History Characters / Signalis

* ForeverWar: [[spoiler:He's become aware of the time loop in process and expresses no small amount of frustration that, no matter how many Elsters he puts down to stop her efforts to find Ariane, another one just keeps showing up. He's killed enough Elsters by shoving them into an elevator shaft that, by the time of the game, the corpses are piled high enough to break the fall of the playable Elster.]]

* NightmareFace: [[spoiler: In the final act of the game he becomes mutated and deformed like all the other replikas, resembling a charred corpse with his missing eye scabbed over. Amazingly, he seems to have no difficulty keeping his wits and continuing to criticize Elster.]]

* PastLifeMemories: In his diary he claims to occasionally experience the memories of his gestalt neural donor during his dreams, a symptom of persona degredation. Like the others, his donor was a veteran of the Venetian war, and the memory described was of him playing a guessing card game with another soldier, a woman with white hair. [[spoiler:It later progresses to [[RippleEffectProofMemory memories of past time loops and encounters with Elster]], causing Adler great distress.]]
* RippleEffectProofMemory: [[spoiler:He begins having dreams and deja vu of events that occured in previous time loops, and realizes that his diary entries are all dated to the exact same day. He doesn't take it well.]]

* YouCantFightFate: Believes that no agency can alter the existential trap that Sierpinski station has become, and chides Elster for thinking she can change anything.

* PassedOverPromotion: The known issues document for [=STARs=] warns against letting this happen. Starling cadres develop internal social hierarchies, and promoting a Starling of a lower standing to officer can cause friction in the group.

* ServantRace: Their entire purpose. From combat to household cleaning, Replika are created for the purpose of carrying out whatever task the government needs handled. In a bit of a twist on the trope, Replika are shown to have greater status and authority than the actual humans, as well as having nicer accomodations in the Leng mining complex. It's implied this is due to the oppressive government finding them easier to control and direct than the Gestalt, and thus giving them the greater autonomy that they will, in theory, not use.

* RevivingEnemy: Thanks to the regenerating tumors in their bodies, corrupted replika can spontaneously reanimate even hours after death. In-game, this means dead enemies have a small chance of getting back up whenever you return to a visited room and pass near them, which can make enemies on frequently-tread paths a hassle. Fortunately, FireKeepsItDead, and thermite flares can be used to selectively dispose of corpses to make pathways safer.
* RoarBeforeBeating: When they detect Elster, corrupt replikas will let out a high-pitched shriek that alerts every other enemy in the room.

* AmbushingEnemy: Thought the room was [[EmptyRoomUntilTheTrap safe]], or that you could just sneak past some Eules staring at the wall? Guess again! Aras lie in wait until you get too close, then suddenly crawl out of an innocuous section of floor and sound the alarm. Expect to then stumble into a bunch more Aras as you try to get distance from the first one.

* DeathByDespair: [[spoiler:After searching Rotfront from top to bottom and failing to find her sister, Isa's will to live seems to give out, and she collapses into a puddle of rotten ooze before Elster's eyes.]]

* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: She uses a stolen rifle to help Elster fight a corrupted Replika, but isn't prepared for the recoil and accidentally knocks herself out.

* LivingMemory: [[spoiler:As with DeadAllAlong, the Isa encountered is reconstructed from Ariane's own memories.]]

* NiceGirl: Despite the situation she is incredibly polite to Elster, wishing that she finds who she’s looking for.

* GentleGiant: Is the largest Replika model in the game. But they are very calm and polite, needing only a stuffed animal to keep mental instability down. The one sane Mynah encountered, named Beo, is very friendly if [[ExpendableClone somewhat bleak]] in outlook. Unfortunately, corrupted Mynahs are just as psychotic as the other infected.

* UnskilledButStrong: Mynah are not meant for combat and have no training for it. They don't suffer too much though, as it's implied in notes that the only difference between a MNHR Unit and it's combat counterpart is what head is attached to the massive body, so they at least have the raw strength of those units if not the experience.
* TinyHeadedBehemoth: While it looks like she is wearing PowerArmor, all that bulk is in fact her actual body. She just has a regular Replika head bolted on what would otherwise be the inside of the helmet, in order to make social interaction easier.

* InsideAWall: They tend to build maintenance paths only they can reach, and retreat into them if they have a mental breakdown. According to documents, [[NoodleIncident it is not recommended to try and retrieve them]]. The corrupted version use these to ambush Elster from hidden floor plates.

* YouAreNumberSix: All Replika are identified by their model followed by a number code, like the protagonist being "LSTR-512".

* DemonicHeadShake: Kolibri stand in place and rapidly wobble their oversized heads like something out of ''Film/JacobsLadder''.

