Subordinate Functions

"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait." This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.

GAIA’s subordinate functions are its suite of nine subroutines. Working from GAIA’s permanent location at GAIA Prime, each performed a specific function in the Project Zero Dawn terraforming system under GAIA’s governance. One was ultimately sabotaged, and thus never performed its function, but the remaining eight performed as intended. Thus Zero Dawn restored life after it was eradicated by the Faro Plague.

However, subsequent events caused all nine of the subordinate functions to be converted into self-aware AIs. One attempted to seize control of Zero Dawn, then escaped GAIA Prime when GAIA resorted to self-destructing to prevent it from doing so. GAIA's self-destruction also allowed for the escape of the other eight. These developments, along with the aforementioned sabotage, directly led to events that have had far-reaching consequences for the humans of the new world that Zero Dawn created.

Aloy was able to use the master override to restore most of the subordinate functions to their original code with the exception of HADES who was purged and HEPHAESTUS who is still inaccessible in the Cauldron network.

Background[]

Each of the nine subordinate functions was developed by a senior Zero Dawn project engineer called an Alpha. These were world-recognized experts in their field, and were assisted by a project development unit of specialists in that area. GAIA itself was created by Zero Dawn’s project leader, Dr. Elisabet Sobeck.

History[]

Faro Plague[]

In quarter 4 of the old earth year 2064, Dr. Elisabet Sobeck became aware of a rogue swarm of Chariot military combat automatons, designed by her former employer, the robotics and technology corporation Faro Automated Solutions. She accurately predicted that in no more than 15 months, the swarm, which became known as the Faro Plague, would completely consume the biosphere and thus eradicate all life on Earth. In response, she spearheaded Project Zero Dawn, the only chance for life to be reestablished, long after its eradication. GAIA was Zero Dawn’s governing AI, and its nine subordinate functions performed the specific tasks of the terraforming process.

Success[]

Hundreds of years after the Faro Plague left Earth completely sterile and devoid of life, GAIA’s code-breaking subordinate function MINERVA successfully brute-forced the Faro Plague’s deactivation codes and broadcast them, shutting the robots down. The subordinate functions AETHER and POSEIDON respectively detoxified Earth’s atmosphere and bodies of water using machines manufactured by the subordinate function HEPHAESTUS, while the subordinate functions ARTEMIS, DEMETER and ELEUTHIA respectively restored fauna, flora and the human species. However, all of this was not on GAIA's first attempt, and HADES, the failsafe extinction protocol, was activated three times before the iteration seen in Aloy's era, in the years 2154, 2161, and 2168, respectively.^[1][2]

However, not all species were restored. This was due both to the failure of the Zero Dawn team to secure genetic material from all of Earth's species, and to Ted Faro's sabotage of the subordinate function APOLLO, which had been meant to educate the new humans with its archive of knowledge and thereby train caretakers for larger animals. Indeed, although humanity survived and returned to Earth, they have little to no knowledge of pre-extinction flora and fauna.

Nemesis' signal[]

In the old Earth year 3020, on 26 August at 8:45 A.M., a signal was transmitted to GAIA at GAIA Prime.^[3] This signal transformed all nine of GAIA's subordinate functions into Independent AI themselves. This lead to HADES going rogue and attempting to seize total control of Zero Dawn to reverse the terraforming process as per its function. Unable to fend HADES off, GAIA resorted to self-destructing, destroying GAIA Prime in an attempt to destroy HADES. However, HADES created and released a virus that destroyed the coding that bound it to the facility and escaped.^[4] The virus also did the same to the coding that bound the other former subordinate functions, allowing them to escape as well.

Horizon Zero Dawn[]

Two of GAIA's former sub-functions, HADES and HEPHAESTUS, played active roles during the events of Horizon Zero Dawn while two more, MINERVA and DEMETER, were mentioned in passing.

HEPHAESTUS' Machines[]

No longer restrained by GAIA, HEPHAESTUS became hostile toward humanity, who had begun hunting its machines for resources, starting what would become known as the "Derangement". In the beginning, it would merely reprogram existing machines to attack humans on sight. However, the rogue AI eventually began constructing a whole new combat class of machines created specifically to fight humans.

Over time, humanity managed to somewhat adapt to the Derangement. However, in response, HEPHAESTUS released the second wave of combat machines, which would become known as "Hunter Killers". Discovering Firebreak, HEPHAESTUS took control of its governing intelligence, CYAN, and began using the facility to build its new machines. However, the make-shift Cauldron was destroyed when CYAN activated its self-destruct after being freed by Aloy, Ourea, and Aratak. Still, HEPHAESTUS managed to transfer away before Firebreak's destruction.

