Albedo (Xenosaga)

Albedo Piazzolla is a character of the series of Roleplay Xenosaga of Monolithsoft and the principal antagonist of Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht and of Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse . It is a U.R.T.V, the unit 667, and one of some U.R.T.V.s having survived the Miltian Conflict. In spite of its mental instability, it has a great knowledge on many subjects, like its knowledge not less limited in philosophy, sciences, languages and religions, particularly old (in the universe of Xenosaga ) the Christianisme. He is also follower of the complex strategies and anticipation of displacements of his enemy.

Card-index identity

Born in: 4741 T.C
Sex: Male
Old: 26
Size: 6 ' 3" (190 cm)
Weight: 158 lb (72kg)
Lapping machine (Japanese): Koichi Yamadera
Lapping machine (English): Crispin Freeman
Lapping machine (Japanese Child): Megumi Urawa
Lapping machine (English child): Scott Menville

Its name

The name of Albedo refers to the color of its grey hair milk. In Psychology and Alchimie (1944), Carl Jung calls Albedo, or " Blanchissement" , one of the stages of the process of human individualization as symbolized in alchemy. Jung describes also Rubedo and Nigredo like belonging to this process. An additional and more notorious use of the term exists in physical science, where the Albédo of a body or a surface is the measurement of its reflection.

However, its family name has two different translations. In Xenosaga Episode I , its name is " Piasora" albedo;. In Xenosaga Episode II it is called " Piazzolla" albedo;. Its nickname probably refers to Ástor Piazzolla, an Argentin type-setter of which are nickname corresponds better to the " Piasora" Japanese.

Its history

Antecedents

Albedo was created by Dimitri Yuriev like the unit 667 U.R.T.V. In the beginning joint with its twin Links it 666, Rubedo. The U.R.T.V are a kind of retro virus of U-DO, and are weapons bio-techniques conceived to fight U-DO, a mysterious conscious wave.

When Rubedo and Albedo were separate, they gained both of the single capacities, they are both based on the same concept. Rubedo gained the capacity to control the ageing of its body, whereas Albedo could be regenerated, making it virtually immortal.

Albedo was as nervous and timorous as a child. It clung to Rubedo to protect it, and precipitated violently against whoever attacked Rubedo. It went even once until wounding, almost to kill one as of his comrades U.R.T.V., Number 623. It did not show any remorse thereafter, showing a growing antipathy which will appear throughout its life. It treated also the other U.R.T.V " normaux" like inferiors, and them did not see as real people in the same way that he saw Rubedo and Nigredo.

It crumbled when it learned that Rubedo and Nigredo were not immortal, Nigredo having become as vulnerable to ageing and the wounds as human normal, and Rubedo, in spite of its capacity to stop its ageing, could die of wound. The thought of living forever, all alone, without Rubedo to protect it, returned it extremely sad and terrified. All this made it mentally unstable, and it was put to be involved to dig tombs for Rubedo and Nigredo, as much as not shouting when they really die.

In Xenosaga I&II , one learns that the first attempt at Albedo to contact U-DO was during a exercise of drive in the Encephalon of Sakura. Sakura saved it while jumping opposite him, and it was killed when U-DO struck it. Although Albedo hated Sakura, it felt terribly guilty its death because it wounded Rubedo. What returned it obsessed by the Kirschwassers and later by MOMO.

14 years ago, during Miltian Conflict, the U.R.T.V were sent on Miltia like Third Descent. However, Rubedo learned there low which if it used its Red Dragon against U-DO, it could have produced a thermal reaction able to destroy whole planet. Rubedo cancelled the mission and cut the mental bond between him and the other U.R.T.V., anxious for their life. In answer the vague U-DO struck the majority of the U.R.T.V., destroying them. Albedo succeeds in returning in contact with U-DO at this time, making it insane.

