Gideon

Cast: Chris Wolfe (live-action scenes) / Schoen Hodges (animated comic)

Name: Gideon*Initial affiliation:* Brotherhood of Nod*Former role:* Leader of the Black Hand*Later affiliation:* Nod Separatists*Role:* Religious and military leader*Origin:* American Midwest*Enemies:* Kane, GDI, Nod loyalists*Secret ally:* Colonel Louise James*Conflicts:* Incursion War, Fourth Tiberian Dawn War*Appearance:* Command & Conquer 4: Tiberium Twilight
Status: Unknown.Gideon is the leader of the Nod Separatists and one of Kane’s main adversaries during the final years of the Tiberium saga. A former disciple of the prophet who became a heretic, he developed his own interpretation of the Brotherhood of Nod’s beliefs and eventually accused Kane of being an impostor who had betrayed the true ideals of Nod.

Gideon grew up in the contaminated regions of the American Midwest. His father joined the Brotherhood of Nod several years before an itinerant preacher came to spread Kane’s teachings in his village. These influences led the young Gideon to embrace the religion of Nod.

Over time, however, he developed his own convictions, blending evangelical populism and radical prophecy. Kane’s prolonged absence allowed him to considerably increase his influence amongst the faithful.

Gideon eventually became leader of the Black Hand, before breaking with the traditional hierarchy and founding the Nod Separatists movement.

The break with Kane

Gideon believes that Kane has abandoned the true principles of the Brotherhood, particularly when he decides to collaborate with the GDI to build the Tiberium Control Network (TCN).

For him, this alliance with Nod’s historic enemy constitutes an unforgivable betrayal.

He therefore no longer regards Kane as the true prophet and openly defies him. His Separatists thus go to war simultaneously against the GDI and the Nod forces that have remained loyal to Kane.

The Incursion War

Even before the Fourth Tiberium War, Gideon was already playing a major role in the Incursion War.

In particular, his forces launched a massive attack on Paris, one of the last Blue Zones still habitable. Gideon also manages to seize the GDI vessel Methuselah and attempts to crash it into Chicago.

Captain Christian Pierce prevents the disaster, but subsequently falls into Gideon’s hands. Gédéon forces him to hack into a GDI database.

More ambiguously, Kane claims that Gédéon had once been one of his most important Disciples and that he may have helped lead Pierce to a valuable database held at the New York Public Library. Some of his activities may therefore have indirectly served Kane’s plans.

The Fourth Tiberium War

After the Incursion War, Gideon temporarily went underground.

He reappears at the opening ceremony of the TCN in New Adana. His men infiltrate the city with modular Obelisks of Light and attempt to assassinate Kane. This attack marks the start of the Fourth Tiberium War.

Gideon then waged a full-scale civil war against Kane’s loyalists, whilst continuing his attacks on the GDI.

The Implanted

One of his main objectives is to eliminate the Implanted, five individuals to whom Kane has entrusted implants containing the elements necessary to activate the Scrin Portal.

The Separatists track down and assassinate several of them in turn.

Gideon personally and brutally kills Dr Johann Pascal, before provoking Kane by announcing his intention to eliminate the last Implanted one as well.

This campaign is directly aimed at Kane’s Ascension project: by eliminating the Implanted, Gideon hopes to permanently prevent his former prophet from using Scrin technology.

Secret alliance with Louise James

Gideon also has a particularly unexpected ally: Colonel Louise James, a high-ranking officer in the GDI.

Both share the same objective: to bring down Kane. James refuses to cooperate with the leader of Nod, whilst Gideon regards him as a false prophet. They therefore collaborate in secret despite their radically opposing ideologies.

This alliance demonstrates Gédéon’s pragmatism: despite his hatred of the GDI, he is prepared to work with one of its Officers if it means he can eliminate Kane.

Capture and fate

During the decisive clash between the Separatists and the loyalists, Gideon is finally captured by Kane.

Rather than allowing the GDI to bring him to justice, Kane decides to organise his public execution. The heretic’s death is to serve as an example and enable the Prophet to definitively re-establish his authority over the Brotherhood.

But the execution is interrupted.

Just as Kane is about to kill Gideon, Louise James opens fire, hitting Kane - or the Commander in the Nod campaign. Gideon’s ultimate fate following this incident is never revealed.

Personality

Gideon is a charismatic, fanatical, provocative and extremely violent character. He does not hesitate to cold-bloodedly murder his opponents and openly mocks Kane, whom he regards as a relic who has betrayed his own religion.

He is not, however, entirely indifferent to his men. Despite his brutality, he is concerned for the welfare of his Soldiers, a trait he shares with several of Nod’s great military leaders.

His most distinctive feature remains his status as a rival prophet: Gideon does not actually reject the faith of Nod. On the contrary, he believes he is defending a more authentic version of it than Kane’s. This conviction transforms their conflict into a full-blown religious war within the Brotherhood of Nod.