Gaignun Kukai

Gaignun Kukai (), whose real name is Nigredo is a supporting character in the Xenosaga series. He is the chairman of the Kukai Foundation.
==Appearance and personality==
Gaignun is an average man with short black hair and bluish-green eyes. His usual attire is a black business suit with a green tie and an orange and white design on the left collar of the suit. As a child, Nigredo wore a blue and white jumpsuit. The number "669" is imprinted on his right palm.
==Story arc==
===History===
====Life at the Yuriev Institute====
Nigredo was a Designer Child specifically designed along with the other U.R.T.V.s to be an anti-thesis to U-DO. Nigredo was U.R.T.V. number 669 and also a variant, meaning he was subjected to induced mutations during his embryonic development. Thanks to this, he has the power of telepathy and hypnotic suggestion, alongside a unique hair and eye color. Additionally, unlike other U.R.T.V.s, he does not react to U-DO's waveforms and merely repels them. 
Nigredo spent his childhood at the Yuriev Institute, undergoing combat training against U-DO alongside his fellow U.R.T.V.s. As a child, he often spent his time hanging out with the other variants, Rubedo and Albedo. He was often the peacemaker and mediator of their group, comforting Albedo and reassuring Rubedo whenever he felt insecure about himself. However, he often felt left out due to their special connection as conjoined twins.
After Sakura Mizrahi was admitted to the Yuriev Institute for treatment, Nigredo, alongside Rubedo and Albedo, started going on periodic dives into her subconscious and befriended her.
At a certain point in time, he was approached by Citrine about the mission they had in common, taking down the Red Dragon if he were to ever go out of control. She also pointed out his peculiarity, his inability to destroy U-DO waveforms, which surprised him.
====Miltian Conflict====
The U.R.T.V.s were sent in as part of the third descent operation by the Galaxy Federation in hopes that they'd be able to sever the link between the Zohar and U-TIC's weaponry during the Miltian Conflict and Gaignun was among them. He was partaking in the spiritual link that Rubedo had set up inside the Song of Nephilim, until he decided to sever the link out of fear of what their collision with U-DO's waves would do. As a result of this, many of the U.R.T.V. units, including Albedo, got infected by U-DO and started attacking civilians. Shortly after, Nigredo got separated from Rubedo due to an unknown cause and went looking for him, shooting down infected standard U.R.T.V.s to protect the civilians in the process. He returned to the Song, wounded and got attacked by a crazed Albedo. Nigredo hit Albedo with his waveforms as the failsafe of the U.R.T.V.s, which left him half-dead. Nigredo was also heavily wounded is bleeding to death after their battle and was found by Rubedo who carried him until they were rescued by chaos and Canaan in the E.S. Asher. At this point, chaos refers to Nigredo as the rider of the black horse who carries famine. At some point during the Miltian Conflict, Nigredo rejected his mission as the U.R.T.V.s' acting executioner and shot his father Dmitri Yuriev, killing him. Unbeknownst to him, Yuriev went inside Nigredo's body and began resting until he could recover enough to take over Nigredo's body.
====Later life====
At an unknown point in time, Gaignun and Jr. took care of a cat called Gaignun and chose to name themselves after it. After their rescue, Nigredo and Rubedo were taken in by Helmer, who helped them establish the Kukai Foundation. At some point, he saves Shelley and Mary Godwin from an illegal pharmaceutical company and gave them a home in the Kukai Foundation.
===Episode I===
Gaignun first appears in the game when the party heads to the Kukai Foundation. He comes to personally meet Shion and the others. Gaignun was in communication with Juli Mizrahi and tells MOMO that they'll ensure she gets to Second Miltia safely. Gaignun and Jr. speak in private a little later and Gaignun believes Shion to not be as ordinary as Jr. thinks. He provides Jr. with a special gun as a present he won at a recent auction. Later, Gaignun speaks with Representative Helmer, with whom he has a long standing relationship. Gaignun tells him about their recovery of the Zohar Emulator and MOMO. 
When the U-TIC Organization frames the Kukai Foundation for the destruction of the Woglinde, Gaignun is arrested along with the others. However the Federation Officer in charge, Lapis Roman, is an agent of Helmer's and arranges for Gaignun to be able to speak with him. He is eventually freed once Shion and the others are able to find evidence of their innocence within KOS-MOS' Encephalon. With the arrival of the Song of Nephilim and a large amount of Gnosis, Gaignun and the Kukai Foundation have their hands full fighting off the gnosis while Jr. and the others head to the Song of Nephilim, and after that Proto Merkabah. Gaignun's last scene in the game is a conversation with Helmer about U-TIC's target being on Miltia and him revealing to him that Albedo is still alive.
===Episode II===
Jr. contacts Gaignun when they are chased through the streets of Second Miltia by the U-TIC Organization, but Gaignun finds himself a bit out of it, wondering what he was doing. He later meets with Helmer who asks him to do some reconnaissance. Gaignun and Albedo are able to communicate with each other through their mind. Albedo says Gaignun's true form is an executioner and taunts him over hanging around Jr. while waiting to carry out his mission. Gaignun cuts the communication causing Albedo's arm to vanish, although he immediately regenerates it. Gaignun heads to the U.M.N. Control Center when they are about to investigate the Y-Data in MOMO. 
