This page is for describing the tropes related to entities in Elite Dangerous.
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The Superpowers
In General
These are the largest governments in the galaxy. Perpetually engaged in a three-way Space Cold War, they dominate the politics and economics of the Bubble - human civilisation - and are constantly competing between each other for territorial control, resources, galactic influence, and the allegiance of minor factions.The Federation
The insignia of the Federation
The Federation is the oldest of the three major factions in the universe. The planet Earth (Sol), birthplace of humankind, is the historic capital of the Federation and regarded as the center of human-inhabited space. The Federation loosely lies between the Alliance and the Empire on the galactic map. Its current leader is President Zachary Hudson.
It was formed circa 2240 AD as a direct response to the colonists on Tau Ceti 3 ignoring Earth's demands to stop killing the native wildlife (to near extinction levels) over a period of approx. 20 years. The newly formed entity was then able to cast great influence throughout known space. The founding members of the Federation are: Earth (Sol), Tau Ceti, Delta Pavonis, Altair, and Beta Hydri. The Federation has always seen itself as the major power in the universe. From the very beginning, long before the Empire or Alliance existed, it took upon itself the task of policing the universe and being the peacekeepers. This often included interfering and meddling in the affairs of other non-member worlds and generally bullying and oppressing the known universe into submission.
The federal society is highly dependent on technology and is both economically and socially Corporatist. In the period of rebuilding after the end of World War III on Earth (circa 2044-2055 AD) it was the corporations who became powerful and dominant. In modern times it is the corporations who are the life-blood and backbone of the Federation. It is rumored that these corporations have such influence and power that they can even direct the Federal government, perhaps to the point of deciding who serves as President.
It is the largest faction in the known universe, followed closely by the Empire. The relationship between the Federation and the Alliance is one of tolerance. The relationship between the Federation and the Empire is one of deep hostility.
- Advert-Overloaded Future: According to its official description, the Federation's citizens are constantly bombarded by advertising from a myriad of different companies day-in and day-out.
- The Battlestar: The Farragut-class battle cruiser is the Federation's premier capital ship. It comes equipped with an impressive array of weapons and missiles to dominate the battlefield, without forgetting its impressive complement of F63 Condor fighters and Federal Corvettes. On paper, it is the strongest vessel in the game, capable of outgunning — at least on paper — its Imperial rival.
- Big Brother Is Watching: Hudson's reaction to a terrorist attack on a summit of the superpowers' leadership in March 3307 was to institute this. It would end up being the catalyst for what would snowball into a minor rebellion in the latter half of 3307.
- Conscription: The current federal president, Zachary Hudson, in his time of being the Shadow President, has argued for a forced military service for the young adults of the Federation. Whether he will follow through with this argument now that he has the power to do so remains to be seen.
- Drugs Are Bad: The Federation has a strict policy against drugs used as narcotics, in contrast to most other powers. They have cracked down on more than one solar system because of this.
- Drop Ship: One of the Federation exclusive ships is the Federal Dropship, manufactured by Core Dynamics, though it doesn't exhibit the usual characteristics of one in-game.
- Fantastic Ship Prefix: Their warships use FNS, for Federal Navy Ship.
- The Federation: In the name. Mostly functions as one in practice, as all member systems are represented in government in exchange to loose adherence to the Federal Accord.
- Privately Owned Society: Has strong hints of this. Outside of the Federal Accord, corporations are given considerable leeway to do what they will.
- Space Navy: The Federal Navy is competing with the Imperial Navy for the title of largest navy in the known universe. Unlike the forces of the other two superpowers, it is a highly-centralized force with a fairly uniform organization, centred on a range of well-armed and armoured combat vessels supplied by Core Dynamics. It also has an auxiliary force which members of the Pilot Federation are permitted to join.
- United Space of America: Essentially a somewhat-mixed Eagleland Type-2 in space. The Federation is a party-based democracy governed in accordance to a constitution (The Federal Accord) with a popularly-elected President as the executive head-of-state, who resides in the White House on Mars. While the preservation of life — which extends to all sentient beings — and economic freedom are generally respected, the Federation has a strongly authoritarian bent to complement its corporation-friendly reputation and anti-drug policy.
- The War of Earthly Aggression: Waged one in 3307 when three worlds withdrew from the Federation in protest over extensive domestic survelliance programs. It lost every single major battle, managing to do little beyond inspire more worlds to rebel. When Congress finally shut the entire mess down (over the objections of President Hudson), over thirty systems had left the Federation's control and remain independent as of early 3308.
The Empire
The insignia of the Empire
The Empire is the second oldest major faction in the universe. The Imperial Palace, seat of the Emperor, is situated on Capitol in the Achenar system. Arissa-Lavigny Duval has been chosen to lead the Empire in the aftermath of the assassination of Emperor Heingst Duval.
The Empire is less technologically dependent than the Federation, choosing to keep and employ slaves for the work which machines would usually perform in other parts of the universe. The Empire is also a proponent of human cloning, a topic which the other factions find abhorrent and have officially banned within their own jurisdictions.
Imperial society is based on a "cliens" system - much like ancient Rome - and strictly stratified, with people being able to move between strata based on money, patronage and influence. It values both status and honor very highly. Whilst it is acceptable to flaunt wealth, treating people well is a question of honor - and this includes slaves. Having an unpaid debt is seen as utterly dishonorable - an honorable Imperial citizen would sell themselves into slavery to clear a debt they couldn't otherwise afford.
