- This is for the eponymous Prototype that took over the human Alex Mercer's body. To see his original human self, see here: Alexander J. Mercer.
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“ | Huh. Scary. You just don't get it do you? I gave you everything. And this is how you come to me. Can't you understand what I'm doing? Humanity is stagnant. Dying! I would give it one body. One mind. Think about it--no more conflict. No more disease. No more suffering. Don't you see? I'm giving it a second chance! | „ |
~ Alex Mercer to James Heller. |
“ | I looked for the truth. Found it. Didn't like it. Wish to hell I could forget it. Alex Mercer... This city suffered for his mistakes, for what he did at Penn Station. And whoever he was -- that's a part of me. When I close my eyes, I see the memories of a thousand dead men, screaming as I take their lives. Moments I'll relive forever. What have I become? Something less than human. But also something more. | „ |
~ Alex Mercer. |
“ | Humans...are worthless. Every last one of them. Worse than worthless...humans are vermin. How could I have associated with them? How could I have tried to be one of them? It only angers me further that the realization took this long. The age of humans has passed. And the task of ushering in a new world...a better world...falls to me. |
„ |
~ Alex Mercer. |
Alex Mercer is the main protagonist of the 2009 video game Prototype and the main antagonist of the 2012 sequel Prototype 2. Initially being an anti-heroic protagonist who gained his powers from an experimental bioweapon after he died as a human, Mercer eventually ended up losing all of his faith in humanity and is now intended on infecting all of mankind by releasing the Blacklight Virus.
He ultimately becomes the arch-enemy of James Heller, the main protagonist of the second game, who seeks to kill him for causing the death of his wife and daughter.
In Prototype, He was voiced by Barry Pepper, who also played Tom Ripley in Ripley Under Ground, Lucky Ned Pepper in the 2010 True Grit film and Captain Jay Fuller in The Lone Ranger. In Prototype 2, he was voiced by Darryl Kurylo.
Appearance[]
While the virus itself can take anybody's form through consumption, in its typical form it looks identical to the deceased Gentek scientist Alex Mercer due to the Blacklight Virus recreating Mercer's body down to the genetic level.
Mercer has very pale skin, probably a result of being the Blacklight Virus since his skin appeared tanner in his picture with Karen Parker. His eyes constantly have a sickly gray tinting around them and he has light blue eyes.
While rarely seen without his hood, he has curly brown hair that he supposedly kept slicked back, although it's not known exactly what his hair looked like post-reanimation since he never dropped his hood.
Personality[]
Initially, the virus believed that he himself was the same Alex Mercer revived. Because the original Alex was protective over his sister, Dana, the virus trusted and cared for Dana and even inherited his host's feelings for Karen Parker. After discovering the truth about the outbreak in New York and real Alex's death, the virus, now adopting his host's identity and life as his own, can't help but feel disgusted by original Alex's actions and decided to leave New York in search for his place among humanity.
Unfortunately, after repeated betrayals and mishaps during his time away from NYZ after the initial outbreak, Alex decided to shed away humanity he inherited from the original, stating that stopping the outbreak was a mistake and started a new one himself to usher in a new race; he claimed he was making a better world by doing so. Despite his megalomaniacal ambitions, he appeared to retain some form of affection for Dana; when he discovered that she was plotting against him alongside James Heller, he chose to seal her in a bank vault rather than simply killing her. He also felt sympathetic towards Heller as he comforted him about his wife and daughter as well as taking it upon himself to let Maya live to become "the mother of the new world" (catalyst for spreading the outbreak).
Powers and Abilities[]
Once reanimated by the Blacklight virus, every particle of Mercer's form, including his clothing and equipment, becomes comprised entirely of viral biomass. This substance can be manipulated at will. He can absorb the organic matter of other living creatures, converting it into more biomass. This process sustains and regenerates Mercer's health and is referred to as 'consuming'. In addition, Mercer can consume individuals, absorbing their knowledge, skills, and even their physical form, which he can call upon at will. He can manipulate his physical form to create weapons to attack his enemies, generate armor to defend himself, and take on the appearance of another person to disguise himself.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The reason why Alex had amnesia after the First Outbreak was because Alex himself, was in fact already dead due to the rapid changes within his body by the virus. When he awakened, the virus had already possessed his mind and body, as well his identity.
- This fact made him different from James Heller, who was more heroic than Alex. When Alex infected James, the virus was unable to take over James' body due to his resilient DNA. Thanks to this, James was able to remain himself and retain his humanity; the virus' only effect on him was that he was bestowed all the same powers that Alex possessed.
- Alex's visage is slightly different in Prototype 2 compared with Prototype. While as an antihero in the first game his visage was quite handsome, in the second game as the main antagonist, his visage was quite intimidating, where the skin around his eyes blackened.
- James, along with Alex Mercer, are referred by fans as Prototypes. This is due to lack of an official moniker to describe beings with their unique abilities as an effect of the DX-1118 C viral strain (Blacklight virus).
- Alex Mercer appeared in Episode 181 of the popular web-series Death Battle, where he fought against inFamous's Cole MacGrath, and lost.
External Links[]
- Alex Mercer on the Heroes Wiki.
- Alex Mercer on the Prototype Wiki.
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Villains | ||
PROTOTYPE
Blackwatch: Peter Randall | Robert Cross | Ian Taggart Gentek: Alexander J. Mercer | Raymond McMullen | Karen Parker Infected: Elizabeth Greene | Supreme Hunter | Pariah Comics: Zurich | Flint | Larry | Autumn PROTOTYPE 2 Blackwatch: Colonel Rooks | Lieutenant Riley Infected: Evolved | Archer’s Contact | Anton Koenig | Alex Mercer | Bio-Bomber | Dr. Gutierrez | Whipfist Evolved | Lindsay Benhurst | Karen Archer | Sabrina Galloway | Commander Gallagher | Roland |