The Matriarch is a boss creature that appears in the video game Gears 5, though it is also a significant point of interest in Gears of War lore. This creature was the first Locust to be created and the matriarch of the entire species.
History[]
Creation[]
While studying the effects of Imulsion on humans, Dr. Niles Samson and his group of scientists conducted experiments on a number of individuals suffering from Rustlung, a disease caused by prolonged Imulsion exposure. Using DNA harvested from creatures indigenous to the Hollow, the staff at the New Hope Research Facility engineered a new life-form known as the Sire. The objective was to engineer a new breed of human with immunity to Imulsion that could also be used as a military force. However, the Sires proved to be savage and uncontrollable.
The next step in the experimental process was to combine Sire DNA with that of embryonic stem-cells taken from Myrrah, a human who possessed a natural immunity to Imulsion. From this experiment, Subject UL-119-2 - the Matriarch - was created. From the Matriarch, new Locust Drones were born, and thus the Locust Horde came into existence. It was discovered that a psychomagnetic link existed between Myrrah and the Matriarch. To enhance this connection, the New Hope scientists created a type of neural interface which they attached to a stasis tank that would house the Matriarch. The machine allowed Myrrah to strengthen her mental connection and take control of the Drones that the Matriarch had birthed.
One of the scientists, Dr. Torres, would eventually have a romantic encounter with Myrrah, leading to the conception and birth of their child, Reyna. Disillusioned with Samson's work, he fled from the facility and took his daughter with him. Dr. Samson lied to Myrrah, informing her that Torres and Reyna had perished during the escape. In her rage, Myrrah took control of all the Locust within the facility and commanded them to go on a bloody rampage, killing all of the scientists. Myrrah and the Locust would then leave and head into the caverns at Mount Kadar, making their way into the Hollow where they would establish their new society. Meanwhile, the Matriarch remained in its stasis tank, forgotten and abandoned.
Reawakening[]
In 42 A.E., Kait Diaz and Delmont Walker entered the abandoned Mount Kadar Laboratory in search of information regarding Kait's family and her connection to the Swarm. Assisted by an AI recreation of Niles Samson, the two young Gears discovered the truth behind the creation of the Locust and the reasons for Myrrah's hatred of humanity. Within the depths of the lab, they found the Matriarch still within her stasis tank. Using the neural interface, Kait became telepathically linked to the Matriarch, which was now connected to the hivemind of the Swarm. Inside the hivemind, Kait encountered the Matriarch who grabbed her and brought Kait to her mother, Reyna. Kait inadvertently awakened her mother, now the Swarm Queen before Del severed the link. The Samson AI betrayed Kait and Del and turned the lab's defenses against them, and the Matriarch was freed in the process.
Upon being released, the Matriarch went on a rampage, further damaging the laboratory and destroying the Samson AI. Del and Kait were able to avoid the Matriarch for a time, but with the lab defenses active, they would have to kill the creature in order to escape. Del surmised that they would be able to incapacitate the Matriarch by dropping it into freezing water, allowing them to attack its weak spot. As Kait fought, however, she came under telepathic attack by her mother, her vision becoming distorted. Realising that her telepathic link would be severed once the Matriarch was dead, Kait powered on through and she and Del managed to destroy the creature, seperating Kait from the Swarm hivemind.
Biology and Behaviour[]
The Matriarch differs little from the Locust Berserkers that succeed her. Her body stands at ten feet tall and is covered in rock-solid natural armour that protects her from physical attacks. She also carries several quills on her back that can be launched as projectiles to skewer enemies that attempt to attack from behind. The quills are also explosive and will detonate shortly after becoming embedded.
The Matriarch behaves much like any other Berserker; it is blind and tracks prey by smell and hearing. When it detects prey, it will charge in that direction and attempt to pummel its victims into submission. If attacked from behind, it will launch the explosive darts from its back. A large, blister-like growth on its back is its weak point, but it will constantly remain mobile to protect this area. It can be immobilized by freezing and there are several methods to do this in-game. It can be dropped into a pool of frigid water by shooting out the floor beneath its feet, freezing it for a short period and giving the players time to shoot its nerve cluster. The Cryo Cannon weapon can also be used to freeze it as well as JACK's Flash Freeze ability.