Talos lore: A question or two

[Techwright]

SPOILERS AHEAD for any who still want to learn the lore at their own pace.  I think it's been out there long enough that we won't need to used the spoiler windows.

 

 

The hero Talos: when was he in action?  The unofficial wiki says the 50's and 60's, which matches with what I used to assume which was mid-century, but then I was passing by that marker of Mayor Spanky's birth street on Talos Island the other day, and suddenly realized that Spanky was born in 1878.  Which would be in direct conflict with Talos Island being created in the 60's.   Plus Spanky was heavily tied to Talos Island in the 1920s.

 

What was Talos origin?  Again, when I thought he was mid-century, "mutant" seemed reasonable.  The wiki hints that Talos has been around for centuries, so that couldn't be mutant, since the splitting of the atom was the starting point for mutants.  I'm guessing "magic" since that tends to be a catch-all. 

 

Was it ever stated that there were plans to bring the Talos story back to the forefront?  Again, the info on the wiki suggests in the 60s that Talos was mysteriously tied to a young boy  (the implication being that the boy either summoned Talos or transformed into Talos, ala Shazam.) But if he's summonable, over centuries, then perhaps he wasn't killed, and the kid, now an adult, might summon him again at some point.

[Icono04]

3 hours ago, Techwright said:

couldn't be mutant, since the splitting of the atom was the starting point for mutants

Not that I am a biologist or anything like that, but I think the definition of mutation is wider than just "biological changes caused by nuclear radiation". If I am right, then it is possible for mutants to have existed before the splitting of the atom.

Is there a forumite with a degree in biology who can confirm?

[Vulpoid]

34 minutes ago, Icono04 said:

If I am right, then it is possible for mutants to have existed before the splitting of the atom.

Yes. Mutation is the basis for evolution and biological diversity. Without it, we would be homogenous sea goop.

[Carnifax]

9 minutes ago, Vulpoid said:

Yes. Mutation is the basis for evolution and biological diversity. Without it, we would be homogenous sea goop.

Delicious homogenous sea goop

[SuperPlyx]

Yeah you got to wonder about that timeline....Talos was constantly around in the 50's and 60's. He states he is thousands of years old and supposedly he created Talos Island in his last big fight with his arch nemesis Chimera.

Except the Island had been around for at least a 100 years or more because Spanky was born there in 1878.

[SuggestorK]

Erm Lore points most if not all Power back to the Fountain of Zeus and the Black Box hidden in it,

 

Also there was Iterations of it, like the three sister that was born in Zeus Era and lived at least till Statesmans "birth" in early 1930s for few thousands of Years, Talos sounds Greek and could maybe too lived from that Era and just made his official appearance in the said timeline.

 

The splitup in what was Ingame Origins came later and were at game launch mostly just for cosmetical or up to players decision for his background, the Percy  Storyarc of Origins of Power came way later.

 

Greetings

[Techwright]

3 hours ago, Icono04 said:

Not that I am a biologist or anything like that, but I think the definition of mutation is wider than just "biological changes caused by nuclear radiation". If I am right, then it is possible for mutants to have existed before the splitting of the atom.

Is there a forumite with a degree in biology who can confirm?

 

Yeah, this has nothing to do with my opinion on the subject.  I always thought that "mutant" should be constant in the timeline of the game, just like all four other powers.  However, and I forget where to point you for the reference, even back in the original game it was stated that mutants were not seen (in modern era?) until right after the splitting of the atom.  I think it was Sister Psyche that pointed out the conclusion was that something unknown (Marvel would say "quantum" here) shifted in the universe, and super powered mutants came to be.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, SuggestorK said:

Erm Lore points most if not all Power back to the Fountain of Zeus and the Black Box hidden in it,

 

Also there was Iterations of it, like the three sister that was born in Zeus Era and lived at least till Statesmans "birth" in early 1930s for few thousands of Years, Talos sounds Greek and could maybe too lived from that Era and just made his official appearance in the said timeline.

 

The splitup in what was Ingame Origins came later and were at game launch mostly just for cosmetical or up to players decision for his background, the Percy  Storyarc of Origins of Power came way later.

 

Greetings

I'm digging way back to my memories of the original game here, and something I've not yet re-encountered in Homecoming, but I was given to understand that powers largely came and went in, well, eras as you've used the word, and that suggests why the game writers pegged the splitting of the atom as the "start" of the mutants of the modern era.  Meaning that they had the idea of mutant powers resurfacing with each era or epoc.  Perhaps a dev with greater access to the lore might clarify for us, or someone with a more encyclopedic knowledge of the game quotes.

 

1 hour ago, SuperPlyx said:

Yeah you got to wonder about that timeline....Talos was constantly around in the 50's and 60's. He states he is thousands of years old and supposedly he created Talos Island in his last big fight with his arch nemesis Chimera.

Except the Island had been around for at least a 100 years or more because Spanky was born there in 1878.

Exactly.  You summarized my confusion nicely.

 

[SuggestorK]

I can only Suggest to read the 2 books released from Original devs, they are full of background Lore.

"Web of Arachnos" and "Freedom Phalanx".

 

They are in used Condition for 3$ on amazon.com as example, sadly no e-book .. at least i didnt found one.

 

I would put a direct link to the shop here but im not sure if thats allowed  so i just point it out how to find it above.

[Techwright]

5 hours ago, SuggestorK said:

I can only Suggest to read the 2 books released from Original devs, they are full of background Lore.

"Web of Arachnos" and "Freedom Phalanx".

 

They are in used Condition for 3$ on amazon.com as example, sadly no e-book .. at least i didnt found one.

 

I would put a direct link to the shop here but im not sure if thats allowed  so i just point it out how to find it above.

It is my goal to read them, though I would politely question if you're actually looking at the shipping price.  The mass market paperback of "Freedom Phalanx" is going for about $43 used currently, and that looks to be the best price.  Some, even "acceptible" are over $400.  Yowsah!  I like the game, but not that much!

Edited September 30, 2021 by Techwright

[Mr. Vee]

I was really excited to read that since i got both of mine for under $5 and would be glad to turn a tidy profit but a quick check of ebay shows you could score both shipped for under 20 bucks.

Should also mention there's not exactly a huge amount of lore dump on side characters in those. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Mr. Vee

[Techwright]

2 hours ago, Mr. Vee said:

Should also mention there's not exactly a huge amount of lore dump on side characters in those. 

Do you recall if either discussed the history of Talos and the island, something that might clarify the dates?

[twozerofoxtrot]

On 9/30/2021 at 1:26 PM, Techwright said:

But if he's summonable, over centuries, then perhaps he wasn't killed, and the kid, now an adult, might summon him again at some point.

 

It's written as if it's a legend, but apparently he fell into a rift in the ocean floor during his final battle with a monster called Chimera. Then lava spilled out and created the actual Talos Island.  It's superheroes so anything can happen, but that's a pretty good soft-kill and a little hard to come back from without some narrative boogaloo. 

 

Also, I think we should all take a moment to consider the differences between mutants (little 'm') which have been occurring naturally since the existence of life, and Mutants (big M) which are humans with goofy god-tier powers that develop spontaneously at puberty. 

[Mr. Vee]

2 hours ago, Techwright said:

Do you recall if either discussed the history of Talos and the island, something that might clarify the dates?

I barely recall the main stories and I think I only read them last year. Recall isn't one of my powers. I only remember that there's really not much to them.