The Imperial Law is seen and enforced by Senators who themselves are above the law. They can order executions, and can even kill people themselves, though sometimes (rarely) they may be held to account for their actions by the Emperor. In the Empire very little is illegal, but many things are frowned upon, like excessive use of narcotics.
Imperial design puts an emphasis on the glamorous, glorious, and aesthetically beautiful, with extravagance in abundance. Everything in the Empire looks impressive, from their cities, to their ships, right down to the clothes worn by Imperial subjects.
- The Battlestar: The Majestic-class interdictor is the Empire's primary capital ship. It carries an array of interceptor guns and railguns, plus various smaller Imperial ships along with a complement of Imperial Fighters. Unlike its Federal counterpart — and rather like most other Imperial ships — it is used for purposes outside of combat, serving as the personal yachts of Imperial dignitaries.
- Crystal Spires and Togas: What we see of Imperial architecture tends towards gleaming white buildings and glass-covered skyscrapers in rounded shapes. Fashion-wise, they seem to favour clothes that are reminiscent of the Baroque period.
- The Empire: The Empire began as a democracy, but after its founder Marlin Duval died, her successor declared it an Empire.
- Fantastic Ship Prefix: Their warships use INV, for Imperial Navy Vessel.
- Happiness in Slavery: Imperial slavery is generally regarded as more civilized than regular slavery. Indeed, treating Imperial slaves well is considered a mark of honor in the Empire and Imperial citizens are said to be willing to sell themselves into slavery to clear a debt, which seems to imply that it is a form of Indentured Servitude. Zemina Torval is the most prominent advocate of this perspective and apparently offers generous terms compared to most slaveholders. That said, her controlling ownership of an enormous mining conglomerate — based on slavery — and the considerable size of her private army — which has been involved in settling "personnel disputes" on more than one occasion — cast doubt on whether Imperial slavery is truly benevolent.
- Hegemonic Empire: Is a mix of The Empire and Hegemonic Empire.
- Honor Before Reason: Imperial citizens will go to great lengths to preserve their honor, with many preferring to sell themselves into slavery to clear a debt instead of defaulting on it.
- Shiny-Looking Spaceships: Imperial spacecrafts are all in white with glamorous curves, making them sometimes look like luxury cruise ships.
- She Is the King: In spite of her being female, Arissa-Lavigny Duval still holds the title of "Emperor".
- Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Though whether by "slavery" you mean unregulated slavery or all slavery depends on who you side with - most of the Empire's citizenry are completely fine with Imperial Slavery but freak out over unregulated — i.e. not Imperial — slavery, but there are a few abolitionists, with Aisling Duval being a prime example of the latter.
- Space Navy: As usual for any galactic power. In contrast to the highly centralized Federal Navy, the Imperial Navy is essentially a feudal armada comprised of multiple semi-private fleets funded by Senators for the defence of their own territories. The Emperor is nominally the head of the Imperial Navy, though in practice, they only directly command the Imperial Guard; the Admiral of the Fleet — who is appointed by the Emperor — is the one who possesses the authority to direct the fleet in its entirety. Imperial Navy ships tend to be a mix of Fragile Speedster/Glass Cannon and Jack of All Trades types constructed by Gutamaya, which operates under royal charter. It also has an auxiliary force which members of the Pilot Federation are permitted to join.
- Space Romans: Their government and society is clearly based on that of Classical Imperial Rome, with a Senate representing the interests of the wealthiest families and powerbrokers in the Empire. Slavery forms a significant part of the Empire's society and economy. The Emperor is technically an absolute ruler who is technically elected to their position with the support of the Senate; in practice however, they are more like a hereditary monarch, with the election merely being a confirmatory formality, which makes for a closer association with Late Imperial Rome. Rather significantly though, it lacks the same misogynistic tendencies, with no real restrictions on female agency. In fact, many positions of power and authority are occupied by women, including the imperial throne, though the latter is treated as exceptional by the Empire's standards.
- Succession Crisis: The previous Emperor, Heingst Duval, was killed before he was able to name an heir. He was poised to name Arissa Lavigny-Duval the heir to the Empire, but was too sick to attend to the marriage ceremony with her mother, therefore not cementing her position. This didn't matter in the end, as the Senate declared her the Emperor anyway.
- Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: In pre-Elite Dangerous canon, the emperor was always male, and the Duval Emperors had no acknowledged daughters throughout the millennia of their existence, so no woman would be an acceptable heir. Furthermore, the imperial dynasty always relied on artificial wombs to provide a designer-made male offspring, rather than rely on lucky pregnancy. It is not explained in Galnet News why crown prince Harold Duval was declared insane, especially since it would trigger succession crisis, nor why the Emperor did not make a new male heir.
- The Codex released with Beyond Chapter 4 explained it in more detail, revealing that Hengist had dissolved the rule that only men could be the Emperor early in his reign. It also detailed how bad his parenting of Harold was with him alternating between being an absent parent and being an overbearing one. The same article puts a huge amount of emphasis on timing on his friendship with Artiste de Lavigny and his wife, the mother of Arisssa. Its followed up that Hengist's attempt to raise Harold resulted in the prince snapping and turning to drugs, alcohol, and women (also leading to Aisling's birth) which was a huge shame on the Duval family. Its strongly implied Hengist knew Arissa was his daughter the whole time and that if he had failed to properly raise Harold, Arissa would be raised better under the Lavigny family, and thus would be a suitable Emperor, making it all a self-fulling prophecy.
- Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: In pre-Elite Dangerous canon, the emperor was always male, and the Duval Emperors had no acknowledged daughters throughout the millennia of their existence, so no woman would be an acceptable heir. Furthermore, the imperial dynasty always relied on artificial wombs to provide a designer-made male offspring, rather than rely on lucky pregnancy. It is not explained in Galnet News why crown prince Harold Duval was declared insane, especially since it would trigger succession crisis, nor why the Emperor did not make a new male heir.
- We Will Use Manual Labor in the Future: The Empire allows its citizens to enter Indentured Servitude to pay off debts. The owners of Imperial slaves are not to mistreat their slaves, but it doesn't assure them any form of basic living standard. This is starting to be a contentious point among the Imperial citizenry, with influential personalities spearheading opposing groups. Princess Aisling Duval is a notorious opponent of Imperial slavery.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: The Empire has committed genocide against a sentient alien civilization on the moon where their capital is currently established.
The Alliance of Independent Systems
The insignia of the Alliance
The Alliance of Independent Systems, or Alliance for short, is the youngest of the three major factions. Its political center is the system of Alioth. Its current leader is Prime Minister Edmund Mahon.
The Alliance was formed from a number of independent systems with the goal of gaining strength in numbers and defending, where necessary, against the other major factions.
Militarily, the cooperation is successful. Each member system contributes a portion of its navy to the Alliance Defence Force. The Council of Admirals is unified and has powers to act swiftly without government approval. Vessels of the Alliance generally bear the decals of their own navy, but display an additional Alliance Defence Force decal while operating with the unified naval force.
The Alliance was formed circa 3230 AD in Alioth, and portrays itself as a beacon of human rights and democracy in an increasingly autocratic universe. It does not conform to the political ideals of the totalitarian Empire, or the authoritarian Federation and there is much cultural variation among its members. This, however, means they often struggle to achieve political agreement. The presidency changes annually around its member systems.
- The Alliance: A loose coalition of governments controlling a variety of star systems, unified through their military contributions to the Allied Defence Force and representation at Alioth, as well as a deep, burning distrust of both The Federation and The Empire.
- Beware the Nice Ones: One of the friendliest factions you can meet, but both The Empire and The Federation know better than to screw around with the Alliance even if both superpowers are better equipped militarily. The reason for this caution can be traced back to the Alliance's Offscreen Moment of Awesome, described below. Presently, the Alliance controls by far the most systems of any single faction in the game, surpassing the Federation's two factions combined, although the Empire, via its numerous subsidiaries, collectively controls the most systems overall.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The Battle of Alioth where, after numerous generations of back-and-forth struggle between the Federation and Empire for control of the system and its resources, the indigenous population of Alioth Grew a Spine and pushed out both superpowers with the help from the nearby independent systems. This battle serves as the Coming of Age Story for the modern-day Alliance and explains why both the Federation and Empire do not provoke the Alliance willy-nilly.
- Space Navy: Unlike the other two major powers, the Alliance does not have much in the way of a formal navy. The closest thing they have is a force under unified command comprising contributions from member systems, akin to NATO. The closest thing they have to standardization comprise a range of Medium-sized ships sharing the same spaceframe: the Chieftain, the Challenger, and the Crusader, supplied by Lakon Spaceways (of which the Alliance owns a controlling stake). They do not yet have any proper capital ships to match the Federation's Farragut and the Empire's Majestic.
Ship Manufacturers
Faulcon DeLacy
Starting from humble beginnings under the name Faulcon Manspace, this company is the big name in ship building, responsible for many venerable designs, such as the Viper MkIII fighter and the robust Cobra MkIII. DeLacy ships are typically built as Multipurpose class craft, many capable of performing a wide range of tasks and featuring a rough yet sturdy build ideal for the working commander.Ships from Faulcon DeLacy
- Sidewinder
- Taipan
- Viper MkIII/MkIV
- Cobra MkIII/MkIV
- Python
- Krait MkII
- Krait Phantom
- Anaconda
- Jack of All Trades: Most DeLacy ships tend to be multi-purpose, with the exception of the Viper and the Taipan.
- Master of All: Despite their Jack of All Trades reputation, Faulcon DeLacy tend to be highly customizable, to the point where they can often outclass most similarly sized ships at the same task.
- The Anaconda is a sterling example, as it can be built to stand toe-to-toe with the Federal Corvette, while also possessing the highest theoretical jump range of any ship in the game, along with very spacious cargo capacity to boot. Its main weaknesses are that it is somewhat sluggish and unmanoeuvrable, alongside the other usual faults associated with Large ships, namely an inability to land on smaller outposts.
- MegaCorp: While most shipbuilders in the game are significant entities in their own right, Faulcon DeLacy's dominance of the sector is such that it has resisted all attempts by major superpowers to turn them into a exclusive provider of ships for their faction only.
- Space Fighter: The Viper and the Taipan, with the latter being a Ship-Launched Fighter.
- Theme Naming: All ships from DeLacy are named after snakes.
Core Dynamics
A manufacturing company with strong ties to the Federation and a chief supplier of ships, security skimmers and modules to the galaxy. Core Dynamics specializes in the production of fighters and combat ships, typically featuring sharp, angular designs befitting a fighting craft.Ships from Core Dynamics
- Eagle Mk II
- F63 Condor
- Vulture
- Federal Dropship
- Federal Assault Ship
- Federal Gunship
- Federal Corvette
- Farragut-class Battlecruiser
- Fragile Speedster: The Eagle Mk II and the F63 Condor are both quite fast and highly maneouvrable, with respectable armament for their size. They are somewhat fragile, but a good pilot can effectively use them in combat against larger (and on paper, more powerful) ships.
