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* HesBack: With ''Gears 3'' being billed as the last game to feature Delta Squad, quite a large number of fans were worried that Marcus wouldn't appear at all in ''Gears 4'' and would largely be forgotten about...until a recent gameplay trailer showed JD and his squad taking cover in a building from a nearby windflare. The camera looks at a mysterious shadowy figure inside, who is revealed to be Marcus himself. Granted, since he is 62 in this game, [[http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/Marcus-Fenix-Gears-of-War-4-E3-2016-teaser.jpg.optimal.jpg he looks a bit different now.]] And another later video showed that he will join the player's squad for a brief time at least. Just the one line spoken by him to his son in that BadassBaritone voice lets you know that the legendary war hero isn't hanging up his uniform quite yet.
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
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* HesBack: With ''Gears 3'' being billed as the last game to feature Delta Squad, quite a large number of fans were worried that Marcus wouldn't appear at all in ''Gears 4'' and would largely be forgotten about...until a recent gameplay trailer showed JD and his squad taking cover in a building from a nearby windflare. The camera looks at a mysterious shadowy figure inside, who is revealed to be Marcus himself. Granted, since he is 62 in this game, [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mJAGLEV4zsE/maxresdefault.jpg he looks a bit different now.]] And another later video showed that he will join the player's squad for a brief time at least. Just the one line spoken by him to his son in that BadassBaritone voice lets you know that the legendary war hero isn't hanging up his uniform quite yet.
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
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!!!Voiced by JohnDimaggio
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!!!Voiced by JohnDimaggio
Creator/JohnDiMaggio
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** BadassBeard: Grows one by the time of the fourth game.
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** BadassBeard: Grows one A soul patch in the original trilogy, and a full grey beard by the time of the fourth game.he reaches BadassGrandpa age in ''Gears 4''.
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* HesBack: With ''Gears 3'' being billed as the last game to feature Delta Squad, quite a large number of fans were worried that Marcus wouldn't appear at all in ''Gears 4'' and would largely be forgotten about...until a recent gameplay trailer showed JD and his squad taking cover in a building from a nearby windflare. The camera looks at a mysterious shadowy figure inside, who is revealed to be Marcus himself. And another later video showed that he will join the player's squad for a brief time at least. Just the one line spoken by him to his son in that BadassBaritone voice lets you know that the legendary war hero isn't hanging up his uniform quite yet.
to:
* HesBack: With ''Gears 3'' being billed as the last game to feature Delta Squad, quite a large number of fans were worried that Marcus wouldn't appear at all in ''Gears 4'' and would largely be forgotten about...until a recent gameplay trailer showed JD and his squad taking cover in a building from a nearby windflare. The camera looks at a mysterious shadowy figure inside, who is revealed to be Marcus himself. Granted, since he is 62 in this game, [[http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/Marcus-Fenix-Gears-of-War-4-E3-2016-teaser.jpg.optimal.jpg he looks a bit different now.]] And another later video showed that he will join the player's squad for a brief time at least. Just the one line spoken by him to his son in that BadassBaritone voice lets you know that the legendary war hero isn't hanging up his uniform quite yet.
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* HesBack: With ''Gears 3'' being billed as the last game to feature Delta Squad, quite a large number of fans were worried that Marcus wouldn't appear at all in ''Gears 4'' and would largely be forgotten about...until a recent gameplay trailer showed JD and his squad taking cover in a building from a nearby windflare. The camera looks at a mysterious shadowy figure inside, who is revealed to be Marcus himself. And another later video showed that he will join the player's squad for a brief time at least. Just the one line spoken by him to his son in that BadassBaritone voice lets you know that the legendary war hero isn't hanging up his uniform quite yet.
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
--> '''Marcus''': "''Welcome home, James''."
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* MilitaryMaverick: Enlisted as a private instead of following his father's wishes and going to OCS school. His career after that was marked with unorthodox tactics and twisting orders around to achieve better results.
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* MilitaryMaverick: Enlisted as a private instead of following his father's wishes and going to OCS school.OCS. His career after that was marked with unorthodox tactics and twisting orders around to achieve better results.
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* TheAtoner: For his actions during the Battle of Ephyra, in which he disobeyed orders to reinforce a bridge, instead lying to his squad and a King Raven crew to fly him to his father’s house in an attempt to save him, accidently taking a vital part of a Hammer of Dawn targeting laser with him. End result: his father is assumed dead, the bridge falls when Hoffman fails to reach it in time with the incomplete targeting laser, resulting in hundreds of dead Gears and the Locust entering the rest of Ephyra.
to:
* TheAtoner: For his actions during the Battle of Ephyra, in which he disobeyed orders to reinforce a bridge, instead lying to his squad and a King Raven crew to fly him to his father’s house in an attempt to save him, accidently accidentally taking a vital part of a Hammer of Dawn targeting laser with him. End result: his father is assumed dead, the bridge falls when Hoffman fails to reach it in time with the incomplete targeting laser, resulting in hundreds of dead Gears and the Locust entering the rest of Ephyra.
** BadassBeard: Grows one by the time of the fourth game.
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* GutturalGrowler
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* GutturalGrowlerGutturalGrowler: Apparently a purposeful choice on his part. In the novels he has been known to switch to his natural posh voice when dealing with people of high social status.
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* TranquilFury: [[spoiler: Falls headlong into this as he kills the Locust Queen, his voice unwavering and his facial expression calm but full of ''hate'' as he plunges a knife into her chest.]]
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* TranquilFury: [[spoiler: Falls headlong into this as he kills the Locust Queen, his voice unwavering and his facial expression calm but full of ''hate'' as he plunges a knife [[TragicKeepsake Dom's knife]] into her chest.]]
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* BerserkButton: Don't say anything bad about his dad if you aren't friends with him and don't insult his fallen comrades. Failing to perform an Active Reload across all game modes will also happen: while most of the time he merely expresses annoyance and frustration when it happens, sometimes he'll elicit a very vehement " GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!". It's practically the only time he ever broadcasts his emotions that much other than [[spoiler: Dom's death scene and the event with Griffin]]. Brought UpToEleven in ''Gears of War 3'' [[spoiler: after Dom's HeroicSacrifice and used as a ShutUpHannibal to Aaron Griffin]].
to:
* BerserkButton: Don't say anything bad about his dad if you aren't friends with him and don't insult his fallen comrades. Failing to perform an Active Reload across all game modes will also happen: while most of the time he merely expresses annoyance and frustration when it happens, sometimes he'll elicit a very vehement " GOD "GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!". BITCH!" It's practically the only time he ever broadcasts his emotions that much other than [[spoiler: Dom's death scene and the event with Griffin]]. Brought UpToEleven in ''Gears of War 3'' [[spoiler: after Dom's HeroicSacrifice and used as a ShutUpHannibal to Aaron Griffin]].
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* VocalDissonance: He's much bulkier and older than his brothers, yet still has the same mildly high-pitched tone of voice as Anthony and Benjamin.
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* AudienceParticipation: While ''Gears 3'' was in development, fans could vote on whether or not he met the same fate as his brothers by downloading either a "Carmine Lives" or a "Carmine Must Die" T-shit for their Xbox Avatar. [[spoiler:He lives.]]
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* AudienceParticipation: While ''Gears 3'' was in development, fans could vote on whether or not he met the same fate as his brothers by downloading either a "Carmine Lives" "Save Carmine" or a "Carmine Must Die" T-shit for their Xbox Avatar. [[spoiler:He lives.]]
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* TragicKeepsake: In a rare ''comedic'' example of this trope, Clay honours the memory of the two fallen Carmine brothers with a tattoo on his arm... [[TheFaceless of their helmets]].
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* KnewItAllAlong: [[spoiler:He is the ''only'' one who knew about the Locust's existence before Emergence Day. E-Day won't happen if he can research how to cure Imulsion's Disease, except Admiral Prescott kidnapped him first and sent him to Azura, which caused him to have too little time.]]
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[[/folder]]
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[[/folder]]
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* AudienceParticipation: While ''Gears 3'' was in development, fans could vote on whether or not he met the same fate as his brothers by downloading either a "Carmine Lives" or a "Carmine Must Die" T-shit for their Xbox Avatar. [[spoiler:He lives.]]
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*TranquilFury: [[spoiler: Falls headlong into this as he kills the Locust Queen, his voice unwavering and his facial expression calm but full of ''hate'' as he plunges a knife into her chest.]]
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* NonP.O.V.Protagonist: In the books, big time, until ''The Slab'' (fifth book in the series). The books switch P.O.V. frequently throughout, being told in either first person or limited third person, and allowing readers to see the point of view and thoughts of almost every important character throughout the series...except for Marcus. This most likely serves to highlight his nature of keeping his emotions and past traumas completely hidden, even from the audience.
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* NonP.O.V.Protagonist: NonPOVProtagonist: In the books, big time, until ''The Slab'' (fifth book in the series). The books switch P.O.V. frequently throughout, being told in either first person or limited third person, and allowing readers to see the point of view and thoughts of almost every important character throughout the series...except for Marcus. This most likely serves to highlight his nature of keeping his emotions and past traumas completely hidden, even from the audience.
