"With time, I'm learning to control it. Master it. Just hope it's not too late."
Cole MacGrath is the protagonist of inFamous and inFamous 2, an ordinary man given an extraordinary ability to control electricity.
Biography
Before the Blast
Originally, Cole was a courier working in Empire City, where he learned parkour and used it to aid in his job. The two most important relationships in his life were with his girlfriend, Trish Dailey, and his best friend Zeke Dunbar.
The Blast
Immediately before The Blast, Cole was delivering a package to the Historic District. After receiving a phone call, probably from Kessler, Cole opened the package, revealing the Ray Sphere, which immediately activated. The Blast devestated several city blocks around Cole, vapourising thousands of people and concentrating their bio-electric energy in Cole. The result of this was a city-wide blackout, the deaths of thousnds, and the formation of a crater known as Ground Zero in the Historic District. The Blast weakened Cole as well, causing severe burns, but keeping him alive.
Post-Blast
Empire City was put under quarantine, and without outside help, chaos quickly descended upon the city. Cole awakened after about four days and gradually learned to control his electrical powers. Approximately two weeks after the quarantine was put in effect, Cole's powers had developed to the point where he could fire powerful electrical blasts and generate potent shock waves. As he regrouped with Zeke, he discovered that a pirate television broadcaster, "the Voice of Survival", had identified Cole as the cause of the explosion, turning the city populace against him - including Trish, who blamed Cole for her sister Amy's death. Cole and Zeke attempted to make it past the quarantine using Cole's new superpowers, but they were overwhelmed by military units and were almost killed. Zeke escaped, but Cole was caught by an FBI agent named Moya Jones, who offered to let Cole, Zeke and Trish past the quarantine if he returned to Empire City to help recover the Ray Sphere, the device that triggered the explosion, as well as find her supposed husband and fellow agent John White.
New Marais
Cole travelled to New Marais to escape from the Beast, who attacked Empire City after the defeat of Kessler. Here, Cole hoped to acquire the information on how to beat the Beast from the First Sons, who had settled themselves in New Marais. Cole had limited time to get the information, while also being chased by "the Militia".
Powers
Cole is a powerful electrokinetic that can draw and control huge amounts of electricity throughout his body and store it there. This has several benefits: besides electrical manipulation, the electricity running throughout his body greatly accelerates the body's natural ability to repair damage by stimulating the muscle tissue and his immune system, essentially an accelerated healing factor, making Cole impervious to most disease except for the most powerful ones, such as mind control, and the extremely toxic gases that Kessler's air balloon had released, his healing capability can be temporarily boosted when he absorbs electricity. This also allows for his muscles to absorb huge amounts of physical trauma to a far greater degree than normal humans, granting the ability to survive falls from extreme heights with no harm to his body. Cole also has enhanced physical strength, agility, durability, and reflexes. He has not fully adapted to his powers as of yet, as he only just gained them.
As he begins to gain control of his powers he can only create a stream of electrical discharge through his palms in the form of a Lightning Bolt, and absorb electricity from nearby sources, but soon discovers various other abilities, such as the Thunder Drop; charging up large amounts of electrical energy within his body while falling and dispersing it in a powerful shockwave on contact with the ground, creating spheres of electrical energy that can be used as projectiles and rapidly disperse in a concussive force equivalent to that of grenades or missiles, the ability to either drain bio-electrical energy from living beings or send his own bio-electrical energy into someone else to heal them, accelerating the body's natural healing processes temporarily; the ability to, if in contact with a person's head, read the electrical currents of the brain and see their memories, even in the recently deceased. The ability to create electrokinetic forcefields capable of blocking rapidly moving projectiles, and even manipulate electrical currents within the air to create powerful streams of lightning to fall from the sky which he can fully control (his first example of weather control). But if Kessler, a fully developed electrokinetic, is any indication, his powers are still immature despite being so powerful already, and can still develop and master many powers which (if the ending cutscene is any indication) includes an advanced form of Static Thrusters which allowed Cole in an alternate timeline to propell himself at considerable speed, limited illusion generation and either teleportation, super speed or an energy form.
It's believed that Cole will gain access to secondary powers aside from his electric ones inFamous 2, such as the ability to create ice (similar to that shown in the Beast flashback), whether this is cryokinesis or another form of weather control is unknown. He will also use an electrically charged melee weapon that was possibly created by Zeke (who is still having issues with Cole).
Appearance and mental state
His powers also seem to change drastically depending on his mental state, represented by the Karma system and his various Good and Evil upgrades.
General
No matter which path Cole takes, he will always wears a dark blue and yellow tracksuit (though the colours become washed-out should Cole take the Evil path),
Cole MacGrath, as he appears in inFAMOUS.
and a messenger bag with his phone attached to the single strap. His head is closely shaved, he has a gravelly voice, and in the currently existing concept art for inFAMOUS 2 he is shown to have tatoos on both arms. Though game-wise, for the player's benefit, Cole is very intelligent and is able to logically deduce the outcomes of any actions he might take. The electricity Cole produces changes colour depending on his disposition, though remains at a consistent strength regardless of his decisions.