- Lightning Bruiser: The Vulture is a Small ship with good speed and maneuverability featuring two large hardpoints, which are generally only found on Medium and Large ships. It is also quite durable, although it suffers from Crippling Overspecialization in that it is wholly unsuited for any task other than gunning down ships, to an even greater extent than other Core Dynamics ships.
- Mighty Glacier: Most of their larger ships tend to be big heavy bruisers which can take and dish out punishment, but are often rather short-ranged, which tends to make them rather inefficient at most non-combat roles.
- Space Fighter: The Eagle, Vulture and Condor, the latter of the three being a ship-launched fighter.
- Theme Naming: Their fighters are named for birds of prey.
Zorgon Peterson
A subsidiary to Faulcon DeLacy, Zorgon Peterson is a small company specializing in small trading and exploration craft. They also produce several fighting and racing craft in the form of the Fer-De-Lance and Mamba, and their craft typically have sleek, space shuttle-like designs featuring smooth edges.Ships from Zorgon Peterson
- Hauler
- Adder
- Fer-De-Lance
- Mamba
- Jack of All Trades: The Adder, serving as an adequate stepping-stone upgrade between the starting Sidewinder and the more robust Cobra MkIII. It has one of the highest jump ranges in the game, good performance, adequate hardpoint mountings for most tasks, and reasonably good durability for its price. It can be competently outfitted for a variety of tasks ranging from combat to exploration.
- Lightning Bruiser: The Fer-De-Lance and Mamba, both featuring high marks for speed and packing heavy firepower in a huge hardpoint, something no other medium-size ships feature.
- Theme Naming: Besides the Hauler, their ships are named after snakes.
Lakon Spaceways
A general manufacturing firm for ships and equipment. Lakon chiefly produces bulk freighters and exploration craft. A common hallmark in their ship design are large, open cockpits that offer pilots an excellent field of view. Recently, as of December 3303, Lakon has entered a partnership with the Alliance in an effort to halt Thargoid advances. Their efforts have yielded several new lines of combat craft.In February 3307, the Alliance purchased a majority stake in Lakon, and the company's administrative headquarters has since been moved to the Alioth system.
Ships from Lakon Spaceways
- Diamondback Scout
- Diamondback Explorer
- Type-6 Transporter
- Keelback
- Asp Scout
- Asp Explorer
- Type-7 Transporter
- Type-9 Heavy
- Type-10 Defender
- Alliance Chieftain
- Alliance Challenger
- Alliance Crusader
- Boring, but Practical: Can be applied to most of their ships, which are generally inexpensive workhorses.
- The Type-6 is a stand-out example: it costs just a hair over a million credits, has surprisingly good set of performance characteristics for something that resembles a brick, and a large range of compartments for mixing up modules. It can be outfitted as a very profitable passenger carrier, cargo trader, or mining vessel, while its respectable jump range makes exploration practical as well.
- Jack of All Trades: The Asp Explorer. It has one of the highest jump ranges in the game, second only to the Anaconda. It can also be easily fitted for mining, trading and exploration without severe compromises to its jump range. Just about the only thing it doesn't do well is combat, as its large glass canopy is highly susceptible to damage, though it can be fitted with a decent array of armament to tackle most opponents.
- Mighty Glacier: The Type-10 is a militarized version of the Type-9. While it can hit hard, it suffers from the same relative sluggishness of its parent ship.
- Stone Wall: The Type-9 Heavy. It is well-armoured by default and can be built up to the point where even dedicated combat ships can struggle to quickly destroy it. These characteristics are further accentuated in its Type-10 variant.
- Theme Naming: The Asp, Diamondback and Keelback are named after snakes. The Alliance series ships are named after British tanks.
Gutamaya
This manufacturing company is responsible for the Ocellus-class space station, and is the chief supplier of ships for the Imperial Navy. Being a shipbuilder for the Empire, Gutamaya's ships are built with luxurious and sleek designs.Ships from Gutamaya
- Imperial Eagle
- GU-97 Imperial Fighter
- Imperial Courier
- Imperial Clipper
- Imperial Cutter
- Majestic-class Interdictor
- Master of All: Much like their Faulcon DeLacy counterparts, Imperial ships (with the exception of the Imperial Eagle and GU97) can be outfitted to excel at a wide range of tasks, though their jump ranges tend to be about average and they cost a lot more than most comparable ships.
- Shiny-Looking Spaceships: Imperial ships are the flashiest of all craft in the game, typically featuring brilliant white paint and blue highlights.
Saud Kruger
The chief manufacturer of luxury passenger liners, Saud Kruger is also a leading authority in space tourism and exploration. Their ships naturally specialize in passenger transportation and tourism, featuring smooth and sleek designs.Ships from Saud Kruger
- Dolphin
- Orca
- Beluga Liner
- Crippling Overspecialization: In contrast to other manufacturers, Saud Kruger vessels are designed for non-combat applications and are the only ships capable of mounting luxury passenger cabins. Their relative lack of hardpoints leaves them with very little firepower to defend themselves.
- Shiny-Looking Spaceships: Much like Imperial ships from Gutamaya, Saud Kruger ships are very stylish and luxurious in form.
- Theme Naming: Their ships are named after cetaceans.
Other Organisations
Sirius Corporation
Building better worlds
The largest corporation in existence. Has its fingers in most form of technology, and maintains a monopoly on those necessary for the flourishing and expansion of human interstellar civilisation.- Hyperdrive: Its most important product.
- MegaCorp: It is the single largest and most powerful corporation in the galaxy.