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* NonP.O.V.Protagonist: In the books, big time, until ''The Slab'' (fifth book in the series). The books switch P.O.V. frequently throughout, being told in either first person or limited third person, and allowing readers to see the point of view and thoughts of almost every important character throughout the series...except for Marcus. This most likely serves to highlight his nature of keeping his emotions and past traumas completely hidden, even from the audience.
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* TogetherInDeath: [[spoiler: Eventually, with his wife and kids]]
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-->'''Dom:''' "I swear I'll never stick my nose into your private life again, but shit or get off the pot, okay? I saw your face when you thought she was dead. And I know what too late feels like."
to:
-->'''Dom:''' "I I swear I'll never stick my nose into your private life again, but shit or get off the pot, okay? I saw your face when you thought she was dead. And I know what too late feels like."
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* PreciousPhoto: Some of the only personal items he owns are a set of photographs of his loved ones. He rarely shows them to anyone outside of Delta, until a civilian on Vectes object to the Jacinto remnant coming to the island. Also one of the few times Dom ever loses his temper.
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* PreciousPhoto: Some of the only personal items he owns are a set of photographs of his loved ones. He ones, which he rarely shows them to anyone outside of Delta, until Delta. When a civilian on Vectes object objects to the Jacinto remnant coming to the island.island, Dom brings them out. Also one of the few times Dom ever loses his temper.
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* PreciousPhoto: Some of the only personal items he owns are a set of photographs of his loved ones. He rarely shows them to anyone outside of Delta, until a civilian on Vectes object to the Jacinto remnant coming to the island. Also one of the few times Dom ever loses his temper.
-->'''Dom:''' See this? This is my wife. She's dead. And these are my two kids. They're dead, too. And these are my folks, and her folks. The're ''all dead''. You think they all died so you could slam the fucking door in our faces and tell me you don't have room for the few who ''didn't''? I'm telling you - ''you have room''.
-->'''Dom:''' See this? This is my wife. She's dead. And these are my two kids. They're dead, too. And these are my folks, and her folks. The're ''all dead''. You think they all died so you could slam the fucking door in our faces and tell me you don't have room for the few who ''didn't''? I'm telling you - ''you have room''.
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-->'''Dom:''' '''*cocks Lancer*''' I wanna kill 'em all.
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-->'''Dom:''' '''*cocks Lancer*''' ''*cocks Lancer*'' I wanna kill 'em all.
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-->'''Marcus:''' Listen, I think I found a back way in. But if you wanna kick the front door down, I'm there.
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-->'''Marcus:''' Listen, I think I found a back way in. to sneak into Nexus. But if you wanna kick the front door down, I'm there.go in guns blazing, I don't blame you.
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* YouNeedToGetLaid: After Marcus has been in prison for several years, another Gear cops a feel and tells her that if she waits for him, "that damn thing's gonna heal over before you get laid again." She punches him.
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* ShipperOnDeck: For Marcus and Anya. It heads to a point of semi-{{Deconstruction}} in the ExpandedUniverse where Dom becomes increasingly frustrated (if not outright pissed) that Marcus CannotSpitItOut.
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* ShipperOnDeck: For Marcus and Anya. It heads to a point of semi-{{Deconstruction}} in the ExpandedUniverse where Dom becomes increasingly frustrated (if not outright pissed) that Marcus CannotSpitItOut. He finally hammers the point home to Marcus in ''Jacinto's Remnant''.
-->'''Dom:''' "I swear I'll never stick my nose into your private life again, but shit or get off the pot, okay? I saw your face when you thought she was dead. And I know what too late feels like."
-->'''Dom:''' "I swear I'll never stick my nose into your private life again, but shit or get off the pot, okay? I saw your face when you thought she was dead. And I know what too late feels like."
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* NotStayingForBreakfast: During their time together before he was imprisoned, Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment/quarters. She thought he was doing it because he didn't want to get caught, and was very hurt by it. Dom later tells her it’s because Marcus has terrible nightmares and was afraid of injuring her in his sleep.
to:
* NotStayingForBreakfast: During their time together before he was imprisoned, Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment/quarters.apartment or quarters. She thought he was doing it because he didn't want to get caught, and was very hurt by it. Dom later tells her it’s because Marcus has terrible nightmares and was afraid of injuring her in his sleep. By the events of ''Jacinto's Remnant'', he's ''still'' doing it, and she's getting a little annoyed by it.
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* GoodScarsEvilScars: His facial scars actually fall more on the evil side of the spectrum, even though he's a good guy. Of course, he ''did'' get them in prison. Evil scars are probably the only kind they give out there.
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* NiceHat: He's always wearing that do-rag in the games. It's lumped in with the symbolism of him [[spoiler: taking off his armor at the end of the third game, as he takes the do-rag off as well]]. The novels state that he wears it because regulations say if you wear ''anything'' it has to be either a helmet, cap or a do-rag.
to:
* NiceHat: NiceHat[=/=]NeverBareheaded: He's always wearing that do-rag in the games. It's lumped in with the symbolism of him [[spoiler: taking off his armor at the end of the third game, as he takes the do-rag off as well]]. The novels state that he wears it because he doesn't like his military-issue crew cut, and regulations say if you wear ''anything'' it has to be either a helmet, cap or a do-rag.
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* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Dogs?]]: Is somewhat scared and nervous around dogs after some unsettling experiences with them in The Slab.
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* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Dogs?]]: Is somewhat scared and nervous around dogs after some unsettling experiences with getting mauled by them in The Slab.Slab, which is how he got his scars.
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* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: In order to save the rest of the team, Dom takes control of an old junker and rams it into a gas pump to destroy the massive waves of Locust '''AND''' Lambent that were about to overwhelm them]]. [[spoiler: [[TheStoic Marcus']] reaction when he sees Dom drive off and the aftermath accompanied by a DarkReprise of "[[TearsForFears Mad World]]" is part of what makes this the most [[TearJerker heartrending scene in the series]]]].
to:
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: In order to save the rest of the team, Dom takes control of an old junker and rams it into a gas pump to destroy the massive waves of Locust '''AND''' Lambent that were about to overwhelm them]]. [[spoiler: [[TheStoic Marcus']] reaction when he sees Dom drive off and the aftermath accompanied by a DarkReprise of "[[TearsForFears "[[Music/TearsForFears Mad World]]" is part of what makes this the most [[TearJerker heartrending scene in the series]]]].
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* PrinciplesOverPromotion: Dom was the only person who stood up for Marcus at his court-martial. He did it knowing that it would cost him any chance for advancement in the future.
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* PrinciplesOverPromotion: [[TheLastDJ Principles Over Promotion]]: Dom was the only person who stood up for Marcus at his court-martial. He did it knowing that it would cost him any chance for advancement in the future.
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* WeaponOfChoice: He comes equipped with a Torque Bow in both ''3'' and ''Aftermath''.
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* GoodIsNotNice
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* PragmaticHero
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* TooDumbToLive: His ignorance of the Golden Rule Of the Gears got him killed ''[[EpicFail 10 minutes in his service]]''.
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* PragmaticHero
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* ArmorIsUseless: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Unlike Anthony, his helmet stops the bullet that's fired at his head.
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That is not what the trope entails
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* [[spoiler: BreakTheBadass: By the end of the trilogy, Marcus finally cracks, taking off his armor and sitting completely and utterly defeated emotionally on Azura's beach. He's spent his entire adult life at war and he's lost everyone he's ever cared about except Anya.]]
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!Index
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarCoalitionOfOrderedGovernments Coalition of Ordered Governments]]
** [[Characters/GearsOfWarCoalitionOfOrderedGovernmentsDeltaSquad Delta Squad]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarLocust Locust]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarGorasni Gorasni]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarStranded Stranded]]
[[foldercontrol]]
!Fenix Family
[[folder:Sergeant Marcus Michael Fenix]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MarcusFenixGoW_3030.png]]
!!!Voiced by JohnDimaggio
->''"I got to admit, It's tough to keep going. Everyone I loved is dead. Some call them the lucky ones.. the ones that died on E-day, they never lived to see how much we've lost and how many principles we've compromised. But whenever I doubt what we're fighting for I just look to my squad. I mean maybe it's a good thing we lost everything. It's like a clean slate. We can make the world we always wanted to. Without repeating the same mistakes. I look at guys like Jace and Dom and realize we'll inherit this world. We're the ones who will make Sera beautiful again. That's a world worth fighting for."''
Marcus is a quiet, stoic guy, who prefers to do his talking with his gun, and is best friends with Dominic "Dom" Santiago. His best friend had been Dom's older brother Carlos Santiago, who was killed at the Battle of Aspho Fields in the Pendulum Wars. Regarded as the defining hero of the Pendulum Wars, he fought on the frontlines of the Human-Locust War until he abandoned his post in an attempt to save his father Adam Fenix from death, taking with him the targeting locator for the [[KillSat Hammer of Dawn]], and costing the COG its capital city of Ephyra. He failed, and was sentenced to prison for his dereliction of duty, being spared only by the fact he was a former war hero. Four years later, Dom breaks him out of prison, and Marcus rejoins the army, being pardoned due to the need for soldiers, as the Locust are inching closer and closer to putting humanity into extinction.
