Agent Black
"Words don't make changes. Wounds do." - Agent Black
"At this point our secrets likely don't need to be secrets. If you leave a lie to fester through generations it becomes unwritten law. It's conveniently exploitable." - Agent Black
"Fated sister!" - General Chrome
Agent Black is one of the One Concern's fiercest Agents and a boss character. She is jaded and skeptical and hot-tempered, rejecting all religious aspects of the One Concern and despising most of humanity in general. She openly mocks the religious purposes of her assignments, carrying them out only out of sense of duty and a lack of any other purpose in her life. She has no faith or family or friends.
Official Bio[ | ]
AGENT BLACK
Age 286 - From: Unknown - Likes: Punching - Favorite color: GreyThe One Concern agent forever cursed with a headache, and has remained in her superhuman service for a long time. Dedication to assignments seems conflicted.
-Limited Run Iconoclasts Classic Edition manual
Abilities[ | ]
As with each agent, Black has purple prosthesis. Her arms have been augmented, and she can punch and throw with incredible strength. As a Transcendent, she has an unnaturally long life and can heal rapidly by absorbing Ivory from the ground. She also carries a handgun and sometimes a rocket launcher.
Story[ | ]
Pre-Game[ | ]
Agent Grey together with Agent Black, shortly before Elro kills Grey
Black was convinced to Transcend by a man she described as "very clean", though she cannot recall why she accepted. She became Transcendent, but the transcendence left her with a constant headache "like knives in my head". Black says she used to care about faith, but she lost the care some time ago, and the only thing that drives her is duty. The severity of the pain and the feeling of lack of purpose drove her to multiple suicide attempts, but her Ivory blood made her easy to revive. Eventually she gave up and submitted to making her purpose be the duty of being an Agent and warrior for a religion she does not believe. She grew bitter over many years, as her Transcendence granted her an unnaturally long life.
At some time, Black received her last order, which was "protecting humanity" and likely a part of the Escape Plot. She has carried this order with her as long as she can remember. She doesn't even remember who gave it to her. When the survivors selected for Midway were chosen, Agent Black was one of them. She appears to have been given full knowledge of the Suits' plot to escape the planet and leave the rest of humanity behind.
When she met Agent Grey, she let them get close and felt like she finally could have a renewed purpose and change from her bitter self. Black was happy, but she never acknowledged that she returned feelings for them. Their relationship was suddenly ended when Elro killed Grey. With her only friend gone, she had nothing left but a desire for revenge and her duty as an Agent. She goes on a quest to kill Elro and carry out her Agent order. That vague instruction, combined with her murderous desire for revenge, makes her a very dangerous foe.
Robin's Wrench[ | ]
While searching for Elro, Black and White arrive at Robin's Home. The house is empty and they search it, then wait for someone to return. Robin comes back from investigating the Spine Controller that caused an earthquake under House 3 in western Blockrock, and Black confronts her. The Concern has noticed that someone has been doing unauthorized mechanical work in Settlement 17, and they suspect Robin since her father, Polro, who she used to live with, was also a mechanic. But having found no tools as evidence, they do not arrest her. The confrontation is cut short as Black receives a message, saying that "He's been spotted," likely referring to Elro.
Having just captured Robin while she commits illegal mechanic work, Black mocks the religious aspects of the broken law
House 05[ | ]
Black and White walk in on Robin fixing Elro's house while Elro is at home. This allows her to condemn Robin and the entire household for Penance. While Robin is locked up in the back of the Community Centre and Elro and his family are sealed in their house, Black waits at the bar in the settlement for Penance to take place.
Camp[ | ]
Black chastises Chrome's inability to capture the Pirates at the Wasteland camp.
Now assuming that her arch-nemesis Elro is dead, Black returns to her other Concern duties, such as capturing the heathen Pirates and making them face Penance. Because the Isi are mining Ivory, this is one of the top priorities for the Suits right now, and she chastises General Chrome for his ineffectiveness at this task. Chrome notes her anger and asks of she has had time to mourn, which provokes an outraged response. She storms away.
Moments later, when Royal brings Robin to the camp and accidentally gets captured, Black attends the ritual execution, agitated by Robin's presence. Robin makes an escape aboard the Concern Relief Freight with Royal's help, and Black remarks, "How about we just shoot people?"
Invading Isilugar[ | ]
Black punches Mina, who just attempted to shoot her, at the Isi Ancestral Vessel under Isilugar
The One Concern Army manages to find the location of Isilugar by unknown means. While the army attacks the upper levels, Agents Black and White delve into the Isilugar Labs, crossing paths with Robin and Mina at the Isi's Ancestral Vessel. Black implies she knows a big secret about what's in this room, implying she has knowledge of the Vessel. She remarks at Robin's resilience, having escaped death at the hands of the Concern twice now. Black explains her pleasure in eliminating Robin, as she is the last remaining live family member of Elro's (as far as she knows). Black grabs Robin by the neck and throws her into the next room, but allows White to pursue her instead of killing Robin herself. (See: Agent White#Boss Fight)
When Black catches up to White and Robin, she finds him dead. Shocked at the discovery and not entirely understanding how he was killed, she runs for the surface.
