Malcolm Hargrove


 * "This inquisitive behavior does not suit you Locus. If the Reds and Blues manage to reunite... kill them."
 * —Control in "Long Time No See"

Control is a currently unknown person, or group, who has employed the Space Pirates in order to clear Chorus of its residents. Being responsible for the continuation of the Chorus Civil War, Control is one of the primary antagonists of the fourth saga.

Contents
[hide]#Role in Plot
 * 1) Themes
 * 2) Identity
 * 3) Secrecy
 * 4) Clues
 * 5) Trivia

Role in Plot
Control was first referenced by Locus in "Worst Laid Plans", and he continues to report to Control throughout Season 11 and Season 12. It is then revealed in "Lost But Not Forgotten" that Control shows an interest in a crate on board the UNSC Crashed Ship, and has Locus retrieve it for an unknown purpose. However, during this time, Carolina somehow infiltrated Control and a mercenary compound, obtaining vital information before impersonating them. In "Cloak and Dagger, it's revealed that Felix works for Control as well, and that Control is someone who wants to eradicate the planet's inhabitants by escalating the Chorus civil war.

When the Blood Gulch Crew find out about the plan and flee with Carolina, Control has Felix and Locus lie about their deaths to their respective armies in order to push them towards a final confrontation.

Identity
Carolina posing as Control. Ever since Control was mentioned by Locus in "Worst Laid Plans, the true identity of Control has been left a mystery and up to speculation. Originally, evidence suggested Carolina or the Federal Army of Chorus was Control, but they've ultimately proved to be red herrings.

Secrecy
Control is shown to go to extreme lengths to protect its identity:
 * Control uses a distorted voice in order to communicate with others, including its own mercenaries.
 * Control avoids any visual interaction at all costs, as it doesn't use a camera, unlike the mercenaries, when it speaks to others. This is likely to avoid risks of showing even its own body.
 * Control usually only speaks with Locus and Felix and the two then relay the orders to the other Space Pirates, according to Zachary Miller. The "normal" Space Pirates only hear from Control when, as Miller put it in Accentuate the Interrogative, "things are getting dicey. Other than that, we're kept in the dark."
 * Not even Epsilon and Carolina, who have been infiltrating the Space Pirates for weeks, know who or what Control exactly is, only knowing it has "plans for everything," as they state in The Reunion.

Clues
While Control leaves little evidence of its identity, there have been some hints as to whom it might be:
 * In "Long Time No See, it's revealed that Control is in one way or another associated with Project Freelancer, as Control speaks of the Freelancer armor enhancements as "my property".
 * Because Control specifically knows about the mysterious crate on the UNSC Crashed Ship, as well as the fact that it contains other Freelancer equipment, it may have some connection to the UNSC.
 * Control is aware that the Blood Gultch Crew are mostly mediocre soldiers, so it may be likely that Control is someone that knows the group to some degree and their adventures.
 * Because it hired all the Space Pirates as well as the fact it mass produces more advanced armor enhancements and weaponry, Control has to be someone with immense wealth and resources.

Trivia

 * Until "Cloak and Dagger, it was initially believed that Control was the Federal Army of Chorus.
 * In "Catch Up, No Mustard", it's revealed that Control has the Space Pirates collect the alien technology from Chorus so it can manufacture them into more advanced weapons and equipment.