities based on the machinery they possess. A Gnosis of the 'Gremlin' type possessed an A.G.W.S. unit and was able to use its weapons.
In Episode III, four Gnosis appear on Abel's Ark, guarding the way to Dimitri Yuriev's location and Ω Res Novae.
Gnosis is the Greek word for "knowledge." The games are referring to Gnosticism, a system of beliefs which teaches that the material world is evil, and only through the pursuit of the knowledge of the true nature of the world can man return to the spiritual realm after death.
H
Hilbert Effect
The Hilbert Effect is an anti-Gnosis system used to draw the Gnosis into our plane of reality, allowing us to come into contact with them by connecting imaginary space with real space for a short time, instead of them being able to interact with our plane's matter at will. Using Hilbert waves is proven to be one of the few ways to even attempt to attack a Gnosis. The Hilbert Effect is usually only operated on spacecraft, with the purpose of dragging an entire army of Gnosis out of "limbo." Using advanced amplifers, the waves can be spread very far, though no spacecraft has ever matched the incredible range of KOS-MOS, who can generate these waves from her person. KOS-MOS is capable of generating the effect for 300,000 kilometers using partial strength, to several astronomical units using her maximum output. The 100-Series Realians are capable of generating these waves at a distance of 100,000 kilometers with a special adapter. Without the adapter, they can only reach up to a few hundred kilometers. Hilbert waves can also be used to disable many high-end sensors using cross-interference. This means it also affects local systems as well. Most ships have buffering which helps to prevent this in open spaces. However, when the Hilbert Effect is used without amplifiers in an enclosed space, all sensor systems are affected, and Ether based weaponry is rendered useless. Concentrated Hilbert waves can interfere with Realian systems as well. They don't seem to have any effect on humans. In Episode III, the player has the option (with MOMO and KOS-MOS) to actually activate the effect within battle, where it lowers the attributes of Gnosis and Machine types greatly.
I
J
Joshua
A green mech piloted by Wilhelm, and the central control system of the Zarathustra device. It is first seen in the epilogue of Episode II and makes several appearances in Episode III. It looks like a green and black E.S. with gold highlights and a long spike on its left arm, however it is not an E.S. unit. It has no Vessel of Anima and draws its power directly from Wilhelm himself. Joshua is a completely new craft constructed by Wilhelm independent of the "relics of God". It is so thoroughly connected to Wilhelm that it can be thought of as an extension of his body. It is also the main generator of the Dämmerung, Vector's headquarters. When Wilhelm departs for Michtam with Joshua near the end of the game, the Dämmerung abruptly loses power and becomes dead in space, it's reactor having "disappeared".
Joshua appears again with Wilhelm before Zarathustra at the end of the game. When Zarathustra and Abel go out of control it merges completely with the device and with the remains of the twelve E.S.s to become the game's final boss. Its closest analogy to Xenogears would make it the core of Deus, as both used the Zohar as an energy source.
One interesting note is that the Joshua looked white in color at the end of Episode II, but a close up reveals the white light makes it a pale green, and had several tubes connecting its right elbow to its left shoulder (possibly the Y-Data that Wilhelm and the Testaments are looking through).
L
Labyrinthos
Labyrinthos, located on Old Miltia, was the main headquarters of the U-TIC Organization during the Miltian Conflict. It also housed the Original Zohar and the Song of Nephilim. During the Miltian Conflict, Dr. Mizrahi used Labyrinthos as a lab for his Zohar experiments. Furthermore, a mysterious shadow radiated from the building and supposedly engulfed Canaan, thus knocking out his recollections of the final hours of the Miltian Conflict. Also located within the Labyrinthos complex was the station where the U.R.T.V.s confronted U-DO at. At the end of the Miltian Conflict, the large tower and the rest of Old Miltia disappeared into the Abyss, the double black hole that appeared in the Miltian system as a result of U-DO going berserk. However, during Xenosaga Episode II, Old Miltia and Labyrinthos reappeared for Ormus and Albedo. After Labyrinthos was infiltrated by Shion’s party, they noticed that the building was intact, except for weblike substances that seemed to be some sort of U-DO residue. However, after the appearance of Proto Ω from deep within Labyrinthos, and the detachment of the Original Zohar from the link (Cecily and Cathe), Labyrinthos became ground zero for a planet wide transformation into the Ω System.
Labyrinthos is a reference to an ancient Greek myth about a maze on the island of Crete, which housed the infamous Minotaur.
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (also known as Lake Rudolph) is a large body of water located at the northern tip of Kenya which covers an area of 7000 km². Its maximum depth is 73 m. Many ancient hominid (human) fossil discoveries were made at this site. In the Xenosaga series it was the site of an excavation operation in A.D. 20XX. The team, led by one Dr. Masuda, discovered the Original Zohar along with the Anima Relics here.
Lemegeton
Lemegeton is represented in the material world as words, but it is actually a wavelength energy. Lemegeton can only be understood and spoken by chaos (Anima), and when recited, they can access and control the Zohar. Through the Zohar, energy from the Higher Domain of U-DO can be accessed. Humans are unable to speak the "words", however the ancient people and future researchers such as Grimoire Verum were able to create programs from Lemegeton to control the Zohar. This was used in all Relics of God that made use of the Zohar's energy, such as Zarathustra and Omega. The Song of Nephilim is an incomplete translation of Lemegeton. People of the Zohar, whose wills resonate strongly with Anima due to their special bloodline, are also capable of controlling the Zohar, with the strongest among them capable of communicating with U-DO. In this way, the power of Anima is also seen as a proxy between humans and the power of the Higher Domain.
Lemegeton was left behind by chaos in ancient times. It was rediscovered in the ancient ruins in Lake Turkana, Kenya, during the same dig that uncovered the Zohar. From the ancient language found in the ruins, Grimoire Verum created Program Lemegeton. Use of Lemegeton during a test with the Zohar caused the Lower Domain to be linked to the Higher Domain of U-DO. U-Do's observing presence caused human consciousnesses that seek dispersal to go berserk, and in response, the Zohar went out of control. The result was a Local Matter Shift, where the material realm began to disappear into the imaginary realm. Grimoire's daughter who was used in the experiment, Nephilim, was the first to disappear, although the disappearance phenomenon spread until humanity was forced to abandon Earth. To stop the spread of the disappearance phenomenon to the rest of the universe, Wilhelm used his power to seal the Earth.