* MySkullRunnethOver: The mutated Kolibris have their heads swollen to an enormous size, presumably due to their PsychicPowers.
* OneHitPointWonder: Kolibri have so little health that they die in a single hit from any weapon. The trick is finding them amidst the SensoryAbuse and DoppelgangerSpin.

* ArtificialHuman: An unusual mix of this and a {{Cyborg}}. They have enough organic components to have a functioning digestive system and organs that bear a degree of similarity to a humans but even those organic parts are inedible in emergencies. The rest, more the limbs than the center torso, are more mechanical than organic.

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: For all intents and purposes, the plague-maddened replikas of Sierpinski are cyborg zombies, roaming around mindlessly until they find someone uninfected to attack. Notes indicate that things in the facility started getting ''really'' bad when it was discovered that the tumors of infected replikas were causing them to spontaneously reanimate hours after death with psychotic aggression -- up to that point, the standard procedure had been to decommission the infected to contain the spread. The added need to [[PrecautionaryCorpseDisposal burn the bodies to keep them down]] quickly overwhelmed the local morgue. [[spoiler:Adler comes to believe that it was never a conventional disease causing this, but a [[MysticalPlague "sickness of reality"]] caused by the GroundhogDayLoop.]]

* {{BFG}}: Their weapon is a massive and heavy laser cutter. While a tool first and foremost, it works just fine to put huge holes into whatever they are aiming at. Elster finds several discarded ones and comments that she can't possibly pick one up. The one uncorrupted one you meet tells Elster that even if she ''could'' lift it, it requires much more energy than Elster's power source could provide.
* TheBigGuy: Not only are they taller than any other unit, they are far broader too.
* BloodFromEveryOrifice: An exceptionally extreme version of this for the corrupt models. Their entire face seems to liquidate and pour out as a geyser of blood. Becomes their AchillesHeel when they have to lift their visor to let out a torrent of red.
* DegradedBoss: The first Mynah-class replica is treated as an unavoidable boss battle, complete with her own intro, but later on shows up as a regular (if rare) enemy.

* GentleGiant: Is the largest Replika model in the game. But they are very calm and polite, needing only a stuffed animal to keep mental instability down. The one intact one found in game is very friendly despite being basically doomed due to immobility. Unfortunately, corrupted Mynahs are just as psychotic as the other infected.

* TinyHeadedBehemoth: While it looks like she is wearing PowerArmor, all that bulk is in fact her actual body. She just has a regular Replika head bolted on what would otherwise be the inside of the helmet.

* HatOfAuthority: The ShieldBearingMook variant wears a small military sidecap atop their [[SackheadSlasher burlap bag]], implying that they might have been officers in the cadre before they turned.

* ShieldBearingMook: Transparent riot shields seem to be a standard part of the Starling kit. Corrupt units that still carry them are resistant to frontal attacks, though certain high-power weapons will penetrate through the shield.

** KNCR "Kranich". Their function and acronym is unknown, but the one mentioned is the immediate superior of a Kolibri "blockwart" monitoring an urban area for ThoughtCrime and imperial spies, indicating that they're part of the Nation's SecretPolice.

* MeaningfulName: In the game files, the creature is named Chimera, after the ClassicalChimera made from the body parts of multiple different animals. The kanji flashing on screen as BossSubtitles, and the name of its battle music, is "Nue". In Japanese folklore, a {{Nue}} is a creature very similar to the Classical chimera. In Chinese, meanwhile, "nue" refers to a type of pheasant (the component characters literally translating as "fabulous night bird"), fitting the AnimalThemeNaming of the replikas.

* BeakAttack: Mutant Storches have had their heads overtaken by gigantic beak-like protrusions made from the same metal as their legs. Being {{Armless Biped}}s, they attack Elster by furiously pecking at her.

* MeaningfulName: The kanji flashing on screen as BossSubtitles, and the name of its battle music, is "Nue". In Japanese folklore, a {{Nue}} is a creature composed of body parts from multiple different animals, analogous to the ClassicalChimera. In Chinese, meanwhile, "nue" refers to a type of pheasant (the component characters literally translating as "fabulous night bird"), fitting the AnimalThemeNaming of the replikas.

* MeaningfulName: The kanji flashing on screen as BossSubtitles, and the name of its battle music, is "Nue". In Japanese folklore, a {{Nue}} is a creature composed of body parts from multiple different animals, analogous to the ClassicalChimera. In Chinese, meanwhile, "nue" refers to a type of pheasant (the component characters literally translating as "fabulous night bird"), fitting the avian ThemeNaming of the replikas.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Zigzagged. This is a known problem for Replika, that they will develop psychological deviances that cause them to act out in unpredictable and dangerous ways. It's common enough that each model has assigned behaviors and [[SecurityBlanket items]] meant to curb this descent into instability, and protocols in place to decommission the rogue Replika should the instabilities become pronouced. However, it's strongly hinted that these "deviances" are in truth the Replika simply developing a personality of their own. The Nation demonizes this process because it makes the Replika no longer an obedient worker drone, and thus a liability to the totalitarian regime.