- N.G.O. Superpower/One Nation Under Copyright: In addition to its dominance of numerous technological and industrial sectors, Sirius Corporation also directly and indirectly controls a sizeable number of systems, enough to make it an interstellar power in its own right.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Has engaged in some dubious practices over its 800 year history.
- Terraforming: It has a lock on technologies necessary to create new, habitable worlds.
INRA
- Apocalyptic Log: Their scattered bases and installations frequently have them, recording their atrocities, research, and the feelings of those who worked for them.
- Black Site: Owned several for various research projects.
AEGIS
Doing the Impossible for Humanity.
The modern successor to INRA, formed as a triple alliance to deal between the Superpowers to deal with the Thargoids' return. Apparently up to INRA's nefarious old tricks, too.- Frame-Up: The organization was actively framed, sabotaged, and undermined by Caleb Wycherly, a fact that really only came to the fore after the superpowers disbanded AEGIS and Wycherly himself was killed.
- Mile-Long Ship: Owns two megaships, Acropolis and Vanguard.
The Dark Wheel
How dark the wheel
Enigmatic organisation seeking out secrets, operating out of the Pilot's Federation home system.Children of Raxxla
The Club
Secret cabal claimed to be behind countless events and manipulating human civilisation on a galactic scale for their own purposes.- The Conspiracy: The biggest. Supposedly manipulating the Superpowers themselves.
Power Play
In General
These are the movers and shakers, the big personalities in human civilisation. Most of them are leaders in the governments of their respective Superpowers, but there are others, from MegaCorp CEOs to Pirate Lords, to Techno-cultists.Allying yourself with any one of them and performing loyalty tasks for them can bring rewards of specialised weaponry and technology, as well as bonuses for buying and selling, bounty hunting, etc. in their territories
- Older Than They Look: Common to several. In the universe of Elite: Dangerous, progenitor cells can be used to greatly extend human life expectancy and hold back aging.
The Federation
Zachary Hudson
"We may not fire the first shot, but we will fire the last."
Current President of the Galactic Federation and leader of the Republican Party.He offers loyal commanders the Pacifier Frag Cannon.
- Ambiguously Evil: After Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent (a close friend of Hudson) was implicated in the Starship One disaster, Hudson refused to comment for quite some time, leading to speculation that he had been behind the plot in the hopes of replacing President Halsey. No evidence was ever brought against him, but the scandal damaged his reputation. His increasingly authoritarian behavior over the course of 3307 and announcement of his intent to repeal the term limits of his office in 3308 have only increased this perception.
- Butt-Monkey: In lore, at least; 3307 would not be a kind year to Hudson, with his reaction to a terror attack during a galactic summit in March snowballing into three dozen worlds seceding from the Federation by the end of August, while his ordering an attempt at capturing Yuri Grom a month later not only failed but resulted in both a formal rebuke from the Federation's diplomatic corps and Congress forcing him to formally apologize to Grom for violating Grom's diplomatic immunity.
- Gunboat Diplomacy: He takes a hard line against the Empire, and is always pushing for more funding for the Federal Navy.
- Misery Builds Character: He generally opposes government aid except in emergencies, believing that it's better for citizens to Earn Your Happy Ending rather than rely on government handouts.
- Official Presidential Transport: The President's transport is designated Starship One. The original were a pair of Narwhal Liners, but after one was destroyed by sabotage in 3301 they were replaced by a pair of modified Farragut-class battlecruisers.
- President Evil: Between his increasingly aggressive actions over the latter half of 3307 and attempting to repeal his term limits in 3308, Hudson seems to be heading this way.
- Shotguns Are Just Better: You better believe it. His Pacifier Frag Cannon is generally considered one of, if not the best weapons in the game for good reason.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Will just as easily extend Gunboat Diplomacy and extensive domestic surveillance to the Federation itself if it means keeping his nation safe and intact.
- 0% Approval Rating: Hudson's political reputation with the Federation's congress came out of 3307 in poor shape. Following his announcement to remove term limits on the office of Federation President, said reputation is now in tatters. Hudson might have support from some of the public, but as Galnet points out his ability to survive a No-Confidence vote is pretty much nil.
Felicia Winters
The mistakes of our past cannot be allowed to cloud our future.
Current Shadow President of the Galactic Federation and leader of the Liberal Party.She offers loyal commanders the Pulse Disruptor laser.
- Not So Above It All: While she's normally good about keeping it in check, her dislike of Hudson and his behavior has resulted in her failing to hold back comments when she really ought to.
- Older Than They Look: She's 78!
- Only Sane Man: Basically plays this role for the Federation's political establishment; as Shadow President, she's effectively the mouthpiece for the Federal Congress, which has shone itself to be much more level headed than the increasingly erratic Hudson.
- You Are in Command Now: When the previous President and Vice President were missing and presumed dead in the Starship One disaster of 3301, Winters (then the Secretary of State) was sworn in as Acting President. Shadow President Zachary Hudson soon called a vote of no-confidence, which she lost. She's since taken the Shadow President post herself.
The Empire
Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval
Bask in Her Glory!
Ruler of the Empire of Achenar. The first female ruler of the Empire since the very first, her ancestor Marlin Duval. She was elected to the throne by the Imperial Senate after her half-brother, the rightful heir, was declared unfit.She offers her commanders the impressive triple-shot Imperial Hammer railgun.
- Anti-Nepotism: During her career as a Senator, she developed a reputation for invoking her achievements and qualifications rather than her bloodline.
- Damsel in Distress: Was kidnapped in 3307 by a private security firm backed by a group of corrupt nobles. Players helped to track her down, with her finally being rescued in February 3308.
