Invid (Robotech)
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In Robotech, the Invid (named "Inbit" in Genesis Climber Mospeada) originated as an alien race of invertebrate, slug-like hive creatures that came from the world of Optera, the inhabitable planet of the Tzuptum System. Their world was defoilated by the Robotech Masters in an attempt to monopolise a powerful narcotic, the Flower of Life that was native to the planet; the Flower was also the source of an incredibly powerful energy source called protoculture. Enraged by the devastation and betrayal of their one-time allies, the sedate and agrarian Invid militarize and begin a program of genetic manipulation to evolve to a point of superiority above the Masters. Eventually, the Invid trace the stolen Flowers to Earth which turns out to be the only other place in the galaxy where the Flower can grow. The Invid invade Earth without a moments' hesitation, an ironic act of perpetuating the crimes committed on them, thus beginning the Third Robotech War.
The Invid are led by a pair of monarchs, the Regent, who is consumed by the desire for revenge over the Robotech Masters and who does not favor reshaping his race into a form similar to that of the Masters; and the Regis, the queen mother of the race, the proponent of the genetic evolution program. Unlike the Regent, who has chosen to remain in the original form of the species, the Regis has genetically modified herself to the point that she is humanoid in form and nearly human overall; she was the first of her race to evolve as she was seduced by the Masters' scientist Zor. The Regent and Regis have since separated and divided the race between them; the Regis leading the invasion of Earth, while the Regent continued to hold the space around Optera and continue the war in space against the Masters on their own homeworld of Tirol.
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[edit] Fates of the two Invid factions
[edit] Army of the Regis
The invasion of earth was fantastically successful given the weakness of the Army of the Southern Cross following the end of the Second Robotech War. The Regis' Invid subdue the entire population of Earth, enslaving some and killing nearly all of the rest. The Robotech Expeditionary Force launches two attack waves against the Regis, the Mars and Jupiter Groups, but both are unsuccessful. During her time on Earth, the Regis concludes that the humanoid form is best adapted to life on Earth, and begins preparations for the mass racial transmutation of her race into that form. Shortly before her preparations are complete, Admiral Hunter launches the final assault to liberate Earth. The attack is a stalemate, and the commander of the invasion force decides the use of Neutron S missiles is appropriate (Earth will be completely depopulated of all life and re-seeded/terraformed by the invasion force). As the missiles are launched, the Regis is convinced by freedom fighters acting under the command of Scott Bernard to abandon her plans for the Earth and depart. She transmutes her entire race into energy and leaps to another plan of existence, taking the arriving SDF-3 with her. The form of her departure is an energy phoenix which looms over Earth before it leaps to transcendence (as seen by the original Zor in his Great Vision).
[edit] Army of the Regent
This material is related to the Sentinels campaign and is not considered canon by some. In the Sentinels series, the Regent continues a campaign of interstellar war against the Robotech Masters and is eventually successful in taking over the entire Local Group. Tirol, the Masters' homeworld, is the last to fall. The Regent's rule is cruel and harsh, fueled by his fury over the adultery of the Regis with Zor and his anger at the Masters' defoliation of Optera. A force of Local Group warriors led by Admiral Richard Hunter known as the Sentinels is able, gradually, to liberate the worlds of the Local Group one by one (Karbarra, Spheris, Praxis, Haydon IV, Garuda, and Peryton). Desperate to preserve his empire, the Regent allies with the renegade human General Edwards. The remnants of the Zentraedi are the first to attack Optera and are largely unsuccessful, although the Regent is killed in a suicide attack by Breetai. Following the Regent's death command of the Invid is taken by General T. R. Edwards, who is eventually defeated by the Sentinels supported by elements of the Robotech Expeditionary Force. The Invid on Optera are left to their own devices as they devolve back into peaceful slug-like creatures (free from the Regent's anger and war planning) under the watchful care of the Praxians, and Optera is renamed New Praxis.
[edit] Invid forms and units
- Scout (piloted by Stage 1 Invid): The Scout is a small rust colored unit whose primary armament is its blade like pincer forearms. The pilot is an Invid who is only slightly evolved beyond the natural Invid state and has little free will or intelligence of its own. The Scout is an extremely fast and maneuverable unit.
- Armoured Scout (piloted by Stage 1): A Scout armed with annihilation disc launchers.
- Trooper (Stage 2): The Trooper is heavy and ponderous compared with the scout. It is more survivable and its Stage 2 Invid pilot has a small degree of free will and intelligence. It is purple and lavender in color and is about twice the size of a Scout.
- Shock Trooper (Stage 2): A Trooper armed with annihilation disc lauchers.
- Pincer Command Unit (Stage 3). This unit and Invid Stage appears only among the Regis' forces. It is larger than a Shock Trooper and is blue and white. Its pilot possesses considerable free will and intelligence and is capable of acting as a field commander, but it is not as intelligent as the average human. Its primary armament consists of dual heat cannons.
- Enforcer (Stage 4): Enforcers are Stage 4 Invid encased in power armour. Stage 4 Invid posses free will and intellect commensurate with the average human. They often act as field commanders and hive officers. There are two forms: white and grey that are about humaoid size, and a larger orange form that make up the Regent's personal guard.
- Royal Command Battloid (Stage 5). This unit and Invid Stage appears only among the Regis' forces. Its pilot is a Stage 5 Invid -- essentially a human except that it is an evolved Invid (the only true telltale sign is their green blood). Stage 5 Invid represent the Regis' final evolution stage for her entire part of the Invid race. The Royal Command Battloid is armed with missiles and annihilation discs and is considered to be comparable to an Alpha Fighter in combat capability. The colors of an RCB are chosen by its pilot and are highly individual. Stage 5 Invid are expected by the Regis to act as field commanders and hive leaders.
[edit] Invid Inorganics
The army of the Regent utilizes robotic fighting machines in addition to the standard Invid units. The Hellcat, Scrimm, Crann, and Odeon are combat robots controlled by a central Invid Brain. The machines are incapable of independant thought or motivation and will shut down in the event of the destruction of the Invid Brain. The Hellcat is sometimes referred to as an Invid Cougar.
[edit] Vehicles
Light armored Invid are sometimes seen using Hover Speeders for reconnaissance on the battlefield. The vehicle, seen in Robotech II: The Sentinels, is quite similar to the speeder bikes of Star Wars.
[edit] External links
- The Invid Connection (Beyond Reflex Point) - Information on Robotech and Macross