----
* TheAtoner: For his actions during the Battle of Ephyra, in which he disobeyed orders to reinforce a bridge, instead lying to his squad and a King Raven crew to fly him to his father’s house in an attempt to save him, accidently taking a vital part of a Hammer of Dawn targeting laser with him. End result: his father is assumed dead, the bridge falls when Hoffman fails to reach it in time with the incomplete targeting laser, resulting in hundreds of dead Gears and the Locust entering the rest of Ephyra.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassBookworm
** BadassesWearBandanas
* BashBrothers: Originally with Carlos, and then with Dom.
* BattleCouple: With Anya.
* BerserkButton: Don't say anything bad about his dad if you aren't friends with him and don't insult his fallen comrades. Failing to perform an Active Reload across all game modes will also happen: while most of the time he merely expresses annoyance and frustration when it happens, sometimes he'll elicit a very vehement " GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!". It's practically the only time he ever broadcasts his emotions that much other than [[spoiler: Dom's death scene and the event with Griffin]]. Brought UpToEleven in ''Gears of War 3'' [[spoiler: after Dom's HeroicSacrifice and used as a ShutUpHannibal to Aaron Griffin]].
--> "[[spoiler: I JUST LOST MY FUCKING BROTHER! YOU HEAR THAT?! '''MY BROTHER'''!!! YOU, YOUR TOWER AND ALL THIS FUCKING IMULSION '''CAN GO TO HELL'''!!!]]"
* BewareTheQuietOnes
* BlueBlood: Not that he cares, but during the Pendulum Wars he sometimes used his status to find out more information for his squad.
* [[spoiler: BreakTheBadass: By the end of the trilogy, Marcus finally cracks, taking off his armor and sitting completely and utterly defeated emotionally on Azura's beach. He's spent his entire adult life at war and he's lost everyone he's ever cared about except Anya.]]
* CannotSpitItOut: His affections for Anya; the fact that they were together since the Pendulum Wars and EveryoneCanSeeIt doesn't help. Thankfully, she realizes this and tells him she feels the same way. After he gets out of prison, they resume their quiet relationship.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: His main flaw is that he feels he has a duty to save everyone, despite reality repeatedly hitting him over the head with the fact that is impossible. [[LikeFatherLikeSon He got this from his father]], which is one of the few things they have in common.
* {{Covered With|Scars}} GoodScarsEvilScars: One across his lip since the Pendulum Wars, and many more gained from his time in prison. The damage to his face is from a dog being set upon him by one of the prison wardens whose son died on the frontline and hated Marcus for his actions during the Battle of Ephyra.
* CulturedWarrior: Is from a rich, aristocratic family and will sometimes speak in what's classified as a "posh" accent to others from that social stratum if he thinks it will get results.
* DeadpanSnarker: Not as often as Baird, but he usually can't pass up the opportunity to snark, especially at Victor Hoffman. Hoffman notes at one point that Marcus manages to make "sir" sound like "asshole" when acknowledging an order.
* DeathGlare: Which many others remark is made worse by his pale blue eyes.
* DeathSeeker: When he was first put in prison, he hoped to die quickly so his friends would forget about him and continue on with their lives, since he assumed he would never get out. After Prescott visited and suggested he might one day be a Gear again, he got his spirit back and began working to find a way to escape and rejoin the fight.
* {{Determinator}}: Nothing can make him give up, and each loss he suffers just makes him more determined to win.
* DisappearedDad: Adam was there, but was extremely emotionally distant.
* DoAnythingSoldier
* FamedInStory: Was one of the last heroes to come out of the Pendulum Wars before E-Day.
* FlashbackNightmare: How ''Gears of War 3'' begins; ExpandedUniverse reveals Marcus has been having the same nightmare for years.
* GeniusBruiser: Shows this much more in the books rather than the games.
* GutturalGrowler
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
* TheHero: Just don't tell him that: he hates being called a hero.
* HopeBringer: To the point where Hoffman makes a point of having Marcus walk with him near the frontlines before a battle in order to boost morale. Said battle was the one for [[MyGreatestFailure Ephyra]].
* HurtingHero: By the start of ''Gears of War 1'', he's lost his mom, his mentors Helena Stroud and Daniel Kennen, best friend Carlos, Dom's kids, Maria disappeared, numerous other friends have died, and then his dad (supposedly) died and Marcus is sent to prison for treason, and the only friend he made in jail [[NeverFoundTheBody possibly dies]] hours before they get rescued. Things continue to go downhill from there.
* IcyBlueEyes: ExpandedUniverse states it's a Fenix family trait.
* InkSuitActor: Somewhat to John Dimaggio, though not as pronounced as Augustus Cole's example below.
* LargeHam: Though not as large as Cole's. Still, Marcus does have his moments.
* LanternJawOfJustice: It's practically a third of his face (excluding the rest of his head).
* LonelyRichKid: Before he met Carlos and Dom.
* MadeOfIron
* MilitaryBrat: His father was deployed to active duty for most of his early childhood.
* MilitaryMaverick: Enlisted as a private instead of following his father's wishes and going to OCS school. His career after that was marked with unorthodox tactics and twisting orders around to achieve better results.
* MissingMom: His mother vanished in The Hollow while doing her research. [[spoiler: It's later revealed that she had discovered the Locust and was killed after making contact with them.]]
* NiceHat: He's always wearing that do-rag in the games. It's lumped in with the symbolism of him [[spoiler: taking off his armor at the end of the third game, as he takes the do-rag off as well]]. The novels state that he wears it because regulations say if you wear ''anything'' it has to be either a helmet, cap or a do-rag.
* NonIdleRich: He refuses to be a normal COG aristocrat and joins the army as a regular soldier.
* NoOneGetsLeftBehind
* NotStayingForBreakfast: Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment; not because he was worried about being found out, but because he has terrible nightmares and was afraid of hurting her in his sleep.
* ParentalNeglect: While Adam and Elain were around for most of his early childhood, they tended to be too busy working to pay much attention to Marcus.
* PerpetualFrowner: Marcus NEVER smiles; to emphasize, WordOfGod says he doesn't smile when it's his birthday... even when there's cake.
* TheQuietOne: He rarely says more than he needs to and barely ever raises his voice unless really frustrated or angry.
* RedOniBlueOni: The blue to Dom's red.
* SergeantRock: Briefly when Benjamin Carmine is part of Delta Squad.
* SexForSolace: How Marcus and Anya's relationship started, when he escorted her home after the Aspho Fields award ceremony. They were already attracted to each other, but a combination of grief and alcohol [[GladToBeAliveSex finally broke down their mutual hesitancy]].
* SingleTargetSexuality: With Anya, to the point where Dom later tells Anya that Marcus never so much as noticed another woman after they got together.
* TheStoic: Crossed with NotSoStoic at key points.
* UndyingLoyalty: Marcus hammers it to the point where he would put family and friends above all else.
* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Dogs?]]: Is somewhat scared and nervous around dogs after some unsettling experiences with them in The Slab.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Professor Adam Jonathon Fenix]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AdamFenixGoW_5859.png]]
!!!Voiced by Charles Cioffi (Gears of War 2) and Peter Renaday (Gears of War 3)
->''"I rarely see Marcus most days. I just don't know who he is and it's all my fault. I lied to him about what happened to Elaine and the longer I lie, the harder it is to come clean. Kids know when you're lying. Then their trust withers and dies."''
Adam is a retired Gear Major turned scientist and the father of Marcus Fenix. Following his retirment, Adam developed weapons for the COG, including finishing the Hammer of Dawn, as the director of the Defense Research Agency. Considered the greatest military scientist on Sera, during the Locust War, he disappeared in the Battle of Ephyra when his son failed to extract him and was assumed killed-in-action. Mysterious recordings of his voice were found in the Locust capital Nexus and a strange radio transmission was heard from him after the Hollow was flooded. [[spoiler:He is alive and well on the hidden island of Azura, where Prescott sent him off to after kidnapping him once he learned that Adam knew everything about the Locust and Lambent before Emergence Day even happened.]]
----
* TheAtoner: For several reasons: he was the driving force of the Hammer of Dawn, and not telling anyone about [[spoiler:the Locust or Lambent before Emergence Day. Of course, he still ends up committing genocide in his attempts to atone, but he makes it very clear there was just wasn't enough time...]]
* BadassBookworm
** BadassGrandpa
* BlueBlood
* BreakTheHaughty: He's less arrogant than most of the COG elite, but it is still pretty obvious how much pride he put in the Fenix name and his skills as a scientist. When everything starts going wrong for him, it breaks him really hard.
* BrokenAce: Type II.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Like Marcus, he feels he has an obligation to save everyone, [[spoiler:which included the Locust]].
* CulturedBadass
* CulturedWarrior
* FatalFlaw: {{Pride}} in his genius and his desire to save everyone.
* GadgeteerGenius
* GeniusBruiser: Redesigned the Lancer assault rifle after E-Day and quite handy with its predecessor during the Pendulum Wars.
* IcyBlueEyes: Like Marcus, he has an icy and piercing gaze. However, Adam's noticeably freaked out by their intensity, and once decided to sell all of his ancestors' portraits hanging in his home because he felt their cold blue stares were judging him.
* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: Two of these for ''Gears of War 3''; purchasing either one allows the player to unlock his skin for multiplayer.
* MajorlyAwesome: Attained the rank of Major before retiring to work on weapons systems.
* MotherNatureFatherScience: Elain was a biologist while Adam was a weapons designer.
