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"Maybe I don't want no COG protection. Maybe I'm worried that you assholes gonna make me give up too much to get it. And if we ever get back to normal, I ain't sure I'm even gonna like your kind of normal."
—Franklin Tsoko rejecting another offer from Dom to join via Operation Lifeboat

Franklin Tsoko is a Stranded and former leader of the "New Ephyra" Outpost in the ruins of Ephyra, Tyrus. Despite his resentment towards the Coalition of Ordered Governments for the Hammer of Dawn Strikes, he developed a close relationship with Cpl. Dominic Santiago and helped assist in the search of his missing wife, Maria Santiago. Franklin was instrumental in assisting the COG with the Lightmass Offensive in 14 A.E. by supplying Delta-One with his modified Armadillo, Laverne, to use against the Kryll as they traveled to the Lethia Imulsion Facility. During the offensive, his outpost was destroyed by the Locust. He relocated to Jacinto City.

Biography[]

Locust War[]

Hammer of Dawn Strikes[]

Little is known about Franklin Tsoko in his early life. Franklin had survived the Hammer of Dawn Strikes, in which the Coalition of Ordered Governments used the Hammer of Dawn to target cities controlled by the Locust Horde outside the Jacinto Plateau in order to avoid them the spoils of war and access to the capital city of Ephyra one year after Emergence Day. Franklin became what was known as Stranded, human survivors of the Hammer strikes outside the Jacinto Plateau who resented the COG for the sacrificing of their citizens.

Stranded Leader[]

By 10 A.E., the Locust Horde managed to occupy Ephyra, pushing the COG back to Jacinto City. Within the ruins of the Old Ephyra District, Franklin founded and led his own outpost, "New Ephyra".

Despite his hatred for the COG, Franklin developed a close but secret relationship with Cpl. Dominic Santiago. Santiago at one point did something for Franklin, for which he promised Santiago any favor within reason. In addition, Franklin assisted Santiago in the search of his missing wife, Maria. Cpl. Santiago would visit Franklin at his outpost during his leave to check in on the search.

At some point, Franklin acquired an Armadillo. After stripping it down, he modified it with an Ultra-Violet Turret to use against the Kryll when traveling at night. Laverne was a Junker that frequently broke down and constantly had to be refueled. Due to this, Franklin placed it in the Chaps at his Aspho Gas Station.

Lightmass Offensive[]

Mission to Old Ephyra[]

"Hey, Santiago, what you doing here man? No news on the lady, I'd tell you if I heard anything."
—Franklin informing Dom about Maria after his arrival with Delta-One.
Franklindomdeal

Franklin and Dom negotiating over Laverne.

On 10th Gale, 14 A.E., Cpl. Santiago arrived at Franklin's outpost with Delta-One during the Lightmass Offensive. Delta was with the Sonic Resonator, a device capable of creating a three-dimensional map of the Hollow in order to deliver the Lightmass Bomb and destroy the Locust tunnels. After the squad was ambushed at the Tomb of the Unknowns by Uzil RAAM and a Nemacyst infestation, the squad was unable to be evacuated by air and transported to the Lethia Imulsion Facility. In need of non-air transport as nightfall approached, Cpl. Santiago suggested using Franklin's Junker to drive to Lethia and use the UV turrets against the Kryll.

Upon their arrival, Franklin informed Santiago that there was no new information on Maria, but he would keep searching. Santiago requested his Junker instead. As Franklin protested Santiago's request, Santiago reminded Franklin that he owed him one. Upon being reminded of his promise, Franklin agreed on the condition that Cpl. Damon Baird and Pvt. Augustus Cole stayed with them until Santiago and Sgt. Marcus Fenix returned from acquiring the Junker from Chap's gas station. Cpl. Santiago agreed. Franklin gave him the keys to the Junker, and told him that this made them even, and not ask anymore favors beyond his help for finding Maria.[1]

Assault on Franklin's Outpost[]

Franklin guided Santiago and Fenix over the radio from the Stranded checkpoints to Chap's Gas Station. As night fell, Santiago contacted him and Franklin warned that it was dark so the Kryll would be out. Santiago informed him his men at Checkpoint One had been devoured by the Kryll. Tsoko realized that meant the Kryll would be on their way soon and ordered Johnson to check the lights around the outpost.[2] As Santiago and Fenix traveled to Chap's Gas Station, both Franklin's people and Lt. Anya Stroud of Coalition High Command noted a large Locust presence approaching the outpost. As Pvt. Cole and Cpl. Baird assisted Tsoko and his camp from the Locust, Cpl. Santiago and Sgt. Fenix used the Junker's UV turret to destroy the nearby swarms of Kryll that threatened the camp. After doing so, the three returned to Franklin's outpost and joined the defense against the Locust.

