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| “ | Poor things… what a life. Marchin' around playin' Daddy until some Splicer manages to kill off their Sister… and then if the coma doesn't take 'em they turn maniac… nothin' left to do but scream. | „ |
| ~ Augustus Sinclair on the horrifying nature of the Alpha Series |
The Alpha Series are an enemy type in the 2010 science fiction video game BioShock 2.
Alpha Series were the first type of Big Daddies designed in the underwater city of Rapture. They are similar to the Big Daddies in both games, in that they were big brutes in diving suits made to protect the Little Sisters, which are little girls infused with ADAM and have the duty of collecting more ADAM. They differ greatly in design of the other Big Daddies seen in the first two games (such as the Rosies, Bouncers, Rumblers and Lancers).
Despite the fact that Alpha Series play the role of hostile obstacles, the playable characters of BioShock 2 and its DLC all happen to be Alpha Series, albeit with the ability to think for themselves and not be mindlessly hostile.
All Alpha Series are voiced by Stephen Stanton, who voiced all other types of Big Daddies in the first two games, including the DLCs.
History[]
Alpha Series were the first and failed prototypes of Big Daddies seen in the first two games. They are human beings mentally and physically reconditioned. The concept of Big Daddies was developed by Yi Suchong, whereas Gilbert Alexander designed the Alpha Series specifically. Those turned into an Alpha Series (or any other Big Daddy type for that matter) were criminals or people who spoke out against Andrew Ryan. Despite their failure, they had a few advantages over other types of Big Daddies: they could use plasmids and had much more mobility due to not being as heavily armored as the other Big Daddy types.
Whereas standard Big Daddies have their skin grafted into their suits, the Alpha Series do not, and are even to take off their helmets. Like other Big Daddies, Alpha Series were always created from men, and never women. The method of chemically binding them with the Little Sisters was a bit different from the successful and more commonly used Big Daddies. Whereas other Big Daddies were bonded to many Little Sisters, the Alpha Series are each bonded to just one Little Sister.
If a Little Sister is too far away from the respective bonded Alpha Series, or has somehow been killed, the Alpha Series fall into a coma or descend into endless madness and rage. It was because of this that the Alpha Series were considered a failure, because of how easy it could be to mentally and physically break them.
If an Alpha Series descends into madness, their only use could be made into foot soldiers, as they are too unstable for any other task. The trials and failure of the Alpha Series paved the way for more versatile and mentally stable Big Daddies to both work on the state of the underwater and/or protect a Little Sister. During the events of BioShock 2 virtually all Alpha Series encountered are dead or presented as a difficult, vicious enemy.
In 1958, one Alpha Series named Subject Delta - who is the main protagonist of the game - was doing his standard ADAM-collecting rounds with his bonded Little Sister, Eleanor Lamb, until Sofia Lamb forced Delta to shoot himself in the head with the use of a hypnotic plasmid. With much intervention from Eleanor, Delta is revived 10 years after, starting the plot of the game. Augustus Sinclair, the man who was guiding Subject Delta through the game, is captured and turned into Alpha Series, becoming "Subject Omega".
During the same time as the main game, another Alpha Series is the protagonist of the Minerva's Den DLC, who is a man named Charles Milton Porter, but was given the designation "Subject Sigma" when turned into an Alpha Series. In the Protector Trials DLC, the player takes the role of an unnamed Alpha Series during an unknown time in the second game.
Appearance[]
The diving suits of the Alpha Series appear less bulky and taller than that of standard Big Daddies. There is a tank on their backs that provides them with health and EVE to fuel plasmid use. Unlike other Big Daddies, they do not have the colored portholes on the helmet part of their suits that tells the player their behavior. Their helmets instead have an elliptical shaped window that may provide light.
The appearance of the people inside the suits are never seen, though some of them have their skin exposed, which appears as mutated and lumpy.
Behavior[]
Alpha Series cannot speak, given their mutilated vocal cords. Their hostility is not due to any evil nature, but a chemical imbalance when their respective Little Sister is no longer around. When agitated, they give guttural, eerie growls. Whereas other Big Daddy types start out completely neutral and do not care for the player's presence, Alpha Series are always violently hostile. Their range of weaponry use is slightly larger than other Big Daddies, as Alpha Series can be armed with a grenade launcher, machine gun or shotgun. Those weapons will always have the same upgrades as the player, meaning the benefits of those upgrades can be detrimental to Subject Delta's survival.
As mentioned before, an Alpha Series is not as armored as standard Big Daddies, which gives them the ability to move much faster and have very agile movement. They can even run at full speed. Their strength is much higher than that of a standard human, not just because they are in diving suits, but are physically altered with ADAM to boost their strength and resistance to damage.
Even though Alpha Series are wearing helmets, they still take increased damage from headshots, as well as 50% more damage from explosives. Alpha Series are technically able to use plasmids, though only the player character Alpha Series are seen using them. Alpha Series will let out an elemental burst at random times, this can be ice, electricity or fire, which will damage all surrounding individuals.
Alpha Series can be made to serve the player, though only the "Hypnotize 3" plasmid can achieve this.
Trivia[]
- All the Alpha Series that are player-controlled sound more human than any other Alpha Series in the game.
- The game files refer to the 3D model of an Alpha Series as "mad daddy", likely referencing their hostile nature.
- Alpha Series do not naturally attack others in their immediate area, and focus solely on the player, unless they are hit with any level of a Hypnotize plasmid.
Gallery[]
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 Villains
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Rapture Ryan Security Fontaine Futuristics Fontaine Fisheries Atlas' Followers The Rapture Family Splicers Others Columbia Fink Manufacturing Columbia Police Authority Fraternal Order of the Raven Vox Populi Slate's Soldiers | ||