* MyGreatestFailure: Two of them: failing to be close to Marcus and be a better father than his was, and not finding a way to make peace with the Locust and avoid E-Day.
* NonIdleRich: Probably could have had his choice of science appointments, but went to OCS and became an officer. Even though he never inspired the type of loyalty that, say, Helena Stroud did, his men thought highly of him because he was such a good strategist that they almost never took casualties.
* OfficerAndAGentleman
* OverprotectiveDad
* ParentalNeglect: He was raised this way by his parents and tried not to act like this toward Marcus. Unfortunately, even though he tried, he really had no idea how to be a loving, demonstrative father. Before long, his and Marcus' relationship was turning out ''exactly'' like Adam's relationship with his father.
* TheProfessor
* ProfessorGuineaPig: [[spoiler: In an attempt to see how the Imulsion infection spreads, Adam injected himself with it to determine its effects and build his superweapon accordingly]].
* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath]]
* TheReveal: ''Loads'' in ''Gears of War 3'': [[spoiler: Adam was never killed when Marcus failed to extract him at the Battle of Ephyra: Prescott had him kidnapped and sent to Azura. And he was fully ''aware'' of the inevitable Emergence Day, due to Queen Myrrah personally asking for his assistance to solve the Lambent problem plaguing the Locust. Unfortunately, Adam didn't have enough time to find a solution to wipe out the Lambent, while preserving the Locust. Left with no choice, Myrrah had the Locust invade the surface, kickstarting the war]].
* ScienceHero: Is the inventor behind the Hammer of Dawn and the modern-day Lancer (although Tai is credited for demonstrating why a chainsaw fares far better than a bayonet). [[spoiler:Also creates a device that kills the Lambent and Locust.]]
* SoleSurvivingScientist: [[spoiler: The Locust get to Azura before Delta. They manage to kill everyone on the island except Adam, and they're literally at his door before being stopped.]]
* SpecsOfAwesome
* TheStoic: Although he's NotSoStoic when it comes to caring about Marcus.
* TheStrategist: During the Pendulum Wars.
* TooCleverByHalf: He thinks that it is his sole responsibility to save Sera due to his genius. [[spoiler:This leads to him not telling anyone that he knew about the Locust before Emergence Day until 10 years after they invaded, as he had finally realized how severely he had screwed up and gathered the courage to admit that he needed help to stop them and the Lambent.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Elain Fenix]]
Marcus' mother, Elain was a developmental biologist, and an expert in morphology. She disappeared when Marcus was five, [[spoiler:having gone into the Hollow and discovering the Locust, who killed her.]]
----
* BlueBlood
* HotScientist
* MotherNatureFatherScience: She was a biologist while Adam was a weapons designer.
* PosthumousCharacter: Aside from a few flashback sections in the books, she is long dead in most entries in the Gears universe.
[[/folder]]
!Santiago Family
[[folder:Corporal Dominic "Dom" Santiago]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DomSantiagoGoW_4853.png]]
!!!Voiced by Carlos Ferro
->''"Look, Marcus is busy saving the world again, so I gotta be there for him."''
Dom is Marcus' best friend. He was trained as a commando in Hoffman's unit before transferring to the infantry. He lost his brother Carlos during the Pendulum Wars, his parents and two children on Emergence Day, and his wife Maria disappeared several years later after falling into severe depression from losing her family. When Marcus got sent to jail for abandoning his post to save his father, Dom was one of the few peopled who defended him. As the war with the Locust Horde continues, Dom still remains somewhat cheerful and caring throughout the conflict, eventually breaking Marcus out of jail to assist in a major push against the Locust. At the same time, he continues to search for Maria whenever possible. [[spoiler: When he found her lobotomized beyond recognition in the Locust Hollow, Dom was forced to [[MercyKill euthanise her]]]].
----
* {{Badass}}: Although events conspire to BreakTheBadass.
* BashBrothers: With Marcus.
* BeardOfSorrow: Grows one by the time ''Gears of War 3'' occurs.
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* [[spoiler: DeathSeeker: The repercussion of euthanizing Maria]]. Lampshaded in the first ''Gears of War 3'' trailer "Ashes to Ashes". [[spoiler: Finally finds it via HeroicSacrifice]]: [[spoiler: Arguably the [[WHAMEpisode WHAM moment]] in ''Gears of War 3'']].
* CallToAgriculture: In ''Gears of War 3'', it's implied Dom has spent most of his time aboard the ''Sovereign'' growing plants. When called away to the CIC, he gets annoyed and just wants to hurry up so he can get back to them. The attacking Lambent end up ruining them in a battle, though they probably would've been anyway even if the Lambent were nowhere near them since the ship gets toppled.
* DeadGuyJunior: His son's name was Benedicto, which was his brother Carlos' middle name.
* DespairEventHorizon: After having [[spoiler: to kill Maria]], Dom dedicates himself to cultivating a fruit and vegetable garden on the ''Sovereign'' just so he can sort of distract himself. He'll still fight the Locust, but the burning hatred he showed for them in ''Gears of War 2'' is almost buried under his depression... until they [[BerserkButton ruined his tomatoes]].
* {{Determinator}}: Never gave up hope searching for his wife. Occasionally frustrated, but it didn't hold.
* {{Deuteragonist}}
* DreamSequence: Gets one after being knocked out by the helicopter crash in ''Gears 2'', of Maria trying to rouse a presumably on-leave Dom from a nap. Crosses over to FridgeBrilliance with the insinuation from the novel that this may have taken place right before their kids were killed.
* HappilyMarried: For the brief time he and Maria were together before their kids died.
* HeroicBSOD
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: In order to save the rest of the team, Dom takes control of an old junker and rams it into a gas pump to destroy the massive waves of Locust '''AND''' Lambent that were about to overwhelm them]]. [[spoiler: [[TheStoic Marcus']] reaction when he sees Dom drive off and the aftermath accompanied by a DarkReprise of "[[TearsForFears Mad World]]" is part of what makes this the most [[TearJerker heartrending scene in the series]]]].
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Marcus.
* HurtingHero
* InkSuitActor: Somewhat: Dom doesn't look like exactly like Carlos Ferro, but by the time ''Gears of War 3'' was in production, Dom was growing a BeardOfSorrow; Ferro was growing one himself and looked just like Dom.
* [[spoiler: KillTheOnesYouLove]]: [[spoiler: Dom euthanizes Maria after finding her cationic, scarred and malnourished in the Hollows]].
* TheLancer
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Anya. They kept each other sane while he was looking for Maria and she searched for a way to free Marcus from The Slab.
* MilitaryBrat: Dom's dad and aunt were both retired Gear's.
* NiceGuy: He always puts others ahead of himself and is one of the few Gears to treat the Stranded with anything other than disdain.
* PrinciplesOverPromotion: Dom was the only person who stood up for Marcus at his court-martial. He did it knowing that it would cost him any chance for advancement in the future.
* RedOniBlueOni: The red to Marcus' blue.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: After [[spoiler: having to kill Maria]].
-->'''Marcus:''' Listen, I think I found a back way in. But if you wanna kick the front door down, I'm there.
-->'''Dom:''' '''*cocks Lancer*''' I wanna kill 'em all.
* ShellShockedVeteran
* ShipperOnDeck: For Marcus and Anya. It heads to a point of semi-{{Deconstruction}} in the ExpandedUniverse where Dom becomes increasingly frustrated (if not outright pissed) that Marcus CannotSpitItOut.
* SiblingYinYang: He's more thoughtful, cautious, and mature than his brother Carlos, who would often react without thinking and is less introspective.
* SingleTargetSexuality: He never had eyes for anyone but Maria.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Marcus and Hoffman: to the former because he is his best friend, and to the latter since he was Dom's CO in the commando's during the Pendulum Wars.
* TheWatson: WordOfGod has this as Dom's role in ''Gears of War 1'', to give the audience a voice without bringing players out of the experience as Marcus.
* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Water?]]: He really doesn't like operating at sea. Understandable, since more than half of his commando squad was killed during a sea extraction during the Battle of Aspho Fields.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Maria Santiago]]
!!!'''Voiced by''': Courtney Ford
Maria was Dom's wife, who went missing four years after Emergence Day due to her depression over her children’s death. Dom spent the next ten years looking for her, [[spoiler: eventually finding her as a lobotomized Locust prisoner in the Hollow, and was forced to put her out of her misery]].
----
* BreakTheCutie: First when her kids, parents and in-laws are killed by the Locust. [[spoiler: Then 10 years later when she's kidnapped and tortured.]]
* [[spoiler: EmptyShell]]
* HeroicBSOD: Suffered one of these when her kids and parents were killed. She never really recovered and eventually left her home looking for the kids, who she was convinced were still alive.
* [[spoiler: MercyKill]]
* TeenPregnancy: She and Dom had their first kid at 16.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Carlos Santiago]]
Carlos was Dom's older brother and Marcus' best friend. He was the first to join the COG army during the Pendulum Wars. He was extremely reckless, [[spoiler: and ended up paying for that at the Battle of Aspho Fields]].
----
* {{Badass}}
* BashBrothers: With Marcus.
* BigBrotherInstinct: For Dom and Marcus, even though he knows both are capable of taking care of themselves.
