Neosapien
Encyclopedia
The Neosapiens featured in the science fiction
animated television series Exosquad
, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoid
s.
The Neosapiens are depicted as seven to nine feet tall human
s with pale blue skin
. Throughout the series they are demonstrated to be the products of selective genetic engineering having numerous traits which distinguish them from humans. They are depicted as having four fingers on each hand (two of which are opposable thumbs) with four toes and are completely hairless. Every neospaian depicted includes a brightly-colored tattoo
, a so-called brood mark, on their foreheads, which denotes what brood they were created in. The brood mark is unique for every Neosapien and helps to distinguish them from each other, (presumably for the benefit of humans, as Neospaien characters comment more than once that human think all 'Neo's' look alike. A quiet reference to racial bias which is a common undertone in the series). Their lack of visual disctinctiveness is likely due to their status of being artificialy engineered from stock genes. Although there are Neosapien characters depicted of both male and female traits, they are effectively neuter with no reproductive capability of their own. Toward the close of the series the creation of a final Neosapien brood with human reproductive capability is offered as a means to advance equality between the two races.
Neosapiens are depicted as possessing many physical traits far superior to humans. These traits include greater strength, speed, stamina, hearing, and vision. In addition, they require very little food, have no need to sleep
, and have a much greater life expectancy
than Terrans. Indeed, Neosapiens have been genetically optimized in virtually every bodily attribute. This optimization is depicted as the result of the Neosapiens' creation as a slave race, and in the series they were primarily exploited to mine the hostile environments of newly-colonized Mars.
In addition to their physical attributes Neosapiens' are shown to have a number of psychological differences from ordinary humans which vary from beneficial to encumbering. These traits manifest themselves in a greater predisposition to logic
al conclusions and an Eidetic memory
. However, they are burdened by a lack of creativity and imagination. This is often exploited in miiltary contexts with Neosapiens having poor reactions to unexpected, illogical, or deceptive behavior. (More than once humans are shown escaping danger by 'playing dead' and other such behavior.) While very few Neosapiens are shown to expect this kind of behavior from humans, a small few are shown to expect illogical behavior on the part of humans and act accordingly. (Though still logically, thus having them react logically to illogical situations)
There are other minor differences between the two as Neospapiens are purported to be un-scannable by the 'Mind-Scanner" technology of the fiction. Meanwhile dog
s are able to recognize their scent from afar and generally behave aggressively towards them.
laborers on Mars, as a part of their terraforming
efforts there and on Venus. This also explains their appearance: the blue skin would make them easily visible on Mars and their well-muscled physique would make them very strong workers.
Nearly all of the Neosapiens were slaves in the Martian mines before the first Neosapien rebellion
of the late 2060s. Although they were granted increased rights following the revolts (including control of Mars), most Neosapiens still lived in virtual slavery. The original revolt was put down swiftly (and brutally) by Terran forces utilizing the first generation of E-Frame technology central to the series. Following the rebellion Neosapiens were still forbidden from owning personal weapons, and could not hold high-profile positions in the military or civilian infrastructure as it is pointed out Neosapiens were forbidden from commanding ships. Notable examples of free Neosapiens were Marsala, the only Neosapien member of the Able Squad, and Phaeton, the Governor of Mars, as well as Phaeton's generals, Typhonus, Shiva and Draconis. It wasn't until the Second Neosapien Revolt that many of them gained their freedom and joined the Neosapien Commonwealth
.
to create different sub-races: the Neo Megas, who were intellectually superior even to Neosapiens; the Neo Warriors, Neosapien crossbreeds with various animals, virtually invincible in combat but lacking intelligence; and the Neo Lords, which were the "best of the best" Neosapien warriors, with wings, claws, and other deadly features inculcated to them without any intellectual disadvantages.
