William Frank

Actor: John Huck

Name: William Frank*Affiliation:* W3N*Role:* Journalist and lead presenter*Programme:* The William Frank Hour
Co-presenters: Cassandra Blair, Brittany Murphy*Guests interviewed:* Redmond Boyle, Dr Emel Ibrahiim*Conflict covered:* Tiberian Dawn*Appearance:* Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Status: Alive at the time of his last appearance.William Frank is the lead presenter on the W3N news channel during the Third Tiberium War. Through his news bulletins and his programme The William Frank Hour, he keeps the public informed of the major events of 2047 and interviews several prominent figures to analyse the war, GDI policy and the Tiberium crisis.

The destruction of the Philadelphia

William Frank found himself in the spotlight from the very outbreak of the war when the orbital station GDSS Philadelphia, home to many of the GDI’s leaders, was destroyed by Nod.

Whilst he was covering the disaster, Kane hijacked the W3N broadcast and used the airwaves to publicly announce his return and claim responsibility for the attack. The destruction of the Philadelphia marked the start of the Brotherhood’s global offensive against the Blue Zones.

Frank thus becomes one of the main media figures enabling the public to follow the conflict’s developments.

Redmond Boyle

On The William Frank Hour, Frank interviews, amongst others, the GDI’s new acting director, Redmond Boyle.

The journalist does not merely relay his speech. In particular, he highlights Boyle’s lack of military experience, given that Boyle has only just been thrust into the role of GDI leader following the destruction of the Philadelphia. Frank seems to have a greater appreciation for the approach to the war advocated by General Jack Granger.

This approach gives him a role that is slightly different from that of a mere field correspondent: William Frank also acts as a political commentator, holding GDI officials to account for their decisions.

The Temple Prime disaster

Following the Ion Cannon strike on Temple Prime, William Frank reports on the catastrophic consequences of the explosion.

The strike triggers the detonation of a massive deposit of liquid Tiberium hidden beneath Kane’s complex. Much of Eastern Europe is contaminated and millions of people are presumed dead.

Frank then reports that it is still unclear whether the disaster was accidental or the result of a final act by Kane, before broadcasting Boyle’s official response.

The Scrin Invasion

William Frank is also one of the first journalists to publicly announce the arrival of the Scrin.

After the Ion Cannons were deployed against the alien objects approaching Earth, these fragmented into dozens of ships which crashed in the Red Zones across every continent. Frank announced their arrival on W3N and quickly realised that their intentions were hostile.

He also interviews the scientist Emel Ibrahiim, a Tiberium specialist, to discuss the gigantic Threshold Towers built by the Invader Fighters.

The End of the War

William Frank finally appears during the climax of the GDI campaign, and his reaction depends on the choice made by the Commander.

If the Scrin Control Node is destroyed conventionally, Frank enthusiastically announces the GDI’s victory.

However, if the Commander uses the liquid Tiberium bomb, the victory takes on a much darker tone: the weapon causes around 25 million deaths and Frank expresses his unease at the GDI’s use of such a destructive weapon.

This difference makes him a witness to the moral implications of the final choice: the war is won in both cases, but the way in which this victory is perceived by the public changes radically.

Role

William Frank primarily represents the media and civilian perspective on the Third Tiberium War. His interventions serve to highlight the political and human consequences of events that the player generally observes from a military perspective.

He also proves to be relatively critical of those in power. His questions to Boyle and his reaction to the possible use of the liquid Tiberium bomb show that he is not content merely to act as a mouthpiece for the GDI’s official communications.