* DeadpanSnarker
* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]]
* LeeroyJenkins
* [[spoiler: LudicrousGibs]]
* [[spoiler: MercyKill: Carlos begged Marcus to do this for him after he's mortally wounded. Subverted since he managed to detonate a grenade to kill himself, stopping Marcus from risking his life to save him and [[HeroicSacrifice destroying a bridge that enemy reinforcements were crossing]].]]
* MilitaryBrat
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Marcus joined the COG army after him but was promoted faster and was the one Anya was attracted to the most. In a twist, Carlos felt this was alright, since he was happy seeing Marcus, who's the PerpetualFrowner, be happy for once.
* SiblingYinYang: Carlos often reacts without thinking and not very introspective, while Dom is more thoughtful, cautious, and mature.
[[/folder]]
!Stroud Family
[[folder:Lieutenant Anya Stroud]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AnyaStroudGoW_679.png]]
!!!Voiced by Nan [=McNamara=]
->''"Oh, I'm fine. That's the scary thing. I want to do it again. I'm not finished. And all this hilarity- I hear it all the time in Control. But now I've done it myself. Tell me it's normal. Tell me I've not got some terrible thing in me waiting to get out and kill and joke about it."''
A controller in the CIC, Anya Stroud provides guidance and direction in the first two games, before transferring to the frontlines in the ExpandedUniverse and the third game. She and Marcus have been in love since hooking up shortly after the battle of Aspho Field, and they finally begin an open relationship on the island of Vectes after Jacinto sinks.
----
* ActionGirl
* AdrenalineMakeover: Dom notes in ''Coalition's End'' that several months of wearing full battle gear has caused her to walk and act like a soldier, as well as getting a bit more muscular from its weight. She also cuts a lot of her long hair off towards the end of the book when an exploding Lambent Polyp singes the ends.
* {{Badass}}
* BattleCouple: With Marcus.
* BlueBlood
* TheChick: An ActionGirl version.
* CommunicationsOfficer: Was trained as this; she only became a frontline soldier after the events of ''Gears 2''.
* DisappearedDad: Anya doesn't know ''who'' her father is/was, and her mother refused to ever tell her. She's understandably a little bitter about this.
* IndifferentBeauty: She never once uses her stunning good looks to advance her position, and is more than a little put-off by guys staring at her all the time.
* InTheBlood: Anya's mother was Major Helena Stroud, a {{Badass}} LadyOfWar in the last days of the Pendulum Wars.
* InkSuitActor: Try visualizing Anya in her mid-40s; Nan [=McNamara=] looks eerily similar to her.
* LadyOfWar
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Dom. They kept each other sane while he was looking for Maria and she searched for a way to free Marcus from The Slab.
* MilitaryBrat
* MissionControl: Before moving to the frontlines.
* NotStayingForBreakfast: During their time together before he was imprisoned, Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment/quarters. She thought he was doing it because he didn't want to get caught, and was very hurt by it. Dom later tells her it’s because Marcus has terrible nightmares and was afraid of injuring her in his sleep.
* PluckyGirl
* SexForSolace: How Anya and Marcus' relationship started, when he escorted her home after the Aspho Fields award ceremony. They were already attracted to each other, but a combination of grief and alcohol [[GladToBeAliveSex finally broke down their mutual hesitancy]].
* SingleTargetSexuality: With Marcus, from the time they were teenagers.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Hoffman: even in situations where she's supposed to report to Chairman Prescott first, she makes sure Hoffman winds up with the information beforehand.
** For a time, she even considered the possibility he was her father, since he always treated her so well and was good friends with her mother. When she confessed this to him, Hoffman told her that nothing had ever happened between him and Helena, but that he considered Anya to be family since they had served together so long.
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection
* [[WellDoneSonGuy Well Done Daughter Girl]]: When her mother, Helena Stroud, was alive, Anya was absolutely terrified of disappointing her. Luckily, Helena managed to tell Anya how proud she was of her before she died.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Major Helena Stroud]]
Helena was the mother of Anya, and she was a Major in charge of the COG division that fought at Aspho Fields. She served under Adam Fenix on the Kashkur front of the Pendulum Wars seventeen years before Emergence Day.
----
* ActionGirl
* ActionMom
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority
* {{Badass}}
* BlueBlood
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]
* LadyOfWar: Pretty much the female equivalent to Hoffman; an officer that preferred to be on the frontline with her troops, who loved her for it.
* TheLancer: Served in this role to Adam Fenix before he retired and she got promoted.
* [[spoiler: LudicrousGibs]]
* MajorlyAwesome
* UndyingLoyalty: It is said that any Gear that served under Helena developed this to her.
[[/folder]]
!Carmine Family
[[folder:Private Anthony Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AnthonyCarmineGoW_7046.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Something's wrong with this thing! It keeps jamming!"''
The second youngest Carmine brother, he first appeared onboard the Raven that picked up Marcus after he was released from prison, and marveled over Marcus' being a legend among the COG. Apparently an already established member of Delta Squad, he gets very little development until he gets killed very early on in the first game.
----
* BoomHeadshot
* TheCameo: He appears as the third player in the dream sequence at the start of ''Gears of War 3''.
* TheFaceless
* TheDitz: Not exactly the brightest of the Carmine siblings.
* GenreBlind: He ignores the Golden Rule of the Gears: take cover and keep your head down.
* KilledMidSentence
* RedShirt
* SacrificialLamb
* WeHardlyKnewYe
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Benjamin Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BenjamineCarmineGoW_5566.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Sergeant Fenix? Are you Sergeant Fenix? Delta squad? I'm your new trainee!"''
The youngest of the Carmine brothers, he is a fresh recruit sent to Delta Squad to be trained by Marcus (allowing you the option for a JustifiedTutorial). He sticks around for a good portion of the game, gradually learning the ropes of being a soldier and being praised by Marcus for how quickly he picked it up.
----
* {{Badass}}
* TheCameo: Is the fourth player in the initial dream sequence of ''Gears of War 3''.
* [[spoiler:CruelAndUnusualDeath: Half his body is burned away by digestive acid produced by digestive parasites in the Riftworm]].
* TheFaceless
* [[spoiler:FinalSpeech: He asks Marcus to tell his brothers and mom that he loves them, and tried to say something else, but died before he could finish]].
* FriendlySniper
* HeroicSacrifice: Averted: he attempts one, [[spoiler: but ultimately does get one on the Raven]].
* MauveShirt
* NewMeat
* NiceGuy
* PyroManiac: While never shown in the campaign, Marcus and Dom stated he likes fire, and his multiplayer quotes when using the Scorcher flamethrower are suitably crazy.
* WeaponOfChoice: He is seen using the sniper rifle more often than not.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Clayton Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ClaytonCarmineGoW_4010.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Eat dirt and die, motherfucker!"''
The third Carmine brother, Clayton is the eldest brother to Anthony and Benjamin, and much more muscular and badass. First showing up in the third game, at that point he had been a long established member of Delta Squad and chatted with the others on very friendly terms.
----
* AlliterativeName
* BaconAddiction
* {{Badass}}
* BloodKnight: Clayton is far more vicious compared to his younger siblings, as shown when he strangles a locust drone to death with one hand. It's also pointed out with the writings on his chest plate, "GRUB KILLER" and "DESTROY LOCUST".
* CallBack: "Good thing I wear a helmet."
* DeadpanSnarker
* TheFaceless
* GatlingGood: Most promotional materials for ''Gears of War 3'' have him wielding a Mulcher minigun.
* HotBlooded: He becomes really fired up in combat. Of note is he also gets pissed off a couple times during the campaign and speaks his mind (though it was justified each time), something his brothers never did.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: He did not appreciate [[TearJerker losing Anthony and Benjamin]].
* RunningGag: Clayton's multiple brushes with death are some of the funniest moments in ''Gears of War 3''.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Bacon.
* TrainingFromHell: It's implied by the writing on his armor that he put himself through this [[RunningGag so he could reload properly]].
* [[spoiler: YouCantFightFate: Both of his brothers died at the beginning and middle of the first two games, respectively. Clayton arrives via BigDamnHeroes moment to aid Delta Squad in the final battle, but Myrrah has her Tempest take down his chopper]]...
** [[spoiler: NotQuiteDead: ...but he survives the crash and helps treat the other Gears on the Raven before joining the rest of Delta in celebration.]]
[[/folder]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarCoalitionOfOrderedGovernments Coalition of Ordered Governments]]
** [[Characters/GearsOfWarCoalitionOfOrderedGovernmentsDeltaSquad Delta Squad]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarLocust Locust]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarGorasni Gorasni]]
* [[Characters/GearsOfWarStranded Stranded]]
[[foldercontrol]]
!Fenix Family
[[folder:Sergeant Marcus Michael Fenix]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MarcusFenixGoW_3030.png]]
!!!Voiced by JohnDimaggio
->''"I got to admit, It's tough to keep going. Everyone I loved is dead. Some call them the lucky ones.. the ones that died on E-day, they never lived to see how much we've lost and how many principles we've compromised. But whenever I doubt what we're fighting for I just look to my squad. I mean maybe it's a good thing we lost everything. It's like a clean slate. We can make the world we always wanted to. Without repeating the same mistakes. I look at guys like Jace and Dom and realize we'll inherit this world. We're the ones who will make Sera beautiful again. That's a world worth fighting for."''
