Earth

Earth (地球) is the planet where the Strider series takes place. This version of Earth mirrors the non-fictional one in most regards including geography, political structure and history; but it differs in certain key events that resulted in a dystopian future under the rule of a despotic dictatorship.

Overview

Earth is one of the eight planets found in the Solar System, third in order orbiting around the Sun. Its surface is roughly 70% water, with the remaining lands separated into 6 distinct landmasses known as continents (America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Antarctica). Earth is the only known planet capable of hosting life, with a race of humans as the dominating species.

History appears to reflect the same events as in real life up until the late 80s', where a major deviation happens: the Soviet Union never collapses nor dissolves, but instead manages to survive well into the 21st Century, becoming a major power under the name of the Russian Empire, or simply Russia. Hostilities between East and West continue all the way into the 2040s', causing great turmoil and chaos to engulf the whole world^[1]. The Kazakh Federation becomes Russia's imperial capital, with its capital city becoming the center of power^[1][2][3]. The government's reckless and ruthless dictatorship, however, causes civil unrest among its populace and the rise of a Rebel Army which clashes against government troops in constant wars happening all over Eastern Europe.^[1]

The Striders themselves have existed for atleast the last century and, although not pledging allegiance to any country, are implied to have a hand in global events from the shadows of history in their capacity as a special ops organization.

Story

Strider (CPS-1)

Over the following decades the world has been under a state of great unrest product of the conflict between East and West^[1]. In such a situation Grandmaster Meio made a sudden appearance in the year 2042^[2]. Quickly usurping power in Russia, Meio managed to take control of the Eastern side, and soon enough declared war on the remaining part of Earth. A group known as the Allied Air Force opposed him in his bid to conquer the planet.^[2]

World war
The conflict appears to have been fought primarily through the air. At one point the Kazakh ruling party expressed concerns over the capital city's ability to defend itself from the air, and thus commissioned one of their Research Staffs to develop a defense machine that could protect the city's rooftops^[2]. The staff developed the four-legged Mosqueman machine for this purpose, and it was adopted as one of the main defense mechanisms in the Grand Mosque. The team, however, was banished to Siberia as punishment due to their creation not meeting the party's "aesthetic sense"^[2]. Regardless, their work appears to have caught the attention of the Grandmaster.

Some time after their banishment, Grandmaster Meio himself recalled the Mosqueman Research Staff and ordered them to create a computer system capable of harnessing gravity. Working intensively with other teams in order to create a machine of such magnitude, they finally completed the Anti-Gravity Device. Very pleased with the device, Meio had it installed in the battleship Balrog, a massive and heavily armed aircraft carrier, allowing it to soar the skies.^[4]

At one point during the conflict a leading figure of the Allied Air Force, Captain Beard Jr., suffered a vicious defeat against the Grandmaster and lost two limbs and one eye. Witnessing Meio's power first-hand, Beard Jr. switched sides and was given leadership of the Balrog^[2]. The Flying Battleship Balrog thus became the turning point of the war: its massive and overwhelming firepower made it an unstoppable force, leaving ruined cities and countless killed in its wake^[4]. The conflict lasted for 5 years, but in the end all opposition yielded and Grandmaster Meio assumed complete control of Earth^[2], establishing the first full global empire in human history.

The Era of Meio

Following the end of the war, all countries submitted to the Grandmaster and adopted the laws he imposed, including military service for all men reaching 18 years of age, with no opposition^[2]. The Kazakh Federation assumed full control of Eurasia^[2] and ruled Earth in Meio's name as a proxy government. Consolidating all scientific and military power on the planet, Grandmaster Meio had "The Third Moon" built, a large space station meant to serve as the capital and absolute center of his dictatorship^[1]. Moving there, Meio planned to continue with his experiments.

Grandmaster Meio also saw fit to rebrand the calendar denomination, dropping the use of Earth's calendar era "A.D." (西暦, anno Domini) and replacing it with the "Meio" era denomination, with the year 2048 being identified as "Meio Year One" (冥王暦元年, lit. First Year of the Meio Era).^[1][5][6]

Meio's "New Earth"
Although the ruler of the entire planet, Meio's ambitions would not be satisfied. His focus was on creating a world where all life looks up to him as God. Meio has coducted experiments on a tribe of savage Amazoness in an attempt to manipulate them through the introduction of the extinct dinosaurs, but these experiments were deemed unsatisfactory in the end. Ever since the creation of the Anti-Gravity Device, however, a devilish plot flashed in his mind: The Third Moon Plan^[4]. Intending on eliminating all life from the planet's surface, he'd then repopulate the sterilized planet with life created through his powers. Through this he intended to create a "New Earth" (新しい地球).^[7]

Preparations to carry out his plans came to a head in 2048. In this year the Striders became involved and Hiryu was tasked with the mission to eliminate him and prevent the end of the world. He starts his mission by infiltrating Meio's seat of power in St. Petersburg.

