Summary
Gears of War: E-Dayhas nostalgia written all over it, as it will take players back to the biggest event inGears of Warhistory, Emergence Day when the Locust Horde emerged from the ground and wreaked havoc on Sera and its inhabitants. Led byMarcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago,Gears of War: E-Daywill explore the events of Emergence Day and how the planet became overrun by the Locust Horde.
Damon Baird is a fan-favorite character who has been in theGears of Warfranchise since its origins in 2006. Despite largely being known for his pessimistic and often condescending tone, the tech genius' unrelenting sarcasm and overt cynicism make him both lovable and relatable. Apart from his unique personality defining him from the rest ofGears of War’s Delta Squad, longtime series fans have simply come to know Baird through the original trilogy and the prequel in which Baird starred,Gears of War: Judgment. As such,Gears of War: E-Dayshould find a way to include Baird, despite Marcus and Dom leading the charge.
Gears of War: E-Day Can’t Forget About Damon Baird
Baird Was Around When Emergence Day Happened
Unlike Marcus Fenix, who joined the COG four years before Emergence Day, Damon Baird joined the COG Army on Emergence Day alongside the charismatic Augustus Cole, who eventually became his best friend. Baird didn’t always want to be in the military, as his original dream was to go to engineering school. However, his parents were unwilling to give him his inheritance — money that he would regularly claim was rightfully his — unless he joined the military. Ironically, his parents were killed by theLocust Hordeon Emergence Day, cementing Baird’s role as a COG soldier.
Gears of Warlore, even its expanded lore, doesn’t go into detail about Baird’s whereabouts on Emergence Day, nor does it mention anything about what he was doing. Even so, it can be assumed that Baird’s technical expertise was taken advantage of bythe COG Army, meaning he was likely regularly called upon to assist in repairing gear and analyzing Locust weaponry. He would have been an invaluable asset during Emergence Day thanks to his intelligence, so there is little doubt he played a crucial role in fending off the Locust Horde.
In light of that,Gears of War: E-Daymight be remiss to exclude him from the story entirely and should therefore contrive a way to feature him in some capacity.
Gears of War: E-Day Could Tell Baird’s Story on the Side
One wayGears of War: E-Daycould include Baird is by telling his story through cinematics on the side as a love letter to fans, with the end of the game featuring a massive time jump that sees him alongside Marcus, Dom, and Cole to set up the original trilogy. It would be a shame forGears of War: E-Daynot to include the tragedy of Baird’s parents' death, especially since it would help provide even more context for the soldier that Baird is throughout the rest of the series. Much of his bitterness stems from his rocky relationship with his parents and their death duringEmergence Day, so telling his story feels like a must.
The only other way it would make sense for Baird to be included inGears of War: E-Dayis to have him appear in a brief cameo. Perhaps Marcus and Dom would encounter Baird in passing, not knowing who he was at the time, even though fans of the series would know. It would be a subtle nod toGearsveterans, which would fit right in consideringGears of War: E-Dayis revitalizing the horrorelements those who played the first game in the series are familiar with. Of course, if it did feature Baird in a brief cameo, there’s an argument for Cole to also receive a cameo as a bonus.
Gears of War: E-Day
WHERE TO PLAY
The Story of E-DayFourteen years before Gears of War, war heroes Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago return home to face a new nightmare: the Locust Horde. These subterranean monsters, grotesque and relentless, erupt from below, laying siege on humanity itself. New FoundationsBuilt from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5, Gears of War: E-Day delivers unprecedented graphical fidelity.