Marcus is a quiet, stoic guy, who prefers to do his talking with his gun, and is best friends with Dominic "Dom" Santiago. His best friend had been Dom's older brother Carlos Santiago, who was killed at the Battle of Aspho Fields in the Pendulum Wars. Regarded as the defining hero of the Pendulum Wars, he fought on the frontlines of the Human-Locust War until he abandoned his post in an attempt to save his father Adam Fenix from death, taking with him the targeting locator for the [[KillSat Hammer of Dawn]], and costing the COG its capital city of Ephyra. He failed, and was sentenced to prison for his dereliction of duty, being spared only by the fact he was a former war hero. Four years later, Dom breaks him out of prison, and Marcus rejoins the army, being pardoned due to the need for soldiers, as the Locust are inching closer and closer to putting humanity into extinction.
----
* TheAtoner: For his actions during the Battle of Ephyra, in which he disobeyed orders to reinforce a bridge, instead lying to his squad and a King Raven crew to fly him to his father’s house in an attempt to save him, accidently taking a vital part of a Hammer of Dawn targeting laser with him. End result: his father is assumed dead, the bridge falls when Hoffman fails to reach it in time with the incomplete targeting laser, resulting in hundreds of dead Gears and the Locust entering the rest of Ephyra.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassBookworm
** BadassesWearBandanas
* BashBrothers: Originally with Carlos, and then with Dom.
* BattleCouple: With Anya.
* BerserkButton: Don't say anything bad about his dad if you aren't friends with him and don't insult his fallen comrades. Failing to perform an Active Reload across all game modes will also happen: while most of the time he merely expresses annoyance and frustration when it happens, sometimes he'll elicit a very vehement " GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!". It's practically the only time he ever broadcasts his emotions that much other than [[spoiler: Dom's death scene and the event with Griffin]]. Brought UpToEleven in ''Gears of War 3'' [[spoiler: after Dom's HeroicSacrifice and used as a ShutUpHannibal to Aaron Griffin]].
--> "[[spoiler: I JUST LOST MY FUCKING BROTHER! YOU HEAR THAT?! '''MY BROTHER'''!!! YOU, YOUR TOWER AND ALL THIS FUCKING IMULSION '''CAN GO TO HELL'''!!!]]"
* BewareTheQuietOnes
* BlueBlood: Not that he cares, but during the Pendulum Wars he sometimes used his status to find out more information for his squad.
* [[spoiler: BreakTheBadass: By the end of the trilogy, Marcus finally cracks, taking off his armor and sitting completely and utterly defeated emotionally on Azura's beach. He's spent his entire adult life at war and he's lost everyone he's ever cared about except Anya.]]
* CannotSpitItOut: His affections for Anya; the fact that they were together since the Pendulum Wars and EveryoneCanSeeIt doesn't help. Thankfully, she realizes this and tells him she feels the same way. After he gets out of prison, they resume their quiet relationship.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: His main flaw is that he feels he has a duty to save everyone, despite reality repeatedly hitting him over the head with the fact that is impossible. [[LikeFatherLikeSon He got this from his father]], which is one of the few things they have in common.
* {{Covered With|Scars}} GoodScarsEvilScars: One across his lip since the Pendulum Wars, and many more gained from his time in prison. The damage to his face is from a dog being set upon him by one of the prison wardens whose son died on the frontline and hated Marcus for his actions during the Battle of Ephyra.
* CulturedWarrior: Is from a rich, aristocratic family and will sometimes speak in what's classified as a "posh" accent to others from that social stratum if he thinks it will get results.
* DeadpanSnarker: Not as often as Baird, but he usually can't pass up the opportunity to snark, especially at Victor Hoffman. Hoffman notes at one point that Marcus manages to make "sir" sound like "asshole" when acknowledging an order.
* DeathGlare: Which many others remark is made worse by his pale blue eyes.
* DeathSeeker: When he was first put in prison, he hoped to die quickly so his friends would forget about him and continue on with their lives, since he assumed he would never get out. After Prescott visited and suggested he might one day be a Gear again, he got his spirit back and began working to find a way to escape and rejoin the fight.
* {{Determinator}}: Nothing can make him give up, and each loss he suffers just makes him more determined to win.
* DisappearedDad: Adam was there, but was extremely emotionally distant.
* DoAnythingSoldier
* FamedInStory: Was one of the last heroes to come out of the Pendulum Wars before E-Day.
* FlashbackNightmare: How ''Gears of War 3'' begins; ExpandedUniverse reveals Marcus has been having the same nightmare for years.
* GeniusBruiser: Shows this much more in the books rather than the games.
* GutturalGrowler
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Dom, and Carlos before him.
* TheHero: Just don't tell him that: he hates being called a hero.
* HopeBringer: To the point where Hoffman makes a point of having Marcus walk with him near the frontlines before a battle in order to boost morale. Said battle was the one for [[MyGreatestFailure Ephyra]].
* HurtingHero: By the start of ''Gears of War 1'', he's lost his mom, his mentors Helena Stroud and Daniel Kennen, best friend Carlos, Dom's kids, Maria disappeared, numerous other friends have died, and then his dad (supposedly) died and Marcus is sent to prison for treason, and the only friend he made in jail [[NeverFoundTheBody possibly dies]] hours before they get rescued. Things continue to go downhill from there.
* IcyBlueEyes: ExpandedUniverse states it's a Fenix family trait.
* InkSuitActor: Somewhat to John Dimaggio, though not as pronounced as Augustus Cole's example below.
* LargeHam: Though not as large as Cole's. Still, Marcus does have his moments.
* LanternJawOfJustice: It's practically a third of his face (excluding the rest of his head).
* LonelyRichKid: Before he met Carlos and Dom.
* MadeOfIron
* MilitaryBrat: His father was deployed to active duty for most of his early childhood.
* MilitaryMaverick: Enlisted as a private instead of following his father's wishes and going to OCS school. His career after that was marked with unorthodox tactics and twisting orders around to achieve better results.
* MissingMom: His mother vanished in The Hollow while doing her research. [[spoiler: It's later revealed that she had discovered the Locust and was killed after making contact with them.]]
* NiceHat: He's always wearing that do-rag in the games. It's lumped in with the symbolism of him [[spoiler: taking off his armor at the end of the third game, as he takes the do-rag off as well]]. The novels state that he wears it because regulations say if you wear ''anything'' it has to be either a helmet, cap or a do-rag.
* NonIdleRich: He refuses to be a normal COG aristocrat and joins the army as a regular soldier.
* NoOneGetsLeftBehind
* NotStayingForBreakfast: Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment; not because he was worried about being found out, but because he has terrible nightmares and was afraid of hurting her in his sleep.
* ParentalNeglect: While Adam and Elain were around for most of his early childhood, they tended to be too busy working to pay much attention to Marcus.
* PerpetualFrowner: Marcus NEVER smiles; to emphasize, WordOfGod says he doesn't smile when it's his birthday... even when there's cake.
* TheQuietOne: He rarely says more than he needs to and barely ever raises his voice unless really frustrated or angry.
* RedOniBlueOni: The blue to Dom's red.
* SergeantRock: Briefly when Benjamin Carmine is part of Delta Squad.
* SexForSolace: How Marcus and Anya's relationship started, when he escorted her home after the Aspho Fields award ceremony. They were already attracted to each other, but a combination of grief and alcohol [[GladToBeAliveSex finally broke down their mutual hesitancy]].
* SingleTargetSexuality: With Anya, to the point where Dom later tells Anya that Marcus never so much as noticed another woman after they got together.
* TheStoic: Crossed with NotSoStoic at key points.
* UndyingLoyalty: Marcus hammers it to the point where he would put family and friends above all else.
* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Dogs?]]: Is somewhat scared and nervous around dogs after some unsettling experiences with them in The Slab.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Professor Adam Jonathon Fenix]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AdamFenixGoW_5859.png]]
!!!Voiced by Charles Cioffi (Gears of War 2) and Peter Renaday (Gears of War 3)
->''"I rarely see Marcus most days. I just don't know who he is and it's all my fault. I lied to him about what happened to Elaine and the longer I lie, the harder it is to come clean. Kids know when you're lying. Then their trust withers and dies."''
Adam is a retired Gear Major turned scientist and the father of Marcus Fenix. Following his retirment, Adam developed weapons for the COG, including finishing the Hammer of Dawn, as the director of the Defense Research Agency. Considered the greatest military scientist on Sera, during the Locust War, he disappeared in the Battle of Ephyra when his son failed to extract him and was assumed killed-in-action. Mysterious recordings of his voice were found in the Locust capital Nexus and a strange radio transmission was heard from him after the Hollow was flooded. [[spoiler:He is alive and well on the hidden island of Azura, where Prescott sent him off to after kidnapping him once he learned that Adam knew everything about the Locust and Lambent before Emergence Day even happened.]]
----
* TheAtoner: For several reasons: he was the driving force of the Hammer of Dawn, and not telling anyone about [[spoiler:the Locust or Lambent before Emergence Day. Of course, he still ends up committing genocide in his attempts to atone, but he makes it very clear there was just wasn't enough time...]]
* BadassBookworm
** BadassGrandpa
* BlueBlood
* BreakTheHaughty: He's less arrogant than most of the COG elite, but it is still pretty obvious how much pride he put in the Fenix name and his skills as a scientist. When everything starts going wrong for him, it breaks him really hard.
