Monarch is YOU!

[Sudanna]

Is Shaper Monarch the "You" from Geneforge 1? He displays mostly the same mindset as a user of the Geneforge, and he comments on having a kingdom. He has a Control Baton, things that were found frequently on Sucia. He doesn't make anything above tier 3, which was the top of the heap in Geneforge 1. -X- finds it quite likely that he was a resurfacing PC.

[I_am_a_Minotaur]

This is what I thought to at first, but I'm pretty sure I remember Jeff saying he will never impersonate(sp?) your PC. I could be wrong though.

[*i]

Actually he did make the Titan and all sorts of other stuff. An interesting theory.

[Randomizer]

With both sides thinking that he was from the other, maybe he was a survivor of Sucia Island which would make him a canister enhanced Sholai. I was wondering which character he was from an earlier game and the Sholai researchers were heavily into making altered and enhanced forms of the basic creations with no real control of them.

[Emperor Tullegolar]

He can't be a Sholai, it says his robes bear the shaper symbol, plus the fact that he bears the title 'Shaper'. I don't think a Sholai would impersonate a real shaper like that.

[Alorael at Large]

Although I haven't played through the original Geneforge, I get the feeling that aside from the incompatibility of many endings with the the PC becoming Monarch, Monarch just isn't quite up to par. Sure, he's impressive, but by the end of a game most PCs wouldn't hole up and make creations. They'd charge forward with creations blazing.

 

—Alorael, who would also expect to find some better gear with Monarch if he were the G1 PC. Sure, he's got some good treasure, but not enough for everything he would have looted from Sucia.

[Emperor Tullegolar]

But it could be that he had to sell all those items for the funds to pay for all that equipment he has below the city. I must say I agree with -X-'s theory. Monarch fancies himself a true shaper, the apprentice was a true shaper, and he is crazy, powerful, and rich, which is most likely how the PC would have ended up after Geneforge 1 anyway. "But Tullegolar, I played an entire game without using canisters once!" Good for you. In the real world, people use canisters.

 

Of course, I'm sure Jeff would pull a George Lucas and say something like "I intentionally left it vague." It's probably better off that way anyway.

[Just Another Muffin Junky]

Just puttin it out there, he really reminds me of Barzahl, shaper training, glowing skin, totally nuts, and he DID have a kingdom with the barzites...

 

Although, the evidence for being your PC from geneforge seems quite solid.

[Randomizer]

Shaper robes were lying all over the place in the various prior games and since Shapers had some prestige in Terrestia before the Rebellion it would make sense to pretend to be one whatever you were. Only another shaper would be able to question you and they apparantly weren't that common in Grosch.

 

Sholai makes more sense since they had an "empire" on Sucia Island until the Shapers came to clean everything out. The fact that so many serviles and equipment was removed from the island shows that no one was watching what made it to the mainland. It would be possible for a lone survivor to hide and follow the Shaper ships to the mainland.

 

Jeff seems not to want to have a PC carry over from game to game. Unless this is why what happened to the third one from GF3 is being hidden by both sides. But that one would have more advanced creations available than Monarch.

[Emperor Tullegolar]

Robes may be lying around everywhere but I don't think you can confuse normal robes with official shaper robes. It said his robes bore the insignia. Why would a sholai wear shaper robes and refer to himself as Shaper? Wouldn't he have more pride than to do something like that? I couldn't imagine Trajkov ever fancying himself "Shaper Trajkov." Plus, where would a Sholai have gotten all the wealth to do the things Monarch did? The serviles and equipment that left Sucia were taken by Zachary and Barzahl, but I doubt they took any Sholai with them to Drypeak.

 

It said Monarch's robes were badly worn, but still official shapers robes, which is almost a direct quote from the other Geneforge endings describing your character. Though it would be difficult for just any shaper to have access to enough canisters to make you glow, PCs certainly do.

 

As for his creations, Monarch seemed to beleive in quantity over quality. As the final challenge caves showed, he is more than capable of making higher end creations, he just choose not to in his attack on the world.

 

Edit: I also don't think he is Barzahl. Barzahl wouldn't change his name, he is far too cool to do that. Also, I think he is cannonically dead after Geneforge 2.

[Student of Trinity]

I had the idea that Monarch might be the PC from G3, but decided it wasn't so. I suppose G1 is possible. But I'm pretty sure Jeff's attitude is that the Shaper world is not short on maniacs.