Thousands of years later, Joachim Mizrahi would continue Lemegeton research with the Song of Nephilim. Although the Song of Nephilim is an incomplete translation of Grimoire's Lemegeton program, just as Grimoire's Program Lemegeton was merely a translation of the original Lemegeton. The true Lemegeton may only be known to chaos.
The word Lemegeton itself is a reference to the lesser key of King Solomon, which is also called Goetia. In Xenogears, the Goetia Key was a device activated by the Gazel Ministry to raise Mahanon, the land of God, from the ocean when they deemed the time was right.
Logic Drive System
The Logic Drive System is a new type of propulsion system, which replaced traditional reactionary propulsion systems. It works by reconfiguring the spatial phase around its direction of travel. Substantial amounts of energy are needed to power this system, but since the energy source is relatively easy to compact, the system is being considered for use in fleets with transfer type generators as well as A.G.W.S. units. Given its use in-game this may refer to a new type of direct kinetic energy emission or conversion without the use of chemical fuels.
K
Klein Point
A very minute point through which the Gnosis would appear from imaginary into real space. Klein, in German, means "small", indicating the size of the point. Before the use of Hilbert Effect, hitting the Klein Point with a high amount of energy would be the only effective way of destroying a Gnosis. In Episode III, KOS-MOS uses her Third Armament to punch a hole through the Klein Point of the energy sphere encompassing Rennes-le-Chatâeu. This allows the party's E.S.s, Dinah, Asher, Zebulun and Reuben to penetrate the sphere and enter the floating landmass.
M
M.W.S.
The M.W.S., or Multiple Weapon System, was designed and built by Vector Industries First R&D Division machinist Miyuki Itsumi and given to First Division Chief Engineer Shion Uzuki to test out before submitting the design to the Federation Patent Office.
The first advent of this design, the Mark I was about the size of a medieval shield and stretched the length of a person's entire arm. As seen in Xenosaga: Episode I it was big, boxy, brightly colored and was clearly a prototype piece still in development. The Mark I was equipped with fighting knuckles, taser rods and anti-Gnosis beam launchers. Also housed within the unit were spatial-phase shielding, which acted like an inertial dampener to lessen the impact of otherwise serious injuries, and a make-shift Logical Drive unit which helped to counterbalance the otherwise clumsy unit and enhanced the power of physical attacks. In theory, even the weakest possible person equipped with an M.W.S. Mark I could go head-to-head against an armored tactical weapon like an A.G.W.S. or a robot tank. The Mark I makes a reappearance in Episode III being used by Miyuki in battle.
The second advent of the M.W.S. was seen in Xenosaga Episode II and was presumably given to Shion by Miyuki while she was still on Second Miltia at the start of the game. The M.W.S. Mark II was a much smaller and streamlined version of the previous design. Sleeker and colored in a metallic silver and black paint job, this new M.W.S. fit nicely on a person's forearm. The knuckle assembly was removed and more emphasis was placed on the system's other two weapons, the long-range beam launcher and taser rods. The Mark II limits the amount of fighting one can do at close range but greatly improves the way a person can fight at long distances. It is assumable that the M.W.S. Mark II has the same Logical Drive stabilizer and spatial-phase shielding as its predecessor too. This device is used by Shion early in Episode III and called White Silver and it should be noted that the Vector logo has been completely removed (possibly Shion's doing once leaving the company).
Various types of M.W.S.s exist in Episode III, which Shion can purchase at the shops throughout the game. Her ultimate weapon, created from Geocrystal, is called Miyuki Special and has a blue, crystalline color similar to the Zohar's core. A change over the two episodes resulted in Shion's lightning and beam attacks being removed for a generic shot, and the addition of her 'Shock Blade' returning this time in physical form.
Miltian Conflict
The Miltian Conflict is a catastrophic event that occurred on Old Miltia in the year T.C. 4753 (fourteen years prior to Xenosaga), with origins in the mysterious Zoar Incident. The main impetus of the conflict was the power struggle between the Immigrant Fleet descendants who traditionally held power on Miltia, and the Federation attempting to extend its control over the planet. The military arm of the Immigrant fleet, the U-TIC Organization, began buildup on Miltia to maintain their independence from the Federation. The Federation began dispatching troops to Miltia. Their first and second descent operations ended in partial failure, as Federation forces met with the surprising strength of U-TIC's forces (including Proto-Ω). U-TIC also had a trump card: the Song of Nephilim Device, which they planned to activate to drive all Realians (except those who had undergone special maintenance on Proto Merkabah) insane and weaken the Federation forces, not mention provide a sizable distraction permitting the escape of key personnel.
Finally, in a third descent operation, the U.R.T.V.s were sent in to eliminate the threat of U-DO (ostensibly to stop the Zohar from supplying power to the U-TIC A.M.W.S. units, but in reality because of machinations by Dmitri Yuriev, stemming from his obsession with U-DO) using their anti-existence waves. The U.R.T.V.s managed their way into labyrinthos, gathered around U-DO and prepared to destroy it. Just before they did, their leader, U.R.T.V. 666 "Rubedo" (a.k.a. Jr.), realized that use of the U.R.T.V.'s multiple anti-existence waves, which were designed to neutralize U-DO but not to neutralize each other, would result in a waveform collision which would release enormous amounts of thermal energy, destroying the entire planet. Fearing for the lives of his brothers and companions, Rubedo decided to cut the psychic bond that was used to create the anti-existence waves, which left all of the other U.R.T.V.s unprotected against U-DO. The U.R.T.V.s were then either killed or driven insane by U-DO save for Rubedo and U.R.T.V. 669 "Nigredo," who had been badly wounded. But probably the worst outcome of all this was when U.R.T.V. 667 "Albedo" made partial contact with U-DO which drove him insane.