* BodyHorror: The symptoms of the MysticalPlague include internal hemmoraging, skin peeling off and rampant tumor growth. Ordinary gestalt/humans die from this pretty quickly. Replika, held together by their robotic parts, go on to become hideously disfigured and utterly deranged from the pain. Their metal exoskeletons are said to be cracked apart by the growing tumors underneath, and some of them develop more extreme mutations.

* BrainUploading: Downplayed. All Replika models have their personality copied from a Gestalt, but are not supposed to have their memories. Said memories CAN appear however.
* TheCorruption: Most of the Replika in the game have been warped into monstrous forms by the time the game starts, aside from a handful of holdouts. This effect is exclusive to them due to their inorganic components being mostly unaffected by the change and keeping them alive, while Gestalt perish before they can change.
* ElectronicEyes: All Replikas have a tiny red light inside their pupils, emphasizing their artificial nature.

* FireKeepsItDead: Infected units decomissioned to contain the plague were discovered to be [[RevivingEnemy reanimating]] and becoming psychotic, even hours after death, thanks to the regenerating tumors in their bodies. With the morgue incinerator overwhelmed by the number of bodies needing to be disposed of safely, the medical staff repurposed thermite to burn infected bodies on the spot, as it could melt through replika exoskeletons to destroy the organic components inside. Elster can acquire one-use thermite flares that instantly down most enemies and scorch their bodies, preventing future reanimation.

* SealTheBreach: The standard way to repair damage to them is to apply repair gel which expands like foam to seal breaches.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Notes indicate that one Storch unit grew fed up with the Eule playing one song in their dorms on an endless loop and eventually destroyed the player with a knife. Considering music is one of the primary ways Eule prevent persona degradation, it's likely that this spread the corruption faster and made a bad situation worse.
* {{Sadist}}: They can become cruel and violent if their HairTriggerTemper is not curbed early on. This is implied to be inherited from their neural donor.

* GasMaskMooks: The Eules in [[spoiler:Rotfront]] hide their disfigurements with gas masks.

* DespairEventHorizon: From his diaries, the slow realization that the station is stuck in a [[spoiler:closed time-loop]] erodes any hope or positive feelings he once had.

* GoMadFromTheRevelation: His mental state was already starting to suffer as the situation in Sierpinski quickly declines, but he goes over the edge when [[spoiler:he finds out the facility is trapped in a time loop]].

* NightmareFace: [[spoiler: Towards the final act of the game the synthetic flesh of his android frame sloughs away and he comes to resemble a flayed person with his flesh fully exposed.]]
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: He's a non-combat model who has hardly covered himself in glory, his disastrous command having helped the situation collapse to the degree it has, and it is all but impossible for him to be a threat in direct combat. He's also the closest thing the game has to a main villain [[spoiler: and has killed Elster more times than any other threat, likely put together]].

* PastLifeMemories: In his diary he claims to occasionally experience the memories of his gestalt neural donor during his dreams, a symptom of persona degredation. Like the others, his donor was a veteran of the Venetian war, and the memory described was of him playing a guessing card game with another soldier. [[spoiler:It later progresses to [[RippleEffectProofMemory memories of past time loops and encounters with Elster]], causing Adler great distress.]]

* TheUnfought: He is never confronted outside of cutscenes. He only lands blows on Elster by catching her off guard when she does not know to beware of him, or later [[spoiler: when he has a hidden knife behind his back.]] Justified, as he is in no way built or trained for combat, and any actual fight with him would be painfully easy [[spoiler: compared to the showdown with Commander Falke that immediately preceded it.]]

* NatureLovingRobot: It is recommended by official documents to allow Aras to keep plants to tend on their own time.

* FlunkyBoss: [[folder:She summons Aras with each stage transition, though they're likely to be blown away by Falke's bioresonance attacks while they pursue the player.]]

* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler: Tears her own forearm off trying to open the bulkhead doors of the Penrose at the end of Chapter 2.]]

* BadassBookworm: LSTR Replikas like Elster are designed to be hard-as-nails commandos who boast both the technical knowledge and fighting capabilities that allow them to persevere as survivalists where others would despair. This enables Elster to go toe-to-toe with numerous corrupted Replikas while solving complex puzzles to proceed with her mission to find Ariane.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: This is the main reason why Elster fell in love with Ariane. Even though it was against the Nation of Eusan's official regulations, Ariane regularly treated her with kindness while eagerly sharing her passions with her. It's also the reason why Elster is perfectly willing to [[YouAreWorthHell endure the horrors of Leng]] just to be reunited with her.

