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| “ | There are no heroes, only survivors. | „ |
| ~ Father Mathias |
Father Mathias is one of the two secondary antagonists (alongside Stormguard Stalker) of the 2013 reboot video game Tomb Raider and a minor antagonist in the season 1 of the 2024 Netflix cartoon series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
He is the leader of the Solarii Brotherhood, a cult that worships the Sun Queen.
He was voiced by Robert Craighead, who also played General Hemlock in Dead Rising 3.
Biography[]
Mathias has been stranded on Yamatai since the year 1982 when his plane crashed into the waters near the island, located in the Dragon's Triangle. After noticing the island's unusual weather patterns, he tricked his fellow survivors into trying to escape with a makeshift raft, which was easily destroyed. Mathias did this on purpose, so he could better understand the supernatural occurrences of the island.
Over time more survivors were stranded on Yamatai, American, Russian and Japanese. Using his charisma, Mathias was able to rally people for his tribe which he named the Solarii Brotherhood. The people who refused to join him were simply killed. The people who wished to join were forced to spend days and even months in the geothermal caverns, Many were turned insane. Over time, Mathias acquired four Russian lieutenants: Dmitri, Nikolai, Vladimir and Boris.
Father Mathias comes across Sam, a surviving member of the shipwrecked Endurance, and the close friend of Lara Croft. While Sam tells the story of her ancestor, Himiko, Lara falls asleep. When she wakes up, she discovers that Mathias has kidnapped Sam.
Although he is not seen until later in the game, Mathias is mentioned by his Solarii brethren who refer him as Father Mathias. He is not seen in person until he ambushes Lara while she was trying to rescue Captain Jessop who is the only survivor of an attempted rescue from a plane. He describes Lara as a child and chastises her for being young and naive before destroying the bridge and murdering Jessop. Before the Solarii Brotherhood can kill Lara, the Oni attack the Solarii. They take Lara to the room where they keep the rest of their murdered victims. The Oni, or Stormguard, are a mythical force on Yamatai that protect the Sun Queen.
The Solarii and Mathias are held up in a massive Japanese monastery with Sam. Lara fights through a Shantytown and finally makes her way there, where she also discovers James Whitman, another survivor. Sam pleads him to reconsider but Mathias is too determined to survive and leaves Sam with a guard which Lara kills with ease and allows Sam to escape.
While the temple begins to slowly burn to the ground Lara fights her way through more Solarii and one of the Russian lieutenants however she is easily able to kill them. While trying to exit Lara is once again ambushed by Mathias on a bridge, he commands the bridge to be burnt and when someone responds that their own men will die he simply shoots him without a second thought. Lara came close to being killed but Roth was able to call a chopper that saves Lara from a fiery death. However due to the supernatural weather on Yamatai the helicopter was brought down near the temple, Mathias and a group of his Solarii ambush the two, Roth is able to fend them off but not before Mathias hits Roth on the back with a hatchet.
Mathias is able to strike a deal with James Whitman, a narcissistic and self-absorbed survivor of the Endurance Whitman hands Sam over to the Solarii but not before Mathias purposefully has him killed by Storm Guards, an ancient race that protects the Sun Queen.
Mathias barricaded him and his Solarii inside the temple of Himik but Lara is able to enter during a massive blizzard but she is too late and the ritual has already begun.
Lara fights off an army of Solarii and the Oni until she reaches the ceremony however she is ambushed by Mathias and the two violently fight until she is able to steal two guns and shoot him off the edge of a cliff and he falls to his death.
Personality[]
Mathias' isolation on Yamatai has driven him to insanity, he will do anything for his freedom no matter how ruthless, unethical or how many lives it will cost.
Despite his obvious derangement, Mathias possessed a high intellect as he was the first to realize that the island they were stranded on had a supernatural element and sacrificed his own survivors to just prove his theory.
His madness was also shown in his incredible worship of Himiko the Sun Queen, Mathias built shrines and sacrificed people in Himiko's honor, he expects the rest of the Solarii to believe in and those who do not he would simply kill without a second thought.
Mathias presented a friendly and trustable appearance, he hid his insanity well with his charisma and beliefs but the second someone would disappoint or fail him Mathias returned to his cruel ways.
Mathias justified his many wicked deeds by saying he did it only to survive which he believes is an excuse for repeated sacrifice and murder.
Quotes[]
| “ | Sorry if I startled you. This place could make anyone a little jumpy. We just spoke to your crew… they're on their way. | „ |
| ~ Mathias pretending to be kind. |
| “ | My manners, I'm sorry, I'm Mathias… a teacher by trade. Not really cut out for the island life, I'm afraid. | „ |
| ~ Father Mathias introducing himself to Lara Croft. |
| “ | For a child, you've caused me a great deal of trouble but you're just as naive and predictable, kill her! | „ |
| ~ Father Mathias as he and his followers began ambushing Lara Croft. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- A character also called Mathias, portrayed by Walton Goggins, appeared as the main antagonist of the 2018 film adaptation of the same name but as a member of Trinity instead.
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 Villains
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Games Tomb Raider II Tomb Raider III Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Tomb Raider: Chronicles Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword Tomb Raider: The Prophecy Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Tomb Raider: Legend Tomb Raider: Anniversary Tomb Raider: Underworld Tomb Raider (2013) Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Rise of the Tomb Raider Shadow of the Tomb Raider Movies Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life Tomb Raider | ||