Faceas Clay

Faceas Clay (フェイサス・クレイ) is a character exclusive to the Strider Hiryu manga and its NES adaptation. He's the main antagonist alongside Matic and serves practically the same role in both manga and game with minor differences.

The president of Enterprise, Faceas Clay has carried out the ZAIN Project in total secrecy, aiming to control the destructive impulses and spirit of humankind^[1]. Faceas Clay holds the belief that mankind is a "defective product" created by a careless God, and he's firmly determined to take over God's position and complete the work He left unfinished^[2]. As he explains to Hiryu, he compares the human brain to a computer that carries a programming glitch or "bug", which he refers to as "evil" or "malice". He believes this "malice" is the origin of all of humanity's destructive emotions like violence and jealousy, and his main goal is to suppress free will through ZAIN's mind control ability as a way to forcibly "debug" the entirety of humanity^[3]. Turning every human into completely loyal followers under his guidance, he plans to lead them into the next evolutive step, creating a "Millenium of Bliss" where no wars or conflicts are waged and all wealth is distributed equally.^[3]

Faceas Clay is a cold-hearted and methodical individual, who sees all the death and misery his ambitions have caused as inevitable sacrifices required to fulfill his revolution^[4]. He has no fighting ability, and relies completely on the ZAIN Defense System for protection, having discarded guards entirely over his distrust of humans^[4]. Despite this, he is capable of admiting and congratulating those showing potential or talent (as he does to Hiryu), and laments losing them if they don't agree on his vision^[3]. As Hiryu points out, this overconfidence in ZAIN and machines in general becomes his own downfall in the end.^[5]

Story[]

Manga[]

Faceas Clay has been financing research of the ZAIN Project for at least the last 30 years and has been following its development very closely. During an international conference with the Kazakh Institute Director, he's informed of the development of a new implant design, albeit the mind control is still not perfected. Faceas Clay is visibly disappointed in the lack of progress, as well as the recent news about Striders interfering with their plans. He ends the call by stating he'll look into the matter. Despite the institute's destruction a short time after, ZAIN's research continued unopposed and eventually reached its final stages, with the Mother ZAIN undergoing upgrades that'd allow it to control every human being on Earth.

During Hiryu and Kain's infiltration of Enterprise's headquarters, Faceas Clay awaits patiently within the Host Computer's chambers in the building's underground, sitting on a throne covered by several of the machine's connecting cables. When Hiryu reaches this chamber, Clay praises his efforts against Enterprise and explains his views on humanity and ideals of becoming a God that will lead them into a new utopia. Unamused, Hiryu points out all the innocent lives he sacrificed for his plan and laughs at him for wanting to lead humans into an utopia with his dirty hands. Disappointed at losing talented people like him, Faceas Clay stops trying to reason and initiates the defense system to take care of him. Hiryu has a difficult battle against the defense robot Kali, but eventually destroys it. Shocked, Faceas Clay can't believe his defense system has failed, and can only scream at Hiryu to stop as he approaches and stabs him through with his Cypher, killing him instantly.

Strider (NES)[]

Faceas Clay is the commander-in-chief of The Syndicate, which is responsible for the ZAIN Project and its many terminals. During Hiryu's travel through Africa, he finds a recording of Faceas Clay revealing a meeting with Matic in the company's headquarters in Los Angeles. With their hideouts' location revealed, Hiryu travels there to confront him as the possible mastermind behind the project.

After infiltrating the building, Hiryu finds a Transport Tube leading into the Strider Headquarters and discovers Faceas Clay staying in one of its rooms. Clay is protected by a tempered glass shield that, as he claims, human power can't break. Unfazed, Hiryu breaks the glass shield in a few strikes, shocking Clay and prompting him to call Hiryu a monster. Hiryu proceeds to kill him and obtain the Level 5 key from him.

Gallery[]

NES Sprite

Trivia[]

• Faceas Clay is the only character in the manga who was given a full name. Since his initials are F.C, it is believed this was done as a nod to the Family Computer, the console the video game adaptation was going to release in Japan before cancellation.

References[]