General Chrome

"'Take the mother away from the infant and it will scream.' -Chrome"Chrome, also referred to as General Chrome is an antagonist in Iconoclasts. He is the leader of the One Concern soldiers. Despite his position he is not privy to many secrets, and must take orders from Agents. At the beginning of the game, his task is to track down and eliminate the pirates. His second in command is Tolo.

Background
Chrome Transcended like agents Black and White but has done so more recently. His Transcendence has given him a longer lifespan and the ability to heal but took away his legs, which are replaced by heavy prosthetics powered by his Ivory blood.

Chrome goes shirtless but wears brown pants cut off at the knee, where his mechanical legs begin. His brown hair is tied back in a ponytail on top of which he wears a cowboy hat. He is well read, carrying books on his back and often reading from the Precedes. He is quite faithful, a contrast to the often cynical Black.

Story
At the beginning of the game Chrome’s duty is to hunt down the pirates. In the Shard Wastelands he appears in a cutscene, in a discussion with a pirate named Lor at the edge of a cliff. Chrome explains that he believes it is his purpose to unite the world under one ideology. Lor responds by explaining the naivety of this goal, that all unity eventually breaks apart. Unable to find the desired common ground with his foe, Chrome pushes Lor off the cliff.

During this time Tolo receives an order from Black to bring Chrome back to the camp. At camp, Black pesters Chrome for having not yet uncovered the pirate hideout. He references the Scriptures multiple times in response to her anger, much to her displeasure.

Chrome sits by as Tolo addresses the soldiers to inform them of a recent shipment of Ivory, as well as recent updates to their wanted list. Royal interrupts Tolo, dragging Robin on stage. When Robin’s face appears on the wanted list, Chrome jokingly congratulates Royal for finally doing something right. Robin is to be executed, but she is rescued by Royal and escapes on a train carrying Ivory. Chrome boards an attack helicopter to chase after her. During the fight, both helicopter and train are destroyed and Chrome lays on the ground, apparently dead. He survives using Ivory healing.

Chrome travels west after having a revelation. At the Tower, as Robin and Black confront each other over Elro, Chrome and his soldiers interrupt, saving Elro’s life. He cites scripture, scolding Black for violating it. In addition, he reprimands Black and the One Concern for keeping the existence of the Tower a secret, as it needlessly wastes precious Ivory. Black asks if she might explain the reasoning later, though she never does. The meeting is interrupted by the Silver Watchman.

In One Concern West, Chrome joins Black and Darland to address the soldiers. After Darland directs the soldiers to prepare rocket B17 for launch he opens the podium to Chrome. Instead of addressing the soldiers as intended, Chrome reveals the truth that the planet is dying. Black rushes Chrome and beats his face as Darland rushes away. The scene ends as One Concern Soldiers begin to fire on Black.

Chrome heals and regroups with Tolo and the soldiers after Black is incapacitated by Robin. During this short time, Nobel attempts to assassinate Chrome using one of Elro’s syringes. However, only having been attacked with one part of the binary solution, Chrome is unharmed. Chrome takes this as a sign that he is chosen by He. He begins to make his way to City One.

Chrome arrives in City One just after Mother is defeated by Robin and friends. In front of the people he speaks of Mother’s misguided decisions. When she dies in front of him because of Mina’s seeds, he takes this as further proof that he is the new chosen. The Bastion Elite fire on Chrome and his soldiers, and battle breaks out in City One.

As the battle rages outside, Chrome and Tolo make their way to the top of the Bastion. Robin finds them in a room with a balcony overlooking the city. In a wheelchair sits Father, Mother’s predecessor. He seems to be unconscious or in a vegetative state. Chrome praises Robin for following her path and kills Father in front of her. Chrome describes that his vision is a world without leaders, and he intends to petition Him for forgiveness. He admits that he does not belong in his envisioned world, and neither does Robin. He bids Robin to kneel next to him, so that he can kill her and offer her soul to Him.

They are interrupted by Elro, who slowly approaches Chrome. Chrome opens his arm and bids Elro to attack him. Elro sticks Chrome with his syringe. Tolo laughs, but Chrome is noticeably quiet. Now having taken the full binary solution he begins to quiver and keels over. Chrome begins to turn purple as the Ivory is ejected from his body. He clutches Tolo and calls out in desperation to Him. He rushes towards the balcony either to jump or to search for Him but explodes before he reaches it. Robin and Elro leave as Tolo lies on the floor in shock.

In the credits, Chrome’s grave is shown in the Shard Wastelands with his hat laid on top of it. Tolo and the soldiers salute the grave.