Appleseed
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2004 DVD cover
This article contains information that applies MOSTLY to the 2004 and 2007 Shinji Aramaki interpretations of the Appleseed saga. Be sure to read the Notes and References section.
2007 DVD cover
Antigrav

Halcon, initially a division of Poseidon Global Industrial Technologies, is a defunct healthcare corporation that once dedicated it's existence to the rehabilitation of severely disabled and paralyzed veterans of World War III and IV.

Workers

Halcon

Using cybernetics and artificial intelligence concepts, the company could mobilize totally parapalegic individuals, via neuromuscular stimulation. However, for the system to work flawlessly, a certain level of mental interfacing was required, leading to the field of mind control and the eventual downfall of the corporation, and it's descent into evil.

Staffed by several thousand ex-Poseidon employees, Halcon occupied a maritime city, which, using anti-gravity devices from its old parent company, levitated over the ocean's surface. It isn't clear where it was located globally, but was likely in the Southern Atlantic, or possibly the Indian Ocean.

History

The two chief scientists responsible for the development and success of the initial Halcon anti-paralysis unit, was Doctors Elizabeth Xander, and Richard Kestner, who may or may not have been romantically involved, but shared great respect for each other. Dr. Xander died in a supposed accident during the early 2130s, by falling from a balcony, leading to Kestner promotion to leadership of the company [citation needed]. After this point, Halcon diversified its product offerings, and began selling consumer electronics as well as healthcare devices, all with mental interfacing capabilities. It's rumoured to have been behind the initial design of the Connexus, though that device was developed and marketed by another company, which went unnamed in the 2007 movie Ex Machina.

As Halcon became more and more obsessed with interfacing into its customer's minds, the prospect of outright mind-control became a hot topic, not only in the general public, but also Halcon's corporate leadership as well. However, the business only saw the positive possibilities the controversial technology offered, and continued to develop it. This led to Poseidon reacquiring the subsidiary company, and swift dissolution of it after Xander was killed in an accident.

These moves, aimed at preventing the mind-control ambitions from ever seeing the light of day, were unsuccessful however. As it became known, Xander's "accident" was indeed a murder ordered direct from Poseidon's government, possibly even Emissary Yoshino, but they had made the mistake of targeting her, and not Kestner, who was the real drive behind the mind control-plans. Unharmed, he later reformed a small group of former Halcon employees, and hatched an overarching global domination scheme, utilizing the Connexus, Athena newly unified global satellite network, and the Hecatonchires system at the heart of Briareos, these events forming the plot for Appleseed: Ex Machina.

Notes and References

  • While Halcon is an entity exclusive to the more recent Shinji Aramaki interpretations of Appleseed, the levitating structure it's contained in, is not. Commander Lance makes reference to "floating Poseidon cities" in the manga short story 26 Called Game, and later goes on to plaintively say that at least eight of them exist worldwide.
  • Halcon's headquarters almost resembles a cubical Death Star from the Star Wars franchise. It isn't clear why the city had to levitate, other than the fact Halcon also operated a anti-gravity research arm in the building, something Yoshino reveals to Deunan, Briareos, and Tereus, while on board Poseidon's high-speed trimaran.
  • The climax to Ex Machina, which takes place here, has been somewhat criticized even by fans for too looking too much like the finale, or boss level, to a video game, with lots of explosions, bright colours, action, and lots of useless "set pieces," or props without any clear function.
  • The word halcon means hawk in Spanish,[1] whereas spelled as halcyon it means tranquil or peaceful. [2] That spelling, however, is derivative of the Greek name Alcyone, [3] made famous by the legend of a woman likewise named who transformed into a kingfisher, in order to remain forever at sea. A star constellation of the same name also exists, and is depicted on the Subaru Motors emblem.
  1. Sourced from answers.yahoo.com.
  2. As per the definitions of english-test.net.
  3. See reference.
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