* {{Determinator}}: Nothing will stop her from continuing to seek out Ariane, not increasingly horrific mazes or strange puzzles, not warped and corrupted Replika units, not grievous injury, or reality falling apart, not even dying over and over again. ''Nothing.'' [[spoiler: It's also arguably a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed example]], as Adler believes that Elster's repeatedly trying to find Ariane is what is causing reality to fall apart in the first place]].
* TheEngineer: Of both the "Combat Engineer" and "Chief Engineer" variety.

* LetsGetDangerous: In the final act, Elster scavenges the [[SuitUpOfDestiny heavy combat gear]] of another dead LSTR Replika before making [[TheLastDance one last push]] to reach Ariane.
* LipstickLesbian: She’s shown to be in love with Ariane and would do anything to be reunited with her.

* SleepingWithTheBoss: She's in a romantic relationship with her commanding officer Ariane Yeong. Unlike most examples of this trope, their love for one another isn't portrayed as inappropriate beyond in-universe manuals produced by a [[TheDictatorship dystopian regime.]] Instead, it is framed more as a [[LoveHurts tragic love]] that serves as the impetus behind every single one of Elster's actions.

** NotSoStoic: This changes in the second part of the game where she fully remembers Ariane, their relationship and what the promise she made actually means at which point a lot of her internal dialogue becomes more emotionally-charged and she shows more expressions in cutscenes.

* TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler:The original LSTR-0512 died on the Penrose, failing to fulfill her promise. The Elster played for most of the game is either another Elster model manufactured using LSTR-0512's brain scan as a template (as implied by the Replika Overview document, but this raises questions) or a construct dreamed into being by Ariane (which raises even more), either way in a setting where reality is malleable, Elster has not even let death stop her from fulfilling her promise to her lover.]]

* {{Robosexual}}: She's a human woman who started a romantic relationship with her subordinate [[RobotSoldier Elster]]. This also doubles as a ForbiddenLove as the LSTR manual given to Ariane explicitly states that Gestalt Officers are '''not''' allowed to befriend their Replika (let alone ''sleep'' with them) and are generally not supposed to interact with them any more than necessary. But considering how Ariane is a BlitheSpirit with a passion for media blacklisted by the state who pilots a ship ''far'' away from the state's prying eyes, Ariane couldn't care less. Especially since she didn't even bother ''opening'' the manual out of its sealed envelope in the first place.

* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:Knowing the truth of Ariane's existence is half of the plot, with the other half being Elster's part in fulfilling the promise of a MercyKill.]]

* MutilationConga: She gets progressively more injured throughout the story. At the beginning she only has a few cuts, but by the end she's covered in fresh wounds and blood-soaked bandages, especially on her face.

* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:There are a lot of questions about her relationship with Ariane as the game seems to constantly play parallells between the two. There are some hints that Arian's and Falke's bioresonant powers are resonating with each other with Falke becoming a receiver for her powers and dreams which then bleeds into Leng, but there are no concrete statements on what is actually going on between the two]].
* ConvenientComa: Is in one by the time the game starts and remains in that state up until the final confrontation with her at its end.
* FakeMemories: Gained Elster's memories as a result of entering the strange red wasteland and coming into contact with Ariane, the Artifact, or something else. By the time she confronts Elster she believes the memories are her own.
* FinalBoss: Corrupted Falke is the last major threat keeping Elster from reaching Ariane in most of the endings, except for the Artifact one, which lets the player bypass her.
* HolyHalo: Has a series of floating golden rings behind her head in combat with no apparent actual function.

* IJustWantToBeYou: The culmination of Elster's memories with Ariane gradually overwriting her own. Falke goes from struggling to understand who is the white-haired woman in her visions, to longing to be together with her just like Elster, to outright seeking to KillAndReplace Elster on the belief that it will somehow [[SplitPersonalityMerge complete them both]].
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Six times, and through the face no less.
* KillingYourAlternateSelf: Her apparent motivation behind attacking Elster when she wakes up. Claiming they are both incomplete and need to become one. How much of this is the truth and how much is the delusion of her corrupted mind is open to interpretation.

* PatientZero: Falke was the first Replika to become sick after returning from the red desert, and others followed not long after her. Though with the MysticalPlague nature of the sickness it's hard to be sure if she spread that sickness or was merely it's first target.
* RobotReligion: Falke is universally worshiped by all Repikas as both their supreme leader and the closet thing they have to a PhysicalGod due to her powerful [[PsychicPowers bioresonant abilities]] and her uncanny resemblance to both of Eusan's tyrannical leaders: [[TheGeneralissimo The Great Revolutionary]] and her [[OverlordJr Daughter]]. Which makes one of the SensoryAbuse [[UnreadablyFastText messages]] she bombards Elster's HUD with just before facing her all the more significant.
--> '''THIS GOD WON'T FORGIVE YOU'''