Good
Good
The colour of his attacks at Good karma are a bluish white not unlike most depictions of electricity. At Hero rank, Cole is trying to protect the civilians of Empire City, and as such, he is much more accurate at shooting his lightning, and other projectiles which have been shown to be much less destructive (to the point that his Shock Grenades restrain people instead of killing them), but much stronger on individual targets than Evil karma abilities. With the above mentioned many people think that his abilities are tuned towards the defensive side. Because of this civilians will cheer and take pictures when you walk by, as well as even help you fight the Gangs, usually throwing rocks at them.
His clothes stay black and yellow/orange (may seem cleaner) and Cole will still have his usual face.
Cole's mental state throughout the game as Good develops positively: When the good actions he performs make him a champion of the people, his focus is turned towards making order in Empire City, even as much as getting out of there and finding out what happened during and before The Blast.
In the Good ending, Cole has become a symbol of hope to the people of Empire City, but he is still unsure about his thoughts of Zeke. The Crime Level is dropping greatly and he is currently helping in the rebuilding of the city.
This side of the story appears to be canon to the series.
Evil
Evil
His powers at Evil karma are colored blood red, and later become black with a red outline if at the end of the game the player activates the Ray Sphere. Regardless of Cole's previous Karmic state, this action is so unforgivably evil that the player's rank is instantly shifted to and locked at Infamous (Though transitioning to the rank, via this method, does not unlock the corresponding Trophy). At the Infamous rank, Cole has no empathy for the inhabitants of Empire City, and thus, his abilities are much less focused and more destructive than the Good variants due to the lack of required precision necessary to their counterparts, but seems to do less damage when focusing on a individual. Unfortunately for any innocent bystanders, this also causes a huge amount of collateral damage on the side and civilians are often killed by the stray grenade lob.
Cole also begins to change in appearance, indicating that his powers are "corrupting him": His skin will turn pale, and for every rank, black, vein-like markings that resemble electric currents will grow larger on the neck and back of his head. This is possibly a result of the immense amounts of power surging through him, and thus, the altered appearance may be a result of the energy disrupting several body functions.
Cole's ego is also altered: While his main focus is getting out of the city at the start of the game, his thoughts turn towards both getting more power and punishing those who did him wrong.
In the Evil ending, Cole has become a tyrant and has destroyed Empire City even further. The crime is steadily rising and Cole believes that control belongs to the strongest, and no one is stronger than him.
Side Effects and Weaknesses
There are several unfortunate side effects to Cole's new-found powers, mostly dealing with the fact that his body is constantly channeling a powerful electrical field. He can generate, channel and control electricity, but not produce large amounts of it at one time, meaning he has to siphon power from external sources to use his more advanced powers. Once Cole has used up all of his auxiliary energy, he is only capable of using Lightning Bolt, Polarity Wall and Static Thrusters (these powers probably use the static electricity in the air, like how lightning is made).
Most dangerously, should Cole become sufficiently submerged in water, he will short-circuit himself and cause injury to everyone in the water, including himself. If the water is deeper than Cole is tall, Cole will instantly be electrocuted and die. Small amounts of water do not injure him, leaving him able to drink and wash (though he does short-circuit into puddles, killing anyone also standing in them, Cole is not injured to any noticeable degree).
Alternate Timeline
In the original timeline, it is revealed that he developed his powers naturally and married Trish with Zeke as his best man. Later, he and Trish had twin daughters, who were fully aware of his powers. However, a powerful Conduit known as The Beast emerged, destroying the world and attempting to kill Cole. Cole knew he was stronger and could stop The Beast near the start of the rampage, but instead he ran with his family. Sadly, The Beast chased Cole and killed Trish and his daughters, by then Cole wasn't strong enough to stop him anymore. Cole's experiences shook his very person to the core, leading him to decided on the only way to stop this horrific events, by using his newest and most dangerous power, the ability to make a one-way trip to the past, in the hopes that he could fix his future. He threw off his old name, becoming the man that would be known as Kessler.
Gallery
Trivia
- Cole's last name, MacGrath, is coincidentally the same as the director of an unrelated movie called Infamous, Douglas McGrath.
- His first name (Cole) is derived from the Old English nickname Cola "charcoal", denoting a person with a dark features, describing him perfectly with his electrokinetic powers.
- Cole's powerset, abilities and how he received them are similar to, and likely inspired by, a variety of electricity-manipulators in comics and TV shows, including Spider-Man villain Electro, Surge of the New X-Men, Justice League of America member Black Lightning, Static Shock, a superhero who got his powers from a large blast, similar to the Ray Sphere explosion, and the Sith in Star Wars' ability to shoot lighting from their hands.
- A simple thing such as Cole running or jogging has about twenty animations, for the way human beings change balance when changing directions, to subtle motions in different body parts.