Completely insane and reached is delirious, Albedo off planned its infiltration on board Song Nephilim shortly after and was turned over against Rubedo and Nigredo in Labyrinthos. It was found by Sellers and its personnel of the U-TIC, which prepared to give up Miltia by using Song like capsules rescue giantess. Following concealed, it was to take along by Ormus Society and placed under the jurisdiction of Margulis. It became agent of the U-TIC and obtained one of their five A.M.W.S., the E.S. Simeon, like personal vehicle.

Episode I

One initially sees Albedo on the asteroid Pleroma, the base of Margulis, a commander of U-TIC Organization. Shortly after MOMO and Ziggy escapes from Pleroma. Albedo appears then with Kirschwasser, one of its familiar, and Margulis teaches him that it is able too late to catch MOMO.

Later, always with its Kirschwasser, once again, on Pleroma, stopping a conversation between Margulis and its soldiers, he says to Margulis that he is about to find MOMO, and supporting to him which he will make a better job than his “doggies”. According to the database, it frequently calls MOMO " my pêche" , MOMO meaning Japanese fishing. He goes up in his A.M.W.S., the E.S. Simeon, and leaves Margulis. He follows slowly the Durandal, the vessel of Jr. Accidentally, MOMO is also on this vessel.

Whereas it follows the group of Jr., Albedo keeps contact with Margulis constantly, and was magic when Margulis enabled him, if the need were felt some, to call upon Song Nephilim off, a dangerous space station which emits a song making the listeners completely hysterical. This to make diversion against Kukai Foundation and Second Miltia long enough to help it to catch MOMO. Moreover, the superiors of Margulis would like to handle the Federation to allow Albedo to call upon Song and to cover the backs of the U-TIC. When the plans of Margulis fail, Albedo calls Song immediately, and lets the station remove MOMO until Kukai Foundation. In way, it flies through a battle field, where a.G.W.S. of the Federation face Gnosis. In its E.S. Simeon, it destroys as much A.G.W.S. than of Gnosis, and continuous to advance towards Kukai Foundation. Once it catches MOMO and off brings back it until Song Nephilim.

Once in Song, Albedo intimidates MOMO, hoping that she disappears to obtain the easily There-Dated, a mysterious quantity of data placed in the spirit of MOMO by Joachim Mizrahi, the creator of MOMO. In Song, it kills all its Kirschwassers and throw them in its room. MOMO finds it comfortably sitted on its " throne, " where it rocks the body Kirschwasser died in its arms, before breaking to him without effort one of its arms to throw it. For intmider MOMO, it uses a knife for him shows its own arm in order to show him, as in the American version, that once crossed, this one will be regenerated. He decapitates himself, leaving his head cut to shout on MOMO, for finally crushing his head under his foot before it is regenerated. The URTV is very amused of what MOMO wants that Jr. or Rubedo, come to save it. Once MOMO lost conscience, Albedo started to absorb its spirit, learning all from the thoughts and the memory of MOMO. It continues to absorb its spirit until it is stopped by Jr. and its group.

At the time when those are shown, he scoffs them, and finally seizes There-Dated from MOMO, indicating to him that Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS, two members of the team of Jr., is implied there. He goes up on board the E.S. Simeon and faces the group. It is a very difficult combat, because the E.S. Simeon is larger and more advanced than a.G.W.S. of Jr. and of the group. Once overcome Albedo, it leaves the E.S. Simeon and sends one will have blue on Jr., which answers with a red. Their combat is stopped by Luis Virgil, Blue Testament. Virgil insists that Albedo completes its work, and stops playing with the group of Jr. Albedo off leaves Song Nephilim and its E.S. Simeon while Virgil faces the group of Jr.