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Neo Megas were the first sub-brood of baseline Neosapiens, designed with heightened intellect, to be created by Phaeton's leading genetic specialist, Praetorius. Apparently not convinced by his generals' intellectual abilities, Phaeton assigned a Neo Mega (in some cases, even two) to each of them as advisors and observers. However, the Neo Megas were never content with their advisory role and made numerous attempts to rise to power. Their last chance was an unsuccessful coup d'état
, when they combined their efforts with Marsala's in an attempt to assassinate Phaeton and seize power for themselves. To convince him to cooperate, Marsala was told that the plan was only to kidnap Phaeton and then declare ceasefire and, eventually, peace with Terrans. In fact, that was the plan proposed by Praetorius' advisor Galba, but other Neo Megas, who believed that no peace between the two races could be achieved, have soon silenced him by throwing him into prison. That is why, after Marsala failed his mission and Phaeton personally ordered the entire Neo Mega race to be wiped out, Galba became the sole remaining Neo Mega in the universe, although, Sulla, who was captured by the Exofleet on Venus, may have also survived the Neosapien War.
Visually, the Neo Megas resembled very thin and small Neosapiens with disproportionately large heads. Their hands had only three fingers, and their feet had only three toes. They were able to communicate with one another via high frequency sounds and enter a coma
-like state at will. Some sources indicate that the first Neo Mega breeding facility was located on Ceres.
(raptors, crabs, eagles, bats, etc.) with some rather unusual abilities like acid
ic saliva
, which could dissolve even the strongest alloy
s. With the invention of Neo Warriors and later, the Neo Lords, mainstream Neosapiens were freed from the obligation to serve in the ground forces
and could concentrate on piloting E-frames. There has been a total of three generations of Neo Warriors, each smarter and deadlier than the previous.
Neo Warriors' first combat assignment was when Nick Tyree started an uncoordinated liberation of Australia
, Earth. The attacker was quickly stopped and thrown back by overwhelming masses of Neo Warriors and only thanks to an intervention of the Able Squad, some members of the Australian Resistance Cell could be rescued.
Full list of Neo Warrior types
of Neo Warriors. Armed with wing
s, claw
s, camouflage
abilities and a sharp mind, Neo Lords were the deadliest enemies the Terrans have ever encountered. Neo Lords were introduced near the end of the Neosapien War, so only a very limited number of them existed - in fact, only the test types, since the destruction of the Neo Lord breeding facility in the Antarctica by the Able Squad greatly delayed the release of the second brood. A second facility was created near Washington DC but was attacked by Exofleet during the retaking of Earth. The Neo Lords had to released early from their breeding chambers. As a result they were half-finished, lacking wings and possessing only animalistic intelligence. These Neo Lords were all wiped out battling Jump Troops.
Phaeton appreciated abilities of the Neo Lords but generally mistrusted them, preferring to surround himself with fellow Neosapiens. However, in the closing days of the war, as Phaeton grew increasingly paranoid and insane, he used the Neo Lords to purge his own Neosapien generals.
of the Neosapiens was imperfect, so all Neosapiens feared developing the Automutation Syndrome. Although the exact nature of this disorder has never been properly studied, it supposedly involves a Neosapien's DNA
becoming unstable, turning his or her body into a pile of mush. The causes include but are not limited to spontaneous degeneration, artificial means or severe physical trauma. Phaeton, the leader of the Second Neosapien Revolt, himself developed this disorder after his fall from Martian Olympus Mons
during a fight against J.T. Marsh, confining him completely to a life-support suit for the rest of his life. By the end of the Neosapien War, there was still no known cure to Automutation Syndrome.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
animated television series Exosquad
Exosquad
Exosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response to Japanese anime. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves...
, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
s.
Background
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s with pale blue skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
. Throughout the series they are demonstrated to be the products of selective genetic engineering having numerous traits which distinguish them from humans. They are depicted as having four fingers on each hand (two of which are opposable thumbs) with four toes and are completely hairless. Every neospaian depicted includes a brightly-colored tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
, a so-called brood mark, on their foreheads, which denotes what brood they were created in. The brood mark is unique for every Neosapien and helps to distinguish them from each other, (presumably for the benefit of humans, as Neospaien characters comment more than once that human think all 'Neo's' look alike. A quiet reference to racial bias which is a common undertone in the series). Their lack of visual disctinctiveness is likely due to their status of being artificialy engineered from stock genes. Although there are Neosapien characters depicted of both male and female traits, they are effectively neuter with no reproductive capability of their own. Toward the close of the series the creation of a final Neosapien brood with human reproductive capability is offered as a means to advance equality between the two races.