The majority of the defense was fought along the perimeter wall, as numerous Emergence Holes appeared in front of the outpost. After destroying the Emergence Holes and killing the ground forces, the Locust were attacking from various high-rise buildings. Sgt. Fenix noticed weaknesses in two of the major areas. In the high-rise across the perimeter wall was a cement ceiling that was barely being held up by a load-bearing wall. Sgt. Fenix shot at the load-bearing wall and was able to collapse the entire floor onto the stationed Locust in the high-rise. Near the wall was a rooftop of a low-rise building that held more Locust troops. On the roof also was a gas pipe running across it. At some point in the battle, the pipe was punctured and began leaking gas. Sgt. Fenix was able to shoot at the pipe and cause the rooftop to explode, killing all Drones.

As the battle continued, a majority of the Stranded were killed. After the attack in front of the outpost, the Locust pushed one final time and opened a massive Emergence Hole behind the perimeter wall within the camp, unleashing four Boomers. The Boomers began to open fire upon the outpost. The explosions caused the outpost's massive Imulsion tank to dislodge and roll towards the propane storage. Sgt. Fenix noticed the large Imulsion tank leaking over the supply of Propane Tanks. Sgt. Fenix shot at one of the propane tanks which caused a chain reaction of explosions. The Imulsion tank rolled off the storage area and fell into the Emergence Hole, causing it to explode and close the Emergence Hole, killing the Boomers. The surviving Stranded, including Franklin and Chaps, escaped the area. Meanwhile, Delta regrouped and boarded the Junker.

Relocation to the Hollow[]

Franklin Jacinto

Franklin in Jacinto listening to Prescott give his speech over the radio.

Delta was successful in the Lightmass Offensive and managed to destroy the Outer Hollow, killing thousands of Locust and the entire Kryll population. However, the Inner Hollow where the Locust civilization resided in remained intact and awoke the Riftworm. Locust attacks on the Jacinto Plateau became more frequent and desperate. Franklin survived the attacks and rejected several offers from Santiago to join the COG through Operation Lifeboat and become a Gear.[3]

Due to the increased fighting on the surface and the sinking of cities Tollen and Montevado, Franklin joined the other Stranded in retreating into the Inner Hollow where they could avoid the Locust attacks against the COG. At some point, Franklin was captured by the Locust and brought to a prison on the Locust Highway leading to the capital city of Nexus. During his imprisonment, Franklin learned that Maria had also been captured and was brought to a nearby prison camp.

Canon Alert!
The following infomation comes from the Road to Ruin deleted scene of Gears of War 2.
It may not be considered canon.

Operation: Hollow Storm[]

Siege of Nexus[]

Road-to-ruin-stealth-011

Franklin freed from a Locust cell by Marcus and Dom.

"Holy shit! Oh man, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! I never thought I'd be so happy to see your fascist asses! That's my boy, Dom! What's up, man? Yo! Guess what? I finally got some info on Maria, man. I think she might be-"
—Franklin, after seeing Marcus and Dom outside his cell.

During the events of Operation: Hollow Storm, Cpl. Santiago and Sgt. Fenix infiltrated the Locust Highway to reach Nexus. Along the way, they spotted Franklin in a cell and released him and given a Gnasher Shotgun. As Franklin tried to reveal his new information on Maria's whereabouts, Sgt. Fenix cut him off so that they could continue with the mission. Franklin was confused as Santiago assured him that it wasn't needed, as Santiago found Maria himself earlier and euthanized her after she was put into a vegetative state from being processed. After battling on the Locust Highway, Sgt. Fenix informed Franklin that they were going deeper into the Hollow to invade Nexus. Franklin left them, refusing to go deeper and attempted to make his way back to the surface. It is unknown what happened to him following this event, if he made it back to the surface somehow or drowned in the flooding of the Hollow.

Personality and Traits[]

While friendly with Dom, Franklin, like most Stranded, still distrusted and disliked the COG, viewing them as "fascist assholes." He was worried that when the COG won the war against the Locust, whatever the COG established as normal wouldn't be to his liking. He never actually fought against the COG, probably aware that he would be killed easily if he did.

Franklin had tattoos of varying designs on both his arms, and at some point after his meeting with Delta, he gained a very large scar on his face.

Franklin-Forums

Franklin as the Meatflag in the Submission game mode.

Behind the scenes[]

Crimson Omen
Gearspedia has 19 images related to Franklin Tsoko.

Multiplayer[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. Gears of War: Act 2: Nightfall: Grist
  2. Gears of War: Act 2: Nightfall: Outpost/Lethal Dusk
  3. Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 128
  4. Gears of War credits
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