Back on the surface, after Robin defeats the One Concern Army members trapped in Isilugar, Black kidnaps Samba as she attempts to escape. Robin and Mina confront Black as she is about to exit the city with Samba over her shoulder, unconscious. Threatening to kill Samba if Mina gets to close or attempts to follow, Black runs off with her hostage. In her rage at the death of White, she wants to kill Samba out of revenge, but she instead decides to keep and interrogate her to learn more about the Isi and how they managed to kill an Agent.
Helping Samba[ | ]
Robin, Elro, Chrome and Tolo all interrupt Black's interrogation with Samba atop the Tower
After kidnapping Samba, Black takes her to the top of The Tower, a secret Concern facility not known to anyone but the Bastion Suits and Bastion Elite. She guards Samba and awaits a professional interrogator while Robin, Mina, and Elro give chase. When they reach the interrogation room, Elro seals the other two behind a locked door and confronts Black alone. Black is floored to discover that not only is her nemesis alive, but he is standing in front of her at the top of the Concern's top-secret indoctrination facility. While Elro holds up his sword and announces his plan to take revenge for his family, Black shoots him with her sidearm. While he is on the ground, she rips his arm off and explains her intent to kill him slowly. Robin and Mina find another way in. Black is irked that Robin yet again is causing trouble. Black prepares to break Elro's neck, but before she can General Chrome bursts in with Tolo and several of the One Concern Army.
Chrome chastises Black for attempting to kill Elro out of anger and not in a manner not approved by Tri scripture. Black is livid. Robin and Elro are both alive, and both they and Chrome are standing before her in a secret facility that none of them are supposed to know about, and now Chrome threatens to imprison Robin and Elro for proper execution and not allow Black to kill them immediately. Chrome also confronts Black about why he and the army were not informed of the tower's existence and why it consumed so much Ivory in a time of drought when their Settlers were not adequately supplied. Black declines to answer until they get back to the One Concern West, simply saying, "You will be the end of all humanity. I'll clarify how later if that's what you want." Before Chrome escorts them all back to the One Concern HQ, Black attempts to shoot Robin in defiance. Before she can, the Silver Watchman dashes into her, smashing her, Mina, and Samba through a wall where they fall and vanish. Robin escapes Black and the Concern for the 4th time. Elro is still lying on the floor and is taken as a prisoner.
Searching One Concern[ | ]
Black raises her fist to strike Royal while waiting to ambush Chrome
While Robin and friends are seeking their way into the One Concern HQ, Black and Chrome take Elro to be locked up in the One Concern East, at which time Chrome is informed of the secret plot of Mother, the Bastion Suits, and the Bastion Elite to desert the earth and leave the rest of humanity behind. When Royal accidentally summons Him by destroying the Omega Controller, the Suits and Chrome find out and realize their plan to escape must happen immediately. While intruding the One Concern West, Robin overhears Emmet Darland announcing to the Concern Army that it is immediately necessary to prepare the rocket to "research a new type of ivory". He also lies and says that nothing bad has happened to Royal. When it is Chrome's turn to address his army, he divulges the secret that the world is likely ending and Suits and Agents intend to escape on the rocket and leave them behind. Black attacks Chrome for his betrayal, but is unable to kill him because he is also a Transcendent. The Army, loyal to Chrome, attacks Agent Black. The Suits escape back to City One in the confusion.
After killing all the Concern soldiers who did not flee, she goes to a Detritus Dust-filled holding cell, hoping Chrome will walk into it. Detritus Dust has the ability to neutralize a Transcendent's abilities, including the ability to heal. This would be her chance to kill Chrome. But instead Royal appears first, attempting to pass through to get back to Mother and City One. Black explains that his attacking the Omega Controller has summoned Him and caused the world to end within days, and angrily punches him and knocks him out. Shortly thereafter Robin and Mina walk in. (See: #Boss Fight 1) Black knocks out Mina, but Robin defeats Black. Because Robin only uses her stun weapons and not Mina's Seeds, Black is only knocked out and is able to recover later. She then heads to the Rocket Platform, being one of the chosen to escape on it and become the future of humanity.
Launching the Rocket[ | ]
Royal confronts Black in front of the Midway Rocket. He uses her real name, shown in yellow text.
