- "You like what I've done with the place?"
- ―Rico Martinez (from Aliens: Dark Descent)
Sergeant Rico Martinez was a non-commissioned infantry officer in the United States Colonial Marine Corps. He oversaw the armory aboard the USS Otago.
Biography
Career
As of 2198, Rico Martinez had served some time alongside his friend Sergeant Jonas Harper, who was junior to Martinez, due to Martinez being promoted to Sergeant first. Martinez also lost his left arm in an unspecified incident, replacing it thereafter with a mechanical prosthetic. Both Martinez and Harper were stationed aboard the Andastes-class transport USS Otago under Captain Cochrane.
Lethe outbreak
In 2198, Otago was undergoing proving trials above Lethe when an outbreak led to an enforced quarantine that saw the Otago heavily damaged, crash-landing on the moon's surface. During the impact, the captain and his command staff were killed, but Martinez was present to hear Cochrane's final orders that Harper take command. Martinez, meanwhile, set about clearing out collapsed sections of the ship and managing its armory to keep marines equipped to handle the outbreak. When Maeko Hayes wanted to use the ship's last escape pod as an improvised satellite to get out a distress call, he was hesitant but agreed.
During a mission to the Olduvai mines, Harper and his men were trapped underground, with unit pilot Willa Hunslet unable to extract them. Hayes and Martinez improvised a plan using the escape pod, loading it up with explosives and turning it into a missile powerful enough to blow open an escape route for the Marines at the last moment. He also oversaw the completion of the ship's training room to further improve the marines.
Death
Martinez personally took part in a final assault to rescue Harper's daughter Cassandra from the Darwin Era cult, witnessing the unsettling alien city they had set up shop in. When Hayes removed the girl from her restraints, Martinez sensed something big was nearby. Before anyone could act, a massive Xenomorph grabbed Martinez from behind with its four-pronged second jaw that pierced his torso, killing him instantly and yanking its body away before it could be recovered. His body was either destroyed by the following nuclear blasts or buried in the rubble, but his unintentional distraction of the beast helped save Hayes and Cassandra, allowing them to escape.
Personality and traits
Martinez was a competent and capable soldier. He was well-versed in mechanical matters and preferred to work with weaponry and training in its use. He is also very loyal, unwilling to talk about Harper's past to Hayes regarding his daughter or his rare telepathic trait. Despite being older and having made rank first, Martinez deferred to Harper as his superior and followed his orders to the letter.
Equipment
As of the outbreak on Lethe in 2198, Martinez wore standard USCM body armor with a green short–sleeved BDU shirt underneath. His breastplate was personalized with the drawing of a black wolf with glowing yellow eyes. Martinez carried an M41A Pulse Rifle and had been fitted with a prosthetic left arm during action.
Behind the scenes
He is voiced by Joseph Balderama, who also provides additional voices for the game. He has also voiced characters in games like Diablo IV, Sniper Elite V5, and acted in a number of TV series like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.