Once the group, Jr. and escaped MOMO of Song off Nephilim and on board Durandal, they try to destroy Song, but they are astonished that their shootings are deviated. Albedo reappears in its E.S. Simeon, and calls the Proto Merkabah, a great space station which was the residence of Joachim Mizrahi and MOMO, using knowledge which it glané in the memory of MOMO. Song off Nephilim is fastened in Proto Merkabah to give him its power, and several Gnosis are absorbed like energy source. It uses this station to sweep the fleet of the Federation. It then takes for target it near planet Second Miltia. However, Jr. he ask to wait before destroying Second Miltia, which enables him to reach Albedo to put an end to the conflict once for all.

Jr. arrive with its group on Proto Merkabah and finds Albedo in the room of the engine which shows them its will, a étincelant capacity which exists of each one. However his is very luminous and large for it. It fights Jr. and others personally, but it is overcome after a length and difficult combat. He explains finally his motivation: to make pay Jr. to have given up it him and the other U.R.T.V 14 years ago. Appears then Sophie Peithos of her hand, a fusion of the engine of Proto Merkabah and Gnosis absorptive by the station. Albedo leaves Jr. to fight this gigantic animal, and turns over in its E.S. Simeon to escape from the station. It observes by far and attends the fall of the station towards Second Miltia, following the defeat of Sophie Peithos. It observes the escape of the group on board the Elsa, and with the self-destruction of Proto Merkabah.

Although there is a feeling of end, the invocation of Albedo of Proto Merkabah was to distract the galaxy from the true intentions of Ormus, the organization seems to be behind the plans of the U-TIC, and tests the capacities of Shion, Jr. And his/her friends, all the details are not given directly. However, Albedo really thinks that it acts of sound proper chief, whose incident Proto Merkabah is the result. Virgil is insensitive with the invocation of Albedo which he considers of " toys nonnecessary, " however Red Will, Kevin Winnicot, says to him to leave Albedo for the moment. This is more the case of Wilhelm, leader of the Wills, the chairman of the Vector Industries, and ex- Executive Committee Director, can measure the capacities of Albedo' and decide exactly that to make with him in time wanted.

Animate

In Xenosaga animates, based on l' Episode I , Albedo has a role similar to that of the play, with some differences. One initially sees it in his E.S. Simeon, observing the Woglinde, a vessel of the Vector Industries in which Shion resides, attacked by the gnosis. It charges Woglinde, striking it for entreer in the vessel. The shock is if violent that it strikes Shion, which followed reducing Kirschwasser Albedo. In animates, it has one Kirschwasser assistant, who had it previously flees and had disguised himself in Realian of series 100. By threatening Shion unconscious, Albedo convinces Kirschwasser to join it.

Albedo moves then towards Pleroma to recover MOMO, but it is accommodated by Margulis, which says to him that MOMO have just been yourself escaped with the assistance from Ziggy. Albedo decides to even leave to research MOMO him. Albedo had been sent on Woglinde to recover the emulator of Zohar, but he says to Margulis that he prefers to recover his Kirschwasser, explaining why they are not these businesses, because the Zohar emulator is not Zohar truth.

Albedo leaves to find MOMO, but Margulis him council to wait a little before making no matter what is, like Margulis with already) prepared its plans, then Albedo turns over to Pleroma and waits.

When Margulis gives him the next stage, Albedo goes up quickly on board the E.S. Simeon and Vol worm Kukai Foundation, that it will find attacked by Gnosis. It seizes opportunity and captures MOMO, after having quickly overcome Jr.

At this point in time Albedo calls upon Song Nephilim off, for calling upon Proto Merkabah shortly after, using it to absorb Gnosis and Song, for fleet A.G.W.S. of the Federation of more than 400 units.

It is at this time that Albedo starts to absorb the memory of MOMO' S, hoping to recover There-Dated it, in the middle of its program. When Jr. stops, Albedo discovers that the data of MOMO are locked up in its body thanks to Joachim Mizrahi, and Albedo is violently isolated MOMO. It call its E.S. Simeon, and amalgamates with its Kirschwasser, transforming the E.S. Simeon into enormous Gnosis.

