The Maxis Drone

[brett307]

While I have not had a chance to play Origins (still on vacation) I have been avidly watching gameplay and squeezing every last drop of storyline info out of this map. More specifically, I have been fascinated with the Maxis Drone, an AI makeshift Quadrotor that follows the player that deploys it. However, there is a much greater purpose to this Buildable that is extremely important in the story of Origins.

We will start with Dr. Ludvig Maxis himself, who's facial identity was finally revealed in the map's opening cinematic: http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2 ... s_BOII.jpg

During the cinematic's initial release, everyone went crazy as to why Maxis was depicted to be so elderly, as the photograph is dated 21 years before Maxis reappears as the head of Group 935; his age ultimately conflicted with the timeline. However, Richtofen's final journal entry dated moments before the start of the Origins reveals Maxis' fate:

"An ancient evil unleashed from the mound has carved a path of terror and destruction across the entirety of the camp. With Maxis too having succumbed to the sickness, I am forced to take drastic action to preserve what remains of his mind." What actions did Richtofen take exactly? Why, it was removing Dr. Maxis' brain.

The parts for the Maxis Drone consist of a pair of rotors, a mounted gun, and a brain preserved in a jar of green substance. This jar is important- it is located across from the table that Richtofen was operating on in the cinematic. Even more interesting is Nikolai's quote when this brain is retrieved: "The German decided to keep the brain of his friend? I believe something similar happened to Rasputin..."

What German is Nikolai speaking of? Well, what other significant German had he recently met than the one and only Richtofen? And who was one of Richtofen's friends?Dr. Maxis (at the time of course), which was revealed in the very first Letter from the Field. Richtofen also mentions that Maxis had succumbed to the sickness, which was actually the zombie infection, and it is confirmed that symptoms of the infection include short term memory loss, paranoia, and most importantly, mental psychosis. Do you recall Richtofen's second letter? "It is with considerable regret that I must report his mental instability to Group 935's leaders...

So we know that Maxis began to suffer mental psychosis from his constant contact with Element 115. And recall that Richtofen was operating on a zombie during the cinematic, and he mentions Maxis finally succumbed to the sickness. Therefore, I believe it is safe to assume the body Richtofen is operating on is a zombified Maxis, and he is removing his brain to preserve what remains of his mind using the Maxis Drone.

But wait, there's more! Below is a transcript of the small dialogue that occurs after building the Maxis Drone:

Maxis: Ahhh, at last. The darkness is at an end! I live again! I knew my friend would not fail me...something is wrong: I can no longer touch! I can no longer feel! What have you DONE, Richtofen?!

Richtofen: We can put everything right, Maxis; you must understand that I had no other choice! So much of our work has been lost in battle...

Now that the Drone is completed, Maxis' brain is able to live on, and Richtofen thinks he had done his friend a great service...obviously Maxis disagrees. He can no longer feel emotion or use his senses as an automaton, and expresses great anger. But the most interesting part is that Richtofen promises to make things right...how might he do that? I believe he is suggesting he will give Maxis a new human body after the mess is sorted out, as it seems unlikely Maxis would continue living as a Quadrotor...that would mean Sophia would have been attracted to a machine.

Perhaps Richtofen gives Maxis a younger body, explaining why is still alive and well in 1939 rather than a dying old man in a wheelchair. This could also explain why Richtofen begins to resent Maxis- he literally saved his life and is still treated like unworthy scum at Der Riese. Keep in mind all of this is unconfirmed, and I'd love to get feedback on one of my first posts. Any contributions to the theory or debunking of the theory is welcome. Thanks for reading! :D

[MysteryMachineX]

This is very well done!

I would just like to point out that Maxis's mental instability is only from Richtofen's perspective. It doesn't actually mean he is unstable. From Maxis's perspective, he suffers only minor symptoms of paranoia.

Also, Maxis couldn't have been a zombie. I agree that he must have been on the brink of death and about to become a zombie, but if he were a zombie, taking his brain out wouldn't have fixed anything.

Also, Maxis's brain is intact, meaning is not an AI but rather a cyborg.

And here is an interesting quote Richtofen says when picking up the brain:

"Maxis, I did not take your brain out of you without good reason." (or something like that)

[Dub Zee]

Only thng i like about ma is drone is that it can revive you when you get downed while its flying about

[Nasdaq401]

I love it, picks up drops too!

[brett307]

This is very well done!

I would just like to point out that Maxis's mental instability is only from Richtofen's perspective. It doesn't actually mean he is unstable. From Maxis's perspective, he suffers only minor symptoms of paranoia.

Also, Maxis couldn't have been a zombie. I agree that he must have been on the brink of death and about to become a zombie, but if he were a zombie, taking his brain out wouldn't have fixed anything.

Also, Maxis's brain is intact, meaning is not an AI but rather a cyborg.

And here is an interesting quote Richtofen says when picking up the brain:

"Maxis, I did not take your brain out of you without good reason." (or something like that)

Thank you, MMX! As always your support is well-appreciated. However, I'd like to point out that in the music video for Origins, "Archangel", brief footage is shown of the body that Richtofen is operating on, which shows an almost-zombified like man with a beard. I'd argue that he is zombified, or like you said, near death and zombification.

Here's the video, pause on 0:39 to see the body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXCmVrdQXWo :)

[MysteryMachineX]

Glad to help.

Yes, I've seen that. 115 restimulates dead cells, even those of a body. I agree Maxis was becoming a zombie. However, he was (1) not dead yet and thus (2) not a zombie yet. His body does look zombi-ish, but not full zombie. That's all I was saying.

This sickness that spread around the camp, it wasn't just 115. 115 doesn't kill people directly. It zombifies you after you're dead. But Richtofen says something was spreading around killing everyone. If that were true, shouldn't we all be dead if it was 115? He might've had some horrible disease that spread around, killing everyone, causing everyone to reanimate due to their exposure of 115. Maxis would be one of them. I think his body is a combination of being diseased and almost zombified.

Btw, I wonder if the Maxis Drone would be considered a Wonder Weapon?

[Slade]

Whatever was spreading could be just generic bacterial diseases that were commonly found in trenches, like trench Influenza/foot etc.

It could be that 115 just accelerated the lethal infection process and/or made the bodies of whoever had longterm exposure to the Element extra vulnerable to such diseases by possibly weaking or disabling their immune systems, making them succumb to such diseases much more easier and quicker.

[ibiii]

It's a possibility.

[MixMasterNut]

So how does Maxis conceive a child post WW1 if he's basically a Krang?

Treyarch, done f'd up the whole story with this map.

- Mix

[Slade]

So how does Maxis conceive a child post WW1 if he's basically a Krang?

Maxis now reminds me more of this guy

(poor doctor Stockman. Great show tho)

[brett307]

So how does Maxis conceive a child post WW1 if he's basically a Krang?

Maxis now reminds me more of this guy

(poor doctor Stockman. Great show tho)

Okay, I'm dying. xD

@Mix, my theory is that the robotic form was temporary until Richtofen could escape the test site and get Maxis to a proper human body, which would explain why he is still alive and well in the 1940s and how he conceived Samantha.