It is later revealed that Dmitri Yuriev has the ability to restore his consciousness, using Gaignun as a vessel, which he does. Gaignun eventually regains control back over his body. He says for Jr. to not trust his words.
===Episode III===
Gaignun's only appearance is in a video transmission aboard the Durandal as the party heads for the Floating Landmass. For most of the game, his body is in the possession of Dmitri Yuriev. When the Salvator Faction takes control of the Durandal, Yuriev masquerades as Gaignun as part of the effort. Aboard Abel's Ark, Gaignun manages to barely regain control of his body and urges Jr. to kill him. He relucently forms the link with Albedo (now a Testament) around Yuriev, hoping for Gaignun to go inside Jr.'s body. But at the last minute, Gaignun pushes Albedo's consciousness out of his body into Jr.'s and proceeds to sacrifice himself to kill Yuriev once and for all. Before passing, Gaignun shows Jr. his true form and tells him that he was created to observe him and Albedo, and his sole purpose of existing is to kill him, but he tried to abandon his mission, even it meant that he denies his own existence.
==Lore==
* As a cover story, Gaignun is the first son and heir to the fictitious industrialist Soze Kukai.
* Gaignun got his name from a pet cat named Gaignun. 
==Database==
==Trivia==
* While waiting for Juli at the U.M.N. Control Center, Gaignun looks at his wrist several times, suggesting that he wears a watch despite not seen on his character model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CelXZQboerI&list=PLpVpBRIlzWuBgIAUHx9XX48rrkxTb-fqy&index=23.
* Despite not being seen in-game, Gaignun has a character model of him in Dmitri Yuriev's attire in the Character Model Viewer in Episode III.
* Gaignun's voice actors in both Japanese and English, Kôichi Yamadera and Crispin Freeman respectively, both also voice Albedo Piazzolla throughout the Xenosaga series.
==Gallery==
===Official artwork===
Gaignun XS2.png|Gaignun's Episode II artwork
Gaignun XS1&2 Scan.jpg|Episode I & II artwork.
Gaignun XS1&2 Faces Scan.jpg|Episode I & II artwork.
===Xenosaga Episode I===
====Screenshots====
Gaignun.png|Gaignun.
Shion Gaignun.png|Gaignun with Shion.
Gaignun and chaos arrested.png|Gaignun being arrested by the Federation.
Lapis(3).png|Gaignun with Lapis Roman.
Nigredo during the Miltian Conflict.png|Nigredo during the Miltian Conflict.
Albedo attacks Nigredo.png|Nigredo being attacked by Albedo.
====Models====
Gaignun Kukai (XS1).png|Gaignun's model.
===Xenosaga Episode II===
====Screenshots====
Rubedo carrying Nigredo.png|Rubedo carrying a wounded Nigredo.
Canaan and chaos saves Rubedo and Nigredo.png|Canaan and chaos saves Rubedo and Nigredo.
Gaignun (XS2).png|Gaignun speaks to Helmer in Episode II.
Nigredo as a child.png|Nigredo as a child.
Dmitri takes over Gaignun's body.png|Yuriev taking over Gaignun's body.
Nigredo scared.png|Nigredo before killing Yuriev.
Nigredo kills Dmitri.png|Nigredo kills Yuriev.
====Models====
Nigredo (XS2).png|Nigredo.
===Xenosaga Episode III===
====Character portraits====
XS3 character portrait Gaignun normal.png|Neutral Gaignun.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun joy.png|Happy Gaignun.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun sad.png|Sad Gaignun.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun arrogant.png|Smug Gaignun.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun surprised.png|Surprised Gaignun.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun (call) normal.png|Gaignun when calling.
XS3 character portrait Gaignun (call) joy.png|Happy Gaignun when calling,
====Models====
Gaignun Kukai (XS3).png|Gaignun's model.
Nigredo (XS3).png|Nigredo's model.
Gaignun Kukai (Dmitri Yuriev).png|Gaignun in Yuriev's outfit.
===Xenosaga I & II===
====CG images====
XS1&2 scene44.png|Gaignun, Mary, Jr., and Shelley at the end of the game.
XS1&2 scene33.png|Yuriev taking over Gaignun's body.
====Character portraits====
GaignunXSDS01.gif|Neutral Gaignun.
GaignunXSDS02.gif|Unnerved Gaignun.
GaignunXSDS03.gif|Stressed Gaignun.
GaignunXSDS04.gif|Very stressed Gaignun.
GaignunXSDS05.gif|Nigredo normally.
GaignunXSDS06.gif|Shocked Nigredo.
GaignunXSDS07.gif|Angry Nigredo.
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Characters (XS1)Category:Characters (XS2)Category:Characters (XS3)Category:Characters (XSOF)Category:Characters (XS1&2)Category:Characters (XSTA)Category:U.R.T.V.s