After KOS-MOS destroyed Gnosis, Albedo escapes, observing Proto Merkabah autodétruire due to the last act of bravery of Kirschwasser. Its E.S. Simeon finds its robot-like form following the death of Kirschwasser.

Bie, N that animates it is official, One cannot regard it as l' Episode I because the points important of the history are not evoked in animates.

Episode II

Albedo is in its E.S. Simeon, when Gaignun Kukai the contact by telepathy to know what occurs. Albedo causes Gaignun, which is annoyed and exploded the arm of Albedo. This last régnénère its arm and cuts the mental bond between him and Gaignun.

Later, on Second Miltia, MOMO is in maintenance at Juli Mizrahi. However, the process is stopped when Albedo pirates its spirit to try to recover the remainder of There-Dated. However MOMO, starts to erase its memory to save everyone. The group is plunged in the spirit of MOMO by using the Encephalon, and there they attend long series of flashback of Jr., because Jr. Was the person nearest to MOMO, and with the fact that Albedo is now part of MOMO following absorption in l' Episode I .

Through the flashbacks, all the past of Albedo is revealed. One sees that Albedo was weak and very shy person, until U-DO corrupts it. The natural signs of instability mental was also visibe at the young Albedo.

Whereas the group of Jr. these flashbacks in Encephalon of MOMO sees, the recent one and true Albedo emerges and fights Jr. who is still made overcome by Albedo. MOMO not supporting more to see it suffering in front of it yields and gives the remainder of the data on There-Dated. It leaves the virtual world of Encephalon and alarm clock in its E.S. Simeon. With the additional data of There-Dated, Albedo and the E.S. Simeon starts to shine, and disparraissent space. This action leads to the opening of the way towards Old Miltia, the planet that Joachim Mizrahi sent in the Abyssals zone during Miltian Conflict. Jr., return on Second Miltia, and he affirms that he can feel the disappearance of the presence of Albedo. But Since Albedo cannot die, it remains of him only some particle floating in space.

Later, Albedo lives again by using its capacity of regeneration so as to gather the particles remaining of its body in the Ω System, an enormous fortress saptiale, the habitat of Ormus. It returns with the Zohar (the ultimate energy source) and the Proto Ω, large super-arms. The Pape of Ormus meets the grope of Jr there., hoping to use Proto Ω, with Zohar, to destroy them and all those which is drawn up on its way. Albedo arrives in scene, saying to the Pope that the capacities of Zohar belong to him, and that the Pope does not need any. The Pope, not wanting to release Zohar, qualifies Albedo of " Phantom deYuriev" and regards it as a " form of life inférieure." Albedo tries to attack the Pope and Proto Ω, but it is disintegrated by super-arms and is tiny room to a heap of particle. However when the group of Jr.vaincs the pope the Kevin Wills, Virgil, as well as Black Testament Voyager accelerates the process of regeneration of Albedo. Albedo absorbs immediately more waves of U-DO since Zohar and transforms the system Ω into space-time anomaly.

Jr. enter the anomaly, hoping to stop the madness D” Albedo. Albedo handles the anomaly to cause Jr., making him revive the past to put it in anger. Albedo actively tries to force Jr. to kill it, as if he sought to die. It clamp that Jr. was the only one which could kill it. In spite of the sacrifice of Sakura it to save, Albedo called to Jr. that it killed Sakura, by hoping that it would hate it enough to kill it, but its false assertion is contradicted. Jr. reached Albedo finally, and enters in Mode Red Dragon, a powerful capacity that only Jr. have. Albedo speaks in Jr. of its plans, for thorough the entire universe in more an high degree of existence, where each one will be transformed into only one and perfect entity. Albedo cause Jr. in combat, during which Albedo forces Jr. with launching its utlime attacks. Jr. overcome his/her brother brother. The Spatio-temporele anomaly crumbles and Albedo warn Jr. to pay attention to the shade of Gaignun. Although Albedo, amalgamated with U-DO, can be destroyed, It especially chose Rubedo to use the Mode Red Dragon to destroy it. Of Kirschwassers winged arrive and take along mourrant Albedo.