Neosapiens are depicted as possessing many physical traits far superior to humans. These traits include greater strength, speed, stamina, hearing, and vision. In addition, they require very little food, have no need to sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
, and have a much greater life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
than Terrans. Indeed, Neosapiens have been genetically optimized in virtually every bodily attribute. This optimization is depicted as the result of the Neosapiens' creation as a slave race, and in the series they were primarily exploited to mine the hostile environments of newly-colonized Mars.
In addition to their physical attributes Neosapiens' are shown to have a number of psychological differences from ordinary humans which vary from beneficial to encumbering. These traits manifest themselves in a greater predisposition to logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
al conclusions and an Eidetic memory
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
. However, they are burdened by a lack of creativity and imagination. This is often exploited in miiltary contexts with Neosapiens having poor reactions to unexpected, illogical, or deceptive behavior. (More than once humans are shown escaping danger by 'playing dead' and other such behavior.) While very few Neosapiens are shown to expect this kind of behavior from humans, a small few are shown to expect illogical behavior on the part of humans and act accordingly. (Though still logically, thus having them react logically to illogical situations)
There are other minor differences between the two as Neospapiens are purported to be un-scannable by the 'Mind-Scanner" technology of the fiction. Meanwhile dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s are able to recognize their scent from afar and generally behave aggressively towards them.
History
In the Exosquad universe, the Neosapiens were created by the humans (usually referred as "Terrans" to distinguish the two) sometime in the early 2040s to serve as slaveSlavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
laborers on Mars, as a part of their terraforming
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
efforts there and on Venus. This also explains their appearance: the blue skin would make them easily visible on Mars and their well-muscled physique would make them very strong workers.
Nearly all of the Neosapiens were slaves in the Martian mines before the first Neosapien rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
of the late 2060s. Although they were granted increased rights following the revolts (including control of Mars), most Neosapiens still lived in virtual slavery. The original revolt was put down swiftly (and brutally) by Terran forces utilizing the first generation of E-Frame technology central to the series. Following the rebellion Neosapiens were still forbidden from owning personal weapons, and could not hold high-profile positions in the military or civilian infrastructure as it is pointed out Neosapiens were forbidden from commanding ships. Notable examples of free Neosapiens were Marsala, the only Neosapien member of the Able Squad, and Phaeton, the Governor of Mars, as well as Phaeton's generals, Typhonus, Shiva and Draconis. It wasn't until the Second Neosapien Revolt that many of them gained their freedom and joined the Neosapien Commonwealth
Neosapien Commonwealth
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, the Neosapien Commonwealth was the commonwealth built by the Neosapiens under Phaeton's leadership after the Second Neosapien Revolt and their conquest of the Homeworlds...
.
Broods
Later, during the Neosapien War, the Neosapien scientists under Praetorius' direction expanded their genomeGenome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
to create different sub-races: the Neo Megas, who were intellectually superior even to Neosapiens; the Neo Warriors, Neosapien crossbreeds with various animals, virtually invincible in combat but lacking intelligence; and the Neo Lords, which were the "best of the best" Neosapien warriors, with wings, claws, and other deadly features inculcated to them without any intellectual disadvantages.
Neo Megas
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, when they combined their efforts with Marsala's in an attempt to assassinate Phaeton and seize power for themselves. To convince him to cooperate, Marsala was told that the plan was only to kidnap Phaeton and then declare ceasefire and, eventually, peace with Terrans. In fact, that was the plan proposed by Praetorius' advisor Galba, but other Neo Megas, who believed that no peace between the two races could be achieved, have soon silenced him by throwing him into prison. That is why, after Marsala failed his mission and Phaeton personally ordered the entire Neo Mega race to be wiped out, Galba became the sole remaining Neo Mega in the universe, although, Sulla, who was captured by the Exofleet on Venus, may have also survived the Neosapien War.
Visually, the Neo Megas resembled very thin and small Neosapiens with disproportionately large heads. Their hands had only three fingers, and their feet had only three toes. They were able to communicate with one another via high frequency sounds and enter a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
-like state at will. Some sources indicate that the first Neo Mega breeding facility was located on Ceres.
