Wilhelm

Wilhelm () is a supporting character in the Xenosaga series. He is the founder and CEO of Vector Industries, making him Shion's, Allen's and Miyuki's employer.
==Appearance and personality==
Wihelm is a man with red eyes and white fringe-styled hair. Wilhelm wears an all black uniform with a gold cross decoration on his chest.
Wilhelm is an unflappable person who rarely shows emotion. What emotion he does show is subtle. He speaks and behaves in a measured, calm way. Even when genuinely surprised he does not raise his voice or become animated.
==Story arc==
===History===
Wilhelm is the founder and CEO of the interplanetary corporation Vector Industries. He also is the former Executive Committee Director of the Galaxy Federation. Wilhelm resides in the Dämmerung, a giant spacecraft/colony that acts as the headquarters for Vector.
===Pied Piper===
Wilhelm appears in two scenes in Xenosaga: Pied Piper. His assistant Kayla reports to him over new developments surrounding Dmitri Yuriev. Wilhelm has no reason to worry. He claims that the soul of the investigator of Voyager has a soul burning with radiance beyond compare, but he is not the only one burning so brightly. He speaks of using Lactis, who is carrying a program called "Canaan" which is searching the start system for humans with a certain factor. After Kayla leaves, Wilhelm speaks of chaos, who spoke to Jan in a vision and how getting help from others isn't like him. He is content for the day chaos will once again return to the stage. Towards the end of the game when Voyager tries to call forth U-DO using the , Wilhelm appears, saying U-DO will not respond and that it has already learned what it wanted to know. Wilhelm offers to be Voyager's new partner and make him very happy. Claiming he has been watching him for a long time, he offers to give him a new world he hasn't even imagined. Voyager accepts the offer and becomes the Black Testament.
===Episode I===
Wilhelm first appears in a scene shortly after Shion and the others make their way onto the Elsa. A mysterious hooded man, the Red Testament reports to him information from KOS-MOS. They discuss KOS-MOS' prime directive to protect Shion, as well as the data for the Rhine Maiden being complete. Wilhelm is pleased that all phenomena are moving forward as specified by his Compass of Order.
Later in the game when the Kukai Foundation is framed by the U-TIC Organization for the destruction of the Woglinde, Wilhelm personally contacts Representative Helmer, offering his assistance. Wilhelm claims he will make recommendations to Parliament, dispatch the Dämmerung in the Miltian system and agrees to lend KOS-MOS to Gaignun. Wilhelm is later seen playing chess with the Red Testament when the Song of Nephilim starts being heard and a large mass of Gnosis appear by the Kukai Foundation. Wilhelm orders the Dämmerung to utilize the Rhine Maiden, a weapon that destroys a massive amount of Gnosis. Wilhelm has one final conversation with the Red Testament near the end of the game where they talk about Albedo being the one who is able to open the door to Abel's Ark. Wilhelm is doubtful of Albedo's ability to link with U-DO however.
===Episode II===
Wilhelm is first seen talking to Helmer as Second Miltia and the Federation prepare for war against Ormus. He later appears in a scene with the Red Testament after Shion and Allen escape the Dämmerung on Dinah. They discuss Albedo's ascension and the awakening of KOS-MOS. Wilhelm references someone needing to play the role of the villain, he also states that he enjoys human suffering. Wilhelm is seen again towards the end of the game when Abel's Ark appears. Although they are not present in the same location, he speaks to chaos, whom he calls Yeshua about the fact that chaos will no longer be holding back and will be entering the stage. Wilhelm appears in the final scene of the game along with the Testaments as they welcome Albedo as the White Testament. He also speaks about the Y-Data, that a great deal of it is missing and that the answer lies in the U.M.N.
===Episode III===
Wilhelm is one of the primary antagonists of Episode III. Wilhelm is first seen with the Red Testament, talking about Shion's activities, and his mission to Rennes-le-Château, the Zohar Project demonstration on Fifth Jerusalem, and Ormus as well as warning him that Shion's contact with KOS-MOS is taking its toll on her, telling him that he must succeed this time. As the Red Testament departs, Wilhelm remarks that Shion emits good wavelengths which he agrees.
