| “ | Time to hit them hard and make them regret! | ” |
–Sam Gideon | ||
Sam Gideon is the protagonist of the game Vanquish. Sam is a researcher under the affiliation of the DARPA Department, and is responsible for the creation of the Augmented Reaction Suit.
Personality[]
Sam Gideon has shown himself as a courageous and talented individual, as he is rarely afraid of anything Zaitsev throws at him. This also makes him somewhat reckless to the point of charging at the enemy without consent from anyone. Despite this, Sam was shown to have strong morals as he was appalled at the idea of sacrificing Marines to secure a breach within SC-01, which caused him to question Burns's ability to lead.
Skill & Abilities[]
Despite being a researcher, Sam is a formidable individual where his skills have earned him the respect and compliments of Lt. Col. Robert Burns and Victor Zaitsev.
Intelligence: Despite his demeanour, Sam helped Professor Francois Candide in the development of the ARS and was able to get Burns' Bravo Company out of several sticky situations.
A.R.S. skills: As the sole operator of the ARS, Sam is a powerful foe to his enemies, having destroyed many R.I.'s. However, the suit is a prototype, and has limiters on it to protect the user, but when they are unlocked in a few situations as instructed by Sam, he becomes much more powerful.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Sam was a successful football player during his college years, but his career was cut short due to an injury. Alongside Professor Francois Candide, Sam was in charge of the designing and creation of the Augmented Reaction Suit (ARS).
Retaking Providence[]
After the attack on San Francisco by the Order of the Russian Star, Sam was commissioned by DARPA to join the Bravo company in their mission. Assisting him on the mission was Elena Ivanova, who provided support via radio while aboard the SBC2.
With the opportunity to test his ARS and BLADE technology in battle, he went to the colony alongside the decorated Lt. Col. Robert Burns. After infiltrating the colony a bit and destroying thousands of R.I.s, he faced his first boss: a KNRB-0 Argus robot.
After destroying it and moving further, Sam rescued three Marines under captivity. With their help, he escorted a railgun-equipped Victory APC through a tunnel, facing many mobile mines - "Jellyfish" - and using, for the first time, the high explosives equipped on the ARS. After exiting the tunnel, he discovered it was a loss: Mike 3 was destroyed by a drill transport and Sam suffered his first attack by Romanov robots.
As he proceeded through an utility elevator, though, he found Professor Candide held hostage...and came upon a "rip-off" of the ARS: the Bogey. He faced the Bogey after discovering that it's actually Victor Zaitsev. After a superspeed duel between the Bogey's sword and the ARS's powered-up punches, Sam knocked the Bogey back, ending the battle. It was, though, another loss: Sam acknowledged that the Russians had already taken Professor Candide, and as such, the Bogey left with a final "do svidaniya".
Seeing how powerful the Russians could actually be, his only words were a stressed "Fuck me!"
Betrayal[]
After reaching the colony core following the first Crystal Viper's destruction and escaping the hole it blew on the colony outer shell, Burns tried to redirect SC-01's microwave laser to Moscow. Sam attempted to stop him, but Burns threatened him with a pistol, stating that he doesn't "take orders from DARPA". As Sam became more and more doubtful about Burns' method of handling the mission, he took the remaining Marines to come to the colony core with him.
Sam asked Elena about Burns (who was at the time talking to President Elizabeth Winters), and ordered Private Daniel Grassi to take the rest of the Marines to their Lt. Col.
Upon entering the next room, he found Professor Candide at the microwave's controls. After Sam assures him he's alone and not accompanied by Marines, Candide stops the countdown, which was presumably activated by Burns...
...which is when the latter kills him.
Burns told Sam that he planned to redirect the laser "the old-fashioned way...manually". Infuriated, Sam sees himself surrounded by many Marines. Burns jets himself away, and Sam uses his BLADE weapons and AR mode to kill the Marines before rushing to stop Burns.
After a chase and an extensive battle with Burns and his Marine backup, Burns sees himself defeated. With a struggle, Burns reaches for a panel nearby while more Marines run in. Sam kills them all, and tells Burns to stay still (to alleviate his injuries). He orders Sam to get out of the place while opening the door to the microwave transmitter. Sam runs off while Burns, now surrounded by his Marines, says his last words:
"My men are dead..... I belong with them!!"
He activates an explosive charge hidden in his bionic arm. Sam turns around after hearing a loud boom.
The Final Battle Against Victor Zaitsev[]
After Burns' death, Sam runs at full speed to meet Zaitsev, and the Bogey appears, thanking Sam for "dispatching one of [his] many nuisances". Sam blasts the Bogey off with his shotgun, being grabbed twice. Then, something quick comes and presses him to the debris: A second blue Bogey, who attempts to throw him into the abyss. Helpless, Sam attempts to grab a ledge, but it is too far forward for him. Instinctively, he activates his leg thrusters, safely "flying" to the ledge.
After an extensive battle, destroying one of the Bogeys and damaging the other, the ARS became heavily damaged. Elena contacts Sam and advises him to get out of there, but the ARS locks itself while Sam furiously swears it to move. The remaining Bogey comes with his weapon and tries to kill Sam, but it is blocked by his BLADE, which is knocked aside. After this, Sam kicks the Bogey away and destroys it with its own weapon. Then he goes to inspect the Bogey and discovers that Zaitsev was remotely controlling both of the Bogeys. Zaitsev suddenly activates a nuclear bomb in the Bogey, saying that it "was a pleasure to meet [him]". Sam barely escapes SC-01 with his life thanks to a nearby escape pod.
Trivia[]
- Sam's in-game loading screen information states that he was a star football player in college (specifically, a quarterback) but his career was cut short due to an injury.
- Sam can be hit while trying to lift the cable cover on the Kreon. If this happens three times, he will yell "Aw, shit!" and release it so the player eliminates the aerial assault.
- When Sam smokes from behind cover and throws his cigarette away, he can actually divert attention from himself and nearby allies, as the RIs near the cigarette start attacking it rather than Sam.
- Sam has a close, long-standing relationship with Dr. Francois Candide due to their work together at DARPA.
- Sam holds strong feelings of loyalty towards his comrades. During in-game cut scenes, he repeatedly clashes with Col. Robert Burns, insisting they divert from their mission to rescue friendly U.S. Marines.
Gallery[]