- The Emperor: Coronated in 3301.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Her current focus is on stamping out corruption in the Empire.
- She Is the King: Referred to as 'Emperor', despite being female.
- Unexpected Successor: Was thought to be the daughter of a minor nobleman, before revealing herself to be the previous Emperor's secret daughter.
Princess Aisling Duval
The People's Princess
Granddaughter of the previous Emperor, niece of the current Emperor, and Princess of the Empire, hugely popular as the 'People's Princess'. Also CEO of anti-slavery non-profit Unchain (formerly 'Stop Slavery Stupid'). Often dismissed, in-game and by players, as a naive airhead.She offers loyal players the powerful and highly sought-after Prismatic Shield Generator.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: Or rather, what her entire culture hates: she recently was announced to be engaged to Federal Ambassador Jordan Rochester. GalNet details that the Empire's people are generally not pleased.
- Hilariously enough, her engagement collapsed when Jarl Toredo went public with the claim that he and Aisling had been having a months long affair and that the marriage was purely a political one, and he did this three days before the planned wedding. Since Rochester's own mother, Isolde, was the one to immediately cancel the wedding, most assume that there is at least some truth to Jarl's statements, and Isolde no longer trusted Aisling.
- Dry Crusader: Despises narcotics, as her mother died from them, and they are illegal throughout her territories.
- Marriage of Convenience: What her impending marriage to Rochester was accused of being by Jarl Toredo. Its unknown how true that is.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: It's not known if it was intentional, and we've only received one piece of official art - but she REALLY looks like Evangeline Lilly. Others have mentioned a resemblance to Emilia Clarke.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Many, in-universe and out, question whether her seeming naivete and airheadedness is an act.
- Politically-Active Princess: Very much so. She's not called the "People's Princess" for nothing.
- Soapbox Sadie: Is waging a moral crusade against drugs and slavery in a culture where slavery is commonplace and almost universally accepted and drug use is acceptable under certain constraints.
Denton Patreus
Honour and honesty are vital attributes in our modern society.
Senator of the Empire and Admiral of the Fleet.He rewards loyal supporters with the Advanced Plasma Accelerator.
- The Conqueror: Plundering worlds has allowed him to reduce taxes in his territory to zero.
Zemina Torval
"Those who treat their slaves badly should receive the same. After all, how can they work properly if they are not cared for correctly?"
An absurdly wealthy Imperial Senator who made her money in mining and slavery.Offers loyal players the Mining Lance - a mining laser that can be used in combat.
- Happiness in Slavery: Believes in this as the ideal of Imperial slavery. She has even used her wealth to free non-Imperial slaves and offer them a better life - as Imperial slaves.
The Alliance
Prime Minister Edmund Mahon
Perpetually drunk on Lavian brandy, progenitor cells, and diplomacy.
Current and popular (in-universe and with players) Prime Minister of the Alliance of Independent Systems. Has expanded his influence through diplomacy to make the Alliance the strongest by far of the Superpowers.He offers loyal commanders the Retributor beam laser.
- Nice Guy: The least disagreeable of the Power Leaders, leading the least disagreeable of the Superpowers.
- Older Than They Look: His picture makes him look like he's in his late thirties, maybe early forties. He's 117 years old as of 3304.
Independent
Simguru Pranav Antal
Peace and prosperity through the advancement of ethically aligned technology.
Spiritual and technical leader ("Simguru") of the Utopia techno-commune movement. He inherited the title from his father.His loyal commanders are offered the Enforcer Cannon.
- Cult: Leads one. He denies accusations of imprisonment or kidnapping of dissidents.
- Mind Uploading: Seemingly the core focus of Utopia's beliefs and efforts. Their SimArchive stores the memories of deceased followers, and their stated eventual goal is the digitisation of human consciousness and the technological transcendence from physical bodies.
Li Yong-Rui
We must seize this new golden age of expansion to expand the bottom line.
CEO of the Sirius Corporation, the largest corporate entity in the Bubble - large enough to be its own Power. So wealthy he prefers to buy new systems rather than conquer them.Loyal players are offered the Roboteching Pack-Hound Rack missile launcher.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Averted, it seems. A shrewd and cunning businessman, but everything he has been seen to do so far has been pretty above-board and legit.
- Fiction 500: The wealthiest person in the Bubble. Rich enough to buy whole solar systems.
- Macross Missile Massacre: His loyalty reward gives players the chance to do this.
Archon Delaine
If you're not part of the Kumo Crew then you are nobody.
Ruthless and hyper-violent leader of the Kumo Crew crime syndicate. A brutal, merciless crimelord.His loyalty reward is the Cytoscrambler burst laser weapon.
- Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: Wears what appears to be a stylish redingote, a classic piece of pirate-wear, over his Remlok flight suit.
- The Don
- Pirate King: Self-styled and self-made (through murder and mayhem).
Yuri Grom
Freedom Among the Stars!
Dictator of an independent faction of pilots. A former Federation Admiral, he despises their corruption, but is otherwise on good terms with them. He has good relations with all the other Powers - except Archon Delaine.He offers loyal players the Containment Missile.
- The Generalissimo: Seems to have many of the qualities of the trope, though a much more benevolent and effective example than most.
The Engineers
In General
A collection of brilliant and often mysterious individuals scattered throughout human space. It's invite-only, but they also provide players with a range of services to upgrade their ships - so long as they've got the materials for them to work with.- 20 Bear Asses: Justified in this case perhaps more than in other games, but as mentioned, they will upgrade your ship components only if you bring them the right elements, technologies and data to work with. They are all random drops and rewards, and rarer stuff is needed for better upgrades.