Wilhelm is the Guardian of the Lower Domain and has lived for countless millennia. He is a being created by the Collective Unconscious to protect the Lower Domain from the universe's collapse. To this end, he has reset time repeatedly, a cycle known as the Eternal Recurrence. He is extremely manipulative, having guided humanity towards countless Eternal Recurrences. A perceptive man, he lures people to his side by offering something they desire or forcing them to watch those they care about suffer. Wilhelm is also a sadist, explicitly stating that he enjoys human suffering and demonstrated through his torture of Shion. Because of his machinations, Wilhelm is the central antagonist of the Xenosaga trilogy.
==Lore==
* Wilhelm is a fan of the board game, Chess and is often seen playing it with the Red Testament.
* Wilhelm enjoys Richard Wagner's music.
==Database==
==Trivia==
* Episode I's Weekly Xenosaga magazine vol. 1 states that Wilhelm only "appears" to be male. However, this is updated to just "male" in his character profiles for following Episode II and Episode III magazine issues.
* Episode II's Weekly Xenosaga magazine vol. 1 states that Wilhelm has the appearance of a 16-17 year old. This was updated to age 20 in Episode III's magazine vol. 2.
* Similar to Krelian from Xenogears, despite being the central antagonist, Wilhelm is not fought at all at any point throughout the trilogy.
* Wilhelm's motives and nature are similar to Xenoblade Chronicles 3's main antagonist, Z; see Thematic parallels for details.
* Wilhelm is likely named after Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Eternal Recurrence was proposed as a concept by Nietzsche in a form very similar to how it appears in Xenosaga, and the subtitles of the mainline Xenosaga games — respectively Der Wille zur Macht, Jenseits von Gut und Böse, and Also Sprach Zarathustra — are named after various works of Nietzsche.
* Wilhelm's Japanese voice actor in Xenosaga: The Animation, Hikaru Midorikawa, also voices Fei in Xenogears and U-DO in Xenosaga Episode III.
* Wilhelm's English voice actor in Xenosaga Episode II and Episode III, Jason Spisak, also voices Richard and in the same games.
==See also==
* Heinlein
==Gallery==
===Official artwork===
XS1 special artwork.jpg|Special artwork for Episode I.
Wilhelm XS2.jpg|Episode II artwork.
Wilhelm (XS3).jpg|Episode III artwork.
===Xenosaga Episode I===
====Screenshots====
Wilhelm Red Testament.png|Wilhelm with the Red Testament.
Wilhelm Helmer.png|With Helmer.
Wilhelm speaking with Helmer.png|Wilhelm speaking with Helmer.
Wilhelm and the Compass of Order.png|Wilhelm with the Compass of Order.
Wilhelm ending.png|Wilhelm in the ending.
===Xenosaga Episode II===
====Screenshots====
Wilhelm and Helmer (XS2).png|Wilhelm in a video conversation with Helmer.
Wilhelm(2) (XS2).png|Wilhelm on the Dämmerung.
Wilhelm enjoys suffering.png|Wilhelm enjoys human suffering.
Wilhelm (XS2).png|Wilhelm with the Testaments.
Wilhelm(3) (XS2).png|Wilhelm with the Testaments.
===Xenosaga Episode III===
====Screenshots====
Heinlein is Wilhelm.png|Wilhelm revealed to be Heinlein.
Wilhelm reveals Ormus's lie.png|Wilhelm reveals to Margulis that's Ormus's goal is a lie.
Wilhelm meets young Kevin.png|Wilhelm meets young Kevin.
Wilhelm and Zarathustra.png|Wilhelm stands behind Zarathustra.
Wilhelm about to torture Shion.png|Wilhelm prepares to torture Shion.
Wilhelm fades away.png|Wilhelm fades away as he dies.
====Character portraits====
XS3 character portrait Wilhelm normal.png|Neutral Wilhelm.
XS3 character portrait Wilhelm arrogant.png|Smug Wilhelm.
XS3 character portrait Wilhelm awe.png|Wilhelm in awe.
XS3 character portrait Heinlein normal.png|Heinlein (unused).
====Models====
Wilhelm (XS3) render.png|Standard model.
Wilhelm (Amputated) render.png|Amputated.
===Xenosaga I & II===
====CG images====
XS1&2 scene41.png|Wilhelm speaking with chaos.
====Character portraits====
WilhelmXSDS01.gif|Neutral Wilhelm.
WilhelmXSDS02.gif|Confident Wilhelm.
Category:Characters (XS1)Category:Characters (XS2)Category:Characters (XS3)Category:Characters (XSPP)Category:Characters (XS1&2)Category:Characters (XSTA)