Near the end of the fighting, Sellers activated the Song Device, causing wanton destruction by mad Realians and human soldiers. Amidst the chaos of battle, a young Shion fled to the Acute Neurosis treatment Facility, adjacent to Labyrinthos, to find her parents. She watched as they were brutally killed by 27-series Asura combat Realians. This drove Shion over the edge of despair, causing her latent abilities to resonate with the Zohar, resulting in direct communication with U-DO. In response, U-DO opened a portal between the real and imaginary realms, and the Gnosis entered the real realm en masse. Joachim Mizrahi tried to minimize the damage of the expanding Gnosis phenomenon by sealing Miltia from access to the U.M.N. before falling to his death from atop Labyrinthos. The space-time anomalies continued until the whole planet was cut off from space by the dual black holes, known as the Abyss.
In actuality, the entirety of the Conflict was orchestrated by Wilhelm to cause Shion's anguish to summon Abel's Ark. She failed, however, to produce the desired result, forcing Wilhelm to attempt to achieve this objective through other means.
After the conflict, the Ormus society, fronted by U-TIC, searched for the Y-Data. This package held the secrets behind the conflict as well as the ability to retrieve Old Miltia and the Original Zohar that was stored within the Labyrinthos base.
N
O
Original Zohar
- See "Zohar."
Ormus Stronghold
The Ormus Stronghold was a massive space facility controlled by the Ormus organization. Orgulla, Herman and Richard were stationed in the base, as well as several U-TIC officials. During the Galactic Federation/Ormus struggle for Old Miltia, the Ormus Stronghold appeared before the Abyss, blocking the way to the planet. It was infiltrated by Shion and her friends who sabotaged the station's central core causing it to fall into the abyss.
P
Phase Transfer Weaponry
Phase Transition is the change from one physical state to another. Given the scientific explanations given in-game such as the reference to Planck Scale and that Phase Transition Weaponry seems to be a very powerful form of energy emission in the form of powerful plasma beams this likely refers to the direct conversion of mass to energy according to Einstein theory which eventually led to atomic weaponry. This would be therefore similar to what happens when anti-matter comes into collision with its corresponding matter resulting in the release of massive amounts of energy hence Shion's comment "You could vaporize a whole star with this." How this is achieved is not said. Joachim Mizrahi's superweapon (Proto Ω) is equipped with a U.M.N. Phase Transfer Cannon.
Proto Dora
Proto Dora is a giant green tank-like A.M.W.S. fought in Proto Merkabah near the end of Episode I. Proto Dora shares a name with the Dora from Xenogears. The name Dora is a shortened mistranslation of the Greek word "Δωροθεος" (Dorotheos), which means "gift of God."
Proto Merkabah
Proto Merkabah was a large space station created by scientist Joachim Mizrahi. Its surface function was to research and develop Realians, among other things. MOMO, the 100-series observational Realian, was also created in the heart of the facility by Dr. Mizrahi, but it was not the primary function of the facility. However, as Juli Mizrahi clearly explained, the Song of Nephilim was designed to dock with Proto Merkabah and the Zohar. The Song of Nephilim summoned the Gnosis, which were collected by Proto Merkabah (seemingly using the same technology employed by KOS-MOS when she performs X-Buster), then used as a medium to collect the waves from the Zohar as an energy source. Juli states that the original purpose of the facility was to "discover the true form of the universe; the form we ourselves were meant to have". The rogue URTV, Albedo, discovered that it could thus be used as a superweapon, and summoned Proto Merkabah from the Abyss as part of a three-pronged strategy. First, by establishing his power with the Song of Nephilim, summoning the station would draw Shion Uzuki and friends to the station. However, the incident would also harass the Second Miltian Government, and destroy the remaining Federation forces around Second Miltia. It was part of a grand plan to divert attention from the Immigrant Fleet and to the U-TIC Organization.
In Episode III, it is revealed that the U-TIC Organization used Proto Merkabah as a base for reconfiguring Realians. Ostensibly they were being treated for neurological disorders, but in fact they were being programmed to be immune to the Song of Nephilim wave, since U-TIC still needed a workforce after the activation of the Song of Nephilim system and the effects that would follow. It was also intended to be a mobile fortress for Proto-Ω, just as the Tactical Warship Merkabah became the base for Ω Res Novae fifteen years later.
Proto Merkabah was destroyed when Shion Uzuki and friends entered the massive facility in a bold attempt to stop Albedo. Using MOMO's schematic records of the station, the party quickly made it to the core, after facing powerful defenders like Proto Dora and hoards of powerful Gnosis on the reactor elevator. Unfortunately, after Albedo was defeated, he fused a massive Gnosis with the main reactor, spawning the deadly Sophie Peithos. During the confusion, he escaped. However, the facility was on course to crash into the capital of Second Miltia. In a calculated gamble, KOS-MOS offered to stay behind and break Proto Merkabah into tens of thousands of compartments, thus allowing the bulk of the station to disintegrate in the atmosphere. KOS-MOS narrowly made it back to the Elsa while it was escaping the space station. The plan succeeded, and Proto Merkabah was destroyed and the compartments burned harmlessly into the atmosphere of Second Miltia.
In some of the promotional trailers for Episode III a massive space station closely resembling Proto Merkabah can be seen. This station appears to have a much sharper and smoother base, and is a related base simply named Merkabah. Merkabah is being constructed by the Galactic Federation in orbit of Fifth Jerusalem and has some sort of relationship to the war on the Gnosis.
"Merkabah" is a term used by Kabbalists to refer to a mystical inner journey undertaken through which one could see the full glory of God. Merkabah is also known as the "Chariot of God" and an allusion to Deus' transportational system in the game Xenogears, which is in line with the many references established between the games.
Proto Ω
Proto Ω (spoken as "Proto Omega") was a superweapon originally created to destroy the Federation invasion units during the Miltian Conflict. It was deployed against Federation A.M.W.S. during the first and Second Descent Operations. U-TIC planned to use it during the federation's third Descent Operation and to escort the Song of Nephilim Device from Miltia (where it would presumably dock with Proto Merkabah and become a mobile superweapon against the Federation). However, in the confusion of the appearance of the Gnosis, it remained in storage until the Immigrant Fleet invasion of Miltia 14 years later. Its creation was ordered by Patriarch of Ormus and fused with the U-DO system. Later, Sergius would attempt to use it as a tool for galactic domination, both to destroy the Gnosis and subdue the Federation. Proto Ω's power source is the Original Zohar. The only way Proto Ω can be activated is if the Original Zohar's control system were destroyed. Furthermore, Proto Ω's true fortress is not Labyrinthos, but the Ω System: the massive facility that Old Miltia transformed into. The Patriarch planned to use Proto Ω's U.M.N. Phase Transfer Cannon, which could strike any target in known space, for galactic domination. However, Wilhelm and Heinlein had other plans. Heinlein and Margulis abandoned the Patriarch with Proto Ω in the Ω System, and Wilhelm sent the Testaments to destroy it and the elderly leader of the Ormus society.