- Bold Explorer/Adventurer Archaeologist: Common, and many honed their trade in the course of their adventures. Those to whom this applies also provide the best mods for exploration-oriented players.
- The Hermit: Not exactly, as lore states that they surround themselves with likeminded people and fellow engineers, but they all conduct their business in quite out-of-the-way bases, often in remote locations.
- Wrench Wench: Every female engineer counts.
Elvira Martuuk
- The Xenophile: "Fascinated by all things alien" according to her in-game description. Unlocking her requires delivering alien relics.
The Dweller
A face and name you can trust.
Highly mysterious engineer who works with lasers and power distributors. Also a dealer in onionhead.- Only Known by Their Nickname: His past and identity is a closely-guarded secret.
Liz Ryder
- Stuff Blowing Up: Demolitions expert, her specialties are in mines, missiles and torpedoes.
Felicity Farseer
A traveller's best friend.
One of the first engineers players can access, and very popular with players, as she can fully upgrade their FSD, greatly expanding their jump range, and greatly improve their thrusters.- Bold Explorer: So much so that she is legendary in-universe.
- Cool Old Lady: Very helpful to those looking to go out into the black.
Tod "The Blaster" McQuinn
- Ace Pilot: Former CQC season champion.
- Blood Knight: Shows a few signs of this - loving combat as a vocation, for example.
- Bounty Hunter: Is one, and upgrades your stuff so players can be too.
Zachariah Nemo
- Cyborg: Rumored to have a cyber-enhanced brain, requires several robot companions of you to prove your loyalty, and surrounds himself with "cyber freaks".
Lei Cheung
- Deflector Shields: His specialty.
- Intrepid Merchant: Was one, and likes to help others with needed protection.
Hera Tani
- Mysterious Backer: Has one in the Empire.
Juri Ishmak
Selene Jean
Marco Qwent
- MegaCorp: Worked for Sirius Corporation, and still maintains good enough ties to operate out of their home system.
Ram Tah
"Now, when I said it wouldn't be dangerous..."
Independent researcher and former adventurer whose primary area of interest is the mysterious Guardians.- Adventurer Archaeologist: Was this in his younger days. Now pays and rewards Commanders to do it for him.
- Power Armor: Can be seen wearing a sort of hydraulic frame in a promotional video for the guardians expansion.
- Quest Giver: Can send players on missions to research Guardian sites.
- Space Fighter: Three types of experimental ship-launched fighters built using Guardian technology can be acquired from him.
Broo Tarquin
Colonel Bris Dekker
Didi Vatermann
Professor Ishmael Palin
- Quest Giver: Players don't even have to have unlocked him - just touch down in the right station.
Lori Jameson
- Bold Explorer: Is one, and helps equip Commanders to be the same.
- Heroic Lineage: One of the descendants of the great and famous pilot Commander John Jameson.
Tiana Fortune
The Sarge
- Only Known by Their Nickname: He won't even tell his real name to close friends.
Bill Turner
Other Personalities
Riri McAllister aka. Nexus
Lavian Alliance Rear Admiral and leader of an assassination conspiracy, the League of Reparation, dedicated to hunting down and killing descendants of INRA commanders, especially those responsible for Commander John Jameson's death. Was recently found, arrested - and possibly assassinated.- The Conspiracy: leader of one, dedicated to vengeful assassination.
- Lost Orphaned Royalty: Not royalty, but close to it for pilots, as she claims she's a descendant of the legendary Commander John Jameson. However, she is an orphan, so her true heritage is unknown.
- Never Found the Body: The ship she was on disappeared. Maybe she's gone; maybe she's not.
- Sins of Our Fathers: Strongly believed in this, it seems; the people she had killed, the families she terrorised, were generations removed from those responsible the CMDR Jameson's death.
Jaques
Commander John Jameson
Famed Commander and celebrated hero. Deployed the mycoid bio-weapon that ended the conflict with the Thargoids. Was betrayed by INRA, who remotely disabled his ship, causing him to fatally crash land on a barren moon. Players were able to track down his ship.- Apocalyptic Log: Recorded messages detailing his journey and crash.
- Famed In-Story: The most famous pilot in history.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Felt this way after unleashing INRA's weapon against the Thargoids. INRA told him it would only disable their technology.
- Never Found the Body:Although everyone in-universe acknowledges that he died, if you look into the cockpit of his crashed ship, the chairs are empty.
- So Proud of You: Leaves a message behind for his descendant saying that of all his achievements, they were his best.
Jasmina Halsey.
Former President of the Federation. Disappeared along with her Farragut Battle Cruiser; later found in an escape pod. Claims to have encountered superintelligent beings and visited paradise. Currently advisor to Alliance Prime Minister Edmund Mahon.Kahina Tijani Loren aka. Commander Salome
"We Imperials often do get accused of being arrogant and overbearing, but at least we're good at it."
Former imperial Senator and leader of the Children of Raxxla. She was the focus of a tie-in book by Drew Wagar, Elite: Reclamation, and an in-game player campaign that resulted in her death.- The Conspiracy: Was going to bust one wide open.
- Defector from Decadence
Dr. Caleb Wycherly, aka "Salvation" and "The Witch"
Scientist for the original incarnation of Azimuth, and leader for it's second incarnation. Was one of the developers of the mycoid bioweapon used against the Thargoids centuries ago, and tried again with the Proteus Wave device in 3308. Had a longstanding grudge against the Thargoids.- Card-Carrying Villain: The man was about as close to an open supervillain as you can find in a world like Elite Dangerous.