Neo Warriors
Neo Warriors were fighting machines designed by Praetorius to do the dirty work for the Neosapiens. Neo Warriors were the least humanoid of all Neosapien broods, combining features of different animals from EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
(raptors, crabs, eagles, bats, etc.) with some rather unusual abilities like acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
ic saliva
Saliva
Saliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,...
, which could dissolve even the strongest alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
s. With the invention of Neo Warriors and later, the Neo Lords, mainstream Neosapiens were freed from the obligation to serve in the ground forces
Ground Forces
The Hungarian Ground Forces are one of the branches of the Hungarian armed forces. It is the army which handles Ground activities and troops including artillery, tanks, APC's, IFV's and ground support...
and could concentrate on piloting E-frames. There has been a total of three generations of Neo Warriors, each smarter and deadlier than the previous.
Neo Warriors' first combat assignment was when Nick Tyree started an uncoordinated liberation of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Earth. The attacker was quickly stopped and thrown back by overwhelming masses of Neo Warriors and only thanks to an intervention of the Able Squad, some members of the Australian Resistance Cell could be rescued.
Full list of Neo Warrior types
- AntAntAnts are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
- BatBatBats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
- CrabCrabTrue crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
(a more intelligent version produced in the second generation) - EagleEagleEagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
(third generation only) - FelineFelidaeFelidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
(third generation only) - OctopusOctopusThe octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
(?) - RaptorVelociraptorVelociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils...
(a more intelligent version produced in the second generation) - RhinocerosRhinocerosRhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
- ScorpionScorpionScorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
- SpiderSpiderSpiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
Neo Lords
Neo Lords were the first successful attempt to combine a normal Neosapien intelligence with brutal physical strengthPhysical strength
Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
of Neo Warriors. Armed with wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s, claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
s, camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
abilities and a sharp mind, Neo Lords were the deadliest enemies the Terrans have ever encountered. Neo Lords were introduced near the end of the Neosapien War, so only a very limited number of them existed - in fact, only the test types, since the destruction of the Neo Lord breeding facility in the Antarctica by the Able Squad greatly delayed the release of the second brood. A second facility was created near Washington DC but was attacked by Exofleet during the retaking of Earth. The Neo Lords had to released early from their breeding chambers. As a result they were half-finished, lacking wings and possessing only animalistic intelligence. These Neo Lords were all wiped out battling Jump Troops.
Phaeton appreciated abilities of the Neo Lords but generally mistrusted them, preferring to surround himself with fellow Neosapiens. However, in the closing days of the war, as Phaeton grew increasingly paranoid and insane, he used the Neo Lords to purge his own Neosapien generals.
Breed-Capable
Following the end of the war, it was decided that the best way to deal with the neosapiens was to give them continuity and freedom, so that they would no longer be oppressed and thus would be able to live in peace with humans. To this end, a final, extra large brood of neosapiens was created, with the sterilization treatments removed. With this action, the neosapiens became a viable race, no longer dependent on test tube breeding for survival. It is unclear if this new brood is capable of interbreeding with older neosapiens or if some type of treatment was given to the previous generations to allow for breeding. Whether this would have worked is unknown, as the series was canceled before much detail could be given.Automutation Syndrome
The genetic engineeringGenetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
of the Neosapiens was imperfect, so all Neosapiens feared developing the Automutation Syndrome. Although the exact nature of this disorder has never been properly studied, it supposedly involves a Neosapien's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
becoming unstable, turning his or her body into a pile of mush. The causes include but are not limited to spontaneous degeneration, artificial means or severe physical trauma. Phaeton, the leader of the Second Neosapien Revolt, himself developed this disorder after his fall from Martian Olympus Mons
Olympus Mons
Olympus Mons is a large volcanic mountain on the planet Mars. At a height of almost , it is one of the tallest mountains in the Solar System, three times as tall as Mount Everest and more than twice the height of Mauna Kea the tallest mountain on Earth. Olympus Mons is the youngest of the large...
during a fight against J.T. Marsh, confining him completely to a life-support suit for the rest of his life. By the end of the Neosapien War, there was still no known cure to Automutation Syndrome.