Proto-Ω is one of the Relics of God, constructed by people in ancient times from the Y-data to invade the realm of God. In T.C. 4768, Dmitri Yuriev nearly brought this plan to fruition with Ω Res Novae, a rebuilt version of Ω.
Ω shares visual similarities with the Malach Angel, the mobile weapon terminal part of Deus from Xenogears in its original form. It also had a mobile fortress called "Merkabah" (Merkavah in Xenogears, resulting from a mis-Romanization), and was used by Krelian to ascend to the realm of God.
P.S.
A mech somewhere between an AMWS and an E.S. In Xenosaga I&II for the Nintendo DS, it is revealed that Hermann's and Richard's AMWS, Scutum and Pillum, are "borrowing" the Vessels of Anima from the U-TIC mechs, E.S. Joseph and E.S. Gad, respectively. As such, these new mechs, neither A.M.W.S. nor E.S., are now dubbed P.S. Joseph and P.S. Gad. The concept of a P.S. mech was hinted at in Episode II when Hermann rescues Margulis after he is defeated by Jin, Shion, and their friends. When Margulis jumps on Scutum, a close up shot of its chest plate reveals the writing "PS Joseph - ORMUS" on it.
Q
R
Realian
Realians are a race of artificial humans. A wonder of molecular bioengineering, their biological composition comes in various forms based on need, from carbon based duplicates of real humans to those based on silicon or liquid metal. Many of the Realians onboard the Woglinde were made by Vector Industries, and they are hybrid models with a carbon/silicon base. One of Xenosaga's lead characters, MOMO, is a specially designed Realian. Since the Miltian Conflict, the alteration of a Realian's emotions is no longer allowed. The only exceptions are for Realians in the military or other dangerous occupations, such as terraforming. Their basic rights equal those of humans and are recognized by law. However, due to the fact that their minds are initialized with a slight bias, all Realians tend to display similar personality traits. This bias is applied not only for the purpose of preventing criminal behavior by Realians, but also in consideration of humans who may feel threatened by their "superiority" (albeit only in certain specialized skills). In this context, Realians would be closer to bioroids than androids due to their composition and creation process (see Replicant).
Several companies manufacture Realians, but Vector makes the basic program (in other words the central nervous system) of all Realians. The program is essentially a black box, and any modification beyond regular maintenance and adjustments can be performed only by Vector personnel. Apparently the materials used to create Realian nervous tissues also act like some kind of intoxicant drug, and people like 1st Lieutenant Virgil have been known to murder Realians and consume their flesh. Consuming Realian tissue causes DME Addiction, which results in considerable mental instability, hardening and cornification of the skin and in some worse cases, death.
Various types of Realians are produced to suit various needs. Observational Realians, like MOMO and the 100 Series units, seen in operation onboard the Kukai Foundation's flagship Durandal, are designed to interact with the systems of a starship and scan for Gnosis. These models were originally constructed by Dr. Joachim Mizrahi and modeled after his young daughter Sakura Mizrahi, who died tragically many years before the start of Episode I. "Weapons Grade" Realians are manufactured by Vector and sold to the Federation military and normally stationed onboard Federation starships. Civilian models also appear to be manufactured as several Realians looking like 20-something versions of the child-like Observational units have been seen assisting government officials like Representative Helmer of Second Miltia and other GFG delegates. These units are most likely manufactured to be secretaries or other types of personal assistants.
Rennes-le-Château
Rennes-le-Château is a large landmass floating in space that appears in Episode III, which Shion and her friends are asked to investigate at the behest of Juli Mizrahi. Resembling a valley of mountains and forests 70 kilometers in diameter, with a hemispherical bottom half, it appears as if it had been scooped out of a planet. Margulis claims that the mass is actually a portion of Lost Jerusalem, or Earth, that somehow appeared in space. Despite its abnormal location, there is consistent 1G gravity, breathable air on the surface, as well as a set of ancient ruins. Deeper underground lie a labyrinth of caves, stone passageways, an elaborate ancient temple, and abundant Gnosis. In the depths of this subterranean temple is a cross and burial site which looks exactly like the resting place of KOS-MOS' consciousness in the encephalon dive from Episode I. The name is from a castle in France rumored to be the center of numerous conspiracies, including the lineage of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ.
Rhine Maiden
The Rhine Maiden is a massive anti-Gnosis sonic weapon developed by Vector Industries and constructed on its three main flagships, Woglinde II, Wellgunde and Floβhilde (Flosshilde) as well as its corporate headquarters, the massive space colony Dämmerung. The weapon is capable of clearing large swarms of Gnosis by firing a pulsating distortion beam of some sort that breaks the Gnosis' physical forms down into their base element; salt. The Rhine Maiden appears to be harmless to humans but is fatal to all types of Gnosis. The weapon apparently can be fired from hyperspace and affect targets in real space, as a blast was observed clearing out a swarm of Gnosis that were attacking the Kukai Foundation long before the Dämmerung and her escort vessels had gated out of hyperspace. It apparently takes all four ships concentrating their fire in a triangular pattern in order to successfully produce the Rhine Maiden's effect. This may or may not be true, as we have only seen the Rhine Maiden used once so far in the series and it was done by using four vessels firing in unison. (NOTE: In Xenosaga: The Animation, the Dämmerung was shown firing the Rhine Maiden without any firing effect from the Woglinde II, Wellgunde and Floßhilde, though this may have been an oversight on the part of the animators.)
The names come from the Ring of the Nibelung in which the Rhinemaidens are three naiads who guard the magic Rhinegold lying at the bottom of the Rhine River.