- Draw Aggro: Deliberately drew the Thargoids into attacking specific worlds, allegedly for the purpose of collecting data; in reality it was to make AEGIS look bad.
- Fatal Flaw: Ego. Wycherly had a massive ego, to the point he could be seen as what happens when a Miles Gloriosus is played for drama instead of laughs. To be specific: Wycherly deliberated baited the Thargoids into attacking specific systems and sabotaged the megaships belonging to AEGIS because the idea of anyone else managing to save humanity offended him, and any solution that didn't originate from him was unacceptable. His inability to see past the end of his own nose ultimately led to the Proteus Wave disaster and his own death.
- Frame-Up: Ran one on AEGIS, which ultimately got the organization disbanded.
- I've Come Too Far: A log recovered from his command ship following the Proteus Wave disaster has Wycherly expressing this view, though it gives way to his messiah complex and monomania as he declares that nobody else is qualified to save humanity from the Thargoids.
- Karma Houdini: Wycherly was one of the scientists who developed the fungal bioweapon unleashed on the Thargoids under INRA, and managed to get away relatively clean. He also did everything he could to undermine AEGIS and their efforts in the second Thargoid war simply to make sure the superpowers would turn to him as their savior. His Karma Houdini Warranty came due when his solution, the Proteus Wave, backfired and the Thargoids destroyed his command carrier, killing him.
-
Magnificent Bastard: Absolutely. Masterminded the undermining and disbandment of AEGIS as The Witch, while publicly acting as Salvation to give the superpowers someone to turn to due to the apparent ineffectiveness of their own organization. And it worked. - Meaningful Name: "Salvation" was intended to be this, and a number of players would admit that it did speak volumes about his ego and sense of self worth.
- Never Found the Body: Averted; in the aftermath of the Proteus Wave disaster, Azimuth's retrieval personnel found his corpse still strapped in it's command chair aboard his command ship.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The large-scale Proteus Wave device he constructed to end the Thargoids backfired, powering the aliens back up, giving the ones closest to the system the ability to remotely damage devices with Guardian technology in them, and driving them absolutely berserk.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: To the Thargoids.
- Playing with Syringes: Helped develop the bioweapon used on the Thargoids in the backstory. Also ran an operation trying to merge humans with Thargoid ship controls.
- Really 700 Years Old: Was at least 250 years old in 3308, being kept alive by anti-aging treatments and cybernetics.
- Stephen Ulysses Perhero: His terrorist identity of "The Witch." Or, rather, "The Wych."
- Vehicular Sabotage: Masterminded this with AEGIS' megaships under the identity of The Witch.
- Villain with Good Publicity: Despite his previous actions and undermining AEGIS (and by extension the entire war effort), Wycherly managed to be charismatic enough to have the superpowers eating out of the palm of his hand. The players, on the other hand, were fairly divided, with a number going on to form Operation Wych Hunt.
- Walking Spoiler: Caleb Wycherly is hard to talk about without spoiling a lot of things going on with Humanity's side of the Second Thargoid War.
Aliens
The Thargoids
Don't stop to smell these flowers.
Once thought to have been wiped out by INRA's mycoid bioweapon, the Thargoids have returned. Their facilities, barnacles and ships can be mostly found dotted around the Pleiades nebula. Their ships come in two main varieties: Interceptors and Scouts.- Alien Abduction: Can be seen vacuuming up occupied escape pods they find at wrecks. For what purpose is unknown.
- Alien Invasion: Are conducting one into human space. Interestingly, they only seem to target systems where AEGIS has a presence, courtesy of Salvation baiting them into doing so.
- Ambiguously Evil: Very few things are known for sure about them, including their motivations. Both players and in-game sources have theorized that Thargoids fight only to defend their territory that humans have encroached upon. It's also worth noting that Thargoid interceptors won't become hostile towards players unless they're attacked first or the player is carrying Thargoid or Guardian cargo.
- Dramatic Alien VTOL: Conduct them once they've harvested resources, or whatever they do, at their spiral sites.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: All attempts at diplomacy with the Thargoids have been met with unrelenting hostility so far. It's not yet known if the Thargoids don't understand these diplomatic gestures, if they don't even understand diplomacy the way we do, or if they're simply declining the offers.
- Flying Saucer: What their ships, large and small, are reminiscent of. Others think they look like flowers.
- Insectoid Aliens: Descriptions of them in-game and lore suggest that they are mantis-like; though decal-art makes it look they might be less terrestrial-looking than that sounds.
- The Mothership: Haven't been seen, but are mentioned in-game and in lore. One may be on the way, as a mobile star resembling a large Thargoid interceptor has appeared following the Proteus Wave backfiring making an apparently beeline towards the system the device was fired in.
- Precursors: They've been around a long, long time, predating even the Guardians.
- Starfish Aliens: From what can be gleaned about them, they're really weird. They seem to inhabit worlds with lots of ammonia. Their psychology and precise motivations are inscrutable. There's even speculation in-game that they might even be from other dimensions or universes.
- Sufficiently Advanced Aliens: Not nearly as wide a gap as the trope normally implies, but it's still very clear that the Thargoids are leagues above both humans and guardians when it comes to materials and hyperspace.
The Guardians
One interpretation; credit.
Aliens that have left mysterious ruins throughout space.- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Part of what lead to their downfall. Also covers their remnant drones, which will shoot players that get too close.
- Precursors: Had a civilisation spread far and wide throughout the galaxy millions of years ago. Only their ruins and remnant technology remain.
