Movie
Description
Briareos Hecatonchires is one of the two central protagonists of the Appleseed franchise, serving as a trained officer in the Extra Special Weapons and Tactics unit, where his partner is Deunan Knute. His name is drawn from Greek mythology, specifically Briareus the Vigorous, one of the Hecatonchires, or hundred-armed giants. Originally from the Mediterranean, Briareos was used as a child terrorist by the KGB before killing his unit's operations commander and seeking political asylum in the former United States, which placed him on an international most wanted list as an assassin. He eventually met an agent from Special Security Forces and began operating as a partner with that man's daughter, Deunan Knute.
At the age of thirty-one, Briareos was caught in an explosion and survived only by undergoing a full cyborg body replacement, a transformation that left him with only a quarter of his original biological body intact. Despite being three-quarters machine, he maintains a cardiovascular and digestive system, allowing him to eat, drink, and even become inebriated to some extent. He has lost his reproductive system, though he remains physically affectionate with Deunan. His human brain, relocated to his chest, is augmented by an auxiliary biological computer in his skull that processes information in a conceptual rather than numerical format. His voice has been altered by a polyphonic speech synthesizer, though it produces an accent quite similar to his natural one.
Briareos is a prime example of cybernetic technology in his world. His outer skin remains elastic and capable of feeling sensation, with adjustable temperature. His most distinctive physical feature is his set of eight eyes mounted on his head, with four in his face, two at the bases of his rabbit ear sensors facing rearward, and two at the tips that allow him to safely look around corners. The large sensor in the middle of his face is actually his nose. His cybernetic control system, the Hecatonchires system, is named for the hundred-handed giants of myth and can control dozens of limbs or other cyborg bodies independently without additional strain on the user, a capability that allows him to fully control an entire aircraft carrier on his own.
Briareos and Deunan Knute have been involved as lovers since before World War III, having met in her father's LAPD SWAT unit. They served together in the same United States Army platoon during the conflict before eventually moving to the utopian city of Olympus and joining its ESWAT division. Briareos regards Deunan as his point man, and despite his extensive cybernetic augmentations, he remains unable to rival her marksmanship and strategic abilities. His personality comes across as pragmatic and battle-hardened, with a dry sense of humor about the dangers of his profession, remarking that being shot at beats being a traffic cop. He is deeply loyal to Deunan and protective of her, yet willing to confront difficult truths about his own limitations.
Within the story of Olympus, Briareos serves as one of the primary operatives maintaining order and security in the carefully controlled city-state. His role often places him at the center of conflicts involving terrorists, rogue cyborgs, and threats to the fragile political stability of the city. In the events of Appleseed Ex Machina, Briareos is confined to a hospital recovering from injuries sustained during a mission, during which time his partner Deunan is assigned a new teammate named Tereus, a bioroid clone created using Briareos own DNA. This development creates emotional tension, as Briareos must confront a new partner for Deunan who physically resembles his own human form and possesses many of his personality traits. Despite his discomfort, he accepts Tereus and finds another temporary partner, though this decision upsets Deunan.
The character undergoes significant development through his acceptance of his own physical deterioration. Having been repaired twice after sustaining severe internal damage from explosions and gunfire, Briareos comes to believe that his overall composition is weakening over time. This leads him to reluctantly consider that his clone Tereus might be better suited to be Deunan's wingman, a conclusion that demonstrates his selflessness and deep care for her safety even at the cost of his own role by her side. Ultimately human despite his machine body, Briareos can still die from injury, illness, and age, making his sacrifices and continued service all the more meaningful.
His notable abilities extend beyond his cybernetic enhancements to include extensive tactical experience and combat training. The Hecatonchires system allows him to process multiple threats simultaneously, as demonstrated when he fires up to three different weapons at once, one in his own hand and the others in the hands of his Landmate powered armor. He is highly resilient to gunfire, boasting that a nine-millimeter handgun is insufficient to stop him, though repeated rifle rounds can cause critical damage. Despite his formidable capabilities, he maintains his humanity through retained memories, emotional connections, and physical sensations, embodying the series exploration of what it means to remain human in an increasingly artificial body.
At the age of thirty-one, Briareos was caught in an explosion and survived only by undergoing a full cyborg body replacement, a transformation that left him with only a quarter of his original biological body intact. Despite being three-quarters machine, he maintains a cardiovascular and digestive system, allowing him to eat, drink, and even become inebriated to some extent. He has lost his reproductive system, though he remains physically affectionate with Deunan. His human brain, relocated to his chest, is augmented by an auxiliary biological computer in his skull that processes information in a conceptual rather than numerical format. His voice has been altered by a polyphonic speech synthesizer, though it produces an accent quite similar to his natural one.
Briareos is a prime example of cybernetic technology in his world. His outer skin remains elastic and capable of feeling sensation, with adjustable temperature. His most distinctive physical feature is his set of eight eyes mounted on his head, with four in his face, two at the bases of his rabbit ear sensors facing rearward, and two at the tips that allow him to safely look around corners. The large sensor in the middle of his face is actually his nose. His cybernetic control system, the Hecatonchires system, is named for the hundred-handed giants of myth and can control dozens of limbs or other cyborg bodies independently without additional strain on the user, a capability that allows him to fully control an entire aircraft carrier on his own.
Briareos and Deunan Knute have been involved as lovers since before World War III, having met in her father's LAPD SWAT unit. They served together in the same United States Army platoon during the conflict before eventually moving to the utopian city of Olympus and joining its ESWAT division. Briareos regards Deunan as his point man, and despite his extensive cybernetic augmentations, he remains unable to rival her marksmanship and strategic abilities. His personality comes across as pragmatic and battle-hardened, with a dry sense of humor about the dangers of his profession, remarking that being shot at beats being a traffic cop. He is deeply loyal to Deunan and protective of her, yet willing to confront difficult truths about his own limitations.
Within the story of Olympus, Briareos serves as one of the primary operatives maintaining order and security in the carefully controlled city-state. His role often places him at the center of conflicts involving terrorists, rogue cyborgs, and threats to the fragile political stability of the city. In the events of Appleseed Ex Machina, Briareos is confined to a hospital recovering from injuries sustained during a mission, during which time his partner Deunan is assigned a new teammate named Tereus, a bioroid clone created using Briareos own DNA. This development creates emotional tension, as Briareos must confront a new partner for Deunan who physically resembles his own human form and possesses many of his personality traits. Despite his discomfort, he accepts Tereus and finds another temporary partner, though this decision upsets Deunan.
The character undergoes significant development through his acceptance of his own physical deterioration. Having been repaired twice after sustaining severe internal damage from explosions and gunfire, Briareos comes to believe that his overall composition is weakening over time. This leads him to reluctantly consider that his clone Tereus might be better suited to be Deunan's wingman, a conclusion that demonstrates his selflessness and deep care for her safety even at the cost of his own role by her side. Ultimately human despite his machine body, Briareos can still die from injury, illness, and age, making his sacrifices and continued service all the more meaningful.
His notable abilities extend beyond his cybernetic enhancements to include extensive tactical experience and combat training. The Hecatonchires system allows him to process multiple threats simultaneously, as demonstrated when he fires up to three different weapons at once, one in his own hand and the others in the hands of his Landmate powered armor. He is highly resilient to gunfire, boasting that a nine-millimeter handgun is insufficient to stop him, though repeated rifle rounds can cause critical damage. Despite his formidable capabilities, he maintains his humanity through retained memories, emotional connections, and physical sensations, embodying the series exploration of what it means to remain human in an increasingly artificial body.