S
Salvator
Initially mentioned in passing by Canaan in Episode II, the common term "Designer Children" refers to children who have been genetically enhanced early in life. These children have been literally designed by their parents or creators to conform to a specific template. Salvators are typically more intelligent, more athletic, better looking, more charismatic or even have special abilities not found in normal human beings. In Episode II Cannan refers to the U.R.T.V.s as "Designer Children" because of their nature as genetically modified and weaponized humans. Xenosaga: Pied Piper deals heavily in the issue of Salvators and the legacy of Dr. Dimitri Yuriev, who describes himself as the "Original Salvator". The Salvator Faction is a group within the Galaxy Federation government comprised entirely of grown-up Salvators and is devoted to maintaining the affairs of Dr. Yuriev. They can be compared to the Coordinators of Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny. Salvator means "savior" when translated from Latin.
- See also: eugenics
Song of Nephilim
The Song of Nephilim was a pyramid-shaped space station that was one of the major causes of the Miltian Conflict. When activated, it generated a wavelength that was not truly audio in nature, but psychic. Only a very few special people, usually powerful psychics, are capable of hearing the "song," which is perceived by them to be the haunting singing of a female voice. However, it does not need to be heard to affect those within its range. Realians are most affected; however, even humans can fall into madness upon prolonged exposure to it. The song is thought to summon Gnosis, but their appearance is actually a side-effect due to the barrier between real and imaginary number space weakening due to U-DO's increased scrutiny over those affected by the song. It was used during the Miltian Conflict as well as the Kukai Foundation incident in Episode I; Gnosis swarmed the space between Kukai and Second Miltia. Albedo used the Song and its power to lure MOMO and, ultimately, Rubedo. Furthermore, the Song of Nephilim was a key component of Proto Merkabah (the Song was the power source for Merkabah; therefore, when the two space stations merged, a superweapon was created), as well as another Joachim Mizrahi invention. However, the Song is apparently destroyed, for it was docked with Proto Merkabah during the latter's destruction.
According to the web digest "Missing Year" (available at the official Japanese Xeno website, translations available at Labyrinthos.org), Joachim Mizrahi developed the Song of Nephilim system based on the work of another scientist during the Lost Jerusalem era. A man named Grimoire Verum was researching the newly-discovered Zohar and its connection with the Gnosis. He developed a "program" (what is meant by program is unknown) called "Lemegeton" that influenced the behavior of the Gnosis, but his experiments failed, resulting in the local matter shift (space-time anomaly) that caused the disappearance of Earth. Mizrahi dubbed the system the "Song of Nephilim" because "Nephilim" was one of the only recognizable words Mizrahi discovered with the wavelength.
The Song of Nephilim is also used frequently in productions by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. It was used as background music in the South Park season 4 episode "Fourth Grade" and as mood music for the remains of the Mount Rushmore monument in "Team America: World Police".
Sophie Peithos
A large Gnosis about the size of an A.M.W.S.. It was created when Albedo fused a large number of Gnosis with Proto Merkabah's reactor core. This was just one step in a grand scheme designed simply to cause havok and torment his twin brother and fellow U.R.T.V., Jr. aka Rubedo. Sophie Peithos served as the final boss of Episode I, but the original draft of Episode I called for it to only be a mid-boss. The name "Sophie Peithos" originated from Gnosticism and stories from the Gnostic Doctrine. According to Gnosticism, Sophia Pistos was the lowest ranking of all the Aeons which made up Pleroma. The bastardization of the name which Xenosaga uses translates from Greek to mean "Enticing Wisdom."
T
T.C.
T.C. is the acronym for Transcend Christ. In the year A.D. 2510, the world-wide central management organization responsible for the space emigration plan changed the current calendar from A.D. to Transcend Christ (T.C.). This calendar system is also used in the Xenogears story arc. This appears to be a surmised third step in the Gregorian dating calendar; B.C. - Before Christ, A.D. - Anno Domini (In the Year of Our Lord / During Christ), and T.C. - Transcend Christ (After Christ).
U
U-DO
U-DO (pronounced ooh-doo) is a wave existence that is directly connected to the Miltian Conflict and the Zohar. It is a collective consciousness with a single mind, unlike the human collective consciousness with individual minds. It is the quality of having a single mind that makes U-DO's collective far more powerful than the human collective. It is this infinite energy that humans have both feared and tried to control. U-DO dwells in the higher domain, observing humankind in the lower domain with its observation terminals, also called its "eyes," Abel and Abel's Ark. Abel is the human incarnation of U-DO in real space (the physical world), and Abel's Ark is Abel's imaginary (spiritual) form in real space, which is why it is mistaken for a Gnosis. U-DO is also sometimes referred to as "God" by both Dmitri Yuriev and Wilhelm; however, this term is also applied to chaos, which makes it unlikely there is a single God, rather higher beings who are seen as such or different aspects of God. Although if chaos is the God of the Lower Domain's universe, it might be said that U-DO is the God of the Higher Domain's universe.
U-DO is an acronym that stands for the Unus-Mundus Drive Operation system. Dmitri Yuriev, father of the U.R.T.V. units, and others who were studying U-DO told the government that U-DO was an artificial consciousness or A.I. linked to the U.M.N. that was carrying some kind of dangerous waves. That was a complete lie, told in order to hide the fact that U-DO was something Dmitri Yuriev did not entirely understand. According to Junior, U-DO is an entity humans could not possibly control. It appears as a huge cloud of reddish-colored gas with long tendrils and can create space-time anomalies.
Joachim Mizrahi developed a way to use U-DO as a control system for linking to the Zohar. Also, Dmitri Yuriev used Abel to pilot Ω Res Novae. Abel was the only one who could withstand the construct's awesome power without going mad.
U-DO has some speaking lines in Episode III; it is voiced by Doug Erholtz in the English version and by Hikaru Midorikawa in the Japanese version.
U.M.N.
U.M.N., short for Unus Mundus Network, is an informational network that spans the entire universe. Its non-locality is a large factor in its use in space warps and FTL (faster than light) communications. The U.M.N. Control Center is located on Second Miltia. This includes all facilities associated with the U.M.N. including the U.M.N. Transportation Gate management facility. The U.M.N. is under the jurisdiction of the U.M.N. Management Agency, meaning the U.M.N. Management Agency virtually controls all information within the Galaxy Federation Government, making it a very influential agency within the central government. The agency relies on Vector Industries to provide 98% of its facilities and resources. The Zohar-powered superweapon, Proto Ω, used the UMN as a weapon. Using a UMN Phase Transfer Cannon, Proto Ω could strike virtually any target in civilized space and completely obliterate it.