- An early version of Cole in one of Sucker Punch's prototypes was called GearWolf. One of the key game mechanics in this was flirting. GearWolf had an infinite supply of razor-sharp bike gears from his motorcycle, which was another game mechanic. GearWolf also had a very similar design to Cole, in terms of the backpack and jacket. This prototype saw the game's first grapple sequence, and the gears were the prelude to the electric powers.
- Cole's Good and Evil Karma versions are downloadable skins in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, along with several other characters from PS3-exclusive games. 'Cole' is a character on the "Heroes" team, and 'Evil Cole' is a character on the "Villains" team. Zeke Dunbar is also available for the Heroes team.
- If you look closely at Cole's backpack, it features a Sly Cooper symbol from the Sly Cooper series.
- During his fight with Kessler, Kessler states that Cole's mother is ashamed of his job and tells others he is a teacher, while his father approves of Cole's relationship with Trish, considering her the daughter he never had. As Kessler already lived Cole's life, and has been watching over his alternate self all his life, it is likely that he is either correct or just trying to mess with Cole's head.
Quotes
- With time, I'm learning to control it. Master it. Just hope it's not too late...
- (Just after the explosion) While sliding into unconsciousness, I could somehow, I don’t know…hear the voices of the dying. Thousands crushed by falling buildings, or burned alive in the fires. Trish lost her sister. Almost lost me. Zeke was always there, somehow sure that I’d wake up. While outside, the city fell apart. A plague struck. Followed by rioting. Theft. Rapes. Civilization committing suicide. In a bullshit attempt to contain the biological threat, the federal government locked down all access in and out of the city. Now we’re stuck in this cage with the psychos. Cops are all but gone off the streets. Either dead or too chickenshit to stand against the gangs that control things now. Outside, things were bad…but inside – inside me –something was beginning. Scary as hell at first. Gotta understand there was no one to talk to, no experts to consult. But with time, I’m learning to control it. Master it. Just hope it’s not to late…
- At least I'm good for something.
(The only quote repeated twice.)
- Death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. As he released me, I knew he was responsible for all of it. (Referring to Kessler)
- I saw Kessler's nemesis, a beast intent on extinguishing all life. (Referring to The Beast)
- (After a mission revolving around a runaway train) The crowd was surprised to see the “terrorist” roll up and free their loved ones. Hypocrites. Yesterday they wanted my head on a platter, now they act like I’m one of the family. Truth be told, it was nice, even for that short time. To be treated like a hero. Felt good. I scanned the crowd for John as people started to leave the station…he was nowhere to be seen. (A good karma cutscene)
- (After you defeat Kessler) I looked down at Kessler, reveling in my victory. And then I heard him whisper: “Trish, I love you. Please forgive me.” Then he was on me, fingers digging into my face. As Kessler’s secrets played out in my head, I finally began to understand. I saw Kessler's nemesis, a beast intent on extinguishing all life. In those early days, Kessler could’ve used his powers to stop it…but instead he fled with his family, leaving others to fend for themselves. Hunted for years, Kessler and his family watched as the rest of the world went to hell…and then it was too late, too late to fight, too late to save anyone. In that moment of failure and grief, he used his newest and most dangerous power…and went on a one way trip back in time. Attempting to rewrite history…Kessler seized control of the First Sons and accelerated the Ray Sphere's development. Decades spent plotting the blast, organizing the quarantine, finding me. Yet the thing that drove him forward, Kessler’s sole link to the past, was a picture from his wedding day…when he married Trish, with Zeke as his best man. My brain lurched, unable to accept that Kessler and I were the same person…that he’d come back in time to mold me into the savior he failed to be. Going so far as to kill the woman he loved, I loved, so that I wouldn’t be tied down by emotions. No, Kessler wanted me strong, ruthless…so that when I faced the beast I’d be capable of making impossible decisions…all for the common good. And then Kessler fell back, dead. His final message, my final message, burned into my brain. I took one last look down at myself, my future self, and turn away, the rage curdling inside. I hate everything about Kessler. But when the time comes, I will be ready.
- "Move or die. Your choice."
- (Good/Hero ending) I thought this would be the end. That once Kessler and the Ray Sphere were gone, my life would go back to normal. But now I understand that this is my life. There’s no going back. That the gift of these powers would be my burden till the day I die. The people around here…love me. How long will that last. It’s going to happen the first time they expect me to be there for them and I’m not. I don’t even know who to trust. Moya’s still running around, planning God knows what. Zeke…I don’t know what to think…I’ve never been more alone…
- (Bad/Infamous ending) Because of me, Empire City is a wasteland. I’ve taken this place down notch by notch, and it’s never getting up again. Kessler thought he was preparing me to face some beast, that I’d be using my powers for the greater good. What an idiot. These powers are only good for one thing, letting me take what I want, when I want. In a place with no law, the strong take what they want, and the weak are their slaves, their playthings. And no one is stronger than me…
Template:Char nav