Albedo

_Xenosaga_

Background

4000 years into humankind's future, the race has fled Earth and has colonized the universe. An Interstellar Federation links the planets in a common government, much as in the Star Wars series, and planets engage in their own development like countries in a much larger world than anything we know today. An incident on one of the planets, Miltia, results in the introduction of a sentient energy known as U-DO to the universe, along with a mysterious alien race known as the Gnosis.

To combat U-DO, a biologist named Yuriev engages in genetic experiments and creates nearly 700 “U-DO Retro-Viruses”, otherwise known as U.R.T.V. They are essentially human, except that they possess energy within them that can be used to counter U-DO. There are three variants—Rubedo, Albedo and Nigredo, named after the stages of alchemy for their red, white and black hair, respectively. Rubedo and Albedo were conjoined twins, and each have special powers. While Rubedo can halt cell growth, Albedo can hasten it, and can thus regenerate any limb or body part—even his head. He is immortal.

An incident 14 years ago resulted in the destruction of Miltia after U-DO defeated the U.R.T.V. and contaminated Albedo, who linked with the energy and gained incredible new powers at the cost of his personality's stability. As an immortal longing for truth and meaning to his existence, Albedo turns to U-DO and attempts to rediscover Miltia and link once more with the sentient energy to become a god. In the end, however, Rubedo hunts him down and defeats him within U-DO, resulting in Albedo's death.

 

Analysis

Albedo's struggle for meaning is common in immortal villains. Agent Smith says it best in The Matrix Reloaded : “The purpose of life is to end.” Denied that purpose, what can immortals do but lash out at the world around them? Only when he sacrifices his physical form to U-DO can Albedo be destroyed on a spiritual level. “Look, Rubedo!” he says to his brother after their final battle in the second episode of the Xenosaga series. “I'm free!” Albedo, and most immortal villains, want to escape the cage of reality that mortals flee upon their deaths. By reclaiming that mortality they reclaim a part of their humanity.