Moirai (モイライ?) is the name of an ancient tribe of "omniscient beings" that ruled the galaxy before the birth of mankind. Their civilization reached heights humans can't even begin to possibly imagine. They left this galaxy for a higher world.
The Moirai left behind a relic in their shrine on Jupiter, protected by a defense system that was programmed to activate in case it was stolen. The relic was taken off to Earth by the humans, which triggered the defense forces to follow and started the first alien invasion of 2633.
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Trivia
- It is possible that the name may be a subtle reference to the Moai (モアイ?). Both names, Japanese and English, are very similar to each other. In addition, in the Salamander anime, the Moai statues were very important figures built by an ancient civilization to defend the planet Gradius.
- In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Moirai –often known in English as the Fates– were the incarnations of destiny. Their role was to ensure that every being, mortal and divine, lived out their destiny as it was assigned to them by the laws of the universe. Generally, they were considered to be above even the gods in their role as enforcers of fate.
- The concept of the Moirai may have also been inspired by the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the film, an unknown advanced group of alien beings created mysterious objects known as the Monoliths, one of which was found on Jupiter (a detail which the Moirai Relic itself appears to essentially replicate).