Kessler

"I've always been there, Cole. Every step of your life."

- Kessler, during his final battle with Cole.

Kessler is the main antagonist of video game, inFamous. Kessler is actually an alternate future version of Cole MacGrath, the game's main protagonist.

inFAMOUS
Before became Kessler, he is actually Cole from the alternate future, whom having Trish as his wife, Zeke as his best man and two daughters. However, when the Beast arrived, causing destruction, Kessler fled with his family instead of fighting it. But this eventually resulted in the deaths of Trish and his children as well as rest of lifeform on the earth (or at least that was Kessler though as he unaware with the Beast's true purpose). Saddened by this, he used his powers to go on a one-way trip back in time, in which he rewrite the history which he start off by usurpered Richard Tate, accelerated the development of the Ray Sphere, and began looking for Cole and his friends and relatives.

As he successfully usurped the First Sons, Kessler was able to obtain complete control of the faction and its assets. With this, he later expanded the faction's reach to the city of New Marais, where he made friends with researcher Sebastian Wolfe and a part of the faction, and also Joseph Bertrand III as a business partner, giving him part of the shares. He then commissioned Dr. Wolfe to begin work on the Ray Sphere. Kessler also formed a somewhat romantic relationship with Sasha, who was researching a sort of mind-control agent. Though their relationship would not last for long, as Sasha was later removed from the organization after having a public argument with Kessler. She swore revenge upon Kessler after she was removed.

After running several tests, Dr. Wolfe was able to make the Ray Sphere partly functional. With this, Kessler had it delivered to Empire City, where he himself ran some tests with the device. Kessler worked closely with John White, a new member of the faction, asking him to hold the Ray Sphere, and also telling him that he was destined for great things. He would also mention the prophecy of the Beast to several of his associates, namely, John (which he would later relay to his contacts), Bertrand and Wolfe.

Kessler continually ran tests with the Ray Sphere, using animals and humans (one of them being David Warner) as subjects for the experiments, exposing them to the device which would either prove a minor success or a fatal failure. 4 months prior to John's recruitment, Kessler collaborated with DARPA and their agent Moya Jones, where he showcased David Warner and how his abilities have progressed. Kessler would then later keep David imprisoned below their facility.

After making sure that the Ray Sphere was ready for use, Kessler had his men set up the plans for the Quarantine, as he himself made the delivery for the Ray Sphere, specifically choosing Cole MacGrath as the courier for the job. Setting the location to 19th and Sloat at the Historic District, Kessler prepares for its activation. After Cole arrives at the designated area, Kessler contacts Cole, and tells him to open the package. Though reluctant, Cole opens it, and triggers the device, which results in a catastrophic explosion. Subsequently, Moya and several soldiers attempted to arrest Kessler. Kessler killed the soldiers and told Moya of John White before he left the area.

As Kessler had predicted, his past self, Cole. survived the blast, and obtained his new powers. Kessler then made the necessary arrangements to ensure that he was ready to confront the Beast. Both Cole and Kessler then met each other for the first time when Cole destroys the tar machines created by Sasha. Just then, the latter grabs his head, showing him visions of a bad future. Cole thinks he is responsible for all this (and in a way, he is right). Throughout the game, Kessler contacts Cole via his mobile, throwing taunts and explaining his philosphy to the Conduit, inentionally adding fuel to Cole's rage.

Later, Kessler gets into a fight with Alden and convinces Zeke, Cole's best friend, into joining him so that he could fix the Ray Sphere. Afterwards, both later retreated to the Historic District, where he rallied all of his men. Kessler then kept Zeke within a cell, occasionally visiting him whenever he was intoxicated (so when they talked to each other, Zeke won't aware that he is his best friende's future self). After Cole dealt with Alden and made his way to the Historic District, he immediately alarmed Cole regarding Trish Dailey, whom he kidnapped. Kessler threatens to kill her if he fails to rescue the civilians. After rescuing a series of civilians held hostage, Kessler presented Cole with a difficult choice; he has placed bombs all over the Historic District and kidnaps Cole's girlfriend Trish, thus forcing him to decide whether to save her or six doctors that could save many other live. Either way, Trish is killed, being among the doctors if Cole chooses to save her.

After Cole destroys the Ray Sphere/activates it, Kessler calls him to meet him in the wreckage where he activated the device. He then challenge Cole to meet him in the Ground Zero, in which Cole accepts. Right before he faced his past self, Kessler also visited the cell of Zeke for the last time, saying goodbye and thanking him for being a good friend. Afterwards, Kessler meet Cole at the center of the Rav Sphere blast. It is revealed he is there when it went off. While fighting, Zeke, whom unexpectedly escape, attempts to fight him, but Kessler throws him away. Nevertheless, Cole triumphs and mortally wounds Kessler with a powerful Lightning Storm.

Just then, Cole hears him whispering "Trish, I love you. Please forgive me". Kessler grabs into Cole's head, revealing more of his secrets. It is revealed that he is actually Cole, from a future where he married Trish and Zeke was his best man. But a gigantic monster, "The Beast", began slaughtering countless people, and although Kessler would have been capable of stopping it he choose to flee with family instead, only for them to die. In an effort to ensure the doomed future wouldn't exist, Cole obtained the power to travel back in time.

All that Kessler did was to turn Cole into the savior he failed to be, even if he had to kill Trish, the woman they both loved, to ensure that Cole wouldn't make the same mistake as him and so that when Cole faced The Beast he would capable of making impossible decisions.

Kessler falls dead afterwards and Cole declares his hatred for him, though he understands why he did what he did. Nevertheless, Cole declares that when the Beast comes, he will be ready.

Trivia

 * There is a downloadable DLC costume of Kessler that Cole can wear in inFamous 2 and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
 * Ironically, though Kessler succesfully made Cole became a savior that wanted meant to be, he also accidently hastened The Beast's advent due to haste Ray Sphere developement, the very device which causes his past self gained his powers. This made Cole unable to won against The Beast in his first battle, though he eventually won in the second battle by using RFI.