1. Character Descriptions
1.1. General Raam
General Raam is a menacing figure with a broad and muscular physique, whose large, steady steps forward are a grim portent of violence and death to all who would oppose the Locust. Towering at 10 feet tall, Raam is a hulking giant with large, pronounced muscles and hands large enough to crush an adult human’s head. On his hands are sharp, claw-like, jet black nails.
His skin is a pale, sickly white that most closely resembles chalk, with shades of dark, blackish-grey patches, similar to cracked, dry crocodile scales, that can be found on top of his head and brow, underneath his lower teeth, his chin, the top of his hands and fingers, and the outside of his arms.
He has a thick, broad chin and a large underbite from which sharp, yellowing teeth jut out of a lipless jaw. His facial features leave little room for emotional expression other than a permanent scowl. With pronounced cheekbones and sunken eye sockets, Raam’s gaze holds a determined and baleful look. His eyes are a bright gold that blaze in rivers of blood red, rather than the eye white of humans. Raam’s nose is flat, almost porcine in nature.
Raam’s armour is unique and imposing, thick and strong enough to resist the bite of a Lancer’s chainsaw. In the original game, Gears of War (2006), it is largely black in colour, with hints of a faded dark-red. His torso is protected by a strange and intricate design that most closely resembles large slabs of dark steel meshed together to fit his large frame. Three rows of belts are tightly wrapped around his stomach, either for aesthetic choices or to hold his armour together. Near the sternum and heart, rests a spherical-looking mechanism with four glowing lights, two lights in two rows each. This sphere rests between two components that can best be described as metallic lapels, which accentuate his broad frame. Curving outwards from his chest before snaking around his neck, these “lapels” never meet one another, creating the impression of something that is simultaneously regal and bestial.
His shoulders are protected with the same black, dark-red metallic plates on his chest. They end abruptly around the biceps and triceps, which show Raam’s exposed skin and enormous muscles, easily the size of an adult human head. This leads to metallic bracers held together by belts, protecting his forearms and the top of his hand. His palms and fingers remain unarmoured.
Around his waist, Raam sports a ceremonial waistguard that holds two thick, dark leather cloths that hang from the front and two from the back. Raam’s legs are covered in interlocking plates of dark steel and iron, with the same colour palette of black with a faded, dark red hue. This pattern is continued with large, heavy, steel-plated boots.
1.1.2. Ultimate Edition Differences
In Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (2015), General Raam has seen some slight modifications to his appearance. The spherical-shaped object around the sternum has been removed, replaced with a more sleek, uniform design that turns his chest armour into something closely resembling an armoured jacket (minus the zipper). The three rows of belts around his abdomen have been replaced with four smaller belts, two on each side, closer to the chest area where they hold interlocking plates of dark metal together on the sides of his chest. His previously exposed throat, neck, hands and biceps and triceps have been covered up with additional protection. Raam’s upper body (his throat, neck, cheeks, arms and torso) is now covered by tight-fitting black cloth underneath his metallic armour. A metallic strap now covers his jawline and chin. This metal, although faded, resembles the colour of bronze. His nails are no longer visible, as his hands are now covered by black gauntlets, with rusty metallic plates covering the top of his hands and finger bones. Additionally, two dark, rusty metallic plates now cover the outside of his arm around his biceps and triceps. These plates are held together with belts that wrap around the inside of his arm. The area around his elbows are now covered by the black cloth.
2. Weapon Descriptions
2.1. Troika Heavy Machine Gun
Mounted atop a cylindrical base with four clasps of metal drilled into the floor for balance and stability, this large minigun has a large, thick body upon which a double barrelled, heavy machine gun rests. The muzzle on each barrel is blackened from rapid gunfire. Some holes or slits exist on these long barrels to prevent overheating. At the centre of the gun’s body, a round-shaped rotary ammunition drum sits on its left and right sides. Approaching the Troika from behind, two spade grips can be found with which to steer, aim and fire this weapon, with an infrared scope for its Locust users. For a person over 6 feet tall, these spade grips would appear around chest-height, and manual aim can easily be achieved for humans as the infrared scope for the aforementioned monitor screen does not . Between the ammunition drums and the barrel of the heavy machine gun, two thick, separate, oblong plates of metal provide frontal armour for its user. The sides, rear, parts of the legs and head, however, lack coverage. The average Troika bears signs of wear and tear, as exposure to the elements and active combat have removed large parts of the weapon’s paint of Locust red, revealing the dark grey of metal.
2.1.2. Raam’s Custom Troika Heavy Machine Gun
General Raam’s custom Troika keeps the long, double barrelled design of its mounted cousin, albeit with more holes and slits to prevent overheating. Its main body, however, differs significantly for improved mobility. Identical to the handle of the Boomshot, Raam’s Troika has a pistol grip and trigger for firing, and it sports a single ammunition drum instead of two. The Troika’s characteristic front guard is also absent. Finally, two metallic rods are added underneath and above the double barrels for increased support.
3. Cutscene Transcripts
3.1. Raam Intro (The Final Showdown)
Anya: Marcus? You’ve got to drop that data right now!
Marcus (to Dom): You still have it?
Dom: Hell yeah I do, right here
Marcus and Dom crouch behind cover. General Raam raises one hand as he stands within a swirling mass of Kryll.
Raam: SERVE THE QUEEN
Cole: WHOO!
Hoffman: ENGAGE!
Inside a raven, Cole turns on a light shining it directly at Raam. The Kryll disperse.
Vaulting a ledge to face Dom and Marcus, the general hefts a troika in both hands.
Raam: DIE!