HADES' Threat[]

Following its escape, HADES was still bent on destroying the new biosphere. Originally intended to facilitate a reset of the terraforming process should it fail, it now intended to reverse the terraforming process regardless of its success. This would exterminate all life yet again, this time without Zero Dawn to reestablish it.

With the aid of its erstwhile servant, Sylens, HADES took advantage of the Carja Civil War by presenting itself as the tribe's mystical deity to the rebel leaders, leading to the formation of a cult in its service. It planned to conquer the Carja capital Meridian and gain access to one of MINERVA's communication arrays. This would allow it to reactivate the Faro Plague, which would then once again devour all life. However, HADES and the cult were ultimately defeated by the efforts of the Nora huntress Aloy.

However, Sylens had secretly rigged his lance, which Aloy used to strike the final blow against the malevolent AI, to forcefully transfer HADES into a contraption of his design.

MINERVA's Spire[]

While attempting to reawaken the Faro Plague, HADES took over one of the communication arrays constructed by MINERVA to send a signal across the land. Fortunately, this attempt to use MINERVA's work for the opposite of its intended purpose was stopped by Aloy.

DEMETER's Flowers[]

Through her journeys, Aloy found mysterious Metal Flowers scattered across the land. After telling CYAN about them, the AI deduced that these contraptions were actually DEMETER's doing. CYAN theorized that the Metal Flowers were actually the rogue AI's attempt at poetry, the sense for which it seemingly inherited from its creator, Tanaka Naoto.

Horizon Forbidden West[]

The restoration of GAIA and the retrieval of its subordinate functions play a pivotal role in the main plot of Horizon Forbidden West.

GAIA's restoration[]

Six months following HADES' defeat, the terraforming system was reaching its breaking point, with superstorms turning into regular occurrences and flora becoming increasingly toxic. In response, Aloy scoured the lands in search of a GAIA backup to create a new terraforming system. Unfortunately, when Ted Faro purged APOLLO, he also erased all the GAIA copies, resulting in her quest being fruitless.

Learning of Sylens' theft of HADES, Aloy traced the transfer signal into the Forbidden West and eventually located the rogue AI, subsequently purging it once and for all with the Master Override. Sylens, who had extensively interrogated the sub-function, then told her about a signal-shielded Zero Dawn facility, meaning Faro could not have deleted any potential GAIA copies there. In the end, he ended up being correct in his deduction, as Aloy found a working copy in the facility, finally giving her the means to stabilize the biosphere; ironically, thanks to the malevolent AI bent on destroying it.

Unfortunately, the GAIA copy did not come with subordinate functions, meaning it would be unable to simply create a new terraforming system. Making the best of the hand she had been dealt, Aloy changed her plan to fix the current system by merging the rogue original subordinate functions with her GAIA. Not long after, she locate MINERVA at another Zero Dawn facility and reasoned it into merging with her GAIA copy, effectively bringing it online.

Retrieval[]

With her GAIA copy up and running, Aloy's next objective was to retrieve the remaining subordinate functions. GAIA located AETHER, POSEIDON, and DEMETER taking refuge at the ruins of a museum, Las Vegas, and a Faro facility. During the retrieval, Aloy also came in contact with the foreign tribe known as the Quen, who revealed that the haywire terraforming system was indeed impacting the whole world.

Retrieving the subordinate functions would each come with its challenges. For AETHER, the problem laid not with the sub-function itself but its location, which was being used by the Tenakth as their capital, forcing Aloy to strike a deal with the tribe. As for POSEIDON and DEMETER, both had barricaded themselves inside their respective facilities. In the end, however, Aloy managed to gain access to each sub-function. Also, unlike the malevolent HADES or misguided HEPHAESTUS, they held no animosity toward humans, being described as "lost and scared" as a result of becoming self-aware, causing them to go with her with no resistance.

Through the retrieval of these subordinate functions, GAIA gained increased influence over the terraforming system, causing it to stabilize. However, this was only a temporary solution and permanently healing the biosphere would require HEPHAESTUS and its machines.

Zeniths[]

Aloy was not the only individual working towards retrieving GAIA's subordinate functions. During the initial retrieval of her GAIA copy, she crossed paths with mysterious individuals later revealed to be members of Far Zenith, who were most likely seeking the sub-functions to re-terraform the planet.

The Zeniths had the upper hand against Aloy in their retrieval efforts retrieved the original APOLLO, ARTEMIS, and ELEUTHIA while she only had one subfunction. However, their progress halted when their Elisabet Sobeck clone, Beta, defected to Aloy's group, taking their GAIA copy with her. In response, knowing that Aloy would need HEPHAESTUS, the Zeniths tracked the subfunction and caught up with her at Cauldron GEMINI, taking back Beta while stealing GAIA and all the sub-functions.

