Uber Ethereal's page

Upon meeting the Uber Ethereal on the bridge of the temple ship

Behold the greatest failure… of the Ethereal Ones… We who failed to ascend as they thought we would.
We who were cast out. We who were doomed to feed on the Gift of lesser beings… as we sought to uplift them… to prepare them… for what lies ahead.

...

The hunt draws to a close. It was not a vain undertaking… but a necessity, as our physical form has grown… ineffective. Our search for a perfect specimen was driven by our own crippling limitation, and now, at long last…

Upon killing the Uber Etheral

This is not your path! Not your purpose! You need our guidance to hone this power… without us, what are you?

Upon encountering the Sectopods:

An artificial warrior… created to supplement the limitations of the many… failures. Crafted with a singular purpose… it ultimately contributes little to our cause. Still, there is hope, as the New One approaches…

Upon Col. Shadowyfox dying:

The New One's kin falls, and our fear grows, as we question the worthiness of our selection…

Upon Maj. Russ dying:

Weakness… we did not expect this … weakness… another of the new breed fails to pass…

Were we… mistaken… Could this be another failure in the face of such promise? How can the New Ones pack fall to these… lesser beings…

Long was our search… and now… with success so close at hand, we witness the fruits of our endeavor…

Upon encountering the Thin Men:

A valiant effort… a being of intelligence and exceptional loyalty, easily adapted to serve our needs. Still, despite such great hopes… They were unable to embrace the Gift… Another wasted example.

Upon encountering the Mutons:

Now… The New One confronts a greater threat - a rare strength, found in an easily controlled breed. And yet, they are incapable of brilliance, of independence… they will never be more than primitive warriors… serving only to fight, and die, as did those who came before them.

Upon encountering the Floaters

The new one faces a great foe, and an equally great… disappointment. When their organic form failed to evolve… it was given the strength of a machine, creating this… merciless, fearless, killer… A fate worse than death.

Upon encountering the Chryssalids:

A curious endeavor… the search for the Gift in the most… unsavory of beings. They were little more than insects when their uplift began… And in their failure, became the most dangerous of predators… incapable of direction, understanding, they were deemed fit only to breed and die.

Upon encountering Sectoids

The New One faces the earliest effort of the Ethereal Ones, the first… failure. Though possessed of a certain… brilliance… they are marred by their cowardice and frailty… which made them cruel… and ultimately useless.

Upon encountering the Cyberdiscs and Drones

Another attempt, this one inspired. Two subjects, each with a glaring weakness – brought together in the hopes of a symbiotic strength. And yet, this newfound power left them devoid of higher thought. Lacking in comprehension. Another… useless effort.

You hear our voice, New One, now listen well…

Long have we watched… and waited. So many promising subjects, so many failed efforts. And now, after untold trials, the New One emerges to face the rigors of our collective… An enduring physical form, paired with an equally adept mental capacity – the rarest of traits, finally within our grasp.