Kim

Kim (キム, kimu), was a brilliant doctor and scholar whose studies in the field of nanotechnology was integral to many who came after him, such as the Shevat Sage Taura Melchior, and later, Taura's student, Karellen.

He was the first known reincarnation of Abel the Contact, while his wife, Elly, was the first known reincarnation of the original Elehayym.

Biography

Born during the Zeboim era in the year 6055, little is known about Kim's early life. In 6071, he enrolled in the Federal University at age 16 and entered the School of Medicine.^[1]

In 6074, after taking his undergraduate transfer exam, Kim pivoted towards the Biochemistry Division of the Department of Science, where he began his research began research on molecular machines, or nanomachines. A year later, he entered Graduate School, and managed to earn his Master's Degree that same year.

In 6077, Kim presented his thesis at an academic conference. Born from his research from the past few years, Kim's paper proposed a way of reconstructing faulty DNA using nanomachines by creating a form of psuedo-life, made from nanomachines, that could be used as a template.

Kim's proposal was seen as blasphemous by fellow scholars, leading Kim to be expelled. Having been driven out of academic society, Kim abandoned his research and re-entered Medical School to become a doctor.

In 6079, Kim became a doctor at the Federal Medical Office. He met his co-worker Elly met at the same hospital, and the two eventually fell in love.

In 6081, the anti-government group Ravine blew up Zeboim's central electrical facility, which caused a blackout in 50% of the capital city's electrical grid. Despite Kim's hospital having a backup generator, six people died, one of which is a young girl that was under Kim's care.^[2]

Later, while having dinner with Elly, Kim vented his frustration over his powerlessness to save the life of the young girl, lamenting that humans were a "bunch of fools" who, being "defective creatures", were plagued by genetic damage, cutting their lives short, as well as their birth rate. Elly then asked Kim if she was a fool as well, revealing that she had found out she was unable to have children.^[3]

Eventually, Myyah Hawwa took notice of Kim's earlier thesis and, seeing its potential to evolve humanity, met up with Kim and offered to sponsor a facility so that he could continue his nanotechnology research. Kim accepted her offer and resumed his research, while also continuing his work as a Federal doctor.

Myyah wasn't alone in noticing Kim's old paper, as Kim was later contacted by Ravine, who saw his work's potential for creating dangerous weapons.^[4] In 6082, Ravine tried to persuade Kim into joining their organization but he rejected their offer. While discussions on both sides came to a mutual end, Ravine continued to persist in contacting Kim afterwards.

Later, wanting to break "the spell" that threatens life itself, Kim created Emeralda on the day of the Thanksgiving Festival. Formed from nanomachines as a form of "pure life", Emeralda was created by Kim by referring to the "structural patterns" of he and Elly, making Emeralda the closest thing to a daughter they could have.^[5]

In 6083, having realized Myyah's true nature, Kim transferred Emeralda to a research facility prepared by Ravine. In an attempt to seize Kim's research, Myyah mobilizes the military's special forces and sends them to Kim's facility. While Kim escaped to the central isolated room where Emeralda was kept, Elly shut herself in the entryway. As Kim tried to unlock the door, Elly plead for him to live and sacrificed herself to stop the soldiers by activating the lab's hazard safety system, releasing high amounts of radiation into the entryway.^[6]

Kim sealed himself up with Emeralda for eternity in the facility, disappearing from history.

Quotes

• "I don't care if they hear me. All the people here are also fools! Think about it. What's the purpose of fighting each other on such a tiny planet as this?"
• "Starting a war is stupid. Inciting it is also stupid. Killing people as an act of terrorism or as a protest against wars that kill people is just as stupid. You're all fools!"
• "Just fools. Humans, creatures are meant to live. Why do they want to die out? Why do they strangle themselves? Humans are defective creatures. A bunch of fools! That's why genetic damage is up lately. The birth rate is also going down. Only 30 years to live... Nature, this planet, won't allow humans to live any longer than that."

Trivia

• In the Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon VJump guide, released January 18th 1997, in which the latter half was comprised of Xenogears previews, Emeralda was given the surname Kharim (カーリム、kārimu), both in romaji and katakana. This was later addressed in a 1998 interview with Takahashi in which he states that she should not have a surname at all and that he was unsure of why it was added.^[7] This was then carried over into future guides in Japanese, despite the surname not appearing in Perfect Works or Xenogears itself. Meanwhile in the English Bradygames guide she was given the surname Kasim. Both Japanese and English fans adopted the surname for Emeralda, though most English fans were unaware that this was not an official name, and in turn, applied the surname Kasim to Kim as well.
• In Dengeki Playstation volume 72 it was stated that Kim was named after Kim Eric Drexler, an American engineer who introduced molecular nanotechnology.^[8]

• 

  The music box in the beginning of the game is a present from Kim to Emeralda. After the scenes in Zeboim, go back to Citan Uzuki's house. The music box was excavated from some Zeboim ruins. On the side of the box: "Celebrating my daughter's birth... may all the dreams, courage & love in the world be yours..."
  

Gallery

Kim and Elly celebrating a new year.

Kim and Elly celebrating a new year.

Kim vents to Elly over dinner.

Elly asks Kim if she's also a fool.

Kim wakes up in the middle of the night.

"It's no good... It's not gonna work... Somehow we must break the spell or the humans on this planet will die out."

"No, I don't care about humans... Life itself will be ruined if we don't do something... Some... pure life... not cursed... A pure life..."

References