Tai Kaliso

Corporal Tai Kaliso is a supporting character in the Gears of War series, being a featured character in Gears of War 2 and RAAM's Shadow, and is mentioned in Gears: Hivebusters. He also appeared as a supporting in the Gears of War comics and novels, such as Aspho Fields. He was a Gear soldier who hailed from Irohma Island in the South Islands. He joined the Coalition of Ordered Governments army after his hometown was wiped out by Union of Independent Republics forces during the Pendulum Wars.
A boulder of a man, Tai's muscular appearance stands in contrast to his quiet, meditative personality. Tai was descended from a long line of men who viewed themselves not just as fighters but as warriors. This lineage molded Tai into a warrior-philosopher with a spiritual view of war that often caused odd glances from his squad mates. However, they liked and respected him, even if they didn't always understand him. Tai and Marcus Fenix have a long history of saving each other's lives during the Pendulum Wars, and served alongside each other several times during the Locust War. During Operation: Hollow Storm, Kaliso was tortured by the Locust via "processing", and committed suicide to the mental and physical turmoil he suffered from.
He was voiced by Fred Tatasciore, who voices Damon Baird in the same series, and also voiced Poseidon in God of War (2005), Mario Auditore in the Assassin's Creed series, Soldier: 76 in Overwatch, Zon in The Secret Saturdays, Zeratul in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, and Largo Potter in Valkyria Chronicles.
==Biography==
===Early Life===
Tai Kaliso was born before E-Day to unnamed parents on the South Islands of Irohma Island, where he raised to have a strong warrior-like tradition. At a young age, Tai was taught how to hunt, and his tribe imbued respect, discipline, fearlessness, and wisdom to his character.
===Pendulum Wars===
During the Pendulum Wars, Tai's home was attacked by the Union of Independent Republics, who started to cleanse the land of the villagers. Wanting revenge, Tai started to kill UIR soldiers until he came across Marcus Fenix, who was a soldier of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. Fenix offered to have Tai join the COG army, but was honest in stating that they weren't "angels", but that they could win the war against the UIR. Kaliso accepted his offer, becoming a frontline gear and joined the 26th Royal Tyran Infantry's C Company. Tai participated in the battle of Aspho Fields, where he befriended Bernadette Mataki, and also gave peace to a dying UIR soldier before using said soldier as a meat shield. The war would end in a ceasefire, where Marcus' father, Adam Fenix, created the hammer of dawn to make Premier Yori Deschenko stand down.
===The Locust===
Only a few weeks after the end of the Pendulum Wars, the Locust Horde arrived from underground and started to attack humanity. After the events of E-Day, Tai participated in fighting against the Locust, and Kaliso use of a power saw led to the creation the chainsaw bayonet for lancer rifles. Kaliso also was present during the Hammer of Dawn strikes, where he help extract civilians before leaving to Ephyra.
===RAAM's Shadow===
When a Kryllstorm attacked the city of Ilima, the Coalition ordered the military to evacuate civilians from the area before the Locust killed them. Kaliso was a member of Zeta-Six alongside Corporal Michael Barrick, Private Alicia Valera, and Lieutenant Minh Young Kim. During the operation, Tai assisted his allies in evacuating civilians, such as Jace Stratton, and battled against General RAAM. Despite the loss of Valera, Kaliso and his team managed to rescue as many people but failed to avenge her death when he wanted to kill the general. Though Zeta-Six failed to eliminate General RAAM, Valera's death was avenged When Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago killed the general during the Lightmass Offensive.
===Gears of War 2===
During the course of the war, Kaliso was promoted to the rank of corporal and was assigned to the Jacinto medical bay to defend it. After being assisted by Marcus, Dom Santiago and Benjamin Carmine, Tai participated in the assault on Landown, where he road a DIG-14. Leading his squad against the Locust Horde, Tai's team was slaughtered, leaving him the only survivor and was forced to leave the DIG. Joining up with Delta-One, and assisted the team in battling Locust soldiers and Brumarks, who attempted to stop the RIG from reaching their objective. When the team tried to dig into the hollow tunnel, the High Priest Skorge arrived and battled Tai, who was defeated and tortured by the Locust. After being "processed", he was taken to a barge to be transferred, where he was found by Delta when they commenced their assault. Marcus gave him a shotgun to fight against the Locust, but Tai committed suicide to the mental and physical torment he suffered from. He was mourned by his allies, who honored his memory by defeating Skorge and the Locust Horde during the Lambent pandemic.
==Gallery==
TaiKaliso.jpg|Concept art.
==Trivia==
*The character is based off the indigenous Morai of New Zealand.
*Game designer Dave Ewing originally wanted to have Tai die from falling off a cliff, but Cliff Bleszinski pushed him to have Kaliso commit suicide.
Category:Male
Category:Video Game Heroes
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Comic Book Heroes
Category:Military
Category:Tragic
Category:Fighters
Category:Martyr
Category:Suicidal
Category:Warriors
Category:Brutes
Category:Loyal
Category:Victims
Category:Determinators
Category:Rescuers
Category:Protectors
Category:Sophisticated
Category:Honorable
Category:Selfless
Category:Vengeful
Category:Successful
Category:Virtually Resourceful
Category:Monster Slayers
Category:One-Man Army
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Deceased