Strider 2

In a distant future set 2000 years after Grandmaster Meio's defeat at Hiryu's hands^[8], Meio's plans were carried out and Earth has become his envisioned "New Earth". The planet is inhabited by humans that worship him as the Creator of everything that exists on Earth's surface^[9]. During this period of time Earth remained under the control of a secret group of world leaders who ruled in Meio's stead as they awaited for his return.^[10]

This future Earth has seen advancements in technology under the guide of the secret society's designs, seemingly leading to the practice of body modification and use of illegal cybernetic implants and powerful drugs becoming a worldwide trend amidst the populace. Although Earth's geography and political structure remains unchanged, corrupt world leaders and criminal large-scale organizations have complete unopposed control, leading to stark increases in the crimes and suicide rates, as well as the incarceration of innocent people. A large increase in population has caused massive wars to break out and worldwide hunger to become commonplace, and the extensive damage to the environment has produced chronic diseases and genetic mutations to proliferate exponentially. With both Earth's natural ecosystems and human society in a speeding decline, humanity is unknowingly approaching its own extinction.^[10][11]

Meio's Return
In the interim, Grandmaster Meio remained sealed inside the mysterious ruins of El Dorado. For how long has he been under this entombment and for what reasons has never been explained. Meio was finally set free after a search party led by Strider Hien (a traitor to the Striders) located his resting site and released him, allowing Meio to retake his place as the world's ruler.

When Grandmaster Meio returned to Earth, he observed its current state and was disappointed. Eventually, he took the decision to abandon the planet and search through space for a new planet where he could start his experiments once again. To carry out his intentions Meio used his life summoning to create Caduceus, a massive godlike entity capable of transporting the seeds of his creations across space^[12]. He also intended to destroy Earth before leaving as well.^[13]

The Striders were eliminated thanks to the action of Strider Hien, who betrayed the group to join the Grandmaster. The sole survivor of the group, Hiryu received what became the Striders' final mission: to eliminate Meio. Hiryu took upon himself to challenge the entire world in order to fulfill his mission and put an end to the destiny that started 2000 years ago.^[8]

Strider (2014)

Not much is revealed about Earth, although it is presumed to once again follow closely after the real Earth. Kazakh City appears to be the current state of the nation of Kazakh following Meio's appearance and conquest of the world and General Mikiel mentions he rules over all of Eurasia^[14], indicating it fulfills the same role as the Kazakh Federation before it. No other region of the world is mentioned or visited during Hiryu's mission.

Following Meio's sudden appearance on Earth he established himself on Kazakh territory through the treacherous General Mikiel, and waged war to conquer the world after creating a large military force. While details are scarce, it was the creation of the almighty Airship Balrog which once again tipped the scales on Meio's favor, becoming pivotal in his quest to conquer the world^[15]. Kazakh City became the seat of power for his rule on Earth, with Meio establishing residence at the top of the massive spyre on its center, while his subordinates took over all facets of Kazakh City to govern in his name.

As before, Meio appears to have rebranded the calendar era to his name, with the game being set in "Meio 0048" (冥王歴0048年, lit. Year 0048 of the Meio Era). This indicates Meio has been the absolute ruler of Earth for close to 50 years. Grandmaster Meio provided "gifts" to the poeple of the planet (likely in the form of advanced technology), but he became displeased with how humans "squandered" them^[16]. As a result, Meio started carrying out preparations to eliminate all life on the surface and repopulate the planet with his self-created "perfect race".

Once again hired to eliminate him, the Striders sent in 11 agents to fulfill this mission, with all dying in the process. Hiryu is the latest Strider to be assigned this daunting task, and their only hope of success.

In the Manga

Earth appears to follow the same alternative history up to the appearance of Grandmaster Meio. The Kazakh Federation is shown being a powerful Eastern country with internal conflicts and civil unrest, but no mention is made of any worldwide conflict or similar events in regards to the world at large.

The only possible hint of a major conflict happening may be found in the state of the city of Los Angeles, which is presented as an almost-abandoned city in ruins. The large corporation Enterprise appears to hold control over the area, and is stated their plans are to "establish a dictatorship in a devastated world"^[17]. President Faceas Clay plans to create a "Golden Millenium" for humanity by suppressing free will, seeking to control human's destructive instincts. The brainwashing ZAIN Project, developed over the course of 30 years, is the central piece of his master plan.

Other versions

Isuke's scenario draft

Main article: Isuke's scenario draft

Isuke's written draft goes through the history of the Striders, from its ancestors in ancient time, to its funding at the end of the 19th Century, their rise and fall over the course of the 20th century and final disbandment in 2048. The text makes several references to real life events and conflicts the Striders were involved with from behind the shadows, confirming that Earth in the setting follows the same events from real life up until the late 80s', the point in which development for the series started. As the text is likely an earlier version of the backstory, whether these details remain in Capcom's official continuity is uncertain.

English sources

According to the prologue written for the English Mega Drive/Genesis port's manual, Earth was struck by a series of natural disasters up until the year 1998, at which point the situation became so dire that the people of the world stopped all conflicts and instead united in an attempt to rebuild their ruined cities and help those in need, doing so until "the living standards rose to a tolerable level". In this circunstances Grandmaster Meio (coming from a distant nebula) suddenly invades the planet, starting within the nation of "Kazafu" and eventually taking over the whole planet and enslaving humanity. Notably this story inverts the situation, establishing a peaceful world being invaded instead of Meio taking advantage of an Earth torn apart by war.

Strider II

Tiertex's Strider II is currently the only game in the series to not take place in Earth, instead being set on an alien planet known as Magenta, where the protagonist is sent on a mission to rescue the planet's world leader from Alien Terrorists. The later-released Mega Drive/Genesis port dropped most of this backstory and reestablishes it happening on planet Earth as Meio attempts to take revenge for a previous defeat.

References