Certain points on the U.M.N. represented by actual points in space are known as Column Areas. These are specially designated areas of space normally marked by beacons where ships can gate in and gate out of hyperspace. A vessel must first interact with the U.M.N. in the Column Area, transmit a flight plan and a usage fee to the U.M.N. Transportation Gate management facility then receive clearance to gate into hyperspace. The space between recognized Column Areas is small on a galactic scale, but with the increasing number of Gnosis attacks on ships out in deep space the sometimes day-long layovers where ships have to travel in normal space between Column Areas can prove fatal. Such a fate befell the Federation cruiser Woglinde and her escort fleet from the 171st Marine Division. So far there has been only one known craft in the Xenosaga universe that is capable by-passing all known U.M.N. checkpoints and entering hyperspace without interacting with the U.M.N. That craft is the E.S. Dinah created by Vector industries for the KOS-MOS Project.
In Xenosaga: A Missing Year, it is explained that despite its widespread usage, no official data on the development or nature of the U.M.N. is recorded, and any details are kept solely by Vector.
Grimoire Verum, a scientist who worked for Vector on Lost Jerusalem and deciphered some of Lemegeton, existed for centuries in the U.M.N. A year prior to the events of Episode III, Shion and the anti-U.M.N. organization known as Scientia discovered that Grimoire was behind a recent wave of organized Gnosis attacks on human cities, which came to be known as Gnosis terrorism, and they put a stop to him. Grimoire had been using the U.M.N. to conduct these attacks in an attempt to find his daughter, Nephilim.
The U.M.N. was built upon the actual Unus Mundus, the human collective consciousness which had existed there long before the transfer columns and other U.M.N.-related technologies were developed. At the end of Episode III, all of the U.M.N. transfer columns disappear, restricting mankind to conventional means of travel. MOMO and the organization Scientia plan to develop a new network that would span the galaxy.
The symbol of the U.M.N. is a snake biting its own tail, also known as the Ouroboros.
The term unus mundus, literally "one world," was used by psychiatrist Carl Jung to describe a state beyond this world where every contradiction in physics, like synchronicity and the EPR Paradox, can be explained. A place where every relationship, such as that of the mind to mind, or mind to matter, can also make sense.
U.R.T.V.
U.R.T.V. units, or "U-DO Retro Virus" units, are a series of biological weapons whose life energy wavelength cancels that of U-DO. They are the biological children of Dr. Dmitri Yuriev, head of the Yuriev Institute. U.R.T.V's were genetically engineered from the egg of anonymous female donors. U.R.T.V. units 666 - 669 originated from the same embryonic culture as the others, but were then subjected to an induced mutation to develop their unique gifts. This accounts for the differences in hair and eye color despite their shared embryonic origins. These four mutants are known as the Variants. The blond, standard U.R.T.V. Units 001 - 665 share one collective consciousness, and regard units 666 - 669 as "monsters" due to being mutants with individual minds. Most female U.R.T.V.s are unstable and usually die from congenital defects that stem from the changing of the developing U.R.T.V.'s Y chromosome into a second X chromosome. Female U.R.T.V.s are only created to maintain the viability of the U.R.T.V. cell culture, which degenerates after each successive round of cloning.
Unit # 666 is nicknamed "Rubedo" and is the leader of the male U.R.T.V.s. His special power is that he can control the rate of growth of his cells. Unit # 667 is nicknamed "Albedo". His special power is "the infinite telomerase" - the ability to regenerate his cells very quickly and without limit on the times done so. Unit # 668 is nicknamed "Citrine" and is the leader of the female U.R.T.V.s. Unit # 669 is nicknamed "Nigredo". His special power is the ability to hypnotically manipulate people. Units #666 and #667 were conjoined twins who were connected at their backs around their right sides until the 28th Week after conception. Given the nature of conjoined twins this was either natural or part of some advanced form of medicine.
chaos made an allusion in Episode II, insinuating that the four variant U.R.T.V.s are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Xenosaga universe. Albedo is the white rider "Pestilence", Rubedo is the red rider "War" and Nigredo is the black rider "Famine". However it is not known who Death is. Most assume that Citrine is the pale rider, Death, as she is the fourth U.R.T.V. variant. This comment is believed to be completely symbolic, as none of the U.R.T.V variants have displayed characteristics in line with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
U.R.T.V.s can produce anti-waves designed to resist U-DO, but these anti-waves will not neutralize each other. The waveform collision between these anti-waves will release enormous amounts of thermal energy, resulting in the destruction of anything near them, including the U.R.T.V.s. A moment before the U.R.T.V.s were to destroy U-DO, Rubedo had a vision of the Old Miltian planet being destroyed in an enormous explosion (Although he may have just seem The Ω system emerging from Miltia, as a similar scene is shown later on, and just mistook what he saw). Rubedo, fearing for the lives of his companions, broke the psychic bond that would produce the anti-waves. Unfortunately, this left them with no protection against U-DO. U-DO caused the death's of or drove mad all of the standard U.R.T.V.s. It then infected Albedo and drove him mad as well. The only documented surviving U.R.T.V.s were Nigredo and Rubedo, though Albedo survived as well. It was learned in Episode III that it would have been impossible for the U.R.T.V.s to destroy U-DO, as it cannot be destroyed. It might have been possible, however, to destroy U-DO's observation terminals, Abel and Abel's Ark, but U-DO itself is too powerful to be destroyed by any mere human, regardless of their ability.