While the whole Concern is in a panic to control the rocket, Black heads to the top of the Rocket Platform to defend it, shutting off the power to the final lift for anyone who would attempt to climb aboard. Black is appalled to see Robin again as she and Royal attempt to use the elevator. Royal attacks Black with his Ivory power, but it is ineffective. Black attacks Robin and demands to know where Elro is. Robin runs away while rushing to activate the controls to restore power to the elevator and escape. (See: #Boss Fight 2)
Robin and Royal escape to the elevator and take it to the boarding platform, but Black gets there first and is waiting for them. Royal beseeches Agent Black to give up and allow them to proceed to the rocket to attempt to save all of humanity from Him. Frustrated and in pain from her headaches, Black monologues some of her past, about her transcendence, loss of faith, lack of purpose, and her friendship with Agent Grey, and how Elro took her one friend from her. Black says that Elro should be blamed for turning her back into a heartless warrior, and insists that the rocket is hers and Royal will take it over her dead body. Royal reveals that her true name was Madelyn, and pleads with her one last time to allow them to take the rocket. He suggests that to "protecting humanity" involves allowing Royal to visit Midway and stop Him, rather than protecting the rocket for the Concern. Black refuses, and the duo has to fight her to the death to get past. (See: Boss Fight 2 Part 2) Robin uses the Isi Seeds on Black to kill her. As the seeds take effect, Black even breaks one of the Ivory fuel lines on the rocket to attempt to heal faster with pure ivory, but even that is not enough as the seeds just keep reacting to the ivory. She struggles to keep fighting even as the seeds start to gestate from her body. As her strength leaves her, the blue eyes surrounding the rocket climb onto her. They swarm her and take her body away as the seeds within her explode.
The Eyes possess Agent Black's body combined with the sprouted Isi seeds. Between the seeds reacting to the ivory in her body and the Eyes controlling her Ivory-fused body, she is transformed into the giant Ivory Beast. The monster clings to the rocket and beats it with its head while attempting to kill Robin and Royal. (See: Ivory Beast#Boss Fight) Robin destroys the outer shell of the monster. Its core leaps out and attempts to climb the side of the rocket to the hatch. Robin and Royal pursue while riding the lift next to it. Robin kills it by shooting its throbbing, exposed brain. The last things that can be heard of the Agent-turned-monster are "...HEAD... ...ACHE..." before its head explodes and the creature dies.
First Boss Fight[ | ]
Black grabs and prepares to throw Robin
Robin fights Black in the Detritus Dust room in One Concern West. She cannot heal and does not have extra hearts. There is only one phase, however, at 66% and 33% HP Black will repeat her Instant Grab attack.
- Black runs towards Robin on all four and attacks her with her fist.
- After exclamation mark warning and charging/heating her arms, Black jumps, then stomps the ground, generating two blue energy blast waves.
- After exclamation mark warning, Black shoots a slow, decelerating projectile that soon stops and splits into eight blue shots.
- Black jumps to the side, with red trail visible, then shoots two projectiles that soon explode into vertical fireballs.
- Instant Grab: executed thrice in a fight (at the beginning and at 66% and 33% HP remaining). Black momentarily "stops time", and the next moment she is already seen grabbing Robin, followed by jumping into the air and throwing Robin into the ground five times. This attack cannot be avoided (nor does damage tweak slots) and reduces Robin's HP to just one hit shy of death. If Robin already was near-dead, she is killed instead. After the attack, Black walks in taunting pose while three Coptrollers spawn, each dropping a guaranteed health drop upon destruction.
Second Boss Fight[ | ]
Phase 1[ | ]
Robin and Black meet again when the Rocket Platform's first elevator gets stuck. Natural for the Transcendent, Black will heal herself whenever her HP drops to certain amount, and cannot be killed yet. In order to escape Black, Robin must charge all three conductors and power supplies and then get back on the elevator. Royal is present in this fight and will try to assist by occasionally conjuring a damaging attack.
- List of Black's new attacks.
Strategy[ | ]
Spin the Galvanization Wrench immediately before the boss fight. Shoot a galvanized Roller Bomb Shot at each of the three yellow doors. This will simultaneously charge the conductor, open the door, and charge the power supply. Recharge the wrench as needed.
Phase 2[ | ]
Black stands between Robin and the Rocket Platform's second elevator. Robin must kill Black using Mina's Seeds in order to board the rocket. Seeds can be inserted whenever Black is damaged enough and is forced to heal.
- Black keeps all the attacks from phase 1, except for tile destruction (as there are no floor tiles).
- After two seeds are injected, Black gains a new attack, please be nice and describe it here I'm tired writing all this already.
- Oh and after four or five seeds, Black is heavily slowed down, losing most attacks. At this point she will no longer heal, and fight ends as soon as her HP is depleted.
After Black is dealt with, she mutates into Ivory Beast which you fight right after. You cannot save inbetween.