Mental's minions timeline

[PikaCommando]

Here I will try to form a timeline of when exactly Mental gets his minions. TSE and SS2 are excluded because canon. SSVR is also excluded because I'm poor.

What is considered 'Mental's Minions'?
According to AlenL in 2000, Mental's Minions are beings that serve Mental out of their own will. In other words, beings like Ugh-Zan and Achriman are considered true minions, whereas things like Gnaars and Beheadeds are just minions in a loose sense (like how war elephants were used by the Indian Army, but not considered Indian soldiers). They are divided into three categories; true minions, living weapons, and wild beings.

Timeline
Right now we are living in Ugh-Tah, the age of infinite death. It began when Mental went insane and started wiping out other races such as the Eillians. So far we know that there's currently 3 cycles when Mental was active; the end of the Tag'h Na-Mah (when Mental became the last surviving Hum-Tah), the Sirian-Mental war in 3000BC, and the Human-Mental war in 2104AD.

The End of the Tag'h Na-Mah
Lava Golems
Biomechs
Ugh-Zan

Some time in between
Witch-Harpies
Arachnoids

Sirian-Mental War
Reeban Electro-Fishes
Marsh-Hoppers
Beheadeds
Reptiloids
Khnums
Witch-Brides of Achriman
Achriman

Shortly after Mental took over Sirius
Gnaars
Werebulls
Kleer Skeletons

Human-Mental War
Aurigan Cave Demons
Antaresian Spiders
Cloned Soldiers
Technopolips
Scrapjacks
Raahloom

[Discy]

Interesting to see how little of Mental's minions are actually voluntary. Also, where does it say Antaresian Spiders don't possess enough intelligence to be more than a living weapon?

[PikaCommando]

Originally Posted by Discy

Interesting to see how little of Mental's minions are actually voluntary. Also, where does it say Antaresian Spiders don't possess enough intelligence to be more than a living weapon?

Living weapons are the ones that are created through magical or technological means. Although Gnaars were mutated by Mental, they (probably) still have their own ecosystem on Sirius where they reproduce naturally and have to be trained which is why they are still considered wild animals. Antaresian Spiders are also considered wild animals because nothing in their SS3 NETRICSA texts mentioned being artificially created by Mental, as well as them having built their own nest/ecosystem within the Cairo Museum in SS3.

Werebulls are considered living weapon instead of wild animal because it is created through artificial means.

[Discy]

I understand the distinction between true minions and living weapons, but there's nothing indicating Mental didn't just telepathically ask them, "Hey guys, wanna fight for me for glory? You can start by nesting all over human planets and wiping them out." and they did. Just because they're insects does not preclude intelligence.

[Solais]

The Witch-Brides are actually Sirians (as mentioned in SS3, they were part of the Great Council), misled by Achriman. So in a way, they are willing servants.

[PikaCommando]

Originally Posted by Solais

The Witch-Brides are actually Sirians (as mentioned in SS3, they were part of the Great Council), misled by Achriman. So in a way, they are willing servants.

Yeah, but I thought it could be any Great Council. Sirians didn't meet any race more advanced than themselves and look nothing like Witch-Brides, so I assume the Great Council mentioned here is the one from Mental's time. Also, the original one may be a true minion but the ones we fight are all clones like the Harpies, so I consider them as living weapons.

[Solais]

It's not mentioned that they are clones. Also, they might look nothing like Sirians, but I think they were just mutated by the energies of the void. Void energies always give people tentacles in every fantasy setting, it is well known.

[MentalParadox]

The big alien found underneath Karnak in BFE doesn't look like the beheaded Sirians, either - and yet it IS a Sirian.

My guess is that the beings we call "Sirians" are actually a collection of different species all originating from the Sirius star system. Perhaps the system has multiple inhabited planets (like it does in SS2) inhabited by various species (like the witch-brides, big "council" Sirians, and regular humanoid Sirians). They're all from the same star system, so they all qualify for the title of "Sirian".

My guess is that "planet Sirius" (this planet needs a proper name), the world that has Siriusopolis, is inhabited by the human-sized Sirians, the ones who built the Centerprise. The large ones, likely capable of magic (judging from their bracelets), may hail from Ellenier. Witch brides... not a clue. Some other planet in the system, perhaps. Or maybe also Ellenier. Magic fits the "fantasy" setting quite well. I suspect these various species work closely together.

[PikaCommando]

As far as I know, the bracelet is just highly-advanced tech and not actually magic. Sirians are incapable of magic (as they have barely learned about it when Mental attacked). I assume the knowledge of magic is what wooed the Witch Brides in the first place.

[Discy]

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

[MentalParadox]

Originally Posted by Discy

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

That's true, I guess. TMAR could easily be explained as extremely advanced nanotech. Nanobots assembling themselves into whatever ammo type is required.

[Solais]

Magic is totally real in the SS universe tho.

[Serious Sam(BG)]

I have some faded memories, for a FE summary at the back of the game's box, something about future of cyberpunk and magic...

[PikaCommando]

Originally Posted by Solais

Magic is totally real in the SS universe tho.

Yeah, just not in the good guys' hands

Still waiting for the cyberpunk elements to show up, by the way.

[Skorly]

Are the Khnums yellow or green? (I'm color blind, sorry).

[Jetroid]

They are gray...

[Sacorguy79]

Originally Posted by Skorly

Are the Khnums yellow or green? (I'm color blind, sorry).

Green. True Minions.