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Y-Data
The Y-Data is information described as the "Root of the Miltian Conflict". It is said to be the entire log of Joachim Mizrahi which comprised his entire research especially regarding the Zohar among many integral events and components in the series including the Gnosis phenomenon and the location of Lost Jerusalem (Earth). It also includes the access codes to the UMN transfer column for the Old Miltia sector, which have been lost since the conflict. During the Miltian Conflict Jin Uzuki stole a copy of the Y-data from U-TIC likely from Margulis and downloaded it into Canaan. However the data was encrypted and could only be accessed within Labyrinthos. For 14 years the Miltian government worked endlessly to decode it to no avail. Another copy was hidden within MOMO. Several people, including Juli Mizrahi, had no knowledge that the copy existed within her. MOMO's copy of the Y-data features a safeguard that the Ormus cult (namely Albedo) had to bypass in Episode II in order to extract the information he needed to locate the Abyss. According to Wilhelm, the data extracted from MOMO by Albedo was incomplete.
Z
Zarathustra
Zarathustra is the final boss of and namesake of Xenosaga III. Powered by the original Zohar and the power of the awakened twelve Vessels of Anima (the combined power of half of the Anima, Yeshua, which was sealed by the Animus, Mary, during the Lost Jerusalem era to delay the universe's destruction), it is found deep within the planet Michtam. In fact, it was created by the ancients of Lost Jerusalem and moved by the Immigrant Fleet to Michtam.
According to the Episode III database, Zarathustra itself is a series of crystalline structures; its control panel resembles the Compass of Order and Chaos on a gigantic scale. Zarathustra was originally built by the ancients as a means to transcend to the realm of God and become gods themselves. Wilhelm, however, uses Zarathustra as the central device in which to constantly repeat an "eternal circle" of time. This reverses the dispersal of consciousness by literally reversing time back to the beginning and temporarily channeling the consciousnesses through imaginary time. Because of this, people relive the same lifetimes and history repeatedly. Wilhelm uses his "temporal recurrence ability" with the Vessels of Anima, Abel, the Zohar, Mary Magdelene (reborn within KOS-MOS) and the "Key" (Shion's pendant) as the components to start Zarathustra and complete this process. However, after numerous recurrences (the database does not clarify how many), the human will began to reject the constant process due to the distortions made each time Zarathustra reset time, and thanks to the intervention of Kevin, the Red Testament and Wilhelm's own right hand man, his link to the Zarathustra device and Abel was severed, and they went out of control. Zarathustra merged with Joshua (Wilhelm's mech, and piloted by an out-of-control Abel), and began tearing off parts from all twelve discarded E.S.s, as well as mutilating itself and attaching the body parts of the E.S.s to itself. The large, golden "compass" that held the Original Zohar, the rings of Order and Chaos attached to the frame of the "fused" Joshua as well. When it is "complete," the party faces off against the monstrosity, but it is eventually defeated after a long and difficult battle. Abel (U-DO's human form) returns to normal after U-DO decides to give humanity the chance to live on.
Zoar Incident
The Zoar Incident was a mysterious interplanetary conflict which ultimately led to the events of the Miltian Conflict. According to Xenosaga I&II, it started when the autonomous planet, Zoar, began invading the autonomous planets of the Miltian System. There was never an official declaration of war, and the entire truth of what really happened was lost due to the space/time anomaly which engulfed the region afterwards.
Among the rumored causes, were that extremists among the people of the Immigrant Fleet who lived chiefly among the planets of the Miltian System and Zoar, had feared Miltia joining the Galaxy Federation. Another rumor was that the Federation's Salvator Faction had orchestrated events by posing as extremists, for the sake of taking control of the Miltian System by occupation. In any event, the conflict erupted into a power struggle between the Federation's forces and the Immigrant Fleet's military arm, U-TIC.
Zoar is yet another Biblical reference. In the story of Lot, after escaping the destruction of Sodom, his family rested in the city of Zoar.
Zohar
The Zohar (also called the Original Zohar in order to not confuse it with the Zohar Emulators) is a source of power believed to be unrivaled in the Xenosaga universe. It serves as a portal between the Higher Domain of U-DO and the Lower Domain of the human collective consciousness (Unus Mundus). Originally it was used by ancient people to power the Relics of God. It was later discovered on the floor of Lake Turkana in Kenya in 20XX, an event which directly led to Earth being abandoned. However, the Ormus Society claims that they have been the people bound to the Zohar for eternity. Ormus is not the only known faction after the powers of the Zohar.
Visually distinguished by an aquamarine jewel, the Original Zohar is not to be mistaken for a Zohar Emulator, which are not as powerful. Zohar Emulators have red Hebrew letters instead of a jewel. The Hyams Zohar Emulator appears to have a blue letter. Anyone who comes into physical contact (direct or in the beginning of Episode I, through a space suit) with the Zohar or its emulators vanishes from physical space. Unmanned vehicles or auto-techs, however, are unaffected. The Episode I guide claims this is due to 'the power of one's will'.
The Original Zohar is called "Marienkind," which means "Child of Mary" in German. According to the Original Design Materials, this name represents Jesus Christ. However, the U.M.N. database in Episode I gives yet another reference, saying that this also refers to a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilhelm) about a girl who receives the keys to the 13 doors of heaven from Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The Original Zohar also serves as the logo for Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht.
The name Zohar (Hebrew זהר "Splendor, radiance") is a reference to an important book in Jewish mysticism. The Zohar also is similar in appearance and usage to the Monolith from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Zohar was also based off the Zohar from Xenosaga's spiritual predecessor Xenogears. In Xenogears, the Zohar appears as a simple golden monolith with a turquoise eye rather than Xenosaga's ornately designed monolith and jewel. The Xenogears monolith also lacked the "arms" of the Xenosaga monolith which give it the appearance of a cross.
Zohar Emulator
The Zohar Emulators were created from the Original Zohar by Joachim Mizrahi. Although they resemble the Zohar, they operate by emulating the wavelengths of the twelve Vessels of Anima, which draw their power from the Original Zohar. This could mean that they were attempts to create artificial Vessels of Anima, in addition to their functionality as ignition keys to aid in the use of the Original Zohar. Most of the Emulators, including the one that resulted in the disappearance of Ariadne and the Woglinde tragedy, are now in the hands of the Kukai Foundation. There were twelve Emulators created by Dr. Mizrahi, and a thirteenth inferior emulator created by the Hyams Group and their elite scientist, Dr. Sellers. Post Miltian Conflict reparations granted the Kukai Foundation the legal right to retain all Zohar Emulators.
