Summary
While fans might have expected the nextGears of Wargame to beGears 6, The Coalition has pulled a fast one on them by revealingGears of War: E-Day, which will serve as a prequel to the originalGears of Warseries.Gears of War: E-Daywill center around the fateful Emergence Day, which saw the Locust Horde breaching Sera’s surface and attacking the human race. Within the first 26 hours of the assault, more than a quarter of the human population was wiped out, with millions more reported missing. As such,Gears of War: E-Dayis set up to be the darkest gamein the series yet.
SinceGears of War: E-Daywill be delving into such a devastating event, it can afford to dig a little deeper into the inner workings of the franchise’s standout protagonist, Marcus Fenix. What makes Marcus one of the most essential parts of theGears of Warseries is his battle-hardened nature, stoicism, and gruff demeanor, as it ultimately shows the toll that such arduous conflict can take on a person. In light of that,Gears of War: E-Daycan show a side of Marcus no otherGears of Wargame has been able to, while simultaneously blurring the line between good and evil in his actions.
Gears of War: E-Day Can Afford to Make Marcus a More Complex Character
Gears of War: E-Day Could Show More of Marcus' Softer Side
Throughout the originalGears of Wartrilogy, Marcus Fenix gradually evolves into a more layered character, but most of those layers are only seen through a thick wall of apathy and detachment. Arguably, Marcus wouldn’t be who he is without that iconic phlegmatic disposition of his, but he hasn’t always been that way, and that’s somethingGears of War: E-Daycould lean into. Despite being a soldier for theCoalition of Ordered Governments (COG)during the Pendulum Wars, Marcus likely maintained a different attitude than he has after E-Day.
The devastation left in the wake ofthe Locust Hordeinvasion on Emergence Day undoubtedly contributed to the Marcus that players have come to know today. IfGears of War: E-Daywere to show the events leading to Marcus' descent into the man that he is in the original trilogy, it would add valuable layers to his character.
The Suddenness of Emergence Day Could Present Marcus Fenix With Unavoidable Moral Dilemmas
One of the major contributors to the catastrophe of Emergence Day was Sera’s unpreparedness for the event. While the Locust Horde had been living underground for decades, their existence was largely kept a secret from those on the surface — including COG soldiers such as Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, who both star as the lead protagonists ofGears of War: E-Day. Emergence Day also occurred only six weeks after the end of the79-year-long Pendulum Wars, meaning military forces and Sera’s infrastructure were very weakened at the time of the invasion.
The suddenness ofEmergence Dayand Sera’s unpreparedness for the invasion could present Marcus with some unavoidable moral dilemmas inGears of War: E-Day. E-Day was an event that even the COG wasn’t prepared for, which raises the potential for Marcus to be faced with difficult decisions that challenge his moral compass. This could be further reinforced by Chairman Prescott’s morally questionable decision to launch a series of Hammer of Dawn strikes as a counterattack against the Locust Horde, which killed millions of humans in the process due to short notice.
There is more than enough of a case forGears of War: E-Dayto add more layers toMarcus Fenix’s character, should it be bold enough to tread such unfamiliar territory. Whether it be by showing a different side of him that only E-Day could change or forcing him into dilemmas,Gears of War: E-Daymay hold the key to a more complex Marcus Fenix.
