I'd like to introduce Christopher Brandt, an important character who appears early in INGRESS THE ANIMATION and plays a major role in later developments. Please be aware that there are some very serious spoilers regarding him. He looks similar to the extremely thin Hososugi-kun who appears in the au commercial. If his hair was black, he'd be perfect.
【INGRESS】Before Introducing Christopher Brant
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INGRESS THE ANIMATION is based on the setting of a real-life game. Without a brief introduction, the rest of the story will be confusing. Ingress is a smartphone game that has been distributed in over 200 countries and regions worldwide since its official launch in 2012, achieving over 20 million downloads. This is a reality-linked game where players compete for bases called portals, located at real-world landmarks and historical objects.
Worldview and Setting
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CERN, the Swiss nuclear research institute that also featured in the "Chunibyo" world-traveling series, discovered a substance called "exotic matter (XM)" that responds to human minds and abilities. Humanity is divided into two factions: the "Enlightened," who embrace XM and seek to use it for human evolution, and the "Resistance," who view XM as a threat and seek to control it.
Sensitives and the Game's Treatment of Ingress
Those who utilize XM and possess special abilities beyond human comprehension are called "Sensitives." Sensitive abilities are amplified within fields connected by portals acquired by the faction selected in Ingress, and are suppressed within fields owned by a different faction. Ingress, like real life, is distributed worldwide as a game, and even ordinary players who are unaware of the existence of Sensitives and XM compete for territory as part of the game.
【INGRESS】Introduction to Christopher Brandt
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Brant, a scientist working for the Resistance, asks his bodyguard, Jack, to secretly protect a certain individual. That individual is Sarah Coppola, a researcher at the global corporation Huron Transglobal. However, the two are attacked by Huron's forces, and Brandt is captured. He is taken to a location where he meets Sarah. However, Brandt commits suicide, leaving behind even more cryptic words.
【INGRESS】Christopher Brandt chooses the Resistance
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Christopher Brandt chooses the Resistance. The Enlightened camp is characterized by its embrace of XM and its desire to use it for the evolution of humanity. However, their innovative ideas are rooted in their concern that XM could be used for military purposes or to benefit those in power. Therefore, Brandt's chosen camp is likely the Resistance.
【INGRESS】Christopher Brandt's Ability: Superhuman Intelligence
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Brant is a sensitive individual with extraordinary intelligence and creativity. His name is "(Intel Boost) Enhanced Perception," as Jack calls it, and thanks to this ability he has achieved great success and achievements in the fields of physics, engineering, computer science, and medicine. Brandt does not have any particular backing, but his Sensitive abilities have made him immensely wealthy.
【INGRESS】Christopher Brandt is the Ultimate Humanitarian
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Christopher Brandt is the ultimate humanitarian, not using the technology he develops for his own profit, but instead using it in medical settings in developing countries and conflict zones. He runs private hospitals around the world, regardless of profitability. Brandt is concerned about the fact that XM technology is being monopolized and exploited by those in power for profit, and the unfair treatment of Sensitives.
【INGRESS】The Relationship Between Christopher Brandt and Jack Norman
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Christopher Brandt scouts the Sensitive Jack Norman, a mercenary serving on the battlefield, as a bodyguard. Jack is touched by Brandt's ideas and personality, and the two become close enough to call each other a partner. However, while trying to protect Brandt from a terrorist bombing, Jack is caught in the explosion and fatally injured. Jack miraculously survives, but he discovers a secret.
【INGRESS】What is Christopher Brandt's purpose?
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Christopher Brandt asks Jack to protect Sarah for a certain purpose. However, he was soon arrested and met Sarah there. At this point, Brandt declared his goal accomplished and committed suicide, putting an end to his life.
Brant's Goal
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Brant's goal was to "self-destruct in front of Sarah." This was an act he undertook to awaken Sarah's hidden sensitive abilities by involving her in the suicide bombing. While Sarah's awakening ultimately saves her life, Brandt's plan, of course, had a sequel. His plan called for Sarah to be held captive by Huron Corporation and subjected to human experimentation.
【INGRESS】Christopher Brandt: What's Really Going On?
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The game's final boss. As part of a plan by COLLABORATORS, an organization that could be said to be the masterminds behind Huron Corporation, Sarah analyzes her ability to send information through the portal network and discovers a signal that is used to pseudo-brainwash people. COLLABORATORS plans to release AR goggles equipped with DarkXM worldwide in an attempt to pseudo-brainwash people and manipulate markets and thoughts. Makoto and Jack are unable to stop the release, but this was Brandt's ultimate goal.
Christopher Brandt's Trap
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Brant wasn't dead. The self-destruction was a duplicate created by Dark XM, while the original was still alive in another location. In fact, the initial model of the AR goggles released by "COLLABORATORS" was developed by Brandt, and it contained a built-in system that could easily go out of control when a certain signal was sent.
Christopher Brandt's True Purpose
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Brant's true purpose was to guide people to the path to the true world. He wanted people to abandon their physical bodies and unite into a single intelligent life form within the portal network. Brandt's programming caused the AR goggles to go out of control, transporting people's consciousnesses to the portal network. Brandt believed that the only future for humanity was for people to abandon their physical bodies and become a single spiritual entity.
【Ingress】Christopher Brandt Summary
Christopher Brandt appears in the first episode and leaves many mysteries unsolved. These mysteries are only solved on the way to the final episode. The story of Ingress gets more interesting as it progresses, so be sure to watch every episode!