The thirteenth emulator is the only one still unrecovered by the Kukai Foundation, as it is in the hands of the Federation's Salvator Faction led by Dimitri Yuriev. Sellers acknowledges the inferiority of the thirteenth emulator in conversations in Episode III and indicates it was hastily created as a makeshift temporary made out of spare parts in place of the original for the purposes of his experiments with the military. It is then hooked up to the Federation's new weapon Ω Res Novae and used as its primary power source.
All of the Mizrahi emulators are named after one of Jesus's twelve disciples from the Bible. The names are Andrew, Bartholomew, Boanerges, James, John, Judas, Matthew, Peter, Philip, Simon, Thaddeus, and Thomas. Zohar Emulators each have a red Hebrew letter instead of the Original Zohar's blue jewel. Seller's emulator is metallic silver in colour with black highlights and a flashing blue emblem of the Galaxy Federation military in place of the jewel or Hebrew letter as seen on the Original or Mizrahi's emulators.
Zohar Link Experiment
The Zohar Link Experiment was a mysterious test performed by the U-TIC Organization on the planet Ariadne. The experiment was overseen by U-TIC Lieutenant Commander Andrew Cherenkov and was an attempt to link one of the twelve Zohar Emulators to the Higher Domain (U-DO). The experiment was an abysmal failure, and it resulted in the Emulator going haywire and causing the entire planet to disappear into the realm of imaginary numbers where the Gnosis hail from. The only survivors of the incident were Commander Cherenkov and his team, who were witnessing the incident from orbit above the planet. The only physical object left after the planet disappeared was the Emulator itself. Ariadne later returned to real space in the form of a massive type of Gnosis known as a Cathedral Ship. In spite of the colossal failure of the experiment U-TIC was still interested in performing more tests in the hopes of achieving different results. Sellers, the U-TIC and Hyams group scientist spearheading the study of the Zohar Emulators believes that the experiment would produce successful results if the Original Zohar was used in the place of an Emulator. U-TIC Commander Margulis seems to echo that sentiment, along with most of the Ormus society. Zohar Emulators can be distinguished from the original because the emulators have letters from the Hebrew alphabet emblazoned in red.
Ω
Ω ID
Ω ID is Ω Universitas in ID Mode. When in ID Mode the craft changes color from blue to red and projects out bright teal wings of energy similar to KOS-MOS' Third Armament. Ω ID is remarkably similar in appearance and purpose to Xenogears' Weltall -ID-, the powerful and destructive "alter-ego" of the game's central Gear, Weltall. It is accessible only near the end of the game after Citrine is defeated aboard the Durandal. She drops a key to the Weapons Development Area of the CAT Facility on Fifth Jerusalem, where the fight between KOS-MOS and Ω Res Novae was held. Revisiting the facility through the EVS, a player can enter the sealed-off section and fight both Ω Universitas and Ω ID.
Ω Metempsychosis
The ultimate form of Ω, which transformed from Ω Res Novae after it absorbed Dimitri Yuriev and the Original Zohar. In this state Ω Metempsychosis bears a strong resemblece to the final form of Deus, the final boss of Xenogears. It even has two "mini gears" that fly around it and attack like Deus had. These two figures, taking the Xenogears reference a step further, bear a strong resemblance to Weltall and Vierge, the Gears of the game's protagonists Fei Fong Wong and Elly Van Houten. Ω Metempsychosis can be translated from Latin as "Omega spirit transmigration". Another god relic,allows people to acend to the realm of god.
Ω Res Novae
The name of the re-built Proto Ω in Episode III. The Ω Res Novae is used as an anti-Gnosis trump card by the military in Episode III. It was rebuilt by Dmitri Yuriev and his elite scientist, Sellers, after the events of Episode II. Ω Res Novae is piloted by the mysterious boy Abel. Because the original design for Proto Omega called for the use of the Original Zohar, Ω Res Novae is rather unstable when powered with the makeshift Zohar Sellers created to advance testing of the Ω Res Novae.
After absorbing the Original Zohar on Abel's Ark, Ω Res Novae transformed into a slender white mech with blue and red highlights extremely similar to the Xenogears, the titular Gear of the game Xenogears. Ω Res Novae translated from Latin means "Omega Revolution".
Ω System
The Ω System (spoken as "Omega System") was a massive space fortress housing Proto Ω and the Original Zohar. Apparently, Ω System is an incarnated version of Old Miltia, for the planet was ripped apart from the inside out as the Ω System emerged. The Ω System has been fitted with many puzzles and locks to keep unwanted visitors out, as well as a pair of large guardian mechs (one of them taking the form of a full scale Cathedral). Proto Ω and the Original Zohar are housed in the core of the Ω System. Shion Uzuki and her allies entered the Ω System to stop the Patriarch and his plot. However, after a stalemate battle (and a brief alliance with Albedo to take down the Patriarch), Testament arrived to destroy the Patriarch. After this chain of events, Albedo morphed Ω System into a space-time anomaly for his own motives. Many say that the Ω System resembles a larger, space-oriented version of Merkava, the structural part of Deus that served as the final dungeon of Xenogears.
Ω Universitas
Ω Universitas is the name of an experimental weapon developed by the Federation during the Miltian Conflict based off stolen designs of the U-TIC Organization's Proto Ω. Ω Universitas itself is stolen by the U-TIC Organization and taken to Labyrinthos on Miltia. Ω Universitas' operating system is incredibly adaptive to the mental state of its pilot. The configuration of the weapon changes with the mental state of the pilot as well, even transforming into "ID Mode", if the pilot becomes unstable and overly aggressive. When in ID Mode, Ω Universitas' power dramatically increases, but it is also harder for the pilot to control the craft. Because of this, Ω Universitas has been fitted with an artificial pilot program so that it can be controlled properly if there's ever a need to deploy it.
Ω Universitas shares a number of similarities to Weltall, the central Gear of the spiritual prequel to Xenosaga, Xenogears. Ω Universitas looks remarkably similar to Weltall, right down to its fighting stance. Weltall itself was also a new weapon stolen from its creators and capable of transforming into ID Mode based on the state of its pilot, protagonist Fei Fong Wong.
References
- Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
- Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
- Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra
- Xenosaga: Pied Piper
- Xenosaga I & II
- Xenosaga: The Animation
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