* BrokenAce: Type II.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Like Marcus, he feels he has an obligation to save everyone, [[spoiler:which included the Locust]].
* CulturedBadass
* CulturedWarrior
* FatalFlaw: {{Pride}} in his genius and his desire to save everyone.
* GadgeteerGenius
* GeniusBruiser: Redesigned the Lancer assault rifle after E-Day and quite handy with its predecessor during the Pendulum Wars.
* IcyBlueEyes: Like Marcus, he has an icy and piercing gaze. However, Adam's noticeably freaked out by their intensity, and once decided to sell all of his ancestors' portraits hanging in his home because he felt their cold blue stares were judging him.
* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: Two of these for ''Gears of War 3''; purchasing either one allows the player to unlock his skin for multiplayer.
* MajorlyAwesome: Attained the rank of Major before retiring to work on weapons systems.
* MotherNatureFatherScience: Elain was a biologist while Adam was a weapons designer.
* MyGreatestFailure: Two of them: failing to be close to Marcus and be a better father than his was, and not finding a way to make peace with the Locust and avoid E-Day.
* NonIdleRich: Probably could have had his choice of science appointments, but went to OCS and became an officer. Even though he never inspired the type of loyalty that, say, Helena Stroud did, his men thought highly of him because he was such a good strategist that they almost never took casualties.
* OfficerAndAGentleman
* OverprotectiveDad
* ParentalNeglect: He was raised this way by his parents and tried not to act like this toward Marcus. Unfortunately, even though he tried, he really had no idea how to be a loving, demonstrative father. Before long, his and Marcus' relationship was turning out ''exactly'' like Adam's relationship with his father.
* TheProfessor
* ProfessorGuineaPig: [[spoiler: In an attempt to see how the Imulsion infection spreads, Adam injected himself with it to determine its effects and build his superweapon accordingly]].
* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath]]
* TheReveal: ''Loads'' in ''Gears of War 3'': [[spoiler: Adam was never killed when Marcus failed to extract him at the Battle of Ephyra: Prescott had him kidnapped and sent to Azura. And he was fully ''aware'' of the inevitable Emergence Day, due to Queen Myrrah personally asking for his assistance to solve the Lambent problem plaguing the Locust. Unfortunately, Adam didn't have enough time to find a solution to wipe out the Lambent, while preserving the Locust. Left with no choice, Myrrah had the Locust invade the surface, kickstarting the war]].
* ScienceHero: Is the inventor behind the Hammer of Dawn and the modern-day Lancer (although Tai is credited for demonstrating why a chainsaw fares far better than a bayonet). [[spoiler:Also creates a device that kills the Lambent and Locust.]]
* SoleSurvivingScientist: [[spoiler: The Locust get to Azura before Delta. They manage to kill everyone on the island except Adam, and they're literally at his door before being stopped.]]
* SpecsOfAwesome
* TheStoic: Although he's NotSoStoic when it comes to caring about Marcus.
* TheStrategist: During the Pendulum Wars.
* TooCleverByHalf: He thinks that it is his sole responsibility to save Sera due to his genius. [[spoiler:This leads to him not telling anyone that he knew about the Locust before Emergence Day until 10 years after they invaded, as he had finally realized how severely he had screwed up and gathered the courage to admit that he needed help to stop them and the Lambent.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Elain Fenix]]
Marcus' mother, Elain was a developmental biologist, and an expert in morphology. She disappeared when Marcus was five, [[spoiler:having gone into the Hollow and discovering the Locust, who killed her.]]
----
* BlueBlood
* HotScientist
* MotherNatureFatherScience: She was a biologist while Adam was a weapons designer.
* PosthumousCharacter: Aside from a few flashback sections in the books, she is long dead in most entries in the Gears universe.
[[/folder]]
!Santiago Family
[[folder:Corporal Dominic "Dom" Santiago]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DomSantiagoGoW_4853.png]]
!!!Voiced by Carlos Ferro
->''"Look, Marcus is busy saving the world again, so I gotta be there for him."''
Dom is Marcus' best friend. He was trained as a commando in Hoffman's unit before transferring to the infantry. He lost his brother Carlos during the Pendulum Wars, his parents and two children on Emergence Day, and his wife Maria disappeared several years later after falling into severe depression from losing her family. When Marcus got sent to jail for abandoning his post to save his father, Dom was one of the few peopled who defended him. As the war with the Locust Horde continues, Dom still remains somewhat cheerful and caring throughout the conflict, eventually breaking Marcus out of jail to assist in a major push against the Locust. At the same time, he continues to search for Maria whenever possible. [[spoiler: When he found her lobotomized beyond recognition in the Locust Hollow, Dom was forced to [[MercyKill euthanise her]]]].
----
* {{Badass}}: Although events conspire to BreakTheBadass.
* BashBrothers: With Marcus.
* BeardOfSorrow: Grows one by the time ''Gears of War 3'' occurs.
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* [[spoiler: DeathSeeker: The repercussion of euthanizing Maria]]. Lampshaded in the first ''Gears of War 3'' trailer "Ashes to Ashes". [[spoiler: Finally finds it via HeroicSacrifice]]: [[spoiler: Arguably the [[WHAMEpisode WHAM moment]] in ''Gears of War 3'']].
* CallToAgriculture: In ''Gears of War 3'', it's implied Dom has spent most of his time aboard the ''Sovereign'' growing plants. When called away to the CIC, he gets annoyed and just wants to hurry up so he can get back to them. The attacking Lambent end up ruining them in a battle, though they probably would've been anyway even if the Lambent were nowhere near them since the ship gets toppled.
* DeadGuyJunior: His son's name was Benedicto, which was his brother Carlos' middle name.
* DespairEventHorizon: After having [[spoiler: to kill Maria]], Dom dedicates himself to cultivating a fruit and vegetable garden on the ''Sovereign'' just so he can sort of distract himself. He'll still fight the Locust, but the burning hatred he showed for them in ''Gears of War 2'' is almost buried under his depression... until they [[BerserkButton ruined his tomatoes]].
* {{Determinator}}: Never gave up hope searching for his wife. Occasionally frustrated, but it didn't hold.
* {{Deuteragonist}}
* DreamSequence: Gets one after being knocked out by the helicopter crash in ''Gears 2'', of Maria trying to rouse a presumably on-leave Dom from a nap. Crosses over to FridgeBrilliance with the insinuation from the novel that this may have taken place right before their kids were killed.
* HappilyMarried: For the brief time he and Maria were together before their kids died.
* HeroicBSOD
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: In order to save the rest of the team, Dom takes control of an old junker and rams it into a gas pump to destroy the massive waves of Locust '''AND''' Lambent that were about to overwhelm them]]. [[spoiler: [[TheStoic Marcus']] reaction when he sees Dom drive off and the aftermath accompanied by a DarkReprise of "[[TearsForFears Mad World]]" is part of what makes this the most [[TearJerker heartrending scene in the series]]]].
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Marcus.
* HurtingHero
* InkSuitActor: Somewhat: Dom doesn't look like exactly like Carlos Ferro, but by the time ''Gears of War 3'' was in production, Dom was growing a BeardOfSorrow; Ferro was growing one himself and looked just like Dom.
* [[spoiler: KillTheOnesYouLove]]: [[spoiler: Dom euthanizes Maria after finding her cationic, scarred and malnourished in the Hollows]].
* TheLancer
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Anya. They kept each other sane while he was looking for Maria and she searched for a way to free Marcus from The Slab.
* MilitaryBrat: Dom's dad and aunt were both retired Gear's.
* NiceGuy: He always puts others ahead of himself and is one of the few Gears to treat the Stranded with anything other than disdain.
* PrinciplesOverPromotion: Dom was the only person who stood up for Marcus at his court-martial. He did it knowing that it would cost him any chance for advancement in the future.
* RedOniBlueOni: The red to Marcus' blue.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: After [[spoiler: having to kill Maria]].
-->'''Marcus:''' Listen, I think I found a back way in. But if you wanna kick the front door down, I'm there.
-->'''Dom:''' '''*cocks Lancer*''' I wanna kill 'em all.
* ShellShockedVeteran
* ShipperOnDeck: For Marcus and Anya. It heads to a point of semi-{{Deconstruction}} in the ExpandedUniverse where Dom becomes increasingly frustrated (if not outright pissed) that Marcus CannotSpitItOut.
* SiblingYinYang: He's more thoughtful, cautious, and mature than his brother Carlos, who would often react without thinking and is less introspective.
* SingleTargetSexuality: He never had eyes for anyone but Maria.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Marcus and Hoffman: to the former because he is his best friend, and to the latter since he was Dom's CO in the commando's during the Pendulum Wars.
* TheWatson: WordOfGod has this as Dom's role in ''Gears of War 1'', to give the audience a voice without bringing players out of the experience as Marcus.
* [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Why Did It Have To Be Water?]]: He really doesn't like operating at sea. Understandable, since more than half of his commando squad was killed during a sea extraction during the Battle of Aspho Fields.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Maria Santiago]]
!!!'''Voiced by''': Courtney Ford
Maria was Dom's wife, who went missing four years after Emergence Day due to her depression over her children’s death. Dom spent the next ten years looking for her, [[spoiler: eventually finding her as a lobotomized Locust prisoner in the Hollow, and was forced to put her out of her misery]].
