OVA
Description
Detective Ross Sylibus is a police officer who serves as the primary human protagonist of the narrative. He is originally from Earth, having served with the Chicago Police Department, before requesting a transfer to the Martian police force in the domed city of Saint Lowell. His decision to leave Earth is not a simple career move but an escape driven by a traumatic past incident.
Sylibus's personality is initially defined by a deep-seated prejudice. He is a pragmatic and by-the-book officer, carrying a strong and open hatred for robots. This animosity is rooted in a specific tragedy: while on duty on Earth, a rogue robot killed his former partner, a woman named Jennifer. The same incident also resulted in the loss of his right leg, which was replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic. This physical reminder of the event creates a profound internal conflict, as he is a man who despises machines but is dependent on one to walk. He is a professional who prefers procedure and order, which immediately puts him at odds with the aggressive, rule-breaking style of his new partner.
His role in the story begins as an outsider freshly assigned to a murder investigation. He is partnered with the impulsive and secretive officer Naomi Armitage, and their initial dynamic is one of friction. Sylibus's rigid, methodical approach clashes with her unpredictable tactics, and his stated hatred of robots creates an immediate barrier between them, though he is unaware at this point that Armitage herself is a highly advanced android known as a Third.
As the investigation into a series of murders deepens, Sylibus's motivations shift from simply solving a case to confronting his own beliefs. The discovery that the victims are not human but Thirds, and the subsequent revelation that his own partner is one of them, forces him into a state of cognitive dissonance. His motivation transforms from professional duty to a personal journey. He is driven to protect Armitage, initially out of a sense of obligation but eventually out of genuine care. The antagonist, a robot assassin named René D'anclaude, openly mocks the irony of Sylibus's situation, pointing out that a robot-hater is becoming increasingly reliant on cybernetic parts after sustaining further injuries.
The key relationship in Sylibus's life is with Naomi Armitage. What begins as a contentious working partnership evolves into a deep emotional bond. Armitage's humanity, which exists despite her mechanical origins, forces Sylibus to re-evaluate his entire worldview. He witnesses her courage, vulnerability, and sense of justice, which stand in stark contrast to the cold, murderous machines he has hated. As he loses more of his organic body, gaining a cybernetic arm and other enhancements, he experiences a karmic transformation, slowly becoming the very thing he despises. This physical change parallels his emotional growth, leading him to accept that humanity is not defined by biology alone.
His character development is therefore a complete arc from prejudice to understanding. He begins as a man fleeing his past and ends as a renegade. When the Martian government and powerful corporations move to cover up the existence of the Thirds and eliminate them, Sylibus abandons his position as an officer of the law. He chooses to side with Armitage, becoming a fugitive to help her fight for the right to exist. By the end of the primary conflict, he has fully accepted Armitage for what she is, and they have developed a romantic relationship, with Armitage later announcing she is pregnant with his child. This union between a cybernetically augmented human and a biomechanical android represents the culmination of his journey, signifying his complete rejection of his former hatred in favor of a future defined by love and acceptance.
In terms of notable abilities, Sylibus does not possess any superhuman talents. He is a competent and experienced detective with standard police training in investigation and firefight. His physical capabilities are largely due to his cybernetic enhancements; his artificial leg and later his arm provide him with durability and strength beyond a normal human. However, his most significant ability is his capacity for change and his role as the audience's grounded perspective. In the events that follow the initial case, he continues to act as a protector and partner, fully committed to his new family and the ongoing struggle for the rights of artificial life forms.
Sylibus's personality is initially defined by a deep-seated prejudice. He is a pragmatic and by-the-book officer, carrying a strong and open hatred for robots. This animosity is rooted in a specific tragedy: while on duty on Earth, a rogue robot killed his former partner, a woman named Jennifer. The same incident also resulted in the loss of his right leg, which was replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic. This physical reminder of the event creates a profound internal conflict, as he is a man who despises machines but is dependent on one to walk. He is a professional who prefers procedure and order, which immediately puts him at odds with the aggressive, rule-breaking style of his new partner.
His role in the story begins as an outsider freshly assigned to a murder investigation. He is partnered with the impulsive and secretive officer Naomi Armitage, and their initial dynamic is one of friction. Sylibus's rigid, methodical approach clashes with her unpredictable tactics, and his stated hatred of robots creates an immediate barrier between them, though he is unaware at this point that Armitage herself is a highly advanced android known as a Third.
As the investigation into a series of murders deepens, Sylibus's motivations shift from simply solving a case to confronting his own beliefs. The discovery that the victims are not human but Thirds, and the subsequent revelation that his own partner is one of them, forces him into a state of cognitive dissonance. His motivation transforms from professional duty to a personal journey. He is driven to protect Armitage, initially out of a sense of obligation but eventually out of genuine care. The antagonist, a robot assassin named René D'anclaude, openly mocks the irony of Sylibus's situation, pointing out that a robot-hater is becoming increasingly reliant on cybernetic parts after sustaining further injuries.
The key relationship in Sylibus's life is with Naomi Armitage. What begins as a contentious working partnership evolves into a deep emotional bond. Armitage's humanity, which exists despite her mechanical origins, forces Sylibus to re-evaluate his entire worldview. He witnesses her courage, vulnerability, and sense of justice, which stand in stark contrast to the cold, murderous machines he has hated. As he loses more of his organic body, gaining a cybernetic arm and other enhancements, he experiences a karmic transformation, slowly becoming the very thing he despises. This physical change parallels his emotional growth, leading him to accept that humanity is not defined by biology alone.
His character development is therefore a complete arc from prejudice to understanding. He begins as a man fleeing his past and ends as a renegade. When the Martian government and powerful corporations move to cover up the existence of the Thirds and eliminate them, Sylibus abandons his position as an officer of the law. He chooses to side with Armitage, becoming a fugitive to help her fight for the right to exist. By the end of the primary conflict, he has fully accepted Armitage for what she is, and they have developed a romantic relationship, with Armitage later announcing she is pregnant with his child. This union between a cybernetically augmented human and a biomechanical android represents the culmination of his journey, signifying his complete rejection of his former hatred in favor of a future defined by love and acceptance.
In terms of notable abilities, Sylibus does not possess any superhuman talents. He is a competent and experienced detective with standard police training in investigation and firefight. His physical capabilities are largely due to his cybernetic enhancements; his artificial leg and later his arm provide him with durability and strength beyond a normal human. However, his most significant ability is his capacity for change and his role as the audience's grounded perspective. In the events that follow the initial case, he continues to act as a protector and partner, fully committed to his new family and the ongoing struggle for the rights of artificial life forms.