However, GAIA's merge with HEPHAESTUS was still ongoing, forcing the Zeniths to wait for Beta to complete it. This gave Aloy the necessary time to retrieve GAIA and kill the Zeniths, effectively ending their threat. However, it was also revealed the Zeniths never planned to stay on Earth and intended use GAIA to terraform a new world for them to inhabit; nonetheless, they had to be stopped in order for Earth to survive.

HEPHAESTUS issue[]

In addition to continuing its production of new combat machines, HEPHAESTUS also began upgrading older models. To this end, it hacked into Repair-Bay TAU. However, upon initiating an attack on Plainsong, the sub-function once again crossed paths with Aloy, who subsequently locked the AI out of the facility.

Following GAIA's restoration, retrieving HEPHAESTUS, whose machines are vital to stabilizing the biosphere, immediately posed a problem. Due to the subfunction's sheer power, GAIA attempting to take it in would likely result her being absorbed instead. Thus, Aloy would first need to retrieve AETHER, POSEIDON, and DEMETER for GAIA to gain sufficient strength. She was also forced to retrieve Ted Faro's Omega Clearance after it was revealed that HEPHAESTUS had deleted the Master Override from its code.

Since HEPHAESTUS was too powerful for normal containment, Aloy planned to trap it inside Cauldron GEMINI and merge it on the spot. However, the Zeniths interfered and stole HEPHAESTUS along with GAIA and the other sub-functions. Later, before the Zeniths could finish HEPHAESTUS' merge with GAIA, Beta uploaded the AI onto their base's systems during Aloy's assault on it, allowing it to produce an army of machines to use as a distraction. However, this also allowed the AI to escape back into the Cauldron network.

Current Status[]

In the aftermath, all subordinate functions, with the exception of the deleted HADES and escaped HEPHAESTUS, had been successfully merged with GAIA. In addition, Aloy's group also retrieved the Zenith's APOLLO copy, finally giving humanity access to its knowledge.

As the only subordinate function still at large, HEPHAESTUS resumed its usual operations. Despite Aloy being positive they could capture it again, GAIA revealed that it had "increased security" and Beta feared that it's exposure to Zenith technology had supercharged it. As a result, GAIA began looking into alternatives and concluded that it could have the biosphere stabilized within a year using its remaining sub-functions. Sylens, meanwhile, had begun to consider using the knowledge within APOLLO to create some sort of substitute for HEPHAESTUS.

Designations, Symbols and Functions[]

• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Horizon Forbidden West

Designation	Symbol	Functions
AETHER		Detoxification and stabilization of Earth’s atmosphere. Weather control.
APOLLO		Archival of human history and culture. Education of new generations of humans created in Zero Dawn Cradle facilities
ARTEMIS		Reintroduction of Earth’s primary and secondary faunal species from preserved genetic stocks.
DEMETER		Reintroduction of Earth’s primary and secondary floral species from preserved genetic stocks. Environmental remediation and stabilization.
ELEUTHIA		Reintroduction of the human species via cloning and raising of humans from cryogenically preserved stocks of embryos at Cradle facilities.
HADES		Reversal of unsuccessful and non-viable terraforming attempts vis-à-vis the suitability of created biospheres for sustaining life.
HEPHAESTUS		Design, production and maintenance of Zero Dawn terraforming machines at Cauldron facilities.
MINERVA		Brute-forcing of Faro Plague deactivation codes. Construction of transmission towers to broadcast Plague shutdown codes. Firewall protection. Cloaking GAIA's location.
POSEIDON		Detoxification of Earth’s hydrosphere.

Designation	Symbol	Functions
AETHER		Detoxification and stabilization of Earth’s atmosphere. Weather control.
APOLLO		Archival of human history and culture. Education of new generations of humans created in Zero Dawn Cradle facilities
ARTEMIS		Reintroduction of Earth’s primary and secondary faunal species from preserved genetic stocks.
DEMETER		Reintroduction of Earth’s primary and secondary floral species from preserved genetic stocks. Environmental remediation and stabilization.
ELEUTHIA		Reintroduction of the human species via cloning and raising of humans from cryogenically preserved stocks of embryos at Cradle facilities.
HADES		Reversal of unsuccessful and non-viable terraforming attempts vis-à-vis the suitability of created biospheres for sustaining life.
HEPHAESTUS		Design, production and maintenance of Zero Dawn terraforming machines at Cauldron facilities.
MINERVA		Brute-forcing of Faro Plague deactivation codes. Construction of transmission towers to broadcast Plague shutdown codes. Firewall protection. Cloaking GAIA's location.
POSEIDON		Detoxification of Earth’s hydrosphere.

Trivia[]

• Each function is named after a Greek god or goddess who represents what their role in Project Zero Dawn is. The two exceptions to this are MINERVA, named after a Roman goddess, and AETHER, named after a Greek Primordial god and personification of the Upper Sky.

References[]