----
* BreakTheCutie: First when her kids, parents and in-laws are killed by the Locust. [[spoiler: Then 10 years later when she's kidnapped and tortured.]]
* [[spoiler: EmptyShell]]
* HeroicBSOD: Suffered one of these when her kids and parents were killed. She never really recovered and eventually left her home looking for the kids, who she was convinced were still alive.
* [[spoiler: MercyKill]]
* TeenPregnancy: She and Dom had their first kid at 16.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Carlos Santiago]]
Carlos was Dom's older brother and Marcus' best friend. He was the first to join the COG army during the Pendulum Wars. He was extremely reckless, [[spoiler: and ended up paying for that at the Battle of Aspho Fields]].
----
* {{Badass}}
* BashBrothers: With Marcus.
* BigBrotherInstinct: For Dom and Marcus, even though he knows both are capable of taking care of themselves.
* DeadpanSnarker
* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]]
* LeeroyJenkins
* [[spoiler: LudicrousGibs]]
* [[spoiler: MercyKill: Carlos begged Marcus to do this for him after he's mortally wounded. Subverted since he managed to detonate a grenade to kill himself, stopping Marcus from risking his life to save him and [[HeroicSacrifice destroying a bridge that enemy reinforcements were crossing]].]]
* MilitaryBrat
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Marcus joined the COG army after him but was promoted faster and was the one Anya was attracted to the most. In a twist, Carlos felt this was alright, since he was happy seeing Marcus, who's the PerpetualFrowner, be happy for once.
* SiblingYinYang: Carlos often reacts without thinking and not very introspective, while Dom is more thoughtful, cautious, and mature.
[[/folder]]
!Stroud Family
[[folder:Lieutenant Anya Stroud]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AnyaStroudGoW_679.png]]
!!!Voiced by Nan [=McNamara=]
->''"Oh, I'm fine. That's the scary thing. I want to do it again. I'm not finished. And all this hilarity- I hear it all the time in Control. But now I've done it myself. Tell me it's normal. Tell me I've not got some terrible thing in me waiting to get out and kill and joke about it."''
A controller in the CIC, Anya Stroud provides guidance and direction in the first two games, before transferring to the frontlines in the ExpandedUniverse and the third game. She and Marcus have been in love since hooking up shortly after the battle of Aspho Field, and they finally begin an open relationship on the island of Vectes after Jacinto sinks.
----
* ActionGirl
* AdrenalineMakeover: Dom notes in ''Coalition's End'' that several months of wearing full battle gear has caused her to walk and act like a soldier, as well as getting a bit more muscular from its weight. She also cuts a lot of her long hair off towards the end of the book when an exploding Lambent Polyp singes the ends.
* {{Badass}}
* BattleCouple: With Marcus.
* BlueBlood
* TheChick: An ActionGirl version.
* CommunicationsOfficer: Was trained as this; she only became a frontline soldier after the events of ''Gears 2''.
* DisappearedDad: Anya doesn't know ''who'' her father is/was, and her mother refused to ever tell her. She's understandably a little bitter about this.
* IndifferentBeauty: She never once uses her stunning good looks to advance her position, and is more than a little put-off by guys staring at her all the time.
* InTheBlood: Anya's mother was Major Helena Stroud, a {{Badass}} LadyOfWar in the last days of the Pendulum Wars.
* InkSuitActor: Try visualizing Anya in her mid-40s; Nan [=McNamara=] looks eerily similar to her.
* LadyOfWar
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Dom. They kept each other sane while he was looking for Maria and she searched for a way to free Marcus from The Slab.
* MilitaryBrat
* MissionControl: Before moving to the frontlines.
* NotStayingForBreakfast: During their time together before he was imprisoned, Marcus never once spent the night at Anya's apartment/quarters. She thought he was doing it because he didn't want to get caught, and was very hurt by it. Dom later tells her it’s because Marcus has terrible nightmares and was afraid of injuring her in his sleep.
* PluckyGirl
* SexForSolace: How Anya and Marcus' relationship started, when he escorted her home after the Aspho Fields award ceremony. They were already attracted to each other, but a combination of grief and alcohol [[GladToBeAliveSex finally broke down their mutual hesitancy]].
* SingleTargetSexuality: With Marcus, from the time they were teenagers.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Hoffman: even in situations where she's supposed to report to Chairman Prescott first, she makes sure Hoffman winds up with the information beforehand.
** For a time, she even considered the possibility he was her father, since he always treated her so well and was good friends with her mother. When she confessed this to him, Hoffman told her that nothing had ever happened between him and Helena, but that he considered Anya to be family since they had served together so long.
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection
* [[WellDoneSonGuy Well Done Daughter Girl]]: When her mother, Helena Stroud, was alive, Anya was absolutely terrified of disappointing her. Luckily, Helena managed to tell Anya how proud she was of her before she died.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Major Helena Stroud]]
Helena was the mother of Anya, and she was a Major in charge of the COG division that fought at Aspho Fields. She served under Adam Fenix on the Kashkur front of the Pendulum Wars seventeen years before Emergence Day.
----
* ActionGirl
* ActionMom
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority
* {{Badass}}
* BlueBlood
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]
* LadyOfWar: Pretty much the female equivalent to Hoffman; an officer that preferred to be on the frontline with her troops, who loved her for it.
* TheLancer: Served in this role to Adam Fenix before he retired and she got promoted.
* [[spoiler: LudicrousGibs]]
* MajorlyAwesome
* UndyingLoyalty: It is said that any Gear that served under Helena developed this to her.
[[/folder]]
!Carmine Family
[[folder:Private Anthony Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AnthonyCarmineGoW_7046.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Something's wrong with this thing! It keeps jamming!"''
The second youngest Carmine brother, he first appeared onboard the Raven that picked up Marcus after he was released from prison, and marveled over Marcus' being a legend among the COG. Apparently an already established member of Delta Squad, he gets very little development until he gets killed very early on in the first game.
----
* BoomHeadshot
* TheCameo: He appears as the third player in the dream sequence at the start of ''Gears of War 3''.
* TheFaceless
* TheDitz: Not exactly the brightest of the Carmine siblings.
* GenreBlind: He ignores the Golden Rule of the Gears: take cover and keep your head down.
* KilledMidSentence
* RedShirt
* SacrificialLamb
* WeHardlyKnewYe
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Benjamin Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BenjamineCarmineGoW_5566.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Sergeant Fenix? Are you Sergeant Fenix? Delta squad? I'm your new trainee!"''
The youngest of the Carmine brothers, he is a fresh recruit sent to Delta Squad to be trained by Marcus (allowing you the option for a JustifiedTutorial). He sticks around for a good portion of the game, gradually learning the ropes of being a soldier and being praised by Marcus for how quickly he picked it up.
----
* {{Badass}}
* TheCameo: Is the fourth player in the initial dream sequence of ''Gears of War 3''.
* [[spoiler:CruelAndUnusualDeath: Half his body is burned away by digestive acid produced by digestive parasites in the Riftworm]].
* TheFaceless
* [[spoiler:FinalSpeech: He asks Marcus to tell his brothers and mom that he loves them, and tried to say something else, but died before he could finish]].
* FriendlySniper
* HeroicSacrifice: Averted: he attempts one, [[spoiler: but ultimately does get one on the Raven]].
* MauveShirt
* NewMeat
* NiceGuy
* PyroManiac: While never shown in the campaign, Marcus and Dom stated he likes fire, and his multiplayer quotes when using the Scorcher flamethrower are suitably crazy.
* WeaponOfChoice: He is seen using the sniper rifle more often than not.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Private Clayton Carmine]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ClaytonCarmineGoW_4010.png]]
!!!Voiced by Michael Gough
->''"Eat dirt and die, motherfucker!"''
The third Carmine brother, Clayton is the eldest brother to Anthony and Benjamin, and much more muscular and badass. First showing up in the third game, at that point he had been a long established member of Delta Squad and chatted with the others on very friendly terms.
----
* AlliterativeName
* BaconAddiction
* {{Badass}}
* BloodKnight: Clayton is far more vicious compared to his younger siblings, as shown when he strangles a locust drone to death with one hand. It's also pointed out with the writings on his chest plate, "GRUB KILLER" and "DESTROY LOCUST".
* CallBack: "Good thing I wear a helmet."
* DeadpanSnarker
* TheFaceless
* GatlingGood: Most promotional materials for ''Gears of War 3'' have him wielding a Mulcher minigun.
* HotBlooded: He becomes really fired up in combat. Of note is he also gets pissed off a couple times during the campaign and speaks his mind (though it was justified each time), something his brothers never did.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: He did not appreciate [[TearJerker losing Anthony and Benjamin]].
* RunningGag: Clayton's multiple brushes with death are some of the funniest moments in ''Gears of War 3''.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Bacon.
* TrainingFromHell: It's implied by the writing on his armor that he put himself through this [[RunningGag so he could reload properly]].
* [[spoiler: YouCantFightFate: Both of his brothers died at the beginning and middle of the first two games, respectively. Clayton arrives via BigDamnHeroes moment to aid Delta Squad in the final battle, but Myrrah has her Tempest take down his chopper]]...
** [[spoiler: NotQuiteDead: ...but he survives the crash and helps treat the other Gears on the Raven before joining the rest of Delta in celebration.]]
[[/folder]]