Later, Wilhelm gathers the three Wills: Kevin, Virgil and Voyager. During this meeting, Albedo arrives, maintaining the White Testament. It has also a E.S. relooké Simeon. Wilhelm the call the " Tisserand of the circle eternal of Zarathoustra."

Episode III

One years after the events of l' Episode I and l' Episode II , the four Wills is in front of a floating island in the space of the name of Rennes-the-Castle, close to the tomb of Mary Madaleine. To travel and Albedo are quiet whereas Virgil scoffs Kevin, and its love for Shion.

Albedo is shown later in the cave of Rennes-the-Castle, stopping a surging discussion between Virgil and Shion. Albedo seizes one Animated Relic, an engine of E.S. Pris of the E.S. Naphtali overcome of Virgil. Jr. the voice of Albedo in White Testament, and him recognizes instantaneously recall hopelessly. Albedo does not pay attention to Jr. and with its cries, whereas him and Virgil goes up in the E.S. Simeon.

Albedo still reappears on the Abel Ark, enormous Gnosis which east appeared shortly after its death one year ago. After the group of Jr. Yuriev is overcome and Ω Metempsychosis, Albedo appears and reveals its identity with Jr. It takes along Zohar and Abel, a boy with impressive capacity and competence of piloting, and téléportant them in Zarathoustra on the Michtam planet, where Wilhelm await them.

Having note that Yuriev, the only survivor of the experiment of the originating human bond with U-DO, contains parts of U-DO in him, Albedo Jr council. to establish a mental bond with destroying Yuriev. However Jr. refuse to do it, knowing that the conscience of Gaignun is always in Yuriev. Albedo envisages to recover Gaignun by using the mental bond with Jr. to destroy Yuriev.

However, the conscience of Gaignun penetrates in the body of Albedo and drives out the conscience of Albedo of its body. Jr. appearance sees that him and Albedo should have had. Gaignun, maintaining in the body of Albedo, reveals that it was created for the onserver and to exterminate them. Since he refused to kill them, he does not have any more reason to exist. Gaignun is sacrificed to destroy Yuriev. After that, the conscience of Albedo speaks in Jr. that they have to be found them and Gaignun. Tired albedo amalgamates once more with the coscience of Jr. Albedo says that it leaves “to sleep”, but it promises to return in the hope that him, Jr., and Gaignun will be found as when they were children. Before falling asleep he says to Jr. that Abel and Zohar is on Michtam.

Censured scenes

Albedo shows a great potential of perversion and madness what carries out the creators of l' Episode I to modify two scenettes implying MOMO during the localization of the Japanese version to the international version.

In the Japanese version, when he seeks to recover There-Dated them from the subconscious of MOMO by infiltrating his spirit to extract the data manually. When MOMO enters off the room of Song Nephilim, in the scene of origin, Albedo breaks the arm of dead Kirschwasser of its hand before gashing the arm and cutting the head, a scene which shows a great quantity of blood. In the International version, It simply drops the arm from Kirschwasser, then gashes the arm and cuts the head.

However, much graphically consider the international version of the vidéos better than those " non-censurés" Japanese version because the Japanese version car-was censured by " bars noires" who hid certain parts of the screen where these acts violate and perturbing was. In l' Episode II of another scenes implying Albedo were also faded. During the flashbacks in the subconscious of MOMO, one sees a young Albedo testing his new capacities of regeneration vis-a-vis Rubedo and Nigredo. In the International version, it draws a ball from its own enery in the head, in the Japanese version, it draws simply a ball in the head.

Notes and refer

Albedo ODM Translation. URL of April 11th, 2006.
Zyworld: Alchemy. URL of January 4th, 2006.
the not cut scene " My Beautiful Pêche" in '' Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht '' (English)

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